A/N: I've tried to squeeze details in earlier and faster but at the same time I don't want to make it messy. The pace of the chapter might be a little slow, but this is after all an introduction of characters. So here we go.
A feather cannot show the full beauty of a bird, just as no painting nor book could have prepared her for Arendelle. All the books depicting its beauty and the songs of praise of its liveliness were undoubtedly true. While Delarnox had a calm atmosphere where everyone went about their business, the country she had just arrived at was brimming with joy and bustling with activity. The black-haired girl skipped the last few steps of the ship's ramp, amber eyes lighting up.
Magdelene landed on her feet nimbly and gave small little hops on the spot. Annoyed grumbles and surprised exclamations were tossed around as the crowd surged forward, some shooting glares at the back of her blue and green dress. Sailors hustled past, hurrying one another with good-natured shouts, or hollering commands at their ship hands. Wooden boxes were being brought down by ship hands, while traders scuttled between them, searching for their goods among the cargo. Others shifted around hesitantly, already confused by the large crowd. A new flood of alighting passengers from a ship at the far end washed onto the wooden port like a swarm of bees, and Magdelene darted forward to avoid the human tsunami.
"Stop right there, young lady!"
A tall and slim lady was dodging sailors and peasants as she cleared a path towards Magdelene, lifting her pale green skirts as she was juggled around in he crowd. Black curls fell around her shoulders as she headed towards the shorter girl, finally making it out of the buzzing swarm.
Halting immediately, Magdelene's sooty waves stopped bouncing round her head as she froze. She knew better than to disobey. With a sugary sweet smile, the girl slowly turned. "Yeeeees?" She dragged her single word question out.
"Rules, my dear, rules!" she announced firmly.
Hurriedly, Magdelene listed, "Never let excitement overwhelm me, always hide my hands in my pockets if I feel like it's coming, never touch anyone and um, never leave your side?"
"Never leave my side," the woman repeated fiercely, her brown eyes digging into Magdelene's exasperated face. "Now, listen. You can only buy things with my permission. No snacks from random strangers, no accessories that may be sold at more than their worth. Oh, and no-"
Well, the list hadn't diminished at all. In lieu of their trip to Arendelle, it had only grown longer from the one plied on her when she was only let out of the house once every year, into the town where she could participate in the Lunar Festival, also Delarnox's anniversary celebration. Although the timing of the festival was thought by her mother to lessen her powers, it was better safe than sorry. Thankfully, her excitement on being released every year never got to her, and she sure wasn't about to break that streak.
"… You know, just to be sure. And lastly, no going anywhere near the palace, alright?"
Wait, what? "Mother? You just said…"
"I just said that you can't go anywhere near the palace. You can see it from a distance, but no going, let's say, anywhere near the gates, alright?"
"But I've heard so much about them and they have these amazing parties inside and-"
She sighed in impatience. "Maggie, I know you want to see the palace. I've been hearing you gush about their beautiful queen and their parties where even commoners are allowed to join. But you can see the queen when she makes her rounds for the Trade Meet and it's unlikely they'll have an open ball when so many important officials are attending."
Unruffled, Magdelene opened her mouth to argue back, but her mother's sharp gaze silenced her. There was no point in talking back, which was one thing she had learnt. "Right. Yes. Alright. I promise all of that, now can we go?"
"We'll head to the town square for a short while, then we can get something for your uncle."
Suddenly her backpack felt heavier than usual. The joy of arrival had washed away the purpose of their visit but the quick reminder merely brought dark clouds rolling into her mind. One would have been elated to finally visit someone related to their deceased father, but it had been 14 years since she was seen as a baby; what would he think now? The ship ride had given her plenty to worry about, but she had managed to convince herself that he would never find out about her secret if she was careful enough. She was told that there was nowhere to practice and dance, and his home was close to the town; there would be absolutely no using her powers at all in a place so unlike her secluded home.
None of that fazed her, surely. Nothing could quench her excitement at this point. Maybe she would be able to see the queen up close as well, or maybe catch a glimpse of the castle interior. Grinning, she hurried after the pastel green and purple dressed figure beckoning to her.
