Winter's Echo
Chapter Thirty-Five – Moving Forward
It had been nearly an hour and Elsa was still unable to thaw the frost in the room. Not only that, but it was growing. Elsa stared at the slowly creeping frost in disbelieving terror, looking at Anna helplessly...and what she saw was even more frightening to her than the frost. Teal eyes that had grown so confident and strong over the years were afraid, defeated...
Helpless.
Elsa saw in her sister's eyes all of the insecurities and fears of the Anna who had lived her whole life in isolation. The Anna who believed she had no ideas, no answers, no worth – because she was 'just Anna'. A deep, painful guilt clenched at her heart. She had done this. Her selfishness, her inability to accept her lot in life, her weakness had done this to Anna...again. Elsa had reached for the stars when she began her relationship with Honeymaren. She had basked in the glow of her warmth and her love and had continued reaching, stupidly believing that she could...
Elsa shook her head. The life she knew was over. Her star had burned out. But she would be damned if she let Anna's die with her. In that moment, she felt a familiar all-encompassing determination begin to rise in her – a determination that pushed her own fears and hurt far beyond reach to make room for what had always been the most important thing in Elsa's life.
Anna.
Without a word, Elsa reached out to her sister and pulled her close, burying her face into fiery tresses. She closed her eyes tightly and concentrated on the feel of her baby sister in her arms, remembering the unadulterated joy she had felt the first time she had hugged her. Slowly, but surely, the frost began to recede and both sisters let out a sigh of relief. They leaned with their backs against the wall for several minutes in silence, Anna biting her lip as she searched for the words she wanted to say as Elsa simply stared ahead with a detached look on her face.
"Els," Anna began, the nervous energy flowing through her raising her voice a few pitches. "I'm SO sorry for what I said. I can't even begin to tell you how horrible I feel. I-I was just so desperate to snap you out of it and-" Elsa shook her head, holding up a hand to stop her. "No, Anna. You were right...I'm sorry," she said with a resolute sigh, her voice hoarse and quiet. "I...I have to get over this. Over her. I have to accept that she's...gone." She shook her head again and ran her fingers through her hair before wiping her face and standing up. "I'm just being stupid."
"Elsa, stop!" Anna cried out, grasping Elsa's hand before the blonde was out of reach and scrambling to her feet as well. "Elsa, that's...that's not at all what I meant!" The blonde turned to face her with the same detached look. "I know it's not, Anna, but that doesn't change that it's still true. I need to be better. Arendelle deserves better. The Northuldra deserve better." Elsa sighed softly, reaching out to tuck Anna's hair behind her ear affectionately, a small, sad smile on her face as she cupped her cheek. "You deserve better, Anna."
The redhead blinked, her brows furrowing in confusion. "I don't understand, Elsa. What-"
"I'm your big sister, Anna," she interrupted. "It's my job to take care of you. Instead of doing that, I've been wallowing in my own misery, mourning a life and a woman I was never really meant to have. I've been selfish...and I've been weak." Elsa wrapped her arms around herself, her head falling in shame. "She would be ashamed of me," she said in a quieter voice.
"Elsa, how could you say that?" Anna asked in disbelief. "You lost the woman you loved. Of course you're allowed to mourn! And of course I'm going to take care of you, it doesn't matter who is older!" Anna placed her hands on Elsa's shoulders, squeezing them as she looked imploringly at her. "Elsa, we're sisters – we take care of each other. That's how it works." Elsa nodded and smiled slightly, placing her hand over her sister's before moving away and walking to her wardrobe. "I agree," she said as she gathered a fresh gown, laying it on the bed. "And it's about time I returned the favor." When Anna opened her mouth to argue, Elsa held up her hand to stop her. "Enough, Anna. We both need to get ready and it's already mid-morning. Ulrik's sentence will be carried out tomorrow morning and we need to be sure that bounty hunter does not interfere. If you would be so kind, please send a message to the physician and ask him to increase the dose of his sleeping tonic."
Anna frowned both at the clear dismissal as well as Elsa's request. "Els...are you sure it's a good idea for you to take that again after what happened?" The blonde queen sighed and shook her head. "Dr. Hjorn was right. I've hardly slept since Honeymaren's death and it's likely the reason for my...hallucinations." Elsa nearly spit out the word and shook her head. "I need to be clear-headed tomorrow and a full night's rest is what I need to achieve that. Ask him to make it as strong as he can without being unsafe. If the situation allows, I will take it after the evening meal tomorrow. Hopefully it will do its job." Eager to end the redhead's worries, Elsa closed the distance between her and Anna and placed a quick kiss on her cheek. "I love you. I'll see you in the council room in a couple of hours, okay?"
