AN: Thank you for reading, reviewing. Don't forget to tip your local writer on the way out.


Elsa slept.

She had no way of knowing for how long, but for the first time in more than a week, it was a deep, restful sleep, blissfully free of dreams or nightmares. During a short moment of consciousness, she considered moving from the cot to her usual spot on the floor but discarded the thought immediately, for multiple reasons. Most importantly, she lacked the energy or desire to force her stiff, sore body to move, but also, she was quite comfortable where she was, with blankets stacked and tucked around her, wrapping her in a cocoon of warmth. The cold might not bother Elsa, but that wasn't to say she didn't enjoy being warm.

She didn't eat at all the first day, purely because she slept through the delivery of all three meals, straight through the night and into the following morning. She managed to stay awake long enough to eat what they brought for lunch then, though she couldn't recall what it was. She woke again for her sister's all too brief visit and immediately after, she slipped back into a deep slumber.

It wasn't until sometime just before Anna's third visit that the exhaustion melted away, to be slowly replaced with a sort of restlessness, enough for Elsa to realize that Alarik hadn't just been a figment of an overtaxed mind. When he and Anna told her that the Admiral was on his way, when he asked for any information she could share, it hadn't been a wishful dream.

The idea made Elsa feel giddy and even more restless. Finally, she pushed herself up from the cot and stood, leaving the blankets in a pool at the end of the narrow bed. Her muscles were sore from the long time sleeping; she wanted to pace and work them out a bit, but the short chain connected to her bindings wouldn't allow for such movement.

The knowledge that there was a rescue currently underway made Elsa felt lighter and more hopeful than she had in the last week or so. Help was on its way. The Sirma might be a formidable foe, but she'd seen them fight; she knew their style, knew they wouldn't be a match. These were warriors while Arendelle was a properly trained military. She also took some comfort in the knowledge that Alarik would be with Anna as much as possible until they were rescued. She knew the man would keep her sister safe, both before and during the fighting.

The only real worry she had was what Tyr would do once the fighting started. The man was calculating, meticulously planning certain things, but he also seemed prone to anger and clearly had a temper. Not to mention a violent streak. Depending on when Arendelle attacked, she would be put directly in Tyr's path, or at least within arm's reach. She needed to be prepared for that risk. Not for the first time, Elsa was frustrated with herself, knowing that without her magic, she was as good as useless in such a situation. How different would this all have turned out if she knew how to defend herself, both with and without her magic. She sighed; there was nothing that could be done about it now.

Elsa chewed her lower lip, wondering if she could convince Erik to let her see her sister. Tyr wouldn't approve, obviously, but there was no reason for the man to know. As far as she knew, he'd been keeping his distance since the night of the last battle. She had no idea why but wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Erik, on the other hand, had been . . . civil up to this point. At least, as much as a captor could be. She would give a try but would have to wait until he returned to the tent and was alone to ask. He usually spent his afternoons working inside, at the large table on the other side of the tent, while Tyr stayed out for most of the day unless he was meeting with the Sirma's version of officers around the same large table.

She was often ignored during those meetings, when battle plans and strategies were created. When she was mentioned, she was referred to as 'the witch.' Elsa listened to the meetings with mild interest – not because she wanted to know what was going on; she didn't care about the Sirma's war – but she found the planning of battles, the strategy and tactics of it, interesting. She couldn't help thinking how similar it was to a game of chess. Perhaps it was something she would investigate when she got back home. The thought brought a smile to her face. It wouldn't be much longer now.

Elsa released a heavy breath and sank to the floor. She leaned against the pole and pulled her legs in close. Until then, there was nothing to do but wait. Wait for Erik to return, wait for her men to rescue her and her sister, wait for all this to be over with.


