A/N: Thanks to everyone who's followed/favorited and/or is reading but not reviewing.
Elsa Tomago-Well, Agdar isn't exactly smart when it comes to Elsa, and he's not fair to her.:/ You'll probably be even more mad at him after this chapter.:P
Olivia O'Neil-Thank you! I'm glad you liked it.:) Gerda and Dr. Raske actually accept Elsa just like she is.:)
theblindwriter95-Agreed! Little Elsa needs lots and lots of hugs.:)
Silent reader-I'm glad you liked it.:) I think I shall have to agree...baby Elsa IS awfully cute and sweet.:)
BellaCullen931-Thank you:) I just thought little Elsa would get really really happy if someone actually accepted her ice when she offered it. Besides, she's a little cutie anyways.:P
raven678-Thank you!:) Little Elsa will say/learn some more in this chapter.:) Yeah, that won't happen.:/ Agdar is stupid...
On to the story!:)
"Agdar, I did not say Elsa was old enough to start actual lessons, for goodness sake!" Idun exclaimed. "I said Dr. Raske said that it might be a good idea for her to be exposed to more languages since she'll need them eventually anyhow. Elsa's only fifteen months old-she's still just a baby in my mind."
Agdar shook his head. "No, if she refuses to walk, then she can just learn other things instead. Since Elsa likes Gerda so much, Gerda can start teaching Elsa her colors, numbers, and letters. I'll check on her progress once a week," he decided. "Where is Elsa? I need to see her."
"She's outside in the gardens with Gerda. I asked Gerda to take her outside, so don't go fussing at Gerda for taking Elsa out," Idun replied.
"What were you thinking?! Someone might see her!" Agdar jumped up to head for the gardens, but Idun grabbed his arm. "Idun, stop it. Elsa cannot be outdoors. At least not until she's old enough to rationally understand that she can't go around making ice or snow."
Idun frowned. "Agdar, Elsa can't just stay inside constantly. She'll end up being scared of being outside the castle and it's not healthy, either. She's already so pale. I think Elsa needs a bit of color to her. Not a lot, just a little. I know Gerda put a hat on her and everything so she wouldn't get sunburned. Elsa looks like a little cutie, too. Could we get a family portrait done?" she asked. "I think Elsa would sit still well enough to be painted."
"No. Can you imagine what that would look like? Two at least fairly dark-haired parents with a daughter like Elsa? I think that's just asking for trouble. So no, absolutely not," Agdar said firmly.
Outside, Gerda had laid an old blanket on the ground so Elsa could move about on her own without getting all dirty, but little Elsa didn't seem to care. She had almost instantly crawled off the blanket and started investigating these new surroundings, every so often making sure that Gerda was nearby. Elsa liked quiet, but she didn't like being completely alone. Somehow being alone frightened her and made her feel unwanted. Elsa just sat in the grass and began carefully frosting over single blades of grass. Frosty grass looked pretty to her.
Gerda sighed when she noticed what little Elsa was doing. "Princess Elsa, please come," she said gently. Gerda refused to tell Elsa to stop what she was doing, but she knew allowing the princess to continue frosting the grass would be more than likely to get both of them in trouble.
Elsa completely understood what Gerda wanted her to do, and she knew that Gerda knew that as well. She started to crawl back over to Gerda, but then just sat down in the grass again, wondering what would happen if she said no. Elsa trusted Gerda. She knew refusing a simple request was naughty. Therefore she deserved to be punished if she said no. Gerda wouldn't hurt her, though, right? So what would actually happen? "No," the little girl announced, her blue eyes looking curiously straight at Gerda.
"Princess Elsa…" Gerda wasn't sure what to say or do next. Part of her was just happy that Elsa was actually confident enough to do that. Usually Elsa would obey simple instructions instantly, probably partly because she was scared something or someone would hurt her. But from the look in Elsa's eyes, Gerda knew that Elsa wasn't just suddenly being stubborn; she looked curious, like she was conducting an experiment to see what would happen. "No books until tomorrow," Gerda said finally, unsure if she was doing the right thing. Technically I don't have the authority to tell Elsa what to do...
