Elsa's POV

Two days... That's how long it's been, right...? Since all this happened...

Some of the Aesir's forces swarmed upon Arendelle's outer borders, in an attempt to storm the castle. My guess is to subdue what remained of my guard and staff... Kendra and I did manage to stop them, but...at what cost...? What price did we pay in the end...?

I sigh for what feels like the thousandth time as I gaze yet again upon the object of my worry and sorrow.

Her.

Kendra.

My dear friend...and my adopted sister...

She still appears just as tormented as she did when I managed to pull her lifeless body from the waters two days ago... She's always looking out for others, and not herself...sacrificing her own safety to protect them...and that's exactly what she did with me, time and time again. We thought we had the battle won, but that evil man had to try one last attack to take us out. Kendra was already hurt many times over, but she yet again shoved me aside to safety, taking that blasted Weselton guard's attack instead, getting hurt so I wouldn't have to... I don't know if I've ever been so angry in my life, as I was then, when I watched that dark magic sphere slam into her, heard her head crack against the ice, and watched her slip under the surface of the icy waters. But I sure as hell made sure they all suffered the same fate she did...freezing them all to the ice, and flipping the area they were on like a simple disc, letting them know the pain of drowning in an icy water prison, unable to escape.

Taking a life is not something I take lightly, only seeing it as a viable option when absolutely necessary. And this time...it was more than necessary...and revenge wasn't the only reason why. If any of those goons were to escape, there's no telling what information they could provide to the main forces, wherever they may be hiding. And right now we need all the time we can get. Though somehow that Weselton thug managed to survive, swimming to shore when I melted the ice. I no longer cared, paying him no mind as he fled like a coward, then too focused on saving Kendra before she...well, you know...

Using my powers to form a constant tether to the surface, as well as propel me quickly down into the water, I was able to retrieve Kendra's unconscious form before she sank too far, or had the chance to drown. I wrapped my arms around her like she was life itself, my grip tight around her as I brought her back up from the depths. After getting back to the surface, I formed a large slab of ice to stretch her out on. Those moments were very nerve-wracking, as I was terrified of whether or not she had water in her lungs, and if she did, how much... Thankfully it was only enough that I was able to push on her chest for a while, getting it out without having to do anything extensive like an actual CPR procedure... I would've if I had no other choice, but I really didn't want it to come to that... Just thinking about it is awkward enough...

After she started breathing on her own again—still unconscious though, of course—that's when I started noticing blood. Blood coming from under her head, from underneath her body, and from various spots along her body. The ragged shape her clothes were in gave a perfect view to just how badly hurt she was from that Weselton idiot's attack. Her entire front looked like she'd been scraped and burned and beaten bloody...her skin a raw, bloody mess...and it broke my heart to no end. I started to panic, and tried using my powers to propel us in the direction of the nearby shore, desperate to get her help. It wasn't as smooth as I'd like for it to have been, but thankfully when I got close enough, Marshmallow helped me get the rest of the way, pulling the ice slab a good ways onto dry ground and safely away from the frigid fjord waters. It was only then that I noticed my ice patches had melted from Kendra's wounds, allowing the blood to flow freely from them as well as all the other wounds.

I don't remember too much after that, and what I do remember is jumbled into one big blur, since I was in so much of a panic by that point. I just know that somehow, with Marshmallow carrying her to the main doors, and then a guard helping by carrying her the rest of the way, I somehow got Kendra to the medical wing of the castle. She dripped blood the whole way, splattering the carpet here and there in random places, but my magic was also trailing snow and ice on the floor behind me, covering those same blood stains... Thank God we still have our medical staff here in the castle, and not captured by the Aesir like many others, or I don't know what I would've done...

I shake my head vigorously as I realize I'm yet again reliving the nightmare from two days ago, as if I haven't done that enough already. But that's all I can do, all I can think about anymore. Kai and Gerda have constantly tried their best to get me to eat something decent, and get some rest, but I can barely sleep, hardly eat more than a few bites of anything, or even stand the thought of leaving Kendra's side. With another nasal exhale, I reopen my eyes to gaze upon the snowflakes suspended in the air. I nonchalantly wave a hand aside to clear the frozen moisture from the room, allowing the fireplace to once again warm the interior from the chill caused by my powers.

