Chapter Eight - Warm Hugs

Aaron and Krista had been walking for hours. It seemed that this journey to the North Mountain would never end. But as they pressed on, the two were able to truly take in the beauty of the winter around them. Icicles hung from tree branches like ornaments at Christmas, and the sun hit the ice making every surface glisten. A flowing stream that once bubbled and travelled for miles now stood dormant and still in its frosty prison, as if frozen in time. Even though Krista hiked the snowy mountains for a living, the beauty of what lay before her took her breath away nonetheless.

Aaron had played in the snow many times as a boy, but never had he seen the raw nature of this season in all its glory. Erik had really outdone himself, and he hadn't even meant too. The red-head wished he'd known about his brother's powers before. How he would have loved to see all of this more often.

"Woah..." Aaron and Krista whispered in unison as they pushed aside a curtain of ice crystals, coming into another frosty clearing, each one more beautiful than the last.

"I never knew he could do all of this." said Aaron.

"Your brother?" asked Krista.

Aaron sighed. "We were so close when we were kids, but… I don't know why he never told me about this. I mean…" he stopped to examine a snowflake hanging from a brach, "This is all so beautiful."

Krista looked forlorn. She had never had a sibling. The closest thing she had was Sven, and the family that had taken her in, but it was so big and she had never had her one true companion waiting for her at home, someone who would actually answer her questions with a real, not made up voice. But this guy had seemed to be separated from his brother who he genuinely loved for years. What had his parents been thinking? She was just about to say something, when a sudden voice coming from somewhere unknown caught them off guard.

"Yeah, it is beautiful!" it said, "It would look even beuatifuller with some extra colours! Maybe some teal, some crimson, maybe some yellow…" it got louder, "Wait, no. Yellow and snow, bad idea. I am not falling for that again." the crunching of snow was heard behind them and Krista and Aaron looked down to find an actual living, walking snowman, about three feet high, right next to them. "Hi!" it said as it looked up at them.

"AAAAAAAA!" Aaron screamed and made a kick for it, sending its head flying where it was caught by Krista.

"Hi, you're creepy." she said nonchalantly as she tossed it back to the red-head.

"I don't want it!"

"It's just a head!"

"Then you take it!"

"Please put me down…" the snowman's head tried to say as it was sent flying back and forth, its body trying to find its missing part as it staggered around down below.

"Ew, ew, the decapitated body is coming right for me…" Aaron exclaimed as he chucked the head to the rest of the snowman, hitting it right in the middle and pushing it to the ground.

"Woah!" the snowman exclaimed as it regained its balance, "I was not expecting that…" it trailed off as the snowman took in its new depth perception. "Wait, wait a minute, what am I seeing right now? Why are you suddenly six feet higher?" it said, not noticing that its head was now the base of its body, the torso and legs on its crown.

"Ugh, hang on…" said Aaron as he came forward and re-made the snowman.

"Woah! Oh, that feels so much better. Thank you!" it said.

"Y-you're welcome." Aaron replied, his eyebrow raised.

"Now I'm perfect!" the snowman exclaimed.

Aaron suddenly noticed their lack of a traditional carrot nose. Whatever this creature was, it deserved to be properly decorated. "Well, almost…" he said as he took a carrot from his satchel.

"It was like I was sinking into the ground, my very being becoming drained by the weight of the world-" the snowman rambled on to Krista, turning back around to have a carrot suddenly stabbed through her face, the thicker end passing through to the other side.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" Aaron exclaimed as he saw the snowman's eyes roll with dizziness.

"Woah, head rush…" it said as it looked down at the tiny piece of carrot poking out from in between their eyes, and gasped in delight. "AAAAA! I love it! I've always wanted a nose! It's so cute, it's a like a little lizard! I shall anme him Alfred!" she exclaimed as Aaron carefully pressed the thicker end back through the snowy head. "Woooah!" the snowman then looked down at their much longer nose, "AAAAA! I love it even more! Alfred got bigger! Okay, let's start this thing over. Hi everyone, I'm Olga, and I like warm hugs!" It, or, she, said as she spread her stick arms. She had a big piece of snow for teeth, giving her an adorable over-bite. Little snowy pigtails grew out the sides of her head, and three little twigs sat atop it, three, black stones lining her un-even body.

Aaron felt a memory unlock itself in his mind. "Wait… Olga?" he asked, and the snowman-or, snowgirl- just smiled. "That's right, Olga!" he exclaimed, being taken back to his childhood all over again. Suddenly, he was no longer in the Arendelle mountains. In his mind, he was back home in the castle courtyard, his arms around his brother as they admired their handiwork. A freshly made Olga the snowgirl stood proud before them, a big toothy grin made out of snow smiling at them as if in gratitude for making her. But, Aaron couldn't help but feel that something about that memory… didn't feel right, like he had dreamt it. Why did it feel that way?

