Chapter eight: Dying and withering
{20 years ago}
It was a big ball. A young woman with brown loose hair and a purple dress was leaning against the wall.
Her name was Idun and she was dragged to this ball by her father. They tried for years to find a suitor for her, yet it was no succes. She didn't even want to get married. Then she would have to become a queen and how was she going to handle that?
"Excuse me..."
Idun looked up. She saw a man, who was a bit taller than her. He had reddish/brownish hair and green eyes. He wore a suit and was probably a prince of some land.
"I couldn't help but notice that you were quite bored. Am I correct?"
Idun huffed. "I'm not bored, I just...I'm not used to this place. And I don't want to be married to some prince my father will choose for me...prince...?"
"Agdar...Agdar William Hendrik Snow." Agdar made a bow and held his hand out. "If you are so bored, princess, then may I have this dance? Perhaps I can cheer you up."
Idun giggled. "I do not think anyone can cheer me up. But...you can at least try..."
"Oh, don't worry, beauty...I will make sure that you have fun tonight. That's a promise."
She accepted his hand and he let her to the dancefloor. There they started to move along with the music.
It had been ages since she had such a fun night...
{Two months later}
"I do not wish to get married!" Idun was in the living room with her father. She yelled and screamed and begged, but he already picked a suitor for her. Someone who would own her...
"Sweetheart, please, this is our only chance...we are not poor, but I cannot guarentee your safety if our trading business keeps falling..."
Idun turned around. She knew he was right, but still...she wanted to make her own choices. There was still so much that she wanted to do.
A knock on the main door was heard. Her father sighed and opened it up.
"Ah, here he is!" Said her father.
Idun turned around and gasped.
"It's you..."
{Four years later}
"Mama, mama!"
Idun was running into the room of her two daughters, Elsa and Anna. She just heard Elsa and Anna scream her name.
She stopped when she opened the door.
Everywhere was snow and one snowman was build inside of the room. Anna was on her kneesm kneading some snow between her hands, while Elsa was standing proudly.
"Look at what Elsa did!"
Idun walked around. She was in awe. Yesterday Elsa, who had magical ice-powers since her birth, could barely make a snowflake and now...
"Wow...it's beautiful..." Idun whispered. She kneeled down in front of Elsa and grabbed her by her shoulders. "Elsa...how...yesterday you couldn't do this."
"I practiced!" Elsa smiled brightly. "Now we can always play in the snow! And Anna can always build snowmen!"
"Elsa..."
"What is this?!"
Idun turned her head to see her husband Agdar standing in the doorway. He looked very angry at them. Elsa and Anna quickly hid behind the snowmen. Idun stood up and straightened her back.
"Honey..." Idun took his hands with a smile. "This is something Elsa has made...isn't it amazing?"
Agdar narrowed his eyes. His wife quickly released his hands and her smile dissapeared. Agdar folded his arms and raised his voice.
"Who told her that she could use her powers?!"
"Agdar, it's indoors. No one saw her, right?"
"What if one of the maids saw them? Or, even worse, a guest?!"
"Excuse me?" Now Idun got also angry. "We don't have any guest over today! And Elsa can use her powers if she wants to!"
Agdar threw his hands up and stormed out of the room in anger. Idun rolled with her eyes and looked back at Elsa and Anna.
"Mommy...does papa hate me?" Elsa's lip started to tremble.
Idun grabbed Anna and pulled her up into her arms. "No...he is just...sometimes your father can be a bit...unpredictable."
Anna looked at her mother. "Like when he hit mommy?"
Idun sighed. She remembered that moment. The first time he hit her.
She got very angry with him. But somehow, eventually, he made it up to her. He bought her flowers, told her a thousand times that he was sorry...
And she forgave him everytime.
Why? Because she was either head over heels or wanted to stay to protect her daughters.
"Just like that..." Idun looked at Anna. "But he loves me and you two very much. Sometimes he has a difficult time to show it...or to feel it."
"I love mama and papa too!" Said Anna. "And Elsa most!"
"No way! I love you more!" Elsa yelled.
Idun giggled. Even though the two weren't exactly the same, she could see why they were twins...
And why they should stay together.
{Eight years later}
Idun was in the library together with her now 10-year old daughter Elsa. She was helping the young girl with her homework while the maids were busy preparing the dining-table.
"Alright, you can do this, Elsa." Idun said. "What means Il n'y a pas de quoi?"
"Uh..." Elsa leaned onto her elbows. She closed her eyes and groaned.
"Sweetheart, snowflake, you can do this." Idun noticed how it started to snow a bit above Elsa's head. She frowned. If only there was some sort of medicine or something that could reduce her powers a little. Or someone who could teach her daughter on how to control it...anything instead of giving the girl some dumb gloves...
"Welcome...you...are...welcome?" Elsa looked hopefully at her mother.
Idun clapped into her hands. "Great! And what means..."
Suddenly the door opened up and Kai, one of the servants, walked into the room.
He made a small bow and said: "Your majesty, princess Elsa, the guests have arrived."
Idun and Elsa stood up and walked to the empty ball room.
"Mother, who are the guests?" Asked Elsa while they kept walking.
"Oh, just a few important people your father wants you to meet..."
Idun knew exactly who the guests were, but she wanted it to be a surprise for her daughter. Especially since Elsa didn't had much contact with other children when her sister died...
They arrived in the big ballroom. Agdar was already there together with the guests. He turned around and smiled at the two when he saw them.
"Ah, there they are!" Agdar gently pushed Idun against her back. "These are my wife, Idun and daughter Elsa."
A man with a brown beard and a big gut took a step forward and placed a kiss on Idun's hand. "Such beauties. It's a pleasure to meet you both."
Idun laughed awkwardly and pulled her hand back when she saw the jealousy in her husband's eyes.
The man straightened his back again. "My name is Jonathan Westerguard. I am the king from the Southern Isles."
