Chapter 19: A Glimpse of Loss

"Still no sign of the princess and her dragon…" Bjarne said in dismay. He felt ashamed he was unable to watch over the princess and that he had allowed such a thing to happen.

Adgar shook his head. "It's alright… Anna is a clever girl; I know she'll make her way home. She has to." He glanced at his wife and Idun smiled at him. She placed a hand on her husband's chest; as a mother she could feel that Anna was alive and well. Their daughter would return to them soon. She just knew it.

Kristoff and Sven had remained with the king and queen since Anna's departure; he knew she would worry for them and so he took it upon himself to keep an eye on them and reassure the worried parents. They were like the parents he never had, though he did love the rock trolls just as dearly as they were the ones who took him in.

"Kristoff, are you sure she is absolutely safe with Elsa?" Adgar asked, turning to the ice harvester.

The blonde man nodded. "Elsa's fine, don't worry. I mean, it's better to have a dragon on our side than to fight one, right?"

Bjarne did not look at all convinced, but before he could protest against the idea, Adgar dismissed him. The captain of the guard just sighed and bowed respectfully before he left the room.

"A dragon… I thought they were only stories…" The king mused while he paced.

Idun shook her head. "We all thought that, my dear. This is not your fault; neither of us knew that Elsa was a dragon."

"But Anna did. And this entire time…?" Adgar glanced at Kristoff and the blonde man just nodded in affirmation. The king of Arendelle rubbed his temples. "Oh Anna…what have you gotten yourself into." His tone was laced with worry.

Idun wrapped her arms around her beloved reassuringly and Kristoff glanced away. He just needed to have faith, but damned if he just going to stand around and do nothing whiles his closest friend was taking on a dangerous task with nobody but Elsa by her side!

Sven could sense his human companion's anxiety and nudged Kristoff's arm comfortingly.

"We have to do something, Sven. Can't let feisty pants do everything on her own and take all the credit." He said with a grin. Sven lowed; now there was the cheerful Kristoff he knew so well!

Darnkess.

She saw darkness.

She felt darkness.

She was floating.

Was she in oblivion? Or was she merely sleeping? Was she stuck in a dream or perhaps in some darkened purgatory? Or had she gone blind?

Anna continued to float, unable to awaken or perhaps she felt too tired to do so. It felt comforting in a way, to remain dreaming—if she even was asleep. Still, something was urging her to open her eyes. To take a proper look around, to awaken from her heavy slumber and stand up to face the day and whatever challenge as been thrown at her.

She opened her eyes slowly; her vision was slightly blurry and so she blinked a several times until she could finally focus. She shook her head and staggered to her feet before looking at her surroundings.

Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

Anna was certain she had collapsed in the woods, not in a strange barren patch of land. She peered over the edge of where she stood and saw nothing but an endless black abyss. Yet above her the darkened sky shone with many stars. Where was she?

"Hello? Anyone out there?" She called out, receiving nothing but silence in return. She called out again before she gave up on getting a response.

"Do not be afraid, young one. You are in no danger." A gentle and aged-sounding voice said, surprising the redhead.

Anna whirled around but there was nobody about. Was she merely hearing things or had insanity finally taken a hold of her at some point?

"Where am I?" She asked the silence, wondering who had begun speaking to her. It did not sound like someone threatening, but she preferred to be ready, just in case. As Anna waited for a reply, she stepped forward a bit and looked down into the abyss before looking at the sight before her.

Everything looked so displaced and strange. The patches of land were dull and grey and held what looked like ruined structures.

"You are caught in-between the realm of sleep. What you see before you is merely an image of a dream."

"So…I'm just dreaming? I'm asleep? Or…am I dead?" Anna jumped back as several levitating stone platforms appeared before her, leading to the next floating land before her.

"You are dreaming, and yet you are not. You are most certainly alive, and yet you do not awaken. I am afraid that I had not anticipated that the venom of the shadow would affect you greatly."

"Venom…?" The redhead froze; the battle with Malachi! Anna glanced at her arm and winced at the sight of a gash on her arm. She recalled being grazed by Malachi but she did not think it had been would result in such a bizarre way.

"Follow my voice young one, and I will guide you." The voice said gently before all went silent.

Anna felt a shiver run down her spine; she was unsure if it was because she felt nervous or if she was feeling cold. Still, there was no other option she had than to follow whoever was speaking to her at the moment. She was utterly at a loss, even inside her own mind.

She instinctively placed her hand at her side and felt a relief when she realized her sword was still with her, even in this strange apparently sleep-created realm.

She stepped back a bit before running forward and jumping onto the platform. She then did the same with the next, until she was full across. The moment she set foot on the new expanse of land, the platforms disappeared behind her.

Before her stood an enormous doorway that seemed to be blocked by intense flames, and on either side were two gigantic stone dragon statues. Their eyes seemed to be emitting a light blue glow as they blankly stared down at whoever approached.

"These won't come to life, right?" Anna asked out loud. When she received no response, she stepped forward and to her relief, the statues remained seated on their pedestals. When she moved closer to the doorway, the flames that barricaded the door died out, allowing safe passage.

Anna journeyed forth and looked around her. Everything seemed to be rather ancient and made of stone. She could see strange carvings, as well as several more dragon statues. She stopped in front of one of them and reached out. The eyes were glowing as well but it was not a living creature. Her hand felt the smooth, cold stone and she took the time to take in the statue's appearance.

