A/N – Break out the hankies, this is going to be a tear jerker. For those who watched the movie, you know why. For those that haven't, trust me, get some hankies, maybe a cute fuzzy kitten to hug, and know that someone cares for you.
May your feels rest in pieces.
Big shout out to SilverStar03-2.0. For favoriting this story!
Chapter 6
As they entered the city, people came to the side of the road to watch the ice carriage pass. No one spoke or cheered, no horns announced her arrival, no banners were raised in her honor. Elsa, for her part, was stoic through it all, and neither frowned or smiled. Prince Hans led the procession directly into the castle, where the gates were shut behind them, so they arrived at the main entrance. Servants were already unrolling the carpet for her highness to walk on, while several of the advisers and nobles lined up at the top of the stairs, waiting.
Seven waited, knowing that there was a protocol for leaving the carriage, but not having thought to ask the queen what it was. Momentarily, Prince Hans opened the door, and Queen Elsa took the proffered the hand and stepped out and down to the ground. Prince Hans then looked at Seven, and extending his hand, she rose out of the front seat, placed her bare hand in his gloved one, and stepped down and out of the carriage. Knowing her earlier mistake might cause problems in diplomacy later, she turned to address him.
"Prince Hans, I am sorry for my earlier mistake. Where I come from, such assistance would not have been offered."
"You are excused, milady," He said, as he motioned the driver away. "I would love to learn more about where you are from if they have not learned of proper etiquette."
"Some other time, perhaps? My current promises to the queen need to be fulfilled."
"As you wish, milady," he said, bowing, then turning to the queen. "If you would allow me?"
Elsa took the proffered elbow, and they walked up the steps to the waiting throng. Seven followed behind them, and mimicked the way Elsa held her skirt with her left hand, keeping the hem from under her shoes, though Seven found it irksome to be wearing a skirt. She thought of asking the queen to change her into her body suit later, but as she glanced at the assembled women in their varying dresses, decided against it at the time.
At the top of the stairs, Elsa was greeted by several of the nobles, though only one embraced her, a slightly shorter woman in pink and purple with her hair in a pixie cut. After talking with several of the nobles, a horn blared on the outer wall.
"Princess Anna returns!"
Elsa turned to face the castle gates, then called out, "Open the gates!"
Seven watched as the men opened the gates, fear gripping her. Something inside her knew, that now was the hour that Q had talked of, the moment that would decide Elsa's fate. Soon, a man came riding into the castle grounds riding a four legged creature with great protruding horns, carrying a woman in his arms. He rode the animal right up to the stairs, and slid to the ground, where he lowered the woman to the ground.
Seven's first thought was the woman was extremely old. Her hair was pure white, and she shivered and pulled her heavy clothes tight around herself. She walked slow, and hunched, and it wasn't until she looked up at the assembled nobles that Seven could tell she had been wholly wrong. While she seemed old, the face was that of a very young and beautiful woman. Upon noticing Elsa in her pale blue dress, she smiled.
"Elsa!" She tried to run to meet her sister, but was barely able to hobble up the stairs. A servant quickly ran to help her, the maid placing her arm around Anna to help steady her.
Seven looked back to Elsa, to see the young woman ready to bolt. Seven then turned to face her, "Your majesty, we need a private room if we are going to fix this."
"Yes, yo-your right," Elsa whispered, stutteringslightly. With an exhale, she turned to a man beside her, "Kai, prepare the lower study. I need to try and fix this. Keep the room clear, I don't want an audience."
"Yes, your majesty," He said, bowing, then disappeared into the castle to carry out the queen's order.
Anna finally made it up the stairs, where she was embraced by Prince Hans. "I was so worried when your horse came back without you. I led a search party. We happened by the trading post, only to be told you had headed up North Mountain. When we got to the top, we found your sister in her castle along with Annika, but not finding you? Please don't do that to me again."
"I promise, Hans, but you got to kiss me," Anna said.
"Your highness, we need to get inside. We've prepared a room for you and your sister to take care of this latest issue," Seven said, not sure if Anna's approach was the best.
"Fine, but we're bringing Prince Hans. He's my fiance, and he really needs to be there."
"Alright, Anna. Let's go see what your sister can do for you."
Seven followed them all to a room that was larger than Captain Janeway's ready room, where only Elsa, Anna, Prince Hans and herself were allowed to stay. A short man with a toupee tried to stay behind, but was escorted out by Prince Hans. Once the doors were closed, they were locked, and Anna was settled into an arm chair by the fire.
