CHAPTER 1: The Sun, the Ice, and the Ocean
"And with that, I declare the renovated Corona Royal Library officially open."
Rapunzel squeezed the giant scissors. The thin purple ribbon split in twain and fluttered away while the crowd gave a smattering of applause.
"Well done, well done. It's gorgeous. You are an amazing person. Astonishing," the mayor said, shaking Rapunzel's hand vigorously while the citizens began meandering in.
This must have been the ten-thousandth time someone had heaped empty compliments on her. All she needed to feel satisfied was her subjects with big smiles, holding books, and discussing their favorites. She didn't need the praise.
Flynn on the other hand...
"Thank you. Not many people take the time to appreciate. I think it's the chin. It has a ruggedness to it that... oh, you mean her."
Rapunzel gave him one of her looks.
She accompanied the citizens in, telling the story. Rapunzel had spent two years working on this. True, she'd fallen in love with when she first came into town. She expected the day to be her only, but she still spent that time paging through old fairy tales, atlases, and novels. Anything better than the same three or four books.
But once she became the princess, the tiny little shop wouldn't do. Not in her kingdom. Once the disorientation died down, one of her first acts was to install a proper library. The town's bookseller had never looked more surprised than when she came in with a troupe of architects, ready to talk plans. Over two years, it transformed from a wooden hovel to a literary palace. Not just a place to come and read, but to foster community.
Most of the books resided on the second and third floors. The first had some as well, shelved in beautiful bookcases carved from wood. But also a spiral staircase, a play area for wee ones, and a ball room. The vestibule resembled a museum, with statues, glass display cases for Corona artifacts, and fresco ceilings.
"Painted by yours truly." Flynn squeezed her shoulder. Everyone stared up at the images of stars and creatures and forests up above. "And this area can turn into a stage for performing plays. Pretty neat, huh?"
"My goodness, how amazing." The old woman nodded. "You should be very proud dear. You've gone through a lot."
"I don't see the king and queen here," another greeter said. "Where are they?"
"King Frederic is talking to new staff members. Queen Arianna is arranging a trade treaty." Rapunzel shrugged. "It's okay. They've helped me every step of the way. I think they wanted me to have my moment in the sun."
The old woman patted her shoulder. "Well, it's the best thing to happen to Corona since you came back, dear. And I've got to say, I love how you're wearing your hair today."
Rapunzel pinched the brunette curls starting at the nape of her neck. Since that fateful day a year ago, she hadn't done a thing to style it, accessorize it, or brandish it. Others might call it messy or impossible. She called it perfect.
Flynn glanced at Rapunzel. "I'm going to check out the 'Tales of Flynnigan Ryder' section," he said with a smirk. Rapunzel grinned.
A mural of the swashbuckling literary hero covered the back wall of the second floor. When Rapunzel was finally able to read the books, she was amazed at how much he resembled her husband. After crumpling so many sketches, the result was more a lifted burden than accomplishment. But at least, Flynn said she got the nose right.
Day dwindled to night, and still it seemed like everyone in town was here. In the lounge area, people were sitting with their chosen books--kids, seniors, adults, farmers, scholars. But she didn't find who she was looking for--her friends from the Snuggly Duckling. They were on the other side of the building. Their appearance had scared other adults, so they found solace with those who would accept them. In the children's area.
Between the children, the giant adults sat on bean-filled pouch chairs and recliners. Von Hooke was turning the pages of a book called "Classic Techniques of the Old Masters" He accidentally stuck his hook through a page, then glanced around to see if anyone noticed. Vladimir was lost in something with a fairy and a rainbow on the cover. Shorty held his book upside-down, but didn't notice. A four-year-old perched over Gunter's shoulder, poking her finger into his book of home design ideas.
"I would move the washtub there and the flower pot is ugly so get rid of that and the walls need to be purple with polka dots and get the fur off the chair 'cause it's gross..."
Gunter remained stone-faced as his pint-sized assistant droned on. Rapunzel shook her head and smiled. She turned to leave them--far be it from her to interrupt a good book.
In the shadows of the bookcases stood a woman in a maroon dress. A hooded cloak covered her face.
Rapunzel gasped. No... was it her?
The woman pulled back the hood. She shook out her long black hair.
Rapunzel's breath caught in her throat. It couldn't be. She couldn't still be alive.
A small child ran up to her and the spell broke. The woman bent down and caressed the child as a mother would. Now Rapunzel could see the differences. The body wasn't hunched enough. The eyes were a different color. The hair wasn't even curly. How could she have ever thought...
Flynn clapped her on the shoulder. "Hey, look!" He held up the book More Tales of Flynnigan Rider. "I didn't even know they made a sequel. And it's a different author. I wonder if.... You okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"It... I just thought..."
Flynn followed her gaze. "Ohhhh," he sighed in understanding.
"I know," Rapunzel forced a snicker. "It's silly. I know that. Just looks like..."
"It's okay. She's dead. She can't hurt you anymore. She's not coming back."
"I know. I know that. It was just for a second..." She took a deep breath and ran her hands through her hair.
"Have you eaten anything? Atilla made some excellent cupcakes." Flynn escorted her to the table next to the checkout desk with a steaming teapot and plate of pastries. An old man in a blue Corona Navy Officer uniform brushed crumbs out of his mustache. He lit up at the sight of Rapunzel.
"Well, bless my soul. The princess herself," he said in a gruff, but kindly voice.
"Admiral Rosenbluth? I didn't expect to see you here."
"Bang up job you've done. Quality is astounding. So much space. State of the art. And you designed the project from start to finish?"
Rapunzel shyly shrugged. "I know how to keep busy." Eighteen years in one room would do that to a person.
Rosenbluth adjusted his uniform. He was still a well-built man, but age and changed him. Tiny legs supported his barrel-shaped torso which thrust out his many medals. "This will be great for me, once I retire."
"Only a few days left, right?" Rapunzel asked.
Rosenbluth nodded. "All I'm really doing is walking around the castle, pretending to be busy. Commander Ansel is taking to the position like a fish to water. Done everything short of move into my office. And he hasn't even gotten the official promotion yet." Rosenbluth guffawed.
"I haven't had the chance to meet him yet," Rapunzel said.
"Oh, you will. His list of goals is as long as my arm. I've never seen anyone so ambitious and young. I think he wants to make Corona's navy the strongest on the continent. In fact, I think that's where your parents are now, helping with the transition."
"And you don't need to be there for that?"
"He's learned everything from me he needs. He's a Rear Admiral now, and some things just can't be trained out."
"Like what?" Rapunzel raised an eyebrow.
"To tell the truth, his reach tends to exceed his grasp. Oh, he's a capable officer. I just worry about his leadership skills. He's... well, not so sympathetic. Now, I look at you, and I know you'll be a fine leader. You have a personality that inspires people. God save the queen, but I look forward to the day you take the crown. Ansel... he gets things done. But he'll step on toes in the process."
"We'll keep him in line," Flynn said.
"Good. I worked hard in the high command so I could have a peaceful retirement. The next time you see me I'll be rocking on my front porch with a lemonade in one hand and an old book in the other." He clapped Rapunzel on the shoulder. "I think I'll start looking for my first volume right now. Where do you keep the history section?"
