The Ice Behind Bars

Chapter XI: Ice Erupted From Fire

The thieves stood frozen. Unable to talk and unable to move, paralyzed. Their minds still trying to adjust Aphrodite's words. Aphrodite watched in concern, as their faces rolled into different emotions at the same time, waiting for their reaction. Then finally, Rapunzel found her voice.

"Uh… what?!" she asked, confused, as if she wants to hear Aphrodite again, making sure she heard correctly.

Aphrodite sighed, then straightened again, and spoke with her regal voice for the first time in 15 years, "I said, my name is Queen Aphrodite of Arendelle… and the woman out there is my daughter, and her name is Elsa…. Princess Elsa."

"But that means….. That king!... is Anna's father?!" Flynn asked bewildered.

Aphrodite wasn't happy about this question, she wasn't proud that she married someone like him, "Yes…" she replied.

"So that makes Anna…." Rapunzel trailed off.

"A Princess." Aiden continued, eyes still wide, not moving from Aphrodite.

"Oh great, no wonder why she's always bossy!" Flynn mocked.

"It means…. That woman, Elsa… is ANNA'S SISTER!?" Aiden asked.

"Are you people serious?!..." Tyler finally spoke, fear showing on his face. "There's been a Queen living amongst us! She knows everything we've done! She'll probably go, bail on us and lock us in the dungeons! We can't trust her-"

"I have healed and saved your sorry asses many times all those years! You have no right to judge me! You own me more than I owe you a million times! I would have easily left you to die or brought you to justice… you are thieves! Remember that?!... Yet I didn't utter a word! So don't come pointing your filthy fingers at me!"

And that made Tyler and the others speechless. They knew she spoke the very truth, yet Tyler wanted to know more. "Then explain your plot!" he demanded.

Aphrodite became pacing back and forth, flailing her hands in the air. "What would have me do?! … I have seen my daughter being abused by her own father from the day she was born! And the more she grew, the more he became harder! I wouldn't have waited until I see my daughters dead in my arms from that monster! I had to hide them and get them away from him. And seeing that my escape can only be accomplished by the help of thieves, do you really think I would just tell them I'm a queen!? I didn't know back then what you would have done with me!... Maybe you would have slit my throat! Killed Anna! Robed me! Left me to die! Took me as a hostage! I don't KNOW! …. I would never have trusted a thief! So I had no choice but to change my identity." she said before turning to Brandon, looking for help.

"It was my idea." Brandon confessed.

The others stared at him in disbelief, "You knew!?" Rapunzel asked, surprised.

Brandon sighed, "Yes… I did…. Her brother Robin told me." He said lowering his head, mourning for Robin.

"Your brother is Robin?!" Tyler asked, fear from the Queen dissipating.

"Yes… he was…. Before my husband killed him." Aphrodite replied, surprising Brandon with her voice, kept regal. "I have lost my brother to this man…. And I thought I lost one my daughters to him too, but…" She placed a hand on her face, hiding the tears, her voice no longer strong. She gulped silently, then spoke. "God just showed me that I was a horrible mother…. Hiding in here while my daughter suffers, for who knows since when." She said, her voice quivering.

Brandon walked towards her, and rested a hand on her shoulder, "Aphrodite, are you sure this is her?" he asked, his voice gentle.

She wanted to say 'no'. She wanted to believe that this woman… this tortured woman, is not her daughter, yet she cannot hide the truth from herself. She pushed his hand off her shoulder, lifted her head and looked at him right in the eyes. Her green ones meeting his brown's. "I have seen these eyes… my daughter's eyes! … Pleading… begging for help! Every night in my dreams, since the day I had made my greatest mistake and left her!... And now… now I realize I wasn't dreaming."

Brandon stared at her teary and penitent green eyes. "Listen to me. You have saved one of your daughters-" He said, trying to encourage her. Persuading and reassuring her that it wasn't her fault until Tyler's piercing voice came out like a dagger through Aphrodite's heart.

"And sacrificed the other?" Tyler asked mockingly before he scoffed.

This… was the thing that Aphrodite had cursed herself for. For the past 15 years, since the ambush. She had blamed herself all these years, for leaving Elsa behind, even though Brandon keeps telling her that they had no choice, and especially because she had been hit on the head accidentally and fallen unconscious, so none of it was her fault.

She would have fallen to her knees if it weren't for Brandon's grip holding her steady. She looked away in complete shame. She knew Tyler was right.

Brandon sensed her distress, and quickly hurried to cover her, "Okay, that's enough!" he demanded, standing between Aphrodite and the others.

"What should we tell Anna!?" Aiden asked.

