Author's Note: So, I'm sincerely hoping that everyone reading my story has seen Frozen. If not... Well, some bits of the next two chapters might not make a lot of sense. You'll still get the gist of the story, but some references and dialogue might be lost. Also, I've split Shae and Elsa's story into two parts. Hope you all enjoy part one.

CHAPTER 15

"Welcome to Arendell!"

Shae stepped off of the ship and onto the dock, nodding at the portly dock master. She followed the crowd of people leaving the docks, stopping as she entered the town square, taking in her new and strange surroundings. There seemed some sort of grand to-do going on within the kingdom of Arendell. There were brightly colored streamers and banners hung from every building in the square, people dressed to the nines rushing about this way and that. They all seemed to be headed in the same direction, toward the large palace that lie ahead, where the vampire assumed Arendell's royalty resided.

"Mom, why do I have to wear this thing?" A young boy was groaning to his mother nearby, tugging irritably at his navy blue coat.

"Because, The Queen has come of age!" The mother said excitedly. "It's Coronation Day!"

"That's not my fault!" Cried the boy.

Shae chuckled amusedly, and continued along through the town square, following the throngs of excited villagers. She watched as a group of them raised a brightly colored maypole in the center of the square, bursting into raucous applause once they were finished.

"I can't believe they're finally opening up the gates!" Said the man next to Shae, grinning at the woman beside him.

"And for a whole day!" Exclaimed the woman. "Come on, hurry up!"

Shae furrowed her brow in confusion as the woman dragged the man along by his hand. Opening the gates? Were they not open before? Shae wasn't entirely sure what was going on in this strange new kingdom she had found herself in, and decided she should probably stop and ask someone. She spotted a tall, blonde haired man off to the side of the square near some stalls, standing beside what appeared to be some sort of reindeer.

"Pardon me, sir." Shae said, giving the man a polite nod. "I'm afraid I'm utterly lost. What exactly is going on around here?"

The blonde haired man chuckled, folding his arms across his chest. "You must be new to Arendell."

"Yes, I've just arrived." Shae replied, nodding some more. She gasped slightly, taking a small step back as the reindeer suddenly began sniffing at the satchel tied to her belt. "Oh, um… Hello, there!"

"Come on, Sven, stop it." The man groaned, tugging on one of the reindeer's antlers. "She doesn't have any snacks for you."

Shae chuckled lightly, reaching into her satchel. "Actually, I think I just might have something."

Shae pulled out a shiny red apple, and held it out to the reindeer, whose name, apparently, was Sven. Sven gave it a careful sniff, then breathed out a loud, seemingly irritated huff, shaking his antlered head from side to side.

"Sorry, he's got a thing for carrots." The blonde man said, retrieving a carrot from his pocket and handing it to Sven, who gobbled it up in one gulp. "I'm Kristoff, by the way."

"Shae." Said Shae, shaking the man's outsretched hand. "Pleasure."

"Likewise." Kristoff replied with a warm smile. "So, what brings you to Arendell?"

"I'm not quite sure, to be honest." Shae said, giving him a small shrug. "I was in a land called The Enchanted Forest when I got the sudden urge to travel. So, I got on a ship, and it brought me here."

"Well, you definitely picked a good time to drop in." Kristoff replied, grinning excitedly. "It's Coronation Day!"

"Yes, I heard as much." Shae muttered in reply. "What exactly does that mean? Has Arendell been without a ruler till now?"

Kristoff scratched his blonde haired head, giving Shae a shrug of his own. "Well, uh… Yeah, sort of. The King and Queen died years ago, but they left behind two daughters. Elsa, their oldest, is finally of age now, so she's being crowned Queen."

"Oh, I see." Shae muttered once again. "And the whole kingdom is to attend the ceremony?"

"And then some." Kristoff replied with a chuckle. "I was just about to head up to the castle. Come on, I'll walk with you. Stay here, Sven."

Sven whined loudly, plopping down on his hindquarters, hanging his brown, antlered head. "Don't worry, buddy, I'll be back soon." Kristoff told him gently, patting him on the head. "Come on, it's this way."

"Thank you for your help, Kristoff." Shae said as she followed the young man toward the castle. "Is everyone from Arendell this friendly?"

"Eh, most of us, I guess." Kristoff replied with a shrug. "Others, well-"

"For the first time in forever,
There'll be magic, there'll be fun!
For the first time in forever,
I could be noticed by someone!"

A young, red haired woman with braided pigtails, garbed in an ornate green dress, skipped lightly past them, singing loudly and boisterously to herself. Shae and Kristoff stopped in their tracks, eyeing her curiously.

"Do… People from Arendell also like to randomly break into song?" Shae asked, turning slowly to Kristoff.

"Nope." Kristoff replied, staring wide eyed at the woman's back as she skipped merrily away. "I think she's just a weirdo."

Shae shrugged, and she and Kristoff continued their walk toward the castle gates. Shae trailed along behind the blonde haired man as he led them across the drawbridge. The vampire stared up at the palace in wonder. She had seen castles before, but never anything quite as grand as the Palace of Arendell.

"Oh, these sore eyes can't wait to see The Queen and Princess!" A man nearby was saying to his friend. "I bet they're just lovely!"

"Oh, yes!" The other man heartily agreed. "I'm sure they're simply magical!"

As Shae gazed upon Castle Arendell, her brow furrowed curiously as she spotted a woman standing at one of the windows. With the vampire's magically enhanced senses, she was able to see that the woman had dazzling, sparkling blue eyes, her tightly braided hair a shade of light blonde, almost white. As the woman stared down at the crowd through the window, her blue eyes momentarily locked with Shae's.

Shae gasped, stopping dead in her tracks. She sensed something very strange from this woman, something that the vampire did not sense from anyone or anything else around her. It was strong, stronger than anything she had ever felt before, emanating from the air around her like a pulsating beacon.

"Shae!" Kristoff called out, when he realized the vampire was no longer behind him. "Hey, aren't you coming?"

"Yes, yes, coming!" Shae called out in return.

Shae quickly glanced back up at the castle window, frowning when she saw that the woman was now gone. She then hurried along after Kristoff, her brow furrowed deeply as she stared down at the cobblestone pathway before her.

"Yes… Magical, indeed…"

XX

Shae sat in a pew next to Kristoff within the castle's large, ornately decorated chapel. Almost the entire kingdom was gathered inside, even more milling about outside the doors, craning their necks over the crowd, hoping to catch a glimpse of their Queen and Princess. Princess Anna entered first, and Shae recognized her as the strange woman that had been singing earlier. When Queen Elsa of Arendell finally made her entrance, Shae drew in an audible gasp, her blood red eyes wide with absolute wonder. The Queen was the woman from the window, the woman that Shae could sense an immense and powerful magic from.

"My god…" Shae whispered softly, shaking her head in utter befuddlement. "She is… Stunning."

Kristoff shrugged one of his shoulders. "Eh…"

Shae gasped again, turning her wide, baffled eyes onto Kristoff. "Are you serious?"

"I dunno." Kristoff said, shrugging again. "She's alright, I guess. I kinda prefer redheads, though."

"Yes, and I prefer brunettes, but still-"

"SHH!"

Shae and Kristoff both turned around in their seats, finding a gray haired old woman glaring at them irritably, her wrinkled, bony finger pressed to her lips.

"Sorry." The vampire and the blonde muttered in unison, and promptly fell silent.

The rest of the chapel fell silent as well as Arendell's Bishop stepped forward, and began to speak in a language that Shae did not understand. She didn't mind, though. She continued to stare at Elsa in absolute wonder, her stomach filled with butterflies at the sight of her regal and stunning beauty, her head spinning with the pulsating waves of magic that were emanating from Arendell's new Queen. Elsa seemed to be an exceptionally powerful sorceress, and her subjects seemed to have no idea.

"Your Majesty, the gloves…"

Shae's sensitive hearing picked up The Bishop's whispered words as he presented an ornate, golden scepter and orb to The Queen on a red velvet pillow. Shae sat forward in her seat, watching curiously as Queen Elsa hesitated, her sparkling blue eyes suddenly filled with fear. She then removed her light blue gloves, and took up the orb and scepter, turning to face the crowd. The Bishop once again began speaking in the same strange language, and Shae slid forward in her seat even more, sitting right on the edge of the pew. She squinted her blood red eyes as Elsa's hands began to shake, and gasped when she saw that both the scepter and the orb were beginning to frost over around The Queen's fingers.

"Do you see that?" Shae whispered to Kristoff, never taking her eyes off of Elsa.

"See what?" Kristoff whispered back.

"SHH!"

"Alright, alright…" Kristoff muttered to the old woman behind them. "Sheesh…"

"Queen Elsa of Arendell!"

The crowd leapt to their feet, bursting into rousing cheers and applause as The Bishop placed a golden tiara on Elsa's head. Shae jumped up as well, watching curiously as Elsa all but threw the orb and scepter back onto their pillow, hastily pulling on her light blue gloves. Shae bit her lip, brow furrowed as she saw the immense fear in Queen Elsa's eyes. Not only did Arendell's Queen have extremely powerful magic, she seemed to be unable to control it.

"I can't believe they're finally opening up the gates!"

The townswoman's words suddenly tolled like a bell in the vampire's ears. The gates of Arendell Castle had been shut for a reason, a very powerful reason. Shae turned to Kristoff, placing a hand urgently on his shoulder, staring very seriously into his eyes.

"I must speak with The Queen."

XX

"How exactly do you plan on getting in there?"

Kristoff leaned casually against a tree, Sven nibbling on the carrot in his hand as he gazed out at Arendell Castle. He and Shae had returned to the town square after The Queen's coronation, and Shae was busy changing out of her weathered and worn black leather armor within a small purple and green tent.

"Confidence, my friend." Shae called out from within the tent. "If you look like you belong somewhere, and you act like you belong somewhere, well… People are likely to believe that you really do belong."

Shae had learned from Kristoff that there was to be a ball within the castle that night. Both The Queen and The Princess would be attending, but, unfortunately, only the nobility and people of high status from Arendell and its surrounding areas had received invitations. However, Shae was still determined to get inside the castle. She had never felt a more powerful and unique magic than she did from Queen Elsa, and she simply had to speak with her.

"Well, what do you think?" Shae asked of Kristoff as she stepped out of the tent.

The vampire had never been one for bright colors, so she had chosen a set of black breeches and a white, cotton shirt. She also purchased a maroon vest, and a long, black coat, accented with colors of maroon and silver, the buttons made of glittering gold. Kristoff, as well as Sven, both looked her up and down, and Sven breathed out a huff through his nostrils.

"Yep, she definitely looks like a stuffy noble." Kristoff said in agreement.

Shae narrowed her eyes at the man and the reindeer, folding her arms across her chest. "I can't tell if that's a compliment, or an insult."

Kristoff gave her a shrug. "Little of column A, little of column B."

Shae rolled her eyes, causing Kristoff to chuckle amusedly. "So, what exactly is your plan here, Shae?" He asked of her.

Shae gave him a shrug of her own. "Not sure, yet. I don't really make plans. I simply… Make things up as I go along."

"That is… Incredibly stupid."

"Maybe, but things always work out in my favor."

Kristoff raised a skeptical eyebrow at her, and Shae breathed out a relenting sigh. "Alright, perhaps not always. But… Most of the time. Seventy-percent of the time, at least."

Kristoff only continued to eye her in disbelief, eyebrow raised. Shae chuckled lightly, clapping the young, blonde haired man on the shoulder.

"Thank you, Kristoff, for all your help." She said with a warm smile. "Perhaps our paths will cross again one day."

