The Beginning of the End

Elsa pulled her billowing purple cape close, seeking solace not from the cold but from the fears that rose up with every step they took toward Morier Mountain. Her dazzling white horse, which she had hand-picked six months earlier and named Peg, thundered across the landscape. Sven raced alongside with Kristoff and Olaf astride him. Kristoff, his face set in grim determination, appeared disinclined for conversation as well and even the usually garrulous Olaf had lapsed into silence as they neared their destination.

The previous night, they had rendezvoused at the edge of the Brimstad town centre. Kristoff had handed over the queenly raiment that he had been entrusted with and proceeded to take a brief stroll while Elsa underwent her transformation from stable-boy lookalike to ruler of Arendelle. Setting off, they had then kept up a steady pace with the horse and the reindeer swallowing up the miles effortlessly, somehow aware of the urgency of the situation.

It had been around the third watch of the night when they had arrived at the border that the kingdom of Brimstad shared with Wesselton. The sudden transition from grassy meadows to a snow-covered wasteland had given them pause. Knowing, however, of Henrik's usurpation of the Wesselton throne, it had not been hard for them to guess at the reason for the winter-like conditions in the kingdom.

The thick blanket did nothing to hinder Peg and Sven who kept up a strong gallop. Soon, the dark blue of the sky began to display tinges of pink. The first rays of the sun struck the peak of Morier in the distance and the veil of darkness was driven back by the spreading morn-light as they travelled on.

Compared to the undulating landscape of Brimstad, Wesselton had much more level ground, with visibility extending all the way to the impressive mountain range at the horizon. Ahead of them the snow-covered trail, that led toward to the currently invisible town and castle of Wesselton, wound past a clump of bowed-down trees which signalled the beginning of the forest of Wesselton. The thick woodland was the one that flanked the river which the Southern Isles army had navigated to enter the country. Beyond the trees the track divided, with the left fork continuing towards Wesselton town while the right headed towards the majestic Morier Mountain.

As they came up to the forest, Kristoff nodded to Elsa and together they broke off from the path to head into the wood. The usually gloomy interior of the forest had been rendered even dingier by the thick white coat that smothered the already lush canopy. They didn't ride far into the thicket, coming to a halt once they were satisfied that they were well concealed amongst the trees.

Clambering off their steeds, Elsa and Kristoff stretched their travel-weary limbs. In preparation for the next phase of their odyssey, Kristoff emptied out his carrot stash, handing a few to Elsa and splitting the rest with Sven. Elsa, who was not in the habit of sharing food with her horse, fed the grateful Peg before nourishing herself. The still air was soon filled with sound of the party champing on their refreshments.

"You ready?" Kristoff enquired once he had concluded his munching.

"No," Elsa replied with a sigh as she looked over in the direction of Morier, "but then again, I don't think I'll ever be."

Kristoff followed Elsa's gaze to the mountain where all their fortunes were to be decided. Their deliberations through the course of their journey had been fairly inconclusive as to a concrete plan of action. The final ploy that they had decided on was neither confidence-inspiring nor guaranteed of success but, in the circumstances, it was the best they had been able to come up with.

"Don't worry, Elsa," Kristoff attempted to inject a note of resoluteness, "we will get Anna and stop Henrik."

Elsa didn't reply immediately as her mind ran through all the events that had led them to that place. "Who are we kidding, Kristoff?" she finally murmured. "Henrik holds all the cards. I can't imagine his strategy hinges only on Anna. Even if you get her to safety, he could have something else up his sleeve."

Kristoff looked sharply at Elsa, finding her defeatism alarming. Feeling his eyes on her, Elsa's shoulders drooped and she flopped down on a nearby tree stump. Since she had received Henrik's message, a sense of foreboding had been weighing down on her. Racking her brain till it creaked had yielded no scheme to thwart the menace the Henrik presented and the fast approaching conference was making her increasingly apprehensive.

"I'm sorry, Kristoff," she mumbled, studying the ground before her, "it's just... I don't know what to do. I'm not a warrior or a strategist while Henrik seems to be both. How can I go up against him and expect to save Arendelle?"

