The Ice Behind Bars
Chapter XX: Warm & Caring
Anna was walking around the infirmary and was taking peeks in multiple rooms but there was still no sign of her mother. It's been about half an hour and she still didn't give up on finding her mother. She was really excited to introduce her to Elsa, especially since she was the one who saved her life.
Ugh, where are you!? Anna thought in frustration.
She was running around while asking people if somehow they managed to know where her mother was but they all replied with either 'No', 'She's busy.', 'Ask Waela.' or 'Who are you?'
"You people are no good at anything but healing!" She yelled while flailing her hands around at the people whom were passing by and giving Anna weird looks. "But it's a good thing right?...Hm… Well, forget I said anything!"
Anna then groaned in irritation and gave up her search at last and decided to go back and hoped that her mother would come out by herself soon.
Aphrodite was standing in front of a table where she always prepared her medicines. Her hood was off and it dangled from her shoulders as well as her long, beautiful brunette wavy hair. She suddenly felt a strange feeling in her chest. She felt as if there were both a warm and cold presence. She looked around the room but she was actually alone. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion before she looked towards the entrance door and she would have sworn someone was standing right on the other side. She shook her head to deny such imaginations and hallucinations and went back to her work. Then, her mind suddenly ran the thought of Elsa. She took a deep, slow breath through her nose then exhaled sadly. How much I missed you. Aphrodite thought sorrowfully. How much I missed your scent, your hair, your brilliant eyes and intelligence. Aphrodite felt tears were starting to form. Your innocent laugh, your playfulness, your sense of adventure… You and your sister were the only ones who ever made me happy. She smiled sadly when she remembered when she and Elsa were together. When she was able to hold her and hug her and kiss her.
Aphrodite's Flashback
Aphrodite was sitting on the queen-size royal bed happily as she wore a wide and gentle smile while combing the soft and beautiful platinum hair of her three year old daughter that was sitting legs-crossed right in front of her. Aphrodite's belly was already round and big from the infant that was growing inside her. She placed one hand on her tummy while the other kept brushing her older child's hair.
"Mommy?" The little pale girl suddenly said.
"Hm?" Aphrodite acknowledged with a smile and kept combing her daughter's hair.
"Does Papa hates me?" The little girl asked innocently.
Aphrodite's hand that was holding the brush froze in place as her eyes widened a bit in surprise and felt a bit worried. "Now why would you say something like that?" Aphrodite asked and denied her husband's bad feelings towards their daughter before she resumed her brushing.
The tiny girl fiddled with her dolly's hair that was in her lap, "I don't know… He yells and pushes me olot." She said.
Aphrodite felt her heart crumble. She would have corrected her daughter's word to 'a lot' but it wasn't a good time for the little girl was serious about the situation and was clearly aware about her father's nasty behavior around her. Aphrodite stopped brushing and placed the brush on the nightstand. She quickly hugged her little daughter and rested her cheek on the platinum crown. "Papa doesn't hate you, snowflake." She reassured but knew deep inside her heart that she was lying. "He is just stressed and busy with running a whole kingdom. It's a really hard thing to do all on your own, you know. Someday you'll understand. You are the heir, and you'll be Queen one day." Aphrodite said before she placed a kiss on little Elsa's head.
Elsa made a tiny angry pout before she turned to face her mother. "But Potata said that people do that when they hate someone."
Aphrodite furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, "Who's Potata?" She asked.
Elsa held the dolly in front of her mother's face.
Aphrodite smiled and shook her head in amusement at her daughter's antics. "Well, pleased to know your acquaintance, Miss Potata." Aphrodite said playfully with a bow of her head. "I am starting to think you are persuading my daughter to a wrong idea." She said to the doll. Then took a quick peek towards Elsa to make sure she was listening before she turned her eyes to the doll and took it from her daughter's hands and held it in front of her as she held her head high like a queen and pretended to be serious. "I can assure you, Miss Potata, that my daughter, Princess Elsa of Arendelle, future queen, won't be persuaded by a cotton-stuffed toy like you. She already knows that her Papa really loves her and so does her Mama. And did you know that she has those really beautiful ice powers?!"
Elsa giggled a bit, "Mamaaa…" She whined playfully.