Anna frowned as Elsa walked away toward the bathroom. "Are you sure you'll be okay?" Elsa nodded from the doorframe of the bathroom, forcing a smile on her face for the worried redhead. "I'll be fine, Anna. I am fine," she amended in a more resolute tone. Anna wasn't convinced but she nodded anyway, knowing her sister would entertain the subject no further. "I'll see you soon, then. I'll pass along your request about the tonic. I'll also send a servant in to draw a bath for you," she offered. "I know you hate being waited on, but I also know a hot soak always relaxes you," she rushed to the door before Elsa could object. Elsa acquiesced the point with an exasperated sigh and small, but genuine loving smile. "Thank you, Anna." Anna smiled back and nodded before leaving the bedroom and closing the door behind her, leaning against it heavily. She scrubbed her hands over her face and sighed deeply before pushing off of the door and heading down the hall.
"What is wrong with me?!" came a near shout of frustration from the edge of a small gorge as the dark-haired woman angrily threw a stone into the water at the bottom. Her tiny fire-lizard companion chirped animatedly at her from his perch on the stone next to her. Twilight eyes rolled and she threw her hands up in frustration. "Yes, you keep saying that, but I don't know her." He chirped at her again and she sighed in exasperation, flopping onto her back on the smooth stone and looking up at the gray sky above her, her legs dangling over the edge of the small cliff. "If what I saw were my memories of a life with her like you say - and I'm not agreeing with you - then why can't I remember them, hm? Answer me that, you loudmouth lizard. I'm never taking you with me on a stealth mission again, by the way, don't think I've forgotten about that," she declared, though there was no true annoyance in her tone. She really loved her little companion – he was all she had. Literally. She smiled a bit as she remembered meeting him for the first time.
"Ahh-ahhh-ah-ahhhhhh-ah!"
She groaned softly, turning her pounding head to the side as she woke to an ethereal melody. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, trying to block out the sound.
"Ah-ahhhhhhh-ah-ah-ahh,"
She opened her eyes blearily, blinking a few times and forcing herself to sit up, hissing in pain as she did and pressing the heels of her palms into her temples. Her head was splitting, and whoever was singing was not helping her situation. Twilight eyes blinked as her brain began to function, looking around in confusion. "Where am I?" she questioned as she took in the flower-filled boat she lay in and the icy shore around her. She looked down at herself, frowning at the simple white gown she didn't remember donning. She didn't remember...anything.
She tried to clamp down on her quickly rising panic, instinctively running her hands up and down her body to check for injuries. She blinked when she felt something on her left hand, lifting her hand to her face to inspect it closer and gasping softly. "Wow," she breathed, bringing her other hand up to finger the band only to pull back quickly – it was cold! "Is...is this...ice?" she asked aloud in wonder. Prepared this time, she moved to touch the band again, rotating it slowly on her finger to admire the beautiful, flowing design – it looked like leaves blowing in a breeze. It was the most beautiful piece of jewelry she'd ever seen!
Well...at least, she thought it was.
She tried to tug it off to get a better view and blinked in surprise when it didn't budge. She frowned a bit. It didn't feel that snug, she mused as she tried again but to no avail. No matter how hard she pulled, the ring would not come off. "What the hell?"
"Ahh-ahhhh-ah-ahhhhh,"
She whipped her head around to look behind her. The voice that had woken her was louder now. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a pink light disappear into a cave several yards away. "Hey!" she called, scrambling to her feet and out of the boat. "Hey, wait! Come back!" she yelled as she gave chase, running barefoot across the smooth, water-worn pebble beach and up a tiered path of ice, darting into the tunnel the source of light had disappeared into.
"Whoa..."
Though she whispered, her voice echoed around the tunnel that was made entirely of ice. Her hand reached out to touch the smooth wall of ice in wonder when an odd, high-pitched chirping echoed through the tunnel. She looked up just in time to see the light again and immediately took off in a run, never stopping to wonder why she wasn't in pain from running barefoot on the frozen surface. To and fro she chased the light, quickly realizing it was also the source of the strange chirping she was hearing, before barely skidding to a stop at the mouth of a huge crater. Tiny chunks of ice fell from the edge of the overhang she had almost run right over and she gulped, hearing a very quiet tinkling sound when they hit the bottom after a length of time she was really not comfortable with.
Her head snapped up when she heard the chirping again, her eyes alighting on an opening to a tunnel on the other side of the cavern, the pink light moving slowly away from the mouth of it. Her twilight gaze was drawn to an odd path of thick columns of ice spaced a yard or two apart and staggered in height, forming a bridge of sorts that led directly to the opening the light was disappearing through. She ran her hands through her long, dark hair and groaned before her decision was made. She turned and quickly walked back the way she had come a few yards before turning around again and sprinting to the edge of the overhang. She yelled out in an almost battle cry as she leapt from the edge, letting instinct take over as she bounced from column to column.
In the blink of an eye, she was on the other side. She panted as she looked across the crater she had just traversed in disbelief, laughing from the sheer insanity and adrenaline of it all and letting out a triumphant whoop of joy. What a rush that had been! She immediately turned and began to run down the new tunnel, intent not to let her guiding light escape her. After only a few moments, she paused and looked about in wonder as she entered a large, cavernous room filled with giant pillars of ice. She turned this way and that as she walked, taking in the sheer size of it all. She reached out and touched one of the huge pillars delicately, leaning all the way back to see the top of the monumental structures before frowning slightly. These pillars did not look natural. They were too chiseled, too smooth, too perfectly positioned. She looked around the huge, open area again before her eyes were drawn once more to the irremovable icy band on her finger.
