He saw her.
Many maids and castle staff had vivided for both his sister in law and his wife's attention in some way or another during celebrations such as this but hers-
Hers was not like any he had seen before.
So that was why he leaned against a wall, belly filled with drink, and watched her. Her eyes were too keen and vigilant- that wouldn't have seemed odd until his followed hers to Elsa who was happily conversing with Olaf and Bruni, playfully to diverse their attentions from the cake that sat on the banquet table.
That wasn't anything a maid who was interested in gossip should have been diligently watching.
She had caught his eye when she deviated from the same line of protocol all castle staff had took during events. Separating herself from the rest even though she was not assigned to the area, the maid was deliberate in her placing which Kristoff had eventually discovered was according to Elsa's.
"All she does is watch her... I don't know if Elsa noticed but if she hasn't we should tell her." Honeymaren nodded at first agreeing to the notion then shook her head, she distinctly remembered Elsa watching the maid as well. Be it if she was suspicious of her or just fascinated as her was yet to be determined. Elsa was always enraptured by anything out of the ordinary as she was herself, and the maid's appearance and behavior had been that. Elsa's usual past time outside of Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf had been having her elbows propped up on the balcony and staring at Cherry down below who was sniffing the flowers showing them to Bruni.
They spoke together outside of the normal amount of time Elsa spent with the other staff including Gerda and Kai.
This all made the maid a suspect. She arrived the day Elsa had brought attention to the assassination. The coincidences were too strong to ignore.
"We can keep an eye on her collectively, I just hope Elsa isn't keeping anything from us." Her eyes flicked to the spirit who was calmly watching her sister animatedly speak to the Halima complaining about her bedtime enforced by Mattias and Gerda with a fond smile. Not wanting to be the fuel to panic Honeymaren also shrugged. "But she could just have a crush on the amazing Fifth Spirit goddess." At this Kristoff chuckled, he wasn't convinced but put on a grin.
It was difficult telling his genuine expressions from false ones since he wasn't very expressive to begin with except when it came to Anna. Once parted the consort followed the maid using many covers; from getting food, to pouring drinks, speaking nothing's to whoever provided the closest and easiest access to the maid.
She couldn't have been onto him and his intentions that type of intuition was crazy yet started feeling less and less impossible as she thwarted him getting lost in the crowd of party goers in the front castle courtyard. Sven too provided some cover inconspicuously menuvering towards Cherry.
He got so desperate that he joined a man leaning against a pillar for a smoke of a musty cigar. Hiding his cough, his vision scanned for her. She was by Elsa. Her eyes lingered too long, and it wouldn't have been alarming had it not happen five times since the party began a half hour ago. Before he could follow towards another diversion Anna grasped his arm.
"This was a pretty amazing idea huh?" She plays off as if their conversation is much more uninhibited than this but he too nods at the spectacle this short planned celebration had been, going along with Anna's aww at the children playing with a ball of snow Elsa made for them. The only ones that had been unable to attend was the earth giants and Ryder perhaps due to keeping Ryu company. He didn't know what it took and wouldn't rebuke the man for upholding such obligations, but knowing Ryder he hoped it didn't end in disaster.
"I wasn't really asking in self praise but moreso hoping you'd be a little bit more applauding of the staff who made it all come to fruition." Anna frowned as she held his arm speaking from the side of her mouth.
Kristoff hummed appreciatively, not wanting to ever sound ungrateful with those he shares a roof with. "Oh right, sorry, they definitely earned a raise." He still can't sound sincere without the influence of an outside distraction, with his attention split in half by the curious maid.
"Elsa seems to even be having a better time than she does usually at this kind of thing." Her head turned to Elsa easily charming one of Arendelle's lords, who chuckled generously. Her eyes narrowed, when the man reached for Elsa's hand ceasing when she gently put it out of his reach. "I just hope the theme doesn't make her uncomfortable." She began searching for Georg Scherer, he luckily had left Elsa alone and took to speaking with the locals and writing in his book, and watching. Beady eyes roaming over everyone and everything. She wondered what had changed suddenly. He made a big fuss about speaking to her and getting to know the spirits yet kept his distance like a vulture hunched on a tree.
