Part two: The Hunt
Elsa was walking through the woods, the mountains towering over her, offering her refuge, offering her solace once more. Snow was thick on the ground and though her cape kept getting caught in the wind, dragging her back, she was making fast progress on the fresh powder. She had always been described as light-footed. She was putting this attribute to its full use as she fled the castle, the fjord, as she desperately fled the life she was leaving behind.
Tears threatened to fill her eyes at times, as she thought about what she was doing, but then the adrenaline in her heart would pump all the fiercer, the blizzard intensifying as she shook away the pain. She was getting away from it all. She wasn't going back... Now that her secret was out it was all she could do.
A rock tripped her up. Small and round, mostly covered in snow, in her teary-eyed moment she had misjudged the distance and slipped. The powder on the ground rose up to catch her like a welcome blanket. After years of fearing the merest hint of the stuff, Elsa had never felt gladder for the fruit of her powers. She no longer needed to fear it. The realisation helped her stand back up promptly.
A chill ran down her back as she did so.
A howl rang through the woods. She realised that she wasn't alone. A quick twirl and she saw them. She was surrounded. The wolves, their fur as white as her flakes, circled her hungrily, fangs bared, hairs bristling.
The sharp cold air caught itself in her throat.
"Elsa!"
Her vision blurred, white covering everything.
"Elsa, wake up!"
She felt herself fall, disoriented, shaken as something soft and warm grabbed her tightly by the arm.
"Wake up already!"
With a start, she realised that she had been dreaming. Eyelids snapping open, she thanked the stars for the sight of her bed's curtains and her sister's freckled face.
"A... Anna? What..." What was she doing up at this time of day? What time was it anyway? Still too drowsy to process much beyond her sister's shaking of her shoulder, she settled for the simple question. "What?"
Finally registering that the queen was awake, the young princess let go of her arm with a sigh of relief. The slight crackling of ice as she sat up indicated at least one of the reasons why Anna had been shaking her awake. Rubbing her temple, she remembered vaguely that Anna and she had shared the bed after a night of girl talk and an impromptu midnight snack of chocolate. The two had only indulged knowing that the meetings Elsa had been anticipating in the morning had been postponed.
"Bad dream?" The red-head quipped. Shaking the blanket, the young woman lifted off the majority of the frost. A cheeky grin reassured Elsa that no, don't you worry, she was fine. What's a little snow shower first thing in the morning?
Feeling embarrassed and a blush eating away at her cheeks, Elsa forced herself to focus long enough to dispel all ice in the room. Brushing her hair back, she gazed cautiously towards the triangular window that dominated the room. Gold and copper colours were colouring the fjord and sky. It was only just dawn.
Both girls glanced at each other, determining quite rapidly that they were both thinking the same thing.
Despite the short length of their night's repose, both were now too awake to go back to sleep.
"Do you fancy hanging out with the horses for a bit?" Anna elbowed her sister gently in the side, her hair wild and untamed.
Their weekly lesson was planned for later on that morning anyway.
"Yes. Yes I do." Elsa smirked, her eyes crinkling happily.
Being around the stables would certainly help her forget about that bad dream.
There was a sharp bite in the air as Elsa and Anna finished scrubbing down Anna's horse. Autumn was starting to make itself felt. The queen and princess smiled as Pet, the fjord horse that Anna used exclusively, nuzzled at its owner's hand, its eye bright and eager. The girls were still giggling at how long it had taken Elsa to figure out the horse's actual name. Trust Anna to confound her.
"You ready for a good ride today, Pet?" The red head asked as she offered her horse a treat. Pet took it happily, nickering and dancing lightly on her feet. "I'll take that as a yes!"
Exiting the stable along with Anna, Elsa asks the obvious question.
"Where are we riding today then?"
The last few weeks had seen excursions through Arendelle's quieter streets, in the fields just outside of the city's walls and along paths surrounding the fjord. All had been very enjoyable, and Elsa was starting to appreciate the picnics Anna favoured over a good morning tea.
Tapping her nose in a conspiratorial manner, her little sister winked.
"I know just the place for today's excursion."
Somehow, the queen of Arendelle wasn't certain if she ought to be reassured or frightened.
Frightened, definitely frightened. Holding on to the reins for dear life, Elsa was generating frost at an alarming rate. Pet was running faster than the blonde woman had ever seen a horse run, trees dodging past them, a blurred vision of near misses and dark shadows. She briefly glanced behind her. They seemed to be leaving a trail of white in a nice, conveniently straight line. At least Anna would have no trouble finding them... given time.
The redhead had driven Pet up past the road leading into town, up into the mountains past the fjord and into the woods. Once there Elsa had had plenty of time to remember her dream from that morning. The trees had looked so familiar, despite the carpet of pine and red leaves. The view of Arendelle, small and distant amongst the stunning vistas of Norway, had not been without its bittersweet memories.
