Frozen 2 Rewrite Chap 4 - Into the Unknown
Elsa entered Anna's room, dressed in her travel attire. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of Anna hopping on one leg, struggling to put on her trousers. With a mischievous grin, Elsa couldn't help but tease, "Need any help there?"
Anna huffed, determined to conquer the task on her own. "No, I just need... one... more... PULL!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with determination.
Elsa couldn't contain her laughter as she positioned herself behind Anna, ready to lend a helping hand. Just as Anna managed to pull her leg through, Elsa's quick reflexes kicked in, and she caught her sister. "Oops, sorry... hehe." Anna sheepishly turned to Elsa, who had a warm smile on her face.
But Anna's expression quickly turned somber, her gaze shifting downward. Sensing her sister's unease, Elsa gently called out, "Anna?"
Anna looked back at Elsa, a nervous smile on her lips. "Everything will be okay, right?"
Elsa's smile softened, and she reached out, placing her hands on Anna's shoulders. With a tender touch, she guided Anna to the dresser and gently urged her to sit down. Taking a moment to adjust Anna's position, Elsa turned her sister's head to face forward and began to undo her sister's braid, running her fingers through Anna's hair. But Anna's sadness was still evident in her eyes.
"Yes Anna," Elsa reassured, "It'll be fine."
Anna's gaze flickered, looking back over her shoulder. In an instant, Elsa gently nudged her head back to face forward. "Hold still." she whispered, concentrating.
Elsa continued to brush through Anna's hair, skillfully weaving it into a beautiful double braid.
Anna admired her new hairstyle in the grand mirror, her eyes sparkling with delight. "Thank you, Elsa," she said, her voice filled with genuine appreciation. "It's absolutely beautiful."
Elsa, wearing a gentle smile, moved to Anna's side. With a playful glint in her eyes, she nudged Anna and jokingly said, "Scoot your butt over, Anna." Anna chuckled, and obediently shifted to make room for her sister.
As Elsa settled next to Anna, their shoulders brushing against each other, she leaned in, her voice filled with concern. "Is everything alright, Anna?" she asked, her voice filled with love and worry. Her gaze searched Anna's eyes, looking for any signs of distress.
Anna met Elsa's gaze, her eyes reflecting a whirlwind of emotions. She hesitated, her mouth poised to reveal what Grandpabbie had told her. But as she looked into Elsa's tired eyes, she noticed the dark bags beneath Elsa's tired eyes, and her slouched position, she thought better of it.
In that moment, Anna made a silent decision. She didn't want to add more to Elsa's burden. She knew that revealing what Grandpabbie had told her would only add to the weight that Elsa was already carrying. So, she closed her mouth, keeping the secret to herself for now.
Instead, Anna responded to Elsa's question with a plea disguised as a request. She reached out and gently grasped Elsa's hand, her voice filled with a mix of determination and vulnerability. "Promise me, Elsa," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "Promise me that we'll stick together, no matter what. We'll face this whole ordeal together, as sisters."
Elsa's tired eyes softened, understanding the depth of Anna's plea. She squeezed Anna's hand gently, "I promise, Anna," she whispered, her voice carrying the weight of their bond. "We'll face whatever comes our way, side by side. Together, always."
As they approached what remained of the castle grounds, they encountered Kristoff and Sven. Kristoff greeted them with a warm smile, "Hey, hop in, we'll be ready to go in a minute," he gestured to the wagon before turning his attention to the final checks on the supplies in the wagon.
Olaf couldn't resist giving Sven a playful pat, "Hey, Sven! How's my favorite reindeer doing today?" Sven, being mischievous as always, tried to nibble on Olaf's carrot nose. This made Olaf burst into giggles, exclaiming, "Hey, hey! Watch out, Sven! That's my nose!"
As Anna and Elsa approached, Anna clumsily stumbled into the wagon, causing Elsa to chuckle. Just as Elsa was about to follow, a sudden wave of excruciating pain shot through her skull. She instinctively grabbed onto the edge of the wagon for support, wincing in discomfort. Through the haze of pain, she caught hazy glimpses of blood-red stains on pure white snow. Faint screams echoed in her ears, voices she couldn't quite make out.
She suddenly felt a gentle but firm pressure on her arm. Startled, she snapped out of her trance and realized that Anna was gripping her arm tightly, her face etched with concern and worry.
"Elsa, what's wrong?" Anna asked, worry evident in her voice.
Taking a deep breath, Elsa tried to compose herself. "I'm okay, Anna," she reassured, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "I just... felt lightheaded for a moment. It's nothing to worry about."
Anna's expression remained unchanged, her eyes locked on Elsa. "that," she gestured at Elsa with her free hand "did not look 'okay'."
Elsa sighed, realizing her attempt to dismiss the incident wasn't convincing Anna. "I-I don't know." she admitted, vulnerability creeping into her voice.
"You don't know?" she questioned skeptically.
Elsa's gaze darted around as she tried to find the right words to explain her experience. Frustration welled up within her, as she struggled to come up with an explanation. "I saw something, but I don't... I don't quite know how to put it into words," she admitted, her voice filled with a mix of confusion and frustration.
