The Ice King

Long ago in the faraway Northern kingdom of Arendale, lived a kind and honorable king and queen. They ruled their kingdom together with fairness and justice, while also caring for their two young sons. When their oldest, Elias, was only a few months old, the king and queen made a startling discovery: the little prince possessed a strange and mystical power. He could control the weather, creating snow flurries and ice upon a whim. Their younger son, Andrew, had no such powers, but always looked up to his older brother with love, admiration and wonder. The king and queen were in awe of Elias' power as well, but also feared for their oldest. The young prince could not fully control his abilities, and his parents were worried that he would accidentally injure himself or his brother. There was also the possibility - should word of his powers spread - that villains may conspire to abduct the prince, to use his powers for their own nefarious purposes. For these reasons, they tried to conceal their son's talents from the kingdom, and discourged him from using them in the open.

Their parents' warnings did not stop the little princes, however. Often, they sneaked out of bed in the early hours of the morning to play in the snowdrifts that Elias created. One morning, their play got out of hand: Elias shot out a bolt of ice to catch Andrew as he fell from a towering snow pile, and it caught his little brother in the temple. Little Andrew cried out in pain, then fell limply to the floor and didn't move again. Young Elias was terrified, and called for his parents to help immediately. The king and queen were devastated to find their younger son so grievously injured, and set out at once to seek the aid of the wise and mystical ancient Rock Trolls. Their elder, Grandnani, did what she could to heal Andrew, but in doing so had to remove the young prince's memories of his brother's powers.

"It will be easier this way," she advised, "I'll do what I can to keep the fun, but the less he knows about his brother's abilities, the better. Elias' powers are truly wondrous to behold, and he is capable of great things... but they are terrible and dangerous as well. Unless he can learn to control them, I see nothing but chaos, destruction and fear in his future."

From that day on, the palace doors were closed to the public permanently. Elias shut himself away in his room, terrified of hurting his younger brother again. Andrew was confused as to why his older brother no longer wanted to play with him, despite his efforts to coax Elias out of his bedroom. Every time he came knocking Elias told him to go away, his heart breaking a little more whenever he heard his younger brother's melancholy footsteps receding from his door.

Years passed with the brothers separated, during which time they steadily grew into fine, strong handsome young men. Their parents sadly passed away before Elias came of age, washed overboard during a terrible storm at sea while traveling to a neighboring kingdom. Andrew was only sixteen when he received the news. With his parents gone and his brother a prisoner of his own making, Andrew was truly and totally alone. He tried to stay positive and upbeat, finding his own ways to entertain himself in the vast, empty castle. He dreamt of one day seeing the world, and finding his one true love. Although he never showed it, Elias was almost completely broken by his parents' passing. He became a full recluse, never leaving his bedroom and only communicating with his most trusted advisors through letters slipped under the door.

Eventually the time came for Elias to assume the throne and become king. A grand coronation ball was set to be held in Arendale's castle, with all their citizens invited from the poorest pauper to the richest lord. Neighboring kingdoms sent representatives as well, curious to finally have a look at the odd, reclusive young king. At his coronation, Elias presented himself with a stern, cold air. He was polite to those who spoke to him, but never spoke more than a few words in return. He avoided handshakes and recoiled slightly at every hand that came near him, keeping his own gloved hands folded neatly at the small of his back as often as possible. Andrew, who hadn't seen his brother in years, was in awe at how much he had changed physically. He hardly recognized Elias at first, until the king smiled and gave him a small wink. This encouraged Andrew to awkwardly strike up a conversation with his brother, but it would have been easier talking to a stranger. Although neither outwardly showed it, the brothers were incredibly happy to see each other, however the wall still between them was as solid as Elias' bedroom door.

Andrew's attention wasn't on his brother for the majority of the evening though. An infatuating young princess from the Southern Isles, Hannah, had enamored the hopelessly romantic prince from the moment they met. Andrew was fully convinced that his love for Hannah was steadfast and true; before the night was even halfway over, he was so smitten that he asked her to marry him. Hannah - to his delight - said yes, but to make the engagement official they needed Elias' blessing. Andrew was giddy with excitement as he introduced Hannah to Elias. Elias returned the greeting with a cordial bow, but when Andrew asked for his blessing on their marriage, his demeanor changed in an instant.

