The Ice Behind Bars
Chapter LIV: Family
The three rode towards Arendelle with Anna taking Sven's reins and Kristoff sitting behind her. Catherine rode her horse and tried her best to keep Zoey as comfortable as she could.
"Anna, slow down!" Kristoff shouted.
Anna didn't answer. She pressed Sven to go faster and faster.
"Anna!" Catherine called her, agreeing with Kristoff that they should slow down. She was able to keep Zoey on her lap, but with the pace Anna was going? She won't be able to for long.
Anna suddenly pulled the reins hard, stopping Sven in his tracks.
"What!?" She yelled, her eyes burning with determination.
"What's wrong with you!?" Kristoff asked, frustrated. "You're gonna kill him!" He pointed at Sven who was panting really… really hard.
Anna's expression slowly turned into a sad yet angry appearance. She gritted her teeth and looked away from Kristoff. "He has Elsa, Kristoff… He has my mum. Rapunzel, Aiden," She whipped her head towards him, "EVERYONE!"
Kristoff was taken aback. He had never seen her so broken. So full of sorrows and regrets. "Anna…" He tried to sooth but she cut him off.
"He killed FLYNN!" She shouted in desperation then pointed at the weak Zoey who was in Catherine's lap. "He hurt Zoey! He destroyed our home! He burned my comrades! HOW CAN YOU TELL ME TO SLOW DOWN?!" She lowered her head and started sobbing.
Kristoff and Catherine stared at her in complete shock.
"How, Kristoff… How can I ever forgive him for what he's done?" Anna gritted her teeth.
Catherine looked away. Jamie… What happened to you?! Why are you doing this?! This can't be you! There's no way it is you!
Aphrodite, Brandon and everyone sat in their cellars in silence. Some not daring to say a word, others just not feeling like it.
Aphrodite stared at the ground with her back leaned on the cold hard wall.
"She loves you, you know."
Aphrodite turned towards the voice to see a woman with dark skin giving her a sympathetic smile. "W-… What?"
"My name's Saja. Your daughter… She's quite the strange girl, I tell you that." Saja confessed with a chuckle.
Aphrodite quickly approached the bars, wanting to hear more.
"She was a really kind and intelligent little girl." Saja continued, "She used to go on and on about how she built snowmen with her sister."
"She even used to sing us this lullaby." Oga, the old cranky woman added.
"P-Please… tell me more!" Aphrodite's tone was desperate. She just wanted to know what her daughter was like. She never had the chance to know Elsa's true personality.
Saja rested her head on the wall. "She had saved me from pain so many times." Her face broke in sadness. "She always tried to keep a smile on her face. She hid her pain and tried to cheer us instead."
"Her intentions were always pure. And we've always wondered…" Razor, a man in a cellar at the far end of the hall said. "How can someone so innocent be in such a sinful place?"
Aphrodite lowered her head. "It's because she was cursed to have the worst mother on earth."
Saja smiled sympathetically at the queen then opened her mouth to speak.
However…
"Do you HEAR yourselves, people?!" One man approached the bars of his cellar.
Aphrodite recognized him as one of the fort's villagers.
"Innocent?... Kind?!... PURE INTENTIONS?!" He was clearly angry. "This… Snow witch murdered many! Have you forgotten already?!" He looked around at the other imprisoned villagers, pointing out the total obvious that had happened back at their home. "Because of HER!... our home is destroyed! Our friends murdered! Our lives imprisoned! How can you say she is innocent!?"
Saja glared at him from behind her bars. "This is nonsense!"
"Nonsense?!" The man exclaimed in surprise. "She froze those innocent people from the inside out! She painted the WALLS with their blood!" He realized his voice was too high and quickly lowered it. For the snow queen was only a few feet away and that metal door was the only thing separating her from them. "She. Is. Evil!" He whispered then turned to stare warily at Elsa's metal door.
Saja then turned at the Queen. She was surprised that Aphrodite didn't even say a word to defend her daughter. "Is this true?" She asked her.
Aphrodite didn't reply. She hugged herself tightly then looked away sadly, no longer able to vindicate her daughter, for she had seen the blood-painted walls and the psychotic smile her daughter had.
Kill them all!
Aphrodite gasped as that memory flashed in front of her eyes and she quickly gripped her hair in fear, her frame starting to tremble.
