"Did you know that men are more likely to be struck by lightning?"
"Olaf…" Kristoff was trying to form words but before he could, the jolly snowman was already on his next trivial fact.
Kristoff didn't stand a chance. As a matter of fact, nobody does. When Olaf is on a roll, no one is a match for his exuberance. Seeing all this transpire, Anna can't help but giggle as her boyfriend tries his best to keep his composure. Even Sven lets out a sound that signifies a chuckle at Kristoff's expense. At the moment, the entertainment of watching Kristoff trying to cope with the growing snowman is something Anna is using to keep herself sane. With everything that has happened, she uses every little thing that she can to keep her spirits up. Her kingdom is a mess and who knows what it will take to put everything back to normal. Then there's Elsa who still has the habit of keeping secrets from Anna even after the oath they took about being open with each other. That feeling of being kept in the dark is an unwelcome and familiar feeling. Anna hates it and she wishes Elsa would just drop that old habit. And coincidentally, the moment Anna starts to reminisce about all the horrible times of isolation and the "Eternal Winter" fiasco, the road they are taking gives them a good view of Elsa's ice castle. Seeing it again and being reminded of the things the bad habit that refuses to change, Anna starts to remember the feeling of being struck by Elsa's powers.
So many memories start invading Anna's thoughts just from staring at the beautiful and yet ominous ice castle.
Memories are a peculiar thing. For Anna, Most of them are painful. It's the reason why she has chosen to be fervent about holding on to the good times. Unfortunately, something always comes up and gets in the way. The more she thinks about it, the more Anna can't help but feel some anger at Elsa. In more ways than one, this is her doing. Giving her attention to her sister, Anna then realizes that Elsa is also staring at her ice castle-lost in thought or at the very least, focusing on a specific thought. What that thought may be is quickly revealed by the construct that Elsa forms on her right hand.
"That's another thing you continue to keep inside of you," Anna speaks up as she acknowledges the foreign insignia that is hovering in Elsa's palm, "that secret about your time in that world. And about him."
Elsa realizes that she has allowed her mind to wander off-for a normal person, daydreaming isn't exactly damning but for someone who can practically make anything out of ice, a thought can be depicted with a flick of her hand and sometimes Elsa does this without even thinking about it. Needless to say, the symbol that she has come to associate the dragon symbol with is the person Anna is asking about.
"Oh… yeah. I'm sorry, I just... " Elsa quickly retracts her magic, causing the dragon symbol to disappear within a cloud of snow, "I'm just thinking, that's all."
"So you think about him? You think he can help?"
Elsa blinks a few times and gives Anna a perplexed look. Sitting across from one another, avoiding each other's facial expressions is going to be a hard thing to do, so to the Princess, the confused and somewhat jarring look that Elsa gives her is more than obvious. Though one thing is certain, Elsa is clearly not ready to talk about it-talk about him. But instead of letting off, Anna pushes-much like what Olaf is doing to Kristoff with his trivias.
"Is he the one calling to you? It would make sense since you and your magic can feel this voice."
"If he was the one calling, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be the only one hearing him," Elsa states jokingly before looking back towards her ice castle. "Besides…."
Anna pays close attention to how much Elsa's expression starts shifting from a sense of uncertainty to a sad and dejected emotional state. She watches as Elsa's left hand gravitates towards her braided hair and starts fiddling with it. Her fingers grazing through her locks, pinching and pulling on it… a habit that Anna noticed her sister adopted after her experience in the world known as Skyrim.
"Besides what, Elsa?"
Anna asks with a voice louder than before-enough to startle her sister, but not enough to break the moment between Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven. With a seemingly annoyed expression, Elsa sighs and squirms in her seat.
"... it's nothing," Elsa responds tersely.
A frown quickly forms on Anna's face. "There you go again. We have taken so many steps forward, but every so often, you decide to step back and push me forward, making me believe that we are walking together side by side. But the truth is, you're still behind me, keeping things where I can't see. Keeping me in the dark..."
Anna takes a deep breath after those words; her eyes only leaving Elsa when she blinks. Elsa reciprocates, her own eyes never leaving her sister. Though that lasts for only a few moments until Elsa is deep within her thoughts again. Her head turning towards the distance, once more in the direction of her ice castle. Anna can take this in two ways: her sister is either thinking of the best way to respond to her words or she is once again swallowed by the memories of what happened-the memories of him.
Then out of nowhere, Elsa breaks free of her daydream and tilts her head in Anna's direction."What did you think of him?"
The effect on Anna is nothing short of a shock. The question was so out of place and Anna isn't exactly able to find the proper thoughts to form into words.
