I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of the properties in this story. They respectfully belong to Disney and Square Enix. Okay, this one didn't take too long, not many changes I needed to make as this one was a treat to read for the first time when I stumbled upon the original. Oh, and I've done a little digging in my e-mail and discovered that I still have the notifications from the OG. I just remembered on Archive on our Own that the author's name was NevilleLongbottomDidNothingWrong. Well, be it that name or the Star Wars one, I hope he or she is doing well. Now to reply to one review and we can jump right in.
Monkey D. Conan: Huh? Didn't know you could double post... Oh, well, glad you enjoyed the small taste, here's another. Enjoy!
Now then, he we go on the second part of the prologue!
Prologue, Part 2: For The First Time In Forever...
Anna doesn't know if any of this is for real, or not!
In two days, the kingdom of Arendelle will open its doors to the outside world for the first time in forever. People will flood in from every and all corners of the world to witness this historic event, with delegates trying to be the first to sign agreements and secure trade routes and materials, royal families offering their congratulations and platitudes on being open, and most importantly to the young princess…
Cute princes to meet with. Oh, how she would LOVE to fall in love!
But, there was one event she was absolutely ecstatic for above all else, something she had waited for nearly 13 years since her parents passed away tragically in a shipwreck all those years ago, something that she'd longed to see ever since.
That something? Her sister, who was to be coronated queen of Arendelle in those same two days.
It's been literal years since Anna has last seen her sister. She remembers doing everything with her: playing in the castle foyer pretending to be a knight slaying a dragon, playing in the snow during the wintertime making snowmen, and just…being with her made her so happy. She wouldn't be alone, and they could forget about all the BORING political stuff they were supposed to pay attention to for a day like two days from now to come. But then, something changed. She didn't know how or why, but for some reason, her parents told her that, for both of their safety, they could never interact with each other again. Anna was left confused and heartbroken as to why her sister couldn't come out and play with her anymore, with the only reason being that Elsa needed time to 'figure herself out.'
Whatever that meant.
Still, she was her SISTER. She couldn't just leave her alone in her room all the time! That would be boring and honestly, Anna could be very…creative when she gets bored. So, she set out to try and get her sister out of her room for once to play, or talk, or eat, or just….anything. Whenever the snow fell every winter, she eagerly skipped to her lonely sister's room to try and talk her into one of their old favorite pastimes they shared…
"Elsa?" She gave a few knocks on the door before singing, "Do you wanna build a snowman~ Come on, let's go and play~"
"I never see you anymore~" She slumped against the door, slid down to the carpet, and peeked underneath, "Come out the door~ It's like you've gone away~"
"We used to be best buddies," She then remembered the day when she had been playing with her dolls in the ballroom by herself before getting bored and flopping over backward onto the floor, "And now we're not~ I wish you would tell me why~"
"Do you wanna build a snowman~" Finally, she tried peeking through the keyhole in Elsa's door and finished in a goofy voice, "It doesn't have to be a snowman~"
"Go away, Anna!" Elsa called out from behind her door.
Anna looked away feeling dejected, "Okay, bye~"
Anna was left to do many things by herself, things that were meant to be done for two, as they always have been, like playing with dolls, dancing, playing innocent pranks on the staff, and just fun child things that were used to make memories with others. Her parents tried to help and play with her, they really did, but it just never felt the same.
The only memories Anna had of those days were of just being alone being without her sister…
Still, she tried. She desperately wanted to see her sister again, despite it being years later. Elsa only got food from special chefs that could enter her room, along with stylists who would get her ready for the day, and her parents as well. She remembers her father brought a pair of blue gloves to her room one day, and the next he and some more staff brought several cases of them as well. She always wondered what that was all about.
Still, that never deterred her from coming up to that door to ask her once again—
A nine-year-old Anna ran up to her sister's door as she knocked. She once again asked, "Do you wanna build a snowman~"
"Or ride our bikes around the halls~" Anna rode her bike across the hall and down the stairs as she crashed and landed on a knight's armor, "I think some company is overdue~ I've started talking to the pictures on the walls~"
"Hang in there, Joan." She would always say to the art of one of her favorite historical heroes.
"It gets a little lonely~ All these empty rooms~ Just watching the hours tick by~" Anna sang as she lay beneath the grandfather cloak as she proceeded to use her tongue to mimic its sound, "Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock!"
And she was right. She would sometimes just sit by the clock and slowly watch the hands move around the face of the clock until dawn, and then just move on to do something else. It was a terrible feeling to never see your best friend, much less your sister, for so, so long when she's RIGHT THERE and they never tell you why. She begged her parents for answers of any kind, bargaining with them to at least let her see what she looked like. She was starting to forget what she looked like as a kid (along with some…really weird headache whenever she tries to conjure up one memory in particular), and the last drawing she made of her…
Well, let's just say that Elsa probably doesn't look like half her face melted and the other with the most narrow eyes this side of the lake.
Still, her parents forbade her, saying it wasn't time yet, and that it was for both of their own goods. Anna was quite peeved at that. How could separating them do anyone ANY good? Without giving a reason, no less? She left the room crying and angry at them, their parents not knowing what to do.
Anna truly wished she never did that, if she knew what would happen to them in a few short months…
In hindsight, maybe it was because she never knocked on Elsa's door that day? Maybe it was some kind of curse? She really wanted to, to get her to come out and say goodbye to them as they left, but she had a feeling that the answer would be the same (it felt like a whisper in her ear telling her not to do it). She went up to her parents at the door and hugged them both goodbye, asking if they really had to go. Her father reassured her, saying it was only for a few days. Her mother said it was to find something that could help them, but never actually said what it was. She also said that whatever happens, to be there for Elsa.
Anna wanted to laugh, honestly. How was she supposed to do that when she couldn't even get past the door?
But there was no laughing the day the letter came to their doorstep. No laughter, no joy, no happiness, just…numb. Anna started to feel numb, and then the words truly hit her that her parents would never come back, and she bawled her eyes out that day. She watched as the black curtain was lowered on their portraits, and she was there at their funeral.
She was there. But not Elsa.
