Winter's Echo

Chapter Thirty-Two – The Final Breath

Elsa stared at Honeymaren's unconscious form as the minutes faded into hours. She had no idea how long they had been traveling. The blonde's entire existence was gripped with fear of what was to come, a helplessness she hadn't felt in nearly four years rocking her to her core. Despite her fatigue, the bitter irony of the situation was not lost on the queen. The understanding that her helplessness now came from the lack of powers she once thought of as a curse rather than their existence nearly broke the winter spirit.

It seemed like forever ago now, those times when Elsa cowered in her room as her powers wreaked havoc on her life – oh, how easily her beautiful noaide had soothed her ragged soul! A tiny, sad smile graced her lips as she closed her eyes, allowing her mind to lose itself for just a moment in the memories of how her lover had helped her heal from her tormented past. Elsa had come to realize over their time together how thoroughly Honeymaren had cared for her fragile soul. While the noaide had made quite a few grand gestures to win Elsa's trust and pull the reserved woman from the dark recesses of her own mind, it was her constant quiet strength and warmth that had truly allowed the queen to accept that she was safe.

Elsa thought back to all the times they had stayed up long into the night with nothing but the fire between them, talking of all manner of things. Honeymaren would ask her all about Arendelle, philosophy, her joys, her fears, her favorite stories – really anything that came to the curious noaide's mind. When Honeymaren's deep commitment to the blonde's wellbeing had made itself known, Elsa had realized her inquiries had not just been pure curiosity on the Northuldran's part. As Honeymaren was learning about her, carefully neutral questions were forcing the reclusive queen to search her own heart and mind for answers as she learned about herself, as well. Honeymaren was good at that. She sighed softly and rested her pounding head against her arm as she recalled the first night she had spent in the noaide's arms.

Elsa cringed slightly as she felt the earth around her rumble from the force of the thunder overhead. The queen was not afraid of storms by any means, but she had never before felt so exposed during one. It had been just a few weeks since she had come to live in the forest and this was her first time being 'outdoors' during a storm. Another bright flash of lightning made her wince, the impossible brightness of it hurting her eyes even through the small opening at the top of their lavvo. The spirit wrapped her arms around her legs, drawing them up close and resting her chin on her knees as rain pounded heavily against the bark lining of their shelter. Elsa wondered briefly if the structure would hold. She glanced over the fire and across the lavvo at the peacefully sleeping noaide, a tiny smile tugging at her lips.

Elsa had never been a deep sleeper; their mother had always said it was her worrying nature, spending many nights soothing the young princess's overactive mind. Iduna would then glance over at her loudly snoring younger sibling and grin impishly. 'Your sister is too busy dreaming up ways to get into mischief to have time to worry,' she would say, knowing it would make Elsa giggle. The memory made Elsa's smile grow just a bit before it slowly fell from her face.

'Mother...'

Elsa's thoughts turned to her parents. She wondered what they would have thought about everything that had transpired; freezing the kingdom, Hans...her Grandfather's cruel treachery against the Northuldra and her decision to abdicate the throne. Would they be proud of her? Ashamed? Another deafening boom of thunder made the winter spirit jump harshly. She imagined the storm that had stolen her parents from her must have been similar to the one around her now. The queen whimpered, closing her eyes tightly as their icy likeness from their wrecked ship assaulted her mind.

"Elsa? Are you alright?"

Watery blue eyes snapped open with a gasp as her name was called softly by her no longer sleeping tent-mate, the dark-haired woman propped up on her elbow. She hastily wiped away the evidence of her weakness with the back of her hand. "I'm fine," she answered quietly, forcing a small smile on her face. "Did the storm finally wake you? I think the earth giants are quieter," she joked with a humor she didn't actually feel. The noaide simply looked at her, warm brown eyes searching troubled blue pools. Elsa tore her eyes away from Honeymaren's penetrating gaze, turning her head away. The Northuldran's gaze always made her feel so...bare – like Elsa could hide nothing from those intelligent eyes that always seemed to know the truth of her soul. Another resounding boom made Elsa gasp sharply, her arms tightening around herself even more.

"Come here, Elsa."

Elsa looked at the noaide once more to find the woman had pushed herself into an almost seated position now, supporting her weight on one hand while the other held the large, heavy fur she was using as a blanket up invitingly. Elsa blushed hotly, first from the thought of sharing a bed with the beautiful woman she was secretly developing feelings for, then from the embarrassing realization that said woman thought she needed to be comforted from the storm like a small child. Just as she opened her mouth to insist she was perfectly fine, she was stopped when the noaide placed a single finger to her own lips, indicating the queen should be silent.

"Come."

