Chapter: 26 Broken Memories

Elsa, Audrey, and Alek rode across the Arendellian landscape. Elsa rode ahead of both, trying her best to focus on the path instead of the captains' incessant bickering. The queen had given up on getting them to stop. No amount of words could put an end to their seemingly undying hatred for one another. The more Elsa thought about it, the further frustrated she became. With a flustered spur of Bianca, she galloped even further ahead of the captains.

"It's good that I'm headed back to the kingdom anyway," scoffed Audrey. "A REAL captain's got to get Arendelle's soldiers back in shape."

Alek growled, "The men have done just fine under my command."

Audrey forced a laugh that was more infuriating than obnoxious, "Are they all abandoning their duties as fast as the wind changes too?"

"Damn you Audrey...If you were-"

"If I was what?" she snipped. "A man? Then you'd be able to fight me? Oh you are so full of shit. I'm more of a man than you are."

"You are certainly more vulgar," he quipped.

"Don't blame me for my personality!" Audrey jeered. "Blame the fool who made me like this!" Enraged, Alek gripped the hilt of his sword. She smiled at the gesture and grabbed her own. "That's it, Alek. You want to take a swing? Come on!" She readied her blade and pointed it at his neck. "Go on. Draw. Finish what you already damaged." Alek refused to fight her. "Attack...Attack you coward! Prove to me you are the better captain!"

Alek puffed out his chest and sat up tall on his steed. "I have nothing to prove to you." He turned and rode to catch up with Elsa.

Audrey's eye twitched and she furiously spurred her horse to pursue him. "Who do you think you are you-"

"No, Audrey," he turned. "Who do you think YOU are?" He stared her down, "The greatest warrior to walk the land? The unmatchable defender and keeper of the memory stone? The Sentinel?"

Elsa returned, "Alek, we need to-"

"Just a moment, little Elsa." replied Alek.

Audrey twitched again, "I-"

"You think you're the only one who made sacrifices?" Alek went on the offensive, leading his horse right at her and getting his face in hers. "You think you're the only one who suffers? The one who's suffered the worst? We've all lost people. At least I call them people. You think the title of captain gives you permission to turn your inferiors into expendables. To think I was so blind to see even the slightest form of goodness in you. Goodness, now that's a joke. Your heart has never been kind, at least not purposefully. You're a selfish bully, Audrey. And you always have been." Audrey was speechless. She just stood idle, taking in every word that Alek had struck her with. Alek gave Odin a tug, "My quarrel with you is over. We have a mission to accomplish with or without you, and I choose to serve my kingdom as I ALWAYS have, with every ounce of blood and sweat in my body. You want to keep hating me for your own problems and insecurities, so be it. I actually, feel very...very sorry for you." With that, Alek caught up to Elsa, leaving Audrey to trail behind, still dumbfounded.

An hour of riding had passed by and Audrey had not opened her mouth once. She slowly, yet steadily galloped about fifty feet behind Alek and Elsa. Alek also rode in silence, until his queen spoke up. She turned, "Captain-"

Alek shook himself free of his mind's wandering thoughts. "Yes, little Elsa?"

"What happened between you two?" She nervously glanced over her shoulder and back at Audrey. Her cold stare curiously returned to Alek.

He sighed, "Audrey and I were very good friends serving under your mother and father. I, as you know, was born and raised into the Arendellian military. Audrey was a mercenary from the Southern Isles. She was tired of the king's regime and immigrated to Arendelle." Alek laughed lightly, "She said she used to bully one of the princes there. Aside from that, she and I met when I was a rising soldier. Your father placed her under my guidance. But Elsa, not everyone likes to be taught on how to do their job." Alek looked back to her, "Audrey was a wild horse that could never be broken. She always got the job done her way, and I liked it."

Elsa craned her neck with interest, "Oh?"

"She was cocky. Very driven. We found each other's fighting styles and determination rather...alluring. Before we knew it, we were training together, and my did it show. Our skills were so effective, so perfected, that we became the leaders of any mission for your parents. Oh how we battled foes together. Back to back, swords ready, those were the days. Hell, we even had a run-in with Sao Feng, the pirate lord. He once tried to attack our trade ships, you know. But that's beside the point. Our endeavors eventually rose us both to the rank of captain. And in time...I can say I developed...feelings for her."

"But then, what went wrong?"

"The prophecy." Alek turned away, "Ever since that war prophecy came to being, your parents went to great lengths to keep the kingdom safe. They were stressed beyond comprehension."

Elsa frowned, "I'm sure my power dilemma didn't help at all."

