Chapter One

1911

ELSA

(1911)

Elsa crouched on the ledge right outside her sister's bedroom on the fourth floor of the palace. The dark of night shrouded her from sight, but she was quite sure that if the royal staff saw her from the courtyard below, they would think she was a ghost. Which was why she'd ditched the white dress long ago in favour of darker and muted colours like grey and black robes.

She'd become somewhat of a myth over the decades, and she didn't exactly want to draw any more attention to herself, not when people were starting to believe that she was really a figment of an old queen's imagination. In spite of all the events her sister recounted to the historians about the League of Sorcerers, the war against the Exonian Empire and the Warriors' exploits, they were all chalked up to the ramblings of an old queen's deteriorating health.

It made Elsa's blood boil within her, but she supposed it couldn't be helped. Revealing her existence to the world wouldn't change anything. If anything, it would further complicate matters. Close to a century had passed since her days in the limelight, and so much had changed. Sorcery and the exploits of the League of Sorcerers were being relegated to old folklore now, and had become a part of Arendellian culture, even being celebrated as a fun holiday where children would dress up as witches and wizards. She couldn't help but shake her head. If only this generation knew the tumults this country had been through. That the world had been through utter chaos close to a century ago. That all of it was real.

Truth be told, Elsa found it hard to believe that she'd actually lived to see the turn of the century. What she found harder to believe, however, was the fact that she hadn't physically aged past the age of forty even though she was at the advanced age of ninety three now. There were only the slightest hints of her aging, though they did not reflect her true age at all. Sure, there was the odd tiny wrinkle here and there, and her features had matured some, but apart from that, she looked like she was still in her late thirties.

What a cruel joke, Elsa scoffed silently as she shifted her position on the ledge so that her legs would not go numb. Everyone whom she'd ever loved had grown old and passed on while she remained, barely having aged much. She still didn't know why for sure. She'd done her best to seek answers after the first thirty years when she realised something was wrong, but found none. Not even Ahtohallan could give her the answer to that question, though Elsa suspected that her "immortality" had something to do with her transformation into the "Fifth Spirit". Or it could be that her ascension to the title of the Pilgrim of the League of Sorcerers had fulfilled the prophecy that the Pilgrim would live an unnaturally long life in search of the next successor.

Elsa didn't know, and it was slowly driving her mad. She didn't want to be stuck like this forever. Her lifelong goal had been to grow old alongside the people she loved, and to eventually die happy. But instead, her curse had been to watch her loved ones all die one by one while she remained.

Her old friends from Denmark, Melody and Tracy, had passed long ago. After the Warriors had gone their separate ways, Melody eventually succeeded her parents as Queen of Denmark and united the land and sea under her command. Her close companion, Tracy the former sea witch, had become the Head of Supernatural Security in the kingdom. They both had lived long and prosperous lives after the War of the Exonian Empire, and died peacefully more than two decades ago.

Elsa's own husband, Janus, had gone on to form his own mercenary brigade out of the Coalition elite after the Empire had been defeated. Together with the help of their mercenary brigade, Elsa and Janus had managed to quell uprisings and revolutions, turn the tide of a few more wars, and bring peace to a good many countries. They had even had children, which was one of the things Elsa was truly grateful for. Unfortunately, Janus died on his sixty seventh birthday defending the young nation of Talonsworth in war. He had been raised as an assassin, but he had died as a war hero. After Janus' death, Elsa had slowly drifted away from her family which had expanded vastly. She had grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren now, but she had hardly gone back to see them because of the pain and anguish that she would be reminded of.

As for Olaf and Kristoff, their departures had been more recent and were still fresh and raw in Elsa's mind. Olaf had lived a good long life, and had felt that he had achieved all he wanted to do in existence. He'd requested to be returned to the atmosphere which Elsa had formed him out of, and though it grieved her, Elsa had agreed. With that, Olaf had faded away into the atmosphere as though he had never existed. It still brought stabs of agony to Elsa's heart till today.

Anna's husband, Price Kristoff, had passed away just nine years ago. He had been the Field Marshal of the Arendellian Field Army in the conflict against the Xerflorians, and he had perished honourably in battle. Elsa remembered how distraught and devastated Anna had been, and in truth, the old queen had never really recovered from her husband's death.

