List of musics :

Élan - Nightwish

Wintersaga - Wind Rose

Chapter 13

It was a special day in Arendelle. Princess Anna wondered why it felt like any others then. Leaning on her bedroom window, staring into the ocean of pure snow that was covering the kingdom, she was dreaming of the party she wanted to see. Decorations, a feast, guests, music ... It was the perfect day for that.

And yet, there was nothing. The palace was as calm as a peaceful lake. The tranquility that emanated from it was relaxing, but Anna had lived with it for far too long. She sighed as she hugged the package she had wrapped herself, realizing that she wouldn't even have the satisfaction of seeing the smile on the face of the person she would offered it to. She was brutally torn from her reverie by a little tap on the shoulder. Reflexively, she jumped screaming and knocked what had surprised her with her package.

"AAAAW!" cried the intruder, now on the ground, his face in his hands. "Are you crazy ?!"

Anna recognized without hesitation the person with a long black coat who was lying on the ground.

"Steven?" she worried, kneeling beside him. "Oh! I'm sorry ! I hadn't heard you. "

The geek finished massaging where he had been hit before taking a deep breath. His expression went from anger and pain to tensed calm, as if he was trying to make an inner lion go back in its cage.

"I should have known that a soft landing was something suspicious..." he mumbled.

Anna helped him getting up immediately, a little ashamed. Her friend had returned six months ago and she owed him so much. Despite his memory loss, things had almost returned to the state he had left them. As if the lifestyle he had established in the past had only been asleep, waiting for his return, a bit like spring. After he spoke to her sister, Elsa and she started discussing again. Despite the door between them, it was a pleasure to speak again about the stories the stranger was telling them or to laugh a little of him. There was of course no nastiness, just the fun that both of them had talking about his peculiarities. They never would have said anything bad about their friend.

The two sisters were delighted to retrieve the fantasy that the young man added to their existence. In the past six months, coming and going irregularly, the young man had told them incredible tales such as the adventures of the Baldur's Gate heroes, the saga of the Elder Scrolls and some of the Final Fantasy. Each of his recitations, similar to a spectacle with all the energy that Steven put in them, transported them to worlds so vast and incredible that they forgot their golden prison and their troubles.

He also taught them various songs thanks to his rectangular device. Anna had been very curious after discovering the Metal music that Steven had make her listen. At her insistence, which mixed puppy dog eyes and repeating please again and again, he agreed to let her discover a bit more. But he didn't want to scare her, so he had carefully chosen various groups that he considered safe enough for his Disney Princess friend. Like Nightwish, Rhapsody, Avantasia and, what intrigued her the most, Blind Guardian; because their songs regularly referred to Tolkien's stories, which seemed to have an important place in their hearts, to the delight of their regular geek. Elsa, on the other hand, hadn't been so captivated by this kind of music, which was a little too noisy for her. She was more interested in classical tunes, which didn't bother Steven. But to perfect her "education" as he thought, he did not hesitate to make her discover, without specifying it, scores from films and video games. Whatever the style, Steven knew what music would bring a smile to Arendelle's princesses.

The two sisters were delighted to have their guardian angel back. And yet Anna had just hit him in the face.

"I am really sorry." insisted the girl with the white strand.

"It's nothing." sighed Steven. "This will teach me to never play Garrett anymore."

Anna relaxed at these words, as the geek put back in place the silver pentacle with red stones on his neck. This jewel amused her a little because it reminded her of the one with sky-blue stone that she herself wore around her neck, every day of her life, and that he had given her a long time ago. It was a similarity that she appreciated. Steven then asked her the now usual question.

"How long since last time?"

"Almost a month." replied Anna, looking a little sad.

Steven's eyes widened. A worried "oh!" escaped him. His face was covered with embarrassment which he made follow with sincere apologies.

"It does not matter." replied Anna. "What matters is that you are here now."

She did her best to hide her true thoughts, however. Since his long absence, which had lasted almost seven years and made him lose his memory, she and Elsa were always a little afraid when he disappeared. They were always scared of not seeing him again, so they made the most of each of his visits.

"So… what's new?" asked the geek.

Anna was about to tell him that there hadn't been anything since the last time, but she changed her mind when she realized an important detail.

"You arrive right on the perfect day!" she exclaimed.

"I do?"

