Angrily, Elsa slammed the basement door. The week had ended with no sign of Anna or Sir Anders. Hans had shown up twice, in the middle of her lessons. Her father had called thrice to make sure things were going well with Hans. And also, Anna is gone.
For some reason, that she wouldn't admit to herself, Elsa cared about what had happened to the redhead. Regardless of the project assigned to the two, Elsa genuinely cared. She'd called and texted until she couldn't, constantly worrying her lip over the redhead. She became distracted during her lessons too. And to top it all off, her fencing tutor had gone missing since Hans showed up. She knew a pang in her heart was telling her she missed him, and she wasn't just angry at his absence, but she ignored it.
"Kai!" Elsa was in a huff. Adorned in her gear, she stomped through the house. The rotund man joined her in the foyer, panic written into his body language. "Get the car. We're paying Sir Alden a visit."
Elsa paced outside the car, waiting for Kai to join her. Nerves settled under her skin as she waited, jumping in surprise when the door beside her opened. She slid inside without another word, staring nervously out the window. Her foot tapped anxiously against the floorboards. They drove through the center of Arendelle, and Elsa spared only a glance at Oaken's Brew, before glaring at the Solnberg Hotel. If she had spared just a second longer, she might have noticed the odd, Anna shaped lump on the roof. She might have noticed the glint of alcohol bottles surrounding the girl. But, alas, she didn't and Kai kept on driving.
As they puttered further into the west side of town, Elsa watched as the buildings seemed to deteriorate further and further. "Kai, what is this? Why are all of these houses in shambles?"
"U-uh… Miss Elsa. The west side gives home to many of our more… impoverished folk."
This isn't acceptable living conditions for anyone… even prisoners have it better than this… "Then why are we heading this way? I thought he would live in the east side."
"Miss Elsa… Sir Alden lives on the very edge of the west side… where it is at its worst… I thought you were aware."
I… I wasn't… She let it be, resigning herself to silence. Sadness filled her heart with each house they passed, and she found herself unable to refer to the worn down shacks as houses. Finally, Kai placed the car in park, and Elsa let herself out. She stared at the beaten and broken wooden house. Scaffolding was hanging off the roof, and siding barely holding on in some places. The car they drove in seemed so out of place when there were no other cars in the area. Barely even bicycles to be found, and those that could be were broken beyond repair. With a sick feeling in her stomach, she knocked on the beaten door. Moments of silence passed before the door opened, revealing a man with wood flakes caught in his shirt.
"Miss Solnberg, what a pleasant surprise! I apologize for my appearance… you see, I wasn't expecting any guests. Please, come in! Can I get you some coffee? Or tea perhaps?"
Elsa stepped through the doorway, taking in the relatively empty house, save for some wooden furniture in the dining area and the living area, "Tea would be great." He gestured for them to sit at the dining table. With her back ramrod straight, Elsa observed Sir Alden's movements.
The placed in front of her swirled in a chipped mug. She brought it to her lips and it tasted more of hot water than anything else, but she couldn't bring herself to complain.
Sir Alden joined the two at the table with a smile on his face, "What can I do for you today, Miss Solnberg?"
"Sir Alden… I was wondering if you knew where Sir Anders was?"
"Ah… no. He lives with you now, shouldn't you know?"
"Well…" Is it because of Hans or because of that question? But I told him I wouldn't ask… "Sir Anders has been absent from tutoring since the arrival of my arranged fiancée, Hans Westergard." A cup slammed on the table, and she met the wide eyes of Sir Alden.
"Hans Westergard is in town? And you are to marry him? Oh no... Miss Solnberg, when was the last you'd seen Anna. I have noticed she hasn't been attending class recently…"
"Sir Alden. I fail to see what Anna has to do with Sir Anders right now." I said I wouldn't ask… but I did say I'd find out.
"Miss Solnberg, I implore you to answer my question, and then I shall answer yours."