"Marriage?!" he repeated, his expression clouding over with annoyance, "Andy, really; you can't marry a girl you just met. If you wish to court, that's fine, but take some time to really get to know her before you start picking out wedding rings!"

Andrew glared right back at his brother, "Uh, you can marry someone you just met if it's true love! Just because you want to live the rest of your life as a single old hermit doesn't mean I do!"

Elias took a deep breath, regaining his decorum, then stared down his little brother icily. "My word is final, Andrew," he said, "you're not marrying her. End of discussion!"

The temperature in the room dropped noticably, and a look of fear filled Elias' eyes. He turned on his heel and sped toward the door, cape flapping behind him and his arms held close to his body. "The party's over," he muttered to his chief of staff, "get everyone out of here. Close the gates. Now!" The servant bowed obediently and began ushering the confused guests out of the ballroom, but Prince Andrew pushed past him to follow his brother into the corridor.

"Don't run away from me!" He snarled, grabbing his older brother's wrist, "For once in your life, stop hiding like a coward and face me like a man, Eli!!"

"Andrew, enough!!" Elias roared, pushing his brother away with surprising strength. As he did, his thick white glove came off in Andrew's hand, and a wall of ice shot up between them through the floor. Andrew's eyes were wide with shock and awe at the jagged spikes as they cracked the marble slab under his feet, stopping just shy of his face. He glanced past them at Elias then, who had thrust his back against the doors at the end of the corridor. Elias' alabaster face had gone completely white, and his pale eyes were wild with fear. His newly bare hand was shimmering with ice crystals, clenched in a fist tightly to his heaving sternum. "No," he mumbled, "No, no, no!!!"

Andrew watched his brother turn and flee at top speed through the double doors toward the courtyard, his emotions reeling. "Eli," he called, banging his fists in vain on the solid, frozen wall, "Eli, wait!! Come back!! I'm sorry, Eli!"

Andrew's pleas fell deaf on Elias' ears. He felt like a time bomb about to explode, and had to get as far away from everyone before that happened. As he fled from the palace, a gentle snowfall flurried around him out of the midsummer night sky, which grew heavier with every passing moment. He wasn't even aware he was running over the fjord until he was halfway across it, turning the vast, watery expanse to solid ice as he traversed it. He didn't stop running until he reached the foot of the mountain to the far North of the castle. He paused to catch his breath and survey his surroundings, just now noticing the knee-deep snowdrift he was standing in. The wintry precipitation continued to fall, but at least now he was far enough away from the castle for it to not cause any harm to his people. He plodded up the mountain pass toward the peak slowly, thinking deeply the entire time.

When he got midway up and looked back, a thought occurred to him. The mountain peak was a fair distance away from Arendale; it was isolated, and difficult to climb by even the most skilled mountaineers. He had used his abilities to aid him in his own climb, and even then it was still quite challenging for him. A glimmer of hope sparked within Elias. On the top of the mountain, he could be free. His people and brother would be safe from his uncontrollable, destructive abilities, and Andrew would rule in his stead. Elias knew his brother could be impulsive and irrational at times, but had faith that he would be a fair, wise and just ruler like their father was. Andrew was more sociable anyway, and he could keep the palace gates open all the time like he wanted. Everyone would be happy... even though Elias knew that meant never seeing his little brother again.

When Elias finally reached the mountain peak, he unleashed the full extent of his power. Mostly, he was just curious about what his limits were - if any existed - and never before had the opportunity to explore the full reaches of his abilities. It took nearly an entire day and night, but eventually Elias was standing in the entryway of an enormous castle made of the purest ice. He was exhausted, yet proud of what he had built. A finer palace had never existed... nor a finer prison. Elias retreated to his new quarters then, his mind at ease and his body craving sleep.

Back in Arendale, unbeknownst to Elias, the people were driven to the fringes of panic. Although it was the middle of June, snow blanketed the land to the level of a small child's shoulder, and more was falling every hour. Andrew did what damage control he could, passing out blankets and having the palace cooks brew bottomless kettles of soup and hot grog to keep everyone warm. He had all his citizens camped out in the ballroom, as the heavy snow and ice had caved in many of their homes. Among them were still all the dignitaries and foreign nobles visiting for the coronation as well, due to the storm rendering travel out of Arendale by any means totally impassible. Princess Hannah helped out where she could, which he was grateful for, but Andrew's mind was only on one thing. "I have to go after him," he decided, "I have to find Eli and bring him back."

