The Head That Wears the Crown
Chapter Ten
Consequences
This can't be happening! This can't be happening! NO! NO!
Elsa shrank from Isarn's touch. "No! Don't touch me!"
Isarn looked genuinely hurt. "Elsa, you don't have to be afraid. I just want to look at you."
"No, this meeting is finished. I want . . . I want you to leave. Now!"
Isarn smiled. "I didn't expect you to fall into my arms in happiness, but I thought you would at least be a little more open. I've always wanted a child of my own—"
"I AM NOT YOUR DAUGHTER!" Elsa roared. "My father was the king of Arendelle! He was my father! Not you! NOT YOU!"
Isarn moved closer to Elsa. "I know you're scared and confused now, Elsa, but once you and I become closer, you'll understand everything! You're the key, Elsa! The key to solving everything I've worked so hard for all these years!"
"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Elsa snapped. "I don't know you! I don't want anything to do with you! For all I know, you're lying!"
Isarn gazed at the queen. "You know that I'm not," he said, quietly. "Elsa, please! Think! All your life you've wondered why you were different. Why you could control the ice and snow but no one else could. Why you had to be shut away and isolated to protect everyone from yourself!"
Elsa sank to the floor, her mind reeling. "What do you want from me?"
"I want you to embrace who you are! To let yourself experience what it is to have true mastery over the winter! To not have to live in fear and shame anymore! Isn't that what you want as well?"
Yes! Yes, it is! NO! No, it's not! Yes! No! Yes! NO! NO! YES!
"I . . . I don't know anymore!" she whispered, covering her head in her hands, willing the world to just leave her alone and end this nightmare.
"Yes, you do!" Isarn crowed. "Come with me! You can save my people . . . our people! Together, we can conquer Arendelle, make it safe once more for those of us who are different! Together, we can be worshipped, feared, adored! It would be so easy!"
Isarn knelt down, stroking Elsa's hair. "I already have most of these simpletons in Arendelle's government under my control. They will do anything I say! We could take over this land tonight, you and I!"
Elsa stared at Isarn. "You . . . You're talking about the Council, aren't you?"
Isarn smiled. "Those fools! They thought they were so clever, positioning themselves within the bureaucracy, thinking that they could take over the government once you made a mistake. I reached out to them, assuring them that they could use my power to enforce their will upon anyone in this land who would oppose them. They were so confident in themselves that they were willing to trust me implicitly! They even call me 'Lord' and 'Master'! Pathetic, isn't it?"
"You've been manipulating them this whole time?" Elsa asked.
"Believe me, it wasn't difficult," Isarn said. "Men are easily persuaded, especially when you play to their egos, tell them exactly what they want to hear, promise them everything and anything their hearts desire."
Isarn stood, offering Elsa his hand. "So . . . will you come with me, Elsa? Will you be the queen you were born to be?" No longer asking, Isarn now commanded: "Embrace yourself, Elsa! Fulfill your destiny! Rule Arendelle with me!"
Elsa stared at Isarn, her mind a clouded jumble of thoughts, fears, emotions swirling round and round and round as she desperately tried to make sense of it all until—
Until one word rang in her head. One word that might mean her demise, but would prevent her soul from sinking into damnation.
"No," Elsa said.
Isarn stared at Elsa in disbelief. "What did you say?"
"I said, NO!" Elsa said, standing, her confidence slowly returning. "You may be my true father by blood. But the man who raised me, the man I call my father," she pointed to the painting on the wall, "he is the man I listen to, not you. And my father would never forgive me if I betrayed him, sacrificed everything he worked so hard to build in pursuit of my own selfish ends."
Isarn couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Are you telling me you would rather be a freak to these people, always talked about behind your back, always mocked, never truly accepted, than be adored by your own kind?!"
The Eden-stone on Elsa's hand flared with a sudden brilliance. "I am among my own people, Isarn. Whether they love me or not, they are my people. My people."
Isarn stared at Elsa, his face betraying a quiet sense of admiration. "Now I know you are not one of them," he whispered. "I know you are truly my daughter. You are completely incorruptible. So unlike the rest of Arendelle's citizens."
"That's enough, Isarn," Elsa said sternly. "It is time for you to go!"
Isarn's face became dark. "I'm afraid I can't do that, Elsa. You see, you are my daughter. My own flesh and blood. I am not going to give you up just like that!"
"I am a grown woman, Isarn," Elsa said through gritted teeth. "You have no claim to me. No authority over me!"
