Act 1 Scene 2
The sleigh belonging to the royal family of Arendelle went swiftly into the night. White horses drew the carriage from the castle to the streets of the town. Since it was late out, no one was wandering the streets. A perfect time for them to go to their destination, in the hopes that they were not too late. Agnarr was taking the reins, as he knew where to go thanks to his wife's directions. Iduna was holding onto Anna, who was still breathing and conscious, but not responding. Elsa held her tiny body, rocking herself on the seat as she felt guilty knowing she had attacked her sister. The Queen noticed how distraught her eldest was, and reached to her with a free hand. Iduna looked into Elsa's eyes, as if to reassure her that everything would be okay with her gentle pupils and hopeful smile. Elsa wanted to believe her, but that would only be until they got Anna help.
They left the Kingdom, heading deep into the forest that separated the civilization from the mountains that surrounded Arendelle which gave them their protection. One mountain was known as the North Mountain, which was covered in snow all year round. The other was the Black Mountain, where it was a dangerous place to be yet home of a certain group of beings that had been there for as long as Arendelle had been formed. The forest held pine and spruce, grass and leaves were scarce as Winter was more or less eternal here in the kingdom, especially the closer one was towards the Mountains. The family were on the side of the Black Mountain. At least, the base of that landmark. After facing through a large portion of the evergreen, the sleigh finally managed to locate its destination. A large valley full of small boulders were scattered about. The rocky terrain was dotted with steam vents that were powered by volcanic activity, though most of them were dominant. Different levels of the area were present, showing some steps leading down to a dip in the center. Vegetation, such as moss, was no stranger in these parts, especially with some of it growing on the stones themselves. One of the few places where plants and grass were not covered by the weather.
Agnarr rushed out from the sleigh and out to the clearing, calling out to the valley. "Please! Help! My daughter needs help!" He cried, being as loud as he could to ensure someone heard him. Iduna hopped out of the carriage, carrying Anna in one arm and holding Elsa's hand with the other. They approached the center of the valley where their father and husband were, as he pleaded for anyone to answer. His prayers were heard, as the rocks started to tremble. They slowly rolled their way over to where the royal family were. Elsa was a bit scared, as she didn't know why they were doing this.
"Don't worry dear," Iduna looked at her eldest. "They will help Anna." She promised.
The rocks soon showed their true form, small humanoid beings of stone surrounded the four. The moss they were covered in became their clothing and hair, giving each one a distinct appearance. Their eyes landed on the royal family, and were surprised by their sudden appearance.
"It's the king!" One of them stated.
"What are they doing here?" Another question.
"Is Arendelle under attack?" Someone pondered.
The group of rock people started to fall back so they could open a path for a much older-looking one to appear. He had a mane of dry grass surrounding his neck and face. Not only did he wear a moss cloth, but a cape that was attached to it. Around his clothing were strings of green crystals. "Your majesty…"
"Forgive us for coming to you, Paddie, Elder male troll. But we acquire your assistance." Agnarr stated.
"Is this about your daughter?" The old troll, Paddie, asked while looking over at Elsa. "Has something happened to her powers?"
"No… it's my sister who is-" Elsa tried to explain, only for everyone to turn their attention to the sound of footsteps and chimes. The trolls and humans looked up, seeing a new troll appear, this one was more distinct than the others. Unlike most of the trolls who were dressed in forest or grass colored moss, her outfit consisted of turquoise shade, with a teal cape connecting to it that matched. She had frizzy white moss that acted as hair, covering most of her back. In her hands, she held a wooden staff with two gems on the top intertwined in the bark and covered with seaweed. One gem was an aquamarine, that was in the shape of a teardrop. While the other stone was a garden quartz, having clear and green coloring to make it look either like a beautiful forest, or an underwater world.
The other trolls fell silent as she approached, many even bowing in her presence. Iduna's eyes widened as she watched the familiar being approach. "Mother…" Paddie gasped as he saw her appear by his side.
"Sorry for being late, my son. Had to get my staff…" She smiled up at her wooden stick, then turned her attention to the family of humans. More specifically, the Queen herself as she approached. "Iduna… my dear. You have grown since last I saw you."
"Opal…" The Queen smiled with nostalgia, looking at the eldest female Troll, as she held kindness and wisdom in her eyes.
"I haven't seen you in so long… You have kept yourself away from me, my dear. The last time I saw you was eight years ago, On December 21st… or was it the 22nd? Either way, I knew it was eight years from today that you came to me… with your first born." Opal's eyes turned to Elsa, who stared at her before bowing slightly. "My, you have become a beautiful princess…" She walked over, reaching to take hold of Elsa's hand and examined the palm. A smile spread on her stone face. "Hmm… your powers have truly grown. And to already have a handle on them at such an age…"
"Opal…" Iduna interrupted their moment as she stepped forward, holding out her youngest daughter. "We came here for your help in healing Anna."
