Disclaimer/claimer: Disney owns Frozen and all its characters. I do not own any Disney characters associated with this story. However, all characters not associated with Disney in this story are of my, BurnsX3, creation, and are therefore mine. All ideas associated with the Order of the Elements, the basis of this story, are of my creation, and are therefore mine. Anyone using these ideas exclusively without my permission and/or claiming the Elemental idea for their own and/or not crediting me for my original story idea will be reported to the staff of fanfiction . net, fictionpress . com, or any website that the uncredited story is on, and the story will be shut down. With that said, enjoy this chapter!
A/N: This is a long one. Prepare yourselves.
Ten Years Later
Tonna Ek and Elsa Isånd were walking around the Temple in mid-July, taking a break from the grueling work of battle training. When Tonna had originally introduced this aspect of training to a fourteen year old Elsa, she was incredibly surprised that she even needed it. Tonna had then sat her down and spoke to her of the inner turmoil that went on within the Lines of the Elementals, and that, once she was inducted properly as a full member of the Glaciem Magistri, she would be required to attend certain meetings amongst the Aqua Magus branches. This would make her target to people of the other Lines, such as those of the Ignis Magum, whom much deep rooted rivalry was present. Therefore, she needed to know how to defend herself.
"But Tonna, if we just live on the island, would that really matter?" Elsa had asked, still perplexed to the training of battle.
"Child, I'm flattered that you would want to live here that long with me. However, you cannot escape the fate that is in your hands; you are of the Aqua Magus, and therefore, you have duties to fulfill. Not only that… If we were to be launched into a sixth Great War of the Elements… You would need to know how to fight. Not just for yourself, but for the entirety of the Aqua Magus and the Elementals themselves," Tonna explained.
But now, Elsa had become one of the finest warriors the older woman had seen to date. Her quick wit and reflexes were honed in upon as the years went on. Today, perhaps, would be the day that Tonna would be beaten by Elsa. They did have a bet going on, you know.
"Alright, child, we've had enough of a break," Tonna stated, "time to -" she cut herself off by the spike of ice sent flying at Elsa's head from her hand.
"Fight!"
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Clang! The sound of ice swords meeting each other's surfaces resounded throughout the temple. A bead of sweat rolled down Elsa's left temple, her upper and lower arm muscles straining against the strength of Tonna's sword pressing against her own. She gritted her teeth and pushed hard enough for she and her mentor to shuffle a few meters away from each other. Her calculation began.
They had been going at it for roughly two hours under the relentless July sun. For whatever reason, the sun was being unbearably hot today. That said, Tonna had disadvantages.
Her left foot is still bothering her from earlier, when I stomped on it; she favors her right side heavily, therefore her dominant hand, now that we're using swords, must be taken out, since she holds her sword in that hand; her stamina is depleting quickly, as her age is wearing her down, along with this heat, making her breaths shorter and her sweat output more excessive, therefore leading her to become dehydrated much quicker than I would. Her movements will soon become sluggish, her reflexes less responsive, and her muscles requiring a higher amount of energy to push against my force. Her left knee is weak, therefore I should go for that.
Game plan: go in, feigning an attack to her stomach but truly going for her right hand, dropping the sword to take her own from her hand, kick her left knee, momentarily stunning her, then take the opportunity to knock her down. Sword at neck, round over, I win the bet, we go to Geilo!
The analysis took less than a second, and the execution of the plan took just under ten.
In the end, Elsa was standing triumphantly over her mentor, sword sparkling in the reflection of the light.
"Sjekk kompis, min venn," Elsa stated with a smile. Tonna gave a tired grin and shrugged her shoulders.
"Jeg innrømmer nederlag. Du vinner." Elsa tossed away the older lady's sword and offered her a helping hand. Her heart was racing; she beat Tonna in combat! Tonna sensed her excitement and she herself reflected on how excited she was to go to Geilo the first time as well.
"Elsa," she said. The platinum blonde's attention drifted over the older lady.
"I'm officially inducting you into the Glaciem Magistri, now." Elsa's eyes went wide for a few moments, but she dropped down on one knee.
It was finally happening.
Tonna furnished an intricate ice broadsword. Its half opaque appearance reflected in most all directions, creating a fantastic array of light beams. With a deep breath, Tonna began to repeat the same induction speech that her predecessors spoke and her successors would speak to all new members of the Glaciem Magistri.