I watch the crackling flames for what feels like an eternity, unsure if it was mere seconds or even hours, before I turn my attention back to the small form of my dear loved one... Unable to stop my racing mind, I once again relive the doctor's synopsis of Kendra's condition after she was given thorough medical attention.

"Doctor! Will she be ok?!"

"Y-your majesty! If I may, we should really attend to your injury now as well."

"What?! No, I don't care about that!"

"But, my queen—!"

"Look, I'm fine, don't worry about me. Just, please...answer the question."

The head of my medical staff sighs in defeat. "Very well... To start off with, I'm afraid your friend may be unconscious for some time. Her body has been severely taxed, traumatized, battered, bruised, and overall severely damaged from several afflictions and circumstances. The four punctures along her back and shoulder alone are already showing signs of infection, on top of the damage caused to her muscles, tendons, and ligaments from the arrowheads. She's just lucky the arrows themselves somehow managed to dodge any major organs, though one was dangerously close to her spinal column, which would've meant instant paralysis or death.

"The blast of dark magic you also described seems to have ravaged her entire body inside and out, leaving what seems to be burns and severe abrasions all across her front torso from her collarbone down to her thighs, including her shoulders and arms, which just added to the one shoulder wound. Her skull also seems to have possible fractures from hitting the ice, though miraculously, there somehow doesn't seem to be any swelling of the brain, so she's extremely fortunate in that sense. But I can't guarantee there won't be any brain damage either. If there is any at all, hopefully it's very minor. And then there's the near drowning, causing her to suffer internally from both the dark energy and the icy waters, and of course the hypothermia, which we barely managed to get under control. But, as hard as it was, she is stabilized."

When the doctor finally stops his speech, I notice snow piling up all around, and my lungs burning from lack of oxygen. I have to remind myself how to breathe, as well as recall all the snow swirling inside the corridor, outside the room where she is... My lungs continue to burn, despite the fresh oxygen filling them, as if reprimanding me for forgetting to breathe in the first place. I swallow hard as I steel myself, falling back into the role of the regal—yet still very worried—queen of Arendelle. "I...th-thank you. Um, is that all you have to report?"

He frowns sympathetically as he readjusts his glasses. "I'm afraid not, my queen... It's also very hard to tell this early whether or not she's...well..." he sighs, "in a coma..."

At this, I literally feel my heart stop in my chest, my breath catching in my lungs at his confession. "What...? Is...i-is there nothing more you can do?!"

Again he frowns sadly, slowly shaking his head as if it's the hardest thing he's ever had to do. "I'm terribly sorry, your majesty... Truly I am... All we can do is let her rest, and keep an eye on her, until she chooses to awaken."

Unable to bear not being able to see her anymore, especially now that I know her horrid condition, I suck in an unsteady breath. "I-I see. Thank you doctor; that will be all."

He bows regretfully before taking his leave, and I don't even bother to watch him disappear down the hallway before making my way inside.

When I spot her lying there, so weak, so frail, so fragile looking...so cold and pale and...so lifeless...like the ragdoll she was when I pulled her body up from the fjord's depths...the fresh tears brim anew inside my eyes. I take the chair by the fireplace and bring it over to sit by her side, and carefully take one of her hands in mine. I'm shocked at how cold it is...almost as if she's already...NO! I won't think such thoughts! She's still alive, and she'll be ok! She just has to be...! Come on Elsa, keep it together! I can feel my nerves starting to go haywire, wanting to wreak havoc on my unstable emotions. "Conceal...don't feel... Conceal...don't feel...!" But as the doctor's words continue to replay in my mind, and as I watch her chest barely even moving with her shallow breaths, her body so heavily wrapped up in bandages from her wounds, and buried under numerous thick blankets to combat the hypothermia, I don't even realize when the sobs start ripping from my vocal cords until I feel the hot tears dripping from my face.