Anna was restless, full of an excited sort of energy that was interrupting her sleep and disrupting her usually voracious appetite. It was just as well; she had grown sick of the daily Sirma offering of meat and bread within days of arriving at camp. She craved a substantial meal prepared by the castle kitchen staff, and her mouth watered at the thought. They were so close to the finish line. Mixing with her anticipation of making their way away from here and back home was a lingering worry over Elsa's condition. Anna wrung her hands, thinking of her sister's still too-pale face, her obvious weakness and exhaustion during their visit the day before.

She was happy that Tyr and Erik seemed to be leaving her sister alone now, giving Elsa the opportunity for some much-needed sleep. Or, as happy as one could be in such situation. Maybe they realized Elsa couldn't fight their war for them if they worked her into exhaustion, but she would take it. Soon, very soon, it wouldn't even be an issue. They would both be home in Arendelle, where the most dangerous thing Elsa would have to worry about was politics.

Anna flopped onto her pallet and blew out a frustrated breath. She was pretty sure that the days leading up to a big fight and rescue operation where supposed to be a lot more exciting. At least, they had always been in the books she read, where the hero arrives just in the nick of time to save the day. She shifted uncomfortably at the thought. Maybe boring was better. She didn't want to see her sister, or anyone else, being a part of a save close enough to be classified as just in the nick of time.

She didn't want to dwell on it any further, and was about to push up from the bed to start another circuit of pacing when her ears perked to an approaching voice outside her tent.

"Do I look like I know what's going on?" The man's voice was unfamiliar and tired-sounding. Ambivalent, even. "All I know is that Erik said it was fine, but that someone had to be in there with 'em." After a moment of silence, he added, "so, I guess I get to spend the next half-hour listening to the incessant prattling of wom—Ow!" There was a sound of scuffling, then the man raised his voice. "Why you—"

"Why don't I do it?"

Anna's heart thumped as she heard Alarik's voice interject. "I grew up with two sisters, so I'm pretty good at drowning—that out."

She grinned and stood, tempted to peek through the tent to see what was going on, but didn't want to get herself – or worse, Alarik – in trouble.

"Fine."

"Your shift is over in about an hour, right?" Alarik asked. "Why not head to the mess tent now, and send your relief when you're ready?"

"You sure? You want to be stuck in there for an hour?"

"It's not the worse job I've had, trust me. Plus, you'll owe me a drink later."

The man laughed. "Deal. Have fun," he added, in a tone that suggested it was going to be anything but fun.

Then Anna heard a voice that sent her heart soaring.

"What?" Elsa's voice sounded clear and sharp, nothing like the hushed slur of the last time Anna saw her sister.

"Was it really necessary to kick the man?" Alarik asked.

"I slipped," Elsa responded.

Anna could imagine perfectly the expression her sister must have had in face of such a question. She was practically bouncing as the tent flap was drawn back and Elsa ducked in.

Alarik followed close behind. "You two are going to be the death of me," he muttered.

"Elsa!" Anna was able to keep from tackling her sister in the entranceway of the tent, but it was a close one. She gave Elsa a quick look over, noting that her sister's eyes looked brighter than she had seen them in over a week. The bruises on her cheek and neck had faded into a molted yellowish-brown color and her hands were still bound in front of her, but she looked worlds better than she had a few days ago. It would seem that sleep was a great healer.

"Anna," Elsa breathed out, covering the short distance between them in quick steps. She lifted her arms and looped her bound hands over Anna's head, pulling her in and wrapping her in a tight hug.

Anna returned the hug with such fierceness it was impossible to know who was squeezing harder. She buried her face in her older sister's shoulder and breathed deeply. Somehow, despite not being able to take a bath in a week, her sister still smelled like the forest outside of town on a cold winter morning. Anna rolled her lower lip between her teeth, fighting to keep her tears at bay. She had refused to break down when she was shoved into the cart at the fort, when she was separated from her sister, when Tyr tried to cut off her hand, even when Kristoff and Alarik showed up promising a rescue. She wanted to be strong but standing there with her sister's arms wrapped around her, offering the promise of safety and security like no one else could, it was so hard. She felt the way she had when they were little, when she knew that her big sister was going to make everything okay again just by virtue of being, because there was nothing Elsa couldn't do.

