Chapter 24

Elsa's blonde hair billowed behind her as she rode forth on her majestically white horse towards Arendelle. The horse's hooves made the ground rumble and filled the air with sounds of adventure and spirit. If one were to just pop in the middle of the story, they would assume Elsa was a gallant heroine on her way to save the day. Ha, yeah right. Elsa wryly thought. On the surface, she appeared calm and even cool, but if one were to observe a little closer, they would see her hands shaking madly as they held the reins and her constant lip-bottoming as signs of neurotic insecurity.

Anna clung to her waist with her chest pressed against the square of her back and her (surprisingly) hard thighs wrapped on either side of Elsa's hips. From time to time, Anna would make a small worried noise whenever Elsa would nearly veer off course and into the bushes.

"Mmnh." The small noise had vibrated forth from Anna's throat and reached Elsa's ears. Frantic, small hands pressed forcefully against her stomach and Elsa tried her best not to flinch and giggle. Her stomach was her most sensitive area – even a light brush usually left her in a ticklish fit. "Elsa, can you please slow down?" Anna said, in Elsa's ear.

If Elsa had to be completely honest, it was her first time actually riding a horse, so she sure as hell didn't know how to slow down. Although, Elsa remembered watching her father ride horses from her bedroom window – a hobby he and Anna shared enthusiastically. On particularly sunny days, he and Anna would circle the castle together as they enjoyed the pleasant weather and each other's company. Elsa was admittedly envious of both Anna and their father for having the freedom to just simply be together while she was cooped up in her room.

There were moments when she would catch her father, but more often, Anna, gazing longingly up at her lone window, hoping to see her there, but she would always duck away before they could see her. Why? She did not know. But she'd continue to watch in secret at Anna's smiling face and her father's happy eyes as they rode far away from her into the distance. But one thing she particularly recalled was how her father would be able to easily control any horse even when they were notoriously uncontrollable. She admired her father for his stoic firmness – an attitude she did not inherit. He'd pull the reins of a horse with a quick and hardy tug, enough for the horse to know who was in control.

Elsa tried to imitate her father, but instead, caused the horse to rear high up on its hind legs. Oops, too hard! Elsa had enough time to think as her vision ascended and was filled with the sight of the large moon. Hello, moon, she dopily thought, and waited for the inevitable fall to the ground, but it never came.

Christian had come up from behind them and calmed the horse down before it could buck Elsa and Anna off. Elsa caught Christian's stare as he handed back her reins. In his eyes was an uncertainty as if he was asking, 'Are you sure you can ride a horse?'

"I told you, I can. I'm just a bit rusty is all," Elsa said, and Christian's eyebrows raised in surprise at how she could read him so easily.

"Elsa, I've never seen you ride a horse in my whole life," Anna said, behind her.

"I-I have," Elsa said, clearly lying.

"Elsa," Anna sighed, and tugged lightly at the tip of Elsa's ear to reprimand her for lying.

Elsa knew the jig was up, and sighed in defeat. "Fine. Take the reins then, Anna?" Elsa only wanted to look cool in front of Anna, but ended up with the total opposite as the result.

Anna took the reins from Elsa's hand and said, "Hey, you weren't bad for your first time, you know."

Elsa blushed and raked her fingers shyly through her hair. "I-I could have got you killed," Elsa softly said, ashamed, as she realized how foolish she was for putting Anna's life in danger just to look cool.

"But you didn't," Anna replied with a smile, and kissed Elsa's cheek – her soft lips leaving a warm tingling sensation Elsa wished would last forever. Anna then nimbly moved her body around Elsa to place herself at the front. The roles now reversed, Elsa sat behind Anna with a slight pout on her face. She really wanted to be the one in control for once.

Anna giggled as if knowing what Elsa was thinking. "Cheer up, Elsa. Once we return to Arendelle and kick Lady Alexandra's butt, I can give you riding lessons any time you want," Anna teased, and Elsa felt as if hyper butterflies were bouncing around her stomach - spa

"O-okay," was all Elsa could manage to say.

Anna lightly laughed, triumph ringing in it.

Christian was still watching them with an amused glint in his clear eyes.

"Well, we're off then," Anna said cheerfully, despite the dark circumstances, and ushered the horse forward.

Elsa jolted backwards but quickly held onto Anna with all her might – nearly falling off the horse as they sped off. "A-Anna!"

"Hold on tight, Elsa. I actually like to go fast once I'm holding the reins," Anna shouted, and rode off like a mad woman straight out of prison.

Christian watched as Elsa screamed Anna's name again – the last syllable of Anna's name fading off in the distance. Christian's good-natured smile widened as the two left his sight.

"Growing attached?" Sig's lilting voice came from behind him. Sig was riding a dark brown horse which looked just as brooding as its master.

Christian turned his attention to Sig's smirking face, and wanted nothing more than to throttle him into an eternal sleep.