Hannah looked at her fiance, aghast. "You want to bring that monster back here?!" She snapped, "Why?! Hasn't he done enough damage?! He'll only make everything worse! People will die, Andy!"

"He's not a monster," Andrew retorted sternly, "he's my brother, and the King of Arendale! You didn't see what I saw, Hannah; he only ran off because he was scared. People will start dying regardless if we don't try something soon!" He looked longingly out the window at the wintry landscape, "He didn't mean to create this blizzard, but he's the only one who can fix it. And he will. I'm sure of it!"

Despite Hannah's protest, Andrew saddled his horse that same hour and rode out in search of Elias. The wind whipped his frame mercilessly, making him regret not taking the time to change out of his thin, summery party clothes first. Just when he thought he could bear the cold no longer, he stumbled across a trading post deep in the Northern Woods near the foot of the mountain. The man who ran it was very kind, and happily sold the prince a set of wintry clothes and gear (at a discount, as well). The trader offered Andrew shelter for the night in his stable to boot, which Andrew accepted gratefully. What Andrew didn't realize was that the stable was already occupied. A woman not much older than him was lounging in one of the horse stalls with - of all things - a reindeer at her side. She was rugged and odd due to living a life in the wilderness, but was surprisingly attractive all the same. She gave her name as Kristen, and introduced her furry, antlered companion as Svenya.

After conversing with the strange young woman for a while, Andrew was sticken with an idea. She knew the mountains and land better than he, and could guide him on his journey to find Elias. He already had gathered the necessary tools and gear for climbing from the trader; all he needed was someone who knew where the best place to use them was.

At hearing his proposition, Kristen was less than interested. "Thanks, but no thanks, Princess," she scoffed, pulling her knit cap lower over her eyes, "you wouldn't survive out there a day, and it is way too dangerous to go climbing mountains in this weather. If you wanna get yourself killed, go right ahead. Svenya and I are content to wait out the storm right here."

"Don't you get it?" Andrew snapped, trying his hardest not to lose his temper, "the storm won't end! Not unless and until I bring Eli home!" He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and begged Kristen on bended knee, "Please: I can pay you for your services. Whatever you desire, I will give it to you! I can't climb the mountain on my own, as much as it pains me to admit it."

Kristen raised a blonde eyebrow, "Anything? As in... anything?" Andrew nodded, and Kristen's lips pursed in thought. "Alright," she nodded, "we have a deal... but I'll decide what I want my payment to be later. I'll need some time to think about it." She laid back again, using Svenya's furry stomach as a pillow, and nestled deep into the hay with a sigh.

"We're going now," Andrew declared, hopping to his feet, "the sooner we find Eli, the better. Come on, up and at 'em!"

Kristen opened an eye at him lazily, her expression weary and annoyed, "It's dark out, Princess; you can't climb a mountain in the dark. Pump your brakes and rest a while. We'll leave at first light."

Andrew's blood boiled at her response. "I'm going now," he snarled, shouldering his bag of gear, "if you want to be paid, you're coming with me. Otherwise, you can forget all about our arrangement!" Kristen gave him a snarky little smile and waved, closing her eye again a moment later. Andrew uttered a noise of frustration and stormed off, heading into the dark on his own.

His horse was reluctant to be saddled again so soon, but with enough coaxing he managed to ride a ways further from the trading post. The dark and cold quickly became oppressive, closing in on him from all sides as if it were actively trying to crush him. He whistled softly, trying to keep his spirits up and his fear at bay, but the darkness swallowed up the gaeity of his tune. His horse suddenly reared and neighed, almost throwing him off. It didn't take the prince long to see what had spooked his mount: out of the endless gloom before him glinted several pairs of glowing red eyes. Low growls reached his ears over the wind: menacing, territorial and dripping with hunger. He dug his heels into his horse's ribs on instinct, spurring it further along. He could see nothing ahead of him or to either side except pitch blackness, relying on his ears to guide him away from the ravenous snarling all around him.

His horse suddenly whinnied loudly again and reared up, this time successfully removing him from the saddle. It raced off into the void behind him, leaving the prince laying dazed in the snow. As the glowing eyes crept closer all around him, he could finally make out the silhouettes that belonged to them. Wolves bigger than grown men circled him, their lips curled back as they sniffed and searched for a weak spot to attack. Andrew sat on all fours, frozen with terror, his mind racing to find a way out of his situation. The wolves worked faster than his panicked mind, however, and lunged before any solutions presented themselves to him.

