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"Frozen Again Christmas Special:
"Angels We Have Heard on High"
Part 3
"Angels in the Snow"
Now that the elements have been mentioned…
Tinkle...tinkle...
Ahh ahh ahh ahh ahh ahh ahh,
Ahh ahh ahh ahh ahh ahh ahh!
Music permeating through every point of nature now approaches from the distance…
December 23, 1844, early nightfall in Trollheimen, Norway's midsection, in the midst of the land in polar night…
"What're you saying, GranPabbie? Are the Nibelungs responsible for our geysers going dormant, or are they not?" Dolomite, the old curmudgeon rock troll again stubbornly questions the aged Troll leader's enigmatic entrance words. Words that unfortunately rekindled suspicions anew as Dolomite surveys through slit gray eyes the currently sleeping Fire Troll neighbors congregated in a boulder circle. They were situated in a certain high point spot where they shared residence thereof in the Valley of the Trolls.
"I have been in counsel with those who understand the nature of things more than you, or I, Dolomite, concerning this." Looking from concerned face to face, GranPabbie answers every curious troll seriously. "For God's creation of nature is what has defined not only the geysers, but our very being as Trolls from the beginning, as well. We have been tied together with all the Earth's elements at the same time in a revolving cycle, for all its complicated troubles and complex joys." His yellow gem glowing, GranPabbie continues in his inimitable method of talking in mind numbing riddles.
His eyebrows furrowed deeply, Spirit Whisperer Kristoff's mind indeed felt numbed, quite befuddled by the depth of his adopted grandfather's inscrutable utterance.
Nature defined? Could Pabbie really have contacted Ragi and the Snow Queen about this, way down in the Antarctic South? Or could he mean nature's elemental Guardians to the North…?
"Hmph. My son-in-law is expert when it comes to 'complicated troubles.'" The raspy voice of the native female Northuldran chief named Yelana joins GranPabbie from the shadows of the dark night where there wasn't even a shred of moonlight to illuminate the newcomers.
"Hehehe. You'd better check your insults directed at the 5th Element of Harmony/Winter Windchime/Ice King—or whatever the heck title my prince is going by nowadays. Or he might just freeze out your still tight derrière, lady, from ever visiting his season-less Neverland kingdom again." Destin Mattias had also been present when GranPabbie had been contacted by the fifth and sixth Elemental King of Harmony and his Queen of Melody to meet them on the outskirts of the Valley of the Trolls.
The old soldier was perceptive enough to notice more than a bit of uptightness in King Agnarr's pensive mood when the incredible pair had arrived, as if the invincible Ice King had some not-so-well-disguised fretfulness on his elemental heart…
Could've got the clue from those tiny ice vapors forming from his nostrils and mouth to coat my Prince's snow white mustache with every terse word—or it could just be me, noticing that little, minute detail…
"I dare to see him try that, Lieutenant." Smirking at her old sparring mate as she still addressed the 'General' by his former rank, Yelana's own sharp wit was never stopped by age nor intimidation, particularly concerning her brash son-in-law. The gray-haired older woman holds her walking stick up high in the night air in defiance of the no longer wholly human King who so captivated her adopted daughter's heart to follow him to the ends of the world.
And come back even more captivating than ever before.
"You guys talked with Anna's mom and—I mean, Queen Iduna and King Agnarr—about this stuff going on here? What do they think is the cause of the geysers going dormant?" Kristoff had come to respect the wisdom of the parents of his bride, however unconventional or inexplicable their now mystical point of view was, due to the fact they had become infused with elemental spirits.
"It is the result of a synthesis of all four of the elements: Water, Earth, Fire, and Air…Son." The subject was succinctly addressed in cool tones—which played off the warm wind's of Gale swirling around Agnarr's fluttering blizzard snow cape; the mischievous little fire salamander named Bruni had been balanced to ride on his infinitely refreezing, un-meltable shoulder, as the ground beneath strong Nokk's watery gait quivered its assent; Jordskevelvet's laugh rumbles beneath to shake the hands of every Troll cousin on his first visit to their homeland in a long time—but the Elemental Winter King, who commanded them all, remembered to speak to Kristoff Bjorgman on familial terms, lest face Iduna's wrath.
Whinny! Whinny!
The loudly neighing water steed bespoke of the entrance of the Ahtohallan King and Queen who connected the elements all together with the Lord Above's Melodic Harmony.
"Your Majesties!" The entire tribe of Rock Trolls understood when they were in the presence of true royalty, as even the most hardened stone heads bow to the rather impressive sight of the crystal element embedded cape and snow dusted uniformed Winter King and his undoubtedly breathtaking elements as he appears on intimidating horseback. Not to mention his breathtaking partner of the Spirit of Melody in all her draping willow branch feathery leaf sleeves and flowing skirt of floral woven chiffon waving a rainbow as the pair rode in, so regal and elegant and stately.
"Please be at ease. We are no longer this fine nation's ruling King and Queen, simply spirits of Ahtohallan's endless dream." The 6th Spirit harmonizes in her sing-songy way as Iduna cascades down in her filmy rainbow cape to kneel before her adopted mother Yelena and embrace the bent older woman in chiefly Northuldran robes.
"Now, to your query, son." Direct and brusque, King Agnarr was not one for chitchat, even more so now, as he cuts to the chase quickly, skipping all the niceties of 'how do you do,' which he had never excelled in his previous royal life either.
"Utilizing all four elements, natural geysers occur when volcanically superheated, deep waters of the giant underground aquifer's bonded hydrogen and oxygen percolate. However, should the temperature in the ground become too high, not enough liquid is available to form clear water or even muddied hot springs, thus blocking the fumarole of the earth's crust opening which normally vent subsurface steam and gases. Conclusively, the natural convection's hydrothermal process has been currently prevented."
Blink. Blink. Blink.
The tall and imposing Winter Ice King's long-winded, scientifically technical explanatory statement goes right over everyone's heads. Kristoff, Mattias, GranPabbie and even Yelena were included in the befuddlement, the latter finally rolling her eyes as the Arendelle general chuckles.
"You asked for it, boy." Running a hand through his salt-and-pepper black hair, Mattias murmurs under his tickled lip to the young blond Ice Harvester. The learned Prince he knew of yesteryear had his intelligent quotient obviously quantified now that he had taken on his newly granted role as Elemental master very seriously.
Not that a brain-rattled Mattias had any idea as to what the problem, or its outcome was even moreso after Agnarr had explained it.
Above my pay grade.
Suddenly Jordkevelvet the Earth Spirit, quakes beneath Agnarr's ice crystal saddle, Bruni the Fire Spirit turns up the heat on his shoulder and Gale the Wind Spirit smacks the Elemental Guardian in the face with Nokk's wet tail at their Guardian mistress' raised brow command.
"Ergh…umm… But do rest assured, good citizens, I sense the elements have taken notice and are already at mysterious occupation in correcting it. Bafflingly...even before you, nor I, had sensed it, my stunningly tactful Queen did." Agnarr gives his best attempt at a more easy to understand answer, accompanied by a conciliatory smile. He speaks aside his own infrequent astonishment to Iduna at the end of his now reassuring account.
"Is that so, my winsome King? Nor I, or you, had an inkling…" The 6th Spirit seemed to be teasing the playful phrase to her mate as she rhymed her indefinably mystic riddle up to her clueless icy horseman.
"So, for now, sleep sound and well tonight, dear friends. Soon, this worry of yours will be at its end." Lovely Mother Nature Iduna's more comforting melody extends through her lyrical lilt for this entrusted joint assignment from the Lord for this land which she and her partner both loved.
Her harmonic gentility sweeps over the congregation of Rock Trolls before Iduna, which was timely after her yet work-in-progress husband's skills at calming a crowd were found lacking after the Winter King had disturbed rather than helped with his rambling paragraph the moment before that had left them somewhat high strung.
Winter King Agnarr gives a civil nod to Chief Yelena, GranPabbie and the other Rock Trolls. His all-powerful, cool gaze also shows respect to Boninite and some of her hibernating Fire Trolls, all of whom had forced their weak eyes and ears open after the glimmer of aurora borealis light was magnified against Agnarr's ice magic.
Not to mention Bruni's fire elements, which the small, yet intensely flickering Fire Spirit had given the igneous rock trolls a pale charge of energy as he scampered in their midst. Then, the Elemental King, who never had dismounted Nokk's proud back, extends an ice blue glowing hand out to his spirit partner in a signal for them to leave.
"Merry Christmas to you and yours, dear Eadni. A fresh ballad is about to bloom for you and me." Iduna chants her mysterious poem in Yelena's ear with the feathery kiss of a loving daughter to her native adopted mother's wrinkled cheek. But in that kiss was Iduna's gift full of healing melody over the uncomplaining elder lady's aching bones, which would keep the aged Northuldran leader healthy and content for this coming year.
