The Sabbath was yesterday, and now was the Passover, and people were gathered in great numbers. In few hours, they will go to the temple, to give burnt offering to the Lord of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, their forefathers.

Anna saw that streets, squares, the castle itself, even the gates to the castle, were filled with great multitude of people, too much count.

"How many are there?" she asked Jarvo.

"Around hundred thousand people are present in the capital, your highness." Jarvo answered.

"Hundred thousand?!" she couldn't believe. That was a giant number. City of Arendelle had just two times more citizens than that.

"How much is hundred thousand?" Olaf asked. He still couldn't understand the numbers very well. Anna found that cute.

"Oh, Olaf, it's hundred times thousand."

"Oh, I got it." he said, touching his nose. "Hey, Anna."

"What?" she asked.

"Did you ever asked yourself, is all this real?" Anna was confused by the question. Of course they are real, aren't they?

"What do you mean is this real? Of course it's real. Touch the stone and you'll see it's real."

"Well, it seems real to us." he said. Olaf then made a wise expression.

"But...what if we are just a fragment of someone else's imagination? What if everything this is made to seem real to us, but it is, in truth, all just a tale that is made for someone to test his or her own imagination or to make it as a gift for someone or as an entertainment. And that in fact, we are just emotionless, dead and unimportant characters that are just puppets of someone who controls our choices and our very emotions and feelings? And that when we feel love, it isn't love, but a feeling dictated to us by a story-teller who is in complete control of all our actions and we cannot do anything apart from him? And that we are in fact lifeless?"

Anna thought about this a little. This theory sounded depressing and would make her a puppet with no free will. It would make everything she does or loves as meaningless, since she doesn't even feel these things, but is merely a tool by some evil force that uses her and all her neighbours as slaves. This...this would be terrible.

"Nah." Olaf returned to his regular smile. "I have silly ideas." and left Anna alone.

"At least he said something smart." Kristoff commented.

"Kristoff!" she punched him in the shoulder, he remained unmoved. She laughed at that.

"Don't be like that with him." she said.

"Anna, honestly, that snowman always has silly ideas." Mari commented.

"Oh, and you?" she asked her animal-lover friend. "You who had a plan to release us by talking to a roebuck?" she remembered the event, when the bandits caught her and Mari.

"Hey, that plan worked. It wasn't silly." she said. "Especially since I know to talk with animals."

Anna shook her head. She noticed that Elsa was talking with Robin on the place where flag of Arendelle was always flying .. She didn't want to miss that. Now she had big sister and big brother. She really liked being the youngest.

"Now, you two go pretty well." she said and her brother and sister turned to her, both smiling.

"Thanks to you, yes, we do." Robin said. Anna was surprised at this. She didn't do anything to improve their relationship...did she?

"What...what do you mean, I didn't do anything." she said.

"That's exactly what you did." Elsa said. She raised her eyebrows and the two laughed at her. Anna sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Hey, no jokes here, I am serious." she said placing a hand on her hip. Elsa managed to stop laughing, and say something. Elsa took her hands in her own.

"Anna, you were just yourself, like always. You didn't try to do something special or complicate things." her sister said.

"Anna." Robin spoke up. "When you told me your name, I thought that you and Elsa are going to reject me because I am..." they both looked at him, Anna angrier than Elsa.

"...illegitimate." he said, and their faces came back to normal. "I thought you are going to run from me or mock me or try to do...I don't know, something. But..." he then placed hand on her shoulder. Anna felt happy because of that. "...you were kind and welcoming to me. I was completely wrong in my expectations. I am glad that I am here."

"Oh, I...I also had expectations, I mean, when you told me your name." she tucked hair behind her hair and started walking around the two. "I mean, I expected you are always gonna be lonely and all like, grim-faced and no smile. That you are gonna be..." she noticed Elsa and Robin's strange looks at her.

Oh, my tongue is big like a ship, she thought to herself.

"I...I mean, nothing badly, I just had expectation like that because of..."

"Because of what." Olaf said, suddenly appearing in the middle of them, causing all three to jump. They all calmed when they saw it was just the snowman.

"For someone so...unique, you sneak in pretty well." Robin said to him.

"Sneak in?" Olaf said. "I didn't sneak in, I just walked in."

"Yes, as you wish..." Robin said. Then he turned to Anna again. "Because of?" he asked her. She didn't want to sound unfriendly or wrong...but her tongue was longer than a ship.

