Chapter 15: Snow Brothers

The waterfall was not difficult to spot. Lara barely flew five miles from the Valley of the Living Rock before she saw it, dropping out of the sky to alight by the river's edge. The once crashing waters were frozen in place, the morning's light caught in the topaz blue ice. The pool below was a solid plane of ice so clear she could see the fish swimming underneath. Four weeping willows stood along the river downstream. Their leaves were gone, rapidly shed amidst the cold. Water had frozen on the draping branches, forming a curtain of perfect ice teardrops. It looked like a rainstorm captured in time. Winter's quiet hung in the air until Lara walked over and ran a hand through the branches. The ice drops chimed off each other like sweet bells, filling the winter with their voices. It made Lara smile. She spread her wings and gave a hard flap, sending a gust racing through the willows. It stirred even more of that beautiful sound from their boughs.

Lara took a moment to look around, basking in the beauty of it all. The winters in the Arcanian mountains had their own unique splendor, but the ambiance of the water and trees embraced by cold and snow here was utterly gorgeous. Even if it was trapping them all in this kingdom, Lara had to admit Elsa's magic created something as graceful as it was magical.

It would be even more magical if it could bring her whoever she was supposed to meet.

Lara spent all morning searching around the waterfall. She walked upriver and downriver, and a full mile away from each bank into the woods. She saw no tracks except the wildlife, and heard no voices save those of the birds and wind. She took to the air and scanned a wide area, but still found no one. It was noon by the time she landed back at the willows, as frustrated and impatient as she was hungry. Grand Pabbie was very clear. Fly north-northeast to a waterfall with four willows, and someone there would show her the way to Elsa. She found the waterfall. She found the willows. So where was this person? Had she missed them? Were they not here yet? Had she scared them off? Were they hiding? Whichever it was, she should have discovered signs of someone by now.

Seeing as her growling stomach was not helping her mood, Lara decided to take lunch under one of the willows. The trolls had not been stingy with their victuals. Her pack was almost bursting at the seams with food. She pulled a bundle wrapped in woven reeds off the top and opened it to reveal more of those small biscuits she had come to fancy. She popped one in her mouth. Even cold they were delicious. How those little rock dwellers cooked something so soft and fluffy was beyond Lara. She needed to find out how they made these. She reached into the bottom of her pack and pulled out a wedge of cheese, cutting slices off with her knife. Sandwiched between two halves of a biscuit, ten of the morsels made a decent snack.

That was how Lara spent her "meal," sitting under a tree eating cold troll biscuits and cheese as she admired the scenery and decided on her next course of action. She popped the last bit in her mouth as she reached out with her wing and flicked one of the icy branches. It swung out and hit more branches, producing that delightful sound once more.

"Gotta admit, Elsa," she thought out loud. "This is really, really pretty."

"Yeah…it really is beautiful, isn't it?"

Lara leapt to her feet, knocking her pack over as she grabbed her bokken. That was not her imagination, or a trick of the wind. Someone else was here, and they were extremely close. How did she not sense them earlier? She should have heard footsteps, or breathing, or picked up a scent. But she detected none of those things. Which meant this person was deliberately trying to avoid detection. In her experience, that was not the behavior of someone with benevolent intentions.

"But it's so white!" continued the voice from behind one of the willows. "Too monotone! How about a little color?"

Lara stalked towards the willow, her hand on the bokken's handle. She watched intently for any sign of the voice's owner, ready to leap into action if so much as a finger appeared.

"I'm thinking like maybe some crimson, chartreuse…how about yellow!? I love…wait, no! Not yellow! Definitely not yellow!"

Lara reached the tree hiding her company. Carefully she moved around the trunk. She saw round prints in the snow, but no source of them. And they were not prints she recognized. She knew the prints of all the usual animals, from deer to bears to rabbits to birds. Even the more mythical varieties left distinct prints she could identify. But these were as featureless as they were unknown to her. Just concave perfect circles in the snow. Yet the trail of them coming out of the woods towards the willow left no doubt in Lara's mind something alive was responsible. She followed them around, expecting to see their owner appear before her. Then the prints suddenly disappeared, as if whatever made them had vanished.

Lara stepped away from the tree, looking around in confusion. "What in the world…?"

"Yellow and snow? Brrrr! No go!"

Lara's hair stood on end. That was right behind her! She spun around, drawing her bokken to strike the…snowman?

Lara halted her draw. It was indeed a snowman before her. He was small, just coming up to her hips, though taller than the trolls. He was rather disproportionate as well. His body was made of two wide balls like the tiers of a cake. His feet were a pair of smaller balls, and he had a pair of four-pronged sticks for arms. Three round black rocks adorned his front for buttons.

But his face was what caused Lara to do a double take. His head was a stretched oval almost as tall as the rest of him. He had a wide smiling mouth with a single large buck tooth sticking out. Three flimsy sticks poked out the top of his head for hair. He had no carrot nose, or any feature to suggest he possessed one. And his eyes…they seemed so real the way they glistened with moisture, Lara's shocked and confused expression reflected in them. She felt as if he could really see her!

Lara took a step back, unnerved by the snowman's gaze. Where did this thing come from?

The snowman suddenly blinked at Lara, his smile widening. "Am I right?"

Lara just about had a heart attack as her magic suddenly flared to life, causing her hair and eyes to glow. "WHAT THE–!?"

The snowman raised an arm and waved, taking a step towards her with a small squeaking noise. "Hi! I'm Olaf! And I like warm HUUUUUuuuuuuuuuugs!"

Out of pure instinct Lara stepped in and kicked the snowman's head as hard as she possibly could. It shot straight up into the air, his voice fading as it went higher and higher until it became a speck in the sky. The body began wandering in circles, stick hands grasping blindly for its missing top. Lara darted backwards, tripping on a willow root hidden in the snow. She scrambled away as the snowman's body wandered towards her, only to trip over the same root. She jumped up, watching the snow-body flail as it pushed itself upright. What was this thing? It looked like a snowman, but it was moving around on its own! Was it…alive!?

She got her answer as she heard the head returning to earth, still yelling. She looked up and saw him falling straight for her. The same reflex that caused Lara to kick the head in the first place caused her to reach out and catch him for some reason, snagging him before he smashed into the ground.

"Hi again!" the head said, smiling as he blinked at her.

Lara gave an alarmed yelp, fumbling the head in her hands before she tossed him into the air. She quickly spun in a circle and batted him with her tail. He sailed through the air and struck one of the willows, a broken branch impaling through him to create a woody nose. The snowman's head spun around the branch like a pinwheel before he stopped, his eyes spinning.

"Whoa! Talk about a headrush!" he said dazedly. Then his eyes focused on his new appendage. "Oh, wow! A nose! I finally have a nose! I've always wanted a…why does it smell like tree?"

The snowman's body suddenly turned to the head, as though sensing its partner. It waddled over to him, jumping on its stubby legs to try to grab him. It was too high for the body to reach, leaving it leaping like a child trying in vain to reach something on a high shelf. Lara drew her bokken, watching the body struggle to find its upper third…or half…whatever fraction it was.

"Almost got it!" the head said from the tree, looking down at his body. "A bit higher! To the right…no, my right!"

The body stopped leaping, waving its arms about as though it were angry with the head.

"The other right!" said the head. The body moved its arms again as if arguing a point. "Oh yeah…I guess it would be our right, wouldn't it?"

Lara took a step back, her foot crunching the snow. The body turned to her, flinching as if it could see her. Then it turned back to the head, waving its arms frantically at him.

"Use your words!" said the head. The body hopped in place, pointing excitedly at Lara. The head looked up at her. "Oh! Hi!"

Lara gulped. "Uh…hi?"

The snowman smiled cheerily at her. "I know we just met, but if it's not too much to ask, could you get me down from here? I'm feeling a bit incomplete."

Lara stared at the snowman as the body dropped to whatever counted as its knees, hands clasped together in pleading. She had no idea what this thing was, where it came from, or what its intentions were. But from what she saw so far, it was not hostile. Or even that dangerous. It seemed bumbling and childlike more than anything.

The snowman kept smiling. "Please?"

Lara stared at him a moment longer then slowly lowered her bokken, the glow leaving her eyes and hair. She cautiously approached, ready to leap away in an instant. The snowman just smiled and blinked as he watched her. When she was close enough, she reached out with one hand and grabbed his "hair," carefully pulling him off the tree and handing him to the body. It fixed the head on top, twisting it right and left till it was centered.

"Much better!" The snowman brushed himself off then looked up at her, still smiling. "Thank you!"

"You're, uh…you're welcome," Lara said nervously, still holding the bokken firmly in her other hand.

The snowman's smile widened slightly. "Okay, I think we got off to a bad start! Let's start over...!" He raised his hand and waved again. "Hi! I'm Olaf! And I like warm hugs!"

Lara arched her brow. "Olaf?"

The snowman nodded his oversized head. "Uh-huh! That's me!"

Lara fought back the urge to sit down as her head spun. "It has a name…the walking talking snowman has a name."

Olaf gestured to her. "And you are…?"

Lara shook her head, fighting off the dizziness. "I'm…Lara. Lara Anclagon."

Olaf tilted his head. "Lara Anclagon? That's a weird name! Why do you need two? Is one a spare in case you lose the other?"

Lara ignored his comment and started walking a circle around Olaf. The snowman kept smiling, his legs squeaking as he turned to keep his eyes on her. "Ooh, this is new! Is it a game? How do you play?"