Almost instantly Elsa crawled the rest of the way to Gerda and pulled herself, dirty clothes and all, onto Gerda's lap. Although Elsa loved looking at pictures in books, she was mostly just happy Gerda had punished her and yet not shouted at her or seemed all mad at her…or told her she was bad for playing with her ice. Elsa suddenly decided that her coat was uncomfortable and she began tugging at it, trying to get it off. Soon the unwanted coat was happily tossed away and the little girl snuggled back up to the grown-up she trusted most.
"Princess Elsa, we wear coats outdoors when it's cooler," Gerda told her. A niggling feeling told her that not only did Elsa not need to wear a coat, she probably actually felt too warm in it. Luckily it wasn't too cold outside today, but Gerda knew if Elsa was allowed to, she would probably be perfectly comfortable in summer things in winter.
Elsa just looked puzzled. Why would anyone have to wear a coat if it was cooler? Her body still wasn't particularly good at regulating body temperature; she had a heightened sensitivity to heat, although warmth felt pleasant to her. Elsa still didn't know that she had actual magic, although she was beginning to wonder if anyone else could really make ice and snow. She had never seen anyone do so, and if no one else could, that must be why her daddy didn't like it. Elsa carefully held out her snowflake in both hands; then dropped it and pointed to Gerda. Then she repeated the same motion again. "Eh-da ith?" she asked.
Gerda was confused at first, but then she realized what Elsa was asking. She wants to know if I can do what she can do. Does Elsa think everyone has magic?! She was hesitant to tell Elsa the truth, but she was sure to find out sometime soon, and she decided she would rather be the one to tell Elsa than, say, the princess's father. "No, princess. Only you, Princess Elsa, can make ice and snow. You have magic," Gerda said slowly, unsure just how much the little girl would understand. "You are different, and I love you for it."
To Gerda's surprise and disappointment, little Elsa just hid her face in Gerda's arms and began crying. Elsa wasn't even really a toddler yet, but she was already subconsciously aware that different equaled bad. She couldn't express why or how; she didn't understand what 'magic' was at all; but she did know what 'different' meant, even if she didn't know how to use the word at all. This was why her daddy hated her, wasn't it?
Gerda just held the young princess and hugged her close. "Shh, princess, it's ok. You are safe. And it is perfectly fine to cry. I love you, Princess Elsa," she said soothingly, trying in vain to get little Elsa to calm down. Something told her Elsa was not scared; she was just sad. When Gerda tried to look Elsa in the face, Elsa wouldn't even meet her eyes. Gerda finally just cradled the distraught little girl in her arms and simply hugged her tightly so she would feel safe. "Different is good, Princess Elsa," she said firmly. Gerda was mostly worried because there were many, many snowflakes tumbling around Elsa, not just a few floating around her. If Elsa didn't calm down soon, someone might hear her and investigate…and find out about Elsa's magic. Elsa, please calm down. I hate seeing you upset and I don't want to get you…or me…into trouble…
Finally Elsa seemed to run out of energy, and she simply went limp in Gerda's arms, nearly asleep. Gerda just took the little princess back inside.
"Gerda, why is Elsa so dirty?!" Agdar asked in annoyance. "I won't have any daughter of mine like that, even if it is Elsa."
Gerda shook her head and held Elsa tighter. 'Even if' it's Elsa, indeed. Why do you keep treating her like this? "No worries, your majesty, Princess Elsa will have a bath straightaway. She was just exploring. Excuse me, please."
Little Elsa perked up when she heard the word 'bath'. She actually liked having a bath. She could play with the water and no one would fuss at her because one, Gerda was the only one who gave her baths, and two, Gerda would be too busy washing her hair to tell her anything about her magic anyway. "Ith," she said happily; then spotted her father and immediately hid her face in Gerda's shoulder again.
Before Agdar could say anything else, Gerda rushed off with Elsa in her arms. "Come on, princess, let's not have you hear any more nonsense," she said under her breath.
TWO MONTHS LATER…
Now seventeen months old, Elsa had been easily absorbing a lot of new information from her surroundings. She recognized that you could say different words to mean the exact same thing, and she spoke more often now, although she still remained simply quiet much of the time. Little Elsa still couldn't walk yet, but she could pull herself to a standing position without losing her balance. "Mama," she said now. "El-tha th-danding," she said. Elsa made a face, recognizing her s's weren't coming out properly. She carefully repeated herself in both Spanish and English after her native Norwegian. Always, always, if the little girl could help it, if she spoke, she would say whatever it was in all the ways she knew how. Sometimes she couldn't, but with her parents and Gerda all speaking something different to her, she had to understand or she wouldn't know what was going on. Sometimes that was frustrating.
