Author's Note: Sorry for the late update. I really struggled with this chapter. It took a while for me to reach a point where I was satisfied with it. I hope you find it worth the wait. Thanks for your patience and hopefully I can get back into my regular writing pace next week. Also I have an announcement at the end of the chapter. Anyways, enjoy!
Disclaimer: As always I do not own Frozen and the characters, just the original ones.
Chapter 14: Refuge at the Ice Palace
Elsa mindlessly watched the guards busy themselves around the camp. She just finished raising a small ice canopy to shelter them for the night. Her act of magically display impressed the men in the camp expect for one, namely an old Japanese samurai.
But this failed to discourage Elsa from approaching the guard and starting a conversation. She thought, "If I want to hear about Ali growing up, then he is just the man to tell me. Now is the perfect opportunity to ask while the prince is away."
So Elsa slowly shifted to sit next to the samurai after he started the fire and settled down in camp. Takeshi greeted the queen with a silent bow before staring at the fire in quiet meditation. Elsa attempted some small talk but the guard remained stoic and answered her inquires with simply curt replies.
An awkward silence passed between them. Elsa fidgeted in place as she realized perhaps she may not be as comfortable with people outside the royal court setting.
Just when Elsa gave up this hopeless endeavor, the samurai suddenly stood up alert and motioned to something over the horizon. Elsa scrunched her eyes and spotted Olaf sliding down the slope towards the camp with Felix soaring up above the snowman.
When nobody else showed up, Elsa felt a sinking dread and realized something was wrong. But before the queen questioned the out-of-breath snowman, an ominous thundering boom echoed off the mountains.
Before anyone else processed what was going on, Takeshi speedily mounted his horse and headed towards the direction of the explosion. Running up to the queen, Faddei stated, "Queen Elsa, there is only one person that can cause Takeshi to panic like that. I think it's best to follow after him." Nodding her head in response, Elsa then proceeded to instruct her guards to quickly pack their things.
Noticing the queen's worried and anxious face, Faddei added, "Do not worry, you Majesty. It will take more than an explosion to take Prince Ali out." Then Faddei scrambled to gather all their belongings along with the two horses left behind by Zuberi and Prince Ali. Next the guard whistled to Felix and asked him to lead the way before riding off.
Meanwhile Elsa mounted her horse while carrying Olaf with her. They with Captain Bjorg and the remaining Arendelle guard followed after Faddei and Felix. On the way Olaf explained to Elsa the incident and how they needed her to stop Marshmallow. As Olaf related the story, Elsa's expression turned somber. Urging her horse to gallop faster, she hoped they would make it on time.
Eventually the group caught up with Takeshi and they found the samurai leaning over a dead hare with an arrow through it. The samurai examined the arrow before pulling it out. Then he handed the hare to Faddei who stored it away in his bag.
Approaching the queen, Takeshi showed the arrow to Elsa and explained that it belonged to Prince Ali. Nodding his head, Olaf confirmed the story and pointed to the direction they ran off when Marshmallow chased after them.
Looking at the trail of destruction left by the very snow monster she created, Elsa felt a knot of guilt churning in at the pit of her stomach. Any hope she once held slowly withered away as the group tracked Marshmallow's large footprints. Closing her eyes, Elsa prayed that her worst fears would not come true, and that somehow beyond all odds Prince Ali and the other men were okay.
Ali staggered up on his feet and rushed to Zuberi's side. Momentarily forgetting the violent ringing in his head and the intense pain pulsing throughout the rest of his body, the prince felt the adrenaline coursed in his veins and the sense of urgency the situation demanded.
Kneeling down beside his guard, Ali quickly inspected Zuberi from head to toe. The prince observed a small bump on Zuberi's head, nothing too serious to cause immediate alarm, and some bruises and scrapes along the guard's arms and legs. But then Ali's eyes gravitated towards Zuberi's bloodied torso.
Carefully Ali removed Zuberi's hand out of the way and tore the guard's tunic to scrutinize the wound. The prince gasped at the jagged gapping gash across Zuberi's right side. Quickly he pressed down on the wound, hoping to stop the bleeding.
Suddenly Ali heard a hoarse grunt and felt relief wash over him as the guard stirred awake. Hazily Zuberi focused his vision on the prince and flashed the prince a small smile before softly proclaiming, "Nothing to worry, my prince. It is just a flesh wound."
Shaking his head, Ali weakly laughed, "Glad to have you back from the land of the dead, Zuberi. Life would be grey without your clever quips." Then the prince's expression turned grim as he stated, "Zuberi, this is going to be excruciatingly painful but I need to stop the bleeding."
