Chapter two

Do you want to build a snowman?

Anna woke up to a beautiful winter sky, but she felt like there was something missing. The snow was there, covering the mountains and the fjord. White clouds were still there, but what wasn't? She rubbed her eyes and looked around the room. Elsa was gone! Not just Elsa, her bed, her wardrobe, everything disappeared.

"What?" she mumbled, her tongue numb with sleepiness. "Dad! Elsa!"

One of the servants rushed to open the door. "What seems to be the problem, my princess?"

"Are you silly? My sister's gone!"

"Oh, that", he smiled relieved. "Princess Elsa has moved to another room. The king thought it would be more proper."

"And he didn't tell me? Where is he?"

"I'm afraid the king is very busy at the moment. But princess Elsa is across the hallway, why don't you—" He couldn't finish, Anna has already jumped off her bed and ran out of the room.

"Elsa!" she yelled banging on the door. "Elsa, open the door!"

"Go away, Anna", a voice cried from inside the room.

"But I wanna see —"

"You can't see me. Go play with someone."

"Yes, with you. You're my best buddy, you know that."

Elsa seemed to hesitate a bit. Then she peeked through the keyhole. A sky blue eye looked right to Anna's green eyes. "I know, Anna. But I can't. It's… it's complicated, okay?"

"You're confusing, Elsa. Just come out… Hey! Do you wanna build a snowman?"

It seemed as if Elsa chuckled or even laughed. "Another one? Sorry, Anna. I can't."

"What do you mean 'another one'? There was no snow until yesterday."

"You don't remember Olaf? How he liked warm hugs?" Elsa asked, her voice silenced by the thick door. "That's right…" she uttered. "You don't remember."

"How can a snowman like warm hugs? Oh, Elsa, just come out!"

"No."

"Okay, then let me in. Let me see you."

"No, I can't let anyone in… don't let them in", she chanted, repeating her father's words. "I can't. No!" her voice trembled. "And you can't see me, Anna. I just… Don't let them see."

"Then I'll play with Potata. She's a doll that looks like you", Anna grinned, looked through the keyhole and left. But not before she stuck out her tongue at the door.

Elsa listened carefully to make sure Anna was gone. "Dad, I think I can handle my powers", she said, her eyes glowing. "Look!" she exclaimed snapping her fingers. There was a poof of white smoke then snow started falling from the painted ceiling.

"Elsa, stop! What do you think you're doing?" the king ran towards Elsa and grabbed her hands. "You should be concealing your powers, not play with them."

"Dad, it's not dangerous, look."

"Put the gloves on, now", he said firmly. Elsa silently obeyed, the glow in her eyes vanished as if it never was. "You know the prophecy, what if—"

"Always the prophecy", smiled the queen. She sat in a rocking chair admiring her daughter's uniqueness.

"I apologize for wanting to save Arendelle. How selfish of me", the king shouted. He turned to his wife and gave her a sturdy look.

"I'm sorry dad. I know how you feel about this", Elsa muttered.

"About what? You freezing everything with your touch? About the people who are willing to kill you because of the prophecy?" he got angrier, but his eyes filled with tears.

"Don't scare her like that", the queen demanded.

"I-I'm not afraid", Elsa lied holding back tears. She took off her gloves and gave them to her mother. "See?"

"Elsa, your life is at risk", the king continued.

"Nobody knows I can do this! I'm not in danger! Right, mom? Right?"

When the queen gave no answer, Elsa burst into tears. She couldn't hold it back anymore. She tried to wipe her tears, but they froze on her cheeks. Elsa felt her heart banging, her legs started to shake. She couldn't take this anymore.

A cold strike of ice fled across the room. Snow was falling but it turned to sharp icicles that splattered on the floor. Every shattering sound was followed by a scream.

"No! Don't come near me, I don't want to hurt you!" Elsa screamed than almost fainted, but she was stronger than that.

"Dear, put on the gloves", said the queen.

"I can't!" Elsa shouted, shaking with fear. "It's getting worse."

A thin layer of white ice started to crawl over the walls. It progressed creepily until it covered the entire room. The king embraced his wife, scared. Sharp ice edges pointed at the center of the room, and then they started growing. It seemed as if giant knives glided from the walls.

The king opened his eyes just to see an icicle so close to his face it almost stabbed him. He took a deep breath, preparing for what's coming. His arms held the queen like a treasure.

"Elsa, please. We love you!"

And then everything stopped.

Elsa was lying on the floor, in the cold corner. She cried covering her face with hands in gloves. Icicles retracted and disappeared with every trace of ice and snow.

"It's alright, Elsa. Everything is alright", whispered the king. He hugged Elsa who was shaking and breathing heavily. She clutched in his arms. It seemed that Elsa cried, but there were no more tears left.

"I'll go and check on Anna", said the queen, trying to twitch her lips in a smile.

"This can never happen again", the king whispered. He let go of Elsa, but she was still curled up on the floor like a baby.

"It won't", she agreed firmly.

"You are never to leave this room again." He looked at her, a hint of fear escaping his control. The king left the room, but Elsa was still lying there as if she was frozen.

Years flew like snowflakes in a blizzard and Elsa grew with fears inside her. She felt like there's a hollow inside that's spreading. The hollow devoured every feeling of happiness, leaving Elsa in darkness. The pain sat on her soul like a throne it claimed. For it was pain and fear that ruled over Elsa.

She spent her days reading books about geometry, architecture… nothing like her sister Anna and her romance novels. Elsa could swear she heard her humming through the hallway something about love or such nonsense.

