Buried Anger-Repost

by skyjadeprincess

Just to gather all chapters into one story.

38. Chapter 38

Gerda slowly opened the door to the queen's bedchamber.

She poked her head in and briefly raised her eyes to the ceiling in acute annoyance.

She knew Princess Elsa and Kristoff were worried about Anna, but they have been in this bloody bedroom for hours! As if that wasn't bad enough, they were snoring away when the queen could wake up at any moment.

As if to confirm her suspicions they were here too long, their stomachs began growling.

Clucking her tongue in disapproval, Gerda approached Elsa first.

The Fifth Spirit's sleep was clearly restless as she moved around in her chair and muttered unintelligible things under her breath. Gerda glanced over her shoulder to assess Kristoff's condition.

Curiously enough, he was suffering the same state.

Realizing she would need help, Gerda exited the room and summoned Kai and her sister.

Kai worked on awakening Kristoff while Gerda and Dagmar struggled with the princess. "Struggled" was definitely the operative word as both of them protested, flailing their arms and attempting to fight them off.

As if they were fighting something in their dreams.

What utter stuff and nonsense, Gerda thought.

Finally, she shook Elsa awake. The princess started, accidentally sending them flying back a few feet with a (thankfully) weak icy blast as she instinctively started to defend herself.

Poor Kai wasn't as lucky.

Kristoff decked him with a wicked right hook.

As if THAT wasn't bad enough, Kristoff and Elsa leapt to their feet in a defensive crouch after their eyes (belatedly) opened. Elsa had her hands raised, clearly prepared to unleash another icy attack.

Kristoff was positioning his hands as if he were carrying a sword and shield.

Awkward silence filled the air.

Gerda and Dagmar were still on the floor, trying to recover from the shock of being attacked. Kai looked both annoyed and concerned as he rubbed his throbbing cheek. Kristoff and Elsa were still prepared to fight. Thankfully, the confusion was slowly starting to fade from their eyes as they regained their senses.

They glanced around the bedroom in confusion, as if they had never seen the queen's bedchamber before.

Kristoff glanced down at his hands like they were alien.

Elsa did the same with her own as it was obvious she couldn't understand why she was prepared to unleash her powers again. Belatedly, they realized their audience. They blushed furiously in embarrassment after realizing what had happened. Almost comedically, Elsa clasped her hands behind her back and scuffed at the carpet with her bare foot. She acted the same when she accidentally broke a vase after she turned five and lost control over her powers. Kristoff was just as bad as he grimaced and sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.

Gerda regained her senses and slowly rose to her feet.

Dagmar followed suit.

Before Elsa or Kristoff could apologize, Gerda took control. She overrode Elsa's protests and forcibly escorted the princess to her old chambers. She could understand why Elsa was worried about her sister.

But she had been in Anna's room for hours.

She clearly needed a bath and something to eat.

Gerda had her sister fetch something from the kitchens while summoning maids to have a fire and a bath prepared. Thankfully, she didn't have to help Elsa get undressed.

Clearly, there were advantages to being the Fifth Spirit.

In other words, she just magicked her dress and cape away.

Thankfully, the servants at the palace were well trained. Elsa (prudently) went behind a changing screen while male servants brought in a tub. With practiced ease, a maid got the fire going while a small train of her fellow servants followed through with buckets of steaming water in their hands.

Soon, the tub was filled.

It wasn't long before Gerda and Elsa were the only ones in the room.

Dagmar returned with Elsa's meal. Elsa was only given enough time to eat her small meal before she was ushered into the tub as if she were still a child. Gerda didn't give her any time to protest.

She went through this with her own stubborn children and grandchildren.

Elsa was going to get clean whether she liked it or not!

---

Honeymaren grumbled unintelligibly under her breath as she headed for the river. First, her scheme to lure Elsa away from her sister kept failing. For some reason, the Fifth Spirit wasn't responding eagerly to her summons like she would have in the past. Second, her family just HAD to pick today to annoy her as well.

Her grandmother was hosting some grand feast and needed her to fetch some water.

Didn't her grandmother understand the fate of the world was at stake? Ginnarr was their only hope who stood even a ghost of a chance against Anna should be the Queen of Arendelle ever go rogue.

Honeymaren shuddered at the thought.

Anna was more dangerous than people knew.

But she couldn't afford to tip her hand. She couldn't let on that she was more than a simple villager from an equally simple Northuldran tribe. Don't get her wrong, she loved her home and the forest.

But there were times she felt her people were a trifle...backward.

People would no doubt think her insane.

After all, Elsa was the one with snow and ice powers. For years, she was a danger to others as well as herself. Anna was supposed to be an ordinary young woman who wouldn't hurt a fly.

But she was, no, IS dangerous.

Far more than people realize.

Honeymaren honestly regretted her role in what Anna and Elsa suffered. She knew they could have found a better way to help Anna control her (dormant) powers. At the time, it had seemed necessary.

Powers ran amongst the various Northuldran lines.

Like most people in her family, Honeymaren was a seer.

She would get frequent nightmares of the war to come. She would be haunted by visions of bloody battles, the destroyed landscape, the blackened sky as humanity and a bunch of demonic soldiers fought for dominance in one violent and horrific clash after another...

If only her visions ended there.

She would also get visions of the younger Arendellian princess.

Honeymaren's visions and nightmares got worse as soon as Anna was born. She fought the urge to run to the river and scrub at her skin until it turned as red as a lobster. Anna was capable of going in EITHER direction. It was almost scary, considering what was hidden beneath Anna's seemingly innocent facade. It was her fault, too. She helped Grand Pabbie turn both sisters into pawns for her twisted schemes.

Like Grand Pabbie, she had good intentions.

But then she recalled the saying about what the road to hell was paved with.

Suppressing a sigh, Honeymaren reached the river and knelt down at the bank. Before she could lower the bucket, she froze. She was soon in the grips of a vision.

She closed her eyes and started to concentrate.

Her bucket forgotten.

---

"I'm so sorry, Kai."

"Just get in the tub."

Sheepishly, Kristoff complied and climbed into the steaming tub. He already ate previously. Kristoff had protested, but he didn't realize how hungry he was until his stomach growled. He stoically endured it as the male servants started to scrub his hair and skin. In the past, he would protest.

Insisting he could do it himself.

But Kai would override his objections and remind him he would soon be part of the royal family.

This made Kristoff EXTREMELY uncomfortable. He became accustomed to doing things himself for so long, especially when he only had Sven and the rock trolls for company.

Kristoff wasn't ashamed of being an ice harvester and commoner.

Being a noble wasn't in the cards for him.

Still, he would tolerate the quirks and foibles of the aristocracy, if only to please his future bride. Thankfully, Anna and Elsa weren't spoiled brats like the insipid debutantes of the imperial court.

Kristoff shuddered.

He would rather go out and break his back trying to haul more blocks of ice than entertain those idiots. Every time he TRIED to talk to them, he felt like he was losing his intelligence one bit at a time.

Kai stood in the corner, pressing a makeshift icepack to his bruised cheek as the servants roughly scrubbed the future King of Arendelle clean. It gave him a small sliver of pleasure to see Kristoff so uncomfortable. Call him petty, but that would teach the future monarch to deck him in the face!

Finally, Kristoff was clean.

He decided to lay back and reflect on his dream.

He frowned. Try as he might, he couldn't even remember his dream. At first, the images were as clear as day, but now they were fragments. Falling through his fingers like grains of sand at the beach or a desert.

The more he tried to remember, the less he could recall.

All he could remember was feeling shock and betrayal.

At least it was only a dream. Kristoff regretted punching Kai in the face, but the attack was reflexive and instinctual more than anything else. He truly felt like his life was in danger.

As if he were fighting something.

Judging from Elsa's reactions, she suffered from a similar nightmare.

Kristoff idly trailed his fingers in the water. As much as he wanted to dismiss the dream as mere fragments of his imagination, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

That there was more to the dream than the fanciful imaginings of the mind.

Still, try as he might, he could not remember a Single. Damn. Thing!

He took a deep breath to calm down. He wouldn't do Anna any good if he ranted and raved like a three year old having a temper tantrum. Kristoff would also never admit it, but it felt good to be clean again.

He hadn't realized how long it's been since his last bath.

Kristoff grimaced.

The maids already took his rank clothing off to be washed. If he was going to be honest, he hadn't slept properly or functioned normally in days. Even when Anna pretended that all was well, Kristoff had worried about her, albeit at a subconscious level. He could only hope and pray that Anna and Elsa made up.

Kristoff frowned.

Why did that sentence send a chill up and down his spine?

---

"Oh Elsa, just because you live in the Enchanted Forest doesn't mean you forego basic decorum from the civilized world. Like it or not, you are HUMAN. Thusly, you bathe just like everyone else."

"Great." Elsa thought sourly to herself. She grimaced as one of the maids scrubbed vigorously at her hair. "I'm the Fifth Spirit, the bridge between humanity and magic. I unfreeze Arendelle, tame three of the Elemental Spirits and save my former kingdom from getting destroyed via a deluge of water after the dam is destroyed." She winced as another maid started roughly washing her arm. "I'm twenty four years old and a former princess and queen of Arendelle. Yet Gerda still scolds me like a child with its hand caught in a cookie jar!"

Still, she was rather grateful to Gerda.

She didn't realize how dirty and unclean she felt until Gerda sent for a bath.

Elsa frowned as she hugged her knees to her chest. WHY she felt dirty and unclean was strange to her. She clearly remembered bathing in one of the streams the Nokk had found in the Enchanted Forest the other day.

But she couldn't deny that taking a bath with HOT water felt good.

It was odd, but the sensation of feeling dirty and polluted wouldn't leave her.

She couldn't help thinking about her dream. She didn't mean to attack Gerda, Dagmar and Kai like that. But she had instinctively felt like her life was in danger. She was definitely in "fight or flight" mode after Gerda woke her so abruptly. Elsa couldn't explain it, but she felt like her life was in danger at that moment.

Judging from Kristoff's reaction, he had a similar dream.

Not to mention experience.

Elsa made a face as Gerda ordered her to unfurl her body so that the maids could wash the rest of her skin. But she wasn't in the mood to be scolded like a recalcitrant child a second time.

Wisely, she complied.

Her mind returned to her dream.

Unknowingly, like Kristoff, she couldn't remember a damn thing. It was like trying to grasp a wet stone one-handed. For the life of her, she couldn't remember what she was so scared about.

All she knew was that she was fighting something.

She also felt a keen sense of shock and betrayal.

As much as she wanted to dismiss her dreams as mere fragments of her imagination, something told her it would be dangerous if she ignored it. Elsa learned over the years to heed her instincts.

Especially in the Enchanted Forest.

Why did she feel like someone betrayed her?

Someone she knew.

Someone she thought she could trust absolutely.

Finally, they finished scrubbing her clean. Elsa couldn't help wincing as she took in how dirty the water was. Maybe bathing in rivers and streams wasn't such a good idea after all.

