The Storm Rages On

Chapter Eight

Journey

". . . Make sure she stays warm. Don't let her get too cold."

"Really, Kristoff? You're worried about her getting too cold?!"

"Well, you know what I mean!"

Slowly, painfully, Elsa opened her eyes, forcing herself to see. Through the blur that was her vision, she could distinguish rocks, grass, fire. She shifted her weight, pulling herself to a sitting position, groaning audibly as a wave of pain ran through her muscles.

"Elsa!" Three women descended upon her at once, each wrapping their arms around her, holding her tightly.

"I'm all right," Elsa said, fighting to keep her balance as she was crushed by their enthusiasm. "Really, I'm fine."

"Sorry!" Anna, Alúvelin, and Valanda released their grips on the queen, pulling back, allowing her mind to reconstruct the events of hours before.

"What . . . What happened?" Elsa asked. "I remember . . . They attacked us! We fought back, but . . . but I can't remember any more . . ."

Relief washed itself from Anna's face, replaced by anger. "Don't you EVER do that again, Elsa! Do you hear me?!"

Elsa stared at her in confusion. "What? I don't . . ."

"You really don't remember?" Alúvelin asked, her eyes furrowed in concern.

"No," Elsa replied. "What . . . What did I do?"

Valanda was staring at Elsa in awe, like a young woman in the presence of her idol. "You were incredible!" she said, barely able to contain her excitement. "You walked out onto that bridge and confronted them by yourself! You turned the entire bridge to ice! The rope couldn't sustain that much weight. It snapped . . . and the cannibals fell into the chasm!"

Elsa shook her head. "I don't . . . I don't remember any of this!" She looked to Anna, silently pleading. "Is this . . . Is this really what happened?"

"Yes," Anna said, still glaring furiously at her older sister. Her gaze shifted to Valanda. "It was not incredible, Valanda. It was incredibly stupid! She could have . . . would have died, if Arberish hadn't managed to grab hold of her before . . . before . . ."

Elsa looked to the fire. Arberish and Kristoff were seated before it, silently observing the women's conversation.

"I . . . I owe you my life," Elsa whispered, her eyes bowed low. "I . . . I'm sorry . . ."

"It was nothing," Arberish said. "You would have done the same for me, Elsa. I'm just thankful I was able to reach you in time."

Elsa turned back to Valanda, one element of her account beginning to ring in her mind over and over again. "Wait. You said . . . You said they fell. You mean . . . I killed them?"

Valanda nodded. "You did what you had to do," she said. "It was us or them. You chose us."

Elsa wasn't listening. She stared at her hands, horrified, overwhelmed with guilt, remorse. "I swore . . . I swore I would never . . . I've only ever broken that vow once before, when I had no choice." She looked to Anna and Alúvelin, tears forming in her eyes. "I didn't have to kill them, did I? We could have outrun them. We could have escaped. I . . . I killed them because . . . because I wanted to!"

Any outrage Anna still felt vanished in that moment. "No," she said, holding her devastated sister in her arms. "No, you didn't. You did what you did to protect us . . . all of us. You gave them a chance to retreat. They chose not to take it." She turned Elsa's tear-stained face toward her own. "But, Elsa, this has to stop! You don't have to carry the burden alone anymore. Why, Elsa? Why do you keep putting yourself in these dangerous situations? It's almost as if . . . as if you want to die." Now Anna's eyes were brimming with tears. "It's not true, is it?" she asked, terrified of the response she would receive. "Please, tell me it's not true."

Elsa couldn't bear to meet her sister's gaze. "I . . . I don't know," she confessed. "Sometimes, it seems like everything is going wonderfully. But then, other times I think . . . I wonder if everyone would be better off if I wasn't here. All the horrible things that have happened to our family over the years are because of me. Without me, you . . . all of you, would have been safe and happy your entire lives." And it was so beautiful when I died before, she thought to herself. So peaceful. So calm. No more fear.