A woman with reddish hair in a knot took a step forward. She wore a yellow dress and had angry eyes. "I am Alexandra Josephine Elizabeth the third. It is a pleasure to meet you." She looked down at Elsa. "And to agree on this arrangement."
"Arrangement?" Elsa looked at her father and mother with confusion. Idun felt a bit sorry for her.
"You are going to marry our son when you are a little bit more grown-up." Said Alexandra.
Idun saw how big Elsa's eyes became. They almost plopped out of their sockets.
"Yes." Agdar nodded. "But perhaps we can talk about this during dinner?"
"Dinner?" Jonathan almost drooled. Alexandra groaned in annoyance. She slowly put her hand up and then gave her husband a slap onto his head.
"Stop acting so disgusting, dear! We are just here for some business and to see how our future daughter-in-law is like!"
They all went to the dining room and started to eat their dinner. Elsa was calmly eating until Alexandra suddenly coughed.
"Ahem! Idun, can't your daughter eat more properly?"
Idun looked at Agdar with a questioning look. He gave the same look back.
"Of course..." Idun didn't like the woman. But they had to become a family and she didn't want to start off badly. She lay her hand onto Elsa's shoulder. "Elsa, would you eat more like a princess?"
"But mother, I am already eating like you always told me!" Elsa said with a surprised face.
Idun sighed. "I know...but you can eat a bit more calmly..."
"But..."
Idun hushed her and whispered; "Just do what Alexandra is saying. Otherwise you won't ever be able to marry prince Hans."
"I can hear you...but your mother is correct, princess Elsa..." Said Alexandra. "However, I can tell you a bit about our son."
Idun, Agdar and Elsa were now all ears. Normally the family of the suitor wouldn't say much about their son.
Alexandra started to speak, while her husband kept munching on his vegetables.
"Hans is a boy who is a few years older...I think he is already 14. He has auburn hair and brownish eyes. He can be very silent, but we also have 8 other children."
"Eight?!" Agdar yelled in shock.
"Yes. All boys, unfortunately."
Idun's eyes widened. She wouldn't dream of it...eight boys...how was this woman so thin?
"He used to be weak, but nowadays he has become stronger. Within 7 years or so he will be able to marry princess Elsa. Oh and he is very good at horse riding. He even has his own horse, just like you, Elsa."
"Okay...but why can't I meet him now?" Elsa asked.
"Because he is still not strong enough. And he has a few roles to fullfill before he sees his fiancé. But don't worry, as long as you are behaving like a princess, he will love you."
"Great..." Elsa muttered and silently ate her food.
After dinner the guest went to sleep in the guest room, Elsa in her own room and Idun and Agdar in thei bedroom.
Idun was sitting straight up in bed, reading a book. Her husband was also reading something before he put it down.
"Idun?"
"Yes?" Idun lay her book down on her lap. She could see Agdar's face thanks to a few candles surrounding their bed.
"Maybe we should try for another child."
Idun raised her eyebrows in shock. "Excuse me?! Another one? Why?"
"Nothing...just forget it..."
"Is it because Alexandra and Jonathan have eight children? I'm sorry, but two is...I mean, Elsa is already a handfull. I do not wish for even more children..."
Agdar chuckled. "Yes, imagine having eight boys...how is that woman still so thin?"
"I do not know...maybe she is training daily? Or she has some special diet..."
"Or she is not the mother of all those boys."
Idun giggled. "Maybe...but I do not think that her husband would be with her if she wasn't their mother...I mean, what are her other redeeming qualities?"
"Well...she is...uhm...she has..." Agdar went quiet for a few second and then started to laugh a little.
Idun smiled and fell down into her pillow. She looked up at the ceiling. "I really don't need anymore children. Elsa is all I need..."
"That is alright." Agdar put the candle out and lay down as well. He wrapped his arm around her. "I don't wish for more children if you don't want it. I love you too much for that."
"I love you too."
It was raining. And cold.
The whole kingdom was assembled. Slow music was playing while they all stood at the graveyard.
Agdar looked down at the casket which was slowly dissapearing into the ground. Elsa was standing next to him together with prince Hans who quickly came. Jack was standing behind her.
Elsa glanced at her father. He was wearing a dark attire and an expression of sadness and anger. She herself wore a back veil over her face and dress. She also had two black roses in her tied-up hair.
The priest started to talk while a violin played in the background. Elsa didn't hear a word. She looked back at the casket. It all seemed like a bad nightmare. Her mother wasn't supposed to die. She closed her eyes and clenched her fists.
This was all her fault...if she wasn't born...then Anna would still be alive...and everything would have been better.
"Look at that!" Someone suddenly shouted.
Elsa slowly opened her eyes up and gasped. Thiana was there, suddenly standing by the casket. She held a bouquet of roses in her hand. Purple roses.
Thiana lay the bouquet on Idun's corpse. She then bowed down and gave Idun a small kiss on her forehead.
"Purple is a better colour for a queen."
Thiana took a step back and made a final bow while the casket dissapeared into the ground.
Everyone looked on in silence. The priest coughed and started to speak again. Thiana walked over to Agdar and stood next to him.
"What were you doing?!" Agdar whispered under his breath.
Thiana smiled sadly. "Don't ever say that I didn't care about her, your majesty. I just paid my respects."
"I know..." Agdar went quiet and looked back at the casket. He let out a trembling sigh.
The rest of the ceremony went without a flaw. Jack kept his eyes on Elsa. He saw how her trembling hand held the hand of Hans. He saw how she looked on as her father said some final words. He saw how she left with her father and Hans by her side.
After that he didn't saw her anymore.
She locked herself in her own room for the whole day. He knocked on the door several door, but she didn't let him in.
So he decided to just lay a plate of food at her door and let her be alone. Prince Hans saw it and told him that he was a good servant for Elsa. Jack thanked him with a bow and later went to his own room to sleep.
The next morning Elsa awoke by a knock on her door. She yawned and stood up.
Maybe it was her mother...
Elsa shook her head and slapped herself against her cheek.
