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The former princess of Arendelle stumbled in the arms of the Queen as she bumped into her. Elsa caught her in time and let out a disgruntled noise, she was displeased.
"I-" immediately the latter extricate herself from Elsa's hold. "I-I'm sorry. Please excuse me." she ran away, leaving Elsa confused.
"What happened to her?" she frowned but then soon turned away going to her study. Once she was inside, Rapunzel was sitting on Elsa's desk casually.
"How are you?" Rapunzel asked with a grin, she tossed Elsa's opened letter to the fire place and watched the fire lick on the parchment.
Elsa gave her a blank stare. "Is it done?." she poured wine into two glasses and offered the other one to the princess of Corona.
"Thank you. Yes.." Rapunzel took a sip from her wine. "The message was already dispatched, I sent it myself and I would receive the response in a couple of days" she got off from the desk and touched Elsa's face. "I never apologized for this. I'm sorry."
"Tell me once you received a word. Everything must be according to plan. I started to mobilize my private army-." Elsa winced at the touch. "You should restrain your strength. Your lover must've been strong to endure such touch from you." Elsa smirked, making the princess blushed.
"He can take them well, thank you very much." Rapunzel's face became much redder.
"Does Uncle know about him?" Elsa emptied her glass. "Make sure you tell him before he kills him."
Rapunzel mumbled. "How can I do that? He's not royalty or noble." and looked down.
Elsa watched her cousin before lifting her chin. "Do you love him?" she smiled.
"I do." Rapunzel weakly responded. "But it's impossible for us to be together. He's on the opposite side of the field." she shook her head. "His loyalty was torn between loving me and-" she pursed her lips.
Flashback.
Rapunzel had received a note from one of her spies and that note had brought her to one of Arendelle's tavern. It was past dinner time when she arrived. She was wearing a dirty looking hooded cloak and waited until a hand brushed against hers. She turned and saw a man who was also wearing a hooded cloak, she followed him in a distance until they reached the forest.
"My heart." Rapunzel was held in the man's arms.
"My princess." the man stated. "Are you well?"
"I should be asking you that. Are you?" Rapunzel had caressed his face.
"I am well princess." he smiled. "You sent for me?"
"Yes, I need your help." Rapunzel handed him a letter. "You should burn it after reading it. It would be dangerous if they found out."
The man hid the letter in the folds of his clothes. "I will." he caressed Rapunzel's face. "I missed you."
"I missed you too." Rapunzel stood on the tip of her toes and kissed the man she loved. The man immediately kissed her back with the same intensity and placed his hand at the back of Rapunzel's head, unintentionally pulling down the hood.
They pulled away. "My heart. Please leave them and stay with me."
"Oh Rapunzel, you don't know how much I want to but I can't. You know that."
Rapunzel looked away to hide her unshed tears. "I know. I'm sorry."
"Please understand me. The Prince had took care of me when I had no one to turn to. I owe him my life and I had pledge my allegiance to her. I took a vow."
"Yes, a seven your old child took a vow to protect a brat who doesn't even know your existence!" Rapunzel growled.
The man was silent then sighed. "I will do your bidding as my lover but my loyalty will always be on her."
"Read the letter and perhaps you'll change your mind." with that, Rapunzel fixed her hood.
"We'll see each other again. Promise me." the man's voice was hoarse. "Please my princess."
"If opportunity permits. Until then." Rapunzel turned and left the man. She was hurt, she was once again rejected. "Loyalty over love." she mumbled and wiped her tears. "Why did it come to this?"
Once Rapunzel got inside of the city she went straight to the castle. She had failed to notice the figure that has been following her since she left the castle.
Elsa gave Rapunzel a hug. "No matter what, I will do my best to support you. If I have to point a sword to his neck so he would marry you, I will do it. I'll deal with Uncle after that." she chuckled.
Rapunzel chuckled as well. "That's way too extreme, even for you. Enough about me, what about your own lady and your future child?"
"Please don't start. I barely managed to delay the council from arranging my supposed marriage with her." Elsa scoffed and looked outside the window as she removed her waist coat. She felt a hand on her back.