"Yea dear." Kristoff says absently.
Anna notices and followed his gaze. "She's new..." She says while scanning everyone around the courtyard for the appropriate amount of time, smiling at those who caught her eyes and keeping note of attendees who had arrived that could maybe save her and her husband from being wallflowers for too long.
Before she could throw her own raft for them to join a conversation Kristoff threw his own. "Sven! How's it going buddy!" She allowed Kristoff to pull them towards the reindeer who had been so immersed with Olaf.
"It's pretty Awkward with that new maid around."
Anna for once took Kristoff's words as his own and not through the esteem it had been delivered by Sven.
Kristoff played it off for now but Anna knows by now that he was exposing his own emotions to her in his own way.
Not an immediate emergency but she'd also too keep an eye on the maid who appeared to be just fulfilling her duties in an eccentric manner.
Elsa wasn't aware of how loud her laugh had been until the music died down from the band who were taking a break to retrieve food and drinks. Eyes now on her caused a blush travel from her cheeks to her neckline, hidden by the slim somewhat form fitting blue and green ice gown. Composed from the humourous outbursts
She couldn't help it, why Gale had chosen to torture Cherry was lost on her but darn if it wasn't entertaining, enough so that Elsa decided to not intervene.
Gale was a usual trickster either knocking bashful lovers together or cups off of a table or papers from someone's hand. Yes the air had a sense of humor and knew how to entertain themselves but this was just reaching the point of ridiculous.
If only Cherry could just reach the table refill her pitcher. This attempt was impeded when Gale flipped her over onto her face...
She tried the self defense of smacking at the air with her silver pitcher. "Knock it off ya over powered flatulence eh-ya!" When Cherry finally noticed she had an audience from Elsa- who was hiding her face to muffle her giggles- a new set of determination furrowed her brows as she pushed against the gust, feet sometimes slipping on the cobblestone ground.
Gale took interests in her pitcher and swirled around it, Cherry had unknowingly won most determined maid of the year, refusing to let go of her pitcher even as she was dragged further away from the table.
She got at least three feet off the ground before she was dropped on her rear. She glared at the wind spirit who now wanted her bonnet but that was no doubt out of the question with her arms firmly strewn across her head.
Gale wirred into her face dancing in elation when Cherry whistled blowing her own air back at them.
Nokk's loud neigh echoed throughout the courtyard gaining the attention of many nearby to see him rear up when Ryu had crossed his path. She however, seemed unperturbed by his noisy protest and continued on with her duties.
Finally her pitcher was filled, her task given by Kelsey was done and she could stand by- folding her hands in front of her.
"Not enjoying the party?" Yelana asked causing Honeymaren's eyes to become less squinted as she joined her side speaking low.
"She's a possible variant." Honeymaren spoke even lower nodding her head towards Cherry. Yelana looked after her grunting. It was indecipherable.
"I've seen that look many times before, it is not the stare of an assailant, but the eyes of fondness." Honeymaren snorted at the answer. Yelana remained immovable in her opinion though.
"Yeah well can't judge a book by the cover."
"Yet you haven't even looked at the cover." Her sharp words made Honeymaren's cheeks warm, and mind doubt itself. Was the maid's fondness so obvious that it could be considered the cover to her book?
"I'll speak to her." Before Honeymaren could protest Yelana had already vanished from her side nowhere to be seen.
How did she do that? Did she possess the ability to vanish along with super hearing?
"She keeps all our attentions, you needn't feel so odd about it." Ryu jumped when the voice broke her from her focused trance. She feigned obtuseness until she heard a chuckle and turned to see it belonged to an older Northuldra woman.
She had seen her before, with Elsa and the others. She was usually quiet and spoke only when she felt it to be important, that Ryu could respect. Many loved to hear themselves talk and flood people's ears with drabble.
