Day 14

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How could I have been so blind?Anna thought as she chased after her sister. Is this why Elsa has always been so scared to be near me? Was she scared I would see her powers? How long has she even had these powers? Did Mama and Papa know? Is that why they kept us hidden behind the castle gates?

The questions kept coming as Anna ran after her sister. All her anger had faded in the moment Elsa had revealed her powers. It made so much sense now. Her sister's coldness. Her isolation. And here I was thinking I was the lonely one. I can't begin to imagine what life must have been like for Elsa all these years. I'm sure Mama and Papa told her never to speak of this, which makes sense. They didn't want people to fear her.Anna grimaced. It had taken the Duke only seconds to label Elsa a sorceress. What else might people be thinking of her? Anna had to go after her sister. Elsa needed her help.

Anna made her way down the staircase as quickly and carefully as she could. She was vaguely aware of Hans's voice calling her name, but she didn't care. She needed to reach her sister. “Elsa!” she called as she ran. “Elsa! Wait!”

Elsa was already down at the fjord's edge. Pausing, she looked back, and Anna felt a flash of hope that this could end right here and now. But then her sister turned back and tentatively stepped onto the fjord. Instantly, the water beneath her feet froze. She took another step and then another, each one faster than the last.

Anna, not as sure-footed, slipped on the ice and fell. She watched in despair as Elsa made it to the far side of the fjord and then disappeared into the trees.

“No,” Anna said, looking down at the single glove still clutched in her hand. This was all her fault. If she hadn't pushed Elsa ...

“Anna!” Hans shouted as he reached her side. Sinking to the ground next to her, he put his arms around her. But Anna barely registered it. All she could see was the frozen fjord. All she could think about was her sister, racing away into the mountains as someone called her a monster.

“Are you all right?” Hans asked again.

He had been asking Anna over and over again since they had left the fjord and made their way back to the safety of the castle. A part of Anna realized it was sweet of him to be worried, but another part, a larger part, could only think about Elsa and wished he would just go away. She needed time to think.

“No,” she finally said as they passed through the panicking crowd. She could hear people murmuring, “How can this be?” and “Snow,” and “It's July!” Already it was getting colder, the snow beginning to pile up.

“Did you know?” Hans asked, trying to pull Anna out of her shock.

She shook her head. “No.” And what kind of sister does that make me? Ahorrible one, that's what kind.

The Duke of Weselton's panicked shouts broke through Anna's thoughts. “The queen has cursed this land! She must be stopped.” He turned to his men. “You have to go after her.”

No! No! NO!If the Duke's men went after Elsa, there was no telling what they would do. I made this happen,Anna thought as she pulled free of Hans and raced over to the Duke. When he saw her, the little man let out a squeak and ducked behind two of his men.

“You!” he shouted. “Is there sorcery in you, too? Are you a monster, too?”

Anna tried not to roll her eyes. The Duke was an imbecile. “No,” she said. “I'm completely ordinary.”

“That's right. She is,” Hans said, stepping up beside her. “In the best way,” he clarified.

For the first time since ice had shot from her sister's fingers, Anna smiled. She had forgotten how this whole thing had started. The marriage. True love. It was nice to have someone in her corner. But now Elsa needed someone in her corner.

“My sister's not a monster,” Anna announced.

The Duke pointed at the staircase. “She nearly killed me!”

“You slipped on ice!” Hans corrected him.

“It was an accident,” Anna said, though she had to admit it made her a little bit happy to know the Duke had indeed taken a tumble. “She was scared. She didn't mean it. She didn't mean any of this ...” Anna gestured to the courtyard, which now resembled a skating rink. “Tonight was my fault. So ... I'm the one that needs to go after her.”

“Fine,” the Duke retorted. “Do.”

Anna didn't bother to respond. She had made up her mind before the words were even out of her mouth. Nothing anyone could have said would have made a difference. But there was one person here she wanted to reassure. Putting a hand gently on Hans's arm, she gave him a squeeze. “Elsa's not dangerous,” she said softly. “I'll bring her back ... and I'll make this right. Until then, I need you here to take care of Arendelle ...”

“I need you here to take care of Arendelle.”

Hans felt Anna's small hand on his arm and heard her request, but for a few moments, he barely registered either. His head felt fuzzy, as though it, like the kingdom around him, were filling up with snow. Hans still wasn't sure what had happened. One minute he and Anna were getting engaged and telling Elsa, and the next the sisters were airing some major grievances in front of everyone. Then—BAM!—Elsa was shooting ice out of her fingers. It was the craziest—and scariest—thing he had ever seen. He had just wanted to turn and run. But then Anna had stepped up and taken charge of the situation. She had stood up to the Duke and now had this great big plan to go after Elsa. It was, he admitted reluctantly, rather impressive. And if Anna could find it within her to be strong in the face of something like this, Hans knew he had to as well. Who knows,he thought, some of his discomfort fading as he began to try to think like Anna, maybe this will work out better for me in the long run ...