What You Did
A Once Upon a Time WHAT IF Tale
Part 2
Storybrooke
One Week after the events of Smash the Mirror
Outside Ingrids ice cavern
Elsa stepped out of the ice cavern, she felt strangely refreshed, a shaky breath later and she gathered up her dress and cape and stepped quickly back to Dastans massive black horseless carraige and got back inside. The warmth of the freindship within enveloped her as the door closed seemingly of its own accord. Elsa mentally calmed herself, but it was clear she was actually truly in pain from what she had been through the last week. Tiri handed her a cloth to dry her tears with. Elsa greatfully took it.
Dastan said nothing, instead, he started up the truck and drove away from Ingrids ice cavern. Shortly getting back on the road and carving a perfect tunnel throug the ice wall Elsa had created two weeks before. Parking just beyond it. Outside of Storybrooke! Tiri shimmered brightly. Dastan turned to Elsa, "She made you beg her didn't she ?" Elsa nodded, "And she said she can't take the ribbon off didn't she ?" Another nod. "Well, there goes her happy ending."
"She gave me three days. I have to find another who had embraced their powers like Emma and I had. She is afraid of Tiri though, and I cannot give her up." Elsa said, Tiri was a naturally born Icewraith, way too powerful to even try to harness. Dastan knew that and had fortold it.
"Yes. A naturally born of magic creature cannot be harnesed for their powers. Unlike humans born with magic like yourself." Dastan replied thoughtfully. He smiled then, reaching up a hand he lit the inside of the truck brightly, he turned to Elsa, crossing his legs he said to her "Hold out your hand." When she had done so he said "Ingrid lied to you when she gave you three days. She really only gave you a few hours. Tomorrow morning she will try more torment. You wont be able to find anyone who had embraced their power long enough."
Elsa stared at him, what was he talking about, Ingrid lied all the time, even tricked Anna into trapping her in the urn! What else was there to do ? Dastan smiled With a flick of his wrist the ribbon snapped and broke apart. Its spell undone Elsa's worries of Anna and her kingdom became apparent and snowflakes started falling inside the truck.
With another flick of his wrist, the ribbon reappeared in his hands undamaged. "Ingrid wanted to drain your powers, make you powerless, all to her own gain." The Sorcerer said calmly. "This ribbon, is now quite useless. Completely harmless in fact. Here, let me put it back on you, you can easily take it off." He then first healed Elsas wounded arm and then gently tied the ribbon on her wrist. "Go ahead, try to take it off." he said kindly. Elsa did so, the ribbon came undone without a problem, there was no pain, no blood, nothing.
Elsa sighed in pure joy. And then realised there was snow in her lap and on Dastans head, And they were inside his truck! With a startled gasp Elsa flicked her wrist and the snow disappeared. Dastan smiled as she stammered "I... I'm sorry, I..." He raised a hand
"No no, its alright, with the removal of the ribbon your powers increased. Let it snow, Elsa, let your powers feel this world again they way they should. But this ribbon is one I made for you. It is colored similar to the one Ingrid had placed upon you. But, it is also going to ensure your safety as well. No more nightmares, no more pain, only freedom. But, you must act as if you'r still enslaved to Ingrid through the ribbon and can't use your ice magic."
"You mean live a lie ?" Elsa asked
Dastan shook his head, "No. We're outside the boundry for Storybrooke, my home is on the other side of town from where we now are. I can easily take the long route. Did you wonder how you were able to use your powers outside the city limits ?" Elsa nodded "You are connected with this world, Elsa, just like Tiri. This is known as the Land Without Magic. But there is magic here if you believe in it. Believe first in yourself. And there is where the magic lies."
"But what about..." Elsa started to say when Dastan spoke up.
"... your kingdom ?" Elsa simply nodded, Dastan smiled. "Your kingdom was not part of the Fairy Tale world. It is in fact, part of this world. Crossing the sea to the southwest, a very dangerous two week journey. Acted as a portal from your kingdom, to the Enchanted forest, what you and your people know as Mysthaven."
"How long had it been frozen by Ingrid ?" Elsa asked then
"Well, considering that you were crowned as queen in Nineteen Eighty, your parents having passed on in nineteen seventy seven..." Dastan said thoughtfully. "Thirty years or so. Give or take a week." He said
Elsa stared at him, horrified. How ? How was that possible ? "I was in the urn, for thirty years ?" She asked in horror.
Dastan shook his head "No your highness, you were in the urn for one summer. Had good old Killian Jones not moved the urn has he had, you would not have been freed." Elsa looked at him confused. Snowflakes were drifting around her again. What on earth did he mean ? "You were in the urn one summer. Your kingdom was buried in snow long ago. Thirty years ago, normal time keeping at least, Basically your entire kingdom now is the North Mountain itself. But. There is something you should know."
"What ? What is it ?" Elsa asked softly, almost scared to ask in fact.
"When you and Anna reunite, Ingrids Happy Ending, will fail; I'm going to take you to my house tonight to stay there this evening, Kai will see to your every need however you like, like he used to in fact." That made Elsa smile, Dastan continued. "Here. Take these two ribbons as well. When you find your sister, Kristoff will most likely be with her, have them both put the ribbons on. Remember, you have to act as if your ribbon was placed on you by Ingrid, which originally it was."
Elsa nodded, trying to get the sense of his plan, "What are the other two for ?" She asked.
