The Hallowed Queen
Chapter 4.
Nestled beautifully on the side of a lake sat Robert and his wife Regina's log cabin. Robert, who was a forester built the cabin out of the wood of local trees, some of which used to stand in the exact place the cabin stood. The place was known as sort of a hang out for friends and neighbours, as the view of the lake was amazing, and Robert and Regina were natural hosts, and always took care of their guests.
Today was no different, the cabin was filled with life as Robert, who was a loud individual, was entertaining his neighbours from just up the road, as well as a very sad and depressed ice harvester.
"Kristoff, you got to eat something boy, you've been sitting at the table for hours now." Shouted Robert from his large oak chair.
"Oh Robert leave him alone; he's clearly got a lot to work out. You just sit at that table as long as you need to." Replied Regina who was cleaning up some dishes and jumping into the conversation every now and then to defend Kristoff.
"I'm not bugging him Reg, but the boy needs a bit of a kick in the pants to get going again. I mean Kristoff, did you honestly think you had a chance with the Princess? Or, hahaha, did you really think they would get you a new sleigh?" laughed Robert.
" I honestly kinda did. Anna was different, she seemed so normal and honest. When I dropped her off at the castle, I could have sworn she would help me out." Stated Kristoff. "I also thought, you know. I thought maybe I even had a chance to be with her."
"Kristoff, trust me when I say this. I'm almost 50 years old now and never in my life have I ever seen or heard of us commoners mingling successfully with Royalty, or even high society type." Letting out the rest of his breath he again looked over to a sad looking but nodding Kristoff. "Especially royalty son. You see they have been raised to look at all of us like tools at their disposal."
"Kristoff, don't listen to him." Regina cut in. "Yes, Robert makes some good points but I'm sure the princess meant what she said. You're also a great guy and a hard worker, any girl would love to be with a guy like you."
"That's right you never know" added Sam, one of the visiting neighbours.
"Well thanks guys, I guess." Kristoff said. "I just really thought I met someone special who could be at least a friend. But I know your right. I just need to get some equipment and an old sled and get back to work, maybe try to forget all of this happening."
"Getting back to work would be a great idea Kristoff, but don't ever forget what you did. You saved the royal family, or at least had a major roll in doing so. Maybe it didn't work out so well with the princess, but you should still go down to the castle and request help in getting your stuff back. It's the least they could do for you." Regina stated, finally finished the dishes and taking a seat out in the living room close to her husband.
"Yeah, I think your right Regina. I should go and ask to speak with Princess Anna, and just tell her that I'm glad she's ok, and ask for some help with getting a used sled or something." Kristoff thought.
"Oh well that's a laugh!" barked Robert. "Son, I don't think you heard me, the princess doesn't give a flying fig about you anymore. Sorry, I'm just being honest because I love you like a son. If the princess even cared for a second about you, she would have sent someone to find you, but like I said about royalty boy, they don't do anything for anyone.
Knock….Knock….Knock….
"Well who in the hell could that be." Robert yelled. "Nobody has knocked on this old door in 20 years."
"Yeah, they normally just barge in here like we do." Laughed Sam.
"Well I wouldn't expect anything less, from you." Laughed Robert.
Regina, rolling her eyes at the lack of movement. "Jesus you guys, how about one of us actually gets up and answers the door instead of talking about all the times someone knocked?"
"Well sounds like you just volunteered, If their selling something, were not interested hahaha." Robert laughed. "Well unless it's a sled and a ice pick" Robert said continuing to laugh. That comment almost got a smile from Kristoff.
"Fine, Ill get it." Regina finally said. "Wouldn't want anyone here to risk an injury by moving."
Regina got up and made her way to the door. "Just a moment!" She shouted in hopes of letting the person on the other side of the door know that the process of answering the door was now, fully underway.
Clicking open the knob and pulling back on the handle revealed the outside deck, and the person standing on it.
"Hello, Good evening, …..Oh god." Was all Regina could get out.
