Authors note: I want to thank you all for reviewing and reading the last chapter. Hearing your opinions means a lot.
The last time we left it has shown that Firebird has a lot of secrets and skills. With one trial down will those skills be enough to not only pass the next trials but win Elsa over? We shall see...
For now please read on, enjoy and review when done as I would like to know how you all like it so far or if you have any questions. :)
Elsa stared, dumbfounded at the sight before her. "I don't believe it…" she whispered.
Anna glanced up from her soup to look at her sister. "Believe what?"
"That…" the blonde replied, discretely pointing to the Firebird sitting across from her. The last time she had dined together with him, she had been quite appalled by his atrocious table manners; but now, his etiquette was impeccable.
Though he could not use the utensils provided due to a lack of opposable thumbs, it did not hinder him from eating with manners befitting the highborn. He tucked into his meal quite daintily and took slow, careful sips when he drank from his cup.
For a moment, Elsa could have sworn he was almost human.
'Now you're just overthinking things,' scolded her logical side, 'Ice powers and talking birds are one thing, but shapeshifters? Really?'
"…sa! Elsa!" The sound of the Firebird calling her name jolted her back to reality.
"Huh? Yes?"
He leaned closer, peering at her concernedly. "Are you okay? You haven't touched your food one bit."
"Ah... Yes, I'm fine," she replied, taking a bite of her meal. "Just a little preoccupied, is all."
"Alright… Whatever you say…" said the Firebird, though he did not sound so convinced. "So… How's the fish?"
Elsa chewed a bit before swallowing. "Adequate."
"I find it more than adequate," Anna piped up with a contented sigh. "It's delicious!"
"It could use a bit more salt, though…" Kristoff remarked, poking at the dish with his fork.
Anna giggled. "Well, you are the expert on fish." And at her comment, both Kristoff and the Firebird soon joined her in laughter.
"So…" said the Firebird, turning his attention back to Elsa, "How fares the Duke?"
"He's still recovering from his shock," the queen replied.
"Yes," Anna tittered, "He keeps on staring at the crown and jewelry as if they were illusions or something."
"Which brings the question," Kristoff put in, "How on earth did you make those sets so quickly? Because as far as I know, it would have taken weeks to make all those."
The Firebird smiled slyly. "Long story short, you could say I had some help of the magical persuasion."
"Ooh! That's amazing," Anna gushed. She turned to Elsa, grinning madly. "Did you hear that? He has magic, just like you! I told you he's a perfect match!"
The older Solberg raised a brow at that. "Just because we have something in common doesn't immediately make us compatible. It's a marriage of convenience, in case you forgot."
"C'mon Elsa!" Anna wheedled, "He's been nothing but nice to you. At least give him a chance."
Elsa said nothing, but simply focused on eating. Once her plate was empty, she stood up and left the room without another word.
"Anna, I think you should have taken it easy on your sister," advised the Firebird, "She's been through a lot these last few days."
"I just think that you two would make a great couple," the princess grumbled with a petulant pout. "After all that you did for her, the dinner you prepared the other night, you'd think she would've warmed up to you by now. I mean, you've been here for a month for Christ's sakes!"
"That may be so," Kristoff spoke, adding his two pennings worth, "But you can't rush love. It's up to Elsa to decide on what she really thinks of the Firebird; and given her situation, I can't really blame her, no offense."
"None taken," said the Firebird.
"My point is, it isn't right to impose your will upon others," Kristoff continued, "If you want Elsa to find love, just pray that she will in her own due time. And knowing her, I'm confident she will someday."
After dinner, the Firebird went to look for Elsa, hoping to at least explain some of his intentions to allay her anxieties. His future sight had pointed to Elsa being his destined bride; but at the same time, Kristoff's opinion on their betrothal had indeed struck a chord with him. Now that he thought about it, perhaps he had been a bit too aggressive in his courtship.
'Of course it would've overwhelmed her,' his logical side pointed out. 'The poor girl's clearly ill-prepared for such matters. You have to take it slow, one baby step at a time.'
Eventually, he found her in her office, doing some paperwork; and judging by the number of stacks scattered about, she could be stuck there for a while.
"Need some help?" he offered.
"No, thank you," Elsa replied rather tersely, "I can handle this."
"But I insist," said the Firebird, flying closer.
Seeing that he was determined to stay, Elsa relented. "Fine…" she said, handing him a bundle of papers, "You can help me sort these documents according to priority."
For a while, they worked silently, the only sound being the rustling of papers as they slowly read through each stack. It was a drudging task, and the Firebird soon found himself feeling quite bored.
"Shall we have an icebreaker?" he suggested. "It'll be fun."
"No."
The Firebird frowned at Elsa's frosty response. "Why not?"
"Because we're here to work, not to have fun, that's why," she retorted.
