The Frozen Truth (Part 1)
The sun was slowly crawling its way along the regal floors of Anna's bedroom through her large windows. With each passing minute the light was creeping closer and closer to her eyelids, shut and dreaming away. Finally, the brightness shone on her face, causing her to come out of the deepest, darkest reaches of her slumber. She groaned as she cracked her eyes open, slowly allowing them to adjust to this new brightness, before sitting up. She moved the frizzy and out-of-place hairs that tickled her cheeks from her face, as if that was going to make some sort of a difference. Groggily, she dragged her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. She felt like she weighed a thousand pounds, sauntering along the wooden floors of her bedroom. Step after step the floor would creak, and her half asleep feet would become even harder to drag. She was not a morning person.
Because there were no parties or activities planned for that morning, she took her time getting dressed. Her hair alone took a solid twenty minutes to tame before she could even consider putting them in her signature braids. She spent about a half a second contemplating maybe she should wear something a little different, but as usual, she slipped on her casual green day gown that she wore almost everyday, and walked out of her room. She didn't really know where to go or what to do, it was such a nice spring day outside, but she spent most of her time in town yesterday, and she didn't really feel like doing it all over again. Going to the palace library was another consideration, but that thought was quickly dashed from her mind. I hate reading, she thought to herself. Finally, she settled on finding Elsa.
It had almost been a year since "The Big Freeze," from last summer. Elsa's sudden eternal winter had placed some serious concern with the towns people, and other countries who were quite valuable in trade, but, along with Kai's help, Elsa was able to show everyone what a strong leader she could be. After losing two trading partners, Weselton and The Southern Isles, it had taken a while to steady all of the imports and exports, but Elsa managed, and Adendelle was back to its highly regarded self. Anna was incredibly proud of her sister. Since last summer, they had tried to spend a lot of time with each other, sort of making up for lost time from their childhood. However, it was still difficult trying to connect with Elsa. Anna could just be so different from her sister, it wasn't unusual for them to argue or disagree over whatever topic happens to come up during their conversations.
Anna quickly made her way to the wing on the other side of the castle where Elsa's study was. The amount of stairs she had to climb just to get to the correct floor was a momentous task, and by the time she reached the top, she was completely winded. Maybe going to find Elsa wasn't such a good idea, she thought to herself.
At the end of the corridor she was presented with huge, oak double doors. She reached for the door handle, but stopped herself. It was such a minute task, yet it felt so wrong. She quickly pulled her hand away and decided on a swift knock against the heavy wooden door.
"Elsa?" she exclaimed, a slight fluttering in her stomach. "Are you in there?"
"Come in," she heard her sisters airy voice call from the other side. A slight sense of relief flowed over her and she firmly took the door handle in her grasp and opened it.
She eagerly peeked inside to see her sister sitting at her large deck, piled high with papers that needed signing, books that needed reading, and other miscellaneous items that Anna wanted nothing to do with. Next to her sister stood Kai, holding several documents he seemed to be reading to her. Seeing the princess, he gave a respectful bow.
Elsa looked up from her writing, her braid falling down her left shoulder, "Hello , Anna. You need something?"
"Uh," Anna said, slightly catching on her words. She walked in, closing the door behind her and stood in front of Elsa's desk. She couldn't help but feel slightly intimidated in her sisters regal presence. "N-No, not exactly. Just, wanted to see what you were up to."
Elsa raised a perfectly arched eyebrow before allowing a small smile to slip onto her lips. "Just to see what I'm up to?" she repeated.
"I guess?" Anna replied, folding one of her hands into the other. "You know, maybe we could go and do something? Just to get out of the palace for a while?"
Elsa sighed, her grin now falling from her face. "Anna," she began. "You know I'd like to, but there's just so much I have to do. Papers to file, trade to organize, advisors to...what are you doing? Is that really necessary?"
Anna was mouthing what Elsa was saying word for word, like she had heard it a thousand times before. "You say the same thing every time I ask you to leave the palace."
"Well you know its true," her sister assured her. "I'm the queen now, and...well, it's just me. I'm trying my best to keep everything running smoothly."
"And you are doing a spectacular job, your majesty," Kai added, bowing his head.
"Thank you, Kai," she acknowledged him before turning her attention back to her sister. "You know I wish I could just go out and...frolic down the village streets with you whenever I wanted, but I just can't."
"Frolic?" Anna repeated, a bit annoyed. "I don't just skip down the streets like a child. I actually have fun. I talk with the towns people, buy things at their shops, all while you keep yourself cooped up here in the castle? It almost like..." She quickly cut herself off, hoping Elsa hadn't noticed her last words.
"Almost like, what?" Elsa urged. She already knew what she was about to say.
