What You Did
A Once Upon a Time WHAT IF Tale
Part 1
Storybrooke
One Week after the events of Smash the Mirror
"When you wake up, follow this map. The man at the destination will help you"
Elsa couldn't sleep, every time she closed her eyes she saw, and felt her aunts icey power hit her in the chest, waking her up each time in a cold sweat. After the tenth time of waking up, well past midnight, Elsa grumbled to herself and clawed at the ribbon on her left wrist. But as she pulled on it, it just made it tighter. Stifling a cry of pain, Elsa gave up. She wanted to sleep damnit all! She cast a glance over to the other bed, Emma slept like a rock. At least the ribbons weren't glowing anymore. That was when they hurt the most.
Elsa shed a tear, unable to conjure up even a single snowflake to pass the time. Every time she tried it hurt. And twice her hand bled when she forced herself to make even so much as a gentle flurry. David, the only one up at the time, who was feeding the infant, Neal, had advised to try to sleep instead. Elsa had tried to take that advice. But every time she went into a deep sleep, she woke up with a jolt, her hand clutching her chest.
Finally, out of pure exuastion after a week of endless torment. Elsa had finally drifted into a mercifully dreamless sleep...
Or not.
Within the dream
Arendelle: Elsa's Coronation day
Dawn 1 June 1980
Snapping her eyes open she stared at what she saw. Arendelle in all its splendor. It was beautiful, alive and clean. All of it. Elsa was confused, seemingly lost. Wait, she recognised this day, the coronation day, her coronation day! No! Not this, anything but this! She thought in horror. But she was thankful that when someone passed her, they walked... through her. She stared confused at first, and then chose to follow. Passing a strange black horseless carriage, a pickup truck, Emma had called it the first time she had ever seen one. It was freakishly huge.
A voice spoke up. "You can keep walking, and then get locked in with that thing on your arm. Or you can go to a proper man for help."
Elsa halted and looked around, who spoke ? "Two steps to your right, and turn to your left and go up the stairs past the window." the male voice said, he sounded advisible, so Elsa did just that. Stepping lightly up the stairs and through the open doorwall window.
She stepped into a nicely lit room, with two large red chairs. A man sat at one of the two chairs. Elsa stared breifly at him as the window sung shut behind her "Ah, finally good to meet you in person... sort of at least... your highness. I advise that you sit down before you fall down. You look a complete wreck." The young looking dark haired man wore his dark black hair long and loose. He was handsome. Slender and tall when he stood and aided her to the other chair. Once more taking his seat across from her.
After a moment of sipping wonderfully warm tea Elsa asked him "Do I know you ?"
"No, you do not, not yet, but I know you, Elsa, You, The Queen of Arendelle. The Daughter of Idun, the daughter of Ingrid the Second, the daughter of Jennifer, the daughter of Amber the second, the daughter of Arelle the first, the daughter of Queen Marissa." The man said, Elsa stared at him, he knew her linage ? Wait, Ingrid the second ? Wasn't Ingrid her aunt ?
"I know what you are thinking. Ingrid the Second, your grandmother. The first snow queen; she lied to you about being your aunt, she is not even related to you by blood as she had no children of her own but adopted her sisters daughter as her own when her sister seemingly disappeared under mystrious circumstances. Which thanks to that thing on your arm there, lets you remember about."
Elsa tried not to think about the ribbon on her wrist, it was the cause of her suffering that night. That last entire week, she was indeed a complete wreck. She wanted to be rid of it. Rid of her lying bitch of an aunt. She wanted to be with Anna. She wanted to be free, and home in Arendelle!
"Relax your highness I think I can help you." The man produced a piece of paper from his "When you wake up. I'm pretty sure I found some more of that tracking potion you used to find your friend. There's still plenty of it left for what you seek. Use a little of it on this map. Follow it; and the man at the destination can help you."
Elsa took the map, it was confusing, but OK. "How do I know I can trust your word ?" She asked, getting right to the point.
"Simple, you want your happy ending do you not ? You want to be free, with your sister, home in Arendelle as if Ingrid never exisited, am I right ?" The young man said, the brilliant golden eyes stared back at her. She nodded slowly. "Of course I am right, you see; your lying bitch of a bitch of an aunty wants your power, and that of Emma Swan, to power a spell. Shattered Sight." Elsas eyes went wide. The young man continued "Originally she used it on your sister, Anna. I know this because it is in the storybook, but not the book you are familiar with." She had seen a storybook at Davids apartment; which struck her as confusing in many ways as she saw herself, as a child in it. Her and anna plotting something together, and then, nothing. Ever page after that was of her in Storybrooke.
And that book scared her.
