The Ice Behind Bars
Chapter XXXV: Blinded By Fear
"U-Uhm… Elsa?" Zoey started, feeling suddenly afraid after hearing the last words, "I-Isn't Arendelle… Your father's kingdom?" She asked and turned to look at Elsa, to see the princess's eyes were wide and her face showed utter worry.
Elsa was now staring at the swords, the pitchforks, the arrows that pieced the straw figure, the ropes, the chains! Oh god, the chains. They wanna hurt me... They are all after me! Why did I run away?! Why didn't I return to my cellar?! They-… They'll find Anna… They find them all! They hurt them all because of me!
Zoey's eyes widened, "E-Elsa… You're trembling! Are you okay?!" She whispered but Elsa started shaking her head.
"No…" Elsa whispered, "Zoey… We have to go back right away!... Quickly!" She urgently whispered and quickly led Zoey out from the scene and down the hill.
As the two girls ran their way back into the woods, the sounds of the singing and the hunters' voices faded bit by bit. In both girls' panic, they didn't focus on the road and only concentrated on getting as far away from the hunters' camp. When they reached the inside of the woods again, where they were playing, Elsa turned to Zoey while panting, "Alright, Zoey… W-Where's the fort from here?" She asked trying to act calm but her quivering voice betrayed her.
Zoey looked around and was pretty nervous, "U-uh… I… I…"
"Where is it Zoey?! Which way?!" Elsa asked, starting to panic and fearing the worst.
Zoey darted her head around the trees, but they all seemed familiar to her, "I… I-I don't know!"
Elsa brought a hand through her hair in distress. She looked around trying to decide which way they should go.
"I-It's all my fault!" Zoey cried, "I shouldn't have gotten us out of the fort like that! I should have just let Lori find us! I-I'm so sorry, Elsa! I'm sorry!" Tears started streaming down the scared girl's cheeks and she started to sob.
Elsa brought Zoey closer to her, "N-No no! Don't cry… I-It wasn't your fault. We… We just need to find the fort. W-We'll find it! Don't worry." Elsa tried to keep her calm even though she was roasting worries inside herself and her face clearly showed that she was scared.
Elsa looked around again and decided to go to the left. "We'll just go this way and-…" She felt a lump in her throat, "A-And hopefully we'll find it."
The two girls then entered the woods again, hoping that they would either find the fort, or that Anna and the others would find them.
Seconds turned to minutes, minutes turned to hours and Morning turned to Night. Both girls were starving and were feeling extremely anxious. They didn't know that both needed each other's courage or else they would probably break. Zoey was clutching tightly to Elsa's dress and leg and Elsa was hugging herself. The night was cold and Zoey started to shiver, but not Elsa. And since the older girl was anxious and scared, her body was even colder than the night's temperature itself, giving no warmth to the poor younger and shivering girl.
As they walked-randomly- together in the dark woods with only the moonlight to light their way, both girls could already feel eyes on them. Elsa gulped and looked around nervously. She could hear the singing of the crickets, the sounds of the owls and the cry of the lonely wolf, luckily far away, but it didn't make things any better.
A twig snapped.
"E-Elsa… I'm… I-I'm scared." Zoey said as she shivered and tried to hug herself for warmth and didn't know that her companion was even more scared than she was.
"D-Don't worry…" Elsa tried to reassure as she trembled but not from the cold, "W-We'll find a way."
"Oh will you, Snow Queen?" A rough man's voice suddenly called.
Before either girl could react, four figures, two huge men and one that looked young and thin, with the fourth one who was a woman, suddenly charged towards them with weapons raised, causing both girls to gasp in horror. Zoey shrieked as she was pushed and pulled away from Elsa.
"No!" Elsa screamed as she tried to reach for Zoey but a man blocked her way and she gasped loudly in terror backing away, nearly falling.
"Stay behind me, child! You're safe now!" The woman told Zoey and tried to keep her behind her back as she pointed her sword at Elsa and watched her carefully, but Zoey kept struggling in her grip.
"No, leave me alone!" Zoey yelled.
Elsa's head darted incredibly fast at the three men that surrounded her and she started to visibly tremble terribly while her heart thrummed faster than lightning. No no no! Please no! She felt it again. That huge amount of fear that could practically make her faint. The fear she used to feel in her cellar, but somehow this one seemed so much worse.
"Kidnapping a child, Snow Queen?" A man said with a wicked grin.
Elsa shook her head in confusion before a rope suddenly lassoed her right wrist.
Elsa flinched and whimpered as she tried to pull violently on the rope. Another rope caught her other wrist and the men tried to restrain her as they laughed at her failing struggles against the ropes. "No! Please, no!" Elsa cried. Unfortunately, the men were tougher and they pulled her violently, causing her to stumble to the dirt.
Elsa fought back a groan as she fell to the ground, her eyes were clenched tight in pain as she rolled onto her stomach, favoring her side and trying to forget the pain that throbbed in her shoulder. Adrenaline and fear rushed in her veins. She shook her head and pushed the dizziness away and looked up to try and look for Zoey.
