Authors note: I want to thank you all for reviewing and reading the last chapter. Hearing your opinions means a lot and they also help if I need to edit or make something better.

Any way, welcome to a brand new chapter of the firebird.

I hear your opinions, but I have to explain, like I said before Anna has a reason, it will be explained in this chapter and no, neither Hans or Anna believe Elsas action is genuine. As for what going on, if you ignore the whole firebird, the whole reluctant bride, being forced to marry and such, sadly it was the norm during that time, even when you were a queen you did not have a choice. Also in this story Elsa became queen immediately after her parents died, not like in the movie, this gave the council more power over her so this is expected sadly...

Oh and as for Guest, I am very fine, thank you for asking, just have been working hard as real life interfered, keeping me from writing.

I will say more, but it would spoil this chapter...so for now please enjoy this latest chapter and please review when done as again I love to hear your opinions and so forth.

By the time December rolled in, all of Arendelle was in a festive mood as the people began to prepare for Jul and St. Lucia's Day, and the sight of freshly fallen snow only served to amplify their holiday spirit and good cheer.

However, not everyone shared these happy sentiments, and one such person was none other than the Duke of Weselton. He fumed as he paced in his lavishly furnished office, his mood blacker than coal. Despite his plots, schemes, and Machiavellian manipulations, all of his attempts to marry Elsa off his nephew, the Crown Prince of Denmark, had not progressed at all, no thanks to a certain bird.

Yes, it had been the queen herself who had indirectly proposed the arrow challenge that had led to her betrothal with the Firebird, but even then, the Duke had expected that she would break it off immediately. Yet, she had done no such thing and had now even befriended that thrice-damned creature.

But what rankled him the most was how the Firebird had overcome the odds to complete the nobles' challenge. Up to this day, he could not make any heads nor tails on how a bird managed to create not one, but four sets of exquisite jewelry all in the span of a single night.

"Blast it, confound it!" the Duke snarled, slamming his fist against the hardwood desk. "That accursed bird is fast becoming a thorn in my side. Something needs to be done before my grand scheme is thwarted for good!"

He was in a tight spot indeed for he knew that he was dealing with no ordinary bird. And in a way, the Duke could sense a kindred spirit within the fiery avian, for like him, the Firebird would stop at nothing to achieve his goals. To counter it, he had to devise another task, this one even more impossible than the last.

But what?

Just then inspiration struck. Hanging on the wall opposite to him was a portrait of Elsa's parents, which had been given to the Duke as a thank-you gift for his role in arranging their marriage. In it, both the Arendellian king and queen were dressed in all their finery, and like many other royals of the day, they wore their crowns as a show of status and affluence.

The old man's lips stretched into an ugly grin. "Yes… Crowns… That should work quite nicely…" Immediately, he summoned his secretary. "Send word to Queen Elsa expressing my request for a private audience," instructed the Duke. "There's something I need to discuss with her."

Back in Arendelle, the castle was brimming with activity, even more than usual. Castle staff could be seen carrying boughs and wreaths of holly, decorating fir trees with ribbons of colored tinsel, and making colorful candles as they worked day and night to deck the halls, and Yuletide carols could be heard faintly echoing through the corridors as the royal musicians rehearsed tirelessly.

However, despite the merry atmosphere, the Firebird was not that eager in joining in. It wasn't that he detested the concept of Jul, but given his own experience with his family, he tended to forgo the more social aspects of the festivities and hide away until the holidays had passed. Already, he had retired to the older, more secluded parts of the castle, only appearing to dine with the Royal Sisters, much to their confusion.

Today he had been exploring the castle's upper corridors when suddenly, a will-o-the-wisp appeared, followed by another, and yet another. Very soon, the Firebird was surrounded by a swarm of fairy lights.

"We're bored…" they chorused. "Let's play a game!"

"Guys…" he shushed. "Not here! We'll be discovered!"

But the mischievous faeries paid him no heed. They drew closer, crowding around him. One particularly brave wisp even dared to pull him by his talons. However, it just so happened that it was gripping him on the very ring that Elsa gave him. The trinket slid out of his claw and landed on the carpeted floor, and before the Firebird could even react, they swept it up and began passing it around, keeping it barely out of his reach.

"Catch us if you can!" they called.

"Hey! Give it back!" he cried, chasing after them. "Come back here, you!"

"Uh-oh! Too slow!" The ring veered sharply in all directions as the wisps delighted in their mad dash to avoid the incoming Firebird, but then, one of the wisps made a critical mistake and soon found itself cornered.

"Ha! Gotcha!" crowed the Firebird, wheezing from exertion. He stuck out his left talon expectantly. "Now… Put. It. Back."