"What do you mean ? Not that book ? I saw everything in there, up to when Anna and I were in the Arendelle Dungeons, everything else was all;... me... in... Storybrooke..." Elsa trailed off confused, then looked at the man. "How is it not that book ?"
"Because in that book, you never exsisted. This is the book you seek." He tapped a cover of something, Elsa was unable to make out the words as they were in a langauge she never understood before, nor had she seen it in her life. "This book, contains everything, your history, the recording of your birth, your mothers pain while she carried you. Everything about you and your sister is in this book. Including your happy endings. Your sisters wedding, your ultimate dream."
Elsa stared at the cover, trying to translate the words, finally giving up she asked "What must I do ?" His words of her ultimate dream. Did he mean wanting wings ? Wings of beautiful ice ? Or to be completely free ?
"Well first there are a few things you need to do. The first one is to wake up, when you do that you need to eat. So do both of those as soon as you waken. Don't worry, your mind is calm now thanks to my... intrusion for this meeting, and it will let you eat. Then, as soon as you have eaten, use the tracking potion on the map and follow it. When you get to the destination, ask for a woman named Tiri, or a man named... Kai."
At the name of Kai Elsa jerked her gaze from the map to the young man. How did he knew her butler ? The only man she trusted with her life aside from Anna ? But it was mention of the woman, Tiri, that made her wonder aloud "Tiri ? She's here ? In Storybrooke ?" Elsa asked quickly.
The young man just looked at her. A soft smile on his face as he said softly. "You'd be surprised how many he took in under his wing when you disappeared." He stood up and pointed to a seemingly normal Arendelle door. "When you go through that door, you will wake up from a peaceful sleep, the map will be next to your bed along with the tracking potion. After you have eaten breakfast use the potion on the map and follow it, and all will be explained at your destination. Oh, and don't worry about Ingrid, I will handle her while you sleep." The young man smiled and bowed deeply, "Sleep well, Your Highness" With that, he disappeared as if he had never been there.
Elsa stood up shakily from her chair, which also disappeared as she stepped closer to the seemingly normal door. She reached it and pulled it open, seeing nothing but blackness beyond. Steeling herself for the worst she stepped into the blackness and the door slammed shut behind her
Storybrooke
The wakeful world
Elsa felt a hand shaking here "Elsa, Elsa wake up!" It was Emma. Elsa slept like a rock, for once she was able to sleep in peace. Her hand was still a little caked with dried blood, which was not present in the dream. "Are you OK ?" Emma asked.
"Yeah, why ?" Elsa replied, she felt oddly well rested, as if she had been up too late the night before and slept in. "What's wrong ?" Thankfully the ribbons were not yet glowing, it hurt when they did. At that moment Elsa hoped the man she met in her dream was right, don't worry of the snow queen. Eat something, then...
Elsa sat up and swung her feet off the bed. The wood floor felt warm under her barefeet. Her eyes snapped to the nightstand, on it were two items that were not there the night before. A blue vial, and a folded roadmap.
"Nothing's wrong persei, only that its nearly noon; you were up pretty late last night David said." Emma replied, "I was thinking to wake you up now rather than let you sleep the day away." She saw Elsa eyeing the nightstand "What is it ?" Emma asked.
Elsa picked up the roadmap and vial. "I think I found some help to get rid of my nightmares this past week." It was then her stomach rumbled quite loudly, Emma raised an eyebrow. "I'm starving." Elsa said at last. And she was. Emma smiled and led her to the kitchen as Elsa picked up the map and vial.
Nearly an hour later {and nearly a dozen eggs and half a bag of bacon later} Elsa was feeling well fed. And then Elsa took the vial and picked up the map. "Last night after I finally fell into a mercifully dreamless sleep. I met a man, somehow, It was back when I was about to get crowned as queen." Elsa started to explain meeting up with the darkhaired young man.
Emma nodded. "Yeah you explained how things went sour and you froze the kingdom for ten days."
Elsa nodded and continued. "Well, I was walking towards the castle gates when a voice spoke up telling me that with this on my arm I could keep going into castle gates and get locked in a nightmare. Which is what it could have become had I not followed the voice's directions." Elsa then explained the young man; and the map, the book, everything she could rememeber before being told that just by opening the one normal looking door she'd wakeup from a peaceful sleep. She held up the map and vial. "He said to use this once I've eaten something. He said to follow the map to the destination and look for a man named Kai, my old butler, or a woman named Tiri; an old friend of mine I met shortly after making my ice palace."
Elsa smiled when she remembered Tiri. "Of course, when I brought her back to Arendelle with me, everyone was scared of her, she's an Ice Wraith. A wonderful person." Elsa said. She then described her. "She stands a bit taller than myself, me being barefoot a the time at least. White hair, white eyes. Dresses mostly in silver or crystal blue."
