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myths-of-fantasy · 2 years

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Chill of the North | Forstillic

It’s cold, Iduna thought to herself shivering.

“It’s cold,” she said aloud, earning a sigh from Petra, her search partner.

“You’ve said that. Please, let’s just find the calf and get back.”

Iduna sighed but nodded all the same. Everyone had the same reaction when she remarked on the conditions. She understood their exasperation- they did live in the woods, on a mountain shrouded by a misty barrier between the tribe and the rest of the world. It was bound to be cold. But Iduna felt the chill in the air. It was a different kind of cold. It was a different kind of cold that invaded her body down to her bones. It was summer, this kind of cold was characteristic of winter. And yet, the chill of the air was finally beginning to defeat her hat and bit at the tips of her ears.

“Iduna, are you even looking for the calf?”

“I am, I am, I promise,” she said, snapping out of the fog on her mind. The poor little thing had been frightened when one of the younger kids had fallen then cried for a while. The shrieks sent the little guy pelting at full speed towards the fog. There’s a lot of different places The Mist could’ve dropped the calf- considering there was a pack of wolves who could travel freely from The Mist, the calf was in a dangerous situation. Iduna and Petra were only searching around to see if it had been dropped nearby. The loss of the calf would be saddening and every reindeer counts but it wouldn’t put too much of a strain on their resources. Especially since so many cows had successfully birthed calves this year.

A particularly strong gust of wind made her stumble and this time, cold lanced through her body, stabbing through her painfully.

“Petra-”

“It’s really cold,” Petra agreed as her body trembled. “You’re right, that’s not a normal cold.”

Iduna took Petra’s hand as the wind picked up. She was grateful for the first time in a while that The Mist doesn’t move much from it’s barrier when you aren’t trying to cross through it. Since The Mist stayed where it was supposed to, she was able to catch sight of a shadowy figure bounding across the snow. She brought her free hand to her knife in case it wasn’t the calf and motioned for Petra to follow her,

They trekked across the ground to the suspiciously still silhouette. The snow grew thicker and higher, the closer they went. Iduna and Petra exchanged a look, both of them agreeing that this wasn’t normal.

Spirits, I hope this isn’t a mistake, Iduna thought desperately. Please be a calf, please be a calf.

Another powerful gust of wind burst through and Iduna yelped as she was knocked to the ground. She quickly scrambled to her feet dusting off the snow to prevent herself from getting cold. She glanced up and started cursing.

“Spirits above! Of course The Mist chooses now to act like mist!”

The snow was really whipping up as she tried to push on, now calling for Petra even though she was sure her friend wouldn’t be able to hear her over the howling of the trees and the snarl of hail as the winter fury was displayed to the world around her. Her boots got stuck in a thick clump of snow and she took a moment to pull herself free. It was up to her knees by this point. Iduna clambered up the first stable looking tree she could find and took a breather still trying to comprehend the aggressive winter being shoved in her face.

As she rested she came to a realization.

That howling wasn’t the sound of the wind, but true, wolf’s howling. And not a normal wolf either as this howl was loud and large, an echo across the caverns chilling her down to the very center of her being. The sound tugged at her heart and encompassed her mind. Iduna closed her eyes to the sound of starving children and snowball fights. To agonized chest rattling coughing and warm fire gatherings. Iduna took in a breath of chilled air and listened to Winter as it saw itself.

Her body had been moving. At first, swaying to the wordless song so full of heart. Then she was climbing down the tree, eyes half closed whispers in her ears as the wind tugged her on. The wind had always been her friend and so she’d hardly noticed it’s guiding glances against her arms and face turning her, leading her. Iduna hadn’t even noticed that the snow, previously dragging her into its depths, had cleared away leaving her a personal path that was eaten away as she moved on.

She did notice when she came to the end of the path and there was a woman.

A woman in the center of the storm Iduna herself had trudged through. Her hair was as pale as the snow itself and she was met with piercing near cyan eyes staring a hole into her soul. Iduna felt her breath stop as the staring contest began. Iduna didn’t know how long she watched her and took in all the little details of her face. The frost trailing from the bridge of her nose and corners of her eyes outward to the rest of her face, fading away as if it had melted on the journey.