"Elsa Isånd, you have taken it upon yourself to learn the ways of the Glaciem Magistri, to uphold its values and ideals, and, by extension, to teach these values and ideals of your predecessors to your successors. You have been taught the ways of battle of the Glaciem Magistri, in which your mentor has deemed your skills in combat proficient. By choosing to go down the path of the Glaciem Magistri, you have not only honored yourself, but also the Lady Glaciem Magistri, the Lady Aqua Dulci Regem and the Lord Aqua Salsa Ascensorem, the Lord Aqua Magus, and the Lady Ultimum Maleficus herself. Do you swear to uphold the values of the Elementals; to fight with valor, honor, loyalty, virtue and diligence; to put your life on the line if needed for the cause of the House of the Aqua Magus and the Elementals; and to continue on the path of the Elementals for the remainder of your life?" Tonna recited in Latin.
"I, Elsa Isånd, swear to uphold the values of the Elementals, to fight for the good and the cause of the Aqua Magus and the Elementals. I will sacrifice my life if needed, and I will continue on the path of the Elementals for the rest of my life," Elsa responded. Tonna tapped both her shoulders lightly with the tip of the sword.
"Then by the power invested in me by my predecessors and the Aqua Magus, I hereby declare you fully fledged member of the Branch of the Glaciem Magistri, of the Houses of both the Aqua Dulci Regem and the Aqua Salsa Ascensorem, of the Line of the Aqua Magus, of the Order of the Elementals. Please rise, Elsa," Tonna asked. Elsa rose to her feet before her mentor. Tonna handed her the broadsword.
"Should you ever go into a war, this is the sword you are to use," she commanded. Elsa nodded and brandished a scabbard to place the sword in it.
"Now," started Tonna with a smile, "We go to Geilo!"
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The airplane ride to Geilo was full of excitement. Elsa couldn't have been more giddy, which was a special treat for Tonna; Elsa was typically so reserved, so in control, quietly calm now that her powers were well within her grasp. When Tonna had first met her, she was a loose cannon, always ready to fire. Even then, when she was twenty one, Elsa still had to fight her powers when her anxiety striked up, or in any case where her emotions were heightened.
Of course, Tonna had refused to let Elsa's obvious General Anxiety Disorder impair her training. The pair went to Longyearbyen when Elsa was thirteen to get a formal diagnosis and medication, and since, Elsa had been much better in controlling her emotions and her general life improved. She became much more masterful when it came to training, and, now that her head was generally clearer, she was able to think and respond much quicker.
And to think, that the nervous young girl I took under my wing would now be a confident warrior and skilled user of ice, the older woman thought. She watched as Elsa made intricate little flowers of ice next to her. She laughed internally as she observed the platinum blonde sticking her tongue out in concentration, a habit she picked up from Tonna.
Her mother would be so proud of her; I know I am.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seatbelts. The flight will be taking off in about three minutes," a voice over the PA said. Elsa stopped her flower crafting and she and Tonna made mirrored movements to strap themselves in. However, Tonna managed to knock over her open bottle of water halfway, and it would've spilled all over Elsa.
Would've.
Instead, Elsa stopped the water in mid air, leaving the bottle on the ground and small mass of liquid floating in front of her face, her body water free. Both ladies stared upon the mass in wonder.
"How the hell did that happen?" They asked at the same time. After a shared, confused smile, Elsa picked up the bottle of the ground with one hand and lowered the blob of water back into it with the other. Slowly, Elsa handed the bottle back to Tonna, who took it with just as equal speed.
"Uhm, okay," Elsa said quietly.
Could she be…? Tonna thought, I mean, her great grandfather was, of course, Lukas…
"Five, four, three, two… We have liftoff!"
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Geilo was all she could have imagined and more. Elsa's face lit up with such excitement upon being somewhere unexplored, somewhere that her feet had never touched.
And the people… My, the people! She had seen so many interesting faces. The busy streets held so much personality, so much vitality, so unlike the dirt pathways that surround the Temple back in Svalbard. On one corner was a flower vendor, the next, a shoe polisher.
By Vita, chocolate is delicious! She purchased some dark chocolate from a local stand, and it was the most delectable thing her tongue had ever tasted. The way the piece had melted against her tongue, the rich, heady taste overwhelming her senses, she found herself in love with this new town of Geilo. And that night, the night to come would bring her such irreplaceable joy. Her heart sang out to the heavens.
"You earned it, kjære," Tonna said with a smile, her hand on Elsa's shoulder disrupting Elsa's thoughts. It was evident how much Elsa was enjoying herself, in the town of Geilo. It once again made her reflect on her past self, and how much her pupil served as a mirror into her past. For a moment, her smile faltered, thinking of that passed time, and a certain man associated with it. But quickly, she shook the thought.
I'm okay.
"Alright, little fox. Let's go check in."
