"You're finished," Sophie said, folding her arms and smirking.
"I hate to say it, but she's right. There's nothing you can do now," Aaron agreed and put his hands on his hips.
"Everyone just shut up and let me think! I can do this!" said Anna, leaning forward in her armchair and scrunching her eyebrows together in concentration. The twins watched with agonized expressions, waiting for the redhead to make her move.
Slowly, she brought her hand forward and hovered above the white king. "I think… maybe… AH-HA!" she exclaimed, snatching the chess piece and slamming it down one space away before folding her arms and smiling in self-satisfaction.
Sophie tried hard not to roll her eyes, but it happened anyway. She confidently picked up her black queen and moved it to the place on the board that sealed Anna's doom.
"Checkmate."
"Awww, come on! I was so close that time! Okay, okay… best four out of seven," Anna suggested as she started to reset the board.
The three had been playing chess in the castle library for hours now and Anna hadn't won once against the twins, but that didn't discourage her from trying. If Anna set her mind to something, she would pursue it until the end, even if chess was a game that she had only ever played a few times in her life and she wasn't picking it up very fast.
Sophie threw her hands up and leaned back into the couch she was seated in. "Is this really all there is to do for fun in Arendelle? I thought you said this would be like a vacation, Aaron."
Her brother shrugged and started to help Anna with the chessboard. "I'm having fun. Although I do wish Elsa could spend at least a little more time with us than she has been."
"I'm sure you would," Sophie said with a sly smile. Aaron flushed, remembering that he had told his sister the real reason they were invited to stay was because of Anna. To his relief, she kept her mouth shut about the whole thing, although he knew that she was thinking what a terrible romantic he was for only ever acting remotely interested in Elsa.
"Er, well, she is our hostess after all. Of course, I understand, she's busy…" he trailed off.
Anna sighed. "That's Elsa for you. Don't be offended, she doesn't make time for anyone. I hardly ever even see her. We used to be really close as kids, but… now, I feel like I barely know her," she said, her previously cheery expression growing somewhat somber.
Aaron noticed Sophie looking at him with an unreadable expression. "She does seem a bit difficult to get to know," he said to Anna.
The redhead shrugged. "I'm just happy that she finally made some friends. You have no idea how great it is to see some other royalty my age for once. I hope you guys stay forever!" The twins exchanged glances and Anna suddenly blushed. "Oh, I'm sorry, was that weird? That was weird, wasn't it… I just meant… you know…" Silence for a second as she shifted uncomfortably in her armchair.
Aaron suddenly broke into a hearty laugh and Anna stared at him with a blank face. She couldn't help but join him after a second, releasing a small giggle which grew steadily to a high pitched squeal. Sophie stared at them looking unamused as their laughs persisted, barely cracking a smile - until Anna accidentally released a loud snort which echoed throughout the library. After that, all three were howling in laughter, faces red, barely remembering what started it all in the first place.
Just as their laughter finally died down to a few lingering giggles, the library door opened and Elsa strolled in and approached the trio. "I'm glad to see you three getting along," she said, folding her gloved hands in front of her and giving a close-mouthed smile.
"Anna here was just showing me what an awful chess-player my sister is," Aaron said, trying to conceal the tears in his eyes, and stood abruptly to face the future queen. Sophie scoffed and waved a hand, not bothering to correct him.
"I'm so sorry I haven't been very available these past few days. Thank you, Anna, for keeping them company," Elsa said. Her sister merely smiled and fiddled with the chess pieces some more.
"Well then. Would anyone like to join me for dinner? I'm famished, and I could have Kai –"
"We already ate, Elsa," Anna interrupted. Elsa paused and looked between the other three, looking slightly disappointed. The younger princess added, "Well, you were nowhere to be found and Aaron and Sophie hadn't eaten all day…"
Aaron frowned. "I apologize, Elsa, I didn't know you wanted to make dinner plans," he said.
"That's quite alright, I just feel terrible that I was too late." There was a slightly uncomfortable silence for a moment before Elsa cleared her throat and spoke again. "Perhaps you two would like to walk with me around the castle? It's a nice evening and I don't believe I've given you a full tour of the outside yet," she suggested.
Sophie stood and chimed in. "I'll pass, I did enough exploring yesterday. But feel free to take my brother, I'm sure he'd love that," she said bluntly. "Maybe I'll teach Anna here how to swing a sword."
Anna lit up and clapped her hands together. "Ohhh, yes yes yes! Teach me that thing you did that made Captain Desi fall over!" The two princesses quickly walked off together and disappeared through the library door, leaving Elsa and Aaron alone.
