The Ice Behind Bars
Chapter X: Royalty Amongst Thieves
The next early morning was silent, everyone were sleeping except a few guards, the sounds of the morning rooster, four thieves, one ice harvester and his reindeer. Anna, Rapunzel and Aiden, prepared themselves, while Kristoff waited for them at the stables. They gathered cloaks and some clothes, food and water, Aiden brought his axe, Rapunzel prepared her special lock-picks as she knew The Princess's door is not coming down without a fight of lock-picking. Anna kept her bow, and brought extra knives in case any king decided to show up at the last moment. Kristoff last night decided to sleep in the stables in his sled, and of course the four thieves didn't mind, the man was honest and kind, and Anna of course saw much more than that.
They all met at the stables. When the thieves arrived, Kristoff was already packed up and ready to go. Anna felt her guts turn, she was nervous, she was even scared, she didn't want to see the hell again with her own eyes, but she wanted to save the princess whatever it takes and she wasn't willing to give up.
"Okay everyone, mount up." Kristoff told them.
Anna and Rapunzel, sat at the back of the sled letting Kristoff take the lead of the reins and Aiden mounted Flynn's horse Maximus.
"Anna are you still sure about this?" Flynn said his voice concerned and gentle.
"Don't worry Flynn, I'm sure." She replied with a soothing smile.
"Anna, don't you think maybe we should think about it at first? I-I mean what if the princess is locked away for a reason? What if she did something dangerous or what if she is dangerous? I mean the king definitely have his reasons to-" Flynn was trying to argue in a low voice enough for only him and Anna could hear but she cut him off,
"Lock her?!Chain her?! Starve her?! Torture her?!...whatever the reason he did all this to her…her Father!...I don't think the princess is more dangerous than us? She is just one girl Flynn, and we all saw how vulnerable she was, besides the fact that the whole kingdom thinks she's dead. So that is enough proof for me to know that king is the devil of this hell…and he doesn't want anyone to know what he is doing because IT IS WRONG!"
"Okay, okay!" Flynn said holding his hands up defensively, he sighed then, "Well, good luck you guys" he said looking at them with an unsure grin.
"Be sure to cover our back here, would you?" Aiden reminded.
"I know how to cover you guys…I'm just worried about covering her!" Flynn pointed at Anna.
"Flynn, my mother won't expect me to talk to her for like two days at least, so …my mother is the least of your problems." Anna assured.
"Fine fine, please be careful though." Flynn said again, hugging Rapunzel, who gave him a peck on the cheek.
"We will." Rapunzel said with a smile.
And they were off.
The more they came closer to Arendelle, the more it sent unwelcomed, sick stomach feelings. The three thieves' heart was pumping harder than ever, they felt as if they were going to their own doom with their own feet. They didn't say a word all the way, each and every one of them was trapped in his own worries and thoughts. Rapunzel was trying to make a low beating rhythm with her lock-picks, trying to sooth her mind. Aiden was occupied with controlling the hyperactive Maximus and thinking about how he will end up dead by Leanna's hands for him accepting to help Anna in such a lunacy task. Kristoff was leading the reindeer peacefully, wondering what those thieves were up to. Anna…Anna was having an emotional roller coaster. She was angry at her mum, but sad that she is. She felt fear and anxiety for the Princess, and fury towards the king. She bit her lip and kept her eyes locked downwards, taping both her indexes together in nervousness. Then, they were all brought back from their thoughts when Kristoff finally spoke.
"Arendelle is just up ahead this hill," he pointed forward to the grassy hill, receiving silent nods from the others, "So … you guys still didn't tell me what exactly are you trying to retrieve?"
"Uhhhh…let's just go there first , then you'll see tonight." Anna suggested.
"Akhh there it is again…the cold!" Rapunzel said while rubbing her hands.
"I'm gonna race you up the hill!...come on Maximus!" Aiden kicked the horse into a gallop, making Kristoff roll his eyes.
Rapunzel noticed Anna's anxiety, she rested a hand on Anna's shoulder making the girl snap to attention, "Anna….you know we can still go back-" Rapunzel was trying to say when she was cut off by Anna,
"No!..I will get her out of there do you hear me?!" Anna snapped making Rapunzel lean away a bit.
Her ? Who are they talking about ? Kristoff thought.
Anna stared at Rapunzel for a sec, then sighed heavily, "Sorry…I'm just a bit nervous."
"A bit?!" Rapunzel said playfully.
Anna chuckled, "Okay, a lot." She said giving the smiling Rapunzel a nervous grin, rubbing the back of her neck.
