Author's Note: I apologize for this taking a while as well, but at least it wasn't two months! Hahaha, anyways, I'm happy with this one. Especially given the identity of the trespasser. I'm really loving my side characters, and he's definitely my favorite! Might just make him an official Frozen OC! He's definitely got the chops for it!
Read, enjoy, and tell me what you think! Scientists have discovered feedback increasing chapter growth, it's true, trust me.
If he were being totally honest, the young stable boy, Alan, had no clue what he was thinking when he followed the queen and princess into the mountains.
What was there to think about? Impulse, mostly. The lady at the orphanage often said he did too much with too little thought. Forgive him if planning and deliberation wasn't his forte. Kind of hard to be when you grow up alone, with no family, surrounded by kids just like you, and watched by men and women who either tried to or just didn't understand. Sure, some of the other kids—the youngest ones, especially—adored their caretakers.
Alan only cared about one thing: horses.
Which was why his first and only plan was to be a stable boy, sneaking in and out of the orphanage to attend his shifts. Granted, he never intended, nor expected, to be working at the castle stable of all places. Aye, that story was a long, interesting one. One Alan wished he could share. But doing so would jeopardize his work. He wasn't about to sacrifice time with those wondrous horses just for the satisfaction of a bunch of nice kids.
The queen's horse, Romeo, was his favorite. My, that horse was made of steel...the steel used in knight armor, apparently, given the quarter-horse's demeanor. That was another intriguing factor: a quarter in fjord country. You don't see that every day. Quarters are thinner than fjord horses, built for rides and warm weather, not cold snow and treks through mountains. Thank goodness the queen took his advice about the padding when riding during particularly cold days.
Romeo was probably the closest Alan would ever get to his dream...his dream of meeting a mustang. But no, the stoic quarter was made of a different steel. A noble steel. Not a spirited metal like a mustang's. Oh, what young Alan wouldn't give to see a strong, wild mustang. Lighting made flesh, wind given form. The introverted stable boy could turn positively extrovert when going on about horses. Too bad he was always too shy to speak to anyone.
But at the moment, that wasn't Alan's problem.
No, rather, his problem was the large white beast charging him, ready to rend him apart.
Having been perched just on the edge of the tree-line surrounding the cave, Alan tried to run, screaming at the frightening sight coming at him with swiftness belying its size. He tried too quickly, though, and ended up tripping beyond the trees. Just as he scrambled upright, the beast was on him, claw pinning him to the ground, large snarling muzzle hovering dangerously close to his chest. Alan leaned back a little, edging away from the razor-sharp tips, view filled with sharp teeth, chillingly intimidating sabers, and lips quivering with rage.
That was all Alan saw, and that was all he needed to see to know he should fear.
The young stable boy closed his eyes, still cringing like mad, waiting for the end. Just as the beast pulled its head back, sucking in a breath to no doubt blast him with some elemental wrath, a sharp voice called out.
"BIRGER!"
The snarls and growls ended abruptly, the beast no longer preparing to end him. Regardless, Alan kept his eyes closed. He used the opportunity, not to run, but to curl in fear, covering his head with his arms. Terror kept him grounded to that spot, and he wondered if he was going to die. He couldn't, not without seeing a mustang, not without...without acquiring the courage to give that one girl a flower...
Despite Alan's veritable paralysis, he could still hear just fine, and so listened when familiar voices sounded.
"Birger," It was the yeller, sounding soft this time...the queen?! "Easy, easy...it looks to be but a boy. Calm yourself, he's no threat."
Silence...save for some huffs and muffs.
"Knowledge is power, yes, but you can't judge someone till you know how they plan to use that knowledge. You don't know him."
Another voice...the princess. "Stop scowling, Birger, you know she's right. Stop being a big 'fraidy cat, Fluffy! Let's just hear him out, what's the harm?"
A snort, followed by the sound of frost accumulating, that being followed by grumbling from the princess.
They're going to interrogate me...foal, I'm still doomed!
Alan remained in his defensive ball, tightening a little. He was panicking for a different reason this time. The royal sisters were in cahoots with a carnivorous beast. Now they were going to question him. There goes his dream job at their stables! They'll jail him, or worse: never let him work at a stable!
Alan seized up as he heard footfalls in snow approach him. No sound from the beast, save its exasperated breathing. He heard, and felt, someone kneel beside him, and clenched all the more.
It's over...
