Act 3 Scene 4
Ice covered the surface of the lake, while snow continued to fall in small speckles. Soft instruments of piano keys and strings echoed throughout the air. No one knew who was playing them, but it added a sense of serenity and mystery to the story. Dancing on the frozen water, was a maiden with auburn hair that were knotted and braided to keep the strands from flying everywhere. Her outfit consisted of a floor length dress made of linen with patterns of snowflakes on there. The young girl danced gracefully on the surface, bowing down to the ice. Within the reflection of cold, an image of a snow covered forest was presented in the dark of night. The only light within the blackness came from the white powder covering the branches and ground. Within the trees of pine, a figure in a flowing dress and cloak stared up at the moon. Her silver hair flowed with the wind as her wrinkled face stared at a stream flowing down from the mountain. She knelt near the water, where she was waving her hand to make the water freeze.
A soft and enchanting voice echoed in the wind with the instruments. "In the woodlands low, born of ice and snow, there's a maiden weeping tonight. Snow falls softly 'neath the winter moon." The voice sang what was happening, as the old crone felt tears run down her cheeks. The river began to freeze with her powers, as she used the ice crystals to form items with a mixture of snow. She created a harp, a cauldron and a long club-like stick which she set down near the edge of the waters. She looked somber, allowing herself to cry as she gazed up to the full moon. She stood, holding her hand out as she caught the snow that was falling. "Forest bare and white, she dwells there by night. Listen to her cry sorrow's song. Tears fall softly 'neath the winter moon." The voice continued to sing, as the woman held the flakes in her palm. They did not melt even when they were on her skin. She breathed, the air from her mouth being seen as fog due to the cold. With her freezing hands, she brought them up to her chest so she could cover her heart. Her eyes still shed tears, while she stayed in the glow of the moon. "Breathless, icy bright. Daughter of the night. Oh, who do you cry for? Kneeing softly 'neath the winter moon.'
Her eyes went back to the glowing orb in the sky, giving light to the night. She closed the lids of her pupils, as more of the water works made their way down her cheek. "Fuyu no tsuki, fuyu no tsuki, kanashimi utsusu fuyu no tsuki." The soft voice in the distance still sang. The tear that fell from the crone's face landed in the snow. Within the moonlight, the droplet began to sprout into a white flower, a snowdrop to be exact. "No yoru ni yuki no otome hana o mistuke ni." Hands covered in wrinkles reached down to pluck the flora from its stem. The soft petals that had the same color as snow started to open wider, showing the image inside its petals. Within the leaflets was a small, clear ball to show a vision of frosty cover mountains. A figure of a young man trudging along the thick blankets of snow upwards. "Yuki ni umoreta sanri no naka o tabi tsuzukena sai." The young man climbed towards the mountain, clinging to his clothes for warmth as he pushed through the snow and storm. Despite the frost on his face, his features showed resilience.
The girl on the ice continued to dance gracefully, twirling around like a ballerina. The glass beneath her did not give way, despite the pressure she put on it. She found herself ceasing her movements as her head perked up. The girl looked over to see the young guy staring at her. His turquoise eyes sparkled, as they matched the orbs of the girl on the ice. His strawberry blonde hair was caked with frost, yet he smiled happily as he stared at the female. "Traveler passing through, feet all beare, his smile was true. His eyes shone with starlight." The female voice echoed in the chambers, narrating the actions and expressions of the characters. The young man began to start walking towards the girl on the ice, as the moon above them illuminated the room. "He walked softly 'neath the winter moon." He continued to walk slowly, inching closer to the girl who stared at him. His smile spread the closer he got to her, as his arm reached out to try and hold the one he had searched for.
His moment of joy was taken from him, in a swift movement as the ice beneath him gave way suddenly. Before he could scream, the young man found himself plunging into the cold water below the ice. His lungs immediately filled with the piercing water, making his body feel heavy as the heat escaped him the further down he went. His eyes were wide, staring at the hole he made in the ice where he fell through. He could see it getting smaller and smaller, despite him struggling to get back up. The light from the ice formed into a feminine figure, which caught the boy off guard. He watched as the woman of the snow and ice floated gently towards him, reaching her arms out as the wrinkled face began to beam with merriment. "Love made my heart soar, you're the one I've waited for." The voice sang again, with each word indicating how closer the woman was.
Eventually, she wrapped her arms around the young man, holding him close to her body and covered him with her clothes. He struggled a bit at first, but the embrace made his body go numb and he felt himself becoming sleepy from the hold alone. "Stay with me forever." The singing voice echoed the words from the Winter woman, as she petted his head with one of her hands. No longer were they sinking to the bottom, floating in the water peacefully as they stayed there. The light of the moon reflected off the woman, making the water glow as she shed more tears. "She cried softly 'neath the winter moon."
The light engulfed the young man in the water, practically blinding the scene. The moon watched, the ice lake became a snow bank. The young girl who had been dancing on the frozen waters before, now found herself outside in the snow. She looked around, baffled as if she was unaware what had happened. There were no caves, houses or any indication that there was a shelter nearby for anyone to have lived in. She thought she was alone for a moment, holding her cloak to try and warm herself. Despite the storm ceasing, the cold was still in the air. Her turquoise eyes suddenly landed on something within the snowbank. She ran over, coming up to a figure who laid in the fluffy substance. When she saw who it was, the young woman gasped. Her hands shook, staring at the one who was not awake. He had the same features as the young man who had tried to save her on the ice. Instead of his hair being a strawberry blond, it was now a pure white to resemble the snow he was under.
The woman fell to her knees, recognizing the person who had tried to save her. Her shaky hands reached out to him, as she tried to stay strong but looked to be on the verge of breaking down. "In the snow he stayed, from my side he did not stray." She finally landed her fingers on the cheeks, nearly jumping back as she felt how cold the skin was. It wasn't a freezing type… but a deadly one. Feeling the skin of the boy, she finally broke down and sobbed. The woman tossed herself on the man, holding onto him as she refused to let him go "My hands could not warm him. He died softly 'neath the winter moon." The singing voice narrated the grief the woman was feeling as she howled in sadness from the loss of the man she had a relationship with. "Fuyu no tsuki, fuyu no tsuki, kanashimi utsusu fuyu no tsuki." The song rang out, as the tears of the maiden leaked from her eyes, landing on the snow. From the tears, snowdrops began to spring around the body to cover the boy, all in full bloom. "No yoru ni yuki no otome hana o mistuke ni." She laid next to the corpse, refusing to let go despite the inevitable. Eventually, the winds began to pick up and the woman realized she could not stay much longer or else she would join him in the afterlife. In the end, she was forced to leave the body and move towards the forest. "Yuki ni umoreta sanrin no naka o tabi tsuzukena sai."
