Show Yourself (An Elsa Fanfiction)

Chapter Six: Pabbie's Potion

As Elsa entered The Valley of Living Rock, jumping down from the nokk and sending it away before stepping forward, she didn't know what to expect. She had only been here once before, and back then, she had been a small child, hiding behind the protective shield of her father.

Father. The memory sent an unexpected pang of loss through Elsa, as she remembered his noble face and kingly manner. While she had forgiven her mother all her mistakes the day she had seen her spirit-self in Ahtohallen, her father had been someone with whom it had been harder to do so; mainly because, unlike her mother, she couldn't see if he was proud of what Elsa had become now. And though her mother's love had softened his heart somewhat, with the prejudiced King Runeard as a father, had he still held a negative view of all things magical, of things like her, deep down in his secret self?

Looking around, Elsa felt a cold sickness enter her heart. The last time she'd been here, Anna's memories had been wiped of all things magic, and in the morning... Elsa felt her soul cry out like a caged bird at the thought of it. She had spent thirteen years in that tiny room, only being allowed out when her parents permitted it, and she hadn't spoken to Anna, ever. In the morning after the last time she'd been here, she had paid for her gifts with her freedom, all because her parents thought they were doing the next right thing.

Elsa blinked, coming out of her reverie. Things were different now, and no one - absolutely no one - would take her hard-won freedom away from her ever again. Now, it was time to help the girl who was so painfully obviously going through the same.

Elsa navigated her way through the moss-covered boulders that she knew were the backs of trolls. Their inanimate forms made her uncomfortable, and she had no idea how to summon them. This was Kristoff and Anna's territory, not hers, and for a moment she envied her sister and the innate friendliness she had, for that was a power in itself. It certainly made things like this a lot easier.

"I'm here to talk to Grand-Pabbie!" Elsa called, hating the nervous quaver in her voice.

Almost immediately, one of the boulders rolled towards Elsa - a movement that was actually quite alarming - unfurled itself, and suddenly Pabbie appeared in front of her, his expression serious and no-nonsense.

"Elsa?" he looked around. "Where is your sister?"

"She can't come with me. Not this time."

Pabbie narrowed his eyes. "'This time'? Oh, what now?"

"I can hear another voice, but it's not singing, it's screaming. I heard it all the way from the enchanted forest; one of the Northuldra there said I should seek your advice, and so did Anna. While I was in Arendelle, I reached out with my powers... Pabbie, the girl is in trouble. She's hurting. I don't know why or how, but I have to help her. The only problem is, she speaks English. Anna says that means she lives beyond the Western Sea. What do I do? And once I'm across the sea, how do I find her from there?"

Pabbie thought a moment, then waved his hands. Glimmering shapes appeared in the sky, and Elsa saw the silhouette of the girl, her mouth open in a silent scream.

"This girl... she is lost." intoned Pabbie. "She has powers that bring beauty, but a storm rages inside her, one she cannot control."

The image in the sky shifted to show Elsa, holding the girl's hand and showing her her ice powers.

"She needs someone. Someone who can guide her, who knows the strength and lure of powers unchecked. That is why she calls out to you. Her heart longs for a freedom she cannot obtain, just as you did. Only that way can she find peace."

"And if I don't reach her?" Elsa asked, gazing intently at the images.

"The strength of her powers matches her emotions. Should you fail, I dread to think of the terror she could unleash on the world." The girl in the vision screamed again, and then the vision turned red and vanished.

As it did, Elsa grew impatient. "Pabbie, I already knew I was going to go to her. My question was... how?"

"Ah. Fortunately, that is simple. Us trolls have a remedy for everything."

He pulled out a small glass bottle with a rubber stopper from the inside of his cloak, opened it, and then waved his hands at the sky again. This time however, there were no visions. Instead, the clouds parted - revealing the northern lights, the kind that had kept Anna awake when she was younger. Elsa could only watch in wonder as the landscape shone with the light of ever-changing ethereal patterns.

Pabbie lifted his bottle up to the aurora borealis, and Elsa was stunned as a tendril of light snaked down from the heavens and began to fill the vial with its aura. Once it was full, Pabbie waved his hands, the clouds reappeared, and he gave the bottle to Elsa.

"Drink this." he instructed. "It'll take you straight to her, wherever she is."

"Thank you." said Elsa, and she lifted the bottle to her lips.

"Wait!" Pabbie cried. "Elsa, if you choose this... returning to Arendelle will be difficult. It is the girl, and only her, who has the power to bring you home."

Elsa stopped. If she didn't calm the girl, there was a high chance she would never see Anna again, or Olaf or Bruni or the enchanted forest. She might miss her sister's wedding, if she ever returned at all. The thought of losing everything she loved made her freeze.

But if she didn't go at all, the girl's desperation would only continue to haunt her. She had reached out to Elsa, and Elsa alone. There had to be a reason why.

"I have to try." Elsa replied, and to her relief, Pabbie nodded. Then, quashing down her fear, Elsa of Arendelle, one-time queen and The Fifth Spirit, drank the essence of the northern lights.

In an instant, she was gone.