ELSA and ZUKO

Ice Maiden

A bead of sweat slipped down Elsa's cheek as her ship entered Fire Nation waters. She stood at Crystalline's icy bow, her bare hands clutching the frozen rail.

Why was she doing this? There were closer realms, with leaders whose correspondence had been friendlier, but Yelena had been adamant; the Northuldra leader was determined that Elsa expand her powers, starting with learning fire magic from the distant kingdom's recently crowned Fire Lord.

Hopefully, this young king would prove better at magic than he was at extending invitations...

"Elsa of the Northuldra,

I received your edict requesting a private audience with 'the Fire Nation's preeminent magic wielder.' Based on the tattered condition of its arrival, I presume you may already be on your way here across the sea.

Under what sun do you suppose it is appropriate to make such a demand, Ice Maiden? For your sake, I hope that by the time you receive this response you will have changed your mind and returned to your beloved Enchanted Forest. If not, please enjoy every hospitality befitting an overnight civilian excursion upon arrival, but know that should you overstay your welcome or seek a wider audience than I have granted, you will be met with a swift and permanent expulsion from the Fire Islands.

Sincerely,

Fire Lord Zuko"

The nerve of the man! He sounded almost as despicable as Hans of the Southern Isles, which might be a part of the Fire Nation for all Elsa knew. Maybe this volcanic, sweltering place was a veritable breeding ground for arrogant royal heirs!

She sighed, pulling back the hood of her cloak to let the warm, salty breeze weave through her braid. Though the ship was made of ice, Crystalline was enchanted to keep her crew from freezing and her frozen hull from melting into the tide; so she wasn't much help with the heat.

Magic could keep Elsa cool, but she needed to acclimate herself to the warmer temperatures, lest she spend her entire excursion—as the Fire Lord so eloquently put it—wasting her powers on trivialities.

With a single breath of ice, she crossed her arms. So much for keeping her cool.

What was so special about this Fire Nation, anyway? If Yelena had vetted its new leader herself, she might have realized this trip was a fool's errand. The man had the audacity to compare a polite and carefully crafted letter to an edict. An edict!

Was it so far-fetched to believe a fellow royal magic user would welcome her presence? Elsa doubted Fire Lord Zuko had heard of Arendelle or the Enchanted Forest before receiving the correspondence she'd sent to his island kingdom on a water horse, just as she'd never heard of the Fire Nation until Yelena. But apparently, her ice powers were no more impressive to him than her good manners and royal credentials.

She'd just have to change his mind, then... Once she figured out how to find him without getting expelled from his realm. She hadn't come this far to give up now.

"Your Highness, can I get you anything?"

Elsa turned at the familiar voice. Honeymaren stood behind her, her brown eyes shining with concern. The Northuldra girl was kind and loyal, but she could stand to lean less on formality.

"I told you, please call me Elsa. And no, I'm fine."

Honeymaren smiled. "Sorry, old habits die hard. Yelena sort of drilled it into us after you saved the forest."

"No need to apologize. But I don't want you walking on eggshells around me. This trip has been long and exhausting enough already."

If Anna were here, she'd keep Elsa sane. But her sister was busy ruling Arendelle and enjoying newlywed life. As she should. Honeymaren's agreement to join the expedition to the Fire Nation had come as a great relief to Elsa, and she didn't want her closest friend calling her by a title.