So, I hope you all liked the little plot twist there…Let the real story begin!

Oh, by the way, this fic will be progressing a little slower than usual due to my writing another Helsa fanfiction as well; It's called Masks and White Rabbits, go check it out!

-Ava.

I struggle to get to my feet, trying to regain control over my reeling senses, the sheer power in my body makes my hands tremble and my body shiver as I force myself up, realising that I need to get out of the burning room, the bare walls are licked with flame, the instinct for survival overtaking my panic and confusion. Suddenly, almost comically, the door to the room bursts open, and in surges Hans, whose usually guarded mocking green eyes widen in sheer, unbridled confusion as he takes in the burning room, and me, near naked, standing in the centre of it. His gaze notices my wide silver eyes, and his mouth opens fractionally in shock. We stand in silence before I break it, the smoke from the flames snapping me back to my senses.

"Where the hellhave you been?" I snap irritably, at a loss for any other words to say before I quickly stride towards him before my steps falter and I stumble, a sharp bolt of physical weakness strikes me. Hans swiftly catches me and picks me up, like some sort of bride groom. Despite my exhaustion, I glare at him as he quickly turns on his heel, leaving the burning room.

"who do you think you are, Prince Charming?" I snarl, he laughs at the sheer absurdity of my disagreeability.

"You bet I am; I'm even rescuing the damsel in distress." he chuckles, his eyes flicking down to meet mine before he shuts the door behind him; I see the shape of Eon hurled against a wall in the corner. I smile against his shoulder before I turn my almost white gaze to Hans, narrowing my eyes, crossing my arms over my bare chest. I open my mouth, but he quells me with a look of disbelieving annoyance.

"oh no Elsa, you do not get to start questioning me. You're the one with explaining to do. Care to fill me in?" he says, his eyes leaving mine and focusing on the corridors in front of us as we twist and turn through the hallways, I don't question our destination.

"Your brothers drugged me with something that can stop my powers, long story short, Eon gave me a little too much, mix that with torture and…" I hesitate, biting my lip. He glances down at me, noticing my reluctance, a frown marring his fair brow.

"and?" he prompts. I sigh.

"And I somehow nearly incinerated the room." I say softly. He nearly drops me before quickly catching me again, making me bite back a shriek and glare at him. His eyes widen.

"You can wield fire?" he asks, his voice thick with wonder. I smooth my white hair back from my forehead.

"I guess so. I mean, I'm not really sure. It could have just been the pain which forced it through me." I shrug, unsure. His eyes narrow at my mention of pain, his gaze drops to the numerous cuts running over my body, his gaze darkening at the word underneath my breast; over my heart. The blood has oddly vanished and the wound closed, now just a scar, like it's been there forever. It must have been the flames, which can close wounds. His eyes, when they meet mine, are murderous.

"please tell me you killed him." He says flatly. I shrug, remembering the slumped body thrown against a wall. A smile curves my lips.

"Good as." His smile matches my own as he slides one hand which was underneath my legs out to turn a doorknob. Both our heads snap up when we hear the bells which herald an escaped prisoner start to sound across the citadel, we quickly enter the room which Hans has chosen. He swiftly shuts the door with his foot before gently setting me down, his hand gripping my arm, keeping me upright. His eyes meet mine in the darkness of the stuffy room, properly examining me in a manner he hadn't been able to in our hurried flee from the burning room.

"Did they say what they used on you?" he asks eventually, his green eyes searching my white ones. I nod.

"Sun Drug." I say shortly. It clearly strikes a chord with him; he tilts his head in confusion.

"I didn't think Sun Drug did that to the eyes." he murmurs, examining the unnatural silver. I shrug.

"It doesn't, or at least, it shouldn't. I think it's reacted to my magic." I say slowly. He nods before he grabs my shoulders; I open my mouth to ask him what the hell he thinks he is doing, when he presses his lips to mine. I don't react out of surprise before I melt under his touch, pouring in emotion until we separate, breathless, his green eyes glittering. I know my silver ones will be doing the same thing.

