*Author's Note*: The name of the story is "Frozen 2.5" but the site doesn't allow periods in titles for some reason. There are original illustrations that go along with each chapter of this story, however I'm unable to add images to chapters. If you want the full story experience, I recommend reading the pdf version of the story, which is available on my blog here (replace |dot| with "."): yumeka36|dot|tumblr|dot|com/648209143723917312/frozen-25-complete-edition
Miner's Mountain towered above the eastern woodlands, its pointed peaks and jagged cliffs casting poignant reflections in the flowing waters of the nearby river. As the afternoon clouds parted above the horizon, Sven trudged along a narrow path between two rocky cliffs, the wagon wheels clattering with each step on the uneven ground. He gave a grunt of protest as his hooves stepped on the many pointed stones and slippery pebbles. Kristoff leaned forward from where he was sitting in the wagon and patted Sven on the back.
"Just take it easy, buddy. I know this is a rough path, but it's the best route without having to go all the way around the base of the mountain. We'll be there soon."
Olaf sat directly behind Kristoff, reading a book titled The Terrible Draug. A few minutes after they had left Arendelle, he realized he didn't have to wear his clothes for the whole trip and had since folded them in a neat pile next to him and placed the straw hat on top. He stared intently as he read each word of the book, oh-ing, ah-ing, and gasping whenever he turned a page. Anna and Elsa watched him from the other side of the wagon.
"Bringing those books along was a good idea, huh?" Anna whispered to Elsa.
"He really does love reading," Elsa replied with a giggle.
"But yeah, I don't know what Mattias is waiting for." Anna returned to a topic they had been discussing earlier. "Halima is just there, waiting for him. He should go for it already."
"Even Yelena says the same thing."
"Oh, speaking of Yelena, at our last charades night, you said you were trying to work with her and the earth giants…to see if they can help the Northuldra navigate the mountains to the south to find better food sources. How did that go?"
Elsa sighed, looking down in disappointment. "Not so good. They'll listen to me well enough, but they're still really grumpy with everyone else. Last week I spent a whole day just getting them to stay in place while Ryder and the other men brought the reindeer over. But as soon as the reindeer started walking on them, the giants moved, the reindeer got spooked and ran off…it was a big mess."
"I see." Anna frowned slightly, sensing Elsa's discontent.
"Oh, but some things have been working out," Elsa said in a lighter tone. "The little earth giant, Hubert, has been very helpful. And Gale has learned to listen to almost everyone now, especially the children. And even though it does get frustrating, I always find time to unwind by riding Nokk around the forest, releasing my snow all around…Bruni loves melting it with his fire. And sometimes at night, I like to sit on top of the earth giants and gaze at the stars."
"And visit Ahtohallan," Anna added.
"Yes, that too. I do get nostalgic from time to time, and watching old memories can be relaxing."
"So when are you going to take me there?"
"Anna, I told you, Ahtohallan is different." Elsa tried to be patient with the question she'd been asked before. "It's not like my ice palace. It's not made of ice I can easily control. It's a real, actual glacier, and is as cold as one, too. Even if I helped you get through all the chasms, it's especially freezing in the chamber where all the memories are. The one time I tried bringing Bruni with me, even he was too cold to get a fire going. Wearing the warmest clothes in the world wouldn't be enough."
Anna's expression grew bleak as she looked away. "There's got to be a way. I know you tell me about all the memories, but seeing them for myself would be amazing. Especially since I don't remember most of our early childhood."
"I know." Elsa felt a pang of heartache at seeing her sister's gloomy expression. She placed her hand on Anna's. "But I'll keep trying to figure out a way." Anna smiled at her and nodded.
"How about the latest in Arendelle?" Elsa asked, hoping to change to a brighter topic. "What happened with Aksel and his sheep? You said he lost some of them to a wolf attack."
"Yeah, he was really stressing out since he was planning to get a lot of clothing and blankets made with the next batch of wool. It was really hard on him, considering his age and all. I told him if he needed anything, the Northuldra make amazing clothing with hides and furs, but…" Anna paused for a moment as she remembered the unpleasant conversation. "But he said he wasn't interested…that there was no way they could make goods of the same quality as Arendelle or any other kingdom. He said their clothes looked 'barbaric.'"
"Oh…" Elsa said. They both stopped talking for a moment as they contemplated the upsetting connotation of Aksel's words.
Kristoff, who had been listening passively to their chatting, decided to chime in. "Don't start getting depressed again about Arendelle and Northuldra not getting along." He kept his tone cool and optimistic. "We know it's going to take time. There's already been tons of improvements since the day the forest was freed, even if they are small. Besides..." He leaned over the side of the wagon and faced the sisters with a smile full of sincerity. "I know with you two in charge, it'll definitely happen." They smiled back at him.
"You've been a big help, too," Anna added. But before she could say more, the wagon stopped as Sven gave a loud grunt.
The sudden halt jolted Olaf out of his reading concentration. He immediately shouted in terror. "The draugs are coming!" He threw the book aside and dove into Anna's cape, trying desperately to hide himself in its silky folds. Anna and Elsa grinned wryly at each other.
"There aren't any draugs here, Olaf." Anna unwrapped her cape from around the petrified snowman. After realizing where he was, Olaf happily slid himself out.
