After a looooong time, now chapter 2 is up!.
To those who are waiting for the continuation, here it is! I think i'll make it into 3 or 4 chapters.
In a split moment after her beloved's departure, the heavenly palace of the Goddess of Love every hall and rooms slowly vanished and she fell from the clouds where it stood. She felt the rush of cold wind bite her skin, she knew it was her end and she deserved it but the West Wind had other plans, the god caught her and safely brought her down to the ground before leaving without saying a word.
Since then the princess of Arendelle wandered the earth in search of her beloved. Many days had passed since her fall, Elsa found herself in a cave weeping for her loss. Sadness that emanates from the sole mortal occupant of the cave. She searched every place she could think of every single day while every night she cried herself to sleep, and most of the times she was on the brink of death because of heartbreak.
She couldn't stand the pain she inflicted not only to her beloved, but also to herself. Huge waves of regret and sorrow continued to drown her all because of her damn curiosity and letting her sisters get into her head. Elsa knew this was all her fault. No one else to blame but her. She had let her sisters poisoned her mind against her own spouse, she shouldn't have done that. Her lover's words should've been enough for her, she should've believed in her.
When Anna arrived in her mother's palace, she didn't bother to wipe her tears nor feel the pain of the burn on her shoulder because the pain in her heart couldn't be compared to anything. She immediately rushed into her mother's welcoming arms and sobbed on her mother's bosom like a babe. Her mother Aurora, Goddess of Beauty, held her just like how she used to when she was a child and comforted her while stroking her hair and giving her comforting kiss on her crown. Anna continued to cry in her mother's bosom while asking for forgiveness, it was for failing on the duty given to her and mostly because she concealed her relation with the person who had offended her mother.
Anna knew mortals were fickle and not trustworthy, that's why she didn't bother to engage in any contact with them unless her mother asked her to. She was so good at her task of making mortals and gods fall in love or hate one another on her mother's behest for eons, but she couldn't even handle a single helpless mortal which turned out to be her undoing. If only she wasn't careless that night she shouldn't have fall in love with the princess but she did and that the same love they shared had broken her.
She had given everything Elsa wanted, even her trust. It was going well between them, they were happy and wanted to build a family together but all of it were dashed by the sight of the dagger in her beloved's hand and for breaking the promise of not trying to seek what she looks like. Elsa would've killed her if she turned out to be a monster despite the love and devotion she showed to the princess.
Anna was utterly disappointed and deeply hurt that her love was not enough, to the point seeing her beloved wanting to kill her. She never felt so betrayed in her entire existence. She had defied her mother just to be with her, loved her in every fiber of her being and yet she got in return was betrayal and a broken heart. The only thing she asked her beloved was not to seek her appearance because she had witnessed how shallow the mortals were. All they cared about was the façade but not what's behind it, the heart. Anna valued love more than anything because love knows no bounds even for a god or a goddess. Love was the thing that tied everything together. Now , the very same love she so valued had caused her too much pain.
"I'm so sorry Mother. I failed." she sobbed. "I shouldn't have - I shouldn't have done it-"
"Oh my darling. You don't have to apologize for it." her mother tightened her hold around her.
"It was not your fault. You are my daughter and you deserve the best and finer things in this world, but that mere mortal doesn't deserve you." her mother pulled away and wiped her tears away, her mother's soft purple eyes hardened the moment they found her wound.
"How dare that unworthy mortal. She not only breaks your heart but also hurts you like this?"
She winced when her mother's hand placed a finger on her wound.
"Please don't do anything to her." Anna pleaded. Her love for Elsa wouldn't simply vanished into thin air but she was hurt and doesn't want to see her face because it would only deepen the wound in her heart.
"Of course I won't, my darling." her mother's finger felt warm and soothing. "You're you are welcome to stay in your room here. I'll have my servants prepare it." Anna felt exhausted and slowly drifting to sleep in her mother's arms.
"Sleep my darling." the goddess of beauty kissed her daughter's forehead and had tasked her servants to carry her sleeping daughter to her room. She watched the wretched woman who hurt her daughter cry and suffer with the loss of her beloved, through the vision.
Elsa woke up shivering, but did her best to ignore it. She once again set off to look for her beloved. She was walking aimlessly, constantly thinking about her beloved and her possible whereabouts. She ignored the murmurs and gasp of surprise from the people around her. Her eyes were blank and unseeing as if her soul was sucked out from her body and yet kept searching. She was like a marionette, lifeless.
Exhaustion was evident on her body, she was disheveled, melancholic and gaunt as if she lost the will to live, so far from the elegant princess she was once. After she got passed the village and walked for hours, the previously bright and sunny day turned dark and gray, followed by harsh downpour and lighting as if the god of thunder and king of the gods, Agnarr was angry.
Elsa was unfazed by it.
She continued to wander until she stumbled upon an abandoned temple where she curled up and sob in her sleep. Morning came and the day was once again favorable, Elsa woke up near the statue of a goddess. She woke up hungry and fortunately there were shrubs filled with berries near the temple and a small lake behind it. Elsa filled herself with the berries and went for a bath in the lake, she couldn't remember when she had had a decent food to eat nor clean herself.
While on the lake, she was contemplating what she would do after as she failed to find a single clue where her beloved's current whereabouts. Her beautiful glacial eyes found the abandoned temple, then a thought came in her mind. The gods were punishing her for the betrayal she made. That's why she couldn't find her beloved. Tears filled her eyes. A a wave of pain came and pricked her heart.
"I'm so sorry." she sobbed.
She wanted- needed to repent her sins against the gods, against her beloved. She was punished by the gods by taking her away from her family, because of how the people treated her and angered the mighty beings. After then her beloved Anna was taken away from her because she didn't trust her. After her bath on the lake, she started to clean the temple. The abandoned temple belonged to the goddess of harvest, Tiana. Elsa dedicated her time tending, offering and praying to the goddess everyday. The previously unrecognizable temple was slowly returning to its former glory. She became the goddess' servant as a way of repenting her sins. She was able to pour her inner thoughts to the goddess, whom she hoped was listening. There's only one thing she wanted in all creation, her beloved Anna. She prayed to the goddess everyday for her help to somehow intercede on her behalf to the goddess of beauty.
One night, Elsa was kneeling in prayer when a burst of bright light interrupted her. Her glacial eyes widened at the sight of the goddess of harvest herself dressed in nature green with a leaf motif and her beauty was incredible.
"By the gods." Elsa whispered and bowed to the goddess. "Oh goddess Tiana, I humble myself in your presence. What do I possessed to receive such honor?"
"Lift your head my child." the divine being said. Elsa looked up and was brought to tears as she saw the motherly smile of goddess Tiana.
"Oh divine goddess."
"My child. I am grateful for what you've done for me. Not even one of my followers ever thought of doing what you've done. Tell me, is there anything you would like to have?" Her heart skipped a beat.
"Oh mighty goddess, I do know I do not deserve such favor from you. However, I would like to say the only thing in my heart, the only thing I wanted. Please, I want to be reunited with my beloved Anna, my goddess of love." tears rolled down her cheeks.
There was silence between them until the goddess gave her a sad smile, killing the tiny hope Elsa had in her heart.
"My dear child, I would give what you desire if I could." She sobbed at those words.
"However, I can give you this wisdom. Go to the Goddess of Love's temple and ask for her forgiveness and you would be judged if you are worthy of what you seek." the goddess said before vanishing.
"No! No! Please come back!" Elsa desperately called the goddess but to no avail.
Olympus
The goddess of harvest could only close her eyes and let out a sigh. She witnessed the dedication of the princess in her temple, she wanted to grant whatever the poor woman's prayer but even as a goddess she couldn't interfere with Aurora's business. Since the princess arrived at her temple, her motherly nature took over and provided everything the princess would need, however she couldn't give the poor princess' only prayer. It has been weeks since the woman found her temple and she finally took pity on the girl and she manifested and had told her what she must do. Hopefully the princess would heed her words.
Elsa was told to ask for the forgiveness of the goddess of love, and she would wholeheartedly do it if that's what it took for her to be reunited with her beloved. However this would also mean she had to go to her kingdom as that was where the nearest temple of the goddess of love, she could go to the other places but it would take her months of travel into another kingdom. She had mixed feeling at the thought of going back to the place she once called home. That was the place where she was cursed to lived in loneliness, but she could also see her parents after a long time. She started her journey after a few days of contemplation, as she travelled through the rocky and deserted paths, she was not feeling well. Every morning she would wake up because of the nauseating feeling and her lack of appetite on food she foraged in the forest, although it was only composed of different kinds of berries and fruits. She looked into the nearby pool of water and saw her previously beautiful appearance had become haggard. She sighed.
For the next few weeks this had became her routine, she waking up with unpleasant feeling and travelling with barely food in her stomach. Elsa didn't think about that, all she cared about was arriving in Arendelle so she could do what she was meant to do and then she did. Her father's kingdom was on sight as she stood from the hill.
Elsa walked in the city gates with her ragged appearance, her previously pristine platinum blonde hair was unkempt. The city guards were stunned the moment they saw her, the disbelief was etched on their faces and they weren't able to react as she walked past them. Elsa didn't care about the stares and murmurs she was receiving, because she had only one objective in her mind and that was to arrive at the goddess' temple near the castle. She was already half-way through the city when her vision blurred and she world started to spin. She walked and walked ignoring what she was feeling and that proved to be her undoing. She collapsed in the midst of the crowds who gasped as she lost her consciousness.
"Move! MOVE ASIDE!" shouted by one of the guards, it was the city guard she had met at the entrance. He picked up and carried Elsa's limp body and rode towards the castle in haste on the back of his horse.
Anna woke up from her assigned bed chamber, she sat up and looked at the wound her lover had inflicted on her, but the wound in her heart was much more painful. Her eyes watered and she cried silently. She was hurt that Elsa betrayed her trust, there's no doubt about that, but what hurt her more was being away from the person who inflicted this painful pain in her heart. She wanted to be with Elsa this instant, she wanted to come back to her but she couldn't risk her heart once more.
Her mother came into her bedchamber and attended to her wound.
"My dearest child, how dare a mere mortal do this to you?" Aurora said. "Mortals will always betray their fellow mortal and deceive them into their advantage, that alone makes them untrustworthy of our affection but hurting a goddess is punishable by death."
"Mother no!" Anna protested. "Don't kill her please. I beg you." she pleaded as her voice cracked.
Aurora smiled. "I won't."
Anna knew that smile and she wasn't convinced. "Swear to it." she said in a serious voice.
"Swear to the river Styx that you won't kill her."
Her mother's smile disappeared and was replaced by a scowl. "After all the things she had done to you, you still love her?! After making you lie to me and deceived me for housing such horrible mortal in your realm instead doing the task I asked of you and you still love her?! Do I mean nothing to you?! I am your mother!" her mother rose from her seat. "How could you?!"
Anna looked down in shame, her mother was right, she lied and deceived her but it was not because Elsa asked her to. She did it on her own volition. She looked up and answered to her
Mother, with a resolve she didn't have before her mother's arrival. "Yes, I still love her and once I am healed I will go back to her, ask for her forgiveness for leaving her. I'll try to understand why she did it. I just left so quickly. . . I didn't let her speak. "
Aurora's vision turned red and walked towards the door, leaving the healing salve in the room. "So be it, you can't go out in this place. Not unless I allow you to." with that the goddess of love had locked the room Anna was in.
Anna rushed to the door and try to pry it open, she turned to the large windows and sprinted towards them only to recoil as the invisible barrier formed to prevent her from leaving.
"Mother! You can't do this to me!" Anna shouted. "Let me out! LET ME OUT!"
From the hall Aurora said. "This is for your own good."
Damp cold towel woke her up from her sleep, her vision was blurry so she blinked for few times. Once her vision cleared, her eyes landed on the familiar bed canopy.
"My child." a familiar feminine voice reached her ear. Elsa slowly turned her to look at the source of the voice. She blinked for couple of times because it seemed her eyes were deceiving her. A woman old with age but still beautiful, she had a pair of soft and kind blue eyes.
"Mother?" her voice was hoarse and weak.
"Yes my dearest child, it's me; your mother." the woman held her hand tightly as if never wanting to let her go anymore.
"Where am I?"
"You're safe back home. You're finally home after so many years." her mother's eyes were filled with tears. "I am so happy that you came back to me, my dearest child." She was home. . . was she? This was not the place to be in, she wanted to go back to where her lover was. Elsa tried to get up to go to the temple.
"Ugh." she moaned in pain and lay back down her bed. Exhaustion was deep in her bones, she couldn't even lift her hand.
Days had past, her mother and father never left her alone, the best physicians were summoned to check up on her condition. She just let them do whatever they wanted. Elsa couldn't care less about her surroundings, all she thought about was her spouse and her regret of betraying such pure love that was given to her. She hated herself so much for being to gullible and for trusting her sister more than her spouse's love for her.
It took weeks for her to recover and when she did, the first thing she uttered was. "I want to go to the temple."
Her mother and father were confused but nodded. She got up and her servants had prepared her a bath in their massive pool filled with lavender scented water that reached her thighs. As a custom for the royals who would pray to the temple, they would undergo purification using lavender scented water as a way of presenting themselves to the gods in their purest form. Elsa was assisted by her servants to bathe, when she was done she was dressed in a pure white chiton clasped on either shoulders using a golden clasps with their family emblem embossed on it. A strand of gold belt was placed just below her breast to flatter her form. Her hair was braided and pinned up with gold pins, her servants also placed a golden laurel bandeau upon her head. On her left upper arm was a golden vine arm bracelet, golden bands around her wrists, her ears were glittering with golden earrings as well as her neck with that golden family heirloom necklace. And lastly they draped her a pure white himation. She didn't want any of these, she just wanted to go to the temple as humble as she could but her father and mother insisted on it despite her protest.
The people around her were delighted by her appearance. Most of the men she past by on the way to the temple had made their intentions clear by loudly proposing to her and wanting to accompany her inside the temple. Elsa was having none of it. She gave them cold looks before asking Marshall, her previous personal guard to keep everyone, even her parents, from entering and insisting on keeping it close until she emerged from the inside.
Once the temple doors were closed, Elsa looked at the statue of the goddess illuminated by braziers on either side and candles that were placed near the altar and the calming scent of incense was all over the place. She stood by the door and took a deep breath. The himation she wore was dropped on the floor, followed by the laurel bandeau, bracelets, arm bracelets, earrings and lastly the necklace. She unpinned her hair and let it down. Her goddess-like appearance was no more. Elsa proceeded to unlaced her sandals and walked barefoot on the cold marble floor of the temple, she didn't care anything but to pray to the goddess and to ask for forgiveness for the transgression she made against the goddess and her daughter. She knelt in front of the statue of the goddess with her eyes closed and clasped her hands together. She repeatedly asking for forgiveness and asking how she could repent her sins against the goddess. And this continued for days.
Aurora was in her heavenly palace, lying on her back with her lover on top of her.
"My dear Phillip." Aurora giggled as her lover peppered her with kisses. "Don't you dare."
"Dare what my love?" Phillip asked and nipped on her collarbone.
Aurora was having a pleasurable time when she heard a voice she loathed so much. She let her lover do whatever he wanted with her but this voice incessantly bothered her, taking away her pleasure.
"My love." Aurora gently pushed her lover away and stood up.
"What is it?" Phillip reclined on her bed naked.
She gathered her discarded clothes and put them on.
"Just some annoying pest." she said in an annoyed tone. "Dress up, will you. I wouldn't want my servants see what's mine."
Phillip laughed then smirked. "Then come back here and cover me with your body."
"Tempting. But I better put a stop to this fuss so I can go back to bed with you." Aurora winked at her lover. "In the meantime maybe you can help me to put some sense in our daughter's head. She's currently locked up in her room." she offered the key on Anna's room, Phillip reached out to take it but she pulled her hand back. "I'm warning you, don't let her out of that door without my permission. Swear on the River Styx."
"Of course love, I swear." Phillip took the key once Aurora offered it again. He wore his tunic and armor back. He picked up his sword and kissed Aurora on the lips passionately before walking past her.
Aurora went to her throne room and sat on her golden throne. She waved her hand and saw a disheveled figure of the woman whom she hated so much.
"I shouldn't have let Phillip stop loving me in our bed so I wouldn't be able to hear her voice." what she said was true. She only heard the voice of this woman who played house with Anna the moment Phillip stopped pleasuring her.
"You must've been there for days." Aurora smiled wickedly. "Should I let her suffer more?" she chuckled.
Meanwhile
Anna was languishing in her own quarters. She wanted to go back to her love, she wanted to apologize for the words she uttered. Her heart longed for Elsa and it hurts whenever she thought of their last encounter. She should've let Elsa explain so they wouldn't be separated like this. She shouldn't have left, tears were pouring out of her eyes. She lost hope now that she was stuck in here for only the gods knew when her mother would let her out. Anna's fists were bruised as she continued to pound on the invisible barrier that kept her in.
A click on the lock gained her attention. She immediately went towards the door.
"Mother please let me out- Father?" Anna blinked her tears away.
"Child. Your Mother is in the throne room." her father uttered. He went in and locked the door behind him.
"Father, please help me out of here. I want to go back to her. Please." Anna begged her father.
Phillip just gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm afraid I can't. I promised your mother that I won't let you out of this door."
"Then why are you here?" Anna angrily asked.
Phillip sighed. "Your mother asked me to talk to you."
"What for? She won't even let me out of here, much less let me go back to my beloved."
Phillip gave her a stare then asked. "Do you really love her?"
"I do! Much more than anything."
Phillip sighed once again. "Look child. Gods and mortals aren't meant to be with each other.
I would be wise for you to choose someone like us. True, you'll be happy. . . well for a short time and after that it's all pain. The pain of losing the person you love because of her mortality."
"I don't care." Anna stubbornly said.
"Mortals are just our playthings. They come and go. I guess it's wise that your mother locked you in here to keep you from eternal pain."
Anna glared at her father. "They are your play things but for me they are not! Mortals are full of love and compassion that we, the gods, lack! You all choose mortals as lovers and punish those who didn't give what you wanted. I sometimes abhor my status as one of you."
Phillip's rage rose, making the entire palace quake.
"Mind your words child."
"Or what? Send me to Tartarus? Fine! Do it! Isn't that what you gods are good at?!"
"I warned you!" Phillip pulled out his sword while Anna drew her bow nocked with lead arrow. Phillip faltered the moment he saw what kind of arrow Anna used. "Do you think I am afraid of that?"
Anna moved and aimed her hand at the wall. "I can make this arrow phase through walls and hit the said mother is in the throne room. I know mother will look for you
immediately. You will be hated by her for all eternity."
"Child! Stop that at once!" Phillip shouted.
"I know it's only mother who gave you the affection you crave in your whole immortal life. It is only her who accepted you for your brutality and bloodlust."
"Don't think of releasing that arrow." Phillip warned again.
"I am not afraid of you." Anna increased the tension of her bow. "Release me from here."
Phillip dropped his sword to placate his child. "I can't, I swore to the River Styx that I won't release you."
Anna was pissed. She had no choice but to back down as well and dropped her bow and arrow.
"Your mother is planning an unpleasant thing in regards to your mortal's fortune." Phillip said.
"Figure out a way of getting out of here." with those last words, he left Anna alone and not bothering to pick his sword.
Elsa lost track of how long she was praying inside the temple, it could be hours or days already.
She was tired and feeling so weak. For the fifth day she finally collapsed and when she did the door burst open with her former guard running towards her limp body.