"It's true!" Aphrodite cleared her throat and resumed her speech, "I, Queen Aphrodite of Arendelle, am very proud of my daughter who is loyal, kind, beautiful, adorable, sweet, smart, intelligent, wise and warm even though she can create beautiful snow…" Aphrodite trailed off, placed the doll down on the bed and gave her daughter a wide playful, devilish smirk and held her hands up as if they were claws, "And she… is… my… little… Snowflake!" She said right before she grabbed her daughter and attacked her with raspberries on her tiny belly and made Elsa squeal in a high-pitched innocent scream of laughter.
"Mama!" Elsa squeaked while laughing and tried to escape her mother's tickle-attack.
"Surrender to Queen Aphrodite of Arendelle!" Aphrodite said with a low-pitched voice as if an evil villain was saying that before she made another raspberry on her daughter's baby belly.
"Mama s-stop!" Elsa laughed again, "I yield! I yield, M-Mama!" Elsa said as she held her hand up and gestured for peace.
Aphrodite laughed before she finally stopped her attacks and gave her daughter mercy.
"Oh look… I messed up your hair all over again-" Aphrodite teased as she stared and giggled at her daughter's now-messy and fuzzy hair that looked more like an afro, but she was cut off by her Elsa's tiny finger on her lips.
Elsa placed her tiny finger on her mother's mouth to shush her. The cyan eyes were wide and serious and she didn't even bother to smooth her wild hair again.
Aphrodite stared at her daughter with confused wide eyes. Elsa's tiny finger still on her lips.
Elsa brought her other index to her own mouth and made a shushing sound, before she pointed at her mother's huge belly. "The baby is sleeping." She whispered with a serious tone.
Aphrodite couldn't help but smile widely at her daughter and stiffened a giggle. Despite her daughter's ice powers, she was really warm and caring on the inside. "Oh, sorry." Aphrodite whispered back from behind Elsa's baby finger.
Elsa smiled and removed her finger off her mother's lips before she went to pick her dolly. "Potata said that we should keep it quiet cause babies need to sleep and we shouldn't wake her up."
Aphrodite smirked at her daughter, "And how did you know if it's a Her?... It might be a He for all you know." Aphrodite said. I hope. She thought as she remembered how her husband would be furious if he didn't get a new heir… the next king for the throne. And she felt really worried about the idea and didn't want to imagine what would happen if it was a girl. She didn't want to imagine what her husband would do to Elsa.
"I know it's a baby sister." Elsa said proudly, "That's what Potata told me."
Aphrodite shook her head at her silly daughter before she scooted closer to her and picked her daughter up and placed her on her lap. "Then how about we give your baby sister a name, shall we? You don't want to keep calling her 'baby sister' right?" Aphrodite said with a teasing smile.
Elsa gasped in joy and excitement before she raised her hand, "Oh I know, I know! Pick me, pick me!"
Aphrodite giggled a bit, then, "Who to pick, who to pick…" She teased.
"Mememememe!" Elsa shouted and tried to raise her arm as much as she could. "Pick me!"
"Please don't tell me it's another name after food like Miss Potata here." Aphrodite said with a humored tone.
Elsa's excitement fell and she lowered her hand as she tried to think of another name then.
Aphrodite laughed this time since now she knew that Elsa was really about to choose a name after food. "You don't want your sister to be called Princess Lettuce of Arendelle, right?"
Elsa tapped her index on her chin and stuck her tongue out at the corner of her mouth, her hair still messy and wild. Elsa's suddenly gasped happily.
Aphrodite braced herself for the crazy name Elsa would burst out.
"How about…" Elsa said before she held herself tight to prepare for a pounce, "Anna!" She exclaimed with the pounce.
Aphrodite's eyes widened at her little girl since the name she chose wasn't crazy, food-like or informal. She quickly grabbed her daughter up and twirled her around the room in a circle. "That's a great name!" She shouted happily before she squeezed Elsa in a crush hug, then kissed her forehead. "Oh, my sweet, smart daughter." She said fondly before Elsa wrapped her tiny arms around her mother's neck carefully so she couldn't harm the baby. "Come on, now. Time for bed." Aphrodite announced before she started heading to place her daughter in bed.
"Aaawwwww!" Elsa whined. "But I'm not tired-" She was saying when she was cut off by a sleepy yawn.
Aphrodite giggled gently, "I think you are, my little snowflake." She said as she placed Elsa in bed and pulled the covers over her tiny body, handed her Potata then laid herself right next to her and smoothed her daughter's wild hair.
"Mommy? Can you sing for us?" Elsa requested with tired eyes.
"Us?" Aphrodite asked amused since her daughter was still probably acting with a wild imagination as if this Potata was alive.