Lara swallowed hard. Just what was she witnessing here? She had no doubt this was magic. And given the magic that started this winter, Elsa was the most likely source of this creature. But that seemed totally improbable, if not impossible. This snowman was not some magical construct with a ravaged soul bound to it like Remora's clockmen. Or an enchanted puppet like an eastern automaton. Or an elemental spirit inhabiting matter like Kodama. Or a resurrected dead like one of Mina's servants. He did more than just move about. He saw. He heard. He felt. He talked. He was self-aware. He behaved like an independent conscious entity, complete with his own personality. He was like…well, a person! But this sort of thing was high-tier magic! The type that took even master mages decades to use! Even with all her power and her father's tutelage, Lara could not do anything close to this! She never tried, mind you, but she knew her magic was nowhere near ready to attempt it!

The small snowman made a noise like a chuckle and a giggle blended together. "Hey, what's this spinning feeling in my head? I like it! But it also makes me feel like throwing up! Wait, I don't have a stomach. Can I throw up?"

Suddenly Lara froze in place. The snowman stopped as well. His head stayed still, but his body kept rotating. Grand Pabbie said someone at the waterfall would guide her to Elsa. He never clarified what that someone would be. Could this small snowman be who the troll foresaw? Was this who would show her the way? It seemed too incredible to believe, but there was no one else here.

She knelt in front of the snowman. "Hey…it's Olaf, right?"

Olaf's body kept turning till it lined up with his face again. "Yeah!"

"Did someone make you?" asked Lara.

Olaf nodded. "Yeah! Why?"

"Did someone named Elsa make you?"

"Yeah! Why?"

Lara gulped again. Elsa made him. Elsa made this living snowman. Elsa's magic could not only cast winter over a kingdom. She could give life to her creations. She could endow them with, for all intents and purposes, a soul! And if she made one, what was to stop her from making more? What if she had dozens of these snowmen, except not so affable and innocent as this guy? Or as harmless?

Lara gave a long exhale, running a hand through her hair. What on earth was she going up against? "Do you know where Elsa is?"

Olaf nodded again. "Yeah! Why?"

Lara's eyes widened. "You do?!"

"Yeah! Why?"

Lara quickly sheathed her bokken, scooting closer to him. "Can you take me to her!?"

"Yeah! Why?"

"Right now!?"

"Yeah! Why?"

Lara frowned. "Can you say anything else?"

"Yeah! Why?"

Lara pinched the bridge of her nose as she felt her frustration begin to return. Olaf had a mind all right, but it was basically that of a kid. Which meant she would need to deal with him like one. "Okay, listen. My friends and I trying to go somewhere. We were planning to get there on a ship, but Elsa's winter trapped us here. So, for us to leave, I need to find Elsa and get her to bring back summer so we can sail out of here."

Olaf's eyes widened. "Summer?!"

Lara nodded. Olaf clasped his hands together as his smile broadened even further than before, a definite twinkle coming to his eyes. "Oh, I don't know why but I always loved the idea of summer, and sun, and all things hot…!"

Lara blinked at Olaf in surprise. "Wait, what?"

"Like fire, and beaches, and hot chocolate, and peppers!" continued Olaf as he glanced at Lara's hair. "And the color orange, and barbecues, and–!"

"Wait, wait, wait!" interrupted Lara. "You like hot things?"

Olaf nodded. "Uh-huh! Like–!

"But you're made of snow!" Lara said, cutting him off before he could start listing again.

"Yeah! I am a snow-man, after all!"

Lara arched a confused brow at his tone. Did he just use sarcasm? "Exactly how much experience do you have with heat?"

Olaf shook his head. "None!"

Lara brow now furrowed in worry. "None? As in nothing at all?"

"Yup! But sometimes I like to close my eyes and just imagine what it will be like when summer does come!"

An uneasy feeling swept over Lara as Olaf closed his eyes and began swaying side to side. "Why do I get the feeling a song is coming?"

Olaf's eyes snapped open as he bounced excitedly. "I feel it, too! Listen! Bees will buzz! Kids will blow dandelion fuzz…!"

Lara groaned, slapping her hand over her face. "Me and my big mouth…"

Olaf paused his song to examine Lara's face. "Really? It doesn't look that big to me." He gave a dismissive shrug and returned to singing. "And I'll be doing whatever snow does in summer!"

Elsa looked up at her palace from across the chasm. A gentle wind played with her cape, the diaphanous material billowing in the breeze. She could feel the morning sun gently warming her back. Those same rays were creating a dazzling kaleidoscope all across her palace. The prismatic ice scattered every color imaginable onto the snow around it, literally painting the mountain.

Elsa smiled. She still had trouble believing she made this on her own. Her palace was as breathtaking to behold from outside as it was inside. It looked perfectly at home nestled against the North Mountain amidst this realm of towering peaks and snow. Just like she felt at home within it. It reminded her that there was so much more to her powers than she thought possible, and plenty to be discovered yet.

Still, one reality Elsa had to confront was that her palace was rather…noticeable. And vulnerable. She had not really gone for discretion or defensibility when she made it, allowing herself to get wrapped up in her feelings of freedom and release. Sure, the mountains, snow, and distance from Arendelle made getting here difficult. But difficult was not the same as impossible. She would need some sort of barriers to keep people out. Though, they also needed to be ones she could traverse. No sense locking herself out of her own home.

If Elsa was being serious, what she really needed was a guard. Some sort of intelligent sentinel to keep watch and inform her of any would-be intruders, as well as turn them away at her orders. Unfortunately, all Elsa could do was make the form of one. A living, breathing, thinking guard was an impossibility, which meant it was up to her to ensure her own safety. Still, a girl could dream.

She sighed, kneeling down in the snow to scoop up a handful of the soft white flakes. She patted them into a snowball, her magic weaving through her palms to craft a perfect snowball. Elsa smiled, thinking it reminded her of the base of a snowman.

She looked back to the route she took up the mountain. It was an arduous and narrow climb to get here, not to mention the only realistic route to her palace. It would not allow any sort of army to march to her home, but a small group could make it on foot or horseback. It would not hurt to have something there to keep people away, even if it was just a glorified snow statue. A "scare-snowman" of sorts. It might at least make anyone think twice about coming near her, which would be safer for both of them.

Elsa set the snowball on the ground, twirling a hand over it. Tiny flecks of magic fell down from her fingers, enchanting the snow with her will. The snow grew upwards and took on a humanoid shape, like a sculptor's rough outline before the finer details of their statue were carved out.

What Elsa did not see was her magic race out behind her to a large mound of snow. The snow rapidly grew to copy the figurine in Elsa's hand, only on a much larger scale. It stood over fifteen feet tall, completely featureless as it awaited her instructions.

"Let's see…he'd need to be big and strong," said Elsa, causing her miniature snow figure to double in size.

The giant snowman swelled to the size of a four-story building without a sound. Elsa looked up at her palace and its tall front doors.

"But not too big. In case he needed to get into the palace," said Elsa, making her creation shrink to a comfortable middle ground. The snow giant shrunk down as well, standing half its former size.

"And he'd have two big arms with big hands…" Elsa thought out loud as she sculpted her creation, oblivious to what was happening behind her. "Bigger hands! And a big scary face…ooh, not that scary! And maybe he would grow ice from here, and here, and…here!"

The snow giant sprang sharp icicles from its cavernous mouth and broad back. Jagged plating of solid ice grew out of its elbows, hips, and knees. Its eyes were dark and hollow. Its icy fingers were tipped with points as sharp as spears. It was a towering and terrifying creation that would instill fear in even the bravest heart.

Elsa tilted her head to the side as she examined her snowman. "But…only when he's trying to protect me."

The sharp ice retreated into the snow giant, and its fingers became blunted long cylinders. It was still imposing, but not nearly as frightening.

Elsa smiled as she stood, wiping her hands together as she looked down on her concept piece. "There! That should do it!"

A brief glow of light encompassed the snow giant. Then his eyes blinked as he started to move. He looked around, taking in his new surroundings in his first moments of life, and then his eyes settled on Elsa.

"You would make a pretty good guard." Elsa gave a small laugh and shook her head as she turned away from her sculpture, walking back towards the stairs. "But you'd still just be a big statue. It's not like you would ever–."

Elsa just grabbed the railing when she became aware of her shadow plastered against the side of the mountain. That, and the large humanoid one standing right next to it. Then she saw the shadow move, hearing something very large walk up behind her to block the sun, its steps causing the stairs to vibrate.

"Come…to…life…" Elsa swallowed nervously as she slowly turned around.

Standing in front of her was an enormous replica of the snowman guard she created. He stood twenty feet tall on round legs made of snow and ice. His torso was a broad mass of snow. A pair of arms with enormous hands grew from his shoulders, complete with icy fingers. He had an cavernous mouth with a bulbous round chin. A pair of empty close-set eye sockets looked down at her, and yet Elsa had the unsettling feeling they could actually see her.

Which was confirmed when the snow giant leaned down towards her, his eyes blinking.

Elsa always had a very fair complexion. But if she had been given a mirror at that moment, she would have seen the color drain out of her face. "Oh…my…"

The snow giant blinked at Elsa, then reached out one of his giant hands to her. "Mmma…mmma…?"

Elsa let out a scream that may very well have proven Eugene wrong about sound starting an avalanche as she ran up the stairs to her palace. The snow giant watched as she stumbled halfway up, almost tripping before she caught herself. Then she bolted for the doors, wrenched them open, and slammed them shut loudly behind her.

