Disclaimer : Frozen belongs to Disney and all its characters.

The Ice Behind Bars

Chapter IV : The Ambush

Present

They were riding for an hour now. The chilly winds rushed to meet their faces and the only thing they could hear was the sound of the wind blowing the trees as they rode half the way back in silence. Robin, why are you late?! Aphrodite thought, concerned. She was then the first to break the silence after remembering the day Elsa was born. "It's not her fault." She said sternly. The king was already sleepy himself, and his mind was drown in his own thoughts. Her voice snapped him to attention and he replied with a distracted, "Hmm?"

Aphrodite took a deep breath, trying hard to stop herself from just to run at him and start strangling him. "I said… It wasn't. Elsa's. Fault." She repeated slowly in determination, so that her husband could hear her clearly.

"I don't want to hear anything about it, now." He replied with a groan before he turned his head to face the road ahead of them.

"YES!" She laughed sarcastically and agreed mockingly, "You don't want to hear anything about it, now!... In fact, you never wanted to hear anything about her! You're always thinking about your god damn role as a king that you forgot about your own daughters!" She said angrily in a low volume, trying not to wake her daughters. Anger started to grow in her with every word she said.

"Should I remind you why we are here!?" He replied with a frown, "It's because of my daughter-" He spelled the words my daughter in a mocking way before he continued, "-that Anna was this close to die and that the troll froze into a god damn ICE SCULPTURE!...Andmy daughter's fault that you nearly died bringing her to life… MY DAUGHTER's fault that Arendelle might get trapped in an unending winter at any second!... MYYY DAUGHTER'S FAULT ARENDELLE WON'T HAVE AN HEIR!" He yelled the last sentence and sent echoes in the mountains. The two young girls shifted but luckily they were too tired and sleep defeated them.

"If you don't want Elsa to take the throne that much, at least there's Ann-" She tried to argue but was cut off by him.

"I WANT A KING!... Arendelle needs a KING!" He couldn't help but to yell, now. He was furious. "So tell me, Queen Aphrodite of Arendelle… How is it not her fault after she did all those sins?!" He said with a clear mocking, disturbing voice while pointing at Elsa with his chin.

"Sins?! She's just a child!" Aphrodite couldn't understand how could someone rule a kingdom and be cruel to a little girl. Not just that… But also his little girl.

"The prophecy clearly showed that she's capable of doing horrible things none normal child can! And all what happened tonight proves it! I won't stand there, arms crossed while I wait for my own kingdom to be buried in snow by a monster in front of my eyes. I cannot allow it! My duty as The King of Arendelle is to protect it at any cost, even if it means locking her away. You are lucky I didn't cut her head off the day she was born! The prophe-" He tried to continue but was cut of by Aphrodite.

"The prophecy, the prophecy, the GOD DAMN prophecy!" She said mockingly, "That's all what you listen to." She scoffed then, "Well how about I tell you a prophecy! The Troll's prophecy actually!-" she taunted with a smirk, "You see, it says that Arendelle will be trapped in an unending winter because of a ruler with a frozen heart! " She laughed this time, "Ironically, you were afraid all this time of a 6 years old girl! Just imagine it in the history book of the rulers of Arendelle. 'King Jamie Of Arendelle afraid of his six year old daughter.'" She teased while gesturing with her open hand an imaginary horizontal line in front of her as if she was conjuring a vision. "Now that will be a nice laugh for the reader, don't you think?"

"Shut up." The king whispered. His anger started to creep out again.

"Nonono, really!" She said with a laugh, "It's just that... The fact that you thought that she was the ruler with-"

"She'll never be a ruler!" He screamed.

He cut her off but she continued anyway, "You thought that Elsa, the little girl that builds snowmen in winter and fights an imaginary boogie-man under her bed with a broom, have a frozen heart! It looks like it to me, you've been the one with the FROZEN HEART!" She accused, this time with an angry shout.

"That is NEVER true !" He determined. Aphrodite started to see the sweat that was forming around his concerned face.

Hah, looks like I'm right. He is scared to be referred to as the cursed ruler, so he blames it on Elsa. She thought.