Kristoff's gaze softened. He had not said as much but even in his concern for Anna he had recognised that sending Elsa up to face the might of the Southern Isles army - likely supplemented by Wesselton and Mondale - alone was somewhat akin to having David face off against Goliath. It was the reason he had suggested that Elsa leave the message behind, in the hope that reinforcements would arrive before things got too glutinous. In the meantime, though, having been thrust into the task of providing reassurance, he walked up to where Elsa sat and huddled down beside her.

"Liam told me about the speech you made to the people," he began, trying to find the right words to comfort and encourage. "He said it was pretty inspiring."

He was gratified to see Elsa smile, albeit wanly, at the memory, and pressed on. "You love your people, Elsa, no-one can doubt that. You care deeply about them. Do you know what Henrik cares about? Power. Supremacy. Domination. He doesn't care about people or their needs. If you want to know what you have that Henrik doesn't, that's it right there."

"That may be, but..."

"There is a power that is greater than fear. It is the power of love that bears courage which cannot be shaken," Kristoff quoted. "You said that."

In her mind's eye, Elsa could see herself delivering her oration. It had been a spontaneous decision to follow her own heart rather than the speech that had been prepared, yet she remembered every word that she had said. And as those words flowed through her, she drew strength from them.

"We believe in you, Elsa," Kristoff told her, "and we stand with you. Even if you think you are alone, you're not because we're there with you. Because we love you too."

Kristoff saw Elsa's countenance set into a fixity of purpose. He smiled as he rose to his feet and called for Sven and Olaf, who trotted up, eager to be on the way. Kristoff climbed onto Sven's broad back and looked down at Elsa.

"So," he asked again, "are you ready?"

In response Elsa yanked out her hair, which she had done up in a bun for the ride, and let her signature single braid hang down. As she stood up, a glistening light enveloped her. The royal gown that she had been attired in, changed in the twinkling of an eye into the crystal-blue dress and glittering cape combine that she found much more comfortable. Through the leafy covering above them a single ray from the obstinate sun shot through, and the sapphire in Elsa's crown glimmered in the flash of light.

"You bet," she affirmed, once the metamorphosis was complete.

"Good. Like we decided, wait an hour and then continue along to Morier. Hopefully that should give me enough time to sneak in and get Anna."

"Hopefully?" Elsa narrowed her eyes. "You'd better get her."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Kristoff grinned as he spurred Sven deeper into the forest.

The whitened undergrowth and shrubbery proved no match for the driven reindeer as he raced through the trees. The gloom within the wood had deepened to near darkness, with only slivers of light shining through at odd intervals. Low hanging branches swung at Kristoff but he weathered the blows, unmindful of the pain as he focused solely on getting to Anna.

Presently, the glint of light reflecting off an icy surface alerted them to their proximity to the river. They set a course parallel to the waterway and had run along with it for a while, when Kristoff suddenly pulled Sven to a halt. Through the trees he could see a line of boats, caked with snow, by the riverside, whose presence in the desolate forest could only lead to one conclusion. Taking heart from the likelihood that Anna had been in one of crafts, he turned their steps to the mountain that was their destination with renewed vigour. Sven understood his friend's unspoken plea for haste and with a grunt he charged ahead.

Galloping through the woodland, they drew nearer and nearer to their goal when Kristoff suddenly yelled, "Duck!" as a robust branch loomed ahead, and he and Sven instinctively dropped their heads.

"Where?" asked Olaf, surprised that waterfowl would nest deep in a wintry forest. He peered about with interest and then let out a squeak as the branch whistled barely an inch over the top of his head.

"That was a branch, not a duck," he told Kristoff sternly as the young man straightened up.

Kristoff paid no attention to his remonstrations. Ahead of them, the ground was beginning to slope upwards and the darkness was dissipating as light streamed in through the diminishing foliage. Reining Sven in, Kristoff hopped off the reindeer and the three of them sidled along till they came to the last cluster of trees. From behind the massive trunks, they surveyed the gradient.

In the all encompassing whiteness, not a creature stirred. Satisfied that it was safe to ascend, Kristoff made to step out of the forest but Olaf held out a hand in warning. Breaking off a nearby icicle and fashioning it into a makeshift telescope, the snowman scrutinized the mountainside again. His caution was rewarded, for up on the incline were two guards; clad in white to blend in with their surroundings.

