I thank Whirlpool24 of DeviantArt for helping me.
Adeline looked at the bridge and sighed to calm herself before climbing it. The last thing she wanted was to melt it before the others could cross it. But she wanted to talk to Elias first. She made her way up to the thick doors. Then she knocked on them.
Elias was enjoying the calmness until he heard the knock.
"That's impossible. No one should have been able to follow me up here," Elias said as he walked down the stairs to the door.
"King Elias," Adeline asked as she heard footsteps inside, "It's me, Adeline. May I please come in?"
"Why are you here? Go away," Elias said to her, "I came here to be alone."
"I know and I know why you did," Adeline said to him.
"How could you possibly know?" Elias asked as he crossed his arms.
"Because I'm just like you," Adeline said to him. Then she put her ear to the door and saw him open the door a bit.
"It's true," Adeline said to him, "I would never lie to someone like you."
"Someone like me?" Elias asked in confusion, "What do you mean?"
"Someone special," Adeline warmly smiled at him, "So...will you let me in so we can talk? Seriously, it's cold out here."
Elias looked down a moment before opening the door for her.
"Come in," Elias said to her and held out his hand.
"Thank you." Adeline said to him and rubbed her arms.
"Now what did you mean when you said that you were just like me," Elias asked her curiously.
Adeline closed her eyes and then created fire in her hand. Elias gasped in wonder and looked at it in fascination.
"You can create fire? Were you born with this or cursed?" Elias asked her.
"I was born with it," Adeline explained, "And just like you, I had a hard time controlling it."
"The things I've seen. The pain I went through," Adeline said as she put out the fire. "It was awful. I could still see my parents' faces before they died."
"Then how did you learn to control it?" Elias asked her.
"By remembering I wasn't alone. I still had friends to help me through that pain," Adeline said to him and held his hands, "Just like you do."
"I can't have friends around. If I do, they'll just get hurt. It will happen all over again," Elias turned away from her and clinched his hands as the memory of that night echoed in his head.
"Catch me," Young Aaron cried out.
"Aaron," Young Elias cried out and then hit him in the head with his powers.
Elias gasped and shook his head as he tried to forget it again. Adeline looked at him oddly and got in front of him.
"Something happened with your powers, didn't it," She asked him. "What happened?"
"I didn't mean to," Elias said as he looked down, "It wasn't supposed to happen."
"What? What happened?" Adeline insisted.
"I almost killed my little brother," Elias admitted to her. Then he sat down on the stairs with his head in his hands.
Adeline sat down beside him and put her hand on his shoulder. He flinched from her touch and moved away from her. She sighed as getting him to open up to that was going to be a challenge. So they sat there silently for they didn't know how long. It could have been two minutes, it could have been fifteen before Elias lifted his head.
"Elias," Aaron asked him and knocked on the door.
Elias hid in the shadows and then let the door open.
"Hey it opened! That's a first," Aaron said and then winced, "Oh uh, Kristen, you should probably wait out here."
"What?" Kristen asked in surprise.
"Last time I introduced him to a girl, he froze everything," Aaron said and shrugged.
"Oh come on, it's a palace made of ice! Ice is my life," Kristen begged him, "Please?"
"Bye Sven," Olaf said and waved to her.
"You too, Olaf," Aaron said to him, "Look it's family stuff ok? Just give me a minute. Rapunzel could you and Eugene wait out here too?"
"Ok, but just for a minute," Eugene said as he frowned while trying to warm himself up, "I really don't like the snow."
Then Aaron walked into the room as Olaf started counting the seconds. Adeline got up and smiled at him.
"Hi Adeline," Aaron said to her and looked around, "Where's Elias?"
"Aaron," Elias said and appeared at the top of the stairs.
"Whoa! Elias you look...different," Aaron said in surprise at his brother's new wardrobe and hair style, "It's a good different. And this place? It's amazing."
"Thank you. I never knew what I was capable of," Elias said as he smiled at his work.
"I'm so sorry about what happened," Aaron said to him and walked toward him, "If I'd have known..."
