A/N: Thanks to everyone who's followed/favorited and/or is reading but not reviewing!
IndyGirl89-Yup Elsa's mostly fine now! She knows to protect herself with ice before doing anything else against those trolls, so they cannot literally crush her again. (I mean, Elsa is still just a human girl, and a tiny one at that who probably doesn't weigh much, so she will never have the strength to fight a white troll up close hand-to-hand, forget mastering her powers. She needs to protect herself.) However...Anna took that troll knife...
Elsa Tomago-Taking the white trolls' knife was a dangerous thing to do on Anna's part, but it also will help them.:) Olive's magic isn't purposely inspired by Rosetta's from the Tinker Bell movies, but since I do really like those (except for the Neverbeast one, that was just strange and very "...???" to me) I am SURE there's some unintentional inspiration there, lol. Do you have a favorite Tinker Bell movie? Mine is Secret of the Wings.
On to the story!:) {Before anyone shouts Those are the wrong names!!!, yes I still call Rapunzel's parents Thomas and Primrose, I've used those names for so long. Same with Elsa's and Anna's parents with the name spelling being Agdar and Idun instead of Agnarr and Iduna. I am not changing them now, sorry:P}
CORONA
"The runes translate to 'League of Seven'. Thomas, what is this from? Are our daughters in danger?" Agdar asked, crumpling the paper Rapunzel had copied the runes onto in his fist. Minutes after he and Idun had arrived at the Corona castle, Thomas had asked him to translate the runes from the mysterious magic book Rapunzel had found.
Idun patted his shoulder. "They'll be fine. Perhaps we can help them here," she suggested.
Thomas sighed. "The runes are copied off a magic book Rapunzel found in the library. She couldn't get it out, but she copied the title down, hoping you could translate it when you arrived," he explained carefully.
The crumpled piece of paper fell to the floor. Agdar couldn't help but think that whatever this book was, had once been in Arendelle, not Corona. Magic combined with a title like League of Seven could only mean one thing: there were seven people out there that were probably powerful mages, like Elsa, and that they were meant to fight something. He did not want Elsa to be part of such a thing. "...Where's Rapunzel?"
"She left Corona with Kristoff to help Elsa and Anna," Primrose said quietly. "Look, we know you don't like magic, but..."
"It's dangerous! Whoever cannot see that is an utter idiot."
"Can be dangerous. Key words being can be," Thomas corrected.
Primrose asked her sister to take a walk with her, figuring the two men would probably be more likely to discuss that without them there. She had already decided that before Agdar and Idun had arrived.
As soon as they were gone, Agdar turned sad angry eyes on Thomas. "Magic hurt my children. I want nothing more to do with it, nor do I want Anna and Elsa to, either."
"No," Thomas said sharply. "You hurt your children. That is not Elsa's powers' fault. They had an accident, a terrible accident. Would it be a tree's fault if they fell out of it and were knocked unconscious? Of course not."
"If it was a rotten tree, it is, and I would have it cut down."
"Let's say it's a healthy tree that they have climbed many times. Just once, Anna slips and Elsa can't catch her before she falls. You can't tell me you would think that is the tree's fault, or Elsa's," Thomas said now.
"Of course not. It's an accident." Agdar crossed his arms, clearly frustrated. "That's hardly the same thing as Elsa's magic being utterly out of control. The tree just sits there. Elsa's powers can explode and destroy things."
"Agdar, do you still not realize what you did to her?" Thomas asked quietly. "You caused Elsa's inability to control her powers because she was isolated, hurt, and frightened. She could control it fine before the accident, right?"
Agdar nodded. He had never liked Elsa's powers, not since she was born, but he knew she could at least mostly handle them before the incident. "She sometimes made mistakes, but just small ones. But she never hurt anyone. I told her not to use them, but she would anyway." Agdar thought about the little toddler Elsa that was cute as could be, but could also be a little mischief maker with her magic. I know I hurt her. Simply from seeing present-day Elsa. Sometimes she's so nervous...
