Disney Fan-Fiction - Price of Magic Ch. 1

It had been many years since Elsa had gone to the Valley of the Living Rock. Despite the years, she could still remember how the night was the first time she went as if it happened only yesterday. Instead of the luminescence of a full moon and a dazzling array of colors from the Northern Lights, above her was the radiant afternoon sun casting its rays through the forest around her as she rode through. From the increased wind and the loss of leaves from many of the tree limbs as well as the changing temperature, she could tell that winter was coming. She remembered that it had been early spring when she first rode to the rocky glade with her parents and her unconscious sister, and so the mountains still had several feet of snow and ice and the air was just as brisk as it was now although even more so at night.

While riding to the clearing, she also reflected on the circumstances between now and the event in her childhood. In the first time, she had used her powers to hurt someone she cared about, and now she had neglected to use her powers. Likewise someone had to have their memories removed, although, this time it was now her.

A voice broke through her thoughts, forcing her to turn around to see Anna riding her own horse behind her wearing a thick cloak around her shoulders as well as a riding dress. She quickly hid the small satchel that she carried in the folds of her cloak, careful to not let the sloshing sound to be too loud.

“It’s kind of hard to keep up with you when you have an enchanted, snow-horse,” she called, indicating the glistening steed that the queen was riding.

“I would say that I’m surprised to see you but for some odd reason I’m not,” commented Elsa.

“Probably because we know each other too well,” explained Anna with an encouraging smile. “We both can be stubborn when it comes to making our minds on things. Well, I’ve made up my mind to keep an eye on you and be there for you.” She quickly added. “Also Harold was worried so he told me that you were leaving.”

Elsa smiled at hearing how concerned the servant was for her well being as well as for the ring of truth in what her sister said. She made a mental note to thank him when they returned.

“Also I understand what you’re going through,” her sister continued. “We both lost our parents, remember? But unlike back then we now have each other and friends to support us. I love you, Elsa, and so I’m going to help you through this.”

Elsa smiled appreciatively. “Thanks Anna.”

“I also had nothing better to do,” she added. “Kristoff went off to work and Olaf decided to go with him. Something about wanting to see how Marshmallow was handling the snowgies.”

Both women laughed at how they remembered the miniature snowmen had appeared as they continued their trek through the woods.


They arrived at the valley a few hours later, the hot springs providing a measure of warmth even for Elsa. After tying the horses some paces back to keep the ice horse from melting, they entered to find the round rocks of varying sizes with most being just below the waist. The majority were moss or mushroom covered, and it was only when the two siblings had taken a few steps that all of them began to move and roll down to meet them. Within a few moments after the wondrous sight they revealed themselves to be the troll family of Kristoff.

“It’s the Queen!”

“Hello, Anna!”

“We have your wedding gift!”

“Wanna see my fire crystal?”

“Please tell me there’s not another curse coming. We’ve had one too many.”

“No, no, I’m here to see Grand Pabbie,” said Elsa.

A section of the trolls parted to make way for a particularly dirtied and bumpy rock that rolled up to Elsa. It revealed itself in the old, frail figure of Grand Pabbie whose wizened face and gentle eyes peered at the young queen.

“What can I help you with, Your Majesty?”

“I need you to remove all the memories that I have with Rumpelstiltskin,” she said.

The elderly troll was quite taken aback. “Your Majesty?”

“I know that you did it once to Anna,” she told him. “When I struck her with my powers. Now I need you to do it for me. I haven’t been able to rule Arendelle effectively since…since….” Her voice trailed off.

“Please, Grand Pabbie, will you do it?” said Anna, coming forward.

He took a deep breath and let it out gently. “I will.” Both ladies smiled with relief before he added. “It’s just a matter of if I can. As you very well know, magic isn’t something that can be wielded like some sort of weapon. There are limits…”

“I know that it comes with a price,” said Elsa hurriedly. “Rumple… stiltskin told me many times. I’m willing to pay for it.”

“Very well. I will do what I can,” he replied. “Close your eyes.”

Elsa did as he said. She knelt down on the ground in front of him with her head bowed. He raised his hands to her head, both palms being large enough to fully grasp each side of her head. His grip was gentle but firm and after taking several deep breaths, he spoke again, “I won’t lie to you, Elsa, this is going to be difficult. It’s going to take the two of us to accomplish this. There is also a chance that it may not work. Now I need you to concentrate on each of the memories that you had with Rumpelstiltskin. Start from the beginning, that will be easier.”

