Chapter 20

~Sisters in Silence~

"Come here." Elsa instructed keeping her attention focused on the window, gazing upon the outside world.

Anna slowly made her way towards Elsa and sat close behind her, a long silence loomed over the girls until Elsa sighed deeply.

"Look outside..." she said her voice ringing with sadness.

"Elsa, there's nothing there." Anna looked over at her, but Elsa wouldn't make eye contact with her sister.

"Exactly." Elsa paused. "Months ago when everything was alright, before the attack. There was music in the streets. Singing dancing, the people of our kingdom were joyful. They loved us and looked up to us. Now because of what I've done they fear me." Elsa seemed broken she spoke in a soft voice almost near tears.

"Oh Elsa... You don't have to be afraid." Anna put a hand on her sisters shoulder. "Elsa I will always be here for you... Nothing can take that away."

Anna expected Elsa to turn around but she didn't the Queen kept silently to herself. "Elsa, I'm here for you, we don't have to talk... But I'll be here."

The Queen nodded and smiled to herself. "Thank you Anna." she whispered softly.

The girls sat in silence for many hours, thinking staring out the window. Anna read a book at one point. Even though her sister wasn't in the mood to speak, Anna wanted to be there for her.

Elsa was lost in thought, she thought about how Anna was taken, after trying to help her. How the guards even after months of searching failed to find the Princess.

If she had gone out herself earlier, Anna would've been found sooner, she wouldn't be so sick, the Princess would not have been injured or starved. Elsa had so many regrets, she made multiple bad choices on many occasions, with time the Queen hoped she could fix them all.

Elsa turned around to see her sister had fallen asleep on her bed. Elsa walked over in a solemn state and pulled the blankets over her sisters tiny frame. "I'm so sorry Anna, I'm so sorry I let this happen to you." The Queen sat on the edge of the bed and brushed stray hair from Anna's face. "I promise I will find whoever did this to us. I will make them pay for what they've done to our kingdom." Elsa assured the sleeping girl.

The Queen was visited by a few doctors, checking up on Anna while she was asleep, and Elsa knew they were sent to tend to her as well, the she had heard the captain of guard tell a few people he thought their Queen was unwell. Truthfully Elsa felt horrible, her heart was heavy with the weight of the world, it ached in pain.

Being the ruler of a kingdom meant she was supposed to put her people before herself and her family, she was supposed to protect them and keep them safe. But during the recent crisis Elsa only remembered being consumed by the thoughts of showing her power to the people who defied her.

Edith came up to Elsa during one of her visits. "Your sister is doing well Your Majesty give it some time and let her rest. The Princess will be her usual perky self in no time."

The Queen didn't respond and Edith took an opportunity to sit and speak to her.

"Hey, I know you've made some mistakes, but I do believe Arendelle will forgive you, I forgive you, everybody makes mistakes and does things they later regret, But only you have the power to change what you've done and make things better."

Edith left with those words leaving the two Royal sisters in silence. Elsa

Soon fell asleep herself curled up in the chair by the window

Anna, moved slightly and rubbed her eyes sitting up in bed. "Elsa?" she questioned. Glancing around the room she spotted her sister still glued to her spot in the chair sound asleep. Anna brought her a blanket weakly stumbling as she made her way to the chair to drape the warm blue cloth over her sister.

"Elsa, I'm so sorry I'm so sorry you have to go through all of this, I really did try to get back to you. I wanted to, but I knew I couldn't get back fast enough to save you, so I had to let the Captain go in my place he was faster he could get there sooner."

Anna admitted everything, she hoped her sleepy sister somehow heard her but it was dead silent in the room. She had barely spoken a word with Elsa since her return to Arendelle castle.

The Princess looked around Elsa's room. It was quite different most of the portraits had been taken down. Except for one, a painting of the two of them. Anna smiled softly looking up at the portrait hanging on Elsa's wall.

Other than that the Queens room

Remained quite dull and lonely a few books stacked on the table one of them was a book of Arendelles history. Anna flipped through the pages of the book quickly looking at all the events that occurred, during the attack on her sister, her own disappearance. Elsa's reign of terror on Arendelle.