"Me and Anna." Elsa said and corrected Aphrodite's thoughts.
Aphrodite couldn't help but feel her heart flutter in joy at Elsa's enthusiasm for the arrival of her sibling. "Which lullaby do you want me to sing?" Aphrodite said with a radiant smile as she caressed her daughter's hair and pushed the platinum bangs off her face.
"Our lullaby!" Elsa shouted excitedly.
"If that's what you want, then alright, love." Aphrodite said before she sank lower inside the bed sheets, cuddled her little girl and rested her cheek on Elsa's head. Right before she opened her mouth to sing, she felt a chilly hand on her big tummy and heard Elsa's voice.
Elsa placed her hand on her mother's tummy, "You'll see, Anna. Mama has a great voice!" She finished before she placed a soft kiss on Aphrodite's belly.
Aphrodite felt a bit anxious. She was so worried for the upcoming baby. She was scared herself of her own husband's reaction towards either her or worse… her daughter or probably daughters. But she shook the worries away as she didn't wanted to ruin her lovely and peaceful moment with her daughter. She suddenly felt a hard kick from the baby inside. "Oh, would you look at that?" Aphrodite started as she rested a hand on where the baby just kicked.
"What?" Elsa asked curiously.
"Looks like your little sister wants to come out and meet you soon." Aphrodite said with a smirk.
Elsa gasped, "Really!?... Do you think she loves me?" Elsa asked.
"Well of course she does, sweety." Aphrodite said before she felt another hard kick. "Oof… I think she really, really does." She said with a chuckle. "Come on, now." She squeezed Elsa in a hug.
"Mommy?" Elsa suddenly called again.
"Hm?" Aphrodite said and squeezed Elsa tighter to her.
"You will never leave me alone, right?" Elsa asked.
Aphrodite's eyes widened. Why would her daughter ask such a thing? "I swear I would never let you go."
Aphrodite then started singing the lullaby that she had been singing it to Elsa since the day she was born. This lullaby always made Elsa relax and feel utterly safe and happy. It always sooth her to sleep or calms her down when she would be crying.
A few minutes passed along with Aphrodite's soft and warm voice that enchanted Elsa's ears to sleep. Aphrodite smiled warmly at her now-sleeping daughter. She placed a hand on her tummy and could only hope for the best. Everything is going to be fine… Stop worrying. Yes… everything will be okay.
Aphrodite sighed heavily and stopped working with the medicine. She rested both hands at the edge of the table and leaned on them. My beautiful baby… She placed a trembling hand on her mouth to avoid a sob, I wronged you!... I did a selfish thing and you were the one who paid for it! You paid for my own mistake! You… you have every right to hate me… I would never blame you for it! Ever. She took a deep shaky breath and pulled her hood over her head. But that's all in the past… I cannot change what I did… Not anymore. It's too late to hope. I can never get her back. She would never love me again. She shook her head slowly at herself and resumed her work with the medicine to try to distract herself from such troubled thoughts.
Elsa didn't know why her hand was trembling above the door's handle. What is happening to me?! She thought more eager than worried. She took one last peek towards the busy Rapunzel before she started turning the handle slowly. Her heart raced faster and faster the more the handle made creaking noises.
The handle clicked. The door opened.
Elsa entered slowly and pocked her head inside the room. She looked around and saw multiple shelves full with different types of ingredients. From herbal to goowy or solid or powder. Two simple windows each on the other side of the room. Some barrels in the corner and a chair. Her eyes then landed on a figure standing back-turned to her. It was definitely a woman since her frame didn't deceive her femininity. Elsa felt her heart stop as she stared at the back of this woman. Her eyes widened in confusion and wonder. She felt as if there was a warm force that made her really in need to approach this woman. She didn't know why she wasn't afraid of this woman. Normally she would have ran away back to stand right next to Rapunzel from the fear of such a stranger in which she didn't know if this woman held bad intentions like her father, or good intentions like Anna and Rapunzel. Elsa took a safe step closer. Then she froze when she heard the woman's voice.
"Waela, I told you I don't want to be disturbed." The woman said, her voice showed a bit of sadness and regret yet it also held a strong strictness.
That voice made Elsa feel warm all over despite her body's coldness. She felt a tug to her heart when she heard it. But she still did not know why she was having all these crazy, mixed-up and strange feelings. The woman was standing there mixing things up into a wooden bole and was adding some sort of powder. Then, the woman started to turn, her hood still covered her head.
