Hey, guess who's back! I just want to thank everyone with the continued support to this fic! That being said, let's get this show on the road!
Last we left off, Elsa had her first real interaction with Tuffnut and Kristoff's having romantic interactions with both Elsa and Anna, let's see what happens from here!
"As Elsa had said, Tuffnut did grow in both strength and heart."
Many years had since the incident and surprisingly, Tuffnut didn't reveal the meeting to his 'aunties' and went on as if it never happened. Elsa, however, was strangely touched by it, since no one had ever been brave enough to ever touch her horns before, seeing how dangerous they looked. It made her wonder just how the boy saw her.
For Tuffnut, his life was purely filled with work and fun. When he wasn't helping his aunties with the chores, Kristoff would swoop in when they weren't looking and lure him off to play far enough that they couldn't tell who he was.
When Kristoff wasn't playing as a raven, he would visit in his human form. Anna had introduced him to her sisters and while they were wary of him, they were grateful that he saved their sister and sometimes teased them for being such a 'cute couple' as Ruffnut often called them. Elsa was well aware of this and while she didn't tell him to stop doing such bold actions, as far as she was concerned, his leisure time was his to do with as he wished. She did, however, feel jealous as she'd watch him innocent (yet somewhat unintentional at times) gestures towards Anna.
On one such day, a now twelve-year-old Tuffnut was chopping wood with little effort on his part, when a familiar crow filled the air. Turning, the white-haired boy smiled brightly as he set the axe down and ran off.
Kristoff and Tuffnut spent the next hour or so in a playful game of chase. After a laughing Tuffnut tried in vain to catch the agile bird, they finally took a rest, allowing the pre-teen to gently stroke Kristoff's neck-feathers, much to the bird's content as the boy smiled, "Pretty bird."
Several days after, he was holding his Aunt Ruffnut's hand as she took him shopping in the small market near their home. As his aunt bantered with the stall owner, Tuffnut let his eyes wander before they landed on a poor beggar man, wore from the weather and looked as if he hadn't eaten properly in days, a dark blanket around his shoulders and a bowl for coins clutched in one hand. Yet, people ignored him.
Tuffnut felt immense pity for the man as well as sadness as he held up the small silver coins Kristoff had given him for his birthday to buy whatever he wanted. His eyes then wandered up to the basket his aunt carried.
Tuffnut carefully pulled his hand out of hers before reaching up and taking a radish she had brought for banter from the basket. He then walked toward the beggar. He felt a few eyes on him as he approached the wrenched man, he even heard one woman whisper to him to stay away from him, but he ignored.
It wasn't until he heard his aunt call to him that he stopped, he looked over at her for a moment before dropping his silver coins and the radish into the bowl. The man looked at them in surprise before looking up at the boy, who just smiled. The man smiled back a little as he whispered, "Bless you lad…" Tuffnut nodded before going back to his aunt, unaware a certain raven watching with a proud expression on his face.
"Far away from the lofty palace, which he didn't remember."
A few days passed since Tuffnut's kind deed and the boy was found up on a hill beneath a cherry tree that had a nice view of the distant city and its palace. Tuffnut couldn't help but wander what it was like to live in such a beautiful place that must've taken years to build. Yet, he pitied the poor king, who had lost his son years ago and wondered of his own parents.
But a familiar squawk tore Tuffnut from his ravine. Grinning, he rolled down the hill, laughing as leaves got tangled into his snowy hair.
"And as the seasons changed and the flowers grew…so did he…"
As snow blanketed the ground in a thick blanket of white, a now teenaged Tuffnut almost literally popped out of the endless white, into a sitting position, his now deep, baritone voice giving barrels of carefree laughter as he tossed hands full of snow into the air. As he flopped back down, his happiness seemed to bend the snow to his will as it fell in swirl of energetic flakes.
Now fifteen, Tuffnut had grown into a handsome young lad, all those years of chopping wood and sometimes helping his 'Uncle Kristoff' load ice and wood into his sled paid off. While not overly muscled like many of the hunters and lumberjacks he had seen in the market time to time, Tuffnut was lean-built, many a young girl often admired him as he'd pass by their father's stand. His exotic white hair that fell in three parts around his hand past his upper-back and his silver eyes only made him all the more appealing to them, but Tuffnut never really paid them much heed.