The dragon was sitting regally just like the large statues that guarded the doorway; its tail was curled around its body, blocking the view of its front and back paws. The dragon had large, thick horns standing on its head, chest was broad, and large wings were partially raised. Carved around the dragon's neck was a necklace made from the same stone was its owner's body. The diamond-shaped pendant held what looked like a real jewel.

Anna carefully ran a finger over it. It was cold like the statue, but seemed to be nothing more than a jewel meant for display.

As she continued to walk around, she saw more and more statues scattered around. Some were slightly damaged and others looked beyond repair that Anna could only see the dragon's paws or only a head that had lost its body.

She was not sure where she was but she felt as if she were walking in a place filled with greatness of dragons.

More statues caught her eye. One dragon lay down on its belly with its wings standing proudly, while another displayed a dragon rearing with its front paws in the air, tail caught in mid-thrash and wings flared out aggressively while the dragon displayed its fangs to whatever foe it faced.

Finally, she passed another sitting, regal-looking dragon before she spotted what looked like a doorway out. Anna took one last look at all the different dragons that were carved out of stone. She felt so small but at the same time, empowered just by standing there and witnessing their noble forms.

When she stepped through the new doorway, she found herself out in the open once again. "What exactly is this place? How can I even be in-between sleep?" She asked the empty air.

"You are sleeping at the moment and yet, as you can see, you are very much awake and in control of your entire being. You walk on the plains of dreams and yet you do not dream of anything. And so I will do my utmost best to return you to the realm of the awake."

"That place back there, full of dragon statues! What were they supposed to mean?" Anna asked.

"I would gladly tell you once you have awakened. But for now, young one, your focus is to journey onward. Until you decide to leave your dreams."

"Decide to leave my dreams? But how did I even decide this?"

When she received no answer again, Anna continued on. Everything looked so dull; gray stones and black skies and abyss with white dots of shining stars. Occasionally she would take notice of statues with stones that provided some color to this odd realm of sleep.

"You were most fortunate to survive such an encounter like you did. Malachi was known for his ruthless dark magic."

Anna stopped in her tracks. "You know him?"

"No. Not knew him; not personally. I, like many others, have heard and even read of his terrible exploits. He was a man of most terrible power. But even he could not compare to his master."

"Wait a minute! Why are you using past tense?" Anna asked cautiously. She could not have been asleep for that long, could she?

"The moment Malachi retreated to lick his wounds, his master considered him a failure as he did not return with the dragon he had promised him."

"W-wait… Are you saying that…?"

The voice said nothing, but the silence was more than enough to confirm what Anna had assumed. As much as she wished to impale her sword into Malachi, just the thought that Einon would do damage to his own men without a second thought made her sick to her stomach, and it reminded her that he was probably capable of anything if it meant he would be the only one standing.

It also begged the question; would Einon risk his own son as well? Or was Griffin just as bad as his father?

"I will gladly explain as much as I can, after you awaken. It does not feel right for me to tell you while you are in this condition. I wish to speak with you face-to-face."

Anna sighed and placed a hand on her hip. "Looking forward to it," She grumbled. Who knew what awaited her once she woke up as the voice claimed. If she was truly asleep, then the land of dreams was not as she has expected. At least, she had never dreamt of an endless abyss filled with old ruins and many questions left unanswered.

The air suddenly grew cold and Anna shivered. Before she could even begin to comprehend what was happening, shards of rock began to fly around her and before her eyes, they formed together to create a humanlike shape.

Anna placed her hand on her sword and unsheathed it as the stones finished forming itself.

Empty stone armors slowly turned to face the redhead, glowing red eyes glared at her from inside empty, headless stone helmets.

"I'm not sure what kind of dream this is, but it isn't one I intend on losing to," Anna said with determination as she glared at what she sensed were her otherworldly foes.

The stone armors let out a grunting roar, a battle cry, and lifted up their swords in the air before they rushed at Anna.

The princess dodged to the side and moved around the empty stone warriors' swords crashed onto the spot she had been standing on a moment ago.

Anna's eyes narrowed as she carefully took note of their movements; they were quite slow, which seemed to be a given considering they were made of stone, but they were not as slow as Anna thought they would be. The stone armors had fast reactions and even heavier blows. If she got nicked up those stone swords even a little bit, with their kind of power behind it…

Anna shook her head and focused on her opponents. The voice had gone silent and she knew that she would be on her own, at least for now. Who knew when that voice would speak to her again?

The stone armors charged at her once again, swords and shields raised. Anna once again moved to the side and swung her blade, only for it to clash and bounce of the stone warrior's back. In response, the armor whirled around, smacking Anna with its free hand, making her jump back.

Anna touched her cheek with her fingers and winced at the scrape she felt on her skin. She tightened her hold on her sword. "So that's how it's going to be, huh?"

As if answering her, the stone armors roared and charged at her again. This time, Anna kept moving. All around her she avoided the stomping, punching, and slashing of her otherworldly foes. The ground felt like it was shaking every time they missed their target and hit the dirt instead.

Once Anna found her footing again, she and the armors circled each other slowly. She had to find a weak spot—if they even had any.

The armors kept their shields close to their bodies even as they rushed towards the redhead. The more she watched them, the more she realized that they never seemed to move the shields away from their bodies. Something in her mind seemed to make a connection, but she would have to see for herself before she could confirm it.

Bracing herself, Anna sheathed her sword and ran towards the stone armors. They ran at her in return, but rather than take out her blade, Anna dropped her body onto the ground once she had gained enough speed and slid right under between the legs of one of her stone foes. Her eyes glanced up quickly and she caught the sight of something glinting.

