Disclaimer- I do not own Frozen or any of its characters belonging to Disney.
Kingdom of Shards
Chapter 4 – The Long Night
"Brother Sigmund. Where is he?" Elsa asked a figure of calm before the shaking man. At that moment guards poured onto the street, their reaction to the commotion was slow, but that did not bother Elsa. Save the incident with Hans, Arendelle had not seen this kind of trouble in over a century; they were there to protect the public not the royal line.
"Kana essos masa Aren, mes Novasi." He blurted out in a foreign tongue panicking at the sight of the city guards draw their swords and take an aggressive stance surrounding them. Causing the new queen to smile gently rather pleased.
Anna watched Elsa's hands made the transition from the man's collar to his throat as she began to whisper so close to the man Anna could no longer make out the words.
"I don't want to take your life, so don't give me cause to. I can promise you won't feel a thing, but you'll still be gone I'm sure there is a lot more you want to do with your life, so I am asking you one more time - don't make me a murderer." Elsa whispered to him in Novarian, he was clearly fearing for his life, she felt a twinge of guilt for playing on those fears even if she had no intention of fulfilling the threat."Sigmund where is he?" She said louder.
"Mes kana – Medvus ena marcsait." His voice shook. "Mal oteric felca inro kesra Sigmund – giln nesro es seress Viscen."
Eugene looked on carefully. He knew Novarian, he was surprised to see Elsa pronounce those few difficult words flawlessly. "He says he doesn't know" Eugene whispered to Anna, understanding the language spoken. "He says he is just a sword. His company's contract was to protect Sigmund and – to kill the winter queen."
"Ques vitus?" Elsa demanded through gritted teeth putting the fear of the gods into the man further. "Quessa mal sol vitus?"
Eugene winced and pursed his lips shaking his head. "What did she say?" Anna asked impatient.
"How much? How much is my life worth?" Eugene's voice was hushed barley above a whisper.
"Mes col'unus enesce." He hung his head, defeated. Elsa nearly took a step back, her eyes filled with shame.
Anna waited for Eugene to continue to translate but he remained silent. "How much is that Gene?" Anna asked glowering at him.
"His and his family's freedom." He said darkly with a deepened frown.
"He's a slave?" She was outraged, the feeling of disgust leaving a foul taste on her tongue.
Something stirred in Anna then and there, it was not blood thirst or anger but an overbearing will to see to it that whoever was responsible is put down. The thought of hanging someone's freedom over their head and ordering them to kill for it was a perverse act of humanities inhumanity to man.
It was almost too much for her to stay mounted, making her shift uncomfortably in her saddle, weighing so heavy on her chest causing her to have difficulty breathing.
"Who is in charge of you and your friends? Surely you have a captain?" Elsa continued while her eyes grew darker still.
"We do your grace; he's lying over there… with his arm missing. The Lieutenant though - he's back at the tavern we were staying in, nearest village south only a few miles away. He had us riding in two groups- switching every other day while he went to sew his seeds he said."
"Does the brother have friends in the city?"
"I do not know. He was a secretive man, always looking over his shoulder. We don't ask too many questions if we know what's good for us."
Elsa nodded "Thank you for your honesty. But it seems to me either way you don't know what is very good for you." dropping the man back to the ground.
"Willem, have these men arrested and taken to the cells. Question and interrogate them, I expect a full report in the morning, have the City Guard to be on lookout for this Brother Sigmund give them a full description -have them covering all exits but keep plenty of eyes on the streets and on all the walls, not so much as a mouse leaves this city until tomorrow without my knowing understood."
"Yes your grace. What about the others outside the city?"
Elsa climbed up on to Fable, looking upon the men lying on the ground incapacitated. She sighed as if she were merely annoyed while the mercenary group were clamped in chains and dragged away. "Leave them they have done nothing so far and they won't go quietly while we need to keep this quiet. I have other plans for them."
This puzzled Anna who was still fazed by the outbreak of violence and even more so by the strong desire she had to involve herself in the fight. But most perplexing of all was Elsa's attitude. As she thought about it further she wondered if Elsa was even surprised, she was both cautious in her approach and brash when engaging in the attack like they were nothing to her. This brought her to the frighting conclusion that her sister had been anticipating the event for some time.
