Angst. Angst angst angst angst.
angstangstangstangstangstangstangstangstangstangst...
ANGST!
Flipping balls, almost every writer seems to love dipping their fingers into pies filled with heartbreaking stories and whatnot, plucking away at those heartstrings like... I don't don't know, a rockstar guitarist or something (I'm not a band enthusiast).
...Sorry about that. It's just that I am finding myself writing darker and bleaker chapters, which is kind of displacing what I really wanted to do: a story that could have been made by Disney itself. I wanted Have Courage, Elsa to be a ride through the Frozen universe, an exciting and heartwarming adventure that could make use of the movie's colorful cast of characters in a way that I could see as a sequel. I wished to write about how anyone, be it a freak, a soldier, a random civilian, or even a schlub could be the best humanity has to offer if they put their backs to it, and how their lives could lead to wonderful journeys full of action, dreams, and romance (not the kind you are thinking about). I wanted this story to be a deconstruction, a reconstruction, a romp filled with the same kind of imagination that characterized Disney for nearly an entire century!
Above all, I wanted to show that, while reality will always toss a giant of a thundercloud coming your way at some point in your life, there may not just a silver lining behind that beast, but possibly an entire jubilant celebration waiting for you...
...And yet here I am, trying to write sob stories.
"sigh" There are too many 90% cocoa moments, and I am dangerously close to making them my focus. No offense to you fantastic fanfic writers, but that's just not that path I want to follow.
Rant over. Glad you guys managed to survive this far besides me.
All rights belong to Disney, and editing kudos goes to FrozenRose1.
Chapter 12
Totally Bizarre
Start of Day Two
"'Take care of yourself, and good luck.'"
Finally ending Prince Adam's story with Trigve's letter, Helge craned his back upwards to relieve his sore spine. He didn't know exactly how long had he been reading from the journal, but the creature could feel the crevices of his rock body grind against each other audibly like millstones after a long time of arrested movement.
Idly, he glanced sideways to observe the Royal Family. The troll had warned them earlier that Adam's recounts surrounding the Spøkelse may prove detrimental, and evaluating their current status could determine how deep of a setback they would be in before its arrival, and where these three would be going. Their fighting spirits must be top-notch if Arendelle was to survive.
Helge's eyes first fell upon his adoptive little brother, Kristoff. The mountain man said little, propping his elbows against the tabletop to support his head. He stared at a distinct spot on the wall without focus.
Next to Kristoff, Anna also stared into the distance like her boyfriend, her eyes seemingly glazed. She blinked repeatedly, perhaps a slight touch more frequently than humans typically do.
Helge privately smiled to himself at the sight of her; although Anna was still unusually still and hushed by her energetic standards, the redhead Princess was merely fighting a losing battle against incoming slumber. The fact that she was able to stomach the Adventurer's journal entries much more smoothly than her peers will prove her to be a valuable asset when the time comes.
Unfortunately, even a quick glance was enough for Helge to conclude that Anna's sister experienced the opposite effect: Upon the Queen's turn to be observed, Helge's preexisting grin faltered into concern for the lady; sleep deprivation and events from the journal parallel to her own experiences had cracked the stoic and professional mask the blonde wore hours ago. In fact, out of the three humans sitting in front of Helge, Queen Elsa of Arendelle was the most stricken; the poor woman held herself tightly as if she was desperately trying to warm herself, and her eyes were dulled and casted low, staring into space in a hazy trance.
Helge wouldn't blame her if she had frosted the entire library right then and there; the trauma suffered by Elsa was unbelievable according to Kristoff, and was nowhere near likely to be alleviated anytime soon, certainly not before the Spøkelse's arrival. It was very possible that Adam the Adventurer's accounts uncovered fresh mental scars within the Queen, which could lead to a buildup of emotional pressure. Her meltdown just a short while before proved just how badly Adam's memories affected her, with her ice magic serving as a primitive release mechanism.
So... what happened to her release? Where's the chunks of ice? Where's the blizzards, the raging storms?
