"Life's too short."
Those words were her mantra, both her reason and excuse for jumping into situations and experiences without thinking. She wanted to enjoy as much of the world as she could before her time came, so that when she stood on the precipice between this life and the next, she had no regrets about moving on.
It was just unfortunate that those words were only ever used out loud when she was arguing with her sister.
She sighed. Where Anna looked forward to the opportunities each new day, Elsa was content to let it pass by without her, creating a world of her own behind closed doors and losing herself to her work.
It never used to be that way. Anna had many fond memories of her youth when she and Elsa were best friends, using the family estate as their personal playground for games and mischief. Those were simpler times filled with laughter and color, with smiling faces everywhere she looked.
Now everything was old and gray, cobwebs and dust, and hardly a soul to come home to. As Anna took to the old halls of the estate, she did so with a mission in mind to bring that warm feeling back to these rooms. The place was cold for years now; not from a lack of central heating, of course, but there were many blames to be placed for the darkness that lingered within the walls.
Her family name was one of them. Arendelle was synonymous with class, practicality and honesty, as well as ambitious blood that trickled down through the generations. It was no wonder that Arendelle Enterprises had become one of the most successful companies to emerge in the last 100 years, supported by a line of determined leaders who would do anything to see it flourish. The company had given Anna's family everything they could ever want… but it took away more than they were willing to lose.
Three years ago, her parents left to attend the opening of a new company branch in Norway. Two days after they departed, Elsa received a phone call while Anna was watching the evening broadcast. She saw the news before Elsa broke it to her: The private plane carrying their parents had crashed into the sea, bodies and black boxes all lost beneath the waves.
All Anna remembered about the following months was grief and chaos. The funeral felt more like a business council; there were so many men in black suits and women in pencil skirts than she could count, and all of them were interrogating Elsa, wondering in which direction she would lead her newly acquired company. She was so overwhelmed that she emotionally shut down, never able to properly grieve. She still had yet to do so.
That was the point when everything changed. After a year of rushed education and training, Elsa was formally and publicly reintroduced to the world as CEO of Arendelle Enterprises amidst a maelstrom of rumors. She was accused of sabotaging the private plane her parents died in, almost proven guilty when a sound bite was leaked of her saying that she wanted "to claim my inheritance while I'm young." Inexperience also made her turn a blind eye to a scandal occurring in her own home until the family butler, Kai, informed her of the gardener's suspicious activity.
The gardener was snooping in places he shouldn't have been while Elsa was at the office and Anna was at school. He'd sneak into her study, take pictures of some of the proposals and projects she was working on at home, and then sell that information to rival companies for a large sum. He was arrested the moment they had proof of his misdeeds, and Elsa reduced the staff at the estate as a result, feeling safer with fewer eyes to pry into her business.
Anna hated it. She understood Elsa's reasons for doing so, but the men and women who cared for the estate were good people. They looked after the heirs to the Arendelle fortune like they were part of the family, and Anna talked to them as such, reveling in the conversations she'd have because she certainly didn't get such courtesy from her sister. If she even saw Elsa when she was home, the few words they'd share would often turn into a fight, leaving Anna with a desire to escape the house and everything the name "Arendelle" forced upon her.
She hesitated as she came to a decorated brown door at the end of the hall. More than anything, Anna just wanted things to go back to the way they used to be, with Elsa as her sister and not a CEO.
Her knuckles rapped the wood, hollow sound echoing down the hallway. "Elsa? It's me, Anna."
"…You can come in."
The moment Anna opened the door and set foot into the study, she felt angry. Part of it was because she and Elsa had most of their arguments in here; most of it was due to it being like Elsa's prison, the only place she'd go in the estate aside from her room and other necessaries.
Anna did what she could to brush off the feeling. "Working hard?" she asked as she closed the door behind her. When she turned to look at her sister's desk, she stilled, surprised by the stacks of folders and paperwork she'd brought home from the office. "Okay, yeah, I guess you are."
"My advisors are pushing me to look into partnering with the Weselton Corporation. It's an import/export trade back in Norway," Elsa explained, never once looking up from a file in her hands. "The research on their company is… extensive."