So that was it; they really were guarding something.

Anna got to her feet and faced them again. She drew her sword and took her stance, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes for a moment. She needed to focus; if training had taught her anything, it was that rushing in might be the death of her. The redhead calmed her mind and listened to the sounds of her enemies' heavy footsteps rushing towards her.

The nearest armor lifted its sword, prepared to strike her down. In that moment, Anna's eyes shot open and she lifted her blade to block the attack.

Steel and stone clashed as Anna pushed back against the heavy sword of her foe. Her eyes glanced to where she had noticed the weak spot, and if she timed it just right…

The stone armor roared at her as it seemed to grow frustrated that its quarry refused to let up. Its frustration seemed to make it react recklessly and it lifted both arms as it lifted its sword over its head.

Anna saw her chance and swiftly impaled her sword through the red jewel on the armor's chest that had been hidden behind the shield. She pushed her sword all the way in to the hilt and the armor let out a breathy groan before it crumbled into dust.

The other armors seemed to be in disbelief and the shock—if sentient armor could even feel that—and lowered their weapons and shields.

Ceasing the opportunity, Anna reached for the daggers on her belt and threw them at the jewels. One by one the stone armors reacted by crumbling into dust the moment their weakness was struck.

Anna exhaled and sheathed her sword before falling onto her backside, unable to believe this was happening to her. She had just been attacked by sentient armors made out of solid stone, with glowing eyes. It was like something from a fantasy novel that Anna may or may not have read in the castle's library.

"You possess impressive skill, young one."

Anna gasped and got up to her feet and looked up around her. "Was it you? Were you the one who set this up?" She yelled into the sky.

"I have no intention to bring harm to you, young one. But I am impressed you managed to defeat the sentinels." The voice said.

Anna frowned. "You're not being straight with me, are you? Fine then. Can you at least tell me if I'm even close to waking up as you so put it?"

"You are close to the end of this dreamlike state. Continue onward; I look forward to finally meeting you face-to face."

"How do I know I can trust you?" Anna asked carefully.

The owner of the voice sounded like he was smiling. "It is entirely up to you alone if you wish to trust me or not. However I to intend to assist you. Now come, young one. You are close to waking up."

When the voice went silent again, Anna groaned loudly and ran a hand down her face. The more confused she got, the more frustrated she became. But without much of a voice, she followed the voice's instructions and continued on ahead.

She looked ahead and noticed a large doorway. Was that it? The way out?

Anna took a deep breath and braced herself as she approached the door way. On either side were two large dragon statues that stared down at whoever approached the door they guarded. She look a good look at them, feeling as if she were in the presence of a higher power.

The redhead swallowed hard and stepped forward. She winced as a bright light flashed in front of her eyes, blinding her for a moment before all went black.

Anna gasped as she shot up and winced as she felt a sharp pain in her arm. She clutched the area where she had been nicked by Malachi's shadow form. The princess felt too disoriented and lightheaded to take note of her surroundings. When she tried to force herself to do so, Anna only found her head falling back against what felt like soft pillows.

She felt a little lighter and ran a hand down her chest. Was she wearing a nightshirt? She knew she never got into one before blacking out.

Where was she? Anna narrowed her eyes as her vision slowly returned and started to focus.

"Rest a while longer, young one. You may have just woken up, but what you had experienced is quite tiring. No need to fear; you are safe here." A familiar voice said reassuringly.

At that voice, Anna's eyes widened. She turned her head—her body felt too tired to sit up again—towards whoever had spoken.

An elderly man with a slightly long beard that was tied near the tip stood a few paces away from her. He was dressed in grey-and-blue robes and wore a pendant around his neck—it looked like a blue gem or crystal. By the way he looked, Anna could only assume he was a wizard, a mage, or perhaps simply a scholar.

He smiled at her warmly. "Welcome back to the waking world, Princess Anna of Arendelle."

"Who…? Where…?" Anna shut her eyes for a moment before opening them again. Her surroundings were unfamiliar. It looked like something from a fantasy; a scholar or wizard's lair, filled with books and other items; knickknacks and scrolls, and maps…

The last thing she could remember was blacking out after feeling quite faint.

"I can see the questions on your face. As I had said before; you were poisoned by venom produced by the shadow beast you had fought. I managed to purify it from your body before it could do anymore harm, thankfully. I had been afraid I would not stop it in time. As for where you are… This is my home. I brought you here while you were swept away into your own consciousness." The scholar said.

"This was the last thing I expected to wake up to," Anna confessed groggily as she attempted to sit up again.

The old scholar went to her side and assisted her. With a tired sigh, Anna took a look at the old man carefully. He was aged, that much was obvious but he also seemed like an old man who could hold his own. His robes were pristine and his beard well-kept. His eyes sparkled with wisdom and warmth, as well as concern. Still Anna could not help but feel…strange around him.

"You… Who are you?" She said quietly, but he had heard her.

The scholar looked at Anna carefully. "So you are aware…?"

Anna could only nod. She had watched him carefully the moment she set eyes on him and when she did, he became clear to her. Anyone would simply see an old scholar, but Anna saw a large, old, light bluish-grey dragon with worn and somewhat torn wings, and chipped horns. He wore what looked like large old robes made for a dragon; surprising since Anna didn't think dragons would enjoy wearing clothes in their true form. He also still had the pendant around his neck.

