Elsa had slammed the door shut just in time.
Why?
Anna threw something just as the door closed behind her.
It wasn't any ordinary object either.
Elsa, due to her powers, had the ability to make ice sculptures. This sculpture in particular featured tiny ice versions of the sisters, posing together with their arms wrapped around the other's shoulder. Anna panted, not reacting as the sculpture shattered into dozens of tiny pieces. Instead, she ran to the door and opened it.
"THAT'S IT, RUN! RUN AWAY! RUN LIKE YOU ALWAYS DO! RUN LIKE THE EMOTIONALLY STUNTED COWARD YOU ARE!" Then Anna slammed her bedroom door shut with all her might.
She let out a frustrated scream as she fell to her knees on the floor.
Angry tears filled her eyes as she clutched at the woven fibers of her carpet.
"Your Majesty." It was Kai. "Are you all right?"
"Just go away." Anna said. "I do not wish to be disturbed. By anyone."
"Yes, my queen." Thankfully, Kai was walking away from her bedroom door.
Her little "discussion" with Elsa didn't go well at all.
Anna suppressed a rude snort. Talk about an understatement.
Any idiot with half a brain would have been able to tell their discussion was a full-blown argument. For the first time in years, the sisters had it out. Neither held anything back as they let their pain and anger get the better of them.
At least this proved Elsa was human after all.
FLASHBACK
At first, Anna managed to keep the conversation light and unconfrontational.
True, it was awkward and somewhat stilted.
But Anna didn't want to get into an argument. She was trying to find the right words to convey her feelings without hurting Elsa in any way. She wasn't a child anymore.
She was twenty-one.
Anna was trying to be calm and rational.
Unfortunately, not only was Elsa distracted, she didn't seem to be aware of Anna's inner turmoil. She remained infuriatingly composed and elegant. Her expression remained placid, alongside her plastic smile. Sometimes, it felt like Anna was talking with a doll.
Rather than a human being.
When Elsa would turn around, Anna would take deep breaths to calm down.
It wasn't easy for her to rein in her temper. Anna was always more fiery and temperamental than her older, introverted sister. But Anna knew it would solve nothing if she gave into the urge to get into a temper tantrum.
For the most part, Anna was able to remain composed.
She was searching for the right words...when Elsa had to open her big, fat mouth.
"I'm afraid I'm going to have to cut our usual game short, Anna."
"What, why?" Anna was taken aback.
"Honeymaren asked me to help her with something important in the Enchanted Forest."
That did it.
Anna couldn't contain herself any longer.
"Typical." Anna couldn't keep the bitterness out of her voice.
"Anna?" Elsa was shocked by the hostility in Anna's voice.
"Clearly, you have no problem dropping everything else for the Northuldra, the Elemental Spirits and the Enchanted Forest." Anna spat. "But when it comes to Arendelle, our friends and me, we come a far distant second place in your so-called list of priorities."
"That's not true." Elsa said.
"Is it?" Anna hissed. "Then how come you only visit once a week."
"I have my duties as the Fifth Spirit. Anna, you know this!"
"Do I?" Anna said. "Sometimes I wonder if I know you at all."
Elsa reeled back as if she'd been slapped.
"What are you talking about, Anna?"
"I feel like you're still shutting doors in my face, Elsa." Anna said.
"What do you mean? The gates of Arendelle are open! There are no accursed mists separating the Enchanted Forest from the outside world."
"I don't mean literal doors." Anna waved a hand impatiently.
"Anna, stop confusing me and start making sense!" Elsa snapped.
"You don't get it, do you?" Anna started pacing. "Elsa, do you realize how hurt I felt when you decided to live within the Enchanted Forest? You made the decision without considering my feelings in the matter."
"Anna, you have no say in what I decide to do with my life."
"Elsa, this isn't about ordering you around! You hurt me!"
"How did I hurt you?"
"Elsa, you left our home."
"Arendelle isn't my home any longer. It never was."
This time, it was Anna's turn to reel back as if she'd been slapped.
"Elsa, you are the only family member I have left. Did it ever occur to you that I would miss you? We were just starting to reconnect after years of estrangement following what happened to me as a child. Then, you decided to abdicate the throne and leave me behind."