"Protection from the Spell of Shattered Sight just like the one now on your wrist. Ingrid is going to use all of Emmas powers to enact the spell now that she does not have access to you anymore. But, before it is enacted, you will find your sister again. As soon as the spell is activated. You will have less than an hour to dispell it. But before that occurs, you are going to stay at my house tonight. Tomorrow morning I'll drop you off at the beach to meet with Emma." Dastan then held out his hand, in it was a partly melted silvertine necklace. Elsa snatched it from Dastans hand, she started crying again as she hugged herself, curling up on the passenger side seat of the truck The necklace held tightly gainst her mouth as she cried.
Dastan watched her for a moment before saying. "Ingrid tried to ruin your happy ending. Instead, it backfired. You are going to ruin hers. Tomorrow morning, when you meet up with Emma, use this." he produced a pale blue vial out of thin air. "A tracking potion. Use it on the necklace tomorrow morning. It will help you find your sister. When you find Anna, give her the ribbon, give the other to Kristoff, and then wait for the spell to activate. You will have only one hour to take down Ingrid." He reached over and brushed a strand of loose hair from Elsas face. As he did so he passed knowledge of how to activate a spell. The spell of Heartfire.
Elsa snapped her gaze to him, confused, Dastan smiled and started the truck back up and put it into gear. "Don't worry" He said, "When I transfer all of Ingrids power and knowledge to you using my hat. Her heart will still be frozen. Tiri, you know what to do." The Icewraith nodded and produced a small dagger of ice. She held it out. Dastan continued speaking as he drove further and further from Storybrooke. "When you have Ingrids power and knowledge, give Anna the heart and dagger. And make sure to hold your sister on the shoulder or on the hand, Kristoff too. When the frozen heart is pierced. It will produce the doorway to your happy ending."
Her happy ending. She thought on so many different things. But there was one thing she had always wanted. Freedom. Even as a child after harming Anna on accident, she wanted freedom. Making her ice palace at the North Mountain only granted a scant fraction of that freedom. No, she had embraced her power, only to loose it all to Ingrid and the damned ribbon on her wrist. Her dream. Her dream of freedom. She smiled at the thought of being so free.
"I think I know what a dragon would enjoy." Dastan said thoughtfully as he drove the massive truck through a busy street, causing a six car pile up behind them. Elsa turned to him in shock, how did he know she had once made a little ice dragon to play with as a child ? "Freedom, its what you want. And to be truly free. You have to fight for it." He cast his gaze to her as the truck drove itself, "The question now is. Are you willing to fight for your happy ending ?"
For a long moment Elsa said nothing as Dastan, the Sorcerer, stared at her. Finally she said "What I want, is to be who, and what, I was born to be." She said. "And not just being Elsa, the Queen of Arendelle. Gifted with ice magic."
"No indeed. I know exactly what you seek. And if you are indeed willing to fight for it." Elsa nodded, Dastan smiled, "Then lets take the fight to Ingrid, and Rumplestilskin shall we ? We need two things he has." Dastan said as the truck drove on its own through a busy throughfare and onto the highway heading west. "One of those two things is my hat, the other, a heart." Dastan then explained what happened to Killian, Elsa stared. Was he serious ?
"But Killian loves Emma, why would the imp take his heart ?" Elsa said confused.
"To get him to do what he wanted. Trust me, its not easy to get out of a deal with an imp. Especially if it is one like Rumplestiltskin. A creature drunk on power. A very dangerous thing indeed. Anyhow, Rumps' got Killians heart in a jar in his shop, I am going to distract the imp and his wife, while you and Tiri search the shop for Killians Heart." Tiri nodded, finally an assignment.
Elsa sighed thoughtfully, "What if it is not in the store filled with things ?" She asked.
"Oh it is in his shop. I am quite sure of it. And also there is something else within the shop as well. Something that you will need to keep him at bay when he finds out you were there." Dastan replied.
They pulled up to a house, a brilghty pink painted construct. The black truck pulled to a halt in the driveway. The headlamps on the truck died. And three doors opened. Elsa and Tiri stepped out of the passenger side, while Dastan stepped out of the driverside. "Someone sure was colorblind" Tiri grumlbed, unhappy that what she had just seen was now unseeable.
"Well, I personally think it was not the imps fault on the color preference." Dastan said. "Though I do agree, whoever painted the place was colorblind for sure. Personally I'd go with a white cream or a pastel grey." Dastan was dressed in his hoodie, black cargo pants, and military boots. He never turned towards either woman as he spoke when he spotted Rumplestiltskin returning home. "You two know what to do. I'll send Tiri the signal of when its time to snowflake away." The two nodded and Tiri flitted off with Elsa right behind.
Downtown Storybrooke
Mr Golds Pawn Shop
9PM
Tiri flitted right to the front door. After briefly looking around the two women, well, Ice Queen and Icewraith, figured that none were looking. Tiri had been there enough to know that mr Gold did not keep camera or security systems within the shop. After ensuring none were around to see her do it, Tiri conjured up a shard of ice that Elsa swore made her nervous. Thinner than paper the shard of ice stabbed into the lock and broke it into countless pieces. Opening the door the two stepped in and Tiri froze the door shut behind them.
Looking around Tiri conjured a few ice globes and lit them up. "OK, we're looking for something sharp and really creepy looking, and a beating glowing heart, unlike your frozen heart, Killians is red. And no doubt loud as well. Unless he is asleep." Elsa nodded, Tiri let one of the glowing globes free. "We split up, you search that side, I'll search this side, we meet in the middle, try not to touch anything unless it is what we seek directly." Elsa nodded. Taking the left side of the stoor she started looking over everything as Tiri hopped the right counter and started behind it.
They searched everything carefully. Meeting in the middle next to the cash register. Elsa by then had discovered Rumplestiltskins dagger. The real dagger. "Did you find the heart ?" Elsa asked softly.
Tiri shook her head "No, did you ?"
