A/N: Thanks to everyone who's followed/favorited and/or is reading but not reviewing.:)
Thanks to bananas-rule-2015 for beta-ing.:)
Cedricthesorcerer-Thank you!:)
Mandy-Agdar is being stubborn...he knows nothing about how magic works and so he assumes that since Rapunzel healed all Elsa's other injuries, Elsa's leg is all better too.:P Well, there's a catch to what's wrong with Anna now, which is revealed in this chapter. (It's not exactly the same thing as before.:)) Again, I think you'll know why Elsa can sense there's something wrong with Anna by the end of this chapter.:P There isn't exactly a law that says Elsa can't keep Anikka...it's just Anikka could never inherit Arendelle's throne. Also, Elsa is concerned that since she has no suitors and doesn't want any, people will think she's just trying to twist things so she has an heir of her own anyway. It's a 'political ruckus' thing, not a law, per se. (If it was a law, Elsa could just change it, lol. ;)) Of course there will be a cure for Anna! Eventually.:) I don't think Elsa could take it again either...it had a bad effect on her enough the first time. She knows it wasn't really Anna, but it still hurt her inside.:/ Well, I guess this chapter answers your question!:) Honestly, part of my updating schedule depends on how far ahead I've written. Right now I have a LOT written, so I still have story to post even if I don't have much time to write this week.:) Elsa met Rapunzel for the first time at the coronation (Secret Passages), but I like the boat ride idea. :)
Elsa Tomago-I think it's been well-established that Agdar is stubborn in his thought processes and is completely ignorant on certain things. (like how to take care of someone like Elsa:/) And Idun too, but to a lesser extent. To be fair, they both just don't want to accept that Elsa is permanently hurt and there isn't a way to heal her leg. Anna, Anikka, and Rapunzel are kind of just, you know, BEING LOGICAL...*ahem* It's a sensible conclusion that Elsa is still Elsa no matter what, that she's not going to randomly be healed when she just tried to stand up without her brace earlier the SAME DAY...etc :P Well, I'm not going to kill off Agdar and Idun, but keep in mind where they'll be going once spring comes.:) (Remember Elsa ceded Weselton to her parents back in Mind Games?:))
jonpatgillespie-I was saying that in case someone got any ideas.:P I'm very glad you don't want Elsa and Espen together. I do NOT like Elsa paired with anyone.:P
DodgersGirl-I think Anikka is cute too, lol.:) I sent you a PM finally, BTW.:) Well, that's good. I hope they go away entirely all the same.:)
Gold17-Elsa just doesn't see herself that way...and she's afraid she might hurt Anikka like Elsa's own parents did to her when she was younger. I personally think Elsa would make a wonderful mother, like you said; although she's going to need help taking care of a child. She still needs someone to take care of her own self, too, like when she gets upset. You should have an idea on what's wrong with Anna by the end of this chapter.:)
On to the story!:)
After dinner in the castle that evening, Elsa retreated to her room while Rapunzel, Anikka, and Kiara went out to the castle gardens. Anna stayed with Elsa, thinking that her big sister still needed someone with her, at least most of the time. Anna frowned as she watched her sister sit awkwardly in the window seat holding that kitten, obviously deep in thought. Elsa kept touching the brace on her leg every so often, as if to reassure herself it was still there. "Elsa…you're safe now," Anna said softly. "I…I'm sorry I hurt you so much like that…"
Elsa let Kolfinnia jump down off her lap and simply scooted over so there was room in the window seat for her little sister too. "It was not your fault, Anna," she said firmly. Elsa paused for a moment, keeping her gaze focused on the floor. She felt Anna put one arm around her, and a single tear ran down her cheek. "Anna…what if…what if I c-can't fix this?" Elsa whispered. There would be so many people in danger. And…and I feel like I'd be less likely to run into trouble trying to fix things if I could just stand and walk properly. I think that's making me vulnerable. And there's something wrong with Anna. I know there is. What if I can't help her?
