Elsa could barely see the massive bridge leading them to the castle; her eyes were watering profusely, more than would be expected from the typical whiplash of riding horseback. As Nokk halted before the entrance to the grand structure, she was almost unable to slide off to the stone beneath her. Her vision blurred, and she felt as if she was choking.
Wood smells funny. Eaten, but not by mine. Different burn. Smoke trying to hide. Shall we play?
Her lungs were burning. She leaned against Nokk's side, coughing profusely, gasping for air.
A hand touched her back, and she could see Honeymaren's worried countenance enter her peripheral.
Elsa swallowed hard before she raspily muttered, "I'm fine."
Her head and chest were aching, but she had to lie, had to keep going to whatever was waiting for them, as touching as the act of concern was from the other woman.
But what was happening?
Before Honeymaren could comment or question her, the guards were rushing out the gate to collect them. Elsa took as deep a breath as possible, standing tall in the presence of Arendelle's citizens. She glanced at the woman next to her. With a small sigh and a shared nod, the hand dropped from her back.
She had to be strong for whatever came next.
"We received a message from an ambassador of the Southern Isles very politely asking for our surrender by sundown. If not, their entire naval fleet would be on our beaches by evening."
As the Secretary to the Crown spoke, Elsa glanced at her sister, standing at the head of a long table that held a map of the continent and surrounding oceans. Anna's brows were knotted, but she kept a queenly calm otherwise.
"Apparently the broken engagement, years of sanctions, and what they call our 'preference for the demonic' is what finally did it for them," the pragmatic man stated evenly, but Elsa had worked with him previously enough to notice the almost undetectable sarcastic bite.
"Is that supposed to mean me?" she asked.
Anna shrugged. "Us. Magic forest. Who's to say?"
"Lady Elsa, holy war is a great sell to the people, but they likely just want the resources we've denied them. Arendelle is the center of the continent's trade system. Force is their only option, and all they know. This type of behavior is why we did not engage with those brutes in the first place following your coronation."
"We've always been able to keep them in line before. Why not now?" the queen asked, gesturing to the others surrounding the table.
The navy's Admiral chimed in, "This attack is expertly timed. We won't be able to launch all of our armada out of the fjord in time. They'd be overrun. What usually acts as our gate and shield is bottlenecking us, they'd be able to pick us off one by one."
"How are we surprised by an attack to the sea? Seems like our defenses would be better prepared. This is supposed to be our specialty," Anna countered.
"Your Majesty, we're not fully out of the winter thaw, so some of the fjord is locked. We usually have more patrol ships off the coast to better alert us, but we bring them in for the winter. It's been colder in recent years, and we previously agreed Lady Elsa would not manipulate the seasons' cycles too aggressively," the Admiral bowed his head respectively to Elsa before continuing, "Again, the timing...is extremely precise."
Elsa leaned forward, resting her hands on the table. She tried to focus her eyes on the map; her chest was heavy and constricted again, and it was making her dizzy.
Yelena questioned, "Do we have any confirmation on their numbers?"
"We sent a small corvette to scout and return. They spotted a hundred, maybe a hundred-fifty frigates.
"To match our hundred, ice locked," Elsa winced at the imaginary body of water on the table, "What if I thawed the fjord now?"
"By the time they arrived, we could have maybe twenty-five deployed. Maybe."
Quiet permeated the room. One could hear the clock in the adjoining library ticking away their quickly dwindling time.
Anna shook her head, voice defiantly firm, "What else do we have?"
If not for their desperate situation, Elsa would have smiled at the pride she felt for her sister.
The General in the signature green uniform of the army now spoke up, "If we want to prepare for landing, the armies are standing by with General Mattias-"
"No," the queen cut him off, "What else do we have to stop them from even getting here? Before citizens are at risk?"
"Your Majesty, we cannot stop them from entering the fjord, and once they're inside, it will be difficult to predict. I suggest we start evacuating the outer villages."