"Wow, books can really transport you to other places, huh?" he laughed, turning around to see where they were headed. His eyes and mouth opened wide when he noticed the scene ahead. As the others looked forward as well, they saw what appeared to be a giant stone wall coming into view from beyond the cliffs. They stared in awe as Sven cautiously brought the wagon closer, and the sheer massiveness of the wall became more visible. It went on for what seemed like miles before curving back around, appearing to encompass the entire area. No designs or insignia could be seen, just plain stone with a few cracks and blemishes.
"Whoa, they're totally isolated in there," Olaf gushed as he gaped at the enormous structure. Then a thought popped into his head and he started grabbing the clothes that lay beside him. "Better get dressed."
As they continued following the wall, they reached a large iron gate and what seemed to be discreet lookout posts on top of either side of it. Kristoff tugged at Sven's reins and the reindeer stopped.
"Should we…knock?" Anna asked, staring wide-eyed at the looming gate.
Kristoff leaned forward, scanning the gate for any sign of activity. "I don't think anyone would hear you even if you pounded on it."
"Who goes there?"
They heard a demanding voice from above and looked up. The stone that made up one of the lookout posts had a small, rectangular piece that slid out and revealed a window with the eyes of a man inside, leering down at them. Elsa stood up in the wagon.
"The Queen of Arendelle. I was invited to Dyrankia by Queen Marjorie." She spoke loudly, making sure he could clearly hear her words.
"Oh, Your Majesty, yes, we've been expecting you." The man's manner quickly changed from authoritative to subservient. "We'll have the gate open in a moment."
He covered the window with the slab of stone again, followed by sounds of crashing, clanging, and shouts of other men behind the wall, one of them saying, "Someone call Lord Laurence!" After a few minutes, the gate slowly opened, revealing three men on each side, pushing the two massive doors. The doors moved with a deafening creak, as if they hadn't been opened in months. When the entrance was finally wide enough for Kristoff's wagon to enter, a short, pudgy man in a tightly fitted red suit and prim black vest walked towards them. His blonde goatee bounced along with each step.
"Welcome to Dyrankia," he said flatly, barely cracking a smile. "I'm Laurence, Queen Marjorie's advisor." He gave a quick glimpse at the group in the wagon. "I'll guide you to the castle. This way, please." Without waiting for a response, he turned around and headed back into the kingdom.
Kristoff flicked Sven's reins and the reindeer pulled the wagon forward. As they entered Dyrankia, Olaf pointed to two stone statues that stood on either side of the iron gate. They resembled the same reptilian creature from the book in the library. "Hey, it's Bruni's cousins again," he said in surprise.
Anna and Elsa glanced at the statues, but were distracted by hearing the men at the gate muttering, "Should we keep it open?" and "Queen Marjorie said it's okay until they leave. Just make sure the guards stay posted."
As the wagon trailed along behind Laurence, the group looked around in unease at their surroundings. The homes and buildings that lined the village square were ragged and dilapidated, with paint that was chipped or peeling. There were some barren stretches of farmland in the distance, followed by a series of fenced fields where cows could be seen munching on small patches of dried grass. Many homes looked abandoned, and from the windows of the few that weren't, they could see villagers staring at them with apprehension as they went by. They saw a few people in the streets who reacted similarly, nervously watching the passing wagon and its strange occupants. The wagon kept jostling and Kristoff soon realized it was because the road wasn't evenly paved, with sections of cobblestone broken or missing. As they turned the corner, Elsa looked at Laurence and noticed that he didn't acknowledge any of the villagers as they passed, keeping his eyes straight ahead.
She heard Anna whisper in her ear. "You were right. This place is suspicious."
Olaf waddled around in the wagon, his pants tightly clinging to his abdomen. He adjusted the straw hat that was falling over his eyes and gave a knowing nod. "It's as I said, Dyrankians are masters of isolation. I bet no one here has even seen anyone from another kingdom. That's why they're looking at us like we've all got three heads. But the question is…why?" He rubbed his chin with his hand and lowered his eyebrow in deep thought at his own question.
On the western side of the kingdom, they noticed the towering stone walls of a fortress stretching far across an expanse of empty land. The air above was clouded with smoke and random loud clanging sounds could be heard from inside. The guards posted around the massive gate of the fortress watched with suspicious eyes as the wagon passed by.
Olaf stared with his mouth gaped open at the fortress walls that stretched seemingly into the sky. "Whoa. Whoever lives in there is even more isolated–isolation within isolation!"
As Dyrankia Castle came more clearly into view, Elsa glanced to the side of the wagon and caught sight of something unusual. In an empty section of land, where the buildings that lined the village square seemed to end, stood an enormous, wooden caravan. It looked fairly well-kept compared to the other dwellings in the kingdom, with a smooth coat of light green and brown paint adorning its exterior, and wheels that were perfectly shaped. It had a quaint little door with a small window beside it that showed ornate curtains on the inside. Harnessed to the caravan was a large white ox, sitting on his haunches, contently munching on half of an apple. Elsa watched the ox and caravan as the wagon moved farther away. Something about them was warm and homely compared to the melancholic atmosphere that was lingering over the rest of the kingdom. As she shifted her gaze, she noticed that Anna and Olaf were also looking at the same sight.
Olaf grinned as he watched the ox swallow the remaining core of the apple. "Well, at least someone in this kingdom is having a good time."
"Open the doors!"
They turned around at Laurence's sudden shout and noticed they had reached the front of Dyrankia Castle, its towering spires and pointed roofs casting ominous shadows over them. Hanging from the murky walls next to the castle doors were banners with the silhouette of the salamander creature colored in a dark red dye. Two guards that were posted on either side of the iron doors pulled them open as Laurence stopped in front of them.
