Kai put his shoulder against Elsa's door and pushed, teeth gritted with effort. At first the tall white and blue door wouldn't budge and he feared he'd have to fetch an axe and cut his way in. The young queen had been locked in her room for nearly eight hours and, thought this wasn't at all unusual, when the manservant had come knocking just a few minutes ago he'd been shocked to see a layer of frost leaking out under the door and spreading across the carpet. That had been a massive red flag. Elsa had never and would never have let her powers escape the safety of her room. She'd been too careful for to many years to let it all fall to pieces now. So Kai had run and fetched Gerda, cordoned off the residency wing of the palace, and attempted to gain access into Elsa's room with no avail. The door was frozen shut, locked like a boulder rolled over a tomb.
Sweating freely now, his pressed servants uniform developing large dark stains in embarrassing places, the manservant pulled back and gave the frustrating door one last shove and was rewarded with a loud crack as the ice on the opposite side split. A burst of shattering cold air, as if death itself had breathed on him, buffeted the manservant and he stumbled back from the dark crack, goosebumps rolling down his arms and spreading across his sweaty chest. He could see his breath turn to white vapor in the wake of the cold air and suppressed a shiver. One more hard push and the door groaned open far enough to allow the portly manservant to squeeze through. Not surprisingly the young queen's room was as dark as pitch. Kai heard the crunch of ice underfoot and rubbed his shoulders as the brunt of arctic air hit him.
"Gerda, hand me your lantern," Kai said ducking back into the hallway that was almost stifling hot compared to Elsa's room.
"How bad is it," Gerda asked handing the manservant the large kitchen lantern she'd brought with her. She's also brought a bundle of warm blankets and a tray with a kettle of hot water, loose tea leaves, and three tea cups, unsure what state the young queen would be in when she finally emerged from her room. Apparently from the look on Kai's face it was worse than either of them had expected.
"Wait here. I'll be back in a moment," Kai said raising the wick on the lantern until the flame burned almost white and stepped back into the arctic room. Light in hand, the manservant raised his lantern and gasped. "Saints and martyrs, God in heaven..."
Kai didn't know where to begin, his eyes snapping around the room and taking in the devastation one piece at a time. Jagged teeth of turquoise blue ice, nearly twice his size and curled inward like the fingers of a grasping hand, were spread around the room like the petals of some massive arctic flower, the light from his lantern shimmering and winking against the ripples and facets as if they were made of diamonds. The queen's bed had been lifted a full four feet off the ground by two savage glacial teeth, the frame twisted in an unnatural position while the mattress had been discarded somewhere on the other side. Her dresser and vanity had faired about the same, large chunks of wood and splinters strews across the floor from where the furniture had been snagged and impaled on the ice.
Breath a halo above his head, Kai ventured further into the savagely beautiful wonderland, careful where he placed his feet. The jagged petals of the ice flower seemed to recede the farther he got into the room, four to five foot twisted stalagmites shrinking with each row until the manservant could see a patch of clear ground surrounding a fractured bubble of ice so thin and translucent he only realized it was there when the reflection of his lantern woke shimmering streaks of orange fire across it. Something drew him to the fragile looking orb and it wasn't until he was nearly on top of it that he realized why.
"Majesty," Kai gasped setting the lantern down and putting a hand against the skin of the ice bubble. At the lightest touch the orb fell away revealing the huddled silhouette of the girl inside, and the manservant instinctively knew something was wrong. Slowly he knelt beside the young queen. She was dusted in a thick layer of frost so white it nearly glowed in the darkness. When Kai gently touched Elsa's arm she didn't stir, didn't even appear to be breathing and he felt a thrill of fear shoot through him.
"Gerda! Gerda come in here!"
The service matron skittered into the room, nearly slipping on a patch of ice close to the door. She took one look at the room and nearly dropped the blankets clutched to her chest, one hand covering her mouth in shock, eyes wide as saucers.
"God have mercy!"
"Gerda, hurry with the blankets," Kai said attempting to break the layer of frost coating the queen. It took a few tries but eventually he was able to puncture the sandpaper rough shell, fingers numb and bleeding from where he'd broken through. Still Elsa didn't shift a muscle and the manservant's efforts to free his queen doubled. Finally the last jagged piece of frost came away and Kai sat back in stunned silence, his heart sinking through his stomach.
He hadn't seen it through the layer of frost, but Elsa lay curled on her right side entirely naked, blooms of bright blood dotting different parts of her body. The manservant wasn't sure if she'd collapsed in this state or if her power had somehow done this to her, but seeing the crimson stripes haphazardly strewn across her milky white skin, beginning at her neck and ending at her ankles, he knew his queen was in worse shape than he'd previously thought. And her hands…
"Oh Elsa," Kai deflated, tentatively taking one of the young queen's slender hands and shifting so the light of the lantern fell across it. The skin of her palms was the livid bright red of raw steak, small blisters beginning to form between the webbing of her fingers and spreading to the back of her hand. In the light of the lantern, the manservant could see small streaks of blood frozen in place, the cracks in her skin crusted with crimson frost.
