"All right, Mother. I'm listening."
The unspoken words, "for now", hung in the air between them.
Iduna sighed in relief. At least her daughter was willing to listen. But Anna was making it clear she wasn't going to make it easy for her mother. Not that she could necessarily blame her.
"When Elsa was born, we were happy." Iduna said. "By now, you know that I saved your father's life after he was struck in the head by that tree in the Enchanted Forest. It wasn't easy, leaving everything I knew behind. But we couldn't go back to the Enchanted Forest, due to the mist.
Fortunately for me, Agnarr agreed to let me live at the palace.
"Over time, we fell in love. When Agnarr proposed, I was never so happy in my life. I felt like I was making a new start, a new family. We were so happy when I got pregnant only a few months after our wedding. It seemed like life couldn't be greater.
"When Elsa was born, we immediately fell in love with her." Iduna was so busy smiling wistfully as she looked into the past, she didn't notice the scowl marring Anna's features. She had a grim feeling her parents didn't react that way when SHE was born. "Almost immediately, we knew something was different about Elsa.
"The room would start getting cold." By now, Iduna's smile faded completely. "When she started crying, it would start snowing. If she got angry, she would let out giant bursts of ice magic. It wasn't long before we realized that she had powers of her own.
"They would respond to her emotions." Iduna continued. "You don't have children yet, but you know what they could be like, especially whenever they have temper tantrums.
"So here we were, struggling to learn how to rule Arendelle and dealing with a magical child." Iduna said, wincing at the memories. "It wasn't easy. Elsa was too young to understand why she had to keep her abilities a secret. She couldn't even control them.
"We had our hands full." Iduna said. She winced and glanced guiltily at the ground. "I'm not proud to admit this, but it's why we were less than thrilled to learn I was pregnant again." Iduna would have continued, but more images appeared on the icy walls again.
Iduna grimaced.
Uh-oh...
"Agnarr, I'm pregnant again." Iduna whispered in horror.
"What?" Agnarr demanded.
"The doctors confirmed it." Iduna instinctively clutched at her stomach. Agnarr glared at her stomach, as if the fetus inside had offended him somehow.
"I thought you just had a stomach bug!" Agnarr cried.
"You think I'm any happier about this?" Iduna asked.
"Iduna, we don't have time for another child." Agnarr started pacing. "We're swamped as it is, what with helping Elsa with her powers and ruling Arendelle. What if you-"
"I am NOT miscarrying or aborting this child!" Iduna snapped.
"But." Agnarr tried.
"Look, Agnarr." Iduna said. "We may not have wanted another child, but he or she will be here in a matter of months. Besides, this is our son or daughter. We can't kill it."
Anna looked like she wanted to throw up.
"Father wanted to get rid of me!?" She yelled.
"No. Let me explain." Iduna tried.
"Mother, Father admitted that he didn't feel he had time for another child!" Anna pointed an accusatory finger at the wall. "You didn't look that all too thrilled either, for that matter. You didn't want me at all. Admit it!"
"No Anna, it's not like that at all." Iduna said. "Like I mentioned before, we were swamped with our royal duties and trying to raise a magical child. When I felt sick, I was hoping against hope that I wasn't pregnant. We devoted all of our time and energy towards raising Elsa and ruling Arendelle. You have no idea what a challenge it is, doing both at the same time."
"It's not my fault." Anna said. "I never asked to be born!"
"I know." Iduna inwardly winced at how Anna was unknowingly repeating what Elsa yelled hours earlier. "But like I said before, we were swamped. Elsa was still struggling with her powers and we had our royal duties to contend with. Now, we had another baby on the way. I had even less time to help with Elsa as my pregnancy with you was very difficult."
"Difficult? How?" Anna asked.
"There were complications with your birth." Iduna admitted. More images appeared on the wall.
Iduna could be seen resting on the bed inside their chambers. Agnarr was visibly fuming as the royal doctor left as discreetly as he'd arrived.
"Agnarr, don't start." Iduna said tiredly.
"'Don't start'?" Agnarr repeated furiously. "Iduna, this baby has been nothing but trouble from the start." He pointed an accusing finger at her stomach. "I told you we should have gotten rid of him or her when we had the chance. But no, you wouldn't hear of it!"
"Agnarr, I am NOT killing our child!" Iduna hissed.
"But that stupid brat is endangering your health!" Agnarr said.
