Chapter Forty Three
In the Morning
ELSA
Elsa hadn't had such a good sleep in so long. As far as she could remember, she had spent most nights lying awake on her back with Janus by her side, wondering if she would ever live a normal life ever again. A life as a free woman, not being hunted down by the authorities. To feel normal again.
She was pleasantly surprised to find that her sleep had been sound, devoid of dreams and nightmares. Nothing but blissful sleep, knowing that she was safe and comfortable again, even if it was only for one night.
Waking up refreshed, Elsa yawned silently. She stretched like a cat and got out of the big queen-sized bed that she slept in alone. Apparently, Janus had decided to give her some space. Or perhaps it was he who needed some space. Tensions had risen between them last night, and now that she was well-rested, Elsa had a measure of newfound clarity and perspective. She needed to talk to him and make things right.
Sitting at the corner of the bed, she looked at the window, whose curtains had been drawn. Weak sunlight trickled in, telling of another gloomy, bleak winter day. It was even snowing lightly, which would make things difficult for the Coalition if the Confederation members decided to continue the campaign.
Remembering the short time she'd shared with Anna yesterday, Elsa couldn't help but smile. The deep, hearty conversation with her sister reminded her of a time when things were easier. When there hadn't been a care in the world. Just two sisters trying to live their best lives together, aiming to build a better kingdom alongside each other. Simpler times, when the Empire wasn't threatening the continent and there was no war. And certainly when everyone had been blissfully ignorant about the threat of the mysterious Crimson Order.
After freshening up, Elsa stepped out of the steaming bathroom and dried her hair. She tossed aside her nightgown and conjured up a fresh set of clothes. It felt good to use her sorcery again. The comfortable white blouse she donned felt like heaven to her, without the rough fabric of the prison uniform rubbing uncomfortably against her skin.
Pulling on a pair of dark grey pants, she slipped on boots and conjured up a new dark blue coat that complemented her blouse. Doing up her hair in a traditional French braid, she almost felt like herself again. Staring in the mirror, Elsa saw a woman who wore a familiar look, but her eyes spoke of multiple hardships and traumatic times. Elsa wondered if the others could see the difference in her. How she'd changed. No doubt they had changed too.
She pulled up the sleeves of her coat to examine her wrists. They were still red and sore from where Hans had bound her to the chair. The coarse ropes had chaffed her skin when she had tried to struggle or even shift in her seat, and it brought a dull pain when Elsa touched her wrists. Hans has a lot to answer for.
Mustering up her courage, Elsa closed the door of the suite quietly behind her, and went off in search of Janus. She hated the idea of leaving things hanging, not knowing when they would have another opportunity to address them again. It would certainly impede her focus on the bigger problems at hand, which was something she couldn't afford to allow.
Elsa found Janus sitting on a sofa at the turn of the corridor. Arms folded, his eyes were shut and his breathing was quiet.
Standing before him, she was about to bend over to wake him gently when she froze. A wave of anxiety seized her as her mind went blank. Casting about in her mind, Elsa desperately fought to find something to say that wouldn't launch them into yet another argument. She found nothing.
"Are you going to just stand there?" He said in a low voice, startling her considerably.
So he's awake. Somehow, Elsa found that she wasn't surprised. "You could have come back to the room yesterday."
"I think we both needed some space." Eyes still shut, Janus shifted on the sofa so that Elsa had enough space to lower herself into the seat beside him.
"We…" Elsa began. "…We left things quite unfinished last night. I don't want there to be any unresolved issues between us."
Letting out a small sigh, he opened his eyes. "What's left to say? I already said my piece, and obviously you don't agree."
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, the queen sides with you on this." Elsa gave a weak chuckle.
"Honestly, I can't say I'm surprised." He said, unamused. "Can you?"
"I suppose not." Elsa admitted. "She did tell me that I have a tendency to take things on all by myself and not sharing the burden with the people around me. There's some truth in that, I guess."
"That's a bit of an understatement."
"What I'm trying to say is, I've always been a very private person. You know that. And to share my burdens and responsibilities with someone else…it just doesn't come naturally to me. I've always felt that no one else should be in danger if I can take it on myself."
"I understand, but I just…" he paused, "I can't bear to see anything happen to you. Not under my watch. I told you about Winter before."
The young girl Janus had failed to protect from assassins. She nodded.
"I lost everyone I cared about. My mother. My mentor. Winter. I'm not going to lose you too."
"Janus, look at me." Elsa put a gentle hand on his thigh. His soft brown eyes met hers, and she could see genuine care in them. "You're not going to lose me. I love you, and I'll always come back to you. But you can't always be there whenever I'm in danger. You've got to trust me to take care of myself."
"That's supposed to be my job."
"No, it isn't." Elsa said firmly but kindly. "Maybe for any other woman, yes. But I'm different. You of all people know that, given the kind of lives we live. I need you by my side. A shoulder for me to lean on. A partner who believes in me and tells me that he'll back my play. That's your job."
He looked at a loss for words. It was quite clear that the chivalrous, old fashioned man simply couldn't comprehend the modernistic nature that Elsa represented. "I…I'll try my best." He finally said quietly. "I can't deny that you're strong enough to defend yourself, but a part of me is always going to want to protect you. I'm old fashioned that way."
