(Serilda:21 Elsa:18 Anna:15)


THREE YEARS LATER

Serilda had been Czar for about three years when the letter arrived from Arendelle. The letter went as follows:

Dear Serilda,

I still don't quite understand why you left. However after you did Elsa got worse. So maybe I don't want to know why you left. Everything has recently fallen apart. Mother and father were traveling to the wedding of my cousin when their ship was hit by a terrible storm and sank. There were no survivors.

Elsa is scheduled to take on the duty as queen in three years time when she comes of age. But I'm not quite sure if that will happen. You see she hasn't come out of her room since our parents died. She didn't even come to their funeral. I miss her.

I am terribly sorry to bother you will all of this information. But you lived with us for so long that it seems only fitting that you know the fate of Arendelle.

Hope to one day see you again,

much love,

Anna


The letter let off that emotion again. The maniacal one. The one that Serilda had felt countless times since she took on the role of Czar.

Since the day of her coronation Serilda had used her power. She made good decisions and poor decisions. Like, giving more food and blankets to the cold and hungry, setting up a trade system to grow her kingdom's wealth, and her biggest being setting up an army that became the most powerful one in all of Europe. Some of her poor (or cruel) decisions would be changing the army to...other things than humans, forcing the people to do their trade over time, and fire most of the staff in her castle. The longer she reigned the more cruel decisions she made.

The Czar was in her study when she read the letter. The letter brought back memories of friendship and...that feeling. When she finished the letter she chose not to write back. Writing back would only cause more emotions for the princesses of Arendelle and more emotions for her. Not to mention a chain of events that would only lead to more letters being written. She didn't want that. Not now anyway. There was already a shortage of India ink in her castle and writing letters back and forth would surely be a waste.

"Your Upmost Highness, there is a problem in the square." One of her guard's said entering the study without knocking and startling Serilda.

She closed her eyes and braised herself. Her study was not a place people entered. Unless, it was near the end of their life in Moscow. The study was pitch black, yet there were candles burning. She liked it better that way. It was a way to make it personal.

"Your candles..." the guard barely choked out.

"Are burning darkness, yes." Serilda muttered not looking up.

"How...?" He stuttered.

"Does it really matter?" Serilda asked, she stood up now.

"No, no, o-of course n-not. I'll just go and.."

The damage, however, had already been done. Serilda didn't like her people to know of her ability to bend the power of light and shadow to her will. It distracted from her capability to run a kingdom without supernatural force. There was only one thing to do now.

"No, please, I was just about to in list you into the service of your Czar." She said.

The guard stumbled backwards as if in protest. Even though no one knew of her powers, they still knew that the military wasn't natural. There was something off about the way they trained, and fought. They seemed not to care of the lives being thrown around in battle. Whether it was their own men dying or the opposing kingdom's men dying. The lack of caring was there, and was obvious.

"All you have to do is one thing for me." Serilda said stepping forward.

"Y-yes?"

"Open your mouth and try not to flinch."

The guard opened his mouth reluctantly and Serilda hovered her hand over it. Heavy breathing filled the air. Serilda pulled her hand towards herself. This was a trick she had learned one night a year ago when frustrated with her best general. Slowly, a glowing orb of light escaped from the guard's mouth. It lit up the room eerily as it floated about.

"You're probably wondering what this is." Serilda said with little interest.

The guard stared at her blankly.

"It's not your soul, don't worry. It's just the happiness from your soul."

Cruel and unusual, yes this punishment was. But Serilda was at her wits end with poor listening and complaining about her rule. This was a good way to hush it. Taking all happiness from a soul created mindless drone who had no regret and no questions. Making a perfect soldier for the Czar's service.

"The military is happy for your service." Serilda said to him, "Please take the time to knock next time."