Anna could not hide her joy. She was not particularly trying to do so, actually.

"Yes ! Today is Elsa's birthday. "

"Really ? How old is she? " Steven tensed a bit and apologized. "Sorry. It's rude to ask. "

"No no, it's nothing. She's nineteen now. "

The geek noted with amusement.

"Oh well, we're the same age now."

"Really ?" Anna asked, looking surprised when she realized something. "I never asked yours now that I think about it."

"It wasn't that important I guess."

"Maybe. But you will be able to wish her a happy birthday for once. "

"For once ?"

"You were never there for our birthday. We are not angry against you. We know you don't control your comings and goings. And anyway, you always apologized and had fun with us to be forgiven, so it's okay. But this time, you are here. It will make her so happy. " Anna seemed to have an epiphany. "You should give her a present this time."

Steven raised an eyebrow.

"A present ?"

"Absolutely. I have your medallion, but you never offered Elsa anything. We know you don't have much, don't worry, but if you could find something, she would be very happy. "

Steven was not sure how to react. He had already given gifts to his grandfather or to the little blond boy he was caring for, but this time, it was about finding something for a girl who claimed to have known him for years, without him being aware of it. The situation was quite bizarre for him. But he already knew what his answer was.

The relationship he had with the two princesses, with this problem of lost memories, was strange. Even more knowing the complexity of his relationship with Disney licenses. But these details didn't matter in the end. Both of them had shown such kindness to him and interest in what he said that he got attached to them very quickly. He couldn't imagine himself refusing to show them a little gratitude for once.

"What do I offer her then?" he asked, before noticing the package in her hands. "What do you offer her, for example?"

"A box of drawing materials. She stopped doing it a long time ago, she said she was too old for this, but I know she still loves it. She showed me some of her sketches and she has a lot of imagination. Our parents will give her a new green and black dress. A little austere but very elegant. As for you ... "Anna began to think, looking very serious as if it was a state business. "You could offer her something simple. It's the intention that matters you know. "

"Like… flowers?"

"Yes, for example. Or a little piece of jewelry. "

"Except that I have no money." he remembered, before suggesting. "Maybe I could use my ability to get one."

"What do you mean..." Anna paused, grasping the meaning of his words. "NO ! Stealing is bad! Besides, Elsa would be very angry if you offered her something stolen. You don't want that, do you? "

"Surely not !" exclaimed the geek, tensed with fear. "My cheek still remembers her slaps. And her eyes gave me goosebumps. I had flashbacks of Sister Friede just seeing her."

Steven shivered just at the pronunciation of that name. Which annoyed Anna a little seeing her friend painting a pretty negative picture, although partially joking, of her adored sister.

"Oh, you're exaggerating." she replied with amusement. "She is no Smaug."

"No, you're right. That would be your parents. "

"Excuse me ?!"

"What ? You want me to reduce this to your mother? "

"Apologize right away." declared the princess with anger. "My mom is as sweet as a chocobo."

"Sorry, but locking yourself up in this castle for years, even to protect you, is a bit too much. Don't you think ?"

Anna was speechless. She started to stammer, unable to find anything to answer. In her confusion, she lifted her package threateningly, which frightened the young geek.

"I forbid you to speak ill of my parents." Commanded the princess. "Even as a joke. You have no idea what you're talking about. Our parents love us with all their hearts. Mom always says that our father is a bit stubborn but he is a wonderful father and king. And she shows us her loves everyday. There are no greatest parents in the whole universe. She often tells us that Elsa and I are the most wonderful and precious thing in the entire world for them. She lets me talk to you and Elsa when she found this whole bizarre story because she wants us to be happy more than anything else. She also says that, if necessary, our father would cross mountains and rivers for us and ... "

Anna paused when she realized how Steven was now. Initially intimidated by her, his face had changed as she spoke, as did his posture. His eyes reflected a contradictory mixture of wonder and sorrow. His whole body was loose, as if he was taking anything that Anna sent to him without resistance. She who almost wanted to slap him a second before, now seemed to feel an aura of sadness escaping from his whole being. A wave so powerful and incomprehensible that all her anger evaporated.

"You are right." he said in a voice as fragile as a feather.

