For a few moments, all anyone could hear were the chirping of crickets.
In the far distance, you could see a hint of pinks and reds brightening up the sky.
A hint of yellow was just peeking over the horizon, as if the sun was edging its head around the corner somewhere in a shy manner. For once, both human and troll were oblivious to the beauty of nature as they glared at one another.
Elsa couldn't help feeling embittered.
Even as she battled feelings of shock and disbelief.
Like Anna-unbeknownst to her-Elsa felt like her entire life was a lie. Her parents used her as an excuse to justify their neglect towards her sister. Agnarr and Iduna repeatedly took both sisters to Grand Pabbie so that he could not only alter or remove their memories, but implant vile spells in their minds. She started to tremble.
Like the time she ventured too deep into Ahtohallan before she was ready.
Automatically, Elsa rubbed at her arms in a reflexive manner.
Not only was she kept far away from her sister, Grand Pabbie carefully and meticulously manipulated her fears. All in a bid to keep her under control, to keep her locked in her chambers. Why did he do such a horrible thing?
It was due to fear of her powers.
Of what she MIGHT do.
Elsa was also furious over Anna's behalf. Poor Anna was sad and confused as she was either ignored by her family or pushed away. She had no idea why they were under quarantine.
Out of fear of hurting her, Elsa pushed her away.
But that left Anna with NO ONE on her side.
Unless you counted the portraits, she thought bitterly to herself. Elsa couldn't remember feeling this angry in her life. She thought she was furious when she had that unexpected argument with Anna. Elsa suppressed a rude snort.
That argument was a temper tantrum compared to how she felt now.
Sixteen years, she thought.
Grand Pabbie stole SIXTEEN YEARS of life away from both sisters. Elsa wasted away in her room for nothing. Imprisoned by her fears. Traumatized over hurting her sister. Anna herself was neglected and ignored, unable to understand what was happening.
As no one would tell her anything.
Something else happened to Elsa before she confronted Grand Pabbie.
Ahtohallan restored her completely. It was one thing to witness what memories were suppressed, it was quite another to remember them entirely. If it wasn't for Ahtohallan, Elsa wouldn't be able to know what was true or false.
Real or fake.
She knew Anna would feel the same way when-not if-she learned the truth.
Elsa felt like so much was stolen from them, it wasn't even funny. It was bad enough Grand Pabbie was guilty of manipulating the sisters so much. But this happened with their parents' full cooperation and somewhat eager, almost manic, participation.
The worst part was, if Grand Pabbie hadn't interfered, Elsa would have been able to gain control over her abilities with Anna's help and encouragement over time.
Her sister was the one who encouraged her to experiment, to see what she could do.
So much grief and tragedy would have been avoided.
As if that wasn't bad enough, they weren't the only victims. Kristoff was raised by the trolls ever since he was young. That meant he was under their sphere of influence for years. Even worse, Grand Pabbie made sure this happened deliberately.
Which was why he never prevented the deaths of his human parents.
Then, Grand Pabbie warped Hans' completely until he was unrecognizable.
Hans was little more than Grand Pabbie's puppet as he tried to kill Elsa, Anna and take over Arendelle in the process. Then Grand Pabbie manipulated his brothers so that a violent civil war would engulf the Southern Isles.
One would wonder how a war could cause so much damage so fast.
Well, when you had TWELVE brothers jockeying for a throne, it could get ugly.
Elsa knew that Grand Pabbie used Krig to manipulate his brothers. A delayed reaction spell which would activate upon contact. All of them were manipulated into doing this war.
The wives and children were targeted for slaughter.
Grand Pabbie was THAT determined to weaken the Southern Isles.
"What can you possibly say or do to justify yourself?"
"Everything I've done has been for the Great- OW!"
Apparently, Grand Pabbie had clean forgotten about Elsa's earlier threat.
This time, she had no intention of bluffing. Her latest burst of ice magic sent him backwards several feet.
Grand Pabbie disgusted her. Apparently, he was going to use (his version) of the Greater Good as an umbrella excuse to justify all of his decisions, all of his vile actions to date. Elsa could see that he felt some twisted form of regret for his actions.
But he wouldn't apologize for them.
Even though he had good intentions, his methods left much to be desired.
