(This chapter has been revised on 6/28/2024)

Late Night Thoughts

Elsa quickly opened her eyes and bolted upright. As she looked around, she breathed in relief to see that she was still in her bedroom. To her left was the window where the northern lights continue to shimmer in the night sky outside.

She could see Olaf, Marshmallow, and The Snowgies sleeping near the window. Olaf was lying on the floor on his front, sleeping soundly with a smile and slightly snoring. Marshmallow had his back against the wall and his face slouched forward. The Snowgies sometimes were scattered around the room when they slept. Some sleep in their own spots, while some snuggled near Marshmallow or Olaf.

The sight of her live creations sleeping away gave Elsa a small smile. That smile soon faded as she sat on the other end of the bed. She placed her feet on the ice floor and stared at the door. After thinking, she decided to walk around to hopefully clear her head.

She got up from the bed and left the room. After walking down the stairs, she made it to the foyer. Elsa walked to the railings on the platform and stood there momentarily, grasping the railing. She stood in that spot for several minutes before going down the foyer. Elsa walked into the small tunnel leading to the cave.

Anna had been sleeping on the stone bed for the past several days. Elsa noticed the weird sleeping position he was in. Her right arm was sticking up, and she was snoring slightly louder than Olaf was. Drool was also coming from the corner of her mouth, and her braids were starting to look messy. The ice wielder couldn't help but giggle.

Elsa move a bit closer to Anna. The fireplace was starting to simmer down, and Elsa could see Anna shivering in her sleep, even with the blanket Elsa had provided. Elsa got some wood she keeps on the other end of the cave and relights the fireplace to keep the flames going hopefully until the morning. Before, the fireplace would only be used to cook meat from animals that Elsa had hunted or make herb soups. With Anna here, Elsa had been using the fireplace more than usual, knowing that other people weren't immune to the cold as she was.

With the fire now taken care of, Elsa went over to Anna. The blanket she had partially fallen off had exposed the girl's upper torso. Instinctively, Elsa moved the blanket and covered up the rest of Anna's upper body. Anna stopped shivering.

"Could she be...only using me for my powers? No. She couldn't be. Friends don't do that. Then again...are we even friends?"

Elsa looked over at Anna's sleeping form one more time before she got up and left the cave. She found herself in the foyer. It was then that Elsa decided to go to the balcony room. Once she arrived, she went to her balcony and looked up at the sky, watching the lights. As she looked, her mind was back to Anna.

Anna was the first person Elsa had even gotten close to. During her time here, she had been nothing but pleasant towards her. Something she did not expect. Back in her previous home, she had been told most of her life by her…'guardian' that people were horrible & selfish. That they would use her magic for their own goals. Or would do everything to harm her.

"People are cruel. People are wicked. Its I alone who you can rely on in this whole world. I am your only friend."

Her caretaker used to say those words to her, and she believed every word of it like the gullible child she was. The moment she escaped, she vowed to abandon every belief he had put in her head.

However, even after she escaped, Elsa had grown fearful of people, and that wasn't something fabricated by her guardian. Every person she had encountered in her life was nothing but harsh, manipulative, and abusive towards her. The only kindness Elsa had ever received was from non-human snow companions. It was one reason she never went to the fjord city, or Arendelle as she now knows. She did not want to risk being hurt by people.

And then she found Anna.

She watched her from afar when Elsa first saw her in the blizzard. At first, she was considering leaving her, not wishing for an encounter. That is until she saw Anna fall on the snowy ground. It was then Elsa saw something she had never seen in another human being before: Vulnerability & fear. Once Anna blacked out, Elsa moved to her. She saw the look of somber acceptance on Anna's face. Something horrible was occurring, yet she accepted it anyway. The same feeling that Elsa once felt long ago.

At that moment, Elsa had a realization. If someone was capable of those kinds of emotions, then perhaps she wasn't like other people. Elsa then made the risky choice to bring Anna back to the ice palace. It was a decision she now doesn't regret making. The more time she spent with Anna, the more Elsa saw herself in Anna.

Of course, that goes in more ways than one. Whenever she looked at Anna's face, there was something familiar. Elsa couldn't pinpoint what exactly what that feeling was but it had reminded of her of something that had made her felt...happy.