Andrew flinched and braced for the feeling of teeth tearing into his flesh, but it never came. He heard one of the wolves yipe with pain, and a bright light suddenly blinded him. To his ultimate shock and relief, Kristen was above him. She held a torch in her hand from her mount on Svenya's back, offering her free hand to him silently. He took her hand without hesitation, yelping with shock as she dragged him onto Svenya's worn old saddle behind her. Svenya raced through the dark at top speed, changing direction whenever Kristen pulled on her bridle, until they made it out of the woods. Andrew winced at the bright moonlight reflecting off the snow, then his heart leapt into his throat when he saw they were headed straight toward a ravine.

"Stop," he ordered, "we'll never make it! You'll kill us!!" Kristen ignored the prince and spurred her mount on faster toward the chasm. Andrew buried his face in her back with a scream as Svenya's hooves left the ground, but a few seconds later they touched down again on the far side of the ravine. Andrew was left shaking from the experience, stunned and in disbelief that they had survived.

Kristen looked over her shoulder at him with a confident, deeply amused grin. "We're safe," she announced, her tone bordering on condescending, "you can let go of me now."

Andrew, just now realizing how tightly his arms were clamped around the woman's waist, let go immediately and hopped off the reindeer's back. "Thanks," he muttered, dusting himself off, "Nice to see you changed your mind, I guess. I think I'd prefer to find my way on my own from here on, though."

Kristen rolled her eyes, "Sure you can. Do you even know where you're going?"

Andrew looked around for a moment, hesitating. He hated to admit it, but Kristen was right: he had no idea which way his brother had gone. The wilderness was vast and expansive, and he would get himself killed on his own most likely before he ever got a clue where Elias was. The moonlight reflected brightly off the peak of the mountain, creating a lusterous sparkle that suddenly caught his eye. Andrew's pulse quickened with hope when he realized what the object was: there was a castle at the peak of the mountain, made out of dazzling, diamond-clear ice. "There," he pointed, "that's where I'm going. Eli has to be there!"

Kristen followed Andrew's finger, then shook her head. "You can't get there," she said bluntly, "no one can. The face of the mountain is too steep, plus the top third is practically solid ice all the way around. It would be suicide to even try climbing it!"

"My brother is up there," Andrew snapped, marching through the snow, "if he made it to the peak, then so can I!"

Kristen just rolled her eyes and shook her head, then followed after him with a sigh, "C'mon, Svenya; if this idiot kills himself, we'll never get paid."

They traveled together for two full days nearly before they reached the top of the North Mountain. On their journey, they discovered the contstructs that Elias had made during his climb: huge staircases of shimmering ice, ledges of hardened snow he made for handholds, etc. It was almost ironic, Andrew thought, that his brother was unknowingly helping them to reunite sooner. He and Kristen had ample opportunity to talk while they climbed. She was in agreement with Elias that Andrew was foolish to get engaged to Hannah after knowing her for only a few hours. They argued back and forth about it constantly, which Andrew found annoying at first yet kind of endearing after a while. For all her rougher qualities, he discovered that Kristen was a smart and capable person, and a great ally to have in a tough spot. She always spoke her mind, which was often shocking but appreciated nonetheless, and at times proved she had a great sense of humor as well.

When Andrew and Kristen reached the castle at last, Andrew requested that she give him a minute with his brother first. Kristen understood and agreed to wait outside, but kept a cautious eye on him anyway as he pushed open the castle's massive, icy doors. Elias was seated upon an orate frozen throne when Andrew walked in. He looked like he was deep in thought, his temple resting on his knuckles and his eyes closed, but when he heard the door open sat up straight with a start. "Andy?!" he gasped, standing immediately in shock, delight and confusion, "What are you-?! How did you find me?!"

Andrew was too stunned to speak. His older brother looked nothing like the man he saw a few nights ago. His stiff, uncomfortable-looking coronation clothes were replaced by a glittering blue shirt, trousers and boots, the former of which was loose-fitting, translucent and unbuttoned halfway. A pair of crystaline earrings dangled from his lobes, brushing the snowflake-shaped epaulets holding a glittering sheer cape in place on his shoulders. His pale blond locks were unkempt, and their father's crown that had once been upon his head was nowhere to be seen. The biggest change by far though was the wide, relaxed smile on his brother's face.