Normally Ryu would have felt, transparent and vulnerable having been caught watching Elsa so intently, it was hard enough with that younger Northuldra female, Anna, and the clumsy mountain with his reindeer setting their sights upon her for whatever reason. She didn't want to guess why, they weren't as nafious as Georg Scherer's but still felt negative in nature.
"Excuse me your-" she paused unsure what title this women held. She was noble enough in the way she carried herself but not in the royal manner of the others. Ryu only became more discombobulated when she held up a slow hand.
"Yelana works quite fine for me, thank you." Her eyes trailed back to the Spirit.
"She's so elusive yet at home in this environment." Ryu had to agree Elsa played a very expertized middle man for the two cultures of Northuldra and Arendelle. Between the aid of Anna and Honeymaren the trio was unstoppable.
"Yet just as her previous role one could only think if habits die off so easily. Elsa had let her previous responsibilities consume her and the predecessor to that..."
Elsa spoke of her life briefly before her title of being the fifth Spirit, but not in much detail, it made Ryu wonder what she had been like as queen. No doubt exhausted and less free as she was now but was she still just as exhausted, yet happily gave her all.
"Those watching see a free soul, a happier soul, but are there any who perhaps share the same experiences and see beyond that?" Having been raised in a world of double, sometimes triple meanings, the art of entendre was not lost to Ryu yet this woman's words still had many meanings and possibilities and not a single one could be deciphered.
"I don't know."
Her sharp eyes withdrew an old need in Ryu to stand taller under their scrutiny.
"I think you do but I could be wrong..." She began walking away before speaking over her shoulder.
"But then again, I usually am not. Huh odd." It didn't seem odd to her at all from the way she spoke. Did she know? Ryu shook her head.
No she couldn't have possibly.
Elsa's whole chest shook from holding in giggles at badly ill timed jokes or blunders when Cherry would make a passing comment about either the topic or whomever Elsa was conversing with.
Elsa doesn't have to look to know she is near. It brings her comfort and makes talking somehow easier than it had been, with insights she'd never would have never thought of.
At first the girl may have been doing it as a courtesy but was now doing it just specifically to see if Elsa could hold in her chuckles when her observations had hit right on the mark.
"Ugh Elsa please consider the amount of spices I could gift your sisther" Cherry said with a nasally tone, impersonating one dignatiery under her breath while serving drinks.
'Please Elsa become my wife, you are so powerful and I wish to use that power for myself.' it was said with a specifically bad Germanic accent that parodied a lord who was bold enough to ask for hand in marriage.
Cherry had made her face to split in a grin and unfortunately for the vying suitors it only encouraged them.
She waits until she's alone near the walls of the castle to grip Cherry's arm whispering harshly. "You are completely dreadful."
Cherry chuckles, whispering back. "I never said I was wonderful."
So the whole hour Elsa had to stop herself from smiling at the maid behind those she held a conversation with.
It was when the maid went as far as to miming them that Kelsey intervened. She understood it costed the maid her job but still wish it didn't end. If things went as far as that she'd explain to Anna to some extent the situation.
And perhaps the castle staff now thought Cherry insane but it was absolutely perfect.
Now more serious conversation had taken her attention, talking with her mother's people and her father's citizens had always been to some degree easy.
They always met in middle ground not at first but the cultures did find an concordat, with Elsa reminding them of the past mistakes which led to Northuldra's isolation. Sometimes a deal would emerse from the discussions sometimes it went sour but everyone remained cordial and nice.
Nokk neighed far too aggressively than this celebration had called for scaring some of the guests.
Elsa ran to him petting his muzzle tenderly when Gale gusted through knocking some of the dishes to the floor. Elsa's nerves stood on end while Bruni sought to comfort her and also figure out the reason for the spirits shift in behavior.
In the madnesses of the whole ordeal she had a constant reminder of why she was here in Elsa's little smiles or polite laughs. She'd be ashamed to admit she had pay more attention to those than the distressed spirits around her four minutes prior.
