Chapter Ten

Daylight pushed and pulled Elsa to wakefulness. She sat up with some effort, rubbing her eyes then her head to ease the aches that suffused her. Her whole body ached, as though it had been put through some abuse. She looked around, momentarily disoriented by the unfamiliar furniture that surrounded her. Then her gently aching head eased memories into her awareness.

Men and horses screaming. Some great, snarling beast.

And underneath those memories of life, the memory of a dream.

Eyes, as true blue as the heart of a glacier, staring at her. Studying her.

She vaguely remembered staring at herself in mirrors as a child, trying to fool her ever-watchful reflection. Then, after Anna's… accident… staring at herself, attempting to perceive the terror her powers made of her.

She rubbed her head again, seeking to chase away both memory and dream. Rolling her head to one side, she eyed the room. No Kristoff, but a plate of bread rested on the chair by her bed. Her stomach abruptly came to life, growling hard enough to shake her ribs. With a sigh, she carefully reached for a small loaf.

Pain skewered her skull and raced down spine and arm, but not with the intensity she vaguely remembered from yesterday. She carefully lifted the loaf to her mouth. A tentative bite caused saliva to flood her mouth. While not fresh from the oven, the bread was far from stale. She devoured half of it, then had to pause for a rest while her stomach gurgled. Once it settled, she consumed the rest of the loaf.

She was reaching for a second loaf when the door creaked open. Snowflakes snapped into existence about her. Their edges glittered in the morning light pouring through the window, revealing sharp edges of pure ice.

Kristoff poked his head into the room. He glanced at the slowly turning ice-edged snowflakes, then looked at Elsa. "You okay?" he asked. His eyes flicked to the plate, then to her face. "You've eaten?"

"Are you truly not afraid?" Elsa asked, rather than answering his questions. She gestured to the iceflakes.

He turned his attention back to them. "Cautious, maybe," he said as he pulled off a mitten. With long, strong fingers he moved to touch a single flake. It turned to water beneath his touch. Easing into the room, he closed the door behind him. "I'll admit… back when you hit Anna in her heart..."

Elsa winced at the reminder, then winced again as her body protested the involuntary movement.

Still watching the iceflakes, Kristoff continued, "...I wanted to give you a wide berth. A really wide one. Like, other side of the mountain range wide. But Anna loves you, and her trust in you… well, it made me give you another chance." Realizing his words weren't exactly flattering, he rubbed the back of his head. "Well, since then I've seen how much you love Anna. And I realize what happened was, well, an accident. A bad accident, but not, you know, accidents happen. It's what you do after that matters. And now, well…," he paused, reached up to touch another ice flake. It also melted beneath his touch. "It's pretty clear what you think is a threat and what isn't. This is nothing compared to what you did to protect us."

"What I…? Us?"

Kristoff stared at her. "You… don't remember? The ice wall you made?"

"Remember… what?" Elsa concentrated, carefully pushing her aching mind into memories. "I remember… not many. Not enough." She rubbed her temple. "We're… missing men." Frost bloomed on the bed posts as fear chilled her heart. Looking up, she forced herself to ask, "Only missing?"

For a moment Kristoff stared at her in confusion. He blinked a few times, then gave an understanding grunt. "None confirmed… dead. Captain Beorne and the three of his men that are left have been doing regular searches. They…," he broke off, looking more closely at Elsa. "Maybe this should wait 'til you've had a bit more than bread to eat."

Irritation flared, briefly numbing some of the more insistent pains. "I can handle bad news, Kristoff. You don't have to treat me like I'll break!"

He shook his head. "That's not what I meant! I know you can handle bad news. You run a kingdom, for cryin' out loud! You and Anna," he paused to rub his face. "Ugh. I meant, you're pale.. er. Paler than usual. Uhm. Like you need better food. And Captain Beorne can over details better than I can. And I just figured you'd concentrate better once you had something better to eat."

Elsa let her breath out in a long sigh. "Of course. You're right. I'm sorry, I usually have better control over myself than this."

"It's alright. Usually you have too much control. Plus," he added hastily, "that was a really, really nasty hit to the head you got."

His stumbling honesty elicited a small chuckle from her. "Very well. I'll come downstairs in a bit. If you would excuse me…? Anna might have some objection if you remained in the room with me while I dressed."

