The way I see it

Elsa woke up startled by the incessant ringing of the telephone. Even if she recognised the sound, it took her some seconds to understand where she was. She was confused by the fact she was waking up in her living room that morning. But she soon realised she must have fallen asleep at some point during the night. Thus, explaining why she was waking up on her couch.

After the initial confusion, she remembered the events the night before. Both girls had returned inside, once Elsa had calmed down, and they had sat down close to the fireplace once again. Elsa hadn't really noticed how cold Anna was until she saw her shivering in front of the fire; and, not thinking twice about it, she offered Anna her room to sleep in. Anna had refused as Elsa had expected her to do, but she had been determined to make the girl sleep in the only warm bedroom in the house. It had taken Elsa some time to convince Anna she didn't feel the cold like other people did, which led to a conversation about Elsa's powers and the way she experienced heat.

Elsa didn't quite enjoy talking about her powers since every question reminded her of the multiple questions she had been asked over the years by the nurses and doctors in Romsdal. But she had been patient with Anna and she had explained that, even if she wasn't affected by cold, she did feel it. It was just a different feeling than what the rest of the people experienced. While for the majority the cold was something uncomfortable, for her the cold had a soothing effect she couldn't really compare to anything else.

Elsa had then stayed in the living room, after Anna had accepted her offer. She had stayed awake thinking about her family, Anna and everything that had happened in the last three weeks.

The phone rang for the fifth time forcing her to stop thinking about the events the previous night, and get up. And, even if she wasn't in the mood to talk so early in the morning, she smiled when she heard the voice of her mother on the other side...

Anna, on the other hand, had woken up earlier that it was usual for her that morning. The conversation with Elsa the previous day kept replaying in her head and she couldn't help but feel bad for the older girl. There were many things she had wanted to ask Elsa, since it was obvious she had years of pain bottled up inside of her chest, and Anna suspected she suffered from anxiety and depression. But she knew she had to be patient and thankful that Elsa was at least willing to accept her in her life after everything that had happened.

In a twisted way, Anna had been right about the truth. It could be considered a good thing. Her parents had finally come clean about their past; and Elsa had the chance to use the truth as an inflection point in her life. Whatever had happened to her in her childhood had left an open wound, which was still in the process of healing. And Anna thought this could be her opportunity to heal.

Anna heard Elsa pick up the phone and start a conversation in the other room, and thought it was a good opportunity to get up, use the bathroom and start her day. She thought she could prepare breakfast for Elsa, as a thank you for letting her stay and use her bed.

When Anna left the bathroom, she waved a silent morning greeting to Elsa who was still speaking on the phone. The older girl just smiled in return, as she continued her conversation. Anna didn't want to overhear, but the word hospital had called her attention when walked by Elsa's side. She knew it was probably just another doctor appointment, but she heard Elsa's discomfort about the idea of going to the hospital once again. She was really curious to know the reason behind Elsa's fear of hospitals, but she thought it was best to wait for Elsa to tell her on her own.

Once inside the kitchen, Anna focused all her energy in her task at hand. She checked the fridge and she picked some milk, eggs and butter; and began cooking. A couple of minutes later, Elsa entered the room, and sat down in front of Anna, who was setting the table by that time.

"Morning. Did the phone wake you up too?" asked Elsa, worried she had disturbed Anna in her sleep.

"Morning," answered Anna with a smile. "Not really. I was awake before it started ringing." Anna got everything she had prepared to the table and offered, "coffee?"

"You didn't need to make breakfast."

"Of course I did. It was the least I could do since you let me stay and not freeze to death outside…" She gave Elsa a big smile and showed her the coffee pot. "So, coffee?"

Elsa chuckled as she handed her the empty cup. The idea of anyone letting someone like Anna outside in that weather was ridiculous to Elsa, but she guessed she could accept the girl's gratitude and enjoy breakfast.

Anna sat down, and only then she noticed the books piled up on one of the corners of the table. She had been so focused on breakfast, she hadn't really seen them before. She smiled when she realised they were coursebooks and a worn out notebook. Asking Elsa for permission, she opened the notebook to pay a look.

"I've been trying to study on my own," explained Elsa when Anna began reading what was written in it.

