"Get moving."
Anna weakly stumbled out of her cell, ankles scraped raw once released from the confines of shackles and barely managing to support her weight. Not just her ankles. Her entire body felt weak and feverish from the grueling travel: hands shaking with a tremor from sleep deprivation, skin pale and bloodless from lack of sunlight. Anna didn't even know how long she had been trapped down in the dungeon of the cargo hold, not when the only light to peek through was from the edges of the hatch and her meals came at irregular times.
She had refused to eat at first, not having the appetite or the inclination to accept anything from her jailers. That hadn't lasted long. Hunger eventually drove Anna to try the tray of bread and water dumped in the corner, and it was nothing like anything she had ever tasted. The bread was coarse and stale, nearly unpalatable, and she could barely choke it down. The water was sour and brackish, disgustingly warm to the tongue. Anna supposed she should have been grateful to have anything to eat at all. Starving to death was probably one of the worst ways to go.
That and being blinded to death. Ordered out without a moment to acclimatize, Anna could only squint at the sudden onslaught of light, instinctively raising a hand to block her eyes from the glare. One step outside, and she was struck by dizziness so strong she thought she might fall.
A strong hand took her arm, and Anna gratefully steadied herself with several long, deep breaths of frigid air. It burned in her lungs, but even so it helped. When she turned to her helper, she saw Kristoff smiling encouragingly. "Careful," Kristoff said, helping her take a few more wobbly steps. "Just look down for now, and I'll guide you."
"Thanks," Anna murmured, not quite able to dredge up the strength to speak louder.
Taking Kristoff's advice, Anna kept her eyes halfclosed and stared at the ship deck when she walked. Slowly the searing light dimmed and the black spots left her vision, making her a little more confident if still exhausted. Anna tried lifting her head again, still squinting, but this time she saw her surroundings clearly and the incredulity of it forced her eyes wide open.
It was the midst of summer, but the Southern Isles was entirely covered in snow. Anna swiveled around, trying to look for anything green in the barren fields of frozen, leafless trees. All she saw was white and gray under the harsh glare of the sun, a mind-boggling dichotomy of summer and winter. No wonder the sunlight had been so harsh, summer light reflecting off winter snow. All the waters, too, had chunks of ice drifting in the currents, and Anna finally noticed how the ships had been designed as icebreakers.
Anna wasn't quite sure how she had missed it before but it was still snowing, and hard, painfully strong gales whipping a mixture of snowflakes and hail about. When the freezing winds cut into her skin, each time it felt like an actual physical blow knocking out her breath.
"When you said no one knew what happened to the Southern Isles. . . "
"That's what I meant," Kristoff finished, cupping his hands to his mouth and then rubbing them together.
"It's always like this here, a grand total of four seasons: first winter, second winter, third winter, and then my personal favorite, more winter."
Anna had been too shocked to immediately feel the cold, but now the chill began to seep into her bones and she realized she was still dressed for an Arendelle summer. "Did Elsa do this?" Anna muttered. She followed the procession getting off the ship, rubbing her bared arms to keep warm, but it did little to ward off the absolute cold.
"Who else, right?" Kristoff must have noticed her futile efforts, because he set his hat on her head. Anna gave him a grateful smile as he added, "It's been like this ever since I got here, but from what I hear, the Southern Isles has been frozen for more than ten years. And if you think this is cold, wait until you get to the castle."
Anna was just about to respond when Andersen ambushed them mid-route, appropriately dressed in skins and furs unlike everyone else there suffering the cold. Even then, his teeth were chattering and his cheeks were flushed from the icy wind. "Boy! Take the girl to the castle, and quickly. Remember to bring her to Elsa's wing! Bother no one else with her presence. Understood?"
"I understood the first time you told me," Kristoff said, earning a lash on the arm from Andersen's ever trusty whip, but he seemed too preoccupied to linger and dole out more punishment. After one last huff, he left to direct the other workmen in unloading.