The princess did not know how to react. She had never seen anyone like this. As she lowered her package, Steven looked down. Anna then found this look familiar. While he was silent, staring blankly, she remembered where she had seen it. During their time together, he had that face sometimes, for very short moments, like black drops in an ocean of good times. So she never thought about it. This time, however, Steven seemed drowned in this sadness. The young man spoke in a voice fragile as crystal.

"I am sorry."

As soon as these words were spoken, Steven disappeared. Anna didn't even look for him. She knew he was no longer here, maybe he was no longer in the castle, but she didn't know what to do. She had never seen Steven like this. He had been annoying and yet she was mad at herself. She felt responsible. The girl dropped to the ground, her package tight against her chest, her gaze lost. She did not perceive the rapid steps in the corridor, nor the opening door.

"Anna?" called a worried voice. "Is everything alright ?"

The princess looked up to find her mother on the doorstep. Her mind entered this data and left it aside, overwhelmed again by what she had just experienced. Queen Iduna, anxious at this lack of response, closed the door behind her and slowly joined her daughter. Approaching, she discovered the lost face of her child. Her heart grew heavier with each step. She knelt beside her, full of concern.

"What's wrong ?" she asked softly.

Anna did not answer for a moment. Then she turned her eyes to her mother and pronounced, as if she was holding a sob that she did not know whether to let go or not.

"Mom ... I think I did something bad."

"Tell me everything, my dear."

It took another moment for the princess to let the words out of her throat, tied by an invisible rope. She related the arrival of Steven, what he had said jokingly and how she had reacted. She described to her mother the look the young man had. The queen also seemed to have started to carry a heavy weight on her shoulders, but that she was able to carry with more ease than her daughter.

"You should have seen him mom." murmured Anna. "It looked like ... I had taken all the joy out of him. Just by talking. " She turned her eyes to those of her mother. "Did I do something wrong?"

Her mother hastened to correct her with her maternal voice, weighed down by a cloud of sadness.

"No, Anna. You didn't want to hurt him. "

"So why was he like that?"

Queen Iduna thought about her words for a moment. She remembered, after all this years, the terrible things the strange little boy had said to her before. The mother wore a bright smile.

"Anna, I'm glad you love your father and me so much. To know that you wanted to defend our honor fill my heart with joy. " Her smile faded slowly. "But... not everyone has parents as loving as you."

"I know it ... in theory."

The queen hesitated. She herself had trouble pronouncing what she was about to say. She took a deep breath, her throat tied, and put her hands on her daughter's, which she clasped tenderly, like a support to keep her from drowning.

"Your friend is the evidence proving it, my dear."

Anna's eyes widened, as if she discovered something horrible in her own reflection, then she put a hand to her lips.

"He's my best friend ... and I hurt him."

"You didn't try to hurt him." hastened to add his mother. "You didn't know. You shouldn't punish yourself for that. No one is perfect, Anna. Neither you, nor me, nor anyone. Sometimes we hurt persons unintentionally, just because we were unaware of something. "

The queen felt in the look of her daughter all the pain that flooded from her heart. She understood what she had in mind from a very maternal intuition. Anna had never hurt anyone, even unintentionally. She never imagined her for a second with the desire to do it by the way. This situation was simply unknown to the princess.

"But what should I do then?" asked the girl.

Her mother hugged her and whispered softly.

"You're sorry, aren't you?"

"Yes, mom." she confirmed, her voice trembling.

"So apologize to him. And just be careful now. It's difficult for someone to talk about their wounds. Some never reveal them even. But if you care about him, then you have to be understanding and accept it, because he lives with this every second of his life. "

"What if he doesn't want my apologies? What if I lost him because of that? "

Queen Iduna understood that this was the heart of her anguish.

"Would you say Steven is resentful?"

"I ... I don't know."

"Does he seem to care about you?"

Anna thoughts about it. She remembered every moment by his side. She remembered everything he had done to amuse her, comfort her, even protect her. She remembered all the stories he had told her, acting despite the fatigue. She lived again the day he had taught her Élan, the day he had offered her his medallion, the day she almost fell from the railing. She shed a tear.

"Yes." she replied.

"So don't worry. He will forgive you. "

Anna began to cry, plunged into her mother's shoulder. She was rocking her child like she always did. She didn't know where Steven was right now, but, ironically, she hoped he would be back soon to see her daughter, letting her tell what she had on her mind. She needed it.