With the troll’s suggestion, Elsa traveled back to the first moment that she had met the wizard. She had just received reports of an approaching blizzard the likes of which no one had ever seen since Elsa had first frozen the kingdom. It was in the middle of summer, shortly after the events surrounding her coronation, and thus people including herself thought that this was her doing. She had been in the side parlor of her castle in the port when…he appeared, out of nowhere, casting magic with ease. In fact he seemed quite at ease within her presence and at the circumstances as if he dealt with these every other Friday. It wasn’t until later that he told her his adventures of how he had helped with the other kingdoms and became transformed after taking in the magics of others. Now that she thought about it, he hadn’t mentioned just how he had heard of her.

“Focus, Your Majesty.” Pabbie’s voice rumbled through her mind, reminding her of the task at hand.

She then went to later that day, where she, Anna, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf were getting ready to leave the kingdom to save it from Maleficent’s curse. As he promised, he enacted an enchantment that would protect the kingdom from the effects of the curse while they were gone. He had acted very gentlemanly when he offered to assist her into the sleigh. On their way out the two of them combined their abilities to ease their passing, with Rumpel giving her compliments on her control over her powers. When they broke through the curse, they had decided to make camp and resume their trek the next day. Through the night, he told them of the first few days of when he had supposedly arrived in the world. She remembered that he told her that he couldn’t recall how he had arrived in that place or how he had come up with his name.

She later apologized after dosing off in the middle of the story, although she wasn’t the only one with both Anna, Kristoff, and Sven sleeping soundly as well. He waved away her concern and told her of the different rules of magic and even acknowledging the act of true love that Anna performed to save her life. Shortly afterwards they resumed their journey across the mountains with Rumpelstiltskin providing her with her own horse after they ditched the sleigh. Along the way the two of them broke the seriousness of the situation by fooling around with snowballs and races.

The memories of the two of them seemed to rush through her mind in a blur with her finding Rumpelstiltskin alive at Maleficent’s castle, then traveling and assisting the various kingdoms in need, and eventually returning back and helping her reclaim her kingdom. She remembered him making her cry, laugh, be annoyed, and then merry, cheering her up, and disappointing her. Both had taken risks to save the other in times of peril. Overtime she had began to love him even when he let her down by not being truthful, and she began to wonder if he loved her back.

Then it all came crashing down when she heard the news that he had died at the final battle. She had begun to build a world around him and that had collapsed within minutes after the announcement. At the truth of it all, it was her fault. Her fault for not expressing her love sooner, her fault for not getting to the palace beforehand, her fault for not following them after she learned of their destination, her fault for not using her powers to save him. A flood of emotions surged through her: fear, anger, regret surged through as if a dam had broke.
All of a sudden, Grand Pabbie gasped in front of her. She opened her eyes to see him collapse and she quickly caught and cradled him. Everyone quickly huddled around the two of them with Anna leaning anxiously over her sister’s shoulder.

“Did it work?” she asked echoing what all the other trolls were thinking.

“No, it didn’t,” replied Elsa slowly and sadly.

“It appears that due to Elsa’s age, the amount of emotion that is connected to those recollections, and her own untapped potential is preventing me from removing her memories,” stated the tired troll shaman. “I am sorry, child.”

“I understand,” she replied kindly, her eyes revealing her disappointment. “You did what you could.” She assisted along with two other trolls in bringing him upright.

The two of them left the valley and made their way to the horses. As they saddled themselves, Anna opened her mouth but it was Elsa who broke the silence.

“I’m still going through with it, Anna.”

“But who else do we know that can have enough magic to do this?”

“I can think of a few,” came the reply, and she brought the satchel up in front of her to take out the flask within.

“Elsa!”

“Anna, you don’t understand. I need something to dull the pain especially…especially after having to bring it all back up again,” she said, taking a draught of the contents within.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mickey stretched his arms, feeling a series of relieving cracks from the joints of his elbows and back. He had been sitting on a chair with his magical hat on a stool in front of him for hours. The half-eaten remnants of breakfast lay in a tray beside him, with all of it having gone cold some time ago.