Brandon heard Aphrodite mumble something, but he didn't hear it quite properly. "What?" he asked from behind his shoulders.

"Anna should not know." Aphrodite revealed her voice high enough for the whole room to hear.

The thieves' eyes widened. Brandon gave Aphrodite a questioned look, then Flynn spoke, "WHAT!? Of course she should! She has a right to know that-"

"Her sister had been left to die!? Her father is a monster?! Her mother is nothing but a coward?!" She scoffed, then threw her arms in the air in irritation, yelling, "What a beautiful family reunion!... She saw a man torture a helpless girl with her own eyes!... How do you expect me to tell her that these two she saw were her father and sister!?" Aphrodite cut him off, anger growing. She lifted her hand and squeezed the bridge of her nose in frustration.

"This daughter of yours sure is weak…" Tyler was trying to say, then was startled by Aphrodite's gasp.

Her powers! She remembered. She turned to Tyler with a glare, her eyes staring right through his soul, "Weak?!... How dare you!? Let me have fun torturing your body, then we'll see how strong you are!... My daughter is much powerful than any of us!" she said confusing the others. She turned to Aiden and Rapunzel, "The ice you saw…. She made it!"

The thieves gave her an unsure mocking laugh, but Brandon kept silent, he knew what Elsa is capable of.

Was Elsa the one responsible for Arendelle's sudden winter? ... No, no, what am I saying! This is nonsense! Aphrodite is just confused, that's all! Rapunzel thought completely puzzled.

"Yeah, right…!" Tyler snorted, "then why didn't she fight back her father?!" he asked with sarcasm.

Then it clicked her mind, those shackles! Aphrodite finally realized.

Rapunzel felt sorry for Aphrodite, no mother should be in such a situation. She came closer to Aphrodite and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Lean-I mean… Queen Aphrodite-"

"Ugh, spare me the titles Rapunzel!" Aphrodite said with a bitter laugh.

Rapunzel hesitated a bit, then spoke again. "A-Aphrodite, you're probably tired and still shocked…"

"You don't believe me?!" Aphrodite stared at them in disbelief. They think I've gone nuts! She thought, annoyed at their ignorance. "I'm telling you, Elsa can control ice!" She tried to convince them but stopped when she saw Rapunzel shaking her head slowly at her.

Brandon would have backed Aphrodite in this, but he never saw Elsa's powers in action. He only knew about it through Robin's stories, and later from Aphrodite. So he stayed silent.

Was the storm at the ambush back then, created by Elsa?! He thought confused.

"Look, what it matters now is that we have to help Elsa!" Rapunzel said again, holding both Aphrodite's hands in hers "Aphrodite, your daughter is given back to you! ... Don't lose her again." Rapunzel finished.

Aphrodite's eyes widened, Elsa! She finally realized that she left her daughter dying outside. "My god… Elsa!" She ran outside the room, not waiting for anyone. The moment she opened her bedroom door, she heard Anna's voice calling her, "MUM!" She did not wait another second. She sprinted to the other room, where she left Anna and the assistants after her sudden panic.

The others followed.

Aphrodite pushed the door open, revealing her bleeding daughter, lying on her side, trembling and squirming on the table, shouting random words, her eyes still shut. Anna's worried eyes hovering over her. The assistants were trying to calm her down, but to no avail.

Anna lifted her head and saw her mother, "Wh-Where were you?!... Are you crazy? Why did you r-run off like that?!" Anna yelled at her mother, fury completely splattered her face. Yet Aphrodite can see how Anna was actually terrified.

"Leanna, the girl is still unconscious. We don't know what's wrong! She's just not calming down!" One of the assistants informed horrified.

Aphrodite quickly rushed to the side of the table. Her heart sank as she saw not just a bleeding woman she did not know, but a daughter in pain.

Rapunzel entered the room, blocking the others from coming inside.

"No! I want their help." Aphrodite commanded.

Rapunzel quickly nodded and moved away, allowing Flynn, Aiden, Tyler and Brandon to come in.

Aphrodite turned back to her daughter and began examining her body, the others watching as the princess kept talking unconsciously to herself. "Papa… I'm sorry… pain, pain! Please… please, no!" she mumbled while shaking her head from side to side.

What's happening to her?! Flynn thought, his own worry growing for the princess.

Aphrodite, saw how her daughter was bleeding heavily from her stomach, and she realized it's a knife stab. Why you son of a bitch! Aphrodite thought of her husband, furrowed her eyebrows in rage, I'm going to kill him!

"We have to lay her on her back…" Aphrodite started.

