Red Rose

The people steeled themselves as the King and Queen of Arendelle swept along the street. Armed guards kept the people at bay and the monarchs purposely didn't make eye contact with any of them. Neither did the people except for the small child following close behind them. Princess Elsa, just barely eleven years old, couldn't help but notice how they seemed to look only at her. She rolled her eyes: her platinum blonde hair made her stand out whenever she was out in public.

"Not again," Elsa muttered to herself as they passed the three shops known as 'Chocolate Row'. The guards around here kept a tight vigil so she couldn't sneak away. "Why did I have to get greedy?"

Elsa's eyes narrowed as King Runeard stopped and walked into a store accompanied by two armed guards. Elsa rolled her eyes: no one dared tell the King it this little exercise he insisted on doing every week was a complete waste of time. Two of the King's bodyguard accompanied him into the shop while the rest stayed outside. The Queen hovered nearby, head bowed, seemingly trying to blend in. Warily observing her escorts, Elsa noticed that the guards weren't paying too much attention to the heir to the throne at the moment. She slipped to a small side alley and began to pull out a chocolate bar hidden in her jacket.

A beggar, one of many on Aredelle's untidy streets approached the Princess. Elsa's big blue eyes locked with sad, worn brown ones. Elsa didn't approach the women, with half a mind to call for her guards, wary of the old woman. Dirt caked the woman's clothing, her hair, and face so thickly that the princess was unable to make out what the woman's hair color was. Despite her sympathy, Elsa retreated back towards the Queen as the woman approached.

"May..I...have...cho...co..late...bbbb...ar?" the old beggar stuttered.

Elsa sighed silently as her stomach twisted in rebellion but she couldn't resist this old women plead for help. She gave the bar to the woman.

"Keep safe," Elsa said before she retreated behind the guards and next to her mother.

To her horror a guard approached the old woman. He kicked the bar out of her hand and another smashed it into the dirt. Elsa looked over her shoulder: her father had a cold sneer on his face before walking back towards the castle. Elsa had no choice but to follow as cold rage pooled within her stomach, the ice within her veins strained to get out. She closed her eyes, tightening the noose, keeping the cold and her emotions from leaving her chest.

As the monarchs left, the people gathered around the old woman. A woman helped the beggar to her feet and another took her to his house. But her eyes never left the back of the King or the white hair of the princess.

Elsa breathed deeply, sitting against her bedroom door. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on controlling her emotions. Conceal! Feel warm thoughts! Warm thoughts! Love! She opened her eyes again: the ice had disappeared from her door and the room.

"Something wrong princess," a warm voice asked in a whisper from the other side of the door.

Elsa opened the door and smiled at the woman who was her true mother. "Nothing Gerda. Just the usual."

Gerda nodded with a neutral expression before leaving to the kitchens. Elsa began to wander the halls, stopping in the portrait gallery. She gazed at a picture of Joan of Arc, imagining what the young woman had been through. I hope I can be like her one day. Kind, but a strong leader.

Suddenly she heard a commotion in the great hall. She ran to the source and saw the old beggar there. Elsa stared jaw agape: how had she managed to get past the closed gates? The same anger that had consumed her in the village now rose in her again. She summoned her best queenly voice, instilled in her by years of training, as guards roughly handled the woman.

"That's enough," she bellowed.

Two guards quickly turned around and cringed at the sight of the plucky heir to the throne.

"Princess, she's..."

"Don't," Elsa commanded. "Go patrol the outer courtyard."

"But..."

"Somehow she got in," Elsa reasoned. "That's the biggest priority. I'll take care of her. Find how she got in."

"I should stay..." one of them protested.

"She's a beggar, nothing more. I can handle her. Now go before I report you to father."

The two guards bowed and left the room, leaving Elsa and the beggar alone. Elsa pulled the beggar into the castle towards the kitchens. She knew she would be in trouble if her father found out but hoped that Gerda and Kai might help somehow. She'd barely made it past the throne room and was nearly to the stairs leading down to the kitchens when her father appeared from his office. His cold (and to Elsa, lifeless) eyes locked with those of the princess and the sickly beggar woman slumped against her side.

"What is this?" he demanded.

Elsa schooled her features into a neutral face honed by hours of royal etiquette training. "She is hungry and it's cold outside. I'm going to feed her and then let her out to the town."

"She's filth," the King crowed. "Guards."

Elsa gulped: her authority was meaningless compared to the King's authority. Only reason would get her out of this one. "Father she will die. She's our people."

"Who have to fear us. Elsa haven't you learned only fear keeps people in line?"

"That's what you believe," Elsa shouted back, her temper blown. "That's wrong. They need to be loved. That's how a true monarch rules."

"You," Agnnar said, enraged. "Aren't worthy to be my successor. You aren't even my daughter."

"You made that clear from the moment I was born. You've never loved me. You are a horrible king!"

As father and daughter readied more volleys to throw at each other a bright light both of them off guard. The old woman's clothes, lined face, and grey hair melted away. A young woman with waist long blonde hair, skin the shade of snow, and wearing a voluminous green dress appeared. Light and warmth, love and respect washed over Elsa as her eyes widened at who it was.

"There is no charity in your heart," the Enchantress pronounced. "Unlike your daughter here. Henceforth, a curse I place upon you."

Elsa gasped as all went white and she knew no more.

Yes, this is inspired by Beauty and the Beast and more parallels will be drawn as the story continues.