The castle had been a flurry of activity. House staff flitted around trying to make Anna as comfortable as possible. The royal doctor had done a thorough examination. He determined that she hadn't been permanently injured, and that she would come around in due time. It seemed as if all of Arendelle collectively held its breath waiting to see what would happen. More than once Elsa had tried to get into Anna's bedroom to see her. "You stay away from her!" Her mother snapped. "You've caused enough harm!" With that, guards had been posted outside Anna's room until she recovered.
Being only 8 years old, Elsa didn't quite know any better. She thought that Anna could die at any moment. And it would be all her fault. She had been wracked with guilt and regret. She stayed in her room pretty much all the time. She only came out for meals, or to see if Anna had been let out to play. Nothing held her interest. Not her books, not her toys. Even the snow outside wasn't comforting to her.
She passed the time by alternating between sleeping and crying. While Iduna was adamant that Elsa stay as far away from Anna as possible, Agnarr wasn't so sure that was a good idea. At meal times, which passed in mostly awkward silence, he could see the weight on his daughter's shoulders. His heart went out to her. His frustration stemmed from Iduna coming down hard on Elsa. It seemed like every time Elsa so much as moved, or said a word, his wife would look on her with severe suspicion as if there would be another violent demonstration of Elsa's powers.
There was another facet to this he didn't think anyone was considering: Elsa was next in line for the throne. A royal bloodline that stretched back to time immemorial when Arendelle was first settled now flowed through her veins. If Elsa couldn't learn to control her powers, it could throw the entire line of succession into chaos. Sure, Anna could be queen, if she wasn't so naive and precocious. Her heart and soul was too pure for the rigors and responsibility for ruling an entire kingdom; knowing that every decision could easily bring property or ruin. He didn't want that for Anna.
Elsa was more worldly, and loved to read. There was no doubt in his mind that she would be better suited for the task at hand, powers or no powers. He knew that him and his wife were going to have to talk about this. And that was a confrontation he wasn't looking forward to having. He would rather be facing a kingdom-wide civil war than try to decide what to do about Elsa.
This probably would've been a little easier if Iduna's father didn't live on the other side of the ocean. As the patriarch of the family, he was wiser and more knowledgable than anyone Agnarr could think of. "What are we going to do about this?!" Iduna snapped at him after Elsa had gone to bed. "You saw what she is capable of!"
"It was just an accident!" He countered.
"You saw what that 'accident' did to Anna! Agnarr, she could've died!"
"But she didn't!"
"This time! Who knows what could happen next time?"
"We'll deal with it then!"
"It'll be too late by then!" Exasperated, Iduna sits on a velvet overstuffed chair. "Don't think for one second that this is easy for me either. I don't relish the idea of my daughter being a clear and present danger to everyone around her."
"It's not her fault. She can't control her powers yet." He moves to comfort Iduna. "What's more dangerous, Agnarr? The fact that she can't control them, or the day when she will?"
"She is still our child. We still love her, and we have to help her."
Iduna knew he was right. "How?" She asks. "How do we help her?"
Agnarr didn't want to admit that he didn't know. The answer had to lie somewhere. The castle's library had every book ever written on every subject ever. There had to be at least one on the subject of innate powers. Or curses. Failing that, they could take the family ship across the sea to visit her family. "And what about the line of succession?" Iduna breaks the silence. "Would the people accept a queen with such a…a…"
"Gift."
"Curse." They said at the same time.
"There's no point in worrying about that now. It won't be for a very, very long time. We have enough to worry about today. We have children that need us right now."
She knew he was right. She was sure they would have all this figured out by then. "I'm tired. Can we just sleep on this?"
"Sure we can, my love." He embraces her, planting a soft kiss on her lips.
Except what they didn't know is that Elsa hadn't stayed asleep, as they assumed. Hearing soft voices wafting up from downstairs, Elsa tip-toed over the carpeted floor, and sat on the top stair. She heard every word. It confirmed her worst fears: She was the problem. And she was too dangerous to be around. That one word kept echoing around in her head: Curse. Whatever this power she has is a curse. And curses were bad. When she heard her parents heading for the stairs, she quietly scampered back to bed, and closes the door. Throwing the covers over herself, she rolls over, quietly crying herself to sleep.
