Hi guys, here it is, chapter six! It's really funny (in a sick way) for me, because in reality, I am about 6 chapters ahead of you guys! I know, I'm naughty!
-Ava
Hans
I slam my hands against the wall of the frosted white cube; the movement makes no noise, my heavy breath coming out in little clouds of fog in the frigid air. What is this place? I groan in frustration before turning around and leaning against the wall, readying myself for whatever is to come. I know that whenever I am in this icy hell, I'm never alone. But where is she? The angel whose name I can never seem to remember, the snow goddess who is at once so familiar and yet so foreign. Suddenly, There is a searing, incredible heat bursting through the small box, like an invisible fire has been set, and I am caught right in the heart of it. I am seized by a terrible, gripping agony in my chest, I fall to the ground, the pain radiating from me in burning waves, I bite my lip against a whimper. What is happening? My mind roils in confusion and panic, unhelped when I see the ice walls of the cube slowly start to be threaded with tiny cracks of gold, like veins in skin. I clutch my hand to my aching chest as my bleary gaze travels around the now not so white room, when suddenly; I see a familiar pair of pale feet. My gaze travels up the creamy ankles to the same flowing white gown with the sparkling snowflake hem, but I don't manage to get to her beautiful face before I am gripped by the internal burning sensation once more, I give a strangled cry as I press my head to the ground, trying to shut everything out. She, the angel, is doing this, she must be doing this, but this is so much more painful, so much more agony then the last time she killed me. I'm not freezing to death, that was gentle by comparison, agony blurs my vision as I force my head up to look at her, at the snow angel.
Somehow, she doesn't seem that angelic anymore.
Dark shadows are underneath her cheekbones, her ice blue eyes are even paler than usual, almost silver. I only notice now that the white dress has dark marks burned into it across the waist and across the snowflake hemline, the ice cube groans as yet more gold runs through it, like magma pouring down a glass. What is happening?
"What…is this?" I ask slowly, my words forced and cracking harshly against the blinding pain coursing through me. She smiles, the movement no longer breathtaking or pure, but filled with darkness and hatred. I feel a sinuous cloud of fear rise inside me, fogging up my already dulled senses as the burning sensation starts to numb my arms and legs.
"All that's left to do, is to kill you, and bring back summer." She says softly, her low husky voice completely unchanged as she speaks the eerily familiar words. I have said them before, I know I have, but to whom, and why? I can't reach at the memory, my mind is alarmingly blank. I watch, fascinated as her eyes slowly turn paler and paler, the sapphire in them being erased in favour of the palest of blues, only one shade above white. What is happening to her? I press my hands against the stabbing sensation of my chest, almost like I'm trying to staunch the non-existent blood. I can feel myself slowly losing touch with the outside world, but one question nags at my slow mind.
"Why would you want to bring back summer?" I ask, glancing once more into her beautiful, haunted face. She is the snow angel, the goddess of ice and winter, why would she want to bring back the season of heat? She smiles slowly before holding out her palm in front of her, facing upwards. Time seems to slow, I'm not sure if it's because I'm drawing my last breaths, or if the witch has genuinely slowed the world. Something flickers in her hand; it dances with a life of its own, shimmering, beautiful, dangerous, my eyes are so blurred with the fog of pain that I can't see the defined shape, or indeed, what it is, the colours of the world seem to melt away, but I force my sluggish mind to focus. It's a snowflake, that's the shape. But something is wrong, this isn't right.
The snowflake is made of fire.
Elsa.
I stare at the slumbering prince, lying down on the bed, his body highlighted by the moonlight filtering in from the open windows. I know that I could easily kill him now, when he can't talk, or fight, or even know what I am doing, but somehow, I don't. Anna would want me too, or at least, Anna wouldn't even want me in a bedroom with him, unlike the numerous suitors she forces upon me.
"Come on Elsa, he is not that bad." She says, rolling her eyes as she crosses her hands over her shoulders. I pick up a snow globe that I have on my desk and shake it, the fake snow swirling around inside it, not with the panic or fear of a real blizzard, but gently and beckoningly. I sigh before slamming it back down on the desk harder then I intended in my frustration. I notice a small hairline crack appearing in the glass ball before I turn around, facing my sister.
