Summary: Elsa heads into the unknown, alone to find her sister but her journey is interrupted - meanwhile Killian tries to talk some sense into Emma and the Dark one makes a vow
Rain pouring the wind howling, while the temperature was closely reaching zero, but of course none of that bothered Elsa, as she trekked through the valley away from the dwarf's homestead. Her heart ached with horrible guilt, like a weight pulling her down, guilt that she had once again left Anna. Unable to see the path ahead clouded in darkness and heavy rainfall, she could hear her sisters knocks at her door like an echo, over the harrowing wind. The trek back to Arendale would take a day or so on foot, the mountains ahead arduous to cross on clear day.
"I really miss cars" Elsa sighed feeling the grief knowing there was no way to ever return to Storybrooke, her home gone. A thought occurred to her as she said the words allowed knowing that this land although absent of cars and roads, had its own rules. Magic is so engrained in every creature flower and river, harnessing it was much easier. Elsa stopped in her tracks grinning. Resting for a moment, before raising her hands up, as a ball of ice and snow appeared before her, slowly taking the shape of a large horse and brought to life.
"Hey buddy, let's find Anna" Elsa smiled empowered as the horse knelt down, and she put her leg over the saddle grabbing the reigns, assuming that as the dwarfs returned to their home, so would Anna. Taking off towards Arendale, much faster than before, she smiled noticing the horizontal rainfall beside her. Drawing ever closer until she could she the outline of the snow topped mountains in the distance. With all of Storybrooke's residents returned. Little glimmers of light from campfires, appeared around the surrounding forest and Elsa even began to hear voices, but she did not stop determined to return home.
"Get back, or I'll strike you down". A frail voice yelled out into the night.
Elsa stopped suddenly, the sound of the voice sent her heart racing, and she froze, before she turned back, the rain pelting her face but amongst the chaos, she spotted a cloaked figure. Surrounded by knights in silver chainmail, bearing the same insignia of those who robbed them a few days ago.
"There is only one of you, you can't take us all". A knights voice grunted lunging forwards with his sword.
Conflicted now with an urge to help the stranger her eyes glanced to Arendale in the distance, but upon hearing the clang of swords she raced off towards the fight.
"Sorry Anna" Elsa sighed turning in the direction of the battle, faster than any real horse could ever travel Elsa was in the middle of the squeamish, the three knights looked more like bumbling stooges against the stranger. Heaving they swung their first forwards punching one knight in the face, who fell flat onto his back. Then turning with confidence, grabbing another knights arm swinging him across their back, before flinging him into the ground. The third knight then tripped over his torso face planting in the grass, from behind the first man got back up, ready to strike.
"Watch out" Elsa's anxiety rose, and she blasted the man with ice freezing him in place instantly, just as his sword was about to slice through the stranger.
"No, look what you did" They stated frustrated letting out a deep breath while the other two men got up and ran away disappearing in the rain.
"You seem annoyed, he'll be ok… once he defrosts" Elsa frowned, somewhat bemused.
"I'm not worried about him" they retorted "he had a map, now I'll never figure out where I am" they glared frustrated.
"Maybe I can help". Elsa trotted over, as the figure turned to face her pulling the hood away to reveal Mulan's face under the cloak "You, you're …". Elsa gasped somewhat gawking.
"Yes, I know, I'm a girl, who can fight". Mulan stated with a frustrated eye roll.
"I was going to say, your beautiful" Elsa stared unable to take her eyes off her now.
Both smiled quiet for a moment as staring into each other's eyes with an all too familiar feeling overwhelming them both. The storm calmed as they stared at each other the pouring rain now just a light shower. It left them feeling confused eventually Elsa looked down, not able to trust what they felt was real, having only just met.
"Is your horse made of ice?" Mulan asked pointing her mouth gaped open, as she stared in awe.
"Oh, I can make you one" Elsa said the words innocently with enthusiasm.
"Ugh, no thanks" Mulan stated with a small shake of her head while she sheafed her sword.
"Right of course, who would want a giant ice pony". Elsa looked away her heart racing, her body reacting in a way her head didn't understand.
"Are you ok?" Mulan stated somewhat confused.
"No, I'm trying to find" Elsa stammered unable to vocalise herself properly.
"Anna" Mulan said finishing her sentence having knowledge of the pair and there bond.