It should have been the one time, if any, that she should come out, as not only was she now officially the next in line to become ruler now, but it was their parents. She understood Elsa probably wanted to honor their parent's wishes of keeping each other safe from…something, but still, she desperately wanted to be there, to honor her own promise to their late mother to be there for Elsa. She returned from the funeral and walked down the hall she'd skipped, slid, ran, walked, and now slowly marching to come and knock on her door again, "Elsa?" She frowned, "Please, I know you're in there~ People have been asking where you've been~"
"They say, 'Have courage,' and I'm trying to~ I'm right out here for you~ just let me in~" Anna sang as tears slid down her face. Anna slid down the door, feeling just…defeated, "We only have each other~ It's just you and me~ What are we gonna do~"
She then asked once again to her sister, "Do you wanna build a snowman~"
But that was then. This was now.
Now, all grown up, Anna is two days away from seeing her sister again for the first time in…well, she practically FORGOT how many years it's been, but she knows it's a lot. She feels so much more excited and energetic than usual, practically bouncing off the walls! Anna starts making mental pictures of what her dear sister looks like now. Well…maybe…like a grown-up version of her? Ugh, yeah, DUH! Maybe she has freckles on her face like Anna does? Oooh, maybe she's a bit paler? Anna imagines that staying in her own room for LITERAL YEARS would do something to one's complexion. So many things ran through her mind on what Elsa would appear as at the ceremony, contemplating what to say to her after so long…
"ELSA! IT'S YOU! I CAN'T BELIEVE I GET TO SEE YOU AGAIN! WE HAVE SO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT AND STUFF TO DO AND SNOWMEN TO MAKE AND…"
No, that may come off too strong.
"Uh, hey, Elsa. What's up? Long time, no see. So, watcha been up to? You know, BESIDES staying in your room?"
Oh, come on, Anna! That makes it seem like you don't care at all.
"Hey, Elsa…..wanna go get chocolate?"
ARRRGH!
This isn't hard. This shouldn't be hard. It's just saying hello to your sister again after missing out on her for over the past ten years, growing up isolated and most recently, without parents, but still. This shouldn't be such a hurdle for the spunky teen. She can handle it, she's handled practically everything else.
And besides, above all else, she needs to be there for Elsa on her big day, and make sure that she is never alone again.
A knock on her door interrupted her thoughts. "Princess Anna, may I come in?"
Ah, Gerda.
"Yes, you may! Come on in!" She called back.
Gerda entered the room with a smile on her face and a number of clothes and fabrics in her arms, "The ladies and I have selected a number of dresses and colors to choose from, as well as what fabrics you'd like to wear with them, and accessories. We want you looking your very best for the ceremony!"
Anna helped take the clothes away from the woman and set them out on her bed. She looked over them eagerly. "Ooooh, they look wonderful, Gerda! I can't wait to try them all!"
Her eyes may have been set on the light green, but still, she wanted to sample them all, just in case something else looked good on her.
"Oh, that's wonderful to hear, Princess! Now, we're getting some jewelry ready to accompany the dresses, and when the ladies are finished, we'll come and help prepare you. I hope you're ready for a long day with us." The woman giggled.
Anna turned to her and saluted. "I, Princess Anna of Arendelle, will gladly submit myself to the hard work of dress modeling. I may not come back alive, but gosh darn it, at least I'll look pretty in the casket."
Gerda giggled even harder, and soon Anna joined in. "Well, let's hope it won't come to that. Elsa won't be able to see how grown up and absolutely lovely you've become, dear."
Anna's smile dropped a little bit. "Do you think…you think that she'll recognize me? Like, what if it's been so long she doesn't even remember? I don't even have the slightest clue what she looks like now. Does she still have white hair? Does her dimples do that thing when she smiles really wide when we were kids? Oh, does she still remember the time we pretended we were Vikings and I accidentally slammed my foot on hers when I played the dragon?! I never got to apologize! What if she hates me for it? She's gonna be queen soon, she has the power to banish me! I mean, I probably deserve it, but…"
Anna would have continued on in a frantic fervor if it weren't for Gerda putting a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Princess, please calm yourself. First of all, to answer the first part of your question, she looks absolutely stunning. She still has snow white hair, and she even learned to braid it herself at an early age. She…doesn't really smile often, but when she does, it brightens up the entire room. Her cheeks are rosy and smooth as a babe's bum, her figure is that of a ballerina in a music box, and she has the most wonderful voice, just like her mother's." Gerda reminisced. "Hehe, and about her hating you, no, Princess, I promise you, she doesn't. On the contrary, she never has. She loves you and asks about you constantly when we attend to her. She wants to see you every day."
Anna was shell-shocked at this revelation. Elsa actually wanted to see her too? But…if that's the case…
"Then…why did she never come to see me, then? Why weren't we allowed to see each other?"
Gerda had a soft look on her face, one of sadness. "I'm sorry, Your Highness. It isn't my place to say. But, you are older now, and so is Elsa. Since your mother and father aren't here to see you reunite after all these years, perhaps she can tell you why herself, and maybe you'll come to understand."
Huh, Anna never thought about that. Since she's now going to see her again, maybe she can actually TALK to her properly this time, and get to know the real reason they were separated. Still, she needed to be careful not to come off as pushy. She doesn't want to mess up their grand reunion with 'HEY ELSA, NOW THAT OUR PARENTS ARE GONE, CAN WE TALK ABOUT WHY WE WERE FORCED AWAY FROM EACH OTHER?' right out of the gate.
Anna nodded. "Okay. It's been about 13 years now, right? I can wait two more days. No problem!" She said eagerly. She felt like the world was starting to be on her side for once. The kingdom will no longer live in isolation, her sister was going to come back into her life, and to top it all off, she has SOOO many cute dresses to try on and necklaces to wear and…
OH!
"Hey, Gerda! When do you think you and the other stylists will be done with the final preparations for my fitting?" She asked earnestly.
Gerda did the math in her head at how long her experienced cohorts could sew and sort diamonds into new fashion trends on the fair princess. "Give or take 10 minutes. Why do you ask?"
"Great! I need to go down to the local tailor. I promised him I would gladly wear these absolutely LOVELY white stockings he made to help promote his shop. He and his wife really need the money for the coming spring, so I thought it would help." Anna said as she got her everyday attire on.
