Hello all once again, I'm back with another chapter a day after I went and saw Frozen 2 in the theaters. All in all I'm afraid I found myself rather disappointed in the sequel, but I'll wait to give a more in depth review at the end of the chapter.
Regarding this chapter there are two things I'd like you all to know:
Firstly this is the second chapter I've ever used a song in and further more it's one that I wrote, yes...I wrote a song. I'm by no means a song writer but I tried the best I could so let me know what you all think about it.
Secondly keep in mind that I finished this chapter before I went to see the new movie and even so, there are a few things in this chapter that I feel I did better than Frozen 2 and I challenge each and EVERY one of you to try and spot those things and tell me what they are.
That's all I have for you here, enjoy the chapter! :)
Chapter 49: Stone and Steel, Wood and Cloth
Little had changed within the queen's room since she entered, a thick layer of frost still remained and a light snow now descended from the ceiling above. Elsa now sat on her bed facing the door; Dragon's Flight extended and held tightly in both hands. Her helmet lay on the floor near the door, just below a large divot in the wall where it had impacted, while Aldren's ring sat in the frost next to her. A glittering streak ran down from either eye where tears had dried and froze, her eyes flared between grief and rage as the two emotions waged a violent battle in her heart. As time passed, but her grief and anger did not, Elsa's grip on the spear tightened more and more until her knuckles were bone white and the weapon began to shake in her hands.
Suddenly her door opened without warning and she was thrust back to reality, her eyes shot to the door then back to her spear when she heard a sharp metal ring. She looked down, horror stricken to see that Dragon's flight had snapped in-two, right down the middle. Aldren had given her this spear- it had belonged to his wife; his last physical memory of her and yet he'd given it to her and now like temperamental child she had broken it! Despite her dread she looked up to see it was Gillian who had entered her room; he was a smith-he knew weapons, maybe he could help her fix it!
Her panicked eyes darted between him and the weapon as she quickly stood and walked towards him, "Gillian I-I didn't-"
He was carrying a small object concealed by a veil that he quickly set down on her vanity as he rushed to her. With a calm smile he held his hands out towards her, "Easy your grace, Easy..." he looked from her petrified face to the 'broken' weapon, "Maybe...maybe that was supposed to happen."
She blinked, "What?"
"Here." Gingerly he guides both her hands to join the spear back together, this was followed by a metallic clack.
Elsa looked over the spear and exhaled heavily in relief to see it was whole again, Gillian stepped back and motioned with his hands expectantly, "Now...try it again."
She looked between him and her weapon, hesitant to try but trusting that he was right. With a weary look in her eyes she pulled slightly and the weapon once again split into two shorter spears, she looked over either one-wielding them for a moment as she would in combat...realizing that it felt natural.
The elder man nodded, "Seems you're discovering some things about that weapon that even Aldren didn't know...that'll come in handy soon I imagine."
She rejoined the ends and shortened the spear, returning it to it's sheath on her back before sighing shamefully, "I'm sorry Gillian...It seems I am no better than a child..."
"With respect your grace, that's Amicus talking-not you and that masked villain knows as much about human feelings as a troll does about hygiene."
She couldn't help but smile slightly at his words. Then she cleared her throat and raised herself back to full height, her queenly demeanor returning, "Anyway Gillian, what was it that you needed of me?"
He chuckled, "Need of you?" he shrugged as he retrieved the object he had set on the vanity and unveiled it, revealing a steel helm, "That you try this on to make sure it fits."
It was not unlike the one she had worn in battle before but it was more angular with runic engravings dancing all along the edges of the visor. Instead of her family's sigil, the crocus of Arendelle, an angular dragon's head and neck ran from the front to the back as the helmet's crest. The last thing she noticed were the two rubies that made the eyes of the dragon and...that it was beautiful, one of Gillian's best crafts-perhaps his finest.
She smiled at the dragon, "Trolgon..."
"Yes the mangy dragon himself, took me forever but I think it'll be worth it...I figured his image might strike more fear into the enemy than a flower."
"Yes...but that flower is the crocus of Arendelle; my father's sigil...should I not continue to honor him tomorrow?"
He sighed, turning the helmet around to look into the open visor, "I knew both of your father's you know..."