As she turned the pages, Anna saw Elsa had been practicing her calligraphy, together with some math problems. There were some notes about nature, which she guessed were part of Elsa's curiosity of how things in the world worked. It was fascinating for Anna to see Elsa's hard work and determination to learn. There were a lot of things she needed to improve, but the amount of work she had done on her own in the last few weeks was impressive.

"You've done a lot of work," said Anna. She couldn't help but feel proud of Elsa.

"I've been trying. But I'm not doing really good."

"I think you're doing great," said Anna as she turned a few more pages. "I'm sure you are learning a lot on your own."

"I don't think so." Elsa extended her hand asking for the notebook. Once Anna gave it to her, she began turning the pages, looking at all the exercises she had done wrong. "I try but I don't understand a thing. It was easier with you," she confessed.

Anna smiled at her, but something told her Elsa was not just being nice. She actually looked frustrated. It was then Anna picked the math book that was on the pile in the corner. She read its title and she was surprised to see it was a book of a higher level than she originally imagined. She showed Elsa a sympathetic smile and said, "no wonder you think things were easier with me. Elsa, look at these…" She opened the math book and showed her some exercises. "They are too complex for you right now."

"I don't have a lot of books." She sighed. It didn't matter how much she tried, she always found a way to make things more complicated than it was necessary. "I thought Kristoff's old books could work."

"They could be useful in the future, but right now I wouldn't recommend them."

"What books can I use then?"

"Well, my books could help... I'm still available if you want to continue studying." She wanted to let Elsa know she was more than willing to help her. "I know things have been weird these last few weeks, but my offer to help you earn your diplomas stands. I could come here on weekends to teach you, and you could practice on your own during the week."

"You would do that for me?" Elsa was surprised to hear Anna's offer. One thing was to teach her when they spent almost everyday together, and another was to take the time to travel every weekend just for her.

"Of course! If you want me to, that is."

Elsa played with the napkin in front of her while she thought about her options. She really wanted to study and do something with her life, but on the other hand, she didn't want Anna to sacrifice her weekends just to help her. "Why are you so nice to me?" she asked after a moment.

Anna put her hand over Elsa's to make sure she payed attention to her words. "Because you are a good person and everyone deserves a chance to study. It's unfair you didn't get yours when you were a kid." Anna stopped for a moment when she noticed how cold Elsa's hand was. It was obvious she was nervous, but that didn't stop Anna from saying what she wanted to say. "I want to help you. That's what family do."

Elsa opened her eyes in surprise at that. She still had mixed feelings about the idea of the two of them being family. She didn't feel comfortable accepting Agdar and Idunn into her life after everything she had gone through. However, Anna's help and comforting presence was something she could accept.

"Anna, I-" She began to say but since she found no words to explain the way she felt, she thought it was better to let the comment slip and simply be thankful for Anna's offer. "Thank you."

Anna hold her hand a little tighter, glad to feel it was a bit warmer than before. "So, that's a yes, right?"

A chuckle and a nod gave her the confirmation she was waiting for.


After talking with her daughter on the phone, Gerda began arranging things in the house for Elsa's stay that weekend. She was making a list of the things she needed to buy, when she heard knocks on the front door. Curious to know who would visit on a Saturday morning, she stopped what she was doing and opened the door.

To say she was surprised to see Idunn and Agdar at her door was an understatement. The last thing she expected was for them to show up at their house after Kristoff had practically kicked them out a couple of weeks before. She hadn't heard anything about them in the past weeks; but if she had to be honest, she hadn't really given the couple much thought. Her main concern had been Elsa, and how she was coping with the news. She had wondered about Anna and how the sweet girl was dealing with everything too, but she hadn't seen her since that day either.

Making sure not to show the way she felt, Gerda greeted her guests and invited them in. Years of working with people had taught her how to keep a gentle expression, and to treat each person equally. There was nothing she wanted more than to give the younger couple a piece of her mind for showing up in Elsa's life the way they had, but she thought it was better to have a civilised conversation instead.

"How can I help you?" she asked, as she sat in the armchair in front of them.

Agdar and Idunn looked at each other, trying to come to an agreement about who was going to speak. They knew their chances to get closer to Elsa, and to know more about her life depended on how that conversation played out. Making them feel more nervous than they already were.