"Oh, well, if that's the case, why don't I get one of the servants to go get it for you instead of—"
"No, it's all good! I can run and get it! Besides, I want to see the decorations everyone made for the ceremony. It's not every day you open yourself to the public after so many years AND get to introduce our new queen!" Anna threw her satchel over her head and checked if she had enough coins to pay for the stockings. Satisfied, she turned to Gerda. "I promise, I'll be right back to try on what you all have ready for me. Trust me, I know you'll come and drag me back to the castle if I'm even a second late." She joked.
Gerda rolled her eyes. "It's a skill we've come to acquire when trying to keep you out of trouble, Your Highness."
"Oh, come on, I wasn't THAT bad—"
"Tell that to the suits of armor that fell over akin to dominoes."
"Hey, that wasn't my fault. Wally told me to do it!"
"….William Wallace told you to knock down several expensive armor sets? As in, the William Wallace in the painting?"
"Yeah, he never liked those, anyway. He always said to, "Fight the power, man!"
Gerda just shook her head at the girl's wild imagination and sighed. "Very well. Just to be sure to be right back, okay?" Anna nodded, and gave the other woman a quick hug, which she reciprocated. "Be careful out there, and be wary of strangers."
"I know, I know. I'll be fine, I promise. I'll see you later!" She said as she rushed out the door. She was running past the halls to get down to the main door that led to the bridge to the village, and she ran through each hall…
Right into the hall that held her sister's room.
She hesitated, just for a few seconds. Maybe, just maybe, considering it was only a few days since coronation day, Elsa could use some company to calm her nerves, or just talk, or something…
Anna shook her head, though. She needed to get those stockings quickly or suffer the wrath of Gerda and the stylists for being late. They can prove to be rather vengeful in the fitting process, and her sides hurt just thinking about how tight they can make a corset. Still, Anna promised herself that she'll try again later in the day when she's finished. With that in mind, she went down the stairs and continued on her way.
She had a strange feeling that today was going to be a good day!
Elsa didn't know if any of this was real, or not.
She knew that one day, this moment would come. She has been preparing for it, taught every facet of how to rule the kingdom as fairly and compassionately as her parents once had. But she never thought that the circumstances leading up to it would be like this. She never thought that she would have to hide away in this room for every day these past several years, just so she could keep everyone safe. She never thought that her parents would never be there to see her ascend the throne, and the thought still makes her tear up to this day.
But the most unbelievable thought, in Elsa's mind, was that in two days, she was going to see her sister Anna again.
She remembers the last time she saw her, that one fateful night she was awoken by the hyper girl, asking to make a snowman. She remembers how much fun they had at playing with each other in the snow that Elsa made, making said snowman (affectionally named "Olaf"), sledding down slopes, skating across the frozen marble floor, and just….being with her made her so happy.
But then, the unthinkable happened.
She tried to keep Anna from falling from so high up, but she kept going faster down the homemade platforms that Elsa couldn't make in time, and in one fatal slip-up, one that haunts her every nightmare of "what-ifs," one bolt of ice hit Anna square in the face and she fell to the floor with a smack. Elsa ran over to her immediately, and prayed to whatever god would listen that night that she was okay. She ended up being just fine, but at a terrible cost. After she and her parents delivered her to the trolls in the forest, they healed her of the affliction, but a streak of white remained in her hair as a reminder of what was done. Further, they had to remove all memories of Elsa's magic from her, creating fake memories without them. Elsa was then shown that people will fear her as her power continues to grow, and out of protection, her parents made the decision to keep her out of the public's sight until they can figure out what to do, only having the staff and themselves come in, keeping Anna away so she doesn't remember what happened to her in the first place.
Those years alone in her room were so terrible, but she knew it was necessary. She needed to learn to control her powers and keep them in check so she wouldn't hurt anyone else. So, it broke her heart every time Anna would knock on her door, asking her to build a snowman in the winter, further reminding Elsa of her terrible curse. It broke her heart even more to send Anna away. Knowing her, she probably felt so dejected by her. Nonetheless, Anna kept trying, every single year, to get her out of her room, telling her about the exciting stuff she would get up to. It sounded fun, and she yearned to be with her once again, but it was for the best. She couldn't risk hurting her again, not until she could control…whatever this was.
Her parents tried to help her in every way they could, giving her books to read about various skills to learn and teaching her how to play piano, things that would have been a lot more fun had Anna been around. One gift that proved the most helpful was when her father brought blue satin gloves to help keep her frosty touch at bay. They were so effective that they brought several cases more in case they wore out, and her parents always reminded her of the slogan that forever goes through her mind: "Conceal, don't feel." Another useful item during her self-isolation was a lovely little doll she made all by herself that she proudly named "Sir Jorgenbjorgen" and she would talk to him all the time in place of Anna to pass the time.
He always was a good listener.
The gloves, combined with years of practicing reigning her emotions in, made Elsa think that maybe, just maybe, she was finally in full control of her powers. However, every single time she thought something like that, she would have some type of outburst that resulted in her freezing her entire room over.
And no outburst has ever been worse since that day.
She at least got to say goodbye after she was told Anna was in her room after she said her own goodbyes. Elsa saw her parents leave right out the door, promising to come back with something that they believed could help her control her powers, or at least help figure out what to do with them. She told them she loved them, and that was the end of it.
Several days later, it was the maid, with tears in her eyes, that broke the news. When she was finished, Elsa, barely containing herself, quickly ordered the maid out of the room and locked the door, and for the first time in forever, every emotion she felt—anger, sadness, despair, everything that represented the fact that she just lost two out of three of the most loving people in her life—came bursting out as the entire room was covered in thick ice. It didn't help when Anna, who just came from the funeral, came to her door once again and begged her, her own throat sore from crying, Elsa realized, to come out again.
But she couldn't. She never could now, not until she was absolutely sure she could control her powers. But oh, how she wanted to comfort her that very moment, to talk to her, to do anything so she wouldn't be alone, and for a moment, she almost did. But something in the back of her mind whispered "Don't," and she was compelled to keep her silence.
