Usual disclaimer. Prepare for some angsty shit on this one.
Elsa was glad that Anna had her sit down at this point. She supposed she should have already guessed it by now, but there were some people in the Order who could only master two Elements, sometimes even three. But Anna…
Anna, the girl who loved milk chocolate, the one who made the perfect pancakes and had Elsa smile like she never smiled before…
"Wait, so… All four?" She asked. Anna smiled back nervously.
"All four."
"Elements."
"Yes, Elsa. Elements. I have the capability to master all four Elements."
"So… I'm basically training my next leader."
"If that's the way you want to put it, then yes. You're training the next Gita Ratulemen." Elsa was dumbfounded, jaw agape and looking at Anna like she had two heads.
"Please just… don't treat me any differently than you would normally. That's the last thing I really want. I just want to keep training how we normally would, without this whole thing getting in our way. I hate being treated like I'm some sort of… Super special person or something like that," she requested, her face morphing into a look of pleading.
"But you are this super special person. For Vita's sake, you can control basically everything!" Elsa cried. Anna just shook her head and raised a finger up to her lips, looking around fearfully following Elsa's exclamation. The blonde's dark eyebrows scrunched together, somehow putting puzzle pieces together in her head as more and more time went by, the silence stretching onward between them.
"Why… why did you not tell me?" Elsa asked softly. She wasn't hurt by the fact that Anna didn't tell her, but rather… confused. Anna sighed, resting her chin in the palm of her hand and looking at Elsa, seeming to study her features before giving her answer.
"Because I didn't want you to treat me any different. I'm still Anna, regardless of if I can master all four Elements or not. I'm still me, and I didn't want to be treated any differently than that," she said, her hand coming up to graze her scar, "and, I'm sure you are wondering why I want to keep it so on the downlow, so to speak." Her eyes flicked up to meet Elsa's questioning gaze, a ripple of pain shooting throughout her face.
"Because of my heritage, my parents died."
Twenty one years ago
Ingrid Bønn and Daniel Kjærlighet met on an accidental date, set up by their two closest friends, Lars Oaken and Tom Moe; both of which happening to be Spades. Ingrid and Daniel, however, happened to be Elementals; very powerful ones, at that, and they both knew it.
That was beside the point, though, especially on that night. They had heard about each other's families before, though not necessarily in the most positive light; the Bønn family was a mixture of Fire and Air lines, while the Kjærlighet family was a tossup of Earth and Water lines. There had been bad blood between the family for a while, though neither Ingrid or Daniel knew why their families couldn't move past it.
Oaken had been working at his parents' restaurant at the time, being in university and not having enough money to start his own business yet, and invited Daniel to the restaurant, managing to finally get a reservation. Tom had been scheming with his mountain-like boyfriend to get Ingrid to come as well, and finally convinced her to attend. Daniel, of course, was unsuspecting, sitting alone at his table and awaiting Oaken to come and take his order… Only to be met with a beautiful blonde in front of him.
Her hair seemed as if it were spun from gold, done up in a bun, and her eyes the color of the clearest oceans. She had beautiful pink lips, and a smile that could spur world peace. He found himself in awe, completely dumbstruck by her beauty, and soon realized that she was staring back at him. His ears turned as red as his hair, and he averted his emerald eyes quickly. He started playing with the hair around his neck, a nervous habit that formed when he was just a child.
"H-hi, miss. A-are you at the wrong table?" He asked timidly, wondering if this beauty had accidentally stumbled upon the wrong table. To his surprise, she just laughed, the sound ringing. He decided right then and there that that was one of his all-time favorite sounds, and while not a soft or gentle sound, it still made his heart sing.
"Nope! I'm at the right table, from what Moe and Oaken have told me. And honestly, I'm pretty glad I'm here too! I mean, the food here is great – have you tried it yet? If not, let's get to ordering! – and I'm having dinner with a very attractive stranger, just like they said I would be! I mean, you seem pretty surprised and all… Whether that's because you didn't know about this or you expected me to be a hag, I'm not really sure," she rambled, eyeing him up suspiciously all of the sudden and taking a breath, "And I sure hope it's not the later. By the way, My name is Ingrid, what's yours?" His eyebrows were already well into his hairline, jaw dropping more and more as he listened to her not-so-little rant that she managed to get out in only two breaths.
"Uh… My name is Daniel, nice to meet you?" he asked uncertainly, trying to register everything that had just been thrown his way. She held out her hand and waited for him to shake it; his hand eventually moved on its own accord. Suddenly, he seemed to register what she had said about him possibly not knowing about this.