"It's okay Anna…I don't think anyone who could be walking right into hell could be any less nervous right ?" Rapunzel tried to cheer but failed miserably.
"Thank you?" Anna said with a playful tone, making them both laugh.
"Well girls, we're almost there…just right up-what the hell is wrong with Aiden?!" Kristoff said tilting his head and pointing at Aiden up ahead, who was completely unmoving, just staring to what's in front of him, mouth open in shock.
"Aiden?" Anna called, but he did not respond, making her furrow her brows in concern.
"Come on buddy!" Kristoff urged the reindeer to go faster. As they came closer to Aiden, they started to feel the unnatural cold, which was much harsher than before.
"Okay this is seriously…getting…c-cold!" Anna noted hugging herself for warmth. When they reached the top they were all looking at Aiden.
"Aiden what's wrong?" Rapunzel asked concerned.
Aiden did not move, he only lifted his hand and pointed at something, his eyes not blinking.
They all followed his hand's way and when they did. Their eyes shot wider than Aiden's, as they gasped louder than ever at the sight. Arendelle, was completely covered in snow and ice, some of the wooden shakes were collapsed, others were a bit destroyed, frozen tree branches splattered all around Arendelle, some of the trees themselves were broken, as if smashed with a great force. Some houses had ice spikes growing out from the walls. The castle, was in the worst condition, it was covered with thick snow, and ice, it almost looked as if it was made of them. The fjord was completely frozen to solid ice, trapping the ships and boats from moving.
"It's completely frozen!" Kristoff breathed, eyes darting around Arendelle.
"Uhmm.." Anna started her voice shaking, "I don't remember Arendelle was like this when we left,"
"Kristoff? Please tell me this is supposed to be totally normal in Arendelle." Rapunzel said.
"No…this…this is not right! That never happened!...Only in winter!...and the fjord wouldn't freeze like that at all!" Kristoff said shaking his head fast.
"hah, well…we're in the middle of July, and I don't know if you guys have your winters and summers the opposite way in this kingdom." Anna joked.
"But…but..no no! they a-always said the kingdom was c-cursed but I never believed it! That can't be!...we have to go to town and see what's happening!" Kristoff demanded.
They didn't wait another minute, they quickly rushed into the town to start investigating.
As they walked into town, they could see how everyone was desperate for warmth, some homeless and beggars gathered around the barely lit fire, others were rushing to get some firewood, some were whispering silently between each other whilst rubbing their hands for warmth. Arendelle's citizens were a mess. Anna can't help but notice how the kingdom's crops were totally destroyed, and she knew that it is very bad for a kingdom that relies on summer's harvest. Some of the citizens were talking to the guards about the lack of food, some demanded to see the king. The town's cobble stone ground was covered in ice. Anna struggled many times, trying not to slip.
"This is not normal." Aiden pointed the obvious.
"Tell me about it." Kristoff said while glancing with worry around his home town.
"I-I-I think they a-are right…it-it-it is … cursed." Rapunzel was trying to say, her voice quivering from the cold, trying to hug herself more with her cloak.
Anna's eyes were watching around with real concern, when she felt a rough hand on her arm, pulling her.
"Get out of here while you still caaan!" a creepy looking old woman cried, her face was wrinkled, broken and yellow teeth, her grey filthy hair came down her eyes, which Anna can see were full with fear. Anna tried to pull away but the old woman kept a tight grip on her, whilst she kept yelling.
"This kingdom is cursed! CURSED I TELL YOU!...this is no God's work! This is the devil's work! A witch! The Snow Queen is angry! Angryyy! She will freeze us all! She will kill your children while you sleep! She has nothing but a frozen heart! Get away from this town! Go! Go!...Cursed, I tell youuuu! CURSED! The Storm came crashing! Destroying everything that stood in its way! The fjord froze! Like her heart! She is foul! we should strike! Arendelle is trapped! TRAPPED in an eternal winter! Summer has vanished through her rage! The Snow Queen is angry! ANGRYYYY!"
Anna finally pulled away, making the old lady fall to the ground crying. Anna's eyes were wide with fear, her breath labored, oblivious to the citizens who watched what just happened, her friends came rushing to her side.
"Anna are you okay?!" Rapunzel asked worried giving Anna a hug. Anna did not respond she kept staring at the old crazy crying lady.
Snow Queen?...this woman is a psycho! Anna thought.
A guard came rushing towards them, "Ma'am are you alright?...she didn't hurt you didn't she?!" the guard asked pointing at the old woman who was grabbed by two other guards, pulling her away.
