After our encounter with the trolls, we rode back to the castle in silence. Anna remained unconscious in Mama's arms. There seemed to be a look of comfort on my sister's face, like she was just asleep and dreaming - something pleasant, perhaps. As the horses continued sauntering at a relaxed pace, I sat quietly in Papa's lap, thinking about the future. His words rung clearly in my head. We will limit her contact with people and keep her powers hidden from everyone...including Anna. I tried to imagine my life like that; alone, separated from the world for who knows how long. The word "isolation" came to mind often. I didn't yet realize just how badly the next few years were going to affect me, but I was nonetheless deathly afraid of what I had in store.

When we arrived at the castle gates, a whole team of servants poured outside, concerned and wondering why the royal family would be going out at this hour. In hushed tones, they tended to the four of us, asking Papa if he needed anything. With a tired sigh and a wave of the hand, he dismissed them, allowing them to return to their sleeping quarters. This matter concerned our family only; there was no need for anyone else to be involved.

The four of us went straight to Anna's and my room. Through the large, single window, I could barely make out the subtle traces of dawn, a faint line of pink that lined the mountainous, silhouetted horizon, contrasting with the vast, navy-blue sky, still full of stars. Mama and Papa carefully laid Anna on her bed as I climbed onto my own. I pulled the covers over myself, holding them close to comfort myself, and rolled onto my side, making sure to hide my face from my parents. Without a word, they walked out the room and closed the door behind them, leaving me to wallow in my own shame.

The following morning (or later that morning, I suppose), I heard Anna groan softly, sit up, and yawn. I kept my eyes glued to the wall beside me, away from Anna, as she dropped out of bed. I heard her slippered feet hit the wooden flooring as she drew closer to me. As I closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep, she tapped my back repeatedly, back to her usual habit.

"Elsa," she whispered, "Hey, Elsa! Psst!"

"Yes, Anna?" I replied, my voice somber.

"Are Mama and Papa awake yet? Come on, let's play outside! It's really sunny."

I sat up and looked at her. Her face was full of innocent hope, completely oblivious to the previous night's events. Yet, something was different about the way she looked at me. The childlike wonder that often showed itself in her eyes was gone. To her, I was just an ordinary older sister, no longer the girl with the magic powers. I turned my head away from her, fighting a losing battle against freshly formed tears. "No, Anna," I said slowly, "I don't think I can play today."

"Elsa," Papa said as he sat at his desk. Beside him, Mama stood, tall and regal like a true queen, but with a clearly downcast expression on her face. I sat on the couch, hugging my knees for comfort. Beside me, the fireplace flickered, struggling to stay alive. It cast ominous shadows all over the library's walls.

Papa sighed and paused for a while, staring at his mahogany desk. His brow furrowed in - what was it? Deep thought? Frustration? Perhaps both. Whatever it was, I knew it couldn't be good. Both he and I were at a loss for words; me huddled up nervously on the couch, him hunched over at his desk. Both of us were silent, an unspoken tension hanging in the air.

Mama broke the silence. "Elsa," she said, "you don't have to be afraid. We're not mad at you. Now, why don't you tell us what happened?"

I sighed and looked up at them. They stared back at me expectedly, waiting for an answer. After taking a deep breath, I explained everything - Anna waking me up past midnight, the two of us playing out in the Great Hall, me accidentally hitting her with my powers. The memory of that night played itself vividly in my head as I spoke, like I was reliving the painful experience all over again.

When I finished explaining myself, Papa stared at me for a while, resting his chin on his clasped hands. Finally, he said, "Thank you for being honest. Is there anything else you want to say?"

"I'm sorry, Papa."

"It's all right, Elsa. There's no need to dwell on what has already happened. The only thing we can do now is prevent such incidents from happening again."

I silently nodded, knowing full well what he meant. "Are you going to quarantine me?"

Despite the grim aura that hung over all of us, the edge of Papa's lips curled upwards in a smile. He was probably surprised that I knew that word. "Now, Elsa. Don't think of it like that. This isn't imprisonment. It's...a private lesson. Like the ones your tutor gives you. I'll show you how to keep your powers under wraps. But to do that, we need a certain level of privacy." He sighed and got up from his desk, walking to the window as he clasped his hands behind his back. "This is partly my fault, you know. I should have known that your powers would grow stronger as you grew older. I never taught you how to control them...until it was too late." He turned towards me. "This is only temporary, please remember. And when it's all finished, your life will be back to normal. I promise, Elsa." Mama smiled at me, silently agreeing with everything Papa said.

"So what's going to happen, then?" I asked, hearing the worry in my own voice.

"For starters, you're going to have your own room. I'm sorry, but you cannot be alone with Anna while your powers are out of control like this. I...I can't let something like that happen again." He sighed and bowed his head, sitting back down at his desk. I shook my head imperceptibly, trying to imagine myself sleeping at night without my sister's comforting presence across the room. Then he continued, "You will no longer take lessons from your tutor. Your mother will become your instructor from now on. I can't allow anyone to enter your room, except your mother and I." I winced at the news. Did he really think of me like that? Like a monster, hurting everyone near me? He continued speaking, "And me, well...I'll show you how to control your powers. I may never know what it's like to struggle with such a dark secret, but I'll do my best to help you through it, Elsa."