"What do you plan to do?" the princess asked. "It's inevitable Elsa."
"I don't like or love her Rapunzel. I don't think I'll ever will." Elsa closed her eyes as she felt her back tingle at the touch. "That will always remind me how I should not stray from my goal. After the coronation, everything would be set in motion."
"Speaking of the coronation, are you going to have her attend?"
"No. Absolutely not! She still has supporters and it would be a bad impression for the foreign royals and dignitaries to have the people cheering a name other than mine."
"I agree," Rapunzel said. "We shouldn't risk it."
"Anyway, what was your real objective here?" Elsa turned to face her.
Rapunzel looked into Elsa's eyes. "What would you do if the council uncovered your deception? You should have a plan."
"I do have one. It's risky but I think it's worth a shot."
"Will you tell me?"
"No. But I assure you I will keep the promise I gave you."
"Even if I despise her, I still don't want her to feel such horrible experience. Any women, regardless who they were."
"I know." Elsa sighed. "Sometimes I feel like I am directing my anger to the wrong person but whenever I remember them, all I see is red. Am I a bad person?"
Rapunzel caressed Elsa's bruise free face and said. "No, you are not. You lost so much, much more than she has. She lost the only family she knew but does she know if that person was worth of her adoration?"
"She wouldn't believe us even we tell the truth. She sees us as usurpers, liars and pretenders." Elsa recalled how she was addressed by the former princess.
"As much as I hated the idea, make her trust you. Maybe then she'll believe you."
"What?" Elsa gave her cousin an incredulous look. "I hate to think that you wanted me to do that."
Rapunzel bit her lower lip then spoke. "Elsa. I've heard a rumor, someone is out there, they will take her for their advantage, they wanted her for a long time now."
"Now I have to compete for her affection is that it?!" Elsa flung her glass to the wall, shattering it into shards. Rapunzel didn't flinch because she was used to Elsa's outburst. "I am the Queen and I refuse to bow down and grovel at her feet like a lovesick fool!"
"Then tell me what will you do if she managed to escape and be taken by other people?! Admit it, she was one of the reason why your enemies aren't making any move. They are loyal to her not to you. If you feel guilty for lashing out your anger, your revenge to her then think carefully! You see her as an Eldr not Anna. She and her grandfather are different. She hasn't spark any rebellion, not yet at least because we are guarding her, if she was so adamant on going against you she shouldn't have endured staying here. If you can't set aside your anger towards her grandfather then it would be hard for you once the council made their decision." Rapunzel studied Elsa's reaction. She had none, her face was blank and emotionless. "If you make her fall for you, you'll have her wrapped around your fingers and you'll be invincible."
"You do realize if I have to make her trust me, I would be compelled to reveal my true identity. Strip myself bare to my enemy."
"If that's what would make her trust you then you must."
Glacial eyes were glaring at the princess. "Get out." she ordered.
"Elsa." Rapunzel called.
"Please, I don't want to hurt you." Elsa closed her eyes and took deep breaths "For the love of Freya, get out Rapunzel." she ordered once more.
Without a word, Rapunzel left and ran to her room. She slammed her bedroom door shut so hard that she felt the wall shook. She sat on her bed with her hands covering her tear stricken face. She saw a book on her bed and took it before flinging it towards the vanity mirror with a loud crash.
"I'm so sorry." she mumbled. "I was careless." she said to one in particular while remembering what had happened earlier before confronting Elsa.
Flashback.
Rapunzel was on her way to have her afternoon tea when she was intercepted by the Duke of Weselton.
"Your Highness, I would like to have a word with you." he said.
Rapunzel shrugged and followed him to the library before locking the door.
"Tea?" the Duke offered.
"Yes, thank you. I was about to get some for myself." she inhaled the aroma of the tea from her cup.
"That's perfect then." the Duke smiled.
Rapunzel smiled. "What do you want to tell me?"
"I was hoping you'll ask something else before going to that, but if you insist, I will get straight to the point." the Duke placed his cup back on the saucer. "I was told by one of the birds that a certain princess maintained a clandestine romantic relationship to one of the traitors."