Anna finally snapped back from her thoughts, and blinked at the guard, "Uhm…" she looked at the old woman again, "No, no!...I'm fine."
"Are you sure Ma'am?" he asked again.
"Yeah, yeah! Thank you." Anna replied with a grin.
The guard sighed, "Please excuse old Willa, she is a bit…unsettled, but she is harmless." The guard said before he gave them a nod and walked away.
"This woman is crazy!" Rapunzel said.
"Yeah I know...!" Kristoff scoffed, "Snow Queen…hah, what a nice children fairy tale."
"We came here for a purpose…the moment our mission is complete, we are never coming back!" Aiden noted. "And this time for sure, right Anna?" he said with a raised eyebrow.
Anna nodded, "Of course…let's just…wait for sundown, and we will start." She said receiving a nod from the other three.
The sun hid behind the mountains, and the dead of the night swallowed the now-white kingdom, Arendelle. The four stood outside the sewer entrance. The three thieves' hearts were rushing to meet the outside world. Anna felt a familiar scene, but instead of Flynn, Kristoff was waiting with his sled just outside the sewer entrance.
"Okay guys, this is it." Aiden said.
"Its weird." Kristoff said scratching his head, making the thieves give him a confused look.
"What's weirder than this!" Rapunzel pointed at the frozen castle above them.
"No screams? we heard only few, and they were an hour ago….and no storms?" Kristoff finished, looking around trying to hear anything.
The three thieves realized he was right, and that made them worry even more. Could the princess be already dead?! Anna thought utterly concerned. "Oh my god, come on we have to move now!" she said, entering the sewers without waiting for a respond from the others, her face showed worry. Rapunzel followed Anna and Aiden gave Kristoff a pat on the shoulder, "Wish us good luck….it's what we really need right now." He deadpanned. Kristoff nodded before he turned and sat on the sled while Aiden rushed to keep up with the girls.
The three stood in front of the frozen ladder that would lead to the dungeon, staring at the doormat above them. The whole tunnel was covered in frost. But they didn't have time to investigate, as they already crossed the line of trespassing, and they need to do it very carefully and fast.
"I can't hear anyone." Anna said, her concern growing.
"Come on…" Aiden motioned for the two girls to follow. He climbed first, tried to lift the frozen doormat a bit, and he realized the ice made it harder to open. Yet thank god for his muscles. They peeked around the room, saw the ice that crawled out from the princess's cellar door. This time, they couldn't see from behind the bars at the bottom as a thick ice-cube covered them not allowing for the thieves to see if the princess was inside. Aiden took one last glance around the room to see if there were any guard or…the king himself for that matter, but all what he saw were other prisoners in their cellars sleeping. They took that to their advantages, "Come on, we'll do it quickly…Rapunzel, you head right to the princess's door and do your job, me and Anna will keep watch." After receiving a nod from everyone, Aiden finally lifted the doormat whole, and pushed it aside. They quickly climbed up and looked around as the dungeon came to a much better view. Suddenly one of the prisoners screamed, "People!... there are people here! Everyone look!"
Suddenly the dungeon erupted in loud yells and shouts for help and freedom.
"Please help us!"
"Get out of here before he sees you!"
"HELP ME PLEASE!"
The thieves were trying to calm them down. They didn't want to be busted, "Please just calm down, we'll help you all…" Anna tried to sooth them, but their voices grew louder.
"Rapunzel move now!" Aiden commanded.
While Rapunzel started to unlock the princess's door, she was surprised. "Anna…this door has 3 locks !" she pointed.
"Well then move faster!" Anna replied.
"They are freeing the princess!" one man called.
"The princess is probably dead!...Help us!
"Anna I can't hear the locks and do my job if they keep it up like this!" Rapunzel reminded.
Anna finally broke, "Shut up!" she yelled making the whole room silent. "The more we hurry the more we have a chance to free you, so please! Let us do our job!"
"Please, just get her out of here." Suddenly a gentle man's voice broke the silent. Anna looked to where the voice came from, and there, stood a man behind the bars, that Anna recognized from the last sneak in as Kai.
"One down." Rapunzel informed.
"What's with the ice?!" Aiden asked.
"There is no time to explain, just please…get her away from here!" Kai pleaded with teary eyes, gripping the bars tightly.
"It's the princess." One woman answered Aiden's question.
The princess…what the hell are they talking about? What would the ice do anything with the princess? Anna thought.