There was a lack of self-regard that she wanted to be angry at Elsa but Anna knew she had little in that department either, that there was tenaciousness in their blood that could not be abated. Anna had to admit Elsa was incredible, witnessing her move fast and purposefully and barely broke a sweat doing so.
They had vastly underestimated her abilities. It occurred to Anna then that Elsa was completely untested, her magic was uncharted. She made of a note in the back of her head to see Elsa push herself. They had previously joked and talked about what she could possible do, but the time of words was slowly passing by.
Anna turned to see Eugene deep in thought. She rarely saw him frown, he had known the situation was serious but even he had not imagined such actions to escalate so quickly. It was common knowledge the church didn't take kindly to anything magic, although they had been known to make exceptions in special circumstance. When Rapunzel had asked him what their problem was he explained Elsa was a greater threat because she was already a woman in power and beyond their control, making her their greatest fear in over a decade. Their enemies would eventually rally behind her if they pushed too far, they wanted to be rid of her quickly and publicly; he hated oppression in all its many forms, the fact they could be using slavers felt like a knife twisting in his stomach again.
"Eugene how do you know Novaraian?" Anna finally asked.
"I was wondering when that would come up.." he wanted to smile at the memory of Novassar in his late teens, where he first mastered becoming a thief. "Novassar for a time was my home and my school. It taught me everything I needed to know. It's not a place I would recommend unless you're looking for a little danger in your life. Even for a nobody like me it was struggle on the day to day trying to avoid getting a knife my back, and the nobles were twice as dishonest as the crooks. They all live fast, lavish and drink a lot."
"Do you still have contacts there?" Elsa asked diplomatically, curiosity getting the better of her.
"I have connections both in the aristocracy and the underground. Coming from either Prince Eugene or Flynn Rider there are few people there I can trust, they can't know I'm the same person though I used to be one of their most wanted blackhands. You need anything I'll draft a letter myself."
"Thank you, that is… good to know." She decided she would chew on that piece of information, until she figured out a way utilize it properly. She had yet to formulate a plan in her head already the gears in her brain already turning ready to set something into motion.
As they arrived back at the palace Rapunzel was already at the front gates waiting. She immediately wrapped her arms around Eugene.
"Are you all alright? What happened?" Her head full of questions.
"There was a small case of civil unrest. Elsa handled it. In fact she was pretty intimidating if I say so myself."
She turned to Elsa and gripped her tightly too, the young queen being too occupied to mind or say anything she appreciated the warm comfort given to her.
"Anna?" Rapunzel asked, seeing the red head begin to move towards the staircase.
"I'm fine, I just need some rest. It's been a long day." She smiled weakly, Anna's and Elsa's eyes lingered on each other momentarily before she swiftly made her way up to her room.
Elsa turned to Gerda who was stood ready to wait on the royals. "Gerda could you please locate Olaf for me send him to my study as soon as you do. Have some food and wine brought up as well. I am afraid I'll be working late tonight. Eugene, would you please join me after? I won't keep you long." Eugene nodded to her as she too left the entrance hall. Eugene looked at Rapunzel's eyes, like Elsa and Anna without a word they too spoke a world of emotion.
Right now her eyes were smiling at him, even with worry on her face. He knew she would probably hit him later. Not hard but with frustration, when he told her what had really happened, and how they had all so awkwardly downplayed it. So he kissed her gently and chaste while he could, his thumb under her chin as she stretched her body up towards him holding onto him tightly. He let her hold on before following the Queen out.
Elsa was pacing outside on her balcony overlooking the city, her arms were crossed. Her study behind the doorway could have been in another world for all she cared. She looked up towards the night sky eyes wide with apprehension. She heard the door open and close finally.
"Boy you look tired. Are you getting enough sleep?" Olaf asked his normal cheery self.
"Probably not, Don't worry about me it's just been a weird day Olaf."
"You want to tell me about it?" It never ceased to surprise the amount of compassion Olaf showed for everything, even now he all wants to do is help.
"No it's okay Olaf, I just needed you to do something for me. It's a pretty big job, so tell me if you aren't up for it." She said unable to help but rub her eyes.
"Anything." He said with confidence.
"Are you sure? It is very important, and will require some small changes."
"Hey change can be good right?"
"It can." She answered smiling.
