The echo of the slamming door repeated in Anna's head. She looked from door to door as she stepped lightly, making her way down the corridor. When she reached the door to the library, she turned the doorknob as quietly as possible. She pulled the door open slowly, wincing when it creaked and whined just a little.

Anna expected someone to be reading on the sofa. Perhaps it would be the person who had been watching her; they would act like they hadn't done any such thing, of course. But no one was in the library. The room was even dark, lit only by the lanterns from the corridor.

Anna looked down. The red carpeting was the same. The sofa was the same, although even in the dim lighting, the upholstery looked a little brighter than she recalled. Anna opened the door a little further so that the light would shine upon the large portrait above the table lining the wall. Instead of her father, another king held the orb and scepter from a coronation. Anna squinted a little, stepping closer to the portrait. The man did look something like a younger version of King Olaf, but the nose and cheekbones were a little off. Could the man be King Olaf's father?

The library door creaked. Anna's head jerked toward the door just in time for her to see someone duck and run out.

"Hey!" she called, dashing after them. But she heard the slam of another door out in the corridor before she even made it out of the library. "You sure are shy…"

Then she thought of herself as a child. When they were very young, Elsa used to play hide-and-seek with her. It was one of Anna's favorite games. But when things had changed, there was no one to play with. Sometimes Kai would try, but he was too big and easy to find. After a while, Anna had put her own twist on the game. She would hide from others in the castle without telling them, making noise sometimes to startle Gerda or one of the guards. Then when they tried to find her, she'd sneak off to another hiding spot. They would be left wondering who and what the noise had been. Anna giggled just thinking about it, wondering if Kai ever told Gerda it had been Anna all along.

She tried the second door to the left, knowing it to be the portrait room in her own time period. She was pleased to see it had still been a portrait room back in…what even was the year? She made a mental note to ask someone.

Unlike the library, the portrait room was lit by chandeliers. Anna grinned at the familiar portraits. She noted that some were missing, either not yet painted or acquired. She went to one corner of the room where royal family members' portraits were kept. She could tell immediately that a few generations were absent. The wall was not as crowded. Her grandparents and parents were nowhere to be seen.

A cough from the far end of the room drew Anna's attention to the tall windows.

"Hello?" Anna called. When there was no reply, she tiptoed to the windows. There were three of them. Long, maroon curtains covered each one, but the middle window's curtain looked a little bit like a storm had run through it. Grinning, Anna crept toward the middle window. Suddenly she took the left side of the curtain and tugged it aside, revealing a young and alarmed, platinum haired young woman to be hiding on the other side.

Anna gasped. "Elsa?!" The woman narrowed her eyes. No…not Elsa. Her eyes were different; they were not blue, but sea-green. But her hair! It was that same long white blonde Anna had always envied when they were younger, but this girl wore it loose. The girl was younger than her sister, anyway. She looked a few years younger than Anna herself.

"Excuse me?" the girl asked. Then she quickly curtsied. "I'm Princess Kirsten. I'm sorry if I scared you earlier. My parents don't like me bothering guests. But I heard you were the troll hunter's sister."

"Kirsten…" Anna murmured. Queen Kirsten had been her Great-Great Grandmother who passed away shortly before Elsa was born. She remembered their mother talking about her. Could this be that Kirsten?

Anna realized she probably looked rude, so she quickly curtsied and bowed her head. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness. My name is Anna."

"It's nice to meet you too."

"But… I thought you might be playing hide-and-seek with me," Anna said with a laugh.

"Hide-and-seek?" the princess asked, tilting her head.

What? She doesn't know hide-and-seek? Anna thought.

"Yeah, it's a game. Don't you have any siblings you play it with?" Anna asked. She could have bit her tongue afterwards when she saw the grim look on the princess's face at the mention of siblings.

Kirsten shook her head. "It's just me, I'm afraid," she answered.

Anna had Elsa, of course. But for a long time, she had known loneliness. Maybe it was the resemblance to Elsa or the fond stories their mother had told about their Great-Great Grandmother, but Anna wanted to lift Kirsten's spirits.

"Then what do you do for fun?" Anna asked.