"Don't you even want to know my name?" asked the Firebird.
"Are you going to help or not?" she snapped "Because I can manage just fine if you don't want to."
"Alright, alright, fine…" he grumbled bitterly as he resumed his work.
After some time had passed, the Firebird flew over to Elsa and handed her a sheaf of papers. "What's this?" she asked.
"Just a few proposals I thought up," he replied, "As I was reading the reports, I couldn't help but notice how Arendelle is lagging behind her neighbors. You did well with the tax reforms, but a lot of things need a complete overhaul like the justice system, economic policy, and social welfare, just to name a few."
The expression on Elsa's face was positively glacial. "Are you trying to imply that I don't know how to run my own kingdom?"
"What? No!" the Firebird asserted, "Of course not! I'm just trying to give you some advice!"
"Oh?" She tilted her chin imperiously. "And what would you know about that?"
"Well... I do have some experience–" said the Firebird.
Elsa scoffed. "What experience? Have you looked at yourself? How could you possibly know anything about political administration? You're just a dumb animal!"
But as soon as those poisonous words left her lips, she instantly felt a pang of regret. Looking at the Firebird's face, she could see his expression shift from shock to hurt to anger. She opened her mouth to apologize, but before she could get another word in, the Firebird shut her down.
"Just an animal?" he whispered, his fury evident despite the calm tone. "Is that all I am to you?"
Cowed, Elsa wisely held her tongue.
"I am much, much more than an animal," he continued, flying up to meet her eyes. "But I suppose I can't blame you… I mean, you're clearly the worldly one, aren't you? So tell me, Your Majesty, have you ever been to the tallest mountain in the world? So tall that you can almost touch the sky?"
Elsa averted her gaze before shaking her head.
"No?" the Firebird sneered, "Then maybe you've visited the deserts of Egypt where one of the greatest civilizations once stood?"
"No," she replied, shaking her head yet again.
"Oh? Then what about the tropical forests where thousands of living lights gather once a year in a ritual dance to find their mates? Or maybe the vast expanse of the sea where many islands await with untold mysteries and the coral reefs that come alive with all manner of creatures? Have you ever danced with the gypsies as they share their wisdom in stories and song? Or explored the sea rocks off Britain where mystery and magic still exist to this day? Have you ever experienced all those, hmm?"
Elsa whimpered softly. "No, I have not."
"Of course you haven't," the Firebird scoffed. "You've never even set foot outside of Arendelle. I, on the other hand, have been to many places, have met many people, and have seen many things– the good, the bad, the ugly, and the beautiful."
His eyes softened as he was reminded of those halcyon days when he was free to explore the world as he pleased. "True wisdom is never acquired by spending their days vegetating in one spot." Then his previous anger returned. "I am more than just an animal, and given your attitude, I'm left wondering just who is the real animal here!"
Having finished his tirade, the Firebird exited the room, leaving Elsa sitting in shock. Haunted by his words, she could feel the guilt weighing down in the pit of her stomach, making her feel profoundly ill. As she reflected on her words and actions, she realized that she had gone completely out of line.
The Firebird had gone out of his way to help her, and she had repaid him with coldness and disdain. Her behavior towards him had been quite appalling and she had nobody to blame but herself.
The Firebird furiously flapped his wings as he sped away from the castle, his mood blacker than the night sky above. He had no particular destination in mind, but he was too angry to care.
Landing at an isolated cliff overlooking the sea, he promptly turned into his human form before letting out an anguished scream.
"There's just no changing that woman!" he growled as he paced around. In his anger, he began repeatedly punching the rock face. His fist exploded in pain with each hit, but he ignored it. He just wanted to expel all the anger and sorrow he had been bottling up.
After several more agonizing moments, Hans dropped to the ground, panting and exhausted. His fist was thoroughly battered, and the rock face was smeared with blood.
With a heavy sigh, he summoned forth some golden flames that completely engulfed his injured hand, healing his wounds.
'Maybe my future sight was wrong…' he thought glumly, 'Maybe Elsa and I just weren't meant to be…'
And just to further compound his misery, sleet began to fall. 'Kick me while I'm down, why don't you?' he scowled, pulling his hood up in an effort to stay dry. 'Typical…'
By the time the sleet had finally stopped, Hans was thoroughly drenched; not that it was a problem as his pyrokinesis could at the very least keep him warm. But still, his confrontation with Elsa and the ensuing meltdown had left him emotionally drained and physically numb.
He had been aimlessly meandering along the cliffside for quite some time now, trying to come to terms with what just happened. But even though long walks usually helped eased his thoughts, this time, it did not, and he did not particularly feel like flying either.
Suddenly, he noticed something a short distance away. Curious, he walked closer to discover a pair of monoliths, not unlike the menhirs and stone circles of Ireland, Britain, and Gaul. However, what set these stones apart were the runes carved on each one.