Understanding the gravity of the situation, Zuberi nodded his head silently giving the prince permission. Ali shifted his attention to the gash and proceeded to address the wound. As the prince probed the gash with his hands, Zuberi gritted his teeth and tensed his muscles in anticipation.
Immediately violent muscle spasms erupted and the prince reeled back flinching when a stream of blood splattered on his shirt. Urgently Ali declared, "Please, Zuberi, I need you to remain still! Try your best to relax and ignore the pain as much as possible." With haggard breaths the guard attempted to calm down but failed miserably.
Then a thought crossed Ali's mind and so the prince inquired, "What was the name of the servant girl you have a secret crush on? Now, do not feint innocence, Zuberi. I know you like to sneak off and seek out any opportunity just to talk with her."
With a twinkle in his eyes Zuberi replied, "Her name is Marjana." Grinning Ali asked, "Tell me all about her and how you first met." And so Zuberi drifted off recounting tales of Marjana and how her beauty captivated him at first glance.
In this manner the prince continued to distract Zuberi with thoughts about Marjana as he quickly dressed and sealed the gash shut. When he finished, Ali looked up and discovered Zuberi fast asleep with a content smile on his face. Smirking the prince softly stated, "Sleep well and dream about your sweet Marjana." Then Ali unfastened his cloak and draped it over the sleeping guard.
Letting out an exasperated sigh as the weariness of the day's events overwhelmed over him, the prince leaned against the pine tree next to Zuberi. He then stared out into the horizon and marveled at the sun's incandescent glow of mixed reds and yellows painting over the white snow-capped mountains and purple sky. Wanting to preserve this memory, Ali pulled out his little notebook and scribbled down some things before returning it back in his vest pocket.
For a moment Ali continued to revel in nature's simplistic beauty before his head throbbed and his body ached. He felt himself nodding off as his tired body demanded rest. Shaking his head rapidly, the prince fought to remain conscious. But this proved pointless as Ali soon drifted off to sleep. Just before his eyelids shuttered close, a faint image of sparkling blue and golden yellow obscured his vision.
Soon the group spotted two figures leaning against a large pine tree. Quickly Takeshi dismounted his horse and rushed up to the two men. After grabbing his medical supplies from his pack, Faddei sprinted after the samurai. Right behind them, Elsa and Olaf dismounted from the horse and hurriedly followed the two guards. But then Elsa stopped short as she gasped in shock at the horrid scene before her.
Taking note of the bloodied shirt, both guards immediately kneeled down besides Prince Ali. Takeshi tore the prince's shirt and sighed in relief when he failed to find any cuts that would explain the massive blood stain. Confused at this discovery, Faddei shifted his attention from the prince and slowly lifted the cloak off Zuberi. His expression turned dour when he noticed Prince Ali's handiwork.
Grimacing Faddei thought, "If the prince resorted to this, then the wound must have been terribly fatal. I can only imagine the agonizing pain Zuberi suffered during the procedure without any anesthetics. This gash is going to leave a nasty looking and permanent scar."
Quickly Faddei applied some herbal paste over the wound before wrapping some bandages around Zuberi's torso and changing his attention to examine the prince. After he completed his task, Faddei turned around and addressed the queen, "They are both stable, your Majesty. But I urgently suggest that we find shelter soon. The sun is almost gone and I sense a storm brewing."
Grunting in agreement Captain Bjorg proclaimed, "I agree, Queen Elsa. There's a blizzard coming. I can feel it in my bones. Perhaps her Majesty would grace us with her magic again." Elsa nodded to the captain in response and attempted to create an ice shelter to camp in for the night.
But when Elsa pooled her magic in her hands, her concentration wavered as she stared at the unconscious prince and guard. Fear soon settled in and she felt herself losing control over her power and her emotions. Despairingly Elsa thought, "I am not sure I can do this. If anything, it will make matters worse. It will be just like the time I accidentally froze Anna's heart."
Noticing the queen's hesitation and her subtle fearful expression, Takeshi slowly approached Elsa. Ignoring the small whirlwind of snow wrapping around the young queen, the samurai gently placed an assuring hand over her shoulder. Then he softly encouraged, "It is okay, Queen Elsa. You do not have to force yourself. I can see that today's events have taken a toll on you. Please calm down and relax your nerves. Do not worry and let us find another means for shelter."
Although the samurai was often stoic, she found his voice surprisingly soothing. Strangely when Takeshi offered gentle encouragements, an image of her papa popped in her mind. He projected a paternal and protective aura that Elsa found comforting, which thankfully helped her suppress her fears. After a moment Elsa settled down and allowed the pool of magic on her hands to dissipate. She then sent an appreciative smile towards Takeshi's direction.
