A/N: This one is on the short side, but I think it is appropriately so. As always Disney owns Frozen, I just dabble in the wonderful world they created. I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 5:

April 1844

Anna stared out the window, the sun was setting behind the forested hills in the distance, it was a stunning sunset with intense oranges and pinks illuminating the horizon while deep purples colored the bottoms of the clouds that dotted the sky. Normally Anna would have found the highest balcony on the westerner side of the castle to sit and admire it; however, today she was not home, no she was in Corona standing in the hallway across from the two giant doors behind which her loved one was fighting for their life. She could hardly believe the day had started so merrily.

Earlier that morning:

Anna smiled at Elsa as she carefully cradled their new niece and goddaughter to her chest. The bishop of Corona reached out and anointed the child; "I baptize you Edith Isabella Arianna in the name of the father, son, and holy spirit". The crowd's clapping startled the infant Princess causing her to cry out; Elsa expertly pulled the babe to her shoulder and began rubbing her back as she whispered soothing words into Edith's ear. Anna felt her heartache with love. Elsa wasn't even a mother herself yet was proving that she would be an amazing one; of course, Anna had seen Elsa dote on Christopher and Renee, but there was something about being in Corona, where every eye was not on Elsa, that made her even freer and generous with her affections toward the small child.

A small nudge from Elsa alerted Anna to the fact that their part in the baptism of the new Coronian princess was over and that they needed to return to their seats. Anna reached out accepting Edith from Elsa and allowing Pieter, who was the godfather along with one of Eugene's friends, to help a six month pregnant Elsa down the dais. They'd all been excited to not only receive an invitation to their new cousin's baptism but a request to be godparents. The council had been wary of the entire royal family attending the baptism, let alone Elsa who was so advanced in her pregnancy. Anna had her own reservations about her sister taking the long sea journey, but Elsa had been adamant that she would be fine. She argued, to her family, that it was her last time to get out before confinement began in about two months. The council was reminded; that Corona was their closest ally and it would be in bad taste to turn down such an honor. Eventually, it was agreed upon that Kristoff would stay behind as the Queen's representative. He'd been nervous, despite all the years that had passed, he often expressed to Anna that he felt like an imposter. Anna reminded him that Elsa would not have deputized with all her powers if she didn't trust him, Elsa did not grant favor or assign important tasks to individuals just because they were family; Elsa always put the country first. That had settled him a bit; that and the fact they'd only be gone just over a week.

The service finished shortly after and they all filled out of the church. Corona's royal church, unlike Arendelle's, was not on palace grounds; it was found in the Merchant district of the city, directly in the middle halfway between the docks and the castle. The area was the border between the lower class homes and business and the upper-class aristocrats. It was then home to the growing middle class of Corona. The main plaza of Corona was down by the city's gates close to the harbor, but there was a secondary plaza here as well and the church opened right out into it. Corona's citizens filled the Plaza of the Sun, clambering to get a glimpse of Princess Edith as well as the rest of the Coronian royal family and Arendellian royal family.

"I can't thank you two enough for coming today, it means so much to Eugene and me, especially you Elsa, to come in your condition," Rapunzel said as she neared them. They stopped on the church steps to wave to the crowd before moving to the coaches that would take them back to the castle.

"It was nothing, we were honored. There was no way I was missing this day, Edith deserves to have both of her Godmothers at her baptism; besides I need one more adventure before this one takes up most of my time." Elsa joked gleefully as she rubbed her growing stomach.

"Don't we know it," Rapunzel jested and winked at Anna who laughed out loud. Anna loved this, these small moments where she could forget duty and be with her family. The Coronian people were used to their royal family being more laid back than typical royals, especially since Rapunzel returned home, so Anna was freer to be herself. While Anna had always been open with the people of Arendelle, making sure she was approachable at all times, Elsa still held herself slightly aloof, not overly so and she was loved and respected for ability to walk the type rope of being transparent with the people while still regal and authoritative. As Anna grew older and took on more responsibility, she learned how important it was at times to act according to her position as Crown Princess, to emit a presence closure to that which Elsa exudes. It was tiring at times, it was not in Anna's personality to be stiff and stern, but if she wanted to be taken seriously in her duties, it was required. Here in Corona she and her family could be themselves one hundred percent of the time. It was refreshing.