"Wait, what?" Anna blurts out-her usual response when she doesn't know what else to say.
"When he made it in this world, in Arendelle, what did you think of him? Clearly, you have an opinion about him. You, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven helped him get back to Skyrim, after all."
Elsa fixes her posture and leans towards Anna, implying that she is giving her sister her undivided attention. This is something the Princess has seen Elsa do before more than once; it's 'Queen of Arendelle is listening' pose that lets her subjects know that she is paying attention to their concerns. Being on the spot, Anna fidgets a bit, momentarily getting distracted by Olaf's trivia about Norway holding the record for having the most snowmen built in one year.
"Well, let's see," Anna starts, momentarily taking her eyes off her sister, "when we were told by Pabbie that he sensed something towards the direction of the North Mountain, I-we were really hoping it was you. With your ice castle rebuilt and Olaf greeting us at the door… we had every reason to believe that you came back. BUT… when it wasn't you and instead we found a naked man in the middle of your ice castle… well, I'm sure you can understand just how confused and scared we were."
The words, of course, were told in Anna's fast pace rhythm of narration. Elsa retains her serious composure as Anna blushes a bit from the memories. But through all her fumbling of words, Anna was trying to get something out of Elsa-she sought to get a reaction of some sort but sees nothing. Elsa, surprisingly, is emotionless.
"That doesn't answer my question, Anna," instead of emotions, Elsa responds with words, "what did you think of him?"
Anna can simply just say that he scared her, but at the same time, there was something about how he talked about Elsa. Something about the way he was so determined to find a way back to his world so that he can bring Elsa back to Arendelle. In more ways than one, she admired him and respected him-though saying the words in the right isn't exactly the easiest thing in the world for some reason.
"He scared me," she blurts out, "he seemed to know how to attack without thinking twice. I thought we were all going to die the moment he started attacking."
Anna remembers the moment as if it was just yesterday. The strange and mysterious man had very little trouble disarming every guard in the room and the moment Kristoff tried to do something to protect Anna, she knew it was over. Anna remembers calling Kristoff's name thinking that she lost him too. But then the stranger stopped and stared at her and he quickly dropped his blade.
"And then he said my name and… told me that he needs my help to bring you back home… and I cried…"
Again the memories started uprooting themselves. The disappearance of Elsa and the rumors of her execution in the Southern Isles took a lot out of Anna. Olaf's unmaking and melting did nothing to thwart the hearsay of Elsa's fate. But the appearance of the stranger and his knowledge of Elsa's supposed whereabouts brought a glimmer of hope.
"It would have been easy to just say he was lying," Anna continues, "but… with Olaf alive again-Elsa, Onyx… he gave me hope."
"He gave you hope?" Elsa finally responds after allowing Anna the time to process her thoughts and talk. "Hope is the word you associate with him, Anna?"
"Yes, hope. But clearly, I wasn't wrong for feeling that way. I mean, you came back… and I'm sure he had a lot to do with it, right?"
Elsa leans closer, not fully satisfied with the answer she received. "Come on, Anna. I'm sure there's more."
"Okay, he still scares me. The idea of him being close to you scares me."
Anna would have continued in the same fast-paced and nervous tone but out of nowhere, Sven comes to a complete halt. As Anna was about to question what was going on, Kristoff turns the sisters' direction.
"You guys should see this," he tells both Anna and Anna with a concerned look on his face. "We have company."
"They look friendly," Olaf adds innocently.
Anna and Elsa give one last glance at each other before getting off the wagon. They are soon followed by Kristoff and Olaf, and naturally, the snowman grabs Anna's hand while Kristoff stands close to the Princess, no doubt ensuring that Anna has protection. Not too far ahead, a group of men blocks their path and it's clear to the naked eye that they are not friendly despite Olaf's comment.
"Fine day to travel," one of the strangers calls out as he keeps his hand on the hilt of his sword, "what business does royalty have this direction, might I ask?"
"I would like to ask the same thing of you," Elsa responds. "I would also like to ask why the need to take up all the space on the road when there's enough for both our parties to pass."
Anna is more than aware that this small-talk is more but a ruse. The strangers have no intention of letting them pass and they are most likely looking to rob them; or worse. A wagon carrying the two rulers of Arendelle is more than a fetching cargo to take advantage of.
"Oh, well, we're actually looking to have a word with you, Queen Elsa of Arendelle."
The air surrounding Elsa starts giving off a cold chill that Anna and the others immediately feel. Trying to keep close to Elsa, Anna takes a small step forward, but she is immediately stopped by Kristoff who slowly shakes his head implying that she stays behind him.