"Oh yeh, sure, wait, what?!" Kristoff's face turned nearly as pale as Elsa's before he caught her tiny, teasing smile. His face then suffused itself with an almost scarlet hue. "Oh. Oh! Of course. I'll just head outside. Be right outside. Did you want the innkeeper's wife?" he babbled as he fumbled with the door.

"No," Elsa said, bracing herself for the act of getting out of bed. "I need to do this on my own. If you would, though, stay near the stairs? Just… just in case."

"Oh yeh, definitely!" With that, Kristoff ducked out of the room.

It took a while, but Elsa was finally able to struggle into her traveling clothes. Slow and careful steps carried her out of her room and down the stairs. As she emerged into the common room, she saw both Kristoff and Captain Beorne surge to their feet. Another soldier came to his feet a moment later, but where the other men held their hands as thought about to catch her, the soldier twitched in an aborted salute. He glanced from his commanding officer to his queen in obvious confusion over the lack of official protocol

"At ease, gentlemen," she commanded without thinking. All three men settled back into their booth. Elsa eased into the space next to the soldier so she could look straight at Kristoff and Captain Beorne. To the hyperventilating soldier she said with a smile, "Do please be at ease. It won't be of any help if you pass out."

"But," the young man spluttered, "You're… you… you are my Queen."

Elsa allowed a small, gracious nod that still made the world tilt and spin a bit. "I am. I am also human. Very much mortal… and hungry, at that."

"We've already ordered soup from the innkeeper," Captain Beorne rumbled, his gloved hands clasped on the tabletop.

"Extra broth and meat in yours, though," Kristoff chimed in.

Elsa's stomach rumbled its approval, startling a laugh from all of them. She sobered quickly, however, and turned to Captain Beorne. "It seems my memory is as rattled as my head, Captain," she started, "as I am having some trouble remembering our recent past. Kristoff has mentioned me casting an ice wall, as well as you organizing searches for our missing men?"

The Captain straightened in his seat. "Yes, your Highness. When the monster first attacked, you cast an ice wall about us that prevented it from reaching us. You were in the process of doing more, I believe, when the second beast attacked. I believe it struck you in the head, your Highness, for I saw you go down. I… I did my best to reach you, my Queen."

"Most of the horses panicked," Kristoff broke in. "I saw a lot of us get dumped in the snow. At first, I thought that's what had happened to you, Elsa." He rubbed his face, then the back of his head. "I think Sven accidentally smacked me with one of his antlers."

Captain Beorne shook his head. "I saw it hit you, then Sven. By that time the ice wall had fallen, though, and then the first monster was among us. I know no more after that."

Kristoff frowned. "I thought you mentioned-"

"No more," the Captain.

"Ookay, then."

Right at that moment, the ordered food arrived. Fresh loaves were set next to steaming bowls of soup. Once again Elsa's stomach voice its opinion. Hers was far more watery and meaty than the others', but she suspected the fare was indeed better for her. She felt weak and dizzy even just speaking with the men at the table. A sip of broth seemed to pour strength and stability into her abused body. She eagerly drank more until a polite cough from Kristoff reminded her to slow her consumption.

Silence reigned about the table for a little while as all set to the food. Only when Captain Beorne had finished his portion did he continue: "Ah, where was I…? Oh yes. After awaking here and taking inventory of our remaining stock – much of it did come with the horses, all of which are accounted for, including the reindeer -"

"Sven," Kristoff reminded.

"-yes, Sven. After taking stock of inventory, I took it upon myself to pay the innkeeper and his wife for their care of us. I hope that was well-done, my Queen?"

Elsa nodded once, slowly and graciously, then paused with a frown. "So our packs and horses were untouched?"

"Curious, isn't it? None of the animals have a mark on them, but for a certain skittishness that wasn't there before. While you slept, my men and I have been searching both to locate my remaining men and to determine in which direction the castle lies. That was how we came upon the battle site and those packs that were shaken loose from the horses."

"How," she started to ask, then forced herself past fear to continue, "how long was I out?"

"Overnight and most of a day," Kristoff answered. "We were all of us out for a few hours at least. I think Captain Beorne was the first to wake up." He looked to the Captain for confirmation.

