Two days later
If the first day of Anna being back with her friends and family was tough enough, the following two days had been, to quote Kristoff, "Unbearable!"
And it was easy to see why.
Let us go back to the first day, dear readers. After managing to calm Anna down and get her checked up, the doctors had had to give her fluids so as to stave off any potential dehydration. Also, they had checked her over a few times and found a few scars around her knuckles on one hand and also below her collar bone. When asked, Anna had said that she did not remember how she got them, yet tried to avoid talking about it as if she knew. This had worried Elsa, Olaf and Kristoff, the first of the three especially considering that her own sister was unable to tell her how she got hurt.
That, however, had been only the morning the day after Anna was brought back. It had been much, much more stressful since then.
The following day, when Anna had perked up a little, Elsa had suggested inviting the other princes and princesses around to see her and hold a small celebration for her safe return. Throughout the day, however, Anna had several nervous moments and did not want to be touched, even by Elsa. It came to a point when Anna suddenly retreated under a table and was muttering incoherently. When Elsa had tried to see to her and ask her what was wrong, all she got in reply was: "Bright light!" over and over. Long story short, doctors were called and everyone had to leave and it took them about two hours or so to calm Anna down, by which time it was night. She fell asleep quickly afterwards with Elsa and Kristof by her side, both promising to stay near her. It was a good thing that Elsa had left Arendelle in the care of the council and Karl. Kristoff too had managed to get some time off from deliveries give the milder weather.
The next day had been a little better but also quite frustrating. Elsa had questioned Anna further about where she had been for the last week. Her sister had replied that she did not remember everything, only the "blurry faces … pain and being scared." The police too had questioned her but they received the same answers. It was leading to nowhere in their investigation, one that Elsa and Kristoff as well as the others wanted to see resolved as soon as possible.
It had been later that afternoon when Aurora and Philip had come by and she suggested putting Anna under hypnosis to try and open her subconscious, as it was likely that was where the details of her disappearance were. Elsa and Kristoff had been a little concerned over this though, the former especially as she feared that it would make her sister worse and even more fearful. Anna too had been reluctant but Aurora insisted that it was safe, adding too it was probably their best bet of finding out what happened to her.
And so, dear readers, that was what they were doing right now. With Elsa's arm wrapped around her, Anna was led from a car towards a side entrance in the city hall, a large brick building with columns lining the front and side, making people who viewed it be reminded of an Ancient Greek temple. The A few large windows lined the side of the building and a row of about ten stone steps led up to the entrance.
Unsurprisingly, a mob of reporters and newsmen and women were gathered around the entrance, somehow having been tipped off that she was on her way here. Elsa rolled her eyes. Cockroaches are always around when you don't want them, if you wanted them that is. Even though they were going through a side door, it was going to be tough trying to get past them as they always had an ability to spot those they wanted to speak to. Especially today considering that Rapunzel, Eugene, Merida, Megara, Aurora, Philip, Aladdin, Jasmine and a few others were going to meet them here. Perhaps they were inside already. If so, they were lucky, or maybe not. Maybe they had had to go through these guys as well.
More like harass Elsa said to herself mentally as a few Arendelle guards emerged from the car. "Captain, could you stop anyone who tries to get to us." Elsa ordered.
The captain, a tall, heavy set man, nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty," he replied and began ordering the other guards to stand by, ready to block the reporters and any curious members of the public off from Anna.
Of course, this did not stop the crowd from noticing and within a few seconds, they had swarmed over around them like locusts. Microphones and cameras were shoved in their faces, voices shouted out questions in a tidal wave. The guards had to hook arms and struggled to hold back the mob.
"Princess Anna! Can you tell us more about what happened?"
"Have the others proclaimed their innocence?!"
"Can we trust anyone to do with the royals now?"
Elsa rolled her eyes, pulling Anna much closer to her as she and another guard pushed their way through the crowd towards the side door. Still, the news crews kept on coming, forcing back the guards. At one point, Elsa was almost knocked over when the guard helping her get to the city hall was knocked into her by a burly looking cameraman. The Snow Queen inhaled angrily and went to conjure up some ice but Anna grabbed her arm and stopped her sister with a look of don't do it! It's the last thing we need right now! Elsa complied and calmed herself and carried on pushing their way towards the building.
After a few moments, they finally made it to the building and, with two guards joining them inside, shut the doors to the outside. The five remaining guards formed a barrier around the door, so as not to let anyone else into the building after the Arendelle royals.
For now, the two were, metaphorically speaking, cut off from the outside world.
"Just in here?!"
"Yes, the others are waiting."