Had maybe she would have caught up to the situation unfolding before her. Ryu sniffed thrice before catching his scent, seeing the glint of the metal of his crossbow in late evening sun. The small scales along her chest and back began to rattle.
Elsa yelped when Cherry tackled her to the ground two seconds before an arrow thumped against a pillar creating a crater in impact.
Elsa stared up at the maid who had her pinned down. Her body heat burned through Elsa's chest like molten lava melting into her stomach. It was terrifying, she had half a mind to push the girl off her less she melt into a puddle.
Cherry smiled lopsidedly saying 'Hi' to the woman who sucked in air and replied 'Hello' politely.
Ensuring Elsa was alright Ryu's neck snapped at in the direction of where the arrow came from.
Now she had to to act. Already on her feet she can hear Elsa bellowing commands to gather her family together, ice cracking in the creative barrier she crafts around them as people scatter and scream.
Bodies are pushed aside as Ryu finds herself sprinting again to where she had seen the glint. Her eyes zeroed in on the perpetrator who turned away from his perch.
Her knuckles turn white as she wraps her arm around a pillar hoisting herself upward reminding her mind that this was what she had waited for. Grabbing the cornice of the castle Ryu growled when she made it to the last hurtle crouched low
The faint scent of leather and sweat wisp against her nostrils. Her eyes widened.
She knew that scent.
That night, of the fire.
It was him.
Her face scrunched into harsh scowl.
Failure is an option for others but not for you
The battlement of the castle remained abandoned since Arendelle had not been to war in years, he would have had to known this.
For Ryu that fact remained serendipitous, no one was up here to get hurt, perfect.
Listening carefully, light footsteps ran to her left barely audible. Following them Ryu found herself in front of the grey clothed assassin.
They stopped momentarily stifled by the surprise of her landing then improvising took off in the other direction.
Ryu is already on his tail.
knowing she is closing in they stop reaching backwards and grabbing her arms, using the momentum to flip of her over their shoulder and onto her back.
Forearms shielded over her head to stop a fist hurtling towards her face, the hit was hard and sharp giving the inclination that this man was a seasoned fighter. He fling her a distance away bashing her back against the railing of the pathway.
Ryu pushes back against the stone wall stumbling to her feet.
The assassin didn't seem very interested in fighting having broke away, he reached into his pocket and flung a ball to the ground. It erupted into a heavy grey cloud of smoke into.
Coughing Ryu threw her hands to a and fro to clear her vision.
Amongst the diversion Ryu hadn't seen the assassin in front of her, his leg pulling back- swiftly moving forward into her stomach with a cracking force.
The blow steals air from the dragon- she sputters resisting the urge to clutch her injured and probably bruised abdomen.
The next kick is caught by Ryu's hands- she grips his knee, squeezing so tightly.
A deep grunt resounded from him when sharp nails dug into the flesh of his leg. She growled when he ripped it away, leaving trails of deep scratches penitrating his leather trousers, fumbling back in a heap.
She couldn't see his face through the black cloth covering the lower half beneath his nose but knew his teeth were gritted.
His deep green eyes locked on her own growing wide when scales began rippling to the surface of her skin like a rash spreading.
Gripping his swords hilt strapped to his waist he now seemed less inclined to run.
Her stomach hurt. She hated exposing herself like this but the soft pliable skin of her human body would not suffice in this fight.
The courtyard's screaming, shouts and the unnatural growing of wind flurried in the air around them. A small flame ran to Ryu's feet and the crystalizing powers of water grow beside her.
Nokk roared by her side shaking his head from side to side.
Alike, both the assassin and Ryu blinked. "Daijōbu-" she shrugged her shoulders. "-kare o shutoku shimas!" The spirits did seem to understand her body language rather than her words.
