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Anywho. On with the show.

Chapter 2: The invitation

Elsa loved the ocean. The salty smell of the sea, the rhythmic sounds of the water crashing against the shore, and the feeling of a cool gentle breeze against her skin. Yes whenever she had a spare moment, she could find herself at the beach, cautiously dipping her toes into the water. Sometimes it was as if something was drawing her to it.

But today was different.

Instead of reverence and awe, the ocean could offer only horror.

With a handkerchief over her mouth and nose, Elsa hung back at the docks, but watched as Captain Ezrem, the local fishermen and the finest captain of her ships, pulled a bucket of ocean water onto the docks. With a large ladle, he dipped into the bucket, pulling out a spoonful of black slime mixed with the water.

"Ugh, smells like a dead fish." She grimaced.

Captain Ezrem chuckled. A gutteral sound coming from deep within his round belly. "Aye. But after most of my life on the seas, you get used to it." He took a whiff of the sludge before jerking his head away. "Though this smells of a hundred dead fish."

Elsa watched the black sludge, waiting with disgust for anything to begin squirming. "Captain, have you ever seen anything like this before?"

Ezrem put the spoon of sludge back into the bucket. "In all my years I've seen many oddities. Whales the size of your castle, sharks that could swallow a man whole, and even a mermaid once or twice, but I've never seen anything like this before." He stood, clapped his hands together and motioned to the water. "The entire fjord has been infected with this… whatever it is. Any and all sea life is either dead or moved on."

Elsa looked passed the fjord into the open ocean. "Does it end?"

Ezrem scratched his salt and pepper beard. "Five miles outside the fjord. But don't think about fishing any of it. As I mentioned, any catch worth anything has moved on."

Elsa looked back into the bucket. "Are there any worms?"

He chortled again. "Oh don't worry your majesty. They're there. Worm eggs are tiny, and only hatch when there in a warm place."

Like a child's belly? She cringed. "How do we stop this?"

Ezrem sighed. "I'd leave that to Dr. Rolf. I'm just a fisherman."

Unfortunately that wasn't the answer she was hoping for. "As of now the fjord and rivers will have to be off limits."

He pulled out a small pipe and filled it with tobacco, motioning to her to be sure what he was doing was alright with her. After she gave a nod of okay he said, "Don't need to tell me twice. The last thing I want is to spend any more time then I need to around this Black… snot."

She muttered a thanks before leaving the docks. She discarded the handkerchief and made her way into the kingdom. I wonder if Kristoff and Anna are having better luck with Dr. Rolf.

:0:—

With Olaf watching over Sven, Anna was able to pry Kristoff away for a few moments. He needed to get away, as much as he loved Sven, he needed to take a break. Unfortunately Anna was tasked with going to Dr. Rolf's office. Kristoff had to watch in agony as Anna lost a coin toss to Elsa, without realizing that Elsa's profile was on all of the currency, and on both sides.

Walking into his clinic the pair were both shocked and disturbed to find eight other people sick.

Each had been Vomiting black worms.

As much as Anna wanted to be there for those that were ill, fear of catching whatever they had kept her far away. Nurses and other healers moved from patient to patient, until one of them noticed her and Kristoff and pointed them in the direction of the basement.

They went rigid, neither one of them looking forward to going down to the infamous, "Rolf basement". Word was that since the werewolves, Dr. Rolf had spent a lot of time in his basement researching various supernatural oddities. Rumors also said he was keeping bizarre things in cages and jars, and knowing Doctor Rolf, it may have been true.

Hesitantly they began to descend into his basement, Anna's hands nervously on her boyfriend's shoulders.

"I'm sure everything we've heard are just stories." He tried to comfort her. "I mean really. How bad could it… oh."

Stepping into the basement they were horrified at the sight of everything they were worried about. Cages, filled with something or other, hung from the ceilings, jars filled with liquids and weird shapes of flesh and limbs, accompanied with mysterious scratching, chittering, biting and scurrying noises coming from the floors.

Anna clung closer to Kristoff, who nervously cleared his throat. "Um, Doctor Rolf?"

There was a clatter from somewhere in the back of the basement, followed by more objects being pushed along the floor as if someone was trying to step over them. From the darkness, the bald, portly, pinkish skinned man emerged, in his hands a jar with something wiggling inside of it. He stared at them through an impressive headset fitted with different magnifying glasses, most likely used for studying.