Agdar took the initiative and said, "first of all, we wanted to say we are sorry for any problem our presence may have caused in your household. It was wrong to overstep your boundaries and come into your house claiming to be Elsa's parents. We didn't stop to think before acting, and for that we apologise." He tried to be as methodical as possible. The last thing he wanted was to disrespect the Bjorgmans after everything they have caused. "We also wanted to talk with you and Kai, if that's possible."

Gerda smoothed the wrinkles on the cushion she was holding, as she tried to come up with a respectful answer. "I'm not going to lie and say everything is okay," she began. "I wish you could have been more careful in the way you delivered the news to Elsa, but there's no point in discussing that now. What's done is done." Not waiting for an answer, she left the room to call her husband, who was in the garage. He had been preparing the car to travel to the North mountain and pick Elsa up.

Kai stopped his work when Gerda explained to him Agdar's request, and soon joined them inside. He knew there was a good reason for their sudden visit, and he wanted to be present. Any topic that involved Kristoff or Elsa, was top priority to him. He also knew his wife was still struggling with the news, and he wanted to make sure she didn't say something she could regret. Agdar and Idunn were Kristoff's in-laws and, even if it pained him to admit it, they were Elsa's biological parents. The least they could do was have a good-natured relationship.

"What can we do for you?" he asked once he greeted them both. He sat on a chair by his wife's side, and patiently waited for them to speak.

Agdar waited no time, and soon began explaining what they were doing there. "Ever since we saw Elsa at our house, we haven't stopped thinking about her. About who she is, who she has become. We were wondering if you could help us get in touch with her again."

"We know Elsa has all the right in the world not to forgive us if that's what she wants," said Idunn joining her husband's explanation. "But we would like a chance to talk to her. At least once. To tell her how sorry we are. To let her know why we did what we did."

"Let me get this straight," replied Gerda. "You want us to convince our daughter to give you a chance?"

Agdar nodded. If he put it simple, that was exactly what they wanted.

"I know it's a big favour to ask," continued Idunn. "But we don't know what to do. Seeing Elsa after so many years was a shock to us. We would really like a chance to see her."

"I don't think she is ready to meet you yet. So, no," she answered, cutting to the chase. Even if she felt some pity for the couple, Gerda was not going to go against her daughter's wishes. "I won't force her to listen to you if she doesn't want to."

"We understand," interjected Agdar. "but, please, try to see things from our perspective. How would you feel if you found your daughter after over twenty years? Wouldn't you like the chance to talk to her?"

"I would certainly do," she said honestly. "Nonetheless, I would be aware I gave up the right to be part of her life the moment I abandoned her."

"Gerda, please," interrupted Kai, not wanting her wife to start an argument.

Looking at her husband she said, "No. I'm sorry. I'm not going to pretend this okay, Kai." She turned to the younger couple again and explained, "I understand this must have been a shock for you. But the way I see it, Elsa is not your daughter anymore. You can't see her if she doesn't want to."

The remark about Elsa not being their daughter angered Agdar. He knew it was true to some extent, but the truth hurt him more than he had imagined. "Even if the circumstances are not what one would call ideal, she is our daughter. We can't just be erased from her life."

"Of course you can," said Gerda raising her voice. "You abandoned her. You were the ones who walked away from her first. It's only logical she doesn't want to reach out to you now. Have you ever stopped to think about her feelings?"

"You don't understand," cut in Idunn. She felt terribly guilty for her past decisions and she needed a chance to talk with Elsa. "We had our reasons. We-"

"We all have reasons for our actions." Gerda was not willing to sit and hear excuses. "It's important you remember that there are reasons and then there are consequences."

"We are aware of the damage we have caused." Agdar tried to explain. He knew it was going to be difficult to change Gerda's opinion, but he needed to try.

"No, you are not." She was not going to let them act as if they knew what Elsa had been through. "You left Elsa to face the world alone. A world that casts aside those who are different. Did you really think she was going to be okay on her own?" Part of her wanted to listen them, to give them a chance. But she couldn't. She had promised to do everything in her power to protect Elsa's best interest when she adopted her.

"We did what we thought was best for her," said Idunn, blinking away her tears. "We loved her."

