Carefully opening the bedroom door, Nathan glanced back at Mark's sleeping form. He thought about waking him, but the voice calling out to him sparked his curiosity. Closing the door behind him, he slowly ventured down the long hallway. He expected to see the guards, but they weren't here. Leaving the hallway in an eerie silence with only the pattering of the rain against the windows. The mounted candles and moonlight streaming in from the large windows provided the only shadowy light, causing him to feel uneasy. As he walked down the hallway, the candles snuffed out behind him, prompting him to pause and look back for moment. When he saw nothing, he asked aloud in a whisper. "I can hear you. What do you want? I'm... I'm listening." The vocals faintly sung to him again, beckoning him to keep moving. Mounted along the walls of the hallway were paintings of his family dating back centuries. As he continued to pass them, the candles mounted between some of them snuffed out. Slowing his pace, he raised an eyebrow and asked quickly. "What are you trying to tell me? I don't understand. Are you trying to lead me somewhere?" As he came to a set of hallways, he looked to see which one to go down. One of the hallways went to an area that he'd never had a reason to walk down. So, he started to go down the one he knew better, until all the candles in the hallway snuffed out in one sharp gust.

Taking a cautious step back, he gulped nervously. For a moment everything was dark and only the rain and soft thunder sounded. Then in a soft breath, the candles in the other hallway came to life. Biting his lip, he cautiously started walking down the unfamiliar hallway as he mumbled out. "Ok. I can take a hint. Kind of scaring me though..." Making his way down the hallway, he gazed upon the paintings of relatives that he'd never met. Reaching out, he brushed a hand over the metal plate on the frame of one picture. The frame was a little dusty and when cleared revealed the names; Isak and Frederik Oldenburg. Nathan looked over the picture of the two happy looking boys and smiled to himself. Frederik had his hands resting on his little brothers' shoulders as he sat in a chair before him. While Isak had his arms crossed over his chest. He could tell how close they were from their warm smiles. It was a great painting. As he ventured down the hallway though, he saw them steadily growing father and farther part. They no longer stood by each other. They held themselves more regally and while Isak kept smiling in the paintings. Frederik took on a stern frown in them. It was obvious how life was pulling them apart.

Frederik's clothes kept changing to be finer and more suitable for a king. While Isak's clothes changed very little as he simply transitioned from Prince to Royal Duke. Then by the end of the hallway, Isak was gone from the paintings altogether. Leaving only Frederik and his many wives that kept dying off on him. Right up to the last painting that showed a much older Frederik with his hands on the shoulders of a young boy. On the plate it read; 'Prince Runeard and King Frederik Oldenburg.' Stopping, Nathan shrugged and asked curiously. "I know this story already. Is there more?" The thunder rumbled outside, and the candles snuffed out again. Nathan waited patiently before the door at the end of the hallway unlocked and slowly creaked open. Tentatively making his way inside, he looked over what appeared to be an old bedroom. On the tables and walls were small paintings of a young Prince Runeard. While the open wardrobes held dusty flowing dresses. Stopping in the middle of the room, Nathan mumbled out. "Isak's wife? What about her? Didn't she die of heartbreak?" Nathan jumped as something fell off a shelf with a loud thud. Turning around to see the journal before the large cold fireplace, he bent down to pick it up.

Opening the old journal carefully, he skimmed the journal a bit before reading quietly to himself. "Isak is unhappy to be back at court. I find him too often staring out the window and talking about how much he misses the woods back home. I don't understand his love for the outdoors. You'd never know he was raised in a castle. While I love him dearly, I feel so out of synch with him lately." Turning the page, Nate kept reading on. "With each passing day, I grow more concerned. Everyone in Arendelle loves Isak. They tell me how lucky I am to have him... but it doesn't change the fact that Frederik arranged our marriage. And it shows more and more. I know Isak is trying. But since our wedding night... he hasn't touched me. He gave me a son like I wanted... but ever since then, he just avoids the subject. I love him... but he doesn't love me. Not in the way he should. He still holds my hand, kisses me, and hugs me... but the feeling is hollow. Because I can't give him what he wants." Nathan moved to sit on the little couch in front of the cold fireplace, turning the page to read on eagerly. "Frederik keeps asking me about Isak's... 'gift.' I don't know what to tell him, because Isak never opens up to me about it. All he tells me is that one of the peasants saw a drop of rain land on him while he was working... but I can tell he's lying to me. There has to be more. Even the servant who witnessed it is lying about what he saw now. I know Frederik only made that servant his Historian's apprentice because he wants him to break and tell the truth!"

Nathan jerked his head up, lost in thought. So, Mr. Sorenson was hiding more. Why? He admitted he was Northuldran to them. What more was left to hide? Turning the page, he quickly read on. "I feel betrayed. I knew Isak would someday. And yet, it still hurts. I thought maybe our time together would change him. That he'd enjoy OUR family. Today during our fight over having another child, Isak told me that he's been seeing someone else. He wouldn't say his name. Only that he lived in those woods that he loves so damn much. Why am I not enough for him? I regret telling him that I wished I had been able to marry his brother... It's not true. I just wanted him to feel my pain. When he comes back from his ride with his brother, I'll apologize. Isak has been so good to me and our son... He didn't deserve that. Frederik was wrong. Marrying me didn't turn his brother away from being attracted to men... It just allowed me to hurt him more for it. I'm tired of Frederik interfering with our lives. Judging us and punishing us for not being as perfect as he was raised to be. I'd rather see Isak marry the Northuldran leader for peace than to hurt him like this anymore... They don't know that I overheard them fighting about that. They always seem to be fighting about that in private though."