"What was that for?" I ask, breathing heavily. A smile curves his lips.

"Think of it as me kissing it better." He laughs ruefully, running a hand through the front of his hair. I am suddenly conscious of my near naked state, I experimentally raise my hand and run it down the length of my pale body, my hand, which had felt warm at best, glows hot, although somehow it doesn't affect me. I feel the new magic run through me like sand slipping out of an open palm, channelling at covering myself. I allow my hands to drop, the skin of my palms hitting the warm material, woven of fire and heat. The new dress is in the style of my old blue one (with a shortened train-having one of my previous length would only get in the way) but this time, it is ochre rather than a pale blue; my sleeves now of sheer gold. Hans's eyes widen with surprise, as do my own. So, it would seem my new magic has the same properties as my old ones. Suddenly, I feel a bolt of pain and weakness, I cry out before I fall, hands shoot out and grab my elbows, propping me up against him.

"Elsa, what is it?" he asks, his eyes reflecting concern, free of impassivity. I give him a weak smile.

"I'm fine. Honestly." I try to say reassuringly, he looks at me sceptically.

"It's the drug, isn't it." He says flatly, not quite a question. I shake my head irritably, pushing him away and forcing myself to stand upright.

"Don't be ridiculous. Now, aren't we meant to be escaping?" I snap, well and truly annoyed at both my own weakness and his alibility to read my expression. So much so in fact, that I quickly storm out of the room, swinging open the door vengefully as I burst into the corridor.

"Elsa, what the hell are you doing-" he hisses, following me out into the red carpeted corridor. The sheer gold train flows behind me in the air as I quickly pace down the corridors, vaguely remembering where the front door is located, my new powers coming to my fingertips in my annoyance as I remember all too well what the Southern Isles has done to me, the wound on my chest seems to grow hotter, like a brand. Hans, seeming to pick up on my waves of hostility and determination, drops behind me lightly, giving me some distance and keeping his mouth blessedly shut. The corridor splits into two, I hear the sound of swords being unsheathed; I smile slightly, halting in my advance. I raise my hands to either side of the corridor, which feeds onto two smaller hallways.

"Come out; come out, wherever you are…" I say softly. I can almost feel them mustering their courage, to face the Ice Queen.

Well, the woman who wasthe Ice Queen.

Hans's two brothers, whom I recognise as Dietrich and Nikolai walk into the centre of the hallway, Nikolai smiles, but Dietrich doesn't bother. They take in my new dress, and Hans's presence beside me.

"Oh, so your prince rescued you. How typical." Dietrich snarls. I smile at him in a distinctly predatory gesture, which fails to register with them.

"Don't come any closer." I say mildly, my power, my sheer fury causing this new, heated magic to rush to my fingertips. Nikolai laughs.

"Why not? You have no ice anymore Elsa." he sneers. I smile at him again before I raise my hands.

"Last chance. Get out of the way, and you will be spared." I say calmly, my powers coming to the fore. They scoff with laughter

"spared? You couldn't even kill us when you had your powers, you're too weak Elsa, you're a woman. You won't kill us. All we need to do is push you in one direction and you'll go back to your cage, because that's what women do." Dietrich says contemptuously, eyeing his drawn blade. I smile sadly, relishing what I now have to do a little too much, Their words make my already heated blood quite literally boil. I glance at Hans, shrugging.

"I warned them."

I allow the white hot power to surge from my palms in the form of two coils of fire, which wrap around their waists like whips of flames, latching onto their bodies. I enjoy the sound of their screams for a moment before I allow them to drop back to the ground, the ropes of fire flicking back into my palm. There are burns all across their waists, scorch marks blacken their shirts and when Nikolai lifts his head, his eyes are full of a murderous pain.

"monster" he spits, his stormy blue eyes dark with agony and hatred as he struggles to his feet, his brother near dead beside him, whimpering with pain. I smile at the familiar word which I've been running from my whole life, only to find comfort in it; joy even.

