Love Will Thaw

Chapter Fourteen

Realizations

You failed her! Through her misery, Elsa heard a mocking voice sounding in her brain. She counted on you to protect her, and you let her get captured! This is all your fault!

A voice screamed at the top of its lungs, pain and agony coloring it, filling it with despair. In some distant recess of her mind, Elsa recognized the voice as her own, realized that her hands had coated the cobblestones, every building within a ten foot radius in a thick layer of ice.

"Elsa!"

In the distance, she heard footsteps rushing toward her. Opening her eyes, ignoring the throbbing pain in her skull, she saw—no, it couldn't be, could it?—Alúvelin and Valanda rushing toward her, felt Anna's familiar touch upon her shoulder.

Alúvelin's heart sank into her stomach as she saw her sister lying devastated upon the ground. Looking about, realizing who was missing, she knew what had happened. "Elsa, I—"

"He took her," the Queen whispered, every word drenched in misery. "I . . . I couldn't keep her safe." She clenched her fists, her knuckles white, shaking uncontrollably. "Every time I think things are going to be different . . ." Her knuckles moved to her temples, pounding them over and over again. "The people I love keep getting hurt . . . because of me!"

She didn't move as Anna, Alúvelin, and Valanda held her tightly. "We'll find her," Anna said. "We have two days. We'll figure out some way to stop whoever he's working for, and we'll stop him. Just like we always have before."

"How?" Elsa had never felt so helpless, not even in her darkest moments of isolation so many years ago. "We have no idea who this employer of his is. I . . . I can't . . ."

The four women looked up as they heard footsteps approaching, astounded to see a tall woman before them, a gilded sword at her belt, her long black hair flowing down her shoulders, her eyes glowing with an unnatural golden hue. A man stood behind her, his arms bound, his clothing ripped and torn, dried blood covering several injuries.

"Where is the girl?" The raven-haired woman's voice was full of concern, her hand resting upon the weapon at her side.

Valanda eyed the woman suspiciously. "Who are you? What do you—"

"Please!" The woman knelt beside Elsa, laying her hand on the Queen's brow. Instantly, the pain rushing through Elsa's head vanished.

Elsa stared at the stranger with haunted, pain-filled eyes. "He took her. She . . . She's gone."

The woman shook her head, her golden eyes filled with worry. "It is as I feared. I . . . I have failed. I am too late . . ."

She stood, helping Elsa to her feet. "Quickly, Your Majesty. We must return to your palace. We have much work to do."

"We?" Anna looked at the stranger in befuddlement, her eyes narrow with suspicion. "I don't think so. Not until you tell us who you are. We were just attacked by someone we thought we could trust. The last thing we are about to do is listen to anything a complete stranger has to—."

"Élenway." The woman's glistening eyes burrowed directly into Anna's own. "My name is Élenway. I am one of the Maíreth. I was chosen to watch over the ice bærer girl Maíreweth. I should have been here days ago. However, my associate and I were . . ." She looked back at the man behind her, frowning. "We were delayed. My tardiness has allowed the Enemy to capture the girl." A worried look crossed her face. "Now, things are far worse than I had feared . . ."

"Mama?!" A small voice interrupted the tense atmosphere that had descended upon the street. Élsaweth tugged at Anna's dress, clutching the fabric in worry. "Where did that man take Maíreweth? Is she going to be okay?"

Anna looked down at her daughter, her heart aching as she forced herself to lie once more. "Don't worry, sweetness. We'll bring her home. Everything is going to be all right."

She looked to her husband, then to Elsa. "We should get them to bed. They . . . They don't need to hear any of this. We can continue this conversation back at home."

Elsa simply stared at the ground, not fighting at all as Alúvelin and Valanda helped her to her feet. "Maíreweth," she whispered. "No . . ."

"Elsa, what in the hell was that?"

Elsa and Anna stood in the throne room, alone. Elsa had proceeded there immediately upon her arrival in the palace. She had expected Anna to go with Kristoff and the others to help the twins prepare for bed. Instead, Anna had stormed ahead of her, cutting her off, confronting her.

The Queen was confused, not comprehending. "I . . . I don't know what you're—"

"Oh, stop it!" Anna's face was red, her eyes full of anger. "You were serious, weren't you? You really were willing to surrender yourself, our kingdom, everything for a girl you barely know?! What is wrong with you?!"

Elsa had never seen Anna so upset before. Elsa faltered, struggling to find words adequate to describe what she was feeling. "I . . . I . . ."

