CHAPTER NINE: FOR ARENDELLE
As Elsa walked away from the humble farm house to the palace to meet with her family for the small Yule celebration. "Queen- I mean Elsa!" She turned surprised to see Tim's parents rushing after her. They came to a halt when they caught up and panted to catch their breath. Tim's mother embraced her with tears and thanked her over and over.
"How- Why have you done this for us?" Tim's father asked.
Elsa thought briefly before answering with a warm smile, "Why not?" She turned to leave them. Tim's mother called out, "We'll tell everyone what you did for Tim! We were wrong to fear you! Everyone will realize that! Thank you, Elsa! Thank you!"
Elsa smiled as she continued, believing with hope this would help re-earn the trust of her people.
(WEEKS LATER)
Elsa was dreaming she was back in the Enchanted Forest. The trees. The reindeer herds. The Northuldra. They were all decaying into ashes before her eyes. She turned to see Yelena standing there with a sad expression on her face. Elsa rushed to her, "Yelena! What's going on!"
"The world is dying," Yelena replied but it was Iclyn's voice. "You could've saved us, child." Yelena replied before disappearing in a cloud of ashes. She looked at everything around her. She stood in a dead barren forest. A grey, gloomy landscape covered with naked, bare trees that were falling down one by one as their deep roots failed them. Suddenly, she was in Arendelle. Her people were all dying and fading into ashes. The building became old and began to crumble to the ground.
"No!" Elsa yelled, running for the Royal Palace as the decay passed her and headed for it. The palace crumbled and she rushed into the dust. Hans was a decayed skeleton sitting in the throne and Anna was on the floor by his boney legs weeping. Elsa got closer, "Anna?"
Anna turned as an old woman, which shocked Elsa to the bone. "Why didn't you save us, Elsa?"
"Mama?" Gerda's voice called for Elsa and Elsa saw her daughter fading away.
"No. No! Please, stop! NO!" Elsa screamed, sitting up in her bed in the Ice Palace. Wanting to be away from the people of Arendelle, their furniture was moved to the Ice Palace. Kristoff was holding her. She looked around to see the ice all around them distorted into spikes and glowing red to match her fear. "I- I could've-"
"It's okay, Elsa. You were just having a nightmare. You're safe," Kristoff whispered as he held her gently to comfort her. She pulled away and got out of bed in her purple silk gown. "No, something is wrong. I can feel it. Something terrible is happening. I can feel it, Kristoff."
Kristoff was about to say something but both looked at the door when they heard a knock. Not just any knock, but a musical one that Elsa recognized all too well. With a moment of focus, Elsa commanded the door to open. "Anna!" Elsa ran over and embraced her sister. Anna wasn't dressed for bed. "What are you doing here so late?"
Her smile faded when she pulled away from Anna and saw how tired and ill she looked. "I'm sorry, Elsa. I didn't mean to wake you, but-" Anna coughed loudly, "I don't know what else to do. A sickness has gripped too many in Arendelle. No medicine is helping."
"Why didn't you come to me sooner?!" Elsa demanded. "I could've helped you!"
Anna teared up before passing out, "I'm- I'm sor-"
Elsa caught her and fell to her knees, holding her sister, "Anna. Kristoff, she burning up." Kristoff felt her forehead, "How did she manage to climb the mountain in such a state? Heal her like you healed me. If anyone can help her, it's you."
Elsa remembered what she did for Kristoff and Tim and held Anna close as she focused her powers on healing her sister. Finally, the fever left and color returned to Anna's face but she was still asleep. "Lay her in the bed to rest. I'm going to go down into Arendelle and investigate this."
Elsa walked through the kingdom. Anyone who was sick was brought into the Great Hall of the royal palace where they were being tended to by several volunteers. The Great Hall was crowded. She saw Kai and the maid, Gerda. "Kai. Gerda. Where's Hans?"
They seemed surprised to see her and relieved. "He's over there in the far bed," Kai answered and Elsa made her way over.
Hans's eyes widened with surprise when he noticed Elsa and spoke sickly, "Elsa? Is that really you?"
Elsa smiled at sat in a chair by his bed, holding her brother in-law's hand. "It's me. I'm here. Oh, Hans. How did things get this bad in Arendelle? Why didn't you and Anna come to me?"