"Wait, did you say white hair and white eyes ?" Emma asked, just thinknig that made her briefly remember a young woman appearing about twenty arriving at her front door. And when Ingrid showed up at the door the white haired woman and her had a few words. Well more than a few at least.
Elsa nodded at the question. "I did, yes. Why ?"
Emma ran a hand through her hair. "Sixteen years ago a young woman with white hair and white eyes came to my foster mothers door, I was Ingrids foster child a the time. Ingrid and the young woman had words outside. It was a rather chilly rainy day if I recall correctly on it. After about five minutes of screaming between the two women I heard the front door slam after the other woman said something about 'You're not her. You'll never be her!' It was within the hour that the rain turned into heavy snow and the power went out."
"Most likely Tiri's doing I think. If it was sixteen years ago though. I must have been in the urn a very long time." Elsa said sadly. "Tiri would be three hundred, maybe four hundred years old by now."
"If that is how old she is, she does NOT look it whatsoever." Emma said as she opened the roadmap. There was a few pictures inside. One of a portly fellow dressed in Arendlle finery, the other a woman, almost a ghostly creature in fact. "When she came to my place when I was staying with Ingrid as her foster child, she actually looked a lot like you, only, taller and with white hair an white eyes., dressed in silver. Ingrid was actually scared of her." She held out the picture to Elsa.
Elsa stared at the brilliant white eyes of the Ice Wraith. She could just barely make out the outline of Tiris thin gaunt yet stronger than spidersilk body. She shed a tear. She missed the ice wraith so much. The ghostly creature had taught her in her ice palace how to make stuff out of ice and snow when needed, on a whim, or even dispell it completely. In fact, Tiri, being a naturally born ice creature, not created. Had even greater magic over Ingrid. Elsa was sure of it!
But the young man. He said that all would be explained. So Elsa said "Come on, lets get going, Soon as we get out onto the streets, we can use this to find the guy. He said he would explain everything when we got there. So lets go." Elsa stood and her wrist ached slightly where the ribbon was as it had gotten caught on the countertop. At least it didn't glow.
Emma smiled and held up her keys. "Ready when you are" She said, Elsa smiled, it was time to go.
Western Storybrooke
1PM
Emma pulled to a halt at a light, the windows on her yellow bug were closed, she parked the car. Turning to Elsa she said. "Go for it." meaning to use the tracking potion on the roadmap.
Elsa unfolded the roadmap on her lap and then opened the pale blue vial. One drop was all it took. The droplet moved across the roadmap carefully, first circling where they were. And then trailing a line towards the north in bright blue."Emma, that way. Lets go." Elsa said, pointing in the directl the map said to go, to their left. Towards the north.
Emma put the car in gear and the little car took off. With Elsa giving directions at every turn needed they soon pulled up to a driveway. The map directed them onto it. It was a long and winding driveway. And very briefly their ribbons glowed brightly before suddenly dimming as Emma pulled onto the long elegant paved driveway.
Ingrid's Ice Cave
130 PM
Ingrid was about to cast the spell once again, so far only scant groups were fighting with each other. She wanted the town to hate itself. So why was it taking so long ? She lifted her left hand and started to charge the power. And then suddenly, as she thrust her hand forwards, her ribbon ceased its brilliant glow.
What the hell ? Ingrid swore and tried again to charge the ribbon, to take the power from her two sisters. Emma and Elsa were powerful women, their power combined with hers allowed her to do anything she wanted when she wanted. But now, she felt powerless. Weaker.
"Afternoon dearie" Said a voice. Ingrid twriled around. "I see you're figuring out some problems with your power. I warneed you not to over esitmate your power. And yet, here you are. Ready to charge it up again. And yet, here you are and you can't do a thing can you ?" Mr Gold smiled at her.
"You ignorant fool! How dare you come into my home uninvited!" Ingrid hissed. She raised a hand to throw ice at him.
Mr Gold smiled and raised a hand "Relax, I am merely here to tell you that something is going on beyond both our control. We can work together on this, or we can go our seprate ways. Numbers normally work better when as a team instead of alone."
"What is in it for you ?" Ingrid growled angrly, lowering her hand.
"At this moment one thing, my wife." Mr Gold replied "Spare her the spell of Shattered Sight, and that is all I ask. After all, with those ribbons, you are already sparing Miss Swan and her friend are you not"
"What do you care. Fine, your wife I will spare, we will work together. But on my terms. Now get out!" Ingrid said.
