Beware the frozen heart
Synopsis
Elsa and Anna are princesses and sisters, and have just lost their parents in a tragic accident. Elsa, who is 3 years older than Anna, is the future heir to the throne, but her uncontrolled magical powers keep her from fulfilling her royal and family obligations. Can Elsa control her frozen heart after all the time she spent alone, and give herself a chance to rediscover love in the midst of so much turmoil?
Chapter 1 - Painful Farewells
[ELSA'S POV]
My name is Elsa. I am the daughter of King Agnarr and Queen Iduna of Arendelle, who died yesterday. I also have a sister named Anna, whom I have not had contact with for years. I am now 18 years old, and I have not talked to my sister for ten years. It all happened when I accidentally hit her with my freezing powers in the head.
After this incident, my father made me promise to control my magic, locking me in my room. I was forbidden to have contact with my best friend, partner, sister. For a while, Anna would come into my room every night and knock on the door, hoping to play together - after all, she was only five. I cried every time against the door, unable to answer it properly.
As time passed, Anna started to come less, but she never gave up. I could hear her playing around the castle, always lively, hopeful and enthusiastic about everything. My heart burned for her, and I did not seem any closer to being able to control my dangerous powers - on the contrary. My father had given me gloves that helped to contain some of the power, but not all of it.
Sometimes I would leave my room at night, without anyone noticing, to go to Anna's room. I did not dare to get too close, it would be too risky... Then I would see through the hole under the doorknob. At least once a week I did this, and that moment became the highlight of my routine.
One day I almost got caught, at the age of seventeen. Anna was 14 then. I had gone to her room as usual, and looked through the hole in the door handle, but she wasn't there. My heart instantly froze, and I looked around in fear. Where could she be? And then I heard a noise coming from my room. I swallowed hard and ran. I began to run uncontrollably, trying to be silent, in vain. I walked down the endless corridors and down the staircase until I heard quick footsteps upstairs. Oh, no. She found out! I looked around quickly, but there was nowhere to hide. Damn, it now what?! I ran again, hurrying across the room. I would have to hide in a closet. I entered quickly the second I saw one. Luckily, it did not have many things inside, and I fit in it completely, lying flat. As soon as I closed the door, I could hear Anna running downstairs.
I was terrified, so scared of her discovering me. The air began to cool in the closet - I was freezing inside. Dammit dammit dammit. Anna, please, go away!
The footsteps came closer and closer, slowing down. She was looking for me with caution. Apparently she had discovered that I visited her. She had memorized my visits, to know exactly when I would go and surprise me. She was smart.
"Elsa? Please, I know you're in here." Her voice was trembling and anxious. "Please, I just want to see you. I... I..." Her voice trailed off like a whisper. "I miss you."
At that moment, it seemed like a thousand knives had pierced my heart at once, and I was bleeding internally. I began to cry silently, fully aware that I could never let it happen.
"Anna?" I heard my father's voice in the distance. "What are you doing here?"
"Father, I just... I..."
"It's late! Go to bed now." He spoke serenely and lovingly, and Anna promptly obeyed him.
Her footsteps receded until they disappeared. I heard the door close upstairs, and a sigh next to me.
"You may leave, Elsa." I took a deep breath and opened the cabinet. My father held out his hand and helped me out, covered in ice and snow, through the small space of the previous confinement. "Oh, Elsa… What were you thinking?"
"Father, I..." I sighed. "I don't know. I just wanted to see her." He hugged me, and I wept silently in his chest.
"I know, sweetheart. But you know it's dangerous. I mean... Look at the closet."
I let go of his arms and looked back. The closet, which was a dark brown, was now all white, covered with thick ice. I sobbed involuntarily, crying again. My father tried to hug me, but I raised my arms defensively and pulled away, shaking my head. He respected my moment and let me go.
Anna had come to my room the night before, after the wake. She tried once again to contact me without success. Again, I did not even respond to her requests. In fact, I had frozen the whole room in sheer desperation. I would have to be drastic, or I would never survive it.
I waited for everyone to go to sleep. I looked out the window, - my only companion, the one that informed me of things from the outside world - all the lights had gone out... It was even beautiful. I took a deep breath. It was now or never.
I sighed and went to the door. I opened it slightly and looked around. There was no one in the hall. I finished opening the door and took one more look, just to be sure. I grabbed my small briefcase, containing some personal items, and went to Anna's room. To my surprise, it was open. She had laid down on the blankets and seemed to have fainted from exhaustion. I took a deep breath and, unable to control myself, came close. It was the first time in ten years that we had come so close to each other.
