A/N - I'm so excited to continue this fic, I had a multitude of inspiration, and Angelina's prompt kickstarted it tbh. The deleted scene, other literature. Really looking forward to delving into this.

This chapter is inspired by the song, Creep by Radiohead. Specifically, Idina's cover from London (2015) I strongly recommend listening to it. A tearjerker for sure.

Childhood is measured out by sounds and smells and sights,

before the dark hour of reason grows" - John Betjemen

Despite being the middle of the night, the hallways were awfully quiet. It would be the first night of thousands where something was missing. The heart of the house had been torn apart, shredded and thrown away, and it's effect was undeniable. The atmosphere of the house shifted and squirmed in the change. Nothing felt right. For the mother, this event brought her to her knees. Every instinct was working against her. For the Queen, this event had her brain working overtime. Every muscle working to keep her standing, keep her poised and composed. It was for the good of keeping both daughters alive and safe. It was for the good of the kingdom until they could understand more.

The first night was spent waiting for the inevitable fallout - when Anna would wake up and they'd have to explain. Anna was so inquisitive, so curious and loved her sister more than anything. How do you explain it to a child? She wasn't sure she could look into those big blue eyes and lie to her. At only five years old, Anna felt everything so strongly, an extremely empathetic little soul who made everyone feel welcomed. The caretaker of all living things was a title that Anna most definitely deserved. She was resilient, always winding up in the most precarious situations - for instance; the time Iduna found her dangling from tree branches, or when Anna crashed into a cart of bedding after flying down two flights of stairs on her bike - Iduna clung onto the hope that Anna would share the same attitude in this situation, her toughest yet.

"I'll check on Anna. Elsa's asking for you." King Agnarr sighed the weight of the days events collected in his voice. He would be expected to continue as normal tomorrow, despite having very little sleep. Placing a hand on his wifes shoulder. A small comfort in a whirl-wind of chaos, it grounded her. Emerging from her thoughts, Iduna leaned into his hand, sharing a dejected glance with the King. They both went their separate ways.

The eight year old witnessed it all too quickly, in mere minutes she was forced to grow up - and one action had redefined her. The room was as empty as she felt. The absence of her sisters toys and teddy bears scattering every surface was deeply missed. She would have given everything to be bugging Anna about tidying it. Elsa had no clue just how much this night would effect her. What lay ahead would damn her to ever experiencing humanity. The eight year old was clawing at her old life desperately wanting to get it back, became a 21 year old who had all but given up. This would soon become a way of life, rather than a night of terror.

"How long?" Elsa asked tearfully to her mothers silhouette standing in the doorway.

"I don't know." Iduna admitted, gently shutting the door behind her. Her heart breaking with each step further towards her daughter; she got onto the bed with Elsa. She was nearly speechless when Elsa turned to her. Those eyes, that had seen so much already. A look of betrayal splashed across her face, red from inconsolable tears.

"Scooch in, cuddle close." She whispered. Elsa scooted across the bed, still clinging to a bear that had belonged to Anna. "I'm sorry, Elsa." She murmured under her breath.

"Can I see her on weekends?" Sadly, Elsa played with the hem of her mothers sleeve. Pouting as she imagined what the future ahead would look like. The consequences for her actions.

"I'm afraid not, Elsa." Iduna said, stroking Elsa's light blonde locks.

"What if I promise not to use my magic?" She compromised. "We can just play pretend, and hide and seek." For Iduna this was gut-wrenching, those big blue eyes flickered up at hers, filled with tears with the prospect that had not really officially begun. She couldn't imagine how it would tear the sisters apart when the day begun. They - Elsa especially - struggled with a change in routine as much as it was.

"It doesn't work that way, sweetie." The back and forth continued for a few minutes. Elsa began working through her ever growing list of what-ifs and compromises. It was through this conversation that the Queen realised just how much this meant. Of course, on surface level it meant no contact. But it was Elsa who reminded her what that meant, something Iduna had been avoiding. It meant no birthday parties, it meant no riding bikes around the halls, no crafts together, family portraits would be different too. The girls had so loved wearing matching outfits, as ever it was difficult for them to sit still. So, they would make dance routines together, occasionally being called back to stand and smile. It meant they could no longer ring in the season.