Kristoff nodded, and Sven clopped his front hooves happily as Shae gave him an affectionate scratch under his chin. The blonde and the reindeer watched as the vampire set off at a brisk pace toward the castle, whistling an upbeat tune.

"Good luck!" Kristoff called out, chuckling as Sven grunted at him. "You're right, Sven. She's definitely going to need it."

XX

Later that night, Shae was clambering through an open second story window of Castle Arendell. She glanced all around her, and found that she was in some sort of library. She tiptoed carefully forward, pulling the library door open ever so slightly.

"Love is an open doooor!"

Princess Anna slid through the hallway past the library door in her socks, hand in hand with a man with brown hair and bushy sideburns, once again singing merrily with the man beside her. Shae blinked several times, and slowly shook her head in befuddlement.

"What a strange girl…" She muttered quietly.

Once The Princess and her companion were lost from sight, Shae carefully exited the library, and began to make her way toward the bottom floor. She followed the sounds of music and lively chatter, feeling quite proud of herself as she quickly and quietly slipped into the ballroom, completely unnoticed by Arendell's guards. A smile slowly crept across her face when she spotted The Queen, butterflies fluttering wildly in her stomach once again.

"Your Majesty, may I present, the Duke of Weaseltown." The Royal Steward was saying, gesturing to the tiny, gray haired man standing before The Queen.

"It's Weselton!" Snapped The Duke, balling his hands into fists. He then cleared his throat, carefully smoothing out his face. "Your Majesty, may I present my associate, Abraham Van Helsing."

Shae's heart nearly dropped out of her chest. In her wonder filled daze while staring at Queen Elsa, the vampire failed to notice who exactly was standing beside The Duke. The butterflies in her stomach were replaced by a rolling boil of sheer panic as she gazed around the crowded ballroom, spotting over a dozen knights clad in white chainmail, a blazing red sun embroidered on their chest pieces.

"Van Helsing has been travelling kingdom to kingdom." The Duke of Weselton explained to The Queen. "He has been speaking with rulers and monarchs far and wide, making alliances, and gathering men for his army."

"Army?" Asked Queen Elsa, raising an eyebrow at the large, bearded man. "What for?"

"All in due time, Your Majesty." Van Helsing replied, bowing low. "For now, please enjoy the ball. We shall speak more at a later date."

"Son of a whore…" Shae snarled quietly, glaring at the back of Van Helsing's head as he took his leave from The Queen. "How is that bastard always everywhere I go?"

Shae carefully turned her back, resting her hands on the table behind her, trying to quell the panic in her stomach. This was not the time nor the place for Abraham Van Helsing, her old nemesis. If he found out what exactly Arendell's Queen was, that she had magic, there would only be hell to pay for her and her entire kingdom.

The vampire spun back around, and spotted The Queen slowly crossing the dance floor. Shae rushed forward, deftly and carefully dodging her way through the men and women twirling about the ballroom. A soon as she was close enough, Shae took hold of Queen Elsa's arm. Before The Queen could question her, Shae quickly took her by the hand, placed the other on her waist, and twirled both of them out onto the dance floor.

"What? What is this?" Queen Elsa exclaimed, attempting to remove herself from the vampire's grip. "Unhand me at once, you-"

"Shh, it's alright, Your Majesty, just stay calm." Shae said in a quick but gentle rush. "Please, I don't have much time. I need you to listen to me very carefully, for your own safety and your Kingdom's."

Shae wasn't sure if it was out of fear or understanding, but Queen Elsa heeded her words, and fell silent. Shae drew her in closer as they spun about the dancefloor, pressing her cheek to The Queen's, to better scan the ballroom with her eyes. She knew that if Van Helsing spotted her, she would have no time to warn Arendell's Queen about just who and what had entered her Kingdom.

"I know what you are." Shae whispered in Elsa's ear. "I know that you have magic, and that you've been hiding it from your subjects."

Shae felt Elsa's hand begin to tremble within her own, but The Queen otherwise kept her quiet and regal composure. "How could you possibly know that?" She whispered in return. "Who exactly are you?"

"Who I am is not important, neither is how I know." Shae quickly answered. "What is important, is that man you just spoke with, Van Helsing."

"What's so important about him?" Asked The Queen.

Shae chuckled dryly. "Not much, really, he's a great brute of a man." She muttered bitterly in The Queen's ear. "He hates magic, simply despises anyone or anything that has it. And he's powerful, more powerful than anything you've ever seen."

Elsa's hand began to tremble even more, and Shae felt her jaw clench hard from against her cheek. "What should I do?" She asked quietly.

"Refuse him. Get him as far away from here, as fast as you can." Shae whispered in a dark and desperate tone. "If he finds out what you are, he will only bring ruin to you and your Kingdom."

Shae pulled away from Elsa's cheek, and stared deep into her dazzling blue eyes, eyes that were full of fear. "Trust me, Your Majesty." She whispered, her own blood red eyes filled with sorrow. "Trust me when I say, that he will destroy you and everything you hold dear."

Queen Elsa opened her mouth to respond, but shut it again as the mysterious stranger spun her away. When she came to a stop, she whirled back around, and found that the strange woman was gone. She stood rigid in her spot for a moment, searching the crowded dance floor with her eyes. When the stranger was nowhere to be seen, she quickly drew herself up, and calmly made her way toward the back of the ballroom. She pushed through the crowd, nodding curtly at anyone who looked her way, trying to stop her heart from hammering in her chest.

"Elsa!"

Elsa whirled around, and found her sister, Anna, rushing toward her. She was dragging a brown haired man with bushy sideburns forward by the hand, a man finely dressed in white and gold.

"Um, I mean, Your Majesty! Hi! Me again." Anna stammered awkwardly. She then cleared her throat, gesturing toward the young man beside her. "May I present, Prince Hans of the Southern Isles."

"Your Majesty." Said Hans, bowing low.

Elsa gave him a quick curtsey in return, managing a small, nervous smile. Her heart began racing again as she spotted the man named Van Helsing amongst the crowd, chatting merrily with The Duke of Weselton. Though he was a very large man, at first glance, he did not seem overly threatening. But, the longer she gazed upon him, she began to sense something deeply sinister and foreboding.

"We, um… We would like your blessing…" Anna was stammering once again. She paused momentarily, and she and Prince Hans both giggled excitedly. "Of our marriage!"

Elsa tore her eyes away from Van Helsing, once again turning to her sister. She gazed upon both Hans and Anna's grinning and expectant faces, her already spinning mind taking a moment to process what her sister had just said. When it finally did, Elsa's jaw dropped open in complete and utter shock.

"Wait… What?"

XX

Shae stomped across Arendell Castle's drawbridge, pushing her way through the throngs of villagers gathered outside the palace gates. Her clenched fists shook as she walked, her mind reeling. She couldn't believe that Van Helsing had, once again, followed her. The man seemed to have a knack for showing up at exactly the most inopportune time. She only hoped that the warning she had given Arendell's new Queen had been enough.

All that was left to do now, was to put as many leagues between herself and her nemesis as she could, as quickly as she could. As much as she wanted her revenge, she knew that she was no match for him, not alone. She desperately wished that Remus was with her. Together, they at least stood a fighting chance against the brutish, hulking werewolf.

Shae stopped suddenly, whirling around when she felt a great and sudden pulse of magic. There was some sort of commotion going on in front of the palace, and Shae heard shocked and fearful cries from the townsfolk. She hesitated for a moment, glancing quickly behind her toward the town square, the docks just behind it, where a ship likely waited to carry her away from her old nemesis. She turned back toward the castle, and groaned in frustration.

"Son of a whore!" She muttered, setting off at a run.

Shae rushed back toward the castle, arming herself with her glittering, blue bladed sword. When she arrived at the palace courtyard, she was met with a frightening and confusing sight. The fountain in the center of the courtyard was completely frozen over, as was the staircase leading down from the castle. The Duke of Weselton and his two armed guards were lying in a heap in the palace doorway, their eyes wide with fear as they stared at The Queen of Arendell. Elsa was standing in front of the fountain, Van Helsing looming before her, sword clutched firmly in his fist, his eyes flashing with rage.

"Stop! Please!" Elsa pleaded with him, putting out her hands in careful surrender, her sparkling blue eyes wild with fear. "Please, I don't- AAH!"

Van Helsing bellowed out a roar of rage, swinging his sword, the tip slicing across one of The Queen's arms. Elsa cried out in pain, clutching her arm as blood spilled from the gash stretching from her elbow down to her wrist. She stumbled and fell backwards onto the ground, and several villagers were knocked off their feet as massive, pointed spikes of ice exploded from the ground around Elsa's hand. At the sight of more magic, Van Helsing roared again, standing over the helpless and frightened Queen, raising his sword in the air.

"NOOO!"

Shae sped forward in a black blur of motion, her sword called Soul Eater flashing through the air. The sound of steel striking steel rang out across the courtyard like a tolling bell, and Van Helsing's eyes grew wide with shock when he saw just who had stopped him from murdering Arendell's new Queen.

"You…" He whispered, his bearded lips curling into a snarl.

"Hello, Van Helsing." Shae said with a broad, devilish grin. "I wish I could say it's nice to see you again, but, well… It really isn't."

"What in the fucking hell are you doing here?" Van Helsing spat at her, his eyes filled with pure malice.

"Stopping you from murdering another innocent woman, looks like." Shae replied, holding her sword out at the ready.

"INNOCENT?" Bellowed Van Helsing. "She's nothing but a wicked sorceress, cursing her newfound kingdom with her dark magic!"

"Gods above…" Shae muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose. "How can someone so ancient and so powerful be so incredibly stupid?"

Van Helsing bellowed out a roar of rage, charging at the vampire, sword in the air. Shae quickly threw out her arm, and the crowd cried out in fright as Van Helsing was sent hurtling backward by the vampire's blast of magical energy. The townsfolk began rushing away in fear, and, as Van Helsing hit the ground, Shae swiftly turned to The Queen, pulling her up onto her feet.

"Are you alright?" Shae asked her.

Elsa nodded, her whole body trembling, clutching her still bleeding arm. "I-I think so. Thank you, I-"

"More sorcery!" The Duke of Weselton suddenly cried, pointing a quivering finger at both Elsa and Shae. "Monsters, both of them! Kill them! KILL THEM!"

Van Helsing was helped up by his knights, and they all brandished their swords at Shae and The Queen. "With pleasure, my lord." Growled Van Helsing.

"ELSA!"

Princess Anna suddenly came rushing out of the palace doors, followed closely by Prince Hans. Anna clutched her sister's glove in her hand, staring wide eyed at the chaotic scene before her. Shae ignored The Princess, stepping protectively in front of The Queen, sword at the ready as Van Helsing and his knights slowly advanced upon them.

"Go! Run!" Shae commanded over her shoulder. "RUN!"

Elsa hesitated for a moment, glancing over at her sister, who was still standing rooted in her spot, her own blue eyes wide with fear and confusion. Elsa then obeyed the vampire's command, turning and running from her and the man named Van Helsing. Elsa left a glittering, icy trail upon the ground as she sprinted away from the castle, her turquoise blue cape billowing out behind her.

"Elsa!" Anna called out, her and Hans giving chase after The Queen. "Elsa, wait! Please!"

"So, you would protect this… Ice Witch?" Van Helsing snarled at Shae as he and his men slowly began to surround her.

"Yes, I rather think I would." Shae replied, grinning cheekily despite her predicament. "You know what a weakness I have for beautiful, powerful women."