"Aisle four," Rapunzel chirped. "We have a wonderful shelf about old war battles, if you want to check it out."
Rosenbluth twitched his mustache. "I believe I shall do just that." He thanked the little girl and walked off.
"Ansel. He sounds... interesting." Rapunzel took a sip of hot tea. "I wonder why I haven't seen him before."
"It's not like we need to. We're not at war," Flynn said. "The last time Corona had to mobilize their Navy was to look for the lost princess."
A passing child holding his mother's hand pointed to the front door. "Look, mom, there's a horse coming into the library."
A barrel-chested white house pranced through the double doors, waving his blond mane. He held a piece of paper held in his mouth.
"That horse is captain of the guards, dear," his mom said. "Watch your mouth."
Maximus scanned the library until he made eye contact with Flynn.
"Uh-oh. Here comes trouble."
He trotted right up to the thief and loosed his lips. The paper unrolled--a blueprint of the castle exterior with black markings.
Flynn bent down and examined the document. "Oh, so you think you've got a strategy, huh?"
For the past year, Flynn and Maximus had been improving castle security by competing with each other. It started when Flynn sounded off against the last eighteen years of break-ins, two of which he'd been responsible for.
"You had nine guards in the chamber, all facing the same way. Couldn't you have spared one of them to actually watch the crown?" Flynn had said.
As newly promoted captain of the guards, Maximus was charged with protecting the royal family. And Flynn--who better to stop a thief than a former thief?
Of course, their first collaborations ended with broken furniture and scrabbles on the floor. The idea didn't take flight until Rapunzel suggested making it into a game. Flynn would do his best to break into the castle while Maximus tried his best to stop him. This exposed the exploits and vulnerabilities in security. Each time Maximus thought he had sealed them up, Flynn would try again. In the beginning, Flynn's ingenuity astounded everyone. But since Maximus had won the last three times, the king and queen felt security was solid.
"What's this?" Flynn asked, studying the handwritten notes. "You think you finally got the castle airtight?"
Maximus neighed, jabbing the paper with his nose.
"And you even sectioned off the latrine tower. I hadn't even thought of that yet. Is this all you do all day? Eat apples and think of ways to make me look stupid?"
Maximus neighed satisfactorily and tapped his front hooves.
"You need to relax. Here." He slid a book out from the pile under his arm. "Try this one. It's about a policeman chasing an escaped convict during the French revolution. You'd love it." Flynn set the book onto a display stand.
"Pascal, can you help?" Rapunzel asked.
A green chameleon crawled out from a fold within her the back of her dress. It shuffled down her arm and jumped onto Maximus's nose. When he flicked out his tongue and turned the page, Maximus's eyes darted across the words. Flynn put his hand on his hip and smirked.
A little kid skittered up to Rapunzel. "Princess? One of your friends got his hand stuck in a book but he told me not to tell because he was em-bar-rassed so can you unstick him?"
Rapunzel looked up to the kids' corner. Von Hooke's hook had skewered the binding. He tried shaking it off, then met her gaze, and pretended he was just waving.
Rapunzel rolled her eyes and smiled. She walked over and slid the leather binding away. "Thanks," Von Hooke mumbled. "I got a little carried away."
Another rugrat ran up to her, holding up a book. "Princess Rapunzel, Princess Rapunzel, can you read us a story?"
"Oh... well, uh..."
"But you have such a great voice for reading. P-weeeeease?" The other children crawled up and gathered around her, like fish nibbling at food flakes. The pub thugs' eyes scooted cross-legged behind the children.
"Well, all right." She sat down in the middle of the rug, her pink dress fanning around her. The cover featured a giant in the clouds looking down on a farmer's house. "Hm, Jack and the Beanstalk. Oh, this is one of my favorites."
Rapunzel read through the opening exposition--the poor family, selling the cow for magic beans, the mother throwing the beans away. "Overnight, while Jack and his mother slept, the beans nestled into the garden. In the magic of the full moon, the beans sprouted into a beanstalk. And it began to grow... and grow... and grow... "
The children's eyes went wide. Their jaws dropped.
"And they kept growing until the beanstalk reached the sky," Rapunzel continued.
The children and the thugs dropped their jaws. "That's awesome!" one little boy said.
"How are you doing that?" another little girl asked.
Rapunzel smiled humbly. Was she telling it that well? "Doing what?" Rapunzel asked as she brushed a stray hair out of her eyes. They continued to stare.
Wait a minute. She hadn't need to brush hair out of her eyes since...
Her finger kept going down. It kept going, and going... and going. The library had become dead silent.
She tugged a lock of hair in front of her eyes. Bright golden yellow, spread all around her.
"Blondie, you're... blondie... again," Flynn said.
Her original hair, infused with the glow of the magic flower, had sprouted and fallen around her. All seventy feet of it.
Moonlight shone into the grand hall, still and empty. Prince Eric and Sir Grimsby entered at the same time from opposite ends. Eric was wearing his bathrobe and bedclothes. Grimsby, still dressed from the day, balanced a nightshade bottle on a silver tray.
"Ah, Eric," Grimsby said, surprised. "The princess forgot her nightly medicinal. I thought you were in bed already."
"I thought I was too. The little ones got too noisy." Eric yawned. "I decided to get up and get some work done."
They walked up the staircase together. "Not asleep at this hour?" Sir Grimsby asked.
"Ariel tried putting them to bed, but they get all wound up when they're tired. She ended up playing with them instead."
Grimsby's wrinkled lips smiled. "She's quite taken to motherhood, hasn't she?"
"Yeah. She says it reminds her of frolicking with seals," Eric said sleepily. "At first, she was afraid because she barely remembers her mother, but she's doing just fine. Although, I wish she'd be a little more..." Eric searched for the word in his haze.
"Strict?"
"Disciplined. I wish she'd do more than play with them. Raising babies isn't all fun and games. You've got to feed them, keep them clean, set down rules, enforce those rules."
"I suppose that's a princess's prerogative. It's the servants who have to do the nasty jobs."
"That's the problem, Grim. Have you ever seen her once take an interest in the affairs of state? Or how the ministry operates? I know being human is still an adventure for her. But at some point she's got to learn how to run a kingdom."
"I seem to remember giving a similar speech to a young man about a year ago. Telling him to settle down?"
Eric laughed. "I suppose you're right. But it doesn't sound like she was ever trained in diplomacy or politics, from what she's told me."
"She'll latch onto it. Let her have her fun. Enjoy these moments. The little ones just learned how to walk. We've always wanted to hear the pitter-patter of little feet in the castle."
Eric stopped at the double doors to his bed chambers. He bowed his head and sighed. "So did I. But I expected two. Not thirty-two."
Eric pushed open the door to the bedroom. Ariel writhed on the floor, giggling like a ticklish dolphin as eight sheepdog puppies mauled her.
Max, the proud papa, panted in the corner, keeping a watchful eye. The little ones crawled over Ariel's pink nightgown, pawed her, licked her face. She kicked her legs and laughed.
"Looks like you really tired them out," Eric commented.
"I... Sorry... we were having so much fun. They're just... so cute," Ariel said between breaths.
