Elsa was not aware of when she woke up, but at some point she noticed that she was on the bed with the eiderdown drawn over her body. Almost as soon as she realised this, she panicked. Kicking away her coverings, she let them tumble off the bed as she raced to the door, throwing herself against the wooden frame and yanking on the handle. It wouldn't budge. She grasped the handle tighter, pulling harder. It still did not move. Elsa paused, catching her breath. After a few more experimental pulls, she finally let herself calm a little, backing away a step or two and trying not to slip on a patch of ice under the soft soles of her slippers. Her fist curled tightly in the folds of her heavy skirt and her heart was still beating at a crazy pace.
Still... it looked like the entryway was frozen shut. Frost spiked outwards across the entire wall, but it was worse nearest the door. It had spread into the wood, warping it out of shape so much that it was firmly jammed and twisted into the frame, looking almost impossible to budge. She raised a hand against the jutting part of the door jamb, noticing how the frost around it was perfectly crystallised. It looked as if it had remained entire undisturbed since it had formed... a good sign.
With a quizzical frown, Elsa reached into a hidden pocket in her skirt, pulling out a long golden key. She forced it into the stiff lock with some effort. She couldn't tell if the metal tumblers were frozen or rusted inside the mechanism, but they certainly weren't moving easily. It took several tries and the use of both hands, but after a brief struggle she finally achieved a satisfying click as she forced just enough of them into place. Instantly she twisted the key the other way, throwing the latch bolt back into its groove. She repeated this procedure several times, locking and unlocking the door, until the key turned smoothly once again and she felt safe enough pulling it back out and replacing it in her pocket.
It was only then that she finally allowed herself a heavy sigh of relief, her breath fanning out as a tumbling white mist in the icy air as her head feel back and her eyes closed. Her heart gradually slowed to its normal pace and she felt herself relax again entirely. For a long, terrifying moment, when she woke up in her bed with no memory of how she got there, she had been afraid that someone had moved her... that someone had come into the room and seen...
However with everything still locked and frozen, there was no way any one could possibly have come through that door. She had the only key after all. The only other two copies in existence had gone to the bottom of the ocean when...
She turned away abruptly, her skirt sweeping up some loose snow on the floor, as she eyed the damage to the rest of the room. It was... quite severe. There was thick drift of white on the floor and the frost itself had eaten into a lot of the wall, adding unnecessary moisture into something designed to stay mostly dry. A harsh jagged star-shape exploded outwards across the room, glittering with melting crystals. As it thawed, she knew from bitter experience, the damage would get even worse. She gripped the sleeves of her blue day dress, hugging her middle and shifting her weight on her feet as she looked around held a silent inventory.
A lot of the furniture would need to be replaced, the wood in it having suffered rather badly from the frost, so would some of her books and other possessions by the looks of things. Even the wall paper looked as if it was ready to give in. This was the kind of thing her parents had always helped her sort out before and even then, the damage had never been this severe. She didn't know how she was going to get this passed the servants. Probably she would have to make do with what she had for a while and just hope it didn't break completely as she gradually replaced things one by one, making it looks like the whim of spoiled princess. Certainly no one could come in here for quite some time.
The window rattled awkwardly and she glanced at it. Somehow it had come off the latch. Obviously one couldn't open every pane on a window of that size, but there were several small groups of panes that opened inwards together, like miniature windows in the larger structure. One of the larger ones at the top of the triangle shape hung open like that gaping maw of some hideous snow monster, frost and icicles clinging to its frame and dripping down onto the window seat. Later, when it had a chance to thaw a little more, she would have to fetch the pole and try to force it shut with the obligatory series of complicated balancing gymnastics that came with such a task. For now she would just have to leave it be. It wasn't like the room would get any colder.
At least from what she could see the remainder of the fenestration still seemed in good working order, surprisingly free of ice and snow. Most of the damage in the room was nearer the door anyway. For some peculiar reason that she could not imagine now it just seemed to be that one opening that had borne the brunt of an icy rage. Vaguely she wondered what her problem with it might have been.
Turning away slightly, her eyes lingered on the bed. She also did not know how she had ended up there. The last she remembered she had been crying softly by the door, feeling her sister's presence on the other side. Perhaps she had somehow staggered into the covers by instinct when she had been too tired to think straight. It was possible. Though she was rather surprised she hadn't even tried to undress at all in the process. She didn't think she had ever gotten into bed with her shoes on before...
At least no one had come in and seen what she had done. That was the main thing.
Rubbing the bridge of her nose with her chilled fingers, she frowned and regarded the door a second time. It remained resolutely immobile, a seemingly permanent barrier between her and the outside world. A corner of her mouth twitched at the thought. She rather liked the idea, but sadly it just wouldn't do.
Steeling her shoulders, she twisted the handle all the way and braced herself against the wall with one foot. She gave it a sharp tug... and then another... Finally she was forced to bend her knee and elbows almost all the way, pushing back all at once with an almighty heave.
The door flung out of the frame, sending her reeling backwards. She caught herself before she fell, the wind forced from her body in a huff of white fog. It was undignified, and she was sure she would bruise, but the door was now open.