The maids helped her to her feet and toweled her dry.

Elsa returned to the changing screen as the male servants entered to take the tub away.

She was about to use her magic to recreate her dress when she felt a sudden pain in her head, ribs and back. Elsa fell to her knees, clamping her hand over her mouth as she didn't want to worry Gerda.

---

Kristoff shook it off and got out of the tub when the water started to turn cold.

The servants toweled him dry.

He nodded his thanks when one of the servants presented him with another version of his usual outfit. Even after all this time, it still felt odd, being waited upon. He didn't like the feeling.

Kristoff preferred being independent and doing things himself.

Again, he had to remind himself he had better get used to it as he was marrying Anna.

Kristoff headed for the changing screen. It was quite ironic, really. If Kristoff were among the trolls, his fellow ice harvesters or a bunch of men in a bathhouse, he wouldn't think twice of walking around naked or changing in front of them. But he strangely gets shy about changing in front of the servants!

It didn't make any sense.

Then again, maybe it did.

Once he married Anna, they would become his official servants. Kristoff wanted to marry Anna, don't get him wrong on that score. But he still felt intimidated at the prospect of becoming king.

No doubt Iduna felt the same way about becoming queen.

What did he know about ruling a country?

Of course, he would defer to Anna if the occasion called for it. He didn't want to become her lord and master as most marriages would dictate. He would prefer if their marriage was a partnership.

He wanted them to be equals.

Kristoff knew they would need to have a major discussion after Anna woke up.

But that could wait. He knew that Elsa and Anna needed to hash things out before anyone could move forward. He knew Anna inside and out. This would literally eat her alive until she confronted this head-on.

Suppressing a sigh, Kristoff reached for his tunic after going behind the changing screen.

Then he fell to his knees, wrapping his arms around his stomach in an instinctive gesture.

Ironically enough, just like Elsa, he clamped a hand over his mouth to avoid crying out. It was all he could do to stifle his screams of pain as it felt like Bruni was lighting a huge bonfire in his belly.

What was going on!?

---

Jord glanced up sharply.

She chanced a quick glance at Anna.

Fortunately, her student had her eyes closed as she sat on the floor, trying to meditate. Anna, indeed, had come a long way. She was a quick learner when it came to controlling her visions and empathic abilities. Once again, she cursed Agnarr and Iduna for making her feel so inferior and stupid.

What happened with Hans certainly didn't do her self esteem any favors.

But Anna was just as formidable and intelligent as her sister.

Jord returned her focus to the problem at hand. She reached out mentally and paled, her "skin" becoming lighter than Elsa's hair. She knew that Kristoff and Elsa dreamed of a possible future at the same time.

But how?

Neither of them were seers or dreamwalkers.

Quickly, she reached out with her powers and tried to create a mental link to their minds. She knew it was vitally important that they remember their dreams. Unfortunately, a powerful force was interfering.

Something told her Ginnarr wasn't responsible.

Despite her best efforts, Kristoff and Elsa wouldn't remember their dreams anytime soon.

Fortunately, Jord wasn't without her own resources. She was just as stubborn as this unseen force as they played a tug of war of sorts. Unfortunately, the mysterious entity won for the most part.

But there was nothing stopping Elsa and Kristoff from remembering in the future.

She also didn't like how this unknown party was attacking the pair.

She reached out once more and tried to lessen their pain as best she could. Jord couldn't help hoping the entity didn't have a part to play in the war to come. Ginnarr was bad enough.

Whoever or whatever this was, they were extremely powerful.

But why would they send those visions of the future?

Jord shuddered. There was much she had yet to reveal to her charge. If she had her way, Anna would never find out. But she had several possible futures, depending upon her choices.

While Anna and Elsa had potential in the magical arts, the former would become far more powerful.

It also didn't help that Anna had huge potential in various areas of magic.

Out of all of Hefnd's descendants, Anna took after her great-grandmother the most when it came to power and potential. The world, nay the universe, could not afford for Anna to become evil.

Even Ginnarr wouldn't be able to stop her.

It was why it was so vital that Anna be trained.

She had to repair her bond with her sister. The sisters were more formidable when they were united, not divided, bitter and lost. Jord didn't like the implications of Elsa and Kristoff's dreams.

She hasn't foreseen this.

Which meant Ahtohallan itself was caught off guard.

It served as a bitter reminder that while Jord was powerful, she was not infallible. Jord would never be so arrogant as to presume that she was omniscient. But she couldn't afford to make a single mistake.

Especially with the war coming in a matter of months.

"Jord?"

Jord stiffened.

As if determined to prove that Jord didn't know everything, she didn't sense when Anna came to after her latest meditation session. Anna had a concerned yet determined expression on her face.

Jord managed to paste a weak smile on her face.

Judging from the expression on Anna's face, she wasn't impressed, much less fooled. Clearly, those days were over.

"What's wrong?" Anna asked.

"Nothing, Anna." Jord said. "Let's try another lesson."

"No, something is wrong." Anna insisted. She rose to her full height, threw back her shoulders and instinctively cloaked herself with imperial hauteur as she stared at Jord. She was through being the last person to know what was going on. She had her fill of that during her nonexistent childhood. Jord couldn't help feeling unnerved as she felt the full weight of Anna's royal stare.

"Please Anna, it's nothing." Jord said.

"Don't lie to me." Anna hissed. "I can feel your worry and tension."

Jord stifled a curse. While it was commendable that Anna advanced so far in her training, her success could equally be considered a double-edged sword. It was obvious that Anna wouldn't be swayed by lies, omissions and attempts to change the subject. Her secretive childhood has clearly left its mark.

Not for the first time, she cursed Agnarr and Iduna for their idiotic decisions and mistreatment of their daughters. Jord gave Anna a sad smile. "I'm sorry, Anna. But I cannot tell you."

"Let me guess." Anna deadpanned. "The Powers That Be?"

"Yes." Jord admitted.

Scoffing, Anna sat down and motioned for Jord to begin their next lesson. Jord winced, knowing that Anna had lost some trust in her. She didn't blame Anna for resenting being kept in the dark.

But she couldn't know how vulnerable she was until she started training in how to use magic.

At least Kristoff and Elsa weren't being attacked anymore.

---

Ofund glared at the back of her so-called husband.

Evighet was heading for their chambers to gaze into the Enchanted Mirror.

No doubt he was going to pine after his pathetic, mortal whore, Ofund thought acidly as she whirled around on her foot. She refused to take this insult lying down. She couldn't take it anymore.

She was going to get rid of that bitch.

Prophecy or not.

She briefly debated whether she should have her useless tag-a-long/underling, Nótt, to start the ball rolling by sending nightmares Anna's way. Unfortunately, Nótt was mediating a minor dispute between his underlings. Besides, mental torture wouldn't be nearly enough to satisfy Ofund's bitterness.

No, Anna needed to suffer in every way possible.

But she had to make sure it wasn't traced back to her.

Ofund knew that she had to tread carefully. Evighet had spies everywhere and she refused to underestimate her brother-in-law. For some reason, Ginnarr was equally obsessed with the mortal whore.

It didn't make any sense to Ofund.

She was just a worthless mortal, worth less than the dirt in her fingernails!

Somehow, Anna kept on attracting male attention right and left. Personally, Ofund couldn't understand what anyone saw in her. Anna wasn't beautiful. She wasn't smart. Her powers were small and pathetic in comparison to her sister's. But somehow, someway, she had no trouble attracting the opposite sex.

Even among Ofund's kin.

Including her husband.

With Nótt being as useless as usual, Ofund decided to pay a visit to Víðarr, the Elder God of Vengeance. Like her underling, Víðarr was already trying to get between her legs.

Ofund shuddered.

As if she would entertain such unattractive gods.

But they were devoted to her and would do anything she asked. As a result, she was willing to humor their squalid, trivial lusts and pretend they had a chance with her. Ofund tossed her hair over her shoulder in a disdainful manner. Those idiots weren't even fit to lick her boots, but she was pressed for time.

Well...needs must.

It was all she could do to keep her sneer of disgust off her face.

Víðarr was all but drooling over her visage in a painting as he lovingly caressed her features with the backs of his gnarled fingers. Ofund squared her shoulders and pointedly cleared her throat.

"My queen." Víðarr bowed deeply in obeisance. "You honor me with your presence."

"Spare me the pleasantries, Víðarr." Ofund waved a hand impatiently. "I need a favor."

"How may I serve you, Your Majesty?" Víðarr asked.

"There is a mortal I need for you to curse." Ofund said.

"Who, my queen?" Víðarr asked.

"HER!" Ofund hissed. She conjured an image of Anna, who was busy training her useless, insipid powers at Ahtohallan. "I eventually want her dead, but she must suffer first. Do this without delay."

"I cannot, my queen." Víðarr said.

"You dare refuse your queen's command!?" Ofund yelled.

"She is a Child of Prophecy, Your Majesty." Víðarr said. "I cannot act against her until she has fulfilled her destiny. I would only cultivate the wrath of the Fates if I tried to curse her."

"You insolent coward." Ofund said. Thoroughly annoyed by this point, Ofund turned him into a sheep and refused to release him until she felt he had suffered enough. Fortunately, Víðarr had plenty of underlings who weren't so afraid of the Fates...such as his brother, Óðr, the God of Divine Madness.

Fortunately for Ofund, Óðr eagerly agreed.

He never missed a chance to show up his brother.

---

Gaius stiffened.

Instinctively, he put down his waterglass before he could drop it.

His water forgotten, Gaius "looked" into the timestream to confirm his suspicions. Sure enough, Ofund was making the first inroads in her vile plans for Anna as she used one of her underlings to attempt to curse the queen. Gabor had to hurry if he was to fulfill his destiny and join the queen's entourage when Anna eventually went on her journey. Time was of the essence, Gaius thought grimly.

While he knew that Ofund's scheme would fail, he wasn't happy with the outcome.

His worst fears were confirmed when he sensed that she was using Óðr, of all gods.

He had hoped the curse attempt was part of a possible future, a false positive or a figment of his imagination. It would be disastrous if Ofund succeeded in driving Anna mad.

There would be nothing left on Earth if that happened.

Not to mention it put the queen in further danger.

Gaius retreated from the timestream. Every time he had his visions, it would take something out of him. Like Volva and every other seer worth their salt, he had visions of his inevitable demise.

He knew that he wouldn't survive the war.

It would devastate his brother.

But Gabor would eventually recover, marry a woman of good family and sire children of his own. His oldest son-who would also be Gaius' namesake-would inherit the same power as his uncle.

Gaius never told his brother because Gabor would try-and fail-to interfere.

He shuddered.

Fate was brutal when it came to punishing seers who tried to interfere with the timestream or those that attempted to prevent their own demise. She was especially brutal towards anyone who tried to aid the seer in any way. Gabor would truly suffer a horrible fate if he tried to save him.

He wanted to prevent that at all costs.

There truly was a burden to seeing snippets of the past, present and future.