"Yet as he grew so did his power and the wary of the pixies as they wondered just what he could one day do with them."
While alone in his room, Tuffnut would slip off his gloves and would gently move his hands, watching with awe as snowflakes would dance around his fingers and slowly form a snowball between his hands. Unaware that at times, one of his 'aunties' would be watching, worrying about what would happen if Hans ever saw his son using ice magic.
One winter's day, Tuffnut was out in the woods, dressed in a simple dark teal tunic and dark blue pants, tucked into a pair of boots under a hooded cloak. As Tuffnut knelt down, coaxing a little fawn over with a handful of berries, he was unaware he was being watched by Elsa, who had heard of all of his kind deeds towards the villagers that passed through the market. It made her wonder…just how different he truly was from his father.
"He wonder at the world around him…and at what laid beyond the fearsome wall of ice."
Tuffnut lowered his hood as he approached the famous wall of ice, it seemed so much bigger up close then it did at a distance. He had always been curious as to how it came to be and why it was there, but the details had always been sketchy at best from the people he had asked, since his own power put his aunts at edge, so he never asked them about it. It seemed to be eternal as it never melted during the summer heat. He often admired how beautiful and perfectly smooth it was, despite being constantly assaulted by the king's men.
From afar, Elsa and Kristoff (who was now in human form) walked closer to the clearing and watched as Tuffnut held out his hand toward the wall. Elsa's chest clenched, wondering if it would response to the boy's magic.
But Tuffnut only kept his hand on the walls smooth surface for barely half a minute before he pulled away with a hiss. He looked at his hand to find a pattern of frost on it that formed a snowflake shimmering in the sunlight for only a moment before melting away. He shook his hand and looked up at the wall in curiosity.
The whole scene made Elsa hum thoughtfully as she said, "Curious lite sno dyret." Earning a raised eyebrow from Kristoff, which she ignored in favour of turning to a camp of soldiers sent by Hans to find a way past her wall.
"But he was not the only one who wished to get through."
One such soldier was carrying a piece of branch that his comrade had chopped off a fallen trunk making a battering ram, happened to glance up to notice a cloaked figure. He froze and hissed to his comrade, "Look."
The soldier did so and his eyes widened at seeing the figure, who had long, white-blonde hair. "Is it her?" The first soldier asked, "Elsa."
"I don't know…" The second said hesitantly as he lowered the axe. They tentively began to approach, cautiously drawing their swords a little.
Seeing this, Elsa and Kristoff shared an eerily calm glance before the ice fairy said, "Bring them to me." Kristoff nodded, a maliciously mischievous gleam dancing through his normally worried eyes.
With a snap of her fingers and a spark of silver, Kristoff felt his body change into something different. He hunched down as his body shrunk and he felt his teeth sharpen. He groaned out a barking noise, clearly in disbelief as he turned into a black wolf with a strip of gold from the middle of its forehead to the back of its head.
As Kristoff left with a snarl, Elsa returned to watching the scene unfold.
The soldiers then sighed in annoyed-relief as they sheathed their swords, the one who had been chopping confirming, "It's just a peasant boy."
But then, a deep howling began to fill the air casting an eerie feeling upon the soldiers as they all stopped what they were doing to look around. Tuffnut also stopped, turning towards the howling in surprise. Wolves weren't common in this part of the wood, they tended to stay where the food was plenty and the possibility of shelter was high.
As Tuffnut continued to look around, he was unaware of Elsa walking up behind him. Holding up a hand as it glowed with her magic, Elsa blew on it, blowing it at Tuffnut, who, upon breathing it in, was instantly asleep, tilting back as if to fall, but was lifted gently into the air by the silver magic until he almost touched the lower branches of the trees around them.
Snarls began to join the howls, spooking the horses as the soldiers drew their swords, fearing a wolf pack but as they searched, listening to the howls and snarls, as well as the small snaps of bushes and twigs, they saw nothing. That is until a loud growl sounded very close by, startling the nearest soldier to turn and then pale.
