21- Aftermath

The voice of Kristoff seemed like it was coming from a far off land beyond the mountains and the snow, like it was just a whisper from a ghost and not the loud screams from a man holding her arm and yelling in her face.

"Answer me, Anna!"

Anna remained mentally altered and wild for a few seconds more, and then, slowly at first, she recognized those brown eyes and the sounds all around her began to seem normal once again…

"Anna!" Kristoff continued, shaking her a little more- "Anna, do you hear me?"

"Kristoff?" Anna asked, shocked and confused as she lowered her sword- "What? I am sorry, I did not mean to attack you, I… it's over now…"

"We crushed them!" Kristoff exclaimed- "Anna, what happened to you?"

Anna had no idea what to reply to that question, and then she became awestruck as she looked around and appreciated the devastated battlefield:

The snow was more red than white as far as she could see, fallen soldiers from both armies littered the field, there were body parts everywhere, flags of the Southern Isles laid abandoned here and there and thousands of her troops remained celebrating their wild victory.

This ghastly view shocked Anna very deeply, but she became even more scared as she looked more carefully at her own body…

"Anna, oh no…"

Anna's purple uniform had been slashed by blades several times, leaving deep cuts in many parts of her body. There was a particularly severe injury running along her left arm, she was losing a considerable amount of blood and her right leg had taken some of the same shrapnel that had killed her horse.

The Princess of Arendelle was covered by blood, both her own and that belonging to other people, her long and elegant sword was completely bloodstained as well and she looked like an image taken from the most terrifying nightmare of all…

"Kristoff, this does not cause me any pain" Anna cried, unable to understand what had happened to her- "Why is that? Why am I so injured?"

"It was a hell of a battle!" Kristoff explained, worried as he discovered that cold, lifeless look in Anna's eyes once again- "Anna, we have to take you back to the Line, to the field hospital… Hey, anyone! We need a horse, now!"

Anna became terrified as she realized that she could not recall getting injured in battle.

She had absolutely no memory of getting hit by any blade, she was just… fighting, and now not even the shrapnel wounds in her leg would cause her any discomfort.

"What is happening to me…?"

Kristoff supported Anna as they waited for a horse, several of the injured soldiers drew closer to see if they could help and then Alice came riding a white and considerably bloodstained horse.

"Oh my, this is really bad" Alice said, very alarmed as she discovered what Anna looked like after the battle- "Quick, Kristoff! I'll take her to the hospital!"

Kristoff used his great strength and he lifted Anna without effort, she did not moan in pain as he expected and then, trying not to cry, he helped her to mount on the horse behind Alice and steady herself as best as possible.

"Go, Alice!"

Alice rode back to the Arendellian positions as fast as she could, Anna hugged her from behind with an incredible strength, many other injured people were being evacuated from the battlefield and soon they arrived at the nearest field hospital that Alice could find.

"This is her Highness coming!" Alice cried out, coming to a halt nearby the entrance- "Princess Anna is injured! I have Princess Anna here!"

Anna witnessed in silence as an entire team of doctors and nurses came dashing out of the white tent, all wearing gray and white uniforms marked with red crosses. They looked awestruck at the sight of the Princess, but everyone recovered very quickly and she was lying on a stretcher a few seconds later.

"Oh no, your Highness" a young nurse cried, trying to stay calm- "You have to resist!"

Anna began to cry in fear and confusion as they entered the field hospital, and she noticed the strong smell of the medicines and disinfectants that were ready to be applied to the thousands of injured troops that they were expecting.

"I cannot feel anything" Anna whispered, looking up at the young nurse- "I do not… remember when it happened… Why? Why is that?"

"We have to take the shrapnel out first" a doctor said nearby, even though Anna could not see him- "Astrid, give her some chloroform please…"

"No, wait…" Anna whispered, but there was nothing she could do.

Astrid applied a piece of wet clothe to her nose and mouth, it smelled very sweet, Anna closed her eyes and a few minutes later the world vanished for her…