"You can fix everything, sis, I know you can," Anna replied instantly as she simply hugged her big sister tightly and just let her cry. Elsa thinks she's incapable of fixing everything just because she can't stand or walk properly by herself. I understand, but…that's not true! She just needs a bit of help. Anna yelped as Elsa's little kitten's sharp claws dug into her leg. "Kolfinnia, you climb on Elsa's lap instead," she scolded. "You don't scratch her!"
You cry too much, Elsa. Way, way too much. Elsa smiled a bit as she brushed the tears off her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Anna. Kolfinnia probably couldn't jump onto your lap very easily and she missed. I'll hold her." Elsa took the kitten in her arms and just held it close. Kolfinnia blinked in annoyance at her and meowed, but she didn't try to jump down. Elsa giggled as the little cat's whiskers tickled her chin. "Anna, thank you for giving me Kolfinnia back at Christmas," she said softly. "She makes me happy." Kolfinnia even sat with me for awhile when I couldn't even pet her because of those awful burns… Elsa hesitantly looked back at her sister, her big blue eyes revealing the hurt still lingering inside her. "She doesn't mind m-me, and she's not…scared of me, either…I was so scared animals wouldn't l-let…me near them because I'm just…just…"
"Just what?" Anna asked gently. I shouldn't tell Elsa what I'm thinking…I'll probably just make everything worse for her…but…but she needs to know. I know she does. She frowned as she watched Elsa look from her braced leg to her hands and back again; then slowly hug Kolfinnia before setting her down and then simply limp a few feet away and close her eyes. "Elsa…what are you doing?" Anna asked in concern.
"I have to try," was all Elsa said aloud. One thing Papa was right on is that my leg does make me even more of a target than I would be anyways. I have to try. I have to. Elsa deliberately dissolved the ice bracing her leg in one quick motion and opened her eyes for about half a second before falling hard to the floor. See? You can't do it, Elsa. You're never going to be able to. The memory of Anna taking her brace away from her while they'd been in the cave replayed in Elsa's mind, and she hid her face in her hands as she just curled into a ball. "I'm sorry, Anna…I didn't mean to," she whimpered almost inaudibly.
The second Anna had realized what Elsa had been trying to do, she ran over to her sister; but she hadn't been able to catch Elsa before she fell. Anna pulled the trembling heap on the floor close and just held her sister tightly, ignoring the snowflakes falling around Elsa. "It's all right, Elsa. I know you didn't," she assured Elsa, still holding her close. Please don't cry any more, Elsa. Please. I hate seeing Elsa like this. Mom thought Elsa was going to be all better inside once she was healed physically, but she's not. I know Elsa's right-that I couldn't help what Jade did to me-but I also know Elsa wouldn't be like this if it had been Jade verbally abusing her instead of me. I know she wouldn't. Elsa knows deep inside I really do love her and care about her, but she's still hurting simply because she heard those rotten mean things coming from me. I know that's what it is.
"Please…fix me…Anna, I'm sorry…I m-mess things up…" Elsa's sad voice made Anna want to cry herself. She sounds so little…I wish I could help her. Elsa doesn't need fixing, although I think she meant she wanted someone to fix her inside. That does need fixing. She's traumatized and hurting really bad…well, not fixing. That's the wrong word. Elsa needs someone to heal her emotionally like Rapunzel did for her physically. Anna simply hugged her shaking sister tightly and refused to let go. "I know it isn't much, but I love you, Elsa. I love you lots and lots and I'm going to try to keep you safe," she said firmly.
Why? Why would Anna do that? I didn't manage to keep her safe… Elsa suddenly jerked away from Anna, her slender body still shaking all over as she stared in confusion and fright at her little sister. "I'm…c-cold," she managed to say. No…Anna felt cold to me. I sensed cold. Not the pleasant kind of cold, either.