"Yes, but you were up not long after I. I'd just finished settling accounts with the innkeeper when his wife informed me you were awake."

Kristoff nodded and looked back to Elsa. "You've been waking up off and on for a while, but each time more coherent and for longer periods."

She stared at the meat chunks in her bowl, her appetite suddenly vanished. The idea of the loss of control, of the lack of memory… it bothered her deeply. Frost began to rime the bowl. Realizing that, she forced the fear down and fished out a bit of meat with her fingers. Chewing slowly, she nodded at Captain Beorne and Kristoff to continue. The soldier beside her stared at his Queen as she ate with her fingers.

"We… we've had no luck locating the rest of my men. The other two are currently out scouting for new sign. I doubt they'll find any." Captain Beorn paused to poke at the bread set on his plate. "We have, however, determined the direction the castle lies in. We have also found a villager willing to guide one of my men there so he can bring word to the castle swiftly… with proper recompense, of course."

"Of course," Elsa agreed with a wry twist to her mouth. "And us, Captain? Those that remain?"

He took a deep breath. "I would like to leave my other two men here to continue searching for the remainder of those missing. Perhaps a fortnight, with sufficient funds to keep them from any mischief a prolonged stay could cause."

"Hey!" protested the young soldier, his incredible awe of Elsa briefly subsumed beneath indignity.

Captain Beorne held up a hand. The young man immediately silenced himself. "Peace," Captain Beorne commanded, "mischief comes in more forms than idle men. If not given enough funds or means, you would have to resort to depriving these people of their winter fare. Also, villagers are rarely comfortable with apparently idle soldiers in their midst, even if the soldiers are not idle."

The young man subsided, though he leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest.

Elsa nodded slowly, rolling a piece of meat to one side of her mouth. "Agreed, Captain Beorne. I give you leave to divvy up our remaining supplies, both monetary and in food or cloth, as you see fit. I hope with all my heart all of your men will be found."

"I hope as well, my Queen," Captain Beorne spoke in a low voice.

"I'd hoped," Kristoff said, "That we'd been able to locate the Storm Crow to guide us."

At Elsa's curious look, Captain Beorne shook his head. "Do you remember the innkeeper mentioning a Storm Crow?"

"Noooo I don't. Who or what is this storm crow?"

"Apparently it's a good-luck charm. Or a person," Kristoff said, shrugging his shoulders. "Don't get me wrong, I should be able to get us to the castle from this point. I just would feel more comfortable with someone familiar with this part of the eastern mountains."

Captain Beorne stroked his mustache. "I confess, it would set my mind at ease as well. However that one villager I'm sending with my man was the only one I could find willing to act as guide."

Kristoff nodded. "Still, I can at least get us there, and feed us along the way."

"I will hold you to that," the Captain spoke sternly, making Kristoff shoot a small glare at him

"It sounds like you both have things well in hand," Elsa praised, distracting the two men from their odd rivalry.

"Mostly, my Queen," the Captain said, once again the dutiful soldier. "The only thing that concerns me… us," he added with a glance at Kristoff, "is the snow."

"Snow?" she echoed.

"Yes, snow. It snowed heavily after the beasts attacked us. I fear it will be very slow going indeed… unless… you could do something for it, my Queen?"

Elsa frowned. "I… I'm not sure. Just before the monsters attacked, I was trying… I think I was trying to… ease the heavy snowfall so we could see better. But I couldn't make it move. Or… or that could have been part of the night… some bad dreams I had before waking. I… I'm not sure."

"Well," Kristoff said into the uneasy silence, "it'll be a little while before we'll have to test that out… in the meantime, why don't we-"

"Let go of me!" a strange voice burst out, just as the door to the tavern slammed open.

The blast of cold air seemed to summon the innkeeper. The burly man puffed out his chest, ready to reprimand the two soldiers coming through the door. He paused, however, when he saw what came with them.

Elsa stood faster than any of the men at the table, though she had to steady herself against it as dizziness protested the sudden movement. "What is the meaning of this?" she demanded.

One of the soldiers lifted the arm of the person they held between them. "Found this scamp messing with the horses just as we were coming in from our rounds, your Highness," he explained, then turned his attention to Captain Beorne. "Causing a right agitation among them, sir. Then tried to run when we asked what he was about. It was the running that made us think to bring him to you."