"I'd recognise that big, bulbous head anywhere!" Aaron exclaimed, giving the snowgirl a warm hug that he knew she loved so much. She hugged him back.

"Wanna hear a dirty joke?" she asked, and Aaron grinned. "What's brown and sounds like a bell?" she asked, and Aaron shook his head.

"No clue," he said.

"Dung!" Olga exclaimed and spread her arms. The red-head chuckled.

"Charming." said Krista.

"Oh, I've missed you, Olga!" said Aaron.

"And you're the one and only Aaron?"

"Indeed I am, little sister." he said.

"Right. Now, who's the large, pungent, fluffy one over there?" she asked.

"That's Sven." Aaron replied.

"Got it. And who's the reindeer?"

"…Sven…" Aaron answered gingerly. Krista was not impressed.

"Oh. Well, that makes things easier then." the tiny snowgirl replied.

"Olga, did… did Erik build you?" Aaron asked, and ever so carefully, Krista picked up one of Olga's arms, examining it.

"How does this work?" She thought out loud.

"Yeah, why?" said Olga, oblivious to the robbery of her arm.

"Do you know where he went?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Can you show us where he is?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I'll tell you why," Krista interrupted, placing the arm back in Olga's body, "We need Erik to bring back summer."

At the mention of this new word, Olga's eyes widened. "Summer?" she breathed, "What's that?"

Krista couldn't resist letting out a snort, ignoring Aaron's stark facial expression trying to get her not to state the obvious. "Summer, is, um, a very nice time where snowmen can't live in, because they'll me-"

"What Krista is trying to say!" Aaron interrupted. No way would he let reality be shattered for this adorable snow-creature. "Is that, um… this winter isn't supposed to be here, and, we need Summer for it to be… warm again?" he tried. The snowgirl just blinked.

"Ugh. He means it's a time of year when the sun shines, and flowers grow, and puppies rain from the sky and everyone's happy. So we gotta get it back. Kapeesh?" said Krista, and the little snowgirl jumped off her feet.

"Absolutely not but let's do it anyway!" she cheered. "Erik's this way. Let's go bring back Summer!" she called as she ran off into the distance, Aaron and Krista exchanging humorous glances at one another. "Whatever that is!" they heard Olga's voice echo off the ice as she hopped away.

Back in Arendelle, there was no sign of the beautiful colours and shades of winter to be found anywhere. Dark, grey clouds covered the sun, and a soft patter of snow fell non-stop. The streets were soggy and slippery from the icy pavements, and families shared what they had. Just a day ago, they had been gathered in the square, the still summer heat warming their lively spirits even at night as they joined together to celebrate their new King.

Now, children huddled with their mothers in their plain winter clothes, the festivities raging on no more. Now, their King had turned out to be some sort of sorcerer who had fled the kingdom. The people of Arendelle's only hope were Prince Aaron and the Princess Harmony. The townsfolk now looked forward to the Princess's visits, which would happen three times a day. Here, she would replenish supplies and announce that hot meals would be provided to those who had nothing to give. Right at that moment, Harmony was on her mid-day run, a bundle of thick blankets in her arms.

"Everyone, please take a distribution of blankets and provide them to those who need them. I would like to invite those who can no longer provide for themselves in this time to enter the castle where we have a serving line available."

A man came up to the Princess and followed her instructions, taking a small pile of coverings to distribute.

"Our people are indebted to you, your Highness." he said, and Harmony smiled.

She had since abandoned her ballgown from the day before and now wore a casual Burgundy dress, a long grey coat over-top, and she now wore her hair back in a pony-tail.

The Duchess of Snalisem and her two personal guards came up to the Princess, a death glare on her face.

"Princess Harmony!" the Duchess began sternly, her face bright red not only from the cold but also from sheer anger. The Princess turned to face her. "Do you expect us to just stand here and freeze while you give away every item me and Arendelle have a trade agreement with?"

Harmony only looked down at the shorter woman, completely unfazed. In fact, annoyed. "Prince Aaron has given his word-"

"And that's another thing!" the Duchess interrupted, "How do you know that the Prince hasn't ran off with his sorcerer brother and left us to rot? Has it dawned on you that they have abandoned this kingdom once and for all? Lord knows I only ever saw King Erik every two years or so, and that Prince Aaron!-"

"Do not question the Prince!" Harmony exclaimed, "He left me in charge! If it is as you say, then I will not hesitate to protect this kingdom from the threat of treason!" She snapped.

Although secretly, Harmony was hoping the King and Prince wouldn't come back, then she'd have no choice but to take over.

The Duchess was taken aback. "T-treason?" she stammered in fear, the loss of valuable money flashing before her eyes if the kingdom of Arendelle fell. Trade deals lost. Her people going hungry. Her lavish lifestyle going up in flames.