The female Troll looked over at the auburn princess, checking her as she placed her staff on the child, looking at the stones as they began to glow a bright white near her head. "She has been hit with magic…"
"My magic…" Elsa finally confessed in guilt. "I didn't mean it… I was trying to save her when I…"
"It was an accident," Iduna vouched for her daughter. "She didn't mean to hit Anna. She was aiming for… someone else."
Opal looked between the queen and the eldest princess, seeing the grief on their faces. "It is alright, Elsa…You have a kind heart. I know you would never hurt your family on purpose…"
"Please… can you heal her?" Agnarr begged, as he didn't want to wait any longer for his daughter to be in such a state.
"Princess Anna will be alright." Opal reassured. "The attack hit her head, which is lucky. Had the magic entered her heart… it would have been fatal. The head however, is an easy fix. Paddie dear!"
"Yes mother!" The elder male Troll walked over, standing by her side.
"Use the spell I taught you to remove the magic from Anna's head." Opal instructed. "I'm certain you can do that."
"Of course…" Paddie didn't object, heading over to Anna and holding up his hands. He waved the palms around, as sparkles of ice started to come out of her head. They collected into each other, forming a small sphere of ice like a snowball. The color changed from pure white to that of moss to match the troll's clothing. He then placed the ball up against Anna's head, as it evaporated and absorbed back into her skin. A smile spread itself on Anna's lips, indicating she wasn't in pain. "There… she will be okay now."
"What did you do?" Agnarr questioned.
"The spell I used was able to dispute the ice magic from her head. It is a simple and harmless spell… but there is a cost." Paddie began to explain. The couple and eldest daughter looked at him with worry, so he went on. "The magic attached itself to Anna's memories, which meant that by removing it, I would have had to remove them as well. So, instead I altered them. While the magic isn't completely gone, it is in a state where it won't hurt her. She will have a scar of sorts," Paddie noted as his eyes went to where Anna's strand of white hair was placed. "But, she will suffer no repercussions. As for her memory… I had to alter it to the point she is… unaware of Elsa's power."
Hearing that made the eldest princess gasp in shock. "So… she doesn't know about my powers?"
"The side effect of the spell is temporary, Princess Elsa." Paddie reassured her. "Anna should be able to regain her memories of your gift, but I can not say when."
Elsa seemed saddened, as Anna enjoyed Elsa's abilities and if she forgot them… what was the point of using them as the only person who admired the powers could no longer be awed by it? Agnarr noticed how depressed Elsa was, and tried to cheer her up. He knelt to her level and placed a hand on her shoulder. "If she doesn't remember on her own, we can always tell her again." He told her, with a smile on his face. Elsa looked up at her father, hearing his words.
"How did Anna get struck by Elsa's powers?" Opal questioned, staring at the three royals.
Elsa bit her lip as she stepped up, explaining. "T-there were these people who invaded the castle. They were trying to hurt Mama and Anna. Mama fought them off but one of them grabbed Anna and… I was only aiming for the hooded figure, not her! She hit their chest and started to fall, and one of my beams knocked her out…"
"I saw it happen, it was an accident and she was trying to protect Anna." Iduna declared.
Opal raised a brow as she listened to the story. "What did these intruders look like?"
"We… didn't see their faces. They wore black hoods and spoke in a strange language we didn't understand." Iduna added. With that information, Opal's eyes went wide. Paddie stepped back, shocked by the revelation. The other Trolls began to mutter amongst themselves, all in the same state of fear. Agnarr and Iduna noticed this, as did Elsa. They weren't sure what the Trolls were discussing, but it had to mean they knew who those people that invaded their home were.
Opal and Paddie looked to one another, as they both nodded before the female Troll walked up. "Iduna… as your dear friend, I must give you a word of warning." Hearing this, the Queen tensed as she held onto both her daughters. "I fear that this attack is a bad omen, that someone is trying to take your eldest daughter for her powers."
"You're saying they were after Elsa because of her magic?" Agnarr questioned, placing his hands on Elsa's shoulders, as he too was not liking the phrasing of Opal's warning.
The female Troll nodded, gathering the dust she had in her hip pouch, and blew the powder to create shapes in the air. Showing a silhouette of Elsa surrounded by people, all of them were a light blue to reflect the Princess. "As you know, Elsa was born with the gift of Winter from a promise her parents made years ago. She had managed to have an understanding of that power, as it is a beautiful and wonderful gift. However, there are those that wish to use that power for themselves." Opal warned, using an illusion to show a large, white snowflake that was free and twirling. The shape turned into a shade of black and red, with the ends more pointy. Elsa gasped, watching the people surrounding her silhouette turn from the shade of blue to red, as the figures jumped on Elsa's shadow to make a swirl of crimson and darkness. Elsa cried in shock and terror, as she held onto her father for comfort.
Agnarr and Iduna looked at one another, holding onto Elsa as they realized the situation was more than just a bad night. "We won't let that happen!" Agnarr declared, sounding more like a father than a king at that moment. "We'll make sure Elsa is protected, and we'll train her to use her powers so if this ever happens again, she'll be ready."
"Agnarr…" Iduna looked over at her husband. "Even if we try to train her now, we do not know when they could attack next."