"Am I...a prisoner here?"
Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the chirping again, her head snapping to the right to see the pink light at the other end of the cavernous room, brighter and closer than it had been before. "Hey!" she called, taking off after it again. "Come back, please! Where am I?!" She skidded to a halt inside another giant cavern, this one shaped like a dome and completely empty. She walked carefully about the eerily quiet place, twilight eyes glancing around nervously – the light was nowhere to be found. "Hello?" she called out, her voice echoing against the icy walls.
"Welcome, my child."
The dark-haired woman gasped and whipped around, blinking in surprise when she came face to face with a beautiful woman with the most stunning blue eyes she had ever seen. She was pale and had light brown hair that was elegantly coiffed atop her head. She wore a simple, nondescript blue gown, but something about the way she carried herself indicated she was anything but a simple creature. The woman's soft, warm smile instantly calmed the racing of her heart and her shoulders relaxed a bit; somehow she knew she had nothing to fear from this woman. Her brow furrowed slightly, a spark of recognition coming to life in her twilight eyes.
"Have...have we met before?" she asked slowly as she inched imperceptively closer to the woman, who gave her another soft, disarming smile. "We have, my child. I spoke to you just before your death." She blinked several times, trying to process that tidbit. Her throat and chest became impossibly tight as she tried to swallow the lump in her throat to speak again. "Okay...that's definitely not what I thought you were going to say," she murmured, pinching the bridge of her nose. This damn headache...
"Wait, wait, wait. So am I...dead?" she asked in a quiet voice, looking around. "Is this the afterlife?" The beautiful woman smiled patiently and gave a small shake of her head. "No, you're not dead. I've brought you back to life. I have a proposition for you, child." Twilight eyes alighted on the mysterious woman once more, a dark eyebrow raising in curiosity. "...what kind of proposition?" she asked suspiciously as the woman approached her and held out her cupped hands, gesturing for her to take whatever it is she held from her. The dark-haired woman reached out tentatively, holding both palms open and instinctively leaning away to put some distance between her body and whatever the enigmatic woman was about to give her.
A tiny pink ball of light fell from the pale woman's hands and she blinked – it was the chirping light she had been chasing! She narrowed her eyes and looked closer – no, it wasn't a light. She gasped, her eyes flying open.
"It's fire!"
The pale woman chuckled softly, covering her mouth with her hand daintily. What a curious thing to do, she thought to herself in the back of her mind. Also so familiar, somehow...
"Not quite," the mysterious woman responded simply. Twilight eyes blinked in confusion when the flames died down, revealing a tiny creature of pink and purple hues. She tilted her head in confusion. "It's...a lizard? That's...on fire?" The pale woman laughed again. "This is Bruni. He is your companion. And he's not just covered in fire, child," she said with a smile. "He's covered in your fire." Dark blue, almost purple eyes stared blankly at the crystalline pools of the stoic woman before her for a long moment before blinking. "You've lost me."
"I have bestowed upon you the lost power of the fire spirit, my child, so that I may bring you back to life. A life I have given you with the hope you will undertake a very important task. If you choose to accept this task and carry it out successfully, you may keep the life I have bestowed upon you." She looked down when Bruni chirped happily in her hands, raising a skeptical eyebrow. "No offense, little guy, I appreciate the offer, but what kind of a task would a lizard be able to help me with?" Crystalline blue eyes crinkled in pleased amusement as she observed the two. "My, the fire spirit has accepted your heart quite well," she commented before smiling at her confused young charge.
"Your task is one of protection, child. In your previous life, you were a nomadic hunter and fighter of great skill. It is these skills that you will require to carry out your duty. There is a young queen in a country not far from here who holds command over the ice and snow. She is my avatar, a favored child of mine." The regal woman's smile turned sad, her voice tinged with longing and sympathy as she spoke of the woman. "She is powerful – easily the most powerful creature alive, but she has been dealt a mortal blow and is in indescribable anguish. She is being hunted by two men with the darkest of evil in their hearts. They wish to bring unspeakable, heinous torment upon her soul and kill both her and her sister. They are also the reason for her current agony."
The pale woman's clear blue eyes became hard in a way that sent a chill down her spine. "You will hunt them down and wipe their evil from the earth. This is your task. With Bruni's help, you will learn to use the powers I have bestowed upon you to help you carry out your duty. When that time comes, you will come back here and you will be given a choice. You may keep your powers and your new life...or you may lay them down and go to blissful rest. Do you accept your task?"
She frowned and looked away, mulling over what the woman had told her in her mind for a long moment before looking back up at her. "I have questions," she began, taking a deep breath. "Why don't I remember my past life?"
"Because that life is no longer the one you are living. You are living the borrowed life of a spirit of the enchanted forest. A life you may eventually keep, if you so choose. Does your head hurt, child?" The dark-haired woman nodded, shifting Bruni to one hand to press her fingers to her temple. "Sometimes it's really sharp, but it's an ache deep inside," she answered. The woman she now realized was a goddess of some kind nodded. "That ache is borne of the memories of your other life. The closer you are to remembering them, the more painful it will be. This is because two lives cannot exist in the same body at the same time. One set of memories must always be at the forefront. This pain will go away forever when you make your final choice, and whatever you choose cannot be undone."
"Do...do I have a name?"
The goddess smiled that special smile, tilting her head slightly. "Would you like me to give you one?" She thought about it before nodding slowly. It should have bothered her that she had lost an entire lifetime, but somehow she felt that if she trusted the entity before her, all would be well. Crystal blue eyes shone with pleased approval before nodding. "Very well. Due to the cunning nature of your purpose and the powers you now possess, I name you...Revontuli – the firefox."
"Revontuli," she tested the name on her tongue, a grin tugging at her lips. "Firefox, huh? I like it. Thank you," she said with a grateful smile. She grinned when Bruni chirped approvingly, carefully depositing him on her shoulder. "It does sound mystical, doesn't it?" she agreed before looking back at the smiling goddess. "I accept your task and your terms. Who is this woman? How will I know her? How will she know me?"
The goddess's eyes took on a somewhat sad look once more and she began to walk, bidding the firefox to follow her. "Her name is Elsa, Queen of Arendelle. Being a monarch with the power of winter at her fingertips, you will discover her likeness as you come closer to Arendelle. Your destinies are linked by something deeper than either of you can imagine – when you meet her, you will understand what I mean." They walked for a moment longer across the cavernous room before coming to a short tunnel in the wall that opened to a narrow waterway. Floating there was the boat she had woken up in along with several items that were not there before. Several medium-sized burlap sacks sat on one end of the boat; on the other lay a full quiver of arrows, a bow, and a sheathed blade with a carved, whalebone hilt. Revontuli's twilight eyes were drawn to the blade and she reached down to pick it up, wincing as a sharp pain lanced through her head when she grasped it. Her other hand flew to her head, but she did not relinquish the grip on her blade – somehow she knew it was precious. She swallowed the momentary pain, breathing through it slowly before studying the blade in her hand more closely.
"...this belonged to me – the other me. Didn't it?" Revontuli asked, glancing at the deity. The pale woman smiled and nodded in reply before gesturing to the supplies in the boat. "Here are clothes and supplies for your journey. Bruni will be your companion on your path, helping to guide you in the right direction. I am afraid now it is time for your new life to begin, for time grows short. Your powers will show you the way. Now go, my child – go and fulfill your destiny." Revontuli nodded, climbing into the boat before looking around in confusion.
"Um...there's no oars," she said sheepishly, glancing up at the goddess who only grinned and lifted her hand. A slow, smooth current began to carry her down the narrow passageway, much to the firefox's delight. "I will provide you safe passage to the hidden shores near Arendelle, but I will give you a final warning. It is important that you not reveal yourself to Elsa until the time is right – a time your powers will help you decide. She is no stranger to you, nor you to her - any connection you make with her will bring agony to both of you, endangering your life and hers. Farewell, Revontuli, and know that I am always with you."
"Wait!" she called, holding an arm out as she floated away. "What do I call you?" That beautiful smile shone warmly at her, eyes of the clearest blue shining with love. "I am known by many names – but your people knew me as Ahtohallan." A sudden thought occurred to Revontuli just as she was almost down the tunnel. "What does Elsa call you?" she called loudly, cupping her hands to be heard. The goddess smiled lovingly, her voice only a whisper, but perfectly clear to the firefox's ears.
"Mother."
The firefox groaned and scrubbed her hands over her face. Ahtohallan had left out a great deal of detail when describing the connection she would have with the beautiful queen. "Destinies entwined, indeed. It appears far more was entwined than our destinies," she murmured, a hint of a blush gracing her cheeks, her eyes tracing the quickly moving storm clouds above. Bruni zipped over to his mistress, scaling up her hair and peering into one eyeball, chirping inquisitively. Revontuli's blush deepened. "Of course I'm not upset about it, she's a breathtaking woman," she replied defensively. "Why would I be upset that I had a relationship with her?" Some of the images she had seen when the queen had grasped her hand flashed in her mind and she frowned slightly. "If anything, I'm upset that I can't remember being with a woman as remarkable as her," she admitted quietly.
Revontuli sighed and sat up, Bruni scrambling to the top of her head as she stood and turned from the gorge, walking a few yards to the mouth of the large cave she had called home for the past month. She gracefully dropped into a cross-legged seated position in front of a carefully lain bundle of wood surrounded by a ring of stones. With a flick of the firefox's wrist, a flame was born within the wood and blazed to life before the dark-haired woman. Revontuli reached back with one hand and pulled her hair free from its twist to allow the long tresses to flow freely across her back and shoulders. The wavy locks shone in the firelight, the last several inches of them ranging in color from burnt sienna to fiery oranges and crimson reds and appearing to glow in the light of the flame.
