The Six Stones of Karabraxos
By MySoapBox
"Picture the thing you want most in the universe and decide how badly you want it." -The Doctor
Summary: With Anna dead and her kingdom under attack, Elsa goes on a quest for a new power, but will that power be her undoing? 20 years post Frozen.
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Elsa
Elsa sat alone at breakfast in the small dining room, the large one was full of citizen refugees. She was wearing the grey and black shades of mourning that she'd been wearing ever since Anna's death. She wasn't hungry and her body ached, but she thought it was important for her to make a showing after the events of last night. Her people were calmed by her presence, and so she would put on a good face for this new day. Or as good a face as she could, the right side of her face was covered with a bandage. Last night, Gerda had fussed and the doctor had been called. She didn't know how bad the damage really was, but she knew it stung and ached. No matter.
The butler entered and topped off Elsa's tea that was already mostly full.
"Is Kristoff coming down for breakfast this morning?" Elsa asked him, trying to sound casual.
"He has taken breakfast in his room," the butler answered.
"And Elisabet and the boys?"
"The princesses are with their tutor, the princess has not yet awoken, to my knowledge, your majesty."
Elsa sipped her tea. "Very good, Borge. I'm finished." Elsa went to stand.
"There is one more thing, Your Majesty. Captain Ismund has requested to speak with you first thing this morning."
Elsa sighed. "Tell the Captain that I'm rather busy today, perhaps tomorrow?"
"Very good, your Majesty."
Elsa stood and as she went to exit the room the butler added, "And ma'am, if I might say, it's so good that you are safe and well. The staff has been sick with worry."
Elsa turned back and smiled then, the act shooting pain across her cheek and into her ear, though she tried not to show it. "Thank you, Borge. I'm feeling fine. Tell the staff that I am well."
Elsa paused outside Elisabet's door before knocking. Elisabet Iduna of Arendelle was the first born child of Princess Anna of Arendelle and Prince Master Kristoff, and seeing as Elsa never married nor had children of her own, Elisabet was Heir Presumptive. Named after Elsa and her grandmother, Elisabet would be turning eighteen in just a few weeks. A celebration that had been planned for months in her honor was postponed indefinitely.
Hand hovering above the patterned door, Elsa wondered if she should even knock, and then felt the familiar sadness. The sudden thoughts of Anna took Elsa's breath away and tears afresh entered her eyes. As Elsa wiped the tears from her unbandaged cheek she wondered if there would ever be a time that memories of her sister wouldn't overwhelm her. It's funny how grief can sneak up on you as fresh as if Anna's death was yesterday.
The door swung open and Elsa was still standing there crying. She hadn't yet knocked.
"Aunt Elsa!" Elisabet exclaimed, "I thought I heard…" after taking in Elsa's appearance her eyes widened. "What's happened?"
Elsa reached up and touched her bandage unconsciously. "This? Nothing to worry about."
"It doesn't look like nothing."
"I had a little run in with the death dogs last night. But I'm fine… I'll be fine."
Elisabet looked at Elsa with a critical eye. "Are you sure? Because you don't look fine."
Elisabet could always read her, almost as well as Anna had. "I don't want to go into it now, okay?" Elsa wiped her eyes, one last time.
"Does it hurt? Is that why you're crying?"
"No, it's not painful, really it was nothing. Actually, I was just thinking of your mom."
Elisabet's countenance fell, and she reached out and put her arms around her Aunt.
"I'm sorry Elisabet. I know you don't need my sorrow added to your own."
"It's okay, Aunt Elsa. Sorrows like these are meant to be shared."
Elsa held on to Elisabet for a moment. She hoped her embrace would help her niece, but really it was for herself as much as her. Elisabet reminded her so much of Anna when she was that age and having her close eased the pain just a little bit. They broke apart, both dabbing at tears, and Elsa straightened her dress.
Elisabet cleared her throat. "Was there something you needed? Why were you coming by?"
"I didn't need anything. It's just been a couple of days since we've talked. Walk with me?"
Elisabet closed the door to her room and fell in beside Elsa as they walked down the corridor.
"So," Elsa began, "tell me how you're doing."
"I'm meeting Kia today and the board of governors. He thinks it's time for me to take a more active role on the council."
"Good. That's good. " They passed the south corridor. Elsa paused in front of a closed door.
"He doesn't come out much," Elisabet offered, as if she has read Elsa's mind.
"He won't talk to me. Won't even open the door."
"He's still pretty upset."
"Angry you mean."
"Not angry. Grieving. We all are."
Thoughts of her kingdom filled her mind. "I need to talk to him, Elisabet."
Elisabet reached out a hand to touch Elsa's arm. "Give him time."
As Elsa and Elisabet parted ways a little while later, Elsa thought that time was something she did not have.