Mr Gold smiled and stepped closer, "Good, since we're working together I will inform you of what the trouble is. He is called the Sorcerer. Nobody knows who he is, or what he looks like. Regina has him confused with the writer of the Storybook. Whom she is looking for for her happy ending. Have you found yours yet ?"
"What do you care, you have your wife. I have my sisters." Ingrid replied
"judging by the way your ribbon faded from brightly glowing yellow to its normal pale yellow without a gloow that tells me something occurred between you and your... sisrers." Mr Gold replied "Do not say I did not warn you. Miss Swan is a smart woman, and Queen Elsa is equally smart and strong."
"They embraced their powers, they are my sisters." Ingrid rerplied haughtiingly
"Are you sure of that ? It seems they have gone over the boundry of Storybrooke. Out of your reach for the time being it seems. Unless magic, powerful magic; is blocking them from you. Which I personally think is possible, but where I have yet to find out." Gold replied. Ingrid just grunted, Gold smiled, this was just getting better and better.
North Storybrooke
Just off the town line
2PM
Emma pulled up the winding beautifully crafted drive and parked the car next to the largest black pickuptruck she had ever seen. Apparently whoever lived there knew how to travel in style. She saw no keyholes on the driver nor passenger side door of the large truck. So she assumed something was either keyless entry, or otherwise.
Parking the car she shut the motor off and stepped out, Elsa stepped out of the other side. Both looked around, the flowers Elsa recognised a few of them, Crous. Her family crest used that same flower. Hell, her own crest used that flower! Elsa then saw the truck. She had seen it once before, in the dream! She stepped closer to it, it felt real enough.
"Admiring the paint job are we ?" Said a slightly sleepy sounding voice. Elsa and Emma turned as one and saw the owner of the voice ambling into view. With the snow down in storybrooke and Emma in a thick jacket, and Elsa in just her dress and gossomar frost cape. This man shocked them both by his appearance alone.
He was half naked.
From the waist down he wore black fleece pants of a sort, and also had a belt on, filled with all sorts of tools, tools that Elsa did not want to try to think about other then removing her ribbon. But from the waist up, he was naked, not even a tanktop. The two women could see the muscles ripple over his strong frame. But what hooked Elsas attention was his eyes.
They were brilliant gold.
The man took a closer look at Elsa and Emma. Looking first to Emma, and then focusing on Elsa carefully he said calmly, yet slightly confused. "Say, do I know you from somewhere ?" Elsa held up the map, as she did so the ribbon on her wrist came into his view. The young man's golden eyes brightened visibly. He pointed at the ribbon. "You have the ribbon on your left wrist." He said, more of a statement than a question. When both women before him nodded and Emma showed him hers, he motioned to his house front door. "Both of you, inside the manor, now. No questions, go." He turned towards something not far away in the front garden.
Elsa did as the man told her but she halted when she heard him call out a name, she turned and stared at the creature in the front garden. It was Tiri; flitting among the flowers. "Tiri, go with them, keep them safe, inform Kai we have some guests and have warm tea ready for them." The man said, Tiri looked about to retort at the man before he said "No, They got the ribbons. When I thought we were through of the damned things!" The icewraith rolled her white eyes and flittered towards the manor. Apparently whispering something to the man again as he swore "I gotta get the godamned mail Tiri, you keep watch over these two. Go!"
Two seconds later and Emma and Elsa found themselves inside the Manor that belonged to a very important person.
Outside the Storybrooke boundry line
The Sorcerer's Manor House
215 PM
Elsa stared, she had never seen a house so well designed before. It reminded her of that one room as she moved through the front entry area. The door closed behind her and she turned. As did Emma, who did a full threesixty trying to take it all in. Elsa however stared at the white haired ghostly creature at the front door. She said one name. "Tiri ?"
For a long moment Tiri had no idea that Elsa spoke. Finally it dawned on her that her ancient friend was there and the icewraith replied just as confused, "Queen Elsa ?" The icewraith stepped forwards. Emma saw frosty footsteps appearing on the wood floor that quickly faded as Tiri formed into her full manifestation. The two women, Ice Queen and Icewraith hugged tightly. Emma stared, they looked so much alike! Elsa though, Emma could see she was overjoyed to be reunited with the beaytiful white haired woman.
It was then they were all three aware of another man arriving; the portly fellow introduced himself, or rather started to before seeing Elsa and bowing immediately "My Queen, it has been so long, I was worried you were lost for ever." He said "Please forgive your servant, I have been lax in my duty to you and your sister."
Elsa scampered over to Kai and pulled the man to his feet. "Get up. I'm glad your alive and safe here. Tiri too. I see you kept well fed" Elsa had a impish look to her eyes. Something that betrayed a major joke had just occurred.