Elsa bit her lip for a moment before a final, deafening crack of thunder saw her resolve shatter as she complied with the dark-haired woman's gentle order, moving obediently across the small space that separated her from the noaide to lie next to her. The queen lay at the very edge of the bedroll and faced the fire, folding her hands and laying her head atop them with her back to the other woman, trying even now to hide her distress from the empath that draped the warm, heavy fur across them both. She gasped softly when strong arms enveloped her, lovingly cradling her head and pulling her close in a protective embrace. Almost instantly, the feeling of pure safety that encompassed her whenever the noaide was near washed over the emotional spirit like a wave. "Maren," she whispered through tears she was suddenly incapable of stopping, bringing her hands up to grasp the arm across her chest in near desperation as a different storm approached its zenith within her. "Shhh, shhh, shhh. It's alright, sweet spirit," Honeymaren murmured into silken waves of molten white-gold, pulling the queen ever closer and bringing her lips next to her ear. "It's okay, Elsa...I've got you."

Those few words had opened the floodgates inside the queen so many months ago. Those six simple whispered words from the noaide's lips and the monarch had turned to bury her face against the dark-haired woman's chest and wept. That night, Elsa had cried out all of her fears and frustrations, her hopes and her dreams, the questions that burned in her heart and mind that terrified her to find the answers to. That night, Elsa had finally opened her heart enough to allow Honeymaren to soothe her frazzled soul.

That night, Honeymaren was no longer simply a noaide.

She was hers.

Her noaide.

Elsa opened her eyes again, turning her head once more to her unconscious lover and taking in Honeymaren's beautiful features. Soft, dark tresses that had fallen through the queen's fingers like waves of silk so many times now framed a face more precious to Elsa than she could have dreamed possible. A pretty, heart-shaped face with high, defined cheekbones that gave their owner a perfect, feminine strength. Soft, chocolate eyes that could stare straight into her soul were hidden from Elsa by unconsciousness, lined by eyelashes so long and thick they brushed against those perfect cheeks in a feather-light kiss.

A kiss...

Elsa's eyes drifted down to the hairpin curve of Honeymaren's full, pouty lips and the winter spirit felt her heart clench. Oh, the things those lips had done to the queen over the months she had known the noaide. They had kissed away countless tears and despairs and eased her every worry when the nights became too difficult to bear. They had made her laugh as they teased her and conveyed a sharp and clever wit that rivaled the queen's own. They had made her sob in ecstasy and lifted her to the heights of heaven as they worshipped every inch of her skin at the altar of their love. They brought her unbridled wonder as they whispered to her the secrets of life the reclusive queen had been too shy to seek out until now.

And now those perfect, beautiful, wonderful, fantastic, incomprehensible lips...were silent. Would be silent forever if Elsa didn't find a way out of this. Elsa gasped as the rumbling of the carriage suddenly changed from a random, erratic jostling to a consistent, gentle rattle. The queen's eyes widened with fear as she realized what that meant.

They had reached a stone road.

They had reached Calabria.

Elsa panicked as the sounds of a crowd reached her ears through the open bars of the carriage. "Maren! Wake up!" she cried, yanking at her shackles with all her strength. "Baby, please, you have to wake UP!" Honeymaren began to stir just as the carriage screeched to a sudden halt, the hooves of the powerful beasts pulling the carriage scrambling erratically on the cobblestone as they reared and stamped their feet in protest of the harsh stop. The rough jostling brought Honeymaren all the way into consciousness with a grimace, bleary eyes blinking slowly as she tried to make sense of her environment. Pain-addled brown eyes finally landed on Elsa, understanding and recognition sparking in them just as the door to the carriage swung open. Both women winced from the sudden invasion of bright light as a large soldier in a dark red uniform climbed into the carriage next to Honeymaren, reaching over her head to unlock each of her shackles. The moment her hands were free, another pair of hands outside the carriage roughly grabbed her by the ankles. The noaide yelped in a mixture of pain and surprise as she was roughly yanked out of the door, landing painfully on her back on the hard cobblestone road below, Elsa's cry following her short journey.

"MAREN!" Elsa cried out as she saw her fiancé disappear over the edge of the carriage, Ulrik's smug, bruised face grinning down at the crumpled Northuldran with evil glee before soulless black eyes glanced up to meet enraged crystalline pools. "Hello, darling," he said with dark mirth, nodding to the soldier still inside the carriage. Elsa kicked out viciously as the large man made his way to her, the soldier grunting when the queen landed a solid blow to his gut before managing to secure her legs. Rather than unlocking the shackles as he had done with Honeymaren, he first attached a separate pair to the queen's wrists. These ones appeared to be made from the same magic-stealing metal as her bracelet but were connected to a long chain, the end of which trailed out of the back of the carriage. Once secured, the soldier began unlocking the first pair from the wall of the carriage.