"What about mortars? Or projectiles? You must have some protection at the opening of the fjord?" Honeymaren questioned, looking back at the General.
Elsa had almost forgotten she was in the room, but she certainly belonged. She stood tall and spoke confidently, like Anna. Yelana had been right, this suited her.
"Decommissioned during the late King's reign."
Anna sighed, "Father never did like dear ol' Grandad's war mongering blatantly on our front door."
"He converted the land to agriculture for economic growth. Trade and our treaties have always been our protection," the Secretary assessed, "And now our undoing."
The comment hung on the air as the dreadful silence returned. Everyone seemed out of ideas, and it felt like a shard of ice was attempting to impale Elsa's temple. Her body was screaming at her that something, everything, was wrong.
Whatever gave her powers, blessing or curse, was trying to tell her the answer.
"Perhaps not," Elsa countered, looking to the Secretary, "Our 'inclination to the demonic' is always an option."
There was a pause while everyone processed her comment.
Anna shot her an incredulous look across the table. "Are you saying that you, Elsa, my dear sister, can...take down an entire country's fleet?"
"I froze the capital and most of the country. And stopped a massive tidal wave."
The Secretary seemed to weigh the option, stroking his beard, "Your Highness, even if it was possible on that scale, this might just add to justifying their war cause back home."
"Um, yeah, or it could kill you!" Anna shrieked.
Maybe it would. Elsa saw the fear easily in Anna's eyes now. To her, the idea was insanity. The blonde turned to Honeymaren expecting the same...but found none. Concern was there, of course, it always was in her kind eyes, but her jaw was set, her shoulders back. Her gaze flickered, as if searching.
Honeymaren sighed, then nodded. Trust. It was as simple as that.
Elsa mustered what strength her body would allow, standing upright.
"We can't survive this attack. If we deflect them before they arrive, then we'll be able to fight the war the next day," she looked to Anna, voice firm, "There is no future, no tomorrow, to question and debate over if I do not ride to meet them."
She glanced back down to the map before them on the table, before continuing, "But I'm afraid that's not all. It's not just the sea. I don't know how I know, but there's more. I think there's another attack. I need to try and speak with the spirits."
For what it was worth, the officials present held their tongues exceedingly well. The look in their eyes indicated the expected reaction from seasoned, pragmatic veterans in the face of something as absurd as magic. And yet, they bowed their heads. Perhaps Arendelle had seen enough exceedingly odd and magical occurrences in recent years to finally embrace the gut feeling of a...what was she? Sorceress? Spirit? Monster?
Why did her head feel like it was going to split open?
"My friends," Elsa's voice drifted from the library doors where Yelana and Anna stood just outside.
Honeymaren reappeared at the threshold, closing the doors behind her.
"She's, uh, with them now," the Northuldran muttered, seemingly uncertain in her phrasing.
The other two nodded simply. This was certainly odd, even for their lot. The trio stood silently in the hallway, only the hushed conversation between the General and the Admiral that drifted to meet them a few paces away breaking the tense quiet.
Anna hated quiet. And she really hated closed doors.
She sighed, "I wasn't really ready to be a wartime queen."
"Your Majesty, you do not have to be ready in order to be capable. If this is to be your burden, you must carry it. But not alone," Yelana stated sagely.
Anna offered a small smile; the advice meant a lot coming from the woman who had spent most of her leadership in battle with a corrupted forest and a portion of Arendelle's army. She turned back to the sealed barrier before them and frowned.
"I still can't believe she wants to go out there alone."
"She's strong. We just have to trust her and her stubborn dedication. That's why we love her so much in the first place, right?" Honeymaren answered reassuringly with a light grin.
The queen nodded briefly in agreement before suddenly pausing. Her eyes narrowed.
"Right. We 'love' her," she replied slowly, lips twitching.
Honeymaren cleared her throat, adding a formal depth to her voice, "Uh, thank you for allowing me into the meeting, Your Majesty."
Anna noticed the subject change, but given the impending doom waiting for them, she allowed her the retreat. Her curiosity would have to wait. For now.