"So what is it you need me to do?" He asked
"Listen very carefully south east of here there is a small village only a few miles away, Feynvard, you follow the main road out of the Southern gate and take the first right when you come to it. There is a Tavern there called the Broken Wheel, inside I need you to find a group of men, do not speak to them or draw attention to yourself, there will be around a dozen of them all armed. What I need to know is if there is man there, white hair in brown and red robes. With an ugly kind of face if he is there you shouldn't be able to miss him."
"One question," he narrowed his eyes a little "Which way is south?" He asked his voice barely above a whisper.
"You know which way you went to the north mountain?" Elsa said patiently, he nodded remembering, not exactly inspiring the most confidence. "Opposite that direction."
"Got it!" He exclaimed in his enthusiasm.
"There is one other small thing." Elsa said shifting guiltily. "You aren't going to get very far very fast like that."
"I guess I'm not… what would you suggest? I'm just a large ball of snow followed by a slightly smaller ball of snow." He hopped a few paces exhibiting his difficulty chuckling and shaking his head.
"Can I have permission to try something; I don't know how it will work so you need to be sure." She said now fiddling with her hands.
"I trust you, after all you made me." He said reassuringly patting her on the arm with his twig fingers.
"Okay just stand very still."
Elsa tried to remember what she was feeling in that moment when she made Olaf that night on the north mountain; admittedly her feelings were all over the place, fear, loss, freedom and joy all in a haze of colours. Why he had appeared to her though, he had been a part of hers an Anna's childhood, when she tried to let go of who she was, he was supposed to be there for Anna because she couldn't.
Elsa opened her eyes, she intended to keep his spirit as intact as possible, careful as to not to touch those fragments of his being, her hands caused cold ripples through the air with flakes of snow circling Olaf. Her fingers traced lines in the air, reshaping Olaf by diminishing his size and shape. The snow on his body shrank and the branches fell from his arms becoming legs and two snowy limbs formed on his sides.
"Oh wow." He said puffing his chest out proudly. Instead of a snowman where he was stood, he now hovered fluttering in front of Elsa, two tiny wings and a charcoal chest, and a tiny orange carrot beak. He wasn't quite a perfect robin but he was close enough to be inconspicuous so he would at least not arouse strange and horrified looks by strangers.
"Is it okay?"
"This. Is. Ammaaa-zing." He cried, ecstatic. "You're incredible and I can fly. I always wondered what it would be like to fly, now I can be up there with the staaars and the mooon." He flew up and down doing several loops in the air making himself incredibly dizzy in the process.
"Okay Olaf, Olaf calm down, some ground rules okay? One, no speaking to strangers what so ever, talking birds are as rare as talking snowmen which means there's just you. Two, do not fly too close to the sun. Even with your flurry you'll melt and I'll be too far away to help you. Can you remember your job?"
"South gate, opposite north mountain, follow the road, take the first right, find the Broken Wheel, Find your ugly looking guy, I'm ready Elsa."
"Good, if he is there you come straight back and tell me, I'll either be in here or in my room, I'll leave my bedroom window open for you because this is extremely important Olaf. If he is not there wait until dawn to return to tell me."
"You can count on me Elsa." He said doing another loop before vanishing before her very eyes, yet she could still hear him singing happily to himself as he flew through the night. She stood once again alone on the balcony, with another look at the night above her she returned back to her desk.
"You are quiet the cunning one aren't you?" Eugene's voice sounded moderately cheerful She looked up with a grimace her lips a forming a thin line.
"I have to be, don't I? Wine?" She offered a glass, Eugene took accepted and joined her.
"To the cunning." Eugene toasted with a wry smile. Their glasses clinked and they both took a large sip. He had barely turned away when he looked back at the Queen, she was already scribbling on pieces of parchment the sound of her quill scratching viciously.
Elsa looked up meeting his concerned gaze. "I ought to thank you. For standing between Anna and what happened tonight; I thought you may have had to restrain her.. I'm glad that wasn't necessary."
"I wonder if it would have been better if she had tried something, though there isn't much she could have done with you there. I saw the look on her face" They both did, she was pale and in shock on their return to the palace, Elsa knew better though, Anna was resilient, if there was going to be a next time Anna would want to be ready.
"I think it hit home with her tonight. It was unexpected I'll give them that. Looks like you called it right though."
"Not exactly something I wanted to be right about, I thought we would have had more time."
"How much time did you think they were going to give you? They want you gone Elsa. Still you know where you stand now."