No. It wasn't her mother. Never again.
"Princess, please come out of your room...you haven't eaten..."
It was Jack's voice. Elsa gulped and nervously walked towards the door. She didn't wished to be seen by him. She was a mess after yesterday. But she also felt a bit of guilt.
Elsa opened the door a little and peeked into the hallway to see Jack. He sighed and took a step closer.
"Princess Elsa...I was so worried..."
"Sure you were..."
Jack raised his eyebrows. Elsa saw small circles underneath his eyes. She guessed he hadn't slept as well.
"I still am. And so is your father and the prince...prince Hans is going to leave for some business at his home-town, but he won't unless he sees you first."
"I'm a mess, Jack."
"So is everyone else...but, please, step outside for once." Jack moved even closer. He slowly went up with his hand to slide the door open. "If you do, then I will make some chocolate for you."
"I can't. This is all my fault..."
"It isn't."
"It is. Stop lying."
"I'm not lying..." Jack got the door completely open. He grabbed Elsa by her wrist and pulled her in for a hug. "I never lie to someone who I care so much for..."
"Ah...J-Jack..." Elsa became completely red and stuttered nervously.
"Please come down stairs for some breakfast."
Elsa sighed and gently pushed him away. She held her hands against his chest. Elsa looked up at him with saddened eyes. "Alright...only if you promise to stay by my side."
Jack chuckled lightly.
"Of course princess. I always be."
"Oh, thanks goodness!"
Hans held Elsa in a tight hug. They were in the ballroom together with a few knights. He pushed her away out of his arms after a few seconds and gave her a quick kiss.
"You look beautiful."
Elsa giggled a little. For a few seconds he actually looked happy to see her alive and well. She moved away from him and nodded. "T-thanks...I had one of the maids help me with my hair..."
Her hair was in a bun and she wore a dark-blue dress. And of course her two gloves.
Hans sighed. "Well...I have to leave for some business...but I'll be back tomorrow, alright?"
"Yes..."
"Be strong, snowprincess." Hans gave her one more kiss and then walked out of the room, followed by the knights.
Elsa sighed and walked towards the dining room. Jack followed her from behind.
Her father was already sitting at the table, gnawing on a piece of bread. The table was completely set, but there was only a few pieces of fruit. There was also a glass of wine on the table.
Elsa nervously sat down on the other side of the table. She quietly prayed and then started to eat some bread and fruit.
Agdar swallowed his piece of bread and stared at Elsa. Jack was leaning against the wall. He wanted to keep an eeys on the situation.
After a few minutes of silence Agdar finally spoke up.
"I didn't see you at dinner yesterday..."
"I'm sorry, sir, I didn't feel so good..."
Agdar rolled his eyes. He grabbed his glass and took a big gulp. "Right." He put his glass down again. "You know...I hope you didn't do this on purpose."
Elsa knew that he was a bit drunk. She had to be carefull, so she smiled a little and said: "Do what?"
"Kill that man, make sure that he went after you to just take Idun's place as queen."
"Father! I would never do that! I don't even want to be a queen..."
"That is a pity. Because now that Idun is gone..." Agdar took another gulp and let out a burp. "You are going to become the queen...but it will be a long process. Your lessons will be longer and I will keep a closer eye on you."
"Yes, sir...but father...maybe you shouldn't be drinking this early-"
Agdar suddenly jumped up. His chair clattered onto the ground and Elsa and Jack looked at him with surprise.
"Don't tell me what to do, young lady!"
Elsa kept quiet. She looked up at him with big eyes. Agdar sighed and turned around.
"Just...I am going to talk to council and then sleep a little. I'm tired."
"Father, can't you stay?" Elsa whispered.
Agdar heard her, but didn't answer. Instead he turned around and walked out of the room. Elsa sighed too and buried her head between her hands.
"Princess Elsa?" Jack looked worried at her. "Are you alright?"
Elsa stood up. "I'm going to my room, Jack..." She turned around and walked away. But Jack ran after her.
He quickly grabbed her wrist and turned her around when the arrived in the hallway.
"Princess, wait!"
"Jack?"
"Maybe...maybe we can talk inside the garden? There is fresh air and we can calmly discuss things.."
"I don't..."
"Please, princess...just for ten minutes."
"Alright."
They sat down in the garden on the bench.
At first they didn't talk. Until Jack said something.
"Princess Elsa...how are you doing?"
Elsa stared at the ground. "I'm fine."
Jack grabbed her hand. "Elsa. I know that you are hurt with Idun dying and...I know that you need some time. But I ask you of you to be healthy. Please, eat, sleep, spend ten or five or even one minute outside..."
Elsa kept quiet and stared at him with a blush.
"...I don't care...just...be sure to take good care of yourself."
He stopped talking and they both went quiet again. This time it took a few minutes until one of the two said something.
"She..." Elsa felt how her heart started to thumb loudly into her chest. "She...protected me...against that man while I...I feel like I'm unable to do anything...I'm weak and after mom's death...I realized that I have to become stronger..."
Jack pulled her against his chest and rubbed her back. "Elsa, you don't have to become anything."
"No." Elsa pulled away from him. "I need to become stronger if I'm going to become a queen. I can't keep coming to you with my problems..."
"Yes, you may."
"Why...?"
"Princess, I am your personal servant. It's my duty to listen to your problems, to be with you. During the bad and the good..." He grabbed her chin and lifted her head up. "Understand?"
"Yes..." Elsa looked at him. He had two beautiful brown eyes with small little sparkles in it. Her gaze then went down to his lips. She wanted to kiss him...wait, what was she thinking?!
She quickly pulled her head back. "But...I still need to become stronger."
Jack nodded. "Alright. But I will always listen to you and your problems."
Elsa smiled a little. "You don't have to tell me twice, Jack."
Jack his eyes softened. He put his hand against her cheek and went with his thumb over her lips.
"I've missed your smile, princess Elsa."
