I would like to give a thanks to all 46 of my followers for liking my story enough to put it under their radar. I remembered when I first wrote a fanfic a couple of years ago, I was excited that it got 83 views. So please, I would like to show my appreciation from all of my heart by continuing to serve you guys. You guys have made writing a fun experience again with your support and reviews.
Meanwhile, have you seen "Let it Go" in multilanguage? It's "bleep"-ping beautiful. I swear, the parts where Elsa goes into Japanese, Mandarin, Serbian, and Québécois possess a direct line to my pleasure centers.
Actually, all of the languages have a direct line. Enjoy the ride.
Chapter 5
I Won't Be Alone
"Queen Elsa!"
"Your Majesty! Please meet my husband!"
"Milady, you look beautiful this afternoon!"
Elsa raised her hand to acknowledge the civilians clamoring for her attention. She was feeling more and more overwhelmed. The news of Elsa having blessed a pregnant mother spread like wildfire, reaching from one end of Arendelle to the other. Hopefuls demanded that she meets them, that she say a few words.
Elsa initially complied with the civilians' requests, enjoying the fact that they don't seem to hate her anymore. She would greet herself to young children, smile and wave, spreading wisps of snow here and there, and create miniature models of random civilians. It was as if the entire kingdom had come to see her, to touch her, to feel her regal presence.
She wanted to feel appreciated by their desire for her... but she was losing both heart and spirit. Her words became clipped, her smile tortured her pale cheeks, and her ice became rush jobs. Upon the nineteenth person to ask her for a model made of frost, it took all of her discipline to prevent herself from just snapping at the girl. To make matters worse, she desperately wanted to shout and demand solitude.
Maybe if she made an ice castle to hide in...
A Queen shouldn't be wanting to run away from her own people.
Ugly thoughts. Elsa grimaced. The crowd was really taking its toll on her. She needed a break.
"Captain Arvid," she yelled above the noisy men and women. "I-I need someplace to escape!"
The large uniformed man easily pushed his way through the swarm of people, until he was the one closest to the queen, and bowed. "Of course, Queen Elsa. May I suggest the bookstore?"
Elsa raised her eyebrows in curiosity. She was not even aware that there are shops that sold only books.
Thirteen years of hiding will do that to you.
"Is it quiet?"
The man grinned through his mustache, and nodded.
"Captain, guide me there!"
The Guard saluted, clicking his leather heels together, and used his incredibly stocky arms to his advantage, splitting the horde and moving along like an expert swimmer. He created a large gap behind him that tapered to an end; Elsa could walk in it, without being swept aside by admiring people.
Despite her duty to connect with the public, Elsa was truly glad she had someone like Captain Arvid to separate them from her whenever she needed it. They reached a rustic, two-story building with ease, and the Captain opened the entrance door to usher her in. Elsa took a tentative look inside, and hugged Arvid out of appreciation. The Guard's eyebrows shot up into the brim of his hat, his expression priceless.
Dlsa hurried into the doorway, and heard it shut close behind her, as well as the barks of orders the Guard shouted to the disappointed masses.
Elsa gazed around the store in sheer awe. The smell of musty paper hung in the air, and the establishment was gently lit by curtained windows and hanging lamps, creating an ambient, deeply golden glow. There was hardly a sound besides the scratching noises of a pen. The disruptive scraping of a chair, caused by the shopkeeper rushing to bow, broke the silence, but only momentarily. Besides that, there was only one other person, and he paid no attention to her at all. There was no talking, no shouting, no clamoring, and no demands.
It was peaceful.
The shop was comfortably decorated with furnishings and rugs, almost like a library re-purposed into a home. Elsa's palace had its own private library, of course, but the writings were old, aged, practical, and dull. In the castle's library, the books packed with files on trade agreements and tax revenue would be severely juxtaposed by stories devoted to entertain children, a side-effect of the Closed Gates. Elsa herself had nothing else to do during that period. So, for thirteen long years, most of the texts at home have been already devoured.
Here, there were shelves that were neatly arranged and sorted, adorned with books of all sizes, vibrant colors, and thickness. However, the impressive factor for Elsa was that everything stacked on these wooden shelves was fresh content.
For the first time in forever, nobody called her queen. Elsa was now a child again. Not a little girl filled with regret and pain, but one who hopped with enthusiasm and curiosity for the world around her. Her icy heels made softened thuds over the carpets as she brushed her fingers along binding after binding of published works. She paced from one end of the building to the other, fretting for a split second over all of the choices presented to her, her mouth stretching into a giddy smile.
Elsa came to a conclusion; she should just start with one from every genre.
She walked over to a shelf, and closed her eyes with one hand, as a young child would, before reaching out towards it. Her fingers latched onto a paperback, and she pulled the novel out. Not even bothering to read the title, she flipped the book open and skimmed through.
Until now, she had never read a novel that was amazing as this one, for it was completely unique to her. She laughed at one punch line for its fresh unfamiliarity, then sobered immediately in the next page, feeling empathy for the revolutionary separating from his children. She flipped several more pages to stop on a passage, and read down the paragraphs. However, before she finished, she snapped the book closed, blushing furiously.
It was a romance novel, of course.
Her eyes darted left and right, even though there were only the two people inside who were not even within proximity of her, and she tucked the book underneath her arms for further reading.
What are you, a little girl?
She continued the same process at the next shelf, and the one after that, again and again, wondering why she couldn't have just spent her entire time here instead of a crowded restaurant.
Because you will starve otherwise, and Anna will have a new reason to fuss over you.
Elsa put the book she was reading down, her joy dampened. She was still annoyed with her sister for not coming with her to help.
