A.N. Chapter one of the re-write! :) Thank you all for sticking with me. Some parts may seem the same, but most of it is different! Flames=Leo Valdez

I

Winter had fallen over Arendelle's fair kingdom, the fiords frozen and snow lightly coating the ground. Laughter filled the streets as people huddled together to celebrate and cherish friends, family, love, and life. Though the Christmas season was gone and past, the charm of winter still surrounded the kingdom.

Elsa sat upright on her throne. Her gaze swept the hall as a smile played at the corner of her lips. Winter was here. From natural causes, and it wasn't even her fault. If that wasn't reason enough to smile, maybe the announcement of a tentative date between Anna and Kristoff was, or the joy Olaf always possessed when summer came, or that she and Anna had finally regained their closeness. The sisters were best friends once more. It had been half a year since she had accidentally frozen Arendelle, and the time was ripe for the renewing of the annual peace treaty between the kingdoms. And speaking of which—

The sleek wooden doors leading to the Throne Room were thrown open as a girl with a long golden plait flanked by two burly guards bounded joyfully into the room.

"Make way for Princess Rapunzel of Corona," the guard proclaimed proudly, beaming, though there was not a single soul in sight. Save the forlorn looking one sitting erectly on her throne. As the guards left, the doors falling shut with a resounding boom behind them, Rapunzel hastend to the raised dais and knelt in front of it.

"Your majesty." The girl sitting perched upon her throne laughed.

"No need for formalities Punzie."

Rapunzel looked up and grinned. "It's good to see you Elsa. Mum and Dad send their greetings. We've all missed you."

Elsa smiled and helped Rapunzel to her feet, the latter taking a seat in the slightly smaller throne beside Elsa's. "Here for the peace treaty?' Elsa sighed. "I guess it's that time of year again. And here I was, thinking that you were here to see me," she quipped.

Rapunzel offered a quiet smile. "Time flies. And you know that's not true. I'll visit you whenever you want." She opened her mouth again, clearly with something else on her mind. "I brought a couple of friends. I hope you don't mind."

Elsa's face lit up. After being confined to her room for so long, she couldn't help but be vaguely excited at the prospect of meeting new people.

Rapunzel, beaming now, stood excitedly. "Jack! Hiccup! You can come out now!" She rocked back on her heels, beaming. Three shapes emerged from the corners of the throne room.

Elsa's eyes widened in surprise. Was that a—dragon?

"That's Hiccup," Rapunzel said, gesturing in the general direction of a brown haired, albeit scrawny boy. A slight, almost invisible limp drew Elsa's eyes to his leg. A prosthetic leg was attached to his left knee. The sleek, black dragon remained by his side. Evidently the dragon belonged to him. The boy—Hiccup, offered a small wave. "-And that's Jack!" Rapunzel concluded.

The white haired boy-Jack, Elsa reminded herself, shakes his head at Rapunzel. He held some short of staff in his hand, that vaguely resembled a shepherds crook. "She can't see me, remember?" Though the words resembled a question, the weary tone of voice in which the white haired boy emitted the phrase seemed rhetorical.

"What do you mean?" Elsa's brow furrowed in confusion. She glanced back and forth between her cousin and her white haired friend. "Are you supposed to be invisible or something?" The threesome—foursome counting the dragon, stopped and gave Elsa flabbergasted looks. "Y-You can s-see me?" Jack stammered out, advancing a step. His blue gaze flitted over Elsa's face almost hungrily.

Elsa couldn't help blushing a little at the intensity of his gaze, even as she wondered how exactly he was supposed to be invisible. "Why would I not be able to?" asked Elsa.

The question hung in the room before falling flat, remaining unanswered. For the second time that day, the doors swung open and a girl about Elsa's age with a crazed mass of red curls sprints into view.

"Merida!" Rapunzel exclaimed brightly, embracing the newcomer. Elsa blinked, startled. It really was a small world.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm confused." That was putting it lightly. "Do you two know each other?"