"Your parents had their hands full." Alek continued. "Then, came the memory stone. Audrey and I were the most trusted captains in the kingdom. The king chose her to guard it over me. I can only assume they did so because I was closer to you and Anna. Honestly, I'm not sure." Alek became increasingly solemn, "I had to say goodbye to her that day."

Captain Alek held Captain Audrey's hands in his. The two stood within the mountainous outskirts of Arendelle. "Goodbye, Audrey." Alek could feel himself tearing up. "My love."

Audrey sighed, "Why say goodbye?"

"What do you mean?"

"Stay here, Alek." she urged. "Stay with me in exile."

"But, Anna and Elsa. The king and queen."

"We've given them everything for the last twenty years. It's time we started making decisions for ourselves. For...us."

Alek gulped, "But we have a duty to fulfill. There is real evil out there, and only we can stop it."

"No more heroics, Alek." The young and beautiful Audrey brushed her raven hair. "Go into exile with me. We'll hide the stone and never look back."

"But-"

"What?" she snapped.

"Audrey," Alek looked deep into her eyes, "After everything we've done for the royal family, could you so easily disappear and never think of them again?"

She thought on his words before responding, "Yes. Especially if I have you."

Alek replied, "Why can we not have both? I will return to protect the princesses and you will guard the stone. When all this is over, we can reunite in peace."

Audrey began to glower, "Alek, that could take years...YEARS. We don't know how long I have to hide away. How long until this war happens."

"I would wait for you."

"Al, you cannot wait that long. What are you going to visit me every five months? Once a year? What kind of life is that?"

"I'm trying to make us work-"

"I know you're trying but it won't work!" Audrey clenched her fist. "You can't have both, Alek. Either you go back to Arendelle and never see me again, or you come with me and leave the kingdom behind forever."

"Audrey, I love you." Alek held her close. "More than I have ever loved a woman before. I would wait decades if it ultimately meant having you for the rest of my life. I would work for you. I would fight for you. I would make you my life." She remained silent. "Would you not do the same for me?"

Audrey turned and then faced him again, "I guess not."

Her words slowly began to tear a hole in his heart, "Pardon?" he said.

"I guess...I've never loved you then." Audrey continued. "If waiting for someone is a test of love, I've failed it."

"Don't talk like that I-"

"Don't try and make me sound like something I'm not," Audrey looked away. "I don't love you, Alek."

"Audrey, I know you don't mean that."

She looked up at him with an emotionless face. "Then you don't know me at all. In fact, you never really knew me. I stuck with you because it was just enough to get me to the rank of captain. To hell with you. To hell with you and all of the Arendellian military."

"I don't believe what I'm hearing," Alek shook his head.

"Well you should. It's about time you grew up," Audrey mounted her horse and rode into exile, not even making time to bid farewell.

Alek sighed, "That was the last time I ever saw her."

"That explains why you never smiled upon returning to Arendelle." Elsa felt great sympathy for her captain. "Oh Alek, I'm so sorry."

"It's alright, my queen." he replied. "It's taken me a very long time to get over the pains of my heart, but my sense of duty to my country will always be stronger."

Elsa smiled, "That's why you're the best."

"Princess Anna!" hollered one of the soldiers from the castle foyer. "Princess Anna!"

Anna dashed for the balcony and leaned over, "Yes?!"

"They've returned. With the memory stone!"

Anna and Kristoff ran down to meet up with the others. Hilda and Herfinn snuck out of bed and crept over to eavesdrop. "Wow," gasped Kristoff. "You made it home by sunrise!"

"Told you we'd be back in no time," yawned Elsa. "Anna, Kristoff..." She caught the orphans hiding behind a couch, "Hilda...Herfinn...I want you to meet Captain Audrey, protector of the memory stone. Audrey gave a glum nod. Alek unwrapped the stone as Elsa explained, "I tried to activate it, but I believe both Anna and I must touch it for the magic to work."

"Here goes nothing," Anna raised her hand as Elsa did.

"Ready?" asked Elsa.

"Born ready," replied her sister. Together, the royals grasped the memory stone, and it glowed brighter than ever before. An image began to form within Anna and Elsa's subconsciouses. They could see their mother in a bed as their father approached her. He knelt down and-

The memory cut off and the stone stopped glowing. "What?" said Elsa. "Try again." She and Anna took hold of the stone and the same images began to play, only to end at the exact same spot.

"No!" exclaimed Anna. "We were so close!"

"What did you see?" asked Alek.

Elsa recalled, "Momma in bed, Poppa approaching her bedside. She looked sick. He was going to say something when the memory just ended!"

"I don't know what else to do," Alek paced the foyer. "We have both sisters, and the memory stone. What more to this puzzle is there?" He pondered while Anna and Elsa rigorously tried to activate the memory stone.