Gaius retrieved his waterglass and took several sips, his throat drier than the sands of the Sahara Desert. He had to do his part to make sure that Ofund didn't succeed in her vile plans for Anna. They couldn't afford for her to snap.

Or the earth wouldn't be the only planet to suffer her wrath. He still had nightmares of the trails of blood she left in her wake.

Unfortunately, Gaius was helpless, being blind and all, albeit in the traditional sense.

All he could do was send word to his brother somehow. Gabor was heading ever closer to the palace with his unusual entourage in tow. Gaius could only hope and pray that Anna would learn everything she needed to on her journey. There was much for her and her sister to learn and they were under a limited window of opportunity. Ginnarr would be released from that infernal tree in a matter of months.

Gaius took another sip.

There had to be a way to stop Óðr, but how?

Not that he could say with any arrogance he could necessarily determine the way to stop him by himself. But they couldn't be allowed to drive Anna mad and lure her to darkness. She would be filled with so much evil, it would be like a dark miasma. It would make it difficult for anyone to breathe, much less stay awake.

Its stench was all fire and brimstone.

Like Hell, but many times worse.

Then he stiffened as that foul stench began to engulf the room. He didn't even have time to cry out as he was hurled into the air and thrown against the wall. All of a sudden, he couldn't move a single inch.

His arms and legs were in a spreadeagle position.

"Sorry, Little Seer." A voice chuckled in his ear. "But you cannot interfere."

Poor Gaius could do nothing as his memories of the visions were altered. All he would know was that Ofund would try-and fail-with her plan to get rid of Anna. She would then concoct another scheme.

But Óðr himself, Gaius would know nothing.

---

Honeymaren came to with a gasp.

She pressed a hand to her racing heart.

She reached down the river, scooped some water into her hands and splashed her face several times. She knelt down and took several sips of water, feeling parched as if she had just run ten miles full-stop.

Honeymaren ran a shaking hand over her hair as she rose to a sitting position.

She was haunted by what she just witnessed.

It was disturbing that Kristoff and Elsa were receiving visions of the future as well. This confirmed her worst fears: Anna would snap and become evil unless they found a way to stop her.

She would be responsible for Kristoff's murder and Elsa's undoing.

Honeymaren knew this was at least partially her fault.

After all, she was part of the secret group whose sole function was to make sure that Anna didn't become a threat to the world. Clearly, they didn't learn their lesson about prophecies.

When you try to prevent it, you unwittingly become the driving force towards its fulfillment.

She wished that she could warn the group.

Unfortunately, her presence was expected at the feast as she was Yelana's chosen successor. She couldn't afford for anyone to suspect the truth or her involvement in what happened to Elsa and Anna.

No one would understand the necessity of her actions.

When you make an omelet, sometimes you have to break a few eggs.

Honeymaren winced as she filled the bucket with water. She couldn't even warn Elsa and Kristoff as they were already forgetting their dreams. She knew they would foolishly dismiss the dire warnings of the future as mere figments of their imagination. Even if they did remember, her hands were tied.

She had to maintain her innocent facade.

She shook her head.

In her zeal to counter Anna as a possible threat, she played a huge role in her suffering and Elsa's isolation. She deliberately divided the sisters by carefully sprinkling the seeds into Elsa's mind that she belonged in the Enchanted Forest. She consciously ignored Anna's pain and confusion as Elsa left her behind.

Honeymaren foolishly thought that Anna wouldn't be a danger if she never discovered her powers.

All she did was make things worse.

Now, Anna was at a vulnerable point in her journey. While she came a long way, she was still dealing with years of negative emotions that she was never taught to process in a healthy and productive way.

Honeymaren rose to her feet with the bucket in tow.

Once the feast was over, she would contact the group.

---

"Are you all right, Your Highness?"

"I'm fine, Gerda."

Elsa could feel her eyes watering. Her entire body was still trembling as she felt like someone was taking several knives to her insides. Her ribs were still throbbing and her head was in the same state.

Then she pressed a hand to the right side of her face.

It felt like someone was dragging a knife down the length of her face as well.

Thankfully, before Gerda could approach the changing screens, Dagmar summoned her to help resolve a minor dispute between servants. Elsa assured Gerda that she was fine.

Gerda looked like she wanted to press the issue.

Judging the sounds emanating from downstairs however, the "minor" dispute was threatening to escalate into crisis mode. Gerda raised her eyes to the ceiling in acute annoyance before following her sister out of Elsa's chambers. Elsa felt relief when Gerda closed the door after her.

She didn't need an audience for this.

Elsa summoned Gale with a request.

She whistled by and closed the curtains. There was no sense in giving people something to look for, Elsa mused cynically. She emerged from behind the changing screen and examined herself in the full-length mirror.

A gasp escaped her lips.

Instinctively, she pressed a trembling hand to her mouth.

Thankfully, the pain was fading. But she still felt throbbing on her cheek, the back of her head and her ribs. Elsa turned her back, her eyes widening as she took in the size of the bruises marring her pale skin. She touched the back of her head and felt like something was scabbing over. What the-

The biggest shock was what happened to her face.

There was a large, thin and curved scar cutting through her right eyebrow.

It continued until it reached the top of her mouth on the right side. Like a child, Elsa would rub her eyes and close and open them repeatedly, hoping that she was seeing things or that this was a dream.

Unfortunately, her scar and bruises were all too real.

Elsa didn't know where the injuries came from.

How could she receive a bunch of bruises and a scar in a matter of minutes? She couldn't shake the feeling that this was related to her nightmare, somehow. A nightmare she couldn't even remember.

No matter how hard she tried, her memory remained frustratingly blank.

Well, she couldn't let Gerda see them.

Elsa was not up to playing twenty questions, so she acted quickly. She summoned her dress and cape. Then she sat down at her vanity. Thankfully, it was fully stocked up since she sometimes stayed the night after playing a weekly game of Charades. Elsa located some cream that could hide the scar on her face.

She would purchase something from town until she could come up with a permanent solution.

Quickly, she concealed the scar on her face.

She could only hope her hair hid whatever injuries there were on the back of her head. Elsa conjured an ice mirror and did her best to see the back of her head. Thankfully, the scars there weren't visible.

She got rid of the mirror and pocketed the cream.

The questions started piling up in her mind like a small mountain.

Where did the injuries come from?

What did she dream about?

How were the dream and her injuries connected?

How could she get hurt from a dream?

Why did she feel betrayed and bewildered at the same time?

Elsa pressed a hand to her throbbing forehead that had nothing to do with her injuries and more to do with the pressing avalanche of questions piling up in her mind. Then another thought occurred to her.

Kristoff...was he going through the same thing?

---

"Kristoff, are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine!"

Kristoff grimaced.

He had said that a little too quickly.

Unfortunately for Kristoff, he was the worst liar at the best of times and he could sense that Kai wasn't necessarily impressed. Thankfully, before Kai could press for answers, Dagmar knocked on the door.

Apparently, there was a servants' dispute Gerda needed Kai's help with to resolve.

Kristoff sighed in relief when he was alone.

Quickly, he put on his tunic and belted it shut. He raced to the windows and closed the curtains, not wanting to give any potential audience a show. Then he undid the belt and parted the tunic after standing at the full-length mirror. Kristoff gasped as he gazed at the wound gracing his stomach above his belly button.

He instinctively traced it with his fingers.

It was long enough for him to realize it came from a sword thrust of some kind.

He turned around, his eyes widening in shock. There was a similar wound on his back. Kristoff reached out with a trembling hand to trace the wound. Not only was there never any blood, the wound looked like it had several years to become nothing more than a scar. Yet Kristoff could distinctively remember the pain.

As if someone used a sword to impale him from behind.

Then he recalled that Elsa was abruptly shaken awake from her own nightmare.

Did she experience the same thing?

Kristoff made to run outside and head for Elsa's room when he felt a draft.

Suddenly realizing he was practically naked, Kristoff blushed furiously from head to toe and all but ran back to the changing screen. He quickly got dressed, shrugged into his boots and ran to the door.

Then he paused.

How could be even talk about this with Elsa?

What if she didn't even believe him? Not to mention it would be inappropriate to undress himself before an unmarried young woman. Especially since aforementioned young woman was his future sister in law.

It also wasn't like she could show him any wounds on her person in...inappropriate places.

Fortunately for Kristoff, Elsa solved the problem for him.

He started when someone knocked on his door. He wondered if it was Kai and was debating what to tell him when Elsa said, "Kristoff, please open the door. Are you decent? It's Elsa."

"Yeah, just give me a minute."

Kristoff opened the door and quickly motioned her inside.

While Kristoff was practically family at this point, he and Anna weren't married yet. To this day, the less than charitable palace gossips would snark over whether he was too close to Elsa. He knew the bastards infesting the imperial court would often gossip about the same thing.

He would scoff and bitterly wonder if they had nothing better to do with their time.

Damn aristocrats.

Knowing he shouldn't let his mind wander like that Kristoff motioned for Elsa to take a seat at his desk. He grabbed a chair from a nearby table and sat several feet across from her.

"Kristoff...did something happen in your nightmare?"

---

"Anna, are you all right?"

Volva exchanged concerned glances with Laeknir.

When Anna emerged from her lesson with Jord, Volva could immediately sense that something was wrong. Anna was angry, but she wasn't getting into a frothing rage or erupting into a temper tantrum.

Instead, she became rather cold and closed-off.

As if she were channeling the icy walls that surrounded them.

"Nothing's wrong." Anna said tersely. "Let's just begin the lesson."

"Anna-" Volva tried.

"Not now, Grandmother." Anna cut in sharply. "Let's concentrate on the lesson."

Volva winced.

She exchanged another dubious glance with Laeknir before slipping into teaching mode so that she could further instruct Anna on the art of controlling her visions. Anna wouldn't like to hear this.

But Iduna would get like this if she got angry enough to the point of not wanting to discuss whatever was bothering her in the first place. Anna was still furious with her parents and Volva sincerely doubted her granddaughter would be receptive towards any reminders about aforementioned mother and father.

Especially if Volva started comparing her to Iduna.

Bad move.

Volva decided it wasn't in her best interest to start pushing the matter and concentrated on their lesson. It was only when Anna was deep in her meditation session that Volva decided to tap into the timestream to find out what was bothering her granddaughter in the first place.

"STOP!" Jord commanded when she appeared without warning.

"My lady?" Volva instinctively jumped back, startled.

"Do not try and determine what happened, Volva." Jord said.

"Why not?" Volva asked, alarmed.

"You know when it is forbidden to look upon certain matters." Jord said obliquely. Volva winced. This was bad. If it wasn't for Jord's intervention, she would have tried to interfere in matters that involved the Powers That Be. She shuddered. There were certain powers in the universe that you didn't mess with.

The Powers That Be were one of them.

"Please forgive me, my lady." Volva said. "I didn't know."

