Chapter Twenty-One

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Anna and Jørgen stared at each other. In two steps he covered the distance between them.

He raised his hand over her. Anna simply looked at him with coldness, daring him to strike.

But it wouldn't do to hurt her, he realized. To that moment, he held no proof of what the girls had done besides what he'd seen. If he hit Anna, there would be proof against him.

He dropped his hand to the side, clenched in a fist, and instead looked at Anna with all the hatred he could master.

"You little whore."

Anna didn't miss a beat, and her voice was laced with the same venom his own had.

"Me? Why? She was mine before you appeared. You are the one who stole her away from me."

"Anna, she's your sister. Your own sister, Anna, don't you see? What you're doing is wrong in every level. She cannot be your lover, she's your family, she's your own blood. And she's my wife."

"So what? I love her, and more, she loves me. And you know she'll never feel the same for you. She likes you, I'll give you that, but it will never be the same."

"Maybe not, but she belongs to me now."

He came closer to her, and tilted her face upwards gently.

"You're so beautiful, Anna, so absurdly beautiful… You could have anyone you wanted, yet you throw away every chance you have."

"I don't throw anything away. I already have who I want."

He sighed, exasperated.

"Why, why did you do this? I trusted you, Anna! Hell, I even went to you for advice! And all the while you were both laughing behind my back, fucking behind my back. I knew you were whimsical, and immature, and a stubborn little child, but this, Anna, this is downright perverse."

"And how do you think I felt, when I had her and her love, and then she was ripped from me and given to you? At least you had the comfort of not knowing anything. I attended your wedding. I saw you two grow closer and closer. I heard you the first night you spent with her. I took care of her when she was carrying your child. How do you think that felt? I love her, and all this time I've had to put up with you taking the space that belongs to me."

"That space has never belonged to you. You're her sister, and no one can take that away from you. But you can't have her as a woman, it's against law and nature and common sense. And I won't let that happen, Anna. You will go far away, where you no longer stand between my Queen and me."

"I will never leave my kingdom," Anna said with harshness.

"No need to be worried or frightened, I'll make sure you have every luxury you desire and deserve. You will go someplace nice where you lack no comfort. You're a whore, Anna, but a high-quality one, and as such you'll be pampered. You're a fine mare who ought to be mounted often and properly."

"By whom? By you? Your brother?"

"Maybe. It would teach you a lesson. Even the fiercest ones can be tamed. Besides, it would be interesting to know why Elsa finds you so appealing."

Anna looked him in the eye. "You could never afford me. Your wife set much too high a price."

His hand flew to her throat, and he pushed her back until she was cornered between him and the wall. Their eyes met, once again the defying glare from Anna. He'd do anything to destroy that glare.

He squeezed lightly. The hand went down over the front of her bodice, and up again. He felt her heart hammering against the corset and the warmth irradiating from her skin.

Something pierced over his ribs. She had reached for the dagger she kept hidden in her clothes.

"You do that again and you lose the hand," she growled.

He snorted. "Don't worry. I wouldn't fuck you if the world depended on it."

Anna's grip on the dagger did not lessen, but her voice had now taken a ring of mockery.

"Is that really all you worry about? Sex? Well, then let me tell you all about it. Do you have any idea how many times Elsa and I have slept together? In how many ways? Think of every fantasy you've had about her, we've done it. Every single thing she never said or did with you she gave me time and time again. Every night you missed her in your bed she was moaning in mine."

"Shut up."

"You don't tell me what to do. You're going to know she told me she loved me even before she knew you existed. How many times has she told you that? The virginity you were so concerned about? She gave it to me. She spent your wedding night with me, did you know?"

Anna managed to slip out of Jørgen's grip. Away from the wall and him, she continued.

"Have you asked yourself why she doesn't let you touch her anymore? I asked her not to, and of course she obeyed. I told you once, I am the one who can turn her for or against her anything I want."

"You overestimate yourself. With time, she'll learn to live without you."

