Chapter Thirty-Six
"Some souls are connected by an ancient calling beyond worlds"
…
Soft, that is the first thing that registers to Silvanna as she cuddles closer in instinct to the pillows underneath her head. She can't remember the last time that she had the privilege to splurge in such comfort. Sure even during the duration of the war, Silvanna is afforded a modicum of comfort (an entire tent with a ready bed and a wardrobe that the men insists on lugging along) compared to a regular grunt. However that does not mean that it can compare to the comforts she enjoys in her rooms inside Castle Arendelle or her private on in the Winter Bank. Silvanna is already used to sleeping rough thanks to her previous life as a soldier; however that does not mean that she does not enjoy the comforts of life when offered to her in a silver platter.
Curling like a cat under the covers, Silvanna attempts to doze off, content. They have won the war; surely her men can allow her a little laziness after that. It as if there is some emergency that involves council meetings, assassinations, kidnappings-.
Beautiful sky blue eyes snap open in alarm as her mind remembers everything; her ride to the docks, the arrows coming from everywhere, her escorts dying, her kidnapping, her torture, and her final showdown with that monster who calls himself her brother in human form. Bile rises from her throat at that. Memories of her capture, the things she did, the thing she had been subjected to were slowly coming back to her. Before her mind can even register what she's doing, Silvanna finds herself retching to the side of her bed. The once peaceful aura that the blankets brought her when she woke up was gone and she feels instead as if she's constricted, reminding her by those hands, those terrible hands that mar her, touch her. Tears fell from her eyes and Silvanna doesn't even know why she's crying as she struggle to get out of the sheets. Her entire frame shakes non-stop only taking small relief from the fact that she's dressed in a modest white dress. As it is she struggles even as she weeps as relief, panic and fear through the bed.
With a final shove, she finally manages to push the sheets off her body. Her panic subsiding slowly, she tries to sit only to squawk as her ass finds no solid purchase at the edge of the bed. She has ended up at the side with all her struggling. Flailing her arms at the air and finding nothing to hold on to, Silvanna fell back first at the floor in an undignified heap.
To add insult to injury, the door opens just as Silvanna is still trying to recover her senses as to what just happened.
"Silvie?"
That single word puts a grinding halt to the gajillion and one thoughts running through the Knightess' head like an out of control tornado. Moving her head to the source of the voice, Silvanna freezes as her eyes register it but her brain refuses to believe it.
"E-Elsa?" she finds her own mouth moving as she stares at the beautiful princess of Arendelle standing there at the door.
Dressed in a light blue dress with silver highlights, Elsa is exactly as she remembers her. Willowy like a flower coming slowly to bloom; her hair in a tight bun braid and her baby blue eyes that seems to glitter like pieces of silver. At her neck gleaming like a beacon is Veollyx, the priceless gem she had gifted her so many years ago. It is both Arendelle's treasure and a silent bridge between the two of them that holds the promise of something becoming more. Her face is pale and seems to contain some eyebags, but she is as beautiful as Silvanna remembers her to be the last time she had seen her. Of course it's only two months at least but that is a long two months without seeing the snow flower if her heart.
"I- I'm not dreaming am I?" her faint voice asks looking at the young woman simply standing there with a nervous grin on her face. It is not the first time that Silvanna hallucinated about Elsa during her capture, but so far this is the most vivid and lifelike. Like from before every inch of her wishes that this is no imagination; but part of her who had been tricked again and again by her own sub consciousness is afraid that this is just a dream.
….
Elsa's heart breaks at the words of the one she loves above everything else. It had been a month, a month ever since both a wounded Captain Matthias and General Horst brought Silvanna back from the war in a comatose state. The rescue of Silvanna from her kidnapping had been a success by the two, though it was pretty obvious from the damage that the three of them had that the fight had been anything but easy.
Silvanna was reduced to a comatose state despite the damage unto her superficially had been close to none. Even the doctors were baffled as to why there was hardly a blemish unto her. When they questioned Horst and Matthias, the two claimed ignorance and simply said that they had been knocked out most of the fight and it was wholly Silvanna who finished her own capturer. They simply picked her fallen form up when they managed to regain consciousness. In retrospect though, they discreetly told Elsa everything that happened due to her being there liege and Elsa wept for the one she loved.
Thus in her state, Elsa ordered Silvanna be interred in her old room and be cared for until she woke up. It was a good thing that she did so because word apparently got out about Silvanna's kidnapping. Of course with Captain Price and the Ranger Corps back at full in Arendelle, the rumour was controlled to bring positivity as much as possible to the Knightess. The story that she had been kidnapped was not changed and so was General Horst and Captain Matthias' rescue. The story however turned in a way that tells how after the kidnapper "a skilled assassin" brought down the two warriors, Silvanna faced him in an epic duel worthy of the bards even in her starved state. Of course with zero witnesses, the most creative of the Rangers made it more story-like and unbelievable with Silvanna performing moves that in Elsa's opinion would have defied explanation if not for her witnessing herself the gracefulness and flexibility of her friend.