The old dragon approached her slowly. "So you have figured out what I truly am… Though, I suppose I should not be surprised; I could sense there was something special about you." He said as he stopped at the foot of the bed and settled onto his belly, placing one paw over the other.

The redhead lowered her head. "Still, who are you?"

"My pardons," The old dragon stood up and bent one of his front legs and bowed his head, "You may refer to me as the Chronicler. Welcome to my humble abode."

"Chronicler…?" Anna looked at the shelves filled with books and other many items and trinkets in the room before looking at the old dragon again. She never expected to meet another dragon, and even if she had, this was not what she had imagined. It was a surprise, but not an unpleasant one. The Chronicler had a warm and kind aura about him. It made Anna think about a loving and wise grandfather when she looked into his eyes, but at the same time she sensed he had power within him that he was not showing. After all, he was still a dragon.

"How do you feel now, Princess?" The Chronicler asked gently.

"Oh! No, call me Anna! Just Anna…" She protested and slowly moved to get off the bed. "I'm…still a little bit disoriented, but I feel better."

The Chronicler nodded and folded his wings back down onto his back. He gestured towards the door with his paw. "Come. I have prepared something for you; I assume you must be feeling quite famished."

"Dragons…can cook?" Anna said before she could stop herself. She clamped her mouth shut and glanced at the aged beast, hoping she did not offend him in any way. To her surprise, he laughed instead.

"Indeed, it is most unusual to hear of such a thing! A dragon cooking!" The old dragon chuckled and shook his head as he led Anna out of the room.

Everything was so large and wide to accommodate a dragon of such a size, it reminded Anna a bit of the ballroom back at home in Arendelle castle. The thought of her parents made her heart ache; she hoped they were not too worried about her. And she was concerned about Kristoff and Sven as well.

The Chronicler presented Anna with a platter filled with breads, meats, and cheese. Again she was caught off guard. To think a dragon could actually prepare a meal. Though she wondered why he would give her that much.

Anna's stomach growled at her and the scent of the cooked meat almost made her drool. She felt…hungry. Even more than she thought she could be. She felt as if she had not eaten in days. While she wanted to remain polite in front of the kindly dragon, she could not help but dig in furiously.

The Chronicler merely sat back and watched her, as if reading an interesting book.

Anna stopped herself and blushed in embarrassment before rubbing her arm against her mouth in an attempt to wipe off any mess she made on herself. "How… How long had I been asleep?" She asked after a moment of silence. She was reluctant to hear the answer for some reason but at the same time she had to know.

The old dragon sat up straight. "You had been asleep for twenty-one days."

Anna's eyes widened in disbelief and shock; she could not have truly slept for that long! Could she? It felt nothing like twenty-one days! It was impossible! But when she thought about it, she recalled the Chronicler mentioning Malachi's potent poison. Had she truly been on the brink of life and death? How much effort did the Chronicler have to make in order to keep her alive?

It also raised another question; why did the Chronicler keep her alive? What reason could he possibly have for making sure a human would not perish?

"You have much questions to ask," The old dragon said.

The redhead tensed for a brief second before sighing in defeat. "What gave it away?"

"Your eyes. They hold much emotion in them; I can see the worry you are feeling. There are questions you want to ask of me. Perhaps, why did I keep you alive?" He settled on the stone floor again.

"I…" Anna was once again caught off guard. Just how much did this dragon know? She shook her head. "Yes, I do want to know why."

The Chronicler merely smiled again. "I may be a dragon, but it does not mean I care not for the life of another. I admit, there are other reasons I made sure you did not perish from the venom but mostly I did it because I did not wish to see a child lose her life so soon."

Anna was about to protest that she was no child, but recalled that he was quite old and had no idea how long he might have been alive for. To him, in his eyes, she would indeed be nothing more than a child still. Instead she just rubbed her arm, unsure what to say.

Sensing her hesitation, the dragon continued, "I also sensed something in you. I could sense what you went through and I have seen Malachi's transgressions towards you. I could not stand by and let it happen. It is not my right to interfere but at that moment, I had to make an exception. After all, your life had been touched by dragons."

Anna suddenly tensed. Her teal eyes went wide and she shot up as his words sunk in. "Elsa! Oh gods! Elsa! What… Where is she? What happened to her?" She looked at the dragon in front of her before something in her mind clicked. Anna shuddered and she wrapped her arms around herself. Of course… She had sent Elsa away.

"Elsa is…the blue dragon?" The Chronicler asked, "Just as I had reached you, I caught a glimpse of blue wings. Was that her?"

Her heart was racing rapidly in her chest but she managed to nod. Of course, how could she forget? She had told Elsa to leave and find… "She… She was supposed to go find her family."

The Chronicler tilted his head before sighing and getting up. "Come with me. There is something I wish to show you."

Anna raised an eyebrow but did so. She could tell from his expression that this was something important. Whatever it was.

The old dragon led her to another room and the redhead gaped. It was an enormous library. The shelves were all filled with many thick-looking books, and the centerpiece of the room was a large levitating crystal.

"As the Chronicler, it is my duty to watch over and record the lives of many dragons. For generations I have safeguarded our history and written many books on every life of every dragon…" The old beast said as he scanned the shelves.

Anna walked beside him. "You mean you wrote all these books?"

"Not every single one. Other Chroniclers before me wrote their fair share of books before the duty was passed onto me."