"And what should you feel when you meet a monster?" I chuckle before opening my palms, allowing two lazy tongues of fire to curl off my hands. My last word is hissed like steam escaping before my fire wraps around them once more.

"fear."

I smile before I close my palms, making the flames grow tighter around them, I hear their screams before they fall to the floor, two piles of ash.

We stand in silence, Hans in stunned amazement, and me, well, in a moral dilemma.

I know I just killed two human beings, for all their faults, they were still people, living, breathing men. I know I should feel guilt, or sadness, or self-loathing, but all I feel is a deep satisfaction.

Whore, Monster, Slut, Girl…

Their words ring in my ears, not causing pain, but calm pleasure; I had eradiated the source.

Looks like the snow queen is all grown up.

"now, which way to the gate?" I ask breezily, the screams still echoing in my ears as I turn to face the wide eyed prince, whose eyes haven't left the mounds of ash that were his two brothers, his usually guarded expression shows both shock, and an odd look of delight. To my surprise, when his green eyes flick to mine, the entrancing depths show no horror at all.

"You know Your Majesty; I rather think I'm beginning to rub off on you." He chuckles before pointing to the left corridor. A smile curves my lips as I stride between the two piles of ash, as an afterthought, I flick my fingers behind me, summoning a warm breeze to scatter them across the hall. I feel a sharp lancing sensation in my chest; I have to lean against the wall as I feel my fury slip away, and thus, my temporary control over these new powers. I shut my eyes, struggling to keep the ache under control. I feel a hand on my shoulder, and glance up into the alarmed face of Hans.

"Elsa, it's the magic. You need to stop using it, it's making you weaker." He says pointedly. I shake my head, my white hair shaking around my waist as I push myself of the wall.

"Don't be ridiculous." I say flatly before once more continuing my confident stride, the pain having ebbed away, at least, for the moment. I hear him sigh before following me; I see the double oak doors of the throne room, which I slam open in a display of impatient confidence. I need to leave this palace of darkness, of evil. I stride through the marble floors, the afternoon sky shining through the high windows into the chambers. I hear the sound of protest, wether from a brother or just a guard, I can't tell, and I don't bother to look. I stretch my hand out to the side, and allow a blast of hot air to throw them against the wall with a deeply satisfying crunch, the sound of screams from the two brothers echoing through my mind, not a sound of horror, but almost a sound of triumph. I burst through the doors of the room, and into the castle courtyard, standing on the steps as I thankfully breathe in the fresh air, a cool breeze hitting my heated body. The bells peal over the stone square, which is blessedly empty.

That is, almost empty.

About 20 guards in the midnight blue livery of the Southern Isles stand in the centre in 4 rows of five, swords drawn, some faces showing fear, others show grim determination. At the head of them stands the tall prince Dominic, his jade eyes showing utter fury. I raise an eyebrow at him imperiously, remembering the last time I had the displeasure of meeting him; he had called me a whore, then imprisoned me, undoubtedly in league with Eon.

Surely he would know not to cage a monster?

"there's nowhere to run Elsa, your trapped." He says flatly, his jade eyes showing nothing. I raise my hand, my fury at being treated this way, at being talked to this way, by this royal family who has been a thorn in my side ever since I ascended my throne. I smile.

"so are you."

I flick my wrist upwards, a hot, warm summer breeze leaves my palms, coiling itself around the soldiers, around this so called prince, before tossing them high in the air, watching coolly as they fall to the stone ground. Some blood leaks from a few bodies and onto the cobblestones, the sound of groans and whimpers fill the now heated air.

"Which way to the stables?" I ask the man next to me as I start to descend the stone steps, the infernally loud bell keeps ringing. Hans takes my arm in a ridiculous display of gentility and leads me to the stables. Hans disappears through an open door into what I presume is the tack room, leaving me on my own, left to my thoughts.

Well, not entirely alone.

