Dry leaves rustled and crunched under the little girl's feet. She lifted her head, letting the chilly breeze caress her face. The forest looked different this time around. The once lush greenery was now a tapestry of brown and orange. Rows of towering redwoods laid barren, allowing more sunlight to pierce through thinned canopies and illuminated the leaf-carpeted floor. A frosty scent permeated in the air, a sign that autumn was coming to an end. It would be another week before her favourite season of the year made its appearance. To top it all, Elsa was able to help to stockpile for winter.
She had waited for this moment for forever. It was an honour to finally be assigned with a task and be helpful to the community. The last few weeks of autumn were often a challenge for little Elsa. Children of her age were not allowed beyond the settlement area and were put under close supervision by the elderly members of the community, while adults stocked up supplies for winter. Elsa had to keep herself entertained while waiting for Mama to return - something that the twelve year old was not particularly fond of. She used to have her big brother around to keep her company. Kristoff had a way to keep her occupied throughout the day. She would never get bored of the stories he told or the music he played. The two of them were very close, inseparable like two peas in a pod. However, since he had come of age two winters ago, Kristoff had joined the ranks of the men for elk hunting, leaving her alone again. So when Mama had called her to forage for berries this morning, she was thrilled.
"I'm all set, Mama." she said, slinging an empty basket on her back.
"Remember, not to stray off the path that was marked for you."
"Yes, Mama."
She giggled when her Mama kissed her cheek.
"Please be back before sunset."
"Will do, Mama. Bye!"
So here she was a few hours later, carrying a basket filled with freshly picked berries back home. Mama will be so proud of me. She smiled to herself as she examined the fruits of labour. She'd been lucky to find some mushrooms while foraging for wild berries. A perfect gift for big brother's homecoming after his hunting expedition. She knew how much he loved to have them in Mama's stew.
An explosion broke the tranquility of the forest, startling Elsa from her musings. Dread spread in her chest when she spotted a large cloud of black smoke forming above her encampment. The little girl broke into a sprint, her hard-earned work behind left forgotten. A gruesome sight greeted her upon her arrival. Carnage and blood littered the ground as uniformed men indiscriminately slayed anyone who stood in their path. A raging sea of red engulfed her home, burning everything to ashes. Elsa quickly sought shelter behind a collapsed tent, squeezing herself in between two bodies. She felt bile rising in her throat as the thick scent of death and smoke assaulted her nostrils. No matter what she did, she could not drown out the hellish symphony reverberating in the background.
"Leave no survivors! King's orders!"
The girl's stomach dropped when she heard footsteps behind her. Elsa's heart raced when the clicking of boots grew louder. A rough hand grabbed her from the back and jostled her like a ragged doll.
"This is the end of the line for you."
Teal eyes widened at the tip of the blade hovering above her, ready to take her life away.
Someone..help me.
Elsa screamed when an arrow pierced through the skull of her attacker with a sickening crack, ending his life instantly. Confusion etched on her face upon seeing her unknown saviour wearing the same uniform as the other man.
"Iduna, get her out of here!"
She watched blankly as the man vanished from her line of sight.
"No!"
xx
Elsa's eyes shot open.
Ragged breaths escaped her parched lips as she sucked in much needed air into her burning lungs. Blood pounded in her ears like a war drum, her pulse racing to match her beating heart. She let out a weak groan as blotches of black and yellow danced in her vision. Her mind struggled to make sense of an unwarranted panic bubbling in her chest. Bleary eyes scanned the perimeter for any signs of familiarity.
"Hey.."
The mysterious voice made her jump out of her skin. Big mistake. A sharp sting lanced through her body from the sudden movement causing her to whimper. Waves of pain assaulted her sensitive nerves, making her feel like she was being stabbed multiple times from different angles.
Why am I hurting all over? Please let the pain stop.
Her nostrils flared at the scent of iron. Elsa stared blankly at a blotch of crimson staining her bandaged shoulder.
"What..where I am?" she croaked.
Her throat burned as she spoke, like someone had grated its surface with sandpaper.
"In my chambers."
Her rattled brain soaked in the information, and everything suddenly clicked. The silhouette of the person who spoke materialised into view. It dawned on Elsa that she was lying on the Queen's bed with only a silk comforter covering her bare body. Bile built up at the back of her throat as remnants of yesterday's episode flashed before her eyes. The wound and pain.. it all made sense now. Goosebumps pebbled on her skin as she recalled her narrow escape from death.
Had Anna not come to her rescue...
Colour drained from Elsa's face as dreaded realisation hit her. She had deliberately disobeyed the Queen's order and tried to flee - an act of treason punishable by death. How could she possibily think she would escape unscatched?
Better bite the bullet before things took a turn for the worse.
Elsa shivered violently, remembering how ruthless Anna was in dishing out punishments. If there was one thing she had learnt from her conditioning lessons, it was that Anna was very skilled inflicting pain, be it physical or psychological. Elsa had an inkling that the Queen had this set-up to test her loyalty. The timing of Anna's departure was uncanny, leaving her ample time to see Elsa's response when given the window of opportunity. Desperation forced her to take the bait and now it was time to pay the price. Maybe if she admitted her wrongdoings right now, Anna might go easy on her. She swallowed thickly.
