A/N: So, I really think you guys are gonna like this chapter... but that's all I'm gonna say! Just read! *wink wink* ;-)
Disclaimer: Say it with me now: "I do not own Frozen."
Elsa's eyes fluttered open to see the sunlight pouring in through the window. It took her a moment to remember what had happened last night. She remembered the man slashing her across the chest with his knife, but after that it was kind of hazy.
As it all came flooding back to her bit by bit, she began to sit up, her head turned toward the window. She grunted as she felt a sudden stab of pain in her torso from twisting her body in the wrong way. As the ache quickly dissipated, she straightened herself out and sighed.
"Hey, you're awake," a voice behind her said.
Elsa gasped as she turned around to see Johan sitting in the chair next to her bed.
"It's okay! It's just me," he reassured her.
"Johan," she said. "What are you doing here?"
He shrugged. "I... didn't want to leave you alone," he replied. "You gave me such a fright last night."
Elsa noticed how worn out he looked. His eyes were sleep-laden, and he wore only shorts and an undershirt. Elsa blushed as she realized that the only thing covering her from the waist up was the gauze that the doctor had wrapped around her. Self-consciously, she discreetly pulled the blanket up to her chest, blushing in embarrassment.
Johan chuckled at her discomfort. "Relax," he said. "I'm not seeing anything I shouldn't be seeing."
Elsa loosened her grip on the blanket a little bit, but her face only became redder than it already was. Clearing her throat, she scooted further away from him and motioned for him to sit next to her on the bed. He sat down on top of the covers and looked her in the eye, smiling. Throwing her arms around his neck, she pulled him into a tight embrace, which he carefully returned, trying not to put too much strain on her body. He stroked her soft hair with his hand as she tried to control her breathing.
"Elsa?" Johan said, pulling away and looking her in the eye. "What happened last night?"
The queen sighed, breaking eye contact with him and staring out in front of her. "Well," she began, "I was trying to sleep last night, when... I heard a voice... in my head."
Johan's eyes widened as he took this in, but he didn't say anything as she continued.
"This wasn't the first time this happened. It happened when I was out in the gardens on the night of the wedding. I heard the voice, and I saw the man on the beach. He kept saying 'come to me', and he was saying that he needed to say something important. I almost went over there then, but then you came, and I stopped."
"Why didn't you tell me then?" the prince asked.
"Because it happened so fast I wasn't sure if I had imagined it. It just doesn't make sense to me. I don't understand how he could have put his voice in my head and why it made me dumb enough to go out there."
She looked up at Johan, who stared into his lap pensively.
"So it's true," he whispered.
"What?"
"The stories," he said. "Legend has it that centuries ago, a man robbed a witch, and she placed a curse on his family. The curse held that this man, his firstborn son, his son's firstborn son, and so on would have the ability to place their voice in another's head. The man brushed it off and started using this new ability for his gain, but soon the people realized what he was doing and accused him of wizardry. He tried to get help from the king to secure his rights, but the king would not help him. It was then that he supposedly declared that one day his family would take over this kingdom and avenge him for this injustice. People were sent after him, but he had disappeared, supposedly into anonymity."
Elsa listened intently. "That's the same story the man told me last night about one of his ancestors," she said. "He left out the parts about this man's cruelty though."
"Well, the story has been widely regarded as an urban myth, but there's no doubt that the man that attacked you last night was a descendant of the man in the story. The firstborn son of a firstborn son. There have been people who have claimed to hear voices in their heads over the years, and people have dubbed this family the 'mind manipulators.' They always would say that the voice was hypnotic and drew them in, which would explain why you couldn't resist going out there last night."
"That makes sense," Elsa said, remembering all that the man had said to her last night. "And the man told me to bring a message, too."
This caught Johan's attention. "What?"
"He said to tell the royals that he is coming for the throne, and that there would be dire consequences should it not be given to him."
Johan's eyes widened, and he leaned back on the headboard at a loss for words. He shook his head as he thought everything through.
"But something still doesn't make sense," he said. "Why would he go after you? You're not someone he would have to eliminate in order to get the throne."
"He was threatening me to stay out of his way," Elsa explained. "With my powers, I'd be a threat to him if I were to help you guys fight back. I think he wanted to prove that he could be just as much of threat to me, and to you guys, as I could be to him."
She sighed and shook her head as tears started to form in her eyes.
"The thing is, his threat is working," she cried. "I was so scared last night, and I'm scared now. Not just for myself, but for my family, for this kingdom, and for you."
As their eyes met, she couldn't hold her tears in anymore, and he pulled her close to him, letting her sob into his shirt. She cried until she couldn't cry anymore, and he held her through it all.
"Shh," he said as she started to calm down. "It'll be alright. I promise, I'm not gonna let anything happen to you."
At his comforting words, Elsa pulled away and looked up at him. He smiled tenderly at her as she lost herself in his eyes. Caressing her face with one hand, he moved in closer to her until their faces were only inches apart. Closing his eyes, he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.
Elsa hadn't been prepared for the kiss, but she closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck as she melted into his embrace. He kissed her passionately, with one hand on her head and the other on the small if her back. His heart was jumping for joy as he held her closer than he ever had. They only pulled back once the need for air became too desperate.
They sat there silent for a moment, catching their breath. Johan leaned his forehead on hers, and they smiled at each other as she leaned on his chest and he held her close.
"I love you," he said.
She opened her eyes at this and looked up at him. "Really?"
He smiled at her and nodded. "More than anything."
She smiled. "I love you, too."
With a feeling of victory roaring in his chest, Johan pulled her up and kissed her again. But before they could get too into it, there was a knock at the door, and Anna barged in.
"Hey, Johan, is she awake- oh!"
Her eyes widened as she realized what she had interrupted. Johan and Elsa quickly pulled away from each other, but the damage was done. The look on Anna's face was a priceless mix of shock, excitement, and embarrassment all at once. Elsa made a mental note to bust her on it later.
"I'm so sorry! Bad timing!" Anna stuttered. "I'll just- I- I'll come back... later."
She awkwardly backed out of the room and closed the door. Johan and Elsa looked at each other in embarrassment before cracking up laughing.
"You know," Johan said once they had calmed down, "you should probably get up and dressed. Captain Gunnarson told me to bring you to his office so you could tell him what happened as soon you woke up."
Elsa smirked, a hint of mischief sparkling in her eye. "He can wait another minute."
She pulled him down and kissed him fiercely, and he gratefully kissed her back.
Outside the door, Anna pumped her fist in victory.
Read on, write on, dream on. -bandgeek63