~Chapter 9~
Elsa
The carriage broke an axle while on the way back home. Though easily fixed with my ice magic sealing it back together. Olaf rode on Sven's back following our carriage back to Arendelle. It had only been a day and I didn't even notice how much I missed it until I came into the courtyard and through the front gates. Kai and Brigitta greeted us as Niklas offered me his hand getting out of the carriage.
"Welcome home, your majesties," Kai greeted.
"Thank you, Kai," I nodded, "Where is my sister?"
"I'm afraid they're not back yet," Kai replied.
Niklas glanced toward Olaf raising a brow.
"Why would Anna send you to come get us if she's not even here?"
"I'm just a messenger," Olaf laughed.
"And here I was thinking there was some urgent emergency," Niklas said.
Kai stepped forward bowing his head.
"Forgive me, your majesty, but there is an urgency. I should show you what has happened while you wait for Anna and Kristoff to return."
"Very well," Niklas replied.
Kai escorted us into the palace and the first thing I noticed was a unique chill in the air the moment we came into the front doors. I stuck the ring I had found in my pocket securely before grabbing my husband's hand.
"Do you feel that?" I asked.
"This chill isn't from you is it?" He asked.
"You could tell?"
Our breath was already sending out puffs of moisture with each breath from the cold. Stranger still, this cold was sending goosebumps to my arms, which I had only seen such a reaction from other people. The cold never bothered me-until today.
A thin sheet of ice was found on the stair banister as Kai led us upstairs and my stomach was in knots already. Kai stopped in front of a guest bedroom door before stepping aside for us. Niklas grabbed the knob pushing the door open curiously and there was a slight crackling sound as the door came open. The sound made sense as inside the room were small forming ice crystals growing up the walls and all surfaces. Though most alarming was Aunt Isidora on the bed, she was breathing though her lips were turning purple.
"How long has she been like this?" Niklas asked Kai.
"Just over a day, Lord Royan and Aksel are in the same condition in the next room."
My eyes widened fearing somehow this had to do with me. It was ice after all. I left my aunt's room and went next door quickly throwing open the door having the slightest resistance from the growing ice crystals.
"Elsa," Niklas called after me coming in right behind me.
Grand Pabbie was already in the room with Royan and Aksel. His eyes closed with both of their hands in his.
"Pabbie," I greeted, "Please tell me you know what's going on."
"Majesties," He said, turning toward us both with a bow, "Rest assured, this magic power isn't of your doing."
Deep down I knew that was true, but it was a relief to hear all the same.
"I figured that, but tell me you know who's causing this."
Pabbie hesitated a response as the elder troll leader grew stiff.
"There is a malevolent force at work here, but that is about all I have figured out I'm afraid."
"How do we wake them?" Niklas asked.
"I have tried to, but nothing stirs them. Anna left with Kristoff to find answers."
Niklas and I exchanged curious looks.
"Answers? From where?" I asked.
"I know not, your majesty." Pabbie said glumly, "But I expect a quick return, I know Anna wishes to seek your counsel on the matter."
"Thanks, Pabbie," Niklas said, "May I ask you to stay in Arendelle until this matter is dealt with?"
"It is no trouble, your majesty." He replied.
I grabbed Royan's hand kneeling down at his bedside. His hand was cold as ice.
"We're going to figure this out," I told him, knowing he couldn't hear me.
Niklas put his hand on my shoulder as I stood back up. Brigitta suddenly came flying into the room.
"Your majesties, citizens of Arendelle are flooding the courtyard. They're agitated and clearly upset. How would you like the staff to handle this?"
With another breath, Niklas took my hand in his.
"Let them gather in the courtyard, I want to hear what they have to say."
Without further delay, we went downstairs and as the doors to the courtyard were opened, we were met with most if not the whole population of Arendelle crammed into our courtyard. The sea of faces that were facing us were waving their hands toward us and shouting. Guards were pushing them back and Niklas told them to not be so aggressive with people. Our people were scared and that was plain to see. As we both stepped out toward the crowd stopping on the top stair, everyone got louder. Niklas put his arm in the air trying to get them to settle. The agitation was high.