"You've been cruel with her the day she was born! And you even got colder and harsher the day Anna came!" She said, then, "You even HIT her that day!" Aphrodite tried hard not to cry in front of him. The memory that her husband had hit her daughter made her bite her lip and squeeze Elsa closer to her chest.

"Sh-she had sinned! More than a-anyone in Arendelle!... And just like you said! She is only 6 years old and she is already killing everyone! Nevertheless, I'll deal with her when we get back." He tried to defend himself but Aphrodite didn't buy it, though she quickly tensed when he said that he would

Deal with her?!... He was serious about the physicians and the...

"W-w-what are y-" Aphrodite tried to ask but was cut off when she saw an arrow drive deep inside her husband's horse's chest. The horse neighed loudly in pain and collapsed to the ground, sending both the king and Anna with him. Aphrodite didn't have time to react as her horse got startled and bucked her off his back. She fell on the grass while Elsa was thrown away farther.

Elsa quickly awakened, shook her dizziness away, then lifted her head to try and realize what just happened. She gasped, her eyes frightened, as she saw three men in black leather outfits-two hooded, one exposed his black hair- were approaching them from three different directions and weapons in hands. One of the hooded men looked younger than the other, and the other one also had a beard.

Snow started to fall.

The minute Aphrodite's body contacted the ground she felt an extremely aggravating pain strike her arm as it sent shivers down her body. She shrieked in agony and winced before she quickly looked up while still laying on the ground to figure out that her arm was broken badly. She looked around quickly, trying to forget about the pain. Her eyes widened in fear when she saw the three unknown men approach, but when they came closer, she realized that the unhooded one was familiar. Robin!?

When The king fell to the ground, Anna still in his arms and saw the three men, he stood up quickly and ran towards his wife to defend her from the ambushers. "Aphrodite!" He helped her up quickly and handed her Anna. He unsheathed his sword, awaiting the battle. His eyes darted from one man to the other, taking cautious steps. The one with the black hair was not looking at him though, he was looking at his wife. He heard him yell, "GO!" The king was confused, but he didn't have time to think. He charged at the man with his sword held high, brought it down to meet his opponent's with a CLANK!

Aphrodite was having an emotion roller-coaster. Happy, sad, confused, frightened, relieved. She watched with wide eyes as Robin and Jamie fought to the death, but was quickly brought out of her world when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She flinched quickly but was relieved to see the man with the beard, whom she recognized as Brandon, motioning for her to come with him said, "Your majesty! We should move now! Quick!" She quickly nodded and he took Anna from her arms so she could move faster and give relief to her broken arm.

Robin smashed his sword with Jamie's with full force, sending the king backwards. The king quickly regained his balance and sneered at his opponent.

"GO! NOW! RUN!" Robin yelled. The king wasn't sure to whom this ambusher was yelling to. He charged again but Robin ducked it and came up wide-eyed. The two continued to fight. With each blow, the swords met.

Clank...Clink clank clink The noises echoed around them. Both oblivious to the falling snow.

Elsa was horrified, traumatized and confused. Her body just froze. She didn't know how to react. Then suddenly a man grabbed her arm, the young one, "Come on Princess! This way!" He yelled, but Elsa was so scared and confused from everything around her so she shrieked in fear. Frightened from him, she tried to free herself from his grip, but to no avail. Cold wind blew in her face as the snow storm she unintentionally created from her fear, picked up. "Leave meee!" She screamed at him, her eyes closed, her free hand held in a defensive position, but before she knew it, a blast of snow and icicles came out of her hands, throwing the man away to the ground. When she opened her eyed, she watched in horror as his blood covered the now-snowy ground. I... Killed... Him... I-I… I killed him! She thought horrified, then, "I KILLED HIM!" She cried, tears overwhelmed her cheeks, her legs went limp and she collapsed to the ground on her knees, eyes still wide. I killed a man… No… No… No, no, NO! She thought, shaking her head wildly, "AAAHHH!" She quickly hid her head between her arms, then her elbows met the snowy ground. As she laid there, trying to shut the world out, the snow storm became unbelievably unbearable, harsh, and everyone barely saw each other anymore and Elsa was completely lost from sight as she curled herself in a ball.