The town square wasn't too long a walk from the pier. Cobbled grey stones led to the outer ring of shops, with striped or spotted stall shades and wooden stands. The portable stalls were laden with gleaming trinkets and a rainbow array of fruits, their respective sellers yelling enthusiastically and beckoning to passing townspeople. Well dressed ladies were in deep discussion with traders gently fingering the intricate designs on their accessories. In contrast, to their focused gazes, fruit sellers who frequented the square everyday stared down customers, their shouts a call to prospective buyers.
Her mother was already bargaining with a stocky middle aged woman, pointing at a bunch of bright purple berries and shaking her head, while Magdelene stood listlessly by her side. The place was emptier than expected for what was claimed to be a large event, and she wanted to explore before the peak hour caught up.
A silver glint caught the corner of her eye. It floated above the canopy of stores and paused, before flowering into a large, sparkling snowflake. Its tips reflected the sunlight, design as detailed as a real snowflake. Magdelene gaped as it twirled slowly in mid-air while two smaller sparks flanked it, bursting into silent fireworks. Faint cheering reached her ears as she tugged at her mother's dress, but she was still deeply engaged in conversation with the store owner.
Receiving only a dismissive wave with her tugging, Magdelene let go with a huff. Grunting, she squeezed between two trinket stalls, heading for the square of the bursting snowflakes. Those were no fireworks; they didn't melt and really, how could one fire something so close to a real snowflake? The ice had remained mid-air like it had been orchestrated, so detailed, so beautiful.
Most of all, as she eased herself through a group of maidens, the display dissipated into all too familiar sparkle.
Faerie dust, she liked to call it. As dainty as the faeries she used to pretend she was, dainty and magical. When she created her own display in the caves at home, with only flames and a penchant for dancing, her fiery images dissolved as well. Into that shimmering faerie dust. If her fire creation powers had done so, then maybe the creator of that ice display…
Quickening her pace, she made sure to glance up at the lingering sparks, though they were already fading away, bit by bit. Nearly crashing into a carpet stand, she had to dodge the flailing hands and jutting wooden shelves in her path.
The cheering was getting louder, joyous voices evident. She was soon hopping around at the back of the crowd, but could barely catch sight of whomever and whatever they were surrounding. It was a thick layer of human bodies she had to make her way through, but she was just a tiny firefly in a forest of butterflies and beetles.
A hand rose above the heads and the cheering raised a notch. Clomping hooves could be heard through the noise but they seemed distant. Within moments, even that was buried in the shouting. The towering men in front of her sighed as they went on tip toe to peer at the scene.
Grunting in frustration, Magdelene kept hopping up and down; desperately keen to catch even just a glimpse. Heads were shifting away, the brown, yellow and black sea beginning to disperse. What?
Pushing her way forward, she realized that all that was left in the centre was a frozen snowflake carved into the floor. By the looks of it, it seemed to be where the person had been standing.
"Excuse me." Magdelene approached one of the ladies staring idly at the pattern on the floor. "Was there a performance of some sorts?"
The plump old lady shot a strange look. "Of course, Queen Elsa had already announced her unofficial visit and ice display for starting the first day of the Meet. Didn't you hear? Are you a visitor?"
Her attention span lasted until the words 'ice display'. A queen who could control ice. There was no way she could have mistaken the way the ice was created and dissipated. She didn't respond, only gliding towards the thin layer of ice in the town square in a daze. The ice crystals winked at her from the edges of the snowflake mat, only fueling her excitement and admiration.
It was almost too good to be true. Someone who had powers like her, who could understand how it felt to have this strange ability to create, who could use that magic to conjure up an exquisite exhibition of what her power entailed. And no less, it was the queen herself!
The horde hadn't even shied away from her, instead flocking to their queen and admiring her frosty flaunts of power. That meant they were accepting, viewing her difference as a talent and not a curse. If that was the case, then could they possibly view her as someone like her queen, her fire a display of blazing beauty?
The throng had mostly dispersed. Excited murmurs were passed around as they went back to their usual activities, but Magdelene stood there in dazed delight. Slowly, she glided to the snowflake, carefully stepping onto the sheet of ice.
