Epilogue.

August 13th, 1842

Dear diary:

So… I've never done this diary thing before, but a friend of mine (Hilda, the girl who sells milk) recommended it to me because there are a lot of things I want to say and I can't, because, well, they're BAD. Like, really, really bad.

For starters, everybody here knows me as Anna the widow, sole survivor to the Great Freeze of Arendelle. The truth is, I'm much more than that. I was the Queen. So… how did I end up here? Well, after my sister Elsa, the infamous Ice Queen, died at the hands of my husband, I felt nothing but hatred towards him. More than that, I knew it was only a matter of time before he'd try to kill me in order to get another, non-sterile, wife and remove the only obstacle stopping him from seizing control of Arendelle. So I waited until the night after Elsa's execution and killed him in his sleep with the same dagger he'd given me to kill my own sister. Ironic, isn't it?

Immediately after that, I raided my parent's hidden stash for as many valuable things as I could carry; mostly jewels and fine clothes I could easily sell, and ran away. I knew it was practically suicide, with the great snowstorm still raging throughout the whole kingdom, but I saddled up my horse and left. Funnily enough, I didn't die like I was hoping. Apparently, after being saved from the curse of the frozen heart, the cold no longer affected me, and I was able to make it to our neighboring kingdom; the kingdom my sister's fiancé was from. Here, I bought a little cabin in the woods, where I've been living ever since.

It's funny. I've been thinking about taking my own life many times since Elsa died, but… I just can't bring myself to do it, even though I've come pretty close more than once. I guess I feel like I'd be disrespecting my sister's sacrifice if I did it. She died to give me life, and now I have to live through it, even if I don't want to.

But lately, few things bring me any happiness at all. Mainly chocolate, and other sweets (I think I've gained a couple of pounds, actually). Though there are some other, rare exceptions. For example, just the other day I heard news from Arendelle. Apparently, it's become a frozen wasteland, and all of its inhabitants have turned into ice. No one dares going there, for fear of awakening the ghost of the Ice Queen.

I don't know why, but a part of me was glad to hear the news, and I even prepared hot chocolate to celebrate. I guess I just felt like they deserved it, for all they did to my sister. And it also confirmed that what saved me from freezing to death wasn't Elsa's magic disappearing as soon as she died, but the act of true love she performed by sacrificing herself for me.

So, I guess I'm an awful person. And I don't want anyone to know.

September 20th, 1842

Dear diary:

Today I went to the doctor. I hadn't been feeling well lately, and I was kinda hoping I had contracted some sort of incurable sickness. But no, of course it wasn't that. It was something WAY worse.

I've been feeling dizzy lately, and when I eat something, more often than not I throw it right back up. Unless it's chocolate, which for the moment I seem to tolerate somehow. I also haven't had my period since June. At first I thought it had nothing to do with the other symptoms, and that it was just a collateral effect of being almost frozen just before I was supposed to bleed, but… no. I'm pregnant.

I even went to two more doctors, traveling to towns that are far away from here. They all said the same thing. The signs are clear. I'm having a baby.

It's funny. Years ago, this would have been a blessing! My husband would have stopped pestering me, and being angry all the time at my inability to conceive an heir. But no. He just HAD to get me pregnant before I killed him and escaped.

I don't think I'll be able to take care of the child. I don't think I even want to. What if he looks like Hans? God, I'd probably hate him, even knowing it isn't his fault.

I think I'm gonna leave him at the orphanage as soon as he is born. And I know that makes me an even more awful person, abandoning an innocent baby like that, but… I just can't deal with this.

December 21th, 1842

Dear diary:

Today would have been Elsa's birthday, if she was still alive. Coincidentally, last night it snowed quite a lot here, and for the first time since my sister died, I was able to smile when I saw the white landscape from my window this morning.

I even had the energy to go to the town, chat with my new friends, and help some kids build a snowman.

I hadn't been so happy in a long time. And I wonder if I'll ever be as happy again.

April 5th, 1843.

Dear diary:

I'm fat. And, no, it's not from eating chocolate. The baby should be born anytime now, or so the doctor says, which makes me think he probably was conceived just before I went to Elsa's palace to try and talk her into thawing Arendelle. That seems like it was an eternity ago. I wished I had stayed with her at her frozen kingdom. I wished I had never pressured her into saving a nation that was doomed anyways.

April 27th, 1843.

