(A/N: I have been pretty busy at work since my last update. Sometimes, when my shifts begin to feel tedious, I let myself daydream about the stories I write and the characters I create. That's usually when good ideas come into my head. I was thinking about my predicament that I mentioned after the last chapter. I thought up a way to work Alek's origin into Disney's version of the four spirits. The story is saved! I repeat, the story is saved! Rest easy, readers!)
CHAPTER SEVEN: Alek's Fever
Elsa guided him through the Enchanted woods. Since Nokk stayed clear of him, Elsa made a sleigh and a snow bear with her power. Elsa noticed the salamander fire spirit, Bruni, at her feet, looking up her with a smile. She knelt down and let Bruni crawl into her hands. Bruni cursed him? "Why did you curse him? What did he do?"
Bruni's smile disappeared and was replaced with confusion, looking from Elsa to the man in her sleigh and then back again.
Another spirit that won't give me answers, Elsa sighed and lowered Bruni back to the ground before getting on her sleigh and rode off to Arendelle. Elsa stopped when she saw Arendelle below. She was always breath taken at the sight of her home.
"Are you sure it's safe bringing me here?" he asked from the back of the sleigh.
"Of course, you'll be safe here," Elsa replied looking over her shoulder.
"I wasn't talking about me. I was talking about your people," he replied then Elsa studied his face for a while. His expression seemed concerned.
"What do you mean?"
"When you entered the tent and touched my back," he replied, "I was awake and heard your conversation."
"You-You were awake?" Elsa asked startled, turning away red remembering how touchy she was.
"The lady talking to you said I was cursed by the Fire Spirit," he went on, "and that the mark burned on my back meant doom for her people. Wouldn't that mean the same for your people?"
"Don't let it bother you," Elsa explained, "There has to be a logical answer behind this curse. Awhile back, a giant mythical wolf attacked our kingdom and nearly enslaved everyone in their worst fear. Anna and I had to find the sword of Aren to slay it, but it shattered. In the end, Anna saved me by helping me accept my fears of failing as queen and the kingdom was saved."
He stayed quiet for a few awkward moments before replying with little enthusiasm, "A giant mythical wolf and a useless magical sword. Well, that's neat."
Elsa grinned to herself at the sarcasm in his reply. Finally, they neared Arendelle and approached the castle on foot. Elsa entered through the gates, guiding the stranger by the hand, who suddenly stopped, catching Elsa's attention. "We're almost there."
"This place feels…familiar," he pointed out.
"You've been to Arendelle before?"
"I…don't know," he replied, holding his head with one hand. Suddenly, he passed out.
General Mattias was heading out and ran to Elsa and waved for a couple of guards to help.
All the stranger could see was black, as if all alone in a dark empty void. The sound of a woman singing out to him. The siren! Although blind, he followed a light. He suddenly started to wake up to wake up in a soft bed. He felt himself and noticed his clothing had been changed. He moved to the left and fell out of the bed onto the floor. He heard a door opening "M'Lady, he's awake!"
He didn't understand why but every fiber of his being suddenly felt like it was on fire and screaming, Run!
As guards approached him, he pushed through them and stumbled through the door and out of the room.
Elsa spoke with Anna in the room they, Olaf and Kristoff would play Charades on Friday nights.
"So…who's the good-looking hunk?" Anna asked, embarrassing Elsa.
"He doesn't know who he is or where he's from," Elsa explained, "I found him in Ahtohallan, frozen. The Northuldra won't allow him in their camp anymore and the spirits are distant from him. Yelena says he has been cursed by the Fire Spirit and-"
"Wait. Let me stop you there. Cursed by the Fire Spirit? You mean that adorable salamander?" Anna asked with visible confusion.
"That's when things get confusing again. None of the four spirits are giving me answers. Yelena and Honeymaren aren't making sense. Until I can figure out all this, I'd like to keep him here."
"Of course, Elsa," Anna stood, taking her sister's hands in hers, "Anything. What do you know so far about him?"
Elsa smiled. She could always count on Anna to be there.
"M'Lady, he's awake!"
The two rushed out into the hall when they heard noise and shouting. Several guards were trying to subdue him in the hallway while he resisted. General Mattias got involved and confronted the attacking stranger when he repelled them. Mattias was secretly impressed at his combat skills and grinned before getting him in a subduing choke hold.
"Mattias, stop!" Anna yelled and Mattias halted but kept his hold until he was sure.
The sisters approached the guards, "What is the meaning of this?!"
"He attacked us," one guard replied, recovering on the floor.
Elsa looked at the stranger in Mattias's hold, who was shaking. "I can't be here, Elsa. Please."
Elsa gave Mattias a nod and Mattias relented and the stranger fell to the floor. Elsa felt his forehead, "Anna, he's burning up!"
Anna shouted orders and he was taken back into the guest spare room. Anna and Elsa sat by his side.
"Anna, I don't know what happened-" Elsa tried to explain.
"You don't have to explain. I heard stories of fevers causing people to become delirious. When the guards immediately entered, he must've just felt threatened and panicked," Anna thought out loud.
"He said Arendelle felt familiar and was afraid of being here," Elsa replied, "I think his memory is starting to come back."
"I wish I knew what his name was," Elsa thought out loud, pressing her cold hand against his forehead.
"Well, I was reading an old book about Aren. When Aren founded Arendelle, he had a best friend named Alek," Anna suggested.
"Alek. I like the sound of that," Elsa smiled. She didn't know why, but that just felt right. She summoned a little power in her hand and pressed it against his head in hopes of helping with his fever. Elsa immediately jumped back, seeing something inside Alek's head.