The firefox closed her twilight colored eyes and slowed her breathing, settling into a state of calm. When she opened them again the deep and blue and purple hues were gone, replaced by flaring reds, pinks, and purples that reflected the flames before her. As she stared into the fire, the flames themselves began to take shape. A light purple flame formed the figure of a woman on her knees, struggling to her feet only to sway and fall once again. From a dark red flame came the outline of a man walking menacingly toward her, an aura of evil so strong surrounding him that Revontuli could feel it in the flames. She closed her eyes and turned her head away, waving her hand slowly in front of her. When she opened her eyes again, they were back to their regular bluish-purple hue of twilight and the figures in the blaze had melted back into the flames that began to slowly die.
"It's happening tonight, Bruni," she said quietly, turning her head to the mouth of the cave and taking a deep breath, closing her eyes as the scent of the nearby storm washed over her. When they opened again, they followed the coastline to the castle of Arendelle and a small, wistful smile tugged at her lips. Soon she could reveal herself to the goddess of winter and perhaps answer the questions of her past. First, she had a task to complete. The smile fell from her face, her features becoming hard as stone as the face of the man she was hunting came to her mind. "I won't let him hurt you...Elsa."
Elsa sighed, looking down at the small glass bottle in her hand as she leaned her hip against the stone balcony of her bedroom. She tilted it back and forth slowly, watching with grim distaste as the thick liquid clung to the glass. A bright flash of lightning made the queen look up and out across the fjord. She could see the curtain of a heavy rain approaching from the distance; it would envelop Arendelle in a matter of minutes. A loud rumble of thunder echoed across the water in answer of the lightning and suddenly, Elsa was in the lavvo in the enchanted forest enveloped in her lover's warm, protective embrace.
"It's okay, Elsa. I've got you."
Elsa gasped and closed her eyes tightly against the memory, the liquid in the bottle shaking in her tight grip. "I'm sorry, my love," she whispered thickly, slowly opening her eyes as her fingers loosened around the bottle in defeat. "I have to let you go..." Before she could change her mind, Elsa quickly uncorked the bottle and put it to her lips, drinking down the vile liquid. She pulled the bottle away, touching her fingers delicately to her lips and forcing herself to swallow the disgusting brew. Blue eyes took one last look at the oncoming storm before she turned away, closing the balcony door behind her.
She walked across the large bedroom that felt far too empty and to her wardrobe. She pulled out her deep purple nightdress before disappearing behind her changing screen out of habit. She appeared again a few moments later, nimble fingers weaving white-gold locks into a familiar braid – while she normally wasn't one to toss and turn in the night, she had been thrashing about during her nightmares. Elsa hoped the stronger tonic would quiet her traitorous heart and mind and allow for a deep, motionless sleep, but the braid would at least help prevent her from waking with a tangled mess that rivaled her fiery sister's. The queen had learned her lesson after waking to such a situation of her own one morning after one of her rougher nights. She made a vow to be more lenient on Anna's morning tardiness from then on.
Elsa sat on the edge of her bed with her hands in her lap, fiddling subconsciously with her icy band as the heavy rain began to beat against the window. While the sight of it was a constant bittersweet reminder of her love and loss, she never bothered to attempt to remove it. She knew it would be futile; they were cast in a moment of pure, blissful, and unadulterated love. The ring would not leave her finger while her heart belonged to Honeymaren - she smiled sadly as she delicately traced the icy leaves that would be with her all her life.
Her eyes drifted to the neatly stacked missives on her desk, ready for filing in the library of Arendelle after Ulrik's sentence was completed. Both queens had met with the council and decided to go with Mattias's plan to fortify the castle and hunker down until Ulrik's execution, tripling the patrolling guard. The general had insisted that this apply to the personal protection of the siblings as well, a concession neither woman had been fond of but accepted anyway. Elsa's brow furrowed at that thought, standing and walking to her door before opening it quietly to speak with the two guards Mattias had posted at her bedroom door.
Both men jerked to attention, bowing deeply to their sovereign. "Your Majesty," they both greeted respectfully, fists over their hearts. Elsa gave a small, polite smile, nodding in greeting. "Good evening, gentleman. You are relieved." The men blinked, looking uncertainly at one another before the older of the two spoke hesitantly. "Y-Your Majesty, we are under orders from General Mattias not to leave our posts-"
"Until ordered?" the queen asked, an elegant eyebrow arching at the soldier. The soldier swallowed and opted to nod in reply, unwilling to trust his voice. Elsa nodded in understanding, her hand falling from the door handle to fold elegantly in front of her. "And who's order do the soldiers of Arendelle follow? The General's? Or the Queen who appointed him?" The soldier immediately dropped to his knee before her, his silent comrade following his example half of a heartbeat later. "Yours, Your Grace, without question." Elsa smiled a bit, placing a hand on the repentant man's shoulder and drawing his gaze to her. "Then you are relieved, soldiers," she said in a gentle tone. "Go. See to your comrades at the gate. Help ease the burden where you see it, for there is none here."