"Anna, I told you. He was boring and he tried too hard." I say flatly, reminded of the slightly tubby prince who Anna had talked into trying to woo me, not that he needed much convincing. As Queen of the Isen, I had a line of potential husbands. She blows her ginger fringe out of her eyes angrily.
"You're far too picky Elsa. There's always something wrong, some flaw you don't like!" She snaps, her cheeks flushed pink with burgeoning anger. I hear a small snap behind me and see the crack in the snow globe has grown larger, I realise that my hand is resting on it, and that in my irritation, I'm channelling my powers into it.
"forgive me for not falling in love with every would-be-king you throw at me." I say coldly, the crack in the globe growing larger. I fight to keep the temperature in the room level, but I feel it lower slightly. She huffs in irritation, clearly not noticing the small drop in temperature.
"I'm not asking you to fall in love with them, just that you give them a chance! Look, what about The duke of Ionac?" She says, exasperated.
"He chewed with his mouth open."
"the Tsarevitch of Vertaal?"
"did you see his moustache?"
"the prince regent of Elmira?"
"tried to grope me."
"and what, you put an icicle through his heart?
"no, just gave him frostbite"
"like you did the Archduke of the flower kingdom?" she smirks, raising a brown eyebrow at me. I shrug.
"he deserved it." I say coolly.
"Look, anyone of them would have made a fine husband." She starts, I raise an eyebrow. She sighs and runs a hand through her fringe. "Okay, so maybe not the Prince of Elmira. But Honestly Elsa! What are you expecting, that you'll find your true love?!" She squeals, frustrated at my resistance to marriage. In truth, I am looking for excuses to not wed these suitors. I will rule on my own, with no yoke and chain. I know that my ministers want me to get married so that they can finally talk to a man about ruling the kingdoms, so that I have to cede the throne to my husband.
No.
This is my crown.
"Anna, can't you understand that I just don't want to get married? That maybe I like being alone?" I say wearily. She snorts, unladylike.
"No one wants to be alone." She retorts, firmly. I roll my eyes, knowing that to argue would be pointless. We stand in silence, heavy and weighted before she sighs.
"Elsa, I'm sorry. I shouldn't force marriage down your throat; I just want you to be as happy as I am with Kristoff." She says softly, her blue eyes wide with apology. I smile.
"And you think that for me, happiness will come with love? I'm sorry Anna, but I don't think that's going to happen." I say, my voice heavy with disbelief. She smiles sadly before uttering a phrase which seems oddly familiar to me.
"oh Elsa. What would you know about love?"
Oh god, what a day that had turned out to be.
Hans suddenly sits bolt upright, I start in surprise from my position curled up on the couch, fracturing my thoughts. The sheets are tangled around his bare chest, which is covered with a light sheen of sweat, his breathing heavy, green eyes wide in a rare moment of total, unguarded fear.
"Fuck!"
He curses, running his hands through his tousled auburn hair, clearly he has forgotten I'm even in the room. I am unable to prevent my eyes from straying to his muscled chest, streaked by moonlight which streams in from the open windows.
"Bad dream?" I ask gently, his head snaps up, his glittering eyes widen as he sees me. There is a moment of silence before he laughs weakly.
"And you call me creepy" he says shakily, clearly still trying to recover from whatever nightmare he just had. I have an odd compulsion to find out, I'm desperate to know what has him so afraid, but I bite my tongue against the question, and shrug instead.
"I couldn't sleep." I say shortly. It was the truth, I had lay awake long after Hans's breathing deepened. Somehow, I just can't rid myself of this odd feeling I have, almost like a premonition. Of what, I can't yet tell, but my instincts tell me that it can't possibly be good. Hans smirks, his eyes once more blank. He reaches over the dark coverlet to pluck his midnight blue shirt from the twisted mess of linen and slips it over his chest.
"Oh? Why would Elsa, the Snow Queen, not be able to sleep at night?" he says, his voice the very epitome of mock pondering. I loop my arms around my bunched up knees before I raise an eyebrow.
"Actually, its-" I start to explain, but he holds up a slim finger in response.
"No, don't tell me, I want to guess." He says gleefully, a slappable smirk on his pretty face. I sigh with exaggerated patience.