"But… Leanna, the princess's back is…" One of the assistants trailed off, but had the courage to slide down the cloak, enough for Aphrodite to take sight of Elsa's back. Remembering that she had seen it before, she gasped in shock. Since this time, she did not see these hideous lines on just a woman, but her daughter. Aphrodite slammed her fist on the table, making the other jump at the sudden action, "I'LL KILL HIM!" she screamed in rage.

Brandon quickly ran to her side and shook her shoulder. "Leanna!" he reminded, "Calm down, now. You have to concentrate!" he said before pointing at Anna with his eyes.

Aphrodite realized that Anna was able to hear her clearly, and quickly regained her peace. She inhaled slowly and loudly from her nose and gave Brandon a nod.

Brandon moved to help roll the princess on her back. The assistant placed a clean piece of thick cloth on the table before resting Elsa on it, not willing to make her feel the hard wood of the table with her already scorching back.

"Gently, gently please!" Aphrodite pleaded. Her hands held up, motioning for them to slow down, surprising Anna with her sudden, completely concerned and gentle voice.

Elsa winced a bit, but resettled a moment after.

Aphrodite approached the table again, sensing the cold radiating from her daughter's body in waves. She grabbed a strange-looking tool that looked like a small fire poker from her medical kit, and lifted her head and gave Anna a sorrowful look. Anna didn't like that look. What did she mean by that?! Anna thought, her eyebrows formed a line of concern.

Aphrodite didn't wait for Anna's reaction. She turned to one of her assistants and lent him the flat cautery iron. "Heat this up." she commanded. The assistant gave her an unsure questioned look, but she kept her eyes stern and determined.

The tool was made of iron metal, in which one end had a wooden grip, allowing the healer to hold it safely. And at the other end, the tip of the tool was bent and a flat square piece of metal was attached to it.

Seeing this, Rapunzel placed a hand on her mouth from shock. Tyler and the other men frowned in unease.

Does that mean she has to-… Oh my god, no! Anna finally solved the puzzle and gasped, "Mother, is this really necessary?!"

"Y-Yes… It's the only way to stop the bleeding now. And we don't have much time to decide otherwise." She replied, her voice full with regret. "I have to burn and cauterize her wound." She finished, forcing the others to wince at the mere sound of the word escaping her lips.

Cauterization, is an unfortunate medical technique, used to close the wound and stop the severe blood-loss, in an attempt to mitigate damage, remove an undesired growth, or reduce other potential medical harmful possibilities such as infections. The technique requires for Aphrodite to heat the flat square metal piece over fire and apply it to Elsa's dreadful wound. This would cause tissues and blood to heat rapidly to extreme temperatures in turn causing coagulation of the blood, thus controlling the bleeding, at the cost of unfortunate extensive tissue damage.

Anna bit her lip in anxiety, eyes blurred from tears. Gratefully, she never was in a condition that required her to be treated with this disturbing technique. Yet she knew that it obviously causes great and intense pain. All what she can do now, is pray for the princess.

"Brandon, help me remove these!" Aphrodite said, pointing at Elsa's shackles. Then her eyes shot wide when she saw how Elsa's left arm was horribly swollen. "Oh god… it's broken!" she informed.

Aiden collapsed on a chair, his hands on his face. Damn, I knew it! He thought.

Brandon hurried to the other side of the table. His hand disappeared into his vest pocket, then reappeared holding two picks and one tension tool. He started his work with the left shackle lock. He couldn't help but shudder at the sight of Elsa's left arm. The color of skin was unnatural.

Brandon was having a difficult time trying to open these things, but thanks to his years of training and mastery of cunning and lock-picking, he was able to break the locks and opened them. Albeit when he did, the room gasped at the sight. Elsa's wrists were in a horrible condition. Some of the skin was torn, forming a red line of damaged flesh around her wrist. Anna knew it was definitely caused by the effort of pulling.

Aphrodite gingerly held Elsa's left arm, rotating and examining it. She placed back the arm gently on the table and frowned. She closed her eyes and took a shaky and angry breath, trying to calm herself down and using all her mighty force to stop tears from coming down. The others guarded her curiously, waiting for her to continue.

She opened her eyes again, at the sound of her daughter's throaty voice, "P-Papa… Stop... Please stop!" Elsa mumbled. Her body was trembling wildly. Her eyebrows furrowed, her eyes shut tight, her head shook slightly and her lips moved faintly as if having a conversation with someone. "Y-Yes… guilty... I am I am! … A-Anna… I'm sorry…"

What have you done to her?! What have you done to my daughter!? Aphrodite thought, staring at her daughter's silent tears rolling down her battered face.

Did she just say my name!? Anna thought, but she quickly forgot the whole idea when her mother's voice came out.

