Chapter 8: Elsa's Magic Revealed
"Elsa," Anna began. "I mean, Queen. Me again. May I present Prince Hans of the Southern Isles."
"Your Majesty," Hans bowed.
They then spoke at the same time. "We would like your blessing of our marriage."
My jaw dropped as Elsa asked, "Marriage?"
"Yes," Anna squealed.
"I'm sorry. I'm confused," Elsa said.
"You're not the only one," I muttered, low enough that Anna and Hans didn't hear me.
"Well, we haven't worked out all the details ourselves," Anna said. "We'll need a few days to plan the ceremony. Of course we'll have soup, roast and ice cream. Wait! Could we live here?"
"Here?" I sensed Elsa's mounting confusion.
"Absolutely," Hans replied.
"Anna," Elsa began.
"Oh, we could invite all twelve of your brothers to stay with us," Anna continued.
"Wait. What? No, no, no," Elsa said.
"Of course we have the room. I just don't know..." Anna continued.
"Wait," Elsa said firmly. "No one's brothers are staying here. No one is getting married."
"Wait, what?" Anna asked.
"May I talk to you, alone, please?" Elsa asked.
"No," Anna replied. "Whatever you have to say you can say to both of us."
"Fine, you can't marry a man you just met," Elsa said evenly.
"You can, if it's true love," Anna shot back.
I sighed. The only example of true love I had seen was Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala and it had taken them ten years to get together.
"Anna, what do you know about true love?" Elsa asked.
"More than you," Anna shot back. "All you know is how to shut people out."
"You asked for my blessing but my answer is no," Elsa said coolly. "Now excuse me."
"Your Majesty," Hans began. "If I may ease your…"
"No, you may not," Elsa said. "I think you should go."
Passing a guard, she said, "The party is over. Close the gates."
"Yes, Your Majesty," the guard replied.
"Wait, Elsa, no," Anna protested, leaping forward and ripping off Elsa's glove, before I could stop her. "No. No. Wait."
"Give me my glove," Elsa replied, reaching with her still gloved hand.
"Elsa, please, please, I can't live like this anymore," Anna begged.
"Then leave," Elsa said coldly.
"What did I ever do to you?" Anna demanded.
"Enough, Anna," Elsa grated out.
"No! Why do you shut me out? Why do you shut the world out? What are you so AFRAID OF?" Anna demanded.
Elsa whirled and, waving her ungloved hand, said, "I said ENOUGH!"
She froze and looked at me, a wave of horror spreading through her and from everyone except for me. I silently asked why was this kept secret from me? I was her twin, for Force sake. It's not like I'd ever tell anyone.
Everyone else gasped in shock and horror. "Sorcery," the Duke of Weselton said, hiding behind his brute of a bodyguard. "I knew there was something dubious going on here."
"Elsa," Anna whispered.
"You got what you wanted," I muttered to Anna as Elsa fled the room. "Now you know why she shuts out you and the world."
Then I followed Anna in search of Elsa.
We soon found her racing across the fjord. "Elsa!" Anna called helplessly.
Calling on the Force, I leapt gracefully onto the iced-over fjord and quickly pursued Elsa until she disappeared into a blizzard. I turned back to the castle then.