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Elsa's first experience in a hotel was an… interesting one. She was not used to the beds, nor the small soaps in the bathroom that she actually thought was candy upon first inspection.
"Oh, how cute, little butterscotch snowflakes," she exclaimed. The moment just before she popped the soap in her mouth, Tonna attempted to stop her, only processing the shout then. It happened in slow motion, so it seemed.
"Elsa, no!" Tonna reached her hand out towards Elsa's, Elsa's eyes drifted in her direction, and then widened once the soap entered her mouth.
Time stopped.
And then Elsa's face screwed up in a mixture of disgust and shock, and she spat out the small soap, coughing up a storm. Tonna attempted to feel sympathetic and keep a straight face, but to no avail. She burst out laughing, her cackle filling Elsa's ears and making her scowl.
"It's not funny, Tonna," she murmured, cheeks obtaining a light coating of red.
"You ate a SOAP, E-Elsa! It's damn hilarious," she exclaimed, almost in tears from her laughter. Elsa tried to pout, but her mentor's laughter was contagious, and she found herself smiling at her own sheer stupidity.
"Fine. It was a little bit funny… But," she launched a soft snowball at Tonna, hitting her square in the face. It was her turn to screech with laughter.
"Th-th-that was funnier," Elsa howled.
Oh, two can play at that game, thought Tonna.
"Afli!" a bobcat of snow appeared beside Tonna, reaching her knees. Elsa's smile quickly faded.
"Spit snowballs at her, Afli," Tonna commanded, smile lines from her years becoming prominent. Elsa neatly dodged the sloppy throws, knowing they weren't intended for battle.
"Æinarr!" A fox of snow appeared next to her, a wicked grin crossing his features.
"Fight Afli." The masters stepped back as their two pets circled each other. Finally, Afli pounced on Æinarr, though his claws were sheathed; no, no harm was intended from this battle. After a while of rolling around, Æinarr pinned Afli down, then cackled the fox's laugh. The two went back to their masters, expecting praise.
"Tonna," Elsa said, looking toward her mentor, "Can we please go to the festival now?" Tonna smiled.
"Of course."
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When they arrived, it was dusk. There were lights around every street light in commemoration of the Ice Music Festival. It was crazy, the atmosphere, how wonderful everything was.
And, by Vita, the music, the instruments, the general sculptures were fantastic. Elsa found herself captivated by the ice string quartet; the ice of the instruments gave the sound such a unique quality, so enticingly beautiful, she herself wondered if she could make such a detailed instrument. With her skills, it shouldn't be difficult. But the music, the music was the icing on the cake.
She reflected on the first time she went to Arendelle to see the Ice Sculpture Gallery, when she was but four years old. So long ago it had been, in a time where everything was so completely different.
"Papa would have loved this," she said quietly, a small grin gracing her lips. She went over to the harpist and watched him play, enticed for the next several minutes.
"Yo. Blondie," a voice came from behind her, snapping her from her trance. There was a man behind her with dark brown hair and green eyes.
"You wanna see some magic?" he asked. She almost laughed.
"I should be asking you that question, sir," she replied. He looked at her in confusion.
"Uh, anyway. There's this chick in town, Anna Branansikt, does a whole bunch of really cool fire stunts. It'd probably be a good change of pace for you, considering all this damned ice…" he said looking around with barely concealed distaste, "Here's the card. The first show is at eight, bring about three hundred krones if you want a good view." He handed her the card and left. There were gold leaf letters imprinted on the card, with a flame insignia on the lower right hand corner.
"Hm. Maybe I will go… There's about ten thousand krones between Tonna and I, three hundred to spend wouldn't hurt," she thought aloud. It was currently about 7:45, almost time for the show to begin. She texted Tonna.
Going to check out the town some more, meet you back at the hotel between nine and nine thirty.
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When she arrived to the address given, she was confused. It was a small little building, so it seemed, called Wandering Oaken's Trading Post. How odd it was for a show featuring pyrodynamics to be held in such a place.
Either way, when she entered, she was greeted by a man sitting behind a desk, with a wide, barrel chest, with ginger hair and the same colored facial hair to match.
"Hoohoo! Vat are you looking for today, darling? Vould you like some merchandise from the festival? Ve have snowglobes, ja, and sveaters, and posters - " the burly man was cut short by Elsa's nervous chuckle.
"I'm so sorry to interrupt, sir, but I actually am here for… Uhm," she looked down out the card. "Ms. Branansikt?" The man's face lit up.