"That's putting it lightly."
Elsa shrugged, ignoring Anna when she took a stack of papers and started skimming through them. "I'm glad for it, though. Weselton runs a successful business, but something about them doesn't add up. Profit-wise, we'd benefit, but it feels wrong. I just can't figure out why."
"…Maybe you need a little break from it?" Anna's suggestion came with a hopeful smile that maybe this time, Elsa would bite the bait she was holding out for her. "Like, take an actual day off to clear your head so you can attack the decision later."
The file went rigid in Elsa's hands. She looked at Anna over the rims of her reading glasses, setting such an irritated glare upon her that Anna got the chills. "I can't take a day off," she stated, sounding like a broken record to Anna's ears. "I have a board meeting tomorrow and Weselton's on the table for discussion. I can't just ignore this."
"You wouldn't be ignoring it… you'd just be pushing it to the side for later," Anna explained. "You know, like the lutefisk Dad would always make us eat at Christmas."
"And just like lutefisk, Weselton is a stink that I can't avoid no matter where I go."
"Well you can at least put a lid on it!" Anna set the papers atop the stack, pressing down on it when Elsa buried her nose back into the file. "Come on! You get one day off a week and you stay in here like there's nothing else better to do." She reached over the file and knocked on the desk space between Elsa's arms. "In case you forgot, we live in a big-ass house with a lot of stuff in it. There's a whole world to see outside of the study and your bedroom."
"Not this again…" Elsa groaned, closing the file and throwing it to the desk. With a tired expression, she leaned on the armrest of her chair with her elbow and rubbed her forehead. "How many times do we have to have this conversation, Anna? I'm the CEO of a company that I'm just now grasping how to run. I have deadlines," she hissed as Anna started pacing the room. "I have a lot of people depending on me to do my job right so they still have theirs. I'm sorry that you're bored, but until things stabilize in the office and with the media, nothing's going to change."
Anna stopped pacing. She crossed her arms and looked over her shoulder at Elsa, giving her a good, long hard stare as though she was trying to figure something out. It didn't take her long at all. "You're just like Dad," she said, sounding bitter when Elsa thought it should have been a compliment. The resemblance between the late patriarch and his heir was uncanny. "He never made time for us. He was always working, too. Elsa, you never leave the office even when you're home. God, you even dress like you're going to work on your day off."
Elsa didn't look down at herself, but the blush across her nose came as though she did. A simple gray sweater over a collared shirt was fine enough for the house, but the black blazer and jeans she paired with it made it look like it was Casual Friday. She looked away to a painting of her father at the side of the room, resting her chin in her palm as she reflected on his memory.
"Elsa… please, just for once," Anna begged. "Let's hang out for a few hours like we used to. You'll have all night to go through… this," she gestured towards the stacks of paperwork and files. Elsa merely glanced at it before she looked away again. "Save those weasels and lutefisk for later and live for once, just for the afternoon. Life's too short to spend it all on work."
There were those words again. Every time Anna said them, Elsa's heart clenched. She knew what she was missing out on: the world outside and the wasted time she could have spent with the last of her family. She had an obligation to those who worked with and for her; she felt it was her sacred duty to lead the company in the same tireless manner her father did.
But in retrospect… she had a duty to Anna as well. The one thing Elsa did not admire about her father was the way he often neglected his family due to work. She was falling right in his footsteps, and it pained her every time Anna reminded her about it.
With a deep breath, Elsa took one last look at the file she threw down on the desk. "…Just for the afternoon?" she asked, afraid to shirk her responsibility as much as she wanted to.
Anna nodded. "You'll be back in here reading about weasels in no time."
A small smile spread across Elsa's lips. "Okay then." She slid her chair back and took off her glasses, setting them next to the desk lamp. She stood and walked around the edge of the workspace, putting her back to the portrait as she faced her little sister. "What did you have in mind?"
A crisp wind rustled the branches above, sending dead autumn leaves twisting through the air. The cool weather suited Elsa, doing well to ease her stress and take her mind out of the office for as long as she could stand it. Anna was enjoying herself as well, kicking around leaf piles as they wandered away from the estate property and into the forest.
