Frozen III: Zenith

Chapter 1

Sparks fly. In the fire, a log falls, crumbling to ash as it dies. Its death is not pointless, however; it yields warmth to those around it, warmth much needed during disturbing times.
"It's only a matter of time," King Agnarr says lowly.
"A matter of time till what?" Queen Iduna responds, not paying attention to her husband. Rather, she is staring at the ceiling above, tired and sleepless in the bed next to Agnarr.
"She's going to want to know," Agnarr explains. "She'll ask if she has powers, too."
"Well, what can we do?" Iduna wonders. "It's not like we can lie to her."
"But haven't we already?"
"What do you mean?"
Agnarr says nothing, his silence speaking volumes.
"We lie here without sleep, every night," Agnarr complains, "tossing and turning, wondering if we did the right thing."
"We did," Iduna assures. "Don't worry."
"And yet I do. Is there nothing that can bring me a moment's peace? If she finds out about her past, questions will be raised. She won't trust us. She'll spend her entire childhood trying to figure out how to use them. Even if there is no threat."
"Agnarr--"
"And what if there is a threat? Maybe we should have listened to them."
"What was done cannot be undone. Instead, we adjust for the future. Whatever happens, happens."
"Mama! Papa!" A distant voice calls from downstairs.
"Oh, no," Agnarr murmurs as he and Iduna leave the warmth of the bed for the unknown chill downstairs.
They run to where they believe the call originated. Shut doors block the couple from the grand hall. They struggle to open them; the doors are as if frozen shut. When they finally enter the hall, snowy hills and pillars decorate the room, and frosty ice with jagged patterns covers every surface.
"Elsa, this is getting out of hand," Agnarr runs to the focal point of the scene: his eldest daughter, Elsa, holding her unconscious younger sibling, Anna.
"It was an accident," Elsa defends herself. "I'm sorry, Anna," she hugs her sister.
Iduna takes Anna into her own arms. "Oh. She's ice cold," she realizes worriedly.
"I know where we have to go," the king becomes determined.
*~*~*~*
"Fear will be your enemy," Grandpabby tells Elsa, closing his frightful visions as the princess seeks solace in the person of her father.
"No. We'll protect her," Agnarr says. "She can learn to control it, I'm sure. Until then, we'll lock the gates. We'll reduce the staff. We will limit her contact with people and keep her powers hidden from everyone. Including Anna."
"We can still play together, right?" Elsa tries to find any spark of hope she can.
Agnarr and Iduna share the same sorrowful expression. Elsa sees this and starts crying, trying not to.
"I know," she says. "I don't want to hurt her again."
"We know." Agnarr hugs Elsa. "Let's go. We need to be ready for tomorrow."
The family gets up and leaves, not saying another word. Agnarr manages a weak smile at Grandpabby to thank him for his help. Other than that, no communication goes on.
*~*~*~*
Agnarr and Iduna fall tiredly back on their bed.
"It had to happen," Agnarr rubs his eyes. "It just had to happen."
"The important thing is she's going to be okay," Iduna expresses optimism.
"That's true, that's true," Agnarr agrees. "If anything, really, it might help her."
"Wait, what?" Iduna is confused.
"Think about it. If she doesn't know Elsa has powers, she won't ask about herself. She won't learn about her past."
Iduna sighs. "As good as that is, I can't bear the thought of them spending their childhoods separate from each other. They love each other."
"I am as disappointed as you are, if not more so. I just wish we could find a way to cast out her powers."
"Whose?"
"Preferably both, but Elsa's," Agnarr confirms. "No magician could help, not even Grandpabby. We need to find its source. That could be the clue we need to get rid of her powers."
"As special as they are, we have seen the danger. It's for the best to try to find the source to use it to destroy her powers. I will use what I know of the spirits to locate it."
"And when we find it, at the least, I want answers. At the most, I want her powers gone."
*~*~*~*
(Begin flash-forward) The metallic sound of an unsheathed sword echoes in a dark, gloomy room.
"Anna, this is crazy," Kristoff warns his wife as she grabs a shield to go with the sword in her right hand.
"Are you thick?" Anna asks Kristoff, shoving the weaponry at him and going back to rummage through old wooden chests.
"I'm just saying," Kristoff tries to explain, "You can still run. Let me fight. I can't lose you again."
"No," she says strictly, not looking up from her search. "We stand our ground. We defend everything we've worked so hard to earn. He won't win."
Anna throws a helmet over her shoulder, which Kristoff catches, despite his arms being full.
"It's a suicide mission," Kristoff informs, growing angry.
"Not if no one gets killed," Anna says. She shuts the chest, stands up, and looks out the lone window as the sun's last rays go out.
"Anna, I know you're the queen and all," Kristoff argues, "but this. This is crazy. You can't take on this guy."
Anna turns around. Kristoff sees the worry mixed with determination in her eyes. For the first time, he feels scared-- scared at the possibility of losing Anna, or Elsa, or any of those he calls family.
"It's all going to be okay, Kristoff," Anna says, trying to keep her cool to maintain her husband's current level of anxious calm. She walks right in front of him and takes the helmet. She polishes it with her sleeve's end at the side of her wrist, and puts it on Kristoff's blonde head.
"What if it's not?" Kristoff wonders aloud. "What if everyone dies?"
"We're not going to die," Anna says, shaking off the possibility. Looking Kristoff squarely in the eye, she commands, "I'm going to help how I can, and you can, too. You're going to be fine. I'm going to be fine. We're all going to be fine. No one is going to die. Now let's go and finish what we started."
(End flash-forward) *~*~*~*
("Present day") "Tell him to stop," Elsa whispers to Anna, "Or I'm going to do something about it."
"Give this to him," Anna whispers back. "It's his wedding day."
"It's yours, too," Elsa argues, "and you're entitled to enjoy it."
"I'm-- Oh, it looks like he's wrapping up."
Anna and Elsa clap, along with the rest of the seated congregation. They all are around circular tables, plates at each spot, some finished, some with a bite or two left. These are set up in the throne room, more commonly known to the common culture as the room where an infamous party was held after an infamous coronation.
"Thank you," Sven says to the crowd through Kristoff's thrown voice. "Thank you very much. I'm here all night."
Kristoff walks off the small stage to sit beside Anna. Sven follows and sits at his spot. Two chairs had to be removed to make room.
"That took forever," Elsa criticizes harshly, stirring nothing with her fork.
"Did it?" Kristoff wonders. "It felt to me like only a few minutes."
"It was forty-five minutes," Olaf confirms, giving Kristoff a stopwatch. "If I were best man, I would've said more in half the time."
"I'm sure of it," Kristoff goes along.
"If we're going to have dessert before morning comes," Anna tells Elsa, "you'd better get up on that stage and say your speech."
"Probably," Elsa agrees. "It's not like half the speech time was wasted."
She gives Kristoff a look.
"I think," Kristoff shares, "that half the speech time should be for the groom's side and half for the bride."
"The bride should get at least two-thirds," Anna contends. "It's a scientific fact that women talk more than men, and the speeches should reflect that."
"She got that right," Olaf whispers to Kristoff, who high-fives the snowman under the table.
The argument is ended by Elsa, who calls "Excuse me" to the ignorant crowd, trying to get their attention. Their ignorance is short, and the chatter quiets almost instantaneously.
"Um, hi," Elsa begins. "I'm Anna's sister. Elsa."
"We know!" Someone calls.
"Good," Elsa continues. She takes a deep breath, displaying stage fright. "Anna and I didn't really, um, have the closest of childhoods. But I guess that makes our connection stronger. Slowly building our relationship as sisters instead of being forced into it, and being separated for years, kind of makes us appreciate each other more. Anna, I want you to show the same commitment you've had towards getting me to build a snowman, that same commitment to go into your marriage with Kristoff. I know you'll do just fine. Kristoff... good luck."
Claps and laughter ring up from the attendees as Elsa goes back to her seat, sighing a sigh of relief.
"Well, that's over with," Elsa expresses her gladness.
"Elsa, how long did you have that planned?" Anna asks in wonderment.
"I was kind of spontaneous," Elsa confesses.
"It was beautiful," Anna compliments. "And concise."
"Don't blame me," Kristoff defends himself. "Blame Sven."
"Wait," Anna changes the direction of the conversation. "What did you mean when you said 'Kristoff, good luck'?"
"He'll tell you at some point," Elsa tells Anna.
"I will?" Kristoff reacts.
"Some point will come," Elsa declares. "Because time's always moving. But the important thing is that we're there for each other."
*~*~*~*
There for Each Other
Elsa:
"Time's waiting up for no one.
It goes on without sign of end.
So we need to cherish the little things
That wait around the bend.