I feel a warm gust of air on my neck, a sweet smell of hay. I tense before relaxing, chuckling at my own folly before I turn around, face to face with a pair of wise brown eyes. I lightly pat the white nose of the lean horse, before I hear a laugh to my side. I glance to find Hans, his hands laden down with reigns and saddles.

"aw, I didn't know you have a soft spot for horses. A soft spot for anything for that matter." He chuckles. I glare at him as he strides towards me, his gaze flicking to the tack in his hands. A dry smile curves his mouth.

"Do you need a hand with this-" he begins condescendingly, gesturing with a hand to the various leather implements. I cut him off with a withering look before I take a saddle and reigns out of his hands and toss them on the ground before opening the stall door, grabbing onto my horses white mane and quickly vaulting onto her white back, sitting astride. I smile at him sweetly.

"You were saying?" I ask innocently. He gives a short chuckle before dropping his load and quickly repeating my action on the bay mare next to me. I give her a gentle kick in her sides, she needs no further encouragement. We quickly canter out into the street, careful to avoid the courtyard where the guards (and Hans's older brother) will surely be waking up from their…close meeting with the ground. The feeling of my horse's powerful muscles stretching underneath me, the wind in my hair and on my face makes a small delighted bubble of laughter escape me as we race through the citadel, scattering people in our wake. Its only when I glance behind me do I realise I have left a small trail of embers behind me. The buildings start to thin out around us, until almost suddenly, we are in the country side. We slow to a walk, giving our panting horses a rest.

"Well. Welcome to the Southern Isles." Hans says flatly. I sneak a look at him through the corner of my eyes, his mouth wears an ironic smile. I give a short chuckle.

"Not very hospitable here are they?" I laugh, glancing at him, a strand of white hair falling over my face, I blow it away irritably. He shrugs.

"To be fair, you did just incinerate two of my brothers." He points out. I shrug, remembering how their bodies crumbled to ash in my mind's eye.

"I didn't notice any objection from you." I say flatly. He laughs.

"oh, there aren't any, I can assure you. What is objectionable, Your Majesty, is your haughtiness towards me for my bad behaviour, when you go and do that." He chuckles. I give him a cold look of disdain.

"You're forgetting Charming. They more than warranted that, I have the scars to prove it. You however, swung a sword at the back of my head for no apparent reason other than to gain my throne." I snap, irritated.

"I'd call that a pretty good reason." I give a ladylike snort.

"you would."

I turn my head back towards the road ahead of us, now empty but for the mountains which are ahead of us, the grey featureless road complimented by an equally grey and featureless sky. Somewhere in the distance, I hear the tell-tale sound of thunder rumbling.

"tell me Your Highness. How do you think those lovely flames of yours would fare in a downpour?" Hans asks breezily, glancing up at the darkening sky.

"I'd rather not find out." I mutter before lightly nudging my mare in her sides. Suitably rested from her canter, she bolts forward, I cling onto her snowy mane for dear life, running from the storm.

Hans

I watch her race ahead, her unbound white hair flowing behind her like white streamers, the tendrils snapping and fluid like creamy snakes. She moves gracefully with the movements of her white mare as she canters through the landscape, I recall my surprise when she vaulted up onto her horse, her ability not only to ride astride, but bareback both astounded and amused me. I urge my own steed forward, recognising the need to get away from the beckoning grey clouds, if my memory serves; there is an old farmhouse up ahead where I used to take refuge from my brothers as a child. With any luck, they'll be some hay left, not that we can be picky. Elsa is a creature of fire, for the moment at least. Sun drug lasts only about 4 hours, but by the sound of it, my brothers had overdosed her, not to mention her system had clearly reacted to it differently. I shiver as I remember the whips of flame coil from her palm, wrapping around my brothers and turning them to ash…No, who knows how long this could last for. Far more worrying however, are the pain and weakness bouts Elsa seems to be feeling, especially after using her fire. The drug is doing something to her, something dark and sinister, and the more she uses these powers, the worse it will get. I am distracted from my thoughts by the sight of the old farmhouse, its grey stone has holes in the walls in some places, but the roof is intact. Not a moment too soon, as we hear a clash of thunder echo above us, closer this time. I race forward, my horse stretching out its neck, racing hers as we quickly canter towards the farmhouse. We just have time too quickly dismount our horses and lead them to a small roofed building where other livestock would have been kept, before quickly letting ourselves in the decaying front door, slamming it on the first droplets of rain. In a moment of comic relief, we both lean against the battered door.