"Eli?" he asked, his tone filled with awe and disbelief, "Wow... you look great! Better than great!" His eyes wandered around to the crystalline structures surrounding him, "Did you build all of this? Eli, this... this is amazing! Why didn't you tell me-?"

A pained look crossed Elias' face, and he started toward the main staircase, "It's good to see you, Little Brother... but you should probably go now, before it gets dark."

"Go?!" Andrew blurted, then laughed a little in bewilderment, "why? I just got here! More importantly, I came here to take you home, Eli."

Elias paused on the bottom most step, but did not turn to face his brother when he spoke. "This is my home now," he said somberly, "Sorry, Andy, but this is for the best. Please try to understand that I'm doing this to keep you safe." His shoulders drooped as he turned back around, showing that he was smiling and also holding back tears. "Go home," he said, "open the gates; be the king that Arendale deserves... the king I know you can be. I'll be okay. The people are safer with me here, and I can finally be free."

Andrew felt himself start to tear up, and his hands curled into fists at his side. "The people aren't safe!" he barked, "Eli, our kingdom is on the brink of collapse! All this snow and ice you've made doesn't stop at the bottom of the mountain!"

Intense fear and shock filled Elias' face. "What?" he murmured, "Andy, what are you talking about?!"

"I'm talking about a blizzard," Andrew snapped, "a blizzard you made! Arendale - and possibly all of Northern Europe - is locked in an endless winter!! Look outside; tell me I'm lying!"

Without warning, Elias began to hyperventilate. His hands magnetized to his head, and snowflakes began raining down inside the palace. "No," he whispered, "wh-what have I done?! My people... they're going to die, because of me! I'm such a fool!!"

Andrew softened at seeing his brother so upset, and took a few steps forward, "Eli... Eli, calm down. It's okay. I know you didn't mean to freeze everything. Come back to Arendale with me; we'll figure this out, and-"

"NO!" Elias screamed, making his brother jump. Tears were streaming down his face now, and the snow falling around them began to swirl with an ominous, icy wind. "I can't leave," Elias sobbed, "I can't control it; I don't know how to stop the storm! If I return, people will get hurt! I can't bare to hurt anyone!" He covered his face and sank to the floor, curling his tall, lean frame into a tight ball. His sobbing intensified as a cyclone of icy wind and snow began to whirl around him, "I can't bear to hurt you... n-not again! Andy, just go! Please!!"

Andrew held up his arm, shielding his face from the bits of ice stinging it. "Hurt me again?" He repeated, raising his voice to be heard over the wind, "Eli, what are you talking about?! Eli, please! Don't shut me out again! I know you can fix this: just listen to me, and let me help you!!"

"I CAN'T FIX IT!!!" Elias bellowed, bolting upright and throwing his head back in rage and despair. The wind swirling around him shot out from his body that very same instant, sending jagged shards of ice in every direction. One of the shards slammed into the dead center of Andrew's chest. He feared it would skewer him through and through, but it shattered on impact. Andrew hit his knees as the blast drove all the air from his lungs, shivering at the bitter cold he could feel radiating throughout his entire ribcage. Elias was looking at him in utter horror and remorse, frozen in place for a moment where he sat.

Kristen had heard their shouting and raced in to help. As soon as Elias laid eyes on her, he scrambled backward on all fours then raced up the stairs. "Eli," Andrew wheezed, staggering to his feet to pursue his brother, "Wait... Eli, I'm okay. Come back, please!"

Before he made it more than a step closer, the entire palace began to quake. The staircase broke open with an ear-splitting crack, and seconds later an enormous golem made of snow crawled out of the hole. It roared and spat at the intruders, breaking off bits of the shattered staircase to bludgeon them with. Andrew and Kristen fled for their lives, but the golem did not end its pursuit. It chased them all the way back down the mountain, then solidified into a statue to guard the base.

"So," Kristen puffed, "That was your brother, huh? Nice guy. Really."

Andrew sat down in the snow to catch his breath, wincing as he rubbed his still sore chest, "He's just scared. Why doesn't he just listen to me?! He's never hurt me before, intentionally or otherwise."

Kristen knelt down beside him with a sigh, "Well, it looks like he hurt you now. Here, let me take a look at that."

Andrew brushed her hands off as she began unbuttoning his tunic, "I'm fine. Don't worry about me. Just worry about finding away to get us back up there!"

