"It's just over the next ridge," Kristoff said, then paused and looked around carefully. "I'm...pretty sure it's just over the next ridge."

Sven bellowed angrily and quickly dipped his head in the direction of a hill to Kristoff's left.

"No, buddy, that's not the right way at all!" Kristoff said. "I'd definitely remember if it was over there."

Sven gave him an are you kidding me? look.

Elsa wasn't angry, but the folded arms and stern look told Kristoff that she was getting there fast. It had been two days since they had left the ice palace, and they were once again below the snow line. A few minutes ago, they had all dismounted to let the horses rest a bit while Kristoff figured out where they were. It was not going well.

Anna said, "Kristoff, if you don't know, it's okay to go back to the village and ask directions."

"Oh!" he laughed, trying to appear nonchalant. "There's no need for that."

"You mean you don't want the locals to know that Kristoff the ice man can't find his way around," Elsa said.

"Look, we're almost there," he said. "Really."

"Your Majesty," the guard captain said, walking up to them. "I think this gentleman can help."

They turned to find a portly man about forty, with thinning hair and a jovial face, walking with the captain. He was leading a donkey pulling a cart loaded with fruits and vegetables.

"He's on his way to market," the captain said. "Since he lives nearby, I thought maybe he could help us."

"Good morning, Your Majesty," the man said, bowing.

"Good morning, kind sir," Elsa said. "What is your name?"

"Georg, Your Majesty."

"You were in Vestfold yesterday, were you not?" Elsa asked.

Georg smiled. "That I was, listening to your speech, and right kind of you to notice and remember. I'm sure I was just another face in the crowd."

"I try to get a good look at the people who are kind enough to pause their day to listen to me." She looked over his cart approvingly. "I hope the recent freeze didn't hurt your garden and your orchard too badly."

"Ah, it hurt a bit, but not enough to make a fuss over. We had just picked all the peaches the day before the ice came, so they were fine. We already had plenty of everything stored up, and we eat well enough as it is!" He patted his belly and they all laughed.

Elsa smiled kindly at him, and wondered if he had been affected more than he let on, but was too proud and polite to say so. She really had no way of knowing, and it would be an insult to ask. She didn't know what to do, and she hated the feeling of powerlessness.

But, ever the master of concealing her emotions, Elsa didn't let any of that show. "Well, we are trying to find our way to the Lake of Fire. Do you know of it?"

Georg's smile slowly disappeared. "Ya, I know where to find that accursed lake. But I only know of it so's I know where not to go."

"Why do you call it accursed?" Elsa asked.

"It never freezes, even when all other water does."

"Is the lake unusual in any other way besides that?" Anna asked.

"That, I don't know, Your Highness."

"Are people harmed if they go there?" Elsa asked.

"Not that I ever heard of, but I have no mind to find out. There's sorcery in that lake, and I want no part of it. All sorcery is unnatural, if you ask me." A split second later, he remembered to whom he was speaking. "Excepting yourself, of course, My Lady!" he said hurriedly, deeply embarrassed.

Elsa smiled and said good-naturedly, "That's quite all right, I know what you mean. And you are wise to steer clear of sorcery. I would also, if given a choice, which I was not. Some sorcery might be good, or at the very least, harmless, but you can never tell. It's best just to steer clear of it, live your life, and take care of your family, like a man is meant to do. Do you have children, Georg?"

Georg's face lit up like the sun. "Three! And a grandchild on the way!"

Out of everyone present, only Anna could see what Elsa had just done, and how deliberately she had done it. Georg had deeply embarrassed himself with his faux pas, and Elsa was trying to be kind and smooth it over. One way to do that was to switch the topic to something which was important to the other person, and which made the other person happy, and for most people, that subject was family. Elsa had guided the conversation onto the topic of Georg's family with a subtlety that was almost invisible. And if that weren't enough, she had spoken the words like a man is meant to do in an appeal to his pride and self-respect.

She really knows how to handle people, and how to deflect their attention, Anna thought. I wonder if that's a skill she had to learn as a child to hide her power. I wonder if she's even conscious that she does it.