Zoey struggled hard in the woman's grip before she was finally successful and she quickly scrambled to Elsa's side and helped her up on her feet. Elsa clutched Zoey closer protectively as they stared at the four intruders.
"Well what do we have here?" A man sneered.
Elsa could already feel for the first time that someone was afraid just as she was, and was vulnerable just as she was, probably even more. Without having a second thought, she grabbed Little Zoey by her hand and made her stand behind her, shielding her from any harm and fearfully darting her eyes around the hunters. "U-Use your powers, E-Elsa…!" Zoey whispered fearfully as she hid behind Elsa, but the princess seemed deaf.
Don't feel! Don't freeze! Elsa's mind screamed.
"Looks like someone already beat us to you, Snow Queen." The second man said as he eyed her bandages, scars and injuries, and the scar that lined her left eyebrow diagonally didn't give her the innocent look at all. "Looks like they were successful in wounding you… But weren't, in killing you."
Then all of a sudden, Elsa eyes shot wide when she heard it: The rattling of chains. She knew it! Oh god she knew it! The dreadful sounds of her past life that had accompanied her all the time in her cellar. They were going to chain her again and would hurt and hurt and hurt her till her last breath.
Elsa darted her head around, trying to find the one with the chains. Sweat started to form on her forehead, her legs started to lose sense and she started hyperventilating as her pupils dilated causing her vision to go blurry. No… No! Oh my god, they are going to hurt me! NOOOO! Elsa went blind by fear.
"E-Elsa?" Zoey asked in concern as she saw how Elsa's face showed pure horror! What is happening to her? She could already see and hear Elsa gasping for air.
I can't set you free. People will hunt you down and hurt you, Elsa. You are hated by everyone! I'm only doing this for your own good.
Feeling an immense pressure on her chest, Elsa suddenly hunched a bit and held her hands up, cowering, "Please… D-Don't hurt me! Stay away!" Elsa cried, still trying to find those chains and didn't realize that they were only the sounds of the chains on the intruder's armor.
"You know…" The third man started, looking at her lustfully, "For a vicious Snow Queen, you seem to be pretty good!" He said as he approach her.
Elsa could see the frost forming on her gloves. She gasped, "No! no! no! D-Don't feel! Don't f-feel! Stop! Please, stop!" She whispered to herself and her powers as she desperately tried to brush off the frost off her gloves as her vision went blurrier which each passing second.
"What's wrong, Witch? You seem to be having problems." A man mocked as he saw Elsa's terror-stricken eyes losing focus on them and staring at the ground while she was talking to herself, still hyperventilating. "The song seemed to be true… See her sharp eyes full with fear!"
Elsa whimpered as she fell to her knees, not able to breathe, not able to see.
"Elsa!" Zoey knelt next to her in concern. She never ever saw Elsa in such a state. The look on Elsa's horrified face was shocking. "She can't breathe!" Zoey cried and noticed how Elsa's once bright cyan eyes were now dull.
One of the men laughed, "Don't worry. She won't be after we're done with her!"
"P-PLEASE PLEASE! JUST DON'T H-HURT ME!" Elsa begged with a scream, as she started experiencing her panic attack in the worst time and in the worst case. She inhaled loudly, finally having air into her lungs but continued hyperventilating.
"Why wouldn't we hurt you, witch!?" The woman said, "A monster like you have cursed our land! Have you no heart?! How could you do this to a whole kingdom!? With your curse, you're trying to kill us! Trying to kill our children! We will have no sympathy!"
Elsa brought her hands to her ears, "NO! I'M NOT A MURDERER! PLEAAASE! I'M NOT!" Elsa's tears started streaming down.
"You are!" The young man accused, glaring at Elsa.
I AM! I AM! I AM! Elsa thought as she clutched the dress's bodice where her thrumming heart laid, feeling pain inside her chest.
"Stop saying that to her!" Zoey yelled at them angrily. "She's not a heartless witch!... Y-YOU ARE!" Zoey tried to be brave.
One of the bulky men roared with laughter, "She's a feisty one!" He said, reaching out a filth covered hand towards Zoey while his other hand held a dagger. "Come here, you little brat!"
Elsa knew that this was hopeless for her but knew that Zoey had a chance if she would help her. She knew that the men only wanted her and not Zoey. Having her last drop of willpower and courage, trying to fight back her panic episode, she mumbled something to Zoey.
Zoey turned at her confused, "W-What?"
Before the man could touch Zoey, Elsa lunged herself between the man and Zoey and pushed the little girl away, "RUN!" She yelled and Zoey looked a bit confused and didn't wanted to leave Elsa, "I SAID RUUUUUUNN!" Elsa cried again as she clutched her head between her hands and fell to the ground again, feeling that her head was about to explode from her sudden terrible headache.
With tears running down her cheeks, Zoey shot up to her feet and started to run.
"Get her!" The young man said to the woman, knowing that the little girl would be safe with her.