And that's where I've been for the past two days...by Kendra's side...never leaving for anything... I take her limp, lifeless hand in mine again, and it's still just as cold as it was two days ago. With a sad sigh, I unconsciously speak words I never expected to hear myself say. "For the first time ever...the cold is bothering me..." Kendra of course doesn't respond to my words, nor my touch, but I didn't expect her to anyways. After all, the doctor's prognosis wasn't good to begin with... Though, part of me was still hopeful...

I turn in my chair to gaze out of the window behind me, and am amazed to see the sun already setting low in the sky. I didn't realize it was already getting to be so late... As if on cue, I exhale through my nose again, a soft little sigh, as I turn back to once again watch Kendra's lifeless face. It's been hard not to blame myself for her cracked skull, as it happened on my ice, that I created, with my powers, to stop the Aesir. But if they hadn't have attacked... I sigh, reminding myself yet again that it wasn't my fault. I go to rub my arm, but stop as I remember my own wound. I did finally allow the medical staff to tend to my own injury, but it's so minor I hardly even remember it's there, my mind focused solely on one thing and one thing only.

Returning my attention to my companion, I take my free hand and start gently playing with her hair, as I always end up doing out of sheer boredom. More importantly though, it also gives me something to preoccupy myself with to save my sanity, as if constantly reminding myself that she's still here, right here in front of me, real flash and blood. A tangible person that I can touch and feel, to reassure myself that I'm not imagining her.

Yeah...I can no longer say my catchphrase of "the cold never bothered me anyway"...because now...I'd be flat out lying...because for the first time...it does bother me... I can't even get my words or thoughts right anymore, I'm just so messed up from this whole thing...

Please Kendra...please wake up soon... The Aesir already took Anna from me, keeping her hidden God knows where... I can't lose you too... So please...please wake up...

I lean down and place a long, gentle kiss on her temple, and pray with all my heart that she wakes up soon...happy and healthy...with no side effects at all...and just...overall, ok... I just want her to be ok...

...Oh god, here comes the rush of emotions again. Come on Elsa, keep it together! Conceal it...don't feel it... Conceal...don't feel... I grip my head tightly between my hands, trying to focus on my old mantra, and control my breathing. Conceal...don't feel... Conceal...don't feel...! Conceal! Don't feel! Don't feel!

I want so badly to remain by Kendra's side, to never budge from this spot until she awakens. But I'm unable to rein in my emotions, or even think about controlling my powers right now... The temperature has already started to plummet, a large snow cloud trying to form above me, and a soft wind is slowing starting to grow as it swirls around the bed. I want to stay by her side, but I want her to get well more than anything... So to protect her unstable condition with her still wavering hypothermia, I force myself to stand up on shaky legs, and quickly dash from the room. I slam the door behind me harder than I intended, barely managing to seal off the room before it became a winter snowstorm, instead bringing the storm out into the hallway with me.

I lean my back against the door, breaths coming quick and shallow. "Get it together, Elsa..." I whisper to myself. "You can't show weakness at a time like this...! Not when the Aesir are still plotting universal domination..." I draw in a long, deep breath before releasing it in a big exhale. Noticing the snow starting to gently pile up on the carpet and against the walls, I sigh as I head for the nearest exit, which happens to be a large window nearby. I fling it open, and use my powers to create a small platform, with which to allow me to be outside and let my powers run free.

Closing the window behind me, I take a seat on my ice platform, and simply allow my emotions to run free, knowing that bundling them up isn't a good thing, and at least this way, I can let them out without worrying for anyone's safety...

Looking up at the cloudy sky, I let my mind go blank, drawing my knees to my chest and wrapping my arms around them. I stare absentmindedly at the different shapes and formations the clouds are making, but nearly start when I notice one cloud look strangely familiar...

"...Anna..." My voice is a shaky, strained whisper as I watch the cloud, gently floating along, slowly changing shape until it no longer resembles anything. But the damage has already been done...

With two sisters now in danger...I can only bury my head in the alcove formed by my drawn up knees and arms, and quietly cry...the tears falling in perfect rhythm to the small snowstorm hovering just over this half of the castle...