Captain Beorne eased from behind the table, but it was Elsa who spoke. "Most any village child would run from soldiers," she said dryly.

"I'm not a child!" griped the person the soldiers held. "I'm just short!"

Elsa eyed the individual. Shorter than her, indeed, by almost half a head yet dressed in full mountaineer leathers much like Kristoff. There was even a furred cap jammed tight over the person's head. From the overall size and build, she would have thought the person a boy not even old enough to bear a beard. There was something about the voice, however, and the way the jacket fit about shoulders and chest…

"Please remove your cap," she commanded, unconsciously straightening her back and shoulders. The nausea still threatened her stomach from the myriad aches that plagued her body, but for now it was easier to bear. When one of the soldiers reached for the cap, she barked, "No! I'm asking the person to do it." To that person, she asked, "May I know your name?"

The innkeeper, frozen until now, let loose a loud barking laugh. "Ye don't be needin' no name with that one!" he declared. "You went and caught yourself a Storm Crow!"

The person shot a glare that all could feel towards the much larger man. "I told you, I don't care for that name!"

"We don't always get to choose what others call us," the innkeeper said with a kind of harsh wisdom. He flipped a hand at the soldiers. "Anyway, not none of my business. I've customers to tend to!" He turned his back to the group as a whole and walked towards the kitchen.

Elsa turned her gaze from the innkeeper to the apparent Storm Crow. "Well. Then," she sighed. "Will you do me the honor of removing your cap, so I may see your face clearly, stranger?"

The person froze, faced turned to Elsa. For a moment she thought the eyes flashed amber beneath the fur lining, but then realized the torchlight had merely caught the individual's gaze. The person studied her for a few long heartbeats, then abruptly shook arms loose from the soldiers' grips. Mittened hands reached for the cap and removed it, allowing shaggy blond locks to fall about a sharp-boned yet round face. Now that the torchlight fell on her features, Elsa could see the eyes were an ordinary dark brown.

All the men muttered as they stared at the young woman that glared back. Elsa just sighed again, although this time in relief.

"Thank you for that. Now, might I know why you were upsetting our horses?"

"Was just lookin' at their tack," the woman said, lifting her chin. "Hadn't seen the like before. Was curious. Nothin' more."

"Likely," muttered one of the soldiers, but he was immediately hushed by his comrade.

"I ain't a thief!" the young woman practically snarled.

Elsa raised a hand, ensuring all the men looked to her. Without glancing about, she knew Kristoff and Captain Beorne flanked her. The Captain probably had his hand on his saber. A gesture that was reassuring to her, but doubtfully so to the young woman facing her. "No one said you were," she said to the other woman. "Please forgive us, but we're still unsettled. We were caught in a recent storm and attacked by… by animals. We lost twelve men."

The woman stared at her for several long heartbeats, then stirred. "Well. Understandable, that."

Of all the possible reactions Elsa expected, nonchalance was not one of them. While she stared at the woman in consternation, she heard Beorne speak.

"If in fact you're not a thief, and are the Storm Crow we heard the innkeeper speak of… well, we have heard that you're a fair guide. Would we be able to hire you to get us to the castle?"

"What about him?" she jerked her chin at Kristoff. "Ain't he already your guide?"

Kristoff coughed. "I mostly know the North Mountain area."

The woman narrowed her eyes. "Ain't that the home of the Snow Witch?"

Elsa held up a hand to forestall Captain Beorne's spluttered protest and Kristoff's protective bristle. "It is part of my home, and while I have been called 'Snow Witch', I no more like that name than you like 'Storm Crow'."

"Oh?" the woman said, tilting her head. "Then who are you?"

Taking a deep mental breath, she answered, "Queen Elsa of Arendelle." She heard Captain Beorne's indrawn hiss, but she saw no other way to readily explain what remained of their group.

A clatter of dishes marked where the innkeeper's wife had walked by bearing a large tray of thankfully empty mugs. She stared openly at Elsa.

Elsa did her best to ignore the stare. It quickly became easier as the young woman burst into laughter.

"Queen! Oh, that's rich! Next you'll be tellin' me that mountaineer with ya is the Reindeer King, and the reindeer I saw in the stables one of his nigh-magical mounts!"