Even now as Pet jolted and leaped between trees and rocks up the mountain, Elsa could picture the faces of wolves, witch-hunters and monsters racing towards her. She could feel a familiar desperation that she had thought dead and buried take over. No, she would not panic. She would not allow it.
Why had Anna told her to stay on the horse as she dismounted? Why had she listened? They'd found a nice clearing, one that looked ideal for the picnic Anna pulled down from Elsa's hands. The older sibling had momentarily paused to consider the practicality of riding a horse in a dress as legs and back that still ached from the weekly exercise felt sore. Anna, taking on the instructor voice she used when imitating the advice various teachers had given her in the past, gently coaxed her sister into sitting properly on the saddle as she held on to the reins. The queen of ice and snow obliged, feet fitting into stirrups, arms being firmly guided to the horse's reins... It was an exercise they had tried before, Anna always putting it to an end when the horse showed any signs of discomfort.
And then she had gone and let go.
For one interestingly long instant, Elsa had been sat on a horse, in control, reins firmly in hand. Pet had remained calm, relaxed even as the princess had stepped back. Hope had gently fluttered its butterfly wings in her stomach as her freckled sister excitedly hopped on the spot, fighting desperately not to make any loud noises in her delight. Puzzled over what to do next, Elsa had looked to her for guidance. All she got was an encouraging wave of the arms and a warm smile. She knew what do next.
She tested the simple command word she had now witnessed her sister using several times. The two syllables poured forth like an incantation, her arms and legs imitating the motions of the more experienced rider. It felt foreign, different, but exhilarating. The fjord horse gently turned its ears towards her as it stepped forward, ambling into a slow walk around Anna. Encouragement poured forth from her sister's lips.
"Well done Elsa! Keep it up!" She grinned as she fished in her skirts for a treat. "Good work Pet!"
It happened just as Elsa was away to ask the horse to stop, she and it having both earned a much deserved rest. A crack of wood, followed by something that sounded like a horn being blown, and a bellowing mass of tusk and fur stormed through their clearing. Needless to say, Elsa, who'd only just managed to shove all thoughts of her nightmare away, was startled. Only she wasn't near as startled as Pet and Anna were when the queen summoned a wall of ice in her fright.
Anna's fjord horse had jolted into a frenzied run, giving the reindeer chase as the shouts of its owner were drowned out by the rushing wind in their ears. Elsa had tried calling to Pet, but it was all she could do to stay on. This was all her fault. Worried both for her own well being and her sister's horse, the Queen fought off her scared imaginations to concentrate on what it was she could actually do.
Elsa started feeling something hard and cold growing in her chest. It wasn't anger, nor was it despair. Trying hard to find the nature of it as she struggled with aching muscles to remain in stirrups that she was not used to using, the young woman fought to recall what crucial bits of her various horse riding lessons might help improve their situation. She was a queen, curse it all. What monarch would she be for her kingdom if she couldn't stop her mount from charging into dangerous territory? What example would she set if she let this go on and the horse got hurt?
Finally managing to straighten her posture as she hardened her grip on the reins, she mustered as much command into her voice as she could.
"Whoa!"
Princess Anna shouted herself hoarse. Heeled boots stamped over uneven ground in her attempt to follow her escaped horse and panicked sibling. She wasn't making progress fast, but at least the sudden frost was helping her to not trip and fall. She was glad that there was such an easy trail for her to follow. She didn't want to think of the desperation she would feel without it's glittering light to guide her. She didn't want to picture herself losing her sister all over again.
It didn't stop fear from gripping her heart. She could feel its vice-like hold on her. It was all she could do to push it back, to push harder, and to be brave. She was a fighter. She was ready to show the world if she had to... So long as she got her sister back.
She heard the crunching of leaves behind her as the heavy tread of a man caught her ear. Glancing back briefly, she noticed that they were quite close. It was no surprise as her blood was pumping fiercely, heartbeat drumming through her head as she called out, her lungs aching from the effort. With a second glance she nearly fell over, recognizing the blonde hair, strong build and surprised expression on his face.
"Anna?" The iceman didn't even slow down his stride, his boots easily finding purchase on the uneven ground. "What're you doing here?"
"K-Kristoff!" She felt so glad to see him. Tears threatened to pour from her eyes. Short-lived relief overcame her as she tripped. Thankfully her boyfriend caught her in time and they resumed the jog together, his hands feeling nice and warm around her gloved ones.
"Tell you what," he huffed, as he took in her desperation with a caring gaze, "tell me once we've caught up with Sven."
"Th-that's Sven?" Suddenly too startled to care that she was running out of breath, the princess felt the need to query. "You told me you were out of town on business! What are you and Sven doing so far down the mountain? There's no ice-" A huff as she ran out of air. "There's no ice here!"
Glancing down at the frost they were crunching underfoot, a sudden realisation dawned on Kristoff.
"Where's your sister?"
Tears no longer threatened and began to stain her cheeks. Seeing that she was struggling to talk and run, Kristoff whisked her off her feet and carried her in his arms. Lengthening his stride, he managed to maintain a steady speed as Anna clung to him, riding gloves finding purchase on his shoulders.
"We... We came out on a riding lesson. Today's the first time she managed to ride for a bit on her own, but then..." Her focus flipped, as suddenly the thought of the charging reindeer crossed her mind. "Where's Sven's harness? I never saw it on him... Did something happen? Why?"
Stemming the flow of questions with a shy glance and an unheard mumble, Kristoff suddenly found Anna's eyes boring into his.
"What. Happened." There was steel in the feisty princess's voice as she demanded her answers. Small hands tightened their grip on already aching shoulders. The silence as she waited for him to talk was harder to ignore than her queries.
He decided to keep to the basics.
"A hunter shot at him, with a crossbow."
Anna gasped in horror. Who would dream of shooting Sven? Who would dare harm the Royal Ice Master and Deliverer's stead?
"And you're right..." Kristoff muttered more now as he slowed down to dodge around a glittering log. "He didn't have his harness or emblem on. I took them off him."
Unable to contain herself any longer, Anna let out a squeak.
"Why did you do that? I mean not that you shouldn't take them off him every now and then, especially at night time but..." Realising that she was rambling, she clapped one of her hands to her mouth in an effort to let her boyfriend speak.
"I... We..." Unsure of how to phrase his reply, Kristoff hoisted Anna higher in his arms as they reached one of the steeper inclines. He was starting to slow, worry creasing his brow as he searched the woods before them. "I wanted to give Sven a chance at finding love... The reindeer way..."
It didn't work. Elsa knew it the very instant the horse reared up onto her hind legs. The queen kept her cool long enough to remove her feet from the stirrups, letting go of the reins. This was going to hurt. Gently grabbing onto Pet's neck, she had a vision of her father instructing her in what to do if ever they reached this stage... If only he were here.
She couldn't remember the rest of his advice after that. She and Anna hadn't been confident enough yet to cover it in their lessons. She didn't know if hugging the horse's neck was supposed to help or...
She felt herself floating in the air as the horse slipped from her grasp, its black and white mane a blur of fur as it shrugged her off. Her eyes were wide as she tried to remember which way was down, limbs folding inwards, arms up to protect her head. She didn't even have the time to cushion her fall with her magic. And then she was out, like a light.
"Oh Kristoff!" With an energetic hug that nearly threw them off balance, Anna laughed. "If that's all. You had me really worried. Not that I'm not already worried but..."
A thought seemed to occur to her as they heard a call that sounded eerily like Sven.
"Wait..."
As Kristoff leaped dramatically forward in a fresh burst of speed, his brown eyes fixed on the point where the sound had come from. Catching herself as she rose and fell in his arms, somewhat wishing her riding shoes didn't stop her from running alongside him on such terrain, Anna bit back a very not princess like swearword.
"How come there was a hunter? I made sure in town that all hunters knew not to come out here this morning!"
"You... You did?" Kristoff huffed, the exertion starting to take its toll on him. "Huh. I guess Oaken Trading Post never got word. Not that I'm ever going to be allowed back there..."
"Huh?" Green-blue eyes glanced back to his in confusion.
"Oaken's partner was the hunter. I kinda knocked his lights out."
Anna's impromptu giggle was interrupted as she spotted something out of place.
"Elsa!"
Pointing, she leapt out of Kristoff's arms to show him how a sprint really was done. Lungs used to full capacity as she darted towards the glistening blue heap on the ground, there was no way she could disguise the sob that broke out as she noticed her sister's eyes.
They were closed.
When Elsa first opened her eyes after her fall, she let out a soft groan. Her head felt sore, but not nearly as sore as her arm. She heard ice crinkle as she tried to move. She decided not to when her shoulder protested. There was a strange numbness below her right elbow that she didn't want to think upon, but she was fairly certain she could wriggle her fingers. Gazing at the trees above her, she could see that the sun was not that much higher than when she and Anna had stopped. She can't have been out for long.
She could, if she wanted, send up a flurry of snow to help her sister locate her. It wasn't as though Anna would need it though, Elsa feeling pretty certain that the trail of frost she and Pet had traced across the landscape won't have melted yet. Over the years she had grown quite confident in her ability to determine how long her frost could last. The reminder of her darker years caused her to sigh.