Eric picked up one of the sheepdog pups. "All right, fun's over. Time for bed." He placed the puppy in front of Max. "Come on, you old knucklehead. Help out."
Max picked up the puppy by the scruff of the neck and pranced out of the bedroom. Five of the eight formed a proper line and followed their father. Three remained--one trying to rip off Ariel's hem, one snuggled in her arm, and another pouncing on her chest.
"But they're not tired," Ariel said.
"Grim, can you help?"
Grimsby had just enough time to set down the tray as Eric placed three puppies in Grimsby's arms. "Mom's in the courtyard. Hopefully if they see her sleeping, they'll follow."
"I'll tuck them in myself," Grimsby whispered. He left the room and closed the door behind him.
Now alone, Ariel sat up. She brushed off the thick layer of gray and white hair from her cotton nightgown. "I was just waiting for my bath to cool down. Is it our bedtime too?"
"Not for me. Just have time for a nap. Tomorrow's the meeting with the agricultural committee and I've got to prepare."
"But you appointed that committee. Can't you change it?" she asked.
Eric rubbed his face. "Can't really wait. Still trying to make a deal with the barons and livestock and figuring out how to create usable farmland. And after that I've got to talk to the army about the new defense plan. And so on. It'll probably last until midnight."
Ariel sat down at the seat of the bay window. The ocean warped the light of the moon with its twisted onyx waves.
When Eric got caught up in work, she grew depressed. It made him mopey and ill-tempered, not like the handsome man she fell in love with.
"It's just because the economy is down," she sighed.
"The economy is down," Eric snapped, using his commanding prince voice, "because the kingdom's revenue is cut in half. We're surrounded on three sides by water. This country depends on the ocean for most of its food. We're just trying to figure out a way to keep everyone fed."
"I never asked you to do this," Ariel said, still looking out the window.
"But you didn't say no when I asked you if I should."
After she and Eric were married, they could no longer ignore the sea cow in the room. One day, Chef Louis prepared his Sole Meunière. Ariel stared down at the plate of crispy, buttery fillets, the lemony scent wafting up. Eric saw the pouty look on her face. He'd known they would have address this at some point.
"I just can't... I can't risk them hooking a friend. I know that's how humans are, but... if there was another way, I would. But we're not totally destitute. There's new territories to explore. And trade with other countries."
"What will we have to trade with?" Eric asked.
Ariel's eyes widened, like she was being disciplined.
"I know, I know. I'm trying to make it work. That's what all these meetings are for." He stood beside her and stroked her hair. "We'll figure something out, don't worry."
She looked up at him with bright blue eyes.
"Are you going to have your bath?"
"Ooh, I forgot. It should be cool enough now."
Ariel stood up and wrapped her arms around him. He breathed in her natural scent of cool wind, with a hint of dog hair. She left his embrace and entered the bed chambers' adjacent porcelain bath.
Eric undid his collar. "Don't forget your tonic."
"I know. I'll take it." Ariel eyed the dark opal flask. She uncorked it and the smell of vinegar and sugar puffed out. "Are you sure this is supposed to help me have a baby? It tastes so bad."
"That's what the chemist said. It's worth trying." No doctor could tell she hadn't always been human. Those close to Eric who knew Ariel's secret life began to wonder if she could even become pregnant. Perhaps some elements of the sea remained in her body. Elements that nullified the continuation of the royal line. "It's important to the kingdom that we have an heir. Especially given how anxious people are.."
"You don't have to tell me. I was born in a royal family too." Water suppurated as her body eased into the bath.
Eric examined a daguerreotype of Princess Ariel propped on his dresser as he changed shirts. She looked more regal and mature than she ever had. The artist had done an excellent job of capturing what was not there.
He loved her as a wife, but as a princess... sometimes he regretted getting married so quickly. She was still immature, curious, learning what it meant to be human. He still found forks in her vanity drawer. She asked for a "sneeze blanket" instead of a handkerchief. Just a week ago, she had a pickle for the first time. The expression on her face left the royal court laughing the rest of the night.
But more important, her eyes glazed over whenever he talked about social issues or political problems. He asked questions about roads and she spent dinner asking if horses could roll downhill. She was the youngest of her seven sisters, so he figured that had something to do with it.
He had to keep reminding himself that she was seventeen. He didn't want to pressure her to sacrifice her values or bear him a child. But it wasn't just him he had to think about, it was the commonwealth. People who didn't know her grew sour dispositions when they saw her dancing in the fountain. They lost confidence in their leader when she laid out on the carpet, or "floor softener" Plucky, energetic, and to some, bratty. The sober girl in the portrait was the person Ariel needed to be.
"Eric!"
Eric rushed across the room. She sounded panicked. Water was splashing on the floor.
"Ariel!" He skidded to a stop in the doorway of the bathroom. "What? What?"
She lay in the bath, head above water. A giant, green fishtail stuck out of the foot of the bath. Its thin membrane-like fluke unfolded like rolled paper.
Ariel stared at Eric with fearful, innocent alarm. Eric stared back in disbelief. It was all he could do.
"Okaaaaay... moving on... to line item... number... two-ninety-four..."
Elsa scattered the pages again. She had given up hope of organizing them, and now just shifted documents from one pile to the other to find the right one. Anna came in, but she was concentrating so hard that she didn't hear.
"Elsa? You're still working?"
"Still working," Elsa said.
Minister Gudmund across the table paid her no mind. Anna had come in a few times today. Plus he was so mole-eyed, he could barely see her across the table.
"I'm getting there though. You knew I was spending all day here," Elsa whispered.
"I know. I just don't see how you can stand it."
Elsa shrugged. "You should have seen the pile that the clerics wheeled out. Now we're just on small stuff. Like this. We're deciding if it's better to use 'and' or 'or' here." She pointed a sentence at least sixty words long.
Anna's jaw dropped. "You've got to be kidding me. No wonder you've been here all day."
The day had started with thirty-six chairs filled by council members and their clerks, all wanting different work done. Nobody could form smaller committees to work together. It was Elsa or nothing.
As the day went on, the representatives got their business done and left. Now it was down to the minister of geography. And the only reason he remained was because he spoke... so... slowly.
"On paragraph... sixty... I believe the meaning... would come into play. Here. Let me try... reading it... out loud."
Elsa groaned. She would have been better off appointing a turtle. But she put on a brave face. This was what being a queen meant. It was what she had trained for all her life.
"Hey, Elsa," Anna sidled up to her as Gudmund droned on. "You want to go sledding?"
"No. I'm busy."
"Come on, you're almost done. You missed all day and now you're going to miss tonight."
"I'm trying to get as much done as possible. Once this batch is complete, I think we'll be back where we were before we cut ties with Weselton," Elsa said. She had come to respect the duchy since the split. Not everyone was thrilled to trade exports with a sorceress who had killed half the kingdom's crops in one day, so a notable amount of territories sided with him. "Then we can stop rebuilding and start making plans for the future."
"Come on," Anna whined. "It's a beautiful night. All the stars are out."
"Why don't you go with Kristoff?" Elsa whispered.
"Aw, he's on the far side of the fjord, gathering ice. They've got a huge demand. It's the busy season, I guess. "
"Summer usually is."