Anna, who has done nothing but forgive her sister for all of the years of pain she had dumped on her.
She exhaled slowly to release her mental turmoil. With additional gusto, Elsa pulled more novels out of their shelves. All she needs is just more literature.
As Elsa skimmed over a new book, this one about the life in the far-off world of America, the lone patron walked by and stopped next to her, perhaps a little uncomfortably close. Elsa's heart jumped in response out of the invasion of privacy. Her eyes twitched, her shoulders slightly raised, she was very unnerved by him. She could smell him, not necessarily an awful odor, but it was quite powerful. Elsa snuck a peek at him, seeing a pair of glasses, and the color of grass. Elsa swallowed, and looked away.
He was doing the same thing. The man reached over to grab two books, one on each hand.
Now, Elsa wasn't exactly too sure what this man was up to. He made a big show of trying to decide which one to take with him, lifting one up to scrutinize it, before switching to the other, clearing his throat. If Elsa had knew any better, she would have suspected he was trying to grab her attention, and initiate a conversation. The fact that he seemed to have read the left book's summary four times over by then was not helping matters.
After two, uncomfortable minutes, the man was wearing down Elsa's welcome.
Go away, please. You are too annoying.
Not that Elsa ever said that.
That's because you are too much of a coward.
No, that's because it's common courtesy.
Elsa shook her head, irritated. She sorely wished that Anna had been here. Anna, her sister, who would gladly tell this stranger to shove off and be done with it.
Anna, who left her at the gates for her to hang helplessly in this Royal Visit. Anna, who sacrificed so much for her weak sister even though Elsa deserved nothing. Anna, who had the terrible luck to have such an awful sibling who nearly killed her.
She heard a deep sigh, and shot another glance. The man, disappointment weighing his ashy brows, placed the books back onto the shelf.
Something snapped within the young woman. She was just so upset with herself, she just knew that the man had absolutely no justifiable reason to be angry at her. That's his fault for trying!
"What's your problem?" Elsa blurted, years of discipline flying straight through the curtained windows. "You were being too obvious, trying to get me to talk to a man like you!"
The man snapped back angrily. "Then why weren't you the one to at least tell me to go away!? The way you behaved, I would have thought you were mute!" They glared and fumed at each other. A part of Elsa's brain idly noticed that he was only a hair over Elsa's height, and he was nowhere near handsome. The only things remotely bright were his grass-green eyes. Everything else about him had either grayed or withered with age, such as his ragged coat, a beard that was simultaneously too long and too thin to have been tended to in ages, and his relatively frail figure.
This is getting nowhere.
The man sighed, and gave a stiff bow. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that, especially to a young lady as beautiful as yourself."
Elsa flushed at this sudden comment, and raised her hands to her mouth, her dark eyebrows curled in horror. She just shouted at an elderly man, for crying out loud.
Stupid, stupid Elsa. Those novels have gone completely into your head.
"I-I'm sorry too," Elsa stammered. "I didn't mean to shout at you like that. I-I'm not good at socializing, I'm afraid."
"Well, that makes two."
Elsa crossed her arms, perplexed. "So, why didn't you say anything?"
The man flatly noted, "Not a lot of people enter bookshops, believe it or not."
"How is that important?"
The man opened his mouth to say something, but he held himself back. The words seemed to have physically lodged itself in his throat. He averted his eyes, and muttered something unintelligible.
"Excuse me?"
"I-I..." He sighed. He just stood there, his old and gangling body remaining completely rigid and motionless.
Elsa raised an eyebrow suspiciously, wondering why she didn't just leave him then and there. He was pathetic. He was rather pitiful. He was awkward. He was fearful of contact and intimacy, even though he just expressed desire for both a couple of minutes ago.
Strip away the gender, the status, the age, and the stature, and he was what Elsa saw in her bedroom mirror every morning.
He caught onto her train of thought. "It's okay if you leave." He chuckled sadly. "I'm just going to stay here until this misery passes." He peeked out of the window, watching pedestrians walk by, doing their everyday business. "You should be lucky."
Elsa blinked.
"I'm not from this town, and yet I can tell who you are, just from that shiny dress and hair of yours." Elsa covered her braid instinctively. "Rumors spread widely. You are Queen Elsa. You have to go to meetings? Balls? Public gatherings?"
"Please…" the woman winced. "I'm no queen. It's just Elsa."
"You do not know just how lucky you are," the older man continued. He had his eyes focused to the left of Elsa, but never directly at her face. "You are given so many opportunities, well, forced to, honestly, in order talk to others." He jabbed a thumb at the window. "I saw you with all of those people earlier, you know."
Elsa's ears heard the faint echoes of the multitude of people that she left behind only recently.
"Didn't know what they were talking about. Didn't really care myself. But, I would have switched places with you in a heartbeat."
"Why?"
"Because..." He inhaled slowly. "I'm lousy. Never really talked to anyone outside my family, since I never had to." Elsa nodded. "I... I can't say more, especially to a stranger like you."
Elsa was genuinely curious about this man. She wanted to know more, to understand why he was so easy to empathize with. "Can you at least say your name?"
The man just pursed his lips, not looking directly at her.
He truly is a painfully shy person. Elsa knew that he won't talk. If she were him, she wouldn't have either, without a bargain. Perhaps... she had an idea.
Her stomach lurched a little when she made the proposal. "You tell me your side of the story, and... I-I'll tell you mine." She felt unusually exposed in this situation, despite the solace the bookstore had been providing her the whole time earlier. "Deal?"
The man's eyes widened in surprise at the offer. "I suppose I owe you a name: It's Frode.
"And deal," he agreed. "But only if you go first."