The snow giant cocked his head to the side. "Mmma…mmma…?"

The last time Lara felt this uncomfortable, she was dressed to the nines to attend a royal ball in Glowerhaven. She also thought this also must have been what Sebastian felt when Ariel was singing in her grotto about wanting to be where the humans were. She watched and listened through all of Olaf's song as he danced about, describing in poetic detail his affection for and eagerness to experience all things warm and heat related. As cute and heartwarming as Olaf's fantasies were–no pun intended–they were also, to put it bluntly, completely insane. He appeared to have no clue about the relationship between heat and ice. She had a real urge to tell him what awaited if he pursued his love, if only for his own safety. But she found she did not have it in her to do so. Somehow, she felt Olaf would not believe her, or it would break his heart–or whatever he had in place of said organ.

Olaf turned and smiled up at Lara. "That was fun! Let's do it again! Bees–!"

"No!" Lara exclaimed before Olaf could start. "That's plenty! Besides, we need to find Elsa! Can't bring back summer without her!"

"Oh yeah! You're right! What're we singing around here for!?" Olaf reached up and grabbed Lara's hand, pulling her along. "Come on! Elsa's this way! Let's go bring back–!"

"Whoa, wait! Just hold on a second!" said Lara, trying to pull her hand free. Instead, Olaf's entire arm came out of his body, the hand still clinging to her. Lara quickly knocked it off her as if it were a very large and poisonous spider. She darted back when the arm kept moving, wiping her hand frantically on her jacket. "It's still moving! Why is it still moving!?"

"Hey!" Olaf walked back to her, snatching his arm up and sticking it into his body. "I know I took your hand, but there's no need to take mine!"

Lara wiped her hand a few more times before turning her attention back to Olaf. "How far away is Elsa, exactly?"

Olaf scratched his head. "That's a good question! I actually don't know!" He pointed east of the waterfall. "But I do know she's that way!"

"Well, how long did it take you to get here from there?"

"Let's see…I'll have to retrace my steps." Olaf looked around at his footprints. "I was standing over there. Then I sang about summer…you're sure you don't want me to sing again?"

"Focus, Olaf!" Lara said a bit sharply. "How long did it take you to get here from where Elsa is?"

"Mm…" Olaf scrunched his eyes shut as he tried to think. "It was…five days. I think?"

"Five days!?" exclaimed Lara. "Just how far did you walk!?"

"Over a couple mountains," Olaf said, as nonchalant about it as if he had gone for a stroll. He began counting off on his stick fingers, holding up three of them. "This many, I think. And I sledded, too! Only the downhill bits, though. I can't seem to do it going the other way."

Now that Lara thought about it, the coronation was seven days ago. Which meant the time it took Elsa to get from Arendelle to out here was…two days!? How did she do that? Maybe she traveled easier on snow because of her magic? Or made some sort of ice road to skate out here? Or maybe she had some way of flying like Lara did? Either way, at least Olaf could not have traveled too far. Although, he was not flesh and blood, so he did probably did not need to rest, sleep, or eat. And the winter would not affect him in the least. But even if he walked non-stop and sledded where he could, Olaf could not have done more than a few miles a day. Which meant Elsa was likely a couple valleys away! An easy distance for Lara to fly!

She knelt down in front of Olaf, pulling off her shemagh. "If you like sledding, you're gonna love this…"

Elsa clutched her chest for fear her racing heart would come bursting out of it. She was breathing fast and panicked as she pushed against the door as hard as she could, afraid the snow giant would try to follow her. Not that her strength would do any good against something that large! She was always slender framed. Her father used to joke a slight breeze would be enough to blow her away. That thing looked like it could break down the door just by looking at it.

Elsa stood up, backing away from the door. What was that!? It looked like the guard she envisioned! But it was huge! And it moved! It saw her! It spoke to her! But it was just a snowman! It could not be alive! So how was it doing that!?

She closed her eyes, trying to calm herself down as she ran a hand through her hair to smooth it out. "Get it together, Elsa! You must've imagined it! You've been under a lot of stress because of the coronation! Yeah, that's it! Stress! It's making you see things! You just made a big snowman by mistake! There's no way it could've moved! Or talked to you! That's impossible! Snowmen aren't alive!"

Elsa drew a deep breath, calming herself down as she rationalized away from fear and panic. She opened her eyes, looking straight ahead at the door. She walked over to it, seeing the outline of the snow giant through the ice. She slowly opened the door, peeking her face out to look at him.

Immediately the snowman perked up, eyes blinking when he saw her. "Mmma–?"

Elsa jerked her head back in and slammed the door shut, pressing her body against it even harder than before. "It's alive! It's definitely alive!"

Now she was certain this was not some trick of the mind. But how was it possible? How had she given life to something made of snow and ice? She made snowmen before with Anna. She remembered all the times they built Olaf, the strange little snowman who liked warm hugs. He was a consistent feature of the Christmas cards and gifts Anna would slip under her door as they grew up and apart. And there were the countless snow dolls and snow animals she made for them to play with. But none of them ever came to life! What did she do differently this time?

Elsa peeled herself away from the door and cracked it open just enough to peer through. The snow giant was sitting down facing the valley, large legs splayed out in the snow. His shoulders sagged, head hanging with a depressive frown on his face as he started drawing nonsensical patterns in the snow with one finger. He made a deep, rumbling, yet pitiful sound. He looked…sad.

She opened the door a little more, ready to shut it if the snow giant noticed her. He just kept drawing in the snow, now making gruff but even sadder noises as he did so.

"Mmmammma…nnnooo…wwaaannnt…mmmeee…" he moaned miserably.

Elsa gasped as the snow giant began to make crying sounds, although it was still frightening with how deep his voice was. He really was sad! This creation of hers was doing a lot more than moving around and seeing her! He was feeling! He had emotions! He felt rejected by her, and now he felt hurt by it! She hurt him!

Just like how the people of Arendelle rejected her. And just like how she hurt Anna.

A pang of guilt struck Elsa. She ran away screaming the moment she first saw the snow giant, even though she built him exactly as she imagined. She treated him as a monster because she saw him as a monster. She abandoned him out of fear, literally shutting the door in his face.

"Fear will be your enemy."

Elsa gulped. She had to put her fear aside and confront this. Intentional or not, she created this snoman. She gave him life. That meant she was responsible for his welfare, physically and emotionally. Steeling her nerves, she pushed the door open completely. The snow giant kept drawing as he moped. Cautiously Elsa stepped out from the palace. The snowman perked slightly, stopping his drawing to look up at her. Those empty eyes sent a chill through Elsa's spine that had nothing to do with the cold, but she stilled the urge to flee back into the palace and freeze the doors shut.

"Uh…hi," she said, giving a little wave.

The snow giant raised his hand and slowly returned the gesture. "Hhhiiiiii…" he growled out.

Elsa took a breath. So far, so good. She cautiously descended the stairs, ready to run at the slightest sign of aggression. The snow giant simply watched her, allowing Elsa to approach till she was right by one of his enormous feet. Even sitting down, he towered over her. She folded her hands in front of her to keep them from shaking as she looked up at his face. "I, uh…I'm Elsa. I created you."

The snow giant blinked at her curiously.

"Elsa," she repeated. "That's my name."

The snow giant tilted his head slightly, as though not understanding her words. Elsa placed a hand over her heart. "Elsa. El-sa!" she said slowly, patting her chest for emphasis.

The snow giant mimicked her, placing his hand in a similar spot on his large chest. "Ellllssssa…" He looked down at his hand, then placed it back on his chest. "Elllsssa?"

"No," said Elsa, pointing to herself. "I'm Elsa."

The snowman pointed at himself, imitating her. "Elllsssa."

Elsa chewed the corner of her lip nervously. She was getting the impression this snow giant was not quite as intelligent as she intended. He was acting like a toddler. Then again, she had not been considering smarts while envisioning her guard. She focused more on his appearance and strength. Maybe that left him with just enough intelligence to get by with? But if he was a child, then that meant he could be taught. It was worth a try at least.

"Okay, let's try something else." Elsa stepped towards the snow giant and beckoned for his hand. He stared at it for a second and then made a questioning grunt, as if asking if that was what she wanted.

"Yes, please," said Elsa.

The snow giant lowered his hand to her. Elsa took one of his glassy fingers and pointed it at her. "Elsa. I am Elsa." She then pointed his finger back at him. "Who are you?"

The snowman looked at Elsa and then at his finger. "…Elllsssa?"

Elsa dropped her head in exasperation. "No, that's not…!" She paused, taking a breath to calm down. She could not allow herself to become frustrated. Her magic never behaved when she was upset. This was no different. She had to keep her composure.

She took the snow giant's finger again, pointing it at herself once more. "Elsa! That's my name!" She pointed the finger back at him. "What is your name?"

The snow giant stared at his finger.

"And please don't say Elsa," added Elsa before he spoke.

The snow giant closed his mouth. He looked at his finger, pointed it at himself, then slowly pointed back at Elsa. "Elllsssa."

Elsa nodded. "Right. I'm Elsa."

"Elllsssa." The snow giant then slowly pointed his finger back at his own face. "Nnnot Elllsssa."

Elsa breathed a sigh of relief. He at least knew who she was now, and who he was not. That was progress. "Do you have a name?"

The snow giant scratched his large head with his other hand. "Nnnaaammme? Wwwhhat iiss nnnaammme?"

"I'll consider that a no." Elsa stepped back from him. "Well, since I made you, I guess I have to name you."

