Elsa and Kristoff sat next to each other as Sven pulled the cart. Olaf sat in the back, sitting on a trunk.
"So, are we going to talk?" Kristoff asked as he glanced over at Elsa.
"What do you mean?"
Kristoff gave her a skeptical look. "We left Anna behind."
Elsa turned to him annoyed. "You agreed with me, we had to leave her behind, it was too dangerous!"
Kristoff remained calm as he looked forward. He knew Elsa was simply feeling guilty. "Listen, I think we did do the right thing by leaving her behind. We both have experiences in which we had watched her walk into a dangerous situation. But I do not have thirteen years of shutting her out or promising her that I would be more open only for her to discover that for two months I have been lying and then just ditch her."
Elsa shut her mouth at that. Kristoff had a point. She had promised, but in the end, she had cowered away again. She knew she had messed up big and she didn't even have a good excuse this time. She could not just blame it on her parents or that it was her being a danger anymore. But what was she supposed to do now? She had to leave her behind.
"It is not good to just bottle things up or ignore them." Kristoff continued. He fidgeted uncomfortably because he was not used to being an emotional support, but he knew Elsa needed a friend. "If you want, you can talk to me, I can't promise that I will be any help, but it will feel good just getting it off your chest."
Elsa crossed her arms as if she was cowering away. "I understand, and I will do that, but I don't want to think about it right now." She said as she gazed down.
Kristoff nodded. "No pressure. Just promise me you will talk to someone as soon as we solve this Ahtohalla and Enchanted Forest problem."
Elsa nodded. The two of them awkwardly stared ahead for a while. Both still thinking about what they had done.
"So, how are you and Anna doing?" Elsa asked, trying to change the subject. Kristoff immediately tensed up. Elsa stared at him suspiciously.
"Anna and I are okay." Kristoff quickly said. "I just, well, you see." Kristoff continued to ramble, and Elsa just glared at him.
"Spit it out." Elsa said in a threatening voice. She was naturally calm and a little shy, but let it be known that she was raised to be a queen.
"I don't think I am right for her!" Kristoff practically screamed as he confessed.
"Wait what?" Elsa was surprised. "What do you mean you are not right for her? You are kind and loyal, and you both clearly love each other? I also think your personality matches up, she is audacious but kind and can immediately get someone to relax with her, and you are more collected and think things through."
"Are you trying to say I am good for her because I call her out when she is being brash?" Kristoff said a little offended.
"So why do you feel like you are wrong for her?" Elsa continued, ignoring his comment.
Kristoff seemed to deflate at that. "Because she is a princess, and I am just an orphan."
"You shouldn't feel ashamed of where you come from, most of the towns people love you and don't care about things like that." Elsa said trying to be sportive.
"It is not my statis that is the problem."
"Then what is it?"
Kristoff gave a big sigh. "I hate living in the castle." He confessed. "I love the outdoors. I love gathering ice and just lying in a barn and playing my lute. I hate stuffy clothing and etiquette and having to be weary of how I talk to certain people, and I hate it when I hear people say that I am unfit to be married to the next in line for a throne." Kristoff looked over to Elsa with a serious look in his eyes. "I don't belong in the castle. My gifts lay elsewhere. I try to tell myself that in the end I love Anna more then I hate palace life, but I don't know. Anna is free spirited, and I do see a future together with her, but I don't know if it will be as a prince and princess."
"I know what you mean." Elsa said sadly.
"What?" Kristoff looked at her confused.
"Trying to fit in when you clearly do not." Elsa said sadly as she lifted her hand and snowflakes started to dance around it.
"I don't think you really do." Kristoff said and Elsa turned to him a little angry.
"How so?"
"I am talking about the fact I don't belong in the place because I have lived my whole life out in the woods with my closest friend being a reindeer. You have been raised in high society and flourish in it. Everyone knows of how graceful and queenly you are."
"But I am still different." Elsa countered.
"But they excepted you." Kristoff said glancing at her. "I lived with trolls, I think that would match up with you being feeling like you don't fit in, but I never felt like I was the freak. Even though I couldn't roll up in a ball or gain a fire crystal. I never felt like I didn't belong because everyone loved me, and I loved them."
"But you at least knew why you were different." Elsa said sadly.
"Everyone is different in their own way." Kristoff said and Elsa just tightened her lips. Kristoff thought for a second and then a soft smile crossed his lips.
"Did you know that before I lived with the trolls I was raised in an orphanage?" He asked and Elsa turned to him.
"No, I did not." She felt bad, she had never really thought about where Kristoff grew up or came from.
"Yeah, my parents died. They were part of the West Sami tribe, which as you know has practically faded. There was no one to take care of me and I ended up at the orphanage instead. I was always adventuress so I would often sneak out until one day I got adopted by the trolls."
"I am sorry for your loss." Elsa said and even placed her hand on his shoulder.