Nathan sniffled a little, turning to the last page that had writing with some reluctance. Her last journal entry simply read. "I will never forgive myself... It's all my fault. The horse may have bucked Isak off... but it was I that hurt him with my words that no doubt effected his ability to ride." Nathan closed the journal and set it aside, sniffling loudly. The tragedy of it all overwhelmed him. Yet, he couldn't deny that he probably was going to be forced to do the same thing for Arendelle. Eventually, they'd force him to marry to make an heir to pass Arendelle on to. Wiping his tears away, he looked to the window and tensed up. A ghostly looking woman stood by the window. Her skin was a pale purple, and her long wavy hair was a glowing soft pale green. Her slender body was covered in an ethereal looking black dress that twinkled with bright white stars. Slowly getting up from the couch, he gawked at her long pointed ears and deep blue eyes. She reached out to him, but her body seemed to be struggling to hold its ghostly form. Shimmering and fading in the moonlight from the window, she sung to him like a haunting siren. Moving quickly up to her, he asked her in a rush. "What am I supposed to do?" Her wispy hands turned over and mimicked her. Turning his palms up, he watched her hands touch the backs of his hands.

Goosebumps shot up his arms and he shivered from the strange tingle that her touch sent through him. Unable to control himself, he watched his hand start misting with an icy cold. The mist rose before him, hovering over his hands. As snowflakes puffed up from his hand, they swirled around the mist and formed it into different sparkling shapes. The shapes of beautiful trees and then into a lively herd of leaping reindeer that dashed between them. Smiling, he watched in awe as the scene changed to a little fire that scurried across the ground, igniting a trail of blazing fire behind it. After the tiny fire, the flames quickly changed into ocean waves that swirled around his hands as a dorsal fin rose from the water. As the dorsal fin vanished into the swirling water, the water changed into a tornado that burst apart to reveal a gorgeous eagle made of leaves, before the image burst apart again to reveal a single large rock giant that reached out to him before he burst into puffs of sparkling snow that swirled faster and faster over Nate's hands. Nathan could see bits of the elements swirling in the cyclone of snow, until a large reindeer head started to appear. Nathan leaned closer to try and see the head better, when a human hand reached out through the swirling snow toward him. Without thinking about it, Nathan slowly raised one of his hands and reached out to touch his fingertips to the hand's fingertips.

Just as their fingers touched, Nathan felt a powerful surge course through his fingers and his thumb, before he staggered as the castle shook violently. Stumbling to the floor, Nathan looked up to see the ghostly woman was gone. Both inside and outside the castle, people started screaming in a panic as the ground continued to shake. Scrambling to his feet, Nathan ran out into the hallway, yelling out. "MARK?!" Dashing down the hallway, he saw Mark stumble out of the bedroom, yelling out. "NATHAN?! What's happening?!" Nathan slammed into him, panting heavily. The ground suddenly stopped shaking, but Nathan was still shaken up as he looked around for what was coming next. Outside the large windows, the water from the fjord slammed against the shore. The waves causing the streets of Arendelle to flood a little. Nathan seized the moment to tell Mark guiltily. "Mark... I think I upset the Elemental Spirits!" Mark turned wide eyes on him, blurting out with concern. "How? Exactly?" Nathan pointed back to where he had come from, stammering out quickly. "It was the voice! I know you said not to... but I was curious, and she didn't seem that bad...! I found a journal and-" Nathan was cut off by a loud thunderous 'BOOM' before a flash of bright light shattered the castle windows!

Mark covered Nathan's face, then yanked him back into the bedroom to duck behind the wall. The curtains to the windows in the bedroom whipped around violently as the rainy wind tore through the room. Items smashed to the floor or were flung around the room, causing Mark to huddle over Nathan and yell out over the wind. "STAY DOWN!" Outside there came more deep thunderous booms followed by flashes of lightening that struck all around the city. Blasting stones off the castle walls and weakening structures. Huddling against Mark's chest, Nathan yelled out to him. "I'M SORRY!" There was one last thunderous boom and a quiet flash, before everything went suddenly quiet. Even the rain had just stopped falling. Lifting his head, Nate peeked out from Mark's arms before gasping softly. Drifting around the castle on the gentle swirling breeze for everyone to see was Arendelle's largest flag that was supposed to be flying on the highest tower of Arendelle's castle. Only now it wasn't. It was drifting through the air and it was burning. Slowly getting to his feet, Nathan inched his way to the balcony to watch it drift over the streets of Arendelle for all the people to look upon with horrified faces.