"Did you even stop to think how your decision would affect us? Would affect me?" Anna looked at her older sister in disbelief. "What's happened to you, Elsa? You've always had a hero complex. But you've never been willing to throw so much away for one person before. You . . ." Anna bit her lip, forcing herself not to cry. "You used to say that sometimes a queen must make decisions for the betterment of her people, not her own desires. Remember?" The anger was now gone, replaced by confusion, lack of comprehension. "Please! Help me understand why you would—"

The guilt, the shame, the fear, the realization at how foolhardy she had been, her terror at the thought of what Jurgen was doing to Maíreweth even as she stood there—no, don't think about it!—all of it was more than Elsa could bear. Without thinking, she blurted out "Because I love her!"

Anna looked at Elsa in amazement. "You . . . You love her? Elsa, I know you want to be a mother so desperately, that you planned on adopting her, but still, you hardly know her!"

"I don't need to know her!" Elsa wrung her hands, desperately trying to make her sister understand. "Somehow, I . . . I just know . . . I love her, Anna. Just like you love Célebron . . . and Élsaweth." She looked Anna in the eyes. "Wouldn't you do the same thing if they were in danger? Wouldn't you sacrifice everything to keep them safe? Wouldn't you?!"

Anna opened her mouth to respond, then quickly shut it. In her mind, she saw Maíreweth being held captive by Jurgen, his knife pressed to her throat. In an instant, Maíreweth was gone, Élsaweth standing in her place, her eyes filled with terror. "Please, Mama!" Élsaweth whimpered. "Don't let him hurt me!"

The horrifying scene continued to play out before her. Anna saw herself fall to her knees, begging Jurgen to take her, to spare her daughter. She screamed in horror as she saw Jurgen laugh, saw him run his blade over Élsaweth's throat, crimson liquid spilling to the street, Élsaweth struggling to breathe as her lifeblood slowly left her body—

No! Shaking her head, Anna forced herself to break free of her thoughts. She felt beads of perspiration drip down her forehead, her heart pounding, her breath ragged. She took Elsa's hand, feeling her own hand tremble.

"I . . . I understand, Elsa," Anna whispered. "I'm sorry I shouted at you before. I . . . I had no right to judge you." She squeezed Elsa's hand tightly. "We will save Maíreweth, Elsa. All of us will do whatever it takes to bring her home. I promise."

Elsa fell back into her throne, the ornate chair weighing upon her like a thousand weights upon her chest. "How far are you willing to go, Anna?" Elsa asked quietly. "To save her . . . What are you willing to do?"

Anna didn't like the look in Elsa's eye, a look that hinted at barely-suppressed rage. Before she could answer, the throne room door swung open. Alúvelin, Valanda, Kristoff entered, followed closely by their two guests. Anna noted that the man called Underthen was rubbing his wrists, his hands no longer bound with rope.

"The twins are asleep," Valanda said. "It took longer than we thought it would, but they finally stopped worrying long enough to sleep."

Elsa nodded, watching as Élenway and Underthen approached the throne. Standing, she bowed before the Maíreth. "Please," she said softly. "Please, help us get her back. Please!"

The Maíreth bowed to her in reply. "I truly am sorry you have to endure this, Your Majesty. You are highly favored among those in my Father's courts. I . . . I had hoped I would arrive in time to protect Maíreweth, but now . . ."

Anna looked at Élenway. "There is something we can do, isn't there? I mean, we have two days before Jurgen returns. He's expecting Elsa to hand himself over in exchange for Maíreweth. He mentioned . . . something about seeing if his 'master' can improve Elsa's offer." Her eyes suddenly widened as she understood. "His master . . . It isn't—"

"I am afraid so," Élenway responded. "It is the Enemy himself. We always knew he would seek vengeance against my Father and his Creation, but I never suspected he would stoop so low."

She looked at the group, at Underthen. "He was my brother once. Long, long ago, he was among the greatest of my Father's creations, greater than even Gábriel or Míchælin. His pride, however, proved to be his undoing. He dared to challenge my Father's will. He felt my Father had overstated the role of Man in this world. He refused to acknowledge, as all of my brethren have, that we are to serve Man, to help him become the steward of Creation my Father intended him to be."

Her golden eyes dimmed as her mind filled with memories. "He managed to corrupt many of my brothers. They rebelled . . . The battle that ensued . . ." She shook her head. "My Father had no choice but to cast them into the bowels of the Únderland. There, the Enemy has waited, and waited, always busy corrupting as many Men as he can, twisting them to serve his purpose, dreaming of the day when he would be powerful enough to destroy everything my Father has worked so hard to create."

Alúvelin frowned. "But . . . But why Maíreweth? What could he possibly want with her? She is only a child."

"She can see the future," Anna answered.

