Enjoying A Frozen Picnic

While Elsa was arranging our lunch with the head cook, I took a moment to check her timer with my bracelet. She was down to only twelve hours! That was a big leap from the thirty-six it had said before our morning together. Spending the day with her had been a good call. Now that Exit was available I was getting a bit impatient, I would have to watch that and not get sloppy.

And if my plan worked, I wouldn't have to wait at all on the last three.

"All ready." Elsa said, walking up to me, holding a wicker basket with a smile.

"After you Princess." I gave her an exaggerated bow as she laughed, and gestured dramatically towards the door. She led the way out to the main entrance of the castle, looking far happier than when we'd first met.

I was fairly shocked we hadn't gone to a smaller side entrance instead. Did the castle only have the one? That didn't seem like a smart design, but this was a Disney world. Probably not a lot of open warfare, so the castles were mostly just for show. Then I remembered the bay, the castle did indeed open up on its own docks. Still not a great idea when any invaders would be coming by sea.

The gate guards came to attention at our approach. The man who appeared to be in charge asked. "Will you be requiring an escort, your Highness?"

Elsa shook her head. "That will not be necessary, the Prince will be with me." The guard just nodded as if that was fine by him. Well it had been with Anna in town, so why not? I was an armed escort, and Elsa could take care of herself if she had to, really. The guards' easy acceptance of their ruler just walking off with only a single armed foreign ally lent credence to my theory that she had handled problems in the past that they well knew of.

The first leg of our journey took us through the part of town between the castle and the mountainside. Mostly residential but plenty of people looked out to see their Princess and wave, some even coming out into the street to bow. Elsa was well respected, if not loved, and the people seemed quite happy to see her. She must do at least some public appearances to be recognized I thought.

"You certainly seem to be popular with the people." I observed while walking through town next to Elsa.

She gave me a smile that was a bit strained, and looked like she wanted to take my hand. "We tax very little, keeping the people prosperous. It's more regulatory than at need though, as the logging and hunting on royal lands brings in plenty to maintain the palace and pay the staff." She looked better as we drew less well well-wishers and onlookers as we neared the wall at the edge of town.

The guards at the small gate snapped to attention and the first made to unlock the stout wooden edifice, but she waved him off and led me to the door into one of the towers inset into the wall. Another guard who had been sitting behind a desk jumped up at our entrance. "My lady! What can I do for you?"

"I'm just taking our guest up upon the wall Sergeant, no need for any fuss." He nodded, but remained standing as she led me to a stairwell to the side in the circular room that appeared to be a mix of office and barracks.

Out of sight, she did take my hand as we walked up the spiraling steps. "On top of the wall?" I asked.

Elsa nodded with a bright smile. "The wall extends around to the mountainside, and we will be better able to hike into the woods from there than from the steeper base." I hadn't really gotten a good look at the town's layout, but that made sense.

I could have just flown us up, but she didn't know that and spending time with her was the point. I hadn't actually even tried my draconic form yet though. Probably best not to test it while holding someone fragile. More reason to walk.

The top of the wall had a nice, wide walkway between the crenulations, which gave a fantastic view of the city. And the snow-covered forest of the mountains ahead. "Your kingdom really is quite beautiful. Much like yourself."

"Flatterer." She scoffed, but looked pleased.

I pretended to look wounded as I clutched a hand to my chest as if shot, while Elsa laughed. "Seriously though, at first glance Arendelle appears cold and inhospitable, but a closer look shows the caring and love of your people. The rugged beauty of the countryside. And the graceful structure of your castle."

"Also like me?" She teased.

I kissed her hand, which was still holding mine as we walked. "Indeed. Graceful but strong, fiercely beautiful, and full of love and caring for your people."

She turned, flinging herself into my arms, and steam boiled off of us as she kissed me passionately. "I can hardly think straight with you around, and at the same time things are so crystal clear. To be able to let my guard down is so freeing. I've been wound up so inside for so long."

"I'm glad I got here when I did. Your suppression would have snapped eventually, and who knows what could have happened to the city, to your sister."

We resumed our walk as she grew quiet, looking haunted. I didn't bother to tell her that everything would have worked out fine in the end, she didn't need to hear that part.

She seemed to cheer up pretty fast though, once we were among the trees. She didn't have Anna's frantic energy but walking through the wilderness, she did seem more like her sister. Her joy at being outside the castle and away from people was palpable. Eventually, we came to a nice flat clearing that I thought looked perfect. Elsa apparently agreed because she stopped before looking back at the heights of the castle still visible over the trees before she handed me the basket, looking nervous. "It's been a very long time since I tried something like this, but out here it should be safe enough." She explained while taking her gloves off and placing them in a pocket of the jacket she wore over her dress.

She held her hands out towards the clearing with a look of concentration on her face. Soon enough, her hands began emitting a subtle blue glow as snowflakes began to dance about them in the air. Then slowly three slim spires of ice rose from the snow of the clearing before spreading out into a small table and two chairs made of ice. She exhaled as the glow faded. "I did it!" Elsa turned to me with a smile on her face. "I did it!" She dashed forward into my arms.

"Of course you did. The power is a part of you, like breathing. Trying to hold back will only hurt you in the end, but it can be controlled." I gestured at the frozen furniture. "Used wisely and well, you have nothing to fear."

She took the basket back from me and pulled a small tablecloth out before laying it across the ice table. I sat as she set out plates and placed sandwiches upon them, then cups and a thermos. "Hot chocolate, well warm chocolate by now at least." She laughed and poured for both of us before sitting herself.

The chair was more comfortable than it had any right to be, and the cold didn't bother me at all. "You're amazing, you know that?" She blushed but continued to eat, not contradicting my words.

Not even captured yet, and she was already gaining control again, just from the confidence I was giving her. If her parents hadn't screwed her up with their fear, there was no telling how powerful she'd be by now.

Well, far too late for might-have-beens, in less than twelve hours she would belong to me, then it would be on to DunBroch to change someone else's fate. And then on to Agrabah to scoop up a weapon unlike any other and perhaps a toy while I was at it.

Almost time to be moving on.