"You can leave your wagon here." He gestured towards an empty area in the small courtyard. The group disembarked from the wagon and Kristoff led Sven off to the side. The reindeer's ears drooped as his eyes darted around at the strange surroundings.
"We'll be back a little later, buddy." Kristoff patted Sven between his antlers, then joined the others as they followed Laurence into Dyrankia Castle.
As they walked through the halls in silence, Elsa noticed that the flames that lit up the lanterns hanging on the walls were an unusually dark red color. But before she could ponder on that further, Laurence stopped in front of two double doors that were wide open, revealing a spacious room with an elegant throne at its center. Dazzling rugs were spread across the floor and lustrous curtains hung over the windows.
Laurence motioned for them to enter. "Queen Marjorie is waiting for you in the throne room."
"I think Olaf and I should wait out here," Kristoff whispered to Anna. "You two should do the royal talk. We'll just observe." Anna nodded and continued following Elsa into the throne room. But as Kristoff leaned back against the wall and watched, he noticed that Olaf was already a few feet into the room, bouncing along awkwardly in his tight clothes. "No, Olaf, get over here!" Kristoff suppressed his shouting so as not to draw attention to himself, but everyone had already entered the room and were too far away to hear him. He gave a defeated sigh and continued to watch from the hallway.
Before Anna and Elsa had a chance to look around, a voice greeted them.
"Welcome."
A tall, regal woman with a sinuous, jagged-tipped red cape and equally serrated red collar approached them. Her loose black hair streamed against her back as she walked. She narrowed her intense eyes and gave a sly smile to her guests. Elsa noticed that the now familiar salamander emblem was engraved on the gold medal attached to her sash. "I am Queen Marjorie, of Dyrankia." She spoke in a voice that lingered between dignified and domineering. She paused for a moment as she looked back and forth between Anna and Elsa, finally holding her gaze on the latter. "You must be Queen Elsa."
"Y-Yes," Elsa began, surprised that Marjorie had guessed correctly despite Anna being the one wearing the tiara. "Actually, I'm currently residing in the forest to the north. Queen Anna, my sister, has been the official queen of Arendelle for many months now."
Anna came up beside Elsa and gave a short curtsy. Olaf tried to follow Anna's curtsy with a bow, but his clothes were too tight, so he could only bend over stiffly. He pulled up the straw hat before it slid off his head.
"Oh?" Marjorie contemplated what Elsa said for a moment. "Ah, I get it!" she exclaimed in an affirming tone, as if she had just realized something important. "That's a great idea! Have your sister take care of all the tedious royal duties so you can spend more time enhancing your powers! Very clever." She shot Elsa a crooked smile. "Even though you're not wearing the crown, one with power can always recognize another with power!"
Anna and Elsa looked at each other, confused by Marjorie's unexpected assumptions. Anna opened her mouth to speak, but Marjorie continued. "I would do the same myself, but unfortunately my little brother is completely inept at even the simplest tasks." She looked behind her. Anna and Elsa followed her gaze to where a young man was standing in the corner of the room. "Well, you're here already, so I might as well introduce you. Come on!"
As Marjorie's calling began to turn into snapping, the man hurriedly came over. He was thin and lanky, but his face was full, with bright eyes and rounded features. He stood beside Marjorie and ran his hands through his short, dark hair to straighten it.
"This is my younger brother, Prince Clyde." Marjorie's enthusiastic voice suddenly became disinterested. Clyde had been watching Marjorie nervously, but when his eyes met the sisters', he gave them a cordial smile and a long bow. They noticed that the red knife sheath attached to his belt also bore the salamander symbol.
"Anyway!" Marjorie's voice was fervent again. "As my letter stated, I do believe what I wish to discuss today will bring about momentous changes for both our kingdoms. I would have said more, but things of this magnitude should be dealt with in person. And of course, I wanted to make sure you were as powerful as I had heard."
"Queen Marjorie," Elsa interjected as politely as she could. "I'm afraid we're a little confused. We couldn't find any information about Dyrankia prior to our visit, which has never happened with any other kingdom."
Marjorie's mouth curved into a knowing smile, as if she had been waiting for this subject to arise. She held out her hand. In an instant, a brilliant red flame materialized in her open palm. Anna and Elsa gasped. Kristoff, who had been watching the scene while leaning against the doorway, quickly stood up in shock at what he saw. Olaf's jaw dropped at the sight. Suddenly, he felt a wave of fear from the fire and tucked himself behind Elsa, draping her cape around him. Clyde looked at the fire and let out a sigh of sad resignation.
"Is that…magic?" Elsa stared in disbelief at the pulsing fire in Marjorie's hand.
"That it is." Marjorie smirked. She closed her hand around the flame and it disappeared.
"H-How do you have magic?" Anna stammered. "Were you born with it, too? Are you also a fifth spirit, like Elsa?"
"A what spirit?" Marjorie scoffed at the odd term.
"A fifth spirit. Someone who's a bridge between magic and humans," Elsa explained.
Marjorie thought for a moment. Her eyes widened as a memory struck her. "Oh, like the magical spirits from the Enchanted Forest? That old legend from those savages, the Northuldra. I think I had a book about that when I was a child."
Elsa felt a spurt of anger at the word "savages." But before she could open her mouth to protest, Marjorie's booming voice continued.