She let it all go; everything that had happened, everything that was still happening. It all came crashing down on Anna, and her fingers tangled in Elsa's dirty tunic as she pulled her sister as close as she could and started to cry into her shoulder.

Elsa rubbed her back, soothing her and whispering soft words, telling her that it would be okay. Like this was nothing more than a bad nightmare or a loud thunderstorm. They stood like that for a long time, until Anna's tears dried up. She hiccupped, tried to apologize.

Her sister lifted her arms to pull out of the hug and immediately, Anna found herself missing the warmth of Elsa's embrace. Elsa cupped her face with both hands, her thumbs brushing away the tears and leaned forward to press her lips against her forehead then shifted to rest her forehead against Anna's. "It's okay, snow bug. You're okay." She planted another kiss on Anna's forehead, something the younger girl would never get tired of. Elsa dropped her hands, taking of Anna's and guiding her over the pallet. She sat heavily, pulling Anna down with her.

Anna wrapped her fingers around Elsa's hand, refusing to let go, and rubbed at her eyes with her other palm. Across the tent, Alarik was sitting at the desk thumbing through the journal she had left there, trying not to intrude on the private moment. "Sorry," she mumbled again, a blush heating her cheeks.

"Anna, it's okay." Elsa squeezed her hand. "Really."

"She's right," Alarik added, apparently feeling the conversation had moved to a place he could safely join in. "You've been through a lot. Both of you have. Honestly, I know soldiers who wouldn't have made it this far without breaking down."

Anna simply shrugged, uncomfortable at his words. She turned to her sister. "How are you doing? You look better. And how did you convince them to let you. . ." She waved a vague hand.

"Off my leash?" Elsa shrugged. "Honestly, I just asked Erik." She pressed her lips together. "Something's wrong, I think. Tyr hasn't bothered me since the last battle, and I've caught Erik looking at me oddly. Like suddenly, he's worried I'm going to do something."

"Might have something to do with what happened the other night," Alarik suggested.

Elsa blinked. "What happened the other night?"

Anna snorted. "You mean besides you telling Tyr off?"

Her sister's eyes widened as she turned to Anna. "I what?"

The genuine confusion in the reaction made her frown. "You told Tyr that he had no honor and that his soldiers were no better than a band of thugs." Elsa continued to look at Anna with disbelief. "Do you really not remember?"

Elsa dropped her gaze to the floor, her brow crinkled. "I don't . . .I remember being really tired on the ride back, and Tyr looking pissed about something. I remember you and Alarik waking me up, telling me the help was coming, then waking up a few hours ago." She bit her lower lip, looking rather upset. She let go of Anna's hand, lifting her own bound ones to press against her eyes. "Everything else is sort of hazy," she said, shaking her head.

"Elsa." Anna turned and placed a hand on her sister's shoulder, waited for the woman to look up. "Elsa, that was two days ago."

"Oh."

She supposed she shouldn't really be surprised things were foggy for Elsa; her sister had barely been able to keep her eyes open that night. In fact, they had to wake her several times in the middle of the conversation. And after that . . . well, Anna didn't know whether to be happy or worried that her sister had unknowingly slept through the past two days.

"You said Erik might be worried because of something that happened that night?" Elsa asked, steering the conversation back on course. "I assume you aren't talking about what I may have said."

Anna couldn't help the small grin that pulled at the corner of her mouth. It really wasn't the time, but she couldn't help feeling comforted, happy even, that her sister was so focused. Elsa almost seemed like her normal self. "You brought down the temperature in the tent and created a layer of ice around your feet that stayed there for hours." When Elsa blinked at her, she added, "without the cuffs reacting."

At Anna's words, Elsa looked down at her wrists and twisted each one, studying the cuffs.

"Do you remember doing that?" her sister asked, breaking Elsa from her thoughts.