"Two down." Rapunzel informed again. Her tongue stuck out on the corner of her mouth, her hands working with the lock-picks.
"Do you know why she is locked in here?!" Anna asked Kai while approaching his cellar.
Kai nodded, "Yes...but I can't explain now! The king came in an hour ago and he did something to her! We heard her scream and plead, we heard some crashes and wood snapping, glass shattering and the king was yelling furiously! We heard a lot of thuds on the wall! He was hitting her no doubt! Throwing her around! It looked like she was locked inside with a ferocious animal! After he went out again, I tried to call her, but she wouldn't respond!...Please! just open the door and help her!"
Anna's heart sank, she started breathing fast, No no please, she can't be dead, she can't!...That son of a bitch king!
Anna and Aiden's eyes widened with concern and fear. They wanted to know the princess's story, but just when Kai opened his mouth to speak again, Rapunzel's cheering voice spoke.
"I did it! It's opened!"
Anna and Aiden rushed to the door, "Aiden, it's your turn." Aiden nodded to Anna, gripped the door's handle, and started pulling. The door was so heavy, and the ice around it made it a lot harder to open, "It's frozen shut!" Aiden noted, "Help me out," he suggested.
The three started pulling, making the door creaks loudly, ice around it breaking. When they finally opened it, they quickly rushed inside, and what they saw made them gasp aloud, that even made Rapunzel scream, "OH MY GOD!" placing her hands on her mouth. Anna felt light-headed for a moment, and Aiden looked away.
In front of them, the room was an ice cube, the walls were covered entirely with ice, huge spikes grew from every corner, the floor, was literally ice blue, the only other color was red that can only be nothing but blood. Steam started coming out of their mouth as they breathed. In the middle of the cellar, The princess was hanging from her shackled hands, her arms were stretched up at their full length above her, so that she stood upon the very ends of her toes, her head was low, and her eyes were shut and her platinum loose hair was covered in blood. Her hands were wholly swallowed with weird shackles that the three never saw before. And the worse part, she was completely exposed. She was nude. Revealing every scratch, cut, bruise and red gashes. She looked like she was mauled by a bear. Much more worse from when they last saw her. In the room, everything was broken, a table was broken in half as if something landed on it, the broken mirror was lying on the ground, the walls had small blood stains. The glass cups were all broken, glass splattered around the floor. Some of the glass had blood on it, no doubt from whom. The room looked like there was a fight. They couldn't help but notice the huge amount of blood pouring from her stomach, down her thigh and dripping on the puddle of blood under her. The three quickly rushed to get her down. When Anna came to a better view, her eyes shot wide and she gasped, "She's been stabbed!" she screamed.
Anna saw the knife stab on the princess's stomach, explaining the huge amount of blood on the floor.
"Is s-she alive?!" Rapunzel asked her voice quivering and full with concern and fear.
"We don't have time to check! Come on help me get her down!" Aiden said.
When Aiden got a better look of her arms, he saw cuts and bruises, but the most thing he was concerned about was her left arm. It was swollen badly, the skin color was blue and purple, Please don't be broken! Aiden thought. He quickly grabbed his axe and brought it with full force on the shackles that covered her hands, but the moment the axe contacted the shackles, it reflected back with a loud TING!
"What the!" Aiden said, looking confused at the shackles that are still unharmed, not even a scratch. Then he leaned closer to look at the shackles and he gasped. "God….it's made of titanium!"
"You have got to be kidding me!" Rapunzel said facepalming.
"Then break the chains ya bozo! We'll remove the shackles later!" Anna commanded, removing her grey cloak and wrapping it gently around the unconscious body of the princess.
Aiden quickly grabbed the chains and broke them with his axe. The moment the chains shattered from the hook, from which they were attached to. The princess's body collapsed to the ground, but Anna and Rapunzel quickly held her before she gets harmed. Though, both quickly recoiled away when the princess landed safely on the ground, her body limp, that her head quickly rolled to the side."Holy crap!...Anna, she's like ice!" Rapunzel yelled brushing her hand away.
"Well of course she is! Can't you already see this place!" Anna flailed her hands around the frozen room.
All of them quickly knelt next to the Princess's body. Aiden tried to look for any sign of life, he tried to look for a breath, but he found none. He shook his head at Anna.
Anna's eyes began tearing up, No no please she can't be dead! God please! Please help her! Anna's heart was pumping harder than ever, tears rolled down her cheeks, then she was suddenly brought back with Aiden's joyful voice, "She's alive!" he pointed.
"What?" Anna asked desperately, thinking that she was just hallucinating.