Elsa blinked twice, realizing she placed herself into an uncomfortable situation. Still, she complied, albeit timidly. "So... Um..."
How do I start? She closed her eyes, and thought of two little girls.
You don't have to do this, you know.
It is what I deserve.
Remembering the past was painful for Elsa. It meant having to face the inner demons that haunted her for years on end, bringing with them fear of her powers, which occasionally broke free as sudden drops of temperature. Frode had to remind her at times that ice was starting to coat the books. As she relived thirteen years of sadness and second thoughts, she explained that each day plagued her with futility and despair, until she learned her love and desire to protect her sister was the solution to controlling the ice.
She told of how she was raised to become Queen at a young age, how she initially looked forward to become the leader of an entire country! Then, Elsa explained how she nearly killed her sister at the age of eight, and how she dreaded having to face her people ever since. Elsa recounted the events of the Eternal Winter, about how her fears eventually got the better of her, why she threw away her duties as Arendelle's ruler as a result.
It was only after she froze her sister's heart that she began the road to recovery.
"-All those years, all those chances that I could have taken to open the door for Anna... I squandered them. Even so, I'm still afraid of what everyone think will of me, still worried that they will reject me for my powers and mistakes. Even today, I've been nothing but a sad excuse for a queen."
Frode's curiosity sparked in his eyes. "Can you control your powers now?"
Elsa tilted her head at him, and decided a little show would be necessary. She needed a break from this weight in her heart, anyway.
As she lifted her arms, she noticed that they were quaking severely. Without Anna around, she didn't know if she could manage her powers easily within this building. She feared she would lose restraint, her ice destroying this little haven tucked away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Think of Anna. Her mind flashed back to the dressing mirror earlier that day, of her sister hugging her from behind. Anna's soothing voice repeated itself in the platinum blonde's ears. She then thought of Kristoff, who would go into a weepy mess every time Elsa made an ice sculpture, then of Olaf's joyful grin, and then even Sven. They loved her, powers included. They always told her they wouldn't want anyone else as a family member for the world.
That would have to do.
Elsa waved a hand dramatically, sending a chill wind, illuminated by magic snow, down the aisles. It twinkled in the candle lights, and brushed past rows of books on display, turning covers and pages audibly.
She sucked in a short breath, pulling her hand back rapidly, and looked at the receptionist's desk. The shopkeeper did not pay a single bit of attention.
Elsa looked back at Frode, and waved her other hand, creating a miniature cyclone of white powder. It snuffed out nearby candles, painting a section of the store white with its luminosity. Elsa wasn't finished yet; she twirled around, guiding the free-flying snow towards herself. Silently, it surrounded her, forming a silver ring that spun rapidly, until it appeared to be a solid white. The ring widened into a thick veil, forming a swirling column that connected the ceiling to the floor, blocking Elsa's sight from the world outside.
Finally, she raised her hands, calling the snow into the small space between them. It swirled from multiple directions, like streamers spinning around a pole, compacting into a single snowball. She released her powers, and let the snowball fall unceremoniously onto the ground, now a simple mess that melted into the carpet.
The wizened man sucked in a deep breath, staring at the pile of disappearing snow. "Amazing. After thirty years, I thought I'd seen it all…"
He noticed the young woman's patient eyes at him. "I-I suppose it is my turn, then."
He scratched his head, sifting through decades of memories. "I had to leave my family," he said, quietly. "My parents were simple cabbage farmers. I never explored anywhere. Never had to. Cabbage farming doesn't require a lot of travel, you know? I mean, sure, they were deliciously sweet, better than any other vegetable, especially in the cold North! But, still. A cabbage is still a cabbage.
"Books were my only escape. They were a door to another world, one that was not limited by fences and dirt.
"Of course, my father expressed little desire for me to have life outside the farm. 'It's better to be safe in your home, doing what you know best,' he would always say. You following me?" Elsa nodded at him. "After a... heated discussion with dad... I-I couldn't take it anymore. I grabbed my novels, some vegetables from the farmlands, and... I ran. I ran away without ever looking back. That was the last time I had ever seen my parents."
I'm never going back, the past is in the past...
"I was ready to go out, seek my own fortunes." He stood up from his chair, alarming Elsa. "Let me tell you, the first few days were amazing!" He was gesturing with his hands in front of him, his voice gaining speed and confidence, finally comfortable with company around. Elsa was beginning to think that he was absorbed into his own world for the moment. "I visited towns and kingdoms, saw beautiful sights and beautiful people! No longer did I have to toil in an oversized garden, no longer did I have to listen to my parents! I was guided by books filled with adventure, filled with life! They tell of great things that came unexpectedly, things that caught the heroes' by surprise, flipped their lives upside down, awakened their talents, turned their miserable pasts into a future full of fortune and fulfillment!"
He was swinging his arms wildly now, and jumped boldly on tables to make his point. "I have traveled far and wide, through all four corners of Norway! I saw everything, read about ever- Woah, woah!"
In a manner reminiscent of clumsy Anna, he fell with clatter to the carpeted floor, spilling books and chairs everywhere. Elsa, terrified, peeked over the debris to make sure he's alright.
A spindly arm poked out from the mess, index finger pointed skywards, full of energy. " And here I was," he shouted as he clumsily crawled out, like a draugr rising from the deep. "Ready to accept the opportunity to become the hero of my own story!"