The assassin unsheathed his sword, the black shaft glowed in the setting sun. A strange glass chamber filled with green smoke ran from the end into the curved black blade, the shape reminiscent of an hour glass, it was at least ten inches long and four inches thick. It looked much too heavy for his average build to wield yet he gripped it in one hand with ease, twirling it in the air like a buck showing off his antlers in rutting season, the movement slow and deliberate.
He didn't seem to mind that he was clearly out numbered spreading his legs in a fighting stance.
Ryu charged first at him instinctually dipping below where his blade sliced through the air aiming for her throat, whistling from the speed the slash was delivered in.
Jolting upright she gained the advantage with his arms lowered and slammed her elbow into his bicep, when his arm lifted the blade another strike was given to his wrist before he shoved her using his broad shoulders.
Performing a kip-up- Ryu's legs moved fluidly encircling the man, arms rigid yet relaxed. She felt Bruni crawl up to her poised hand looking back at her then leaped off giving small furious cry and encircled the man in a ring of fire, zooming around him at impossible speed.
He jabbed his sword downward trying to catch the speedy salamander, when he wielded the blade the green smoke oozed from it and slowed Bruni when he inhaled more of it coughing. His pink flames died down. A heavy boot kicked his small body away with a pathetic plap against the stone.
"No!" Ryu snarled. She felt the rage coil, more scales covered her body, her face elongated into a muzzle.
The assassin watched in horror at her deformed mouth and nose. She snarled loud, ignorant of the volume, and surged forward punching rapidly at his arms, stomach and chest. He brings the sword up while using his arm to block some of her blows.
Ryu is quick to react, dodging to left and down when the blade changes course.
His slice at her is too late fingers are already wrapping around his wrist, twisting. Her teeth clenched in the effort of trying to get him to release his weapon.
He refused, grip unfathomable.
His wrist gave a pop but Ryu did not relent.
She'd break it if she had to.
A strong gust blew against him nearly knocking him off his feet. Ryu cursed under her breath as the wind also pushed her backwards. His other hand punched her in the throat resulting in a crunch of his knuckles as they collided with her hardened scales.
It was the first time his voice was heard aside from a grunt or growl.
"Fucking hell. What are you?" His voice sounded funny. Ryu tilted her head she had heard the cadence of it before yet couldn't place where or when.
Gale had managed to twirl the attacker six feet into the air before dropping them down on their shoulder.
"Nokk-" Ryu choked out but before couldn't even manage to to finish the plea for help the horse neighed and raced into the Assassin melting down into a wave which encapsulated him.
If left there he could drown.
"Bruni!" Ryu ran to the salamander skidding down to her knees. Her hands shook wanting to scoop him up, yet he looked so fragile laying on his side. A great relief flooded her- he was still breathing, rapidly, haggard but still breathing.
"Bruni?" Her voice cracked as fingers gently stroked his side. Her tresses waved against her face.
Gale too inspected the fire spirit as best they could, wisping against his body.
It's the sword. It did something to him.
Ryu had witnessed magic before in the different lands she traveled in specifically Persia and her homeland, but never encountered anything like this.
In a moment of clarity Ryu raced forward towards Nokk's water prison, the waves bubbled at the edges becoming foamy, white, agitated. She could hear his whines, he was hurting.
She had been expecting him to be struggling gasping for air, yet he floated there- deathly still- watching Ryu's every move. She tore her eyes from him and stared down the weapon, forcing her arm into the water in an attempt to grab it.
She had never been known the pain of fire before and didn't know what burning felt like, but she knew that this was it, when she gripped the hilt.
Even Nokk's cool water didn't soothe the burn.
"Aaahhh!" Ryu screeched yanking her hand back. It was red, nasty and blistering.
Nokk had reached his breaking point the water flooded in all directions across the ground and over the sides of the battlement. Dropping the man into a coughing heap. His hand instantly latched onto the sword.
Ryu reached out. "Nokk!" The water lay there around them twitching ever so lightly. "Why are you doing this?" She pleaded- he didn't answer instead greadily gulped air into his lungs.