"Then let it be on your head." Growled Van Helsing. "Men, after the sorceress! I'll deal with this parasite myself."

"Oh, are you sure?" Asked Shae, pouting her lips as The Knights of the Sun rushed past her. "Two makes for such a dull party."

"SILENCE!" Van Helsing bellowed furiously. "I grow tired of your incessant wit, bloodsucker!"

Shae chuckled lightly. "You know, you're not the first person to tell me that."

Van Helsing roared again, charging headlong at the vampire, sword at the ready. Shae brought up her own sword just in time to block Van Helsing's blow. The vampire and the werewolf exchanged furious, lightning quick blows, the sounds of steel striking steel ringing out across the now empty courtyard. The Duke of Weselton and several other nobles and dignitaries watched the furious and heated battle from the palace doorway, their eyes wide with fright.

Suddenly, both Shae and Van Helsing stumbled as the ground beneath their feet began to quake. They stopped exchanging blows, whirling quickly around. The two bitter enemies both drew in gasps of shock, and their onlookers cried out in fright, pointing out at the waters surrounding Arendell. The entire fjord was beginning to cake over in ice. The vampire and the werewolf both stumbled backward, shielding their eyes from the rushing gust of icy wind that blew through the courtyard. Suddenly, the nighttime summer sky was covered in rolling white clouds, heavy snowflakes falling to the ground before them.

"My god, what power…" Shae breathed, smiling in wonder as the snowflakes fell upon her cold, pale face. "Amazing… Simply amazing!"

"It's The Queen!" Cried The Duke of Weselton, pointing up at the sky in fear. "She's cursed the land! She must be stopped!"

Shae shook herself from her wonder filled stupor, turning to her nemesis, who was still standing beside her, gaping up at the sky. She chuckled lightly once again, clapping a hand on his shoulder.

"Well, this certainly has been fun." She said with another cheeky grin. "So long!"

"NO!" Roared Van Helsing.

The werewolf swung his sword through the air, cutting through nothing but a column of blood red smoke.

XX

Elsa sprinted toward the towering mountain in the distance, her chest heaving with part exertion, part fear, her heart hammering wildly in her chest. Her eyes streamed with tears as she ran as fast as her legs could carry her. It had finally happened, her worst fear had come true. After spending years and years locked away in careful solitude, hiding away her magic from her kingdom, it was all over. They now knew exactly what their Queen was. Elsa choked out a strangled sob as she remembered the fear she had seen in their eyes, and, most heartbreaking of all, her sister's.

Elsa glanced over her shoulder, panic bubbling wildly in her stomach as she saw the men chasing her growing ever closer. She ran as hard and as fast as she could, but it didn't seem to be enough. Van Helsing's knights would be upon her soon, and she only hoped that they would at least give her a swift death. It was better this way. Anna would make a much better ruler than she ever could. Her sister was The Queen that Arendell truly deserved.

Elsa stumbled and fell, pushing herself weakly up onto her knees as her pursuers quickly surrounded her. She closed her eyes and squared her shoulders, trying to steady her pounding heart. She would not beg for mercy. She would die with quiet dignity, as a Queen should.

"What should we do with her?" She heard one of the men ask. "Take her back to Van Helsing?"

"No, too risky." Answered another. "Better to just bring him her head."

Suddenly, Elsa heard a strange sort of whooshing noise, and several of the men cried out in alarm. Next, she heard a very familiar voice.

"Sorry, boys. Not today."

Elsa snapped her eyes open, and found that the men before her were staring with wide eyes at something behind her. Elsa turned herself around, and gasped when she saw the strange woman from the ballroom, the one who had saved her life only a short while ago.

"It's you!" Elsa breathed, smiling up at her savior in wonder.

The woman smiled down at her, swiftly and gently pulling her to her feet. "On your feet, Your Majesty. A Queen of your caliber should never kneel for anyone."

"Looks like we get to kill two filthy birds with one stone." Snarled one of the knights, pointing the tip of his sword at Elsa and her savior. "We'll bring Van Helsing both of their heads."

The strange woman dressed in maroon and black shrugged at Elsa, grinning in a cheeky and quirky way. "You're certainly welcome to try."

The man who spoke before bellowed out a vicious war cry, and chaos ensued around The Queen of Arendell as he and his fellow knights rushed forward, swords in the air. Elsa watched as her savior sped forward to meet them, exchanging blows with the knights with inhuman speed and strength. She then gasped in fright as two men seized her by both of her arms.

"STOP! Let go of me!" Elsa shouted as they began dragging her away.

"ELSA!"

Her savior rushed toward her just as one of the knights holding her arms used the butt of his sword to strike The Queen over the head. The world spun wildly around Elsa, and the last thing she saw was the ground rushing up toward her. Then, everything went black.

XX

Elsa woke slowly, keeping her eyes shut tight, her head throbbing with pain. She slowly blinked her eyes open, trying to make sense of her surroundings. Somehow, she appeared to be moving, though her legs were not. She quickly realized that she was being carried. She stirred feebly, opening her mouth to question whoever was holding her in their arms. However, no sound was able to escape her lips, and she fell unconscious once again.

When Elsa woke again, she was no longer moving, but lying still on something cold and hard. She heard a strange sort of scraping noise, and she once again peeled her eyes open. It was dark, so dark that Elsa could barely make out her surroundings. Suddenly, a bright orange light sprang to life in front of her, and she quickly realized that it was the light from a campfire. Once her surroundings were illuminated, she found that she was in some sort of cave, lying on the cold, hard ground. She peered through hazy eyes, and saw a figure crouched in front of the fire, tending to the flames.

Elsa slowly pushed herself up into a sitting position, her head throbbing in pain. She took a moment to steady herself, the world spinning all around her, her vision still blurry. She carefully and quietly staggered to her feet, keeping her eyes locked on the person crouched before the fire. She staggered forward a step, her heart hammering in her chest. Her captor whirled around at the sound of her footsteps, and only had time to draw in a startled gasp before Queen Elsa's fist made contact with their face.

"Oh, god! Oh, fuckin' hell! Right in the nose!"

Elsa blinked several times, and realized that she had heard that voice before. She blinked even more, her vision finally starting to clear. She gasped in shock when she realized that the person she had punched in the face, now lying on her back on the ground, was the woman that had saved her life, twice.

"Oh! Oh, it's you!" Elsa cried as her savior staggered back to her feet. "I'm so sorry! Are you alright?"

"Fine, I'm fine." The woman grumbled, rubbing her aching nose. "Though I must say, Your Majesty, you've got one hell of a right hook."

Elsa opened her mouth to respond, but stopped as the world spun dangerously all around her, her head throbbing once again, her arm aching with stinging pain. Her savior rushed forward as Elsa swayed on her feet, gently wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Careful! Here, sit down." The woman said softly, helping Elsa to sit back down on the ground. "You've lost quite a bit of blood."

Elsa winced, glancing down at her aching arm. There was a long, deep gash left by Van Helsing's sword, stretching from her elbow all the way down to her wrist. Her entire arm was caked over with dried blood, more of it slowly leaking out from various parts of the cut.

"Just stay still, Your Majesty." Her savior told her as she knelt down beside her. "I'll get that cleaned up for you straight away."

"Please, call me Elsa." Elsa replied with a weak smile. "And… And you are?"

"Shae." Said Shae, smiling back. "Pleasure to meet you, Your Maj- Er, Elsa."

Elsa nodded, wincing in pain as her head throbbed painfully. She leaned her head back against the cave wall, squeezing her eyes shut. She breathed out a sigh as the pain subsided, and opened her eyes again. Shae was rummaging through a small satchel in her hands, pulling out various items and setting them aside. Elsa's mouth suddenly gaped open in shock. Shae was removing far more items than should be able to fit in her satchel.

"W-What… Is that?" Elsa stammered quietly.

Shae looked confused for a moment, then her eyes shone with understanding when she realized what Elsa meant. "It's called a bag of holding." Shae explained, removing more items from her magical bag. "It's enchanted. I can fit whatever I want in here, including… This."

Elsa gasped in wonder as Shae began to pull a sword out from the tiny satchel, it's blue blade sparkling in the firelight. "Sorry, old friend, but you're entirely in my way." Shae muttered as she set the sword aside.

"That is… Incredible!" Elsa breathed, her bright blue eyes wide with utter shock.

"It's a simple spell, really." Shae replied with a shrug. "You… Really haven't seen much of magic, have you?"

Elsa shook her head, and immediately regretted doing so as the back of her head throbbed in pain once again. "Just relax, alright?" Shae said gently. "You've been through quite an ordeal."

Elsa rested her head back against the wall of the cave, watching quietly as Shae removed a small, iron cooking pot from her satchel. She left the cave momentarily, and returned with a mound of snow in her hands. Shae placed the snow in the pot, and held it over the fire, waiting patiently for it to melt.

"You're not human, are you?" Elsa asked of her quietly.

Shae raised an eyebrow at her curiously. "What makes you say that?"

"Pale gray skin, blood red eyes, and you have magic as well." Elsa answered with a small, knowing smile. "I have… Read about your kind before, seen drawings in my father's library. You're a vampire, aren't you?"

Shae gazed into the fire for a moment, her blood red eyes suddenly very sad. "Yes…" She whispered softly. "Does that frighten you?"

"Not at all."

"Really?"

Elsa gave a shrug of her own. "I'm certain that if you wanted to drain me of my blood, you would have done so already."

Shae chuckled, slowly shaking her head in bewilderment. "You certainly are a clever one, aren't you?" She said with a grin. "So, did your father keep many books about creatures like me?"

"Only a few." Elsa answered with another shrug. "That's how he knew to go to the rock trolls. Their magic… It saved my sister's life once."

"Oh, I see." Shae muttered, looking surprised. "What exactly happened?"

Elsa sighed heavily, glancing away from her vampire savior. "That is… A long story."

"Well, you're certainly not going anywhere in your condition." Shae replied, gesturing toward Elsa's still bleeding arm. "It seems we have the time."

The water inside Shae's cooking pot was now boiling gently, and the vampire removed it from the fire. She once again knelt down next to Elsa, dipping a white cloth into the steaming water. Shae then gently took Elsa's ungloved hand. Elsa gasped in fright, jerking her hand away.

"No! No, don't!" She exclaimed. "It's… It's my magic. I-I don't want to hurt you."

"It's alright." Shae whispered, smiling gently into her eyes. "Here…"

Elsa gasped in alarm as Shae took her hand again. She watched in horror as the vampire's fingertips began to frost over, but, somehow, Shae seemed to be unaffected by her icy powers. She continued to smile at her, and Elsa stared down at her frost covered hand in complete and utter shock.

"Doesn't… Doesn't it hurt?" Elsa breathed quietly, her sparkling blue eyes wide.

Shae shook her head. "The cold never bothered me, anyway."

Elsa laughed, her mouth gaping open in complete but pleasant surprise. She gently brushed her fingertips across the palm of Shae's hand, feeling the vampire's cold, pale skin. Shae watched her silently, smiling again as Elsa laced her fingers in with her own. Elsa glanced away from her hand in Shae's, staring into her deep, blood red eyes. She then removed her hand from Shae's, placing it gently on her cheek. She drew in a soft gasp as more frost began to spread out from her own fingertips and onto the vampire's cheek, but Shae only continued to smile at her.

As blue eyes stared into red, a sudden tension built up between them. Elsa felt her heart beginning to race as she stared into Shae's eyes, her face flushing with heat. She couldn't help but notice what a stunning smile she had. Elsa gently traced her finger along Shae's strong jawline, watching in wonder as a trail of glittering, icy frost followed her fingertip. Suddenly, she found herself leaning forward, staring longingly at the vampire's lips.