As the snow continued to fall, within the blizzard a new figure emerged. Elsa suddenly found herself within this scenario, surrounded by the confines of the forest. She didn't know what was going on, nor was she aware of how she found herself in this place. Despite the wind blowing, the Queen did not feel cold. Elsa tried to walk around, attempting to get an idea where she had stumbled into. Her feet moved with ease, when she looked down, the Queen noticed that instead of being buried knee deep in the snow, she was actually standing on the surface. She was caught off guard, but shrugged it off. With a few more steps, the royal saw a clearing with someone standing there. She was caught off guard, surprised that there was someone else in this type of weather. Curiosity took over, making Elsa approach the person who appeared to be a woman with a familiar body-type.
"In the woodlands low, Born of ice and snow. There's a maiden weeping tonight." Elsa heard the voice of the woman, jumping from her singing. She sounded sad, as her face was staring at the night sky. "Snow falls softly 'neath the winter moon." Elsa questioned to herself why this woman was singing so sadly. She pressed forward, approaching the woman as she felt a familiar connection to her. Yet she felt herself backing up two feet with each step she took. Despite the distance she was trying to create, the woman who had been wailing turned. Shock covered the features of the pale one's face, staring at the woman with auburn hair. Her strands on her head and the eyes of the sea reminded Elsa of someone dear to her. "Breathless, icy bright. Daughter of the night." The woman sang to Elsa, which made the one in an ice dress become dazed. Why was she singing to her? And why did she remind Elsa of someone important to her. "Oh, who do you cry for?" Cry? That wasn't right, Elsa wasn't…
Her cheeks suddenly felt wet, making her gasp softly. Elsa reached up to her face, her fingertips wiping the skin. When she looked at them, she saw they were wet with water. Her eyes were drowning from the tears leaking out. She was crying. Elsa was weeping, but why?! She wasn't sad… was she? Her head whipped back up to look at the woman, wanting answers. Only to find herself staring at her sister, wearing the clothes of the one she had walked up to, but it was the youngest Arendelle royal. "Kneeing softly 'neath the winter moon." The snow began to pick up in speed and quantity. The sister was beginning to be buried from the flurry. Elsa started to pant, as so many questions were in her head spinning around.
"A-Anna?!" Elsa reached out for her, but the snow became too much even by her standards. Elsa began to get trapped in the waves, covering her eyes as she felt suddenly… isolated.
Ice, blue eyes shot open from the lids of the person they belonged to. The Ice Queen bolted up from her frozen bed, gasping for air as she tried to collect her thoughts. It was as if she had woken from a nightmare, yet it wasn't scary just… haunting. Elsa felt her heart beating a mile a minute, as she tried to gather the kind of vision she had. It didn't make any sense, she didn't recognize any story she read or heard that related to such a hallucination. It all felt so real, even though she was observing the scene from afar for a majority of the time.
A shaky hand reached up to Elsa's forehead, trying to ease herself. The Snow Queen was trying to catch her breath, as her heart was racing. After a few deep breaths, she started to calm down. The woman sat on her bed, well an attempt of one. The frame itself was made of ice crystals, but there was no mattress or blankets nor pillows. Well, it would be hard to make something soft and durable out of snow… or ice. To Elsa, it wasn't a bad sleep, she didn't mind not having the comfortable things. Though she wouldn't have minded having a pillow at least.
Since she was up, she decided to just get out of the bed and walk around her room. Her feet took her over to the doors leading to the balcony. Pushing them open, Elsa walked out into the crisp, mountain air. The sky was still dark, but bits of sunlight were peaking out. So the dawn was becoming twilight fairly soon. Elsa couldn't believe how early it was, then again she did sleep for a long while. After making the Ice Castle, it took a lot out of her powers and she fell asleep. A smile spread on Elsa's face, thinking about how well-rested she was. With a soft sigh, she spoke. "Best sleep I've gotten since… I don't even know." She chuckled at the end. As she looked over at the snowy slopes, she mused. For the first time in many years, she felt happy and free. No need to worry about royal duties, hiding her powers, risking hurting anyone. It was nice, allowing herself to expose her abilities. Of course, she never realized how lonely it would be. Now that she was standing on her balcony, overlooking the scenery. No sign of any other life around. Elsa lost her smile as she felt herself having a sense of isolation overtaking her.
"Arf!" Elsa heard the barking from behind, turning around to see her house guests coming up. Five wolves approached her, a few holding some items in their mouths. When Elsa saw them, she regained her merriment. The woman headed over to the pack, all five sitting patiently and politely. One would never have guessed they were wild animals. The Snow Queen knelt down to be by their level, reaching over and petting their heads. They immediately went in for the pats, a few lightly purring as her hands rubbed the fur.
"Morning everyone…" Elsa greeted them, feeling their bodies close in on her. She could feel the fur on her skin, warming her up. "Next time I sleep, you all are going to be my blankets and pillows. Until I can get some of my own." Some of the dogs wagged their tails, already agreeing with that idea. Elsa chuckled at their enthusiasm. "So, what did you get?" Elsa asked them, seeing the items in their maws.
The wolves perked up as they began to drop the items that they had in their mouths. They presented them in front of Elsa, who looked them over. She could see the meat and bread on the cold ground, which made her perk up. She hadn't eaten anything since the party last night, and her stomach growled just looking at the food. Sure, it might not have been the cleanest or freshest, but Elsa wasn't picky. "Not a bad haul… and they aren't covered in too much saliva… good girls and boys." Elsa praised the wolves, who all wagged their tails and yapped in approval. Using her bare hands, she began to craft snow and ice from her palms. Taking hold of the particles, creating a solid shape to resemble a bowl. Reaching down, she picked up the food and placed it in the holder. "The meat could be reheated…" She noted while eyeing the pieces of animal flesh. "Let's go see if the kitchen is functional." Elsa told her wolves.