Kristen glared at the prince, then her eyes widened with shock. "Something tells me we have more imporant things to worry about."

Andrew looked at Kristen in confusion, growing slightly unnerved at how alarmed she suddenly was, "Like what? What are you talking-?" Her eyes seemed fixed on his face, so he crawled over to the frozen creek nearby to examine his reflection. To his alarm, there was a thin layer of frost climbing up the side of his neck and onto his jaw. His hair (which was red save for a blond streak he'd had in the front since birth) had begun to turn white at the tips as well. "What the hell-?" He murmured, "Wh-What's going on?!" The bitter cold he'd felt in his chest when the shard of ice hit him returned suddenly, along with an intense pain than stole his breath away.

Kristen didn't say a word as she yanked him onto his feet. Within minutes, she'd wrestled him into Svenya's saddle and started leading her mount deeper into the woods. Andrew was able to sit up in the saddle after a while, but the pain in his chest was beginning to make him feel weak. He shivered badly, unable to get warm despite the blanket that Kristen had wrapped him in. "Wh-Where... are we going?" he managed to ask eventually.

Kristen looked up at him briefly, then laid her hand on top of the one he held to his chest. "To find someone who can help," she explained, "just trust me, okay? I've seen them fix a problem like this before."

She fell silent again, and Andrew followed suit. As the sun began to set, they entered a small clearing that was strangely free of snow. Dozens of large, mossy round boulders dotted the ground, as if they'd been placed there centuries ago and no one had the strength or will to move them since. Andrew was confused that there were no signs of life around. He expected to be brought to a doctor or something, but there was nothing else in the clearing except the stones. When they reached the middle of the clearing, Kristen cupped her hands on either side of her mouth and shouted toward the sky, "Grandnani!! It's me! We need your help, please!!"

Andrew watched in awe as the boulders suddenly began to roll on their own. They formed a perfect circle around him, then sprouted stubby arms and legs. Cracks formed on the front surfaces of the rocks, creating broad faces with beady eyes that regarded him with suspicion and intrigue. Then, they all at once began to speak.

"The prince?"

"What is he doing here?"

"The magic... can you sense it?"

"yes: he is cursed."

"Cursed?!"

A large, extra-mossy boulder rolled closer then, which the other rock creatures made room for. A wisened, sad face emerged from the smooth stone, and a stubby, gnarled set of hands helped Andrew off the reindeer's back. "Have no fear," she said, "we mean you no harm. It is an honor to see you again, Little Prince... although I fear it is not under pleasant circumstances."

Andrew was speechless. So many confusing thoughts whizzed throughout his brain that he couldn't form a coherent sentence. When the pain in his chest drove him to his knees again, the surprisingly gentle stony creature placed her hand on his sternum. "Your heart has been frozen," she murmured, "by your brother, I assume? Such a pity. You have my condolensces, Your Highness."

Kristen bounced nervously on her toes, "Grandnani, isn't there anything you can do?! Please!"

Grandnani thought for a moment, then her hand began to glow with a warm green light. The pain alleviated slightly, but Andrew was still incredibly cold and weak. "That should slow the ice," she said, "for a short while at least. There is nothing I can do to stop it, however. Only an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart."

"T-True love?" Andrew groaned, "Hannah... Kristen, I've got to get back to the palace! I need Hannah to kiss me! She's my one true love!"

Kristen sighed defeatedly and helped him up, "What the hell: maybe she is. Let's hope so, for your sake!" She thanked Grandnani and the other Rock Trolls as she helped Andrew back into Svenya's saddle, then climbed on behind him. They sped off into the night at top speed, racing back toward the palace as fast as Svenya's hooves could carry them.

Meanwhile, Hannah had grown impatient waiting for Andrew to return. She just knew something terrible had happened, and was eager to wreak vengeance on the monster who created the blizzard. A day after Andrew left, she gathered up a posse of guards to chase down and kill the king. They could see his ice palace for miles at the top of the mountain by then, and headed straight for it. The climb to the top was difficult and arduous: two men slipped and fell to their deaths at the halfway point, and three more of their company were nearly killed in a small avalanche. Hannah was determined to get to the top though, and kept pressing on no matter how many times her men begged her to turn back.