Elsa cleared her throat loudly, shaking herself out of her daze. She leaned back against the wall, and dropped her hand back down into her lap, wincing as stinging pain shot up her blood soaked arm.

"I-I'm sorry…" She stammered quietly, glancing away from Shae's piercing, blood red gaze. "It's just… You're the first person I've been able to touch in… A very long time."

"No need to apologize, Your Maj- Er, Elsa." Shae quickly corrected. "Let's take a look at that arm, shall we?"

Elsa nodded, holding out her arm in her lap. Shae once again dipped the white cloth into the hot water, and began dabbing it gently against the dried blood on Elsa's arm.

"Why are you doing this?" Elsa questioned the vampire as she began to clean her wound. "Why did you risk your own life to save me? You… Don't even know me."

Shae bit her lip, hesitating for a moment as she pondered Elsa's question. "Not that long ago, I met a young woman who showed me a great kindness." She replied quietly. "Regina, was her name. I was injured, and she… Helped me. Damn near saved my life. She didn't have to, though. She didn't know me either. But, still… She did, because it was the right thing to do."

Shae paused momentarily, her blood red eyes once again filled with a deep sorrow. "I've spent a lot of my immortal life doing the wrong thing." She went on, her quiet tone laden with sadness. "My past has been very… Grim, dark. I've done a lot of things that I deeply regret. I suppose I'm simply trying to… Turn over a new leaf, as it were. I want to leave all that behind me. This is a new world, so I'm trying to be a new person, a better person."

"New world?" Asked Elsa, eyeing the vampire curiously. "Are you saying… That you're from another world?"

"Yes, I am." Shae replied, smiling another gentle smile. "A world filled with all kinds of magic, and creatures that have it."

"Please, tell me about it."

"I'd much rather hear about your sister."

Elsa gasped in pain as Shae continued to wipe more blood from her aching arm. "Yes, see, this is going to start to hurt." Shae said with a frown. "It's better if you talk through it, if you're distracted."

Elsa breathed out a heavy sigh, and nodded. As her vampire savior continued to gently clean her wound, Elsa proceeded to tell her all about what happened when her and Anna were children. Anna once knew that she had magic, but, after Elsa accidentally struck her in the head with her icy powers, the rock trolls used their own ancient magic to erase Anna's memories of her sister's magic. It saved her life, but at a terrible cost. Because of what she was, both Elsa and her sister were forced into solitude, hidden away from the world within their own castle. Elsa was separated from her sister, spending her days locked away in her bedroom, safely away from Anna, or anyone else she might once again accidentally harm with her ice powers.

The vampire made for a captive audience, listening quietly as the words tumbled from Elsa's lips. Elsa found that it felt good to talk about it, felt good to share what she had gone through with someone who had magic themselves. However, Elsa's story seemed to make Shae incredibly angry.

"Conceal? Don't feel? Don't let it show?" Shae demanded hotly, echoing the words that Elsa's father had taught her. "That's just… That's absurd! Absolutely fucking ridiculous!"

Elsa watched curiously as Shae once again began fumbling around inside her magical satchel, muttering angrily to herself. "'Conceal, don't feel…' What a bloody idiot…"

"He was my father!" Elsa cried indignantly.

"Yes, I understand that." Shae grumbled at her. "It's stories like yours that make me glad that I never had one of those."

"You… Never knew your parents?"

"No." Shae replied with an unconcerned shrug. "All they gave me was a name and a necklace. I was told that it belonged to my mother. I lost the damn thing ages ago."

"Oh…" Elsa muttered sadly. "I am… Very sorry."

"Don't be." Shae replied with a snort. "As I said, I'm very grateful that I never knew them. I've always done what I wanted, when I wanted. There was never anybody to lock me away and tell me to hide what I was. I thank the powers that be for that."

Shae removed a large, clear bottle from her satchel, filled with some sort of brown liquid. She uncorked the bottle, and once again took Elsa's arm, which was now free of blood.

"Right, this is going to sting a bit." Shae told her in an apologetic tone.

Elsa drew in a sharp breath as Shae poured some of the liquid onto her wound, causing stinging, burning pain to shoot up her arm. She breathed out a sigh of relief as the pain subsided, her eyes growing wide as Shae took a swig from the bottle.

"Rum." Shae explained, offering the bottle to Elsa. "To stave off infection when poured onto a wound, and to dull the pain when drunk."

Elsa hesitated for a moment, but then took the bottle from Shae's hand. She took a drink herself, nearly spitting it right out as the strong, bitter alcohol touched her tongue. Shae laughed as Elsa began coughing violently, and gingerly took the bottle from her hand.

"Not your cup of tea, eh?" Shae asked, still laughing.

"No, I suppose not." Replied Elsa, laughing with her.

Shae chuckled again, taking another deep swig before recorking the bottle. She set it aside, and grabbed up some bandages, and began carefully applying them to Elsa's arm.

"I still can't believe your parents treated you the way they did." Shae said quietly, her face falling into a fierce scowl once again. "Magic as powerful and unique as yours isn't a curse, Elsa. It's a goddamn gift."

"A gift?" Elsa exclaimed, eyeing the vampire in shocked disbelief. "How could you possibly say that? You saw what I did!"

"Yes, well, you were obviously frightened, startled." Shae replied with an irritated huff. "Magic of any kind is based on emotion. The more powerful and unpredictable your emotions are-"

"The more unpredictable the magic." Elsa finished for her. "Yes, I understand that all too well."

"What exactly happened, anyway?" Shae asked. "What had you so upset?"

"My sister." Elsa grumbled in reply. "She wanted me to bless her marriage to some Prince that she had just met."

"So, it was some sort of arranged marriage, then? It's quite common with nobility."

"No, she literally just met him. Tonight. Said it was true love."

"What?" Shae exclaimed, jaw dropping open in horror. "No! No, you… You can't marry someone you've just met!"

"That's what I said!" Cried Elsa. "But, she insisted. She was even talking about him moving into our castle, him and his twelve brothers."

"Twelve?" Shae exclaimed again, her blood red eyes wide with horror. "Bloody hell… That is just… That is just too many!"

"I know, I know…" Elsa agreed, breathing out a laugh. "So… I refused, got upset. I told the guards to shut the gates, that the ball was over. And, Anna… Poor Anna… She…"

Elsa's voice suddenly broke with emotion, and Shae paused, bandages still in hand, watching sadly as tears began to well into her sparkling blue eyes.

"She was so happy to have people in the castle, to be at a ball." Elsa went on, her tone soft and heavy with misery. "I watched her dancing and… I've never seen such a smile on her face. And… When I said it was over…"

Elsa's voice broke again, tears now streaming down her face. "She was so angry, so hurt." Elsa whispered, her face twisted in misery. "She said she couldn't live like this anymore, couldn't bare the solitude. So, I… I told her to just… Leave. That hurt her so much, there was so much pain in her eyes. She asked me what she had ever done to make me hate her so much, to shut her out like I have."

Shae watched with a heavy heart as Elsa choked out a sob. "I don't hate her, Shae. She's my sister, I… I love her, more than anything. And… All I've ever done is hurt her, push her away because of what I am. It… It isn't fair."

Elsa sighed heavily, hanging her head in sorrow. Shae continued to watch sadly and silently as she sniffled quietly, wiping the tears from her face with her sleeve.

"I was a fool to think I could continue with this charade." Elsa muttered softly, starting down at her hands folded in her lap. "I was a damn fool to think I could ever be Queen. I… Never wanted to be, not really. But, it's my duty, as the eldest child. And… And now-"

"You're free." Shae whispered, a strange sort of smile on her face.

"Free?" Questioned Elsa, breathing out a small laugh. "How could I ever possibly be free?"

Shae's smile grew even wider. She hastily finished wrapping Elsa's arm with bandages, chucking them aside when she was through. She then leapt to her feet, holding out her hand to Elsa.

"Come with me." She said, still grinning excitedly. "I want to show you something."

Elsa took Shae's hand, and the vampire pulled her swiftly to her feet. Elsa followed her curiously as Shae left the cave, and drew in an audible gasp when she saw where exactly the vampire had brought her. Across the large ravine before them, stood The North Mountain. Elsa stared up at it in absolute wonder, a wide smile stretching across her face as she gazed upon it's tall, towering beauty.

"Just look at where we are!" Shae exclaimed, spreading her arms wide. "Arendell is miles and miles away."

Elsa shook herself from her stupor, and raised a curious eyebrow at the vampire. "What exactly are you saying?"

Shae sighed, gently taking Elsa's hand in hers. "Elsa, your entire life has been nothing but doors being slammed in your face." She answered quietly, staring very seriously into Elsa's eyes. "But here? Well, there's no doors here. You don't want to be Queen? Then don't! To hell with duty! Your only duty is to yourself. Your only duty is to be who you are, and that is a woman with a great and wonderful power."

Elsa bit her lip hesitantly, glancing away from the vampire. "Elsa, all your life you've done nothing but fear your magic." Shae went on, tightly gripping her hand. "There's a saying in my homeland. 'Magic is meant to serve man, not rule over him.' Elsa, now is the time for you to rule over your magic. It's been the other way around your whole life, backwards. Now is the time to set it right. Now is the time to… Let it go!"

"Let it go?" Asked Elsa, raising another eyebrow. "Let what go?"

"All of it! Everything!" Shae cried, throwing her arms up in the air. "All your fear, your anger, your pain! You need to let it all go!"

"How?"

"Your magic, of course!" Shae replied, another excited grin spreading across her face. "Use it, set it free! You've already seen that you can't hurt me with it, and I'm certain Sir Mountain over there will be just fine."

When Elsa fell into hesitant silence once again, Shae sighed in frustration, tightly gripping her shoulders. "Elsa, your magic is not something to be feared. You are not something to be feared." Shae told her sternly. "You are a woman of uncommon strength and magnificent beauty, and-"

"'Magnificent beauty?'" Asked Elsa, smirking as she raised an eyebrow at the vampire.

Shae hesitated for a moment, her mouth still hanging open. "Really? That's what you're going to focus on?" She then groaned in frustration, running her hands through her messy black hair. "Elsa, listen to me. You do not have to be the person that your bloody parents wanted. All you have to be is who you are, and who you are is a smart, powerful, and talented sorceress. You need to let the rest go."

"Let it go…" Elsa whispered quietly, staring down at the snow covered ground.

"Yes, that's right." Shae whispered back, grinning once again, her blood red eyes shining with excitement. "You need to show the world who you are. You need to rise like the break of fucking dawn!"

"Let it go…" Elsa whispered again, slowly grinning herself.

"Yes! Exactly!" Shae exclaimed in agreement, pointing joyfully at her. "What was it your father said? Don't let it show? Don't let them know? Well, now they know. And you don't care what they're going to say, right?"

"No." Elsa replied, her tone still quiet, her grin growing wider. "No, I-I don't."

Shae laughed loudly, spreading her arms wide. "Of course you fucking don't! Tell them, 'Here I stand in the light of day!' There's no right, no wrong, no rules out here for you, Elsa. You're free!"

Elsa laughed too, her heart beginning to race with wild, gleeful excitement within her chest. She pulled off the turquoise glove that still remained on her hand, and tossed it aside.

"Let it go…" Elsa whispered once again, watching as the swirling wind carried her glove away into the night.

Shae watched in wonder as Elsa waved her hand over the snow covered ground before her. A small cyclone of wind and snow formed beneath her hand, and Shae laughed as she created a snowman with her ice powers, complete with stick arms and pebble eyes.

