Adult-FanFiction.org : Cartoons

In the Light of Day: A Frozen Epic	By : GeorgeGlass Category: +1 through F > Frozen Views: 21531 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of Frozen or its characters. I made no money from writing this story. I am completely divided about whether Elsa or Anna is hotter.

Chapter List
- 20
- 21
Epilogue

Another day had passed. Kristoff had just arrived home, having completed his first day of training in the arts of knightly combat. He would be doing this for a few days each month in his capacity as an officer in Arendelle’s new reserve forces.

Kristoff had always thought he was in good shape, but it seemed that there were a great many muscles he didn’t know he had, because all of them were tired and achy now. He wondered how he would feel in a few weeks, when he’d be doing the same exercises and drills in the fifty-pound suit of armor that was currently being made for him.

At least he felt like he was truly earning the nice stipend that came with his service. And it cheered him to know that it wouldn’t be long before he could settle the rest of his debts.

Kristoff lit a lantern so that he could get ready for bed, and he noticed something odd: In the middle of the rough wooden table that served as his kitchen counter and dining table, there was a small wooden box, which sat on top of a piece of paper.

He picked up the paper first. It was a note, written in Mama Bulda’s characteristically atrocious block lettering.

My Baby

I want you to know that Im real proud of you. Not cuz they made you a knight but cuz you earned it.

Whats in the box is a present. But its not for you. Its to give to somebody else one of these days. Youll know when.

Love you boy.

Mama

As Kristoff opened the box, he saw that faint red light was emanating from inside it. It was a red gem, like the ones that some of the rock trolls liked to wear on necklaces and such. But this gem was very small, and it was set in a ring. A woman’s ring.

Kristoff smiled.

***

Elsa and Anna put their stockinged feet up on the same ottoman in front of the fire, and each took a sip of her hot cider.

“So,” Elsa asked, “how did today’s session of the conference go?”

“Pretty well,” Anna replied. “I think I’m on the verge of convincing the representative from Fraai to drop their import tariff on sulfur—since we’ve got so much production capacity for that these days—if we promise to buy at least ten percent of the armor and weapons we need from Fraaian manufacturers when we stock the new Royal Armory. I checked with the Duke and General Stark; they say the Fraaians make good stuff. “

“Well done,” Elsa said. “Anna, I can’t tell you how proud I am of you.”

Anna smiled.

“Which has me wondering,” the princess said. “After the conference is over, what shall I do next, my Queen?”

Elsa smiled back as she replied, “There’s going to be a new marketplace opening in Oberton next week. I’d like you to go to the ribbon-cutting.”

The smile ran off of Anna’s face.

“Another fluff job?” she exclaimed. “After...everything? And Oberton is at least eight hours’ ride from here! I’d have to-”

“My new intelligence network,” Elsa interrupted, “is in its infancy, but it reports a rumor that there is an extortion ring operating in Oberton, and that the local earl is taking payments to turn a blind eye.”

Elsa took a sip of cider, then continued, “I’d like you to look into it. You seem to have developed a talent for that sort of thing. And the ribbon-cutting will be an excellent cover.”

“Wow,” Anna replied. “I...I won’t let you down.”

“I don’t think you could if you tried,” Elsa replied. “Now, that’s enough business. Let’s talk about you and Kristoff.”

“Sure. Right after we talk about you and Rajiv.”

“Did I tell you he likes chocolate now?”

“Oooh, he really is a keeper!” Anna exclaimed. She cleared her throat and added, “I mean, not that I want you to rush into anything.”

“I don’t plan to,” Elsa replied. “But I’m looking forward to…everything.”

Anna took another sip of her cider, her eyes seeming to focus on something far ahead of her.

“Me too,” she said. “Me too.”

***

Hildy raised her small lantern as she passed through the mouth of the cave. She picked her way over the loose rocks on the cave floor, crossing the forty feet to the rear of the cave, where a large, circular, lidded wooden tub sat with a few heavy stones on top of it. The weight of the rocks was necessary to make the contents of the tub—curds that had been separated from whey and packed into the tub months earlier—solidify into a firm wheel of cheese.