"Elsa? Darling?" Iduna gently knocks on Elsa's door. Elsa groans, and cracks her eyes open. Bad idea. The sunlight is nearly blinding. She rolls over. Her mother is smiling brightly at her. "There's someone who wants to see you." Iduna continues gently.
"Go away." Elsa pleads.
"Honey? Anna is awake. She's asking for you."
The day Elsa had fervently prayed for. Her dear sister was finally awake. She had anxiously counted the minutes until this moment arrived. Now, all she wanted was to stay in the warm grasp of her bed. If she was so dangerous to have around then she would stay here where it was safe, and she would never hurt anyone else ever again. "Go away." She reiterates. "Are you OK? Do you feel sick?"
Is a curse a kind of sick? Certainly seemed like it. She wasn't sure how to answer that. Having a curse didn't feel like having a cold. So why did she feel so bad? "Just leave me alone."
"Alright dear. You just come out when you're ready."
Silence. A heavy silence that settled in over Elsa's wing of the house. For days, she had refused to come out of her room. She absolutely insisted on the house staff leaving her meals on a table she left outside, and she would retrieve them when she was certain no one was around. During her self-imposed exile, she requested a mountain of books. She had always been a voracious reader. Now, she turned it into an art form. She was halfway into a volume detailing myths and legends when a knock came at the door. Which immediately annoyed her. She made it perfectly clear to her family that she was not to be disturbed, no matter what. Unless something catastrophic had happened. Which, she suspected, didn't. "Go away!" She barks. "Elsa?" A tiny voice inquires. "It's Anna."
"Oh." Elsa was taken aback a little. "Go away, Anna!"
"It's snowing outside." It was always snowing. "Would you like to build a snowman?"
"I don't want to build a snowman!" Elsa notices her temper is spiraling out of control. "I don't want to throw snowballs, or make snow angels! I just want you to leave me alone!" She whips her book at the door, which hits with a heavy thud. Anna didn't deserve that. Anna deserved a lot better. It's just that Anna had pestered non-stop about building a snowman. But if Elsa's powers were as dangerous as she had been lead to believe, then keeping Anna away was absolutely necessary. Elsa had to admit that her heart broke. She loved her sister dearly. She just wished there was another way. She started to gently sob. Inside her room, a dark cloud forms. Snow gently falls. Elsa barely notices the snowflakes gently kissing her skin and furniture.
The days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months. Even Agnarr's patience was starting to wear thin. He had tried to be so understanding. Even comforting. Every time, Elsa had rebuffed him. After a while, Iduna just gave up on her entirely. For Iduna, it was as if Elsa had ceased to exist, and Anna was her only child. Even Anna quit asking to build a snowman, and only took to staring forlornly at the entrance to Elsa's fortress of solitude. Anna believed that if she stood there long enough, she could will Elsa to come out. Sadly, it didn't work. Even so, she never gave up hope. After a little more than a year passed, Agnarr finally had enough. He thought that by throwing a big birthday party, that would be enough to coax her out. No such luck. "Elsa, we need to talk." He says sternly. "Open this door at once!"
"No! Go away!"
"I will not have you speak to me like that, young lady! I'm coming in there!"
"No, you're not! Go…away!" A single icy blast from her finger tips covers the doorknob, freezing it in place. That would keep him out for good, she thought. She returns to her book as the gentle snowfall she conjured up continues. It became so cold in her room that ice started to form in the corners, and a fine dusting of snow covered everything. Even so, none of her books, stuffed animals, or furniture were damaged. She made sure of it. "You listen to me, daughter." Her father continues talking to the door. "I'll be back. Then you'd better be ready to talk."
"I don't want to hurt anyone else!" Elsa cried. "Please just leave me alone!"