"I'm sorry."

Elsa paused in her furious struggle for a moment to look up into the sad, surprisingly kind hazel eyes of the soldier with confusion. Judging by his uniform, he seemed to be an officer of some kind. Elsa couldn't help but think he looked young...and scared. "I'm so sorry, Your Majesty," he whispered again before her shackles were released from their mooring in the wall of the carriage, the queen's hands falling to her lap under the weight of the metal. Not a second later, Elsa braced herself against a sudden, violent tugging on her bindings, looking up in horror to realize Ulrik himself was at the other end of the chain she was now attached to. She looked desperately up to the young soldier in the carriage with her, noting with dismay that his eyes were closed tightly, his head turning guiltily from the sight of the queen as she struggled.

Elsa yelped as she slid forward a foot or two, desperately trying to dig her heels into the wood floor of the carriage, but to no avail. She gasped when Honeymaren's face suddenly appeared, the weakly struggling Northuldran being held up roughly by two soldiers. Ulrik took advantage of her moment of distraction and gave another mighty heave that caused Elsa to slide all the way to the edge of the carriage with a yelp, her legs falling over the side. He grinned toothily at the queen, gathering the excess chain in his hands just as she launched herself from the edge of the carriage in an effort to reach Honeymaren. Elsa cried out in pain when all forward movement was halted as she was yanked roughly back into Ulrik's arms, the brute king crowing with delight.

"What do you think, lads?" he called out gleefully as he pulled the queen close with one hand, the other grasping her face roughly, showing her off to his assembled soldiers and any citizens that happened to be in the castle proper when they arrived. "Behold! Your new queen!" he chuckled smugly before bringing her face to his and kissing her harshly. Elsa struggled fiercely against him for a moment, unable to use her bound hands to push him away. Suddenly, Ulrik cried out in pain and jerked away from Elsa, dropping his hand from her face and bringing it to his lip. He drew his hand back and snarled at the blood on his fingers from where Elsa's teeth had pierced his lip. The king stared at her with hatred, his black eyes alight with an evil fire as he spit a mouthful of blood to the side. Without warning, Ulrik drew back and delivered a powerful backhand to Elsa's face, the queen crying out in pain as she was sent to the cobblestone road hard.

Honeymaren came to life with a fire and fury that required not one, but two additional soldiers to contain as she tried to throw herself at Ulrik, pure rage and adrenaline allowing her to push beyond her grievous injuries as she cursed him six ways from Sunday. "To the stake with her!" he bellowed, gesturing at Honeymaren as he stalked over to Elsa's crumpled form, the queen struggling to bring her vision back into focus. "Come, my love," he growled, reaching down to roughly yank the blonde to her feet. Elsa's head swam violently from the sudden change in position, a small drop of blood from a cut on her cheekbone slowly trekking its way down her pale but rapidly bruising cheek. "You'll want a good view of this show." With that, Ulrik yanked her chain viciously, causing her to stumble forward as she was forced to follow his quick pace, several soldiers following obediently in their wake.

Honeymaren struggled against the group of soldiers as they dragged her through the courtyard to a simple, raised platform with a thick pole in the center of it situated in the middle of the public area. The Northuldran paused in her struggles as her breath left her, recognizing it from her vision for what it was – her pyre. Her efforts redoubled as she saw Elsa being yanked roughly to a staircase leading up to the balcony where the winter spirit would be forced to watch her die, even as she was hauled up her own set of steps. Honeymaren turned her attention back to the dais she was now on top of, realizing that the platform was actually built around the thick pole that had been buried upright in the ground, the base of it blanketed in bundles of straw and kindling.

She was roughly shoved onto one of the thick, heavy planks that created temporary bridges to the pole before she was yanked around and pressed back against it. Honeymaren's hands were instantly bound behind her back by shackles, effectively restraining her to the pole. Several more chains were wrapped around her chest and her legs, binding her tightly against the wood. Honeymaren tried to calm her racing heartbeat, desperately trying to stave off the panic rising in her as her fate drew ever nearer.

"Let...me...GO!" Elsa snarled as she yanked with all her might against her bonds, turning as much of her body away from Ulrik as she could, but to no avail. Dark eyes shone with glee as Ulrik reeled Elsa in closer until she was directly in front of him before he reached out and grabbed her roughly by her upper arm. He yanked her to the side, forcing her to look over the balcony and the courtyard below. Elsa looked wildly about the large crowd of citizens gathered, gasping as she saw Honeymaren in the center of it all.

"MAREN!"