"Princess Anna? Kristoff? What are you doing here?" He asked.

They wanted to answer, but the pair were having a hard time looking away from the jar in his hands, and it's occupants. Kristoff finally gulped down his own bile. "Um, we came by to ask you about..ugh…"

Dr. Rolf looked at the glass jar they had been eyeing and chuckled. "Oh not worry about Bernadette. She's harmless." Anna let out a small shriek when he pushed the jar towards them. Now that it was closer they could see the large, black twelve inch worm swimming in circles.

Anna was now completely behind Kristoff at this point, peeking out to only catch a glimpse at the worm. "What...is that… thing?"

He shrugged. "A worm, but no worm I've ever seen before. I pulled this little beauty out of Angela's parents."

"Her parents are sick too?"

Dr. Rolf went to his workbench. "They live on a boat in the harbor. With the oceans and rivers being poisoned, it doesn't surprise me." He put the jar onto the table, the creature inside seeming to swim faster and thrash.

"Looks like it likes you." Kristoff noticed.

"Nah. It likes the heat my body gives off. Being cold blooded little buggers they need a warm place to breed."

Looking into the jar the could see the worms small mouth opening and closing with tiny teeth scraping against the glass. "So those poor people upstairs have these things inside them."

"Sure do," he said matter of factly. "Fortunately we have a cure."

Kristoff and Anna went wide eyed. "Wait what?! A cure for… this?"

Dr. Rolf twisted his face in thought. "Well I suppose cure is a loose term. While not an instant cure, it'll take some time."

"Well what is it?!" Kristoff asked impatiently.

Dr. Rolf smirked and motioned for them to follow him back upstairs. He led them to one of the cots, noticing that Anna and Kristoff hung away from the patients. "Don't worry. The disease is only passed through ingestion. No chance of getting sick by just breathing."

Anna gulped. "Better safe than sorry."

Dr. Rolf shrugged again, before motioning to the patient and the cup she was drinking. "That's the cure."

They peered into the cup and their eyes went wide again. "Tea?"

Dr. Rolf puffed out his chest with pride. "Correct. Specifically Wormwood tea. Wormwood has shown to help in killing off worms in the human body. It's a slow process though, but I'd say within a couple of weeks, with a steady regimen of wormwood tea, they should be good as new."

For a moment Anna and Kristoff forgot their discomfort and wrapped her arms around each other, both filled with hope and joy. "A cure! Kristoff we can help Sven. He's going to be okay." She turned to Dr. Rolf. "Where can we get some of that tea to go."

His smile began to dip. "Sven? Your reindeer is sick too?"

Kristoff nodded. "He drank from the river, but it's okay though, you have a cure."

Dr. Rolf's smile faded, suddenly becoming very uncomfortable. "I-I'm sorry Kristoff, but we don't have enough to spare on any of the livestock. Everything we have has to go to these people and even then we have to stretch and ration it."

As quickly as it came, the hope had vanished just as quickly. Kristoff looked at him in disbelief and began shaking his head. "No. No it's okay, just give me a little, that's all I ask—"

Dr. Rolf held up his hands. "I'm sorry Kristoff I can't. I simply can't."

Anna watched as Kristoff's shoulders began to rise and fall with each breath, then her eyes dropped to his hands that were being balled into tight fists. Before she had a chance to stop him, Kristoff had lunged at Dr. Rolf, grabbing him by his coat and slamming him against the wall.

Nurses and patients began screaming and scattering, Anna herself grabbed Kristoff by his arm and tried to pull him back. Over the commotion, Kristoff spoke through tears and gritted teeth. "I just want a little bit to help my friend."

"Kristoff stop!" Anna pleaded. Geez was he always this strong?

"I'm sorry Kristoff," Dr. Rolf choked, "I can't do that."

Kristoff's eyes went wide, before narrowing angrily. Anna could only watch in horror as he brought his fist back and aimed it at the doctors head.

A sudden chill shot through the office, sending an icy blast through their bodies and stopping any potential violence in its tracks. As if on instinct Kristoff released Dr. Rolf and all three of them wrapped their arms around themselves to keep themselves warm. Anna turned her attention to the doors, were her sister stood with her, what Anna called, mom face.

Her eyes had narrowed into small slits, but Anna could still see her eyes flitting between the three like a parent upset with her children.