They followed the Queen out of the bedroom, making her way down the halls of ice. She looked at the structure, impressed with how thick and sturdy it was. She couldn't believe she had managed to create such a giant piece of work in mere minutes. Then again, perhaps it was because she had sealed her powers for over a decade, that upon releasing them, the magic was immeasurable. Elsa was surprised she managed to control it all. Though it did help there were no bystanders. Even now, the woman felt herself to be carefree since she was no longer bound by those gloves. She headed down a double staircase, going from the entrance to a few more rooms on the ground floor. The Queen and pack made it to a large area with counter spaces as well as cubbies for storage. Though there wasn't anything for the spaces, given it was all bare. Elsa noticed this and made a realization. "Might be a bit hard to survive up here without much to eat." The Snow Queen admitted.
She walked around the kitchen, keeping the bowl close to her. "It will be difficult to just survive from scraps taken by the Ice Harvesters. Especially since I don't want to continue to get them in trouble or in danger." She looked back at the food her wolves had brought her, which were no doubt from someone who was traveling up the mountain. Elsa breathed a sigh of defeat. "Guess living on top of a snowy mountain does make it hard to acquire sustenance. And my powers only make snow and ice… not fruits and veggies." Elsa continued to talk to herself… Well, the wolves were listening. Looking back, Elsa didn't realize that living up high away from society would mean she would be cut off from resources. "If I'm going to be living up here from now on, I'll need to find a way to support myself." She declared, heading to an open oven made of ice blocks. There was a small pit for wood to be in and stones for a platform above. Elsa knelt a bit so she could be on the level. Her eyes managed to find the firewood that was next to the stove, though most of them were twigs rather than logs. It was all the wolves could carry in their mouths.
"Alright, let's see if this works… hopefully it doesn't melt." Elsa prayed. She started by inserting the twigs into the bottom, there was just enough to make a decent pile. "Note to self… gather some firewood instead of just twigs and sticks…" She muttered to herself. Once the wood was placed, she then grabbed two stones from where the pile was and started to click them together near the pit. It took a few times, but sparks eventually flew right on the pieces. Small embers began to grow, eventually becoming a flame. She watched for a bit, making sure the fire was strong before she began to set the meat and bread on the stone slab above the fire. She watched as the rolls of yeast and rations began to sizzle and reheat after being in the cold. She also made sure that the fire didn't melt the exterior of the oven. Elsa was surprised to see the ice wasn't even cracking, despite the heat coming from the flames. She was impressed with how sturdy the blocks were holding, guessing her powers were stronger than she believed.
After a few minutes, she took the items from the hot plate as they were warmed enough. She grabbed the meat first and tossed the first piece towards the pack. "Here you all go… thanks for your scavenging." Elsa granted them access to the meat so they could eat. Once the meat was on the ground, the members began to go at it, growling and barking at each other as they tried to be the first one to devour it all. Their aggression caught the attention of the Queen, who turned to her wolves. She whistled, causing them to stop their noises. Elsa glared at the group with sternness. "Just because you are wolves, does not mean you can act feral. There is plenty of meat for all of you, so you can easily share." She scolded them. The five whimpered, as they had been told off.
Elsa went over to them, with the rest of the meat as she knelt down. "Now, one at a time…" She looked over to a large white wolf with gray eyes, the body and structure was big, signaling it was a male. "Geri, since you are the leader, you get the first piece." Elsa placed the flesh at the paws of the large white wolf. He sniffed the offering, before his maw grabbed half of it and gobbled it down. He licked his lips from the tasty food, then he used his snout to push the rest of his food toward another white wolf, but smaller and with a round belly. Elsa watched Geri give the rest of his meal to the female. She smiled over at her. "Glad to see you are taking care of your mate and your child… you'll be a great father." Elsa remarked towards Geri, who stood proud while the other white wolf sniffed and took the rest of the scrapes. Elsa placed another full piece of meat towards the pregnant one. "Here you go, Freki. Gotta keep your strength up for the baby." Elsa told her. Without hesitation, Freki gobbled down the other piece.
Elsa smiled, glad to see that the wolves were doing well. She then handed out the rest of the pieces. "Hati…" Elsa called to a gray she-wolf with blue eyes, taking the strip and munching on it. She turned to another she-wolf, with silver fur and ice-cold eyes. "A piece for you, Sköll." Again, this female took the piece and pigged it down. Elsa chuckled, then turned to the smallest of the bunch, who was a dark-gray wolf. He looked a bit older than a puppy, but had the energy of such a youngling. Elsa smiled as she looked at him. "And I saved the biggest for you, Fenrir." The Snow Queen tossed the last piece of meat to the gray one, who caught it in the air and chewed it up. All the wolves managed to get their breakfast, which pleased Elsa. They had helped her since coming up to the Mountains, and they were the only company she had to keep her sane. The least she could do was treat and reward them for their help.
With the wolves fed, she moved to get her own breakfast. She started to eat the bread that she knew they wouldn't eat. It wasn't much, but it would hold her for now. It tasted a bit better since it was heated up, but she did burn it in a few places. Still, Elsa wasn't picky. As she ate, many thoughts ran through her mind, while her eyes looked around the kitchen. "Looks like I proved I could cook successfully." Elsa mused, as she had managed a fire in the ice blocks without them melting. "Of course, heating something up is easy… cooking will be on a whole other level. But the fire isn't melting anything… heh… guess my powers were much stronger than I thought." Elsa realized. Taking another look around, she saw the empty cubbies and hummed. "I'll have to get started with gathering some food to fill in the cabinets. Finding meat won't be a problem… since there are plenty of rivers with fish. And I've got you guys to do the hunting." Elsa eyed the pack of wolves, who all looked at her with praise. "Maybe I can send some of the servants out to find some berries and veggies, and then have Gerda…" The Queen trailed off as she realized the problems with that idea. She lost her smile for a moment, as the room was bare of any other human life. Due to her isolation, she was unable to have any other people to do her chores. And the Wolves could only do so much with salvaging and protecting, so that meant Elsa was left alone.