"No, but I found this." Tiri did not dare try to look at the thing. Just the mere sight of the shape of the powerful dagger made her nervous. But in the sudden silence they heard it, a steady heartbeat. Trading confused looks they turned their gaze towards a wall with a picture on it. The steady beating of a heart was coming from behind it.
Tiri used a brief gust of wind to open the pictureframe. Seeing the safe beyond it. Flicking her wrist, Elsa stared as Tiri broke open the safe using the air within the thing to open it. Never touching it she lifted out the heart within a small chest. They had what they needed now.
Tiri felt in her mind of Dastans prodding, "Time to go" She said, Elsa nodded, tucking the dark ones dagger into her corset, which felt a little more than weird. Tiri grabbed Elsa by the hand and the two suddenly disappeared in a flurry of snowflakes.
Midtown Storybrooke
Granny's Bed & Breakfast parking lot
Dastans's Pickup Truck
Reappearing in the back seat of Dastans pickup truck. Elsa imediatly removed the dagger from the front of her dress and handed it to Dastan. Anything to get the leacherrous feeling of the dagger from her skin and clothing. On a whim she made herself another dress. Scattering the broken magic of her old dress outside the truck like hoarfrost, the Sorcerer simply made it completely and utterly disappear as if it had never been. The brighter tealicey green felt more soft against her skin anyway.
Dastan smiled as he took the dagger. "I have not seen this thing in years. Anyway, we have what we need. I grilled the Imp the only way I could, I will admit using his wife as a barter point was not exactly in my best interests. But he admitted to me that Killian has the hat in his possession. You have his heart ?" Tiri nodded and held up the chest and knocked on it. "Good, lets pay Miss Swan and her dear friend a visit, shall we ?" With that the truck started up and Elsa finally relaxed.
Soon she would have her sister back, She had her memories back, Now she just needed Anna, Soon she could have herself back in her kingdom, where she belonged. Soon she could have her happy ending. Her freedom was already won, but she needed to finish the fight. She needed to ruin Ingrids happy ending in order to ensure her own.
Elsa started to treat it as a puzzle. Finding her 'puzzle pieces' were the first step in a greater puzzle. Yet with every piece she found, more questions arose. And thankfully, the Sorcerer. Dastan. Was able to help her through a dream. A dream she had while sleeping a very restful peaceful sleep. And now her freedom was had. But she had to act as if she were still a prisoner of the ribbon.
As Dastan drove he explained everything concerning the ribbons. "I made the ribbons for the three. Ingrid, Helga, and Helgas daughter Idun. Your mother. They treated them as a sisterly bond. Which was as intended. But, when my Apprentice came to me with news that Ingrid sought two magical sisters. That is when everything became clear to me." He said. "She wanted you only for your magic. Your power. She wanted you to embrace your magic in order to ensure that the ribbons would give her your power directly. Channeling from you to her."
"And making me feel violated every time she used the ribbon for something." Elsa grumbled. Even with her powers back she felt violated by Ingrid, unable to make ice or snow, just being a 'store room until needed' as Emma had put it. They only felt pain when they tried to use their powers or even tried to take the ribbons off. But now, even with her powers back. Elsa still felt as if she had been violated.
"There is a way to fix that my Queen." Dastan said, Tiri smiled, he nodded to the Icewraith who turned to her friend.
"You feel violated because Ingrid stole your magic from you, locked you away from it. This is understandable. It was also written beforehand as well. The only way for the feeling of being violated, as if you were raped in a manner of speaking, to go away, is to eliminate the cause of your suffering. Eliminate Ingrid. And eliminate the feeling of being violated against your will." Tiri said softly. Elsa smiled. "You have your magic back now, its just a matter of acting that you do not have access to it with the ribbon on."
"As I said, the ribbons you now possess will protect you, Anna and Kristoff from the spell that Ingrid will enact first thing in the morning, you'll have but an hour to dispell it; and take Ingrids frozen heart." Dastan said as they pulled up to an apartment building on the docks. Overlooking the docks where a large ship was moored. Parking the truck Dastan smiled. "Good, Killian is still awake." Stepping out of the truck Dastan took Rumplestiltskins dagger and literally made it vanish. It made Elsa nervous the sight of the thing, but she had carried it, dangerously close to herself.
Tiri stepped out of the truck, and she noticed Elsa looking nervous. "Elsa, remember, you have to act as if you're powerless." Elsa nodded and stepped out of the truck as well. She had yet to ever be at the docks in this town before. And they reminded her briefly of her kingdom. She shook the thought away as Tiri handed her the chest containing Killians heart. "Here," Tiri said, "Carry this, Dastan will want to make it look like you forced Gold to give you Killians heart in echange for something important."
"Wait, you mean the imp did not have the hat ?" Elsa asked
"Sadly no, he said that a certain man going by the name of Killian Jones now possesses the hat. For what gain I do not know. It is time for me to take back what is mine. The night grows old, so this will have to be quick and you need to be well rested for tomorrows challenges." Dastan said, he went to the door and it opened as he neared. Pefect.
As he stepped through the door with Elsa right beside him, Tiri glanced both ways before bringing up the rear. Natural habit for the Icewraith, Dastan mused to himself. To keep watchful eye on things carefully, it made him have an extra pair of eyes he and Elsa could trust.
Finding the right door he knocked twice. Two seconds later and a voice called out "Who's there ?"
Dastan motioned to Elsa to speak. "A friend." She said.
"Elsa ?" Killian asked on the other side of the door.
"Yes, its me, Killian, open the door, please ?" Elsa said in reply, there came the sound of a lock turning, a chain being removed and the door opening. Killian stood there, he looked a complete wreck.
