Ever since her parents boarded a ship never to return, Elsa feared the sea. She was terrified.

She thought she wouldn't have to be afraid anymore. But time and again she found it couldn't be so.

"Why do I have to live my life behind closed doors? What happened to freedom?"

Elsa's tears had frozen on the cloth covering her eyes. She was scared. Doors had alway concealed her from the world. She had been on her own for so long, and yet she never desired it. She feared her people's reaction to her powers all her life. And the nightmare had come true.

There was no one to tell everything was going to be all right.

"Why is there so much fear?"

A storm raged upon her soul. She wasn't safe nowhere. Everywhere she went she ended in a cage. Always restrained. Afraid of even herself.

Her powers had cursed her to grow in a cage. Her power had made she come to this cage.

She had taken the gloves off, but they had return to her hands. There was no escape.

"I'm such a fool. I can't be free."


Elsa realized she was awaked. She had been enjoying the sun in a dream.

She couldn't open her eyes. Despair crawling up her mind.

She wanted to run away. She wanted to escape.

Facing her fears, she tried.

Whatever holded her hands made it hard for her to sit and she felt on her face. But then she saw some light. She started to rub her face on the wall, successfully pulling her blindfold up from her eyes. She could see.

She was indeed in a cell. A small wooden one. Everything was covered by small ice crystals.

A resolute look settled in her face.

"I'll never be behind a closed door again."


Fitz was on top of the mast, following the outline of the shore. He'd shout to george course corrections as they sailed parallel to the coast.

Merc and Dastan discussed details of the next phase.

"Merc, we can't be sure they won't send a ship with the reply."

"I am sure. A horse rider is more reliable. And working out he's route was easy enough. We have little more than a day to prepare him an ambush."

"They may not answer."

"True. They may come after her. Anyway, we have already planned our way to the South Islands."

"Prince Hans left before we acted. We'll arrive there, and no one will be informed the Queen of Arendelle has been taken."

"They already know. I told then of our intentions in the letter I sent."

A shout interrupted them "That's the bay" George's voice declared "We'll need all hands soon. Let's dock before it starts raining."

Dastan looked to the sky. Dark clouds had gathered.

Merc followed his look and said "It won't be raining. It will be snowing".

"The Queen. Do you think the sea will freeze?"
George interrupted "Salt water doesn't freeze as easily as sweet water."

The ship was turning to land.

Merc turned to Dastan "The sleep you gave Lady Uberta. I want you put this Queen in that state."

Dastan remembered that episode well, and also others where noble went mad upon awakening "Merc, It can go wrong easily! I don't want to leave her mad!"

Merc gave him an evaluating look "Let me remind you, you agreed to my terms. This clouds point our location for everyone to see from afar. Do your thing, you can do it right. Do it now."

"Will do."

Dastan slowly moved down deck. The whole deck was covered in ice crystal. Dastan approached the room. When the distance shortened the door suddenly shattered into dozens of pieces.

A figure materialized from the door and jolted in his direction. Dastan barely managed to move before being tackled to the floor. When he looked around he saw Elsa climbing up.

Rising up, he rush after the fugitive, getting to the top deck at the time a splash sounded on the port side.

Dastan jumped to the water after her but soon found the boots prevent him from swimming. He dived to take them off and saw Elsa sinking under the weight of all the metal keeping her arms bounded. He took a grasp of air and dived after Elsa.

She was trying to propel herself up but being drag down. Dastan caught her and undid the knot that kept the metal plaque around her arms. Finding her arms free Elsa quickly turned and swam towards surface.

Dastan emerged behind her and saw Elsa removing the rest of the cloth around her arms.

Passing a hand around her head, Dastan holded Elsa's head as both went underwater again.

Turning her head to face him, Dastan cupped her face with both his hands. He had done this before. Nothing seemed to happen but Elsa stopped fighting him. He grabbed her by the waist and brought her to the surface.

She appeared to be asleep. Dastan couldn't tell if she'd be fine until she woke up. He asked "Sorry."

The ship had moved on but left a rope behind. Dastan seized it, and hold on while being pulled onto the ship.

"How's the water?" George asked.

"Freezing!" He claimed, and added "She's asleep as required"

Merc came to his side "How did she escape?"

"She shattered the door, somehow".