Despite her curtness, Aaron was grateful that his sister was tactful enough not to bring up the lie about Anna needing to be married off; he suspected Sophie knew it was a falsity. Sophie also seemed to understand that it was Elsa who had Aaron's eye and was actively trying to help him. She could be a mind-reader and loyal ally to her twin when it suited her, and Aaron took a mental note that he owed her one.
"I'd love a tour," Aaron said, breaking the silence, and Elsa gave him a thankful smile.
The future queen took Aaron outside just as the final light from the sun was fading and night was upon the castle of Arendelle. The two strolled around the stone walls enjoying the mild summer air, and Elsa pointed out all of the interesting facets of the history surrounding the ancient castle.
As they passed the entrance to the gardens, Aaron stopped. "An impressive garden. I would love to see the inside –"
"No, I… I'd rather go somewhere else," Elsa said abruptly, cutting him off. She didn't want to point out that she had avoided the gardens for a long time, a painful memory involving her sister creating a mental barricade to the place, forever cursing it in her mind. She grabbed Aaron's arm lightly as another idea hit her. "I know what I want to show you. Come with me."
They made their way back inside and climbed the tallest tower of the castle, arriving at a paneless window overlooking the central courtyard. After some prompting, Elsa convinced Aaron to climb out onto the roof with her. Aaron was slightly taken aback at the suggestion, not taking Elsa to be the type to explore the far reaches of the castle, but curiosity motivated him to do as his hostess said.
After a slightly uncomfortable few minutes of climbing and coaching by the blonde, the two were on top of the tower admiring a breathtaking view of the entire city and fjord under the emerging stars. The two sat next to each other and admired the panorama of the beautiful landscape, listening to the gentle sounds of the ships in the harbor rocking back and forth.
"Anna was the one that showed me this spot," Elsa said quietly, breaking the comfortable silence. "It was on my 19th birthday. I'll never forget it." She took a deep breathe, cherishing the scent of the summer air.
"It's beautiful. Somehow it doesn't surprise me that your sister would go so far as to climb onto the roof on a whim." He paused and looked at Elsa curiously. "I couldn't help but notice your relationship with her seems rather… complex."
Elsa looked down and began to fiddle with her gloves. "It's a long story."
"I like long stories," Aaron said, shifting to a comfortable position, his arm rested on one knee. "Besides, it isn't like I'm going anywhere."
Elsa looked at him with grateful eyes and sighed. For a moment, she thought about how she could put the single most life-changing event of her existence into words. It was no easy task. "When we were children, Anna knew about my powers. She'd always wake me up in the middle of the night to play with her - we would build snowmen and skate and play in the snow… she loved it, we both did. But one night I accidentally struck her with my powers," Elsa's eyes fell. "Her hair turned white and she was unconscious for hours… it was only thanks to my father's quick thinking that she was saved by Troll magic. The consequence was that she lost all memory of my magic. I've kept these gloves on every day since, trying to conceal the ice, and I've stayed away from Anna as best I can, bearing the burden of the curse alone. I just can't let her get hurt like that again… I can't do that to her… I can't do that to anyone…" she finished, her voice cracking ever so slightly.
Aaron listened intently and inched closer as she finished. "You couldn't hurt a fly, Elsa. I haven't known you long, but I can tell what a caring and gentle person you are. I really mean that." He sighed and looked up at the sky. "I'll admit, I didn't expect much when I came to Arendelle, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that I am quite fond of both you and Anna. I'm so glad I've gotten the chance to get to know you, and that you've gotten the chance to let someone in… even if you didn't mean to." He reached over and tried to take Elsa's hand into his, but she recoiled.
"You don't understand, Aaron. I-I'm dangerous. I can't do this. It wouldn't be fair to you, it wouldn't be right to –" She couldn't finish her sentence, suddenly bombarded by the flood of emotions she had been trying so hard to keep hidden. She broke down into quiet sobs, tears flooding from her icy blue eyes, makeup beginning to run down her face as she wept.
Aaron reached out again and pulled Elsa's gloved hand into his. This time, she didn't resist. "I've faced worse things, and you're simply worth it," he said.
Elsa succumbed to his touch, leaning into him and wrapping her arms around his waist, burying her face in his chest and letting herself cry, something she had refused to do since the night she found out about her parents. Aaron embraced her, placing his arms around her shoulders and pulling her close. Neither spoke for a time, simply enjoying the closeness of one another.