A cool, gentle hand rested on his shoulder, miraculously dispelling Alan's tension. He was still afraid, don't get him wrong. But his subconscious sensed nothing hostile at all about the hand. In fact, it felt pure...kind.
"Shh, it's all right." The queen's voice again...it was her hand. "The dragon shall not harm you. He wouldn't dare, not now."
"Yes, it's fine, it really is okay!" The princess. "He's not that mean once you get to know him! You just scared him, is all."
The image of the ferocious maw came to Alan's mind.
I scared him?!
Alan unfurled himself only fractionally, peeping at the royal sisters through his arms. The queen was, indeed, knelt next to him, taking up most of his already limited vision. He saw her arm extended forward, felt the hand still reassuring him as to safety. Unbridled sincerity shone in the queen's bright cerulean eyes, even as her expression was a mask of indifference.
She's the queen, after all. And she doesn't know it's me...yet...
The princess was standing next to her sister, in his view, but not much of it. She had a big, comforting smile on her face, her blue eyes also promising shelter. Alan looked between them both, then around, lifting his arms slightly. He couldn't see the beast...it must have retreated to its cave when the queen warded him off.
"Look at me."
Alan returned his gaze to the queen. She hadn't said it unkindly, but the undercurrent of her tone denoted there was little room to rebel. Not that he'd want to anyway. After all, it was within her very castle walls Alan felt comfortable in. ...at least, the stable and courtyard walls.
The queen lifted her other hand, then, gently, began to pull his arms away. Alan didn't resist, prompting a small smile for the queen and an even larger smile for the princess. Then said princess's expression went slack, and she gasped.
"It's you! The stable boy!"
The queen looked back at her sister, frowning a little, before looking back at Alan, who'd now risen to his knees. Granted, he ducked his head and hunched his shoulders; his default position if you ask any working at the orphanage. Alan's ragged, shaggy brown hair hung over his eyes, assisting in his shrinking into himself by hiding their amber shine.
The queen leaned forward and, gingerly, as if not wanting to startle him, pushed a bang aside.
"It is you..." She tilted her head, brow still very much furrowed. "You tended to Romeo when I and Anna first returned from here...you fetched Kristoff for us. Then you tacked my and Anna's horses just earlier for this very trip."
Alan shrunk away more, but managed a pair of words. "Y-yes, m-ma'am." Okay, a stammered pair.
Finally getting rid of formalities in his head, Alan sighed. Now that they knew, Elsa and Anna were sure to reprimand him, punish him. He was a foolish young boy who'd risked his life and followed them. How could one just let these misbehaviors slide?
But, the royal sisters were far from being like the heads of the orphanage Alan has always been forced to stay in.
Anna walked forward and knelt down as well. She retained her bright smile, which Alan could always recognize a mile away. "I remember you! I always remember you! You're our best stableman! Even the older men are kinda jealous of you. The horses just love you!"
Shyness be shoed, the corners of Alan's lips crept upward. "Th-thanks, y-your highness. I...I try."
Elsa smiled gently. "You don't need to try, young man. You have an affinity for horses, and it is more than apparent. The men of the stables, well," A pointed glance at Anna. "They're not so much jealous as astounded."
She looked back at him. "They're very much impressed by your aptitude."
Alan wasn't good at smiling, so the slight upward lift on the corners of his mouth didn't get any bigger. But his eyes widened behind the nervous shade of his bangs. The stable masters were...impressed? Really? How had he not noticed?
I was too focused on the horses.
A derisive snort thundered from the cave a few feet away. The interaction with the royal sisters had led Alan to completely forget about the dragon. His eyes widened out of fear, now, and he edged into the trees. Elsa stopped him once again with a hand to his shoulder.
"Wait, please."
Alan waited.
Elsa looked to Anna. "Go and attend Birger, Anna, if you would. I'll watch over our young hand."
Anna nodded, shooting Alan one more reassuring smile before rising to her feet. She first calmed her horse and Romeo before strolling over to the cave, sending calming words before her. Well, if calming included: "Shush!" and "You're scaring him!" as well as "fluffy mule!" which incited another snort.
Alan may have been waiting as he was told, but he was restless and alarmed, and was having a hard time holding still. His startling amber eyes locked on the cave and remained there. Even as the queen resituated herself on her knees, resting her weight on her shins, Alan did not look away. The threat of those teeth remained in the forefront of his mind's eye. As if picking up on all this like it was plain as day (which, unbeknownst to Alan, it was), Elsa spoke:
"I assure you, Alan, Birger is more afraid of you than you are of him."