"Look, I don't understand Elsa's abilities any more than you do, but how could you think just ignoring the problem would work? That girl has grown up with zero understanding of what she has and what she can do. No experimenting and being confident she could control her powers. Instead she grew up locked in that room thinking she was some terrible thing that shouldn't exist. You've hurt her and you made the potential danger from her magic multiplied a hundred times over!" Thomas was angry now, and the words just tumbled out. "Your daughter has extremely powerful magic that's tied to her emotions...and she has emotional issues because her parents hurt her. That is a terrible combination! Now she's trying to deal with something far past any of our understandings, and she has no experience to do so! Elsa cannot 'not have anything to do with magic' like you want her to, even if she wants to. It's part of her, and nothing is going to change that."
Agdar was silent.
"Disliking Elsa's magic is understandable. Making mistakes trying to care for her is understandable. I don't know what I would have done with her if she was mine. Perhaps I would have not let her play with her magic with Anna, but still let them be together, or always supervised them if they wanted to play with Elsa's powers, I'm not sure. But keeping her isolated and telling her conceal it don't feel it don't let it show is very very wrong. She was still just a normal little kid, and she trusted your judgement. That's why she didn't throw a fit when you and Idun decided to put her in her room." Thomas turned and stared out the window. "I don't know my nieces as well as I wish we did, but I do know Elsa doesn't speak up for herself easily the way Anna does. She's quiet and even when she hates something, she tends to keep it to herself."
"I taught Elsa to know to speak up. She's queen and she does an excellent job despite what's wrong with her." Agdar did not like Elsa's magic one bit, but he was very proud of her otherwise. "She's smart and knows how to write well, and she can obviously take care of things politically."
Thomas shook his head and turned back around. "Not speaking up on behalf of others. You taught her how to rule well and speak up for others. You didn't teach her to speak up for herself. How could you? You caged her as if she were some...some monster that needed to be contained. Elsa was a prisoner, and you know it!"
"Elsa could have left that room anytime she wanted. Goodness knows she had the literal power to do so. She knew she shouldn't!"
"Because you brainwashed her to think that since she was eight years old! Of course she continued obeying when she was older, she didn't know anything different!" Thomas exploded. "You can't tell me you never thought something was wrong. Elsa never cried? Never asked to talk to Anna through her door? Never tried to protest in some subtle way? Never made any remote fuss? You never noticed she was depressed or otherwise upset, or scared?"
Agdar hesitated. "At the time, I thought Elsa was strong enough to handle it," he said finally. "I believed she was responsible and old enough to understand." And I didn't want to admit it, and I was scared of her, honestly.
Thomas ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "But Agdar, she was just a little girl, and then a teenager. A sensitive one at that. Your ignoring the issues and shoving them under the carpet means they have built up. Elsa will be all right with Anna around-she might have to deal with permanent anxiety and whatever else bothers her but she'll be okay- but that's not going to fix her ignorance about her magic. She's missing thirteen years of experimentation and being used to it. That's over half her life."
"I don't wish to discuss this further. I already know what I have done to her. I turned her into an anxious mess."
"She has Anna now. She will be okay. Do you want to help Elsa now?"
"Of course I do! I don't want her hurt again. She's my daughter." Agdar knew deep inside that Thomas was right, but he didn't want to admit it out loud. It was as if admitting it would somehow make it more real. The small signs that his children, now all grown up, were not okay, even now, flooded through his mind again. Anna's clinginess and overprotective ways regarding Elsa. Elsa's skittishness around him when he had seen her be playful and confident with Anna when she didn't think he was around. Anna's many statements saying her big sister was hurting and it was his fault. Elsa's constant searching for approval when she was with him, and the saying thank-you over and over when he was kind to her or gave her a hug. She thought I hated her. Elsa has literally thanked me for not hating her.
Something else came to mind...the two times he had put younger teenage Elsa in that dungeon cell. Had Elsa just pretended to be okay and then cried once she was alone? Why hadn't she made a fuss? But no, Elsa had just stood there and said nothing. She didn't struggle, didn't protest; she was just silent. When Anna had found out where Elsa was, she yelled and threw a fit trying to defend Elsa. But Elsa herself was quiet. Had what he had thought was Elsa knowing what was best and being responsible been just Elsa too depressed and scared to make a fuss? Or worse, thinking she just deserved to be punished? Why hadn't he just believed Elsa when she said that storm hadn't been of her own making? Why hadn't he listened and done something when Anna warned him right before that fateful trip that eighteen-year-old Elsa was depressed? Anna was never around her sister and yet she still knew. Instead he had basically just said Elsa would be fine and for Anna to not worry about it...even though by then he had been concerned since that wasn't something Anna would just make up.