Elsa cherished the warmth and safety of another person, something she hadn't felt since hugging her father goodbye, and she let herself sink into Aaron in both body and spirit. It felt like stepping into a warm bath after a cold night in the snow; there was a spark inside of Elsa's heart that began to grow like a burning fire, and something beautiful happened – Elsa's magic, the untamed beast of ice, lay dormant inside of her, waiting for her command, finally listening to its master and controller.
The prince and princess stayed like that until Elsa's sobs slowly dissipated into quiet sniffles. She brought her head up and wiped her eyes with one hand. "I feel silly… I'm sorry," she said.
"You have nothing to worry about. There are some things in this life that simply cannot be faced alone and it amazes me that you've been able to for this long. You are so brave, Elsa."
"I don't feel very brave," she replied with a sniff, although she looked far less upset than before. Aaron was pleased to see that she was actually beginning to smile.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked.
"It's stupid, but… there was this thing I used to do when Anna and I were kids and…"
Aaron smiled, understanding. "You want to try using your magic, just like you used to." Elsa nodded shyly and Aaron gestured with one hand. "Please do. I'd love to see what your magic looks like when controlled and not icing an entire room," he smirked.
Elsa pulled away and the two stood up slowly. She took a deep breath and pulled off her gloves, giving Aaron a second glance. He met her eyes and nodded reassuringly, and with renewed confidence, she lifted her hands and released the magic from her fingertips. Blue light swirled between her hands forming a solid ball of beautiful magical ice and Elsa smiled as nostalgia overcame her. Then, she lifted her arms and the magic shot up into the night sky, exploding into a dazzling white cascade of snow above the pair of young royals. Aaron reached out and snatched a snowflake as it fell towards the roof, staring at the mystical sight with wonder. "Wow," he breathed. "Elsa, your powers are… incredible..."
The two looked around in silence as the snow fell around them, a visible contradiction to the warm summer night that graced the rest of Arendelle. After a moment, Aaron grabbed Elsa's hand and they interlocked fingers, a silent gesture of mutual affection. Elsa would remember this as one of her last good moments before it all came crashing down. It was the proverbial calm before the storm, but at the time, she didn't know it. What came next was like a dream horribly mutating into a nightmare.
Neither Aaron nor Elsa heard Sophie climb onto the roof. They didn't hear her unsheathe her blade as she crept closer. They didn't hear her ball her hand into a fist, cracking her knuckles in anticipation. It wasn't until she was physically upon Elsa - knife at her throat and arm around her body, forcing the future queen to the edge of the tower - that her presence was revealed along with the sheer rage in her green eyes.
"I can't believe it," Sophie spat, directing her voice at Aaron who was standing startled and at the ready, his legs spread and his hands outstretched as if he were about to fight. Elsa screamed as she looked down at the lethal drop to the courtyard below, barely able to process what was happening as she felt the sharp blade dig into her neck.
Aaron nearly panicked. "Fi, stop, please! Let her go, we can talk about this, it isn't – "
"Talk about what!? Your utter stupidity? The fact that you're sitting up here cuddling with a Highborn like it's nothing? She's a magic-wielder, Aaron! I knew there was something going on here, but I never thought… I mean this is… this is…"
"Listen to me, Fi," Aaron stated calmly and slowly, trying to talk his sister down. "She's different, she doesn't deserve this!" he said, stepping closer slowly and carefully. The snow that Elsa had conjured was now swirling in a grey cloud above them, evolving into a fierce storm completely out of Elsa's control as she clung to Sophie's arm, desperate to escape but powerless under the other princess' strong grip.
"Don't you understand?" Sophie barked, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "She's playing you, Aaron. She's been plotting this entire time and you've been going along with it like a blind fool."
"I don't know what –" Elsa tried to speak but Sophie jerked her forward, silencing her instantly.
"You don't get a say in this, ice queen. I trusted you," Sophie said and Elsa could hear a sliver of genuine hurt in her voice, as if Elsa had personally wronged her. The storm grew darker as Sophie turned her attention back to her brother. "Have you completely forgotten everything we've worked for, Aaron? Everything we've lived for? How could you possibly be on her side, after everything Uncle has done, after everything he…?" she faltered and held back a sob. "What other option do we have? She has to die," she screamed. Blood began to trickle down Elsa's neck as the knife inched closer with each word Sophie said.
"No, she doesn't, Fi!" Aaron yelled through the loud whoosh of the wind. "There is another option – we leave. Right now. We collect our things and go back to Astor, tonight. And when we get there, we keep our mouths shut about this entire thing. Uncle doesn't need to know, and neither does Father. This. Never. Happened."