It was to the little troll's astonishment that the Snow Queen had produced neither a single snowflake, nor even a small drop in temperature. Helge wasn't sure exactly what to consider her sudden reign over her powers; perhaps she came to an miraculous epiphany in the middle of Helge's reading and finally settled her personal conflicts, saving him a subject needed addressing for the upcoming arrival of the Spøkelse.
No, that was far too optimistic. Realistically speaking, Elsa had to be more like a ticking time-bomb waiting to burst.
A pale glint of copper diverted Helge's attention, and he found himself looking back at the Princess. Despite their rough start yesterday morning, he was finding himself appreciating the redhead's qualities more and more; Kristoff had always said Anna was a brash girl, but she was nowhere close to being stupid. By the looks of her concerned blue eyes, the Princess evidently came to the same conclusion about Elsa like he did.
Anna took a deep breath, and stood up slowly from her chair, feeling her limbs creak audibly with relief; sitting in a single position for hours on end was not her forte, and she couldn't help but enjoy herself as she flexed outwards, forgetting almost all of her discomforts and nerves.
Still though, the relationship between Adam and his brother remained stuck in the back of Anna's mind, festering far too long for the Princess' liking. Those two had their love go sour, not unlike what happened between me and Elsa as kids, she mused.
It was nice that the two finally made up, and even sent letters to each other! Anna reasoned to herself.
But... to be separated forever...
The Princess shuddered at the mere germ of that thought, and shook her head hard enough for it to rattle. Nope. Absolutely not. Will definitely not happen.
The thirteen years of closed doors do not count?
Anna scrunched up her face to pull a sour expression at herself. Not anymore, bub. I'm going to quit thinking about this right now, and you can't stop me!
Perhaps... but can you stop your sister from doing the same?
Anna's bright blue eyes focused on her older sister, and her heart sank at the sight; from the other side of the table, the redhead found herself staring at a neurotic mess. Elsa just looked so... closed off. Alone. Miserable. She reminded Anna of the disaster that was the Coronation party just three weeks ago.
Right... Elsa had always been so hard on herself. Even after she learned to control her magic through love, thirteen long years of heartbreak and silence was too much to be solved through her reconciliation with Anna. Of course she would put herself into one of the brothers' shoes, replaying her isolation and self-imposed exile from her loved ones once again to no end. Of course she would imagine the worst of the Spolkese's... the Spoke- ...the monster's capabilities, whose acts were terrifying and strong enough to torture an entire kingdom that may as well be the Royal Sister's own.
Well, that will never happen under Anna's watch. Her older sister has to smile again, which will require some much-needed words of support. Slowly, the redhead made her way to the Snow Queen as not to startle her. "Elsa..." she breathed.
"O-o-o ho! Too nuch', too nuch'!"
A crack of deafening thunder and snapping wood, accompanied by the screeching protest of metal, resounded in the air, splitting the silence like the strike of a sharp sword. The disturbance was strong enough to kick dust off worn books and rattle painting frames against the walls, alarming everyone inside the library.
Anna yelped reactively, whipping her head and body towards the source of the sound fast enough to slap herself with her own pigtails.
Helge's knee-jerk reaction was nowhere near better; the troll jolted as if he stepped on hot cinders, and his stone toes clattered against the hard tabletop. The little troll's footing became unsure, and Helge toppled over as he waved his short arms with futility. His rotund body bounced against wood, and he laid on his back with a stunned expression on his face.
"Oh my, Your Majesty! Your Highness! Did I disturb you?"
A broad, pleasantly-heavyset woman barged into the library, balancing two large silver trays on her hands with the steady experience of a veteran servant. The disturbance was just Gerda, the Head Maid of the Arendelle Royal Palace; the older woman had unintentionally burst into the four people inside the library by misjudging her strength against the entrance doors.
Anna felt clumps of her own hair clinging to her tongue, and spat a pigtail out of her mouth in disgust. When that wasn't enough to get all of the strands out, she spat some more, looking immaturely ridiculous as she did so.