"What now?" Olaf queried, as he passed the icicle to Kristoff.

Kristoff pondered deeply as he scanned the ground ahead of them. He knew that from their vantage point the guards would have no difficulty in spotting them if they broke cover, especially since a young ice harvester, a reindeer and a sentient snowman were likely to invite comment even individually. But as he thought of the bizarre impression that they would make on a curious onlooker, Kristoff began to wonder if a touch of the macabre could perhaps be the solution. He studied the little snowman by his side as a desperate plan began to form in his mind.

"We distract them," Kristoff whispered to Olaf as he picked up a fallen branch, "and then knock them out."

"What do we distract them with?"

"A decoy."

"Excellent," Olaf murmured as he rubbed his hands with glee and then paused as he observed Kristoff grinning at him. "Wait. What decoy?"

The next moment, the snowman was voicing shrill protestations as Kristoff turned him into an abstract sculpture. He swapped the two layers of his body, turned his head upside down and rearranged his arms. As a final touch, he moved Olaf's carrot nose around to the back of his head. Standing up, Kristoff inspected his handiwork as the offended Olaf pouted, his usual good humour having undergone a stark revision at this manhandling. With the sincere hope that the outlandish reconstruction would excite curiosity rather than alarm, Kristoff shoved the snowman out into the open.

As the aggrieved Olaf strutted about, moodily essaying his role, Kristoff peeked through the icicle again. The two sentries didn't immediately notice the snowman and Kristoff was beginning to think of sending Sven out as well when one of the soldiers caught sight of Olaf. Though the icicle, Kristoff saw the man's jaw drop in surprise before clutching at his partner with one hand while pointing wordlessly with the other. The duo stared at the queer creature while Kristoff prayed fervently that they wouldn't bolt up the mountain. Thankfully proving the old adage of inquisitiveness being deadly to felines, Kristoff's plea was answered as the bolder of the two men slowly began to make his way down, followed timidly by the other.

Crunching through the snow, the men walked up to Olaf, still unsure of what to make of the strange creature. The snowman wandered around, drawing the men behind him till they had their backs to Kristoff and Sven.

"Good boy, Olaf," Kristoff mumbled as he tiptoed up behind the soldiers.

His careful steps through the soft powder carried him till within striking distance of the men whom Olaf was keeping occupied with his antics. Limbering up with a few practice swings, Kristoff assumed a high backlift just as the two sentries, warned by some sixth sense, began to turn. Their warning was too late, though, and the heavy log struck them as they pivoted, sending them sprawling into the snow. Kristoff biffed them both once more for good measure and then, with Sven's help, he dragged the now unconscious men into the wood.

While they stuffed the insensible soldiers behind a large bush, Olaf, having concluded the successful performance, reorganised himself. Just as he resumed his normal form, Olaf felt himself being lifted off his feet and squealed. Kristoff, who had plucked the snowman off the ground while riding past, placed him on Sven's back as the reindeer began to ascend the mountain.

"Easy with the hair," Olaf grumbled as he fussed about his hair stalks while muttering under his breath about heartless clods.

Kristoff grinned at the snowman's shenanigans, but his expression soon grew serious as they ran up the mountain side. With no clear idea of how he was to free Anna, he was resigned to having to improvise and, their experience with the two soldiers notwithstanding, Kristoff knew that extricating the captive Princess from the enemy camp was certainly unlikely to be quite as simple.

Accustomed to icy conditions from their experiences in ice harvesting, Sven made light of the acclivity of Morier but even with their speed, Kristoff knew that they would be cutting it fairly close to Elsa's arrival. Urging the reindeer to increased effort, the trio rapidly traversed up the rise. Partway up, the slope eased out into a patch of level ground prior to the even more treacherous climb up to the rear of the camp. Casting a beady eye up the mountain to where Anna was imprisoned, Kristoff jumped off Sven, alive to the fact that the reindeer would be unable to scale the slope with his weight on him. Having used up much of their rope to tether the soldiers below, Kristoff considered the length that he still had left and perceiving that it wasn't much, he cursed his oversight at not having brought a pickaxe. Intent on the rescue, though, Kristoff had just resolved to make do when a tremor rattled the earth around him.