So prominently did the aging wheel of cheese stand out in the chamber-like rear of the cave that one would be unlikely to notice that the cave did not actually end there; rather, there was a small passage that went a few feet back and then turned and went out of sight. Hildy followed this passage a good twenty-five feet to its end, where there stood a small statue—essentially a larger version of the figure on Hildy’s pin, but in stone instead of bronze.

Behind the statue stood a man. He appeared to be only a few years older than Hildy, olive-complected, with shining black hair and brown eyes flecked with gold. He was devastatingly handsome.

“I understand you’ve been calling yourself the Love Goddess,” the man said.

“I think it’s catching on,” Hildy replied. Then, inclining her head slightly, she added, “I hope it doesn’t offend you.”

“Not at all. If anything, it shows that you have taken to heart my advice about hiding in plain sight.”

“I wish I could do it the way you do,” Hildy replied. “The ability to turn invisible at will would be awfully useful. Not to mention being able to travel between here and Sundara in the blink of an eye.”

“It is simply my good fortune that I still have a few worshippers in Sundara’s capitol who maintain my shrine there. They know me by another name, of course, but the Faithful are the Faithful, wherever they are.

“What is more, your skill in the art of forgery has been of greater value in this effort than my vestigial powers. I merely delivered to the Sundaran king and queen the masterful false invitation that you created. And that letter you forged in Anna’s mother’s hand was not only entirely convincing but a brilliant stratagem. You knew just what sort of push Anna would need to overcome her personal barriers and confront Kristoff about his.”

“Thank you,” Hildy replied humbly.

“But what of the ring and note you left at Kristoff’s cottage?”

“Those were for real,” Hildy said. “I just delivered them for Bulda. We’ve known each other almost since Mother brought me to Arendelle. She’s a good friend, and a useful ally.”

The man nodded, clearly pleased.

“You have done many good things in these past days, Hildegard. All without the need for a waning god’s feeble magic.

“That said,” he added, “do not give up hope that you might gain powers of your own. You are only twenty years old; on Olympus, you would be considered barely out of infancy.”

Hildy nodded but said nothing.

“Child, I may be a god, but I am neither omniscient nor infallible. You would do me no disrespect by asking the question that is clearly on your mind.”

“It’s just,” Hildy began, “even if you discount all the unpredictable stuff we had to deal with, this was a lot of work just to get a few people to fall in love.”

He smiled. “Indeed. But the banner that flies highest is most easily followed. When the people of Arendelle see love in the eyes of those whom they most respect and admire, they may find the courage to pursue it for themselves.”

Hildy returned his smile. “And with any luck, they won’t have to survive a full-scale invasion to do it.”

“At least,” the man said, “the invasion afforded us the opportunity to reunite Prince Hjalmar with his beloved. Although I must say that riding invisibly on his back to slow him down and separate him from the other princes was not the most dignified moment of my divine life.”

Shaking his head, the man continued, “But that success seems a poor trade for so much grief. It saddens me that the people who once revered me now turn to violence as the first solution to their problems. I do not know whether Dianisia will ever find its way back to me.

“But Arendelle…the power of love has saved this kingdom twice over. If I am to have my renaissance anywhere, it will be here.”

Inclining his head almost reverently, the man added, “I believe in these people, Hildegard. Perhaps, in time, they could come to believe in me.”

“I’ll do everything I can to make that happen,” Hildy said.

“I know you will, child. I could not ask for a better representative in the mortal world than you.”

The man stepped closer to Hildy.

“Now,” he said cheerfully, “I think that’s enough business for tonight. How about a hug?”

Hildy wrapped her arms around the man. Then she closed her eyes and smiled as he enfolded her in his embrace.

“I love you, child,” the man whispered.

Holding him a little tighter, Hildy replied, “I love you, Dad.”

THE END

- - -

I would like to thank my good friend Eh Steve for his feedback on every last chapter of this tale. And I thank you for sticking with it to the end.

For author notes about this story, or to find my reply if you should care to leave a review, visit this forum thread: http://www2.adult-fanfiction.org/forum/index.php/topic/59083-review-responses-for-in-the-light-of-day-a-frozen-epic/
- 20
- 21
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

In the Light of Day: A Frozen Epic