Honeymaren's eyes lifted to the balcony to see Elsa struggling against Ulrik as he stood behind her, pressing her up against the railing with his soldiers forming a guard around them. Honeymaren kept her eyes focused on the queen as her own armored entourage worked around her to finish securing her. She could endure anything as long as she focused on her angel of winter, she thought. She stared at her love as the soldiers ripped the sleeves and legs off of her blood-soaked shirt and pants as well as her boots to expose as much flesh to the flames as possible. She kept her eyes trained on her when they retreated from her presence and bent down to yank the planks away, causing Honeymaren to jostle painfully as her full weight was now supported only by the chains binding her tightly to the pole. She watched her still as one of them tossed a lit torch onto the pile of kindling at her feet. Even as the rising heat began to make the air ripple around her like a mirage...as the flames licked agonizingly at her bared skin, drops of her own blood sizzling and boiling away in the heat...even as the first tendrils of smoke started weaving an ever darker curtain between them...

Honeymaren's eyes never left the image of her angel of ice and snow.

Elsa screamed her lover's name in terror again and again as she struggled viciously against Ulrik, the king snaking one arm around her waist while the other stuffed a thick, dark red piece of cloth in her mouth to silence her. He ran the back of his calloused fingers against the queen's cheek as she sobbed in a sickeningly delicate manner, brushing away her tears with a smirk before his hand trailed slowly down her jawline to caress her throat possessively. Ulrik buried his nose in Elsa's hair and inhaled deeply, groaning softly and pressing closer against her. "Just wait and see, Elsa. I'll show you everything you've been missing," he whispered hotly in her ear, using the arm around the queen's waist to yank her close against him roughly. "You will bear me a fine son; a son with the power to control ice and snow. He will conquer the world under my guidance – he will learn to use his powers to their full potential in the way his whore mother never did."

Despite her attempts to be brave, the queen's fear and desperation rolled off of her in waves at the nightmare he envisioned and it fueled the dark, sadistic fire in Ulrik's heart. Elsa nearly vomited having him pressed so close against her while she watched her lover's struggles weaken with each passing second, overcome with unstoppable coughing. Her eyes widened impossibly further with panic as he released her from his embrace and begin to pull her further along the balcony and away from her view of her noaide. Elsa tried to scream out to her lover around her gag as Honeymaren's head began to slowly fall to her chin, succumbing to smoke inhalation even as the flames licked higher and higher.

Elsa sobbed as Ulrik dragged her further and further away before finally pulling her into a room at the end of the balcony. He gave her chains a mighty heave, using her momentum as she stumbled forward toward him to push her onto a large bed in the middle of the room before he quickly began securing her chains to the thick wooden headboard. After a few moments, Ulrik panted and licked his lips as he stood back, grinning down at the struggling, helpless monarch. "Oh, how I've dreamt of this moment, Elsa," he purred lowly, loving the way watery blue eyes looked up at him with unabashed fear. "For so many years, I've thought of little else. The unattainable, unbeatable ice queen...completely helpless before me. I'm going to enjoy this," he promised darkly, his sadistic grin growing. He walked back to the door, Elsa's eyes following him as he spoke to the soldier standing in the doorway. The queen recognized him as the young officer from the carriage, her eyes pleading with his as Ulrik spoke. "See to it that we are not disturbed, Gustav. The rest of you, be gone." Hazel eyes tore themselves from the terrified blue pools on the bed to meet the gaze of their king while the other soldiers departed. "Yes, Your Majesty," came the soldier's obedient reply before Ulrik closed the door, looking one last time at the queen before the door shut her away from his view.

Ulrik stalked back toward Elsa in a predatory manner as the queen pulled futilely against her bonds. The king climbed onto the bed, blanketing Elsa's body with his and grinding himself against her, groaning loudly at the contact. Elsa kicked, flailed, and tried everything she could to buck him off of her, sobbing in horror at what was about to happen. Elsa closed her eyes tightly, her breath coming in quick, panicked gasps as Ulrik's hands began to wander across her body, squeezing and caressing her roughly on their volatile path. She tried to focus on the image of her noaide, healthy and laughing and free in her mind's eye as Ulrik's lips and tongue caressed her neck. 'Please, my love,' she begged in her prayers. 'Please forgive me...'

Suddenly, the weight above her became impossibly heavy as it dropped on her before falling away altogether. Elsa instinctually cringed away from the gentle touch on her brow that followed before slowly daring to open her eyes, watery blue pools going wide with surprise and confusion when she saw not Ulrik above her, but the young officer. "I'm so sorry, Your Majesty. I had to be sure the others had gone," he said hurriedly as he pulled the thick cloth from Elsa's mouth, tossing it aside before clambering for the keys at his belt. "I'll get you out of here safely, I swear."