Kristoff walked down the ship ramp first, helping Anna down the already slickening steps covered with the beginnings of frost. Together, they made their way past the frozen docks. Anna was faintly amused to see a sleigh waiting for them on the snow, pulled by a reindeer which looked oddly friendly, if that were even possible.
"You weren't kidding when you said there weren't necessarily horses," Anna said, climbing up onto the sleigh and shuffling closer to the lamp affixed to its side.
"Reindeer beat horses any day on snow. Isn't that right, Sven?" Kristoff grinned when the reindeer bobbed its head happily, and then he joined Anna, taking the reins. With a light tap, Sven began moving.
"We're going to the castle now, right?" Anna asked. Kristoff nodded, and she added, "So when you told Andersen you understood the first time. . . "
"I am under orders to take care of you for now," Kristoff admitted. "But it's not like I wasn't worried when you were in the hold! I mean, I'm serious, I tried to bust in a few times but I got caught, and—"
Anna immediately checked him over. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, nothing serious." Kristoff shrugged. "I hate to say it, but I usually get special treatment because I'm good with the reindeer and they need me if anything happens. Sven is my favorite though." As though understanding, Sven whinnied in acknowledgment.
They fell silent for the rest of the ride and Anna focused on retaining as much body heat as possible, curling up next to the lamp and rubbing her hands together. She winced when some of her wounds reopened, but disgusting as it was, the warm blood actually helped. Looking around, Anna again saw the frozen trees she observed from the ship; but up close, she could see how truly dead they were. Even the bark was gray, and what should have been thick trunks had been shrunken down into little more than twigs. Ice coated the bare branches, and Anna didn't see a single bird or squirrel anywhere.
Once they passed the outer gates, they entered the Southern Isles castle town. All the families here must have been forced to rebuild their homes, Anna realized. Snow never fell in the Southern Isles naturally, but all the houses she could see had been designed with slanted roofs so the snow would slide off. Even then, the massive quantity of snow left thick sheets of frost over the slick slate tiling. Windows were all closed and even barred, probably to fend against the violent wind.
And the streets were dead. Almost nobody roamed outside, and Anna couldn't blame them for wanting to escape the cold. The few people outside moved quickly and purposefully; but though they tilted their head down, Anna could see the displeasure written plain on their face. Nobody here was happy.
"We're here," Kristoff said, and Anna tore her gaze away from the villagers.
The inner castle gates opened of their own accord.
Kristoff drove the sleigh in, and Anna saw the castle for the first time.
An entire palace of ice was Anna's first disbelieving thought, but when she looked closer she saw the stone foundations lying behind a thin layer of protective ice, sapphire blue rather than transparent and so largely hiding the gray exterior. The original castle had been enfolded in ice and then, Anna thought, perfected. Magic sparkled on every surface, like a thin layer of diamonds. Spires, made purely of ice, reached toward the sky and cast an ethereal aurora of green and blue and purple on all the castle.
"It's beautiful," Anna breathed, forgetting for a moment her animosity towards all things of the Southern Isles and of Elsa. It was beautiful, hauntingly beautiful, but Anna couldn't help but think. . .
It felt so lonely.
….
"You've returned at last. I trust all went well?"
Elsa swept into the red-carpeted throne room with nary a glance at the Thirteenth Prince Hans. As she moved, the lit braziers lining both sides of the hall went out, one by one, extinguishing the mild reprieve they gave from her eternal winter. Elsa walked right past Hans to ascend the six steps at the far end of the hall and seat herself on her throne of ice. Only then did she finally deign to give him her attention, and from the raised dais she stared down at the nonplussed prince still smiling with perfect grace.
It was a subtle game of control they played. Hans made a show of bowing with his hand placed over his heart, the perfect picture of humility. It was not precisely feigned, but at the same time it was a gesture he granted and not one she took.
Elsa chose not to speak.
Hans didn't bat an eye at the slight, answering his own question so there would be no uncomfortable silence. "But of course, with Queen Regent Elsa personally venturing forth to smite our enemies, the Southern Isles cannot fail. Arendelle never stood a chance."
"Where are the others?" Elsa asked.