"He's been no fun ever since he got new workers. Well, I mean, he's not unfun. He just thinks overseeing a team is super-fun, which sounds like no fun, but I guess for him it's fun. Anyway, I want to have some fun." Anna propped her arms on the table.
"Sorry, I have to get this done," Elsa said. She straightened her shoulders and concentrated on what Gudmund was saying.
A half-sheet of paper emerged into view. "I made a new design..." Anna teased.
It was a sketchy blueprint of a sledding track, full of swoops and curls. Elsa's eyes glistened.
"Ahem," Gudmund interrupted, adjusting his cloudy pince-nez. "Queen Elsa? You have been... listening... haven't you?"
"Of course," Elsa said. "I understand completely."
"You do?" Gudmund asked.
"Yes, but a...," she searched for the word, "compromise might be in order. I think if we change it, we'll have to rewrite the entire article so everything matches. Would you be willing to do that?"
"Oh, certainly, Miss Elsa... be glad to..." He reached under the desk, searching for some paper. "Now, I say... I seem to be... all out of parchment... Would the lambskin do or..."
He looked up.
"Miss Elsa?"
Elsa and Anna bounced down the hall through the empty corridors, giggling and holding hands.
They headed out the back, into the crisp night air, and to the new greenhouse. The giant glass-paneled shed was for botanists to breed hardier varieties of crops, to replace those that had been killed. None of the equipment had been moved in, which made it perfect for a self-contained snow fort.
Elsa moved to the center. "Are you ready?"
Anna hopped up and down, her sled pressed against her body. "Do the magic! Do the magic!"
Elsa slammed her foot down. An ice blue flake spun outward and grew. The floor flooded with packed snow that seemed to grow from the ground. In a matter of moments, the base layer half-filled the greenhouse. While Anna held up the blueprint, Elsa sculpted the snow to its specifications. As a finale, she pointed beneath them. A mound of snow pushed them up to the greenhouse ceiling. Her sister squealed with delight.
Anna lay the sled on the hill's apex, adjusting its center with the chute. Elsa examined her completed handiwork from afar and frowned. It didn't look as intimidating on paper. She had no idea if Anna's design was safe and sound.
"Come on," Anna said.
Elsa climbed on the back of the toboggan. Anna pulled them forward by her heels until inertia took over.
"Here we gooooooooo," Anna shouted. Bright white wind rushed past them, forcing Elsa's eyes shut and tearing. Her white braided hair flew behind her like a kite tail. Shards of snow spiked her cheeks, but her jaw was clenched too tight to feel it.
On the first, sharpest bend, the toboggan slid up the track's edge. Elsa feared they'd tumble upside down, forcing out a high pitched scream. It lurched around the bend and down a steep slope. The sled crested over a small hump, catching air for a split-second, then smashed back on track.
At the halfway point, Elsa started enjoying herself. Her scream became one of delight, reaching a harmony with Anna's.
They reached the last hill, sliding into a straightaway that terminated without slowing down. The sled dropped from beneath them, making them airborne, as they headed for a pile of fluffy powder. They made impact butt-first with a soft whoomp as a misty cloud of frost appeared .
Elsa lay still for a few moments, unaware she was breathing fast.
Anna thrust her arms up out of the snowdrift. "That was totally awesome!"
Elsa brushed the snow out of her hair. "Phew... that... I think that's your best design yet."
Anna laid back, using the fluffy flakes as a pillow. Elsa rested on her side, enjoying the cool drain of adrenaline. This felt like being sisters again. Catching up on the playtime they used to have, the intimacy of their own world, the comfort of being themselves.
"Hey, Elsa," Anna said. "You ever think about getting married?"
"Wait, what?"
"Not me. No, no way, pflah. I meant, like, in general. What it's like to be so close to a person you spend the rest of your lives together."
"I don't know. I guess I'd have to find someone I feel that way about before I start thinking about it."
Anna flopped toward Elsa. "Is there anyone you like? You must see the men staring at you during the balls."
"Of course they're staring at me. I'm the queen." Elsa sniggered. "They just want to help their political ties. Like certain people we may have been engaged to."
"With certain exceptions, not all men are like that."
"I know. Just the men I'm around." Elsa laid back in the snow. She would be expected to marry, wouldn't she? To bring forth an heir. She did not look forward to that day. "To tell the truth, I'm afraid of being around the same person all the time for the rest of my life. I feel more comfortable by myself."
"Yeah, even with the gates open, you still kind of... stay away from everyone."
Elsa gave a half-hearted shrug. "I guess I'm just that sort of person."
"Ooh, I have an idea."
That voice didn't come from Elsa or Anna, but one between them. Olaf's head poked out of the snow between them.
"What if you write a note?" he continued. "Oh! Or say something. Then hide behind the throne and wait for them to answer."
"Olaf? What are you doing here?"
"Well, I was outside looking at the stars, and I walked by this glass house and I thought 'who lives in a glass house? Glass people?' And then I remembered Kristoff's family is rock people, so maybe there were glass people. But there was just you two. I guess they moved out."
"Olaf, it's a greenhouse," Elsa said.
"It is?" He looked around. "But it's clear. Except now, when it's filled with snow. So that makes it the white house."
"It's called a greenhouse because there'll be green things in it," Anna answered. "We're going to grow plants here. The glass so the sun can come in."
"Ohhhhhhhhh... like a house for summer! Ooh, except when it's cloudy. Clouds are no good."
Anna giggled. "Well, we can't control that part."
"Oh. Then we'll have to tell those ones to go away."
Anna and Elsa looked up. Thick clouds hovered overhead, thick and roiling like cotton blankets.
"It was clear just a moment ago," Anna said.
"Yes, it was," Elsa said with concern. "They look kind of..."
"Stormy?" Anna ventured.
"Unnatural," Elsa said.
Olaf jumped onto the snowpile. He waved his stick arms. "Go away, clouds! Go away, we don't need you right now," Olaf yelled.
There was a plok. A raindrop smacked against the glass roof.
"Oh, they're rain clouds!" Olaf said. "I love a summer rain, with the smell, and the mist, and the raindrops tickling your nose."
Another plok. Loud, like a ball bearing hitting the glass. A roll of bassy thunder. Then another, and another.
"I don't think that's rain..." Elsa said.
The greenhouse echoed with heavy smacks. Each drop clouded the glass with blurry water, instead of dribbling over the side. One glass pane cracked.
"It's an ice storm!" Elsa said. The two of them climbed out of the snow as more streaks appeared. Freezing rain cracked against the panes like shattering rock.
Elsa freed both her arms and pulled Anna out. "Run, run!"
A panel in the roof shattered, sending shards of glass raining in the center of the room.
Anna picked up Olaf's body. They sped out of the greenhouse. Droplets of ice pelted like small stones raining down. It felt like needles stabbing their scalps.
"Ow, ow, ow," Anna said.
Finally, they reached the overhanging eaves of the castle. Now in safety, the three of them stared up, jaws agape. The sleet covered the land, coating each blade of glass, each rock, each roof, in thick ice. And it wasn't stopping.
"Why is there an ice storm in the middle of summer?" Anna said. "Elsa... what did you do?"
