The Storm Rages On

Chapter Five

Family

"How is she doing?"

Alúvelin turned to Elsa, looking at her. "She's been resting comfortably for several hours. I think it's probably the best thing for her."

Elsa nodded, looking at the fire-haired young woman asleep in Alúvelin's bed. "She's been through a lot today." She paused. "As have you."

Alúvelin held up her hand. "Not now, Elsa. Please. I . . . I just want to make sure she recovers. I don't want to talk about it right now."

Elsa sat next to her older sister. "You're going to have to at some point," she said. "Because when she wakes up, she's going to need you to be strong for her. To help her understand what's happened to her."

"I know," Alúvelin said, shaking her head. She laughed once, bitterly. "It's ironic, isn't it? I spent my entire childhood wishing that my mother was still alive. That I could just see her . . . talk to her . . . if only for a few minutes. Just to know what she was like. To know that she loved me. And now . . ." She threw up her hands, staring at Elsa in despair. "Now, I have absolutely no idea how I should feel."

"It's definitely a unique situation," Elsa said. "I don't think there's any way you're supposed to feel. But she is your mother. You . . . We owe her our best efforts."

"Is she my mother?" Alúvelin rose, pacing. "I mean, I understand she's the woman who gave birth to me. I don't deny that now. But . . . Just look at her!" She gestured to the sleeping princess. "She can't be much older than twenty! She's practically still a child! All three of us are older than her, more experienced, more familiar with the ways of this world! Yet we're . . . I'm supposed to allow her to just order me around?" She shook her head. "How, Elsa? How am I supposed to have any kind of mother–daughter relationship with her? I'm more like her older sister than her daughter."

"We've made it work," Elsa replied, taking her sister's hand, holding it tightly. "You . . . Me . . . Anna. Anna and I had no idea you were out there. You didn't know we existed. Yet we've been able to develop a relationship."

"That's different!" Alúvelin protested. "We're so close in age. We're equals. It's not the same! Children are supposed to respect the wisdom their parents have gained over the years. How can I do that when she's so . . . so . . .?"

Elsa put her finger to Alúvelin's lips. "Here's how. You . . . We love her. Just like we love each other. She's family now, sister." Elsa brought her finger to Alúvelin's signet ring. "Remember? 'Family before self'?"

Alúvelin sighed. "You're right," she admitted. "I'm just . . . I'm just so unsure of how to handle this."

"We all are," Elsa said. "But please remember that you don't have to do this alone. Like it or not, we're getting involved." She looked out the window. "It's getting late. I suggest you rest." Alúvelin opened her mouth to protest, but Elsa silenced her with a raised finger. "Don't worry. Anna and I will stay with her. We want you to be able to talk to her without any problems when she wakes up. You are going to have a lot to talk about."

The Empress nodded. "All right. But promise me you'll let me know the moment she wakes up. Please!"

"Of course we will. Now, off to bed with you. You need to sleep."

Alúvelin smiled. "Sometimes, I wonder who the real older sister is."

"It's not about age," Elsa said, grinning. "It's about confidence. Now, go to sleep!"

"Your Highness, you must hurry! The child needs to leave your womb now! If it stays any longer, it will die!"

"I'm trying!" she screamed. Another wave of unbearable agony coursed through her, her body feeling as though it was being ripped apart. "Why?! Why is it like this?!"

"It's the ice and flame together! It is unnatural! Please, Highness! You must succeed now or we will lose it!"

She screamed, every muscle in her body working toward a single purpose. Finally, when she could give no more, a tiny cry filled the room.

"You did it! You did it!" the midwife exclaimed. "Look! It is a girl! Your daughter!"

"My daughter!" Her relief was short-lived as more pain overwhelmed her. "What is this?!" she screamed. "Why?!"

"She's not going to survive!" the midwife cried. She turned to a figure shrouded in shadow. "Your Majesty, you have to do it now if you want to have any chance of saving her!"

"This is forbidden," the figure whispered, shaking her head. "To do so would be to violate the very laws I have sworn to uphold."

"She is your daughter!" the midwife protested. "How can you not act? You must do everything in your power to save her!"

The figure finally nodded. "Stand aside!" She moved forward, taking her dying daughter's hand. "Forgive me, Daughter. But I will not allow you to die like this. I will give you a chance to survive!"

She tried to respond, to tell her mother to stop, but the pain consumed her, would not let her focus. She could hear her baby's cries in the background, the midwife trying to console the screaming child, her own screams of excruciating agony mingled with her daughter's as the world faded into darkness and she knew no more—

"NO!" She sat up in bed, heart racing, her brow soaked with perspiration. For a moment, she could not remember where she was and she began to panic. But just as quickly, the memories flowed through her mind, reminding her of where she was.

Her mind still reeling, she looked about the room, her vision slowly but surely returning to her. Through the haze that still danced in her field of vision, she could see a young woman not much older than her looking at her intently.