The samurai responded with a rare gentle smile of his own before returning to Prince Ali's side. Slowly he lifted Ali up while Faddei carried Zuberi. Then both guards laid down the unconscious pair in their own horses. All the while Elsa watched silently as they secured Ali and Zuberi carefully on their saddles. Feeling a tug on her pants, Elsa looked down to find Olaf with a worried look on his face.
Bending down to meet his gaze, Elsa reassured the snowman that they would be fine so long as they find a shelter for the night. Eager to help Olaf said, "Well when I was talking to Marshmallow, he got angry because we were trespassing without your permission. So if he's still here guarding then…" Elsa perked up as she caught on to what the snowman was saying. Embracing the snowman tightly Elsa exclaimed, "Olaf, you are a genius. I should have thought of that sooner!"
Straightening up Elsa faced the other men and stated, "We can take refuge at my ice palace tonight. It will take us a few hours off our course but at least we will be safe from the oncoming blizzard. Olaf and I will lead the way." Then Elsa hopped on her horse with Olaf and quickly galloped in front of the pack to guide the way. Occasionally Elsa would look back at the unconscious prince unable to completely shake off her guilt as the group headed towards her ice palace.
Eventually the group arrived at Elsa's ice palace just as the sun disappeared behind the mountains to usher in the night. With Elsa's help who provided snow traction for the horses, the group quickly settled in the palace just as the blizzard began to blow. After building a fire, Faddei prepared the hare with some root vegetables and herbs he foraged earlier in a soup. Meanwhile Takeshi slowly laid Ali and Zuberi down by the campfire on a make-shift bed of cloaks and blankets.
After instructing her men to secure and take care of their horses, Elsa relaxed and contemplated in silence as she vacantly gazed at the fire. For a long while she continued to stare transfixed in a daze as the men busied themselves around the camp and Olaf curiously watched Faddei cook the hare soup.
A tap on her shoulder woke Elsa up from her trance. She glanced up to find Takeshi giving her a small smile and a bowl of soup in his outreached hand. Softly Elsa thanked him as she graciously accepted the soup from the samurai.
After giving the queen a short bow, Takeshi squatted next to Elsa and began to consume his soup. But at the corner of his eye, he noticed the queen in deep reflection as she had not lifted her spoon at all. Clearing his throat, Takeshi stated, "Please eat your meal, your Highness. It may not be a fancy feast fit for a queen, but at least it is enough to strengthen us for our journey ahead."
Smiling politely Elsa slowly brought a morsel of the soup into her mouth. But she remained in low spirits despite the warm comfort of the soup. Sighing Takeshi attempted to uplift the queen's mood, "It is not your fault, Queen Elsa. Accidents like these are out of our control. Besides our Prince Ali has a knack for getting himself into trouble. Although he would argue that trouble has an unnatural fondness of seeking him out."
Chuckling Takeshi asked, "Would you like to hear about Prince Ali's incident with a lion? He nearly drove the kingdom mad when he went missing only to show up days later riding on the back of a lion through the palace doors." Her curiosity piqued. Elsa then urged the samurai to tell her the story. And so Takeshi related the prince's story to her, which seemed to raise her spirits a bit. Finally after hearing more hilarious stories about Ali's crazy childhood antics, Elsa and the others rested for the night.
Prince Ali woke up with a start and stared around the dark in confusion. Rapidly blinking his eyes to adjust his vision, Ali felt the familiar cloth of bandages above his brow. As his hand traced the bandages around his head he winched when his hand pressed on the spot where the debris cut his forehead. Then the prince glanced down surprised to find a clean white shirt without any blood stains under his dark red leather vest.
Faintly the prince heard the howling of the storm outside slowly dying and picked up on the subtle ashy smell of an extinguished fire. Looking around Ali observed his three bodyguards, Captain Bjorg, and the other Arendelle guard sound asleep in a semicircle. Trying not to laugh out loud, the prince amusingly noticed Olaf curled up sleeping under Captain Bjorg's lusciously red beard. But then Ali frowned when he failed to spot Elsa anywhere.
Slowly Prince Ali quietly stood up without disturbing the others and explored the ice palace. His eyes first gravitated towards the dramatic ice fountain sculpture and the elaborate ice staircase rising up further beyond his view. Then the prince ascended up the stairs while closely inspecting and marveling at each intricate ice details of the castle. When he reached the top, Ali grimly surveyed the wreckage before him.
As his hand carefully traced over the ice spikes protruding from the floor, images of the gritty battled flashed in his head. Ali felt the overwhelming sense of fear and the instinct to survive as he watched Elsa defend herself from the malicious assailants. Unfortunately a feeling he was much too familiar with.
Continuing to stroll through the ruins, Ali examined the ice wall Elsa used to stop the incoming arrow a hairs breath away from her. Then his eyes shifted to the ice barrier Elsa formed to push her attacker through the balcony. When Prince Ali walked around this wall, he surprisingly discovered the balcony restored unlike in the story related to him.