"You claim you've done everything in the name of Arendelle." Elsa said.
"Yes." Grand Pabbie managed to nod.
"But what about Kristoff?" Elsa demanded. "How come you didn't save his parents?"
"Kristoff will understand." Grand Pabbie said with insufferable smugness.
"How?" Elsa threw up her hands. Neither realized how much time has passed. Elsa spent far too much time either glaring at Grand Pabbie in a staring contest or being lost in her thoughts. The same, ironically enough, could be said for the troll elder.
They didn't realize it, but it was mid morning.
Elsa didn't notice as her stomach started to growl with hunger.
"Why do you think?" Grand Pabbie said as if he were talking to a slowwitted child in a tone of voice that was guaranteed to make her bristle. "I raised him. We trolls gave him love, clothing, shelter and affection. I taught him how to rule with compassion, diplomacy and decency. Besides, who is he going to believe? The father who raised him, or the former queen of Arendelle who abandoned her home and family so that she could frolic in the Forest?"
Elsa bristled even more at his choice of words-no doubt intended to deliberately provoke her-and looked ready to explode.
"Want to bet?"
However, it wasn't Elsa who asked that question.
Agnarr was about to continue, when he noticed Iduna's pale expression.
"Iduna? Honey, what's the matter?" He was quick to embrace her.
For several minutes, Iduna didn't answer. She stared at the floor, focusing on nothing in particular as she snuggled into her husband's chest. As usual, she drew strength from the feel of his arms around her, even though they'd been deceased for years.
She still couldn't believe it.
How her family seemed to intertwine with Agnarr's.
Iduna had few memories of her mother. Vaettir was busy with his myriad duties as the leader of their tribe. Her care primarily came from Volva. She was a very loving woman.
She was very kind.
But there seemed to be an eternal sadness in her blue eyes.
Her eyes were what Iduna remembered most. They were the color of a cloudless blue sky. But they were haunted, as if she witnessed things that were better left unseen. While Volva loved her only child, she was a rather secretive woman.
There was much her parents refused to tell her.
Even the circumstances surrounding Volva's death remained a mystery.
One day, she was out gathering herbs with her fellow healer and apprentice, Laeknir. They frequently traveled into the Enchanted Forest for herbs. Sometimes, the trips could last for days or weeks at a time.
So, no one thought anything of it when her mother didn't return right away.
Then, two weeks after her mother left, Iduna's maternal uncles found her body.
No one would tell Iduna how she and Laeknir had died. Their bodies were discovered next to each other while her uncles were on a hunting trip. Father locked himself in his hut and wouldn't emerge for over a month.
His brother, Ivor, took over as temporary leader.
Iduna's care was left to Volva's younger sister, Anna.
The very same aunt that her daughter was named after.
Iduna quickly learned not to ask about her mother.
It was a sore subject and Father would deliberately talk about something else. For as long as she could remember, Iduna was haunted by questions in regards to her mother's fate.
She was only five when Volva and Laeknir were killed.
"Volva was my mother." Iduna admitted after a lengthy silence.
Agnarr stiffened even as he tightened his embrace and rubbed soothing circles on his wife's back. No wonder Iduna reacted so badly upon learning the name of the Northuldran seeress who outlined his fate. He couldn't believe how intertwined their families were.
"Iduna, I'm so sorry." Agnarr said.
"It's okay." Iduna sniffled. "You didn't know."
"Do you...want to hear about Anna's prophecy?" Agnarr asked.
"Not now." Iduna said. "Just hold me."
"Okay." Agnarr was privately relieved. It wasn't just that he was struggling with his lingering anger and resentment-albeit undeserved-towards Anna. And he wasn't merely dealing with belated guilt over how he treated her over the years.
Nor it was shock that Anna was more important than he realized.
In fact, her destiny was just as vital as Elsa's.
No, it's what happened AFTER Volva left as soon as she relayed the prophecies.
FLASHBACK
Runeard quickly did damage control as soon as Volva was gone.
He made it clear that no one was to speak of the prophecies.
Or they would face instant execution.
The same would be said of any idiot who spread rumors about his father.
Runeard was quick to assure the people that Volva was spouting vicious lies about his father. Deep down, he knew she was correct. But Arendelle couldn't afford the truth of his father getting revealed to the public. Or he would face a bloody civil war. Or a bloody revolt, for that matter.
