Chapter 26

~ Atonement ~

Birds chirping. People chattering. Gentle warmth on her skin.

A smile broke out over Anna's face as she woke. Few mornings were as pleasant as this. Slender arms were wrapped around her; Elsa must've been holding her all night. She caressed her sister's hand, taking care to avoid the bandage.

Elsa's here. Elsa's really here.

Anna shifted slightly, nudging herself into the warmth of her sister's body without waking her up. She didn't understand it, but Elsa's body was cool when the weather was sweltering, and warm when everything else was frigid. Whatever the reason, Elsa made for the ultimate bolster.

Last night, she'd camped before the door with blanket and hot cocoa till Elsa showed up. There was no way she was spending her first night back without her sister. Besides, Kristoff had taken to the stables to accompany Sven.

As Anna laid there basking in the glow of her sister's skin, her eyes wandered. Something about Elsa's room was different. The mirror for one, was gone; only a bronze frame stood there, hollow and pitiful. It wasn't like Elsa to be clumsy. Maybe she shattered it while practicing her magic or conjuring her gown. Wouldn't that be funny?

Anna blinked. The box of chocolates she got for Elsa sat on the table untouched. That was bad, really bad. No chocolate ever lasted more than an hour in Elsa's room. The stress really was getting to her then. Perhaps they could open it together later.

The vase of flowers too, had been replaced by a fat and ornamented– wait, that was no vase. Anna squinted. An urn! She couldn't fathom why there'd be such a morbid thing here. Just another question to ask after Elsa woke.

Anna turned slowly. Elsa's eyes were screwed tight, and she made soft moans.

Bad dream?

Anna couldn't help but stroke the older girl's cheek, so soft and rosy. She traced circles around Elsa's freckles. Everyone always talked about Anna's freckles, but her sister had them too, though a shade lighter than hers.

Elsa stirred. Her eyes fluttered open, meeting Anna's.

"Hey."

"Hey."

The corner of Elsa's lips quirked up. "Slept well?"

"You bet. Um… sorry for waking you."

Elsa giggled and pinched her nose. "Silly, stop saying sorry for everything." Her lips pressed tight. "Does it still hurt?"

"What?"

"Your face."

"Oh! No, not really." Anna puffed her cheek on reflex and saw Elsa's eyes widen. "Really! Elsa, it's fine, okay?"

"I'm sorry."

"Stop saying sorry. I forgave you already," Anna said. "Hey, now you're the one doing it!"

"Sorry for saying sorry."

"Stop that too!"

Elsa brushed back a strand of Anna's hair and kissed her cheek. Her lips were soft and cool. Anna slid her hands around her sister. Silky, yellow tresses draped around her face and she caught one in her lips.

What would I do if I'd lost you forever?

Anna lifted her head when she realized Elsa was trembling. "What's wrong?"

"I had a nightmare," Elsa whispered.

"Of what?"

"Of losing you again. That you still wouldn't accept me."

"Elsa, why would I ever do that?"

Elsa didn't reply. She clutched Anna's head and tangled her fingers in her hair.

"I'll never reject you, okay?" Anna squeezed her sister. "Promise."

Elsa nodded, relaxing. "So, what now?"

"Well…" Anna bit her lips. "We could just stay in bed forever."

"But–?"

Sunlight had crept in through the windows, painting half the room golden. The heat was beginning to pinch. "But it's getting kinda late, and I'm awfully hungry…" She pulled out of the hug. "We can at least have breakfast together, right?"

Elsa let out a grunt as she stretched. "Breakfast, and anything else you want."

"Oh, what's this?" Anna pushed herself up. "No paperwork? No kingdom to oversee?"

Elsa caught her gaze. "Nothing else. You are number one. Anyone has any problem with that, I'll freeze them."

Anna feigned shock. "You can't!"

"I can. I am the queen now."

Anna jumped out of bed and trotted to the window. The town bloomed in purple-and-yellow, and the oceans glittered like a thousand jewels. Banners were caught high in the morning breeze. The market looked so welcoming.

Weselton, for all its grandeur and high roofs, was nothing compared to this.

