I hope you guys are ready for a sad chapter. But it is necessary. Don't forget to review when you finish reading!
Chapter 11
The day after Mother and Father's ship left, a terrible storm blew in from the sea. A terrible dread welled up inside me and I prayed for their safety. The captain and his crew were the finest and most experienced that Arendelle had to offer. Surely they could handle a simple storm. They will be back home safe and sound in two weeks. I can't wait to see them! I don't know if I can handle this loneliness…I miss them.
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A week later, a letter arrived from my aunt in Corona. There was a soft knock on my door.
"Come in," I said, not bothering to look up from my book.
The butler, Kai, stepped into the room and hesitantly approached my armchair.
"Forgive me, Your Highness," he said with a bow. "But a letter has come for you from your Queen Aunt." He held out the parchment, the waxen sun seal unbroken.
I took it from him and turned it over. Sure enough, it was addressed to me. It read To Princess Elsa. "Thank you," I said with a smile.
He nodded and excused himself from the room. As he closed the door, I broke the golden wax seal and unfolded the letter. Just like the wedding announcement, there was the beautiful sun emblem at the top. It read:
Dearest Niece Elsa,
How are you? I pray things are well in Arendelle. I wish I were writing on a merrier occasion. But after nearly a week, we have yet to receive my sister, your mother's, ship. Rapunzel's wedding ceremony will be held the day after next. It worries me as the ship bearing your parents should have arrived by now. I do not wish to alarm you, but I felt you should be informed immediately. Your Uncle and I will be dispatching a few messenger ships. Hopefully we shall intercept their vessel and determine why they should be arriving so late. Fear not, dearest. I will write to you soon.
Your ever loving aunt,
Queen Primrose of Corona
A cold chill swept through the bedroom. Frost crept across the parchment as I held it in my hands. Gasping, I dropped it instantly. A sinking feeling expanded in the pit of my stomach. A sense of dread filled me up. I could feel the tingling of my magic at my fingertips as the fear began to take hold. I yanked my gloves on and held my hands close to my chest.
"Conceal, don't feel. Conceal, don't feel. Don't feel!" I took a deep breath, trying to concentrate on not letting my magic out. "Oh, please be safe…."
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The next letter came two days later. As he handed me the parchment, I snatched it. Bewildered, he quickly excused himself. I ripped open the seal and quickly read the words with a sense of numbness.
My Dearest Niece Elsa,
It is with a heavy heart that I write to you. As promised, your Uncle and I dispatched several messenger ships but they did not meet with your parents. Having thus feared the worst, our soldiers and sailors searched the waters desperately and eventually they did come across their ship. During the fearsome storm the previous week, it seems as though your parents' ship had a horrible accident. We have found the wreck in open waters, only half of the journey between our two countries. There were no survivors. Oh, Elsa, Anna, I'm so sorry. How I wish I could be there to comfort you, but I cannot abandon my daughter on this, her wedding day. I'm sorry. Be strong my loves, my dearest nieces. Elsa, Anna, you can always rely on us. Our doors are always open. We love you very much.
Your ever loving aunt,
Queen Primrose of Corona
Hands shaking, the letter slipped from my grasp. There were no survivors. No survivors…. It was as if a gaping hole opened up in the pit of my stomach. A whirlwind of emotions swirled inside me—grief, disbelief, despair, terror. They were never coming back. Mother and Father were never coming back…. How would I tell Anna? What would happen to us now? What was I going to do?
"Oh God…what am I going to do?!"
My legs gave out beneath my and I sank to my knees. Covering my face with my hands, I wailed at the top of my voice. Bursts of icy magic shout out around my. Ice covered the floor in an instant and frost crept up the walls of my bedroom. Bursts of snow exploded around me, swirling about the small room as the true fear and anguish gripped at my heart like icy daggers. Tears streamed down my cheeks. As I screamed and cried, I heard rushed footsteps running toward my room Someone pounded on my door.
"Princess Elsa?!" the maid cried, her voice shrill. "Princess Elsa, are you alright?!"
The door burst open. Kai and Gerda, one of the maids, stood in the doorway. When they saw the icy storm I had created within my bedroom, they stopped short, eyes wide.