"It all ended up good, and I was quite happy with my life, I do wish that I knew a little more about the people that I came from, but I won't take for granted what I have." Kristoff said with a bright smile as he looked at Elsa. He then turned back to driving. "Anyways, I wasn't really going to tell you my life story, I was actually going to tell you about the girl who was born in the orphanage."
"You are going to tell me about a girl?" Elsa asked curiously.
Kristoff nodded. "Her name was Catherine. Her father was lost to sea and her mother had taken refuge in the orphanage. She died giving birth to her."
Elsa felt sad for Catherine. Elsa might have had a rough childhood but at least she had her parents.
"Why are you telling me this?" Elsa asked. Was he just trying to make her feel guilty?
Kristoff glanced over to her.
"Catherine was born with only one arm."
Elsa felt her world shatter.
"What?"
"It was a birth defect. One arm had simply not grown." Kristoff said simply as if it was an everyday occurrence.
"That…I…she must have had a hard time." Elsa simply said as she looked down at her hands.
"Not at all." Kristoff said and Elsa turned quickly to him, so fast that she felt lightheaded. "She asked the same questions as you, why was I born like this, why is no one else like me? But those feelings faded away."
"How?"
"Because everyone treated her like an equal. She was part of the family and we had all watched her grow up." Kristoff said proudly. "Most kids didn't get adopted from that orphanage, so we all worked hard together." Kristoff turned to Elsa with a big smile. "I went back to the orphanage about two years ago. Catherine was not only the one running it, practically turning it around and making it a better place, but she was also married and expecting a child."
Elsa stared at him in disbelief. Kristoff just looked her in the eyes.
"That orphanage was her home. It didn't matter where she came from or how different she was. That is where she grew up and was loved."
Elsa stared down at her hands. She knew what Kristoff was trying to say. She was loved and accepted in Arendelle. She loved Arendelle. She should not just throw it away simply because she was different. She just excepted the life she was given and worked hard for it.
"I still want to know why I have powers." Elsa said firmly.
"And I am not trying to stop you. I am just saying that no matter what happens, Arendelle will always love you and welcome you back." Kristoff said as he awkwardly gave Elsa a pat on the back.
Elsa smiled at that.
"You really never felt out of place with the trolls?" Elsa asked. She was no longer on edge she was just curious.
"Well, I always knew I would have to leave them behind one day, and they knew it to, we just hoped I would find someone that would not mind having a troll colony for in-laws." Kristoff said a little embarrassed. "You have no idea how happy everyone was when they thought Anna was my girlfriend and that I was comfortable with introducing them to her."
"Anna told me about how they tried to marry you two on the spot." Elsa teased.
"They can get carried away sometimes." Kristoff avoided eye contact.
Elsa leaned in with a wicked grin. "Some love experts, huh?"
Kristoff went silent at that.
"In their defense, it did turn out that Anna and I are pretty good for each other, right?" Kristoff asked somewhat flustered.
"Yeah, you are." Elsa sat back down still smiling. Her smile then faded. "Do you think she will forgive me?" She asked and Kristoff gave her a look.
"Anna is a very forgiving person. Just get back to her safely and I am sure you two can work things out."
"Thank you." Elsa said and truly meant it.
The cart hit a rock and bounced up suddenly. There was a loud thump.
"Ow!" Someone said behind them, and Kristoff and Elsa turned around. Olaf sat there looking confused before his eyes went wide and he started to rub the top of his head.
"This road is really bumpy am I right?" Olaf said innocently.
"Olaf, what was that noise?" Elsa asked, her fear growing as she had recognized that voice.
"That was me." Olaf quickly said. "I hit my head just know."
"On what?" Kristoff asked raising an eyebrow.
Olaf looked up and realized that they were in an open cart so there was no way for him to have injured his head.
"I was sitting on my head before you two turned around." He said uncertainly, as if trying to see if even he would believe his words.
"Whoa Sven." Kristoff said as he pulled Sven to a stop and got up. Olaf froze.
"Get off the chest Olaf." Kristoff commanded. Olaf did as he was instructed but kept his hand on it, trying to keep the lid down. Kristoff opened the chest with ease and Olaf lost his arm.
"Anna!?" Elsa yelled as she saw her sister lying in the trunk.
"Oh, hey Elsa, fancy seeing you here." Anna said trying to act natural in hopes that she could defuse the anger that was clearly going to explode out of Kristoff and Elsa.
"How long have you been there?" Kristoff said sounding flustered.
"Right before you left." Anna said calmly, no point on denying it, she had been found out. "I had to make sure I was hidden so that you two would not have the chance of taking me back to Arendelle."
Elsa was upset. Yes, she had left Anna behind and felt guilty about it, but she did it so her sister could be safe, couldn't Anna believe in her? Why did she have to go behind her back to do this?
"Why are you here?" Elsa finally got out.
