Chapter 18
The Queen sat alone in her dreary room. The skies a miserable grey, dark clouds lined the sky as a steady snow fell from the clouds. Signing as she gazed out at the world the Queen was struck with a terrible sadness.
Sad her sister had been missing for far too long, that the guards had not been able to locate her. It had been many months since the attacks on Arendelle and get sisters disappearance.
A soft knock on the door sounded. Turning her head around slowly as the large white doors clicked open. The captain of the guard stood facing her. "Your Majesty." he bowed.
"The search for your sister has gone on for many days we've been unsuccessful in gathering any information."
"I am aware." Elsa replied in a cold tone.
"we must consider our options." he trailed off slowly
"options" she questioned outraged. "captain." Elsa paused raising her voice. "There are no options you will not stop searching until my sister is found or I will replace you with someone who is willing to do so."
The captain looked at her and sighed deeply. "As you wish." He replied shutting the doors and leaving the room.
"insolent." she hissed under her breath.
Elsa got up and walked over to the only portrait she kept up, one of her and we sister a few days after the coronation before everything went amiss.
"I will find you Anna a promise." The Queen whispered softly to herself.
Elsa wondered if her sister might be dead he wanted her to be alive desperately but Anna had been missing months and with the snowy cold weather, the princess may have frozen to death somewhere.
Now walking over to the doors he opened then and gracefully walked down the hall out into the courtyard and toward the castle gates.
"open them." Elsa demanded.
"Sorry, under current conditions nobody is allowed outside the gates."
Narrowing her eyes she glared. "I am the Queen of Arendelle." she paused a moment. "Let me through."
"No exceptions, you will have to take it up with the captain."
Elsa moved closer to the gate keeper. "I have ultimate power here, if you do not open these gates you will find a new job."
The guards exchanged worried looks and opened the gates for her. He walked into the snow covered land. Determined to find her sister. Elsa trekked back to find where he had been when she was attacked all those months ago.
Hoping to fid the Woodshed Anna had found her in if she had truly been captured by the attacks she might be there. Yet Elsa had her doubts if the guards couldn't find her why would she be able to.
More than anything she felt broken and angry. Depressed about the thought of never seeing her sister again. Angry at the guards for not being able to find Anna.
It seemed as though Elsa had been trudging through the icy snow forever when she came upon the old woodshed. Pulling open the door the Queen found nothing, with her hear skinning she took a seat in an old stump that had been left there. Burying he face in her hands she cried softly.
"I'm Sorry Anna" she whispered quietly. Lifting her head she caught sight of something quite strange. It looked as if somebody has just been here a pile of wood was neatly stacked agains the wall unused and quite new looking.
Elsa stood and moved the wood revealing a latched door. Pulling on the black handle she saw a set of stairs leading down into the darkness with a deep breath of air the Queen pulled her cloak closely around her and began receding into the dark tunnel.
It was damp and musty smelling in the old tunnels. Elsa figured it must have been an old escape route from the mines.
It was quite dark and considerably difficult to see once she adventured deeper. Before long the passageway at the end of the tunnel was lit by a single torch. A few more steps and Elsa found herself in a small room with a wooden table in the center chains on the wall, it was quite frightening down here, Elsa had not thought anybody would actually be here.
"Hello?" she called nervously.
"Elsa?" she heard a desperately weak voice call from further down another tunnel.
The Queen quietly made her way down the dark passage until she ran into iron bars.
"Anna!" she was so relieved to hear her sisters voice. "Anna are you okay?" Elsa gripped the bars with her hands and froze them until they shattered. What she saw astounded her. Anna was so small her clothing tattered and filthy. Elsa wrapped her cloak around her younger sister.
"let's get you home." she smiled
Supporting her injured sister Elsa helped her into her feet.
"you found me." she whispered.
"of course." Elsa replied. "I love you The Queen paused for a moment. "I'm so sorry it's taken so long after months the guards never found you, I thought I might try myself... If only I had come sooner..."
"No, no plead don't blame yourself it's not your job to come find me." Anna breathed out weakly.
"you came to find me, you went out and got this for me." she looked at the crystal hanging around her neck. "if it wasn't for me you'd be okay." Elsa spoke with a deep sadness to her voice.
"But you would've died Elsa, without that you'd have been dead." The Princess said in a hushed tone.
"were both okay now. I'll get you back and you'll feel better soon."
Elsa was fully supporting her weak sister and soon after they got outside Anna began to speak.
"is it true what they told me?" The Princess Questioned.
"is what true?" Elsa asked curiously.
"Did you really kill people? freeze them to death?"
Elsa looked guilty she glanced at Anna with fear and remorse.
"yes Anna I did ever since I got better things changed. They said the magic I have was tuning on me. I used it so often after years of concealing it, and that I wasn't used to it."
"it froze your hear and because of it you turned cold..."
The Queen nodded. "Maybe do Anna, but what about now? I don't feel cruel or evil now..."
"You came for me, and you found me! You've displayed and act of true love."
Elsa smiled "let's go home." Elsa paused. "so I an fix what I've done and so you can get some rest."
The Queen walked quickly to the castle her sister leaning on her stumping along. "Elsa please slow down." Anna spoke breathlessly.
"I can't... I cant walk so fast..."
"okay Anna, we are almost home." Elsa assured her, soon they approached the castle gates and the two guards standing outside let then in right away. Elsa carried her sister into her room setting her comfortably on the bed.
"you're safe now Anna." Elsa smiled quite exhausted from the trip.
The Queen called for the doctors who tended to her sickly sister. Elsa sat in a nearby chair and soon fell asleep.
"Elsa?" a sleepy voice called.
Opening her eyes she found Anna sitting upright in the bed. A soft low of moonlight shone through the room.
"Hey." she responded rubbing her eyes. "You feeling any better."
"Not really, I've been locked up for months... Will you take me out in the morning?" Anna Questioned.
"I don't know Anna." Elsa hesitated. "you're still pretty weak..." she trailed off.
"please Elsa?" Anna begged.