Merida grinned. "Frost, Punz, Hiccup an ah go ah long, long way back."

"Merida?" Hiccup asked in considerable surprise. Their eyes met, and Elsa decided that the flush that lightly covered Merida and Hiccup's cheeks wasn't just her imagination. "What are you doing here?"

Merida made a face. "Ah'm the ambassador for Dunbroch. Mum thought it would be good practice."

Jack seemed to have to visibly hold back his amusement. "That explains the dress." He waved a lax hand to Merida's rather elaborate attire.

"Stuff it Frost," Merida grumbled. She smiled at Elsa.

"Yer majesty, ah—" Elsa released a long sigh. She was becoming tired of all the formalities that surrounded her duties as queen. And, seeing Rapunzel and all of her friends laughing and reminiscing sent a slight twinge of jealousy and longing through her chest.

"Please, just Elsa."

"Elsa," Merida corrected herself. "We-that is-Frost, Punz, Hiccup an ah have something we want tae show yeh."

Jack had been staring at Elsa in a manner that was beginning to make her feel uncomfortable. Having been isolated from people for so long, having said people stare at her for long periods of time made her feel slightly self-conscious. "Is it true you have ice magic?' he blurted, seemingly unable to restrain himself anymore.

Elsa hesitated for a nanosecond. These are the fellow ambassadors with whom you are about to sign a peace treaty with, she reminded herself sternly. If you can't trust them, you might as well let that treaty and the peace that comes with it go out the window.

"Yes," she agreed quietly. She twirled her hand and snowflakes began to fall from the ceiling. Jack's expression is the emblem of joy.

Rapunzel, grinning from ear to ear, made a sudden grabbing motion, jerking her fists towards the ceiling as a tree begins sprouts from the ground. Branches form, buds quickly forming on the ends.

Merida lifted her arms and the temperature rose in the room, to the point where sweat was dripping off everyone's face, even Elsa's, and it took a lot to get her hot. At the end of the branches, flowers began to bloom from the small buds, sending a rush of color into the hall. Elsa was dumb folded, her mind processing a hundred different theories, each one more inconceivable than the first.

"What—" Rapunzel cut her off with a gentle wave of her hand. Just watch, her eyes communicated.

The flowers seemed to gleam with an otherworldly glow, growing bigger and more brilliant with each second.

Hiccup simply stared at the tree. It's blooms fall to the ground in a sweet surrender and the green, supple leaves turn brilliant shades of orange, red, and copper.

Jack smirked slightly. "My turn," he said. He tapped the tree with his staff and the leaves fell to the floor. Ice began to snake it's way around the tree, coating it in a layer of frost. Within seconds the tree was completely ice-encased. The light filtering in through the window seemed to make the tree sparkle with an otherworldly glow.

Rapunzel made a fist and the tree disappeared, the leaves laying on the floor soon following.

Elsa gaped, open mouthed at the quartet. She blinked several times, taking a moment to recover. Even then, she still had trouble believing that she'd really seen what she'd thought she had. "How did you get the magic?" she asked once she had collected herself, though her eyes remained fixated on Jack.

"We were born with it," Hiccup shrugged. "All except Jack. He uh-" Hiccup trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.

"I got them after I died," Jack finished.

"I'm sorry, died?" Elsa's eyes flashed with confusion, and though she tried to conceal it, perhaps a bit more.

"Why don't the two of you take a walk?" Hiccup asked, breaking the silence. "Maybe you can give each other some pointers."

Jack nodded. "Fine with me. Elsa?" Elsa nodded and led Jack to a side door concealed in the far most corner of the room.

"We'll see yeh at dinner!" Merida called after them as the door slammed shut. Jack turned his head, nodding slightly. Once the duo was out of view, Merida released a snort. "Doubt they'll be back by then, if yeh catch mah drift."

