by Jen Calonita
By the time she was finished creating her fortress and a new look, the sun was beginning to rise over the mountains. Elsa stepped out onto one of her balconies and reveled at the majesty of her new kingdom.
Anna would like it here, Elsa thought with satisfaction.
She just had to find her.
Looking out over the snow and the ice, Elsa tried to imagine where Grand Pabbie and the trolls might be. If they weren’t hidden at the top of the North Mountain, where were they? She drummed her fingers on the icy railing of the balcony and thought again of her vison. The night Papa and Mama had taken them up into the mountains to find the trolls, Papa had held on to a map.
Think, Elsa. What was he looking for? Where did we go? It was some sort of valley.
The Valley of the Living Rock! She’d spotted that name in the letter. That had to be where Grand Pabbie was hidden. Based on how long it had taken to reach the North Mountain, Elsa had to guess the Valley of the Living Rock was at least a day’s walk from there, and she would have to go back down the mountain to find it. She yawned despite herself. It had been days since she’d rested. She needed sleep, but when she woke, she’d begin another journey—one that would lead her to her sister.
“This is really nice!” Anna exclaimed as she climbed onto the bench next to Kristoff and admired his sleigh.
The sled was far superior to the one her papa had. The upper half of Kristoff’s sleigh was shiny dark wood, while the lower part was hand-painted black and red, with beige triangles outlining the rim. The pattern reminded her of teeth. It was clear this sleigh was not to be messed with. Anna threw her sack in the back, and it landed next to Kristoff’s reddish lute, his sack, and some mountaineering equipment.
“Careful!” Kristoff barked. “You almost broke my lute.”
“Sorry!” Anna winced. “Didn’t know you were bringing your lute with you on this trip. I’m not sure you’ll really have time to play the next few days.”
Kristoff gave her a look. “I only have it in the sleigh because I carry all of Sven’s and my belongings in here. We just paid the sled off, so I don’t need you breaking anything.”
“Got it, sorry.” Anna folded her hands in her lap, thankful she had found her mittens before she ran out of the house. She was only trying to make conversation. How could she know Kristoff didn’t live in a house like she did? And here she was running away from her home without permission to try to save Arendelle. Her parents would understand—she hoped.
Although they might not be thrilled when they learned she had left Harmon with the ice deliverer, who was practically a total stranger.
What was she thinking?
How was a girl who had never left her village before going to save the entire kingdom from a freak summer snowstorm?
By following her heart, she decided. Call it intuition or her gut, but she knew someone was out there looking for her. Either that, or the snow was making her a little batty already.
The sled hit a bump and she bumped into Kristoff. She locked eyes with him for a moment, her cheeks burning before they both looked away. Anna slid over so that it wouldn’t happen again.
“Hang on,” he said, staring straight ahead as he cracked the reins. “We like to go fast.”
Fast was exactly what she needed. She had to get to Arendelle, figure out where this weather was coming from, and get back to Harmon before her parents started to worry. Who was she kidding? They were probably already worried.
Relax, Anna, she told herself. Focus on your plan, and try to enjoy the ride. She was finally leaving the village! She put her feet up on the front of Kristoff’s sleigh. “I like fast.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Kristoff nudged her boots. “Get your feet down. This is fresh lacquer. Seriously, were you raised in a barn?” He spit on the wood and wiped the area where her feet had been. His spittle went flying into her eye.
Anna wiped her face with the back of her mitten. “No, I was raised in a bakery. What about you?”
“I was raised not far from here.” He kept his eyes on the path. “Stay alert. We need to watch for wolves.”
Anna sighed. He wasn’t going to reveal anything about himself, was he?
She really was traveling to Arendelle with a total stranger.
Well, he couldn’t stay a stranger for long. Not when they had a two-day journey ahead of them to get down the mountain to Arendelle.
When they got tired, they made camp in someone’s barn. Kristoff didn’t even ask if they could use it (“Who’s coming out to check on us in this weather?”). Then they rose before the sun to journey on. Anna watched as Arendelle grew closer and closer. As the castle came into view that afternoon, she was too in awe to talk anymore. Arendelle was just like she pictured it in her mind. Even covered in snow and ice, the castle was magnificent nestled among the mountains. And the village surrounding it was ten times the size of Harmon.
“Whoa, look at the fjord,” Kristoff said, pointing to the harbor.
Dozens of ships listed on the frozen water. Covered in snow and ice, they looked like a ship graveyard. The village was equally eerie. Even though it was the middle of the afternoon, no one was outside in this weather. Everywhere, lanterns and green-and-gold flags bearing Princess Elsa’s silhouette were frozen solid.
“We should find the castle courtyard,” Kristoff suggested. “Maybe someone there will know what’s going on.”
“Make a right at the butcher’s shop next to the stables,” Anna said without thinking.
Kristoff did a double take. “I thought you’d never been here before.”
The butcher’s shop was straight ahead. The stables were next to it, but she was certain the courtyard was around the corner. Anna felt a tingle go up her spine. “I haven’t.” How did she know where to go?