Rapunzel did her best not to flinch but for sure her face paled, no wonder the Duke was smirking at her.
"And who would that be?" she calmly asked.
The Duke smiled. "You know full well who I am talking about."
"Ah I believe I don't." she dismissed.
"I see. Then you wouldn't mind me telling your father about the identity of your lover -"
Rapunzel panicked because it would ruin Elsa's plan if someone knew the real nature of their relationship, she has to do something and she can't let her father know about this, her lover would be in grave danger because they didn't know the full story. She refused to say anything because it would put Elsa in a precarious position to her allies, making her choose between her lover and her cousin. She wouldn't know who to save.
"- and to the Queen, I'll tell her your are consorting with the traitors. You know how much she hated treachery."
Her finger twitched as he continued. He only knew about the lover but not all of it. Thank the gods but still she has to be careful. If her father got a wind of this it would be bad for all of them.
Rapunzel was silent for a moment, she knew how the Duke plays, he wanted something from her.
"What do you want?" she asked.
"Ah there it is, the question I've been waiting for." the Duke gave her a sly smile. While on the other hand, Rapunzel wanted to bury the man six feet under.
"Just tell me. I haven't got all day." she rolled her eyes.
"Very well. I want you to persuade Her Majesty to make Anna fall for her."
"What? You old man must've hit your head so hard while you were a child making you delusional." she said.
"Such lack of tact for a princess." the Duke tutted. "What I want is simple. Convince Her Majesty to make the Eldr woman fall for her, because whether you like it not they will marry, once Anna was made Queen, she'll have influence and power despite not being the de facto ruler." he emptied his cup.
Rapunzel waited.
"Her supporters will stand behind her, leaving Elsa powerless in her own kingdom. I am sure Corona will be there for Elsa and be ready. But what if Anna managed to convince other kingdoms to ally with her, all of Elsa's hard work will be all for naught. Her vengeance won't save her, I assure you that."
"No kingdom will want her. She's shamed and her house was ruined."
The Duke chuckled. "I believe that's where you're wrong." he paused before continuing. "Maybe you had forgotten the reason why we were able to reconquer Arendelle from the Usurper Runeard. A kingdom broke the alliance because the fool Runeard refused to give her granddaughter's hand to the King of the Valley. That kingdom would overwhelm Arendelle and Corona on a naval battle."
"I am insulted that you discredited the Coronan fleet that brought us victory." the princess hissed.
"I am merely stating the fact. Will your father be willing to leave Corona undefended by bringing the entire fleet here in Arendelle? I think not. And Arendelle's current state was not ready for war. Elsa has enemies inside and out. If she's willing to set aside her anger towards the person, who had no other choice but be born to be a granddaughter of a murderer, she may have a chance to survive. Anna may not be a threat for now but she will become the biggest threat in Elsa's life." the Duke's words rung truth in them. "Both of us wanted Elsa to live and rule Arendelle just like what she was destined to do but she needs Anna. Anna is the key for Elsa. The King of the Valley was obsessed with the former princess. That old man wanted her for a long time."
"Why do you need me when you can always tell her that."
"She will consider your words more than mine. She would think I am dictating what she should and shouldn't do."
"But isn't that what you're doing now?" Rapunzel gave him an incredulous look.
"Not when it came from the person she had more trust into, and that's you."
"You want me to have Elsa fall in love to the person she hated? What will you gain from this?"
"Rapunzel, I am old and I do not want to spend my dying days fighting a war where people dying just because they served two opposing families. I've served two Kings before Elsa, one wanted peace so he unified the House Aren and Vinter, so there won't be any war between those houses, but he realized too late that there was someone who desired the crown for himself." the Duke lowered his head. "Elsa is the heiress of Arendelle, while Anna is the heiress of the people. If only they could be at least extinguished the hostility between them, make peace with one another then maybe Arendelle can have its long overdue peace. If you love your lover and Elsa, you would help me."
There was silence then. . .