"That was a little too close." She mutters, cradling her hand. I glance down at her, arching an eyebrow.

"Come now, we don't even know if it would hurt you." I murmur, vaguely surprised. For all our differences, I had never pinned Elsa as a coward. Her unnerving silver eyes blink back at me, like two mirrors. Wordlessly, she lifts her hand from the folds of her skirt, rather than turn me to ash, she is showing me the small red marks where rain has hit her, curls of steam rise from it. My eyes widen.

"ah." I say shortly. She gives me a wry look before glancing into the small shack. Some water drips in from leaks in the ceiling, and some wind whistles in from holes in the stone wall, but other than that, it is surprisingly sound. Some hay is stacked against the stone wall, some blackened wood lies in the centre of it, where a fire once was.

"Well, it's hardly a palace, but it will do for now." I say cheerfully. She glances up at me, glaring.

"Do for now? We have no idea how long we are going to be here! Not only do we have nowhere to go, but I have no way of contacting Arrendelle for help. Besides, half of the Southern Isles is probably looking for us by now." She snaps, abandoning her usual cold impassivity in favour of fury.

Oh dear.

"Your Majesty, I suggest you calm down." I say flatly, watching her stalk away from me, running her hand through her white hair. She whirls around to face me, her beautiful face alight with anger, her silver eyes narrowed with hatred. Oddly, her anger somehow arouses me, my libido rushes irritatingly into life, much to my annoyance. Now is not the time

"calm down?! CALM DOWN!? If it wasn't for you Charming, I wouldn't even BE HERE!" she snarls, I fight to remain cool; I brutally repress my natural instincts to press her against the wall and shut her up.

"You came here of your own free will Your Highness." I smirk, keeping my expression carefully blank, not that Elsa seems to have the patience for reading my eyes. She balls her fists in the ochre fabric of her skirt, clearly furious.

"we both know that's not quite true. I had no choice in coming to this godforsaken country, you KNEW I had to protect my kingdom at any cost you slimy bastard." She snaps. I notice the temperature is slowly increasing, the rooms getting warmer. Whilst this is a pleasant change from her usual freezing, I need to calm her down before she turns the shack into an oven.

"alright, Alright! I knew you would come if your country was threatened. We have much more important things to worry about now." I say flatly, raising my hands and approaching her as one would a wild animal. She flicks her white hair over a creamy shoulder, eyeing me disdainfully.

"Like what?" she says indifferently, crossing her arms over chest. I breathe a sigh of relief as the room starts to cool with Elsa's emotions. I move closer to her still, staring down into her reflective eyes. A smile curves my lips; something which I know annoys her.

"Well, how to get out of here for a start. My brothers will have guards posted on all the borders; they aren't going to let such a valuable prize slip from their grasp so easily." I chuckle, even though it's really no laughing matter. My brothers, Eon in particular, is loath to let anyone, especially a woman who he had bound and utterly under his control, beat him.

"We could go through Elmira…" she mutters thoughtfully. I shake my head.

"By the sounds of it, you and the Crown Prince don't have the best relations. Besides, he's the one reigning at present, the king is still in the eternal slumber." I murmur, remembering one tiny little detail which I had all but forgotten. Elsa glares up at me unflinchingly, seeing something in my eyes which makes her narrow her own silver ones.

"You're not telling me something." she says flatly. I smirk, inwardly cursing her uncanny ability to read me.

"You don't need to know all of my dirty little secrets…speaking of which, I'm becoming increasingly interested in yours-"

"How would you like to take a fire ball to the face?"

"hint taken."

