The Head That Wears the Crown

Chapter Twenty

Extinguished

Isarn raced down the palace stairs, stopping for nothing. The conflict between the Wanderers and Arendelle's soldiers was at a standstill. The moment both parties had become aware that their leaders had engaged in battle, they had stopped, transfixed, uncertain of what to do next.

"Isarn!" A familiar voice caused him to pause. Turning, Isarn saw Anna approaching, her face drawn with worry.

"Isarn! You're all right!" Anna looked about, her heart suddenly beating faster in terror. "Where's Elsa?" Isarn tried, but could not respond. "Where's Elsa, Isarn?!"

"You need . . . You need to come with me. Now." Isarn said. Grabbing her hand, he practically dragged her behind him as he continued his flight from the palace.

Finally reaching the entrance to the palace, Anna and Isarn burst through the door. The Ice Lord pulled Anna toward the small circle of citizens that had gathered near the palace steps.

"MOVE!" Isarn roared. Terrified, the group backed away, exposing what they had been examining.

NO! NO! NO! NO!

Anna fell to the ground, her face white, unwilling to believe what she was seeing. Isarn stood behind her, holding Anna's shoulders tightly, trying to both give her strength as well as draw his own from her.

The ice that had been Asgard had shattered into hundreds of fragments. Sunlight reflected off the tiny shards, forming a halo effect around Elsa's body. The knife Asgard had plunged into her chest had now been pushed completely through her torso. Her limbs extended from her body at awkward angles. Her breathing was extremely shallow, almost imperceptible.

Anna moved to her sister and delicately took her hand. She could feel a pulse in Elsa's wrist, but it was faint, distant. "Elsa?" she whispered, barely able to speak. "Elsa, can you hear me?"

The queen of Arendelle slowly opened her eyes, turning her head to her younger sister. A faint smile crossed her lips. "Hey."

Anna smiled, tears flowing down her face. "Hey."

Elsa looked up at the palace roof, then back to Anna. "That was . . . a lot farther than I thought. Remind me . . . not to do that . . . again."

Anna laughed through her tears, kissing Elsa's hand. "I'll have to add that to my list. It's getting to be really, really long."

Elsa tried to laugh as well, but a spasm of coughing overtook her. Blood shot from her mouth and she grimaced in pain. She laid her head back on the ground, shaking her head in sorrow. "I'm so sorry, Anna. For . . . everything."

Anna shook her head. "No, Elsa. Don't do this. You're going to be . . . You're going to be fine. I just know it! And when you . . . when you get better we're going to take a long, long vacation, just the two of us, and we're going to finally get away from all the problems and everything that keeps ruining our lives and just be with each other again! Just like . . . Just like we always wanted."

"Don't . . . lie to me, Anna," Elsa gasped. "I'm dying. And there's nothing anyone . . . can do to stop it."

This can't be happening! This can't be happening! Suddenly, a thought blazed through Anna's mind.

"Isarn!" She turned to the older man. "You can heal her, right? Just like you were going to the other day! You can make Elsa whole again!"

Isarn gasped. Why didn't I think of this sooner? Of course! Isarn knelt next to his daughter, carefully holding her other hand. "Elsa, I . . ."

"Don't . . . say . . . anything," Elsa whispered. "I think . . . I think we both know how we feel."

Isarn nodded, fighting back the tears in his eyes. "Elsa, I'm going save you. All this," he waved his hand, "will be a distant memory in a moment. Just close your eyes and let me in."

Elsa closed her eyes and rested, her breathing now barely noticeable.

Isarn concentrated, letting the ancient power of his people flow through him. In his mind he could see Elsa's injuries disappear, her broken body once again in perfect condition. The blood she had lost was now restored, her battered and bruised skin now snow white and beautiful once more. Smiling, Isarn opened her eyes, expecting to see his daughter healthy once more.

Nothing had changed. Anna looked at Isarn, panic in her eyes. "What's wrong?" she asked. "Why haven't you healed her yet?!"

"I . . . I did!" Isarn protested. "I don't understand! It should have worked? Why didn't it work?!"