Anna immediately grabbed the comforter off Elsa's bed and wrapped it around her big sister before holding her securely again and picking her up. "Come on, Elsa, let's just put you to bed and warm you up then. Are you sick, maybe?" She better not be sick again…
Elsa let Anna wrap another blanket around her and put her to bed; but then she abruptly sat up when a bad suspicion struck her, and she began wiggling out of her cocoon of blankets, staring in concern at Anna. "Anna, I'm not sure what's going on, but I do know I'm not sick. Help me up, please. I need to go outside. Now. Something's wrong. Something's badly wrong. You made me feel cold. Either Jade did something to you or I did it when I tried to heal you, I don't know…" Elsa shivered, suddenly realizing her ice-dress felt…off to her sensitive skin now. As a test, she tried to make her signature snowflake in one hand. She could do that easily, but when she tried to hold the ice snowflake she had just made, it felt cold in her hand. Not painfully or excessively so, but cold all the same. What is going on?! I can use my powers, but I'm not completely immune to cold anymore? What happened? I know I can't lose my powers. Okay. That's not it. I know I'm sensitive to heat, but that isn't helpful information…I wonder if I can still detect exact temperatures… Elsa's mind raced as she grabbed the bedpost and pulled herself to her feet. Without consciously thinking about it, Elsa was able to simply put all her weight on her good leg and ignore her messed up one. In one clumsy movement, she nearly fell to the window seat and ended up sprawled on the floor. "I need to open the window, Anna…"
Anna scooped Elsa up and set her in the window seat before opening the window, noticing with a sickening feeling that Elsa had flinched or shivered at her touch. And Elsa was noticeably not scared anymore; she just looked determined and worried, so it wasn't because she was scared of being touched. And I knew Elsa could stand up on her own! All right, she did just stand up on her good leg, but all the same, I knew she could do it!
"Thirty-one degrees," Elsa said almost instantly as she stuck one hand outside. For the first time in her life, Elsa saw actual goosebumps forming on her pale skin, which was unnerving to her even though it didn't hurt. "Anna, you can't touch me until we figure out what's wrong. I promise I'm not mad at you or scared of you, but we can't risk losing our main defense mechanism. We need my powers. I still need your help, though, okay?"
Anna was taken aback at Elsa's firm decision, and she frowned and stepped backwards at Elsa's words. "You care more about keeping your powers than me?" she heard herself say.
"What?! Of course not, Anna! I'd lose my powers a hundred times over than lose you," Elsa said sincerely, looking her sister right in the eyes. "It's Arendelle, Anna. I cannot defend our country without my powers, and we don't have an army or navy, not that that would be much help against magic anyways. Anna?" Elsa flinched for an unexplainable reason when Anna stepped back toward her. …should have made me heir apparent instead of you…it's too late for sorry…defective… Elsa slipped to the floor as the awful comments villainized-Anna had told her flooded through her mind again.
She just flinched. Why did she do that?! I didn't do anything. A little voice inside Anna informed her that if Elsa was going to act like that, then she may as well give her a reason to do so. "You're not just the queen of Arendelle, Elsa. You're my sister!" This is wrong. This is like the cave all over again.
No it isn't.
Yes, it IS! Anna scowled. Somehow she knew that this was something she could fight against, unlike what Jade had done to her before. Perhaps because part of Elsa's magic was inside her? Anna felt like her big sister's innate abilities were pure and didn't mean to hurt anything; they were just inherently dangerous if Elsa wasn't controlling them a hundred percent. And of course Elsa couldn't control and/or direct her powers completely when she was injured like that. That makes sense. When Jade used those crystals, they meant to hurt. Maybe that was why she could fight this. Because it was both. This isn't like the cave all over again. I know it isn't. Elsa is right. Something's wrong inside me magic-wise, and we can't risk it harming Elsa's powers. We'll just have to fix it. Also I bet those crystals are really just neutral; they're either hurtful or pure depending on who's using them. Glancing around the room quickly, Anna grabbed the comforter from Elsa's bed again and put it around her sister's shoulders so she could hug her without actually touching her. "C'mon, Elsa, snap out of it," Anna said softly. "You said you needed to go outside, remember? Here's your old brace, sis. Put it on instead of making a new ice one…do you want a regular old dress rather than what you're wearing?"
