Sixth Story
The Lapp Woman and Finn Woman
...
The snow lately had dusted the earth below Sven's hooves but the more they travelled, the heavier the clumps got. Sven kept going and going with Anna on his back showing no signs of stopping. Unlike Sven, Anna could barely move. Her fingers and toes became frozen stiff and her face began to redden from the cold harsh breeze that slapped her.
"Sven," she croaked. "I-I don't think I can last long."
Sven picked his pace up for the girl would be on the brink of death in a matter of hours. Anna hadn't eaten any food or drunk any water in a week. This quite surprised her because you can't last three days without water yet here she is, still alive. Maybe it was all a dream. Maybe Anna really was dead but her soul is still carrying on. Who knows.
Sven closed in on a forest that lay ahead before the foot of the north mountain- they highest of all mountains.
When approaching the forest, Anna could make out smoke coming out from over the snowy hill Sven had been climbing. Anna perked herself up, yearning for the heat. Afterall, she wore nothing but her underwear and an old rag blanket as a cloak. Her hair was blowing freely in the wind framing her pretty face. The idea of heat was a distant dream but it seemed now to become reality.
"Sven! Look! Heat!" Anna was barely able to make a whole sentence. Her teeth cluttered and clashed as well as sink into her teeth. A few words was all she could say.
Sven understood what she was trying to say and dashed up to the top of the hill. When on top, both reindeer and girl looked down at a little cottage just outside of the forest with thick smoke spiralling out of its chimney. In front of the little cottage, was a young woman with a heart shaped face and brunette locks she kept tied in a low ponytail by a pink ribbon and she also possessed captivating hazel eyes, full pink lips and rosy cheeks. She was very beautiful Anna had to admit.
The young woman walked around with grace in her winter boots, long flowing pink dress and red cloak with white fluff outlining it that draped down to the ground. From what Anna could see, she was throwing something on the ground.
Anna gave Sven the signal to move down the hill and to greet this woman.
When finally arriving closer, Anna could see the girl had a fist full of bird seed that she was sprinkling down onto ground. Little birds of all size and colour came flying from the woods just to peck at the small seeds the girl was willing to give them.
The young brunette head turned to face the strawberry blonde haired. Her mouth fell open. Anna tried to talk but only a cough from her lungs escaped her mouth.
"Are you okay?" the lovely woman dashed over. "Are you sick?"
Anna fell onto the girls shoulder. While Sven waited outside and ate the carrots the girl provided for him, the woman nursed Anna inside on the bed with a cloth over her forehead, a blanket around her and a bowl of soup that was hand fed to her by the beautiful brunette.
"Th-thank-you." Anna muttered. "I'm feeling a lot better now."
The brunette hushed her. "You should keep all your strength."
"My names Anna."
"Belle." The beauty smiled. It made sense after all. Belle means 'beautiful' in French and she clearly was a looker. "Why are you all the way out here in the snow with only your underwear on?" she mused.
Anna started her story. About how she is a Princess from Arendelle and how little Kristoff was her friend but changed and went missing, then how she jumped into the river and met a Witch, then ran away to find a kind prince and princess and how they helped her before being robbed and kidnapped by a bunch of robbers but the robber princess saved her and let her escape with Sven. Belle listened intently and nodded her head in understanding. At the end of the story, young Anna squeaked,
"Have you seen Kristoff?"
Belle sat for a moment, tucking away loose strands from her face before shaking her head. "I'm sorry. I've never heard of a Kristoff before."
Anna sank into the bed. At this point, innocent Anna was losing hope in finding her beloved Kristoff. Maybe Kristoff really did die in the river and all this time Anna was sent on a wild goose-chase. No matter how long or where Anna looked, she never seemed to find any clue where Kristoff was or a clue to say he's still alive.
Tears streaked down her face as she realized it was all over. There was no more hope, no more. Kristoff was gone and she just needs to accept that but apart of her refused to do so.
"Oh! I'm sorry." Belle ran to get a cloth to pat her eyes dry. "Just because I don't know where he is doesn't mean the Finn Woman won't."
"The Finn Woman?" Anna questioned.
"Yes, the Finn Woman. She lives on the other side of the forest. To get to her, you must travel in through the forest and you'll find her. She can tell you where Kristoff is."
The hope inside Anna was restored. The Finn Woman was her last chance to find her precious Kristoff.
"My, my love. She's chilled to the bone. Nothing that a nice spot of warm tea can fix." a voice interrupted the two girls conversation.
Anna looked around confused while the brunette simply giggled.
"Mrs. Potts, you're scaring her."
Up came bouncing a fragile teapot with a smiley face on it. Anna was convinced she just lost her sanity.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Here, drink up." she poured her nose into a small cup.
Belle rolled her eyes and handed the little tiny teacup to Anna who took it willingly and slurped it down her aching throat. Another giggle erupted from the silence. It wasn't Anna's, Belle's or Mrs. Pott's. It was a childish laugh.
"It tickles Mama."
Anna looked into her hand and found the teacup too was alive.
"Am I going insane?" Anna spoke allowed.
"My, my, my. Not in the slightest cherie." A candle-holder jumped onto the table beside Anna. "Je m'appelle Lumiere."
"and I'm Cogsworth." a clock jumped up beside Lumiere.
"I'm Chip." the cup in Anna's hand chirped.
"W-Well, I'm Anna." Anna greeted them all, not knowing how to react.
Belle laughed. "Don't be alarmed. These are just my friends. They keep me company while Beast is out collecting more firewood. It's very dangerous for me to go out in the woods he says."
"B-But! I have to go see the Finn Woman on the otherside of the woods!"
"I'm sure it's not that dangerous. Lumiere, Cogsworth and Chip may you turned around like gentlemen please?"
"Oui, mademoiselle." Lumiere smiled.
All three of the male furniture turned around while a wardrobe walked over to Anna. She pulled out an outfit for Anna consisting of a medium-length, dark blue skirt (consisting of a lavender round-cut lining with points, with each rose and periwinkle print similar to a rose around the skirt on each point, and each periwinkle bush-like print on each of its round edge) with a black bodice with gold lacings and green, red, yellow and purple rose prints on it, a light blue long-sleeved blouse, and black heeled leather boots with gold linings and magenta soles. Also a magenta bonnet with purple lining, lavender fluff, and matching white print on the back, a pair of blue mittens with navy blue palms, and a detachable magenta cape with a matching cap, purple linings, and small Byzantium tassels on the edge of the cap with a silver brooch consisting of a pair of hearts with grey prints attached to her cape was presented to her.
Belle helped Anna brushed her hair and tie it into two plaits, each other side of her head.
"My, my, my Cherie," Lumiere smiled when he turned round to look at Anna. "Très belle!"
"Thank-um, merci." Anna smiled to the French.
Belle prepared a meal for the two and gave more carrots for Sven along the way. Belle told her to try and avoid danger as much as possible- even you know everyone already tries to avoid danger in the forest. She told her about he Finn Woman and how she can contact the spirits to tell her all she needs to know. If anyone could find Kristoff, it's she.
Nodding to this, they hugged and bid farewell.
Anna jumped onto Sven and after a week of rest, she was bursting with energy and determination to find the Finn Woman to find her beloved Kristoff.
Short chapter and I haven't uploaded in so long, gomenasai. I got my results in and I passed all my GCSE's. I'm so over the moon! I also got into my tech-college, whoo! I also got some sad news, because doctors found cancerous cells in my cousin and they've cut it away but they need to check her again to see if it's spread through her body. Really scared.
I hope you enjoy this chapter and sorry for spelling or grammar mistakes. Enjoy xxx
