I love this chapter. It was really fun to write. :)

The Ice Behind Bars

Chapter XXII: Warm Hug, Cold Fort

Brandon was heading towards the infirmary… More like to Aphrodite, when he noticed the three young thieves and the ice harvester were locked in a serious argument, yet Anna and Elsa were nowhere to be seen. He was confused a bit but he just shrugged it off and entered the infirmary.

"Hey, Brandon." One of the healers greeted as he tended to an injured young boy who seemed to have scratched his elbow.

"Hey, Durwin." Brandon replied distractedly while looking around the room, "Uhm… Have you seen Leanna?"

"Oh, I've seen her alright." Durwin said with a bit of mock in his voice. "She was busy having some sort of a fight with Anna after what looked like she did something to this… Ice princess or whatever."

"Wait, wait, wait, wait! What do you mean a fight with Anna?!... and Elsa!?" He asked, totally bewildered.

"Oh, so that's what's her name is!... Elsa. Hmmm… Not common around he-"

"Can you please focus for a god damn second and tell me where she is?!" Brandon yelled, irritated at the man's ignorance and carelessness.

"She's probably in her room." Durwin replied.

Brandon didn't wait for another second. He quickly dashed towards Aphrodite's room, hoping to find her there and understand what happened.

When Brandon arrived at the Queen's room, he did not even knock. He quickly pushed the door open to find the figure of Aphrodite knelt on the ground, crying. His eyes widened and he quickly closed the door behind him before he practically sprinted towards her, "Aphrodite!"

Aphrodite shot her head up and revealed her tearful face. "Brandon…" Her voice was barely heard.

Brandon quickly knelt next to her, "What happened?! Are you alright?!" He asked concerned.

Aphrodite shook her head as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and helped her up, then to her bed. When they sat, Aphrodite was only able to say, "No Brandon… No… Nothing is alright! Everything is wrong!" She suddenly let out a loud sob and started shaking from the cries she erupted.

Brandon quickly wrapped both arms around her in a hug, royalty and titles be damned. The woman was still in need of great comfort and he wasn't going to just sit aside and watch her cry just because she was the Queen and he was a low thief. "Hey, hey… Calm down, I'm here. Just tell me what happened." He said gently as he hugged her tighter.

"I-I don't know, Brandon… I don't know! I-It's… It's too much! Why does this k-keep happening to me?!" She managed to say through her sobs.

Brandon started to feel the wetness on his chest because of the fast and heavy tears Aphrodite was producing.

"I d-did it again, Brandon!... I did it again!" He heard Aphrodite's muffle as she buried her face in his chest.

"What did you do, Aphrodite? Just tell me… I'm here. You're not alone." He soothed and started rubbing her shaking back, hoping that it would calm her down. He already knew how Aphrodite cried every night because how her life and daughter's ended up. He remembered the day he brought the news from Arendelle that Princess Elsa died from an unknown reason.

Brandon's Flashback

Brandon stood in front of Aphrodite's bedroom door, shaking in unease and nervousness. How the hell am I going to tell her that her daughter is dead?! He thought in anxiety. He had no idea how he should have told the Queen about her daughter's mysterious death. He wanted to keep it a secret and tell her later but he knew that that was something that shouldn't be hid. He sent one of the best guild members to go take a look about what was happening in Arendelle. And when the man arrived back, the first thing he was able to do, was to give Brandon a piece of paper, announcing the news of the deceased Princess. Brandon was pretty shocked to the news. And especially since they said that the princess died of a mysterious disease and that the poor kind king was devastated and heartbroken at the loss of his only daughter.

Brandon gulped nervously and knocked on the door. "L-Leanna?... I-It's me. Brandon."

He heard light footsteps, then the door opened and revealed a tired Aphrodite. "Oh hey, Brandon. Come in." She greeted and turned to enter her room.

Brandon entered slowly and closed the door behind him. "Is Anna alright? Is she well?" He heard Aphrodite ask.

"Y-Yes, yes! She's great, actually." He stuttered and fidgeted with the paper in his hands that carried the horrifying news.

"Oh?... Then to what do I own this pleasure?" She asked playfully as she distracted herself by preparing a cup of tea.

Brandon stayed silent for a moment, then, "A-Aphrodite… C-Can you sit for a moment?" He asked and shoved the paper in his pocket, deciding that this wasn't a good way of telling her the bad news. He was going to try and talk to her slowly and not bluntly. He would try anything to make her feel better and make it easier.