Kristoff followed Anna’s directions to the castle courtyard. A crowd was gathered around a large bonfire burning near the castle gates. He dismounted and gave Sven carrots.
“Let’s see what’s going on,” Anna suggested, and patted Sven on the back. “Nice job, buddy. Why don’t you take a rest for a bit?” Sven looked happy to oblige.
As they got closer, Anna could see men in green uniforms passing out blankets and cloaks to villagers waiting in line. Someone was also directing them to where they could get a mug of hot glogg. Anna looked up and gasped. The water in the fountain had frozen midstream, curving in a pattern that was both beautiful and frightening. She’d never seen water freeze like that before. In the middle of the fountain stood a bronze sculpture of the king, the queen, and the princess as a young girl. Anna leaned on the fountain railing, trying to get a closer look. Then she heard someone shouting.
“The future queen has cursed this land!”
A small, skinny man with glasses, a white mustache, and a military uniform was standing on the castle steps, talking to anyone who would listen.
Future queen? Cursed? There was that word again. Anna joined a group of people standing in front of him.
“Why would she want to hurt Arendelle?” someone asked, and others murmured in agreement.
“She wouldn’t!” another man interrupted. He was dark-haired and large around the middle, and his face seemed kind, unlike the little man’s. “My dear people, your future queen would never hurt you. We are doing everything we can to find the princess and stop this winter. As I’ve been saying for the past few days, the castle is open to anyone who needs it. We have enough food and blankets for everyone.”
“Don’t be a fool!” the short man snapped. “Food will eventually run out. We cannot survive in this strange weather forever!”
“Don’t listen to the Duke of Weselton,” Lord Peterssen countered. “We must stay calm.”
“What are we going to do?” asked a woman with a baby bundled up inside her cloak. “All of my vegetables have died in this weather!”
“We weren’t prepared for winter in the middle of the summer,” a man shouted. “We haven’t even begun to hunt for food for the co
ld season. There won’t be enough to eat this winter if the weather doesn’t change soon.”
The Duke smiled. “Do not fear! Prince Hans of the Southern Isles will save us all.”
The crowd clapped half-heartedly, but Lord Peterssen mumbled something and turned away. Anna was glad to hear this Prince Hans was supposedly going to save them, but how? And from what? Could he change the weather?
“Excuse me, but who is Prince Hans?” she spoke up.
“What are you doing?” Kristoff muttered fiercely under his breath.
“Getting answers.” Anna grabbed his hand and dragged him with her, snaking through the crowd until they were standing right in front of the castle steps.
“Weren’t you listening?” the Duke asked rudely. “The prince has been staying in Arendelle for a while and is well versed in matters of the kingdom. He has graciously agreed to step in and fix this situation. We must stop her before we’re too late.”
“Stop who?” Anna asked.
The Duke rolled back his shoulders. “Did you not see for yourself what she did? With such a large crowd gathered for the coronation? She nearly killed me!”
“No, I’m sorry, I didn’t see anything,” Anna said. “We just journeyed down the mountain. My village is way up there.” She pointed to a tiny speck that was almost completely obscured. “We were preparing to celebrate the queen’s coronation when this unusual weather blew in. We’re worried about what’s happening, too, which is why we’re here for answers. So I apologize, but who are you talking about?”
“The princess!” The Duke jumped up and down like a toddler. “She’s a monster!”
“The princess?” Anna repeated, her heart thumping wildly as a ringing started in her ears. I have to find her, she thought suddenly, but she wasn’t sure why she thought she could. “Why would Princess Elsa try to hurt you?”
“She didn’t,” interrupted Lord Peterssen. “The princess wouldn’t hurt anyone. She was frightened and ran off, but she’ll return. She’d never abandon her people.” He glared at the Duke. “And I would prefer if you didn’t call the future queen a monster.”
“She froze the fjord!” a man called out. “We can’t get our ships in or out of the harbor!”
“We’re trapped here because of her!” someone else yelled.
“How am I going to feed my family if we can’t get food?” a woman cried while a baby wailed in the distance. “Her magic has frozen the whole kingdom. If it is no better where these people have come from, we are truly doomed!”
“Wait,” Kristoff interrupted. “Are you telling me the future queen caused this snowstorm? How?”
“Sorcery! Witchcraft!” the Duke railed. “After her powers were revealed, she fled across the fjord, creating this eternal winter. She must be stopped! Prince Hans went after the princess. He is hoping to talk some sense into her.”
“The princess has powers?” Anna asked. “She made all this snow and ice? Why, that’s incredible!”
The Duke narrowed his eyes at her. “Who are you, girl?”
Kristoff stood taller, shifting his body slightly in front of hers. She nudged him aside.
“Someone who wants to stop this winter as much as you do,” Anna said firmly. “And I don’t see how threatening the princess will help anyone.”
The Duke was grim. “I suggest you find somewhere to keep warm until Prince Hans returns. You’ll never make it back up the mountain in these conditions. It’s growing colder. This winter won’t end till we find the princess and make her stop the madness.” He headed back into the castle, and the crowd started to disperse.
