Frozen: The Dragon Princess
Brave Dragon
Part 1
Anna was finally ready. After a week of recovering and six months to finish the chrono stone Anna was ready to use it for her next jump. Anna had turned nine the other day, and Elsa had not attended. Anna had ended the "celebration" as soon as possible, and her parents seemed eager to oblige. She was now standing in the garden with Borealis, quivering with excitement.
"The era you are going too in the high middle ages, in the same time frame as Berk. The land you are traveling too is Dunbroch, in Scotland he said pointing to it on her map.
"You will travel back from here, and then fly to Dunbroch. It should not take you more than a day or two as a dragon flies" He explained.
"And if this works right I won't be tired" Anna said holding up the glittering swirling stone around her neck.
"Indeed. Are you ready?" He asked and Anna nodded and closed her eyes.
"Focus your magic through the stone like I showed you" He said and Anna reached out through the stone. It was easy, so much easier than last time as the magic swirled out and caught on the timeframe she wanted. She was moving through time as easy as she flew through the air and she found herself standing on rocky ground, dragons snuffling around her. She transformed and took to the air, the directions toward Dunbroch firmly fixed in her mind. She climbed high into the sky, higher than she had ever gone, and settled into a peaceful glide. She drifted on thermals and updrafts, the wind easing her into a light doze. She woke when the sun was going down, and her wings were beginning to ach. She descended below the clouds and saw land flowing beneath her. She saw there were no settlements and finding a stand of trees slowly descended into them. As darkness fell she curled in on herself and settled down to sleep, trusting that being a dragon would keep her safe. She woke as the first rays of the sun peeked through the tree tops and stretching out heard her stomach rumbled. Transforming she pulled food and her map out of her pack and as she ate studied the map to see where she was. Based on the view from the air she saw that she was more than half way to Dunbroch. If she kept the same pace she would be there before sundown. She wolfed down the rest of her food excitedly and transforming took to the air. This time she used her wind magic to help speed her journey. It wasn't peaceful and it took more effort, but it was worth it as she looked down on the land marks that were on the map. A beautiful land spread out before her, bright plains, craggy mountains, and dark forests spreading off into the distance.
When cold wind is a' calling, and the sky is clear and bright
Misty mountains sing and beckon, lead me out into the light
I will ride, I will fly, chase the wind and touch the sky
I will fly, chase the wind and touch the sky
La la la la
La la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la
La la la la
La la la la la la la
(Instrumental)
Anna touched down on a flat mountaintop and transformed. She pulled out the map of Dunbroch she had found and looked it over. Her master had marked the place where he thought the heart might be, through the darkest forest in the land buried in the center of a series of standing stones. She changed and flew toward the forest.
Where dark woods hide secrets and mountains are fierce and bold
Deep waters hold reflections of times lost long ago
I will hear their every story, take hold of my own dream
be as strong as the seas are stormy, and proud as an eagle's scream.
I will ride, I will fly, chase the wind and touch the sky
I will fly, chase the wind and touch the sky
And touch the sky, chase the wind
Chase the wind, touch the sky
La la la la
La la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la
La la la la
La la la la la la la
And touch the sky
Chase the wind
Chase the wind
Touch the sky
Anna entered the forest, keeping all her senses open. The thick wood was nothing like the woods she had seen back home. Her nose was filled with the mucky scent of loamy earth crunching under her claws, and the shadows shifted and moved like living things, the wind whistling through the leave, and the sounds of creaking wood and chattering animals. She loved it. The darkness and mystery of it enchanted her, and she raised her snout and took a deep breath, inhaling it all, so enraptured that she didn't hear the near silent creak of a bow as an arrow was being drawn. Instead it was the scent of musky earth and horse that drew her head around as the arrow was loosed. The world seemed to slow as she saw the shaft speed toward her, and acting on instinct she blew out a breath of flame that incinerated the shaft an inch from going into her eye. She shot another burst of flame where she thought the arrow had come from and saw a shadow dart through the trees as another arrow sped toward her, Anna leapt to the side and the arrow grazed her, sending up sparks where it passed over her scales. She transformed and became invisible, hiding in a hole in a log as she gathered her wits. It was the first time she had been shot at and dragon or not, she was still a little girl. She waited; gasping as she heard steps coming closer and the musky scent grow stronger.
"Where'd ya go ya great beast" She heard a deep smoky voice ask.
"Who are you calling a beast?" Anna asked creeping out of her hiding spot, thinking it was best to explain herself.
"Who's there?" The voice asked turning to aim her bow at Anna. She was a tall girl dressed in a green dress, with a pretty oval face and a main of bright red curls that put Anna's to complete shame.
"Are ye a spirit?" The girl asked in a thick brogue. Anna realized she was still invisible and dropped her cloak.
"No, I'm just me" Anna said. The girl blinked and slowly lowered her bow.
"Yer a…girl?" the other girl asked.
"Yep" Anna chirped brightly.
"Um, what are ye doing here?" She asked.
"I'm looking for a magical gem" Anna said feeling she could trust this girl.
"A gem eh. Aren't ye a little young to runnin about on adventures like that?" The girl asked slinging her bow behind her back. Anna huffed in annoyance and in a fit of pique and mischievousness transformed. The red haired girl gasped and stumbled back reaching for her bow.
"I'm really tired of people telling me that" Anna growled as she got down on her belly and put her head on her claws, looking at the girl. The red head calmed down and sitting looked at the dragon in the eyes.
"So, ye can change whenever ye want?" She asked.
"Um-hm" Anna responded.
"I'm, ah sorry for shooten at ya" She apologized.
"Forget it. It was my fault. I can only imagine what I would do if a strange dragon came into my forest" Anna said changing back.
"Um, okay. I'm Merida" She said.
"Merida, that's a pretty name" Anna said.
"I'm Anna" She introduced herself.
"Well Anna, I would appreciate it if ye didn't turn into a dragon around here. It might upset folks" Merida said.
"Oh, well, that's going to make looking for the heart of earth harder" Anna sighed adjusting her pack and setting off.
"Wait, where are ye going?" Merida asked.
"I told you, I'm looking for a magic gem, and it's in this forest" Anna said.
"Ye can't go off on yer own, not if you don't plan on becoming a dragon" Merida said whistling. A large horse came out of the trees and Merida mounted him.
"You told me not to transform" Anna said.
"And do you always do what people tell ya?" Merida asked.
"When I agree with them" Anna said scrambling over a fallen log. The large horse lightly leapt the log and came up beside her. Merida reached down and griping Anna by her cloak lifted her up and placed her in front of her.
"What are you doing?" Anna asked.
"If yer going to listen to me and stay human, the least I can do is help guard ya as you look for yer gem" Merida said. Anna leaned back into the girl and looked up into her bright blue eyes. Merida stared back down into Anna's darker ones.
"Thank you" Anna said her innocence and warmth shining through. Merida grinned widely down at the younger girl and wrapped her in a protective grip.
"So do ye know where to look, or are we just going to ride around all wily nilly?" Merida asked.
First chapter of the brave section of the story. Sorry if Anna and Merida became friends rather quickly, but they're both extremely brave and friendly characters, and hey, Anna can win a stone over.