The crunching of snow had the woman looking away behind her as a certain little calf came trotting up to Iduna.

“Aulis!” Iduna called in relief, kneeling to pick the calf up. She cradled him, careful of his hooves and little head glancing back up at the woman. “Did you find him?”

The woman tilted her head and for a moment, Iduna was worried she didn’t understand her. But then she smiled (she thinks she smiled- the corner of her lips turned up anyway) and she gave Iduna a little nod.

“Thank you,” Iduna said before mustering her courage to ask. “Who are you? And why are you so far out here? Your clothes don’t look very warm.”

The woman appeared to laugh but the snow kicked up again so Iduna couldn’t hear it.

Shut up, Iduna scolded the snow. Why did winter want to be so present at the moment? I want to hear her laugh!

The woman stopped laughing, appearing surprised, confused and a little embarrassed too.

I wonder what that’s about. Maybe she remembered something important?

The snowy lady motioned to capture her attention once more before gesturing to a clear path in the snow.

Iduna blinked and looked around.

She was surprised to see the storm had stopped and took a moment to look around, savoring the scene. She hadn’t even noticed that she was in a little dip surrounded by pretty frosted bushes. Despite its suddenness and intensity, the storm had taken time to craft delicate icicles dangling from the branches. Powdery snow glowed brightly under the beams of the newly freed sun.

“Huh,” Iduna huffed in annoyance with herself. “I was having such a hard time seeing through the blizzard, I walked right by a perfectly good path.”

The woman appeared to giggle the snow kicking up once more although now Iduna heard the dripping of water from slowly melting icicles splashing onto smooth rocks below or into a recently thawed stream.

“I have to go,” Iduna told the woman. “Are you able to get home safely?”

The woman of snow appeared amused by her concern but nodded all the same.

“Hope I see you again,” Iduna told her and headed towards the path repressing her urge to keep trying to talk. Her village would be looking for her after that little storm and Petra could be lost anywhere in the snow. She glanced back hoping to get one last sight of the woman.

The dip was gone.

---

It wasn’t until Iduna was retelling her story (leaving out the part where she stared the poor woman down) that she had an epiphany. Or rather, her mother gave her an epiphany.

“It seems you encountered the Winter Spirit herself.”

Iduna buried her head in her sleeping bag.

I stared at the Winter Spirit like a loser.

Well. she was never living this down.

---

“Did you really see her?

“You’ve been asking for days,” Iduna sighed.

“I know,” Petra shrugged. “But you saw the Winter Spirit. I just want to meet her.”

“She’s beautiful,” Iduna said with a dreamy smile. “One of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen.”

“I know,” Petra said again this time smirking. “You’ve been floating all day.”

“Well she is,” Iduna told her.

She fiddled with the carving in her hands, an intricate snowflake she’d started out of boredom that morphed into a big project. Petra had been teasing her about her devout attention to the snowflake. Iduna hadn’t cared, she wanted to give the spirit the snowflake. Partially because she wanted to subtly bribe the spirit into forgetting that she spent their first meeting gaping like a startled frog, partially because she wanted the opportunity to get to know a real spirit. It had eight points, a beautiful flower-like coat in the center. She’d even gone on to add patterned scores up and down the wood even putting in swirls.

She really hoped the spirit liked it.

“How do you even know where to go?” asked Petra, cocking her head.

“The wind,” Iduna told her with a smile. “The wind guided me to her before so I assume it will guide me to her again.”

“The wind has always liked you,” Petra agreed. “I wish the wind would catch me when I trip down the bank.”

“I’ll ask the wind to help you next time,” Iduna said in a joking voice. “I think it helps me because I speak to it more.”

“And here I thought you were talking to your doll.”

The path was much clearer this time around, as if the spirit was leading Iduna back to her. It was like the snow was moving itself from the trail, the sludge that had tugged at her boots was absent although the howl of a wolf, loud and intense, still rang out. Iduna glanced over, smiling when she took note of the silent tears slipping down Petra’s face paired with a warm grin.

