HELP I'M ON A ROLL I CAN'T STOP

"Elsa?" Andar called, riding Kjekk, who trudged through the powder, through the now-frozen fjord. "Elsa! Elsa, it's me, Andar. Your brother who didn't mean to make you freeze summer. I'm sorry! It's all my f - fault." Under his breath, he added, "Of course, none of this would've happened if she'd just told me her secrete." He laughed, Kjekk becoming concerned that his master was losing it from excessive exposure to the cold. "She's a stinker."

Karmatically, a tree branch fell in front of him, spitting snow all over him. Panicked, Kjekk threw him back, Andar falling awkwardly. Kjekk ran off, Andar trying to call him back. "Oh, no. No no no, come back! No no no no!" He looked around for something to help him. "Ooookay..." Grabbing onto the pine tree, he went to stand, the snow coming off and landing on top of him.

-

All day, he chugged through the snow, Andar taking long strides to get over the snow, the bottoms of his pant legs soaked.

"Snow..." he mumbled, trying to huddle himself in his cape. "It had to be snow. She couldn't have had tropical magic that covered the fjords in white sand and warm..." Seeing a trail of smoke seeping into the sky, he cried, "Fire!"

But he slipped down the hill, both landing with a splash into the river.

"Cold cold cold..." Andar mantraed. His pants stiffened around his legs as he waddled over to the small wooden cabin. He reached up and knocked the snow off of the sign. "Wandering Oaken's Trading Post," he read. His eye caught the small sign as the snow fell off of that one, as well. "Ooh, and sauna!"

Stepping in, he was insanely greeted by a cherry, "Yoo-hoo!" Behind the counter was a stalky man with a handlebar mustache and a sweater. "Big Summer Blowout. Half off swimsuits, clogs, and a sub balm of my own invention, ja?" He held up the balm helpfully.

Andar blinked and politely nodded. "Oh, great. For now, um, how about boots? Winter boots? A - and some warm clothes?"

He nodded and gestured to a corner. "That would be in our winter department."

An outfit was folded on the chair with a pair of boots, along with a rope and axe. One of the two snowshoes fell pathetically.

"Oh." He went to retrieve the clothes. As he did, he asked, "Um...I was wondering...has a young woman...the queen, perhaps...pass through here?"

"Only one crazy enough to be out in this storm is you, gutt."

Just as he said that, the door shut and a man came in, his clothes covered in snow.

"You and this fellow. Yoo-hoo! Big Summer Blowout."

The man tromped in to Andar, who backed into the counter, grabbing onto it. He leaned over, saying, muffled through his scarf, "Carrots."

Andar, confused, blinked stupidly. "Huh?"

He motioned at the counter. "Behind you."

He glanced down, indeed seeing the carrots, and jumped away from the counter. "Oh! Right. Excuse me."

He reached past him and took one of the sacks, then, from the winter department, took the rope and axe.

"A real howler in July, ja?" Oaken asked him, trying to make small talk. "Wherever could it be coming from?"

"From the North Mountain," he replied, not faltering in his quest. Once finished, he brought his stuff to the counter.

"North Mountain..." Andar whispered, glancing up at the man - he was considerably taller by at least two feet - hopefully.

"That'll be forty," Oaken said with a nod.

"Forty?! No, ten."

He shook his head lightly and explained, "Oh, dear, that's no good. See, this is from our winter stock, where supply and demand have a big problem."

"You wanna talk about a supply and demand problem? I sell ice for a living." He pointed out the window, where there was a sled and a reindeer, ice piled on high. A girl sat atop the reindeer, a scarf covering her head and face.

"Ooh, that's a rough business to be in right now. I mean, that is really..." Andar stopped when she saw the look the man gave him and cleared his throat. "That's unfortunate."

Oaken shrugged. "Still forty. But I will throw in a visit to Oaken's Sauna." He waved towards the door. "Yoo-hoo! Hi, family!"

His husband and children waved back, calling out, "Yoo-hoo!"