"You WILL come with me!" Isarn roared. "Or I swear I will make the people you hold so dear suffer like they have never suffered before!"
"Neither will come to pass, Isarn," Elsa replied. "Now, GET OUT!"
Isarn was suddenly thrown back against the wall as Elsa unleashed a concentrated arctic blast upon him. He slammed into the wall and slowly slid to the floor. He pulled himself to his feet and glared at Elsa. "That was a mistake, daughter," he spat. "You don't know what you are dealing with!"
"Try me!" Elsa cried. She once again sent a stream of ice and wind at Isarn, but this time, he was prepared. He easily sidestepped the blast, the wall behind him becoming coated in thick ice. With a flick of his wrist, Elsa was thrust against the bookcase behind her, her arms pinned to her side, held in place by thick, icy tendrils that snaked from the floor.
"You have some skill, Elsa," Isarn said, slowly walking toward her. "But it is unrefined. Undisciplined. You still have much to learn. I can teach you. Come with me! Don't be a fool, I beg of you! Your continued resistance will only lead to the suffering of your pathetic subjects."
"NEVER!" Elsa screamed. Summoning all of her strength, she broke free from the ice that contained her. Isarn's feet froze to the floor, holding him in place. Elsa took advantage of the opportunity to run to the door. She thrust it open, prepared to run and find someone to help her contain her opponent.
As she stepped into the hallway, the wall behind her exploded, shards of plaster and wood flying everywhere. The force of the explosion sent Elsa flying down the hall, her motion coming to an end only when her inertia no longer carried her and she sank to the floor.
Moaning in pain, Elsa looked up and gasped as she saw Isarn slowly moving down the hall toward her. This is not good, she thought, groggily. Not good at all!
Anna smiled at the guests as they continued to congratulate her on an excellent dinner and party, feigning happiness while inwardly worrying. Elsa had been gone for quite some time. The guard that had been assigned to her had lost track of her; he had been berated and sent to find her once Anna had heard. It wasn't like Elsa to disappear for this long; Anna tried unsuccessfully to quell the growing unease in her stomach.
"Any word from Her Majesty?" Andersen asked as he approached.
Anna shook her head. "I'm starting to get very worried," she said. "What if . . . What if something terrible happened to her?"
Andersen smiled. "Don't get too concerned just yet. Elsa is quite capable of taking care of herself. I believe her when she said she simply needed some time alone. It wouldn't surprise me at all if she walked through the door at any moment as if nothing ever happened."
A loud banging echoed throughout the palace. The guests ceased their revelry, glancing about nervously. It sounded as if, upstairs, something heavy was being thrown about repeatedly.
"What was that?" Anna whispered.
"I . . . have no idea," Andersen whispered back. "I was hoping you were going to tell me you had a surprise of some kind."
The banging was growing louder, seemingly filing the entire ballroom. The ceiling of the ballroom began to quake. Everyone backed as far away from the center of the room as they could, staring at the ceiling in fear.
Without warning, the ceiling erupted, wood flying throughout the ballroom, guests screaming as they jumped to avoid the deadly fragments. An enormous block of ice fell to the ballroom floor, shattering upon impact.
Anna involuntarily covered her eyes, shielding herself from the tiny ice fragments that flew about the room. As she lowered her arms, she could see a familiar form in the center of the ballroom, lying on the floor, unmoving.
"ELSA!" Without hesitation, Anna rushed toward Elsa, bending down to look at her sister.
Elsa's body was a mess of injuries. Blood flowed freely from dozens of open wounds. Bruises peppered her snow white skin in disturbing patterns. Anna bent down, desperately searching for any signs of life. Finally, mercifully, she heard Elsa's labored breathing. Her older sister opened her eyes, slowly. "Anna?"
"Shhh, it's all right, Elsa! You're going to be fine!" Anna said, clutching Elsa's hand.
"Anna," Elsa gasped, her voice barely audible. "Get . . . out . . . now!"
"What, Elsa? Who did this to you?!"
"I did," a cold voice spoke from behind her.
Silence descended upon the ballroom. A tall, menacing figure with short blonde hair and a menacing expression stared down at her.
"Is she still alive?" the man asked.
"Who are you?" Anna asked. "What did you do to her?"
"IS SHE ALIVE?!" the man roared.
"Yes, barely," Anna said. "She needs help immediately!"
"Good," the man said. "She needed to be punished, but she must not die."
"Punished?" Anna's head was spinning. "Who are you? Why? Why did you hurt her?"