"Very well." Rapunzel reluctantly agreed. It was true Elsa have enemies. If she has to be one just to save her then she would do it, for her sake and for her lover. She would save both of them and prevent their plans from ruin.
"Thank you." the Duke said.
Rapunzel was so confident that she could do it but the result had hurt herself. She felt so guilty from staying from the path she and Elsa had chose. Her cousin must've felt betrayed by her. They chose to end all the people who wronged them but here she was going against the promised that she would support her with cousin with anything. Here she was crying her heart of out of guilt and love for her cousin and her lover.
"I am so sorry Elsa. I had no choice. I want you to live. I promised that I'll protect you like a little sister I never had. I will continue to do so even if you start to hate me." she mumbled to herself.
Meanwhile, back in the Queen's study.
Elsa was making herself drunk by draining an entire bottle wine.
"Marshall!" she called.
"What is it, Your Ma- Elsa what's wrong?" Marshall asked worriedly.
"Fetch Lady Anna and bring her to Vinter Castle. Now!" Elsa barked.
Marshall hesitated. "What if the lady refused?"
"Bring her there, use force if needed be. Just do whatever means necessary is that clear?! No one should know about this. Have Eric accompany me there, and tell your brother to give an excuse if ever someone ask about our whereabouts next the morning."
Marshall wanted to say no but she was the Queen and his loyalty would be in question. But his Queen's current state was not ideal and not safe for the Lady Anna. He steeled himself and bowed. "Of course, Your Majesty."
Anna was frantically pacing inside her room as she tried to comprehend everything what Olaf had told her. No she refused to believe that her grandfather was a murderer just like what they said to her. They had no proof if her grandfather really did that.
"There has to be some explanation to all of these." Anna halted and tapped her chin as she think. "If Elsa was one of the children of the Duke then which one was she? Or was she a he?" her last question was incredulous but it was possible since the latter managed to . . . Anna shook her head at the thought but her hand was on her abdomen. "What if Olaf said was true that two of the children went missing, then who are they?" she started to pace again.
"How am I going to prove if everything they said are true?" Anna was torn between believing them and believing that her grandfather was innocent. Anna's heart ached at the thought of betraying the only father she knew. No. She shouldn't believe them! They were poisoning her mind.
She spent more minutes pacing until a knock disturbed her.
"Who is it?"
"It's me, M'Lady, Marshall. Queen Elsa's personal guard."
Anna took the dagger under her mattress and hid it behind her. "Come in." the door opened at the command.
"Good evening, M'lady." his cold tone reached Anna's ear. "You are being summoned by the Queen, if you would follow me."
"I refuse." Anna knew better than to spend a time alone with the Queen.
Marshall said nothing and got closer.
"You will maintain your distance sir." Anna showed him the dagger, however the man didn't stop, instead he advanced. "What are you-" a loud thump of the dagger was heard when it hit the carpeted floor. Anna's body went limp into the arms of the man as she lost consciousness because she was tapped at the back of her neck.
Marshall had kicked the dagger under the bed to hide it and carried the lady in bridal style and got out of the room. He didn't forget to close the door.
Someone where in the North of the continent.
A woman with long white hair was re-reading the invitation from the Queen of Arendelle for her coronation. She was in her study when her door opened.
"What is it grandmother?" asked the woman with dark hair and brown eyes.
"Please tell Master Harley that we will attend to the Queen's coronation. Make sure everything will be ready. And I need you to accompany me."
"Of course." the granddaughter smiled before closing the door shut.
"Elsa of Arendelle. You had overthrow the usurper, now I want you to prove yourself as a true Arendellian." she smiled and turned her eyes to the portrait of her late husband.
Somewhere on the southern part of the sea.
A servant was holding a circular silver tray and a letter on top if it. It bore the six pointed snowflake and the Arendellian crocus as seal.
"Sir, a letter from Arendelle." said the head butler.
The man with graying hair and a pair of stern green eyes looked up from the book he was reading. He reached for it and thanked the servant.
His eyes were passive as he opened the letter using a knife. He read it with no enthusiasm.
"So she finally will make it official. I'll write my letter of attendance in the morning."