The snow giant watched as Elsa paced back and forth in front of him, holding her chin in thought. He brought his own large hand to his equally large chin, copying her. Elsa's cape trailed behind her, erasing her prints in the snow.

"Let's see…a name…a name," Elsa mused out loud. "What's a good name for a giant snowman? How about…?" She stopped and turned to him. "Sigurd? Like in the story?"

The snow giant scowled, shaking his head.

"No, you're right," Elsa agreed, waving a dismissive hand as she resumed pacing. "That doesn't suit you at all. Um…Snowball?"

"Mmm–mmm," the snowman grumbled.

"It's too cute, isn't it? What about Frosty?"

The snowman shook his head more vigorously.

"Too obvious. And boring. How about Igloo?"

The snow giant frowned at her.

"No again." Elsa stopped and turned to face him, tapping her foot as she looked him over. "What about…?"

She stared at the giant's feet. Come to think of it, she had not really thought about what his legs would look like either. She paid a lot of attention to the top part of him, but his legs were sort of an afterthought. They were just basic shapes she thought of to fill in the necessary parts. Large squat articulated cylinders of snow and ice to allow him to walk. Now that she looked closely at them, they sort of reminded her of…

A memory flitted into Elsa's mind. One of a cold winter's evening when she and Anna were still children. They were sitting at the window with their parents, bundled up in blankets as they watched the snow fall. A blizzard blew in the day before, covering the ground in a full foot of powdery snow. No sooner had they eaten breakfast than the two girls were racing out the door to play in it. They spent all day outside, soaking their mittens and clothes through completely as they sledded, built snowmen, threw snowballs, and caught the countless delicate flakes descending from the sky. Elsa was fine, but by midafternoon Anna was shivering with the start of a cold. They were brought back inside and changed into dry clothes. Their father asked Kai to bring them both hot chocolates to warm them up. Elsa remembered how Anna's face lit at the mention of her favorite drink, and how she pleaded for Kai to put in extra…

"Marshmallows…" Elsa whispered.

The snow giant cocked his head, giving a curious rumbling sound.

"Marshmallow." Elsa looked up at him. "How about Marshmallow?"

The snow giant tilted his head the other way. "Mmmmarrrrsssshhhh…mmmmalllloooow?"

Elsa nodded, pointing to his legs. "Your feet! That's what they look like! Marshmallows!"

"Mmmmarrrrsssshhhh…mmmmalllloooow…" The snow giant let the word roll off his tongue as he repeated it. "Mmmarrrsshh…mmmalloow. Mmarrshmmallow…Marshmallow." His face brightened, mouth turning up in a smile. "Marshmallow!"

Elsa could not help but smile as well. That was happiness if she had ever seen it. "You like that one?"

The snow giant nodded enthusiastically. "Marshmallow!"

"All right!" Elsa walked up to one of his legs, laying her hand on it. "Then from now on, your name is Marshmallow! It's very nice to meet you!"

The snow giant's smile grew even bigger. He stood up and began dancing around, his steps shaking the ground as he shouted his new name over and over. "Marshmallow! Marshmallow! Marshmallow!"

Elsa stepped back as Marshmallow continued to dance, not wanting to accidentally get knocked over or crushed by him in his jubilation. She hoped his thundering steps did not cause an avalanche or rockslide. Suddenly Marshmallow turned and ran to the chasm, skidding to a stop right at the edge. He leaned over the side, cupping his huge hands around his mouth as he bellowed, "MARSH-MAL-LOW!"

Elsa had to clap her hands over her ears at how loud his voice was, then kept them there as he proceeded to roar like a storm. The sound echoed down the chasm and out into the valley below. Bits of snow were shaken loose from the mountain, and Elsa swore she heard the jingle of rattling ice from her palace as the roar trailed off into silence. But it was nowhere near loud enough to loosen the smile from her face as she watched her creation bask in his new name.

"Marshmallow! Marshmallow!" The snow giant scooped an enormous pile of snow in one hand and then flung it high into the air, allowing it to drift down around him. The snowflakes caught the dawn's light and scattered it in a billion tiny shining fractals as he laughed like thunder. "Marshmallow!"

"All right, I think I got the message!" said Elsa, her ears ringing slightly from his earlier roar. "Glad you like it! Could you come here for a second, please?"

Marshmallow turned to the sound of her voice, then marched over with quaking steps at her request. He stopped in front of her and leaned down, looming over her. Elsa stepped towards him and reached up fearlessly with her hands, cupping his massive face.

"Marshmallow, I have a very special job for you," said Elsa.

"Whhhaaat iiss job?" asked Marshmallow.

"It's something you do for someone," said Elsa. "And this is something I need you to do for me. It's very important. Do you understand?"

Marshmallow nodded.

"You and I are going to live here," said Elsa. "Where no one can find us, and where I can't…" She paused for a moment. "Where I can't hurt anyone. But there are people who'd want to hurt us if they found this place."

Marshmallows face hardened into an angry scowl. "Nnnooo huuurrrt Elsa! Marshmallow nn...nnot like!"

"Neither would I," said Elsa. "Which is why I need you to make sure no one gets into the palace. Except me, of course."

"Ooonnnllly…only Elsa in palll…palace," asked Marshmallow.

"Yes, only me," said Elsa. Marshmallow was not the most articulate speaker, but he did understand her. His speech was already improving, too. Maybe he was learning by listening to her? "I'm the only one you can let in there. If anyone besides me tries to get in, or tries to hurt either of us, I need you to make them go away. It'll be your job to protect me. Can you do that?"

Marshmallow stared down at her, and then he nodded his head again. "Okay. Marshmallow do. Marshmallow protect Elsa. Elsa only one let in. Everyone else go away."

"Right," Elsa said, nodding her head in agreement. "Just me. No one else. Do whatever you can to keep any strangers away. But don't kill them! You can scare them or…or throw them into the snow. But no killing! Promise me!"

"No kill. Just make go away." Marshmallow reached up, taking one of Elsa's hands between his enormous fingers. He could probably crush boulders with those hands, yet he handled her with unexpected gentleness and delicacy. "Marshmallow promise Elsa."

Elsa smiled up at him, placing her other hand on his. "Thank you. Now, I'll be inside the palace. I think I need a nap after this. And remember, unless it's me, you need to send anyone who comes here away. All right?"

Marshmallow simply nodded, letting go of her hand. Elsa stepped back. "I'll come down later and check on you. Oh, and stay away from the cliffs! I don't know how well you'd survive that sort of fall!"

Marshmallow stomped over to the chasm, peering down into the swirling mist below. He noticed a rock sitting on the edge and flicked it in with a finger. The rock sailed into the mist, but neither queen nor snowman heard it land.

"Big fall," said Marshmallow, turning back to Elsa. "Big hurt."

"Yeah, very big hurt," Elsa agreed. She started up the stairs, perhaps holding the railing a little tighter than before. "I'll see you later, Marshmallow."

Marshmallow waved to Elsa as she walked up to the palace. "Bye…bye."

Elsa stopped in the doorway to return his wave. She watched as Marshmallow went to the base of the stairs and crouched down to sit. She felt the tremor travel up the stairway to her. He shifted his body about, sinking it and his hands down into the snow. Then his head sank forward as his eyes closed, turning his face into a blank white surface. Elsa was honestly surprised by how well he camouflaged. From here he looked like a pile of snow. He probably looked even more inconspicuous coming the other way. Though, the giant footprints he left from his frolicking might alert an observant intruder. She waved a hand at the snow, sending a spray of glittering magic out. Snow washed across the ground, concealing the prints beneath seamless white.

"Don't fall asleep now," Elsa called down to her new guard. "I'm counting on you."

One of Marshmallow's eyes popped open. "Not sleep. Only wait. Keep Elsa safe."

Elsa gave him a small smile. "Keep Elsa safe."

She turned and went through the doors, closing them gently behind her. She drew a deep breath and then let it out before walking across the foyer to the stairs, her footsteps echoing off the ice. Maybe Marshmallow was not intentional. And maybe he was not exactly what she envisioned for a protector. But she knew she would sleep a little sounder knowing he was keeping watch.

"I love this!"

Lara glanced over her shoulder at Olaf as he sat on her back. The little snowman was using her pack like a seat and her shemagh as a harness, the cloth anchoring him to her as she flew them over the mountains. His feet straddled her neck, cold against her skin. He had the biggest smile Lara had seen yet, arms clutching his head to keep it secure against the wind. Twice already he almost lost it.

"What did you call this again!?" Olaf shouted as they soared towards another mountain faster than any bird, flying just above the treetops.

"Flying!" Lara shouted back as she began beating her wings to climb. Lara let the winds push her straight up the slope, rapidly gaining height. Then she banked right, ascending in a circle around the mountain.

"I love flying!" Olaf shouted, laughing loudly as he saw their shadow race them on the mountainside. Lara grinned as she felt Olaf kick his feet about with glee. He was enjoying every second of this.

As it turned out, Olaf's short legs covered a lot more ground than Lara gave them credit for. The three mountains he crossed were enormous, each separated by vast valleys. One even looked like an old volcano, black igneous rock slumbering quietly beneath the snow. The forests became sparser as they gained elevation, stands of pine restricted to the valley floors where water could be found. The clouds sat lower as well, hiding some of the taller peaks. Olaf also was not the greatest compass once he was airborne. He had a general idea of where they were going, but he was easily confused and disoriented by the height. Three times already he pointed them in the wrong direction, costing them precious time. Lara almost wondered if he did it on purpose, whether to protect Elsa from discovery or because he wanted to keep flying. That seemed very unlikely, though. Olaf did not strike Lara as having a single deceptive bone in his body–not that he had a single bone to begin with.

