Show Yourself (An Elsa Fanfiction)

Chapter Two: Flying Free

The next morning arrived all too quickly, and when it did, it brought its own problems. Elsa hadn't slept much throughout the remainder of the night, and even when she had, she had been plagued by nightmares of screaming people, their mouths wide open and their eyes terrified. In fact, she had dreamt so vividly that her emotions had got the better of her, and she'd cast the whole of her hut in snow as she slept. She had cleared all of that away and made a small breakfast, and now she was thinking about what she could do next.

On a sudden whim, almost as if to stop herself from deciding otherwise, she whistled down to the water that flowed underneath her home. Immediately, a plume of liquid shot up out of the river before it rearranged itself into the form of a stallion, its mane glistening and swirling with the patterns made by the now-obedient water.

Smiling, Elsa stepped up to the horse and laid her hand on it. The nokk whinnied, and then solidified into crystalline ice.

"There's somewhere I need to go." Elsa told it as she swung onto its back. Seemingly out of nowhere, Bruni appeared, and with a giant leap that defied his small size, landed on the base of the horse's neck. Something was happening and he didn't want to be forgotten.

With a kick of its shimmering hooves, the nokk took off at a gallop. Like Elsa, the nokk was not bound by the laws of nature, and so its speed did not impact its grace. It swerved corners and navigated the forest like it was free of gravity.

Elsa couldn't help herself: she grinned. As the wind blew through her unbound hair, it caught in the back of her throat as she and the nokk charged along, so that soon her very breath was taken away. Her heart pumped fast with adrenaline; in her mind's eye she could see her body becoming one with that of her mount. Her eyes sparkled with joy as she practically flew; the only thing that stopped her from entering the stratosphere was the tightness in her thighs as she kept herself upright.

She had loved her parents in every way, but they were wrong about one thing. She might have been safe in her bedroom locked away from everyone, but she wasn't free, and without freedom, safety was worthless. Once, four years ago, she had sung a song about her newfound freedom, but now... now she truly understood what it meant to be one with the wind and sky.

All too soon for Elsa's liking, she reached the Northuldra camp on the Western Ridge. The arrival of the fire, water and unifying spirit could hardly go unnoticed, and Elsa received more than a few glances as she dismounted and put Bruni on her shoulder, from humans and reindeer alike. The water nokk evaporated, and with graceful yet determined steps Elsa walked into the centre of the camp to find who she was looking for.

She didn't have to search for long. Yelena was having an intense discussion with some other Northuldra nearby the smoky remnants of a breakfast fire – one of whom was Honeymaren. Elsa caught her friend's eye as she approached, and they exchanged small smiles.

Upon turning, Yelena saw Elsa behind her, and the Northuldra elder inclined her head in a slight bow. "Elsa."

"Yelena. I need your help. Something is calling me... again." Elsa explained feebly.

"I see. What kind of call?"

"Screams this time."

"I see. Just nightmares, perhaps?"

"No." Elsa said determinedly. "Not this. This is something real. I'm certain of it."

"So you must go and find it." Yelena said matter-of-factly.

Elsa made a face. She had expected the wise woman to say as much.

Yelena continued. "When I first met you, I told you that we only listen to nature; that when nature speaks, we listen." She took Elsa's hands and enclosed them in her own. "You are part of that now too. If you speak, we will listen. We believe in you." The old woman smiled kindly at her and then walked away.

Elsa watched her go, her heart still troubled.

"You know, I'm surprised that we were the first ones you came to."

Elsa turned around and saw Honeymaren walking towards her. "What do you mean?" she asked the younger Northuldra woman.

Honeymaren shot her a knowing look. "I mean... wouldn't you want to seek the advice of your sister?"

"I can't just keep going back home every time things get complicated. Anna is Queen of Arendelle now. She's busy, she's a ruler, and she –"

"Always has time for you." Honeymaren finished warmly. "Go on. Go and see her. Even if she doesn't know anything, those all-seeing, wise busybodies of trolls definitely will."

Elsa looked out at the horizon. She heard the scream again: loud and desperate, calling her – begging her – to come and help, in whatever way she could.

"Okay." Elsa said decisively. "To Anna it is."