Frozen Heart (Kristanna & Elsamaren)

Chapter 9 • Elsa

"Anna...mother was Northuldra!" I say, taking her hands in mine.

"What?" She asks. She looks really confused, and I can't tell if she needs and explanation or if she's processing what I said.

"Think about it Anna. Mother had so many stories about the Northuldra and she knew so many spiritual lullabies and tales. And the scarf...she wore it all the time and it's from one of the oldest families of the Northuldra. She was Northuldra!" I say. Anna's eyes go wide and she covers her mouth with one hand. She has some tears brimming in her eyes. I can see the confused looks of the Northuldra people out of the corner of my eye. I turn to face them, still holding one of Anna's hands.

"Our mother was Northuldra," I say. Their eyes go wide the same way Anna's did and suddenly the wind spirit flies through excitedly. Then the trees begin to light up with small blue specks, as if the fireflies turned blue. Even Olaf lights up from the inside, kind of like a lantern. Suddenly three older men step forward and start singing an old folk song; one that I recognize. Mother used to sing it to us. It became a traditional song for the kingdom to sing at royal events, such as the bell ringing on Christmas.

Groups of other Northuldra people begin to join the song. They're placing a hand on each other's shoulders, forming a spiral around Anna and I. Honeymaren and Ryder put their hands on Yelena's shoulders and she holds her hands out to us, each of us taking on.

"We are called Northuldra. We are the people of the sun," Yelena says. Anna and I both smile at her and look around at the people who are surrounding us.

"I promise you all that I'm going to free the forest and save Arendelle," I say. I hear their gasps of shock they begin to mumble excitedly amongst each other.

"Elsa that's a really big promise to make," Anna says.

"I'll be okay. I can do it. I know I can," I say. Anna gives me a nod and steps back, folding her hands and looking down at the ground. She's always super afraid for my safety. I appreciate it, but right now, it's getting in my way.

"You can stay with us for the night and go on in the morning," Yelena says. She begins to walk, and her people follow. Anna sticks close to Kristoff's side, her arms folded against her body. Olaf hops on Sven's back as he strolls on the other side of Kristoff.

"How?" Honeymaren asks. I jump. Her people are really stealthy, so I never even heard her come to my side.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"How did you become queen so young?" She asks.

"Our parents passed away 6 years ago. Their ship was capsized in the southern sea. It was three years before I came of age and was able to be crowned. It was...a dark three years," I say sadly.

"I'm so sorry to hear that," Honeymaren says. She puts a hand on my shoulder and I feel myself tense up. Physical contact-that isn't a hug with Anna- is something I don't handle well. I stand up straight again and roll my shoulders, causing her to move her hand. That's much better.

"So you have been trapped in this forest all this time? Since the fight between Arendelle and the Northuldra?" I ask.

"Actually, I wasn't alive when that happened. But technically, yes, I've been trapped in here. I was born in this forest. So was my brother Ryder. I've never even seen the full, clear sky. That's Ryder's biggest dream too," Honeymaren says. She motions around as she talks, looking longingly at the sky. I understand her; in a way. All that time I spent locked up in my room, never really going outside. I felt trapped. Like I wasn't allowed to leave.

"I'm going to do what I can to free this forest. I promise you. You'll see the sky soon," I say and put my hand on her shoulder. Her skin radiates warmth, in contrast to my freezing cold hands.

"Thank you, Queen Elsa," she says.

"You don't have to call me Queen. It's just Elsa," I say. She nods and gives me a small smile. She's so different compared to me. She has tan skin with dark brown hair. She's a bit shorter but very lean. Unlike me. I'm extremely fair skinned with the blondest of hair and I'm tall and skinny. I find myself staring at her, studying her features.

As we walk into the Northuldra village, I'm shocked to see how cozy it looks. Their homes are in the shape of tipis, and have doors on them that actually swing open and closed. In between each small square of houses, there's a large fire pit surrounded by stones, with a cast iron pot hanging above it. The fires are burning and some of the elder Northuldra women are making stews for supper.

"Come this way, we'll get you and your sister something to eat and get you warmed up," Honeymaren says. I see Anna standing by the fire, holding her hands over it and blowing warm air on them. Kristoff stands beside her, also warming his hands. The children are having a blast messing with Olaf and Sven.

"I'll be right back," I say to Honeymaren. I walk over to Anna and put my hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" I ask her.

"I'm fine. It's just...really cold tonight," she says.

"Stay here by the fire and keep warm. We'll get going in the morning. I'm going to talk to Honeymaren," I say. She nods and I head back over to Honeymaren. She sits with her brother and parents. Her mother is serving up stew.

"Welcome back Elsa! Are you hungry? My mother makes a wonderful rabbit stew," Honeymaren says. I take a seat on the mat next to her and she passes me a bowl. The warmth from the bottom of the bowl feels nice on my hands.

"Thank you," I say softly. She and her family dig in, and I sit there slowly eating, not making a sound. I'm not really hungry. But I'd feel rude to tell her mother that I don't want the stew.

"You don't have to eat it if you don't want to," Honeymaren whispers in my ear. I chuckle a bit.

"No, it isn't that I don't want to eat it. I just don't have the room in my stomach," I say softly and set the bowl down in front of me.

"That's alright. We can put it back in the pot. It'll stay warm if you want it later," she says. She gently pours the bowl of stew back into the pot and puts it in the bucket of water that I'm assuming they use as a sink.

"Sorry about that," I say, folding my hands in my lap.

"It's not a problem," Honeymaren says. Then her mother chimes in.

"How did you become queen, Elsa? You seem awfully young," her mother says.

"My parents passed away three years ago. Their ship went down in the southern sea during a storm. I was only 18 then. Once I came of age, I was crowned," I say, looking at the fire. It's been a while since I've talked about my parents this much.

"Oh. My deepest apologies dear. I didn't mean to upset you," her mother says. I open my mouth to respond, but then the ground starts to vibrate. The rocks begin to bounce of the ground.

"Earth giants!" Honeymaren says.

"What are they doing down here?" I hear Yelena say.

"Hide!" Honeymaren whispers. People beging pouring buckets of water on the fires and shutting the doors to the houses so the lights don't shine out. As they walk past, I begin to follow in their trail. They may lead me to the answers I need.

"Don't tell me you're about to follow them!" Anna says, grabbing my arm.

"I have to Anna. What if I can tame them? What if they lead me to the answers?" I say.

"Or you will be crushed before you get the chance! Please, Elsa, be careful. Remember, the goal is to get the truth, set things right, and get us home. Alive," Anna says.

"We will Anna. I promise. But first, I've gotta do this. For me," I say. I'm doing it whether she approves or not. Even if I die.