"I can feel her pulse!" he said.
"Quickly now! We have to bring her back! She's still bleeding." Rapunzel reminded.
Anna exhaled a breath she didn't knew she kept and nodded quickly, Aiden rushed to carry the princess gently, resting her head on his chest. Aiden felt his heart ripped out, she was very light, he barely felt he was carrying anything, yet he started shivering, as the princess's body was very cold.
Just when they were about to walk out the cellar, they heard it, footsteps descending the stairs from behind the main dungeon door. "oh no….Come on!" Aiden whispered.
When they went out of the cellar, the other prisoners started shouting at them.
"The princess! Is she alive?!"
"They got her!"
"Hurry now, get her out of here!"
Rapunzel quickly slid inside the sewers again, helping Aiden with the princess. Cries and Pleads from the prisoners can be heard. Anna froze, she didn't know what she should do. Should I help them?! Should I just go?! What should I do?! Anna thought.
"Anna come on!" Aiden yelled from down the sewers.
Step. Step. Step.
"Anna!" Rapunzel screamed.
Step. Step.
Then Kai's voice brought her back, "Please please just get the princess out of here! Don't worry about us, just keep her away from here!"
Anna ran towards Kai's cellar, holding his hands in hers, then he spoke again, tears coming down from his cheeks, "Please promise me to keep her safe! Away from here whatever It takes!..."
"I will. I promise" Anna replied, new tears coming down her cheeks.
Step step step … Then they heard the door being unlocked.
Kai's hands began trembling in Anna's "Whatever you'll see don't let her feel different from the rest! Please! She deserve better than this! Now go! Gooo! GOOO!"
Anna was confused, she didn't understand what he was talking about, but she didn't have time to think. She quickly let go of his hands and ran down the sewers, closing the doormat, the pleads of the others in the dungeon still creeping in her ears. She gave the doormat one last glance before she hurried to catch up with Aiden and Rapunzel whom were rushing to the exit.
"What were you thinking?!" Rapunzel asked angrily.
"It doesn't matter, let's just get out of here now." Anna replied, eyes fixated at moonlight from the exit.
Kristoff began to worry when none of the thieves returned, it's been two hours and there was no sign of them, but his worries quickly vanished when he turned at the sounds of splashes coming from the sewer entrance, they are back! He thought, an excited smile on his face. When the three emerged from the exit, Kristoff's face fell to a shocked expression. He ran towards them, "Who's this?!...where did you-and SHIVER MY TIMBERS AND CALL ME WOODY!...WHAT HAPPENED?!" he screamed when he saw the woman's tortured body.
"We'll explain later Kristoff! Quickly now! To the sled!" Anna commanded.
Kristoff was lost for words, he was gapping at what those three wanted to retrieve. He wanted an explanation; he was horrified at the sight. He noticed the poor woman's bloodied face, her hands, which were shackled with strange metal in which he could see that the chains were broken. "Is she a prisoner!?...a criminal?!" he asked concerned. No one could be shackled with such things unless they are utterly dangerous or crazy! He thought.
"Kristoff!" Anna yelled snapping him to attention, "I'll explain everything when we get back! Right now, we have to get away from here!" she paused then, "And no we don't know yet, what we know so far is that she is a princess."
"WHAT?!" Kristoff yelled gripping his hair in frustration.
"Look, I know everything looks crazy right now! But please Kristoff! We need your help!" Anna tried to convince him.
Kristoff kept staring at the woman in Aiden's arms, yet he found his legs taking him to the sled without uttering a word, eyes still wide, mouth slightly open.
Anna and Rapunzel quickly climbed the sled and helped Aiden place the unconscious princess gently at the back of it.
"God, she's so cold!" Rapunzel said, removing her cloak and placing it on top of Anna's cloak which was already wrapping the princess and now stained with blood.
"Thank youuuu, for pointing the obvious!" Anna mocked.
Rapunzel sat next to Kristoff, and Anna sat next to the platinum blonde's body, resting the princess's head in her lap, looking at her with complete angst, pushing the platinum bangs from her face, which showed agony. She's really in pain. She thought tears forming at the corner of her eyes as she watches the princess's pained unconscious expression.
Aiden quickly mounted Maximus and nodded at Kristoff to start leading his reindeer back to the fort. And so they were off leaving behind a raging king.