"Don't tell me. There's a jilted lover." She tries and guesses at the cause for my hesitancy to go through Elmira. I notice a definite tone of jealousy in her voice that makes me smirk.

"Oh Elsa, I'm flattered, really, but don't worry, you're the only woman for me." I say smugly, inwardly thanking god for the change of topic. She glares at me.

"For your sake, I hope not. Now will you please be a dear, and shut up." She snaps. I laugh before moving closer to her, running a finger down her pale cheek and putting it underneath her determined chin, lifting her gaze.

"Your concern for me is touching, but I will pass judgment on that." I say smugly, a smirk curving the corner of my mouth; she gives me a withering look before wrenching her face out of my grasp.

"The day you pass judgment on me is the day you lose an arm" she snaps irritably. I can't help but observe how attractive she is when she is being obstinate. I kneel down in front of her in the straw, examining her closely.

"You know I can't resist you when you're difficult." I chuckle, watching her morally struggle with the choice she is being forced to make; either continue being irritable and give me amusement, or stop and be nice. It doesn't take her long to reach a decision.

"You can't resist anything in a skirt."

"How true"

She hits my chest lightly in response. I laugh darkly before I quickly lean forward between her slightly parted legs, forcing them far apart, to cradle my hips. She glares daggers at me.

"What do you think you're doing?" She snaps

"You're wearing a skirt." I chuckle as I slide my hand up her smooth thigh; I notice a small glimmer of lust in her silver eyes before she narrows them.

"I just escaped the clutches of a sadistic rapist, and you want to do this now?!" she snaps, her breathing slightly heavy. I lean down my head and lightly nuzzle the warm flesh of her throat.

"you're infuriatingly rational." I murmur into her delicate ear before I lightly kiss her cheek, reluctantly removing my hands and sitting in front of her again, watching her gracefully right herself, glowering at me.

"Anyway, we are getting off topic. Escaping the Southern Isles isn't our only problem." I say seriously, noticing how the gold silk of her dress is pulled tight over a sleek hip.

"A regular ray of sunshine today aren't you? At the moment, I'm just thankful we managed to get the hell out of there." She mutters, running her hand just under her breasts. I scowl when I remember the scar there, undoubtedly placed there by Eon. But if it was, why did it scar so soon?

"What did he do to you?" I ask flatly, balling my fists. She stares into my eyes before she sighs.

"a little torture." She says shortly with sickeningly resigned tone.

"did he-rape you?" I ask hesitatingly. She shakes her head; a movement which makes me expel the breath I had been holding.

"He didn't get the chance." She says lightly, her tone flippant. I reach out and gently tug at the neckline of the dress, she tenses, her eyes flying up to meet mine.

"Relax Elsa; I'm hardly going to hurt you." I say softly. She looks at me cynically, but she doesn't react, and allows me to draw down the golden neckline of her dress just underneath her breast, allowing me to get examine her new scar in detail. No matter how much I try to hide it, my face, thoughts and eyes darken. The word 'mine' is scrawled into her pale flesh; It looks so stark, so ugly, so evil against the snowy pureness of her white body. It's almost like he has desecrated a sacred object, the urge to kill him is startling, I am only distracted from my murderous thoughts by Elsa reaching forward and lightly cupping my cheek. I glance up to her reflective silver eyes, seeing my reflection inside the shining depths like two tiny mirrors. Suddenly, she does something I never thought she would do.

She kisses me.

For a second, I don't react out of surprise, the sensation of her oddly hot lips being pressed against mine leaves me reeling and astounded. Suddenly, my mind catches up with itself and I respond to the deep kiss, oddly lacking its usual fire of lust, I run my hand through her flowing white hair softly as she pours emotion I didn't know she even had into the meeting of our mouths, I feel her anger, her outrage, but also her fear, her fear of weakness. When she breaks away from the kiss, I open my eyes slowly to find her silver ones glittering back at mine, unblinking. I collapse onto the hay next to her, laying my hands on my chest as I stare at the roughly thatched ceiling. I feel her follow suit, or heads lightly touching. She shifts, tweaking the neckline back into place. We lay in silence, listening to the thunder rumble angrily overhead, rain beginning to lash at the shack in the full glory of the storm.