Elsa sighed, staring at the dead serious look on the elder man's face, "I haven't seen her since before the last lesson I had with Sir Anders. We have a project, and despite my calling and endless messages, I have not heard back from her." Saying it aloud made Elsa realize how much she missed the easygoing cheer the redhead brought. Such a short exposure to it already had her wanting more.
"Oh dear… Miss Solnberg… I should not share this with you… But, I believe now it is necessary to save Anna from herself… Are you able to withhold a secret under any circumstances?"
Elsa nodded unsurely, "Yes, but I still don't und-"
He interrupted her, pressing on with his own impertinent information, "You see, this secret must be locked down harder than any secret you've kept before Miss Solnberg. It is of dire importance you let this slip to none, for fear of the repercussions it will bring."
Elsa tapped her foot, a nervous tick. Her wrung her hands together and found one question popping into her head, "Would it put Anna's safety in danger?"
A nod. "Undoubtedly."
"Then not a single soul shall know. Kai, you are dismissed."
He turned towards her with an apologetic smile on his face, "Ma'am, with all due respect I am already well aware of this secret."
Her jaw dropped, before she clenched it together and looked into the old man's gaze. She was angry… hurt… that she was the only one here who didn't know the large secret. He gave her a soft smile before continuing, "I'm going to say this bluntly, because there is no other way to. Sir Anders Slovik and Anna Ildkule are the same person." Immediately Elsa opened her mouth to voice her plaguing questions, but he continued, "She hides for a reason, and that reason is your fiancée… I fear for where she may be hiding now… I don't wish you to find her as I did… Anna is an emotionally compromised person, and fencing has been her outlet. If she were to have nowhere to fence, she may resort to other coping mechanisms, which will not be pretty. She has given up tournaments for the year to train you, and because she needn't feed us anymore, so she is probably coping somehow else. Ask Kristoff. He might know." The man's fingers tapped nervously against the table.
Elsa simply sat, eyes wide open. The onslaught of information had stopped the gears in her brain and the only prevailing thought was, "Where can I find Kristoff?" Sir Alden's eyes widened, expecting more curious questions. He knew he couldn't answer many questions that were likely raging inside her head but this one, he could.
"Go one block up, take a right, and the third house on the left is his home. You may also check Oaken's Brew if he isn't home." Elsa nodded and rose from her chair.
As she led Kai and herself outside, she stopped by the door. Hand on the doorknob, she turned, "Believe me, Sir Alden, there is much more I wish to know, but I cannot ask. Anna's safety is more important than mere curiosity. I am also well aware it is no one's place but Anna's to tell me. I will contact you when Anna is safe." Her regality laced not only her words, but also her body as she held her head high and stepped out of the battered house.
Kai opened her door, and Elsa slipped in with the same poised grace. As she worried over Anna's disappearance, the words shared on their first date drifted in.
"Now, this place is where I go when I just need a break from everything. This is my safe haven. Right in the middle of everything, but not a single person will look up and see you. It's peaceful, watching everyday life, and escaping in the imagined lives of others. You and Kristoff are the only ones who know about it. I never even told Si- Er, my guardian." Elsa felt a pang in her chest in the words. For some reason her heart ached for the girl in front of her. She craved everything the redhead had to offer. It felt as though, even before they'd formally talked, she was glued to the redhead.
Just before the turn, Elsa yelled out, "Wait! Kai!" He stopped abruptly, "Just go to Oaken's. I think I know exactly where she is…" This time, as she tapped her foot anxiously, she was anxious for an entirely different reason. First it was an anxiety born of anger and frustration. Now, it was anxiety born of fear and worry. Kai continuously glanced back at her, but she paid it no mind. Her thoughts were only of Anna. Is she safe? Is she okay? What happened? Did I add to her anxiety? What did he do? Why does she hide? I just don't get it… Please be okay Anna…
Elsa didn't even bother looking up to the roof of Oaken's Brew. Something in her heart was calling her to the spot, as if it already knew Anna was there without a doubt. She jumped out of the still moving car, running to the spot behind the building where Anna had taken her only a week prior. Faintly, she could hear Kai's calls of "Miss! Miss Elsa! Please!" But she was too busy focusing on remembering the way Anna had climbed up a week ago.