Elsa covered her face to hide a smile, but quickly lost the need to. Frode's eyes shadowed with strife. "I never got that shot. Look at me, I was never impressive. I have no useful skills, no money, no apparent reason for people to want to meet me. I just know how to dig cabbages. I went on, from town to town, hoping for that one spark, like a rich man paying attention to me as I worked with talents that I 'clearly' possessed, or bumping into a lady who loved me for who I was, to give me money, a family, a meaning to my life..." He gestured towards himself with his thin hands. "It's been three years of bidding for a dream to come; it's been twenty-seven years afterward of giving up. I'm an older man now. I have no wife, no permanent job, no family, nothing." He snorted, and gave one of the books a derisive look. "I wasn't the hero of my story. I was a vagrant."
Elsa wondered about what he said earlier. "Why did you give up?"
Frode looked even more frail behind his spectacles, his bright eyes worn and dried now. "The shame caught onto me when I saw a young man, my age and similar in build at the time, chasing a noble, or banker, somebody rich, as if his life depended on it. He had the drive and courage to pursue success, and all I did was wait for it to come to me. It hit me that… that I was such an incredible fool!"
He slumped onto a chair. "I can no longer talk to others, because I can't think of anything besides how fruitless it will be. I became scared. 'It would've been better if I didn't talk to them,' I started to reason. 'After all, nobody wants to meet a wayward son of a cabbage farmer.'" His voice began to waver, and he wiped a thumb across his eyes. He was starting to lose control of himself. "I can't even go back to my true family anymore, because of my fear and naivety..."
Elsa remained seated, looking at him in a new light. This man had lived alone, choosing a path that he never shifted from, until the years of denial and regret had practically destroyed him.
Just like how the past she could have changed nearly destroyed her as well.
"I can only hope to surround myself in books to escape the painful reality. What once became a pastime to escape to another world became a prison that I'm too afraid to leave from.
"That's why I would have wanted to be you... With your powers and high status." He tried his best to smile, but it was a weak effort. "But I guess the grass is always greener on the other side."
They remained silent, not really sure what to say next.
Elsa thought of Alexandra and Bernt, the young couple who were the first to connect with her since Anna and Kristoff.
"Learn from your mistakes," Elsa whispered, almost unconsciously.
"Hm?"
"Oh, um… A kind mother told me earlier that if I didn't like how a solution turned out, I should fix it."
Frode showed his teeth humorlessly. "Even one that is thirty years old?"
"I suppose you aren't too old to change?"
The aged man gave her words some consideration. "...I'm talking to you, aren't I?"
Elsa giggled. "Yes. I think that's a start. For the both of us."
Frode grinned, this time genuine. "It's nice knowing that I'm not the only one who has social issues. I was beginning to think that I was by myself, until I saw you."
Elsa voice softened. "Me too." She looked at a nearby clock. There was still time before she was required to return to the palace.
"Say…"
"Yeah?"
"You seem to know your books. Which of these novels do you think are the best?"
The two newfound companions were complete physical opposites to each other, and yet they paid no heed to such a minor detail, instead talking for an entire hour about books and adventures. Elsa discovered that, while he was a man without a permanent job, he did accrue many artistic skills over the years. He showed her detailed sketches of small rodents, pulled out beautiful woodcuts from his bag, and possessed an exotic collection of pressed flowers in a large book.
One of his talents, however, he kept hidden underneath a pile of books. As he was talking about dealing with squirrels (nasty, twitchy little things, he remarked), She saw a handwriting peeking out, along with an uncapped pen.
"What is that?"
"Oh, this! I-it's nothing, really. Just... something silly that I do all of the time."
"Let me see it!" Frode moved backwards, looking somewhat defensive, guiltily so. Elsa was losing his patience with this man once more. Still, she allowed herself room to partially joke. "As Queen of Arendelle, and a friend, I command you!"
He looked at her, sighed, and pulled out a few sheets of paper. They were covered with a script that could have only belonged to Frode. Elsa looked through the sheets. They were very much the same stories that Frode had been telling her. She suddenly understood the implications.
"You wanted to become a writer?"
"Well... yes. I always wished to be one, ever since I was a child. But... you know about my father."
Elsa reached over to lay a hand on his arm.
But... this man isn't a family member. She was slightly hesitant, and her fingers twitched more than Elsa would have liked. An image briefly flashed, showed a thin and frail-looking Frode, completely blue and frozen, his green eyes turned into icy white orbs, distracting her, encouraging her to pull away.
Bad thoughts. He needs assurance now. She pushed through, and touched him without any trouble. "There's no use in worrying about the past," she said, firmly as she could. "You could only look ahead now." She read another passage in the script she held. "It's beautiful."
Frode turned his head to her. "Thanks. For everything. You know, you were the first real friend I've had in years."
Elsa's lips widened into a warm smile. "I really appreciate that. Will you be leaving soon?"
"I don't know. I suppose when I have enough of this town, I'll go elsewhere." He grinned lopsidedly at her. "That's just the life that I've made for myself."
Elsa looked away, thinking quietly. She wasn't focused on anything, but she was lost in thought. An idea presented itself to her. "You read a lot of books?"
"Yes..."
"And you write stories about your exploration of Norway? Including here, this very kingdom?" Elsa suddenly felt very sneaky. If Anna was here, she'd be so proud...
"What are you up to..."
"Arendelle's in need of good writers." Her memory flashed back to the passages in the history books back home. "Norway has only recently come from Four Hundred Years of Darkness, where Danish literature had been all that have occupied these shelves. We have visitors from all over the world to come here, and it would please me to have a famous bestseller in this kingdom showcasing the pride of Norway," she explained, as she raised her head slightly. "Especially Arendelle in particular." She pointed a long finger at the Frode, who was now rather confused.
"However, the people here are far too busy to pay attention to anything outside of their concern, even if you decided to sew this writing," she shook the sheets in her hand gently, "into your clothes, and walk out in open daylight."