Kirsten's face lit up for a half-second before she thought about her answer. Then she looked embarrassed. Anna laughed at the rapid change.

"What?" Anna asked.

"Well, I'm not allowed to leave the castle… so mostly, I just read…"

Not allowed to leave the castle? Anna frowned. Kirsten's story was feeling more and more familiar. But she could tell it was a delicate topic. So she decided to tread lightly.

"What kind of books do you like to read?" Anna asked.

Kirsten looked excited by the question, though also uncertain of Anna's interest. "Come, I'll show you the library…" Kirsten said, finally stepping away from the window behind her. She beckoned Anna to follow her out of the portrait room. As they returned to the library, Anna reflected on how odd it felt to be given a tour of her own home. But she kept an awed expression on her face lest Princess Kirsten think she was unimpressed.

"I know I should feel very fortunate and honored in my position," Kirsten said as they entered the library. "But the truth is that it's awfully boring being the Crown Princess. Mother always has me taking lessons. Father barely talks to me. He wishes I was my brother."

Anna halted by one of the chairs before she took a seat. "I thought you were an only child?"

"I am. My brother Peder died at birth. Father never quite moved on," Kirsten explained.

"I'm so sorry…" Anna frowned. Never when her parents were alive had she ever felt that Elsa or herself were loved more than the other by either of their parents. She had never wanted the crown for herself, so there had never been that to be jealous of. True, in general she felt that Elsa was the prettier and more graceful sister. Hans's comment about Elsa being preferable had certainly hurt. But other than that, Anna had never had a thought about not being able to measure up to her elder sister. "It must be very difficult to compete with a sibling who's not even alive. Err—sorry, to put it so bluntly—"

"It's true," Kirsten said. "My father thinks we're cursed. Between my brother, the trolls and…other things. He avoids me, but he insists that I stay in the safety of the castle. The servants don't know how to talk to me. So I read. Books are better than people anyway."

Anna smiled a little, thinking of Kristoff's song about reindeer.

"I like adventure stories, mostly. But I'll read anything. History, poems, etiquette handbooks. Well, maybe the etiquette books are less enjoyable… but they're here between shipments. Mother knows I love to read, so she has father order books from all over the world every few months. I don't think he approves, but he can't say no to her."

"Wow…" Anna said. She was about to ask Kirsten her favorite story when Kirsten grabbed Anna's hands.

"You can imagine how excited I was to hear that the troll hunter was coming to help us! With the trolls gone, maybe Father will lighten up a little… you know?" She released Anna, a sheepish blush reddening her face. "Sorry, but... do you think your brother will be able to slay the trolls?"

"Hans is not—err," Anna stopped herself. She had yet to find out why Hans told everyone she was his sister. Better to keep to his story for the time being. "Not all trolls are bad, you know."

Kirsten looked floored by Anna's comment. "But they've obliterated the sawmill twice. They chase people out of the forest. It's hurt our trade with the kingdoms north of here."

Anna nodded. It was the same as what King Olaf had told her. "Has anyone tried talking to the trolls?" Anna asked.

Kirsten's jaw dropped. "T-talk-talking to them? Miss Anna… who but your brother would dare get close enough to one to try and speak to it? To be honest, I'm not even sure that they're capable of speech."

"No, then?" Anna asked, slightly annoyed when Hans was again referred to as her sibling. But more irritating were the assumptions about the Stallos. They had left Judet alone. What had she said? The Stallos have no quarrel with outcasts; it was just Arendelle they hated. There had to be a reason. There were no Stallos in Arendelle of the future. Did King Olaf have them exterminated?

Kirsten gave an anxious shake of her head. "No… and I would caution against suggesting such a thing. My father feels very strongly about the trolls—and all magical people."

Anna's eyes widened. "Magical people?"

Kirsten looked away suddenly. "Ah… yes… it all goes along with his feeling that our family has been cursed. He's just superstitious."

Anna eyed her doubtfully. Kirsten was putting way too much thought into her words. There was more to it. Then it occurred to her. The hair… being kept locked in the castle… the fearful, anxious demeanor… it could very well be.