Zoey ran as fast as she could but the woman ran after her and was much faster. "Child! You can't go out there alone! The woods are dark and there's a lot of danger out there! Stay with me so I could take you back to your parents."
"No!" Zoey only struggled and tried to hit the woman.
Elsa heard Zoey's cry, "Zoey!" She called miserably, looking around trying to find the little girl but there was nothing but blur and she tried to blink it away but that only caused her more headache.
"Elsa!" Zoey cried.
Where is she!? Where is she!? But Elsa couldn't see anything.
The three men circled Elsa like predators who were about to lunge at their helpless, wounded prey. Elsa slowly and shakily stood and backed away from the blurry figure in front of her, only for her back to hit the second man and with a loud whimper of fear, she whipped her body towards the second blurry figure who was laughing at her panicking and frightened behaviour as she started quickly backing away again, until she lost her balance and fell back to the dirt on her knees from dizziness, feeling her world swirl upside down.
"You seem to be a bit clumsy, Snow Queen." The first man mocked with a smirk, "I'm claiming the blonde as mine… You three can decide on the brat!" The first man snapped as he pushed Elsa with his feet and made her fall backwards on her back with a yelp.
"What?!" The other bulky man shouted. "Why do you get to choose first?" He demanded.
Elsa rolled on her stomach as she winced in fear. I have to run! I have to find Zoey! I have to get away! They are going to hurt me! I HAVE TO GET AWAY! She was trying to crawl away from the men, but one of the bulky men stepped at the end of rope that still clutched her wrist tightly and stopped her from going further. "Going somewhere, Witch?" He said.
Zoey glared at all of them as she struggled again in the woman's grip, "If you lay a hand on us, you'll have to face my friends, Anna and Aiden!" She tried to intimidate.
All three men laughed, "Oh did you hear that? She thinks her friends can handle us!" The youngest of the three men jeered with a twisted look on his face.
"I don't see them anywhere!" The biggest man smirked arrogantly, shrugging his shoulders. He suddenly threw himself towards Elsa and shoved her up on her trembling feet, using the rope on her wrist.
"N-NO!... S-Stay away from me!" Elsa screamed, closing her eyes shut as she tried to pull aggressively from his grip. The scene was too familiar to her and she really couldn't see from her blurry, bloodshot eyes.
"NO! Let her go, please!" Zoey wept as tears streamed down her cheeks, "She's my friend!"
Elsa cried and whimpered, as she was snatched violently towards the disgusting man. She stumbled; falling against his chest, a putrid stench instantly assaulted her nose as she tried to wrench her wrist free. His fingers were already tucked beneath the skin of her arm as he dragged her back towards him. "AH!" Elsa screamed aloud as her wrist was twisted painfully against her back, feeling that her broken arm was sending scorching waves of pain. She was feeling pain again; She was losing herself as her mind was in utter confusion, fear and dread. She was no longer in the forest. She was back in her cellar. She started to cry aloud as tears streamed down her cheeks, knowing that she was about to feel real pain. Please! Please! Please! She prayed and prayed.
"STOP IT, PLEASE! You're hurting her!" Zoey pleaded again, seeing the pained face of Elsa.
"Child… Just look away." The woman gently and worriedly told her as she tried to turn Zoey.
"You smell so good," The man hissed into Elsa's ear as he skimmed his nose along her exposed neck, with a muffled cry she tried to jerk away from him, but to no avail. He only proceeded to twist her arm in a painful manner. Her heart was really about to burst out. "Aren't you going to use your magic to chill me out?" He teased disgustingly.
"You know that's not really necessary! Just kill her already!" The woman said as she finally was able to turn Zoey who was crying and sobbing none stop, feeling that all of this was inevitable.
Only Zoey was able to feel the extremely and unnatural cold temperature, since the others were wearing thick leather armors.
"My turn next!" The second bulky man announced wickedly with a grin.
The woman rolled her eyes at her companion's disgusting behavior.
"Please… Please… D-Don't..." Elsa mumbled sorrowfully with a whisper as she closed her eyes, but a sudden new wave of dread assaulted her mind and she started to struggle from her panic, "NO! NO! NO! LET ME GOOOOO!" She kicked and trashed her hands violently at the man.
"What the heck!" The man tried to keep her still, surprised by her sudden outburst.
Elsa fist accidently contacted his jaw and he yelled in anger, feeling the frost on his beard. "WHY YOU…!"
He grunted in annoyance, his temper quickly flaring, "I'll make quick work of you!" He snapped as pulled the noose of his pants free with his other hand. "Then I'll rip your heart out and take it to the king! He'll be excited to give me my money!"
No, no, no, no, NOOOO! Elsa's mind screamed. She just knew it. People were all alike. She could never trust them.
Elsa tried desperately to pull away and tears welled in her eyes as she heard his ruffle of his pants crumbling to the ground at his ankles. She was then unceremoniously forced to the ground onto her back. She struggled against his grip as he crawled on top of her, capturing a few precious locks of platinum hair into his fists, as she cried out in pain. "ANNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Elsa shrieked as tears spilled from the corner of her eyes. The man only laughed cruelly as he compelled her arms onto the ground.