A year when so much as yet promise was in store for all their family and this whole nation, by whom and to whom and for whom, anonymous music was, as yet, about to be composed.
"Before your eyes, can't you hear? The new song to heal this land is near." The free and flowing haired Spirit of Melody whispers into her adopted mother's now curious ear while Iduna gestures a hand to the dark, hushed skies beyond the waning horizon.
Ah-ah-ahh...Ah-ah-ahh...Ah-ahh-ahh...Ahh-ah-ahh...
Then Iduna accepts Agnarr's elementally powerful hand to lift her up as she gives a beautiful smile that only mothers and daughters shared, squeezing Yelena's hand with all the warmth this holy season had to offer. With the winter wind's tuneful humming channeled through her fluidly flowing sleeves aglow, multicolored hair weaves the peaceful night's rhythm through God's generous colors of royal blues, cinnamon reds, and forest greens. And Iduna's natural healing touch flows through an uncomplaining Yelena's entire being as the older woman's eyes feel the spirit reinvigorate hers.
"Come, follow us, General, Snow Prince. Your services are required elsewhere." Agnarr speaks in no nonsense imperatives to the still blinking mountain man. But Sven needed no further prompting as the Rangifer bull head butts Kristoff, and his two antlers scoop up his best friend. Mattias, as a true soldier should be at his commanding officer's ready word, had already mounted on eager Svala.
The two reindeer and their pair of select 'knights' take to the sky to fly beside Nokk and his regal Elemental riders into the moonless polar night air to a not so unknown destination.
Back to Arendelle Castle, Christmas Eve's Eve, nightfall…
A reverberating heart's music plays as another silhouette forms with crystalline frost on the castle's turret tops…
Ah-ahh-ah-ah-ahh-ah-ahh
Ah-ahh-ah-ahh-ah-ah!
"Huh?" Momentarily dizzy as she leans to her man's firm arm, the Ice Queen loses herself again in the pedal point repeating notes echoing through her entire being. They seemed to be amplified almost ostinato whenever her emotions were most intense.
The early darkness of evening had soon fallen over the Land of the Midnight Sun, bringing its Queen and King back to trek inside after one more foray out into the center of town. In an attempt to gain his wife's smile, Hans had tried to convince Elsa to take the opportunity among their people to also fulfill her own prior desire to include the citizens in finding her own and Hans' new Christmas tradition of a signature carol to be sung at the Arendelle Christmas Eve midnight candle of lights parade.
But selfless Elsa made herself more anxious to find the skaters she needed for Anna's dream team to focus much on her own wish, for now.
Elsa had an insatiable need to please her beloved injured younger sibling, the Arendelle queen fervently in search of anyone left in Arendelle of skating age who would agree to participate in the upcoming Christmas Eve competition at such short notice.
Of course, Hans had consented to appease his beautiful lady in any way he could. Elsa's husband was always so accommodating to her needs. The redheaded young man had gone out of his way to encourage his high-strung bride either way after she had an idea to ask for volunteers at the Arendelle Chapel they attended biweekly.
But with all the preparations for the coming Christmas Eve Mass just tomorrow, the hunt for last minute skaters once again came up fruitless.
"Come, my love, give me your smile full of Christmas cheer. I'm sure Anna will understand you've done everything in your power to locate skaters for her team. With that influenza outbreak causing nearly all of them to pull out, en masse, the task has proven too insurmountable to accomplish in such a short time." Hans says as he was escorting his downhearted wife up to Anna's room to report the 'bad news.' The King's strong, warm hand wraps around Elsa's shoulders as he leans down to engage her directly in the eye with his gorgeous viridiscent green ones.
"Perhaps we could request of the other teams to postpone the skating competition, at least until the New Year? Rest assured, we will procure ample volunteers once Admiral Westergaard sends word to certain reliable shipmates just returning to the dock at year end, of whom we could assuredly acquire more than enough talented skaters from their ranks by then." The clever Dane was doing his best to comply and assuage his love's worries. Hans strokes the ruffled white fur on her shoulders down and brushes the frustrated platinum locks up from the Queen's creased brow, steadying her when Elsa's gait beside him appeared a tad unsteady.
"Thank you for that, my eternally perspicacious Admiral. You always have a way of steering my wayward ship to more tranquil shores." Elsa buries her cold nose into her King's nape of neck when Hans suddenly scoops up her limp body in a sweeping embrace. He lands a flattered kiss on her forehead as the hot blooded redhead carries Elsa's delicate form up the final flight of spiraling steps, deliciously reminding the Ice Queen of her glorious corsair ravishment during the first night of their honeymoon bliss.
"And what a stunning ship's mast you would make, my mystically magnificent mermaid." The nautical sailor in him romantically whispers, Hans still in disbelief this pure beauty had agreed to be his for a lifetime and more.
"I'll just heat up your ginger tea for you, dear Anna. Keep an eye on our poorly girl, Kiara and Maria! And don't let her trick you into letting her get up! You two know better than anyone how wily gingers are! Will only be a minute—Oh, no! Don't tell me our dear Queen Elsa has had an accident befallen her, as well!? Oh me, oh my, bless her heart, dear Lord!" Nan Margery Meg had just opened Anna's bedroom door from where the kindly older lady and her cats had been entertaining and doting over the sprained ankle bedridden Princess this past afternoon.
But upon glimpsing Elsa's pale features and her limp body being lifted in her husband's caring arms, the concerned mother in her instantly comes out. Nan pauses to check Elsa's slim wrist's pulse, followed by taking the temperature on her ashen forehead and too pink cheeks while the older lady searches deeply into the younger's blue eyes.
"You seem a little…disturbed...my queen? Here, hold this warm kitten. Always makes a heart feel better when you have a little cutie purring contently in your arms. Even better than a cup of warm tea." Intuitive Nan Margery touches a hand to Elsa's flushed cheek, deciding to place the warm and purring, sleek and slender white kitten with the grey patch on its adorable forehead into the Queen's cupped hands.
"Oh, no, good lady! It is this heedless young man who is at fault for rashly agitating my queen's senses to put her in such a state. Do forgive my impetuosity for causing you any undue anxiety—" Hans begins to apologize if his rash-and entirely tactile action to fondle and embrace his wife had caused the overly concerned elderly female church choir leader any alarm.
"Yes, Nan Margery. I am fine, truly." Elsa attests as Hans guiltily places his lover to the ground floor on two perfectly functional legs.
Perfectly functional, breathtakingly long and delectably supple legs...
The very virile young man in this new Arendelle King could not help from mentally adding even as he chides himself for admiring his queen's alabaster merchandise all evening thus far, with hope for the night to come to...ahem...bolster her agitated senses.
"Oh, that is a relief! One bedridden sweet royal sister for Christmas is more than this old woman can bear! But I'll go warm you both a cupper, nonetheless. A nice hot tea always does make everything nicer!" The ever smiling aged dance instructor presses by the two still in the doorway on her energetic way down to the kitchen. She visually admired how King Hans kept tight hold of Queen Elsa in a dance worthy embrace which Nan Margery Meg found as a more than satisfactory enviable holding form of one's partner.
"Maria! Kiara! Keep an eye on you-know-little-Russian-White and her bandage chasing undoing skills! Oh, do excuse me, again, Your Majesties! But, let me give you high marks! You two have such perfect grace and style together!" The very proper, cultured and demure lady was constantly self aware and apologetic for any rude impropriety on her part. Especially in front of her fashionable new King and Queen, both of whom Nan Margery greatly admired for their combined elegance.
Meow! Meow! Meow!
"Anna? Are you under there...somewhere?" After exchanging an amused chuckle at this sweet older lady's parting words full of admiration for them, Elsa peers into the darkened room filled with scents of pumpkin pie and gingerbread cookies amid empty bowls of chicken soup, multiple fluffed pillows and cushions, books and choir music papers and pens and blankets of every size and sort. And beneath it all, Eliana was scribbling under the mountainous canopy where the wonky legged Princess had been plumped up on, with a dozen or so kittens on top of the 'plush mountain,' curious cats poking out of every nook and cranny.
They were kneading on Anna's comforter, head pillows, and even that little white one with this adorable gray cap patch on her head was nibbling on the downed princess' bad foot's loose bandages.
Some more were spotted under the bed, on the bedroom shelves, felines crawling up the curtains and even splattered across the throw rug on the floor.
"Are you… alright under all of those…?" Elsa stops and gulps at the sheer number of little fluffy felines dotting all over the 'sickbay' bedroom, which was meant to be kept quiet and secluded for restful purposes.