The king was on his icy throne when they barged in, his castle already in shambles. Hannah and her men advanced with swords drawn, causing the cowardly king to flee before them. He put up an intense fight; throwing up sharp walls of ice to bar their way and hurling icicles at them willy-nilly. They eventually cornered him in a tower. The king flattened his back to the wall, looking around desperately for an exit like a trapped rodent. "King Elias of Arendale," Hannah shouted, "you are under arrest for treason against your people! Surrender, and tell us where Prince Andrew is now, and your sentencing will be lightened!"

Elias looked at her in fear and alarm, "I sent him home! I don't know where he is, honestly! Just go away! Leave me alone!!" In his panic, he threw up another wall of ice to push the invaders back. The floor split from the sudden force, creating cracks all along the walls and ceiling of the room. The tower suddenly began to crumble away from the main structure of the castle, throwing the king and the invaders off balance. Most of the men fled to avoid getting crushed when large sections of the ceiling began crashing down on them, but Hannah and her personal guards held their ground. Elias was trapped and had nowhere to run to when a chunk of ceiling broke free directly above him. He demolished the wall of ice and dove out of the way, but it struck him on the back anyway. The rumbles below them stopped suddenly after that.

When the dust settled, Hannah was standing triumphantly over the unconscious body of the king. "Put him in chains," she ordered, "We're taking him back to Arendale."

Within an hour of the king being thrown in the palace dungeons, Prince Andrew and Kristen returned to the castle. Andrew's hair had turned white almost to the roots, and he was incredibly weak when Hannah met him at the gates. The frost on his skin had spread up his face on one side to his hairline, and he could feel it beginning to cover his chest and upper arms as well. As soon as he laid eyes on Hannah, he slid off Svenya's saddle and fell into the princess's arms. "Hannah," he moaned weakly, "Y-You h-have to k-kiss me.... D-Do it now, h-hurry!"

Hannah took in her fiance's appearance in horror and confusion, "Andrew, what happened?! What did he do to you?!"

Kristen dismounted and pulled off her hat, inclining her head respectfully to the princess. "His heart is frozen," she explained, "only an act of true love can thaw it, Your Highness. please... do as he says!"

Hannah seemed to understand, but there was a strange. almost sad look in her eye. "True love's kiss," she muttered. After a few moments, she broke from her thoughts and nodded. "I'll see to it that he's taken care of," she assured Kristen, "Thank you for bringing him home. You will be richly rewarded for your services." She had the chief of staff lead Kristen to the ballroom to warm up with the others, then walked Andrew toward the study where they could have some privacy.

She laid him down on the couch and covered him with a blanket, but to Andrew's confusion moved away immediately to stand by the fireplace. "Wh-What are you d-doing?" Andrew asked, barely able to speak his teeth were chattering so badly. "Y-You n-n-need to k-kiss me, b-before it's t-t-too late!"

Hannah kept her back to him, staring at the dancing flames grimly. "I come from a large family," she muttered, "Did I ever tell you that? I have twelve older siblings. Twelve! And I'm the only girl."

Andrew's brows knit in confusion, "H-Hannah... I d-don't understand. Wh-What d-does th-that have t-to do with-?"

She spun around then, her expression sympathetic but also cold. "Andy," she sighed, "I'm sorry: I'm not your one true love. I only agreed to marry you because I saw it as an opportunity to get away from my family. You're a great guy, but I don't love you. I never have. Hell, I barely even know you!"

"Wh-What?" Andrew whispered, not believing his ears, "B-But... B-But I th-thought-! H-Hannah, I-I'll d-d-die!!"

She knelt beside him and took his ice cold hand sadly, "Yeah; you will. I really am sorry, Andy. For what it's worth, I did think I could learn to love you... in time. Honestly." She began tearing up and her expression hardened, "Be at peace with the knowledge that your death will not go unavenged. The king is in the dungeon at this very minute, and he will be executed for this heinous crime!" With that, she turned on her heel and sped from the room.

"H-Hannah," Andrew sobbed, his tears freezing as soon as they touched his skin, "w-wait...! N-Not h-his f-f-fault! H-Hannah!!"

Princess Hannah marched down to the dungeons, her head high and her bodyguards in tow. To her astonishment, however, the cell King Elias had been locked in was empty: his chains were iced over to the point of brittleness, and there was a gaping hole in the wall leading toward the outside. "After him!" She ordered, "he murdered the prince! We can't let him escape!!"

