Tendrils of silence had spanned the entirety of the castle of Arendelle. Each invisible tentacle ceasing the hustling and bustling of the servants and maids, quieting the ever-moving guards. No one attempted to exit their rooms. No one had the gall to drop a pin. No one dared to make a single sound.
They all knew what tonight was.
The dark and silence continued slowly, tauntingly throughout the constricting grasp of the dark and quiet slithered underneath the cracks of every door, seeping through walls and into a spacious room. Multiple bookshelves lined each wall, filled completely with tales from every region known at the time. A large window let in an abundance of moonlight, but the darkness wouldn't stand for it. It quickly closed the curtain on the light, forcing the room into a deeper, devilish blackness. It was as if the moon had run away, want to be infected by dark for fear that it would never shine again.
The darkness and silence crept onward without hesitation or care, covering every inch of the room until it began to glide furtively across the floor, circling the middle where a hardwood chestnut desk sat in the middle of a spacious room where the red velvet carpet had turned a stygian color. The wood darkened at the touch of darkness, and it stole up the wood of the desk until it laid eyes on its first victim.
A woman who's platinum blonde hair seemed to glow even in the darkened void of a room. Her snow white skin, flawless and smooth, became the moon, casting light through the darkened space as the real moon had failed to do moments ago. Atop her skin was a cyan dress, adorned with icy crystals that took advantage of the woman's light, glowing brighter lighting the room even more.
Too much for the darkness.
The woman's fingers curled in around the black fountain pen in her hand, tensing while her eyes were glued to a blank piece of beige parchment paper. Her body had gone rigid, and her breaths were heavy and quick.
The atmosphere seemed to shift in that instant. An unnerving feeling of butterflies overcame the young woman, stiffening her slender figure that seemed like it would break if someone laid a finger on her.
The darkness took its chance and began to advance, creeping closer across the desk towards the woman.
And then there was a chill in the air.
The darkness froze, and the silence that had demanded not to be broken was put in its place as the woman set the fountain pen down on the desk. The clattering of the metal caused the darkness to freeze, and the woman inhaled deeply, pushing down the unnerving feeling inside her and exhaled, her breath visible.
The woman rose from her velvet-cushioned chair, the fabric of her icy dress falling to the floor and dragging behind her in a majestic train as she walked towards the window, parting the sea of black.
Her hand lifted hesitantly towards the glass that looked out towards the whole of the kingdom. The woman's fingers rested themselves on the transparent pane, a thin layer of frost and ice spreading outward at her touch. The woman's icy eyes were stoic as she looked onward through the glass, besides the ominous darkness, the sky was clear. The stars shined brighter than she had ever seen, but it wasn't enough to quiet the twisting and turning of her stomach.
Every pang of anxiety seemed like a war was taking place inside of her. Fear and dread playing as the generals, giving orders that sent too many overwhelming signals and emotions through her. The woman's eyes shifted to her hand on the glass where etched into the top of her palm lay an intricate spade drawn in red.
The point of the spade continued outward in softly, and the rounds of the shape curved in on themselves in spiraling patterns. A single point protruded outward, as if an arrow had just pierced through a heart.
One look at this symbol sent the generals of fear and anxiety into a frenzy inside of her. Her head cane forward ever so slightly, resting on the glass as her fingnerd circled inward and her eyes shut tightly, sending tension through every nerve in her body. "It's alright..." she whispered, her voice failing to reassure her the way she'd wanted.
Her eyes fluttered open, focusing on the spade-like symbol once again. "It's alright..."
The woman's head turned slowly, taking more than a moment to find herself in the vast darkness of the room. Her hand lifted hesitantly, wading its way through the darkness until it came to her eye level, her palm facing upwards.
The woman took her time to inhale, as ice, snow, and power courses through her. Snow spiraled in her hand, glowing a brilliant blue as it steadily became compact. The woman reveled in satisfaction as a snowflake now hovered above her palm, radiating beauty and poise.
She took baby steps forward, letting the blue light of the snowflake guide her as she crossed to the other side of the room. Her head tilted back, allowing her icy orbs to settle on a singular portrait painting of a man and a woman standing side by side.
The woman stood with regal posture, her lips curled into a soft, yet forced smile. Her cerulean eyes gazed gently out into the room as if she was watching over the entirety of the space. The myriad of purples that colored her dress complimented her porcelain skin, as if a seamstress had made the fine fabric for her and her alone. In that portrait, she was the epitome of poise.