Thomas could see that his stubborn brother-in-law knew he had not done the right things. "You know, you don't have to like Elsa's magic. You can just accept and love her anyway. She loves you very much, I know she does."
"I know she does, and she shouldn't. I can't be the father she deserves," Agdar said flatly.
Thomas just stared at him. "How about just trying? You obviously do care about her and Anna. When you and Idun go visit them, just...be a friend. Let Elsa know you'll be there for her. Let Anna know you'll take care of her sister."
Anna would just say I had better do that and be utterly unimpressed. She doesn't hold grudges but she does for people hurting Elsa. "They were happy last Christmas..." Agdar mulled this over.
"Then just do what you did then. Neither of them are the grudge-holding type. They love you." Well, except about matters harming the other. They do hold grudges for that...
"They shouldn't. I know Anna is angry for what we did to Elsa, but Elsa...is not." Agdar clearly sounded a little confused.
Thomas frowned. "Elsa hating you would make it easier, wouldn't it?"
"What are you implying?"
"Simply that Elsa's not hating you makes you feel guilty."
Agdar decided to be honest. It couldn't hurt at this point. "That is true. I'm grateful that she doesn't, but...it doesn't make one bit of sense."
Thomas sighed. "Agdar, that's not who she is. Elsa easily forgives people for hurting her. She just won't trust them. You must have realized that," he said.
I made her think she didn't deserve anything better for so long that now she's surprised if people are accepting and kind to her... "Tell me what you know about this League of Seven thing," Agdar said finally.
Meanwhile, Idun and Primrose were in the library talking there. "Primrose, do you think the girls are safe? I just keep thinking they might be hurt somewhere far away with no one there to help," Idun said worriedly.
"They may not be safe, but they are together. And I know Anna's fiancée will take care of Rapunzel." Primrose smiled. "I should love to see my nieces again. I hope Rapunzel convinces them to come here before they return home."
Idun looked down, thinking. "I should have sent Elsa to you when she was small. Perhaps she would have been better off here. Safer." She hesitated. "I've seen Elsa. Seeing her now makes me sad. I'm proud of her all the same, but...How did Agdar and I not realize what we were doing? We lied to Anna. We isolated Elsa and unintentionally made her terrified of herself. If Anna had been allowed around Elsa, Anna would have helped her. I know she would have. I think Agdar and I should just let them be. They don't need us."
Primrose patted her sister's hand. "The past can't be changed now, but I don't think you should just leave them be. I'm sure Anna and Elsa would be happy to have you around now."
Idun smiled a little, but then she frowned and shook her head. "We make Elsa anxious. I'll not cause that more if I can help it. That is just selfish, and it's why I haven't written to either of them since Elsa's birthday. She's happy and content with Anna." I love them, but better they be happy without us.
"Idun, write them letters! Even anxious Elsa would probably love to have letters from you. I'm sure they'll come here with Rapunzel before they go home. Ask Elsa what she wants." Primrose paused before adding, "And if she won't express what it is that she wants from her parents, get Anna by herself and ask her. Elsa would talk to Anna."
"...Do you think they're safe right now?"
"No, but I think the girls can handle things. Elsa can defend herself, and she has Anna with her. If they are injured, Rapunzel can heal them. I'm not sure how much help Olaf would be, but Kristoff can help protect them too. They'll all be all right." Primrose was worried, but she was confident they would make it home safely.
"I hope you're right."
DOVER
That knife must be able to hurt the trolls, Elsa thought desperately. I must get it. Linnae was slowly driving her and Olive toward the beach, and Elsa knew she had to do something different. Ice attacks were no good against already icy Linnae, and she didn't want to hurt or kill the dragon, either. "Linnae! Snap out of it!" Elsa shouted, trying to focus and block out the surprised spectators' voices around them.