"You mean...mine and Aldren's?"
"Yes. They were both honorable men in their own ways, they were even friends once upon a time...during the war when they fought side by side."
She leaned forward in curiosity, "Side by side? My father...was a warrior?"
He smiled at her, "Oh aye, he was nearly as skilled as lord Aldric...nearly. Does that surprise you?"
"It's just..." she turned her gaze to the painting of her father, "I don't think anyone would have guessed by looking at him and...no one ever told me."
He nodded, "Yes, he did not wish to speak of it and he forbade us to speak to you of it... it was another time; a darker time-though...not nearly so dark as now." his eyes began to wander briefly before he brought himself back, "Your father was a kind man, a gentle man and you and your sister; his children...he loved you more than anything, more than life."
She smiled sadly as he went on, "He put his days as a warrior behind him the day you were born...but I fear he put his courage behind him as well."
Her smiled dropped, "What do you mean?"
"I was one of the few who knew of your powers when their presence began to be noticed amongst the rest of the castle staff..." He looked to the painting of Agnar, "I saw the fear in his eyes, his fear for you and now I think we both know why he was afraid."
She looked down to the floor thoughtfully, "Amicus."
"Yes. But regardless of what he feared, it changed him. And as he changed so did Arendelle." he pulled at his uniform with one hand, "We didn't always wear these cloth uniforms, we were clad in steel then too. But we set down our swords to reach out to the rest of the world; to make peace with enemies of old, forge alliances and make pacts with those we might not have ages ago. Commerce and trade became the way of the northmen..." he said this as he rolled his eyes.
She glanced down to the floor momentarily, "You believe that was wrong?"
"I believe perhaps he wanted us to rely on the strength of others rather than our own so that when the threat arrived we would have allies to depend on. But these changes were not all for the better; worms like Lars Gul became the norm among our people while your father took the counsel of men like King Reidrich who would sooner see us bend our knee to him!" The elder smith's last words became harsher before he closed his eyes and exhaled, "We lost who we were, much of our old strength was stretched so thin that we no longer had any for ourselves..."
Elsa sat back on her bed, her head hanging slightly, "He chose my sister and I over his kingdom...he let his fear for us drive him..." The smith nodded sadly, "You believe Aldric would have made a better king than my father...better than me...Don't you?"
He blinked in surprise before smiling and shaking his head, "No, not so my queen." she looked up at him confused, he walked over to sit beside her, setting the helm down near Aldren's ring, "I knew Aldric even better than I did Agnar; he was a proud man, a dutiful patriot who loved his country and his people. But...he was like iron; stubborn, set in his ways and unshakable in his faith of Arendelle...and his distaste for those who he deemed outsiders. If he had been king...he would have see us turn our spears outward; protect Arendelle and Arendelle alone-the rest of the world be damned." He interlocked his fingers and leaned forward, "But as mighty a people as we would have been with Aldric as king, we would not have stood long against the Witch King alone...even our strength has limits."
He looked to her with a assuring smile, "There are some who would call your father craven while others would call Aldren's bloodthirsty and hostile but neither is so, they were both wrong...and right. In a time of war they united the kingdom and defeated a tyrant who would have left our country bitterly weak and vulnerable had he taken over; it took the both of them...they were what we needed then."
His smile faded and he looked away, "But when Ramdon was defeated and the war over...they stopped being friends; there was never a compromise between them, they could never see eye to eye again...our people were divided between stone and steel or wood and cloth. And I dread to fear what might've happened if there disagreements had ever reached a boiling point."
"And why didn't they?"
"Hmm?"
"Reach a boiling point?"
"Well the one thing they did have in common-even in those days...is that they both loved their children. They wanted to protect you from those that might harm you for being different as you are and for you both to grow into the best leaders you could be...from their view points though. And I doubt either of them wanted to raise their young ones in a world of hate and bloodshed." He chuckled tersely at himself before gently putting his hand on her shoulder, "And now to the point that I'm 'trying' to make your majesty...over these past months I've seen you and Aldren accomplish something I never thought imaginable-something more powerful than the ability to control ice or fire. Together you two have harnesed the best of both worlds; Aldric's warrior ideals married with Agnar's vision of a more progressive Arendelle. That is what persevered when your sister stood up to Reidrich in the isles; showing the islanders that we are a force to be reckoned with while still keeping our alliance with them in tact. That is what prevailed when Aldren bested Karl in the ring and it is what triumphed when you stared evil in the face and showed it that we do not stand alone!"