She tried best to appear haughty, looking down her nose at him. He needed to understand the message. "A drifter such as you cannot expect help to come unless he truly wish to chance his luck. Otherwise, he would have to find the right man, and shake him until he starts listening."
He stared at her, meeting eye-to-eye, betrayal marring his face.
"Normally, I would do my best to help you, but I see you are too shy and afraid to seek assistance yourself." Elsa turns around to leave. "Good-bye, Frode." She walked slowly and deliberately, making sure her high heels of ice clacked against the floor noisily. She only took a step with every slow beating of her heart.
Frode was clearly talented enough, he just needs to understand it himself. If he truly wanted to improve, he would get the hint before she could shut the door on him.
"Why are you doing this? Why are you leaving so suddenly? I thought... I-I thought was finally able to get along with someone!"
She's already at the exit. She sighed quietly to herself. Maybe I was too harsh on him…
She was prepared to turn around. She wanted to apologize to Frode, hoping that he could excuse this sudden extreme treatment and remain friends again. But... something kept her moving forward. Frode, like Elsa, must understand that only he can change his own course, because she believed he can. Her hand was turning the doorknob-
"Wait!"
Elsa turned her head and eyes slightly, so she saw Frode at her peripheral. A sly grin nearly overtook her features.
"You lying, manipulative, wonderful girl." He bowed awkwardly. "As a mere vagrant, I ask you..." He gulped, "to tell me of a publishing company nearby."
Elsa finally beamed at him, pleased, and spoke in a regal manner. "I have no idea, for I have not reviewed over Arendelle's existing businesses as of yet."
"Oh…" His face crestfallen, his shoulders slinked, he was prepared to walk away, disappointed with his life once more.
"But as a friend, I do know that the owner of this store had to get his books from somewhere."
He glanced to the shopkeeper, who had remained silent the entire time. Never had he once looked up from his own notes.
"But, I don't want to trouble him."
"You've came to trouble me; look how that turned out. Besides," she added, "you are only doing this because it is necessary. When it isn't, you are free to find solace, like I had with this amazing place." She waved her arms around, taking in the grandeur of the bookstore once more.
Frode gave a subdued leap of joy, his graying beard moving along with him, and clasped onto both of Elsa's pale hands, his green eyes shining with more hope than she ever saw him. "Thank you!" As he expressed his gratitude, his face lost much of its forlorn qualities.
He kissed her hands, but recoiled a second after. "Ah! Cold, cold!" Elsa was slightly uneasy, but he pulled back and laughed. "People still terrify me, but I don't think I'll leave this town anytime soon, thanks to you!" He waggled his eyebrows. "I'll give you a sneak peek when I'm finished. First look!"
Elsa hugged him. She didn't smell anything that had bothered her before, only feeling the warmth that he emanated from his body. "That sounds lovely. I suppose I can hope to see you in this bookstore in another day?"
He patted her on the back. "Of course. I look forward to the next time you come! Please, come soon!" He turned around, elated, to face the shopkeeper. "Excuse me! Sorry for interrupting you, sir..."
Elsa closed the wooden door, not needing to see more. She nodded towards the ever-dutiful Captain Arvid, just barely preventing herself from letting loose her own squeal of excitement.
Anna would indeed be so proud of her, because...
...I made a new friend by myself!
The sun was setting low on the harbor by the time Elsa finally returned from her Royal Visit. There were much less people on the streets now, for they have returned home to eat dinner.
The Snow Queen herself took her time to enjoy the sun setting on her kingdom, its blazing colors splashing over the water and homes. The entire fjord was painted in radiant hues of orange, gold, pink, and red, a stark contrast to the lithe, blue-white figure observing it.
Elsa's stomach growled noisily, and her cheeks became much less white. She quickly darted her eyes around, and decided to stop by the bakery before she caved in to starvation.
Initially, she planned on buying a chocolate pastry, an absolute certainty for deliciousness, to celebrate the success (or at least survival) of her trip. But, as she looked at the wide selection of mouthwatering treats, with the tarts glistening with sugar, the sumptuous-looking cakes, and rows and rows of decorated truffles...
Who was she kidding! In high spirits, now that the long, fruitful day was over, Elsa decided that she might as well go full out. In a move that caused the baker's left eye to twitch with disbelief, she brought nearly all of the sweets in the desert section, planning to share with everyone back home. She even purchased some small carrot cakes for Kristoff and Sven to share, if reindeers could eat such things.
Arvid tried to deny Elsa any bags to carry, as he attempted to secure a grip onto every dessert item. Elsa had to insist gently that she should at least assist, lest Arvid should comically drop everything into a mess. He was reluctant to give her a small bag of chocolate chip croissants.
For the first time in a while, she found herself facing the opposite direction of the palace gates, a welcoming sign instead of a prison wall. Elsa smiled, for she was finally home.
The Queen and the Captain were surprised to see Elsa's entire family, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven, waiting for her in the courtyard. Anna grinned at her older sister, but waved shyly.
"Um... Hey! So, how was your trip?"
"It was wonderful," Elsa laughed. She was being honest. She had her troubles, especially when so many people became too overbearing, but she had also gained some confidence within herself, and advice from a wide variety of good-hearted individuals.
Still though, she was constantly perplexed by a single detail the entire day, and decided to address it directly. Her dark eyebrows drew closer, and she scrutinized Anna. "Kristoff leaving for his own business, I can understand. But, I don't comprehend why you had to leave, too."
In no relation to Elsa's powers, everyone froze to their spots. Anna, bless her honest soul, started to go rigid, and clammed up. She's onto something, Elsa just knew it.
"Anna..."