"Nothing," she replied. "This isn't my power. I think."
In case it was, she held out her hands. She thought of love, of the two next to her, and tried to take back the ice. Nothing happened.
"Whatever's happening, it's not me."
Elsa bit her lip. She just hoped the citizens understood that.
Rapunzel paced around the royal conference table. Her long loose hair followed her around, like a snake nibbling at her heels.
Every important person in her life and the kingdom sat at the table: the king, the queen, the five royal councilors, and sub-department administrators.
"Dear, you're going to wear a hole in the floor," Queen Arianna said.
Rapunzel stepped on a tress. The tension yanked her head back. "Ow. I forget how heavy it was."
"Hmm, blonde hair, one-hundred fifty thousand per head... seventy feet long..." The administrator for science and alchemy wrote some figures down on a piece of paper. "About ten pounds. Wow, I never thought your neck would be that strong."
"It used to be." Rapunzel tilted her head. A rapport of bone cracks emitted. Everyone cringed.
"I have another question. Hair grows at one-half inch per month. Six inches per year times eighteen is one hundred and eight inches. Or nine feet. Your hair should be one-seventh of what it is currently."
Flynn cast her a sidelong glance. "Zeekin. This is magic hair."
"That brings up a good question," the queen said. "Does it still work? Does it still have its... magic?"
"Here." Commander Ansel took out his utility knife and cut a gash across his forearm. "What happens now?" Ansel asked.
Flynn grabbed a handful of hair off the floor and wrapped it around the wound. He nodded to Rapunzel who began to sing.
"Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine, make the clock reverse..."
A bright gleam emanated from her scalp and flowed down the threads of hair to Ansel's arm. When the song was over, Flynn unwrapped it. The wound was gone.
Rapunzel fought back tears at hearing herself sing that wretched song again. "Doesn't anyone have any ideas?" she asked.
She returned to the chalkboard and the scribbled results of their brainstorming. Everything from divine intervention to little pixies pulling out her follicles. The unpredictable nature of magic turned the discussion into wild mass guessing.
"Maybe we're asking the wrong questions," said King Frederic. "Instead of wondering why it grew back, maybe we should think about what to do with it."
"How so?" Rapunzel asked.
"This could become the key to a golden era. No soldiers need to die during battle. Accidents from fallen mill wheels or faulty equipment would become inconsequential. Given proper rules, things like diseases, childbirth, and the pain of old age could be wiped away. Corona could become even more prosperous and populous." He smiled, searching the table for proponents.
"I hate to disagree with you, your majesty." Commander Ansel said. "But I must. This isn't the boon you think it is."
"Ansel? What do you mean?"
"What I mean is--and correct me if my understanding is flawed--Rapunzel had committed to stay in the tower as a slave to her foster mother. Flynn cut off her hair, knowing it would end his own life. But the act of sacrifice saved both of them." Ansel focused his cold eyes on the king and queen. "Such a sacrifice does not return without a price."
The table fell silent.
"When I joined the corps, the state of affairs was standard. But now there's a horse as the royal guard. They use frying pans as sidearms. Our lost princess came back after spending her entire life locked in a tower by an evil witch. And she has extremely long magic hair that can heal wounds. I accept these are not normal circumstances."
Maximus turned to the king and cocked his head, as if to say "he has a point, you know"
"But the world isn't without order. It desires structure, stability. A cause creates an effect. An action has a consequence. And nature does not rescind its consequences. This didn't happen without a reason. And until we know the reason, we cannot trust it." He put his knife down. "My solution? Cut it off. Return to the status quo."
The table's eyes went wide at the suggestion. Rapunzel stroked her hair. "Well... yes, we could do that."
"Now hold on," Flynn said. "I mean, I was laying there, dying, only thinking of her. I knew what it meant to cut off her hair. But now... it's back."
Zeekin nodded. "That's true. Why are we looking a gift horse in the mouth?"
Maximus whinnied.
"Sorry. I mean cutting it off would be a waste."
The king and queen looked at Rapunzel. "You're the one with the hair. You should make the decision."
Rapunzel twirled her hair around her finger. It made her think of Mother Gothel, of her small room, of the view from the one window at the top of the tower. "I don't think it's such a bad idea."
Zeekin stood up. "Sadly, I doubt it will be so easy." She flared her sleeves. "Note this. Her hair has remained loose for hours and not a spot of dirt. Not a piece of glaciated debris. There is more to this trick than we know. And by its nature, would prevent anyone from taking it away again."
In a flash, Ansel whipped out a pair of scissors. Before anyone could react, he yanked away a chunk of Rapunzel's hair and cut. The blades snapped like twigs, rattling on the floor.
"Her hair is even stronger now. Stronger than steel. It's not going anywhere."
The table let out their collective breath. But the quizzical expressions remained.
"All we've succeeded in doing is bring up more questions." Rapunzel flopped her head on the table. Pascal patted her shoulder with his tiny green arm.
The conference petered out after that. Everyone was exhausted, frustrated, and talked out. The king and queen hugged their daughter and reassured her they'd solve this, no matter what it took.
Later in the night, Rapunzel paced the floor of her bedroom, brushing, and brushing, and brushing her hair. "It's back to this routine, I guess," she said.
Flynn sat up in bed reading. After the meeting, everyone agreed to divide research into different subjects to cover more ground. The cover his book said "Historie of the Anatomie Melancholia with Regard to Uncertaine Territories" Inside, he'd placed "The Twinkling Blade", the second story in More Tales of Flynnigan Ryder.
"Can you appoint royal assistants to hair?"
"You're the princess." Flynn was a little distracted. He was getting to the part where the caretaker of the mansion confessed of the traps in his castle mansion to his guests.
Rapunzel almost tripped over another loop as she crossed the room. "Ouch. This is going to kill me before we ever figure it out."
"Take it easy, Blondie. We'll figure this out. Don't worry."
"I'm not worried, I'm just freaking out. It's okay to freak out, right?"
"What if someone's made this happen?" Flynn asked. "What if it's not something that occurred?"
Rapunzel stopped. "But who could do that? I've never heard of that kind of power. Even in stories."
Flynn shrugged. "Stranger things have happened." And if they keep going, they probably will, he added under his breath. "Why don't you come to bed? It's not like we're going to solve this tonight. Come on, don't make me give you 'the smolder'."
Rapunzel huffed. She gathered up her hair into a giant ball and sat by the edge of the bed. "Um... this bed isn't big enough for the two of us."
"Oh, I see. Love me, love my hair. That's how it is, huh?" Flynn joked.
Rapunzel heaved, aiming for the center of the bed, but missed. The mound of golden locks landed on Flynn's face.
"Mmf."
Rapunzel reached end over end, pulling like naval rope, until the coil was unraveled.
"Maybe I can just leave it on the floor tonight?" Rapunzel asked.
"Yeah, let's try that."
Rapunzel arranged her hair so it cascaded over the side of the bed. For all the tension and anxiety of the day, it was easy to give herself over to sleep. Her nighttime void was dreamless.
Until she was suddenly broken out of it. Something was wrong but she didn't know what. Then a handkerchief wrapped around her mouth. Her scream came out as a muffled lurch.