Kristoff opened the door and let the two sisters step into the room before following them in. The two guards held position outside the door, just in case anyone managed to sneak in. It would be unlikely though, for they were in a small room in the top left corner of the building, relatively out of harm's way should anyone could skulking.
The room was small and square with brown walls, a desk that had been pushed into a corner and a brown sofa placed against the wall on the right with a small table in front of it. A few chairs were lined up against the wall and the curtains to the large window opposite the entrance. Standing around the room were Aurora, Philip, Eugene, Rapunzel, Merida and Aladdin and Jasmine. There was another woman, wearing a black skirt and short sleeved top, sitting on a chair in front of the table. She smiled, pushing a lock of brown hair out from in front of her eyes when she saw the two enter.
"Queen Elsa, Princess Anna," she greeted them, getting up and shaking their hands. "It's nice to meet you. My name is Clarissa."
Elsa gave the woman a wary nod, the concern about what they were going to do with Anna still evident on her face. She shot Aurora a look of worry, not sure if Anna should be doing something like this. Is this a good idea?
"She'll be fine, Elsa." Aurora reassured her.
Elsa was still unconvinced, however, and looked back at Clarissa. The brown haired woman gave her another reassuring smile and focused on Anna.
"You'll be fine, Anna. Would you like a drink?"
"Uh … n-no I'm fine, thanks," the red-haired princess replied, playing with one of her braids and looking at the floor. Her body language seemed to radiate anxiety and Clarissa reassured her once again.
"Shall we begin?" she asked, gesturing to the sofa.
With another glance at the others and then at Anna, she sighed and nodded, moving her sister over to the seat and sat her down. Elsa went to sit down next to her but Clarissa said not to as the patient would need space and not to cling onto anything that would disrupt the hypnosis. Elsa went to argue but Aurora intervened and said not to, pulling the snow queen away from the sofa. Anna looked at her sister and then at Clarissa.
"Anna, I promise, everything will be fine." She said, her voice soft and sweet. "Now if you could just lay down and close your eyes."
Gingerly, Anna obeyed, resting her head on a cushion and pointed her head up towards the ceiling, cocking it to one side slightly so she had just enough of a view of the others in the room. Clarissa cleared her throat and began to speak.
"Okay, Anna, now close your eyes and listen to my voice." She instructed her.
Anna gave a slight nod, exhaling deeply before closing her eyes, trying not to play with her hands. The nervousness was evident like the nose on her face. Whatever this woman had planned for her, she hoped that it would be calm and not scary. She did not want to go through any more trauma and had, like Elsa, been quite reluctant to partake in this sort of thing. Aurora's insistence over them uncovering exactly what happened to Anna, as well as pointing out that without the hypnosis Anna may continue to have more episodes like the one in the hospital, won over them.
I just hope she knows what she's doing with this Anna had thought to herself at the time.
With this sort of thing, of which she had absolutely zero experience, there was no telling what could happen. Anything could or would not.
"Okay, Anna," Clarissa spoke up again. "On the count of three, we'll begin. Just listen to my voice and clear your mind."
"Okay," Anna replied quietly.
Adjusting herself in her seat, Clarissa spoke again, this time more slowly. "Three … Two … One." A pause hung in the air as the others looked on, expecting something to happen. "Can you hear me, Anna?"
Another pause passed. "Yes," the red-haired princess replied, her breathing slow and steady.
"Now try and remember what you can." Clarissa said. "What happened on the night you disappeared?"
"I … I see a bright light!" Anna whispered back, her voice on edge a little. "I'm falling. Then … wait! Something's wrong."
"Okay, Anna, what is it?"
Anna's subconscious gradually came to light, its revelations reaching them through every word spoken by her mouth.
"Something's got me." she said. "The feeling is … cold and … d-different."
"In what way, Anna?"
Another pause as Anna shifted a little in her laying down position, her head now entirely facing the ceiling. It was … strange! No, it was-was not the same feeling that you would have if … if it were her sister or Kristoff or … or any of her friends. No, this was … was …
"No!" Anna said, her tone now a little more urgent. "No!" it came again, now more full of fear. "it can't be!"
"Anna's what is it?" Elsa asked as she took a few steps over to the sofa.
"That's not true! No! They can't be … not … They're t-taking me!"
Yes, it was something … no, no! That could not be … it was impossible! Not this! How could they … be … Each time she saw them, she tried to deny it or ignore it. But it was as if what she was seeing was forcing itself to the forefront of her mind. Anna tried to hide away but … nothing worked. It was as if it … they wanted to be known.
Clarissa spoke up. "Anna, who's taking you?" she asked, her voice also a little nervous. "Who are the people taking you?"
What Anna said next sent a chill down the spines of those in the room.
"They're not people."