Near the city, on the edge of a forest asleep under its white blanket, a young ice collector and his reindeer were bringing a block of ice using their sleigh, leaving large furrows in the snow. The young, broad-bodied young man was whistling a little tune known only to him and the one who had taught it, accompanied by his furry comrade moving his head to the rhythm of the song.

Staring at the passage of days and time

Moons of blood will lead your way

Heavy, cold, and hard like steel

You beat your hammer to the…

He cut his song when his gaze spotted a shape at the foot of a tree. A dark mass curled up on itself. The collector exchanged a curious look with his reindeer and approached it slowly. He then spotted the brown hair and the strange strand. It didn't take him long to figure out who this was. A smile tried to form on his face but stopped to be replaced by concern. The boy in black was leaning against a trunk, curled into a ball, his face hidden by his arms and knees. Snow nets dotted his body, a sign that he had been in this position for a while already. Finally, the collector tried to get his attention.

"Steven?".

The boy in the long black coat straightened as if taken by surprise from a restless sleep. When he saw who had pulled him from his condition, he rubbed his eyes as he stood up. He cleared his throat suddenly before greeting in a clear, sympathetic voice.

"Hi Kristoff. Hi Sven. "

The collector heard his forceful words, but he couldn't ignore what his friend was trying to hide. He had red and swollen eyes. He had cried for a long time, alone in the cold. Steven still wore a friendly smile.

"Are you okay ?" tried Kristoff.

"I am. And you ?" replied the geek with the same energy.

Kristoff exchanged a worried look with Sven, unsure of what to do. Steven was clearly not feeling well, but he understood that he did not want to show it.

"We're fine, but ... You don't look good." tried the Nordic again.

"Oh, that's nothing." laughed the boy with the crazy strand. "You should have seen me the first time I played Sekiro. I was a mess, you can't imagine. "

Kristoff was not at all reassured, but it was clear that Steven didn't want to talk about what happened to him. The collector and his companion were sad to see this. Despite their complicated and very noisy reunion, they were delighted to have found their old comrade. When he visited them, they discussed everything and nothing for a long time. Steven asked Kristoff questions about collecting ice, even if he knew that the subject did not really interest him. He told them captivating tales and even tried to help them from time to time, in an awkward manner but always with the heart in the right place.

Steven seemed to think for a moment before daring to ask a question.

"Er ... Can I ask you for an advice?"

The surprise took Kristoff out of his own reflections. It was the first time Steven asked him something like that. This request was also for him a chance to help his friend, even if he did not want to tell them what was on his mind.

"Of course. What can I do for you? "

"Can you tell me how to make some money?"

This caught the collector duo completely off guard. They had never heard Steven speak about this subject once since their first meeting.

"Money ? To do what ? I can lend you some if you want but ... "

"No no," interrupted the geek, "thanks but I don't like having debts. I just need a couple of coins to buy a friend's birthday present. "

"A friend ?" asked Kristoff. "Who ?"

"No one you know. Do you have any idea? "

Kristoff thought about it for a moment. He spent more time with the other collectors than in town. He didn't have much idea. He shared the only one that came to his mind.

"You can try the harbour. Maybe the seamen are looking for someone. But... It's probably not in your capacity. "

"And why is that?" rebelled the chain geek.

"Don't pretend to not know. With your physique you will not be able to lift anything. Do I have to remind you of the time when you tried to push one of my blocks of ice? You didn't move it from a millimeter. "

"It weighed a ton!"

"It was still on ice!"

"I find your lack of faith disturbing!" Steven said angry, turning on his heel. "You'll see. I will go there and earn this money."

Kristoff didn't got time to answer for his friend had already run to the city. It was the second time he saw him in an unusual state. In general, he would do as few effort as possible. He hoped, of course, that his friend would succeed, but it surprised him a lot to see Steven running to do some physically exhausting work. He felt like he was in a dream. To be sure, he pinched himself, without result. This friend must have meant a lot to him, he thought.

Arendelle was in itself a very relaxing place during winter. Snow covered the roofs and streets like painted with an innocent color. Children were playing in the streets throwing snowballs. One of them searched for ammunitions and came across something that surprised him so much that he stopped in amazement. A young man gasping against a wall, as if all the air from his lungs had been removed. His tongue hung limply, like that of a big dog. He had never seen anyone in such a state, or with such a long coat, or such a strange hairstyle. When the stranger finished catching his breath, his gaze met that of the child who ran away.