"I have to snap the bone back in place." Aphrodite regretfully said.

Anna looked back up at her mother, her face unreadable.

Rapunzel scratched her forehead in unease and distress. This was too much for her, but she felt already fond of the princess and her worry for her grew and kept her still, giving her the bit of courage not to run out of the room.

Without saying a word, Aphrodite grabbed Elsa's arm with both hands and a tighter grip, making Elsa wince hardly in pain. Her own breath shook. The others couldn't help but stare. They braced themselves for the upcoming scene.

This is going to hurt. Aphrodite thought, giving Elsa one last look.

With one quick move, Aphrodite popped the bone back in place. The only thing heard was Elsa's scream.

The room suddenly became very cold. Tyler looked around in confusion, trying to find the source of the sudden temperature change.

Elsa screamed in agony. Her body suddenly and instantly showered in sweat. She squirmed on the table, holding her arm tightly to her chest whilst gasping for air and whimpering in pain.

The thieves heard the nauseating sound of the osseous tissue. Crawling in their ears, sending tingles down their spines. Anna jumped at the disturbing sound of bones popping with an annoyed face expression. Rapunzel looked away and covered her ears, while Flynn held her in his arms.

The assistants quickly rushed to bandage Elsa's arm. First, they laid a straight hard stick on it-in which won't allow Elsa to move her arm and harm it-then wrapped a bit of material round it, trusting that the bone will mend in time.

At least there was no ice… Maybe her powers disappeared in time? Aphrodite convinced herself.

Brandon hurried to open the other shackle. Fortunately, her right arm had nothing but scratches.

The room became very quiet. The only things that can be heard were Elsa's loud breaths and whimpers. They knew that it's time for the unwanted treatment.

With a heavy heart, Aphrodite spoke. "Brandon, I need your help in holding her still. This won't be pleasant." She turned and went to bring the now-heated iron cauter.

Brandon completed removing the other shackle, rested Elsa's also damaged right wrist on the table gently, then motioned for Aiden with his head to come and assist him. Brandon stood behind Elsa's head and held her shoulders in place, while Aiden grabbed hold of her legs and restrained her.

Aphrodite grabbed the heated iron cutter, in which the once dark gray square piece, is now disturbingly glowing orange-red from the intense heat overwhelming it. The thieves stared at the thing between Aphrodite's hands in complete unease and fear. They were most grateful that this thing won't be contacting their flesh, but utterly pitiful and heartbroken that it will for the princess.

Aphrodite's hand started trembling whilst holding the heated tool above her daughter's body. Tears rushed to run across her cheeks. Brandon and Aiden hardened and tightened their grip on Elsa. Rapunzel looked away with a whimper, no longer able to watch. Tyler kept staring expressionless, trying to hide his own doleful feelings. Anna didn't stop the tears from falling this time. Her hands opened and closed in distress as she held her breath.

"Ready…?" Aphrodite asked with a trembling breath, getting a nod from both Brandon and Aiden.

Aphrodite placed a hand near Elsa's bleeding wound, and started lowering the blazing inferno. With every nearing inch, their hearts pumped harder. Like a runway train going faster and faster. Pounding rapidly and causing a nonstop earthquake in their chests.

Forgive me, Elsa.

The moment fire contacted the cold flesh, chaos erupted.

Elsa shrieked, her larynx threatening to rend itself asunder. Her howl exploded a blast of ice and wind, sending everyone flying to the ground. Ice shot in every direction. The room vibrated like an earthquake and all the windows-of not just the room-but the whole sanctuary's, exploded from the pressure of ice coating it. Objects and furniture threw around the room away from Elsa as far as it could possibly be. Three feet of snow covered the ground. The walls swallowed by thick ice while icicles pinned them. The sounds of wind, explosions, glass shattering and screams of fear echoed around the whole valley, where the fort laid. The villagers outside stared in terror at the sudden ice erupted from the sanctuary.

Luckily everyone was thrown to the ground unharmed. Elsa's sudden reaction gave away all her invisible strength and power entrusted to keep her the very bit conscious. She tumbled back on the table board. Her eyes rolled back into her head and she fell back to the darkness.

Everyone sat up with groans after regaining their focus.

Flynn rubbed the pain from his forehead. And after remembering what just happened, his jaw dropped and his eyes shot wide with horror. "What… the hell… was that?" He asked with complete shock.

Everyone gaped at the frozen room, speechless. Their eyes did not blink once. They stared at the broken windows, the frozen walls, the snow on the ground, the objects scattered all over the place and the scary looking spikes that grew from the walls.