Aphrodite got no respond when she asked Waela about this sudden disturbance. She didn't know why the room was cold on Waela's presence. She stopped what she was doing, gritted her teeth in frustration and started to turn. "I told you, Waela. No distu-" Aphrodite's hooded green eyes widened in shock as she witnessed the pale woman in front of her. The wounded woman who once was her little girl. The tortured woman whom last time she held her in her arms, was only nothing but a scared six year old girl. "Elsa?" Aphrodite asked her breath started to quicken but not from fear or sadness, but from joy on finally seeing her daughter. Her heart drummed fast in her chest. "Oh, Elsa!" She said happily while her lip-parted smile grew wide and she didn't have time to stop herself. The excitement turned her oblivious that the platinum haired woman was staring right back in confusion and a tiny bit afraid. Aphrodite started striding towards her daughter with open arms. She wanted to hug her, to comfort her, to kiss her, to touch and brush that beautiful platinum hair, to look into these warm incredible cyan eyes again and to never leave her side, but she stopped mid-way when she realized what she was doing as her mind turned back to reality and out of her motherly senses. Her arms were still raised. Frozen in place.
What am I doing?! Stop it! Stop it! Turn away right now! She hates you, remember!? She doesn't want your hugs or your pathetic comforts. Turn away! She will see you!
Aphrodite quickly whipped her body to the other side and turned her back to her daughter with an unbelievable fearful speed and held her hand to the side of her face so Elsa couldn't get a better look while the other hand wrapped around her middle. "W-What are you doing here!?" Aphrodite asked with a trembling and scared voice and cursed and winced at herself because of the harsh tone that accidently came out.
Elsa's eyes widened as she saw how the woman called her and started coming towards her. Her voice was so full with happiness and joy but Elsa was utterly confused. How did she know my name? Elsa wondered before her unfortunate instincts took over. Elsa started to back away fearfully. This woman was coming right at her. Why?
Hurt me. Elsa's strong dreadful instincts decided. But she sound so… so happy… Happy to see me! Elsa's other weak side of her mind thought joyfully. The side of her mind that she would use to comfort and reason with herself or to even think positive. The side that she stopped using for fifteen years.
She never had anyone who was happy that she was present. Her father always looked at her with either angered or disgusted face and that made the feeling of being ashamed even worse than it already was. But this time, this woman was a total stranger to her, yet the woman was happy to see her. But she broke out of her happy thoughts when she saw the woman froze and quickly looked away and turned her back to her. Elsa suddenly felt utterly disappointed and ashamed again. She lowered her head and hugged herself and held her tears from coming down. Then she heard the woman's stressed question. Elsa felt afraid again, "I-I was just… L-Looking for Anna. I'm sorry!… I-… I should go." Elsa quickly said before she hurriedly turned away to leave.
Aphrodite listened to her daughter's voice. She felt tears started to stream down her cheeks and her heart stopped because of how weak and tired the voice of her daughter came out. The voice of an adult woman and not the high-pitched one of a little girl. Aphrodite now knew that she really did lose a lot and never witnessed her daughter's life. And God knows that if she knew better about how Elsa grew she would have begged not to see such a thing instead.
Aphrodite would have killed herself because of how her question made Elsa feel afraid. "No, wait!" Aphrodite called. Her eyebrows were still furrowed in extreme worry and her back was still turned to Elsa. She bit her lip when she heard that Elsa's footsteps stopped, so she knew that Elsa was looking at her again and she was listening.
Elsa stopped in surprise when she heard the woman's command. She slowly and cautiously turned her head to the woman.
Aphrodite took a deep breath. And slowly turned while making sure to keep a big distance and the hood checked above her head. "How-… H-How are you feeling?" She suddenly heard herself ask. What am I doing!? She thought but quickly shook that away because there was no way she was going to let Elsa feel uneasy or scared of her. She was going to try to sooth and comfort her daughter even if it was with a careful distance and a hooded face. No matter what, she would try.
Elsa's shoulders slowly lowered. Her eyes went to the right then back to the woman. "I'm… I'm fine." Elsa said with more like a whisper. Who is this woman? She thought as she heard Aphrodite's real concerned voice.
"Are you feeling better? Is… Is there still any pain?" Aphrodite asked again her voice this time really gentle but still worried as she took a peek at Elsa's gloved hands.
Elsa didn't know what she was feeling. This voice was so gentle and soothing. So… Welcoming. She felt as if the fear was suddenly dissipating. Both stood in an awkward silence before Elsa finally shook her head and denied pain.
