(A/N: I think it's time for another Olaf episode. Forgive me, Josh Gad for constantly forgetting your character. I meant to complete this sooner for everyone, but things have been hectic and I was having difficulty getting this chapter started.)
CHAPTER 25: OLAF THE HERO
In the northern wilderness, Olaf stood in front of a tree, covering his eyes with his twig hands as he counted to ten. "Ready or not, here I come!" he exclaimed with excitement.
The children that befriended him were new friends he made during the Winter Solstice after Elsa and Anna rang the Yule Bell. He generally only hanged out with the orphans, but more and more children warmed up to him.
The snowman looked around him. There were no foot prints to help him cheat. "Oh, wow! They're good." He began walking around the area, looking behind trees and rocks. He was genuinely stumped and had no idea where they were. "Okay! I give up! Where are you?!"
The children popped out of the deep snow, exclaiming, "Here we are!"
Olaf's face lit up, greatly impressed, "Wow! I had no idea!" The children laughed and they all ran further into the wilderness to continue playing.
Back in Arendelle, Anna and Elsa were outside. Elsa noticed something ominous about the strange cold wind blowing through. It was common for the winds to be cold during winter, but Elsa's gut kept telling here there was something else off about it, like something terrible was about to happen.
"Earth to Elsa!" Anna sang, moving her mitten hand in front of Elsa's face to get her attention. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine…just overthinking things," Elsa shrugged off her earlier worries and chose to be present in the moment. As the two walked down the streets, they noticed Kristoff pulling in with Sven on the wagon. Both were covered with snow and icy spikes.
"Kristoff?!" Anna said with shock, climbing up onto the wagon to help Kristoff clear his clothes.
Elsa tended to Sven. Poor Sven. "What happened to you two?"
Kristoff moved his scarf away from his mouth so he could finally breathe and answer. "Elsa, there's a terrible storm coming from the north. The harvesters were unable to get work done because of it. It's heading this way."
"A storm?"
The three noticed some concerned citizens gathering around them. Elsa didn't want anyone to worry and tried to diffuse the tension by suggesting, "Don't panic. I'm sure it's nothing. This isn't the first winter storm Arendelle has seen and it won't be the last."
"This is different, Elsa," Kristoff insisted, standing up on his wagon. "What Sven and I just saw was ten times as worse as the winter you accidently caused earlier this year."
This worried the people who were massing around them. Kristoff faced the crowd, "Everyone should close shops and gather supplies to stay warm." The people began heeding his worried tone and did just that.
Elsa thought to herself, This explains the strange feeling I was having earlier. "If it's as bad as you claim, I should prepare the palace and make sure it has enough supplies. If it becomes necessary, I want to open the palace to the people if needed."
"Great idea, Elsa. I'll talk to Olina," Anna said before heading off and Kristoff rode off to put his things away. Elsa was alone on the street. She looked to the north where Kristoff said the snow storm was coming from. The worry came back and she headed inside to help Anna prepare.
In the northern wilderness, Olaf noticed a storm coming and they were too far from Arendelle. He saw a cave nearby before the snow storm was suddenly coming upon them, terrifying the children. "Hey, guys. Let's go into the cave," Olaf said urgently. He was safe, but the children needed shelter. He took their hands and guided them inside. Olaf turned to the entrance and commented, "Well that escalated fast."
"How are we going to get home?" a girl asked afraid and another child hugged her to comfort her and the other children started looking worried.
Olaf turned from the heavy snowfall outside their cave and looked at all his worried friends. "Hey, don't worry. We just have to stay put until the storm ceases or someone comes and finds us. Stay here, I'll gather some fire wood so you guys can stay warm. Stay in the cave."
Olaf disappeared in the wall of thick snowfall.
Things were even worse in Arendelle. To ensure her people were safe and cared for, Elsa had everyone take refuge in the palace until the storm passed. Everyone was given blankets. All the fire places in the palace were lit to provide warmth. Olina and the Kitchen Staff made hot chocolate and grog and soup to keep everyone warm and fed. Elsa, Anna, Kai and Gerda were aiding in sorting through everyone to make sure families were together and there was no one missing.
Elsa turned when she heard worried commotion and went with Anna to investigate. Some worried parents were gathered, looking for their children. "Where's my baby?! Where is she?"
"What's going on here?" Elsa asked.
