When the haze cleared away, Estelle looked at Henrik. Henrik's eyes grow rounder and his pupils dilated. At instant, he fell and lay still.
"Mama?" Estelle looked back at her mother.
Her mother was panting with huge effort. Then she clutched her chest and knelt down, completely worn out. Erik, who was just awake, staggered towards his family.
"Elsa."
"Erik."
Elsa collapsed into Erik arms.
"Mama." Estelle knelt beside her, worried and guilty of her act.
"Estelle, forgive me." Elsa smiled weakly.
Estelle looked at her mother's hands. They were slowly turning into ice.
"Your ice struck back." Estelle dazed with horror.
"Estelle, forgive me." Elsa's voice was barely audible, gradually trailing off.
"I...I don't mean to hate you." Estelle confessed. "I…I was…I was…tricked, I was deceived."
"No, sweetie. We should have told you the truth." Elsa touched her daughter's rosy cheeks, and comforted her by patting her head.
"I…I'm sorry." Estelle threw herself into her mother's arms.
The snowflakes around them ceased falling as if the world had stopped moving and frozen. Ice slowly gnawed Elsa's arms and to the body.
"Estelle, I love you." Elsa whiserped before the ice reached her face.
Estelle looked up with melancholy. Erik touched the ice statue's face with enormous affliction, his hands clutched the statue tightly.
"Mama…" Tears welled up in Estelle eyes. "Mama…I…I love you too…"
She hugged the ice statue with repentance. Her cry was the only sound in the castle, her cry was bitter and mournful, full of desolation and dolour. Lying in the arms of her mother, she was toiled by what she had experienced, and could not think of ways to help the situation.
"Mama…don't leave me alone."
Suddenly, she could feel a faint warm current at her mother's abdomen. Erik could also notice the current had spread and the whole statue began to thaw. The colours of the bodice first came back, then the whole gown, and then complexion. Finally, the rosiness on her statue's face appeared, bringing in life and emotions.
"Estelle…I never leave you alone."
Estelle looked up and gasped with surprise.
"Mama!" She exclaimed and the two embraced.
"Mama, please don't leave me alone. I'll be good, please don't leave me…" Estelle wailed and hid her face on Elsa's bodice.
"You're always my good girl." Elsa tickled the little princess's neck and the family laughed.
"Guess I have to return these to Arendelle." Estelle showed her mother the sceptre and the orb. "My interpretation was wrong, Grand Pabbie says I have to bring the most precious thing I ever have, and not everyone has them. So I take it as the Arendelle's symbol."
"Oh, sweetheart," Elsa chuckled softly. "You already bring them everywhere."
"I did?" Estelle exclaimed. "Do you mean my gown? My hair? My—"
"Your power."
"My ice power….what about the other thing?"
Elsa pointed at her chest.
"What lives in here is the most precious thing on earth." Erik said.
"My heart?"
"Your courage. The ability to confront fear, uncertainty and danger." Elsa explained. "You have left your selfishness and fear behind, also the hatred and repentance that is in your heart. What you just did is an act of bravery and it proves your strength. Your power is proved to be able to save Arendelle and the beloved ones from danger instead of hurting others. Because of that, it makes you the strongest person in the world."
"So no one would think I am some weirdo?" Estelle asked.
"What makes us special makes us strong."
The snow started rising up and cleared off the ground. It rose to the clear azure sky and became sparkles.
"I remember what Aunt Anna said." Estelle smiled.
Elsa nodded, and recited the phrase like an incantation with her daughter.
"Love can thaw."
"Ready, my little princess?" Elsa asked.
"Yes."
Estelle lifted her arms and the snow cleared off even faster, rising up to the sun and disappeared, leaving dusts of sparkles sprinkling onto the earth.
"It's beautiful." Estelle muttered.
Far away, Estelle reckoned she could hear the cheer of her subjects, celebrating the end of winter.
Last Chapter for tomorrow! Can't believe I have written that much! Don't forget to come back tomorrow for it!