Winter's Echo
Chapter Thirty-One – The Meaning of Bravery
Honeymaren leapt from Nokk's back at the water's edge, racing across the shoreline and through the trees toward the sound of clamoring soldiers. The forest was filled with their panicked screams and shouts as they scrambled chaotically through the trees. Some fled in terror, screaming of monsters as tall as mountains made of the same stone; others zig-zagged amongst flaming foliage, slamming their swords and shields like mallets against the earth as they frantically eyed every bush and pile of leaves. A flash of blue to the northeast caught Honeymaren's eye.
"Elsa..." she breathed.
The Northuldran immediately drew an arrow from her stuffed to the brim quiver and made a mad dash through the trees, dodging soldiers as she ran against the grain of fleeing men. As she got closer to the origin of the blue light several of the more seasoned men began to notice her. A figure running against the crowd toward the thing that terrified most of their comrades was likely to draw attention. With a mighty yell, one soldier charged at her only to drop quickly to the earth with an arrow buried in his chest. Honeymaren barely blinked as she hurdled his lifeless body, grasping another arrow from her quiver as she did, the sudden cut off of a battle cry drawing the attention of two more soldiers. Honeymaren dove beneath the swinging sword of the first man, rolling forward and planting an arrow in his unsuspecting backup before standing and swinging her bow like a club and connecting squarely with the first man's head before he was even able to raise his sword for a second strike. Arrows flew from Honeymaren like bolts of vengeful lightning and body after body was left in her wake as she bulldozed her way through the trees, her only thought being of Elsa.
Finally, she broke through the tree line, her heavy pants hanging as a thick mist in the frigid air as she frantically searched the clearing for Elsa. Her heart leapt as she saw her across the field in all her beautiful majesty, dealing out the devastating justice of Ahtohallan like an angel of ice, only to fall to the pit of her stomach when realized where Elsa was...exactly where she was in her dream. Right before...
Honeymaren twisted her body to the right, her eyes frantically scanning the tree line. Distrustful brown eyes narrowed when she was unable to pinpoint Ulrik's position. She was sure he was right th-
She grunted when a large, solid body slammed into her from behind – a soldier trying to run away from the fire spirit's erratic pursuit. She quickly jumped to her feet, reaching back into her quiver for one of her few remaining arrows and nocking it, ready to face the threat head-on. She was unable to help the small smirk on her face when the soldier instead turned and ran away as fast as his feet could carry him, Bruni chirping merrily as he bounced along in hot pursuit. Honeymaren turned her attention back to the tree line again, searching for Ulrik – where was he?!
She looked back at Elsa and the field around her, watching the queen weave her magic in a graceful dance, every flick of her wrist or twirl of her hand sending soldiers flying away from her. Honeymaren watched her sure movements in awe, for it was a rare moment that saw the blonde so confident and fully immersed in her own element. Chocolate eyes hardened as movement from behind the queen drew her gaze, one brave and stupid soldier charging at the winter spirit. Honeymaren raised her bow once more, carefully tracking the soldier's path before loosing. Her arrow found its target in the soldier's neck just as Elsa heard his approach and turned, too late, to face him, jumping backward with a gasp when he fell lifeless at her feet.
Elsa's head jerked upward, her eyes instantly finding Honeymaren's across the field as the Northuldran slowly lowered her bow. The Snow Queen smiled brightly, mouthing 'I love you' across the field before reluctantly turning her attention back to the danger on the field, now with a renewed vigor. Honeymaren gradually made her way toward her fiancé, arrow after arrow flying across the field as she thinned the numbers advancing on the queen, even more so when many started branching off in her direction, as well. The noaide was a blur of deadly movement. Grab an arrow, nock, loose; rip the arrow out of the soon-to-be lifeless body, nock, loose again.