"Don't expect me to smile a lot during these dark times."
Jack chuckled and pulled his hand back. "Of course I don't expect you to, sweetheart."
"Sweetheart?"
"I...uh...I mean...princess Elsa..." Jack quickly stood up. He helped the princess up. "Come on, princess, how about we go to the library? Maybe you would like to read something?"
"No...I'm actually a bit tired. I'm going to my room for now...if that is alright?"
Jack frowned. He actually wanted Elsa to stay outside and enjoy the weather. But if she was tired...He smiled a little. At least she was outside for even just 15 minutes...He made a small bow in front of Elsa.
"Of course. Your wish is my command, beautiful, princess Elsa."
Elsa felt her heart flutter, but ignored it. He was only her servant...
She should't feel this way.
Hannah was walking down the street. She just bought some bread and eggs for Gerda. It was still snowing, but less than a few weeks ago.
But nothing kept her from thinking about what Idun told her...she sat down on a bench and looked at the street. Hannah sighed and closed her eyes.
"Hannah..."
The voice of Idun echoed through her mind.
"You are..."
She put her hands against her ears, but the voice went on.
"My daughter, the sister of Elsa and the daughter of Agdar...you are the second princess in line of the throne of Arendelle."
Hannah opened her eyes again. She lay her head back and looked up at the sky.
She...a princess? A princess...she should talk to Elsa...but how could she after everything that happened? Idun was dead, she couldn't ask her own mother...she could try and ask Agdar...but how would the king react?
"Hey Hannah!"
Kristoff sat down next to her. He held a bouquet of flowers in his hands.
"What is up?" Kristoff asked.
Hannah shook her head. "Nothing...just...what would you do if they told you that you were a royal?"
"I don't know...I..." Kristoff his eyes widened and he sat up straight. He looked at Hannah with a shocked gaze. "Wait! You are...wait, wait, wait, wait..."
Hannah smiled a little at his reaction.
"Hold on, you are a royal? How? When?"
"I...uhm...I just learned about it too." Said Hannah with a small smile on her lips. "Yesterday, when Jack took me to the castle and Idun told me..."
"Wait, the queen told you? Then..." Kristoff his mouth fell open. "You are...!"
"Calm down..." Hannah looked up at the sky again. "I'm still processing things too..."
"Wow...you are a princess...then that makes Elsa your sister?"
Hannah nodded. They both went silent for a bit. Hannah had so many questions about her past...and she knew exactly who to ask.
"Wait, do the royals know?" Kristoff asked suddenly.
Hannah shrugged. "Maybe. But I need to ask them anyway. I need to ask them about what exactly happened to the younger sister...what happened to me...and why my own family got rid of me..."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, they said that her younger sister was dead...and Elsa once said that it was 'all her fault'. And isn't it weird that only the queen recognized me?"
"Yeah, that is weird..." Kristoff jumped up. "Well, maybe you should go by the castle this week. Anyhow, I gotta go."
"Eh? But you just got here."
"I was actually on my way to get some beer from the delivery guy for the whore house."
"Oh..."
"But!" Kristoff pushed the bouquet of flowers in her hands. "I saw you moping and bought some flowers for you! They're pretty, right? Okay, gotta go, bye!"
And with that Kristoff ran off. Hannah blushed a little with small smile on her lips and held the bouquet to her chest.
She felt her heart thumping more loudly than usual...and for the first time it wasn't because of Jack.
The next day Elsa was standing in front of her father's room.
She nervously knocked on his door. Elsa had to talk to him. If they were going to live together until he would perish, then they should at least get along.
The door opened up. Her father stood in the hallway. He was already dressed and had bags under his eyes.
Elsa smiled nervously and tucked a hair behind her ear. "G-goodmorning, father! I wanted to know if you would like to eat some breakfast with me? It's morning already and you must want to eat too..."
All of a sudden Agdar grabbed her arm and pulled her into the room. He shut the door behind him and released her. Elsa took a few steps back. Her breath stocked in her throat when Agdar turned around and walked towards her.
"F-father..."
He walked right past her. Elsa let out a shaking breath. Agdar sat down on the couch in the room and grabbed two glasses. He poured some wine into the two glasses. Elsa saw that there were a few wine bottles next to the couch. Two of them were already empty.
Agdar stopped pouring into the glasses and looked at Elsa with a hard stare.
"Sit."
Elsa nodded and quickly sat down next to her father. She felt nervous, but stayed seated. If she would stand up then her father might hurt her.
Agdar handed her a glass. Elsa shakily took it into her hands. She looked down at the red liquid. "Uhm...should I go or..."
"Drink."
"Father, I don't really like wine..."
"Drink!"
Elsa listened and gulped it down in one go. She then started to cough loudly. Agdar silently gulped his down and stared at Elsa.
After a few minutes she was down with coughing. She blinked with her eyes. Wait...why was her head a little fuzzy?
Agdar saw how his daughter was getting a bit drunk. He shook his head and grabbed the bottle of wine and poured some more wine in their glasses.
A half hour later the two were drunk and laughing on the couch.
"And then she got stuck!", yelled Agdar.
Elsa laughed hard. She wore a blush on her face and was holding her sides. "Oh my! My sides! And then..." She let out a burp. "Oh, excuse me...then she got stuck in the fen...fen...I forgot the word."
"Fence, sweetie pie, I think that it was fence."
"She got stuck in a fence?!" Elsa laughed. "I thought mom was always calm and collect...collected!"
Agdar laughed even harder. "Ha! Idun and calm! I swear, that woman was never so mad as when she got stuck in the fence!"
"And then?"
"The guards showed up! While I tried to get her out! You would't believe how angry both our parents got!"
Elsa laid her head back and let out a giggle. Agdar stopped laughing and looked at her. She looked a little like Idun...he moved a bit closer. He never noticed how light her laugh sounded...
"Say, Elsa..."
"Papa..." Elsa suddenly started to cry. "Why do you hate me?"