Elsa roughly swiped her hand across her eyes and nodded, trying to get herself to think clearly again. Elsa, get outside. Quickly. My friends are out there, and something's wrong. "That winter outfit you got for me at Oaken's when I felt so cold on your birthday when I got sick, please," Elsa said quietly.
"Um…guys? I think we'd better go inside," Rapunzel said warily. She and Anikka and Kiara had been playing and just walking around in the castle gardens, but it had been dark for quite a while, and Rapunzel was fairly certain she had heard suspicious noises more than once. With only one lantern, the girls couldn't see very well. It's probably just animals or something, but…still, just to be safe, we should probably go.
"Aw, we have the electricity crystal in case something did happen," Kiara pointed out, not particularly wanting to go back inside, although she did think it was getting cold.
Natural snow crunched under the girls' feet as they slowly began heading back toward the castle. Rapunzel decided she would start steering the two younger girls in the castle doors' general direction, but she wouldn't fuss at them. After all, she really hadn't seen anything, and the noises she had heard were likely animals, like opossums or foxes or something.
Anikka dropped the stick she had been using to draw designs in the snow and jumped to her feet when she saw something shining in a tree. Not stars. Eyes. "Kiara…'Punzie…eyes," she announced, pointing at the things shining in the tree.
Rapunzel had just enough time to glance at what the little girl was pointing at before a strange whistling sound cut the night silence. On instinct, Rapunzel tackled Anikka and dropped flat on her stomach as she yelled "Drop!" to Kiara. What on earth is going on?! I thought those crazy people were after Elsa anyways! What would they want with us? The lantern had gone out, leaving the three girls in the dark. Groping for another match with shaking fingers, Rapunzel managed to relight the lamp and swept the area with the dim light, trying to see what and who had shot whatever had made that noise. "Whoever you are, we're armed!" she shouted.
No answer other than suspicious rustling and scraping.
Rapunzel winced when she noticed Kiara lying unconscious on her back a few feet away. Something hit her, but what? And Kiara has the electricity crystal. What are we supposed to do? And I don't have a frying pan, else I would whack whoever's after us in the head.
"Don't move or I'll shoot," Rapunzel heard a somewhat familiar voice say. She shielded Anikka with her own body as she slowly turned her head. "Prince Hans?!" Rapunzel stayed stock still in shock as a second figure that she didn't recognize picked up a limp Kiara.
"What the heck do you two think you are doing in my garden?!" an icily authoritative voice demanded a second later.
Rapunzel grinned. There stood Elsa with her hands held out in a fighting pose, her face completely devoid of any emotion, although Rapunzel could read the fear in her cousin's blue eyes. Thank goodness Elsa came out here…c'mon, Elsa, you can fix this. Don't freak out. I know you can get all four of us out of here.
Without missing a beat, Elsa continued, "I daresay you belong in the castle dungeon, Hans. I see why it may have been too nice and innocent of me to let you live. You repay me by going to the enemy." An impenetrable ice bubble appeared around Rapunzel and Anikka with a flick of her wrist just as Rapunzel dropped the lantern, leaving them all in darkness. Elsa briefly panicked before forming a dim blue glow with her magic in one hand and limping after the two figures walking smugly off with her friend. I wasn't planning for this! What am I supposed to do?! I can't 'fly' with only one free hand… They know I can't run; they're just taunting me by walking off like that. She scrunched her eyes shut and flung herself at the figure she knew was carrying Kiara, hoping the impact would be enough to make him drop her.
Rolf grunted in surprise and did indeed drop Kiara, but Elsa's slim weight wasn't enough to knock him off his feet. Instantly Elsa pulled Kiara close and formed another ice bubble for her and Kiara, knowing she could not fight well in the dark not knowing what was going on. Well, I may have failed at capturing Hans and whoever that other person was, but I did rescue Kiara. And Rapunzel and Anikka are safe. Elsa heard two angry voices yelling at her and pounding on her ice bubble, but she knew they could not get in. All four girls were perfectly safe. Elsa closed her eyes and sighed in relief, knowing Anna was safe indoors as well under strict supervision from Gerda. She'd made sure to tell Gerda that any orders Anna might try to give to let her go outside had been already overruled; Elsa trusted Gerda to follow her instructions.