"Do I? There is no way brother Sigmund is working alone but if he is working for the church that remains to be seen." She gritted her teeth.
"What do you mean? Who else could it have been? You can't have made that many enemies."
"There could be any number of fanatics who think they are just doing god's work. That's not what I meant. We told you about the former prince Hans of the southern isles?"
"Yes."
"Following his embarrassing conduct here, his father exiled him to Novassar." Eugene leaned in his chair thoughtfully.
"The same place our new slave friends are from, you think there is a coincidence."
"Or someone could be playing on making me think that."
"I see, that is troubling." He had to admit whoever was behind this must be a serious player.
"I could use your contacts. I could do to keep an eye on his activities over there. So long as we find brother Sigmund we have the advantage of keeping the news of this attack relatively quiet"
"You trust Willem to be discreet on the matters of their arrest?"
"Above anyone else." She dismissed. "I'm writing their charges now. It won't do to let everyone know I was openly attacked. They will receive minor sentences for agitation and resisting arrest."
"So what do you plan to do with them?"
"What can I do? They are as much victim than I am, they had no idea what I am. If I had less value for human life I may have had them killed on the spot."
"You wouldn't be wrong to. Others had done worse for less."
"That's not the kind of queen I want to be Gene. I will not foul my streets with blood, whether they are by enemies or not."
"True they weren't your enemies but treason is treason. You can expect the Hall of Lords to pressure you into having them hanged. To do otherwise would be a sign of weakness. But you're planning on not even telling them about this are you?"
Elsa shrugged.
"You don't trust them but you trust that captain?"
"You understand privilege more than anyone, that's because you were born with none. Willem's father was master at arms here; while not a noble he has devoted his life to the service of the crown, he knows its his place to serve me. While the lords they can be greedy, ambitious, fearful, they can even be bought. They were all ready to turn on me once, I won't give them another chance."
"My advice, confide in them once in a while, make them feel important and valued, if you start excluding them you'll only lose their faith faster."
"I already lost most of their faith when they found out what I am."
"And what was that?"
"A monster. They feared me then and they fear me now, they just had to get used to hiding it." Elsa didn't even recognise her words, she knew Eugene was to a degree right.
"You're wrong; they saw a frightened young woman. Let them know that is just one small part of who you were. You are human just like them. So have a little faith."
"I don't won't be a killer. I was so close tonight, anyone of them i could have-"
"Sometimes you aren't given a choice." He said eyes darkening and looking away. Elsa did not miss this and was a little dismayed. She could not help but stare.
"Have you…ever?" Eugene avoided her eye. His jaw clenched a little. She turned away to gaze into the fireplace. "I am sorry that's not something i should ask."
"It's no easy thing." He stood up. "But I'll help you avoid that outcome as much as possible, I swear it. You and Anna don't deserve this, and I bear no love for the church."
Anna could see Elsa standing over Brother Sigmund, she takes a bolt to the leg causing her to fall, a man struggles with her, putting his sword through one of her hands.
She cries for help so Willem steps forward, lunging at her attacker and leaping to her defence, he holds his own before he is overpowered five on one, still lashing out as he clutched the sword thrust in his stomach like a wounded animal. She looks on horrified. A bolt strikes him in the back burying itself in his shoulder; he takes a second bolt before hitting the ground lifeless.
Her arms reaches out as she tries to stop Eugene as he advances forward, he doesn't listen to her words, but she grasps at his tunic telling him to run but he doesn't instead he pushes her away. Blood splatters over her face, it tastes metallic, a spear has gone through his chest, he is on his knees looking down. He points to a sword on the ground, it was in arms reach so she rushed down from her horse but she could not pick it up, it was too heavy, she tries and tries to no avail.
Instead she sees a sword now hovered over Elsa's throat. Anna followed her line of sight to the face of the attacker, widening as she recognised the face of the man who made a fool of her, behind him stood twelve men in hooded cloaks. Elsa was breathing low in a scarlet sea with little voice or life left within her - unable to stop Hans as he swung down grinning. So Anna screamed for her.
As the images flashed in her memory tears rolled down Anna's cheek. She sat there on her bed unable to move. Normally she never had nightmares, or had any problems sleeping, unless she was excited for something. She was very certain that if it was acceptable for Princesses to sleep longer than even twelve hours a day, she would. Yet tonight when all she wanted was to succumb to the deepness and let the night be over, it felt more determined to drag it out than ever.
