Chapter 2

The morning sun shone brightly over Arendelle, made brighter by the blanket of snow that covered the kingdom. The air was crisp and cold as the winter season made its presence well known to all. Yet despite winters attempt to lock the region in silent stillness, life in Arendelle continued to thrive as it always had. Shops and stores were open, providing much needed fresh food to the people of the kingdom. The ice harvesters were busy delivering large blocks of ice to each home, which even in winter was used as a fresh water supply by the people of Arendelle. The local blacksmith was busy stoking his forge for the day's work ahead. Over all, a normal pleasant morning.

In the palace, daily life was also beginning. The chefs had been up early, preparing breakfast for the royal family. Attendants had prepared the dining hall, and now stood waiting for their valued guests. They wouldn't wait long. As was customary, they all bowed respectfully when the Queen Elsa entered, followed by Princess Anna and Kristoff. Once they were seated, the attendants began serving the morning meal.

"So," Elsa began, "How were your nights? Sleep well?"

"Quite well, your….I mean Elsa." Kristoff replied. "And yourself?"

Elsa smiled. "Very well, thank you. How about you, Anna?"

"Not so well." Anna replied weakly. "Too much on my mind."

Kristoff took Anna's hand. "You aren't worried about the wedding, are you? I'm sure the coordinators will get every detail perfect."

"I know" she replied, smiling. "Just jitters, I guess. I'm hoping I'll have enough work to keep me busy. You know. Take my mind off it for a while."

"I'm afraid there isn't much on your duty list today, your highness." Kai commented. "No official duties. Though the engineers have repaired the number 2 furnace and have requested your assistance in relighting it this morning."

Anna groaned. "Is it just me, or am I the one everyone calls when they need a fire lit? Do I look like a match?"

"Easy Anna." Elsa said. "That's part of the price we pay for our powers. I can't count on two hands the number of times I was called to cool the milk in the dairy this summer."

"You're right." Anna replied begrudgingly.

Elsa added, "Besides. The lull in work will give you more time with your future husband." She then turned to Kristoff and said, "Assuming your duty load allows."

Kristoff gave Kai a glance, to which Kai only shook his head.

"Trade stops almost entirely in winter. " Kristoff responded. "That leaves me with a rather open schedule." He turned to Anna. "What do you say, dear? A nice day off in the village, just the two of us?"

Anna smiled. "That sounds great. Right after I light the furnace."

"Excellent." Elsa stated. "I have a few things to do today, but perhaps we could meet up later. Say, dinner time?"

"Could we eat at that little café near the pier?" Anna asked.

"Of course." Elsa replied, smiling.

With that, they finished their breakfast and began their day. Anna wasted no time in lighting the repaired furnace so that she could enjoy the day with the man she loved. But inside, she prayed it would be enough to ease her mind.

"This is so nice." Anna said happily as she stood on the pier looking out over the frozen fjord, the mid afternoon sun glistening off the snow, with Kristoffs arms wrapped firmly around her from behind. "Arendelle is so beautiful this time of year."

"Yet still not as beautiful as you, my love." Kristoff replied.

Anna said nothing, but instead pulled his arms tighter around her. This was, in her mind, a perfect moment in time. And she savored every second, hoping it would never end.

But reality forced its way back, as a distant rumbling noise caught her attention. Kristoff heard it as well. And the both scanned around, looking for the source of the odd sound. It echoed off the mountains, making it hard to track. But it was clear that whatever was making it was come their way.

"THERE, KRISTOFF!" Anna yelled, pointing into the southern sky.

Kristoff strained to see the strange flying object. "Is that a dragon?"

"Not like any I've seen." She replied. The object had a similar shape to a dragon, but with several noticeable differences. It didn't flap its wings, it made a steady rumbling noise, it puffed a stream of black smoke behind it and it looked like there was something spinning on its nose. As it came closer, Kristoff noticed that there appeared to be someone riding in an opening on its back, and it had an unusual symbol on one of its wings. This led him to only one conclusion.

"That's definitely not a dragon." He said.

"Then what is it?" Anna replied.

The strange object flew past them low over the fjord, black smoke billowing out behind it. A crowd began to gather behind Anna and Kristoff as the flying object turned at the far end of the fjord and came back towards them and descended, bouncing off the ice twice before finally grinding to a stop in front of the pier and finally going quiet. Forgetting royal protocol, Anna and Kristoff jumped off the pier onto the ice and ran towards it, arriving just as its pilot climbed out of the hole in the back of what was now clearly some sort of flying machine. He was quite tall, wearing black leather head to foot with a leather helmet and a rather odd set of goggles.

"Hey friend. Are you alright?' Kristoff asked.

The stranger began walking around his machine mumbling, "Hmm. Broken wing spar, cracked frame, shattered airscrew, torn canvas." Then he turned to Anna and Kristoff and piped cheerfully,

"MY BEST LANDING YET!"

Taken back by the stranger's unusual response, Anna asked, "Um…who are you? And what is that?"

The stranger lifted his goggles up to his helmet, revealing the only clean skin on his face.

"Oh! Must have left my manners in the flyer!" he replied. "Victor Cranston of Zalaria. Inventor extraordinaire!"

"Princess Anna of Arendelle, "Anna responded. "And this is my fiancé, Kristoff."

"Arendelle, you say?" Victor commented. "Boy, was I ever off course. Gonna have to get that compass adjusted."

"If you don't mind me asking," Kristoff asked, pointing to Victor's machine, "What is this thing?"

Victor happily replied, "That my friend, is what I call 'The Wooden Dragon', a flying machine powered by what I call an 'Engine'. Another one of my creations."

Anna was intrigued. "How does it work?"

But before Victor could respond, he spotted a number of the royal guard running towards them. Instead of answering Anna's question, he simple slumped his shoulders and said, "Oh no. Not again."

Kristoff turned towards the guards, calling out, "Its ok guys. He's a friend."

The guards slowed to a stop. And from behind them Elsa stepped out and approached them.

"Anna. What's happening here?"

"Queen Elsa, this is Victor Cranston. An inventor from Zalaria. "Anna replied pleasantly. "Victor, I present Queen Elsa of Arendelle."

Victor bowed respectfully, then stood up suddenly, his face showing complete surprise. "No. It can't be."

As he slowly approached Elsa, the royal guard drew their swords. But Elsa waved them back, looking squarely at Victor. "Do I…know you from somewhere?"

Victor just stared into Elsa's face for a moment before replying, "Icy?"

Memories suddenly flashed before Elsa's eyes. Images from her past scrolling by like the pages of a flipbook. It took a few moments, but the images in her mind finally gave her the answer she was searching for. With a look of excited realization on her face, she suddenly squealed,

"VIKEE?!"