Shoutout to RJ Cardigan lol. Thanks for the review, ducky! It kept the thought in my brain to keep writing because people are reading. Sorry this took so long.

Chapter Song: Winter's Sleep by Olivia Lufkin

Chapter One - The Darkness Speaks

It was the dungeons again. After that day, it was always the dungeons that haunted her most. She couldn't escape it. The casings were on her hands and it was the fact that it had to have been her parents that had them made that made it all the worse.

Monster.

That's what she was. Right? Her own parents had obviously thought so. She was dangerous. An abomination.

"Now, I wouldn't go that far, my dear." A voice suddenly spoke from the darkness.

She flinched and reeled backwards, the motion halted by the manacles. The voice that had spoken was unrecognized, a stranger in the shadows.

"Oh, but you have heard me. You and I know each other quite well." The voice went on.

The voice was unplaceable, not a soul in sight. Elsa even squinted into the shadows for a hint of movement. The dim firelight of the torch on the wall did nothing to help and she felt the familiar chill of fear travel down her back.

"Ah, so you do remember me."

Fear will be your enemy.

The old words echoed through the air and she shook. But that wasn't possible...fear was an emotion, not an entity...right?

The darkness laughed again, a sinister and cold sound that struck panic into her veins.

"You shouldn't have sent away your Guardian, my dear."

And the ground gave way beneath her feet.

"Elsa!"

She startled awake, her eyes shooting open to meet the concerned blue of her sisters.

She sat up. "What-what's going on?" Elsa questioned.

"I should be asking you that," Anna said. "You were shouting in your sleep. I could hear you down the hall."

Elsa blinked, trying to recall her nightmare. All she could recall was darkness. She shook her head.

"I can't remember." She said slowly. "What time is it?"

Anna glanced over and out of one of the large windows. Dawn was just beginning to break. "Almost six, I think."

Time to start the day anyways. She stretched. Breakfast would be served soon.

Standing, she thought back again to her nightmare. True, the only remnant it left behind in her mind was darkness, but there was a tangibility to the darkness.

You shouldn't have sent away your Guardian, my dear.

The voice echoed once more throughout her mind and she stumbled.

"Elsa!" Anna was at her side in a moment.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. I'm just not completely awake yet."

Anna's face said that she didn't believe her one bit.

"You know you can tell me anything, right?" The younger sister asked.

Elsa smiled. "What would I do without you?"

At this, the redhead grinned. "You'll always have me. I'm gonna go. I'll see you at breakfast." And with that she was gone.

The queen's smile fell and she turned to gaze at the balcony, as if somehow, just by wishing, her Winter Spirit would be there waiting.

But, the balcony was empty. There was no one waiting to comfort her. No one waiting to tell her the voice was simply a figment of her imagination. No one to tell her that she was safe.

There was no one to protect her, she thought sullenly.

Jack could feel something amiss. It had been there ever since the day started. As if everything was shifted, but only slightly, and only enough to cause discomfort. But nothing had changed.

At least, not to him.

He had been putting off a visit to Arendelle for months. But if there was any chance that the something that was wrong was happening in Arendelle, then he needed to be there.

But his doubts still lingered. Once again, just like all the times before, the pain of the memory of her dismissal resurfaced. She didn't want him.

But as the sun filtered through the leaves of the tree he was perched in, he realized he didn't care. He couldn't find it in him to care that she didn't want him.

He had to speak to her, whether she sent him away in anger or not. He had to know she was alright.

He jumped to his feet.

"Wind! Take me to Elsa!"

Meetings seemed to drone on and on that morning. Her and Anna had had breakfast together and a few moments to chat before she was whisked off to trade meetings. The kingdom was still trying to find suitable replacements for Weselton and the Southern Isles. The rulers of said kingdoms had tried to send sever other representatives with pleas for appeals, but the Kingdom of Arendelle turned down each and made clear that there would be no more trade due to the way their Queen and Princess had been treated.

Lunch came and Elsa didn't see Anna, which most likely meant that her younger sister was outside of the gates mingling with their people.

Elsa sighed. Another meeting in an hour. She still felt restless from the lingering darkness from her dream as well as the voice that had echoed in her head that morning.

She stood from her desk. A walk would do her good. The air would clear her head and the little ones in the kingdom would most likely ask her for "gifts".

As she headed out the door she thought of her kingdom. When all had been righted, not all had trusted her or welcomed her with open arms. A portion of the adults in her lands still did not trust her or her magic. Which was why she was so terribly grateful for the children. They had come running to her in excitement asking for snowball fights and toys made of ice. After a while, trust from the rest had come after seeing the kindness she showed the children.

Jack had once told her something similar, how it was always the children who greeted the world and both its wonder and secrets with open hearts and open minds.

The wistfulness and restlessness returned and she redirected her path to the fjord. The same spot that she had started on a year prior in her flight to the North Mountain. For some reason, the area, despite it not having the best of memories, felt like a sort of calming place. A place to think.

A strong gust of wind blew through and she glanced up from her pondering. It was unusual in summer for such a breeze to grace the kingdom without her producing it herself. Looking around, she saw nothing.

Elsa shook herself. She was just still on edge, that was all. It was just a breeze after all. She needed to stop looking for things that just simply weren't there.

The bank by the fjord was silent and empty. It was rare for the townsfolk to venture to the spot for reasons unknown. But, it was the small gifts in life, she supposed.

The North Mountain was in view from this spot, its tall isolated peak stretching to the sky. The palace wasn't visible from that distance, but the knowledge of its presence stirred another strange mix of emotions.

She wondered if Jack would have liked it. If he would have been proud of the acceptance she had found for her magic that day. Or if he would have been disappointed in her for running from all the events of that night in the first place.

The emotions went in strange waves. Longing. Shame. Pride. Disappointment. Joy. Fear.

It was an odd mix and, for the first time, the tranquility of the surrounding scenery did nothing to calm the young queen's inner turmoil.

Sighing and turning back to the path leading to the castle, she turned her mind to the upcoming council meeting and thought nothing of the thoughts that had seemingly rooted themselves in the dark corners of her mind.

AHHHH! I'M SORRY IT TOOK OVER A YEAR FOR THIS UPDATE! I promise it's not abandoned, I'm just tired and work three jobs. I've had this story planned for like ever. It's also just been really hard to write due to personal reasons that occurred a few years back. Its gotten easier but I'm busy a lot and usually the energy meter is absolutely depleted (rip to my tiktok too, I hardly get into cosplay these days lol). But I'll do my bestest to update more often. I'm still kinda setting up the story, but if y'all want the playlist for this fic, let me know! It helps me write it and fits with the story too!