"Um, hi." Elsa said, trying her best to be personable. "I'm sorry for just showing up here late in the day like this but I was hoping to find a Kristoff Bjorgman here."
Still struggling to speak, the normally composed Regina was now struggling to stand.
"Well who the hell is it Regina? Its not that drunk Tom, who's always coming over trying to borrow my tools, is it?" Boomed Robert still sitting in his big chair but leaning forward trying to look around his wife.
"Ahhhh, yeah Kristoff is here, um, oh, your Majesty." Regina said while trying desperately to remember protocol on what to do. "Please you Majesty, come in, Kristoff is at the table."
Elsa stepped into the well-lit cabin. Immediately everyone went quiet, and Elsa could feel the fear and tension that she was causing. Kristoff was sitting at the table looking at the magical queen, the full weight of the situation yet to fully register.
Looking around the modest cabin, Elsa noticed the candles flickering illuminating a mans face who sat in a chair. Based on the layout she quickly concluded that this was more then likely the owner of the cabin.
Across from him, sat two others who also were also staring directly at her. The situation couldn't not have been more awkward and intimidating for someone like Elsa, who spent the last decade locked in her room with the exception of that last week or so.
Robert, who was just moments ago sitting so confidently in his chair, was now reduced to a mess of nerves. Never in his wildest imagination would he have expected the infamous Ice Queen to come to his humble cabin alone, and at this hour of the day, or at all.
Struggling to comprehend what was happening, Robert closed and rubbed his eyes to take a second look. Nope, still there. In his cabin stood nothing short of a goddess. Platinum hair which laid gracefully over the black shoulders of the dress she was wearing. The name Elsa clearly visible which meant only one thing.
This was real.
"Um, hello everyone, I'm queen Elsa, thank you for inviting me into your home, and sorry for the interruption. I came looking to speak with Kristoff about some personal matters, and then ill be on my way."
Finally regaining his composure, Robert finally spoke "Wow, your majesty, never in my life did I ever think the reigning queen of Arendelle would set foot in our humble cabin. Please make yourself at home, this is a huge honour."
Hearing more your Majesties in the few seconds since she knocked on the door then she has in the last two days, the queen quickly realized she had to deescalate the situation and try to be a little more personable. Remembering how her father taught her that when in the presents of normal people, formalities can be scary and intimidating, and sometimes its best to just try and get close to how normal folk would communicate, Elsa decided to relive them.
"Thank you, and don't worry about all the majesty stuff. Were in your home and its fine if you just call me Elsa.
The look on Roberts face was one of surprise. Elsa could tell he was expecting her to be much colder and ruthless.
The room was completely silent at this point. The pressure could cause the walls to burst. Kristoff just sat at the table and looked as if he could keel over. Somehow, he felt a little better about the fact that the Queen was at least making an attempt to be friendly.
"Would you like a cup of tea, or do you not drink tea." Asked Regina as she desperately tried to sound hospitable. "Oh, but you probably don't want to stick around here long enough, I don't really blame ya though."
"Oh Regina, I'm pretty sure her Majesty didn't come all this way to sit and have tea with us." Robert said as he desperately tried to cut the tension, and save his wife from the ramble she was in.
"I would love a cup of tea, um.."
"Oh my gods, our manners." Regina said horrified. "I'm Regina, and that loud man sitting in the chair is my husband Robert. The two others over there are Sam, and David, our neighbours from just down the lake.
"Its nice to meet you all, and again, sorry for interrupting your evening." Elsa said as she decided to walk over and shake their hands.
"Its our pleasure. " Robert Said. "Please, if you like, take a seat at the table with Kristoff and will do our best to not disturb you. We don't really know what to do. Queens normally don't come to visit.
Flashing a large smile and a small laugh Elsa started to see that the tension was breaking. "Thank you, I really appreciate it. I normally don't go visiting, but your harboring a very important guest that I needed to talk to." The queen replied smiling.