Seeing who was there with Elsa made him confused, nevertheless he stepped aside and said "Well, come in. Its bad enough the Crocidile comes in when he likes."
"He wont be bothering you any more," Elsa said, she held up the chest. "Thanks to Dastan here, I want to offer you a trade. The hat, for what is inside of this chest." Killian raised an eyebrow. How did she know he had the hat ?
"Can I ask why you want it ?" Killian asked, clearly confused. "Listen, Elsa, lass, its not that I don't trust you, but the Crocidile promised me that without my heart, I'd be protected from the Snow Queens spell." he said
"Everyone will be spared if all goes to plan." Dastan said, making Killian turn to him. "Now, before I go any further, where is my hat ?"
"Your hat ?" Killian replied, clearly confused at the young man.
"Yes, my hat, is there an echo in here ?" Dastan replied. Tiri had moved over to the window to keep watch, she could see everything clearly, even where they parked. She was always struck with amazement when she saw how easily concealed the massive black truck was even when out in the open, like an old tow truck in fact. In this case the massive black pickup truck was parked next to a delivery truck and looked more like a glass hauler truck.
Killian put his lips in a thin line. "Alright, whatever, you want the hat, take it" He went over to a desk and removed the object. Though he was shocked and confused when a man fell out of the newly formed hat. "You!" Killian growled seeing the Apprentice.
"You!" The Apprentice growled in return seeing Killian as he got back to his feet.
"I swear, had I known what the Crocidile was up to. I'd have never gone through with asking for my hand back." Killian said.
"It is not your fault. Hello Mentor, it is a good thing to see you, and finally be freed of your hat." Dastan smiled and put the hat on his head, for a moment the hat glimmered brightly before fading. Light bounced on Dastans fingers and made Elsa step away in fear and awe at the display.
Dastan smiled and sighed happily. Finally! Removing his hat it reverted back into a little box. "Killian Jones, I do not blame you for anything that the imp forced you into doing. Elsa, you know what do to. Killian, please do not move."
Elsa nodded and set the chest on the counter, opening it Killian stared at what she held in her hand. He stood stock still as Elsa stepped up to him. Without a sound his heart slid back into its proper place. Elsa then splayed her fingers on his chest. Killian breathed hard for a few beats before asking her "What did you do lass ?"
"Your heart was clear, from what I understand, I made it so its protected against Ingrids spell." Elsa replied
"But Swan said you and her lost your magic because of the ribbons." Killian replied
"We did, but Dastan helped me get my power back. I need the hat to get Ingrid's spell broken once and for all before it can take full effect. To do that I had to search the store filled with things with a friend." Tiri waved as Elsa explained her plan. Elsa held up her ribbon, "Dastan broke the spell that Ingrid had on this ribbon, I can take it off if I want, I'm not suffering any more. And I have my power back. But you must promise me not to tell Emma until after I have Ingrids heart. Do you understand ?"
For a long moment Killian said nothing, finally he nodded "Yes, I wont tell Swan, you're not like the Crocodile. You're not one for hidden fees or blackmail or threats. You lass, are a good woman. I'll keep your secret, but I want to know of how long I have to keep it ?" He looked from Elsa to Dastan, the Apprentice was dusting himself off and checking himself in a mirror conjured by Dastan.
"I can answer that, captain Jones " Tiri said stepping into view. It was the first time Killian got a good look at Elsas apparent twin sister. Tiri stood two inches taller than Elsa, and yet appeared as a ghost as he could not see her feet, anything below her chest in fact faded out into an outline that further faded away. "It is only but one morning you need to keep the secret. Tomorrow morning Ingrid will cast the Shattered Sight spell. Or she will attempt to. Since she does not have Elsas power anymore she will end up using all of Emmas power to do it. At that time, Elsa will storm her ice cavern and ruin her happy ending completly. Therefore sealing everyones happy endings good and proper."
Killian nodded, he liked that plan "What do I do ?" He asked
"Stay with Miss Swan. When Ingrid attempts to activate the spell using all of Swans power, Emma will need a person to lean on for support, both figurtively and literally. That is where you come in." Dastan explained then that he had nullified the ribbon that Ingrid had placed upon Elsa, subjecting the young queen to endless torment, Unable to remove the ribbon, but now, thanks to his help, Elsa was able to do so freely. She even demostrated removing the ribbon.
"Though I must ask that you please keep your word not to tell Emma about what happened tonight." Elsa said, "Ingrid lied to me by saying that she could not remove the ribbon, she did not want to remove it. Does not want to. She gave me three days to find someone that had embraced their magic for what it was. Dastan knew I'd never be able to do that and so he set me free."
Tiri snickered, Killian and the Apprentice looked to her, The Apprentice however seemed a bit more or less respectful as once he caught Tiri's gaze he instantly broke the connection and respectfully bowed his head in her direction, a sign of greeting it seemed. "And now we must take our leave" Dastan said, "Tomorrow will be a trying day and someone has a Happy Ending that needs fulfilling!" Killian smiled and bid Elsa goodnight. Then the foursome stepped out of his apartment and left the building.
Upon exiting the Apprentice spoke of wanting go to his own home, Dastan easily spirited him back to his own house. In the mean time, Elsa, Tiri and Dastan got into the massive horseless carraige. Dastan started it up and they started off. Within minutes they were in his driveway and stepping out of the truck.
Elsa then realised how tired she was. And nearly collapsed as she got out of the truck had Tiri not caught her and helped her inside. Kai was at the door. Seeing Elsa pretty much half asleep in Tiris arms he informed the Icewraith that the front bedroom was ready as informed from Sir Dastan. Tiri nodded and took Elsa up the stairs and put her to bed.