“Wait!” Anna cried. The Duke ignored her. There was something about that man she did not like. “You expect this Prince Hans to find her on his own?” Anna ran after them. No one was listening. “Wait!” She turned back to Kristoff. He and Lord Peterssen were the only people still standing there. “If the princess caused this winter, it had to be by mistake. She must feel so helpless!”
Lord Peterssen rubbed his hands in front of the fire to keep warm. “And frightened. I imagine she kept these powers from all of us for fear of how we’d react—and people are as frightened as she feared. Maybe if she just came back and explained herself…” He looked up at the sky as snowflakes fell on his face. “I just hope we find her before it’s too late.”
Anna stared again at the bronze statue of the royal family covered in ice. “Her magic and what she’s capable of is so beautiful.”
“If one is prepared for this kind of weather,” Kristoff said, standing close to the fire. “No one wants to see snow in the middle of the summer.”
“No, they do not.” Lord Peterssen rubbed his hands to keep warm. “I just hope Prince Hans finds her and convinces her to come back to us so we can fix this.”
“Do you have any idea where she went?” Anna asked.
“I didn’t see the princess run,” Lord Peterssen admitted, “but many saw her flee across the fjord and head in the direction of the North Mountain. It isn’t much to go on, I know.” He rubbed his arms. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going back inside. Please have some hot glogg before you journey home again. Hopefully this weather will turn before you must go back.”
“Go back? But…” She couldn’t go back yet. Now that she knew the storm was caused by magic, she couldn’t just walk away. She had to help bring back summer and find the princess.
Anna understood why the princess would be frightened, but why head to the North Mountain? Was something up there? Her skin prickled. I think I’m supposed to help her. The closer she got to the castle, the more she felt it. Now her gut was telling her to walk into the castle, but that didn’t make sense. If the people were right, Elsa was halfway up the North Mountain. Still, staring up at the lit windows and archways of the castle, Anna felt a magnetic pull. She knew something was waiting for her inside.
“Do you want some glogg?” Kristoff asked, pulling her from her thoughts. “I’ve never been a fan, but if we’re going to begin the journey back to Harmon to tell everyone what’s going on, then we should probably eat and drink something. And get more carrots for Sven.” He watched Anna walk right past him. “Hey! Where are you going?”
Anna climbed the castle steps to the entrance. There were no guards to be seen, and the crowd had dispersed. If there was ever a good moment to enter, this was it.
“Hey, hey, hey!” Kristoff rushed in front of her. “You can’t just walk inside the royal castle uninvited!”
“I am invited! Sort of. Didn’t Lord Peterssen say the castle was open if anyone needed it?” Anna ducked under his arm and continued up the stairs. The coast was still clear. She could make it inside unnoticed and then…well, who knew? She just had to get inside.
“Lord Peterssen meant if you needed help.” Kristoff slid on a patch of ice on the steps. “The glogg is outside the entrance. He didn’t mean go inside.”
But she had to get inside. It was as if the place were calling to her. She could feel it in her bones, but she didn’t know how to explain that to Kristoff. “No one is even guarding the entrance. It’s like someone wants us to come in. I’ll only be a minute. I just need to see something.”
“Anna!” Kristoff tried to keep up with her.
She reached the top step and opened the door. The second she walked inside, she felt a strange calm come over her. Anna stared up at the high vaulted ceiling in the two-story entranceway. The room had a central staircase with two sets of stairs that both led to a second-story landing. Portraits decorated the walls on both levels. Why does this room seem so familiar? she wondered. I’ve never been here before. She glanced up at the central staircase again and had a sudden vision of a redheaded girl in a nightgown and bare feet racing down the staircase, giggling.
Anna jumped in surprise. “It’s me,” she said softly, running toward the stairs.
“Don’t go upstairs! Are you crazy?” Kristoff grabbed her arm but stopped talking when he saw her expression. “What is it?”
Th
e image vanished. This doesn’t make sense. Anna’s knees buckled.
“Whoa!” Kristoff held her up. “What’s going on?”
“I thought…I…” Anna wasn’t sure how to explain what she had just seen without sounding crazy. She spun around, trying to get her bearings, and spotted the portrait of the royal family. Anna stepped closer, staring at the picture curiously. Freya? Anna gasped in surprise. The queen and Freya looked exactly alike. How is that possible? she thought, and reached up to touch the painting then saw a flash. She saw her younger self sitting on a bench with her legs dangling while someone painted her portrait. “Anna, hold still!” the person said. She felt her knees wobble again.
“Are you okay?” Kristoff asked.
“It’s so strange, but I feel like I’ve been here before.” Anna clung to his arm so she wouldn’t fall.
“Have you?” Kristoff asked quietly.
Anna looked at him. Her voice was small. “No.”
“We should leave,” he said, sounding worried.
Anna shook her head. “We can’t. There’s something here I’m meant to find.” She let go of him and headed up the staircase to the next floor. This time he didn’t stop her. Kristoff silently followed her down the long hallway past several rooms. She heard the wind howling outside the windows as she climbed another staircase. She stopped abruptly when she saw a wall of jagged icicles blocking their path.
Kristoff touched the sharp point on one of the icicles. “What happened here?”