"Kai, should we call the Physician," Gerda asked in a hushed whisper as she knelt next to the manservant. She knew the gravity of what she asked, but if her queen needed professional help she'd risk exposing Elsa's secret in order to save her life. Kai shook his head and took the blanket from Gerda, covering the young queen to both hide her nakedness and bring her warmth. That seemed to rouse a response, and Elsa shifted fractionally, a weak moan escaping her lips.
"Majesty," Kai leaned forward and put a hand on her freezing cold shoulder. The young queen remained silent and still but he could see now that she was in fact breathing and a fraction of his fear melted away allowing him a chance to exhale.
"We cannot," the manservant sighed deeply after a thoughtful moment. "Elsa's secret is far too great, and I know what questions Malkof will ask. We cannot risk anyone finding out. Not so soon after the king and queen's death."
Gerda looked as if she would say more but saw the reason in the manservant's logic and eventually nodded. "She can't stay in here."
Kai looked around at the destruction and knew Gerda was right. There'd be no way Elsa could remain in her room, not with it so cold and with so much ice. The servants would have to take her to one of the guest bedrooms, but getting the young queen there would prove to be a challenging task. Kai was not a young man anymore, years of castle life softening his body and taking the once youthful energy he displayed as a boy and replacing it with muscle aches and stiff joints. Gerda was no better equipped, her slender frame perfect for carrying plates and trays but not the dead weight of an eighteen year old queen. Still, Kai knew they had no choice.
"Help me sit her up," he said gently taking Elsa by the wrists, careful not to touch the burns. Gerda wordlessly obeyed and help the manservant lift the young queen into a sitting position, pulling the blanket tightly around her shoulders and slender waist. Shifting around for a better angle, Kai lifted Elsa bridal style, straining under her weight, muscles quivering.
"Careful," Gerda said watching with manservant with wide eyes. Kai ignored her and carefully made his way out of the room. He managed to step beyond the threshold, Gerda shutting the door behind him, before his strength began to fail. He was about to ask for the service matron's aid when the sound heavy footfalls coming towards him caused the manservant to turn in surprise. The guard he'd placed at the top of the stairs had seen him stagger out of Elsa's room, unconscious queen in his arms, and was rushing over, concern practically glowing in his shocking green eyes.
"Master Kai, what's happened? Is her Majesty alright? Should I call for the Physician?"
"No, Lieutenant Revel, that won't be necessary," Kai grunted, back arched as he struggled to hold the queen.
"Sir, allow me to help." Without any preamble, the young guard reached out and took Elsa into his arm with the youthful ease of a man use to lifting heavy objects on a daily basis. At first the manservant was both shocked and appalled. This guard would dare touch the queen without permission? Kai stiffened as his anger flared, face turning a soft shade of scarlet, but reason reached him seconds later and smothered his temper. How else were they going to get Elsa to the guest bedroom? He certainly didn't have the strength to carry her.
"Lieutenant Revel," Kai sighed, anger suddenly replaced by weariness, "the queen has collapsed under the weight of her grief. We are to take her to one of the guest bedroom so that she can better recuperate in peace." It was a flimsy lie but Kai knew the guard would not question it.
Nodding, Revel shifted the young queen in his arms so that her head rested just under his chin. If he noticed the strange temperature rolling off the young girl or saw the dusting of frost in her unbound hair he said nothing and fell into step behind the two head servants. They walked a ways down the long winding hallway before stopping in front of a plain looking purple and white door. Kai withdrew a set of keys and unlocked the room, ushering Revel in a slight nod of his head. Inside, the room was sparsely decorated but what décor resided in the cozy space had to be worth its weight in gold. Kai quickly lit the wall lamps and the table side lamp next to the large bed, instructing the lieutenant to place the queen near the light. Revel obeyed and set Elsa down, noticing for the first time just how beautiful she was up close. Of course he'd seen her from afar, her sister as well, but being this close he was able to perceive the full gravity of her beauty and couldn't help but stare. He was about to turn away when the queen's eyes lazily opened, cerulean blue orbs locking on his face.
Revel felt a thrill of fear and excitement work through his body and froze. He knew he should avert his gaze and bow his head, he was only a lowly guard, no better than a commoner with no right or reason to be staring opening at the queen, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from hers. Unable to think of anything else to do, Revel flashed a quick, warm smile.
"You're alright now, Majesty," he whispered low enough that only he and the queen could hear. Elsa stared at the guard for another half a heartbeat before her eyes fluttered shut and she sank back into the bed.
"Lieutenant," Kai's voice broke the moment and the young guard snapped to attention.
"Sir."
"Thank you for your aid," Kai said stepping over to the door and pulling it open. Revel walked quickly over to the manservant and saluted, back a little to straight and face flushed. He was about to make his leave when Kai grabbed him by the upper arm, stopping him.
"Lieutenant, I do not think I need to tell you that word of what you've seen and done here will not reach any of the castle staff. There has been enough turmoil in the kingdom and the addition of idle gossip is not needed. Do I make myself clear, sir?"
Revel swallowed and nodded. Of course he could read between the lines of what Kai was saying and could clearly see the threat in the manservant's eyes.
"On my honor, sir, no word will pass from my lips," Revel managed in a small voice. Kai stared at him for a moment longer, driving home his point and authority, before releasing the lieutenant.
"Good man. Now, return to your post and let no one enter the residency wing."