"Kirsten… I realize this may seem like a strange or intrusive question. You can just chalk it up to my own curiosity about this supposed curse. I figure you might know. Are there, um…any unusual, inherited gifts or traits passed down in your family?" She wasn't about to specify 'snow powers', but this was close enough. Only, Anna knew as soon as she stopped talking that she had asked a very taboo question. Kirsten backed away from her, staring at the ceiling and then at the floor. She kept moving her eyes, looking basically anywhere but at Anna.

"Miss Anna, it was very nice meeting you…" she said, looking over her shoulder at the library door to open it. "But I think we've been speaking a little too informally. I am a princess, after all. It is also getting late. Dinner will be served soon. You should get dressed. Please excuse me."

"Your Highness, just a moment!"

But Kirsten was already out the door. She did not look back. Anna leapt up from her chair to run after her, but when she reached the doorway, Hans appeared and blocked the way.

"Whoa! There you are," he said. Anna hopped up to peek over his shoulder, but she could not see Princess Kirsten in the corridor. "What are you doing?"

"Please move," Anna snapped at him, trying to squeeze around him through the spaces on either side. But he purposely shifted so that she could not.

"Pay attention. I have something to tell you," Hans said, holding her still by her shoulders. She shook him off of her and backed up into the library, glaring daggers.

"Great, I have your attention," he continued. "I'm going on another expedition into the trolls' lands tomorrow. You'll be joining me."

"I'll be what? Excuse me?"

"No excuses. The king asked me to find the trolls' weakness. You kept talking about some other trolls, so you at least have some insight. I think you'll be able to help."

At that, Anna crossed her arms. "What makes you think I'd help you?" But as she said it, she thought of the trolls in the Valley of Living Rock. "The trolls I know are peaceful. I don't want any harm to come to them." She thought of Grand Pabbie, Bulda and Cliff chanting in a circle around her before they sent her back in time. Could they have ancestors living in the Valley of Living Rock now? If so, they might be able to send her and Hans back to her own Arendelle. In that case, it would be worth seeking them out. "But maybe they know about the other trolls."

Hans looked a little skeptical, but he asked, "Fine. But where do we find them?"

"There's a place called the Valley of Living Rock. I don't know if they live there now, but we can start there," she suggested. "You have to promise it will just be us. I don't want anyone else to know the location. It's Kristoff's family."

Hans looked at her like she had sprouted a third eye. "Kristoff?"

"The… the man who brought me back to the castle, remember? The ice harvester?"

"Oh, him."

There was zero jealousy in his voice, only vague recollection. Somehow, that was incredibly annoying to her.

"You have to promise me," she said again.

"Of course. I don't want anyone else claiming the glory," he said, making her frown. That she could believe. She'd make sure to take her dagger back from the castle guard just in case.

"Sir Hans?"

Anna looked with him as Hans turned around. A servant stood behind them in the corridor.

"I'm to show Miss Anna to her room," the servant said, bowing her head. Only then did Hans step out of the library doorway so that Anna could come out.

"Tomorrow then," he said.

"Yeah," she answered, not looking at him as she walked up to the servant. Anna smiled at the girl, waving her ahead. "After you." The servant was shorter than Anna and younger than any of her castle staff. She also wore a bonnet over her head. Other than that, her uniform was similar to what Anna was used to. Anna followed the girl back to the stairwell. She followed her up the stairs to the next level, the sleeping quarters. The servant turned back toward Anna to speak.

"I've hung a number of spare lady's dresses in your wardrobe. Sir Hans told us how you lost your luggage on your journey here."

"That was strangely considerate of him," Anna thought out loud.

The servant look startled. "Begging your pardon, m'lady?"

"Oh, um, nothing!" Anna shook her head and gestured for the servant to continue guiding her.

"Your Majesties," Elsa said, writing the words out on the parchment on the council table. Kristoff sat on her left, glaring past her at Lord Harald. Olaf stood on the table, pacing back and forth.

"Ideas, anyone?" the queen asked, already at a loss for how to begin. Writing back had been Kristoff's idea. After some consideration and debate, Elsa decided to invite Lord Harald to assist with the composition. He had been right about word getting to the Southern Isles whether or not Elsa wrote to them. She felt that if she had listened to him to begin with, things might have turned out less severe.