Her own fire seemed to engulf her body in warmth and tiny flames burst from her fingertips. If they were accepting of the ice powers their queen had shown, no reason why they wouldn't accept her fire powers, right? Dance steps surfaced in her head and without a second thought, she burst into a graceful tango.
Waving her outstretched right hand in a wide arc, Magdelene let out a curved fiery blast. None had been standing around her then, for they were returning to their stores, though she hadn't thought of the harm she could have caused in the first place. It curved around her, barely missing the top of the stall shades. Ignoring the gasps of surprise, she put her hands together in a cupping position, palms facing the sky and fingers pointing in opposite directions. A scream could be heard in the crowd. Raising her arms, fire erupted from her cupping hands. They shot into the air in a column shape, but spread out towards the sides upon reaching a short distance from her arms. The ember blossom flattened as the column continued to erupt, the fire forming an umbrella shape, with a horizontal blazing canopy. Flames dissipated as they trickled off the edges of the petals; the bloom was frozen in place, shimmering with tiny sparks.
The fiery flower created was merely a reflected of her delight, blossoming infinitely. Its orange stem remained steady while the spread out fire blazed on. She let the flame petals flicker gracefully as she admired her creation, before dropping her hands to her sides, the action dissipating the blossom immediately. Wasting no time at all, she followed up with a thrust of her hands into the air.
Two tall, thick columns of fire reached for the sky, though the burst induced more screams even as the columns shrunk. The columns bristled with pure power as she lowered her hands to shoulder level. As she waved them in an anti-clockwise direction, she whirled on the spot as well, making the fiery pillars bend and twist around her. Playfully, the duo chased each other in a wide circle, their tips never touching. As the ring formed, connection with the ground was lost, the fire becoming snakes biting at each other's tails. Every now and then she flicked a hand and a loop would appear in the ring of fire. Alternatively, a wave of her arms sent the fire snakes spiraling after one another, but always keeping to their dance route.
Widened eyes stared on in mute horror as Magdelene let the strips of fire chase each other, spiraling upwards in a large circle. Gaining speed as they did so, once they were a safe distance from her head, they crashed into one another, sparks flying in all directions. It was like the firework display by the queen, only in flames and seemingly more dangerous to the crowd. However, its beauty was replicated at best, by the inspired individual, who made the wisps of fire form an eight-pointed star as the burst was induced.
The glitter did not impress the crowd. Everyone was about to release a sigh of half-relief when Magdelene let the sparkling firework disappear, when she released fire from her hands once more. This time, it was in the form of a whip, used as twirling ribbons. As the girl pirouetted while flicking the flaming ribbons, masculine shouts erupted; the men were finally shaken out of their shocked stupor. Some scuttled off to find help, while others were starting forwards, bravely but foolishly, with randomly grabbed choppers from cutting fruit or wooden planks. The oddly gathered pack of fearful men started forward, unsure how to confront what they saw as a 'witch'.
Caught up in her dance, the oblivious girl was still twirling to her own beat, fire pouring from her hands and waltzing around her. A woman yelled from a distance, calling her name, but nothing could bring her back to earth where she floated in the heavens.
Tinkling laughter drifted from the rattling sleigh as it sailed along the brick path. Inside the golden and green sleigh, one of the silver-blonde passengers had her hand at her mouth, trying to contain her giggles. The brunette sitting across her waved her arms animatedly, her green eyes bright a she chattered away, gestures energetic.
"And you should have seen his hair that day! I mean, it went down that evening, which was a pity because it looked so good on you," Anna said teasingly as she nudged the muscled man beside her. He simply rolled his sky blue eyes and ran a hand through his scruffy blonde hair. Pretending to frown, he gave a nudge back, but the pink tinge on his cheek didn't spare him and the lady across him merely laughed harder.
"Really? You must show me someday, Kristoff," she commented.
"Yeah, yeah," he mumbled. "Let's hope Your Majesty never falls victim to Anna's pranks."
Kristoff shot a mock glare at his girlfriend as he emphasised his last few words. But the defiant young girl merely snuggled into his arm lovingly.
Elsa gave a cough as she composed herself. "Unfortunately I already have, but this is a slight reminder that the Queen does not appreciate going to court with messed up hair, so no putting that cream in my bathroom, Anna?" Her pointed gaze rested on her sister.
