"And ash I know, Yggdrasil its name,
With water white is the great tree wet;
Thence come the dews that fall in the dales,
Green by Urth's well does it ever grow.
Thence come the maidens mighty in wisdom,
Three from the dwelling down 'neath the tree;
Urth is one named, Verthandi the next,
On the wood they scored, and Skuld the third.
Laws they made there, and life allotted
To the sons of men, and set their fates."

There was Yggdrasil and it three roots, standing firm at the center of the world, overlooking the fate of everything in Miðgarðr. Midgard and Asgard are connected by Bifröst, the Rainbow Bridge, seemingly endless in its length. And Midgard is surrounded by a huge ocean that is impassable, as the stories foretell. The Ocean is occupied by a huge sea serpent, the Midgard Serpent, and it is so huge that it encircles the world entirely. Do we know what and who this serpent is?

One of the three roots, Urdarbrunnr, or Urda's Well, was home of three great Norns or Maidens. The first being Urda, the guardian of the past. The second Norn was Verdandi, protector of the present. And finally, Skuld, seer of all future events.

Skuld sat on Urdarbrunnr, aggravated at her peers. "Why are we waiting? Time is passing on Midgard, and we have things to do and destinies tp fulfill!"

"What things?" asked Urda. "I am pleased with the past. I do not wish to disturb it in any way. I am greatly opposed to changing anything, and why would you want to?"

"We must find a way to stop the Ragnarök. Don't you see? Everything is not as it should be. Even the Queen of Arendelle knows this," Verdandi whispered, but her sisters knew anyway.

"Jörmundanr is asleep while two mortal men approach the frost Jötnar, and I don't know why. Foul deeds are at hand." Verdandi turned again to the well, lost in her thoughts. Ultimately her thoughts fell on the shimmering forest at Yggdrasil. "The horses of the Æsir are in the great forest, along with countless stags. Skuld! You know why they are there!"

The Maiden dropped from Urdarbrunnr. "Yes, I do know." She said no more, and then gave a challenging stare to Verdandi. "Do not test me."

"I will test you, young Maiden. You have seen it! You have foretold it!"

"Stop this at once!" Urda turned to Verdandi. "I will not stand by and watch you two meddle in all that is Holy!"

"Do you want to help the mortal men, and all they represent?"

Both Urda and Verdandi turned to Skuld. Urda spoke, "What do you see? We need to know what you see."

Skuld sighed and adjusted her heavenly cloak. "We need to see the Vanir."

Urda frowned. "But they are the enemies of the Æsir!"

"I know."

Urda raised her face to the moon and cried out, "Deceit is what we'll find."

The rumbling continued, and those soldiers who were drawn to the Square grabbed their rifles. Finally, it stopped, and an image of beings even taller than the shops appeared from way beyond the Gates. Elsa looked out of the carriage window and felt something deep inside. There was an air of familiarity to it, and she sensed something powerful had just made its way to the boundary of Arendelle. She immediately threw open the carriage door.

"Anna, please stay here and watch the wolves and stags. Make sure everything remains civil."

"No, you will quit leaving me behind! I can do more to help you."

Elsa would have grabbed Anna by the shoulders; but the princess was holding the baby. "Please, Anna! Don't argue with me now."

"But, Elsa…" Anna sighed.

But Elsa was already gone.

The Queen ran beyond the Gates, easily avoiding Geri and Freki, and saw Urban's camp not so far in the distance. Many soldiers were running about as the giants passed the camp and slowly made their way to the Square.

Kristoff was approaching with enormous creatures at his heels, his limp causing them to move at a slower pace. The Queen stopped and waited for their approach. Finally, Kristoff looked up and noticed Elsa, and she looked mad.

"What are you doing here, Kristoff." Her voice was low, and deceptively pleasing to the ear.

"I've brought the trolls—over whatever they are now."

Elsa observed the broken man. His hair was mostly gray now, and his face bore the look of someone haggard and tired. All enmity drained from her. "So, those are the trolls? Will they help Arendelle?"

Kristoff ran his hand over his face. "They have told me so."

The Queen looked again at the creatures. "Can you talk to them?"

Kristoff sighed. "Not really. But Hølje will come to me in my dreams, and I have sought council with him." He lifted his head and looked at the Queen. "How is Anna?"

Elsa looked closely at the man and decided to be honest with him. "She is . . . well, she is pregnant again, and is making the best of it. Don't try to see her, Kristoff."

The mountain man felt his heart go cold. "Why is that?"