"And what about Anna?"

"What about her?"

"Won't I be able to see her again?"

Papa sighed and put his head in his hands, not knowing how to word his response. Instead, Mama spoke up, her voice soft and careful. "Oh, Elsa. Listen to me. I'm afraid we just can't let you see your sister while this is going on. It's too dangerous, and she's still very young. And she has no memory of your...abilities. Your father and I think it's better that it stays this way. Just remember, it's only temporary. You'll be able to see her again in a few weeks, if you follow our instructions carefully. Do you understand, Elsa?"

I nodded silently, though deep inside, I was screaming in agony.

I trudged out of the library with dragging footsteps, my spirits lower than ever. Somehow, I knew that I would be spending more than just a few weeks shut in my room. How was I ever going to cope? As soon as I closed the door behind me, I came face-to-face with Anna, her hands clasped behind her back as a wide smile permeated her face. How long had she been waiting there?

"Hi Elsa!" she chirped, "What were you doing in there? You sure took a while."

I avoided her gaze. "It's nothing, Anna."

"You okay?"

"Yes, Anna. I'm fine."

"You wanna go outside and play now?"

I allowed a sad smile to creep onto my face, taking in the sight of her bubbly, innocent grin. One that I wouldn't be seeing for a long time. "I'm sorry Anna," I replied slowly, "I still can't. Not for a while."

Anna opened her mouth to ask a question when I heard the door open behind me. Then came Papa's voice. "Elsa, what are you doing?" he asked, taking me by the hand. He led me down the hallway, away from Anna. Papa whispered in my ear, "I told you to stay away from her. I'm sorry Elsa, but I can't risk you losing control again. And Anna cannot know about your secret. Do you understand?" I silently nodded, still looking back at Anna, a confused expression on her face as she stood by herself.

Later that day, I sat on the carpeted floor, my back against the wall, hugging my knees tightly against my chest. Papa had already shown me my new room, a spare room in the East Wing that was previously reserved for important guests. I was relocated to that specific room for a reason; this way, I would be as far away as possible from Anna, whose room was in the West Wing. I watched helplessly as a team of servants moved in and out of the unfamiliar bedroom, delivering all my things - furniture, clothes, toys, and books - into my new room, this prison in which I would spend all my time alone. I silently prayed that I wouldn't have to stay there for long. Finally, deciding that it was too depressing to watch them, I got up and left.

To be honest, I don't exactly remember everything I did that day. Everything passed by in a bit of a blur; I couldn't concentrate. Instead, I wandered aimlessly around the castle halls in a sort of dazed state. I ran my hand along the walls and tried to take everything in - the sights, sounds, and smells of the outside world. I remember meandering into the Great Hall and watching behind a pillar, horrified, as Papa fired dozens of servants on the spot without explanation. As soon as he finished, I ran out from behind my hiding place, teary-eyed, and asked him why he cut the castle's staff by nearly half. Some of those servants had been working in the palace for as long as I could remember; it was hard to see them go. Papa only smiled sadly and put a gloved hand on my shoulder.

"It's all part of our plan, Elsa," he said to me in a comforting tone, "We're hiding a very big secret from the public. In order to keep your powers under wraps, we need to have as few people as possible within the castle walls. It wasn't easy, but it had to be done." I could tell he was trying to make me feel better, but his words had the exact opposite effect. As I watched the poor servants in their rooms, miserably packing up their meager belongings, I kicked myself; it was my fault these people were being thrown out of their jobs.

That evening, Papa had the remaining servants prepare braised fish for supper - a personal favorite of mine. Perhaps he wanted me to enjoy my last family dinner before being shut away. But despite the delicious plate of food that lay in front of me, I found myself unable to eat. I only poked the buttered potatoes absentmindedly with my fork, mulling over the future. Everyone was silent as they ate, even the normally talkative Anna. Her innocent eyes darted from side to side as she took in the melancholy aura that hung over everyone.

If I had known this would be the last meal we would ever be sharing as a complete family, I would have at least tried to enjoy it more.

After we finished eating, Papa promptly sent me to my room. Without question, I bowed my head and excused myself, making the long, mournful journey down the rarely traveled East Wing. As I stood beneath the unfamiliar doorway to my new room, I found myself unable to enter. A small part of me said that once I enter the room, I would never come out. Just then, I heard the pitter-patter of Anna's tiny, slippered feet running down the hall.

"Elsa?" she called out. I turned around just in time to see her round the corner. She skidded to a stop as soon as she saw me, a look of confusion and worry on her face. She must have entered her room and noticed that all my things were gone. "Elsa?" she repeated. It was all she needed to say; her expression alone said the rest. Why are you leaving? Please don't leave me, Elsa. I'll be all alone.

I wanted so badly to respond to her, to at least say one last good-bye before shutting her out completely. But she and I were alone; this was exactly the kind of situation Papa had told me to avoid. I couldn't even bring myself to look at her, especially while the white streak in her hair served as a constant reminder of the previous night's events. Without a word, I promptly slipped into my new room, leaving behind a very heartbroken Anna. I shared one last desperate glance with my sister - a silent cry for help - before closing the door and shutting her out completely.