Elsa's head whipped to the side to see Ulrik lying on the floor on the other side of the bed, unmoving. She stared up at the young man above her, eyes shining with hope. She tried desperately to quiet her sobs and calm her erratic breathing as he worked to free her from her bonds. He was a large man and appeared to be a few years younger than herself; likely he couldn't have been much older than Anna, she guessed distractedly. There was great kindness and compassion in his hazel eyes, distressed though they were - he reminded her a bit of Kristoff. Finally, he was able to unlock her shackles, reaching down and grasping her hands ever so gently to help her into a sitting position, her legs swinging over the side of the bed. The young officer, Gustav, Ulrik had called him, glanced down at the queen's delicate hands in his own, his face crumbling as he saw the deep black and purple bruising that completely covered her wrists and forearms. He fell to one knee before Elsa, pressing his forehead gently against her hand. "Your Majesty...I beg your forgiveness. Please," he whispered, placing a desperate kiss to her hand. "Please, believe me, Calabria has no love for that madman we call 'King'! I swear on my life, we would never-"

"Please, can you get this off?!" Elsa interrupted, holding up her other wrist in earnest. "If you are truly repentant, help me!" she cried, watery eyes searching confused hazel and desperately grasping at the faintest rays of hope that were building in her heart. Gustav's eyes fell to the thin, dark metal band that Elsa was gesturing to, his eyes lighting with recognition. Instantly, he fumbled with the keys once more before settling on a tiny, delicate-looking silver key that seemed so out of place amongst the others on the ring. He held it up to her with a bright smile before setting to work once more as Elsa watched on anxiously.

The moment the shackle fell from her wrist, Elsa's magic surged from every pore of her being and exploded outward in a flash of the brightest blue light, bringing a renewed strength to her fatigued muscles as she stood from the bed. Gustav bowed his head low before the immaculate vision before him, planting one fist on the floor while the other covered his heart. "My Goddess!' he whispered reverently, his whole body shaking at the awesome power he felt rolling off of the woman in waves.

Elsa stared down at her trembling hands in surprised wonder, nearly laughing in relief before her mind brought her back to the present. With barely a second glance at the kneeling soldier who had saved her life, she ran to the door. Not bothering with wasting time on the handle, she released a powerful blast of her pent up magic upon it, leaving Gustav to watch on in disbelieving awe when the wood nearly disintegrated from the force of the blow. Elsa ran out of the room and leaned over the railing of balcony searching the now fleeing crowd of citizens for her lover. She found her just in time to see Honeymaren's head fall for the final time before the smoke and flames completely consumed her.

"HONEYMAREN!"

Honeymaren tried desperately to stay conscious despite the unbearable pain of the fire, scanning the masses of innocent citizens around her in desperate hopes of seeing a contingent of Arendellian soldiers, though she knew it was for naught. Even if the army had somehow managed to get there in time, Honeymaren's vision had confirmed there would be no salvation forthcoming for her. An impossibly bright blue light lit up the entirety of the courtyard and the noaide smiled tiredly, despite her weak coughing. "Snowflake..." she whispered hoarsely as her vision began to fade. It was going to be okay now. Elsa would be safe with her powers to protect her. She could let go...

Her brow furrowed at the faint sound of chirping and she struggled to keep her eyes open, looking blearily around for the source of the noise that had seemed so familiar, yet she had never been able to decipher. It seemed so close...

As her chin fell against her chest, too weak to hold her head up any longer, she finally saw the source of the noise. Zipping about in the flames completely unharmed was Bruni, chirping up at her insistently. Honeymaren tried to laugh, but managed only a weak cough as the flames around her turned from angry reds and oranges to almost soothing shades of purples and pinks and the heat disappeared. A cool breeze kissed her cheeks, caressing her lovingly as it swirled around her. *We are with you, brave noaide,* the breeze whispered to her. *We are here...you are not alone,* said the voice she had never heard before, yet knew without a doubt.

'Gale...' Honeymaren's hazy mind supplied before the white light she knew would come began to overtake her vision. She closed her eyes and the woman from her vision appeared instantly in a blanket of soft white, smiling warmly at her. Honeymaren couldn't help but smile at this woman that seemed so familiar, yet she still couldn't place. The curve of her lips as she spoke to her and the blue of her eyes reminded her of Elsa.

'HONEYMAREN!'

There it was - Honeymaren heard Elsa calling her name. She turned to look for her, knowing her gaze would be gently guided back by the mysterious woman – she turned anyway. "It is time, my child," the woman said softly and beckoned her with a delicate hand to follow her into the light. Away from the pain, away from the fear, and on to her greater purpose. Honeymaren followed her with one final, deep sigh of relief.

"Elsa..."