"Well, not quite what I had in mind." Shae said, laughing still. "But, it's certainly a start!"

Elsa laughed too, grabbing the vampire by the hand. "Come on!"

Elsa ran forward toward The North Mountain, pulling Shae along with her. She stopped just at the edge of the ravine, and threw out both her hands. Shae's eyes were filled with astonished wonder as a bridge made of snow formed across the ravine. Before the vampire could say anything, Elsa rushed off across the bridge. She placed her hands on the snowy railings of the bridge as she ran, and Shae continued to watch in absolute wonder as the bridge turned to smooth, shimmering ice beneath her feet.

"HERE I STAND!" Elsa bellowed up at the mountain as she stepped off of the bridge. She then turned to Shae, her bright blue eyes sparkling with exhilaration. "And here I'll stay!"

Elsa stomped her foot upon the ground, and Shae's blood red eyes grew wide as a massive circle of ice shot out from around her boot. Within the ice, was a large, glittering snowflake.

"Amazing!" Shae cried, laughing loudly once again. "Elsa, this is simply amazing! You are- WOAH!"

Shae stumbled, swaying on her feet as the ground began to quake beneath her. Elsa slowly drew up both her arms, and Shae gasped as the circle of ice they were standing on began to rise into the air.

"Elsa!" Shae exclaimed, watching fearfully as the icy platform began rising higher and higher. "Y-You should know, I'm not overly fond of heights!"

Elsa didn't seem to be listening. Shae stood rooted in her spot, watching as she began throwing out her arms this way and that, twirling around in a strange sort of dance, creating walls made of ice around them. Shae's jaw hung open in absolute shock and wonder as she realized what exactly Elsa was doing, what she was creating: A castle. Flurries of snow and ice shot forth from her hands, and she used her magic to form intricate and decorative doors, windows, pillars, archways, and even a grand, glistening chandelier.

When she was finished, Elsa stood still and quiet on the top floor of her mighty ice palace. Shae stared all around her in silent shock and awe, marveling at the grandness of the palace that Elsa had created. She then turned her eyes back onto Elsa, who was still standing with her back to Shae, her chest heaving with exertion.

"Elsa…" Shae said, taking a careful step toward her. "Elsa, are you alright?"

Elsa turned slowly around, and Shae saw that there were tears in her eyes. "Yes. I am." She replied with a content, gentle smile. "You're right, I'm free. For the first time in my life, I finally feel… Free."

Arendell's former Queen then removed the golden tiara that still sat upon her head. "I'm never going back." She whispered as she stared down at the tiara in her hands. She then chucked it across the icy room, laughing loudly. "The past is in the past!"

Shae remained in shocked and bewildered silence as Elsa closed her eyes, spreading her arms wide. Shae gasped as the dress she had been wearing while being crowned Queen magically faded away, replaced by another of bright shining blue, a sparkling, glittering cape billowing out behind her. Elsa laughed as she stared down at her new dress, and quickly let down her hair that had been wound around her head in a tight braid. She tousled it lightly, and it fell over her shoulder in one single braid. Shae gaped at her in complete and utter wonder, her stunning and dazzling beauty leaving the vampire, for once, utterly speechless.

Shae followed along behind the long, glittering train of Elsa's cape as she stepped out onto the balcony of her grand, glistening ice palace. They stood in silence together for a moment, watching as the morning sun began to rise over the horizon. Now atop the tall, towering mountain, they were well above the clouds. The rising sun cast a burnt orange glow atop the fluffy white clouds, the view leaving Shae just as speechless as Elsa's dress had.

"Here I stand in the light of day!" Elsa shouted out from her balcony, drawing herself up and spreading her arms wide. "Let the storm rage on!"

Elsa then turned to Shae, grinning up at her, her dazzling blue eyes sparkling with a powerful resolve. "The cold never bothered me anyway…"

Shae laughed, following once again as Elsa left the balcony, back into her palace. She then waved her arm casually over her shoulder, and the balcony doors slammed shut behind them. Elsa took a moment to observe the palace that she had created. She breathed out a small laugh as she turned in her spot, seemingly surprised by what her magic had done.

"So, you've built yourself a mighty ice fortress. Which is just… Brilliant, by the way." Shae said, grinning broadly. "What do you plan on doing now?"

Elsa stared down at the ground, biting her lip as she thought. After a few moments of silence, she lifted her head, a smile slowly creeping across her face as she gazed upon the vampire. She then crossed the room and stepped up to Shae, placing her hands gently on her chest.

"I know exactly what I want to do." Elsa whispered, gazing deep into Shae's blood red eyes, her own filled with longing.

Arendell's former Queen then gripped the front of Shae's black and maroon coat, pulled her in close, and kissed her.

XX

As Elsa dragged the shocked and startled vampire along by her hand, Shae couldn't help but stare all around her, taking in the wondrous, icy beauty of Elsa's creation. She was positively shocked to find that, not only had Elsa created an entire castle with her magic, she had created an entirely furnished castle. She gaped in absolute astonishment at the ornate, velvet cushioned throne as Elsa pulled her through the throne room, then at the long, wooden table and chairs as they rushed through the dining hall. There was even a plush canopy bed in The Ice Queen's own bedchamber.

"Elsa… Elsa, wait." Shae stammered, pushing Elsa back as she made to kiss her again. "A-Are you sure about this?"

Elsa nodded slowly, gently running her fingers through Shae's soft, messy black hair. "The old Elsa would have never done anything like this, would have been too afraid." She whispered, smiling into the vampire's blood red eyes. "But, the new Elsa? Well…"

Shae smiled back against Elsa's lips as she kissed her. They stood locked in their embrace for a few moments, then Elsa pulled away slightly. She watched the frost on Shae's lips dissipate as she removed her own lips from her's.

"Let it go, right?" Elsa whispered, wrapping hers around Shae's neck. "I'm letting go of everything, all my fear. I've always been so afraid of being close to someone like this." Elsa smiled, watching the trail of icy frost following her fingertips as she brushed them across Shae's cheek. "But… With you, Shae, I don't have to be afraid. I can touch you, kiss you, feel you, and you aren't harmed by my magic."

Elsa paused momentarily, placing another kiss on Shae's lips. "I have dreamt about this for so long." She went on, her face falling into a frown. "But, I'm afraid I'm… Not exactly experienced."

Shae laughed, cupping her hand under Elsa's chin. "Well, then… It's a good thing that I am very experienced."

Elsa laughed too, drawing Shae in even closer. "Good." She whispered against the vampire's lips.

They kissed again, and a soft moan escaped Elsa's lips at the deep and powerful passion in Shae's kiss. She quickly removed Shae's coat, and then her maroon, velvet vest. Shae stood still in her spot, her lips locked with Elsa's, allowing her to gently explore her body with her hands. When Elsa slipped her hands underneath Shae's white, cotton shirt, she pulled away from their embrace, frowning in a confused way when she felt the deep, knotted scars on Shae's chest.

"Right, um… I-I suppose I should have warned you." Shae stammered. She then removed Elsa's hands from under shirt, breathing out a sad, heavy sigh. "Long ago, I was the victim of a vicious attack. It left me scarred, deformed, quite… Grotesquely."

"Is that where you got these?" Elsa asked in a whisper, and Shae nodded when she lightly touched the scars on her face. "I want to see."

"Elsa, I'm afraid it's not a pleasant sight." Shae replied with a grimace. "I don't think you-"

Shae's words were cut off as Elsa kissed her again. Their lips parted slowly, gently, and Shae held still once again as Elsa pulled her shirt off over her head. As it fell to the floor, Elsa drew in a soft gasp, clapping a hand over her mouth at the sight of Shae's mangled torso.

"What… Happened?" Elsa breathed slowly, her blue eyes wide with shock.

"Van Helsing." Shae snarled, balling her hands into fists. "He's a werewolf, a very powerful one. Usually werewolf attacks are fatal for a vampire, and vice versa. I managed to survive, but was left with… This."

Shae gestured to her dozens and dozens of scars, and her arm fell limply back to her side. When Elsa remained in shocked silence, Shae breathed out a bitter laugh. "Yes, hideous, I know." She muttered, lips still curled into a snarl. "I'm sorry, Elsa, we should just-"

Shae was cut off mid sentence once again as Elsa placed a slow, deep kiss on the indent just above her heart. Elsa snaked her arms up the vampire's bare back, and Shae sighed as she began to press gentle kisses along the many scars on her chest. Elsa then removed her lips from Shae's chest, and smiled up into her blood red eyes.

"I think you're stunning." She whispered, once again placing her arms around Shae's neck.

Shae breathed out a surprised laugh, gazing back into Elsa's dazzling blue eyes. "As are you."

Shae placed her hands on Elsa's hips, slowly and gently turning her around. Elsa bit her lip, grinning broadly as Shae kissed her neck, her hands now working on the buttons on the back of her glittering blue dress. Once finished, Shae gently drew her dress down off her shoulders. Shae spun her slowly back around, and her jaw dropped open in sheer wonder, the sight of Elsa's slender, naked body leaving her, once again, utterly speechless.

"My god…" Shae whispered, finally finding her voice. "Elsa, you are… Breathtaking."

Elsa grinned again, turning her eyes onto the floor as her face flushed with heat. "No one has ever called me that before."

"Well, that is just a travesty." Shae said with a laugh. "A woman of your caliber should be told she's beautiful several times a day, at least."

Elsa smiled against Shae's lips as the vampire kissed her. As Shae gently explored her naked body, she was delighted to find that Elsa did not recoil at the coldness of her touch. She drew back from Elsa's lips, breathing out a shocked laugh as she stared down at her hands touching the bare flesh of Elsa's sides.

"What is it?" Elsa asked, looking concerned.

"It's… It's nothing, It's just…" Shae stammered, quickly shaking her head. "I… I just…"

Once again at a loss for words, Shae wrapped her arms around Elsa, pulling her in close, their lips crashing together again. Elsa gripped a fistful of Shae's hair, moaning softly as her tongue brushed against hers. Elsa then gasped in shock, which turned into a laugh as Shae lifted her into the air by her hips. She wrapped her legs around Shae's waist, kissing her again as the vampire carried her over to the canopy bed.

"You are… Exceptionally strong." Elsa observed as Shae gently and carefully laid her down onto the silken sheets.

"Yes, well, being a vampire comes with certain perks." Shae replied with a grin, lightly tracing a finger along Elsa's collarbone. "Inhuman strength is one of them, also speed, telekinetic powers. We are also more pleasing to the eye. You humans find us more attractive than your fellow mortals, more enticing. You all positively swoon over our scent."

Shae placed a feather light kiss on Elsa's lips, and smiled into her eyes. "Tell me… What do I smell like to you?"

Elsa wrapped her arms around the vampire, drawing her in closer. She placed a kiss on her neck, drawing in a deep breath through her nose. "Like… A warm, fresh summer rain." Elsa replied quietly, her face then falling into a confused frown. "And… Chocolate? How? How is it that you smell like both of those things?"

Shae laughed lightly, placing another quick kiss on her lips. "It's part of being a vampire. Our scent is different for each person we encounter." She explained with a grin. "We smell like the things that particular person enjoys most. I've heard that I smell like the sea, daffodils, lavender, a whole host of different herbs and spices. One woman even told me I smelled like her father, which was… Unsettling."

Elsa laughed at the disturbed grimace on the vampire's face. "So, you're saying that I'm only attracted to you so because of your magic?"

Shae shrugged. "Perhaps. But I know for a fact that I was just as equally stunning when I was human."