Kai did not even blush, with a flurish he offered his arm to Elsa and escorted her into the drawing room. Elsa allowed him to seat here at a large dining table. Tiri sat across from her, her eyes studying her old friend. Something was wrong. "Elsa, what is it ? You are not your usual self."
"Nothing really different aside from we can't use our powers because of the snow queen." Elsa was not speaking, Emma was, Elsa couldn't bare to lift her sapphire blue gaze to her friend. She felt ashamed, violated, unable to use her magic on her own, someone elses toy so to speak. So she merely nodded.
Tiri snickered. "Goddamned snow queen." She said in english, though what she said in Norse was not exactly something that could be translated very easily due to the oversexual nature of the wording used by the icewraith, though Emma saw Elsa snap her gaze up to the icewraith, a shooked look on her face.
"That is my grandmother you are referring to Tiri" Elsa replied in perfect Norse.
"My apologies. The fact that she has you under her spell, her damned ribbons prevent you from being who you truly are. I felt your power when you embraced it. You did not embrace the monster you could have become, you were brave from what Pabbie had told me. Brave to stand against Ingrid, and let yourelf be trapped."
"By Anna, yes. Ingrid wanted me to use my powers against Anna, to stop the opening of the urn. But I chose not to. I choice to trust my sister. I love Anna." Elsa replied The two were speaking in Norse still, which confused Emma greatly.
"Excuse me, english please thanks" Emma said, Elsa half smiled.
"The ribbon allowed me to remember everything that happened to me, Ingrid tricked my sister into trapping me inside the urn, Anna was frozen by Ingrid, but according to Grand Pabbie, still alive as she was not struck in the heart." Elsa replied. She translated for Tiri who continued speaking Norse. "Tiri went with Grand Pabbie into Arendelle, the kingdom is still frozen, locked forever in time until I return. Grand Pabbie was only able to thaw Anna and Kristoff and helped them to a chest where they could travel safely to the... land without magic ?"
Emma nodded, Tiri continued speaking in norse allowing Elsa to translate. As they were speaking the young man returned. Now he had on a black hoodie, black pants, and military grade boots that looked to be war surplus to begin with. He said nothing as Elsa translated for Tiri. "Tiri lost them near an island called... Burmuda... before finding a city called Miami. Where she met back up with Kai and his employer whom she refers to as Oaken."
"That is mostly correct. Though I do possess a sauna, my name is not Oaken, well at one point it may have been." The young man replied, Everyone turned to look at him as Tiri smiled, Elsa stood as the young man introduced himself to her. Dropping to one knee he took her right hand and kissed the back of it. "It is an honor to finally meet you face to face Your Majesty." He said, "My name is Jacapo, Dastan, dirty drunk, Richard, dork, Duke, Kevin. But most people within the Fairy Tale Land, call me The Sorcerer" His long black hair was once again in a loose braid. "You my Queen of Arendelle, may call me... Dastan. I am at your service." he motinoed them to retake their seats at the table, he sat at the head of the table.
He then asked Elsa and Emma to exaplain the last week as clearly as they could rememeber. When Elsa mentioned they had both embraced their powers and were celebrating with Emmas parents at the old manor house on the south side of town when the ribbons appeared on them and their powers stripped from them. Dastan smirked when Emma mentioned Mr Gold, known as Rumplestiltskin, had come to her father to warn them of what was to come. The Spell of Shattered Sight. And with her and Elsa helpless to defend against it.
Finally Dastan spoke. "Ingrid wanted her happy ending. Two sisters, both born with magic. She said she would wait for as long as it took. I had a fake seeress make a scroll for her. I am very glad she took it seriously. Because it will lead to her downfall." He said. He cast something of an apoligentic look to Elsa, "I am sorry My Queen, to have gotten you involved in this. But if you are willing to see it through to the end, I am with you the entire way."
Elsa thought for a moment. Finally she said "When this ribbon appeared on my wrist, I was unable to sleep for several nights, unable to eat even. Because of the nightmares." She explained that every time she closed her eyes into a deep sleep, the nightmare would replay. Ingrid blasting her in the chest with ice.
"Do you know why that nightmare happens ?" Dastan asked her, Elsa shook her head. He sighed, "I feared as much, let me see your ribbon." He held out a hand, Elsa moved her left wrist over for him to inspect it. "Just as I thought." Dastan grumbled. "You have your mothers mother, Helgas, ribbon. Hence the nightmares of being frozen and waking up clutching your chest, your heart hammering." He said, Elsa nodded, he had it exactly. Dastan turned to Emma, who shook her head, she had no nightmares. She just slept like a rock. "You have her mother's ribbon. Somehow Ingrid screwed things up on the ribbons. You see, Idun had the shortest ribbon. Helga, had the longest, Ingrid, the middle length ribbon."