The moment Kai saw the platinum head disappear into the sewers, joyful tears rolled down his cheeks like waterfalls. She's free, she's free! He thought. This woman…she saved her!...Anna…her name was Anna!..Wait. How?! Could it be?! No, no. I'm definitely just exaggerating. Kai was thinking then he was brought back from his thought when the dungeon door opened, revealing the king and Mad. Kai smirked, there is a surprise waiting for you.
The moment the king saw Elsa's door opened, his eyes widened and he ran towards the door. He pushed it open harder and started panicking, "No…No this can't be!" he started darting his eyes around, searching for his daughter. He pushed the broken table aside, trying desperately to find her. "Where is she?! WHERE IS SHE!?" He searched and searched like a dog sniffing for a bone. "How did she escape!? HOW?!" Mad watched in shock as the king raged and threw objects around. When the king's mind finally settled, the king fell to his knees and ran his hands threw his hair in irritation, his eyes wide staring at nothing but the bloody ice floor. Mad kept silent, cowered a bit, not willing to stand in the king's way. Kai and the prisoners felt happy for the first time in years, they wanted the king to suffer for what he did to them, and mostly what he did to Elsa.
"Do you know what that means?!" the king finally spoke, breathing fast.
Mad didn't respond, he only shook his head.
"IT MEANS ARENDELLE WILL BE STUCK IN HER WINTER!" the king shrieked.
"U-u-uhm y-your majesty, even i-if she escaped, she won't survive with such wounds, and d-d-definitely not with the l-last one." Mad tried to speak, his voice quivering from fear of the king.
"I thought killing her will stop the winter she brought upon us!" the king said turning to look at Mad in the eyes.
"I-I-It will , y-your majesty….the moment she is dead, everything sh-she casted will come to an end."
"How did she escape then!? I stabbed her myself! How was she able to escape!? She couldn't even move ! I made sure of that!" the king yelled, standing up and walking towards Mad, his hands fisting, making Mad back away.
"Y-your majesty, please…I can assure you, she won't s-survive this!" Mad tried to reason, bringing his hands up defensively.
The king grabbed Mad from his throat and pushed him up his feet, slamming him to the wall, "Did you free her?!" the king asked, his voice full with rage and intimidation.
Mad's eyes shot wide, "What?! No, no, no, no, no. I-I didn't I swear to you, my lord!"
The king squeezed tighter, "What makes me so sure?" he asked with an evil, sanguine smirk.
Mad struggled to breath, he tried to speak, but couldn't as the king squeezed tighter. Then he managed to ask one question, "What if …someone…helped her?"
The moment the question shot out from Mad's mouth, the king's eyes widened, and he let go of Mad, making him collapse to the ground, gasping for air.
The king stood, shocked, eyes wide, "You're right…someone did help her," he said staring at nowhere. His eyes finally turned to the broken chains, his face turned dour, then he looked at the other cellars, "And I will find out who."
"Okay guys, we'll arrive in a few minutes." Kristoff informed.
Anna was really worried as the bleeding is not stopping, she tried to wipe away the sweat overwhelming the princess's forehead, "Just hang in there," Anna said, her voice gentle, full with concern, as the princess was mumbling random things, even though she is unconscious, Anna had managed to hear a few. "I'm….sorry….please…papa….no…monster" she mumbled while her breath became faster.
Rapunzel and Anna exchanged concerned looks. What did he do to her?! Why did he do all this?! Anna thought.
"Is she gonna be okay?!" Rapunzel asked furrowing her eyebrows in concern.
"I don't know…" Anna confessed, wiping more sweat from the princess's forehead. "She's still very cold…" Anna noted worryingly looking at the amount of cloaks covering the princess. "How is she even sweating while she's cold?!"
"You tell me…after what I've seen today in this kingdom, I don't think anything else will be weirder." Rapunzel tried to joke, but failed when she saw Anna bit her lip in fear when the princess coughed blood.
"Come on Kristoff!...Faster! She can't hold on any longer!" Anna urged.
"She reminds me of someone…" Rapunzel suddenly blurted.
"What?" Anna asked confused.
"I don't know…she looks…familiar." Rapunzel said again.
Anna stared at the princess's face, and started feeling the same familiar thing Rapunzel is talking about, but was brought back from her thoughts when Kristoff yelled happily, "We're here!...there! Come on, buddy!" He flicked the reins, urging his reindeer to go faster, "Okay girls, be ready. Almost there."
Anna started caressing the princess's hair, "Hang on please hang on….we're almost there, you'll be fine…I promise."
"She's still losing a lot of blood Anna," Rapunzel pointed the obvious as she stared at the big amount of blood staining the cloaks.
Anna didn't respond, she kept praying for the princess's well being, Please…please let her live!...oh god please!
