Rifiuto: Non Mirena
March, 1858
Linnea Castle,
Arendelle
No one can say for certain why, or how, but sickness came that spring to Arendelle. It came in the night, catching any and all in its path- old and young, common and highborn, poor and wealthy alike. It did not discriminate, taking kings and queens, seamstresses and farmers, adults and children. It began gradually, with a slowly growing sore throat, followed by fever, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, and a characteristic rash. Elsa, by now six months into her current pregnancy, did everything she could to help her people combat the disease, even going so far as to close not only the gates of the city, but to close the country itself off to prevent it not only from spreading outside of Arendelle, but prevent outsiders from coming in and either catching it or bringing new disease.
It arrived two weeks into Hans' visit, essentially trapping the king in Arendelle; he informed his council of the situation, and promised to keep them abreast of everything, insisting when they responded that he return to the Isles immediately, that he was not sure if he'd been exposed, and would not risk spreading the disease to his court or people if he was indeed infected. At first, the royal family continued about their day as usual, until one of the scullery maids in the kitchens came down with the sickness, and then another and another. Eventually, Elsa greatly reduced the staff, insisting they all return home, and that they would be generously paid for time off due to their sickness, and that they would have the best care possible.
"You need to rest, Eliza." She hummed softly in response as he gently worked on rinsing her hair as she relaxed in the bath. Helena, Marta, and Elsa's two other ladies-in -waiting had been temporarily relieved of their duties by the king, who insisted they return to their rooms and rest; the only solution he could think of in this chaotic time. "I mean it; let me worry about what is happening here for a while."
"You will be seen as attempting to take my crown, you know that, Hans." Elsa replied, looking up at him. "Besides, it's best you watch after the children; let me handle Arendelle's affairs. I am her ruler, after all."
"A ruler who is three months away from birthing our seventh child." She sighed, hands moving to her belly as he stood. When she looked up next, it was to him reaching for her; she allowed him to help her out of the tub, wrapping the towel around her body and helping her to dry off. His hands stopped to rest against the swell of her belly, and she covered his hands with hers. It was well and truly evident that the queen was pregnant- exceedingly so, for she appeared bigger than she ever had with any of her other pregnancies; from the swell of her breasts to the roundness of her belly. "Please, Eliza, let me help."
A moment passed, before she nodded, accepting his soft kiss.
"Mama! Mama!"
It struck the oldest of the king and queen's children first.
The adults rushed towards the cries; Anna stopped, letting her sister and brother-in-law rush past. Despite the advanced stage of her pregnancy, the size of her belly, the looseness of her joints, Elsa's maternal instincts were on high alert. The princess watched as Elsa shot out of a hand; the door flew open, crashing back against the wall, as she dashed into the room, Hans on her heels. She stumbled, falling to her knees beside the bed, ignoring her husband's worried exclamation. The queen grabbed her daughter's hand, reaching up to feel her forehead. "Milla, my darling," She turned back."Hans, send for Doctor Ibsen! She's burning up!"
Without a word, the king did as ordered; a maid hurried off as Anna snuck towards the bedroom door. "Guder, vær så snill, ikke mitt barn.Please... I beg you... my child... don't take my child..."
Anna felt tears begin to course down her cheeks at the unadulterated fear within her sister's voice, and she didn't notice time had passed until Hans took the queen's shoulders. "Eliza, Eliza, please. You have to let Dr. Ibsen near." Gently, he helped his wife to her feet, scooping her into his arms when her knees gave way. With a soft nod at the doctor, he carried her from the room. The midwife had arrived with Ibsen, and set about checking the queen over. Once she'd finished her examination and informed the royals that everything seemed fine, they returned to wait outside the nursery.
Hans held her close; they refused to be parted, when their oldest daughter needed them both desperately. Stillness fell as the doctor finally stepped into the hall. The look on his face told them immediately that the news was not good. "Scarlet fever, Your Majesties." Elsa choked on a sob, burying her face in Hans' chest. "I suggest you isolate the princess from the other children, immediately. Perhaps it we contain it to just the Crown Princess, the other children will be spared and she will recover."
"Yes, of course, Doctor, that... do that. Please, anything you need." The doctor nodded at the king's soft acceptance, before slipping off to do as told.
"Take Lise back to your rooms, Hans. She needs her rest, she won't do anyone any good being here." The king nodded, scooping his wife up as Anna followed the doctor. She'd taken it upon herself to follow Ibsen's instructions to the letter, keeping as much stress off her beloved sister's shoulders as possible.
Though they quickly isolated Milla from the other children, it did no good. Scarlet fever quickly spread throughout the Royal Family's quarters, until each had been stricken with it to varying degrees; even Elsa, in her condition, wasn't spared, though she did recover the quickest. Unsure how, Ibsen concluded that it must have had something to do with her magic, and when the midwife confirmed that the babe was still alive within her womb, the good doctor was certain that it had to have been her magic,
"We know not exactly how illnesses such as this affect those with magic, for the Queen is the only person we know to possess magic. But perhaps her magic is what prevented her from coming down with it as badly as the others have."
Hans soon recovered, Elsa insisting herself that she nurse him back to health, and the day his fever finally broke, she burst into tears, terrified she would lose her beloved. One by one, the children slowly recovered- all except Liesel, who only seemed to get sicker. It was suggested by the Doctor that the family get away to Jannicke for the princess's health, and they did as told, arriving at the castle at the beginning of April.
And for a time, the change seemed to help, as the princess regained some of her strength back. The doctor returned to the city, to help where he could, and he was only gone a matter of a couple days before things took a turn. The King and Queen were awoken in the late hours of the tenth of April to crying; they found Leisel writhing in pain due to the rash, and her fever had spiked. Hans rushed to get the doctor, while the maids had to forcefully keep Elsa from the room as Anna tended to the little girl. The other children kept away, letting their aunt work, but it soon became evident that there was nothing left to do. Anna held the little girl's hand as she gently dabbed at her forehead with a cool cloth.
"Auntie... Mama's... scared..."
"You'll be okay, Liesel, okay? You'll be-" But the girl's hand went limp, the breath leaving her body quietly in seconds. The suffering the child had endured for weeks was now over, even if her family's was only just begun-
"Anna! Annalise!" The princess quickly hurried from the room, whispering softly to a maid to keep the children away, before she rushed to her sister.
"Lise, what's-" The sight of the queen doubled over in pain, holding tight to the footboard of the bed, stopped the princess in her tracks. The queen turned to her, pain written across her face.
"My waters have gone... Anna, it's too soon... I have three months left... why is it happening now?" But she couldn't answer the monarch, instead, instructing the maids to stay with the queen while she fetched the midwife. She couldn't be there with her sister, not then, not with the knowledge that her niece had just passed-
"I'll fetch the midwife, Lise. Okay? I'll be back soon-"
"Anna, wait!" But a contraction grabbed her around the waist, bringing the queen to her knees. The scream that escaped the monarch chased the princess from the castle, all the way back to the city. She had to get the midwife; she'd had one of the servants inform the local midwife as well, but knew that the royal midwife would be of more use. Though they could not be prepared for the surprise that awaited them.