Someone with thick hands grabbed her arms. They yanked her out of bed, then tied them behind her at the wrists.
Bound and gagged, she sang out as loud and high as she could. The dark room lit up with shocking yellow light. Her kidnapper turned away to shield his eyes. "Gaah!"
"Hm?" Flynn was always a light sleeper, from his years as a thief. He stirred, then jumped up.
"No sounds, Rider." A cold blade touched her neck. "Me and the princess are taking the window out, nice and easy. And there's nothing you can do about it."
Nothing he can do, Rapunzel thought, but me...
Rapunzel bashed her head backward, cracking his nose. Then back-kicked him under the kneecap. Being barefoot all her life had given her heel the toughness of a block of wood.
He yelped and his grip unfurled, giving Rapunzel the chance to step away. His feet stood in a coil of hair.
She grabbed a handful and yanked. The hair drew trigger-taut, wrapping around his shins. He flipped back, banging his head against the wardrobe and knocking him out.
"Didn't even need a frying pan for that one," Rider said.
Rider called the guards. Soon, all the important people in the castle were in Rapunzel's room, most in their nightclothes. Rapunzel ran to her mother and father. While they enveloped her in their arms, Flynn approached the kidnapper. He was standing on his knees, arms shackled behind him.
Flynn pulled back his bangs. "What's your name?"
"Omis Ravir. The terrible and powerful," he said.
"More like Omis Ravir, the moron who thought he could kidnap the lost princess. Her parents finally found her after eighteen years and you try to take her again. Did you think they weren't going to send the entire Corona military after you?"
"I won't be the last to try," Ravir said. "Everyone knows the princess's hair is back. They're talking about it how much it's worth. Who could pay. And I don't mean gold, I'm talking eternal life." Ravir looked at Rapunzel. "And they might decide they don't need your whole body, just your scalp."
Rapunzel gulped. Her mother tightened her arms around her.
"Take him to the dungeons," King Frederic commanded. The guards dragged him out of Rapunzel's bedroom by his shackled hands.
Flynn rubbed the back of his head. "He's got a point, you know. If I was still a thief... well, I know she's worth more to me than the entire kingdom. But now she's worth that to everybody else."
"Everyone wanted to know what happened to me, so I told them. I thought it wouldn't matter. The hair was gone. It was over with," Rapunzel said.
"It's not your fault," the queen said, rubbing her daughter's back.
Flynn said, "How are we going to do this? We'd have to lock her in a room away from the world to keep her safe."
Rapunzel frowned at Flynn.
"Then what do we do?" the king asked.
"We could send her somewhere," the queen said. "Just for a while so we can figure this out. If they don't know where she is, they can't take her."
Rapunzel and Flynn gave each other agreeing glances. "I can go to Arendelle, with my cousins. We were at Elsa's coronation a year ago, remember?"
"Oh, yes, with the whole... winter thing."
The king and queen agreed. It was far away, it was safe, it had allies to welcome her, and no one there knew about her powers.
"I'll make arrangements right away. A ship will sail before dawn's light," King Frederic said. He left with the queen and a bevy of stewards to make arrangements.
"We'd better start packing," Flynn said.
"No, not you," Rapunzel said. "We need to pretend nothing's wrong, so no one knows where I am. That means you stay. Plus Maximus will need your help to figure out how this break-in happened."
"Goody. More time with apple-breath. I can't wait," Flynn deadpanned.
"I'm going to miss you," Rapunzel said. She hugged him. "Take care of my library."
"Don't worry. You'll be back in two weeks. By then I'll have gotten through all the new Flynnigan Rider books."
"Okay, but don't get moody when you get to Book Two, Chapter Five."
"Why? You know what happens?"
"You think you're the only one who reads those books?" she smiled.
Eric ordered every scholar and professional who knew Ariel's secret origin to be woken at once. He gathered them into his chambers around the bathtub--the commandants of royal affairs, the royal doctors.
Meanwhile, Ariel lay half-submerged in the bathtub, a towel over her top, looking up at them. She felt like a little girl being punished.
The bathroom doors became a revolving door as physickers passed in and out. They performed examinations and consultations, held discussions with each other outside the doorway. One doubted the veracity of it all, saying it was clearly a costume. Ariel answered by curling her tail over her head, something no human knees could manage. The doctor left white-faced and mumbling to himself.
"Did this happen as soon as you touched the water?" one asked.
Ariel shook her head. "I was already in the bath, talking to Eric. And then my legs... just... this!" She pointed at her tail.
"Any odd sensations in memory?" another asked. "Dark magic? Recent experience with strange persons?"
"I didn't know anything was happening until I heard her shriek," Eric said. "What are we supposed to do?"
"Wrap her in parchment?" the doctor shrugged.
Hours into the night, no one had a better explanation than "magic" And certainly no ideas on how to solve it. Ariel felt hot tears forming at the corners of her eyes.
"Let's hold off on finding a solution for now," he said. "We're not going to solve this tonight. Let's talk about what we're going to do for the morning." Eric shut the door behind him.
He always kept a calm head when things got out of hand. It was one of the reasons she loved him. She was a runaway carriage of emotion, galloping up and down hills, careening out of control. Eric said he admired her hotheadedness and passion, but she cursed herself for them now.
With everyone out of the room, Ariel was able to calm down again. Now she had a chance to think to herself, but drew no conclusions. Like she told everyone, she had laid down in the water, felt her legs sealing together, and suddenly, her tail was back. No flourish, no explanation, no grandeur.
From the discussions beyond the door, Ariel picked out words like "sorcery" and "biology" But always more questions than answers.
She cupped some water in her hands and drizzled it over her fluke. Her body felt alien--she was used to smooth skin there, not the fish tail. It made her feel like she didn't belong this country.
The voices petered out, until Ariel could only hear her husband. The door opened. He sat on the edge of the tub and cupped his hand behind her neck. She hunched into him like a kitten.
"Well, at least you can talk this time," Eric said. Ariel snickered.
"I'll guess I'll have to sleep here tonight," she sighed. "Can you have Carlotta bring up some fresh water?"
"Is that all you need?"
Ariel nodded. "As long as there's some moisture, my tail won't dry out. It has a... a mucus to keep it protected."
"Ahem," said Sir Grimsby from behind the door. "Eric, may I speak with you for a moment."
Eric lifted himself off the edge of the tub. He shut the door behind him, but not all the way. Ariel could hear what they were saying distinctly.
"I fear that things did not go so well?" Grimsby asked.
"No one has any answers. Not even a guess."
"I saw it in the look on your face. Then this may be an ongoing problem."
"Looks that way."
"I hate to bring this up, but have you considered what to do for the long term?"
"Long term? Grim, this only happened a few hours ago. No, I haven't given much thought to long-term. We can say she's sick. Or visiting relatives." Eric said.
"But for how long will that last? A week? A month?"
"However long it takes," Eric said.
"The longer it goes on, the more people will talk. The more rumors there will be. You don't hear the things I hear."
"Like what?"