The cornered redhead bit her bottom lip, and she looked at Kristoff desperately.
"What are you hiding from me?"
Kristoff muttered, waving his arms up, "That's it. I'm out of here. I like ice, but I do not want to spend the rest of the night wearing blocks for slippers."
Anna gaped at him in shock. "But you agreed first!"
"Alright, you got me there." He turned and breathed deeply, ready to explain. At Elsa's peripheral vision, she could see that Captain Arvid was stepping away, a knowing twinkle in his eyes.
"Quiet, Kristoff. I want Anna to explain these events..."
Kristoff blinked, unsure of whether or not he was out of the frying pan just yet, but he stayed put. "Yes, your royalty! No, I-I mean Your Highness! Wait! Queen Elsa? Just Elsa? Augh!" He slapped himself in the forehead.
He truly is Anna's boyfriend, Elsa thought, but she did not permit herself to laugh. Instead, she waved a hand behind her back, so a small flurry began spinning around the Queen and her captives, which increasingly thickened until it became a fully-fledged snowstorm. Anna and Kristoff looked around in alarm. Only Olaf and Sven was not concerned.
"Alright. Elsa, Elsa," Olaf said, holding his hands out in front of him. "I know you are upset to see Anna again- No, happy? I mean, you are always happy to see Anna, and yet I'm pretty sure you're mad because of what we did; this blizzard surely means something, I just can't put a finger on it-"
A burst of wind struck the little snowman, carrying Olaf's head upwards, and leaving it flying above its poor body.
"Hey Kristoff, I don't know if you can tell, but I'm pretty sure I'm taller than you right now!" Everyone else watched it jabber, nonplussed.
Elsa, without icicles of course, took a stab into the confusion. "I knew what you guys were up to while my back was turned." Both Kristoff and Anna, who huddled against Sven's fur for safety, looked first at each other, then at Elsa in astonishment.
Anna was the first to crack. "Elsa, I'm s-sorry for not telling you earlier, bu-"
"You two went off to elope didn't you!"
The blinding snow lost its wind power, and settled itself harmlessly on the ground. Everyone else just stood there, stunned. Anna and Kristoff sputtered, Olaf gasped, and Sven gave out an unusual, punctuated braying sound that could have been laughter.
Olaf's head fell onto the ground, but he didn't pay attention. He was latched onto something more interesting. "Anna, you didn't tell me you were actually going to marry today! I could have brought flowers!"
"N-no! I didn't!"
Elsa covered her mouth as she giggled, and Anna realized what had just occurred. The little sister began to fume, her face now matching her strawberry blonde hair, like an overgrown tomato. "Elsa! You... you-you..." She balled her hands into fists, and marched up to the queen, her chin jutting as outward as she could manage. She raised her hands, and beat them upon Elsa's chest repeatedly.
They had no strength behind, other than childlike anger, but Elsa's heart broke a little. "You big meanie! You scared me so badly, that's just awful of you!"
Great job, you idiot. You took that joke too far, and now you've gone and made your sister mad at you.
A minute passed, punctuated by the sound of Anna's taps. Then, she hugged Elsa, silent. All was forgiven. Olaf's body went in for the hug as well. It reached out its stick of an arm inviting to accept more.
Kristoff, who was just standing there and watching the entire drama unfold, realized that the royal sisters were safe with, and from, each other again. He plucked the happy-go-lucky snowman's head out of the ground, replaced it on its rightful spot, and wrapped his long arms around the group as well.
"Still though, why did you guys leave me?" Elsa asked, mid-embrace.
Anna untangled herself from the bunch. "Oh, Elsa! I wanted to tell you so badly! but we couldn't, and we know that we should, but still, maybe it would've helped if we didn't? I didn't know myself, so-"
"We were asked by a troll." Kristoff explained laconically.
Elsa blinked. "Okay," she flicked her wrist, index finger outward at him. "That was a pretty lousy excuse."
"N-no, I'm serious! Remember when I told you I'm raised by them?"
"Well, yes, but it is pretty incredible to believe..." Elsa, unlike Anna, had not seen a troll since she was still eight years old.
Kristoff looked at the setting sun, which shined the last of its radiance at the clouds above as it dove into the sea. "It's almost night. Helge should be up soon; he can explain everything."
Elsa tilted her head at the young man. "Helge?"
Elsa stopped herself before the royal stables, watching Anna pat her horse Chestnut hello. She had passed this place by several times, often to greet Sven and give the occasional treat, but never had she actually stopped and entered.
Among other issues thirteen years of locking herself away did, she forgot how to ride a horse. She hardly had any memories of being on horseback anymore. The last time was...
Elsa saw a streak of Anna's hair change. Then, even more strips of hair followed suit, until Anna's fiery red hair became a cold, deathly white. The loss of color spread to her summer dress, and even Anna's skin bleached rapidly. Soon, all she saw was an ice statu-
Elsa closed her eyes. Memories. They're just memories. Anna is safe, and Elsa is happy. She has no reason to shun anyone away. She is perfectly fine... right?
Sure.
Kristoff and Anna stood in front of Elsa, where Sven's stable was located. The two were hiding something behind them.
Elsa raised a dark eyebrow; no offense to the horses, but the smell was getting to her. "Well?"
Kristoff announced as he sidestepped, "Meet one of my many stepbrothers, Helge!"
It's a plain old moss-covered rock. Kristoff and Anna had been blocking the queen's sight of an small boulder. Elsa crossed her arms at them, and pulled her mouth to one side. She was not amused.