Rubbing her mouth dry of spittle, Anna turned around to check the two older members of the Royal Family. The Princess huffed out a breath in exasperation; of course Kristoff and Elsa had to treat the surprise with much more grace. Her boyfriend merely stood up out of his chair in alarm, his brown eyes bright and alerted. Her sister, on the other hand, barely moved a hint, instead flicking her blue eyes to the direction of the maid.
"Gerda! It's so nice to see you, even at an hour this... late." Anna chirped. A passing memory flickered into life within the redhead's mind. "Say, have you seen Olaf around? I remembered asking him to go grab some hot cocoa, although looking back at it, I guess I should have told him where to find it..."
"Anna."
"But wait... oh, oh nono... He's completely lost, isn't he? Now that I'm thinking about him, do snowmen even know how to make hot chocolate? It is hot chocolate after all... which makes it 'hot!' how will he be able to survive!? He'll be melted straight to the floor! Gerda, Elsa, I'm so, so sorry! Quick! We have to go save him bef-"
"Anna. You're rambling again." Gerda smiled at the redhead apologetically. "No worries, I wasn't the only one who intruded upon your 'super secret' discussion." She flicked her chin to the back; a strange, dumpy-looking, buck-toothed bird-headed creature peeked out from behind her, before skipping merrily into full view. He spread glittering snowflakes everywhere as he greeted the Royal Family, making barely legible noises with only a tongue and an upper maw to guide his pitch. "Hiya guyth!"
The gang besides Helge widened their eyes in recognition of the peculiar creature; he was unmistakably Olaf, the only snowman who possessed both a personal snowcloud and dancing ability, but something was just... missing.
"Please forgive me, Your Majesty, but Olaf unfortunately had a little... accident with the kitchen stove."
Olaf gasped in shock, and hurried over Gerda to give her a great big hug. Anna couldn't help but giggle at the adorable sight. "I think he's perfectly okay and forgives you, despite whatever could have possibly happened!" remarked the Princess. Something wonderful and warm wafted up her nose, and she closed her eyes as she inhaled the scent hungrily as if she could consume it directly. The aroma was so rich and inviting, Anna had to gulp her saliva down before it could overflow and spill out of her mouth. "By the way, what is that amazing smell?"
Gerda beamed with pride, and bent forward in a flourishing curtsy to reveal the contents on her silver trays.
Everyone sucked in a gasp of delight, even Elsa; on Gerda's left tray were big steaming mugs of hot cocoa, sweet-smelling, aromatic, and adorned with little plump marshmallows. The rich vapors emitted from the cups seemed to brighten the very atmosphere of the library, brushing aside the dour and imposing gloom that polluted it for the past few hours.
"A little midnight snack for everyone?" Gerda suggested, waving her other tray slightly.
What was on Gerda's right tray garnered a similar reaction; slices of beautiful chocolate cake sat upon small porcelain platters, dark and moist. They were frosted in rich mousse and topped with strawberries, blueberries, and a variety of other succulent fruits. Each piece of cake was also adorned with a dollop of white cream, coated in chocolate flakes and shavings. Oh, to just have a single bite from one of those treasures... Anna couldn't maintain her desire this time, and she wiped dribble from her mouth as she eyed the treats in anticipation.
Gerda appeared quite pleased by Anna's gleefully childlike behavior, and made a big show of walking to the table and setting the contents down. The treats were quickly snatched by their respective persons with clinks of fine china.
The Head Maid chuckled to herself in satisfaction as she watched everyone enjoy themselves, especially Princess Anna as she drained her entire mug in a single go; the girl's lack of self-restraint was something to behold. "How was it?" Gerda asked her.
Anna scarfed down her entire cake with gusto, and rubbed her stuffed cheeks in pleasure. "Oh. My. Goodness! It's too freaking delicious, Gerda!" she muffled delightedly. "And this cake! It doesn't matter that the words on my slice spelled 'Get Well Soon'! It's amazing!"
"You'll have to thank Her Majesty for that. For a girl who had only shopped by herself for the first time, you sure have a good eye for baked goods, Queen Elsa!"
"Really? Thank you sis!" Anna shouted enthusiastically. Kristoff and Helge looked up from their food to muffle their appreciation as well.
