Rifiuto: Non Miriena

A/N: Turns out, there's more to the diadem than we know...

Written: 2019 - Licia

Elsa had never felt freer. It had been so long- it felt like a lifetime- since she'd ridden the Nokk, actually ridden him, with the wind in her hair and the salt of the sea on her face, the feel of the waves beneath her. She promised to be no longer than an hour, two at the most.

It feels like I'm flying. I haven't felt this much freedom since... since before I got pregnant, and certainly not during my pregnancy.

Elsa hated to admit it, because she truly loved her daughters, but there were aspects of her life that she missed deeply, aspects that had been hers and hers alone- and being able to go for a ride on the Nokk whenever she wanted was one of them. The last ride she'd taken on the Nokk, the last real ride she'd taken, when she'd been truly free and unburdened by pregnancy and motherhood had been a mere couple weeks before she'd found out she was pregnant.

She'd finished her duties early and she and the Nokk had gone dashing across the earth and sea alike, Gale following behind and Bruni clinging to her shoulder. She had drunk in the crisp air and the warmth of the sun, enjoying her freedom and relishing in her independence. The ride hadn't been without its issues; they'd had to make a couple stops, because Elsa had had to dismount quickly, for the desire to empty the contents of her stomach had nearly overwhelmed her, repeatedly, as she had been doing for weeks previous. At the time however, Elsa had attributed it to the ride, her refusal to have nothing but coffee at breakfast that morning, and exhaustion left over from the previous night, for she and Hans had spent much of it making love in the early hours of the morning. Of course, now she knew better.

You'd been pregnant, and your daughters clearly didn't appreciate being taken on such a wild ride. Not that she was sure they had even realized that was what their mother had been doing, but you were, probably, what? Six? Eight? Ten? weeks along? You certainly had a tummy at that point, not very big, and not very noticeable unless one was looking, but it was there. She sighed, shaking the thoughts away.

All too soon, however, her current ride ended, and she found herself before Ahtohallan once more. Dismounting, she nodded to the Nokk, who nodded in return and then dove back into the sea. Taking a deep breath, she made her way into the glacier, telling herself that Fifth Spirit would have the answers. She just had too.

It was quiet, though she could hear the whispers of the spirits still within the walls of the glacier. From what Elsa could figure, there were hundreds, possibly thousands, of spirits still trapped within the walls; it would not be a 'quick fix' like she thought, it would take time for each spirit to make their way to peace. Her feet led her through the familiar path she had once taken those nearly three years ago when she had discovered her true purpose, passing through the throne room and into the ballroom. Instantly, all murmurings ceased, and Elsa found herself the study of every spirit still within Ahtohallan.

She suddenly felt exposed, and quickly, nervously crossed her arms, the first thought coming to her mind being that she was leaking- something she'd discovered was common for nursing mothers. She had expressed as much of her milk as she could before leaving- after feeding the girls, of course- but now she was worried maybe she hadn't expressed enough.

"Gitta?"

Elsa's head snapped to the side as her mother came into view and moved towards her. Not in the ice. She's not in the ice... could I... "Mama?" She reached out, but hesitated. Iduna smiled at her daughter, reaching out and catching her hand, pulling and resting it against her cheek. Tears filled Elsa's eyes. "Mama..."

As the physical manifestation of the Fifth Spirit, Elsa had the ability to touch the dead, those spirits still trapped within Ahtohallan. Call it another perk of being the other half of the Fifth Spirit.

Elsa threw her arms around her mother, burying her face in Iduna's neck. The former queen held her child close, tangling her fingers in her hair and breathing in her scent. "Oh, my Gitta," Slowly, she pulled away, taking her hands. "Look at you. Motherhood has done you well, my darling." She reached up, brushing the tears off her daughter's cheeks. "How are your babies?"

"Growing." Elsa choked out.

"As babies should."

The Snow Queen nodded, sniffling. "I understand now, Mama." She met Iduna's gaze. "How you could have so much love for us." Iduna didn't miss Elsa's wording, but she didn't dispute it, either. "I never understood how you could have so much love for two entirely different people, but... but now I understand. They're these beautiful little human beings that Hans and I made and... Gods, Mama, how do I ever thank him for giving me such beautiful, precious gifts?" She reached up, brushing the tears away, taking a deep breath. "And they're growing more and more every day... they have their papa's red curls, and his smile... and he's so wonderful with them..."

"Good. Gitta, that's a good thing. Any man that's attentive to his children is a good man. You chose wisely." Elsa choked on a sob.

"Johannes was always a good man; he just needed the right person to bring it out in him. They are a good match." Elsa turned, blue gaze landing on-

"Yelena?" The former chief smiled softly at her niece. A moment passed; Elsa almost didn't recognize her. Her long, white hair was no longer white, it was instead a rich, reddish brown, and the lines that spoke of her life were gone, leaving smooth skin in their place. She smiled at the younger woman, who threw herself into her aunt's arms before she could speak again. "Honey is worried she's not holding up your legacy, and she suggested her brother for council and Ryder's afraid he won't be a good councilman and... we miss you."