Grimsby sighed. "Make no mistake, she is well-loved by the people. But a woman appears out of nowhere, from no known kingdom, and the prince marries her three days later. Most people blamed it on the 'witch' that enchanted you during the 'first wedding'. But if people stop seeing her by your side in public, they may become confused. Even suspicious."
"Are you saying we should tell people the truth? About her origins?"
"That's one solution," Grimsby said. "Not the best, I admit. It's the furthest thing I want. We must also consider that her absence will do nothing for the endorsement of the people. In fact...." Grimsby paused, as if saying the next would hurt him. "There are some that would be happy to have her removed from power."
"What?"
"They blame her for the recent changes regarding fishing and trade."
"That's preposterous. I'm the one who initiated those changes. I signed those into effect. By my own will, not hers."
Grimsby paused. "True. But many are still unconvinced from the justifications you gave. Plus, you made them after you were married."
Eric sighed. Long and low and heavy. "I understand. But... it's late, and I'm sleep deprived. Could we talk about this tomorrow?"
"Of course. I didn't mean to worry you, Eric. Just to make you aware of the issue."
"No, no, it's fine. You're right."
Eric reentered the bathroom. Ariel shifted, trying to be nonchalant about eavesdropping. A little water splashed over the side.
"Hi, sweetie," Eric said tiredly.
"I was thinking," Ariel interrupted, "that maybe this might not be the best place for me. We might have better luck finding answers if I return to the sea. It's not like people on dry land know a lot about mermaids. Plus the castle's kinda designed for people with feet. Stairs and all."
"Are you sure? I'm sure we'll come up with something."
"No, no. I'll feel better if I can help, instead of hiding here. I mean, I can't just stay here. It's too easy for someone to accidentally find me. I'll need water constantly, like a plant. I won't have anything to do but read. Even Max doesn't come near the bathtub."
"I guess you've got a point. But hate the idea of you being on your own."
"I won't be on my own. I've been a mermaid before." Ariel giggled. "They know me there."
Eric smiled and massaged her hand. "You're right. Maybe your father can help. His trident turned you back into a human once before. It should work again."
Ariel smiled and nodded. "Now the big question is, how am I going to get out of here?"
Eric ran his fingers through his hair. "I have no idea."
There was a knock at the door. "Eric," Carlotta called in her sing-song voice. "I have the water you asked for."
At least here was a friendly face. Not another doctor. Eric opened the door. The robust Carlotta stood there, carrying a big cauldron between them.
Eric's eye fell on the big bowl, sloshing back and forth as it went by.
"Carlotta, do you know anything about dresses?"
Her chubby head nodded. "Well... of course. Why?"
In the middle of the abyssal night, Eric and Ariel walked out of their bedchambers. A nearby guard, standing as straight as his pike, noticed them. His eyes bulged with curiosity.
The princess was wearing a bright pink, fantastically large dress. It had giant shoulder puffs, a skinny taffeta torso, and a skirt that looked like half a balloon, not unlike a pastry. It seemed more appropriate for a wedding than going out at night.
Prince Eric was not formally dressed, but escorted her as if they were. They walked arm in arm, one step at a time, as if floating across the floor to a most elegant ball.
"Prince Eric," the guard saluted. "Do you need any assistance?"
"No. Thank you," Eric said. "The princess is merely leaving the castle for a while. She needs to visit some relatives."
The guard nodded. Prince Eric turned toward the staircase. Princess Ariel revolved around him as if he were a pivot point.
"Oh, dear. Stairs." Ariel muttered.
The two of them stood as if they didn't know what how to go down stairs.
"Oh, actually," Eric called. "I could use your help. Could you take the princess's other hand and help lead her down."
"Certainly, sir." The guard leaned his pike against the wall. "Is anything the matter?"
"The princess has... injured her foot. Her feet. Her legs. Walking's very delicate for her. Please make sure she doesn't fall down the stairs."
The guard took her other hand. The princess's feet bumped against each step oddly, as if she was sliding down. He would have liked to see what was going on, but the skirt covered her legs like a curtain.
"Is, uh... is this what the doctors were coming in and out for?"
"Yes," Ariel said. "It's an unusual condition. But my family should have a cure."
"Has a carriage been fetched? I can call for-"
"No need," Ariel said. "I don't want any fuss."
"Right," Eric said. "Discretion. Understand?"
"Yes, sir."
At the bottom, Ariel let out a long sigh.
"Thank you. You can return to your post," Eric said.
"Yes, sir." The guard climbed back up the stairs. For hurt feet, the princess walked as if gliding on a cloud. He shrugged, picked up his pike, and returned to his post.
The prince and princess turned and moved toward the back of the castle. They took the tighter, servants' hallways and didn't pass anyone else. No stairs either. Eric peeked out the rear door. Nothing but the ocean surf pounding against the rocks.
"All clear," Eric said.
"Unh," Ariel said. She slipped her arms out of the poofy sleeves and mangled the eighteen layers of fabric to get it off. Her old seashell bra long discarded, she had to wear an off-white chemise to stay modest. Luckily she could craft one with two bay scallops and a band of rope. She tossed the dress aside, revealing the giant cauldron of water she lay in. It rested on a wooden board with wheels.
Eric lifted her out. She draped her tail over his arms.
"I hope I'm not too heavy."
"Who? You? Never. I could carry you across the shore and back." Eric walked down a path that zig-zagged down to the beachline. Crumbly dirt transformed to gravel, which transformed to white-brown sand.
Eric bent down to a tide pool and slipped her into the water. The icy shock felt strangely homey to her.
"I'll be back as soon as I can," she said.
"It shouldn't take long." He bent down and gave her a kiss. "One zap with the trident and you'll be back to yourself. Right?"
"Right," she said, looking down.
"What, you don't think it'll work?"
"Oh, no. I'm sure it'll work. There might just be some family stuff I need to take care of first." She flipped back and dove into the water, disappearing under the murky waves.
Transitioning from land to sea was like learning to read again. Mermaids spent their lives traveling in three dimensions. But one year as a human, and she was swimming straight across as if the ocean were a plain. She corrected her course with a flick of her strong tail, and submerged further.
The sea was much emptier than she remembered, but she was still close to shore. Soon she would see the golden palace of Atlantica, the flashing turquoise and lilac lights of Eel-lectric City, the whirlpools and tide reefs full of motion and vibrancy. But before all that--before seeing her friends or family--there was one place she had to go.
Her father's grave.
The crowd looked ugly.
After Elsa returned to Arendelle, she ordered the interior entrance reconfigured into a platform where she could make speeches, execute royal decrees, and address the people. The castle gates would act as a symbol of keeping communication open. Right now, Elsa was thinking twice about this decision.
When she appeared, the crowd erupted into a mix of cheers and jeers. She didn't expect them to grab torches, but they wanted answers.
Elsa raised her hands over her head. "Calm down, calm down, please."
A servant who was chipping away ice from the platform with a metal stick passed behind her. Elsa grimaced--this wasn't helping her situation. Anyone not woken by the storm woke up to houses, roads, and plants glazed in an inch of thick frozen water.
Anna stood off to the side, a forlorn expression on her face. She took a step back to let the ice-chipper by and fell against a pot of crocuses. It tipped and fell off the platform. The pot shattered, but the plant remained unharmed, encased in ice.
