Chapter 35
~ The Queen's Alliance ~
"I shall assist in any way I can." the former Captain of the Guard looked at her a moment. "Hans may have his own men, but I made my vows to the Queen of Arendelle. I made them to you, and I will fight for my rightful Queen."
"Thank you." Elsa replied softly. "I'm just not sure it's enough to take back the kingdom." she sighed. "Our numbers were low during the attacks and with all the men from the southern Isles..."
"Elsa, don't worry about it, I'll escort you out. I'm assuming you have been given more work to do today." the former captain looked at the heartbroken Queen. She looked at him with a forced smile sighing softly. "I'm given work to do every day, papers upon papers, writing letter after letter, at least when I was Queen I could do them whenever I wished."
Elsa and the Captain walked out of the room into the corridors. He lead her down to the study papers were scattered about the desk, it was quite the mess. Books and other archives were strewn about the room. Sitting in chairs or on tables, even piled on the floor. Just being in the environment raised Elsa's stress levels considerably.
"Hans told everyone not to come in here, so it never gets cleaned. I'm supposed to do it myself, but between all the work and Hans bothering me every so often, I just never find the free time to clean." Elsa sighed pushing her hair out of the way with a gloved hand.
"You wear those all the time, I thought you'd gotten over it."
"I have." Elsa sighed. "Hans wants me to wear them, he wants my powers concealed." she explained. "I also have to listen to everything he says. At any given time he has about four of his men watching me, guarding the doors, making sure I don't leave, he even keeps me away from my sister."
"I'm sorry you have to go through all this." The Captain responded walking into the room with her as she took a seat at the desk. "Hans has not made any of us vow to serve him, there are few guards from Aredelle left, most left the Kingdom and few were killed or imprisoned."
Elsa continued looking at her papers and writing. "Hans doesn't know how to be King, that's why he kept me so I could do it all for him, Arendelle believes he saved them, that Anna, Erynn and I were killed." Elsa spoke in such a sad tone near the end the Captain went over to her and knelt down so he could see her face.
Not a moment later Hans stood in the doorway. "Who are you!" he questioned.
"I was escorting Elsa from her room to the study." The Captain responded standing up to face Hans, the king looked at him curiously. Shrugging he brushed the man off dismissing him and heading towards Elsa.
"How did you sleep Pet?" Hans asked her standing behind her chair breathing down her neck. Elsa squirmed in her chair uncomfortable with how close he was. Remaining silent for a long time Hans pulled the chair out ands uprising her, he looked right into her eyes with a menacing glare. "I expect you to answer when I ask you a question love." Hans continued getting closer to her Elsa pushed her head into the back of the chair trying to keep away from him.
"Fine." Elsa replied exhaling nervously with shaky breath. There was nobody she despised more than the man before her. Putting one hand next to her head and he wrapped the other around her cheek, he noticed Elsa trying to pull away.
"I'm stronger than you pet." He told her. "And I love making you feel uncomfortable."
Elsa's heart pounded quickly, Hans made her turn her face so that their eyes locked with one another. Hans looked with his menacing eyes deep into hers which were full of fear. He had each hand on one of her cheeks. Holding her so that she was forced to stare at him. Kissing her deeply his hands moved and pulled her close. Elsa used all her self control not to bite trough his lips and make him
bleed. Finally he pulled away from her and she looked down, feeling violated
and sick. "My pet, you'll get used to it soon..." he spoke in a cool tone leaving her alone in the room once again. Wide eyed and teary Elsa chose to sit by the window and look outside. Instead of working she watched the children play in the village. While parents and elders shopped or were walking around. She was all alone, crying in fear locked away in what should be her castle. Controlled by a King, who did not deserve his title, forced by him to do whatever her pleased with her. In order to keep her younger sister alive and free from pain.
Resting her head against the Window Elsa closed her eyes and feel asleep. It must have been for quite sometime, because they next thing she knew a loud knocking came from the doors. "Elsa, there's someone here to see you." one of the men called opening the door. Elsa was happily surprised to see her younger sister walk through the doors. Wasting no time she embraced her tightly crying into her. "Oh, Anna I hate this all of it."
Anna held Elsa tightly and whispered. "I know, what he does to you. Elsa it has to stop, it wrong! It's terrible he cannot just do something like that to you, not without your consent!"
"I gave it to him Anna! I let him do whatever he wants to me! I have to keep you alive." Elsa held her tighter. "I don't care what he does to me, I won't lose you." she breathed out quickly slowly pulling away. Tears staining her face gathering in her eyes, strands of hair stuck to her face by saltwater tears.
"Elsa." Anna spoke in a strong tone. "It has to stop, I can't let you live like this, it's unhealthy and it isn't safe."
"I have to protect you, I won't let him hurt you." Elsa clutched onto her sister. "I need you, Anna I don't want to be responsible for your pain."
Anna exhaled softly. "Elsa, I don't want to be responsible for your pain either, and I have to protect you. I want to protect you hearing about all this, finding you here broken and reduced to tears. It makes me feel so awful and heartbroken to see my sister in so much pain."
"It's worth it, if I get to save you. Anna he will Kill you if I disobey him, As long as we are both alive, we have each other. I can't lose you, I already have once... I never want to feel that pain again. It was much worse, than any of this."
Elsa finished her last thoughts but the girls were interrupted, by one of Hans' men. "Your time is up," he gestured towards Anna. "Someone will escort you back to your room."
Anna smiled at Elsa whispering softly before she left. "Okay, we're in this together." Elsa managed a small smile before watching her sister leave the doors to the study were closed again. Able to return to her work she sat down at the desk, writing out paper after paper. The words melted inside her head, the tedious task had become dreadful. Every complaint, meeting, crime and whatever else went on in the kingdom was documented, Signed by the person in power at the time and archived in the castle library.
Finally the sun was setting in the Kingdom. Elsa organized the desk, yet the rest of the room was still a disaster, it was a start. She walked over to the pictures that hung on the wall, nobody was ever in here but her. One of herself and Anna still hung in the corner. One of her favorite photos, that she kept hanging up there no matter what. Even during her darkest days the picture remained untouched. Moving to the windows Elsa gazed out into what was once her kingdom, watching at the sun set over the mountains.
"It really is beautiful isn't it." A voice asked. Snapping her was back she saw the Captain standing a few feet away from the door. "I used to watch them every night. Then I would wait until the stars came out, I used to teach anyone whoever came with me to navigate by them. In case they were ever lost on a journey."
"If only the stars could help me find my way out of all this." Elsa sighed deeply looking over to him.
The Captain gave her a look of sympathy. "Unfortunately, Hans has requested you be escorted back to your room. He wants to see you."
"Isn't Archer his sidekick, wouldn't he be doing this." Elsa questioned. "How did you get the job of being my personal escort?"
The captain smiled. "let's say I took care of Archer, he won't be able to work for a while."
Elsa smiled slightly for the first time in many, many days. "Thank you, for everything you've done for me. I know the dangers of what you're doing... I appreciate this more than you know."
The two walked slowly down the hall until they reached the bedroom. "Goodnight Elsa." he whispered softly trying to ensure he was not heard by Hans.
"Goodnight." She replied smiling.