"Oh, ja, you are here for our little dearest Anna. First, sign this," he replied, pulling out a full piece of paper. She looked down at it, reading the paper within seconds of getting it. A skeptical look in her eye, she turned to the man she assumed to be Oaken.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Oaken, but why am I signing a safety contract? And… why does it say if I get to close I could die? That's quite concerning," she told. He chuckled.
"Just safety precautions, dear." Her curiosity was burning. So… well, sure. Why not. She signed the contract, not quite caring if something could try and harm her. Her reflexes were too quick, she would be able to catch them in time.
"That vould be two hundred ninety five krones, please," he asked politely. She handed in the cash and then it occurred to her.
"Mr. Oaken, where exactly is Ms. Brananasikt supposed to perform in such a small vicinity?" she asked, perplexed by the situation at hand. She had looked all over; up, down, left, right, but since she got there, she found no possible for such a show to be held.
"Right in the the back, dear. I assure you, ve have a very nice place for this show to be held," he explained, a smile on his face. He stood, and her head was almost all the way back by the time he finished rising.
He is one mountain of a man.
"Kristoff," Oaken called. A tall, sandy haired young man came out, a Bernese Mountain Dog by his side.
"What do you want, Oaken," he replied, seemingly tired and not wanting to deal with anyone's shit.
"This young lady is here for our dear Anna," he said. The man named Kristoff's eyebrows raised, seemingly in disbelief.
"Wait, really? Even more people? Cool! Okay," he responded, perking up up, "Come with me, then. What's your name?" They began walking toward the back, down a long hallway.
"Elsa Isånd," she said. He nodded. There was momentary silence.
"Have you ever seen a magic show before?" Kristoff asked, after a beat. She shook her head no.
Kristoff chuckled internally, because this really was a magic show - this was Anna's raw talent, something she had been honing in on for ages with her various mentors. These shows she did, she did them for money, but moreso for fun. Impressing people with her skills - which they donned as simple magic as a cover up, since they did not know who was out there - was something he knew Anna enjoyed. She had expressed to him, one night whilst they were practicing, that the way she made people's faces light up - figuratively, of course- gave her immense joy. The thought made him smile; his best friend really was a great person.
But, there was this woman in his view now. He studied her out of the corner of his eye. She was stunning - in an untouchable kind of way. She was not his type, no, not at all. But that didn't change her beauty. Her body was donned in a light blue coat with white jeans and navy shoes; Vans, maybe? Her platinum blonde hair was in a loose braid over her shoulder, and her skin was flawless, her eyes accented by mascara and dark purple eye shadow.
Anna is going to love this one.
They walked into a surprisingly large room, mostly black, where many other people sat in chairs.
"Sit here, please," directed Kristoff. She sat down in the front, surprised there were even chairs left open there, as Kristoff walked off and disappeared into a side room. Her gaze roamed around the room, looking for the mysterious magician who had yet to appear.
Meanwhile, in the other room, a red headed magician was preparing herself for the show she was about to do. She fixed her red bowtie one more time, straightened out her same colored suspenders, and tucked in her white blouse to her black jeans. She studied herself in the mirror.
Hair up, down, or braids? Well, c'mon Anna, your hair is wild down, and you don't have the time nor resources to put it up. Braids it is. Her fingers went deftly to her hair, putting it into neat twin braids over her shoulders.
"I can do this, I was born ready," she pepped to herself, refusing to let her nerves get the best of her. The door opened suddenly, and she felt like she jumped nine feet into the air. She heard a chuckle behind her and turned, knowing immediately who the culprit was.
"Kristoff, you stinker! You should have known to knock," she chastised, huffing. He smiled and Sven ran over to her.
"You got about three minutes and a big audience. Probably about a hundred people, and a cutie in the front row," he told her, winking. Her eyebrow rose up, and she rolled her eyes.
"Whatever, Kris. Get out," she commanded playfully. He laughed and left the room. She looked in the mirror one more time, making sure everything was perfect with her appearance. Once she heard Kristoff begin his hyping, she put on her black fedora.
"And now… Anna Branansikt," he announced.
Show time.
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Anna Branansikt was everything Elsa wasn't expecting. One, she was damned hot, and not just in the literal sense. With the outfit she was wearing, her blazing hair, and the confidence upon which she carried herself, Elsa found herself entranced, observing every detail that lie in her figure. Two, she was very believable with her magic. The moment she walked out, she had a ball of lightning in one hand and on the other, her fingertips were lit on the ends with fire.
"Hello, folks," she said, a wonderful smile stretching across her face, "How are you all doing tonight, in this fine evening in Geilo?" She received cheers from the audience, and grinned even wider.