"Oh… right…" Elsa sighed, that loneliness taking hold of her in a tight grip. "Looks like I'll have to get things done… on my own." Despite being the Queen, she didn't have too many subjects to help her. Though she wasn't expecting to have a court or real people, that was the point of running away. She just didn't realize how much work she would have to do on her own. Her frosty eyes looked down, seeing her wolves looking up at her. She could tell they sensed her doubts, which made Elsa quickly shake it off. With a small smile, she tried to be strong. "That's fine… I can handle a bit of gathering. After all, I am someone who can make snow and ice from the palms of my hands. I can handle whatever comes my way!" Elsa declared, digging into the rest of her bread as she felt her stomach get full. She also tried to empty out her head, that way there would be nothing weighing her down.
With no food in her hands, she clapped her palms for motivation. "Alright, new plan. Let's take a look around the castle, and see what rooms need some work." The dogs began to wag their tail, agreeing with her order. Elsa giggled, glad to see she had some support, even if they weren't human. She turned on her heels, heading out of the kitchen. As she walked out of the archway, she held out her palms, waving her fingers as she started to craft a large block of thick ice that she could hold in one hand. In the other, she crafted a quill of the same substance and started to write it down. It worked just as well as a pen on paper, which she was grateful for.
The Snow Queen walked down the halls and corridors of her castle. The pack of five followed her closely, watching her and staying by her side as she checked over her whole castle. She checked every single room, looking up and down from floor to ceiling and made sure to eye every single corner. As she was making her way through the castle, she scribbled down notes on the block of ice. "Let's see… I'll need to stock the kitchen with food, so we will have to do some scavenging." Elsa remarked, making a checklist. "I might have to make a room dedicated to farming…" She realized that thought. "I'm not the one to be able to grow things… Anna usually did that…" Her eyes softened, as her mind wandered to the past where the two girls would grow a garden together not long after they reconciled when their parents died. Elsa remembered how she would usually keep the soil cold and moist with her ice magic, while Anna did most of the tending. Of course, Elsa never told Anna her secret as to how she made the dirt so fertile. She probably knew by now, given she remembered her sisters' powers.
She had a look of longing while reminiscing of the times with her sister. If Anna were here she would be helping her with the decorations and keeping track of everything. Then again, she would be really clumsy and be over the top, complaining about how cold it was. But Elsa wouldn't have minded… She would have loved to have listened to Anna complain and come up with a bright side to this. Her heart began to ach, realizing how much she lost now. Elsa looked back at the list, seeing that only a few things were on there. Even though she did have a cloud of nostalgia over her head, she could not be distracted. She had a new life to live, and she had to see it through. Shaking her thoughts, Elsa got herself back together and continued to walk down the halls.
She made more notes on her block of ice, trying to figure out what else she needed to do. "Gathering food and setting up a farming room… need to try and get some covers for my bed. Maybe I should add some more furniture in the halls to make it feel less spacious." Elsa noted, seeing how few decorations there were throughout the corridors of her castle. It made it feel more empty, which made Elsa hate it even more. "Not sure what I could put around here…maybe some vases? Seems pretty basic though." Elsa wondered as she questioned the ideas of what she could do. Her eyes looked at her hands that were holding the ice. Thoughts worked her way into her head, as she recalled how long she had to keep her powers hidden. She wondered how much bigger and thicker her creations of snow and ice can get. Sure, she made this big structure, but that was just a spur of the moment idea. Who knows what she could do if she put thought and effort into it.
Elsa hummed as she lowered down her block of ice, as so much was on her mind and she needed to let it out. "Alright if I'm going to do some work, I need to get these feelings out." Elsa declared, as she had to distract herself from these doubts.
The wolves were confused, but they followed her as she headed further into her domain. Elsa walked towards a door, opening it to bring her out to the mountains covered in snow. When she headed outside, she took in a deep breath as the frosty morning air hit her nose. Elsa bore a smile, as she felt the freedom she had achieved when she ran up here. The woman walked further out, getting a bit of distance between her and the castle. The pack of wolves watched her, keeping a distance as they felt something was about to happen. After taking many feet away from her hideout, Elsa looked around to get a good idea of how much space she had. With a small nod, she was ready. The Queen rubbed her hands together, as she prepared herself. "Alright, time to see what else I can do." Elsa cracked her knuckles, taking in some deep breaths as she prepared herself. She was not going to hold anything back.
Eyes wide with determination, as she held out her hands. Her feet picked up the pace as she hopped, twirled and skipped on the snow. Her fingers and palms waved in the air, creating the shimmering flakes as her powers manifested. Elsa began to move the specks around, crafting them to take form. She blasted the flurry outward, creating a large wall of ice with a snow covering on top. She looked it over, blinking a bit as she took in what she made. "I always go for the basic wall structure every time." She realized, tapping on the block to feel how tough it was. It was the same type of material she made for her castle, strong but lacking in individuality. "If I'm going to add more flare to my castle, I have to get better at putting more detail into my works." Elsa told herself.
She looked over her shoulder, as she saw the pack of wolves wagging their tails. They were cheering her on, which Elsa was happy about. She was grateful she had an audience, but they were keeping away so they wouldn't get hurt. The Snow Queen took in a couple more breaths, envisioning something in her mind. She focused on the image, letting her hands wander as she kept the picture in her head. The snow from her hands increased in volume, then she spread out the flurry and watched it take shape. She looked at the final product, which she was pleased with. The snow and ice she made took the shape of the wolf that she had seen as her animal now. It stood proud and tall, looking like a guard of the palace. Elsa's smile spread, her face beamed with delight as she watched. "Now that is a statue!" Elsa praised, gesturing towards what she made. Sköll and Hati walked over to the ice wolf, sniffing it as they tried to understand what happened.