"Now, you know that's not true!" Kristoff had joined the conversation, unable to listen to Elsa blame herself any longer. "Without you, Anna and I would never have met. Without you, we never would have fallen in love, never would have gotten married." He gestured to Anna's abdomen. "Would never be parents. And you." He pointed to Alúvelin. "Would your life be better without your sister?"

"Of course not," the Empress responded. She took Elsa's hand, holding it tightly. "Without you, I never would have had the courage to stand up to my grandmother. I never would have escaped from her lies. I would still be . . . I would still be . . . Vlantharnewesh, the unwanted, the unloved." She gently placed her other arm around Valanda's shoulder. "Without you, my mother and I would never have found each other again."

"Yes," Valanda whispered. "Thank you for . . . for saving me. You have no idea how terrifying it was. I . . . I was somewhere cold, dark, empty. No matter where I went, I couldn't escape. There was no light anywhere. Every second felt like a lifetime. Every breath burned like pure flame in my lungs. I . . . I would not wish that upon my worst enemy."

"You see?" Anna asked. "You have so much love for everyone else, but you can't see the love others have for you. Please, Elsa! Let us be there for you, like you've been there for all of us. Stop trying to save the world on your own. Let us help you. We're your sisters," she gestured to Kristoff and Arberish, "and brothers. Whether by blood or in spirit, it doesn't matter. We're family."

Elsa exhaled, allowing the tears to leave her eyes, filling her spirit with the familiar comfort of the coldness. "I . . . I will try," she said. "I won't do this all by myself anymore."

"Good," Anna said, smiling. "Now, I think it would be a very good idea if we all got some sleep. We have four days before the equinox is here. We have to reach the Vindervallen and complete the three trials before then, or else the Door of Light will disappear for another year."

Elsa suddenly rose. "We? Anna, we have to get you back to the fortress. You can't travel with us. It's not safe for you . . . for the babies!"

"Unfortunately, that is no longer an option," Arberish said. "That bridge was the only way to cross the Vandróshenspann accessible for miles. As much as I want the Princess to return, as much as I need to return to help our people evacuate, we no longer have the time for that."

"Then take me back to the chasm!" Elsa said. "I'll build an ice bridge. I'll get you across safely. We can't be that far away, can we?" She looked at the others. "Can we?"

Anna cleared her throat. "Elsa, when Arberish pulled you out of the chasm, you were unconscious. We . . . We didn't know what to do. We knew we couldn't stop, not with many of the cannibals still trying to find a way to cross. We didn't know if there were any more waiting for us on this side. So, we . . . we decided to run. We laid you across the back of your horse and we kept moving."

Elsa's face grew deathly pale. "How . . . How long? How far?"

Alúvelin held Elsa's hand. "It's been about eight hours, Elsa. We . . . We've covered at least twenty miles, maybe more. We could have gone farther, but the horses were exhausted with all of the dangerous terrain. We stopped for the night about three hours ago."

The Snow Queen laughed once, mirthlessly. "So." She looked at Anna, at her abdomen, the womb that carried two precious lives inside. "Getting you back to the fortress isn't an option anymore, is it?" She leaned forward, resting her face in front of Anna's stomach. "I'm so sorry," she said softly. "I tried to protect you, but now . . ." Her face grew stern, her eyes narrow. "I will not let anything happen to you, little ones. I swear."

"None of that," Anna said. "We're in this together now, remember? We all will keep them safe."

Elsa turned to Valanda, Alúvelin, Kristoff, Arberish. "We are all agreed? Anna's safety is our primary concern. If the time comes where one of us must decide who lives, who dies, Anna must be protected."

Alúvelin frowned. "Elsa, I don't think—"

"Swear it!" Elsa commanded, her gaze frigid.

The four nodded. "Agreed," Arberish said. He looked at Anna. "Now, I believe you were saying something about sleep?"