And now, the only ones left were Anna and herself. Which felt right, given that everything had started with just the two of them. But death was threatening to take her sister too. Elsa shed a tear. I'm not ready to let her go.

Blinking, she cautiously peered through the glass of the queen's private chambers. Anna was in bed, surrounded by her family. Children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were present in that room, dressed in dark colours and even from outside, Elsa could sense the sombre mood. Everyone knew that the queen's time was near. The news had spread across the continent that the legendary Queen Anna, the last living monarch from the times of the War with the Empire, was ailing in health. Elsa, who had been living in her private sanctuary on Ahtohallan, had come out of self-isolation to visit her sister one last time.

Elsa wondered how Anna had done it. Built the perfect family and lived happily ever after, ready to die at peace. In a way, Elsa felt envious. When her sister died, she would be left all alone, with nothing to tether her to this strange new modern world of the twentieth century. But more importantly, Elsa was afraid. Afraid to lose the last living person whom she loved since young. Her beloved sister. At this juncture, Elsa had to turn away from the window and stifle her sobs.

No, Elsa steadied her breathing. She had to keep it together for Anna's sake. It wouldn't do for Anna to see her so distraught as she lay on her deathbed. She owed it to Anna to let her be at peace after all the tragic and horrific events she had had to endure. Drying her eyes, Elsa stole a glance into the room. Anna's family members were beginning to slowly file out one by one, each taking a turn to kiss their beloved mother, grandmother or great-grandmother on the cheek. After a few minutes had passed, the last person turned off the lights in Anna's bedroom and left her to rest.

Waiting for a couple more minutes just in case, Elsa finally pushed aside the panel of window glass and gingerly climbed into Anna's bedroom. For a moment, she stood hidden behind the curtains, paranoid that someone would enter the room and catch her red-handed. When she was satisfied that no one would intrude, Elsa quietly walked across the large bedroom over to where Anna was lying in bed.

The sight of this place brought back so many nostalgic memories. This very room was where both Anna and herself would play and sleep as children, and they would then go on to share this room on many occasions as adults. Elsa remembered comforting each other in this room whenever the other was feeling down, and couldn't help but let a tiny sigh. Standing beside Anna's bed, Elsa watched the shallow breathing of her aged sister as she slept, and couldn't bear to wake her. A part of her just wanted to watch and stay with her to the very end.

"Are you going to just stand there stupidly the entire time?" Anna croaked, her dry lips forming into an easy smile. "And no, I'm not asleep." She opened her eyes slowly, shifting with great difficulty to face Elsa. "I was afraid to fall asleep, not knowing when it would be my last time. I've been waiting for you to show up."

"I'm sorry it took me this long." Elsa said, trying hard not to choke.

"No, no. I'd say you're right on time." Anna smiled weakly. "The doctors are saying I probably won't live through the night."

Elsa sucked in a sharp breath. She'd known that it was going to happen sooner or later, but she hadn't expected it to be this soon.

"Don't worry," Anna chuckled softly. "I've known this was coming."

Elsa stared at her sister. In spite of her frail figure, short white hair, wrinkles and tired eyes, Anna was still the same cheerful woman who had an ever-bright optimism about her. Elsa couldn't help but let a small smile cross her face.

"That's better." Anna sighed. "Isn't that what I've been telling you for decades? You need to smile more."

"Haven't smiled for real in a long time." Elsa muttered.

"What's that you said?"

"Never mind." Elsa shook her head. She placed a hand on Anna's, which felt brittle and light as bones. "Just rest. Save your strength."

"Forget it." Anna half-snorted, half coughed. "I'm not living to see tomorrow, remember?"

"Don't…don't say that."

"But it's the truth. Deep down, I know they're right, and I've come to accept it."

"You can't die." Elsa choked, tears streaming down her face again. "Not…not yet."

"I've done everything I ever wanted, Elsa." Anna said calmly and quietly. "I found true love, had my lifetime supply of adventures with you and our friends, settled down with my husband and ruled Arendelle together, built a big, beautiful family-" she coughed. "-and most importantly of all, I got to spend my life with my sister."