Now that the danger had been averted, Elsa turned her attention to trying to shake Kiara awake. Elsa assumed (correctly) that Kiara had been knocked out the same way she herself had been before, so she knew Kiara wasn't in danger, although it still frightened her to know her friend was just lying so still. Well, I didn't freak out or start crying anyways. That's good. "Kiara, please wake up…please?" she said over and over.
"You silly drip, do what you practiced," Kiara mumbled, pointing where she thought her brother and whoever had been with him had gone. "The thought-directing thing you did…"
Elsa bit her lip as she realized what Kiara meant. The yelling from outside their bubble had ceased abruptly-probably because the two intruders had realized someone would hear them-but Elsa could still feel rough knocking on the ice bubble. Using her air currents to get to her feet, Elsa quickly melted a small hole in the bubble and silently stuck her hand through, closing her eyes and thinking she wanted to freeze Hans's and Rolf's feet to the ground as she did so. I got one of them! Elsa thought happily when she heard Hans's frantic voice fading away and yelling something that Rolf needed to run and then the other voice, which she now knew was Rolf, swearing madly at her. This Elsa calmly ignored and plopped herself back down in the snow, tucking her hands inside her blue cloak just in case. Elsa wasn't sure whether the cold sensation she was feeling was dangerous or bad or not, so she decided to play it safe and keep herself warm. I am so confused with this sensation of cold. And I don't like it.
Kiara frowned as she pushed herself to a sitting position and moved closer to Elsa for warmth. The night temperature had dropped rapidly, and Kiara knew that wasn't Elsa's doing. Elsa's natural body temperature was much cooler than her own, but she was still warmer than the air. "Snow Queen Elsa, are you scared or something, or are you shivering?" Kiara asked suspiciously, realizing the older girl was shaking uncontrollably. I really, really don't think she's scared…
"I'm scared of the fact that I'm shivering," Elsa deadpanned quietly. What is going on?! Is whatever's wrong with Anna affecting me somehow? And why does my leg…hurt? Well, not hurt, really, but it aches. A lot. It never feels like that. "Kiara, my bad leg doesn't feel right," she whispered a moment later, not wanting Rolf to hear her.
Kiara bit her lip, not knowing what to say to that. Elsa's bad leg doesn't feel right? What is that supposed to mean? Of course it doesn't feel right; it doesn't work properly… "I'm not sure I understand," she said finally.
Elsa sighed, trying to think how to explain something she really didn't understand herself. "Kiara…usually my bad leg still…registers feelings or sensations normally. It just doesn't move properly. Right now it…aches. A lot. And…and I can usually feel my powers running through me all over inside, but all my left leg feels right now is the metal on my brace feeling what I think is freezing cold. But it isn't that awful painful cold feeling I had when I was sick, either. It's what I think…normal people register and feel cold as, maybe."
"You're 'normal' already, Snow Queen Elsa," Kiara said firmly. "But I know what you meant. Elsa, you're gonna have to take your brace off if we're stuck out here much longer. If you're feeling so-called "cold", it's bad to have freezing cold metal against your skin." Kiara frowned when she felt her friend tense up all over beside her. Great. Now what? She's going to end up hurting herself or something…
"I don't want to," Elsa replied in a small voice. She slowly just curled up on her side right where she was, her braced leg still held awkwardly straight. Come on, Elsa, snap out of it. It's too cold out here for your friends for sure. Get all four of you back safe indoors. Now. "Kiara…d'you have any ideas to get back inside with Rapunzel and Anikka?" she asked finally. If Elsa had been alone, she knew she would probably just stay right where she was; but with her friends in minor danger from the cold, she wanted to get them inside the castle.