The smile that Elsa gave Robert was bright enough that Robert couldn't help but smile back. She really was beautiful. The queen walked back over to the table and sat down across from Kristoff.
"Here is your tea, Elsa, I hope you like it." Regina said as she lowered a small cup of tea on a plate directly Infront of where the Queen was sitting and still adjusting her dress to be able to sit comfortably on the modest chair.
"I'm sure it will be perfect Regina, thank you." The queen responded.
After sipping some of the tea and placing the cup down, Elsa noticed that Kristoff was visibly shaking and looking at the table. Regina and the others seemed to have made their way to the far end of the cabin, leaving the two of them alone.
"Hey Kristoff, its ok you know. I just came to talk to you." Elsa started out by saying.
"Um, yeah I'm ok, what did you want to talk about?" Kristoff cautiously asked.
Elsa really felt sorry for him. Somehow this simple Ice Harvester, decided to put everything on the line, including his life, for the Queen and her sister. Even with the entire kingdom out looking to get Elsa, Kristoff stood by Anna and did what he had to do to protect both of them.
"Anna told me that ever since the day you dropped her back at the castle, that you are never around town. You never returned to ask for your sled which she promised to get you in return for sacrificing your old one. Kristoff, Anna spends every moment with me, telling me about everything you have done."
"Well, it was nothing, nothing that nobody else wouldn't have done." Kristoff said, still partially looking at the table.
Smiling at Kristoff's modesty Elsa decided to do something bold. She got up from the table and walked around to him. "Kristoff, please stand for a second."
Not really feeling like he had a choice he stood up, closing his eyes not knowing what was coming, he suddenly felt two arms wrap around him in a hug.
"Thank you, Thank you for being there for my sister when I couldn't be. Thank you for being so selfless, and thank you for keeping her safe." Elsa said while stepping back. "Nothing in this world means as much to me as my sister Kristoff, and she just wouldn't be here anymore if it wasn't for you."
Kristoff smiled warmly at this admission and felt proud for the first time in a long time. "I guess that kinda makes me a hero, doesn't it?"
Laughing quietly, Elsa nodded. "Yes, it does, at least to me it does." Elsa said.
Robert couldn't help it "Kristoff is a hero, you should knight him."
A loud gasp from Regina was heard all thought the cabin "Robert, you don't bark orders at the queen. I'm…were so sorry your Majesty.
Smiling at the whole exchange, Elsa couldn't help but find the whole situation bizarre. Why are these people so nervous about me being here and talking to me? "Its quite alright everyone, I don't mind, and maybe I will decide to knight Kristoff one day, if he wants to be."
Walking back over and sitting back down in her chair, Elsa started the conversation again.
"Kristoff, I know from talking to some gentleman in town, that you currently don't know what to do. You're not working, you're not asking for help, and your hid up in this cabin depressed. I want to help you get back what you lost and my sister wants to see you again." Elsa stated.
"Why, why would you want to do that for me. You're the queen and Anna is the princess. I'm a nobody who was just in the right place at the right time." Kristoff said, still not fully grasping what he was told about Elsa wanting to help him.
Placing the now empty cup of tea back on its plate, Elsa decided to reiterate. "Yes, I am the Queen, and my job is to look after my people and make sure they are taken care of. You sacrificed everything you had for my family and for that, I'm more then happy to help you out."
"So you'll lend me money to purchase a new sled? Kristoff said with a look of hope on his face.
"How about I just get you a new one and replace everything that you had inside it." The queen said smiling.
Kristoff couldn't believe it. At the back of the cabin the four people who couldn't help but overhear most of the conversation also couldn't believe it. Royalty helping us regular people. The four of them couldn't help but wonder who this queen was.
"Thanks Elsa, I really appreciate it. Um also, how's Anna doing. Is she ok?" Kristoff asked.
"Yes, she's doing fine, thanks for asking. But ill be honest Kristoff, she's missing you. Why don't you walk me home, and you can ask her herself?" Elsa asked.