"No, no. It's okay. You don't have to apologize," Elias said to him as he backed away, "But you should probably go, please."
"But I just got here," Aaron chuckled to him.
"You belong down in Arendelle," Elias said to him.
"So do you," Aaron said trying to convince him.
"You shouldn't run away from your problems," Adeline said to him.
"No, Aaron. I belong here. Alone. Where I can be who I am without hurting anybody," Elias sadly said as he looked to the side with one hand on the railing of his staircase.
"Actually, about that...," Aaron winced and then looked behind him.
"59, 60," Olaf counted and then burst through the door.
"Who is that?" Elias asked in surprise.
"Hi, I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs," Olaf cheerfully said as he toddled inside and waved to Adeline, "Hi again. You were riding that rock horse earlier."
"Olaf," Elias asked in disbelief.
"Yeah you built me," Olaf said to him and held his hands in front of him, "Remember that?"
"And you're alive," Elias asked in amazement.
"Uh yeah I think so," Olaf said as he flexed his hands and looked back up at him.
Elias looked at his hands as he did remember making a snowman just like him outside. When he decided he was going to use his powers as he wanted. But he didn't think that it would actually become conscious and be able to move around like a person.
Then Rapunzel and Eugene come in after Olaf and gasp at the wonder of the palace. And not to mention Elias' new look.
"Wow Elias, you look amazing," Rapunzel said to him.
"Elias, we were so close as kids," Aaron said to him, "We can be that way again."
Then the memory of that night came back to Elias.
"Catch me," Young Aaron said and jumped down.
"AARON!" Young Elias cried out and hit Aaron in the face.
"No we can't," Elias shook his head and turned away from them, "Goodbye Aaron. Cousin."
"Elias wait," Aaron said to him as he climbed the stairs.
"No, I'm just trying to protect you," Elias said and climbed further up the stairs to get away from him.
"You don't have to protect me. I'm not afraid," Aaron insisted as he followed, "Please don't shut me out again! Please don't slam the door. You don't have to keep your distance anymore."
Aaron followed him up the big staircase to the right.
"Cause for the first time in forever, I finally understand. For the first time in forever, we can fix this hand in hand."
Aaron reached out his hand to him but Elias kept walking away from him.
"We can head down this mountain together. You don't have to live in fear. Cause for the first time in forever, I will be right here."
Elias walked into his living quarters and saw Aaron put his hand on his heart.
"Aaron, please go back home. Your life awaits. Go enjoy the sun and open up the gates."
"Yeah, but...," Aaron started to say but Elias cut him off.
"I know! You mean well, but leave me be," Elias said as he waved his hand at him and then walked outside to show him his new kingdom, "Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free. Just stay away and you'll be safe from me."
"Actually, we're not," Aaron winced.
"What do you mean you're not?" Elias asked in confusion.
"I get the feeling you don't know," Aaron nervously smiled at him.
"What do I not know?" Elias asked in concern.
"Arendelle's in deep, deep, deep, deep snow," Aaron wrung his hands and cringed.
"What?" Elias asked in surprise.
"You kind of set off an eternal winter...everywhere," Aaron told him.
"Everywhere?" Elias asked in shock and snowflakes started to fall around them.
"It's the emotions again," Adeline warned Rapunzel and Eugene. Then they took shelter behind the balcony.
"Oh, it's okay. You can just unfreeze it," Aaron said to him.
"No, I can't. I...I don't know how," Elias cried out to him.
"Sure you can. I know you can," Aaron tried to reassure him, "Cause for the first time in forever..."
Elias groaned as he turned away from Aaron knowing he accidentally in Arendelle in a deep freeze. It is almost too much for him to bear. The lives he possibly had ruined because of these powers of his.
"Oh, I'm such a fool! I can't be free," Elias exclaimed as he looked down ashamed as the snow started swirling around him.
"You don't have to be afraid," Aaron started walking towards his brother.
"No escape from the storm inside of me," Elias tearfully gripped his heart in anguish.
"We can work this out together," Aaron blinked and put his hand up to shield his face.