Elsa screamed her lover's name, instantly creating a ramp of ice from the balcony to the courtyard before fighting through the panicked crowd to get to the noaide. The dainty queen was finding it almost impossible to get through the throng of terrified citizens. For a moment, Elsa raised her hands, the tell-tale blue glow of her magic building at her fingertips. Anyone that stood between her and her love, especially a citizen of Calabria, was a threat that she was more than willing to wipe from the earth. Just as she was about to unleash devastating justice upon the souls of the kingdom that had stolen her and her fiancé, Honeymaren's final words echoed loudly in her mind. 'You will not insult my memory. I will die, and no one else.' Elsa whimpered in fear and frustration before the menacing blue glow faded from her hands, instead redoubling her efforts to push through the crowd.

Suddenly, a hand gently grasped her wrist from behind, causing Elsa to cry out in terror. She spun to face her assailant with hands raised to defend herself, surprised to see Gustav holding his hands up non-threateningly. "Please," he shouted to be heard above the crowd. "Let me help you, Your Majesty!" Elsa eyed him warily for a brief moment before nodding, allowing the young soldier to shield her with his considerably larger, more muscular frame. Gustav lowered his shoulders and began to bulldoze his way through the crowd, innocent civilians bouncing off of his armored body as though he were as solid as a brick wall. He used one strong arm to keep Elsa safely behind him, the other occasionally grabbing a panicked citizen and tossing them aside in his effort to clear a path.

A loud, deep bellow of a very distinct sounding bugle-horn made Elsa's head snap up in surprise, crystal blue eyes shining with hope. Could it be?

Anna charged into the courtyard brandishing her bow in front of her with an arrow already nocked and ready to loose. On her right, Kristoff stood at the ready, brandishing a heavy-looking broadsword and panting heavily, honey gold eyes set in grim determination. On her left stood General Mattias in a similar stance, serving as her personal guard as he did to her late father before her. Bringing up the rear was Davos, roaring mightily as he put a booted foot to a Calabrian soldier's chest and sent him flying through a shop window.

The Arendellian army met very little resistance when they stormed the castle of Calabria. Though the element of surprise would have made mounting a defense nearly impossible, it was immediately clear to the invading company that these soldiers held no love or loyalty for the brute king. The barest token of retaliation was mounted before surrender was offered in near entirety. There were those soldiers who continued to resist as they broke through the gates, but these men were few, far between, and dealt with mercilessly. They were rendered helpless by the heavily armored soldiers of Arendelle before being left to the justice of the Northuldran warriors that accompanied the contingent, the nomads just as eager to fight for their queen as the soldiers. In no time at all, the entire company was in the courtyard of the castle proper, one of the soldiers sounding the traditional war horn of Arendelle to signal both their presence and their triumph with Anna, Kristoff, Mattias and Davos leading the charge.

As the crowd of terrified citizens fled before them Anna gasped in horror, her eyes wide as she took in the eerie scene of the smoke-filled courtyard before her. The dying remnants of what had surely been a devastating blaze lay at the base of a thick pole, surrounded by a charred platform. The redhead's bow fell from hands that suddenly lost all feeling, the sound of the weapon clattering on the cobblestone echoing in her ears as she tried to process what she was seeing. Anna could just make out the form of a person secured to the other side of the pole through the thick haze of smoke. When a cool wind whispered through the courtyard, clearing the haze for just a moment and catching long, dark locks in its breeze, Anna felt all the blood drain from her face.

"No..." she whispered disbelievingly, stumbling forward a few steps before breaking into an all-out run, her stunned entourage scrambling to catch up to her. Anna raced around the other side of the platform, her hands flying to her mouth in horror as she tried to muffle her own screaming sob. Kristoff, Mattias, and Davos skidded to a halt around her, each one staring disbelievingly at the scene before them. Kristoff immediately took the sobbing redhead into his arms, hiding her face in his muscled chest to block her view of the noaide even as he himself closed his eyes tightly against the sight. Even Davos, the grizzled soldier that he was, turned his head away. Only Mattias stared, unblinking, at the burned and broken body of his former charge. He managed a few, unsteady steps forward before falling to his knees before the dais as silent tears streamed unchecked down his face. Eyes that had seen all manner of horror in war took in the gaping wound in Honeymaren's shoulder and the multitude of burns that covered her exposed hands, legs, and feet..the areas of the chain, still red-hot from the fire, where the hot metal had branded the Northuldran over and over again. All of this, the war-worn soldier took in with wide eyes...eyes that finally closed in their agony when he heard a timid, terrified voice several yards behind him.

"...Maren?"

