Into the Unknown (A Frozen Fanfic)

Chapter Twelve

TWIGS AND LEAVES crunched under Anna's boots as she stormed deeper into the forest. She gritted her teeth and shoved branches out of her face, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. She didn't know where she was going. She just knew she had to get away from her sister and maybe find her parents in the process.

Anger burned within like a volcano ready to erupt. The further she hiked, the hotter the rage boiled. It built up inside like a dam causing her to feel like she was going to explode if she didn't let her feelings be known.

The trees around her seemed to picture her rage. Their vibrant orange, red, and yellow leaves blazed like fire in the sunlight. She came to an abrupt halt and slammed her foot into the ground; leaves fluttered up from the motion. Elsa lied to her! For years! How could she have never seen it before? They shared a bedroom. Her sister was keeping more secrets from her, she was certain of it.

Anna balled her hands into fists and started walking once again. She raised a hand to her wound and placed it over top of the bandage feeling its sting. She kept her head down staring at her feet as she progressed. She huffed in frustration and looked up just as her face came into contact with a hard, cold surface.

She grunted at the sudden jolt of pain sent through her arm. She stepped back and gripped her wound tighter as it tingled and pulsed with the blood that oozed out. Her head had stopped bleeding, but the hit brought about new pain.

Inclining her head, her face twisted in confusion. A man stood before her, but not a regular man. This man was frozen in ice, an animal with antlers standing beside him. She lowered her hand and stepped an inch closer, curiosity filling her as she glanced over the sculpture. The craftsmanship was amazing, but who would make something like this way out here? And... why hasn't it melted yet? It had every detail from his sharp cheekbones down to the tips of his shoes.

Anna sighed, lowered her head, and sat down at the base of the sculpture with her knees pulled up to her chest. She leaned her head back, the cold ice feeling good against her skull. "I can't believe she lied to me for all these years," she whispered. She rubbed her hands gently up and down her arms, avoiding her wound. "I thought we agreed never to hold secrets from one another, and now Elsa's whole life has been nothing but a secret?"

Tears welled in her eyes. "What else have they all lied to me about? Are they hiding other things from me too? I mean, do they not think they can't trust me?" She slapped her knee in frustration before forcing herself to calm down. She laid her head down on her knees as tears dripped from her lashes. "What have I done to make them hate me?"

"Anna, you have it all wrong."

She gasped and sprang to her feet, the sudden movement making her feel dizzy. She placed an arm on the sculpture's leg, steadying herself. Pushing the dizziness aside, she stood up straight as a familiar face, hidden from the shadows of the trees, stepped into the light. Relief flooded her seeing his face. "You're okay."

Papa took a few more steps towards her. His clothes were tattered, hair muddy, and scrapes of dried blood covered his face. His eyes shifted from her arm up to her eyes. "Better than you by the looks of it." He gripped her shoulders gently. "Anna, we don't hate you. Don't ever think that." He pushed some of the red hair that cling to her dress behind her back. "You're our daughter and we love you very much."

Anna turned her gaze down, avoiding his eyes. "Then why keep Elsa's powers a secret from me?"

He sighed. "We did it for your protection. You once knew... long ago, but that's—"

She gritted her teeth and ripped herself away from him. "I don't need protection! What I need is for everyone to stop treating me like I'm a baby!" She swung on her heels, turning her back to him. "I'm not a helpless little girl."