Elsa's face broke into a look of pure joy. "That's wonderful! When's it due?"

"We think next month."

"Well, congratulations! May your new grandchild be as healthy as they come."

He nodded humbly. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"And, accursed or not, I must find that lake. Will you please tell us where it is?"

Georg looked somber again. "I recommend staying away from it."

"Normally, I would," Elsa said kindly. "However, as queen, I need to know about the land I rule. I also have questions which this lake might be able to answer, urgent questions I am not at liberty to discuss. It's very important."

Again, Anna saw what no one else did. Elsa covered it up well, but Anna could tell that she was a little irked at a peasant trying to dissuade her from going where she would. The words the land I rule, and questions I am not at liberty to discuss, were a way of putting Georg in his place, and reminding him that she did not need to explain to him why she sought the lake, and certainly did not need his permission. But Elsa had done it in such a way as to render no offense. Once more, her subtlety was as smooth as the ice she had the power to create.

She truly is a magnificent queen! Anna thought.

Georg nodded, then pointed at the hill Sven had motioned towards earlier. "Go straight over that hill, then over the one beyond it."

Sven immediately gave a haughty look at Kristoff, who pretended not to notice.

"Does anyone live near the lake?" Anna asked.

Georg shook his head. "None that I know of."

"Thank you, Georg," Elsa said. "We are behind schedule, so we must be on our way. Don't worry, we hear your warning about the lake, and we will be careful. I promise."

"As you wish, My Lady," Georg said, bowing low.

Anna held out a coin. "And before we part, I would like a few peaches."

Georg looked at the coin. "Peaches I have, but I cannot take the money of my princess, especially one as lovely as you."

Anna smiled. "I'm making a purchase, not levying a tax. I insist. Peaches, please!"

Georg picked up three peaches and juggled them for a few moments, delighting them all. He caught them and handed them over. Grinning widely, Anna flipped him the coin, which he caught deftly.

"Good journey to you, My Lady," he bowed.

"And to you, Georg!" Anna said.

They mounted their horses and set off, Anna already munching on her fruit. "Mmm! These are really good." She held one out to Elsa. "Peach?"

"No, thank you," Elsa said with a smile. "You enjoy."

 

Beyond the second hill, just as Georg said, the Lake of Fire lay sparkling in the summer sun. It occupied about four acres, its surface calm.

Elsa felt a tiny jolt of energy the moment she lay eyes on the lake. She immediately called a halt and stared at it.

"What's wrong?" Anna asked.

Elsa didn't answer. Her gaze was fixated on the water. Anna found it difficult to read her expression.

"It feels strange," Olaf said quietly.

Elsa and Anna looked at him.

"Yes," Elsa murmured, and looked back at the lake. "Olaf would feel it, too."

"Feel what?" Anna asked.

"Anna and I are going ahead," Elsa suddenly commanded. "Kristoff, Captain, take everyone else back a few hundred meters and wait for us."

"Your Majesty, I have grave concerns about this," the captain said.

"So do I," Kristoff said, but his eyes were for Anna.

"We will be all right," Elsa said.

"Your Majesty, how can you be sure?" the captain asked.

"I can't explain it, I just know that it is so," Elsa said, and spurred her horse onward. Anna gave a reassuring look to Kristoff and followed.

The forest was thick at the water's edge almost all the way around the lake. Elsa and Anna carefully wove their way through the trees, following the shore to the left, until they found a bare spot they could reach. It was a short stretch of shoreline which consisted of small rocks and pebbles. They dismounted and stood just out of reach of the tiny waves which rippled ashore.

"Elsa, what did you feel?"

"I can't describe it. All I can say is that it felt familiar, somehow. I can feel this lake. I can sense its shape and depth, in exactly the same way I can sense one of my ice creations."

Elsa slowly bent down, her hand stretched out towards the water.

"Elsa!" Anna whispered.

"It's all right," Elsa whispered back. She reached further, and her fingertips touched the water.

At a point about ten meters in front of them, the surface immediately began churning. They stepped back in alarm.

"Don't be frightened!" Elsa said.