Elsa laughed again, grinning against Shae's lips as she kissed her. Elsa wrapped her arms tightly around her, relishing the feeling of Shae's body against her own. Urgent, passionate desire began to swell between them as their lips parted again and again, their tongues brushing against each other in their mouths. Elsa began running her hands up and down Shae's body, and Shae continued to kiss her passionately, allowing Elsa to explore freely. Shae suddenly broke away from Elsa's lips, drawing in a sharp breath as her hand slipped down her breeches.

"Oh, Shae…" Elsa whispered, smiling as she gazed up into Shae's blood red eyes. "Shae, you feel… Wonderful."

Shae gasped again, a wide grin spreading across her face as Elsa's fingers began exploring between her legs. "You seem to be more experience than you think."

Elsa bit her lip, giving Shae an innocent shrug. "I'm simply following my intuition."

"Well your intuition is certainly accurate." Shae muttered in reply.

They found each other's lips again, and Elsa ran her fingers through Shae's messy black hair as they kissed, leaving the other down her pants. Shae moaned softly against Elsa's lips as she began to slowly fondle her. Elsa stopped suddenly as Shae drew back from their embrace, watching Elsa's face as she slipped two fingers inside her.

"Oh… Oh, Shae…" Elsa whispered, gasping in delight as Shae began slowly pumping her fingers. "Oh, that feels… That feels nice."

In the past, Shae had been much more vigorous and forceful in her lovemaking. However, the vampire knew that Elsa required a soft and gentle touch. She tenderly kissed her lips as she continued to thrust her fingers slowly and gently deeper inside her. She could feel Elsa growing wetter and wetter, her breaths coming quicker and quicker. As her moans of pleasure began to swell with volume, Shae began thrusting faster, harder.

The quiet stillness of Elsa's magnificent ice palace was broken by her own cries and moans of pure pleasure. She dug her nails into Shae's back, moaning into her mouth as Shae pumped her fingers harder, faster, deeper. Shae pulled away from Elsa's lips as she felt her womanhood clench around her fingers. She buried her face in Elsa's neck, and Elsa tightly gripped a fistful of her hair, digging her nails into the vampire's shoulder. Her back arched arched high into the air, and she let out one last loud, quavering cry as she reached her climax. Shae moaned with her, slowly and gently pumping her fingers as wave after wave of pleasure crashed over her.

Elsa collapsed back onto the bed, her breaths ragged, her heart racing with exertion. Shae removed her fingers from Elsa's folds, and gently took one of her firm, pink nipples in her mouth. Elsa moaned softly, running her fingers through Shae's hair.

"Oh, Shae… That was wonderful." Elsa whispered breathlessly. "I've… I've never felt anything quite like that before."

"Yes, it's exhilarating, isn't it?" Shae whispered back, placing a gentle kiss on her neck, then her cheek. "And the best part is that you can bring a woman to climax an indefinite number of times. That is, if you know what you're doing."

"And you certainly know what you're doing." Elsa observed with a laugh.

"Indeed, I do." Shae agreed.

Elsa laughed again as Shae rolled over onto her back, pulling Elsa on top of her. Shae snaked her arms up Elsa's back as they kissed, and the vampire and The Ice Queen continued to make urgent, passionate love, the world outside Elsa's ice palace completely and utterly forgotten.

Several hours later, Elsa was finally and totally spent. She lie on her stomach, one arm dangling over the side of the bed, breathing out a content and satisfied sigh. She smiled as Shae pressed slow and gentle kisses along her back and shoulders. She then rolled over and pulled Shae into her arms, placing a deep, tender kiss on her lips.

"Mmm… Oh, Shae… I don't think I ever want to leave this bed." Elsa cooed softly.

Shae chuckled, kissing her again. "Well, unfortunately you'll have to at some point for food and water and… Whatever else you humans require for survival." She replied with a shrug. "But, otherwise, you don't have to. I told you, Elsa, you're free now. You are free to do what you want, when you want."

Elsa nodded, smiling as Shae kissed her lips again. "Thank you." She whispered, gently caressing the vampire's cheek. "You helped me realize who I am, accept it, even. If it wasn't for you… Well, I suppose Van Helsing would have had me killed."

Shae sighed heavily, and slowly shook her head. "I'm afraid you shouldn't thank me just yet." She quietly replied. "He will come for you, for both of us, I'm certain of it. But, I will be here to do whatever I can to protect you from him."

"So… You'll stay here with me?" Elsa asked, another smile slowly stretching across her face.

"If you'd like." Shae replied with a nod. "I know a great deal about magic, and I'm sure I can help you with yours. And, possibly, a few other things."

Elsa giggled as Shae gently nibbled on the tender skin of her neck. "Yes, I think I'd like that very much."

"Good." Shae said, smiling down at her. "I only have one rule: No falling in love."

Elsa propped herself up on her elbow, raising an eyebrow curiously at the vampire. "And why exactly are you so opposed to love?"

Shae didn't respond right away. She rolled off of Elsa and sat forward upon the bed, breathing out a heavy sigh. Elsa sat up as well, brow furrowed in confusion at the sudden, immense sorrow in the vampire's blood red eyes.

"Because, love is nothing but pain." Shae finally replied, her tone quiet and sad. "I loved someone once, with my whole heart, my whole soul. And she was torn away from me, murdered by Van Helsing. Her brother was my best friend, I loved him too, very dearly. And now he's… Gone. No, love is nothing but pain, misery, and heartache."

"Yes, I suppose you're right." Elsa muttered quietly.

Shae raised an eyebrow at her in surprise. "Really?"

Elsa nodded slowly, giving her a sad smile. "I love my sister very much, I always have, I always will. And, well… You saw yourself what my love has brought her, what it's done to her."

Shae nodded too, and they both sat in silence for a while, both their hearts heavy with sadness. Elsa then cleared her throat, turning back to Shae with a smile. "Perhaps we should talk about other things." She suggested.

"I was thinking we should stop talking altogether." Shae replied with a devious grin.

Elsa cried out in shock as Shae tackled her back down onto the bed. She laughed, wrapping herself tightly around the vampire as she kissed her. Shae began to slide her hand down between Elsa's legs, stopping suddenly when her sensitive hearing picked up a strange sound. It sounded like someone was knocking on the palace door.

"Hello?" She heard a woman's voice call out. "Elsa? Are you here?"

"There's someone here." Shae said to Elsa. "A woman."

Elsa gasped, her bright blue eyes growing wide with fright. "Anna!"

XX

Shae sat on the edge of Elsa's plush, canopy bed, once again fully dressed. She thought Elsa needed to have a moment alone with her sister, so she waited quietly in The Ice Queen's bedchamber, her head spinning over the events of the last few hours. Her head swam with memories of making love to Elsa, what it had felt like to hold her, kiss her, touch her. She hadn't felt anything quite like it in a very long time.

She remembered how her unbeating heart had fluttered wildly within her ribcage the first time she laid eyes on Elsa, being crowned Queen inside Arendell's grand chapel. Fear began to bubble in her stomach as she thought about Elsa's beautiful, dazzling blue eyes. She remembered gazing into Nadia's eyes, remembered the agony as she watched the light of life fading from them. She quickly shook herself, rising slowly to her feet.

"No falling in love." Shae muttered as she left the bedroom. "No falling in love…"

When Shae arrived in The Ice Palace's grand and glittering foyer, she was met with a very curious and startling sight. Elsa was standing at the top of the icy staircase, Princess Anna at the bottom. Standing next to her, was a tiny snowman, the very snowman that Elsa had created with her ice powers the night before, now complete with a carrot nose and stubby, snowball legs. The snowman appeared to have come to life, and was now walking and talking. When he saw Shae, his snowy, glistening face lit up with joy.

"Hi, I'm Olaf, and I like warm hugs!"

Shae's jaw hung open as she stood next to Elsa atop the staircase, staring down at the snowman named Olaf. Shae slowly turned to Elsa, who looked to be just as bewildered as the vampire was. Shae stared between Elsa and Olaf for a moment in completely befuddled silence. She then breathed out a shocked and excited laugh, and began racing down the icy steps. Once at the bottom, Shae knelt down in front of Olaf, laughing loudly once again.

"My god… Look at you!" She whispered in wonder, looking the snowman up and down.

"Look at me!" Olaf exclaimed with an excited giggle, throwing his stick arms up in the air.

Shae laughed again, turning back and grinning excitedly up at Elsa. "Elsa, just… Just look at this! This is absolutely amazing!"

"I'm amazing!" Echoed Olaf.

"Fascinating, simply fascinating!" Shae cried, laughing even more. "How does this- OH! Oh no!"

Shae took hold of one of Olaf's stick arms to examine it further, only to have it come away from his torso in her hand. Shae gasped as Olaf's severed arm hit her in the face.

"Excuse me!" Olaf chided irritably. "Put that back, please!"

"Oh! Oh god! Oh, I-I'm so sorry!" Shae stammered, gingerly reattaching the snowman's arm.

"Ah, that's better." Olaf sighed in relief. "Right, let's start this thing over. Hi, I'm Olaf. And you are?"

"Oh! Yes! Right." Shae stammered again, getting to her feet as she finally noticed Anna staring down at her. "Shae. I'm Shae. Pleasure to meet you. Er… Both of you."

"Hey, I remember you." Anna said as she shook Shae's outstretched hand. "You were at the castle, with that guy, Van Helsing. He's so big, and scary, and… A-And mean. Why? Why is he so mean?"

Shae chuckled dryly. "I'm afraid that's quite a loaded question."

"Oh, ok, right…" Anna muttered, glancing up at her sister. "So, um… What exactly are you doing here with my sister?"

"Shae is… My friend." Elsa answered from atop the staircase, though a bit uncertainly. "She's a vampire, and she knows a lot about magic. She's been… Helping me."

Anna gasped, her blue eyes growing wide as she turned back to Shae. "You're a vampire?" When Shae nodded, she gasped again, smiling excitedly. "Wow! Oh, wow! Oh, I… I have so many questions! Um… Oh! Can you turn into a bat? Can you fly? Do you sleep in a coffin? Are vampires really afraid of garlic?"

Shae's mouth hung open, her blood red eyes shifting all around her as she thought. "Um… No." She replied slowly. "To… All of those things."

"Aw, even the bat thing?" Olaf asked with a disappointed frown. "Cuz, I would just… I would love to see that."

"Oh, me too!" Anna said excitedly. "That would be amazing! Also, a little weird, and kinda scary. But mostly amazing!"

"Anna, please…" Elsa said pleadingly, breathing out a heavy sigh. "Please, you… You need to go."

"But… I just got here." Anna replied, brow furrowed in confusion. She then smiled a warm, gentle smile up at her sister. "Elsa, it's alright, you don't have to be afraid. We used to be so close, remember? We can be like that again, I promise."

Elsa bit her lip, glancing away from her beloved sister. She fought back tears as she remembered what she had done to her when they were children, how being struck by her icy powers had almost taken her life. She then slowly shook her head, and turned her back on Anna.

"No, we can't." She said quietly, her tone heavy with sorrow. "Goodbye, Anna."

Anna's jaw dropped open in shock, her eyes full of pain as Elsa began climbing the steps behind her, leading up to the second story of her ice palace. Anna hurried after her, leaving the vampire and the snowman alone in the foyer. Shae watched curiously as Olaf began climbing the steps, struggling to lift his small, round body over the edges.

"What exactly do you think you're doing?" Shae asked with an amused chuckle.

"Going after them, of course!" Olaf cried in an obvious tone. "What's it look like I'm doing?"

