7
Elsa and Anna slept peacefully through the rest of the night and woke to a beautiful blue sky close to where they dropped off Kristoff, Olaf and Sven. Anna wrote a note to Kristoff to let him know they were back from Ahtohallan and Elsa got Gale to deliver the message to him.
After a quick breakfast the ship reached its destination and dropped anchor, Elsa and Anna were taken to the shore by long boat. Kristoff wasn't there to greet them yet so they decided to walk to the four pillars at the edge of the Enchanted Forest representing the four elemental spirits to meet him there.
It wasn't long before Kristoff arrived and Anna raced to him in order to give him a big hug and kiss.
"Miss me, did you?" he asked.
"Yes, I did." Responded Anna.
"How are you, Elsa?"
"I'm good Kristoff, did you enjoy your time with Ryder?"
"How did you know I would spend time with him?"
"The Reindeer thing." Smiled Elsa.
"Oh yes, well Sven enjoys the company too."
"I bet he does,' laughed Anna, "where's Olaf?"
"Oh, he was having a lot of fun with the children and Brunei, so let him stay behind, it's only a short walk."
"Well then, we should be on our way," said Elsa.
"Yes," responded Anna, "we have a few things to discuss."
"That's an understatement," replied Elsa.
"Well, that sounds a little ominous," said Kristoff.
"It's not that bad honey, but we will wait until we are back at the Northuldra Village as it's probably best you're sitting down."
"Wait what?" came Kristoff.
Anna, put her hand onto Kristoff's shoulder trying to assure him it isn't too big a deal and they started to make their way to the Northuldra Village. The Enchanted Forest was even more beautiful in Spring than it had been last Autumn. The trees were in full leaf and there were wild flowers everywhere.
There was a cacophony of life, in balance, peaceful and alive with the calls of birds and sounds of insects. Their sounds, and the gentle breeze rustling through the trees just gave such a sense of peace. For Elsa, this was now home and for Anna, it was as the forest was, enchanting.
The walk to the village only took a little over ten minutes and the Northuldra were busy preparing for the day.
"We need to find Yelana first" said Anna to Kristoff, "Elsa and I need to find somethings out regarding our mother and her family first, and it sort of involves you too Kristoff."
"It does?" he asked.
"You'll find out." Anna smiled.
They found Yelana after only a few minutes.
"Your Majesty," she said to Anna respectively, "Elsa, how was your trip to Ahtohallan?"
"Interesting," responded Anna.
"Yes, we learnt somethings there that we need to ask you about." Said Elsa.
"I thought as much." Replied Yelana
"Yelana,' started Elsa, "we know our mother was supposed to be the Fifth Spirit and that her family was the source of all Fifth Spirits."
"Huh" came Kristoff surprised at this.
Yelana looked with a look of finality on her face, like she knew this question was going to eventually come from the sisters.
"Yes, that is true Anna and Elsa, your mother's bloodline carries all Fifth Spirits from the very beginning, were not really sure who that was at it is almost the stuff of myth as she was a very powerful Fifth Spirit, even more powerful than you Elsa because the original Fifth Spirit built Ahtohallan. In fact, part of the legend is that the four elemental spirits created her to be a bridge and from her came all subsequent Fifth Spirits.
However, not all Fifth Spirits were magical, as for the most part magic wasn't needed. Some were partially magical where they were close to one particular spirit, in your mother's case, she had established a strong connection to the Wind Spirit, the one you call Gale, though to us she is called Vindand. Others, were closest to fire, water and earth, if you get my drift."
"Yes, I understand," said Elsa, "but why wasn't mother allowed to go to Ahtohallan? When I go, Gale keeps the seas calm."
"That's because when she rescued your father and left the forest, she broke the connection, plus, she wasn't aware that she was the next Fifth Spirit, that usually happens on their eighteenth birthday. In fact, she never actually became the Fifth Spirit. It was one of the reasons the forest was cut off by the mist, it was waiting for the next Fifth Spirit, you Elsa, to come free it, though the two of you did that together.
Plus, Elsa, it's another reason you were rewarded with the powers you have, and you are the most powerful Fifth Spirit since the original, because you were going to need those powers to reveal the truth and you needed your sister to do so in order to free the forest."
Anna and Elsa couldn't help but have a look of pride on their face and they looked at each other lovingly.
"Yelana," started Anna, "Elsa says that the next Fifth Spirit will be one of our first-born daughters. Is that true?"
"Wait what," came Kristoff.
"Yes, it will be the first-born daughter of either Elsa's, or if Elsa doesn't have a daughter, then you Anna."
"Wait what," came Kristoff, "are you telling me our first-born daughter will be magical?"
