Always You

xxxvi. Powerful Princess

Anna

Eleanor made it snow. I woke up, my bedroom covered in a light dusting of ice and snow, and that was when it really hit me that Elsa was gone. I couldn't even get up to check on my daughter as sobs tore through my body, clogging my mind with every pessimistic thought possible as I sobbed at the loss of my sister and my duahgter's normalcy. How could I handle this? I wouldn't hide her away like my parents had, but I was at a loss for how to control her powers. Why did she even have powers? It made no sense. On that note, where had Elsa's even come from? It was inexplicable and heart-wrenching, and Kristoff came into the frigid room to find me in a state of absolute hysteria. I couldn't stop crying, everything in me breaking as I sobbed and let the snow continue. I had no control over myself in that moment, and I didn't protest as he sat down and wrapped his strong arms around me.

"I should have told you sooner," He mumbled, and I shot straight up to look into his eyes.

"You knew?" I spat, anger suddenly welling up within me. He knew our daughter had ice powers and didn't think it wise to tell me? Who does that? I had no words for the anger and hurt and just pure betrayal I was feeling.

"I wasn't positive and I didn't want to worry you," He tried to explain.

"No, Kristoff, you should have told me! She is our daughter, my baby, and you didn't think I needed to know that there was even a chance that she had the same freakin' ice powers that had ruined my entire life? I had hoped and prayed for nine months that she wouldn't end up like this and now she did and the one person who could help doesn't think it's important for her to be here, ruling her own freakin' kingdom!" I screamed, unsure who I was mad at anymore. I was mad at Kristoff for not telling me, mad at myself for holding in my emotions, mad at Eleanor for having ice powers, and straight pissed at Elsa for leaving. Why would she do that to me, to us? She couldn't just leave out of nowhere, it didn't work that way. Where could she be, especially now when I needed her the most? I just wanted my sister. I just wanted things to be normal for once. Suddenly, my anger was gone and I was back to sobbing, walking over to Eleanor's crib and picking her up.

I held her small body to my chest, taking in the warmth of her against me as her chest rose and fell in sleep. She was beautiful, so perfect, but now so dangerous. I cried as I stared into her cherubic face, every fear I had held for the last nine months coming to life as the snow started again and her lips curled into a sleeping smile. I didn't know what to do, and her blue eyes fluttered open as a tear hit her cheek. She looked at me quizzically before yawning, and I realized that I couldn't protect my daughter from herself. I shook my head as Kristoff wrapped an arm around my waist and joined me in staring at our daughter.

"What are we gonna do?" I whispered.

Kristoff

Anna's mood swing was clearly due to her bottling up her emotions at Elsa's disappearance. I hated seeing her hysterical like that, I just wanted to help when I knew the only thing I could do was let it run  it's course. As she stared at Eleanor, utter disappointment and fear in her blue eyes, my heart shattered and I knew what I had to do.

"I'm gonna find your sister." I spoke, serious as ever. We had met on a journey to find her sister, and now it was my turn to be the one looking for her. 

"No, I'm not going to let you go alone." She told me, already guessing my plan.

"Well, you're not coming." I insisted, not wanting her away from Eleanor. For all I knew, this could take months. I didn't know where Elsa was or how I would find her, just that I needed to do it for Anna and I was going to at all costs. I ran a large hand through my too-long blonde hair and looked deep into the eyes of my wife. In the short few months we had been married, we had been through some of the most trying things we would ever experience. I felt like I had aged forty years, but she still looked as beautiful as the moment I laid eyes on her. Her pale skin was soft and freckled, her bright hair soft and shiny, her innocence shining in her blue irises. I loved her more than anything in the entire world and even if it meant searching until the day I died, I was gonna find her sister for her.

"Yes, Kristoff, I am." Her voice was strong as she stomped her small foot. Anna was nothing if not stubborn, and I knew I wasn't going to win this argument. Still, I didn't want to leave our daughter but she couldn't come with us. It was a dilemma, to say the least. I knew we would get nowhere talking about it now, both of us stressed to the max. 

"Why don't we do something fun?" I asked her, knowing that the stress lately had given her nothing to relieve it. She nodded, wrapping her arms around me as Eleanor lay quietly in her crib. She was a quiet baby, rarely crying and only giggling when we played with her. It was something we both we grateful for, as a colickly crying baby wouldn't be much help with our current situation. 

"Like what?" She asked, burying her head beneath my armpit, since she was too short to reach my shoulder. 

"Anything, we could even just lay and watch a movie." I told her, but she looked up at me with wide eyes. 

"Can we just go riding?" Anna had always loved horseback riding, this I knew, and I knew she hated not being able to do it more. I wasn't one to refuse her.

"Of course," So, we changed our clothes and headed out to the stables. In lieu of a horse, I fit a saddle onto Sven since he was less likely to buck me off than a horse. Anna came out with her favorite pony, Ginger, a red-brown mare with a luxurious braided mane and a calm demeanor. She had a love for jumping, shared by Anna, and the two were quite the dynamic duo. As we headed down the trail, I could visibly see Anna relaxing. She became more bubbly, more like the girl I had taken for granted before all of this stress. She looked so young and carefree that I had to take advantage of the crisp, fall air. 

"Wanna go to the trolls and get some cider?" I asked, since we were already in the forest and headed that way. I knew Anna loved warm cider, and I wondered if Grand Pabbie might have some insight on our latest discovery concerning Eleanor. Anna nodded in excitement and we continued to the trolls. When we got there, they immediately pounced on Anna, who they had taken an intense liking to and I actually got a moment alone with the troll I had come seeking.

"Ah, Kristoff, to what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting?" Asked Grand Pabbie, knowing instantly that I had an ulterior motive for visiting.

"IT's Eleanor," I explained as he nodded, "she's got ice powers. How can we-" He cut me off.

"She was not born with them, Kristoff. That is impossible. It must be a curse, a curse placed on the oldest daughter. It is what affected Elsa, too. Her powers should not have been there from birth, as neither of her parents had them. It is a curse that needs to be broken. We cannot control Eleanor anymore than we could control Elsa." He explained.

"But if love contained Elsa's powers, why wouldn't it help Eleanor?" I asked, confused.

"She is too young. Elsa waited until she came of age before controlling her powers, and it will likely be the same for Eleanor. I'm sorry Kristoff, but there is nothing to be done besides breaking the curse." He told me, a sad look on his face.

"How do I do that?" I asked. His eyes grew sadder, if that was possible.

"You would have to find whoever placed the curse and have them lift it, nothing else will work." 

"Yes, but how do I know who placed the curse?" I pressed, confusion and concern pressing heavily on my heart.

"That I do not know, my son." He told me. Disappointed, I walked back to Anna who was happily sipping cider as the trolls tended to Ginger.

"Everything okay?" She asked.

"Yeah," I lied.

***

A/N: Long-ish update! (: I'm only going to post like 10 or 15 more chapters before this story wraps! Thanks for reading, please vote and comment & thank you so much for 36k!! (: