Hello there! As promised, here is the second chapter. This is when our story really starts, I think. As always, please give me feedback! If there's anything you think I can do better with, or something that simply doesn't work, or if you have something positive to say I won't say no to hearing it. Enjoy.
The rest of the morning is spent visiting shops and inns, and collecting strange bits and bobs from all over the inner town, with various gifts from the citizens. Elsa has never been given so many flowers in her life, even counting that phase Anna went through when she was ten and left a flower outside Elsa's door every day for seven months in hopes she would come out. (Elsa kept them all until they died and for months her room smelt of something other than tears and loneliness.) They are handed to the guards but Elsa insists on carrying them all herself.
When asked where they go to relax after arduous days guarding the palace, the royal sisters' guard lead them to an inn. Inside it is warm and loud and so cheerful Elsa feels like she's experiencing the emotion for the first time. Even though there are six guards constantly at her side, Elsa feels welcome and had a very pleasant time. There are men and women taking their lunches here; laughter and relaxed conversation rolling lazily around. Everything is so natural and simple—life seems so much easier. The people look at her like she is their reigning queen, not their reigning monster. There is joking and good humour. The atmosphere is something Elsa can get drunk on. She and Anna are each given one of the inn's 'famous' tankards of mead that they drink in front of everyone. Elsa's corset feels a little tight after that.
Elsa wants to thank the innkeeper for her wonderful hospitality, and Anna suggests she gives her something magical. So she fashions a tankard of ice on a little plinth. It sparkles silver and blue and when Elsa hands it to her, the inn keeper's smile sparkles just as brightly. The citizens in the inn clap and cheer when it is placed over the bar for all to see. (Elsa's face is burning, but she makes sure she is as composed as she can be.)
They finally arrive in the town square, the flea market full of happy people and lovely smells. The sun warms the air almost to an uncomfortable heat for Elsa, but no one else seems to mind too much. Maybe it's because her ordinary cloth dresses are a lot thicker than the ice dress she'd abandoned a week ago. Even in silk she feels a little too warm. Anna has also made them leave the carriage in the outskirts of the town to "better experience the town without being recognised so much" (that hasn't worked—Anna just made herself more approachable), which has left Elsa's feet aching and sore. Despite that, the atmosphere is infectious. She's almost smiling.
Curiosity drowns out almost every feeling of anxiety in her and although she is hesitant about the vast crowds she is drawn to all the different stalls. There are almost too many details to take in. The array of different colours and the various shouts of vendors trying to sell their goods has a feeling prickling in her veins that is so different from her ice. She feels excited.
Anna wants to get some foods and Elsa is beginning to really feel the heat. She wants to find some shade where they can enjoy their food.
The direct sunlight just gets to a point that begins to hurt, burning on the back of her neck when suddenly it's gone. A huge shadow falls over her and she turns, ready to ask the lieutenant what is going on. When she sees what he sees, she has a similar reaction.
In front of her stands the most enormous fellow she has ever seen smiling toothily at her. He seems to be as big as Marshmallow. With at least seven small children hanging off his every limb and a baby slung across his torso. Her mouth opens ever so slightly.
"Your Majesty," he says, bending low at the waist and causing all the children on the upper half of his body to dangle over the ground below.
Elsa hardly remembers herself, acknowledging him with a nod only out of second nature. She has no idea how to react to the situation. During the whole course of the morning, Anna had been the only one neared and spoken to. Of course, people had bowed and curtseyed to Elsa, but most of their smiles were a little tighter with her, a little less natural than how they were with Anna. They are frightened of her and she can't fault them for it.
However, here is this gigantic man and these eight small children, all equipped with a matching grin, looking straight at her. She is too much in shock to feel at all anxious.
"Sir?" she says, forcing her voice out a little.
The man looks down to his right leg and she follows his gaze to a little boy peeking out from behind the man's calf. He's sucking his thumb and his eyes are as round and wide as gold coins. He mustn't be older than three years old.
"Go on," says the man, nudging the boy forward with his hand.
The little boy looks up to him through his dark lashes, the edges brushing his jet black fringe. His bottom lip wobbles for a moment before he takes a few tentative steps toward Elsa. Someone nudges her shoulder and she looks to see Anna smiling warmly and motioning for her to crouch down.
She does and it seems to encourage the little boy. His eyes flick up to the man once more before he makes a little bow and takes another step forward.
"Your hair is beautiful," he whispers, a lisp softening his words. The man behind him clears his throat, and the boy's cheeks colour before he squeaks out, "Your Majesty."