Alan shot her a blatantly incredulous look before remembering his place (and introversion) and ducking his head.
Elsa smirked at this and continued. "I know it may seem odd. After all, he is a large, fierce beast. Surely a mighty apex such as he fears none, mmm?"
Alan remained silent, though his thoughts weren't.
Sounds like a mustang, almost...a carnivorous one, but still.
As he maintained this quiet, the queen leaned forward, her previously gentle expression replaced with a regal mask.
"Alan...why are you here?"
Alan's eyes widened suddenly, but fractionally, and he quickly glanced at Elsa through his ratty bangs. Indeed, her softness faded, the mask he often saw her wear when serious now donned. Softens me up so as to cut to the point and shave my mane. The young stable hand sighed, lifting his knees to his chest and enwrapping them in his arms.
He knew this question would pop up eventually, and now, Alan had no way out. Sure, he could run. But this was the queen, and she could surely run him down.
Just get it over with.
"I-I'd overheard Princess Anna a few days ago...when she and you returned from the mountain, from...here. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I swear!" Alan added quickly frantically seeking to keep the favor he was in whole. "I-I just...I was still tending Romeo, and well, she and mister Kristoff had forgotten I was there."
Alan was pretty good at that. Disappearing when he wanted to...or being forgotten when he didn't.
Elsa's mask remained, but she nodded understandingly. "I see. You were curious." She tilted her head. "You seem clever, though...exactly how was the peril of intruding here lost on you?"
Alan would've chuckled, had Elsa not been knelt next to him, and had it not been against his upbringing. Self-imposed upbringing, for the most part, but still.
"I-I was...foolish, I guess. The way Princess Anna described the beast—"
"Birger." The queen spouted almost habitually, and without even a minute change to her countenance.
"B-Birger. The way she described him didn't sound so bad. She was going on to mister Kristoff how...how it shocked her so terribly that he was scared of her. I guess, like you said, the true peril of coming here was lost on me."
Elsa rested back on her haunches, gaze earthward as she thought. Alan watched her carefully, so as to at least try to gauge her reaction to his confession. Alan thought that the queen had been thinking, at least. All he saw was nearly every muscle surrounding her eyes twitching, narrowing, furrowing. Even her eyes themselves, those cerulean orbs that pierced stone itself, kept flicking between the ground at her knees and the cave itself, 'cross the clearing.
Alan frowned, becoming increasingly perturbed by this odd happening. He risked a fleeting look to the cave, trying to imagine what the queen could possibly be doing at that moment.
She's not talking to the dragon...is she?!
When Birger had lunged, he lunged with the certainty of ending the trespasser. Frost dragons may vary from the draconic stereotype distinctly, but in the core of their nature, even they remained true to the mental image associated with the word 'dragon'. Just as ice can burn, so does a fire still warm the ancestral memory of that of even a frost dragon.
Thus it was that Birger pinned down the intruder with his paw, claws creeping fractionally from his digits to further cage the target. He snarled, lips pulled back so show only his teeth: the great sabers striking awe in the prey's heart, while the canines and incisors injected fear.
Birger's snarl reached up from his mouth onto his eyes, distorting his previously kind face into that of a predator's. His fuzzy nose wrinkled, fur creasing along the twisted ranges of the enraged flesh. These aggressive folds reached up Birger's normally equine snout, the transformation reached his now slit pupils, fuzzy eyebrows bunched, maddened.
To be honest, Birger was not even aware of exactly what or whom it was that he had pinned. All he knew was that someone had intruded upon his territory. Worse yet, it had been done while his treasures were here. His breed's Inner Dragon burned through, and Birger was swept off by the instinct to defend them.
It was with a great breath, one that would freeze this interloper to death upon contact, which Birger's nature planned to defend Elsa and Anna with.
That is, until Elsa's voice pierced this icefire veil on Birger's mind; both with speech and with thought.
"~BIRGER~!"
Birger halted tersely, agitated ice magic ebbing back into his core upon Elsa's interjection, bringing about the return of Birger's intellect. Pupils dilating to their kinder, rounded state, the frost dragon shook his head and gazed down at his near-kill. It was a young boy, barely more than a pup. Had he been frost dragon, his antlers would've only just started to grow from pup nubs.