She looked up to see not only Anna, but Alarik watching her carefully. "No," she answered honestly, shaking her head. "I . . . I've tried to use my magic before while the cuffs were. . . activated, but I haven't been able to do so much as make a flurry." Elsa rolling her lips against her teeth. "Though . . ."

"Though?" Anna prompted.

"The night Tyr tried to . . . when he—" Elsa couldn't finish the words, didn't want to finish the thought. She shook her head and pulled her hands in closer, crossing them around her body the best she could with her restraints.

Alarik leaned forward. "You think that something happened?"

She nodded, loosening the fingers of her right hand. "Since that night, something about the right cuff has felt—off."

"Off how?" Anna asked.

Elsa frowned, reluctant to share what she was thinking. Anna had looked so happy when she entered the tent, and then lost the battle against her stress and worry. The last thing Elsa wanted to do was give her a brand-new reason to fret. But there was no telling what might happen before the Arendelle army arrived, and they deserved to know. She sighed heavily. "It . . . feels like it's absorbing my magic at a faster rate."

Her sister recoiled. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Elsa tilted her head. "When would I have had a chance to?"

"Have you tried using your magic while the cuffs were active since?" Alarik asked, reacting to the information with much less emotion.

"No," Elsa said with a shake of her head. She looked down at the cuff surrounding her right wrist. "I suppose now is as good a time as any." She rubbed the tips of her fingers together, then held her hand out in front of her, palm up. She concentrated on creating a flurry of snow.

When nothing happened, she pressed a little harder, wincing as the cuffs flared with light. Elsa immediately let go of her magic, having no desire to put herself through the pain she knew the cuffs could cause. She let her hands fall back to her lap, her eyes sliding shut as fresh exhaustion washed over her. "I can't," she said softly. "I'm sorry."

"Elsa," Anna said in a quiet voice.

Elsa cracked open her eyes to see both Anna and Alarik looking at the floor. She followed their gaze and found the floor of the tent was now covered in a thin layer of ice. Ice that had bloomed from around her bare feet.

"Okay," Alarik said. "One, remind me to find you some boots. And two, I assume that's not what you were going for."

"Not quite." Elsa said, studying the ring of ice around her feet. A thought formed in her mind, something she wanted to test out before saying anything. She stood up from the bed and walked across the cool floor to the small desk where Alarik sat. She leaned forward and pressed her hands flat against the surface. She took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. Rather than commanding her magic to do what she wanted, she allowed it seep from her. As she let go, frost began to creep along the surface of the desk, layering itself without any real definition.

Elsa lifted her hands and stepped back from the frost-coated desk. There was no glow emanating from the stones; the cuffs hadn't responded to her use of magic. She could use her magic, but only if she went slow, allowed it to flow naturally like a ribbon of water slipping through a crack in the wall. If she could do that, then she could keep the cuffs from reacting. From stopping and hurting her.

"Not quite enough to be useful, I'm afraid," she said, turning to face a wide-eyed Anna. She smiled. "At least, not yet."


Anna's heart fluttered as she sat on her pallet, staring at what was left of the frost that had covered the surface of the desk. Elsa could use her magic. It wasn't much, but it was something. Her sister was also looking more energetic and focused then she had since this entire ordeal began. Anna knew it wouldn't last long; already, she could see the subtle cracks in Elsa's mask, the ones that said this second wind of hers was temporary. It was worrying to learn that one of the cuffs was draining her magic faster, and had been for almost a week, but Anna took comfort in the knowledge that it would only be an issue for a little while longer.

They were so close to the end. To home.

Elsa had been able to give Alarik a lot more intel than she had previously – how the Sirma fought, as well as a more in-depth layout of the camp that Anna herself had provided. It hadn't even occurred to her that her sister had seen more of the camp than she had, considering how strictly Elsa had been confined to the command tent. She had seen whole sections of the camp that Anna hadn't, particularly the roads that led in and out.