Hiccup laughed as he mounted Toothless again. Rapunzel was confused. "What do you mean?"

"Ah mean," Merida said, laughing again, "that Jack an Elsa seem tae have some awfully good chemistry, if yeh know wot ah mean." She hoisted herself up on Toothless to sit snugly behind Hiccup. "Coming?"

Rapunzel took Merida's offered hand, frowning as she leapt onto Toothless's back. If her mind hadn't been in the clouds, she might have noticed that it wasn't just Jack and Elsa that seemed to have good chemistry. As Merida playfully punched Hiccup on the shoulder, Rapunzel's thoughts were anywhere but on her two friends. She was too busy trying to decipher the unpleasant feeling that was slowly spreading through her body. It was a new sensation, and, frankly, she didn't like it.

…

"Can weh go now?" Merida whined.

Hiccup looked up in amusement. "Mer, we've been here ten minutes."

"Wors' ten minutes o' mah life," Merida groaned.

"Just a little longer," Hiccup said, returning his attention to the volumes.

"Yeh an yer books," Merida muttered. Hiccup sighed, glancing around the library.

"It's no different then you and your archery," he felt compelled to point out.

"Yes, it is," Merida insisted. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Books are boring. Archery isn't."

"You don't have to stay here," Hiccup said pointedly.

"Why Haddock!" Merida said in fake astonishment. "Ah do believe that yer trying tae get rid o' mah!"

"Can't imagine why I'd ever want to do that," Hiccup muttered under his breath. A sharp glare from the redhead and he quieted. "Just a few more minutes Mer."

"Yeh said that five minutes ago."

"Maybe I could actually get some work done if you'd stop bugging me."

"Ah wasn't aware that talking meant bugging in Hiccup langue."

"Why don't you find a book to read?" the boy inquired somewhat desperately.

"Ah already told yeh. Books. Are. Boring."

Their voices were slowly but surely escalating in volume. Hiccup was painfully aware of a sharp glare directed at the back of his neck.

He turned his head very slowly. From the corner of his eye, Hiccup could see the librarian scowling disapprovingly at them. He made an apologetic face and pointed to Merida.

"Ah saw that Haddock."

"So now it's last name basis Dunbroch? Why don't you go talk to Punz or Jack?"

"Frost's with Elsa," Merida reminded Hiccup. "An' ah don't know where Punz is."

Hiccup heaved a sigh. "Quiet. Now."

"Alright already!" Merida rolled her eyes. She grabbed the nearest book and began opening and closing the cover. Loudly.

Hiccup grit his teeth. "Merida! Leave!" he ordered, hissing through his teeth.

"Why do yeh even care about—" Merida squinted at the title of Hiccup's book. "—One Thousand Magical Herbs?"

"I already told you," Hiccup answered in exasperation. "It's for Fishlegs. Now let me finish. Please."

"Fine." Merida sat still again, sighing as Hiccup returned to his book with only a thank Odin.

The question came not three minutes later. "Are yeh done yet?"

…

"So, what happened exactly?" Elsa asked Jack curiously.

Jack sighed, running his fingers through his hair. The question dug up memories that he would've preferred to keep hidden, but if he was to tell anyone it would be this beautiful white haired girl whom he felt himself strangely drawn to.

"It was long ago and far away," he began in mock mystical tones. Elsa rolled her eyes, elbowing him.

"Fine!" he laughed. "So, my sister and I were skating one day—" As Jack continued his story, his expression and tone grew more serious. Though his words reflected his tale, his eyes sought Elsa's face, memorizing every detail. North had told him of the events that had transpired not a year ago. As he began telling about the discovering of his powers, he watched her expression carefully. Truth be told, Jack was curious. Honestly speaking, he was curious about everything, but Elsa made him even more so. He wasn't sure if it was the similarity of their powers, or her firsthand knowledge of isolation, but Elsa intrigued him in a way that he hadn't felt intrigued since he'd met Rapunzel almost six years ago.