"Well, you made a mistake."

"Gerda, please, stop. I'm sure they know they made a huge mistake," interrupted Kai once again. "Look," he said, calling the Arendelles' attention. "Elsa's childhood wasn't conventional, and she's only now finding out she could have been spared the pain if only you didn't abandoned her." He was not okay with the way Gerda was addressing the topic, but he agreed with her. "All we are trying to do is respect her wishes." He looked at his watch and thought it was better to end the conversation there. "Now, if you could excuse us. We need to go pick Elsa up for a doctor's appointment. Can we discuss this some other time?"

Agdar nodded and stood up. He knew there was no reason to keep insisting. He had to be thankful Kai was willing to discuss the matter in the future. Maybe it was best to respect their opinion now and give Elsa some more time too.

As they were leaving the house, Idunn tried her luck and asked them for one last favour. She held Gerda's hands in hers and said, "please, I beg you, at least tell her we tried. Let her know we tried to get her back. We just couldn't find her."

Gerda noticed the pain in her eyes and, feeling bad for the woman, she thought she could agree to her request. She was about to answer, when Kai stepped in and asked, "what do you mean by that?"

Hearing Kai's interest, Agdar walked back to the door and explained, "Idunn and I, we searched every orphanage when we had enough money to take care of her. We wanted to do the right thing, but we couldn't find her."

"Is that true?" asked Gerda, suddenly feeling bad for the couple.

Idunn nodded. "Would you mind telling us were she was? Where did you find Elsa?" She had been wondering about that since she found out Elsa had been living with the Bjorgmans.

Gerda looked at her husband, silently asking if it was okay to tell them.

Kai shook his head and answered for his wife, "we adopted Elsa under special circumstances. All I can say is she was not living in a proper institution, if that's what you are asking."

"What?"

Kai looked at his watch once again and thought it wasn't the right time or place for that conversation. "I'm sorry. We really need to go."

Taking a card out of his wallet, Agdar said, "Here. This is my number. Please call me whenever you are available. We would really like to know where she was. It would help us understand a lot of things. Trust our word when we say we tried to find her."

"Or call if Elsa changes her mind and she wants to meet us," interrupted Idunn. "All we want to do is apologise and make amends."

Kai picked the card and nodded. He didn't mention it, but he was already thinking meeting them again was going to be necessary. "We will," he promised.


The weather outside and Elsa's limited movement didn't give the girls much options on what to do while they waited for Elsa's parents to come and pick them up. It was for that reason that they found themselves slouched on Elsa's couch talking about life.

Elsa had told Anna about her appointment in the hospital, and how she hoped for the cast to be removed that day. She was eager to start moving more freely and return to the way things were before the accident once again. They had then talked about Elsa's plan for the future, and what she wanted to do once her leg healed.

It was through this conversation that Anna found out Elsa's work wasn't just limited to the winter season like Anna had imagined. The mountain gave her and the rest of the people working there the chance to earn good money from winter sports almost all year long. Experienced skiers paid good money to those willing to show them the best natural slopes at the top of the mountain; and Elsa was one of the most trusted for that kind of work. The bad thing was the trails were too dangerous if you couldn't trust your body, and her leg needed to be in the best shape possible to be able to accompany experienced skiers.

Anna was surprised to find out Elsa knew the mountain like the back of her hand, and that she was - together with Marshall - one of the few who regularly climbed to the different mountain shelters to supply them with essential goods too.

"I had no idea you did something like that!" exclaimed Anna, surprised to find out Elsa was more adventurous than she had imagined. "So, you climb up there even during the winter?"

Elsa leaned forward and left the photo album she had been showing Anna on the coffee table. It had a few pictures of her and Marshall in the different shelters, and one of the first time she had reached the summit of the North mountain.

"We try to provide the shelters with everything they need before winter sets in. Marshall and I are experienced enough to climb in case something happens to those living in the shelters, but we avoid climbing during the coldest months. It's too dangerous."

"What about the people living there? Isn't it dangerous for them too?"

"They don't come out much during winter. Only if there's an emergency." Seeing Anna's confused expression she explained, "I know it sounds like they are risking their lives unnecessarily, but someone has to be up there in case something happens to hikers and skiers."