Brandon turned to Tyler with a smirk, "Do you believe her now?" He asked with a bitter laugh, pointing at Aphrodite with his hand.

Tyler and the others did not respond. They kept staring at the supernatural chaos around them.

Ice... It's Ice!... Where did it come from?! How?! When?! Anna's mind felt blank.

Aphrodite shook her dizziness away. As her eyes settled, she gasped at the condition the room was in. Yet her shock quickly vanished when her eyes landed on her daughter's motionless body laid on the table limp. "Elsa!" she called, her voice full with worry. She ran towards her unmoving daughter, then took her face gently in her hands, turning it gingerly to look at her. "Elsa?" she asked, brushing the now-soaking wet hair off her daughter's face. "Elsa, can you hear me?!" She whispered, her voice barely heard. But she received nothing. Not even a twitch from the eyelids. As Aphrodite's panic arose, it turned her totally oblivious to the small, silent and labored cold breaths coming out of her daughter's lips.

Aphrodite's eyes darted over Elsa's body wildly, looking for any sign of life. Utter worry allowed her eyes to deceive her. "Elsa!… ELSA!... Please, no, no, no, no! What have I done?!" Aphrodite started shaking Elsa's body in panic. Her eyes wide with fright, tears hurried down her cheeks.

Seeing this, Brandon quickly stood up from the snow and ran towards the horrified mother. "Hey, hey, hey... Aphrodite, stop! Don't worry, she's just unconscious. See?" He whispered, enough for only Aphrodite to hear, before he gave her a soothing smile and pointed at Elsa's rising and dropping chest.

Aphrodite blinked at first. But after seeing that Brandon was right, she laughed out a breath in relief while new joyful tears brushed her face.

She's alive! She's alive!... My baby is going to be okay! Aphrodite thought cheerfully.

Just when she thought everything was alright, her eyes fell on the horrible looking burned flesh on her daughter's stomach, and every bit of joy she just felt vanished. She felt sick. The wound was incredibly painful to look at. But at least the bleeding has stopped.

Rapunzel gagged at the sudden smell of burned flesh that erupted inside the room. The odor was extremely revolting and nauseating. Anna grimaced and closed her nose, but she quickly brushed the thought of nausea out of her mind. She stood next to her mother, worry painted her face. "Is she going to be okay?" she asked concerned, taking one of Elsa's hands in hers, but quickly recoiled as she felt how cold it was. Brandon and Aphrodite guarded her with confusion.

"It's nothing." Anna reassured. Not willing to concern them more.

"She will be alright." Brandon replied though.

"Are you people blind!?" Tyler suddenly blurted before standing up on his trembling legs. "Can't you see the ice!?... IT CAME OUT OF NOWHERE!" He yelled with fright.

"It didn't come out of nowhere… the princess created all this." Aphrodite said, not wanting to reveal that the unconscious princess in front of Anna, is actually her daughter.

"Can things get any weirder?" Aiden asked with a mocking voice while brushing the snow off his clothes.

"Yeah, about that…" Anna started nervously, "Since now we know about the powers and all, I think we should tell you about what we saw back in Arendelle." She said rubbing her hands awkwardly.

"What do you mean?" Aphrodite asked. Worry started to grow.

"Uhm, well… let's just say, Arendelle is… completely frozen… Literally."

"What…?" Aphrodite asked. Her eyes widened in disbelief.

Anna laughed nervously while rubbing the back of her neck. "And now we know why." She finished, looking at Elsa with an unsure grin.

Aphrodite turned her back to the others and wrapped her arms around her middle in nervousness. Did her powers really become that strong?! Freezing a whole kingdom?! Aphrodite's mind said. What if someone was hurt?!

So be it! Let him freeze to death with his whole kingdom! He was the one responsible for our misery! Let his people burn him on a stake! The other half of her mind yelled.

Then it means… what if Elsa sees me!? Oh god, no!... what if she gets angry at me?! This is all my fault! Her torture! Her pain and agony are all my fault! If I had been careful, I would have saved her back then!

"Mum!" Anna snapped, waking Aphrodite from her war of thoughts.

"Hmm…?" Aphrodite replied with an absent face.

"I've been calling you for like five times!... is everything okay?" Anna asked, reaching her mother's arm.

No… nothing is okay!... Everything is wrong! Everything! Aphrodite thought again. But… I got Elsa back… and she's going to be fine, right? I got my baby finally back!... but she's in pain! And it's my fault, my fault!

Aphrodite groaned aloud in frustration. Everyone watched her in confusion. Her eyes closed and her hands massaged her temples, trying to get rid of the headache.