A mother quickly came over and took Elsa's hands, "Queen Elsa, I can't find my daughter. She and others were playing with Olaf earlier. They went exploring. I can't find them."
Elsa immediately looked outside where the snow storm worsened, "Oh, no."
"My son was also with them," a man said. Elsa froze when she turned and recognized him immediately. The man who attacked Olaf when he yelled at one of the orphans. She felt a rise of anger in her, but softened when she saw how scared he was for his child.
"Kristoff. Anna. Search upstairs. Kai, Gerda and I will search in here. We need to make sure they aren't here somewhere before we start putting together a search party," Elsa said and they all split up. None of the children or Olaf was there. Before Elsa could put someone in charge so she could go searching, Kristoff spoke up. "Sven and I will go. The people need you and Anna here to keep everyone calm. Sven and I know these lands like the back of our hand. We'll find them."
Kristoff headed for the door before Elsa could say any different. Anna went after him and insisted she go with them. "Let me come. I want to look for them too."
"No, Anna. Elsa needs you here to help her. You need to stay here where its warm. Sven and I will be back in no time," Kristoff said, stroking her worried face and headed out into the courtyard with Sven and rode off into the snow storm.
Anna returned to Elsa when someone suggested, "Queen Elsa, your magic! Can you do something about this storm?!"
Suddenly, everyone was looking at Elsa with hopeful eyes. Elsa could feel the sudden pressure from the hopes of all her people who were suffering from this snow storm. She looked out the open door that led into the courtyard and walked forward to the door. Anna followed. Elsa stopped right in front of the doorway and looked down at her hands. I can lift winter from Arendelle, but…can I stop a violent act of nature itself? She looked up at Anna suddenly when Anna put her hands-on Elsa's shoulders to encourage her. As if she could read Elsa's mind, Anna encouraged her, "You can do it, Elsa. I believe in you."
Elsa gave her sister a smile before looking back at the raging snow storm outside. Kristoff is out there looking for Olaf and the missing children. I have to try! Her face hardened with confidence and determination as she channeled her magic to her hands and raised them into the air, attempting to force the massive raging snow storm to submit to her will. She winced, feeling exhaustion quickly overtaking her as Mother Nature rebelled against her interference. Anna smiled when she noticed it working slightly, but knelt by Elsa when she collapsed to her knees from exhaustion. "I- I can't. The storm- It's too big."
"I saw something happen, Elsa. Maybe we just need to change our approach," Anna thought out loud.
"What do you mean?" Elsa asked confused.
"Change the direction of the storm, instead of trying to stop it," Anna suggested with excitement, her face lit up when the idea came to her.
"That may actually work," Elsa nodded and smiled.
Kristoff and Sven were in the Northern Wilderness near the North Mountain. That's where people of Arendelle like to explore. Olaf shared once that he often visits Marshmallow and his Snoggie brothers at the Ice Palace, so Kristoff headed in that direction, hoping he would get lucky and find them there. Sven was having trouble seeing where he was going so Kristoff got off and guided him through the strong winds and thick snowfall by the reins. Suddenly he saw a light up ahead. It's coming from a cave. That might be them!
Olaf and the four children sat around the fire. Thanks to the permafrost Elsa gave him, he didn't melt which fascinated a couple of the children. Olaf noticed the girl crying slightly, "Hey, what's wrong Abbey?"
He stood up and approached her. "I'm scared. I want my mom."
He patted her back, "Don't worry. The storm has to stop sometime and we'll be home before we know it." His words didn't seem to help her much so he tried something else. Abbey was startled when Olaf gave her a hug.
"What are you-?"
"There's nothing in this world that can't be solved with a warm hug," Olaf explained in a gentle warm tone, which soothed Abbey's fears and made her smile. She turned into the snowman's arms to hug him back.
All of them jumped when scary monsters covered with snow entered the caves. The all got behind Olaf. "There you are, Olaf!"
"Behold, my friends, my arch nemesis…the Reindeer King. He may look friendly to you, but he's a monster that preys on lost explorers and drags them into his cave," Olaf said as if telling a scary story.
"Olaf, it's me. Kristoff!" Kristoff said behind his scarf.
Olaf backed away more and shielded the children defensively with his arms. "The Reindeer King will attempt to get you to lower your guard by pretending it's your friend Kristoff."
"Olaf!" Kristoff laughed, removing his hat and scarf to reveal his face.