"Kitties! Aren't they adorable? Thank you SO MUCH for sending Nana Meg and her babies up to me! Olaf and Eliana and I have been having a blast together with them! Nan Margery has been reading to me some really cool Bible stories. Did you know the Apostle Paul was such a meanie rotten stinker named 'Saul' before he became such a great writer of the New Testament? Huh, I guess there's hope for anyone, A-hem!" Anna awards her stuck out tongue to an instantly smirking right back Hans. She obviously was feeling back to her old noisy, energetic self after such a wonderful afternoon of restorative songs, inspirational stories and tea warming inside her heart, full of kittens and God's Love and ever-loving care from everyone's favorite Grandma Nan.
Nan Margery Meg certainly owned a special soul, for she had kicked whatever stress and worry from overwork and time sensitive schedules that new Secretary of State Anna Bjorgman had stored up these past few months in her exploding ginger head.
The young woman, despite being disappointed by being forced bedridden and missing out on the fun with her skating team; despite having to be far away from her selfless husband on their first Christmas as a growing family; despite the pain in her leg and other bumps and bruises in unmentionable places, felt truly happy in the joy of the season, now renewed in spirit. Nan Margery had quietly and gently taught her, through music and Bible study all afternoon, to enjoy this Christmas by taking each day at a time that the Lord gave her, and see every new task as a challenge to be vanquished and even cherished for what strides in character she accomplished through them.
Anna was ready to enjoy Christmas for all the right reasons now, in gratitude to God for sending baby Jesus to make all things possible for people who accepted His gift of love, with no strings attached but faith, hope and His unconditional love.
"I'm so glad to hear this." Hugging her no longer tense little sibling to her with a sisterly kiss to Anna's cheek, Elsa smiles, genuinely relieved to have her usually bubbly and effervescent, carefree baby sis back and in a better frame of mind again, all due to a sweet angel unawares, Nan wielding pie, soup, kittens and Christ's joy beneath that lovely knit shawl of hers.
Ahh ahh ahh ahh ahh ahh ahh
Ah-ah Ah-ah
"What's wrong, Elsa?" Even though she had been sleeping for the past hour or so, Anna could still read on her best friend's heart something amiss.
"…It's nothing, Anna…" Elsa bites her lip, guilt riddled on her pretty face. "Don't worry, Hans and I have taken good care of Joseff, with Halima's help spoiling him rotten with cookies and treats at her bakery. And you don't have to worry about your home. We've brought Guddy and John to the castle stable and cleaned up your cottage. We even completed a great deal of the workload you had slated at the ministry office…" Elsa's eyebrows then furrow as her cute little nose wrinkles in disappointment at the one thing she had sadly not accomplished for Anna.
"Wow! Amazing! You two got all that done in one day already?! You guys are pros! But you better not have messed up my groove at the Secretary's office, Red. I bet that Hans messed with my impressive priority system already." Grumbling Anna goes from gratitude to sass at her favorite redheaded target, though her eyes were in fact smiling at his expecting grief face.
"—But you don't understand, Anna! We haven't been able to find a single replacement for you on your skating team! In fact, most of the rest of your teammates have all come down with a terrible flu and have pulled out, as well! I'm so, so sorry to not have been able to fulfill your Christmas dream!" Somehow, the elegant blonde queen was almost in tears to report her failure to fulfill her beloved little sister's Christmas dream, as her words all spill out in one breathless sentence running on end.
"Ohh, Elsa, don't cry. Come here! You're my Christmas dream!" Anna sits up, maturely motioning for her emotional sister to come in for a consoling hug. As she does, that scrawny white kitten with a little gray cap rubs her fur against Elsa's ankles beneath her long velvet blue dress, trying to console the upset queen, too.
"Now that's a Christmas blessing sight if I ever saw one! Two lovely sisters embracing in a sister's love hug!" The elderly choir master's lilting voice reenters the scene. "Here you girls go! Nighty night honey sweet tea! Good for your insides to make you smile on the outsides! Sip it slowly, dearies. No, no tea for kitties, little one." Grandma Nan Margery Meg returned just at that moment, as she carefully places a cupper in each of the Arendelle's royal siblings' hands, while she shoves the mischievous ginger kitty, Maria, away from pilfering Anna's biscuit cookie from her tea cup saucer.
"Why don't you go down and fetch that lovely tin of gingerbread cookies to go with our tea which Halima sent with me, young man? Olaf, show the King where I took them out from my basket we brought in to place on top of the letter table down at the foot of the steps, when some of those intelligent naughty kittens were starting to get peakish." The sweet smiling older woman orders the monarch and the compliant snowman, she feeling this may be a 'girls only' moment.
"Thank you for this tea, Nan Margery Meg. It is very good and warming." Elsa politely thanks while taking a dainty sip of the steaming hot liquid.
"Yeah, thanks! You're right! Cookies go great dunked in tea, too! If That Hans doesn't break them all before he gets up here, he's such a twinkle toes." From her bed, Anna sings of her dunked cookie enjoyment, then criticizes the delivery man before he had even arrived back.
"Now, Anna, our handsome and charming young King has played his part enough in this, I'm sure. But do tell Nana Margery what else troubles you, Queen Elsa." The doting gentlewoman softly prompts as she provides a pair of pristinely folded, handmade doilies as dessert napkins for the two.
"Knowing Elsa, she's just worried about disappointing me at not finding anyone to replace my Arendelle skating team! Must've been a major thud after she found out they were all out sick! Hey, sis, Halima already told me all about that! But, Nan, Elsa doesn't know yet—" Anna's discombobulated words thoroughly befuddled the Ice Queen. But from the smile beaming like the sun across her ginger face—and not just from the thought of her favorite gingerbread cookies on their way up to her—Elsa's tears were soon dried.
"What don't I know?" Biting her slightly smiling lip, Elsa quirks an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued as Anna and Nan Margery Meg exchange a double secret conspiratorial glance and grin.
"Just that…you know as a dance instructor—and a really, really kind hearted person—Nan has been working with some physically disabled children from that family who just moved to the old farm just outside of Arendelle. You've already met Alek, Miya, Konnor and Kaleb Shriner, right?" Anna's turquoise eyes light up at just speaking the names of those precious children who had recently joined their Arendelle township school this calendar year.
"Yes, they're all so wonderfully talented and patient and so good, despite each being born with special needs issues. It's especially hard for being very young with such physical burdens, made even more trying after that terrible fire put them out of their old home. Their parents have also been through so much after the accident. Truly a testament to God inspired perseverance and selfless parental love." Queen Elsa had been impressed by not only the devoted parents caring but by the little ones' positive demeanor and unshakable dreams when she, Hans, Kristoff and Anna had met them at the church last month, where the four newcomer children attended Nan Margery's choral music classes.
"They each have such lovely, stick-to-it resilient souls, it's been my privilege to work with these children, God bless them all." Margery Meg rocks in the rocking chair Anna had asked the nurse to bring in for the older lady who strokes the two ginger furred twin sister kittens named Maria and Kiara on her knitting lap.
"That's right, using her music and dance background, Nan has been strength training their little limbs. Now, the Shriner kids can not only use those newfangled 'wheeled-chair' devices Hans had Varian invent for them, they excel at them! They're even able to play with and perform with other Sunday school children out in the cultural ice rink and stage Kristoff and…ugh…Hans, designed for you to install for the people, Elsa." Anna explains with that the big grin on her face, although she had to admit through gritted teeth her brother-in-law's name in the matter of good work and benevolence.
"So, when she told me about how well they were doing and how happy it makes their whole family, and I found out our skating team was totally out of commission officially, it was like serendipity hit me to have them represent Arendelle in our place! Don't you think it's a good idea, Elsa?" As Eliana claps with joy, Anna's compassionate and caring-particularly when little kids were involved—eyes were radiant with excitement at the idea of a children's skating team to brighten every face at the Christmas Eve competition.
Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah! Ah ahh! Ah ahh…
As she hears those sweet notes of echoing music pervade her soul again, Elsa felt more than the warmth of the tea inside as she literally glows at the joyous event idea. So much so, she was left utterly speechless, tears cascading from her emotionally touched eyes.
"On behalf of speaking for the Arendelle monarchy, we think this event you plan will be nothing short of brilliant. Very fitting for the least among us to receive the most accolades and give the most joy." But Elsa's soulmate, fully in tune with his love's sentiment, with tears in his own glistening orbs, answers for her. King Hans enters the bedroom again, holding the gingerbread cookies tin he was sent to fetch under one secure arm. On the other appendage, Hans was quite gentlemanly escorting Halima who was carrying Joseff with not only the tin of cookies, but other bakery treats for the bedridden young woman now, too.
"Yes…yes, brilliant! I don't know how to thank you enough again, Nan! This will be so sweet and inspiring a performance for this blessed season to have those beacons of light encourage our people. They will surely be reminded that nothing is impossible for any of God's children when the Lord holds us all in the palm of His merciful hand, from first cry to final breath." Elsa deeply felt truly touched by the munificent idea of their Christmastide celebration being exemplified by making every one's face smile with the sweetness of these special, tender children on loving display. Nan Margery was certain each child would wish to share themselves in this Christmas celebration treat and do their part to find laughter and joy with the entire community through the magic of skating set to music and ice dance in their own, perhaps not athletically perfect, but more Heaven-kissed way.