Anna was almost in tears as she read what Elsa had done, every death recorded. Every public announcement every example, how could her sister be so evil. The Princess slammed the book down after thinking about it. Anna loved her sister more than anything and the choices the Queen had made in the past were not entirely her own.

Edith came in again to check on Anna. "Princess, you're awake!" she smiled surprised.

"Yes." Anna replied in a hushed voice. "I'm fine really, it's Elsa i'm worried about she's so distant, I wantgo talk to her and comfort her... Would you please check on her. I need to know everything's okay."

Edith nodded silently and walked over to Elsa who was still curled up and asleep in her chair. "She looks fine Princess, just give it some time and she should be well once again. I think she is still quite shocked about what she's caused in the kingdom while you were away."

Anna's heart sunk she hated seeing Elsa overcome with so much pain.

"Elsa?" Anna called softly nudging her lightly.

The Queen groggily awoke to the sound of her sisters voice, Elsa took a few minutes to make herself fully aware of her surroundings. She soon saw her sister in front of her, tears in her eyes.

"Anna? What's wrong?" Elsa asked eyes widening in concern.

"I hate seeing you in such pain Elsa it hurts my heart. I love you, and I can't stand to see you like this."

Elsa breathed softly. "It's going to take some time for me to heal Anna, to understand what I've done and to make sense of everything."

Anna nodded slowly, her tears didn't stop they kept falling from her face. "Hey... Don't cry." Elsa wiped tears from her sisters face. "I'm never going to shut you out again, I just found you and I'm incredibly overjoyed you're alright."

"Alright." Anna breathed choking back tears a long silence fell upon the girls as Anna tried to calm herself down, Elsa never spoke a word to her. Until she caught sight of Arendelles History book open on the table.

"You've read it." Elsa closed her eye speaking in a heartbroken tone. She turned her head away from her sister. Exhaling softly "So you know what I've done to the people of Arendelle."

Anna wanted to speak but no words came to her mind, thoughts flooded into her head by the millions but she just couldn't bring herself to say anything to her sister. So the Princess sat there in silence.

"Anna, I was hoping you would never find out how cruel I was, I didn't want you to think I was evil." The Queen still failed to face her sister as she spoke. The sadness present in Anna's eyes made her feel even worse about all she had done.

"Elsa..." Anna began. "I don't nor I have I ever believed you to be evil, I know it's really difficult for you right now... and I want to help you, but..." Anna breathed in deeply. "I just don't know what to do." she finished exhaling.

"Stay with me." Elsa replied.

"Of course." Anna told her reaching for Elsa's hand. Then Queen turned to Anna as soon as she felt her touch. "Anna?" Elsa questioned trying to force a small smile. "What you've done for me to this very day, is beyond what anyone should ever have to do, I am so grateful, to have you as a sister."

Anna smiled "Elsa, I would go to the ends of the earth for you."

The two girls sat together in silence for a very long time. Until Anna began feeling unwell. Elsa brought her to the bed to get some rest and instead of retreating to the dreary chair by the window she slowly walked out into the hall.

People gave her looks, some ignored her. But others obviously heard she was no longer dangerous and greeted her sweetly. Elsa walked through hallways and down the grand staircase, meeting the Captain of the Guard.

"My lovely Queen, what may I do for you today."

"Tomorrow I want the kingdom to gather for an announcement, assure that there are guards in and around the crowd. The people who attacked me captured my sister are still out there I want to ensure the safety of everyone." Elsa's voice wavered slightly thought her speech and she wondered if she was ready to address Arendelle again. But she had to sometime, and the Queen figured sooner rather than later was the best option.

The Queen went to her study to begin writing and figuring out what she was going to say when she addressed her kingdom tomorrow after many hours Elsa came up with a few things she wanted to say. Placing the paper on her desk and breathing a sigh of relief she returned to her room to check on her sister.

Anna was standing by the window and after a few minutes Elsa walked over to where the Princess was standing, grabbing both her sisters hands she shut her eyes tightly and drew in a large breath.

"I'm ready to make an apology to the people of Arendelle."

"I will be right beside you. The entire time." Anna smiled brightly.

Originally I was going to cut this chapter out, but I added it anyways. also thank you to IDRF who has been leaving me incredible reviews!