Chapter 5

Elsa woke up in her bed. She was still feeling pain in her back, but the exhaustion had left her. As soon as she opened her eyes, someone jumped on her stomach and screamed hysterically, nearly strangling her with a bone-crushing hug. Of course, it was Anna.

- You did it ! You did it ! I knew you'd do it ! she cried, gesticulating with unprecedented nervosity. You were awesome !

Elsa couldn't answer ; actually, she couldn't even breathe, because she was drowning in Anna's chest. But, still, she felt relieved : everything seemed to have returned to normal. And that was part of why she had fought today. Or yesterday. Or whenever, after all she didn't know how long she had been sleeping.

- Oh, I'm hurting you, am I not ? said Anna, finally realizing how deadly her hug was. Ha ha. Sorryyy.

She untightened her arms and Elsa took a deep breath. Then, the two sisters looked at each other, and giggled.

- I'm glad you're OK, said the queen.

- Me too ! replied Anna. Everyone is doing fine, thanks to you. Well, that dragon is pretty much dead but, apart from that...

Elsa let out a deep sigh. These were the best news she could have asked for. She turned her head to the right and saw that there was actually a lot of people in her room. Zyga, her butler, stood calmly to her bedside, as well as Sir Piotr Edenzas, Kristoff and Olaf. She could see the empty chair from which Anna had jumped to strangle-hug her. Four guards were watching over them, steady, ready to protect their queen at any cost.

- How long have I been asleep ? she asked, rising the upper side of her body, causing Anna, who was still sitting on her, to fall on her back.

- One day, replied Zyga. Your wounds were not too deep, except for the burn in your back. With a good rest, it will take a whole month to heal completely.

- A burn ? Will it leave a scar ? asked Anna, who came back sitting on her chair.

- Apparently, our queen's powers have a special healing factor for burns, so I think her skin will be fully regenerated.

- One day is enough, said Elsa. Since I feel better, I should go see what the town looks like.

She tried to get out of the bed, but everyone instantly jumped on their feet to push her back in it.

- I said that you have to rest ! said Zyga with a reprimanding tone.

- But...

- There is no "but", you stay here and you sleep. You have already done more than you should have.

And this is actually what happened. Elsa was staying in bed all the time. Zyga and Anna were making sure she would not do anything stupid until she had fully recovered. Even though Elsa was feeling delighted to see her little sister every day, her room felt like a prison. She couldn't even see in what bad of a shape her town was in. She was also constantly feeling the need to talk to her people, to make a speech, in order to put an official end to the catastrophe that had stroke them. It was her responsibility to do so, just as it was her duty to protect her people from any kind of mad dragon wishing for mayhem.

But her only options were to stay still, reading books in her bed, and to walk a few steps to the bathroom, under the overcaring watch of Zyga. Of course, her back ached nastily, and her leg was still feeling a bit numb, but she could have returned to her everyday routine without major troubles. Seeing how frustrating this situation was, Elsa decided, after three days, to put an end to it. She waited for Anna to take Zyga's place, and let her feelings talk for her :

- I'm fine. And you know that. I really appreciate what Zyga and you are doing for me, but this is too much. I have to move, to do something, anything ! I don't even know what's happening outside. Why won't you let me go out, even for a short period of time ?

Anna looked embarrassed, which was already weird. But the really bothering part was that she didn't even answer. It was impossible for Elsa to imagine her little sister remaining silent more than two seconds. And if Anna had her lips sealed, it definitely meant that someone, Zyga or Piotr, had asked her to keep an important secret. The queen put her right hand on Anna's shoulder, and gently rose up her chin with her left hand.

- Hey, what's wrong ? asked Elsa with a soft voice.

Anna looked pale and grave. It was not reassuring. At all.

- Sis'..., she whispered. After you defeated the dragon...

She was playing with Elsa's hair, twisting it around her fingers. She made a few curls before she continued :

- ...well, you know, it's not like you've done anything wrong, of course, but, ha ha, I mean, you know, stuff, things... it's complicated !

- Anna, insisted Elsa, affirming her grisp on her sister's shoulder. Get straight to the point, please. What happened ?

The princess stopped curling Elsa's hair. She bowed her head a little and started bouncing her two index fingers against each other.

- Well... your storm destroyed everything that the dragon had left intact. Basically, the town is nothing more than ruins.

- Eeeeeh ? But you said everything was fine ! cried Elsa, literally jumping on her bed, shocked and terrified.

- I said that everyone was fine, objected Anna, rising both index fingers. We didn't want to tell you because we didn't want you to be afraid. Nobody holds you responsible for this. It's the opposite : everyone says that you're a hero !

But it was too late. Elsa was already staring at her trembling hands, eyes filling with tears, as the fear of her own powers began to come back. The anxiety she had spent more than ten years to vanquish was finally showing its fangs again. She was in prey to a great panic, and she jumped out of the bed as a reflex.

- Stay away from me ! she shouted at Anna, back to the wall, a stream of tears falling on her cheeks. I'm dangerous !

- No, no ! instantly replied the princess, rising her hands in an appeasing gesture. Please, calm down !

Elsa rushed to the mirror that stood next to her bed, and looked at herself from head to toe. Her nightie was filled with sweat, her hair was all messed up, and she could see a great bruise on her right leg. She looked nothing like a queen. Or at least, that's what she thought. She collapsed on her knees and dissimulated her face with her hands. Anna came next to her and held her in her arms.

- Don't worry, sis', she said softly. It's not your fault. Everything's fine.

- I'm a m... m... monster, sobbed Elsa, putting her head on Anna's shoulder. I'm... I'm...

- You are no monster, whispered the princess. You are a queen. A great queen. And you're my sister. The best sister of all time.

They remained about five minutes here, on the ground, in front of the mirror. Elsa's mind was apeased by Anna's soft words and cuddles. Zyga was also a good confident of the queen, but she would never have calmed down so quickly without Anna. Their bond was impossible to describe. It was a very pure, very intense form of love. And it was stronger than any kind of sorcery. It had already been proved one month earlier, and it was being proved again on that day, in this very room.

- Thank you, said Elsa, smiling anew. I don't know what kind of queen I would be without you.

- Oh, you would be a great sovereign, there is no doubt about it ! replied her sister. But you would lack of humor. And you'd be fat, since you would be eating twice as much chocolate.

They both burst out of laughter. But not for long.

- Your majesty ! suddenly cried Piotr, as he violently broke into the room.

He felt embarrassed, seeing the queen in a nightie, and immediately turned his back, closing the eyes and turning purple.

- What is it, Sir Edenzas ? asked Elsa. What could possibly make you break the first rule of the castle and break into a lady's room without a knock ?

- I'm sorry, your highness ! replied the chief of the army. But someone wants to see you. He is...

Piotr couldn't finish his sentence. Anna barked :

- He is ?

- He pretends to be the dragon's master ad asks for a compensation, your majesty !