Authors note: Ok just letting those know who are curious just cause there are two titles in a chapter does not make it multiple chapters. Everything is tied together, now on with the story. And hmm mystery character enters...in 3...2...1...
CH.10: Elsa's true love
Elsa awoke with a start picturing herself dead or the very least picked alive by vultures. However she found herself in a soft lit room with a fire basking her rather cold skin. She looks around and tries to sit up but a stranger urges her to lie back down. "I'm sorry…but…people need me I have to-."
"You must rest and conserve your energy young one…your journey ahead is far and perilous you must rest." The voice was insistent so she obeyed. Laying her head back she sees the figure stir the fire a bit.
"Who are you?" She asks seeing the figure turn but she can't see much of their face. The best she can figure it is a woman.
"I do not have a name…not anymore that is. I chose to give up my former life long ago to live out here and be kept to myself. For now you may call me Illia." She moves over to one of the available chairs and sits down looking at her.
"Well…I suppose I have you to thank for my rescue. What of the two who-?" Elsa looks around the room and sees the two young brothers of Hans bound and gagged in a chair.
"They will be no more harm to you or anyone else. I recognize them as Roland's boys, very bad boys influenced by a man evil and greedy. I am not a killer so do not fret if that is your concern. I will hand them over to the other local authority figure in the other town over. So for now they are my guests."
Elsa feels relief at this. The one who had shot her was Bryan, but these two were only tasked with taking her out to the desert. Finding herself in a sitting position she looks down at her wound.
"The bullet is out…though you lost a lot of blood in the process. I take it you were a slow draw huh?" The woman knew her well and she laughed weakly.
"I had no time to draw…my heart…everything about me had changed." Elsa shouldn't blame Anna for her inability to defend herself, and yet, here she was and who knew what those evil men were doing to her baby sister…her love.
"True love can have that affect dear." The woman seems weary and older then she appeared and as she looked at her she saw her ices…so much like her own and in the glimmer of the fire she saw hair…just like her own.
"Wait…you look just like me…but that is impossible…" She had always wondered how she was related to her parents when they did not have the same hair color as her. Her skin was also paler and her parents were nothing like her in behavior.
"If things were impossible this life we live would make no sense. I will not lift my hood however, and as to our likeness…coincidence perhaps. I too once felt true love…a power unlike any other, so powerful it makes you dizzy and giddy, everything around you seeming cheerier and blossoming with life." Her hands were animated and Elsa sat spellbound knowing exactly how that felt.
"So what happened?" Elsa knew a sad story when she heard one cause she had to keep her feeling suppressed all that time about Anna.
"It was some time ago in a town far away…not sure it even still stands. I had two sisters whom I loved very much, but one more than the other. Every day was special and grand and we lived looking forward to tomorrow. When we finally realized how we felt we thought we could float untouched by the world and its views…but…my other sister became jealous. She told people and blame naturally fell on me. We were older at the time but I realized it would be best to leave and let her live a normal life…feeling that our love would only continue to harass her."
Elsa felt so sad. She had left to make her life easier to give her a chance at happiness while forgoing her own. While it might've seemed selfish if everyone viewed it so wrong they would not stop at any length to ruin their love; hatred, it was always there and it existed purely to torture one. Even the two brothers appeared choked up.
"She eventually married and had a family while the sister who told on me died bitter and sorry. I got a letter from her before she died telling me she was sorry for all that had happened. I forgave her but by then she was already gone. I never looked back after that and last time I heard from her, my true love she spoke of having…well…here I've been ever since."
"Why tell me this?" Elsa asks. She tries to stand up and when she does she sees the woman not rise to stop her.
"I can see in you the struggle I once faced. Your sister has a chance to be happy…to live a normal life away from what you have to offer her. You feel she is better off with a boy who loves her…and yet part of you does not want to let her go. Do what I could not…save her and never let her go. It does not matter if you are related or not…in the end your hearts are the deciding factor in all of this."
Elsa looks out the window and heaves a sigh. She clutches at her pain and yet it was not from there but in her heart. "I don't know if I can go back…there are too many odds stacked against me-."
"Bah…those sons of Roland are full of hot air. Yes they appear like they can take on the world but be smart about how you take them on, don't go in guns blazing. Rescue Anna and seize the moment." She smiles and watches Elsa open the door.
"Wait…I never said her name was Anna-." Elsa turns but sees the woman just smile at her. Taking a breath she heads out. She was not certain who that woman was but she was grateful to her.