Steven wanted to slap himself for a moment. Why was he running like crazy? On the other hand, he didn't know how long it would take to earn this money and how long he would stay in this world this time. He wanted to lie down to rest, but he didn't have a second to spare. He had to find a job as quickly as possible. He who was the biggest supporter in the world of the No Effort philosophy, was now exhausting himself like a fool to do something unpleasant. He wasn't sure he recognized himself at the time.

He needed to find something a gift at all costs for Elsa. He hadn't known her for a very long time, although she claims the opposite, but he really wanted to offer her something. She was less energetic than her sister, he even would say she was, no pun intended, sometimes a little cold. Still, he loved chatting with her. Their conversations were always interesting. She and he talked about many different things, sometimes music, Tolkien's stories or even what she was studying. She had even told him the story of her grandfather Runeard, to reverse the roles for once she said. Sometimes she made fun of him a bit, especially when he was making a joke she didn't understand, but her gentle, caring voice made it clear it was just for fun. It had almost become a game between them. A game he enjoyed more than he could have ever imagined, sprinkled with wanderlust every time she used her powers. It was curious for her, but she seemed to had less troubles using them in her presence.

When he arrived on the city docks, he spotted a duo of old sailors with graying hair and muscles trained but worn by time. They were chatting in front of their boat, preparing two old seaman's pipes, one with a thick beard and the other with well-trimmed sideburns. Steven was getting scared. He had never looked for a job before. What if they had nothing? Or if they didn't want him? What would he do?

'Okay, calm down.' he thought. 'They're no Innsmouth fishermen … I hope.'

Steven kept in mind his goal, a gift for his friend, and took a deep breath. He took a determined step towards the two sailors and timidly called out to them. The duo looked curiously at this eccentric skinny youngster who was stammering.

"Would you… have some work?"

The sailors exchanged an incredulous look, as if he was the last person he expected to see speaking to them.

"It could be." suggested the bearded sailor. "Is it to enlist in or is it punctual?"

"It's just to get a few coins for the day." replied the geek sincerely, without daring to look at them in the eyes. "I will do anything you have."

The bearded sailor raised his eyebrows, taking a deep drag from his pipe. His coworker colleague patted him on the shoulder and whispered something in his ear. The bearded man seemed intrigued, then smirked, which worried the young man.

"Very well." accepted the latter. "If you can get these boxes on board, we'll pay you."

Steven looked where the sailor was pointing at with his pipe and discovered an army of wooden squares. He widened his eyes and thought for a moment that he was going to pass out. He was stunned for a moment, swallowing a blow. He even thought about running away again. But Elsa's image came to his mind. The idea of making her smile with a gift had the illogical effect of relaxing him. He sighed, took off his long black coat, then the shoulder holster that held his Colt Python. He wrapped the weapon in the dark coat and put the package in the snow. He then approached the first cubic monster under the intrigued gaze of the two sailors.

The young man took the box with both hands and pulled with each of the muscles in his body. It was as if the object was stuck to the ground. He pulled even harder, groaning like a wild beast, and managed to lift the object a few inches. He pushed on his legs and managed to bring it up to his chest, before starting to lose his balance. He planted his foot in the snow to catch up and eventually advanced slowly towards the ship. When he reached the stairs leading to the hold, he was carried away by the weight of the box and hurtled down at full speed. He avoided overturning the box at the cost of collapsing on the ground, crushed by it. He had taken the object to its destination. Sweat beaded from his forehead like a waterfall and his lungs burned. He went out into the fresh air and saw again how his work had barely begun. The two sailors whispered to each other while Steven took the second crate tightly, breathless.

The day seemed very long to him. A torrent of pain that only stopped only the few times he tried to catch his breath. Twice he planted a splinter in his hands. His throat was dry and his body was burning despite the snow and the northern wind. All this under the amused and embarrassing look of the two sailors who had not taken their eyes off him for a moment.

Finally, he managed to put the last box in the hold. He left the bowels of the boat, dragging his feet. Steven returned to the two sailors, trying in vain to catch his breath.

"I ... did it ..." he said, less to tell them what they knew than to remember what they had promised him.

The sailors exchanged slightly surprised looks, then the bearded man took a handful of coins from his pocket and placed them in the young man's trembling hand. The latter then dragged his paw to his black coat, partially buried in the snow. He put on the frozen clothing while the sailor with the sideburns advised him with a laugh.