Ever since he, Minnie, and the others had finished repairing the damage to the rest of the kingdoms left in the wake of the Overtaking, he had been poring over the hat for days on end. In that time it had remained silent and with it, his connection to the powerful sorcerer who sent them, Yen Sid. He had performed the spell that would send them to the world to assist the Chosen One, and had told him that the hat would provide a way to communicate to him if needed. Unfortunately, they were ambushed just as they had arrived by Lady Tremaine, Scar and his hyenas, Clayton, the Headless Horseman, and Madam Mim. In the confusion, they were all separated and were quickly captured with the exception of the Chosen One. Since then he had been separated from the hat, but once it had been returned to him, it remained silent despite granting him the necessary powers to assist in the effort of beating back the Overtaking.

“I don’t understand,” he said out loud, sliding from the chair and began to pace around the room for the second time that day.

A storm of questions swept through his mind again. Why hadn’t the hat connected to Yen Sid? Was it because his job here was not yet done? Were there still villains that were hatching sinister plots in revenge? Were there still people and kingdoms who hadn’t yet been granted their happily ever afters? Or was it something even more sinister? Was his connection to the sorcerer being blocked? Or even worse, was Yen Sid in trouble and this was all a ploy to get to him?

His mind was so lost in thought that he didn’t hear the first set of knocks on his door. When they increased to banging, only then did he look up from his pacing.

“Hey, Mickey, ya in there?” came Goofy’s voice on the other side.

The mouse opened the door to see his friend’s worried face looking down at him across his long snout.

“What is it, Goofy?”

“We need you downstairs. Everyone has arrived,” said Goofy.

Mickey quickly went back and picked up his hat before following his friend out the door and down to the study. Messages had been sent to the various kingdoms calling for the heroes and heroines that had participated in the Overtaking. After what had occurred at Princess Cinderella’s and Prince Charming’s castle, they had to make sure that no one else had been attacked.

It was a decent size room with several writing desks in various spots and a door off to the side was connected to the library. A crowd was already gathered in the center of the room with Minnie, Donald, and Daisy, the Three Good Fairies, Prince Philip and Princess Aurora, Princess Cinderella and Prince Charming, Prince Eric and Princess Ariel, who was a few months pregnant, Prince Aladdin, Princess Jasmine, and the Genie, Eugene and Rapunzel, Merlin, Elsa and Anna, Peter Pan and Tinkerbell, Taran and princess Eilonwy, Hercules and Meg, as well as Snow White and Belle along with their princes including the Seven Dwarves. Everyone seemed to be catching up after having spent many months apart.

With a whistle from Mickey, they turned their attention to him.

“Gee, uh, thanks for coming all of you.”

“What’s happened?” asked Philip.

“Please, not another war,” groaned Snow White.

“No, no, it’s not anything like that. In fact I’ll let Cinderella and Charming explain,” replied the mouse, indicating the their hosts.

“Cinderella was actually the one who discovered what had happened,” the prince pointed out.

All eyes turned to the princess. “Well, it occurred a few days ago,” she began. “I was out in the garden that morning. It’s one of the things that I can take care of in the castle. I was about halfway done when I found…when I found…” She began to break down as tears began to moisten in her eyes.

Prince Charming nodded at Mickey, who put on the hat and waved his hand at the side door. It opened to reveal four servants wheeling a stand that held an old woman in a single robe, which would’ve shimmered if it, along with her, hadn’t been turned to stone. Her complexion and outstretched arm portrayed a look of shock and protest.

“We honestly don’t know what happened,” continued Charming sorrowfully. “Mickey has tried to use his magic with no success. We were hoping that those with magic could help.”

“Don’t fret, your highnesses. We’ve got this taken care of,” proclaimed the Genie as he rolled up his arms, leaving his hands unattached in the air. With an electrifying blast, he struck the base of the statue, scattering the servants, and from the points of impact thick, blue smoke billowed out like a volcano. A divider was erected and he appeared on the other side with only the silhouettes allowing them to see what was happening. Flashings of lightning crackled in the air as the Genie enacted more and more spells before lowering the statue into the floor. With the sound of steam and screeching metal, the statue rose back up inside of a metal frame with gleaming lights. They could see Genie stepping off to the side and pressing a few things on the side before the frame crumbled, with the statue still in place.
He then dispensed with the divider, showing that the Fairy Godmother was still in statue form.

“Okay, now you can fret.”

“I think, Dear, this requires a woman’s touch,” said Flora as she and her sisters flew toward the statue.

“Ladies,” bowed the Genie as he joined with the rest of the crowd.

For the better part of an hour, the three fairies buzzed around their fallen comrade, waving their wands only, to everyone’s dismay, have no effect.

