Deep waters

There, she saw her reflection.

Her sky blue eyes denoted sadness, she didn't even know why she was looking at herself in the mirror, or why she had dressed properly for the occasion. On one hand, if she could get the king to be her ally in these times, it would be more than perfect. She could manipulate him. She didn't like the idea, but she did not trust the Southern Isles since the incident in which they almost took the crown, and what is worse, killed her with their bare hands.

This time she was wearing a different dress; it was dark blue, and despite its shade, it still shone like if it was made of ice. The dress reached the ground, and at the bottom of her knees cloth buds rippled back, like if they were flower petals dancing gently to the wind. Her sleeves were long and before they get to the wrist there was a cut in a v shape. The dress highlighted the curves of the woman, and gave her the impression of dominance and sophistication. Her pale face contrasted with her crimson lips, and her eyes stood out thanks to the black eyeshadow that she had placed around them. Meanwhile, her hair was as always, in a braid, but this time she had adorned it with small and dark snowflakes.

After taking one more look in the mirror and making sure she was properly dressed, there came the hard part: leaving the kingdom without anyone noticing. Sure, she knew exactly what she had to do since yesterday she had spent the night looking for a way; but still, it certainly wouldn't be easy.

She opened the door carefully, and walked slowly, trying not to make the slightest noise. Most guards filled the halls of the castle in Arendelle, but Elsa as the queen, knew exactly the flaws of the security system, and shortcuts she could use to not be seen; in other words, she knew what halls were not monitored at the highest level. It would have been easier to lie and say that she was going to some business that could help the kingdom in this crisis that they were living, but Elsa couldn't leave Anna in charge. Her sister still had the heart of a child, it was impossible for her to think clearly and objectively in decisions if coming the time, she must take. Besides, it'd only be a night: the following morning, Elsa would be inside the castle, pretending nothing strange happened.

She walked and walked. There was no hurry, she had left four hours before the appointment, and in Arendelle the night arrived quickly.

Elsa reached an intersection. She turned left, then right, and moved on. As she had anticipated, those hallways certainly needed some security. But they did not had any, after all because they were not the most transited by anyone in the castle. The area that had more guards, if not the only, was the front door. But Elsa knew another small door at the back, right side of the palace. It was a hidden door, which was planned precisely and only for kings. His father made it, it was an escape to relax when he needed to; and which he occasionally brought Elsa, for her, in the same way, had a moment to forget her powers and go out to take a break. Of course, he never left her outside more than five minutes, and Elsa had only gone there twice in her entire life. Her home had practically been her closed room.

She went downstairs, watching every single detail that appeared in front of her. She couldn't let a single soul to see her.

From there, Elsa walked faster to get to the hidden door. Yeah, right and then...

"My Queen?" a male voice called from behind.

Elsa's blood ran cold. It took her seconds to react. She slowly turned to see who had called her. She was sure she had heard that voice before. And indeed she found the face and deep blue eyes of the night when she had received the envelope which now led her to the Southern Isles

"Yes?" It was all that escaped her lips. She tried to stay calm, and do as if nothing serious was happening, but she knew it was too late.

The boy got a few steps closer. There was only one meter of separation between them.

She had gotten into trouble and she had to escape them soon.

"What are you doing walking around in these halls at this hour?" asked the soldier.

Elsa struggled to maintain a proper and calm posture.

"I ask you the same. The castle is certainly not the place for a soldier" Elsa said. She knew she had been harsh with her words, but she had to get rid of him as quickly as possible.

The boy looked into her eyes, and Elsa felt a twinge in her stomach that she had never experienced before. Those blue eyes looked at her with no anger in them, nor confusion as she had expected. In them there was a sign of understanding, something she had not seen before, not even in the eyes of her sister.

"I was sent to the castle because I am a first level soldier; besides in these times several soldiers are needed inside the castle, not only guards" he took a step further and whispered: "This has something to do with the Southern Isles, right?"