"D-Did Waela give you the medicine I made for you?" Aphrodite asked and stiffened a bit when she saw how it was Elsa who took an unconscious step forward. She doesn't recognize my voice. Aphrodite thought. But she did not know that Elsa's fifteen years of torture and pain forced her mind to forget a lot of things.
"Yes…" Elsa confirmed and she suddenly remembered what Waela said. Her eyes widened, "Your-… Your Leanna? A-Anna's Mama?!" She asked with a voice that came out a bit higher and happier than she intended since she was of course eager to meet the woman who saved her life… or unknowingly, her mother. How could she thank her? She had a simple idea.
Aphrodite felt her heart rip in half since now she was going to lie directly to her daughter. "Y-Yes. I am. I'm-" She sighed then, "Leanna." She lowered her head.
"Thank you." Aphrodite suddenly heard Elsa say. Her head snapped up and she looked quizzically at Elsa, but her face was still hidden. She didn't understand why Elsa was thanking her.
Elsa grinned shyly and lowered her head to hide the blush, "You saved my life." She said with a voice that came out a bit throaty and never knew how that made Aphrodite feel terrible. "I'm… I… T-Thank you." Elsa said again awkwardly.
Aphrodite smiled sadly. Her daughter was still the kind-hearted little girl she once had. "You don't need to thank me, dear-" Oh dear indeed. "-I was just doing my job. And… I would try my best to make you feel better." Aphrodite promised. But deep down, she knew that they were empty words since she already failed miserably at keeping her promises. You say that and you know you can't do anything for her. Aphrodite thought angrily at herself. Aphrodite's eyes trailed to Elsa's bruised face. And she took a sharp breath of sorrows before she had the courage to ask, "Who did this to you?" She wanted to be sure. Even though she already knew the answer, she just couldn't believe that she married a man so cruel, insane and dangerous. She didn't wanted to believe that the man she once loved was a real madman. A man who would do all this to his own daughter.
Elsa's eyes snapped wide and her shoulders shoved up again in distress. She quickly looked away and closed her eyes. "It's…" Should I tell her? "P-Papa." She whispered, afraid that if she said her father's name out loud, he would have come out of thin air and beat her.
Aphrodite's grimaced in sadness since her thoughts were confirmed by the victim herself. "W-Why?!" She asked but when she saw how Elsa inhaled sharply and bit her lip in stress she decided to change her question. She lowered her eyes to look at Elsa's scars, "Did… Did he do it before?" She asked and grew really worried.
Elsa didn't know what to answer. There was no before it was more like always. "All-" She took a deep sorrowful breath, "All the time."
Aphrodite's eyes snapped wide in horror, What does she mean?! She thought horrified. "W-what do you m-mean?!" She asked a bit felt ridiculous as her mind wasn't adjusting to such images that were now running in her head and the idea… the horrible idea that was now haunting her mind and was trying her best not to believe it. Surely Elsa only meant about some yells and shouts from him, right? It's not like he… I-I-It's not like he really d-did it all the time! Aphrodite thought as her heart drummed faster and didn't wanted to believe what she knew she was about to hear. Her tears were already forming as she braced herself.
Elsa's own tears were streaming down now and seeing this only made things worse for her mother. Aphrodite began to tremble as she witnessed her daughter's tears and how she stood there in front of her like a scared puppy.
Waela finally finished instructing Rapunzel who just smiled and nodded but the old woman never stopped rambling about the medicine and Leanna's skills.
"Alright Waela I got it." Rapunzel assured. "Apply gently on bruise. Every night before sleeping. Don't expose to sun. Don't rub too much. Okidoki."
Waela nodded then turned and walked away.
"Okay, Elsa-" Rapunzel started, "-We should probably go find where Anna wen-" She suddenly stopped and her eyes grew horribly worried when she didn't find the princess. "Elsa?" She called and looked around fast, "Elsa?!" No respond. Oh no!
"Rapunzel!" Anna's voice suddenly called.
Rapunzel turned to Anna's voice. Anna was walking towards her and a frown on her face.
"I didn't find her! None of those people saw her. Where could my mother be?" Anna asked then looked around in confusion. "Uhm… Rapunzel? Where's Elsa?" Anna asked before she focused her eyes to Rapunzel's.
Rapunzel bit her lip and gave Anna a worried look and didn't dare say a word.
"Rapunzel…?" Anna started extremely worried as her eyes widened. "Where is Elsa?!" She said slowly in utter uneasiness.