I cannot. I am thinking clearly but I can't act on my own, Elsa, came Linnae's worried message. You need to kill me! I told you so already!
"Your life construct is lost to you, girl," the troll said from atop Linnae's back. He seemed completely unconcerned and satisfied to wait around while Elsa tried to regain control of Linnae. "You can easily make another, you know," he taunted.
"No! You want me to do that so you can influence another!" Elsa said, frustrated. One of Linnae's big paws swatted her to the ground, and Elsa yelped. What do I do?! I don't want to kill Linnae. There must be a way to help her!
Olive swung from a vine overhead attached to a tree she had constructed right in the street, and landed right on Linnae's back. "Come on, you big icy creature, you! You're squishing your creator!"
The troll screeched and tried to throw Olive off, but she jumped on the troll's back and stabbed it with the troll knife instead. Linnae reared and flew off, dumping Olive and the troll on the ground, still tussling. Olive was not nearly as strong as the troll, but he couldn't dislodge her as long as she clung to his back like a monkey. "Elsa! Catch!" she yelled.
Still slightly winded from Linnae knocking her down, Elsa plopped herself back on her feet with her magic just in time to catch the troll knife sailing toward her. Good, Olive has the same plan I do. Elsa adjusted her grip on it; then thought better of it and literally froze it to her own hand with ice so she wouldn't drop it or have it stolen from her. "Got it!"
"Hurry up!"
Elsa slid herself over to the troll and Olive on a sheet of ice just as Linnae began blowing deathly cold air onto them from above. Her tail flicked from side to side, breaking windows and knocking shingles loose from roofs. Elsa cringed. I've got to do something! "Cease that instantly, Linnae!" She threw up another barrier and shouted for anyone in the area to get indoors and away from windows now.
"Elsa! Do something now!" Olive shouted as the troll slammed her against a lamppost.
Elsa scrunched her eyes shut and stabbed at the troll. It screeched in pain and released Olive, but didn't back down. Instead it snatched both her and Olive and threw them across the beach. Both mages skidded across the pebbly beach and came to rest in a pile of snow. Elsa glanced at Olive, and Olive just stared at her. "What?"
"You were supposed to cut the head off or something, not close your eyes and stab blindly at it! We just made it mad!" Olive scolded.
"I don't know how to fight using my magic indirectly," Elsa responded truthfully as the two of them stood up to face the troll again. We need to keep it out of the water, away from Olive's family. That I do know.
Olive nodded. "Don't think like that. Right now that knife is our best chance. At least it can actually hurt the troll. You have to be the one wielding it because you're able to make it an extension of your hand with your ice so it can't be taken from you." She got into defense mode again; for her it was on tiptoes, a vine whip curling around one arm, her other hand ready to form another tree trunk to swing onto or from.
Anna. Anna used this knife to defend us. She doesn't have magic, Elsa thought suddenly. I can do this. Adrenaline rushing through her, she slid forward on another ice sheet, this time ready.
The troll just stood there and punched her back at the last second. This time Elsa caught herself with her magic and dropped herself back to the beach again. Now what? She glanced back just in time to see Linnae hurtling toward them again. Ice crackled as Elsa's barrier spread to protect her and Olive from the impact.
Linnae crashed into the barrier and fell to the beach, stunned. Elsa could feel the ground shaking beneath her from the force of Linnae dive-bombing into another impenetrable ice barrier, and on a sudden impulse, she mind-messaged Linnae Go to sleep, and sent a strong pulse of her magic into her dragon's head from her own, the message sending over and over. Go to sleep go to sleep go to sleep.
I order it. This is my magic, not the trolls'. Go to sleep go to sleep. Linnae. Sleep. Elsa did not relax until she saw Linnae's icy eyes revert to their normal color and drift closed.
"ELSA, TURN AROUND! Now!" she heard Anna's frantic voice yell. "Get off me, Kristoff, that thing is gonna-"
Elsa felt herself slammed violently to the ground before she could react, hard enough that she knew she would probably be badly injured or dead if she wasn't wearing her ice-armor. On instinct she had just thrown her arms over her face, ice streaming from her free hand not holding the knife. No. I shouldn't have done th-oh.