"Fine." I say sharply. Hans laughs before silently pacing, his footsteps making no sound on the wooden floor.
"You're worried about the Isen and Arrendelle?" he says, his green eyes sparkling with mischief. I shake my head, he sighs theatrically, pressing his wrist to his head in a gesture of exasperation, reminiscent of a damsel in distress. I am unable to prevent a small chuckle, which he notes and smiles at.
"Alright, you're fearful of my darling brothers?" he says, moving around the sofa where I am sitting, standing behind me. I laugh dryly.
"Why on earth would I fear your brothers?" I say incredulously, He murmurs noncommittally. When he next speaks, his voice is right by my ear, making me jump.
"Oh, you don't, but you should." He says softly, his voice serious, his lips brushing against my ear, making me shiver.
"Why?" I ask curiously, brutally withholding the impulse to turn around.
"Because your Majesty, you have cornered them. And nothing fights more fiercely then a cornered man." He says before he gracefully climbs over the back of the couch and slides down beside me, his green eyes for once, not sparkling with mirth or mischief, but completely serious. Unable to bear the intensity of his gaze, I look away, down at my lap.
"Especially Eon. Dominic may have the muscles, and looks like he is the leader, but I assure you. Eon pulls the strings." He says softly, I glance back up to his face, my eyes questioning.
"What did he do to you?" I ask softly. He sighs before running a hand through the front of his hair, reminding me oddly of his brother Edward who has the same habit. He rests his elbow on the back of the couch, his fingers still curled in the front of his hair.
"I've seen him…do things. Things that make Dominic and the others look like little kittens." He says hesitatingly, his green eyes showing nothing. I tilt my head to the side, curious. There is something he isn't telling me, I'm sure of it.
"like what?" I ask quietly, unable to prevent my curiosity showing in my voice. He smiles and shakes his head.
"Some things, Your Majesty, you're better off not knowing." He says simply. The tone in his voice cautions me to not question any further. I will accept what he says, at least, for the moment. Silence descends on us, the castle, the city, the country still and sleeping.
"So, enlighten me. What keeps you awake so far past your bed time?" he teases. I glare at him, allowing myself to be riled by his patronising words.
"firstly, Your only what-one, maybe two years older than me. Secondly, if you must know, I was thinking about marriage." I snap, His mouth in its permanent half smile, he raises an eyebrow.
"my condolences to the groom." He says, his mouth quirking at the corners, I glower at him.
"very funny." I snap, riled.
"seriously Elsa, I'm flattered, really, but you're just not my type darling-" he begins to say, his voice all mock seriousness. I cut him off with an imperious wave.
"Not with you, you narcissist-wait, what do you mean, not your type?!" I snap irritably, slightly surprised. Considering all that has transpired between us, I am taken aback, and, though I'd never admit it, slightly offended. He chuckles.
"Don't take it personally Your Majesty, your just a little too…" he says teasingly, before he pauses, his gaze searching the ceiling as if the word he was looking for is written there. I roll my eyes.
"Powerful?" I suggest, his gaze flicks back to my face, a smile curving his lips.
"Stubborn." He says shortly, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course, you would want a more biddable wife, more easily controlled" I say, my voice showing disdain. His green eyes sparkle enthrallingly in the dimness of the room.
"uh uh uh Your Majesty, I don't discuss my love life, although I am becoming rapidly more interested in yours. Surely a beautiful queen of a large nation, with untold magic powers who just so happens to be single, would gain quite a bit of interest amongst the bachelors of royalty." He says teasingly. I sigh before looking back at the bed, not meeting his provocative gaze.
"As much as I hate to say it, you're right. I have had countless suitors." I say softly, enjoying the brief moment of uncomplicatedness with the irritatingly engaging man next to me.
"and turned away every single one of them…why is that?" he asks, his voice low and intimate. I turn my face towards him, shifting on the couch so one leg is tucked underneath me, the other dangling off the sofa.
"In my kingdom, a queen is…less preferable to a king. My ministers are practically begging me to get married, so they can start deferring to a man rather than me. That will never happen." I say forcefully, my conviction in my words absolute. He chuckles, making me gaze at him expectantly. He notices my chagrined expression and holds up his hands.
