So this is just a short one from directly after the last chapter before I jump ahead a bit.
Chapter 6
"Here." Nikolai tried to hand me a mug of tea. I glared at his hand until he took it away.
"Elsa." Tara said softly, tears still streaming down her face in silence.
"What happened, Tara?" She sighed hevily.
"Jackson came home, he was angry. Mary wanted to go play so he took her out to the lake, even though I always told them not to. She said they were skating, but the ice was too thin; she was going to fall. Jackson being Jackson wouldn't let that happen and was helping her back to the thicker ice but, to do that, he grabbed her and flung her away while he slid onto the thin ice and-" she stopped, dropping her face into her hands and continuing to sob. I couldn't hold my tears back any more and started to sob quietly alongside her. I covered my mouth with my hand to keep it quiet. I didn't deserve to cry for him when I was about to marry another man. No matter what happened yesterday, I could never be worthy of crying for him.
"Elsa." Nikolai stood beside me with a blanket. I glared at him.
"This is your fault. If you didn't insist on this stupid ring, Jackson would be alive. Even if he went to the lake I would have been there to save him." I screamed at Nikolai's face, poking at his chest. "If your father didn't force my hand into this stupid alliance and force the marriage, Jackson would still be alive." My poking turned into pounding with my fists. I heard someone move to pull me off him, but he held up an arm. "It's all my fault." I fell into his arms and immediately felt awful. Jackson just died and I'm already counting on Nikolai to hold me. I turned around and found Tara again. I sat beside her and held her instead.
I could hear conversations around me as I lay, exhausted, beside Tara on their small sofa.
"We need to take her home, Anna, before they panic and send a party." Nikolai spoke softly to my sister.
"She won't go. She won't leave Mary and Tara." He sighed at her logic,
"Bring them?" A moment of silence.
"Jackson never liked the idea of living at the castle, or Elsa would have had them move in when they were children. I doubt Mary or Tara would leave their home behind." Nikolai tapped his shoe in frustration. He had no right.
"She's still the Queen. There are things she has to do." I grimaced unconsciously at his royal indifference. Anna's tone was angrier now,
"What, like announce your official engagement?" They didn't speak again. Someone left the small house and went outside. Another set of footsteps followed. Nikolai sat down beside my head and ran a hand through my hair.
"So much for a problem free Kingdom." I mustered enough energy to open my eyes and sit up, making sure not to squash Tara. "Hey." Nikolai smiled softly.
"Hey. I'm sorry for taking that out on you." He shook his head.
"It's fine. I can see why you would blame me." I took a deep breath and released it as a heavy sigh, full of hurt.
"I could hear you and Anna before. She's wrong; I want to go home." He held out a hand and I took it. Jackson was gone and, no matter how much it hurt and how much it would always hurt, I needed this alliance for my Kingdom. As much as I hated to think it, Nikolai was right. I'm still a Queen. "Where's Anna?" I asked, stepping into the snow piling up outside the door.
"Kristoff took her to the castle." I looked at him,
"Who?" Nikolai started to walk up the road.
"He found Mary, she was lost. She tried to find Tara when Jackson…" I looked down. "He helped her get home, find her mother and get back to the lake where we found them." I nodded, continuing through the village and up to the castle. Nikolai was silent for the rest of the way and I was thankful. Underneath the Southern Isles exterior, he was the same caring person I met years ago.
Nikolai arranged the whole engagement announcement when we returned to the castle. I just wanted to be alone for a while. I needed to get Jackson out of my system or the pain that's ripping a hole in my heart will never be dulled.
A/N
R&R for me if you could please :D