Idun knelt next to her and just smiled. "That's very good, Elsa," she said softly. "Can you try to walk?"
Rather than say anything, Elsa purposely froze her hands to the chair she was holding on to, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief. Her expression said everything; little Elsa didn't need to say a word.
Idun sighed. She was delighted that Gerda had managed to get Elsa so she wasn't so hesitant and frightened at trying to do or say anything, but little Elsa's newfound confidence also meant she caused more trouble than before. The crown princess was still an overall quiet child, but she also would get into things she wasn't supposed to if she found them interesting, and she already had a very obvious sense of humor. Idun had also noticed that Elsa would sometimes feign ignorance about things, although she never lied; and also that she would very deliberately do things simply to see what would happen. "Bad Elsa. No ice," Idun said firmly.
Elsa's happy mischievous expression immediately vanished, and her blue eyes began filling with tears when she tried to get rid of the ice and couldn't. She didn't understand; the ice always did what she wanted. Why wouldn't it melt? Elsa's little baby legs were growing tired of holding her up, and she couldn't sit down on the floor because her hands were stuck. Elsa looked up at her mother, not knowing what to do or say.
"Elsa…" Idun suddenly realized Elsa wasn't just playing anymore; she was genuinely stuck and couldn't free herself. What am I supposed to do?! My daughter just purposely iced her hands to that chair and now she doesn't know how to reverse whatever it is she did. Why can't Elsa fix what she did? Resisting the urge to just leave the little girl alone because she was scared of what else Elsa might end up doing, Idun hesitantly tugged at Elsa's cold arms, but the ice wouldn't come loose. Idun could tell Elsa was starting to panic, and tiny snowflakes were starting to float around her. Somehow Idun knew Elsa wasn't doing that on purpose either.
"Mama go 'way!" Elsa exclaimed, sensing that her mommy didn't want to be anywhere near her. Her funny joke wasn't funny; she had been naughty and now she was stuck and her mommy was probably mad at her and what if she stayed stuck and why wouldn't the ice listen to her? Tears began streaming down her cheeks when she heard her father's voice.
"What is going on in here?" Agdar asked. He just stared when he saw what Elsa had done. "Elsa, stop the ice right now," he ordered. When little Elsa just stared at him and didn't move, he just grabbed her and yanked her away from the chair.
The chair came along with the princess.
"Elsa, let go!" Agdar tried to shake the chair loose, and he stumbled backwards when the fairly heavy chair crashed to the floor along with dozens of sharp ice shards, accidentally dropping the little girl in the process. What did I just do? What if that crazy little kid of mine is actually hurt? He sighed and reached for Elsa, but she flinched, staring at him with those big blue eyes of hers. "Idun, tell Gerda to take Elsa to the doctor just in case," he ordered, then just turned and stalked out. "I need to talk to you." That tiny little thing was strong enough to pick up a heavy chair because of her…strange abilities. What else can she do?
The second Agdar was gone, little Elsa reached for the ice shard nearest her and abruptly threw it across the room as hard as she could; then yelped and started holding her arm. She wanted Gerda; she wanted someone to make her magic listen to her again. She angrily kicked her legs at the ice shards lying on the floor around her and continued doing so until she felt herself being picked up. Gerda? The little girl quickly relaxed when she realized it was indeed Gerda who had picked her up. Her arm still hurt, but she felt safe now. Gerda would fix her up good as new.
Elsa stayed quiet while Dr. Raske checked her over, although she wouldn't let Gerda put her down entirely. Gerda willingly held the little girl close, but she didn't let Elsa refuse to let the doctor look at her arm. "Princess Elsa, stop," she said quietly but firmly when Elsa tried to hide her arm. "Dr. Raske will make it feel better."
The princess complied, but she hid her arm again the instant Dr. Raske stopped examining it. It hurt, and someone touching it and trying to move it just made it worse. Elsa had multiple scratches on her arms and hands from the ice, and while those stung, she thought her arm hurt worse. A lot worse. Why had her daddy dropped her like that? She was shaking a bit as she buried her face in Gerda's shoulder. At least Gerda took care of her and held her and everything.
"How did Princess Elsa get hurt in the first place?" Raske asked.