"Wait, you knew about this?" he asked, blinking a few times. She cocked her head to the side in a manner that said she was surprised he was even asking the question.
"If I didn't, I would have already found Oaken. Speaking of, look who's here!" Daniel turned his head to the side to see his giant friend walking up. His eyes turned into emerald green slits, glaring hard at his friend.
"Yoo hoo!" Oaken exclaimed, becoming more and more frightened by his friend as time went by, "What can I start you both with today?" Daniel's eye twitched before he gave his answer.
"An explanation, for one," he gritted out. Oaken chuckled nervously.
"I set you up on a blind date," Oaken explained, "And it wasn't just me, ya, Moe did it too!"
"You know, Lars," Daniel said, noticing his friend flinching at the rare use of his first name, "People usually know about blind dates when they go on one." The tenor of his tone rumbled low, dropping down to a baritone he didn't normally have. Oaken's lips pressed into a firm line.
"Daniel, you're being a child about this. You wouldn't be so mad about this if it were not a beautiful woman, ya? Enjoy the date with the girl and see how it goes," he chastised. Daniel sat back in his seat and folded his arms, an adorable pout coming over his lips. Oaken reached down and squeezed his cheek.
"Come on now Daniel, I know you're not going to Ice me, ya?" He challenged, shaking Daniel's cheek. He gave out a light laugh, swatting away his hand.
"I just might, now that you mentioned it," he fired back. Hurriedly, Oaken asked once more what the pair wanted to drink, scared of what was to come if he didn't.
"Just some hot chocolate, please!" Ingrid chirped. Oaken smiled and nodded, before turning nervously to his friend.
"Water," Daniel grumbled. Suddenly, an idea formed in his head. A devilish smile crossed his face, and he rested his hand against the top of the table. A sheen of Ice crept down from underneath his fingertips, spreading over the floor and up Oaken's legs. He froze in spot, shaking almost immediately. Turning, he caught Daniel's emerald gaze, noticing the smirk he had across his face as he sent the Ice just slightly north of Oaken's thighs. The man's eyes widened comically, and Daniel laughed loudly, the noise warming Ingrid's heart. He withdrew his Ice from Oaken and existence, still chuckling as he turned back to Ingrid.
"Wait, you're an Elemental too?" She asked, surprise evident on her face. His face reflected hers as he realized that she had included one very important word to that sentence:
Too.
"You are as well?" he responded, sounding just as shocked as she clearly seemed. She slowly nodded, smile spreading across her face as she found a common ground between the pair.
"Yep! I can control Fire and Air, how about you?" she asked, excitement starting to seep into her voice.
"Water and Earth," he responded, relaxing now that he could talk about something with the gorgeous date at his table. He gave a genuine smile at her for the first time that night, dimples finally surfacing.
"Really? That's so cool," she said, "Especially because I don't see a lot of it. My mom and dad haven't really exposed me to much of Water and Earth, and I haven't really found any other Elementals aside from Lars and Tom's parents. It's so nice to have someone else like me, in that sense. I always wanted to meet someone my age."
Daniel grinned, feeling the same way.
"Always?" he asked.
"Always," she replied.
"I agree. It's tough to find people this far up north, aside from people of the Glaciem Magistri," he said. She nodded in agreement.
"Thank you! I try to tell my parents that, but they never listen, in fact…" she began. The rest of the night was spent learning about each other and each other's Lines, asking each other questions about where they grew up and where they went to school, and finding each other genuinely easy to talk to.
Eventually, after about three or four more hours, they went on to discuss more of their families. They found themselves fascinated by the tales of their grandfathers and great-grandfathers both fighting in World War I & II alongside the great Aqua Magus, Lukas Vinter.
"My great-grandfather was in the FSK, and then the Marines when he left Norway to fight in the Great War. He used to tell me stories about when he met his best friend, Alexander. They had met in the Special Gifts Corps, and Alexander had apparently been Norwegian-American. In the War, my great-grandfather's life was saved by Alexander, who had thrown up a wall of Earth in order to shield them from a grenade. My great-grandfather convinced him to come back to Norway after the War. They were each other's best men at their weddings, the godparents to their firstborn children – which, by the way, was my grandfather in my case – and stayed friends for a long time. Until after WWII, that is," Ingrid said. Daniel leaned in, as if contemplating something. She took it as a cue to continue.
"My grandfather and Alexander's son, Marius, were best friends, going into the FSK when they were of age and growing up together. Until WWII hit, everything was fine. But once it hit, things changed…" she said, looking off.
