The Quest For Hope

Dragon's Gate: Chapter Eleven

Elsa bounded ahead, exhilarated by the darkness surrounding her. She had already travelled these tunnels, and she moved quickly. Jack trudged behind her, avoiding the broken cobblestones as the path turned from pavement to dirt.

"Elsa," she heard Jack yell. "Slow down. We need to wait for the others." He caught up to her and grabbed her hands, searching for her eyes in the darkness. "Don't get too far ahead; we still have a long way to go."

She sighed, knowing once again that his calm words were right. "Can you feel it, Jack, the magic in here?" She spun around. "I didn't notice it before, but this time is different."

Jack looked around at the broken cobblestones on the ground, the hardened walls, and her, noticing her expectant look. "I may not see it, but I'm sure you do."

Elsa smiled and walked deeper into the tunnel.

"I was thinking," he said, walking beside her and reaching for her hand. "What did you want to name our new territory?"

She tilted her head toward him and bit her lip. "I hadn't thought about that," she murmured. "I guess you're right; it can't be Arendelle."

He lifted her chin up toward him. "I was thinking we could call it Hope. That's what you've given me, and that is what you bring to our future. What do you think?"

The silence in the tunnel grew as Elsa looked at him.

"That would be perfect." She looked up in the darkness and touched the outline of his jaw, rising to her tip-toes for a kiss.

Quick footsteps interrupted their moment.

"Ah, here you are," Pabbie said, handing a torch to Jack while shooting a reproving glance at the princess. "You shouldn't be up here alone without a light. You know how treacherous these tunnels can be. We need to stay together, and besides, we have a lot to discuss. I'll be back soon with the others. Wait here." Pabbie turned before she could utter a sound.

"I guess we wait," she said, snuggling close in the darkness.

"I guess we do," Jack smiled back.

A cloud of dust swept over them when the trailing group caught up. Elsa's breath caught in her throat as the air shrunk around her. Her fear of the tunnels returned.

"Pabbie," she coughed, hiding her face from the onslaught of dirt circling around her.

"Your Highness," he said rushing to her side, offering a green sash to cover her mouth. "This is why we stick together," he began as her coughs died down. "We have a large group, and as we travel, our path strikes up a wake of dust in front of and behind us. By sticking together, the dust will surround us but not subdue us. We have a long road before us in this tunnel." Pabbie continued walking, holding his torch high, his hood pulled deep over his face. "We can rest when we reach the chamber," he yelled back to them.

"The chamber," Elsa whispered. She knew exactly where Pabbie meant.

Walking as a group took longer than Elsa anticipated. On her last trip here, with Kristoff and his siblings, they had moved quickly. This trip was slower, allowing her mind to focus on everything around her, finding details she had overlooked before. Beauty abounded in the symmetry of the tunnels and the sporadic etchings on the walls. Small differences in the hues of the walls spoke to her, beneath the haze of dust. As she concentrated on the walls, a light mist appeared.
She stopped at the side, allowing part of the group to drift past her. Her fingers traced the different shapes on the wall. The soft dirt crumbled beneath her fingers, leaving new impressions in its place. She grew oblivious to the dark shadows passing behind her or their curious stares.