"Shopping?" Anna turned, and was surprised to see Elsa already dressed. "That's no fair! I wish I had magic too."

"We can always work on creating a dress for you." Elsa touched a finger to her lips. "Let's practice in your room."

"Okay, how about a–wait, wait!" Anna pointed at the table. "Tell me first. What's that?"

Elsa fell silent. She walked over to it and stroked it. "…An urn." She sounded sad.

"I know that! I mean, what's it doing in your room?"

"It just is. Come on," Elsa darted forward and hooked her arm around Anna's. "We got better things to do than worry about that."

"But–"

"I'm leaving you here if we wait any longer."

"Bah! Fine."

As Elsa pulled her out, Anna couldn't help but steal one last peek at the urn. She shivered, feeling a sense of dread take her, though she didn't know why.

Even with winter at their doorsteps, the people had lost none of their cheer.

Townspeople sparked conversations with each other. Merchants shouted their wares, women ambled by with baskets while the men laughed and slapped each other's backs.

More food than Anna had ever seen filled the streets. The tang of vegetable and soil was strong in her nose. Barrels of wine were stacked as tall as houses, carts of fruits looking like they were meant to feed a hundred mouths rolled down ships. Furs, shoes, trousers and clothes of all manners passed from hand to hand. Logs were hefted by workers, their lean bodies glistening in the sun.

When winter came, Arendelle would be prepared. Anna had never been more proud.

"Make way! Make way!" A farmer pushed a wheelbarrow full of apples, dipping his head as he sped past. "Morning, Your Majesty! Your Highness!"

"Morning!" Anna waved.

"–it's the Queen and the Princess!"

"–I want to see!"

Stall owners approached with flower, blanket, fish and other gifts. Anna's arms were fixed in a cross. "No no no! We're here to shop and pay like everyone else!"

Hands held firmly, the sisters squeezed between rows of topless men hauling crates, darted from stall to stall, and greeted the people as they passed.

Anna couldn't help but grin. It was as though Lars' betrayal or yesterday's events had never happened. But... Anna glanced around, her smile dropping for just an instance, no children had yet approach to ask her sister to create snowmen or conjure ice skates.

Well, they just need time.

Elsa seemed contented to be led along, silently admiring the wares for several seconds before they were off to the next. And so, Anna let out a gasp when she tugged at Elsa, and was pulled back instead.

"Whoa!"

Elsa turned. "What?" She was holding a burnt, wrinkled purse. Anna caught a whiff of old leather as she bent her face to it.

The storekeeper had a look of utmost pride. "Good morning, my Queen! Such fine taste you have! That's buckskin from Litera Island."

"What else do you have?" Elsa said.

The plump woman pointed. "Calfskin and goatskin! The best hides from Litera, Zhonguo, Manbul and Cretellsia!" She bent closer to whisper, "We even have tiger and leopard from Yindu. Very exotic and soft, I promise!"

No Weselton, Anna thought.

"No Weselton?" Elsa peered at the skins and bags hanging over the racks.

The woman's mouth scrunched tight. "My Queen, you outlawed trade with–"

"I know," Elsa said. "This is not an inspection, don't worry."

A minute later, Elsa dropped the purse back into the rack and they were off to the next corner of the market.

"Didn't know you had a taste for leather." Anna said. "You know, I didn't even give you any birthday gifts this year, or the year before, or the year before before… I could get you something if you like."

"I was just looking," Elsa said.

"Time to stop looking, and start buying!" Anna dragged her sister towards a wagon with trays of chocolate and candies that looked like they were harvested from a rainbow.

A tiny man waved with gusto. "M'lady! Welcome back! Enjoyed your trip?"

"Hi Leife! What chocolates have you got today?" Anna said.

He tweaked his goatee as always. "Ho ho! Here's a good one. Toffee-blended ones Leife imported just last week!"

Anna squeezed Elsa's hand. "So? What do you think?"

"I don't really care."

Leife cocked his head. "Well! If toffee isn't your taste, Leife suggests the dark chocs!"

"Anna, just get whatever you like. I'm not eating them anyway."

Leife's jaw went slack. "M'lady, y–you do not want Leife's chocolates?"