"Oh my heavens," Gerda gasped.
"Princess Elsa! Whatever is the matter?" Kai rushed in, but he made sure to keep his distance.
Through blurred vision, I stared up at him. The tears stung my eyes and I know I must have looked deplorable. This was no way for a princess to act. It was not benefitting of my title. I had been taught better than that. But I couldn't bring myself to smile. Hand shaking, I picked up the letter that had previously fallen to the floor. Frost clung to the edges of the parchment as I handed him the letter. He hesitantly took it from my grasp and read it. A look of shock and sadness crossed his face.
"Princess Elsa…."
"What is it?" Gerda asked quickly. "What's happened?"
"The King and Queen are…dead."
Gasping, the woman covered her mouth as tears brimmed in her eyes. "Oh dear…."
Kai turned to me again. "Princess Elsa, we should—"
"Leave me!" I cried. I threw myself onto the bed and buried my face in the pillow. "Just go away…."
"But, Your Highness—"
"LEAVE!"
Snow swirled around the room in a harsh gale, the center focused around me. They stumbled back in shock, but the two of them bowed.
"Yes, Your Highness," Kai murmured. He shut the door quickly.
For hours I lay on my bed, crying and wailing as the terror and despair settled in around me. The curse of my magic grew stronger the worse my emotions raged out of control. Little by little, my tears froze to ice, hardening my pillow.
"Conceal, don't feel. Conceal, don't feel," I muttered through violent sobs, trying to get control of my raging powers. Conceal, don't feel…."
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For days I refused to come out of my room. It was still frozen and covered with ice. Mother and Father's funeral and memorial was today. But I couldn't gain control of my powers. There was no way I could risk going out among the others. What if I couldn't control it? What if they found out? No…I couldn't risk it.
All the portraits of Mother and Father were covered with black drapes and everyone wore black as they mourned. Even I donned a black dress. We all grieved the King and Queen's death, but none more than Anna and I. I haven't seen her in a long time. I couldn't even tell her the news myself, it was Gerda.
It was a gray and dreary day. Sitting in the armchair beside my window, I watched the procession of black. Dark like my hopes. My only link to the outside was gone. My secret keepers. Two large oak coffins were carried on the shoulders of several soldiers up to the grassy hill beyond the edge of the city. I could still see the black parade as they stopped and the priest read the last rites and prayed over the two coffins. They were buried there on the hill, two enormous boulders erected as their headstones. I knew what they said, because I was the one who had dictated their words.
Here lies Adgar and Idun. Beloved King and Queen of Arandelle and adored parents. My your souls find peace.
Anna had been left in charge of the ceremony in my stead, as I was unable to attend. I tore my eyes away from the gathering of black beyond the window. Tears streamed down my face. I stood and walked to the door. More than anything I wanted to be down there with Anna. What I wouldn't give to grieve with her, to hug her tightly, but I couldn't. Slumping against the door, my back slid down the smooth wood. I sat on the floor, knees pulled up to my chest as I cried.
Suddenly I felt a frosty tingle on my nose. And an oddly cool sensation rested on my shoulder, as if someone's hand were touching me. I looked up quickly. Through my blurred vision, I could have sworn I saw a figure standing in front of me. But as I rubbed my eyes, I assured myself that there was nothing there. And sure enough, the room was empty, though the once closed window was now open. The sensation had disappeared from my shoulder.
There was a soft knock on my door.
"Elsa?" Anna's muffled voice came from the other side.
I knew I wouldn't be able to keep my composure if I answered her.
"Please, I know you're in there," she said. "People are asking where you've been. They say 'have courage' and I'm trying to…" her voice shook as she spoke. "I'm right out here for you. Just let me in."
There was a pause.
"It's just you and me…what are we gonna do?" I heard the soft shuffling sound against the door. Again there was a long pause. "Do you wanna build a snowman…?"
I could hear her muffled crying on the other side of the door. We were both suffering. We had been dealt the same agonizing blow. Mother and Father were gone and now we were alone. There throne was left vacant. And now I was expected to fill that vacancy—a task I was more afraid to take on than others might think. But it is my duty as the first born, as a princess.
Chapter 12 will be up next week!