But now…she really was no longer sure she could anymore. Regardless of how she felt, she needed to keep it together for a little while longer, until the ceremony ended.
Which led her back to now.
Currently, she was going over planning the big day with her aide, Lothar. "So, the crowning will be taking place at the Holy Church here. After the priest places the crown on your head, you shall take the scepter and orb in your hands, and the priest will announce you as the new Queen of Arendelle. By the time you and the guests return to the castle, we'll have the preparations for the party ready. Will that suffice, Your Majesty?" He asked.
"Yes, Kai, that sounds wonderful. Has the guest list been finalized?" Elsa wondered. She was curious to see who would come and see the newly reopened Arendelle. It has been so long since anyone was allowed in. Elsa internally cringed at the thought, because she knew exactly why it had been this way. Her hands started to ice at the thought, and she quickly reached for her gloves and put them on.
"Yes. We have an extensive number of guests eager to come, as well as prominent members of the royal families across the Fjord. Representatives from Warsaw, Helsinki, London, even all the way out from Reykjavik will be in attendance, along with the Duke of a small county called…one moment, let me see if this is correct…'Weaselton,' I believe?" He said rather confused, which caused the soon-to-be-queen to snicker slightly. "Oh, and also the youngest prince from the Southern Isles will be in attendance as well. That is all."
Elsa nodded and looked out to the village below, putting up decorations for the big day and sprucing everything up to impress the newcomers. They all look so happy and free, and she really felt happy for them. After years of being the reason their kingdom could never interact with the outside world, they were finally going to see new people, new places even. She hoped that she doesn't ruin it. "I hope I can live up to mother and father…" She said mostly to herself, but Kai heard her.
"You will, Your Majesty. Your kindness knows no bounds, like your mother, and you have obtained a savvy sense of leadership very much like your father. And even with your…condition, you have been able to hide it sufficiently for years now. I'm sure you will have no problem addressing the public." Kai reassured her.
Elsa still felt unsure about that last part, as she still needed the gloves even now to keep her icy powers in check, but kept her composure.
"You're too kind, Kai. Thank you. If that is all, I would like to be alone for a moment." She asked politely, wanting to make sure that her powers wouldn't show.
"Of course, Your Majesty! I should let you know that the stylists will attend to you tonight, after they finish with Princess Anna. They have chosen some MARVELOUS pieces for you both! I'm sure you'll both look stunning at the ceremony." He said enthusiastically, and turned to the door, but stopped. "Also, if I may be so bold, Your Highness?"
Elsa tilted her head. "Yes?"
"From what Gerda has passed on to me, your sister has been rather…to put it simply, excited, as of late, at the prospect of seeing you again after these long years. Once you go out to the public and attend the crowning and the party thereafter, she will no doubt come and see you and want to get to know about you and everything that's happened. I think it would be best to interact with her, and maybe start opening up to her. She's been so lonely for so long, and she has even asked what you look like, since she never sees you."
Elsa frowned. THAT was the heart of the problem, wasn't it? She didn't feel nervous about the ceremony, nor the guests, nor even addressing her own people that she never got to see. But rather, it was coming face to face with the sister she kept herself away from for all these years, and trying to explain to her just why it had to be this way. She could never tell her the real truth, though, as it would be detrimental after what the trolls did to alter her memory. She would have to come up with something else by the time the party came around, where she'll no doubt have to interact with the hyperactive Anna. "I understand. I want to try and reconnect with her, but I need time to prepare a story that she will believe that doesn't involve ice or magic…or trolls. But yes, I…want to see her, too."
Kai smiled. "That's good to hear, Your Majesty. I'll leave you to your privacy." He bowed and left the room, leaving Elsa alone to conjure up a fable to satisfy Anna. She thought up different things to tell her…
"Anna, the reason why I was away for so long was because….because I had a sickness! A terrible affliction that I could never rid myself of until now, conveniently when I'm about to become queen."
Ugh, no. Come on, Elsa. Anna's not stupid. Aloof, maybe, but certainly not stupid.
"Anna, that night, someone…tried to assassinate us. Ever since, our parents thought the best solution was to separate us to keep them off our scent until they were found years later."
Maybe, but then, Anna would feel doubly inclined to not keep her out of her sight again. Also, she may tell others, and then it would predictably spiral out of control. So, no on THAT one.
"….how about we go get chocolate like nothing's changed so I can avoid talking about our traumatic past?"
ARRRRGH!
This was proving quite the task for Elsa, and needed a moment to collect her thoughts, and also to keep herself from covering her room with ice again. She really didn't want the maids to go through all that work again. She decided to head up into her attic to see if she can find something to help her out.
This old room has barely been touched, even during the years of isolation within these walls, so Elsa knew where certain things could be. She looked around to find a familiar red trunk that housed yet another set of gloves in case of emergencies…and one very familiar doll. Elsa picked it up and examined the old thing. Worn, scratched in some places, and crudely made (she thought she did rather well for her age, thank you very much), but it still had a place in her heart.
"Oh, what am I going to do, Sir Jorgenbjorgen?" She asked the little doll.
"Hmmm…mayhaps you should tell your dear sister the TRUTH. Show her your powers, and maybe she would understand." The doll responded with Elsa's cartoony voice.
"No, I can't do that, as much as I'd like to. If she remembers, then something bad may happen. Not only that, but the people will think I'm a monster. I can't lead a people who are afraid of me."
"Well, why not take Anna and leave? Go out and see the world together. Make up for lost time, and you'll never have to leave her alone again?"
Hmph. Elsa never did grow out of that, did she?
It started early on in her childhood shortly after being confined to her room. She was reading an atlas one day and seeing all the different countries of the world. She then started dreaming of she and her family going to see all the beautiful landmarks of the world, including Paris and the Alps. Best of all, those dreams included her sister, happy as she could ever be, being with her instead of being shunned away. That dream never left, even when her parents died, but it did give her pangs of grief upon remembering them. The thought of taking Anna and just leaving all their problems and responsibilities behind, along with being with her again, was definitely tempting…
But Elsa knew better.
"I can't do that, Jorgen. I have a kingdom to lead, and I can't leave this place without a leader. I have to be responsible.
