Elsa awoke in her room.
Jarred and briefly confused by the unexpected yet familiar surroundings, she blinked her groggy eyes several times. This attempt to regain her senses from what must have been the deepest sleep of her life, did little to help. Her body was heavy and limp and sore but not painfully so, which was a relief. Was it morning—no, afternoon perhaps? Hard to tell with the grey, overcast sky. Why was she in Arendelle? How had she gotten here? She searched back through the foggy haze of her memory—what did she last remember?
Pain. Cold. Blackness. But what had caused that pain? The headache—the draugr. That was it. But how? The last thing she remembered was the raging desperation to blast that draugr out of this universe. Her head had felt like it was splitting in two, her body anything but compliant, and it had been all she could do to stay focused, to take aim and fire that destructive blast.
But she didn't remember it connecting with the draugr? She didn't remember anything after releasing that blast except those glowing green eyes and a blinding white flash and then… Nothing. The pain had overshadowed everything else—before the draugr, after the draugr, she had no recollection where the pain had started or ended—although it was gone now, along with the headache.
A movement next to her startled her briefly.
Anna.
Her sister was lying beside her and had rolled over, curling into her side and snuggling there with a sigh. Elsa smiled, Anna was dead asleep. Her mouth hung slightly agape and she looked very much like she had as a small child—tiny, innocent and contentedly happy. With a light touch, she swept Anna's bangs to the side. The wound on her forehead had healed mostly, leaving only a faded line of darkened scarring—a minor indication of something that could have been much worse. Elsa sighed and ran her thumb lightly over the mark. With time hopefully, this scar too would fade.
To her left Maren slept on her stomach, breathing deeply into Elsa's shoulder with one arm slung over her waist. She placed her hand on Maren's arm and allowed herself sink into the cocoon of safety and warmth that enveloped her now—nestled between the two people she loved most in this world, she felt at peace. She studied Maren's face, deep in peaceful sleep, wondering how on earth she had gotten so lucky as to have this woman fall into her life. Perhaps there really was something to destiny or fate. It was as if everything she never knew she needed was somehow all wrapped up into one wonderfully perfect person—waiting just for her. One person, who saw her as she truly was, flaws and all, and still loved her with a depth that rivaled the pit of Ahtohallan. If that wasn't fate, then she wasn't sure what was.
She tucked a stray strand of hair behind Maren's ear, following the soft contour of her jawline down to her chin with her fingertip. Maren's skin was smooth and warm and Elsa was sure she would never tire of caressing her. Light brown eyes fluttered open then, and lifted to look up at her.
'Hi.' Elsa whispered with a smile.
Maren's tired eyes suddenly grew wide and bright with surprise, a smile crawled over her lips. 'Hey.' She breathed and propped herself up on an elbow. 'You're awake. How do you feel?' Maren asked, rubbing sleep from her tired eyes.
'Alright. Ok I think.' Maren brushed her hand down the side of Elsa's face. Elsa closed her eyes and grabbed the warm hand on her cheek, holding it there. Warm lips suddenly covered hers and she sighed into the kiss. 'Better now.' Elsa breathed, opening her eyes and smiling up at the soft eyes that were staring at her. Maren chuckled.
'I was so worried about you. Again.' Maren said and raised a displeased eyebrow. 'We both were.' She added and nodded her chin over at Anna.
Elsa glanced at Anna who was still sleeping soundly curled into her side, then returned her gaze to Maren with a creased brow. 'I don't—really remember what happened.'
'What was the last thing you do remember?' Maren asked, concern suddenly skating across her features.
'That headache, the pain—and then, I think I remember trying to blast the draugr. After that it's just, nothing really.'
'Well, your ice never made it to the draugr. It reflected back and hit you—' Maren trailed off, then took a breath before continuing. 'It hit you so hard, I thought it had killed you.' She finished, pain in her eyes as she relived the memory, her head shaking slightly in disbelief. 'Daisy and Sven managed to fend them off while we got you to the wagon, then we were able to get you back here.' She paused and looked down, away from Elsa's eyes. 'It was bad, Els. Really bad. You scared us all to death.'
Elsa's brow creased further as she listened, her thoughts returning to the excruciating pain and searing cold she had endured, trying to make sense of it all. That blast she sent had been designed to kill. 'How am I still alive?' She whispered, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer or not.