Her old ire made its way to her psyche. Her words turned bittler. "She is not yours, Kristoff. And I'm sorry that it hurts you. She is mine, do you understand that? We have a son and are expecting another child. She is tied to me in a way that will never break." She sighed and tampered her ire. "You can stay in Arendelle as long as you need. We have troops scattering in all directions. Can you ask the trolls to stand at the city boundaries. That would be extremely helpful."

If Kristoff was broken before now, he looked devastated. "Queen Elsa, you are not the only one who loves Anna. She should be free to make up her own mind over what she wants."

Frost slowly seeped from Elsa's hands and puddled at her feet. "She is free, and she has chosen."

The mountain man turned around and faced the trolls. He whispered, "We shall see."

Their journey to Jötunheimr was mostly done in silence as each man tried to quell the growing fear in them. Colonel Lindar was fairing better than the Bishop, who kept looking over his shoulder at invisible enemies. The Valley seemed to ease their hearts.

Lindar stopped his horse at the base of Yggdrasil and glanced at the Bishop. His face was ashen, and he looked like he was about to vomit. "Are you all right, Johannes?"

The bishop turned his horse to face the Colonel. "I'm frightened beyond belief. I can't believe I'm doing this."

Lindar steered his horse closer to the bishop, "Please be calm and single minded, Johannes. We have a job to do. Come on."

The three roots that lie under Yggdrasil were massive, their girth appearing to stretch on infinitely as they traversed the nether regions. They twisted and turned and extended to the far reaches of the world, each destined to stop at only one realm, each at an eternal spring. Lindar and Johannes stood at their intersection, and pondered the dilemma before them, which root would lead to Mímisbrunnr, to wisdom and truth, and which paths would be folly.

"Brothers will fight and kill each other,

They have killed each other

sisters' children

Are slain

will defile kinship.

Riding on black horses

It is harsh in the world,

It is worsening by the minute

whoredom rife

Cousins. . .

—an axe age, a sword age

They are ready

—shields are riven

They followed the correct root and were besieged by fantastical creatures. And they were forced to believe in things they would not have wished for. The bishop was especially tormented, as his faith was shattered.

Before long Lindar and Johannes found themselves in Jötunheimr, and moved on to the bank of Mímisbrunnr, and found themsleves in one of the nine worlds. The land looked rather parched and arid, and there was a mountain range beyond towards the north that was completely covered in snow, and yet lava flowed from one of the peaks on the snowy range and ran slightly southeast towards a deep dell.

"You are in the land of the frost jötnar, Bishop." Lindar's voice was solemn, as if he had no desire to be in this place, notwithstanding his haste to get there. There was a mountain range in the horizon to their left, and even though it was far away, they could discern movement on it. Before long they could see, at a far distance, a creature leave the base of the mountain and head in their direction.

"Oh, my God." Johannes blanched and fell to the ground. He got up just as the giant, Mímir, stopped at the water and stared at them in wonder.

"You are in Jötunheimr. What do you want?" Mímir asked. He already knew, as it was foretold.

The men were flabbergasted and remained silent as the giant continued to watch them, patient and wondering.

"You are not the first human to encroach our domain." The jötunn sighed.

It was clear to the men that this creature was in a state of distress, but they didn't know why. Finally, Lindar spoke. "We know of you, o great jötunn, Mímir. Queen Elsa of Arendelle told us about you. We are pleased to meet you at such an auspicious time."

"Ragnarök. I know why you have come."

The Bishop took a step forward. "We mean you no harm. But we are here to fulfill the oaths spoken by the Queen of Arendelle. You made a promise."

"So, it comes at last," The giant said. "You seek the Frost Jötnar in the war, in Ragnarök. Oaths were spoken, promises made. We did agree to help you, this I will acknowledge."

Lindar adjusted the cape over his right shoulder. "My name is Lindar, friend." He indicated the bishop. "And this is Johannes."

The jötunn walked slowly towards the bishop and placed his hand on Johannes' head. "You are connected to the endless spirit, and the holy—you understand the 'wholly other.'

"How . . . how do you know this?" Johannes blushed, and slowly backed away from the jötunn.

"I know, I have the sight. There is a thin barrier between this world and the other worlds. I will implore Gerðr, a daughter of Gymir and wife of Freyr. Usually regarded as an earth-goddess. But I know she will come and guard the waters. Fárbauti, the jötunn father of Loki with Laufey, will abide by the oaths. And the others will see to it."

Lindar let out a cleansing breath. "Thank you, o great Mímir. We are grateful for your help. Queen Elsa is grateful, as well. She sends greetings to you and all your kin."

"Fenja and Menja, sisters who turn the mill Grotti to produce gold and Fróði's Peace. They will be glad of battle, for their desires are to wipe out all life." He grinned. "But I will tell them to spare Arendelle and its land and people."

Johannes looked over to Lindar. "When do we need them?"