She smiled at the thought, finally able to feel something other than pain when thinking of Aldren as the smith continued, "It's a terrible path the both of you have had to walk since your parents died, you never asked for it and you certainly were never deserving of it. But you both have come out stronger and somehow, amazingly-despite everything that life threw at the pair of you...fate managed to bring the two of you back together again. It had to be the both of you, together...if it had happened any other way than that we wouldn't be having this conversation...and Arendelle would have been plunged into darkness long ago."
His expression dropped when he removed his hand from her shoulder, reaching down to pick up Aldren's ring, "It is not my place to ask this of you, I feel ashamed to even do so. But if you could make this old relic of a smith one promise?" he lifted one of her hands and placed the ring in her palm before closing her fingers around it, "That you will preserve what you and Aldren have built together, that you will continue to give Arendelle what it needs, with...or without him."
His hands left her's and her heart hurt at those words; 'without him', it was a great deal to ask of her; to consider life without Aldren's love...but his request was a noble one, one that spoke to his love for Arendelle. She looked up from the ring to the elder's pleading eyes, "I will." she raised her free hand and gave him a gentle peck on the cheek, "Thank you Gillian."
He blushed but bowed his head, "Your majesty." he shivered slightly, rubbing his arms, "You know what's sad? I only just now noticed the room is cover in snow."
She chuckled, brushing some of it off his shoulder and then smirked as she pointed to his uniform, "I have to ask; if you despise the uniform so much, why are you still wearing it?"
He shrugged, "It's comfortable."
They both laughed before they were drawn to the door by the sound of someone rushing down the hall, Kai entered the doorway-slightly out of breath and shocked at the sight of Gillian, "Your majesty! I apologize, I had no idea that he-"
She raised a hand as she stood, "It's alright Kai, Gillian wasn't bothering me."
He nodded slowly, "Very well then, but uh...your majesty, I think perhaps you should come downstairs."
Concern crossed her face , "What's happened?"
"It's prince Karl, something has...happened evidently concerning princess Rapunzel...and your dragon."
OoO
"Your telling me she left, just like that?" Elsa stood at the top of the stairs leading up to the palace, the entirety of her council members as well as several soldiers from every nation were gathered around her while Karl and his party stood at the bottom of the stairs in front of her.
"Last I had seen them I confronted lady Cassandra about her lack of haste in reaching her post atop the wall and it would seem she failed to reach her post all together..." he said, glancing crossly towards Captain Andris and Eugene who met his hard gaze with their own. The prince looked back to Elsa, "They were last seen heading here along with the snow-...along with Olaf. The dragon was sighted flying west not long after. And I believe it's safe to assume that they left on the dragon."
"Of course they left on 'the dragon', I was there when they did." Gillian piped up.
Karl looked to the old man disbelieving, "And you let them go?"
"Perhaps I should've wrestled the dragon to the ground, single-handedly apprehended Corona's best soldier and not to mention a very lively princess whose fond of a steel frying pan, your majesty?"
The prince narrowed his eyes at the smith who only smirked in return, Elsa couldn't help but smile a bit at the old man's sass.
The queen's expression gave little tells thereafter though her eyes did show innate concern for her cousin, Olaf and Trolgon. She looked to the Coronans, "Can you validate prince Karl's claim?"
The two men shared a brief look before Eugene sighed, "Once Rapunzel puts her mind to something...there isn't really anything that'll stop her."
"Why would she do this?" Sol asked.
"If I know those two...they've gone to look for lord Aldren." Andris replied steadily.
Kristoff shrugged and nodded, "That makes sense for Olaf too." he looked to the royal sisters, "Is there any way to call Trolgon back? We kinda need him."
Anna shook her head, "He only ever listened to Elsa and Aldren, if he left without Elsa knowing...he's not coming back."
Karl glared towards the Coronans, "Then it appears that not only did lady Cassandra abandon her post but she has also cost us one of our best weapons against the enemy!"