'It turns out, your sister is quite naturally gifted at shamanic energy healing—as I predicted. Thank the spirits. She was able to help me heal you. I wouldn't have been able to do it alone.'
Elsa felt a weight on her heart. Maren and Anna had saved her life—again. She searched Maren's soft eyes, finding only pain and sadness there. 'I'm sorry—I'm sorry you both had to go through that again. I should've listened to you—about the draugrs. I didn't know that would happen...' She closed her eyes, shaking her head in regret.
'There's nothing to be sorry about—you, you were right. The creatures are after you, or the Vættir I suppose—' Maren scrunched her brow in thought. 'Either way, we need to find those crystals and send them away before they suck up too much magic, or find some other way to hurt you.'
'Kransekake…' Anna mumbled in her sleep then flipped on her back, throwing an arm up above her head. Maren and Elsa both smirked.
'Well. You were both right too. I can't do this alone.' Elsa said, drawing her eyes back to Maren.
'I doubt I'm ever going to leave you alone again.' Maren breathed and slid down to lay next to her, placing a kiss on her bare shoulder.
'I'd like that.' Elsa whispered and closed her eyes as Maren ran her fingers up and down her arm. She shivered at the relaxing sensation of the touch. Maren gently flipped her arm palm up and ran her fingers lightly over the scarring that was starting to form there. Elsa heard her breathe a quiet, displeased sigh before running her fingers down and lacing them with Elsa's. They laid there in silence for a while, relaxing and enjoying each others presence.
'Elsa.' Maren said and abruptly sat up. She ran her fingers over the inside of Elsa's wrist then glanced at her other hand. 'Your crystal…'
Elsa brought her own wrists up before her face in confusion, expecting the crystal to still be attached to her left wrist. It was not. She quickly felt her chest then lifted the blanket to look beneath it. 'I'm naked?' She asked urgently, the sudden realization hitting her. 'How—? I'm the only one who can…' She trailed off, Maren was shaking her head with a painful look in her eyes.
'We thought we lost you for a minute…' Maren confirmed, casting her eyes down and away. Elsa took a breath, reaching her hand out and taking Maren's in her own. Understanding hit her.
'Ok, well—where was I when the ice melted?'
'The wagon—there's a chance the crystal is still there.' Maren said, perking up.
Just then Anna flipped over again, a moan escaping her. 'No… Elsa… No!' She groaned, her sleeping face pained. She was having a nightmare.
'Anna, Anna wake up.' Elsa said, sitting up and gently shaking her sister.
'Elsa!' Anna cried one final time before her eyes shot open, searching around in terror until she saw Elsa. 'Elsa…' Anna breathed and shot up, pulling Elsa into a hug. Elsa winced from the soreness in her back, but held Anna tightly. 'You're ok.' Anna sighed in relief.
'I'm ok.' Elsa assured as she held Anna and stroked her back.
'Oh, Els…' Came Maren's soft voice beside her and she felt a warm hand gently brush her hair away from her back. Anna broke away from her to look. She gasped and threw a hand over her mouth.
'What?' Elsa asked, alarm rising as she clutched the blanket up to cover her chest.
'You—your back…' Anna whispered in disbelief, her face wincing as she studied it with Maren. 'You hit that cliff really hard—there's a lot of bruising.'
'Oh, well I feel alright. Just sore.'
'I don't care, I'm going to send for Dr. Anders anyway.' Anna said and started to slide off the bed.
'Anna wait,' Maren said, stopping Anna in her tracks. 'Her crystal is missing. It must have fallen off in the wagon when her ice melted.'
Anna's eyes went wide in recognition than steeled. 'Ok, it's alright. It's probably still there. I'll find Kristoff and we'll look. You two stay here, I'll be right back.' Maren nodded as Anna flew to the door. She stopped abruptly at the door, paused and turned around. 'You owe me a new necklace.' She said tersely at Elsa, then was out the door in a whirl before Elsa could respond. Elsa winced, Anna was mad at her—although after what Maren just told her, she didn't exactly blame her.
Anna returned not long thereafter, a grim expression on her face. 'You didn't find it did you.' Elsa asked, already knowing the answer. Anna shook her head in confirmation then turned her eyes to glance out the window. She returned to face them, her eyes flicking to Maren then back to her.
'Kristoff is coordinating with Mattias to search for it—we'll find it. Gerda sent for Dr. Anders, he'll be here shortly.' Anna confirmed, a solemn look in her eyes that Elsa couldn't quite read.