“As I’ve told you before, my powers are used for educational purposes,” said Merlin as those around him began to ask for his help. “But I’ll try to see what’s wrong.”

He stepped forward as the Good Fairies stepped aside. He straightened his pointed hat, tapped the Fairy Godmother’s head with his staff, and began to speak most oddly, “Of-oozoh-ah-foozah-faught, let’s see what we’ve got. Rakkata, rekkete, rikkiti, rhon, explain why this poor old woman is kept as stone!”

After a light tap on the statue’s head from the staff, a cloud of smoke enveloped and everyone quickly took a few steps pack. From within they could hear the old wizard coughing and sputtering. He stepped out of the cloud, his hand waving away the smoke.

“Well, cough, that was, cough, unexpected,” he stated, waving his staff again and the smoke disappeared. “Seems to me that the reason why this poor woman was turned to stone was that someone had cast a curse on her with her own wand. That would explain why our magic didn’t work: only someone who cast the curse could remove it, unless she has a true love. Does she?” He looked at Prince Charming and Cinderella, who shook their heads solemnly. “Well, there you go our mystery is solved. Now if you don’t mind, I do have a young pupil to teach.”

“Merlin, wait! We need to talk about this further,” protested Prince Philip.

“Yes, we don’t know who is responsible,” added Mickey.

“Well, it’s just a logical manner of canceling out which villains were defeated and which remain,” explained the wizard matter of fact-ly.

“There’s Jafar,” spoke Aladdin.

“Gaston,” stated Belle in a low tone that could just barely be heard.

“Maleficent,” added Aurora.

“The Evil Queen.”

“Judge Frollo.”

“Prince John.”

“Hades.”

“The Horned King.”

“The Headless Horseman.”

“Madam Mim.”

“Prince Hans.”

“Doctor Facilier.”

“Ursula.”

“Is that everyone?” asked Genie his hands having thirteen fingers.

“This could be one of the less powerful villains or minions,” offered Adam.

Tinkerbell spoke to Peter Pan in her bell language, and he nodded in response. “Good point, Tink. We’re missing an obvious one: Captain Hook."

“We haven’t heard from him since he was in Paris when Judge Frollo was taking over there,” said Eric.

“At least that’s what Rumpelstiltskin said,” pointed Flora.

“Actually, that’s what was said from the refugees that fled from the city after the Cauldron Born had left and Maleficent’s curse was enacted,” explained Ariel. “Captain Phoebus and Esmeralda both witnessed the pirate bringing the undead army there, working alongside the judge, and fighting Rumpelstiltskin.”

“He could’ve been killed when the Cauldron Born entered into the city,” said Hercules but Peter Pan was quick to respond.

“If I know Hook and his crew it’s that they put their own lives at the top of their lists. No, I’m certain Hook is still alive. His crew is still on Neverland-”

“But his ship is at the bottom of the sea,” interrupted Eric. “That’s a good reason on why he could be the one to attack the Fairy Godmother.”

“So, we have ourselves a suspect with a history, an intent, and he’s got the means to enact his plan,” counted off Genie in a police uniform. “Now let’s go arrest him!”

“Well, I for one won’t be joining in the search,” stated Merlin firmly. “This is only one man, and with entire kingdoms on the lookout for him, I doubt that he’s going to be that hard to find. I do have other duties to attend to, so I bid you all farewell and good luck.”

“Thank you, Merlin,” replied Mickey, with just a flicker of surprise at his statement. “And we won’t hold it against you if you do.”

The elderly sorcerer had only taken a few steps out of the room before a voice called after him. He turned around to see Elsa hesitantly stepping toward him.

“What can I do for you, Queen Elsa?” he asked as soon as she was close. He could feel a sudden drop in temperature surrounding her.

“I was wondering if I can ask something,” she responded, looking down at her hands.

“Of course, my child.”

She took a deep breath and let it out, calming herself and bringing the temperature to a more comfortable setting. “You probably don’t remember but I had left the celebration after hearing the news how Rumpelstiltskin had died. You see I…grew to love him during our time together. But with him gone…”

“You want him back?” he asked.

“No, no, I know that’s against one of the rules of magic,” she responded hurriedly. “I was hoping that you could remove those moments.”

She watched his bewildered expression and he even took a step back before regaining his composure.

“May I ask why?”