I did not dare touch her, for I did not know what my touch could do. Instead, I sat beside her. Though I did not touch her, I could feel her warmth, contrasting with my icy skin like snow. We were the exact opposite of each other. I could not help smiling - it was wonderful to be near her.
Anna shifted in bed, turning to my side. Her face had changed, her features were no more of a child. I quickly noticed the white strand in her hair, the result of the accident so many years before. I felt a great sadness at that moment, knowing what I had to do.
Cautiously, I used my hands to manipulate the ice and create a snowman - the same we used to play with as a child. I placed him next to her bed, on the floor. I laughed quietly. She would be startled when she woke up and found a little man of about two feet in the middle of the room. I looked at Anna one last time with tears in my eyes.
"Goodbye, Anna." I whispered close to her ear, feeling her scent closely.
I turned my back and left without looking back. Tears streamed down my face, there was no reason to try to control them by now. The more they fell, the more desperation I felt inside me, and my desire to shout as loudly as I could increased exponentially.
I went through the corridors, down the floors, and faced the main entrance of the castle. I took a deep breath once and opened the gates, leaving without looking back. I closed them again and kept on my way. Some guards looked surprised and caught off guard. I reassured them, saying that I would just go for a walk. Some tried to follow me, but I ordered them not to. To my relief, they agreed.
I continued walking without a specific course or destination, carrying the small suitcase with me for a few meters. When I came to it, I was in front of a river - which did not stop me from continuing. I put the first foot in the water, and the liquid below instantly froze. I tested the other foot, and the area also froze at the touch, to my relief. I traced my way quietly and gradually, feeling comfortable to finally use my power in a way that seemed safe. At that moment, I removed the cape from my dress and let it fly down the river. I walked until I reached the end of it and beyond, towards the North Mountain.
When I arrived, I began to test my powers randomly. Now I was free. Free from the demands, free from the fear, from social contact and the bonds from my power. In a way, it could even be fun. I would also need a place to live, so I built a monumental ice castle to call home. To make sure no one would disturb me, I also created Marshmallow - an ice giant, ready to defend me at any cost.
I walked to my newly created rooms and went to the porch. From there, I could see Arendelle in the distance. It was so small, so far away... So unfamiliar. I took a deep breath and returned to the bedroom, lying in my newly made bed. The ice was not uncomfortable, it did not bother or hurt me. I looked at the landscape outside to the announcement of the sun rising on the horizon. I had never been so physically distant from home, but I felt no further than I had felt before.
[ANNA'S POV]
I woke up tired, as if I had not slept well. Also, I had spent considerable time without sleeping after my parents' death. Again, I had tried to contact Elsa without success. I only wanted my sister back, at least in this delicate moment of loss, but it had not been possible.
I stretched and wiped drool coming from my chin. Urgh, I definitely was not graceful when sleeping. I ran my hand through my hair quickly and tried to make it presentable. I looked around and I was startled to see an unknown figure on my side on the floor. As my heartbeat began to slow and my eyes focused more precisely, I began to observe that figure.
"Wh-what...?!" I whispered to myself incredulously.
"Hi! My name is Olaf, and I like warm hugs!"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" I fell off the bed and started running in circles, startled.
"Easy, girl!"
"AAAAH, WHAT ARE YOU?!" I stood several feet away, watching and guarding myself behind a pillow.
"I'm Olaf! And you are...?"
"Anna, how did you get in here?!"
"I don't know either, you know. When I woke up... I was already here!"
I began to gradually relax, my heartbeat fading. I looked at him with the corner of my eyes and the pillow still covering half of my face. He kind of didn't look scary at all. In fact, he was cute. I lowered the pillow all the way and went closer to him at an extremely slow pace.
"Olaf... Are you a... Snowman?"
"Oh, yes, silly!" Olaf laughed.
"Right..."
I turned my back on him and went to the door, peering down the hall with my head. When I noticed that it was clear, I took a hesitant step out, walking slowly. I heard low and hurried voices coming from Elsa's room...
"Elsa?!" I ran to her room, which was never open. "You..."
As I stood in the doorway, a wave of disappointment rippled through my body. She wasn't there, there were just royal guards and officers. But what were they doing there? I walked cautiously into the room and I could tell it was frozen. The source of the ice seemed to come from a specific spot on the ground. I closed the door and saw what appeared to be the drawing of a seated human form. What could that be?
