Sunlight pierced through the gaps between a row of ornately designed columns, casting long shadows along the mural passage. Elsa vividly remembered treading down this flagstone pavement when she first arrived in Arendelle, filled with much the same dread she now held. It was ironic how well this ancient architecture had stood against the test of time, and yet everything changed for her in the last three months. Elsa had once been a woman with a purpose, sent on a mission to negotiate peace with Arendelle. Now, she was nothing—just a shell of her former self.
From her vantage point, she could see Arendelle's prideful flag hanging on the lintel of the postern gate to the main grounds. At the centre of the kingdom's coat of arms was a golden crocus motif. The flower was a symbol of hope and rebirth for the citizens of Arendelle. Yet when Elsa looked at it, all she felt was apathy and desolation. Arendelle had robbed her of her home, people and identity. Undeniably, it was her folly and naivety that had led her to where she was today. Elsa had willingly pledged her loyalty to the Crocus crown despite being tricked into binding herself to the kingdom. However, in hindsight, her people were equally responsible for her downfall. The discovery of their betrayal had been an enormous blow to her heart, one she might never recover from. Those who had orchestrated her disposal were the same people who she had sworn to protect since she'd ascended her position as their leader.
A turn to the left brought Elsa to the bailey, where just hours prior she had witnessed a man being tortured almost to the brink of death. Her skin crawled, remembering the horrible spectacle as she passed by the now vacant platform. It was a grim reminder to Elsa of her precarious situation; she was just as susceptible as anyone else to this brutal ending. All she needed was to make one wrong move, and she would be the next victim. Sad to say, she had sealed her fate since the day she stepped on Arendellian soil. Now, her life hung by a thread, connected to the whims and fancy of the Queen.
Her feet felt heavy as she was entering the main keep. A sudden thought of Anna changing her mind filled her with dread. The prospect of having her newfound friends watching her execution sickened her to the core; the feeling rivaling her fear of death itself. Elsa knew that she did not have the privilege of a private audience, but at least she could try to beg the Queen to exclude Toph and Sven from the audience. She could not live with her conscience if she did not try.
Her throat bobbed as an arched door came into her line of sight. Her forehead was already damp with cold sweat. The loud rapping on the door jolted her out from her musings as her escort rapped on the wooden surface, announcing their arrival.
"You may enter."
The door opened with an ominous creak.
The room's interior design captivated Elsa. Rich, dark wood panelling covered the four walls. Its size was modest; there was ample space to house its furniture. Two large built-in cabinets filled with hard leather books and scrolls were lined up against the walls. A large mahogany writing desk and a wing chair were placed at the centre, resting on a lavishly decorated Persian rug. A bronze chandelier with amber shades hung in the middle of the room. Flames flickering inside the hearth illuminated the room in a warm radiant hue, accompanied by the occasional crackles of burnt firewood. Had it been under different circumstances, Elsa would have found the atmosphere welcoming.
Her face fell as the Queen spoke. "Thank you, Markus. You may retire from your post. I wish to speak to her alone."
Anna's assertive tone was foreboding. Anxiety knifed her heart as the door closed with a thud. Her throat bobbed.
What plans does she have for me?
Elsa flinched when the Queen spoke.
"Come here, Elsa."
Panic bubbled inside her, threatening to crush her windpipe. She clenched her hands so tightly that she was sure that her knuckles had turned white. Her pulse drummed in her ears as she strolled across the carpeted floor. Four empty bottles of whiskey lying haphazardly on the coffee table caught her eyes. A lingering sweet sickly permeating the air was confirmation that her Master had been drinking. The thought did nothing to quell her fear. She had never encountered a drunken Anna, not even when she was servicing her previously. She knew humans lost all inhibition under the influence of alcohol, making them prone to violence. That notion and her lack of control over the inevitable spent chills down her spine.
Conceal your feelings, Elsa. Make one wrong move and Master will know.
On that mental note, the blonde quickly dropped onto one knee and bowed her head in submission.
"Master, how would you have me?"
She hated how easily the question rolled off her tongue, like a roadside tramp. No matter how many times she uttered those words, she could never extinguish the burning shame they brought within her.