The thing isn't attacking me, but it's not getting off either. It slowly dawned on her that she couldn't move the knife hand at all, and she hesitantly opened her eyes. The troll was collapsed across her, pinning her to the beach. Water licked lazily at her feet. I...I killed it? What happened?
"Are you all right?" Olive asked, standing over her, her long brown hair dangling over her eyes.
"I...I think so. Just stuck."
Kristoff came splashing through the shallow water before either Olive or Elsa could use their magic to move the troll. "Don't use magic to move it, guys. I find it hard to believe it's dead just like that. You might revive it if you do."
Elsa gave him an annoyed look. "I don't fancy staying trapped under here."
Kristoff ignored this comment and began shoving at the troll, and Anna ran over to help. Soon they had rolled it away from Elsa, and Anna helped her stand up. "Are you okay? I saw it coming at you, I tried to warn you..." She grabbed at Elsa's knife hand and stared at it. "What happened, did you cut yourself with your own knife?"
Elsa glanced at her hand and dissolved the ice fastening the troll knife to it. "I probably barely caught it when Olive threw it to me. If grazing myself with it is the worst that happened, I'm fine, don't you think?" She gazed down at the creature that had caused all the trouble. Wait. I know how trolls die. I threatened Grand Pabbie so when he lied to me before. "We need to shatter it," she said darkly.
Elsa calmly handed the weapon to Anna. Dissolved her ice all over the now-abandoned beach. Turned to face Olive. "Can you make some caustic plant chemicals of some kind?"
Olive nodded but then shook her head. "It's possible but I don't know how," she admitted. "We have explosives in my realm though. I'll ask my parents for one."
"Okay." Elsa turned her focus back on the dead or sort of dead troll. She formed a ball of pure ice magic between her hands, increasing the pressure until her barely healed arm began to hurt again. Then she encased the pulsing magic with ice. "We'll meld your normal explosive with my magical one."
Kristoff decided he did not like that look on Elsa's face. "Why do you know how to destroy trolls?"
"I think shattering rock to bits is common sense. But we could not do it without using whatever that troll knife is first." Elsa went quiet then, but she did not look one bit sorry or disturbed now. And I will do the same to any creature that harms Anna. I forgot what Grand Pabbie accidentally revealed to me.
Anna just hugged Elsa. "How are you taking Linnae home? I don't think she'll fit in the weird underwater vehicle thing Olive's parents brought for us."
"Be right back," Olive said, and dove into the water, her human legs melding back to her mermaid tail.
"...We're going home underwater?" Elsa asked curiously.
"Yeah. We get to ride on their vehicle thingie and since humans can't breathe underwater we get these mask things that make oxygen from the water. It's really cool!" Anna was clearly excited, and Elsa was glad to see Anna happy again. "...About Linnae?"
"I'm not sure..." Elsa glanced at the sleeping Linnae. Surely keeping Linnae asleep would be all right until she knew for sure that she could prevent the dragon from being influenced by outside magic. But she couldn't leave an ice dragon on the beach, and home was thousands of miles away.
Olive popped back to the surface, small explosive in hand. "My parents say they will keep that sleeping dragon in the practice cave until such time that you can come back for her. They're not keen on the idea, but I convinced them. Here's the explosive, Elsa. Switch the timer, and it'll go off in thirty seconds." She glanced at Anna and Kristoff. "Could you two please go back down to the vehicle? I can help Elsa move Linnae, I promise."
Anna hugged Elsa one last time before splashing out into the water with Kristoff. "Please be safe, Elsa. I don't want anything else happening to you," she whispered. She'll be fine. She has to.
Elsa's smile faded once Anna was gone and reverted to her dark, focused look about the troll. She flinched when Olive hesitantly touched her shoulder and asked if she was okay. "Yes. I'm just..." she looked out over the water before continuing, "I swear if any troll hurts my sister, I will kill it. I will obliterate it from existence and I won't feel guilty for it, either." If a human kills my sister I shall kill him or her too. That I would probably feel guilty for though. Probably.