Elsa was still impressed with her work, especially when she saw how life-like the statue was to the wolves. "Do you all like it?" She asked them. The rest of the pack stood over the sculpture, wagging their tails and panting as if to agree. Elsa took that as a yes, as her motivation increased. "Just to be safe, let's do a few more test runs." She urged the pack to keep their distance, so she had the room to work. Using her powers, Elsa continued to craft many different carvings with her ice and snow abilities. Some of them were inanimate objects such as tables, vases, and chairs, to practice her furniture making skills. She was used to that before, as she did it for her parents when they were still around. Thankfully, she remembered the basics, but now she needed to try bigger.
She kept creating life-sized snow versions of animals and people. She made more wolf figures, people she had read about in her stories, and a few of the people she remembered in her Kingdom. As the snow dust settled, Elsa glanced at the works she had created and judged them on their appearances. She walked around the garden of statues, checking over the details of the more human-like structures. Her smile stayed upon her face, showing how pleased her powers manifested. "Pretty good…" She commented on one. "A bit short, but doable." She motioned to another. "Oof, too much snow, not enough ice…" She retorted to one figure before turning to another. It had a build similar to a Troll, but much bigger and instead of stones, it was made of ice. It still had a human shaped body, with some white markings on the skin. The hair, made out of snow, was sculpted on the head as it was in a short style. "And this one has too much ice, not enough snow." She made notes with each figure she examined, learning which ones came out perfect and which ones needed more work. She found a few that resemble her servants, which made her eyes soften.
The siblings, Kai and Gerda, stood there smiling at Elsa in their snow forms. They held out the dresses they presented to Elsa before her coronation. It felt like years ago, but in reality such an event happened only a few days before. Even though the memory held such sad meaning, part of her was glad to be reminded of those who helped raise her and Anna when their parents were busy. She checked over the sculptures she crafted, pleased with the results. "Perfect… just like the people they're based on." Her eyes shone with longing upon the servants who had dedicated their lives to raising the Queen. Elsa could only imagine their worry and disappointment, knowing that the royal they looked up to had left them.
She quickly turned her head away, not wanting to be weighed down by the past. She moved on, but she was met face to face by an immortalized version of her parents. Elsa looked at the fake versions of Agnarr and Iduna, the previous rulers of Arendelle before their deaths. She still remembered the last time she saw them. How they talked about going on a trip on the boat to a far away land, three years ago. Elsa couldn't believe it had been that long since she last saw her parents. The day they died, it broke Elsa's heart. The Snow Queen approached the figures, gazing at them with wavering pupils. "Mor…" she referred to Iduna. "Far…" she addressed Agnarr. Her heart ached as she stared at her parents, knowing they were deceased. She blamed herself, as she felt it was because of her powers that caused their deaths. "I'm sorry…" she whispered as she reached up, her hands holding the ice ones from her parents. "If only I hadn't been born with these powers… things could have been different. Some Queen I turned out to be…" She sighed in disappointment.
She never understood why her parents allowed her to keep the title of heir to the throne, given her abilities that hindered her throughout most of her life. Sure, as the first born it was her birthright, and while Elsa did have the drive of being a leader and helping her people… With a hard sigh, Elsa spoke. "I left them all… I know you must be upset, but I was so scared. Now that they know… who knows what will happen. It's better this way… if I'm not there, those who attacked us long ago won't go after them. Don't you see, I'm doing this to protect everyone from those hooded figures and myself!" She pleaded to the statues, trying to get them to understand. It was futile, since she knew there would be no answer from them regardless. She stared at the statues of her parents, waiting but not getting any confirmation. Elsa's doubts began to cloud her mind. Were her parents angry or saddened by her actions? Did they hate what she chose to do, considering how much they sacrificed just to ensure her future?
Flashes of the past rang through her mind, the event that changed her life forever on the night where those hooded figures came into their home. The Snow Queen shook her head, panting slightly as she gazed back at her parents. She turned her back on them, clearing her mind. "I did this for my people. They are safer without me." She told herself, no longer talking to the statues. "They have Anna… she can lead them. I know she'll be fine. She cares for them more than me… and isn't shackled by the weight of a curse." She was adamant on her decision, even if she had to go through with it with a heavy heart. She took a few steps away from her parents, trying to get some distance between her and them. Her feet only took her to another family member covered in snow and ice.
Elsa stared at the statue she made of her sister, all the details in the snow, to look just like the living version. She found herself slowly approaching it, looking up at the younger sister she carved herself. The woman kept her eyes on the figurine that resembled her sibling, the strings in her heart were tugging again. The queen reached out, her fingers gently brushing the snow covered cheeks. She held onto the face, staring into the eyes made out of cold ice. The Queen brushed her thumbs over Anna's cheeks, as that forsaken expression was once again drawn upon her features. All Elsa could think about now was her younger sister. She wondered what Anna was doing right now, what she could be thinking, feeling, at this moment. "Ha, I wonder what you must be doing at the Castle…" She spoke to the lifeless version. Her eyes darted down as a few thoughts came to her mind. "Then again… if this is you we are talking about, you probably aren't even in the Kingdom anymore. I bet you're probably coming up to the North Mountain to find me, to try and talk me to come back, huh? That's the kind of person you are. Always going into the source of trouble, and wanting to make things right, even if you have no power to change it…" Elsa chuckled half-heartedly.
The statue was unable to answer her, of course it wouldn't. Still, she had to talk to someone. "You would be stubborn… and try to get things your way. I envy you for how determined and optimistic you can be." She sighed, holding onto the face of her sister. "I know this isn't easy, but this is the only way I can save both of us. I am a danger to the kingdom… I will either end up using my powers to hurt people, or those that are after me will hurt you just to use me! I… here I can be free and you can be safe. I don't want to lose you Anna… I…" She trailed off, as she realized she was talking to frozen water. It wasn't the real princess of Arendelle, so there was no point in continuing a one-sided conversation. Elsa pulled away from the figurine, sighing as she hugged herself.
She didn't understand. She was doing all of this for her people, Kingdom and sister. She knew she could be dangerous if her powers were used irresponsibly or forcefully. And now that her secret was out, it would only be a matter of time before those that came after her in the past would attempt to take her back. She knew the risks, but she wanted to go through with it. So why… why after willing to give up everything, was she so upset? Why did she feel incomplete? What was she missing?