Iduna took notice of the small slope that would lead back into the alcove where she’d watched the spirit. She took Petra’s hand and began to lead her down into the slope. Petra was whirling about in amazement glancing about the sparkling icicles and shining light twinkling across the snow. Most importantly, she takes note of the clear circle of grass without a speck of snow with the large, smooth rock laying in the center.

“This is beautiful,” whispered Petra. “I believe you. The Winter Spirit was here.”

As she utters these words, the snow kicks up brushes across their faces and chills their necks.

That’s nice to hear.

Both Iduna and Petra jumped hearing the voice, ever so faint on the wisps of the wind.

“Winter Spirit?” prompted Iduna while shaking.

I prefer Glace.

“Glace,” Iduna corrected rapidly. “I- Nice to meet you.”

“Yeah, nice to meet you,” Petra chimed in.

Charmed. May I ask for a reason for this visit?

“I- we just,” Iduna stumbled so Petra interrupted her.

“Iduna made something for you,” she said. “And she’s been chittering about you non-stop.”

“Petra!” Iduna snapped and felt heat rise to her face that wasn’t related to the cold nipping. She paused when she heard tinkling laughter like rushing water dribbling down onto the ground.

I’m flattered. I don’t have a gift on-hand I’m afraid.

“That’s okay,” Iduna reassured. “This was a surprise really.”

She moved forward placing the wooden snowflake on the smooth rock before backing away. Iduna watched in amazement as frost began to cover the carving before evaporating into the air.

It’s beautiful.

“Can you see it with your frost?” Petra asked with intrigue.

I can feel it. But only because I directed it.

“Your frost is like a limb?” asked Iduna.

Yes, When I want it to be.

“That’s incredible,” Petra remarked, smiling. “I uh, don’t have a special gift like Iduna, but I have a knife. If you’d like that?”

It’s okay- I don’t need any gifts. I wasn’t expecting your friend to make something for me.

“Iduna’s been starstruck for days,” Petra divulged on the spot. “She made that snowflake grinning like chipmunk with a year's supply of acorns.”

Iduna blushed harder as the spirit- Glace- began laughing aloud.

How sweet. Well, I can’t let such a thoughtful effort go unrewarded. I hope this is alright.

The snow near the snowflake began to swirl and condense. It seemed like a ball of pure magic had been summoned to a single spot on the rock. The frost permeated the air around it, small snowflakes fluttering down onto the space around. When most of the mist cleared, a small little statue made of ice in the shape of a wolf was left behind.

“Wow,” Iduna breathed while picking up the statue. She ran her finger over the pointed parts of the fur and the smooth cool underside on the paws. It was translucent and beautiful.

“How long will it last?”

As long as I want it to. That is to say, forever.

Iduna smiled, “Thank you.”

You’re Welcome.

“W- will you be here for long?”

No. I am not meant to be here- Solera has been trying to make me leave. It’s not my time to be here.

“Cause it’s- it’s not winter yet ri-right?” asked Petra.

Yes. Seasons shouldn’t break the cycle- but so long as I don’t stay for too long, there’s no true harm. Although, I know my presence has been giving your people a hard time and promise to seek other places soon.

“D-difficult yes but not - not impossible,” Petra replied. “I wouldn’t want to scare you away.”

That’s very kind of you. You both should be heading home - this cove grows frigid in my presence. Look, you’re shivering.

Iduna looked at her shaking legs and acknowledged her chattering teeth for the first time. The chill she felt peaked as if her body was yelling at her for ignoring the cold in her veins. She shook herself and glanced over, smiling as the snow proceeded to reopen the path as if crawled away itself. Petra bid the spirit a respectful goodbye and veered toward the opening, but Iduna hesitated.

“...may I come back?” she asked, scuffing her boot on the ground, pushing away sleet. “Later? If I have time?”

Certainly. I won’t always be here, but Gale can always lead you back.

“Gale?” asked Iduna.

The spirit of the wind, dear one. Their name is Gale and they adore you.

Iduna grinned, “I like Gale too.”

She turned towards the cleared path to the patiently waiting Petra as the wind tugged lightly at her hair and made the leaves dance at her feet. She tilted her head and tried something.

“Hello Gale,” she addressed the dancing leaves.

