Anna stood in front of her window, her eyes glued to the waves leaping and diving along to a silent melody. The ocean's gleam under the sunlight only captivated her all the more. She had never imagined water could be so beautiful. But the sea gave off a sense of danger and stirred a tendril of fear in Anna. For hundreds of miles, there appeared to be little else but endless depths of water, with no sight of land, people, or shelter. At any moment, the boat could spring a leak or capsize, and they would be dragged down to their watery graves without a witness. Anna shuddered. As if to accentuate her thoughts, the boat dipped down further than normal before shooting up, causing her stomach to flip and turn this way and that. Steadying herself, she ambled to her bed, lay down, and propped her head up with a pillow. Rubbing her temples in circles, Anna stared at the ceiling and groaned. Maybe choosing a room at the end of the ship wasn't such a good idea.

Throughout the day, Olaf brought her makeshift meals, and they ate together while discussing whether or not they should explain their situation to the others. The king and Kai's close friendship convinced Anna that he would, at the very least, hear her out, but Olaf held some reservations. Eventually, both came to the conclusion that it was inevitable and that they would need to talk with Kai and Vern sometime before they arrived in Arendelle. Some of the men frequented the hallway and entered and left their rooms at random intervals, so bathroom trips were becoming increasingly difficult for Anna. Worse, Olaf's excessive eating habits were starting to draw suspicion from some of the passengers as well. It was needless to say that by nightfall, the duo had agreed to reveal their secret the following morning.

That evening, Anna faced her mirror and ran a comb through her hair, undoing her messy bun and letting her tresses fall past her shoulders. In an instant, her appearance shifted from one of a poised lady to that of a young girl. She let out a small sigh. Such a simple hairstyle seemed unbefitting of royalty, but she preferred it over the elegant, yet rigid braids her hairdressers would manipulate her hair into. It made her feel light, confident and… free. Yawning, Anna sauntered over to her bed, wrapped herself in the blankets, and fell asleep to the lulling whispers of the ocean.

When dawn pierced through the window, Anna sat up rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Begrudgingly, she left the warmth of her covers and went about her morning routine, as if nothing had changed and she was back at the castle. Not long after finishing, a quiet rapping sounded from the door and, recognizing the knock's rhythm, she opened the door.

"Good morning," Olaf said, "Sleep well?"

"Well enough." She stifled a yawn with her hand. "Getting up this early takes some getting used to."

He grinned. "I'd assume so, considering that you normally wake up just before noon. You wouldn't believe the number of times the king thought you had fallen ill."

"Listen here, mister," Anna said, eyes narrowing into a playful glare. "I'll have you know that practicing fire magic takes a lot of energy. Besides, it's not like my father is ever free in the mornings." Her thoughts traveled back to Desera briefly before she sighed. "But never mind that. Where's everyone else?"

"A couple of the men, including Kai, are on the deck above us." He held the door open for Anna, and they started towards the stairs. "I'll let you do most of the talking so that it doesn't seem like I coerced you into this. But if you need help, just remember, I'll be right here to support you. Let's just hope they believe us."

"They will, Olaf." Anna unconsciously touched her pendant. They have to.

After reaching the first floor, they continued onward to the bow of the ship, where three men faced away from them, leaning against the wooden guardrail. As the duo approached, one of the men turned at the sound their footsteps and motioned for the other two to do the same. Anna shifted her eyes around nervously, her confidence diminishing under their curious stares.

"Princess Anna?! When did—how did you…?" Kai, the dark-haired man standing at the center, stammered incoherently before asking, "What are you doing here?"

"W-well, you see." Anna cleared her throat. "My mother spoke to me a few nights ago and warned me of a threat endangering Arendelle. She said I have to protect the kingdom from… something, I'm not exactly sure. But I have to help them in whatever way I can."

Kai blinked at her. "Your mother spoke to you?"

"Yes, I know it sounds strange, but it's true. I wasn't dreaming or anything. She looked just like how I remembered her from all those years ago. And her voice... I promise you it was real. It had to be. I think we share some sort of magical connection."

The man on the right of Kai stepped forward. "With all due respect, Crown Princess, that's not possible." He shifted his vision to Olaf and glared. "King Adgar never told you to come with us, did he? Vern, this is exactly why I was against letting him board the ship. He not only deceived us, but also endangered the princess by bringing her along. Olaf, I'm sure you're well-aware that the king wouldn't condone your treasonous actions." He shook his head and sneered. "Some royal guard you are."