"What's going on here?" She asked lowly. Flicking her wrist, she removed the icy chill in the air allowing Dr. Rolf to explain the situation. As he spoke, Anna could see Elsa experience the same emotions that they felt. Revulsion at the worms, excitement at the prospect of a cure, then heartache.

"...and we just don't have extra for any livestock."

"He's not livestock!" Anna held Kristoff back as he went to attack Dr. Rolf again.

"I'm sorry." Dr. Rolf flinched, turning to Elsa with an expression that asked if she agreed with him. At the same time Anna and Kristoff looked at Elsa hoping she would be on their side. When Anna saw Elsa's hands come together and head dip to the floor, she knew there was no hope.

"I'm sorry Kristoff, but we need to save what we can for these sick people." As if anticipating her response, Kristoff had already stormed passed her and left the building. A worried and frantic Anna, right behind him.

:0:—

Very rarely did Elsa ever make a decision as difficult as this one, but it was the first time it would have drastic consequences for someone she cared about. With her arms around herself she shuddered at what the repercussions for her decision would be, and in fear she slowly made her way to the stables. Even though she didn't want to, she had to make sure Kristoff understood.

Her attention was piqued when she could see strange lights coming from the stables. The ones often used by Kristoff and Sven. She shouldn't have been too surprised when she found Kristoff's other family, the rock trolls, working on a sick Sven. The trolls moved around the reindeer, hovering glowing crystals over his body while a few others worked with plants and berries. Kristoff was at his friend's side, rubbing his hands over his neck and head.

Anna hung back, watching the trolls work before, from the corner of her eye, caught Elsa lurking in the doorway. She closed the distance between them, pushing Elsa out of the stables and out of sight.

Befuddled Elsa began tripping over her words trying to speak. "B-but is-is Sven—"

"Elsa," Anna held her sister by her arms. "Just. Give him space. The trolls are helping Sven now. He should be okay."

Elsa's eyes went wide. "'Should'?"

Anna shrugged. "We're hopeful. The trolls have magic too after all. Not enough for all of Arendelle, but maybe for Sven."

Elsa hugged herself tighter, her head shrinking into her shoulders like a turtle. "Kristoff hates me now."

"Elsa no!" Anna took Elsa by the hands. "He doesn't hate you. He's just… well he's upset, but he's scared, and you know people make bad choices when they're mad or scared or stressed. But he doesn't hate you. Just give him space. Once this blows over he'll understand the hard choice you had to make."

Elsa tried to believe her sister, but she found herself collapsing further and further into herself.

"Your majesty." Thankfully the small troll known as grand poppy had approached them to offer a welcomed subject change.

Elsa got to her knees to put herself at his level. "Grand poppy, do you know what's happening to Arendelle?"

Grand poppy looked at the ground before waving his hands, creating wisps of aqua, blues, and greens representing the ocean. "A darkness has passed through your kingdom, poisoning your waters and your lands." The colors began to fade into an inky black. "This poison is not magical in nature, and what put it here is something ...older." The magic faded and Grand Poppy put his nose inches from Elsa's, speaking with an urgency she hadn't remembered hearing from him before.

"There is darkness brewing. Evil that has been buried is surfacing again." He grabbed her hands, a tender, but cautionary action. "You have to do the best for your people, but you must be careful. Please. This darkness will seek to snuff out the light, don't let it extinguish yours."

As usual his warnings were vague an ominous, but seeing as how nothing was ever clear, even for him, she had to take it with a grain of salt.

She returned his gesture by squeezing his rock hard hands. "I won't let that happen. I promise."

Anna knelt beside her, putting her hands on her shoulders to draw her close. "And I won't let her let that happen either."

For a moment, his worry faded. "You've come a long way from the scared children I met so long ago. It gives me great joy to see you two have become as close as you have."

Elsa smiled, leaning into his sisters hold. "No," she smiled, "we're closer."

It was moments like these that Elsa lived for. Where her worries and troubles drifted away and it was just her melting into the embrace of her sister.

:0:—

Anna draped Elsa's arm over her shoulders to help carry the limp carcass of her sister to her bed chambers.

Three days had passed since Grand Poppy's warning and the situation in the kingdom had only worsened, especially for Elsa. Yes the wormwood treatment was working, but people were still getting sick, bringing The number up to fourteen. None of the water was safe to drink and food was becoming less edible. From the rivers, to the wells it was all infested with black slime. The herds were dying, as were the crops forcing the kingdom to dip into its reserves to stay fed,

As for water, Elsa had filled every pot, kettle, cup, pale and bucket with ice, gave it to her citizens, and once home, melted the ice over and open fire into water. It seemed to work for a while, but the continuous strain of replenishing everyone's water was beginning to take its toll on the snow queen. With such power, Elsa had never buckled under the pressure of its use, until now.