"Well, it's because..." she didn't finish because they all heard a loud neigh of a grey horse that was passing by them. The man behind the horse was Sigurd Frost, their uncle.

Anna was always scared of him as a child. His red eye and his black eye were always full of evil intent and coldness, and his white face seemed like that of dead man when she and Elsa were small. And his husky voice didn't make it better. Anna didn't want to greet him.

Elsa, however, as a queen, walked to greet their uncle. Anna approached Robin a little closer. "...because of him." she whispered in his ear.

"Who is he?" Robin asked, not knowing.

"That is Sigurd Frost." she said. "Our grandfather's illegitimate son." and Robin looked at her, with unbelief in his face.

"Sigurd Blood-Eye?" he asked. What's up with those strange nicknames, she thought, but didn't say it.

"Yes." she just said and he nodded to him.

"Uncle, how are you today?" Elsa asked him. He however, didn't asnwer, but looked in Elsa and bowed his head.

"Your majesty." he said. Even when he says that, you can see he barely says it, Anna thought.

"Let's put aside formality, uncle. We are family after all..."

"I am a bastard, your majesty." he said in gruff voice. "I have nothing to do with you." Anna could feel his despise of their family. Elsa just swallowed, but was cold, as a queen should be.

"I...I believe you two didn't meet yet." Elsa looked at both Sigurd and Robin. "Robin, this is our uncle, Sigurd Frost." Robin approached their uncle and bowed his head.

"My lord." he said.

"Uncle, this is our brother, Robin Frost." she said.

"Another bastard, are you boy?" he asked in un-gentle voice. "No surprise. Arlics have special 'affinity' for bastards." Robin didn't seem insulted, just cold and ignored Sigurd. Elsa didn't try to make an argument.

"Uncle, we are going to the temple now, do you want to come with us?" Elsa asked kindly.

"No." he answered instantly, without any second thought. Elsa wasn't happy by this.

"But, but...uncle, it's Passover?" she asked.

"I don't think priests and Levites would like my presence, your majesty..." he said, before turning around. "...or that I would like theirs."and then he left into the opposite direction.

"Wow, your uncle is not in the mood, guys." Olaf said, as they almost forgot he was there.

"Olaf, he is never in the mood." Anna answered him.

As Elsa came closer to them, Robin spoke up first. "And why does he have the right to say bastard without getting anyone angry?" he had a small smile, and Anna rolled her eyes. Bad joke, she thought.

"Try to." Elsa answered him. "No one would dare to say anything to him. He is always..." Elsa stopped, trying to chose the word "...strange."

Strange? That is a weak word.

Robin raised both eyebrows and looked in all directions. "I...guess I was much better than you expected Anna, wasn't I?"

She waved with her hand. "You are great." she told him.

"Your majesty!" the voice said. "And your highnesses." it was Kai, calling them three. "The people are leaving for the temple now, you should come in time."

"We will." Elsa said. "Olaf, come with us."

"Your wish, my commandment." he saved, ever happy and followed them.

"Your highnesses?" Robin looked at her and Elsa. The sisters just shrugged.

"We told him so." Anna said to her brother with a smile. He just massaged the bridge of his nose, seemingly irritated, but then actually smiled.

"I guess I'll have to survive it while here." he said.

"Yes, you'll have to." the queen said.

They went into the great multitude of people, nobles and common folk, men and women, old and young, people of any kind in it. There was barely a place to enter the temple.

The temple was huge and it was standing for six hundred years, on the mount Zion, that was little far from Arendelle itself, so that the temple might not be in middle of the city. It's highest point was around hundred and fifty feet tall, made of enormous stones and it was surrounded by around fifteen feet thick walls. People would always gather in the outside court of the temple, that could hold up to five hundred thousand souls, while only the priests would enter the Holy of Holies. The temple was huge, but it was small in comparison to the temple that Solomon himself built four thousand years ago. From that greatest construction ever made by human hands there was lost the Ark of the Covenant, that held the two tablets that held the Ten Commandments on them, Aaron's rod, the first High Priest and a piece of manna, the bread that came down from heaven. All this was held by that Ark.

However, it was lost seven hundred years ago, when the temple itself was sacked by invasion of Babylonians, the ancient people that came from the west. Anna's ancestor, Dell Arlic, rebuilt the temple around seventy years after that and re-established the kingdom of Arendelle, and he had help by Malvegil Gondor, lord of Gondor who lost lot of his lands, but didn't fell to the power of Babylonians.