"Yes, have you seen her?" Elsa whole body tensed hopeful for a moment.
"No sorry I haven't, Regina warned us we wouldn't find the enchanted forest as we left it, I just didn't expect to be alone" Mulan looked around at their vast surrounds it filled her with dreed.
"Come with me, you won't be alone" Elsa sat tall, stoic giving Mulan an encouraging smile.
Mulan returned the gesture smiling wide causing Elsa to blush slightly, before Mulan jumped up onto the back of the horse sitting as far apart as possible. Mulan held onto the saddle for balance but as the horse and the saddle were made of ice, it was slippery. There was a fallen tree ahead the horse jumped over, the sudden bump almost knocked Mulan off the back.
"You can hold onto me, if you like" Elsa said stammering slightly aware of Mulan's uncomfortably.
"My hands are cold" Mulan leaned back slightly, anxious as a desperate need to hold Elsa overwhelmed her, a feeling that only caused her to pull away.
"Never bothered me" Elsa scoffed with a shrug.
"Right of course" Mulan chuckled, letting out a deep breath before placing her hands gently around Elsa's waist, her touch was so familiar, yet Elsa had no memory of it. Feeling a sense of guilt misleading Mulan, by not telling her what she knew of their history, that time itself had been altered. Elsa felt the need to confess, it was like a lump in her throat only increasing in size as the trotted up the maintain.
"Mulan, I know this is going to sound weird" she paused letting out a deep breath "but I can't keep it to myself, it's not right".
"Elsa, please I don't think…" Mulan shook her head not wanting to know what Elsa was building to.
Elsa bit her lip conflicted upon hearing Mulan's reluctance to learn the truth, as both felt an intense connection. One they knew could be dangerous, but she couldn't remain silent the words pouring out of her like a reflux.
"Emma my friend, she saved us back in Storybrooke but there was a price" she paused "see I died, in order to reverse that, she needed to go back in time, one hour, but one hour also had to be given..." Elsa began to ramble and stumble on her words, reminiscent of her sister.
"Time travel, I think I'd remember" Mulan scoffed.
"That's just it, we don't remember what we lost, all you need to know is that it changed the course of 'our' lives". Elsa tone changed and the horse slowed it's pace.
"What are you talking about?" Mulan was weary looking around confused and overwhelmed, as a small flutter of snowflakes surrounded them.
"I just thought, you should know the truth, Emma told me what happened, you deserve the truth" Elsa reinforced, letting out a deep breath.
"We just go to the same high school, or we used to, it's all gone now" Mulan shrugged but her tone was anxious.
Mulan hands loosened as she inched away from Elsa shaking her head, her heart racing while all this was nonsense to her, everything was becoming clear.
"Right… no not right, I feel a familiarity with you" Elsa's looked ahead her eyes desperate longing as her hand gently graced her lips as if feeling a ghost of Mulan's lips, a sensation without any context.
"I don't know you ok" Mulan lost her patience feeling an anxiety rise in her, she stated the words bluntly.
"Mulan" Elsa stammered apologetic "oh I'm sorry, I just hoping…. neverminded" Elsa looked away trying to fight back tears, her visions in the maze seemed clear now. This realisation only resulted in a defeated sigh knowing Mulan hadn't experienced the same phenomenon, everything Elsa was saying had no meaning to her.
"Where are we headed exactly?" Mulan tone calmed regretting her harshness.
"Arendale?" Elsa head turned back slightly realising she hadn't explained herself.
The rain stopped as continued through muddy cliffsides, of slippery slopes in silence the moon breaking through the clouds, lighting the way.
"Far away from the wicked witch is the only direction I want to go" Mulan nodded sure she didn't want to run into her again.
"You've seen her?" Elsa blurted the words out alarmed.
"For a moment in the forest by the troll bridge, she took the sheriff... the Prince". Mulan corrected herself finding it hard to connect her two lives.
"What does she want with him?" As Elsa questioned aloud the horses abruptly stopped.
"I guess" she shrugged her hand gently stroking Elsa's blue laced dress along her hips "she doesn't want him the break the curse, on Snow White, that's why we're all here after all" Mulan's tone was glum. As if she had disagreed with the mob, feeling the no sense of connection to the place, that was once her home. Elsa's face fell, her thoughts conflicted wanting desperately to know if Anna was ok, but she knew what the right thing to do now was.