"So all these books are about the lives of each dragon? Then…that must be a lot of dragons." Anna said, half to herself. She was growing a little dizzying from staring at the books; it was all so fascinating and amazing. To think that this many dragons exist, and existed.

He nodded. "Yes, but many prefer to keep to themselves. Humans believe we are nothing more than fairytales, but that is how most dragons like it despite the reputation that some stories gave our kind. It is no bother to us, however."

The Chronicler then stopped and Anna almost bumped into his side. The old dragon looked over at a particular book before it slid out of its spot on the shelf on its own before levitating over to its author. The Chronicler lay on the floor once again; he nodded for Anna to join him and she sat down right beside his large arm as the levitating book opened itself, presenting its page to them.

With a defeated sigh, the old dragon tuned to the book again. "I assume that Malachi had shown you parts of what could be Elsa's life before you met?"

She nodded. "Elsa and I had met before even though I was too young to even remember it, and…she has a family as well." Anna was unsure what made her chest pain even more; the fact that she had met Elsa in the past or the fact that Elsa had a mate and hatchling. However, when in the end, she decided what had hurt was the fact that Elsa never told her any of this.

The Chronicler seemed to sense what she was thinking. "I can assure you that your mind had not been manipulated. Malachi has mastery over memories, but he cannot manipulate them. Merely dig them out of the very deep recesses of the mind."

"So it is true then…" Anna groaned; all this time she had been getting a little too cozy with another dragon's mate who also happened to be a mother of their hatchling.

"While what Malachi had shown you were real, there is something he did not show you both. He knew he did not have the power to manipulate memories to his liking, but he could show them in such a way that people would indeed be tricked by him. You see…Malachi did not show you the entire truth. He only showed you what you had not known about Elsa." The Chronicler explained.

Anna shook her head. "That does not make it any better."

The old dragon placed one of his wings around Anna slightly in a form of comfort. "What else did Malachi tell you?"

Anna frowned as she thought back. The now-dead mage had been a lunatic, that much was certain but now that she recalled that moment, some of the things he said were rather confusing. "He said something about…believing that Elsa is an ice dragon. I don't understand. Elsa is an ice dragon! She controls ice; I've seen it!"

The Chronicler shook his head. "Malachi was correct, young one. Elsa is not an ice dragon."

"What?" The princess felt her stomach knot. "That doesn't make any sense whatsoever!" How could a dragon that manipulated the ice and snow not be an ice dragon? Once again, Anna felt like she was being spun around in circles to the point that she had no idea which way was up.

"She is more than that. This book has the answer…" He said and Anna looked at the pages. There were some words written but she could not read them. She could only assume they were written in the language of dragons. So instead she focused on the pictures imprinted on each page. They were so detailed despite the browning and it felt as if they could come to life at any moment.

The Chronicler then began the story, "Many centuries ago when dragons freely roamed the skies, there had been a dragon that was born different. First the dragon mastered the element of fire which surprised his brethren as the dragon was not a fire dragon, then next came ice, lightning, earth, and even wind… The dragon has earned many names as well but the most prominent title was Azure Dragon due to the dark blue color of the dragon's scales. While it is true that many dragons possessed blue scales, none of them had the exact same shade of blue as the Azure Dragon did."

Anna's eyes widened at the implications. "Are you saying…Elsa can control more than just the element of ice?"

"Indeed. However due to her believing she was an ice dragon, she mastered only ice while being unaware of the other elements she has at her disposal." The Chronicler said, "Some came to call them Great Dragons in honor of how many elements they possessed. These dragons were not as common as the others. Many speculated they were born every hundred years or perhaps only every ten or fifty generations. Rest assured, Elsa is not the only Azure Dragon but perhaps she is the only one of this generation."

"What else?" Anna asked, feeling rather breathless and almost speechless at the revelation.

"Azure Dragons are a powerful breed, gifted with immense magical energy that allows them to master all elements. However, there were times when this power came at a price. Not all Azure Dragons had a gentle heart like your Elsa." The Chronicler said.

Despite herself, Anna felt herself go red when the old dragon referred to Elsa as hers. She shook her head and focused on the topic. "What did you mean by that?"

"Sadly, some Azure Dragons could not be satisfied after they had mastered each element. They would not stop searching for more power and they consumed everything… Some Azure Dragons even sought to enslave other dragons, including humans…" A distant expression clouded the Chroniclers eyes as if witnessing the events unfold all over again, "Those who refused to give into the dark desires of their hearts fought back. So you see the Azure Dragons were seen as both dangerous and cruel beings, but also heroes even among other dragons. The fairytales humans write about dragons who destroy, hoard, and kill innocents… They were based on the Azure Dragons as well as those who fell under the seduction of the promise of power."

Anna stared at the page the book had turned to; images of fire, and dragons battling each other. One of their own… It seems that humans were not the only beings able to turn against one another. "So is this also the reason dragons always keep themselves hidden?"

"Yes, and that was many centuries ago. Many humans had forgotten while some dragons still remember. But for those who had forgotten like the humans, the need to keep themselves hidden were just second instinct to them; an adaption they believed they had always been born with." The old dragon said.

The book closed itself and floated back to its spot on the shelf while another book slid out and floated down towards them and opened. The pages flipped a few times before stopping at a certain page.

"This book is Elsa's, but it is also yours." He said, surprising the princess.

"Me? But I'm not a dragon."

The Chronicler chuckled, "It is your book as well because your life is tied to Elsa's just as hers is tied to yours."