"Of course, the Good Lord who spoke: 'Suffer the little children to come to Me...for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven,' would welcome such a performance in honor of His birthday, when He came down to Earth as a vulnerable child himself once upon a Christmas Eve long ago, for wee ones such as this. We are beyond gratified to include their tribute for our first Christmas together as Arendelle's monarchs." Hans embellishes on his wife's sentiment with Scriptural reference, his own heart filled with the generous spirit of the holy season as the moved King warmly grips his Queen's tremulous hand.
Ah ah ah ah ah...ah-ah-ah...
As Elsa and Hans share a loving gaze full of congruent understanding, snowflakes themselves dance on the window panes in a pirouetting particular form just outside the frosted glass in the night...
"Isn't that going to be a-ma-zing, Joseff?! Don't you wish you were old enough to get out on that ice and strut your stuff, too, my sweetie pie? You are an ice harvester's son after all!" After Halima deposits the bouncing baby boy onto his now pleased as punch mama's lap, Anna dances Joseff's plump arms and legs up and down, causing the happy child to chortle with glee.
"These gingerbread cookies are also a-ma-zing, Halima! Your BEST EVER! Mmm-mmmh!" Anna declares toothily chewing the ginger sweet confections one after another and feeding one or two chunks to her dancing seven month old all the while as the pair made quite a crumbly mess across her bedspread.
"Oops, my bad." The vivacious young woman somewhat apologizes as Halima and Eliana attempt to clean up the crumbs between the immobilized leg Princess and her wiggling baby boy. Not to mention the mountain of cushions and kittens and books and everything in between.
"Come on, Elsie! Let's go down and play our favorite charades game! I majorly need a change of scenery—and probably the maids need a chance to tidy up in here if I'm gonna be staying the night. Me a regal 'Princess and a Pea' when it comes to bed crumbs! Ask Kristly…sigh…Gee, we miss Daddy, don't we, Josey?" Much better after a full day's rest, blessed good news of a fun event to come, and a tummy full of cookie energy—not to mention the go-getter girl going a little stir crazy after being stuck in bed for hours and hours on end, Anna only felt a tad sad by the fact that her husband was missing out on all her Christmas joy. But her heart was at peace now that she had a new—even more betterer, thanks to Nan!—skating team to cheer on for the 'morrow's event.
And more than just to let off some of her nervous energy steam, Anna really wanted to have a round or two of their most cherished nighttime gaming pastime since she and Elsa were kids with Mama and Papa.
"Ohh, Anna, I don't know if the doctor would approve—" Elsa was unsure if all the transfer and excitement from room to room would be good for her sister's sprained and bruised leg, even if she seemed to be in better spirits. After all, Dr. Galen did insist that the patient have total peace and quiet bed rest for at least a few days.
But the anxious Ice Queen's qualms were soon overruled.
"I'm sure a rousing game of charades is just what the doctor ordered! Don't you think, Olaf?" Hans unexpectedly chimes in, excited as a kid himself. For Hans understood Anna's need to 'find the fun' in escapism more than anyone, after a childhood spent cooped up, unwanted and denied of any enjoyment in family time fun himself. The Danish 13th-in-line prince personally dreamed of participating in such a familial friendly game night since his misbegotten youth. He hadn't really had much of a chance to enjoy many with his new family dynamic either yet, due to Anna's crazy schedule and first child rearing demands, especially since Kristoff had been gone.
But now that Joseff was getting older—and fighting off ready for bed yawns—he would rather stay up a bit late with his mom and to play a game or two.
"Care to come down to the drawing room and… join us… Madam...?" Quieting his voice by the end, Hans begins to extend the invitation to Nan Margery. But even amid all the music and kerfuffle and noise, the elderly matron had dozed off on her rocking chair with her cats purring her to sleep on her slumbering lap.
"Forward to port and open the hatch, Ensign?" Hans whispers the naval directive to the snowman by the door.
"Aye-aye, Admiral!" Good sailor Olaf scrambles, as his quick thinking snow woman, Eliana, gathers Anna's special leg cushions and opens the door for their commanding officer.
"Permission to lift and carry my dear little sister down through the open door to the game room of our palace downstairs?" With a whispered glint in his green eyes to a nodding Elsa's delight, treading softly as not to awaken the dear gentle lady who had nodded off to sleep in that rocking chair after watching Anna all afternoon, Hans bends down to scoop up a surprised Anna, and abruptly breaks out in song.
"All my life has been a series of doors in my face! And then suddenly I bump into you!" The comely young man knew a song would do his sister-in-law's heart a mountain of good, she immensely enjoying music in motion since they first met.
Anna was again pleasantly surprised to find her once devilish sworn enemy her benefactor to freedom now.
"I was thinking the same thing! 'Cause like, You've been searching your whole life to play in our game! And maybe it's the ankle talking, or the gingerbread I chew! Crunch!" The injured Princess takes a big bite off the gingerbread man's crisp head as she aims all her verve in a wicked smirk at her rival.
"But with Hvid~due~ I've found my place! And it's nothing like I've ever known before!" With a smile at his bride, Hans sings of his true love for Elsa and the serendipity to have discovered the blessing of her love and all the closed doors she has now opened for him.
"Life is an open door!"
"Life is an open door!"
"Life is an open door! (Life is an open door) With her (with her), with her (with her)
This life is an open door…"
Breaking out in spontaneous amended lyrics from their unforgettable duet that now was more familial than romantic, Anna and Hans both recall that song and dance from long ago with smiles. After all, it started this amazing rondo of love and war and hearts being frozen anew, that yet, once again by the grace of God, had been melted by love.
"I mean it's crazy we still finish each other's sandwiches!" Ingeniously clever and devilishly teasing Hans wanted to keep Anna's mood light as he leans down with the intention to swoop both she and Joseff up in his strong arms.
"I never met someone who thinks so much like me! Jinx—!" Attempting to cutely pinky promise as he does, Hans continues the song and dance until Anna raises her hand squarely in his ingratiating, handsome face.
"Whoa! Hold on to your singing horses, Red. I gotta ask my best guy first." Anna smirks up at her trying-to-be-amiable brother-in-law as the winsome equestrian hovers beside her prone bedside in wait.
And waits.
Hans exchanges a curious look with Elsa as Anna silently chats with Kristoff via their psychic connection.
"Kristly said it's 'okay,' Hansie. 'Just watch those twinkle fingers, buster.'" The ginger seems to relish relating her hubby's coarse challenge comment to his charming rival.
The Dane fights the urge to roll his eyes as he leans in a second time to gently lift the irksome young female.
"Unh-unh-unh! Halt! Red!" The ginger seemed to relish in screaming the warning right in the poor man's now deafened ears.
"I've gotta ask my other best guy first, too." Anna scoops up Joseff and whispers something in his ear. Then she cocks her head to listen to something that he whispers back into her ear. "Joseff says: 'OK, Uncle Hans. But watch those hands, or I'll knock off your balls."
Blink…Blink…Blink.
Right in Hans face, Joseff did indeed give a bit of a menacing toothless grin while the baby boy squeezed his favorite Nokk plush toy to horse kick across the room some balls of yarn that Nan Marjory Meg had left the child to play with.
Gulp
"—Jinx again…?" Eyebrows shooting up, Hans finishes the funny line of their old jaunty duet as he was leaning down at Joseff and Anna's eye level.
The happy child breaks out in silly gurgles again when his Uncle Hans scoops up his mommy. Joseff flies on her jiggling tummy as Anna holds him tight for a look-no-hands-mom ride down the staircase via their tall and slender, mahogany redheaded 'horsey.'
"Ohh, don't get me talking about sandwiches now, Red! Nan made me the most amazing ham and Swiss and mayonnaise and—" Anna's whispered voice pauses mid song to salivate on her favorite lunch time fare while she was whisked out the door by the handsome king. Olaf and Eliana were right on their heels as they all laugh when the group practically slides down the spiraling banister.
In the safest way possible, Admiral, for the injured mother and child going full steam towards the Christmas tree and the drawing room by the fireplace, which held Joseff in pure awe, as yet.
"Should we just leave her alone up here?" Elsa whispers caringly of the grandmother who had done so much to lift their spirits today. But now whom the younger group were all abandoning alone in the dimly candlelit room.
"0h, Nan is never alone." Halima wisely proclaims in her softest tones, aware of how deep a love and relationship Margery Meg had with her different-as-can-be-personality, but dearly beloved, husband Jack for so many, many good years.
Has.
