Love Will Thaw

Chapter Twenty-Six

Authorization

Elsa stared at Isarn, momentarily speechless. After what seemed like hours, she finally was able to speak. "How? You're . . . real? This . . . This can't be happening!"

Isarn smiled at her. "I know this overwhelming, but trust me. I really am here."

Elsa felt her hand move toward her father's face, her fingers pulling back as they made contact with his skin, fully comprehending that this was no illusion, no hallucination, no figment of her imagination, but a flesh-and-blood man. "But . . . But, you've been dead for years. How can you possibly . . .?"

Isarn took hold of his daughter's hand, his spirit filling with happiness as, at long last, he spoke to her once again. "Do you remember the last thing I said to you before . . . before I left you?"

The memory of her father's death arose from the depths of Elsa's memory. She saw herself tightly clutching Isarn's hand, watching his strong, powerful figure become frail, weak as he struggled for breath. "I go now to be judged by God and my fathers. With their mercy, perhaps one day I will enter the great halls of my people . . . and rest for eternity in their worthy company."

"You . . . What happened to you?" Elsa whispered.

Isarn smiled once more. "The Almighty, in His great love, has shown pity on me. I have served my penance for my transgressions. I have proven myself worthy of the mercy He has granted me. Now, I have a unique role to play in His service." He clutched Elsa's hand tightly. "It is this role that has given me the power to appear before you. I have only just gained this power, you must understand. That is why, as much as I have wanted to see you again, you have not seen me before now." The former leader of the ice bærers closed his eyes momentarily. "To appear in this plane of existence, the realm of the living . . . it requires a great deal of concentration and effort. Even now, I am just barely able to be with you. But the struggle is worth it just to be with you once more."

Elsa shook her head, feeling her heart suddenly fill with shame, with guilt. "Are you certain you even want to be near me? You must have been able to see what I have done over the course of the past few years. I have made so many mistakes, Father. I have failed so many times . . ."

"I will not hear you speak like this!" Isarn's face became stern, his eyes filled with a mixture of anger and . . . pride? "You have had far more successes than failures. You stopped a vengeful Empress from trying to overthrow the Continent. You prevented a madman from acquiring the most powerful sources of magic in your entire world." His face softened slightly, his eyes growing warm once more. "You found your long-lost sister, Elsa. You found my Alúvelin . . . my precious Valanda. You have helped your other sister take care of her children. How in the world can you possibly say you have failed? After everything you have been through, after all the suffering you have endured, you have still held to your inner goodness. You have resisted temptation countless times. You have proven your selflessness beyond all measure. I could not have asked for a better daughter."

Isarn's words tore at Elsa's heart, filling her with a mix of relief and trepidation. "But . . . But Maíreweth. I don't know what to think of her any more. I had hoped so much that she would accept me as her . . . that she would let me . . ." Her eyes looked fiercely at Isarn, questioning, begging for guidance. "How could they, Father? How could they let me think . . . How can you serve them, knowing they are just as capable of being dishonest as V?"

At the mention of V's name, Isarn's eyes narrowed. "Don't you let his words affect you, Elsa. He is trying to throw you off balance, to make you question everything—"

"Well, it's working!" Elsa took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain calm despite the anger that was brewing inside of her. "Élenway never said anything," she whispered. "Gábriel and Míchælin . . . Where have they been all this time? They were all too happy to let me think she was just a girl who needed my help, that the connection we share is simply a happy coincidence."

"They were only trying to protect her," Isarn said softly, wrapping an arm around his daughter's shoulder. "After everything she experienced in her own world because of her unique abilities . . . Maíreweth doesn't want to remember any of it, believe me. The Maíreth . . . They were simply doing what they thought was best for her. What they thought would keep her safe . . . would make her happy."

Make her happy? Elsa cocked her head in confusion. "I don't understand . . ."

"Don't you see, Elsa? The Maíreth set the girl on the path they did because they knew it would lead her directly to you. Ask yourself this, my daughter. Does her true identity in any way prevent you from loving her?"

The Queen knew the answer to the question before Isarn had finished asking it. "No . . ." she murmured.