Brandon rushed to her side, trying to calm her down.
Saja stared in shock at the frightened look on the queen's face. "If what you're saying is true… If… s-she became evil…" She lowered her head, feeling utter despair. "Then this world is truly Hell."
"Well… That was surprising." Everyone turned at Razor.
Razor slowly stood up, wincing in pain. "Have you already lost faith in her, Saja?" He raised an eyebrow at her.
Saja looked away, feeling ashamed.
"I think…" Razor pointed at the villager who had ranted about how vicious Elsa was. "You, my friend… are an idiot."
The man was taken aback. "Excuse me?!"
"You heard me!" Razor said; his expression completely blank.
Saja gave him a confused look.
But Razor kept looking at the man. "You… are… an idiot." Razor said while putting his hands on his hips.
What are you doing? Saja mouthed. He was definitely taunting him.
"You shut up!" The man said, his anger rising. "How dare you say that to my face!?"
"You're an idiot!" Razor ignored him.
"Shut up!" The man was obviously angry now.
"You're an idiot!"
"Why you…!" The man grabbed the bars, ready to smash the door open.
"An idiot!"
"Shut your mouth or I'll KILL you!" The man yelled as he hit the bars with his fists.
"And there you have it." Razor finished and folded his arms.
"Eh?" Saja was completely flabbergasted.
The man blinked several times, his anger slowly dissipating.
Everyone gave Razor a confused look.
Razor sighed. "Well, my friend. That 'Snow Witch' you were ranting about has heard much more appalling words, over and over and over for the past fifteen years! What? Did you expect her to be so diligently happy and just clean cheerful? You got angry just because I told you that you're an idiot repeatedly for like a few seconds, and even threatened to kill me!"
Everyone thought of it in silence. Some agreed. Others didn't.
The man huffed in irritation then crossed his arms. "That… T-That's not an excuse."
Razor groaned in frustration, "What is EVIL to you?!"
"It's someone who has no soul!" The man exclaimed.
Razor rolled his eyes. "No… Evil… Is Exposure to Villainy, Insanity and Lies! Oh and guess what?! Her father happens to be the most insane son of a bitch who has been filling her head with crazy shit!"
"No." Aphrodite cut him off.
Everyone's eyes were on Aphrodite now.
"Evil is just the absence of Love." Aphrodite said. "Something that I should have given her… But I didn't. I ran away." She confessed.
"Then…" The villager started. "It's all YOUR fault!" He accused. "You even hid your true identity from us! And we trusted you?!"
"Oh come on! Really!?" Brandon was now seriously irritated at this man.
Everyone started talking and shouting their opinion on each other, not realizing that Elsa actually heard everything.
"My, my, what loud neighbors I have!" Her happy voice echoed in the dungeon.
Everyone went completely silent and still. That voice only came from behind that big metal door.
Elsa leaned her back on the metal door with her hands behind her head and her right leg rested on her left knee. "You people are so concerned about me, that you forgot that your heads will be rolling down the gallows first day in the morning!" She said happily while making a rolling gesture with her hand. She wiped an invisible tear and sniffled. "I'm so moved!" Sarcasm was definite.
Realization slowly started to dawn on everyone. "No… No, I don't wanna die!" The man screamed, making everyone panic alongside him.
"Everyone! Just calm down!" Aiden and Rapunzel tried to calm the people who shared their cellar.
Elsa laughed. "I bet Arendelle will have a LOVELY Christmas tree this year!"
And that only made them panic more.
"We're going to die!"
"Mama, I'm scared!"
"He'll kill us all!"
Elsa leaned back again and started happily humming the Santa Claus, Christmas song while everyone was losing their minds.
"People, please! You have to stay calm!" Saja tried to sooth them but all in vain.
While everyone was busy imagining their bloody heads rolling down the gallows, Elsa finished her song with, "Santa claus… is coming… to town." She sang, referring to her sister. "Come on, Anna…" She smirked.
"I'm sure you'll find one naughty little girl when you arrive."
The king entered his private study, holding his right hand and cursing everything and everyone around him.
He smashed the door close behind him and walked to his desk.
Sweat covered his entire face as he gritted his teeth through the agonizing pain his hand was giving him.
"God, damn you… God, damn you!" He cursed Mad and the moment he put this… curse on him.