Startled by the sudden quake, Kristoff looked around. Nearby lay a pile of snow-dusted boulders and as he stared at them, they suddenly seemed to grow. Kristoff stepped back in shock and Sven cowered behind him as the rocks appeared to merge together until they formed a monstrous being. In the midst of his panic, Kristoff finally understood what Henrik had wanted Grand Pabbie for.

The mighty stone-creature, that had just materialised before their eyes, looked down from his imposing height at the snowman, the reindeer and the youth in front of him, but he made no move. Though having been rendered temporarily immobile at this sudden manifestation, Kristoff forced himself to calm the chaotic thoughts churning in his mind so as to think of possible courses of action. Keeping a wary eye on the monster, he mused on whether he could risk making a dash for the upslope. With the beast continuing strong but silent, he decided to risk it and accordingly took a cautious step to the side. This, however, seemed to invigorate the creature which lumbered forward towards the threesome.

Kristoff, Olaf and Sven scattered before the oncoming monster, trying to stay out of his reach without sliding down the slant to the forest below. With single-minded tenacity, the creature reached out a massive stony palm which Kristoff just barely skipped away from. As they circled around the monster, Kristoff also grew mindful of the passage of time, something which Olaf appeared to have gauged as well.

"Sven and I'll keep this guy busy," he hollered to Kristoff. "You get to Anna."

Following his words with action, the snowman began to shriek and scream at the beast which was bearing down onto Kristoff. Sven joined him with high-pitched cries as the duo attempted to create a diversion. The stone-monster, however, seemed to be fixated on Kristoff, his empty eyes not wavering from the young man. Oblivious to the actions of Olaf and Sven, the creature only appeared to be interested in preventing Kristoff from ascending further.

"It's not working," Olaf bellowed.

"Yes, thank you, Captain Obvious," Kristoff puffed, having had to execute a nimble side-step to avoid the monster's grasp. "His orders are probably restricted to keeping people off the mountain."

"What do we do?"

"I'll keep him busy," Kristoff panted as he backed away from the beast, which now stood between him and the upward incline. "You guys have to rescue Anna."

"We can't leave you here, Kristoff" Olaf protested, "this thing could kill you."

"I'll be fine, just go. Anna's depending on you."

It was an inspired line of argument which he knew would convince the hesitant snowman. Nodding in agreement, Olaf jumped onto Sven's back and steered the reindeer up toward the camp.

"We'll get Anna and we'll come back for you," he called down.

"No, you won't," Kristoff retorted, dashing aside as the creature made an energetic grab at him. "You are going to get Anna to safety."

"We can't..."

"Promise me, Olaf," Kristoff pressed, "promise me, you will get her to safety."

The snowman looked at at the reindeer and back at the young man who had just evaded the monster's grasping paws again with some nifty footwork. He didn't know if Kristoff could elude the determined beast much longer, but his entreaties for Anna's safety had struck a chord in the little snowman who loved Anna dearly as well.

"I promise," he declared, with a catch in his throat as he and Sven turned sadly to continue their way up the steep incline.

"Make sure she's safe," came the reiterated appeal from below as they climbed.

A/N: Well, I'm still alive although this unseemly gap might have probably caused some to think otherwise. My sincerest apologies. As one of my guests asked if I was suffering from writer's block, it wasn't so much that as trying to find the time to write. Work has been piling up steadily and I'm getting less time to write, if any at all. This story will go on though, and will reach it's conclusion. Have no fear.

A big thank you to everyone who's been following along even after these horrendous breaks, and especially to those who have faved/followed/reviewed. It keeps me writing even if it feels like I can't get the time.

To my guest reviewers -

'Hans is a douche' – Thank you for that extremely violent but apt review. Henrik wouldn't have been too happy with Hans for that lapse and I can't imagine he would go unpunished.

'AL' – Absolutely, I think Anna has a lot of pluck and courage and it would be natural for her to keep looking for a way out even when things look drab. Thank you so much for the review.

'Guest' – Thank you so much for that review. It actually dropped in when I was really snowed under and it inspired me to get this up. Things are fine, thank you for asking, it's just that I need to find some time somewhere to write peacefully without interruptions. If I can get that, I'm sure I can get some chapters up fast.