A fresh gust came up the mountain. Lara caught it with her wings, allowing it to drive her and Olaf even higher. She beat her wings as they came above the plateaued snowy peak.

And then Lara saw it. There, nestled in the shadow of an enormous half dome on the far side of a glacial valley, was a towering palace of glistening, opalescent ice. The structure was as massive as it was striking, far taller and grander than the Arendelle castle. Multiple minarets rose from its corners. A large balcony hung over the main entrance, a staircase of ice crossing over a deep chasm to the doors. The whole thing sat halfway up the mountain, protected by sheer cliffs on all sides.

There was not a doubt in Lara's mind. Elsa made this. This was where she ran off to. She finally found her.

"That's it!" Olaf said, bouncing excitedly on Lara's back as he pointed. "That's Elsa's–ah!"

In his excitement, Olaf's hold on his head laxed. His bouncing was enough to allow the wind to blow it off his body once more. It went spinning away behind them, only for Lara's tail to quickly smack it onto the top of the mountain before it could go rolling down the side. She banked hard back towards the peak and landed beside his head.

"I said hold onto your head," Lara said as she knelt, allowing Olaf's body to hop down and fetch the rest of him.

"My bad!" said Olaf as his head was reattached. He then walked to the edge of the peak and looked over, whistling in amazement at the drop. "Whoa! Good thing it didn't fall down there! Then I'd really lose my head!"

Lara chuckled and shook her head as Olaf ran back to her. Then she turned her attention to the palace, retying her shemagh around her neck. "So, I'm guessing that's where Elsa is?"

"Yup!" said Olaf, nodding vigorously. "That's it! Elsa's ice palace!"

Lara slung her pack off and fished her spyglass out, pressing it to her eye. The palace came into view, filling the circle. She surveyed it top to bottom, looking for any signs of Elsa or defenses. She saw nothing of either. The palace had no artillery, no battlements, and no living snowmen. None outside, at least. That might be a different story indoors. And Lara could not rule out the possibility of traps. Snow was excellent for hiding those, and she still did not have a full grasp of Elsa's abilities. For all she knew, one wrong step would set off a magic landmine and freeze her solid.

"What's that thing?" asked Olaf, tilting his head as he watched Lara scout.

"It's for looking at things that are far away," said Lara.

"Ooh! You mean like a telescope?"

Lara looked away from the spyglass to him. "Yeah…like a telescope. How do you know what that is?"

Olaf shrugged to indicate he had no idea either. "Can I look? Can I?"

Lara handed the spyglass to him, watching in case he dropped it. He brought it to his eye the wrong way. "Huh…that's weird. Now it's really far away."

Lara took the scope and flipped it around, changing his perspective.

"Oh!" Olaf giggled as he put his eye back to it. "Whoa…now it's really close! You can see everything!"

"So, what's the layout?" asked Lara.

"Of what?" asked Olaf in return.

"Of the palace. What's the inside look like? How's it built? Any snow guards I should worry about? Or traps?"

"No idea," said Olaf, now using the spyglass to look down at the valley. "I've never been in there."

"Never been…what do you mean you've never been inside!?" Lara exclaimed. "Elsa made you, didn't she!?"

"Yup!" Olaf turned to her, not taking the spyglass off his face. He lifted his head up, causing the spyglass to collapse towards him and make it look like one of his eyes was significantly larger than the other.

"Then how have you never been in her palace!?" demanded Lara, her tail twitching in agitation.

"She didn't make me in the palace!" said Olaf, not picking up on her vexation. "She made me…" He opened the spyglass back up and looked down below the palace. "There! Right there!"

Lara followed Olaf's finger as he pointed to a patch of pines below the palace. "Wait, so she made you down there, and then made that up there?"

Olaf started to nod, but then shook his head. "Maybe? I think she was up there when it happened. But she made me down there."

Lara looked to the spot again. There was almost a half mile of mountain between it and the palace. Why would Elsa put that much distance between herself and her creation? What purpose did that serve? Unless…

Lara knelt beside the snowman. "Olaf, have you actually seen Elsa?"

Olaf lowered the spyglass and scratched his head. "Um…not really."

Lara frowned. "Define 'not really.'"

"I mean, I have this sort of memory of her," said Olaf. "I know what she looks and sounds like. But I don't think I've actually met her. All I remember is nothing and then poof! I'm Olaf and I–!"

"Like warm hugs. I got that part. So, you've never really met her?"

Olaf shook his head. Lara was starting to think Olaf's creation may not have been intentional, and not just because of where Elsa brought him to life. Why make what was effectively a defenseless snow-child nowhere near where you were building your literal winter home, and then let him go wandering around the wilderness for days with knowledge of where his creator was hiding out? It did not add up. But if Elsa really did make Olaf by accident, that worried Lara no less. How could she perform such powerful magic without realizing it?

Lara blew a long exhale. She had more questions than answers once again. Maybe she should have gotten at least a little information on Elsa from Grand Pabbie. "Is there anything you do know about the palace?"

"Elsa lives there!"

"Besides that, I mean."

"Hm…" Olaf turned the spyglass back to the palace. "I know the bridge is the only way in or out. And the only way up is over there."

"Good to know." Lara collapsed the spyglass and stood. "Guess it's time to knock on the door."

"What're we waiting for, then?" said Olaf as he ran towards the edge of the peak. "Come on! Race you there!"

"Olaf, wait!" said Lara, chasing after him and flinging a wing out to block his way. "I need you to do me a favor!"

Olaf spun to face her. "Ooh, I love favors! What is it!? Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!"

"Just hold on a second and I will tell you!" Lara pulled her wing in and leaned down to him. "I want you to wait here."

Olaf's face fell. "Here?"

Lara nodded. "And I want you to keep an eye out. If I don't come out of there by sunset, I need you to go find my friends and tell them I found Elsa. Can you do that?"

Olaf nodded. "Tell Elsa you found your friends out of there before sunset! Got it!"

"That's right, tell Elsa I…wait, no!" Lara grabbed Olaf's arm as he started running off again, only to pull it out of him once more. She dropped it when the arm started moving in her hand. "Why!? Does!? It!? Do!? That!?"

Olaf stopped when he realized his arm was gone and ran back to Lara. "Oops! Can't forget that!"

"Olaf, I will go see Elsa," Lara reiterated as Olaf put his arm back. "If I don't come back by sunset, I need you to go that way!" She pointed in the opposite direction of the palace. "To where my friends are!"

"Oh! Why didn't you say so?" asked Olaf.

"I did say…never mind! Just remember to tell them Lara sent you."

"Can do!" said Olaf. With that he began walking away to find a spot to wait, but then he stopped. "Um…where do I find your friends, exactly?"

"They'll be in a big valley full of fog." Lara put the spyglass to her eye and searched about. From up here she had a terrific view of the landscape. It was distant, but she found the foggy valley the trolls called home. "Out there! See it?"

She allowed Olaf to take the spyglass as she pointed in the direction. "Wow! I see the valley! And the fog! But I don't see your friends. Are you sure they're there?"

"Yeah. Or, they will be." Lara took the spyglass and stowed it in her pack.

Suddenly Olaf grabbed the hem of Lara's jacket and started jumping up and down excitedly. "Oh! Oh! I just had a great idea!"

Lara was not sure what counted for a great idea from someone whose brain was literal snow. "What's that?"

"Why don't you kick me to your friends?" said Olaf.

Lara rolled her eyes. "Har har. Very funny, Olaf."

Olaf blinked at her. "I was? You didn't laugh very much."

Lara blinked back at him. "Wait, you're serious?"

"Yeah! That way I can tell your friends you found Elsa without waiting for you! It'll be way faster than walking! And you sent me pretty far last time! You could get me most of the way there!"

"That was just your head! Which, by the way, I'm amazed is still intact! I can't kick you that far! And you'd fall all the way to the bottom of the mountain! What if you break!? Or your parts get separated!?"

"Hm…you do have a point." Olaf scratched his head in thought, and then he perked as if a light came on. "I know! Use that cloth thing on your neck to keep me together!"

Lara sighed. This was either madness or genius, and she was not sure those were exclusive in this case. But the sooner Kristoff and the others knew she found Elsa, the better. Especially if things went sideways. She would fly Olaf back herself, but time was of the essence. And Olaf did survive her earlier kick remarkably intact. She did not even dent him. A fall from here could not be much harder than that. She pulled the shemagh off her neck and tied it securely around Olaf's head and body, making sure all the knots were tight and none of his parts could slip out. Then she picked him up and took several steps back, aligning herself with the valley.

"Ready?" Lara asked. "Last chance to back out."

"Ready for takeoff!" Olaf declared.

"Don't blame me if this destroys you!" Lara took a few quick breaths and then ran at the far end of the peak, building her speed. She was almost to the edge when she did a hop-leap, pulled her right leg back, and then punted Olaf as hard as she could.

It was at that exact moment Lara's magic decided to spike, pumping more than ten times her normal strength into her leg. At the moment of impact, there was a flash of magic from where her foot struck Olaf's lower half as his own magic flared to protect him. Olaf glowed brilliant white for a split second as the two colliding magics reacted with explosive force, creating a sound like a crack of thunder.