"Well, Kristoff is no king," she said, the hint of a smile twisting her lips, "though he will likely be Prince as he's courting my sister, the Princess Anna."

Behind her she heard Kristoff choke out the word, "Prince!"

Apparently ignoring the soldiers that flanked her, the young woman merely crossed her arms over her chest and glared an open challenge. "Show me."

Elsa blinked several times, unsure if the recent scrambling of her brain was back to turning coherent words and phrases into junk. She realized the nature of the request just as she heard the sharp intake of breath from Captain Beorne.

"You!" he practically bellowed, "have no right to request that!"

Again she had to hold up her hand. "Peace, Captain Beorne. I believe she has every right." Turning to the young woman, Elsa said, "I will give you proof, but in return I will have your name."

"Fair enough," she snorted.

Without further words, Elsa reached out a single hand, palm up. Snowflakes bloomed above it, silver-blue in the dim light of the inn. They spiraled and danced for several moments before the recalled love of a dear sister melted them away. She lifted her true-blue eyes to seek brown ones.

The woman seemed transfixed, staring at Elsa's hand for several long moments. Finally she lifted her gaze to Elsa's. With a growling grunt, she shrugged her shoulders. "Alright. Fine. Name's Feilan."

"Thank you, Feilan. And know my Captain's offer stands. We could use someone familiar with this side of the mountains to help us get back to the castle in all haste."

For the first time in a while, Feilan glanced at the soldiers to either side of her. "I'm free to go?"

"Yes, of course. You've done no harm, just expressed curiosity. We, however, need to reach our home as quickly as possible." It was so very easy to slip into a Queenly aspect. So easy to push a button there, or prod there.

Yet this woman was proving to be rather resistant to the usual prodding. "Aright then. I'm gonna head on off then. Have fun."

"Please do consider our request and offer," Elsa gave one last push. "If all goes well, we'll be leaving next morning. The day after at the latest."

"Right," said Feilon. With that she spun on her heels and darted out the door.

Elsa heaved a great sigh. Suddenly all of her body felt as though it was made of incredibly heavy, dense matter. She wished with all her might to lay down and sleep...

"Your Highness," Captain Beorne nearly growled in her ear, "I really must protest. I know I asked it of her first, but… Your Highness! How do we know she isn't a thief? Or some kind of slight-of-hand, out to take our money from beneath our noses? I only asked to gauge her response!"

"I admit, there seemed something off about her," Kristoff added, although he was already edging towards the door. "I… I'm just gonna go check on Sven. And the horses. And Sven."

Elsa smiled wearily, waving Kristoff away. "Go, check on your friend. When you come back, let me know how he's doing? And my Snofonn, too?"

"Sure thing!" Kristoff chirped and was out the door a moment later.

The world tilted, making Elsa stagger. She waved off Captain Beorne's concerned lunge and made her way to the bench they had been eating together. Easing herself into the seat, she said, "Captain… if you would, please… distribute your soldiers as we discussed? And take care of the supplies and funds? Please do reserve an appropriate amount for… for Feilan, should she decided to guide us."

Captain Beorne stood there staring at her. He finally stirred. "As… as you command, your Highness." He paused, then pushed one of the remaining bowls towards her, as well. "Just… promise me you'll take care of yourself… my… Queen. I will do my best to guard you."

Queen Elsa nodded. "I thank you for that, my Captain."

The rest of the day passed in a blur for Elsa. As soon as Kristoff had satisfied himself that Sven and the equine company were fine, he returned to find her trying to finish off a second bowl of soup. Her exhaustion was causing her hands to tremble, however, so she couldn't grip effectively. He shooed her upstairs where she fell asleep quickly. As the day wore on, she would wake intermittently. Sometimes Kristoff was there, sometimes she was alone in the room. Each time she awoke, however, she felt a little more balanced.

The last vestigues of worry faded away when she awoke around supper time. She made her way downstairs to find the men already digging into a meal of roast grouse. They fell silent as she eased her way into the seat, but conversation soon started back up. It had been decided which of the remaining soldiers would surge ahead to reach the castle, and which two would stay to search for their missing comrades. She gave her approval to that, and to Captain Beorne's prepared list of allocated goods. They agreed that both the messenger and the main group would need to leave tomorrow.

With that settled, all parties retired to their beds to prepare for the morning.