Dear diary:

The baby was born three days ago, on April 24th, and it was a girl, unlike the boy I was imagining. And she is so tiny! And I know babies are usually very small, but she is smaller than usual, pale, with white hair, and she also cries a lot.

Yes, WHITE hair. As in, the same color I had when my heart was frozen. I guess she was also affected by the curse, but with no one to perform an act of true love for her, she wasn't cured. I don't think she'll live much, so I didn't have the heart to abandon her at the orphanage. The least I can give her is some comfort and warmth, so she has a short but happy life.

July 24th, 1843.

Dear diary:

Taking care of a baby is HARD. Even with the women around town giving me counsel on how to do it. I have barely had any sleep! So, that's why I hadn't written anything in three months.

So, first of all, yes, I decided to keep the baby after I realized she wasn't going to die, and she has only grown healthier and stronger as the days have passed. I even gave her a name, though I'll admit I only did so after having her for a month or so. Her name is Elsa, like my sister. And she, just like her, has ice powers. I realized this when she sneezed one day and snowflakes appeared out of thin air, so that's why I decided to name her like my deceased sister.

That was about two months ago. Now, every time she cries, she freezes something. It's no wonder my parents were so afraid of Elsa ever since she was little! But I won't commit their mistakes. I'll raise my daughter as I wished my parents would have raised my sister; with love and acceptance. I won't fear her powers, and I'll make sure she has a happy life. And if someone ever threatens her, they'll have to go through me first.

But one good thing about this kingdom is they're so much more open about magic, and the wizards and witches are often treated respect and reverence. So I hope we won't have a problem when my baby's magic grows too strong to remain hidden.

Though… I do wonder where she got her powers from. I mean, yeah, Elsa was her aunt, but is that it? Maybe she absorbed some of the magic of the curse of the frozen heart while she was in my womb. Or… maybe she isn't Hans' daughter after all? Maybe my husband was sterile, not me. Maybe my little Elsa was conceived by magic, even when I never truly made love with my sister. Maybe it was a side effect of the act of true love?

But maybe I'm overthinking things. Maybe it is just a hereditary trait that passed down from aunt to niece. I guess I'll never know.

October 30th, 1850.

Dear diary:

I hadn't felt the need to write since my daughter's birth. Everything she does is wonderful, and makes me smile with joy and pride. And, by the way, her hair isn't white, as I assumed when she was born, but blonde. Platinum blonde, to be precise.

Oh! And she's just so kind and polite! And mischievous and playful too, though sometimes she surprises me with how serious she can be for her age. And smart. She reminds me of my sister in that regard. I guess it runs in the family.

But anyways, she's been going to school for almost a year now. She's very happy and she has a lot of friends, though her best friend is a goofy-looking boy named Olaf. He's a good kid, and he loves when Elsa makes snow for them to play. Everything is as perfect as it could be, and it's been years since I've had suicidal thoughts.

I mean, my little Elsa will never replace my sister, but she does fill the hole she left when she died.

The only thing even remotely resembling a problem we've had is, well, today a man from the King's court came to the school, wanting to talk to me. Apparently, His Majesty has heard of my daughter's magic, and she's the first one in centuries to be born with that kind of power in this kingdom, instead of having to learn it. He said he wanted to take us to the palace, so she could be taught how to use her magic by the Royal Wizard himself. She'd also receive proper education, almost like a princess.

I was tempted to accept, honestly, but at the end I said no. I remembered how crazy Percival could be sometimes, and I decided I didn't want that for Elsa, even if I do acknowledge she'll have to learn to control her magic at one point.

But I'll let her have a normal childhood, and decide for herself when she's older. If she wants to go learn with that wizard, then good for her; I'll support her and encourage her all the way through. If not, well, that'll be her decision too. Meanwhile, I hope we live peaceful and happy lives.

A/N: THE END. Yes, that was really the end. It's been a long journey, hasn't it? Two years (to the day, actually). Ever since I saw Frozen for the first time, I thought about making a darker version of it. Kinda like, what it could have been if they kept the concept of evil!Elsa and it was aimed to a more mature audience. And I'm quite satisfied with the end result.

I just hope you liked reading this fic, even if you were displeased by the ending. But, I mean, I warned you about Elsa's death. Anyways, thanks for reading and for all the support you've given me. I hope you leave a review and, if you want to read my other stories (even if they are quite different from this one), that'd be great :)

Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.