"Change of plan, I have to go back" Elsa stated firm turning the horse around abruptly.
"Back where?" Mulan stated frustrated still as the horse charged forwards back down the mountain she clung on tighter to Elsa.
"The Dwarfs homestead, we need to tell Snow White" Elsa paused, concerned by what they'd be met with after she had run off.
"Were going to find the Dark One" Mulan scoffed her jaw clenched, having hoped to get directly involved.
"Yes, and quickly" Elsa waved her hand, and the horse grew in size, gaining speed as they raced away from Arendale, and any chance of finding Anna. Although now Elsa's heart, no longer felt so lost with the warrior's arms around her surer in her convections.
Emma was frustrated pacing in the bedroom her eyes darting to the kitchen, watching her mother carefully wondering when she would notice Elsa's absence. Before turning back to her boyfriend, with a frown and accusing eyes.
"Killian, you just let here leave, alone" Emma looked to him with disappointment.
Killian expression pained he could see her distress her thoughts clouded, Emma couldn't stand still, going back and forth to the door and the window. "I have to go after her". She stated suddenly her hands clenched.
"I knew you'd say that "He moved closer putting his arms on Emma's shoulder stopping her "I also know, there's no talking Elsa out of something, especially if it involves Anna" he locked eyes with Emma smiling somewhat in an attempt to ease Emma's stress.
"I know "She sighed giving him an apologetic look "But what if something happens to her".
"The storm won't harm Elsa, if anything it will keep the ogres in their dens for the night" Killian stated calmly nodded his head as if trying to convince himself.
"I hope so" Emma stated sad.
Emma and Killian sat by the window watching the lighting in the distance, they hoped their friend would find her way home unscathed. Out by the porch under the cover of the veranda Snow White stood, her eyes scanning the horizon for anyone approaching.
"He'll find you, he's annoyingly good at it". Grumpy stated with a smile.
"You shouldn't have returned, there are many new dangers, Ogres, rouge knights and Cora" Snow stated frustrated turning to face him.
"That's why we had to come, you can't face this alone, especially with..." Grumpy turned away unable to say the words.
"I'm the Dark One, you can say it" Snow slightly chuckled causing him to look back and they locked eyes.
"We all choose to come back, to save you" he affirmed hopeful.
"I didn't need you to; I have a plan" Snow remained frustrated not even able to appreciate what they sacrificed to be here.
"We've known each other a long time" Grumpy turned looking up at her anyway after a moment he smiled, determined that they could face this together "I've seen you forget your love and come back from that".
Snow frowned as he brought up her past, one of the many times she had lost the Prince taking a memory potion to forget her love after being forced to part. He found her anyway, only for her to regain her memories moments before David was taken from her by King Georges knights.
"It was the Dark One who gave you the memory potion, to forget the love you felt for the Prince" he continued looking away as her eyes became dark filled with hate.
"Yes, I remember, I almost killed Regina" The usual remorse was gone from her voice, as if frustrated by this almost moment in time.
"That potion only affected your mind even then you became so horrible" He paused thinking back to it with fear "this curse is on your heart it will take a lot more than a reminder, to bring you back"
Snow smiled embracing the change she liked the thought of it being longer lasting she didn't want things to go back to the way they were "Come on don't be such a, grump" nudging him slightly with a chuckle.
"You may in real trouble here sister, we can't lose you to the darkness" Looking up at her eyes now the woman he knew wasn't gone but something had changed withing her.
"We've always understood each other, you see me" Snow White opened up her cloak revealing the dagger, she smirked taking in her hands, inhaling deep letting herself feel the power.
Grumpy recoiled back slightly surprised by her relaxed demeanour, aware she was embracing the darkness and everything that came with it.
"There is a new threat in this realm, nothing we haven't faced before..." She paused letting out a deep breath "but I won't make the same mistakes" they locked eyes her expression determined, knowing with each victory there was loss.
"I'm with you, always" he nodded, with a content expression.
Turning around Snow's expression grim, she looked inside observing the rest of the dwarfs, as they made themselves at home once more. Emma and Killian right in the middle of it, as the re arranged the beds again, making a mess of the room. Shuffling beds, throwing around sheets and pillows the chaos, eventually dissolved into a pillow fight.
"I have to protect them; I will not fail" her words cold as her eyes focused on Emma.
Up next: Elsa and Mulan get into some trouble on the way back the the homestead