"Oh, no, you underestimate me. You've seen what Elsa and I have, but you refuse to accept it. Who can soothe her at night when she's scared? Who can make love to her until she screams? Who can tell with just one look if she's worried, happy, tired, or angry? Who is she willing to kill for? So don't come and throw words at me. What do I care that she's your wife? It's me she loves, it's me she should be with, it's me she would be with if it wasn't for you! She was mine! Mine! And you stole her away!"

Anna's voice was rising, and Jørgen's rose along.

"Maybe so," he said. "Maybe she was yours until I came along. Maybe she didn't want me and came with me because she had no choice. But she belongs to me now, and she's tied to me in a way she'll never be with you. You can give her sex, company, even love, in that twisted version of love you have. But I can give her something that you will never, ever be able to provide."

Anna arched an eyebrow. "And what is that?"

"Children."

The look of pain in Anna's eyes almost made Jørgen feel bad for her. She tried to hide it, the muscles in her face fought to stay calm. She swallowed hard and replied with quiet fury.

"I too can bear children."

His attack was relentless. "Hers? Or will you ever see her carrying your own kids? Because I have, Anna, I've seen her bear and birth my son. You know how badly she wanted to be a mother, and she still does. Will you take that away from her?"

Anna did not reply. Instead, she turned to the window and stared out into the fjord. He followed her, and she could see his reflection on the glass. She spoke softly.

"What would you be willing to do or give to get me out of here?"

His face changed. His voice turned serious. "What do you want? You'll have anything you wish. You'll have a dozen girls to fuck every night if that's what you want. Anything you ask will be yours, I'll see to that."

She turned around and met his eyes again.

"Too bad I'm not going anywhere."

He sighed. "Anna, stop being so difficult and-"

"Difficult? You think this is just some kind of tantrum? You are trying to kick me out of my own country, my own house! You're trying to claim everything I love, yet you forget this is my land! You are the foreigner here, you! You're the one who should have never come in the first place! I will take back what's mine, sir, no matter what I have to do!"

"Anna?" came the voice from outside. "Anna, are you with someone?"

"She's with me," Jørgen answered calmly.

There was a second of silence and then the simultaneous pounding of the door and fumbling with the handle.

"Anna! Anna, open the door! Anna!"

Elsa didn't even give time for either Anna or Jørgen to make a move. Frost began to creep up the door and the lock jumped open.

"Anna!"

Elsa jumped over her sister and wrapped her in her arms.

"I'm so sorry, gods, I'm so sorry."

She turned to Jørgen with burning anger in her eyes.

"What did you do to her? Anna, did he hurt you? Tell me the truth."

Anna stroked Elsa's face, and in that one touch there was as much tenderness as there had been hatred in her voice just seconds ago. If he didn't hate her so much, he would have been impressed

"I'm fine, Els, don't you worry, nothing I can't handle. He doesn't have the courage."

I can fight my own battles, Anna thought to herself. No need to show vulnerability in front of him by complaining to her sister. They would talk later… perhaps. She didn't want to show too much weakness to Elsa, either.

Elsa held her again, and Anna did accept that comfort. But she felt the tension in Elsa's body, and knew she'd be defended anyway.

Anna pursed her lips, and looked between Elsa and Jørgen.

"I guess I'll leave you alone. You know where to find me, Elsa."

She exchanged a look with her sister, who nodded. Anna squeezed Elsa's hand and left.

Elsa waited until she heard a door close in the distance before unleashing her fury. Her fists were clenched in an attempt to keep her powers under control, but tendrils of ice threatened to surround her fingers. Her breath was sharp and she struggled to keep her voice from rising. There was tension in every movement.

"This is between you and me," she said between gritted teeth. "I want to resolve this whole thing peacefully, but if you lay one finger on her, you're done. I don't want to hurt you because my son needs his father, but try to harm her and I won't hesitate to do whatever I have to."

"Then keep her out of my sight."