They made their way down the steps to their open carriages, King Frederic and Queen Arianna in the first, followed by Rapunzel and Eugene with Edith and Stefan, Anna was in the third carriage with Elsa and Pieter. Anna entered the carriage first, then Pieter, Elsa always entered the carriage last, so that she may be the first out upon arrival somewhere. It had happened in slow motion. Elsa was just stepping up on the second step about to come into the carriage when there was a commotion from the crowd, suddenly a man rushed forward, something in his hand, there was a loud bang, a shattering sound, and then Elsa was falling out of the carriage and onto the ground. There was screaming, it took Anna a moment to realize it was she who was screaming. She saw the Coronian guards tackle the assassin, assassin, the word bounced in Anna's head and then struck her heart. Someone had tried to kill her sister. Anna snapped out of her shock and tried to move towards her sister, who she could see was laying on her back, crimson blood spreading out on the ground below her, her eyes closed. A strong arm stopped Anna as soon as her feet touched the ground, "No your Highness." It was one of their guards, he was lifting her, pulling her away, putting her on a horse, climbing behind her, and racing away from her dying sister. "No, Elsa!" she screamed, but it was for not.

That had all been hours ago. The guard had swiftly secured her in the castle with her family before rushing back to the church to join the remainder of the Queen's guard and Coronian guard to look for any accomplices of the shooter. Rapunzel was trying to reassure Stefan who was crying from the chaos, Eugene was hovering above them both, and the nanny had come to take Edith away. Arianna was wrapped in Frederic's arms, her Uncle was staring ahead his face hard. Anna stood there alone, wishing that she could be in Kristoff's arms at that moment. Arianna had eventually made her way over to Anna pulling her close. They'd tried to get her to follow Rapunzel and Eugene to their chambers, but Anna had refused; she needed to see her sister. It wasn't long before Pieter came rushing through the doors, Elsa in his arms, her chest and right shoulder bound tightly over Pieter's coat which he must have used to add pressure to the wound. The royal physician met him at the door and they rushed toward the infirmary. Anna had frantically followed after them but was once again shut out as the doctor turned and gave her a stern look clearly meant to tell her to stay.

Now she stood watching the sunset, Pieter behind her pacing in front of the doors, Elsa's blood staining his white shirt, the Coronian's sat in chairs that had been brought for them all to wait in. Anna felt useless, numb, and exhausted. The unknown, would Elsa survive or not, was killing her; she regretted convincing Olaf to stay back in Arendelle to help Kristoff with the kids; at least if Olaf was here she would know instantly if Elsa was gone because more likely than not Olaf would know. She tried not to think of a world without Elsa, a world where she would be Queen instead of her sister, where her son Christopher would be heir apparent instead of the unborn child in Elsa's womb. There was no feasible situation here where at least the child would survive, it was too early in the pregnancy. Anna would go on with her life if Elsa died; she would have to; she had a husband, two beautiful children, and a country to take of; however, she would be shattered. Anna knew she'd barely resemble herself, how could she when half of her was missing. Yes, Anna would go one but she wouldn't be the Anna she was now, she would be a shadow of herself for the rest of her life.

Anna shook her head, she couldn't dwell on the what-ifs, she had to stay present, she had to help in any way she could now. Moving from the windows she approached Pieter, he was looking forward towards her but his eyes were unseeing as if he were a blind man walking the streets. When he reached her she placed and hand on his forearm, he startled and looked down at her, oh his eyes, they pierced her already sorrowful heart. The despair within them was as deep as the North Sea, she'd never been witness to such pure unadulterated grief. Anna knew Pieter had lost his first wife and child; what he must be feeling right now was inconceivable to Anna. She knew now that if she were to be shattered by Elsa's death, Pieter would be devastated and irreparable.

She looked down at his rose red-stained shirt, "You should change," she stated quietly. Her words and eyes drew his own down to her shirt. He tentatively touched it.

