The Adventurer and the Snow Queen:

A Tale of Two Worlds

Chapter 9: Ice Queen

It wasn't long after my excursion into Elsa's bubble of seclusion that she began to, slowly at first, leave that bubble herself. Anna had been right, the Trickster's words had affected Elsa. He had brought up all her old fears, and she had hidden behind the familiar locked doors in an attempt to escape from the fear. Of course, that hadn't helped her at all. Locking herself away had only made it worse, just as it always had. But when I came in, with my odd mixture of sage wisdom, boyish attitude, and clumsy flamboyance, I reminded her that the walls she hid behind weren't protecting her, they were crushing her.

Of course, the stuff I told her about the Trickster probably helped a bit too. Knowing that the one who made you feel bad about yourself is physically incapable of telling the truth tends to make you feel a bit better. Because, after all, if they can't tell the truth, then all that bad stuff they said was a lie. Which it was. In all my travels I have met very few people as good-hearted as Elsa. I have also met very few people as emotionally damaged as her. I knew that it would take more than a single conversation to get her to leave her bubble completely.

It started later that day. All of us were gathering for diner in the great hall, though I was still weak enough that I had to be helped the last few steps to my seat. We had just finished praying over the food when Elsa came down the stairs, her icy dress sparkling. I sat there for a moment, unable to speak.

"Elsa!" Anna exclaimed, running up to hug her sister. "I'm so glad you made it!"

Elsa smiled down at her sister and hugged her back. "I realized I've been spending too much time with my work," she stated. "I can't let myself forget those who care about me." She sat down at the table and dinner began. She talked with Anna and Kristoff and made small talk with Eugene and Rapunzel, asking about Corona. She even talked to Olaf, but throughout the dinner she pointedly ignored me.

Afterwards she excused herself, suggesting that we all have dinner again tomorrow. I leaned against the wall and watched her leave, wondering why she was ignoring me. I didn't think it had to do with the Trickster, but I couldn't tell if she genuinely disliked me or if she was playing with me somehow. She didn't seem to hate me when I left her study, unless I was seriously misunderstanding what that sly smile of hers meant. Maybe it meant she was planning my grisly death. At that moment I really didn't have a clue.

"Ah, women," Eugene sighed, leaning up against the wall beside me. "No man will ever understand them."

"That's easy for you to say," I laughed. "You're already married. Plus you've got that casual swagger. I've never understood how to talk to women, despite the fact that I have far too many sisters."

"Just because I'm married doesn't mean that I understand women," he replied. "I just happened to be lucky enough to find the right gal. And look, you don't need to have my swagger. You've got your own attitude. You're like someone stuffed a little kid's heart and the wisdom of an immortal into your body. You're smart, and more importantly, clever. You'll find a way to get past that bubble of hers." He clapped me on the shoulder and left, leaving me to my thoughts.

. . . . .

The next morning I went to Elsa's study and found it abandoned. I asked Kai, one of the head servants, about it, and he informed me that the queen and the princess had gone horseback riding. When they finally returned Elsa went to her study, saying that there was a lot of work for her to do. I tried to get in, but she had left a guard at the door with orders that she not be disturbed. I did not see her the rest of the day until dinner, after which she went straight to her rooms.

. . . . .

Elsa spent the next day hearing out her people's grievances and settling disputes, and I saw very little of her that day. The day after that was also a busy one, with Elsa's time split between her personal time with Anna, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf and her time acting as queen. I decided that if I was going to get her attention I was going to have to do something drastic. I searched the castle for hours until I finally found what I was looking for: the pantry.

Elsa and Anna's shared addiction to chocolate is no secret, and everyone always says that girls love it when guys get them chocolate. You see, Elsa's coronation party was actually supposed to last for several weeks. Celebrations of that sort usually do. So when I finally discovered where all the food was kept, I was met with three weeks' worth of sweets and delights, with the chocolate front and center. My plan was simple, it was reckless, but most importantly, it was going to be a blast.

