The Fifth Element

>**3**<

Elsa took a deep breath, running a finger gently down Bruni's back. The small salamander, despite his size, was powerful. He flicked his tail, looked over his shoulder and tilted his head, mouth open in what could be a smile. 'You'll keep everyone safe while I'm gone, right Bruni?' The lizard leapt off her palm and into the thicket, Elsa assumed that meant he would. Elsa shouldered her satchel and looked around, fingers crawled up her spine and Gale tugged at her hair. She looked back at the enchanted forest and backed deeper into it's depths. Elsa had left the forest before, for the weekly games of charades (which had turned monthly as Anna's queenly duties progressed) or other none-charade related activities. But each time she returned it got harder to leave.

Elsa looked at the sea, the gentle waves lapped the shore. She curled up on the sand and trailed her fingers gently on the ocean surface, she heard the water trickle and looked up from the surface, bowing her head at Nokk. He treaded over to, bowing back as she rose. The water horse rippled gently with each of his small movements, his eyes glowed as she stepped towards him, he would take her to Arendelle, but she would have to find her own way home like always. She stroked his shoulder, hoisting herself onto his back and fishing a small origami crane from her satchel. 'Gale?' She queried, the wind picked up around her she let her hand fall from the crane. 'Take it to Anna, please.' The wind whisked the crane away. 'Come on Nokk. Let's get to Arendelle.' The water horse snorted, small droplets coming out of his nose as he turned and went against the current towards Arendelle. The water that created his form flowed backwards from the way he walked, following the current of the dead sea. Once he got away he would speed up without the resistance that anchored him.

The sun was slowly rising as the forest faded away, Elsa closed her eyes and lifted her head, baring her neck to the heat. The cold never bothered her and the warmth was something she welcomed. The incredibly thin layer of frost that had coated her skin since she was born perspired gently. She felt droplets trickle down her spine and shivered delightfully at the feeling. Summers in Arendelle were always warm, granted her isolation never really allowed her to enjoy summer, but she had vague memories from her younger years of beautiful festivals and markets lining the streets with citizens and royals alike mingling together. When her parents died, the festivities went with them. She pressed a hand to her heart at a sharp pang. She missed her parents, of course, although sometimes she would remember the treatment she had experienced growing up, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. And it was partly her fault. If she hadn't been so afraid of her power as a child and had learned to control it at a young age she could've spent more time with her family.

Elsa took a deep breath, opening her eyes as Nokk sped up. Cliffs rose around them, carved and moulded by the hundreds of years worth of water that flowed through them. The smell of salt teased at her senses, resting in the back of her pallet while the wind roared past her ears, Nokk fell into a beautiful rhythm, his hooves dancing across the surface of the water with droplets and small waves kissing the skin of her legs. Nokk threw his head, the wind embraced her and tickled her sides the river swelled in some places and the cliffs stretched before her. Nokk's speed had always amazed her, riding him made her feel weightless and free. She pressed her palm gently against his neck, his ears pricked and he looked at her briefly. She inhaled again, the air chilled in her lungs Nokk sped up even more and the cliffs around them broke and fell away, revealing Arendelle. Her old kingdom curled against it's surrounding hills and mountains. Nokk slowed to a stop as Elsa looked over Arendelle, the flags were flying high, the wind bustling them. Nokk began to walk towards the dock, trading ships were moving in and out of the docks, unloading their riches and goods. As they got closer, Elsa spotted two people on the dock with a reindeer and a snowman, they hadn't seen her yet. 'Stop for a second, Nokk.' She cooed, the water horse listened. Elsa brought her hands up, creating mini snow people out of thin air. She willed them towards the four figures, coaxing Nokk to follow them. The snow people reached her family before she did, drawing their attention while she was a metre away from the end of the dock. She dismounted Nokk and was promptly embraced by her sister.

'I missed you!' Anna proclaimed, Elsa returned her hug.

'I missed you too!' Elsa cheered back, hugging her tightly, she nestled into her sister and inhaled the familiar scent. Then held Anna at arms length and scanned her, 'you look beautiful, Anna.' Her sister had definitely fallen seamlessly into the role of Queen Of Arendelle better than Elsa ever had.

Anna smiled brightly, 'you look more beautiful.' Elsa smiled back, feeling her heart swell at the compliment. She spun around and bowed at Nokk in a final farewell, the water spirit, who had been waiting patiently, bowed back and melted into the water. Elsa faced her family just as an over excited snowman leapt into her arms and looped his stick like arms around her neck.

'Hi Elsa!' Olaf cheered.

'Hi Olaf.' She hugged him tightly then looked up and a stifled a laugh. Kristoff rubbed the back of his neck. He was dressed in the official royal greeting robes of Arendellian kings, Elsa looked at Anna who shrugged innocently. 'I must say Kristoff, that doesn't really suit you.' Elsa teased good-naturedly, stepping towards her brother-in-law and messing up his gelled hair.

'Ha, ha.' He fake laughed dryly, trying to smooth out the dirty blonde strands. 'Good to see you again Elsa.' He hugged her.

'Good to see you guys again.' Elsa agreed, inhaling the familiar summer smells of Arendelle. She hadn't been back to her old kingdom in a while, and she'd be lying if she said she didn't miss it. The kingdom was her birthright, and yes she had passed it on to Anna, but there was still a sense of powerful kinship that she had with the citizens of Arendelle that was stronger and more prominent then the kinship she had with the Northuldra people. Anna held out her hand to Elsa.

'Come on, there's so much to do and not enough time to do it, let's go!' Anna cheered, skipping down the dock with Elsa in tow.