Something that sounded like a sigh answered back. Puzzled, she turned her head gently, looking around for the source. She couldn't see Anna's horse, though she could see a familiar looking reindeer trying to untangle itself from a small tree nearby. Turning her head the other way, gently so as not to hurt her arm any further, Elsa rolled onto her back proper... only to stare into the golden eye of a deer.
Another not-quite-sigh sounded as the deer sniffed at her nose. The queen held back a squeak. The reindeer was very close. She could see its antlers, smaller than Sven's or the other reindeer's nearby... A pink tongue darted out and licked her. Tickled, Elsa let out a small yelp. The reindeer stepped back a bit, eyes still gazing into hers. She was beautiful, her fur white and fawn, elegant black hooves hidden at the end of strong thin legs. And then her ears pricked to the side, before the doe lifted its head. A bellow was heard, presumably the other deer. A quick glance to the side confirmed for Elsa that it had gotten itself untangled. She was briefly puzzled as the male deer glanced at her, recognition seeming to form in its eyes. It couldn't be...
But she didn't have much time to contemplate the question any further. The doe leapt, and the Sven-like bull charged after her, over Elsa.
Out of reflex, the pale-blonde woman had tried to curl up on herself. In protest her arm had sent a huge wave a pain crashing through her... The pain was reminiscent to that of when the ice chandelier in her improvised retreat had come crashing down. And just like back then, when she had been surrounded by wolves such as Hans and the duke's men, she lost consciousness.
"Oh god, oh god..." The muttered words came, fast and furious. "Please be okay, please!"
Elsa had barely registered her new spell of unconsciousness. Eyes fluttering open, she somehow expected the doe to be there again. Instead it was the teal blue eyes of her baby sister that were boring into hers. It was a beautiful sight.
"Oh Anna," she gasped, her voice weaker than she expected. Her head still throbbed, and it took all her willpower not to let the strange pain in her arm obstruct her thoughts. She smiled. "I'm okay..."
The red-head's pout as she brushed back windswept bangs appeared unconvinced.
"Gosh Elsa, you look terrible..." Gentle hands brushed against the wounded arm, the other sweeping away some hair from the queen's face. Anna barely held back tears as her sister let out a wince. "I am never, ever, allowing this to happen again!"
"Sh.. Shh..." Elsa hushed her head swimming from the loud volume of the princess's proclamation. She could hear another voice nearby, male, calling out the same name and again. Sven? Was that... "Is that... Kristoff?"
Grinning as she actually began to cry, Anna nodded, her twin braids bouncing gently. She adjusted the blanket she had found on the ground nearby. It must have fallen off of Pet along with Elsa, the queen thought distantly. It was certainly a comfort as Anna wrapped it tighter around Elsa's shoulders. Idly the blonde wondered if this was what cold felt like to other people.
"Once Kristoff's found Sven he's going to get his sled here so that we can get you to town, to a doctor." Rubbing at her eyes, something suspiciously red glistened on Anna's light green riding gloves.
Glancing at her right arm, Elsa quickly wished she hadn't.
"Oh."
Noticing her sister's complexion pale further, Anna quickly tried to distract her.
"I'm never gonna make you ride again. I promise." It wasn't a good distraction, but it was certainly heartfelt.
"Don't you dare," Elsa quipped back, a familiar quirky smirk making its way onto her features. "Anna, listen, that was the best ride of my life."
And as Kristoff managed to hunt down his reindeer friend and even soothe Pet into returning to its owner's side, Elsa told Anna of how it had felt for her to finally sit at the reins, even though she had lost control. As Sven and the Ice Master went to fetch the sled at top speed, she even got time to calm her little sister's frayed nerves by describing the lady friend that Sven had found, and how she had woken up to gaze into its golden eyes.
By the time Kristoff found the girls again, the trail of frost barely still there, the Queen was tired out. They carefully lifted her into the sled, not trusting her on her feet even though they'd wrapped up her arm in an appropriate bandage for the journey. Tucked into the blanket, Anna sat to her left clasping her good hand for the whole journey back. They rode in silence, but anxiety no longer ruled over their emotions. The queen was going to be okay.
And, Elsa thought as she glanced back to the white peak tops and woods on the mountains, even though there probably weren't going to be more riding lessons anytime soon...
The blonde smiled warmly as she recalled flying the wind, the beauty of the doe and the sheer energy of it all. Yes, she would ride again.
To be continued...
Author's note: Many thanks to my sister for her encouragements and occasional proof-reading session. Thanks to everyone for reading.
To Estelle - I'm not very confident about horses myself (I find cows scary for their size, let alone horses) and have only ever ridden a donkey, once, as a kid. That said, I find the fjord horses in Frozen very dreamy. I'm glad that I seemed to have manage to describe the horse riding adequately enough. Thank you.