After a few seconds, Aphrodite opened her eyes and turned to look at the assistants whom were still staring around the frozen room in awe. "Deal with everything else." She said pointing at Elsa's other minor injuries, before she started walking out of the room.

"Wait! Where are you going?!" Anna asked, pulling her mother's arm.

"Waela and Yagmur will take care of her while I'm gone. Be sure not lay her on her back, it's already damaged enough. Move her to another room. This one is not… superior anymore." Aphrodite informed the assistants before she pulled away from Anna and walked to the door, then stopped. "I… I need some time alone." She said over her shoulder with a voice full with sorrow.

Anna was about to protest, but Brandon grabbed her arm and shook his head at her. Anna understood that her mother is confused and tired. And that she needs to rest. But she did not see how her mother's heart was shredding itself into pieces. The guilt, regret, anger and depression. Anna was oblivious to see any of these in her mother's eyes.

Aphrodite walked out of the room, and the door closed behind her. The room turned silent.

Anna doesn't understand what her mother is going through. Aiden thought. She doesn't know that this princess is actually her sister, and that her mother had to see her daughter in pain with her own eyes.

Anna and Rapunzel moved to help the assistants in bandaging Elsa's injuries. "Rapunzel, go get some clothes. I'll help them transfer her from here first." Anna dominated.

Rapunzel nodded, then scurried outside to bring the garments.

"We should clean this up." Flynn said, pointing around the messy, damaged room.

"Clean?!... It's destroyed!" Tyler yelled in irritation. "The whole sanctuary exploded with ice!"

"Could you stop whining for god's sake!" Brandon suddenly snapped. "The others outside are already terrified. We need to calm them down and explain what happened. Hopefully, they'll understand… Now, come on!" He motioned for Tyler to follow with a commanding voice.

Brandon opened the now-crooked and frozen door, erupting sounds of loud murmurs and yells into the room. Terrorized and confused members of the guild and villagers waited outside for explanations on the sudden explosions of ice that was summoned upon them out of nowhere.

"Did you see it!?"

"Where did it come from?!"

"I saw it!... It came out of the walls!"

"No, the room!.. Where they entered with that pale woman!"

Brandon took a deep breath and went outside, before closing the door.

"Aiden, come help us out." Anna ordered.

Aiden picked Elsa up with the most delicate and gentle touch before resting her head on his muscular chest.

Anna led the way out, followed by Aiden and the assistants. People stared at them in shock, some in pity as they passed.

Aphrodite opened her bedroom door slowly, entered, then closed it. Grief slowed her movements. She leaned her back to the door, then slid down and brought her knees to her chest. Suddenly, she let out the sorrowful tears she'd been holding, and cried her heart out.

What have I done?!... What have I done?! She thought, before she brought her hands to her face and let out a loud doleful sob.

An hour had passed, and a knock on the door woke Aphrodite from her sleep. She opened her eyes slowly, before rubbing them fully awake. She gasped silently as she realized that she cried herself to sleep on the floor, in front of the door. Another loud knock snapped her back to attention, accompanied by Brandon's voice. "Aphrodite?" He called, his whisper showed worry.

Aphrodite stood up, straightened her robe and took the posture of a queen. Something she did not use for a very long time. She opened the door, revealing Brandon standing with concern.

"Hey." He said, after seeing her puffy, red eyes and the lines across her cheeks that were left from tears.

"Hey…" She said before she walked back inside her room, sat on her bed and stared at the ground.

Brandon had easily sensed her sadness and unease. He sighed before he walked towards her and knelt next to her and leaned his head down so he can look up her face.

"Aphrodite," He said, making sure no one else was in the room but them. "I know what you're thinking right now…" He paused then, "Don't."

Aphrodite chuckled sarcastically, "No one knows what I'm thinking and feeling right now."

Brandon knew she was right. No one can exactly feel what she is going through. He sighed again, then, "Aphrodite… you should be grateful for your daughter's return!... You should be happy! Elsa is back-"

"Happy?!... She's back?!" She laughed sarcastically louder again, "How is she back while she's like that?!... Dying!" She stood and looked down on him with angry eyes. "She can barely move! Barely breathe!... How is this 'back' to you!?" she asked poking his chest with irritation. "News from Arendelle said she died eight years ago!... Why do you think my husband would hide her from the world!? Heck, I don't even know how long she's been t-tortured like that!" She said, her voice cracking. Felt unable to even pronounce the word 'Torture' without wincing, and especially when the word actually involved her daughter's situation.

"But think about it this way! Your daughter will soon wake up, and she'll be overjoyed seeing you-" Brandon had tried to cheer her, but she cut him off.

