Frosted (A "Jelsa" Fanfiction)

Chapter One - Birch Carvings

Snowflakes fell like feathers across the glistening landscape. Deep chocolaty brown trees were laced with soft blankets of frosted snow. Aside from the occasional deer, the forest was empty, silent, and serene. The sun peeked out from between several puffy white clouds, glazing the fallen snow in a warming light.

The woodland  hills cascaded for miles, and grew into magnificent mountains whose peaks poked the clouds, along with a few who surpassed that height. All of them appeared a grayish purple from a distance, with hints of periwinkle and perhaps a touch of a softer navy.

Arendelle was a long ways away, but the place where Elsa stood now held the same sense of tranquility. Her light steps didn't breach the surface of the snow, and she left no trace of where she'd gone. Anna had been left in charge of the kingdom while Elsa was gone, and unlike any of Elsa's previous adventures and mishaps, this one didn't really have a set destination. It was more of a break, just a little time to recover from the everyday demands of being Queen. Queen. Elsa still hadn't gotten used to the concept however regal her actions appeared to others. This was her chance to not be queen, and Elsa was ready to take it. She'd come back once she was satisfied, she figured. Nobody really knew what lay beyond the mountains of her former ice castle- it was all uncharted and assumed forest.

Elsa wore leathery combat boots, black skinny jeans, and an athletically well-fitted shirt. It was long sleeved and deep blue. Her hair was styled in her usual messy braid. The only other thing she carried was a long bow, and a quiver of arrows - for hunting. The bow was finely crafted, carved from bone. It was engraved with hundreds of symbols in an ancient and long-dead script. A medium sized birch tree caught her eye, and she went to sit down by it, taking a much needed break. She set the bow down next to her in the snow, and took off her quiver. Elsa let herself sink into the snow, tipping her chin up and leaning back against the tree. She loved the lack of responsibility for others- the only person she was required to take care off right now was herself. Elsa hadn't even packed her crown. It was safe, she hoped, with Anna.

A small pile of snow fell from a tree directly in front of her. She opened her eyes instantly, scanning the area without moving an inch. A massive white bird speckled with light brown had landed gracefully on a tree branch near Elsa. At first, she wasn't sure what to do. It was a gorgeous creature, probably a little large for its breed, with good disposition. Killing it wouldn't sit well with her.

And then it turned its head to face her. The bird's eyes were the color of midnight. A saucy dark purple, flecked with a golden amber. They stared at each other for a solid minute. Elsa blinked first. And then it took off, pushing off of the branch, leaving the wood shuddering. It cawed loudly, and left.

Elsa stood up, brushing the snow off her pants. She was absolutely sure she wouldn't harm it, but that didn't mean she wasn't interested in tracking it down. The eyes- she'd never seen anything like them. Turning to her birch tree, she grabbed the lowest branches and climbed it. The bark didn't peel much. It was weird, actually, seeing a deciduous tree in this environment. Elsa pulled a scroll from her back pocket. It was mostly empty, save for the carefully drawn map of Arendelle in the center. Without a pen, she couldn't mark the location of the birch. Instead, she made a mental note. Now, to find the bird. It looked small now, soaring towards the next mountain range in the distance. The bird was headed North.

Summoning ice was easy- it had always been easy. A small sharp dagger crystallized in her hands. Elsa carved her name small in cursive at the base of the tree, several inches above the surface of the snow. Accuracy and precision were almost as easy as summoning the blade itself, they just required a little more focus. 

She dug a small hole in the snow for the sawdust, and used a little more magic to fill in the ditch she'd created by sitting down. The cursive was the only evidence she wanted left behind her, before she left to go North.