I don't want to die.
If Elsa had thought she had lost her mind before, she was sure of it now. She mentally sneered at her own cowardice. At the end, her survival instincts got the best of her. The reality was that Elsa was out of her wits. She had foolishly taken a leap of faith and had fallen through the cracks. The only possible salvation to her mistake was to placate Anna's wrath with her full submission. For now, grovelling before the Queen seemed to be a much better option than having her head severed.
Mustering all the strength she's left, Elsa propped herself up using her elbows as support. She tilted her body sideways, gradually shifting her weight to her right.
"What are you doing?"
The sudden voice startled her. At the corner of her eyes she saw Anna hunched over.
Oh no, she's going to be furious. Need to move faster...
Panic short-circuited her coordination. Elsa did not account for the mattress giving way so easily. She was caught by surprise when the bed sunk too deep. Inertia propelled Elsa's body forward. The momentum was too fast for her to stop her fall. It sent the blonde toppling over the edge of the King size bed and crashing onto the carpeted floor.
"Elsa!"
Starbursts exploded behind her squinted eyes. She felt warm wetness trickling down from her bruised temple. A weak groan escaped her lips as the impact of her fall aggravated her battered body further. The pain was so intense that she did not realise the Queen was kneeling on the floor, her face hovering inches away from hers. She held her breath, paralyzed by their close proximity. Just as Elsa caught the other's hand nearing her cheeks, she retracted backward, prostrating herself before Anna. Trembling hands clutched tightly onto the hem of the Queen's cape as thought it was her last lifeline. Her head hung low like a mournful dog. Teal eyes fixed on the toe of Anna's boot, too ashamed to be ready for what was to come.
"Master, I have disobeyed you.. I deserve..to be punished."
With each word she uttered, Elsa died a little inside. Yes, she had said it. There was no turning back now. She imagined a pair of cold turquoise eyes peering down on her, burning holes on the back of her head. Anxiety clawed her innards as deafening silence followed. Buckets of cold sweat poured down her clammy skin, awaiting for the inevitable pain.
She startled at the sudden contact of soft silk against her bare back. Elsa lifted her head slowly, perplexed by the other's gesture. Confusion thickened in her brain as Anna shot her an apologetic look.
An expression bordering remorse etched on the Queen's face. For one second, it tugged at Elsa's heartstrings. It was so bizarre that for a moment, she somehow felt connected to this woman. She couldn't make sense of the feelings she was having, weighing heavily in her chest. The next thing Elsa knew, Anna was gone. Her presence was then replaced with an elderly woman who just entered the room carrying a tray of food and medical supplies.
xx
The room was eerily quiet. Neither woman spoke a word since the Queen's departure. Gerda found the silence extremely unsettling. She frowned at the Spirit's despondency - the best response the head maid could get out of Elsa was a nod, although they were times Gerda was sure the other woman was feeling uncomfortable in her presence. The elder nurse did not miss the wary glances and subtle flinches whenever she made sudden movements.
Gerda finally had enough when she caught Elsa's hiss as she was dressing her wound. She reached out for the blonde's hands and cusped them in hers. The Spirit's eyes widened in surprise.
"You don't have to hold back my dear." the head maid said, brushing her knuckles with her thumb. "You are safe here."
Tears pooled in her eyes. She averted her gaze, not wanting the elder woman to see her cry. Gerda's kind words were what she needed in the maelstrom of uncertainty. Elsa's instincts told her that she could let her guard down around this woman. She couldn't resist soaking herself in her warm gesture yet she worried about the lady's safety at the same time.
"Please... If Master finds out, she will be furious. And she will hurt you."
"No, she won't."
"How can you be so sure?" she questioned in a timid voice.
Elsa already had someone's blood on her hands because of her disobedience. The last thing she needed was to endanger another innocent life due to her transgressions. This woman had been nothing but kind towards her and it would break her heart if she was punished for Elsa's actions.
"I have taken care of Her Majesty since she was a toddler." Gerda responded with a chuckle. "If anything, she should be afraid of me."
Elsa was stunned at Gerda's nonchalant remark. A conjured image of a young Anna being reprimanded by the head maid was definitely not in congruence with her bitter experience with the tyrant. There was no way a monster like her had ever been innocent. Everything Elsa ever knew of Anna was pain, death and destruction.
Gerda continued, sensing Elsa's distrust. "My lady, I know you have no reason to trust me but I want you to know there is more to Her Majesty than the person you know. I need you to have faith in her."
Faith?! "How can I do that after what she has done?" she rasped, voice cracking under stress. There was no way Elsa could see past the suffering and humiliation Anna had put her through. The Spirit might be willing to sacrifice herself for the great good but she did not possess a heart big enough to forgive her enemy.
"I..I can't."
Gerda let out a heavy sigh. The itch to disclose her intentions was gnawing at her but she fought it off in the name of duty. Anna's story was not hers to tell.
"I am not in a position to divulge the reasons behind my request but I assure you My Lady, you will not regret it if you follow my advice. Now, it's best you get some rest."
The elder woman guided Elsa, tucking her into bed. Before she could stop herself, Gerda placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. Elsa blushed at her tenderness, her love starved heart mopping up the warm gesture. Sleep came with welcoming arms and claimed her.