The rumour was a resounding success and the masses eat up the story like starving dogs. Tales and bards sung about the Epic of the Knightess into many inns and taverns. Once more Silvanna was the topic of the entire land and beyond. When women walk in the streets, they would talk about her and her achievements for the country. When men in their shifts during work stop and rest, they will talk about her beauty. Finally when soldiers drink, they would toast to her victories. Heck nobles left and right are fighting for the right to send their sons to be part of the Winged Hussars who had great renown after the war against Nogrod.
Of course like everything else, there is a downside with the return of Silvanna and the majority of the army from war.
Elsa had to spend much of her time managing the country with the help of the now full council. Apparently not everyone is happy about the way she dealt with things, especially with the plague. While the majority of the population did indeed remain grateful to her efforts on containing and stopping it; many who had lost loved ones remain resentful and blamed her for their misfortune. Many in fact were calling her witch behind her back due to her immunity to the sickness before. If not for the Rangers keeping an eye on the rumours and preventing them to go out of hand, Elsa would had been nervous day and night expecting people to break the gates to burn her alive.
There were also matters of the state that she had to address alone. The victory of Arendelle against Nogrod is like a gong to the entire world placing the island nation on the maps. Ambassadors and envoys from different city-states are popping overnight to establish relationships with them. Even the proud Southern Isles with its Seven Princes sends their own envoy congratulating Arendelle for the war.
There's also the matter of the rich island of Lescanna. Nobles, both local and foreign petition her day and night for the right to create establishments there which Elsa promptly denied. The island after all is Silvanna's spoils of war and Elsa has a feeling that her lover would like it intact and without squatters. Other than her after all, the only ones who have right to that island are Lord Viktor and Matthias, both who expressed zero desire at the moment to build anything on it till Silvanna is awake. Thus despite the ungodly amount of protests, Elsa remains firm in her decision for everyone to stay away.
The only decision she makes pertaining Lescanna is appointing Miya, the Mistress of Ships to be the pseudo-governor of the island nation. With the booming power of Arendellian navy, they have the ships to spare to guard the waters of the new colony.
Last but not least are the mountainous amounts of spoils that the army brought with them. Of course with the promise of Silvanna to the Lescannians to bring them up to speed, large portions are contributed to the locals there. The lion's share however is distributed to the army. With a camp of a hundred thousand strong, provender and supplies are massive in requirement. Said items had been looted by the Arendellians after the Battle of the Grasses in great amounts. In fact if they're being honest with all the assessments, the poorest of Arendelle can currently live like knights with houses, horses, livestock, servants and property to call their own. The loot is just that great with the Nogrodion camp containing spices, silver, animals, wine, and a thousand more items that a large camp might need to continue thriving.
Suffice it to say Elsa's life had been hectic managing all these that she even had to surrender her babysitting duties of Kaldita to Gerda once more in order to focus her attention on the demands of the throne. She's just glad and relieved that Anna did not choose to force a meeting between them. Elsa had gotten word that the Second Princess had arrived with the first batch of the main army. The last thing that Elsa needed in these past few weeks was for Anna barging in her room and demanding a face to face.
Despite all of this Elsa always makes a point to visit Silvanna's comatose form and watches over her in the hopes that the one she loves would finally be awake. Now here she is, awake and most importantly, alive.
"I- I'm not dreaming am I?" Silvanna's voice is nervous and terrified to the point that it breaks Elsa's heart. She has never seen Silvanna so out of it. For Elsa, the Knightess has always been a bastion of strength and confidence, a paragon of everything that Elsa wishes to be. Seeing her so….broken, makes Elsa's heart bleed. With the way that Silvanna speaks, it is as if she's barely holding on to the threads of hope. With what General Horst and Matthias told her, she knows she should expect this. That doesn't make it any easier to bear though.
"No, no you're not Silvie," Elsa answers with a soft smile slowly closing the distance between them. With how unsure Silvanna is right now, Elsa would not dare any quick movements. It feels like trying to piece together shattered glass.
"I am here and you are safe,"
"Arendelle?" sky blue eyes looks at her in question and no small amount of hope.
Elsa leans down at the Knightess on the floor letting her gloved hand rise to caress the soft cheek of the Knightess. She shivers at the smooth skin through the fabric. She has almost forgotten how perfect Silvanna is. Even her skin is smooth and flawless giving every inch of her a graceful look.
"Yes Silvie, you're in Arendelle, you're home," answers Elsa letting a small chuckle escape her lips.
"Home," Elsa watches as the Knightess' eyes misted before turning towards the open window to the entirety of Arendelle village down below and the docks further that. Small droplets of tears fell from the edges of her eyes and Elsa finds the sight a bit unnerving. She had never seen so lonely and sad tears falling from the eyes of the one she loves.