“I’ve been having…dreams,” explained the snow queen slowly, now hugging herself. “Of what would’ve happened if he had lived…and the two of us being together. But in those dreams he brought to light my worst fears and regrets. He accused me of not using my magic to save him. It’s been happening for a while to the point where I’m afraid to even go to sleep and I’ve…been taking things to help with that but even those have limits.” She looked at him directly. “Please, can you help me? I’m running out of options.”

To her surprise, he had answered by offering her to sit with him on a bench outside of the study.

“Despite what you see these old bones of mine still need to rest every once and a while. They’ve gone through many years of both hardship and prosperity, and I remember every part of it. You may think that my life could’ve been better if I just took the quick and easy path of forgetting my troubles with magic and only retain the good things in life. Instead I have found that there are some good things in experiencing suffering. The lessons that I had learned during those times in my life, I never would have in others that were pleasant. Those lessons defined me in ways that I never thought were possible, and make up the person you see before you.”

Suddenly, they were interrupted by the sound of loud voices coming from the room. They stood up and entered to see the Flora, Fauna, and Merriweather grouped together a few paces away from the crowd, all of which had a various rattled expressions. Mickey had also seemingly given his magical hat to the Genie while they were gone.

“Are all of you crazy?” demanded Merriweather, who looked as if getting ready for a fight.

“Please, Merriweather, try and understand,” consoled Philip, who was in between them and the crowd.

“Your Highness, I think that you’re giving too much of yourself to your fears,” reassured Flora, but she also had a slight edge to her voice.

“What’s going on?” asked Elsa.

“We discussed the possibility that if the person who did this wasn’t Hook, then he or she could be after magical objects,” replied Adam, who joined with Philip. “There’s a chance that they may not settle for just the Fairy Godmother’s wand and instead could go after other magical people and take the sources of their magic. But if we store all magical objects away in a safe place, one in which no one could get to, then we take away that person’s goal.”

“I, for one, don’t think it’s a good idea to put all of our eggs in one basket,” retorted Flora with her sisters nodding in unison.

“Look, the Cave of Wonders is a safe place to keep these items safe,” explained Aladdin. “There’s only one way in or out and even the entrance is hard to find. On the plus side, almost no one outside of this room has even heard of the place.”

“I’m not willing to take the chance to see if you’re wrong, young prince,” countered Merriweather.

“Well, I think it is a good idea,” interrupted Merlin, striking the end of his staff and sending sparks along the floor, and silencing the room. “Both of what you say makes sense. But all of you understand this. The dark forces, many of which used magic to enact their chaos, as well as a variety of dangerous magical creatures that spread terror across the field, forest, city, and sea, had ravaged this world only a short time ago. Many of us were subject to the effects of magic that were used by these villains as they ruled over us. Of course, amongst us who use magic, there is a stark difference between Dark Magic and Light Magic, but to those that aren’t familiar with it; they don’t see such a difference. All of these people really see is people wielding sorcery many of which,” he glanced at Elsa. “Have experienced the price of such things. That’s another reason why ordinary people are apprehensive about it; magic always comes with a price, some of which they can’t always pay or don’t wish to due to the price being not always what they want.
“After this year’s events, many people have grown to fear magic and its effects. I think that we should ease their worry by allowing them to retain that which makes up our magic. That way we neither set ourselves apart from them nor make ourselves be superior, for that is too close to the mentality of those villains that had ruled over us. As for those of us that are inherently magical and don’t need objects of power, I suggest that they remain within their respective kingdoms and only leave in case of emergencies. If this person is going after those with magic then those individuals should send warning immediately if they are in trouble and make their way to a safe house.”

“What safe house?” questioned Mickey.

“Someplace hard to get to but provides an amount of protection to those seeking asylum.”

“How about Neverland?” offered Peter Pan.

“My thoughts exactly, my boy. That way all of us know what’s happening and where we can provide the most aid.”

There was a buzz of voices in agreement with the crowd, and hearing this the three fairies reluctantly transformed themselves into the clothing that they had worn when taking care of Aurora before handing over their wands to the Genie. The big blue man opened one of the windows and threw all of the objects toward the general direction of the Cave of Wonders.

As everyone left the room in either groups or pairs, no one gave any notice to two birds sitting out on the window: one with a purple plumage and the other with a green one. They had been watching the crowd, and had even had a particular interest in the Queen of Arendelle. They had watched her interaction with the wizard, and, in particular, regarded with interest the subtle reactions that he had made and that she had failed to observe as she spoke to him. Once the meeting was adjourned they took flight from their place.