The wind blew the snow and ice heavier and faster around them.
"I can't control the curse." Elias cried out as he wondered if he really was a monster like the Duchess said.
"We'll reverse the storm you made," Aaron squinted his eyes to protect them trying to get to this brother.
"Oh, Aaron, please. You'll only make it worse," Elias exclaimed and then gripped his hair in panic.
"Don't panic, " Aaron tried to calm him down.
"There's so much fear," Elias panted as he looked at his reflection in the ice.
"We'll make the sun shine bright," Aaron reached out for Elias.
"You're not safe here," Elias looked at Aaron in terror.
"We can face this thing together." Aaron continued, not giving up on his brother, "We can change this winter weather, and everything will be alright."
"No," Elias struggled as he listened to his brother's voice and all the anguish in his body fighting for control, "I can't!"
As Elias screamed, ice blasted from his body out and hit Aaron right in the chest. He cried out in pain and then collapsed to his knees. He gripped his chest as a piercing pain course through it. Rapunzel gasped in fear as she ran inside to him. Elias turned around and gasped in horror at the sight of his little brother on the ground, gripping his chest.
"Elias," Adeline said as she came over to him.
"Stay away," Elias said and backed away from her.
"Aaron?! Aaron," Kristen cried out as she ran inside and to him, "Aaron are you alright? "
"Yeah I'm ok," Aaron said as he stood up, "I'm fine."
"Who's this?" Elias asked and then shook his head, "Wait, it doesn't matter. Just...you have to go."
"No, I know we can figure this out together," Aaron insisted as he stood up with Kristen's help.
Kristen noticed icy shadows forming around them. Olaf started noticing them as well.
"How?! What power do you have to stop this winter," Elias desperately asked him, "To stop me?"
"Aaron, I think we should go," Kristen said as she was starting to get a little scared and pulled Aaron to her.
"No," Aaron firmly said to her and then looked at Elias. "I'm not leaving without you, Elias."
"Yes, you are," Elias said heartbroken and then used his powers to make a huge snow monster.
Rapunzel, Eugene and Adeline hid as the monster grabbed Aaron, Kristen and Olaf. Then it walked down the stairs to the door and opened it.
"Stop! Put us down now," Aaron demanded and struggled to get loose.
"Go Away," Marshmallow said in a deep voice and then tossed them down the stairs to the snow.
Elias struggled to hold back the tears as he started pacing. Adeline came out of her hiding place and stopped him for a moment.
"Elias, you shouldn't have done that," Adeline said to him.
"It was for his own good," Elias said to her and crossed his arms, "I...hurt him again. After I promised I would never let this happen again."
"You can't hide away forever," Adeline said to him and tried to put her hand on his shoulder.
"Yes I can," Elias said and looked at her, "You saw what happened! What if I do that to you?!"
"Ice doesn't do much against fire, so I'll be fine," Adeline assured him. "Look I'll prove it. Bring up an ice shard."
Elias looked at her unsure and then an ice spike appeared before him. Adeline made fire in her hands and then melted the ice before her. Elias watched her in amazement.
"How did you do that?" Elias asked her in wonder.
"Practice, a calm mind and having a lot of support," Adeline said and pointed out Rapunzel and Eugene.
"You're still here?! No no no," Elias said as he started pacing again, "You can't be here cousin. It's dangerous. Ok, ok come on, Elias. Get it under control. Don't feel. Don't feel. Don't feel!"
Then the ice turned dark and red around him and started forming spikes around. He groaned in fear as he crossed his arms and ran down the hall.
"Elias wait come back," Adeline called to him, "It's ok. Shh, calm down. Now about staying here, what are you going to do for food?"
"I never thought of that before," Elias said as he paced more. "Eugene, could you get some food?"
"Yes, but we're not staying here forever. And neither should you," Eugene said as he looked around.
"What other choice do I have?" Elias asked him, "You saw what happened."
"Yes we saw you get scared and called your gift a 'curse'," Adeline said to him, "Elias, there is a way to control it."