Aphrodite turned from the counter with confused, furrowed eyebrows, "Uhm… Okay." She said before she went to her bed and sat and tapped the side of her bed, motioning for the nervous Brandon to take a seat, "Is something wrong?!" She asked worried when she noticed Brandon's nervousness and how he was sweating.

"U-Uhm…" He sat right next to her and she smiled a bit at him. "Now, you listen to me… Promise me you won't freak out, okay?" OH HELL! What am I saying?! Of course she'll freak out! "M-Many things happen, A-Aphrodite. And we need to be strong, right? Even if it was a very bad thing. Th-Think of your daughter, Anna! That's what you should right now, am I right?"

Aphrodite's heart started to race, "B-Brandon?... You're scaring me… W-What bad thing?!"

Brandon sighed, "I have bad news… From Arendelle." He said and avoided eye contact.

At the name of the kingdom, Aphrodite's heart dropped and she turned pale. Her mind started to role multiple ideas and imaginations that she really feared that would happen and hoped beyond hope that she was just exaggerating. Please be alright! Please be alright! Please be alright! "It's Elsa… I-Isn't it?" She breathed shakily. "I-Is she alright?!"

Brandon now was in a worse situation. Oh god… What am I going to do?! "Y-Yes… It's about Elsa."

Aphrodite couldn't take the tension anymore, "SPIT IT OUT ALREADY!" She knew it. She just knew what he was going to say but she didn't want to believe it. She always had the tiniest hope that she would see her daughter again, but now she feared the worst. Her breath started to quicken.

"Elsa was a good kid, Aphrodite. She was-" He was saying but was cut off by Aphrodite.

"Was?!... W-What do you mean 'w-w-was'?" She asked, trembling. When Brandon looked at her with apologetic eyes and didn't answer, her world turned to chaos.

"I'm sorry, Aphrodite." He whispered to her regretfully.

She started to shake her head slowly, "No. . . No. . ." She whispered as she stared at him in disbelief. Her eyes suddenly lost focus on him as she lost herself and stood off the bed and placed one shaky hand on her mouth and the other around her middle. This is not happening! This is not happening!

"Aphrodite… just sit-"

"NOOOOOO!... NO NO NO NOOOOOOO!" She screamed and no longer felt her legs. She collapsed to the floor, trembling, "MY BABYYYYYYYYY!" She screamed on the ground like a crazy woman while heavy tears ran down faster than waterfalls under her closed eyes. "MY BABBBBYYYYYYYY!" She screamed again while rocking herself violently on the ground. "ELSAAAAAAAAAA!" She sat on the ground as she screamed, yelled, cried, mourned and wailed and wailed and wailed to her daughter like a howling miserable wolf.

Brandon quickly got up and ran to her side as if he would have gave her comfort but it clearly didn't work. "WHYYYY!?" She said as she placed her elbows on the ground while her head was between them. SHE'S DEAD! SHE'S DEAD! I SHOULD HAVE HELPED HER ESCAPE! I SHOULD HAVE LOOKED FOR HER!

"Aphrodite, just c-calm down!" Brandon tried to sooth as he placed his hand on her terribly shaking back.

"DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!" She shrieked, "I LOST HER! I LOST HER! I LOST MY DAUGHTER! I LOST ELSAAAAAAAAA!" Tears wetted her face and clothes as they rushed none-stop across her face. Her heart was pushing its way out of her chest. She felt her heart ache in the most terrible way ever. "It's all my fault! It's all my fault! It's all my fauuuuult!... No, no, NOOOO!"

"I-I-It's not your fault, Aphrodite! Just please-"

Aphrodite's head shot up and she looked to the ceiling as if she was looking at her daughter in heaven, "I'M SORRY, ELSA! I'M SO SORRY! I-… I should have helped you!... I would have killed myself for you! Please forgive me! PLEA-" She couldn't take it anymore. A loud sob escaped her mouth and her head went back to drum the floor in grief.

Brandon quickly wrapped her in a hug even though she was aggressively trying to escape his embrace. She just wanted to be left alone and to never see anyone again. She wanted to stay on the floor and mourn her dead daughter until her last breath. She knew she did not deserve to be comforted or to feel happy ever again. She had made an enormous mistake by abandoning her daughter and now the results were right in front of her eyes: Her daughter, Elsa, died.

GOD! GOD, PLEASE! Please bring her back to me, pleaaaasee!... She doesn't deserve this! She is so young! She had been counting the days and mentally celebrating Elsa's birthday and even bought her presents, hoping that one day she would be able to give them to her. Her sweet child would have been twelve this year. But her sweet little girl just died, and twelve she would remain… In grave.