Robin and the king were still fighting. The snow storm made the fight and aims harder for both of them. The king swung his sword with a quick move that Robin didn't have time to dodge it fully, and the blade scratched his shoulder, making him cry out in pain. The king smirked as he saw the blood coming down his opponent's now-bare, bloody shoulder.

Aphrodite quickly glanced back to Elsa's scream, but the snow storm was blinding her completely, that even Robin and her husband were out of sight. She covered her eyes with her well arm, trying to hold the snow and wind out, "Elsaaaaaaa!" She called for her, her voice barely heard from the snow storm. "Your majesty, quickly now!...We can't afford time! I sent the boy to get her... And if anything happens, Robin will bring her back!" Brandon grabbed her fine arm and started to pull her away, but she shook her head and tried to free herself.

"NO! I h-have to help her! I have to save her!... I-I-I promised! I promised! I won't leave her! I promised I'll get them away from him both! I PROMISED TO GET THEM AWAY TOGETHER!... NO, NO! ELSAAAA!" Aphrodite tried desperately to locate her daughter in the snow storm. The cold was unbearable; It was freezing now. The snow storm had devoured her family and the more she tried to look the more she went blind by the flying snowflakes.

"Aphrodite, look at me! WE HAVE TO GO! We'll all die here!...Th-think of your daughter, Anna!" Aphrodite barely heard him, and as she kept desperately searching for her daughter, horror on her face and frozen tears on her cheeks, she was unaware to the now-hovering rocks that were pushed flying in the storm's rage around her.

All of a sudden she felt something smack her head hard. She fell to her knees and then her head went limp, her eyes blurred, she collapsed in the snow, the world went mute and she felt an arm go under her back and lift her up. Elsa… Have to find… Please… I promised!… I... And the world went black.

Robin quickly darted his eyes around him and tried to make sure everyone was out of sight, despite the snow storm that was blinding him. They're gone…The plan worked! he thought relieved. Another swing from the king woke Robin from his thoughts. He quickly held his sword above his head, blocking the king's. The king held his sword with both of his hands, trying to push as much as he could on Robin's blocking sword. Robin was very close from losing his grip, as the king was larger in size and muscles, but Robin quickly regained his strength and started pushing the blocked swords towards the king.

When the king felt his own strength decrease, and the rising of his opponent's, he quickly freed his left hand from the sword's grip, leaving his sword only held by his right one.

Robin didn't notice the fast movement of the king's left hand that reached for his back then when it reappeared, his eyes widened when he saw the king holding a dagger. He didn't have time to dodge backwards as the dagger dove deep inside his stomach, the sense of cold steel contacting his guts sent shivers down his spine. Robin stumbled backwards and his sword fell from his hands. He gripped the dagger that was still in his belly. Shocked, he felt warm liquid overwhelm his body. He looked up with wide eyes and saw the king's smirk.

The king started to move closer to him.

Robin fell to his knees, his hands still gripping the dagger. "AH!" He pulled it out with a shriek of pain.

Elsa started to calm down. Her eyes were still closed, and her hands and arms were hiding her head. The snow storm started to die down, transforming into cold soft winds.

As the area around them became more visible, the king's view became much clearer. He saw his opponent on his knees, struggling to stay conscious and holding for life, and his smirk couldn't go any wider. He walked towards Robin, held his leg high, and kicked him in the chest, sending him collapsing backwards on his back.

Robin groaned in pain while he winced. While holding his hands tighter to his wound, his face met the stars but he quickly sent a disgusted look when the king's face appeared above him and denied him to see the beauty of night sky before his death.

"That's what happens when you try and assassinate King Jaime Of Arendelle." The king bragged.

Robin spat at him, his spit accompanied with blood.

The king chuckled evilly, "Still determined to show your courage." The king said before he held his sword high above his head.

Robin's eyes widened and the king let his sword collapse with full force, sending it deep inside Robin's heart.

The king held his grip tighter, squeezing harder into Robin's chest. "Die...!" He whispered through gritted teeth.

Robin's green wide eyes-though blurred-stared at the kings's grey ones. The ones full with hatred, evil, coldness… The Devil's eyes. Memories of his past started flashing in his mind.