"Doubtful she'll be as magical as Elsa Kristoff," replied Yelana, "there's no need for her to be, but she will have an affinity towards one of the spirits."
"I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that." Responded Kristoff.
"Of course, Kristoff, if Elsa has a daughter, even if she is younger than yours, she will become the Fifth Spirit."
Kristoff looked at Elsa.
"Hey," said Elsa, "I know what you are thinking Kristoff, but you know."
"Well," Kristoff started smiling, "I suppose it would be an honour to be the father of the Fifth Spirit, but we'll need your help Elsa, in raising her of course, I don't expect, you know, unless."
Elsa giggled, "I know, Yelana?"
"Yes Elsa."
"What happened to our Grandparents?"
"Sadly," she started, "they were lost in the battle as well and that is the main reason the forest was cut off, with no Fifth Spirit, the spirits didn't want a connection with the outside world and that's also why they got angry, however when your mother cried out to, I'll use your name, Gale to save your father they saw hope and stopped their attack and decided to wait patiently for the Fifth Spirit to return. Daughters dominate your family line and they would call to you Elsa when they thought you were ready. Fortunately, you answered the call."
"Oh" replied Elsa looking sadly at Anna who returned the sad look.
"Yelena, Elsa and I would like to know about them?" she asked
"Certainly, I will just need to collect somethings for you."
"Thank you, but before you go just one more thing?" Began Elsa, "why didn't you tell me that I was the Fifth Spirit?"
"There are reasons for that Elsa," started Yelana, "first of all, when we first met, I had no idea you were your mother's daughter. In fact, I couldn't understand, as you know, why the spirits rewarded someone from Arendelle with powers. But then Brunei showed up and we saw you tame him and hold him like you did, I started having my suspicions that maybe, but then when I saw the scarf and you said it was your mother's and you said she was Northuldran well we were all certain, in fact the song we sung to welcome you is in fact a song of celebration to acknowledge the new Fifth Spirit.
I told Honey Maren to tell you about the Fifth Spirit symbol on the scarf and tell you that it did cry out the day the forest fell. However, in order to become the Fifth Spirit, you have to self-discover yourself, which is what you did at Ahtohallan. No one can actually tell you, because if they did, you would never self-discover."
Elsa looked at Yelena's wise face which had a small smile on it.
"Of course, and thank you again."
"Now, I'll go get those things from your Grandparents for you."
"Thank you," said Anna, who now turned to Kristoff nervously, "ahem"
Kristoff turned to Anna, "So was that what you needed me to be seated for, our daughter being the Fifth Spirit?"
Anna, sort of gave a squeamish smile, "not quite."
"So, what is it?"
Anna paused, not sure how to say it, so she just blurted it out. "I have to invite Hans to Arendelle."
"WHAT!" He screamed, "no, no, why would you do that Anna?"
"Because," she started stroking her hair as she does when she's nervous, "because of what we discovered in Ahtohallan."
"What could you have discovered in Ahtohallan that justifies bringing that monster back to Arendelle?"
"Because," again began a faltering Anna, "Elsa and I discovered just how badly he was treated as a child by all his brothers, not just 3 and worse still his father."
"So?" asked Kristoff.
"It's because of his brother's that he started plotting what he did when he was thirteen and I just need to know, almost as if I have to know, how deep that resentment, anger and shame goes and if he feels any remorse, it's almost as if Ahtohallan told me too at least try and fix him."
"Anna, I love you and it's because of this wonderful heart you have, but sometimes people just can't be fixed. Hans tried to kill you and Elsa, there's no redemption from that. Elsa help me out here."
"Huh," came Elsa a little surprised, "I do agree with you Kristoff, but I'm afraid my sister's mind is made up regarding this quest, but don't worry, I'll be there with all four spirits to make sure Hans behaves himself this time."
"Kristoff," began Anna a little emotionally, "I know more than anyone what Hans is like, I'm the one he betrayed the most and yet, I feel I need to try and see if I can, for lack of a better words, save him. If you had been to Ahtohallan and seen the look on his young face, the hurt I saw, I actually felt sorry for the child."
"So, what are you going to do, to try and save him?" asked Kristoff.
"Talk to him at first and see what happens."
"Look Anna, I am not pleased about this, but if you think it's right then Sven and I will be there too, to make sure he doesn't try anything again, only I get to punch him this time if he does."
"Agreed" replied Anna smiling.
"Who is punching who?" came the familiar happy voice of Olaf.
"Kristoff is punching Hans if he misbehaves."
"How is Kristoff going to punch Hans when he's in the Southern Isles?" asked Olaf.
"Anna is inviting him back to Arendelle," responded Kristoff.
"Are you nuts?" Said Olaf to Anna.