"Gustaf and Cyrus are participating in their usual pastime of chess, with Fabian presiding. Tobias is at his studies, and Alek and Alvard are hard at work in the training grounds. Stefan has locked himself in his room with his art, and Rafael, likewise, except with his music. I believe Saul to be working on new ship designs, and he's recruited Reid and Oliver. And Edmund..." Hans sighed as though greatly disappointed. "Well, Edmund is at the stables as usual, and I've had little luck convincing him otherwise."
Thirteen brothers Elsa had to watch over, but none of them were as elusive as the last. All the rest, Elsa could understand: some were pleased to hand over all responsibility to her, others were simply uncaring, and most were displeased that ruling power had been given to one not even of their blood. But Hans, Elsa couldn't read; Hans alone directly offered her allegiance, and so he often reported on the activities of the others. What Elsa really wanted was a report of his.
"And you, Hans? I trust you've been well?" Elsa asked. What have you been plotting behind my back? What schemes have you come up with now? What new troubles have you caused?
"As well as I could be," Hans said, but his eyes narrowed and his smile darkened. "And you, My Queen? I've heard of some interesting developments that took place in Arendelle."
Judging by the glint in his eye, Hans already knew exactly what had happened. Elsa didn't know where he got his information, but she didn't bother cutting corners. "Princess Anna of Arendelle is to be our guest, and I will not have her disturbed."
"And you think Father will approve?"
"I will personally explain everything to Markus," Elsa said, tone brokering no argument. Frost began to collect on the carpet tassels, but Hans had never paid her warnings heed.
"Of course, as you are the only one to ever have contact with him since the day you arrived," Hans said, voice like silk and cream, deliberately placing such a miniscule teasing lilt on contact that Elsa could not punish him; and yet the inappropriate implications were clear.
"It does not surprise me, then, that you are so desperate for affection," Elsa said quietly. Hans froze, and Elsa added, "But then, being the youngest, I expect you were coddled anyway." Blatantly untrue.
It was always like this between them, amity and enmity balancing on a knife's edge, and the tiniest thing could tip the scales one way or another. But Hans would never risk open confrontation, so it was not a great surprise to Elsa when he changed the subject as though the entire exchange had never occurred, as though he had not implied her promiscuity and she had not jibed at his neglect.
Hans was the picture-perfect prince once more as he smiled and said, "Well, perhaps not coddled, but certainly comfortable. In other news, the situation in Corona. . . "
…..
After being dropped off by Kristoff—who had needed to get back to the stables—Anna walked past several oddly outsized mounds of snow and then through the apparently unguarded grand doors, originally mahogany but now frozen over with a thin layer of blue ice. Even inside it was cold, but Anna was beginning to feel strangely hot anyway. Her first impression was that the inside of the palace was surprisingly similar to her own castle in Arendelle, furnished suits of armor and paintings of old people who Anna didn't recognize but assumed were the past rulers of the Southern Isles.
Three halls branched from the circular space where she stood, one on each side and one straight ahead, and built into the wall was a spiraling staircase of pale wood leading upstairs. Anna didn't have a chance to explore even if she had the inclination to, because a servant had immediately whisked her off down the right hall and up a different set of stairs to where she was told was Elsa's wing of the castle.
Anna thought she would have known even without being told, because as soon as she passed through yet another grand door, it felt rather like passing through the threshold to a different world. She never knew ice could have a smell, but here she could smell a crisp, chill freshness in the air, just the tiniest bit dryer than anywhere else but immediately noticeable.
Well, the wonder had faded a little when she was left alone and very rudely told to just wait.
More than an hour later sitting in the almost bare waiting hall, Anna started to think Elsa brought her here just to play mind games. And strangely, despite the ever-present chill that Anna knew was there, she had stopped feeling cold, maybe had done so for a longer time than she even realized. She felt hot, too hot, and she felt herself sweating at the back of her neck. Her mouth felt dry and her lips were chapped, and before too long she felt her throat tighten uncomfortably.
"Queen Regent Elsa requests your presence at the dining hall."