Her ears picked up a familiar tune, of lute strings and piano. She recognized that tune, it was the melody she heard in her dreams. The one with the boy who died in the snow, and the woman who Elsa thought was Skadi, but she looked… different. The Snow Queen followed the sounds, which only she could hear. The wolves watched her, tilting their heads in curiosity as Elsa moved further down the line of statues she made. In the midst of her carvings, her eyes widened when she saw the frozen version of the boy that she had dreamt about. She remembered how he had similar features to Anna and Agnarr, strawberry blond hair, turquoise-green eyes, fair skin. It was quite odd, Elsa thought. How he and that girl in her dream looked like they could have been related to Anna and Elsa. Was it a coincidence? Or was there something more? She reached over, gently touching the cheek of what she made. It was odd… Elsa felt that there was a connection with this guy from her dreams, but she didn't know how or why. Yet as she stared into the carvings that was his face, she couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity.
"Who… are you?" Elsa questioned the statue, gazing into his eyes. Was it just her, or did they have the same eye shape and color? That couldn't be possible, right? Elsa was lost in thought about who this man could be, it took the wolves growling to knock her out of her trance. Turning back, she noticed the pack had approached her, standing firm as they were growling around the carvings. Elsa knelt down to them, petting their heads to calm them down. "What's wrong?" She asked them. She looked to where they were glaring, which made her heart skip a beat. Was someone up here? That couldn't be! It was impossible for anyone to get up here, Elsa only managed because of her powers. The wolves continued to growl, as a voice was heard from within the statues.
"Woooah! Look at this!" Elsa was shocked to hear a male voice nearby. She became confused, since she didn't recognize that tone. She kept the wolves down, as she decided to investigate. She followed the voice, moving past the figures that she created, as she continued to hear that person. "Man, whoever made these statues must be really talented." He commented, which made Elsa move faster. She poked out from behind a sculpture, being caught off guard by what she saw. Instead of an actual human, Elsa was staring at… some kind of creature. It had blue skin like ice, the body looked similar to the Trolls, but he looked way bigger than them. Not overly giant, but he seemed taller than most of the humans Elsa knew. He also had some white markings all over his body, with short hair that was sculpted on his head out of snow. His eyes gazed at the works Elsa made herself, looking quite pleased. He didn't seem hostile, despite his large appearance.
Elsa was hesitant to approach, but she needed to know what he was and why he was here. Carefully, she slowly stepped towards the being, preparing her hands with magic just in case she needed to use it. The Snow Queen soon made it over to the being, taking in a breath as she put on a mask of diligence and authority. "Excuse me." Elsa called out.
The being of frost and snow turned towards Elsa, baring a goofy smile. "Oh, hey there. Are you here for the art show as well?" He asked.
Elsa blinked, staring at the taller being with even more bafflement than before. "Art show?" She repeated.
"Yeah, I was looking around this… Mew-see-ums? I think it's called? I heard they have these pieces of art, things created by humans, and they come in paintings, sculptures, pottery. And what's interesting is that they're all different, because they're made by different people! Can you imagine a sanctuary with all these kinds of art, existing in the same place despite their origin? Like, who came up with that?"
Elsa lowered her guard, despite how intimidating the appearance of this newcomer was, he didn't seem hostile. Still, he was trespassing on Elsa's territory, and she should let him know. With her elegance upon her face, she spoke. "This is not a museum. You're in my Castle, I was just in the middle of making these statues." She gestured to her creations.
"Wait… you made these?" The being asked, sounding impressed. "That's amazing!" He commented with praise. "You have some talent! It's way better than what I can do!"
Elsa took his compliments, still confused by the situation itself, but for some reason she was happy with the praise. "...Uh… t-thank you." Elsa cracked a small smile, lowering her hands as she felt she didn't need to use her magic to defend herself. "B-but, you are still on my Castle Grounds."
The being of frost and snow tilted his head at her remark. "Oh… this is your place?" He pointed at the structure near them.
"Yes, I made it myself last night." Elsa explained.
Once again, the non-human's eyes of ice went wide with fascination. "Woah! You make art and buildings?! I can't even make a snowman, let alone something with so much detail." Elsa continued to be flabbergasted by how generous he was being, especially when he didn't know who Elsa was. Still, she didn't mind his company. "So, when are my siblings going to come to life?" He asked.
Elsa was once again caught off guard by his question. "S-Siblings?"
"Well… yeah. I mean, I was created here so I figured these guys and girls would be waking up soon as well." He explained.
Hearing that, Elsa's gears in her head went into overdrive. She looked closer at the creature of ice in front of her, being reminded of one of the sculptures she created that she had checked over. He had the same physique as the statue she made with the mixture of a Troll and Frost Giant. It was one of the first things that came to mind when she was making the more detailed projects. Her head whipped around, looking back at the sculptres. She remembered having seen him over there, commenting on how he had more ice and not enough snow. When she gazed in that direction, she could not see that towering frost man there, instead he was in front of her. Smiling like a goof as he had no clue or care in the world. Elsa's eyes remained wide, as she was processing what she had done. "I… made you… and you're alive?!"
"I mean… I can talk and walk. Not sure about the other aspects, but if that's the definition of alive… then yeah. I am!" He sounded more accepting than Elsa was.
The Snow Queen was surprised, staring back down at her hands to comprehend what she had achieved. She had created many objects before, but none of them had ever… come to life before. She didn't even know she could create life from her powers. Was she really that strong? "I… I made you?" She was still in disbelief.
The Frost Giant raised his snow brow at her. "I mean… did you not want to make me?" He didn't sound hurt, he seemed just as confused as her.
Elsa looked up at her creation, hearing what he said. "No! Yes? I.. I've never done this before… Make a living being! I mean… how did I do this?" She held her hands up to her head, trying to wrap her mind around what she had done.
"Uh… I was just made, I don't have the answers." He admitted.
Elsa tried to calm herself, as she realized there wouldn't be any real meaning to this. For now, she just had to figure out what to do with this… creation she made. "Well… I may not know what happened, but you are… alive. So, let's try and make the most of it." She spoke in her regal voice. "My name is Elsa, your… creator."
"Nice to meet you, Elsa." The guy greeted her.
"And… you are?"
The man made of frost blinked, as he tilted his head. "I are what?"