The man beside her held a rigid posture. His back was too straight, the tension visible throughout his entire body. His shoulders were tight, wanting to burst if of the black military style uniform he wore accompanied by long grey trousers, and his face seemed distant, nebulous as if he was lost in thought at the time of the portrait.
The woman took steps closer, lifting the glowing snowflake higher towards the picture, illuminating the two figures in a light the darkness outside would otherwise never permit.
"Papa... how am I going to-"
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
She took steps back out of start and took more than a moment to regain her composure. Tingling sensations scattered down her arms, neck, face, and every inch of her skin. She was suddenly aware of the entire room and of the graceful flurry of snowflakes that seemed to fall from nowhere, yet everywhere at the same time.
The woman mumbled a curse and clenched her fist, ceasing the fall of the beautiful white flakes. She let out a shallow breath, the air she expelled visible in a sheer fog.
"Queen Elsa?" A familiar voice from outside the door sent a small smile creeping up the queen's lips.
"Come in, Kai."
The doorknob clicked and turned, and a man who was a little large around the belly emerged from the doorway. He was dressed in a regal pine green suit with matching trousers. The vest he wore underneath was colored a moss shade of green, with thin red vertical stripes placed symmetrically apart from one another that went around the fabric, his undershirt possessed an olive color, and the silk fabric tied into a bow around his neck adorned the same color while his red hair acted as the star to his Christmas tree appearance. "The preparations are ready, your Highness."
His voice barely reached the queen's ears. Even though he was standing practically in front of her, his voice was so far away. Tingling sensations which she recognized as fear started in her stomach. The fear and anxiety screamed that it was there, and it wouldn't be leaving any time soon. Her legs shook as she took hesitant steps towards the door that led into the blackened hallway and lightheadedness was suddenly the only thing she could feel.
A sudden pressure was around her wrist before she could exit the room, her head turned sharply to see Kai's cream-gloved hand wrapped around her wrist. "Are you frightened, my Queen?" He asked, loosening his grip on Elsa's arm when their eyes met.
A somber smile adorned Elsa's lips at that moment. "It's war, Kai. Who wouldn't be frightened?"
The servant gave a sympathetic look, and released the queen's arm fully, allowing her to begin her descent down the blackened hall. Elsa was aware of every inch of the space as if the darkness were hovering around her, waiting for any moment of vulnerability, any opening to envelope the queen fully. Her steps were slow, as if in between each one she debated on whether to continue forward or not.
"One step at a time..." She mumbled to herself.
Her head tilted upward, her vision focused down the hall, the velvet carpet made a path towards a large pair of double doors, which seemed to grow farther away with every step she took towards them. Her breathing became quick, and her feet felt like they would fall through the floor at any minute, like gravity itself wanted to pull her into the ground.
Her eyes quickly shifted down to her left hand, where the red spade rested comfortably, almost innocently. It didn't have a care in the world that it might send the girl to her death.
"What will you wish for?" In her ears, the voice sounded muffled, but Elsa didn't have to blink to know it was Kai. "If you win, you'll receive one wish, do you know what it would be?"
A misty breah escaped Elsa's lips, and her head tilted, confidence now seeping through her as the two stood in front of the double doors, the queen resting her hand gently on the dark, intricately carved wood. "I want him back." She mumbled, turning to face Kai, determination set into each line of her face. "I want my father back more than anything in the world." She faced the doors, but it seemed more like she was staring into the abyss. "This war took him... it will bring him back. I just hope I can summon someone strong enough to help me..."
With those words, the queen pushed the door opened with one hand, a gust of wind assisting her. Her steps were sure and swift, the clicking of her ice blue heels echoed through the entirety of the spacious room. On the other end was a throne upon a dais, but what caught the attention of the girl was in the middle of the floor.
A circle lined with meticulous patterns was so large in diameter it could fit twenty of Elsa's person. The circle itself was painted black, and in the center rested a shining object reflecting gold light right into Elsa's eyes that were wider than they'd ever been. "I thought.. I thought it was lost."
Her words were breathy as an emotion she couldn't place panged in her heart, rendering her paralyzed for a lingering moment.
"Yes, so did we." Kai came by her side, gazing at the golden object. "He never wore his crown. We assumed it was lost, but we found it lying around in his chambers. I think he wanted you to have it."