Anna looked up from the comfort of her fiancé's chest upon hearing Elsa's quiet voice, whipping her head around to see her sister's wide, horror-filled gaze locked on the broken body of her lover as she brushed past a young Calabrian soldier. Anna immediately stepped out of Kristoff's embrace and intercepted her sister's beeline for the charred pyre, trying too late to block Elsa's view of the horror. The winter spirit let out a soul-wrenching cry of anguish, trying desperately to escape Anna's grasp and go to her lover's body. "Elsa, she's gone," she whispered through her tears, pulling her sister ever closer as Elsa screamed her noaide's name. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart, she's gone...she's gone..." The redhead sobbed as she held onto Elsa for dear life, following the inconsolable blonde to the ground as the Queen of Ice and Snow sank to her knees, screaming her agony and despair for all the world to hear.

Honeymaren held her forearm out in front of her, trying to shield her eyes from the brightness around her. She blinked rapidly as her eyes adjusted and her surroundings slowly began to come into view. When she lowered her arm, she gasped softly at the sight that greeted her.

"...Elsa?"

Before her, the winter spirit stood in all her beauty and splendor, dressed in an elegant teal gown with a black velvet bodice, a purple cape of silk trailing regally behind her as she walked toward Honeymaren. Eyes of the purest blue were set in determination, but the noaide could see the unbridled fear in their crystalline depths. Her brow furrowed in concern before her eyes narrowed in suspicion as she scrutinized the woman slowly walking toward her, taking careful, measured steps. Elsa looked...different. As chocolate pools scanned the beauty before her, she began to notice tiny details that set off warning bells in her mind. There was no doubt the woman before her was Elsa.

It just wasn't her Elsa.

This Elsa was younger. Her hair was coiffed in a tight, elegant updo instead of the wild, natural beauty or relaxed braid her love normally kept it in. Her eyes held none of the laughter and love that shone from her Snowflake's eyes - there was nothing but fear and grim duty to be found there. Her lover had always had fantastic posture, but the proudly lifted chin and confidently squared shoulders of the woman before her was disingenuous. It was an imitation. An image.

A bluff.

Honeymaren took a wary step back when Elsa didn't acknowledge her presence as she continued to walk forward, looking right through the noaide. "Elsa?" she asked softly. She received no answer and gasped in shock when the queen continued to walk toward her...before walking through her. Honeymaren's breath came in stuttering gasps as she tried to grasp what had just happened, her hands rapidly running up and down her own body. She was whole - she could feel the solidness of her body. But then how...?

The dark-haired woman whipped around to see Elsa had continued walking, the long train of her cape trailing behind her. "Elsa!" she called, louder this time, but with the same result before she scrambled to follow her love. As she drew nearer, more shapes and images came into view. Elsa stopped at the railing of an ornate stone balcony overlooking a large courtyard, a small, polite smile on her face that didn't reach her eyes. Hundreds upon hundreds of people were filing in through two sets of tall, heavy wooden gates that closed off the courtyard from the outside world. Recognition dawned in Honeymaren's eyes as she came to a stop at the railing next to the mute queen.

She was in Arendelle.

Honeymaren turned her head to look at the beautiful queen standing next to her and her heart squeezed painfully in her chest. The blonde was completely still, save for the barely noticeable shaking of her gloved hands. The woman next to her barely breathed. In fact, Honeymaren was quite sure from the stillness of her shoulders that the young queen was actually holding her breath, even her lips frozen in their hollow smile. The noaide's face fell when she saw the tell-tale sparkle of tears begin to well in Elsa's eyes, though the blonde's stoic face never betrayed her inner turmoil as she watched the courtyard fill with what looked to be thousands of people. Finally, a single, frightened tear managed to escape her iron will and trailed ever so slowly down her pale, smooth cheek. The queen made no attempt to brush it away, refusing to draw attention to her weakness in any way, for she was strong. She was infallible. She was in complete and utter control.

She was the Queen.

"Oh, Snowflake..." Honeymaren breathed, unable to resist the urge to reach out to the Elsa of yesteryear to wipe away the offending tear before a voice called softly to her.

"I'm afraid she cannot hear or feel you, noaide."

Honeymaren's hand jerked away from Elsa reflexively as she spun to face the voice. Standing only a few feet away was the beautiful woman who had called her into the light. The enigmatic woman was petite and a bit smaller than herself, with brown hair several shades lighter than her own coiffed in a similar fashion to Elsa's. She appeared to be older, perhaps in her early forties and moved with the confidence and grace of someone of great nobility as she nearly glided to Elsa's other side to look over the packed courtyard before regarding the blonde with a small, sad smile, and eyes of a deep blue. Seeing her next to her lover instantly completed the connection the dark-haired woman had been missing. The familiar curve of her mouth, the soft mezzo tone of her voice, the endless blue of her eyes.

"You're Elsa's mother," she whispered.