Vern opened his mouth to reply, but Anna beat him to it in a flurry of anger. "Okay, first of all, I convinced Olaf to come with me, not the other way around. What reason could he possibly have to travel to Arendelle and bring me along?" She glowered at him, daring him to respond, but he didn't. "That's right, none. And secondly, you have no right to talk like that to him! He's risking everything he has just to ensure I get to Arendelle safely. No other royal guard would do that. You would be lucky to be even half the warrior he is."

"I'm not a guard, but what you say is true. No other royal guard would put you in peril like this. And rightfully so." he said, seemingly unfazed by her outburst, yet his eyes betrayed frustration and something else. Is that… fear? She didn't have long to consider it, as he stormed past Olaf, bumping his shoulder in the process.

Immediately, Kai and Vern shouted after him but to no avail, their words falling on deaf ears.

Kai turned. "I apologize, Olaf. And to you as well, Princess," he said, shooting a reproachful look at the man's retreating form. "Agent Feren has always been rather impulsive and judgmental by nature. He means well, I'm sure. Though I'll have to talk to him later about his behavior. As for the current predicament…" He looked back at Anna and seemed to mull over her plea. "Under normal circumstances, it would be hard to imagine that Queen Idunn spoke to you. However…I'm inclined to believe you. We have uncovered evidence that proves there is a threat conspiring against Arendelle. In fact, the king wanted me and my agents to attend the festivities in Arendelle to eliminate the culprits. But how could you have known if not for the supernatural? You and your mother certainly shared a powerful connection while she lived, and there is much about magic that is not yet known. Perhaps some remnant of her may exist in you."

Anna's spirits soared upon his words. While she hoped for this outcome, Anna hadn't thought that he would believe her this easily. Her happiness, however, was immediately dashed by his next sentence.

"But... I can't allow you to come. I'm sorry, Crown Princess, we have to return to Desera."

"W-wait, I don't understand. If you believe me, then why can't I come?"

"In short, your father. Although I don't agree with how Feren spoke to you and Olaf, he's right on one thing: the king would never approve of you putting yourself in peril like this. Everything he does, all of the security measures he's implemented and defense meetings he's attended, he does it all for you, Princess. Even this assignment I've undertaken is intended to protect you indirectly."

Twinges of guilt pricked at Anna's heart, yet her resolve remained. "Arendelle needs my help, Kai. If you and your agents were enough, my mother wouldn't have urged me to come along. I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing I could have saved someone's life but instead chose to hide behind the castle walls."

Kai regarded her for a moment. If his wrinkled brow was anything to go by, he appeared to be conflicted.

"If you're worried over my safety, don't be. I can defend myself with my fire magic should the circumstance ever call for it," Anna said with conviction.

"Indeed, your safety is my primary concern and even with your sorcery protecting you, I'm afraid that you're not invulnerable." He turned to Vern. "How long will it take for us to reach Desera?"

"We would be going against the winds if we turn back now, so I'd estimate around double the time we've spent at sea already. Maybe two days, three at most," Vern said.

"That's troubling." Kai frowned. "We wouldn't be present for the majority of the celebration."

"Exactly! Something could happen during that time and neither you nor your agents would have the power to do anything about it," Anna said.

Vern nodded. "She's right, Kai. Our mission would be compromised. Maybe it's best if we call off the assignment all together and simply return to Desera?"

"Wait, what?" Anna blanched at the suggestion. "You're just going to turn your back on them?"

Vern swallowed, faltering under the pointed look Anna gave him. "I-it's not as it seems, Your Highness. There—

"No." Kai sighed. "We have to go through with this assignment. King Adgar made it clear that there wouldn't be a better opportunity to… improve our relations with Arendelle by taking out the conspirers."

"So, Olaf and I are coming with you?" Despite the situation, Anna's lips twitched upwards as she fought a smile. "We're still going to Arendelle?"

Reluctantly, Kai nodded. "Yes, but our mission will come second to ensuring your security. In addition to Olaf, you will have at least one other guard supervise you at all times." He turned. "Vern, would you mind fulfilling that role? I'd rest easy knowing that the princess was in such capable hands. "

"Of course," Vern said, "I'd be honored."