"Anna, what happened?" Elsa asked, she knelt beside her sister as no other chair was nearby.
"When we were in your ice castle, you accidentally struck me with your power. I didn't think anything of it either, but Grand Pabbie said it was in my heart. Now, only an act of true love will remove it."
"True love's kiss," whispered Prince Hans.
"So Hans, you have to kiss me. Otherwise this ice will spread, until I'm a frozen statue."
Seven, who had stayed along the wall, watched as Prince Hans knelt in front of Anna. Something nagged on Seven's mind. While she had seen several of her crewmates over the years fall in love, sometimes as soon as seeing a person, but it never lasted. She watched as Hans leaned in close, both his and Anna's eyes closed, then he stopped, and his hand snatched at his sword. With a swift pull, he was about to attack Elsa when Seven stepped in between them. Raising her hand, she blocked his wrist before he could more than start his downward swing. Using her elbow, she plowed into his sternum. With his grip lessened, she disarmed him, then knocked him back into the door. With a flourish, she reversed the sword, and aimed its tip at Hans' throat.
"Prince Hans! What is the meaning of this?" Elsa demanded. Surprise had kept her from using her powers, but now that the danger was over, she took an authoritarian role.
"I was going to take over. I would kill you as a witch, and declare your throne unclean. Since you have killed your sister, my fiance, by your own hand, I was going to declare myself king over Arendelle."
"Did you honestly think you could get away with it? That the people would tolerate you as their king?"
"Better a foreigner as king," Prince Hans spat, "than a witch as queen."
"Guards!" Elsa shouted. Seven kept Hans secured against the wall with his own sword, until the guards could unlock the doors and enter the study. Some of the guards gave Seven a strange look upon entering, and waited on the queens orders. "Take Prince Hans to his room, and secure him there. He is not to leave that room without my express permission."
"Yes, your majesty," the two men chorused, and taking the prince by the shoulders, led him from the room.
Elsa knelt by Anna, who sat in the armchair crying, hugging the blanket a servant offered tighter around her shoulders. Elsa then took her hand, before glancing at Seven. Seven herself glanced at the sword, then propped it against the wall before going to join the other two women, kneeling by Anna on her other side. Seven took her other hand, noticing the temperature was well below what the human body could withstand. The fingertips were already turning into ice. Soon, her whole body would follow.
"I'm dead," Anna whispered. "I'm going to turn to ice forever."
"Your majesty, I think you should try to pull the ice from Princess Anna's body."
"But the ice in her heart?" Elsa said, looking at Seven with a desperate hope. "Do you think I could pull it out? If I can't, she'll continually keep turning to ice."
"Grand Pabbie said, only an act of true love could save me." Anna's voice was just a whisper now, barely heard in the silent room.
"I don't care if I have to do this every day for the rest of my life," Elsa said, her voice quivering, "you don't deserve this. I never should have shut you out. All those days you knocked on my door, all I wanted was to open it."
Elsa lowered her head, tears already forming at the corner of her eyes, "I should have, to build a snowman again, or ride our bike around the halls. It's because I cared for you that I hid away, and now your frozen by my own hand. Yes, I want to build a snowman, and play in all the snow. I want to hold you close, but now I finally see, I want to build a snowman, one more time Anna please."
The two woman embraced, and Seven wasn't sure if the queen was using her power or not as ribbons of frost swept around the pair. When the frost dissipated, Anna's hair had resumed its ginger color. When the pair separated, Anna let the blanket fall from her shoulders.
Seven spun at the bright flash that marked the Q's arrival.
"Cry me a river." said Q.
Author's Note: Most of Elsa's dialogue when talking to Anna after Hans is taken away is taken from a reprise of a "Do you wanna build a snowman" as written by Joshua Mendez. I found it beautiful, and I think I heard it sang once on YouTube, but couldn't find it again. So, to all you faithful Frozen fans, I included it here and now.
Elsa:
….Yes I wanna build a snowman….
…And ride our bikes around the halls…
…It's because I cared for you….
…I hid from you…
…And now you took the fall…..
…I wanted to protect you….
…Now look at you…
…Frozen by my own hands….
*Pauses looking at her hands*
…Yes I wanna build a snowman…
…And play outside in all the snow…
…I wanted just to hold you close….
…Open up my door…
…Because I loved you most…
…I was always lonely….
…Not anymore…
…Cause now I can finally see…
…I want to build a snowman …
…One more time Anna please….
*cries