Elsa stepped to the edge of the circle where she could see the golden crown more clearly. It was circular in shape with three protruding prongs, and in the center of the middle prong held a sapphire jewel.
"Whenever you're ready, your Highness."
Elsa barely registered Kai's words but nodded mindlessly as she gazed at the full assembly. The circle. The crown. It was really happening.
She was really going to enter the very war that had taken her father away from her.
She took one full breath and let her hand extend outward over the circle that surrounded the crown. The black paint of the circle began to glow blue in response to her motion, and Elsa exhaled and began to recite the words her father had said so long ago.
"My wish is to bring back the one I love." The circle's glow intensified in answer, and Elsa couldn't hide the smirk that began to form on her lips. "Divine gates of justice and power, open and send me a guardian, a spirit on which I can rely who will heed my every beck and call, who will offer me power and victory in this war." The light had grown so bright Kai had thrown his arms over his face to shield himself from the light, and Elsa had closed her eyes, the adrenaline inside of her was the only thing keeping her alert and aware of the power emitting from the circle that had been plain moments ago. "Spirit, if you will help me in this fight, appear!"
Blinding white light.
That was all Elsa knew at that moment. There was no Kai. No worries. No fear. No darkness. Just light. Even though her eyes were closed, she could feel the power and energy filling the entirety of the room.
It faded as quickly as it had come.
Darkness once again filled the room, leaving it dull and haunting. Elsa felt her heart beating rapidly in her chest. "Someone strong..." She muttered. "Someone strong." Her hands and legs began to shake as her eyes slowly fluttered open, adjusting to the dark of the room. "Kai?" Her head turned in all directions as she looked for the man. "Do you see anything? Anyone?"
"No, your Majesty." His voice was closer and more somber than she'd expected, but after a few more moments, she could make out his figure in the dark. "I don't see anyone."
Elsa nodded solemnly and looked down, her fingers curling into a tight fist, the rapid beating in her heart continued, pumping frustration into each nook and cranny of Elsa's being. "So I failed..." She whispered. "I fail-"
CRASH!
"WHOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAA AGHHHHHHH LOOK OUT, LOOK OUT, LOOK OUT!"
Elsa's eyes shot upwards and focused on a hole in the ceiling, and a black dot came falling to the ground faster than Elsa could blink. It crashed into the middle of the circle, and splinters of wood had scattered themselves across the floor of the throne room, and dust Elsa didn't even realize was there rose into the air. Her and Kai both began to cough continuously.
Maybe I'll hire a new cleaner soon...
The queen regained her composure and hesitantly took a step forward, squinting to see through debris and dust that had begun to rise from the floor.
Coughs came from the center of the circle, and numerous 'ows' came in between. "Who is it, your Majesty?" Kai came up beside Elsa who was now standing directly above where the figure had fallen. "What is it?"
"I don't-" Elsa squinted even more, trying to get a better look. "I don't know."
"Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. I was never good at sticking landings. Gods, this would have been so much less embarrassing if I'd known I would have been falling from the sky. Why wasn't I told I'd be falling from the sky?"
The voice, distinctly female, caused a slight smile to creep onto Elsa's lips. She had to admit, it was definitely a way to make an entrance. When the debris cleared, the first thing the Queen saw was copper hair tied into two unkempt braids. Her upper body was covered by a loose cream-colored tunic that went down and puffed out at her wrist, although it was speckled with brown dots of mud. Her trousers were brown, also covered in dirt like the girl's face, but they fit her slender figure nicely, but what truly caught Elsa's eyes was the rapier with a golden handle attached to the girl's hip.
The girl's head turned, and turquoise eyes met Elsa's icy blue ones. "Who... who are you?"
A/N: So, the premise for this was taken from the Fate animated series; particularly Fate/Zero since that was the first one I watched. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. It's really, really good in my opinion. (Disclaimer: I don't own Fate/Zero or Frozen) I'd actually gotten this idea a while ago. It was one of those ideas where I could picture a lot of cool scenes in my head, and then I could kind of see the whole story start to unfold in the bathroom of my grandparent's house. (I'm dead serious.) But I didn't know how to really write it and now here's this first chapter.
I know this is a little short, but I do have the next chapter written for this which is decently long, (Much longer than this one) and I'm working on the next one right now which will really kickstart the plot of the story and the feels and everything else that we all love :)
This was a long author's note I know, but follow, favorite, and tell me what you think in a review, and I'll see you guys for the next update of this story :)