"Hi!" the woman said, her mouth turned upward in a warm smile. "You're awake again! That's good. We were starting to worry."

"We?" Valanda asked, shaking her head, trying to push away the haze from her sight.

The young woman gestured to the blonde woman sleeping in the chair next to her. She gently tapped the woman's shoulder. "Elsa! Elsa, wake up. Valanda's awake!"

Valanda stared as the woman called Elsa opened her eyes, rejoining the conscious world once more. Elsa shook her head, waking herself up, standing. "Your Highness," she said, bowing before Valanda. "It's good to see you conscious again."

"Thank . . . Thank you," Valanda said quietly. "I . . . I can see a bit now. My vision's still fuzzy, but I can see you."

"Good," Elsa said. "That's wonderful news." She gently took Valanda's hand. "I'm sorry. In all the confusion earlier, we never introduced ourselves. I am Elsa, Queen of Arendelle. And this," she gestured to the younger woman standing next to her. "This is my sister, Anna."

"Arendelle . . ." Valanda suddenly pulled away, her eyes wide with terror. "Get away from me!" she cried. "Haven't your people done enough already?! Haven't you taken enough from us?!"

Elsa looked upon Valanda, her face full of concern. "No, you don't understand! That was . . . It wasn't Arendelle! It was a small group of hateful men that attacked you, never Arendelle herself! It was years ago! I—"

"IT WAS NOT YEARS AGO!" Valanda cried. "Stop talking like decades have passed! It was only three years ago! Those men took everything from me! EVERYTHING!"

Anna looked at Elsa, worry clearly written upon her countenance. "I'm going to get Alúvelin. And anyone else I can find, for that matter."

"I'll be fine," Elsa said. She watched as her sister left the room, running as quickly as she could.

Elsa turned back to Valanda, slowly raising her hands. "I know you're scared right now, Valanda, but we're only trying to help. Please, just listen to me—"

"NO!" Valanda was now consumed by fear, panicking, hysterical. "WHERE IS MY BABY? YOU PROMISED YOU WOULD HELP ME FIND HER! I WANT TO SEE MY DAUGHTER! I WANT TO HOLD HER IN MY ARMS! WHERE IS SHE?!"

Before she could stop herself, fire flew from Valanda's hands, engulfing Elsa in a torrent of bright red flame. Valanda screamed in horror, realizing she had lost all control, that she had just killed a woman due to her panic. She buried her face in her hands, her limbs quaking once more, weeping in anguish over her body's involuntary reaction. No! No! What have I done? I didn't mean to! NO!

A gentle touch caressed her cheek. Valanda opened her eyes, astonished. Elsa stood before her, unharmed, her face displaying no sign of outrage, but rather sympathy . . . pity. . . understanding.

"How . . . How did you . . . I killed you! How are you still alive?" Valanda whispered. "How is this possible?"

Elsa lowered herself onto the bed, sitting next to the brann wielder princess. "It's all right," she said, her voice soothing, reassuring. She held out her palm. Valanda watched in fascination as, incredibly, snow appeared, forming and swirling into a beautiful, perfect, oversized snowflake.

Valanda inhaled sharply. "You . . . You're one of them? One of the ice bærers?" Her brow furrowed in confusion. "But, I don't understand. You said . . . You said you were queen of Arendelle! How can you rule that kingdom if you . . . if you're . . ."

"My mother was the queen of Arendelle," Elsa said. "My father . . . My real father . . ."

Valanda noticed the rings on Elsa's hand for the first time. She gasped as she realized what one of them looked like. "You . . . You're wearing . . . You have his ring?"

Elsa nodded. "He was my father. Just like . . . Just like he was Alúvelin's as well."

Valanda closed her eyes, the implications of Elsa's words washing over her mind. "But . . . This can't be! You can't be his child. That would mean . . . It would mean . . ."

Before Elsa could reply, a knock sounded at the door. Anna stood in the doorway, an anxious look on her face. "Alúvelin's on her way," she said. "But before she gets here, I ran into someone else who wants to see you. Someone you should recognize."

A man entered the room, slowly approaching the bed, looking at Valanda, studying her. His face became deathly pale as he grew closer, his hands shaking against his will. Slowly, deliberately, he knelt beside the bed, analyzing Valanda's face, taking in ever detail. Finally, he spoke, his voice trembling: "Your Highness?"

Valanda looked at the man's face, trying to see past the scars, the lines, the graying hair, the effects of years spent living in fear, having to commit unspeakable acts to earn his keep. There was something familiar about the man, but Valanda couldn't recognize him. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I don't . . . My mind is still confused. What is your name?"

The man delicately took her hand, looking into her eyes, silently pleading for her to recognize him. "Don't you remember me, Highness? We used to be such good friends. You would let me visit you in your fortress, even though I was nothing but a common villager. After . . . After he was exiled, I was responsible for watching over you." His eyes bore directly into Valanda's soul. "Do you remember me now?"