"Agnarr, the doctors warned me that stress is what is effecting my health." Iduna corrected. "Now, you can't deny it's been stressful, what with trying to help you with Elsa and ruling Arendelle at the same time. Besides, it's not that serious."
"Not that serious?" Agnarr couldn't believe his ears. "Iduna, you have to stay in bed for the next two months! How in the hell could you believe that this isn't serious!"
"Agnarr, the doctor said I would be fine as long as I take it easy." Iduna said. "Yes, it means that I can't leave the bed for two months. But it's not the baby's fault."
"I don't care what you say." Agnarr fumed. "Our lives were perfectly fine before our second child came along." He started pacing. "I already lost Mother and Father. I refuse to lose YOU as well."
"And you won't." Iduna said. "But don't you start blaming our unborn son or daughter for this." Agnarr's face softened. He promised his wife that he would at least try to love their second child. But it was clear from the look on his face that he would always blame him or her in some way for his wife's current condition.
Mother and daughter watched as the images faded away.
"Wow, Father REALLY loved me." Anna said sarcastically.
"Anna, stop." Iduna pleaded as her daughter turned to leave. "I know it REALLY looks bad and you have every right to be furious with Agnarr. But you know how your father could get when his stress and anger started to get the better of him."
"Stop making excuses for him!" Anna snapped. "He didn't want me, plain and simple."
"No, Anna." Iduna said. "You should have seen his face when you were born. He was so happy when he saw you for the first time."
"Mother, what aren't you telling me?" Anna asked flatly.
"Well, when you were born, there were further...complications." Iduna confessed.
More images appeared on the wall.
Agnarr winced as Iduna started screaming.
The pains of labor hit her without warning. Her threats towards his person and certain body parts were admittedly rather creative. Her grip on his hand was especially painful and she nearly broke his limb. Fortunately, the doctor and midwives arrived in time to tend to his wife. Agnarr was all but shooed out of the royal chambers.
Inside, he could hear his wife as she panted and screamed.
Struggling to bring their second child to the world.
As if things weren't chaotic enough, Kai and Gerda were struggling to calm down a three-year-old Elsa. It didn't help that there were swirling winds and a burgeoning snowstorm as Elsa reacted to her mother's screams.
A small pool of ice was forming beneath her feet.
She struggled in Kai's arms. "Mama! Mama hurt! Want mama!"
Iduna continued to scream in pain. Elsa reacted to her mother's screams as her own confusion and agitation increased. The snowstorm grew in strength and intensity as a result.
"Mama! Mama!" Elsa yelled.
"Get her out of here!" Agnarr snapped. He had no time or energy to calm down his eldest child. All of his attentions were focused on his precious wife.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Elsa screamed and howled her protests as Kai and Gerda ushered her further down the hall. Agnarr sighed in relief. He didn't wish his unborn son or daughter any ill will. But he couldn't help wishing Iduna never got pregnant again in the first place. They didn't have time or energy for another child.
They just didn't.
Elsa and Arendelle were their priorities.
His own anxiety and agitation increased. He paced restlessly back and forth with his hands behind his back, unable to sit still. Every so often, he would nervously wring his hands. It was a nervous tell that Elsa inherited from him.
Iduna continued to scream.
He grew alarmed when her screams started getting weaker.
Agnarr tried to race inside his chambers, but the midwives wouldn't hear of it. He only got a brief glimpse of a pale Iduna and a growing pool of blood before he was shooed outside once more. He hated feeling helpless and being unable to help his wife.
It was like losing his father all over again.
Or watching helplessly as his own mother died in childbirth.
Not only did he lose his mother, he lost his newborn brother at the same time. It was another reason why he was so reluctant to have another child. He didn't want history to repeat itself. He didn't know what he would do if he lost Iduna. He wasn't sure that he would survive without her.
Iduna and Elsa were his entire world.
Finally, he could hear Iduna give a final cry of exertion.
Then, he could hear the howling cries of a baby. Unable to wait any longer, Agnarr raced inside. The doctor and midwives were struggling to revive Iduna.
She looked weak, pale and fragile.
Only the subtle rise and fall of her chest assured him she was still alive.
Then his attention was riveted as a screaming baby was gently placed in his arms by a midwife. She was wrapped in a blanket and calmed down as soon as he held her somewhat awkwardly. The midwife chuckled and carefully assisted the king so he could adjust his grip.
The baby opened her eyes.
Despite his worry for his wife, Agnarr smiled as her large blue eyes met his.
The images disappeared.