The chief held her niece close, running a hand through her hair. "I know, and I'm so sorry, for everything." Slowly, Elsa pulled away, glancing between the sisters, not giving Yelena a chance to continue speaking.

"I don't understand... why are you both still here? Where's Papa?" Elsa turned to Iduna, who did not say a word as Agnarr joined them. Glancing between her mother and aunt, she pulled away, going to her father and throwing her arms around him. He lifted her lightly off her feet, kissing her head. "You're a grandfather." Elsa choked out once he'd set her down.

"I know." Agnarr replied, taking her face in his hands. "We're so proud of you, Lisbet." She sniffled, before remembering-

"Mama? Yelena? Why... why haven't any of you moved on?"

"We asked Fifth Spirit if we could wait, and she simply waved us off, she's been so busy." Yelena said, moving to her sister's side. She lay a hand on Iduna's shoulder and then rested her head against her sister's.

"We wanted to see you, before we crossed over." Iduna added, reaching out for her daughter's hand. Elsa gave it, feeling their fingers thread, even as she held onto her father with her other hand.

"Give you a proper goodbye, Lisbet. The one you never received."

Elsa glanced between her parents. "Wait... are... so when you... you won't come back? I... I'll never see you again?" She glanced frantically between the three, tears slipping down her cheeks. "You're leaving me?" She choked out the words, and Iduna pulled away from her sister, closing the gap between her and her daughter.

"Oh, Gitta, we will never leave you. Not really. We'll always be here," She rested her hand over her daughter's heart. "And up here." Gently, she rested her forehead to her daughter's. "If you ever need us or wish to speak with us, you can always find us there. We will never be far away." She pressed a kiss to her daughter's forehead.

"You won't go now, will you? I... I need help." The sisters exchanged glances, but before anyone could say another word, a fourth voice broke in.

"And what, exactly could possibly bring the Snow Queen of Arendelle back to my humble abode?" They all turned towards the voice. "Why Your Majesty," Elsa's gaze widened in shock. "don't tell me that you're planning to attempt a royal coup?"

Fifth Spirit raised one slender eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. A shiver ran though Elsa; she didn't think she would ever get over the fact that her own face was staring back at her, and it wasn't through a mirror. Though their faces were the same, there were some definite changes that set the two apart, though they were essentially the same person, split in two. While Elsa had kept her mid-calf-length hair, often braiding it or putting it into a bun or loose ponytail, and had returned to her Grecian-inspired tunics, dresses, leggings, and flats, Fifth Spirit still chose to wear clothing similar to what Hans often wore- breeches and a loose shirt and barefoot- but perhaps what surprised Elsa the most was the fact that Fifth Spirit had chopped off her hair. It hit to just perhaps an inch below her chin, and framed her face perfectly.

So that's what I would look like if I ever decided to chop off my hair. Elsa's mouth opened, only to close again. Fifth Spirit studied the Snow Queen, waiting. "I... I..."

"Yes, Your Majesty?" The others watched Fifth Spirit chuckle, and that seemed to snap Elsa out of her stupor. It took Elsa a moment to gather her thoughts, before she was finally able to speak.

"I need your help."

The other eyebrow rose, and Fifth Spirit crossed her arms. "In regards to what? Can't your precious husband help you?"

"He can't. He's as lost as I am."

"What is it, Gitta?" Elsa turned to her mother, biting her lip, before turning back to Fifth Spirit.

"We need to know how to kill the troll queen."

Fifth Spirit's eyebrows rose higher, and she scoffed. "Let me get this right: the almighty Snow Queen of Arendelle, the one anointed by God himself, who, for all her worldly and non-worldly powers, was beloved by not just her people, but countries as far reaching as Great Russia and the British Isles, who gave up her throne and walked away, to live in the forest with the Northuldra, is requesting my help?" She snorted softly, turning back to the others. "You're the almighty and all powerful Snow Queen, you should be able to handle one measly little troll."

"Not this troll. This one... she sits on my throne." Elsa replied, swallowing. "She's not a child. I only know how to get rid of changeling children, not adults. Please." She stepped towards Fifth Spirit. "No one knows what to do or how to get rid of her. I don't know where else to turn. Please, you have to help us. I don't know what to do." She held out her arms, shrugging with a look of worry in her crystalized eyes.

Fifth Spirit glanced at the former king and queen, the former chief, before returning her gaze to Elsa. A moment passed, before she paced a couple steps away and then took a seat on the floor, crossing her legs beneath her. She straightened her back, glancing at the other woman, before her gaze snapped to the ground beside her. Elsa waited, and she cleared her throat, jerking her head. After a couple seconds, Elsa joined her, settling on her knees. Without a word, Fifth Spirit reached out, trailing a finger along the floor. It glittered beneath her touch, and after several minutes, something shimmered into place, and Elsa found herself looking at-

"A map?" She turned to Fifth Spirit, who didn't look at her.

"An atlas, actually, of the Other Realms."