The woman glanced at her and her smile grew a bit before looking back at Elsa as the young queen made her first address to her people, though no sound was heard. "In a manner, yes," she confirmed after a moment before her eyes met Honeymaren's once more. "I am also yours. I am a mother to all in the realm of the enchanted forest," she added as Elsa turned from the balcony and walked gracefully back into the castle and the entire scene faded away. Honeymaren's eyes lit with understanding as she instantly dropped to her knees, bowing her head in reverence. "Great Mother," she whispered in awe, folding her hands in her lap demurely. "I am borne of your grace, and your grace I am born to serve." A gentle hand under her chin guided her gaze upward to meet her soft smile before the diety reached down and grasped Honeymaren's hands, bidding her to stand.

"Your loyalty is beyond contestation, my sweet child, and I could not be more proud," she began softly before squeezing Honeymaren's hands. "But we both know the voice guiding your heart is not mine." Honeymaren blinked in surprise before the room was suddenly filled with dozens of images of Elsa from various points in her life. The noaide's heart clenched and tears sprang unbidden to her eyes as voices from memories that did not belong to her invaded her mind. A holy man chanting a prayer as a terrified Elsa stood before a congregation of nobles, an ornate scepter and orb in her trembling hands. The panic in a young Elsa's voice as she recoiled from her parents in fear, begging them not to touch her and risk their safety. The traitorous, red-headed prince calling out to Elsa in a palace made of ice, telling her to be better than the monster the people thought she was. The same man holding a sword high above the broken, kneeling form of her love as he named her in her beloved sister's death. Finally came the desperate, whimpering whisper of a young blonde child cradling an even younger, unconscious redhead in a room full of ice. 'It's okay, Anna...I've got you..."

Honeymaren sucked in a deep breath as though she had been underwater and wiped away her freely flowing tears with a trembling hand. Her empathic ability nearly brought her to her knees, feeling her very soul ache for her lover. "Why...?" she whispered hoarsely, bringing her eyes up to meet the sad blue of the Great Mother's. "Why would you allow her to suffer such a life?" she asked desperately, her voice becoming harsh as the injustice of all her lover had endured bled into it. "Why didn't you help her?! Where were you?!" she cried out through angry tears, unable to tear her eyes from the image of a young, terrified Elsa cradling her baby sister. The diety took the noaide's angry outburst in patient stride, knowing the truth of her heart and her frustrations. "I'm afraid I had no power over her life in Arendelle other than to ensure the birth of her and her sister," she answered solemnly. "A power I only had due to their mother being a child of the forest. I did what I could to help her, however." Honeymaren couldn't help the quiet, bitter scoff that erupted from her throat, shaking her head as she studied the childish image of the woman she loved. "How's that?"

'It's okay, Elsa...I've got you.'

Honeymaren blinked, whipping her head around to see an image of her cradling Elsa protectively against her as the winter spirit suddenly turned in her embrace and began to sob into her chest. She held the distraught queen as close as she could while a storm raged around them, whispering soothingly to her as Elsa wept. The image swirled away, replaced by one of her smiling reassuringly as she gently tugged the queen's hand and guided her through the forest back toward the Northuldran camp.

'Come on. You're staying with me tonight.'

Over and over the image shifted as her life with Elsa flashed before her eyes. The first night she met Elsa as she told her the legend of the Fifth Spirit and they sang the ancient lullaby of Ahtohallen together, giggling to themselves. Her protective embrace of the queen at the bow of an icy vessel as Elsa recounted a dark moment of her past. Their almost kiss in the castle of Arendelle when she thought her heart would burst from the pure, unbridled love she felt after she had watched the beautiful queen descend the steps like the goddess she was. Their actual first kiss when the blonde told her she finally and truly believed how deeply the noaide cared for her. Guiding Elsa to her first, heart-pounding visit to the very zenith of pleasure, reassuring her that both of them would come out safely on the other side.

"You were destined to be the noaide from birth, my child. But the person you grew to be carved a path for you greater and more important than you can imagine," came the Great Mother's gentle voice. "And with many more trials and pains than I could ever ask you to face." A pale hand on Honeymaren's shoulder caused the dark-haired woman to turn slowly, looking into the deep blue eyes and a soft smile that felt so familiar. "That is why I sent you that vision. You and you alone had to make the choice of which path you would take, my child. So answer me this, noaide. Do you regret choosing her?"

Despite Honeymaren's heart racing like the wings of a hummingbird, barely a beat passed before she answered with a conviction that could make or break worlds.

"Never."

Elsa awoke with a sharp gasp, flying into a seated position as a cold sweat poured from her face. She panted as though she had just run up the North Mountain, her chest heaving and her entire body shaking as her gasping voice echoed in the darkness of her bedroom in Arendelle.

"Maren..."

AN:

*defends herself with a pitchfork* Now...people...play nicely...take comfort in the fact that there are going to be quite a few more chapters after this...and if you kill me, you'll never get them! I'm holding them ransom!

-Volchise