"Don't look at me like that, I was just feeling sorry for your ministers." He laughs. I relax a little, returning to a calmer state. "Surely though, you're Majesty, a marriage with another kingdom could be advantageous. I mean look at what brought us here, you basically have no army." He points out, his words echoing those of my ministers. If only Anna hadn't fallen in love with a god damned ice harvester. I mean true love is all well and good, but it's hardly going to protect our kingdom from invasion. I groan dolefully, knowing what he says to be true.
"I know, I know. You sound just like Johann, one of my ministers " I huff, burying my head in my hands, frustrated with my predicament. No matter how much I dig my heels in, it is close to inevitable I marry a prince for his kingdoms protection. I feel Hans stiffen as I mention my minister for agriculture, who was fast working his way to be my head advisor.
"My My, you two are rather close, aren't you?" he says dryly, I lift my head from my palms, glaring at his face, which has lapsed into a mask of mocking impassivity. I give a small laugh, which he raises an eyebrow at.
"Your jealousy would be funny if it wasn't so irritating." I say sweetly. He shrugs gracefully in response, totally unabashed. "Besides," I begin again, "possessiveness is something that I cannot abide by, O Prince." I finish, glowering at him. He smiles at me sweetly, with barely contained venom.
"Well then Your Majesty, you're going to have to learn too." He says simply. I huff in annoyance.
"I don't see why I should." I snarl, irked. He sighs, raising his eyes to the heavens, the very picture of pious tolerance.
"Because Miss Ice Queen, we both know that you're going to have to marry. You your Majesty, don't get the luxury of true love, unlike your sister. So really, you're going to have to put up with whatever undesirable qualities your chosen victim has, possessiveness included." He says bluntly, his voice devoid of its mocking flourish. I glare at him, crossing my arms over my chest, even though I know him to be right.
"doesn't mean I have to like it. I swear there are no decent bachelors in all the kingdoms." I growl, irritated.
"come now, what about the prince regent of Elmira? He is…handsome if you like that sort." He chuckles. I feel a sharp burst of anger as I remember the insolent ruler, who had the sheer nerve to grope me mid-waltz.
"No, I'll leave the fancying of tall blonde men to my sister." I say sharply.
"not a fan of the prince?" he laughs, noting my thunderous expression.
"He doesn't know how to keep his hands to himself, a quality which, in fact, you have in common." I snap, his languorous half smile grows.
"all the more reason to like him. So, the good prince tried with you did he? I take it by your murderous expression he didn't get very far?" he asks, amused.
"much to his irritation, no." I say shortly, before sighing, flicking my gaze towards the bed once more. "But it's Anna as well. She seems to equate my happiness with my getting married." I say, ending in a half chuckle.
"She doesn't know you very well, does she?" Hans says teasingly. I shrug.
"we were separated for 13 years. No, she doesn't. But I miss her." I say, the words slipping out of me, the instant they leave my mouth, I want to snatch them back.
"believe it or not, I understand." He says simply, I give a short burst of laughter.
"Oh, sure you do. You simply must pine for her, you know, the girl whose heart you stomped on?" I say, my voice dripping with sarcasm. He sighs, over exaggeratedly.
"You're not familiar with the phrase Forgive and Forget are you?" he says, his voice damnably calm. My mouth quirks at the corners.
"No, do tell." I say, mock enthralled, leaning closer excitedly.
"It's a marvellous concept, also known as 'Moving On.' Clearly, you've never heard of it." He deadpans. I lean back from him and his distracting emerald eyes.
"I'm not sure how well that saying applies when it's used in the case of forgiving two attempted murders." I say sharply, crossing my arms over my chest defensively as I face him, challenging. Irritatingly, he doesn't rise to the bait.
"You attempted to murder me, remember that O righteous one?" he points out, his green eyes reflecting nothing but dry amusement. I shake my head irritably, my hair free, and falling irritatingly down my back.
"that's different. You were in my chambers, alone, at NIGHT. This is after you had already tried to kill me. I was naturally going to react the way I did." I say haughtily, daring him to disagree.
Which of course he does.
