Estelle ran until she got tripped by the heavy snow. She sat down and rested, trying to catch her breath.
"It must be Mama who created the snow." She gritted through her teeth. "It must be."
She managed to get up and lifted her feet with huge effort. She slowly crept across the snow and entered the forest.
"This can't be good." She whispered.
She glanced sideways and scanned through the darkness. In the haunting silence, there were faint long slow sighs from behind the trees. The menacing low growl intensifies the atmosphere, careful steps sank into the snow slowly, and getting louder and louder.
Suddenly, the bright amber lights glowed and came nearer and nearer. Out of self-defence, Estelle stretched her palm and snow flurries grew in her hand. The dark shadows unmasked themselves as they walked out from the woods.
They were canines with bear-like built, their fur shot up with threats, the shiny razor teeth clattered. They bent double, down like a sprinter, with their muzzles only a few inches from the thick snow.
"Wolves." Estelle whispered, and she was ready for the fight.
She aimed the flurries at the pack, trapping a few paws in the thick ice. The other leapt forward and Estelle dodged their attack. Knowing that fighting would increase the danger, she raced out of the forest, mustering all her energy to flee.
As she reached the cliff, she halted. The wide gap was so deep and dark that one could not see the bottom. Estelle plucked up her courage and used her snow flurries to create a bridge. Though the bridge was shaking and brittle, she did not hesitated and sprinted towards the other side, while the bridge behind her diminishing into thin air. When she landed on the other side, she looked back. The wolves were growling, leering at her with dissatisfaction.
She continued running, until her wobbly legs could not go further. Exhausted, she knelt down and took deep breaths to calm herself down.
"Where should I go?" She asked herself.
She had nowhere to go, she knew nobody, and nobody in her knowledge could be trusted. She did not dare to go back and face her father. She did not want to go back to face her mother.
"If only Uncle Henrik was here…"
She stood up and continued her escape. She was worn out, and sleepiness had made her swollen, unable to think clearly what lay ahead.
"What's that?"
She saw a faint glowing yellow light shining not far away. She staggered towards the warm friendly light and found herself in front of a wooden house.
"Wandering Oaken's Trading Post and Sauna? Uncle Kristoff never told me about that."
She opened the door and a surge of warmth ran over her. She walked past the shelves and headed to the counter, where a strong built man sat low behind it, fingers tapping from tip to tip.
"Hoo hoo." He said. "Big summer blow out. Half off swimming suits, clogs, and a sun balm of my own invention, yah?"
"No thanks. I was just wondering if…if you have a room for one to sleep for a night?"
"There, outside, the old barn. But that would be twenty."
"I…I just have…ten."
She looked at the man with sincerity and hope in her eyes. The man glanced upwards and then gave in.
"Okay."
Estelle stood before a dilapidated barn, she gulped as she entered the barn. Heaps of hay were placed everywhere, but it was warm.
"I got you a bottle of hot water and a blanket and the lamp." Oaken said. "Find me in the store for any problem. Want some lutefisk too? So we'll have good feelings, yah?"
"Erm…no thanks." She frowned and shook her head.
After he left, Estelle sat down on prickly hays and bundled herself in the blanket.
"I wish I was in my room…"
But then another thought struck her.
"No, I'm not going back…"
She blew out the candlelight in the lamp and settled down in the heaps of hay. She kept thinking of her parents, but what Henrik told her was washing away all the good impressions and memories.
That night, she could not sleep well.
"I know where she is." Henrik grinned nastily.
"Please show the way." Elsa begged. "We have to find her, before the snowstorm worsens."
"Please, Henrik." Erik said sternly. "Lead the way."
"I will."
"I'll prepare the horses." Erik walked out of his study.
"Anna, Kristoff, I leave you in charge." Elsa told the couple and left the room with them, reminding them what they had to do while walking in the corridor.
"Jonas, my boy?" Henrik whispered.
"Dad?" Jonas asked. "I don't have a good feeling about this."
"Just go and do what I told you." Henrik snapped. "I will make her get me the sceptre and the orb in return of her parents. I will finish her off in that ice castle."
"But dad, this is invasion. We can't do that."
"Do as what I say. This is for our own good. Don't you realize there are treasures hidden in this country. If we get it, we will be powerful."
"But dad—"
"No more talk!"
Jonas nodded and went out of the room with his father. When he parted with Henrik, he walked down to the hall, helplessly leaning at the wall.
"Jonas?" A small voice whispered.
Andrea and Fredrick came out from the darkness. Louisa leapt to her brother and pulled his hand.
"Jonas, what's Daddy going to do next?" Louisa asked while holding back her tears.
"We have to find Estelle." Jonas said with determination.
"We'll help. I bet Grand Pabbie will know what to do." Andrea said.
"Grand Pabbie?" Louisa was confused.
"The leader of a group of trolls in the mountains." Andrea explained. "Mama once told me about that. After we find Estelle, we'll go and find the trolls."
"First, we need to get the horses." Jonas said. "Then, we will go."
"But Mama and Papa won't allow us to go." Fredrick muttered.
"Nobody tells to alert them." Andrea stared at her brother.
"Hurry, we don't have time."
School day tomorrow! Have to sleep early. Don't forget to make a review! (If you want to, favourite and follow!)
Trying to make a fanfic of Harry Potter. I will post it when Frozen-Sequel ends. :)