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“The next right thing for me is to go to the Enchanted Forest and find that voice.” Elsa finalized. “Kristoff, can I borrow your wagon and Sven?” she asked expectantly, looking at him.

“I’m not very comfortable with the idea of that,” he replied. Anna told her sister, “You are not going alone.”

“Anna, no.” Elsa began. “I have magical powers to protect me; you don’t.”

“Excuse me, I climbed the North Mountain, survived a frozen heart, saved you from my ex-boyfriend, and I did it all without powers. So you know, I’m coming.”

Elsa knew she couldn’t stop her sister. Kristoff added, “Me too. I’ll drive.”

“I’ll bring the snacks!” Olaf hopped about like a ballerina in a tutu and crown made entirely of ice crystals. Everyone turned to Alex, curious. He felt ridiculous.

“Oh, of course, I’m coming. I won’t let you both go alone: I am your personal guard.”

Grand Pabbie offered, “I will look after your people.”

Alex was repulsed. “There’s no need for that! The people of Arendelle can jolly well look after themselves… sir?” he stated, wondering what to call the elderly troll.

“Well, if that’s the case, then--” Grand Pabbie was stopped short by Anna.

“Alex, can I have a word with you… in person?” she asked, imitating the tone in which Alex asked Elsa the same question earlier that night. Although it was a question, Anna posed it less like asking and more like telling.

She then pulled him by the tunic of his uniform and took him aside. Alex had spent a considerable amount of time ironing that tunic, and he hated it when someone or something crumbled it. It made him grumpy.

“What are you doing?!” he spat. Anna didn’t say a word and continued to drag him along. Convinced that she was away from the others, she released her grip. Alex stepped away from her and straightened his uniform, irritated.

“The Trolls will look after our people, and that’s the end of that! Understand?” Anna firmly instructed Alex. First, the grabbing of his neatly ironed uniform and now this seemingly vague instruction—Alex was incensed.

“NO, I will NOT have rolling, talking boulders look after our people!” he exclaimed, getting in her face. Anna, too, was now infuriated. She leaned forward, got in his face, and raged,

“Firstly, those ‘boulders’ are called trolls! They saved me from my sister’s magic and are PROBABLY the reason YOU are here!”

Alex took a few steps back on discerning that, which to him was a shocking revelation. Kristoff caught up to them and confessed to Alex, “It’s true. I saw them heal Anna before my own eyes. They took me in and looked after me too, remember?”

“Those are actually mountain trolls?” Alex asked. Kristoff nodded. Pausing briefly, Alex spoke, “I believe in you guys. The Trolls should stay.”

He felt awful for shouting at Anna—she was like a little sister to him, and he could never fathom hurting her. Coming close again, Alex told her, “I’m sorry for yelling at you, Anna. Please forgive me?”

The apology melted Anna’s anger away. “Aww! You didn’t hurt me,” she said. She knew Alex’s penchant for formalities. Restraining herself, she declared in a sophisticated tone, “Apology accepted.” Then she came nearer and pulled his cheek, “Don’t worry. Cheer up, Alex!”

The sergeant was smileful as she walked back to Elsa and Grand Pabbie. When she was away, Alex turned to Kristoff and accepted, “She never seizes to surprise me!”

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Later, both Alex and Kristoff reached Grand Pabbie and the others.

“Well, it seems we are a hindrance. It will be best if we take your leave now,” Pabbie started.

“No, no, no. Please stay. The people can look after themselves, but we would be more than grateful if you can help.” pleaded Alex. Although he didn’t say a thing, Grand Pabbie was persuaded.

“Please make sure they stay out of the kingdom until we return.” requested Elsa.

“Of course.” the elderly troll replied. He looked at Alex carefully. Slightly unsettled, Alex continued to keep eye contact with the troll. After a moment, Pabbie informed, “In you, I don’t sense magic, but a strange control over it. Do you also seek an unknown truth: a question from the past, Alex?”

How did the troll know his name? Alex was nonplussed. “How does he…? Nevermind!”

He replied to Grand Pabbie, “Yes, I have always wondered about what happened to the king and queen of Arendelle. Do you know anything about it… sir?”

“You can call me ‘Pabbie’, Alex.” he cackled. Assuming a serious face, he said, “Let me see.” He closed his eyes and tried to visualize, but in vain. Opening his eyes, he began, “The truth… seems to be muddled and unclear. I reckon magical spirits protect this secret too. Follow the voice; it may lead you to it.”