As he watched it burn, Nathan told Mark in a voice filled with worry. "That's a bad omen. Arendelle's flag... it has never fallen." Mark reached out to take Nathan's arm, pulling him back against him. Nathan hugged him tightly, while Mark told him calmly. "Get dressed. We should go see Grand Pabbie. Whatever this is... It's getting bad." Pulling away from him reluctantly, Nathan replied openly. "You're right. I need to inform my Regent. Arendelle should be evacuated. Being this close to the fjord... its too dangerous." As Nathan rushed around the room to find comfortable clothes to wear, Mark told him softly. "Where will you evacuate them to? There is nowhere else..." Nathan shrugged, grunting out as he dressed himself quickly. "I don't know. Maybe the Ice Harvesters will take us in?" Mark looked out the window, uttering out softly. "No... One or two people maybe. But not a whole city. Plus, it will be too cold up there for them. The temperature is only going to continue to drop and there won't be many supplies up there." Straightening up, Nathan shrugged out hopefully. "Do you have another idea?"

Mark nodded a little nervously. Clearing his throat, he pointed to a place and told him. "There is a place that I was going to build my summer home. It's at the top of the Trolls Mountain. The wolves don't go up there and there are plenty of Mountain Goats that can feed everyone for a time. And... the Trolls might be able to help with anyone that's injured. At the very least, the steam vents there will keep everyone warm." Nathan bit his lip a moment, before asking nervously. "And Grand Pabbie will be ok with this?" Mark gave him an honest shrug, but confidently told him. "I'll talk to him. He might be against it at first... but until we know what's going on. They shouldn't stay here. If the water rises in the fjord, we could lose all of Arendelle." Nathan nodded, puffing himself up to tell him confidently. "Alright. We'll take them with us." Gathering up his knights and advisors, Nathan quickly informed them of the evacuation. As concerned as they were over the events, they spread the world. Nathan and Mark helped as many people as they could to gather only the things they couldn't live without. Then after checking the castle and city one last time, they slowly led them through the forest toward the Trolls Mountain.

The people whispered and grew nervous as they approached the mountain, but Nathan did his best to reassure them. Just as they were moving up the mountain path though, Nathan pulled his horse to a stop. Sitting on a boulder was Grand Pabbie. Shaking his head with slight disappointment, he grumbled out to them in a grim voice. "Well... Never seems to be a dull moment with you two around. King Nathan, I hope you are prepared for what you have done. I was expecting you... but not THEM." Mark patted Donner's neck, telling Grand Pabbie nicely. "I'm sorry. We didn't know what else to do." Heaving a deep exhale, Grand Pabbie looked upon the scared faces of the humans, before telling them in a heartfelt voice. "Follow me. We'll make room for them. Then we'll speak in private." Nathan thanked him, then led his people to a large enough area that everyone could get settled. The people jumped at the sight of the little Trolls, but some of the Trolls were just as curious about the humans. Once everyone was generally settled in and the Regent stepped up to help in Nathan's place to care for the citizens. Nathan left to a more private area with Mark and Grand Pabbie.

The moment they were alone, Grand Pabbie turned to face Nathan and looked him over with his eyes. Giving a half-smirk, Grand Pabbie calmly stated aloud. "So, this is King Nathan. My, how you've grown. I've been most eager to meet you. Alas... I'm afraid now is not the time to catch up." Mark intertwined his fingers with Nathan's, asking curiously. "Do you know what's happening?" Grand Pabbie nodded, holding the top of his cane tighter as he leaned on it and said aloud. "I'm afraid so. The Elemental Spirits of the Enchanted Forest are seeking you out. All that fury... Even now I can feel the very earth trembling with it. Whatever you did... You should know that messing with the Elementals are not for the faint of heart..." Kneeling to bring himself closer to Grand Pabbie's level, Nathan asked him humbly. "Why are they so angry? I... I didn't do anything. Or... is it because of what I am? What I almost did last year." Grand Pabbie extended his little hand out to him, replying calmly. "I don't know, but let's see if we can find out. Let me see your hand. It should help focus my vision." Nathan carefully accepted his little hand. Closing his eyes, Grand Pabbie raised his free hand out to project a glossy image into the air of what he was seeing in his vision. The images displaying in the bright colors of the Northern Lights.

The images of bright blue showed the Northuldran and Arendelle people shaking hands in what looked to be friendship. The image then flared into a hot pink color as the image distorted into two separate arms. One holding a staff and the other holding a sword. The two weapons clashed and seemed to explode. The soft blue color returning as an image of Arendelle's castle appeared, then in a flash of pink color, it was destroyed. Grand Pabbie lowered his hand, his expression lost in thought as he let go of Nathan's hand and told him a bit shakily. "A wrong demands to be righted. The war is not over... Not for the Elementals. Arendelle is in great danger. If this wrong isn't made right... I see no future." Mark glanced between Nathan and Grand Pabbie, before asking very lightly. "What do you mean no future?" Grand Pabbie's fragile eyes drifted up to look at Mark, before answering with deep unsettlement. "When one can see no future... it means that the events to come will be the end of something. In this case... Arendelle will fall and cease to be." To Be Continued...