"Other... realms?" Elsa furrowed a brow. Fifth Spirit nodded. "What do you mean by-"

"The Realm of the Fae," Fifth Spirit cut her off, reaching out and tapping on the an area, that quickly came came towards them.

"Is that the... Valley of Living Rock?"

Fifth Spirit nodded. "Mhmm. The Realm of the Trolls." She tapped an area not far from the Fae realm. "The Realm of the Will-'o-Wisps," Another tap. "Realm of the Elves."

"I always thought Elves and Fairies were the same thing." She soon found herself Fifth Spirit's study. "They're not?"

"Not at all. Fae are exceedingly magical folk. Elves possess very limited magic, similar to dwarves and gnomes. The Fae are the strongest- well, one step below Elementals. They are the strongest-"

"Us."

A nod. "There's a reason why we are akin to the gods. And then come trolls, then elves, dwarves and gnomes. And then you have the non-magical realms; called so because the magic they possess is exceedingly weak- the Giant Realm, Goblins and Halflings." She twisted her fingers, and the atlas spun, before returning to the area between the Fae Realm and the Troll Realm. "For millennia, the multiple realms have coexisted in harmony. In peace. When Mother created Humans, we were tasked with watching over them, make sure to keep them from discovering the other realms." Elsa looked up as her parents and Yelena joined them.

"Wait... we were... guardians?"

"Originally?" Fifth Spirit asked, meeting her gaze. "Yes. Mother created us to care for the world, to guard it, essentially. And when she created Humans, she tasked us to protect them, which is why she asked us to help them. Keep them occupied-"

"And it keeps them from stumbling into the realms."

"Exactly." She stretched the atlas slightly, until it was just the Fae Realm and the Troll Realm before them. "However, the realms did not stay hidden forever. One of your ancestors stumbled into the valley," Elsa watched as a female figure stumbled into the Valley of Living Rock. "that split the Troll Realm and the Fae Realm. She stumbled into a fae's ring, and ended up in the Fae Realm." Elsa leaned closer.

"Is that... the princess?"

"No. Her sister."

Elsa started. "Wait... the... the mad queen?"

Fifth Spirit nodded. "She became lost in the valley one afternoon as a child, and stumbled into the Fae Realm. The Fae, realizing she was of the royal family, returned her to the valley; they knew better than to keep a human of such high blood. But once returned to the valley, she again disappeared."

"Into the Troll Realm?"

"That's what's surmised." They watched as the small figure disappeared. "It's unknown how long she was kept, but when she returned, she had changed, becoming obsessed with her sister. At that time, the Crown Princess became betrothed to the second-born Prince of the Sea Kingdom."

"The Southern Isles." Elsa didn't catch her parents' shared glances. Fifth Spirit nodded, biting on her lower lip, as two more figures appeared. They appeared to stop by the valley, and then she watched another figure not far away.

"They were dearly in love, but they had been followed, by the daughter of a witch, who demanded her mother's tinderbox returned, in exchange for the princess's life." The scene shifted, to the river and two figures. "At this point, the tinderbox, supposedly, held the diadem."

"And when she didn't get it, she drowned the princess." Elsa finished.

"What does this have to do with the trolls?" Agnarr asked, and he shivered as his daughter's gaze locked on him. Elsa soon turned, meeting his gaze as well, and he shivered. Despite the obvious changes, it was still his daughter's face split twice, and it unnerved him. A moment passed, as Fifth Spirit blinked slowly, before reaching out and twisted her fingers again. She pulled up an image of Ahtohallan.

"The diadem is not just made from the ice of Ahtohallan. Millennia before the first Human walked the earth, back when Mother created us, the Elementals, her magic also created something else, something you tell your children."

"Wait, are you saying that... that Great Mother-"

"She created the realms, didn't she?" Yelena asked when her niece lost her words, her curls bouncing as she turned to study the atlas before looking back at Fifth Spirit. "The Fae and Troll and all the other realms. She made them, just as she made Humans and the Elementals." Silent, Fifth Spirit nodded, acknowledging Yelena's answer. "They're extensions of her, just as you are."

"Except something went wrong, when she made the trolls. They did not..." She sighed. "Something happened, but it is unsure what. They were... grotesque, hideous, selfish. Lustful. They helped me to craft the diadem from the ice, but-"

"Wait, hold on. Ah... you created the diadem? My diadem?" Elsa choked out, and Fifth Spirit met her gaze.

"It's my diadem, actually." Elsa's mouth dropped. "And yes, I did." Fifth Spirit sighed, and a look of regret crossed her face. "As an act of kindness, before we truly realized exactly what they were, I asked for the trolls' help in crafting my diadem."

"It went wrong, didn't it, Fifth Spirit?" Yelena asked, as Iduna took her hand with a squeeze. Tears glistened in Fifth Spirit's eyes, tears of regret and anger. She nodded.

"It did. They helped me to craft my diadem, and when it was finished..." She swallowed. "when my back was turned, they stole it from me, and disappeared to the valley near the Fae Realm."