Elsa was about to go into her bedchamber when a distant rumbling sound reached her. It sounded like thunder, but she did not remember seeing storm clouds outside. Not thunderheads, at least. Maybe a rockslide, then? Repeated cycles of freezing and thawing could loosen large slabs of stone from the mountains. Perhaps one of them finally succumbed?

Then she felt something. For a brief instant she felt an intense, hot sensation push against her as though she were standing too close to an explosion. It was familiar as well. She felt this before. Like that night in Arendelle before the coronation, when she saw the light on the fjord. And again two nights ago, while she was gazing at the stars. It was that same feeling of pressure and heat.

Then the sensation disappeared as quickly as it came. Elsa was still for a moment, listening and feeling. She heard nothing. She felt nothing. Whatever it was, it was gone now.

She shook her head. "Must've been my imagination." With that she continued into her bedchamber, fully intent on sleeping through the day.

Lara did not kick Olaf off the mountain. She hit Olaf with enough force to knock down a house, the two houses next to it, and the trees in the yard. The snowman was launched into the air as though strapped to a rocket shot from a cannon packed with dynamite. He went sailing into the sky as the momentum of Lara's kick caused her to do a double backflip in the air before dumping her headfirst into the snow.

"See you soooooooooooooonnnnn…!" Olaf yelled back, his voice fading away as he flew.

Lara sat up and shook the snow off, watching with awe as Olaf dwindled out of sight. She meant to hit him hard, but not that hard! How was that little guy still alive after a hit like that!? How did she even manage a hit like that!? She tried to stand up, but immediately fell as her right leg flared with pain. Every joint in it was aching fiercely, the muscles cramped and burning from exertion. Lara hissed as she sat down, massaging her leg out. She began to worry it was permanently damaged when her healing did not kick in, but two minutes later she felt the pain rapidly fade away. Soon her leg was no worse than before. She stood up, testing it with her weight. There was no pain or weakness.

"Such a strong and noble fire could only be from his clan. And yet…I sense it is unstable. Changing."

Lara looked at her leg, and then at her hands. "Changing into what though, Grand Pabbie?"

She shook her leg and turned around. She could worry about her world-record snowman kick later. Right now, she had a job to do. She needed to get over to that palace, find Elsa, and get her to end this winter. But flying to the front door was likely not a good tactic. Elsa was liable to see her as a threat in this form, and she did not need someone with her level of magic to start shooting at her. She would have to arrive there the old-fashioned way–on foot. Still, she could at least get close and shorten the hike. And the climb would give her time to figure out what to say to Elsa without things descending into a fight. The last thing she needed was a repeat of Anna.

Shouldering her pack, Lara ran towards the opposite edge of the peak and jumped off, spreading her wings as she glided into the valley.

It was another awkwardly quiet day for the "Find-Elsa-and-End-the-Magic-Winter" expedition. The tension among them was not as oppressive as yesterday, but it was still present. Anna and Ariel both rode in the front of the sled with Kristoff, the former queen seated between them. Melody chose to stay on Tempest, clearly not wanting to be any closer to Anna than necessary. Ariel did her best to try to keep polite conversation going to break the mood, but Anna and Melody both felt like keeping to themselves. Anna's face was also properly swollen now, which made talking uncomfortable for her. She was starting to look like a chipmunk harvesting blueberries for hibernation. Kristoff was being…well, Kristoff. Which was bossy, frank, and terse. Unless it concerned ice or reindeer, that is. Then he was an open book. Maybe a little too open, if Ariel and Anna were being honest.

They were now traveling along the outskirts of the Valley of the Living Rock. The mountains rose like stone walls to their left, fog falling over the ridgelines like water overflowing a bowl. They passed the occasional vent as they trekked, the girls relishing the brief warm air before moving on. They could do without the smell, though. It reminded Anna of one time when she forgot about some snacks hidden in her stuff drawer. The stench when she opened it was…no, she dared not recall it.

"How much further?" asked Ariel, noting how the shadows of the trees had grown.

"It's not far now," said Kristoff. "Another two, maybe three hours and we'll be at the mouth of the valley."

"Why don't we just go up and over?" asked Anna, looking at a low saddle in the mountains. "We've got rope. And you could carry Ariel, probably."

"Too steep and too much ice," said Kristoff. "You'd need serious climbing gear to even attempt it. You'd need to be a serious climber, too. And we'd have to leave Sven and the sled behind."

Tempest looked over at Kristoff, narrowing his eyes as he gave a nicker to remind Kristoff he was still here and did not like being left out.

"And your pet horse," added Kristoff.

Tempest shook his head, nostrils and temper flaring at being called a pet. He kicked a hoof-full of snow straight at Kristoff, plastering him in the face. Ariel and Anna shrieked as bits of snow hit their necks, immediately melting and running down under their clothes.

"Tempest!" scolded Melody, giving his reins a sharp jerk. He threw his head, resenting the tug on his face.

"Hey!" yelled Kristoff as he brushed the snow off.

Tempest looked away from him, feigning innocence. Sven saw this, and he was not about to let the equine get away with snowballing his best friend. He dipped his antlers down, hauling up an impressive mass of snow between them. He then lobbed it at Tempest's head, but the snow went a foot ahead of him and struck a tree. Tempest gave a taunting neigh before pulling his lips back to expose his teeth in the horse equivalent of a smug grin. Sven, however, merely grunted knowingly and nodded to the tree. A piece of snow fell right on Tempest's nose amidst the sound of groaning branches. The grin fell off Tempest's face as he looked up and–.

WHUMP! A pile of snow came down right on Tempest, covering him in snow from nose to shoulder. Melody yelped and scooted back in her saddle to avoid getting hit. The horse's mane and fur were flecked with cold white, but some of it clung to the whiskers around his mouth and above his eyes to form what looked like bushy white eyebrows and a full beard. Sven gave a haughty toss of his head as if to ask who was laughing now. Ariel and Anna burst out laughing, only to quickly cover their mouths at the look Tempest shot them before he shook the snow loose. Even Melody's grumpy mood was momentarily broken by the sight, stifling a snort as she tried not to smile.

"Knock it off, you two!" said Kristoff as he pulled his cap off, beating the snow from it. Tempest neighed loudly at him and then gave an irked snort.

"I think he's saying you started it," said Ariel.

Sven grunted and then "barked" something in response that made Tempest pin his ears back and swish his tail.

"Sven! Language!" said Kristoff sharply.

"What did he say?" asked Anna.

"Something that doesn't bear repeating!" said Kristoff. "No more snowballs! From either of you! I'd rather change my clothes after we get to the valley!"

"And I'd prefer not to get–!" Melody forgot her words as she looked around, suddenly bringing Tempest to a stop. "Hey, does anyone else hear that?"

Kristoff pulled on the reins and Sven brought the sled to a halt. "Hear what?"

Anna cupped a hand to her ear. "I don't hear anything."

"Me either," said Ariel.

"Shh!" Melody said, putting a gloved finger to her lips. "Listen! It's getting louder!"

Anna listened, as did everyone else. All they heard was their own breathing and the faint crunch of snow under Sven and Tempest's hooves. The animals' ears were perked now, likely hearing the same thing Melody did. But then Anna did start to hear something. It was distant but growing louder by the second. It sort of sounded like a voice, as if someone was yelling from very far away. But where was it–?

"IIIIINCOOOOOMIIIIING!"

Everyone's head turned to the sky above valley. An orange and white object came hurtling out of a cloud straight towards them.

"What the–!?" was the unanimous exclamation from Anna, Ariel, Melody, and Kristoff.

"Watch out for my buuuuuutt!" the object yelled down. Suddenly the orange flew off it, drifting about about in the air as the white object fell like a meteor. Moments later the thing slammed into the snow barely seventy feet ahead of the sled, spraying a cloud of white over them like a wave. Ariel and Anna screamed, covering their heads as they hunkered down behind the brush bow. Tempest neighed and reared, dumping Melody into the snow before running into the forest and hiding behind a tree. Sven reared as well, pawing at the air as Kristoff tried to keep him from galloping off. The reindeer bellowed and bleated, but he set his feet down and held his ground, steam puffing out his nostrils as he sniffed for danger.

"Melody!" Ariel all but threw herself over Kristoff to hop out of the sled, only to yelp and flop face first into the snow when she tried to stand. "Right…fins."

"Anna, hold these!" Kristoff ordered, dropping Sven's reins in her lap and leaping out of the sled. He grabbed Ariel by the back of her dress and tossed her unceremoniously into the back of the sled before running to Melody. "You okay?"

Melody sat up, shaking snow off her. "I'm all right." She looked about and found Tempest, shooting a dirty look at him. "No thanks to you! Some brave and noble steed you are! I'm telling Lara about that when she gets back!"

Tempest neighed and stomped his hooves, indicating she could tell the Solar King himself for all he cared so long as whatever just tried to murder them all from on high never did it again.

"What was that!?" asked Ariel as she sat up in the sled, brushing snow off before hauling herself back into the driver's seat.

"I'm not sure…" said Kristoff, staring at the white crater where the object fell. The impact created a ten-foot-wide depression in the snow, a smaller and deeper round hole punctured in the center.

"Wow! That actually worked!" said a muffled voice from the crater.

The hair on everyone's necks stood on end. Whatever fell out of the sky at them was still in that hole. And now it was talking!

"Anna, get the shovel," said Kristoff, not taking his eyes off the hole as he and Melody stood. "And the ice axe."