Sauntering over a large tree root was the largest wolf he had ever seen. It was purely black save for the single golden strip atop its head with the darkest brown eyes that almost glowed red with malice and the promise of pain as it bared its teeth, which glowed like silver daggers in the pale moonlight. It was surely a demon on earth if he ever knew one.
Without warning, it lunged at them, snarling and claws ready to kill. They all screamed and ran, only to bump into each other as they quickly stopped. Standing within the fog was the shadowed silhouette of a familiar, wingless fairy, who's twisted horns made them quiver at the eerie reminder of the Devil.
"It's her!" One cried as they backed away only to then be reminded of the wolf. "It's her!" Another said in fear.
After several long moments of silence, save for Kristoff's snarling, Elsa slowly held up her hands as they glowed icy blue with fire-like magic. Almost instantly, the soldiers were lifted off the ground, yelling and screaming as they flailed, loosing their swords and shields as Elsa lifted them higher. Once high enough, she started to swing them around with her magic, it was almost enough to make them sick as they lost more of their armour.
Elsa was grinning maliciously at this point, clearly enjoying their misfortune, before tightening her hands into fists. The motioned seemed to stop for a moment, before the soldiers all went flying into each at once. She flung her hands open and in the same moment, they were all sent flying backwards into the trees, sending them tumbling into the dirt.
Elsa hummed at this, seeing they were all unconscious and wondered just how much longer it would take before Hans ran out of men willing to come here. She then blinked when she noticed something off about the things the men had dropped. All of the armour before had been a brown color, most likely bronze, while the blades had all been made of silver and some other metal she didn't know, but now. It was all a familiar dark color.
Kneeling next to a sword, she experimentally reached out to touch it only for a familiar burning sensation to reach her senses. 'Iron,' She thought as she pulled her hand away with a frown, 'He's turning almost everything into iron.'
She was pulled from these thoughts as Kristoff trotted over and with another snap of her fingers, she turned him back into human form. Kristoff was startled by the transformation as he was on his hands and knees, but stood nonetheless and fixed her a very cross look as he cleaned off his hands. Elsa just blinked at him, feeling oddly guilty since she knew how he felt about dogs or canine in general, but she was otherwise indifferent.
"How could you do that to me?" Kristoff demanded trying to keep his voice calm and steady. "You said anything I need," Elsa pointed out.
"Yeah, sure, but anything but a freaking dog!" Kristoff retorted slowly losing his cool, "You know how I feel about dogs!"
"It was a wolf, not a dog," Elsa said patiently as turned to walk away. "It's the same flipping thing!" Kristoff nearly shouted as he followed, making her sigh, "They're dirty, vicious, have no sense of honour and they jump about whatever they can get their filthy paws on!"
(Sorry wolf and dog lovers, but this is Kristoff and Diaval's view seeing how they didn't have good canine experiences in either of their respected movies.)
"Fine," Elsa said flippantly as they walked on, "Next time I'll turn you into a mealy worm."
"Oh, I'll be a worm, happily!" Kristoff shot back huffily, "Anything but a rotten, stinkin', filthy-" He was cut off by Elsa turning him back into a raven, so he just settled on continuing his rant in caws, knowing full well she could still understand him.
Elsa rolled her eyes at his overdramatics before turning to look at Tuffnut, who was still asleep, floating innocently above peacefully. The way his hair and clothes seemed to flow in the non-existent wind and glow in the moonlight reminded her of something otherworldly. Remembering everything that's happened since his early years, made her brain spin.
Keeping Tuffnut still floating, but closer to her, Elsa created a tunnel through the wall, which closed behind them as she lead him into the Moors. Part of Elsa's brain was screaming at her for bringing a human into her home when she promised herself one would never touch it again, but the more curious part of her wanted to see what would happen if someone as innocent and as kind as Tuffnut set foot in it.
It was a truly magical night. After so many years of eternal winter, the Moors and all who lived in it grew used to the cold. All the trees looks as if they grew snow or all their leaves had turned to ice. Those that were barren had a strange string of frozen dewdrops dangling over their branches, creating a dazzling beauty. The plants all seemed to be made out of crystal or ice, gleaming in the moonlight as they twisted up out of the snow in beautiful, delicate arches. A few buds were open, creating dust of blue and purple that glowed with their own light, creating a truly magnificent and gorgeous scene as they lit up the area.