Eventually, there came a time when Honeymaren reached back in her quiver for an arrow and grasped only air. Honeymaren's eyes hardened in determination as she shucked off the empty quiver, tossing it aside and reaching for her father's dagger strapped to her belt. Her fingers wrapped firmly around the hilt and pulled it with practiced ease from its leather sheath, the noaide pressing a kiss to the carved bone and sending a silent prayer to her father's spirit before flying into action once more. Honeymaren swung her bow around her as though it was a smaller version of her staff, using it to create distance between her and her attackers until she was ready. One by one she dispatched the soldiers with deadly accuracy as she ducked and spun beneath fists and swords alike.
Despite her own imminent danger, Honeymaren kept the winter spirit in her sights at all times, ever ready for the moment she foresaw in her dreams. The dark-haired warrior dispatched her final attacker and glanced around the valley, panting heavily. As the soldiers in the field began to thin, the majority of the contingent scattering to the winds, however, a tiny ember of hope began to flare to life in the noaide's chest. Had she prevented the future Ahtohallan had seen from coming to fruition by marooning Anna back in Arendelle? Was it possible that she had shifted all of their fates?
Honeymaren had bent down to wipe the blood from her blade in the snow when she saw it. Her head snapped up so fast her neck cracked. There, directly to her right, just beyond the tree line as she had seen in her dream.
Ulrik.
The glint of a crossbow bolt.
"ELSA! LOOK OUT!"
Honeymaren screamed her lover's name, though she knew it would be useless as she scrambled to her feet, her bow and dagger left forgotten in the bloody snow. Elsa's alarmed gaze turned to her and Honeymaren began to run. Faster than she ever had before, focused only on the beautiful blue eyes of the woman she loved more than life itself, she ran. From the moment they met, the noaide had begun to see those crystal pools everywhere in this world, for in their depths laid the entirety of hers. Now, just as then, their beauty and their innocence guided her heart to its greater purpose.
The moment that seemed to take forever in her premonition was over in an instant, heralded by the whistling of the crossbow bolt, her beloved's scream, and an agonizing pain in her chest and left shoulder as she leapt in front of the spirit queen. Honeymaren grit her teeth against the searing pain as the stars themselves exploded behind her tightly closed eyelids and she stumbled backward into Elsa's arms. "MAREN!" Elsa screamed in panic as she did her best to guide her lover slowly to the ground. "Oh Gods, no, no, no, please, please," she begged as she cradled her in her arms as best she could in a kneeling position, trying not to jostle the woman. Frightened tears streamed down her face as she looked wildly between her and the forest, searching vainly for help she knew would not come. Barely, just barely, she resisted the natural urge to scream for her mother and father, for the position and the desperate fear were so very familiar to a time long ago.
Honeymaren tried to take a breath to speak, but a sharp, stabbing pain closed off her throat from the effort. A strangled sob escaped the queen as she saw the agony in her lover's soft chocolate eyes. She lifted one hand to hover uncertainly over the wound, watching in dismay as a dark red stain began to grow around it. "Please, baby, what do I do?! Tell me how to help you! Do I pull it out?!" Honeymaren grit her teeth and, through sheer will power alone, managed to lift her hand to grasp Elsa's tightly.
"Elsa," Honeymaren ground out, clenching her jaw tight against the pain. "Elsa...please...you have to run." She gasped as a wave of pain washed over her. "Ulrik...he's not alone. There's someone else-" Honeymaren's warning was cut off by a smug laugh several yards away and heavy boots crunching in the red-stained snow. "My, my, this looks familiar. Am I the only one feeling a strange sense of déjà vu, Your Majesty?" came Ulrik's oily voice, biting out Elsa's title sarcastically. Elsa was on her feet in an instant, despite Honeymaren's too-slow attempts to reach out and stop her. She lifted her hands, a bright blue glow collecting in her palms as she prepared to bring the full fury of her magic crashing down on the brute king.
"I'll kill you for this, you vile son of a-" Elsa gasped when a strong, gloved hand grasped her forearm from behind, holding it firm and steady just long enough for a second to clasp a thin, dark metal shackle on her wrist. A sudden wave of intense weakness the queen had never felt before made her knees buckle and sent her stumbling dizzily to the ground. She shakily steadied herself on her knees with one hand, the other reaching up to press against her forehead as she swayed, lightheaded. A smooth, self-righteous chuckle from behind her made the spirit's blood run cold, her eyes going wide in horror.