Olive was quiet. This was the first time she had seen the tougher side of the ice mage, and it was a little confusing. The first time I saw her, she was unconscious. Then I saw her at the hospital, and she was confused and kind of nervous. I just felt bad for her. I knew she was one of the mages I was supposed to find, but...I had no idea how powerful she really is. I figured she would end up being one of the weakest ones out of the seven. Instead, I think she's probably going to end up being one of the strongest ones. She's just totally untrained. Also, note to self, don't make Elsa mad. "You keep surprising me," she said after a moment.
Elsa flipped the switch on Olive's explosive and carefully slipped it within her own, counting the thirty seconds in her head. "I can move Linnae with my magic. Let's get away from here," she announced. I don't want to surprise Olive. She probably thinks me a fool since she's the one who saw me when Anna first got me out of there. Elsa closed her eyes and stuffed the magic-ordinary explosive hybrid into the hole the troll knife had left in the creature. She shuddered.
Olive did the same. "Gross. Let's go."
In seconds Elsa had lifted Linnae with her magic and stumbled into the water. "Where do I put Linnae?"
"A raft for now. Hurry up, we have to get away from here." Olive pulled Elsa by the arm into deeper water the second Linnae was resting on an ice raft farther out. "Come on."
Elsa stumbled over something underwater with her bad leg, and Olive looked back at her questioningly. "I'm fine. I just slipped." She dissolved her icy armor and then dove underwater to prove that yes, she was fine.
BOOM. On shore, chalky bits of rock rained down on the beach and joined the pebbles there. That particular white troll would not be coming back.
Minutes later, Elsa found herself gazing about underwater in absolute wonder. It was exactly like Anna had said. Now they sat-or rather, floated-strapped into Olive's mermaid parents' marine transportation vehicle. Elsa glanced down at her own legs, struck by a childish wish that she was a mermaid too. Anna took one look at Elsa's face and knew exactly what she was thinking. "It's...magical here, isn't it?" Anna said quietly.
Elsa jumped, surprised that she could hear and understand Anna underwater. Anna sounded slightly muffled but otherwise exactly like her normal voice. Olive laughed at Elsa's reaction. "My people spent years and years developing those oxygen-making devices. They had better work properly! They help sick mermaids breathe better, and a slightly modified version makes it so humans can breathe underwater too," Olive explained. "We don't hate humans, contrary to what some people believe. It's just we stay far away from them in our own waters most of the time so we don't end up in zoos or whatever. Oh and our underwater vehicles are called merships."
Elsa nodded. This made sense to her. "I...I wish I could stay here. It's lovely," she said hesitantly, nervous the others wouldn't understand her even though she knew they would.
Olive was silent for a moment, but then she decided to be honest, flicking her tail fins nervously. "Elsa, you aren't going to be allowed into Atlantis," she said quietly. "It took a lot of convincing for mom and dad to get them to let you come this far. They'll take you as close to your home as they can, but you can't come into our realm."
Elsa bit her lip and the water around her grew chilly, but she just nodded. Why would I think it would be any different here, in what amounts to another world? She felt Anna gently put her arm around her shoulders and she closed her eyes. Of course she didn't belong here. But Anna didn't care.
"Why can't Elsa go in? You said the rest of us could if we wanted," Anna pointed out. "Elsa won't hurt anyone," she added defensively.
"Because she's an ice mage. If she makes mistakes, our environment could get out of balance. And before you ask, the reason they're letting Linnae in is because she's permanently asleep and can't make mistakes." Olive looked apologetically at Elsa. "I'm really really sorry. I would let you in, I swear."
"It's all right," Elsa said honestly. "I might not let me in either. You do need to protect your realm, and you do not really know me." She felt lucky they had a way home and that Olive's family was willing to pet-sit the sleeping Linnae. Besides, we can't spend a lot of time here anyway. I must get home, I must practice with my magic...hard.