"HOW!?... WHY?!" She screamed again as she tried to push Brandon away. "LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"Aphrodite, stop!" He struggled to keep the broken mother still. He received many punches to his face but he ignored all of them since he knew better.

Finally she gave up her resistance and she buried herself in Brandon's chest as tears soaked his vest. "I hurt her, Brandon!... I HURT HER!" She sobbed and sobbed, "I left her alone and now-… I HURT ELSA!" My… My little child! I'm so sorry!

And ever since that day, Aphrodite turned cold, rigid and never ever smiled again, except towards Anna.

"I hurt Elsa! That's what I did! I hurt her again!" Brandon was brought back from his thoughts by Aphrodite's wails. "A-And… Oh my god, not just that! But A-Anna too!... Anna too, Brandon! ANNA TOO!" She couldn't take it anymore. The guilt, the misery and the stress. She just couldn't live with all this. She clutched to Brandon's vest tightly as she cried and cried and cried, showering Brandon with her heavy sorrows.

"Aphrodite, just calm down, now." Brandon began to get worried. He broke the hug and held her face in his hands so he could make her look at him. "Look at me…" He demanded softly as he stared at Aphrodite's tears; the tears that crushed his heart.

Aphrodite slowly lifted her teary, bloodshot green eyes to meet his brown, soothing ones.

He smiled warmly and fondly at her. "There you are!" He joked to lighten the mood, "Now you are going to tell me what happened and we are going to fix it… Together. Okay?" He reassured with a playful glare.

Aphrodite wasn't sure how they could fix it. She had done horrible things that no real mother should. She stared at him for a minute before she finally nodded sadly in agreement and gave him the shadow of a weak, sad smile.

Back in Arendelle…

The king stood tall and proud in front of the large window of his study chamber. His hands were folded behind his back and his shoulders were aligned neatly with his spine. The dark night had darkened the room and hid his wide smirk. His grey eyes gazed smugly at the citizens of Arendelle and the hunters that were preparing themselves in groups for The Great Cold Hunt as they now called it. Pitchforks, swords, daggers, torches, bows, arrows, cross-bows, spears and whatever weapon the citizens could use against The Snow Queen, were being distributed among whomever would join the hunt. 'This hunt shall be written in our history!' One of the hunters had said before when the king announced the existence of The O' Wicked Snow Queen that cursed their lands. The king already promised a sum for the person who would either kill or bring alive the witch. And the hunters considered it as a 'Hitting two birds with a single stone.' They would get their land back to normal and would have a bonus of coin. How delightful. None of those people knew that they were hunting down their own Princess… or more like Princesses and Queen, since the king did not leave out the note that The Snow Queen had minions. All was just going according to his wicked plan.

Mad approached the king and bowed.

"Look at them, Mad." The king said, his eyes not leaving the citizens below. "So willing to save their lands yet so blinded by rage and loathing for my sweet Snow Queen, Elsa. I never knew I was ruling a kingdom with stupid and brainless subjects. It was very easy convincing them."

"Yes, my Lord. Of course… Stupid things they are." Mad agreed. "Once her blood is spilled, Arendelle will be back to normal. I-I assure you, your Majesty. That's the way of sorcery."

"I see…" The king said.

"Once the caster is no longer alive, the spell will be broken. B-But…" Mad trailed off, scared to what the king might have done if he asked his question. "Your Majesty?"

"Hm?" Hummed happily, his eyes gazing his creation.

"I-I was wondering… W-What if… They couldn't…" He gulped nervously, then, "What if they couldn't kill her? I-I mean what if whoever helped her save her from them?"

The king's smirk grew, "Oh don't worry your big bald head about that. There are just so many that want to see Elsa dead on ground. Can't you see? They are forming groups already. From men to women. From citizens to even thugs and dangerous men. But not one actually cares when you shove gold into their eyes." He suddenly let out a wicked laugh, "I can only hope they don't get nasty before they cut her throat."

Mad laughed with him, "Of course, Your Excellency. We can only hope." They exchanged smirks before the king spoke again.

"Oh, what a glorious day it shall be the moment she'll be dead… Even better if they'll bring her back to me, alive. I swear to you Mad, I will make her suffer like she never did before." The king vowed.

Mad couldn't agree more.