"Have you ever stayed in a shelter?" Anna was still amazed by the life the girl had chosen, and she wanted to know more about it.

"No, I haven't." She looked out the window in the direction of the highest peak. "I'd like to, but you need to live with someone for at least three months. I've never trusted my powers enough to do something like that."

"No one knows about your powers here?"

She shook her head. "No. Only my family, together with some policemen and doctors know. And now you, of course," she said smiling. "As far as I know, that's everyone."

"Policemen and doctors?" Anna thought it was logical someone besides her immediate family knew, but it was strange to think some policemen were involved.

"It's a long story. It has to do with how I came to live with the Bjorgmans," she answered. She didn't elaborate showing it was something she didn't want to discuss at the moment.

The younger girl understood her request and asked a different question, "What about Marshall? He looks like someone you trust."

Elsa smiled, she knew some question about the mountaineer was coming. She had, after all, told Anna some things about the times they'd climbed together. "I do trust him. We both know we can count on the other out there. But I'm afraid he wouldn't look at me the same way if I tell him." She looked at her hands for a moment and confessed, "the same happened with you. I wanted to stop lying and show you before, but the idea of people being afraid paralyses me. I'm still amazed you feel at ease around me."

"Well," she said, patting her hand. "I see the person you are. Not the powers." Anna then scratched her chin as she thought about Elsa's powers. "To be honest, I wish you could show me what you can do. You've only used them once in front of me."

"I told you I don't feel comfortable. And technically, I used them twice in front of you," clarified Elsa.

To this Anna opened her eyes in amazement. How Elsa had been able to use her powers in front of her and get away with it was a mystery to Anna.

Seeing her expression, she explained, "you didn't see me, but I used my powers to cushion the fall that day in the slope. I didn't anticipated there was going to be a massive rock in the place I landed though."

"Are you serious?"

She nodded. She had to admit it felt nice to tell Anna the truth about that day. She was always careful not to talk to much about the accident in fear of revealing something.

"Elsa…" Anna was astonished. She was finding out she could really have been dead if not for Elsa. "You really saved my life that day."

"I was going to use my powers as a last resource if I didn't get to you on time. Even if I freaked you out in the process." Elsa smiled sheepishly. "I know it sounds crazy, but there was something that pushed me to the limit that day. I couldn't have let you fall."

Both girls stayed in silence for a couple of minutes. Anna was still processing what Elsa had just confessed. She couldn't believe she had done something so brave that day, she chose to save her even if she knew she was putting her life - or her secret - at risk. A tender smile plastered on her face. "It's like you knew we were family from the start."

"What?"

"You said something pushed you to your limits. Don't you think that's it?" The idea was exciting to Anna. She had to admit she had felt a strange connection with Elsa from the start, and maybe the fact they were related could explain that feeling.

Not daring look at her, Elsa fixed her eyes on the table in front of her. "No, I- I don't think that's it."

"Why?" Anna's smile dropped.

Elsa glanced at Anna for a second before turning her attention to the table in front of her. She didn't know how to explain she still found it hard to accept they were related. She liked Anna and she enjoyed her company, but she couldn't find in her heart to accept Anna's family as her own. "I told you last night, I don't consider Agdar and Idunn my parents. As far as I am concerned, we are not part of the same family."

Anna tried not to take her words to heart, but it hurt to hear her say that. "You don't have to forgive our parents, but you have to accept we are family. What's the point of denying it?"

Suddenly standing up, Elsa picked the photo album from the table and crutched her way to the bookshelf on the opposite wall. "I don't want to talk about this."

"We'll need to address this at some point, Elsa." She wanted to help Elsa overcome her problems, but she thought the least she needed to do to begin healing was accept who she was. "Are you listening?" she asked, when she noticed Elsa was giving her the cold shoulder. Anna sighed, annoyed by Elsa's attitude, and focused her attention on the magazine in front of her. If Elsa wanted to ignore her, then so be it.

For the next minutes, both girls spent their time in complete silence. Anna reading the oldest and most boring magazine she had ever seen, while Elsa ordered and rearranged the books in her bookshelf. Anna glimpsed Elsa's back from time to time, trying to read what the girl was thinking, but it was useless.