"You know that if my brothers find you, you'll die?" I say tentatively, not telling her that they wouldn't kill her straight away. Eon would never let her get away that easily.

"I know." She says simply, turning her face back towards the ceiling before sighing, a sound containing all the weariness of the world.

"You know, I'm not sure I like the idea of you dying, at least, not by my hand." I say slowly, ending on a chuckle. She gives a small breathy laugh in response.

"I'm touched." She drawls delicately. A smile curves my lips as I turn my gaze back towards the thatched roof.

"So, any ideas?" I say with mock cheerfulness which makes her groan.

"other than go through Elmira? No." she says flatly. I roll my eyes.

"Elsa, the royal pairs feelings towards you probably run more towards that of a murderer then of a saviour. They are hardly likely to give us refuge, not against the Southern Isles." I say pointedly, gesturing my hands in the air for emphasis, not wanting to go back there…I can't, not whilst she is there. Elsa draws herself up onto her elbows, leaning down at me, interrupting my fascinating study of the ceiling. What can only be described as a delicious smirk curves her full lips.

"Use that lovely mind of yours Charming. If someone rejects the advances of the golden prince of Elmira, then it's not hatred they have to worry about. It's obsession. In the past year, I have received over 200 letters from The Prince. All very formal you understand, but all contain a hint of desperation, of disbelief that he could ever be rejected. All we need to do is find the right place to press, and the doors will open." She murmurs, her silver eyes flickering. My eyebrows rise at her deliciously bad musings.

"Elsa, I'm shocked! Isn't that a little bit of bad behaviour for the pure and wholesome Queen of Arrendelle?" I say teasingly. Her half smirk grows, reminding me of someone, but I can't quite remember who. Suddenly, I realise. Me.

"You would be surprised." She smiles. I release a half chuckle, finding myself inexplicably aroused. Little minx.

"You have never been more attractive." I smirk, reaching up and tucking a tendril of white hair behind her ear. She gives a low laugh shifting away from me, no longer leaning above me but propped up on an elbow next to me, watching me closely.

"Elmira it is?" she asks. I nod.

"Elmira it is." I agree reluctantly. Suddenly, she gives a small cry and collapses, her hands pressing against her chest, above her heart. I quickly scramble onto my knees and lean over her grasping her shoulders, my eyes wide with panic as I watch a flurry of expressions cross her face which has grown paler, dark shadows form under her eyes and her high cheekbones grow more defined. Intense, unguarded pain flicks through her features, she whimpers as she grows hot, unbearably so, I have to release my grip on her shoulders and I notice the straw underneath her begin to exude smoke, but she quickly drops back to normal warmth again, her body clearly in turmoil. Panicking and mortified, I can only watch, helpless as I watch her battle with clearly immense pain. Just as I'm starting to pray, she gasps and opens her eyes, sits bolt upright and gives a heart wrenching cry as flames suddenly envelop her fair skin in a fiery cocoon, I quickly stumble backwards, escaping the heat as she is consumed by it. Just as suddenly, they draw back into her skin and she falls down again.

Her pale face looks even whiter, her eyes shadowed and her breathing laboured. I check her pulse, her heart is fluttering, not beating steadily at all. I lean back on my knees, studying her worriedly. We need to get her a cure, some way of getting this poison out of her system before it's too late, but by the looks of it, she doesn't have long left. I shut my eyes in defeat as the howling storm rages, when suddenly they fly open as a desperate memory strikes me. Elmira makes the drug, surely they more than anyone would know how to counteract an overdose. I watch as her silver eyes flicker open, the metallic depths dark with pain.

"What-what happened?" she asks weakly, her voice showing a level of vulnerability I didn't know she had. I shake my head, ignoring her question.