"Hmph. Says the girl who sweettalked Anna into sneaking cookies from the kitchen at night while her parents were asleep."
"Hey, I was a child…and also, those cookies were chocolate chip. You can't blame me for it."
"…fair point."
Elsa giggled and set the doll down. She has so much to prepare for, from ruling a kingdom to how to figuring out the best way to approach Anna after so long. She had so much to plan for, and honestly, it was stressing her out.
So, she did the only thing she knew to try and relieve it, "Frightened and reeling~ that's how I'm feeling~ Due to my fears~"
Whispers in my mind~ tell me I'm not kind~" She turned to the window looking towards her Kingdom, "I could tell from her tears~ But now, here I am, there's no turning back~ I must face this challenge head on"
"I have to persevere~ no confidence to lack~ And when it is all over~ we head to a new dawn~" She then turned to a dress to look at reflection of herself with a look of determination before she changed it to guilt, "Yet, my sister misses me, wants to really know me~ The truth would sting~ After so many years now, I cannot bow out~
Looking down to the floor as she continued to sing, "So here I sing~ I want her back in~my life after so long~The moment closes in rapidly~"
"But what can I say~?" Elsa wondered, "Lying to her would be so wrong~ Yet the truth would be so horrid, oh, I may just want to flee~"
"I just don't know what to do~ I just don't know what to do~ To feed her lies, or risk her fearing my every move~?" Elsa sat back on her bed, distraught, "Oh, I just don't know what to do~" Lying back on the bed, she sighed, "At night, when the stars shined~ I dreamt we were all fine~ Those days have passed~ Yet, here I stand with those, same thoughts that I know~ Would cause the kingdom to never last~!"
She then closed her eyesgave a faint smile, "Me and Anna run away~ seeing new sights each day~ My heart feels joyous the mere thought~" She then realized, "But my kingdom needs me~ I cannot let them be~ Oh, this stress will end up making, me freezing all I see~! I just don't know what to do~! I just don't know what to do~!"
"What matters more~? Ruling or my sister I adore~?Oh, I just don't know what to do~!" Sitting back up on her bed, she looked down on her gloves, "I would give everything I ever had~ if I could reset the clock just one time~ So I could be with my family and not be sad~ but life can't let me do that~ so now I have to live life mine~!"
"I just don't know what to do~! I just don't know what to do~!" As she sang the room started getting colder before she quickly tried to pull herself together, "Conceal, don't feel~!" She lightly pulled her gloves, "But what will they say if my powers were revealed~? Oh, someone tell me what to do~"
"Well, then, allow me."
Elsa yelped and jumped off the bed at the unannounced voice. She looked around frantically for the person, wondering who could have possibly have snuck up here without her knowing. She has stayed here for over ten years! She would KNOW if someone was in her attic. "Who—who goes there? I order you to show yourself!"
"Show yourself~"
Elsa's head pounded as her brain felt like splitting open, and she saw…images? Of herself? Yes, there she was, in a beautiful white dress, singing in a chamber that looked like pure ice, hair flowing all around her…
And then…herself freezing.
Elsa gasped at the scene before her. What did that mean? Was she doomed to freeze herself because of her powers? What about Anna? What about Arendelle? How could they…
"Careful. You seem to have memories that haven't even been created yet."
Elsa looked around wildly at who was causing this. "Who—who are you? What images are you conjuring in my head? Are you a troll, too?" She asked, thinking that the rock trolls were the only other magic users she'd ever encountered.
That would prove to be not the case, it seemed, as she heard a footstep behind her.
Elsa quickly turned around and saw the intruder up close. He was tall, very tall, with long, flowing hair slightly darker than hers. He wore attire unlike any she had ever seen before. Perhaps a mercenary, hired to kill her before she ever becomes queen? But the most notable feature she saw, and was promptly terrified of, was his eyes. She may not have interacted with too many people during her time of isolation, but she knew enough to know that humans don't have eyes like that. She stepped back further from him, trying to distance herself from him and get to the ladder leading downstairs.
"I—demand to know who you are! How did you get in here? Have you come to kill me? I promise you, there will be no corner of the kingdom safe for you if you so much as—" Elsa would have continued with the threat had she not heard the stranger simply laugh, like this was some kind of joke to him.
"All things die. Some sooner, some later. If you're asking If I'm the one who kills you…well, that depends on what you do next." He simply said. "Admittedly, me killing you would prove pointless, in a way. Your powers are unique to this world, and you are a conduit for something greater."
Wait. What?
"Wha—how do you know about my powers? WHO ARE YOU? I won't ask again?" She demanded angrily. She was getting worried now. If this man knew about her powers, then what else could he…
She decided that, perhaps, it really wasn't a good idea to stay in a cramped, enclosed room with a threatening 'man' who knows her deepest, darkest secret. So, she used her magic to create icy spikes to keep him at bay, and tried to run to the ladder to get the guards and alert the kingdom. However, the second she got the opening, the hatch closed tight. Elsa pushed the door with all her might, but it wouldn't budge. She was stuck.
With him.
She turned to see if he was still incapacitated, and then her jaw practically dropped from its hinges. She saw her ice melt in a fiery blaze, caused by the man himself, who casually drew the fire from his hand and made it disappear like it was nothing. Elsa reared back in pure shock. This man…had powers too?! Like her? She was now very afraid. She was still very untrained in controlling her powers, and he looked like he had mastered whatever THAT was. If he wanted to kill her, he very much could…
"…what are you?" Elsa asked lowly and trembling.
The man simply smiled as he explained, "To few, I am deliverance. The one who will lead them to the Promised Land. To many others, I am the angel of death, come to deliver despair. Tell me, Your Highness, what do YOU think I am I to you?"
He walked slowly to her. Elsa crawled back until he hit the wall behind her. She had nowhere left to go as the man towered above her, "You disappoint me. You think yourself alone in your suffering, and that has caused you to selfishly hide yourself away from the world when it needs you the most."
Elsa was stunned at the audacity at this man. She didn't do this out of selfishness!
"How dare you! I did this to keep everyone safe from me! They don't know how it feels to be cursed with these terrible powers! If they saw me, they'd be afraid of me! No one would understand…" Elsa finished, trembling.
