The castle was almost exactly like the one she had built, despite its dark and malevolent presence. The ice was mixed with Pitch's nightmare black sand, which gave it a stone like appearance. The chandelier above them was no longer an ornate snowflake, but a dangerous hanging black spike. Unlike her castle, which had been empty, his was filled with black velvet furniture, and a large black spiked throne.
There were candelabras all about with black candles that gave off blue flames. When she reached out to touch one she found that is was not hot. The night outside the window was dark; there truly was no moon. She could still hear the wolves howling inside the castle, and it made her shiver.
"You'll know the way to your room then." He said pointing up the stairs. She wanted to argue, but the truth was she would rather be locked upstairs in her room than anywhere near him. What was he trying to play at? She would never be happy here, and she was not going to stay here much longer.
Up the stairs and in the ice room there was furniture that much resembled the pieces she had in her parent's castle. The bed and dresser all looked the same, and the same window there at the farthest wall. There was a large mirror beside the armior and she walked over to it, looking at her reflection.
She looked like the same girl, but she didn't feel the same. Her heart was heavy, and she felt weighed down by confusion and fear. She had no sense of time anymore. She was not sure if it had been days since she last saw Jack or was it merely hours? She kept hoping that she would open her eyes and see him smiling at her. That he would come and rescue her from all this.
She looked in to the mirror again and saw the bed behind her and saw on it laid a dress. She turned to look at it more closely, walking over to it. The dress was long, and ornate with Chantilly lace. It was all black and had a train much like the blue dress she already wore.
She shook her head. She would not wear the dress. How dare he be so bold as to try and dress her? Did he think he was going to win her over with gifts? A soft rain began to beat against her window, and she walked over to it looking out in to the blackness. The rain trickled down her window like tears. She watched it for some time, until a rumbling of thunder and bolt of lightening scared her away from the window.
She sank down on to the bed and put her head in to her hands. She let out a rattling sigh, but she could not cry. It was if she had spent all her tears out on the sea. She was so confused and alone, all she wanted was to go home. She wanted to see her sister again, she wanted to see Jack.
She sat there for some time, eyes closed and head in her hands listening to the rain until she heard a knock at the door. "Go away." She said, but another knock followed. "I said go away." She said louder, but he entered anyway. She looked up at him and he looked a bit taken back in surprise. "I thought you'd have your gown on by now." He said, looking to the dress still laid out on the bed. "I'm not wearing that." Was all she said. He shook his head pitifully and said, "I think you will." She was about to protest, when she heard a voice.
"Elsa, Elsa help me!" the voice said. It sounded terrified and loud right in her ear. She jumped from the bed and looked all around the room. "Elsa please!" The voice screamed. "What are you doing? Stop it!" Elsa cried to him but he only smiled. "Are you hearing voices again Elsa?" he said playfully, but it wasn't just any voice, it was Anna's. "Elsa! Elsa! Help me please!" she cried louder and louder.
Elsa put her hands over her ears and cried, "Make it stop, please!" but she could still hear Anna's voice screaming and begging, as if for her life. "Say you'll do as I ask." Pitch said narrowing his yellow eyes at her. Elsa only growled at him, but then Anna's voice let out a blood-curdling scream and Elsa sank to her knees. "Fine! I'll do as you say!" she cried, and just like that the voice subsided.
"Good girl. Join me in the foyer when you are dressed." He said with a smile as he turned and slipped out the door. Elsa was panting, tears rolling down her cheeks as she took her hands from her ears. She felt emotionally drained. She didn't know what was real and what was fake anymore. She slowly got to her feet, using the bed to steady herself. She took another long look at the dress, before beginning to untie her own.
When she opened the door to her bedchamber, she heard a noise coming from downstairs that sounded like a party. She could hear soft music playing, and she could hear people making conversation. She didn't understand what was going on, as they had been the only two people she had seen in the castle, but she came out of her room anyway. As she walked over to the balcony she looked down and saw a room full of people, well at least what looked like people.