Anna scowled and hugged Elsa tightly. "I'll stay here with Elsa while the rest of you go, then," she decided. As much as she wanted to see Olive's home country, making sure Elsa wouldn't be alone or sad was much more important. Aren't Olive's people worried about offending Elsa? She's the queen and they won't even allow her in. That's...weird. Anna decided maybe Atlantis was so used to being independent and on its own that no one cared if a human country didn't want anything to do with them. Still...it was weird, especially since Olive had said she and Elsa were from 'the legendary kingdom of Arendelle'.
Anna received her answer a moment later as a mermaid that looked like an older version of Olive swam into the back part of the vehicle. "Your cooperation means you may come into our realm with our full welcome, Queen Elsa," the mermaid said, offering Elsa a small package of what looked like rolled up seaweed. "Your passports while inside Atlantis."
"Mom, you tricked me? It was just a test?!" Olive groused. She frowned. Anna and Elsa didn't seem surprised or offended, but then again, Elsa had grown up not being accepted. Of course she hadn't tried to insist she be allowed in.
"...Thank you," Elsa replied, slightly confused. It was a test? Because I didn't protest, they now want me here? She carefully unwrapped the package. Inside lay four large pearls on cords. Upon closer inspection she could see their names engraved on each pearl. Elsa smiled and slid her own on her wrist before handing the others to Anna, Rapunzel, and Kristoff. "We appreciate your hospitality very much."
Olive's mother looked pleased. "We hope you will enjoy your stay, even if it must be short. I'm trusting you with my daughter. She will be returning to your realm with you, if you allow it." She paused before adding, "My people do not completely understand the League of Seven, but I do know you and Olive are meant to be part of it. Please protect yourselves as much as possible."
Elsa nodded. "We will. I shall treat Olive as one of the family."
"Passing through polluted waters," warned Olive's father from the front seat. A thin screen surrounded the mership, partially purifying the water before it entered.
Anna coughed. "It's like...like we're breathing in smoke or something," she said. "Yuck."
Olive had her hand over her nose and nodded. "You humans throw trash and oil and other nasty things in the ocean and it poisons the water. Not you, you, but...other humans."
Elsa wondered if they would get sick. She just sat quietly trying to breathe as little as possible. Kristoff looked disgusted. Rapunzel looked at Olive thoughtfully. "I could heal any hurt mermaids, maybe," she offered.
Elsa touched her newly healed arm, thinking of her own ice under her skin still protecting the bones there. Could she help others the same way? She supposed not since putting ice inside an ordinary person would just injure them further, but she couldn't help wondering. And for herself, she wondered if she could actually heal her damaged leg enough that she could run again. It no longer bothered her, but she was still curious...and she knew not being able to run was a hindrance when she tried to fight.
And the League of Seven would have to fight. Except...I didn't really think about that when Olive and I were fighting. I just reacted differently to accommodate that. My bad leg was the last thing on my mind then.
Also...I cannot leave Linnae here. It's too risky for Olive's people. I need to wake her up and just ride her home. Besides, I should talk to her anyway. Linnae has information about those white trolls that I don't. Elsa was grateful for Anna squeezing her hand reassuringly but not asking what she was thinking about. She had no wish to reveal more of her own weaknesses to Olive and her family if she could help it. Although the Atlanteans had been nothing been nice and helpful, she didn't completely trust them. Humans would be at the mermaids' mercy inside an underwater city. This prospect disturbed her the more she considered it. We should go straight home. Besides, Rapunzel's parents are probably worried.
Anna suddenly spoke up. "Hey guys? I think Elsa should take Linnae home. She should practice her magic with Linnae," she announced. Beside her Elsa looked surprised but then nodded in agreement.
"You're fine with that?" Olive asked, clearly surprised.
"Yes. I trust my sister. She just needs more powers practice," Anna said firmly, in a tone that allowed no argument. To anyone else, Elsa looked perfectly calm, but her tight hold on Anna's hand said otherwise. "It's not Elsa's fault Linnae messed up. She-"
"Is too! Elsa created her," Kristoff interrupted.
Elsa wondered if Kristoff was angry with her now. She silently agreed with what he had said but didn't express this. He's not wrong. It is my fault, I don't know how I made her nor how she functions. I...don't understand Linnae.
