The Six Stones of Karabraxos

by MySoapBox

xxooOOooxx

Kristoff

The next morning, the horses started to carefully pick their way down the narrow mountain path, back towards the castle. Kristoph could see the black stone of Karabraxos dangling from twine at Elsa's neck. They had stayed up late into the night discussing their next course of action. There was someone or something out there that was sending the Garm to Arendelle but Grand Pabbie didn't know who. As for the group, they didn't even know where to start. The decided it was their best course of action to return to Arendelle. Elsa would use the stone to keep away the Garm and help her people bring in the last of their crops, and He and Elsa would look through the royal library for any ideas on who could be creating them in the first place. Meanwhile, hopefully the Garm would just go away, like Pabbie had expected, but Kristoff wasn't holding his breath.

The Captain raised his hand, signaling for the group to stop. "Anders," he said pointing ahead of them and off to the right. "Scout ahead. I thought I saw something."

"I'll check it out." Anders drew his sword and urged his horse forward and then disappeared into the brush. "Ah ha!"

"Don't hurt me, don't hurt me!" It was a voice Kristoff easily recognized.

"Bulda?" Kristoff asked, turning to Elsa. "Bulda!" he called out louder.

There was a quacking of leaves and then Bulda waddled into the pathway, followed by Anders who was holding her at swordpoint from the back of his horse.

"She must have been following us, sir!"

"Anders, put that thing away," the Captain ordered.

Anders reluctantly sheathed his sword as Bulda surged forward.

"Kristoff! Oh, Kristoff," Bulda said running toward them. "I'm so glad I caught you. I had to see you before you left."

Kristoff jumped down from his horse and ran to meet her. "Why, Bulda? Are you okay?"

"Fine, sweetheart. Just fine. I just needed to talk to you and Elsa about something. That's all."

"Me and Elsa? You just saw us back at the cave."

"See, that's what I need to talk to you two about. Alone," she said looking up to the castle guardsmen.

Kristoff reached out for her shoulder, "But it isn't safe for you out here alone. The Garm-"

She batted his hand away. "Oh, no Garm wants anything to do with old Bulda, don't you worry."

Elsa appeared at Kristoff's side. "What did you need to tell us Bulda. Did Grand Pabbie forget something?"

"No, not Pabbie, no." Bulda looked worried. "Here, come over her and we'll sit, and we'll talk."

As Kristoff turned to follow Bulda, he saw Elsa wave to the Captain and asked him and his men to stand by while the three of them when to some nearby rocks to talk.

When they all were seated, Bulda took the pack from her back and pulled out a scroll. "I needed to show you something."

She rolled the scroll out on the ground in front of them. It was covered with the strange writing and runes of the Troll people. "I don't know how to read this," Elsa said.

"I do," Kristoff said, "mostly anyway."

"It's written in the ancient language of our people. I taught it to Kristoff when he was a boy." She reached out and pinched his cheek. "You were such a cute little man."

"What does it say?" Elsa asked Kristoff.

"It says. The writing of the stones six of…" he moved his finger across the markings, "I'm sorry, I don't know that symbol."

"That's because it's not a word, it's a name. Karabraxos."

"The six stones of Karabraxos? Six?" Elsa said.

"I thought Pabbie said there was only one stone," Kristoff said.

"He didn't say either way," Bulda said. "He just said that the stone he gave you was a stone, not the only stone."

"Six stones," Elsa said to herself. "Wait," she looked up at Bulda, "He said that Hel sought out relics to give her power over death, are these six stones the relics he was talking about?"

Bulda seemed pleased that Elsa was understanding so quickly. "The very ones."

"Wait. Why didn't he just 'tell us this." Kristoff asked, tracing his fingers across the old symbols.

"I don't know," Bulda said, "but I thought you should know."

"What is this scroll?"

"It's a record. " Bulda answered. "It's passed with the stone. When the stones were scattered they made a record of where they were placed, so that each stone guardian would know."

"Why does it matter where the other stones are?" Elsa asked while she looked over the ancient writing. Suddenly, she clutched the stone at her neck and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and then said, "I know what to do. This stone has magic, yes, but it is very slight. Maybe one stone is not very powerful, but when you join the stones you could have power over the Garm indefinitely. We could save Arendelle"

Bulda smiled. "Now you're getting it."

"But why didn't Pabbie tell us?" Kristoff asked. "If we could collect more of these stones we could rid our kingdom of the Garm for good. Not just protect a few people at a time."

Bulda shook her head. "I don't know, honey. I just don't know. Maybe he thought it would be too dangerous for you. You don't know how your Anna's death has hurt him, hurt us all. Maybe he doesn't want to risk you too, or Elsa." She looked at the Queen fondly. "But I know my Kristoff is strong and brave. I and don't want any more people to die because of these miserable beasts."