Anna blew a stray hair out of her face, gazing at the floor below her. "Nothing," she murmured, her voice low. "Nevermind."
Elsa's frown deepened, she didn't like making her sister feel down or upset. She knew she had much better control of her powers now, but she couldn't help but remember that night so very long ago when they were little. She had control of her abilities back then too, so who's to say another accident wouldn't happen. Then Anna would have to have her memory altered again? Elsa would have to conceal her ice once more. And she didn't know if she could go through that again. That's why she kept herself in the castle all the time. Granted, she certainly felt closer with Anna than ever before, but there was still that little fear in the back of her mind. "You just wouldn't understand, Anna," Elsa, finally said.
"Why do you always say that?" Anna argued. "I'm an adult, you're an adult, I'm sure to understand anything you have to tell me. We're sisters, Elsa. Aren't we supposed to share everything with one another?"
Elsa's felt hurt by her words. Not because Anna was being mean, but because she was right. Elsa had kept so many secrets from her sister over the years, and it wasn't fair to either of them. She glanced over at Kai, who knew everything. He had played a large part in raising both girls when the king and queen drowned, and on top of that he ran the entire kingdom until Elsa took her rightful place as Queen. He knew about the accident, and Elsa's powers, and the trolls. The look he replied with matched hers. Maybe it's time Anna knew everything, too. Elsa knew it was the right thing to do, but with everything on her mind she just couldn't bring herself to tell her the truth now.
"Just go outside, Anna," Elsa concluded. "I've got a lot on my mind. We'll talk during dinner, okay? I promise."
Anna sighed in defeat. "Fine," she replied, turning her back and heading towards the door.
Elsa half smiled, "Try not to be so down. After all, Kristoff is coming back tomorrow."
Door in her hand, she turned back and smiled back, happy that their conversation was ending on a somewhat positive note. After leaving, her thoughts wandered to Kristoff.
He had been gone for a week on an ice harvesting trip and he was due to arrive back in Arendelle that next evening. She didn't really show it, but she was incredibly excited to have him back again. Even though she knew he was. Professional ice harvester, she couldn't help but feel a tiny bit worried each time he left for the North Mountain.
She decided it would be a good idea to go outside and get some fresh air after all. She spent the remainder of the afternoon greeting people, helping mothers with their children, and buying a few trinkets here and there. The smiles she received from everyone was only enough to keep her mind off of what else said for a short time. What's does she mean I 'won't understand?' she thought to herself. After everything they had been through together, she couldn't even fathom why Elsa would have such little faith in her. She could handle anything Elsa had to say, no matter what it was. Her gaze drew to the looming shadow creeping above Arendelle as the sun went down. The North Mountain stood high in the air, protecting the town below. Her grimace turned into a happy grin as her mind went to Kristoff again.
The towns people had begun to retreat into their homes for supper, and Anna decided she should do the same. It wasn't unusual for Anna to skip dinner at the palace, being too busy wandering about with Kristoff or Olaf, but tonight she was sure not to miss it. She wanted to hear everything Elsa had to say, and nothing was going to get in the way of that. She quickly dashed up to her room to change into a fresh dress, this time a purple one, and fumbled around with her messy braids until they were out. Her hair fell in perfect waves down her shoulders, and she decided to leave it as it was instead of tying it back up again. Then, as quickly as she entered her room, she had gone.
Flying down the halls she quickly stopped at the giant spiral staircase she climbed up everyday, but never climbed down. She hopped up on the dark maple railing and slid down, gaining momentum with every turn, the wind whipping her hair bend her causing it to become slightly tangled. She landed solidly on her feet when she reached the end and resumed her quickened pace to get to the dining hall. When she bursted in, she didn't even pay attention to her surroundings and ran over to the table and took her usual seat, the one right beside Elsa's. Winded, she quickly wiped her hands over the skirt of her dress, trying to remove any unsightly pleats, and then did the same with her hair, though she didn't have much luck with the new frizz and curls that had formed during her ride down the staircase. She looked to her right and saw her sister, perfectly poised and hair in her perfect braid as always, staring at her with a raised eyebrows.
"Oh, come on," Anna scowled. "I'm not thatlate."
Elsa out a hand to her lips as she giggled. "I think this a new record for you. You're actually on time."
Anna was still slightly out of breath, but she smiled triumphantly. "Good!" she exclaimed, realizing how hungry she actually was. She was so busy she had hardly eaten all day. "Didn't want to miss dinner, I'm starving."
Elsa shook her head as she watched her sister dig into her plate of fish with potatoes and peas. Watching her sister eat was always comical. Tenderly, Elsa picked up her utensils and began to eat as well.
After a few moments of silence, Anna finally looked up to take a breather. "So," she said, swallowing before speaking. "You said we would talk at dinner. And here we are...at dinner." Anna eyed Elsa in a sarcastic matter before placing another potato in her mouth.
