Elsa’s Homecoming, Part One: Restless Voice

By Seeker, Royal Biographer

The story of Elsa’s childhood and the Great Thaw are compelling, but they were merely the beginning. Fate had much more in mind for Elsa, as you will soon see.

Despite a rough start, Elsa quickly fell into her role as queen quite gracefully. She proved to be an intelligent, elegant, and compassionate ruler that Arendelle adored and the world respected. While one might think Elsa’s short three year reign would not be anything special there are a few events that happened that citizens of Arendelle still talk about to this day.

There is Anna’s infamous nineteenth birthday, where Elsa led Anna throughout Arendelle on a scavenger hunt to find her birthday presents. The same one where various citizens claimed Elsa was singing and dancing through the streets like a wild schoolgirl and that their beloved and classy monarch was more than a little tipsy.

While I cannot confirm or deny such speculation, I can say that our dear Elsa now has more children than any other mother in Arendelle! Those who attended Anna’s birthday party will know what I am referring to.

Later that year, the sisters rang in their first Christmas season and, thanks to the kind heart of Olaf, created a whole new Christmas tradition for Arendelle to enjoy. That was a very special day to remember.

While Elsa cared about her people and her sister very much and was happier than she had been in years, something slowly began to dawn on her. Some things may indeed never change but something had changed in Elsa. She felt bored and began to worry that she was not where she was meant to be. Of course, Elsa was conflicted with these feelings. She had a kingdom and responsibilities and a new family that love her dearly. It would be selfish and foolhardy to risk everything she had because she was becoming dissatisfied with her way of life.

Right?

Things took a turning point for Elsa when she began to hear the voice. It would call to her every few weeks at first, but it continued until Elsa heard it at least every other day. It was so mysterious, sounding ethereal and otherworldly. It had come from far away. What did mean? What did it want? To lead Elsa astray or show her where she truly belonged? Was it all in her head or a result of her powers? Or was it an outside force. Perhaps it was the spirits that her parents told her about in bedtime stories as a child?

Elsa did not know yet, but she did know one thing. She could not ignore the voice or her true feelings forever.

Everything changed on the eve of Arendelle’s Autumn Festival. Elsa heard the voice call her louder and stronger than ever before during a round of charades. Despite Anna’s caring words and encouragement, Elsa continued to fear for herself and her people. What was the right decision to make? To follow her instincts or conceal them?

That night, she tried to sleep after Anna had come to her room and sung her a lullaby that their mother, Iduna, had sang to them during their childhood. However, the voice woke her once again. Elsa decided enough was enough. It was time to face voice this head on.

Elsa began to argue with the voice. She more than enough reasons to stay in Arendelle and insisted the voice should just go away since she would never acknowledge it.

And yet she still faltered, unable to stop herself from engaging with it. Perhaps the voice was like her and understood that Elsa was not where she belonged. Elsa confessed that each day was becoming harder as her power grew. She needed to release it like a child that had just learned to run. Elsa also finally admitted that a part of her desperately longed to learn more about herself, where her powers came from, how she was meant to use them, and who she truly was. As the voice left, trailing beyond the fjord, Elsa began to chase after it.

Elsa was ready to answer the call and follow the voice into the unknown.