AN: I had two more scenes that was supposed to be in this chapter, but instead of writing them I rearranged my room, twice. Also discovered I have an inordinate amount of Frozen stuff. I may have a problem. I also need to buy more. I want it all.

I was also wondering what most of your opinions were on the second Frozen movie, I want to take this story up to and past that point but haven't decided what I want to do in regards to the Frozen II plot. Originally I had issues with Elsa abdicating the throne, still not sure how I feel about it. Though, I really enjoy the dynamic between the two sisters in simplesnowflake's story, "The Next Unknown". So I'm not sure. Let me know your thoughts!

I know it's short but hopefully you enjoy the chapter, don't forget to tip your favorite Disney figure on the way out.


Elsa blew out a sharp breath, holding her arms away from her body as she tilted her head, listening, trying to compensate for her inability to see. She held her breath, straining to hear, to sense any movement or motion around her.

There.

She felt his feet shift against the ice, behind her and to the left. She froze, muscles tensing, magic pooling in her fingertips.

Only hours ago, Elsa had followed the guards down the long winding hallways of the fortress, her mind wandering back to the day before, the conversation that had stretched on for hours. She and Markkus spent the evening discussing magic, not just her own, but the Vindarr's as well. They talked about what was similar, and what set them apart. Of course, the biggest difference was that Elsa was born with her magic, while the Vindarr channeled theirs through a crystal. Something Markkus was already aware of as they discussed what that meant for Elsa and how it would affect the next step of her training.

It took her by surprise when, halfway through the conversation, Elsa realized she was enjoying herself. She couldn't remember a time when she could discuss her magic openly, without a sense of fear lacing the air. It wasn't that her parents never wanted to talk about her magic, but the conversations with her father generally revolved around the need to suppress her magic; how well she could pretend it didn't exist. Her mother had always been more accepting, but as Elsa grew older and her magic stronger, there was no denying the fear that she saw growing in her mother's eyes.

One late night, when she was returning some books to the castle's library, eager to find new ones to devour, her ears had perked to the sound of her parents talking in hush tones. They were discussing her magic, using phrases like, keep her calm; keep her quiet; maybe she can control it. Elsa knew they were only trying to figure out how to help her, but the words had made her feel more like a dangerous animal they were struggling to control than their daughter.

She never brought the conversation up to them—she never had the chance, as the following week they boarded a ship to an unknown destination, leaving her with more questions, a fifteen-year-old sister she no longer knew, and a kingdom that knew nothing about her.

The years that yawned between her parents going missing and her coronation were a desperate struggle, one Elsa almost lost on more than one occasion. For ten years her parents had been a primary support, and just like that they were gone. A precious few even knew she had magic, and only two of them ever had regular contact with her. She felt lost, adrift at sea without even a sunstone to help guide her way. She moved numbly through the day, trying to figure things out as she went, handling one issue after another.

Anna was everything to her, a life raft in the middle of a storm, but even with her sister's support and unconditional love, Elsa still felt lost. She knew her sister would do anything to help her, but it was difficult for her to confide in Anna about the reservations she harbored about her magic, or the growing power and her struggle to control it each day. Anna was biased at best, an eternal optimist, and while Elsa wouldn't change that for the world, her sister would never understand the fear that had been her constant companion for so long. The fear she would likely harbor forever, somewhere in the back of her mind. Anna would never understand what it was like to be terrified of yourself, of what you could do, what it was like to watch as that same fear grew each day in the eyes of your own parents.

Elsa was okay with that; she had long ago resigned herself to the idea that her magic was a struggle she would have to deal with on her own. As long as she had her sister by her side, it would be enough.

At least it was enough. Then, in the most unexpected place, Elsa found someone who not only understood what it meant to have magic, to feel the power thrumming under your skin begging for release, but who also knew the destruction it could cause. Suddenly, she was no longer alone in a world without magic or understanding, but surrounded by it, by people who use it every day. It was as normal to them as wielding a hammer or sword. Elsa hadn't realized how much she needed that sense of normalcy until she sat at its center and breathed it in. She allowed it to swallow her whole, knowing that, at some point, she would have to leave it behind and return home. But for now, for this moment, she allowed the intoxication of it to sweep her away. She could deal with the fallout later.

She was eager to learn everything this unexpected companion had to teach her about magic, about using it, controlling it. They had spent hours the night before discussing just that, and this morning the guards had led her into a massive courtyard that jutted out high above the churning sea. The wind whipped around the area, carrying the refreshing scent of ocean water and the promise of an impending storm.

Markkus had been standing in the center of the courtyard with a wide smile on his face, looking like the cat that swallowed the canary. Elsa's stomach had flipped, though she couldn't be sure whether it was excitement or worry. Considering what she had gone through in the first part of her training, she was leaning more toward worry.

The guards stayed by the doorway as Elsa joined Markkus. She offered him a smile. "I assume I have you to thank for the new clothing?" she had asked, gesturing to the deep red cotton shirt and black vest she was wearing in place of her long tunic. Ray had presented her with the clothing that morning, along with a pair of black leggings, and told Elsa she would need it for the day's training.

Markkus dipped his chin. "For this next bit of training, I thought something that allowed more freedom of movement would be more appropriate."