"Precisely!" Isarn held her hand even tighter, his eyes wide. "So the girl happens to be your counterpart from another world. That is not an indictment against you! Maíreweth happens to be extraordinarily fortunate. What better person to raise her, to teach her, to care for her than you? You know her, Elsa, as well as you know yourself. Whether you realize it or not, you are the only person in all of the Almighty's creation that can love her, that can teach her to become the woman she is destined to be."

Elsa looked at her father incredulously. "You . . . You believe that?"

Isarn met his daughter's gaze, refusing to look away. "You know that I do."

The Queen nodded, her mind contemplating everything Isarn had revealed to her. After several silent moments, she broke free from her thoughts. "You are here to help me, correct? That is the reason you have come to this realm, isn't it?"

"Of course." Isarn's face turned grim as his attention turned to the task that lay before them. "V has to be stopped before he destroys Arendelle. Before he destroys every world the Almighty has formed. I am here to do what I can to help you stop him."

"Good." Elsa gestured to the swirling orange vortex in the center of the room. "Can you control this? Can you make it take us where we need to go?"

Isarn laughed at the question. "It is only too simple." He looked at Elsa once more. "To Arendelle?"

The Queen shook her head. "Not yet. I . . . I was wondering if you could take me somewhere else first. There's someone who I think could help us. Hopefully, you can help me find her."

Isarn looked quizzically at his daughter, his curiosity piqued. "I'm listening." His gaze involuntarily fell upon the pulsating gateway, its orange light warm, inviting, offering the possibility of visiting any of the thousands of different worlds spanning the whole of Creation. "Now, just what did you have in mind?"

The sounds of battle echoed throughout the palace. The normally calm atmosphere was shattered, replaced by cries for help and screams of agony that echoed throughout the building's vast halls.

Upstairs, hidden away in their bedroom, Célebron and Élsaweth sat in silence, their young minds uncertain of how to react to the horrifying noises that filled their ears.

Finally, Élsaweth spoke. "What do you think's going on down there?"

"I don't know," Célebron said. "It doesn't sound good." As if to illustrate his point, a loud shriek of pain cut through the corridor outside their door. "No, it doesn't sound good at all."

"Célebron . . ."

Élsaweth faltered slightly, turning away. Her brother moved toward her, taking her hand.

"What's wrong?" Célebron asked. His face grew worried as he took a closer look at his sister. "You're crying—"

"Nothing! I'm fine!" Élsaweth snapped.

The boy suddenly understood. "You . . . You're scared, aren't you?"

"No, I'm not!" Élsaweth protested. "I'm a big girl! And big girls don't get scared! Big girls are brave, like Mama, and Aunt Alúvelin, and Aunt Elsa! Big girls don't . . . They don't . . ."

Célebron took a deep breath, forcing himself to set aside his pride in order to help put his sister's mind at ease. "Well, I am."

Élsaweth looked at her brother in amazement. "You're . . . You're what?!"

"I'm scared!" Célebron admitted. "I wish Mama and Papa and Aunt Elsa and everyone else was here right now! Because it sounds so scary out there, and I don't know what we're s'posed to do . . .!"

"Oh, Célebron!" Élsaweth held her brother tightly, her arms pinning his to his side. "It's okay! We can be scared together!"

The twins clutched each other tightly as the noises outside their door grew louder and louder with each passing moment. Suddenly, without warning, the corridor outside their room grew very, very soft.

"Do you think they're gone?" Élsaweth whispered. "Maybe they're—"

The bedroom door burst open, the wooden barrier detaching itself from its hinges. The twins dove to the floor, terror filling their hearts. Opening their eyes, they gasped in fear as they saw three dark figures standing before them.

"Well, well, well." One of the hooded figures spoke, his voice low, raspy, menacing. "Look what we have here. A couple of little kids."

Despite her fear, Élsaweth took offense at the figure's choice of words. "We're not little!" she spat, drawing herself to her full height. "We're four years old! We're not afraid of you!"