"Good. We can discuss this situation more with the rest of the men over breakfast." Kai smiled at Anna. "I'm sure they'll be thrilled to meet another member of the Royal Family."

/

That evening, Anna returned once more to the bow of the ship and rested her arms on the guardrail. Suddenly, the water didn't seem so frightening anymore, and everything just felt so… different. The world seemed brighter, even as the sun dipped into the ocean with tired reluctance. She looked over her shoulder and figured perhaps the air of levity around her was the cause. Some of the agents sat gathered in a circle while one of them told stories of old Deserian legends. For a group of battle-hardened men, they shared a very childlike fondness for myths and tales. Just like me. The thought brought a smile to her face. Off to the right, she saw Vern and Olaf conversing. He had left her side moments ago to inquire more about the threat in Arendelle.

Anna set her gaze back on the water and found herself pondering upon the discussion from earlier. She had learned that Kai and Feren were originally going to take on the appearance of nobles so as to not draw suspicion during the celebration. However, with Anna being present, Kai had mentioned there wouldn't be a need to have both Feren and him feign nobility; he alone would suffice. Feren, of course, was none too pleased by the change. Serves him right, she thought with a huff.

"Princess, you don't want to listen in on the storytelling?"

Anna turned to find Kai standing on her right, mimicking her stance and resting his arms on the guardrail. He had been so quiet she didn't even hear him approach. I suppose his title of spymaster is only fitting. "I have already heard those tales before. Well… not really heard as much as read them."

"Really? All of them? Even the one about the Deserian man who molded the sun with his bare hands?

"Yes, even that one. I've spent a lot of time in the castle library. There isn't really much else to do in the castle." She looked away.

"That's impressive. Your father did say you were enthralled by novels." Kai paused for a moment. "But once we return to Desera, I'm sure you'll set aside those books long enough to take a liking to horse-riding and such."

"What do you mean?" Titling her head, she stared straight at Kai. "I'm not allowed to leave the castle."

"Yet. You're not allowed to leave the castle yet. Your father mentioned to me that he would lessen his restrictions after I complete this mission. Whoever these conspirers are, they're the main source of his worry and once eliminated, he has no reason to keep you confined in the castle. That doesn't mean you'll have complete freedom, however."

"Oh," Anna said, her voice revealing but a fraction of the emotion that bubbled inside her. She couldn't believe it. All these years of living in near-complete isolation within the castle would finally come to an end. While the journey to Arendelle promised freedom and adventure, she had figured returning to Desera would mean falling right back into her world of dust-ridden books. Olaf's company and her dinners with her father (when he wasn't in a meeting) would have made it bearable. But no. Instead, she would be able to live, truly live, like she had done when her mother was still alive, when everything felt right in the world.

Anna fell silent for a few minutes, and Kai didn't seem to mind. She could see why her father liked him. His patience and comforting presence reminded her of Olaf. And her mother. A familiar ache burrowed into her chest.

"Kai?" Anna chewed on her lip, her eyes glistening with yearning. "Do… do you remember anything about my mother?"

Kai regarded her, and when she didn't meet his gaze, he turned to the ocean. "Your mother was the most diplomatic queen I've ever encountered. She stopped a handful of skirmishes and potential wars from happening with just her words and never had to intimidate any royals or nobles with her magic. And she could have, too. No one in the kingdom had rivaled her sheer power and control over fire. But just like her prowess in magic, her benevolence was unparalleled, and she preferred to use her talent to aid others. She would…"

His next words faded into murmurs suddenly, and Anna tensed up. With a distant expression overcoming her features, it appeared as if her attention had gone elsewhere. And in a sense, that was true. She felt a small part of her mind, the same place where she had seen her mother, spark with the gentleness of a fingertip brushing against a palm. There, smaller than the one she had seen a couple nights ago, a flame flickered. Does this mean…? Anna gasped in realization. The connection still remained. Diminished, but still there nevertheless.

Relieved, she gave an inward sigh and returned her full attention to Kai.

"You know, the queen once stopped an immense flood that had enough velocity to wipe out a nearby village. I'd never seen anything like it before."

Anna raised her head and knitted her brows. She thought back to the docks and how her sphere of fire barely even dented the ocean's surface. "Wouldn't the water have doused her flames if it had that much force?"