"Open the gates!" they heard one of the fort guards yell from afar.
People started pointing at them, and rounding them as they saw Aiden carry a pale woman off the sled.
"Call for my mum NOW!" Anna shouted at one of the guild members who nodded and scurried off to oblige.
Flynn came rushing to them, "You did it!" he said happily but his face quickly fell when he saw the princess's state.
"Move away!" Aiden shouted at the crowd as he passed them, trying to reach the sanctuary.
They all rushed inside, followed by Kristoff, Rapunzel, Flynn and multiple other members. Anna quickly led them to a room where a table lay in the middle, "Clear this now!" she commanded the others to clear the table. Without wasting any time, they quickly did as she asked.
Aiden placed the trembling, bleeding princess on the table, her breath was becoming more labored, Anna began to panic, but she was startled when she heard Brandon's voice, "Anna!" he called rushing to her through the crowd, "Who's this?! What happened?! Where were you?!" he asked looking at her then his eyes fell on the princess, and they widened, "By the love of thieves…who did this?!" he asked taking a better look.
"Look I'll explain everything later! Now where's my mum!?" just when Anna asked, she heard her mother's voice from behind the crowd. "Okay now, move it move it, let me through!" Leanna said sternly, followed by her assistants.
When she came to view, Anna quickly ran towards her and hugged her mother, Leanna hugged back quickly, "Mother mother you have to help her please!" Anna pleaded, receiving a reassuring nod from Leanna.
"Alright, dear." She said before she quickly came close to the table, trying to examine the poor woman. Leanna started unwrapping the blood stained cloak from the woman's body then realized that it was the only thing that covered the woman. As she lifted her head, she saw how the room was full with people, staring concerned and horrified at the sight, "Everyone out!" she commanded, everyone quickly obliged, not willing to disobey her, Aiden and Flynn hesitated for a minute, but they don't have time to argue now, so they rushed outside the room, pushing the others out, giving Leanna and her assistants some space. "Anna. Rapunzel. You stay here." Leanna commanded.
When the room cleared, Leanna started removing the cloak; there is no time for modesty when the woman in front of her is in such conditions. Leanna felt how cold the woman was, she felt a bit strange at the sight of the woman's sweat soaked platinum blonde hair, but she quickly shook it off. The whole room gasped as they saw the blood, the gashes, the bruises and the cuts. The princess's pale back was in the worst condition, as fresh whipping marks spread all over it, some are split, and have blood escaping out of them. Her back was horribly disfigured. Leanna quickly realized that this is the work of a Roman Scourge.
Her eyes widened when she saw the strange shackles, still gripping and hiding the woman's hands. "Oh…my…..What are these!?" Leanna asked furrowing her brow at Anna and Rapunzel. She healed a lot of people through the years, saw many severe injuries and blood, but this?...This was insanity, this was horrifying. There wasn't a part of her body that wasn't agonizingly painful to look at.
"We tried to remove them, but…well they are made of titanium, so we need to remove them with cunning, and we didn't actually have time for this when we were getting her out!" Anna explained.
Getting her out?! Leanna thought.
"Where did you find her like this?! Where were you?!" Leanna asked angrily.
When they opened their mouth to answer her, suddenly, the princess started mumbling again, her voice was very weak and quivering, that sent stabs threw Leanna's heart. "Monster…n-no…frozen…d-dead...guilty", her mumbles accompanied with coughs that sent blood splattering Leanna's face. "Leanna, she's losing a lot of blood!" One of the assistants noted. Leanna quickly wiped the blood off her face and grew very worried for some reason she did not know. "She's so pale!" another assistant pointed out. The princess was overwhelmed with sweat, dirt, blood and wounds. Then Leanna was the one that saw how the princess was opening her eyes, yet still unconscious, and when she did, at the sight of the cyan color, Leanna gasped louder than ever, sending herself backwards to the ground, her eyes wider than ever, making the others look at her with concern. "No…no!" Leanna said shaking her head vigorously, No no please, that can't be! She thought.
Anna tried to reach her, "Mother, are you alright?!" she asked worriedly, but Leanna didn't seem to hear Anna's concerned question. The whole room was staring at her in confusion, yet she was only seeing one woman in front of her. One platinum blonde woman with cyan eyes, lying on the table, unconscious, tortured, bleeding and dying slowly. Please that can't be true! This is not her! Leanna thought to herself, she crawled away from the table, then quickly stood, trembling, flinching away, "NOOO!" she turned and rushed out of the room, stumbling her way out.