Elsa wiped her tears again with her gloved hands. "He… H-He locked me and k-kept doing that t-t-to me… since I was six." Elsa said with a cracking voice.
Aphrodite gasped and suddenly felt dizzy at such an atrocious news. She felt her legs wobble and she quickly steadied herself with the grip of the table. Her eyes horrifyingly wide. Her heart crumbled. She brought a trembling hand to her mouth. She couldn't believe it. She just couldn't. It's… It's been fifteen years! That… That… There was really no words that she could describe him. You son of a-… Just when I disappeared you took the advantage to hurt her! YOU COWARD! She was feeling as if her soul was slowly creeping out of her when she started to have a conflict with herself. Why did I think of leaving?! Why did I decided to run away?! None of this would have happened to her if I didn't leave her alone! None of this would have happened if I never thought of running away! I would have stayed with her and kept hiding her and protecting her! WHAT HAVE I DONE?! Then, her raging mind made her mouth pronounce two words that she would later regret.
"That MONSTER!" She said furiously with a loud breath at her husband yet she didn't really realized what she just did.
Elsa's world turned upside down.
Unfortunately, Elsa thought that what Aphrodite said was directed at her. Elsa's eyes widened as she heard the word. "W-What?!" The word that would make her soul shatter, that would make her body crumble and shiver. She suddenly started trembling. "No… No… No, no, no please no!" Elsa started to say as she lost her focus on Aphrodite. Her eyes were now staring at nothing. Monster! "Please NO! Not again! PLEAASE! I'm… I'm not!... I am?!... What?!" Elsa mind was confused, lost and horrified all at the same time.
Aphrodite slowly lifted her head to Elsa's voice and looked at her in confusion. She did not know that this haunting word would overturn Elsa's mind, even if it wasn't directed to her. Yet the confused mother didn't understand that Elsa thought that she just called her a monster.
"Stop it! Please!... I'm… I don't know! NO! NO! NO!" Elsa started to scream nonsense as she darted her eyes around as if trying to avoid an invisible whip or fist. She started hyperventilating and gasping for air. Her heart raced and raced and raced.
Monster, murderer, abomination… Her father's words started to be heard in her head.
Elsa gasped then shut her eyes tight and closed her ears. "NOO!" She screamed again and started shaking her head violently.
Unholy, freak, thief, killer, filth…
Elsa collapsed on her knees and squeezed her eyes tighter as well as her hands on her ears. She felt an immense pressure on her burning chest. "PLEASE!"
The room became extremely cold.
Monster, murderer, abomination, Unholy, freak, thief, killer, filth! WHAT ARE YOU!?
"MONSTEEEER! I'm a monster! I'm a monster! Monstermonstermonsteeeeer!" Elsa shrieked loudly like a maniac. She started to sweat, her mouth went dry and she already forgot that there was another horrified presence in the room.
Aphrodite watched in horror while shocked tears came down her cheeks uncontrollably as she witnessed her daughter's condition of terror, panic and dread. She watched helpless as her daughter yelled, trembled, cried and looked around like crazy. Oh my god…!
Elsa started rocking back and forth with a great fearful speed. She snapped her bloodshot eyes open and darted her eyes around but she couldn't see anything at all.
The door suddenly burst open and Anna and Rapunzel stormed inside. "Mum?!... What's happening?!" Anna yelled then her eyes snapped wide when she saw Elsa's form was cowering on the ground. "Elsa?... Elsa!" She quickly ran to Elsa's side and saw how Elsa's eyes were open and were staring at nothing. Elsa was definitely lost in horror thoughts.
When Elsa felt a presence next to her, she recoiled roughly away with a loud whimper.
Anna placed a shocked hand on her mouth and made a wise decision not to touch Elsa as she realized that the princess was having a panic attack. Oh no! "What did you do to her?!" Anna yelled at her mother.
Aphrodite didn't even hear her younger daughter. She only saw how Elsa was looking beyond her view. "No…" She whispered to herself and felt her legs wobble all over again. What is happening to her?! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY DAUGHTER?! She couldn't believe the sight. She just didn't understand why the sudden outburst.
"What did you tell her!?" Anna yelled again at her mother.
Rapunzel covered her mouth in shock. Some of the people in the infirmary pocked their heads inside the room to see what was happening and who was screaming. Some also ran away out of the infirmary when they felt the cold temperature and the fragile frost that was forming underneath Elsa. All the people in the room were now producing steam out of their mouths except strangely for Elsa who was the one who was breathing faster than any of them.