Somewhere in the across the sea on the western part of the continent.
"What would be your response father?" asked the man with auburn hair and green eyes.
"What do you think we should do?" his father asked.
The man looked down. "We s-should decline for the new Queen was not the rightful heir." said the son.
The father just stared at his son. "And who do you think must have the throne?" there was no answer. "We will attend. Then we will reconcile our house to the Queen and perhaps restore the honor Runeard took from us." his blood boiled at the thought of the man.
"Of course father."
Somewhere in the mountainous part of the continent across the sea.
A man with graying hair and dark eyes were gleaming with delight as he read the invitation of the Queen of Arendelle for her coronation. Finally he would be able set foot in the kingdom after his proposed marriage was rejected. Now he would be able to take the woman he desired so much.
"Wait for me my princess, I will make you mine. Maybe your Queen will give you to me if I ask her to." he chuckled.
Morning came in Arendelle. Everyone were starting their day. The royal kitchens had prepared for the castle's residence's food, especially the food for the royals and nobles.
Rapunzel was lying on her stomach and her hair was mussed, the sun was already high but she was still motionless even if she woke up an hour ago. She refused to go out and take glimpse at Elsa's betrayed look. She didn't want to be seen as a traitor.
She hoped Elsa would understand that she was only doing it for her sake. She wanted to help Elsa have her revenge to the man who was tasked to wield the sword.
She wanted to give Elsa the closure she deserved.
Twenty Years ago.
A little girl was staying in her room, alone. She was staring outside the window. Her eyes were blank and unseeing. She was like this since she woke up. She was wearing a thick dark blue coat to protect her from the cold. Her hair was braided in a single plait.
The Coronan Princess learned that the new occupant of the castle was her cousin. She was delighted for she always wanted a sibling but her mother's health was poor and barely survived giving birth to her. However the younger girl was silent, and doesn't want to play with her.
Rapunzel could always hear screams every night. That's the only time she would hear the voice of the younger girl. The girl kept on screaming for her mother, father and her siblings. The princess wanted to comfort the girl but the girl always flinched then scream whenever there's a person coming closer to her.
She saw how sad those glacial eyes were. She wanted those eyes to be filled with light and happiness. She would do anything for the little girl to be happy.
Now Rapunzel had done the opposite. She wanted to take back her words and apologize but she couldn't do that, for the sake of the plans made by Elsa. She would go through the emotional torture she placed herself in.
A knock was heard before she heard the door opened. It was her father.
"Sunshine, have you seen your cousin?" asked her father.
"No, I haven't." Rapunzel responded without turning.
"Are you ill?"
"No. I just don't feel like going out."
It was odd and the King knew this. His eyes then found the broken vanity mirror, he knew then something was not right."
"I see." the King said. "Just find me when you are ready to talk about it."
"Thank you Father."
She was left alone once more. Rapunzel closed her eyes and try to sleep off her heavy feelings.
The coldness of the room didn't bother Elsa but she still wore a white shirt, dark blue waistcoat and her long sleeved dark blue military coat, secured by a black sash around her waist. She was at the Vinter Castle's secret vaults with the loyal steward of the Vinters.
"This way, Your Majesty."
Elsa followed the old man as her eyes roamed around the place. She had never been in this part of the castle.
"Here we are." said the man. Both of them were staring at a wall made from stone slabs. It was dusty and full of cobwebs, which the steward removed for his Queen. "The key for this is on your hand." he pointed at the circular engraved on the wall and if one would look closely it has a snowflake engraving at the center.
"My ring?" Elsa lifted her right hand and removed the ring from her pinky.
"Yes. The first Duke had this secret vault made and had instructed the master masons to use his ring as a key. It was ingenious."
Elsa had pressed the surface of the ring on the stone slab and to her surprise it fitted like a hand in a glove.
"Turn it slowly." said the steward. Elsa did what he said.
Both of them heard gears turning behind the stone walls. Elsa took the ring from the small slot and had pushed the wall open.
She couldn't believe her eyes. The room was large and with was filled with gold and jewels and at the wall there was a Vinter flag hanging.