"Are you Anna?" the man asked.
Anna didn't respond. She glared at him, not daring to break eye contact with him.
"ARE YOU ANNA?" the man roared.
"Yes, I am!" she cried. "What is it you want?"
A hint of softness crossed the man's face. "Take care of her now," he commanded.
The man turned to face the terrified assembly. "I am Isarn, leader of the Wanderers, those who were exiled by your fathers centuries ago. I come to avenge the lives that were lost because of Arendelle's sins."
He turned, surveying the room. "Where are the traitors among you? Where are the Council members, those who swore fealty to me in exchange for their own glory? The time has come for these men to honor the vow they made to me! Fealty in exchange for power! That was the oath they swore!"
None of the ministers approached. Isarn laughed.
"Not one of you are brave enough to admit your treason? You truly are a foolish, stupid race! You desired power, but only in the shadows! Well, now the shadows have been cast aside! Let any man who wishes to share in my dominion approach me now, lest he sacrifice his own power and authority forever!"
Not one of the ministers dared to step forward.
"In that case, I hereby usurp complete authority of Arendelle for myself! I hereby abolish all titles and consolidate all power under my own will! You will all beg me to have mercy upon you when I am through with you! You will suffer, as my people have suffered for so long!"
"No," a raspy voice spoke.
Isarn turned. "Who dares to dispute my authority?!"
Elsa had regained consciousness. Slowly, painfully, ignoring Anna's pleas, she pulled herself to her feet. "You . . . have no authority here, Isarn. Arendelle is not . . . yours to command! You will leave now and never return!"
Isarn's face softened slightly. "Why must you continue to oppose me, Elsa? You could rule with me! These people don't love you! Why won't you allow me to show you the love of your true people, the love I can give you?"
"I . . . already told you, Isarn," Elsa replied, staggering forward. She gestured about the room. "These are . . . my people. You will not harm them!"
Isarn's face hardened once more. "If that is how you feel," he whispered. He spoke once more to the entire ballroom. "Hear this, citizens of Arendelle! I give your queen three days to surrender herself to me! If she does not do so, my people will destroy this kingdom! And they will not show mercy!"
Elsa stood before Isarn, her arms outstretched. "I will freeze you where you stand unless you surrender yourself, Isarn. There is no escape for you!"
Isarn laughed. He reached into his pocket and withdrew a thin vial of amber liquid. He held it high above his head. "Is anyone familiar with the contents of this vial?"
Several in the room gasped in terror. Isarn smiled. "This vial contains Eldarish oil. A secret compound of my people's creation. The moment the oil comes into contact with air, it combusts, burning everything within a fifty-foot radius with searing heat. None of you will survive if I choose to unleash this!"
He turned to Elsa. "You will allow me to exit the palace without interference, or everyone in this room will die."
Anna grasped Elsa's arms. "Elsa, please! Do as he says! You can't win this battle!"
Slowly, reluctantly, Elsa lowered her arms. "You are free to go, Isarn," she said. "I will see you in three days. But I warn you, I have . . . no intention of surrendering."
Isarn laughed as he made his way to the exit. "You are far too trusting, Elsa," he said. "You still believe in these people, even though they are filth. Apparently I must open your eyes and show you that they are nothing more than dust and ash. Farewell."
Isarn tossed the vial high in the air. Anna screamed, following its flight path as it slowly arced, turning over and over upon itself, falling toward the center of the ballroom.
"NOOOO!" Elsa screamed. With what little of her strength remained, she shoved Anna away from her. Summoning all her remaining power, she cast a protective barrier around herself thirty feet in diameter. The vial, contained within her barrier, completed its trajectory, touching the ground before Elsa's feet.
A sound louder than any ever heard before in Arendelle tore through the ballroom. All within the room were flung backwards at the force of the explosion. Struggling vainly, Anna could see Elsa holding the intense flame within her protective sphere, refusing to yield, containing the brunt of the explosion around her.
"ELSA!" Anna screamed.
The pain was excruciating. Elsa could feel every muscle in her body shudder and convulse as she fought with all her strength to maintain control of the barrier. Screaming, she allowed the flames to wash over her, not caring if she lived or died, but desperate to protect the guests, the ministers, Anna.
Finally, when she felt she could no longer continue, the flame collapsed upon itself and disappeared. Elsa fell forward, completely spent. She could vaguely see Anna rushing to her side, but the world suddenly became very quiet, and she allowed the darkness to overtake her.
AN: More to follow.