And so Anna let herself be dragged off yet again through a set of doors and then unceremoniously pushed into the dining hall.
Elsa was already seated there at the ridiculously long table, and once again Anna found herself struck by her beauty. An intricately carved candle holder in the middle of the table was probably more to provide light than any sort of romantic atmosphere, but the way the flickering lights illuminated Elsa's pale skin made Anna stop to stare.
Until Elsa took one look at her and frowned, eyes roving her body from head to toe.
"What's with that look?" Anna scowled back, and Elsa blinked.
To Anna's surprise, Elsa stood from her seat and crossed the distance between them in a few quick strides, still obviously scrutinizing her. She was too shocked to resist when Elsa took her hands—Elsa was wearing gloves, Anna noticed, light blue ones reaching up to her elbow and matching her dress in color but not in feel—and examined them too.
"I am very sorry," Elsa said quietly, and she did nothing when Anna wrenched her hands away. "I hoped you would not be mistreated, but. . . "
"Yeah, right," Anna snorted.
"It was an oversight on my part. I assure you it will not happen again while you are here," Elsa said. She walked back to the table and pulled out the chair on the other end from where she sat, and it took Anna a moment to realize Elsa was actually waiting for her to sit down. Knowing it was childish but thinking Elsa might pull the chair out from under her or something, Anna carefully seated herself.
Lips twitching upwards a little when she saw Anna eyeing her warily, Elsa went back to the other end. Anna stared at her again and Elsa stared back, neither saying a word, and then Anna noticed for the first time how Elsa seemed not to need to breathe. It was weird. Anna actually timed it in her head, and for a full twenty seconds Elsa was as still as unbreathing stone. Until, finally, just like that time in Arendelle, Elsa spoke first and broke the silence.
"Please, eat." Elsa swept her hand out towards the platters of delicious looking food, but one look and Anna immediately lost any appetite she might have had.
"You took all this from Arendelle." Anna could recognize those delicacies any day. The Southern Isles wasn't capable of producing any of this.
"Please, eat." Elsa swept her hand out towards the platters of delicious looking food, but one look and Anna immediately lost any appetite she might have had. "You took all this from Arendelle." Anna could recognize those delicacies any day. The Southern Isles wasn't capable of producing any of this.
"No." Scowling and making sure to flout every rule of etiquette Pappa had ever taught her, Anna started eating. Like a true barbarian, she stuffed food in her face and used all the wrong utensils.
When Anna looked up, she grew even more frustrated to see Elsa just watching her, obviously amused. It was unbelievably annoying to see Elsa with a delicate eyebrow arched upwards as though she just didn't care.
"What are you looking at?"
"You," Elsa said unabashedly, taking up a glass of wine and swishing the red liquid around as Anna fumbled for words.
Anna had to fight to hold back her stammer, but still her voice left shakily and Anna wanted to rip her hair out for sounding so nervous. She was, but that was no reason to sound like a chipmunk. "And what can be so interesting about me anyway?"
Elsa didn't say anything, only resumed staring.
Anna thought she should try asking in another way, but she didn't come up with much when she could feel Elsa's gaze so strongly it almost had a physical presence on her skin. Seeing as being a pig didn't seem to disturb Elsa much, Anna slowly chewed through the six potato cubes in her mouth, swallowed, and then muttered,
"You're creepy."
Elsa only apologized, again, and averted her eyes as though embarrassed, and Anna honestly had no idea how to respond. She hadn't been expecting the Queen Elsa—or Queen Regent, whatever—to be so demure about everything. Remembering how Elsa had ordered her father around back in Arendelle, Anna could barely reconcile that authoritative queen to the quiet person watching her eat right now.
"Why aren't you eating?" Anna asked, noticing how Elsa really only watched her eat and never touched her own plate. This food better not have been poisoned.
"I have no need for it," Elsa said.
"You mean right now, or ever?" Anna grumbled.
