a.n. I'm sorry about not getting this posted last week, but here is the next chapter for all of you! Be sure to check the update section of my profile for more info on this chapter and don't forget to read, review, and enjoy!

Chapter 2: First Meeting

The morning light crept softly through the crystalline walls and lit up the ice palace in beautiful, magical colors. Roused from sleep by the warming day, the sleeping couple slowly stretched and stood, still slightly shivering from the previous night's coldness. Knowing that their journey must resume as quickly as possible, but not wanting to leave this icy wonder, Erik helped to pull the woman to her feet and they decided to have one last look around at their frozen refuge before departing.

Treading carefully, they took in the awe and grandeur of the icy stronghold, eyes scouring every last nook and cranny, committing as much as possible to memory. They walked every last inch of the palace, deliberately avoiding the grand room they had visited the night before, not wanting to imagine the awful scene that had to have taken place to cause the destruction they had seen.

As they finished their tour, an imperceptible sparkle caught their eye. Pulling his wife along, Erik made his way to a shadowy corner. Bending down, he picked up a shining trinket, recognition dawning in his eyes. Holding it up to the light, he heard his wife's fearful gasp. A small, golden tiara glistened in the morning light. At the center of its tear drop- (or perhaps snowdrop)-shaped centerpiece, a light blue gem gleamed, beautifully reflecting the sunlight just as the icy walls around them did. Erik grasped the item tightly, the tears threatening to fall from his eyes. He pulled his wife closer, noticing the dampness of her cheeks. He tucked the treasure in his cloak and out of sight as he put a comforting hand on his wife's back, soothing her through her sobs.

"Oh, Erik! How did that get here? Something terrible must have happened!"

"Shh, Anya. Don't cry. I know it looks bad, dear, but we have to be strong and stay calm. We don't know what happened here. This could mean anything. I know it's hard, but if we want to find out, we have to get back to Arendelle, and quickly." Nodding morosely, Anya grabbed his hand and together, they tearfully headed towards the door. Though the distance was short, it was a solemn trek and they emerged out of the icy abode and into the bright morning sun, its cheery light a counterpoint to the now somber attitude of the couple. Even the magnificence of the structure, a beauty that they had marveled at the night before, no longer seemed as bright and wonderful. To anyone else, the sun's rays, which lit up every edge and facet of the icy walls, gave a feeling of warmth and security. It could make one almost feel safe. But to the saddened couple, the memories of the destruction they had seen the night before, first on the stairway and later in the room with the balcony, as well as the discovery of the familiar golden tiara, gave them just enough pause to remember what they were after and with heavy hearts, they departed.

At the bottom of the stairs, they trekked towards the crest of the hill to begin their journey when a sharp, loud noise drew their attention to the downward eastern slope. It was too far away to hear distinctly, but it almost sounded like hollering, human hollering. Confusion was etched on both of their faces. This place was too far from any signs of civilization or habitation, even Arendelle, so why would anyone be all the way out here? More importantly, what could they be out here for? Moving away from the top of the hill, the couple moved closer to the stairs, hoping to stay out of sight long enough to assess the situation.

It wasn't long before the source of the commotion became known: a single reindeer was dashing through the snow, eagerly pulling a magnificent looking sled behind it. Though it was still some distance away, the couple could see at least one figure was in the sled, cheering on the reindeer. Knowing that they were still out of sight for now, the pair glanced at each other and nodded in silent agreement over what they knew they must do. Moments later, the reindeer burst over the top of the hill with the sled not far behind. Both the reindeer and its driver were unaware of the pair that just stood there in silence, watching the new arrivals laughing heartily over something. It didn't take long for their presence to go unnoticed, however, as the reindeer turned towards them, shock evident in its brown eyes. The driver, which they could now see was a man, noticed his companion's silence and turned too. Upon seeing the couple, his eyes showed the same shock as the reindeer's. The four of them stayed in silence for a long while, no one quite sure what to say. Finally, the sleigh driver got up and out of the sled to make his way over to the couple. He extended an awkward hand out towards them, a sincere, nervous smile gracing his face.

"Uh, hi. I'm Kristoff and this is my buddy Sven," he gestured to the reindeer, "nice to meet you. And I'm sorry if we startled you. We weren't expecting to run into anyone out here." Erik grabbed his hand and shook it firmly. Now that he could see the man better, he noticed that Kristoff was a pretty big guy. Though he was only slightly taller than Erik himself, his broad shoulders gave him a much bigger, much more intimidating stature. The blonde hair that peeked out from what looked like a badly woven cap was short and scraggly. But it was his obviously warm clothes that struck Erik as odd: they were fairly nice, quite kempt with only the slightest wear and tear and they gave Kristoff a look that was incongruous with the rest of him. Erik kept his observations to himself and greeted this new arrival with a sincere smile.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Frederick and this is my wife, Greta," he gestured towards Anya who remained by the stairway, knowing she would follow his lead. "We are just as surprised as you were to find someone out here." He dropped Kristoff's hand expectantly.

"Yeah. Usually, it's just Sven and I out here and we only come out here on business."