"Yes. Even with her great power, the fire wouldn't have stood a chance against the flood. But the inferno she conjured wasn't any ordinary fire." Kai stilled, as if watching the memory play before him. "It didn't shift or flicker or even burn, really. Her fire was essentially fixed in place, unmoving, almost like it was… frozen. She created a barrier of fire and when the water hit, it reflected off the flames and flowed along the fire without a trace of smoke or steam."

Anna couldn't help but gape at Kai. "That's… she's amazing. Or was, I suppose. And not just her magic, but also who she was." Though she felt proud of her mother, she couldn't help but feel a shred of insecurity. I'll never be as good of a queen as you.

"That she was." He observed her for a moment, and Anna was certain he had read into her self-doubt since he said, "And as are you. Your mother would be so proud. The courage it must have taken to leave your home and travel to a foreign land is admirable." He smiled with his eyes. "The king also speaks very highly of you. He says you remind him of his wife, and I think I'm starting to see the similarities now. You'll make a great queen one day, I'm sure." His face shone with such warmth, such genuine warmth, that Anna found herself smiling back. It was hard to believe that this sensitive man was Desera's spymaster.

"I hope so." Anna stared up at the sky and through the expanse of dark blue mingling with the remnants of a reddish-orange tinge, she noticed a lone star peeking out.

/

As the days had passed, Anna began to fall into a pattern. She would converse with Olaf and the rest of passengers in the mornings during breakfast, read her novel throughout the afternoons, and talk with Kai or listen in on the storytelling in the evenings. She realized that the agents were nothing like the guards back at the castle. Although the men treated her with respect, they spoke to her outright and didn't tread around her feet in fear of offending her. The men also teased and bantered with one another and displayed a strong sense of familiarity that couldn't be described by any word other than 'family'. It felt wonderful and made Anna ponder how she managed to live with such little interaction over the years. A part of her wanted the trip to last indefinitely, to feel the sea breeze rush against her face and the sunlight invigorate her, to remain in such pleasant company, not a speck of loneliness in sight among the laughs and jests surrounding her.

After a week at sea, Anna sat perusing her book outside on the first deck of the ship, the sun beating down with more intensity than usual. It didn't bother her in the slightest. Normally, she would seek the silence of her room when reading, but the deck was devoid of all the other men, perhaps a consequence of the heat. Only the sound of waves and the wind met her ears. Yet that didn't mean she would be distracted any less. More often than not, Anna found herself lifting her head up to take in the view of open waters and clear skies, not a cloud in sight. While she had often thought of what the sea might look like up close, she never imagined it to be this lovely. She wasn't so sure she would ever get used to the sight.

An hour had passed, and hardly a page turned. With a sigh, Anna shut the book, rested it on her lap, and gave her full attention to her surroundings.

"Lovely day, isn't it?"

"Mhm."

Anna paused, backtracking for a moment before standing abruptly with a yelp and launching her book upwards.

"I'm sorry, I hadn't meant to startle you," Kai said as he retrieved her novel off the ground.

"No worries, Kai," Anna said. "I just wasn't expecting anyone to be here."

As Kai handed her the book, he glanced at the title. "You're reading The Five Pillars of Sorcery? It's quite a tale, definitely one of my favorites. How far in are you?"

Anna blinked. She hadn't thought he took an interest in novels, particularly of magic. Kai and his men were just full of surprises. "I've actually finished it a couple days ago, but I thought a second read might clear up certain aspects of the story."

"Ah, what's confusing you? Perhaps I can help."

Anna smiled at the gesture. "It's the part about how the distribution of magic became so uneven. Why were there so many people gifted with water, fire, ice, and light but so little gifted with darkness? I thought that the pillars were supposed to be in balance."

"Hmm, it's not the pillars that are in balance, but the energy that fuels each pillar of sorcery. It takes time for the number of mages in each pillar to equalize. Remember the war in the last volume where those…" He trailed off at the perplexed expression etched on Anna's face. "I'm sorry, did you read the first two volumes before this one?"

Anna shook her head. "The castle library only had this book out of the trilogy. What happened in the previous ones?"