Elsa's desperate shriek was so loud that they all swore it would have pierced their ears and it sent shivers down Zoey's and the woman's spine.
"WHAT THE FUCK, GUNNER!? Just kill her!" The woman yelled, starting to feel extremely uncomfortable and horrified. "I-I think she already had enough!" She said eyeing Elsa's bandages and scars.
"Gunner… This really isn't necessary!" The youngest of the men said, knowing this was too cruel, even for a witch.
"Shut your yaps, you two! I've been having a lot of fun with women, but having a chance with a beautiful Snow Queen like her is a lifetime chance." He said as he laughed wickedly.
"Why are you having such sympathy for the witch, boy?" The second bulky man who held a sword said as he watched the helpless Snow Queen in amusement. "You'll have your turn."
The young man spat at him, "You bastard! I didn't mean it like that! This won't do no good! Just… Just kill her and it will end the curse. That's what the king said, remember? That's all what we need."
The two bulky men only rolled their eyes.
The woman squeezed Zoey tighter to her and closed the little girl's eyes with her hand and she turned away too, "It's alright… Y-Your safe now. She won't hurt you again." The woman assured as she felt nervous, having a strong and strange sense that all of them were somehow wronging this Snow Queen. Why did she even feel sympathetic to this witch? She had cursed their land! Of course she shouldn't have felt any remorse for her. Since the witch didn't give them any mercy, why should they? The king himself said that she was the one who caused the winter, and of course everyone, without any doubt, trusted their king.
Zoey shook her head miserably, "S-She's not a witch!... S-She's really nice! She didn't hurt me! Please… Just let them stop! Let them leave her alone! She didn't do anything!" She muffled as she buried her head in the woman's waist.
Elsa felt as if she was right inside her nightmare. Her body stiffened as her eyes were wide but she was staring at nowhere in particular as visions of this familiar scene flashed in her mind: Mad's restrains, her father's whips and her screams.
"JUST KILL HER ALREADY!" The youngest man screamed, not wanting to watch any cruel fates like the one that was about to happen. "She's not even struggling!" He said in shock as he saw Elsa's stiff and immobile body and how her eyes were staring and watching something only she could see. What the heck is happening to her?
The man above Elsa smirked, "It makes it easier for me." He said wickedly.
"S-Stop… Stop… Please… P-Please…" Elsa mumbled to someone… Somewhere.
"You know… You really are strange as they say." The other man said, kneeling next to her and looking at Elsa's wide cyan eyes and bright hair.
"Oh! I like that…" The man above Elsa said, "Alright now… How about we ha-" Before he could finish his sentence and spill sins on her…
"HOLY SHIT!" The man that knelt next to Elsa yelled and suddenly was pushed away by something that Elsa couldn't see at all and he started for an unknown reason screaming in pain and sounds of yells were heard.
"Elsa!" Anna's voice came out in the open woods. A sound of a drawn bow was heard, followed by a swift sound of a flying arrow, then…
The body above Elsa suddenly collapsed on top of her like a dead weight as Elsa's cry was muffled by his leather clad shoulder, but the snaring hold on her wrists slackened. She finally regained her focus, only to be greeted with the man's wide lifeless, fearful eyes and an arrow impaled its way through the man's throat, dripping blood on her cheek from the arrow shaft. She quickly ripped her arms free, trying to shove the limp body off, to her surprise it was lighter then thought. Her chest rose and fell with labored breaths; her cheeks tear and blood stained. She felt a warm wetness seep through her dress. Trembling, she looked down to see her once green dress was marred red with blood; crimson splatters covered her arms and face. Daring a look at the lifeless body at her side, she saw the puddle of dark red liquid forming around his impaled throat. She lifted her head to see Anna slowly lowering her bow and with a face full with concern and fear.
Aiden ran at the other man and tackled him to the ground. "WHY YOU SON OF A BITCH!" He yelled and started punching him as hard as he could, "HOW… DARE… YOU… TOUCH… HER!" He yelled with every punch, sending cracking sounds from the now-limp and bloody face of the man. "I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" He yelled with an uncontrollable rage and gripped the now-dead man's throat.
Flynn and Kristoff quickly ran at him and tried to shove him off the limp man.
Rapunzel and several other guild members, were holding torches to light their way. Part of the members, with Tyler, went to point and intimidate the third young man and the other part, with Rapunzel and Zoey's parents, rounded the woman holding the little girl. "Zoey!" Zoey's parents called in concern.
"Leave her alone!" Rapunzel yelled, pointing the crossbow at the woman.
With a fearful, confused and surprised face, the woman let go of Zoey and held her hand up. "What are you doing?! The Snow Queen will run away!" The woman asked bewildered.
"Rapunzel! Mommy! Daddy!" Zoey called happily as tears stained her entire face. She quickly ran and wrapped her arms around her parents legs as she was embraced by the two worried parents that were now feeling utterly relieved. Zoey then ran to Rapunzel and hugged her.