Eugene stepped forward, "Lay off Karl! Their hearts were in the right place."
"Oh well, 'their hearts were in the right place' and now we've lost a battlefield commander and a dragon; very fair trade." The prince retorted condescendingly.
"Why you smug-"
"Enough!"
They were both silenced by Elsa's commanding tone as she descended down the stairs, "Whatever Rapunzel and Cassandra have done, it's done. There's nothing we can do about it now...and we cannot remain divided any longer."
She looked first to the rising sun in the distance behind the cliffs above Arendelle, then to all the faces around her whose eyes questioned what she meant, "We all come from different places, we speak in different tongues, we've walked in different steps...some of us are kin, family, allies and enemies of old. Some of us stand as friends here today...while some of us may never be friends even when this war is over. But whatever our differences, whatever our disagreements; where we come from, what we speak, what we think about one another-it doesn't matter now! We're not Arendelle, we're not Corona, Zaria or the Isles!"
She smiled, her voice brimming with emotion as she raised a single finger, "Today. We are all one people under the sun...and tomorrow we fight as one people-all for the same reason; if we fall... then the rest of the world falls too. But I will not let that happen-not while my heart still beats, I will make my stand against evil!" She stepped forward into the middle of the circle with her hands raised out to them, "And now I ask you-all of you; will you do the same? Will you take a stand against evil beside me my brothers, sisters...will you follow me into this dawn?"
She lowered her arms as a silence hung over them all, Elsa turned when she heard the ring of blade leaving it's sheath. Andris raised his sword forward, "I will."
She smiled, her smile grew a little wider when Zyon did the same, "So will I."
Her gaze followed the chorus of ringing blades that rose all around her as all who bore a weapon raised it. Her eyes came to rest on Anna who grinned along with the rest of her kinsmen, "Like we'd ever say no to that."
Elsa shook her head fondly at her sister, her smile then dropped as she turned back to Karl whose sword remained sheathed. A moment passed before he cracked the smallest of smiles and drew his blade, his knights and soldiers doing the same. "I will stand with you queen Elsa, today and against whatever end comes tomorrow." he raised his sword forward, his subordinates doing the same.
She nodded to him, then speaking to all once again, "Then let us prepare a proper welcome for the Witch King; he wants a fight out of us? We'll give him a fight he'll never forget..."
OoO
The day passed and a long night descended on Arendelle and now once again another day would dawn soon. Not the sounds of a busy marketplace or children rushing off to school but the clatter of steel, the pounding of hooves and marching of feet were the sounds that dominated this day. Armor was adorned, weapons sharpened and handed out, defenses manned and siege engines raised as the alliance prepared for the final battle to decide the fate of Arendelle. By this time there was little left to do; nearly all the battle lines were formed outside the wall, all that remained were last minute preparations...and for some to say their goodbyes. Fathers, brothers and sons of Arendelle said what might be their final farewells to their families and loved ones.
Lady Sol sat not far from the gate of the wall, where the inner defenses were being prepared, Soloppgang and Skumring sat against the crate beside her along with her helmet while across from her sat her brother Mane. He had healed from his injuries and was walking steadily again, the young lord of Hadenville wore a set of armor not unlike his sister's that had been tailored to his form...even so he did not look as though he belonged in it, not to her. He held her wounded arm as he removed the old bandage and wrapped a new one around it, his eyes were focused on his task while hers locked on him, "You're not even a doctor..." she said.
He smiled, "Not by license, but I know how to dress a wound...but then, that's not what you're saying is it?"
She sighed, "Mane I-"
He frowned, "I'm going to be at the palace with Kristoff-far from the battlefield. And I could have something to say too you know; in my opinion with a wound like this you shouldn't even be fighting!...but I know you better than that."
She smiled, then frowned too, "And if something does happen...if they break through?"
He stopped wrapping and finally looked up at her, "Then there will be nowhere for anyone to hide anymore." She could not argue with that as he finished up the bandage, "There. It'll hold."