Elsa crossed her arms. "Not in the mood for chocolates." She let go of Anna's hand and walked off.

Leife covered his mouth with a handkerchief, shaking his head slightly. Anna paid for a small bag of toffee-ones anyway, then took off after her sister.

Elsa stood before a vegetable stand, holding a carrot to the sun. "Where's Kristoff?"

"Still in the stables I guess?" Anna rubbed her head. "He said there was a new foal he'd be taking care of."

A smile graced Elsa's lips. "He's awfully sweet."

Anna nodded, her mind racing. It wasn't like Elsa to reject chocolates, twice! Something was wrong. "You know, Kristoff and I went shopping at the Weselton market. That place was like, huge! Much bigger than ours."

Elsa whipped around. "What else? What else did you find at Weselton?"

Oh snap, shouldn't have started this topic. Anna chewed on her tongue. "Okay, this'll take a while. Can we grab a bite first?"

They got a table outside Stein's Bakery. Anna nibbled on a honey cake, lost in the mottled golden crust encasing a darker core that was moist and… bland. Why was it bland? Was her nose blocked? Nah, perhaps she should've went for one of Mama's favourite custard tarts, or perhaps–

"Anna."

She fixed her gaze at her breakfast, not looking up.

"Tell me about Weselton."

"Well, there isn't much to it really. Their harbour is big, sure. Like um… four, five times the size of here? And there's so many people there! Their market is nothing like ours, but I think, that's actually a good thing! Now we don't have to walk till our legs are sore! Plus, did you know they have shops there selling snakes, frogs and vultures and statues of naked people? That's like– weird!"

Elsa raised a cake to her lips. "Why did you meet the Duke in the first place?"

"Trade! I told you that, didn't I?"

"You know what I mean."

Anna's mouth went dry.

I wanted to find someone like you, someone who has magic. So the Duke helped. Besides, the Weseltoners were so ridiculously scared of you and I wanted to give them a chance to see how wonderful you really are. But I screwed up, and nearly got you killed instead.

"Anna?"

Anna tugged a loose strand behind her ear. "I was stupid. Just really stupid."

"What? Don't say that!"

"I am, okay?"

Elsa stopped eating. "You wanted to help. It's not your fault that Weselton tricked you."

Anna's shoulders felt lighter at that. "You know what? Fine, it's all in the past. What I did, what the Duke did, it doesn't matter anymore. What's important is that we have each other now. Just because someone made a mistake once–" She caught herself in time. Those were Freya's lines; Anna didn't deserve to use them. "I'm blabbering, aren't I? Okay, what I meant to say is, I met him because I don't want to condemn anyone, even if they…did bad things."

Her sister pulled up straight. "What if–what if that person did something terrible? Something that hurt the closest people she loved? Because she was scared?"

"Like…" Anna swallowed. "Like how you slapped me?"

Elsa nodded. Her lips were quivering.

"Elsa, I told you– it doesn't matter. Everyone deserves forgiveness eventually. Stop punishing yourself over this."

"Everyone deserves…forgiveness." Elsa beamed, and her eyes were misty. "Everyone. Do you really mean it?"

There was something in Elsa's tone, a pleading so raw and intense that Anna had to reach out to touch her. "Yes." She wasn't sure why Elsa was so fixated on this, but she could sense its importance.

"I mean it. Every. Word."

Elsa entwined their fingers together. "Tell me, Anna. Tell me more about Weselton. What else did you find there?"

Anna felt herself going short of breath again. Please, oh please. Don't ask that.

"There's something you've not told me yet."

Anna wedged her eyes shut. She knew what was coming, but still, there was always a chance her sister had forgotten.

"Did you find anyone there?"

"Well…" Anna stammered. "There were so many people in Weselton, I'm not sure what–"

"Did you find anyone with magic there?"

Anna opened her mouth, then closed it again. Words did not come. The person she found was many miles away, kneeling on the floor of her dark cell crying – hopeless and alone due to her magic and the fear it wrought, left to the mercy of the Warden and his jailor.

Left by me.

"…No."

Elsa's smile curdled like milk gone sour. Anna weaved her fingers together, trying to stop them from shaking. It wasn't working.

