"Wake up, your highness... Elsa! Wake up!"

She stirred as the velvet voice faded from her mind. Stone was the first thing she noticed. Pain in her hands was the second. "What-" The men. Hans stopped her from killing them and then stopped them from killing her. Yet, she still was brought here to be locked up like a monster.

Light from the window caught her attention, and she tried to go to it. Her chains stopped her from reaching the glass, but it was enough to survey how much snow and ice there was in the middle of summer, "What have I done?" The fjord was completely frozen, causing ships to tip and tilt in the ice. She had brought ruin to her home.

The door cracked open, and Hans timidly stepped inside, "I couldn't stand by and let them kill you." His arms crossed around his chest to fight against the cold.

Pitch watched from his place in the shadows. He still did not trust this man even though he seemed to have the favor of the people and those around him. Quite frankly, his act reminded Pitch of something he would do in order to get what he wanted. But Pitch was the only one allowed to manipulate the queen, which made Hans a problem.

"I'm a monster! A danger to everyone if I stay here. Where is Anna?"

"She has not returned from her quest to find you." Hans paused, "But if you would just call off this winter and bring back summer..."

Tears welled in her eyes, "Don't you see? I don't know how! Just let me go."

Disappointed, he left with a weak promise to try. Ice began to spread from her hands as fear threatened to overwhelm her once more. She had never imagined she could do this amount of damage, "Jack? Are you here?"

Pitch eased further into shadow as the boy's snow outline appeared, "Yes, Elsa. I followed when they took you from your palace. You must try to stay calm."

"Calm? How can I stay calm? I destroyed everything! Anna is still out there because of me." She struggled against the chains, the ice almost reaching the floor.

"Your sister will be fine. She was not alone." Jack's voice was pleading, "Please, try to remember what we were working on. You almost had control."

"Can you find her for me? Help her, if you can." The queen looked defeated as she slumped.

"Of course." The flurry disappeared.

A few long moments passed before she spoke again, "I know you live in the dream world, but if you can hear me, I need your help."

Pitch was intrigued at this new development. Perhaps, even though it was early, it was time... "If you truly believe, my queen, then I am here."

"I believe." Her eyes closed briefly, and he was there when she opened them again. She gasped loudly, "You are real!"

He bowed, concealing his delight, "How may I be of service?"

"I-" She paused, "I'm actually not sure. I feel as if I need to try to get out of here, but the chains... I fear that I am stuck."

"Concentrate on freezing your shackles. They will become brittle and break. I shall alert you if Hans returns."

"He said he would let me go."

"No, my dear, he said he would try." Pitch did not let her know how far he thought the prince would go, but Elsa was not going to be freed willingly. With an affirmation from her, he wandered through the palace, searching for something useful.

"She died in my arms. Luckily, we were able to recite our marriage vows and pronounce our love to one another..." Hans's voice drifted from an entry way, "But it was not enough to save her."

"So the queen has committed high treason!" A shrill voice interjected, "The only punishment for such a crime is-"

Pitch rushed away, no longer needing to listen. Elsa needed to get out of her cell, and she needed to do it now. He wished that there had been more time for him to put more things in place for his plan, but she had believed in him after two days. If he could keep her alive, then there was still hope.

The cell was almost completely covered in ice as Elsa waited for news. She pulled slightly on the chains, testing them to see if they would break, "Come on!"

"Hans has ordered your execution. You must run!" Pitch appeared before her again. His dark eyes were full of urgency, "Elsa, you must get out of here before it is too late."

Voices came from outside the door. Warnings of danger and monsters echoed in her ears and blended with the memories of her father. Feeling had caused all of her problems. She need to control it. To conceal it again. Her bindings shattered and the cell began to collapse as the door busted open. The queen made eye contact with Hans for a moment before running out across the fjord. A blizzard formed as she ran, creating a blinding snow storm.

"Conceal it, Elsa!" She repeated the plea over and over to herself, desperate for control as she stumbled through the wind. Pitch whispered words of encouragement to her, encouraging her to get back to the haven she had created for herself.

"Elsa!" Hans called, effectively stopping her in her tracks, "You can't run forever!"

"Just take care of Anna and leave me be!" The queen lifted a hand, trying to dismiss him.

"Your sister is dead. She came back as cold as ice, saying you attacked her. She died, Elsa. She is dead because of you!"

"No..." She collapsed onto her knees, ignoring the pain of them hitting the ice. The storm came to an abrupt halt as she fell into mourning and despair, "Anna, I'm so sorry-"

Jack's snow flurry floated around her, excited that he finally found her again, "Your highness! Your sister... Elsa looked out!"

The queen looked up to see Hans readying himself to strike her down with his sword. She instinctively raised her arms, but she made no other move to defend herself. She was truly a monster. This was the ending she deserved. Yet, the blow never came. Instead, she thought she heard Anna's voice. There was a cloud clang as something blocked the attack. Her startled blue eyes opened to see her sister, frozen in the protective stance she had died in.

"Anna!" Elsa slung herself toward her, draping her body onto the solid form. She wished that she could save her. That she had never been born with these powers, "Why would you use your last moments to save me?" Tears streamed down her face as her worst fears were realized.

Suddenly, warmth radiated from the ice sculpture, melting Anna until she was freed. The princess smiled and hugged her sister, "Elsa!"

"Anna- but how?"

She shrugged, "I love you."

Olaf gasped as he waddled up to the pair, "True love! Only love can thaw a frozen heart."

"That's it!" Elsa laughed, "Love will thaw!" Relaxing her shoulders, the queen finally ended the winter that was enveloping the kingdom.

Pitch sneered as the snow melted. How very cliché. Love will thaw. If this happy ending crap gave her control over her powers, he would need to drastically alter his plans. At least it should effectively get rid of Jack as his guidance would no longer be needed. The man of nightmares slunk into the shadows as his queen made the snowman a personal snow cloud. The matter of the murderous Prince Hans would still need to be dealt with, and that could bring delicious opportunities.