"We didn't realize how serious it actually way. We hoped we could take care of the people ourselves. However, when things got worse, Anna insisted we keep looking for a solution. She wanted to be able to help Arendelle without disturbing you."
"That's ridiculous. I would've gladly come. Why would Anna hesitate from coming to me?" Elsa prodded. It wasn't like Anna to become distant with her.
Hans looked away with guilt and Elsa searched his mind, She's jealous of you, Elsa. She wanted to prove herself as Queen to her people since people still prefer you. She wanted to also prove to you that you didn't make a mistake choosing her to take over for you. She just wanted to be a great Queen like you.
Elsa teared up before touching his forehead and purging his sickness and then moving onto the next person and the next. Gradually, the room became louder with praise for healing them.
"This wouldn't have happened if you were Queen," someone commented and Elsa shot the crowd a look. "I…AM NOT QUUEN. Anna is Queen. This would've happened regardless of whoever was sitting on the throne of Arendelle. Arendelle doesn't need me as Queen. It needs Anna. She loves this kingdom, our home, with a love I could never know. I wish I could be half the Queen she is. She's my example, what I aspire to be." Elsa spoke for all of them to hear before leaving them with a "Long Live King Hans and Queen Anna of Arendelle!"
The perspective of the crowd changed for the better realizing how great Anna truly was and recited her words and shared all the good things that Queen Anna has done during her reign so far. They were wrong to judge 'the spare' as harshly as they had.
Back at the Ice Palace, Anna woke up in Elsa's and Kristoff's bed. Elsa was laying next to her with a smile. "Arendelle is okay. Everyone was healed."
Anna teared up and Elsa sat up to wipe her tears. "I'm sorry for not coming to you sooner."
Elsa already knew her sister's reasons, but wanted to hear them from her, "Why didn't you?"
"Everyone prefers you were Queen. After three years, they still wanted you on the throne. I heard people praising you after you restored Tim's sight. You have a power that I could never have. You can do so much more fore Arendelle then I could ever hope to imagine. I- I didn't want to let you, the people or Mom and Dad down." Anna confessed. Elsa leaned down and gave her a pech on the forehead and laughed. "What?"
"You say you want to be me, but Anna…I want to be more like you," Elsa shared.
Anna sat up with shock, "Like me? Elsa, you're a goddess. I'm- I'm a nobody."
"Who knocked on my door every day when I shut her out? Who fought to bring me back home by sending Kristoff? Who stood in my defense when the duke betrayed us? Who stood by my side when I ruled and showed me what love was? I wouldn't have become the Queen they loved if it wasn't for you, Anna. You love Arendelle and our people. You are able to connect with them in a way I never could. Our parents would be SO PROUD of you seeing you become the beautiful Queen I always knew you were…what I always wanted to be like," Elsa shared and this made Anna tear up and hug Elsa. "Let's get you back home." As Elsa and Anna went back into Arendelle, Anna was greeted with warm praises from the people. The kingdoms surrounding Arendelle all eventually learned about the goddess Elsa and the miracles she has performed, especially the Southern Isles.
Hans' father was in deep thought as his sons all shared stories that reached their ports. "Elsa became something divine when she discovered the mythical river, Ahtohallan. Imagine what it could do for us. Our kingdom would prosper if possessed that power and Ahtohallan's secrets."
Lars spoke up, "You…want to invade Arendelle? You want to betray Hans?"
Suddenly his brothers and father all looked at him. His father spoke up, "We will capture Elsa and force her to lead us to Ahtohallan. How do you force a goddess to submit to the will of a mortal? You threaten all those she holds dear."
Lars was shaking his head in disbelief. His mother who was there with them was also shocked by his words. "I won't be a part of this. King Hans will hear of this."
The other brothers drew their swords and gathered around Lars and their mother but Lars quickly grabbed his mother and tore through them. The others ran after them, but Lars managed to steal a small, fast ship and escape. One of the brothers pulled out his bow and drew back a single arrow, choosing his target carefully.
Back in Arendelle, the kingdom was recovering from the incurable sickness that came upon them. What it was and how the sickness got into their kingdom were questions no one thought was important to ask. Elsa had cured them and that was all that mattered. Elsa was still curious. What kind of sickness could have infected everyone and not be able to be cured with medicine?
She remembered her nightmare and felt unsettled. Something was going on and she didn't know what or why?