So far in the relationship between the two of them, it was Elsa who had been the cry-baby. Silvanna had always been a pillar of strength and support in Elsa's eyes ever since the first day that they had met. Witnessing such brokenness from Silvanna feels extremely wrong for the Crown Princess of Arendelle. Still she knows why Silvanna is acting this way. Her ordeal was traumatizing that it would not be a surprise if she did not wake up anymore. Elsa herself does not know what she would do if she is put in Silvanna's place. Even if she survives, Elsa doubts if she would ever have the willpower to continue living with life. But here Silvanna is; as usual proving the strength of her personality, facing life instead of falling to despair.
"Elsa! Elsa!" the Crown Princess of Arendelle blinks as she realizes that she has been hallucinating with Silvanna calling her attention.
"Silvie?" she looks at the Knightess who had moved herself to sit at the side of the bed with her fists clenched in front of her. Her beautiful dirty blonde hair has covered her face and Elsa does not need to hear the broken sobs to know that she is crying.
"Do you know….do you know what happened to me?" Silvanna asks straight despite her tears.
Elsa can't bear it anymore. She knows where Silvanna is heading with this. She had been in this state also before when she got captured during the Debacle. Sure she might not had been subjected to the tender mercies of her captor in the same duration as the Knightess had been, but she understands, she really understands.
Sitting at the side of Silvanna, Elsa throws all caution out of the window as she encircles her arms on the shoulders of the Knightess. Ignoring the rather hard flinch from her lover, Elsa pulls her to a hug with Silvanna ending up lying on her lap with her face facing Elsa. She might be red-faced, tear-stained and eyes puffified, but for Elsa, Silvanna remains as beautiful as ever.
"I know everything Silvie," Elsa simply speaks letting her gloved fingers caress gently the scalp of her lover. "Horst and Matthias told me. I am truly sorry,"
"I'm ashamed Elsa, I'm ashamed and I'm broken," Silvanna says averting her eyes from Elsa and pressing her face instead on Elsa's navel.
"Shhh, Silvie, you have nothing to be ashamed of," Elsa shushes gently. "You survived and you are here once more at my side alive and that's the important thing,"
"But-,"
"No buts!" Elsa cuts her off making Silvanna silent. "You're the strongest woman that I have ever known Silvanna. You are stronger than me in every way and I survived my ordeal. Do you know what you taught me that keeps me from hiding in my room afraid of my own powers Silvie?"
"What?" the voice of Silvanna has a tinge of curiosity now on it.
Elsa smiles as she lets her fingers trace the skin on Silvanna's exposed neck. "You taught me that my fear does not control me; that I can be more than be controlled by it. Of course it's still in a work of progress but it is a far cry from who I am before,"
A small broken chuckle comes from below making Elsa's skin tingle from the vibrations of the Knightess' lips at her navel. "You are afraid to even come out of your room Elsa and it makes me feel as if I'm dealing with a scared puppy ready to bite me if I made a mistake,"
"In my defence, I am very scared and alone with zero interaction with anyone," pouts Elsa making the two of them chuckle softly before descending into comfortable silence with Silvanna
It is Silvanna who breaks the silence first as her sobs turns to small hiccups instead.
"Look at us Elsa, two afraid women taking comfort on each other's company," she chuckles with a resigned tone. "Are you not ashamed with me Elsa? I am….spoiled goods now. I-I have been saving myself for you on your twenty-first birthday,"
"Silvie, the day would not come that I would ever be ashamed of you. You are my light and my hope Silvie. Without you, all this; this kingdom, this life would hold no meaning for me. So don't you dare die on me Silvie for if you do. I will follow you to the void,"
"What about little Kaldita?" Silvanna asks making Elsa pause at her answer that it would also not matter. "She is your daughter. I have seen how you look at her. You love her as if she's your very own. In a way she is mine and yours' child,"
"Yes, she's my daughter and yours. So you better be there for her also," says Elsa looking pointedly at Silvanna smiling up at her from her lap.
"Thank you Elsa, for pulling me out of my darkness. My heart chose wisely for putting my feelings into you,"
"Oh well, I,…." Elsa blushes at the flattering comment. Leave it to Silvanna to recover from her funk and turn Elsa's quips back to her.
"I think I can think of some way to cheer the both of us up and remove the bad memories from both our minds," Silvanna mischievously says and Elsa yelps as she is pulled to the soft mattress and before she knows it, cool soft lips touch her own making her taste once more Elderberries and mint.
"You really should know how to kiss back,"
"Oh shut up and kiss me more Silvie,"
…..
Author's Note:
So yeah, Silvanna's home and would start reacclimatizing herself with life at Arendelle even as mysterious dealings grow on the dark.