Halima had heard her quiet, proper and demure friend of a teacher instructor often referred to her beloved partner and companion countless times still in the present tense, even though he had gone home many moons ago. For she believed her Jack still lived, not only in her heart, but all the closer to Jesus, who connected them in spirit and soul.
He was just on a different unseen plane, for now.
Elsa was a thought-provoked young woman herself, she smiling softly at the sedate, older gentlewoman. Nan's wrinkled, yet elegant hands were still tenderly stroking the cats on her lap, as if their warmth was the Heaven-sent assurance the helpful woman needed. For she flourished to have someone to care for yet, now with these two little ginger angels on her heart, at her side always to sing to, and dance with, night and day…
Purr purr purr…
Elsa had turned back to cover Nan with a soft plush fleece throw blanket. But just as she and Halima were about to leave the quiet bedroom, the blonde queen gazes down into a pair of soulfully beautiful hazel eyes of a pretty white kitten who was circling round and round her legs again.
Eyes that were looking directly back up into Elsa's soul now, as if the kitten was saying: "I'm here for you, always. You're never alone, either."
"Pretty Rosy girl." Touching a cool finger—which was surprisingly not shrunk away from at all—to the small, pale kitten's cute little, rose pink nose, Elsa kneels down to pet the snow powder white feline she had just named. The platinum beauty tickles the kitten's chin, gaining more reciprocated love in its increasingly loud purrs.
The sweet kitten settles into an adorable curled ball at the foot of the now vacant bed, as Elsa lands a feathery soft, gentle kiss on her furry forehead, stroking the playful kitten's velvety soft coat.
Elsa smiles back at Nan Margery Meg once more before joining Halima in the hallway. Then, they two arm in arm follow her husband and sister and nephew's laughter and song full orienteering down the Arendelle Castle steps and into the drawing room's festive welcome.
Ahh-ahh Ahh-ahh Ahh-ah Ah…
Several tense cushion re-orienting, bickered and sharp word exchanged minutes of hustle and bustle later of who-would-be-crowned-tonight's-caller, Anna and Elsa's favorite party game of charades had begun.
The teams consisted of the ginger braided Princess, with Queen Elsa and Eliana; King Hans led Halima and Olaf in a second team for the friendly family game. Which all went rather swimmingly well, despite poor Anna struggling to use mainly animated facial expressions, since her ankle sprained body kept the usually active gal pinned to the settee instead.
Nonetheless, the two teams had kept up score, with first time player Halima surprising all concerned with her uncanny intuitive skill at the quick moving game.
"Church bell ringing Arendelle ceremony!" Elsa cries, eager to be first to guess Halima's charade entry of prayerful hands, bell tinkling fingers, hand tracing the cookie cutter shape of the church steeple, and tick-tocking tongue noises that mimicked the Arendelle Clock Tower.
"Wow, you're really good at this, Halima." Anna and Eliana exchange serious nods at the unexpected skill, followed by hugs and smiles and copying her smart tick-tock sounds, with laughter mixed in.
"Well, I didn't wait nigh fifty years for that man over there to come home without honing my baker's imagination for secret recipes and an art for playing pretend with invisible partners. I've had years of practice, Sweetie." The dark skinned older woman smiles sentimentally with a gesture back over her shoulder with the extra large portrait of Arendelle's hero Lieutenant Mattias, which still proudly hung on his nation's castle wall, as it has for decades.
Olaf went next. After rearranging his body to be flat and circular, the snowman points his rigid branch arms straight up to the sky like an arrow.
"A compass pointing north?" Navy man Hans instantly recognized the partial clue, and a smiling Olaf puts up two branchy fingers to signify the second part of the clue. But, with the next idea popping into his reconstituted frosty head, the snow creature nods encouragingly, eyeballs popping out with excitement that either of his teammates would get the next part of his 'clever' skit.
Then, the dumb snowman's second main clue to his answer of 'North Mountain' was to bounce across the aisle to upturn Eliana's petticoat and blatantly point at the poor snowwoman's bottom mound, with a tickled pink chuckle at himself.
Gasps all around at his vulgar rudeness from the other three females participating, Hans hangs his head in his hands. But the sagacious Dane keeps his own counsel, even if the Admiral had guessed the correct answer from the obvious clues to the 'North Mountain.'
"What? Eliana's bottom mound is way more snow capped and pretty mountainous, compared to mine." As a fellow husband, Hans cringes at the insensitive comment. He gives Olaf the raised brow high sign, until the dense snow creature finally realized the indiscretion of his criticism of his quite unhappy wife.
"Oh, Olaf. You are certainly receiving a lump of coal in your stocking this Christmas. And deservedly so, Ensign." The more savvy sailor gives Olaf a conciliatory shrug at his small friend's unwise words and even less intelligent, ill-mannered actions.
Next up, Hans picks from the game jar a fairly tough entry concerning a specific fencing move, but he was impressed when Anna guesses right off his sleek swordplay maneuvering, combined with counting numbers off on his long fingers which then deliver a pulled, play-acting punch.
"Riposte counter attack!" Though lying down on the couch yet, she reenacts her own remembered sword play in the air, much to Josef's delight. Flat on her back on her multiple pillows with her leg propped up and a dozing babe on her chest, Princess Anna was still peppy enough to play her favorite pastime properly, to Elsa's clapping delight.
With the scores tied, when it came to Elsa's turn to lead the charade—it being a fairly easy one, considering the actual, live tree in the drawing room featuring one. Her clue being 'Christmas tree star,' she raises her arms up high above her head, getting ready to reach for the star on the highest bough…
Ah Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah…
Until something else just as blindingly brilliant dazzles her azure blue eyes when frosted petals fall outside and Elsa's delicate white hands clap together in a sudden, silent gesture.
King Hans notes his love's mood shift, and immediately rises to his feet in a tense stance, following Elsa's glassy gaze.
Olaf, oblivious as ever, with his back to the window which his creator ice queen was looking intensely out, was still thinking Elsa was simply playing her part in the charades.
"Clap? Thunderclap!? Oh, I know! Slapping a deplorable biting bug between your hands!" The hyper excitable snow creature exclaims, certain that he had hit the mark right on the nose. So much so, that his demonstrative branch hands smacked so hard together that they nearly splinter apart, to Eliana's startled squeal beside him.
"Your snowman had better not be referring to me." A deep baritone abruptly penetrates Arendelle Castle's drawing room. "Or I will hydro reverse his perma-frost to perma-lost for the new year." The window curtains fling open to let in a blast of cold air, chiefly directed at a quivering tooth Olaf.
"Is that any way to keep our family enamored? Share Christmas joy, my Ice King, and do show some good manners." The harmonious soprano which accompanies her melodious baritone scolds him at the same moment she warmed the entire frost chilled room with just one of her nature's breaths.
"Papa! Mama!" Elsa and Anna simultaneously proclaim, truly pleased to have their parents visit on this Christmas Eve eve. For accidental ankle anguish had aborted any thoughts of their children traveling north to visit them for the holiday in their land formerly known as Ahtohallan, now so aptly dubbed the Realm of Melodic Harmony where the 5th and 6th spirits held reign.
"Your Majesties? To what honor do we deserve to be in your presence this evening?" As Elsa rushes to her spirit elemental parents' powerful embraces, King Hans instantly shows reverence to his in-laws, eloquently bending down on one knee before the impressive pair as they flow into the palace living area.
Agnarr's 5th Spirit of Harmony makes his entrance in all his blue ice and white snow dusted kingly uniform glory, escorting his willow browns and green flower petal and vine embroidered 6th Spirit wife queen into Arendelle Castle's drawing room, where they once lived and held court as Royals in another lifetime.
"We have come not only to visit for Christmas our one poorly child,"
The Spirit of Harmony waves a hand towards where Anna was lying on the couch with bated breath, "But also to heal the land she loves so much, back to be gentle and mild." In poetic cadence, Iduna responds to Hans's query. Looking into Elsa's eyes all the while, she flows over to Anna, whose leg was all propped up on a mountain of pillows of cushions.
With the synonymous humming and one pass of her willowy glowing elemental sleeves, the 6th Spirit of Melody starts to rejuvenate her younger daughter's bruised tendon limb to magically heal. "Merry Christmas, bless your dear heart for embracing Nan's benevolent plan; those precious little children will have their chance to shine now in God's land." Proud beyond words of her offspring, Iduna kisses Anna with all the motherly warmth she felt naturally.
"Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, the Little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head. In the bright sky look down where he lay, the Little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay. Bless all the dear children in thy tender care, and fit us for heaven to live with thee there." Kissing Anna's forehead with the Christmas hymn on her sing-songy lips, Iduna pets a sleepy Joseff's curly blonde hair with a grandmotherly maternal touch.
"Thank you, Mama." Feeling the Lord s peace flow in her through her mother's song, Anna whispers in her beloved Mama's sweet smelling of honeysuckle hair as she feels Iduna's tender healing touch reverberate through her entire being.