With respectful nods, both men did as ordered and left Elsa in peace. The queen closed the door quietly and sighed before heading back to the bed, glad they didn't put up more of a fight and hoping word would not get back to either Mattias or her sister. Elsa really didn't want any witnesses to her nighttime horrors should the tonic not perform as she hoped. The winter spirit groaned as her head suddenly began to swim, her knees buckling and almost sending her to the floor. She staggered the rest of the way to the bed, collapsing atop it's still made surface as sleep mercifully took her.
Hours later saw Anna in her study, leafing through the final arrangements for tomorrow's execution when she heard them. Teal eyes snapped up before turning to the small window in her study. Anna ran over to it and threw it open, the sounds of the warning bells ringing loud and clear through the torrential storm. Barely a moment later, there was an insistent knocking at her door before one of the soldiers assigned to her protection detail opened it in a rush. "Your Majesty! There is massive flooding in the kingdom because of the storm! The bells have been rung!" Anna nodded, immediately slipping into 'queen mode' – an act that was becoming more and more natural over time for the redhead. "Round up every non-essential soldier you can find and have them start sandbagging down by the levees – if they break, the loss of life will be devastating," she ordered as she strode past him, both of the soldiers assigned to her following hot on her heels. "Open the gates to those escaping the flooding and post what soldiers we can spare to ensure only the citizens we know may enter. If myself, a soldier, or a trusted citizen cannot vouch for their identity, then they must wait outside the gates until that can be rectified."
"Your Majesty," began one soldier. "All of the soldiers are assigned to guard against the firefox." Anna held up her hand, interrupting him as they walked. "To our knowledge, the firefox doesn't control the rain or the sky. Keep the guards on Ulrik, but every other able-bodied person under the sigil of Arendelle is to help guard the lives of her citizens, is that clear, soldier?" Though he knew she would not see it, he threw up a quick salute. "Yes, Your Majesty. So sayeth the Queen." With a quick motion, he signaled to his comrade. "Spread the word of the Queen's orders and be quick about it." The soldier nodded in understanding before peeling off and doing as he was told. "Your Majesty, shouldn't we alert Queen Elsa?" Anna shook her head as they rounded the corner. "No, she won't be able to help us right now. She's under the effects of a powerful sleeping tonic, she won't be conscious until dawn at the earliest." The solder nodded as they rushed down the stairs. Just after they hit the bottom, the soldier stood in her way, holding a hand up to stop her. "Your Grace, I would be remiss if I didn't say-"
"I swear to the Gods if you are about to tell me that I should stay where it's safe you are going down like a box of chocolates," she interrupted him, a fire alight in her teal eyes. The soldier blinked in surprise but smirked and shook his head, grinning approvingly. "No, Your Majesty. While I intend to continue to fulfill my assignment as your protection detail, I was simply going to say that you and Her Majesty Queen Elsa are the pride and joy of our people. I could not be more proud or honored to serve your will. I wanted you to know before we go out there that we have the utmost faith in you." With that final word, he saluted her once more before grinning and opening the door to the courtyard, holding it open for her. A grin to match his tugged at her lips and they dashed into the torrential downpour.
Down in the dungeons Ulrik paced anxiously in the walls of his cell like an enraged lion in a cage, running his hands through his short black hair and glaring hatefully at the guards in the room. The roaring of the rain and the storm outside drowned out his angry muttering. Though he had tried, no amount of bribery or flowery promises would sway any of the guards. He offered money, power, land to every guard within earshot rotation after rotation to no avail. He would never understand the loyalty this kingdom felt to its witch queen. Obsession he understood perfectly. The exotic queen lit a fire in his blood that had raged from the first moment he saw her. Physically flawless, a meek demeanor, and a quiet and obedient disposition.
But her eyes.
Those crystal clear pools of the bluest water that betrayed the true fire in her soul. She was like a wild horse, exotic and graceful and with an indomitable spirit that would not be denied if push came to shove – and oh, how he wanted to break her. He wanted to dominate her, to possess her, to own her with a fierceness he felt for nothing else in his life and her refusal of his advances only fanned the flame of his desire. And when he had learned of her powers? His world soon consisted of nothing else. Once he had dealt with his parents and taken over as king, he searched high and low for tools to dominate the magical queen. His pursuits led him to a disgraced redheaded prince of the Southern Isles on a similar journey but with far more trivial goals. What was a kingdom when you could possess a goddess? It didn't matter to Ulrik what the small-minded prince wanted. All that mattered was what he had – and he had a small amount of a metal capable of restraining Elsa's powers.