After another full day of filling every container with ice, Elsa finally collapsed in the castle hall. Anna and Olaf immediately ran to her aid, and once they were sure, with Dr. Rolfs help, that she wasn't sick, they had to help her retire for the evening. After helping Elsa with a bath and getting her dressed in her lavender nightgown, Anna made the trek to Elsa's bedchambers.

"It's okay Elsa. We're almost there."

Elsa muttered something unintelligible, but Anna just ignored it and continued forward. Stepping into Elsa's chambers, Anna guided Elsa to her bed and let her flop onto her soft mattress with a thud.

"Comfy?"

Elsa rolled over to her side, Anna cringing at the sight of the corpse in front of her. She was paler than usual, and her eyes had lost a lot of their luster and the black circles beneath them didn't help either.

"Has anyone responded yet?" She croaked.

Anna sighed with disappointment. After speaking with Grand Poppy, Elsa immediately when to her messengers to send letters to every kingdom they could think of, practically begging for their help. In the last three days, no one had answered. Anna got to her knees so that she was eye to eye with her sister, who's own eyes began to water with anticipation of what Anna was about to say.

"I'm sorry, but no one has."

Anna hadn't finished her sentence before Elsa allowed her emotions to release. She began crying uncontrollably, sobbing into her pillows and wrapping her arms around herself. Tendrils of ice began to crawl along the walls and bed, but none of this deterred Anna from getting into the bed and hoisting her sister onto her lap. She began rubbing Elsa's back allowing her to sob away her feelings.

It took Elsa a few minutes to settle and amidst the hiccups and ragged breathing, she muttered. "I… can't … do this."

Her words startled her sister. "What are you talking about?"

Elsa shook her head. "Our kingdom is in trouble and I can't help it. With all my magic, I can't help our people. I failed them, I'm not fit to be queen."

Anna lifted her sister until she was in a seated position, but her now puffy eyes were still downcast. "You listen to me Elsa. You are the best ruler Arendelle has ever had in a long time. You've taken on, and have dealt with, so much it's unbelievable. You learned from your mistakes and have come out better for it on the other side. You helped save Arendelle from Werewolves."

Elsa shook her head, stray tears spraying in different directions. "No I didn't. We needed help—"

"—and help came!" Anna grabbed Elsa's hands and didn't speak until Elsa met her gaze. "Help will always come. No matter what, you are not alone in any of this. You have me, Kristoff, Olaf, Sven, Captain Bjorn, Dr. Rolf, Gerda, Kai. You are loved."

Elsa was about to argue again, mentioning that Kristoff hated her, and Sven was sick and possibly dying, but they were interrupted by a series of knocks on the door. Before they could send whoever it was away, the doors slowly opened.

"Elsa? Anna?" Olaf poked his head inside. "We have food."

Opening the doors all the way, Kristoff walked inside with a large tray in his hands with a streaming bowl, some crackers and some water.

"I, uh, made some stew." He said nervously. "For Elsa I mean." Elsa began wiping her face, embarrassed without her makeup, hair A mess and face red and puffy. Kristoff set the tray on the nightstand while Olaf scrambled onto the bed beside Elsa. "Is everything ...okay?" The sisters exchanged looks. Clearly everything was not okay, but didn't know how to respond.

Kristoff shuffled on the balls of his feet. "Elsa, I, uh, just want you to know, that, I don't hate you."

Anna watched her sister closely, who didn't seem to believe him at first. "But...I—"

He held up a hand. "I know, I know. I was angry, and scared, but once I cooled off, I know you only did what you did for the sake of Arendelle." Kristoff got a little closer to the bed. "It's just, Sven has been my family ever since we were kids, it's just been me and him and the thought of losing him," he coughed and put his hand to his throat, "anyways. You just need to know that no matter what happens, I don't hate you. Ever."

Once again she was so overwrought with emotion that she began to break down into tears, and crumbled into her sisters arms.

"Told ya he could never hate you." Anna grabbed Olaf and Kristoff and pulled them both into the hug. Olaf loved it of course, but Kristoff was more hesitant. Elsa didn't like being touched after all.