"Elsa? Are you here?" Elsa turned around to see Olaf in the room, looking around. He stopped once he saw her on the balcony. "Oh, there you are! I was afraid that I wouldn't find you. What are you doing out here so late?"

"I couldn't sleep," Elsa answered.

"Oh. Did you have a bad dream again?"

"What makes you say that?"

"Because I know you," Olaf answered softly. "You only come here in the middle of the night whenever you have them."

Elsa didn't reply.

"Was it bad?" Olaf gently inquired.

"No, it wasn't. Nothing to be worried about."

"Do you want to be alone?"

"No, I was about to go back anyway. I'll walk back with you." Elsa grabbed Olaf's twig hand. The snowman smiled, as did Elsa. She took one last look at the night sky before walking.

When they had returned to the bedroom, one of The Snowgies had run up to them. Olaf immediately went over to the tiny snowman.

"Sludge, what are you doing up?" Olaf asked.

Elsa got on her knees to get a better eye level. As soon as she did, Sludge went over to her immediately. She looked at Sludge's face and saw that he looked scared. Elsa laid out both palms, indicating The Snowgie to jump on. She brought him to her eye level.

"What's the matter, little one?"

"I woke up and you weren't in here! I was afraid you were gone!" Sludge spoke. Like Marshmallow, the Snowgies speak in a language similar to his. "Then I noticed Olaf was gone too and I got really scared!"

"It's okay," Elsa said reassuringly. "I was having trouble sleeping and was clearing my head. Olaf was just checking on me. Nothing to worry about."

The little Snowgie then snuggled up against his creator's chest. Elsa was happy to return the gesture.

"Now I think you should go back to sleep," Elsa suggested.

"Okay, but...can I sleep with you?"

"Of course."

Elsa got up and walked over to her bed. She placed Sludge on the bed before getting on.

"Elsa? Can you sing that lullaby?"

"Oh yes, can you please? I haven't heard you sing it in ages!" Olaf excitedly climbed onto the bed and sat close to Elsa. All of Elsa's creations loved to hear the sound of her soothing voice.

"I don't know. It's been a while." However, Sludge and Olaf's begging expressions were enough to convince her. "Alright, but we all sleep when I'm done." Both snow creatures eagerly nodded their heads. Elsa took a moment to clear her throat.

"Come stop your crying
It will be alright
Just take my hand
And hold it tight."

Her soft singing started to have an effect on Olaf & Sludge.

"I will protect you
From all around you."

A small yawn escaped from Olaf as his eyes grew droopy. Sludge had already lay down on the bed.

"I will be here
Don't you cry..."

Elsa had finished her song. Sludge had already fallen asleep. Olaf was already lying on his side on the opposite end of the bed.

"Hey, Elsa. Where did you learn that...song?" Olaf asked as he gave another yawn.

"I...I don't know, actually. It's like it was always in my head."

However, Olaf didn't hear Elsa's answer as he had already fallen asleep. Elsa bent over and gave him a small kiss on his head. She then lay back down and went to sleep. She had no other nightmares that night.

15 years ago (January 1821)...

"Look at the sky, Elsa."

"It's so pretty."

"They're called the Aurora Borealis."

"A-or-a bore-alice…"

Agdar couldn't help but smile at his daughter's attempt to say the name. He and his 3-year-old daughter, Elsa, looked out the window, watching the Northern Lights in the sky.

"Some say that the lights have magic in them."

"Like mine?" The young girl perks up.

"Perhaps."

Little Elsa gave a big smile. It had lasted for a few minutes before it grew small.

"Papa," Elsa spoke timidly, which threw Agdar off guard.

"What's the matter?"

"Do you and mama still love me?"

"Of course we do. Why would you ask that?"

"You two haven't spent a lot of time with me. You and mama always had time for me before."

"You think that just because we haven't spent time with you lately means we don't love you anymore?" To that, Elsa slightly nodded. "Elsa, we've just been busier than usual. This time of the year is always busy, especially after New Year's. And your mother is starting to show and has to rest for when the new baby comes."

"What if you both are too busy that you forget me?"

"You're the most important thing to me and your mother. Nothing will ever stop us from loving you."

"But...what if I forget you and mama?"

Agdar didn't know how to respond to that. He hated making his young daughter believe that. It was then he got a small idea.

"Elsa, look at me. Let me tell you a story that my mother once told me when I was a child."