"Your name… what do you go by?" Elsa asked.
"Oh!" He realized, scratching his head as he looked around. "I… dunno. I mean, I just came to life so… I don't know what I am."
Elsa realized this, sharing his expression of bafflement. "Oh… well, we can give you a name." She stated. "It's only fair I name you, since I did make you. If you don't like the name, you can tell me and I'll come up with a new one."
He shrugged. "Sounds good to me."
Elsa was pleased he was being so cooperative, which made things easier. She had to think about what she could call this creature, so she could address him. She pondered what she could call him though, it had to be something easy to remember and pronounce. Maybe a variation of the term frost or snow? It seemed appropriate given what he was made of and who made him. But that seemed too obvious. She could just give him a normal name from her country. Bard? Hakon? Andor? Emil? They were good names, but none of them seemed to match with this intimidatingly tall yet soft personality of this frost giant.
Elsa hummed, she needed to think about this. When she created this creature, she thought of the Trolls and Frost Giants that roamed this land. The most ancient beings who walked on this land. And she created him, the Queen of snow and ice. But she also made such a creature once in the past… with her friend and sister. Elsa remembered when she and Anna made such a creature, how Anna was adamant on calling it a Snow Troll. Probably where Elsa got the idea from. When she thought back on her sister, she remembered how happy she was at the snow figure they made, and how Anna wanted to give it a name. For some reason, that name seemed to resurface back in her mind. "...Olaf…" She whispered.
"Oh-what?" The creature questioned.
Elsa turned back up to face him, then explained. "Olaf… that's a name my sister called one of my snow figurines back when we made them together."
"Olaf…" The guy repeated, tapping his chin as he hummed. "That's a pretty cool name! Can I have it?"
Elsa found herself being stunned again by the request. "You… like the name?" He nodded vigorously, as he seemed excited. Elsa was still surprised, but if he liked the name, who was she to deny him? With a small smile, she looked at him and gave a nod. "Alright, from this moment on, you will henceforth be known as… Olaf." She declared.
That smile on his face widened. "Woah! My own name! Olaf…" He laughed with a full heart. Elsa couldn't help but shake her head in disbelief, but at least that was one less headache for her to have to deal with. And maybe she could keep Olaf… it wouldn't be a bad idea now that Elsa thought about it. It would be nice to have another human-like helper with opposable thumbs. Would definitely help with gathering materials like food and supplies. Not that she didn't appreciate her pack, but there were some things wolves can't give to Elsa that Olaf could. Conversations, for one. Not that Elsa didn't mind not having company, that was the whole point of isolation. Now that she was talking to someone, Elsa felt the weight of her heart grow. She was reminded of the times with her sister, how they would share everything together, before that incident. Her smile faded, rubbing her hands together as she was starting to have those doubts in her mind once again.
Olaf turned to face Elsa, noticing her long expression. "Hey, you alright?" He asked her.
The Snow Queen perked up at his question, turning to the hybrid troll and frost giant. "W-What?"
"I don't want to intrude… but you look upset there." Olaf pointed out.
Elsa turned her face away, embarrassed that she allowed herself to be exposed. "I apologize… I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."
"Why would I be uncomfortable when you are the one who looks sad?" Olaf commented. Elsa didn't say anything at first, she kept her eyes away from Olaf. She didn't want to explain, what could she say? Olaf decided to press a bit. "Is it my name? I mean, I love it but if you want me to change it-" he offered.
Elsa heard him and immediately cut him off. "No… No, the name is fine." She reassured. "It's just… as I stated, the name was something my sister came up with." Her eyes saddened as she was reminded of Anna.
"Oh. Well, I'll thank her for my name then. Is she nearby so I can thank her personally?" Olaf asked, looking around to try and find this sister Elsa was talking about.
Elsa sighed. "Anna… isn't around. I left her because…" She trailed off, hesitant to actually speak. It was too painful to talk or even think about it. She walked over to the staircase of her castle, sitting on the first step as she tried to clear her mind. It hurt when she was reminded of the past and what she had left behind. She couldn't go back now though.
Olaf followed suit, sitting next to her as if he was attempting to comfort her. "Did you want to talk about it?"
Elsa shrugged. "It's a long story…" She stated.
"I got time." Olaf reassured her.
Elsa glanced back at him, but was still hesitant. "It's kind of confusing…"
"Then explain it to me until I understand," Olaf requested.
Elsa wasn't sure why he was so adamant on learning about Anna. Maybe he was just curious due to him just coming to life. It seemed Olaf wasn't going to let Elsa off, so she may as well get it over with. With a heavy sigh, Elsa tried to explain as elegantly and detail-oriented as possible. "Anna was born three years after me, she's my younger sister. We are the two royals of a Kingdom called Arendelle, which is at the base of the mountain. I was crowned Queen a few days ago. But…" Elsa turned her hands over so she was staring at her open palms. "When I was born, I had these… abilities."
"You mean creating sculptures and structures?" Olaf asked.
Elsa mused at his question. "Technically, I can create snow and ice, but I can shape it how I want if I choose. My family knew about it, and so did Anna. But… we kept it a secret for a while because we were scared some people would try to hurt me or use me because of my powers. It happened once before… when I was eight and Anna was five." Elsa shuddered, remembering that night where she had almost killed her sister with her powers. "A bunch of people in these black hoods trespassed in our Castle and we had to fight them off. I used my powers to… save Anna who was being held by one of them. I helped her, but I accidentally hit her with a blast from my magic. She was knocked out and…"
Olaf gasped, as he was hearing this tale. "Did she die?!" He asked.
Elsa quickly waved her hands. "No! No, no! S-she lived! She's alive! We brought her to the Trolls and they healed her. But… one of the side effects from their help was that her memories got scrambled, so she didn't remember I had powers. It wasn't until after my coronation yesterday, her memories came about."
"Oh… so, it all worked out then?" Olaf wondered, but based on the expression Elsa had, he wasn't quite certain.
Elsa drew her knees up to her chest, holding her legs while her mouth continued to repeat the events. "After that incident, I became… self-conscious of sorts. My parents tried to get me to use my powers, to strengthen them so I could protect myself if that ever happened. But… I was… scared."