"If you know a way to stop this eternal winter caused by me, I'm open to hearing it," Elias said to them and then crossed his arms.
"After my village was burned down and my parents were killed. All I thought fire could do was burn and destroy," Adeline said as she made a small flame in her hands, "But then I found out that fire isn't just destruction. It's life."
"What do you mean?" Elias asked her.
"What do you think the sun is?" Adeline pointed to the sunset, "It is a huge ball of fire in the sky and can cause a drought. But it also can create. It provides warmth just like small fires do."
"Elias, think about it. What does fire do for your whole kingdom," Eugene asked him.
"It provides warmth. And you...cook on it," Elias said as he thought about all the things fire helped make.
"It also makes beautiful glass," Adeline said as she took his hand, "And tools for your people to use every day."
"But ice? What good can come from ice," Elias said as he took his hands out of hers, "It only brings cold and famine."
"And it can be used to store food," Rapunzel suggested as she looked at his room.
"Food," Elias looked at her in confusion and then remembered the ice harvesters outside his palace. "Like in the ice boxes we have here?"
"Yeah. The ice keeps the food fresher longer," Rapunzel explained to him. "And what about ice sculptures? I like to paint. Couldn't you do something artistic with your power?"
"I could...if I could control it, " Elias said in a deadpan voice.
"Then why don't we get started," Adeline suggested and walked to the door. "Come on."
Elias arched his eyebrow at how stubborn this woman is. She just wouldn't give up on trying to help him. Even though in his eyes, he was beyond help.
Elias followed her downstairs and outside his palace. Then Marshmallow looked at them and growled.
"It's alright. They are...guests. Stand down," Elias commanded him and watched him lay down in front of the steps.
"That is both scary and amazing," Eugene said as he watched it form into a harmless snow mound.
Adeline brought some logs from the forest and set them up in the snow.
"What are you doing with those," Elias asked her curiously.
"I'm making you some targets to practice on," Adeline explained to him. "Watch me."
Adeline formed some flames into her hands and then used her powers to light one of them on fire. Then she used her powers to make it dance and then it jumped from one log to the other.
"You know how I learned that," Adeline asked him with a smile.
"How?" Elias asked her.
"By coming to peace with my powers," Adeline said to him, "And now it's your turn."
"What do you want me to do?" Elias looked at her with curiosity.
"I want you to put the fires out," Adeline said to him and pointed to the fires.
"Ok," Elias said as he looked at the targets. Then he threw his hands out and the huge ice shards impaled the logs.
"Uh well he did put the fire out," Eugene winced and rubbed his neck at how he put them out.
"You can't trust fear," Adeline said as she melted down the ice shards and then put up some new logs, "Now this time, relax."
Elias looked at the logs and saw his hands were shaking again. He took a few ragged breaths to calm himself, unsuccessfully.
Rapunzel and Eugene backed off to give him a bit more space. Adeline came over to him and put her hands on his shoulders.
"I can't," Elias looked down, "This is hard."
"But not impossible," Adeline pointed out and held up one of his arms, "Try with just one hand this time. If you use both, it's more powerful."
Elias tried to concentrate on the log and the fire got put out. This time because a bunch of snow landed on it.
"Ok that was good. Now just do that for the other three," Adeline said to him.
Elias looked at them and started building the snow in his hand until it shot out in a huge blast that destroyed the logs. Eugene pulled Rapunzel away as splinters went everywhere. Elias sighed in disappointment as he looked at the broken pieces all over the ground.
"Adeline I don't think this is working," Elias said as he sat down on a block of ice.
"You can't just give up yet," Rapunzel said to him, "I mean after all, neither Corona or Arendelle was built in a day."
"Yes, but it only took one for me to set off winter in the summer and doom everyone," Elias grimly said to her and put his head in his hands. Then he felt someone's warm embrace around him, "Huh? What are you doing?"
"It's called a hug and right now you need it more than anyone," Adeline said to him and felt him trying to push her off him.
"Please just let go of me," Elias insisted but felt her just tighten her grip on him.