"You must be completely broke, boy. Don't spend it all at the tavern, okay? "

The geek didn't even have the strength to get upset. He just left, pronouncing softly, as if half conscious.

"It's not for me ... It's for a ... girl's gift."

"A girl ?" repeated the bearded man.

The two sailors had an illumination and uttered a common: "Oooooh!"

"Now everything makes sense." sneered the sailor at the sideburns.

Steven was no longer listening to them. He did not see the latter taking out a purse to entrust it to his smiling colleague. In addition to a fun show, this had been very good for his personal gain.

Meanwhile, Steven walked, short-winded, towards an alley where he had spotted earlier a store likely to have what he was looking for: a chocolate shop. The saleswoman who was arranging the candy bags jumped when she saw the young man. For once, it was less because of his looks than the condition he was in. His forehead was still glistening with sweat, he seemed to be still having trouble breathing, and he was bent as if he could no longer carry his own head.

"Are you alright sir?" she worried.

"I'm fine ..." he said with difficulty. "I would like to buy ... a bag of chocolate."

The saleswoman chooses a bag with a brown ribbon and exchanges it for a coin which the young man handed to her.

"It's probably ... a bit stupid ..." Steven was trying to say. "But would you know... if there are ... flowers to buy ... somewhere?"

"Well ... There is the florist who makes it grow in his greenhouse, but it is expensive and it will close soon I think."

"Where is it please?"

The saleswoman told him and Steven took a deep breath before throwing himself in the direction indicated. Fatigue made him stumble on the ground, which worried the chocolate seller, but the young man got up painfully and left without waiting. It was getting late.

In the castle, Elsa admired her presents with a broad smile. The dress her parents had given her was beautiful, even if she thought it to be a bit dark, and the drawing materials Anna had given her were absolutely perfect. She admired the colored pencils and, glancing at her new garment, began to form an idea that pleased her. It was a nice birthday.

There was, however, something curious today. When Anna came to speak to her, she felt that her voice was weaker than usual. Her sister had told her that Steven had passed by and that he would surely come to visit her. The idea made her very happy. Despite the moments when he was incomprehensible or annoying, she enjoyed talking to him a lot. He was really interested in what she was telling him and, most of all, seemed never scared of her. When she chatted with him, she never felt judged or worried. He adored her magic powers and made her understand this pretty well. She even managed to do a few tricks for him and his little brown eyes sparkled each time, like an innocent kitten. It amused her a lot.

After that, Anna had asked her to tell him to come and see her if possible. She apparently wanted to say something to him before he left. Elsa was worried when she heard these words. No matter how bad it was, the Snow Princess was not convinced it was trivial.

Lost in thought, she jumped when she heard a big shock behind her. Turning around, she discovered a crazy strand planted on a head she knew well, just behind her bed. She stood up smiling at first but seemed intrigued when she heard choppy and muffled noises coming from her visitor. When she got close to him, she went into utter worry. Her friend, leaning against the bed, was having trouble breathing and his eyes were half closed, as if his eyelids could not open on their own.

"Steven!" she shouted, kneeling next to him. "Are you alright ?"

The geek took a deep breath before responding.

"Don't worry ... It's perfectly ... normal ..."

Before she could ask him why. The young man in black hardly raised his arms to offer the princess a bag with a brown ribbon and a small bouquet of red roses.

"Happy ... birthday ..." he breathed.

Caught off guard, Elsa didn't know what to do except to grasp it. When she made the connection between his condition and what he had given her, Elsa's eyes widened and asked him, dumbfounded.

"You ended up like this... to give me flowers and chocolate?"

"Yeah, I know ..." he tried to say. "It's pathetic ... But that's all ... I could find."

"What? NO !" corrected the princess. "I am very touched by your efforts."

Steven looked up quite surprised. The golden-haired princess wore an enchanting smile and her eyes were filled with gratitude that affected Steven to the point of feeling lighter. He forgot to breathe for a second. However, he quickly took a deep breath. He was relieved. He had accomplished his mission.

"Thank you." she said.

Steven in turn smiled.

"You're welcome." he replied.