Elsa shut her eyes again and ears. "Monster. . . Monster. . . Monster. . ." She was mumbling with trembling lips as she rocked herself on the ground. Elsa couldn't breathe anymore. "No. . . No. . . No. . ."Her hands fell to the ground and she was now on both her knees and hands as she gasped for air and her tears dripped on the floor.
Anna herself stared to panic. Her own tears started to form at seeing Elsa's and her anger turned to utter concern. Elsa wasn't even blinking, "Oh my god!… Elsa? Elsa listen to me. Please…" Anna tried to say with a gentle voice to bring Elsa out of her episode. "You're okay now. I'm here! Elsa, please look at me! There's no one here! Just me and you. No one will hurt you." Anna tried to say anything at all just to make Elsa focus on her. Anna fell to her knee, "Elsa, please look at me… Come on, with me… Slow, deep breath." Anna said with a gentle yet utterly concerned voice. When she saw how Elsa kept trembling and didn't even look like she heard anything at all. Anna turned to the people that were watching in horror next to Rapunzel. "You are healers god damn it! DO SOMETHING! How do you stop this!?" She asked as she stared angrily at the healers.
"We can't do anything, Anna. It's a panic attack, it will go away by itself." One of the healers explained, his face concerned for Elsa.
What have I done!? Aphrodite thought.
Anna shook her head at such a stupid answer. She looked back at Elsa and didn't dare to touch her shoulder so she could somehow comfort her but she swore that Elsa would have blown the whole infirmary down with ice, so she decided to use words. "Elsa?... D-Do you remember Bulda's gift to you? That beautiful blue rose you now have? Do you remember, Elsa? It was really beautiful wasn't it?... A-And do you remember the sunset? Such an incredible sight that was, right?" Anna tried to sooth with a nervous smile. Oh god please, please, Elsa. Anna thought desperately as she saw how Elsa was still breathing fast. No one dared to say a word and just left it all to Anna so Elsa wouldn't suddenly do something they weren't prepared for. Anna bit her lip, then, "U-Uhhh… D-Do you remember how we had fun at night? With me! H-How I am so clumsy and silly and broke my bed? How we laughed together? Didn't you like that Elsa?" Anna asked desperately again. She knew what Elsa was thinking of as she heard her mumbles of the unspeakable word, Monster, over and over.
Aphrodite was having her own episode of standing in shock. Silent. Frozen.
Anna felt utterly relieved when she saw how Elsa started to blink continuously at least. "Come on, Elsa. It's me. Listen to my voice." Anna soothed again.
Elsa's breath started to slow.
"Here you go, come on, just keep focusing on my voice. I'm here, don't worry, I won't leave you. You are safe now, you are free!" Anna said happily with the still furrowed eyebrows of worry.
Elsa slowly stopped mumbling and very slowly started to lift her head to look at Anna. "F-… F-… F-Free?" Elsa asked, still trembling.
Anna let out a small laugh of relief and joy as Elsa finally acknowledged her. "Yes, yes! Free! You're free!" Anna said happily as joyful tears came down.
Elsa brought her hand off the ground and hugged herself. Her eyes hovered over Anna's face as if trying to determine the strawberry-blonde's presence. "Anna?" Elsa whispered.
"Hey, shhhhhh… I'm here. It's me, it's just me." Anna soothed but still didn't dare to touch her. She wanted to be sure that Elsa was completely out of her episode. "Come on, Elsa… Slow breath." Anna inhaled and exhaled slowly.
Elsa blinked again and tried to slow her breath. After a few moments, Elsa finally made sense of her world. "Y-… You're crying…" Elsa said with a confused face.
Anna giggled a bit and quickly wiped her tears with her sleeve. "Don't worry about me. I'm just happy you're okay."
Anna wasn't the only one who witnessed half of Elsa's panic attack. There were healers, wounded and healed thieves, Rapunzel and Aphrodite whom saw the whole attack. Aphrodite never saw in her whole life someone could ever get such an extreme episode. But she just saw her daughter's experience and it wasn't pleasant or good in anyway at all. She only managed to whisper two words. "My baby…" She whispered and no one but her heard. She left Elsa whole, healthy and just a perfect little girl. Now her little girl was returned to her broken, weak, tortured, injured and afraid. Was what she just observed was a way from God to show her the results of her greatest mistake of abandoning her daughter? To show her how her selfish act ended up literally destroying her baby?