He spoke with a softness that Elsa did not understand. How could someone she didn't know and that she had never seen in her entire life, speak to her with such confidence? In some way, he reminded her of Anna.

Elsa looked down, defeated.

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. Changing the topic... Do you need a boat, or do you plan to go swimming in the middle of the night?" The boy smiled and his eyes twinkled. Elsa looked at him, confused. "Follow me."

The soldier walked, and when she saw where he was going, Elsa almost had a heart attack.

He was heading at the front gate, made of one of the strongest materials in the Kingdom, painted in brown with a decorative flower design and the symbol of Arendelle.

Elsa took his arm before he could do anything else.

"What are you doing?!" She asked, aghast.

"Helping you. The guards, the servants, no one can deny your command. You're the Queen here". The young man said, stopping a moment to turn around and face Elsa. When he was ready to continue, Elsa stopped him again.

"Wait!" Her voice dropped to a whisper "The Kingdom must not know I'm leaving, not even…"

The boy smiled and looked at her, again with that special glow in his eyes that caused, in a strange way, Elsa to feel confident and calm. Who was he to make her feel that way? However, it was comforting and she liked the feeling. It felt like if she was at home and a warm, gentle breeze traversed her skin with all the confidence and trust in the world.

He took a step toward her.

"The Kingdom and its inhabitants are very fond of you, my Queen. They would do anything you told them to, whatever it is. You've helped them a lot in this time, you have managed to maintain the calm among the population. Believe me, it doesn't matter if you go away a few days if it's for the Kingdom. You're trying to make allies for the crisis we all are living, they will understand".

Elsa looked down. She didn't know what to think, in part what he said was true, he was right, and it would be better to warn the people that she will be out for business of what had been happening in the Kingdom. But she didn't feel at all confident of what they might think. After the incident with her magic, she was afraid that some still think she was a monster, even after all this time of giving them welcome and safety. Not forgetting, of course, that the letter had specified absolutely not tell anyone of her departure.

"Let's go" said the boy. Elsa let him go and followed him to the door.

When they arrived, the guards looked at the queen confused, and raised their eyebrows as a sign that she hadn't told them she was leaving.

Elsa began to freeze the floor, and her hands trembled. She didn't look at them in the eyes, she felt exposed, as if they were trying to take away all of her secrets in a milestone.

"The Queen's going out for a walk. She has been offered an alliance with a neighbouring Kingdom that can help Arendelle in this crisis" said the soldier.

The guards looked at Elsa again, not believing the words of her companion.

"Yes" Elsa said. The boy had given her courage to speak in front of them.

"And has he got anything to do with this? We will send you advanced soldiers" said the guard who had beard and brown eyes, and motioned his hand in a signal to a man who was guarding the left side of the door. "Brown!..."

Elsa raised her hands in disapproval, and nervous but firm and sure of herself, said:

"No, it's not necessary. He… He comes with me."

The boy's eyes widened, and the black of his pupils hid most of his dark blue eyes. He turned to look at her, but he quickly composed and looked at the guard, nodding.

"Could you open the door, please?" Elsa asked the guard.

The guard grimaced in disgust and stared at the boy, unhappy with the decision of the queen. He was thin and certainly did not have the strength to protect the Majesty if necessary.

"Orders are orders" said Elsa, in a more authoritarian tone than before.

The guard sighed, and told the other guard to open the door.

"While I'm out, keep all the doors closed. Do not let anyone in or out of the castle, not even Anna. If there's any inconvenience, my sister will be notified and she will take the necessary measures. Nobody gets in or out of the kingdom." Elsa said firmly.

The guards nodded, and finally the door opened, revealing the bridge that separated the houses in the village with the palace and the dark water beneath it rippled peacefully. A breeze of night air filled Elsa, and for some strange reason she felt liberated from all stress.

She sighed, and glanced at her companion.

"What were you saying about the boat?" she asked, and the boy smiled.