Anna's heart began to face once more. "So does that mean that this book…has everything about Elsa's life, right? You said you documented every dragon's life so that must mean Elsa's is included!"

The Chronicler nodded as the book then turned a page. "Indeed. But I am afraid to say that hers is not a happy tale. Perhaps we should leave it for another day—"

"No! Please, I have to know more." Anna insisted, determination shining in her eyes. "I have to know."

The Chronicler sighed in defeat. "Very well…" He flicked his paw and the book moved to settle down on Anna's lap.

She could feel her hands shake as she began to flip through the book until she found something odd. He looked different but she recognized Einon. He looked a little younger but still had the look of a ruthless fighter who would kill to get what he wanted. "Wait. Why is he in Elsa's book?"

"Einon had played a part in Elsa's past. I have watched him as well as you and your dragon… He recognized her, did he not?" The old dragon said and he received a nod in response. "That was because several years ago, Einon had discovered the ruins of a temple lost to time; some dragons had turned the ruins into their nesting grounds…"

Anna looked at the page, seeing the image of dragons fleeing while some were slain. Eggs were smashed to bits but Einon held one egg up like a prize. Her heart seized in realization. "He…took Elsa, didn't he? When she was just an egg."

"Yes. The other eggs and dragons were of no use to him and so he did as he pleased with the rest. He had plans for her but did not count on nearly being found by passing ships. He refused to let anyone else have his prize and so he fled, and hid her…" The Chronicler looked at the book and it flipped a page. The image of a lone dragon egg could be seen, settled amongst what looked like bits of ice.

"Elsa had told me that she hatched in an ice cave with nobody else around," Anna mused.

"The Azure Dragon believed herself to be an ice dragon because of where she hatched, and because ice had been the first element she had ever used. And because she was unaware of her true heritage, she never used any other element, nor had she been aware she could use them." The aged dragon explained. "It was another thing Einon had not anticipated; he had not counted on the fact that the egg would hatch so soon. By the time he returned to retrieve the egg, she had hatched and was gone."

The book turned to the next couple of pages and the Chronicler chuckled, "Ah here was your fateful meeting. You were but an infant back then, and Elsa was a curious young dragon. Unlike many cautious dragons, she had wondered about humans so she snuck into the castle only to find you there. You were born three years after Elsa had hatched."

Anna ran a finger along the image on the page; a much younger Elsa staring down into a crib where an infant laid. It was still odd seeing herself when she had been a baby. And Elsa, having been the size of a full-grown stallion back then was still considered a hatchling by older dragons.

Unconsciously, she lifted a hand to run a finger down her hair only to realize the white streak that had been there her whole life was now gone. It had been placed there during her time as an infant by Elsa, but so easily removed and taken away by Malachi.

A sudden pang of emptiness shot through Anna's chest. She had believed she was born with that white steak, then she had learned the very dragon she came to care for had been responsible for it, albeit by accident; she always thought that bit of white among her red locks was always out of place, but now that it was gone, she felt lost like a part of her had been stripped away.

The Chronicler spoke again, "As time went on Elsa did what any dragon would do in their life; find a mate and have a family of their own. Yes, Elsa did have a mate and a hatchling; a son. But there was something else Malachi neglected to show you."

"I want to see it." Anna said quietly but confidently.

The old dragon looked reluctant but he just nodded, knowing she needed some closure. "Look harder at the page, young one."

Anna did so, and suddenly she felt a strange pull and her stomach felt like it was being flipped. When she blinked, she found herself someplace different. "Hello? Chronicler? What just happened?" She called out but received no answer.

The sound of someone approaching caused her to tense up and whirl around. To her surprise, Elsa approached, though the dragon made no indication that she was aware of Anna's presence. Instead, Elsa stood at the edge of the cliff and looked to the horizon as if waiting.

Anna looked around and noticed that the other dragon was not present. Perhaps he was out hunting and Elsa was merely waiting for his return.

Just then, a much smaller dragon pranced out of the den and over to Elsa. The Azure Dragon purred as she leaned down to nuzzle the little hatchling.

"You really were happy, Elsa. What happened to you?" Anna whispered, knowing the dragon would probably not be able to hear her. Just being able to witness all this made her heart jump a bit. She had never seen Elsa this happy before, and it was clear that she adored her offspring. Anna watched as the hatchling sat straight, trying to mimic its mother's perfectly regal posture. Elsa looked amused and nuzzled the little one again before flaring out her wings.

She made a low groaning sound and took to the air. The hatchling watched her until she was out of sight. Anna could not help but chuckle when the little one began to roll around on the ground before heading back into the den. However, the moment the hatchling returned inside, Anna heard someone else approach. Surely it was not Elsa; she had just left. Perhaps it was the male dragon.

When the princess turned, she froze. It was no dragon, but a man. He was tall, had a handsome face, green eyes and auburn hair and sideburns. He was of faire complexion and had light dusting of freckles across his nose. And by the look of his clothes, Anna could tell he was someone of high status. But what was he doing here?

Anna watched as the young man dusted himself off before unsheathing his sword. Her eyes widened as he began to walk into the cave.

Despite the fact that she was in a memory, Anna rushed to where the hatchling was playing with some rocks, unaware of the approaching danger. Anna ran to the little dragon's side; she could not let any harm come to him. "Please… Please go, please hide!" She pleaded with the vision.

The sound of footsteps came closer and closer until the hatchling was face-to-face with the intruder.