Sophie snarled, tears still building in her eyes. Snow was sticking to her glasses and forming water droplets that obscured her vision, but she didn't care. The only thing she could think about was the hostage in her arms who was now closing her eyes and praying for her life.
Elsa hoped that Sophie was considering Aaron's words, but she couldn't be sure what was going on in her mind at that moment. The storm above was raging now and the wind had picked up speed, causing all three royal's clothing to whip through the air. The snow grew thicker and the rooftop was beginning to turn into a white magical maelstrom twice the diameter of the tower they stood on. Aaron started to lose sight of his sister and Elsa who were only feet away and he worried they would lose their footing and both fall to their deaths, a thought he couldn't even begin to entertain. He had to bring a hand up to protect his eyes from the howling wind.
"Sophie!" Aaron finally snapped. Her brother's use of her full name captured Sophie's attention and she snapped her head towards him. He had only ever directly called her that name a few times in their entire life and only when he was extremely upset. She recalled his use of her full name the day he told her their mother was dead, and she suddenly realized this was going to come down to a choice that would forever affect her relationship with her only brother.
After what seemed like an eternity, she finally pulled the knife from Elsa's neck and released her. The blonde immediately brought her hands to her throat and fell to her knees, afraid and confused but relieved to have her life. The storm quelled slightly and the wind grew softer, but the snow continued to fall.
"Look here, Highborn," Sophie said, kneeling to Elsa's level and speaking directly into her face. "I'm letting you live for one reason - my brother's foolish crush on you. But listen to me and listen well – you will never come into contact with us or our kingdom again in any way. From this day forth, Astor doesn't exist. You've never even heard of the place. You will live your life here quietly and never speak of this to anybody. If you don't, I cannot guarantee your life. Understand?"
Elsa gasped, adrenaline still flooding her veins. "I…I…"
"Do you understand!?" Sophie repeated her question, raising her dagger threateningly.
"Yes! I understand!" Elsa managed.
Sophie stood, satisfied, and sheathed her weapon behind her back in a hidden holster at her waistline before turning back to Aaron.
"We're leaving for Astor immediately. I'm going to Starcall Inn to inform the captain, and you're coming with me. I don't care if he's sleeping, we will wake him and the crew to prepare the ship so we can set sail by morning. If I see you speaking to her again," she jabbed a finger at Elsa. "I'll burn this entire castle to the ground." With that, she turned and nimbly climbed down from the roof, not even casting Elsa a glance as she made her exit. Aaron began to follow with an expression so full of pain and frustration that he almost looked like a different person.
"W-wait…" Elsa gasped, finally recovering from her stupor and standing. "Y-you can't… you at least owe me an explanation!" she shouted, locking eyes with Aaron as he reached the ledge above the window.
Aaron could barely even meet her gaze, his face full of apologetic sadness. "I'm so sorry, Elsa. But trust me, your life will be better without me in it," he said, and then he was gone.
Elsa could barely breathe. Everything she had gained in the last few days, all of the progress she had made, vanished before her eyes. The fear returned with a vengeance. Her magic mirrored her emotions, the storm above raging on even though the twins were gone and Elsa was no longer in danger.
For hours she remained on the rooftop and cried, curled up in a ball just like she had after her parent's death, not bothering to shelter herself from the snow that now covered her. She was used to the cold and darkness, used to the solitude, and she almost laughed at herself for believing she could live any differently. Aaron was a false hope and a pipe dream. She had foolishly let him come into her life and make her think that she was capable of being loved, of maybe even loving someone else. In the end, all that he had done was confirm that her powers would never allow that to happen; Elsa would be alone forever and there was nothing she could do but conceal her pain and bear it until her dying day.
Finally, as dawn approached, she snatched her gloves off the cold snowy rooftop and pulled them on before climbing down into the castle. She ran straight to her room before anyone could see her and slammed the door behind her. She leaned her back against the door and slid to the floor, her knees at her chest, and buried her red face into her palms as the room grew dim and ice began to line the walls.
That was the last time Elsa left her room for a long time. That is, of course, until her coronation day.
Author's notes: Well, there it is - the moment I knew was coming from the start and yet still dreaded writing.
Don't worry - the story isn't over, but at this point it is imperative that you know that the events of Frozen happen EXACTLY LIKE THEY DO IN THE MOVIE. This is a certain breaking point that is segued by the movie. From here on out, the story will be post-Frozen and will follow canon apart from a few minor things.
This is the time when I really want to hear everyone's thoughts if you've been reading up to this point! See that review box down there? Go ahead and give me a sentence or two to let me know how I'm doing. I would really appreciate any feedback, thoughts, or predictions!
See you next time!