"Well, they essentially covered a rather gruesome war between two deities, the Deity of Light and the Deity of Darkness. The first deity wielded magic from the pillars of fire, ice, and light, while the other deity did so from fire, ice, and darkness. The story didn't really go into much detail of how the war started, but it had something to do with conflicting ideologies in ruling. The war waged on for centuries, neither side giving in, but eventually the Deity of Darkness gained the upper hand and dissolved the other deity's spirit. But the war wasn't finished yet."

"Why not?"

"It wasn't clear, but the volumes suggest that the other kingdoms, aside from the Dark and Light Kingdom, had remained neutral up until that point. Yet once the Diety of Light perished, it's said that the other kingdoms formed a pact and joined forces. The Deity of Darkness had to fight against the Fire Kingdom, Ice Kingdom, Water Kingdom, and the remnants of the Light Kingdom with only his dark magic followers by his side. If memory serves me right, the mages somehow removed the weakened deity's immortality and dispersed its spirit as well. From there, the Dark Kingdom was all but wiped out, unable to hold its own against the other kingdoms."

"Wow, that's an… interesting story. Sad, but interesting. I can't begin to fathom the number of deaths that must have occurred." Anna opened her mouth to say more, but nothing came out. Her eyes flicked to the ground, then to his face, then back to the ground again, all the while Kai watched her curiously. After a minute passed, Anna breathed. "I know this story is just a myth and this may sound childish, but sometimes I wish stories were real. That's not to say I wish this one in particular was real since it has so much violence, but just stories like this one. It certainly feels real, more so than most tales, at least. Do you ever feel that way?" Hesitantly, she looked at Kai, cheeks flushed in embarrassment."

"Perhaps. I believe that there's some degree of truth in every story's foundation. The details are what cause the truth to become obscured. But it's important to remember that time changes, and what may seem believable at one point may not seem so in the future."

"I suppose that makes sense… Wait, Kai, you've traveled to many kingdoms, being a spymaster and all, right? Have you ever met someone who had control over one of the five pillars of magic? Besides fire?"

"I have, actually." Kai grinned at the excitement lighting up Anna's face. "It's been some years, but do you recall your cousin, Princess Rapunzel of Corona?"

Anna nodded vigorously. "Of course! Punzie and I used to…" She cleared her throat. "I mean, Princess Rapunzel and I used to play by the water fountains near the Royal Garden."

Kai chuckled, though to his credit, he didn't comment on the silly nickname. Olaf would have teased her relentlessly if he heard her. Though, it would only be fair, Anna thought, smiling. She had teased him for days when an older chef caught his daughter and Olaf flirting. His face had never been so red.

"Well, I visited the Kingdom of Corona a few months ago, and it turns out that the princess is a light sorceress," Kai said. "You know, according to the story, Corona is centered at the heart of where the Light Kingdom had been."

"Wow, does that mean Desera used to be where the Fire Kingdom was?"

"Ah, very perceptive of you." He smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "Yes, you're right. And the Ice Kingdom and Water Kingdom encompassed land that now make up Arendelle and Zareth respectively. According to the book, at least."

"And the Dark Kingdom?"

"No one lives in the region where the Dark Kingdom is said to have been. It's more or less a wasteland."

A wasteland? For some reason, the thought instilled a sense of melancholy in Anna. "So, there are no more wielders of darkness, are there?"

"Actually, there might be a few, just dispersed randomly throughout all of the kingdoms. I'm sure you've read that the offspring of a mage has a chance of acquiring the parent's magic. But since the balance is skewed so severely, it's plausible that some offspring may harbor dark magic, regardless of the parent's magical tendencies." He paused. "Of course, that's only if you take the story of The Five Pillars of Sorcery as fact. Many do not."

"Hmm, that makes sense," Anna said, a smile returning to her face. "Thanks for sharing, Kai."

"My pleasure, Princess." He stood up and stretched his arms a bit before smiling. "Now, I think I'll follow the others' example and escape from this heat."

After waving him goodbye, Anna lay on the wooden floor, not caring for decorum in that moment, and allowed her thoughts to wander. In one conversation, she learned more about sorcery and its inner workings than she had in a month's worth of reading. Anna closed her eyes, indulging in the warmth battered into the wood by the sun. Maybe I'll meet an ice wielder at Arendelle. Her next thought jolted through her frame, sending her heart racing as her eyes shot wide open. What if the threats are ice wielders?