"Elsa, you had murder in your eyes the second you saw me. I ask you, would it have mattered if I was in your chambers at night, or in the castle courtyard in the middle of the day. You wanted to kill me, no matter where or what the circumstances." He says pointedly, raising a very good point. However, I naturally ignore it.
"You make it sound like I don't want to destroy you anymore." I laugh incredulously; he quickly seizes my wrists, dragging me closer to him on the settee, forced into a lower position against his chest, his hands holding my wrists captive on the patch of sofa next to him. I stare unflinchingly up into his enflamed green eyes, for once, the mask of impassivity dropping. I feel the heat rising from his torso, our faces tantalizingly close.
"Do you?" he asks simply, the green in his eyes glittering with fury and frustration. I raise an eyebrow, a smile playing on my lips.
"Yes." I respond teasingly, staring up into his thunderous face.
"Why?" he responds, his low voice devoid of any curiosity at all. I realise why he is asking; he doesn't want to know, but wants to see if I can answer the question. I toss my head defiantly, my white tendrils falling over my shoulders.
"Why wouldn't I?" I say, my voice one octave above petulant before he rolls his eyes. Suddenly, he presses my wrists back against my chest, forcing me to lie back against the sofa. My head falls against the arm of the couch, I glare at him irritably before he quickly places his hand next to my head, leaning over me he frees my wrists, only to slide his hands up my skirt, the fabric bunching at my waist as he runs his hand lazily up and down my now exposed leg.
"and here I was, thinking I had made an impression on you." He chuckles darkly, clearly annoyed. Despite the pleasant sensations rising from his touch, I manage to maintain my expression of icy displeasure.
"You did. Disgust." I say coldly, prompting another laugh from him before his hand leaves my leg to gesture at the tableaux he has placed us in.
"Doesn't look like disgust to me." He says smugly, a smirk on his face which I itch to slap off.
Or freeze off.
I press my hands against his chest, channelling ice into my hands, making him jump away from me and back onto the floor, standing in front of me, glowering. In a distinctly feminine movement, I sit up languidly, half curling my legs up on the couch, my hands placed by my side, my hair falling over my shoulders as I stare up at him through lowered eyelashes. It occurs to me the end result is somewhat erotic. He glowers down at me, irritated.
"You really are the most impossible woman I have ever met." He growls, running a hand through his hair. A smile curves my lips before I toss my hair back over my shoulder, baring my pale neck.
"Why?" I ask coyly. He gives a chuckle that's a cross between a laugh and an exhale before giving me a look of slow, leisurely appraisal.
"because, Your Majesty, you are also the most tempting woman I have ever met."
The brothers.
The brothers wait nervously inside the echoing council chambers, empty at this late hour. The curtains drawn, the absence of a fire in the grate makes the already dark hall seem even murkier, but for the air of nervous desperation created by the 6 brothers in the room. Nikolai cracks his knuckles in his irritating habit, Luca chews his nails, already bitten to the quick. There is the feeling of finality in the 6 brothers; they know it to be their last chance. If this doesn't work, then they are doomed. Suddenly, the door swings open, and two cloaked figures stride in. The brothers immediately leap up from their various positions in the room, all hurrying to greet their two colleagues. Gregory and Oberon flip the hoods back on their wooden cloaks, revealing the tell-tale auburn hair of the Royal family of the Southern Isles, one claret tinted, the other more of a dark brown, only the smallest hint of red in it.
"Well? Did you get it?" Dietrich snaps, already reaching the end of his short tether. Dominic clears a path between Edward and Alexi, holding out a hand. Oberon nods seriously before tossing him a small pouch.
"We had to slit a few throats, but we got it." He says, his deep voice showing no remorse, even in the face of his murderous words. Dominic opens the leather pouch, the brother's crowd around him, trying to catch a glimpse of the famed drug. Dominic dips his fingers inside it; they come out covered in an off-white powder, which glitters oddly in the darkness of the room, not entirely natural.
"it's pretty." Nikolai says indifferently, examining the sparkling substance. He glances up, meeting the amber eyes of Gregory. "what does it do?" he asks curiously.
"to us; it increases energy, hyper-awareness. It also causes a feeling of heat to spread through the body, allowing one to be warm even on the coldest of days, nothing to special. The drug works through the small portion of blaze magic woven into it, hence its rarity." Gregory recites a speech clearly given to him by the apothecary, at least, before he killed him.