Elsa's heart fluttered upon their gazes, and she dipped her blonde head bashfully, blood coloring her pale cheeks a dark shade of pink. Nevertheless, she smiled in light of their gratitude; the events starting from the maid's unexpected entrance had been an absolute blessing against the Snow Queen's melancholy.
Gerda, who had been watching everything unfold, chortled at the sight of the Royal Sisters. "The overall selection may just feel a little too rich," the maid admitted, "but I just know you ladies and gentlemen have to be hungry at this hour-"
The Head Servant paused, her jaw freezing midway for a few seconds before restarting its course. "Ladies and gentlemen..." Narrowing her eyes, she stuck out her fingers to address the people within the library. "Elsa, Anna..." she muttered, counting them off. "Kristoff, Olaf, me..." The plump woman blinked in bewilderment at one extra finger that stood up. "Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, me, and..." Her eyes fell upon a little figure standing right on top the table, one who held his mug in its stone fingers and stopped moving mid-sip. The grey, rotund creature, around the same size as Olaf, blinked and stared at her; she did the same in return. It raised a granite hand hesitantly in a wave.
"It's alive!" Gerda screeched.
Anna brought her hands up to her mouth in horror. "Ah, whoops." she said meekly, cringing in embarrassment. "Sorry, sorry! I forgot that we never really introduced him to anyone yet..." She cleared her throat, and motioned her hand in an imitation of a formal introduction. "Gerda, meet Helge of the Valley of Living Rock. Helge, meet Gerda, the Head Servant of our Palace."
The troll glanced at the Princess skeptically, but he made a grand bow that rattled the glowing trinkets hanging from his neck, before extending a hand towards the alarmed woman. "A pleasure to meet you, ma'am." The woman could only recoil back in fear of the creature.
"He's not going to hurt you, Gerda." Kristoff assured, standing up from his seat to nudge the little guy with an elbow. "He came from a line of the best trolls I've ever known. It was his family who raised me when Sven and I were just kids."
"T-trolls..."
"They saved Anna's life with their magic thirteen years ago." Elsa quietly clarified.
It was to everyone's relief that nothing more was needed to be said; a sort of comprehension sparked in Gerda's eyes, and the Head Servant finally managed to compose herself long enough to shake the troll's hand, eyeing him with intrigue. When they released their grip from each other, the older woman gestured with a bow of her own, saying, "I would like to thank you for your hospitality when you rescued Anna from her magical injury, as well as raising Kristoff into quite the wonderful person."
Besides the troll, the blonde mountain man's face blushed, and he scratched the back of his head sheepishly while grinning like a fool.
"He has his rough edges," Gerda continued, "but the man has become a great and eager help as part of the Royal Staff, and a friend to the Royal Sisters."
Helge beamed toothily at her. "Thank you for your kind words. I can assure you that Kristoff had always been a good man and an excellent worker, even compared to most of our kind. He does have his quirks involving his reindeer Sven, but I can assure you that they are perfectly harmless."
"Hey!" Kristoff snapped. "She didn't even ask for any information like that!"
"What? I'm just warning her to watch out for your bout of weirdness, Kristoff!" Helge retorted. The troll grunted as Kristoff swiped a large arm to lock him into a chokehold, rubbing his knuckles audibly against the troll's tangled hair. "And the fact that you haven't denied my claim is saying quite a bit!"
"You mention another word, and I swear I'm going to feed you to Sven!"
"You know you'd rather kiss me than hurt your best buddy!" Helge shot back with a smirk.
"Kiss you? Well, I've had worse regrets in my life..." Kristoff grunted.
"My word!" Helge mocked. "What would your dear Anna think?"
"You're just bitter that I got a girlfriend before you!"
The two surrogate brothers began making quite a scene as they wrestled for dominance, all the while snidely bickering about each other's faults. While Anna and Gerda spectated them with expressions torn between amusement and bemusement, Elsa couldn't help but find the two's interactions utterly fascinating. Even as they scowled, the liveliness in Kristoff's and Helge's eyes showed that they treated the entire exchange as a joke. The quick grins the boys flashed at each other at times only cemented the Queen's observation.