"You would let me walk you home? Wait that came out wrong, sort of, I meant can I walk you home?
Elsa sat there, completely entertained and laughing at Kristoff's stumbling. "Oh god, no wonder Anna is infatuated with you. Yes, I would love to have you take me back home. I would probably get lost without you leading the way." With that Elsa stood up and faced the crowd at the other end of the cabin.
"Thanks again, everyone for allowing me to interrupt your evening, It was a pleasure to meet all of you.
"Your majesty, this has been one of the most memorable evenings in this cabins history. Its just to bad nobody else will ever believe this happened." Robert said, now with his full confidence restored to pre Elsa entering the cabin levels.
This had Elsa genuinely laughing. "But there's 4 of you here, isn't that enough for people to believe?"
"Not around here, its not." Roberts said. "Well your Majesty, ill be honest, when you first arrived ill admit I was pretty nervous. But after what you just did for Kristoff, I can't help but feel like I owe you an apology. I was telling Kristoff that Royalty doesn't really help us common folk, and with some of the rumors going around about you, well, I just worried for ol Kristoff there."
"No apology needed, honestly I'm kind of jealous of all of this. You people have an amazing home and keep good company. I also know a lot of royalty and your opinion of them isn't that far off. As for the rumors, well I guess I deserve them for what just happened with the snow and stuff, but when you're a friend of the queen like Kristoff is, I think things will work out ok for him."
"You hear that Kristoff; you actually made a friend." Laughed Robert.
"Oh shut up Robert, I do ok."
"Sure you do boy, sure you do. Well you better get the nice Queen back home safely. Again, thank you Elsa. Kristoff is a good lad, and he deserves a break."
"No problem, Robert, I totally agree. By the way I want to do something for you as well."
With that Elsa raised her hands with a grin on her face. "Don't freak out, ok." Suddenly blue sparks appeared around both her hands and the room glowed a bright blue.
The sight was something to see. There in the middle of the cabin, a blond goddess, hair blowing in the wind, hands raised with blue sparks crackling all around. The sparks converged into a shape of a knife. Then the room went back to normal and Elsa was left standing in the room holding what looked like a razor sharp knife.
Looking down at her dress, she used the knife to cut out the part that said Elsa.
"Here, I want you to have this. Maybe it will help convince people I was here." She said laughing. "Oh and here maybe you have use for a knife."
Robert just sat there, totally speechless.
"We will treasure this always, Thank you." Robert said holding his piece of a royal dress with the name of the queen. Everyone in the room knew the significance of what Elsa had just given him. Nobody had anything like this. Now it would more then likely be framed on the walls of this cabin for eternity.
Sam moved in and picked up the knife. "Wow Robert, check this out. It's made of ice but its not cold."
Noticing Kristoff also gazing a this in amazement, Elsa sent a smile and wink his way. "Its not cold because it will never melt."
"You can do that?" Sam asked.
"Yeah, I'm kind of strange." Elsa said keeping the mood light. "Anyways thanks again, you all have a great night."
Kristoff and Elsa made their way to the front door, Elsa shook Regina's hand, waved to Robert, turned around and walked out into the moonlit night.
The two started walking away from the lake down the same path that Elsa came in on. "You don't have to be afraid of me Kristoff."
"Ahh, what?" Kristoff said. Looking up and down, anywhere but at Elsa.
Now softly giggling. "I said you don't have to be afraid of me. But I think you heard that."
Deciding to admit it, Kristoff finally just decided to go for it. "I don't think you understand how scary you can be." Realizing he just called the queen scary he quickly added. "I mean you're the Queen, the most powerful person in all the kingdom. Then theirs the fact that you could send us all into an ice age with a flick of your wrist."
"True." Elsa laughed. "But I wont, … I mean, yes, I understand what you mean but that's just not me."
"Well thank god for that. But I have to say, I think that those powers are pretty awesome… Uh, how does it work?" Kristoff said with a child like wonder in his eyes which made Elsa almost completely lose it.
