Kristoff's friends had turned out to be trolls.

This had stunned Anna at first. He had never mentioned that they were trolls...But it made sense now, how he had not been surprised to hear of Elsa's powers, how he was completely at ease with Olaf. Kristoff was familiar with magical creatures, familiar with magic.

Now, Anna sat among them, eating some sort of strange, savory stew and waching Kristoff play with the troll children, his hair all mussed and his sleeves rolled up. He was so very relaxed... She had never seen him like that.

"He's much more likable when he's with us, isn't he, dear?" said a female troll to her.

Anna wanted to deny it, then, nodded.

In spite of the warm stew, the cold ache in her chest remained.

"Oh, look, grandfather's here!" someone shouted. The moment Kristoff saw the elderly troll, he jumped to his feet, all playfulness gone. He rushed to him and spoke, seriously and intently.

"Let me listen to her," said the troll loudly.

He approached Anna.

Anna stood and curtsied. "It's kind of a long story," she said.

"It's not your story I want to listen to," said the troll gravely. "It's your heart."

Elsa tugged at her chains. She had already turned them from steel to ice, with just a bit of effort. Now, she was trying to get them to give way but evenchains made of ice are solid enough to hold you prisoner.

The door opened suddenly and Elsa turned sharply expecting the prince again. It was her chambermaid Helga.

She walked towards her, carrying a wide cup of golden brown liquid with a wooden straw. Apple cider, most likely.

"Hello, Helga." Elsa said. She knew Helga could not respond but she looked at her intently, hoping to see some warmth in her gaze. After all, she had spent most of her life saying "hello" and "thank you" to her. And she had never been a harsh or demanding mistress.

Helga's green eyes revealed nothing, no acknowledgement, no friendship. She placed the cup on the little table where Elsa could lean over and drink from the straw. Then, she glanced at Elsa again, coolly, and left the room.

Would Helga keep bringing her food and drink? Did this mean that they were planning to keep her imprisoned here for a long time? And who were they?

Elsa was thirsty. She leaned over and sipped from the straw and winced as the hot liquid scalded her tongue. Helga should know better. She had never brought her hot drinks before, only warm ones.

She had never brought her hot drinks before.

Elsa frowned. Then, she leaned over and grabbed the rim of the wooden cup with her mouth. Holding the cup with her teeth, slowly, painstakingly, she bent her knees until she was crouching and lowered the cup to the ground. She let go of it.

She took a deep breath. She was fairly certain that this would not affect her powers. But it would hurt.

She plunged her hands into the scalding hot apple cider and watched her chains of ice melt away.

The halls were dark. Elsa found her way outside.

Where am I running to? she wondered. What exactly do I plan to do?

She didn't know. She had wanted for so long to be free only to find that freedom was nothing more than a terrifying amount of choices.

Her hands were still red and sore. She was hungry. She wanted to drop down into the snow right where she was and wail.

Instead, she turned around and headed into the village. Maybe, somebody would be willing to help her search for Anna. People hated her but they liked Anna, didn't they? If she didn't tell them who she was but merely asked people to help look for Anna, they might.

Nobody would recognize her face because she had been hidden away for so long. Of course, the gown would attract too much attention. Elsa gathered up the lightest, smallest tad of her powers, just a pinch, and formed herself a simple peasant dress of dark grey.

"Do you know where princess Anna is?" Elsa asked some women at the square.

All she got were shrugs. The women were busy arguing about the price of half-frozen cabbages.

"How about Queen Elsa? Any idea where she went?"

"Don't worry about things like that when I got mouths to feed," one woman said, fingering a cabbage.

Elsa picked up another cabbage. "But maybe if the queen could bring back summer, things would be easier."

"Hey, that's the one I wanted!" Another woman gave Elsa's shoulder a shove and she dropped the cabbage, startled. It rolled away from her.

The woman sighed heavily.

"I'm sorry," Elsa said to the woman. "I'll fix it. I'll fix everything."