The man raised his sword and the hatchling scurried away before he was struck by the weapon. A dragon's scales were hard and impenetrable by manmade weapons created from mere steel, but as hatchlings they were vulnerable and their scales lacked the protective hardness the adolescents and adults possessed. The hatchling was in terrible danger.

Again the intruder went after the little one and Anna could no longer stand by even though there was nothing she could do. She charged at the intruder. "Stop! Leave him alone!" She yelled as she threw hard punches at the man, only for her to pass through him every single time and for him to walk right through her body as he gave chase to the little dragon.

"Stay away from him! Damn you!" Anna continued to charge and go through the images of the intruder.

Unfortunately for the hatchling, he soon ran into a dead end with the human right behind him. The little one curled back into the wall before he let out a high-pitched cry. It distracted the intruder for a moment and he covered his ears block out the deafening sound. Anna winced as well.

Once the noise stopped, the little dragon inhaled and exhaled, letting out weak but slightly effective blasts of ice, covering the intruder's boots. The man glared at his would-be victim and struggled until he was able to crash his feet though the thin layers of ice. Again the young dragon spat ice in an attempt to defend himself. The intruder raised his sword over his head.

"NO!" Anna cried out as the blade fell upon the vulnerable dragon. She gasped in horror, the little one let out a loud whimper as he was struck down, unable to stop his sad fate at the hands of a human's blade.

From a distance, the loud cries had caught the attention of the Azure Dragon. Sensing something was amiss, the mother swiftly returned to her den as fast as her wings would allow her to.

Anna felt hot tears run down her face as she grit her teeth and clenched her fists as the bastard took out something from the dead hatchling. It had a faint glow around it and seemed to be unsoiled by the blood of the fallen dragon. "You…murderer! I'll kill you!" Anna screamed, knowing she could do nothing but he a witness.

The intruder left with his prize and the princes fell to her knees beside the hatchling's body. She punched the ground in dismay. How could anyone be so cruel?

After what felt like an eternity, Anna could hear a familiar roar and the heavy footfalls of an adult dragon just as Elsa rushed in. The moment she happened upon the scene, she stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes widened and her jaw fell open in shock, dread, and horror. Elsa leaned down and gently nudged her son's body as if trying to coax him to wake up. She continued to do this, refusing to believe her son was dead, until she seemed to finally give up.

The devastated mother then lifted her head and let out an earth-shattering, pained roar. Anna felt like she could feel the pain going through the dragon at that moment. The roar caused many birds to flee from the trees as it echoed throughout the land. Finally, the dragon stopped moving for a long while and the redhead wondered if time had ceased.

Anna watched the dragon she had come to cherish more than anything. "Elsa…"

Suddenly the Azure Dragon sprang back to life; her icy-blue eyes were glowing brightly, and it was a frightening sight. Her fangs were bared into a loud angered snarl and her claws dug into the hard ground. Standing tall, Elsa turned and walked out of the den.

Anna followed her and watched as the air around them turned cold. Harsh winds began to blow and the sound of crackling ice caught Anna's attention. She turned around to see ice crawling up to cover the entrance of the cave with thick ice until it seemed as if there was no cave to begin with. It was now a grave, a grave of a young dragon whose life had been taken from him forcefully.

Elsa's wings fanned out and bits of snow began to fall from the sky. This was the wrath of an angered dragon. Elsa sniffed the air for a moment, concentrating before she roared and took to the skies.

Anna's surroundings changed once more and she found herself in a throne room. She was confused until someone announced an arrival.

"Prince Hans has returned, my king!" A servant announced and a tall man with a stern-looking face just looked at the servant coldly. "Good. Send him in." The servant bowed and retreated to call the prince into the room.

Anna's eyes widened when she saw the prince. The same auburn hair and green eyes… The same man who killed Elsa's son.

"A prince?" She felt disgusted; a prince—someone who was supposed to rule a kingdom in his father's place one day and look after his people—was the one responsible for destroying the life of an innocent dragon and his mother. Anna suddenly felt sick to her stomach. Prince Hans… She did not know him yet the name sounded familiar for some reason.

The prince approached his father confidently, holding an elaborately decorated box in his hands. Just as the king tuned to face his son, he glared and raised an eyebrow. "Father, I have returned victorious! Behold…" Hans held out the box and his father moved closer, looking rather skeptical. The prince then placed a hand on the lid and lifted it.

Anna moved closer to take a look. Inside the box, settled on the soft red velvet cushioning, was a beautiful blue jewel attached to a silver chain. It was beautiful and showed expert craftsman ship, but as she stared at the jewel, she felt something inside her twist into a knot.

The king lifted the pendant by the chain and stared at it. "So this… This is a dragon's heart?"

Once the words left his mouth, Anna felt like gagging. She recalled Hans had taken something from the hatchling and it had glowed in his hand. A dragon's heart… The jewel was made out of the heart of Elsa's son. She recalled how some books mention that some skilled individuals would create weapons or jewelry from dragon scales and bones or any part of the dragon, but never in her life did she think a dragon's heart could be used and crafted in such a way.

"It is the real thing. You can test it if you don't believe me." Hans said confidently and his father frowned, stepping back.

"Yes, I think I will test it." Suddenly, he dropped the pendant and drew out his sword, smashing it against the blue jewel. But to everyone's surprise, and Prince Hans' glee, the jewel had not a scratch or a crack on it. It shone with an unearthly glow. The king lifted it into his hand again. "Hm… So it is real. Well done, Hans. I suppose you are indeed capable of something after all."