"Kristoff, no. You're just upset I was in danger. It wasn't Elsa's choice to go to Dover. Leave her be. If anything, it...it's Dad's fault for not teaching Elsa about her magic when she was little. Then she would understand her life constructs better." Anna frowned. "You aren't angry with her, are you?"
"No. Not as long as she didn't choose the stupid decision of going to Dover," Kristoff said honestly. He glanced at Elsa, who was just watching them with her impassive expression. "You didn't, right?"
Elsa shook her head no and gazed steadily at him. "You don't have to like me to be allowed to marry my little sister, you know. You just have to love and take care of Anna," she said matter-of-factly. Then, her piece said, she went back to her thoughtful silence and looked away from him. I need no one's approval but Anna's. Anyone else's is just a nice bonus, she reminded herself. Deep inside Elsa knew she had to admit she did still want everyone to accept her, but she refused to allow herself to mull over it and make herself all upset about it again.
Anna couldn't help wondering if quiet Elsa was telling the truth or if she was lying to herself. She knew quite well that people not accepting Elsa made her upset, no matter what Elsa claimed. But she knew she would not get an answer from Elsa right now, because people she didn't know would hear whatever she said.
"I dare say I should just ride Linnae home," Elsa finally spoke up. "As much as I appreciate your invitation, I believe you would be safer without my dragon or myself present." This is better. I need to get Linnae awake and speak with her.
Olive's mother gave her a polite nod. "Thank you for your honesty."
"Meet us in Corona, Elsa," Rapunzel said now. "We'll go most of the way with Olive's family."
Elsa nodded, knowing the part her cousin wasn't adding. Too many people already knew about the rock trolls' power crystals. No need to spread the knowledge more unnecessarily.
The second the mership stopped moving, Elsa hugged Anna and then swam up to the surface to wake up the sleeping Linnae on the ice-raft. Linnae instantly sat up at attention and then snuffled at Elsa apologetically. "Please message Rapunzel or Olive that we're off and they can keep moving. I'm sorry for what happened, Linnae."
Linnae nodded and waited for Elsa to climb on her back before taking off. I have told them. You should have killed me, you know.
"No. I need to practice and master my magic so that doesn't happen again," Elsa said firmly. "Please take me to Corona. We're going to meet the others there."
Elsa, you have so much magic for a living thing your size. You need to master it before constructing something like me. Those white troll things want your power. I should never have brought you there. Linnae paused before continuing 'talking' to Elsa. I was scared and confused. I flew away when you and Anna needed me.
Elsa patted Linnae's neck. "It's all right. We were scared too. You didn't mean to harm us," she said softly. It's my fault. I made Linnae. Elsa closed her eyes and sighed deeply. No matter what Anna said to defend her, she still agreed with Kristoff. She had created Linnae. Linnae was her responsibility, and she did not understand how Linnae worked. Olive had looked surprised and startled that Elsa had made a live dragon. A live, intelligent magical creature made of impenetrable ice and could fly-fast-shouldn't be taken lightly.
Elsa wondered what could happen if she created another life when she was purely angry and not just trying to protect her friends on instinct. The idea made her shudder. No wonder Pabbie had told her to take care never to create life out of anger.
I could destroy the world as I know it.
And yet... Elsa looked back toward Dover, already far out of sight. If I could construct many things that weren't really alive like Linnae and Olaf but would defend us...and I could keep them under control...
I could have a robotic automaton army. A way to fight properly.
Elsa kept this idea to herself. For now. Later she would ask Anna's input. Anna could definitely help, and she would be honest.
A/N: Anna and Elsa are safely on the way home.:) (Well, they're going to visit Corona first, but they have made it safely away from Dover.)
I know there are people who defend Elsa's parents, but sorry not sorry, you can talk to me til you're blue in the face and you won't convince me their actions were okay. Yes they meant well, but that doesn't justify lying to one child and isolating the other one. So here, while I still do not like them one bit, they have realized it was Not Okay by now, and are trying to treat both Anna and Elsa better.:)
Thomas fusses at Agdar so much partly because he lost his own daughter for so long. He can't understand not treating Elsa properly, even though he acknowledges that having a kid with powerful magic like Elsa's might be a bit scary.
Next chapter coming soon!:)