"You're right, Ulrik. I, too, am getting quite a sense of déjà vu. This is not the first time the witch queen has been on her knees before me, either," the voice said as he stepped around Elsa's vulnerable form, bright green eyes staring triumphantly down at her as a gloved hand raking through bright red locks and smoothed them back into place. "Perhaps, one day, both she and her sister will learn that it is their true place in life."
"H-Hans..." Elsa growled out, struggling to pull herself upright on her knees. Immediately, she reached out a hand to strike at him with her magic, and both she and Honeymaren stared on in horror when nothing happened. She tried again with the same result and stared at her hands with wide, disbelieving eyes, her breath quickening as panic began to consume her.
Her magic was gone.
"W-what's happening?" the queen asked anxiously as she tried to remove the strange metal cuff Hans had snapped on her. She strained with the effort to pull it off, but it was to no avail – it was too tight to slip over her hand. Elsa and Honeymaren looked up to see the earth giants walking about somewhat aimlessly, as though looking for something, a trail of purple and pink fire zigging and zagging in a similar fashion – they appeared to be lost. "Your magic," Honeymaren whispered quietly, turning her wide eyes to Elsa. "It's your link to them. Elsa, they can't find you!" Equally wide, blue eyes looked helplessly back at Honeymaren, completely lost. Never in her dizziest daydreams had she imagined something like this to be possible.
"On your feet, witch," Ulrik called to her with a villainous grin, approaching slowly with smug confidence. He reached out with a hand intent on grabbing Elsa and Honeymaren saw red. Ulrik would touch Elsa again over her cold, lifeless body, premonition be damned. With a sudden burst of adrenaline, the wounded Northuldran scrambled to her feet. "Don't you touch her, you fucking bastard!" she shouted, tackling the king at his waist and sending both of them sprawling to the ground. "Maren!" Elsa cried, stumbling forward on her knees and reaching out to her love desperately. Even in her weakened state, Honeymaren was able to land several solid blows to the king's face and body before he recovered and threw her off of him. The wounded empath landed in a painful heap only a few feet from Elsa, groaning in agony as Ulrik stood, wiping blood from his lip and glaring hatefully at the crumpled form of the Northuldran.
As Elsa stared into her lover's pained chocolate eyes, a sudden clarity came over her. The circumstances may have changed, but her ultimate goal remained the same, magic or no. Protect the forest. Protect Arendelle. Protect the Northuldra.
Protect Honeymaren.
"STOP!" Elsa cried when she saw Ulrik begin stalking toward Honeymaren's prone form, crawling over to cover her noaide's body with hers protectively. Sudden laughter ringing through the trees caused Ulrik to turn hateful black eyes to Hans. "What the hell are you laughing at?" he asked scathingly, spitting out a mouthful of blood. Hans snickered to himself, shaking his head. "It makes so much sense, I can't believe I never thought of it before. No wonder she turned you down, Ulrik. It appears our dear queen fancies the fairer sex," Hans proclaimed with a chuckle, gesturing to Elsa as she lay protectively across her noaide. He folded his arms pompously over his chest, raising a bemused eyebrow at the stunned king. "Were you that bad of a flirt that you forced her to turn to women all those years ago, man?" he teased. "What are you insinuating, you presumptuous ass?" Ulrik growled out, rounding on the red-headed man.
"Elsa...you have to run...please," Honeymaren gasped out quietly as Hans and Ulrik bickered. "Shhh," Elsa shushed gently as a steady stream of tears trekked down her face. "You're going to be alright, Maren," she whispered before placing a soft kiss upon her forehead. "I love you," she murmured shakily before she slowly struggled to stand. The movement caught the bickering men's attention, both Hans and Ulrik watching Elsa's exertion with cruel pleasure as she swayed slightly on her feet. "You win," she said quietly. "Elsa, no!" Honeymaren whimpered out, struggling mightily to move toward the queen.