A sudden ruckus from the stairs drew Ulrik's attention, causing him to pause in his pacing. A dripping wet soldier came running down the stairs, panting heavily. "Men," he panted out as he wiped excess water from his face. "Lower Arendelle is flooding. Queen Anna has ordered that every available man come and help sandbag the levees and screen citizens coming through the gates seeking refuge. You, you, and you, you're coming with me," he said quickly, pointing out three of his four guards before he pointed to the last soldier remaining. "Olsen, you kill anything that walks through this door not wearing a crocus sigil, understood?" Olsen nodded and saluted. "Yes, sir!" he replied as they left, moving to stand directly in front of Ulrik's cell to keep a clear view of the only passageway into the dungeons – he would see and hear a threat before it knew he was waiting for it.
That was, of course, assuming the threat wasn't already in the room.
Olsen didn't notice that Ulrik had never resumed his pacing behind him. He didn't notice that there were no sounds of Ulrik even shifting his weight.
He noticed too late how close he was to the cell when Ulrik reached through the bars and snapped his neck in one clean, fluid motion.
Ulrik knelt and reached through the bars once more, retrieving the keys from the dead soldier's belt with a maniacal grin. It seems the Gods favored the ambitious and the bold after all he mused with glee as he opened his cell, dragging Olsen's lifeless body inside and stripping him of his uniform, donning it quickly. If what the other soldier had said was true, it seemed what was to be the last night of his life was to be his luckiest instead. He closed the door of his cell with the dead soldier inside and ran up the stairs to his freedom.
He ran down the halls, scrambling maids and servants trying to get blankets and medical supplies for flood victims all around him. Confident in his disguise as a soldier of Arendelle, he reached out and grabbed one of the young maids running about. "You! I'm on orders from Princess Anna. I need to find Queen Elsa. Where can I find her?" The maid looked at him curiously for a moment and looked as though she were about to question him before seeming to brush it off in her haste to carry out her duties. "Her Majesty is sleeping in her room. The doctor gave her a powerful sleeping tonic earlier this evening and she is unlikely to be responsive until morning." Ulrik barely restrained his gleeful grin as he nodded and turned to head in the direction he remembered Elsa's bedroom being years ago. There was no doubt in his mind now as he ran up the steps two at a time – the Gods truly favored his quest to conquer the Queen of Ice and Snow.
Anna jogged into the main hall from the rain, panting heavily. She began to wring out her hair, her hands shaking from being in the cold rain for the past few hours. She was cold, but she was happy and she was damn proud. Her people had behaved magnificently and like a well-oiled machine. While the storm seemed to have no intention of letting up, the flooding had been controlled and safely rerouted. The soldier that had been assigned to her protection, Henrik, she later learned, came in right behind her and shook his head like a dog, drawing a laugh from the redheaded queen. He grinned at her before speaking. "Now that the levees are reinforced and the people in the lower town have been evacuated, the worst is over. It's just a matter of riding it out, now. We will deal with the damage in the morning." Anna nodded in agreement as she continued to wring out her hair. Just as she was about to mention how admirably all of the soldiers had performed their duties, a soft, sweet voice called out across the hall.
"Your Majesty, would you like a towel?"
Anna looked up at the sound and smiled brightly as one of the maids approached her, a stack of warm towels in hand. Both Anna and Henrik grinned and took a towel, Anna moaning in delight as she pressed its soft warmth against her face.
"Did that soldier find Queen Elsa for you, Your Majesty?"
Anna's brow furrowed in confusion and she reluctantly lifted her face from the warmth of the towel. "What do you mean?" she asked. The maid frowned as she took in the redhead's confused features. "One of the soldiers. He stopped me in the hall, he told me you had ordered him to find Queen Elsa for you." Anna's eyes narrowed in suspicion, turning to look at Henrik only to find a matching look in his eyes. The maid looked between the pair hesitantly – something was wrong. "He...he did seem a bit confused. He referred to you as Princess."
Just as she was about to ask the maid to describe the soldier, another came barreling down the hallway, calling out to her. "Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" he cried out in panic as he ran up to her, panting heavily. "Your Majesty, Ulrik is gone. We found his guard dead in his cell." Anna's eyes went impossibly wide, her head snapping to look at Henrik. Without another word, Anna bolted up the stairs toward Elsa's room, Henrik hot on her heels and screaming for the other soldiers.
Elsa.
Elsa sighed softly in her sleep at the sound of Honeymaren's voice, her brow furrowing in her sleep.
Elsa, you have to wake up.
The noaide's beautiful face flashed in her mind, chocolate eyes full of worry. Elsa's face scrunched slightly.
Open your eyes, Snowflake.
She moaned, turning her head to the side. She just wanted to sleep.
Open them, Elsa.
The queen whimpered. Something didn't feel right. She could feel her magic rolling beneath her skin, but her eyelids were so heavy.
Open your eyes, baby.
She was in danger. She felt it. It was close and it was real.
Open them, NOW!
Elsa gasped and opened her eyes blearily, groaning as she tried to force herself to sit up. Her whole body felt impossibly heavy and she barely managed to roll to her side, settling for propping herself up on one arm. She groaned, her other hand going to her forehead – her head felt like it was full of cotton and her vision wouldn't focus no matter how hard she tried to blink away the haze.
