The group spent all day heading south, hours traveling in the dark of Mirkwood.
"So, how far is it?" Elsa asked nobody in particular.
"About a week, less if we travel fast," Aragorn answered her.
The sun was high in the sky when the group stopped for lunch. Elven bread was for lunch. Elsa sat next to Legolas, Aragorn and Olaf were sitting opposite them. After lunch they set off. The next day went in a similar way.
"So, how are you fairing?" Legolas asked Elsa.
"It's…it's just really hard being far away from home. I kind of miss Arendelle." Elsa stared deeply into the fire; a knot was forming in her stomach. "I wonder what my sister's doing, she's probably worried sick!"
Legolas sat close to Elsa and placed hand on her shoulder. "You need to be strong, for her, and you."
Elsa felt a single tear slide down her cheek. Aragorn and Olaf were getting more firewood. Legolas lent toward Elsa and wiped her tear away. Elsa looked at him, his soft eyes. She smiled and closed her eyes. The two both knew that they were in love at that moment. Elsa lent on Legolas and gazed deep into his eyes. Slowly, gently, she pressed her lips to his. A moment later, Aragorn and Olaf came back with some wood. They had lambas bread for dinner. After that Legolas and Aragorn told of the journey of the ring.
"And now we're on yet another journey to diminish evil," Legolas ended.
"Wow," Elsa said in pure awe.
"And, for your story," Aragorn told her.
"What?"
"Legolas told me about you and your sister. I want to hear the whole thing from the lips of the princess of ice herself."
Elsa told her story. Sometimes she would get a lump in her throat when she talked about her sister.
"You really miss Arendelle, don't you," Legolas said when Elsa had finished.
"And we're going back! Right, Elsa?" Olaf said happily.
"Yeah, Olaf." Elsa seemed lost in thought.
"Why don't we get some sleep?" Legolas said. "I'll take first watch."
Elsa slept next to Olaf. Aragorn was on the other side of the fire. But all was not well. Suddenly, in the cool night, Legolas heard something. He knocked an arrow into his bow and got up. Slowly he turned around to find himself face to face with the largest spider he had ever seen. It was huge, even for the spiders in Mirkwood. He shot an arrow into its abdomen, but this only enraged it. He grabbed one of his silver knifes and slashed at its face. He cut one of its eyes and black blood started to ooze out of it. Aragorn heard it screech and woke up. He grabbed his sword and ran to help Legolas. This was also what woke Elsa. She got up and walked into the woods. Both Legolas and Aragorn were surprised when ice slowly encased the spider's body. Aragorn cut off its head as soon as it was immobilized.
"What was that?" Legolas asked Elsa.
"I told you about my powers," She said simply.
Legolas and Aragorn stared in disbelief and awe at Elsa.
"Shall we get going?" She said.
The three of them and Olaf started down the road. But what they just saw would be only a fraction of what would be before them in the days to come.