"You didn't… find… anyone?"

Her name is Freya. She was born with magic. She had a sister she loved, and parents who died.

"I…"

Say it, say it you idiot! TELL YOUR SISTER THE TRUTH!

"I'm sorry, Elsa. I tried. The–the Weseltoners gave us bad leads. We found nothing at all. Grandpabbie was wrong. There's no one there."

Elsa's hand dropped to her side and her cake rolled into a ditch. "No one? No one at all? I'm the only one in the world with magic?"

Anna ripped her gaze away, feeling tears well up behind her eyes. You are not, Elsa. You are not! But Freya killed her sister. Her magic's the most terrible thing in the world. She's nothing like you.

"I'm sorry, Elsa. I am so sorry… we will keep looking, somewhere else. Just not Weselton."

"Just…not…Weselton." There was something on Elsa's face then– something which frightened Anna.

Contempt.

The table cloth bunched under her sister's fists. "Elsa? Shall–shall we look at something else?" She reached out, but Elsa jerked her hand away.

Something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong. A commotion formed around them. Anna couldn't hear the exact words, but she caught the townspeople's nervous murmurings. Even they could sense the needles of the moment.

The serving boy had come out to look. "Hello? Do you want more cakes? I can tell uncle to make more. Okay?"

Elsa stared. The boy swallowed and stepped back but Elsa's hand shot out, gripping his chin between two fingers.

"Elsa? What are you doing?"

Her sister ignored her. Instead, her eyes drilled into the boy's. "Manners."

"Manners?" he rasped.

Anna frowned. Was this a game of some kind? Perhaps Elsa would release him and laugh, telling him how lovely the cakes were.

"When you speak to royalty, you announce their titles. Who. Am. I?"

The boy shivered. "Y–you are Queen Elsa."

"Good. Repeat your earlier words, with my title this time."

"Elsa?" Anna whispered. "Perhaps you should–"

"Silence."

"Your Majesty. Do–do–do you want cakes? I can tell uncle, make–make more. Your Majesty?"

Elsa smirked and let go of him. "That's more like it. Here, little one, I'll buy all the cakes today." She dropped a stack of coins into his hands. She didn't even give Anna a look. The boy clumped the coins between his palms and dashed behind the counter. Moments later, Anna heard his sobs. Neither he nor Stein came out again.

Comprehension came slowly, like the wisps of a nightmare stubbornly clinging on. Anna shook her head in disbelief. "What's wrong with you?"

"He needed to learn the difference between a peasant and a royal."

"Do you even hear what you're saying?" Anna grinded out words between clenched teeth. "What you told the ministers, you slapping me... that I could accept. But this?" She gestured. "This is NOT you. What's going on?"

"Accept? Accept? Do not speak to me of acceptance!" Elsa slammed the table and rose to her feet. "You said you would find someone like me. Have you? Tell me now, where is that person?"

A pang of rage mixed with hot guilt took Anna.

"Nothing to say, Anna? I wonder what really happened in Weselton." She snorted. "Forgiveness. What a joke, sis. What a damned joke you've made of that word. Forgiveness?" Elsa cackled; it was a sound wholly unlike her. "Forgiveness!"

The crowd had swelled. Even guards were watching, but none dared approach. Elsa's eyes bored into hers; it was a challenge Anna had never tasted her entire life.

She met it head-on.

"You want to talk about acceptance, Elsa? Where are the Weseltoners now?"

"In Eirik's custody."

"Oh right, because you think they are spies out to get you."

"They can't be trusted." Elsa narrowed her eyes. "No more forgiveness, Anna. Anyone who fears my magic is a spy and a traitor."

A rush of gasps came around them. Several onlookers squeezed out from the throng of bodies and fled. Anna hated herself at that very moment for thinking them wise.

"You think everyone's out to get you? You think just because Ajax shot at you, that means all the Weseltoners are bad? What about Li Hua or Thomas? Do you know…" her voice broke. "Do you know they and other traders stood with me to convince everyone that your magic was good? Do you know how badly the rest of Weselton fear you?" Anna tousled her hair. "Now you tell me Eirik's torturing them."