"Fortunately, the doctor and midwives were able to heal me." Iduna said. "But we were told that due to the complications I suffered...I would never be able to bear another child." Of course, there was much that Iduna didn't want to tell Anna.
Such as the fact that Agnarr grew angry and agitated over what Anna's birth did to Iduna's body.
Or that as Anna grew, it was both a curse and a blessing for them both.
Elsa and Anna became very close, the best of friends as they grew. They shared a bond that few could understand and Elsa doted on her younger sister. It didn't hurt that Anna was able to calm Elsa down and encourage her to grow and control her burgeoning abilities.
There were many incidents in which Elsa's powers got out of hand.
Iduna winced as the wall displayed aforementioned incidents.
It was clear that Agnarr was reaching his wit's end. While he was happy that Anna was able to calm Elsa down and help her keep control to a certain degree, he did NOT agree with how his second daughter encouraged Elsa to play childish games with her magic.
He nearly had a fit when Elsa turned the ballroom floor into an ice rink.
Anna looked grim as she witnessed the increasingly bitter arguments her parents had.
Iduna knew that part of the problem was that Agnarr was still traumatized by his less than sterling introduction to magic in the Enchanted Forest and losing his father at the same time. He became fearful of magic as a result. It was why he felt so conflicted where Elsa's growing powers were concerned.
They watched Anna's accident and the subsequent removal of her memories.
But NOTHING could have prepared Anna for what happened next.
Iduna wanted to stop the images. But it was like Ahtohallan was determined to ignore her wishes as two scenes in particular were put on display.
It was late at night.
Anna adjusted her shawl and her grip on her lit candle. She looked around eight years old.
Every so often, Anna would glance over her shoulder. She knew Mama and Papa would be furious if they caught her sneaking to Elsa's chambers, especially at so late an hour.
But she wanted answers.
She wanted to know why Elsa kept on pushing her away.
When she reached Elsa's door, Anna pressed her ear against the wood. She could feel her heart breaking as the sounds of Elsa's sobs reached her ears. Quietly, she knocked on the door. "Who is it?" Elsa asked, wiping hastily at her cheeks.
"It's me, Anna." Anna whispered.
"Go away, Anna." Elsa said sharply.
"No, something's wrong, Elsa." Anna said.
"I'm fine." Elsa said a little too quickly.
"No, you're not fine." Anna protested. "Why do you shut me away, Elsa? All I want to do is play with you. What happened. We used to be so close. What did I do wrong?"
For a while, there was no answer.
Then Anna felt her heart start to pound as Elsa's door unlocked.
"You didn't do anything wrong, Anna." Elsa said. She looked fragile and vulnerable as she ushered her sister inside. Anna looked around in wonder. It was like a winter wonderland in here! There were giant patches of ice on the walls. She could see a pile of snow in the corner. Snowflakes could be visible on the moonlit portions of the room.
"What happened?" Anna asked.
"I happened." Elsa said sheepishly.
"Elsa...you have powers?" Anna said.
"Yes." Elsa said. "One time, I accidentally hurt you."
"Hurt me? How?" Anna asked.
Before Elsa could explain, a grim-faced Agnarr and Iduna scooped their protesting children into their arms. The little girls started crying in fear and confusion. Due to Elsa's rising agitation, a snowstorm started to form. Ice began enveloping the floors, walls and ceiling. The storm was so bad, it blew out the flame on Anna's candle. She lost her grip on the candle and it rolled on the carpeted floor until it hit the wall underneath the window.
Agnarr cried for help as he carried a struggling, crying Anna out of the room.
Iduna was carrying Elsa.
There would be similar scenes over the years.
But each time, Agnarr and Iduna would transport their struggling children on their horses to the valley of the trolls. The first time it happened, Anna looked around in rising fear and confusion. She didn't know about her first meeting with the trolls, as she was unconscious at the time.
Agnarr's hand muffled her protests as he carried her over to Grand Pabbie.
Anna screamed and struggled, tears pouring like rivers down her cheeks.
Grand Pabbie touched her forehead. Then she became unconscious. Elsa struggled as well, until Grand Pabbie knocked her out too. At Agnarr's urging, he altered their memories.
They wouldn't remember discussing Elsa's powers.
Grand Pabbie secretly increased Elsa's fear of her magic to keep her isolated.
As for Anna, in the name of his version of the Greater Good, Grand Pabbie secretly placed a gradually growing aversion ward against her sister in the little girl's mind. So that she would eventually give up on Elsa as she grew older.