The party set out early the next morning, not wishing to extend their luck any further. They were determined to reach the valley well before the equinox, as they had no desire to be forced to rush through any of the trials that lay before them.

Elsa noticed Anna shifting uncomfortably on her horse. "Everything all right?" she asked.

"Yes," Anna said, her hand grazing her abdomen. "I'm fine. It's just that one of them has decided he or she really likes this. They're bouncing up and down in there like they're having the time of their life."

Elsa laughed, grateful for some positive news for a change.

As Anna rode ahead, though, Alúvelin gestured for Elsa to hold back, to join her and Valanda at the rear of the caravan.

"I didn't want to say anything in front of Anna," Alúvelin said. "Not after what happened the other day. But . . ." She looked to Valanda for support. "Mother and I are growing increasingly concerned with the fact that she can feel so much movement this early. Just because there are two in there, she still should not be feeling them as frequently as she is."

Elsa's face grew worried. "What are you saying? The other day you said they were doing just fine. Were you lying then? What's wrong?!"

"No!" Alúvelin protested. "They were perfectly healthy when I felt them. I don't think we're dealing with a problem, per se. I think . . . I think we may have something else on our hands entirely."

Elsa's went wide. "That's . . . That's impossible. Like I told Anna, it can't be that. Her father had nothing in his history that would cause what you are suggesting. You must be mistaken."

Valanda opened her mouth to say something, but closed it once more as Arberish fell back to join them.

"We are making excellent time," the minister said. "If we maintain this pace, I anticipate we shall arrive at the Vindervallen in three days."

Elsa, Alúvelin, and Valanda glanced at each other, signaling with their eyes that their conversation would have to continue at a later time. "That's . . . That's excellent news," Elsa said.

Arberish looked at the women. "Are you all right, Your Highness? Majesties?"

"Oh, we . . . we're fine, Arberish," Alúvelin said. "We were just . . . We were just discussing the fate of our people. Do you think they will be all right without us?"

Arberish nodded. "I left explicit instructions for them to evacuate as scheduled should we be detained. Do not fear, Majesty. Our people will be safe. Now, come. We must keep pace if we are to reach the valley in time."

The women spurred their horses forward, joining Anna and Kristoff up ahead. Silence descended upon the group, each one lost in their own thoughts. Please let everything be okay, Elsa thought. Please, God. Please!

Their journey continued relatively uneventfully for the next two days. The party travelled deeper into the mountains, farther than any had ventured in years. Each member said a silent prayer, thanking God that the weather had been in their favor, that they had not encountered any significant obstacles.

On the fourth day of their journey, the day Arberish anticipated they would arrive, Elsa awoke to a shocked cry.

Anna sat, Kristoff by her side, looking at something in her lap.

"What is it?" Elsa asked, hurrying to sit next to her, fearing the worst.

"Yes," Anna said. "I just . . . I seem to have gotten a bit bigger overnight. It surprised me, that's all."

Alúvelin and Valanda had arrived as well, joining Elsa in looking at Anna's abdomen. Indeed, they could see a noticeable difference. Anna's formerly modest belly had grown considerably, more closely resembling the womb of a woman in her sixth month of pregnancy than one in her fourth.

Kristoff looked at the women, his eyes full of worry. "Is this . . . Is this normal? For twins, I mean?"

Valanda spoke. "Among my people, it is not uncommon to see some women show at an earlier time than is typical, especially when they are carrying more than one child. I . . . I would not worry about it." She smiled. "After all, you have two adameren competing for a small amount of space."

"See?" Anna turned to Kristoff. "I told you I was fine," her face displaying confidence, but her voice betraying the hint of worry she fought to suppress. She stood. "Now, where's that breakfast I was promised? The three of us are famished!"

As Anna and Kristoff moved away, Elsa took Valanda's hand. "Thank you. Thank you for not worrying her."