Rapunzel hugged Zoey back and ignored the woman's plea. She motioned for the guild members to tie the woman up.
"Zoey what were you doing in the woods with that… Ice Princess!? I told you not to be with her!" Zoey's father scolded, feeling furious at Elsa.
"Daddy, you don't understand! She saved me, Daddy! She saved me! A bad man tried to hurt me but she threw herself between us and told me to run! They then hurt her, D-Daddy! She was in pain! I-I-It was all my fault!" Zoey started to cry and buried her face in her father's chest. Her parents' eyes shot wide in shock as they hugged her back protectively, feeling guilty and apologetic for Elsa. The Ice Princess had saved their daughter. The two parents exchanged looks, knowing that they might have judged Elsa too soon, and they felt stupid for quickly falling for rumors. She saved her?! Zoey's father thought in surprise.
"Is Elsa dangerous now, Mister?" Rapunzel said, a bit angry at Zoey's parents.
The youngest man stared fearfully at Tyler, "Please, just don't hurt us! We were just doing as we were told!" Before the young man could continue, Tyler mercilessly fired the crossbow at him and the shaft impaled the poor young man's chest and he fell limp in a puddle of blood. "We don't need any witnesses to the fort, now don't we?" He said to the dead body with a smirk.
Elsa was still traumatized and didn't even understand what was happening. Her entire dress was covered in blood, but luckily not hers. She finally realized that there was a dead man at her side and she quickly crawled away from him with a whimper, her mind bewildered, lost and still in utter shock and panic.
"Elsa?!" Anna ran to her with a concerned face. "Oh my god! Are you okay?! Did he-" Anna knelt at her side, her bow with one hand and the other tried to remove the ropes around Elsa wrists, but Elsa's body stiffened hard and she cried, "No! Stay back! Don't touch me!" She yelled and flinched away, crawling on the ground backwards, darting her eyes around as if she was trying to find the one who just touched her, even though Anna was right in front of her.
And poor Anna didn't know that Elsa couldn't see at all, having her eyes blurry and blinded from her panic.
Anna had wide, shocked eyes as she saw how much Elsa was terrified and she knew that this damn experience just ruined all of Elsa's healing progress and caused too much damage.
"Elsa… W-What's wrong? It's just me… Anna." Anna said feeling utterly heartbroken. Oh please don't! Please don't! She hoped and hoped that Elsa wouldn't be scared of her, or from humans all over again.
Elsa shook her head as her chest rose and fell fast for air and her breath quivered. Her voice fell silent, her mouth running dry as a lump formed in her throat, she held back the fresh tears that threatened to fall, "T-They wanted to hurt me… They want to hurt me!" The traumatized princess fearfully said to this blurry figure in front of her, "They wanted to… k-k-kill me!"
"It's alright, Elsa… Calm down now…" Anna tried to sooth, seeing how Elsa was trembling like a leaf.
"So many… So many!" Elsa cried again and confused Anna even more.
"What?... So many what?! Elsa, please just stay calm, I know what you're experiencing now. You need to stay calm!" Anna said in concern.
After they tied the woman, Rapunzel and the rest of the guild members-accompanied with Aiden, Flynn, Kristoff and Zoey- ran to Anna and Elsa to check if the princess was okay which clearly showed she wasn't.
"Elsa!" Zoey called happily, knowing that Anna saved her friend from those bad men.
"Elsa! Are you alright!?" Aiden and the others said in unison as they all approached Elsa in worry.
Elsa saw multiple figures coming at her with her wide bloodshot eyes, "NO!" She cried and quickly stood to run away, but the moment she was on her feet, she felt extremely faint, dizzy and weak and she stumbled back to the ground.
"Wow, be careful!... Elsa, stop! You're still dizzy! You should stay put a bit until it passes!" Anna tried to clarify.
Elsa shook her head, not even understanding the muffled and confusing voices. She curled up in a ball on the ground, feeling vulnerable and knowing that she was about to be hurt again. With an old habit, she closed her eyes and hid her face behind her gloved hands. "S-S-STAY BACK!" She shrieked again.
"Get back for fuck' sake! She's still in shock!" Anna yelled angrily at everyone and they all stopped in their tracks and stared with worried, surprised and concerned eyes at Elsa, seeing her all covered in blood.
Rapunzel saw Elsa shaking and she removed her cloak to lend it for Anna, so she could put it around Elsa, "Try to calm her down!" Rapunzel said.
"I CAN'T EVEN TOUCH HER!" Anna snapped in her own panic, feeling extremely frustrated. She was. Completely. Pissed off. She sighed rubbing her temples, feeling regretful for yelling at everyone. "Give it here." She said gently and took the cloak from a surprised Rapunzel.