"I have quite a few tricks to show you all tonight, so prepare yourselves, and get ready for a wild latter half of your evening!" Her eyes scanned the crowd; this bunch was going to be particularly responsive, always a great thing to have. And then, her eyes found the woman Kristoff was speaking of.
She was gorgeous, and Anna felt her heart stutter in her chest upon making eye contact with the woman. Her light bangs were pushed back off her face, making her hair appear full and thick. Her cerulean eyes paired amazingly with her skin, a pale, pale complexion, and her lips were full and wonderfully red. And when she smiled, Vita. Anna had to swallow before continuing the show.
"Well, let's begin!"
The show was amazing. The way Anna moved, how she seemed to be one with the flame she was using, all of it was incredible. Elsa couldn't have taken her eyes off of her if she tried. Anna seemed genuinely happy and in her element while doing this, and was a great performer.
"Alright, everyone, one final trick," she said. She took a big breath, put her hand up to her mouth, and blew out fire. It created the shape of a dragon, earning amazed 'oohs' from the crowd. They clapped, earning a smile from the magician.
"Okay, everyone. Thank you for coming! Did you all enjoy the show?" she asked them. They all clapped and cheered loudly. She grinned loudly and said her thanks once more. As she walked out into the dressing room, they all stood and cheered behind her. She shut the door, completely spent from the night, yet feeling extremely rewarded. The show was an absolute hit, the crowd was incredibly, and she and the woman made eye contact multiple times, her heart not failing to skip a beat every time it happened.
That woman…
Elsa waited until everyone left the room and walked across it to the dressing room door. She had about eight hundred Krones left in her pocket, and she felt the magician deserved that money, with how great she performed. She knocked softly on the door.
"Just come on in Kris," came a wonderful voice from inside.
"It's not Kristoff, Ms. Branansikt," Elsa replied. A beat, and then,
"Oh. Well, you can come in either way." Elsa opened the door and cerulean eyes meet teal immediately upon arrival. There was a tension, an odd pull that occurred when their gazes locked with one another. Elsa swallowed and broke eye contact first, feeling slight anxiety creep up her back.
"I-I just wanted to t-tell you, your show was fantastic. Your magic was so b-believable; I found myself trying to figure out a-all the tricks you were doing," she stuttered out quickly, "A-and I want you to have this." Elsa handed Anna the Krones, and Anna's eyes got wide as moons.
"R-really? Eight hundred Krones…?" she asked the woman, making sure she wanted to give her such a sum or money. If she did, she would be able to afford the new scimitar she had been saving up for for years now. She gave her an adorable, timid smile in return, accompanied by a nod.
"Yes," came her firm reply. In an act of spontaneous gratitude, she threw her arms around the woman and hugged her tight, spinning her up and around before putting her down.
"Thankyouthankyouthankyou," she exclaimed. Elsa squeaked slightly, surprised to find herself so quickly in the other woman's embrace.
By Vita, she's mighty strong as well. The thought caused her to blush slightly as her feet landed back onto the ground.
Anna set her down, realizing now how unprofessional and stupid that was of her. She internally facepalmed and externally blushed. She averted her eyes from the woman, rubbing the back of her neck.
"Heh heh… Forgive me for that," she said. The woman chuckled.
"No worries. My name is Elsa, by the way," the woman told her.
Elsa. She loved the way it sounded, and accidentally said it out loud.
Elsa shuddered, very slightly. The way her name rolled off Anna's tongue appealed amazingly to her ears, and she found herself wanting to hear it come from her lips again.
"Well, it was nice to meet you, Elsa," she told her, "Will you be in Geilo for long?" She wanted to see Elsa again - no, she needed to see her again.
"Till the end of the festival," Elsa replied. She smiled.
"Good night." Elsa slowly left the room, not at all wanting to leave Anna's presence. The door shut quietly behind her. Both Anna and Elsa stared at the door after it had closed, wanting it to open again, but neither having the courage.
My, what a girl.
A/N: What a long chapter, am I right? Took me the entire week to write it, but I'm happy with how it turned out. What did you all think of their first meeting? Any critiques are appreciated (critiques, not hate)! Also, translations.
Kjære- dear.
"Sjekk kompis, min venn." - Checkmate, my friend.
"Jeg innrømmer nederlag. Du vinner." - I admit defeat. You win.
On another note, I should tell you that one Norwegian Krone equals about twelve American cents. Therefore, 10,000 Krones is roughly 1,200 USD, 295 Krones is about 35 USD, and 800 Krones is about 92 USD.
That's about it for this week, guys.
Goed, sien julle ouens volgende sewe dae! ~ Burns