Anna had no problem in keeping herself busy, but the silence was something she couldn't really stand. So after some time, she dared ask, "mind if I turn on the radio?"

"Be my guest," came Elsa's reply. She didn't sound angry or annoyed. But it was clear she still didn't want to talk.

Anna walked the room until she found the radio on the other side, opposite to where Elsa was standing. She had some trouble finding something good to listen to, but after a while she was able to tune in a radio with soft rock music playing. She returned to her place on the couch and continued reading. The music changed from an acoustic guitar melody to a different song after a while, and she soon felt drawn to the rhythm and the voice of the singer.

How much of my mother has my mother left in me?

How much of my love will be insane to some degree?

And what about this feeling that I'm never good enough?

Will it wash out in the water, or is it always in the blood?

She noticed Elsa drop a book, sigh in frustration and then struggle to pick it up as the first verse played. She was about to stand up and offer her some help, when Elsa reached it and in a sudden movement, she straightened up and threw the book directly at the radio. The song continued playing even after the book struck it and it fell to the ground.

Startled by what had just happened, Anna stood up in an instant. She couldn't believe Elsa had done something like that completely out of the blue. She raised her hands in front of her in case Elsa chose her as her next target. "Hey, what are you doing?" she asked, still astounded.

"I- I can't- It's that stupid song!" replied Elsa. She looked angered, frustrated. She rested her back on the bookshelf and let herself slide to the floor. She put her head in her hands as she explained, "it's been on repeat for a week already. I can't stand it!"

Not knowing what to say or do, Anna walked to the radio and picked it up, putting it back on its table. She turned the volume down enough for only her to hear, and she continued listening.

How much like my brothers, do my brothers wanna be?

Does a broken home become another broken family?

Or will we be there for each other, like nobody ever could?

Will it wash out in the water, or is it always in the blood?

I can feel love the I want, I can feel the love I need

But it's never gonna come the way I am-

She turned the music down, and walked back to where Elsa was sitting. Anna believed she understood why Elsa didn't particularly liked the song. The lyrics did seem to be mocking her in a way. Nevertheless, she thought it was ridiculous to lash out on the poor radio like that. Whatever was going on in her head was not going to solve in that way. She sat on the coffee table, resting her arms on her knees and leaned in closer to Elsa. "It's just a song, Elsa."

"I know," she admitted in defeat. She let go of her head and looked at Anna in the eyes. "How can it have such an effect on me? I hate feeling like this."

Anna noticed then Elsa looked a lot more tired. Almost defeated. Gone was the composed girl she had been talking to mere minutes before. Anna's heart ached for whatever had gone through her head in such a short period of time. Trying to make Elsa see the good side of the song, she tried, "that's the beauty of music, isn't it? It allows us to feel things. Even when we want to ignore our feelings."

"It messes with my head." She let a tired breath escape her lips, and hid her face in her hands once again.

"Maybe it messes with your head," she poked Elsa's head to stress her point, "because you are not letting yourself talk about the way you feel."

Elsa stayed silent for some time trying to make sense of what Anna was telling her. She wondered if it was possible to feel better if she just let herself talk about her worries. She looked at Anna and noticed she was patiently waiting for her to say something. "I'm afraid my family won't see me the same way anymore," she confessed. "I fear I may lose my family now that your parents showed up."

"Why would that happen?" Even if she tried, Anna couldn't make sense of what Elsa was saying.

She built up her courage and said, "I've been nothing but trouble for Kai and Gerda since they took me in. Maybe they'll follow your parents' example, and see they are better off without me."

"Elsa…"

"And I can't trust your parents," she interrupted. She didn't want to stop now that she had finally voiced her fear. "Not the way I trust Kai and Gerda... What if I end up alone again?"

Anna hurried to answer her question before Elsa's brain jumped to another absurd conclusion. "Finding out who you are - and where you come from - shouldn't change anything, Elsa. It doesn't work that way." She took her hand in hers and said, "you won't end up alone. They love you."

Elsa didn't meet Anna's eyes, letting her see she didn't believe that to be true.

"Hey," said Anna kneeling in front of her. "Listen to me. They do. Right now they are worrying they may lose you. Kristoff said so to me the other day."

"Why?"