Elsa stared at the empty alley, wondering if Anna really did come through here. She gulped before she walked forward, eyes looking around cautiously. Her ears were suddenly perked up by the sound of soft sniffles and sobs. She hurried and followed the sound until she poked her head around the corner and started to look around with more like a curious face. When her eyes landed on a figure who sat on the grass with his back to the shack, Elsa quickly recognized as Anna from the strawberry-blond pigtails that dangled from both sides of her knees, since she hid her face between her knees and wrapped her arms around them. Elsa's eyebrows furrowed in concern and she bit her lip nervously. She took one more glance behind her, making sure no one followed before she started to approach slowly.

Anna had her face buried in her arms and her legs were brought to her chest. She felt a presence and she knew who would come after her anyway. "Rapunzel, l-leave me alone… I don't want to talk to... a-anyone right now." She said through her sobs, still didn't lift her head.

Elsa stopped midway and her eyes widened a bit. She frowned in confusion since she didn't know that Rapunzel followed her. She scratch her head in wonder, then turned to look behind her to see who Anna was talking to, but there was no one there. Only the both of them alone. Did Rapunzel follow me? She thought, confused. She turned back at Anna and her face turned worried and sad again. She slowly decreased the distance between them and sat next to Anna. Yet the redhead still didn't lift her head. Elsa brought her legs to her chest and rested her cheek on her knee as she stared at Anna, not knowing what to do. She made a pout and her cheek had a small bump since it was pushed up by her knee. Why are you crying? She thought instead of asking. She had no idea how the hell to comfort someone. She remembered Anna's ways though. She awkwardly lifted a hesitant gloved hand and stared at it before she started to bring it up on Anna's shoulder, yet she quickly decided not to and recoiled her hand back and hid it in her lap. No… I could hurt her if I touch her. She convinced herself. There was no way she was going to touch anyone at all using her monstrous and murderous hands. Words, then? She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it since she also had no idea what to say. She nervously looked around as if she would have found the answer pinned on the wall. After a moment, she gave up her search.

Anna didn't know why Rapunzel wasn't talking. Heck she didn't know why Rapunzel was so cold! She felt as if the girl was radiating chilly waves towards her. Her mind was so confused and angry at her mother that she forgot that Elsa would have been the source of this abnormal wintery things. Truth was, she did not even thought or considered that it might have been Elsa. In which unknowingly, it really was her. "Rapunzel, I said leave me alone… Please." She said before she sniffled.

Elsa's eyes widened again in worry and she started fidgeting nervously with her braid and she would have pulled her hair out, frustrated at herself. Should I just go?... Should I stay?! Where is Rapunzel anyway! She thought bewildered since Anna was still insisting that Rapunzel was with them. Am I Blind? She thought innocently. There was no god damn sign of Rapunzel and Anna was still convinced that there was. I should probably… just go. Her face turned sad before she picked the stick up and readied herself to get up but- No! She… She didn't leave me alone before. She was always there for me... I won't leave her alone! Elsa leaned back again to the wooden wall then rested her cheek again on her knee and made that cute pout again.

"My life is... miserable." Anna muffled to herself, depressed.

Elsa winced a bit. Elsa just didn't understand why Anna said that she had a miserable life. Anna had a home, a family… She had friends and people who loved her. She could eat and drink whenever she wanted and she could do anything she ever wanted. She was never mistreated like Elsa. She was never locked away for fifteen years. She could simply go wherever she wanted to go and live her life in peace. Elsa would have done anything to have a life like Anna's. A life where there was no fear, no pain and you were always having fun. A life where you didn't wait dreadfully every night to be whipped or beaten to the core. A life where you weren't despised by your own family member. Elsa had a miserable life, oh yes. She would have even called it Heaven if she was just at least able to eat every day. Anna should have been happy, not sad. She had a heavenly life according to Elsa. Anna had everything Elsa ever wanted. And lastly, Anna didn't murder her own family.

Elsa gave off a look of determination and made an angry pout at her lack of words then, an idea popped in her head as she remembered Anna's technique of comforting words. Her face lit before she scooted a tiny bit towards Anna with a cute smile. Then, opened her mouth to speak again.

"D-… D-Do you remember… How we had f-fun at night?" She asked awkwardly and bit her lip at her blunt, out-of-nowhere question.

What…? Anna's hidden eyebrows furrowed in confusion at hearing another voice that wasn't even Rapunzel's. Instead her eyes widened when she realized who it was and why it was cold. She quickly shot her head up and whipped her head towards the voice to see a pair of big cyan eyes were staring at her nervously in concern. "Elsa?!" Anna finally spoke and quickly turned her head to wipe her tears, "I-I'm sorry… I d-didn't see you there." She stuttered.