Anna sighed in exasperation. "Helge, wake up! Get up! I'm still annoyed at you!" She kicked it lightly with her foot, but stumbled and fell to the ground. Kristoff knelt down to comfort his girlfriend, who was beginning to speak indecipherable obscenities, while Elsa watched in shock as the rock stood up on stubby legs. It brushed hay off of itself, and bowed at her, it's moss cape and tunic swishing.
"It's you..." It had the features most trolls sported; short stature, a tangled mess of hair, bulbous nose, wide ears, and rocky skin.
"Your Majesty, I am humbled to be in your prese-"
"You were one the trolls who planted the idea to have me locked away for good!" Elsa suddenly screeched.
Perhaps because, at some point in the past thirteen years, Elsa was beginning to resent her life, even more than usual. It's a teenage thing. And, to be fair, it lasted only a few weeks or so. It's a wonder how Elsa eventually managed, or she would have set her palace into a miniature ice age years ago.
During that particular, special time, as well as upsetting the King and Queen, developing a distaste for obvious displays of freedom, and turning food cold too quickly, she began blaming trolls for her misfortune. That livid Elsa came forth from the Ice Queen, like an ugly monster rearing its head, and rising from within her internal darkness. She hated the little stone creature, angry at it for removing Anna's memories of magic, angry for telling her and her parents to control her powers.
She shot a blast of magic beneath it, and icicle spikes lifted the creature well above the ground. Anna and Kristoff yelped in horror, blabbering objections that did not quite reach the Queen's ears.
Elsa was expecting the troll to be afraid for its life. She was stunned instead when the troll nodded, and said to himself, "Good, good. Her spirit has improved."
Helge's eyes widened, and he focused onto her, his eyes genuinely repenting. "In advance of Grand Pabbie, the Troll King, as one of his protégés, I apologize for the tragedy we trolls had befallen upon you and the Royal Family for years."
Elsa continued to stare hard at him. The air was frigid, and the breaths of everyone inside the stables came out as thick steam. A few of the horses nearby whinnied nervously.
"Despite all of the help we have given, all of our advice, we are not perfect," Helge explained. "We're very well learned on love and happiness, hence the title of 'love experts.' We trolls are ill equipped for everything else in human nature, unfortunately. Grand Pabbie was the wisest, but he is not the perfect guide; none of us were good enough to assist your condition." He bowed his head with shame and self-disappointment. "We made the same mistake many nights before with Anna, when she was suffering a frozen heart. We cannot forgive ourselves for these egregious errors. We were just not human enough to consider the ramifications."
Not human... enough?
"Now please, place me down." An edge of panic began to creep into Helge's voice, and he wiggled his thick toes frantically. "I feel much, much better if my feet are at least touching the floor."
Elsa lowered her arms, evaporating the spikes, and covered her mouth in shock. In her rage, she had nearly hurt somebody again, when she promised herself that would never happen. The implications of her actions mollified her. "I-it's okay," she stuttered weakly. "It is all my fault, I-I thought I had my temper under control."
"Not at all," Helge said lightly, waving a hand at her. "I see no need for an apology; that is just another reason why you people are so gifted."
Elsa looked at Kristoff, who knew trolls best, having been raised by them and all. If there were any stories he told that the queen doubted, she doubted them no longer. The mountain man shrugged. "They're a pretty upbeat bunch, the way I figured it. Not the type to hold grudges and such."
As they entered the castle, Helge's turned to the Royal Sisters, his moss cape sweeping to a side. "Now that night has fallen, we must head to the library. I can also be able explain the day's happenings, as you wish. Be warned, you might not like the answer."
Olaf bounced up next to the troll. "Why are you named 'Helga?' Did your parents hate you or something? Or is it this some troll thing you have going on?"
"Of course I have a name. A name is one of the most important pieces of identity and honor that can be bestowed upon you, and gifted at birth no less! It's not for just trolls, it's for everyone who has a sense of self; you too, my friend! Without my name, I would be nothing."
Olaf turned his head backwards to face the young man walking behind him. "Um, Kristoff, I don't think Helga heard my question properly."
Elsa thought of Anna's note, right before she went to town. "Why did you prevent my sister from coming with me?"
"Excellent question. I will be very honest with you, my friends. Today," he spread his hands apologetically, "was an exercise. I had to keep Anna and Kristoff hidden from you to force your development and growth."
Anna opened her mouth to make a cutting remark, but Helge slashed the air his hand, showing he's not finished. "You have to understand, without a companion like Anna, you would have to come to your own conclusions and develop bonds to serve as a substitute. The Royal Visit has been conducted the way it is to strengthen your heart. Both Kristoff and the Princess are very well-developed in their spirits, Anna especially, so they will certainly be prepared for what is to come."
Everyone stumbled, made a double-take, and stared at the troll. "What is coming?"
"I will attend to that request shortly. Right now," he motioned Elsa forward, so she could stand in front of him. "Let me have a look at you, Your Majesty."
Elsa stiffened at the sudden demand, but she knelt down hesitantly in front of the troll. Helge gently placed a hand on her forehead, and another on her chest. She could feel his large, granite-like hands on her skin. They were rock-solid, and produced no body heat whatsoever.
"I am not as good at memory magic as Grand Pabbie is," Helge admitted. "But I can still see that you have done very well, for now." He relaxed, and allowed Elsa to stand back up. "I was beginning to fear that I have made the wrong decision, as have Grand Pabbie unintentionally done for the Royal Family."
He straightened his posture, as best as a little troll could. "Fear not, Queen Elsa. You are no longer required to be apart from your family. From now on, it is best to be with the ones you cherish the most."
Elsa felt several slight, warm weights behind her, and looked back to see Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf placing a hand on the queen. Each and every one of them expressed their faith and belief in her with their eyes. Wherever Elsa goes, however she ends up, they would always be there to follow and support her. Elsa gave them the most appreciating, loving, and happiest smile that she could muster. She loved them, and they knew it.