The timeless lullaby calms not only Anna's feverishly palpitating ankle muscle, but also her rumpled of late heart's puzzle as well as its muscle.
"It is good to see you, Madame Court Baker. Patient as ever, Halima dear? " Agnarr turns his mystic attention from staring out the window behind them to the quiet woman still quietly seated on the couch while the Bernadotte family she had come to know, and love so well all her life, greet one another on this Christmas Eve's Eve.
"Patience is a virtue, possess it if you can. Seldom in a woman—" Halima rises to collect some special items from the tin of cookies now 'safely' placed by Anna at the coffee table, to offer her favorite customer Prince of days gone by the gingerbread treats within.
Which the all powerful Winter Spirit greedily accepts.
"—And never in a man. How do you manage to look younger every time I come home, Hallie?" Destin Mattias fills in the remainder of the sagacious old proverb, for no one understood patience more than he and his long suffering sweetheart of many decades.
"Welcome home, my sugar tongued devil." Halima then goes to her 'patient' man's warm embrace, after depositing a handful of gingerbread cookies in the Ice King's large, blue ice digits which she had no fear of, nor his frosty crunch, crunch, crunch. "I'm just glad I'm not spending this Christmas Eve with only this portrait." She teases her own moustached mate with a familiar grin.
"What'd I tell ya, Baby? Even a day early. How's the leg now? Why is Joseff so sleepy? He's usually a bundle of energy like his mom, up at this hour of night, devouring everything in sight." A mellow voice adds his droll strains, causing Anna's busy head to practically spin off her whiplashed neck.
"Kristoff! You're back? What happened with your folks?! Are they ok?! What were you saying about the hot springs?! Something's wrong with the geysers? Did it all get fixed up there with the Rock Trolls and the Fire Trolls yet?! Why are you here, if not!?" A million and one questions spill out from Princess Anna's surprised lips, which were greedily accepting her blond muscle man's generous kisses after he and Sven had followed Svala in through the wide open double window. King Hans peers out with his keen green eyes into the darkness before giving his Queen Elsa's cryokinetics the go-ahead to shut the blustery winter wind out behind their unexpected visitors.
Sorry, Gale, Nokk, Jordskevelvet. Elsa mentally apologizes to her elemental friends who were left out in the cold on this late December night, while sneaky Bruni had hitched a ride in on Agnarr's epaulette shoulder. The soon smiling salamander scurries past everyone in order to warm his cold blood by the roaring fireplace, with a pleased sigh.
"Very pertinent queries, my step-in-fetch it, Gingersnap. It appears Minister Kai's position is well in hand." Even though the window was closed, a frosty chill envelopes the entire drawing room. But it was accompanied by a fatherly proud smile that melts the ice. As he speaks, Winter Spirit Guardian Agnarr places his best attempt at a warm hand upon his younger child s clumsy head.
Anna giggles at her father's familiar cool touch lightly pinging her silly noggin like he always did when she was little, as Kristoff takes a wriggling Joseff off his wife's lap to place the wide eyed little guy on Sven's broad antlers instead to play some reindeer games.
"However, we are not the ones who hold the answers you seek.
The truest power comes from within a heart which is meek."
Nature Guardian Iduna's soprano pipes in her mysterious way of indirectly speaking truth to power as the lithe, petite female spirit elemental dances around the drawing room in her own rhythm and rhyme. The Spirit of Melody's willowy branch tassels spin over her children's heads in a swirling waltz which her willing Spirit of Harmony partner had launched her into with a mischievous ice tinkled laugh.
Exchanging a baffled look with her sister about their now...oddly eccentric...parents, Elsa takes a seat next to a chuckling Anna on the settee. Their just as flummoxed mates, along with General Mattias and his bride, Halima, simply shrug, confused looks crossing everyone's knit brow at the newcomers' non-answer that came with their in-laws song and dance.
"So pretty! Wish I could ice dance my branches like that, Queen Iduna!" Eliana claps and exclaims while Olaf bites a rose from the coffee table vase nearby between his one tooth and tries to mimic the Winter King and his sleek Queen's adult and elegant performance moves. But that only proved his snowshoe left feet were not created for dancing, rather for face planting gauchely before skewering himself on the fireplace pokers.
"Maybe you could give us more of a... hint?" Anxious to solve her home nation's problems, Anna was, as always, first to speak up and interrupt her mother and father's energetic promenade across the drawing room dance floor.
"Oh, Anna, no hint is required, the secret of love you already know.
Freely given, it will solve this fracture from within, for unity to flow."
Iduna does the same to her younger child's query with a fond tickle to the chortling chin of the babe on Sven's antlers, at the same time the motherly nature spirit pets her older daughter's rosy cheek.
"Perhaps it is required of us each to deserve our role as worthy leaders of this finest nation, particularly after this celebrated time of God's generous blessing, to press forward, joining together as one mind, one heart, one soul in order to uncover the deeper meaning of this conundrum rather than diving into it by our own devices." Taking quite a striking pose at the fireplace mantle piece directly behind his Queen Elsa, King Hans speaks up with a stroke to his red sideburns in sober contemplation.
After he and Kristoff had extracted Olaf the shish-kabob from his fireplace poker face, King Hans then wisely extrapolates from the somewhat enigmatic looks on his in laws' faces. Agnarr and Iduna seemed to be trying to lead the younger generation to the answers of their questions, but without fully disclosing.
"Believe me, you've played your part in that already, quite adequately, to bring us to this point, you clever Dane."
Was that some trace of good old male competition a residual paternal disdain for the entire Danish culture in Agnarr's tone rearing its rather comely platinum head? Or was it simply stemming from an even more primal paternal instinct to challenge one successor in every cherished role—from Arendelle kingship, to top political national leader and naval commander, to his precious snowflake angel's primary protector...?
"Is that a parry off my bowsprit, Norske spirit? En garde!" Tapping his sword's ever ready sheath with one hand, only slightly teasing, while speaking in naval and fencing terms to meet his father-in-law's fierce glare, Hans could not honestly restrain himself from calling out the all powerful guardian of the elements right to his face.
"Attaque au fer." His once hazel eyes now fiercely flashing blue white over his frosted moustache, Winter King Agnarr, also well versed in fencing terminology himself since his youth, responds as wind chimes start tinkling a rather rousing harmony in the background of the window panes, almost like in a wartime battle hymn.
"Touche." With a submissive nod of his head and bowed concession final tap to his ever present sword, the new King of Arendelle then dutifully shows respect to the former, giving a breath-held Elsa a calming gesture behind his back as he does so.
After both Kristoff and Mattias let out mutual sighs of relief that neither had the unenviable task of stepping in as peacemakers to this dicey—not to mention dicing, slicing, and no doubt icing—duel of kingly rivals.
"I believe your epee's thrust is yet sharper than mine." But when Hans gave Agnarr a mischievous smirked comment along with that elegant bow, and the Ice King quirks an amused brow, also backing down in response, it soon thawed the entire tensed up room. And the triumphant young man claims Elsa's frigid hand quite possessively in his warming one. Although this was, in his eyes, a 'friendly' male sparring, Hans still had the hackling feeling that the fearsome Ice King had been insinuating something more carnal in nature of his son-in-law's relations with their eldest daughter. But he couldn't be sure as to the mercurial Winter spirit's abrupt sudden aversion to the Danish Prince's marriage to the Norwegian Queen.
Perhaps just 'Ill met by moonlight...?'
The well-read, once cast-off prince turned adored king assigns a a foreboding Shakespearean assessment to the unpredictable nature of the elemental King's odd mood towards him since they had arrived. And here I thought he and I were on excellent terms since that fine display of camaraderie at our wedding...
FFZZZ!
As if in response, while Elsa was petting the growingly unsettled salamander's back, Bruni snorts a fiery breath of flame, puffed right at the rear of Hans' face, his much primped over sideburns just missing being singed.
What have I done amiss to upset your capricious telemetry, O Elemental one? Knowing how to read a room, and one particular being on the opposite side of it who controlled his fellow elemental spirits now, Hans could sense Agnarr was somewhat nominally irked at him.
And here I've been on my best behavior for my Elise since that glorious day...My very best behavior...
The youthful male in Hans Westergaard could not entirely keep his mind in check while gazing down at his wife's pristinely desirable pale shoulders that led to the rest of her figure.
"The elements have much magic this coming Christmas Eve to bring to men.
Come now, my king, for tonight, our wandering spirits must walk among them."
Here, Mother Nature takes her cue to prompt her yet abrasive, cold-blooded mate to depart amicably, Bruni hopping up to the Winter King's shoulder. The Melodic Spirit plants a kiss on each of her girls' cheeks, full sweet healing and calm tranquility which Anna and Elsa each needed of their queenly Mama's loving touch to send them to their bedtime dreams to night.