Alúvelin, Valanda, and Underthen looked at her in confusion. "Wh– . . . What?!"

"It's a long story," Anna said. "I'll explain later."

"Her power," Elsa murmured. "I assume that is why he wants her."

"Precisely." Élenway's face was grim. "He wants to keep you from using her abilities to interfere with his plans. He knows her second sight is the key to Men being able to oppose him. Without access to her visions, you do not stand a chance against his power."

"Jurgen. The one who took her." Elsa moved toward Élenway. "He said he would return in two days after he tried to convince this Enemy of yours to offer him more . . . more than I could." She grimaced as the memory of Jurgen's lustful stares at her, his desire for her evident upon his face.

Élenway laughed mirthlessly. "It sounds as though this Jurgen is a complete fool. The Enemy will not honor any bargain he strikes; his power to win Men with his empty promises is legendary. He will simply use Jurgen until he is no longer useful, then he will cast him aside."

Kristoff spoke next. "When Jurgen took Maíreweth, he disappeared into thin air. Where could he have gone?"

Élenway's face turned pale, her golden eyes widening. "You did not mention this before." She ran a worried hand through her long black hair. "The Enemy has given him access to the Shadow Realm. It is the only explanation."

"The Shadow Realm?" Alúvelin asked.

"It is a land that exists between this world and the afterlife. A dark, twisted copy of this world. Only the Enemy and his minions have the ability to move in and out of it at will." Élenway grit her teeth. "I cannot take you there. My power is not nearly strong enough."

Elsa's mind raced. "But . . . But, if we catch Jurgen by surprise when he appears in two days, would we be able to force ourselves into the Shadow Realm using whatever gateway he uses? Then, we could confront the Enemy and his cohorts ourselves and fight against him."

Underthen spoke for the first time, his face ashen. "No offense, Your Majesty, but are you out of your mind? You and your family are mere mortals! How in the hell could you possibly fight against these beings Shadow Realm? They would slaughter you in an instant!"

"We have the Tritastónende," Valanda offered. "Perhaps their power could assist us."

"I am afraid not."

The group turned to see Elenórathem appear next to Elsa. The Water Spirit bowed to Élenway. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, young Maíreth." She turned to face the rest of those assembled. "Unfortunately, my power, as well as my sister's and brothers', cannot be summoned in the Shadow Realm. We are bound to the this land and cannot cross over."

Silence fell upon the room as the gravity of their predicament fell upon them.

Anna looked at Elsa. "Our only interest is in getting Maíreweth back. What if we simply grab her from Jurgen when he appears and capture him? Wouldn't that be enough? We wouldn't have to fight against this Enemy, would we?"

"It is not that simple," Élenway said. "I know him. He will not permit Jurgen to lose the girl. He will do whatever it takes to keep her. He will send as many of his subjects as it takes to foil Jurgen's duplicity."

Elsa had been silent for quite some time, absorbing the various solutions offered by her family members. Rubbing her eyes, she spoke.

"There is another option," she said.

All looked at her in confusion.

"This Enemy . . . His desire for revenge against the Almighty involves more than just us. I assume part of his strategy for revenge would be to send his forces against the Men of this Continent." She looked at Élenway for confirmation.

The Maíreth nodded. "Indeed. What better revenge could he achieve than destroying those most precious to my Father?"

Anna began to understand where Elsa's line of thinking was taking her. "Elsa, I don't think—"

Elsa soundlessly raised her hand, cutting Anna off. "All who live upon this Continent will be affected sooner or later. It would be in all of our interests to set aside our differences and come to each other's aid."

Alúvelin suddenly remembered an old saying of her people. "Fiende av min fiende er min venn," she whispered. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Élenway frowned. "I must warn you. Those who prowl about the Shadow Realm are notorious for their ruthlessness, their desire to kill. They will attack without hesitation. Who do you know that could possibly match their strength?"

A thin smile crossed Elsa's lips. "Fortunately, I have several in mind who would relish such an opportunity, each with their own unique . . . talents."

"Who, Elsa?" Anna asked. "I don't know what you're . . ."

In her mind, Anna suddenly knew. "Oh, no. No, no, no, no, no! I can't let you do this! You can't possibly trust any of—"

"I told you," Elsa interrupted, her voice little more than a whisper. "Maíreweth has to be rescued no matter what the cost. We need them. All of them."

She looked at the group. "If anyone objects, now is the time."

Those assembled looked at each other, each realizing they truly had no alternative. Wordlessly, they nodded to Elsa.

"Thank you." The Queen gestured for the group to gather around her. "We don't have much time. Here is what we need to do . . ."

AN: More to come!

.