Dastan then withdrew a book from his hoodie pocket. "Elsa, my queen, your happy ending was just beginning when you learned that Love Will Thaw. For two years you led Arendelle peacefully. Without worry. Without a care in the world. The perfect Queenship." Elsa nodded, a sad smile on her face as she remembered it all. "And then came your sisters wedding, you got curious. I understand that, most people do about the past. And you found your mothers journal" He could tell he hit a sharp nerve there.
"Do you really want to know why your parents went to Mysthaven ? Your mother, through Grand Pabbie, wanted to help you. He sent her to find a person who could teach you. Not strip you of your magic like my hat does. In fact, I want that hat back. When I get it I make you this promise right now. I will get my hat back from the Dark One. And when I do, All of Ingrids power and knowledge, will be transferred to you, the second I put the hat on my head where it belongs. You have my word."
"That's a pretty strong word there. Das." Emma said, leaning back in her chair, it was very comfortable. "Can we hold you to it ?"
"You are the savior Emma Swan. Daughter of true love. Both of you in fact. Elsa, if I may, please sit up straight, I wish to show you both something important." He placed a hand on Elsas chest and withdrew her heart. Elsa felt no pain, and yet both women stared at the ice blue still beating, yet crystal clear heart. "This heart, is born of true love. But it was also born with ice magic, which is a very powerful gift indeed. You embraced your magic, but did not embrace yourself the monster everyone of your kingdom once thought. In doing so it made you Ingrids prime choice. But she made a mistake. I had her sisters ready. You were not the third one, Elsa. You never were meant to even meet her." He gently let the frozen heart settle back in Elsa's chest where it belonged
For a long moment Elsa said nothing, a tear slid from her eyes, "How ? What can I do to be free of her ?" It was obvious that Elsa was in pain every night for the last week, unable to use her magic, unable to sleep, unable to eat. Unable to do anything whatsoever.
"What can you do indeed." Dastan said, he opened the book and let the pages flicker by. Setting a finger on a page he read what was written. "'And so it came to pass, that the Saviour and the Ice Queen, met in fair combat. But even when caught in the rakes of the Shattered Sight, their friendship could not be denied.'" He turned the page, and continued reading "'There was only one other person that had embraced their power for who they were. And they sought something just as important as the Saviour and the Ice Queen... A Happy Ending. But there was only one small problem. There were three ribbons. And one of them was on the wrong Queen. She was freed of the binding of the ribbons. But to get home. She needed one thing the Snow Queen could only give, and her sister, could only strike.'" He then removed a page from the book and showed them it. It was a hand drawn image of a sort. And it showed Elsa with Anna, stabbing a heart of blue ice.
Elsa gasped at sight of the image, Her and Anna. "Anna" She said, looking up to Dastan who smiled and nodded, his golden eyes shining brightly. Elsa looked closer at the image "What is she doing ?"
"Opening the door to your Happy Endings." Dastan replied, he took back the image and closed the book. "Emma Swan, You must head back to town and give Snow Queen a reason of why your ribbon suddenly ceased... its connection with her own. I will take Elsa with me to see Ingrid directly. Tiri, I want you to remain here. If Ingrid hears that you are in Storybrooke. There will be trouble."
"I understand" Replied Tiri, "I understand that you do not want me to face against Ingrid while she still has the ribbons active. Even with them I can take her on."
"At the expense of Elsa ? Your first friend ? No. Not until I speak with Ingrid first." Seeing the look Tiri was giving him Dastan smiled. "Alright, you can come, but I want you to remain with Elsa in the truck, Emma, you best get moving." Emma nodded and left. She could distract dairy queen as long as needed.
Five minutes to full dark and Elsa, Tiri and Dastan were in the huge black Ford F450 superduty pickup truck. Elsa saw that Dastan had no keys to start it like Emmas small yellow car. Dastan made a motion with his fingers and hands, and the trucks might engine rumbled to life like a dragon waking up.
Twenty minutes later and they pulled up outside Ingrids ice cavern. "I want you both to remain here. Tiri's magic will nullifiy your ribbon and make you invisible to Ingrids preceptions. I will speak with her first, and then come back here. Do not leave this truck, either of you for whatever reason. Do you understand me ?" Both Elsa and Tiri nodded, Tiri was visibly scared. But as he left Dastan locked the truck in such a manner only he could unlock it. Just to be safe
Storybrooke woods
Ingrid's Ice Caverns
10 PM
Ingrid was trying to figure out why she still had only two thirds of the power she needed. "Thirce damned fool! I should have never trusted that imp again!" She screamed. She tried again, still no good.
