~Chapter 5~

Elsa

It wasn't pain that woke me from my groggy sleep, it was that voice. Though it was louder ringing in my ears more than ever before. I sat up still groggy from sleep and whatever Rebekka probably gave me for my pain. My left hand was only a dull throb and even if it hurt, I wanted to know if I could blast my magic from that hand. Anna was still asleep with her mouth hanging open on the sofa beside me. So quietly got up and left Rebekka's home venturing outside into the darkness of this still night. I walked through the town right up outside the castle gates. I started blasting out snow piles with my right hand and I could feel a tingling sensation coming from my left. They wanted to come out, but the burn wound didn't make it possible. I had to find Marcus, he had to know I was okay...relatively speaking. Maybe Grand Pabbie knew a way. The voice echoed in my head again and I tried to ignore it. Though every time I blasted out ice magic, the voice got louder as if encouraging me to keep using my powers. The voice kept echoing back in a haunting melody and it made me nervous and yet intrigued.

I walked along the outer perimeter and eventually found myself looking out across the fjord. The voice I heard echoed so distinctly it was like the sound was traveling across water. Deep down I wondered if this voice was only heard by people like me. Ugh, maybe the pain for the wound on my left hand was going to my head. The voice beckoned me again this time I released my powers as I answered it's melodic call. It even harmonized with me. I don't know why, but nervousness faded away.

I ran along the shore of the fjord eventually spanning out onto the water freezing the surface with every step I took. The sky seemed to light up with every ounce of magic energy I produced. A fog began forming out on the water and as I moved further in, the voice led me to a small inlet right outside the Arendelle borders. This voice echoing inside my head made its presence known shifting itself within my magic energy. I saw images and things I wasn't sure how to explain. A large horse prancing around my frantically, two large giant creatures, and a herd of reindeer running all around me. My days of concealing were over. I felt like this voice was a friend who wanted to help me. Marcus always told me to listen to my gut and my gut felt such excitement.

The magical swirl of energy circled around me and then took off heading away from Arendelle even farther like it wanted me to leave all along. My curiosity ebbed as this powerful entity got farther away. I ran up a hill trying to latch onto it, but it just got out of my reach. In my moment of frustration, I stomped my foot on the ground. Instantly, hundreds of pieces of ice stood hovering in the air all around me and even back in Arendelle. I didn't know how I did this and was it even me? Of course, it was. All the hovering pieces of ice had symbols all over the surface. I recognized the symbols from dad's journal. My curiosity was back. I had to find that journal and after that, I had to find my husband. No more stalling or distractions. As I ran back to Arendelle and to Rebekka's house where I left my sister, the wind began to pick up. My braided hair was hitting my neck with every direction I turned my head. People started peaking out from their homes as something was shuddering underneath my feet. This air was ominous, I didn't like it at all. A purple flame appeared seemingly out of nowhere and seemed to fly down the street putting out every lamppost making Arendelle extra dark. It was a good thing it was a full moon tonight. As people came out of their homes, they looked at me for guidance.

"Your majesty, what's happening?" One mother asked me with a toddler in her arms.

Another father asked where Marcus was. As a crowd gathered around, I shot myself up on a small ice pedestal so everyone could see me.

"Everyone, we need to evacuate Arendelle. Please leave the city and head for the north border hills." I said quickly.

The anxiety and fear in the air was tangible. After I made my announcement, everything went chaotic in a blink. A swirling wind seemed to yank citizens right and left. Above all the noise, my ears attuned themselves to the familiar voice of my sister rising above the winds.

"Elsa?" She cried.

We navigated the crowd until she finally caught me.

"What on earth is going on?"

"I-I'm not sure. All I know is I need to find Marcus now. He needs to know I'm okay."

"What about Arendelle?"

"I'm evacuating the city."

"Good, Kristoff and Sven are taking as many people out as possible."

"You should head that way too."

"Not without you." Anna insisted.

"I have to grab dad's journals. There was an unpredictable fire earlier. I don't want to lose those journals."

"Good thing for you, I already grabbed them."

"What?"

"Save your disbelief for later, Elsa. We gotta go."

Anna urged me forward grabbing my right hand as we were practically the final two to vacate the city.

All of us peered down from the cliffs upon Arendelle. Nothing was catching on fire and nothing was destroyed, but it's like something was stopping us from going into our own borders. Once our people were settled, Anna approached me with Grand Pabbie and an unfamiliar face behind him.

"Queen Elsa." Pabbie greeted me with a polite bow, "We need to talk, it's very urgent."

"Does it have anything to do what happened tonight?" I asked dryly.

"It has everything to do with you and King Marcus…" The stranger added, "Forgive me, I don't think we've officially met. I'm Reuben." He said offering me his hand.

"Hello, I would say welcome to Arendelle if we were actually down there."

"Please, where is King Marcus?" Reuben asked.

"He uh, left." I shrugged not even sure how to answer the question.

"He must be in Kalde. Where else would he have possibly gone?" Reuben answered.

"Elsa listen," Pabbie interrupted, "Something has happened this night…"

"Clearly…" I interrupted,

"Have there been changes to your powers recently?"

"You could say that…but not only for me. Marcus displayed some very powerful fire magic earlier this evening…" I said showing Pabbie my bandaged left hand.

"I knew it." Reuben nodded.

"Oh dear." Pabbie muttered.

"What?" I urged.

"Please, tell us." Anna begged.

He looked at both of us his eyes downcast, but he finally spoke up.

"The elemental spirits from the enchanted forest have been awakened," Pabbie said nervously.

"The spirits?" I questioned.

"Elsa, the stories father told us when we were girls...remember?"

"Vaguely…" I shrugged, "Pabbie, please what do I need to do? I want to help the kingdom especially since I am responsible."

"The answers you seek lie in the enchanted forest quite a journey away from here. I sense there is a wrong that needs to be made right."

"I know where it's at...I can lead you there." Reuben insisted, "The roots of Kalde and Arendelle are intertwined. We need to inform his majesty."

As Reuben and I made a plan involving a trip way up north, I saw Pabbie taking Anna's hand giving it a pat looking at her intensely. Wonder what that was about.

"Kristoff, can Reuben and I borrow your wagon and Sven?" I asked quickly.

"Elsa, I think Anna would rather…" Kristoff started to say.

"Go with?" Anna chimed in behind me, "Of course, I would."

"Anna, no. Whatever this is, it involves my powers. It might be dangerous. I need someone to stay here with our people."

"Pabbie? Do you mind?" Anna turned batting her eyes at the old troll.

"Of course, your highness." He nodded.

"See. Problem solved." Anna smirked.

I groaned rolling my eyes, but my sister was stubborn and I knew I had no business trying to even attempt to talk her out of it. We gathered up what few things we had for the road and Kristoff quickly hitched Sven up to the wagon. A few minutes later, Sven was pulling us along at full speed out beyond the Arendelle boundaries. A familiar trek to the north mountain was underway, but according to Reuben, we were going much farther than that. Beyond the known territory of our world and surprisingly, I wasn't even scared.