"The sun feels good, yeah?" Anna smiled, catching the rays on her face where they pierced through the trees. She skipped along the trail they followed, turning back towards Elsa as she casually walked behind. "See? Isn't this better than sitting in that dusty old study all day?"
Elsa put her hands in the pockets of her blazer and shrugged. "It's a welcome break, that's for sure," she said, managing a meager smile. The sight of Anna's copper hair among the fall colors brought her fond memories of years past. She looked along the trail, spotting familiar trees and rocks that remained undisturbed since her last venture in her youth. "Mother used to take us on picnics out here."
"Yeah, we used to sit in the gazebo right over… there!" Ignorant of personal space, Anna grabbed Elsa's hand and pulled her off the trail, leading her towards the old sitting area. The thing was weathered beyond belief, so much so that it was a wonder that Anna recognized it. The teal shingles on the slanted roof were sun-bleached or completely missing, and the stones that made up the pillars were eroded to the cement. Even the details on the stone table and chairs inside were rubbed away after years of neglect.
What tied it all together, though, were the eerie roots that crept over the place. They slithered up the pillars, nested over the roof and strangled the sitting area, creating an atmosphere of unease that Anna happily walked into.
"Wow, that's in rough shape. Did we ever have someone to take care of this?" Anna asked as she swiped her hand over a rootless part of the table. She looked at her palm and stuck out her tongue in disgust, wiping the dirt off on her jeans. "Was it that gardener you fired?"
Elsa looked up at the cobwebs in the support beams, lost in thought. "Maybe. I haven't been out here since I was a kid, so I'm not really sure. It's technically not on the estate grounds."
"It's still ours though, right? I mean, there's not another house around here for over a mile."
"Well of course it's still ours. It just… needs a little repair, that's all," Elsa concluded. She touched a stone on one of the pillars and reeled back when it separated from the concrete. Wary now of the gazebo's stability, she stepped away from it and beckoned Anna to do the same. "Maybe we'll clean it up in spring. It'd make a nice sitting area if we plant some crocuses around it."
The idea carried hope that maybe Elsa was coming around and realizing what she was missing. If the gazebo gave the sisters a project to work on together, well… maybe that would bring them closer together. Maybe Elsa would be willing to let Anna help her with the company once in a while to ease her stress and have time for her family again.
It was a dream that she'd hold onto for the future. For now, Anna was content with their walk. It was nice to just be with Elsa and talk about anything other than work or school. Reminiscing about their childhood was fun as well, and it got Elsa to open up a little more.
"I remember you tripped over there," Elsa said, pointing to a thick root sticking up in the trail. "We were playing tag, remember?"
"Yeah, I remember." Anna rolled her eyes and glared at the root, damning it since that day long ago. "Stupid tree."
"It's your own fault," Elsa grinned, giving her sister a playful shove. "I warned you not to run so far from the house."
Anna shoved her back. "Hey, I was five, okay? You were bigger and faster than me and I didn't want to lose to you again. Not that it matters now," she shrugged. "I bet I could outrun you no problem."
"Oh really?" Elsa stopped walking and put her hands on her hips, smirking and raising a brow. "Is that a challenge?"
"Ha! If it was a challenge, I would have won already!" Anna bragged. She crossed her arms as her own confident smirk spread across her lips. "You sit on your butt all day. I have Phys. Ed. for an hour every morning. There's no competition, sis."
"Back it up, then."
It was hard for Anna not to laugh when Elsa pulled back her left leg to stretch out her quad muscles. She was actually, seriously going to race her through the woods.
Wow, that's different. Thirty minutes outside and she's losing it already. Way to go, Anna.
"Do you remember that stream we used to play in as kids? The one with the waterfalls?" Elsa asked. She switched legs in her stretch, happy when Anna nodded. "Race ya there. Winner gets bragging rights for a month."
The stream wasn't far at all. It would be a mad sprint to see who could get there first, and Anna was confident that for the first time in her life, she'd outpace her big sister and prove she was the better.