"I won't keep her out of anything. She's the Princess of this country, first in line to the throne while Mattheo is underage. She's got every right to be wherever she pleases and not be disturbed. Don't talk to her. Don't upset her. If you try anything against her… Well, you've seen what I'm capable of. It wouldn't be my first kill. Now get out."

Elsa spent the rest of the day glued to her sister, taking her everywhere she went. She made no secret of how she took Anna to her room when night fell. Of course, no one found it particularly strange; the sisters' closeness was known to everybody and it wasn't even the first time they'd been seen together at night. But something in the girls' attitude had changed, a charade had slipped ever so softly.

Jørgen watched them, felt the change and knew that soon those around them would notice, too. Pacing in his room, he felt the impulse to burst into Elsa's and claim back what he considered his.

He went to her door and tried to hear what they were doing. If they're fucking, I'll kill them. However, he could only make out the sounds of quiet conversation. No need to rush, anyway, he considered; there was no way Anna could actually take Elsa away for ever. Let them have whatever little fun they could.

After a short time, the light coming from under the door died out and the murmur of voices stopped. Jørgen went back to his room with a new plan quickly forming in his head.

When morning came Elsa headed straight for her office, Anna by her side. They worked together for a while, until a guard arrived with news.

"Your Majesty, the Ice Master is here"

Elsa looked at Anna with a questioning look.

"I asked Kristoff to come. You work too hard to babysit me on top of everything. He'll take me somewhere for a while."

Hopefully, Anna thought to herself. Though it hadn't been a full day, being just moved around and forbidden to go outside was starting to get on her nerves.

"Are you sure? Will you be safe?"

"You know Kristoff overprotects me just as much as you do."

Elsa smiled. "Alright, then. Go have fun. Look at someone who isn't me."

Anna smiled back, kissed her sister on the cheek, and disappeared before Elsa could change her mind.

A couple of hours later, there was a knock on Elsa's door. A young squire, no older than twelve or thirteen, spoke in a shaky voice and not quite meeting her eyes.

"Ma'am? The Prince says he would like to see you in his office."

Elsa rolled her eyes. "Tell him that if he wants to talk to me he's the one who should come."

The squire carried the message to Jørgen.

"Tell the Queen to stop being whimsical. She should understand she's in no position to make demands."

The look of terror in the boy's eyes made him reconsider. He sighed, and got up slowly.

"Alright, I'm going. You find someplace safe, son."

He tried to ignore Elsa's little triumphant smile when he walked in. She was writing with one hand and rocking Mattheo's cot with the other, and for a long moment it was as if she didn't notice he had arrived.

"Ah, you're here," she said finally without looking up. "You wanted to talk?"

"Yes."

"Good. Have you reconsidered? Will you give me the divorce?"

"Absolutely not. You're my wife, mine in every way. I won't sign a paper so you can run to your sister's bed."

Elsa breathed slowly, leaned back on her chair, and crossed her arms.

"Then what is it you want to tell me?"

He advanced until he stood beside her, leaning on her desk and staring out the window.

"I've been thinking about you and her, and I've found a solution. Obviously you want this kept as discreetly as possible. And I will help you. I love you, Elsa, and I want you and her to stay safe. This is what we'll do: you'll give her to my brother. She's young and immature, but Astor is infatuated with her. I'll let him have his whim, and don't worry, I know he'll treat her well."

Elsa stared at him, saying nothing.

"If you're any reference, your sister will bear strong, healthy children. As soon as she births a boy I'll make the necessary arrangements so that Astor can have the crown. That way, you and I will rule here, and Anna and Astor will have their own kingdom. Depending on how things go between us, we might visit them from time to time and I might let you be alone with her. Her honour and our family will be protected. And so we all win."

There was a pause. Elsa stared fixedly at him.

"Absolutely not."

"Excuse me?"

"What do you think you're doing? We're not objects for you to decide what to do with. We're not yours, and we won't follow your orders. I am the Queen here, only I make these decisions. And I won't give her up. I will tell the truth to everyone, to the whole world. I don't want discretion, I want my freedom and her."