"Sure. Yelana mentioned you're her apprentice now."
"She decided rather suddenly. I guess I've accepted." The woman shot the elder a glare, who pointedly ignored her.
"You made some good points while we were talking. We definitely need all the help we can get," Anna assessed before looking solemnly to Yelana, "I'm sorry to enact the war terms of our treaty so early, bringing you and your people into this."
The older woman looked out the window to the darkening sunlight.
"If what Lady Elsa says is true, the fate of the city and the woods are now one," the seasoned leader murmured softly, "Ahtohallan has braided our destinies together for some time."
Anna shivered. Why did it always feel like her and her family were the plaything of something much bigger?
The library door suddenly creaked open, and Anna saw her sister's figure emerge slowly at the threshold. She swayed in place before collapsing against the doorframe.
The queen gasped and took a step forward to help her, but Honeymaren was already at Elsa's side, a hand on the blonde's forearm, another on her lower back.
She looked terrible, paler than usual, as if immensely tired or sick. And yet, as weak as her body appeared, her blue eyes were glittering spectacularly, as if truly made of the ice she so easily wielded.
Something had changed, and Anna was unsure if she should be hopeful or afraid.
Elsa's fingers brushed against the herder's hand holding her, and with a breath, her body straightened. By the time the two military men finished their journey down the hall to join them, Honeymaren's hand had retreated, and the woman before them was steady.
Elsa's voice was eerily calm as she stated, "The spirits have confirmed there is a second group attempting to enter Arendelle from the north, through the mountains, through Northuldra's lands."
"Do they know who it is?" the Admiral asked, eyes wide.
She shook her head. "Only that they wave a different flag than the Southern Isles."
"Interesting."
The General immediately turned to Anna, voice quick and anxious, "Fighting on two fronts will be difficult. It will take time to ride to the north through the forest, we have to send troops now if-"
Elsa held up her hand as she interrupted, "The Earth Giants and Bruni will handle them. They are small to be so secretive. No large army could easily march through the rocky passes," she explained before declaring resolutely, "The Giants and fires will eradicate them."
Anna winced, but she did not contest the assessment. This was their reality now, war was here, and the military personel beside her, with dark circles under their eyes, merely nodded.
"They mean to harm the forest. I know this must be hard to believe, but I know it in my bones to be true," the blonde asserted, emotion finally leaking into her voice. Anna recognized the desperation as it was plaguing her own being now.
"Then they are an enemy of Arendelle, per our treaty with the Northuldra. We are one nation now, and the forest is our home. The timing is no coincidence," Anna affirmed, locking eyes with Yelana.
Her sister had once said they were the bridge. Yelana was right; the two peoples were now one.
"Gale and Nokk will assist me with the enemy's navy," Elsa further added, and Anna huffed at the nonchalant tone.
"I still don't like the idea of you going out there."
"I must. Even for spirits, our enemy is not small. There is no other path."
The military official politely countered, "Your Highness, if this is truly possible, then you would only need to hold them off until our ships can leave the fjord."
Elsa looked pointedly back at the man, face disparagingly empty of emotion as she darkly muttered, "Admiral, I'm quite sure you will not want your sailors or soldiers anywhere near the ocean while this is happening."
Could she really hold such tremendous power?
This was her sister of the past, Anna thought. She had been so carefree the past few months, after finding a home in the forest, embracing life as a spirit. The Elsa standing before her was the queen once locked in her room, resigned to be ladened with impossible purpose for a hypothetical greater good.
All she could do was support her.
Anna turned to the General and Admiral, sternly commanding, "Continue the evacuation of the outer villages. Send messengers to my cousin in Corona; I'm sure Rapunzel will assist us with answering in kind once this immediate threat is resolved. Send scouts to the forest borders to watch and only engage if the spirits fail," she turned to the window, "The sun sets in the hour, and they'll be here. Let's move quickly."
As the men bowed and retreated urgently to their tasks, the monarch set her eyes upon her sister.