God he can be cute, Elsa thought. No wonder Anna really likes this guy. "Well its not so simple to explain, It just kinda works."
"It just kinda works huh?" Kristoff said with a look of disappointment.
"Oh, I guess I just think of something I want done, in my mind, and then will it into existence by channeling the power through me. I know it sounds crazy but…" Elsa raised her hand and sent a ball of energy about ten feet in front of them. Suddenly a giant tree appeared out of nothing and stood proudly right in front of them. Then Elsa Flicked her wrist and the leaves started to glow green.
Kristoff just stood there in total awe of what he just witnessed. "I thought you could only do ice and snow."
"Well, actually I can kind of do anything. But please, your one of only a few people that know that, and it might be a good idea to not let everyone else know." Elsa said.
"I don't get it, I mean this is just a lot to take in." Kristoff said as he just stood up looking at the glowing tree. "I just don't see how I'm worth your time to come and find me, fix my life by gifting me all the stuff I lost, and now I'm walking the queen home on a secluded gravel road on the edge of town, while you show me probably the most amazing magic, like ever."
"I'll be honest with you Kristoff, I don't really know you, but in the short time I've talked to you, I think you're a pretty good person, the type who deserves a break. But I didn't come out here to just go visiting, I came to find you because my sister really worried about you, and I think even likes you. I've cause Anna to have to sacrifice so much in her life, and I just, I just thought that by getting you, It would kind of give her something back. I hope you understand." Elsa said while simultaneously waving the tree that she built out of existence, once again returning it into a perfect gravel road.
"You think Anna, um, you think she likes me?"
"Kristoff, all she talks about is you and the adventure you had. How you took care of her, how you even pretended for a few seconds, that you weren't going to continue to help her after you lost your sled. I heard it all, and if you think I'm scary, you should have been their when Anna lost it on me for shutting the gates. She basically viewed it as me shutting the gates on you. Anyways she definitely likes you."
"And you would be ok with that?" Kristoff said with a hopeful look.
"Id be ok with anyone that made my sister happy and took care of her. But let's not get ahead of ourselves Kristoff. Let's get back and you can talk to Anna yourself. Besides everyone is probably wondering where the hell I took off too."
The two continued to walk back into town, they talked like old friends and found out that they had a lot in common with each other. Elsa didn't really have any experience with talking with people, or about relationships, or anything to do with socializing, but instinct told her all was right.
They finally made it back to the main road, which led all the way to gates. Kristoff guessed it was probably around 9pm at this point, as most of the citizens were inside their homes. A few of them who were outside did notice the queen walking back, and dared not move, or even make eye contact. Kristoff could feel the tension building.
"Don't worry your majesty, they always treat me like this when I walk through town. You shouldn't have to endure this" Kristoff said trying to look serious, but failing.
Elsa swung her head over to look directly at Kristoff, smiling she said. "That's really sweet of you to say. From now on please just call me Elsa, always."
The two finally crossed the torch lit bridge that connected the castle to the mainland. Mission accomplished Elsa thought. In truth the full weight of what she just did would probably hit her later tonight. She felt proud of herself, thousands of days locked in her bedroom, then freak winter storm, and then a successful mission to find and brink Kristoff back to Anna.
It was a perfect end to a perfect day, Elsa, for at least a day, had gotten to finally just be herself and live a little.
Elsa stopped just short of the door to look at Kristoff. "Hey, thanks for walking me home. I hope things work out between you and Anna, but if you ever need anything, please just find me and ask."
Kristoff, who was happy and nervous about possibly seeing Anna again, just smiled and replied with. "Thank you, Elsa, I will."
He maybe on his way to see the girl he fell for back on the north mountain. But he couldn't help but think about Elsa. What an incredible Queen we have.
Walking into the front door of the Castle, the simple ice harvester just smiled to himself, still in denial of what was happening to him. This whole evening has been surreal. Well let's go see Anna, he thought.