The man didn't waver. "Is that so? Well then, allow to show you just how wrong you are."
With a flick of his wrist, he waved it quickly and a bright light surrounded Elsa's eyes, blinding her for a moment. Elsa didn't know what was happening, or what was going to happen to her…
When her sight returned, she was not in her attic.
As she got up off the ground, she found herself outside in such a…strange place. Tall buildings surrounded her, the ground was hard and cold, it had somehow become nighttime, and loud noises could be heard all around. She also saw very strange machines going back and forth across from each other, like carriages being drawn without their horses. It was such an awe-inspiring sight to see, with the different colored lights dancing across these buildings and people with…
BANG!
Elsa nearly jumped at the loud sound near her, and turned to see an elderly gentleman on the ground, bleeding from a wound, and a hooded man running away. Elsa was terrified, and went over to him quickly. She knelt down and tried to touch him, but her hand passed through him, as if he were a ghost, which further surprised Elsa.
"H-HELP! IS ANYONE HERE? THIS MAN NEEDS HELP!" She tried to call into the empty night. Just then, another man ran toward them, terrified. He was young, about as young as her sister, Elsa guessed, and he frantically got down to hold the man in his arms, the boy also being intangible to touch.
"UNCLE BEN? UNCLE BEN, PLEASE, NO… I NEED HELP HERE! CALL AN AMBULANCE!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, but as he turned back to the man—Ben—his eyes slowly dimmed away, and he was no longer alive. The young man's tears continued to flow, as he was left alone with the man so dear to him, perished. Even without knowing either of them, Elsa felt so much sympathy for the young man, after what happened to her—
"You are not the only one who knows tragedy…"
That voice! It was that man again!
Before Elsa could even say anything, another flash of light hit her eyes and blinded her. When she could see again, she was no longer in that strange place, and was now in an even stranger one. The room was circular, and made entirely of metal, and for some reason, there was a huge HOLE in the middle of it. But Elsa was not focused on that; rather, she was focused on the two figures in the exact same position as the previous two people before, except this time, the man dying had long, flowing hair and looked less old than the other man, and the other was a younger man with short hair, and a braid on the side dangling as he shook his head in sadness at the man dying.
"Obi-Wan, promise—promise me, you will train the boy…"
"Yes, Master, I will! I promise!"
"He…is the Chosen One…He will…bring…balance…" And just like last time, the man died in the younger's arms, much to the other's grief. Elsa was saddened to, but she doesn't understand any of this. Who were these people, and where were these places she was being taken to? What sick game is this stranger playing at to force her to watch this suffering?
"Everyone, everywhere, has felt loss, like you…"
Another light hit Elsa, and once again when it cleared, she was somewhere completely different. This time, she was outside again, with the rain falling from the dark clouds. In the horizon, where she could see the sun start to peek out, was a gigantic city, unlike any she has ever seen before, with what looked like a HUGE chimney as the defining feature. But once again, the scene was taken up by yet another pairing of a dying man and a mourning man. However, she noted how similar the two looked to each other. One had blonde hair, holding the other man in his arms, and had blood across his face. The other man looked very similar to him, with black hair and a dull look in his eyes, yet he kept a smile on his face, as if nothing was wrong. The dark-haired man held up a gigantic sword and lifted it to the blonde man.
"My honor, my dreams…they're yours now." The dying man said, as he held the sword up the blonde man. He took it wordlessly, and looked at the other man.
"I'm…your living legacy."
The dark-haired man looked satisfied, and passed away peacefully. The blonde-haired one was devasted and screamed into the sky in anguish. Elsa was getting tired of this. Why was he showing her all of this? WHY?
"Because there is a very notable difference between these three…and you."
What?
Soon, another light blasted her eyes, and this time she saw several more visions in quick succession. Some that involved a man in brightly colored tights saving a child from a burning building by swinging on a VERY thin-looking rope, another of a man with robes and a beard holding a bright blue sword protecting men in bright white armor in a place her imagination could not comprehend, and another of that same blonde man, looking much more grown up, striking enemies down and helping a girl with a pink dress up on her feet. Once those visions were over, she found herself back in her attic, shaking at everything she saw. When she looked up, the man was still there.
"These people managed to overcome their grief, and become something beyond themselves. Taking their anger and loss and turning it into motivation to overcome and move on. Now tell me, what have you done?" The man asked. Elsa's head once again felt like it was being stabbed, and old images came cycling back in of her constantly telling Anna to go away and how she shut her out for so many years, and new scenes of Anna on the outside of her room looking sad every. Single. Time.
It broke Elsa's heart.
"You could have talked to her, let her know that despite the circumstances, you still loved her. But you never did. You shunned her everyday, locking yourself in your room for 13 years without so much as a whisper to her. This sadness she feels in her heart is your doing." The man gestured to her.
Elsa's tears couldn't stop falling from her eyes. That…that wasn't true! She loved her, she always has, every day. She kept her out to protect her and everyone else. She couldn't talk to her because….
Because….
"But now, you have a second chance."
Elsa looked up at that. "What?"
"Your power is great but dangerous. You are capable of so much more than you could possibly know…" He said, and a new pang in Elsa's head revealed a new vision, of an island of ice across a dark sea. She didn't know what that meant either. She slowly got to her feet. "A word of advice…" The man slowly walked up to her, causing Elsa to back up. "Get out. Go, explore the world, explore every corner, and take your sister with you. You are no longer chained to destiny. Make up for the years you've tortured her with your silence and absence. You would enjoy it. After all…"
New images invaded Elsa's mind, causing her to nearly choke. The image of Anna in a room alone by the fireplace, hair becoming all white. And then another of her…
Completely frozen.
"…you may never see her again."
Elsa felt nearly faint, and then weightless, falling hard on the ground below. Elsa groaned in pain as she opened her eyes to see that she found herself on the floor of her room. She looked up to see that the hatch to the attic was still open. What if…he was still…
"YOUR HIGHNESS? YOUR HIGHNESS, ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?" She heard Kai call from the door before opening it. He nearly blanched at the sight of the future queen on the floor looking hurt and quickly fell to her side. "My queen, what happened? Did you have a fall from the ladder? I will go get a physician to check—"
Elsa grabbed his collar and pointed up the attic, ice threatening to creep up her fingers out of sheer panic. "GET THE GUARDS! THERE'S SOMEONE UP THERE!"