Míimir answered him. "We will leave on the morrow. We must fast first and free our minds to focus on Ragnarök. But you must leave now as Ymir will not be glad to see you."

"Thank you for your help, Mímir. It is really appreciated by all in my country, as well as its Queen." The Bishop bowed slightly and then turned to the path that led to the root, Lindar following.

When they were out of Jötunheimr and proceeding on the root Lindar turned to Johannes. "Our mission is complete." He stopped at the look on the Bishop's face. "What is it?"

Johannes stopped but didn't look at the Colonel. "He touched my mind, Lindar—when he touched my head."

Lindar put his hand on Johannes' shoulder. "Are you all right? What did he do to you?"

The Bishop turned to face the other man. "I don't feel right. I'm a bit foggy. I feel as if I should know something but it is eluding me."

"Did he put something in your mind?"

"I don't know. Come on, let's get out of here."

Iðunn, a goddess of the Æsir, ran her golden steed at a dreadful pace, and the stags followed her dutifully. There were about 400 of them—both young and old, determined to follow their leader at whatever she commanded them. They were on their way to Arendelle, to its Queen, to vouchsafe their loyalty to her. They passed the startled soldiers who were scattered about the land. But they didn't hurt them, knowing by instinct that these men and women meant no harm to her and her stags. Their thoughts were bent on Arendelle and its Queen, and they ignored everything around them.

Aleksander stopped his horse at the boundary of the great forest. The conifers rose high into the horizon, and the forest was thick with them. There was something in there, and it frightened him somewhat. His squire aligned this horse with his master's and looked to the forest, as well.

"Is there something wrong, my liege?" He glanced back at the equestrian army behind him. They were fidgeting, eager to ride through the forest and made their way to Arendelle.

"No, Erik. Everything is fine and we are proceeding ahead of schedule." He turned his horse to face his men. "Who is in favor of a night's rest?" He shouted.

It seemed like half of his men shouted in agreement while the rest remained silent. "Then we will make camp right here and enter the forest tomorrow." Aleksander turned his horse around and made his way back to his men.

Erik remained where he was and gazed into the great forest, wondering why his Master was so skittish. He turned his head and tried to see into it, but the trees were so heavily packed together that it was as black as night. He was just about to leave when his eye caught movement within it. He gasped at the sight. A giant deer stuck his head out the forest and gazed at him for only a second, then disappeared.

"Are the trolls here? What about Kristoff?"

Elsa slowly made her way back to the carriage, her head down, and then looked at her sister. "Yes, they are here. Kristoff will have the trolls guard the city proper. There is no need for them to be in the forest or the Valley." She stopped at the carriage door and didn't enter.

Anna saw that her sister was deeply troubled and wondered what had happened. "Are you all right, Elsa? You look like you just lost your best friend."

The Queen leaned heavily on the side of the carriage. "Kristoff wants to see you."

Anna slightly gasped and reached out to touch her sister's shoulder. "Why? I don't want to have anything to do with him. He ruined the birth of our child." She had to turn her face away as her statement was not entirely true.

Elsa noticed the change in her lover's mood. "Do you love him, Snowflake? Please tell me the truth. I couldn't stand it if you didn't."

The Princess turned to the Queen and gave her a compassionate smile. "No, I don't think its love—its something else. I really don't know how to define it," She reached to her side and picked up their small boy. "But look, Elsa. This is what love is."

"So, you are not in love with him?"

Anna snorted. "No, of course not, silly woman!" Then she saw the deep frown lines on Elsa's face. She turned serious. "Of course not, Elsa. Stop with the ridiculous questions."

Elsa entered the carriage and sat opposite her sister. "Sven died."

Anna's heart sank. "Oh, no! What happened?"

"I don't know. I didn't give Kristoff much time to talk with me." She sighed deeply and leaned back in her seat. "I've been having visions again. I can see the large fleet of ships heading to us, and I can see our own ships practically at the harbor now." She sat up. "They have more ships, undoubtably. And I feel a pull, Jörmungandr wants to fight the ships in the sea." Elsa reached over and took Leif. "Come here, little one."

Anna watched the scene before her and her heart soared with love. She wasn't sure what her love for Elsa was, but it was the best thing to ever happen to her. She wouldn't trade it for anythibg.

I'm really glad to be back to this story, as I'm finally getting the urge to finish it. Just be patient with me, as I have to write the final battle probably from 6 different points of view. I'm re-reading the whole thing now, getting to know it again. So far my favourite chapter is ch. 21. Do you, my readers, have a fave? Don't forget to review. It lets me know how I'm doing. Until next time . . . updated 12/16 to fix some mistakes.

Where are my followers and fans?