Anna very slowly approached Elsa, holding the cloak in her hand, "Elsa… They are gone now. None of them will hurt you again. You're safe. We stopped them from hurting you." Anna tried to talk to her but Elsa kept trembling and her hands were still on her face. She knew that Elsa had faced too much stress today. Stress when they were lost in the woods and then when they were attacked. If a single word like 'Monster' had caused Elsa's panic episode to trigger, so what say for a whole day of stress and anxiety? Elsa's mind probably wanted to explode!
The tied woman watched in utter shock as a lot of people were concerned for The Snow Queen… The terrified Snow Queen? She could already see that The Witch was acting like any terrified poor girl, and not like a wicked, evil and heartless witch.
Anna slowly sat next to the curled up Elsa and rested cloak on the princess's shivering figure.
With her eyes still closed, Elsa felt something touch her entire body and she gasped squeezing her eyes tighter, not knowing that it was only a cloak. Go away! Go away!
Anna lifted her head and exchanged a concerned look with everyone, as if telling them 'See?!'
"P-Pain!… Death!… S-Snow Queen?!... W-W-Why?!" Elsa was talking and mumbling to herself shakily, sounding completely confused.
Anna groaned in rage and turned at the tied woman, "See what you did now?!" She yelled pointing at the curled up, traumatized Elsa at her side.
The woman shook her head in confusion and disbelief, seeing her three now-dead companions. She didn't feel any remorse for the older two men but she felt utterly heartbroken for the young one. "W-We were just trying to do what we were told to! SHE cursed our land! The king said so!"
"That's his daughter, you stupid woman!" Aiden yelled and cut her off, "YOUR Princess! You're hunting his own daughter!"
The woman gave them a ridiculous smirk, not believing any of it. She scoffed, "I don't think it's time for jokes."
"Fuck you!" Rapunzel yelled. "If you're so loyal to your kingdom… I think you wouldn't forget your own princess… Princess Elsa of Arendelle? Does it ring a bell, Dearie?" She asked mockingly.
The woman's eyes slowly went wide as Rapunzel's words sank in. She shook her head in disbelief, "I-It can't be! She's been dead for eight years!" That can't be her! NO WAY! It can't be her!
"Well congratulations, darling! You just found out that she wasn't." Flynn mocked.
This isn't happening! I don't understand! The king said she died! "B-But… The King! He said himself that she-"
"Died! We know!" Anna cut her off, "He did a lot more than just saying things." She vaguely said.
"B-But-" The woman tried to talk again. If this is Princes Elsa... I-It means that she's...
"Look, Miss, Madame or whatever!" Anna yelled angrily, scooting over towards Elsa protectively, "Your… King," She more like spat the word, "Is a. FUCKING. Bastard. LIAR!"
"It doesn't matter now. You'll be dead anyway." Tyler coldly said to the woman.
"No! Please!" The woman begged, "Just explain to me! You have to! You don't understand! I'm-"
"Take her and get rid of her somewhere away from here." Tyler said as he motioned for two guild members to grab the woman.
The two guild members nodded and held the woman from her armpits and dragged her away into the woods, ignoring her cries and begs.
"Waaait!" The woman cried.
"Tyler we can just-" Rapunzel started, feeling that the woman didn't deserve death.
But Tyler held his hand up and stopped her, "I decide what's best for my guild." He said sternly. And that shut everyone up.
"I-I can help you! There's a lot of others after her! You can't stop them all!" The woman suddenly said.
"Snow Queen!... Witch!?... W-… W-…?" Elsa mumbled to herself again as she wrapped her arms around herself defensively.
"You're lying." Tyler flatly said and rolled his eyes.
"No, she's right!" Zoey suddenly exclaimed, "We saw them! Elsa and I saw them! They were many!"
"So many...!" Elsa whispered again, lost in thoughts.
"They were saying something about… about…" Zoey trailed off and gulped, "About hurting Elsa."
"Hurt me!… P-Pain!... Pain!... Not again! Not again!" Elsa and hugged herself and curling even tighter.
Anna gave Elsa a sad look and was on the edge of tears, she slowly brought a hand to wipe Elsa's sweat-covered forehead but Elsa's eyes widened the moment she touched her and she started to panic since her breath quickened all over again, "No. No. Please no!... Get away from meeee!" She yelled and suddenly started thrashing her hands and legs on the ground as if fighting off an invisible enemy.
"Elsa, please! Just stop it!" Anna shouted desperately, tears spilling freely by seeing Elsa like this.
The woman saw how Elsa started to panic again. "Y-You shouldn't touch her!" She informed. "If you do that, she will only panic more." She said probably understanding Elsa's situation.
"OH YEAH!?" Anna yelled, "Well I think that's too late coming from you!" She wanted to punch the woman so hard for her now-helping behavior. "Do you even know what she's been through because of your stupid king?!"
Why would the king lie!? Where was she all these years!? "W-Wait… I have a potion! In my pocket! It will put her to sleep quickly! When she wakes up, she won't remember what happened today! She'll be alright, I swear!" The woman said trying to motion to her pocket with her head.
That grabbed everyone's attention.