"You better come back."
Anna finally saw Elsa's armor crack, and a small smile alighted her face. "I always make my way back to you."
They met halfway in a tight embrace. As exhausted as she had looked, Elsa's arms felt strong and steady now.
"Mom and Dad would be so proud of you right now," Anna murmured into her sister's ear.
"You too," Elsa replied, pulling away but holding her sister out at arm's length, "We promised the flag would always fly."
Anna mustered the last of her royal training not to sob at the comment. She would do anything for their country, but it always seemed to be Elsa making the sacrifices.
She gave a firm nod. She could do this. If Elsa could do her part, she would play hers.
Elsa's arms dropped from her sister's shoulders and offered Yelana a polite grin, to which the elder bowed her head briefly in return. She then glanced to Honeymaren. Anna was shocked to find this was the first time since Elsa had arrived at the castle, doom and gloom and all, that she looked truly nervous.
Her sister was always the paradox of an elegant queen and awkward dork. Why would an impending, dramatic war change that?
Honeymaren, for what it was worth, took it in stride, gesturing down the hall with a reassuring smile. "I'll walk you out."
Elsa reached out to squeeze Anna's hand before they made their exit. Yelana looked wistfully at the duo as they hurriedly walked down the hallway.
"I hate to see them out of time."
So her suspicions had been correct all along. Elsa, the hermit, now the romantic. Honeymaren seemed sweet, and Anna did love being right. In a different world, this would be a happy moment.
But the queen simply nodded. They were all out of time now.
Perhaps Elsa had made a mistake. It was so much harder to say goodbye this way.
Honeymaren had been faithful to her word, truly walking to her out the castle, even to the thick, stone railing of the bridge.
When Elsa turned to the other woman, she couldn't find the words. There was too much left to say, and she had too much left to do waiting for her on the water.
Honeymaren, however, simply smiled, as if she knew.
"Before you go, I want to give you something."
The Northuldran reached into her pocket, pulling out what appeared to a marble or people between her fingertips. When Elsa extended her hand to receive the item, she found a small nut donning a signature cap deposited in her open palm.
"It's an acorn?" Elsa questioned hesitantly, waiting for an explanation.
The woman before her seemed to deflate. Honeymaren frowned slightly, squinting hard as if in contemplation.
"Right. No one's explained that to you yet, have they?" she asked slowly.
"Nope. Sorry."
After another pause, Honeymaren merely shrugged.
"Well, then, something to look forward to. When you get back. Mysterious village secrets," she replied with a cheesy grin and a wiggle of her eyebrows.
"Is this why you came to the beach?"
"I guess you'll have to come back to find out."
Would she come back? Elsa almost broached the topic. But anxiety and doubt seemed impossible against the confident warmth Honeymaren always seemed to project around her. Honeymaren had faith she would return.
Instead, she looked down at the little, round seed sitting in the palm of her hand. A tiny sign of hope and life. She would protect everyone she loved. She was capable, and that thought brought some comfort.
Snowflakes swirled around the acorn, quickly encasing it in ice so that it appeared not unlike a large, thick coin. Droplets extended and hardened repeatedly to form a link chain. She slid the new necklace over her head. When she looked back up at Honeymaren, she found her expression unreadable.
"I can keep it safe this way," she explained.
"Just keep yourself safe," Honeymaren replied softly, glancing up to the fortress beside them, "I'll protect Anna as best I can. I know there's a whole castle here to do that, but-"
Elsa squeezed her into the tightest hug she could muster, cutting her off. While the other woman floundered for a moment, caught off guard, the blonde soon felt arms wrap around her in return.
"Thank you for always understanding, for just...knowing," Elsa whispered, shutting her eyes tight against the tears that were threatening to appear.
"Of course, My Lady," was the softly murmured response.
Elsa breathed in the lingering scents of the forest that blossomed on Honeymaren's hair and skin. Home.
For most of her life, fear had ruled her.