"Anna, I see you once a week."
"Elsa, you treat your weekly visits like an obligation."
"What are you talking about?"
"Even when you're here, it's clear your mind is back with the Enchanted Forest."
"That's not true!"
"Isn't it?" Anna resumed pacing. "You barely answer our questions. It's as if you can't stand to be here! When we play Charades, you constantly gaze out the window, in the direction of the Enchanted Forest. It's like there's no longer room for us in your life."
"Anna, I didn't leave Arendelle to hurt you. This is my destiny."
"No, you did this to satisfy your selfish desires."
"Selfish?" Elsa was getting angry. "Anna, I'm the Fifth Spirit!"
"No Elsa, you made a decision that completely upended my life." Anna said.
"What?" Elsa didn't understand.
"Elsa, you never stopped to consider my feelings, what I wanted." Anna said. "I know you never wanted the crown, especially since it came at Father's...expense. But without considering my own thoughts on the matter, you decided that you would live in the Enchanted Forest and give me the crown. A crown that I'm not even sure that I want."
"Anna, this is what I was born to do."
"Born to do." Anna repeated. "That's been the story of our lives, isn't it?"
"What are you talking about?"
"It seems like finding your purpose has always been our parents' priority."
"Anna-"
"Elsa, I know you suffered growing up." Anna cut in. "You accidentally struck me in the head and you became afraid of your powers. Father locked the gates and you became isolated in your chambers. But you never stopped to consider what it was like for me."
"Anna."
"Try imagining it from my perspective. I no longer had memories of your powers. I grew up with doors being shut in my face. The few servants we had left wouldn't answer my questions. They were too busy with their duties to spend any time with me. My only sister kept on pushing me away without rhyme or reason. Mother and Father were too busy ruling Arendelle to spend any time with me. I was so bored, my only friends were the portraits."
"Anna, enough."
"No, this needs to be said." Anna refused to be pushed away or around anymore. "Then, came Mother and Father's ill-fated journey. They refused to discuss the particulars. I was devastated when Kai informed me they died at sea. I thought that my sister would join me so that we would be united in our grief. But you refused to leave your chambers. You ignored my pleas. So, I was left to bury them alone. After the funeral, I begged you to come out.
"You never did and ignored me for another three years."
"It was for your safety!"
"Elsa, I never felt safe." Anna said. "All I felt was hurt and confusion as I was kept locked in the palace. No one had time for me and my only friend kept telling me to go away. When we finally learned the reason our parents went on that ship, when you showed their final moments, you never realized, much less noticed, my pain. Our parents' last thoughts were of each other and you. I didn't even rate as an afterthought. They never thought about me, period. Sometimes, I wonder if they even loved me."
"Anna, that's not true."
"Isn't it? What hurts even more is the voice you heard."
"Mother?"
"Yes, Mother. The same mother who only reached out to you."
"Mother had to help me reach Ahtohallan."
"I know that." Anna said. "But she was my mother too. I would have loved to see her image, to hear her voice. To see a hint of her spirit in some fashion. But she never even tried to reach out to me. As usual, it was all about you and your powers, Elsa. Do you realize how hurtful this is? To realize that you have been in contact with Mother all this time and she couldn't even be bothered to send me some sort of sign!?"
Elsa stepped back warily.
Anna's voice was steadily increasing in volume.
She took several deep breaths to calm herself. "As if that wasn't bad enough, I was reliving the grief and anger I felt when I learned of Mother and Father's demise. Then, the final coup de grace, YOU decided to send Olaf and me away in a canoe barely several minutes later."
"Anna, you and Olaf would have been liabilities during the journey. I barely survived the churning Dark Sea and I had my powers to protect me."
"Elsa, do you remember what Grand Pabbie told you?"
"What?" Elsa was taken aback by this seeming non sequitur.
"What did he tell you." Anna said.
"He said that fear would be my greatest enemy."
"Exactly." Anna said. "Elsa, one of your biggest flaws is that you let your fear guide your decisions. Let me give you some examples. When your powers were discovered, you ran away. Thusly, you accidentally locked Arendelle in an eternal winter. When you struck me in the heart, you set Marshmallow upon me rather than try to help me cure my frozen heart. Finally, you were clearly afraid for me after what happened with Bruni and you felt the journey to Ahtohallan was too dangerous."