Elsa made sure to hide herself behind a large tree in the shadows before waving her hand, creating a large wave of silver. Cancelling her magic, Tuffnut was set down on the frozen ground.
Tuffnut moaned tiredly as his eyes fluttered open, wondering what happened. He was just about to call out to his 'aunties' when he realized he wasn't in his bed or house, in fact he wasn't even anywhere he recognized.
As Tuffnut sat up, he felt a large smile stretch out onto his face as he took in the beautiful winter wonderland around him. This had to be what was behind the wall of ice, it just hand to be. Nowhere in the whole kingdom was nearly as beautiful as here and he couldn't remember seeing any trees like these before. As he stood, Tuffnut gasped at seeing the tall mountains in the distance.
But then, chirping filled his ears as the larger blue lights got closer. Once they were close enough, Tuffnut gasped to see they were fairies! Real fairies! There were six in all and they were just so…beautiful with their fish like grace and appearance. Oddly though they seemed to be wearing what looked like white coats and had long tentacle-like strings hanging around their waists, like the jellyfish he once saw in a book.
Mesmerised, Tuffnut slowly raised a hand to touch one and the fairy instantly shudder at his cold touch and delicately flew away from his hand as they flew around him. Their icy glow seemed to light up not just the whole area, but the boy as well. Seeing his wide smile and awe-filled eyes brought a strange warmth and joy to Elsa's heart as she watched as finally, one brave water fairy touched the boy's outstretched hand and didn't seem to mind the cold skin.
But as soon as she touched him, she noticed the ice fairy and gasped, she then flew off, followed by the others. Tuffnut was confused for a moment before he turned and noticed someone hiding in the shadows.
"I know you're there," Tuffnut called out, "Don't be afraid."
These words of re-assurance just made Elsa give a dark chuckle at the irony behind them, before she answered him, "I'm not afraid."
"Then come out," Tuffnut said. "Then you'll be afraid," Elsa responded. "No I won't," Tuffnut said shaking his head. After a moment, she said, "Very well."
Tuffnut watched as she stepped out from behind the tree, while still shrouded in darkness, he could still see the outline of a woman in the faint moonlight. When the woman stepped, she revealed herself to be a fairy with horns that seemed to be made of ice itself with long white blonde hair, exactly like his, only it was tied up in a curly ponytail with clips that resembled snowflakes placed randomly in it. Her eyes glowed like actual ice in the moonlight and he could've sworn he saw actual snowflakes flicker through them. She held a familiar look staff that had a snowflake in the crystal topper.
Her dress was beautiful, being full-length and trailed a bit behind her, made of fabric so fair and pure it looked as if it were made of actual snow with frigid-lace over top it with snowflakes webbed into it. The collar was pointed, bending over itself to flare out around her neck, while the sleeves flared out in dramatic flaps of white.
Tuffnut swallowed before he said, "I know who you are."
"Do you?" Elsa asked eyes narrowed. Tuffnut nodded before smiling, "You're my fairy godmother!"
Elsa just stared unblinkingly before asking in slight disbelief, "What?" From his hidden perch, Kristoff covered his beak with both wings, trying his best not to laugh out loud at the sheer irony to the whole thing.
"My fairy godmother!" Tuffnut repeated his smile never leaving, "You've been watching over me my whole life; I always knew you were close."
"How?" Elsa asked as she walked over. "You're shadow," Tuffnut said pointing, "It's been following me ever since I was small, it seemed wherever I went, you're shadow was always there with me."
Kristoff then took that moment to swoop in to a closer branch and his appearance made Tuffnut smile, "I remember you, pretty bird." He cawed in response.
"This is Kristoff," Elsa introduced. "Hey, my uncle has the same name…" Tuffnut noticed.
In response, Elsa reverted the raven into a familiar person, making Tuffnut jump back startled, but clearly more so shocked. "Hey kiddo!" Kristoff laughed. "Uncle?" Tuffnut asked shocked.