Elsa sat up and gave all her attention to her father. She loved hearing stories, especially ones from her papa.

"Once upon a time, a prince lived in a kingdom similar to ours long ago. His parents, the king & queen, were very kind rulers and loved their son very much. One day, their son went into the woods at night, where he had an accident and was badly hurt. A teardrop fell from the moon, landed on him, and saved his life by freezing his wounds. However, the moondrop landed on his head and froze his memories, causing him to forget who he was."

"What happened to him?"

"He was found by another village, and they had taken him in, where he had spent the next few years. During that time, he befriended the villagers, got married, and started his own family."

"What about his parents? Did they ever find him?"

"That's when the story gets interesting. Even though the prince seemed happy with his life, something in him felt empty, and he knew it. The prince kept having dreams of two people he felt he knew but could not remember. His wife decided to help him by taking him to creatures that were rock trolls."

"Trolls? Aren't they bad?" Elsa asked.

"No worries, these weren't. These trolls had once raised the wife until she could care for herself." Agdar then resumed the story. "Anyways, she had brought him to the trolls so they could help him. The trolls had told him that ice had been put there by the moon and that it had frozen his memories, and those dreams were memories trying to thaw out. The wife suggested that the trolls remove the memory of magic. Still, they couldn't because this type of magic was different, and the only way for the prince's memories to thaw out was to find the two figures in his dream. The problem was that he couldn't remember who they were."

"What happened next?"

"The trolls suggested that the prince would go to an area that looked similar to the ones in his dreams. After this, the prince pieces parts of the dreams and discovers a castle. So he and his family went to the nearby kingdom. The prince saw his parents for the first time in forever. Both parties realized who they were, and the prince was reunited with his parents. He and his family moved with his parents, and they all lived happily ever after."

"That was such a good story, Papa."

"It was, but I told you this story for a reason. Stories are entertaining, but they also serve as lessons, both real & fictional. Tell me, Elsa, what did you learn from the story?"

The little princess sat there for several minutes.

"Love will thaw?"

"That's right. It was the prince's love he had for his parents that helped him bring him home, and the love his parents had for him helped thaw his frozen memories. Love conquers all and thaws even the most frozen objects. Nothing will ever freeze the love that I have for you and your mother. And if you do somehow forget us, always remember: Love will Thaw. Never forget that, Elsa."

"And in several months, we'll have a new member in the family to share that love. Right, Papa?"

"Of course, and no one will tell me otherwise. You know why?" Elsa shook her head. "'Cause no one messes with your papa."

At that moment, Agdar quickly picked Elsa up and started dancing around the room. He lifted Elsa in the air several times as he did. Elsa, on the other hand, was laughing gleefully. After a bit, Agdar stopped, and Elsa wrapped her arms around her father's neck and buried her head in his shoulder. Agdar responded by patting her back. A small yawn escaped from Elsa's mouth soon after.

"Alright, I think it's time that you should get some sleep."

"I'm not tired. The sky's awake, so I have to…" Elsa let out another yawn. "...be awake."

"Even the sky has to sleep at some point."

Agdar carried her to her bed. No matter how much she tried to convince her father she wasn't tired, Agdar wouldn't budge. He placed Elsa on her bed and tucked her in.

"Don't forget Sir Jorgenbjorgen," Agdar held up a stuffed puffin. Elsa immediately grabbed her toy and wrapped her arms around it.

"Papa?" Elsa spoke up.

"Yes, Elsa?"

"We're pals, right?"

"Right."

"And we'll always be together, right?"

"Of course, snowflake." Agdar kissed his daughter's forehead. "I promise you, nothing but nothing will ever get in our way."

Agdar slowly opens his eyes. He lied there for several seconds before sitting upright on his bed. Looking to a corner of the room lay a grandfather clock, whose ticking was the only noise heard. It was almost 3 in the morning. Turning to the opposite side of the bed lay Idun, who was sleeping away. Agdar couldn't help but envy his wife at that moment. Able to sleep away the night no matter what issues had arisen. Then again, she was more calm-minded than he was.

Throughout most of the day, Agdar had been aiding in the search party for Anna. He was practically up from dawn to dusk. He only stopped to eat and rest while others did the night search. That's how it's been since the blizzard had stopped. Yet despite all the energy he had put out, he could not fall asleep again.