A long frightened moment passed without a movement from Elsa. She barely dared to even breathe. Carefully, her heart throbbing painfully inside her, she finally crept back towards the opening, fingers gripping the frame as she stole a long glance into the corridor.
Relief washed over as she realised it was deserted. Anna had obviously left some time ago and it seemed like none of the servants had been alerted by the noise from her room. Bubbling with relief, she took a moment to compose herself, brushing down her skirts with one hand. She stepped forwards, stockings and slippers carefully digging into the worn plush of the carpet and turning quickly, closed the door behind her and locking it tight immediately. It looked like the enchantment on the wood had done its work too. There was no trace on the outside of the door of the storm that had happened within, even the warping in the wood was barely noticeable. (1)
Glancing left and right, her shoulders stiff, and hands folded awkwardly in front of her middle, she moved down the hallway, ignoring the overwhelming urge to turn back. Her luck held as her little sister seemed to have retreated to one of her regular haunts, at least she didn't see her anywhere close by. She did however find one of the maids emptying a grate in a nearby guest room. With a barely a half-formed sentence, she sent her scurrying downstairs to fetch the overseer of the household staff, moving inside the room to wait by the dusty fireplace.
To her surprise, it barely took a few minutes before she saw Kai's familiar angular features hurrying towards were she sat in an ornamental chair. Tight on his heels, followed the spindly frame of Gerda, a small middle-aged woman with grey hair in a tight bun under her cap. Both of them wore the dark green velvet uniform indistinguishable from the rest of the household staff, though they were among the most senior members. Kai's brown knitted vest and black over-knee breeches were swelled to bursting, his flouncy neck kerchief emerging from under a bulbous nose and reams of an otherwise square chin, whereas Gerda was leaner and taller with a long nose and pinched eye line. Somehow though in the dark colours of her long dress and fitted jacket she always managed to be the less noticeable of the pair, although she was no less warm-hearted and kindly towards those in her care.
"Your royal highness," Kai began, his eyes drifting over her pale frame in concern, "Do you..."
Elsa raised a hand quickly, interrupting him swiftly before he could derail her. "There will be... papers?" she stumbled over the words, gasping a little as she worked out what she wanted to say, "Orders...decrees? Official documents? Permits to authorise, reports to read, sanctions to... sanction..." She shrugged her shoulders helplessly, as her staff looked at her blankly, waving her hands in grasping circular motions as if that might help them understand. "Some kind of paperwork that needs doing by now, I presume... to do with running the castle... or the kingdom...?"
The frown on the manservant's kindly face returned and deepened considerably. "Well..." he started, smoothing down the front of his jacket over his stout frame, "Yes, I suppose, but..."
"Please have them sent to my room," she told him firmly, rising from the chair, "All of them. I'll see to them there." Her task complete, she exhaled slowly and softly, turning to leave. Almost as soon as she tried though, a sudden wave of dizziness arrested her movements, and she steadied herself on the wall, pressing a hand to her stomach. Kai stretched out his hand in alarm and Gerda bounded forwards several steps, but Elsa arrested them with a look.
She let out a slow sigh. The last time she had eaten was a distant foggy memory and, now that the adrenaline was wearing thin, it seemed the effects were starting to show on her body. "And... maybe... some tea as well, please?" she added carefully, "Apple and camomile, sweetened with honey, like mother used to have."
Kai nodded slowly, watching her with concern. "Of course, ma'am."
Gerda was a little braver. "Would your royal highness also care for some soup?" she inquired gently, inching towards her in the same why one might when trying not to alarm a frightened animal, "We have a lovely winter stew downstairs. There is also some roast mutton left, I think. Perhaps I should have your bath filled too? The girls and I can pop into your dressing room and..." Her hand reached out to touch the princess' shoulder.
Instantly Elsa recoiled, stumbling rapidly backwards out of the room and into the corridor. "No!" she snapped, batting away the touch. "I... I... mean..." she paused, recovering herself a little at the sight of the woman's alarm, "No, thank you. Just the tea will be fine."
Gerda dropped her hand, her eyes troubled as she regarded her princess with motherly concern. "Alright..." she nodded tenderly, sounding a little deflated, "Perhaps just a jug of warm water for your washstand, then ma'am? And a change of clothes?" The tone was very gentle, her voice layered with concern. "I can have some supper brought to your room later too, if you like? We can leave it by the door if you prefer...?"
Relieved Elsa nodded, drawing away down the corridor. She dismissed them with a wave of her hand and turned, practically fleeing back to her room with as much dignity as she could muster. Left alone in the guest room, Gerda and Kai turned to one another with identical expressions of worried concern.
(1) Not official cannon, in case you're wondering, but this is the only logical explanation I can think of for why Anna didn't get her back frozen to the door in the last scene of 'Do You Wanna Build A Snowman'. No clue how he got the enchantment, or if it is an enchantment per say rather than something like magic wood, but Elsa's father was on close relations with magic trolls, so perhaps he had other connections too.