"Overjoyed?!... She'll kill me the moment she sees me! She definitely hates me already after I abandoned her! -And don't you DARE say 'we had no choice'!" She yelled, holding her hand in front of his face before he can utter another annoying word.

Suddenly, Aphrodite's anger dissipated and replaced with shame and sadness. "Brandon," She said, surprising Brandon with her sudden regretful voice. "I can't… Anna should not know." She sighed heavily, then looked at him with teary, most woeful eyes. "Elsa too."

"What?!... Aphrodite, listen to me-"

"No, Brandon!… Not even Elsa should know." She said, tears finally ran down her cheeks. Yet her eyes were determined. But as soon as she found her courage to say the most regretful words, it quickly vanished and turned to grief.

Brandon was about to argue, but his eyes widened when Aphrodite started sobbing. His face softened, and he wrapped his arms around her, trying to soothe her. "Aphrodite… Elsa doesn't hate you."

"How do you know that?" She said with a cold, yet shaky voice.

"I just know-"

"HOW?!" She suddenly snapped, pulled herself away from his arms and looked at him, downhearted. "I was never there for her!... When she cried for help! When she was scared! When she was being tortured by her father! When she was in PAIN!" Tears of grief streamed down her cheeks uncontrollably. Her breath and voice quivered. "I never w-was there to comfort her! To stop him from h-hurting her! To make her feel safe! I wasn't I wasn't!... I promised her, I PROMISED!" Aphrodite's body started trembling. "I told her I would protect her! AND LOOK WHAT HAPPENED!... DEATH WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE MERCIFUL THAT WHAT SHE'S IN NOW!... I have missed her entire life! I can never get that back!... NEVER! What do you expect me to tell her to make her understand!?... To tell her how I spent all these years regretting every minute I breathed while she was still locked with that son of a beast of a father!... How can I make her see that my heart and mind never abandoned her!..." Aphrodite couldn't take it anymore. She let out a loud, sorrowful sob and fell to her knees. "That… that I didn't l-leave her a-alone on purpose…" Her voice came out like a whisper. "Brandon, she SHOULD despise me! She has every right to do so!" Aphrodite had it. She allowed her sobs and cries take over her while rocking back and forth in distress and misery.

Why? Why? Why? Why?! Aphrodite thought whilst crying. I thought she died! i thought her death was my fault!... But it's worse! much worse!

Brandon watched in melancholy and felt helpless. All that he could say, even if it was the most unwelcome thing to ask in this situation, "H-How are you going to hide this from Elsa?... She… She will definitely recognize you."

Aphrodite's eyes shot wide. For Brandon was right. Oh my god… She thought. How didn't I think of that before?!

She looked back up to Brandon's worried eyes. The next words shocked Brandon in disbelief. "I won't let her see me." She said.

"W-what…?"

"I-I won't let her see me!" She repeated louder. "I will stay out of her sight, and I will inform Rapunzel and the others to keep her away from the infirmary."

"But Aphrodite–" He tried to reason in bewilderment.

"No, Brandon! This is it… She had been living in misery all because of me! She hates me!... a-and seeing me won't make it any better for her." She said, her face full with shame, before she pulled her hood back over her head.

Brandon stared at her in disbelief, but he knew she won't listen to him. He sighed heavily and spoke. "Then you have little time to say your goodbyes." He said, his voice stern, yet full with regret.

Aphrodite felt a dagger dash through her heart. Her blood ran cold, and she quickly turned her back to him, not willing to show him her shocked face.

Brandon started walking towards the bedroom door, not uttering another word. He opened the door. And before stepping out, he looked at her from his shoulder and spoke. "I hope you know what you're doing." And closed the door shut. The sound of the slamming echoed in her ears.

Aphrodite stared at the ground for several minutes, trying to adjust Brandon's words in her mind. He said I got her back… But now I'm going to lose her again!... But… but at least she's safe. She thought, convincing herself. She turned her face to look at the door that lay in front of her, and she knew what she should do next.

Anna sat next to where Elsa was sleeping. Clutching her not-yet-known-to-be-her-sister's hand tightly, not caring about the coldness anymore. She watched in concern as Elsa's sweat ran down her pained face.

Elsa laid on her side, in a way that her stomach made a forty-five degree angle to the bed, not allowing her to press on the wound, while leaving her back exposed to Anna, who was trying to ease Elsa's pain by brushing a cold soaked piece of cloth on her back like the assistants suggested. Elsa was covered with sheets from her middle and downwards, leaving her back bare, yet full with red lines and gashes. Her eyes closed, yet Anna was utterly grateful for Elsa had stopped trembling. Something she hasn't stopped doing since they saw her back then in the cellar.

