Frozen: Wrath of the Lich King (Elsa / Arthas - Frozen / World of Warcraft)

Chapter 4 - The Fortress

_ "Elsa! ... Elsa, where are you? Answer me! It's me, Anna!"

The young Princess of Arendelle, seated on her horse, had now been searching tirelessly for several hours, climbing up a snow-covered slope. The night was already very late, and the cold only intensified with each passing minute and Anna could feel it despite the thick cloak she was wearing to protect herself.

Everything around her was covered in white and plunged into absolute silence.

_ "Elsa, please ... show yourself! ..." Anna insisted, looking closely around her. "I know it's my fault ... but at the same time, we wouldn't be here if she told me her secret ... ah, what a prankster ..."

Suddenly, a large pine cracked and fell heavily to the ground from the weight of the snow covering it. The noise and the shock frightened Anna's horse, which reared up and made its rider fall into the snow. Anna, stunned and emerging from the powdery blanket of snow, gasped as she saw her horse set off at a triple gallop, abandoning it to its fate.

_"No! no!" Anna gasped, trying to catch up to him, but to no avail. Now alone, on foot and lost in the middle of this silent and dark snowy forest, the princess shivers with anguish.

In the next hour, Anna had no choice but to walk through the thick snow, which proved to be a very painful ordeal given the thickness of the layer.

_ "Snow ..." Anna sighed, annoyed, the snow covering her up to above her knees. "Why snow? Why couldn't it cover Arendelle with warm white sand?"

Arriving at the top of a hill, Anna then saw black smoke rising from a thicket of snow-capped pines not far away. Hoping to find help again, Anna then felt the ground under her feet crack, and she rolled down the hill, ending her legs and pelvis soaking in a small stream. Feeling the extreme cold, Anna winced. Getting up, she felt her dress harden and freeze in seconds, crippling her even more in her walk. But the cold was invading her more and more, now that she had lost her cloak during the fall.

_ "Cold ... cold ... cold ..." Anna moaned in her trembling voice as she walked as fast as possible towards the source of the smoke.

Gradually feeling her whole body frozen, Anna managed to reach the source of the smoke anyway, noticing that it was a small wooden building with a smoking chimney. Good news, it meant someone was there. The princess's gaze was caught by the small wooden panel which hung by chains at the entrance. She brushed the snow off it to read what's on it.

_ "Wandering Oaken's trading post... oh, and sauna." she readed.

Feeling the freezing wind intensifying, Anna pushed open the door and entered, already feeling the good warmth surrounding her. Suddenly, a small voice called out to her as she stepped forward. Turning her head, she saw a man with broad shoulders and appearing short, sitting behind the counter. The man was smiling, with a big nose, mustache and red sideburns and was dressed in a bib jumper and hat.

_ "Big summer blowout." he said with a smile "half off swimming suits, clogs and a sun balm of my own invention, ya?"

Anna stared at him in bewilderment, wondering if he was really serious or if he was laughing at her.

_ "Oh great ..." Anna replied to be polite "But, for now, how about winter boots and dresses?"

_ "That would be in our winter department." the seller Oaken indicated, pointing to a corner in the shop. A corner that had obviously been looted by customers, judging by the number of items almost non-existent.

_ "Oh, um ... okay." said Anna, a little baffled but decided to take what was left. But as she took the last winter items present, Anna saw the toilet door open at the back of the store, and someone come out. She was more than surprised by the stranger's appearance. He was small in stature, but very stocky. He wore full and impressive-looking armor made of steel and gold, a horned helmet, and carried two weapons, a hammer and a double ax on his back. But the most disconcerting was his beard more than imposing, reaching almost to his feet and of a bronze color. He had a weathered face, a thick nose and a hard look.