Though not entirely convinced, he thanked the troll, “I am much obliged, Pabbie.” Subsequently, he looked at Elsa and told her, “We should leave; right now.”

“You’re right. Let’s tell the people.”

They both left to see the crowd while Kristoff walked over to his wagon and prepared Sven.

“Anna, I’m worried for her,” Pabbie confessed. “We have always feared Elsa’s powers were too much for this world. Now, we must pray they are enough.”

“I won’t let anything happen to her,” she reassured him.

Away, Elsa and Alex reached the well of the assembled people. Kai stood nearby. There were too many people there, and not all of them were in the best mood. With nervous laughter, Elsa muttered to Alex, “I’ve never done this before.” Slightly worried, she asked, “What should I say?”

With a reassuring smile, he requested, “May I handle this one for you?”

“Yes, please. Thank you.”

Alex turned to Kai and nodded. He understood what he was asked to do and announced, “May I have your attention, please?”

The people grew silent and tried to listen. Alex didn’t speak immediately but smirked amusedly at Elsa. Elsa knew that look—he was going to ask her to do something with her magic. She took notice hesitantly.

“Elsa, can I have a dais, a fancy one?” he demanded quietly with intended boyishness. She tentatively moved her hands and, in no time, appeared a dais made entirely of ice. Alex looked at the slippery surface, alarmed. He had slipped on solid ice too many times to not say, “Umm… Elsa? Please roughen the surface a bit. I don’t want to be falling on my face before all of Arendelle.”

Slightly flustered, she moved her hands and made the shine of the dais’s surface vanish.

“Thank you, my Queen.” he expressed, noticing that some people were already listening.

Alex got onto the dais and browsed through the expectant onlookers. He cleared his throat and began, “I speak on behalf of Her Majesty, Queen Elsa. It so happens that angry magical spirits have driven us out of our kingdom. This is due to some unresolved conflict in the past.”

By now, Anna and Kristoff found their way to the front of the crowd and listened in. Alex continued, “Therefore, Queen Elsa, Princess Anna, Lord Kristoff, and I, Color Sergeant Alex, have decided to go to the Enchanted Forest. We will settle this conflict and return to Arendelle.” As Alex paused, unsettled pockets of confused whispers stirred. The people were not really convinced.

“Until then, we request all of you to stay out of the kingdom,” Alex added with finality. Soon, a young man among the commoners protested, “How can you just ask us to stay out?! Our homes and livelihoods are down there in Arendelle!” A few others cheered in support of his opinion.

“You think that is Arendelle?!” started Alex, pointing at the kingdom. “Arendelle stands before me. That is just bricks, sticks, and stones that we used to make ourselves a place to live!” The people were drawn in. They seized to discuss among themselves.

“Arendelle is its people! From the biggest and the strongest ones…” he said, looking at Oaken. He only tapped his fingers from tip to tip and smiled. Then, he shifted his sight to the same little girl who admired his uniform, “To the smallest, cutest little ones.” The little girl laughed with glee and did gyrate around her mother. When Alex looked at her mother, she returned a warm smile. Resuming his stance, he broadcasted, “Yes, you: each one of you. That is what Arendelle is. So please, stay together and help each other in this dire time of need.”

The people considered and looked at ease: they were ready to stay. Suppressing his zealous tone and speaking calmly, Alex offered, “If you need anything else, Kai and the royal guards are at your service.”

Kai bowed low, turning to the gathering. Everyone seemed coaxed, save Anna. She went on shooting Alex looks as if he forgot to say something. On her persuasion, he added, “… And the Trolls are also willing to help. That will be all. Thank you for your attention.”

After glancing through the assembly once again, he descended the dais and walked to Elsa. She breathed a sigh of relief, “You were just amazing, Alex! That wouldn’t have gone well for me.”

Frowning slightly, Alex told her, “Don’t be silly, Elsa. I heard you speaking in the council chambers when you presented the revised trade decree of Weselton. The negotiation was so tense, but you broke the deadlock in minutes! You’d beat me hands down, you know?”

On recollecting the episode, Elsa’s exhausted face accommodated a bright smile, followed by a short titter, “Heh, that was just a heated discussion, but angry crowds are definitely not my thing.” Softening her grin, she looked sincerely at Alex, “Thank you.”

He returned, “It’s all for Arendelle.”