"Sit with me."
Elsa blinked, perturbed by her request.
Okay, that's a first.
Anna patted the cushion a few times, gesturing for the woman to join her. Elsa kept her head bowed and shuffled silently to the Ottoman sofa bed.
Conceal, don't feel.
The thought repeated in her head like a mantra. Her face remained downcast, weary eyes glued to the balled fists resting on her lap. It was almost impossible for Elsa to read the Queen's expression without arousing suspicion from where she sat. The last thing she wanted to do was to provoke her Master unnecessarily and expedite her demise. The scars of their recent fallout were still fresh in her mind.
And so she waited.
The deafening silence was wrecking the blonde's nerves as seconds turned into agonising minutes. Even breathing was a chore. Something about the Queen's behaviour was unsettling. Elsa knew patience was never Anna's strongest suit. Had it been any other occasion, her Master would have demanded her service like many nights prior and left her to pick up the pieces by dawn. Anna's impassiveness was a clear sign that something was off. And at that moment, a chilling thought crossed her mind.
Is she planning to kill me?
It made sense in a way. The timing of her meeting, the choice of location and her dismissal of guards - everything seemed to allude to signs for potential pre-meditated murder or accident. No guards meant no witnesses. Having no witnesses would imply that no one could validate or provide evidence, should something were to happen. And above all, no one would dare to question the words of the Queen.
"Do you know which animal makes an outstanding leader?"
Elsa's apprehension temporarily forgotten, taken aback from the Queen's random query. She shot Anna a bewildered look, as though the woman before her had grown two heads. She had no idea where the Queen was going with this, but she entertained her.
"I don't know."
"Lions."
"Lions?" Elsa repeated.
"Yes, that's what I just said. Now, pay attention."
Elsa bit her lip after being reprimanded.
Just let her be. It could have been worse.
"There is something about lions that command power and respect. They are strong, fearless creatures that go the extra length to protect what is theirs. I can't help but admire those magnificent beasts."
Anna paused, taking a sip from her wine glass.
"That's why nature only allows the strongest animals to live, even if that means forcing the lion to take the life of their kin."
A sudden chill ran down her spine. The message behind her words was crystal clear. The Queen would not have had second thoughts about disposing of people who defied her and Elsa was no exception to this rule. She was equally guilty for disobeying Anna's orders to stay put in her room. Had it not been for her impulsive decision, a disaster of such epic proportions would not have occurred in the first place.
Panic flashed in her arctic blue orbs. Her mind was reeling in anticipation of what Anna would do to her. Would her Master make her suffer like what she did to that unfortunate lord before taking her life? Would she grant her a quick and less messy death? She was doomed either way; Elsa had no say in the matter but to await her fate like a cornered rabbit.
Her lips twisted into a grimace when the weight on the cushion shifted. Her heart was on the verge of exploding from sheer terror as Anna closed the gap between them. The blonde was half expecting bruising fingers to clamp down her shoulders, shoving her roughly against the sofa before forcefully taking her - a routine with which Elsa was painfully familiar. It was Anna's way to assert her dominance over her slave. However, what happened next took Elsa by surprise.
In contrast to the horrifying image she conjured in her mind, Anna had been nothing but exceptionally considerate. The Queen's gestures were somewhat toned-down, unusually subdued to a certain degree that seemed foreign to Elsa. Anna even courteously asked for her permission before initiating contact. That situation was so bizarre; it nearly made Elsa convinced that a doppelganger had replaced her Master.
"Elsa…"
The way her Master uttered her name struck a chord inside the Spirit. She took Elsa's chin between her thumb and forefinger, tilting her head up. Elsa's breath caught when their eyes met. The lust that she was used to was missing from the sea of soft teal. Instead, Anna's eyes were shimmering with melancholy, laced with a tinge of guilt. Elsa felt that if she continued to delve into those orbs, she would be able to stare right into her Master's soul.
