The Ice Storm Within

The ᖇᗴᑌᑎIOᑎ

A layer of solid ice coats everything. People huddle around weak fires. Anxiety runs high amongst the villagers and guests.

Two citizens are fighting over a woodpile. "No. No. You've got the bark facing down. The bark needs to be face-up." The man places the bark face-up, but the other man grabs it.

"Bark down is drier."

"Bark up."

"Bark down."

"Bark up."

Like a light in the dark, Gideon moves through the crowd. "Cloak. Does anyone need a cloak?" A woman grabs a cloak and puts it around her. "Gravity Falls is indebted to you, Your Highness." She tells him weakly as Gideon smiles softly as her.

"The castle is open. There's soup and hot glogg in the Great Hall." He hands the stack of cloaks to a guard. "Here. Pass these out." Just then the Duke approaches Gideon.

"Prince Gideon, are we just expected to sit here and freeze while you give away all of Gravity Falls tradable goods?

"Princess Mable has given her orders and-" The Duke interrupts him,  "And that's another thing, has it dawned on you that your princess may be conspiring with a wicked sorceress to destroy us all?" Gideon's nice eyes turn to threatening ones.

"Do not question the Princess. She left me in charge, and I will not hesitate to protect Gravity Falls from treason." The Duke looks offended. "Treason?!"

Suddenly they hear the alarmed whinny of Mable's horse. It returns alone, bucking and kicking. Gideon grabs its reins.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa, boy. Easy. Easy." The crowd starts to murmur, "Princess Mable's horse. What happened to her? Where is she?" Gideon steadies the horse, looks up at the mountain. He sees all the panicked faces of the kingdom looking to him.

"...Princess Mable is in trouble." He calls out. "I need volunteers to go with me to find her!" Volunteers, some from Gravity Falls, some from other lands, rush up to offer their services. "I volunteer two men, my Lord!"

The Duke starts to whisper to his thugs "Be prepared for anything. And should you encounter the King, you are to put an end to this winter. Do you understand?" His two thugs sneer.
                                       ———
Mable, Bill, Keyhole, and Waddles move through hostile terrain. Wind-swept icicles face horizontal. "So how exactly are you planning to stop this weather?" He looks at her.

"Oh, I am gonna talk to my brother." She speaks confidently.

"That's your plan? My ice business is riding on you talking to your brother." Bill deadpans.

"Yup." Bill, so stunned by her casual plan, doesn't look where he's going and ends up with an ice-spike to the nose. He stops short, gulps, and moves carefully around the spike.

"So you're not at all afraid of him?" His voice cracks, "Why would I be?" She questions.

Waddles being the oblivious creation he is, speaks. "Yeah. I bet Dipper's the nicest, gentlest, warmest person ever."

Waddles backs right into an icicle. It runs through his torso. "Oh, look at that. I've been impaled." He laughs it off.
                                         ———
Bill and Mable hit what looks like a dead end. The face of the mountain goes straight up. "What now?" Bill looks around, sighs and digs in his rucksack. "...It's too steep. I've only got one rope, and you don't know how to climb mountains."

"Says who?" Keyhole nudges Bill, who looks up to see Mable trying to climb the cliff's flat face. "What are you doing?" Stifling his laughter, as he finds her ridiculous.