"Your son Hans is a bully!" Olaf suggested. "A sneaky wolf in sheep's clothing!"

"Yeah, probably not," Elsa answered even though she smiled at his effort.

Kristoff sighed. "I've got nothing. I know this was my idea. But I've never been much of a letter-writer."

"Your Majesty, if I may?" Lord Harald spoke up. He did not seem to notice as Kristoff rolled his eyes.

"Please, Harald. What do you suggest?"

"You won't like the idea, but it may at least minimize the damage that has been done. The King and Queen of the Southern Isles currently think you're holding Hans prisoner at the castle. You need to dismiss that notion as soon as possible. Why not tell them that he and your sister are missing?"

Kristoff scoffed. "That makes it sound like they went missing together."

"Exactly," Lord Harald countered.

"I think you may be onto something, Harald. But why would they believe my sister willingly disappeared with Hans? Not after his attempted murders," Elsa answered. She shook her head. If she were them, she wouldn't believe it.

"You must remember, they think that's only gossip," Lord Harald said.

"It's not gossip!" Elsa argued.

"Yes, we know that. But they don't. This is their son we are talking about. I'm only suggesting that you let them know you were about to send Hans back home to be tried in his own kingdom. But then he and Princess Anna ran off together. We can say that she didn't believe the gossip against him. This puts you in a neutral position as far as Hans's name, but in a parallel position because your sister is missing."

Elsa bit her lip, staring at the paper and pen in her hand. She didn't like it, but it might work.

"Where would they go? I've never heard such a stupid idea!" Kristoff said, crossing his arms. "You're not actually considering this, are you?"

"Mind your tongue, lad," Lord Harald warned him.

"Enough!" Elsa said. "Yes, Kristoff, I'm considering it. I know you have my sister's well-being in your heart. But when it comes to politics, Lord Harald has experience where you do not."

Kristoff frowned, but he bowed his head. "Forgive me, Your Majesty. I will support whatever course of action you deem wisest." He gave a sidelong glare at the noble on the other side of her.

Elsa ignored the two of them for a moment as she penned down Lord Harald's idea in her own written voice. As she wrote the conclusion and stamped the letter closed with her royal seal, she couldn't help but feel that she had misjudged Lord Harald.

"Thank you for your assistance," she said to him. "I hope this will change their minds about declaring war."

"You and me both, Your Majesty," Lord Harald replied.

"If…" she hesitated, frowning. "If not, I will of course rely on your counsel for war."

Lord Harald smiled with a shake of his head. "Let us hope it won't come to that." He stood from his chair and bowed. "I'll bid you good night now. An old man like me is used to being in bed by now."

"Oh! My apologies! Please, have a good night."

Lord Harald smiled and bowed once more before he saw himself out of the council chamber. As soon as the door closed behind him, Kristoff grumbled in his chair.

"Man, there is just something I don't like about that guy," he said. Elsa was about to defend Lord Harald when Olaf interrupted.

"I'm just happy Elsa's not mad enough to throw me back in the dungeons!"

Elsa and Kristoff both looked at him. Elsa asked, "What are you talking about?"

He then told them of the guard who had put him in a cell and interrogated him about having seen Prince Hans. Elsa sat very still as she listened, her frown only growing deeper.

"That doesn't make any sense… I never gave any orders for anyone to be thrown into the dungeons. The royal guards should all know that Olaf is my own creation. They would have no reason to lock him up."

Throughout all this, Olaf kept saying, 'Oh? Oh!' while Kristoff looked between the two of them, raising one eyebrow.

"It's too late for this… Olaf, do you think you would recognize the guard if you saw him again?" Elsa asked. When the little snowman nodded, she said, "Good. I'll line them up tomorrow and have you point him out. I'd love to hear his excuse." She was thinking back to when some of her own guards had turned on her out of fear of her powers. She could understand them being wary of Olaf. But being wary was many steps away from putting him in the dungeons.

After dinner, Anna went back to her guestroom. She realized that she'd been assigned the very same guestroom Kristoff was staying in back in 1839. Anna let herself in and closed her door behind her. She immediately went to the bed and fell back onto the comforter, thinking about the impending trip to the Valley of Living Rock. She would have to find her way there all over again, but at least she still had the map in her satchel.