Like speeches and weddings and fun times,
Building snowmen and playing charades.
I find that life's littlest joys
Are the biggest, at the end of the day.

No matter what comes,
We're there for each other.
The five of us, someday six?
As time passes by,
We're there for each other.
We're really an odd kind of mix.
I mean, really? Snow and ice powers, queen, mountain man, snowman, and reindeer. Not what really anyone would expect."

Anna:
"We're living life to the fullest.
We'll never stop having fun.
Laughing and playing all day long
Until the day is done."

Kristoff:
"I love spending time with you.
And by 'you,' I mean the whole family.
Every day is an adventure
Time passes way too quickly."

Elsa, Anna, Kristoff:
"As the days fly by,
We're there for each other.
We're umbrellas in the rain.
We'll help you out,
'Cause we're there for each other
To take away the pain."

Olaf:
"I like to think
That as the days whiz past,
That we live each one like
It will be the last.
Shenanigans, tomfoolery,
Whatever it's called,
It's the best activity
Outside or in the halls.
The five of us together,
Four when Elsa's not here,
She's away too much,
They should more the Forest near.
'Cause then it'd be the five of us,
Sunup till sundown,
Living life in Arendelle
Where good times abound!"

Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf:
"Through sun and snow
We're there for each other,
Enjoying our own company.
Summer, winter,
We're there for each other,
Even when you're across the sea.
Miles away,
We're there for each other,
While our lives go on unknown.
Weeks out of sight,
We're there for each other.
Where we are is home."

So, that's the first part. Please comment to let me know what you like/don't like, and your guesses for what happens next.