"Not to sound ungrateful," Elsa said, folding her hands in front of her, "but no shoes?"

The corner of Markkus's lips curled in a smile. "I just assumed people from Arendelle didn't wear any."

Elsa narrowed her eyes at the man, pressing her lips into a thin line.

Markkus chuckled. "You'll do better without them in this next part." He held out his hand.

Elsa lifted her hands, turning the underside of her cuffs to him. Without a word, Markkus deactivated the cuffs, then tucked the pendant back into his shirt. "And the next part is?" she asked, flexing her fingers, feeling the thrum of magic pulsing through her veins.

"Because magic isn't natural to our mages, one of the things they have to learn is how to connect with it in a way that it becomes natural to them. Now, your magic is natural to you, but due to years of suppressing it, it has become something you fight against rather than something you fight with."

"Okay." Elsa cupped her elbow and tapped a finger against her chin. "But what does that have to do with me being barefoot?"

"I have found that a physical connection to your element can help foster a more intuitive connection."

"Makes sense . . . I think." She dropped her arm, cupping her opposite elbow. "What do you want me to do?"

A wide grin stretched across his face.

Now, Elsa tensed, her magic pooling in her fingers as she felt the older man shifting his feet across the frost that covered the courtyard. His plan had been simple enough, in theory. Markkus would use his magic, which she had learned was lightning based, to shoot minor bolts in her direction. All she had to do was dodge or block them. It had sounded easy enough, until he threw a blindfold into the mix, forcing her to rely solely on what she could feel through her magic and block the lightning before it struck her.

She had sensed things through her magic before, but only once had it been intentional. What had seemed simple in theory was proving far more difficult in practice. Elsa had started by laying a sheet of frost across the courtyard, which allowed her to feel Markkus's heavy footsteps on the ground. But that only gave her an idea of where he was standing, not when he was casting magic, nor how fast it was coming.

Elsa had to quickly adapted her strategy, throwing a flurry of snowflakes into the surrounding air, leaving them suspended there. She felt the jolts of electricity cutting through the delicate crystals; it was a peculiar feeling, something she wasn't used to. Each time, it took her a moment to identify the sensation before she could try to defend herself, and each time, she was too slow.

She yelped as a sharp pain cut suddenly across her hip.

"You need to focus," called Markkus's voice from her left.

Elsa gritted her teeth and blew out a frustrated breath. At this rate, there wouldn't be a spot on her body that wasn't red.

"You're still overthinking it. Stop fighting against your instincts."

She couldn't help but wonder if she could get away with throwing a brick of ice at the man. He was right, of course, but that didn't stop her from wanting to pitch something at him every time he told her to focus and stop overthinking things. She was fairly certain those two things were mutually exclusive.

A jolt sliced across the ice on the ground and Elsa threw out her hand to block it but was once more too slow. The shock of lightning slammed into the bottoms of her feet causing her to jump and let out a string of words Gerda would be horrified to hear come from her mouth.

"Okay." Markkus said with a soft chuckle in his voice. "I think we are done for today."

Elsa frowned and pulled off the blindfold. "I want to keep going," she protested. She couldn't help but feel like she had failed.

Markkus walked toward her. "It's been a few hours, and while you may not have been able to block my attacks, the day was not a total loss. To be honest, I didn't expect you to be able to do that on the first day."

Elsa's frown deepened. Somehow his words didn't make her feel better.

"The idea was to strengthen your connection to your magic, and today you learned how to tap into that connection, if we keep practicing, eventually that connection will become more and more natural, until you don't even have to think about it."

"I guess." Elsa said, her shoulders slumping even as she tried to take encouragement from his words.

Markkus dropped a hand to her shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. "You remind me of a wolf pup I once raised. Stubborn little thing, unwilling to give up no matter how hard the task."

Elsa took a deep breath and offered the man a smile, determined to do better next time.

He gave her one last squeeze then dropped his hand, looking across the courtyard to where one of the guards was waving him over. "Besides, little Ylva, I have something that might cheer you up."

Elsa perked up, her gaze bouncing from Markkus to the guard as he approached them with a rolled parchment. The man handed it off to Markkus before retreating to his position by the door.

Markkus turned back to Elsa. "I don't suppose you have a sister named Anna?"

Her eyes widened and she felt her heart thump painfully against her chest. "Why?"

Markkus held up the rolled parchment. "One of my guards brought this to me a few days ago. I wasn't sure who it belonged to, as the letter was addressed to an Elsa, and until yesterday I was under the impression your name was Joan."

Elsa's cheeks burned, but the embarrassment was quickly washed away as she realized what exactly Markkus had in his hand.

"I had forgotten about it until long after you retired for the night yesterday." He held the letter out to her. "I believe this is meant for you. Don't worry, I didn't read it. At least, no more than I needed to."

Elsa's hand shook as she took the letter, wrapping her fingers around the parchment. Anna had written back to her. That meant she was okay. Her shoulders now sagged for an entirely different reason than the day's failures, as relief flooded through her body. She excited and eager to see what her sister had written, to feel that connection to Anna. "Thank you," she told Markkus.

"No need to thank me," he said, waving his hand. "I just wish I had known earlier it was meant for you. I feel I could have saved you some worry."