Not satisfied, he stated, "Ten's all I got! Help me out here."

"Okay." Oaken pushed away the carrots and ax, stating, "Ten will get you this and no more."

"Okay, just tell me one thing," Andar pressed the man, who was still looking over the items. What was happening on the North Mountain? Did it seem...magical?"

He pulled down his scarf, exasperated. "Yes! Now back off while I deal with this crook here."

Oaken rose at that, at least three feet taller than Andar thought he would be. With a hurt look, he asked, "What did you call me...?"

-

"Okay, okay! I'm out!" the man yelled at Oaken picked him up and carried him to the door, then yeeted him into the snow. "Whoa!"

"Bye-bye!" he called before shutting the door behind him.

The reindeer came over eagerly, trying to smell the Kristoff for food. Y/n held on tightly, taking her scarf down.

"No, Sven, I didn't get your carrots," he replied, deflating Sven.

"On the bright side, I found us a place to sleep for the night," Y/n said, nodding her head behind her to a small shack up ahead. "And it's free."

-

Oaken came in and sat down, Andar backing away slightly. "I'm sorry about the violence. I will add a quart of lutefish, so we have good feelings. Just the clothes and boots, ja?"

Anna looked at the stuff hesitantly. "Uh..."

-

Kristoff plucked a few strings on his lute, lying on Sven on the hay. Y/n was on the other side, filling her nails with a piece of sandpaper she found.

Y/n:
Reindeers are better than people
Sven, don't you think that's true?

Kristoff threw his voice for Sven, making it comically deeper.

"Sven":
Yeah, people will beat you and curse you and cheat you
They're all bad, 'cept Kristoff and you

"Aw, thanks, buddy," Kristoff chuckled.

Despite the comical song, her voice actually sounded angelic.

Y/n:
But people smell better than reindeers
Sven, don't you think I'm right?

"Sven":
That's once again true
Except both of you

Kristoff:
You got us

Y/n
Let's call it a night

"Sven":
Goodnight...

Y/n:
Don't let the frost bite...
Bye...

They shut his eyes, ready to fall asleep.

"Nice duet. Triet? Did his part count?"

They jumped, only to see Andar in his clothes.

[F/c, no belt]
[Sorry if you prefer a dress, pants are just more efficient as an ice harvester.]

"Oh, it's just you," Y/n sighed in relief, slinking back and going back to her nails. "What do you want?"

"You know him?" Kristoff asked, glancing at her.

"Yes, I know the prince."

"Oh. Cool."

Ignoring their blatant rudeness, Andar stood tall, trying to put his status to use, even though they obviously did not care. "I want you to take me up the North Mountain."

Kristoff looked away from him, his eyes shut again. "We don't take people places."

"Hang on, Krissy," Y/n said, then looked Andar up and down. Charming, handsome, suave...all qualities a prince should have that he did not. Well, maybe handsome.

"What's our reward for news of the queen? That's who you're lookin' for, right? And I guess she's up there if that's where you wanna get to."

"What? Nothing! Please, Miss L/n, what news?!"

"Please, Prince, what payment?"

"Rrggg...how about this?!" Andar chucked the ax and rope at her, nearly chopping off her head.

"Oof! Hey!"

Kristoff chuckled, but winced at the picax so close to her head.

"Take me up the North Mountain. Please," he repeated.

Before they could refuse again, Y/n jumped in quickly. "Look, I know how to stop this winter."

The two exchanged glances before Kristoff threw his beanie to Y/n, letting her put it over her eyes. "We leave at dawn," he stated.

"Um, no," Y/n replied, still under the beanie. "He forgot the carrots for Sven."

He threw the bag at her, hitting her in the chest. "SON OF A -!"

Andar gasped, stuttering, "Sorry! Sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't..." Catching himself, he pushed his shoulders back, insisting, "We leave now. Right now."

He marched out, leaving Kristoff and Y/n. The blond took out a carrot and gave it to Y/n, then took another one that he shared a carrot with a happy Sven.

"Men..." Y/n mumbled before crunching loudly.