"Thanks, Josef! These are going to look SOOO good with my dress for the ball coming up!" Anna thanked the tailor as she paid him for the stockings and stuffed them carefully in her satchel. The man took the money eagerly.
"Yes, of course, Your Majesty! Once they-a see you wearing a Josef Jonsa article of artisan-a clothing, they vill not only call you-a the most beautiful royal in the Fjord, but-a my business will be-a booming!" The man replied cheerfully, causing the princess to laugh at his enthusiasm.
"I'm sure they will! Alright, I gotta get back to the castle before the stylists drag me back there by my pigtails. I'll see you later!" Anna told me as she left the small shop, with Josef saying his goodbyes in his usual fervor.
As Anna left the shop, the scent of candies and sweets bombarded her nose like a candy-coated flurry of crossbow arrows. She was SO tempted to stop and pick up something, but she did promise that she would be back as soon as possible for the fittings. She did take a small moment to look around the village and admire all the hard work everyone has put in to make Arendelle the most fantastic place to see for all the coming guests. She also got out one of the stockings to get a better look at it, admiring the little details sewn in and the overall craftsmanship of it.
At least, she did, until a rather large gust of wind blew it right out of her hands.
Anna freaked out and chased the flying clothing across the town square, dodging barrels being moved, ducking under ladders being carried, jumping and sliding over every object to catch that stocking and hopefully not have it drop into a puddle. She saw it shift directions into a back alley and followed. She saw it slowly descend, looking like it really was about to land in a puddle, so Anna dove for it, and she felt like she was in slow motion, watching the climax of the play. She managed to grab it….at the cost of her clothes getting soaked. Still, it was only water, it could be cleaned.
"Ugh, Greda and the girls are gonna chew me out to high Heaven for this. Still, my stocking is safe! They'll feel better when I get all dolled up for them!" She said as she turned to head back to the main street, until she saw a man in a large brown cloak, with straps across his
chest, and the hood obscuring his face. "Oh! Didn't see you there! Sorry, but it was stocking season, and as you could see, I caught one!" She joked as she walked away…
"This world has been connected."
Anna stopped and turned back to the strange man. "Huh? What was that?"
"Tied…to the darkness….soon to be completely eclipsed."
Ooooookaay. That was…ominous. Anna would LOVE to find out what that meant, but see, she had a gang of scary stylists to get back to, and also, this alleyway was getting pretty scary in a completely different way now.
"Uh, cool! I'll, uh…leave you to that…Bye!" She stated cheerfully as she speed-walked out of there.
But not before hearing, "That same darkness is in your sister's heart. Soon, it shall be brought to bear."
Anna's eyes widened. How would this man know about her sister, when she knew so very little? And…wait. What's this about darkness?
Anna whirled around to ask what he was implying, but the man was nowhere to be found. Anna was slowly freaking out now, and decided that running back to the castle would be great exercise.
Also, perhaps she should probably check on her sister now.
As she reached the entrance of the main castle hall, she noticed a lot of guards around, a lot more than usual, as well as several coming in and out of the different halls and rooms. All armed.
Anna looked even more perplexed. "What's going on here? What happened?"
She saw Greda coming down the stairs. "Princess Anna? Oh, thank goodness, you've returned! Your sister appears to have had a fright! She fell down the ladder leading to the attic, and claimed a man inside attacked her!"
Anna's heart stopped upon hearing that news. An assassin? Here? In the castle? How did he get in the attic anyway? The only way in was through Elsa's room. "Where is he? Did the guards apprehend him? Is he still loose? IS ELSA OKAY?"
Greda calmed her down, "Well, that's the peculiar part, dear. When the guards went in to check, there was no sign of anyone inside. We've been searching the castle grounds ever since. We're worried she may have hit her head hard from the fall, and perhaps, along with the stress of her crowning approaching, she may be seeing things that aren't there."
Anna was a bit calmer that there was no one here, but still, she was very worried now for Elsa. Illusions? She may not know Elsa now, due to being away from her, but she never seemed the type to lie or make something up. Maybe she really DID think someone was up there, regardless if it was her imagination or not. Even more, the people of Arendelle would be quite alarmed that their future queen is seeing ghosts or apparitions that aren't there. They may think her crazy!
And also, that guy in the cloak, who mentioned her sister right as THIS happens….
Well, looks like sister intervention time after 13 years!
"Maybe…I should try and talk to her. It may do her good, plus I'm the expert at playing pretend here in the castle! If there's anyone who can relate to seeing invisible people, I'm your gal!" She said enthusiastically. Greda looked…unimpressed at the accolade, but relented.
"Well, alright. If you think you can help her, I won't stop you. But we should let you know, we shall be increasing our security as we approach the ceremony. Imagine if there really was someone up there! It would do us good to be safer than sorry." Anna nodded, and Greda walked away to attend to other duties. She rushed up the stairs to her sister's room, which was flanked by two guards who bowed to her.
"Your Highness." They both said in unison. Anna curtsied back.
"Hey, can I have a moment or two alone with Elsa? You know, a heart-to-heart between sisters? I promise, you two can come back when we're done?" she asked politely. The two guards looked at each other, but nodded and went down the stairs. Anna moved to the door and knocked in her usual tune that she always had as a child. "Elsa? Are you okay? I heard you fell down the attic. Heh, I've had that happen a time or two before, let me tell you, NOT fun. There was this one time I tried this experiment and I put my bed under the hatch, and…" Anna stopped when she heard nothing from the door. She sighed and pressed closer. "Elsa…please. Just let me hear you, just once, so I know you're okay. We're worried about you. I'M worried about you. I want to help you in any way I can, and since you're becoming queen soon, I guess you may be feeling….stressed? Alone? Those weird little butterflies in your tummy that we used to have when we walked through the halls in the dark at night and you screamed? Well, please, let me be there for you. I'm right here. I've-I've always been here…" She finished, and almost walked away from the door…
"You were the one that screamed, Anna." She heard from behind the door. Anna gasped in pure astonishment. Her sister was actually speaking! TO HER! Anna practically slammed herself to the door, the squeak on the other end confirming her sister wasn't expecting it.