"Interesting place to have an audience with me," as Elsa responds, Anna can tell that she is still trying to sound diplomatic but clearly the tone of annoyance is still obvious. "I'm afraid that now is not the time to have this kind of talk, so if you may be so kind as to let us pass."
"Grown-up talks?" Olaf turns to Anna as he tugs on her cloak.
"Not really, Olaf," Anna replies as she gives the magical snowman a very stern look. Though the Princess is more than aware that Olaf is not getting the hint.
Speaking of a hint, Sven hears something and the moment he turns his head towards the right, Anna follows and she immediately spots the heavily armed men peeking out of the cliffs above them. In their hands are crossbows that are pointed at Anna and the others' direction. Kristoff immediately puts his entire body in front of Anna knowing that from their position, they are an open target. They can't retreat since they have a fall to the rocky depths below on the other side and going back the same direction they came from is not an option. Clearly the disadvantage is working against them.
"I'm afraid, your Majesty, you don't have a lot of options."
"Unfortunately."
Anna hangs on to the way Elsa responded. The nature of how she uttered that word gives Anna a frightening feeling. While she has seen her sister act the part as Queen-harsh, and dare one say, at times cold, there is nothing more intimidating than seeing Elsa's eyes glow in a way that mirrors the ferocity of her magic. Beautiful as Elsa's gift may be, to anyone who dares threaten the safety of who she holds dear, there is no beauty to be seen. Nothing is colder than Elsa responding to a threat.
"Shoot her!" the man calls out realizing the situation. "Shoot, NOW!"
The archers respond, or at least, they try to but it's a little too late-they're too slow for someone like Elsa. A Queen of both Snow and Ice. the man barked his orders, Elsa knew how she was going to respond. Raising her left hand immediately lifts a wall of ice to shield herself and the others, and with her other hand, she projects a beam of ice magic that strikes the commander down. As bolts fail to penetrate the glacier makeshift shield, Elsa summons a small hail storm above the archers' location, which immediately starts pouring onto them, inflicting pain and confusion as a barrage of ice attacks from the sky without any remorse. Their cries of pain can be heard through the chaos and even if Anna doesn't have a clear visual, she wouldn't be surprised if some, if not all, will be incapacitated through Elsa's spell. Needless to say, they are not a threat, at least, not at the moment. Though the danger has yet to subside.
"Oh, look!" Olaf points forward, still smiling as if he has no idea just how grave the situation is. "They brought more friends to say hello."
The observation of the Snowman was not wrong. Charging towards their direction are six swordsmen with their blades held high as they desperately try for a final rush towards the Arendellians. The numbers are against them and Anna can't help but feel dread as she sees each well-armed thug closing in towards them. Glancing at Elsa, she notices that her sister does not share the same emotion about the situation. In fact, the way Elsa's eyes are glowing along with the way her hands are clenched tightly into fists implies that the Queen of Arendelle is far from mirroring the fear that Anna is letting out. Extending both her hands, Elsa unleashes a wave of ice magic that completely derails the incoming attackers.
The sight of Elsa displaying her magic has never lost its allure, at least not for Anna, but seeing it in such fearsome way, witnessing a giant wave of ice construct knocking down grown men in armor with such ease, as if a huge glacier just came down from nowhere-it definitely is a sight to fear. And not only is it magnificent in its sheer power, but the way Elsa just manages to put her own artistic touch on something so dangerous is something else. Given a moment of reprieve, Anna gawks at the mountain-sized construct that resembles a frozen tidal wave with Elsa's signature snowflakes protruding at the edge. The crystalline color is peppered with a dash of glittering snow and if one looks closely, the floral motifs of Arendelle are all over-painted by the way the snow glazes all over the massive construct. If it wasn't for the fact that it just trampled over a crew of mercenaries with ease, one could mistake it as a friendly artistic expression from the Queen of Arendelle.
"Stay down," Elsa calls out, "for your own good."
Anna shakes herself out of her admiration to take note of the thugs who somehow did not get knocked unconscious, or at the very least, did not get robbed of their will to fight. Even with Elsa's stern and somewhat merciful warning, some of them are reaching for their weapons, clearly still trying to go for another round of this already losing battle. Not backing down from her words, Elsa takes action by swiftly brushing her right hand as if she is merely swatting a fly out of her face. The small gesture causes the ice construct she created to shift, disassemble into smaller pieces, and with another simple movement with her left hand, the floating blocks of ice starts bombarding the thugs. A hail of such kind is more than effective and the assailants are immediately taken out of their offensive tactic. Within a few moments, every single one of them are rendered useless. Most unconscious, some seriously injured to continue their attack. The only thing that Anna can hear than her heavier than normal breathing are the sounds of grunts and groans due to what their former assailants are experiencing. The Princess stands close to Kristoff and Olaf clinging on tightly to her leg. The few minutes of the aftermath drags on longer than Anna would like but the moment she sees Elsa take a few steps forward, she finally finds it in her to make her move by following her sister.
