The Hero of Frost (Jelsa/Mulan merge)

Chapter 3

Elsa's POV

I woke up the next morning to trumpets and shouting.

"GET YOUR SORRY CARCASSES OUT OF BED AND REPORT TO THE PAVILION! IF YOU'RE LATE, I PROMISE YOU'LL REGRET IT!"

I dragged myself out of my cot and put on my training uniform. A couple of minutes later I was out on the pavilion with a bunch of guys who looked like zombies. Commander Frost was walking down the line, shaking his head and looking disappointed. When he reached me, I smiled hesitantly.

"Your uniform is backwards," he told me curtly before continuing down the line. My face burned a furious red.

"You're the sorriest bunch of boys I've ever seen!" Commander Frost declared, standing in front of us once again. "And it's up to me to whip you into shape!"

He began pacing back and forth, hands behind his back. I noticed for the first time the gleaming sword strapped to his waist.

"Today is a day of testing!" he announced. "You will each complete an obstacle course, followed by an examination by a physician. Based on your performance, you will be sorted. This test relies on skill alone."

In the end, the test was simple. We each had to complete a timed obstacle course. Then we had to complete tasks with three weapons: bow and arrow, sword, and spear. Then someone took height and size measurements. After everyone finished, we were lined up in front of Commander Frost once again.

"In my hand, I have a list of all of your positions in the army," Commander Frost announced, holding up a scroll. "Listen carefully as I read them to you."

He cleared his throat an unrolled the scroll.

"The elite will report directly to me for training," he said. He read several names, eight in total. None of them were mine. Next he read the spearmen. Kristoff was among them. There were forty or so spearmen. I knew that spearmen was a pretty low rank. In the army it went Captain, Commander, Lieutenant, General, elite, archers, swordsmen, spearmen, and untrained.

"The following men will receive special training as archers," Commander Frost said. "They will train under General Hans. Dimiscus. Sanho. Alexander. Thorn."

My stomach twisted into knots. I was an archer? Sure, I had a little skill with bows. But archers were rare, and were the most important part of the army. They were supposed to kill all of the enemy generals and commanders. Archers were kept under guard because they were usually the soldiers targeted first. It was a dangerous position.

Commander Frost announced the positions of the rest of the men before leaving to train the elite. I realized I had no idea who Hans was.

"Alexander Snow, right?" a redhead asked. I nodded, and he smiled.

"I'm General Hans," he said, extending a hand. "You can call me Hans. Mind if I call you Alex?"

"Sure," I replied, shaking his hand.

"I looked at your records," he told me. "Small. Light build. Quick on your feet. Zero skill with spear or sword, but passable skill with bow. Excellent archer material. If I didn't know any better, I would have said you were a girl."

Hans laughed and I joined in weakly. The three other archers-to-be joined us. Sanho was a short man, shorter than I was, with a thin build and dark eyes. Dimiscus on the other hand was abnormally tall. With ginger hair and green eyes. He grinned at the rest of us. Thorn on the other hand seemed an odd choice for an archer. He was stoutly built, with rippling muscles and dark eyes. His black hair hung in shaggy clumps. He looked well suited to be a swordman, or even in the elite. Certainly not an archer.

"We're all going to be very good friends," Hans said. "Trust me with your life, and you'll be rewarded."

Thorn snorted, but Sanho and Dimiscus nodded. I took a deep breath. I had passed the first test. But now the greater battle remained.