The two teenagers looked into each other's eyes for a moment. Steven had the impression, without understanding why, of being hypnotized by the two sapphires of the princess. She ended up breaking eye contact with an embarrassed laugh. Elsa placed the bouquet in a small vase and the chocolate bag on her desk.

"So, what's new?" asked Steven. "Anna told me it has been a month since the last time."

"Everything is fine." replied the princess in her dignified and gentle voice. "My father brought new books so I have something to keep me busy while you're away."

"Do you mean I'm going to be obsolete?" amused the geek.

"Of course not ... Well, not until your stories becomes books."

"Oh ! It's a critical hit. You are making me sad."

Elsa laughs a little. Then she remembered Anna's message and transmitted it while she was arranging the roses. Hearing this, Steven felt heavier. He had a clear idea of what she wanted to talk about and didn't know what to do. He was afraid of facing her again, but at the same time, he knew that running away would only make things more difficult later. When Elsa finished taking care of the bouquet, she collapsed on her bed to speak to Steven, her head resting on her hand.

"What about you, anything new?"

"Oh not much. Just the routine right now. Except maybe I successfully hunted a Kirin. I think I catched it very quickly. New record I guess."

"Is this still one of your games?" she asked smiling and arching an eyebrow.

Steven had not explained the principle of a video game to her, it would have been too long. So he simply let the princesses imagine that his games were other role-playing games, like those he had done with Anna.

"Dear friend, hunting monsters is more than a game. It is a way of life. An epic adventure worthy of the greatest saga. "

"Oooooh it must be really dangerous." she quipped.

"Bah! You just have to stay focused and it becomes ... One minute ... You are making fun of me. "

"Me ?" she replied, falsely offended. "How dare I make fun of such a great hunter?"

Steven grumbled like an irritated beast. He crossed his arms and seemed to sulk.

"You're lucky to be awesome with your powers." he grumbled.

Elsa sneered as she placed her hand over his head, dropping a few snowflakes on him

"So I note that it only takes a bit of snow to tame this terrible Dragonborn."

Steven got rid of the snow that she had put in his hair, under the amused look of the princess. They had a great time telling anecdotes, innocent cutting remarks and, ultimately, having fun. When Elsa's dinner was brought by her servant, Steven disappeared by reflex. This saddened the princess a little, but she was already delighted with the time spent with him. When her dinner was over, she opened the bag that Steven had given her. She relishfully savored the chocolate, while appreciating the roses' scent. For some reason, she felt lighter, with a paradoxically curious weight on her heart. It was really a wonderful birthday.

One second blinking and Steven found himself in another room of the castle. One he recognized immediately. He looked around and found the one he feared to meet: Anna, sitting on her bed. The young man cleared his throat to get her attention. She didn't jump. The princess got up slowly before turning to him. The first thing Steven noticed was her swollen eyes. He was surprised. He was about to talk, but Anna interrupted him in a sad voice.

"Steven ... Let me speak first, please."

The young man with the chains remained statuary. The girl took a deep breath and spoke to empty her heart.

"I am sorry. I went too far earlier. I didn't want to hurt you. I don't know what you've been through and you don't need to explain it to me. I just want you to know how sorry I am for hurting you and that ... if one day you wanted to talk about it, I'm ready to listen to you. "

The young man gaped. His face decomposed under the princess' eyes. She feared to have made things worse. Steven slowly approached her. She perceived a form of gratitude that she had never seen before, mixed with sadness. Steven felt a knot in his throat. He made an effort to let out a few words.

"Thank you, Anna. I am sorry too. "

The princess felt an enormous weight disappear from her heart. Steven thought she was going to cry again, but instead she threw herself on Steven to hug him. The geek was never very comfortable when she did this; except this time. Steven was less tense than usual. He patted her on the back gently. But before he could say anything, his head was spinning. He knew that feeling. This feeling of having a part of him here and the other part elsewhere. He wanted to warn his friend, but a part of him didn't want to let her go. He stood in Anna's arms till the end. He disappeared suddenly. Anna found herself alone again. Only this time she was relieved. She had made peace with her best friend.

List of references :

Baldur's gate, The Elder Scrolls, Final Fantasy, Dark Project (Thief), Dark Souls 3: Ashes of Ariandel, Bilbo the Hobbit, Final Fantasy, Sekiro: shadow dies twice, Star Wars, Myth of Cthulhu, Monster Hunter, Skyrim