"Do what you want with me – just leave her be," Elsa continued, stepping between the injured noaide and Ulrik. A slow, wicked smile grew on his face as Ulrik stepped up to Elsa, the queen gasping when his hand shot out and grasped her throat and yank her face toward his. Her hands reached up instinctively to grasp his wrist, trying in vain to pry it away and Ulrik's dark smile only widened at her efforts. He leaned in close to the queen, murmuring lowly in her ear. "Oh, Elsa...I've been waiting a long time for you to beg me for that." Elsa felt sick to her stomach as she felt his hot breath against her face and neck, her mind instantly flashing back to the library in Arendelle. The queen clenched her jaw and closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again, a wall of defiance slamming shut in her icy gaze. She would not give Ulrik the satisfaction of seeing her fear.
Ulrik grinned at the hardening ice in the blonde's beautiful eyes, leaning forward to bury his nose in the soft, white-gold tresses at her temple and inhaling deeply, groaning softly in pleasure before pulling back with a smirk. "I like your spirit, Elsa," he said huskily. "I always have. But..." he trailed off with a vicious smile. "I'm going to like breaking it even more." With that, he thrust his hand forward, tossing the weakened blonde into Hans. The disgraced prince looped one strong arm through hers behind her back, the other reaching around to grasp her throat and pin her against him, chuckling lowly to himself as he felt her panicked struggles as Ulrik made his way over to Honeymaren.
Ulrik put his boot to Honeymaren's chest and shoved her backward into the ground so hard all the air was forced from her lungs. Honeymaren's painful coughing was interrupted by her agonized screams when Ulrik roughly grasped the shaft of the crossbow bolt and began twisting viciously. "MAREN!" Elsa screamed as she struggled against Hans's strong grip. "You know, that bolt was meant for you. It's quite efficiently barbed for maximum damage, as well. How does it feel, Elsa? How does it feel to be the sole reason for the suffering and death of the people you love over and over again?" Hans murmured cruelly into Elsa's ear, grinning to himself when he heard the desperate, hitched sobs begin to escape the queen as another tormented scream tore itself from her lover's throat. "He's going to kill her, Elsa. Then he's going to have his way with you over and over while his army marches on Arendelle. I will be named its king as repayment for your wonderful new magic-dampening bracelet." He paused and chuckled lowly, placing his lips right against her ear and whispering quietly. "I can't wait to see Anna's face..." Elsa's struggles redoubled as Hans's words, though it was all for naught. Her body was far too weak with the sudden loss of her powers. She felt like a newborn deer struggling to find the strength to stand under her own power. All she could do was watch on helplessly in fear and desperation as Ulrik ripped cries of torment from her lover's throat.
"Do you realize now, savage, how meaningless your sacrifice was? How pointless?" Ulrik spat as he knelt on her chest, Honeymaren releasing an anguished wheeze as she felt her ribs crack beneath his weight. "Let...her...go..." she gasped out, reaching up weakly to try to dislodge Ulrik's knee from her chest. Ulrik shook his head in disbelief, a cruel smirk on his face as he glanced up at Elsa's tear-stained face. "Even now, you fight for the winter witch. Compassion grows strong and fierce in you like a cancer, Northuldran. And now, it will kill you." Honeymaren turned her head to look at Elsa, the queen renewing her futile efforts to move to her as their eyes met, a hitched sob escaping the blonde when she was pulled roughly back against Han's muscled chest. Ulrik chuckled darkly at the scene.
"I would die no other way," Honeymaren rasped quietly, slowly taking her hand from Ulrik's knee on her chest and moving it to the crossbow bolt in her shoulder, the shaft slick with her blood from the king's cruel torture moments ago. Taking as deep a breath as possible with the pressure on her chest, Honeymaren grasped the bolt and yanked as hard as she could. She released a guttural cry of agony as the barbs ripped through her flesh when she pulled it free. Just as Ulrik turned his attention back to her, Honeymaren drove the bloodied arrow as with all the strength she had into his thigh. Ulrik cried out in furious pain and fell to his side on the forest floor, gripping his leg tightly as Honeymaren rolled away from him. She coughed weakly and desperately tried to draw air onto her lungs, her entire body wracked with pain.