The wisp shuddered as it shifted its gaze from the unamused Firebird to the expectant stares of its fellow wisps and back. On one hand, it knew that the game had ended and that it was time to return the ring to its rightful owner. Then again, it also had no desire to be the wet blanket that ruined everyone's fun. Just then, it noticed that the door behind it had a small crack from where it met the floor. Without hesitation, it shoved the ring into the cracked and promptly vanished with its companions, giggling madly all the while.

"Real mature, you guys!"

Furiously grumbling under his breath, the Firebird shifted into his human form to open the door only to find it locked. "Really?" he sighed exasperatedly. He slipped off his glove and held onto the knob and he channeled some heat into it. Once it was sufficiently heated, he promptly kicked the door open, breaking the lock in the process.

He stepped inside only to be assaulted by the smell of dust, making him sneeze, but he soldiered on, regardless. As he bent down to pick the ring up, he was suddenly bombarded by a series of visions.

He could see them – a pair of little girls that he recognized as Elsa and Anna happily playing with their dolls, shrieking with laughter as they raced down the halls, and sneaking out in the middle of the night to build a snowman. Then suddenly, the visions changed. The atmosphere now felt heavier, more somber. He could see Anna wandering the same halls that she once frolicked, looking sad, bored, lonely. And of Elsa, only an aura of sorrow and regret hidden behind a locked door.

'This is becoming quite the mystery,' he muttered, frowning. Just what exactly had transpired all those years ago for the Arendelle royals to retire from the public eye and ultimately destroy what should have been a relatively normal childhood through thirteen years of isolation?

Just then he was alerted by the sound of someone approaching. Instinctively, he changed back into his avian form and ducked behind an old wardrobe.

The footsteps drew closer. "Huh? When was this open?" said a voice, Anna, judging by the sound of it. Gingerly, she poked her head in. "Hello? Is anyone there?"

"Just me…" said the Firebird softly as he emerged from behind the wardrobe, his feathers glowing brightly in contrast to the shadows that hung in the dusty old room.

Anna sighed. "Was it really necessary to hide like that?"

"My apologies. But to be fair, I thought you were someone else."

She shut the door behind her. "That's not what I meant."

"Oh…" He averted his gaze, not wanting to meet her eyes.

"What were you doing in here anyway?"

"Trying to get my ring back," the Firebird replied, lifting his now-bare talon "It slipped off my claw and rolled in here. Mind if you give me a hand?"

"Sure," the princess obliged. She picked up the ring and slid it back onto his middle toe. "But just so you know, I meant what I said. it isn't right that you're hiding your human form like that. It isn't fair to you, and it especially isn't fair to Elsa."

"You know I have my reasons."

"But to lie!?" she asked, her voice pained with guilt. "Firebird, I've come to see you as a dear friend, even as a brother perhaps, but believe me when I say this is a very bad idea. Do you remember what I told you on the night we met?"

He smiled wryly. "How could I not?"

The Princess Anna was on the warpath as she stormed down the hall in search of Elsa's fiancé, determined to give him a few choice words. While she understood the nature of the queen's challenge, it was supposed to have been foolproof, structured to the advantage of both royal sisters; and yet here was a talking bird who had shown legitimate proof to win Elsa's hand. A bird! Her cherished older sister was to be wed to a bird!

'Those busybody council geezers, poking their noses everywhere!' she fumed. 'Why can't they just let us be?'

"I can see that you're upset, but I would very much appreciate it if you would stop stomping about. It's not quite becoming of a lady of your caliber."

Upon hearing the voice, Anna bristled with rage. "You!" she snarled, pointing threateningly at the Firebird. "How dare you!"

"I beg your pardon?"

She stalked over to him. "You know what I'm talking about! I know my sister had promised to marry whoever found her arrow, but she never promised to humiliate herself by marrying a bird!"

"Look you misunderstand," said the Firebird, "I only have her best interest in mind."

"That's a crock of dung and you know it!" shouted the princess. "In fact, what could you possibly offer that no human suitor could?"

"My undying love and fidelity," he replied, unfazed by her use of strong language.

"Quit it with the selfless act!" she snapped, "It doesn't suit you. So which is it– her throne or her money?"

"Neither," answered the Firebird. "She could be a penniless peasant, and I would still love her, regardless. All I want is your sister's companionship. I truly love her with all my heart and I want nothing more than to grow old with her."

"How can you say that you love her?" Anna pressed on. "Up until today, the two of you have never even met!" And it was a valid point, too. As impressed as she was with his devotion, at the end of the day, the Firebird was still a stranger, and as Kristoff and Elsa had so often warned, nothing good could ever come from marrying a stranger.

"Do you believe in fate?" the Firebird asked.

"Uh… Yes?" Anna replied, baffled by the odd query. "But what does that have to do with Elsa?"