'Well we know the path we took, it has to be somewhere along that route.' Maren suggested. Anna smiled weakly and nodded. Before Elsa could analyze her mood there was a knock at the door.
'Dr. Anders.' Anna greeted as she opened the door. 'That was fast.'
'Your Majesty.' The doctor bowed his head to Anna. 'I was told it was urgent, so I made haste. Terribly foggy day we're having.'
'Yes it is. Thank you, come in. It's my sister.' Anna stated and waved the old man inside, gesturing towards Elsa. Elsa smiled at him as he approached. He had been the Royal Physician since Elsa and Anna were children. Elsa respected him, he knew medicine better than anyone she knew, and she suspected he had known about her powers long before she had revealed them to the world, yet he had never said a word. His eyes flicked to Maren briefly in confusion then returned to her, already studying Elsa with his wise knowing doctor eyes. Elsa felt Maren quietly slide off the bed and stand beside it. Anna walked over to stand beside her.
'Hi doctor.' Elsa greeted as he pulled up a chair to sit beside the bed.
'Your Highness.' He said with a nod. 'Not the sister I am accustomed to seeing with scrapes and bruises.' He added with a raised eyebrow. Elsa couldn't help but smirk and glance at Anna who folded her arms and rolled her eyes.
'She was thrown into the side of a cliff doctor.' Anna stated plainly. 'She seems well enough, but I just want to make sure nothing else is wrong.'
Dr. Anders eyes went wide at Anna's words, but he thankfully didn't question the specifics of how Elsa had been thrown into a cliff. 'Let's take a look.' He said calmly and turned his attention back to her. He placed the stethoscope in his ears then set the cylindrical end to her chest, his other hand on her back. 'Sit up straight please.' Elsa did as asked while holding the blanket up to cover her chest. 'Take a deep breath.' Elsa complied. 'Again.' Elsa breathed again. 'Good. The lungs sound fine.' He muttered absently then went about checking her ears, eyes, nose and mouth, not unlike Kalle had done, albeit in a slightly less harsh manner. Then he felt her neck, shoulders and arms. He took her pulse. 'All seems well.' He announced finally then moved to look at her back. 'Ah yes, thrown into a cliff seems to be an understatement.' He said with a raised eyebrow as he palpated down her bruised back. Elsa winced as he poked and prodded. 'You're lucky it wasn't more serious. With rest it should heal on it's own.' He then searched his bag and pulled out a bottle containing a liquid substance. He poured some on his hands then slathered it over Elsa's back, rubbing it in. 'This tincture of arnica will help speed up the healing and should reduce soreness. You can have someone help you re-apply it several times a day until the bruising heals.' Elsa nodded. When his hand neared her ribs she winced again, and pulled away from him. 'You have pain there?' He asked curiously and removed his hands.
'We had another little accident over a week ago.' Anna stated. Elsa pulled her mouth into a guilty expression.
'Another accident?' He asked with a raised eyebrow. Elsa nodded sheepishly. 'Dare I ask what happened?'
Elsa shook her head. 'It's—it's not really important. I'm already healing just fine from that.' She stated, realizing she must sound like a walking disaster. The doctor looked unconvinced.
'May I examine the ribs anyway?'
'Yes please.' Anna chimed in sternly, cutting off any thoughts Elsa had of protesting. She sighed and allowed Dr. Anders to palpate her ribs, wincing and instinctively pulling away from him again.
'Hm. Yes you cracked a couple, but I do feel they are healing. A small miracle really, considering your newer injuries. There's not much we can do except wait for them to heal—and don't exert yourself too much in the meantime.' He paused for a long moment and studied her face, then glanced up at Anna. 'Are there any other injuries I should know about?' He asked skeptically, his brow now permanently raised in disbelief. Elsa started to shake her head but Anna cut in again.
'Her arm. The left one.' Elsa sighed and shot Anna a look. Anna just looked at her and shrugged. Elsa let out a breath and held her arm out petulantly for the doctor to inspect. He ran his fingers lithely over the scarring and hummed, clearly he was not alarmed by it. Elsa pursed her lips and turned to Anna with a raised brow. See, it's fine. Anna squinted disapprovingly at her.