Elsa glared. "I never said that."

"Is there a difference? You call them spies, and have Eirik interrogate them for things they probably know nothing about."

"Yes, they know nothing. They know nothing of the evils of Weselton. Everyone's a hypocrite; they sing praises of my magic before you. You know why? Because they are just using you! The Duke has played you like a set of pipes! Don't be naïve, Anna. You think they would forgive me for having magic?" Elsa leaned forward. "I don't think you truly do either."

Anna jumped to her feet, feeling her head spin. "Why are you saying all these? What went wrong!"

The older girl smiled a grim smile. "I woke up."

Without another word, Elsa spun on her heels and made for the castle. The crowd scrambled aside for her. Anna simply stared at her sister's back, too stunned to do anything else.

As the hard clanks of heels grew faint, Anna began to weep.

Elsa stalked down the length of the hallway, gripping her braid.

Anna would never forgive Freya. That's good, isn't it? Freya's a sister-murderer. Freya deserved to die!

So why… Elsa tasted salt on her lips. Why did it feel like something was ripping her apart from the inside. Her hand flew to her heart, gripping tight as her chest heaved. What was this… emptiness she felt? This rage? Who was she angry at?

Anna, so wonderful and good, had condemned Freya to die. Had lied to her just to ensure it.

'I don't want to condemn anyone, even if they…did bad things.'

Elsa gritted her teeth, feeling something hot and wet run down her chin. Her sister dared preach forgiveness? Elsa laughed bitterly. Forgiveness!

She could still see the Warden's face, his final look one of acceptance, thinking himself embraced by his beloved daughter as he died. Elsa rammed a fist against the wall and ice blossomed from the impact. Too easy a death. She should have made him suffer!

Damn Freya. Damn Anna. Damn Weselton. Odin take you all!

Icicles were creeping along the wall. Elsa snorted and yanked the magic back into her fingers. She took a minute to compose herself, patting down her gown and smoothing her hair before she descended the stairs.

The dungeon. Dank, bleak, and filled with the stench of prisoners. They didn't have it easy here; Elsa knew because she was locked here once. Doors like slabs of black iron loomed around her. Cries for leniency echoed out and fingers gripped the bars of the tiny windows. We are innocent, they screamed. Mercy! Mercy!

Arendelle or Weselton. It didn't matter; convicts screamed the same anyway.

The last of the guards saluted her, then she passed into the last chamber. The air was staler here, and barely any light filtered from the slits above. From as far back as Elsa could remember, this section of the dungeon was unused; having been deemed unsafe. The door to each cell was but rows of iron bars, allowing prisoners to reach out. One guard learnt the folly of turning his back to one.

Two cells were occupied. Elsa marched to the last.

A man was slumped on the floor, head buried in his bruised hands. She stood before him and ran a finger down the metal. Funny, it reminded her of Freya's cell. Perhaps they even shared the same architect.

The man lifted his head. He had a jungle of a beard, liver spots all over, and yet, a surprisingly kind face. A gentleman's face – as Mummy used to say. But Elsa knew better.

"Rasmus." Her voice came out even and strong. Good. She would not be intimated.

He stared daggers at her. What would he say? An insult perhaps, call her 'witch' as that imbecile of a mercenary had?

"This is…an outrage." His voice came softly at first. "This is an outrage! Explain yourself, Queen Elsa!"

Anger then. Good. She welcomed anger for she had plenty to spare. "I don't have to explain anything to the likes of you, Rasmus."

He jumped to his feet. "Damn you! You hurt my people! You destroyed our ship! You are not fit to be queen!"

"And you are not fit to be mayor. I have made sure of that."

"Why? What have we done to you? Is it because of the Duke?"

Elsa sighed. "Do you still not see it, Rasmus? Do you not see the depths of your sin?"

"The Duke is not me! I do not answer for him, nor am I responsible for his actions!"

"But you are responsible for your own, and for the people of Belking. I couldn't get them, so I'm afraid you'd just have to do."

"Woman! What has this got to do with Belking? I don't understand what you are–"

"Years ago, you murdered an innocent girl."

"Madness. This is madness! Your words make no sense!"