Hans chortled cruelly at the scene before yanking Elsa away to the tree line. "I'll get Her Majesty settled in the royal carriage while you deal with your new pet, Ulrik," he called out as he pulled the struggling queen along. "MAREN!" Elsa yelled desperately as she was being dragged away, watching through a blur of tears as her lover crawled in agony along the forest floor. "Come now, Your Majesty. Places to be!" Hans teased as he yanked her along and out of sight through the trees. They continued on for only a few moments before two pairs of draft horses and several mounted soldiers came into view. The large beasts were attached to a carriage made of thick wood and iron bars, not unlike those used for prisoner transport. As they approached, one of the soldiers dismounted his horse and unlocked the door at the back of the carriage, holding it open wide as Hans dragged the wildly struggling queen toward it.
Hans leaned down and picked Elsa up with ease, laughing as he threw her over his shoulder and climbed the single hanging step that led into the carriage. Elsa struggled and beat against Hans with all her might, but to no avail - she was still too weak from the draining of her magic for her blows to have any effect. Hans dropped her unceremoniously against the far wall of the carriage, knocking the air from the blonde's lungs. She gasped out as her wrists were roughly yanked above her head and locked in a pair of thick shackles secured by a short chain bolted to the wall of the carriage. "You won't walk away from this, Hans. I swear by all the Gods and magic of this planet, I will kill both of you before this is over," Elsa snarled through her tears. Hans only smirked, reaching out to stroke her cheek and wipe away her tears in a mockingly tender gesture, chuckling to himself when the queen yanked her face away harshly. "You wound me, Elsa. You should be thanking me. I've granted you the wish of your darkest dreams. You've always wanted to be normal; just like everyone else. Now, you are. Your powers are finally gone..." Hans grinned cruelly and lifted her chin in his hand, forcing her to meet his gaze. "And you are nothing without them," he spat viciously as he shoved her face aside before turning and exiting the carriage without another word, slamming the door shut behind him.
As soon as the door shut, Elsa immediately began tugging at her shackles. She yanked this way and that with all her strength but succeeded only in bruising her wrists badly. Elsa closed her eyes and instead tried to concentrate on her magic. She broke through the shackles made especially for her when Hans had her imprisoned in her own dungeon years ago, she could do it again.
It felt different this time, however. Something was very, very wrong. Elsa squeezed her eyes tightly in concentration, digging as deep as she could before whimpering in frustration. She didn't understand! Her magic wasn't trapped as it had been years ago – it was simply gone. The queen twisted her neck to look up at the thin, tight shackle Hans had clamped on her earlier in the forest, the one that had instantly sapped the strength from her body. 'I will be named its king as repayment for your wonderful new magic-dampening bracelet,' Hans had said. The bracelet was responsible for stealing away her magic. But how would she get it off? It was clamped too tightly to simply pull it off and Elsa could see no mechanism to unclip it, either. It appeared to be one, solid ring of dark, ominous-looking metal. Elsa couldn't stand to look at it for very long. There was something deeply unsettling about it; even the dim light streaming in from between the bars of the carriage seemed to absorb into the dark, smooth surface rather than reflect on it. The clearly unnatural existence of the metal itself agitated every corner of her body and soul.
Elsa was brought out of her musings by the sound of movement at the door of the carriage. The door was yanked open, flooding the dark space with light. When Elsa's eyes adjusted seconds later, her heart began to beat wildly against her chest and she once more began to struggle fervently at her bonds, earlier bruises forgotten. All she could see was her barely conscious noaide being held upright by Ulrik and Hans, one man gripping her roughly on each side – Ulrik's bloody nose and the small cut on Han's lip made it clear her lover had not gone quietly. Blood ran from a deep cut at Honeymaren's cheekbone, outlining a dark and angry bruise that was forming on her face from what was clearly a powerful blow. Her crossbow wound was still bleeding profusely, the fresh blood collecting on her shirt glistening in the bright light.