"But Anna wakes me up every morning." Elsa whispered, clinging tighter to the bear that Anna had left behind.

"I'll be here." Iduna tried to manage a smile, but it seemed so strained. Elsa didn't return the smile, because of course nothing could replace her sister. As annoying and painful as it was, she hoped Anna would clamber up onto her bed ridiculously early - at the first sign of light. The sky is awake, so I'm awake! So we have to play! Anna may have dug her knees into her, but they were a duo. For Elsa, she was so happy to have someone be so excited in her presence, someone who truly loved being around her. They brought out of the best in each other.

"I'm sorry I hurt her, mum" Elsa choked. "I won't do it again, please let me see Anna."

She could feel her heart shattering further. Silence blanketed the room, a chill lingering in the air. A sympathetic gaze from Iduna was all that could be offered - who was strongly concentrating on not crying.

"Will I ever see Anna again?" Elsa asked tentatively. After having gone through her list, and seeing how much her parents were upset. It was slowly dawning on her that this was not a temporary accommodation. This would be permanent. Though she wasn't quite sure how long that lasted, she couldn't think that far ahead.

She wanted to say yes. In her heart of hearts Iduna was sure she'd make it so. They would get to the bottom of this, Elsa and Anna were inseparable they had somehow managed the impossible. The next right thing would be to restore the order of things. But promises felt dangerous. As did giving a timeframe. Memories of walking with the girls through the town to the woods, one question stood out are we there yet? most notably, from Anna. They would forever be left wondering, forever asking if that day was today. So, she couldn't. Questions result in answers and she couldn't bring herself to say no. Not that many times. It would break their spirits. They had no clue how to deal with this.

"You're so very brave, Elsa." Iduna said cupping Elsa's cheeks in her palms. "Nights like this, can be difficult. It's okay to be sad. It's okay to be angry. Feel everything. But hold onto the knowledge that the sun will rise tomorrow, it is guaranteed." She continued sincerely, looking intently to her daughters eyes before gently wiping away her tears.

The next morning brightly shone a light onto the harsh reality they were now living in. Iduna and Agnarr had barely any sleep. By the time they had got themselves and Elsa settled, the dawn was looming.

She didn't remember the room being like this. Her first view of the day was on an unfamiliar setting. This wasn't right. Shooting up from her bed, Anna's eyes flashed around the room. Elsa wasn't here. Her sister was gone. In her very few years of life experience, this was a relatievly new feeling. The world felt unstable, and she was extremely worried. Elsa was always by her side. Something had to be wrong for her to just vanish. So expertly too, there was only one bed. She scrambled around her room for clues, digging through drawers and shifting boxes of stuff from under her bed - which she definitely didn't place there. She could solve this. But she came up short, with nothing to offer other than missing items from her bedroom that she and Elsa shared.

She ran out the room, with the intent of finding her parents. Ready to raise the alarm that Elsa was missing, and that somehow her whole bedroom had been abducted with her. Speeding down the hallway and skidding past corners, Anna raced to find the solution. Her best friend was missing, and she would not sit idly by. Gliding across the floor in her green socks, her eyes fell to her mother.

Tilting her head, Anna narrowed her eyes examining the scene before her. The Queen sitting exhaustively outside a spare bedroom. It was a look of defeat that Anna never associated with her mother before. Although most things looked to be operating normally within the castle - she had definitely dodged a collision with Gerda and Kai en route - everything was slightly askew. And she couldn't pinpoint why. Iduna's hair didn't look as done up as it did usually; her bun was much looser, and she was sure that Iduna had worn the same clothes as the previous night. But the guilty look on her face said the most, and it brought tears to her eyes. That was when Anna concluded, that the Queen knew. She just hadn't been included in the conversation. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

With a deep breath, Anna strode forward.