Olaf smiled, "Oh, hi! Guys, this is Kristoff. He's dating Princess Anna. I told you someone would find us!" He ran into the harvester's leg and hugged it, making Kristoff roll his eyes.
"Let's go everyone. Your parents are worried about all of you. I'll put you all on Sven's back and I'll get us all back." Kristoff instructed the children, dusting snow off Sven before placing each of the small children on the reindeer's back.
Back at the palace, Elsa swirled her arms and hands. She concentrated hard on making the huge snow storm out to the fjord. It's working! It's working! The heavy snowfall was driven away from the kingdom. Elsa collapsed again from exhaustion. Anna caught her and gave her a proud smile as the people cheered her behind them. They immediately rose when they noticed Kristoff entering the gates with Olaf and the children. Anna gasped, "Kristoff's back!"
Worried parents rushed over to their children. Anna tended to Kristoff who she noticed was shaking and froze stiff. "Come with me. Troll boy," she smiled, leading him inside.
"Olaf took care of us. He led us into a nearby cave and got firewood so we could stay warm," Abbey shared with her mother, which the other parents heard and thanked Olaf warmly. Finally, the father came over with his son and knelt in front of Olaf. "You saved my son. Thank you, Olaf…and I'm sorry for the way I treated you. I was ignorant. Please, forgive me."
Olaf smiled and got closer and placed his twig hand on the man's arms, remembering him. "There's nothing to forgive. Your son, Alec, is the real hero. He stayed brave the whole time and helped keep the others from panicking."
The man gave his son a proud smile before leaving. Elsa stood nearby and smiled proudly at Olaf, who noticed her and came over happily, "Hi, Elsa!"
Elsa laughed, "Welcome back home, Olaf. You had me worried. Let's go inside."
Olaf held her hand as he walked inside, "Good idea, Elsa. I had enough of snow for one day."
Elsa laughed, "But you are snow!"
"Oh, right. I forgot," Olaf replied with shock before laughing hysterically.
Inside the parlor room, Anna sat Kristoff on a couch after brushing the snow off of him. She threw another log onto the fire. "Thanks, Anna. I should be good once I warm up."
"Not yet. We need to get your outer clothes off. They're cold and wet. You'll get a cold," Anna insisted, trying to undress a startled Kristoff. "ANNA!"
"Hold still!" Anna grunted, struggling to remove his top. He tried to get away, but she trapped him on the couch by sitting on his lap while she continued struggling with his top.
"Let me do it," Kristoff insisted after tossing his hat and scarf onto the floor next to them. While he took his outerwear top off, he blushed when he felt Anna quickly take his boots and socks off before rushing to his work pants with her hands. "For the love of God, Anna! Stop undressing me!" he exclaimed with red cheeks after getting the top off.
"Oh, please! You've dreamed of this moment since we met," Anna joked with a wink while she tossed his work pants aside.
"Ann-" he was about to yell at her more, but Anna's strawberry lips crashed into his, halting him. She got a nearby blanket and covered them both as she gently pushed him back on his back so that they were both laying together under a blanket on the couch in front of the fireplace. "Anna! What are you-?"
Again, her tender, warm lips pressed against his. "You're very cold from being out there. Before I draw you a hot bath, I have to warm you up first. This blanket. The fire…and this," she whispered before she continued kissing his lips and pressing her warm soft body against him, snuggling in his arms. Kristoff lost himself in Anna. His entire being screamed her name as he held her close, gripping her body firmly in his hands as their kisses became more aggressive and bolder. "I love you, Anna."
"I know," Anna smiled before kissing him more and gently exploring his large body with her hands
Elsa was looking for Anna and peeked in. She saw them sharing a moment in the parlor and smiled before quietly closing the door so they wouldn't be disturbed.
(A/N: Right now, where I am, we are in phase 4 I think of Quarantine. I'll be glad once this is all over and life can go back to normal. How's everyone doing during this pandemic? If you haven't been deemed essential, what do you do with your time to avoid boredom? We are nearing the end of Frozen's year 1, with 2 chapters remaining. I'll have to take a break from this story until I can get the rest of year two planned out. If anyone has any ideas on what we could explore in Year Two of Elsa's reign, please PM me under the subject "Frozen Tales Year 2 Ideas." Any help is appreciated. I won't start writing year 2 of Frozen Tales until it's all set up.)