As Anna kept trying to wipe her tears, Elsa decided to continue when a new idea formed in her head. "A-Anna?… Your Mama… loves you?" She asked and knew where she was going with this.

Anna slowly turned to look at her in surprise. "What…?"

"Y-Your Mama loves you… right?" Elsa repeated and looked right into Anna's blue-grey eyes.

Why would Elsa ask her that? Of course she knew the answer though. "Yes! O-Of course she does!... She's... She's my mother, after all." Anna said, still confused on what was Elsa trying to do.

Is she trying to… comfort me?! Anna thought.

"Did she ever…" Elsa trailed off and looked away from Anna and turned her eyes on her broken arm. "H-Hurt you?"

"What?... N-No... No, not at all! She never hurt me! S-She was just a bit upset today that's all. She is really nice, Elsa! She would never hurt anyone intentionally." Anna didn't realize she just confessed the true situation until…

"Then why are you crying?" Elsa ultimately asked.

Anna's eyes widened in realization about what was happening right now. Elsa really just made her realize how ridiculous and childish she was being. She was of course sure that her mother loved her… No doubt at all. Of course her mother didn't mean to hurt Elsa or her. It was definitely an accident but her rage turned her blind when she was in conflict with her mother.

Anna didn't know that that's what Elsa ever dreamed of. Dreamed to be loved. That's all what Elsa ever wanted.

"Papa hates me…" Elsa continued, "He h-hurt me a lot." She turned to look away from Anna, then, "That's why I cry… But… I'm not allowed to." Elsa confessed.

Anna gave her a confused look and waited for her to continue. Not allowed to do what?

After a moment, Elsa hugged her legs to her chest closer, "Papa always used to yell at me if I cry… He said that I shouldn't because I don't have feelings. So… Why are you crying?"

That bastard! He is the one without feelings! How could he tell her something like that! Anna felt guilty about making Elsa use her own awful and horrific past to comfort her. Oh Elsa…

"It's just that… I discovered that my mother wasn't proud of me because I'm a thief, Elsa." Anna said before she realized how it sounded. She groaned in frustration and let her head fall in her hands.

Elsa was pretty sure that being a thief was a bad thing, since she was rewarded with a broken arm because of the accusation. But she wasn't going to say that to Anna at all.

Murderers don't have a right to imply their opinion. Her father's words once said.

Anna felt sad all over again, "I-I just thought that that's w-what she always wanted!" She said and the tears returned. "Oh Elsa… I'm just so confused!" She suddenly continued to sob again.

Elsa felt her heart rip in half. She just didn't know what to do. She never comforted someone in her whole life. Heck, she never even comforted herself. How the hell would she know how to do it for someone else, then?

She thought a bit again and had an idea that Anna also used, since the only comforting words she ever remembered... or heard, were Anna's. "Hey, hey…" She scooted even closer to a point where their shoulders touched, "Shhhh… I-I'm here, Anna… Don't worry." She said a bit awkwardly with a gentle and warm voice. For the first time in forever, she was the one helping someone out to feel better. And it made her feel… Something new. Was that… Pride?

No one will hurt you, Anna. Elsa thought. I'll… I'll be here…

"Elsa, I'm so… t-tired of all of this…" Anna said through her sobs, "I don't know what to do, now! I never wanted to be a t-thief. I-I just wanted her to b-be… Proud! A-And happy! W-Why didn't she tell me? Why did she hid all this from me! I just-… I just-" Anna started to rock herself back and forth. "I can't take all this secrecy anymore!"

"It's okay, Anna… I'm here. You're okay." Elsa said and her voice sounded so warm, so caring and… It wasn't the trembling voice of a frightened woman. It was a voice of… Just like a big sister'.

Anna didn't know what happened to her, but at that gentle, soothing voice that came out of Elsa, she felt safe and sound and she couldn't help herself. She was so sad and confused that she wanted to feel comfort in whatever way that she suddenly forgot about all the lines and cautiousness, lunged at her older sister and wrapped her arms around Elsa's waist as she kept sobbing in her unknowingly sister's lap, forgetting about what would Elsa's reaction be. And yet she should have.

Elsa's eyes widened and every single fiber of her muscles contracted and stiffened at Anna's sudden warm hug. She literally was stiff like a rock as she stared with unblinking and utterly nervous eyes at the girl in her lap. Her arms and dangerous hands were held high, away from Anna and she held her breath. She was more like a statue, oblivious to the now-cold fort. She's so waaaarrmmm! What all what Elsa could think of.