"Ah there is she! Our beautiful guest of honor!" Pitch cried, and everyone downstairs cheered. "Elsa, come down, join us." He said motioning for her to come down the stairs. She stood there for a moment lingering before slowly descending the staircase, one unsure step at a time. There was a four piece string quartet playing. Waiters were carrying trays of champagne. People were coupled up and dancing in the middle of the she got closer and closer to the party guests, she realized that they didn't look like real people at all; she could see straight through them.
They all smiled at her, bowed as she joined the party. "What is going on?" She asked as she walked in to the sea of people who were bowing towards her. "Who are these people?" she added looking around at a group of unfamiliar faces. "Just a few dearly departed friends." Pitch said with a smile. She was confused by his words, and then realization washed over her. "You mean, they're ghosts?" Elsa asked as she recoiled from a nearby guest. He nodded, "Well of course they are, don't you remember any of them?" He snickered.
She was confused she didn't know these people. They were all dancing and carrying on as if they didn't know they were dead. They did not act at all how she thought ghosts would act. Then again, she never really thought about ghost. "No, I do not know these people." She said to him, but he only smiled. He pointed towards a small group of men and said, "Those men were the crew aboard the royal ship." Her heart began to beat faster as he mentioned the ship she had just recently watch capsize. Ah wait, here is a pair I'm sure you know." He said with a wicked smile as he stepped aside. Behind him stood the ghostly figures of her parents.
She gasped, stumbling back horrified she had to hold her hand over her mouth not to scream. Her eyes were wide and wet as tears ran down her face. They looked exactly as they had on the day they left. She could remember now every detail. She remembered the smell of her mother's perfume and her father's firm handshake as they said goodbye for the last time.
Oh how she had wished she had hugged them! Why did she have to be so reserved. If she had know it was the last time she would see them, she would have told them how much she loved them, and that she didn't blame them for anything that happened to her. Her heart was racing so loudly now she could hear it in her ears.
She thought she would faint. The room felt too small and too big at the same time. She was lightheaded. What would Anna do if she could see them now? She could hardly think of it. She was sure that she would have fallen apart. Their deaths had been so hard on Anna and she beat herself up everyday for not being there for her.
"Oh Elsa." He mother whispered with a smile as she looked upon her. Her father smiled, and her mother reached for her as they approached. Elsa slowly took her hand down from her mouth and tried to form the words she wanted to say to them, but she was at a loss.
"Mother?" she was all she could muster. Her voice was broken and weak. Her mother smiled and nodded. She placed a hand gently on her cheek; a hand Elsa could not feel. Elsa tried to put her hand over her mother's but she could feel nothing but her own cheek. She wanted to desperately to feel her mother's touch. She had spent most of her childhood with out it and it was something she deeply regretted.
"We're so proud of you Elsa." Her father said. His words startled her. It was something she had never heard him say. She just stared at his smiling face, she had no idea what to say to him. He shocked her once more, reaching a weightless hand out and placing it on her shoulder. She could hardly speak she was so overcome with emotion. She tried to touch his hand, but like her mother's she could not feel it.
This was the most unbelievable moment of her life; more than meeting Jack or the rest of the Guardians. This was something she could confidently say she never dreamed would happen. She was completely lost in the moment, staring at her parent's faces, when she caught a smug look from Pitch through the back of their transparent heads. "Isn't it nice to hear what you always wanted from your parents, even if it is a lie?" Pitch hissed.
His words hit her like a ton of bricks; knocking her back she let out a sob. He had spoiled the only moment she would ever have with her parents, or what was left of them, and it was something she could never have again. The image of her parents lingered a moment longer, a smile still on their face as they evaporated in to the night air. "You're a monster!" she cried and turned running up the stairs. "Don't worry Elsa, it's not has if they were your real parents anyway." He called after her, but she didn't stop and ran in to her room slamming the door. She threw herself on to the bed and wept there in to the blankets until she fell asleep.