"ELSA! YOU'RE OKAY! OH, YOU HAD ME WORRIED THERE FOR A SECOND! WHAT HAPPENED?! I WAS ONLY GONE TO PICK UP MY STOCKINGS FROM THE NICE TAILOR AND THEN THE WIND BLEW IT AND I CHASED IT TO A DARK ALLEY WHERE THIS WEIRD GUY WAS GOING ON ABOUT HEARTS AND WORLDS AND DARKNESS AND YOU AND THEN I GOT BACK AND—"
"Anna!" Elsa interrupted, and Anna had to close her own mouth to stop herself from saying anything else. "Go back. What was that about a weird guy? What did he look like?" She asked, and Anna thought she sounded kinda scared…
"Well, he was just standing in the alley, and he told me that…" She tried to mimic his deep voice. "…'this world has been connected.' It was really odd, and then he said something about you, but I didn't get it. He was wearing this thick brown cloak so I couldn't see his face, and he looked really hunched over, and…actually, come to think of it, I don't think I saw his arms! Maybe that cloak was too big for him…?"
"So…it wasn't him." Anna heard Elsa whisper.
"Hmm. Wasn't who? Elsa, who did you see in the attic?" Anna asked. She wanted to help her sister through whatever problem, hallucination or otherwise, she had.
"I—you wouldn't believe me. It was so…strange and frightening." Elsa said sadly.
"No! Don't do that! Elsa, I've waited for so long to see you and meet you again, and I made a promise to our parents before they died that I would be there for you. I will not break that promise, and I want to help you. So please, don't keep me out again! Let me in!" Anna pleaded with her sister. She couldn't take it anymore. She wanted back into her life as much as she wanted her back into hers. She couldn't take her silence and absence any longer!
Elsa could be heard sniffling in from the door. "A-Anna, I...I never knew…It's just that, I've been so scared of us growing apart and not being close as we once were. But I need to keep you safe, keep everyone safe. But…I don't know how anymore. I know that I'm needed here to rule Arendelle, but I don't know if they will ever accept me! In my heart, I want to just…take both of us away from here and go see the world as sisters, not as rulers, yet I'm afraid of what might happen…to you…" She was softly sobbing, and Anna's heart ached for her. For the first time, she actually got Elsa to open up, and she nearly cried when she said she wanted to go see the world together. To be honest, she wouldn't oppose the idea of sneaking out on a boat and going to Paris and seeing the sights.
It would be like going to a different world entirely.
"Elsa, you don't have to worry about me. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. The people will love you, once they see and get to know you. I mean, I'm just talking to a DOOR and I still love you like I did when we were just kids! You'll be a great ruler. Is that what happened? Is it stress? You can be honest with me…"
"N—no, it wasn't…"
"Then what? Come on, talk to me. I'm listening…"
For a moment that felt like an eternity, no answer. Then…"Tomorrow." Elsa said, sounding determined.
"Huh. What's tomorrow?"
"Anna, are you doing anything tomorrow? Anything at all?" Elsa asked. Anna thought to herself of her daily checklist. Assuming she found a wonderful dress tonight, there wouldn't need to be a fitting tomorrow. She could help with the decorations around the castle with the servants, but other than that, nothing, really. "No, I don't have anything planned. Why?"
"When—whenever you can, do you want to come by the door, and just…talk? For the day? About everything? I've missed so much, and there's…so much I need to tell you. About what happened today, and just…everything in general." She asked earnestly.
Anna's jaw nearly hit the marble floor. Did…did Elsa, hide and seek queen of the century, just invite her to hang out? After all this time?
OF COURSE SHE WANTS TO!
"Oh, Elsa, YES! Yes, I'll be here tomorrow first thing in the morning! I'll get paper so I can show you how well my drawings have gotten, I can get snacks and sneak them underneath the door, we can SING, maybe play some charades…oh, well, that might be hard from behind the…door?" Anna answered as she heard Elsa groaning in pain. "Elsa? You good?"
"Ugh…just a headache. But…yes, Anna. That sounds wonderful. It's getting late. I'll see you tomorrow. Thank you, Anna." Elsa nodded, as Anna heard her walk away from the door.
It's just now dawn, though. Anna thought that was a pretty weird time to be considered "late."
Oh…
OH! Anna got it! Elsa just wanted to sleep early so she could spend the rest of the day talking to her! Oh, how wonderful!
Anna said her goodbyes as well and skipped back to her room to prepare for her fitting. Oh, what a wonderful day! Her sister was going to actually talk to her, the kingdom was opening its doors…
(Never mind the strange man she saw today, or the weird imaginary man Elsa may or may not have seen),
…but it was slowly turning out to be the greatest two days Anna had ever had!
The song used has original lyrics made by the OG author and is to the tune of "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" by Michael Jackson. Made quite a few actual before stopping, thought of changing it, but I decided to keep it in. As a nod to the OG's work. He also decided to tell us of the images Elsa saw if it wasn't clear:
-Uncle Ben's death and Peter's reaction to it
-Qui-Gon's death and Obi-Wan's reaction to it (Episode 1: TPM)
-Zack Fair's death and Cloud's reaction to it (FF7: CC)
-The cavern of ice from Frozen 2
-Seeing both herself (Frozen 2) and Anna (Frozen) freezing
-When Anna mentions charades at the door, Elsa has a brief flash of the charades game they played at the beginning of Frozen 2
Lots of Easter Eggs, did edit it a little like Peter's age of when Uncle Ben was killed. In the OG, he is stated to be around Elsa's age but any Marvel fan knows he started as a teen, so I changed to Anna's age range but by the time they meet Peter and Elsa should be the same age.
Speaking of who, guess who the main focus is in the next chapter? That's right! None other than our Friendly Neighborhood, Amazing, Sensational, Spectacular Spider-Man! And it's a good one, lots of action with the next one! Until then, see ya real soon!