"I know you are only concerned about your granddaughter, Volva." Jord's face visibly softened. "But you know you are forbidden to interfere with my lessons regarding Anna. It is imperative that she only learn various secrets at the proper moment. I don't need to tell you how...vulnerable she is right now."

"Of course." Volva would shudder over the years as she received visions of Anna's potential future. It was frightening that such a kind and loving young woman could turn into the world's biggest threat.

"I don't think I need to remind you of the consequences if the enemy gets to her first." Jord said. "We cannot afford to for Anna to be led astray. As of now, she is at a critical part in her training. You know very well she is still wrestling with years of hurt, anger and bitterness towards her family."

"What can we do to help her, my lady?" Volva asked.

"For now, concentrate on her training." Jord said. "Leave the rest to me."

---

She ran down the hallway, crying.

Elsa has just rejected her yet again.

When she went to her parents' bedroom in an admittedly futile and foolish attempt to get some comfort, Mama yelled at her and Papa bellowed for her to go away. She couldn't understand what they were saying, as their voices meshed in one incoherent mass of loud voices and unintelligible worlds and frothing rage.

Needless to say, she got the message and left.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair at all.

She had lost her best friend and playmate. Her parents had no time for her and the servants would ignore her. No one would tell her why the palace was in lockdown and she was left to her own devices.

No one seemed to notice, much less care, how lonely she was.

She was starved for companionship, the slightest bit of kindness or a sympathetic ear.

She paused by the portrait room, but she kept on going. Even talking to inanimate paintings got trying after a while. She didn't bother trying to bother the servants to play with her or pepper with questions.

They would always claim they were busy with their chores.

She wasn't asking for too much...was she?

Frustrated and confused, she kept on running until she reached an abandoned room that only she knew about. She couldn't even go outside as it was too dark. She suppressed a shudder in remembrance.

She only went outside once in the dark.

Papa's wrath wasn't pretty and even Mama could be scary when she wanted to be.

It was cold in the room, but she was too distraught to care. She wrapped her shawl tighter around her and went to her usual corner to brood. There were times she couldn't hide behind her happy-go-lucky mask.

Like now.

With a huff, she sat down at the corner and leaned against the wall.

She hugged her knees to her chest and wiped at her tears in frustration. She rested her chin atop her knees and wondered what she should do next. It was getting harder every day to keep on trying.

Why do Mama and Papa treat her so shabbily?

Why does Elsa keep on telling her to go away after shutting doors in her face?

She hated not knowing the answers. She always felt like she was the last person to know. All she wanted was for someone to love her. She would say and do anything and everything to have a friend right now.

Then her eyes lit with inspiration.

If she couldn't have a real friend, she could make one up!

Like when she and her sister created Olaf! Excited, she closed her eyes and retreated into her imagination. Her imagination served her in good stead so far. Creating a pretend world where she had loving parents, a sister who played with her and staff who actually enjoyed her presence presented an escape from reality that she desperately needed. It was one of the few ways she could cope with her situation.

"Hello."

Her eyes opened in shock. That wasn't her voice!

She glanced around frantically. It didn't take her long to realize that she wasn't alone. At that age, she still felt she could conjure magic and wonder. She didn't feel strange meeting an unknown child.

None of her books warned her to be wary of strangers.

Her parents were never interested in teaching her any lessons.

So desperate was she for friendly companionship, she took the child at face value. He seemed to be about her age. He gave her a friendly, non-threatening smile as he offered his hand for her to take so that she could stand. She happily took his hand and extended her own free limb in friendship.

"Hi, I'm Anna. What's your name?"

"Call me Gin."

---

I couldn't help chuckling.

Fools, I thought. They were ALL fools.

Ofund should have listened to her sister. For the Queen of the Elder Gods and the Goddess of the Skies, she was too stupid to realize that she was in over her head. I mean, come on! You had the Goddess of Sight warning you that you would be sealing your own doom if you attempt to kill Queen Anna.

And what does she do?

Attempt to kill the queen.

Of course, Ofund would never realize she was playing right into my hands. I have my own reasons for wanting Anna to succumb to her darker side. Not that I necessarily wanted her to go mad.

But Óðr had no idea he was about to play an important role in my plans.

It serviced my own needs for Anna to go rogue.

As for Ginnarr, it was all I could do to remain hidden. My spells would only disguise my presence for so long. But I couldn't let the Elder God interfere with my plans for Anna.

It was bad enough he was destined to be released someday.

Damn the Elder Gods for sending him here...

In any event, there was nothing for it. Anna was destined to face off against Ginnarr. If I had my way, she would win...but on MY terms. I was also bound and determined to get rid of her sister.

Elsa was dangerous enough as the Fifth Spirit.

But she would be even WORSE once she trained her magical potential.

Of course, I had to be even more wary of Anna herself. Her magical potential was off the charts and it would end very badly for me if she found out about my plans. But the potential rewards outweighed the risks.

I have come too far to back out now.

I couldn't let the sisters repair their bond.

Ahtohallan could try all it likes to interfere with my plans, but I refuse to let it succeed in its efforts to undermine me. I gazed into the enchanted pool once more.

My efforts were starting to bear fruit.

Anna lost some of her trust in Jord, the Avatar for Ahtohallan.

I smirked to myself. I knew the Powers That Be wouldn't want her knowing certain things prematurely and Jord would be obliged to obey them. All her life, Anna has been kept in the dark for some reason or another.

Slowly but surely, I would break the bonds Anna was developing.

It wouldn't be long before she lost her trust in her grandmother and her pathetic tag-a-along, Laeknir.

My plans for Elsa and Kristoff were going swimmingly. They would do their (unwitting) part in alienating Anna from her loved ones. My scheme would never succeed if Anna maintained her bonds.

Jord wasn't realizing that she was doing more harm than good with her evasiveness.

But her reluctance was working in my favor, so I wouldn't interfere. As the old saying went, if it isn't broke, don't fix it.

Anna was coming a long way in her training. It was just a matter of time before she received instruction from Sachi. I knew I needed to be careful. While I wanted to break her bonds with her loved ones, I didn't want to interfere with the development of her powers. She needed to reach her full potential.

It was a careful balancing act.

But I'm confident that I would succeed.

Soon, I thought, I would have my revenge. They would all pay for doing this to me. My eyes narrowed dangerously, clenching and unclenching my trembling fists as memories of the past threatened to overwhelm me.

I took several deep, cleansing breaths.

Now was not the time to lose it.

If I did, I threatened the very stability of the spells I have woven to keep myself hidden. It took years of research and preparation to get this far. I couldn't afford to let Ginnarr interfere with my plans.

Especially as far as Anna was concerned.

I have waited so long. I couldn't turn back now. I have come too far to do such a thing.

All of them would pay, I vowed. I couldn't help it as I lost myself in fantasies of what their final fates would be like, each one much bloodier and violent than the last. A cruel chuckle escaped my lips.

It would be glorious.

Anna herself was the key, I thought.

I could even relate to her. Both of us grew up with horrible parents and equally blind, spoiled, sheltered and rather insipid sisters. We knew what was it was like to be neglected, abused and ignored. My sisters were the golden children.

Whereas I was the scapegoat.

Simply because I was different.

I was always on the outside looking in. No one wanted anything to do with me. If there was any interaction, it was only to put me down. I could only remember their angry words, the smug, condescending smirks on my sisters' faces as they witnessed the lectures, the contemptuous sneers from my relatives...

Oh yes, Anna and I have much in common.

I had no interest in the usual mortal pursuits: money and power.

Let the other greedy fools pursue those fruitless and lofty ambitions far beyond their feeble station and comprehension. I had my eye on a higher goal. It was the only thing left to live for. Everyone needed to pay for turning their backs on me.

What did I want?

To see the world burn...

---

Ginnarr frowned.

This...wasn't something he has foreseen.

After all, it wasn't like Elsa and Kristoff had any powers of foresight. But how could they dream about possible futures for Anna? Don't get him wrong, he enjoyed watching them suffer.

He reveled in their pain and witnessing the bloodshed and destruction.

But he didn't want them knowing anything about him and his plans until it was too late.

Not to mention these nightmares might cause more pain and suffering for Anna herself. If those stupid idiots were convinced that she was a threat, who knows what stupid, idiotic decisions they might come up with.

And THAT was something Ginnarr refused to allow.

Especially if the idiots thought they were acting in the name of the so-called Greater Good.

He closed his eyes and concentrated. Unfortunately, he couldn't sense where those nightmares were coming from. Something was blocking his senses and that was dangerous within itself.

Ginnarr hated being reminded that while he was powerful, he wasn't omniscient.

There was something...familiar about these spells.

But the source of these magicks were eluding him and that frustrated him more than anything else. He felt like he should know what was going on. It tickled at the very edges of his consciousness.

The pieces of the puzzle refused to fit together.

It was frustrating, to say the least.

Ginnarr tried to reach out and peek into the timestream. Unfortunately, he couldn't track down the source of these unexpected nightmares. He tried to prevent Elsa and Kristoff from receiving or remembering them entirely.

Unfortunately, this didn't work either.

Ginnarr frowned heavily.

At least Goði was succeeding in gathering the villagers from isolated locations. Although he was quick to punish his minion for allowing that mortal strumpet, Modig, to inform the palace as to what happened.

He had made it CLEAR that NO ONE was to know of his plans for the villagers.

Hence the out of the way locations for his men to strike.

Fortunately for Goði, he still had need of him. But he was expendable like the rest of the cult that worshipped the very ground he walked on. They were only useful in providing the necessary innocent blood for him to feast upon to weaken the chains imprisoning his body. Soon, he wouldn't need any of them.

They would provide quite the meal once he was free.

Ginnarr couldn't wait.

He also couldn't wait to act upon his admittedly vile plans for Elsa and Kristoff. Both played a role in Anna's suffering. He especially wanted to punish Kristoff for daring to covet HIS future queen!

Anna was his.

HIS!

Ginnarr took a deep breath. He couldn't act upon his plans yet. Even now, he could sense Ahtohallan strengthening the chains imprisoning his physical form. He decided to concentrate his efforts on locating the source for Elsa and Kristoff's sudden visions of a possible future. He couldn't let them be forewarned.

Fortunately, they had forgotten their dreams.

But it was possible they could recover their memories in the future.

Ginnarr would never consider himself a fool. It wasn't yet time for the world to know of his existence and he wanted to catch Elsa and Kristoff off-guard. They weren't powerful enough to become a threat to him.

But they COULD get lucky.

It would certainly explain how they managed to survive this far despite their bumbling.

Ginnarr felt his annoyance increasing by the hour. Despite his best efforts, the perpetrator remained elusive. He couldn't even give his minions someone to hunt as he couldn't even get a slight hint.

He decided not to tell anyone.

It was a weakness he could ill afford to reveal.

Ginnarr growled, but there was nothing he could do at the moment. Deciding to focus on something else, he concentrated his efforts on seeing what his beloved was up to. As soon as the image of her came into focus, his eyes widened in disbelief. Then he couldn't help it as a wicked chuckle escaped his lips.