The crowd quieted as Anna sheepishly cleaned up the mess. At least her awkwardness did some good from time to time.
"Listen, please," Elsa said. "First, I want to assure you that this is not my doing. Princess Anna can attest to that. She was with me when it started."
"That's right. She was just as confused as me. We sat inside watching all night. She never lifted a finger," Anna said.
Elsa gave her a "stop-talking" look. "I know everything's covered in ice, but at least the storm is stopped. Again, this is not my doing. It's something else."
"Or someone else?" a man in the crowd shouted. "This ain't no natural storm."
"You're right," Elsa said, maintaining composure. "My advisors tell me there are records of unusual phenomena. But nothing like this. Not only that, but the ice isn't melting. There are no clouds, and the air is warm."
"So get rid of it!" an old woman said. "You have magic."
"I can't take it back. It's not my ice." She patted her hands in the air. "I assure you we're doing everything we can. We're better prepared this time-"
The people didn't want to hear that. They didn't want to know about the stocks of surplus food and wood or the shelters or the blankets and coats that clothiers had spent extra hours weaving from scraps of wool and yarn. They wanted action. They wanted someone to blame.
They're getting too unruly. Close the gates...
Anna stepped forward. "Hey, she's telling the truth. Something else caused this. I mean, this isn't even like last time. There's no clouds, there's no snow monsters..."
Elsa rolled her eyes.
"I mean... there'sss... noooo... monsters coming to get us. So we should all calm down."
They didn't. The crowd stepped forward.
"What are you going to do about my crops? They're ruined. Again!"
"My farm is going to go bankrupt."
"I can't get out of my house. The door is stuck. I had to climb out the window."
Close the gates, close the gates...
"Why don't you just leave and take your ice with you!"
"Take it back!" a woman shouted. Others around her picked up the cry. "Take it back! Take it back! Take it back!"
Elsa scanned the crowd, eyes wide. Flashbacks from a year ago--mouths open wide, backing away, the rough noise, the shaking hands. In the ruckus, Anna's voice pierced.
"Elsa? Elsa!"
But it was too overwhelming. Elsa turned and fled into the castle. Anna started to follow, but slipped on the ice.
The guards opened the door for the queen. Elsa looked back once. The crowd stood pumping their fists in the air, blocked by the intimidation of the guards. Anna reached out her hand. "Elsa?"
Elsa looked away and darted into the castle. Anna just couldn't understand. People like her couldn't know what it was like to have your time constantly demanded. How draining it was. All she wanted was to get to her chambers. At every door, someone poked a head out.
"Queen Elsa, the viceroy from Eldora is waiting in your conference room."
"Queen Elsa, your approval on tonight's dinner?"
"The ice storm's damaged the stables. The stablehands want to know what to do with the..."
No, no, not now. If she didn't get away she was going to lose control. But she was the queen, she couldn't get away. Instead, she ignored them. She just needed some time.
Like a war veteran crawling towards shelter, she shut the door to her chambers. The echo of the slam reverberated around the tall walls.
Blessed silence. All sound muted, save the noise in her head.
A knock at the door. "Elsa? Elsa?" Anna sounded panicked. "Elsa, please, please don't do this again. Don't leave me behind. I can't take this again..."
Elsa seized. Anna thought she was abandoning her again.
"I can't... I can't go through this, talking through the wall. Please, don't shut yourself out again. Don't-"
Elsa yanked open the door and pulled Anna in. She embraced her sister with a panicked fervor. Anna patted her back with mittened hands.
Anna stuttered. "I thought you were..."
"Never," Elsa said. "Never again."
They stayed that way for a long time. Elsa basked in the other body next to hers. Someone who didn't need support or validation or approval or answers. Just her sister, who would never leave her. Not even when she had turned into a beast.
When the moment had passed, Elsa released her grip. "I just... I needed a second to breathe. I felt like a balloon about to pop."
"You ran out so suddenly," Anna said.
"I know." Elsa turned around and sat on the bed. "I was ready to close the gates, but I promised I would never do that again."
"I'm glad you didn't. This isn't your fault," Anna said.
"I know. Father said there would be times like this. Where they blame you for everything, even if it's not your fault. When things are fine, no one cares. But if things are bad, they start thinking about guillotines. And you still have to put on a smile and tell them everything will be all right." She examined a corner of the floor.
Anna brightened. "Maybe the trolls know?"
"The trolls?" Elsa rubbed a hand through her head. "I don't know. I thought they were supposed to be healers... or 'love experts'." Elsa made quote marks with her fingers.
"But they know magic. They knew about your power."
Elsa rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I'm not even sure if this is magic. Besides, the last thing I want to do is involve more people."
"Here she is." Olaf walked into the open door. "I knew this is where she'd be. After the throne room. And the kitchen. And the bathroom."
Kai, the castle's chief attendant, stood behind him, but did not enter. He politely knocked on the door. "Queen Elsa? Is everything all right?"
"Yes. Please come in."
Kai was one of the servants Elsa and Anna's parents had kept on when they had to isolate themselves.
"The crowd has been subdued. Princess Anna said a few kind words, then the ministers took over. They are engaging the citizens for ideas what do for the short-term. The rabble left after that."
"That's good," Elsa said.
Kai coughed. "I think you should know, I heard some of them discussing 'pyramite' before they dispersed."
"What's pyramite?" Elsa and Anna asked.
Kai acted startled. "I thought you knew. Your father investigated whether or not it could control your powers, but it was too rare to be feasible. I've only heard of it being sold in small quantities."
"Is it like pie? I love pie," Olaf said.
"It's a metal that's incapable of freezing. Or prevents ice from forming, or repels ice, I'm not sure. People have been talking about using it against you... your powers, should the need arise."
"Someone with pyramite would be invincible against you," Anna said.
Elsa's eyes opened wide. "Kai... that's brilliant."
Anna cocked her eyebrow. "Brilliant? Um, Elsa, did you hear what he said? They want to use it against you."
"It's a way to fight against ice. And what's Arendelle covered in right now?"
Anna nodded. "Ohhhhh... right. But where are we going to find it?"
Kai said, "If I recall what your father said, it could only be found in one mine, created long ago, in Corona."
"Corona," Elsa said. "It makes sense. That island was formed from a volcano and drifted closer to mainland." She turned to Kai. "Get a ship ready. I'll sail there at once."
"But what about Arendelle? Why can't you send someone else to get it and bring it back?" Anna said.
"It would be quicker if I went. Then I'd know whether it can stop my powers or not. And if the ice leaves with me, then it is me causing it all, and so much the better."
Anna touched Elsa's shoulder. "Elsa, our parents died sailing to Corona. Remember? And they left in a hurry, without planning for the weather."
"That doesn't mean it's going to happen to me. A ship is faster. I'll take Olaf with me."
"Oh boy!" Olaf shouted. He jumped out into the center of the room, his little feet wiggling in the air. "I can't wait to see Bologna."
Elsa bent down to Olaf. "Co-ro-na. It's called the land of the sun, so it's kind of like a town of summer."
Olaf's jaw dropped. "A whole town just for summer? I can't believe it."
Anna smirked. "I don't think they'll be able to believe it either."