Elsa begins a very long trek back to town. Her body is revitalized and her spirit is up from what it had been. The wind was hot and bearing down on her and she felt like she would melt if it kept up. In the distance she saw a train on fire and went to investigate. It was then as she walked over she saw two familiar faces. "Kristoff? Hans?"
"Elsa you are alive…see I told ya!" Kristoff rushed over and went to hug her then set her down after realizing what he had done.
"Good to see you Deputy…and him?" Elsa looked at the youngest brother of that family that had taken her town and her sister.
"Elsa…I mean Sheriff good to see you. I volunteered my services in helping young Kristoff out…I did good huh?" She put on a gracious smile and after two steps clocked him sending him to the ground.
"You should be in your cell…not out in the open like this. Kristoff letting him go was a stupid idea…I mean…did he blow up that train?" She gestured at the flaming wreackage.
"Actually…that was him…" Hans says holding his jaw and suddenly she looks over at him.
"Well…at the time it seemed like a good idea. I mean one of Hans's brothers had some dynamite on him and the train had been tipped off to me as containing munitions for Hans's brothers and all." Elsa looked from the two of them like they were crazy.
"You are both idiots…but…without munitions they will have to resort to what they have. Hmm…this might serve us well in the coming battle. Ok I have a plan…so listen up." She pulls them into a huddle and moves Hans's hand away from her butt.
"What do you mean the train exploded?" Bryan was putting on his shirt as Red lay asleep in the bed worn out from their time together.
"I went out to see the train come in with the munitions but when it didn't come I got concerned, really concerned. So I headed out a bit and saw the train on fire. Collin and Timothy were tied up and further down I found Drew…dead."
"Wait…are you telling me our older brother is dead?" Bryan smacked him across the face and went to get his pants.
"He was shot and killed…likely by Hans. Miles and Jospeh never returned from dropping Elsa off in the desert…no one knows where they are now." Andrew stood there prepared to be hit again but Bryan could not waste his energy on him.
"This is just peachy…that leaves us only six strong. Hans will likely be coming to make a play on the town with his new friend Kristoff so we gotta prepare. Station a man on the roof, near the Saloon, anywhere that gives us the advantage. I want his head for this!" Bryan put on his boots and after kissing Red he climbed down the stairs seeing Anna serving his other brothers.
"I see you are up finally," she says with a smug look and he then slaps her sending her onto the ground with a few shattered glasses.
"Those boys of yours have hurt me really bad Anna…and I have been nice to you so far. I will have to do something far less nice now." He nods his head at Andrew and his eyes take on a maniacal tone.
"Unhand me you brute…what are you going to do huh?" Anna's lip was bleeding and he reached for her cheek pulling her to him.
"I will prepare a little welcoming present for our guests of honor. Take her outside and rope her up." He watches her struggle as she kicks and screams but he only is concerned for what is to come.
Elsa walks into town with Kristoff on one side of her and Hans on the other. The trio holds guns and each one feels the weight of the situation. None of them speak and Elsa looks into the town seeing a tumbleweed blow by. She can feel the wind stale and lifeless against her skin and as she looks ahead she nearly stops. "No…Anna…"
Elsa races to her seeing her sister roped up against a post with her arms behind her. Her body is ripped into by whip marks and her face is slightly swollen.
Kristoff primes his weapon and keeps a look out for any shooters. Hans does the same but Elsa at this point is still uncertain about him.
"Welcome back belated Sheriff of Arendelle. So good to see you in the flesh; your sister, it would seem she has fallen on some hard times since you left. The thing is…you coming back…not the wisest decision don't you think?"
Elsa hears guns and looks up to see several shooters on the roof above her. A few shooters appear out the doors of the establishments. And then Bryan makes his appearance known holding his shotgun and wearing a toothy smile.
"You monster…I will make you pay for what you did to my sister!" Elsa glares at him and sees everyone take aim.
"Now the next time I shoot you…it will be in your heart of hearts…so deep you won't be coming back. Get ready men…aim…fire!" And the final battle begins.
Authors note: The finale is now upon us and for the future of Elsanna and the town of Arendelle Elsa will have to put everything on the line to defeat Hans's remaining six brothers. Of course she is not alone with Kristoff and Hans at her side. Will Hans redeem himself truly in Elsa's eyes? Who knows turn in for the final chapter coming up soon.