"Princess Anna! We... We need to talk to you."
"What happened? Where's Elsa?" A guard came up to me. He looked apprehensive.
"Princess Elsa, she... Disappeared."
"What?!"
"Well, she... She left to walk at dawn and has not yet returned. We realized she took some of her key belongings with her. We do not think she..."
"Don't you dare finish that sentence!"
"I beg your pardon, my lady. But it is unlikely that she will return voluntarily, after that..."
"I don't care. Are you already looking for her?"
"Looking for her?" Two guards looked at each other, as if the idea had never been in their heads before.
"Why, yes, looking for her! If she disappeared, let's find her!"
"Of course, ma'am! Let's deal with this right now!"
"And I'm going with you!"
"Not! It's very dangerous. It is not enough for Princess Elsa to have disappeared, ma'am." I looked threateningly at the guard, who swallowed.
"Listen up, here. She is the only person I have, and I'll go after her with or without your help."
The guards lowered their heads in a respectful and compliant manner, agreeing to my wish. I went to my room quickly and changed into a dress of my own - until then, I was still wearing a nightdress. Before I could tell, my feet were leading me to the entrance of the castle to join the guards who would search for Elsa. A horse was already ready for me, and we began to trot in a rhythm that was not fast or too slow. The intention was not to run, it was to be effective to find her safe.
Me and ten other guards followed the tracks left on the ground from the direction of the place where they last saw her, which led to the river. When we got there, it was as if the harsh reality struck me. There was absolutely no other clue to follow, for the footprints indicated that she had entered the river, with no evidence of having taken a boat or any other means of transportation. How could it be?
"Guards!" I shouted, catching everyone's attention. "I want you to search in every direction of this realm, no matter how long it takes. I also want a water search team, take as many boats as necessary."
"But, princess..."
"Now! And only stop when you find her. She is the future queen, do not forget that."
They obeyed without further ado. I looked beyond the river, hopeful. She could not have simply disappeared, and I would find her. At whatever cost.
I returned to the castle with my head down, unable to pay much attention to anything and no one who would try to interact with me. I went straight to my quarters, each step seeming to take forever. Each step of the enormous staircase seemed to demand an enormous effort from me. The air was heavy, difficult to breathe. I reached the hallway of the rooms and looked again at Elsa's now open door. What should indicate hope, at the moment indicated only one more loss.
I went back to my room, looking at the ice marks that never ceased. The pattern was linear and explosive, starting from a single point. What had happened? Had Elsa been attacked? Would she have been hurt, and so she fled? But who had come in?
I walked over to her bed and laid on it, drawing my face close to her pillow. Her scent brought me some disjointed memories of a past that I did not seem to have lived. Nothing was making much sense, and that was extremely frustrating. The whole room was freezing, but I didn't care - not if it made me at least feel that I was closer to her.
"Hi Anna." I gasped at the sudden call, staring at the door. "It's me, Olaf."
"Oh, hi, Olaf..." As I did not know exactly what to do with the newest guest in the castle, I simply motioned for him to enter the room.
"What is this place?" He asked, looking around. "It's cozy. You know, I was starting to melt."
"Oh, of course! Because you're made of ice... " I stated the obvious, embarrassed that I had not thought of that before. "Olaf... Do not you remember anything about what happened yesterday?"
"Nope... I kinda wanted to understand why everyone seems a little crazy in here." I took a deep breath.
"It's my sister, Elsa... She disappeared exactly when you appeared. And there's all of this," I said, pointing to the frozen room. "that no one knows where it came from, or how. I think you have a connection with that."
"Me? Wow, lady. I don't know."
"Calm down, I'm not accusing you of anything, I just... I'm trying to understand." A tear trickled down my left eye involuntarily, and Olaf got closer to me. "What are you going to do?" I asked, startled.
"Hug you, silly! I love warm hugs, and they help in those moments."
I let him come up to me and hug me. In fact, it was very warm, contrary to what I imagined. We held each other for a considerable time, until I broke the embrace. I laid down on Elsa's bed again and rested my head on her pillow. There was one strand of her hair there - silver, long and smooth, resting quietly. I almost did not notice the guards coming back, agitated.
"Princess Anna, we have bad news." I sat up on the bed at once, looking at them with a start.
"What's it?!"
My heart skipped a beat as another guard came into the room carrying a water-soaked cloak. It was Elsa's.