"Everything, actually," the Firebird replied, "For you see, we were fated to meet, fated to love, and fated to wed."

The princess crossed her arms. "As if that could really happen," she scoffed. "In case you haven't noticed, Elsa is human, and you are not."

"And what if I could prove you wrong?"

She raised a brow. "Wait, what!?"

Without warning, a column of flame burst out nowhere, enveloping the Firebird in its fiery curtains. Anna could only watch in horror as she watched the flames consume his form. Then, just as suddenly as it appeared, the conflagration subsided and a tall, humanoid figure, his features concealed by a hooded cloak, stepped forth. In one swift motion, he yanked the hood off, revealing a face – a human face.

He was comely, gorgeous even – with chiseled features defined by a strong jawline and high cheekbones framed by a well-groomed coif of auburn hair. However, his most striking attribute were his eyes with their rich verdant shade and piercing gaze not unlike–

"F-firebird?" Anna managed to choke out.

He nodded.

"Good God…" she gasped, pale with shock. But as she put two and two together, she realized that this man had lied about his identity. His abilities pegged him as a shapeshifting warlock, making him quite dangerous. And worst of all, he was her sister's fiancée and her future brother-in-law.

She could feel her fight-or-flight instincts kicking in; and in one decisive move, her fist connected with the man's cheek, knocking him to the ground. "If you think I'll let you anywhere near Elsa now, you're sadly mistaken!" she shouted. "Your magic may give you an edge, but it'll be a cold day in hell before I let you hurt my sister!"

"I would never do such a thing!" he declared as he picked himself up, nursing his aching jaw, "I would rather die than hurt a single hair on her head. I swear on my life that I do love your sister. All I ever wanted was to help her and see her smile."

The bird-man said this with such conviction that Anna was almost inclined to believe him. Almost.

"Nevertheless, you lied by withholding the truth," she pointed out, "So how can I be so sure to that you aren't lying now?"

"Perhaps this will convince you, then." No sooner than the man spoke, the air began to surge with a strange, otherworldly energy as it slowly converged on the man's outstretched hand. Bit by bit, it built substance, culminating into a small ruby pendant that rested in the middle of his palm.

"This is my soulstone, the physical embodiment of my life-force," the man explained. "For as long as it remains whole, I will be in perfect health, but if its glow begins to dim, then I am either sick or wounded. And should it ever shatter, it would result in my permanent death."

"Permanent death?" the princess echoed..

"Yes," he affirmed. "As the Phoenix, I am locked in a perpetual cycle of death and rebirth, but if my soulstone ever breaks, the cycle would end, and I would die, never to rise up again."

He pressed the jewel into Anna's hand. "As proof of my word, my soulstone is now yours to keep. Should I break my vow in any way, you have every right to shatter it."

"No way… You can't be serious…" she gasped, staring at the pendant sitting so innocently in her hand. "STOP TRYING TO FOOL ME!" In a fit of pique, she hurled the pendant down, and it hit the floor with an audible thud; but what Anna did not expect was for the mystery man to go down as well.

Blue eyes widened in horror as she watched him writhe on the floor, his face contorted in a mask of agony. Already, his lower lip was beginning to bleed as he bit into it just to keep himself from screaming out in pain.

Immediately, she rushed to his side. "I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry!" she squeaked as she helped him up. "Please don't be seriously hurt!"

Despite the intense pain, the man still managed to grin at her. "So? Do you still doubt me?"

"Cheeky jerk..." she huffed, slapping him upside the head, in turn, eliciting a yelp of protest. Carefully, she picked up the ruby pendant she had so callously discarded before. "To make such a sacrifice for the sake of love…" she whispered, clasping the jewel tightly. "You have to be the craziest man that I have ever met!"

He smirked. "What can I say? I love crazy." Then his expression turned serious. "But I meant every single word I said. Elsa means the world to me, and I will do whatever it takes for her to reciprocate my sentiments and help her...even if she will hate me for it at first."

"Firebird, I still think you should tell Elsa and show everyone your true form," Anna advised. "She at very least deserves to know the truth."

He smiled ruefully. "I'm afraid I can't do that; it would only complicate matters."

"What is there to complicate?" the princess huffed. "You'd think it'd be a win-win situation considering you're just about as human as everyone else!"

"It's not that simple, Anna!" he rebutted. "Think about what the Folkesthing would do should I ever reveal my human form; they would certainly try everything in their power to use it against you and force you and Kristoff apart."

"But why?" she countered, "Why would they do such a thing?"

"Because I'm not a commoner," he whispered, "Like you and Elsa, I am of royal birth. The moment as those councilmen realize that, they'll use that as an excuse to marry you off to a prince just because your sister is marrying one."