Plus, holding the victory over her head for a whole month was such a strong incentive that she couldn't say no.
"Oh, get ready to eat my dust." Her confidence grew as she did a short stretch herself, working her back muscles before bouncing on her toes to raise her heartbeat. She settled into a stance, searching the uneven path ahead that was covered by fallen leaves. "You are so going to lose!"
Elsa merely shrugged and took a stance as well. "You know I ran track in high school."
"So? That was years ago."
"Did you also know that there's a gym at the office?"
To be fair, Anna was about nine years old the last time she visited the trade firm. The only thing she remembered about it was the lobby and Papa's desk upstairs.
Her pensive stare only hardened the smirk on Elsa's face. "I run three miles every morning before the daily board meeting. So, really, I'm running while you're sitting on your butt at school."
Shots fired.
"Psh! Fine, whatever! Can we just do this?" Anna asked, tired of Elsa's gloating. She couldn't wait to wipe that smirk right off her face.
"Okay. On three."
"…Wait, wait, when you say "three"… do you mean like "one, two, three, go", and go on "go", or—"
Elsa looked over at her and stared. "On three."
"Oh. 'Kay, gotcha. And don't roll your eyes at me," Anna snapped, catching Elsa in the act.
They both settled into their ready stances again, refocusing on the path ahead and any obstacles that might be in the way. The only distraction for the both of them was the wind ruffling the branches above them.
"One… two… three!"
Like twin rockets, Anna and Elsa shot off from the starting line and blazed a trail down the undisturbed path. Leaves crunched beneath their shoes as they ran, kicking up dirt and dust in their wake as they chased down the victory they so desperately wanted. More than anything, they wanted to prove each other wrong.
Cool, calm and collected, Elsa took an early lead as they sprinted past a stone bench on the side of the road. It was as weathered as the gazebo had been, cracked and covered in creepy roots. Its poor state was a little jarring but did nothing to throw off her concentration. With Anna hot on her heels, she couldn't afford distraction.
She vaulted over a recently fallen tree in her path, recovering swiftly and hearing Anna do the same when she expected her to stumble. The pace Elsa kept was solid, and even when she came across unexpected bumps in the road, she stormed through them without falter. Almost halfway through the race, there was no way she could be beat.
There was a certain mentality about running that she loved and kept her active over the years. Her focus had to be divided to her breathing, her destination, her environment and her will to keep any pain or aches at bay. On any given day, she was able to block out what she needed to in order to carry herself towards her destination.
Why, then, did it feel like the forest was out to get her?
It wasn't from the fear of the unknown; though not recently, she'd been down this path many times before. It was the cold wind upon her skin that threw her off most when it suddenly shifted directions. Her pace slowed just enough for Anna to pass her. Realizing this, Elsa hurried to catch up and retake her position, but that's when she happened upon an old well hidden within the trees to her right.
Covered in leaves, she couldn't get a good look at it, but just like the gazebo and stone bench it was falling apart, covered in the same black roots. Has it really been so long since I've been out here? She rubbed her forehead, trying to ease away a headache as she failed to keep up with Anna. Mother and Father have only been gone for three years… they wouldn't let it get this bad.
Meanwhile, Anna kept up her mad sprint, knowing her victory was only a few turns away. Deaf with the sound of her heart beating in her ears and her footsteps among the leaves, she couldn't hear Elsa running after her, but she was confident her sister was right behind her. Whether it be school, work, or otherwise, Elsa did not like to lose and refused to give in when it looked like she would.
It was one of the things Anna admired her for when she wasn't angry with her. But now, as she rounded a bend with the stream and waterfalls in clear sight, she couldn't wait to hear Elsa admit that she had been beaten.
There was no stopping her grin as Anna raced across the bridge, securing her win as she felt the cool mist from the waterfall cling to her face. She raised her arms in victory as she stepped to the other side of the bridge, reveling in the feeling that she had finally overcome her sister in something. "Ha ha! Take that, sis!" she cheered. "Guess who's going to be bragging for a whole month?"