"If I were you, I wouldn't become too fond of them. They will not be around much longer – you know this as well as I do," Sig evenly said, his eyes focusing on the trail Elsa and Anna's horse left behind.

Christian narrowed his eyes at Sig as he wondered how someone so evil did not burn for wearing a royal guard's uniform. Scum. Truly.

Sig caught the resentment in Christian's eyes. "What? Are you angry with me?" Sig feigned curiosity. He then chuckled heartily and said, "You remember whose idea this was in the first place, don't you?"

Christian grimaced and tightened his hold on his horse's reins.

"Come, before they get too far ahead of us," Sig said, but Christian stopped him by extending an arm before Sig's chest.

Sig looked down at Christian's arm and laughed. "Oh, little Christian. I knew you would lose your nerve," Sig teased, and wrinkled his nose in disdain. "Stop being a fool and remove your arm before I cut it off."

Christian didn't move, and continued to glare at Sig. He challenged him with an intense gaze Sig would not soon forget no matter how hard he would try.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought you wanted to do this bidding for Lady Alexandra because you love her so? I was given the impression that you wanted to impress her by helping her become queen because she wouldn't give you the time of day. Or have you fallen out of love already?"

Christian flicked his eyes to the ground for a moment as he digested Sig's words, but he did not waver. He knew Lady Alexandra had been using him all along just like so many other men before him, but he thought, for a moment, she might someday reciprocate his feelings. If he only he could somehow get her to notice him – to show her how much he really did care for her. There was a time, years ago, when he lived in the Southern Isles, he knew her to be a good woman before she fell into madness fueled by avarice.

He was just a lowly farmer. She, a noblewoman of high social standing. He knew she would never love a peasant. But still, he continued to love her secretly and watch her from afar. She would always visit and play with the orphans of the village. He remembered how she used to smile, and how it was so beautiful as if the sadness of the world had never tainted her. Wanting to make something of himself, he moved to Arendelle to ask his father to train him to be a part of the royal guard. He vowed, he would return to the Southern Isles as soon as he was able, but as fate would have it, she came to him.

That night of the ball, he professed his love for her to the best of his abilities while he had the chance, but she only laughed, called him a peasant and how he would always be one no matter what, but still, he could not hate her even with such scathing words. She left him with one alternative and that was to do her a favor and she might consider him in her eyes. Like a fool, he accepted.

It wasn't until he saw Elsa and Anna interact, he realized just how pathetic his love was. He saw Lady Alexandra for who she really was and realized the old Lady Alexandra he secretly fell in love with no longer existed. It was not true love. This much, Christian knew, and it saddened him.

"I'm going to give you until the count of five to get out of my way," Sig said, interrupting his thoughts, and started to count. "One…"

Christian stared at Sig with a fiery malice burning in his eyes.

"Two…"

Christian refused to budge. He will mend his sinful intent towards Elsa and Anna even if it meant being reborn again in another lifetime. Yes, he'd protect them, for he had made a terrible mistake for ever wanting to do otherwise.

"Three…"

Elsa and Anna's faces flashed in his mind. Such happiness. Such love. Why let true love – something he yearned so terribly for - die?

"Four…"

Christian smiled sadly as he thought of what his father would think of him if he knew the whole truth and how foolish he had become for someone who did not love him in return.

"Five!"

"Elsa?" Anna called out, as they continued onwards alone. "Where's Christian and Sig?"
Elsa turned around but saw nobody behind them.

The trail behind them was eerily still as if the road had become an area suspended in time. "I don't see them…" Elsa worriedly said, and turned around again as if hoping Christian would magically appear. The path remained terribly silent as if an air of mourning clung to the air.

Anna pulled the reins back and their horse stopped. "Should we head back?" Anna said, as her eyes searched the road for any sign of the two guards.

Elsa watched the trail, listening hard for the sound of horse hooves. Only heavy silence greeted them. Oh, how she wished for a noise to break the heavy atmosphere. Anything to release her from the terrible feeling wrapping round her.

"They might be in trouble," Anna softly said, as if saying such a thing too loud might make it true.

Elsa's heart dropped and knew something was not right. Should they just go on ahead? But Christian. Poor Christian who, in a weird way, became their own personal guardian angel. How could she leave such an individual behind?

"Let's go back," Elsa decided. "I'm sure they just decided to rest or something." Elsa knew she was lying through her teeth, but it was all she could do to keep the dreadful feeling from seeping into her pores.

They rode back, and Elsa couldn't shake the feeling that the decision she made would be one she'd regret, but having Anna with her didn't make her feel so scared. Elsa stared at the end of Anna's pigtails as they trailed behind her like blazing streaks of fire. She smiled even though her heart felt heavy with a foreboding feeling.

They surely must have stopped to rest. There is nothing wrong. I'm just imaging things, Elsa hoped.

The moon disappeared behind a large cloud, blocking the only light cutting through the darkness. Anna continued onwards despite her limited vision. Elsa wondered if the moon was hiding – blinding itself from witnessing the depth of evil in man.