"Agnarr… Iduna…" he read. Just then, he noticed the crocus symbol carved above the runes. His eyes narrowed. The crocus was Arendelle's royal sigil. Just what exactly was the connection between these monoliths and the Arendellian monarchy?
He absentmindedly traced the pattern only to be bombarded by several visions – a man and a woman dressed in royal raiment, a majestic warship, and then, a storm. As they met their demise among the churning waves, he could feel the couple's fear and anguish as if they were his own; but most noteworthy of all, he felt their regret. Of what exactly, he was not exactly sure, but there was no mistaking that emotion.
Hans pulled his hand back with a shiver. Just what had he seen? This new development was just getting curiouser and curiouser.
Just then, he heard footsteps, followed by a voice, a female voice calling in the distance. "Firebird, Firebird, where are you?"
Thinking quickly, he ducked behind the nearest monolith. 'Elsa? What is she–? In this weather, no less?' If he had to be honest with himself, he was happy that she actually cared enough to look for him, but at the same time he had to remind himself that she was the reason that he was in a black mood in the first place. Clearly, she had come to apologize, but unless her words were sincere, there was no way he would be revealing himself to her.
With a frustrated sigh, Elsa set down the document she was reading. Try as she might, she just could not focus on her work. She thought she would be happy now that the Firebird had gone, but strangely enough, she found that she wasn't. She could deny it as much as she wanted, but even that could not tamp down the tiny bubble of worry rising to her throat as she listened to the pitter-patter of sleet against the window.
While she knew that the Firebird was more than capable of taking care of himself, it was not like him to be out for so long, and with the weather conditions outside, she could not help but feel concerned. Had he been caught in the storm?
She shook her head. 'Why should I even care? It's not like I told him to run out, and even so, it's his own fault for barging into my life in the first place.'
But still, it did not feel right to leave him be. And in her heart of hearts, she knew she was also at fault. Rubbing at her temples, she sighed. 'I can't believe I'm doing this…'
Having made her decision, she swallowed her pride and set out to find the Firebird and bring him back.
Hidden behind the stone monument, Hans could feel his heart racing a mile a minute as he heard Elsa approach. She was close, so very close, and if she drew any closer, there was a high chance that she might discover his true appearance.
It was not that he didn't want her to see him as a human. Quite the contrary, in fact. But at the same time, he also wondered if she could ever look past the physical appearance and see what was really lay underneath. If he were to reveal himself now as he was, then he would never know if she could love him for him.
As Elsa neared the monoliths, she grew quiet. The only sound being the quiet crunch of her footfalls against the rocky path. Then when she was about three feet away, she stopped.
"Hello Mother, hello Father…" he heard her say.
'Mother? Father?' He shifted a bit to listen better. So that explained the visions and the crocus on the stones. This entire time he had been hiding out in the royal cemetery, and at the gravesite of Elsa's parents no less!
"It's been a while since I last saw you both… I'll try to visit more often, but with how things are…" Her voice hitched as she began to cry. "Just what am I going to do? The country is in dire straits, and it's getting worse every day! Mama, Papa, I'm afraid… I'm afraid of the future and what it could hold. I know it sounds stupid, but I can't help what I feel… God, I'm such a failure!
"Maybe Arendelle would better off without me…" she wept, "Anna would definitely make a better queen, the people actually love her! The Firebird is right… If he wanted me to see what I failure I am, he won! I am a failure! A disgusting failure! A fake who's playing dress-up!"
Hans frowned. It was never his intention to make Elsa think such a thing, he just wanted her to see the truth so he could help her. She was neither a failure nor a fake. She was one of the most noble people he had ever had the pleasure of meeting. If only she could see what he sees in her, what Anna sees in her…
"I wish that you two were here," she sobbed, "Then maybe things won't be so bad… Why did you two have to leave so soon?"
Behind the monument, Hans silently chewed on his lip as Elsa's lamentation echoed through his mind. Earlier, he had considered returning to his friends at the Faerie Realm, but after hearing Elsa pour out her fears and insecurities, he realized that he could not leave. He just did not have the heart to abandon her, even if she was the proudest, most stubborn woman he had ever met.
'Then it's settled,' he said to himself, his green eyes afire with renewed resolve. There was no way he was going to give up Elsa just yet. She needed him now, even more than ever. Even if she were to reject him a thousand times over, he would continue to try to help her until he could help her no more.
It was past midnight when Elsa returned to Arendelle Castle without having seen a single trace of the Firebird. Although she was physically exhausted, her guilt made it difficult to enjoy a good night's sleep, and thus she returned to the study in hopes that drowning herself in work could at least take her mind off any thoughts of the Firebird.