. . . . .

"Coming through!" I exclaimed, servants shrieking in terror and scattering before me. It felt a little bad, scaring them like that, but the thrill drowned out my guilt. I laughed, my blood singing as adrenaline pumped through my body. "I am the chocolate king!" I shouted, pumping my fists in the air. The metal tray beneath me wobbled for a moment, threatening to send my under, but I soon regained my balance and continued through the hallways.

It was thrilling for me, but it must have truly been a sight to behold. I was flying through the air, the metal tray beneath me holding me aloft as I surfed on the roiling mass of three weeks' worth of melted chocolate. Using my powers I had melted the chocolate and gathered it together, grabbing a metal tray as I sent the flood going. Focused as I was at keeping the mass of melted chocolate together I had very little power left for balance, so there were several times that I nearly fell into the delicious flood.

As I sped through the corridors I saw Rapunzel and Eugene staring up at me in shock, Olaf gazing at the chocolate in wonder, and Sven racing after me, lapping up the little splashes of chocolate left in my wake. Soon I neared the castle doors, which Anna and Elsa were just about to pass through, their walk through the city completed. "Heads up!" I shouted. They looked up, their mouths gaping open, as the flood of chocolate splatted out into the courtyard, covering the two women in chocolate while I tumbled to the ground with an equal about of chocolate covering me.

Elsa tried to glare at me, but her glare turned into a giggle, which soon turned into a laugh. Her sister joined her, and soon the two women were laying on the ground, sides bursting with laughter as they made chocolate angels. I stood up and offered my hand to help Elsa up, but when she grabbed my hand I slipped and fell back into the chocolate, the laughter growing more hysterical as I joined in. After several minutes the laughter finally died down, by which time the rest of the group was standing around us, staring at us like we were insane.

I stumbled to my feet, ready to tell everyone the hilarious tale, but I suddenly felt my legs grow week and my legs collapsed beneath me. "Too much magic," I muttered as I fell out of consciousness, the blackness consuming me.

. . . . .

"That was a stupid stunt you pulled." I looked around in confusion, groggily realizing that I was once again smothered in pillows and blankets. I guessed from the setting sun that it was still the same day, unless of course I had slept for over twenty-four hours. I looked up to find a pair of brilliant blue eyes staring down at me, a small smile on a pair of perfect lips. "And a massive waste of perfectly good chocolate."

"But it was fun, wasn't it?" I asked, chuckling weakly. "A real blast."

"It sure was," she answered, letting out a chuckle of her own. "I don't think I've seen that much chocolate in my life."

"Then you obviously haven't experienced Halloween," I responded. She raised her eyebrow questioningly. "It's a holiday where I come from," I told her. "It sort of branched off from All-Hallows Eve, but it's changed to the point where people mostly just dress up in costumes and get candy. It's really fun, especially if you've got a sweet tooth."

"I think I would like to experience Halloween," Elsa informed me. She looked over me for a moment, grinning as a thought entered her mind. "You know, when you are laying there in bed, I'm technically taller than you."

"I don't think it works that way," I laughed, sitting up. "Besides, there are very few people taller than me. My cousins are taller, but I don't think you want to meet them quite yet. They're practically giants."

"So back to your stunt," Elsa said after another questioning look. "Why did you do it?"

"I had to find some way to get your attention didn't I?" I asked her. "You were ignoring me, Princess. Rather pointedly in fact."

"You deserved it, barging into my study like that," Elsa stated. "That was very rude of you. And I am the queen, not a princess."

"So you are angry at me for giving you the push you needed to get out of your self-imposed exile?" I questioned, legitimately confused. "That doesn't make any sense whatsoever."

"Good." With that she turned around and sauntered off, a smile pulling at the corners of her lips.

For a moment I sat there alone with my thoughts, then I sighed. She made no sense at all, but at this point it didn't really matter. "Face it John," I told myself. "You've been smitten. No turning back now."