The people were gathered in the court and they were all standing in modest robes and things, even royalty and nobility, who were standing closest to the priests. The women all had their heads covered, as it was the custom among the Jews, so Anna did the same by using the scarves. It was pretty hot summer, but she wouldn't die by this, for sure.

The priests started the service. One priest was given the task of burning the incense to all people. The incense was burned in a little, metal vessel called the censer, that hanged on three chains and had a sliding cover to keep the burning of charcoal. So he came out of the Holy of Holies and walked through the midst of people and burned the incense, blessing them with smoke that came out of the burnt incense. As he blessed them, they would bow their heads. People would step out of his way as he blessed them with incense, so he could go to everyone to bless them. He wore a plain, white priestly tunic, made of pure linen, that covered entire body from neck to feet, while his sleeves reached to the wrists, and a priestly sash, also white of color. He wore a cone-shaped turban on his head, also white of color.

When he was finished with going through them and blessing them with incense, he went into direction of Holy of Holies, but then he turned once more to them and blesses them with incense, and they all bowed their heads.

Essenes were placed on the few small towers around the temple and were given the task of chanting the Psalms and some other praises to the Lord. Their voice was deep, wise and beautiful. Anna felt peace, joy and fullness in their voice. These are the words she recognized that they chanted.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.

to Him Who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.
Who by His understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.
Who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures forever.
Who made the great lights—
His love endures forever.
the sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.
the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.

to Wim who struck down the firstborn of Agrabah
His love endures forever.
and brought Israel out from among them
His love endures forever.
with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;
His love endures forever.

to Him who divided the Black Sea asunder
His love endures forever.
and brought Israel through the midst of it,
His love endures forever.
but swept Sultan and his army into the Black Sea;
His love endures forever.

to Him Who led His people through the wilderness;
His love endures forever.

to Him who struck down great kings,
His love endures forever.
and killed mighty kings—
His love endures forever.
Sihon, king of the Amorites
His love endures forever.
and Damon, king of the Alekites—
His love endures forever.
and gave their land as an inheritance,
His love endures forever.
an inheritance to His servant Israel.
His love endures forever.

He remembered us in our low estate
His love endures forever.
and freed us from our enemies.
His love endures forever.
He gives food to every creature.
His love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures forever."

As David sang the praise to the Lord, so did they. Anna was struck by the beauty of this song and the voice of it's singers. As a princess, she always had to listen in the court to the regular music, that always felt plain and meaningless (respect to exceptions). But when she would hear men of God chant-that is when their beautiful, deep voice would make her day better. There was something holy in their voice stronger than any power on earth-perhaps even Elsa's magic.

Their voices calmed a little, and then a priest came out, and he had a scroll in his hand. Though the whole world used codex books, the priests still used the scrolls to write and read the Scriptures during the service, as they found it more traditional. The priest opened the scroll and he read the part from the Torah. When he started reading, Essenes stopped singing completely. He read the part from when God spoke with Moses out of the burning bush all the way to when God drowned Sultan and his army that chased the Israelites into the Black Sea. Anna listened to these, as she always liked to hear history and past of her people. She believed that the past of her people was more entertaining and interesting than all myths and fairy tales she heard as a child, even though those tales had snakes covering the whole earth, the half-men, half-animal creatures and other ridiculous embellishments.

As Anna was thinking, the priest stopped reading and turned to the people gathered.

"Praise the Lord." he said to everyone and the Essenes returned, singing the same words. Then the priest came back to the Holy of Holies, and Essenes started singing again, though this time some unconnected songs, and no one could recognize the words in them.

Then, Joram walked out in his High Priest's garment, and he was barefoot, like priests use to be, and with his usual (or rather unusual) height. He had an embroidered tunic of pure linen. And his sash was blue, scarlet and purple. He also had ephod, a rich embroidered vest that held onyx engraved gemstones placed on the shoulders. On them, the names of the sons of Jacob were engraved. And he had his breastplace, that had twelve precious stones in it, representing the Twelve Tribes of children of Israel. His turban, that he wore, was broad and flat-topped. On it's front, there was a golden plate, and the words inscribed in it: "Holiness to the Lord."

Joram then raised his hands, and Essenes stopped singing for a minute. He blessed the people and uttered the words of king David, Anna's ancestor:

"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"

"Hallelujah!" Essenes sang as he came back into the Holy of Holies. Then they continued:

"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

When the wicked, even my enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

Though an army should besiege me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, even then I will be confident.

One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to seek Him in His temple.

For in the time of trouble He shall keep me safe in His dwelling: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock.

"Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; therefore I will offer in His tabernacle sacrifices with joy; I will sing, I will sing praises to the Lord.

Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

When You said: 'Look for My face', my heart said to You 'Your face, my Lord, I will seek.

Don't hide Your face far from me; do not turn Your servant away in anger: You have been my help; do not leave me or forsake me, O God of my salvation.

When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.

Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of my enemies.

Deliver me not over to the will of my enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and spouting cruel accusations.

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Wait for the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart: wait, I say, for the Lord."

Then, High Priest Húrin also came out, dressed exactly the same way as Joram. He also raised his hands and the Essenes stopped singing. Then he blessed people and quoted the Scriptures:

"Preserve me, O God, for in You I take refuge."

"Hallelujah!" Essenes chanted as he came back to the Holy of Holies. Then they started:

"Preserve me, O God, for in You I take refuge.
I say to the Lord, 'You are my Lord; I have no good apart from You.'

As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.

The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; You hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.
I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.
For You will not abandon my soul to grave, or let Your holy one see corruption.

You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Then the High Priest Baldor came out of the Holy of Holies, again in the same garments just like the two before him. And he also raised his hands and Essenes stopped singing, and he also quoted king David:

"Have mercy on me, o God, according to your unfailing love, according to your great compassion, blot out my transgressions."

"Hallelujah!" the Essenes again said when he left too. And they sang again:

"Have mercy on me, O God,
according to Your unfailing love;
according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
Against You, You only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in Your sight;
so You are right in Your verdict
and justified when You judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Yet You desired faithfulness even in the womb;
You taught me wisdom in that secret place.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones You have crushed rejoice.
Hide Your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from Your presence
or take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
so that sinners will turn back to You.
Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, You Who are God my Savior,
and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness. Open my lips, Lord,
and my mouth will declare Your praise.
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
You, God, will not despise.

May it please You to prosper Zion, to build up the walls of Jerusalem.
Then You will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
in burnt offerings offered whole; then bulls will be offered on Your altar."

"Let us bow to the Lord, our God." Joram said and everyone fell on their knees, Anna with them.

"Olaf." she whispered to him.

"I, I don't know how will I..."

"It's okay, just bow your head."

"Okay." and Olaf bowed his head.

Then Joram started speaking loudly, with his head and hands raised up:

"Lord, You made us humans in Your image and because we chose sin instead of You, You banished us from Your presence. When the time was chosen, You chose our father Abraham and promised him the land of Canaan. When we were slaves in Agrabah, You spoke to Moses out of the burning bush and You delivered us from slavery. Many times we sinned against You and obeyed not Your commandments, but because of Your great mercy, You always chastised us and when we repented and asked with sorrowful heart for Your forgiveness, You forgave us because You are good. One day You will send Your Anointed One, Who will be given authority over all Israel and You shall give Him the power over Your kingdom and Your kingdom will last forever. Accept this sacrifice that we give You Lord, with humble hearts that desire You and only You. Glory to You Lord of our fathers, of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob."

"Glory to You!" everyone said at the same time and Anna with them.

After that, High Priests took the fattest and healthiest sheep they could find and slaughtered them on the altar. They let the meat of the sheep to burn a little, so that it might be healthy to eat. After some time, they divided the meat of the sheep into the smallest of the smallest parts they could, so that all people im the temple might eat of the Passover sacrifice. Then, after the sheep were divided into the smallest parts, priests were given the task of giving the meat to everyone present. To all kinds of people. Even the Essenes, who never ate meat, ate it now, because it was the Passover.

The priest called Domin came to Anna.

"Your highness." Domin said, giving her the piece of meat.

"Thank you Domin." she said, taking the meat. It was small, small as the tip of her finger.

Domn then coughed, looking at Olaf. "Olaf, are you sure you wanna eat it?" Anna looked at him.

"Yeah, why not?" he asked confused.

"Well, I am not insulting, but do you think you are even...well, able to eat it."

"Olaf, maybe Domin is right." Anna said, worried.

"Oh, come on." he said waving his hand. "I once ate a branch." Anna and Domin looked at him confused. "Long story, don't ask." with that, Olaf opened his mouth and ate the meat.

"Hmm...it is...pretty...hot." he said clearing his forehead.

Anna smiled at that and ate the meat herself. It had a good taste, although it wasn't the best.

"Uh, I like it more burnt." she said and the three chuckled.

Uh, this one was exhausting too, wasn't it. I mean, not like the previous one, but certainly not easy, wasn't it?:)