"Elsa, please. You have to understand what that would mean. The damage to her name and image would be terrible if this is known. Do you realize what you have done to her? How terribly you have stained and cheapened her? She's all but unmarriageable now. Who'd want a girl whose own sister already used?"

The words burned inside her. He's playing with you, Elsa, don't be weak. Don't listen to him!

But he continued. "Do you really want to stigmatize her so terribly? Think of what they'll say of her, Elsa, all the fingers pointed at her, considering her worthless. You can't do that to her."

"You bet I can. Anna is mine, in every sense of the word. She's my sister, she's my lover, and since I'm her guardian she also belongs to me legally. I don't care if anyone else thinks she's 'marriageable' or not, because no one else will have her. Only I decide what becomes of Anna, and I will make a Queen of her, not your brother's pleasure toy."

The expression in his eyes shifted.

"Elsa, you cannot marry her."

"I can and I will."

"She's your sister."

"I know that. We won't be the first siblings to marry."

"Elsa, you're talking nonsense."

Elsa stood up.

"I'm not, and you know it! You know I actually can have what I want, and it infuriates you. I don't blame you. But you have to understand we can't go back. We can't go back to normal, if what we had was ever normal."

"It was normal! We had a life, a family! But you're completely set on destroying everything that's good for you, all because of one pretty girl who warms your bed. That's the abnormality, Elsa, you ruining our lives because you want to sleep with your sister!"

He paused for a moment. When he spoke again he sounded just as angry, but there was an underlying tone of hurt that Elsa tried very hard to ignore.

"Was all this, everything we went through together, a show? Did you seriously fake every little moment, every gesture, every word?"

Elsa said nothing.

"Was it ever more than just sex for you, Elsa?"

Elsa pursed her lips and looked down. After a pause, she nodded.

"I'd started to-"

"'Started' to?" he spat.

"Jørgen, please understand, please, please, please understand. I was forced to marry. I was thrown into a relationship with someone I didn't know. I was expected to have a child as soon as possible, to satisfy my husband, to keep the kingdom afloat. I've been alone all my life, and the one person who understands me and loves me and knows me is the same one I have to push away for the sake of everything else.

"I didn't love you when we got married. And I don't love you now. Yes, of course you've come to be someone very special in my life, but I don't love you. And it kills me because you don't deserve that. I can't love you. That's why I beg you to let me go and give both of us a chance at actual happiness."

"And Mattheo?" He gestured at the baby's cot.

"What about Mattheo?"

"Exactly, what about him? This whole thing was a game for you. Does your child mean anything to you? He was born for your own convenience. He's a tool, even more than I was."

"No! No, no, no. My boy… Our boy…He's the most precious thing I've ever had."

"I heard you tell her you love her above everything else in the world."

"It's a different kind of love! Please, let's stop hurting each other."

"That's exactly what I want, but some things need to be put in order first. You lied to me, and I won't tolerate it any longer. You're my wife, Elsa, I will not let anyone else touch you. Send her away."

"No."

"Send her away,-"

"No." She shook her head.

"-marry her off,-"

"No!"

"-marry her to that iceman if you prefer and let her go with him-"

"No!" She covered her ears.

He caught her by the arms and began to shake her.

"Get her the fuck out of here, Elsa!" he screamed. "I don't want her here! I can't stand the sight of her!"

Elsa pushed him off. "She's not going anywhere! She's mine!"

"That's why I want her gone! She's yours, and you're hers. As long as she's here you'll never truly belong to me. One way or the other you'll end up in her bed."

"What do you care if I do? I've done that all this time. And I have pleased you, haven't I? You too have slept with me countless times. And yes, I did all that while also being with her. But I didn't fail you, I didn't fail you when you fucked me in the stables, and the library, and your bed and mine. I didn't fail you when I bore you a son."