Birger was frozen where he stood, a half-snarl still present on his muzzle. Though it was far less wrinkled and raged, such instinct was not so easily abstained. All Birger had managed so far was to remove the claw, talon-ed tips inching back into his digits. Finally, Elsa reached his side, draping her arms 'cross the very forearm that had held his paw to the boy.
"Birger."
He looked to her as she spoke his name again.
Elsa smiled gently as he looked and continued, "Easy, easy," She pet his arm, then looked to the trespasser before returning her gaze to him. "It looks to be but a boy. Calm yourself, he's no threat."
Birger eyed her, lips somewhat pursed to give slack to his still tensed facial muscles. He knows about me now...don't humans have a saying? Something about having knowing gives you strength?!
Elsa nodded, keeping her gaze locked with his. "Knowledge is power, yes, but you can't judge someone till you know how they plan to use that knowledge." She paused, gripping his fur, "You don't know him."
Birger was silent, scowling as memory conflicted with Elsa's claim. Part of him wanted to tell her she was wrong. Tell her that he didn't need to know the boy. The boy was human, he would tell someone, and everything would collapse as an avalanche.
But the beast could not bring himself to deny Elsa. Not now.
Anna approached, and gave her blasted two cents. "Stop scowling, Birger, you know she's right. Stop being a big 'fraidy cat, Fluffy! Let's just hear him out, what's the harm?"
Birger glared at Anna and snorted at her, some still tense magic frosting her entire front. It both helped to recuperate Birger from his previous state, as well as amuse him with joshing Anna. It served to only further please him as she grumbled, breaking up the frost and dusting it from her person.
As Elsa approached the boy, Birger watched, an exasperated tone sneaking into his very breathing. He watched as Elsa knelt, and began to comfort and reassure the boy. Even the young human picked up on Elsa's sincerity, easing at her very touch.
While Elsa did this, Anna put a hand on Birger's arm, drawing his eye to her. She jabbed her head in the direction of his cave, giving pointed looks between it, him, and the boy her older sister was calming. Birger easily picked up on Anna's intent, realizing the wisdom of it. It would be difficult to soothe the frightened boy if the reason for his fright still stood before him.
Birger nodded, giving Elsa a quick nuzzle and gently nudging Elsa before quietly walking off to his cave. Indeed, he was within and shadowed from sight by the time the boy unfurled himself and gazed at the sisters.
The frost dragon lay, curled into a lazy ball as he rested his head and watched the interaction before him. This would be good for him; to see how Elsa and Anna interacted with beings of their kind as opposed to Birger himself or the horses. Speaking of the horses, it was not beyond Birger's notice that neither of the hoof-beasts seemed at all put off by the boy's arrival. Sure, his lunge and predatory snarls frightened the poofy one, but neither had bolted. Not even the smaller one Elsa rode, the one that required extra padding to keep warm. No, that one remained relatively unfazed (even he couldn't prevent instinctive fear of Birger).
Odd...why of all the hoof-beasts does Elsa ride that one in this weather? Wouldn't one of that thicker one's breed be more suited to this south-northern climate? Of course, neither would survive the sheer cold of Home. But still...strange. The hoof-beast must mean much to Elsa.
When Birger finally tore his attention away from the horses and to the girls, he couldn't help it as his fuzzy lips pursed and his brow stiffened. He watched them, watched the boy, and watched their faces. Elsa and Anna seemed more than friendly to the boy, as if they knew him. Birger could tell, even from this distance, they were taking ample lengths to ease his shock. Before Birger could stop himself, he snorted, and rather loudly, too. It wasn't until Elsa stirred, and Anna stood that Birger realized how irreverent the snort had been.
His nostrils tightened, his ears fell, his eyebrows took tight angles, and his front lips pressing together while the corners of his mouth took a downward pull that revealed teeth.
Birger cringed.
Anna's approach to his cave didn't help at all. Her calls to him may have been attempts to comfort, but they were also reprimands and chides. The ginger-haired feisty-fur was laying into him as gentle as she dared. Birger merely kneaded the cave floor with his paws in apprehension as she approached and entered the cave, mouth closing but cringe still very much intact.
As Anna beheld Birger's state, her tight-lipped glare softened somewhat. Birger ducked his head, hovering his nose chest-level to Anna. Lips still pursed, the phoenix of a girl shook her head.
"You are definitely a dragon, Birger, did ya know that?" Anna tilted her head back slightly and eyed him, an eyebrow raised. "Yeah, there's no doubt about it. You're both territorial and jealous!"