The three invaders glanced at each other, then back at the children. The room was suddenly filled with the sound of cruel laughter as the attackers mocked Élsaweth's outburst.

"Well, did you hear that, boys?" the one who appeared to be the leader of the trio asked. "They're four! I guess we'd better just surrender right now. Who knows what they're going to do to us?"

The trio burst into another fit of laughter as Célebron and Élsaweth felt their ears burn in embarrassment.

"It's not funny!" Célebron snapped, trying to appear brave like his father. "You leave her alone!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, young man. What are you going to do: play with me to death?" The leader moved toward Célebron, his laughter dissipating. "Now, what do you say the two of you come with us? Don't worry. We won't hurt you. We just want to have you on hand in case your guards get any funny ideas—"

"Don't touch him!" Élsaweth cried, rushing in front of her brother. "I mean it! Stay away from us! Just go away!"

"I admire your spirit, little ones," the leader said, his voice flat. "But, I'm afraid my patience is gone." He gestured to his two companions. "Gentlemen, what do you say we take these two to a safe place? I'm sure their parents would be willing to give up quite a bit in order to make sure nothing—"

No one in the room was exactly certain of just what transpired in that moment. All they knew for certain was that in one moment, the three shadowy figures were advancing on the terrified children, their hooded faces barely concealing their arrogant glee. In the next moment, the leader found himself thrust against the wall, an unseen force—wind?!—holding him in place. Glancing to his side, he gasped in astonishment as he saw his companions lying unconscious on the floor, their legs coated in thick layers of solid ice.

Célebron and Élsaweth looked at each other, their eyes widening as they saw their hands glowing, blue light emanating from their fingertips. Snow swirled lightly about them as they looked at the leader, watching in amazement as he struggled to remove himself from the wall.

"What . . . are you doing?" the leader gasped, fighting a losing battle against the cold wind that imprisoned him. "You are . . . just children. How are you doing this?!"

Célebron held his hands in front of his face, his fear disappearing, replaced by a feeling of bravery he had never experienced before in his short life. "Wow!" he whispered, overwhelmed by his own abilities.

Élsaweth, for her part, looked at her own hands, noticing how her hands were illuminated just like—

"It's just like Aunt Elsa!" she murmured, looking eagerly at her brother. Staring at him intently, she took Célebron's hand, noticing right away just how much more powerful she felt as she touched his skin. "What do you think we should do?"

"Get . . . me . . . down from here!" the shadowy figure cried out. "You're just children! You can't possibly be doing this!"

Simultaneously, the twins grinned, the same thought running through their minds. As if one, they moved to the doorway, standing before the shadowy figure.

"Hey mister!"

"What?!" The invader looked down at the twins, wondering just what fresh hell was about to be thrust upon him by the children he had clearly underestimated.

Élsaweth glanced at Célebron, then up at the leader. Her voice rang clearly through the room, a hint of mischief in her tone. "Do you wanna build a snowman?"

The halls of the Browning Institute were darkened, most of the employees having gone home for the day. The research facility—one of the most advanced in the world—was home to many of the top scientists in the various fields of physics. Their accomplishments were, indeed, impressive: seven Nobel Prizes, twenty senior researchers also holding endowed professorships at major universities, countless papers published in the most prestigious journals in the field. When Arthur Browning established the institute that would bear his name thirty years earlier, he could not have possibly envisioned the unparalleled level of success that would be his legacy.

Despite the late hour, one of the offices still was brightly lit, its occupant on the phone, engaged in conversation.

"I know, I promised I'd be home at the regular time tonight." The woman brushed a stray strand of blonde hair from her eyes, pulling it over her ear toward the tight bun that restrained her long locks. "But this project has to be finished by the end of the month. If we don't have our paper ready for publication, I might lose funding for our work. Do you understand?"

The voice on the other end of the line sighed. "I know. I just hate not seeing you. I feel like we haven't had more than a few brief moments together each day in months."

A pained look shot across the blonde woman's face. "I know, and I'm really sorry, Angela. You know I wouldn't be working this many hours unless it was really important. Don't you?"

A heavy sigh came across the phone. "I know. Just . . . Just don't forget that I exist, okay?"