"Don't say it like it was a favour. To produce an heir was your basic duty as a Queen and as a wife. And don't tell me you didn't enjoy yourself."

"Watch your tone. I've let you threaten me, and hurt me, and humiliate me, because I know I've wronged you, but I have a limit. My country, my rules, and it will be done as I say. And yes, yes, I'm leaving you for her and I don't care how angry you get. Just give me the divorce, Jørgen, please."

"No. There's so much more left for us to do. Remember what I told you that day when I first proposed to you, I told you we had so much potential in every way. Elsa, please, don't do this to us. I beg you, reconsider. Look, I'm willing to put all this behind us. It will be as if it never happened."

"It has happened, and I'm not looking back. It's been nice, but if we try to continue, it will be a nightmare."

"Think about it, Elsa, and think again. I will never give you a divorce."

Elsa gritted her teeth and turned her back on him, crossing her arms. He looked at her for a moment, then leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. She shook him off angrily.

When he left Elsa's office he spotted Anna and Kristoff walking through the main gate. Anna wore a crown of flowers and there was snow on her hair and clothes. They walked past him, to see Elsa, he guessed. Sure enough, Kristoff soon reappeared, this time alone. Sensing an opportunity, Jørgen intercepted him.

"Hey, Kristoff. Could I talk with you for a moment?"

They went to a quieter hall and once Jørgen made sure they weren't being heard he began.

"Kristoff, don't you want Anna?"

"Excuse me?"

"The way you look at her, it's obvious you're in love. And Anna likes you, too. You've reached a good position, you have fortune, you're loved and respected by everyone. You're a good match for her. We could talk to Elsa and surely something can be done."

Kristoff shook his head. "Listen, man, I don't want any part in this. It's a problem you and Elsa have to work out together. But I do tell you one thing: if Elsa is set on something, you waste your time trying to overpower her. Elsa's leaving you for Anna, the same way Anna left me for Elsa."

Jørgen tensed. "Wait, wait. You knew it?"

"That they're together? From the very start. Anna didn't have the heart to continue our relationship once she started with Elsa, and she told me everything the day she broke up with me."

"You've known all along, and you've never done anything about it? You let her do it, just like that? I bet that if you tried-"

"Why would I? Why on Earth would I hurt people who've showed me nothing but kindness? Those girls are my life, they took me in with open arms and became my family. I am where I am because of them. What is it to you whatever they choose to do? They love each other more than they'll ever love anyone else. Just leave them be."

"I love Elsa, and besides she's my wife."

"And I love Anna. She would have been my wife. And she's probably the only woman I'll ever truly love. But because I love her, I gave her up. She doesn't love me the way she loves Elsa, and she'd never be as happy with me as she is with her. All I want for Anna is to be happy, even if it's not with me. It hurts? You bet it does. But it really is the best choice. Of course you can make Elsa stay with you, you can make her give you more children, you can make her be faithful to you and no one else. You can do whatever you want. But believe me, you wouldn't be happy knowing Elsa stayed because you forced her to."

Jørgen said nothing. Kristoff looked like a nice man, humble of origin but honest and honourable. That Anna had hurt him in such a way and that he hadn't at least tried to fight back was beyond Jørgen's ability to believe.

Kristoff sighed, and his eyes suddenly turned hard, a kind of anger Jørgen never thought the boy was even capable of. His voice was contained, but barely so.

"One last thing: if you ever threaten or abuse Anna in any way again, I'll kill you. Elsa won't hurt you because of the kid, Anna won't hurt you because of Elsa. But I don't owe you anything, or have anything in common with you, and so I won't hesitate to give you what you deserve. Keep that in mind."

Kristoff walked away without giving him time to reply. Jørgen stayed alone in the hall for a while, going over the arguments he'd had with his wife and Kristoff.

Elsa had a net of supporters and a whole structure behind her. He had to act soon, before she or Anna could strike. It was time to spice things up and bring reinforcements. He'd give Elsa the war she wanted. And he'd win.