Olaf blinked at her response. "Were you scared you would hurt Anna again?"
"Not just her, anyone! I know that my parents told me it was okay for me to defend myself, but… knowing my magic has the power to actually hurt people and what happened to my sister I…" She trailed off, turning her face away in shame. "I thought of myself as a monster. Capable of hurting anyone as long as I had this magic. It's why I kept it sealed away with gloves for so many years. And why I kept a distance from Anna as well…" Elsa explained. "But after our parents died, it was just me and her. And I didn't want Anna to be alone… so I opened the door. Just a crack so she wouldn't see the ugliness but… I wanted to let her know that… I wasn't going to abandon her." Elsa paused for a moment when she said that last sentence, realizing how she had broken that promise to her sister in the end.
Olaf, trying to understand what was spoken to him, attempted to put in his two cents on the matter. "So, you still love your sister. What's the problem?"
"The problem?" Elsa repeated. "I'm supposed to look after her, we're supposed to be all we have left after our parents died. But I can't be with her because of the fear of hurting her again… or if someone will hurt her just to get to me. It's why I came here. After she revealed my powers to everyone… I knew it would only be a matter of time before either one of those fates befell her."
"So… you ran away just so you wouldn't hurt her." Olaf concluded.
Elsa nodded. "I thought because it was the right decision, that it would set both of us free. But now… being away from her… I feel like a part of me is missing." Her hands reached to her chest, as if to grab onto her heart that beat in a forlorn rhythm. "And I can only imagine that Anna must be devastated that I left her…"
Olaf hummed at that comment, putting it together as he tapped his chin. "Sounds to me like you did all of this to try and avoid hurting Anna. But from the sounds of it… you only seem to have hurt her in the end. And it's affecting you because you know you have hurt her, and that… hurts you?"
Upon hearing that, Elsa's mind began to turn again. Olaf's words managed to make their way into her ear and in her brian, processing what he said. The more she thought it over… the more it made sense. "You're right…" Elsa fully admitted. "I am hurting us both!" She straightened her posture as she continued to speak. "I pushed Anna away because I was trying to keep her safe, since I didn't want to hurt her with my magic. But in the end, I just did the exact same thing! I hurt her because I used my magic, now she probably feels like it's her fault! Oh Skadi!" Elsa stood up on her feet, taking a few steps as she held her head. "She's probably down there blaming herself for forcing me to expose my powers to prove what happened those years ago! I can only imagine how desperate she must be…" Elsa gasped, looking out at the land of the snowy mountains, a more horrifying thought came to her mind. "Oh no… what if she is out there? What if she's trying to convince me to come back, so she is climbing up the mountain to get to me! She can't survive out on her own! She doesn't have my magic, and even if she has the resources, she doesn't know how to navigate the terrains!" She began to panic, as it was possible given Anna's personality. Of course her sister would be foolish enough to try and find Elsa up here!
Olaf looked around the area, while Elsa was having a panic attack. "I sense I might have triggered something." He muttered to himself. He then headed over to Elsa, trying to calm her down since he didn't want her to continue to spiral. "You know, this all sounds like a misunderstanding. I mean, you said to yourself that you came up here because you didn't want to hurt Anna. But she probably doesn't realize that. Maybe if you just explained it to your sister, she might understand and you two could come to a compromise?" He suggested.
Once again, the Frost Troll was making sense to Elsa. He seemed to be the voice of reason that she had longed for, but better late than never. Still, he had a point. Taking a deep breath, Elsa regained her composure and tried to clear her mind of the stress. "You're right…" she agreed. "The only way I can make things right with Anna is to… talk to her. But I doubt she'll understand or be accepting of my choices."
"So… then don't talk to her?" Olaf suggested.
Elsa shook her head. "If I don't, she'll only pressure me to convince me to come back. Most likely guilting me with her face…"
"Then… talk to her." Olaf stated.
"But I can't just go up to her and explain myself. What would I even say? Hey Anna, thanks for being a true sister and missing me, but I decided to lock myself away up in the North Mountain to keep myself from using my magic to hurt you and the people of Arendelle. She'd never understand."
"Then don't talk to her…"
"But how else is she going to know what I did and why I did it? She's my sister, she deserves an explanation!" Elsa declared.
Olaf was about to repeat his previous statement, but he felt that Elsa would dismiss it yet again. So instead, he said: "We appear to have reached an impasse…"
Elsa turned to look at Olaf again, hearing him out for the first time in this conversation. The Snow Queen sighed as she rubbed the back of her neck. "I want to talk to Anna, but on the off chance that she is still in Arendelle, I can't go back. I don't want to face everyone after… what happened. I just want to speak to her and only her… away from the prying eyes of the townsfolk." Elsa explained.
Olaf hummed at her thought, knowing that one way or another the two sisters had to reunite if they were going to find a way to make this right. The being of frost formed a smile on his face, when an idea popped into his head. "What if I brought Anna up here to your castle?" Olaf suggested. Elsa turned to face him, hearing him out. "I can bring her up here, so you two can have privacy to talk. And while I go fetch her, you can stay here and think about what you want to say to her. I'll even explain the stuff that you told me, so she can understand what's been on your mind and what worries you. Maybe that will persuade her to be a bit gentle with you and not so forceful."
Admittedly, Elsa was hesitant upon the idea at first. However, Olaf's explanation did have many positives to his plan. Though he was still new to the world, he proved he was smart enough to help out and give advice. Elsa figured she could give him a chance, after how he helped her to come to the conclusion of her worries. "...Very well, Olaf." She agreed. "I will give you the task of retrieving my sister, Princess Anna of Arendelle, and bring her up to my castle where the two of us can talk."
Hearing that made Olaf even more excited. "Woah! My first job! Thank you Elsa! I promise I won't let you down!" He turned on his heels, running towards the edge of the snow back. Elsa watched him go, but knew that he had forgotten something so she remained where she stood. It only took less than a minute before Olaf came rushing back on his big feet. When he was closer to Elsa, he raised an icy finger. "Quick question… What does Anna look like?" Elsa rolled her eyes, finding a bit of amusement in this case. Though with all of the stress she had been under the last few days, she embraced the comfort of this distraction.