Power laced with fear was ruthless, all-consuming. Mighty but chaotic. The scales were uneven before she realized love was the opposite of fear. Love for her sister and friends brought her balance, control, and peace.
It was all about balance. Fear and love. Fire and water. Wind and earth. Frozen moments and the free flow of time.
As she held Honeymaren in arms, felt the warmth of cheek against cheek, love surged through her, love enough to counter an entire ocean of fear.
There was balance inside her now, and it was time to begin.
As her grip loosened and the hug broke, she turned quickly, hopping up onto the ledge of the bridge, looking down over the calm water shining far below her.
She ran a hand through her hair and a stream of ice twisted the long mane into a tight braid. Her flowing skirt and cape began to precipitate, falling like powdered snow, until she was left with a simple, white tunic over her pants.
Glancing back behind her, she saw Honeymaren watching her in quiet awe, eyebrows raised. Touching her acorn pendant, Elsa gave her a shy, small smile.
Then she jumped off the bridge.
A torrent of water shot up from the fjord's surface below, dousing her in midair. A rainbow briefly glinted in the fading sunlight from the wet spray that fell in the air. Nokk's horse-like figure emerged, gracefully continuing the descent with Elsa on their back. As a hoof struck the fjord, beast and water merged partially, and the spirit continued charging across the surface like a smoothly rolling wave.
With the bloody sunset finally dipping past the horizon as their backdrop, they charged towards the open sea to the battle awaiting them.
Elsa sat on the floor of the library, staring out the window streaming yellow, fading light. She heard Honeymaren's fading footsteps as she walked to the doors where Yelana and Anna waited.
Inhale. Exhale. Her chest still felt it might cave in, and her head threatened to crack open.
"My friends," she tried.
The heavy wood door clicked shut, and the world finally seemed quiet.
Again, another breath. She stared into the glow of the window until it stung her eyes, and she shut them against the light.
She finally let go, allowing her body to surrender to the assaults to her senses she had felt for days. Her consciousness did not fight back, and she permitted whatever was fighting to speak into her mind.
Blue and purple light flooded her vision. She floated in an aurora where starlight reflected like icicles.
Four elemental runes swirled around her. Four beings touched her mind and soul.
"My friends."
To the mother, Ahtohallan, they called in unison.
"I'm sorry I didn't realize how to talk back to you before."
Powers, still growing.
Tiiiiiime, sissssster.
"There's to be an attack on Arendelle. One I don't think they can survive. I know while we live side by side with the Northuldra, to interfere to this degree is no small task I ask of you. But I must."
Peeeeople of the Ssssssun.
Survive the shadows, protect the forest, keepers of magic.
LIVE. MUST.
A light warmed her skin. Young child, more than even you know in the forest. Still secret. Arendelle protects.
"Then...you'll help us?"
Ssssave.
LIVE. MUST.
"Thank you. There's supposed to be an attack by sea in a few hours."
Many shadows break the shimmering waters.
Smoke in the mountain woods.
MOUNTAIN.
"Then they're trying to attack from the mountain as well?"
Two flagsssss. Laaaand and ssssssea.
"How shall we help?"
MOUNTAIN. ROCK. DESTROY.
Eat the wood, smoke them out, I will.
Will of the waves, will of mine. Swallow shadows to the depths.
Sssssailing shipssss, my kisssss killsssss.
"Will it be enough?"
The spirits grew quiet. Multiple timelines, multiple futures, multiple paths like glowing veins seemed to stretch before them all now in the bending lights surrounding them.
Many shadows.
"Then I will ride with you. The party to the north must be secretive and will likely be very small in numbers. I can help more with the large armada."
Many shadows.
Sssssacrifice.
TIME.
Friend, your powers, still growing.
"If we're going to beat this navy on our doorstep, I need to help."
A beat passed before the wind whistled once more.
Cosssst you, possssibly.
"For Arendelle, for the people I love, I will pay any cost. To Ahtohallan."
Four voices called back to her, To Ahtohallan.