Anna swallowed hard, and tried to have the same trust in Elsa she had had at the top of the ice slide. But this was different, somehow. "Do you really know what you're doing?"

"I think I do," Elsa said, her eyes alive with excitement.

The churning water thrust upward, pushing more and more water into a column which began to take shape. After a few seconds, the shape seemed to be distinctly humanoid.

Elsa and Anna watched, spellbound.

The water became calm again, and standing on the surface of the lake was a figure in the shape of a woman, made entirely of water. The lower part of her legs had no definition, but instead blended into the surface of the lake. Her face had the general features of a woman, but being made of water, it was difficult to see any definition.

"Who disturbs me?" the figure asked. Her voice had an otherworldly quality.

Anna just stared, her mouth hanging open.

"I am Elsa, Queen of Arendelle."

"Why do you disturb me?" the figure asked.

"First, tell me who and what you are," Elsa countered.

"My name is Maren, and I am a nix."

"A water spirit," Anna breathed. "Oh, this is bad news."

"Who are you?" Maren asked Anna. "And why do you pass such poor judgment upon me?"

Anna licked her lips. "I am Anna, Princess of Arendelle, sister of the queen. And I merely warn my queen that nixie lure people into their embrace to drown them."

"Many of my kind do that, but I do not," Maren said. "You would do well to withhold judgment of someone you have only just met."

Anna swallowed hard, and said, "My apologies. I meant no disrespect. I desire only to protect my sister, and since many nixie are dangerous, it was a fair warning."

Maren looked at Elsa. "Why do you disturb me?"

"I came looking for answers," Elsa said. She took off her right glove and created a large snowflake, which hung in the air above them. "I possess the Power of Winter. I seek knowledge and assistance."

Maren looked at the snowflake curiously, then at Elsa. The snowflake vanished.

"Yes, I sense the power within you," Maren said. "It was that power which called me forth."

"Does that mean that we are...similar, somehow?" Elsa asked.

"What is snow and ice but water in another form?" Maren asked. "You are no elemental, yet you wield the power of one. It is a power almost identical to mine."

Anna spoke up. "You mean you control water only when it's liquid, just like Elsa controls water only when it's frozen. That's why you never let the lake freeze; you would lose control of it."

"I don't control natural ice and snow," Elsa reminded her. "Only that which I create."

"And I do not create water, but control only that which is my home," Maren said. "I have absolute dominion over my home whether it is frozen or not. I prevent it from freezing simply because I prefer the circulation to continue."

"Is the similarity of our power the reason I could feel you as I approached?" Elsa asked.

Maren nodded.

"Maren, please tell me, where did my power come from?" Elsa asked.

"I do not understand the question."

"Magic in a human is rare," Elsa said. "Yet I was born with magic. Why?"

Maren shook her head, as if struggling to understand. "Asking me why you have magic is like asking me why the sun rises."

Elsa sighed, realizing it was futile to pursue the question. She sees magic differently, just like Grand Pabbie does, Elsa thought.

"I have trouble controlling my magic," Elsa said. "I could easily kill someone by accident. Can you help me control it?"

"I can, but why should I?"

"You wish something in return?" Elsa asked.

"You have nothing to offer me."

Anna said, "Perhaps you could help her, anyway. She is your queen."

"Is she?!" Maren asked. "And when did this happen?"

"I am queen of this land," Elsa said.

Maren laughed. "I do not reside on land."

"I am queen of this land, and all that is in it. And your home is well within my borders."

"I have no queen, and I bow to no one," Maren said. "I was here long before humans ever arrived, and I will be here long after you are gone. You may have drawn a line on a map and made a claim, Queen Elsa of Arendelle, but this lake is my dominion, and mine alone. If you disagree, by all means, lead your armies into battle to claim me. That would be most amusing."

Elsa considered this for a moment. What would Father do? she thought.

Father wouldn't have pitched a fit over something so trivial, nor would he have gone up against a magical being for a reason as stupid as pride.

"I concede that this lake is yours and not mine," Elsa said. "You cause no trouble. Be at peace, I am not your enemy."

Maren nodded. "A wise decision."