"Did you ever visit your sister?" Elsa's inquiry startled Jack out of his revive, and he glanced up at his companion sharply.

"What?"

"After you found out what had happened," she clarified. "Did you ever return?"

Jack shrugged in what he hoped seemed to be an offhanded manner. "No. It would've been too painful."

Silence, then—"I'm sorry."

…

Rapunzel gleefully chased Anna through the castle halls, the two cousins laughing as they went.

The two girls stopped by the gate, panting for breath.

"Can—show me—magic?" Anna gasped out.

Rapunzel grinned. "Of course!" She cupped her hands and closed them, letting her eyes flicker shut for a moment before opening both her eyes and her hands. A small, perfect flower sat in the center of her hands.

Anna exclaimed in delight. "Oh Punzie! It's amazing!"

"Thank you!" Rapunzel smiled. "Flowers were always my thing, but…" She held the flower in one hand and gently touched the end of the bloom. A stem began to sprout, full, vibrant, and green. She breathed gently on the flower, and the petals began to change color, from purple, to pink, to blue…

"It's beautiful!" breathed Anna. She held a tentative hand. "May I hold it?"

Rapunzel grinned. "Better yet," she handed the flower to Anna. "—You can keep it. It's everlasting, just keep it in water."

Rapunzel couldn't help laughing lovingly at the fascinated and enraptured expression on Anna's face as she took the flower. "Thank you," Anna said in excitement, carefully tucking the flower in the corner of her dress pocket.

The duo resumed walking, this time heading outside into the bright sunlight. Anna stopped as a familiar sight greeted her eyes, tugging Rapunzel's arm to get her attention. Rapunzel looked questioningly at her cousin as Anna point and grinned.

Olaf was sitting happily on the castle steps, building an elaborate snow castle.

"Hi Olaf!" Anna called.

Olaf looked up at the two newcomers and laughed a goofy, happy, drunk-on-life laugh. "Hello Anna!" Olaf then cast his gaze on Rapunzel. "Hi! I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!"

"Pleased to meet you Olaf," Rapunzel said, always cheery. She personally found the snowman adorable. "I've heard a lot about you! I'm Rapunzel!"

"Oh!" Olaf's eyes increased in size. "Are you Anna's cousin?"

"Mm hm," Rapunzel nodded. She looked admiringly at Olaf's project. "It's amazing."

"Thank you!" Olaf laughed again. His face fell, though, as a section of his fortress collapsed under the weight of the snow. "Oh no."

"Here, I'll help you," Anna began, but Rapunzel was already on it. She pulled out a paintbrush and carefully began to draw on the snow. Her tongue sticking out as she analyzed the structure, Rapunzel finally nodded, satisfied. Where Rapunzel's paintbrush had touched, snow began to gather, forming the shape that she had drawn. Within seconds Olaf's walls were fixed.

"Oh! Thank you!" Olaf grinned. "Now it's perfect!" Leaving Olaf to his castle, the two princesses turned and strolled into town.

"Hey! Kristoff!" Anna called suddenly. Rapunzel watched with a smile as Anna ran over to her friend and they exchanged a quick greeting. As Anna turned back to Rapunzel and two started walking again, Rapunzel winked knowingly.

"How're things between you and a certain blond haired someone?" she asked mischievously.

Anna giggled. "Fine. Or should I ask how things are between you and a certain ambassador I remember meeting?"

Rapunzel shook her head. Her mind went automatically to Jack. The ambassador had been cute, certainly, and nice as well, but he definitely hadn't been Jack.

"We're just friends. He writes occasionally. That's all."

Anna copied Rapunzel's knowing expression. "Right."

…

A knock sounded on Elsa's door as the 21 year old sat at her vanity, combing her hair. "Come in!"

A considerably flustered Anna entered, bearing several dresses. "I don't know what quite to wear," she bubbled. "I didn't want to underdress, but the I didn't want to overdress and—"

Elsa smiled. "You'll look beautiful no matter what."