Kiara grinned as she hopped to her feet. "I don't think you have to do a thing, Snow Queen Elsa. Look. Your dad brought a couple guards out here with him to get us. Over here, over here!" she shouted happily. Thank goodness. I know Elsa could have gotten us inside, but this is even better. Especially if there's something wrong with Elsa's leg that's making her feel cold.
The second Agdar reached Elsa's and Kiara's ice bubble, he lightly knocked on the ice near Elsa in an effort to get her attention. "The guards will take that man to the dungeon, Elsa. Could you please melt the ice? It's safe now," he said firmly.
Elsa glanced nervously at Agdar before dissolving the bubble. Then she scooted straight into her father's arms and hid her face in his shoulder. Safe. Papa found us. Now we just have to find Jade and Hans.
Agdar shook Elsa's shoulders roughly and slapped her cheek, not hard enough to leave a mark, but enough to get her attention. "Cease this immediately, Elsa," he demanded quietly. "You are not a frightened toddler. You stand up and take charge right now. You can have hugs indoors in private. Not here." He set Elsa down on her own two feet and frowned when the girl still kept one hand clutching his coat tightly. "Elsa, I swear I will keep you locked in-" Why did I say that? That probably made her upset…
Elsa seemed to suddenly crumple at that, and she dropped her gaze to the snowy ground as she limped over to Rapunzel and Anikka, her arms wrapped around her middle hugging herself like she had done so often in the past. What did I do wrong? I thought Papa came out here to get us… She dissolved the ice bubble around Anikka and Rapunzel, and then just went inside without looking back. Elsa, your daddy just wanted you to act more grown-up and professional in front of others.
I know, but it still hurt.
The second Elsa was inside, Anna hugged her tightly, forgetting she wasn't supposed to touch her sister at the moment. "I'm so glad you're safe, Elsa, and-" Anna cut herself off when she realized Elsa was shivering. A lot. "Elsa…are you all right?"
All Elsa had felt was a sickening sensation of her own normal way of registering the cold inside her with pleasant coolness replaced by a painfully tingly freezing cold feeling, especially to her weak leg. "Anna…Anna, I'm cold," she whispered. "You're eating away at my immunity to cold. That's what it is." How are we supposed to fix that?! That can't be good for Anna, either… Elsa felt someone else pick her up and start carrying her upstairs. "Kai…?" Elsa asked tiredly.
"Miss Elsa, stop struggling. You need to be warmed up immediately," Kai told her. "I don't know what's going on, but I'd recognize the symptoms of being too cold anywhere. You look red, you're shivering, and you feel cooler than usual." Kai set her down in the comfy chair in the corner and then wrapped the comforter off the bed around her. "I'm going to start up the fireplace, but don't get any closer. We want you near warmth, not direct heat."
Elsa nodded but didn't complain as she burrowed further into the comforter. Her leg was starting to really hurt, but she didn't say anything, not wanting to cause any more fuss than she already had. Something told her she needed to take her brace off, but she didn't want to, still upset by the thought of being trapped somewhere unable to stand up again. Take it off, Elsa. Or at least tell someone how you're feeling. "Kai, my leg hurts," she blurted finally, her eyes scrunched shut.
Knowing Elsa would probably prefer Gerda to help her rather than himself, Kai said, "I shall go get Gerda for you, Miss Elsa. She can help you instead."
Elsa nodded and just watched the fire while Kai left and Gerda and Idun came into her room less than five minutes later. "Hello, Mama, Gerda," Elsa said quietly. She kept her attention focused on her scaled-down ice palace as her mother gently laid a hand on her left foot.
"Elsa, you have to take that thing off," Idun said quietly, not wanting to make her daughter get all upset again. "Is it all right to unfasten it, sweetie? I'll leave it right where you can reach it easily." I wish my little girl didn't have to wear a brace on her leg at all. Then she wouldn't be frightened of losing it like this. She could run again, too.