Agdar's eyes widened. "Hate you?"
"I'm scared...I don't wanna be a queen...and I want mama to come back! She is the only one who loves me!"
Agdar cupped her head with his hands. "Elsa, sweetie..."
Tears streamed down her cheeks. "I want her to come back! Everyone else...everyone else here is hating me! And you hate me the most! I wish I never existed! Everything is bad!"
"Elsa!"
Agdar pulled her into a hug. He felt the tears pricking behind his eyes.
"I'm so sorry, sweetheart...I'm so sorry for what I have done and for who I am. I wish that I could be a good father...I wish that I could change the past..."
Elsa sniffed. She buried her head into his chest.
"But I can't...and I know that I will do more things to hurt you and make mistakes in the future...but I love you..."
"You love me?" Elsa asked.
"Yes. But not like the servant or like Hans, that is revolting...even though you do resemble Idun a lot."
"Papa...I love..."
The door suddenly slammed open. Jack stood in the doorway. In one glance he saw the empty wine bottles and Elsa and Agdar hugging.
"Elsa?!" Jack yelled.
"Ja-hack!" Elsa pushed Agdar away. She jumped up, slumped towards Jack and put her arms around his neck. "What are you doing here...oh, guess what? I just drank some wine..." Elsa sniffed and looked up at him with hazy eyes.
Jack smiled a little at her. "You are drunk..how about I put you to bed and let you rest for a few hours? Breakfast can wait."
"Hmmm...breakfast...your hair is pretty..." Elsa whispered.
"Your majesty, I will return shortly after I put Elsa to bed." Jack looked at him with a stern glare for a second before he pulled Elsa up in bridal-style and carried her to her bedroom. There he put her down onto the bed.
Elsa giggled. "Jack...Jack..."
"Yes, princess?" Jack pulled the covers over her body.
"I wished...that I could...do the first time with you..."
"First time of what?"
"Sex."
Jack became red and looked away. "P-princess Elsa! You are drunk! And your father would behead me if I would even touch you! Look, I just...I..."
He looked back at her. She was fast asleep. Jack sighed and then chuckled.
"Princess Elsa...I am not worthy of your body...and I might have hidden feelings for you. But I don't wish to lose you, so I will bear this pain in my heart..." Jack leaned down and place a small kiss on her cheek. "I will protect you, Elsa. Whatever I may lose, I won't lose you."
Jack stood up straight again and sighed. He turned around to leave the room. He needed to have a talk with Agdar. Jack walked back to Agdar's room. He had to get some answers out of that man...
He opened the door of Agdar's bedroom and walked in. Agdar was still sitting on the couch. The bottles were all gone, probably cleaned up by one of the maids.
"Your majesty..." Jack stood in front of Agdar. "Excuse my language, but what the hell was that?"
Agdar jumped up and glared at Jack. "Excuse me?! How dare..."
"I am hired to protect princess Elsa against everything and now I also have to protect her against you?! King Agdar, you were making her drunk and hugging her...I don't know what your motivations were..."
"Motivations? Can't a father hug his own daughter?"
"Not if that father hated his daughter his whole life."
"I never hated her...I just despised her."
"Right." Jack rolled his eyes. "Anyhow, please get your act together. I know that it must be hard on you and Elsa, yet...you can't lose your mind. Excuse my language again, but a true king would never do something like this..."
He lowered his eyes. Agdar would surely kill him now.
But Agdar suddenly started to chuckle a little.
"You surely are a daredevil, Jackson." Agdar walked up to him and looked at him with a small grin. "And you are correct, for once. I need to clean my act up. Arendelle doesn't need a weak king. Or queen."
Jack swallowed nervously.
"I am going to rule as a king again. And I will make Elsa ready for the position as a queen...Jack, make sure that breakfast is ready within an hour and a half. No minute later!"
"Yes, your majesty!" Jack made a bow and ran out of the room.
Agdar turned around and looked out of the window. "Idun..." He whispered. "Don't worry...everything will be alright...that's a promise."
Later Jack was doing some grocery shopping together with a few maids. He smiled to himself.
Princess Elsa and king Agdar had a normal breakfast together. They weren't exactly normal, those two didn't laugh or make jokes, but they had a normal conversation about the last events. King Agdar told her everything and Elsa seemed to accept the fact that she was going to be a queen.
"Jack!"
He turned around and saw Hannah walking towards him. She looked tired and worried.
"Hannah...what is wrong?"
Hannah stopped in front of him. She grabbed his upper arm gently.
"Jack...can we talk somewhere private?"
Jack raised his eyebrows. "Sure. In the garden?"
"In the garden."
They went to the garden of the whorehouse. There they sat down on a small bench.
"So, what is wrong with you, Hannah?" Jack asked. "The last time I saw you, you were running out of the room..."
"I know." Hannah coughed and wiped a stray of hair back. "I'm sorry, but Idun told me something very...strange."
"What?"
"She told me...that I am...I am Elsa's sister."
Jack put his hand against his mouth to hide a chuckle. Hannah became red and gave him a small slap.
"Ja-hack! It's not funny! It's a fact!"
"A fact?!" Jack stopped laughing and stared at her. "Wait...she was serious?"
"Yes...hold on, you thought that the queen would tell a joke on her deathbed?!" Hannah gave him another slap. "You are the worst! She even said that I had grown up! I am the sister of Elsa and a princess!"
"Then...you should talk to princess Elsa and the king."
"I thought about it...but I don't think that it's a good idea!"
Jack his eyes widened. "Why not?!"
"Because I don't know what to say. And I don't want to be a sister of someone who kills someone in cold blood."
"Kill someone? Elsa never has..."
"Jack, stop. I know that she ordered Jorgen's death. And that you killed him as her servant."
Jack went quiet. Hannah smiled sadly. "I'm right...aren't I?"
"Yes...but Elsa didn't...look...she...I..."
"You did it because you are her servant, but also because you love her."
Jack nodded silently.