"On the outskirts of Belking, in the rain, with hounds and arrows."

It took a moment for the words to sink in. Elsa savoured every second of it.

"How did you–!"

"You were supposed to help her. You were a friend of her family. The mayor! You had the power to stop everything. But instead, you let the villagers hunt her down like she was a beast. Like she was a demon."

The pathetic man covered his mouth. "My God…"

"Your God is not here anymore, Rasmus. Here, there is only I." She planted herself before the bars, spreading her arms. Rasmus's eyes grew wide. He could reach out and throttle her if he wished. She yearned for him to try. "Come closer. I'm not going to rip your soul out."

"…Freya?"

"Freya is dead. I killed her."

His recognition iced into horror. "What have you done to Queen Elsa?"

"Are you deaf, old man? I am Elsa."

Rasmus paced around his tiny cell, clutching his head. "God, God! The attack! You want revenge." He whipped around. "Freya… Freya, it's you…"

"Stop calling me that!"

He seemed not to hear. "Listen to me, I was wrong. I should never have let them... I failed you."

Elsa shook her head. "You should've apologized before her father jailed her fifteen years."

"I never meant for Christina to–"

"Don't you DARE say her name!"

The walls flashed green and Rasmus staggered back, whimpering.

Freya locked onto the bars, baring her teeth. "Go ahead. Try saying her name one more time. Try it and Weselton freezes! Every child, mother, and suckling babe shall become lumps of ice! Try it!"

The bastard shrunk away, his back pressed to the wall as if he could escape through there.

"We all pay for our mistakes. Remember that? My father's favourite line. He paid dearly. Now it's your turn."

Rasmus' face was utter despair. "You killed him."

Freya giggled. She felt warm wetness race down her cheeks, but she didn't care, it only made her laugh harder.

"Let the others go, Freya. I am the one you should punish. I brought this upon you. Take my life, spare them."

This son-of-a-bitch. Thinking he could be noble now, thinking his mockery of atonement could change anything. Freya's magic screamed for revenge. Not Elsa's ice, but her soul magic. It craved to tear this man apart, to let him see his own entrails be stretched wall-to-wall. Anna was right. No forgiveness.

Talons burst forth from Freya's fingers, and Rasmus' face was aglow in emerald light. He closed his eyes, his face completely at peace.

"No."

Freya crushed her magic down. She slammed her eyes shut, breathing deeply to reorient herself. Freya wasn't needed here. Freya deserved to die. Freya was dead. Dead. Dead!

The walls turned dark.

Elsa opened her eyes. "You think you can take the blame. But you're just one man, and there are many in Belking." Her lips twisted. "Many more in Weselton."

"Freya…" He'd dropped to his knees. "Don't hurt them, don't hurt them… I beg you…"

She spat on his face. "Where were you when she begged? Oh yes, you were rallying people to shoot her."

Rasmus dropped his head to the ground with a thud, raised his head, then flung it down again. "Mercy, I beg you! Don't hurt them! Mercy! Mercy!"

Elsa blinked, and Rasmus was hurled against the wall. He fell to the floor, heaving for breath. Ice spidered down the bars.

"Hush now… Don't kill yourself yet. I'm glad to see you can feel remorse. You can live with it for the rest of your days." She tutted. "You die, and every sailor, trader and merc from the Splendor joins you."

He looked up, face smeared with blood and snot and tears. "Freya…"

Still chanting that name, like it meant anything to her. She should have roared and torn out his throat with an icy fist. But Queen Elsa doesn't murder helpless prisoners, especially not ones grovelling like dogs.

"We'll have lots of time to play, you and I. Enjoy your stay."

The guard's faces were blank as Elsa passed them. She swept past the cells, ignoring the desperate cries, and hurried up the steps.

When Elsa was alone at last, she closed her eyes and drew in a deep, weary breath. In spite of herself, the dungeon didn't suit her. Too many dark memories lingered down there. Her head was beginning to throb; perhaps she'd lie in bed and have Gerda bring her meat and bread.

She stepped around the corner to her room and jolted to a stop.

Kristoff stood before the door, his face grave.

"We need to talk."