"So what does it say Kristoff," Elsa asked. "Does this tell us where the other stones have been kept?"

Kristoff picked up the scrolls and noticed how light the fragile paper felt in his hand. He squinted at the hand inked pictures and words. "It's like a riddle, but look here, It says 'the hermit of the mountains,' and I think this is the south mountains, and see here, it's talking about the great falls, that must be Big Bear falls, south of the pine forest. There's a couple other locations here but…" He looked up at Elsa. "It looks like it's incomplete. The last sentence here, it just stops." He flipped the scroll over. The opposite side was blank. "Was there any more to this scroll, Bulda?"

Bulda scratched at her chin. "Not that I know of. That is all we have."

Kristoff looked over it again. "It might take some time, but I think I could make out what's here, for what it's worth."

Elsa stood up and brushed some leaves from her riding pants. "Let's go to the South Mountains then."

Kristoff jumped to his feet. "What? Now?"

"Yes. It's a day's ride in the wrong direction back to Arendelle. In that same day we could be mostly to the South Mountains."

Kristoff rolled up the scroll. "That's crazy. Just you, me and a couple of guards? We should go back to Arendelle and make a plan, take a squad of men, or a whole legion."

"Kristoff, we aren't marching to war here, we are just going on a little side trip to talk to someone who might have a stone. We have the one stone to keep away the Garm; we have the Captain and his men; we'll be fine."

Elsa turned to go back to her horse but Kristoff grabbed her by the arm and turned her around to face him. "We won't be fine, Elsa. I don't know if you've noticed, but every expedition we've sent from the castle has gotten people killed. So far we've been lucky, but you're talking three more days of travel at least. I don't want to press that luck."

"But we have the stone now. That should protect us from the Garm. I don't want to keep hiding. We'll just follow this map, find another stone and then I'll have the power to get rid of the Garm for good."

Kristoff released her arm and threw his hands in the air. "Here you go running head first into danger without a thought again. Miss madam-all-powerful. And you're dragging me the rest of us with you." He ran his free hand through his hair. "People aren't just pawns that you can move around and sacrifice to get what you want!"

"Kristoff!" Bulda scolded.

"No, Bulda. It's true. It was Elsa's charging off that got Anna killed. She knew it wasn't safe, but she dragged Anna along and put her right in the path of the death dogs. "

Bulda looked up at Elsa, but Elsa looked down at the ground and said nothing in her own defense.

Bulda turned back to Kristoff. "Kristoff, that's not fair. Elsa loved Anna, surely what happened was an accident."

"It wasn't an accident," Kristoff growled.

"No." Elsa agreed, straightening her posture. "It wasn't an accident. Anna was murdered. Murdered by the Garm and it was my fault. I was powerless to stop them, but don't you see…," Elsa met Kristoff's eyes, determined, "now I might have a way to do that. If I can find this other stone, then we can get rid of the dogs once and for all and no one else will die." She took a step towards Kristoff, "Now, you can either put aside your hate for me and help me, Kristoff, or you can get out of my way."

There was a cool swirl of grey snow in the air, but as quickly as it appeared it disappeared. When Elsa spoke again it was in a much calmer voice. "You know what, Kristoff? It would probably be best if you did leave. Go back and help Elisabet. Be with your boys. I can take care of this." Elsa turned to Bulda. "Thank you, Bulda. You may have saved Arendelle," she said and then she strode back to the pathway and toward the guardsmen and horses.

Bulda looked up to Kristoff with sad eyes. "Kristoff," she pleaded.

Kristoff kicked the ground and considered. It was a fool's errand. He knew that. Just another crazy idea that might get them all killed. But he also knew how stubborn his sister-in-law was. Once she made up her mind there would be no changing it. He could go back to the castle but if Elsa got killed would he ever forgive himself? Anna would want him to watch over her sister. "Okay," he conceded. "Someone's got to keep her out of trouble."

Bulda rolled up the scroll and handed it to him. "You're my good boy, and I love you," she said, clutching his leg. "Don't worry, Elsa will calm down. She loves you. You're her brother."

He bent down and hugged her back. "I don't care if Elsa loves me or not, but I do care about you. I love you, Bulda. And thanks again."

Kristoff whistled, and little Sven came crashing through the brush to his side. He mounted and then patted the reindeer's neck soundly and the reindeer trotted off to catch up with the others.

"I thought I told you to go back to Arendelle," Elsa said when he had caught up with them.

Kristoff pulled out the scroll and waved it, "Then who is going to read this, Your Majesty."

Elsa sighed and turned to face the way ahead as the group made their way on a new path heading south.