"But I think I can give you something," Elsa said. "You may not recognize my rule, but the people who live in this area do, and they will obey my commands. I sense that you dislike being disturbed by people. Am I correct?"

"I find humans wearisome, and would rather avoid their company," Maren said.

"Then why did you come up to talk to us?" Anna asked.

"I awoke to speak with the one who possesses the power of an elemental," Maren said. "Not you."

"I can order all of my subjects to stay away from your home," Elsa said.

"They do so already."

"For now, but populations grow," Elsa said. "Communities expand. People migrate. You must know enough about us to know that we are restless, and love to explore and settle new areas."

Maren scowled. "It is true."

"So eventually, it will be a problem. But I can order them to stay away from this lake, and I can make it a standing order which future rulers, our descendants, will also enforce."

Maren looked at her appraisingly for a moment, then said, "Very well. In exchange for this, I will help you."

Maren drifted forward. As she did, water flowed up her body, down her arms, and into her hands, forming something. By the time she reached the water's edge, she held what looked like two solid objects, almost transparent.

"Take them," Maren said.

Elsa reached out, and Maren placed them into her hands. Elsa stepped back, and Maren slowly drifted back, also.

The two objects were almost identical. Anna took one of them, and the sisters examined them curiously.

Each was a tube six inches long and about an inch-and-a-half in diameter, open at both ends, tapering a little at one end. Yet it was not a complete tube, as an opening about half an inch wide ran its length. The material seemed to be liquid water, somehow held in place to form a solid, and it had a bit of bend in it, like leather. It was soft to the touch. The design was intricate, with patterns both embossed and engraved onto the surface.

"They are bracers," Maren said. "While you wear them, they will block your power completely."

"Bracers which do not tie?" Elsa asked.

"They will fit snugly, and will never fall off accidentally."

"And I can put them on and take them off at will?" Elsa asked.

Maren laughed gently. "You are wise to ask! Yes, you may do with them as you will. They are not cursed."

Elsa took off her other glove and put the bracers on. Instead of putting her hand into the bracer and pulling it up her arm, the bracer snapped onto her arm directly by using the lengthwise opening. The bracer was flexible enough for her to push it on and pull it off, yet snug enough to remain fixed in place.

As soon as both bracers were on her arms, Elsa's face scrunched up in pain.

"What did you do?!" Anna asked Maren sharply, gripping Elsa's arm.

"It's all right," Elsa said. "I just wasn't expecting that."

"I imagine it is not pleasant to have one's power curtailed," Maren said.

Elsa breathed deeply.

"What's wrong?" Anna asked.

"It's like being smothered by a blanket," Elsa said. "It doesn't so much block my power as stifle it, like having a cold and not being able to breathe." She raised her hands and spread her fingers. Nothing happened.

She smiled. "But it is as Maren said. My power is under control." She looked at the nix. "But I want to verify something absolutely: these bracers will block my power even in my sleep? Even in moments when I lose control of my body?"

"They will," Maren said. "Your power cannot manifest, in any way, while you wear them. But there are drawbacks."

"I would be disappointed if there were not," Elsa said. "What are they?"

"First, you must wear both bracers or neither," Maren said. "If you try to use your power while wearing only one of them, I cannot predict what will happen. Your power might only be partially blocked, sending your magic in an unexpected direction. The results would almost certainly not be to your liking."

"I understand," Elsa said.

"Second, if someone attacks you, and you rely on your power to save you, you now have to waste precious seconds to remove the bracers before responding. This might be your downfall one day."

Elsa thought about this, and her face became tight. "I accept that."

"Third, do not wear them constantly. Your magic is a wellspring. You cannot put a lid on it every moment, or the pressure will build and it will explode like a volcano. I do not know what that explosion would look like, but it would probably destroy you. You must remove the bracers regularly to let your power run free."

"I understand," Elsa nodded. "Is it safe to wear them throughout the night?"

"Probably, but I will not guarantee it, as I have never met anyone like you. I can assure you that if the pressure builds, you will definitely feel it, and you should have plenty of time to avert disaster."