She nodded and reequipped her wrist armor, wincing slightly as it slid over her wound-this doing nothing to ease her brother's concern. She stood and grasped her shield, looking down sadly at the hole that had been punched through it's center. Mane saw this and walked forward, placing his hands on the shield, "You were always his heir, sister. You...He'd be proud enough to know that you had wielded it in battle."
She smiled in return until she spotted the last battalion of Arendellian soldiers marching to pass through the wall, walking alongside them was captain Baldrek who veered off to approach them. He wielded her uncle's warhammer Traitor's Bane as he always did but now he also carried the Ramdon axe Beak Splitter on his back that had been given to him by overseer Freja. He stood off to the side, "It's time..."
She and her brother stood and turned to one another, seizing one another in a tight embrace, as tears began to fall, "You better stay behind the damned wall this time, you hear me?" she whispered in his ear.
He nodded against her shoulder and whispered back, "I hear you."
They parted reluctantly and she retrieved her helm before the captain handed her the spear, she nodded to him and took one last look at Mane over her shoulder before they left to follow the battalion out from behind the safety of the wall. He watched her the entire way as she left with great remorse; once again they were being separated, once again his sister rushed off to the battlefield while he remained behind...helpless.
OoO
Inside the castle Anna sat on her bed in her room with Kristoff beside her as the both faced the window. The ice harvester watched the princess's distressed face with concern as she stared out.
She shook her head, her choice choked by sadness, "It's not fair..."
"Anna-"
"For the first time in her life she found someone who she loved the same way I love you Kristoff and...we loved him too." She shuddered, "What if he was telling the truth; what if Aldren is dead? How are any of us supposed to come back from that...How is Elsa supposed to come back from it?"
He reached up to wipe a tear that ran down from her cheek and gently turn her face towards his, "You remember the gardens? When Tarn first attacked them?"
"Yeah..."
"Aldren broke a piece of his armor off and burned him right?"
"Right."
"While we know for a fact that Amicus is scared of Elsa, I think it's safe to say that Tarn is scared of Aldren."
"What are you getting at?"
He smiled and took her hand, "It's like sol said; all they brought us was the ring and Tarn wasn't the one who did it...maybe Aldren didn't lose their second fight, maybe Tarn did and they didn't want us to know. They wanted to scare us that night because they were afraid...they failed."
She glanced to the floor, then back to him, "You really believe he's still alive?"
"Don't you?" he asked.
"I want to...but what about Rapunzel and Olaf; what hope is there that they'll find him before something happens to him?"
"Well...I don't know her well, but if Rapunzel's anything like you? It'll take a lot more than insurmountable odds to scare her away from a quest to save a damsel in distress." he said with a grin.
She chuckled quietly, "I don't think Aldren would make a very good damsel."
"Neither would you."
Her smile grew a little wider, he lifted her hand and kissed it lovingly, "If Aldren is alive, if he's out there somewhere-captured or otherwise, they'll find him...they will, you'll see."
She nodded vigorously, infinitely thankful for his reassuring words. Her expression dropped a little as she sighed and looked up at him as if embarrassed, "I'm sorry...I know I've been a wreck lately and...I'm sorry there hasn't been a lot of time for us."
He suddenly averted her gaze and rubbed the back of his neck as he cleared his throat nervously, "Well uh...n-now that you mention it. There is something I've been wanting to ask you about concerning us...something I might not get the chance to ask again..."
She watched curiously as he stood from the bed and suddenly knelt in front of her, "Kristoff what-" a sharp gasp cut her words to ribbons as he held out a small velvet box that he opened, revealing a shining gold band; light green vine patterns flowed around it's entirety, all leading to a ring of flower petals that circled a gleaming pink gem.
Her hands covered her mouth as she looked with awestruck eyes from the ring to the man kneeling in front of her as he spoke with a broad if somewhat terrified smile plastered on his face, "Anna I-...I think it's important to tell you that...this wasn't how I wanted to do this, this isn't the place-and this really isn't the time. But that doesn't matter...all that matters right now is how I feel about you and...how I hope you feel about me. I probably won't have another chance to ask this...and even if all we get is this one day I just want to know what your answer would be. Will you marry me Anna?...will you be my wife?"
Her hands slowly left her slightly agape mouth, somewhat against his expectations the princess knelt in front of him and grasped his hands that held the box, raising them both to their feet. Her expression was hard to read as she looked into his eyes and his smile dropped as his heart began to ache with the though that she might not say-
"Yes..."