The men unceremoniously tossed Honeymaren onto the floor of the carriage, Ulrik climbing in and dragging her roughly to a pair of shackles that matched Elsa's on the opposite end of the carriage, ignoring Elsa's cries to rouse her lover. Once Honeymaren was secured, Ulrik rounded on Elsa and grabbed her roughly by the throat, pushing her back against the wall as she gasped for air. "When we get to Calabria, I'm going to deal with both of you unnatural whores once and for all. Once I've had my fun with you, you will suffer the fate that befalls all witches. Until then, your savage little bitch will burn at the stake in your stead," he growled out, pressing hard against her throat for a brief moment before releasing his grip and stalking out of the carriage, slamming the door closed behind him as Elsa coughed and gasped for air.
Ulrik gave an angry shout and the carriage instantly lurched forward, the sound of a whip cracking and driving the large horses onward at full speed. "Maren...?" Elsa called out softly to her still lover. Honeymaren had yet to move or speak, the dark-haired woman's face hidden by her loose tresses as her head lolled from side to side with the quick movement of the carriage. Elsa's breath hitched in a panicked sob. "Maren!" she called again more insistently, her desperate voice sounding small to her ears despite its panicked tone echoing around the carriage. "Baby, please..." Elsa began to yank violently against her chains in fear and frustration, the clanking of metal nearly drowning out the sound of her sobs.
"Elsa..."
The pained whisper of her name halted all the queen's movements, the blonde's head whipping around so fast her neck cracked. She stared with wide eyes as pain-dulled brown pools searched the confines of the carriage for her, trying to blink through the haziness created by the pounding of her head. Elsa gave a small sob of relief when doe eyes finally found hers. "Maren..." she whispered. "Baby, I'm right here," she said as soothingly as she could to the injured woman. "You're going to be okay, I'll get us out of here somehow." With that, the queen went back to yanking at her bonds with what strength was left in her, ignoring the pain her struggles were causing.
"Elsa, stop," Honeymaren ordered quietly, wincing at the effort it took to speak – she definitely had a couple of broken ribs. She rested her head heavily on the carriage behind her, concentrating on slowing her breathing. "It's...no use...you're only...going...to hurt...yourself," she spoke slowly, gritting her teeth against the pain. Elsa shook her head in defiance, though her hard yanks reduced themselves to half-hearted tugs as exhaustion began to win out. "I'm so sorry," Elsa whispered, her head dipping in defeat as tears dripped steadily from her face. "Gods, I was so stupid to let you come back for me..." Elsa's head snapped up then, blue eyes wide with renewed fear. "Anna! Where's Anna?!" she asked hoarsely, turning her panicked gaze to Honeymaren. The noaide gave her a small, but genuine and reassuring smile. "She's safe...in Arendelle, Elsa," she said slowly, conserving her breath. "She's...with Kristoff...and my people."
Elsa sobbed quietly, her whole body trembling with relief. She lifted her head skyward and whispered a small prayer of thanks before she looked back at her love, the reality of Anna's absence beginning to dawn on her. "Why did she stay behind?" she asked softly. Honeymaren responded with a tired smirk, giving Elsa a small wink. "I stole...her ride..." she said with a chuckle, something she instantly regretted as she was wracked by a series of painful coughs. Elsa whimpered helplessly and leaned as far forward as her bindings would allow, desperate to comfort her love as Honeymaren gritted her teeth against the pain, gasping shallowly for air. "Those fucking bastards," Elsa hissed furiously through her tears. She looked up at her wrist and once more went to work trying to claw off the bracelet that prevented her from delivering the icy justice of Ahtohallan. "When I get this thing off I swear to you I am going to wipe his entire country off of the map and anyone that had anything to do with-"
"You'll do...no such thing," Honeymaren ground out, finally finding her voice again. Elsa looked back at her in surprise. Just as she opened her mouth to reply, Honeymaren shook her head and spoke again. "You...are going...to run...do you...hear me?" she panted. "You have...to escape. As soon...as they unlock...your wrists...you run." Elsa stared at her like she had grown a second head, her own shaking incredulously. "W-What? No...no! I'm not going anywhere without you, I'm not leaving you!"
