to learn everything he can. He spends hours in the library reading.” She looked down at their hands and took Elsa’s in hers. “So far, we have found nothing that explains how you could have been born with such powers.”
Powers. It was a word her mother had never used before to explain her gift. It did feel powerful, seeing the ice shoot out with just the slightest thought. Sometimes she didn’t have to think about the ice, and it just happened on its own.
Mama held her hand tighter. “For now, we need you to promise to only use your gift when you are around your father, Anna, and me.”
Elsa looked down. “Yes, Mama, but…sometimes I don’t know how to control the ice,” she admitted. “When I get upset, it’s even worse. I know Papa says to conceal, don’t feel. But sometimes when I feel too much, I don’t know how to manage the snow.”
Her mother hugged her. “We will learn to control your gift so that it doesn’t control you. I promise!”
“Really?” Elsa looked hopeful.
“Yes, all we want is to keep you safe,” Mama said. “Both of you.”
Just then, they heard Anna’s giggles coming down the hallway, followed by a big belly laugh from Papa.
“I will be more careful,” Elsa whispered.
“Good girl.” Mama kissed her cheek.
They looked at the door as Anna and Papa burst into the room, Anna hanging upside down as Papa hung on to her ankles. “Who’s ready for a bedtime story?” Papa asked.
“Elsa? Psst…Elsa? Wake up, wake up, wake up!”
Elsa’s eyes remained closed. “Anna, go back to sleep.”
She felt Anna climb onto her bed and dramatically collapse on top of her. “I just can’t. The sky’s awake! So I’m awake! So we have to play!”
Elsa opened one eye and pushed Anna off her. “Go play by yourself!”
She heard Anna’s body hit the floor and waited for the cry that would tell her whether Anna had hurt herself. That made her feel slightly guilty—until she felt Anna pulling open one of her eyelids.
“Do you want to build a snowman?” Anna asked coyly.
Elsa couldn’t help sitting up and smiling.
It was the middle of the night.
That meant the castle and all its occupants were fast asleep.
She wouldn’t be seen. No one would be frightened.
If there was ever a time for Elsa to practice her gift, that was it.
Seconds later, they were out of their room, with Anna in boots and Elsa in her slippers, and they rushed down the stairs. Elsa kept shushing Anna while Anna kept whispering, “Come on! Come on! Come on!”
They hurried into the deserted Great Hall. The room was massive, with large vaulted ceilings and ornate wooden details and wallpaper. Usually it was decorated for parties, but that night it was empty. They skidded to a stop in the center of the room.
“Do the magic! Do the magic!” Anna jumped up and down with excitement.
Elsa glanced at the doors to make sure they were closed. Satisfied, she started to roll her hands round and round. A snowball formed between her palms, surrounded by a blue glow. “Ready?” she asked, feeling the rush she got when she was about to use magic. She threw her hands up and flung the snowball high into the air. Snow started to fall from the ceiling, washing the floor in a blanket of white.
“This is amazing!” Anna marveled, her giggles of joy filling Elsa with pride. Anna, more than anyone else, loved Elsa’s gift, and she begged her to use it often. Their parents, on the other hand, wanted her to keep it private. But if a gift like this could bring such joy, shouldn’t she share it? Besides, she loved impressing her sister.
“Watch this,” Elsa said, and stomped her foot. Ice began to crackle and cover the floor, like it was their own personal ice-skating rink. Seeing Anna’s delight only made Elsa want to create more. She concentrated harder and snow kept falling, ice kept crackling, and the room soon became a winter wonderland. Next it was time to make the snowman Anna loved so much. They rolled his round bottom, then stacked two more snowballs on top. Elsa’s was perfectly round, but the head Anna made was more of a cylinder. Anna dashed to the kitchen downstairs to grab a carrot for the snowman’s nose and snag some coal for his eyes and belly. They snatched some twigs from the fireplace to create his arms and hair.
Finished, Elsa stood behind the snowman as Anna watched from one of