The moment Anna lunged herself at Elsa, with a single huge blow of cold wind that descended on the whole fort, the whole hideout turned extremely cold. Spooked horses neighed nervously at the sudden supernatural change of temperature, and every single person inside the fort gasped in horror and confusion as they looked around nervously around them, trying to figure out the source of this abnormal weather. Sheep, pigs and chickens ran around randomly, frightened. Some murmurs and cries were heard around the fort from the shocked and surprised villagers. Some were even pushed down to the ground by the single, yet powerful blow.

"What is happening!?"

"It's so cold!"

Rapunzel, Flynn, Aiden and Kristoff were still arguing when they suddenly were pushed aside a bit by the blow. "What the hell!" Flynn screamed. They all covered their eyes before the blow finally passed, and they lowered their arms to be welcomed with extreme cold temperature. "What was that?!" Rapunzel asked. Suddenly, as their minds finally realized who would be able to do such a thing, they all exchanged looks with huge wide eyes and they all shouted one single word. "Elsa!" They all screamed in unison. They turned sharply to see where they last saw Elsa, but she was nowhere to be seen. "Elsa?... Elsa?! Oh my god! Where is she?!" Rapunzel screamed in worry while looking around.

"Sh-She was right here!" Flynn said.

Rapunzel started pulling her hair and flail her hands, "Oh my god, Flynn! We have to find her! This is not a good sign! She only does that when she's frightened! What if something happened to her! What if someone did something to her!? What if-… What if-"

"Hey, hey, hey calm down! We're going to go look for her!" Flynn assured.

"Oh great! Now both Anna and Elsa are nowhere to be found!" Kristoff said in utter worry and frustration.

"Rapunzel is right, Flynn!" Aiden suddenly yelled, "What If something happened to Elsa! W-What if something happened to Anna, too! We have to find them, now!" The desperation tone of his voice made them even more worried.

The villagers around them heard their conversation and now they remembered that they have an Ice Princess living with them in the fort and that she was the cause of this. Some turned worried as much as the three thieves and Kristoff and started helping them to locate the two sisters. But some growled and muttered angry curses at Elsa.

Everyone started to run around and they all seemed like chickens running from the butcher. They just searched and searched for the princess and thief and hoped to find them good and well.

Little Zoey was playing outside her shack with her dolly that was now called 'Elsa', even though the dolly was a stuffed toy bunny. "Pew pew pew!" She imagined as if the bunny-shaped toy was shooting ice from its hand. "I can make Ice and Snow!" She said in a playful tone before she laughed at her own imagination.

Her father, Ulric, and her mother, Mary, sat at the porch as they watched their daughter play happily. Mary leaned a bit closer to Ulric, "I'm a bit worried about Zoey… She seems really into this sorceress." She whispered.

Ulric scoffed, then, "As long as this witch is away from my daughter, I'm okay with it."

The three suddenly felt the eruption of the blow of wind that Elsa made and how after it the temperature became cold.

Ulric shot up from his chair in frustration, "It's that DAMN Princess again!"

"Shhhh. Don't let anyone hear you. Most of them are not quite against that witch... Especially your daughter." Mary said as she pointed at her bewildered daughter that was looking around, trying to figure out the cause of the wind.

Everyone around started to look around.

Zoey stopped playing and joined the confusion. Elsa? She thought, worried. Is she sad? Is she scared? Zoey turned to face her parents, "Mama! Papa! Elsa is sad!" She said with furrowed eyebrows of worry.

"Don't worry, darling! It's probably nothing!" Mary called back.

Zoey wasn't convinced though. She scratched her head, wondering why Elsa released a blow of wind. Her eyes wandered towards something that caught her attention. She gasped happily as an idea formed in her head. I know how to make Elsa happy! She thought before she started to run off to accomplish her plan.

"Where are you going?!" Ulric called out.

"I'm going to make Elsa happy!" Zoey replied.

"What!? Y-You stay away from her now, okay?!" Ulric demanded.

"I will!" Zoey shouted randomly, not even focused on what she just said. She was going straight to find Elsa.

Ulric groaned in frustration. Where did this girl get her stubbornness?

Elsa's eyes didn't blink, not even once. Her mind was just blank. She didn't know what she should have done. Should she have screamed and frozen Anna in place? Or should she have wrapped Anna in the hug that the girl just threw herself into? Her mind decided to stay frozen and not move a muscle or even twitch an eye from the sudden strong contact… Which was too much contact for Elsa. This was the strangest contact she ever had since her imprisonment. Anna's arms were so warm against her now-extremely cold skin. The contact didn't hurt at all. And that was why exactly it was so strange to her.