With a sparse memory, Elsa began climbing. Nearly halfway up the wall, her foot slipped, and she could hear Kai scream in fear. Her heart pounded in her own ears, but the memory of Anna's smile pushed her up the wall. After regaining her footing, Elsa barely managed to make it the rest of the way up the wall. With a huff, she pulled her body on top of the roof.
The first thing she saw was an empty vodka bottle. The, a pile of cigarette butts that led off a trail to the other side of the heating unit. With a grim face, she followed the trail, to find a pile of various other empty liquor bottles. The scent burned Elsa's nose, but the sight of Anna curled around a half empty bottle of Vikingfjord in her grip burned her eyes more. Unshed tears sat in her eyes as she attempted to rouse the drunken girl from her slumber, to no avail. She removed the bottle of Vikingfjord and shifted the unconscious redhead so she could lift her up. After getting the girl's arms looped around her neck, she dragged the body towards the ladder the redhead had once put down for her.
Kai continued to call worriedly for the girl, but she ignored him as she set the girl down. After sending the ladder down, she silently thanked Sir Anders… or Anna? for the body conditioning she'd been through. Without it, she definitely wouldn't have been able to lift the girl. With Anna in her arms, she turned to the ladder and realized that it would be near impossible to get Anna down by herself.
"Kai! Go inside and see if Christopher is in!" The large man scurried into the building, reemerging moments later with the burly blonde. "Christopher!"
"It's Kristoff!" He huffed, "What did you want anyways?" She brought the redhead into his sightline and surprise took over his features. Immediately he climbed up the ladder. "Help me get her on my back, then you can go first to make sure she doesn't fall off, okay?"
Elsa simply nodded and began situating the awkward tangle of limbs to be steady around the blonde man's back. Once comfortable with how Anna was situated, she began her descent slowly, embarrassedly keeping her hand on Anna's rear as Kristoff descended just above her. While keeping herself and Anna steady, she finally brought them to the ground, and Kristoff sighed in relief.
"Kristoff, I will be bringing Miss Anna home with me, and I will keep her safe there. On the roof there is a mess of bottles and cigarette butts, so I would appreciate it if you would clean up the mess. I promise to you, and Anna, that I will keep her safe." Kristoff found himself saluting at the blonde, feeling like she could lead an entire nation with her poise and rhetoric. "Kai! When we return, prepare Anna's room, and refuse Mister Westergard entry to the house. He is from this moment forward banned from my house. I will not take his calls, and I will inform father that the wedding us off. At least until I have heard every single detail from Anna." Kristoff perked at that.
"He's in town? Oh god… no wonder Anna's like this… And what do you mean, wedding? You can't seriously be marrying that fucking jerk."
She turned back towards him, face stoic, "As of right now, there will be no marriage. Though my father has arranged it, I refuse. I told him I would try to love Mr. Westergard, but I feel awfully uncomfortable around him. And, as you and Sir Alden have both revealed, there is something very troubling about his and Anna's past. I refuse to allow this man into my life if he is to hurt Miss Anna." Kristoff stood dumbstruck.
"Don't you want to know what he did though?"
"Of course, I am dying to know. But, it is Anna's place, and Anna's alone to tell me." She turned back to Kai, ready to leave,when she faintly heard,
"She chose well…" As much as that simple statement rose even more questions in Elsa's head, she ignored them and left Kristoff standing by the ladder they had just descended.