"It was for your own good, Anna. You nearly died trying to help me with Bruni."
"So, putting Olaf and me into further danger was a good decision?"
"What." Elsa said.
"Elsa, you put the both of us in a canoe." Anna said. "As if that wasn't bad enough, you sent us on an icy path on a speedy trajectory into unknown territory. The Enchanted Forest isn't Arendelle. We were in unfamiliar surroundings. We could have been killed if we crashed into some tree or fell off some cliff." Elsa paled. It was clear she hadn't considered those possibilities. "You couldn't even properly explain why you had to go to Ahtohallan alone. It's also clear that you don't respect me."
"What gave you that idea?"
"I clearly remember warning you that if you go too far into Ahtohallan, you'll be drowned." Anna pointed out. "You became a frozen statue before the Earth giants were tamed."
"I sent you those clues about Grandfather."
"Yes, in a dark cave where I lost the last link to my childhood. To you."
"What?"
"After we found ourselves in a nearby river, Olaf and I had to travel to a nearby cave to avoid the earth giants. Thank you for the added danger, by the way." She couldn't help adding snidely even as Elsa winced at the sharp remark. "Anyway, after you sent the images about Grandfather, I was about to consider our next move when Olaf admitted he didn't feel right. The magic holding him together was fading. He told me that something was wrong with you. I held him in my arms. I could only watch as he slowly dissolved into nothing. I was cold and alone in that cave. Kristoff and Sven were who knows where, Olaf was gone and you were most likely dead. Then, I knew what I had to do to make things right. I had to somehow destroy the dam. But I knew that Arendelle would be washed away as a result."
"..." There was little Elsa could say to that.
"I had to risk my life to lure the earth giants to the dam." Anna hissed. "If it wasn't for Kristoff, Matthias and the Arendellian guards, I would be dead. I had no idea that you would be alive in time to save Arendelle. I thought I would return to see our home, our very kingdom, in ruins. When you turned out to be alive, I was so happy. All I could do was sob. But you didn't show any sort of emotion, Elsa. It was like you were indifferent to my feelings. And you never apologized for pushing me away on that canoe and sending me into danger."
"I had to, Anna. After the incident with Bruni, I knew you would stop at nothing to help me. You are careless and reckless when it comes to your safety, Anna."
"I'm not a saint, Elsa and I never claimed to be. As I told Kristoff, I made my fair share of mistakes and I only wanted to protect you. But you are equally careless and reckless in the pursuit of my safety, Elsa. The ice canoe and Marshmallow being the more recent examples of this. I also feel like you're trying to get rid of your earthly obligations."
"What do you mean by that!?"
"You were only too happy to abdicate your throne. You're far happier frolicking with the elemental spirits and the Northuldra."
"Anna, you are way out of line!"
"No, I'm telling the truth. I'm being honest about my feelings for once in my life."
"No, you're behaving like a spoiled, entitled brat! You have no idea what I endured to get where I am now! You are reckless, impulsive, immature-
"And you are cold, emotionally distant and completely lacking in empathy when it comes to my feelings, to my needs and wants. All you can do is think about yourself!"
"That's it, I'm out of here!"
Anna fumed as Elsa stormed out of the room.
END FLASHBACK
Tears poured like rivers down Anna's freckled cheeks.
Elsa didn't understand.
Not only did she insult her, Elsa never acknowledged how she felt even as Anna told her as much to her face. It was like Elsa was wearing cotton in her ears as Anna voiced her feelings and demonstrated the pain she felt due to her sister's actions. Elsa could only think about her so-called duties as the Fifth Spirit. As Anna continued to reminisce about the past, another thought occurred to her.
She remembered talking about the accident she suffered as a child.
Wiping impatiently at her cheeks, Anna went to her desk and quickly wrote a note.
Then she opened the doors leading to her balcony and waited for Gale to come.
When she arrived in a rustle of leaves, Anna held out the note.
"Please deliver this to Grand Pabbie."