"'A bridge between magic and humans.' It does have a nice ring to it, huh? I could definitely go with that! But anyway…" She clasped her hands together and approached the throne, standing in front of it and facing the sisters. "I think we should start back at the beginning." Anna and Elsa watched her warily as she began speaking while pacing back and forth in front of the throne.
"My grandfather, and the other founders of Dyrankia, knew the value of power. But they also knew that Dyrankia was a small, vulnerable kingdom. So rather than tremble in fear of being conquered, they did the smart thing–they made plans to grow stronger! They erected a giant wall around the kingdom, making it impervious to any invasion. They also made sure no one knew of their plans for power. They turned away all historians, cartographers, authors…by the time my father became king, Dyrankia had virtually disappeared from existence."
She paused for a moment and looked at a painting on the opposite wall of a rigid-looking man in royal attire sitting in what appeared to be the same throne room.
"When my father learned I was gifted with such extraordinary power–the power of fire, the very element of the great salamanders that our ancestors revered, he knew it was a sign…a sign that I was destined to helm Dyrankia's rise to power!" She turned away from the painting and began pacing around the room again. Clyde solemnly lowered his head as she passed him. "Sadly, my parents didn't live long enough to see the fated day come–the day Dyrankia reveals itself to the world, as the most powerful kingdom of all. But when I assumed the throne, I made sure that day would come as soon as possible. Of course, I can't reveal Dyrankia's master plan just yet."
She suddenly looked directly at Elsa. Elsa's brow furrowed at the abrupt eye contact. Marjorie began pacing back the other way as she continued speaking. "Then, just about a year ago, I heard about a queen from a little kingdom called Arendelle. Since I do such a good job at keeping Dyrankia isolated from the world, we're often late with getting news about other kingdoms…years late, sometimes. But when my servants returned to Dyrankia that day, they told me that this queen of Arendelle possessed amazing ice magic. No spells, no incantations…the magic flowed from her fingertips as naturally as breathing. Just like my powers! I, of course, wanted to meet you immediately, but then I thought–no, Dyrankia's ultimate plan is so close to completion. Let me wait until that day arrives so I can reveal it to you in full, in case we have to sort out any 'disagreements.' But now, that day is here." Marjorie spun around and faced Elsa again, her eyes shining with conviction. "And you're here, to be part of it."
"I'm sorry, but I still don't understand what…" Elsa's head was spinning as she tried to sort through the wealth of questions that had formed in her mind after hearing Marjorie's speech.
"An alliance of course!" Marjorie cut her off, her voice practically shouting. "An alliance between Dyrankia and Arendelle. For power! For conquest!"
"Conquest?" Elsa was taken aback by a concept she had never considered.
"Of course!" A gleeful smile spread across Marjorie's face as her eyes widened in thought. "Can you imagine it? One queen with magical powers is more than enough, but two? Together? No other kingdom would stand a chance! Vesterland, Chatho…even the mighty army of Vassar would crumble before us."
"I'm sorry, Queen Marjorie," Elsa spoke quickly before Marjorie could continue. "But I only use my powers to help others, not conquer them."
"That's right." Anna spoke up as calmly as she could despite pangs of irritation rising in her from everything Marjorie had said. "Arendelle has been at peace for many years. We're not interested in conquest and never will be."
"You can't be serious," Marjorie scoffed, her face falling. "Then what do you use that amazing power for? To make pretty little ice sculptures to decorate the kingdom? To give everyone ice skating lessons? It's a waste!" Her last line came out in an angry yell as her face reddened. Anna and Elsa continued to glare at her, each wanting to say so much and not knowing where to start. But before they could respond, Marjorie's gaze suddenly fell on Olaf, who was cowering behind Anna. She advanced on the snowman, snatching his stick arm and yanking him to the side. The sudden force caused the straw hat dangling from his head to fall to the floor.
"I knew there was something strange about your little butler here." She looked over the flinching snowman, her eyes wide with fascination.
"Uh…f-footman…" Olaf stuttered as he tried to pull away from Marjorie's grasp.
"Don't touch him!" Elsa demanded, no longer hiding the anger she had been suppressing. She tried to grab Olaf, but Marjorie pulled him out of the way. Olaf shrieked as Marjorie pushed her hand onto his clothes. They burst into flames, then quickly shriveled to ashes that fell into a pile on the floor.
"Marjorie, stop!" Clyde spoke for the first time since they had entered the room. He weakly tugged at Marjorie's arm, but she brushed him aside.
"Amazing!" she beamed with delight, her eyes as wide as saucers as she poked and prodded at Olaf's coals and feet. "I can't believe you were able to make a living snowman! One that's impervious to heat!"
Anna and Elsa made another attempt to grab Olaf, but Marjorie kept evading them while continuing to gawk at the whimpering snowman in her grasp. "Think of the army of snowman soldiers you could make! I tried doing the same, you know. Getting my powers to develop a will of their own, but I just couldn't do it. Best I could do was make fireproof clothes for myself. Guess you have one over on me there, huh?" She chuckled at her last remark, then stopped abruptly when Anna forcibly pushed herself between Marjorie and Olaf, finally tugging the snowman away. She was practically nose to nose with Marjorie as she ushered Olaf to move behind her.
"Leave him alone." She mustered the most authoritative voice she could, glaring at Marjorie with unwavering eyes. Marjorie regarded Anna for a moment, still holding her ground without moving back despite their faces being only an inch apart. As a sneer crept up Marjorie's mouth, Anna suddenly felt heat in front of her. Before she realized what was happening, a crimson flame erupted in front of Marjorie. Anna tried to back away, but the wisps of the flame were too close. She cried out as they brushed against her face.