She ran after the old cabbage. As she knelt to pick it up, she glanced up and into the brown eyes of a man in a thick grey woolen shirt and a blue vest. He stared at her frankly. "Queen Elsa," he whispered.

He seemed so certain.

The world was beginning to spin again but Elsa was not going to faint twice in the same day. She shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about," she whispered.

"Um...you don't understand," said the man hesitantly. "I know who you are. I want to help. Rapunzel and I both do." He picked up the cabbage and placed it under one arm.

Rapunzel. Elsa instantly remembered the happy, glowing girl at the coronation.

Meanwhile, the man was still talking. "I'm not good at persuading people, that's one of my wife's talents. But I'm just going to plead with you to come until you say yes." He got to his knees theatrically. "Please, please, please. Come. Nobody will know."

And that's when Elsa nodded because she was simply too tired and broken to argue.

Death. Death had stolen her parents away but Anna hadn't thought it would come for her so soon.

It won't happen. Kristoff will get me to the palace and Hans will save me. He is absolutely the type that saves girls from death.

Only something was bothering Anna. She couldn't remember the color of Hans' eyes. She tried to imagine his lips on hers and wondered if she would feel anything at all. But he was like someone from a dream.

And if he didn't kiss her she would die.

She drew a breath that was half a sob. Kristoff glanced at her worriedly and misunderstood.

"Is the pain very bad?" he asked.

"Oh," said Anna. "Not really. I just feel weak and cold and it hurts to be touched here where my chest is. And, Kristoff - "

"Yes?"

"I'm scared."

"You needn't think that makes you very unique," Kristoff said. "Anybody would be scared in your place."

"I didn't think - " Anna began, then, stopped.

That wasn't an insult. It was Kristoff's clumsy way of joking and his own way of dealing with fear. Because he was frightened for her also, she could tell.

"I wouldn't have remembered your face," the man said, leading the way. "But Rapunzel painted you as soon as she came home that night. She was so angry. "

"At me?" Elsa asked, wincing.

"At herself. For not helping you before you panicked and ran."

"I don't understand."

The man named Eugene laughed. "Don't try. Rapunzel is...really something. She thinks she can change the world. Half the time, she gets the world to believe it and then, things get really interesting."

He led her into an inn and greeted the greying innkeeper with a bow. "My wife has invited a fellow artist to visit her," he said. "They'll be up all night working, so we'd like to have some roast beef brought to our room for dinner please."

Elsa frowned. He lied easily, like one who was used to it.

At the steps, she stumbled and Eugene reached out automatically to take her hand.

Elsa jerked her hand away. "You could have made up anything. Why did you say that I was an artist?"

Eugene smiled. "You are. What do you call that sculpture in front of the palace?"

"That was created out of fear."

"Fear is a good material to work with." Eugene opened to door to the room of the inn with his key and held it for Elsa to pass through.

When Marta flew at Anna and threw her arms around her, Anna was shivering too hard to hug her back. "You need to find Hans," she said. "Now, Marta, it's important."

Marta was incensed. "The first thing I'm going to do is put you in a tub of hot water, you idiot. Then, after you're dry, I'll rub you all over with vinegar and bring your fever down. Then, we'll see about calling Prince Hans."

"It's magic, we're dealing with," Kristoff explained frantically. "Natural remedies won't help. Please, hurry and do as she says."

Marta's eyebrows went up. "Young man, you will go right into the left corridor, have a seat and wait there. When I have a minute to spare, I will speak with you all about this magic. Don't you dare leave." She disappeared in search of the prince.

Yes, thought Anna. Don't you dare leave, Kristoff. After Hans kisses me, I will want to talk to you. And give you a new sled. And maybe agree to meet again. Things can't be over between us yet. After Hans kisses me, we'll have more time.

She realized her thinking wasn't very logical but it was getting harder to think. She had never been so cold in her entire life.

Her chest felt like it was full of little sharp knives that slashed at her skin. Colors seemed too bright and faces were blurry.

She saw Hans from a distance and felt herself falling right into his arms. "Hans! You have to kiss me!" she demanded. "Now."