The King took his wife's words to heart. Chances were this may not be the only time those hooded assailants would attempt to take Elsa for their own. And they can not always keep an eye on Elsa, nor could they simply track down these invaders and risk a war with them. The King sighed, knowing what he must do despite the heavy burden it would put on everyone. "Then we will have no choice… We will simply close the gates to the Kingdom and the Castle…"
Elsa gasped, as she gripped her father's sleeve. "P-Papa, that's too much…" She begged.
"It will only be temporary, Elsa." Agnarr reassured. "Once you are old enough to master your powers. Opal already stated you have a handle on them, so you will just have to try and learn how to control it more. Use it as a weapon if you must." Agnarr advised. It was a lot to ask of the young girl. Especially consider that her father wanted her to use her powers to help guide her people when she became ruler. She never imagined she would have to use it to hurt those that she feared. She didn't want to use them to attack anyone, especially how much damage she already did to her sister. Just looking at the state Anna was in made her feel horrible. It only made her question what became of her sister had she hit her heart with the powers? What would have been her fate? Would it be a slow, painful experience that matched that of hypothermia?
"I'm not saying you need to use your powers to hurt everyone." Agnarr elaborated. "But if there are people that are out to get you, then you will need to know how to defend yourself, and your family."
"And no matter what, we will be there to help you." Iduna promised. Elsa looked up at her parents, despite the trouble she caused them they were willing to help their daughter out with her gift. They would not shun her for it, nor would they force her to hide it. Though to Elsa, she believed it would be better if she never had such a power. That way, none of what happened tonight would have transpired. "We'll also have to limit our staff and ensure that no one sees Elsa using her powers unless we are sure they don't pose a threat. We can not let anyone outside of the Kingdom know what powers she has, especially if that was the reason those intruders learned about it."
"If there are any spies in the castle, we'll have to do a thorough sweep of the staff and guards." Agnarr noted. "And we will be the ones to look after Elsa and be aware of her powers for now. We'll also have to tell Anna right away once we get home."
Hearing that made Elsa jump, as the fear for her sister clouded her thinking. "No!" She raised her voice, which caught the attention of both her parents. Swallowing her nerves, she explained. "I don't want to tell Anna yet. I want to keep it a secret from her for now. And… I also want her and I to have separate rooms."
"Elsa?" Iduna heard her daughters' request, yet was worried about the reasoning. Even the king stared at his eldest with a questionable expression.
"I don't want to risk hurting her again… and I don't want to put her in danger. If those people come for me again… then they will target Anna like last time. If I'm away from her… she won't get hurt." Elsa declared.
"Elsa, you don't have to isolate yourself," Agnarr argued gently. He understood where she was coming from, but he knew it was the fear talking instead of the loving sister.
"Anna should have the right to know what is going on." Iduna added.
"She will… but only after I learn to control my powers better." Elsa protested. "It will be temporary, like you said." She looked to her father, using his words for her point. "And you know how Anna is when it comes to my powers… she'll want me to use them again and again. Possibly exposing me."
Agnarr and Iduna looked at one another, hearing Elsa out as she did bring up valid evidence. Anna was the more extreme child out of their daughters, and she wasn't really known for being discreet about certain things. She was loud and tended to rush into anything without thinking, so if she re-learned about her powers now and what was happening, Anna may not truly understand nor would she be able to withhold the information. Not that they didn't trust their youngest, but they couldn't take any chances. "She would probably convince Elsa to use her powers for them to play…" Agnarr realized, coming to a conclusion.
"As I stated before, her memory of Elsa's powers will come back on their own." Paddie reminded them.
"When they do, I'll explain it to her." Elsa promised. "I just… want to make sure I know how to better handle them before then."
Even though the last thing the parents wanted was to separate their daughters, they couldn't deny that it would be beneficial for now to keep Anna in the dark and to have Elsa focus on practicing her magic. The parents believed that it wouldn't take Elsa that long, just a few years since she already had a grasp on her abilities as of now. Once they were teenagers or young adults, Elsa should be able to manifest her gift to use for herself and Anna would hopefully have her memories resurface. Right now, they needed to wait. Agnarr held Elsa's shoulder, looking her in the eyes. "This is temporary, it is not a solution to the problem." He reminded her, indicating that this arrangement would not define their lives forever.
Opal walked over to the eldest daughter, holding her hands in her stony ones while looking into her eyes. "Remember, Princess Elsa. This gift you were given is your birthright. It is part of you, and therefore makes up most of you. But what you do with it is only determined by your own will. Never forget that." It was her last advice to the eldest princess, as the Trolls stepped back from the Arendelle royal family. Even though Elsa wanted to hold onto the hope that things would get better, after the events of tonight and the ill omen she had her doubts. What if she wasn't able to use the magic the way that she wanted? What if she ended up hurting Anna again, or her parents? She looked down at her hands, clenching them into the palms as she was scared of the future. For it was an unsure thing at this point, and she wasn't sure she could keep her promise.