|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2014 12:14:18 GMT -5
Several Hours Earlier...
The blankets of mist had been surrounding the kingdom for over a day now. Most of the outlying citizens of Arendelle had by now relocated to the capitol city itself, as bidden shortly into this whole ordeal. The palace was turned out, acting as a hub for all in need. Whether to house for the moment, to offer a sense of protection or otherwise. The marketplace was full of hastily made campsites for those who had nowhere else to go. Paranoia and fear ran like fire through the people. Princess Anna could feel it when she looked on faces ever-creased with anxiety and foreboding.
Eventually, that fear turned to anger. The people demanded to be spoken to by the Queen. Anna couldn't fathom why the citizenry of Arendelle believed Elsa should know what none of them did. Just because she had the title didn't mean that they could possibly reason holding not knowing. Anna was perplexed, and more than a little irritated at the behavior of her people. This mist wasn't threatening anyone (yet). All it had done was encircle Arendelle. Certainly waiting was the only option they had, just then? Why were the citizens demanding something more substantial from Elsa?
Anna stood alongside her sister as the populace was addressed. They were packed shoulder-to-shoulder in the courtyard of the castle, the throng trailing out to fill the bridge leading to the gates, and even the market square beyond. Elsa's presence alone stopped most of the outcry - something Anna was ever in awe (and a little jealous) of. Rather than the boiling yells from before, the spokesmen of the unrest called out to Elsa as she and Anna stood dutifully on the steps before the doors to the castle. Anna thought they were being far too rude, but bit her tongue from pointing that out. Elsa needed her support, not for her to create more problems just then.
Finally the terse back-and-forth ended in the people from the crowd asserting one possible solution to the kingdom's dilemma. One recourse to get answers, and once it was entertained they would be satisfied. They wanted someone to visit the trolls.
Anna couldn't believe that she hadn't thought of them earlier. She'd been so busy trying to help the people, and Elsa besides after the fog rolled in and encased Arendelle that nothing more had had the chance to cross her mind. Now, the thought of the trolls was a very good one, but there was a large hole in this plan: No one knew where they were. No one, that is, save Anna, and Kristoff. The latter was still out trying to collect families that lived remotely in the kingdom and bring them to the capitol.
Naturally, Anna volunteered to go.
She didn't want to. Not really. Contrary to what most may believe, the reason Anna wasn't keen on going was because of Elsa. She didn't want to leave her sister to shoulder the burden of this crisis alone. Anna had no doubt that the Queen could manage. Maybe even do better without Anna there to distract, or be verbose. She just couldn't help but feel that being there, just in the same room, just close enough to clasp her hand on Elsa's shoulder in reassurance, was more important than answers.
The people weren't going to give up. The idea of the trolls, spoken aloud, was now on everyone's lips. Of course! The trolls of legend would know, and if they didn't then no one in Arendelle would!
Princess Anna did not want to go. But for once, she pulled out the card that Elsa usually frequented: duty. It was her duty to do this. If answers, however slight, could be garnered from the trolls to explain this strange fog... Well, she didn't have a choice, did she?
Ten minutes after Anna had formally volunteered to go to the trolls on the Queen's behalf, the party that would accompany her had been arranged. The Princess gave one last, lingering embrace to Elsa, promised that she'd be back soon, and mounted her horse. Four of the palace guard were going with Anna, and as they set off at a rapid pace through the gates and over the bridge, the quartet moved into position, surrounding Anna in a moving box.
The Present...
Princess Anna had expected it to be a very difficult business. During her entire voyage from the castle to the Valley of the Living Rock, she was imagining how hard it would be to get answers out of the trolls. Anna anticipated them being their normal, evasive, inappropriate and very loud selves. Having to answer a myriad of questions being rapid-fired at her, all the while trying to get to Grand Pabbie for actual, polite conversation. When Anna walked into the mossy alcove strewn with boulders that was the troll's haven (having left her horse and escort at the mouth of the niche in the mountain), it was to silence.
After she stopped in the midst of the rocks that she knew were actually the sleeping trolls, Anna fidgeted, smoothed her bangs, and decided to call out. "Grand Pabbie?" Even this part of her mission was far more simple than she predicted. She hadn't even got out the second word of his title when one of the rocks rolled to her feet and unfurled into the wise countenance of Grand Pabbie. The elder troll stretched laboriously, and heaved a frustratingly long yawn before asking through it, "Princess Anna? What are you doing here?"
"Grand Pabbie," Anna said earnestly, kneeling down, heedless of the dirt that would now streak her skirts, "what are the others doing? Don't you see what's going on?" She looked up to the fog. The valley was at the edge of the kingdom, and after it inhospitable mountain ranges climbed. Or they had. Now the wall of fog was far too close for Anna's comfort, milling along sideways casually. Grand Pabbie glanced over his shoulder at the phenomenon, then looked back to Anna. "They're waiting, my dear. But that wait is almost over, I think."
Anna asked the natural question that would follow such an elusive answer. "Waiting for what?" There came a groan that ran through the fog, like a tremor would through the earth. Anna stood and looked at the wall of impassable vapor, eyes wide and mouth agape. Anarchy unfurled around the princess as every unassuming boulder, pebble and rock popped open into trolls that were crying out in victory and celebration. "For this!" Grand Pabbie yelled, laughing, over the commotion.
Instinctively, Anna held up her hands at the last to defend herself. Then the mist wavered and disintegrated. She dropped her arms and looked as a kaleidoscope of colored stardust that began falling like snow over Arendelle with no sign of stopping. For the first time in over a day the sky was visible again. The trolls' shouts and cries of elation were almost deafening. Grand Pabbie tugged on Anna's skirt, and she bent over double to put her ear by his stony mouth. "The answers you seek should beat you to the castle."
Anna could be dense at the best of times, but Grand Pabbie's words weren't lost on her. "Elsa," she whispered in fear. The trolls didn't seem put-off by what was happening, and the beauty of the stardust as it fell was hard to find fault or vileness in. Anna wouldn't be entirely sedate until she was beside her sister again, and was certain she was all right. The Princess turned and ran from the troll haven, thankfully not noticed by the celebrators, so that she reached her horse and escort unmolested.
"Princess," one of the guards said (the only one not mystified beyond their duty at the glowing stars falling around them), "what word?"
Anna took the guard's offered hand to help her mount her horse. She grasped both reins and, in way of answer, said "To the palace." The sober tone Anna used brought the awe-struck soldiers back to the present, and as one the group set off at a terrifying pace back to Arendelle, and Elsa therein.
Participants: Basil of Baker Street and Elsa