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Later that afternoon found Elsa pouring over maps and books in the royal library. She heard commotion at the door, loud words exchanged, and then the door burst open.
Captain Ismund pushed his way through the door followed by a sheepish looking guard. "My Queen, I need to talk to you," the Captain said.
He had cleaned up since last night. His brown wavy hair with a sprinkling of grey, turned red in his long sideburns. He was clean shaven today, so she could see the cleft in his square chin. His sword hung at his side, the hilt freshly polished and gleaming. His gloves were in his left hand and a white bandage peeked out from the cuff of his green uniform.
"I'm sorry Your Majesty, I know you told me that you should not be disturbed… but…" the guard shrugged sheepishly gesturing to his superior officer.
"It's okay. Thank you Avald." Elsa said, nodding to the guard. The guard nodded in return and left the room, closing the door behind him.
The Captain stood awkwardly. All the agitation in his face and posture seemed to melt as his eyes he fell on her half bandaged face.
Elsa regarded him with a questioning eye. "Would you like to sit, Captain?" She closed the book in front of her and gestured to a chair opposite her's at the table.
He shuffled back and forth on his feet and then consented. "I didn't know you were hurt last night, My Queen. I'm sorry."
Elsa waved it away. "No need. It's nothing. Just some scratches."
"All the more reason that I need to talk to you…"
Elsa raised a hand. "Before you say anything more, I need to say, Captain, that Arendelle owes you a debt of gratitude. I owe you a debt of gratitude. Thank you for saving my life."
"I think it's the other way around, My Queen, and that's what I'm here to speak to you about."
"Ridiculous. You got the guard to the city gates. You killed the beast that attacked me. You are the hero."
"No hero, ma'am. And that's just it." He paused, nervously fingering the gloves in his hands.
"Go on," Elsa prompted.
"I'm here," he reached into his inside coat pocket, "to resign my position as captain of the guard." He dropped a white wax sealed envelope onto the table in front of her.
If Elsa had been expecting anything it wasn't that. "Why? Your injury?"
"No ma'am."
"Are you sick?"
"No ma'am. It's just that the events of last night made something very clear to me. I can no longer protect you as you deserve."
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about what happened last night."
"Last night? I'm here. I'm fine. I'm safe."
"May I speak freely?"
Elsa nodded, and the Captain took a deep breath looking like he was organizing his thoughts and choosing his words.
"Last night you came very close to being killed. You took risks to save me when I could not move fast enough to protect you." He looked down at his legs, and Elsa knew he was thinking of his bad knee, the injury he had received at the battle of Volderhaven . "If you are lost, all Arendelle is lost. We can't risk that again."
"That was hardly your fault, Captain. I'm the one that chose to return to assist the guard. I'm the one who chose to come after you."
"My men should have stopped you."
"They tried, but I can be very persuasive."
"And that's just it. I allowed things to happen that put you at risk."
"Allowed things to happen?"
"We never should have been out on that ridge that late. We should have left at the first sign of the dogs."
"You did those things at my request."
"But I shouldn't have. I shouldn't allow anything from keeping you safe, even yourself."
Elsa scoffed. "I hardly think you can blame yourself for my decisions, Captain. You filled your roll admirably. It's I who put the guard in jeopardy. It was I that froze the feet of the guard so that I could return to you and your men."
"You never should have come." The Captain's voice was rising now, a little of his anger seeping through.
"And let you and your men die out in the street?"
"Yes! Yes. If it meant keeping yourself safe."
"I kept myself safe once before and it meant the death of my sister," Elsa bit back, the words dripping with anger and regret. The words hung heavy in the air between them.
"That wasn't your fault," the Captain said softly.
"Wasn't it?" Elsa asked, her eyes challenging.
There was a long pause as they both considered each other. Finally it was the Captain who looked away and said, "That is not the matter. The matter is that I can no longer protect you, and you should find a new captain that can. I'll return to work in the armory; I can be of service there."
"No. Captain, no. I refuse to relieve you of your duties. I need you now more than ever."
"My Queen,…"
"We must do something, Captain. We can't go on like this. What happened last night has just confirmed to me that the time has come to act."
"Act? How? We have tried waging war against the dogs. We have tried finding their origin. We have lost countless men and the princess, chasing their shadows through the forest. Now we hardly have enough men to maintain the castle. What more can we do?"
Elsa looked over the books and maps on her table. "What if we've been going at this the wrong way? What if the enemy isn't the death dogs, but someone or something else?"
"How would we know? How would we find out?" the Captain asked, his voice curious.
"We need to visit the trolls."
"The trolls? That's a day's journey. We'll never make it."
"We have to try. It's our only option."
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a/n: Looking for a beta for this story. See chap 1 for details. Thanks.