Not exactly an endearing legacy to leave to his son.
And he would also worry for the safety of his wife and family.
Then, he started to pace restlessly like a lion in a cage as soon as they were alone. Agnarr was left to his new nanny, Elska. Skirr was trying-and failing-to calm her husband.
For once, she couldn't succeed.
Runeard was too wound up.
Just as he was moving on with his life, the Northuldra invaded his life once more. As if that wasn't bad enough, his son would sire two daughters that were Children of Prophecy.
Volva made it clear that his son would marry some Northuldran savage.
Runeard wanted nothing to do with the people who took his parents away from him.
Volva warned that it didn't matter what Runeard said or did. The unity of the Arendellian royal line and that of the Northuldra was fated to happen. Runeard dithered over what he should do. He didn't want his son and heir tied to those murdering bastards.
But he was afraid of invoking another curse that would make things worse for Arendelle.
Who knew what other powers Volva had?
"Please stop Runeard, you're giving me a headache." Skirr said.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. But I don't want Agnarr marrying a Northuldran!"
"Runeard, I don't like it anymore than you do." Skirr said. "But remember Hefnd's curse. We must think about our son. I don't want to risk another curse coming to Arendelle."
"I know." Runeard said. "But I fear the daughters he's going to produce."
"You believe the eldest will have powers over ice and snow?" Skirr asked.
"I don't know." Runeard admitted. "But she was right about my sickly brother. It was a secret that only Mother, Father and I knew about. Not even the doctors were aware. The one doctor who DID know met with an 'untimely' accident so that no one would learn the truth."
"What are you going to do?" Skirr asked.
Before Runeard could answer, a servant came to remind Skirr that she was due for tea and crumpets with the English ambassador's wife. Runeard was secretly grateful his wife was busy. He knew she would object to what he was planning.
It would have to be done carefully, of course.
Nothing could connect him to the plot.
But he refused to let his son marry one of the Northuldra. Nor would his sons produce daughters who were capable of wielding foul magicks that were an affront against nature. His granddaughters would be nothing but subhuman abominations as far as he was concerned. In fact, he wouldn't let his son father pathetic, weakling daughters that would only infect the royal line. No, his son would beget a prince, a proper heir of his own.
Runeard would arrange a proper marriage for his son.
Fortunately, he could swear his wife to secrecy.
As long as no one spoke of the prophecies, the rumors would peter away into nothing. Runeard would pretend he didn't hear a thing. In fact, Runeard considered them to be little more than vicious lies. Lies that would never come to fruition or see the light of day.
Especially when Volva was...taken care of.
END FLASHBACK
Agnarr inwardly shook his head.
His father was a fool.
All he did was EXPEDITE the prophecies when he murdered Iduna's father. Iduna would rescue him and they would escape the Enchanted Forest with Gale's help.
Before the accursed mists swallowed the forest whole.
Iduna stayed with him at the palace.
Slowly but surely, they fell in love with each other as the years passed. Just as Volva predicted, he and Iduna produced two daughters. Unfortunately, they focused on only one daughter, at the expense of the other.
Agnarr knew that he would eventually have to tell Iduna the truth.
It would only give her more reason to loathe his father.
Well, she could join the club. Agnarr was shocked and disgusted at how low Father went to achieve his ends. Of course, he made his own mistakes, he had to admit.
Imprisoning one daughter.
Ignoring and neglecting the other.
But Runeard was THAT determined to make sure that he didn't marry Iduna. However, Agnarr knew that in some ways, he was like his father. He would have been determined to hurt Anna-or get rid of her, at the very least-if Iduna died after giving birth to her.
Like father, like son, he mused bitterly to himself...
Volva and Laeknir watched, relieved, as the glow eventually died down.
Anna was finally whole.
They were too busy exchanging relieved glances to take note of what was happening in Anna's hair. More specifically, the streak of white amidst the sea of red.
Just above the white strands of hair, another was beginning to form.
But this wasn't red or white. It was brown.
In the Enchanted Forest, the image of a giant snowflake appeared in the sky.
One of the colored diamond-shaped stones, in one of the panels of the snowflake, flashed several times. The earth giants roared in response.