Kristoff would have heard the truth from the trolls by now. He and Elsa would be worrying about her. Would the trolls even know that they sent her back in time? They hadn't been able to see Hans's location.

"What kind of mirror was that, anyway?" she said, troubled. She sat up and went to the mirror standing against one wall. She peered into it, wondering if the trolls' mirror was just a normal mirror. Maybe it was just in their power to use mirrors for travel. If it was just because of one special mirror, perhaps the trolls of the past also had the mirror. If so, they could use it to send her back to the future.

Something moved in the mirror. Anna looked more closely. It was very faint, but she could see a monstrous face staring back at her; it was barely visible over her own reflection. Two devilish eyes blinked at her before the face disappeared. Anna shrieked.

A door she hadn't noticed on the right wall suddenly burst open. Hans appeared with a sword in his hand. Anna shrieked again, first startled by his barging in, then frightened that he was armed.

"What? What?! What is it?" Hans yelled, looking wildly around the room. "Is someone in here?!"

Anna shook her head. Her hand trembled as she pointed at the sword he held.

Hans sighed and lowered the sword. "I heard you scream. I thought maybe there was an intruder."

"What do you think you are?" Anna glared at the adjoining door. She had forgotten that some of the guestrooms were connected. Usually such rooms were taken up by visiting kings and queens or lords and ladies with children. That way the families would not all be stuffed into one room together.

"I told them you're my sister, remember? They thought we'd appreciate the adjoined guestrooms."

Anna groaned. "How very wrong they were…"

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Hans asked as he set the sword down on the dressing table. "I have nothing to—"

"—gain by hurting me here, yeah, yeah. I remember. How can I believe you when you lie through grinning teeth to everyone? Which reminds me… why do people here seem to think you're some sort of troll-slaying hero?!"

"Oh, that."

"Yeah, that. It must be a great story. Did you actually slay any trolls?"

"Not me myself, no."

Anna just glared at him for being so obtuse.

"All right," he said. "When I arrived here, I just kind of… appeared deep in the forest, much farther from the kingdom than where you showed up. I too encountered trolls shortly after my arrival, only it was an entire band of them. They circled around me, snarling. I thought for sure I was a goner. But then this… man showed up, battleaxe in one hand and sword in the other. He saved my life. I tried to help him fend off the trolls, but then the troll leader came. He was larger and more vicious than all the rest. That's when the man gave me his supplies and pointed into the trees. 'Head south,' he told me. 'Run until you reach Arendelle. Don't look back.' There were too many of them… there was nothing the two of us could do. If we both ran, the trolls would have caught at least one of us. But with one man to hold them off, I knew the other might have a chance. So I ran. When I showed up here with his papers and belongings, people just assumed I was the troll hunter Arendelle sent for."

"Coward," Anna said.

"You weren't there, Anna. These trolls are not like the ones you described. They're evil."

"We'll see about that," Anna retorted. He didn't argue with her. Instead, silence settled between them.

Anna walked over to the bed and sat down, wondering when he would leave. But when she looked back over at him, he was smirking. "What are you smiling at?"

"If things had gone differently, we'd probably be sharing a bed by now."

Anna reached for one of the pillows beside her and chucked it at him, screaming in rage.

"GET OUT!"

Hans ducked, laughing. "All right!" He turned and made an exit, leaving the sword on the dresser.

Anna quickly ran up to lock the adjoining door. She looked to the sword and picked it up, taking it with her to bed. She was better off safe than sorry.

A/N: Just making a quick note here about the family lineage. Remember, women used to be more likely to get married and have children at much younger ages than present times. This is why Anna's aware of her Great-Great Grandmother, whereas most modern people are lucky if they get to meet a great-grandparent. I realize it was less common for people to live to old age in the 1700s. But since Kirsten was royalty and did not often venture outside of the castle, I figured she lived a better life than most. =] She died at 85, in case you're curious! Maybe I will draw up a family tree... not sure about how I'd get it on here though.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! If so, please leave a review. :D