kind, unlike the little man’s. “My dear people, your future queen would never hurt you. We are doing everything we can to find the princess and stop this winter. As I’ve been saying for the past few days, the castle is open to anyone who needs it. We have enough food and blankets for everyone.”
“Don’t be a fool!” the short man snapped. “Food will eventually run out. We cannot survive in this strange weather forever!”
“Don’t listen to the Duke of Weselton,” Lord Peterssen countered. “We must stay calm.”
“What are we going to do?” asked a woman with a baby bundled up inside her cloak. “All of my vegetables have died in this weather!”
“We weren’t prepared for winter in the middle of the summer,” a man shouted. “We haven’t even begun to hunt for food for the cold season. There won’t be enough to eat this winter if the weather doesn’t change soon.”
The Duke smiled. “Do not fear! Prince Hans of the Southern Isles will save us all.”
The crowd clapped half-heartedly, but Lord Peterssen mumbled something and turned away. Anna was glad to hear this Prince Hans was supposedly going to save them, but how? And from what? Could he change the weather?
“Excuse me, but who is Prince Hans?” she spoke up.
“What are you doing?” Kristoff muttered fiercely under his breath.
“Getting answers.” Anna grabbed his hand and dragged him with her, snaking through the crowd until they were standing right in front of the castle steps.
“Weren’t you listening?” the Duke asked rudely. “The prince has been staying in Arendelle for a while and is well versed in matters of the kingdom. He has graciously agreed to step in and fix this situation. We must stop her before we’re too late.”
“Stop who?” Anna asked.
The Duke rolled back his shoulders. “Did you not see for yourself what she did? With such a large crowd gathered for the coronation? She nearly killed me!”
“No, I’m sorry, I didn’t see anything,” Anna said. “We just journeyed down the mountain. My village is way up there.” She pointed to a tiny speck that was almost completely obscured. “We were preparing to celebrate the queen’s coronation when this unusual weather blew in. We’re worried about what’s happening, too, which is why we’re here for answers. So I apologize, but who are you talking about?”
“The princess!” The Duke jumped up and down like a toddler. “She’s a monster!”
“The princess?” Anna repeated, her heart thumping wildly as a ringing started in her ears. I have to find her, she thought suddenly, but she wasn’t sure why she thought she could. “Why would Princess Elsa try to hurt you?”
“She didn’t,” interrupted Lord Peterssen. “The princess wouldn’t hurt anyone. She was frightened and ran off, but she’ll return. She’d never abandon her people.” He glared at the Duke. “And I would prefer if you didn’t call the future queen a monster.”
“She froze the fjord!” a man called out. “We can’t get our ships in or out of the harbor!”
“We’re trapped here because of her!” someone else yelled.
“How am I going to feed my family if we can’t get food?” a woman cried while a baby wailed in the distance. “Her magic has frozen the whole kingdom. If it is no better where these people have come from, we are truly doomed!”
“Wait,” Kristoff interrupted. “Are you telling me the future queen caused this snowstorm? How?”
“Sorcery! Witchcraft!” the Duke railed. “After her powers were revealed, she fled across the fjord, creating this eternal winter. She must be stopped! Prince Hans went after the princess. He is hoping to talk some sense into her.”
“The princess has powers?” Anna asked. “She made all this snow and ice? Why, that’s incredible!”
The Duke narrowed his eyes at her. “Who are you, girl?”
Kristoff stood taller, shifting his body slightly in front of hers. She nudged him aside.
“Someone who wants to stop this winter as much as you do,” Anna said firmly. “And I don’t see how threatening the princess will help anyone.”
The Duke was grim. “I suggest you find somewhere to keep warm until Prince Hans returns. You’ll never make it back up the mountain in these conditions. It’s growing colder. This winter won’t end till we find the princess and make her stop the madness.” He headed back into the castle, and the crowd started to disperse.
“Wait!” Anna cried. The Duke ignored her. There was something about that man she did not like. “You expect this Prince Hans to find her on his own?” Anna ran after them.