Deciding that sleeping would be pointless, he gave a small kiss on his sleeping wife's cheek before getting off the bed. Putting on a robe and slippers, he left the room and quietly closed the door. The hallways were dark, the only light being several candles lit on the wall. As he walked down, he approached Anna's bedroom door.

Not helping himself, he decided to peek in. Anna's bedroom had been left exactly the same since she had gone missing. The floor was messy, her bed hadn't been made, and a dress was dangling from the bed curtain. How it got up there, Agdar had no clue.

Taking a deep breath, Agdar pulled out of the room and closed the door. He resumed walking down the hall. He had kept walking until another door had stopped him. This door had blue patterns. Several of the most noticeable ones were in the form of snowflakes.

It was the entrance to what was once Elsa's bedroom.

For a moment, Agdar stood in front of the door. Digging his hand in his nightshirt, he pulled out a key that had a string going through the head of the key. This was the only key to the door. Most of the time, it had remained locked. He had the urge to go in there. It wouldn't be the first time he had done so. Several times, Agdar found himself going into Elsa's room. Some may find that a bit weird, but to Agdar, it was a coping method. Tonight, however, he didn't feel up to it. He put the key back in his shirt and started walking down the halls again, albeit slowly. This had gone on when Agdar bumped into someone.

"Oh, your majesty! I'm sorry I didn't see you there."

Agdar recognized that voice. He looked up to see one of the night guards. Peterson, he believed the name was.

"No need for that," Agdar assured. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

"Is there anything I could help you with?"

"No, thanks-" Agdar paused as something popped into his head. "Actually...do you have any updates from the night searches for Anna?"

"Somewhat," the guard replied. "Ottosen and Haugen's groups haven't found anything. We should get an update from Captain Storstrand & Kristoff's group soon."

The news disappointed the king. He had hoped that the groups had made at least some progress. But, like the past few days, there were no new leads.

"Your majesty?" Peterson called out.

"Uh, thank you. That would be all. Goodnight."

Agdar did have the chance to hear Peterson's response as he quickly walked away. The king kept on walking until he had made it to his study. He briefly looked around as he walked in. It was one of the few places in the castle where he could be alone. Sometimes, even the best place to express his genuine emotions.

Being the king, Agdar had to keep up an image. It was done in order to assure the people, especially in times of crisis, that he was still their strong king. Conceal, don't feel, he would tell himself. His father taught this method to help him handle these situations and keep his emotions in check. Agdar often used that mantra, even if it didn't always work. The only time he expressed his deeper emotions was with Idun. But there were times when he could not even express how he truly felt in his wife's comforting presence, mostly to spare her the burden.

Going over to a corner of his desk, Agdar uttered a loud cry of frustration as he knocked something off the desk. What it was, he didn't care. After taking several breaths, Agdar took a seat on the couch. He placed his hands on his head. It was then he did something very few rarely seen.

He cried.

There had been very few times when Agdar had cried. This was the first time in years he had done this. The stress of Anna's missing presence weighed down on him, along with another old wound. He hoped that he would never have to go through this type of situation again. It would seem fate had other plans.

"Oh lord," Agdar said silently to himself. "What did I ever do to deserve this? Are you telling me I'm not meant to be a father?"

Silence.

"Tell me something. Anything!"

Again, silence had occurred.

"Please, Lord, I-I want Anna...Elsa...I just want them back."

Once again, all he got was silence.

"I just want my girls home…" he whispered to himself, tears flowing down his eyes.

If Anna was found, hopefully alive, Agdar vowed that things would be different. He would not make the same mistake again.

Just what this story needs. A tablespoon of fluff, and a bottle full of ANGST!

Poor Agdar. It must hard trying to maintain an kingly image while dealing with missing daughters. You can see here how much he love Elsa. I've always headcannon him to be somewhat of a emotional guy. He sometimes lets his emotions get the best of him. I like to think that Anna got her 'Feisty Pants' personality from her dad (maybe that was his nickname as well at one point :P).

I also hope you like that little story I made up.

And we have Sir Jorgenbjorgen (I think that's how you spell it) from Olaf's Frozen Adventure making his debut! (I thought it would be a nice thing to add).

Thanks for the favs, follows, and reviews. Happy Reading.