I'm sorry this is late. I wanted to re-write it because the original just wasn't working, but I'm part way through moving house.. On the bright side, my new place actually looks like someone lives there now.
*The kingdoms mentioned are from Sofia the First, because I love that stupid show :3
Anna was in the sewing room with her ladies and her guests several hours after Hans ran out on her, embroidering peacefully in gentle conversation. Anna spoke to the queen of Corona about painting and craft, the young princess of Enchancia talked constantly about her friends, and Freezenburg's princess fawned over the book of flora. The princess of Corinthia and sultana of Agrabah spoke animatedly about their flying carpets, and Wei-ling's own imperial princess made fast friends with the awkward and isolated princess of Hakalo. There was enough conversation going around the room to almost forget about the harsh and cruel weather outside.
Kaerus had arrived at the castle an hour earlier, but had not even stopped for lunch. He and his servants were exhausted and cold, and they had all gone to their designated rooms. Anna hadn't heard anything from them since, but had a feeling they'd also be sleeping through dinner. She had wanted to do something special to thank them, but she was out of options, with food rationing in place again. All the food had been distributed as best as they could, James had continued to oversee it when Hans left, but there were still hungry people out on the streets, powerless to help themselves until the storm passed. If it ever would.
She had almost finished her second sleeve when there was a knock on the door. The sewing room was restricted to ladies, tailors and seamstresses, so Tora rose quietly to open the door.
One of Anna's staff, a duster, was standing just across the boundary, chest rising and falling quickly. They bowed low, and addressed the queen. "Your Majesty, sorry for the intrusion, but I have been sent by Lord Hans to return something that was stolen from you." They handed something to Tora, who brought it over to Anna, looking puzzled. "I was told to return it to your chambers but no one was there, and Maree suggested I try here instead. I couldn't rightfully leave it on the floor where it might get kicked and further lost." Tora was by Anna's side then and handed the object to her.
Her key. The one Elsa had taken.
Anna rose suddenly, spooking the ladies around her. "What did Hans tell you? Exactly." She met the servant's eyes intently, pulling years of training into that stare.
"Your Majesty," Their voice cracked under the pressure, but continued, "He told me to take it to your chambers, and if I saw you, I was to apologize to you on his behalf, but that I shouldn't go looking for you." He shrugged, motioning to their conversation right then, "I think he plans on apologizing himself, though, ma'am." They paused, watching the tension on the room climb. "He said he didn't steal it, but that he knew who did and something about not.. Tolerating theft? I think he caught whoever it was and plans on punishing them, I'm not sure." He paused while Anna studied him. "I ran all the way here, Your Majesty,"
Anna felt her face pale considerably in the warm room, and with that last line, she thought she would pass out. Tora and Jess were suddenly at her elbows, confused and concerned. Anna was vaguely aware of Jess dismissing the duster, but all Anna could think was the need to find her sister right now.
She shook off their hands and started towards the door. The world around her felt like it was spinning. She remembered James' words just after she had spoken to Hans, and she knew that's what he was afraid to tell her in the library. "We found a book on the subject, and comparing what we know with the painting on the ceiling, we can come to only one conclusion." Anna can't believe what she'd done, what she'd walked her own sister into. "You understand that this may still not be all on the subject, but this is all we can find." Anna had spend the day fretting, hoping to hear from her sister to know she was okay, so she could tell Elsa what she'd learnt. It was too little, too late. Hans had found her first.
Hans. He had a dramatic flair, so there would only be two places he would execute someone: The Gardens or The Balcony. She allowed herself to toy with the idea that he was going to lock her up and consult with her first, but that was a lesser priority. Right now she had to save her sisters life.
Her guests were calling after her, but she didn't pay them any attention.
A guard met her at the door, startled to see her there. She had almost walked into him, but her mind was going too fast to allow that to bother her. "Sir, I require you to go down into the cells under the castle. I have reason to believe my sister has returned and has been locked away there by Hans. Do not allow him to do anything to her if this is true." She didn't wait for a response as she raced down the hall.
When she arrived at the staircase she had two options: Up would take her to the balcony, or down, which would lead her into the gardens. She paused, knowing that every moment might mean the difference between finding her sister, or finding her sister's body. She may already be too late.
Downstairs.
She stepped forward, ready to take the stairs three at a time if she had to, but as she stepped past the stairs leading up, a cold draft tickled her skin. A door was open upstairs. She tried to dismiss it, but she was taking too long to decide.
Changing her decision, Anna flew up the stairs as quickly as she could, fear making her heart race and her eyes blur. She could feel the air getting cooler, biting at her skin. She turned through the doorway to the hall leading out and she could see Elsa through the storm, collapsed on the ground. As she stepped through the door Hans raised his sword to strike.
Anna couldn't think, couldn't feel. Her cheeks didn't feel the wind and her lungs didn't protest as she flew down the long freezing hall. She didn't know what she was going to do, the wind was too loud to shout over, and her feet weren't moving fast enough.
She prayed that Hans would pause, would flinch from what he was about to do, and she wished she knew how to stop him. They never covered this when she hid in the rafters
He was lowering the sword too soon, and she was only crossing the threshold. Anna shouted, screamed, asking for him to stop, to hear her, but his movement was too fast and the wind was too loud.
Anna's fear pushed her faster and her final sliding step brought her in front of Hans, in line with the sword. Her hands raised up in defence of her sister, willing to be injured or worse for her, but one hand found Hans' gripping the hilt, and the other quickly found it's place on the side of the blade as it levelled with her shoulder. With everything she loved on the line, Anna found the strength to push the sword to the side, and down into the stones. The cold iron shattered against the frozen stone floor and Hans was thrown off balance, landing amongst the pieces.