Shae sighed, folding her arms across her chest. "Perhaps we should let them talk alone."

"Not. A. Chance." Olaf grunted in reply, straining to pull himself up over another icy step.

Olaf then gave up on his fruitless attempt to climb the staircase. He sat down on one of the steps, huffing and puffing in exertion. He then glanced over at Shae, narrowing his black, beady eyes at her.

"Hey, bat girl, a little help here would be nice!" He commanded irritably.

Shae rolled her eyes, chuckling once again. She carefully lifted the snowman up by his torso, and set him on her shoulder. Olaf giggled excitedly as Shae began climbing the steps after Elsa and Anna, holding onto the snowman perched on her shoulder.

"I already told you, I can't turn into a bat." Shae said to Olaf.

Olaf sighed, patting Shae on the head. "Yeah, yeah, I know." He muttered quietly. "Which is, like, really disappointing. I mean, what even can you do?"

"Lots of things!" Shae cried indignantly.

"Except turn into a bat. Or fly."

"Yes, well, but I can- Oh no…"

Shae found Elsa and Anna in the room where she and Elsa had been when she first created her Ice Palace, the massive, glittering snowflake sparkling on the floor beneath their feet. Elsa had her back to them, holding her head in her hands, flurries of snow and ice swirling dangerously around the room.

"Oh god… Oh, I'm such a fool…" Elsa muttered, her whole body quivering. "I can't be free. I can't ever be free of this."

"What's going on here?" Shae asked, carefully setting Olaf back down on the ground.

Anna ignored Shae, taking a careful step toward her sister. "Elsa, it's alright, you don't have to be afraid any more!"

"No… No, there's no escape." Elsa whispered shakily. "No escape from the storm inside of me."

Shae stared wide eyed around the room, panic starting to bubble in her stomach as the snow storm around Elsa began to grow and grow. "Elsa, it's alright." Shae said gently. "Just stay calm."

"NO!" Elsa shouted, rounding on Shae, her sparkling blue eyes streaming with tears. "No, I can't! I can't control it! I was a damn fool to think that I could!"

"Elsa, please-" Shae began, taking a step toward her, Olaf clinging fearfully to her leg.

"It's alright, don't panic." Anna said gently, also stepping toward her sister. "We can reverse it, bring back summer, make the sun shine bright again!"

Elsa shook her head vigorously, once again turning her back on her sister. "Anna, please, you'll only make it worse!"

"Elsa!" Shae shouted over the rushing wind, shielding her eyes as a full on blizzard began to swirl around the room. "Elsa, please! You need to calm down!"

"We can fix this!"Anna cried desperately, her body lost from Shae's sight within the swirling snow. "I know we can, I know you can!"

Elsa choked out a strangled sob, clutching the sides of her head, her whole body shaking with fear. "Please! Please, you need to go, you both do! You're not safe here!"

"No, I'm not leaving you!" Anna shouted back. "For the first time in forever, I finally understand!"

"Elsa! Elsa, it's ok!" Shae called out, peering out at Elsa's hazy form through the whirling blizzard. "It's alright! You just need to stay calm!"

"We can face all this together!" Cried Anna.

Shae and Anna both stumbled as the whirling, rushing blizzard was suddenly sucked back into Elsa's own body. For a moment, just a moment, the room was once again calm and quiet. Shae glanced over at Anna, who was smiling excitedly, her blue eyes shining with hope.

"I CAN'T!"

A pulsewave of icy energy exploded out of Elsa's body, shaking the entire castle. The pulsewave hit both Shae and Anna in the chest, and they were both knocked off their feet. Olaf cried out in alarm, rushing to Anna's side. Shae groaned, lifting her head up from the floor as Olaf helped Anna to sit up. Shae noticed that Anna was clutching the left side of her chest, her face twisted in pain.

"ANNA!"

Shae jumped, startled as a man rushed into the room, sliding to his knees next to Anna. He quickly helped her up onto her feet, and Shae was shocked to realize that she recognized him.

"Kristoff?"

Kristoff whirled around, his eyes growing wide as he spotted the vampire. "Shae?"

"You… Know this man?" Elsa asked quietly, her eyes wide with fear, her whole body trembling. She then shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut, more tears spilling down her face. "No… I-It doesn't matter. You need to go, all of you."

"No!" Anna cried, taking a shaky step forward. "No, I know we can figure this out together-"

"HOW?" Elsa screamed, her face twisting in desperate sorrow. "What power do you have to stop this winter? To stop me?"

Shae gasped, whirling around as she heard a strange crackling sound. Her eyes grew wide with fright as she saw dark, pointed shadows of ice spreading down the walls, turning an angry shade of bright, glowing red.

"Anna… I think we should go." Kristoff muttered fearfully.

"No!" Anna cried, her own eyes streaming with tears. "No, I'm not going anywhere!"

"Nor am I." Shae said sternly.

Shae quickly crossed the room toward Elsa, who began to back away in fright. Shae gently took both Elsa's hands in hers, and Elsa choked out another sob as the vampire's hands began to cake over with frost.

"It's alright. You can't hurt me, remember?" Shae said gently, smiling into her eyes.

Elsa shook her head, wrenching her hands out of Shae's grip. "You don't know that for sure." She whispered, her voice quavering with emotion. "I could hurt you. I know I could."

Shae took another step forward, placing her hand on Elsa's cheek. "It doesn't matter." She whispered softly. "I said I was going to help you, and I meant it. Please, Elsa, let me help you."

"Let us help you." Anna pleaded desperately.

"We're not going anywhere." Said Olaf, placing his stick hands firmly on his hips. "Not without you."

For a moment, Elsa stood in rigid silence, staring between her sister, Olaf, and back into Shae's blood red gaze. She then squeezed her eyes shut, more and more tears streaming down her face. She removed Shae's hand from her cheek, and turned away from her, hugging her arms around her torso.

"Yes, you are." She whispered.

Elsa threw her arm out to the side, a blue, icy beam of magic shooting from her hand and into the ground. The others all gasped as swirling flurries of snow began to rise from the floor. Shae slowly backed away, watching with wide eyes as the snow began to take shape. First came two, massive, hulking legs, then an equally large torso to match. Two beefy arms formed next, broad, bulging shoulders, and, finally a head, with two holes carved into the snow for eyes. Elsa had created a snow monster, standing as tall as two fully grown men, his limbs the size of icy tree trunks.

"My god…" Shae breathed in wonder, backing straight into Kristoff and Anna. "Amazing… Just… Amazing!"

"Not really the word I'd use." Muttered Kristoff, his eyes wide with fear. "But, well, you know-"

The rest of Kristoff's sentence was drowned out as Elsa's snow monster let out a fearsome roar. He rushed forward, and Shae, Anna, and Kristoff only had time to let out startled gasps as he suddenly scooped them up in his massive, icy fist. Olaf cried out in fright, running as fast as his stubby snowball legs could carry him toward the staircase. He made it to the landing just as the snow monster swept him up in his free hand. Shae caught a glimpse of Elsa as her creation carried them from the room, and saw nothing but pain and terror in her sparkling blue eyes.

"Stop! Put us down!" Anna shouted, struggling furiously against the monster's iron grip.

"Sir, you are a lot stronger than I think you realize!" Olaf said from the snow monster's other hand.

The snow monster kicked through the doors of Elsa's ice palace, and chucked Anna, Shae, and Kristoff from his hand. The three of them rolled, tumbled, and slid down the icy staircase leading down the mountain. They tumbled past Sven the reindeer, who was sitting and waiting patiently at the bottom of the stairs, finally rolling to a stop when they hit a rocky snow bank.

"GO AWAY!" The monster bellowed in a deep, gravelly voice, hurling Olaf toward them.

Shae, Kristoff, and Anna had made it to their feet, and they watched as Olaf's head, torso, and back side separated from each other as he sailed through the air.

"Heads up!" Cried Olaf.

Anna and Kristoff threw themselves back down to the ground, and Shae grunted, catching Olaf's head as it collided with her chest. "Watch out for my butt!" Said Olaf's head.

Shae grunted again, falling flat on her back as Olaf's hindquarters smacked her in the face. She groaned, sitting forward with Olaf's head still in her hands. "Bloody snowman…" She muttered irritably.

Anna, back on her feet again, snarled in incensed fury, marching back toward the snow monster, who was lumbering back into the castle. "It is not nice to throw people!" She shouted angrily.

"Woah! Easy there, feisty-pants!" Kristoff exclaimed, grabbing on to Anna's arm. "Just calm down. Leave the very big and scary snow monster be."

"Right, right, calm, I'm calm." Anna replied, smoothing out her face and nodding in agreement.

Anna turned away from the snow monster, and Kristoff breathed out a sigh of relief. She then scooped up a snowball, and immediately whirled back around. Before either Kristoff or Shae could do anything to stop her, Anna chucked the snowball at the massive snow monster. They watched as it sailed through the air, exploding into soft flurries of snowflakes as it struck the monster's back.

"Uh oh…" Olaf muttered from between Shae's hands.

The snow monster stopped in his tracks momentarily, and they all stood frozen in fearful anticipation. He then whirled around, bellowing out a roar of rage. They all cried out in alarm as massive, pointed, icy spikes shot out from his body.

"Now you made him mad!" Kristoff exclaimed, his eyes wide with fear.

"You guys go, bat girl and I will hold him off!" Olaf's severed head commanded.

Kristoff grabbed onto Anna's arm, pulling her quickly away from the infuriated snow monster that was now charging toward them. Sven galloped off in the opposite direction, and Olaf's midsection and torso raced off after him.

"Wait, no, not you guys!" Cried Olaf.

Shae groaned in frustration, rushing off after Olaf's fleeing body parts. She scooped up his bottom and torso with her free arm, and quickly shoved him back together, though quite haphazardly. She then hurled the mess of a snowman from her arms, turning around just as Elsa's snow monster was upon her. She quickly threw out her arm, blasting him backward with telekinetic force.

"GO!" Shae shouted at Olaf. "RUN!"

Olaf obeyed without another word, turning and fleeing down the mountain after Anna and Kristoff. Shae turned back to the now infuriated snow monster, who was getting back to his feet. Suddenly, something caught her eye, and she spotted Elsa watching from the balcony of her ice palace.

"ELSA!" Shae shouted up at her. "Stop this! I won't just leave you here!"

"You have to!" Elsa shouted back, her voice full of painful desperation. "I'm sorry! Goodbye, Shae!"

"NO!" Shae screamed as Elsa turned her back on her. "ELSA!"

Shae breathed out another frustrated groan, once again turning back to face the hulking snow monster. He bellowed out another enraged roar, the ground shaking under his massive feet as he charged at the vampire. Shae bent her knees, falling back into a battle ready stance. She let out a furious war cry herself, punching her fist straight through the monster's arm as he swung it at her. The monster stumbled backward, roaring and howling with pain as his arm exploded into flurries of snow and ice.

"HA!" Shae shouted triumphantly. "How do you like that, you fat old marshmallow? I think-"

Shae stopped mid sentence, her mouth gaping open as the snow monster's arm began to reshape itself right before her eyes. The monster drew himself up to his full height, looming dangerously over the vampire, his arm now fully restored.

"Oh dear…" Was all Shae had time to say, before the snow monster swung his arm, and sent the vampire sailing through the air.

XX

"Ok, you tell me when… I'm ready… I'm ready to GO!"

Anna stood at the edge of the cliff, a rope tied around her waist. Kristoff had another part of the rope tied around his own waist, the end of it anchored into the snow behind them. With nowhere else to go to escape Elsa's terrifying snow monster, they stood ready at the edge of the cliff, ready to jump into the deep, icy abyss back down the north mountain.