"Anna, wait!" Kristoff calls out but is quickly ignored.
"Well, that was intense and a bit violent."
Anna pays no mind to Kristoff's call as well as brushing off Olaf's innocent comment. In Anna's mind, following Elsa, ensuring her sister's safety is top priority. While not entirely sure where Elsa is heading off to, Anna can definitely tell that the Queen is walking with conviction-with a purpose. Her powers still fuming off of her hands leaving a cold trail of icy mist.
"Elsa…" Anna calls out, hoping to get a response. "Elsa, what are you doing?"
While no words are given, Anna gets her answers soon enough. Quickly firing off a blast of her icy powers, Elsa freezes a rock, which seemed random and unnecessary to Anna. Until, of course, one of their assailants jumps out of the rock screaming in pain as he tries to gain some comfort for his frozen hands. Though he receives no solace as Elsa freezes the ground causing him to slip and land painfully on his back. Without wasting a moment, Elsa walks towards the thug while Anna takes a moment to, once again, admire and revere just how much her sister has gotten more assertive with her powers. Another trait that Anna can't help but associate with Elsa's time in Skyrim. As Elsa stops in front of the helpless thug, Anna follows and stands beside her sister as they look down on their former attacker.
"Cold, is it not?" Elsa rhetorically asks as her hands still seething with her powers.
"M-Mercy…" the man manages to utter out through all of his groanings. His hands are completely frozen as he trembles from the cold and because of his fear. "...pl-plea-ease... "
To see a man who is a definitive battle-proven ruffian: unkept facial hair, battle scars all over face and body, arms that are so big that it has the possibility of crushing Anna or Elsa within its girth-to see a man who towers the Queen both in height and mass tremble like a young child scolded, it's a sight that can only be accomplished when Elsa uses her magic in a way that isn't meant to express creativity in the form of beautiful art. This is Anna's sister using her magic to let her point be known. A side of Elsa that Anna does not particularly like but a side that she can appreciate even if it is a bit too cold for her.
"I am more than able and willing to provide the mercy that you may not deserve," Elsa responds as she casts some of her ice away from the man's freezing hands, "but you will be the first to deliver the message to whoever sent you."
"O-Of… c-c-course… y-your… Maj-"
"This is a warning," Elsa cuts the man off. "The Westergaard or whoever else finds the ill-placed courage to threaten me, my family, my people, and my kingdom-tell them that I am in no mood for any foul play but I am more than willing to reciprocate the act if they so choose to continue this," Anna can feel just how serious Elsa is with her warning and shivered at the thought of how far her sister can take this. "Do I make myself clear?"
"Y-yes…!"
"Good. Now clear the path for we will be on our way," with one last final glow of her eyes, Elsa turns around and starts walking back towards the wagon where Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf are.
"Elsa…" Anna mutters as she stumbles to catch up. "Do you think it's the Southern Isles again?"
"I'm not sure. But whoever sent them, I hope they understand that I meant every word I said."
Every word Elsa uttered was very clear and intimidating. Something that both comforts and bothers Anna. "That's a pretty bold message coming from the Queen of Arendelle, Elsa."
Elsa stops walking for a moment allowing Anna to catch up and stand by her sister's side. Those eyes of hers-her magic seething from Elsa's eyes as if she's ready to summon her powers once again. To Anna, it's definitely a sign that Elsa harbors a lot of emotions within her that are both unhealthy and frightening. Whether it has something to do with the voice or the past events that occurred in Skyrim, or something else completely, it's more than obvious that it is causing more harm than good keeping them in.
"Elsa?"
"We'll make some distance and then we make camp."
The glow on Elsa's eyes vanishes and not a moment later, she starts walking towards the wagon leaving a trail of her blue cape-like tassels flowing behind her. Sighing, Anna takes a quick moment to stare at the carnage behind her. The mercenaries are all stumbling to comply with Elsa's demands but they are, nonetheless, heeding the Queen's words. At least that's one thing that Anna can take solace in. With haste in her steps, Anna makes her way back to the others, aching to have a moment of respite.
Kristoff is a man that Anna definitely needs. A caring and very supportive person that would do anything for her. Not to mention, he's also quite an asset outside the castle walls. He is the first to build the fire, the one who starts preparing and cooking the food, he's also the one to ensure that their campsite is adequate. He managed to do all of this while Olaf continued to innocently nag him. Such a feat if Anna says so herself. She lets out a small giggle as she hands Sven a carrot which the reindeer devours in one swift bite.