"Shh shh, Elias it's ok," Adeline said as she continued hugging him, "You can't hurt me."
Elias felt the walls he had built around himself for years starting to break apart. The last time he ever felt any kind of warmth was from his parents. They had tried to embrace him when he was twelve but he pushed them away because he was afraid he would hurt them if they touched him. And here was this warm woman refusing to let go. He almost wanted to give in had it not been for the horses neigh in the distance.
"What was that?" Adeline asked as she heard the noise too.
Outside the palace, Hanna led a group of men to it. Since Aaron's horse returned riderless, she got worried. So she went to go look for Aaron and his group with some men from Arendelle and the two bodyguards for the Duchess of Weselton. She marveled at the ice palace.
"We're here for Prince Aaron," Hanna said to the men, "Be on your guard but no harm is to come to the King. And if his cousin is here with her boyfriend and her friend, no harm is to come to them either understand?"
The men all agree to her except for the Duchess' bodyguards. They looked at each other with a glint in their eyes. They had no intention of following her orders when they had their own orders from the Duchess to kill him. As Hanna came closer to the stairs, the snow guard, Marshmallow woke up and roared at them. Hanna gasped in shock at the monster in front of her and then the bodyguards got out their crossbows to fire at it. It blocked it's face as two arrows embedded themselves in his arm and then he grew ice claws, teeth and spikes on his hands in anger. He roared at them and then back handed them into a huge boulder. As Hanna tried to fight it with a sword, they shook the pain out of their heads and looked ahead. Elias had poked his head out to see what the noise was then slammed the door shut.
"The King," One of the bodyguards exclaimed and then got up, "Come on!"
They charged past the monster and up the stairs to the doors. They slammed their shoulders into it to open it.
Elias, in the meantime, had taken Adeline's hand and ran up the stairs with her.
"Up there," One of the body guards said to him and pointed to Elias running up the stairs.
"Come on," His partner said as he ran after him, "We got him!"
"Adeline, get behind me," Elias said as he ran into the living quarters and stood in front of Adeline.
"Go round," The first body guard ordered his partner and pointed to the side.
"Stay away," Elias ordered them and clinched his fist.
"Fire! Fire," The second bodyguard said as he cocked his crossbow with him, "Get him! Get him!"
"Drop your weapons!," Adeline ordered them and saw them aiming their crossbows at them. "I said drop them!"
She used her powers to make the weapons heat up so they had to drop them in pain. Then they charged at Elias to fight him bare handed. Elias blocked the first one and then punched him in the face. The second grabbed him from behind and Elias flipped him off. One of the bodyguards grabbed the crossbow again and fired at Adeline. Elias gasped and brought his hands up to trap the arrow in ice. Adeline then blasted at the other guard with fire while Elias used his ice. The two of them fought back to back to block the guards until Elias trapped one of them against the wall with ice spikes. One of them was really close to his neck.
"King Elias," Hanna exclaimed as she saw him pushing the ice at the bodyguards, "Don't be the monster they fear you are!"
Elias stopped using his powers and looked at her.
"The girl has powers like him," One of the bodyguards told Hanna.
Rapunzel and Eugene ran into the room and looked around. Then Hanna saw one of the bodyguards aiming his crossbow at Adeline. Hanna gasped and then pushed his arm up as he shot. Elias looked up and then ran and pulled Adeline out of the way as it fell. He yelled as he slipped on the ice and slid into the wall. His ears rang as he passed out. Adeline groaned as her head spun and she passed out next to him.
"Elias! Adeline," Rapunzel cried out to them and put her hand on them.
"I am so sorry about this," Hanna said and glared at the bodyguards, "I told you not to hurt him! We need him to stop this winter!"
"We had our orders, princess," One of the guards groaned as he managed to get out of the ice trap.
"Get those two up carefully, put them on horses and take them back to Arendelle," Hanna ordered the Arendelle men and then sighed, "And when we get there, put them in the dungeon."
"No you can't do that!" Eugene cried out to her.
"It's just a precaution," Hanna said to them, "I will let them out soon, I promise."