"I've been told about the treasures of the Vinters but I didn't know it was this vast." Both of them entered and lifted their lamps.
"I knew my family is wealthy but this wealth could rival the royal treasury ten fold." Elsa muttered.
"Your ancestors were known for being shrewd when it comes to their finances."
"I'm surprise my great-grandfather Harold didn't squander these." Elsa took one of the jewels and stared at it. It was a sapphire pendant.
"The late Duke Harold didn't know its existence, I was only a teenager when I heard about this vault. Your grandfather had discovered it few months after becoming third Duke of Vinter. It seems Prince Eleazar, your great-great grandfather, knew his son would only spend the Vinter fortune for his pleasure and he didn't told its existence."
"Probably," Elsa said. She was used on seeing large quantities of gold and jewel in Corona, because it was only natural for royals to have large wealth but they were only a Duchy and yet they possessed such vast wealth. The Duchy's public known treasury by the trusted Vinter loyalist knew about half of this amount and only a quarter was known by the crown.
"Did anyone know about this?" Elsa asked.
"Apparently yes, the late Duke of Eldr knew its existence that's why he didn't storm the castle with battering rams and siege weapons when we refused to open the gates for him, he was afraid that if the castle fell, his desired treasure would be lost underground."
"But that didn't stop him, did it?"
"No he didn't stop. He threatened to kill anyone who disobeyed him but we stood firm until he threatened to raze an entire village of farmers under the Duchy's jurisdiction." the man's words was low and full of shame. "We relented and had let him search the entire castle. They managed to reach this place but they only saw series of walls. Nothing more."
"Coward Runeard." Elsa said. She looked around for the thing she was looking for. "Pabbie, are you certain that the thing I am searching for was not in any other room?"
"I am certain, this is the last place we have to search in order to find it. I had the rooms and the late Duchess' room searched when you came here that night for the first time with the Harolds, as you requested." Pabbie recalled how he raised his sword to three cloaked figures only to find out that the heiress finally came home.
"I only saw her wearing it once, when she went to our room and lull us back to sleep. My sister quickly fell asleep using her magic hand." Elsa smiled sadly at the memory. "I asked where she got it and she said that it was an important family heirloom, it was still in good condition but she didn't want to take risk on ruining such heirloom. I didn't see it since."
Both of them were seaching of her mother's heirloom until.
"Elisbeth! I found it."
Once she heard that name, a name she haven't heard in twenty years. Her eyes glimmers and her heart constricted. Elsa blinked out the tears and took the a golden chest with velvet lining. Her eyes were looking at purple scarf her mother owned.
"Thank you." Elsa said with cold tone before continuing. "Never address me using that name ever again. Elisbeth is dead." she sternly stated.
The man was taken aback but nodded. "Of course, Your Majesty. I apologize."
Both of them left the underground vault with the chest that housed her mother's scarf for decades.
Hours later.
Anna woke up in a dark room, the curtains were not drawn and only a sliver sunlight got in the room. She pulled her thick duvets closer to chest, she was surprised at the sudden coldness of the room. She was sure the fireplace was lit last night.
She got off the bed and drew the curtains open. She hissed at the sudden brightness. Once she was accustomed to the light she panicked when she woke up in an unfamiliar room.
She opened the window to checked where she was and saw nothing that reminded her of the city, instead she saw the snow covered mountain from afar. Anna noticed she was still wearing her clothes from yesterday, then a flash of memory of being knocked out by the Queen's personal guard entered her mind.
Anna quickly fixed her hair and wore her boots and got out of the door. She ran down the stairs and she was noticed by the people there, most of them were soldiers and few attendants. She doesn't recognized any of them. Anna turned and was about to bolt out from the castle when a familiar cold voice reached her ears.
"Good morning."
Anna turned and saw the Queen wearing a dark blue military double breasted coat and black trousers, matched with leather boots. The Queen was at the top of the stairs. She ignored the greeting.
"Where am I?"
A question that raised the eyebrow of the Queen.