As far as she was concerned, Kristoff and Helge were perfectly well-adjusted, happy family members, completely unlike the shattered history of the Royal Family.
Is this how a proper family should resemble? Elsa mused to herself, perhaps a bit sadly.
The Queen of Arendelle felt a tug on her frost cloak, distracting her from the chaos. She glanced downwards to see Olaf raising his stick hands out to her expectantly, motioning with his fingers.
"Oh geez, I completely forgot about you!" Elsa bent downwards from her seat to pick Olaf up gently. He giggled as she placed him on her lap, and rested her chin against his snow head. He was nowhere near capable of producing body heat, but his lively presence between her arms served as a sort of security blanket, or perhaps a giant plush doll that could wiggle its stubby feet.
Elsa's lips couldn't help but pull themselves into a wide smile. This is really nice... Having someone like Olaf close by, and just watching everyone have fun.
Don't you want to be a part of that?
Elsa redirected her eyes back to sibling scuffle; Helge was now tackling Kristoff, while Anna rooted for her boyfriend between mouthfuls of (stolen) chocolate cake. Gerda had long ago accepted the events happening before her, and was now merely watching over the three with the concern of a matron.
Whle Elsa was distracted, the rest of the gang have already focused back to the Spøkelse' history; Anna just finished asking Gerda permission to discuss some very severe matters within the maid's vicinity. Elsa didn't catch the question itself, but she heard Gerda reply, saying: "I see... I am unaware of what you and Helge have planned, but worry not dear. I promise not a single word shall slip through these Palace walls."
"Are you sure about that?" Kristoff panted, removing himself from Helge while raising his hands up to gesture for a cease-fire.
"Of course, Mister Bjorgman. I had been employed for almost as long as Her Majesty had first drew breath; l I am no stranger to conspiracies and secrets."
Helge dusted his moss tunic as he nodded in approval for the Servant. "Excellent. You have been a wonderful hostess, Gerda, but I would hate to hold back information in your presence."
Anna clapped her hands together affirmatively. "That's great, because I have a question that really, really needs answering."
"Well then, fire away."
Anna drew a long breath through her nose to steel herself, puffing her chest up in an imitation of a severe Queenly image. "Is it... is it really true that Prince Adam's magical sword was taken in permanently by that Treebeard guy?"
Helge scratched at his tangled mop of hair, scowling at the answer he was forced to confess. "Adam the Adventurer never returned to the Lost Woods of Ravendall; he retained his paranoia of the Spøkelse, fearing that just being within sight of the forest will give his position away to the demon. He would have been right, of course."
Elsa frowned, and spoke out just as Anna opened her mouth. "So... no one else took up the sword?"
Helge smiled humorlessly at the Queen. "From where we are, at this point in time? The Ulfberht may as well be sitting at the bottom of a bottomless pit."
Elsa stared at the troll. "...Such things are commonplace in Ravendall, aren't they?" she flatly commented. Helge could only shrug at her in response.
Anna turned to her Head Servant for an answer instead. "How about you, Gerda?" she piped. "Did we ever have any enchanted magical items lying around the castle?" After a second's worth of consideration, the Princess rolled her eyes, and added, "Heck, do we even have anything that was at least cursed magically?"
Gerda shook her head apologetically. "If I had known of any such possible artifacts since I first worked for your parents, I would have alerted Queen Elsa of their whereabouts before her Coronation."
Anna grimaced, and sighed in frustration, her shoulders drooping to dangerously low heights. "That... is completely unfair. How are we supposed to defend ourselves then, if even Adam the Monster-Slayer couldn't take care of him?"
"Anna's got a point." observed Kristoff. "She and Elsa never left their castle since they were children, and I have only bothered to learn the basics of avoiding and running away from supernatural threats. If this guy is truly a major-league demo- um... creature, what can we possibly do to stop him?"
Helge raised a finger high into the air dramatically, announcing, "Ah, but you two seemed to have forgotten: We have the one thing Adam was never truly capable of!" With a swish of his moss-woven cape, he flourished a hand towards - Queen Elsa choked - her.