Stepping out onto the balcony, Ali found Elsa gazing out over the mountains with the faint light of dawn glowing and accentuating the queen's figure. For a moment Ali allowed himself to take in this beautiful scene before approaching Elsa on the balcony.
At the corner of his eyes, he noticed Elsa momentarily gasped in surprise when he stopped to stand next her. Sending her the most charming smile he could muster Ali beamed, "Simply breath-taking. This palace, the sun, the mountains… everything is incredibly beautiful."
Smiling Elsa replied, "Thank you, Prince Ali. I am very happy to see you awake. Although is it a good idea for you to walk around like this?" Shrugging the prince responded, "I'm fine. Zuberi is fine. It will take more than a snow golem to take us out." Chuckling Ali added, "But now I know never to make you angry if I don't want you to send Marshmallow after me."
Frowning Elsa rebuked him, "That's not funny. You could have died back there and it would have been my fault." Crestfallen Ali apologized, "Sorry, Elsa. Thought I could make you feel better if we can laugh about it. But please do not blame yourself. We are human. We are not perfect. We make mistakes. We all have our own share of regrets. All we can do is pick up ourselves up and go on with life the best way we can."
Briefly a flash of profound sadness reflected in the prince's eyes before he quickly cheered up. Grinning Ali stated, "Though I must say some of my mistakes turn into crazy stories to share in the future. There was that one time with a lion…"
Smirking Elsa interrupted, "You were thirteen and insisted that you were old enough to go hunting with your father and brothers. When they refused, you sneaked out of the palace. You attempted to follow them only to find yourself lost in the woods. There you came across a lion's den where you befriended the lions and they accepted you as one of their own."
Scratching his head in confusion Ali inquired, "Where did you hear the story from?" The corners of Elsa's mouth inched up in a small smile and playfully teased, "Takeshi told me some… let just say interesting stories about little Ali. Not sure if I really believe that lion story but there is one that I found quite intriguing." Wary of the taunting sparkle in her eyes Ali dreadfully asked, "What else did he tell you?"
A small giggle escaped her lips before Elsa responded, "I particularly liked the story when you were ten and once again slipped out of the palace to explore the city. When Takeshi and Zuberi chased after you, you tried to escape by climbing up to the rooftops and leaping from roof to roof. But you became overly confident and attempted to leap across an alley much too wide for you. Luckily you landed in a nice, soft, fresh pile of camel dung. The entire palace avoided you for months until the smell wore off."
Face palmed out of embarrassment, Ali felt his cheeks reddening and could see Elsa laughing at his expense. Hoping to shift the subject he then asked, "Can I at least hear some stories about little Elsa in return?" Despondently Elsa stared out to view the rising sun before softly admitting, "There's not much to say especially after my isolation. Sorry but I think Anna's stories are more interesting." Beaming Ali encouraged, "Then let's change that. Shall we continue on our journey?"
Elsa returned Ali's smile and slowly the two made their way back to the lower floor. But before they descended down the stairs Ali noticed something shinny sparkling in the corner of the room. The prince retrieved the item under the debris of the shattered chandelier. Then Ali showed his finding to Elsa who gasped in realization, "My crown!" Holding the crown up in the sunlight, Ali whistled expressing his admiration for the simple jeweled crown.
Turning to face Elsa, Ali gently placed the crown on Elsa's head and exclaimed, "Perfect! It is back to where it belongs." Then Elsa stared at her reflection with the crown on her head. The very crown which she threw away in disdain now seemed natural fitting on her. For a moment she saw her mom staring back at her which brought a small smile on her face.
But when Prince Ali stood behind her, Elsa swore that for a brief second their reflection projected a shockingly familiar image. There instead the very portrait, which she never ceased to behold every since that terrible sea storm swallowed them whole, of her deceased parents shadowed her vision. A gently placed hand on her shoulder snapped her out of daze and Elsa turned around to find a concern Ali with a raised inquisitive brow.
After removing the crown off her head, Elsa then assured the prince, "I'm fine. Just never thought I would see this again. But this does not belong to me at the moment. The crown must be returned and worn by the preceding ruler of Arendelle." Suddenly an idea popped in Elsa head as she exclaimed, "I know just the man… or rather the snowman for the job." Quickly the two descended the stairs to join the others.
AN: Again sorry for the late update and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Regarding my announcement mentioned earlier, I was curious about your personal opinions about the Arendelle arc of the story. So I'm going to be opening up a poll every week. This is just for fun so if you are interested, then check out my profile and go vote there. As always let me know what you think about the chapter and/or the story thus far by leaving me a review. Until next time :)