He blinked back to reality, a smiling laugh slipped out as her eyes began to water, "Yes...I'll marry you...Of course I'll be your wife you big dummy!"
She threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his, nearly knocking him back to the wall. Regaining his balance he wrapped his arms around her and leaned into the kiss, laughing against her lips as he spun her in a circle. Breaking the kiss they turned their attention back to the ring, as he took it out of the box she eagerly slipped it onto her finger and admired it briefly before holding the sides of his face and admiring him.
He sighed in relief, smiling widely again as he raised his hands to her waist, she shook her head, "What made you think I'd ever say no?"
He shrugged, "I dunno; the ever encroaching doom on the horizon could have killed the mood."
They both laughed for a moment then continued to simply gaze into one another, this moment was the happiest they'd been together in what seemed like forever. Whatever else came tomorrow, this moment would be in their minds forever after...no matter how long or short that might be.
Kristoff spoke again, "There is something else..."
"What?"
He smiled, "We should go talk to your sister..." She smiled back knowingly, she could tell what he had in mind...
OoO
Elsa once again stood atop the wall-this time alone, she wore the new helm Gillian had forged for her; 'a perfect fit of course' the smith had said. Her position overlooked the whole of the fields outside the wall where the war camp had been broken down and now replaced by their alliance's combined armies that were nearly ready...ready to make their last stand against all the might of the Witch King's legions. But her eyes were not on the army, her gaze was fixed on the horizon ahead of them; to the tree lines where their enemy would undoubtedly emerge.
Her right hand rested against the parapet of ice, in her left she held Aldren's ring that now hung from a chain around her neck-her thumb caressing it's icy surface. Her thoughts dwelt on her earlier conversation with Gillian, the old smith's words were wiser than that of most kings...she did not deny the truth about her father, about Aldren's father; accepting the flaws of their past was easy for her and in some instances it made more sense than she'd like it to. But what he had asked of her; to 'preserve what she and Aldren had built together, with...or without him.' It was very hard-impossible even to think about the future right now...especially when she was forced to imagine that future without Aldren.
Horrible scenarios played out in her mind; Amicus' minions parading his broken body before her, or worse yet the thought that they held him captive and would execute him in front of her. She clenched her eyes shut and shook her head, stuffing down those thoughts; they would only serve her ill. She knew that it was not wrong to feel emotion, it was not a weakness...but she would not allow her's to be used against her.
Then she thought of Rapunzel and Olaf, they were not soldiers by any means and though she was comforted by the knowledge that Cassandra and Trolgon were with them...she still worried. They shouldn't even be out there, if she had known what they had planned to do she would have stopped them!...wouldn't she?
Deep down a desperate hope sat heavy in her heart that they may somehow find Aldren, her hope clashed with the doubt that Amicus had tried to instill in her. She wouldn't let despair overtake her, she would go on believing that her cousin may yet find him, believing that the man she loved was still alive...she had to go on believing, if she was to remain strong. He would want her to put their people's survival above his well being-of course he would want that...but that didn't make it feel right.
She rolled her eyes at herself, sighing in exasperation at how she was only making circles in her head. She refocused on the horizon, her eyes became harder as she no longer thought of Aldren...she thought of Amicus. For what he had done to her, to her friends, to her people, to Aldren...she hated him. With every fiber of her being she despised the naga king and everything he stood for, and she would do all in her power to see that everything he'd built was torn down around him! If there was one emotion she would not stop herself from feeling tomorrow...it was anger.
"Well at least you're not hard to find up here."
She was startled at the sound of her sister's voice, quickly tucking her newly made necklace beneath her breast plate before she turned to see Anna and Kristoff walking towards her. The anger in her faded and she smiled, happy to see them, "Anna, Kristoff...shouldn't you two be getting some rest?"
Kristoff scoffed, "You're one to talk."
She shrugged, "Hmm, suppose I am."
Anna took one of her hands as they neared, "What are you doing up here alone?"
She glanced off to the horizon briefly before looking back to them, "Collecting myself...as best as I can."