Anna's gaze hardened, and she loosened her grip on Elsa's arm. "Fine, Elsa." Growing frustrated with the situation, Anna opted to drop the subject and instead helped her sister into the wagon.
"But I promise, I'm alright now," Elsa assured.
"Just don't, Elsa," Anna snapped.
"I'm sorry, I -" Elsa started.
Anna gently took Elsa's hand. "No, I'm sorry," Anna sighed. "I'm just... scared."
"That's not like you." Elsa remarked.
Anna's voice trembled slightly as she replied, "I know, Elsa. It's just... this is different. We're walking into enemy territory, and it scares me. I want to protect you, but I don't know how."
Elsa's eyes softened. "I understand, Anna. I'm scared too, but we'll be okay. I promise."
There was a sudden, heavy thud that jolted the wagon, causing Anna and Elsa to jump in fear. Their heads turned instinctively towards the source of the sound, and there they saw a towering mountain of books, with Olaf standing behind it.
"Hi!" Olaf exclaimed cheerfully.
Anna couldn't help but giggle at the unexpected sight. "I don't think our journey is gonna be quite that long, Olaf," she said, trying to stifle her laughter.
"But what if it is and I get bored?" Olaf asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.
"You won't get bored, Olaf. I promise," Anna reassured him with a warm smile.
Olaf, still curious, pressed on. "How do you know?"
"Because I know," Anna replied confidently, a hint of wisdom in her voice. "Remember, I'm older and thus all knowing."
Olaf couldn't argue with that logic, his enthusiasm waning slightly. "I can't argue with that," he admitted, sounding a tad defeated.
Anna patted Olaf on the shoulder, offering him reassurance. "Don't worry, Olaf. I'm sure we'll provide enough entertainment for you along the way," she said, nodding proudly.
As evening fell and darkness surrounded them, the wagon filled with audible groans. Olaf, always eager to share his newfound knowledge, piped up with another fun fact he had learned from his last book.
"Oh! Did you know turtles can breathe through their bu-"
"Did you know that sleeping quietly on long journeys prevents insanity?" Kristoff interrupted.
Olaf burst into laughter, adding, "Yeah, that's not true."
Elsa, with a touch of exasperation, affirmed, "It is definitely true."
Anna, with a nod, added, "It's the truth."
Olaf, sensing their collective tone, mused, "Hmm, well, that was unanimous. But I will look it up when we get home."
"Maybe we should've let him bring his books?" Anna said sheepishly.
Elsa shakes her head and sighs, fingers finding her forehead.
Kristoff and Anna sat side by side at the front of the wagon, the moon casting a soft glow on their faces as they journeyed through the darkness as Sven pulled them steadily forward as they made their way North. The night air was crisp, and a sense of anticipation hung in the air.
As Anna finished recounting the story Lord Sworsin had shared earlier, Kristoff let out a low whistle, "That's a lot to take in." he said, his voice filled with empathy. He took a moment to process the information, his expression thoughtful.
Turning his gaze towards Anna, Kristoff asked gently, "How do you feel about it, Anna? Learning this truth about your mother and your own heritage?"
"Truthfully? I'm angry, Kristoff," Anna confessed, her voice tinged with frustration. "Angry that my parents kept this secret from me. Angry that our family is built on secrets. It was the only thing they were so good at, hiding the truth."
Her words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of her emotions. But then, a realization washed over Anna, softening her features. "But as much as I hate it, I can't stay angry at mother for long."
Kristoff gently squeezed Anna's hand, his touch filled with reassurance. "Anna, you have such a big heart, it's one of the things I love about you."
Anna kept her head down, catching Kristoff off guard with her reaction. His expression shifted from comfort to worry as he observed her.
Nervously twisting her hair, Anna's voice trembled as she broached a delicate topic. "Kristoff, I can't help but worry. Being half Northuldra... has it changed things between us?" Her eyes pleaded for reassurance as they searched his face.
Kristoff chuckled softly, his relief visible in the cool night air. "Anna, you're being silly. Nothing has changed between us. You're still the same Anna I fell in love with three years ago, and that's all that matters to me."
Relief washed over Anna as she leaned into his side, finding comfort in his words. "Thank you, Kristoff. I needed to hear that."
Curiosity sparked in Kristoff's eyes as he turned his attention to Elsa. "And how has Elsa been? I can tell this has been tough on her."
Anna's gaze shifted to the back of the wagon, where Elsa and Olaf lay peacefully asleep. "She's taken it hard. You can see it in her eyes, the weariness. But strangely enough, this is the first time in a while that I've seen her sleep so peacefully."
A mixture of concern and understanding filled Kristoff's voice. "I can imagine how much this weighs on her. The people of Arendelle already had their fears about Elsa, and this revelation only adds to it."
Anna nodded, her expression somber. "Even though Elsa would never admit it, she thinks this just gives them another reason to be afraid."
As the wagon continued its journey, the night enveloped them, carrying their shared worries and hopes into the unknown.