Elsa made that tiny twitch of her lips and looked away, but she didn't respond. Anna watched as she delicately rearranged her napkin over her lap and began to eat. Or, well, more like cut up her food and never actually put it in her mouth. After a while of puzzling over her strange behavior, Anna decided to forget about it and just continued eating, albeit at a much slower pace. Truth was, after her confinement on the ship the meal was heavenly. She wanted to savor whatever bit of home she could find in this godforsaken place.
. . . Home.
"Why did you want me here?" Anna asked, the question having been on her mind since that last day of freedom in Arendelle. What had made Elsa decide to pull her away from her home?
Elsa was pretending to take an especially long sip of wine, but Anna could see that her throat wasn't even moving; and even before, Elsa had only ever swished the wine around, never drank from it. She was obviously stalling, though Anna didn't know for what. When the silence had stretched on so long it became practically suffocating, Elsa finally put down the glass.
"You told me that I could not rule without knowing your culture," Elsa said softly. "So I brought you here in the hopes that you could educate me about Arendelle."
"Wait a minute. That's all?" Anna kept staring when Elsa seemed to hesitate for a moment, and then nodded. Anna couldn't believe it. She had to ask again. "You brought me here so I could tell you about Arendelle." Elsa nodded one more time. Anna swallowed thickly and tried to breathe.
"Is something wrong. . . ?"
"Of course something is wrong! It's—I don't even—I can't believe you! Something is really wrong with you!" Anna screamed, feeling a surge of heady heat rush to her head when she sprang to her feet, the chair falling backwards to the floor with a thud.
"I'm sorry, I don't understand—"
"Stop apologizing!" Anna slammed her hands on the table, anger fueling past the pain of her cracked skin, anger only fueled by the reminder of her torment. "You can't even understand why I'm upset? I was forced to leave my friends and my family to tell you,about my kingdom, that you subjugated?"
It was becoming hard to breathe. The world was spinning and her thoughts were scrambled, flighty, like elusive little lights she couldn't ever hold onto. Anna shook her head to no avail, only earning splitting pain lancing through her temple, and the world spun even more until her stomach churned. She had felt hot before. She was burning now.
Elsa rushed over just as Anna collapsed in a dead faint.
She really should have noticed earlier, but she herself never succumbed to illness and of course the cold never bothered her in the slightest. Elsa thrived in the cold, was the cold personified. Elsa never thought about how easily other people might fall victim to wind chill, especially Anna, unused to hardship and already weak and malnourished.
It was just lucky she wore her gloves as a precaution. Without even thinking, Elsa had caught Anna as she fell. Only after did she realize how dangerous that could have been, how easily she could have killed the girl otherwise. Elsa immediately called servants to bring Anna to her room, and they gingerly took her while doing their absolute best to avoid touching any part of Elsa. Everyone knew it was dangerous to get too close.
Elsa stayed behind for a little while, opting to look at the wasted meal and give herself a moment to calm down. She couldn't remember the last time she had touched someone.
And she still needed to report to Markus.
But not right now. Elsa knew she wouldn't be able to concentrate enough, not when the thought of Anna was still at the forefront of her mind.
She opened the door to her bedroom and found Anna lying in bed, and though Anna was the one lying ill, Elsa thought she looked more alive than she herself would ever be: skin flushed with color, entire body emanating heat, gasps for air undeniable proof of the heart beating in her chest. Elsa walked closer. Though Anna stirred fitfully, pushing the blankets away and curling inwards, she had no awareness at all.
Elsa saw the sweat matting Anna's hair to her forehead. Prepared on the nightstand was a towel and bowl of water, and for once Elsa willed her powers to remain dormant as she dipped the towel in. To her relief, the water did not freeze, and nor did the towel become crusted with frost. Elsa pressed it against Anna's forehead, but the girl squirmed uncomfortably until it slipped off.
So she tried again, with similar results. Every time, Anna would groan unintelligible, desperate whispers, and Elsa became more and more lost.
"Are you feeling any better?" Elsa asked.
Anna choked out a weak, "Hot."
Finally, Elsa lifted her hand, took off her glove, and pressed her bare skin against Anna's forehead.
Anna calmed and slept through the night.