"Tell me, what brings you here?" Niklas asked, but his voice was drowned out by everyone else. I quickly shot a bolt of ice into the air overhead and the crowd instantly grew silent as I brought my hands back to my side. I nodded to Niklas who asked his question to everyone again.
"Your majesties, a frost is rusting the nails in my home. My roof will cave in if this continues." One man spoke from the crowd.
"My horses and cows are falling ill, can you help?" Another said.
A farmer at the front of the crowd pushed his way forward only being stopped by one of our guards to keep him in line.
"The entirety of my corn crop has died from frost in the soil. How will I feed my family?"
I heard the fear that each of these people spoke of and the common similarity between all these people was the frost. My aunt and cousins were under some sort of bizarre spell and the frost pointed all fingers at me. More of the citizens began speaking to their problems bringing them to our attention. Though many angered and fearfully pointed fingers at me thinking I was the cause.
"Has our queen lost control so soon?" One man spoke from the crowd.
Niklas raised his arms up and silence fell over everyone. I bit my lip feeling those familiar thoughts of fear rise up and I had to silence those immediately. My power wasn't behind the suffering of our people, but who was?
"You all turn on her so quickly," Niklas said grabbing my hand, "If you're going to turn on someone, turn on me. I am king and your problems have been heard. I swear, they will be addressed. For those of you who wish to have your king hear of your concerns, form a line now. I won't leave here until everyone who wishes to be heard is."
The crowd immediately began to shift and move to form a line in front of the guards at the bottom of the steps. I thought some might leave, but the line formed like a snake around the courtyard. Kai brought out a small table from the palace placing it in front of Niklas along with a chair. My husband sat down as Kai brought out blank sheets of paper along with a quill and ink bottle.
"You should head inside, looks like I'll be here a while," He said.
"What happened to doing things as a team?" I said, raising a brow.
"We still are and I will share everything together with you later. People are scared and I don't want you to lose any rapport with them. They're just scared and they automatically are associating the frost with your doing."
"But it's not me, don't they realize that?" I said glancing at the crowd.
Niklas grabbed my hands in his rubbing them with his thumbs.
"For now, we must split our focus. Maybe Grand Pabbie can offer us more insight."
"I understand, I just don't want the fear to return," I said.
"It won't,"
"How do you know?"
"I know because I know my wife. You're strong and resilient. We will get to the bottom of this."
I smiled weakly kissing my husband's forehead before being escorted by Kai back inside the palace. As the doors closed behind us leaving Niklas outside with the crowd, I looked through a window as Niklas ordered the guard to step aside to have people come forward. I wanted to feel helpful and in order to do that, my role at this point was to discuss options with Pabbie.
I sought Pabbie's council upstairs in a vacant bedroom and before we discussed the plethora of problems, Anna joined us along with Kristoff.
"Elsa," Anna greeted as she took my hands in hers tightly, "What are you doing up here when you should be joining Niklas downstairs? I hope this isn't what I think it is."
"And what do you think it is, Anna?"
"You purposefully excluding yourself in order to keep the peace,"
"But I am trying to keep the peace," I insisted, "It doesn't matter, I'm needed here. Where have you been?" I asked changing the subject taking note of the reptilian creature resting on my sister's shoulder. It was a lizard of some sort, of its purpose here, I had no idea.
"First of all, this is Bruni," Anna said, gesturing to the creature on her shoulder.
"Great, but do we really need a pet?" I said raising a brow.
"Bruni and I sort of connected and the leader of this group of people underground gave me permission to take him."
"Just because they give permission doesn't mean you should accept what they're offering, Anna."
My sister rolled her eyes.
"Elsa listen, Bruni is-"
"On fire!" I interrupted as the salamander climbed down Anna's shoulder setting her clothes a blaze. Bruni turned a shade of purple as his eyes narrowed glaring at me. I knew the fire wouldn't harm Anna, but I shot ice at her arm just to keep her clothes from burning to a crisp.
"He won't hurt us," Anna insisted, "When I look at him, I sort of know what he's thinking. I know it sounds strange."