"Tread lightly with my tender snow angels as we approach the Holy Night... my... dear...sons..." King Agnarr begrudgingly gives Hans and Kristoff a salute apiece as well as the familial title of 'my dear sons' which his own bride had given him much grief about in the past of his accepting his offsprings' choices.
"Aye-aye, Admiral. You have our word." With an impressive, flowing salute and his own naval leader office title magnanimously given to his Emeritus predecessor, Hans shares a look with Kristoff, speaking for both of them, though neither quite understood the somewhat obscured message. The two young men direct their nods to his seniority in acquiescence to Agnarr's somewhat cloudy edict, if just to keep the peace and friendly relations for the Christmas holiday for the sake of both their goodly wives.
Iduna humming a song at his side, Agnarr nods back his pale white-blond head before the Winter King soft snow kisses and squeezes each of his daughters' hands in his large, ice-blue translucent palmed ones, drawing Elsa and Anna up to their feet from the settee. With Anna's legs fully healed, the four close-knit family members move in synch to stand and embrace one another under the Christmas tree as they did once upon a time.
"Here is your mother and I's Christmas present to our dear girls. I must say these upgraded elemental gifts of ours have expedited my custom made projects, which previously took my meager human form the entire season to create. I have all the tools at my disposal now to properly make copasetic my excellent schematic ideas that your sweet voiced Mama has put the excellent melody to perfection, if I do say so myself." The only moderately full-of-himself King turned Spirit Guardian spins his frosty fingers to materialize the glimmering crystalline music box he spoke of to levitate before Elsa and Anna's mesmerized eyes. The gift stood about twelve x twelve inches in size and was shining in diamanté AB refraction, depicting the Christmas Creche scene to every gorgeous, well-thought detail, from shepherds, to angels, to halo glowing baby Jesus in a tiny glass-like manger, all revolving around a mirrored ice surface.
The Guardian of Harmony then gives an orgel turn to the silver key at the side of the gleaming ice mirror surface he had designed. And the new, elemental crystal Nativity tableau decoration their constructive-and-now all-powerfully-innovative Papa had handcrafted for his girls this special Christmas, that their melodic mother had set lovely music to, springs to revolving motion life.
As the tinkling melody of 'What Child is This?' plays in eerie, soulful music box simplicity, the crystal figures circling around the mirrored orgel, they four, for one shining ephemeral moment, stood again as they were twenty-five years ago, young human parents and tiny children reflecting in the mystical colors of aurora borealis lights before the magical land had changed any of them by its wonder.
Hans, Kristoff, Olaf, Eliana, Sven and Joseff all open their eyes wide to glimpse the young King Agnarr and Queen Iduna of Arendelle before any of their time, when Elsa and Anna were just a pair of cute little sisters. But Mattias and Halima hug one another close, in fond remembrance of their favorite royal friends as the Bernadotte family embrace like a true family with the ice fractal AB lit star shining down from high upon the Christmas tree's tallest bough.
Ah-ahh Ah-ahh Ah-ahh ahh!
Down below, the Nativity scene Agnarr and Iduna had created in minute mirrored detail, was projected full size in crystalline AB illumination. Its glowing light reverberates across every specially grown Northuldran fruit tree that had been planted along the lane behind the castle. A tiny ice winged form adorns the peak of each symbolized one, with slender hands upon the young tree limbs raised high, as if in a praying upward position. For this blessed, dedicated grove represented so many aspects of the newly married King and Queen's incredible faith which played such an important part of their love story, past, present and future...
Ah-ahh Ah-ahh Ah-ahh...
"We will visit you again tomorrow's Christmas Eve night, when all the world's darkness was first banished by His light." Nature Queen Iduna sings the soft hymn of praise to the Lord who gave them the greatest gift of all—their unbreakable bond of family love. Together, the young parents embrace their tearful eyed and speechless two little girls tightly one more time under the Christmas tree they made so many childhood memories beneath, dreaming of this day when they could be all together, free of concealment and fear, as a true family.
Then both she and her husband's physical bodies appear to grow fainter and fainter until they were near invisible silhouettes of who they once were, Bruni's soft orangey-gold flicker illuminating their way as their spirits flow away.
In the beat of a metronome, the reverted back to breathtakingly awe-inspiring Elemental Spirits of Melody and Harmony drift through the closed window as if it was not even there, the pair melding into a mid-winter's night dream...
"OK...! That was so nice! What a wonderful gift from Papa and Mama! We didn't get a chance to thank them! This year's Nativity for us, Elsa, is amazing!" But as Anna fingered the special made mirrored music box as it tinkled notes, she was more in awe of that precious moment when the forever young princess and her beloved sister were children again which it inspired. "Kinda crazy nostalgic feeling and happy fun at the same time...Felt like I was a little kid again, seeing Mama and Papa like that..." Smiling from ear to ear at the beautiful Nativity music box gift from her parents and the warm fuzzy feelings sentiments it brought as the music comes to an end, back to normal adult woman Anna tries to put into cohesive thought what that out-of-body, spiritual experience felt like.
She looks to Elsa's glossy blue eyes, which were left even more in a daze than she from the out-of-time's-synch occurrence they'd just gone through under the Northern Lights' magic mirror.
Ah-ah ah-ah ahh...
"So…what did we find out about the whole geyser troll issue up there?" But the grown up young leader and mother in Anna Bjorgman, while still embracing her also matured sister tight with the warmth of their family love all about her, takes hold of herself and shakes her brain awake from that sweet dream of being cared for as carefree little children again.
The ginger haired woman glances from friendly face to face, but each pursed their lips with little else to add for the recent encounter with the awesome elemental spirits. The State Secretary finally looks to her king, whose green eyes seemed to be the only ones alight with some theory or another.
Figures.
"Basically, that this land will only be unified by the true power of a heart which is meek. And that you, dear sister-in-law, already know the secret of how to solve the problem. Makes one wonder what known barometer we are dealing with." Intellectual Hans, his mindset perhaps still in the game of charades a bit, illustrates all the tidbits of information his photographic memory had gathered from the Spirits' short visitation. With emotive gestures, expressive body language and facial expressions, the replete actor he always was speaks his conjecture and memorized phrasing aloud which no one else apparently noticed, nor had any clue of the significance.
"Of which, I must apologetically admit—from someone's cool, accusatory stares in my direction—that I am at some unspecified root cause thereof." The dashing Dane humbly accepts his culpability in the matter, though he truly had no explanation as to the when, where, why, how, or what he was guilty of this time.
But that only gave Hans Westergaard's undefeatable spirit the drive to figure out the mystery all the more.
But for the grace of God, go I. Straight into the unknown for Elsa, God and country. The devoted husband and servant of Christ vows to do all in his service of this nation and the woman he loved who was so a part of its heart and soul.
After studying his Elsa's concerned countenance, the covered up worried looks which crossed her gorgeous features, her entire pensive being of late weighing heavy upon his conscience, Hans could honestly no longer logic it out or wish the inkling away. And the King decides that his best Christmas present to her would be that his secret second honeymoon beach getaway, month long vacation in gorgeous Paraiso was to be postponed, alas. His determination now was to be her rock, her leader, her husband, her king through whatever had been troubling his tender hearted true love. He would go to the ends of the earth for her, until whatever troubled Elsa was resolved, with all her anxieties out in the open to be placed upon his firm, patient shoulders.
Forgive me for not stepping up earlier to shield you from this trouble on your heart, my darling Elise. But I will be here for you now, min kaereste. We will get through this together, as one being, as we have done before, through our great love, with one heart which we were destined by God to share. For true love rights all past wrongs and constant love overcomes all obstacles. I will be there for you every moment from now on. I will be the man, the king, the hero you need me to be in our love story that will never end.
"And so!" The redhead abruptly claps his hands together, eager to get the show on the road, startling every thoughtful occupant of the drawing room with his sudden, vociferous exclamation. "Let us all get a good wholesome night's rest tonight. Because on the early 'morrow of Christmas Eve, we all travel northward to Trollheiman—and perhaps even beyond—to bring the Lord's peace on Earth and mercy mild at this blessed time of year to the meek heart of our beloved nation. Once more with feeling, eh, team?" Glancing from familiar adventurer's face to face, from reliable Spirit Whisperer Kristoff, to steadfast old soldier General Mattias, to eager Ensign Olof, to energetic Secretary of State Anna, and finally back to the amazing Ice Queen of his eternal heart, his Elsa, Hans extends his outstretched arm and hand flat for each to lay theirs upon his firm one.
So, with conviction for this frozen land of the Midnight Sun, its brave team of heroes silently swear to shine their collected light on all of its citizens—whether it be human, troll, animal or spirit magical being—as long as they journeyed together in the unity and love the Lord had blessed their lives with.