Marshall was keeping an eye on her in one of the secret passages of the temple, he even tried to bring food and water to sustain the princess in her prayer but she refused. Now that she fainted, he immediately took her to the physician to restore her back to health.
The kingdom held its breath in the days their beloved princess fought for her life and for the life growing inside her. The King and Queen were the only one made aware of the princess' current situation. Not everyone was allowed to be notified regarding the princess' pregnancy since it would cause chaos in the realm with the vague knowledge who might've had sired the child and it would come to the people's mind it was the monstrous creature whom the princess was sacrificed to. There was no assurance the child would be accepted by everyone.
One night the Elsa gained her consciousness and found her mother sleeping on a chair by her bedside. She was touched at her mother's love and affection for her, however she had no time to lose, she already wasted time resting. She changed her clothes quietly as possible and slipped out her room. She slipped past the guards and successfully gone out of the main keep towards the temple but a shadow loomed over her as she crossed the courtyard.
"Your Highness."
Elsa looked up at the familiar voice.
"Please go back to your room."
"No."
"You just recovered from illness." Marshall said.
"I don't care. I have to pray." Elsa insisted and walked forward but Marshall blocked her.
"Your Highness please."
"Let me pass." Elsa ordered.
Marshall went silent.
Elsa knew this kind of approach wouldn't work. She sighed. "You can escort me there."
Marshall was conflicted but relented.
Both of then walked towards the temple and had the two guard guarding the door open it for them. Elsa was quite relieved that she decided make Marshall escort her there since those guards won't be compliant as Marshall.
Marshall was allowed inside the temple and stayed by the door while Elsa went closer to the altar. She knelt down and solemnly prayed. Silence went on for hours until the tremors from the floor were felt. Marshall quickly turned her attention to Elsa's praying form and ran towards her but a sudden burst of blinding light appeared out of nowhere.
Elsa and Marshall had their eyes widened at the appearance of the most beautiful creature ever existed in their world. The lips of the creature moved but Marshall couldn't hear it, however that was not the case when it came to Elsa.
Elsa stared at the goddess of love and beauty in awe as the latter floated in the air.
"The woman who was compared to me and had wounded my child." the goddess uttered with certain disdain in her tone.
"Oh goddess, please forgive me for the sins I had committed."
"Forgive you? Then pray what are the sins you have committed."
Elsa bowed her head down so low that it touched the temple floor.
"I had committed a great sin of being born having such a face that offended the goddess of love and beauty. Had I not born like this, the people wouldn't have admired me the same way they should admire a great goddess like you. And I had offended the great goddess for betraying her child and hurting her. It's all my fault to bear and please punish this insolent mortal." Elsa said with conviction.
"Is that all? Don't you have another sin to confess? Like the reason why you prayed so hard like this." a smirk found its way to the goddess' lips.
"Please forgive me for being presumptuous and daring of wanting to meet goddess of love, knowing I betrayed her trust and had physically hurt her. I had committed a great sin of betraying her."
"Why did you want to meet my child?"
"I had wished that I could talk to her and say I truly love her and that I'll do anything for her."
"Anything?"
"Yes, anything." Elsa's tone was resolute.
The goddess of beauty's lips turned into a smirk.
"Very well."
Elsa didn't dare to lift her head and waited for the goddess' next words.
"I'll give you certain tasks until I am satisfied, only then I will let you meet my daughter."
"Thank you so much, oh divine one!" Elsa exclaimed with her head still bowed on the floor.
"But once you fail one task, you shall give up and never try to seek out the goddess of love."
Elsa's heart sank. She was about to answer when the goddess of beauty spoke once again.
"Your first task starts now." the goddess of beauty waved her hand and Elsa was whisked away in an unfamiliar room.
Elsa looked around and once her glacial eyes found the form of the goddess of beauty who was holding a whip and her purple eyes were sinister.
"Your first task is to endure." a devious smirk was plastered on the goddess' lips.
Elsa's eyes were filled with fear.
I hope you like this chapter!
Let me know your thoughts on the review section.
Thank you!