"And what will it do to her?" Dietrich snaps impatiently. Oberon's dark blue gaze drops to the pouch of creamy white powder.
"well, we aren't really sure. It's never been given to someone with ice magic before, but if it starts a fire inside us, then presumably, it would thaw the ice inside her." Oberon shrugs. Edward runs a hand through flame licked red hair.
"how long does it last?" he asks finally.
"about 4 hours give or take. The apothecary did warn about something though. He said not to give someone more than one dose a day. He didn't say why." Gregory says urgently, the brothers give no sign of having heard, or indeed, payed attention in the slightest. The claret haired brother shrugs, unnoticed. The old fool was probably just being paranoid.
"So, how do we administer it?" Edward asks thoughtfully, pulling at a wild tuft of red hair. The brothers fall silent, all thinking. Suddenly, Eon, coming from the doorway, speaks in his cold calculating voice.
"We can't slip it into her drink or food. Our little brother would have warned her against that, after my last…tussle with him." He says, his words chillingly clinical. The brothers don't speak; merely look at each other nervously. Suddenly, with a loud noise which makes them all jump in their skittish state, another figure quickly rushes into the room, strawberry blonde hair hidden under a rough woollen cloak. He tosses back the hood, grey eyes steely, but pouting mouth curving in a smile.
"It's as we suspected. The titled whore is indeed fucking our little brother." He grins easily. A sweep of murmurs covers the brothers, thick in the heavy darkness of the large echoing room.
"Are you sure?" Nikolai asks, crossing his arms over his weedy chest. William laughs.
"Nikolai, he had her on a couch, hand up her skirts. I'm certain." He chuckles, the brothers snigger, with the exception of Eon, who has not moved from his shaded position by the doorway.
"You're a little too good at looking in keyholes brother." Gregory mutters, showing distinct disdain. William turns his head towards his younger brother, raising an eyebrow.
"Got the job done didn't it?" he says flippantly. Dominic shakes his head, interrupting the fight which would surely ensue.
"stop, both of you. Will, I'm not sure how this information helps us. We still don't know how to give her the drug." He sighs, grinding the heels of his palms into his emerald eyes.
"who said we had to give her the drug?" Eon finally speaks from the doorway, his face shaded by the dimness of the room. 8 pairs of eyes blink at him, confused. He mentally sighs.
"She is a creature of magic, she would be so sensitive to the drug, that only the smallest dose would be necessary for it to take effect" He says patiently. When the eight brothers show nothing more than confusion, he has trouble restraining the sharpness of his tone.
"I propose that one of us give it to her in the form of something she can't take back, however much she may wish to." He says, before giving a chillingly empty chuckle. The brothers glance at each other, almost nervously.
"what are you suggesting Eon?" Dominic asks finally, reflecting the question in the multi-coloured eyes of the 8 men. Eon smiles, a gesture thankfully hidden behind the cloak of shadows around him.
"a kiss."
Hans
I hear a knock on the door, the sound, echoing throughout the room, fails to wake the slumbering snow queen next to me, her eyelashes casting shadows across her plump cheeks, breathing gently. Her head is lying across my chest, legs curled up and a hand grasping the front of my shirt, lying on the couch where we had…consummated our argument the night before-or should that be this morning? Clearly she had awoken sometime in the night and put her dress back on, her curvy body once more hidden by white ethereal fabric. I stifle a yawn before extricating myself from her grasp, padding across the wooden floor, running a hand through my dishevelled hair. I swing open the door, to find my older brother William leaning against the doorframe luxuriantly, strawberry blonde hair highlighted by the beams of light falling on it from the high arched windows which line the corridor. His steely grey eyes take in my tousled appearance before smiling in his easy way. I tap my fingers on the door frame irritably, my arms not leaving the top of the wooden casing.
"my my, little brother. Running you ragged is she?" he chuckles, his voice warm, but an undeniable undertone of malice permeates it. I smile in response, a gesture filled equally with poison.