As she toiled away, she discovered that Arendelle had long since been tottering on the brink of economic ruin even before she had ascended the throne. Heavy taxations to fund a disastrous war against the Dutch during the last years of her grandfather's reign, coupled with a devastating famine and corrupt politicians had practically bankrupted the national treasury to the point that the country was barely getting by.
The country's situation was indeed dire, but like the Firebird said, with the proper policies, there was still a chance to reverse the situation. It would hard, bitter work, but the reward would be worth it.
Eventually, her fatigue soon caught up with her, and she wound up sprawled across her desk, sleeping among the piles of paperwork.
At the same time, the Firebird soon returned, invigorated by his determination to help Elsa.
Flying through the window, he approached the desk only to see that she was fast asleep. And seeing that she wasn't going to wake up any time soon, he quietly shifted into his human form.
He walked over and gently placed a hand over her head, running his fingers through her hair, marveling at how soft it was. In response, Elsa leaned into his hand, comforted by this tender gesture.
Hans then carefully scooped her into his arms and carried her off to her room. It was a risky move as she could wake any moment; but at the same time, there was a possibility that she would not, given how Elsa was a heavy sleeper.
'A herd of elephants could march past her room, and she still wouldn't wake,' he mused, chuckling softly.
But just then, Elsa's eyes slowly fluttered open. Hans immediately froze as bleary blue stared up at his face. "Who…?" she yawned, trying to comprehend the current happenings. "What…? Am I dreaming?" But Morpheus' grip was stronger and she slowly drifted back to sleep.
Hans released the breath he had been holding. That was the second time that day that Elsa had nearly discovered his true form. He had to be more careful from now on.
Fortunately for him, by that hour the castle staff were all asleep as well, and the sentries had been patrolling another part of the castle, so no one else saw him and he was able to make it to Elsa's room without being detected.
With a delicate hand, he laid her on the bed. She looked so innocent and peaceful as she slumbered, nothing like the frigid ice queen persona that she projected. In fact, Hans could even say that she exuded a certain warmth. He leaned down to give her a gentle kiss on the forehead. "I'll take care of this," he whispered, "As long as I'm here, as long as I'm by your side, you need not worry ever again."
Elsa stared at her surroundings, baffled out of her wits. She knew she had been in the office not too long ago, so how did she wind up in the middle of the woods, and in the dead of night, no less?
"Hello? Anybody there?" she called as she tried to navigate her way back to civilization. She could see a clearing in the distance, but no matter how much she walked she always seemed to returned to her starting point right below an old ash tree.
Suddenly, there was a loud hoot. Startled, she whipped her head towards the direction of the noise only to see a large snowy owl perched high up among the tree's gnarled branches.
It hooted again, staring at her with wise old eyes, cocking its head every now and then, as if it was studying her.
Perplexed by the creature's bold behavior, Elsa drew closer, only to jump back when the owl spoke.
"Dearest Elsa, have no fear,
For you alone are mistress here.
Trust your heart and not your eyes,
For appearances are full of lies."
"Wh-what do you mean?" Elsa whimpered, panic seeping into her voice. "What's going on?"
But before anyone could answer her question, there was a flash of light, and then nothing…
Azure eyes shot open and Elsa bolted into a sitting position, gasping. "A dream?" she murmured to no one in particular. But as peculiar as it was, it had felt so real. Not to mention there was that owl and that cryptic rhyme… 'Trust your heart and not your eyes… Appearances are full of lies…' What did that all mean?
'Either it means something or the extra workload is finally getting to me,' she mentally grumbled, rubbing at her face. 'And what is it with all these talking birds flocking towards me? As if I didn't have enough on my plate.'
She blinked, trying to adjust her eyes to the morning light streaming through the window. 'Wait… Morning? And I'm in my room? Wha–? How did that happen?' She racked her brain, trying to think back to when she returned to the castle. She recalled spending the night in her study, but beyond that, nothing.
'Did I sleepwalk? Or did I just forget that I went to bed?'
Just then, a light grunt brought her out of her stupor, and she turned to see the Firebird nestled among the pillows next to her.
She was about to give him a tongue-lashing for worrying her with his disappearance and his blatant disregard for personal space when she noticed a bunch of papers scattered in front of him. She picked them up and examined them, only to realize that these documents all contained contracts, drafts, and proposals – a compilation of ideas that could bring Arendelle back to its former glory.
'The whole night…' she murmured, touched by his compassion and dedication. 'He spent the whole night working to help me…'
She then picked up a blanket and draped it over his sleeping form. 'I guess he's not as bad as I thought…'
Beta and cover image: Nightrain and Brownstone
Authors note: ohhhh seems that Firebird is starting to grow on Elsa.:) Any way I hope you all enjoy this chapter and please review to tell me what you all think of it and stay tuned for the next one. :)