'So, Mr Oaken, is it?' Elsa asked glancing at the receipt in front of her. 'I'd like you to answer a few questions for me.'
The party had moved into 'Wandering Oaken's Trading Post' shortly after Anna had apologised for her rash behaviour towards the kind man. Now Oaken sat tied to a chair – as per Anna's request – at the end of a long table. Elsa stood opposite him and had been dubbed the "interrogator" by Anna.
Oaken's eyes were wide with fear and he nodded nervously although he no idea what any of them were talking about. To think, 5 hours before his rude awakening he had wished that something interesting happen. Now he'd be happy to sacrifice his current situation for his previously boring life.
With Elsa and Oaken in the centre of the cluttered shop, the rest of the party had positioned themselves in a makeshift circle spreading as far away from the centre as possible. It was at Anna's request they stood this way. She claimed it felt more like an interrogation, despite Kristoff's reminder they didn't want to scare Oaken.
Elsa placed one hand on the table and leaned forward, staring at Oaken. This is ridiculous, she thought. But Anna refused to co-operate unless Elsa played this part.
As she leaned, her hair fell over her shoulder. Jack's heart pumped rapidly. He longed to feel her silky hair through his fingers. But that could never be. He started to lean forward but quickly, unceremoniously and awkwardly, pushed himself back.
Anna stood across the room from Jack and noticed his movement. She smiled to herself before nudging Kristoff next to her.
'Jack has feelings for Elsa,' she whispered in an excited hush.
Kristoff gazed into his wife's eyes, seeing that she desperately wanted to jump up and down with excitement. 'How can you tell?' he asked.
'Jack totally wants to be with Elsa,' Anna continued. 'Just now he began to move towards her but clumsily restrained himself. And I should know what clumsy looks like.'
Kristoff opened his mouth to reason with Anna but she cut him off.
'And he has this painful longing in his eyes whenever he looks at her. Didn't you see the sled land? How his arm was wrapped around her?'
Kristoff looked thoughtfully at Jack and considered Anna's proposal. Now that she'd mentioned it, there was definitely loneliness in his eyes.
'Do you recognise this?' Elsa asked thrusting the receipt in Oaken's face. She stood behind him now, her gaze cold and menacing. Anna, she thought. I hope you're entertained. Even though Oaken had been told Elsa's actions and questions would be dramatized, the poor man must still be scared out of his shoes.
'Y-yes,' Oaken stammered. 'This sale went through a few days ago.'
'And who purchased these goods,' Elsa asked leaning so close to Oaken she felt his beard on her cheek.
'I-I-I don't know.'
'Describe them for us,' Elsa ordered.
'In as much detail as you can remember,' Anna insisted.
'H-he was a dark man, literally. His whole body was made up of a shadow. I'm terrified of him. He enters my dreams and makes me give him everything. At first he only visited my dreams, waking me in the middle of the night screaming. But over the past few days he's been visiting my store. I think he must live around here, though I don't know where. He always comes from up the mountain behind my shop.'
Oaken fell silent and the air became thick with thoughts. Everyone was thinking the same thing: a shadow man.
'It must be Pitch!' North exclaimed, voicing everyone's unanimous conclusion.
'Hm, yes,' Elsa mused. 'Oaken, did this stranger say anything to you?'
Oaken shook his head fearfully. 'He just comes in, dumps his purchase on the counter, pays and leaves. I've never spoken to him and I don't want to,' he added. 'He could hurt me.'
Elsa nodded, smiling sympathetically. 'Thank you Oaken,' she said. 'And I truly apologise for the terror these past few days have brought for you. Is there anything I can do for you to ease your comfort? Anything at all?'
Oaken considered her offer. He had heard rumours of the queen being generous and loved throughout the land. But he'd been sceptical of her generosity until now.
'Well, could you untie me?' he asked raising his bound hands.
Elsa smiled. 'Of course,' she said signalling for Kristoff to cut him loose.
As Kristoff – accompanied by Sven and Olaf - freed Oaken, Elsa gathered her companions in a circle. She made sure to stay as far from Jack as possible. Ever since the sled ride, she found it hard to look at him without a million butterflies fluttering in her stomach. The sled had been a one-time thing, she told herself. I'd been weak from tiredness and deceived Jack into thinking I was cold. I caved into my longing for him to hold me, she admitted to herself. But now that we've got a lead I must not be distracted. Especially since Anna saw the sled come down. She probably has many wild and crazy theories.
'What do we know?' she asked.
'Pitch has definitely found a way to cross over,' Jack said. 'Just how, we don't know.'
'Would it be possible for Pitch to cross into this world the way you guys do?' Anna asked.
'Yeah,' Elsa agreed. 'With the snow globes. Could Pitch have found some?' she asked Jack.
Jack screwed up his face in consideration. 'It's possible,' he shrugged. 'But North, you'd know if snow globes had been stolen right?'
North nodded in confirmation.
The group fell silent as each member pondered over the problem. Olaf ran from Kristoff to the circle. He grabbed Elsa's dress in his hand and yanked, hard. Elsa scoffed and shooed him away. Olaf yanked North's pants instead but received the same response. Frustrated, Olaf ran to Jack and tried again. He received a stomach poke from Jack's staff.
'Guys,' he said impatiently. The urgency of his message hadn't lessened.
Olaf turned to Anna and tugged urgently on her dress. Anna shoed him away. 'Not now Olaf,' she said. But she was his last hope. He tugged again, and again, and again.
'Anna,' he pleaded. 'Look.' The snowman pointed but Anna didn't look. 'Anna,' he repeated.
Anna rolled her eyes impatiently.' What is it Olaf?' she asked, clearly realising the snowman wouldn't go away.
'Sven's gone outside,' the snowman announced.
'So? What's outside?' Anna asked.
Oaken gasped sharply. 'My carrots!' he exclaimed clutching his face.
'Sven!' Kristoff shouted rushing for the open door. Anna, Elsa, Jack, North, Oaken and Olaf followed.
The party stumbled into the sunshine and raced to behind the shop where Oaken's carrot supply was. Sven was standing a rabbit length away from the carrot pile, leaning over it, his mouth open.
'No Sven,' Kristoff commanded sternly.
Sven glanced at Kristoff from the carrot pile. But why, his big eyes seemed to ask.
'You can't eat that,' Kristoff said warningly. Sven's tongue edged closed to the pile. 'No Sven,' Kristoff commanded again.
Sven's tongue touched the closest carrot and recoiled sharply, taking the carrot with him. The pile disappeared. The group stared in disbelief.
'Sven, what did you do!' Kristoff screamed. Sven had never disobeyed him before. Fury consumed him and he marched over to his companion. Sven hung his head in shame as his best friend scolded him.
Elsa was next to snap out of it. 'Oaken, I'm so sorry,' she apologised sincerely. 'I promise I'll send you new carrots to replenish your supplies.'
Oaken, too stunned to process anything, opened his mouth in an attempt to reply. Just before the first word was spoken, a deep rumbling shook the mountain.
'Look!' North shouted pointing to where the pile had been.
A fountain of light burst from the ground, the carrots erupting from it. They rained down over the party who tried to cover their heads with their hands. The shower cleared and a pool of light remained. Colours swirled magically.
The group stared in disbelief.
'What is it?' Anna asked.
Jack flew over the vortex cautiously, nodding as he inspected. 'Just like I thought,' he said. 'It's a portal.' He faced the group. 'Looks like we've found Pitch's portal.'