"Kristoff has been with me as a raven from the start," Elsa explained, "He's been something of a closer pair of eyes of sorts."
"Surprised?" Kristoff asked chuckling as the boy hugged. "This explains why you'd always show up not long after the bird left!" Tuffnut laughed as Elsa watched, "It was you all along!"
"I've been keeping an eye on you since you were just a wee thing," Kristoff said as he motioned to a small baby, making Tuffnut chuckle pleased to know his uncle was always around for him, even when he never knew it.
Tuffnut rushed out to taken the view of the Moors, his smile never leaving his face, small laughter escaping him. "It's everything I imagined it would be!" Tuffnut smiled before whirling around excitedly, "It's just so gorgeous!" He ran up to Elsa, startling her, "I've always wanted to come-!"
He was cut off by Elsa knocking him out again, levitating him into the air again. Elsa took a moment to take a breath before taking Tuffnut back to the human side of the wall, leaving a disappointed Kristoff behind. While he understood Elsa had been unprepared to become an honorary 'fairy godmother' or for the sudden burst of excitement from Tuffnut, but did wish the boy could've stayed longer.
As Elsa lead the way back, all of the residents of the Moors slowly came out of hiding when they saw the young human that was with her. What struck them as odd was how similar their hair was in color. As Elsa returned the boy home, placing him in bed, she used her power to place his blankets over him, before watching for a moment.
Even as a child, Hans didn't take to the Moors or herself with such excitement or elation before. She cracked the smallest smile as she whispered, "Goodnight sno dyret…"
With that, she left, never noticing the small smile that appeared on the sleeping boy's face.
Meanwhile, in the cold walls of the castle, the lone king sat in an arm chair within a dusty, old tower. Despite its old, musky smell and the many spider and cobwebs that mounded everywhere, Hans wasn't bothered. His eyes remained on a familiar pair of large bundles of snow white feathers that was placed without a glass case.
"You mock me," Hans whispered his voice cut though the silence like a knife through butter, his viridian eyes gleamed in the dark, "I know what you're doing…I know exactly…what you're doing…"
The door opened as a young servant stepped in and said, "Sire."
"Leave me," Hans almost whispered again. "You're presence is being requested by the queen," The man said.
"Leave me," Hans repeated. "Sire, Queen Heather is not well," The man pleaded, "The nurses are fearful she'll not make it through the night."
In response, Hans brought a finger to his mouth and shushed him, before saying, "Can you not see we're having a conversation?" The servant only stared for a moment in pity before begrudgingly closing the door, leaving Hans in the dark coldness of the room.
"When the curse ends Elsa will come," Hans said to himself as he stood and approached the glass case, "And on that day…I will be ready."
And done!
Uh oh, Hans is going off the deep end! What do you guys think, not bad huh?
Anyways, let's announce how things are going for my poll of what I'm going to do next, so far the rests are this:
The new Cinderella movie: 1
Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters: 0
Jack the Giant Slayer: 0
Inside Out: 0
Not bad for a start and there's still plenty of time to vote, I just want to repeat that votes won't count unless you pick a choice in the poll at the top of my profile, I won't accept votes via review, though I will consider them.
Now, with that said onto the actual reviews!
To Ali: Well, yes seeing how Elsa is Maleficent and Tuffnut is Aurora, she is going to kiss, as to where…well, that would be telling!J!
To Sammael29: I'm glad you like the pairing, I'm just not sure what to decide on yet and that question…leaves me curious as well, but no offence it made me laugh hard when I first read it! As for the vote, I'm only going to say, you have to vote via poll for it to count, but I have to admit, your review is giving me ideas.
To pokeyoftheshadows: Yes, I never noticed the typo until you pointed it out, ugh! I hate it when I do that, but thanks for the point out, I meant to right past. Again I still think Kristoff is the kid-loving type and as for the ice wall…again, its suppose to give you chills, so, what do you think of this chapter. Not bad, huh? There sure is more Tuffnut interaction now that he's all grown up.
And finally, to Guest: I'm glad you like their roles and no worries, everyone has their favourites, I'm just glad you like him as the prince now.
Well, until next time, my lovelies, and remember please review and vote while there's time!
