So wow guys it's been a while. My life has been pretty busy lately. I lost some feathered friends, and got kissed by The Joker. Not sure if I feel good or bad just yet, all things considered. Oh, and the biggest reason, eh, I haven't posted anything because Elsa got herself trapped in an Isolation chamber under the castle for a few chapters. It wasn't going anywhere, so I had to drag her back out and tell her to do her thing somewhere else. Silly Elsa. Should have run faster.. soooo I didn't get a chance to write this out anywhere else, so what you're reading is what I'm creating right here on the spot. Anything that doesn't add up will be changed as soon as I notice it.
Elsa woke to the smell of smoke. Jerking awake, she threw herself to the other side of the room, leaning against the wall.
"My Lady, are you alright?" Arthur looked up at the breathless, fearful woman from where he was sitting.
Elsa looked around taking in the small room. It was a small room, barely big enough to stand in and lie down in, jutting off the side of a passage way through the castle. It was the only place bigger than a crawl space, designed for the Royal Family and close attendants to escape through in times of trouble. The room itself was behind a fireplace in the Library, and the laundry room. The actual design had been ingenious. The only sign that there was any passage ways was shown only in servants areas, strategically placed so no one of any high class would ever see or hear them passing through. Then the maids were charged with making it as inconspicuous as possible, by turning the obvious rise in the floor it into couches, living areas or beds in particularly narrow areas. It was dark, except for the dim lantern that they had found a short way into the tunnels. The oil was old, but they didn't need much light.
"My Lady?" Arthur repeated.
"Yes, I'm alright. I just- Had a nightmare." Elsa slid to the floor, realizing she was safe.
Arthur nodded. "Do you wish to talk about it?"
"In my dream.. it was so real!" Elsa whispered, in control of her powers again. "They had caught us before we escaped, and they wanted to- they wanted to burn me. They hated me so much. You were next to me, they thought you were my apprentice in the dark arts. They were chanting strange things that I've never heard of, and Ana was there and so were Mother and Father, and they were all lit up, hollowed by the firelight, then the faces warped and changed and they were fire daemons setting me on fire.." She choked out, tears sliding down her face. "Do you have any water?"
Arthur licked his dry lips as well. "No, but we can get some when we leave this cramped space. I'm thinking leaving just before dawn would be safest-"
Elsa stopped him. "Where will we go, though? What will we do? My people hate me. Anywhere I go people will hate and scorn me. You could find work, easily. But I.. I would spend the rest of my days in hiding, and I'm sick of hiding." Elsa mumbled quietly to herself.
"My Queen, you must think positively. We can always leave the kingdom, pass as common folk, I could teach you." He smiled gently. "But we can't do anything here, lest we get caught." He stood, hunched slightly to avoid knocking his head on the support beams. "Since you're awake, we should find a window to tell the time."
Elsa nodded, and stood, even more hunched. She brushed her skirt, already seeing marks of wear on her velvet skirt at the knees. "When was the last time someone came down here?" She asked the only person who would know.
"Your sister use to come and hide in here often after the accident. She would swear she could hear your voice through the walls sometimes. It gave her comfort." As Arthur picked up the lantern and started over to the walkway opposite Elsa.
Elsa's attention was caught by two small, very dusty objects in the other corner of the room. "Arthur, wait. What are those?" Elsa hoped it wasn't anything that use to be alive.
Bringing the light closer, Elsa recognized what they were. "Ana's dolls." She scooped them up and dusted them off. Sure enough, it was a miniature Ana doll with auburn hair in braids and a little summer dress, and a little Elsa doll in similar dress, its white hair dirty and dusty with age. They smelt awful, and where filthy and had obviously not been touched in years. There was what appeared to be a little mouse hole in the side of mini Ana's leg with what appeared to be a nest at one point, but Elsa took them both anyway.
"Did you want me to carry the dolls, ma'am?" Arthur looked them over.
Elsa shook her head. "No, I will carry them. They may be all I have left."
Arthur nodded and, getting back to their knees for the nest part of the journey, started off again.