Elsa stopped mid mouthful; those were the words she didn't want to here. She had hoped Anna had forgotten all about their earlier conversation. She should have known better. "Anna," she said. "I...I just can't."
"Wait, what?" Anna responded. "You have to tell me! You promised!"
Elsa sighed, she just didn't know where to begin. And how would Anna react to something like this? Probably not well, she thought to herself. However, now that Anna knew she was keeping secrets from her, she might never trust her again. Or worse, never want to talk to her again. Anna had been right, it was like she was shutting her sister out again, and she just couldn't let that happen.
"Alright," Elsa said, giving in. "It...it might be a little hard to believe, at first."
Anna rolled her eyes, putting a spoonful of peas in her mouth.
Elsa inhaled deeply, "When you were little, well, when we were little, you knew about my powers."
Anna nearly choked on her spoon. Did she just hear her right? She began to laugh. "You were right," she cackled. "That is hard to believe."
"It's the truth," Elsa ensured her, but it didn't seem to be working.
"I'm pretty sure I would remember you having powers, Elsa," Anna rebutted.
Her sister rubbed her temples. "No, Anna," she said. "That's just it, you don't remember."
Anna stopped eating, her attention now fully on her sister. What does she mean? Of course she would remember something like that. It wasn't everyday that someone's sibling could shoot icicles from their fingertips. "What are you talking about?"
Elsa's breath became shorter, this was going to be the hard part. "You would always crawl into bed with me and beg me to play with you. 'Do you want to build a snowman?' is what you would say to get me to play with you. We would sneak into the throne room and I would make it snow and you would...frolic around as we build snowmen and skated."
"Elsa..." Anna whispered, hanging on her sisters words.
"Then," Elsa continued, knowing there was no going back now. "One night we did just that. Snuck into the throne room and played. But...then..." Elsa had to pause as the painful memory resurfaced. "You were jumping, and I was catching you, and y-you were just going so fast and, and the floor was icy and I slipped..."
Anna's eyes were wide, searching her sisters face, trying to see what she was seeing. Yet, there was nothing she could remember about this recollection.
Elsa's voice was cool but filled with sadness, "I didn't want you to fall and hurt yourself, so I tried to give you a soft landing, but I accidentally hit you instead. On the head. That's why you had that blonde streak. The one you thought you were born with."
"What?" Anna gasped, touching the spot the streak used to be. It had faded away since her act of true love thawed her heart almost a year ago, but she could still remember it clear as day.
"Yes," Elsa said. "Papa said you were in danger and that's when we took you to the trolls."
Anna furrowed her eyebrows, thinking of Kristoff's adoptive family. "The trolls?" she repeated. "Kristoff's trolls?"
Elsa nodded, "The only way they could remove the ice from your head was to remove all magic. Including memories of magic. Fathom then on, I had to hide my powers from you."
Both sisters went silent. Anna couldn't believe the tall tale she had just been told. How could she decipher if it was true or not? It's not like she would remember the truth if her memory of that incident was truly gone. She looked at Elsa's eyes, blue not just from her irises, but also with years. It's obvious what she had just revealed was hurtful and painstaking to tell. It must be true.
"But why would they do that?" Anna said, her voice so low with disbelief if was almost a whisper.
"It was the only way to save you," Elsa complied.
Anna didn't know what emotion to feel first. Anger, sadness, maybe even happy? Now that she knew the truth? But she felt too much rage to be happy. She felt...betrayal. He could the trolls do that to her? She didn't want her memory erased, that's was completely unfair! And Kristoff...Kristoff! Did he know about this? Had he been keeping the same secret from her, too? She knew the trolls had the ability to remove ice from people, having sought out their help last summer, but she never thought they already had helped her in the passed.
"How...how dare they!" Anna cried, rising to her feet.
"Anna, please," Elsa beckoned her to sit back down. "You said you wanted to know the truth. That you could handle it."
"They took my memories, Elsa!" Anna shouted. "How am I supposed to feel? I was a little girl who wanted nothing more than to play with her sister, and...and they basically took that from me? They're the reason you had to hide for so long!"
Elsa couldn't believe the things Anna was saying. "It was for your own safety. It's okay!" she tried to comfort her raging sister.
"No! No it is not okay! They just didn't change everything I knew, but they changed everything for you, too! And that's...that's wrong!" Anna stomped her way around the table and exited the dining room, the large heavy door boomed as loud as Anna did when it shut.
Anna raced up the stairs as fast as she had slid down them earlier, tears pressing from behind her eyes. She ran to her room as fast as her feet would take her, and slammed the door behind before she locked it. Keeping everyone out.