"How could I possibly do that?" The blonde woman paused, her eyes darting to the clock, silently cursing as she realized just how late it was. "The way you snore at night makes it impossible for me not to notice you."

"Hey! I'm your sister, dammit! You should be nicer to me!"

"I'm just kidding." The blonde woman took a look at her computer monitor, hastily making mental notes of the data, running mental calculations to make sure the numbers still added up. "I mean it, Angela. Just a few more days, and then we can finally do the work we've always wanted to. Together. I promise."

"I know." Angela's voice was soft, understanding. "I love you. Please, promise me you won't work too late."

"I won't. Love you too. I'll be home in an hour. Leave the light on for me."

She hung up the phone, rubbing her eyes as she fought to stay awake. These late nights are really starting to wear on me. Standing, she picked up her mug from her desk, prepared to go pour some of the mysterious black sludge her coworkers called coffee into it.

As she turned to leave her office, she shrieked involuntarily, her mug falling from her hand, shattering into hundreds of fragments as it made contact with the floor.

"Dr. Elizabeth Jennesen?"

Elizabeth found herself staring at a tall man, his blonde hair cut short, his eyes icy blue. He was dressed . . . strangely, to say the least, wearing some kind of tunic, a thick cloak wrapped around his neck.

"I . . . I . . ."

The man stepped forward, smiling. "I apologize for the intrusion, but I'm afraid we are very short on time. You are Dr. Jennesen, aren't you?"

Before she could reply, Elizabeth heard a voice—a woman's voice—speak. "It's her."

Elizabeth looked beyond the tall man to see the figure of a woman standing outside her office, her face shrouded underneath the hood of the cloak draped over it.

The man reached for her hand. "My name is Isarn. My . . . colleague and I are in desperate need of your assistance. Your work is vital to helping us take care of a very dire situation."

Elizabeth finally found her voice, her shock replaced by anger. "Is this some kind of joke? Who the hell are you people?" A thought flashed through her mind. "And how did you get in here in the first place? This is a Class One research area. Only those with proper authorization can be in here! How did you make it through the scanners?"

The man and the woman glanced at each other, then looked back at Elizabeth. "We have . . . unique authorization," the woman said. "We need to speak with you immediately. It's urgent."

Elizabeth shook her head. "I don't know who you are, or what you think you're doing, but I'm calling security." She picked up the phone on her desk, dialing the number that would connect her with the night guards.

Before she knew what was happening, the phone was ripped out of her hand, the line torn, dangling uselessly from the outlet in the wall. The man looked at her. "Like I said. We are not here to harm you. We simply need your help."

Elizabeth bit her lip, desperately trying to conceal the fear that was welling up within her. "My help? I don't have any idea who you are! How did you find me? How did you get in here? What could you possibly want my help with?" She gestured toward the woman outside her office. "And why do you have that hood over your head? Let me see your face! Who the hell are you people?"

The woman stepped into the office, her hands moving to the hood over her face. "Please. Just calm down. I will let you see my face. Just . . . Promise me that you'll keep an open mind. Promise me you won't panic."

Despite her fear, Elizabeth felt her sense of scientific professionalism had been insulted. "I'm a scientist," she retorted. "I always keep an open mind." She raised an eyebrow. "Are you deformed in some way? Is something wrong with your face? Because I assure you, I have seen almost everything there is to see. You don't need to be ashamed."

The woman glanced at the man, who nodded to her wordlessly.

"Like I said," the woman said to Elizabeth, slowly lowering her hood. "Try not to get upset."

Elizabeth felt her heart skip several beats, her hands begin to perspire, as she stared into the woman's all-too-familiar face. This . . . This is impossible! This can't be happening! What is this?! All the color drained from Elizabeth's cheeks as she stared at the woman who somehow, someway, looked exactly like her, down to the last detail.

"You . . . How are you . . .?"

A loud clunk filled the office as Elizabeth's body hit the floor.

Isarn peered at the scientist's unconscious form, then looked back at Elsa. "Well, that went well, don't you think?"

AN: More to come!