"Welcome to the guild, young man." The man in front of him said, before Robin quickly stood from his kneeling position, the man's hand on his shoulder. "Do not forget our purpose." The old man recalled. "We fight for the weak, we steal from the wealthy to give the needy. Everything is permitted. In people's eyes, we're thieves, but in God's, we are heroes." They both said in unison.

Robin lost his breath and he started to gasp desperately for air as another memory flashed.

"Happy birthday Robin!" Thirteen years old Robin turned, startled, as his mother rushed to hug him, wishing him a happy birthday.

"Thank you, mother!" He said, smiling and returned the hug. When they broke from the hug, his eyes widened as his mother held a box in her hands, motioning for him to take and open it.

"Is that for me!?" He asked and she nodded happily. He quickly snatched the box from her hands and started unwrapping it wildly, excited to see what's inside. When he did, he gasped as his eyes widened.

In the small box, lay a necklace. A small pure silver sword-shaped figure hanging from it. "How did you…?" He tried to ask but was cut off by his mother.

"I got help from... People. They gave me the coins and I had to accept them. So I thought… Buying you your first birthday gift was a good reason to spend it on." She said, a radiant toothy smile on her face.

He quickly wore the necklace and gazed at it in awe, "Oh waw!... Thank you thank you thank you thank you!" He jumped and wrapped his arms around her neck.

"Anytime, love." She said before she paused and started looking around the small shack they lived in, in confusion, "Where's your sister?" She asked.

"Oh…she's probably upstairs doing who knows wh-" He was saying when he was suddenly cut off by a small girl's happy and excited voice.

"Robin Robin Robin Robin!" A small three years old little girl rushed down the stairs, hands behind her back, running, hopping, stumbling, pouncing and skipping towards him.

"Woowww! Slow down!" He said giggling.

When she reached him, she couldn't stop herself from hopping in excitement.

He grinned at his little pure, hyper, energetic and angel-laughing sister, "Whatcha got there?" He asked and pointed behind her.

She giggled, one hand on her mouth, "Happy bewthday Robin!" She shouted, shoving a piece of paper right in his face.

He flinched backwards and shook his head as he laughed at how his little sister totally spelled the word 'Birthday' wrong. He adjusted his eyes on the piece of paper and gasped when he realized that the paper actually was a drawing: A horrible looking baby-hand drawn picture of what looked like him and his sister holding hands inside a castle, and above the castle were multicolored stripes and messy lines.

"These are the dweam lights you tell me about!" She said- Grammar and Spelling wrong- while pointing at the multicolored lines.

"And this is us!" He continued happily, pointing at the two figures, "We're in a castle!"

"Yups!... It's our dweam, remember?" She reminded.

Robin stared at the drawing, then back at his sister. He couldn't believe how much she loved him, and how she didn't forget about his birthday when she clearly would have forgotten about hers! "You know…" He started, "Here." He said, removing the necklace around his neck and tied it around hers.

Her eyes widened, "I can't take this!... It's your bewthday's pwesent!" She tried to say, but he quickly shook his head in modest denial.

"No… I want you to take it!" He determinedly said, smiling. "It will keep reminding you of me. Reminding you that I will always be there for you and help you no matter what." He said, his chest puffed in bravery, then continued, "Besides… I have this amazing drawing!" He teased, slightly shaking the piece of paper.

She laughed and hopped in excitement then wrapped her tiny arms around his neck, "I love you, Robin!"

He hugged her back, his eyes met his proudly smiling mother, then squeezed his little sister tighter, "I love you too, Aphrodite."

Robin laid there, in the snow, eyes wide and breathless. His body went limp and he let out his last breath, before Silence took over.

The king pulled the sword out of Robin's body, breathing heavily and feeling tired. He sheathed his bloody weapon then started to look around. His eyes landed on the other man's body, impelled in icicles. Elsa? His eyes widened before he started to realize what just happened. He started darting his head around him quickly, "Aphrodite!" He called, but got no respond. "APHRODITEEEEE!" He shouted desperately, panicking. Aphrodite! Anna!... He thought worriedly, then heard a sob. ELSA! He thought in rage. He whipped his head towards the crying voice and his horrified face turned red and furious, "You!... Look at what you've done!" He ran towards her.