The next breath they took was visible in a chilly smoke.
Ice crept along the ground and enveloped the pillars and any connecting surface ominously.
Gale flew forth in assault, all he simply had to do was slash the sword through them to render the spirit in pain blowing to and fro.
Ryu's mind panicked, helplessness suffocated her nerves. She had no idea on how to ease her friends pain.
"Gale!" The assassin took five quick, long strides forward and took advantage of her distracted moment jamming his blade expertly into her stomach. He didn't reach far when a gust of ice forced his arm to move away. A burning cold gripped his ankles.
He tried to move but it was impossible with ice encasing his legs up to his knees.
Ryu gasped clutching at the newly acquired injury whining with each struggling breath she took. The blade broke off with the vice like grip her scales had around the tip, it fell from her stomach with a metal clang. Ryu saw the other end snatched from the Assassin's grip in a clatter a few feet away.
All was quiet, till the stomps of feet charged forward then stopped probably assessing the scene before them. Ryu couldn't see from her foetal position, crumpled over clutching her stomach. It didn't bleed but definitely pierced her scaly armour to some degree and hurt like hell. Her features tucked back in, the tightness of the constriction a new comfort only leaving faint scales along her neck, arms, and stomach.
Those refused to move. Protecting her stomach and other organs from the fierce cave in.
The assassin struggled to free himself from the ice his efforts stopped when the whistle of something moving incredibly fast followed by a harsh thunk sounded through the air as voices yelled and rushed forward.
Goal still in mind clenched Ryu's fist, her vision was blurring- she could still see the blob shape of Elsa's assassin.
Using the last of her strength she pulled her arm back and punched the only place she could reach.
A grin spreads her quivering lips when she heard him gurgle and grip his crotch.
"Elsa if you think I'm letting you go up there you're insane!" Anna's grip was tighter than a bear trap around Elsa's wrist. The adrenaline from the chaos and quick events that ensued soaked through all of them leaving a thick residue of anxiety.
"Anna I can't just stand by and let people get hurt! Cherry went up there!" Oh god, Cherry was up there. The small maid- traveler had saved her life and pursude after the killer...
"Yeah! Did you see her? She climbed the walls like a lizard, there's something going on with that maid and if she's in cohorts with the assassin then we have an even bigger problem!" It was rare when Kristoff elicited panic, he was usually the strong solid ground that kept everyone stable and present.
"He's right Elsa, I have my best fighters gathered. I can't stop you from going up there but I will come with you." Mattias said approaching closer to her side. Honeymaren joined them.
"So will I." She said resolutely.
Yelana stepped forward not needing to say her clear intentions.
"Well I'm coming too-" Kristoff sputtered grabbing Anna's shoulders.
"Whoa Anna you need to stay down here and keep everyone calm. They're already scared and they need their queen." Anna's mouth opened and closed twice.
"And their king." Elsa reminded.
Sorrowful eyes turned to her and broke her heart
The sisters immediately embraced as Anna took a shakey breath speaking low.
"Remember your promise." Elsa could feel the quivers in her arms and chest. Anna was close to breaking down that much was certain. Guilt clouded her mind, she had traumatized her sister yet again.
"I remember."
It was a terrible sight.
Like a battle field, with the enemy standing strong and his foes defeated. The assassin looked rather proud of himself until his eyes landed on Elsa spreading an ugly sneer across his covered face.
She'd deal with him later but right more important matters needed her attention.
Her family was strewn about, crumpled on the ground. She didn't know who to run to first.
The group scattered, Honeymaren ran to Cherry, Elsa to Bruni lifting him up gently- he gave a weak warble which Elsa sadly grinned at.
Securing him to her chest she looked around. They had to be somewhere close. "Nokk? Gale?"
A dispariging rasped of breath snatched her attention to Cherry who's head was being gently clenched by Honeymaren who ushering words to keep her awake.
Honeymaren's hands slowly raise from accessing the damages confused as if she couldn't believe what she had just felt.