"Perhaps it is not you, but me who is asleep, Your Majesty, for this is truly my dream come true," spoke a dark voice from the entrance of her room. Elsa gasped in surprise at the realization that someone was in the room, squinting as best she could to try to make out the figure. "Who...who's there...?" she demanded hoarsely. The outline of a person moved closer to her in the dark room before a flash of lightning illuminated eyes blacker than the night ever could have been – eyes that haunted her dreams every single night.
Her eyes widened in disbelieving terror, her hand reflexively waving in front of her. A burst of frost exploded from her hand in defense, but hit the wall behind Ulrik a good four feet to his side. Ulrik grinned, a predatory gleam in his eye as Elsa used all her strength to roll away from him, throwing another wild blast of magic at him as she got to the other side of the bed. She swung her legs over, intent to turn and face him properly but the moment she stood they buckled under her weight and she fell to the floor. Ulrik laughed, stalking her slowly as she desperately tried to crawl away from him, throwing her hands back every few seconds to hurl a stream of ice at him to no avail - the more she moved, the dizzier she got, the tonic refusing to release its hold on her body.
"This could not be more perfect, Elsa," he crowed as he advanced on her, laughing cruelly when the winter spirit began to fade in and out of consciousness, watching with glee as the blue eyes that had enchanted him so struggled helplessly to focus on him. "This is how I've always dreamed of having you. At the mercy of my every will, as you always were meant to be." He leaned over and easily scooped the queen from the ground, tossing her roughly back on the bed. He hovered over the barely conscious woman, a malicious grin on his face as he looked down upon her. "I told you years ago that you would belong to me, Elsa. This would have been easier if you had just-"
He was interrupted mid-sentence when Elsa's knee drove upward between his legs, falling backward onto the floor in agony. Even full of cotton, Elsa's mind was never to be underestimated. She knew with the tonic still fulfilling its purpose and trying to drag her back to unconsciousness she had no chance of fighting him off, but that's not what she needed to do. She needed to escape and catch the attention of someone to help her. She moved off of the bed, managing to miraculously stumble her way toward her balcony before falling, her limp body crashing through the windows of the balcony door and into the torrential rain.
She cried out in agony when a jagged piece of glass lodged itself deep in the side of her calf, reaching down with shaky, uncoordinated hands to pull it from her flesh with an anguished groan. She whimpered, trying to ignore the pain of the wound and other cuts from the glass – they were not the priority. She used the decorative balusters of the balcony to help pull herself up, leaning heavily on the smooth stone as her vision swam. She heard Ulrik scrambling to his feet behind her and in a last-ditch effort, her hand thrust in front of her to create an icy slide all the way to the grassy lawn of the gardens. The queen allowed herself to fall onto the smooth surface of the ice just as Ulrik's hands grasped at her, the silk of her nightgown slipping through his fingers as she slid down quickly.
Elsa hit the ground roughly, rolling several yards away and landing face-down in a painful heap on the wet grass. The hard hit and the rain made it even harder for Elsa to stay conscious, but she was cognizant enough to realize a fateful flaw in her plan.
No one would be able to see her.
The storm was raging all around her, pouring curtains of torrential rain down upon her head. It would take a miracle for someone to find her here. She ground her teeth in frustration as she heard Ulrik come down her icy escape route after her. She closed her eyes in defeat as she heard him descending upon her, her fingers fisting into the wet grass as she waited to feel his vile touch on her body. Instead, she felt a heavy thud next to her. She opened her eyes in bleary confusion to see Ulrik on his knees next to her...
A flaming arrow protruding from his chest.
Elsa felt more than heard the steps of someone running up to them from her other side, coming from the garden. The rain disappeared for a moment as the figure stepped over her, a booted foot planting itself on Ulrik's chest next to the flaming arrow and sending him flying backward and away from Elsa with a mighty shove. Ulrik writhed on the wet grass, gasping desperately for air. She closed her eyes again when the gasps were suddenly silenced, a second flaming arrow joining the first at point-blank range. The pouring rain was almost deafening in the silence that followed.
Elsa felt herself being gently turned over, the cool rain briefly falling on her face before fading away again as she was cradled protectively in strong, familiar arms. She struggled to open her eyes when a wet but warm hand cupped her cheek, a slightly calloused thumb caressing it gently.
"Elsa? Baby, open your eyes. Open your eyes for me, Snowflake."
Bleary blue eyes opened slowly upon hearing the voice that had haunted all of her worst nightmares as well as her most beautiful realities. They tried desperately to focus on chocolate brown pools full of love and worry, flares of blues, purples, and pinks strewn throughout their familiar depths. As though sensing she was safe, her body finally began to cave to the tonic running through it and she closed her eyes once more, her head falling heavily against the warm chest she was cradled against and murmuring softly.
"Maren..."
AN:
Ding dong, the dick is dead!
Maybe things are going to go in Elsa's favor after all. ^.~
LOVE YOU ALL!
-Volchise