Luckily, the hug gave Anna enough comfort to stop crying. If it weren't for her thick attire, she would have sensed how Elsa was actually really cold… More like freezing. Elsa's muscles were so tightened that Anna felt as if she was hugging a cold stone. When Anna realized what she just did, her eyes shot horrifyingly wide that she thought they might have popped out. She quickly relieved Elsa from the hug. "Oh my god! Sorrysorrysorry! Elsa I'm so sorry! I-I was just… U-Uhm j-just distracted by the situation and all! Oh god!" Anna spoke quickly and when she noticed how Elsa was still holding her breath and her eyes were still staring at her lap with arms raised in midair, she couldn't help but panic. Oh my god she's not even breathing! How can she even hold her breath for so long!?

"Breathe, Elsa!... Breathe!" Anna called as she waved her hand in front of Elsa's eyes that were already still locked to her lap. Anna bit her lip, "Helloooo?" She sang.

FUCKING DAMN IT! Why am I such a hugger!? Anna thought angrily at herself before she literally slapped herself against her cheek.

Elsa's eye finally twitched before she suddenly exhaled heavily and her arms fell to her lap as she took a nice deep breath. She was panting a bit fast and her expression was just unreadable.

Anna fidgeted with her fingers nervously and worriedly. "Elsa I'm soooo sorry! I swear I won't do it again! I-It's just that… I'm a stinking hugger and I just wanted to hug something and… Oh well, you were- Hehe… The closest thing I could catch." She tried to joke and laughed nervously.

Elsa still didn't acknowledge her. After a moment of panting, Elsa finally turned to look at Anna with a blank face.

Anna braced herself for a panic attack, "Elsa I'm reallyreallyreallyreally sorry! Please believe me! I didn't wanted to force anything or something… I-I-I was just-"

"Anna!" Elsa finally called to stop the crazy girl from panicking.

Anna quickly zipped her mouth by rolling her lips inside it. She stared at Elsa with apologetic eyes.

"It's…" Elsa started, "It's okay… I'm… I'm fine." Elsa reassured before she gave Anna a weak smile.

Anna blinked at her, not believing her ears, then, "PHEW! I-I thought you were going to panic or something! N-Not that I mean anything bad! The hug and arms around your waist and all...Hehe-I know you hate contact and I'm really sorry about that. It's only that I'm just a really big dumb hugger and I love warm hugs. Oh god nevermind!" She finished before she let her head fall into her hands in frustration. Her eyes widened from behind her hands when she heard Elsa giggle.

Did she just… giggle?! Anna thought in disbelief. She was pretty sure Elsa was about to panic or something but all of that angelic laughter actually just made her the most joyous woman on earth.

"I-It's okay, Anna. I... I think…" She trailed off and blushed a bit, "I think it was really warm." Elsa confessed and smiled shyly.

Was that a way of saying that she loved the hug? Anna wondered. It was only then did she sensed how cold the temperature was. "Uhm…" She started, smiling and looking around, "Speaking of warm… It's really cold in here."

Elsa turned embarrassed and she lowered her head in shame, "That is… I suppose from me. I'm so sorry."

Anna noted the tone of Elsa's worried voice and decided to calm Elsa's nerves down. She smirked at the woman, then, "Oh thank goodness, I thought we were being attacked by an evil demon of ice. But it turns out it was just my best, sweetest and warmest friend, Elsa." Anna joked but knew better that she was actually telling the truth.

Elsa lifted her head to look at Anna in disbelief. "F-... Friend?!" She asked as her face slowly started to lit up.

Anna nodded excitedly, "Yes! You are my friend, Elsa. I really care about you. And…" She trailed off and felt a bit shy. She blushed, then, "I'm really happy that you're here, Elsa, remember? When I told you that I wasn't bluffing." Anna confessed.

Elsa let out a laugh of joy, "R-Really?!...M-Me?! Me?! You're my friend!?" Elsa asked joyfully, still not believing her ears. A friend, a friend! I have a friend! She thought delightfully. She just didn't believe she just made a friend all by herself. She never ever had a chance to make one… or more likely see anyone so she could. She was always told that everyone hated her because she was nothing but a freak and would never ever have a friend. She'd been told that everyday through those years over and over and over. But… Monsters don't make friends… But I have a friend! I have a friend! She finally felt light-hearted and really happy since her friend was standing right in front of her and she finally wasn't alone anymore.