"Yeah…sure…" Anna said, not looking away from the hole either as she groped blindly for the would-be weapons in the back of the sled. Ariel leaned over the back and grabbed the tools, handing them to Anna who quickly tossed the ice axe to Kristoff. He caught it easily, Anna hopping out of the sled with the shovel as the two began stalking towards the hole. Melody looked around and grabbed a downed branch, brandishing it like a club as she followed. Ariel hid in the sled's seat, straining her ears as she listened.

Step by step Anna, Kristoff, and Melody cautiously approached the hole as the voice continued talking. "So much faster than walking! And sledding! And flying! Not as comfortable, though!"

The trio stopped just outside the hole, looking at one another as they prepared to confront the intruder. They all nodded in agreement, and then Kristoff began counting off silently, mouthing the words for them to see.

"One…two…three!" They all leapt forward, weapons raised as they peered into the hole, prepared to smash whatever came out of it.

None of them knew what to expect. But it was not the small disproportionate animated snowman who sat upright, rearranging the flimsy sticks that were his hair with his hands…which were also sticks.

"There! Good as new!" The snowman looked around and noticed them. Then he smiled and waved. "Hi! I'm–!"

Melody flinched backwards as she gasped, tripping on her cloak and dropping her branch. Kristoff's eyes widened in utter shock, the ice axe falling out of his grasp. Sven let out a distressed bugle and backed away, lowering his antlers defensively. Tempest gave an alarmed neigh and ran to hide behind an even farther tree. Anna's reaction was the most "energetic" of all of them. She dropped the shovel and screamed, then ran in and kicked the snowman's head off his body. She meant to kick it into the woods, but instead she delivered a glancing blow that sent the head spinning through the air and into Kristoff's hands.

"Hello!" said the snowman as it came face-to-face with him.

Kristoff stared at him for a moment. "Nope!" Then he threw the head to Melody, who caught it upside down.

"Hi there!" said the snowman, smiling at her.

"Aaahhh!" screamed Melody before she threw the head to Anna. The snowman's body was out of the hole now, chasing after its head.

"No! I don't want it!" said Anna before passing it back to Kristoff.

"Right back at you!" said Kristoff before returning it to Anna, who immediately threw it to Melody.

"Don't give it to me!" said Melody, lobbing it to Kristoff before scrambling upright. Kristoff then threw it to Anna, who fumbled with it before knocking it back to Melody.

"What's going on over there?" asked Ariel from the sled. "Who's that talking?"

"Please don't drop my head!" pleaded Olaf as Melody threw him again.

"Head!? What head!?" exclaimed Ariel in shock and confusion, poking her head up to see. "Whose head!?"

Olaf landed in Kristoff's grasp once more, maintaining his cheery smile as he noticed Ariel. "Oh! Another one! Hi!"

Ariel's face paled as she realized a snowman's head just talked to her, and then paled some more when she saw his headless body pause from chasing its missing part to wave at her.

"It's alive!" she screamed, ducking back down in the sled and covering her head. "Why is it alive!?"

Anna caught the head again when Kristoff tossed it, then spied the body coming towards her, stick arms outstretched. It made her stomach do a flip and she screamed again, throwing the head at it as hard as she could. It knocked the body down and sent it skidding a few feet back. Then the snowman sat up and turned around, his head upside down on his body. His brow furrowed in confusion, not understanding his new way of looking at the world.

"Wait, what's happening right now?" asked the snowman. "Why're all of you hanging of the earth like bats?"

Anna and Melody backed away towards Kristoff, alarmed by what they were seeing. There was nothing about this that could be explained naturally. It looked like a snowman, but it was talking and moving on its own! This had to be magic! And given everything that happened recently, there was only one possible cause for it!

"Anna, what is that!?" demanded Melody as the snowman began trying to put his head on the right way.

"Why do you think I know!?" said Anna.

"Magic snow sister!" said Kristoff and Melody together.

"Wait, you think Elsa made this!?" said Anna.

"Do you have a better explanation!?" snapped back Kristoff. "Because I sure don't!"

"Um, could I get another set of hands, please?" asked the snowman as he struggled with his head, almost dropping it off his body.

Anna stared at the snowman. This was too weird, and she just spent the last two days traveling with a redheaded mermaid queen, a princess with water magic, a fire-breathing half-dragon with a temper to match, and a man who talked to reindeer. And yet, now that the initial shock was over, she got the feeling this…whatever he was, was not a threat. He had not shown the slightest ill intent towards them. He seemed innocent, even. Like a little kid who did not know any better.

"Okay, just…" She cautiously approached him, shrugging off Kristoff's hand as he tried to keep her back. "Just hold on."

The snowman continued smiling as Anna reached down and lifted his head off his body. Then she flipped it and set it right-way up on his shoulders.

"Thank you!" said the snowman gratefully, twisting his head slightly to adjust it.

"You're welcome!" said Anna, kneeling in front of him.

"That's the third time today I've gone to pieces!" The snowman made a giggle/chuckle sound and then walked towards Kristoff. The ice harvester watched closely as the snowman did circles around him, unnerved by that wide smile and large lively eyes.

"Uh…hi?" said Kristoff. "What are you doing?"

"Looking for yours," said Olaf as he looked Kristoff over, frowning when he did not find what he was searching for. "That's weird. Why are yours missing?"

"Why are my what missing?" asked Kristoff.

"Your flap-flap things." Olaf left Kristoff and began circling around Melody. "Yours too. And where's the big noodle on your butts?"

Despite the pain it caused her, Anna was unable to keep from bursting out laughing at the looks on Kristoff and Melody's faces. Melody quickly covered her posterior with her hands and turned it away from the snowman, her cheeks blushing bright red as she backed away.

"The what on my what!?" exclaimed Kristoff in utter bafflement.

"You know! The things Lara had!" said the snowman, folding his arms and then flapping them like wings.

Anna's laughter died immediately. Ariel stopped cowering in the sled, sitting upright with her full attention on the snowman. Even Tempest strayed out from his tree, if only just.

"Did you say Lara!?" asked Melody.

The snowman turned to her. "Uh huh! Why?"

Melody ran up to the snowman and knelt in front of him. "You know Lara!?"

"Uh huh! Why?"

Melody was about to speak when a shadow fell across her face. She looked up and saw the orange thing the snowman was wearing earlier now falling towards her. It was a square piece of fabric. She held her hand out and caught it, immediately recognizing the color and the pattern.

"That's Lara's!" exclaimed Ariel.

"Oh good! You found it! I knew I was missing something!" said the snowman.

"Why do you have this?" asked Melody, holding the fabric in front of the snowman.

"Lara gave it to me! So I wouldn't come apart when she kicked me here!"

Anna blinked at him. "Wait, Lara did what to you?"

"She kicked me here!" repeated the snowman. "So I wouldn't have to walk so far!"

Melody looked up at the sky where the snowman fell from, and then at the shemagh. She groaned and shook her head. "Yeah, he definitely knows Lara. Only she would think of something that crazy!"

"Actually, it was my idea," said the snowman, a little too proudly.

Now it was Melody who blinked at him. "I…stand corrected."

"She's still crazy enough to go along with it," said Kristoff as he joined the group, kneeling beside the snowman. "I have one big and obvious question: who are you?"

"Oh, right! Knew I forgot something!" The snowman fixed his coal buttons and arms. "Hi everyone! I'm Olaf! And I like warm hugs!"

Anna's lips parted as she stared at the snowman. "Wait…Olaf?"

The snowman smiled at her expectantly. It all came back to Anna in a flash. Days outside in the snow with Elsa, rolling large uneven snowballs in the courtyard and hills. Sneaking into the kitchen to nab carrots for noses, the gardens for sticks for arms and hair, and any unguarded fireplace for coal for buttons and eyes. The silly voices Elsa would make as she hid behind their creation, moving his arms as if he were real. Then, after Elsa disappeared into her room and the separation began, the many cards and dolls Anna made of his likeness, slipping each underneath the door that kept them apart. He looked just like Anna used to imagine, right down to the large bucktooth.

Anna's face suddenly broke into a broad smile. "That's right! Olaf!"

Kristoff's brow furrowed in confusion. "Anna, do you know who this is?"

"Yes! I mean, no! I mean, sort of!"

"Elaborate. Now," demanded Kristoff.

"When Elsa and I were kids, we used to build snowmen all the time!" said Anna. "There was one we always built that sort of looked like him! We called him Olaf, and we would pretend that he was alive! Elsa always said he liked warm hugs! She would do his voice for me!"

Melody looked at Olaf. "You and your sister built living snowmen?"

"Not living ones!" said Anna. "Duh!"

Melody scowled angrily at Anna, reminding her she had not forgotten about yesterday for a single moment despite Olaf's dramatic appearance. That, and they were no longer on nearly friendly-enough terms to permit that sort of sass.

"Sorry…" apologized Anna. "But they definitely looked like him! Well, almost like him! He needs one more thing."

Anna ran over to the sled. Olaf followed after her, and then he noticed Ariel again. "Hi! I'm Olaf! What's your name?"

Ariel stared blankly at the snowman as Anna leaned half her body into the sled, rummaging through their supplies. "It…it's really talking!"

Olaf's joyful expression turned confused. "Your name is 'Really Talking?' And I thought Lara Anclagon was a strange name. Oh, and I like warm hugs!"

Kristoff leaned over to Melody. "Why do I get the feeling that's going to be a recurring thing with him?"

"I was thinking the same thing," Melody agreed.

Anna came back out of the sled with a carrot in hand. "All right, Olaf! I have a gift for you! Just hold–!"