"I'd say you already did a pretty good job of that, your speech yesterday was longer than your last one."
Elsa exhaled shakily, "It felt long..."
The pair could see that she was hurting and they would always be there for her..but this was possibly there last chance to do this. Kristoff stepped forward, "Elsa, we know that your going through a lot right now but-"
"There's something...we need to ask you." Anna finished.
She looked up at them curiously, "Of course, what is it?"
With a bashful smile Anna held her left hand up, Elsa's eyes instantly caught sight of the ring, a quiet gasp leaving her mouth as she held her sister's hand in both of hers. She looked on the ring, studying every detail of it and seeing how much it reminded her of Anna. She released the princess's hand and looked up to the couple as they took each others hands.
"Elsa..." Anna began.
"We'd like-"
"Your blessing-"
"Of our marriage." the pair finished in unison.
Elsa blinked rapidly, slowly looking down before her eyes snapped over to Kristoff who grew somewhat uneasy under her gaze. She remembered the first time she had heard those words; they had come from someone who had deceived her and her sister and tried to kill them both for power and would do so again if he got the chance. But she remembered that the man beside Anna now was one who risked his life for her, who braved danger to keep her safe and who had no such selfish ambitions...
Her expression softened, tears brimming at her eyes and she smiled, a gasping laugh coming out of her, "Yes...yes of course you have my blessing."
Anna shrieked joyfully as she seized her sister tightly, "Yes! Thank you-Thank you-Thank you!" the two sisters laughing happily while Kristoff sighed heavily before laughing nervously, "Well, thank goodness!"
Elsa broke the embrace with her sister to approach her future brother in law, taking his hand with a smile, "Kristoff, I love you and you do have my blessing..."
He smiled, she then lowered her gaze, putting a finger to his chest, "But if you ever break her heart...I'm gonna freeze yours."
His smile dropped, "Noted."
She chuckled, patting him on the chest before pulling them both in for a group hug, "Thank you for asking me."
"Of course Elsa." Anna said before they separated, "I'm just glad you said yes to this one and not the first...I hope we'll be able to have a wedding in the end."
Elsa took her sister's hands, "You will, and it'll be beautiful...I promise." she said with a comforting smile that the new fiances returned.
The queen's smile dropped and she turned back to the horizon, putting her hands back on the parapet, she spoke so softly they almost didn't hear her, "Do you think he would've married me?..."
Kristoff was quick to answer, "Is that even a question, of course he would've married you! Why would-"
Anna looked at him and stopped him with a hand to the chest, she walked to Elsa's left and held her hand, "Someday Elsa...he will. He's out there-we're sure of it."
Kristoff nodded and moved to stand at Elsa's right, she wanted to smile but as she looked into the distance her mind returned to darker thoughts of before, "They'll be here soon...it could be hours...could be minutes..."
"We're ready for them."
"I truly hope so Anna. Amicus is nothing if not cunning and calcul-" Elsa suddenly stopped mid-sentence and laughed at herself.
"What?" Kristoff asked, "What's so funny?"
Anna shook her head with a knowing smile, "She sounds just like him."
She sighed happily, "More than like him...that's exactly what he said to me when I got back from Corona."
"Oh." the ice harvester nodded understandingly.
"He was right though; we must be prepared for whatever the Witch King throws at us...he's going to throw everything at us now. He'll exploit any weakness he can find, any chink in our armor-"
"Elsa."
Her sister caught her eye, looking at her very seriously, "We are not each others weakness. He might like to think so but it isn't true.
She looked to Kristoff who spoke next, "You proved that the night he came here and tried to scare us; he thought his...bluff about killing Aldren would be enough to scare you into giving yourself up."
"We've made it through everything he's thrown at us so far, if anything we've proved what we already knew about ourselves since the beginning...that we are each others strength..."
Elsa breathed out quietly, they knew her so well they didn't even have to guess what she had really been thinking. She remained quiet, looking back to the distance with a far off look.
Anna wasn't sure what to say next, she then noticed the sun beginning to creep over in the horizon behind them. She looked back to her sister with a small smile before she too looked off in the direction Elsa was, breathed in...and began to sing.