Kristen was on her way out of the palace with Svenya and her gold in hand when she saw the king being pursued across the fjord. A soft groan behind her caught her attention, and she whirled around in shock to see Andrew stumbling toward her. His hair was completely white, and his chattering lips and fingers had turned blue. "Andy?!" She asked, alarmed and bewildered, "You're still half-frozen! Why?! Didn't the kiss work?!"

Andrew shuffled forward slowly, his breathing heavy and his joints visibly stiff. "S-Stop her," he whispered, "Sh-She'll... Sh-She'll k-kill him...! E-Eli...."

He swooned and pitched forward suddenly, requiring Kristen to catch him. "We'll stop her," she assured him, "together! Come on; move your feet! Let's go!"

She half walked half dragged him toward Elias with all her strength. Hannah's guards had already cornered the king on the deck of a ship buried in the ice. He fought them off as best he could, not trying to hurt them just drive them away. When they both fell overboard, Hannah picked up one of their swords and leveled it at the frightened king's throat. "Stop fighting," she begged, "King Elias, listen to me: Andrew is dead! You killed him! It's time to face the consequences of your actions!"

The heavy wind battering them suddenly stopped, and Elias hit his knees. Snowflakes floated in the air around them, suspended in place as if on invisible strings. Tears flowed down the king's handsome pale face, which he tried to wipe away with his sleeve. When he couldn't stop his tears, he held his arm over his eyes to hide them. "No..." he sobbed, "Andy.... I-I don't believe it! It can't be true!"

With no more wind assaulting them, Kristen and Andrew could move more quickly toward Hannah and Elias. Hannah approached the distraught king with her sword still drawn, raising it over her head with both hands in preparation to strike. "For Andrew, and for Arendale!" She cried, then brought the blade down swiftly.

"NO!!!" Andrew screamed, using the last dregs of his strength to rush forward. He collapsed in front of Elias with his arms outstretched, shielding his brother from the blow. As the sword came down on him, his skin hardened into solid ice. Hannah's sword splintered on impact, and she fell backward from the force. Elias looked up, stunned and confused, then screamed in horror when he saw his brother before him.

"Andy?! Andy, no!!" He threw his arms around the ice sculpture that was once his brother, and wept openly. "Y-You saved me," he sobbed, "Andy, you... y-you idiot! I'm sorry, Andy, for everything! I-I love you, so much!!"

While Elias grieved, he wasn't aware that the statue he cradled was slowly beginning to melt. Within minutes, Andrew miraculously became flesh and blood again, gasping as he fell against his brother. Elias beamed with joy and relief, hugging his brother tightly, "Andy...? y-you're alive! Oh, Andy!! I'm so happy! I thought I lost you... b-but I'm never gonna lose you again!"

Andrew groaned under his brother's crushing embrace, then managed a laugh, "C'mon; you'd do the same for me. Ease up, Eli, I can't breathe!"

Kristen watched the scene unfold with a smile, then the gears in her head started to turn. "An act of true love thaws a frozen heart," she muttered, "of course: you both truly love each other, because you're brothers! Why didn't I think of that?"

Elias looked up at Kristen with a start, reaching an epiphany of his own. "Love will thaw," he murmured, then started smiling, "That's it!" without another word, Eli stood to his full height and extended his arms outward. His head tilted back as he drew a deep breath in, still smiling warmly. Snowflakes danced around him, but none of them hit the ground. The temperature began to rise and the ice and snow started to melt, until the warmth of the summer sun radiated around them again.

Andrew got to his feet with a grin, then nudged his brother in the back, "See? Told ya you could fix it. I always have faith in my big bro."

As soon as the fjord fully thawed, most of the foreign nobles headed for home. Princess Hannah apologized thoroughly for her actions, and King Elias - in his grace - saw fit to pardon her wrongdoings. She was escorted back home to the Southern Isles all the same, with orders never to return to Arendale as long as she lived. Kristen patted the prince's shoulder as they watched her ship depart, "I really am sorry about this, Andy. Are you gonna be okay?"

Andrew shrugged and nodded, "Yeah; it's just as well. I think I prefer blondes to redheads anyway." He gave her a playful grin and dragged her into a kiss, not giving another thought to the princess.

The palace gates were opened again immediately, and stayed open forever. The people of Arendale adored their new king, marvelling at the wondrous things he could do each and every day. The kingdom thrived in peace and prosperity under Elias' rule for many years. Long after his reign had ended, the legend of the benevolent Ice King endured amongst their descendants forevermore.