"Where are the pieces that hold her arms?"

"In the bottom... They were dragging her down. She would have drown!"

"And she would no longer cause us trouble. Now, now there's nothing to bind her."

Dastan looked down. Merc was disappointed "Get yourself in dried clothes. And put her back in her cell."

Dastan complied. He took Elsa and carried her to her bed. He was changing clothes when Fitz came to his side.

"I found this shoes."
"Thank you. What have you came here to ask?"

"Why would you say that?"
"That's not the question I was expecting. Why did she jumped overboard?"
"I guess she saw us and panicked…"
"She probably thought she could freeze her way to land."

"She's sleeping…" Fitz observed.

"Something close to that."
"Do tell."

"Instead of asking, you're ordering now!"

"Curiosity is part of what makes us human."

"Well yes. It happens that I can manipulate more than ink in a paper."

"You've been controlling minds?"
"No. Nothing like that. Thought that was the intention once."
"I'm listening."
"I don't think mind control is possible. But some… facets of it can be… persuaded."

"Sounds like mind control." Fitz went to the room entrance. "So, she's sleeping against her will."

"I know it is possible to remain awake indefinitely without ever getting sleepy. I saw it done. I tried to do that to myself and found myself waking days after. I'd awake thirsty, weak, and… soiled. I… tried it a few times."

"Did you managed to stay awake?"

"I did. Long nights I stood up. I'd rather sleep."

"You used magic on yourself. You learned it on your own."

"Not without costs. To me and… to others."

"You mind controlled anyone?"

"No. It doesn't work that way. Once, we had to put down some… insurgents. I tried to put them to sleep. I did managed to put some to sleep. Others… died. Some instantly, some gradually."

"You practiced in prisoners?"

"They'd all die afterwards. But yes. Almost a hundred tries. And I did put the last ones to sleep. I left then asleep, they were only awaken to die."

"You killed them?"
"Most of the ones I pratice died by my hand. Yes. There's blood in my hands."
"They bled?"

"No. It's an expression. Though some did bleed through their noses, those died quickly."

"You're a mass murderer."
"Executioner. But yes, you're talking to a serial killer."

"Ever had trouble living with it?"
"Can't deny it. On the other hand, I did save lives. I've been a healer since before I became an unforgivable monstrosity."
"Seeking redemption?"
"There's no redemption for a life harvester before he's mown."

Fitz wasn't pleased with the tone and changed it "Elsa. Is she going to wake by herself?"

"Hardly. Though she might."

"Why had you not made her sleep earlier?"
"Because...because sometimes when someone wakes, it's not him who wakes."

"You mean what?"
"They woke up mad!" Dastan disliked those memories. "It has happened a trio of times."

"So they woke out of their minds. Still sounds like mind control."

Dastan walked to him. They looked to the Queen sleeping peacefully.

Dastan sighed "I don't want that the same to happen to her."
Fitz placed a hand on his shoulder. "We know".

Dastan looked upon him "You what?"

Fitz couldn't hide a grim "You fancy her."

"What are you saying."

"I'm saying, you have magic and magic is what she has."

Dastan eyes were wide open "There's nothing…"
"I'm glad you're not denying it…"

"Of course not… wait!"

"Save your words. You better."

Dastan moved away "You don't know me."

"I never claimed I did."

"Tell me something. Would you marry your daughter to man that would kill you?"

"I don't understand the purpose of that question."

"But would you?"

"Hardly."

Dastan was already climbing up the stairs when Fitz grabbed his arm and made Dastan face him. "Were you responsible for the late king's disappearance at sea?"

Dastan looked to him a long time and answers in a low voice "It was a long time ago, who can tell what other ships were sailing under that storm?"

"No!"

"You can't be naïve, Fitz."

Fitz seemed petrified. Dastan's voice remained low "Let me illuminate you. The one who wears the crown, may not be the one pulling the strings. And when a marionette doesn't follow commands it's obliged or tossed out."

Fitz knew of such treachery but never thought he'd meet an agent of such deep waters. He looked at Merc wondering if his name was a hint to the word 'Mercenary'. He looked at George who seemed a veteran sailor of many voyages. He looked back to Dastan. "I don't need to lie to tell you stories you won't believe."

Fitz said with an serious tone "I was told once, deep waters are not calm."