"Oh, my," Anna gasps as she takes her hand back after nearly having it swallowed along with the carrot, "hungry aren't we?"
"I am!" Kristoff responds as Sven nods his head-demonstrating that the two almost have an infallible connection. "And also very tired!"
"Well, you deserve every carrot and minute of rest, Sven," Anna responds as she pets him, "and we appreciate you every step of the way."
Sven lets out a small sound that Anna is more than able to decipher as a positive response. As she continues to pet the reindeer, she takes a moment to glance at Kristoff as he stares at her. The Princess gives him a smile and decides that it's time to spend some time with him.
"Anna?" though the moment she thought about getting up and sitting next to her boyfriend, the sound of Elsa's voice breaks that thought. "Care to take a walk with me?"
There's a certain way that Elsa asked. Her words are accompanied by the expression written on her face. It's the kind that Anna has grown to know as the 'May-I-talk-to-you-alone' look; and Anna knows that when Elsa has that moment, it would benefit the both of them if she takes that moment and responds accordingly.
"Sure," getting up, Anna gives Sven one last pet in the head before looking at Kristoff.
"It's fine," he nods at her after saying those words. The way he is always so understanding and willing to put her as a priority often makes Anna feel like he's too good for her. Kristoff is undeniably a bit too lenient, and at times, overwhelmingly too understanding.
But there are times that he is a complete airhead and it makes Anna feel like the smartest person in the world. Regardless, the moment Anna takes her first few steps to follow Elsa, Olaf already replaces her presence and an audible sigh comes out of Kristoff as it's obvious where the jolly Snowman is going to take the conversation.
"Did you know that talking to people while camping helps you feel better?"
Unable to help herself again, Anna lets out a small giggle as even Sven mirrors Kristoff's feelings by releasing a long-winded reindeer noise. Clearly, another round of trivia is not something that they had in mind. She can only hope that the entertainment of Olaf's innocence carries over for a bit longer since Anna has the feeling whatever Elsa has to talk to her about won't exactly be the greatest feeling or cathartic. As it is, every step she takes is heavy. Even Elsa's boots sinking slightly on the damp ground adds to that encumbering feeling.
"For the last couple of years I didn't want to talk about it," Elsa breaks the silence as she stops in front of a small body of water, "there were so many things that happened that I really wanted to just leave in the past. I wanted them to stay there for me, trapped in memories."
There are a lot of things swirling around Anna's mind. So many ways she wants to respond and as she processes the best possible way to answer, Elsa summons her magic pushing aside any immediate response from the Princess. With a simple flick of her fingers, the glowing orbs fly forward, like blue wisps in some enchanted field and they start illuminating the shallow waters in front of Elsa and Anna.
"Elsa.. how…" Anna gasps, "and what…?"
It's not really clear to Anna what exactly is going on. All she can see is a blend of ice and snow, hovering all over as they are manipulated by magical energy. Elsa gives Anna a warm smile as she offers her hand.
"That's just a door," Elsa points out. "What I really want to show you is inside."
While Anna feels completely safe, there is a feeling of uncertainty and anxiety as she stares at the magical 'door'. Glancing at it for a few seconds before returning her gaze back at Elsa, Anna eventually takes her sister's hand and holds it tight.
"Don't let go, okay?"
Anna does just that-as she always does. She holds on to Elsa's hand because she feels safe. She never wants to let go because there are so many years that they have missed, so many things to make up for in the past. Needless to say, Elsa never has to remind Anna to never let go. She will do it regardless and with this, as Elsa enters the 'magical door' and pulls Anna along, holding on to Elsa's hand as a form of safety is a given. Anna knows just how dangerous and painful Elsa's magic can be, both through watching her deal with threats and from actually feeling it. Luckily, passing through the layer of magic feels nothing like being struck in the heart. The best way that Anna can describe it is like walking through curtains-light fabric curtains that have a heavenly coldness to them. It brushes through Anna, making her shiver at their cold touch. The feeling seeps through her clothing, causing the hair on her skin to stand up.
"But there were so many things that I don't and didn't forget," Elsa narrates as she continues to pull Anna, "and my magic held on to them like the events just happened yesterday."