Anna rested her palm on Elsa's cheeks, calloused fingers caressing her face with the utmost tenderness. Elsa's body trembled like a leaf riding in the autumn wind as the other woman continued to card her fingers over platinum blonde tresses. Despite her reservations, Elsa could not stop herself from leaning into the Queen's touch. Too long had she been deprived of kindness and care. Now that it was offered to her freely, Elsa's starved heart drank it greedily like a starving man. She had her training to blame; the ordeals she'd underwent had conditioned her to fear any human contact, associating it with pain or unwanted advances.
/Don't be fooled, Elsa. She's doing this to lure you into a false sense of security./
Elsa winced at her inner thoughts. Rivaling them was her conversation with the head maid and her newfound friends who seemed to see the Queen in a good light.
The voice inside her head continued to drone on.
/You cannot believe their words. They don't know anything about the horrors that you endured. Remember, Anna's the reason why you are trapped here./
A soft hiss escaped her lips when Anna's thumb accidentally brushed against a tender spot below her skull where Tobias had hit her. The Queen immediately withdrew her hand as though she'd been bitten and gave Elsa an apologetic look. The Spirit's treacherous heart skipped a beat when Anna's lips planted a soft kiss on the crown of her head.
Elsa's forehead creased in confusion when Anna leaned forward suddenly. A pair of strong arms encircled her frame, fingers digging into her back for purchase. Dampness wet the nape of her neck where the Queen rested her head. Tremors were reverberating through her body as Anna tightened her hold.
"I'm sorry." Anna rasped, voice raw with emotion. "I'm so sorry." She let out a noise that sounded like a mixture of a choke and sob. The Queen's admission left Elsa stunned. Why would her Master apologise to her, a slave of all people, for a crime that she was not solely responsible for? On top of that, Anna had openly displayed such vulnerability in front of her enemy, something Elsa was sure would not have happened had the Queen been sober. Her pride would not have allowed it.
"Please, don't..." Anna pleaded softly, her tremulous voice breaking into shuddering sobs. ".. don't leave me, again. I can't..."
Again...? Elsa blinked. Did something happen to you?
Anna's desperate cries struck a chord inside Elsa. Shaking hands hovered above her Master's back, unsure if it was a good idea to initiate contact. Anna had reacted adversely towards her previous attempt at comfort. Elsa knew damn well that it was suicidal to do it again. Yet, somehow her caring instincts persevered, driving her to rub the woman's back in a soothing motion
No words were exchanged between them. Both women stayed that way, finding solace in the silence. Elsa strengthened her grip as she felt her Master's body slumped against hers. She suspected that the exhaustion in Anna's system had finally taken its toll after consuming large amounts of alcohol. An undignified snore confirmed that the woman was completely knocked out. Elsa leaned back a little and moved sideways subsequently to make more space for both of them on the sofa. She slowly manoeuvred Master's frame, guiding Anna so she could lie down. She gingerly placed Anna's head on her lap, tilting it sideways slightly so her position would be more comfortable. Fingers parted the Queen's red bangs, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ears. Arctic blue orbs widened at Anna's serene face - she looked more like a scared child than a ruthless dictator.
The Queen was indeed an enigma. A black box that Elsa could not figure out. Just when she thought she knew all about Anna, the latter had to prove her wrong. All that she witnessed in the last hour was a far cry from the monster which her mind had made her believe. Well, not to say that Anna was exonerated of fault either. The Queen had been the bane of Elsa's existence since the day they'd met. She had been nothing short of cruel towards the Spirit, using Elsa for Anna's pleasure. It would be natural for Elsa to assume the worst of her.
However, her latest experience seemed to paint another picture of the ruthless tyrant. No doubt, there was more to Anna than met the eye. The Queen's body language held no deceit. The rawness of her voice contained no lies; her expression so pure that it could not possibly be fake. Elsa's face flushed with mortification for condemning Anna too soon.
"There is more to Her Majesty than the person you know. I need you to have faith in her."
Perhaps there was some truth behind Gerda's words. There were a lot of things Elsa still did not know about her Master. And having some faith would not hurt. Elsa might not need to pass her judgement now, but until she was truly convinced who this woman was, she would have to be vigilant for her own sake.
I can't promise anything, but I will try.
TBC