Closing the door behind him Dastan smiled, iAh Ingrid,/i he thought. You thought you could ruin the happy endings of others to get your own. I found your sisters and brother. But you just could not wait. Now tomorrow, you will join them Stepping up to Kai he removed his gloves, and also set the hatbox in Kai's open hands over the gloves. "How went the house keep ?"
"To be expected Sir." Kai replied, "Miss Swans young son, Henry came by, he asked for his mother. I said I did know of whom he spoke of and even invited him in, he said he'd come back later. It was about just after you had left with the Queen for the snow queens lair."
"You said nothing to boy ?" Dastan asked as he moved into his home, going from the front entry to the kitchen. And then from there to the study. Kai with him all the way
"No Sir, only answering with what I knew." Kai replied "He asked also for the Queen, Elsa, and if she was also here. I said she was not and had left. I asked him if it was important. He said to give her this." Kai set the gloves on a rack and set the hat on Dastans study desk before picking up a letter and handing it to the Sorcerer. "It is from David Nolan, known to you as Prince Charming."
"Snow Whites beloved." Dastan mused. He took the letter and opened it. Reading through it he spoke aloud "It seems that it is an apology from young David to Queen Elsa, he is unable to find her sister. Nor is he able to find her necklace." Dastan dispelled the letter and it faded away into nothing. Adding itself to a book on the wall. "The fact that he cannot locate Anna does not matter at this time. David also informs that Snow White has been effected by the Spell of Shattered Sight and has turned against him, and against Henry. She took the baby, and left the apartment. David wants Elsas help if finding his wife."
"The spell Sir ? Ingrid has activated it ?" Kai asked, clearly stunned at such a revelation.
Dastan nodded "Yes. Ingrid has tried three times now, the first time she could have done it, but it pained Elsa too much and the power weakened. The last week she has done it three times now. Tomorrow will be the fourth and last time. She wants to ensure that she has all the power she needs to activate the spell. We will have to move fast." Dastan sat back in his chair, his feet went onto the desk as he plucked something out of the air. A snowflake.
Kai stood at the study door. "Am I still needed Sir ?"
"Just one thing before you're dismissed for the eve. Pack your bags, what belongings you possess. And be ready to travel. You are going with Queen Elsa tomorrow when she returns with her sister and her sisters betrothed to Arendelle. You and Tiri both in fact. Don't worry, I have a place there, I always have had a place there. I want to ensure that Elsa has her Happy Ending." The snowflake shifted through his magic into a minature form of Elsa, at his words of her Happy Ending, the snowflake model shifted again into a majestic ice dragon. "And the only way to ensure such a thing, is to ensure that Elsa finishes the fight. Good night Kai."
Dastan opened a storybook. The Ice Dragon Queen, and saw Elsa's history, her linage, And her future. He wished he could spare her the pain of the first transformation. But no. She was going to have to go through it on her own. Kai nodded and left the study as Dastan admired the Ice Dragon Queen, Elsa was going to get her Happy Ending.
And so was Ingrid.
Dastan turned backwards a dozen or so pages. There. Ingrid was just starting to cast the next shattered sight spell when Elsa and Anna intterupted her. Elsa took her heart, while Ingridis powers were transferred into Elsa. It was all written. Ingrid was going to get her happy ending. But not how she expected. Dastan smiled, Ingrid had acted rashly, she wanted nothing but magic at her command, well, there was a price, a powerful price.
Ingrid wanted two magical sisters to share her power with. Not lord of them as originally intended. What she did not expect was the bravery and defiance of the young Queen of Arendelle. Elsa. A woman so brave that she had chosen to freely let herself be trapped within the urn rather than harm her sister again.
It was that act of bavery that drove Ingrid over the edge, Elsa allowed herself to be trapped by her own sister rather than harm Anna. Proving that her love for her sister won in the end. Ingrid, horrified by what she had witnessed, Dastan mused. Embraced the monster the world had first seen her as.
And then she waited thirty years. And then enslaved the wrong sister. Emma was correct, it fortold that Emma would face her friend and that friendship would win out. Dastan smiled and closed the book. Ingrid was going to get her happy ending, but now how she expected it to come. No, Ingrid was going to be with her true sisters and brother again. It was just a matter of doing it, getting it done.
Storybrooke
Granny's Diner
Dawn
Emma had called Elsa on the phone, Of course Elsa had never used the thing, instead Dastan activated it and heard Emma's message before Elsa had woke up. Time was pressing. Standing and leaving the study of his home he had woken Elsa from her deep peaceful slumber. She was dreaming of her happy ending. Able to see the world from a height unatainable by normal human means. Dastan was partly sad that she'd undergo the pain of attaining that happy ending. But it was her happy ending, her dream.
Dastan dropped Elsa off at Granny's to meet up with Emma. Who wondered where Elsa had been the entire night. Emma looked tired. Elsa stepped out of the truck as Dastan did, Dastan, dressed once again in a black hoodie, the hood drawn up and covering his face. His long black hair whipped in the sudden breeze. "Elsa, take this, you'll need it" He said, handing her a vial, the tracking spell. Elsa nodded.
As she was about to move closer to Emma, Dastan spoke up "Oh and Elsa, When you give the ribbons to your sister and her beloved, your ribbon will change color to match your sleeves. Yellow is too harsh I must admit, it clashes." Elsa smirked, she too felt the same way.
Emma saw that Elsa once more held Anna's half melted necklace. "You found it ?" She asked pointing at the necklace. Elsa just nodded. She knew the plan, she had to act as if she were powerless with the ribbon on. Elsa had Annas necklace still tightly clinched in her right fist.
"I went to bed late last night" She said, it was true. She saw Killian arriving. "I went to see Ingrid." Emma nodded, she knew Elsa and Dastan were going to see the snow queen.
