Had Raven looked back she would have noticed the shadowsnot only overcoming Arendelle, but the sky as well. Creating eternal night. Not a star shown in the sky, the moon hardly gave off any light, plunging the Kingdom in darkness …
Garfield roughly pulled a saddle off the wall, anger fueling his every movement. The Duke was spreading lies about his sister and the kingdom was believing it.
"Garfield?" Questioned a female voice from behind him.
He felt his rage boil over. "What?!" He turned to see his fiancée. Garfield immediately felt remorse. "Sorry." He apologized.
Terra shook her head. "If it was one of my brothers the Duke was verbally attacking, I'd be sore too."
"That still doesn't give me the right to yell at you." Garfield slung the saddle over his horse and tightened it.
He lifted his foot to the stirrup.
"Are you going after her?"
Garfield lowered his foot and turned back to Terra. Her face was devoid of all emotion except concern. He sighed. "Yes."
"Did you know?"
He lowered his eyes to the floor, "No." He heard the creaking of wood and looked up to see Terra attempting to lift a saddle twice her size off the stand. Garfield watched in disbelief as her tiny figure managed to pick it up. "What are you doing?"
Terra didn't look up, her attention focused on the saddle. "I'm going with you."
Garfield walked over to the struggling princess and relieved her of the saddle, returning it to its stand. He turned back to Terra. "You can't."
She crossed her arms. "Why not?"
"You're the only one I trust to watch over the kingdom."
Terra bit her lip and looked at the floor. "I'm the only one you trust?"
He nodded. "Out of everyone in the Kingdom I trust you the most." Garfield turned to mount his horse.
"Garfield?"
He turned to see Terra hugging herself. "Promise you'll be careful?"
Garfield nodded. "I promise."
And so, Prince Garfield rode out intent on finding his sister and making things right. Little did he know that Raven was losing the will to return to Arendelle ...
Raven glanced around her. There was nobody in sight, it was kingdom of isolation, and she was the Queen. She unthinkingly slipped back into her mantra.
Conceal, Don't Feel. Conceal, Don't Feel. Conceal, Don't Feel.
A thought flew across her mind. They already knew, so what was there to hide?
She held out her hand and shadow orb appeared. She smiled. She no longer had to hide who she was.
Raven started running cause who was going to see her? She undid the clasp of her cloak and let it float away.
As she reached the peak she looked down to where Arendelle. It's funny, she thought, how some distance, makes everything seem so small. She laughed to herself, now the fears that once controlled her can't get to her at all.
She came to a cliff and threw her hands out. An unrefined bridge grew from the cliff and extended to the other side. She tested the first step and it instantly turned into smooth black crystal.
Raven rushed to the peak of the mountain. She stomped her foot, a crystal surface sprouted from where her shoe hit. She made a rising motion and the platform raised, columns supporting it. Walls rose into ceilings, creating a castle of dark crystal.
Raven took off her crown, willing it to disappear. It was overcome with shadow and shrank 'till it disappeared.
She looked around her, at this magnificent palace she had created just by letting go. She was never going back.
While Raven had decided to 'Let it Go', Garfield certainly had not. He had braved the weather, the eternal night, and lost his horse. He decided to break at Victor's Wandering Trading Post and get supplies.
"Welcome to Victor's Wandering Trading Post. How may I help you?"
Garfield surveyed the shelves full of wares. Almost everything a person could need for journey could be found on those shelves. Just as he was considering if he should buy some rope he heard shouting from outside.
"Why did you slow down for a bird? You do know they can fly, right?"
"Well at I least I do not do the constant yelling when you drive!"
Garfield turned to the door curious to see owners of the voices. He didn't have to wait long, the door flung open with a large Slam!
First in was a girl about his age who had emerald eyes that rivaled his, and hair red as roses. Following her was a boy about his sister's age, with piercing blue eyes and coal-black hair.
They walked to the register both obviously agitated with each other. Victor noticed as well. "Richard it is really a problem if Kori would like to reduce the amount of road-kill in the world?"
The guy now identified as Richard huffed. "Usually I would say no, but when it seems every animal from the North Mountain is running in front of the sled and it causes us to be an hour off schedule, then I would say it's problem."
That peaked Garfield's interest. "Would you say that the North Mountain is unusual today?"
The girl he now knew as Kori turned to him. Pausing a moment and nodded. "Yep, I agree with brother Richard. Something is strange with the Mountain of the North."
"Do you think you guys could provide passage for me to the North Mountain?"
The siblings locked eyes, a silent debate between them, but it was impossible to tell who was winning. Even Victor was leaning over his desk, to try to see which side was winning.
Kori gave her brother a particularly devastating look of puppy eyes and the silent debate was over.
She smiled at her brother and turned to him. "We will provide you passage, if you pay for our supplies."
"Deal."
One shopping trip later …
Garfield stared at the sled in front of him. It was a dogsled with a single, albeit big black dog. Richard and Kori expected a dogsled with one dog to carry three people.
Apparently his thoughts were plain on his face because Richard commented, "It holds more than it looks."
"But-" Garfield protested.
Richard had gotten into the driver's position. "Just get in."
Kori took his arm and led him to the seat portion. When realized how close he and Starfire would have to sit, he blushed. She however seemed oblivious to his embarrassment and started spouting questions.
"So why do you have the need to go to the North Mountain? Does it relate to the eternal night? Why were you in possession of so much money at the cash register? Why is your hair streaked with black?"