"Oh just get in here." Elsa grabbed him by his collar and pulled him close and the group hug didn't break until they were startled by a loud rumbling noise.

Olaf squealed in freight. "Um, I think the castle is haunted."

Elsa laughed. "No, that, uh, was me." She motioned to her stomach.

Everyone looked at her large eyes. "Elsa when was the last time you ate?" A shrug was the only response she had.

Olaf quickly grabbed the bowl of soup and held it to her lips. "Open wide, here comes the sled." Elsa was more than capable of feeding herself, but to humor the snowman, she obediently opened her mouth so he could give her a spoonful of Kristoff's delicious stew. She moaned as the warm liquid and chewy vegetables and meat slid into her empty stomach. She could feel the heat move from her belly to the bottom of her feet to the tips of her fingers, and it was wonderful.

"Did I do good?"

Elsa patted him on the arm. "Kristoff did good."

Elsa opened her mouth for another scoop of stew when a sudden crash made all of them jump from out of their skins.

"What was—" Anna's eyes flitted to the window, where a newly formed hole told them group of what the sound was. Now what came through the glass?

"What the…" Kristoff slowly made his way to the opposite wall, his eyes glued to an object that had stuck itself to the wall.

Elsa suddenly became on edge again. "Are we under attack?"

Kristoff shook his head as he removed an arrow from the wall. "It doesn't look like a war arrow. Besides who colors their arrows green?" Sure enough the arrow was a bright apple green. The strangest thing about it was that it wasn't made in the traditional sense. There wasn't a shaft connected to a metal tip with feathers on the other end, but instead appeared to be made of solid metal, including the feathers.

He handed the arrow to the sisters so they could inspect it. "It's just an arrow." Anna pointed out. "There's no letter, markings, nothing."

Olaf looked over the arrow, noticing his reflection in it's metal, but nothing else. "Oh well. We got a cool arrow now."

Elsa tilted her head. "Olaf, do that again. Breathe on the arrow." He did as he was told. With his breath on the arrow it slowly began to reveal words. "Huh."

He gasped. "Do I have magic breath that puts words on things?"

"Uh huh." Elsa responded absentmindedly. She was too focused on the words now scrawled onto the arrow.

"Elsa? What does it say?" They all gathered around her as she began to read.

"I am a riddle, where the answer is gone. Get it right, you have until dawn. What is it?"

Everyone exchanged puzzled looks. "That's a weird question." Said Olaf.

"It's a riddle. A hard one." Anna scrunched her face. "But we have until dawn to answer it." Everyone then looked at Elsa.

"What? You think I know the answer?"

Anna looked at her like it was obvious. "Well you are the most well read out of all of us."

"I can't even read!' Olaf practically shouted.

Elsa rolled her eyes with a smirk and looked back at the arrow, reading the question over and over again to try and figure it out. "It doesn't make any sense. It's a riddle, but doesn't have an answer. There's not even a question here."

"It's Gone." Kristoff said suddenly. Everyone looked at him to explain himself. "Well Elsa said, there's no question, so it gives us the answer. The answer's 'Gone'."

The arrow suddenly lit up causing Elsa to throw it aside and as soon as it hit the ground it began spinning like a top. From the center of the spinning arrow shined a light, almost like a spotlight, that went all the way to the ceiling. They watched in awe at the dazzling display of green and yellow colors, until slowly a figure emerged inside the light.

He was a man, elderly and dressed in long robes, and as soon as he appeared, he threw out his arms.

"Congratulations!

Humble Greetings and salutations!"

He was incredibly jovial with an upbeat voice that breathed excitement as if he was addressing a large crowd.

"No, no, no you are not delirious,

This is just a message from Dirgelaff, the mysterious.

If you are hearing my charming and excited voice,

Then fret not, my friends, you have great cause to rejoice!

I have sent riddles from as far away as England to Rome,

All for the once in a lifetime chance for you to enter my home.

Since you have answered right, you are invited to be my guests

To compete in a series of challenges, games, trials and tests.

A champion you must pick, for the chance at the prize,

For a wish that I'll grant, where the limits the skies.

And how do you know if I'm good for my word,

Well simply ask around to your elders and friends to see what they've heard?

In two weeks time you must sail to my home,

The map that you use is the arrow you hold.

So answer the call, I am anxious to begin,

Or stay behind and ask yourself, 'what could have been?'"

As soon as the stranger had finished, the arrow stopped spinning and the light and the figure vanished.