"Because you won't talk to them. And they don't know what's going on in here." She poked her forehead once again. "You're just so frightened of losing your family, you keep pushing them away; and me too. You won't heal if you keep hiding from everyone who's ready to help you."

She built up her courage and looked at Anna once again. "I really don't want to push you away. But I can't call you my sister yet. I'm sorry."

Anna smiled at her comment. She could see the guilt written on her face, like she was actually trying to change the way she saw her. She felt she had been a little unfair with Elsa by trying to push her on that matter. Thinking it was best to just accept her friendship for the time being, she replied, "don't worry about it." She moved and sat down, resting her back on the bookshelf next to her.

After some minutes in silence, Elsa thought it was only fair to ask Anna how she was feeling. She had been so focused on her pain she hadn't stopped to think about her. "Aren't you afraid your family won't ever be the same after this?"

Anna, being caught by surprise, thought her answer for some time. Things had seemed bleak for Anna too. However, even if she had cried herself to sleep, and she had blamed her parents for the lies; she hadn't let her fears control her life. She had simply chosen to make everything in her power to keep her family together.

She thought the best thing to do was be sincere with Elsa. "No, I'm not," she smiling. "Deep down I know that if we can overcome this, then we'll become stronger. I trust in my parents."

"They lied to you." Elsa didn't want to remind Anna of her parents' mistakes, but her trust was something she couldn't comprehend.

"Yes, they did," she agreed. "But I think they did it to protect me in some way… So, I trust their word when they say they loved you and they tried to do the right thing."

"I don't know if I'll ever be able to trust your parents."

She found Elsa's eyes once again and said, "you don't have to trust them. But I will, okay? For both of us."


On their way to the North mountain, Gerda noticed Kai was more distracted than usual. He wasn't really paying attention to their conversation. He seemed to be only focused on the road, and whatever was in his mind. It called her attention since he rarely got lost in his thoughts like that.

"Kai, are you okay?" she asked when she saw him frown for the third time. "You've been quiet since we left home."

"Do you think it's true?"

"What?"

"What Agdar and Idunn said…" He looked at Gerda. "Do you think they tried to find Elsa?"

"I don't know," answered Gerda, thinking about what the couple had said at their place. "I hope it is. It'd mean they actually cared." She thought it was weird he was worried for something like that. "Why?"

"At first, I thought they hadn't tried to contact Elsa since the day they abandoned her." He began explaining. "But, what if what they claim is true? What if they did try to find her? Wouldn't that prove that Weselton purposely made Elsa go missing?"

"Kai…" said Gerda in a warning tone. She remembered a promised he had made long ago. "After Weselton's sentence you promised you were not going to work on his case anymore." She remembered clearly Kai sitting down to talk with Elsa. "What's more important, you promised Elsa it was all over."

"I know what I promised," he knew she was not going to like what he was thinking. It was the main reason he had been so quiet. "But at the time I didn't imagine her parents were alive. This changes everything." He looked at the road to make sure it was safe, before looking at Gerda once again. "If we can prove the Arendelles were looking for her, then Weselton's defence won't make any sense."

"Kai, enough," she begged.

Suddenly feeling exasperated, he said, "Elsa didn't found justice in that trial. He was convicted for his medical crimes, yes. But the justice didn't even consider Elsa's case."

"We already went through this. There was a reason why we followed the prosecutor's advice and we didn't get Elsa involved years ago. It was for her own good, remember?"

He did remember, and he knew it had been for the best at the time. But now they had more information about Elsa's past. Maybe they could find a way of helping Elsa find justice and closure. He needed to talk with Agdar and Idunn about Elsa's childhood and find out if they knew more about Weselton than just his name. After all, they had mentioned his name the night Elsa lost control of her powers.

Gerda noticed the expression on his face, and realised he was still thinking about digging into the past. Hoping he was going to listen to her, she said, "Elsa's been trying to bury the past. This won't help her."

"I won't get Elsa involved in any of this. I promise."

Gerda dropped the subject when she noticed they had reached the base of the mountain. In a few minutes they were going to meet Elsa, and she didn't want to be discussing when they did. She made a mental note to talk with Kai once they were on their own again.


The song lyrics belong to John Mayer – "In the blood"

Thank you all for the reviews!