Rapunzel was the only one who looked over to see Aphrodite's frozen and horrified state and she felt her heart rip in half as she saw the broken mother standing there, helpless, concerned for her daughter and even though she couldn't see the tears from under the hood, Rapunzel was able to see the tear-soaked clothes that covered Aphrodite's chest. What just happened, Aphrodite? She thought sadly.
Elsa felt extremely exhausted. Elsa suddenly shook her head and let out a sob and she quickly hid her face behind her hands.
Anna felt sad again. "Don't cry, Elsa." Anna calmed. "Please, don't. You're okay now." Anna tried to hold back her tears. She just couldn't see Elsa cry. She very hesitantly brought a stiff hand up on Elsa's head and started awkwardly stroking Elsa's hair to sooth her. When she saw how Elsa didn't flinch and she would have sworn Elsa relaxed a bit, she smiled sadly and the awkwardness was lost. She brought the other hand on Elsa's shoulder but she quickly recoiled her hand because Elsa was extremely cold that it literally hurt. So she just smiled and kept her hand on Elsa's head and whispered soothing words.
Rapunzel wanted to make the situation less awkward, so she turned to the other people and shooed them away before the closed the door behind her and went to comfort Aphrodite while Anna did the same for Elsa.
The room was so unnaturally silent. The only thing that crawled in Aphrodite's ears were Elsa's soft sobs. She stared with unblinking eyes at her two daughters whom were sitting on the floor, both crying: One with silent tears and the other with sorrowful sobs. Both of her daughters, the ones she swore to protect and save them from their father, were sad and crying. And Crying wasn't a sign that she was a good mother. The signs that she was being a horrible mother kept coming and coming.
"Aphrodite…" Rapunzel whispered and made sure Anna and Elsa couldn't hear. But Aphrodite also didn't hear. She was just still in utter shock. "Aphrodite." Rapunzel shook the mother's shoulder as her voice grew worried. Aphrodite's eyes finally left her daughters and they turned slowly to Rapunzel. Rapunzel never saw such regretful, sorrowful and shocked eyes. Aphrodite's tears were so heavy because of the guilt they carried. They were all over her face.
Aphrodite shook her head slowly at Rapunzel and could only ask one question, "What have I done?" Aphrodite's voice was so full with a regretful tone that Rapunzel never heard something like that from her before. Rapunzel didn't know what to answer, she only lowered her head.
Could things get any worse?
Anna forced herself to stop crying. She stopped stroking Elsa's head, "Come on, Elsa." She said with a gentle sad smile before she placed her hand underneath Elsa's now-touchable cold elbow and made a small pressure on it so that Elsa would understand that it's time to get up.
Elsa nodded slowly as her eyes kept still on the ground. Anna helped Elsa up easily. Both women turned their heads to each other and both smiled sadly a bit at each other. Anna patted Elsa's shoulder one last time before she turned to Rapunzel. "Rapunzel, take Elsa out of the infirmary. I need to talk to my mother." Anna said with such a stern voice that made Rapunzel shiver and a bit afraid at Anna's sudden and first strictness.
Rapunzel gave Aphrodite one apologetic look and Aphrodite nodded reassuringly. Rapunzel then moved to stand right next to Elsa. "Come on, Elsa… Let's get you out of here." Rapunzel said gently with a warm smile. Elsa gave Anna a concerned look and Anna gave her a reassuring nod too. Elsa then turned and started walking out of the room, an arm wrapped around her middle and the other hand was clutching the stick.
Before Rapunzel could turn and walk away she grabbed Anna's arm firmly and said one word. "Don't." Rapunzel said with a worried voice.
Anna understood what Rapunzel was saying but her anger was beyond repair. So she only said, "I'll try."
Rapunzel sighed in annoyance since this was all inevitable. She wanted to explain to Anna how her mother was already feeling broken and extremely sad and that she shouldn't make things heavier and worse on Aphrodite, but she couldn't say anything now. She shook her head at Anna and turned to follow Elsa.
Before Rapunzel could close the door behind her, Elsa looked at the hooded woman one last time and saw how the woman was hunched a bit in sadness. Elsa felt a bit confused. Why was this woman sad? She just didn't understand why she herself was concerned for this woman. Did she care for me!?... Was she sad for me?! She was really getting confused in this place. First Anna and the others laughed when she did something wrong and now this woman just called her a monster then was suddenly sad about it? Anna's Mama is weird. Elsa thought in wonder. She wanted to swear that she would never want to see this woman again… but why couldn't she? Why didn't she?