Anna's eyes sparked in comprehension. "Oh... that actually makes sense!"
Elsa, on the other hand, unwrapped her hands around Olaf to hold them out in protest. "Waitwaitwait... your entire plan banks on me fighting it!?"
"Well, as fortune would have it, you are the one with the astounding powers of air and frost closest to the spirit's main target. However, that just makes you our heaviest hitter. Just as a single Queen cannot take on a whole chessboard without the impossible luck of a Fool, you cannot do the job alone. You may be a born enchantress, but you will need support."
Support.
Her friends.
Her family.
"No." A hint of frost touched Elsa's voice as she snapped affirmatively at Helge. "I am not going to have anyone hurt themselves for my sake." She shook her pale head, and gestured to Anna and Kristoff, who watched the exchange between the Queen and the troll with unease. "How are they even supposed to touch the Spøkelse anyway, if people without abilities couldn't touch it? I don't suppose you have a training session that could teach everything in a couple of days?"
"As a matter of fact, we trolls have nothing of that sort. Fortunately for everyone here, Grand Pabbie and I have already planned it out." Helge explained in a level tone. "We've decided to take a page out of Adam's book, and trap the Spøkelse in the realm of Helheim before it reaches Arendelle."
Helheim. The Realm where the Dead are transported to, the World of the Spirits.
Had Elsa been standing up, she would have collapsed to a heap backwards onto her chair. Instead, she merely slumped against her seat, holding Olaf in her arms even tighter. "Hel-... Will... Does it actually work?"
"The rules of the reality do not apply in the spirit, Your Majesty." The troll responded softly. By forcing the fight there, we can bypass the ghost's natural defenses by confronting his very heart, and take him down."
"But... the citizens of Arendelle... how are we supposed to protect them?"
"As long as you three can hold true to your wills to fight, we can subjugate the creature once and for all, and have it eradicated from ever hurting anyone ever again."
"...If we lose-"
"I understand how you feel, Your Majesty." Helge interrupted patiently. "However, your fates and the kingdom's will be no different if you fail whether or not you are in Hel or on Earth; the main question is how we can increase our chances of survival and victory.
"Besides," Helge gave Elsa a toothy troll grin, "you and your comrades are more than capable of handling yourselves as they are, no? They did save an entire kingdom from an Eternal Winter and a usurper by themselves after all, yes?"
Anna stood up straight to flash a fearless smile, hopping in place and bringing her arms up in a strongman pose. "Don't worry about us, Elsa! I'm not worried at all about any Spolkese! I'll give him such a massive thrashing before he can get his hands on Arendelle, his face will be nothing but dented scrap heap! Isn't that right, Gerda?"
The maid had learned long ago that it was futile to rebuff the Princess; her eyes crinkled at the edges, and she answered by saying, "I'm fairly certain it's pronounced 'Spøkelse', Your Highness, but I have complete faith that you will kick a ghost's butt up between his ears."
"See, she agrees!"
"Anna..."
"And Kristoff worked as an ice-harvester for years, doing one-man jobs with only Sven as a business partner! They've hauled literally tons of ice for most of their lives. The two are incredibly strong, you know!"
"Oh, he's strong, but it's nothing compared to the inherent natural strength of a troll!" Helge boasted.
Kristoff crossed his arms, and smirked at his adoptive brother. "Says the one guy who couldn't even jump his own height..."
"Wha-what are you talking about? Of course I've got more muscle packed in these arms and legs than you!"
"Well, let's prove it!"
Alright, alright! Engarde! I will show you just how I can beat you in both brain and brawn!"
Once more, the scene devolved into a grapple between the troll and the mountain man, with Anna whooping by the sidelines. Gerda merely stood by the bookshelves, bouncing the two away should they end up hurting themselves.
These guys...