Anna:
Not long ago we were lost and alone
Sadness and pain in our bones
The rage and the hate were how we all coped
How we all chose to survive
Kristoff gently took Elsa's hand as he lent his voice to the effort, though her eyes remained forward.
Kristoff:
Apart we were meek, torn apart and made weak
Solace was all we could seek
And yet through it all we are one, resolute
It's here our virtues take root
And we'll never lose them again
Anna and Kristoff:
Never lose them again
Never lose them again
Never lose them again
Never lose them again...
They looked to her to join in...but she remained quiet, still facing the distance. They looked to each other sadly and lowered their heads in defeat...but then Elsa grasped both their hands a little tighter and her lips slowly parted as the words left her mouth-barely audible at first but growing in volume with each verse.
Elsa:
We lost sight of hope that had once made us strong
Gave in to evil's foul might
But come what may come in the veil of the night
We choose to no longer feel fright
She looked to them both with a relieved smile that they shared, the trio all looked forward as they continued the song together, louder, more joyful.
All:
We'll stand strong and tall in the face of the fall
Tomorrow we answer the call
Pay heed to the song rising up in our hearts
Remember the love that we've freed
All:
And we'll never lose it again
Never lose it again
Never lose it again
Never lose it again
Elsa:
Never lose it again..
The very last words left Elsa's lips alone, soft but with great surety as she looked to her closest family once again. Their attention was drawn from one another to the sound of a thunderclap in the distance; a broil of dark clouds slowly made it's way towards Arendelle city, lightning whipping through the contained storm as it moved. Elsa knew this was not the weather of the world, somehow this was Amicus' doing; some kind of device to strike fear into them all...but it didn't matter now.
She had been reminded just in time of the things that were her strength; family, friendship and love...Unity. The Witch King could never have those things...he never would, this made her smile. She was ready to face whatever her nemesis had brought forth to try to destroy her and those she led, for when the shadow of that dark cloud reached this city...it would begin...
My review for Frozen 2 may contain light spoilers so if you don't want that then I'd scroll back up and wait till you've seen the movie before you come back here.
But if you've made it this far then it's clear you've either seen the movie or don't mind, in any case don't say I didn't warn you.
As you all know and as I've stated on multiple occasions; when I started writing this story it was Elsa's character that was always at the forefront of my thoughts. Her character and the development and growth of her character was always the most important thing to me. So imagine my disappointment when she's used as nothing more than a plot device to create conflict much like she was in the first film. Now you might argue that her character did go through a sort of...transformation, the problem is that Frozen 2 made it PAINFULLY predictable and didn't take the time to earn that conclusion.
This movie was full of outright betrayals of characters personalities, sloppy pacing, boring action sequences-most lasting all for about sixty seconds and inconsequential characters that either only served to give information to the main cast to drive the plot or as walking, talking diversity tokens.
Not to mention poor excuses at world and lore building which is utterly baffling to me considering they had SIX-YEARS to make this film, throwing out old story highlights such as the trolls, their parent's fear of Elsa powers being discovered or Elsa's ability to create life (Which by the way is never visited even once in this movie), in favor of new ones that don't land instead of building upon the ones that they had! Which leads me to believe that either too many people couldn't decide on a plot for this film or one person had too much control. Whatever the reasons, the movie we got does not reflect the themes or character struggles that had been established in the first film, seems they decided to settle for a safe and pretty fluff piece aimed at four and five year olds.
This movie didn't feel like a continuation of the first Frozen...it felt like the end, an end that isn't justified because we didn't get to actually watch the characters or the story of Elsa's powers grow organically. And maybe that's because this movie obsesses over where Elsa's powers came from and the WHY of their existence when in my opinion that wasn't a question that needed to be answered anytime soon. All that mattered was that she had them and that she would have to use them one day against something else that would match her power, something that her parents were afraid of, something that the trolls knew about.
I sadly left the theater pretty much let down and heart broken but I've chosen to simply ignore this movie's existence entirely as it goes against so many things that I know in my heart about these characters and their stories. Rest assured I will continue to write more books of Elsa and her story even after I've finished this one...This-is-NOT-the end.
Well that's my review/rant, I'm working on the next chapter already and should have it to you in about a week. Until then don't forget to fav, review and follow and I will see you all next time!