Just after nightfall, Alarik came back into the tent to tell Anna he had seen the signal he'd been waiting for, one that meant Naismith was close. He was going to sneak out of camp, a feat far easier than getting in, and meet up with the Admiral to make any last-minute plans for the attack.

"Be careful," he told her in a serious tone. She was to expect action at some point tomorrow night, but when she heard the fighting begin Anna was to stay inside the tent, no matter how much she might want to find her sister, or help. Arendelle was attacking at night, which meant it would be harder to decipher friend from foe.

Anna watched water drip from the edge of the desk and thought about everything her sister had been through.

They were so close to the end.


Before Kristoff left the Sirma camp, he and Alarik had agreed on a signal. When the military was roughly a day out, they would send Rune to the cliff from which they first spotted the camp. They had debated whether Alarik would join the soldiers or stay within the camp, and in the end, came to a compromise; if Alarik had gathered any extra intel he would join up with the military, and if not, he would send Rune back as a signal of his own that they were ready.

The information the Queen had been able to give him – about Sirma fight tactics as well as information about Tyr and Erik – had seemed important enough to risk leaving the camp to meet with Naismith. He didn't think the Princess was in too much danger; it was the Queen Alarik was worried about. She would be in the direct path of Tyr when the fighting started, and from what Anna had told him as well as what little he had witnessed himself, the man was unpredictable, at best, and prone to aggression. It was important that the Admiral was aware of that, and that they planned carefully to minimize the risk to the Queen.

They were so close; they couldn't risk losing her or Anna down this last stretch.


Elsa curled her legs closer and rested her hands atop her knees. She felt better, lighter even, after visiting with her sister. She rotated her wrists, studying the stones and runes of the cuffs. She could use her magic. Not enough to do more than create a layer of frost on whatever she was physically touching, and if she pressed too hard against the wall, the cuffs would react, painfully. It was a delicate balance, difficult enough to maintain in the relative calmness of her sister's tent, with only Anna and Alarik standing by. Once the fighting started, Elsa wasn't sure she'd be able to maintain a calm enough mind to keep from pressing too hard.

She let her eyes slip closed and rested her head against the pole behind her as a subtle wave of tiredness fell over her. Once the army took the camp, someone would have to get the key to her cuffs from Tyr. Whether or not he gave it over willingly wasn't a concern, assuming they even gave him the chance to resist. Elsa hoped the key wouldn't just deactivate the stones but would release the bands from around her wrists altogether. The skin underneath was becoming itchy, and felt rubbed raw.

Already, she found her mind preoccupied with would happen in the aftermath of this confrontation, when the dust settled. Elsa had no doubt that, regardless of what she did, other countries would eventually find out what happened, and the part she had played in this relatively minor war. The information was bound to make its way across the sea, through diplomats, spies, or just people giving into idle gossip. News like this always got out. It meant that what the Queen did after would set the example of how Arendelle responded to outside threats. If she was too harsh, other countries would certainly take notice, and all the work she had been putting into convincing them she had no intention of using her magic against them could fall to pieces. If she was too lenient, they would likely think her weak, easily manipulated and taken advantage of.

Elsa would not allow Arendelle to be viewed as weak, nor could she let it be seen as a threat that may need to be neutralized. She had options, but she'd have to choose her actions and words carefully. She supposed there was little point in obsessing over it now, before they even knew who would be left standing after the coming battle. There was always a chance she would be killed in the fighting; in which case, the aftermath would no longer be her worry.

It was a morbid thought, but a very realistic one.

Elsa's thoughts were interrupted when she felt more than saw a shadow fall over her. She cracked her eyes open to see who had entered the tent, and her heart thudded against her chest.


Anna wrapped her arms around herself as she paced a small circuit in her tent. She had been allowed to see her sister briefly that day, and had been reminded all over again how seamless Elsa's mask could be. Nothing about her expression or posture gave away the eagerness and restlessness Anna knew her sister had to be feeling. The only brief crack she'd seen was the flash of curiosity that touched Elsa's face as she took notice that the guard escorting Anna was Sirma, and not Alarik.

