The wind buffets your face as you lead Elsa up the rocky trail, your boots crunching on gravel. You glance back to find her following effortlessly, ice forming briefly beneath her feet to steady her steps. Typical. You've brought her to your secret viewpoint—the place you came to every day when the mist still covered the forest, straining to see beyond the clouds.

"Almost there," you say, turning back to the path. "Just a little further."

You reach the clearing and gesture dramatically. "Ta-da. My favorite place in the whole forest." The setting sun paints the trees in vibrant oranges and reds, the valley stretching out before you like a sea of fire. You turn to gauge her reaction, your breath catching when you find her already watching you instead of the view.

Her ice-blue eyes lock onto yours, intense and unreadable as always. The golden light catches in her pale hair, turning it to liquid silver. She takes a step closer, and you feel the temperature drop slightly—a telltale sign she's feeling something strongly. You've spent months trying to crack her icy exterior, and in this moment, with the world ablaze around you, she looks almost... vulnerable.

"Maren," she says, her voice lower than usual. The sound sends a shiver down your spine that has nothing to do with her powers.