Valanda nodded. "There is nothing we can do for her out here, anyway. Why let her mind be concerned over that which we cannot control?"

"Is it true what you said, Mother?" Alúvelin asked. "That you've seen women experience pregnancy in unusual fashion, yet still deliver without complications?"

Valanda smiled at her daughter. "Daughter, I carried you for three years. I have seen some of our people be with child for five or more. If I've learned anything, it is that every pregnancy is unique, whether one be brann wielder or not. In Anna's case, we will just have to wait and see."

Elsa shook her head. "Still, after this is all over, I would appreciate it if both of you would look at the babies. Together. As a favor for me. Just to be certain."

"Of course," Valanda said. "Of course we will." She looked at Elsa, studying her. "You . . . You really care for your niece and nephew, don't you?"

"Of course," Elsa said. "What aunt wouldn't?"

"It's more than that," Alúvelin said. "We've both seen how you often you glance at Anna's womb. How at night, when you think everyone's asleep, you sneak over to her and rest your head by her belly, whispering to them, watching over them, protecting them. You did that for hours last night."

Elsa's face turned red with embarrassment. "You weren't . . . You weren't supposed to see that!" she muttered. "That was . . . It . . . I . . ."

Alúvelin brought her hands to Elsa's cheek. "Don't be embarrassed, sister. It . . . It's touching. It really is. We are just wondering why you are so devoted to them."

Elsa sighed. "You know . . . You know I will probably never have children of my own. There is no way any man of royal birth . . . any of the race of men would want to be with me, knowing what I am. And I refuse to allow any child of mine to go through what I went through, to risk them having my power. Even if she were my child, people would still talk, say hurtful things, treat her like a pariah simply because she was different. I . . . I will not bring life into this world only to have that life suffer."

She took a breath, continuing. "These children . . . these precious children are my one chance to have a family. I want to be there with Anna and Kristoff as they raise them. I want to hold them in my arms, to comfort them when they cry, to play with them, to teach them how to be the best they can be. That's why I am so worried about them, why I hope so desperately that you are wrong. I don't even want to think about what they would go through if they were . . . if they . . ."

"Elsa," Alúvelin said, her mouth open in astonishment. "I think . . . I think that's beautiful. I think you already are an incredible aunt. And," she said with a smile, "I wouldn't give up on having children of your own just yet. You never know, sister. You never know."

A throat cleared behind them. The women turned to see Arberish before them. "I apologize for interrupting, but we must be off. It is not far from here, I assure you."

The last portion of their journey dragged on interminably. The six were exhausted from day after day of riding their horses. Their legs ached with the desire to simply walk once more, to no longer be forced to confine themselves to increasingly uncomfortable saddles.

The path was becoming increasingly narrower, more treacherous. Several times their horses came close to losing their footing. When Anna's horse almost collapsed it was all Elsa could do to keep herself from leaping from her own horse and grabbing hold of her sister.

Finally, when they felt they could take no more, Arberish ordered them to halt. "Quiet!" he whispered. He listened, silence descending upon the path. "Do you hear it?"

Elsa strained her ears, struggling to determine what Arberish was talking about. Suddenly, very softly, she heard a high-pitched whistling sound. And, beneath it, she could also hear the gentle lapping of waves upon the water.

"This is it!" Arberish exclaimed. "Come on!"

He led the party forward, through a narrow gap between two large rocks. As the party emerged, Elsa gasped.

A large lake lay before them, its waters flowing, the surrounding landscape teeming with green, with life. All about them, the wind whipped furiously, its velocity causing it to whistle in multiple tonalities all at once.

"We found it!" Anna whispered. She looked at Elsa, grinning. "We found it! The Vindervallen!"

So we have, Elsa thought. Her eyes narrowed. Now, what challenges await us?

She cleared her throat. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's find that cave."

AN: This chapter covered a lot of material. Hopefully, no one's mind has been overloaded with information. More to come, including the challenges!