The ride back to the house was painstakingly silent. Elsa cradled Anna's head in her lap, simply running her fingers through the greasy locks. Her lap became moist, and she looked down to see a puddle of salty tears sliding down the freckled cheeks. The sobs were silent, but the redhead's body shook with them. Personally, Elsa thought the girl had woken from her sleep. She was sorely mistaken.
"Mama…" the redhead mumbled. "Papa… I... I know!" The girl's words became clearer, but she showed no clear indication that she was awake. "...hurt you! Can't you see it…" Anna quieted down again, but her body continued to rack with sobs. Elsa hardly noticed as tears slid down her own face, the only thing in her mind being worry.
Kai parked, and Elsa guided the still unconscious girl out if the car. Lifting the girl into her ames, Elsa walked into the house. Breathing heavily, she carried Anna up the stairs, and into her room. As she tried to drop Anna onto the bed, the redhead gripped onto her, pulling Elsa down to the bed as well. Elsa lay awkwardly in Anna's grip, trying to keep her weight from crushing the petite redhead. It took Elsa a few moments, but she finally extracted herself from the redhead's death grip. She heard the front door open and Kai's voice as she walked down the stairs.
"I'm sorry sir, but she was very clear that she does not wish to see you."
Hans' growled at the older man, "Get out of my way. You can't stop me you useless lump of fat. She'll have to kick me out herself if she wants me gone." Elsa caught a glimpse of his sneer just as she stepped into his line of vision.
With a tone colder than ice, clipped, and regal, she cast him aside, "Mister Westergard, I believe you would find it most beneficial to remove yourself from this property. I asked Kai to send you off, and you might find he isn't a 'useless lump of fat' when he uses other methods to remove you. It is, of course, your choice." Elsa turned on her heel, heading to her original destination, the kitchen.
She sighed in frustration as she filled the water glass. I tried to tell father… I will have to call him tomorrow… I need more information on Hans though. I don't like him, but that won't be good enough. Water spilling over her hand roused her from her thoughts and she quickly grabbed a towel to dry up her mess. After pouring out some of the water in the cup, she grabbed a couple of pills of ibuprofen. She brought it all upstairs, and as she set it down on her nightstand, the redhead began speaking up again.
"No… Elsa… Please… Not you… not again…" Tears were streaming down the freckled cheeks and Elsa felt her own curiosity bloom. Just what is it I have done. I don't understand? Why am I the only person who doesn't understand...
She was pulled down by a strong armed redhead, and she settled against the bed, countless thoughts running through her head.
She turned on the TV she hardly used, and the news channel flashed.
"BREAKING NEWS… THE DUCHESS OF ARENDELLE, CROWN PRINCESS CECILIE ANDERSON HAS BEEN MURDERED. DUE TO A LACK OF CHILDREN BORN FROM KING ALVAR, THE ONLY REMAINING HEIR IS THE PRINCESS' DAUGHTER. THE SEARCH FOR THE MISSING GIRL HAS BEEN REKINDLED, AND PARTIES ARE SEARCHING EVERYWHERE FOR ANNA MARIE ANDERSON…"
A/N: Thank you my fantastic readers! I was so close to finishing this chapter for soooo long, but like I just got stuck. So I reread it a bunch of times and did some editing and I hope it turned out okay... Reviews are greatly appreciated, and I would like to give a special shout out to BlossomCharms who so kindly encouraged me and got me back on track for this story.
BlossomCharms: Yeah, they're the same age. Hans is 12 years older than Anna and Elsa, and is still going to be the youngest of the Westergard clan. I'm sure you are thinking in the right direction about Anna, but I'm not going to give too much insight into her past just yet... I have serious plans for the big reveal about everything in Anna's past... mwuahahaha :)
Bio-Hazard93: Thanks for the review! I hope this has kept you hooked, because I have great plans for the next few chapters :))))))
Cruellla: Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far, and I hope to keep you thoroughly interested!
Well, folks! Now I gotta work on the next chapter of my other story! I'll be back for you soon! -Keanan :)