Oh, this was too good!

---

It was the most fun she had in a long time.

Gales of childish laughter escaped her lips as she played outside with Gin.

She desperately needed an escape from the palace. She hoped her scarf could successfully hide the bruises on her neck that came from Papa gripping it too tightly. She grimaced in remembrance.

Reflexively, she rubbed at her throat.

It was her own fault, really.

After all, she knew the rules: never, ever bother Papa when he was doing important research in the library. He was also furious that she disobeyed his rules in regards to her sister.

She was to leave Elsa alone.

Period.

Nor was she to bother Mama with her "trivial problems", whatever THAT meant. She tried to be a good girl. She knew the consequences that came about whenever she disobeyed Papa and ignored his rules.

For the most part, she obeyed them.

But there were times when her loneliness and desperation got the better of her.

Today was especially worse than usual. Elsa was colder and snappier, Mama was furious at being interrupted and yelled for her to go away. Papa was angry enough to grip her throat before telling her to leave. Then he warned that her punishment would be worse if she dared even hint that he almost strangled her.

But not before reminding her that it was her own fault in the first place.

If she wasn't such a bad girl, he wouldn't lose control and hurt her.

She agreed. She was desperate for Papa's love and affection. If she didn't disregard his rules, Papa wouldn't get furious and hurt her like that. She tried to remember this and not provoke his temper in any way.

It was her own fault for forgetting.

She vowed that she would make it up to Papa in the future.

But that didn't solve any of her problems, now did it? Elsa ignored her, Mama wanted nothing to do with her and Papa seemed to resent her very existence. The servants were busy and talking to the portraits only helped so much. There were only so many times she could reread the books that were age appropriate.

Gin came along just in time.

Even though he was imaginary, it was nice to have a friend.

She was also careful never to mention his existence to anyone. Her family and the palace staff would often accuse her of making up wild stories. They would definitely think she was a few sandwiches short of a picnic if she insisted that Gin was real. It was also nice to have her own little secret.

Something that people didn't know about.

She still resented being the last to know about anything.

She knew that people were keeping something from her, but no one would give her a straight answer. They would avoid her questions or yell at her to go away. For once, their roles were reversed.

Gin was HER secret to keep.

Only she knew that he existed.

He was also a good friend. He would actually LISTEN to her. For a child who was constantly rejected, belittled and had doors shut in her face, this gift was more valuable than the rarest of diamonds.

Not only would he listen, but he would play with her.

She felt comfortable with him.

It felt like such a long time that she was able to trust anyone. After being neglected for so long, it was a gift without measure. Gin was even horrified at the way her own family was treating her.

He wanted to hurt them.

She had to beg and plead for him to do nothing.

It was still her dream to reconcile with her family. How could she accomplish anything if something happened to Mama, Papa and Elsa. Not to mention that Gin was a mere child, just like herself.

What could he do?

She didn't want him locked in the dungeons or executed for treason due to attempted regicide!

Fortunately, Gin would acknowledge her pleas and grudgingly forewent his plans for vengeance. Still, if she had to be honest with herself, there was a tiny part of her that enjoyed it.

She was human, not a saint.

She did her best to ignore her darker side.

Admittedly, it was difficult. Gin was the only positive thing in her life, the only person that kept her going. It was so hard to remain cheerful and upbeat when your own family wanted nothing to do with you.

She pushed those thoughts out of her head.

She wanted to concentrate on her day with Gin.

He was like...a bright star in an ocean of darkness. The only shining star in an eternally black sky. For so long, she lingered in the dark, desperate for light, for companionship, for the slightest smidgen of kindness.

For someone to actually like her.

To spend time with her because they wanted to, not out of some sense of duty or due to some facet of familial obligation.

They did everything together. Gin took her on all sorts of fun, albeit imaginary, adventures. When was the last time she got to enjoy being a child? It felt so good to leave it all behind.

To forget about her royal duties as a princess.

To ignore the fact that her own sister despised her.

To pretend that she didn't have neglectful parents who wanted nothing to do with her.

She could be herself with Gin.

She could actually enjoy her childhood for a change.

"What do you want to do now, Gin?" Anna asked after they ran into the forests surrounding the palace courtyards. "Build a snowman like Olaf? Going ice skating on the lake? Have a snowball fight?"

"Why don't we try something different?" Gin asked.

"Like what?" She said.

"Let's play pretend." Gin suggested.

"Pretend?" She blinked. "Pretend what?"

"Let's play king and queen." She was far too young back then to take heed of the odd lilt in his voice when he suggested a new game or placed a certain emphasis on the words king and queen. "Or we could pretend we are soldiers, defending Arendelle."

"But I'm a princess." She protested. "It is forbidden for me to fight."

"Not to mention Papa would punish me worse than normal," she thought with a shiver.

"Who says you cannot fight?" Gin asked.

"Papa." She admitted.

"Ignore him." Gin said with an idle wave. "You won't get in trouble as long as he doesn't know about it. Besides, it's not like you're actually learning how to fight. It's just a game of pretend, right?"

"I...I guess s-so." She stammered, wringing her hands even as she glanced over her shoulder at the palace. Even now, she feared Papa's reaction. He was surely going to blow his top like a volcano if he knew she was pretending to be a soldier. But she wasn't really fighting, she tried to reason. It was just pretend.

"Great!" Gin exclaimed. "Let's discuss battle strategies!"

---

"Iduna." Agnarr tried.

"Don't even talk to me!" Iduna hissed.

Agnarr flinched. Jord had left them alone for the time being, but she warned that she would return. They were still attached to the icy wall, unable to move. Agnarr couldn't hide his secrets anymore.

Ahtohallan, literally, refused to allow it.

It wasn't just the fact that he tried to kill Anna when she was a helpless baby.

No, they would witness how Agnarr would treat her over the years. While Iduna became impatient and indifferent towards their second daughter, she was a saint compared to her so-called husband.

Agnarr didn't even recognize himself.

When did he become so angry and hateful?

FLASHBACK

A snarl marred Agnarr's features as he angrily swept an arm across his desk.

Sending its contents to the floor in a violent crash. He stood there panting, wild-eyed, uncaring of the mess he left on the floor.

They just had a difficult and failed session with Elsa. Her gloves only helped so much and they had tried Eastern practices, such as meditation and breathing exercises. But Elsa was still jittery and anxious.

Almost as if in response, she had a panic attack and an ice storm erupted.

Her room turned into a blizzard with raging winds.

Panting, Agnarr planted his hands on the opposite ends of his desk. His grip was so tight, his knuckles were turning white. But he barely noticed, much less registered, the pain.

It was frustrating.

How could they help their daughter when they didn't even know where to start!?

He would consult with the trolls, but Grand Pabbie was proving to be frustratingly vague and elusive. All the troll elder would say that it was imperative that Elsa remained locked in her chambers. Or he would try to placate the anxious king and queen with empty promises and equally insipid platittudes.

The world wasn't ready for a power of such magnitude, he would say.

Elsa's potential for wreaking havoc and devastation was frightening.

It was so annoying. No matter how many books they read-even going so far as to order literature from other countries-they were no closer to helping Elsa control her powers than when they closed the gates.

He refused to give up.

There had to be a way to help his true daughter.

Agnarr scowled. No matter how many times he begged and pleaded, Iduna refused to send Anna away. The brat was a disobedient nuisance who constantly got in the way. Agnarr despised her so much, it wasn't even funny. Not to mention the little whore was responsible for nearly killing her own mother.

But Iduna wouldn't countenance even a hint of getting rid of her.

Anna was stupid and useless.

She wasn't even capable of following simple instructions. All she had to do was to stop pestering her sister and her parents. All she had to do was keep out of the way and find ways to entertain herself.

Surely providing food, clothing and shelter was enough.

Agnarr resisted any and all suggestions and attempts to bond with her.

He shuddered in revulsion. How could Iduna possibly expect him to form a bond with her would-be murderer? He was never fooled by Anna's cheerful mask and happy go lucky facade.

She wasn't an innocent child.

She was a demon in disguise. She was evil incarnate.

Agnarr stiffened when he heard the shuffle of slippers outside his bedroom. His eyes narrowing dangerously, Agnarr headed for the door with quick strides and threw it open. Anna jumped, her eyes wide and startled. She was clutching a candle with her right hand and her shawl was draped over her shoulders.

Judging from the guilty expression on her face, she was going to try and pester her sister again.

Growling, Agnarr glanced around to make sure there were no witnesses.

Then he grabbed Anna's hand and yanked her inside. She bit her lip to stifle her instinctive protests as he easily lifted her into the air with one hand. Then he closed the door and shoved her against the wall, holding her in place by her throat with a bruising grip. She gagged and coughed, clutching at his hand with her tiny digits as she struggled for air. But Agnarr wasn't having it. He loosened his grip just a little.

Only so that she could breathe.

The little brat should count herself lucky that he was in such a forgiving mood.

"I swear Anna, you get more stupid by the day!" Agnarr hissed.

"Ga!" Anna couldn't really form any words.

"Your instructions are so easy, a simpleton with half a brain could remember them!" Agnarr snarled. "I don't know why you refuse to follow my rules. Do you wish for me to get angry, Anna?"

"No." Anna rasped, quickly shaking her head.

"Then don't disobey my rules." Agnarr said. "Clearly, I have to recite them once more, if only to drive the point home in that empty space where your so-called brain is supposed to reside." He looked her up and down contemptuously. My God, he thought, she was so stupid. "Rule Number One, stay away from Elsa and stop pestering her. Rule Number Two, do not bother your mother and me as we are busy with ruling Arendelle and research. Rule Number Three, stay out of the way. Rule Number Four, find ways to entertain yourself. I just cannot fathom why you constantly fail to heed my instructions!"

"I'm sorry, Papa." Anna rasped, her eyes filling with tears.

"Stop crying!" Agnarr snapped. "Stop repeating your pathetic bids to get attention!"

"Yes, sir." Anna was heartbroken at being rejected once more.

"Your crocodile tears don't fool me, Anna." Agnarr hissed.

"..." Anna glanced sorrowfully at the floor.

"It's all your fault." Agnarr said. "You know better than to make me angry, Anna. When I get worked up to this state, I'm forced to resort to physical discipline in order to keep you in line. You DO realize it's your fault, correct? You wouldn't need such discipline if you obeyed my orders without question, right?"

"Right." Anna choked on a sob.

"Good." Agnarr released her and let her fall to the floor in a heap. "Now GET out..."

END FLASHBACK

Agnarr wanted to vomit.

Ahtohallan was relentless.

He couldn't even close his eyes. All he could do was witness the vile, abusive things he did to Anna over the years. Due to the damage Grand Pabbie caused with his constant mind wipes, Anna would forget.

But now she was whole.

There was no way she would forget now.

Agnarr couldn't believe that it had gotten that far. He couldn't believe that he hated his daughter to the point that he practically choked her to death! He didn't spare her for any altruistic reasons on his part.

