Chapter One: An Icy Force

The Queen sat at her desk, lost in thought. She held in her hand a letter delivered by special envoy earlier that day, bearing the seal of The Southern Isles. She had neglected opening it all morning, allowing it to sit off to the side while she dealt with other affairs of state. But she knew she couldn't ignore it for long. Just before noon she broke down and opened the envelope. She was fairly well shocked to find that it contained a formal letter of apology for the actions of Prince Hans, written by the King of the Southern Isles himself. Furthermore, the King requested an audience so that he may deliver his apologies in person, and discuss how his kingdom could make amends for the shameful acts Hans had committed.

A groan from the girl laying behind her pulled Elsa back to reality. In the time since Anna and Elsa had been reunited, they had been nigh inseparable. However, as the days and weeks went by and life in Arendelle gradually returned to normal after all that had happened, more and more of the queen's time was consumed by the business of running a kingdom. And though there was nothing that Anna could have wanted more, after all these years apart, than to spend time with her sister, Elsa knew how difficult it must be for someone as energetic as Anna to sit around all day watching her read through trade agreements and hold meetings with her advisors. Though she would never admit it, Elsa knew the girl who was now sprawled on the couch behind her was going mad with boredom. Stifling a grin, Elsa rose from her seat and addressed her sister with the most regal formality she could muster.

"Princess Anna, your Queen has an assignment for you." The sudden sound and movement after hours of watching the Queen do paperwork in silence startled the princess onto her feet.

"Huh? What?"

"It's been over a month since I appointed Mr. Bjorgman to the post of Arendelle's Official Icemaster, and in that time I have neglected to make an inspection of his operation. However, I have been informed that he will be making a delivery to the castle this very day at noon. Therefore, I am ordering you to accompany Mr. Bjorgman for the remainder of the day and make a full report on his service to our kingdom." A smile instantly came to Anna's lips.

"Your majesty, it would be my honor to serve Arendelle thusly," Anna replied, assuming an air of mock formality to match her sister's, and being sure to curtsey as dramatically as possible as she spoke. And with that she ran out of the room to go meet Kristoff.

Elsa smiled softly to herself as she returned to her seat. She was glad that Anna had found someone like Kristoff. Someone who could keep up with her. As much as Elsa adored her spritely sister, her constant energy and enthusiasm had quickly proven exhausting. She thought back to when the two of them had shared the same nursery all those years ago, and Anna would wake her up in the dead of night wanting to play. She was glad to know that some people could change so little in all that time.

Her mind then returned to the matter at hand. She would have to figure out how to respond to the letter from The Southern Isles. Relieved though she was that it wasn't a declaration of war or some similarly grim piece of news, she didn't relish the thought of inviting representatives of that kingdom back into her castle. But to flatly refuse what seemed like a humble and earnest request would be a cruel insult. And whatever she decided, she would have to tell Anna. As wary as Elsa was of anything having to do with The Southern Isles, she knew Anna would be even more uncomfortable with the prospect. But there was no way she could hide this from her sister. The Queen turned in her seat to face the portrait of her father, and wondered how he would have handled such a situation.

The sun hung low over the frozen fjord as Kristoff heaved a block of ice onto the back of the sleigh, followed by Anna tossing a diminutive block of her own beside it.

"This job doesn't seem so tough," the girl said through a grin, dusting off her mittened hands in a gesture of self-satisfaction.

"Yeah, you've got a real knack for it," Kristoff replied, pretending to be impressed. "Maybe sometime I'll let you try working a full day, instead of just the last ten minutes," he added as he climbed into the sleigh and held his hand out for Anna.

"Oh, I couldn't do that," she said as she took his hand and hoisted herself up. "I'd never dream of putting Arendelle's Official Icemaster to shame." Anna made sure to nestle herself right up against the ice harvester as she took her seat. Without even looking, she could sense the smile spreading across his face.

At Kristoff's shout, Sven took off, the sleigh flying after him. Cold air whipped at the couple riding down the mountain, and Kristoff felt the strawberry-haired girl cling to him even more tightly. But as they sped through the snow towards home, something caught Kristoff's eye and pulled him out of his daydreams. Pulling on Sven's reins, he brought the sleigh to stop and peered into the twilight.

"What is it?" Anna asked, her hand searching the back of the sleigh for Kristoff's lute.

"Over there, just past that row of pines. There's a man wandering around down there." Even in the height of summer, the mountains and fjords to the north of Arendelle were at best inhospitable; a frigid region of woods, rock and ice that virtually no one would ever venture out into if they didn't have business there. In his years in the wilderness Kristoff would only rarely come across a hunter, or another ice harvester. But even at a distance he could tell that this man was neither.

"Stay with the sleigh, Sven," Kristoff commanded as he jumped onto the frosty earth.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"I just want check something out. If someone's wandering around alone up here, with no supplies, he's likely to get himself killed."

"Hold on, I'm coming too."

The air seemed to grow colder as the pair approached the man. Even in his woolen work clothes and her warm travel dress, Kristoff and Anna were beginning to feel the chill. They followed the figure to the top of a crag, but were unprepared for what they saw waiting for them at the summit. This man sitting on a boulder before them was a sight, dressed unlike any Anna or Kristoff had seen. He wore what appeared to be a sleeveless tunic made of a thin, dark cloth, with a dark blue sash wrapped around both shoulders, so that it formed a sort of vest. He bore silver arm and shin guards, and much his face was hidden behind a black cowl and a blue mask. Only a pair of icy blue eyes, and part of a raw, red scar across the right one, were visible. This strange figure rose to face the two who now approached him. With each breath he took, a cloud of frost emanated from a vent in his mask.