"Did she have it ?" Emma asked
"No" Elsa replied "When I was done with Ingrid I went searching for it. With Dastans help I was able to find it again. By then it was really late and he invited me to stay at his manor." She hated lying but apparently Emma belived her, since with the ribbons they were powerless as Elsa recalled Emma saying she could use her powers on Mr Gold to find out the truth of things a few weeks before. In truth however it was Dastan that had it the entire time.
She held out the vial towards Emma, "Hold this a second would you." When emma took it she gave Elsa a confused look "Tracking spell" She replied, emma nodded, her mouth making an 'ah' type of sound. Elsa held out her hand with Anna's necklace in it and Emma dropped a little of the spell onto the silvertine necklace. It flashed and lifted off Elsas hand and started to drift around before darting off towards the beach, where they were originally to meet. The necklace halted a few paces away, hovering in the air for a few moments as if waiting for them.
Elsa and Emma traded looks before darting after the necklace, following it from Granny's to the docks, then directly to the edge of the city against the vast ocean. The two of them had to at first just walk fast, and then once onto the docks they started running to keep up with the necklace as it finally reached the edge of the water and hit the sand. Elsa went up to the edge of the sand and removed her shoes. She went barefoot the rest of the way, at the waters edge, she bent down and picked up the necklace. Looking out to sea, where was Anna ?
Emma ran up and halted at the waters edge. Seeing Elsa distraught expression. "What is it ? Elsa, are you alright ?" Elsa was having a hard time hiding her powers. But she knew it was just until after she defeated Ingrid that she could reveal to Emma the truth.
"The necklace stopped here." Elsa said softly, clutching the necklace tightly in her left hand.
"Well, how did you find me ?" Emma asked. The last week was a blur and each day Elsa just got more and more moody because of the nightmares and lack of sleep she had gone through.
"The same way we followed this necklace and the map." Elsa replied. "I used it on your scarf. It stopped outside the mansion where we got the ribbons. By a locked door I had to use my ice to break the lock to get inside." Elsa explained. So why did Anna's necklace stop at the edge of the sea on the beach ?
"You broke open a lock ?" Emma asked
"Mhm" Elsa nodded, "With my magic. It was either that or break a window, and none of the windows looked promising."
"But if my scarf stopped outside the mansion last week. And I was inside it." Emma said thoughtfully.
"Then Anna is somewhere here, or at least near here." Elsa said. Once more looking out to sea. "Tiri mentioned a chest of some form. Called it a chest of holding or some such. Like a small home design to hold all manner of things. Like Dastans hat." Elsa was searching the seashore carefully. But when she went two steps to the left, the necklace suddenly jerked her left arm straight back to the right really hard it nearly sent her dead into the Atlantic.
"OW!" Elsa hissed as her arm was jerked painfully to the right by the necklace. She held onto the necklace tightly trying to keep it from taking off. For long moments it jerked in first the right, then the left. Finally it jerked towards the water itself. Or rather what looked like a island just off shore. Elsa squinted and pointed towards something across the water. "Do you see that ? What is that ?" She felt her left hand start to bleed from the necklace chain, causing her to suddenly let go of the necklace, it shot across the water like a bullet before embedding itself in the side of a cest. They both heard the loud echoing THUNK of silvertine connecting with strange wood.
"It looks like a chest." Emma said, She took up her binoculars and took a look. "It is a chest, look!" She passed the 'nocs to Elsa to look through. Though Elsa was tempted right then and there to cast a icicle to use as a spyglass. Her heart caught in her throat. What Elsa saw across the water on the lighthouse island.
It was the chest that Elsa sought!
But it was on another island, and there were no boats around that they could borrow. And the water looked cold. She'd have to swim it while Emma searched for a ship to get them all across to the mainland. Elsa handed the binoculars back to Emma "I'll swim it and meet you at that chest." She said to Emma
"Are you kidding ? With what Ingrid's got going on, you'll never get across, that ribbon will kick in any minute and distract your swimming." Emma said jerking her own ribbon into view.
"If it does the cold never bothered me. I'll be fine, find a ship, find Killian and have him ready his ship to meet me by that tower with the candle in it." Elsa pointed at the lighthouse just over a mile away and just outside the boundary for Storybrooke. "The chest is within sight of it, I'll meet you there and hopefully introduce you to my sister." She said.
"Are you sure you want to swim it ?" Emma asked, "That water could kill you, this close to winter nobody goes near the water."
"Positive." Elsa said "neither the cold nor the heat harm me or even bother me to begin with. My parents were never able to explain why either. I just took it as a gift from my ice magic." Elsa said.
Emma looked torn, finally she said "Alright, I'll get Killian and we'll meet you on the other side." Elsa nodded and waded into the ocean before diving into the water without a splash and gracefully swimming out into the open waters towards the lighthouse. A good mile and a quarter away. But at the speed Elsa was going. Emma knew it was important to her friend, to be with her sister again, regardless of what condition either of them were in.
One thing that Emma did not know was that Elsa was using her ice to propell her along under the water, while above water it appeared as if she was doing the breastroke naturally or well skilled. Or was just in a hurry to get to Anna, who was in the chest.
Storybrooke Lighthouse
When Elsa was two thirds of the way across she saw that the chest was still deep in the water bumping against the rocks of the beach. Well, this was going to be a bit painful. She thought as she slowed her advance. When she came up next to the chest she felt the ground, the smooth sand under her feet, but the water was up to her neck, if not deeper as she tried pushing the chest onto the beach. It did not move. It was a pretty good sized item. Not as deep as she thought but it was longer than she had expected it to be. Her sisters necklace she saw had lodged itself in the keyhole. Well that is going to be a bit of a problem Elsa thought.