Iduna would have (rightfully) suspected his involvement if something happened to Anna.

It was nothing more than good, old fashioned self preservation.

Agnarr wished that he could have the excuse that someone twisted his emotions and warped his mind. That someone or something manipulated him into despising her so much while he was still alive.

But he knew no one manipulated him in any way.

In other words, he hated her entirely of his own accord and free will.

Agnarr lowered his head in shame. Iduna had every right to be furious with him. He had put the fear of God into Anna. Not only did he neglect and mistreat her, there was physical abuse as well.

Even worse, he blamed her every time he got angry and handled her roughly.

She had to wear scarves and use special lotions to hide the bruises.

Agnarr didn't know when his dislike towards Anna morphed into sheer hatred. Something in him snapped when he nearly lost his wife. At the time, Agnarr never thought to question it.

He thought his reaction was perfectly normal.

Whenever he saw Anna, he didn't see an innocent child.

Instead, he saw a demon.

A walking abomination.

A blight upon the earth.

A mistake.

A monster.

Something that should have been aborted the very moment it was conceived.

Agnarr knew that he had to take a good, long look at himself. It was sad that it took Jord and Ahtohallan for him to get his head out of his butt and realize that he had treated his daughters abominably.

Elsa became a prisoner in her own room.

As well as a prisoner of her fears and insecurities.

Anna was outright ignored, neglected and abused. There was no excuse for how he acted towards either of them. But Elsa had it better, as she basked in the love and affection of her parents.

Anna didn't even have that much.

Agnarr knew it all started with the Enchanted Forest.

Losing his father in the Enchanted Forest and having magic get chaotic and out of control fed his fears and stoked his hatred for anything arcane. He became attached to Iduna as he was afraid of losing anyone else.

The conflict continued when Elsa was born.

Don't get him wrong, he loved his daughter.

But he was wrestling with his love for her and his fears of magic. It didn't help that her powers were out of control and reacted strongly due to her emotions, especially when she started having temper tantrums.

When you combine that with the fact that he was king, Agnarr had his hands full.

He felt like he couldn't deal with anything else.

Then Anna came along.

Ever since she was conceived, Agnarr wanted nothing to do with her.

It was only the fear of harming Iduna that prevented him from trying several ways to get her to "accidentally" miscarry the child while she was pregnant. Initially, it started out as disliking the child.

Then, the dislike started morphing into anger.

It didn't help that Iduna had a difficult pregnancy.

Ruling a kingdom and wrestling with a magical child at the same time was very stressful. That, in turn, led to his wife having a difficult time with their unborn child. So much so that she required bedrest for the rest of her pregnancy. Iduna's struggles and health issues only seemed to increase as the months progressed. That was when his anger towards the baby descended into borderline hatred.

Even then, Anna became a scapegoat for all of his frustrations and anxieties.

For some reason, it became easier to blame the baby.

Then his hatred was born at the same time he nearly lost his wife. Agnarr knew he never got over his hatred and anger, especially since he nearly lost his precious Iduna to childbed fever numerous times.

Her condition was touch and go.

Even when everything turned out for the better, he never softened his disposition towards Anna.

Agnarr knew he was a right bastard for this. But it became easier to blame all of his ills on his second daughter. Elsa had a tantrum, causing her unstable powers to erupt? Anna's fault. Having a minor disagreement with the Spanish ambassador that nearly resulted in a war with Spain? Anna's fault. Having the typical spats that married couples have? Anna's fault. Having a generally bad day altogether? Anna's fault.

His behavior worsened after the accident.

He blamed her for EVERYTHING, especially when he got angry.

He would justify his behavior to himself. After all, he reasoned, if she couldn't honor his wishes and obey his simple rules, she wouldn't be getting hurt in the first place. It escalated into "physical discipline" when Anna continued to try and play with her sister. Agnarr never had patience with her at the best of times. But he was never a patient man to begin with and he wanted her out of the way.

Especially since they were dealing with isolation, Elsa's growing powers and ruling Arendelle.

Anna simply...got in the way.

Agnarr knew this was no excuse. He NEVER should have mistreated EITHER daughter. They deserved better: Elsa didn't deserve to be kept a virtual prisoner in her own room and Anna didn't deserve his hatred and contempt. Agnarr was taking a good, long look in the mirror...and he didn't like what he was seeing.

All of a sudden, his nightmares of being the monster made sense.

---

Iduna couldn't even LOOK at her husband right now.

She cursed the fact that she was stuck right next to him.

If she were still alive, she would have vomited at what Ahtohallan showed her minutes earlier. She knew that Agnarr resented Anna's presence. It was also bad enough that he tried to kill her when she was a helpless baby. But that resentment was clearly an understatement. Agnarr had outright abused her.

Then he would tell her it was her own fault for the abuse.

He would reason that if she didn't disobey his rules, she wouldn't be hurt.

Iduna was especially haunted by this. One of her cousins from her father's side of the family acted this way towards his wife. If she was ever hurt, he would coldly told her she had brought it on herself.

She provoked him into hurting her.

Agnarr acted the same way towards Anna.

Iduna knew she was a failure as a mother. She never protested Agnarr's stupid plan to isolate the kingdom and the girls. She never spent any real time with Anna after the isolation began. She also agreed to his stupid plan to keep Elsa locked away from everyone and everything. While they were busy ruling Arendelle and researching methods for Elsa to gain control over her abilities, it was no excuse to push Anna off to the wayside and act that she was an inconvenience at best and an outright burden at worst.

She even got impatient with the poor child and shooed her away.

Constantly.

But she was blind to what was going on right underneath her very nose. Iduna blamed herself as well as Agnarr for what happened to Anna. She knew that Agnarr had no liking or patience for their second daughter.

She never dreamed it would blossom into outright hatred and abuse.

And she never even noticed.

Iduna was blind and stupid. So blissfully ignorant and oblivious to what was going on inside the very walls of the palace. She never noticed what Agnarr was doing to their second daughter and she was too stupid to heed the damage Elsa suffered due to her imprisonment and isolation.

It didn't do her development or social skills any favors.

Anna suffered the same thing because she was never allowed outside the palace grounds.

Iduna wanted to vomit. How could she let things escalate that far? How could she do such vile things to her own daughters and be so oblivious to the damage they both endured in their unique, individual ways?

She was a total washout as a mother.

She was an enabler for her husband's vile behavior and twisted ideals.

Not that she was absolving herself. She mistreated her daughters in her own way. She would also be downright horrid to Anna whenever the poor child (unwittingly) interrupted her during her research.

She was guilty of emotional and verbal abuse.

No wonder her reunion with Anna didn't go as well as she had hoped.

This was also BEFORE Anna became whole and regained her memories. Iduna wouldn't be surprised if their next encounter didn't go as she hoped. Anna had good reason to be furious with the both of them.

As did Elsa, for that matter.

They were horrible parents from the get-go.

Iduna knew there was no excuse over how they behaved. She blindly agreed with Agnarr's decisions that she could only definitively say, in hindsight, were foolish and stupid. Hindsight was twenty/twenty, after all. Iduna reflexively clenched and unclenched her hands, wondering what she should say to her so-called husband. After all, he was the one who ultimately decided how they would raise their daughters.

Not that it absolved her by any means.

Like Agnarr, Iduna was taking a good, long look in the metaphorical mirror.

Yes, it was Agnarr who decided to isolate Elsa and mistreat Anna. But she wasn't an angel herself and she had much to answer for. Perhaps, she agreed with Elsa's isolation out of her own fear of magic.

Fleeing with Agnarr from the Enchanted Forest was traumatic within itself.

The Northuldra was clashing with Arendellian soldiers for reasons unknown.

She and Agnarr lost their fathers at the same time when they toppled off the cliff near the river. Magic and chaos erupted when an accursed mist surrounded the Enchanted Forest. The same mist cut off access to aforementioned forest, ensuring she would never see her family again. The elementals ran amok as well.

Iduna knew she was as equally fearful as Agnarr when Elsa revealed she had powers of her own.

She feared her own daughter, even as she tried to help her learn control.

Maybe that was why she agreed with Agnarr that Elsa had to be kept confined for her own good. As for Anna...Iduna bit her lip in guilt and shame. Maybe she was subconsciously punishing Anna in her own way.

She, too, felt annoyance when Anna tried to spend time with them.

Maybe...deep down inside, she blamed Anna for nearly losing her life to childbed fever.

Iduna knew that if she really looked, she would have noticed the signs that Anna was being abused. But she kept a deliberate distance from her second daughter. She had completely devoted her energies towards helping Elsa with her powers. Everything else, even helping to rule Arendelle, fell into second place.

Poor Anna "earned" her spot in last place by a significant margin.

It was why she told Anna to find ways to entertain herself.

Iduna knew that she wasn't as bad as Agnarr, but she was no parent of the year either. She just stood there passively observing as Elsa became a prisoner of her fears and her insecurities over her powers.

She did nothing as Agnarr viciously mistreated their second child.

Iduna lived in a world of denial while she was still alive.

Of course, nothing would top trying to SELL Anna to Ginnarr in a blind bid for self preservation. Agnarr was equally guilty of this, as he saw it as a way of getting rid of Anna and helping Elsa learn control.

Killing two birds with one stone, so to speak.

Iduna was so furious with Agnarr, she could barely think straight.

But she was even more furious with herself. She was realizing on a subconscious level that her daughters were being mistreated, but she turned a blind eye to the neglect and abuse.

She didn't want to believe that the seemingly kind man she married was a monster.

Nor did she want to examine her own motives.

Iduna knew she had to do a lot of soul searching before she was ready to confront Anna a second time. Perhaps it was for the best that Anna wouldn't meet with them until SHE had deemed herself ready.

It would give Iduna time to think...and reflect.

---

Elsa and Kristoff had no time to ponder their strange injuries.

Matthias told them the devastating news about Tapt.

"Everyone's gone?" Elsa asked Modig, who looked fragile and exhausted, in disbelief.

"Yes, Your Highness." Modig said. She clung tightly to the blanket that enveloped her body. Matthias would have preferred informing the current monarch about the present crisis. But Anna was still sleeping and Doctor Heinrich insisted that the queen needed to rest. So Matthias turned to Elsa and Kristoff for help.

"Don't worry Modig, we'll find out who did this and rescue them." Kristoff said.

"Thank you, my lord." Modig said.

"General Matthias, please lead the way so that we could investigate." Elsa ignored Kristoff's visible discomfort at being addressed so formally. He was going to have to toughen up and get used to the formality if he was going to be king. She would also summon the Elemental Spirits to aid in their investigation.

"Yes, Your Highness." Matthias bowed and led the way outside.

Modig stayed behind so that she could rest.

It was clear she was emotionally exhausted after answering Elsa and Kristoff's questions. Kristoff summoned Sven and mounted him with practiced ease. Elsa summoned the Nokk and created an icy saddle and reins with her powers. She mounted the Nokk with practiced ease and followed Matthias and his party.