Hans smiled but Anna could tell he was trying to hold back a triumphant smirk. "Thank you Father…"

The scene shifted again and Anna found herself amongst a crowd. The king stood before them, holding up the pendant and the jewel shone once again. "Prince Hans Westergaard of the Southern Isles… You have done well in proving yourself by returning with this dragon's heart. There may be hope for you yet. Now, stand with your brothers."

Anna looked over to Hans and watched him. Her eyes widened when he walked over to a group of twelve men.

Those were his brothers? She shook her head in disbelief. That was a lot of heirs. Anna then stopped, thinking back to what the king had said. "The Southern Isles? No, that can't be!" She gasped.

The Southern Isles were lost many years ago, disappeared off the map along with all the other isles and had turned into what was now known as the Lost Isles! The place was no longer a kingdom, but a wasteland. How far back was she seeing if this was indeed the Southern Isles back when it was still a kingdom? Anna counted in her head, recalling all she read about the Southern Isles and the time it became desolate and devoid of life.

Just as she was about to reach her conclusion, the air turned cold and snow began to descend from the sky, much to the people's confusion. Anna's eyes widened as she looked up just in time to see a large form fly downwards, heading for the castle. Her heart stopped when she realized that it was Elsa.

The vengeful dragon roared loudly and the citizens of the Southern Isles began to panic and stampede down the streets to get to safety.

Icy walls then began to form at every exit that led out of the kingdom, keeping the terrified populace trapped among the walls of the kingdom. The only safe place would be the castle or their houses.

The soldiers and knights rushed at the Azure Dragon but the enraged beast just roared once more and easily swats them away with her large arms and tail. Elsa exhaled large blasts of ice, freezing the streets and anyone caught in the crossfire of her attack. She was blind with rage and sadness, and it was obvious when Anna looked into her blank, glowing eyes.

It was difficult to believe that this angered creature that was causing much chaos was the same Elsa she knew.

This dragon had tracked down and followed her son's killer and now, the beast was exacting vengeance on an entire kingdom. She was clearly no longer thinking properly and her eyes were clouded with despair and pain. She was broken.

Elsa flew up to the castle's towers and perched herself there, digging her claws in as she continued to blast ice in every direction while everyone was powerless to stop her wrath. Everywhere she looked it was pure chaos and confusion.

The cold got even worse as everything froze; structures and even the people turned to nothing but ice. Soon, the entire kingdom of the Southern Isles was consumed.

Elsa's glowing eyes then settled on what she had been searching for. She swooped down and flapped her wings as she landed right in front of her target. Prince Hans and his father stared up at the dragon, swords drawn.

The king charged at her but his sword broke the moment it came into contact with the Azure Dragon's scales. Elsa's eyes flashed dangerously and she retaliated by stomping a paw into the ground. Sharp shards of ice rose from the ground, impaling the king.

Finally, Elsa had her quarry in her sights. She stepped towards Hans and snarled dangerously. The prince trembled and stumbled backwards, still pointing his sword at her. The dragon's cold breath reached his face and the moment he looked into her eyes, he knew that this would be the last thing he ever saw. The Azure Dragon exhaled and a blinding flash of ice and snow blinded anyone who was left alive to witness it.

Once the wintry storm settled a bit, Elsa found herself staring at the frozen, pathetic form of Prince Hans. The human who murdered her son; finally she had him right where she wanted him. She lifted her paw, and brought it down, smashing into the prince's frozen body, causing it to shatter.

Elsa flew upwards and settled on the tower of the castle again, and roared victoriously. Her roared could probably be heard for miles as she made her victory known.

Anna could not believe what she had just seen. Everywhere she looked, there was destruction and coldness. Snow continued to fall as the dragon looked towards the horizon. Anna watched her, feeling her heart ache for Elsa. She wanted nothing more than to reach out, but knew that this Elsa could not see or hear her.

Suddenly she felt a pull and when Anna blinked, she gasped when she realized she had returned to the present.

The Chronicler looked at the princess before turning his gaze back to the book. "After Elsa destroyed the Seven Isles, she fled. She no longer cared now that her revenge was complete, and as with revenge, emptiness began to set in. She had flown for days, still tormented by the memory of her son's death. It drove her insane, even more than she already had been when she exacted her revenge. The insanity became too much for her one day, and she had neglected to hunt and feed herself. As a result, she fell from the skies and crashed…right into the kingdom of Arendelle."

Anna looked up at the old dragon and he looked at her sadly. "Yes, Princess Anna. Elsa had been near death but by some chance, she survived. However, the next day when she awoke, she could no longer remember what happened to her. The loss and the pain had destroyed her, that her mind suppressed those memories. Elsa had not lied to you, because she truly did not remember."

As Anna stared at the page with the image of Elsa falling from the sky, she felt the tears return. She felt angry; angry at Hans, angry at the king who challenged his son to take the heart of a dragon, angry at herself for being such a fool. But most of all, she felt sadness; sadness for Elsa, and her son, a dragon who had been too young when his time came.

Anna cried silently as she traced the image of the dragon she had fallen in love with. "I'm sorry, Elsa."

Finally! It has been a long time I know, and I apologize. Sadly one of the reasons for the delay is because my laptop crashed, twice and so twice I had to re-write what had been lost. I was more than a little upset.

Well now it seems the truth is out! But still more to come of course, and soon. But finally we have met another dragon aside from Elsa! But what about Elsa? Hope you readers enjoy this chapter!

Until then…