Except that Agnarr wouldn't leave it alone. Using any means necessary, he would drag his daughter out of there. He had formulated a plan. There was a place he could send her to get help until he could his hands on a solution for her little problem. He had consulted with Iduna, and, with only a tear filled nod, she agreed to go along with it. It would get ugly, but it had to be done. For the good of everyone.
Elsa had been woken in the middle of the night by the sounds of heavy footsteps coming up the stairs. She recognized the footfalls as the castle guard, clad all in armor. And they were coming for her. "Elsa, this is your final warning!" Her father booms. "Come out, or we're coming to get you!"
"No!"
"Break it down." He orders. Elsa jumps when something heavy slams into the door, cracking the beautiful, hand-carved wood. With fear and anger bubbling up inside her, Elsa tries desperately to seal the door once and for all. A steady blast of ice traces the doorframe, reinforcing it. The ice bleeds through to the other side, temporarily mesmerizing the soldiers. They had certainly heard the rumors and the stories…now, to see it first hand?
"Ignore that!" Agnarr orders. "Break it down!"
"Yes, your highness!"
Elsa can only watch in horror as the door twists and buckles. Under the heavy mass of the armored troops, her powers stood no chance. The door blows apart, sending icy shards and wooden splinters everywhere. Terrified, Elsa lashes out with her powers. One man ends up partially encased in ice. But too little, too late. They're on her in a second. "No!" She screams. "NO!" More icy blasts fly every which way as a burlap sack in placed over her head, her vision going dark. "Papa!" She pleads. "Help me!"
His heart is torn in two as heavy, iron gauntlets are placed on her hands. He knew this was coming; didn't make it any easier, however. He can only watch in vain as Elsa struggles against the heavy gauntlets that completely encase her hands, and the chains that painfully bind her arms behind her back. She continues to struggle fruitlessly, squirming this way and that. Her cries for help, muffled. She's dragged from the castle like any other prisoner, and carelessly tossed into the back of a carriage. She lands hard, dislocating her shoulder. She yelps in pain, trying to sit up.
"Where is Elsa going?" Iduna had been with Anna during the commotion. Anna wanted to see what was going on, but Iduna wouldn't allow it. "She's going to a place where she can get some help." Iduna lied, trying to hold back the tears. "Will she be alright?" Anna squeaked.
"Oh, darling, I hope so."
The carriage ride had been rough. Elsa swore the driver was deliberately hitting every rock and dip in the road. In the darkness of the hood, she couldn't keep track of time. She thought that any shred of daylight must be a trick of her mind. All she knew was that she dozed on and off, and was painfully hungry. All she had to eat was a loaf of black bread given to her by one of the guards, which he had given to her at gunpoint. Eventually, they arrive. Once again, Elsa is dragged from the carriage. More cuts, scrapes, and bruises. Given the sounds around her, it must've been a prison. She could hear the screams of the other prisoners.
During the trip, Elsa had tried to freeze the gauntlets off her hands to no avail. Whatever they were forged off was stronger than ice. She was dragged through the prison, barely able to stay on her feet. Prisoners clamored excitedly. Even one shouting "fresh meat." It was probably a good thing she couldn't see how close she really was to getting grabbed by one of these savages. Down and down this little entourage went. Down the stairs in a never ending spiral staircase. The cacophony slowly receding into silence. They come to it at last. The hood is yanked off. Before her was the one thing she feared: A cell. Just for her. "No, please." She whimpers. "In you go, witch." One of the guards shoves her in. She falls to the ground, aggravating her shoulder. She's just as roughly hauled back to her feet. Her gauntlets are shackled to chains on the walls. "Enjoy your stay, your highness." One of the guards sneers. "Please. Let me talk to my father! Do you know who I am?" She yells.
"That's why you're here."
The cell door slams, plunging the room into total darkness. For the first time, Elsa felt alone. Truly alone. Before where she had her books and stuffed animals to keep her company, now she only had the gently falling snow she conjured up to keep her company. More so, she missed Anna. Now, it seemed like they would never build a snowman together ever again.