Elsa kept her eyes screwed shut, but she nodded and didn't make a sound as her mother took that brace off her leg. It's okay, Elsa. It's just Mama and Gerda. It doesn't matter if I can't stand up around them. It doesn't matter.
"Miss Elsa's skin is sensitive, that's all," Gerda said a moment later. "It just looks like her brace was making her leg hurt wherever it touched her skin. She'll be fine the second she's warmed up some." Gerda spoke to Elsa directly now as she added, "I imagine you were just frightened by the sensation of cold since you hadn't felt like that before, Miss Elsa. Do you feel better now, perhaps?"
"I'm sorry I made such a fuss over absolutely nothing," Elsa said softly. What an idiot I am… Now that Elsa knew what had happened to her, the fact that her leg ached didn't bother her much at all. It didn't hurt nearly as much as those burns or anything else serious she could think of had. Is Anna okay? Where are the others?
Idun shook her head and gave Elsa a hug. "This isn't nothing, Elsa. It isn't normal for you, and that worries me. Also you did not make a fuss at all. You just said you felt cold." She frowned when she noticed Elsa's sad expression. "Why are you sad, sweetie?" Idun asked, gently lifting Elsa's chin with one hand.
I don't want to tell Mama what Papa said. I know he was just trying to help…hearing that just hurt. "I'm fine," Elsa said firmly. "I'm okay." Wait a second…Jade got in my room last time through the window. I can fix that right now! Instantly ice sealed the window in Elsa's room shut. Elsa smiled at her mother as she added, "I don't think Jade will be coming in here again. Will you help me over to the window? I'm going to seal the entire castle with ice. Then we'll be safe within an ice fortress, so to speak."
"So where's that little sister of yours, Hans?" Jade asked the second Hans arrived back to the cave. "What happened to Rolf?"
"I'll tell you what happened! That so-called little helpless girl you thought was so badly injured that she was no threat, also known as Queen Elsa, just came out to the castle gardens just as Rolf and I had caught Kiara," Hans explained. Although…I'm slightly pleased she rescued Kiara. Kiara is a brat and a pest, but I do not want her near Jade. "Queen Elsa froze Rolf's feet in place so he couldn't get away."
Jade scowled. "It was dark, Hans. Two males couldn't get away from one slip of a girl that can't even run after them? Were you even trying?"
"She has magic, Jade," Hans retorted. "All she did was make those impenetrable ice bubbles for herself and her stupid friends. Once she did that, it was useless to try any longer. That ice can withstand fire."
Jade eyed the fire crystal in her hand, deep in thought. "I wonder if that ice can withstand magical fire, though…" After all, all that smoke made her cough and feel sick before. Maybe Elsa is only invincible to direct magic attacks on her. I bet her powers won't respond to indirect threats to her safety… "Well, it's only a matter of time before Elsa and her sister start being affected by that shard of frozen fire in Anna's heart. There's no way Elsa was able to heal Anna entirely from the fire magic. According to this book," she went on, pointing at a fat book on a shelf, "a natural mage must have complete, utter mastery over his or her powers to completely neutralize and/or heal a heart from magic's effects, whether it's its own magic or another type that he or she has tried to cancel out." And it's impossible for Elsa to have mastery over her powers-she's not old enough yet as far as I can tell. And most definitely not experienced enough. And she was hurt when she tried to heal Anna anyway. I'm so glad I finally sat down and read this today.
Hans hesitated, not particularly liking the sound of that. "What does that mean?"
"It means Elsa's attempt to heal Anna just made it so no one can help Anna now. We've already won. It's a matter of time."
A/N: Hans, Rolf, you are lucky it wasn't daytime or Elsa would have easily captured both of you. Elsa, you shouldn't listen to your father...he's trying to help, but he's stupid.
I personally liked writing this chapter because Elsa actually rescued herself and her friends on her own this time. :) I thought it was about time Elsa actually did something...she's spent too much of the story badly hurt.:/
If I counted correctly, I THINK there are only about three or four chapters 'til the climax.:)
Next chapter coming soon!:)