"And...I wonder...how far will you go for her? What if she wants to murder one of your friends? What if she ask you to...hurt me?"
"Then I..." Jack scratched the back of his head. "I wouldn't hurt you...I think. But you are the princess! You should really talk to Elsa!"
"I can't. She killed Jorgen. That girl is a monster."
"She isn't a monster..." Jack looked down at the snow between the grass. He then sighed and stood up. "Princess Elsa...she always smiles so brightly. I don't understand why anyone would hate her..." He turned around and looked at Hannah. "Hannah, please, talk to the princess about this."
"Fine. I'll do it in a few days."
"Good. I've gotta go. If don't return with some groceries, then the king will behead me. And in his current state he might actually do it."
"Current state?"
Jack smiled and ran off while waving her goodbye. "See ya!"
Hannah held her hand up and waved too. When Jack was out of sight she lowered her hand. She looked down at her lap, put her hands in front of her eyes and started to sob a little.
A few days later Elsa was reading in the garden. She wore a blue dress. Her hair was in a bun.
Today she had a free day. Her father had been keeping a close eye on her. He had been taking her to his meetings, making sure that she wouldn't use her powers too much...
It was exhausting.
She closed her book. A few days ago she also got drunk. And apparently she told Jack something strange because lately he had been avoiding way more eye-contact than usual.
"Elsa?"
She looked up and saw Hans standing in the garden with Jack behind him. Elsa shrieked and jumped up.
"Hans!" She flew him around his neck.
Hans chuckled and held her by her waist. "Elsa, I'm back. But I was so worried about you, princess..."
Elsa pulled away from him. "Hans, shall we sit down, please?"
They sat down. Jack stood behind them in silence.
"Elsa..." Hans held her gloved hands. "I've missed you. While I was back in my homeland I could not think, I was worried. I heard that a lot has happened."
"Yeah...since my mother perished my father is keeping a closer eye on me. Today is my free day."
Hans gave her fingertips a small kiss. "I see...then perhaps we can go for a walk."
"Of course...but where would you want to go?"
"Anywhere with you would be fine. But..." Hans stopped kissing her fingertips and pulled back. "Maybe we could go without the servant?"
Jack his eyes widened and so did Elsa's.
"Without the servant?" Elsa asked. "Why?"
"Elsa, I just need to speak with you privately...and it's about something very important."
"But Jack is always by my side. He protects me..."
Hans glanced at Jack and then back at her. "So can I. Princess Elsa, you are in good hands." He stood up. "I am waiting in the hallway, princess Elsa."
Hans walked away. Elsa frowned. What did he want to talk about that was so important? She stood up and turned around towards Jack.
"Jack, follow us from close behind. That is an order."
Jack made a small bow. "Of course, princess Elsa."
Elsa smiled a little.
Later they were walking down the streets of Arendelle. Jack followed them from a distance. He hid behind plants, people...he tried everything to not be spotted.
"So..." Elsa held Hans his hand. The weather was getting better. The snow became less and less. Soon it would be spring.
"Elsa, we should sit down for now." Hans led Elsa to a nearby bench. It was close to a restaurant, but with a view on the street. They sat down and Elsa let out a long sigh.
"What do we need to talk about?" Elsa pulled a stray of hair back behind her ear. She nervously fiddled with her thumbs. She could feel the coldness in the palm of her hands.
Hans frowned at her. He looked very serious. "You are going to become a queen, Elsa. And when you are...then I will be king."
"Yes..." Elsa nodded slowly.
"But I will never rule when your father keeps this act up. He will train you to become a queen and eventually you will be, but he probably doesn't wish for me to be a king."
Elsa stopped nodding.
"I am going to dethrone him."
Elsa gasped in shock. "No...wait! You cannot kill him!"
"Elsa, don't worry, don't worry..." Hans chuckled. "I was more thinking about a fair battle to see who is stronger. My mother wanted to arrange it. She already wrote a letter to your father which supposedly arrived this morning."
"Hans...I don't want my father to be dethroned! He might be...himself...but he is a good king! He knows a lot about economics, just like me, but he also knows what the kingdom needs and what the people want! Despite his character, he is a good leader."
"You know...I don't think that you have a say in these sort of matter, princess Elsa."
Elsa looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Excuse me?"
"Elsa, you are my wife. And of course the future-queen. But you are also just a woman. In a marriage the man will always lead."
"What...what about your mother?"
Hans chuckled. "She is a fine queen. But in the marriage between her and my father...I would say that she is not the leading one."
"She is not?" Elsa was surprised. His mother was always so stern...how could she not be leading when her husband was such a slob?
"No. And you aren't either." Hans gave her a quick kiss and stood up. "I am going to battle your father in a sword fight. That is final...understand?"
"Y-yes..."
"Good." Hans gave her one more kiss, this time a deeper kiss and then left her alone.
Elsa stayed behind in silence. The words of Hans echoed through her head. Why did those words bother her? This was what marriage was supposed to be.
Jack sat down next to her. He sighed. "So..." He leaned back and stretched with his arms. He then glanced at Elsa. "Princess...are you alright?"
"Yes..."
"You look worried, princess."
"I do?" Elsa looked down at her hands in her lap. "Well...Hans did tell me that I have no say in this marriage..." She turned her head towards him. "Jack, is everything a mistake? I married Hans because I thought that I could love him, but he is...this whole marriage-thing is different than I thought."
"Maybe you...you two just got married, princess Elsa." Jack wanted to grab her hand, but pulled back at the last second.
Elsa saw it and looked away from him. She moved a bit away. "I understand..." Elsa stood up. Suddenly she felt a bit...saddened. Jack became more distant than usual lately...was it because he became afraid of her?
"Elsa?"
Elsa blinked and looked down at Jack. "I...uhm...I am going back home. I still have some homework to do."
"Of course. Let's go."
"Uhm...Jack...perhaps I can go alone?"
Jack frowned. "Elsa, you cannot go alone. It is dangerous and you don't know the streets like I do. You can't do it on your own."
