Alder couldn't remember the last time he had been forced to run like this. His feet pounding into the ground as he jumped and weaved through the forest, he looked behind, hoping the mountain of shaggy black fur had disappeared. The loud growl and hulking mass of the large bear, crashing through the trees and under-brush, was a clear sign that he wasn't about to get lucky any time soon. Renewing his efforts, he continued to run towards what he thought was a clearing, only to be met with disappointment upon the realisation that it was only a small path that led back up into the mountains. Thinking quickly, he began to run up-hill, silently wishing that the incline would slow the bear down. As he daringly turned back to look, he saw that his plan had worked somewhat, yet the bear still relentlessly pursued him. He turned back to focus his attention on the hill, only to meet a pair of beautiful icy blue eyes. His mind wandered momentarily and he careened into the young woman, knocking her off her feet. He picked himself up and looked down the hill. To his horror the bear had begun to close the gap. He thrust his hand out to the young woman and shouted "Quickly, come on!".

The young woman, still brushing wayward strands of platinum blonde hair out of her face, looked up at him with annoyance. She was about to protest when she happened to look down the hill. Her flustered red faced drained of colour and she quickly took his hand. Changing direction, Alder darted back into the tree line, dragging the woman with him. Up ahead he could hear the unmistakable sound of running water.

A river! he thought triumphantly. For the second time today however his hopes of outrunning the dangerous beast behind him were crushed as the trees parted to reveal a large cliff and the river, 10 metres below, a churning mass of white water.

"Now what?" the woman asked, panic filling her voice.

"We go back the way we..." his reply was interrupted as a low growl, accompanied by a large mass exited the forest and paced towards them slowly. Alder turned to the young woman, about to insist that she run when she grabbed his hand and shouted "JUMP!"

Suddenly, there was no ground beneath his feet and he was falling rapidly towards the swirling water below. He braced for the impact with the water but instead he hit something cold and hard with a loud thud. He opened his eyes slowly, taking in the unbelievable sight that had unfolded before him. Instead of wet, dark sweeping waves, he sat on a large platform made of... Ice. He was completely dumbfounded and sat staring at the young woman as she lowered the platform into the water, waving her hands to fashion what appeared to be a paddle and proceeded to let the current take their makeshift raft downstream. She must have felt his eyes burning into the back of her head as she turned to him and smiled.

"Well that was... exciting," she said, stifling a small laugh.

Alder's awe must have still been plastered across his face as the woman's eyes met his and her smile faltered. She took a half step back and he managed to utter a shamble of a sentence in an attempt to reassure her that he wasn't frightened.

"You... you can control ice?" he stammered.

She seemed to study him intently for a few moments as though she were trying to figure out if he was afraid of her or just in awe. Her eyes seemed to notice, for the first time, the sword attached to his hip and she took another step away from him.

"Oh no... Please... I didn't mean it like that... I'm not like that..." he said hurriedly, desperate to reassure her that he was simply amazed at her gift.

Because that's what that kind of magic is... A gift... A beautiful and powerful gift. He didn't voice these thoughts however.

"I'm just astounded. That's some skill you have going there," he said trying to sound as calm as he possibly could. "I apologise for gawking like I did, it's just I'd only heard stories about people that could use magic like that. I never thought I would ever meet someone who could do it though."

A small smile appeared on the woman's face and she stepped closer to him.

"My name is Alder. I should really be apologising to you for getting you caught up in that whole... mess," he said, allowing a small chuckle to escape.

The woman seemed comforted by his laugh and let out a small giggle.

"Well I was enjoying a rather peaceful stroll until you came along," she said sternly, but with such a light-heartedness that Alder knew she wasn't actually angry. "However it was quite an eventful little episode wasn't it? I don't think that I have run like that in my entire life."

She began steering the ice-raft towards the bank and jumped off in a graceful yet powerful leap. She turned back to Alder.

"I'm Elsa."

Alder, who was struggling to keep his footing on the ice stopped dead still and was once again staring directly into the icy-blue eyes of the woman.

"No... It couldn't be... Oh my... Ice magic! It all makes sense! Queen Elsa! Queen Elsa of Arendelle!" he blurted. "Wait, so that means... Oh no..."

He went to take a step backward and as he did his front foot slipped and he fell backwards, crashing against the side of the raft and tumbled into the water. The large splash that followed was accompanied by a gasp from Elsa who then, despite her best efforts, began to laugh uncontrollably. When Alder surfaced, he saw the Queen on the bank laughing, her cheeks red and eyes watery. This woman was something else, he thought to himself. How is she so calm. After all that just happened she's sitting on the bank laughing? He swam over and she offered him a hand to get out.

"I'm so sorry your Majesty. I had no idea. I'm truly sorry if I've caused any offence," he said humbly, getting onto one knee and bowing deeply.

"No... No... Please... It's fine I'm not hurt. Please stand up," Elsa said, her eyes still watery and her cheeks still red.

Alder stood up and met her eyes once again. How was it that every time I look into those eyes I lose myself, he wondered.

"Ahem," Elsa coughed, her eyebrow was raised and she was looking at him with a smirk.

Snapped back to reality, Alder realised what he had been doing and immediately thrust his arm behind his head and began scratching it profusely. For a split second it appeared that Alder's clothes began to steam and a clearly audible hiss began emanating from his clothes.

Oh god no... the thought rushed through his head as he tried to calm himself.

"Well I guess I'd better let you get back to your walk," Alder joked in an attempt to draw attention away from his slightly odd reaction.

Elsa stood there, a curious look crossed her face. Alder began to walk away when she spoke.