"As near as I can find out, she froze her hands to a chair because she thought it was funny and then couldn't dissolve the ice. I think King Agdar got angry and just…pulled her free and then dropped her by accident. At least that's what Queen Idun told me," Gerda replied. "Is her arm all right?"
"Well, it could just be badly bruised, but I think she's fractured it. Not badly, though. You can tell something's wrong inside when it's touched. She's just a baby, so she'll heal very quickly, though. We'll put a splint on it so she won't hurt it further while it heals." Raske shook his head, thinking about what Gerda had told him. "Hasn't one of the princess's parents dropped her before?" he asked, frowning.
Gerda gently made Elsa stop hiding her hurt arm so Dr. Raske could take care of it, but still continued holding her. "Yes, at least once that I know of, if not more," she answered, a slight edge to her voice. "They get scared of her magic and accidentally drop her in the process."
The doctor didn't answer until he was finished tending to Elsa, more than a little surprised at how little of a fuss the little girl was making. She was clearly unhappy with having some unfamiliar thing put on her arm, but she didn't cry or try to wiggle away. "You are a very brave girl, Princess Elsa. Good girl," he praised the second he was finished; then grew even more surprised when Elsa wiggled out of Gerda's arms and tried to give him a hug, along with a carefully made piece of ice. "Why thank you, princess. I see you know how to do that with one hand now."
Elsa's pale face lit up at that. Then she scowled and started trying to take the splint off her arm. She had immediately decided she did not like that thing.
"Ms. Gerda, don't worry. Princess Elsa won't get it off; it's toddler-proof," the doctor assured Gerda when he saw her worried expression. "Well, most toddlers," he amended, somehow feeling quite sure that Elsa probably would figure out how to get it off eventually if she were allowed to try long enough.
Gerda scooped the princess up and held her protectively in her arms. "I'll just keep an eye on her," she promised.
"One more thing." Dr. Raske scribbled a quick note on a piece of paper, not wanting Elsa to hear what he was about to tell Gerda and then innocently repeat it to her parents. 'If you'd be willing, tell Princess Elsa's parents she broke her arm and make it sound as awful as possible without lying. Parents dropping their baby daughter multiple times is horrible and there's no excuse for that. Once, accident, ok. Not multiple times. Maybe Elsa actually being hurt this time will be enough to make the king and queen be more careful? Don't worry, though, the princess will be perfectly fine. In a month at most since she's so young.' He immediately tore the note up and threw it away the second Gerda had read it.
"I certainly will," Gerda said firmly. She hugged Elsa tightly. "Thank you. For everything."
Idun cried when she first saw Elsa after that. "Gerda, is Elsa's poor little arm broken?!" she asked. She reached for Elsa and just hugged her close, wishing she could take back what had happened. If only I hadn't fussed at Elsa about walking, she wouldn't have started playing with her magic by sticking her hands to something in the first place…
Gerda nodded but said nothing. She was sure Idun would be extra careful with Elsa now, but she wasn't so sure about Agdar. "Excuse me, please."
"Very well." Idun turned all her attention to her daughter, watching her closely to see if she was frightened or in pain or otherwise unhappy. "I'm sorry, Elsa," she said softly, sitting down in a chair with Elsa on her lap.
Elsa shook her head. She knew why her arm hurt, and it wasn't her mommy's fault. "Papa," she said with great certainty, pointing at her injured arm. It still hurt, but not as much as before. She just didn't understand why going to the doctor hadn't fixed her entirely.
Idun sighed, knowing exactly what Elsa meant. 'It's not your fault, Mama; it's Papa's.' Little Elsa might not have known how to express that, but she definitely knew exactly what had happened. Idun said nothing, but she clutched Elsa tightly, hoping the little girl wouldn't remember any of this when she was older. Surely she wouldn't; children couldn't remember things from when they were only seventeen months old. It won't happen again, Elsa. You're not going to get hurt again.
A/N: So...yeah. That happened. The very first time Elsa's ice powers don't do what she wants them to. And yes, Elsa's magic is strong enough to pull a heavy chair along with her.
Idun is right; Elsa won't remember this when she's older, but that also means that twenty-one-year-old Elsa's belief that her parents never physically hurt her is wrong.:/ Yes, it was an accident, but still.
Next chapter coming soon!:)