He sat on his chair as tremors overwhelmed his marked hand. He removed the bandages around it and stared at the glowing mark.
His loud, shaky and heavy panting echoed in the large cold room.
There's always a cost for you to obtain such power, your majesty.
He remembered Mad's words. "T-This is all your fault!"
Use it too often… and you'll lose your hand.
A sharp pain slashed at his hand and the king lost his temper. "DAMN YOU!" He quickly unsheathed his sword and put his hand on the desk, ready to chop it off… To relieve himself of this torture. To set himself free from this torment.
There are two others who survived the ritual.
But he hesitated.
Your mark isn't small, but neither big. I've seen much greater results.
His hand that held the sword froze above his head.
Tell me who's the strongest. He remembered himself saying.
"D-Do it…" He commanded himself, glaring at the glowing mark. "Do it!"
Beware the frozen heart.
With a scream, the king brought his sword down as hard and as fast as he could but…
No pain.
He stared in shock at the sword that impaled the desk, only inches away from his hand.
The bearer of the mark, cannot remove it himself.
Mad was right.
No matter what he tries, he'll always fail.
The king knew it deep inside. He couldn't chop off his other hand and be scarred for life.
'The Half King' they would mock him. He most certainly didn't want to stain his name.
He grabbed the sword and pulled it out from the wood. He then threw it to the ground, cursing himself for even thinking of taking his hand off.
He put his head in his hands, sighing heavily. At least the pain is gone.
He lifted his head off and turned to the window to see the tiny bit of light that was coming from behind the mountains.
His lips slowly drew a smirk. "Dawn… Finally. It's time."
He stood up, walked towards his sword and picked it up, sheathing it.
He walked straight towards the door and grabbed the handle.
"I will get rid of you, Monster… Once and for all."
"No way…" Catherine stared at the frozen kingdom she used to call home.
Everything in front of her was dead. Plants. Animals. Trees. Even people. She couldn't believe the amount of tombstones that lied in the graveyard. The stones even varied in sizes. Deceased children no doubt. Frozen to death in their own homes.
Was this the peaceful, warm and sunny kingdom she used to live in?
They walked in the empty streets.
Was this the lively streets she enjoyed to discover?
Dead bodies.
Were those Arendelle's happy and smiling citizens?!
"This can't be…" Catherine said, tears forming at the corner of her eyes.
Anna nodded. "And that's only the obvious. The kingdom has a much darker side." She sighed. "My father."
"Let's try and save the others before we go sightseeing around the kingdom, alright?!" Kristoff reminded.
"But… Where is everyone?!" Anna asked just before she noticed a pair of guard walking towards them.
"Hoods." Kristoff instructed.
The three of them quickly fixed their hoods on their head, making sure their faces were covered.
"You, there!" The guard called.
"Crap…" Anna cursed under her breath.
"State your business here, strangers." The guard angrily demanded.
Anna exchanged looks with Catherine then, "Strangers?! Haha— what makes you think we're strangers?! We live here!" She smiled awkwardly at the guard.
The guard obviously didn't take the bait. "I'm not that stupid, girl. The citizens of Arendelle are too limited these days that I'd recognize every one of them." He pointed the spear towards her. "Now, what are your true intentions here!?"
"Okay, okay! You got us!" Anna sighed dramatically. "My little sister… She's sick. Really sick!" She pointed at Zoey who rested in Catherine's lap, trying to pretend she was crying. "We… W-We came here looking for a doctor! But… There's no one around!"
"You won't find any doctor here." The second guard started. "Everyone's gone to the castle's courtyard. They went to watch The Snow Queen's execution."
"THE WHAT!?" Anna screamed obviously no longer 'crying' but Kristoff quickly held her and closed her mouth with his hand.
The guards eyed them suspiciously as Anna struggled to yell angry curses from behind Kristoff's hand. Luckily all of them were muffled.
"Uhhh... Excuse my friend's… R-Reaction! She just never even knew that… A S-Snow Queen even existed." He laughed awkwardly. "We'll just go on our own way! A-And… let you… and your snow queen be! Bye-bye!" Kristoff quickly stirred Sven around and trotted away, beckoning Catherine to follow.
Catherine hesitated for a moment, clenching her fist tightly. She looked over at the castle one last time before she turned her horse and followed Kristoff.