Yes, you do, Elsa. You know why, Iclyn replied in her thoughts. I told you. Yelena told you. You killed the four spirits who were in charge of nature. Because you have chosen to deny your destiny, what you were meant to do, you have condemned the world to death. The balance of nature is broken and all life is slowly starting to fade away.
Elsa began to panic and left the celebration that was going on to be alone to process Iclyn's revelation. "It's my fault?"
You must return to Ahtohallan immediately. Others are coming to seize you to claim Ahtohallan for themselves.
"Who's coming after me?"
Family.
"King Hans, a ship bearing the flag of the Southern Isles is approaching. Someone is on board signaling an emergency code," a guard reported to King Hans. He and Anna rushed down to the docks where the ship crashed into the docks. Elsa and Kristoff was right behind them.
Lars was holding his dead mother in his arms. Hans slowly approached them. There was an arrow in her heart, killing her instantly. "Father and our other brothers are leading their forces to attack Arendelle. We managed to escape, but- Mother took an arrow for me."
Hans looked at Elsa with alarm and Elsa rushed over.
Its too late, Elsa. There are limits to your powers.
Elsa tried anyway and nothing happened. "I'm sorry, Hans, but I can't- If it was recent, I could heal her, but she's beyond my reach. She's too far gone."
Hans began to cry, holding his mother close. Anna knelt by him, crying too. In the one time she met Hans' mother, she was very nice. It broke her heart to see Hans in so much pain. All she could do was hug him from the side. Finally, Hans said Lars, "We have to get ready. Summon the Royal Guard. We'll make them pay for this betrayal."
Anna spoke up, "We can't Hans. Our military force is too small compared to the Southern Isles. We won't stand a chance."
"THEN HOW CAN WE STOP THEM?!" Hans yelled.
Both looked at Elsa who entered a cold and regal stance, "What direction are they coming from?"
"South. They're right behind me. They came for Elsa," Lars said. Everyone could see a fleet of twelve warships on the distant horizon. With each warship, there were smaller ships carrying vast soldiers.
"I think its time to give them what they deserve. What is the King and Queen's judgement?" Elsa asked with her back to Hans and Anna.
"Don't. Hold. Back." Hans hissed through his teeth and Elsa confidently stepped out onto the fjord and walked towards the approaching enemy.
Hans' father noticed her drawing closer and called out, "Have you come to surrender, Witch?!"
Elsa silently with a regal scowl summoned fierce winds to rip the sails off all their ships and keep them from getting closer. The wind stopped instantly, obeying Elsa's command. "That's the last time ANYONE is ever going to call me that." Instantly, without warning, purple flames ignited in her eyes and erupted from her moth and hands like a violent volcano, consuming every living soul on those ships who were there to cause harm. Those who were forced to help manage the ships were spared since Elsa's flames could distinguish between friend or foe. Far beneath the Southern Sea, the earth at the bottom opened for them and Elsa summon a giant wave to force the ships into the earth's opening before closing it forever, leaving behind no traces of any survivors, besides the ones Elsa knew were innocent. The crew swam to shore to be visited by Hans and they all bowed to him and Queen Anna.
"Lars. The Southern Isles will be shaken without my father and brothers to govern them. You should return with the survivors to claim the throne," Hans instructed and Lars nodded. They all watched as Elsa walked on the fjord back to them, but remained on the water.
"It is finished," Elsa said, "But this isn't the end. The sickness happened because of me. With the four spirits of the Enchanted Forest gone, it's up to me to bring balance to nature and protect Ahtohallan's secrets. I must leave Arendelle. I have to go back."
Anna began to tear up, but smiled, "Don't be a stranger."
"If you ever need me, Anna…just whisper my name and I'll coming running back home to you," Elsa smiled, before rejoining Kristoff and leaving with their daughter and Olaf.
The Northuldra were shocked to see Elsa back and all bowed to her, since she carried herself more like the goddess she became. "Come with me, people of the Sun. Come and be a part of something new."
As she stepped across the dark sea, it instantly turned into a new land before her. Trees, grass and rocks. When they reached Ahtohallan, Elsa unleashed all the power she had, creating a beautiful new kingdom. All of them were brought to their knees, humbled by her creation. "Welcome to Ahtohallan," Elsa said, "Home to all who wish it to be."