She turned around, expecting to see Elsa scowling at her or taking her defeat in stride, but she simply wasn't there. "The hell…? I thought she was right behind me?" Putting her hands on her hips, Anna caught her breath as she watched the trees, knowing that Elsa would be coming around that last turn at any moment.
But she never came.
"Don't tell me you tripped," Anna joked as she walked back across the bridge. "I mean, I can't say I wouldn't want to see you explain a sprained ankle to your co-workers, but… well, karma's a bitch." As she kept walking, she thought of playful insults to razz her sister with when she finally caught up.
The further she walked, though, those giddy thoughts turned serious. What if Elsa really did trip and needed help? Was she in trouble? What if a wolf got her… did they even have wolves in that forest?
Her victory meant nothing if Elsa was hurt. Worried, Anna ran back the way she came.
This isn't like her. She ran cross-country. She could spot a tripping hazard a mile away in the rain.
She wouldn't have gone off on a different path; they always went the same way to the stream when they were kids. If she was hurt, Anna would have gotten a phone call or text message by now. "Elsa?" she called as she ran, scared now as she couldn't find her anywhere on the path. "Elsa!"
Where the hell are you?!
Anna had passed her in the race just as they were coming up on the old well. She looked to the trees, finding it alone and decrepit, and on the side of the road she discovered the body of her fallen sister lying face first in the leaves.
"Elsa! Oh my god…!"
She dropped to her knees and took hold of Elsa's shoulders, turning her to lie on her back. Elsa didn't respond to her touch, but Anna saw her chest rising and falling; she was breathing, but unconscious.
Anna struggled to comprehend what happened, fighting off a sudden headache as she wiped dirt off of Elsa's face. She wasn't bleeding, and a quick, simple check of her ankles proved that she had no broken bones. Her hands and knees had more dirt on them than the rest of her clothes, leading Anna to believe that she tried to stop herself from falling before she passed out.
There's no way she could have tripped and knocked herself out… and she's not hurt at all. But then, why…?
"I gotta get you back home," Anna reasoned. She supported Elsa's back with one arm and moved to hook the other beneath her knees, but stopped when her headache rapidly grew worse. She tried to shake it off, thinking she found success when her blurred vision came back to her, but then the pain exploded back to life and for a moment, she saw nothing but white.
"…Okay, maybe an ambulance would be better."
Anna reached for her pocket, fighting herself to function as the world's worst migraine drilled into her head. Her hand trembled as she retrieved her cellphone, and before she had a chance to dial an emergency number, it fell from her fingers.
The last thing Anna remembered was the sound of splintering wood before the world turned white and faded to black.
"…Can't you call someone?"
"I can't get a signal."
"What about her?"
"I already checked. Her phone's gone."
Three voices, and she only recognized one of them.
Anna struggled to regain consciousness. She was warm… she smelled cinder and felt the cold, bumpy ground beneath her, but someone had their arm around her shoulder and was letting her rest in their lap.
She reached for them, fingers finding sturdy fabric before she felt cold skin. Slowly she opened her eyes, and as the blurry world came back to her, she found herself looking up at her sister.
"E… Elsa?"
Elsa swallowed hard and managed a meager smile. "Hi. Don't… don't move too fast," she warned when Anna tried to sit up on her own.
"I'm fine, I just… wow. It feels like I got hit by a bus. Where are we?"
"…I don't know. A forest, obviously," Elsa said, nodding to the environment, "but I don't think we're by the estate anymore."
Anna would have asked how she knew, but it was clear to her that the weather was different here than it had been at home. That, and the forest floor wasn't covered in leaves, not as far as she could tell. It was night now, and the only thing keeping them warm was the large bonfire they sat by.
It made her think of a question she was afraid to ask. She planted her heels on the ground and rested her forearms on her knees, looking to the strangers they sat with. Both were men, one blonde and muscular, and the other auburn with long sideburns. They looked just as lost as she did.
"Elsa… how did we get here?"
Her blue eyes looked beyond the bonfire, searching the darkness for an answer she couldn't find.
"…I don't know."