"Excuse me?!"
"I...mean..." Jack suddenly felt a presence behind him. He turned around to see a hooded figure. A figure who he knew too well.
"Look what we have here." The figure pulled his hoodie off. It was a man with green eyes and dark hair. He smiled, but his eyes didn't smile. "You've grown a bit taller...but not as tall as me, ya little shit."
Jack smiled back him. "Yeah, no one gets as tall as you, Aster. Unfortunately you don't get any taller, do you?"
Aster grabbed Jack's hand and smiled. "You're cute, but not charming, Frost."
Jack gave Aster's hand a extra hard squeeze. "Yes and you are the gentleman as always...Aster, what are you doing here? On another job?"
Aster pulled his hand back and cleaned it off on his pants as if it was dirty. "Yep. But it doesn't involve your sweet princess, don't worry. I am here on a investigation, not for a hunt."
"Who are you investigating?"
Aster laughed. He put his finger against Jack's forehead. "That is a se-cret, kid."
Jack frowned. "We are four years apart, you know..."
The other man pulled his hoodie over his head again. "Just go and find your princess Jack. She is gone."
"Eh?!" Jack turned around and saw that the princess was indeed gone. "Aster, what..." He turned back to see that Aster was gone as well.
He sighed. Of course was the man gone. He was a...Jack shook his head. He had no time to think about that. He had to find the princess!
Elsa walked down the street in anger.
As if Jack knew...she knew the streets of Arendelle very well! That stupid boy, like he knew anything about the streets, just because he was born here doesn't mean that she knew nothing! She read books, she knew about the outside world...
Elsa stopped in her tracks. Wait...she looked around. Where was she?
"Oh no..." Elsa clenched her fists. She should have listened to Jack. Now, who should she ask for help? She looked around. She saw only civilians, no guards.
"Princess Elsa?"
She turned around. A man with dark eyes and brown hair smiled at her. He had baggy clothing and looked about in his 40's.
"Yes?" Elsa carefully took a step back.
"I saw that you might be lost...can I help you home?"
"Yes!" Elsa sighed. "I got a little lost after I had a fight with my servant and I just want to get back to the castle..."
"I understand. Follow me, lady."
Elsa giggled and walked after the man. They went down the street, through a few small alleyways.
"So..." Elsa pulled her dress a little up and stepped over a small pool. "What is your name?"
The man looked over his shoulder with a smile. "My name is Allan. I am just a simple...trader of sorts."
"Oh, what do you trade?"
"Simple stuff. A few...stones...some important things...not much of value to a princess." He grabbed her hand all of a sudden and pulled her into a small alleyway. Elsa shrieked and wanted to pull her hand back, but the man was too strong. He pulled her through a door into a small and gross room with just a bed.
"Allan, what are you doi..."
Allan pushed her down onto the bed. He slowly crawled onto her and held her hands above her head.
"Allan! Release me at once, that's an order!"
"An order?" Allan laughed. "Princess, you are in no position to call the shots...now, just sit still..." He started to kiss her neck. Elsa closed her eyes and trembled.
She was afraid..this wasn't supposed to happen...She was supposed to have a calm nice day, reading...this man was gross...
An ice spike suddenly shot out of the ground when Allan tried to kiss her on her mouth.
The man shot up in fear and released Elsa. He jumped from the bed and walked to the ice spike. Elsa started to cry and put her hands in front of her eyes.
"What the fuck?!" The man looked at the ice spike. He then glanced back at Elsa with a look of shock on his face. "Princess Elsa...there is no ice-witch, is there? You are...you are the ice witch!"
Elsa didn't respond and kept crying. The man got annoyed, so he grabbed her by her arm and pulled her up.
"Stop crying!" The man yelled.
More ice spikes came out of the ground. It slowly started to snow in the room.
Allan pulled a knife from his pocket and he pointed it towards her. "Stop! Crying!"
Elsa couldn't stop. She felt the pain in her arm from the man's grip and she really wanted to stop, but the tears just kept coming...just like the ice spikes.
One of the ice spikes eventually pierced through the man his leg. He released Elsa and fell on his back. Elsa fell back onto the bed. She backed away in fear as another ice spike went through the man's leg.
"Aaah! Stop it!" Yelled the man.
"A...I...I..." Elsa felt how her body started to shake. She didn't knew how to stop it!
Another ice spike shot through his arm. The man screamed in pain as his blood splattered around. Elsa stared at him in shock.
"It hurts! It hurts!" Allan tried to pull the ice spikes out, but with no avail. "Please!"
Elsa couldn't move. Her powers were not listening to her!
The last ice spike shot out of the ground. It pierced the man right through his throat. He gargled for a few seconds before the life left his eyes. His body went limp and hit the ground with a loud thud.
Elsa put her hands in front of her mouth to calm her breathing. Her whole body kept shaking. The ice spikes stopped coming out of the ground. But it was still snowing from the ceiling...and it was very cold...
Suddenly the door flew open.
Jack ran into the room. He stopped for a second and looked at the ice spikes, the body and Elsa...
"Princess Elsa!" He ran towards her and pulled her hands away from her mouth.
Elsa immediately started to scream. Jack quickly pulled her in for a hug and caressed her back.
"Elsa, calm down, calm down..."
Elsa stopped screaming. Instead she buried her head into his chest and started to cry.
"It's alright..." Jack placed a kiss on her forehead. "You are safe...I'm here."
Elsa took a few deep breaths. She slowly stopped shaking. The soothing voice of Jack calmed her down. She pushed Jack gently away and looked up at him.
"J-Jack...I...I didn't mean...it was an accident..."
"I know, Elsa...but tell me what happened."
Elsa grasped his blouse and sniffed. "I got lost...and then this man came up to me...and I...I was so stupid...I trusted him and went with him..."
"Princess..."