Anna had wished there was a way she could tell her sister that Arendelle was coming tonight, but they were so close, and she couldn't risk something slipping that would tip off the Sirma.

She paced another circuit, her fingers digging into the sleeves of her shirt. She wished she was with Elsa instead of separated. She was worried what could happen. Her sister had some magic but not a lot, and little use of her hands. Her worry twisted her gut until she felt nauseated. Anna stopped, drawing deliberate, slow breaths as she worked to calm her quickly fraying nerves.

There had been noises outside her tent not long ago, but when she tried to get a peek, she was blocked from seeing anything by the giant guard standing directly outside. Anna took some comfort in knowing that whatever was going on, it sounded small. Like a scouting party heading out. There had been many such groups over the past week, and oftentimes Tyr rode with them. She thought it odd that they were going out just after dark, only to realize that if Tyr was absent from the camp when the Arendellians attacked, that only worked in their favor. It meant the key to Elsa's cuffs was with him, but also that the only person who would be in the tent with Elsa during the attack was Erik. He was far less likely to act out violently just because he could.

Anna was about to start another circuit when she heard new sounds outside her tent, a muted scuffle and a grunt, then footsteps moving in multiple directions. She stepped toward the entrance only to hesitate. Alarik had warned her to stay inside, lest someone mistake her for one of the Sirma.

She wrung her hands together, debating, before finally shaking her head. If it meant making sure her sister was okay, then it was worth the risk. Anna tugged open the tent flap and immediately collided with a broad chest.

"I told him, you wouldn't stay in the tent."


Alarik kept to the shadows as he slinked back into camp. He had wanted to personally collect the Queen and secure her, but Naismith had sent another officer instead. Since he was the one most familiar with the layout of the camp, Alarik was to lead several companies of soldiers further in and take the bulk of the Sirma force, who were sleeping in a group of tents on the south side of camp, by surprise. It had to be done quickly and carefully to ensure the soldiers didn't have a chance to fight back, made slightly more complicated by the Queen's orders to take as many as possible without killing them. She had agreed, however, that if they fought back, all bets were off. She would not sacrifice her people for the sake of her enemy.

Alarik led the soldiers deep into the camp, easily avoiding the patrol route he had committed to memory. They moved silently and quickly into the area. In the end, the Sirma hadn't resisted; waking up to find someone holding a sword or crossbow to your throat went a long way towards discouraging fighting back. There had been some minor scuffles, men who refused to surrender despite the fact they were surrounded. Two of Alarik's men sustained minor injuries, and the Sirma now had five less soldiers to fight their war.

Once the dust settled, Alarik left one of the lieutenants to round up and secure those that had surrendered. He stopped long enough to make sure his men were seen to by the unit's medic, then quickly made his way toward the Sirma command tent, where he knew Arendelle's royal sisters would be.

He skidded to a stop as he nearly ran into Kristoff, with Anna walking next to him. Both looked anxious, but Alarik gave Kristoff a look. The ice harvester was supposed to keep Anna in her tent until everything was settled, and there were still faint sounds of fighting somewhere in the camp.

Kristoff shrugged. "I told you."

Alarik shook his head, knowing there was little point in arguing with the stubborn princess. He followed the two the short distance to the command tent. Admiral Naismith, sword in hand, joined them from another direction. Blood dripped from the end of his weapon.

He bowed his head toward Anna. "Your Highness. I'm glad to see you're okay."

Anna stopped in front of him, her gaze flicking to the command tent. "Elsa?"

One of the officers emerged from the tent at that moment, saving the Admiral from answering. "The Queen?" Naismith asked of the man.

The look the officer offered the group sent Alarik's stomach plummeting, and his words were like a shot through the heart.

"She's not here, sir."