Even on horseback, it was a long way to Tapt.

Elsa was reeling from the news, deep in thought.

What was going on? Why would these kidnappers take a bunch of simple commoners who were content to mind their own business? The scary part was, they wouldn't even have known about the kidnappings if Modig's mother didn't send her into the nearby woods to fetch some water. Modig was only spared due to circumstance.

And Fate.

Elsa had a grim feeling that destiny was at work here.

She couldn't help fearing the worst: that slavers were in the land and specifically targeting isolated villages filled with peasants that no one would miss. But there was another sinister possibility.

If the purpose wasn't to sell these people into slavery...

...then why were they kidnapped in the first place?

Elsa didn't want to consider darker motives, but she had to be prepared for any eventuality. It was incumbent on her to do something as Anna was currently indisposed. She represented the royal family.

Not to mention she was the Fifth Spirit

She couldn't just sit back and do nothing.

Elsa pursed her lips grimly as she thought about another disturbing possibility. It was highly unlikely the kidnappers would be content with Tapt. This meant that other villages were most likely being targeted as well.

But WHY?

Gale whistled by, silently promising that she would scout ahead.

Bruni gurgled contentedly as he rested on her shoulder. Elsa didn't need the earth spirits, as they were too large and ungainly to aid in an investigation that required subtlety. Not to mention the rocky giants were needed to guard the Enchanted Forest and the various Northuldran tribes in her absence.

Elsa glanced over her shoulder.

She would rather be at the palace and wait for her sister to awaken.

But it would have been extremely irresponsible of her to ignore the crisis in Tapt. Elsa could only be thankful that she had used the lotions and cremes to hide her scars. She didn't feel the need for providing answers to questions she didn't even know herself. She knew Kristoff felt the same way.

They didn't have any time to investigate the source of their injuries.

At least Kristoff's tunic hid the scars on his back and stomach.

Gale whistled back in a flurry of leaves. She radiated an aura of alarm and fear. Concerned, Elsa motioned for everyone to go faster. It had to be bad if Gale was giving off such dire warnings.

Unfortunately, even at their best speed, it took awhile.

Everyone stopped at the outskirts of Tapt, their eyes widening in disbelief.

---

Anna's eyes snapped open.

She pressed her lips together grimly.

Fortunately, she was alone. Volva and Laeknir were conversing quietly amongst themselves several feet away. Jord was nowhere to be seen, which was fine with her. She didn't even want to see Jord right now.

Much less talk with her.

Or think about her, for that matter.

Her father's treachery ran deeper than she knew. Reflexively, she placed a hand on her throat. Even though it has been years and her bruises have long since faded, she could still feel his fingers gripping her tightly by the throat and holding her against the wall. The foul smell of his breath.

The hatred twisting his features.

The bitterness flashing in his eyes.

Anna couldn't help feeling bitter herself. The worst part was, she wouldn't remember any of this happening. Grand Pabbie and another troll would hold her down to remove the memories.

Just like they did when they didn't want her remembering that Elsa had powers.

But Anna remembered everything.

It had to be bad that she had to create an imaginary friend for companionship. Anna felt her eyes glistening. Impatiently, she wiped away at her tears. She didn't want to turn into a crybaby.

Not again.

It was sad that the only light in her life was an imaginary friend.

She scowled, her eyes darkening with an icy rage. Grand Pabbie took Gin away from her with his constant interferences. She was also furious that Grand Pabbie considered his "Greater Good" philosophies more important than the wellbeing of Anna and her sister. He also refused to let anything tarnish Agnarr's image.

Nor did he defend her or Elsa from Agnarr's machinations.

Agnarr was a cruel bastard.

Anna clenched her teeth. He blamed her for EVERYTHING. It didn't matter if the problem was major or minor, for Agnarr, it became easier to make her the scapegoat. He had the nerve to blame her for the abuse.

He would reason that if she didn't get him angry, he didn't need to resort to "physical discipline".

Anna was hating her father more and more by the second.

Unknowingly, she clenched her right hand tightly into a fist. It seemed like she was doomed from the start when it came to having a familial relationship with her sire. Inadvertently being the cause of Mother's near demise at birth. Being the catalyst for the accident that separated her from Elsa for years. Unknowingly interrupting Mother and Father's "research" for helping Elsa control her powers. Getting doors shut in her face by Elsa, but not knowing that her sister feared hurting her again. Losing her memories constantly thanks to Grand Pabbie and his minions. Getting blamed for Father's ills and problems time and time again.

It was almost as if Fate was conspiring against her and her sister.

Agnarr despised her from the moment she was conceived.

Then he had the nerve to blame her for getting angry. Anna became conditioned to believe that he was right. Her very self esteem would take many critical hits as she grew. It would happen every time her father would spew hateful words in her face even as he was enacting "physical discipline" to keep her in line.

Why?

Because she wanted to spend time with her parents and her sister.

Anna glanced carefully at Volva and Laeknir again. Fortunately, they were too engrossed in their conversation to pay any attention to her. This was good, as Anna needed time to process what she had seen.

Slowly, she unclenched her hand.

She glanced down at her hands and belatedly realized they were trembling.

Too exhausted, angry and emotionally drained to care, Anna rose gracefully to her feet. She excused herself from her grandmother with a phony story about needing some air. Volva nodded her understanding, but it was clear that she was too absorbed with her conversation with Laeknir to take heed of Anna's state.

Anna was glad.

She wasn't up to talking to ANYONE.

It wasn't just her father she was furious with. She couldn't help but wonder if her so-called mother was aware of the abuse as well. If she just sat by and watched as Agnarr mistreated her and her sister.

It was possible.

After all, she stood by and did nothing while Grand Pabbie erased her memories.

She did nothing as the trolls warped the minds of Elsa and her time and time again. She did nothing as Agnarr decided to isolate the kingdom. She did nothing as the sisters were kept separated. She did nothing as Elsa was kept a virtual prisoner in her chambers. Iduna was guilty of sitting passively and doing nothing.

She certainly failed as a mother.

She did NOTHING to protect her daughters from Agnarr and Grand Pabbie's predations.

Nothing.

Anna was getting more and more angry with her mother too.

It was a bitter pill to swallow. But Anna couldn't help feeling embittered that she couldn't cling to the illusions that she once had a happy childhood. Her memories of the time before her accident were a lie.

As were the years in between the accident and the demise of her parents.

No wonder she was so naïve once the gates were opened.

Grand Pabbie warped her mind and her memories so much, when you especially included her isolation and lack of interaction with other people, it was no wonder she was childlike and unaware of how the outside world operated. It was why she was so quick to trust Hans and easily take his lies at face value.

She still felt embarrassed over how easily she fell for his act.

And it wouldn't be until later that she realized Grand Pabbie manipulated and controlled him as well.

The worst part was, Anna had a grim feeling it would have been disastrous if they DID get together. She had a feeling they would have fallen in love over time. But it would have been the worst outcome for Arendelle. How, she couldn't say. Her visions weren't exactly clear in that regard.

But Anna would be a fool if she dismissed her instincts.

Sooner or later, Anna knew, she would have to face her parents.

But things were different. No longer was she afraid of them. No longer were her memories removed or suppressed. Anna was remembering more and more from her so-called childhood. The rose-tinted glasses were gone. Agnarr and Iduna would find they were confronting a more confident, self-assured Anna.

She wasn't at that point yet.

But she vowed that she would get there.

Oh yes, she thought grimly, her eyes flashing with embittered rage, her parents have MUCH to answer for. She wasn't only thinking of herself. Elsa suffered tremendously as a result of their so-called decisions. Even now, she could tell her sister was haunted by memories of her own traumatic past.

It was only recently that Elsa could reconcile what happened and fulfill her destiny.

Well, Elsa found her purpose in life.

But Anna knew she couldn't say the same yet. Elsa would definitely object, but Anna had a feeling this was a journey that she had to make on her own. Elsa felt the same when she first journeyed to Ahtohallan.

Anna knew it was the right decision that Elsa made, to send her and Olaf away.

Even though her execution left much to be desired.

However, Anna had to concede that she and Olaf would have been liabilities on the journey. She also knew that Elsa would only get in the way if she tried to accompany Anna, Kristoff, Sven, the huntsman and the soldier. Just as Elsa knew she had to make her way to Ahtohallan alone, Anna knew she would never discover her purpose if she always stood in Elsa's shadow. Anna had to grow up and let Elsa make a new home in the Forest.

She couldn't cling to the past like a limpet and hold Elsa back.

Well, the reverse was also true.

While Elsa gave the crown to Anna, she knew that Elsa still saw her as a little sister to baby and protect in some ways. Anna needed to venture out into the wilds and fly away from the nest.

She couldn't remain a baby bird forever.

She had to find herself and learn who she is.

Anna was relieved in several ways, however. In her visions, her beloved Kristoff would accompany her on her adventures. So far, only he and Sven, as well as herself, were crystal clear. The others were blurred and covered in shadow. Anna knew she would discover who they were in time.

Unfortunately, patience wasn't her strong suit and never would be.

Anna paused. There was someone in front of her.

---

"Sorry I'm tardy, Grandmother." Honeymaren told Yelana. "But I fetched the water."

"Just go help prepare the food." Yelana said tiredly. "You know how important this feast is, my granddaughter. We need to practice hospitality and goodwill to keep the peace between the various tribes."

"I know, Grandmother." Honeymaren hid her annoyance at being lectured behind a meek, sheepish smile.

"This dinner is especially important." Yelana went on. "The Harvest Moon approaches. Just one wrong word, even a minor gesture that could be misinterpreted, could mean the difference between peace and blood and conflict engulfing the Enchanted Forest. Elsa cannot do it on her own. We need to do our part as well."

"Yes, Grandmother." Honeymaren said.

"Go." Yelana said. "Your mother and aunts are waiting for you."

"Hey, Grandmother." Ryder said as he jogged up to Yelana after Honeymaren left. "The reindeer are all penned."

"Good." Yelana nodded. "Now go get cleaned up. You need to look presentable."

"Yes, Grandmother." Yelana nodded. Ryder's easygoing smile faded as he glanced in Honeymaren's direction. He knew something was wrong with his sister. She had been acting weird ever since the curse on the Enchanted Forest was lifted. She also had an unhealthy interest in the Fifth Spirit.

Ryder was troubled as he headed for his tent to get cleaned up.

Honeymaren acted innocent enough.

But Ryder knew his sister. Something was up with Honeymaren, ever since Elsa was revealed to be the Fifth Spirit. Not only did she insist on spending time with Elsa, it almost looked as if she were inventing reasons to keep Elsa in the Enchanted Forest, even on the days she was due to visit her sister in Arendelle.

Like she wanted to separate them.

But why?

It didn't make any sense! Anna, Kristoff, Sven and Olaf were their allies! Without their help, the Enchanted Forest would still be cursed and Elsa herself would be a frozen statue deep within Ahtohallan itself.