"The potion is very rare but I had it for ages now and I have sworn that I would only use it for urgencies. I... I wanted to use it myself... The day my husband died. But... I-I knew that it would have only confused me more and brought me more pain. So I swore not to use it. A-And now… I-I think it's time." The woman said and gave Elsa a remorseful sad look.
Rapunzel and Flynn and some of the others around laughed, "And how are we going to believe that?! It's probably poison!" Rapunzel said, glaring at the woman.
The woman shook her head and glared back, "I'm not a murderer! I was just trying to protect my home from a witch that turned out to be my own monarch! I was only following the king's command and I'm doing it to keep my boy safe before he freezes to death! Please, he's only fourteen. Now take the god damn potion! I promise that it won't kill her, it will only sedate her for a while and erase her memory of the past hours only, but-" She stopped, biting her lip nervously.
"But what?" Kristoff asked.
The woman took a deep breath, "If she experiences the same thing again after taking the potion, her reaction will be much worse than what she is undergoing now. I-It will be bad… Really bad, if you may say. She might even react differently. But it wouldn't be any better than this. Today's memory won't vanish to nowhere. Only buried deep inside her mind to a point that she won't remember any of it. Only if she faces the situation again, will she remember all of this and well…" She pointed at the mumbling Elsa, "You know the rest."
Flynn eyed her carefully, "So if she takes the potion… And if something happens to her like today, she will get back into this condition?" He said pointing at the curled up Elsa.
The woman shrugged, "I really don't know what her exact reaction will be. No one had ever dared use the potion in years. I told you… Her reaction might be different."
"How different?" Aiden asked, squinting his eyes doubtfully at the woman.
The woman groaned in frustration, "How much of 'I don't exactly know' don't you understand?... It's just the legend of the potion! I know nothing else!" She said.
Everyone exchanged unconvinced looks before Anna's desperate and sorrowful voice spoke, "Do it." She said looking at the mumbling, devastated Elsa with teary eyes.
"What?!" Everyone said in unison. "Anna are you sure about this?!" Rapunzel asked.
"Guys, we can't just leave her like this! Look at her!" She said and pointed at the shocked Elsa that was still talking to herself.
The tied woman looked at Elsa in astonishment, "I have never seen such a reaction!" She said before she could stop herself, speaking her mind.
"It's because no one has ever suffered like her before!" Aiden clarified with a glare and confused the woman more and more.
The woman raised an eyebrow, "I still don't understand what you're talking about-"
"We'll just-!" Flynn cut her off, "Tell you later."
"If she lives." Tyler added with a glare.
Rapunzel gave Anna a 'Are you sure?' look and received a determined nod. Rapunzel had second thoughts before she moved towards the woman.
"No! We can't trust her! What if she was lying?!" Aiden held Rapunzel's arm. "She said herself that they were all out here to kill Elsa! And that no one has used the potion in years!"
Rapunzel snatched her arm away and whispered in his ear, "Well, that's about to change... Look at her!" She pointed at Elsa, "Do you think IF she calms down, she will trust any of us again!? It's for her own good, Aiden! Not even Anna can approach her! How the hell do you think we can? Do you think she can live like that?" Her voice came out a bit angry.
Aiden turned to see Elsa and he felt his heart rip in two. They knew they had no choice. He sighed and moved away for Rapunzel to take the potion.
Rapunzel patted his shoulder reassuringly, giving him a small smile. She then moved to the woman.
"In my left pocket." The woman informed.
Rapunzel watched the woman cautiously before she slipped her hand inside the woman's pocket and grabbed something. She pulled her hand out to reveal a vial filled with a violet liquid.
"She should drink all of it for it to work." The woman informed and Rapunzel gave her a skeptical look.
"Are you sure that this…" She shook the vial slightly, "Will work?" Rapunzel asked and received an honest nod from the woman. She then turned to Elsa and walked towards the sisters, all eyes on the vial in her hands. She knelt next to Anna and exchanged concerned looks.
"You do know what will happen to you if something went wrong, right?" Anna asked with a glare.
The woman rolled her eyes, "Just give her the vial already!"
Anna then nodded to Rapunzel, took the vial from her and turned to Elsa, "Elsa… Can you hear me?" She gently called.
Elsa didn't respond, only kept staring at something and was lost in thoughts. "Murderer?... Witch?!... Yes… No… Y-Yes, yes… I am… But… So many… W-Want to hurt me…?" She mumbled nonsense as if she had lost her mind.
Anna felt new tears form. She rolled her lips into her mouth and luckily stopped a sob before it could escape. She lifted her head and looked at the boys.
Rapunzel motioned for Flynn and Aiden to come forth, "We need your help. I don't think she'll be calm."
Flynn and Aiden nodded understandably.
Zoey's father quickly turned his daughter around, "Keep your eyes shut, Zoey." He said while looking with sorrowful eyes at the traumatized and shocked Elsa; The woman who saved his daughter's life. He knew that no child should witness whatever Elsa was experiencing, or about to experience. Knowing that he wronged the poor woman by seeing her as a dangerous witch, just added the guilt the more and more. And seeing her in such condition was even worse. God forgive me.