Just he was trying to find an answer to any of the girl's question Richard came to his rescue. "Kori let him get seated before you interrogate him."
Garfield accepted this quick reprieve and got seated. A question occurred to him. "What's the dog's name?"
"Ace." Kori answered happily. "Now its my turn to ask you some questions!"
One very long questioning later …
"You want to marry a person you've only known for one day!" Richard and Kori exclaimed.
"But it's true love!" He protested.
"But even you yourself said it was crazy!" Kori remarked.
"Trust us we have friends who are love experts." Huffed Richard.
Just as Garfield was going to retort the sled came to screaming halt.
"What the hell is that?"
Garfield head snapped forward to where Richard was pointing.
They appeared to be at the base of the North Mountain. In the midst of the snow there were a trail of black footprints.
"Let me guess, your sister's work."
Garfield could only nod at Richard's question.
"Well then let's go."
As they got closer to the peak of the mountain Garfield felt a growing pressure on his chest. He hadn't realized how hard a task this might be. He got so caught up in his thoughts he didn't notice that they had stopped.
"This is also the work of your sister?"
Garfield once more found himself looking in the direction where his guides were pointing.
There was black crystal staircase, leading to a palace of the same material.
Wordless he nodded. The trio made their way up the stairs, but stopped just short of the doorway.
Garfield raised his hand to knock against the crystal door, but couldn't bring himself to knock.
"Garfield?" The Prince looked the older guide. "Can I speak to your sister? I think it would help."
Before he could answer, Richard slipped through the door.
At this time Raven had been adding to her palace, on a whim she had decided to add a throne to the entrance hall. This was where she was sitting when Robin entered ...
"Hello? Anybody in here?"
Raven looked up from her newly created throne. She didn't expect anyone to come, hoping whoever it was would go away she remained silent. But her efforts were in vain, for a boy about her age found his way to throne.
She was surprised to see him bow.
"Are you Raven Queen of Arendelle?"
Trying to come off confident she rose and nodded. "Yes and who are you?"
The boy rose from his bow. "My name is Richard Grayson. As to who I am, I am a sympathetic older sibling."
This peaked her interest. She leaned forward in her throne.
He smiled and took a step forward. "I'm not claiming that I completely understand, but I know how it is to make decisions for your siblings sakes. You did what you did because you wanted to protect your brother. I know how hard it is to make those types of decisions. I am the oldest of eight children."
Raven gasped, she couldn't imagine having to protect seven brothers.
Richard chuckled at her reaction, "Sometimes though, you should give your siblings a chance to make their own choices, they may surprise you."
Raven cocked her head to the side as the boy, bowed again.
"Thank you for hearing me out."
Without another word the boy who had entered so suddenly exited.
Raven looked at the door he exited through. The fact that he had entered and exited so quickly made her wonder if she had imagined the incident. Out of curiosity she headed to the stairs, intent on making it to the balcony to see if he was real. As she was halfway up the stairs she heard the door open.
"Raven?"
She turned to see her brother peeking his head though the door. He walked in slowly, surveying his surroundings.
His eyes eventually found his way to the staircase and traveled up it, pausing on her.
Realizing he had been staring, he stuttered nervously "Wow you look different, I m-mean a good different!" He paused, just noticing the glittering throne, "Raven this is amazing!"
"Thanks." She smiled, but her gaze dropped to the floor. "But you should probably go." She turned and started walking up the staircase.
Garfield's voice echoed up to her, "Remember how close we used to be? Why can't we be like that again?"
She turned to him, but didn't meet his eyes. "We can't." She turned and headed up the stairs.
"Please Raven." He pleaded, going up the stairs after her. "Please don't shut me out again. You don't have to keep your distance anymore."
He followed her to the next the floor, unrelenting.
"We can head down this mountain together, 'cause I will be right here."
Garfield stepped forward into the new room, but she motioned for him to stop.
She took a breath. "Garfield, please. Go back home."
"But -" he started.
"I know." She cut him off, "You mean well, but let me be." She walked to the window and surveyed the distance. "I may be alone, but I'm alone and free."
Garfield tried to come closer, but Raven stepped away. "Just stay away and you'll be safe from me."
He looked down at his feet. "Actually we're not."
Raven raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean you're not?"
He kept his eyes on the floor, "I get the feeling you don't know."
"What do I not know?" She demanded.
He finally met her eyes. "Arendelle's in deep, deep, deep, shadow."
"What?!" She gasped.
Garfield wrung his hands nervously. "You've kind of set off an eternal darkness ... everywhere."
"Everywhere?" She looked out to the black horizon, noticing the lack of stars for the first time.
Garfield took a step forward. "It's okay, you can just undo it."
Raven vigorously shook her head, "No, I can't, I - I don't know how!"
He smiled, his hero worship obvious, "Sure you can! I know you can!"
She backed up until she hit the wall, "Please, just go."
Garfield attempted to get closer, but stopped as shadows from the corner of the room were forming something between him and his sister. The thing took shape into a tiger.
Raven saw the fear in her brother's eyes, but also the stubbornness. "Raven please."
"Go home Garfield." She said more forcefully.
He shook his head, "Not without you."
Raven felt a fire light within her. "Go!" To her horror a bolt of black lightning struck Garfield in the chest, throwing him back against the wall.
"No!"