Elsa closed her eyes and breathed out slowly, trying to reign in her emotions. "Thank you, Maren," she said calmly. "I shall issue my edict, as promised, as soon as I return to my castle, which should be tomorrow afternoon."

"I hope so," Maren said. "For there is one final drawback to the bracers. They are still a part of my domain. Think of them as a permanent loan rather than a gift, a loan I can reclaim at any time. They are the means by which I can ensure that you keep your half of the bargain. If any human disturbs my shores, I will instruct the bracers to cease working...or perhaps something worse."

Anna glared at Maren.

Elsa remained completely calm and unsurprised. "So I am wearing booby traps on my arms?"

"As long as you fulfill your promise, they should be safe. I bear you no ill will. If I remain undisturbed, it is almost a certainty that when I next awaken, you will have been dust for thousands of years."

"Queen Elsa can order people not to come here," Anna said. "But to punish her for the tiniest infringement is not fair. A wayward child may come here, or a roaming bandit from beyond our borders. We will do our best to keep this lake undisturbed, and send soldiers to enforce our law if it becomes necessary. But to expect perfect solitude for years is simply absurd. Life isn't that simple!"

"I see your point, and I agree," Maren said. "Do not worry. I will not retaliate against your sister for minor grievances, although I do expect them to be taken care of." She turned to Elsa. "If you feel the bracers become agitated or warm, that is my signal to you that my slumber has been interrupted, at which point I expect a prompt response."

"You shall have it," Elsa said.

"Very well. If our business is concluded, please leave me."

"I still rule the land which surrounds your home," Elsa said. "If I ever have questions about my magic which I think you can answer, I claim the right to come speak with you again."

"Very well," Maren said. "But you, and you alone."

Maren descended into the lake. Within seconds, there was no sign that she had ever been there.

Elsa stood, breathing deeply, her eyes closed.

Anna touched her arm. "You did it! You're free!"

Elsa opened her eyes. Her face looked haggard. "No, you did it, Anna. You were the one who thought to inquire about any unusual phenomena. I would never have thought of that."

"Well, whichever of us did it, I'm happy for you, and I hope this means that all your dreams can now come true!"

Elsa gave a weak smile, but she didn't seem to feel like celebrating.

"What's wrong?" Anna asked.

"These bracers are a great solution, but not a perfect solution. Now that I finally have them, I have reservations. If I had been wearing them three days ago, Eva would be dead. I wouldn't have been able to take them off in time."

Anna squeezed her arm. "We'll just have to make sure you use them with great care."

Elsa smiled. "I love the fact that you say 'we.'"

"I told you. I'm with you on this. All the way."

Elsa gently held Anna's head, leaned up, and kissed her on the forehead. "And I'm alive because of it."

Anna smiled at her.

"Come on," Elsa said. "Let's allow the nix to sleep."

They mounted their horses and rode back to the others.

 

A few hours after leaving the Lake of Fire, they reached the final village on the tour. It was a successful visit full of celebration, like every other stop had been. All the people wanted to visit with Elsa, and she made time for every one of them, her smile never wavering, showing no fatigue.

It was late afternoon when they set out once more, this time for home. As had become the norm, Anna and Elsa rode ahead by themselves. The rest of the company had come to understand that the sisters simply preferred to talk in private. A lot.

"Oh, I am so glad that's over with!" Elsa said. "I am so tired of giving the same speech over and over."

"I heard your speech in my dreams last night," Anna said.

"I imagine you're tired of it, too. You stood beside me and smiled every single moment of every single one. Thank you for that."

"You were the one speaking. I did the easy part. And speaking of dreams, how are yours? I haven't asked lately."

Elsa smiled. "I still have nightmares, but they're different. The nightmares I have known all my life have vanished, and that's mostly because of you, and the way our people have showered me with love throughout this journey." Elsa began to get choked up a bit. "I had expected them to be upset with me, but everywhere we went, they were happy to see me, and were very understanding. To say that it's been life-changing would be an understatement. My life is so full of miracles. I'm so very blessed."

