Chapter 18: Desperate situations call for desperate measures.

To my surprise, explaining our story to Elsa was a lot easier than I might have expected. Not only did she believe us without hesitation (things of magical people), she also accepted me in the castle as one more resident and approved me (without being asked) as a suitor for her sister.

The explanations to the rest of the staff were much vaguer and not very detailed. We couldn't let everyone know that we came from the future if we didn't want to alter the story too much, however, both the Arendelle people and all the castle workers accepted me pleasantly.

Elsa was officially declared queen again and calm and sanity returned to the kingdom at last. It turned out that, once her powers were controlled, she was a caring and compassionate queen who tried very hard to do her job well.

Regarding Hans, he was deported to the South Islands and sentenced to do social work until his father considered him redeemed. Little pity it seems to me.

And we, well… we spent as much time together as we could during the day and longed for each other at night. Anna dedicated herself to helping her sister whenever possible, and I dedicated myself to helping the people of the kingdom with her daily chores. I didn't want to be maintained without somehow deserving it. However, the wound on my arm was making sure to complicate that task. Despite having been treated, every day it hurt more and the area felt more swollen. Make an effort with that arm, back then, was mission impossible.

As the days went by, the bad rest that the pain gave me began to take its toll on me and I began to feel weak and feverish and Anna, who has always read me like an open book, realized it as she saw me appear.

"What's going on?"
"Why you ask?"
"You look horrible."
"Wow, and that's what you, who have a good impression of me, say," I joked.
"Kristoff…" she said in a warning tone.
"Don't worry, it's nothing a good nap can't fix."

And despite having come from the future, predicting what was going to happen was not my thing, so a few hours later I was in bed, boiling with fever, while the castle doctor looked me up and down.

"What's with him, doctor?" Anna asked anguished.
"Nothing good, I'm afraid."

A lump camped in my throat when I heard those words, but I hoped it was some kind of passing virus or something like that and I kept listening.

"These kinds of awful wounds… when infected they are… dangerous."
"Wounds?" Anna asked. "You mean the arm one?"
"Yes. It appears that it's infected and the infection is spreading. I will do what I can, but I'm not sure I can save him."
"No!" Anna gasped, putting her hands to her mouth.

'An infection, great. It was the only thing missing from this adventure.'

The doctor came out of my room looking for who knows what and Anna came over and started stroking my cheek while crying silently like someone saying goodbye to a dying man.

"Hey, calm down. Sure a little penicillin can fix it."
"Pen-what?"
"Penicillin. You know, that antibiotic that… oh." And then I realized: I was finished. "That has not yet been invented…"

'I couldn't put antibiotics in the medicine cabinet, no.'

"You... you have a solution for this in the future?"
"Yes if it doesn't get a lot out of hand."
"In such a case, you have to go back… ahead."
"What?"
"We'll go, you'll heal, and we'll decide whether to return or stay."
"You just got your sister back. How are you going to stay in the future?"
"Then we will return. But please don't let me lose you."
"And how do you intend to do it? 'Hello mister magic troll, it's not December and you've already gifted us like three miracles, but we need a couple more'."
"If necessary I will polish the troll's toenails, but he has to save you."
"We can try, but… Anna, you have to keep in mind that we may not succeed."

It hurt so bad to pronounce those words, It hurt to think of leaving with her, and it hurt, even more, to think of the damage that would do her; but I didn't want her to get her hopes up and kill them all with me.

"I'm sorry but, this time, failing is not an option. So you have no choice but to travel back in time like a good boy, heal yourself, and come back here with a good secret shipment of drugs from the future. If we can go together, perfect, and if that's not the case, you will go and come back alone."

I laughed and shook my head. I knew that nothing anyone said or did would be able to stop her. Her determination and the strength with which she always faced her problems, were two of the many things I admired about her.

"But come back, okay?"

I vaguely nodded and Anna helped me up and wiped me away the sweat. Apparently, she hadn't intention of waiting for a possible solution from her doctor before venturing on another trip back in time.

She prepared a horse and we both got on as best we could to get to the troll clearing as quickly as possible. However, on the way, a familiar round rock stood in our way.

"Grand Pabbie!" exclaimed Anna agitated and clearly hurried. "What happens?!"
"A dark feeling has called me here. Is there anything I can do for you?"
"Of course! I should have thought about that?! Can you heal Kristoff, Pabbie?"

The troll looked at me as if trying to guess who I was and shrugged. Then, without me even descending, he extended his arms towards me and closed his eyes.

"Hm… I see it very difficult. I cannot manipulate in the present what belongs to another time."
"What?"
"This boy was not born in our time, and my magic could only heal him if I coexisted with his life line. Sorry, but I cannot do anything for you."
"But…" Anna said clenching her fists as I rested my head on her shoulder out of sheer exhaustion. "Flemmingrad can help us, right? He can take him into the future."
"Oh, dear. It is possible, but that would break the bond that binds you."
"What?" we both said at the same time.
"You belong to two different worlds. The moment your bodies lose the new connection they have created, the bond will weaken until it disappears, causing you to be nothing more than a beautiful dream for the other. Rejoining you on the timeline after your bond disappears… would be simply impossible. There would be no call to connect."
"That won't be a problem," Anna said confidently. "I will go with him wherever it takes. That way we can stay together, right?"
"That is true, but…"

"Well then, we have no time to waste."

Anna passed Grand Pabbie and continued riding until she reached the troll figure. Once there, she helped me off the horse and sat me leaning on it.

"Don't worry, everything's gonna be alright," she said carefully removing the bangs from my eyes. "You told me you would always be with me, right? Whatever happens, come back to me; don't leave me."
"I promise you."

I took a hint of strength to lift my good arm once more and caressed again that face that I loved so much. I picked up a tear that slid down her cheek with my thumb and kissed her lips praying that this wasn't the last time.

Then, my eyes began to close irretrievably and I could feel how Anna took my hand and began to sing that peculiar song that I hadn't yet learned. Right after, there was a strange silence and, in the instant before I lost consciousness, I could hear the tiny voice with which she conjured her desire.

"Please, no matter how, but keep Kristoff from dying."

Bad approach.

And everything went black.