The moment Elsa stops, Anna stands by her sister's side, hands still clasped and eyes forward. With her attention straight ahead, Anna witnesses Elsa's magic work its mysterious ways, manipulating mist and particles of ice and snow to create a vibrant image of a land so different from anything Arendelle has to offer. Mountains tall enough to touch the sky, a tundra that makes the vastness of Arendelle look minuscule, and then there are, of course, the hints of civilizations passed as ruins and historical landmarks are peppered all across-far and wide, but close enough for Anna to spot… despite it being only in limited pigment, the details that Elsa's magic is able to conjure up is enough for Anna's jaw to drop.
"So beautiful…" Anna can only say as she continues to stare.
"The frozen land of Skyrim was beautiful. Enchanting. Powerful. And unfortunately, at times, dangerous."
As if on cue, a massive figure flies overhead and its imposing form sends Anna's skin crawling. Wings as wide as the great ballrooms of Arendelle, a head similar to reptilian creatures that one should avoid in the wilds, a tail, long neck, and large clawed feet-Anna finds herself stepping back as the sight of a mythological Dragon is so close and almost too real that she can feel its presence. Elsa's grip tightens and she gives Anna a small tug forward, encouraging her to stay by her side.
"But he was also there," a lone figure appears and rushes towards the Dragon, "and he was far more dangerous than the unforgiving land of Skyrim itself."
Anna is more than able to summarize that lone figure charging towards the colossal creature is none other than him. With a single blade in hand, he attacks the Dragon head-on and seemingly wins; his one powerful and calculated attack not only decimates the dragon but warps the scene altogether as if his strike was so strong that it disrupted the flow of Elsa's magic. But as the specs of ice and snow disperse, they quickly reform to convey another scene. Again his blade in hand seemingly going through hordes of creatures that Anna can't distinguish if they are human or another distorted animal altogether. Whatever he is fending off, he is not alone. Portrayed by the same magic essence that is conjuring this scene, Anna watches as Elsa fights by his side-using her powers in every bit of way that Anna has seen her sister do in the most effective and creative method. Despite the situation and the horrendous odds the two are going against, they seem to be doing just fine fending off their enemies. And as Elsa continues to pull Anna and the two sisters walk past the magical silhouettes of Elsa and him, Anna can make out the expressions of the images. The details are there and it's clear to Anna that the two have a slight enjoyment in what they are doing. A small smile forms on their faces, especially when they take a moment to glance at each other. While only a moment and nothing more, it's enough time for them to acknowledge each other. And then they're at it again, sword and magic decimating through the creatures who are unfortunate enough to cross paths with them.
"Despite all of his rude antics and how cold he was, he was, by all rights, a hero to most people in his world," the scene of battle vanishes and Elsa's magic starts conjuring up another memory but this time it's Elsa speaking to a young child; it's brief and it quickly changes. "And while I cannot and will not condone his means, the joy he brought to people, the numerous crises he averted time and time again, he is more than adequate to the idea of a hero."
Again Anna is treated with the fantastic display of Elsa's magic recreating another memory. Crowds of people-or what seems like people-some of them Anna can't distinguish if they are wearing an animal costume or it's their actual skin-regardless of that strange observation, what she can take from it is Elsa and him dancing in the middle. The environment reminds Anna of a tavern of some sort, ones along the farther side of Arendelle, where the common folk spends their hard-earned money to socialize. At this moment, there's a bard playing music, people drinking and toasting, others watching, and a few just simply having a friendly conversation. Definitely a far cry from the previous scenes.
"You don't dance, huh, Elsa?" Anna teases as she watches her sister do just the thing that she denies all the time despite the obvious fact. "Looks like you're dancing just fine with him."
Elsa gives Anna a tug forward causing the Princess to unintentionally let out a squeal.
"That was just for the moment," Elsa responds, her voice slightly shaky-from what? Anna can only conclude is out of embarrassment. "Besides, I already sang for him and the rest of the tavern. I figured that the night couldn't have gotten any worse."
Anna rolls her eyes in response as Elsa used the word 'worse' in a sentence describing the beautiful moment she is viewing. It's even less of a palpable statement when the moment changes and the scene that Elsa was talking about is the one being shown. The crowd gathered around Elsa are all seemingly enjoying themselves and Elsa, who stands in the middle, also seems to have a time of her life as she serenades them with her singing. Among the crowd, enhanced and detailed by the magic creating this scene, is him. He watches Elsa as well and much like the rest of the crowd, he is enjoying himself. But there is something else with the way he is showing his appreciation for Elsa's singing. Anna is more than aware that her sister can sing-it's an inextricable part of an Arendellian monarch. Anna is also mindful that her sister has the look to draw a lot of attention, so for someone-or a crowd, to stare and listen as if she's some kind of goddess, it doesn't shock Anna one bit even if it's a crowd worlds apart from her own. But watching him and noticing his eyes, his facial expression, his stance-it tells a story far beyond awe and lust. Maybe it's in the romantic way Anna seems to see things, but something about the way he stares at Elsa makes her read into the notion that he appreciates her far more intimately than Elsa would like to admit. Trying to get more proof of her thought, Anna leans forward and tries to study him, but immediately finds the image shifting quickly and what Anna sees next causes her cheeks to turn beet red.