"My sister and I are having a picnic not far from here. It was actually where I was heading for when we had our little detour. Would you care to join us? I feel awful for making you fall in the river," she asked.

Alder stood astounded once again. He had nearly gotten this woman, the Snow Queen of Arendelle no less, killed by a monstrous bear and now here she was inviting him to lunch! He had either made a better impression than he thought or she genuinely felt that she was at fault for the whole river thing. He had heard stories about her. About how she had frozen her kingdom, in the middle of summer. She was unquestionably powerful. Yet here she was just casually asking him to join her like it was something she did everyday. Part of him wanted to run, to hide, yet part of him refused to say no to her. His internal struggle raged for what seemed like an eternity before he managed to muster up a semi-coherent sentence.

"I wouldn't want to impose. It wouldn't be right."

Elsa stood there silently, looking at him with eyes that seem to pierce his soul. How on earth could he possibly say no to that.

"I see that I don't really have a choice do I?" he asked hesitantly.

"Well I am the Queen... And you were the cause of me getting chased by a bear... So no... Not really," replied Elsa, smiling slyly.

"I've never been one to refuse and offer of a meal, so why start now. Thank you your Majesty," Alder said, grinning.

"Please, just Elsa will do fine," she said, cheeks reddening slightly.

Alder met her gaze and a cheeky grin crept up on his face.

"Ok 'just Elsa' lead the way."

Elsa wasn't sure what had come over her when she had asked this total stranger to join her on her picnic with Anna. Strictly speaking it wasn't just Anna but Kristoff, Sven and Olaf as well, yet she had just let a compulsive thought through and asked.

I barely know this man... What is wrong with me?

For whatever unknown reason, the same unknown reason that had led her to use her powers in front of him, she felt oddly... comfortable. There was an air about him that seemed to radiate a knowing and experience beyond his years. They had walked in silence for a good majority of the journey back to the others and Elsa was insanely curious to know more about this man. Her curiosity got the better of her in the end and she turned to him. His dark-brown hair had dried in a messy mop, not unlike that which she was used to seeing Anna wake up with in the mornings. He was about the same height as her maybe slightly taller and his features were rough but not... unpleasant. She noticed he had a scar running from the base of his ear, right up under his chin. On many other people it would have been unsightly yet it seemed to suit him in such a way that it complimented the air of hardship that seemed to be ever present. He had just finished smoothing out his clothes, which she now noted were lightly armoured.

Such a strange man. Armed and yet runs from a bear.

Deciding that would be her first question in her interrogation she spoke.

"So what kind of traveller carries a sword, wears armour and yet can't stand and fight a bear?" she asked casually.

Alder chuckled, turning to her with a small smile, meeting her gaze. His eyes, a bluish-green, reminding her of a restless sea before a storm. In fact she thought for a moment that she could see a storm behind his eyes. No... She convinced herself it had been her imagination. This man... Who was he?

"Well its a pretty silly reason actually," he replied. "You see before I was being chased, I was looking for a place to sleep. I happened upon a small cave, dry, safe..."

Elsa let out a small laugh and Alder just rolled his eyes.

"I thought it was safe ok? Anyway I started to walk into the cave and I hear this growl. I strain my eyes and see in the dark a small shape. Turns out it was a little bear cub. Who at that very moment began crying for Mum. Needless to say I ran pretty fast but she must have seen me leave the cave and kept chasing."

Elsa was still laughing.

"Why didn't you try and fight it off?" she asked still chuckling slightly.

Alder's expression changed. Instead of an easy-going smile, it was replaced by a dark frown. Elsa stopped laughing almost immediately.

"You want the honest truth?" he asked solemnly.

Elsa nodded.

"Truth is, the bear was only defending what it saw as a threat to its young. If I had fought and killed that bear, the cub would be an orphan..." he hesitated slightly before continuing, "I know what that's like. I wouldn't force that on anything, man or animal... ever."

Elsa had stopped dead. She looked at Alder and the storm behind his eyes seem to return. Now she knew why she had felt a connection to this man. The air that surrounded him was one of someone who was forced to grow up much to quickly, someone who had to deal with losing their parents. Her memories returned of her own feelings upon hearing of her parent's deaths and she shuddered.

Alder looked up, noticing her reaction to his answer.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to dampen the mood with such morose talk," he said his expression instantly lightening. "How much further?"

Elsa was still struggling with the resurfacing of momentarily forgotten memories and she only managed to mutter "N-Not far..." And pointed down towards a part of the forest where the trees thinned out into what appeared to be small field.

Alder came close, taking her hand.

"I'm sorry... I really didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. Just forget I said anything ok?"

His hand was strangely warm against her skin, like he had been resting them near a fire for a good while. The sensation in her hands snapped her back and she looked up at him. Realising what had been an almost instinctual comforting gesture and realising who he had done it to, Alder pulled his hands away.

"S-sorry, just a habit I guess," he said, a small red blush creeping across his face. "Anyway let's keep going. I'm sure your sister is wondering where you are."

He turned and headed towards the field, leaving her a few steps behind but with a head filled with thoughts. She was lying to herself if she said that the gesture wasn't welcomed, in fact she had felt a tinge of disappointment when he had pulled away. How had a man she just met been able to affect her like this. She refused to believe it was just the fact that he was an orphan. Sure it was something that they had in common but there was something else... Something hidden. She was renewed with determination, infused with vigour to find out who this man was and why she felt drawn to him.

Who are you Alder? Who are you really?

A/N: And that brings an end to chapter one! Thank you all for sticking with me and allowing me time to rewrite this! I am a hell of a lot happier about how this turned out as opposed to the initial first chapter. I will get started on chapter two straight away and hopefully have it updated by the weekend!

Cheers,

Caedous