Helge nodded with approval. "That would be the library, I presume?" The troll pointed at a pair of doors at the end of a grand hallway.
"That would be correct," Elsa replied. She was not particularly looking forward to come inside, mostly because she's already had her fill of books back in that corner of town with Frode.
The troll hobbled in front of the doors, and hopped a little with his right arm reaching upward. It came down along with a sigh. He looked at everyone behind him pitifully. Simply put, he couldn't jump.
Olaf scampered over, giggling happily since he could help, and opened the door for Helge.
"Thank you, Olaf." Helge scuttled into the library, darting his head back and forth between the shelves, and the hundreds of books that have settled in them. "Are you aware of Arendelle's Royal Ancestry?"
Elsa's reply of "Yes" collided with Anna's cheerful "Nope!" simultaneously. Elsa sighed and rolled her eyes at her baby sister, who looked back sheepishly.
"Then I believe you know of Adam the Adventurer, of Ravendall?"
"You mean King Adam the First, of Arendelle?"
"Precisely."
The little troll walked to the most remote, dust-covered part of the library, spotted exactly what he wanted, and jabbed a finger in its direction.
Elsa frowned: she had not reached this section yet in her own bored readings.
Kristoff walked over to the troll's side, following his finger, and stepped up to a book shelf. He carefully pulled out what Helge wanted with one hand, and nearly dropped it in shock. Before it could fall to the floor with a thunderous "WHUMP!", Kristoff dove in to secure a grip, with both hands this time, banging his head lightly against the books shelf as a result. The strong man staggered at the book's absurd weight.
"Woah! Man, this thing might be as heavy as you, Helge!" Anna tittered at her clumsy boyfriend, who in turn replied with a goofy grin.
Elsa, on the other hand, held her breath. This book had a cover made of aged sheep skin, the runes on its binding dating back hundreds of years. Several scraps of papers jutted out of the tome's pages haphazardly. The book looked ready to fall apart at any moment. Miraculously, despite Kristoff's handling of the thing, it held itself with surprising integrity. This book...
It belonged to the late King Akthar of Arendelle. It was the book Akthar always brought with him to his daughters to tell bed-time stories, before the Closed Gates.
Elsa gazed at it with a sudden intensity and hunger, desperate to relive her happy childhood, before her powers could have ever hurt anyone, before she ever had walking nightmares that would sometimes keep her awake for several haunting nights, before she was afraid of the very ice that she created, before her parents...
Elsa's eyes watered, blurring her vision, and threatened to pour down her cheeks. She covered her lips with a tremulous hand, and choked back a sob. Anna and Kristoff watched Elsa with concern, and quickly stood in front of the young queen, so they were all Elsa could see.
A minute passed by before Elsa could regain her composure. "I... I-I'm sorry for being this e-emotional, everyone." She sniffled.
Anna's voice was soft and gentle. "Just let it go, Elsa. It's okay to cry. Holding it back never helped in all of these years." She gave her sister a much-needed hug, feeling Elsa shiver in her arms. "I miss them too," she breathed, "but we'll be here for you."
Anna, you're such a strong, brave girl, stronger than I could ever be. Mother and Father would be so proud of you, they would have loved you so much...
Over Anna's shoulder, Elsa saw the troll lifting the book with ease. He looked slightly distressed by what just happened, but Elsa dipped her head to him.
With his necklace of blue crystals and a singular yellow clinking together, he explained further. "Adam the Adventurer was famous for combating various monsters and mythical beings when he was alive."
"They were real? I thought those were make-believe stories Fath-" Elsa hesitated. She saw them. Three years ago, the two parents who loved her with all of their hearts smiled reassuringly to their terrified daughter, before they parted for a trip by boat. She closed her eyes for a long second, and reopened them.
The smiles had actually belonged to Anna and Kristoff.
"-they were stories that Father would tell us as children."
Helge's face twisted into a scowl, not necessarily at anyone. "You see me now, eh? You should be lucky trolls are fond of humans. There are many others, thousands even. Most hate the human folk." He tapped lightly on the heavy and aged book. "This had belonged to Adam, once. One of whom he was, ahem, acquainted with, is coming, and if we don't stop it soon, Arendelle would be destroyed down to its last child."
He looked around at the stunned faces, his own eyes widening with realization. "Oh no... Subtley. I was supposed to have 'broken the news gently,' no?"
This chapter was actually pretty hard to produce. Not really because of its length (but that made self-editing quite the pain), but because of several other factors.
For one, I wanted to make the interaction between Frode and Elsa, two awkward people, believable. I'm pretty sure I failed horribly, but this chapter works well enough for me.
For another, this was actually of bit of self-therapy for me. If you can't guess what that means by now, it means I'm shy, aggressively so. I even became a Nietzsche Wannabe to justify my weakness. In my freshman and sophomore years, rumors spread that I was deaf.
...yeah.
Thirdly, I had to make sure this chapter didn't feel like it had a "people should just pick themselves up and work!" attitude. Because life's just not that simple. I freaking wish it did; it'd certainly make for less internet debates.
Besides, not everyone can be successful in a world that values extroverts. You're expected to be a leader, to be bold in the face of adversity, to talk and make connections, to crush others actively in competition with a thirst that can only be quenched by success.
And then there are the guys who'd rather relax at home and read when the day is done.
For now, I'm going by what my mom said, translated from Chinese: "It's important to know when to go outside of your shell and comfort zone to make a difference in life."
Fellow introverts, hang in there.
See you guys soon, fans of Frozen.