Anna blushed. "Thank you. You will too." She laid her various dresses on the bed, and Elsa stood, walking over to them and surveying them.

"The green one with the blue sash matches your eyes," Elsa offered.

Anna smiled. "Thanks!" she chirped, standing. "See you at dinner?"

Elsa grinned. "Of course, oh, and Anna?"

"Yes?"

"Do you want to move your room back in here?"

Anna beamed.

Elsa took that as an answer.

…

"Merida…" Hiccup moaned. "Please don't!"

His friend shook her head determinedly, a smile playing at the corner of her mouth. She brandished a bow which she was trying unsuccessfully to shove in Hiccup's hands.

"Ah sat through the library," she argued. "Now it's your turn."

"You weren't exactly a model of sophistication either," Hiccup muttered under his breath."

Merida crossed her arms. "A deal's a deal Hiccup." Hiccup heaved a sigh, taking the bow. Merida positioned herself behind him, showing him how to hold the bow and how to sting the arrow in. Once she'd deemed his posture satisfactory, she nodded, stepping back. "Go ahead."

Hiccup bit his lip in concentration, focusing on the target about twenty feet ahead. A relatively short distance, but it seemed lightyears away to the poor boy. He carefully pulled back the arrow as instructed and let loose. The arrow soared through the air, clearly not going to make it. Hiccup made a gesture that he hoped was subtle with his hand and a wind picked up, the kind of wind that knock the leaves from trees and guided the arrow along, planting it firmly in the center of the target.

Merida rolled her eyes. "Cheater." But she was smiling nonetheless.

Hiccup laughed. "Come on. It counts." Toothless was laying beside Hiccup's basket of arrows, and now, at a gentle request from Hiccup, flicked his tail, snagging the arrow and bringing it to land at Hiccup's feet. "Thanks bud." Hiccup retrieved the arrow and repositioned his bow.

He glanced at Merida for approval. She nodded and Hiccup released the arrow. His eyes tracking it, said eyes widened as it planted itself on the outer rim of the target. "Did you see that!" he yelped ecstatically.

"A four year old could've hit the target," Merida informed him. "Aim fir the center."

Hiccup stuck out his tongue immaturely. "Lighten up Mer. I hit it!"

"An yeh missed by a mile." But a smile on her face gave her away. "Try again."

…

Anna sat beside Kristoff, Elsa on her other side. While Elsa was preoccupied chatting with an ambassador, Anna turned her attention to Kristoff.

"How do you like everything?" Anna asked. "It's no troll feast, but…"

As a maid poured more glogg into Anna's cup, Kristoff took another bowl of his soup critically.

"It's no mushroom soup," he joked. "But it'll do."

As Anna grabbed another piece of bread, someone standing silently behind Elsa's shoulder caught her attention. She grabbed Kristoff's arm. "Who is that behind Elsa?"

Kristoff looked up. "Whom?"

Anna pointed. "Behind Elsa's chair."

Kristoff squinted, frowning. "I don't see anyone." He shot Anna a joking look. "Are you sure you're feeling okay?"

"Haha," Anna replied, her mind not on Kristoff's words. She frowned again at the strange boy, trying to figure out whom exactly he was.

Jack could spot Elsa's sister, Anna, sitting beside her sister's chair. And, from the looks of it, she could see him, too. Jack gave an experimental wave. Anna blinked in surprise. A pause, and then she waved as well, sending Jack a grin. The blond man beside her nudged Anna, no doubt asking her why she was waving to open air.

Jack could barely believe it himself. Day one in Arendelle was almost over, and with it had come two more believers. Well, the believers and the murder plot… But as Elsa began telling Jack about how Olaf was created, Jack firmly decided to put the matter to the back of his mind with a mental note to talk to Hiccup, Punzie, and Merida later. Unpleasant details such as that was best dealt with at later times.