Frozen: The Blackest of Tidings

Chapter 8: The Blackest of Tidings

A HORSE nickered as its owner approached it, the dull sounds of hooves hitting the soft mud muffling in its ears as he placed a feeding bucket to its mouth. Balder manoeuvred through the cluster of soldiers that roamed the camp, his hand clutched to his sword hilt as he grew tense in their company. Frowning as he approached Kristoff who sat on a wood stump near a tent, he stomped hard on the ground, drawing his attention.

"Uh, did I do something?" Kristoff chuckled.

"Though my Queen is no longer present, I'm still sworn to do my duty to protect you." Balder huffed. "Dude, what're you doing here?"

"Isn't that what the guards are for?" Kristoff grazed a whetstone against the axe.

"How would I keep an eye on you when you're all the way here?" Balder lowered his eyelids.

"I'm just sharpening my axe, that a problem?" Kristoff raised his brow.

"Only if you plan to participate in this war."

"Why else would I be here?"

"Kristoff, we are going against the Order –,"

"And you think I don't know that?" Kristoff sat back. "I know what's going to happen here and I need to be prepared."

"You're a prince; you're not supposed to fight here."

"I'm not a prince."

"Well, you're betrothed to Anna, which means you'll become one." Balder shrugged.

"And you're sleeping with Queen Elsa, so I wonder why you're still acting like you work for her." Kristoff smirked.

"I –," A soldier interrupted Balder.

Kristoff chuckled as the soldier spoke to Balder, returning to sharpening his axe. Though he was afraid of what was to come, he was determined to do anything to ensure Anna's safety even if it meant sacrificing himself. Turning away from the soldier, Balder walked up to Kristoff who set the whetstone aside.

"The scouts have located the fortress in a mountain a few leagues away from here. We're heading out now."

"Great." Kristoff stood up. "I'll go get Sven ready." He began to leave.

"Kristoff." Balder held his shoulder, halting him. "You have to consider what you're getting yourself into." He removed his hand. "You're no warrior; you're a mountain man, you could get yourself killed."

"Well, you're just an advisor, so what's the difference?" Kristoff stitched his brows.

"I grew up in Westeros." Balder shrugged.

"But ... okay, that's a good argument, but you're not stopping me. I can't just sit back while Anna's facing who knows what in the fortress." Kristoff frowned.

"Are you sure you're prepared." Balder's face hardened. "The chances of you losing your life are high whether they have dragons or not."

"I am." Kristoff sheathed his axe on his back. "I'm prepared for what's coming."

THE LIGHT of flames reflected in Elsa's eyes, fear and confusion exuding from them as she watched her sister apprehensively. Flames roared around them like a furnace, Anna standing in the middle of the sea of rubble with eyes wide and completely black and teeth gritted as fangs glared. Her hair hovered in its full length, elevated by the flames that exploded from her body. The strawberry blonde locks slowly changed in colour, blood red spreading from the root to the ends that moved upward.

"Anna ..." Elsa's brows furrowed.

Erhard stood a few feet away from Anna, his hands clasped behind his back as he looked at the ruins of his once magnificent fortress. Cocking his neck, he turned to the princess who looked at him with immense hatred. The fires around them receded into the earth, smouldering into strips of smoke that rose to the air, leaving Anna as the only flame burning wildly.