"Anna!" Elsa screamed. Anna clutched her face in pain and started to stumble backwards, but Elsa and Olaf caught her.
"Anna!" Kristoff shouted as he ran into the room. He placed his hands on Anna's shoulders to steady her.
"I'm…okay," she muttered. Her face was scrunched in a wince while she cradled it in her hand. Elsa gently moved Anna's hand aside and saw a small but painfully blatant burn on her cheek. Clyde stared in disbelief at the scene before finally turning to Marjorie.
"M-Marjorie…how could you?" He looked at his sister with discontented eyes, but she continued to leer. She waved her hand over the flame and it disappeared.
"Hey, it's her fault for getting in my personal space. I just wanted a closer look at that incredible specimen of a snowman. I can't help it if my magic gets a little…spontaneous when I get excited." She smirked at Elsa. "I'm sure Elsa understands how that is."
As Kristoff comforted Anna, Elsa faced Marjorie. An emotion began welling up inside her that she was unfamiliar with…dislike. She could only recall two times she ever felt strong dislike for someone else: the time she had to face the traitorous Hans before he was sent back to his country, and the time she saw the memory of her grandfather making false claims about the trustworthiness of magic. But this time was different. This was the first time anyone had purposefully harmed her sister right before her eyes. She felt magic materializing in her fingertips–magic that was feeding from her emotions, pining to be let out. But she kept it suppressed and instead tried to speak whatever words came out at that moment.
"H-How…dare you…" Her voice was shaking with anger.
"It was a little mishap, okay?" Marjorie waved her hand dismissively. Then her expression grew serious. "But you should really teach your sister to respect personal boundaries. And respect those with power."
She took a step back, then smiled smugly as another, larger flame erupted in front of her. As everyone gasped and backed away, Elsa instinctively raised her hands. The magic that had been festering inside them burst from her fingertips, blasting a chunk of ice at the flame. The clash of the two opposing elements caused a loud sizzling sound followed by a blinding cloud of smoke. Marjorie laughed as she jumped out of the way.
"Finally! I get to see your magic. It's incredible! I love it!" she gushed as the smoke cleared, revealing shards of Elsa's ice scattered on the floor and a damp puddle below the flame where the fire had melted the chunk of ice. Marjorie raised her arms high. Pulsing wisps of fire formed in her palms. "Let me see more if it!"
"Marjorie, stop!" Clyde's panicked voice rang out. He pulled on Marjorie's arm. "You're going to destroy the throne room!"
Icy magic was already swirling around Elsa's palms as she backed up in anticipation of Marjorie's next move. She raised her hands to ready another blast, then lowered them as she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"It's okay, Elsa." Elsa looked to the side and saw Anna standing next to her, glaring up at Marjorie. "She's not worth all this."
Elsa gave a slight nod. She lowered her arms to her side and the swirls of magic dissipated. Realizing that the dispute had come to an end, Marjorie jerked her arm out of Clyde's grasp and nonchalantly waved it over the bright flame in front of her. The flame faded away in a puff of smoke, and the fire in her palms dispelled. Anna stepped forward, still holding her gaze on Marjorie.
"I'm sorry, Queen Marjorie," she said, her tone calm and official despite her anger and the biting pain on her cheek. "But Arendelle will not be forming an alliance with Dyrankia. We'll be taking our leave now."
Marjorie watched Anna with a placid smile as she and Elsa headed back towards the double doors with Kristoff and Olaf following behind them. Olaf suddenly stopped in his tracks, turned around, and sheepishly waddled back into the room. He grabbed the straw hat that was still lying on the floor as quickly as he could. He pulled it down over his stick hair, then ran back to the others. Laurence watched impassively as they passed him at the doorway, then he looked towards Marjorie. She gave him a nod and he closed the double doors after them.
"I can't believe you used your fire on them!" Clyde reproached while Marjorie continued to stare towards the doors. "There's no chance they'll ever agree to join you after what you did. And now they know about Dyrankia, and your powers. What if they tell other kingdoms and…"
"Don't you worry little brother," Marjorie cooed. She grabbed Clyde's cheek in a firm pinch. "I could tell right away that Elsa wouldn't want to join my cause that easily. Even if she tells other kingdoms about me now, the plan is so close to being completed, it doesn't matter. It's a good thing I waited before reaching out to her." Her teeth suddenly clenched in anger as she recalled the previous encounter. "Can you believe it, though? Instead of strengthening her powers like I am, she's frolicking around in the forest! Isn't the forest to the north of Arendelle where the Northuldra live? Why is she wasting her time with those nobodies?"
"I thought that's the forest that's been blocked off by the magical mist," Clyde said.
"Is it?" Marjorie asked with disinterest as she approached one of the windows on the wall. Through the glass, she could see the group from Arendelle exit the castle doors and head towards their wagon in the courtyard. "Well, it's no matter. I've seen enough to know what I need to do next. I'll give Elsa one more chance to see the error of her ways."
"H-How will you do that?" Clyde stammered, not really wanting to know the answer. But Marjorie ignored him and instead shouted in the direction of an open door in the back of the room.
"Alfonse! Wilhelm!"
After a moment, two large, brawny men in dark red uniforms with sheathed swords clattering against their belts hurried into the room.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Alfonse said in a gruff voice. Marjorie approached him and Wilhelm, grabbing each of their arms and leading them back towards the room they came from.
"We need to discuss some things. A few more loose ends need to be tied before the fated day."