Elsa shot her head up and her eyes widened when she saw her father rushing towards her in rage. She stood up quickly and started running the opposite direction, her face showed utter fear.

Unfortunately, the king was faster. He grabbed her hair with his palm and threw her to his side and she fell hard on the snow. "Your storm!... They got advantage of YOUR storm! They have your mother and sister!" He yelled before he kicked her in her belly and she cried in pain. "Your fault, your fault, YOUR FAULT! They are GONE! You little... Bitch!" He yelled again.

Elsa tried hardly to crawl away from him, whimpering and crying in pain. "P-P-Papa! You're h-hurting me!... P-Plea-" She cried to him but was quickly shoved up from her arm.

The king held her arm roughly, pulling her behind him harshly towards Aphrodite's horse.

"I tried to warn you!... I tried to treat you like a father but you wouldn't listen, you brat!"

"P-Papa… P-P-Please… It hurts!" She pleaded, her cheeks already overwhelmed with tears and her heart thrummed in her chest. She was visibly shaking in fear.

"You want to act like a monster?! A MURDERER?!... FINE!... I'll show you how we treat monsters in Arendelle!" He grabbed her roughly from her waist and force her to sit on the saddle before he mounted behind her.

He started galloping towards Arendelle.

Elsa squeezed her eyes shut, her hands clasped to her chest while she was shaking, crying and praying since she couldn't do anything more now. It was too late.

Mama... Anna… I'm sorry… I'm sorry!

When King Jamie and Elsa arrived at the castle, he quickly dismounted the horse, shoved Elsa down from it, and started storming his way towards the castle doors.

No one was awake. Everyone was oblivious to what was happening to the royal family. King Jamie burst inside the castle, his hands still clutching Elsa's arm.

"P-Papa...?" She tried to plead but was cut off by his loud flaring voice.

"QUIET!" He yelled and she knew that he was heading for her room.

Although, all of a sudden, she was shocked and confused when he turned at another corner and towards a solid thick metal door. The door she knew that no one was allowed to enter at any cost.

"KAAIII!" Jamie called and right after a moment, Kai came running towards them.

"Your Majesty! What happened!?" He asked, horrified.

King Jamie was covered in blood, and Elsa had small bruises around her arm and a barely noticeable one on her forehead. What really concerned Kai was that Queen Aphrodite and Anna were nowhere to be found. "W-Where's her Majesty?! And Ann-" Kai tried to ask, concern all over his face, but was cut off by the king.

"Quick, Kai! No time to explain!... Call for the guards, and tell them to send troops all around Arendelle and into the woods to search for Aphrodite and Anna!" He commanded, breathing fast. "Call the citizens to the courtyard… Everyone! MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD! NOW!" He yelled, then whispered to himself, "Everyone should know… Everyone."

Kai, still confused-and now horrified- quickly nodded and ran out to do his given task. He slowed half way and glanced back at the crying Elsa. She lost her mother and sister. She's just afraid. He thought, convincing himself before he turned and continued to run.

The king threw his hand inside his pocket. When he pulled it out, he revealed a huge iron rusty key.

Elsa felt a terrible tug to her heart, starting to go extremely worried.

They entered a dark stone-walled room, that at the end, showed old cobble stone stairs that led downwards.

He shoved Elsa from her arm inside the room, his flaring and raging body made him go insensible to Elsa's icy cold skin. He closed... more like smashed the big iron door behind him. They continued down the stairs and at the end, they reached another door similar to the first one, but this one was made of steel. The king opened the door and threw Elsa inside.

With a whimper, she stumbled forward, trying hard not to fall from the force her father used, to throw her. Then, she heard a wicked voice "Oooo, someone is in a bad mood!" A woman called teasingly. Elsa quickly stirred, her eyes widened and she cried out in fear at the sight.

The walls were cobblestones with moss growing from each crevice. The room had a path in the middle and jail cellars at the sides. At the end of the path, was a cellar that looked completely different from the rest. It looked like It was meant to hold a beast... A monster.