"I'm surprised you didn't recognize the place where you stayed during the war. This is Vinter Castle. The family seat of the Dukes of Vinter."
"What?" Anna looked around once more, but she barely recognized the castle with all the trapestries and decoration. It was bare and cold when she stayed here. "What am I doing here?"
"I'll show you, if you would follow me." Elsa's tone was commanding. "Don't even think of refusing, all of the servants here are under my command. They will drag you if they have to."
Anna gritted her teeth and reluctantly followed Elsa to the library.
The door click shut and Elsa stood near a specific bookshelf with her back facing her.
"Did you know that each library owned by the children of Rozen the Great were unique?" Elsa's hands touched the spines of the of the dark blue covered of the books with roman numerals on them.
Anna watched Elsa's hand stopped at the small gap between the books. There was a missing volume.
"The library in the castle owned by the Arens, their history books were covered with dark green covers. The Eldrs has red covers, the Westers has purple covers, while Vinters has dark blue." Elsa explained.
The former princess' eyes were on the books, specifically on the part with thr missing book. They were numbered, the numbers were LX, LXI, LXIII, LXIV, LXV and so on. The missing volume was LXII. It felt like she had seen it before.
Arendelle's History Volume LXII
"Why is that here? Uhm, if you would My Lady. Can I have it back?"
Olaf's words in the library back then rang in her ear. Anna's eyes widened at the realization.
Elsa took a satchel from the desk nearby and took out a worn book, the cover was already chipping away. Anna saw Elsa had placed the book to the gap, completing the set.
"It's been twenty years and now it's finally home." Elsa had touched the old book.
"How come you possessed that book? Did you steal it?" Anna said in condescending tone.
"How can you steal something when it is yours?" Elsa shrugged. "I always take a book with me whenever we travel, whether near or far. I was taking up lessons from my private tutor with my when I was eight and was asked to read about our kingdom's history.
"Why are you telling me this?" Anna refused to acknowledge each words coming out of Elsa's lips.
"You had called me a liar. A pretender. And a usurper."
"That you are." Anna said.
"I am neither. But if you want to believe it then it's your choice. My father, Duke Agnarr of House Vinter, had raised me to be honorable that befits my family name. While my mother, Princess Iduna of Corona then later became Duchess of Vinter, had raised me to be graceful and patient."
"You're lying! The Duke's children were Kristian, Elisbeth and Elaine!" Anna shouted, she refused to acknowledge Elsa's claim, because if they were true then her grandfather would be painted as a murderer. No refused to think that.
Elsa did her best not to react at the names of her siblings. "True. Those were their names. I was named after my maternal great-grandmother, Queen Elisbeth. I was later known as Elsa the orphan, with no lands and titles. I was only eight, no thanks to your grandfather." Elsa flashed Anna a golden signet ring that bore the six pointed snowflake, which she wore around her pinky. Anna recognized the ring from the portraits.
That was another proof of Elsa's noble heritage. "I didn't imagine to come back here after twenty years." Elsa went near the fireplace and looked up to the massive family portrait.
Anna followed Elsa's line of sight and there she saw a couple and their three blonde children that had glacial eyes. "My parents had this commissioned when my twin and I were seven, while our elder brother was eleven. We were peaceful back then. Not until your grandfather decided he should be King and not my father."
Anna took a step back.
"They will always remind me that you are my enemy." Elsa turned her head and looked straight into Anna's eyes. "The enemy I have to destroy, the enemy I have to kill." Elsa's eyes were full of hatred.
For the first time in her life Anna didn't dare to answer back. What she saw were eyes filled with coldness and eternal darkness.
"You may be carrying my child but doesn't mean you are safe from me." Elsa caressed Anna's face. "Always remember that." she said before leaving her alone in the library.
Anna's knees gave in and she sat on the cold carpeted floor after the door was shut closed. Those eyes were not the eyes of a liar but the eyes of someone who suffered so much pain and anguish turned into hate, she may not believe her words but her eyes conveyed much more truth. "I have to escape." she said, she held her abdomen. "And I will escape with the Heir of Arendelle."
HOW WAS IT?
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