"Oh…!"
Anna gasps as she witnesses him grabbing Elsa by her waist and hoisting her up to a wall and with passion and lust oozing from him, he lunges his head forward and much to Anna's shock, Elsa reciprocates the notion and soon their lips meet in a very eager kiss.
"E-Elsa…" Anna utters out as she tugs on her sister's hand, "this… this is kind of…"
He continues to aggressively and passionately kiss her while his hands find themselves in areas of Elsa's body-places that Anna was not aware that her sister had even allowed herself to touch. And in an almost animalistic fashion, Elsa reciprocates by pushing back, her own hands trying desperately to rip the armor off his body. He counters, seemingly not into Elsa's assertiveness and with one swift movement, he shoves Elsa back on the wall and Anna can't help but feel the pain that Elsa must feel. Elsa winces in agony, clearly jarred by the sudden collision with the wall, but the pain doesn't deter Elsa from reverting back to her lust and without a moment lost, the two are back into their kiss-their hands groping and searching.
"Um.. okay, this is kind of not what… oh.."
The scene switches once more and to Anna's dismay, she wishes that it didn't. Gone was the moment where he and Elsa were fervently kissing and fondling, what replaces it is a full-on intimate moment with Elsa wrapping her legs around his bare hips and he-
"ELSA!"
Feeling her entire face turning red, Anna tugs on Elsa's hand with a force that would most likely have forced Elsa to stumble a few steps backward. Though Anna quickly finds out that Elsa had long released her hand and she ended up just jerking her own arm for no reason. Anna was so caught up with the moment that she hadn't noticed.
"Elsa?" turning around, Anna finds Elsa easily enough-staring at another image that her magic has conjured up. "What are you looking at?"
Elsa's full attention is on the scene that shows him holding a piece of paper, seemingly reading the contents written on it. From the way he is holding said paper, Anna is more than willing to conclude that it's a scroll of some sort. As he reads it, Elsa in this scene is trying desperately to walk towards him as if trying to stop him. Though it can be easily seen that the magic erupting from the scroll is making the task hard for Elsa. In a desperate act of trying to reach him, Elsa tries to use her magic but whatever power he is summoning proves too much for Elsa and a wave of power forces her back and in turn ends the scene altogether.
"Are you okay?" Anna asks as she reaches for her sister's hand.
The moment Anna makes contact with Elsa, she flinches almost as if she forgot that Anna had been there the whole time. Shocked from the response, Anna takes a small step back, hands up, and completely unsure how Elsa is going to act next.
"Y-yes…" she responds, though slightly jarred, "I'm fine, Anna."
Of course, it's obvious that she's not. Anna is more than aware that the last memory got to Elsa but she is trying to take it as cautiously as she can. "Elsa, what happened there?"
Though treading cautiously isn't exactly part of Anna's ability as demonstrated by the very straight forward question. A question that elicited a change within Elsa's magically created space.
"I'm not just keeping you in the dark," Elsa states as her magic starts to retreat, bringing the two back into the normal plane of existence, "I've also kept myself in the dark these last few years. Not fully by choice, but that doesn't change the fact that I have tried to keep it in."
Anna takes a few steps forward, finally catching up beside her sister.
"I know he did a lot for me-with me," Elsa continues, "and while the time there was from a forced situation, I found myself engaged with Skyrim. A violent and a world in upheaval, but a world filled with people who try to make a difference despite what they were given. People like him."
"What happened, Elsa? What happened to him?"
"His destiny, at least according to the people of Skyrim, was to be a hero," obviously still ignoring Anna's question, Elsa urges on, "and for a while, he did just that. He was a hero and he challenged the gods to provide the people of Skyrim the safety they needed and wanted. He prevented the end of the world, he ended wars, he saved lives, albeit a bit crasser and sometimes a bit too violent for my taste, but there is no denying that what he accomplished deems him a hero."
After a brief pause, Elsa creates the dragon sigil with her right hand-something that Anna had long deduced is inextricably bound to his existence.
