13- Arendelle's Pride

The day was sunny and warm, there was a soft wind coming from the North, the valley looked incredibly green and three riders abandoned the Forest of Snowhall a few minutes after noon, riding downhill together on their way to the Front.

Anna advanced ahead, Kristoff and Alice were riding at each side a little behind her, they rode between small lakes and rocks and very soon they arrived at the first trenches, campsites and hospitals that the Army of Arendelle had prepared as part of the famous Sammel Line…

The Princess looked majestic wearing once again the purple uniform, her cavalry saber and her elegant green cloak, and this time she completed everything by carrying a great flag of Arendelle which was rippling above her in the wind.

"It's her Highness!" the purple-cloaked soldiers would scream to each other, emerging from their tents as Anna passed by- "She's back! Princess Anna is back!"

Kristoff and Alice looked very proud to be escorting Anna, the soldiers began to clap and cheer in happiness and very soon hundreds, and then thousands of voices came together to cry out a single word:

"Anna! Anna! Anna!" the troops exclaimed as far as Anna could see, raising their muskets, sabers and swords- "Anna!"

"We are proud of you, remember?" Kristoff said, raising his own saber- "Anna, you are Arendelle's Pride!"

Anna beamed and waved at her troops as they traveled between the great white tents, artillery positions and countless trenches that formed a powerful defensive line which stretched from East to West for a length of five miles…

The trenches were equipped with very strange guns that she had never seen before, the hospital tents were marked by large red crosses and the heaviest artillery had been positioned at the summit of the highest hills all along the way.

"Anna! Anna! Anna!"

"This is incredible!" Anna said, looking all around at the impressive defenses as they continued their journey- "How many forces do we have?!"

"Twenty thousand men and women ready to fight, your Highness!" Alice replied, her voice barely audible above the joyful screams of the troops- "These are the strongest defenses that Arendelle has ever seen!"

Anna, Kristoff and Alice soon climbed to the summit of a small hill at the center of the Sammel Line, there was a huge Arendelle flag rippling at the top and they discovered that Generals Matthew and Alistair were already there waiting for them...

"Welcome to the Sammel Line, your Highness!" Alistair said, offering his hand to Anna as she dismounted.

"Thanks!" Anna said, hugging both Generals- "This is really incredible… Tell me, do we have any news about the enemy's activities?"

"See for yourself…" Matthew said, offering his own telescope to the Princess.

Anna looked through the telescope, the Sammel river looked beautiful and shiny in the distance, she explored the Southern edge of the valley and then, not very surprised, she discovered them at last:

Countless riders, horses and soldiers with red cloaks were setting their own campsites and trenches beyond the peaceful river, they were bringing many pieces of serious artillery and even more of them kept arriving from the devastated Tannya valley that they had left behind.

Anna could see for a moment a crowned man carrying a sword in his hand, and then she sighed as she lowered the telescope and stared at the distant forces of the Southern Isles with her own eyes...

"Hans, you shall wish that you had never invaded Arendelle!"

The wind played with Anna's cloak as she looked up at the sky, Kristoff held her right hand as they stood side by side, Arendelle's Army had never been stronger and the screams of joy and pride continued for a very long time all along the Sammel Line...