"You two are out voted." Anna simply said.
"Excuse me?" Elsa said.
"What?" Kristoff said.
"You said I could not come because I was out voted, so, me and Olaf walked around while you two were preparing to leave and asked everyone what they thought." Anna said proudly. "Everyone including Grand Pabbie, believes I should go and help you."
"Really?" Elsa said in disbelief."
"Yeah, well, mostly everyone." Anna said sheepishly. "The point is, Grand Pabbie was actually the one who encouraged me to go and you two are still out voted."
"I love Oaken's reason the best." Olaf said happily. "He said that having Anna there would help you two because she is weak and therefor you two cannot just blindly run into danger with her in tow."
"What do you mean I am weak?"
"Actually, it is her I am worried about blindly running into danger."
"Any ways." Anna said and turned back to her sister and boyfriend. "I know why you left me, and I am sorry that I tricked you, but I am just as worried about you two." Anna said sincerely.
Elsa relaxed a little. She could understand, sure she was upset, but honestly, a part of her was expecting Anna to somehow be there to help her. Elsa gave her a smile and the two sisters shared a tender moment. Then realization came to Elsa.
"Anna? Where you listening to Kristoff and me?" She asked flustered.
"No, I was asleep? Rudely awaken by that rock. Where you two talking about something important?" Anna asked innocently.
"No!" Kristoff shouted.
"Absolutely not!" Elsa also screamed.
"There were just talking about…" Olaf began but was cut off by Elsa.
"Olaf!"
They all stared at each other awkwardly. Elsa decided to go back to Anna going behind her back.
"Anyways. Anna, you should not have come."
"Why not? I can be helpful." Anna said stubbornly.
"Anna, I have powers, you do not. I can protect myself, you can't" Elsa stated, and she glared at Anna, showing she was not going to back down. Anna looked hurt. She flinched at Elsa's words.
Kristoff put a hand on Elsa's shoulder to try and calm her down.
"It doesn't matter anymore, she is already here, okay." Kristoff said to Elsa.
Elsa gave a big sigh. "Okay, just stick close." She said to Anna. Anna nodded sadly.
"Ah-ah-ah-ah."
Elsa gasped as she turned around.
"Ah-ah-ah-ahh, ah-ah."
"What is it?" Olaf asked as they all looked to where Elsa was looking. Elsa quickly moved forward with everyone close behind.
They rounded the mountain corner and came into a field.
A giant wall of mist greeted them.
They all walked forward entranced.
They stopped and just stared.
Olaf suddenly just ran forward and bounced against the mist with a thud.
"That was fun!" Olaf said as he shook his head and ran at it again.
The three of them started to move forward again, but then Kristoff noticed Anna shivering and stopped them.
"Hold on for a second." He said as he held out his arm and then moved forward. He pulled out his ice pick and reached his hand into the mist, he then raised the pick and swung it forward into it. The sound of the ice pick hitting something rang out and Kristoff nodded.
"Just as I thought, it is a giant ice wall." Kristoff said as he backed away.
"What?" Elsa said as she and Anna walked forward.
"It's an ice wall." Kristoff said again. "The mist is coming off it. That is why no one can leave or inter."
Elsa lifted her hand and touched the wall suddenly the ice receded, and the mist dispersed and reveled four pillars that each showed a symbol for the Spirits.
Elsa stared mesmerized at them. Anna glanced at her sister and saw how excited she was.
"I am really sorry that I lied to you." Anna told her sister. She knew that this mission would be dangerous and having Elsa be mad at her would not help things.
"I know." Elsa said as she turned her head to her.
"Promise me we will do this together." Anna said seriously. Elsa grabbed her hand and squeezed.
"I promise." Elsa said.
Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven came up to them and they all walked forward into the mist.
"I heard that enchanted forests were a place for change and discovering one's destiny." Olaf said and everyone glanced at each other.
Each of them felt something different as the mist surrounded them.
Olaf was curious.
Kristoff was apprehensive, and he had a dreaded feeling that one of them would not be returning this time.
Elsa was excited. Years of questions were now at her fingertips.
And Anna was worried. She had finally gotten everything she had wanted. Her sister, a friend, and someone who loved her for her. But she knew that she could lose it all in just a moment. And she did not have the power to prevent it.
/
Author's Notes:
Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed!
I originally had an idea of Elsa and Kristoff getting lost in the chasm and only after Elsa hears the voice, they finally find the mist wall. It was supposed to help explain why no one ever went to the forest. That and Arendelle having no memories of the forest was to explain why it was never mentioned in the first movie.
Cut it because it felt pointless.
I wish the films developed Elsa and Kristoff's relationship more. We get hints of a friendship, but the most they have ever talked is in Frozen Fever.
I never liked the idea that Elsa had to leave because she was different and that she just did not belong. The film had shown her life was great in Arendelle. She was loved and happy, she just wanted to know why she had powers.