"I can't, what if…" his voice broke as he gestured towards the door.

"It'll only be a moment, you don't want her to see you like this, she'll just start blaming herself for ruining your shirt." She let out a minuscule guffaw despite herself, her words were so true Elsa would do such a thing after being shot.

Pieter rolled his eyes but a tiny smirk appeared a the corner of his mouth before disappearing, "Your right," his eyes looked at the double doors before glancing back at her, "you'll…"

"Immediately, as soon as he comes out we'll get you. Now go hurry." Pieter dashed down the long hall as fast as his fatigued legs would carry him. Anna moved over to the vacant chair next to Rapunzel, she noticed her cousin was twirling her ever short brunette hair. Anna felt her legs yell thanks to her for relieving them.

"I've never wanted my hair back until now." Anna looked over at her cousin her left eyebrow raised in a question. "My hair," Rapunzel continued, "it could heal people, I could have healed Elsa as soon as she was hit." There was longing mixed with heartache with a dash of guilt in her usually cheerful voice.

Anna was at a loss of what to say, there really wasn't much too, there was truth to Rapunzel's words but they would do nothing for Elsa now, and had Eugene not cut Rapunzel's hair he'd be dead and Rapunzel locked in another prison somewhere never knowing the love of her family or the joys of motherhood or the adoration of a country.

"We must pray," Arianna spoke for the first time since arriving. "We must ask our Lord to save Elsa, to allow all of us to benefit from and revel in her life and all the love she has to give."

"And should our Lord decide her place is with my parents?" Anna couldn't keep the bitterness from her voice. Anna had never been very religious, that was more Elsa's area, but she wasn't averse to religion. She didn't hate going to church, she was confused by people's devotion to God, she just didn't go out of her way to participate more than was required over her as a member of the royal family. At this moment; however, she was furious, her heartbeat sped up and her fingernails dug into her palms. How dare God, this all-powerful, all-merciful God, dare to take away her sister. He'd already allowed for her parents to be taken from her, he already stood by as Elsa suffered for 13 years with a power she didn't understand, the guilt of an accident, and the fear of being a dangerous monster. It was too much, Elsa didn't deserve this, Anna didn't deserve this.

Arianna eyed Anna with sympathy, Anna didn't want it, "Then we pray for God to give us strength and guide us along the path he set for us."

Anna was about to retort when the doors to the infirmary opened.

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Olaf had been walking in the orchard admiring the trees buds as they tried to unfurl and open themselves up to the sun. Olaf loved spring, not as much as summer mind you, but he did enjoy it so; all bright new colors, the resilience of the plants and animals as they emerge from the winter hibernations and migrations, the babies discovering the world for the first time. Spring felt like a dawning love, young and fragile but undeterred.

It had started as a tingle in his belly which he paid no mind to, but as the sun began to set beyond the western plateau and mountains it had grown to be an unsettling feeling. He made his way to Elsa's office where he knew he would find Kristoff. He pushed open the door to find his giant friend leaning back in the chair behind the desk, his boots on top of the desk, a small pair of reading glasses on his nose, and a missive in hand.

"Kristof,f what does it feel like to be sick?" he asked nervously. Kristoff looked down at him perplexed.

"What do you mean? Like there are different types of sick, there are fevers, earaches, headaches, stomachaches," Kristoff rambled.

"Stomachache that's it," Olaf shouted.

Kristoff rubbed his chin, "I don't know, it's an unsettling feeling, like something isn't right in your stomach, sometimes it hurts inside a little, sometimes a lot. It might feel like you want to throw up, or go to the bathroom, it might feel like your stomach won't stop moving. Why?'

Olaf waddled closer so he was next to Kristoff in the chair, he'd taken his feet off the desk as gazing at Olaf intently. "My stomach, I mean I think it is my stomach, it's in the middle of my middle, feels weird, off, unsettled. And I…." he didn't know if he should say this or not.

"Olaf, are you sweating?' Kristoff asked, alarmed. Olaf looked down and saw that there were beads of water forming on him. He looked at Kristoff wide-eyed.

"I can't feel Elsa."

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