"Elsa...listen to me," Honeymaren began but groaned in pain when the carriage made a particularly rough turn, jarring her injuries mercilessly. If they kept up their current pace, they would be in Calabria in no time at all. The noaide sent a silent prayer of hope to Ahtohallan that Anna and the army of Arendelle would be waiting for them before turning her gaze back to Elsa. Her heart broke when she saw the desperate fear in her lover's eyes, crystal pools filled with tears that begged for reassurance. Elsa's gaze fell to something on the floor of the carriage and she whimpered quietly, closing her eyes tightly against the sight. Honeymaren's tired eyes followed her gaze to see a dark red pool growing steadily at her side, creating a sanguine river through the grain of the wood floor. With her arms painfully raised above her head, her wound was no longer being staunched by her pelted shirt and her blood ran freely from the tattered flesh of her shoulder. The sand in the hourglass grew thinner and thinner.
"Elsa," Honeymaren called gently, steeling herself as watery eyes turned to her once more. She took as deep a breath as she could, fighting hard to keep her voice even and steady. "My love, I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...but you're going to be alone now, and you're very bad at that." Elsa shook her head vehemently and closed her eyes tight, willing herself not to hear. "Maren, stop..." she begged through her tears but to no avail. "You're going to be furious...and you're going to be sad...but, listen to me. Don't let this change you," Honeymaren continued in the smooth, reassuring tone that had comforted the blonde so many times before. For the first time, the calm certainty in her lover's voice made her heart clench in fear.
"Stop, stop, just stop it!" Elsa cried. "You're not going to die! I won't allow it, do you understand me?! You can't! You can't..." she trailed off in a whisper as sobs overtook her. "Elsa...look at me," she commanded gently. Elsa shook her head furiously in refusal. "My sweet, beautiful spirit...please, my love. Look at me..." When Elsa's tearful gaze finally met hers, Honeymaren's smile, though sad, was full of love and understanding. "Elsa of Arendelle...whatever happens next, I know what you are capable of. You don't be a warrior. You be the gentle queen I fell in love with." Elsa shook her head, lowering it for a moment before meeting her lover's gaze once more. "How can you ask this of me? How could you expect me to even go on living if you died? And you would ask me to promise to go on living as normal while the people responsible for your death went on living as well?!" she asked with incredulous anger. "I'm sorry, my love, but I cannot make that promise. I won't," she said with another shake of her head.
"I'm not asking you for a promise, Elsa. I'm giving you an order. You will not insult my memory," Honeymaren said firmly, staring seriously into Elsa's wide eyes. "There will be no revenge. I will die, and no one else because sullying your hands with blood will not change anything." Doe eyes softened as Elsa lowered her head in defeat, her hair falling around her face like a curtain and hiding her from her lover's gaze. "Promise me you'll run the first chance you get. Please...no one else needs to suffer, Elsa," Honeymaren said quietly. "What about me?" Elsa whispered brokenly. "We were supposed to start our lives together! But it's me who'll lose you...it is me who will suffer alone in a world that is not worth living in without you!"
Honeymaren gave a small, tearful smile of apology and closed her eyes tiredly for a moment. When she opened them once more, crystalline pools were gazing at her with a renewed sense of worry. "I'm sorry, my love," she spoke slowly, the effort to remain conscious, let alone speak quickly draining her precious little energy. "If there was...something I could do about that...I would." Elsa leaned forward as Honeymaren's eyes began to blink slowly, struggling to stay conscious. "Maren...? Maren?!" she cried, yanking at her chains again in panic as she saw her lover's consciousness begin to fade. "I guess we're both...just going...to have to be brave," her noaide whispered before finally fading into blissful darkness.
AN:
A reward to the first person who can figure out where the 'don't insult my memory' bit comes from! I am planning on eventually doing a collection of one-shots from Elsa and Honeymaren's time together when this story is done and whoever guesses correctly first can choose what the first one will be about.
Let the games begin! And no googling! Play nicely, children.
-Volchise