Anna turned to the nightstand, where a bowl laid in front of her, her eyebrows kept furrowing in concern, and dipped the piece of cloth in the bowl that held the fresh cold water. She held it up again, squeezed slightly the water out of it, before she brushed it very delicately and carefully on Elsa's stinging and scorching back.

You know why you're here don't you?

Anna remembered the king's words, directed to the princess back in the cellar when they first saw her.

I'm a-a-a criminal… m-monster… murderer

The princess's trembling voice rang in Anna's ears, and made her shiver. Why would she say she's all those things?! Is she talking about her powers?!... Anna thought while giving the unconscious Elsa a questioned, yet concerned look.

Whatever you'll see don't let her feel different from the rest!

Anna frowned in annoyance, after remembering Kai's heartbreaking words.

"I won't… She'll be safe and happy, I promise." She said to no one.

A knock on the door brought Anna back from her thoughts. "Come in." She called.

The door opened slowly, revealing Aphrodite's stern look again, yet Anna can see the glimpse of fear and sadness in her mother's eyes.

"Hey." Aphrodite said, her voice gentle.

"Hey…" Anna replied with a warm and sad smile.

"How is she doing?" Aphrodite asked, before she walked to the side of the bed, and sat carefully next to her daughters. Her heart broke at the sight of her daughter's back.

"She'll be okay, I promised her." Anna said with a determined voice that made Aphrodite wince at the sound of it, as she remembered these familiar words she used herself a long time ago. Yet she completely failed to keep them.

"What's with the hood?!" Anna suddenly blurted.

"I… uhm… I'm just… I'm just cold, that's all." Aphrodite replied nervously.

Anna shook her head in amusement with a scoff. "Tell me about it." She deadpanned.

A moment of silence spread the room, the only sound that could be heard was the squeezed water dripping in the bowl. Then Aphrodite spoke.

"Anna, I… you should go to sleep. I'll stay with her."

Anna thought for a second. She was exhausted, and she trusted her mother's capability of handling this, so she didn't disagree. "Fine, but I'll be sleeping here tonight." She said before she stood, handed the wet piece of cloth to her mother, and started walking out of the room. "I'll be back. I just need to bring some things first, so I can sleep properly."

"Alright, dear." Aphrodite said with a warm smile.

Anna walked out of the room, before closing the door behind her, leaving a mother and a wounded daughter alone.

Aphrodite stared at the door for a minute. She didn't want to turn and see her daughter's condition again. It crushed her soul to just remember it. Aphrodite closed her eyes, took a deep, shaky breath, and forced herself to turn to Elsa's back. Her eyes fluttered open, and she felt a wave of intense grief spread around her whole body. "No…" she whispered, trying to tell herself that this wasn't real. She started chanting the troll's words in her mind. The words that she never wanted nor did believe. Yet here she is, living them.

Your future is bleak

Elsa's back was a terrible and painful thing to look at. The bloody fresh whipping marks forced Tears to form in Aphrodite's eyes, but the old scars forced them to roll down her cheeks. How long had he been doing this to her!?

Whilst chains, you'll fight the pain

Aphrodite's movement slowed from the sorrows overwhelming her. She remembered the strange shackles that gripped her daughter's hands. She dipped the piece of cloth again in the bowl, soaking it with cold water. Then started brushing her daughter's back gingerly. Water emerged with blood.

Pale lands shall be struck with winds of agony

She stared at the whipping marks on her daughter's pale back. Not stopping her tears from coming down.

And with every struck shall melt red snow

That will bring life to red rivers with tragedy

Aphrodite looked at the blood that came out of her daughter's split skin, and streamed down her daughter's back like rivers of red water.

Although the screams were high and harsh

She closed her eyes tight after remembering her daughter's shriek when she plunged the inferno into her stomach.

None shall notice the insanity beyond the gates

She grimaced in anger at her husband's actions: Hiding her daughter from the world, torture her and starve her. She couldn't help but notice the obvious rib cage of her daughter's skinny body.

Only sun rays shall fight their way in

She grinned sadly, and looked at where her strawberry-blonde daughter went a while ago.

She looked back at her pale daughter, placed the piece of cloth back in the bowl, and leaned forward, hugging her daughter carefully, for the first time in years, and for the last time after. She started crying and sobbing, letting her tears drip on her daughter's platinum head. She leaned back and brushed Elsa's wet bangs out of her face, and kissed her forehead for several long seconds, lingering every moment, saying her goodbyes. I'm sorry... I'm so, so sorry, my baby!... You are free, now. My baby is free. She thought stroking Elsa's hair, then spoke the last words through her sobs. The words that sent shivers down her spines.

"And free the ice behind bars."