The Snow Queen used to admire the courage the people of Arendelle carried in their hearts. They weren't cowardly enough to consider running away as their first option. They didn't let a looming threat phase them so much they needed something as childish as a doll in their arms to feel secure. In spite of the possible destruction of the kingdom, in spite of being a small party of potential fighters against a powerful foe, people like Anna, Kristoff, and Gerda could still find the energy to laugh and joke, to play and have fun...
She used to admire her people's courage.
Now? She was insanely jealous of them. She wanted their kind of bravery. She wanted to be as recklessly happy as them, to find a reason to continue smiling towards a brighter tomorrow. What could she possibly do, in comparison to them?
You have your powers...
...but you're a coward who's afraid of using them, like a child who can't stop wetting herself.
Elsa looked back at the group desperately, hoping that she could find a way to participate in their happiness.
I... I can't do it. I can't see myself as one of them.
Something wriggled in her arms, prodding her leg repeatedly and gently. "A hargle largle..." Olaf muttered.
Without uttering a word, Elsa traced her thin fingers along Olaf's head. Wisps of sparkling blue light followed her, congealing into a luminous cloud that danced around the snowman's absent chin. His upper jaw quivered, extending downwards into a mass of snow that solidified into a recognizable chin. A sideways cut with the Queen's fingernails etched a straight line across the snowman's face, forming a wide smile.
Nodding slowly in approval at her handiwork, Elsa spread out her lithe fingers; the line followed along, peeling itself into an open mouth that testily opened and closed its mouth repeatedly. Giggling in glee, Olaf hopped out of Elsa's lap. "Thank you so much, Elsa! You have absolutely no idea how good it feels to talk again!" he squealed, smacking his lips. The snowman toddled over to the rest of the gang. "Hey guys, look! Now I'm perfect!"
Anna paused her cheering to laugh alongside the snowman's jubilation. "That fantastic, Olaf!" She bent over to sneak a drink from Kristoff's mug of hot chocolate.
"Oh, I kind of tried telling you guys before: My mouth was in that cocoa."
Anna sputtered, leaking some of the mug's content from her lips. However, she stared at the cup pensively, hung up on deciding whether it is a good idea to spit the stuff out.
With some deliberation, she finally swallowed; even with the melted remains of Olaf's jaw inside it, the hot chocolate was too good to waste on the floor.
"Heh, wasn't expecting that reaction!" Olaf remarked, turning around to face the Queen. "I guess it's a good thing you weren't drinking while I just said that, right Els- Wait, where are you going?"
The Snow Queen had just pushed the library doors open without alerting anyone, the sparkles dancing off of her dress and braid fading as she slipped into the dark hallways.
Olaf waved hesitantly at the light-blue figure as she disappeared out of sight. "Um... Alright then! Good night, Elsa!"
"Elsa?..." Anna's eyes followed Olaf's, and immediately realized that Elsa had left the Royal Library. There was no doubt that Elsa was in trouble; she looked terrible before Gerda's arrival, and Olaf's tone suggested that the respite from Adam's story was not enough to help her sister recover.
She needed Anna's help.
"Elsa!" the Princess cried. She took one step towards the library doors, and promptly collapsed to the floor.
"Anna!" Kristoff shouted. He wrestled himself free from Helge's grip, and rushed over to Anna's side. "Are you alright?" he asked worriedly.
"I'm fine, I'm fine! Sorry..." Anna replied weakly. She tried stifling a yawn without much success. "I'm... j-just a little tired."
"Geez, how long have you been holding off sleep to fall down like this?"
"Please," Anna protested, "you have to take me to Elsa! What time is it anyway, Gerda?"
Only silence answered the Princess back. Both Kristoff and Anna turned to the maid in curiosity. "Gerda?"
The Maid just stood in front of the table, frozen in place, her mouth agape in horror. All she did was stare at a mug of steaming hot cooca, and a pristine slice of chocolate cake.
"Her Majesty... she never touched her food..."
Don't forget to pop in a review if you could, even if you don't have an account; I'm pretty sure you readers have writing skills that pale mine in comparison, so feel free to ask me questions about the story, corrections, inconsistencies, something. On the other hand, if my writing genuinely pleases you, say some words of encouragement instead.
See you guys soon, fans of Frozen.