"A p-prince?" she stammered, stunned by this new revelation. "This is just getting crazier and crazier…" She drew closer until they were nose-to-nose. "Firebird, just exactly who are you?"

He turned away, unable to meet her eyes. "I can't say."

"Why not?" Anna pressed on.

"Look, can't we just drop it?" he pleaded, "Which prince I am doesn't matter; what does is your future… Elsa's future… If word of my identity spreads out, the relationship between you and Kristoff would surely be at serious risk."

However, Anna was not easily swayed. "Well, what if you reveal your human form to Elsa alone? I'm sure she'd be able to keep a secret."

The Firebird shook his head. "I can't."

The princess' face crumpled into a deep frown. "What!? And what's your reason this time?"

"Because… Because..." His breath hitched as tears began to well up in his eyes. "Because I'm afraid."

"Afraid?" Anna asked, a lot more gently this time. "Of what? Of Elsa? Sure she'll be mad at first, but even she isn't one to hold grudges. In fact, if you're honest about the circumstances, I'm sure she'll understand."

"No, you don't understand… It's a lot more complicated than that!" Those vibrant green eyes, normally so full of wit and charm, were now glazed with conflict and anguish. "For you see, once two people are bound by fate, their souls become one when their hands are joined in marriage and when that happens not even death could keep us apart. Pure, unconditional love is essential to this bond for without it the bonded souls would become corrupted."

"What do you mean?"

The Firebird sighed. "It's hard to explain, but the best way to describe it is that if the joined souls truly are incompatible, the bond becomes unstable and that's when things get ugly. Anger, resentment, regret… These slowly build up, eating away at any positive emotions that the bond once had, twisting it, warping it until the souls are nothing but a festering shadow of their former selves."

"That's horrible!" Anna gasped, clapping a hand over her mouth. "So that means if you and Elsa are incompatible…"

"Yes..." said the Firebird. "So now you know why I can't tell her just yet...I have to know for sure that there is unconditional love...if she cannot see pass my looks then I break the engagement once the trials are over, by then your engagement will be safe and she will be able to rule alone, we will go our separate ways with no ill effects on either part",

"I suppose you have a point, but I still believe that you're overthinking things," the princess told him, "I've learned from experience that love is a gradual, evolving process. I can't speak for Elsa, but I know that she thinks of you as a friend. And who knows? In time, her feelings may change as she gets to know you more. I mean, she already considers you as potential husband material. Papa's ring is proof of that, so don't loose hope just yet!"

"Hope?"

"Yes!" Anna chirped with a vigorous nod. "It's a lot more effective that you think. Back when Elsa and I were kids, we used to be close until The Incident which led to her seclusion. Those were dark, lonely times, but even then I clung to the hope that one day things between her and I could go back to the way they were. So far things have gotten much better since then, so I was thinking that if hope could mend bridges, then maybe it can also link hearts? I mean...You've done so much for her, for me," she continued, "So much so that if I had to choose someone to be my brother-in-law, I'd pick you in a heartbeat."

He smiled, encouraged by her warm words. "Thanks. Likewise I'd pick you to be my sister-in-law too. You're a wonderful sister, Anna… Elsa is really lucky to have someone that cares for her as much as you do."

"Well I know that you care for her just about as much as I do, probably even more," the ginger-haired girl said, smiling back at him. "Anyway, I think we should head back, otherwise Elsa might start worrying."

"You go on ahead," said the Firebird, "I'll just catch up."

"Alrighty then," she said, waving, "See you in a bit."

As Anna left the room and made her way back to the Main Hall, her thoughts drifted back to the conversation she and the Firebird just had regarding Elsa. She truly wanted to believe that Elsa had given him the ring out of love, yet she could not disregard the possibility that the older Solberg merely accepted his suit out of duty.

In an era where pre-arranged betrothals and marriages of convenience were the norm, it was to be expected. Still, Anna truly wished that both her sister and her friend would be able to find true love with each other as she did with Kristoff. The Firebird cared for Elsa just about as much as she did, quite possibly even more; she hated to think that Elsa simply saw him as a means to an end.

'What am I even thinking?' she muttered, 'Elsa would never do such a thing!' But still, she could feel a hint of doubt gnawing at her being, and the only one who could put it at ease was Elsa herself. Perhaps a chat with her was in good order.

To be continued...

Beta and cover image: Nightrain and Brownstone

Authors note: Hans and Anna never though Elsa is being genuine, they hope, but do not fully trust. If Hans did believe she was being genuine he would have shown his human form immediately.

There is a lot more going on, there are huge mysteries and you might not see it now, but you all are in for a ride in this story.

Any way, for now I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, please leave a review to tell me what you think and stay tuned for the next one.