Olaf whipped his head around. "A gift!? I love gif–oof!"

Anna went to place the carrot right as Olaf spun and came bounding towards her. Instead of setting the carrot on his face, Anna ended up shoving it right through his head and knocking it off his shoulders, the broken-off stem of the vegetable poking out the back.

"Whoa!" exclaimed Olaf as his eyes rolled about. "Headrush again!"

"Oh my gosh!" Anna cried, covering her mouth in horror. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!"

Kristoff winced as Anna picked up Olaf's head and put it back on his body, neither seeing the hungry look Sven gave the snowman. Tempest was still hiding behind the tree, watching Olaf like a frightened cat as his flared nostrils tried to get a scent from him.

Ariel stared at Olaf for a moment and then the carrot protruding from him. Then her eyes began to lid over as she felt faint, her face going pale again. She leaned against the seat of the sled, groaning as she clutched her forehead. "First it was Captain. Then Glenn. Then Mina. And now this? For once, could we meet a magic being with a head that doesn't come off?"

"I'm really sorry!" said Anna as she knelt by Olaf. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

Olaf stared down at the bit of carrot sticking out of his face. "Are you kidding me? I…am wonderful! I always wanted a nose! Lara tried to give me one, but this is way better! It's so cute! It's like a little baby unicorn!"

Melody looked at Ariel. "I thought Lara said unicorns don't get their horns till they're a hundred years old?"

Ariel shook her head, indicating she did not feel up to debating mythical biology with a talking snowman whose head could come off. Olaf turned about, admiring the tiny tip of the carrot on his face. Anna saw the stem coming out the back and gingerly reached for it, pressing it back into Olaf's head. The snowman's eyes went wide and looked different directions as he felt the carrot move through him.

"Whoa! Hey! Easy!" he exclaimed.

Anna jerked her hand back. "Sorry! Are you still okay?"

Olaf looked down at his now much larger nose, his eyes widening. "Oh, I love it even more! That is a nose!"

"Can you…actually smell with that thing?" asked Kristoff.

Olaf suddenly drew a deep breath through his "nose" to test it. "Yup!"

Kristoff blinked. "How…?"

"No idea, uh…um…" Olaf looked up at him, and then around at everyone else. "Who are you all, again?"

"Oh, right! We didn't do introductions!" Anna cleared her throat. "I'm Anna!"

Olaf turned to Melody. "And who's the other pretty lady?"

Melody blushed slightly at the complement. "I'm Melody. It's, uh…nice to meet you, Olaf."

Olaf now looked at Kristoff and Sven. "And who's the funky looking donkey over there?"

"That'd be Sven," said Anna.

"Uh-huh. And who's the reindeer?"

Melody and Ariel both snorted loudly as they tried not to laugh at the very unamused look that crossed Kristoff's face.

"That's…Sven," said Anna, now realizing she completely misunderstood Olaf's words.

"Oh!" Olaf looked between the man and reindeer. "That's a bit confusing, but okay! Works for me! Hi Sven and Sven!"

"No, no. He's Sven," said Anna, pointing at the reindeer. "He's Kristoff."

"Yeah, he does look grouchy, doesn't he?"

"Not 'pissed off!' I'm Kristoff!" annunciated the ice harvester crossly.

"Is this another of those two-name things like Lara?" asked Olaf.

"No, he's…never mind. We'll clear it up later." Anna turned to Ariel. "And this is–."

"Really Talking!" declared Olaf loudly. "We've been introduced already! Should I call you Really, or Talking?"

Ariel blinked at him. "N-no…my name's Ariel."

Olaf titled his head slightly. "Ariel? Why didn't you say that in the first place?"

Kristoff groaned loudly, holding his face in his hands. "First winter comes back in the middle of summer. Then the girl I find freezing in a barn turns out to be a mermaid. Then it turns out the girl I met in Arendelle is her daughter, and a princess. Then her guardian turns out to be a half-dragon fire sorceress. Then I get hired by the princess of Arendelle to take all of them out to find the new queen who turns out has winter magic and is hiding somewhere out here. Then we get attacked by werewolves. One of the princesses learns she has magic of her own. And now there's talking snowmen falling from the sky! Can this get any more bizarre?!"

Sven started to grunt when Kristoff cut him off. "Do not answer that! Because if it can, I am literallygoing to freak out!"

"So it's Anna, Melody, Sven, Sven, and Ariel!" said Olaf as he went through everyone's names, pointing at them in turn. Then he noticed Tempest over in the trees. "Oh, wow! Who's that!?"

Anna looked at the hiding horse. "That's Tempest."

Olaf's eyes widened, dazzling with fascination. "He's gooooorgeous!" He waved excitedly to him. "Hi horsey!"

Tempest snorted and backed away, not wanting anything to do with Olaf no matter how much he complemented him. Olaf looked himself over and sniffed, wondering if he smelled bad or something.

"Don't worry about him," said Melody. "He's skittish around new people. Olaf, I have to ask you something."

Olaf turned to face her. "What is it?"

"You said Lara kicked you all the way out here. Why, exactly, did she kick you here?"

"Oh right! Also forgot that, too! Lara sent me to find her friends!"

"Olaf, we're Lara's friends!" said Ariel.

"Oh…oh!" Olaf looked around in surprise, then up at the sky, and then back at them. "Well, that makes things easier for me! Talk about a lucky shot!"

"But why did she send you to look for us?" asked Anna.

"That's the other thing!" said Olaf. "Lara wanted me to tell you she found Elsa!"

If a record were playing, it would have scratched to a very loud and complete stop. Everyone gasped, including Sven and Tempest. Even the forest seemed to go quiet at his announcement.

"Olaf…what did you say?" asked Anna slowly.

"Lara found Elsa!" said Olaf, smiling at her. "And she's going to talk to her right now!"

"Where!? Where is she!?" Anna demanded frantically, grabbing the snowman's hands and accidentally pulling his arms off his body. "Where's my sister!?"

"Whoa, whoa! Easy with the arms!" said Olaf, looking down at where is arms used to be.

"Oh! Sorry!" Anna put his arms back on his body. "But she really found Elsa!?"

"Uh-huh!" said Olaf as he nodded.

"Where is she!?" asked Anna.

"Which one?" asked Olaf.

"Elsa!" said Anna. "And Lara! Both of them, I guess!"

Olaf pointed the direction he flew from. "About a hard kick in that direction!"

"Just how hard are we talking?" asked Melody.

"Um…I'm not sure," said Olaf. "We were on top of this mountain looking at this other weird mountain with a big ice palace on it."

"Ice palace?" said Kristoff with poorly concealed interest. "What ice palace?"

"Shh!" said Anna. "Let him talk!"

"Then Lara kicked me, and then I went really, really high!" continued Olaf. "And then everything got really, really small! And then I started coming down really, really fast! But I think she kicked me too hard, because I was supposed to come down in a foggy place and I went over it."

"Wait, wait, wait! Lara tried to kick you into the Valley of the Living Rock!?" asked Kristoff.

"Yup!" said Olaf, as though Kristoff just asked him if Lara took him out for ice cream.

Kristoff looked at Ariel, who rolled her eyes and sighed. "Yeah…that's Lara all right."

"You said the ice palace was next to a weird mountain," said Kristoff. "What did it look like?"

"It was really big," said Olaf. "And sparkly, and blue, and pretty, and icy, and–!"

"The mountain!" Kristoff clarified bluntly. "What did the mountain look like!?"

"Oh, the mountain!" Olaf chuckled innocently. "My mistake! It was really big, and sparkly, and white, and pretty, and icy…!"

Kristoff slapped a hand over his face and groaned in exasperation.

"And it had this big, round dome-y thing on top of it!" added Olaf. "And a really big hole in the side of it…or would it be a gorge? Maybe a chasm?"

Kristoff looked up at him. "Wait, did you say dome?"

Olaf nodded. "Yeah! A big one!"

The ice harvester pulled one of his gloves off with his teeth and began drawing something in the snow with his finger. In less than a minute he had a crude drawing of a large mountain with a steep half dome atop it.

"Did it look like this?" asked Kristoff, pointing to his creation.

Olaf looked down at the drawing. "That looks just like where Elsa is! You're really good at drawing, Sven!"

Anna's eyes widened as she looked at the drawing. She had never been there, but she would recognize that mountain anywhere. "Kristoff, isn't that…?"

Kristoff nodded. "Yeah. No doubt about it! But how did Elsa get all the way out there!? And on foot!? And how did Lara get you all the way here from there!?"

"How far away is it?" asked Anna.

"It's over fifteen miles from here!" said Kristoff. "Or as Lara flies, I guess."

"F-fifteen miles!?" exclaimed Anna, Melody, and Ariel together.

"As the crow flies!" added Kristoff. "Or, as the snowman flies, I guess."

Anna turned to Olaf. "Lara kicked you from all the way over there!?"

"Pretty neat, right?" said Olaf, not struck by just how unbelievable and absurd his flight truly was to the group.

Melody looked down at the drawing. "What is it? What is that place?"

"There's only one place it could be," said Anna. "That's the North Mountain! Which means–!"

She looked up, meeting Kristoff's face as the two of them said, "Elsa is at the North Mountain!"

Olaf looked around at the group, then suddenly did a double take as he noticed Anna's bruised cheek for the first time. "What happened to you face!?"

DISCLAIMER: I do not own "Frozen," "The Little Mermaid," or any of Disney's intellectual property. Everything else, however, is mine =)