Anna smiled at her. "And I couldn't be happier for you. And as someone who has observed you throughout this trip, may I say you were very wise to take it. If you hadn't, there may have been some resentment towards you, and it would have built up over the years. But the fact that you went to your people, to hear their grievances, to hear their concerns, to show them who you are – it healed a lot, and solidified their love, deservedly so. You never once turned away anyone who wanted to speak with you, and you never once lost your patience. Your people will remember that, forever."

"Thank you," Elsa nodded. "That means a lot. And it's our people, by the way. Never forget that."

Anna grinned. "I won't! But you said you have a new set of nightmares?"

Elsa laughed. "Now they are regular nightmares. Nightmares about failing our people, or about falling flat on my face as queen. I have had one particular nightmare three nights in a row. In it, something terrible is happening to Arendelle, but it's not clear what. Perhaps an enemy attacking, perhaps a natural disaster. Within the context of the dream, it doesn't matter what the problem is. But people are running around the castle in a full-blown panic, shouting frantically, and I sit on the throne, unable to move or think, paralyzed, and I don't know what to do. And people are shouting at me to get up, to do something, but I can't." She shrugged. "I don't think the dream really means anything beyond the obvious. I'm scared of being a failure. I'm scared of letting our people down. It's something I already knew perfectly well. I didn't need a dream to tell me that. I've only been queen for a fortnight, and already it's been the most exciting fortnight in living memory. I've still got such a long way to go."

"And I know you'll get there," Anna said decisively. "But you don't seem worried about having these nightmares."

"Well, they're normal nightmares. I mean, when I had nightmares about not being loved, about being treated as a monster...those were real nightmares. The worst. They were unusual. They were personal. But my current set of nightmares sound perfectly ordinary. I suspect lots of people who shoulder great responsibilities have exactly the same fears, and I also suspect that these nightmares will pass with time. So no, I'm not really worried about them. After the really nasty dreams I've suffered all my life, this new set is nothing I can't handle."

"I refuse to believe they're all bad. Please tell me you've also had pleasant dreams!"

Elsa instantly became choked up. "I have," she said. "I dreamed that Mama and Papa came to me, and there was a brilliant light shining down all around them, and they were smiling at me, and Papa said, 'You've done a good job. I'm so very proud of you.'"

With these words, Anna was also suddenly weeping.

"And Anna, this dream...it didn't actually feel like a dream. It felt real, somehow." Elsa reached out and held Anna's hand. "It felt real."

They rode on in silence and tears for many minutes, holding hands. Neither needed words.

 

The mood around the camp site that evening was relaxed and jovial. Royalty, soldiers, servants and couriers alike all knew that Elsa had accomplished something wonderful with the trip, and everyone felt lighthearted now that the work was behind them and the castle only fifteen miles away.

They could have reached the castle just after sundown that day if Elsa had pushed them to hurry, but she had seen no need. And if they had arrived just after sundown, everyone would have been stabling animals and unpacking luggage long into the night, which would have been tremendously inconvenient, whereas now they would arrive about noon the next day and would have plenty of time during daylight hours to do the same thing.

Kristoff, Anna and Elsa sat alone by one of the fires as they ate dinner. Night settled over the land, bringing with it a cool breeze which rustled the trees and brought to them all the smells of summer. Sven was nearby. Olaf lay on the ground a few feet behind them (safely away from the fire), gazing at the Northern Lights, which were especially bright that night.

"When we get back to the castle, we should replace Olaf's nose," Kristoff said. "It's starting to smell bad."

"It smells just fine," Olaf said.

"It may smell well, but it doesn't smell fine," Kristoff said over his shoulder.

Sven grunted.

"Okay, but I want to pick out my new nose," Olaf said.

"That will not be a problem," Elsa said.

"In fact, I could even branch out from carrots," Olaf said. "Perhaps celery, or broccoli."

"Are you trying to set new fashion trends?" Anna asked.

"That's me!" Olaf said. "The avant-garde snowman, the envy of all the great designers of Paris."

"I once saw a book of drawings of Parisian fashion," Kristoff said, shaking his head. "That was some strange stuff. It was like all these clothing designers were trying to out-weird each other. Noses made of broccoli wouldn't actually be that far off."