"One…" Kristoff began to count slowly. "Two…"

"Right, let's do this…" Anna muttered to herself, nodding in determination. "I'm ready. I was born ready!"

"That's great, just… Calm down." Kristoff said with a sigh.

"LOOK OUT!" Anna shouted.

Kristoff whirled around, and gasped as the rushing black shape of a person came hurtling through the air straight toward them. "JUMP!"

Anna and Kristoff both leapt from the cliff, just as Shae collided with the ground where they had been standing. Her head smacked painfully against the ground, and she herself went skidding over the edge of the cliff. Kristoff and Anna both watched, dangling safely from their rope as the dazed and momentarily senseless vampire sunk like a rock straight past them, her body lost from their sight as she fell straight down the mountain.

Shae's world was a hazy white blur, her head throbbing painfully. She tried to lift her limbs, but found that they were strangely heavy, as if something was weighing them down. She heard strange sounds all around her, and realized that something was sitting on her chest.

"My legs! I can't feel my legs!"

Shae sat forward with a groan, and found Olaf sitting in her lap, patting her boots that were sticking up out of the snow. She sighed heavily, rubbing her aching head.

"Those are my legs, you dolt." She muttered.

Olaf suddenly gasped as his backside went scurrying by on its stubby, snowball legs. "Oh, quick! Grab my butt!"

Shae sighed again, and reached out her arm, quickly seizing Olaf's backside. She then placed the snowman's head and torso back onto the rest of his body, and Olaf breathed out a sigh of relief. Shae got to her feet, and took a moment to observe her surroundings. She was now at the bottom of the tall, towering mountain, Anna and Kristoff both lying in the snow beside her. Kristoff was sitting up, rubbing his blonde haired head, and Anna was attempting to free her lower half from the thick, powdery snow. Both looked to be a bit shaken after their fall from the mountain, but otherwise unharmed.

"Here you go." Shae said as she seized both of Anna's arms, and pulled her free from the snow.

"Thanks." Anna replied with a grateful smile.

Shae then helped Kristoff to his feet, who smiled at her as well. "Uh… Hi! Again." He stammered, a bit awkwardly. "Good to see you again, Shae."

"You as well, my friend." Shae replied, clapping him on the shoulder. "Though, I have to say, falling from a mountain was not how I expected us to meet again."

"Wait… You two know each other?" Anna asked, raising an eyebrow at the two of them.

"Uh, yeah. I met Shae when she first arrived in Arendell." Kristoff said in reply, then turned to Shae. "Looks like you actually managed to get into the castle and talk to Elsa."

"Talk to Elsa?" Anna echoed, now looking even more confused. "What exactly did you want to talk to Elsa about?"

"Well, initially, her magic." Shae replied with a small shrug. "I could sense it the moment I first saw her. It was… Unlike anything I had ever felt before. I could tell it was very powerful, and very… Unique. I've never seen powers quite like hers, and I was simply intrigued."

Shae's face then fell into a dark scowl, and she balled her hands into fists. "Then I saw Van Helsing in your palace. I tried to warn her about him, that if he found out about her powers all of Arenell would be in danger. And, well… You know the rest."

Anna sighed heavily, her blue eyes full of sadness. "Yeah, that was all my fault." She muttered quietly. "So… Elsa said that you've been helping her. Helping her how?"

Shae bit her lip, pondering how exactly to respond to the young Princess's question. Suddenly, Sven the reindeer came galloping toward them, and Shae was immensely grateful for the distraction.

"Sven! He found us!" Olaf exclaimed, giggling excitedly. He giggled even more as Sven made to bite at his carrot nose, and he patted the reindeer affectionately on his head. "Aw, look at him, trying to kiss my nose! What a cute little reindeer. I love you too!"

Kristoff breathed out an amused chuckle, and slowly shook his head. He then cleared his throat, and turned to Anna and Shae. "So… Now what?" He asked of them.

Anna suddenly gasped, and she clapped her mittened hands over her mouth. "Now what?" She exclaimed, her eyes full of panic. "Oh no! Oh, she threw us out! I… I can't go back to Arendell with the weather like this!"

"What do you mean?" Asked Shae, brow furrowed in confusion.

"When Elsa ran off, she froze the entire fjord, the entire kingdom!" Anna explained, still looking panicked. "Arendell is stuck in some kind of… Eternal winter!"

"Oh dear…" Shae muttered, her blood red eyes growing wide. "Oh… That's not good."

"We have to go back." Anna said, urgently grabbing on to Shae's arm. "Can't you just… I dunno, fly us back up the mountain or something?"

"No, I told you, I can't fly." Shae replied with a quick shake of her head. "I could teleport us back, but… Well, I won't."

"I'm sorry, what's going on here?" Asked Kristoff, looking immensely confused.

"Shae's a vampire." Anna hastily replied, waving her hand dismissively at him. "So, wait, you can-"

"Woah, woah, woah!" Kristoff exclaimed, staring wide eyed at Shae. "You're a vampire?"

"Yes, of course." Shae replied in an obvious tone. "You really didn't think the pale skin and the blood red eyes were strange?"

"Well, I dunno, I just thought you hated the sun or something." Kristoff said with a shrug. "So, can you like… Turn into a bat?"

Shae sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose. "No."

"Oh." Said Kristoff, frowning slightly. "That is… Really disappointing."

"I know, right?" Cried Olaf.

"Guys, come on, let's focus here!" Anna interjected, waving her arms frustratedly. "Shae, please, I need to go back, I need to talk to Elsa."

"Well, it seems you've already tried that." Shae said with chuckle, folding her arms across her chest. "Then she promptly created a snow monster that chased us all down the mountain."

"Yeah, I know, but-" Anna began to retort.

"Woah!" Kristoff suddenly exclaimed, pointing at Anna's head. "Look at your hair!"

Anna scoffed indignantly. "Hey, I just fell off a cliff! You should see your hair!"

Kristoff quickly shook his head. "No, I mean, it's turning… White!"

Shae drew in a startled gasp, watching with wide, baffled eyes as a strand of Anna's red, braided hair began to turn white right before their eyes. Anna examined one of her own pigtails, gasping herself as she saw the tendril of white.

"Does it… Look bad?" Anna asked them quietly.

Silence fell over them all for a moment as Shae and Kristoff both exchanged an uncertain glace. "No." They replied in unison.

Olaf popped his head off of his body, holding it up in the air to better join the conversation. "You hesitated." He said, glancing between Kristoff and Shae.

Shae rolled her eyes, placing a hand on Olaf's head and shoving it back down onto his body. "It must be because Elsa struck you with her magic." Shae muttered, stepping closer to Anna and examining her strand of white hair. "Do you… Feel alright? Are you in any pain?"

Anna hesitated for a moment, staring down at her own body. "Um… No, I-I don't think so." She stammered. "Shouldn't your hair be turning white too? You got hit with it too, right?"

"Yes, but it seems I'm immune to Elsa's ice powers." Shae replied, shrugging slightly.

"And you're not." Said Kristoff, eyeing Anna with grave concern. "I've seen this kind of thing before. You need help, Anna, and I know just who to go to."

"Who?" Asked Anna, raising an eyebrow at Kristoff.

"Some, uh… Friends of mine." Kristoff replied, a bit hesitantly. "Well, they're really more like family. But… Trust me, they can fix this, I know they can. I've seen them do it."

Shae nodded, and placed a hand on both Anna and Kristoff's shoulders. "Excellent! Sounds like an excellent plan." She said, smiling at both of them. "Well, it was lovely meeting all of you. Goodbye!"

Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and also Sven, watched with their mouths gaping open as the vampire promptly turned on her heel, and began marching off away from them. "Wait!" Anna cried. "W-Where are you going? Are you going back to Elsa?"

Shae sighed, stopping in her tracks and slowly turning back around. "No, quite the opposite, in fact." She answered with a shrug. "Elsa is more than powerful enough to keep Van Helsing at bay, should he decide to come looking for her. It is in her best interest if I leave this place far behind, the sooner the better."

"'In her best interest?'" Kristoff questioned, crossing his arms over his chest. "What exactly does that mean?"

Shae sighed again, slowly rubbing her forehead. "All it means is that it is better for her if I leave Arendell, never to return. Anyone I've ever cared about has had nothing but trouble befall them, therefore, I must-"

"Woah, wait a minute!" Anna exclaimed, smiling slightly as she stared wide eyed at Shae. "You… Care about Elsa?"

Shae's eyes grew just as wide as Anna's when she realized what she had just said. "No!" She cried indignantly. "Well, I mean… Yes, I do, but… I-I don't…"

Shae stopped her stammering, and groaned in frustration, running her hands through her messy black hair. "It just… It doesn't matter, alright?" She snapped irritably. "Now… Goodbye, and good luck."

The vampire began stomping away from them once again, and Anna breathed out a sad, heavy sigh. Suddenly, Sven galloped off after the vampire, planting himself firmly in her path. Shae drew back a step, eyeing the reindeer curiously as he grunted and snorted at her furiously, shaking his antlered head.

"What? What is this?" Shae exclaimed, glancing over her shoulder at Kristoff. "What the bloody hell is he doing?"

Kristoff sighed, stomping through the snow and over to his reindeer friend. "Easy, Sven, it's alright." He said soothingly, gently patting him on the head. "All he's trying to say is that you can't just leave. We need your help."

Shae raised an eyebrow curiously at both the reindeer and the blonde. "Help? Help with what?"

"Well, we've got a long journey ahead of us, and it could be dangerous." Kristoff replied with a small shrug. "Look, if you don't want to go back to Elsa, that's fine. But, if you really do care about her, then you'll help me get her sister the help she needs. Please, we… We need you."

Shae bit her lip, staring into Kristoff's eyes for a moment. She then glanced over at Anna, who was giving her a hopeful, pleading smile. She continued to hesitate, staring from Anna, Olaf, Sven, then back at Kristoff. The vampire then breathed out a heavy, relenting sigh, and nodded.

"Fine." She muttered, though a bit begrudgingly. "I will see you safely on your journey. But, as soon as we're done, I'm leaving. Alright?"

"Deal." Kristoff said with a nod.

"Oh boy!" Olaf exclaimed, giggling excitedly as they all set off on their journey. "Five best friends on an adventure together! It's so exciting!"

"You know, I think, 'best friends,' is a bit premature." Kristoff said with a chuckle.

Anna laughed as well, but Shae was too deep in thought to be amused. She trailed along behind the others, her head spinning with everything that had transpired since she had set foot in Arendell. Most of all, her thoughts were on Elsa. She thought about their brief, passionate engagement, her dazzling blue eyes, her smile. Even though she had just met Elsa, she somehow felt that she had known her all her life, that she could share anything and everything with her. She so desperately wanted to return to her, to hold her, kiss her, tell her that she was safe in her arms. She hadn't felt anything so intense since Nadia, and, even after all the years that had passed, the pain of her death was still a deep, aching wound in the vampire's heart and soul.

Shae breathed out a heavy sigh, running a shaky hand through her hair. Coming to Arendell, meeting Elsa, everything that had happened between them afterwards, it had all been a terrible mistake. As terribly as she wanted to go back, she knew that it was best to leave as soon as Anna was safe, for her own sake, and for Elsa's. She stopped for a moment, turning back to gaze up at the mountain, at the tall, pointed spires of Elsa's ice palace that was still visible, sparkling in the moonlight. Her heart ached with sorrow, with yearning, with deep regret, and she whispered softly into the night air.

"Let it go…"

XX