Using her arms to keep herself steady, Elsa swam around the chest to slightly shallower waters. She had no idea what time it was. Nor did she care. Anna was in the chest. At that moment, freeing her sister, reuniting with her sister. That was what mattered. Elsa hammered a fist on it its top, "Anna!" She shrieked.
A muffled voice returned a confused reply "Elsa ? Is that you ?"
"Yes! Its me! Hangon!" Elsa replied, she swam closer to the beach and grabbed the chest, pulling as hard as she could, she soon gained traction on the seafloor and managed to get the thing dragged most of the way with the water helping before she couldn't move it anymore because of the sand and mud. Soaking wet she searched for a rock.
Then she stopped, she was alone, with just the chest. She glanced at the ribbon on her wrist. Ingrid had no access to her powers anymore thanks to Dastan. But she had to play it safe as Emma could be there at any second, she knew that. She looked back out to the sea, towards the town. Dastan had said her powers, her magic worked outside the town's limits. She was not limited inside the town like the others were. To risk it or not ?
She chose to find a rock instead. Slogging her way to a sharp rock she'd spotted while thinking things through, she struck it a few times against the key and padlock, when she was sure it was broken enough she used a small bolt of ice and broke the lock completely. Finally wrenching the lock off the chest and cracking the seal she threw the lid of the chest wide open. Letting fresh crisp fall air of Storybrooke into the chest.
Of course what exploded out of the chest was nothing more than an absolute shitload of thick dust and smoke, it was smokey, extremely smokey in fact. Elsa waved her hand in front of her face, trying to keep the dust and smoke from her lungs, in the dust cloud she cried out in surprise as her foot caught on something and she tripped and fell directly back into the Atlantic with a very undiginfied splashing, at least, the refreshing waters cleared her vision of the sudden smoke.
A hand gripped the edge of the chest, then another. Finally an arm in a pale blue sleeve appeared. Finally Anna herself hung onto the edge of the chest tightly. After coughing a bit she focused as the smoke and dust settled. She saw her sister laying out in the water, waving away smoke and dust with a strangely pale yellow ribboned wrist. "Elsa ? Is that really you ?" Elsa never wore ribbons on her wrist!
"Anna!" Elsa shrieked with joy when she saw her sister, scrambling in the wet sand as Anna climbed out of the chest. The two sisters hugged tightly. "I missed you so much!" Elsa said as she clung to her sister. Anna hugged her tightly in return.
"I'm so sorry about what happened with Ingrid. Trapping you in the urn. Its all my fault." Anna spoke up, trying to apoloigise for what happened in the past
Elsa shook her head and pulled from her sister "No, its not your fault, its mine, I should have trusted you from the start. Ingrid tricked us both, she's not even related to us by blood like Mother was. Ingrid had one sister and one niece. Mother, and her mother. When mothers mother died, Ingrid adopted mother as her daughter. Ingrid's our grandmother. She never was our aunt." Anna looked confused, Elsa just smiled and the two hugged again.
Finally Anna felt the water at her knees and her boots full of cold water and asked "Uh... Elsa, Do you care to tell me why I'm knee deep in water and why you're soaking wet as if you just went swimming ?" Elsa then did something she did not think she could be able to do in a long time. She laughed as she hugged her sister tightly.
"As much as I'd like to keep the family reunion going, can someone help me out of here ?" Kristoff hung from the edge of the chest. It was a good six or seven feet down, and the ladder apparently had fallen over, only when Elsa looked in she just saw swirling purple smoke around his waist and could not see his legs. Anna and Elsa both pulled Kristoff from the chest onto the dry sand.
Elsa went around the chest to the open lid, a little more than knee deep in the water and yanked out the necklace from the keyhole. As she did so Anna spoke. "Elsa, I'm so sorry about the urn, I really am. You should have just left me in the cell. Gotten it yourself. Its my fault you were trapped in it."
"No. Its my fault it was even found." Elsa replied. She explained everything "A week after you left Hans tried to trap me in it, only to release Ingrid from it. I had the chance to destroy it, and Ingrid with it. But I never took that chance. Its my fault." Elsa replied. She sloshed in the water biefly, closing the chest lid as she did so and stepping up next to her sister on dry land she said. "When I found this in the imps shop in town there. I promised myself I'd find you. And now I did."
Anna took the necklace, it was half melted, a tear was in her eye. "I'm so sorry Elsa, under that spell I had thrown this away. Can you make a new one ?" She asked
Elsa bit her lip, unsure of how to respond to the question but said, "At this moment, I can't" She held up her left wrist, "Ingrids ribbon is keeping my magic from me as long as I wear this. I can't take it off. I've tried so much I nearly ripped my arm apart. At least until I met up with Tiri last night, she healed my arm."
"You mean Ingrid took your snow magic ? Why ?" Anna asked, clearly apalled at such a thing could even happen to her sister.
"To power a spell. The same spell she used on you to turn against me. Ingrid wanted me to shock you with my magic, I refused. I'd rather much be trapped in the urn than hurt you. You're my sister Anna, the only family I've got." Elsa replied truthfully.
"Shattered Sight ? You mean she's going to cast it using your power ?" Elsa nodded, Anna looked unhappy, even more so than Elsa had ever seen in her life. "Great, just wonderful, She uses it on me, I trap you in the urn because you refused to do as Ingrid wanted, next thing I know you're gone, the urn is Ingrid's hands and she's got a horrified expression on her face." Anna explained everything. Even Kristoff showing up to try and get the urn back, to no avail, Not even Pabbie could find it. "The whole kingdom, its frozen solid."