Clyde started to follow them, but Marjorie quickly spun her head around and scowled at him. He halted in his tracks, knowing that was a sign that he wasn't to be part of their discussion. He watched the three of them disappear behind the open door and Marjorie shut it behind them. He sighed, then thought for a moment. He turned around and headed towards the double doors leading out of the throne room.
"We can't just let her get away with this!"
Kristoff's voice was rising with aggravation as the wagon clambered down the bumpy road back through the village square.
"But what can we do?" Anna replied. "Arendelle's in no position to start a war or anything like that." The thought made her shudder as she turned to Elsa. "But even though we said we won't ally with her, she doesn't seem like someone who would take 'no' for an answer, right?"
"Probably not." Elsa stared blankly at the floor of the wagon, her mind repeatedly going over the events that just occurred. "If conquest is what she's seeking, it's only a matter of time before she tries to…conquer Arendelle."
The three of them stopped talking as the harsh realization of this fact sunk in. Olaf, who had been sitting in a quiet state of shock next to Anna, suddenly spoke up.
"She was so scary," he murmured. He rubbed his stick arms over his body, remembering the sensation of his clothes burning away. "I usually like fire, like Bruni's fire or a cozy fireplace on a cold night. But her fire was…terrifying." He pulled the sides of the straw hat around his face as his body sunk down in fear.
"Her magic didn't feel like any magic I've encountered before." Elsa rubbed her hands together and shivered slightly. "Not like the spirits' magic or even Ahtohallan. I just can't imagine she has any connection to them. Her magic felt so…corrupted."
"Well, we'll figure out what to do when we get home," Kristoff said coolly, trying to lighten the mood. "But first thing is to get your injury treated, Anna."
"It's not that bad." Anna tried to reassure him by patting her hand against the burn on her cheek, but the sudden touch caused a stinging pain to surge through her face. "Ow!" She winced and clasped both her hands over the burn.
"Let me see that." Elsa promptly scooted closer to Anna. She opened her hand, and ice magic began to form on her fingertips. She brought her hand to Anna's face and placed her icy fingers tenderly against the burn.
Anna flinched at the sudden cold, then smiled as the sensation began to feel soothing. "That feels good," she said with a relieved sigh. Then her smile started to fade. "Maybe it would have been better if I stayed home. You were right, all she wanted was you and your powers. And all I did was get hurt."
"That's not true," Elsa replied in a comforting tone. "You were so brave to stand up to someone like her. Arendelle was well represented."
Anna smiled back at her before abruptly pulling her face away as she realized her cheek was starting to feel numb with frigidness. "Okay, it's a little too cold now." She covered her cheek with her hand again.
"Sorry," Elsa apologized, lowering her hand and dispelling the magic from her fingers.
"It's my fault, I was being a coward and Anna protected me!" Olaf wailed. He jumped into Anna's lap and pulled her face against his, squishing her cheek into its soft, snowy surface. "Here. Let my cold body freeze your burn away!"
"Thanks, Olaf…but…" Anna mumbled, her voice muffled from her face being squished against Olaf's. She politely removed the snowman's arms from around her head and straightened up. "I'll be fine until we get home."
"Wait! Please!"
The group turned around in unison when they heard a voice calling to them in the distance. They saw Clyde running after the wagon, frantically waving his arms. Kristoff pulled on Sven's reins, and the reindeer stopped. As Clyde reached the side of the wagon, he put his hands on his knees and bent over, struggling to catch his breath.
"Prince Clyde?" Anna looked at him, puzzled.
Clyde straightened up and gave an awkward smile. "Oh, you remembered my name…" he started, then trailed off as he recalled why he had chased after them. He got down on both his knees and bent forward as low as he could. "I just wanted to apologize…for the terrible way my sister treated you. I'm so sorry!"
Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff watched him in confusion, taken aback by the unexpectedly genuine apology. Finally, Anna spoke up. "It's okay, you didn't do anything wrong." She waved her hand assuredly.
Clyde got to his feet and looked at Anna, frowning when he saw the burn on her cheek. "Oh…that looks painful," he discerned, his voice sympathetic. His expression lit up as an idea struck him. "If you'll follow me for a moment, I have something that can help treat that. Please, it's the least I can do." The group in the wagon exchanged uncertain looks.
"Thank you, but…" Anna began, but Elsa abruptly cut her off.
"Alright, that's very kind of you. Please show us the way."
Clyde beamed at the acceptance of his offer and started heading back in the direction they came. "Go on, Kristoff," Elsa said, patting a perplexed Kristoff on the knee. He quickly tugged on Sven's reins and the reindeer pulled the wagon around and followed Clyde.
"Are you sure you want to trust him?" Kristoff whispered to Elsa, keeping his voice low so Clyde couldn't hear.
"That's right," Anna added. "He seems nice, but we saw what his sister was like. She could be manipulating him."
"He's our only chance at getting more information about Dyrankia…and Marjorie." Elsa kept her gaze fixed on Clyde's back. "We'll just be careful around him."
As they continued to follow Clyde back towards the last line of buildings in the village, a familiar sight came into view–the conspicuous caravan and its accompanying ox they had seen earlier. The ox was resting on the ground with his burly legs folded under him. When Clyde approached him, he immediately stood up and mooed with excitement.
"Hey Fritz." Clyde patted the ox's muscular face. Kristoff stopped the wagon in front of the caravan and Olaf quickly jumped out, tossing the straw hat onto the seat next to him. He bounced happily towards Fritz.