"Hey, Elsa!" a familiar voice filled the air through the door. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, Anna", she said grumpily but then quickly added, "Thank you. How are you?"

"Oh, you know. I'm out here, so…" she finished with a forced giggle. "Elsa," Anna continued seriously, "I never see you anymore. I miss my sister."

"I miss you too, but… I need this, this… isolation."

"Oh, come out. We could build a snowman, what do you say about that?"

Elsa smiled honestly. "I'm not sure I like snow that much. It's cold, and dangerous and everything is frozen. How could anybody like m–snow!?"

"Yes, it may be frozen. But it's beautiful! And it brings happiness to many people, to me."

"Really?" asked Elsa, her eyes glowing like before.

"Really", replied Anna simply.

Elsa already had her hand on the doorknob when she remembered. Her parents are sailing to negotiate the kingdom's trading business! The door opened and slammed the wall in a bang.

"We must say goodbye to mother and father!" Elsa shouted so loud Anna backed off a bit.

"I can't believe I see you. You're beautiful, Elsa", Anna said, her eyes looked dreamy.

"You are beautiful too", smiled Elsa than jumped and hugged her sister. "I love you, Anna."

Anna squealed with joy and tightened the hug. "Potata was starting to bore me", she said laughing.

Elsa looked around in wonder. It just felt so good to be on this side of the door. She grabbed Anna by the sleeve, "Let's go!" They ran through majestic hallways of the palace, passed the paintings and statues (Anna waved at them like they were real people she talked to) and finally arrived to the king's bedroom.

"Wait", said Elsa panting. They've stopped running. "I-I'm not sure if I should come in."

"Of course, you need to say goodbye", replied Anna, confused a bit.

"No, maybe I should just… You go in. I'll wait at the end of the stairs."

Anna tried to pull her in, but Elsa withdrew. She tightened her purple cloak and shoved her hands in the pockets. Anna could still see the tips of Elsa's gloves.

"As you wish", Anna sighed and opened the door. Elsa could see her throwing herself happily in their father's arms right before the door slammed in front of Elsa. But she got used to slamming doors. And so did Anna, she knew.

Elsa pulled herself through the dim halls. All windows were shut, leaving the palace shrouded in darkness. But all Elsa could see in this light-denied room was an exact representation of how she felt inside. All these years she tried to cope with the storm inside of her, but never could. Never did she fully understand why it must be her to bring such misery to the kingdom. Why must she be the ruler with the frozen heart? All she ever tried to do was keeping it warm. Trapped in uniqueness, she suffered the isolation. She had to leave her sister, her best friend, and why? To feel alone and… cold. Trying to control what she never could, fighting her true self.

Elsa heard footsteps coming down the stairs and knew it wasn't Anna. She would probably glide down the stair fence. The king and queen were looking at Elsa with sorrow.

"Do you have to go?" Elsa asked realizing that without her father it would be almost impossible to control the powers.

"You'll be fine, Elsa", said the king, smiling.

"Be a good girl", added the queen.

"I always have to be", Elsa finished.

"It's only two weeks", claimed the queen. "We'll see each other soon."

"What's going on?!" shouted Anna opening her bedroom door. She could swear she saw a light blue blaze coming out of Elsa's room. "Tell me what's happening!" she almost screamed at a servant cleaning the hall.

"My princess… your parents, they…"

Elsa was filled with rage. She tried to scream but no sound was coming out. Her cheeks covered in frozen tears, she smashed the objects in her room. But this time, she wanted to. This time, she will let the pain come out, everything cold in her will find its way to the surface. Another ice blast fled from her hands. She stepped on something soft – her gloves. With her hands free, she casted a blizzard. Frozen fractals banged against the walls. The window was cracking like a thin ice. Snowflakes turned into icicles flying around. Elsa plunged them away, stabbing the walls. Sound of crushing crystals covered the screams that had escaped Elsa. The air was freezing, but not to her. Her head was overheated with pain, sadness of her parents' deaths. It was all too much to hold in.

"No!" screamed Anna almost fainting. She glanced at Elsa's door unintentionally and felt even weaker inside. "Elsa! Elsa, open the door!"

"NO!" she screamed, ordering the ice to break already smashed furniture. But to Anna, it sounded like she just threw something on the floor.

"Elsa, you can't be alone now."

"I have to!" She was furious. A thought then crossed her mind. What if all this just made her heart start… freezing? Fear was striking once more, making the blizzard more powerful. It destroyed everything. Elsa's room was now but a frozen nothing.

There were three knocks on the door, but Elsa replied to none. She sat in silence, her back leaning on the door. She just stared blankly at what she had done. There were still snowflakes fluttering to the ground.

"Elsa?" Anna's soft voice trembled with sadness. "Please, I know you're in there. People were asking where you've been. Elsa?"

No sound came from the other side of the door.

"Elsa, I'm trying to have courage. I am… for you. Just let me in", she almost cried. "We only have each other now", Anna wept. She felt her legs shivering so she sat on the floor, leaning on the door just like Elsa. "What are we gonna do?"

Still, there was no reply.

"Do… do you wanna b-build a snowman?" Anna asked for the last time then gave up. It was all too much. She let the tears overwhelm her.

Elsa stood right on the other side of the door, but it felt like they were oceans apart. Elsa now knew, with every somber part of her, she needed this kingdom of isolation, and now that her parents are dead, it looks like she's the queen.