"Yes, Elsa. I'm your friend. I'm. Your. Friend." Anna replied and tapped Elsa's nose playfully.

Elsa felt tears on her cheeks roll heavily down. "Oh my… I'm… I-I'm crying!?" She stuttered as she laughed at herself in confusion. She turned to look at Anna and showed her her tears, "Look, Anna. I'm crying, I'm crying! Why am I crying!?... I-I'm happy! I swear I'm happy! I-I'm not sad!" Elsa said, smiling and still not understanding why she was crying.

The fort temperature was back to normal; warm and cosy.

Anna smiled warmly at her. She was beyond happy by seeing Elsa like this. "Those are called Tears of Joy, Elsa. They come out when you're really happy." She informed before she saw Elsa's eyes widened and she stared right back in confusion, "What's wrong?"

Elsa then smiled radiantly and fondly, "You're happy too." Elsa said as she pointed at Anna's face and stared innocently at Anna.

Anna's eyes widened and it was only then did she realize that the tears of joy she tried to hold, were running down her cheeks. She brought finger to her cheek and felt the wetness and then looked back at her hand to see a small spot of wetness. She laughed, "Would you look at that? See? I told you I am happy that you are here." Anna said as she showed her tear-wetted finger to prove her point. "Tears of Joy!" Anna exclaimed happily before both started to laugh.

Elsa giggled gleefully a bit before both women stared at each other with huge smiles on their faces. Elsa then looked away shyly and bit her lip before she started to lift her arms very slowly and hesitantly, then lowered them quickly, then lift them again and vice versa.

Anna watched as Elsa's arms moved up and down shakily and saw how Elsa was busy trying to do something. Her eyes suddenly widened. She mentally gasped and her face lit up in the most joyful manner. Is… IS SHE TRYING TO HUG ME?! Anna thought ecstatically in disbelief.

Elsa was using every single fibre of willpower she may had to try and hug the woman in front of her. She was both, physically-by trying to will her arms up towards the woman- and mentally-by trying with all her might to forget the memories of pain of contact with another human- fighting her fears.

You will kill anyone the moment you touch them! The kings haunting words echoed. You will never have anyone who would love a freak like you!... A monster!

She suddenly started to tremble but didn't know why and-

You are hated! Never to have a friend!

But here is my friend standing in front of me! She said she was my friend! Elsa's well side of her mind fought back for the first time in fifteen years.

Look at your filthy hands! Whoever will be cursed and touched by them will die!... Just like your mother and sister! You killed them! You killed them! You killed them!

Elsa winced and grimaced and still tried her best to forget, forget, forget! But her father's voice and phrases came crashing fast in her mind.

Anna watched as Elsa looked clearly lost in thoughts and wasn't even looking at her anymore, and how she was still trying to decide whether to lift or lower her shaky arms for a hug. Elsa's trembling and wincing form didn't go unnoticed by Anna. She started to get a bit worried yet still excited that Elsa was at least trying. Oh my god, she's trying so hard!

Elsa's hell-ish days were too powerful. She had barely any good memories so she could fight back all these horrible ones. And this time, Bad ones won.

Monster!

Elsa shut her eyes and finally quickly lowered her arms one last time and hid her murderous hands behind her back and looked down, ashamed and disappointed at herself. "I'm sorry..." She whispered to Anna and avoided eye contact, then started to stutter nervously, "I-I'm just... I'm-... There is-... Dange-"

"It's okay, Elsa!" Anna quickly said to try and show Elsa that she didn't wanted to push her on doing something she wasn't ready for. Elsa opened her eyes and looked at Anna, ashamed and apologetic. Anna smiled sadly, "I know you tried. And I'm really, really happy that you did!" Anna shouted happily and helped Elsa out to remove all the awkwardness the princess was feeling.

Elsa finally smiled a bit sadly. Yet on the inside, her heart was dancing in joy since Anna could really understand Elsa and never pushed her or forced her to do something she didn't want to do.

Anna brought her hand on Elsa shoulder. But this time, her hand went around Elsa back and unto the other shoulder, giving Elsa a half sideway hug. She rubbed the cold shoulder then, "Come on. We should probably get back. We don't want them to get worried or anything in our absence."

Elsa didn't stiffen at all. She nodded with a huge smile, favouring every friendly warmness Anna was imitating from her hand. Then, both girls picked themselves off the ground, the smile never left their faces, and they started to walk into the alley and out to check on what was happening in their mysterious absences, not knowing that their friends were pulling their hair out in worry.