They walked along the grey stone floor, and Elsa for the first time in a long time she could see the houses of medieval style that rose and gave an air of comfort and family. For the first time in a long time, she could take a ride on Arendelle and feel the true beauty of the buildings and gardens around her without any hassle. Sure, now the Southern Isles business gave her headaches, but something that Anna had taught her was to enjoy the moment and not worry before the worst thing that could happen, happened.

"This way" the boy whispered, turning to the right. Elsa followed him.

When they stopped, the queen watched the landscape that was right in front of her. A vast ocean with calm waters expanded before them, and reflected the silvery light of the moon, which made it look like a mysterious pond yet peaceful and full of magic deep inside. At the top of the soft layer of water several boats of different sizes made of wood, with the flag of Arendelle on top of them were rising.

A salty breeze filled the air, and several sounds of seagulls ringed in her ears. The air was fresh and hit her in the face in a loving way.

"You can take a small boat. It will not make too much fuss when you arrive" the boy told her, bringing the warm thoughts of Elsa back to reality. He walked straight to an old man who was sitting in a rocking chair carved out of a small house, meters below, to the left of where they were standing. Elsa followed him, rushing her step.

The old man had no hair but on the sides of his head, and it was of a grey colour. His skin was a little wrinkled, and his clothes were not of the best fabric. He was smoking a pipe, lost in the horizon.

"The queen needs a boat" said the soldier.

The man seemed not to hear.

This time, Elsa spoke.

"Excuse me, could I borrow a boat, the smallest you have?"

The old man looked at her, coming out of his trance. His eyes widened to see the queen before him. As a wave that the wind takes, he got up and went to another house that was several steps in front of him. He crossed a small wooden bridge. The house was on the other side. The old man knocked hard on the door and Elsa could hear the loud and harsh voice of him. He seemed to be calling a person standing at the other side of the door.

Elsa frowned as the old man approached her.

"Here comes the pilot of the boat. He will lead you to 'Cloud'" he said, and immediately went to his little wooden house, closing the door behind him.

"He is shy, he was surprised at the presence of Your Majesty here, that's all. He's a good person" said the soldier next to Elsa. She nodded. He continued "'Cloud' is the smallest of all ships in Arendelle".

Elsa looked at him.

"You seem to know a lot about the dock in Arendelle" she said "More than I myself know"

The boy smiled, and Elsa first noticed that his eyes were flooded with sadness and the brightness in them disappeared.

"My dad worked here in the dock. My family had a cottage, similar to Mr. Stone's house, but on the other side. There, I lived with my parents, and occasionally Dad gave us free rides in his boat, and went to a place where dolphins jumped and we watched them for a long time. He made an effort to take care of my mother and me, but I think his greatest achievement was to love us and to make us happy" he said wistfully.

Elsa was surprised by the soft voice he had used to tell that story. She could not believe the way in which the young man expressed himself so easily and how with such confidence he talked about his past to someone he didn't know and had never spoken to in his entire life. Elsa looked at him for a moment, his smile had disappeared while telling part of his story. Just at the moment she was going to take a word, an uniformed man in white with blue shoulder pads and sailor hat, mustache and blond hair walked straight to them.

He bowed to the queen and said:

"This way"

The pilot walked to the other side of the pier.

Before following the pilot, Elsa felt the need to thank the boy.

"Excuse me, what is your name?"

The boy looked at her straight in the eyes. They had recovered the sparkle of hope Elsa always saw in them, and she could not help a small smile.

"Simon. Simon Strand, my Queen" he answered.

"Thank you, sir Strand" Elsa said.

The boy let out a small laugh.

"I'm Simon. Just Simon"

Elsa frowned, but then she smiled. The truth was that she was not used to call someone who wasn't close to her by name. When it was someone unknown, formalities filled her completely.

"In that case, thank you Simon" Elsa answered. She almost ran to the sailor who had been waiting for her in front of a wooden boat on the other side.

She gave one last thankful glance to Simon before boarding the ship.