"I know, Tiri told me everything. Even how she and Pabbie helped you guys into the chest and sent it off. Though Tiri said she lost the chest out in the open sea years ago. How long were you guys in there ?"
"It felt like a week" Kristoff said. Elsa looked to him, he said nothing of her haggard soaking wet appearance. "One moment we were frozen solid by Ingrid, next thing that happened was Pabbie and the Icewraith showing up and thawing Anna and I out. Pabbie took us to the west end of the Fjord and set off the chest. Now that I think about it it feels more like it was last night when we were put in the thing. One second we had Tiri's voice about really rough water and her screaming bloody murder, and then, you came knocking screaming Anna's name." Elsa nodded
"Pabbie looked at my memories, he saw it all. Even warned that Ingrid would try again, but when she'd try, he didn't know. He said I was to trust Tiri, and then when I found you again, to stick with you to take down Ingrid once and for all." Anna said. She gave her sister a broad smile, "Pabbie said that your bravery is what made Ingrid panic. When you refused to hit me with your magic."
Elsa smiled picked up her trailing gossomar frost cape and rung it out of water. At least she started to before thinking to just let it go and forget about the water. She could dry off later. The cold didn't bother her. Being wet didn't really worry her much either. She heard a truck engine, that dragon like rumble. Anna looked around confused. Elsa smiled, "Anna, relax, its OK. Nothing's going to hurt you. From what it sounds like is a friend of mine."
"A friend ?" Anna asked
"Someone Tiri met up with, you remember Kai ?" Elsa said
"The butler ? Sure, why ?" Anna replied. "Wait, you mentioned Tiri, you mean the Icewraith right ? Not some other woman claiming to be a friend of the family ?" Anna had met Tiri when Elsa came back to the kingdom, Tiri had snuck a ride in one of the Arendelle Guardsmens belt packs and when Elsa took off in the deadly blizzard, Tiri had slipped free and kept an eye on things carefully. Anna wanted to make sure she and her sister were talking the same Tiri.
Elsa nodded, yes, she meant that Tiri, the Icewraith. "He's here, him and Tiri stayed with a man named Dastan, who judging by the sounds of things decided to take a ship to the sea for a bit." Elsa said. She pointed out towards where Dastan had a large beautfully crafted vessel on the water. On the prow of the massive black vessel stood Emma, and also Killian, and lastly, Tiri. Elsa couldn't see where Dastan was.
"That's a ship ?" Anna asked, Elsa nodded, "Sounds more like a dragon inside the thing."
"You'd be surprised how much these people use that we do not at home. I've gotten used to it, a little. I think. Its still hard to talk to someone without seeing their face." Elsa said. Anna gave her a weird look, Elsa merely shrugged
She heard Dastan call out as a gangplank was lowered "All aboard! First class seating for all!" The ship had Dastan at the helm, moving as close as he dared to the shore he extended the gangplank as far as it could go. "I'd get closer but there's shoals right between us. Though judging by nature of things I do not think you'd mind getting a little wet now do you my Queen ?"
Elsa just smiled at the Sorcerers words as a rowboat was dropped down and taken to the shore by Hook and Emma. Sadly said rowboat only held four people. At that moment though Elsa didn't care. Anna was alive, they were back together, and Ingrid was going down for the count. Her dress or being dry she could worry about later.
As soon as the small boat hit the beach, Emma and Killian climbed out and ran over to Elsa and her sister, and also the still half submerged chest. Which looked to be quite old and now falling apart, its magic spent. When Emma and Killian arrived Elsa did the introductions. "Emma, Killian, I want you to meet my sister, Anna, and her betrothed, Kristoff. Anna, Kristoff, This is Emma, and Killian."
"It is nice to meet you lass" Killian said, he'd offer a hand but then he did not want to scare anyone. Emma though just hugged Anna, who was confused by the sudden hug. With a glance to Elsa who mouthed 'don't worry, I'll tell you later.'
Anna though was still confused, but Emma said softly while hugging her "Even though we thought Ingrid was lying of what happened in the past, it seems it was all true, but the good thing is that Elsa is happy." Emma explained the tracking spell and how the necklace lead them both right to the chest and how Elsa had chosen to swim to the chest rather than wait. That made Anna smile, Elsas concern for her over herself.
"That explains her soaking wet condition. But why do you guys have ribbons on your wrists ?" Anna asked. "What good are they ? They clash horribly with your dress" Elsa smirked. She thought the same thing.
Elsa looked torn, tell the truth or lie. Thankfully Emma spoke up, "Blame Ingrid" was all she said, Anna snorted.
"As if that freak didn't have anything better to do. Why though ?" Anna asked, looking from Emma to her sister, Elsa just looked dejected, almost as if she was defeated. Then she remembered what Elsa had told her only moments before "Wait, don't tell me, Ingrid used the ribbons to steal your powers ? Why ?"
"Shattered Sight." Elsa said softly. "The same spell she put on you. She wants to destroy this town and make us her sisters." Anna did not look happy. Elsa sighed and turned back to her sister "That doesn't matter now, with Dastan you'll be safe."
"Who ? Wait you mean the guy with Kai and Tiri right ?" Elsa nodded, Anna shrugged "Alright, where to now then ?"
"Well first we need to get back to the mainland, and then from there we can worry about Ingrid. And we can't really get to her out here now can we ?" Elsa said. She pointed to the boat and went out to it. Going about knee deep as Dastans ship was a good hundred yards or so out into the water. Well over neck deep. Anna smiled, she and Kristoff climbed in with Emma, Hook took the oars and Elsa pushed them off before swimming alongside the little boat as Hook steered them back towards the larger vessel.