They were silent for a few moments, until Anna said, "Well, go on. Ask us. You're obviously dying to."

After another moment of confused silence, Elsa said to Kristoff, "I think she's talking to you."

"Uh...ask you what?" Kristoff asked.

"You know what. You want to know what happened at the lake this morning."

"Well," Kristoff said, shaking his head nonchalantly. "I figured it was none of my business. But yeah, since you mentioned it...I am kind of doing somersaults on the inside because I really, really want to know! Because whatever it was, it was something monumental. Those bracers are almost invisible, but I have noticed them, and they're obviously magical. And I know you got them at the lake."

Anna looked at Elsa, clearly allowing her to decide what to say.

"What I'm about to tell you is highly confidential," Elsa said. She then threw over her shoulder, "You too, Olaf. Keep this to yourself."

"M'kay!" Olaf said happily.

"I'm just an ice man," Kristoff said. "Why tell me at all?"

"Because despite the fact that you two keep pussyfooting around, I know you're going to be a part of our family soon!" Elsa snapped, slightly exasperated. Anna and Kristoff both turned bright red and looked down, holding back embarrassed smiles. "I swear, if you don't ask her to marry you soon, I'm going to lock you both in a room until you do!"

Kristoff bit back a sheepish grin. "Well...you don't need to worry. When I ask, it'll be at the right moment, and in the right way."

Anna looked at him, and Elsa was astonished that she actually fluttered her eyes. Fluttering eyes! Elsa thought. I didn't think people actually did that!

Anna turned to Elsa and said with a smile, "You said you don't like to meddle."

"I try not to, but a sister can lose patience." To Kristoff, she said, "Well, if you're waiting for the right moment, that's fine. But that's why you should know." Her voice softened. "You're going to be a prince soon, with many responsibilities, and the second-closest person to me, and hopefully the father of my future nieces or nephews. And I want my brother-in-law to know what keeps his queen safe, and the hidden dangers of what I now possess."

Elsa quietly and carefully told him everything that happened at the lake. She also told him that she had trouble controlling her power in her sleep (although she did not go into detail), and that that was the reason this was so important to her. Kristoff listened without interruption. At one point during the account, Olaf exclaimed, "Oh look! A shooting star!" which told them that he wasn't really listening.

"Well, I hope your bargain works out," Kristoff said when Elsa finished her tale. "I don't trust nixie, myself, but I suppose the fact that this one doesn't seem to be luring people to their deaths is a good sign. Whatever happens, you know you have my full support, now and always."

"I know, and thank you, Kristoff," Elsa said.

"Now that you've had the bracers on for almost a full day, how do you feel?" Anna asked. "Are they still uncomfortable?"

"I've sort of gotten used to them," Elsa said. "It's actually not that bad. And they're a great fit." She shook her head. "I wish I'd had them fifteen years ago."

"I'm not sure that would have been such a good thing," Kristoff said. "Now, don't get me wrong, I know your power made your life miserable. But I can't help but feel that if you'd had the bracers as a child, you would have grown to depend on them too much. When you saved Eva, you demonstrated perfect and instantaneous control over your power. I think that control is something you wouldn't have learned if you had suppressed it during the time of your life when learning is crucial."

Elsa gave him a soft smile. "You could be right. I'll even choose to believe it."

"And now that you have a way to block your power, you can sleep in the royal tent tonight!" Anna said.

"No," Elsa said. "I want to test them for at least one night, first."

Anna thrust out her lower lip in a pout.

"Another shooting star!" Olaf said.

Sven grunted.

"Well, Your Majesty," Anna said. "Now that you have completed your tour of the kingdom, what's the next big problem we need to address?"

Elsa looked up at the colors streaming across the stars. "Let's discuss that tomorrow," she said softly. "Right now, I think Olaf has the right idea."

They grabbed some blankets and lay on the ground next to Olaf. Anna held Kristoff's hand on one side and her sister's hand on the other. They lay on their backs and gazed upwards, filling their minds with the breeze, the trees, and the summer night sky.

"Another shooting star!" Elsa and Olaf said at the same time.

Anna smiled.