"I see your living conditions haven't improved much over the last thirty years." Dastan said out of the blue. Ingrid never saw him in her mirror. She twirled around to face him. "Aha! Even got the white wine. My favorite." Dastan took a seat on Ingrids loungechair as he snagged a bottle of wine and a glass. "Hmm, comfy. Hey, where's your servant girl I need some ice." Dastan said, clearly pulling her strings
"Who are you ?" Ingrid asked him, already scared of the man by the way he handled himself, and the fact that he was half naked. Only one man she knew who was half naked from the waist up. "Kevin. I should have known."
"Yes, you should have. You should have waited. My apprentice told you I'd help you no matter how long it took me. Well, it took me long enough. But you, well, you had to fuck things up really badly and ruin very carefully laid plans." Dastan replied. He downed the wine and tossed the glass, it shattered before it hit the ground. He stood back up and walked right up to Ingrid, nose to nose.
"What do you want from me ?" Ingrid asked him, not backing down in the slightest.
"It is not what I want from you, but what you wanted from me." Dastan replied smugly.
"What are you talking about ? I have the ribbons, I have my two sisters. I have my happy ending." Ingrid said.
Dastan laughed, his laugher echoed and broke and cracked ice all around them. "No, you wanted your happy ending didn't you ?" He said. When she did not answer, he continued speaking. "What you wanted, was your happy ending. But what you did. Was make a disastrous mistake. You were willing to wait as long as you had to. So now I am here to warn you, just this once." He said, as he walked slowly past her, he had his back to her and her to him. "Make her beg, and you will never get what you seek." Ingrid wondered what he meant as he started walking away she turned to speak to him but he was gone.
Make who beg ?
Outside the icecavern
Dastan reappeared in his seat within the truck, Elsa and Tiri had taken to chatting between themselves, well, Elsa was asking questions in Norse, and Tiri was answering everything she asked. Confirming lost memories, and even confirming that Anna was tricked into trapping her.. "Pabbie said that after thawing Anna and Kristoff, he checked her memories and saw that she was struck by Shattered Sight. To turn against you. He saw through her memories your bravery to the point of entrapment rather than harm your sister."
"Why do I not remember this ?" Elsa asked, even with the ribbon on she did not fully remember who put her in the urn, or why.
"Because Ingrid took your memories of those events." Dastan replied. "Hold still." He put a hand to her forehead, an in a sudden rush there was a skullsplitting headache that quickly went away, Elsa remembered everything. The spell, the getting trapped in the urn. All of it. She started to cry. Ingrid had done it all, all in the hopes of finding her perfect family.
After a minute of taking it all in, Elsa said softly. "Ingrid tricked Anna, tricked me. She wanted us to find the urn, wanted us to try and trap her. She wanted me to strike her with my ice. I refused."
"The love you have of and for your sister, superceeds that of what Ingrid wants from you. Which is merely your power. So." With a flick of his wrist, Dastan nullified the ribbon. "When you go in there, ask her if she can remove the ribbon. She has already made a dire mistake in trying to ruin your happy ending. Try and ruin hers. But do not rush it. Make it believeable"
Elsa nodded and stepped out of the truck. Even when out of the truck it was cold, but she did not feel the cold air no the heat. It just felt normal to her. iAct like nothing is wrong, and that you only want the ribbon removed./i Elsa told herself. With that thought she stepped into the ice cavern and soon found Ingrid pacing, clearly confused.
Inside Ingrid's ice Cavern
"Ingrid ?" Elsa called out softly. Her voice echoing on the ice.
Ingrid stopped her pacing, Elsa. Turning around she saw the young queen, her niece. No her granddaughter. "What are you doing here ?" She saw that Elsa looked rather frail, the half dead, yet, wide awake expression on her face, her eyes were bloodshot. What had occurred for that to happen ? "What happened to you ?"
"You happened." Elsa retorted. She raised her left arm, "When you put this on me, without my consent, I was not able to sleep for the last goddnamed week! Because of you I am a nervous wreck! You put this on me, you're tormenting me every single moment of my life now! I cannot sleep, I cannot eat, I cannot speak with anyone, Every single moment is in fear, and torment." Elsa screamed at her grandmother. She was mad now. Ingrid had tricked Anna, used the shattered sight spell on her own sister!
"What is your problem, little sister ?" Ingrid tried to placate Elsa, but the young queen was having none of it.