"no more then you wish she would you. Why are you here?" I ask bluntly, I have no time for my brothers games. I see his eyes flick to my wrists, his smile deepening in genuine pleasure now. I resist the impulse to snatch my ungloved hands away from his view. His flint eyes come back up to mine.
"I don't remember any of us inflicting those one's Little Brother…pray tell, how did they get there?" he chuckles, clearly delighted. I stare at him blankly.
"Don't you? I recall it in…most vivid detail." I deadpan, my older brother smiles in response.
"I'm sure you do. I'm afraid I'm the errand boy at present, Dominic wants to see you. Now." He says, the steel I know to be inside him come's through at the last word. I smile brightly.
"How nice for Dominic." I say sweetly, going to close the door on his face, but I am stopped by a pale hand. I raise an eyebrow at him impatiently.
"You're not going to want to miss this little brother. I promise you." He says, his voice, which should have been serious, is filled with amusement. I inwardly sigh. In all likelihoods, it's a trap, but what can they possibly do? Even if they do capture me, then all Elsa would need to do is wave her hand and I would be freed, and they would be in a worse position then they were before. I glance at my languorous older brother before sighing.
"Let me get my coat." I say flatly, before turning on my heel and shutting the door. Rather than grab the white jacket, I quickly walk to the slumbering queen. I lightly shake her shoulders, her eyes flutter open and spark first in recognition, and then in irritation that I woke her.
"I'm going to see my brothers. If I'm not back in about 20 minutes, you should probably go to the throne room and do what you do best." I smile, remembering yesterday's delightful events she groans, covering her eyes with her hand, shading them from the sunlight coming in through the arched windows.
"alright alright." She grumbles, annoyed. I lean down and plant a kiss on her pale forehead.
"Don't you have an obvious trap to go to?" she mutters irritably, closing her eyes again. I laugh at her cynicism before I take the hint. I grab my jacket, slipping it-and my gloves-on. I quickly open the door to find my brother vanished; I shrug before glancing back at Elsa, who has managed to fully rouse herself and is sitting up, running a hand through her messy white hair. I toss her a teasing smile before blowing her a kiss, quickly shutting the door against a snowball.
Elsa
I tweak the hemline of my dress, pulling it back into its correct place along my collarbone, the ethereal white material covering my shoulders once more. I sigh before turning away from the looking glass, uninterested. Hans has only been gone about 5 minutes, and already, I'm looking for something to do. It feels surreal to be bored, usually I'm up to my eyes in paperwork, but I'm actually looking for something to do. I laugh at the irony. I hear a soft click, almost like a door closing softly; I freeze before I whirl around, my shortened train making a soft whooshing tinkling noise, as the ice droplets brush against the ground. The door is empty; nobody is there. I relax slightly, shaking my head at myself before I lower my hands which had automatically been raised to defend myself. I quickly flounce down to the couch, flinging my length upon it dramatically. At least there could be some books- I sigh. I wonder how long it's been since Hans left?
"bored Your Majesty?" I hear a familiar chilling monotone, my eyes widen and I quickly scramble to my feet, forcing my expression into one of arrogant confidence, rather than one of fear. However, when I look into a set of dark green eyes, I get an eerie feeling he can look right through me. I raise my hand, proud of how steady it is.
"Why are you here-Eon is it?" I ask calmly, making a show of not remembering who he is, even though I am very well aware. I stare into his attractive, but oddly emotionless face, his bottle green eyes flat and boring into me.
"You know, it really is remarkable." He says softly, ignoring my pressing question, studying me leisurely. I can't help but get annoyed at his words. I cross my arms over my chest.
"What is?" I ask irritably, flicking my white hair over my shoulder. His eyes come up to meet mine, still alarmingly blank. I have the strangest sensation, like I am a child again. I inwardly shake my head at myself in irritation. Get it together Elsa.
"How a little girl like you thinks she could ever be a queen." He says softly, his words, which should have shown malice, are startlingly empty, his voice never leaving the bored monotone. I raise an eyebrow, holding back my fury…just.
"This little girl blasted you against a wall yesterday…and can do it again." I grin viciously, raising my hand. He rolls his eyes in a gesture of exasperation before slowly moving around the couch, with an unhurried predatory grace. My instincts are telling me to run, to run faster than I ever have, but I make myself stay. I will not show weakness.