Kristoff removed his hand off of Anna's mouth and knew what's coming.
He quickly dodged as Anna turned to punch him. Luckily she missed.
"Why did you do that?! We have to go save, Elsa!" She yelled at him.
"Anna we can't just burst into a castle full of guards!" He explained.
"We can't waist any minute, Kristoff! They wanna kill, Elsa!"
"Anna, can you just… calm down for a moment and think?"
Anna stared at him in anger for moment before she looked down at the blue rose in her hands. Her angry expression changed and tears threatened to fall.
An image of a smiling innocent Elsa flashed in her mind and she gritted her teeth trying not to cry. "I-I just… I just want my sister back… I wanna see her smile after I give her her rose back!" Tears came down her cheeks. "I wanna make her laugh. I wanna build a snowman with her! Have a pillow fight! All the things that normal sisters do! Why were WE deprived of that, huh?!"
Kristoff watched her sadly.
"Why was Elsa supposed to be locked away?! Why was I supposed to lose my memory?! If I hadn't asked her to come play with me in the ballroom, NONE of those nightmares would have happened in the first place!"
"You think I'm happy everyone is locked in?" Kristoff started. "You think I'm not scared shitless for Elsa's life?! You think I'm just happy that you're going in there and risk your life?!"
Anna stared at him in complete shock. "Kristoff…"
He grabbed her from her shoulders. "You guys are the only family I've ever had! Don't you get that?!"
Anna didn't know that Kristoff kept all that in. She felt ashamed that she's been ignoring HIS feelings towards all this chaos.
"Kristoff… I'm so sorry." She whispered.
"I'm HERE, Anna! Catherine, too! You don't have to do this all alone!" He let go of her shoulders and gently wiped away her tears. "We'll do this together." His tone was so gentle now that Anna couldn't help but smile.
She nodded and wiped away all her tears with her sleeve. "Yes, we will." She looked down at the blue rose. "We will save, Elsa."
"But we have to find a way into the castle." Catherine said.
Kristoff and Anna turned at her. "Can't you just tell the guards to back off? You ARE the princess!" Anna asked.
"I doubt they'll recognize me. Besides… You think the guards are the problem?" Catherine coldly asked.
Anna and Kristoff were taken aback. Catherine definitely wasn't happy right now. But could they blame her? She was witnessing all the horrors that her brother… her 'role model' had created.
Catherine sighed. "You should head into the sewers like you did last time when you got your sister out." She suggested.
"That's probably our only way into the castle." Kristoff agreed.
"I agree. Now, come on!" Anna stirred Sven and provoked him to a gallop.
"I can't come with you."
Anna quickly stopped Sven. "What?" She said with Kristoff in unison.
Catherine had her head down. "I can't come with you. There's… someone I have to see first."
Anna and Kristoff exchanged looks.
"Here… Keep Zoey with you." She led her horse next to Sven and carefully handed Zoey to Kristoff.
"You can't just leave us, now!" Anna whined.
Catherine looked away sadly and stared at the castle. "Jamie might have lost his mind and is no longer making any sense in this world..." She exhaled from her nose. "But he's my brother… and I love him." She looked at Anna. "And he's your father."
Anna looked away with an angry pout. "How can you love someone like him?" She whispered.
Catherine smiled. "He's family."
Anna looked up at her aunt in shock then quickly looked away. "But… My father… He's evil." She sadly said.
"And your sister?" Catherine asked.
Anna's eyes widened. "Of course not! She's innocent!"
"How do you know?" Catherine asked then turned her horse towards the castle. "You've only just met her a few weeks ago."
Anna got taken aback. Maybe her aunt was right. Did she really know Elsa on the inside?
"But… what if he hurt you?!" Anna asked, concerned.
Catherine smiled sadly. "Can you watch someone you love make mistakes without trying to stop them? Even if it means giving up your own life?"
Anna didn't know what to say.
"Don't give up on the people you love, Anna. Your love for them may be exactly what they need to make a complete turnaround." Catherine looked from behind her shoulder and smiled gently at her niece.
"I'm sure you'll understand that one day."
Catherine then prompted her horse into a gallop, leaving a bewildered Anna behind.
I'm coming, Jamie… Maybe you don't wanna reason with anyone, but you might listen to me.