"Cherry!" Elsa knelt down towards her, her free hand touching her face before pulling back just as Honeymaren's did.
She looks up to Elsa brows scrunched tightly. "What, what did he do to her?"
Elsa stares at the small almost invisible scales and feels them once. She experimentally rubbed them between her fingers.
"Erusa..." A raspy voice said.
Elsa grabbed her hand tears pooling down her cheeks. "Y-yes Cherry?" She sniffles when Honeymaren puts a comforting hand on her shoulder.
The background noises of soldiers struggling with the prisoner and Mattias giving orders fade away when Cherry turns her head at her.
She noticed her bonnet was gone, her hair... blue was the dominant color mixed in with pink and lavender. Alarms sang off in the Spirit's mind.
That was why Elsa had ran her fingers through it, to both comfort and explore. She had seen these colors before.
"I don't want you...you to think I left you..." Cherry's eyes moisten, each breath painful upon inhale.
Before Elsa could ask what she meant Cherry grabbed her hand, breathing out.
"I'm right here... Tell Anna I'm sorry about her roof..."
Wait...
"Tell Kristoff I'm sorry as well, I shouldn't have thrown him despite how funny it was yah." Elsa shakes her head trying to deny the realization that is slowly settling in. She clutches Cherry's hand tighter, that was how she noticed the burns decorating the inside of her palm, she kissed them cooling them with her lips.
"Cherry-" she nearly begs but the maid shakes her head.
"I'm sorry for lying, That's... Not my name." It's as if she can't look at Elsa so she sets her gaze to Honeymaren who is just as bewildered.
"My name is...Ryu Paul Periwinkle."
She can't move. She can't speak. All she can do is stare at her dragon who now had a hole in her stomach. Elsa's heart dropped to the ground, even lower than that.
Bile wishes to raise in her throat, Elsa swallowed it down and raised her voice at the soldiers investigating the battle field.
"We have to get her to the infirmary now!" Her words are rushed and when she raises to her feet she feels unsteady, as if the ground below is a sand pit which will swallow her up.
In her bedroom that was Ryu.
Still holding Bruni, Honeymaren helps Elsa lift Ryu up and to the stairs leading down into the courtyard.
It hurts, the moving, the bending, but she has no energy to protest.
In the gardens Ryu.
The only ones to crowd around the trio is Anna, Kristoff, Gerda, Kai, Yelana and Kelsey.
Bruni was taken by Kristoff assuring he'd get him some medical care as well, Elsa couldn't thank him, her brain was maxed out on all capable function.
The head physician was gifted to remain tranquil in face of Elsa's hysterical questioning.
"Is she going to be okay?" She couldn't move her watery eyes away from Ryu as she was laid gently on the bed, her breathing was slower, much too slow, staggering when she forced herself to get more air.
The familiar sensation that spread through Elsa whenever she was near Ryu.
The room gasped at the sight revealed by the assistant who cut through her maids uniform. It was a sight difficult for them to take in. Ugly mangled scales caved in just below her ribbed cage as if her body was vacuuming itself inward.
The epicenter was the worst of it, black and dark purple as if already infected by bacteria.
"Elsa what's, what-" was all Anna managed to get out, her questions were placed on a shelf witnessing her sister break down at Ryu's bedside, holding her hand to her chest. She poured her powers through to the injuries hand hoping to relieve even a little of the pain.
It was if she teleported to her side holding with her arms wrapped around her.
The doctors fingers pried at the scales completely thrown for a loop, he needn't say he had never seen anything like this but Elsa's sorrow inspired him to try and save the strange girl. He delivered her into this world, watched her life's story unfold becoming the woman she was now. If this girl was important to her he'd give his all.
"Her liver is being crushed by this..." He glanced at Ryu rubbing away his grey mustache before gesturing to her scales. "Armour that is coating her abdomen. It's safe to assume her liver has been lacerated." He turned to his assistants. "We will attempt to remove the scales and take the pressure off her liver." Nodding they listened closely debating with their superior the best method of removal.