After the rousing, team-spirited hand gesture of human, woman snowman and reindeer alike, King Hans nods gratefully to each of his team before bestowing a heartfelt kiss on Elsa's grateful brow. She leans her entire weary mind and body into her handsome hero's strong shoulders and broad chest, that promised to carry all of her burdens an anxieties away in his tremendous love for her.
Seeing the superimposed child Elsa's quivering orbs in his adult Queen's uncertain eye still today, Hans was sure his decision to tackle her problems head on himself was right. He holds Elsa protectively close like a child, kissing her spontaneous tears away as both friend and lover.
"Sounds like a good plan to me, buddy." Sven pipes up here, as General Mattias silently takes his orders and salutes to his commanding officer, Halima leading her no longer forgotten soldier back home to the bakery for the short remainder of the night.
The big beefy burly reindeer nudges his just as big and beefy best friend Kristoff to whisk Anna and Joseff up so the rangifer could fly them both back to their cottage home, where anxious mother Svala had already gone back as soon as they hit the Arendelle borderline to check with her heroic baby reindeer, John.
"Nighty night, Elsa! Make sure Olaf gets some shut-eye, Eliana so we can stay up late on Christmas Eve tomorrow!" Blowing a thankful kiss to her sister at the same time she bosses her snow friend with the penchant for insomnia around, the pleased as punch ginger croons as the husband she had been hankering for holds her no longer disabled body in only the way he could on Sven's flying away back.
"Good night, Anna. Good night, Kristoff, Joseff, Sven. Sweet dreams." The ever polite Arendelle Queen bids adieu to her thankfully healed sister's reunited little family who was making their way out to their own cottage residence on this cold but crystal clear night.
"Oh, Olaf, Eliana! Make sure Nan Margery is made real welcome and comfy up in my room tonight! We already discussed how she's gonna meet the special needs skaters here at the Arendelle Culture Center rink early in the morning at first light, so she's staying over the night in the castle with her kitties to wait for the kiddies! Ha ha! I'm so funny! Don't forget to put lots of warm milk out in bowls for them for breakfast! The kittens—not the kiddies! But they might like some, too! Hahaha!" Anna jokes, despite being blissfully happy in her own skin at the moment. But responsible and excessively caring Secretary Bjorgman did not forget her dear caregiver Nana Margery Meg and their marvelous idea for the replacement skating team of young people which the older choir master and dancing teacher had offered.
"Fuzzy wuzzy kittens, bedtime stories under warm knit blankets, all-you-can-eat gingerbread cookies, with visions of little children ice skating in our heads? Eliana and I are ON IT!" Olaf gives a branchy wave and best attempt at a thumbs up to Anna right after signing off from his chief naval officer in a farewell salute shared with Admiral Westergaard good night. He and his very forgiving little wife then ski-daddle, rushing out from the drawing room and upstairs a few steps at a time for their assigned sleepover fun.
"Then, that only leaves just you and I, min elskare." After snuffing out the final candles of the candelabra between his fire fearless fingers, King Hans turns to his particularly silent bride with a smile.
Ah-ahh Ah-ahh Ah-ahh ahh!
"Huh?" All the while, Elsa's attention was obviously elsewhere, as her attentive gaze was trained out the rear window towards the courtyard, eyes straining and ears perked up beyond the direction Anna 's reindeer driven team just left.
"Are you really all right, my Elise? I know today has been rather taxing, but sometimes I feel you are not entirely engaged in the conversation…" The tall and svelte, intuitive young monarch crosses the drawing room after tending to the fireplace to place a tender hand on his tender wife's pale cheek.
"Hans? I'm...fine..." Elsa's preoccupied mind vaguely responds, she whispering out her husband's name whilst she hears a chorus of those soul altering notes amplified from the direction of the tree lined path which Anna, Kristoff on Sven had just flown over.
"Worry no longer, my love, I've got you. By tomorrow night, I promise, I will solve this riddle of yours…no matter what it takes…" Hans easily and smoothly lifts Elsa's lissome body in his arms. He carries her up the spiral staircase to the royal master bedroom which he powerfully kicks in the open door like the hero of some insatiable romance novel.
For his Elsa had given this unworthy Prince a true life love story which the soulful young Dane would never put the beautiful book full of forgiveness, redemption, and belonging down of until his dying day. No matter how many chapters it required, Hans Westergaard would write reams of his love for his snow angel and forever be her hero, undying with devotion.
And though his terrifying father-in-law had warned him not to mar this tender snowflake—Hans fully intended to heed his elder Admiral's words this night in Elsa's delicate emotional state—he lavishes Elsa with all of the warmth of his heart, along with his gentle touches and chaste kisses which only his great restraint of pure love could afford.
"Some children see Him lily white, the Baby Jesus born this night. Some children see Him lily white, with tresses soft and fair..."
Suddenly the redeemed man's soul brims over with a melody he had heard hummed a Christmas past long ago—or was it a Christmas still to come?—full of the blessed season's joy, inspired to grace in his song from Above.
Ah-ah-ah ah-ah-ah Ah-ah-ah Ah-ah-ahh...
"Oh, Hans, that's beautiful...when I'm with you, everything feels like it's going to be all right..." Elsa glows at his lovely voice, as she clings to Hans' gorgeous, calming strains which were in competition with the incessant music's rising and falling andante notes in the background of her mind, only matched by the rising and falling beats of her palpitating heart.
"Sometimes it feels like I can only find my way back to shore because you're leading my heart there with your voice." Elsa whispers into her husband's noble sideburns. for it was only in his arms that her cacophonous inner world quieted to a pianissimo when he was holding her tight and close, tender like a child.
"I am King of Arendelle after all." The dashing, disarming, dapper Dane teases of his high ranking position as not to reveal his trepidation while squeezing a hand around the palpitating ice pendant statue at his chest. It reflected his Ice Queen's rapidly beating heart which only seemed to be calmed by his soft stroke of both it and the real woman he loved.
"My most handsome king…" Elsa indeed starts to detox her uptight tense emotions as she leans all of her unknown anxieties and pent up emotions on Hans' soon unclothed, warm and bare chest.
"Some children see Him bronzed and brown, the Lord of heav'n to earth come down.
Some children see Him bronzed and brown, with dark and heavy hair."
"Rest now for a few hours, my queen. I will awaken you when it is time to be off." The exhausted young woman breathes the manly cologne scents of his coffee and vanilla scented chest as she drifts off to sleep under his melodic ministrations. As she does, the responsible king vowed he would keep vigil watching over his lover for the remainder of the night, while pondering what he must do to best still her fragile, sensitive heart this coming Christmas.
"The children in each different place, will see the baby Jesus' face
Like theirs, but bright with heavenly grace, and filled with holy light."
The professional, grade A tenor sings softly of the little King of Kings wrapped in swaddling clothes as he holds his own lily white angel's lies body tight, his tender, heartfelt music overtaking any other score pounding in Elsa's soul.
"O, lay aside each earthly thing, and with thy heart as offering,
Come worship now the infant King. 'Tis love that's born tonight."
He whispers soothingly the glorious song gently on his delicate female's pale skin and closed eyelids pressed to her husband's chest, straight from his inspired, loving heart to bring peace to hers. Drifting to sleep, Elsa focuses on Hans' steady heartbeat in her ears where she lie atop him in their regal, king sized bedroom on this otherwise silent night.
Although, an even more hushed little cherub's underlying chords continue to whisper in the deep snows below...
Ah-ah-ahh, Ah-ah-ahh! Ah-ah-ahh, Ah-ahh ahh…
"Some Children See Him" – beloved Christmas carol sung by Santino Fontana, written by Wihla Hudson and Alfred Burt 1951
min kæreste –my darling in Danish
min elskade –my love in Norwegian
min ædle –my precious in Danish
min hvvidue– my dove in Danish
eadni – mother in Northuldran Saami
ostinato – musical term for music note that continually plays
riposte - fencing term for successful counter attack
en garde - entry fencing term for 'on guard'
attaque au fer – fencing term for continuously extending sword arm, threatening while deflecting attack by opponent's blade
Thanks for reading, my dear patient Frozen Again friends!
I hope you enjoyed this chapter! ^0^ Lots of fun visitors, surprise early Christmas gifts, and beautiful songs! (you must listen to our Hans' voice actor Santino Fontana's golden voice sing this moving heartfelt Christmas hymn. I HAD to include it somewhere in this holiday special! Too stunning!)
I decided to split the 'finale' chapter into two—it was getting too long—both my timeframe and the story chapter. So there will be one more truly FINAL episode to this now 4-part Christmas special! I hope and pray you enjoy this continuation! Please watch for the last installment grand finale I vow to put up by Easter!
God bless your heart and keep you in this holiest of holy seasons where we can all be redeemed by Lord Jesus' saving grace and endless light!
Love and blessings!
HarukaKou