The salamander glanced at me and then the frost on Anna's sleeve and immediately rubbed his body over the frost melting it in a soft sizzle. His buggy eyes grew big as he smiled at me.
"Anna, translate. What's with the face?"
My sister laughed as she plopped Bruni in my hands.
"He likes you and your ice magic."
"Looks like you have a pet now, huh Elsa?" Kristoff teased.
I held Bruni in my hands patting his head with my finger. If he liked the snow, I dangled my fingers over his head sending a few snowflakes drifting over him. Bruni marched excitedly in place as he opened his mouth wide catching every snowflake. I shot a pile of snow at my feet and Bruni leapt off my hands diving into the snow below. He hopped in and out of the snow and seemed quite content.
"I think you just became his new best friend," Anna said with a smirk.
"So who were these people you spoke of who just gave you Bruni on a whim?"
"A small village of people live beneath the forest just inside where those four stones stand."
"The four stones?" I questioned, "You know father always said that place was dangerous."
"That forest is alive and there are creatures there that are misunderstood by many," Pabbie added.
"The Phoenix led me right to these people, Elsa. They're from the Southern Isles and terrified of something coming."
My stomach twisted in knots as my sister shared what she discovered, though only giving me more questions than answers. Anna shared that these people were associated with the Southern Isles and that was enough for me for now.
"Niklas needs to hear this too, let's pause this for today. We should all be on the same page at the same time so there is no confusion."
Anna and sat down next to me on the bed in the bedroom we came to upstairs just down the hall from where our aunt and cousins lay trapped. Kristoff sat on the ground as Pabbie paced in a small circle with his hands behind his back.
"You don't think Bruni can affect this frost do you?" I asked Anna.
Before she could answer, Pabbie picked him up out from the snowpile I had made and gazed at him.
"This creature is a spirit animal of the elements, one for each element, they exist wherever they are needed most."
"Are we in danger, Pabbie?" I asked, feeling that familiar foreboding in my gut.
"The lightning was the first tell that not is all as it should be, but everything in nature has answers." He said patting my hand.
A knock was heard at the door as Hans showed his face holding Aria's hand.
"Parden the interruption, your majesty." Hans said, bowing his head toward me, "Aria and the rest of the Southern Isles family are leaving in the morning back to the isles, but she wanted to say goodbye since you and my brother returned so suddenly."
Aria ran toward me and jumped into my arms as I hugged her tight.
"I'll miss you Auntie Elsa," She exclaimed with a wide grin.
"I like the sound of you calling me that," I said, booping her on the nose as she giggled.
"Uncle Niklas said I could call you that after the wedding. Is that okay?"
"Of course," I said, "You're my niece now, you're family. Don't forget."
"I don't wanna leave Arendelle," She grumbled.
"You can visit whenever you like,"
"Promise?" Aria said, searching my eyes.
"Promise," I said entwining our pinky fingers.
Hans took her out of the room as she finished her goodbyes and I thanked him for bringing her by.
The afternoon moved into evening as dinner was being served. We all ate together save for Niklas who I made sure Kai had gotten him a plate. Every time I went by a window to the courtyard I saw my husband toiling away writing and greeting the slowly shrinking line outside. As it grew late for bed, Anna and Kristoff said their goodnights and would inform Niklas of what they shared in the morning. We all needed the rest. I sat at my vanity combing my hair as I pulled that ring I found from my pocket. It was such a random find in the fjord behind the chateau. Picking it up, I twirled it between my fingers examining it curiously. It was just a metal band. Nothing significant, no jewels or anything in it and yet I felt as if I had stumbled upon buried treasure. Then I heard it. The lovely soprano voice that called to me nearly every day now recently. What did this mean? The surprise made me shoot ice onto my vanity and the first thing I noticed was the ring reacted to my ice. A blue inscription began to glow off the ring. Was this thing magical? I grabbed a quill and paper from a table in the corner and wrote what I saw on the ring, so I could read it easier. A few short words, it wasn't even a full sentence. Though before I could attempt to translate this unknown language, I heard footsteps behind me. I slid the ring onto my right index finger as I turned expecting my husband and got the hooded figure from the night before the wedding. A flash of lightning announced her presence startling me again.