The king started pushing her forward, and she tried to hide herself in his arms but he shoved her harder away in disgust.

Eyes still locked wide, Elsa started to shake as she walked. From the right side of the room, she saw hands gripping the cellar door bars. Criminals, murderers, thieves, thugs and many others rushed to see what was happening, glaring at her from behind bars. One tried to reach her, but she flinched away quickly.

"W-... W-Where are we g-going?" She asked but the king stayed silent and replied with a harsh squeeze on her arm that made her wince.

Chains hung from the walls with hammered metal shackles on the floor. There, would lay depressions and misery. Perhaps where people were kept for extended periods of time. In the air hung the scent of death... and suffering. She saw as some of the prisoners flinched away from the bars and cowered at the sight of her father. Others showed concerned looks on their faces, looking at her as she passed. Elsa was just confused and lost. What's happening!? What is this place!? She thought, before she heard a young man yell.

"Why did you bring a child here!?... Look everyone! The king is afraid of a little girl!" The man mocked and laughed.

Elsa looked at her father but he didn't react. He only kept his gaze at the strange door at the end of the room. Elsa's eyes darted from cellar to cellar. People in them varied in sizes and genders. Some showed fear, others shook their heads at her, and most of them motioned for her to run, but she didn't understand.

"What are going to do to a small child?!... Isn't all this enough for you!?" A man yelled.

"This child," The king finally spoke, saying the word Child in a mocking tone, "Have done more crimes than any of you… Don't let her innocent face deceive you. Behind it, hides a monster."

Elsa lowered her head in shame, one arm around her middle, the other still held roughly by her father.

Elsa and The king reached the door, and Elsa realized it was made of something she didn't know what it was, but it looked much stronger than the other cellar door bars. The door was opaque, hiding everything behind it. Only at the bottom of it there were bars, and Elsa would have clearly seen what laid behind this mysterious door if she would have peeked. Why did he bring me here!? Elsa started to panic. The king had to use 3 different big keys to open this door, and when he did, He shoved Elsa inside.

Elsa gasped in shock. There was a strange cold that surrounded the back of this cellar. In the middle of the cellar, were chains attached to the stony floor, and at the end of them, were bizarre and thick shackles to what looked like were meant to hold someone's whole hands. At the right side of the room, were four shackles on the stony ground, placed in a way to form a triangle plan. The two at the top had short chains, allowing whoever would use them to move his shackled wrists a bit freely, unlike the ones at the bottom; these were close to each other, a little bigger than the ones at the top, forming the triangle's vertex and were attached directly to the floor, probably to hold someone's legs tightly. Not allowing to it's victim to move his legs at all. On the left side, laid a rectangular wooden table, and additions of shackles, ropes and chains... and other strange tools.

Elsa turned quickly when she heard the door closing behind her with a rusty noise. "NOO!" She rushed to the entrance, but right when she reached it, the door closed, and she slammed to it. "PLEASE, PLEASE! GET ME OUT! PA-" She tried to beg when a sob caught her throat.

The king locked the door again using the specific keys, his face expressionless. No tears, no fear for his daughter, no regret.

Gasps, mumbling and whispers were heard from the cellars. "She doesn't deserve this!" One yelled, "Poor child." Another whispered. "She's just a little girl!" A woman screamed.

Elsa started to drum aggressively at the metal door, begging for her father to let her out, "P-PAPA PLEASE!... I'M S-S-SCARED!" She screamed then heard gasps from all the cellars.

"That's his daughter!" A woman cried in shock, trying hard to point at Elsa's way with her shaking finger through her cellar's iron bars.

"T-T-THE PRINCESS!" Another young man gasped.

"What's happening!?" A old man pleaded.

Elsa knelt so she could peek from the bottom bars while gripping them. Ice suddenly covered the bars and she quickly flinched away, scared, ashamed and her heart was thrumming harder inside her chest. Monster?… Killer? She repeated her father's words in her head. None noticed the ice around her door's bottom bars. Her eyes were wide with fright, tears coming down her cheeks, her voice cracking, her breath shaking and she would have sworn she saw a smirk on her father's face when he turned.