Birger opened his maw, making to protest both verbally and in his usual outward-thoughts. But he stalled, and not for the obvious reason of Anna being unable to understand. No, she was an attentive girl. She'd be able to at least guess as to his "words". No, Birger stalled because...
...because Anna was right on point.
The frost dragon slumped, head drooping as he sighed through his nose. An outward sign of admission. Birger's countenance remained downcast until he felt mitted hands caressing his rounded jaw.
"It's alright, big guy. You—you're...you're just a little scared, hmm? Another human to interact with, kind of daunting."
He felt Anna hug him, arms wrapping fully around his muzzle, gripping her forearms beneath his mouth. She snuggled his entire head, and Birger couldn't help but smile, and lean in a little. She may be no Elsa, but there was something equally as enchanting about Anna that Birger wouldn't trade away for the world.
"It'll be okay, Birger, I promise. You're brave and strong, aren't you? You managed to survive me, after all!"
Anna giggled, and Birger chuckled as well. She loosen her hug only so she could lean back and look the beast in the eye.
"I—no, we—that is, me and Elsa, together—we'll be here for you! You made quite the impression, you know!" Anna beamed. "I don't think we're losing track of you anytime soon!"
Birger couldn't help but perk up, eyes softening and ears facing forward, even in spite of his stubborn mule-ish-ness. The softer part of him clung to Anna's promise, and hoped very much that it would turn out true. After all, the frost dragon had left much behind when he left Home to come to Arendelle. At the moment...Anna and Elsa were all Birger had.
And now a new human has intruded...
His expression quickly took a turn for hardness, ears stiffening back and eyes narrowing slightly. Anna noticed the change, but before she could reassure him otherwise regarding the boy, Birger's countenance changed again. His lifted his head, eyes widened, ears forward again, and began twitching as they listened, for Elsa spoke—through their bond, no less.
Birger, the boy's name is Alan. He is our most promising and trusted young stable hand. I assure you, he is no threat. He merely overheard Anna speaking of you, and was curious.
He found out about me. Quickly and easily, at that, and then came after me. One more time, Elsa, how is he not a threat?
He is but a boy, Birger! A loyal one, at that. He's scared, scared of you, and by association, I think he has become apprehensive of me and Anna. We need to assure him that you are not a threat, else I cannot speak for his discretion.
...gaah, fine. I'll...show I'm not that bad. But don't expect me to play entirely nice, mmm?!
Elsa had the vivacity to giggle.
Come now, Birger, what reason have you given me to expect otherwise?
Birger pursed his lips and snorted, which made Anna, whom was observing him, chuckle.
"Elsa convinced you to mingle with Alan, didn't she?!"
Birger snorted at Anna, frosting her over for the second time that day, before romping promptly out of the cave. He allowed himself a smirk as he heard Anna gripe about getting frosted again. By the Mountain, as sweet and comforting as Anna was, it was just so satisfying to mess with her.
Like my own little sister, that one, hehe.
Birger's mirth continued as he crossed the clearing, if only for the reaction gained from the fjord hoof-beast. It snorted and tried to shy away, pulling on the halter Anna had deftly tied to a tree. Too deftly, for the horse, as it could not break away to flee. It finally resigned itself to its entrapment, watching Birger warily as it lowered its head and pawed the snow. As Birger looked away from the horse and focused on his purpose for leaving his cave, he heard Anna scurry to the horse and tend it. Which, strangely, seemed to involve a mix of comforts and taunting.
The moment the frost dragon laid eyes on the boy, all mirth left him as his eyes narrowed slightly, and his furry lips tightened. To be honest, Birger wanted nothing to do with the boy. The only people he need ever interact with were Elsa and Anna, but now that was spoiled. Though even Birger had to admit, as he looked at the boy's fearful amber eyes, hidden beneath disheveled brown hair like a deer trying to hide from a hunter it knew would find it anyway...he had this strange desire for quite the opposite.
Birger didn't want the fear anymore, not now that he'd experienced the love. ...blast those girls, they were turning the once deadly, ferocious beast into a giant, fluffy sap.
Ah well...let's get this over with.
Author's Note: Le gasp, twas the stable boy?! Well hello, apparently-named-Alan-stable boy! Naughty Alan, sneaking up on Birger like that. Too bad he didn't know any better, hehehe. But yep, I really like Alan. I'm pretty sure I'mma keep him. hehehehe I do hope you enjoyed, and I do hope you leave a review! Do it for Birger and Alan!