The leaves swirled more intensely, and she yelped when a gust boosted her up a couple inches before dripping her. Iduna stumbled before smiling and laughing.

“I’m sorry I didn’t know your name before,” she said with an amused smile.

The wind tickled her face.

Gale doesn’t mind - he’s just happy that you play with him.

“He?”

Gale goes by many things at any given point.

“Ah, my apologies. Are you okay with being referred to as a woman?”

Indeed, I am. Thank you for asking.

“Okay,” Iduna smiled and waved to the rock. “I’ll see you again, Glace. I promise.”

The frost chilled her ear a bit, as if the spirit was thinking. Iduna paused for a bit before beginning to follow Petra from the cove. Just before she could leave the cove, she heard another small whisper in her ear.

I’ll hold you to that.

Iduna walked hand-in-hand with Petra further and further from the cove. It wasn’t until they were standing just outside their village that she finally remembered Glace’s initial reaction.

Oh Spirits, she heard me tell her to shut up, so I could hear her laugh.

The second they were in the village, Iduna darted off and hid in her sleeping bag and zipped her sleeping bag. She held onto the wolf sculpture, running her fingers across the smooth and well crafted ice. She gripped it tighter.

She needed to make another craft. Hopefully Glace would forget that little incident with another gift.

---

Currently a oneshot since I've yet to finish the other chapter lmao. Will probably finish the story before I post anything else on it.

#projects by ankh #chill of the north #frozen au #frozen #iduna #disney #chapter one #magic #ice magic #iduna frozen #snippets

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meltthefrozenheart · 5 months

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FROZEN 3 and FROZEN 4 are both in development, and I can't wait!

The news sounded odd to me initially, I didn't expect anything like this from Disney Animation, but it became immediatly appealing the moment I realized the GREAT potential a double feature could have for the franchise, most importantly when Bob Iger specified “Jenn Lee, who created Frozen, the original Frozen, and Frozen 2 is hard at work with her team at Disney Animation on not one but actually two stories.”, which would mean:

More time to enstablish new elements, new characters, time to explore new lore and new places without the risk to rush everything;

A bigger story that can help flesh out our protagonists in their new roles, their new wants and changes they might face, considering how the F2 ending brought many new possibilities;

A narrative context where the new crysis (whatever it might be) could be explored even better, also allowing to maintain things in a complex prespective just as the Frozen movies like to do, where the matter of "good and evil" not at the center, and things are first of all deeply personal for the characters

It seems to me that Jennifer Lee always wanted to delve deeper into things, this is why the Broadway Musical was a perfect opportunity for her and the Lopez to expand the characters and flesh out things in the story, also adding new elements that would've been useful for F2.

And when they worked on Frozen 2, they built it as the "second part" of the story, reconnecting almost all the aspects of the sequel to the 1st movie, and the story was clearly meant to be BIGGER and longer compared to what we ended up having because of numerous issues and rewrites. J. Lee and C. Buck didn't want to introduce something that would feel just as "a new adventure", and more about the actual characters evolving, see what they left unresolved, breaking the "Happy ending" scenario of F1, which also led them to NOT give the new human characters (Mattias and the Northuldra) the same relevance given to Spirits of Nature, in order to remain focused on Elsa, Anna and the rest of the gang.

Now, Lee will most likely not direct or write these two new movies, but she is still directly involved, because it's both part of her job as CCO of Walt Disney Animation Studio and because Frozen is her (and Chris Buck) baby. It will be curious to discover with what idea Marc Smith came out with, but the fact he worked on the 1st Frozen as a storyboard artist and the became Director of Story for Frozen 2 says a lot about him and why Lee trusts him so much, and I'm sure they will follow the approach used with the 2nd movie and carry it on with 3 and 4. Numerous sagas used the two-parter approach, like the books adaptations of Harry Potter, Twilight and Hunger Games series, or more "original cases" like Pirates of the Carribeans or what we are getting now with the animated Spiderverse movies (Across and Beyond). But I think the best similarity (and probably what led to this ambitious choice) is with Avengers Infinity War/Endgame, where the BIG FINALE gets developed in two movies.

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