Elsa can feel Anna's happiness and excitement radiating out of her, but she doesn't know how to react, what to say. A sharp jab in her side prompts her to thank the child, and his smile is blinding.
"As is yours."
She'd not lying to please him either. When the sun shines on his hair, the inky blackness turns blue. It's beautiful, as silky as oil. Elsa has always wanted dark hair; hair that doesn't make her the picture of winter, that means she can be normal. She got everything from her mother except her colouring. What she wouldn't give to be rid of her curse.
She takes a shaky breath and tries to calm herself. Things wouldn't bode well if she were to lose control of her powers right now.
The boy looks like he can hardly believe his queen is actually complimenting. His grin makes his eyes sparkle and dance.
Anna starts to say something and the boy giggles, but Elsa suddenly can't hear it. What she does hear is a whistling sound—the same whistling that comes from an arrow slicing through the air.
She doesn't think.
She pushes her right arm to the side and Anna is whisked away in a cold blast to land on a pillow of snow. She jerks her left forearm up above her head and curls around the tiny boy, relying on the thick sheet of ice that has risen from the ground with her arm to protect them.
Screams fill the air along with the thudding sound of running feet. All Elsa can hear though, is her blood pounding through her ears and her heart drumming in her ribcage.
No one moves.
A few seconds of silence pass and the square is almost entirely empty when Elsa opens her eyes.
The six guards are shouting and running to the two sisters but she hears them as if she's underwater. They were all standing a ways back when the arrow hit, and when Elsa had struck with her ice and snow, she'd let out a strong gust of wind that had pushed anyone within a few metres' radius back even further. Three of them check on Anna and another three have their swords and spears out next to Elsa, the lieutenant trying to talk to her. She doesn't respond, looking out instead at her citizens to see if they're all right. If anyone has been hurt at her doing she doesn't know what she'll do.
Vendors, and the few browsing customers lucky enough to find room, have sought refuge under their stalls. Her hearing returns to normal and she hears quiet sobbing that's not close enough to be an immediate issue, and the loud breaths of the young boy tucked into her side.
The shock pulses through her veins like adrenaline, urging her to move, to do something. Her head is clear and sharp and alert to every possible threat. Her mind has never been so calm and collected.
Elsa looks at the little boy, checking to see if he's injured. Aside from the tears building up in his eyes he seems to be fine and she leads him to his guardian, whom she doesn't look at. How irresponsible she was to let this child in the way of danger! He surely hates her for it.
She looks up to see Anna; safe and whole on the little mound of snow. But for a concerned frown on her face, she seems entirely unshaken. She scrambles up and pushes the guards crowding her out of the way to get over to her sister, wrapping her in a big hug. Elsa gently pushes her arms off and checks her again for any injuries; cuts, bruises, anything.
"Elsa it's snowing," Anna whispers, and Elsa sees she's right. There aren't any clouds, but small flakes are falling softly to the ground. She holds her sister's hand with one of hers and anchors her thoughts on Anna. She uses her other hand to wipe away the icy wall she'd summoned and the rest of the snow.
The arrow clatters to the cobbled stone ground and Elsa picks it up. Her heart is still beating abnormally fast.
"Your Majesty, we need to get you back to the castle."
Elsa turns for the first time to the lieutenant of the castle guard who's leading the royal guards she and Anna have accompanying them. His face is ashen and pulled into a worried frown, his movements jerking. He looks slightly miffed that Elsa has been ignoring him until now.
"Yes," she replies. "Yes, of course. Where is the carriage?"
The lieutenant turns and gestures to the coach a few metres behind him, on the edge of the square.
She turns to the square and looks at the remaining people for the first time. As she speaks she looks into the eyes of each frightened face. "Return home. Protect yourselves. Make no mistake I will discover who is behind this attack, and I will not rest until they are caught and punished. I will protect Arendelle."
This attack makes her angry. Her people should not have to be afraid for their lives and it is her duty to make sure they no longer are.
She turns back to Anna and lowers her voice. "Let's go, Anna. It's not safe."
The six guards close ranks around the two sisters, surrounding them with their weapons bared. The lieutenant hands them in himself, his worried eyes scanning the square for any sign of an immediate threat. Elsa sees Anna into the carriage and climbs in after her, sitting opposite on the opposite bench. The adrenaline is fading, leaving a pounding headache in its place. She turns the arrow over in her hands and notices a scrap of parchment attached to it. Funny. No one has used parchment in centuries. She unbinds the leather cord and unravels the note.
What is written chills her blood in a way she's never experienced. One word is scrawled on the paper in black ink.
WITCH