"I don't doubt it." He says mildly, his voice not merely stony, but empty. I raise an eyebrow, coldly furious. He halts one step in front of me, his dark green eyes flat and glassy. I ruthlessly suppress the urge to back away, and instead glower at him coldly.
"Then for your sake, I suggest you get out. Now." I say commandingly, my gaze colder than the ice I wield. For the first time, I hear him chuckle, a sound which makes me feel like a bucket of water has been tipped down my back. I am unable to prevent a small flinch, which he notes.
"Authoritative, aren't you? Undesirable, but that can be fixed." He smiles, showing white teeth that almost seem to be pointed, finally, a glint of…something I don't recognise in his eyes. I realise, looking at him, I preferred it when he was blank. I allow some of my powers to come to the edge of my fingertips, controlling myself-only just.
"I'm sorry, but you're really in no position to make personal remarks." I deadpan, daggers in my gaze. He tilts his head, assessing me like a sheik would a slave, almost like he is making an inventory. Again, the odd feeling that he can stare straight through me.
"You know, you really are very pretty. I like hurting pretty things." He say's chillingly calmly. I am unable to prevent my eyes from widening at his words, a spark of fear running through me.
"There, that's better. A wide eyed look of fear on your pretty, pretty, face." He says, his empty gaze searching my eyes. I manage to regain control of my expression, and lurch it back to cold impassivity when, suddenly, he grabs the back of my neck and presses his lips to mine in a rough, violent kiss. For a moment, I am shocked into inaction, I merely stand, surprised that he would dare go this far. I am awoken from the odd moment of pure astonishment by his tongue forcing its way into my mouth. I shriek, suddenly aware of what's transpiring, struggling in his grasp. Oddly, this merely seems to enflame him further, making him wrap his arm around my waist and crush me to him. I reprimand myself for my stupidity, I don't need to struggle in his iron grip, I just need to collect my powers. I quickly lower my body temperature to just above freezing, not caring about if I hurt him. I just need to get him awayfrom me. He quickly releases me, and I back away from him, my hands, which are now trembling, stretched out the front of me. His glassy green eyes are terrifyingly blank, even after what just transpired.
"do you have a death wish?" I snarl, any hope of impassivity diminished by the forced kiss. He notes my shaking hand, and smiles the same chilling pointed grin.
"The question is, little girl, do you?" he says, his voice emotionless. I still in my backing away, confused.
"what are you talking about?" I snap, tired of things being kept hidden from me.
"oh, you'll find out soon. Very soon." He says simply, his bottle green eyes reflecting nothing. I shake my head, furious. I don't have time for this. Suddenly, I remember something. Shouldn't Hans be back by now?
"what have you done with Hans?" I ask flatly, my eyes shooting daggers at him. He shrugs.
"me? Nothing." He says, smiling in his eerie way once more. I shake my head, my patience with this sadist completely frayed.
"Your funeral." I shrug. He only grins wider. I start to channel my powers, about to shoot a flurry of icicles out my palms when suddenly, I am gripped with a terrible, radiating agony, starting deep in my chest, it burns through me like fire, banishing my ice. I cry out before sinking to the ground, shutting my eyes as I clutch at my chest, the agony so intense, so overpowering, I begin to feel numbness. I dimly hear a chuckle emanating from Eon, I know he has done this, but how? I haven't eaten or drank anything… with a gust of internal flames, I remember the kiss. Of course…
"What-what is this?" I ask, my voice weak, ending on another cry of pain as the fire scalds me. I feel a tear roll down my face, I bite my lip on a scream. I vaguely feel him kneel down next to me, I turn my head slightly, looking at him through a blur of agony. He smiles at me.
"this, little girl, is your doom." He says softly. I give a small plaintive cry as yet more heat radiates through me, burning with the fire of a thousand suns.
"I'm going to die…" I murmur softly to myself, my voice creaky with the blinding agony. I feel sleep begin to encroach on me, I know I don't have long before I pass out from the pain, and maybe never wake up. I am unable to prevent myself from closing my eyes, tears still falling from underneath my eyelids. The last words I hear before everything goes black, chill my soul.
"Oh no little girl. Some fates are worse than death."