She doubted anyone could rest with such nightmares rolling though her head. As much as she wanted to deny it, ashamed of being such a child, her thoughts told her there was only one thing to be done. She drew herself out of bed heavily.
The corridors were cold and empty, very little light was coming through the windows it was like the entire palace was on edge. If there was the slightest clamour of noise Anna was sure she would even wake the dead. Carefully Anna moved towards Elsa's room.
The door creaked as Anna turned the handle pushing gently. She was expecting to find Elsa laid on the bed asleep if only in her hopes to curl up beside her. It should have come to no surprise to find the queen absent and the furs and linens untouched.
Anna crept out back into the hallway. She had convinced herself she was only going to make a small detour to the kitchen where the comforting smell of baked bread would set her mind to ease. On her return in her in her hand she had what she felt was a fairly well sized portion of cake and two forks. She let her instinct guide her up the stairway and up the second flight to her father's study, or to Elsa's study as it was now.
The office room where the queen dealt with the kingdom's affairs sat behind a secure corridor that could only be accessed by the drawing room where they had first discovered the passage to the underground throne room.
The door to the study was slightly ajar casting a cut of warm fire light across the princess. From the gap Anna peered through before entering seeing Elsa stood over her table completely fixated.
Elsa had taken her braid out. Letting her hair falling naturally in untidy waves, her crown was set to one side on the table leaving nothing but her fringe sweeping to one side as she tried to tuck her hair behind one ear. She had rolled up her sleeves and unlaced her bodice showing the gentle rise and fall of her pale chest. Anna had never seen her so unkempt, yet she was still perfect.
She could not help but watch her work a while longer, her brow furrowed and her lips would either form a hard line or make a soft o shape as she scribbled and read and scratched with her quill some more. It was late and she was still working so hard. Anna opened the door and entered. Elsa's eyes flew up staring at her, she blinked blankly several times.
"Well don't look too surprised to see me then Elsa." Anna said sheepishly.
In return the blond rubbed her eyes and shook her. "Sorry Anna, I just – I wasn't expecting you."
"I can go back to bed if you're busy."
"No – I've pushed myself far enough tonight. I'm.. happy for the distraction." She smiled faintly.
"Well expect the unexpected, because tonight's distraction comes in… cake." She raised the plate a little higher proudly displaying the dessert "and not just any cake, the triple chocolate kind made by the one and only Frieda." Anna was trying hard to make Elsa break a smile and laugh; she even wiggled one eyebrow seductively which cause Elsa to bow her head. "Are you angry with me?" She asked her voice changed drastically to small and anxious.
Elsa immediately raised her head, shaking it violently her eyes dancing with water under tresses of platinum locks. "I thought you said it was too good so you were saving it for a special occasion." Elsa said once again unable to meet Anna's gaze.
"Well tonight is an emergency, I think we need some good right now." She said placing a hand on the Queen's back placing the plate on the desk. Elsa laughed in agreement looking up to see Anna sat on the edge of the table looking over her warmly.
"I think you are right." She smiled gently joining Anna in picking up a fork and taking a bite of what could very well be heaven incarnate. She let the mixture flavours melt on her tongue; it was established as hers and Anna's mutual favourite, a blend of ginger in the dark chocolate icing, orange zest baked into the chocolate sponge and a layer of simple chocolate cream at the centre.
"You shall soon find I am right on all matters of cake." Anna said proudly as she watched as Elsa savour the moment of pleasure. The pained look on her face finally melted away leaving her with a small smile on the edge of her lips. The chocolate had smudged slightly; Elsa brushed it off with the side of her thumb carefully before placing it in her mouth extracting the excess chocolate.
"Didn't mother ever teach you it's rude to stare at people while they eat?" Elsa said smirking under closed eye lids.
"Well it would be a lot easier for me if you tried not to make it look like an art form rather than you know - a basic bodily function, eating isn't supposed to be pretty it should be about being efficient." Anna replied.
"And what – eat more like yourself?"