"And he suddenly grabbed me and pushed me into this room..." Elsa sniffed. "And...he then...pushed me...onto this bed...and...I got scared when he tried to kiss me...and then...I lost control..."
Jack felt anger in his heart. That man touched Elsa in an inappropriate manner...he couldn't bare the thought of a strange, disgusting man putting his hands on someone as special as her...
"Jack?" Elsa looked at him with big watery eyes. "Are you alright?"
Jack realized that he must have looked angry at the moment and shook his head. "I am so sorry, princess Elsa...I am just very angry with this man and myself."
"Yourself?"
"Yes. I could not protect you. I have failed you."
"Jack...you...look...this...isn't."
"Don't even start. If I had kept my eye on you..." Jack stood up. He took Elsa's hand and helped her from the bed. He didn't dare to look her into her eyes. "A-anyhow, we should leave before the guards show up, princess Elsa."
Elsa nodded silently. Jack smiled sadly at Elsa and he escorted her out of the room.
"HOW COULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN?!"
Elsa, Jack and Thiana were in the study room of Agdar. Hans was out, practicing with his sword. Agdar was furious when Jack and Elsa told him the truth.
Agdar glared at Jack who bowed down in front of him.
"Not only did you lose my daughter when you were supposed to keep an eye on her, you also brought her in danger!"
"Father!" Elsa stepped forward. "It was not his fault, I..."
"Don't you dare to talk back to me!" Yelled Agdar. Elsa immediately took a step back and went quiet. "That is also one of the things I wanted to speak about! You used your powers! I thought that you had it under control, but you went and murdered a civilian!"
"Maybe no one will miss him..." Elsa whispered. But Agdar heard that.
He took a step closer and struck her across her cheek. Jack straightened his back and looked at Agdar with shock and anger.
Elsa turned her head back towards Agdar. Tears pricked behind her eyes, but she would never show them to this man.
Agdar chuckled. "No one will miss him...Elsa, perhaps you are right...but! I don't think that Jack should keep an eye on you if he can't protect you..."
"Well, Jack is going to stay by my side!" Elsa grabbed her father's upper arm. "I know that he messed up, but it was also my fault! I should've stayed close to him! And he did eventually came to safe me!"
"Elsa..." Jack pulled her back. He turned her around and grabbed her by her shoulders. "Please. This is my fault...Elsa, you almost got raped because I let you out of my sight." He turned back to the king. "Your majesty, I will take any punishment."
"Fine. You are not allowed to look after her the rest of the week."
"Father!" Elsa gasped.
Agdar raised his eyebrows and chuckled. "My daughter, this is just a light punishment...be glad. I could execute him like his old friend."
"Ron and I weren't friends." Jack said.
"Yeah, of course." Elsa and Agdar said in unison. Elsa went quiet and looked at Agdar. Agdar went quiet too and looked away from Elsa.
"Well..." Thiana finally spoke up too. "I have a proposal. How about I look after princess Elsa? Some girl-time will be good for her."
"You?" Jack raised his eyebrows.
"Yes...only for the week! I can defend the princess very well, I can fight great and I will not leave the princess alone!"
"Hmm...Thiana as Elsa's servant...it will be a fun experiment." Agdar laughed. "That is good! Thiana will look after my daughter for a week! Jack, you do something else for a week."
"Something else?"
"Something else..."
Jack frowned this was not what he had in mind...
He had to clean the stables. Josephine, the horse from Elsa, was sniffing at his hair. Jack sighed and filled the watertank from the horse. Josephine whined and pushed with her head against Jack, who fell and fell over the watertank into the hay.
"Pfff..." Jack scrambled up. The horse whined and it looked like it was laughing at him. Jack groaned. "Okay, calm down, Jack. In a week you will be back by her side. And Thiana is a good woman..."
He sighed and stood up. He knew that he was lying to himself. Dammit all...
Meanwhile Thiana was with the princess. Elsa was reading a book in the garden. Thiana was walking around her in circles. Elsa sighed and closed her book with a loud clap. Thiana stopped walking around and stopped in front of her. Elsa looked up at her with annoyance.
"Thiana...could you please stop walking around? I am trying to read."
"Read, read, is that all you do , princess?" Thiana sat down next to the princess and smiled. "We are having some girl-time! How about we do something fun?"
"Eh?"
"Like playing with your powers...I mean, you should get them a bit more under control, right?"
Elsa looked down at the grass. "I am not allowed to use my ability. If I do..."
"If you do, then what? Your father will get angry again?" Thiana giggled. "He will only give you a few slaps, don't be such a wimp, princess Elsa."
"But I don't want too...and what if one of the guards see me?"
Thiana shook her head. "No, they are not here right now. Princess, please...just do it...if you do, then we can go out into the town later."
"I understand..." Elsa stood up and walked a few meters away from Thiana. She then slowly pulled her gloves off. Her bare hands were shaking a bit. She nervously put her hands forward. Okay...she had to take it under control.
A bit of snow whirled around. Elsa moved her hands around a little. Ice came out of the ground and snow mixed into it. Thiana leaned onto the elbows. She was looking at Elsa with wonder.
The snow and ice changed into a beautiful flower of ice. Elsa giggled. She loved flowers. They were delicate and so beautiful...She lowered her hands with a smile. Thiana jumped up and stared at the flower.
"So..." Elsa glanced over her shoulder. "You were going to take me out to town?"
Thiana looked at the ice flower. She was almost drooling.
"Wow...this ice flower...it is pretty, beautiful and yet so..." She kneeled touched the ice. Thiana pricked herself. She immediately put her finger in her mouth. "Hm...and it's perfect..." Thiana stood up and turned towards Elsa. "Princess, there is still some time left before dinner. We can leave for the town now."
"I-immediately?"
"Yes." Thiana grabbed her arm. Elsa flinched a little. "Come on, princess, or are you as slow as your father?!"
Elsa frowned and held her head up high. "No. I will go with you. But...there is a place I wish to go to..."
"Where?"
"The whore house."
TO BE CONTINUED