"It's not really my place to tell the rest," she explained. At this point, Daniel's brows were furrowed tightly together, in deep thought.
"Daniel?" she said, reaching out to rest her hand on his arm. He seemed to come back to reality then, eyes meeting hers. His gaze seemed to pierce her soul, scouring; it was almost as if he were looking for something.
"Ingrid… What is your last name?" he asked carefully.
"Bønn, why do you ask?" He leaned back in his chair, eyes averting and looking elsewhere.
"I know the rest of the story. Marius Kjærlighet is my grandfather, and Alexander was my great-grandfather. Your great-grandfather was John, and his son was Erik. I'm Daniel Kjærlighet, grandson to the man that abandoned your grandfather during WWII," he said. For the first time that night, she was rendered speechless.
"You're so… different. I thought you would be this… this… cruel man with no heart. I can't believe you're the way that you are. You're so much kinder than I expected, so much more handsome." His ears burned at that statement.
"Thank you, Ingrid."
"I… I want to see you again. I want to get to know you more, regardless of what stories were spun about your family, or even your family toward mine," she said. He smiled at that statement.
"I think I would like that," he replied, "Meet me here again on Wednesday?" She nodded vigorously.
"How about every Wednesday?" she countered.
"Deal."
"I'm going to look forward to seeing you again, Daniel." He grinned.
"Always?" She smiled back.
"Always."
"From thereon out, they stayed true to the pact that they had made. They met up every Wednesday for the next three months, before my dad asked my mom to be in a relationship with him. This caused an uproar in the families, the hatred that they had harbored for one another causing them to be blind to the love that my mom and dad obviously had for each other. My mom's dad cursed them both out, telling them they wouldn't run forever," Anna said. Elsa was clinging on to her every word, thankful for her listening skills at this point.
"They moved to Corona, bought an apartment, got married. Then, they had me," she said, smiling to herself.
"I was a game-changer, in both good and bad ways. My dad's side at least tried to keep contact with them at that point. I think they finally realized that my mom and dad were in it for the long haul. My mom's side, however… They were pushed even further from us, saying that this was a 'grave mistake', especially since a kid was permanent, but a marriage was not," she explained, fists clenching. She looked up and met Elsa's eyes, the blonde being startled by the intensity that was present.
"I'm sure you've heard about the period of time where each Lord and Lady was being targeted by people and trying to be killed, yes?" She asked. Elsa nodded, thinking forlornly back on Tonna's tale about Rörik.
"They weren't just after them, Elsa. They were after anyone who could be a Lord or Lady one day too. I was one of those anyone's. My parent's genes showed up strong in me – all four Elements. I was one of their main targets, and my parents paid the ultimate sacrifice trying to protect me," she said, a lump coming to her throat.
"My parents, Elsa. I was four, and I had them ripped violently from my life. Maybe their families were trying to keep each other apart for a reason – so they wouldn't have to know their kids died for a child they didn't even care about," she said, her voice starting to catch.
"Nobody came forth to claim me. No one. I had no family, I had no one to come to. That's why I cherish the Trolls and Kristoff so much; they became the big family I could have had but never did. They loved me when no one else tried to, when my parents no longer could." Her voice cracked, and she finally broke down.
"Why did they go, Elsa?" She whispered in a broken tone, "why?"
She soon felt a pair of cool arms wrap around her, pulling her close and stroking her hair in a calming manner. She wrapped her arms tightly against Elsa's waist, sobbing against her shirt.
Anna had not talked about this event since the Trolls had shown her what had gone on, when she was older and mature enough to comprehend it. The pain of it, somehow, was still fresh.
"It's alright, Anna. I'm here. I've got you," Elsa murmured, her voice soothing Anna and making her feel better. They stayed there for what felt like hours, Anna releasing all the pent up anger and sadness that she had built inside of her for years. Eventually, the redhead sniffed and nodded, pulling away from Elsa and looking up at her with red-rimmed eyes.
"Thank you," she whispered thickly. She meant the statement with all of her heart, and Elsa knew it. She smiled down at her, hands coming up to wipe away Anna's tears.
"Don't thank me. I'm your companion as well as your mentor, and I don't mind doing what a companion does," she said gently. She soon pulled away completely from Anna before grabbing her hands and helping her from her chair.
"I think we'll conclude our training for the day. Let's go up the hill and grab some lunch, okay?" she said, taking her pupil's hand in her own. Anna nodded and sniffled yet again as they started their expedition up the hill. Elsa squeezed Anna's hand gently, the action returning the feeling that Anna had given her the other day; a sense of having someone there for you when you most need it.