Why did Honeymaren wish to separate Elsa from her friends and family?

Yes, Elsa made a new home for herself here.

But that was still no reason to separate her from her family and Arendelle as a whole. Ryder knew that something was wrong with his sister. He was bound and determined to find out what the hell was going on.

He reached his tent, closed the flaps and approached the water basin.

He stripped, grabbed a bar of soap and started cleaning himself up.

Ryder knew they had to focus on the Harvest Festival. Yelana was correct in that the peace between the various Northuldran tribes were still tenuous at best. It was why Elsa was needed to mediate that dispute.

It would only take a spark for a war to erupt.

Ironically enough, the curse on the Enchanted Forest united the tribes.

It didn't hurt that Matthias and the other Arendellian guards were not only as stuck as they were, but they served as a convenient scapegoat. In other words, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Now, the curse was lifted.

The tribes weren't united either.

The peace between the tribes was tentative. People were cautiously optimistic about leading peaceful lives now that the accursed mists were gone. But the tribes tended to keep to themselves.

Especially on a preferable level.

Tensions between the tribes were nothing new.

Arendelle wasn't their only historical enemy and the tribes would fight each other for food, water, game and tradeable goods. It was Yelana's hope that the Harvest Festival would bring the tribes closer together. Ryder didn't know why, but he couldn't help sharing his grandmother's hope. He also felt a growing sense of urgency. Something told him that it would be disastrous if the tribes fought amongst themselves.

Ryder finished cleaning up and dried off with a course rag.

He combed his hair and put on a fresh tunic and pants.

After donning his boots, Ryder pasted his usual easygoing smile on his face and joined his friends. But he kept a sharp eye on Honeymaren. He decided to follow her after the festival.

It was time to see what she was up to.

---

"Are the prisoners secure?"

"Yes, Master."

"Good. Now leave me. I must meditate."

"Yes, Master."

Goði waited until he was alone before slumping wearily. He was still recovering from his lord and master's latest punishment. He was thankful his robes hid the scars, welts and bruises. It took all of his willpower to keep himself strong and confident before his minions.

Not that he necssarily protested his punishment.

It was clear that he had become overconfident.

Goði didn't even think to have his men scout the area for possible stragglers. Now that stupid whore Modig had informed the palace what happened to Tapt. He would take care of that bitch personally.

For now, he needed to recover before he could do the ritual.

Fortunately, he had plenty of virgins to choose from.

Goði headed for the nearby bathroom and filled the basin with water from the pitcher. He opened a nearby chest, which contained a bunch of healing potions and solutions. He grabbed several vials and dumped their contents into the basin. He then grabbed a clean rag, soaked it with water after removing his robes and started tending to his wounds. He hissed as his wounds started to sting. But he deserved to suffer.

Because of his bumbling, people knew what happened to Tapt before they were ready.

At least his master took care of any possible evidence they might have left behind.

Goði carefully tended to each wound. Thankfully, he had time before the ritual and it wouldn't do for his pathetic minions and underlings to see him so hurt and vulnerable. He was surrounded by opportunists.

There was no room for loyalty in the Cult of Ginnarr.

With the exception of their loyalty to Lord Ginnarr, of course.

But people were an ambitious lot and the cult members were no exception. Goði was no fool. He knew there were fools who coveted his position as leader and wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of his weaknesses.

Maintaining a strong, confident front was paramount.

Goði painstakingly counted and treated his wounds.

Once every mark and bruise was covered, Godi donned his robes and had one of his minions dispose of the bin's contents. He watched with an eagle eye as the evidence of his weakness were destroyed.

Satisfied, Goði left the bathroom and exited his office.

He glided with supernatural grace to the ritual chamber.

All of the virgins from the targeted villages were carefully gathered. Through the grate opening overhead, the Harvest Moon was slowly looming into view. The ritual was an ancient one.

Nothing could be left to chance.

His master especially wouldn't tolerate another failure.

Goði carefully inspected the virgins. They were openly scared. Their clothes and hair were slightly disheveled and their bodies were slightly dirty and scuffed. But otherwise, they were kept unharmed.

With their purity intact.

Finally, Goði found what he was looking for.

She was a tall, willowy blonde with light green eyes. But Goði didn't give into his trivial lusts as he motioned for his men to prepare her for the ritual. She cried out in fear and futilely struggled and writhed. The other virgins were returned to their cages. Their time would come soon enough.

For now, it was this girl's turn.

Goði's upper lip curled in disgust.

Once again, he couldn't for the life of him understand the opposite sex. This girl was being given a gift beyond her feeble station and comprehension. But she struggled and fought, albeit weakly, as if they were doing her a disservice! So much for gratitude! Didn't she understand she was serving a higher purpose?

Women.

They were so stupid, weak and ineffectual.

Goði watched indifferently as his acolytes tore off her clothing. They carefully bathed and washed her before drying her off with course cloth. They carefully anointed her with unholy water and started drawing runes all over her body. Some of his lesser minions couldn't resist groping her inappropriately.

He didn't care what they did to her.

As long as her flesh wasn't marred and she remained as pure as the driven snow.

Finally, she was ready. Otherworldly magic filled the air the moment the girl was placed on a glowing pentagram, pulsing red with a dark, evil power. She tried to get up, but found that she couldn't move.

Against her will, her arms were spread out in opposite directions.

Her legs were parted as well.

Soon, she was in a spreadeagle position. Goði began chanting in the ancient tongue as he received the sacred athame dagger from a nearby box. His acolytes surrounded the sacrifice, chanting in turn. They were kneeling, rising and lowering their bodies in perfect harmony and unison.

They knew better than to foul this up.

Tears ran down the girl's face.

Unmoved, Goði glanced up at the grate. The Harvest Moon was approaching, inching closer and closer until it was ready to illuminate the sacrifice. He continued to chant, just as his master taught him.

Finally, the moon got into place.

Shining its unholy light into the chamber.

Goði knelt by her and slowly raised the dagger with both hands. He continued chanting even as he brought down the dagger. The girl screamed, begging and pleading for mercy and that they let her go.

But Goði had no mercy to give.

She screamed anew as he impaled her heart.

She gurgled weakly as her life's blood spilled from the wound. The blood acted in an unnatural manner as it began filling the lines of the pentagram carefully etched onto the ground by the acolytes.

The "ink" being provided from previous sacrifices.

Once the pentagram was completely filled, a bright light erupted from it.

Goði stepped back just in time. The Harvest Moon continued to let out an unholy light. The girl screamed as she was engulfed by an unholy energy. All too soon, her screams were cut off as she was destroyed completely. The only thing Goði regretted was that her suffering didn't last any longer.

Oh well, as the old saying went, beggars couldn't be choosers.

The pentagram slowly turned into a portal.

Goði watched with anticipation as his lord's demonic minions started to emerge from the portal. The acolytes lowered their bodies, their foreheads touching the grounds as they demonstrated proper obeisance.

Yes, he thought. His lord's armies have arrived at last!

---

Syn hated that she couldn't do anything.

But she was bound by the dictates of Fate like everyone else.

She was well aware of the bitter human moving hidden and unseen in the very shadows. She wasn't lying to Ofund that she was only beginning the countdown to her own destruction when she chose to follow through with her foul plans for Anna. Nor was Ofund aware that she was being manipulated.

Much less altered.

Her pride and arrogance were consuming her.

In other words, she (erroneously) assumed that nothing and no one could ever control her. She had far too much confidence in her own abilities for Syn's liking. She didn't want to lose her sister-in-law like this. She would especially lose it if she ever learned that a powerful mortal was the one influencing her and her schemes. Unfortunately, Ofund's fate was sealed the moment she decided she would try and kill Anna.

Irregardless of the prophecies.

Just has Syn has foreseen.

Syn shuddered. She would be the only being who knew about the powerful mortal, as they would alter or remove the memories of every seer who witnessed their actions. Even Ginnarr was oblivious to their very existence. It was a result of the ancient spells they were using.

Syn poured herself some wine, pondering what she should do next.

Unfortunately, as every seer knows, her hands were tied. She couldn't effect the timestream and Fate could be a dangerous adversary when crossed. Syn knew that she couldn't try to prevent what was happening.

Much less interfere with the mortal's vile plans for Anna.

Fortunately, she had other abilities besides her visions.

While she couldn't aid Anna directly, there was nothing against helping her in more oblique ways. For example, she could do small things, like making sure certain books regarding important spells were easier to find.

Making sure she met those who were meant to go along with her journey sooner than normal.

Syn scoffed and shook her head.

For the most part, she had to sneer at Honeymaren's presumptuousness that she had the power of Sight. Honeymaren could only witness probabilities and possible futures, not the very future itself.

But she was right in that Anna had the potential to become more dangerous than people knew.

Yes, she was making great progress when it came to training her powers.

Sachi and Samorn would be great teachers for Anna and Elsa respectively when it came to training the magical abilities they unknowingly inherited from their great-grandmother.

But Anna was like a bubbling cauldron or a dormant volcano.

It would only take one misplaced comment, misunderstanding or unwitting action to make her explode.

Witness what happened when Olaf unwittingly made that awkward comment that made Anna realize she was dealing with years of suppressed anger and bitterness. Yes, Elsa did her part and help make Anna whole again.

But she was still dealing with her hurt and rage towards Elsa and their parents.

Not to mention Grand Pabbie.

Anna was still in a vulnerable point in her life. It would be disastrous if the embittered mortal ever gained control over her, especially by stoking the anger and resentment she still felt towards her family.

Syn knew she had to do her part to help Anna prepare for her destiny.

It was tragic, really.

All Anna ever wanted was a normal life, for someone to love her, a partner to find a family with. She wanted to go old with Kristoff, watch their grandchildren play and die together, peacefully, in their sleep.

Unfortunately, her dreams would be forever denied her.

---

Something was waiting.

Something was...observing.

The same something waited until the tribes had congregated in one area with a keen sense of patience and anticipation that would never be perceived by lesser mortals. Even Elsa, the Fifth Spirit, the bridge between magic and humanity, would have been oblivious to the undercurrents of a game that was far more ancient than time itself. The humans were soon talking, laughing, guzzling alcohol and trading gossip. No one paid any attention to the sky.

More the fool, they.

A giant snowflake formed in the sky once more.

One of the crystals on the snowflake flashed several times, almost acting as if it were a beacon. The earth giants paused in the middle of repairing some minor damage that homes suffered in a nearby village.

They stared at the snowflake, as if mesmerized.

The crystal flashed once more.

Almost as if acting in concert, the earth giants stared at the Harvest Festival. The various Northuldran tribes were too preoccupied with their own petty issues to pay any mind to nature.

The earth giants exchanged glances.

They nodded.

No one noticed the small rumblings of the ground as the earth giants left the area for parts unknown. It would be awhile before anyone noticed that the earth giants were gone.

Most would assume the earth giants were tending to something and would return at any moment.

They would be wrong. The snowflake vanished as if it never appeared in the first place.