The sight of such a figure took the pair by surprise and rendered them speechless for a moment. They could only stare, and all the while, he glared right back at them. Finally Anna collected herself and managed to speak.

"Um…hi there." The timid greeting elicited no response from the stranger. Steeling herself against his silence, Anna tried again. "So we saw you walking through the woods alone, or mostly Kristoff…Kristoff was the one who saw you, and since it looked like you were all alone out here he though…oh my God, are you all right?!" Anna had just noticed the man's hands and forearms. Whereas most of his exposed skin looked normal, the extremities of his arms were a pale blue. "Kristoff, this man needs help! I've never even heard of frostbite this bad." She reached out to examine the man's arms, but recoiled the instant she touched his hands. His skin was so cold that even through her mittens, it stung Anna just to touch him. But the princess would not be deterred. Hesitating only briefly she once again extended her hand. "Please, I have to ask that you come with us. We can take you somewhere warm, and get a doctor to look at your hands."

"I appreciate the gesture, but that will not be necessary," the stranger said at last. "And I would further appreciate it if you would stop following me." Speaking only thus, he turned away from the pair and began to climb up the rocky slope that led higher into the mountains.

"Wait, where are you going? What are you doing up in the mountains by yourself?" Anna began to give chase, but Kristoff took hold of her arm.

"Let him go Anna. He clearly doesn't want to be bothered." At first Kristoff had thought that this man was in trouble or needed help. But now having seen him, the Icemaster found himself unnerved by this stranger climbing through the mountains alone. Anna was not so easily intimidated.

"We can't just leave him out here. He's frostbitten up to his elbows! If he doesn't get to a doctor soon he'll die out here." As much as Kristoff was put ill at ease by this stranger, and as much as he generally didn't like the idea of chasing someone gone mad from the cold up an icy stretch of rock, he knew Anna was right. And in any case, he knew Anna wouldn't hesitate to put herself in harm's way to help a stranger, regardless of what he had to say about it.

"Please, come back down," Anna called after the traveler. "Or at least slow down so we can catch up with you." It was uncanny how easily the man traversed the incline. Anna struggled to keep her footing, and even Kristoff, who had spent most of his life on the ice, had to walk with great care up the mountain. But the stranger pressed on over the icy rock with no trouble at all. Finally he stopped and turned back to face the girl calling out to him.

"Let me be. You'll only get yourself hurt trying to chase after me."

"I'm sorry, but you're clearly not well," Anna took the chance to close the distance. She held out here hand as she reached him. "Let us help you."

"I'm sorry to do this, but since you won't take no for an answer." The stranger backed away from Anna and raising one hand, fired an icy blast that froze the rock she stood on. Startled, Anna lost her balance and felt her feet slide out from beneath her. She tumbled backwards and landed on Kristoff, knocking him down as well.

"Oof! Are you alright?"

"Hnn…I think so. But how did…" Anna trailed off as she glanced up the mountain, only to see that the stranger had already turned away and resumed his ascent.

"Stay here, Anna," Kristoff demanded. Satisfied that Anna was unharmed, the Icemaster shifted in an instant from concerned to enraged, and tore off up the mountain after her attacker. Kristoff caught up with him at the top of another crag.

"Hey!" Kristoff grabbed hold of the man's arms, ignoring the unnatural sting of his cold skin. "I don't know what you think you're-"Kristoff never finished that thought, for as soon as he grabbed onto the stranger, the man used Kristoff's hold against him, contorting his arm and placing him in a wristlock. Kristoff was forced onto one knee, grunting in pain. Holding the Icemaster in place with one hand, the stranger placed the other on his shoulder, his unearthly coolness chilling his victim where he kneeled.

"KRISTOFF!" Anna had reached the top of the crag just in time to see ice spreading from the stranger's hands, quickly covering Kristoff and freezing him solid. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" Anna was blind with rage and anguish. She took complete leave of her senses and charged the man. She was so furious that she didn't notice that the stranger calling forth more frost energy from his hands and coating himself with ice. By the time Anna reached him, he'd frozen himself solid as well. Not that she noticed, or was likely to care, as she threw a wild haymaker into the center of his face. She swung with such force that the frozen man shattered in a shower of ice, taking Anna by surprise and knocking her down.

"Wait, what? Where did he go?" Nothing remained where a man had stood only a moment before. But her thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of muffled grunting coming from behind her.

"Kristoff!" She turned to face her friend, frozen in place, but still very much alive. The grunting intensified, until finally the ice shattered. This time Anna thought quickly enough to shield herself from the shards that were hurtled at her, and look back to see Kristoff kneeling on the rock, freed from his captivity

"C-c-cold…" he stammered. It was all he could manage to mutter for a moment or two.

"Kristoff, are you alright?" Anna kneeled next her friend. He was badly shaken, but he didn't show any obvious signs of injury. Though dazed at first, Kristoff quickly collected himself.

"Yeah…I think I'm alright, but…what the Hell was that?"

"I don't know…but I think Elsa will want to hear about this."