'There were stitches here.' He said absently and continued to inspect the scarring. 'This appears to be healing just fine. Whoever put the stitches in and removed them did a very good job.' Dr. Anders stated then sat back in the chair and folded his arms, appraising her with the same disapproving look Anna had just given her. 'Elsa. Whatever activities you have been participating in to get these injuries, may I suggest, you stop doing them?'
Elsa sighed and looked down. 'Yes doctor.' She answered and nodded as if she were a reprimanded child. 'Thank you for coming to see me, Anna will you hand me my robe.' Elsa said swiftly, hoping Dr. Anders would get the hint to leave. No more poking and prodding today.
Dr. Anders turned to Anna and Maren. 'She should stay in bed today.' He said, then began rummaging through his bag again. Elsa sighed in exasperation. 'Here, this, will ease the pain and help you sleep.' He found whatever bottle he'd been looking for and had started pouring some of the syrupy liquid on a spoon. He moved it to her mouth and Elsa took it, swallowing the syrupy substance with some difficulty. It tasted horrid. 'I'll leave this here. One spoonful a day before bed.'
'Thank you doctor.' Anna stated as the man started to pack up his things and rose to a stand. Elsa suddenly felt groggy and tired, but also very warm and pleasantly happy.
'But wait!' Elsa nearly shouted. 'You needa check my slisther.' Elsa said and pointed an accusatory finger at Dr. Anders. Her words felt slurred and heavy but it was important she got this point across. 'She hada concussed. Right there.' Elsa said and poked her own forehead to indicate where Anna's scar was. Anna was suddenly giggling and Elsa had no idea what was so funny, this was serious. So, it was fine to put her through an examination, but now that it was Anna's turn, she was trying to get out of it. 'Check her doctor! Don't let her get away!' Elsa shouted and suddenly Maren was next to her, forcing her to lie down. 'I love you, d'you know that? You're very pretty.' Elsa said, suddenly extremely distracted and entranced by Maren's presence. 'You smell like the outside trees.' Elsa whispered and reached for Maren's dangling braid but missed it. She focused, reached again, grabbed it this time and shoved it into her face to sniff it, sighing in contentment at the scent of pine and cedar.
'Shhh, ok, ok. Close your eyes now.' Maren whispered through a tight lipped smile and pulled the covers up over her. Elsa didn't want to close her eyes, she wanted to keep looking at the pretty woman in front of her, but eventually her eyes won out and closed, despite her best efforts to fight it.
Anna thanked Dr. Anders again for coming, then clicked the door shut, still trying to suppress her amusement at Elsa's abrupt intoxicated outburst from the medicine. She turned around to find Maren walking towards her.
'What on earth is in that medicine?' Maren asked, an amused smile also crawling over her lips. They both turned back to Elsa who was already sleeping deeply, her mouth hanging wide open.
'I don't know, but she'll probably sleep the rest of the day because of it.' Anna said with a chuckle. 'Something had to knock her out or she would've been up right away looking for that crystal.'
'The crystal—we should go look for it, it has to be somewhere near.' Maren said urgently and started moving towards the door.
Anna shook her head and reached out to grab her arm. 'Maren wait.' Maren stopped and looked at her, a confused expression on her face. Anna took a breath, her eyes flicked to the window then back to Maren. 'Come here for a second.' Anna walked to Elsa's balcony doors, opened them and stepped outside, Maren followed her. Once outside Anna closed the doors behind them. Maren walked to the railing and placed her hands on it, staring out over the kingdom. Elsa's room had one of the best vantage points in the castle, one could see the courtyard, town, the woods beyond, the fjord and mountains. Today though, the sky was deeply overcast—only the town, part of the woods, the base of the mountains and some of the fjord was visible. The rest was shrouded in a deep soupy mist that sparkled in a strange way.
'Is it…? This isn't normal fog, is it…' Maren asked, her back still turned to Anna as she stared out over the misty kingdom. People bustled through town going about their business—to someone who didn't know better it would seem like nothing more than dense fog.
'Kristoff saw it descend early this morning—he said it didn't look natural.' Anna paused, and took a deep breath. 'The soldiers tried, but couldn't get through it.'
Maren took a deep breath, but said nothing, her eyes still glued out towards where the horizon should be. The muscles in her back twitched and tensed. 'Are you ok?'
Finally Maren turned towards her, a somber expression on her face. 'Why can't they just leave her alone—leave us all alone?'
Anna shook her head and whispered sadly, 'I don't know.'