"I. Am. Not. Your. Sister!" Elsa shrieked, throwing up her right hand she threw white hot ice at Ingrid that sent the snow queen flying backwards a dozen meters. Ingrid was shocked, the ribbons were usless! But she noticed something. How did Elsa figure it out ? Wait, no, something else happened. Something else occurred for Elsa to be this strong even with the ribbon
Getting to her feet quickly Ingrid stepped forwards, she saw that Elsa had dropped to her knees, prone against a ice pillar, weeping. Her left arm visible. What ingrid saw there made her heart all but stop. Elsa had tried to cut the ribbon off herself! There were dozens of cut marks on her skin around the ribbon. iThe skin was cut raw around the ribbon!/i But why ? Dropping down to Elsa's level Ingrid took Elsas wounded arm in her hands. "Elsa, what happened to you ? Why did you do this ?"
"Because you killed my mothers mother. This ribbon was hers! All I see is you killing her. Over and over nonstop. Please, take it off me, Let me go home!" Elsa wept. Pulling her hand from Ingrid and hugging herself tightly.
Ingrid stared in shock. It wasn't possible! Elsa was given Helgas' ribbon ?! "No, that's not possible." Ingrid said, she stood and backed up quickly, It was clear that Elsa was not lying. She was telling the truth. She wasn't acting either, Ingrid knew that. But was she begging ? "The ribbon you have is Gerdas, not Helgas!" Ingrid replied
"Wrong, Emma got mothers ribbon, she sleeps peacefully at night; gets stuff done during the day while I become worse and paranoid, I can't sleep, I can't eat, I can't think, I can't do anything because of you! Because of this ribbon!" Elsa cried out. She looked at Ingrid, holding out her wrist. "Please, Take it off me. Let me sleep for once, Let me go home to Arendelle. Please."
OK, great, Elsa was begging. This was not good. Not good at all. Ingrid starting pacing, this was just not good! Finally after a long five minutes of nothing but Ingrid trying to think of what to do, and Elsa's echoing weeping. She finally calmed herself and spoke. "I am sorry Elsa, you were not meant to get Helga's ribbon, but your mothers. I cannot remove the ribbon. But I know a way you can do it yourself." Elsa looked up at her grandmother. Waiting for the next lie to come "All you have to do is find someone that has embraced their powers. Someone in storybrooke. And when you have, the ribbon will leave you and move to that person. You will be freed."
"Is that a promise ?" Elsa asked, using her unharmed wrist to whipe her nose. After a sniffle, she asked "Or is it a lie ?" There was an icey look to her eyes. One that Ingrid could have sworn was not there before. It made her step back mostly out of confusion.
Finally it dawned on her "Kevin met you didn't he ? He put you up to this didn't he ?" Ingrid asked. Elsa shook her head. "You came of your own accord ?" Elsa nodded. "Why ?"
"I told you already once. I want to be free, I want to sleep, I want to eat, I want to be with Anna, I want to go home to Arendelle. I want to wake up from this nightmare that is my life in Storybrooke." Elsa replied.
"I wish it were that simple." Ingrid replied. "I never intended for you to get sucked into the urn. I intended for you to shock your sister to keep her from trapping you in it. But you refused, you squandered your only chance to learn to control your powers. Until you embraced them last week, you were nothing more than a young woman made queen over a kingdom with a gift you could not understand. When it gave me the power I sought for so long." Ingrid gloated. Elsa let her speak, She remembered something Tiri had said about Hans, i'Never interrupt your enemy when they are making a fatal mistake'/i Well; Ingrid was doing just that.
"I tell you what I will do. If you stop crying and listen I will tell you what I will do." Ingrid said, Elsa slowly quieted and listened as Ingrid spoke of her plan "I will wait three days. On the third day, if the person you find does not appear, the ribbon will never come off. Understand ?"
Elsa stared at her. Was her grandmother nuts ? "I want to be free, I want to be free of you, your torment, your lies." Elsa growled, she got to her feet, looking her aunt in the eye with a icey glare. Ingrid swore under her breath, Elsa was just gaining power being in the ice cavern at that moment! There were snowflakes in her eyes! "If this ribbon does not come off in three days. I will take something most dear to you." Elsa said as she stepped right up to stare her grandmother dead in the eye. Her right hand went to Ingrids chest. A finger tapped it directly over her heart. "You have three days... grandmother."
Ingrid was shocked, Elsa was threatening her ?! Impossible! Completely and utterly impossible! With the ribbon on, Elsa should have been helpless, powerless. Just a normal young woman bound to her beck and call. Ingrid just stood there in shock as Elsa gave her one last death glare before stalking out of the ice cavern. Leaving as she left, a pair of gloves that Ingrid had not seen in twenty six years. Bending down and picking the gloves up. Ingrid felt sure, deep in her heart, she had just lost her happy ending.
To Be Continued