Anna and the others looked at each other in concern, "mother wait!" Anna called but was pulled back by Rapunzel,
"You stay here with her!" she said pointing at the princess who fell to the darkness again. "I'll go see what happened and bring her back." She finished then rushed to catch up with Leanna.
Outside the room, a lot of people waited for an explanation and answers. Whispers and mumblings can be heard around it,
"I never saw something like that!" one man said to the other.
"Poor thing..." another said shaking his head.
"Did you see her!?" a woman asked.
Tyler came and stood in front of Aiden and Flynn, "What is the meaning of this?!...who is this woman?!" he asked looking at Aiden with angry eyes.
"Uhm can't you feel how cold this room suddenly became?" Flynn tried to change subject but failed as Tyler glared at him, making him lower his head.
Aiden gulped, "This…this is…" Aiden sighed then "...the princess of Arendelle." He said making the whole room gasp, erupt into even louder whispers and murmurs.
"A Princess!"
"Royalty amongst us!"
"We are doomed!"
Brandon's eyes widened in recognition, "What did you say...?" he breathed.
Aiden groaned in frustration, "Look, when you sent us to Arendelle, we kind of ended up in the dungeons, and we accidentally saw something we were not suppose to see!" he said pointing at the door, where Leanna and the others are healing the princess. "The king himself was torturing her! And Anna insisted on getting her out!" Aiden finished, feeling a bit guilty throwing it all on Anna.
"You brought a royal here!?" Tyler yelled slamming the desk he was behind. "Do you realize what you've done?!"
Brandon sank to the chair, placing a hand on his forehead, his eyes not blinking once. It's her…it's her! Then suddenly everyone was startled as they saw Leanna rushing out of the room, her eyes teary and full with terror not looking at anyone, she just wanted to run away from what she saw. she knows. Brandon thought.
"What the hell is wrong with Leanna?!" Flynn asked. This was the first time in their whole life, seeing Leanna showing any sign of stress or sadness. They were all shocked, why is she so afraid ? what happened in there? Aiden thought, then was snapped out of his thought when he saw Rapunzel rushing out from the room too, motioning for them to follow. Flynn, Aiden, Tyler and Brandon gave each other a confused look then quickly followed her to where Leanna went.
Leanna rushed inside her room, placing a hand on her mouth in disbelieve, Oh my god, please that can't be her please! She thought, pacing back and forth, she's dead! They said she died!
Then the others finally made it to her room, "Leanna what happened?! Why did you leave her?! We need you now! She's dying!" Aiden tried to reason.
But she already died….8 years ago! Leanna thought, not looking at anyone but inside her mind.
"Leanna what's wrong!...speak god damn it!" Tyler demanded.
"Why were you scared of her?!" Rapunzel asked concerned. "You looked at her as if you saw a monster!"
Leanna kept pacing back and forth, tears rushing down her cheeks, her hand still on her mouth, shaking her head in disbelieve, "you don't understand…" she whispered, stopped pacing then gave Brandon a surrendered look.
Leanna looked at Rapunzel with worried eyes, "Rapunzel…please, when you were bringing her here….did you see anything…unusual?"
Rapunzel was confused at first but she spoke anyway, "Well…hah…we did see ice all ove-" she was saying but was cut off by Leanna's loud sob.
"Oh god…it's her!" She said before she placed a hand on her forehead, and gave Brandon one last glance, that could mean, 'I'm going to tell them'.
Brandon stared at her in concerned, nodded slowly and then looked away and lowered his head.
"What can't we understand?!...do…do you know her!?" Rapunzel asked trying to reach for Leanna's shoulder.
Leanna quickly shrugged away and turned her back to them, her arms hugging her middle in anxiety, closed her eyes, her heart pumping, "I…I-I do…" she replied with a cracking breath.
The other's eyes widened, "well how do you know her!?" Tyler asked crossing his arms.
Leanna tensed at the question, squeezing her eyes tighter, she sighed then "That's…." she tried to say, her back still turned to the others. "That's my daughter." She finally revealed, confusing the other more and more.
Flynn laughed bitterly, "What?...She can't be your daughter unless you're…unless you're….oh my god…." He said his jaw dropping, he started backing away from Leanna, and so does the others.
"W-who….who are you?!" Rapunzel asked, holding a hand up, taking a step back.
Leanna finally turned. Back straight as an arrow, she looked at them with teary, most yielding eyes, her face full with sorrow. "My name…..is Queen Aphrodite of Arendelle…..and that's my daughter."