"Really? What kind of business are you in that would bring you all the way out here?" Kristoff paused and stared at the man who had introduced himself as Frederick. He was proud, and often quite passionate, of the work he did, but he was finding it rather odd that someone he just met would be so curious to ask a question like that. Then again, his track record of weird requests asked by strangers did speak for itself, so who was he to judge? Falling back on the social conventions and manners that both Elsa and Anna (who was usually learning right alongside him) had tried to teach and ground into him over the last year, he responded as politely as he could.

"I'm an ice harvester. My job often brings me far from town, including up this way, especially in the summer. It's really the only place that stays cool enough for ice to form and stay frozen long enough for me to deliver back to Arendelle."

Arendelle.

The couple looked at each other carefully, making sure to mask the surprise on their faces. "Arendelle? What do you know of Arendelle? Are you from there?" Erik tried to be cautious in his query, not wanting to give anything away. He hoped his eagerness for news didn't betray him.

"Yeah. Currently, I guess. I've always been more of a nomad, a wanderer. But now, I guess Arendelle's become more of a home to me." At this Kristoff sported a dreamy smile. The couple was curious in this sudden change and they wanted to ask him about it but the look was gone almost as soon as it had appeared. "But enough about me. I'm curious as to why you two are here. It doesn't look like you are exactly equipped to be in a place like this and it isn't exactly the most hospitable of places to find yourself in without the proper gear and supplies. Trust me."

"You certainly are observant, young man," Erik mused. He was truly impressed by the younger man's perceptiveness but he was still wary of him. He wasn't sure how observant the man was, if he knew more than he was letting on, or if he was indeed just a kind-hearted soul, willing to try to help them with no expectation in return. With no concrete proof in any case, he knew he wouldn't be able to completely trust this man yet. Putting his full faith and trust in someone he just met? What a truly ridiculous concept! "My wife and I are just wayward travelers and it was just good fortune that we happened upon this place last night," he gestured to the ice palace. Strangely, Kristoff didn't seem as impressed with it as they had assumed he'd be. They did notice that the blonde man was quiet as he stared at the structure, lost in thought. Moments later, he broke out of whatever trance he was in and spoke again, though it seemed as if he was still lost in thought.

"It's good to see that the place did some good after all. No one has come here for over a year, ever since it happened. Well, I know that she doesn't visit it anyway." He was speaking more to himself than to the pair, but he was heard nonetheless and his words stirred something in the woman. She nearly ran to get closer to the younger man, speaking to him for the first time.

"Do you know what happened here?" Kristoff looked at her and was struck by her familiarity. Her slightly wrinkled face had a hardened look, as if she had spent years in sorrow and worry. Her dark brown hair was graying at the temples and Kristoff could see that slight streaks of gray were scattered throughout her long tresses. Her thin lips were creased in a slightly troubled frown, anxiety evident in their set. But it was her eyes, those brown pools that were windows into a worried, troubled soul that really got to him. When he looked into those eyes, he saw a strong, though still vulnerable, creature, someone who had had to endure years of pain, hardship, and heartache with little complaint but who could easily break down under the stress of having to shoulder such a burden. It was a look he had seen but few times before, a look he vowed to never see again now that he was there to help bear that impossible weight.

"Uh…most of it, yeah," Kristoff stammered, not quite sure how to respond. The citizens of Arendelle all knew the story of the Queen's flight into the mountains and her subsequent return, though certain parts of the tale were kept from the general populace and were only known to those intimately familiar with what happened, including Kristoff himself. Even most of the neighboring lands and kingdoms were at least partially aware of the events that surrounded that infamous eternal winter too, so Kristoff found her question curious. There was an awkward silence as the woman stared at him expectantly. "Why?"

Erik took it upon himself to ease the palpable tension between the two. "I apologize, Mr. Kristoff. You see, my wife and I have been traveling for quite some time and we haven't had the opportunity to hear much news about anything, from anywhere. We were just surprised to have come upon this place and were just curious as to the history behind it. It certainly must be some tale." Erik watched as Kristoff looked between both him and Anya before nodding.

"You're right. It is. But…it is not fully my tale to tell." The pair looked at him with curious surprise. "I don't know what your next destination is, Mr. Frederick, but this tale would best be told from the source. If the two of you would permit me to finish up my business here, I will gladly take you back with me to Arendelle and you can find out for yourselves. "

Arendelle.

Again, Kristoff spoke that name. Just what had happened in Arendelle?

The couple exchanged glances. Anya nodded softly at her husband.

"Mr. Kristoff," Erik looked the mountain man in the eyes, "my wife and I would be grateful for whatever assistance you can offer us. And we look forward to hearing all about…this." He waved his hand in the direction of the palace. "Thank you." Kristoff cocked his head in acknowledgement.

"Okay. Just let me take care of some things and get the sled ready and then we can be on our way." With that, Kristoff headed back to his sled and the awaiting reindeer, letting him know of the change in plans. The couple stared at him as he did so, both with the same thoughts in their minds.

What would they discover in Arendelle?

Did they really want to know?