Ryu whimpered weakly looking around, before settling on Elsa who was stroking her hand quickly. "I don't wanna die yet." She admitted with a nonchalance that was surprising.
Elsa sniffled, her nose congested with emotion and was noisy and caused her voice to sound muffled. "You're- you're not going to die okay? You're going to be fine but you have to be strong for the doctors alright?"
Ryu rolled her head to her. Inhaling with great effort yet she still managed a lopsided smile. "I am plenty strong... I just don't wanna die either way no?...plus you may still be in danger...so I have to get better."
She smiled at the courageous declaration. "Either way-" despite not wanting to her eyes trailed downward.
"You're going to let them perform what they have to to get you better."
Ryu chuckled. "So-eh-so I can serve you tea by morning?"
Elsa smiled bittersweet clutching her hand. "So you can live and I can show you my palace on the mountain and you have so many great people to meet "
Her head dented the pillow when she looked up at the ceiling. "I do not know...I'm not fond of... Doctors. Or touching..." She had the same expression when Elsa had caught her breaking in that night. Unfiltered by raw emotion, maybe she thought herself already dead.
"Bruni?" She croaked.
"Bruni is being looked at by another doctor. He'll be fine."
"Gale? Nokk?"
"We'll find them. Don't worry, just focus on getting better."
So many things flashed so quickly in her eyes, regret, pain, guilt. "I'm sorry."
It hurt, the lie Ryu had told her. Concealing her identity. It made Elsa wonder how different things could have been if she had known about Ryu's ability to become human from the start.
Ryu's eyes slid shut and head dropped, it was worrying but the doctors did not react.
The tools and medical utensils clanged in the background. Anna rubbed Elsa's back watching both her and the unconscious girl in the bed.
"Elsa..." Despite the soft tone it crashed through Elsa's worrying stupor.
"We have to talk. The doctors will take of her, we should get out of their way."
She didn't want to, staying at Ryu's side seemed like a better option than going and facing the truth of all that occured.
Here Elsa could sit in silence and truly study her face. She felt like such fool. All the signs she was blind to were there yet she missed them all; from her facial expressions, her eyes, mannerisms, the traveling around, her accent. Her determination to keep Elsa safe.
It was all Ryu.
Sighing Elsa tilted her forehead to Ryu's hand feeling the tiny groves that were now confirmed to be small scales one last time before surrending the hand to the side of bed.
She kept her gaze on her as Anna maneuvered her out of the castle infirmary and to her office. All of their friends were present with the exception of Olaf and Sven.
Their expressions grave, a tight tension coiled around the room. It was if she was a puppet being manipulated by Anna to sit down, her body felt numb yet her mind couldn't share the sentiment.
After tending to her Anna straightened and walked to her desk taking a seat motioning for the others to follow.
When Elsa looked up the soft tenderness that Anna had just a minute ago was gone. Now in its stead was pain, anger, and a cold monarchy stare.
She folded her hands moving forward. Her voice cut through the air cold as Elsa's ice.
"You broke your promise."
Swallowing loudly Ryu had kept her eyes closed. Voices mumbled but she had no idea what they were saying. It didn't matter. Fleeting touches made her muscles twitch and shiver. The pain in her stomach would not compare to her failure.
The scent of nothing plundered her nostrils. No not nothing, it was a strong smell deprived of all other smells.
The pressure and slight pain made her stomach feel heavy and like lead rested in it.
She didn't know why she was awake right now when her eyes told her that it was time for sleep, voices spoke in echos to her ears.
"She's awake."
"She shouldn't be."
"Should we give her another dose?"
"No, just in case give her this."
That was fifteen minutes ago, she still wasn't sleep. This was pointed out by one of the voices who gave in to his partner and injected a stinging liquid to Ryu's veins.
Her eyelids despite her efforts closed with much more louder voices trying to get through the cloud that was her mind yet she couldn't make heads or tails of what they said.