Memories surged through Valanda's mind, fragments of her life suddenly piecing together into a cohesive whole. "Arberish?" she whispered.

The minister exhaled in relief, no longer able to contain himself. He threw his arms around the confounded princess, holding her tightly. "I thought you were dead," he said. "We all did. When you never returned from the midwife's chambers, we all assumed . . ."

Valanda realized she should be overwhelmed with joy upon finally encountering someone she knew. However, she realized she was instead overcome by dread. "So . . ." she whispered. "It's true, then. I've . . . I've really been gone for twenty-nine years." She pulled away from Arberish, staring at Elsa and Anna, her eyes growing watery once more. "That means . . . That means I've missed everything! Everything!"

Anna moved to console her. "But you're here now. That's all that matters. You can still . . . You can still have a relationship with us . . . with her."

"How?!" Valanda was despondent, her voice cracking in sorrow. "I was never there for her! When she cried for food, I wasn't there to relieve her hunger! When she was scared, I wasn't there to comfort her! When she was happy, I wasn't there to share her joy!" Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. "I've missed her entire life! I can never get that back! Ever! What can I possibly say to her to make her understand? To tell her just how sorry I am? How can I make her see that I didn't abandon her, I didn't leave her alone on purpose? She must despise me!"

"No," a voice said softly. "No, I don't."

Valanda's face grew pale as Alúvelin entered the room, moving slowly toward the bed, her eyes fixed upon the princess. Arberish graciously moved aside, allowing the Empress to sit beside Valanda.

The princess spoke first. "You . . . You have your father's eyes," she whispered. Her eyes darted between Alúvelin's and Elsa's faces, widening as she saw the uncanny resemblance. "Both of you . . . You could be . . . You're . . ."

Alúvelin smiled. "We know. We've been mistaken for each other before."

Valanda brought her hand to her daughter's head. "But your hair . . . It's . . . It's . . ."

"I know," Alúvelin whispered. "That is entirely from you . . . Mother."

At Alúvelin's acknowledgement of her identity, Valanda's lip began to tremble. "Please. You have to understand. I didn't ask for this. I would never have consented. I wouldn't have abandoned you if I had a choice . . . ever . . ."

Alúvelin sighed. "Your mother . . . She told me you were dead. That you died giving birth to me. I thought I would never see you."

"I . . . I don't understand." Valanda shook her head in confusion. "She's the one who did this to me. Why . . . Why would she lie?"

Elsa spoke. "Valdarnaweth . . . She lost herself toward the end of her life. She made . . . horrible choices that nearly destroyed her people. She forgot . . . She forgot what it is to love."

Valanda turned back to Alúvelin. "What did she do to you?" she asked, her heart pounding in her chest.

"It doesn't matter now," Alúvelin said. "You don't need to—"

"What did she do?!" Valanda cried. "Did she hurt you? Did she?!"

Alúvelin fought to contain the painful memories that danced through her mind. "She . . . She raised me to hate the outside world. To despise anyone who wasn't one of our people. She lied about everything. She made me hate Father for so long. She said . . . She said he seduced you, that he used you, then abandoned you."

Valanda's heart sank within her chest. "No!" she whispered. "How could she?! How?!"

Alúvelin pulled her mother close to her, holding her in gently in her arms. "It's all right now, Mother. Thanks to Anna . . . and Elsa . . . I'm not that person anymore. I'm no longer a slave to the darkness."

The two women sat in silence, allowing their emotions to wash over them, finally together after years of separation. After several moments, Valanda spoke. "Your name . . . Where did it come from? It's not . . . It's not one from our people, is it?"

"No," Alúvelin said. "The name Valdarnaweth gave me I no longer claim. It is nothing more than a reminder of who I used to be. I am no longer that woman." She nodded toward her sister. "Elsa gave me my new name. One that I strive to be worthy of each and every day."

Elsa and Anna moved toward the bed. "I chose this name," Elsa said, "because your daughter has so much goodness inside of her. It is a name from an ancient poem of my people. It means 'bearer of light.'"

"Alúvelin." Valanda spoke the name for the first time, letting its syllables flow across her tongue. "It is a beautiful name." She looked her daughter in the eyes. "For the beautiful woman you have become."

Alúvelin nodded. "Elsa and Anna have helped me realize that I'm no longer alone. That I don't have to live in fear anymore. We . . . We hope that you will let us all of us be your family now."

Valanda shook her head. "I don't know how to make this work. I'm younger than all of you, but I'm supposed to be your mother. How . . . How . . .?"

"It doesn't matter," Anna said, taking Valanda's hand in her own. "We'll find a way." She smiled at Elsa. "We always do."

Arberish sat in blissful silence, watching the four women, separated for so long, finally reunited, holding each other close, letting their love for each other fill the room. Any worries about Sacred Jewels or threats to their lands could wait for a little while longer. For now, they were together again, and that was the only thing that mattered.

AN: The main plot will continue in the next chapter, but of course the ladies had to have their emotional reunion with Valanda first. More to come!