Mickey Luch knew he was dreaming when he found himself in the Fog again, a light slicing the air as his Goddess revealed herself. The golden skinned woman was in a white robe, as she normally would be, but her normally gentle face was twisted into a look of urgency.
"Mickey you need to get up. There is danger afoot, and they are coming," Floriana said in a hurried manner to Mickey's dream self.
"What is going on?" he asked. The shapely woman shook her head, mussing her dark brown hair, her golden gaze connecting with Mickey's black one.
"No time. Just wake. Up!" She yelled.
Mickey awoke with a start, his chest heaving and heart pounding. His wife, Minnie, was still sound asleep next to him, oblivious to the fact that her husband had just woken up. Mickey slipped a T-shirt on and walked outside of his house, drawing Earth around him to create a suit of armor. He erected a wooden spear from under the ground, and slowly walked around the perimeter of his home.
Something is not right.
And suddenly, the snap of a twig toward the left of him alerted him of someone else's presence. He reared his fist back and slammed it into the ground, the Earth groaning as it cracked and bent toward the source of the noise.
"Invenietis illos," he commanded the Earth. In a matter of two minutes, the Earth had gone in seven different lines. Once he heard it stop moving altogether, he knew they were caught. He twisted his hand into the ground, telling it a new command.
"Eos deducere." The ground shifted once again, this time retracting from the lengths that it was at prior. The lines soon came to a halt, the Earth shuddering as it present Lord Luch with seven men in black hoods.
"Reliquit brachium ad dilacerant." The sleeves from the left arms of each person were torn from their robe. Each of them had an X present.
His eyes widened as he looked at at the seven people. He wracked his mind to remember the phrase that had been discussed at the last meeting amongst the Magi, closing his eyes momentarily.
"An rí teacht. Scriosadh bheith leis an ordú," he recited. They looked at him strangely, as if he had just uttered what they had not anticipated.
"Céimeanna an rí atá ag fás. Déanfaimid mbogann a dhéanamh go luath," replied the man in the center of the form uncertainly. Mickey didn't understand a single word of it, but it was new progress toward their cause.
"Fac se somnum," said the Lord. He twisted his foot into the ground and the trees extended their branches toward the seven, releasing a sleeping chemical that knocked them out within seconds.
He raised them up into the air and brought them toward him. One by one, he put a temporary block on the Magical energy he found within them, since they all happened to be of Earth and he could actually short circuit their Energy. He bound them to the trees, wrapping their branches around them tightly to hold them.
He went inside and immediately called the Temple. Taito, one of the lower ranking servants, answered.
"Hello?" He asked.
"Taito, please give the phone to Gita. Tell her it is Lord Luch calling with news about my left arm," he said. Though he knew Taito was obviously confused, he knew that asking questions wasn't going to help in this case and was thankful that the servant didn't ask one.
"Mickey," said Gita, "what is it you've found?"
"I was attached and I found a new phrase. Call the Magi whenever you get the chance. It's important," he whispered urgently as not to wake his wife.
"Of course. Thank you, Mickey," she said, writing it all down. He hummed his response and hung up.
Donald texted him, then.
My linguist found out the phrase. We were up all night. Call me when you've the chance, my friend.
He would, in the morning. For now, he realized how mentally exhausted he was; he curled back up against Minnie and listened to her breathing, the thoughts that were running around his head slowing to a halt as he drifted off to sleep.
A/N: Uh oh... Next chapter brings some breakthroughs that I hope y'all are ready for. The angst ain't stoppin' here.
And now, for the reviews! (Thanks to everyone who favorited, followed, reviewed and PM'd me this week. Y'all kick ass!)
Strasza: I honestly can't say anything about this chapter that'll do it justice, it's just that damn good.
Burns: Thank you! I wonder how you will like the next few chapters, then... Especially with all the things that are happening in the story from hereon out.
The Myth Rider: This is still going along excellently, and I am loving it! While the chapters feel short, that is of little consequence; you're doing great, I can survive a little brevity, hehehehe. I confess, I'm glad you've decided to add smut...I uh, hehehe, I may be looking forward to it.
Burns: Thank you! I'm so happy that you're enjoying it so much :) Some chapters I need to use as fillers with a tiny amount of plot in them, like last chapter. When I have the time, like I did on this past Wednesday, I'm able to sit down and focus on the writing. This chapter was eight pages as opposed to last chapter, which was four (the minimum I make sure my chapters get). Also! There's going to be hella sexual tension for a while. I'm a writing tease, what can I say?
Alright guys, I'll see you next week! ~ Burns