"What is wrong with you?!" Anna screamed. "HEAL HER! PLEASE! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!"

Isarn concentrated again, focusing every fiber of his being on the process of restoring Elsa's health. But again, nothing happened.

The horrible truth suddenly descended upon Isarn. "I . . . I can't do it!" he whispered. "Her injuries are too severe! My power isn't strong enough!"

Anna refused to believe, could not believe, would not believe. "NO! NO! NO! NO! YOU'RE NOT TRYING HARD ENOUGH! YOU CAN HEAL HER! YOU CAN SAVE HER! I KNOW YOU CAN!"

"Even my power has its limits," Isarn said, his face ashen, lined with sorrow. "I cannot save Elsa."

Elsa opened her eyes once more, looking at both Isarn and Anna. "Did . . . Did I . . . Did I stop him?"

"Yes, Elsa," Anna said, desperately willing herself to be strong, to not show Elsa just how terrified she was. "You did! Asgard is gone now! Arendelle is safe, because of you!"

"Is he dead?" Elsa whispered. Anna hesitated, and Elsa knew. "So," she said. "This is how it feels . . . to take a life. I swore . . . I would never . . . but I had to . . . he was going to . . ." A tear left Elsa's eye. "Oh, God, Anna, I killed him! I didn't want to . . . but I . . ." She stopped. "Murderer!" she whispered.

"No," Isarn said. "Elsa, you are not a murderer! You gave Asgard every opportunity to repent. He was the one who tried to kill you. You . . . You saved our people from a madman. You have nothing to be ashamed of!"

Elsa could feel the darkness moving closer. Coughing once more, she tried to sit up. Anna and Isarn held her down, trying to keep her from further injuring herself.

"Isarn," she gasped. "Father! I'm . . . I'm sorry we didn't . . . have more time together." She stared at Isarn intensely. "You are . . . a good man, Father. You've made . . . terrible choices . . . but you have changed. Lead your people . . . in the light. Help them be . . . the great nation they can be!"

Isarn kissed Elsa's forehead, his tears mingling with Elsa's. "I . . . I will!" he whispered. "I will not fail you, daughter!"

Elsa turned to Anna once more. "Anna . . . I'm sorry. I know . . . it's not what you wanted, but . . . Arendelle needs you! Our people . . . need you . . . to be strong! Please . . . Please take care of them!"

Anna shook her head in despair. "I . . . I can't!" she whispered. "I don't know how! I'm not you, Elsa!"

"You don't have to be . . . me," Elsa whispered. "That was my mistake! I tried . . . to be perfect . . . to be everything to everyone. But . . . Arendelle doesn't need perfection. She needs you! Listen to Andersen. He will . . . guide you! I know . . . I know you will make a great queen! Queen Anna . . ."

Anna squeezed Elsa's hand, refusing to let go. "I learned from the best," she said. "I will make sure no one in Arendelle ever forgets what you've done! Queen Elsa . . . the Magnificent!"

Elsa now focused her gaze behind Anna, no longer able to see her. "It's so dark, Anna," she whispered. "Ask me . . . one last time . . . please."

Forcing her throat to work, Anna leaned down to Elsa's ear, tears pouring down her face, and said, "Do you want . . . to build . . . a snowman?"

Elsa smiled. "Yes," she whispered. "I've always . . . wanted to. With you. Only you." Opening her palm, she willed a small swirl of snow to form into a miniature version of the same snowman she had created so many times with Anna in their childhoods.

Elsa's eyes suddenly opened wide. Anna and Isarn looked at each other in concern. But Elsa didn't appear afraid. Rather, she looked calmer, more peaceful than Anna had ever seen her before.

"It's so . . . warm!" Elsa reached out as if trying to touch something. Then, as suddenly as she had stretched forth her arm, it slowly fell back to her side. With a final gasp, Elsa's breath disappeared into the wind.

"Elsa? ELSA?!"

The Eden-stone ring on Elsa's hand flickered once, then faded, its brilliant luster extinguished, now dull and lifeless once more. And thus passed Queen Elsa, the Snow Queen of Arendelle.