Anna’s heart started to beat fast again. She moved in closer. “You were?”
“And you are…?” Olaf asked Kristoff as he pulled off one of the snowman’s twig arms.
“Fascinating,” Kristoff muttered as the twig arm he was holding continued to move even though it wasn’t attached to Olaf’s body.
“He’s Kristoff,” Anna replied. “We came here together.” She watched the snowman continue to move around. If Elsa could make ice, then maybe she could make a walking, talking snowman, too. “Olaf…did Elsa build you?”
“Yeah. Why?” Olaf replied.
Progress!
“Do you know where she is?” Anna held her breath.
“Yeah. Why?” Olaf asked again.
Her palms began to sweat. This felt right. She was on to something. Olaf knew where to find the princess. “Do you think you could show us the way?”
Kristoff bent the twig. Instead of snapping, it bent right back into place. “How does this thing work?” he interrupted. The twig smacked Kristoff in the face.
“Hey!” Olaf snatched the arm back and stuck it onto his body. “Trying to concentrate here.” He looked at Anna again. “Yeah. Why?”
“I’ll tell you why. We need Elsa to bring back summer,” Kristoff said.
“Summer!” Olaf gasped. “Oh, I don’t know why, but I’ve always loved summer, and sun, and all things hot.”
“Really?” Kristoff almost laughed. “I’m guessing you don’t have much experience with heat.”
“Of course I do,” Olaf argued. “I’ve lived through winter, spring, summer, and fall, but I’ve always seen it through Elsa’s window.” He sighed. “Sometimes I like to close my eyes and imagine what it would be like to experience weather outside the castle. Or even outside Elsa’s chambers, but I guess I’m doing that now. I couldn’t wait anymore. Elsa didn’t come back after Hans and the Duke came for her, so I wanted to go find her.” He looked at Anna. “She was looking for you.”
“Me?” Anna stepped back, bumping into Kristoff. “She doesn’t even know me.” Her heart was beating so fast it felt like it would come out of her chest. In her head, images flashed by again. She heard the little girl she had seen on the stairs laughing and saw, again, the image of herself on a bench while someone drew her. Neither of those things had happened before. She’d never been to Arendelle or the castle, yet it, too, seemed familiar. And now finding Olaf—that felt like it was meant to be. She wasn’t sure why Olaf thought he knew her, but her heart said he might be right.
“Are you sure about that?” Olaf asked.
“Olaf? Will you help us find Elsa?” She held out her hand. Olaf took it and toddled down the hall, heading for the stairs. “Come on! Elsa’s this way. Let’s go bring back summer!”
Kristoff shook his head as he followed. “Are we really listening to a talking snowman now?”
Anna looked back at him. “Yes! We can’t go back to Harmon yet. Not if we can help find the princess and stop this winter.”
Kristoff sighed. “Fine, but Sven isn’t going to like this.”
Anna gave the castle one last lingering look. She had a feeling she’d be back. She wasn’t sure what her purpose was yet, but something told her finding Elsa would give her the answers she needed.
She was so preoccupied she didn’t notice the Duke standing in the shadows, watching the unlikely trio leave the castle.
As Elsa set off on her new journey, she realized she had no idea how to find the Valley of the Living Rock. In her memory, she hadn’t looked at landmarks or paid attention to the route her family took. She was just a child. And now, with the kingdom covered in white, it made finding her way even harder. What she really needed was a map. But would a regular map mark off a magical location such as the valley?
There was only one way to find out. She needed to locate someone who lived in the mountains and might know the area. Elsa used her magic to quicken her search, creating a sleigh made out of ice to take her down the mountain. The sleigh gained speed as she crossed into the forest. When she saw a smokestack in the distance, she headed directly for it.
The building was partially covered in a snowdrift. Ice had frozen on the sign on the porch. Elsa tapped it and the ice broke off, allowing her to read the sign: Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post and Sauna. Elsa paused before knocking. What if someone inside recognized her? Walking into the shop wearing