"I saw how much he made people smile. I witnessed people flock to his presence-inspired, and grateful for the things that he has done. His close friends and allies, something that he claimed he didn't have, all of them consider him as a blessing to their lives. It also warmed my heart to see how well he treated a young girl-someone who he raised out of a promise and through the generosity of his own heart. He was a hero on his own terms and through the opinion of the lives he touched. No prophecy, songs, or declaration can tell him otherwise. He was his own destiny regardless if people agreed with his ways or not."
Anna took it all in, every single word and the emotions seethed out of Elsa. Some few years back, Elsa would probably have frozen everything around her due to emotional moments such as this, but these days, the Queen of Arendelle has her powers under control. Though it's still obvious to Anna that Elsa still emotes her feelings through her magic as shown with her habit of making the dragon symbol. As Elsa spoke about him, the magical creation hovering on Elsa's palm started to receive more details, as if every word bound itself with every shape, every point, and every intricacy the draconic symbol has to offer.
"So what happened, Elsa?" Anna finally speaks up, pushing the same question she has wanted an answer for. "Where is he now?"
"Why is that so important to know, Anna?"
"Don't you think he'd be more than happy to help us-help you with this journey? Just by the things he told me and from what you have shown me here, I have this feeling that no matter what, he will fight by your side," Anna pauses for a moment to catch her breath. "Some things never change, Elsa. You know I can almost bet that he's holding on to those memories as tightly as you are."
"Anna…"
"I mean, just imagine him with us on this journey! Nobody, and I mean, nobody stands a chance. I already saw what you two can do together!"
"Anna…." Elsa calls out once more, but the Princess seems to be focused on her thoughts.
"We find out the truth, and find it fast and we'll save Arendelle and we'll be back in no time! Back home!"
"ANNA!"
This time, Elsa breaks Anna's insistence and almost immediately she stops, gasping slightly as Elsa's voice not only echoes inside Anna's ears but also pervades across the open space that the two sisters are standing on. A gust of cold wind brushes past Anna and even through all the layers of clothing, the Princess shivers in both cold and fear. For a few moments, Anna says nothing, mouth agape, and waiting anxiously for something from Elsa other than that annoyance etched in her expression. If the furrowed brow and the gritting teeth aren't enough, Anna can also feel Elsa's agitation seething from her-like a heavy cold fog. But it only lasts for a few seconds and eventually, the Queen lets out a sigh before retracting the dragon symbol hovering over her right hand.
"I'm sorry, Anna," Elsa tells her sister as the last particle of her magic disappears, "I shouldn't have raised my voice."
"That's okay," Anna eventually calms her nerves and takes a step towards Elsa, placing her hand on her sister's shoulder, "I shouldn't have pushed it."
With a soft smile and a nod, Elsa turns her gaze back towards the distance, reverting back to silence as if lost within the vastness of the open world. Anna studies her sister's expression, those icy blue eyes say it all. There are most definitely a plethora of words and emotions combining and forming inside Elsa's head and Anna could only wish she could hear it. Aside from being adrift in her thoughts, Anna takes note of her hand playing with her braid, fingers brushing the tip end of her golden locks. But in a moment's notice, Elsa stops and she turns her attention to Anna.
"Anna, I need to ask you a question."
"Okay. Anything," the way Elsa asked was solemn, which more than garnered Anna's undivided attention.
"For the rest of this journey, would it be too much to ask that you don't talk about him?" the tone doesn't change as Elsa states her question. "I have told you everything that you need to know and more. I shared everything that I am comfortable sharing. I believe that the story has ended and my path takes me here… back to face the past and into the unknown."
Elsa's words weren't exactly the ones that Anna was expecting. In fact, as Anna thinks about it, she isn't exactly sure what she was expecting. All she knows now is that her sister is very adamant about closing the door, or at the very least, closing it so that Anna can't and won't peak in anymore. There's so many more Anna wants to know but given the situation and how Elsa has handled things, Anna can only conclude that it's best if she complies even if her curiosity kills her.
"If that's what you want, Elsa," she finally responds as she gives her sister the most sincere smile that she can offer, "I won't mention him anymore."
"Thank you," glancing one last time towards the distance, Elsa turns her entire attention towards the campsite, "now, let's get something to eat before we head back out. I'm sure Kristoff and the others are waiting."
"Yeah, of course."
After addressing Anna, Elsa makes her way back towards the site. Anna takes a deep breath before following but she is stopped by a strange feeling-a familiar feeling of someone's presence. She wants nothing more than to turn around and call out to Elsa since the presence reminds her of him. But she can't. After a moment of contemplating, Anna continues forward and eventually is by Elsa's side again. For Elsa, everything about Skyrim, everything about him, is all in the past. For the sake of stability, Anna will respect Elsa's feelings and leave it all in the past where it belongs.
The End…. (?)