"So your name is Fritz? I'm Olaf, and I like warm hugs!" He blurted out an introduction, standing in front of the ox and waving up at him. Fritz lowered his head, his giant nostrils contracting as he sniffed at Olaf's carrot nose. "Oh, look at him trying to kiss my nose, I like…" Before Olaf could finish, Fritz opened his mouth and chomped down hard on the carrot. He sucked it into his mouth and swallowed it whole.
"Fritz!" Clyde scolded, grabbing the ox's muzzle while he placidly licked his chomps. "That's so rude!" He turned to Olaf, who was still standing in surprise with his mouth open in mid-sentence. "I'm so sorry about that. I'll try to find you another carrot."
"That's okay, we have more," Anna said as she, Elsa, and Kristoff stepped out of the wagon. She pulled a carrot out of a burlap bag that was propped against the side of the seat and stuck it into the hole on Olaf's face where the previous carrot had been. He fondled it in his stick hands for a moment before looking up at her.
"Thank you!" He then noticed Fritz eyeing the new carrot and slowly backed away, chuckling. "Guess it's not good to get too friendly too soon, huh?"
"This is your caravan?" Elsa asked, approaching the large, wooden vehicle. Up close, its precise, appealing shape, sleek coat of paint, and smooth slats of wood gave off an even more inviting feel.
"Yes, it is." Clyde ran his hand along the side of the caravan. A serene smile formed on his face. "I use it for my…" Before he could finish, everyone turned towards a loud voice in the distance.
"Prince Clyde!"
A little boy with a head of messy brown hair and a shirt too big for his small stature ran over to Clyde. He was followed by an elderly woman in a ragged dress and gray hair tied back in an unkempt braid. Realizing he was no longer disguised, Olaf discreetly slipped out of sight behind Anna and Elsa.
"My grandma needs the stomach medicine again," the boy said, looking up at Clyde expectantly. "Inner Resip…Repsit…"
"'Inner Respite?'" Clyde finished. The boy nodded.
The woman came up behind the boy and put a hand on his head. "Sorry to bother you again, Your Highness." Her voice was warm but tired. "I'm still having so much trouble eating. And the pain in my stomach is just unbearable at times. The medicine you gave me before worked so well, I was hoping…"
"Don't worry, Bertha…Rolf." Clyde opened the door of the caravan. "I figured you'd need another dose of it, so I prepared it ahead of time. The herbs have been plentiful this season, so it was no trouble at all. I'll get it right now."
He entered the caravan, leaving the door slightly ajar. As rummaging sounds could be heard inside, Bertha and Rolf noticed Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff standing across from them. Rolf looked them over with curiosity while Bertha gave what appeared to be an awkward bow in their direction. She then looked away in uncomfortable silence until Clyde finally returned. He handed Bertha a small vial with off-white liquid inside. She graciously took it from him and began walking away, ushering Rolf ahead of her. Clyde waved at them as they disappeared down the road. He turned back to the others.
"Sorry about that," he muttered. "But here, this way." He pulled open the door of the caravan as wide as it could go and stepped inside, gesturing for them to follow. The interior of the caravan was lined with a row of cabinets, a few of which were open slightly, revealing stocks of vials with different colored liquids and glass jars filled with a variety of herbs, flowers, berries, and mushrooms, some planted in a plot of soil or standing in a bed of water. The left side had a wooden counter attached to the wall with a line of books stacked against it. On top of the counter, a journal was spread open amid papers with various sketches and scribbles. Wooden crates full of rags, bandages, splints, and other medical items were stacked in the adjacent corner.
"So you're a prince and also…a doctor, it looks like." Anna gazed in wonder as she looked around the caravan.
"Something like that," Clyde replied, his voice humble.
"Oh wow, so soft!" Olaf plopped down on a pile of furs and quilts that were spread out and stacked on top of each other on the floor like a makeshift bed. He leaned back against the velvety cushions that lay on the sides.
"Yes, that's the best I can do as far as a bed for my patients." Clyde watched Olaf chortle and rub his stick arms against the soft, furry pelts. "I asked Marjorie if I could have my own clinic, but she said it would be a waste of kingdom resources. So building this caravan was my only other option." He began closing the cabinet doors that were open and straightening the papers and books that lay in disarray on the counter. "But in a way, the caravan makes it easier because I can bring my workshop with me when I gather the plants and other ingredients for my medicines." He stopped speaking, his eyes suddenly broadening with realization. "Oh, sorry for my rambling, we should take care of what we came here for." He hurried to the corner of the caravan and picked up a small wooden stool. "Here, have a seat," he said to Anna, placing the stool down in front of her.
Anna hesitated for a moment, then cautiously sat down, adjusting the folds of her dress over the hard surface. Elsa and Kristoff stood beside Anna and watched Clyde from behind while he rummaged through the cabinet below the counter, placing a jar with a blueish cream-like substance on top. He held a small cotton ball between metal tongs in one hand and rubbed it into the cream.
"This cream made from Occawst berries is especially good at healing burns. I always keep plenty in stock, with Marjorie around," he explained with an ironic chuckle. He approached them with the cotton, which was now saturated with cream. "I call this one 'Cinder's Regret.' I like to give my medicines fancy names. Makes it easier to remember, and it sounds nice, too." He paused when he noticed their looks of concern.
"Oh, you still don't trust me, do you?" His face fell at the thought. "I wouldn't trust me either after what my sister did. But I promise it's perfectly safe. I'll show you." With his other hand, he poked his fingers into the jar of cream, then licked it off his fingertips. "See? It's fine." Anna couldn't help but smile at his earnestness.