"Anna."

"I've lived a good, long life." Anna went on. "There's nothing more for me to do. It's time to pass the torch. Our friends are waiting."

"I…I can't let you go, Anna." Elsa gripped her sister's hand and gave a very gentle squeeze as she sobbed. "I don't know what I'll do without you."

"You will carry on." Anna said firmly, though her voice was soft and weak. She lifted her head off her pillow, eyes locked with Elsa's. "There's so much left for you to do. Train new sorcerers, lead the League, protect the forest and Arendelle…"

"That's all behind me." Elsa's voice shook. "There's nothing left for me here either. But I have no choice. I'm stuck here, forced to watch each and every one of you die while I'm cursed with immortality."

"No. I know that one day you will finally join us."

"How could you know that?"

"I trust my instincts." Anna gave her a coy smile. "And they've never really been wrong, have they?"

Elsa forced a smile in return, nose runny and eyes red from crying. "I suppose not."

"I believe you need to fulfil your calling as the Pilgrim and as the Fifth Spirit." Anna said. "And only when you've found a worthy successor to take up the mantle of the Snow Queen, then you will be free to leave this world."

"It's pretty far-fetched."

"So is being immortal."

Letting her shoulders drop, Elsa sighed softly. "I see your point."

"Don't worry, Elsa. I know you will join us all one day." Anna's head sank slowly into her pillow again and she closed her eyes. "And then we can be young women together again in eternity."

"You believe in the afterlife." Elsa said, not knowing whether she had intended it as a statement or a question.

"Don't you?" Anna asked, both eyes still closed.

Elsa hesitated. She needed to put her sister's mind at ease. "I suppose so."

"I'm at peace with my life." Anna said confidently. "I have nothing to fear in death."

Elsa bit her lip, deciding not to say anything. At this point, she didn't trust her voice. Her face was wet with tears, and she let her powers slip out of control for a brief second. The entire room grew chilly, and a draught of cold wind blew into the queen's chambers.

"But promise me one thing."

"Anything." Elsa said.

"Don't let the legend of the Snow Queen die with me." Anna rasped. "Don't let them forget that you were real."

Elsa shook her head slowly. "It doesn't matter anymore."

"It does." Anna insisted. "It does to all the young boys and girls out there who are afraid to reveal their sorcery to the world for fear of being shunned. They need a real heroine like you to look up to. They need you to give them hope."

Elsa nodded apprehensively.

"You'll be fine." Anna reassured her, clasping Elsa's hands in her own, drawing them close to her own chest. Elsa felt the shallow rise and fall of her sister's chest, and her heart sank when she could feel her breathing grow increasingly weak.

"Thank you," Anna went on slowly, her voice a pained rasp. "Thank you for letting me be a part of your life. There was a time when we were kids that I felt I would never ever get to know my sister. But now, I am content to have spent so many decades by your side."

"Anna."

"I have no regrets about our time together." Anna whispered, shedding a tear for the first time since they'd started speaking. "Thank you for the adventure of a lifetime."

With great difficulty, Elsa tried to stop her body from quaking. It took her a long moment, but she sniffed and did her best to blink away the tears. "I love you, Anna."

The room was silent. Elsa placed her hand gently at the side of Anna's neck to feel for her pulse. Her sister was gone. Drawing in a shaky, sharp breath, Elsa kissed her sister on the forehead and uttered a silent prayer. Reluctantly, she slowly stepped away from the bed and turned to leave. She knew she couldn't stay. Not any longer.

With that, Elsa took one last glance over her shoulder at her sister's still frame. An era had ended, and the last of her loved ones was gone. Refusing to let her emotions overwhelm her, Elsa tore her eyes away from Anna's lifeless body and slipped out into the night.

Author's Commentary:

Even though we're starting off on a rather sad, heart wrenching note, I promise you, the ending will be a good payoff. I hope you'll enjoy the rest of this story, and if you haven't checked out the rest of my stories that take place in this exact same world when the sisters are in their prime and having adventures, please do check them out!