"Don't touch me. Don't ever touch me." Her Captain's harsh words ripped through Elsa's heart like a dagger.
As she ran uphill, she tried to force away the thought of how childish she was acting by running from the Congregation that would help maintain a peaceful existence for Arendelle.
What was I thinking?
She'd been thinking of her Captain, that's what. And too much, if she was being honest. Captain Kaya simply liked teasing her, that was all. It was clear she felt nothing more for her than a soldier's devotion for their queen.
Elsa wrapped her arms around herself. Still, she'd thought they were friends, at least. Didn't friends tell each other when they weren't feeling well? It was obvious to her that the Captain didn't feel fully up to the duty of guarding her tonight. And why did she act so strange with Lord Stephan?
She simply didn't know what to make of any of it. And now here she was, displaying her emotional immaturity to every royal that knew of what happened. Which, she knew by how much servants were known to talk, was every royal in the place.
The queen rubbed her forehead, trying to take comfort from the snow that swirled around her, as it always did whenever she was upset about something.
She never heard the telltale click! of a crossbow being loaded.
Kaya trudged through the thickening snow. Even if she hadn't upset Elsa, the snowstorm still would've come. Elsa was probably safer than anyone, out here in the icy winds, but that didn't stop her from worrying. It was her fault that Elsa had ran, after all.
After Elsa had ran from the room in tears, Kaya had waited a minute or two before going after her, just to make sure that she had herself under control. She hated losing her temper; Elsa brought out more of her uncharacteristic hot-headed temperament even on a good day. It wasn't until she had asked the soldiers at the gate of Elsa's whereabouts that she found that Elsa had ran right into the impending blizzard. Kaya hadn't hesitated in hurrying after her, and it was only when she was a fair distance away from the castle that she thought again about what she had said to Elsa.
A pang of guilt sliced through Kaya's heart at the thought. She shouldn't have snapped at the girl. Elsa was only trying to help, and Kaya had shoved her away, just as she did with everyone else.
Her past physical relationships with other women had been few, but that was only because the woman that had kept her chained for so long was insanely jealous of anyone that she thought was infringing on her territory. Because of that, Kaya was in no way limited in her knowledge of how to physically please another, but emotionally...Kaya could honestly say she was significantly less experienced in that respect.
The former Palladonian didn't want Elsa touching her for multiple reasons, the least of which was to keep herself from getting completely addicted to the Snow Queen's gentle nature.
Kaya looked at her hands. The heat that had been building inside her like a too-hot furnace was slightly tempered by the snow around her, but that wouldn't stop someone from getting burned if they touched her while she was like this. Normally, she handled hot temperatures quite well, even going so far as to enjoy them more than the cold, but the heat became unbearable every time the seal weakened.
The demon would never break free, she knew, and the two of them were as friendly as a parasite could be with their host, but even if they shared a mutual respect, Orinda would never go so far as to hold back her power when the seal weakened every solstice.
A voice resounded in her head. What fun would it be if I held back on you, little one?
Kaya glared at the air. "Just shut up."
The demoness laughed. Well, don't take too long finding that queen of yours, my dear. You know you don't have an excess of time left.
Her host snorted. "Careful, Orinda. I might start to think you actually give a damn."
Orinda laughed and then fell silent.
Come on, Elsa, Kaya thought. Where are you?
She felt the queen's heat signature up ahead, but that wasn't the only one she felt.
Kaya's heart dropped into her stomach as she picked up her pace.
Elsa sighed. She should really head back, but she didn't want to face the captain of her guard just yet. Looking up at the sky, she marveled at the beauty of the powdery snowflakes that caressed her face like a lover.
The queen looked down sadly. There was only one person that she would even consider, and it was obvious they didn't feel the same way.
"Queen Elsa!"
The Snow Queen looked up to see Kaya running towards her. Elsa stood and contemplated running again when a flicker of silver in a tree to her left caught her eye.
She heard the sound of a metal catch being released and her heart stopped.
Kaya didn't think, although she knew her actions wouldn't have been any different even if she had. She let loose her magic in the arrow's direction, not caring how much energy she spent if it meant that arrow didn't find its target.
Her aim was true, and the arrow evaporated into thin air, and she blasted the assassin's hiding place after she was sure Elsa was unharmed.
You fool!
Kaya felt her shaking knees give out on her as she caught sight of Elsa's frightened expression.
"Kaya!"
She could only faintly hear the sound of running footsteps before Elsa slid to a stop beside her, moving to cradle her neck.
Kaya's hand shot out and smacked Elsa's hand away.
"Don't touch me!"
Elsa's hurt expression was more than she could bear and felt herself fall forward to lean on her elbow, breathing heavily. Her hands clenched, and her fingers dug into the snow-dusted ground.
"Just...don't." Kaya was too exhausted to yell anymore. "I'll burn you."
"What?" Elsa watched in horror as her captain shook like a leaf and fought to draw breath.
"I-" She struggled to breathe. Finally, she looked up and into Elsa's worried eyes. "I don't want to hurt you."
Elsa stared at her in awe, remembering all the times when she'd said that to her parents, with the same protective intentions. She never would've guessed it would've hurt so much to have someone say it to her, though.
Kaya's chest was heaving and sweat was running down her temples, soaking her hair. What was wrong with her?
The captain's strength seemed to finally give out and she collapsed into the snow. Despite the woman's wishes, Elsa had to help her. Carefully, she brushed a hand across Kaya's brow and quickly snatched it back. Kaya hadn't been kidding; she was burning up badly.
Luckily the heat wouldn't effect the Snow Queen as it would anyone else.
"Hold on, Kaya." Elsa whispered, hoping Kaya could hear her.
A pained moan was her only response, even as Kaya opened her eyes.
Looking up into Elsa's worried gaze, she rasped out, "What a face, Queen Elsa." She rasped out a laugh. "Does my pathetic state worry you that much?"
"Of course it does!" Elsa cried indignantly.
Kaya scoffed before her head fell slack to the side as she passed out.
Elsa found a small cave in the mountainside that would do for shelter, though she didn't really need it. Before tonight, she would've thought that Kaya needed it, but after what she'd just witnessed, she wasn't so sure.
She had flames shooting out of her hand. Elsa looked at her own hands. It's not unlike my own magic...
But why would Kaya keep it a secret? She would've thought Arendelle, of all places, would've been the ideal place to make a secret like being a magic-user known.
Tears threatened, and Elsa tried hard to shove them back. Kaya was still burning up, sweat beading on her brow. Why wouldn't Kaya open up to her, if only as a friend?
Kaya gasped in her sleep and Elsa was snapped out of her thoughts. She used the scarf that she'd pulled from around Kaya's neck to wipe the woman's feverish forehead. Her captain flinched and moaned again.
Elsa closed her eyes, withdrawing her hand. The answer was obvious; Kaya didn't trust her enough to open up to her. The thought made her throat tighten.
She hadn't thought that there was anyone else with powers like hers in existence.
"Elsa..."
The Snow Queen looked to the source of the pained moan. Her captain's face was drawn, pale and exhausted. She panted quickly, sweat trickling relentlessly down her face and dampening her hair. Her head occasionally thrashed back and forth, as if she were having an awful nightmare.
Elsa hoped she would wake soon.