"It's alright. I trust you," she said. Clyde returned her smile, bringing the tongs to her face and gently rubbing the cotton ball against the burn on her cheek. Elsa and Kristoff watched intently as Anna cringed at the sudden sensation, then her face grew calm. "It feels really soothing."
Clyde dabbed the cotton ball a few more times, then put the tongs down while holding it in place. "Keep it here for a while so it can soak in," he instructed. While Anna continued to press the cotton against her cheek, Elsa decided it was time to get answers to her numerous questions.
"Prince Clyde," she began, "What exactly is going on in Dyrankia? The kingdom, and its people, seem to be in a very bad state. And what is this 'master plan' that Marjorie kept talking about?"
Clyde gave a heavy sigh. His gaze dropped to the floor. "You probably noticed it, but further on the western end of the kingdom, there's a fortress surrounded by another stone wall. Whatever is going on in there is part of the plan that's been progressing since my parents' time."
"You mean, you don't know what it is?" Kristoff asked, his voice rising an octave.
Clyde shook his head. "There's only a few people Marjorie allows inside the fortress. She has guards posted all around it to make sure of that. You can see smoke coming out and hear a lot of loud, clanging sounds, but the wall blocks everything from view. I do know that she consults with someone who I never see in the village. I think she once said he was an engineer. I'm pretty sure people live inside the fortress, actually. Occasionally, I see carts go inside with heavy loads. I think they come from the mines a few miles away. But the carts are always covered in tarps, so I can never see what they're bringing inside. I'm not even allowed in the castle towers, or other rooms, either…sometimes I feel like a stranger in my own kingdom."
Anna had been so engrossed in what Clyde was saying that she didn't realize the cotton ball she was still holding to her cheek had since dried. She crumpled it in her fist, still facing Clyde. "What about the people of Dyrankia?"
Clyde's expression became even more somber. "I think there's a few kingdoms Marjorie trades with, but she won't even let me know which ones. Our people have managed to get by with mostly Dyrankia resources, but it's difficult, as you've probably noticed. Marjorie puts all the royal wealth into the 'plan' and doesn't care about the poor shape of the kingdom. But the people are convinced that things will get better once she succeeds in bringing Dyrankia to power, so they just bear with it and don't complain."
He paused for a moment, then slowly approached the open door of the caravan. His face was solemn as he looked at Dyrankia Castle in the distance. He leaned against the side of the door and watched as the evening clouds drifted behind the castle's looming towers. "Sometimes, when I'm out gathering ingredients, I think 'maybe I should just…not come back.' Marjorie lets me leave the kingdom for short trips to get my medical supplies, as long as I keep Dyrankia a secret. But I doubt she'd miss me if I never came back. And yet, I always do."
"Because you care about your people…and your kingdom." Anna finished the thought for him as she stood up from the stool. "Maybe there's something we can do to help."
"No!" Clyde spun around, rapidly shaking his head. "The less you have to do with Dyrankia, and Marjorie, the better. This is my problem, not yours. I'll figure something out."
"But if conquering other kingdoms is Marjorie's goal, then it's only a matter of time before she threatens Arendelle," Elsa interjected. She exchanged knowing glances with Anna before turning back to Clyde. "There's a place where I can use my magic to uncover past events. I'll see if I can find any information about Marjorie's plan there."
"And we can check with the trolls," Anna added. "They know a lot about weird, magical events that go on."
Upon hearing the word "trolls," Clyde felt a strange sensation in his mind, like a memory trying to crawl to the surface, but repeatedly sliding off. "Did you say…'trolls?'" His voice was barely audible as he concentrated on recalling the failing memory.
"You know the trolls?" Kristoff asked, taking a purposeful step towards Clyde.
"I know of them…I think…" Clyde shut his eyes tightly, trying hard to pull the fading memory from the depths of his mind. Instead, it slipped further away until it vanished amidst the other thoughts turning around in his head. Anna noticed his troubled expression and spoke up.
"The valley where the trolls live is close to Arendelle. The eldest troll can show visions of the future. Maybe he can show us what Marjorie is planning."
"We should take our leave now." Elsa headed towards the door, then turned back to Clyde. "You've been helpful. Thank you."
Clyde lifted his head as his mind shifted from focusing on the distant memory to the realization that his guests were leaving. He grabbed the jar of Cinder's Regret from the counter, his hands fumbling while he placed the lid on top. He presented the jar to Anna. "Take this. Keep applying it every few hours and the burn should be fully healed in a day or two. And don't worry, I have more in stock."
"Thank you." She gave him a grateful smile as she accepted the jar. She headed out the door with Elsa following behind.
"We're leaving now, Olaf." Kristoff used his foot to lightly nudge the snowman, who had since fallen asleep on the floor bed.
"Mmph…the draugs…they're in the garden…" Olaf mumbled in his sleep. His eyes suddenly fluttered opened, then he jumped up with a start upon realizing where he was. "Wow, books can get inside your dreams too, huh?" he giggled. He hopped out of the caravan and joined the others as they climbed back into Kristoff's wagon.
Clyde's face was glum while he watched the wagon lumber back down the village streets before disappearing around the corner. From the tallest tower of Dyrankia Castle, Marjorie also watched the wagon pass through the kingdom entrance. As the iron gate was shut behind it and the wagon faded into the distant hills, a confident smile spread across her face.