"It's really maddening at times." Elsa kissed him on the cheek. "But I love you all the same."
Leaning in, Janus pressed his lips against hers. Elsa's back arched as he bent towards her, and she felt her heartbeat quickening.
"Just promise me one thing." He said when they stopped to catch their breath.
"What?" She whispered, face hovering an inch from his.
"Let me in. Share your burden with me. Let me jump into danger with you."
"Deal." Elsa's lips locked with his, and they shared a steamy, passionate kiss as their hands explored each other's body. Her cold touch sent a tiny shiver down Janus' spine, and his calloused hand began to slip underneath her blouse, slowly lifting its hem.
"Oh, bloody hell."
The couple pulled apart to find Tracy with one foot out of her room. She was still in her night clothes, eyes still gummy with sleep, her black dreadlocks unkempt and untamed. An awkward expression was written across her face as she stood at the door, as if held in abeyance by indecision.
"Sorry. Didn't think you two lovebirds would be at it so early." Tracy took the step out of her room, looking cautious and fiddly. "And making out on the couch too."
Elsa sighed and applied her palm to her forehead. "We're not - we were just…talking."
"Yeah, whatever," Tracy quickly inched past them and walked down the corridor. "I didn't see nothing."
Elsa groaned softly and got to her feet. "I'm going to see what Anna's cooks whipped up for breakfast. You coming?"
"I think I'll close my eyes for a bit longer." Janus leaned his head against the back of the sofa. "Save me a plate? As long as it isn't prison mush, I'll be happy."
###
Breakfast was a rather solid affair. Apparently, the servants had went out at a very early hour to hit the local market. It was surprisingly back in business in such a short time after the siege, almost as though nothing had happened.
Local tomatoes, herbs and lamb had been procured, along with fresh oranges and a type of cheese unique to Korynes. Loaves of fresh, crispy bread were placed on a table in the hotel's dining ballroom, along with roasted lamb slices, sliced tomatoes and exquisite herbs piled up on common plates.
Unfortunately, not everyone was there to enjoy the food whipped up by the masterful Arendellian cooks. Anna, of course, was still sleeping in, and so were Jade, Deirdre and Janus. Maui had apparently been on guard the whole night, and he still seemed fine. He was a demigod, after all.
Tracy had only woken up to pile a generous serving of food onto a plate, and then trudged back to her room to consume it lying down. That only left Elsa and Melody, who had just walked into the dining room. She hadn't had a good chance to catch up with Melody after the chaos yesterday, and she figured now was as good a time as any.
But Melody beat her to it.
"Mind if I join you?" Melody asked as she saw the couple.
"Don't see why not." Elsa waved for her to sit opposite them. "No one else showed up for breakfast."
"Everyone's tired."
"And aren't you?"
"Of course I"m tired." Melody laughed, sitting down and helping herself to a generous serving of lamb slices and tomatoes. "We all are."
"And rightfully so," Elsa muttered. "We've all been through hell these past months."
"Agreed." Melody nodded. "The recent months haven't been very kind on us. You especially. You look thinner than I remembered."
"So everyone keeps saying." Elsa deadpanned. "You on the other hand, look the same. Campaign been treating you well?"
"I suppose." Melody said. "Though I can never really get used to politics. Especially when they're with the Confederation."
"Especially when with them." Elsa agreed. "I remember how maddening it is to deal with them. Like walking in circles and getting nothing accomplished by the end of the day."
"Exactly." Melody waved her fork exasperatedly. "I don't know how Anna puts up with them all the time."
"My sister's always had a knack for dealing with people. Better than I ever could."
"I don't know if she told you, but she's doing a really smashing job these past few months. You should've seen the way she handled the Peace summit. Hans manipulated things and turned the tables on us all. Uxzas and the others were all ready to give in to his terms, but Anna saved us all from losing the war."
Elsa chuckled. "Sounds just like Anna."
They ate in silence for a while, both enjoying the mouthwatering dishes. Elsa hadn't been on the march with the rest of the Confederation and Coalition, but she knew enough to know that most days while on the march, the food wouldn't be quite so fresh or succulent.
There was of course still the big elephant in the room. The question that everyone had asked Elsa since she had been freed from Hans' clutches yesterday. She waited for Melody to finally ask her, knowing that it would come as sure as night followed day.
"Are you feeling alright?" Melody broke the silence. "You know, after Hans, and…"
"I'm fine." Elsa said mechanically, for what might have been the hundredth time to various members of the Warriors. "Really. Hans didn't do anything to me."
"That's a bit hard to believe." Melody frowned as she took a crunch out of a crispy loaf of bread. "He went through all this trouble to kidnap you from Stormtide, and for nothing?"
"He's sick." Elsa said dryly. "He hates me for personal reasons, and has been trying to get back at me ever since. He's insane, plain and simple."
"Did you see him with the brown cloaks?"
"Yes." Elsa said tightly. "He's working with them."
"He's tied to the Crimson Order somehow." Melody said. "But why? How did he even learn about them? What does he hope to gain from the alliance?"
"Fortunately." Elsa grimaced, setting down her fork on her polished plate. "We're going to get our answers, one way or another."