"How did you get in here?" I asked.
"I know this place well,"
"Well, you broke into my bedroom unannounced, I must ask you to leave or I'll make you."
The woman still shadowed by the hood, stepped toward me and I felt quite defensive in her presence.
"You didn't heed my warning,"
"Well, uh, I didn't give it much merit coming from a random stranger.
She stepped toward me again.
"I'm no stranger," She said.
"Just tell me why did you come to me that night?"
"I didn't want you to suffer like I have suffered."
"Keep going on this path and you will lose him and yourself."
"I don't understand," I muttered.
Her hood was lowered as a frightening realization hit me. Her blonde hair fell down her shoulder as her blue eyes met mine. I was looking in a mirror. This woman was me. Though she seemed aged somehow like she had been through something traumatic. The door to the bedroom twisted open as Niklas came into the room seeing me and then looking between us confused. The other me was scarred across her left eye with burns across her arms. Niklas looked exhausted but sprung into action grabbing his sword from his belt pointing it at the other me.
"Who are you?" He growled defensively.
"Strange, I thought that'd be obvious," She said dryly, "It's good to see you Niklas."
I watched as her eyes got glossy, full of emotion so suddenly on the verge of tears.
"I didn't think I'd see you again," I said.
She looked at me with downcast eyes. It was me I was looking at and yet I could see the deep pain that looked back into mine.
"Can one of uh-you explain what's going on?" Niklas said.
I grabbed Niklas's arm as he lowered his sword.
"She's still me, but-" I said looking up at her.
"I'm not from your present time," She said.
"Anna told me she found a fire spirit dwelling among a small community underground. Then she mentioned a fifth spirit who might be able to quell the frost."
My other self shot a quick glance at me.
"The frost has appeared?" She asked.
"Yes and I swear it's not me." I insisted.
"Of course it isn't," She agreed, "But I'm guessing not everyone believes that."
"I heard quite a bit of concern from people today," Niklas added, "I'm sorry, this is weird, what can we call you?"
"I don't plan on staying here long, so let's not make it bigger than it should. Use my middle name, I guess."
"Elris." Niklas nodded, "Works for me."
"Why are you here?" I asked getting right to the point.
"I tried to stop it, but if the frost is already here, I'm too late."
"Too late?" Niklas asked.
"To stop what?" I urged.
Elris moved toward the door and yanked it open.
"Anna should hear this too,"
She threw up her hood leaving us alone for a few moments as Niklas looked at me in a daze grabbing my shoulders.
"Elsa-" He said.
"I know," I replied bringing my hand to his cheek, "Trust me, I'm just confused as you are."
Niklas's gaze fell to my finger which had a faint blue glow. He examined it curiously.
"Where did you get this?"
"I found it near the chateau," I shrugged.
"And it's glowing? I didn't notice it before."
"I just put it on and it started doing that,"
Niklas turned my finger this way and that examining the ring further.
"There's an inscription or something, it's hard to read even with the blue glow."
"I wrote it down," I said, turning to snatch the paper off the table.
"Transashio Augmentactus Tormenaris Ageous," I spoke the words, but I didn't recognize them at all. It was strange sounding phrasing that sent a chill down my spine.
"Elsa, I don't like this. Let's burn the page in the fireplace."
Suddenly a beam of blue light shot out from the ring on my hand stopping on the nearby wall. Niklas and I jumped back nervously as the beam grew into a large blue circle of magic power that swirled.
"Get back, Elsa." Niklas tried to pull me back, but I was being pulled toward the circle in the wall. There was a force from the ring drawing me into the light. Niklas grabbed my hand to stop me, but it was no use. Half of my body was in the portal already. I could see his boots dragging across the ground as he tried to pull me out.
"Niklas, just let me go, Arendelle needs their king."
"And I need my wife!" He said through gritted teeth, "Wherever this thing is, we're being taken together."
The force became stronger as it swallowed me in its light as Niklas didn't let go of my hands. We held onto each other as a bright light overwhelmed us.