"No promises," Anna replied in a sing-song voice
"Anyway, I have to settle some merchant trade requests for the Annual Trading Meet later,so I'll see guys for dinner, alright? I've already asked the chefs to…"
Elsa's voice was nothing short of soothing, even when she was going on about her queenly matters. Sighing as she nuzzled Kristoff's arm with her cheek, she let her gaze wander out of the sleigh, taking comfort in his warmth.
"Elsa."
"Hmm?"
"You didn't organise a bonfire, did you?"
"Well, I didn't consider that, but I suppose I could hold one for-"
"-Then what's that in the town square?"
The queen's snowy blonde braid nearly whipped her face as she turned around in her seat. If she was hoping for it to be another prank by Anna, she would have been dreadfully disappointed. Right among the cluster of stalls where they had just been was an eruption of flames, reaching sky high. Smoke billowed from the aftermath and despite being so far, she felt like she could taste the horrid smell on her tongue and the heat prick her face.
Gasping, she shrunk back in, eyes wide with shock.
"It's not a bonfire; it's like someone's controlling them," Anna murmured as she squinted, watching the fire rise and twist in he air.
"That's not any better! People will still get hurt! Stop the sleigh," the older sister commanded, halfway through breaking into frenzy. "Stop the sleigh!"
A moment later, the horses skidded to a halt abruptly, jerking the three of them from their seats. Uncertain, the horseman slid off his seat slowly to approach the vehicle, but Elsa was already bursting from the sleigh. She stood in a daze, staring at the blaze in horror.
The couple followed her out, Anna being the one reaching for her sister's shoulder, only to shrink back as the queen whirled around.
Her icy blue eyes were wide, emotion swirling in its depths. "I'll go handle… whatever is happening there. You two go back on the sleigh."
"We'll follow you," Kristoff insisted as he grasped Anna's hand.
"No, this is dangerous." And this hasn't happened before. If the fire is being controlled as Anna thinks it is, I need to know. By myself. "Go back, you'll be safe there."
"But we can help-"
"No, Anna. I can handle this. All you need to do is stay in the castle. Please."
The brunette glowered, he cheeks puffing up in discontent. But before Elsa could chide her any further, she sighed and nodded.
"But take the sleigh!" She looked up once more, unassured. "Kristoff and I can take Sven, right?"
"Wha-?" Kristoff, mumbled, caught by surprise. The reindeer gave a high whiney as he trotted over to them. He had been by their side, chatting with the one of the leading horses as they headed for the castle. Kristoff had been shoved onto the sleigh before he could insist on riding Sven, but the loyal steed never strayed from their side.
Not having time to lose, Elsa hesitated for only a second before hurriedly nodding. "Stay safe, you two. And you, Sven; I'll get you carrots once I return, OK?"
Another joyful neigh erupted from the reindeer as Elsa dashed towards the sleigh. "Turn back. We're going back to the town square. And make it fast," she commanded the horseman.
Anna and Kristoff got on the latter's trusty steed and continued forth, to the castle, while the sleigh drove forward and rounded a bend to turn back.
After shooting a last wave for the duo passing in the opposite direction, Elsa settled back into the soft cushioned seats, uneasy with how comfortable her surroundings were in contrast to the turmoil churning inside of her. Hopefully she could get there before any harm befell her people. It could be some kid playing with fire, a trick having gone wrong, or a cooking demonstration that caught on one of those fireworks the traders often brought, or at worst someone trying to scare her people. But something in her gut told her it could be more than that.
"It's like someone's controlling them?" Elsa repeated Anna's words to herself. When she witnessed the flying fire tendrils, she had tried to convince herself that wasn't so, that Anna's wild guess was wrong.
She would simply have to find out for herself.
A/N: I do hope this was satisfactory. Do tell me if it's draggy, too little details, too much talk etc. And if you are reviewing, try to use an account so I can reply and questions. To the guest reviewer, I'll update my profile with Magdelene's picture ASAP. Other details you want will be slowly revealed. And hopefully my next few chapters will be beta-ed.
Please review guys. I know you're lurking out there. ;_; Till next time!
~Seasonal~