/

The next few days had passed by uneventfully, though Anna did discover she could best a spymaster in a game of chess. If Kai's gaping meant anything, even he must have been surprised at the result. Back in Desera, the king had always seemed distracted during their matches, so Anna never regarded those wins as victories. But after wiping the floor with each and every person on board, she realized that she truly had a talent. Yet it wasn't the newfound skill but the admiration of the crew—no, her friends—that made her feel warm.

Midway through the second week of the journey, a visible changed occurred in the agents' demeanor. They grew tenser by the day, perhaps unnerved by the daunting task that lay ahead. But she couldn't blame them. Anna would be lying if she said she didn't feel nervous herself. When she had asked Kai about the conspirators being magical, he nodded solemnly and said it was possible.

The men spent a lot of time eyeing their surroundings wearily, especially as an oncoming vessel passed by a couple times. Anna, on the other hand, felt a surge of excitement at the sight of other ships, even waving at one close enough for her to make out the faces of a dozen merchants. Those ships had to come from somewhere… maybe they're from Arendelle?

One morning, Anna stood with Olaf at the back end of the ship, just having finished breakfast, when they felt a sea breeze carrying something along with it—something that nipped and scratched at her skin. The sensation felt unearthly, foreign, and perhaps even a little unpleasant, yet she couldn't put a name to it. Yet, as quickly as it came, the feeling disappeared as her necklace began to glow, and heat flowed from her chest to the rest of her body. "What was that?" Anna whispered to herself. Then, a snowflake landed on her nose, and it dawned on her. For the first time in her life, she had felt cold.

"It's… snowing. Anna, it's snowing! In the middle of summer!" Olaf said with a look of utter bewilderment mixed with awe. "How is this even possible?"

Anna just shrugged, at a loss for words, and gazed amid the snowfall at a swirling cluster of snowflakes gliding along the wind. Not even five minutes ago, the weather had been balmy with plenty of sunlight, but now cold air and snow swept over them, the sun shrouded by clouds. If that isn't magic, then I don't know what is… Wait! She turned. "Olaf, don't you know you what this means? We must be in Arendelle!" Without waiting for a response, Anna pulled Olaf along towards the bow of the ship.

The other passengers must have had the same idea since they stood huddled by the guardrails. Spotting Kai among them, Anna squeezed through the small crowd of men, Olaf in tow, and made her way to him.

"Oh, there you are, Princess! This snowfall signals our approach to Arendelle. It won't be long now."

Peering through the falling masses of snow, Anna realized the air had taken on a white hue, making it difficult to discern anything past a few kilometers. Worse, the cold air prompted her eyes to water and further obscured her vision. She looked at Olaf and found him facing the same problem.

"Here, Princess," Kai said, holding a bronze-colored object in his hand. "This should help, even in this weather. A couple of twists on the spyglass might be necessary to get a clear view."

Shooting him a smile of thanks, Anna closed an eye and pressed the spyglass towards the other one. The once white air somehow became translucent, and she adjusted the spyglass to zoom in more.

Olaf nudged her. "What do you see?"

"Nothing yet, just…" She broke off, her words forgotten as her eyes squinted in concentration. "Wait, I think I see something. There's a platform… and another one… and a ship and…" She lowered the spyglass, a smile creeping onto her face. "A seaport. We're here, that has to be—"

"Arendelle," Kai finished, staring straight ahead with a smile of his own.

A/N: Hi, I hope you all are doing great! Or well enough, since, you know, summer is ending and school/college beckons for some of you. Suckers... Just kidding, I'm in the same boat :P Anyway, with this chapter, we're now over 20K words! I'm pretty psyched about that. It's a wonder how some fics *cough* The Queen's Mercy *cough* hit over 400K. And that story technically hasn't even ended yet haha. I remember thinking that this fic would end at around 40K, but I realize now just how I wrong I was. We only just reached Arendelle, so there's a long way to go. Next chapter will have Elsa in it, I promise! Anyway, a big thank you to my beta reader, JYN044, for her all help/edits/critiques with this chapter, and thank you all for reading! Oh, one last thing! The last two chapters were a bit longer than my previous chapters (5k words vs 2.5k words). Do any of you prefer one length over the other? I'd be able to get the shorter chapters out more often, but the longer chapters might feel more immersive.