Suddenly, all thoughts were interrupted by the sharp sound of a horse's neigh. A white stallion came bolting into town and right up to the Princess, who deposited the garments in her arms to a passer-by and went to calm the animal. "Woah, boy, easy… easy…" she crooned, remembering what she had learnt from her sister Blaire; she loved horses. She noticed that this was the horse Aaron himself had galloped off on, but there was no sign of him anywhere.

"It's Prince Aaron's horse!" cried a villager.

"But, where's the Prince?" someone else wailed.

The horse gestured with its long neck towards the mountains that overlooked the kingdom and stamped its hooves. Harmony looked into its eyes, and knew something was wrong. Good, she thought. If the Prince was already dead, the dirty work had been done for her. But if she was going to take over this place, she needed to play along, act like she cared. Who knew, she might just run into the King while she was at it, and fix the problem with a little help from her bow and arrow.

"Prince Aaron is in trouble!" Harmony exclaimed to the villagers around her, "I request volunteers to form a search party with me!"

People nearby raised their hands immediately, shouts of participation rising from them, eager to help their new leader who had been so gracious to them.

"I volunteer two men, my Lady," said the Duchess, her personal guards accepting their new orders immediately. Hushing her voice down to a whisper, she turned to the two burly men behind her. "Be prepared for anything…" she began in a low purr, "And should you encounter the King… well... you are to put an end to this winter."

Aaron and Krista had been walking for so long, they now stood atop the highest mountain overlooking Arendelle, and gazed down at the kingdom. It was so tiny now.

"Arendelle…" Aaron breathed, surveying the state of his home.

"It's completely frozen," said Krista. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"she said as she turned to face the Prince.

"Sure," he replied, "Erik will thaw it."

Krista nodded, but knew deep down, people didn't just change their point of view overnight. Carrying on, the two came to face a rocky wall, blocking their path. It was a steep climb, and to get over the top would require equipment they didn't have.

Krista turned her head to the side, thinking about an alternative. "Hmm… It's too steep. I've only got one rope," she began, "Besides. You probably don't know how to climb mountains."

"Says who?" Echoed a voice. Krista looked up from the satchel she was digging through to find Aaron half way up the wall, in an awkward climbing position but making progress nonetheless.

"What on earth are you doing?" Krista asked in annoyance. That little prince was just going to hurt himself.

"I'm… going to see… my brother…" Aaron puffed as he pulled himself up the narrow ledges.

"You're gonna see the pearly gates of heaven if you don't come down from there. Aaaand, I wouldn't put my foot there," she said with a smirk and crossed her arms, chuckling as Aaron nearly slipped off the wall entirely. "Or there."

"Hey, you're distracting me!" the red-head argued.

Krista sighed. "How do you know you're even doing the right thing?"

"Hey, I'm trying my best here, I've never climbed an ice wall before!"

"Well that I believe, but not that! I mean, how do you know that by storming up to your brother, he's gonna be all hunky-dory about thawing the place. What if he just wants to be alone and you're gonna make it worse? she said.

Aaron ignored her comment, not letting the hurt sink in. Of course Erik didn't want to see him, not after what he had done. But trying to talk sense into him was the only way to even hope that Arendelle would be thawed.

"You know what, I'm just gonna block you out, cause you're a bad influence." he snapped.

"Well, believe me, most people who run off into the snowy mountains after freezing their entire kingdom wanna be left alone."

Aaron pushed through her words, determined to get over this ridge if it was the last thing he did. "I can't imagine why anyone would wanna be alone. Take it from me. Well, except maybe you of course."

Krista scoffed. "I'm not alone. I have friends, remember?"

Aaron just laughed. "You mean those experts on all things love?" he mocked, shaking his head to mimic her words.

Krista was unfazed. "Why, yes. The experts on all things love."

Aaron took a moment to stop and catch his breath, panting through his efforts. "P-please tell m-me I'm almost there?" he breathed.

Krista was not about to tell him that he was only a foot off the ground. Letting out a small laugh, she went to pick him off the wall. "Hang on…" she said.

"Hey, guys!" Olga called from behind a rocky opening that they hadn't seen before. She must have wondered off. "Not sure if this is gonna solve the whole 'my brother doesn't wanna see me and I'm probably gonna make things worse by deliberately going after him to try and drag him back to a place that made him unhappy' problem, but I found a staircase that leads exactly where we want it to go!" she cried, her snowball feet bouncing in the air.

"Haha, thank the lord in heaven above! Catch me!" cried Aaron as he fell backwards and right into Krista's arms, "Woah, thanks! You win at trust exercises…" he said as he ran to catch up with Olga.

Krista looked on at the poofy tangled mess of red hair as it faded from view. What was it about him that was just so… loveable?

"Hey, you comin'?" Aaron asked with a smile as he peered back over the wall. Krista blushed and nodded.

Quick note: Yes, that was a Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses reference you read earlier. More to come. Hehehe

;)