While walking towards the dungeon entrance, "This is where you belong, Elsa." He said coldly, "This is where murderers with frozen hearts belong… I knew this day would come, so I made it special for you. Away from innocent people. You'll stay here forever, just like these bastards." He said, pointing around with his hands at the other cellars. "But as a father, I should help you." He said sarcastically, "I will teach you how to control your powers. You won't get out of here until you learn to conceal, do you understand?!" He asked but he only received a sob from her. He walked out of the room, closing the main dungeon steel door behind him. The sound of it echoed in the dungeon room.

Monster… Murderer… Criminal… Frozen heart! Her mind told her. She backed away from the menacing door, tears filled her eyes as she bit her bottom lip and brought her hands to her chest. When her back hit the wall, she slid down, sat on this new rough ground and brought her knees to her chest. This is where you belong. She hid her head between her knees and her arms while crying and feeling hopeless. Broken. The only thing that accompanied her in this horrible cellar, were the horrible, strong and mysterious shackles, the small moonlight that barely entered from the small window that was shut with thick bars at the top of the wall, allowing her to at least see around the room. She shut her eyes, waiting for this nightmare to end. After a moment, she lifted her head a little to look at the window, and she noticed that the Aurora lights were no longer present in the dark sky. Not knowing…That the nightmare just started.

The king stood behind the castle doors that led to the courtyard. He could already hear the citizens' shouts and conversations.

"What's happening?"

"Why did he summon us here!?"

"Mama, I'm tired."

He heard from multiple citizens before he sighed, preparing himself for what was coming. He held the door knobs with each hand, hesitated a little, then opened the door, snapping the people's attention.

They all stared at him in silence as he made his way to the balcony. He stood above them, breathed deeply in, then, "People of Arendelle… Forgive me for waking you from your slumber, but we all know that I wouldn't do such things if it weren't for great importance... I... I hold devastating news."

The people started to look at each other in confusion, some gasped quietly, others were still staring at the king.

The king cleared his throat, "I want you to stay all calm and take the news like loyal citizens of Arendelle, as-… It burns my heart to say, that Queen Aphrodite and Princess Anna have been kidnapped by usurpers." He said, sending waves of shock, terror, confusion and grief around the citizens. They gasped loudly, some cried, "The Queen!" or "Poor princess!" Others started to panic, some mumbled to each other, and finally one called out, "Where's Princess Elsa!?" Everyone went silent as they wanted to hear the king's answer.

The king hesitated to answer at first and was utterly nervous, but quickly regained his thoughts and replied, "Princess Elsa… I-Is badly injured from the ambush." He informed as the gasps and cries grew louder. "However," He grabbed their attention, "We should thank God in keeping her alive, despite her dreadful injuries. She will receive the best treatment Arendelle could offer, and as The King Of Arendelle, and a father, I would hope that you, as loyal citizens, would pray with me for her well-being, for she is the only family I have left." He said dramatically.

The citizens nodded in agreement, most still shocked at the news.

The king gave them a regal nod, gesturing for them to go back to their homes. He then turned, and without a word, walked back towards the castle door while the citizens started to clear the courtyard, confused looks all over their faces.

When King Jamie entered the castle, he closed the doors behind him, sighed in relief and looked up to see Kai standing.

"Your Majesty." He bowed.

The king looked at him with a regal, rigid face. "Kai, Princess Elsa is still shocked from the events, and I, as her father, should help her through this. Therefore, no one is allowed to enter her room at any cost...You included." He stood straighter and folded his hands behind his back, "Her suppers, you bring them to me, and I will personally give them to her. If anything is in need of her knowing, you come to me first. None are allowed to even pass by her room, do you understand?"

Kai felt confused but quickly nodded since he didn't want to question his king.

The king knew that Elsa wasn't going to stay in her castle bedroom anymore. He knew her new room… Cage… was better, and he didn't want anyone to know, forbidding everyone from crossing her room, or come near it, afraid they might get suspicious that Elsa wasn't even in it.

When Kai left, the king glanced at the forbidden door that led to the dungeons... and smirked.

From that moment, the citizens of Arendelle welcomed their first sleepless night, as the plague of Screams commenced.