"We need to get that drug out of you." I say eventually. She shakes her head weakly.

"I'm sure it will wear off." She says shakily, but a glint of doubt appears in her eyes.

"Elsa, I don't think you have that long." I say gently, knowing what I say to be true. Her weakness, her increased body temperature…Her system isn't made to contain such heat, no matter how much she tries to deny it, she can't hide from the glaringly obvious truth, a truth we need to get to Elmira as soon as possible to avoid, no matter what (or should that be who?) will be in our way.

She is dying.

The Brothers.

"SHE DID WHAT?!"

Dominic roars, his jade green eyes showing his fury. The five brothers in the room shrink back, but Eon stares at him calmly from the other side of the table, cradling his hand.

"She wielded fire." He repeats again, like a parent explaining something to a small child. Luca and Alexi both gasp.

"HOW THE HELL DID SHE DO THAT?! NO ONE HAS WEILDED FIRE IN OVER THREE HUNRDRED YEARS! NOT EVEN PEOPLE WITH BLAZE MAGIC CAN CONTROL IT!" He shouts, slamming his fist down on the table. Eon examines it coolly.

"My guess is somehow the drug reacted to her magic." He shrugs, his voice showing no hint of the pain he is in from the burns on his hand.

"WHY DIDN'T WE SEE THIS COMING?!" he snarls, his towering height more obvious than ever. Eon shrugs again.

"We didn't know what would happen when we gave her the drug." He says calmly. Gregory coughs tentatively, making Dominic's head snap up.

"What?" he snaps at the claret haired man. Gregory's eyes flicker with fear (he knew that interrupting his brother in this mood could well cause cessation of life) but he swallows and holds his ground.

"We did. The apothecary warned not to take more than one pinch a day. Quite simply, We overdosed her." He says, gaining confidence with each word. Dominic's eyes narrow, but not at anger at his younger brother. His head slowly moves to Eon, Who stares him down flatly.

"Eon. How much did you give her?" he asks, gritting his teeth. Eon waves his hand in the air dismissively.

"A little too much perhaps, but that's not our problem. Our problem is how to get her back." He says flatly, leaning on the table, inwardly wincing at the pain rocketing from his injured hand. Dominic laughs incredulously.

"Get her back? I want nothing to do with her! She tossed me and 20 other men in the air like rag dolls! She can go back to the Isen for all I care." He says with disbelief. Eon rolls his lifeless dark green eyes.

"Exactly. If word gets out that us, the brothers of the Southern Isles were not only beaten, but that we ran scared from a girl, then our reputation will count for nothing. Unless we get her back here, and make an example of her, we will be laughed at from Westleton to Corona." He explains patiently. Edward runs a hand through the front of his hair; Alexi and Luca exchange a glance whilst Oberon and Gregory remain silent. The thoughtful silence is interrupted by the sound of two double doors banging open, the brother's glance up to see William burst in, his usually fair complexion pale and drawn, his grey eyes haunted and wide.

"You would not believe what I just saw." He says, his voice trembling. Eon and Dominic exchange a glance.

"Let me guess. The Ice Queen with fire magic?" Dominic says flatly. William gulps.

"Yes, but that's not all." He says shakily, falling down into a nearby chair, rubbing the heels of his palms into his eyes.

"What happened?" Luca squeaks tentatively. William lowers his palms and lifts his gaze to Dominic's.

"I saw the witch with Dietrich and Nikolai…They were confronting her, and I was about to go and help them when-when coils of flames leapt from her hands and wrapped around them. They died screaming…turned to ash." He says hesitatingly. The news is met with astounded silence; Dominic lowers his head, resting his hands on the table. He remains like this for a few minutes, before raising his head and looking straight at Eon. The words he says escape him in a growl, his jade eyes filled with hatred and anger.

"Find her."

Eon gives a barely detectable smile before turning to leave the room.

"And Eon," Dominic states behind him, his voice deathly calm. Eon turns, raising an eyebrow. Dominic stares him down.

"This time. Kill her."