Anna would wake soon. And she would have to break the other daughters heart. Leaning against the eldest daughters door, Elsa still soundly asleep. Iduna waited for the impending storm. Agnarr, was sorting some final things out in Anna's room, searching through the attic for any toys that hadn't been used in a while to make up for the reduction both girls had in the splitting of possessions.

What had been the most joyous of sounds quickly became the saddest. The sound of feet pitter-pattering across the hardwood floor. The five year old came to a skidding stop.

"My room was moved!" Anna huffed, crossing her arms as she stared down Iduna. "Where's Elsa?" She asserted, tears pricking in the corners of her eyes. Iduna stood up, with the intent of leading Anna away. With how assertive Anna was being, it wouldn't be long till she would be acting as a human barricade.

"Come with me, Anna. Let's go outside" She said solemly, taking the kids hands into her own. It shook Anna, the seriousness and diversion. Her eyes flickered in confusion back and forth between Elsa's new door and her mother.

"Is she in there?"

"Come on, Anna." Iduna began walking, holding tightly to her hand. Anna was helplessly trailing behind, the questions overwhelming her.

The moment Anna's shoe hit the pavement leading out the castle, she spoke ever so impatiently "We're outside, tell me! tell me!" With all her might she tried to come to a halt, not wanting to be any further from Elsa's possible location.

"We're going to the woods, your father will be joining soon." Iduna spoke sternly, needing Anna to cooperate. She couldn't have Elsa witness this, nor could she allow her to be in earshot. Anna eased up regretfully at the mention of their father. She walked beside Iduna silently, mumbling to herself along the way.

Surrounded by trees and flowers, Iduna took a deep breath. Squeezing her eyes shut. A moment of peace. She didn't want to do this. Anna glumly picked at some grass and twigs, her eyes every so often turning back to Iduna as the silence filled the air.

"What happened to our room?" Anna asked, making the first move.

"You aren't sharing with Elsa anymore." Iduna answered, "We both decided it's for the best, and you both have new rooms. So that's exciting isn't it?" She continued, plastering on the best smile she could physically do.

"But me and Elsa are best friends. I like sharing with her." Anna furrowed her brows, this didn't make any sense. Although her parents had the final say in everything, decision making about rooms, both Elsa and her were at least involved to some degree. They had input. This, was strange. An overnight whim.

Iduna couldn't dance around this any further. Longing for Agnarr to come and set things straight. She couldn't find the words. She wasn't even sure what they had decided on telling her, her memory was foggy from the lack of sleep.

"Your father and I love you very very much." Iduna assured, " And Elsa - she loves you to pieces." She laughed. "When we are apart from the ones we love it can feel strange. But the two of you, will always be bonded by heart" Iduna held Anna's shoulders, searching Anna's eyes for understanding. Of course, none was found. If anything, the worry in Anna only increased more.

"Where's Elsa?" Asking quietly, Anna felt her feet fix to the ground. Iduna explained where Elsa's bedroom was, and that she wasn't allowed to wake her up in the mornings anymore.

"You're gonna be apart for a while, kiddo." Iduna choked. "You can send her notes, Elsa will always want to hear about your day- just no more climbing into her bed." Iduna said fervently.

"What did I do?" Anna's head fell to the ground, she was sloppily wiping tears away. Iduna's eyes fell onto the new addition to Anna's hair, the white strand that so harshly stood out.

"Nothing, Anna" Iduna pulled Anna into a hug, rocking her in her arms. "You never did anything."

"I don't understand." Anna whimpered into Iduna's cloak. She gripped onto her shoulder, her fingers running up and down the embroidery.

"I know, sweetie. I know." Iduna sighed, she didn't understand this either. How had they got here? It made no sense. She only hoped Anna would be too young to remember this conversation, because she truly felt she had failed at explaining. Maybe she could have another go when she had more time to prepare. For now, this was all she could do.