Anna found her voice and screamed over the wind, "How dare you?"
He looked up at her, shock all over his features.
Elsa could feel the universe laughing at her. She could hear Anna's voice, strong and sure, and she could feel the sun on her skin, both memories of a better time. Even the howl of the wind lessened after days of hearing nearly nothing else. After so long, she could begin to remember the sounds of birds and the tickle of a slight breeze, salty from the ocean.
She waiting for the final moment, and didn't fight the tears that sprang into her eyes. At least he didn't have to see them.
It took her a moment, but eventually she realized that this wasn't her final moment, and that the wind wasn't howling. At least, Anna's voice was louder than the sound. Elsa also realized that the wind didn't bite at her skin, and when she opened her eyes, it wasn't dark and shattered with blizzard, but lighter and clearer. As she watched the horizon, she could see the clouds losing their hateful colour, as if they had finally snowed out.
Slowly, her senses returned to her after the shock. Anna's voice, confident and carefree in her memories, faded, and a very angry and frightful voice replaced them. She turned her head to the left as she sat up, and saw Hans sprawled out on the ground, still holding the hilt of a- Broken sword? -looking honestly terrified. Anna was standing above him, her voice breaking as she shouted, fists clenched at her side.
None of her words were making any sense yet, but as she focused, she heard words she didn't even know her sister knew.
"After all I did for you; After the kingdom accepted and praised you and welcomed you; And you do this?" She was shouting down at him. "I trusted you; I loved you!"
Hans was looking up at her like he was looking up at a god: Fearful, but in awe. He didn't protest, either, or flinch, or even look away from her.
Elsa forgot she herself was there until Hans eyes flickered to her for barely half a second.
"Don't you dare look away from me. Can you even comprehend what you were about to do? Can you imagine the consequences? I will have your head for this, I swear. You don't come to someone's kingdom, pretend you love the queen and then go and kill her sister, that's beyond wrong." Anna was focused on tearing him down with every word, and each syllable was dripping with scorn and hatred. She was so focused on Hans, she didn't see Elsa watching, or see Kaerus appear at the doorway. still dressed in sleeping attire, or even see him rush to Elsa's side, bringing her close to his chest.
Hans didn't look over either, but Elsa could tell he saw them, because his shoulders relaxed ever so slightly.
Elsa was almost crushed against Kaerus' chest, practically pulled into his lap. "The Seer appeared in my dreams and told me I had to go to you," He whispered in her ear, his breath hot and fast. Elsa found herself nodding. "I didn't even know she could do that," Kaerus chuckled low and quietly, but hardly amused.
"How long where you there for?" Elsa asked, turning her head to him.
"Long enough to work out what I was about to be too late to stop." Facing him, Elsa could see the tears streaming down his face. His voice was breaking and he was hiccuping, but he was here. "I knew, when I saw her," He continued, "I knew I was too late to save you." His arms around her squeezed gently, as if he was reminding himself she was still there. "I saw Anna practically fly up the stairs, and I followed her. I heard the sword shatter when I reached the top of the stairs, but I-" He kissed the top of her head. "I'm so glad you're ok."
Elsa cuddled closer to him, taking in his warmth. An inappropriate thought crossed her mind. Not the inappropriate sort, but the I-wonder-how-long-until-he-notices kind. She refused to ponder on it, though, instead opting to look around at the world while she was held close to his beating heart.
Anna was still ripping into Hans, but Elsa could see how much he loved her in the way he sat there and took it. Even Elsa loved her for the passion she was showing right then, and Elsa felt rather touched that the sister she had blocked out of her life for so long was ready to tear someone apart with her own hands.
"Anna," Kaerus's chest rumbled with his voice with the practice of a king, "Stop."
It was like someone had flicked a switch inside her because now instead of rage, she was crying violently, falling to the floor.
Elsa pulled away from Kaerus quickly and wrapped her arms around her sister. "Oh Anna," she cooed gently, "Sweet Anna, it'll be ok," Elsa tucked Anna's head under her chin and looked up to the clearing sky. Anna took fistfuls of Elsa's loose servants sleeves and clung onto her sister. "I'm still here, sweet heart, I'm safe, we're all safe,"
They held that position for a long minute, Anna curled up close to Elsa, clutching her like her sister was all that was keeping her alive. In the broken silence, Hans looked around and though Elsa'a back was to Kaerus, she knew the moment he looked around too, and heard him take in a sharp breath, almost a gasp, in surprise.
"Anna," The name escaped Hans' lips before he could stop them, and Elsa could already feel Anna ball up the fabric in her hands in fury.
"Sister," Elsa continued, gently pulling the young woman away from her body. "Hans wants to show you something. Something that we all did. Something that you did." Anna shook her head in protest, not looking up. "Anna, just take a little look."
Anna shook her head again, but peeked at Hans, who was looking up at the sky and grinning crookedly in shock. As they watched, he stood up and turned around, taking everything in, oblivious to their eyes. Her curiosity peeked, and Anna, too, looked around, and Elsa had the pleasure of watching her jaw drop each time her eyes focused.
Kaerus offered his hand, and Elsa took it, standing up. He then offered his arm, and she looped hers through his as they walked to the edge of the balcony with the others. All four of them watched as the first peek of blue showed through the clouds, and they heard the people, forgotten until then, cheer. There would be celebrations tonight, despite the hard times. Slowly, the sounds of excitement and cheer filled the air as more and more people stepped out of their homes to embraced the blue sky.
I'm sorry, when Anna says 'how dare you' all I can hear is that god from Sinbad towards the end of the movie :D