"Okay, Elsa…" Anna started as she positioned herself to the side of Elsa's head- giving Aiden the place to be above it- so she could pour the liquid into the platinum blonde's mouth. "You need to drink all of it, alright? W-When you wake up… You will be happy again and you won't remember anything of those bad men. You'll be fine." She said a bit unsure but still got no respond.
Anna sighed sadly and nodded to her friends.
With a quick move, Flynn grabbed hold of Elsa's legs and pinned them, not roughly, to the ground and Aiden held Elsa arms.
"NOOOOOOOO! LEAVE ME ALONE! STOOOOPP!" Elsa shrieked with all her might, sending echoes of screams in the woods as she tried to thrash her arms and legs again, "ANNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
"Elsa, I-I'm right here! I'm right here! Look at me! I'm right here!... O-Oh my god…!" Anna was beyond shocked and terrified as she tried to sooth her and assure her that she was here and that she would never leave her alone, by caressing her head, desperately trying to keep her tears from spilling.
Elsa only shot her eyes open, only seeing more blurry figures before she squeezed them shut again, "No... No... No..."
"ANNA, QUICKLY!" Rapunzel said urgently as she tried to keep Elsa still with the two men.
Anna quickly, yet gingerly held Elsa face with her hands and stared at Elsa's sorrowful tears that streamed down from the princess's closed eyes and that wetted the redhead's hands. I'm so sorry! Anna thought before she started pouring the liquid in Elsa's mouth.
Elsa nearly choked from the horrible taste while she tried to flail to escape their grip.
Aiden and Flynn surprisingly had a bit of problems trying to keep her still.
Elsa tried to scream again but it came out muffled while her eyebrows furrowed sadly.
"Elsa, please! Just drink it! It will help you!" Anna pleaded before she quickly closed Elsa's mouth with her hand, to force her to drink. OH MY GOD! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! I just want you to drink! Please, forgive me!
After nearly gagging, Elsa finally swallowed, only for her screams, heavy tears and struggles to continue. "STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT! STAY AWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYY!"
Suddenly, despite her gloves, thick ice started to form underneath Elsa, spreading all the way around her and coating the grass, the trees and the three bloody bodies on the ground that turned into human popsicles.
"Holy shit!" Tyler shouted backing away from Elsa and the ice. Everyone else did the same except for Anna, Rapunzel, Flynn, Aiden, and Kristoff who actually more like ran towards Elsa and the others to help.
The tied woman was more like lost in a trance as she witnessed The Snow Queen's magic in real action for the second time. Since she already saw how Arendelle was being covered in ice and snow. The sight of Elsa screaming was pure horror and shock for her. This… is really disturbing!
Anna started to panic, she whipped her head and stared in utter concern at the woman, "It's not working!" She yelled.
Everyone else, including the woman were staring in shock at the most horrible scene they've ever seen!
The woman snapped out from her thoughts and looked over at Anna, "It will! Just give it time!" The woman shouted through Elsa's screams.
"Anna! Nothing is working! Not even the gloves!" Flynn deadpanned pointing at the ice underneath them.
Before Anna could answer, Elsa fell silent as her entire body stiffened and her fingers dug into the ice underneath her. Her eyes shot wide as they darted at the night sky uncontrollably, watching something only she could see: Her memories of today's events being buried right in front of her eyes, turning in to nothing but empty darkness.
Everyone fell silent as the ice stopped spreading, and all watched Elsa.
Her breath was labored, her eyes still wide and she was looking in shock at something.
Anna dreaded the worst, "Elsa…" She called worriedly with a whisper, finally able to hold Elsa's head in her lap, wiping Elsa's tears away with her thumb and staring in concern at her cyan bloodshot eyes. "Elsa?!" She called again, starting to feel utterly concerned since Elsa was unnaturally still as if she was frozen! Her eyes were wide and were staring right up ahead, her body was stiff as a rock, not a single muscle moving, not a single breath taken. "W-What is this?" Anna ask, seeing this bizarre behavior.
Elsa suddenly felt strange: Extreme and intense headache. Warmness… Abnormal warmness. Numbness. Pitch black vision. Nothing.
A last single tear ran down Elsa's cheek, before suddenly, she let out a loud exhale, her eyelids felt heavy then closed and her body went limp as her head rolled to the side on Anna lap.
"It's done." The woman said as she panted from the sudden shock and adrenaline she just experienced, a smile starting to form, "She'll be fine now, don't worry." She said smiling sympathetically at the king's daughter, Princess Elsa of Arendelle.
Anna looked down at Elsa and brushed the wet, sweat-soaked bangs off the princess's head, feeling utterly relieved but still utterly concerned. She leaned down and kissed Elsa's forehead. "I'm so sorry, Elsa… I'm so sorry." She apologized, tears streaming down her cheeks. "It will never happen again, I swear." She vowed.
Elsa, on the other hand, could feel nothing, see nothing and hear nothing as she was consumed by a peaceful darkness.