"My dear sweet sister," Anna said shaking her head taking a large mouthful of cake and heaving it all into her mouth. "mo won cam ea' li' muh." She said her words muffling from her full mouth and eyes rolling to the back of her head. Elsa expressed her amusement with an honest bell like sound springing from her freely. Anna grinned and swallowed dabbing her mouth with her sleeve. Elsa rose to the challenge taking just an equally large mouthful and managing to secure most of it into her mouth. Elsa grinned bashfully Anna nodded impressed by her sister's efforts.
"I didn't come up here to just eat cake though Elsa." Anna said, for the first time since the incident outside the church holding Elsa's gaze "I - wanted to say I'm sorry, you were right I should have listened and gone with Rapunzel even if a part of me is glad I was there I realise now it could have been a lot worse."
Elsa gripped her fork a little tighter lowering it to the table before looking down. "You should have." She agreed despondent.
"Then why aren't you angry at me? I feel like you should be, I would be so angry at me."
"At first I wanted to be, I was. But there is no point, even I didn't know things would go the way they did," Elsa paused for a moment thinking "I'll put it this way, if it were me in your shoes I wouldn't have left either. So I could hardly ask you to do any differently. You didn't care what was ahead of us; you just wanted to be there which is what we agreed to."
"So we're okay." Anna breathed.
Elsa nodded and cupped Anna's face gently; Anna held it there against her cheek for moment feeling the coolness of her delicate fingers. She thought about all the chaos that her hands could cause but instead they brought her so much peace, how anyone could point at Elsa and call her evil with such honest conviction was inconceivable.
"I hoped I hadn't frightened you, I thought it was almost too much to ask for. What you saw in me tonight Anna I didn't- I just got so angry I lost myself." She confessed to Anna, casting her eyes to the floor.
"You had a right to defend your name and it isn't like anyone died. Except that one man who did sort of lose his arm… - Even still, in my eyes you did pretty amazing. Me on the other hand I don't know what I could have done"
"You're not useless Anna if that's what you're thinking." Elsa said in softly.
"Do you think we can find him?"
"I think he is hiding out there hopefully he won't be able to escape by swimming against the Fjords, it'll help if we could get answers out of him. I'll need to keep the events quiet or there will be a political backlash." Elsa sighed rubbing her eyes tiredly. "I was just thinking about the council, they'll want to respond with a message. I have to figure out a way to peacefully put a stop to this before it get out of hand."
"We will figure out a way." Anna said in support planting a light kiss on her forehead.
"Sigmund will be the easy part. With what we know already he is either going to flee with his tail between his legs or return to the company of Sellswords. If he doesn't, we can track them as they return back to Novassar, from there they will likely enquire to their contractors for their severance or go looking for him themselves, there is always a papertrail."
"Either way they'll do the work for us." Anna said impressed.
"Exactly. That just leaves the rest of the church's faithful which will prove to be… undoubtedly more difficult and dangerous." She stated. "For now we will wait, we'll have to be smart."
"You know what would be really smart? Coming to bed. This isn't going anywhere in the morning." Anna said tiredly, gesturing to the table and feeling the touch of sleep beginning to warp her mind. Elsa chuckled and nodded.
"I suppose you're right, it wouldn't do to well to dwell on this for too long. I admit it's rather depressing we're both barely of age and it seems half the world is against us."
"Oh well, if you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything right. All this I guess just comes with the territory of royalty and ice powers; you can't always have your cake and eat it."
"Anna that was almost profound."
"I can be a philosophical thinker sometimes; Olaf seems to have had an influence on me."
"Are you saying you engage in debates with a snowman?"
"You'd be surprised; he has a lot to say about things."
"I'll bare that in mind." Elsa said bemused by the turn of the conversation, glad that Anna's light heart was not so easily quenched. Anna jumped from the table and headed towards the door while Elsa picked up her crown from the table placing it once more up her head. She followed the princess into bed neither making another sound.
That night calmness crept over Anna as she once again lay beside her sister. Feeling comfortable and sheltered, she could not tell if it was the coolness of Elsa's presence warding the burning heat of that summer night or her arms encompassing her protectively, but her mind was at ease.
It was early when Anna finally awoke to the sound of heavy rain hammering on the roof a cool wind blowing through the open window. She found herself settled in the curve of Elsa's neck. All she could see under her heavy eye lids was a curtain of blonde platinum hair and Elsa's pale rose cheek. As she began to become more aware of herself she found she had one arm draped across her sister's form. In the quiet of the morning she listened to the soft metrical pounding of Elsa's heart melding with the rain.