Other Fan Fiction ❯ Reprise ❯ Winter Is Coming ( Chapter 35 )

[ A - All Readers ]

CHAPTER 35: Winter Is Coming

All eyes lay on the ice queen, but for different reasons. The eight spearmen held out their weapons, defending the commander behind them. Rapunzel and Ariel lay on the ground, uncertain if this was their friend or not. And what transformation had she undergone.

Ansel was the only one with presence of mind to speak. "Four to me! The rest, seize her," he yelled.

Four men formed a vanguard around Commander Ansel. The others stalked forward, one cautious step at a time.

Elsa swept her hand to the sky, sparkles of frost trailing. As if pounding a hammer, she struck down.

A tall pillar of ice grew out of the ground. It split four ways, like a dividing plant. Each stem curled down and grew long spikes. The pikemen backed away, but not fast enough. On impact, the stems embedded in the floor, pinning each man to the ground.

"Lay down your scepter, you-who-would-be-emperor," Elsa said. Her voiced sounded deep, as if coming from a canyon. "You have sullied my streets with your filthy cronies. "

"I'm not going anywhere," Ansel said. "And I won't allow you to tyrannize this kingdom again."

"It is not your place to decide Arendelle's fate."

"Every guard in the castle is on his way right now. This is your one chance, ice witch. Leave this place or I'll have your head."

Elsa smirked. "Lesser people than you have tried."

"You may have strong magic, but you aren't immortal. All it would take is one true shot from a crossbow. "

While they bantered, Rapunzel crawled to Pabbie, huddled in a corner with Ariel.

"This is bad," he said. "She has let her power overtake her. It's corrupting her sense of self."

"There's got to be something we can do," Rapunzel said. "She doesn't know what she's doing."

"We've got to get out of here and collect ourselves," Ariel said. "Ansel is right. More are on their way. We can't take all of them."

Elsa stepped forward, ready to unleash her powers again.

Rapunzel grabbed one arm, Ariel the other.

"Elsa. Wait. Stop," Rapunzel said.

"Let's get out of here," Ariel said.

Elsa ignored them. The girls grabbed her shoulders--one on each--as infantrymen filed into the balcony.

They rushed out through the busted gates. "Sorry! She's not usually like this," Rapunzel called back.

"After them!" Ansel shouted, pointing.

Carrying Elsa between them, Ariel and Rapunzel ran as fast as they could. Thrown spears clinked against the ground behind them.

At the end of the walkway, the wrought iron gates lay flayed open and twisted, coated with frost. Soldiers on the guard towers lay slumped over the parapets or pinned to the wall by ice shackles.

"Let me go!" Elsa fought against their grip. "This is my vengeance to take. Nothing will stand in my way."

From around the corner, Sven galloped down the path, pulling Kristoff in the sled. He was supposed to be waiting for them in the town square as a backup. For once, Rapunzel was glad someone didn't listen to her.

Pabbie rolled ahead of the girls and stopped in front of Sven.

"Pabbie! I never thought I would see you again," Kristoff said.

"It's good to see you," the old rock troll said. "But we must make haste."

Kristoff stood up in his sleigh, watching the girls sprinting toward him. "I heard an explosion at the main gate. I thought- Is that Elsa?"

Rapunzel and Ariel threw Elsa into the back seat. "We'll explain later. Let's go."

Elsa stood up, trying to make her way out. "Get out of my way. This man needs to pay for-"

"Queen Elsa," Pabbie said.

At hearing the honorific, she turned her head.

"Sleep."

A fuzzy blue orb floated from Pabbie's stubby fingers to Elsa's head. As soon as it dissipated, her eyes closed, her knees buckled, and she fell into a heap. Rapunzel and Ariel shoved her aside to make room for Pabbie.

Kristoff whipped the reins. "Hee-yah!"

The reindeer let out a fierce whinny as spears and arrows flew by. He galloped away from the castle.

They sped through Arendelle, ducking behind buildings and alleys to keep witnesses confused. After leaving the city, with no one behind them pursuing, they headed toward the mountain.

Sven had remarkable stamina. But by the time they reached the palace doors, his legs wobbled with each step and his tongue hung out.

Kristoff jumped down and petted the reindeer's head. "It's okay, Sven. We're here. You can rest now."

Sven turned to him. Kristoff whispered in a chumly voice. "You owe me so many carrots."

"I know, I know." He buried his face in Sven's fuzzy snout.

Pabbie leaned out of the sleigh. "Your animal will be all right. If there are proper herbs, I can brew a revitalizing soup for him."

The giant double doors creaked and parted. Anna rushed through, holding up her skirt with one hand. Olaf waddled behind.

"Is Elsa with you?" she asked. "The lookout said-"

Ariel and Rapunzel hoisted her body out of the carriage. "She's all right. Just sleeping," Ariel said. "Something... something happened to her. She burst into the castle and started... acting weird."

Anna looked into her sleeping sister's face. "Why does she look so... different?"

"We need to put her somewhere before she wakes up. Is somewhere we can lock her up?" Rapunzel asked.

Anna looked aghast. "Lock her up? No... I couldn't."

"She's going to be very angry when she wakes up. She didn't want to leave her castle," Rapunzel asked.

"She almost attacked us. And we couldn't've stopped her," Ariel said.

Anna locked eyes with Ariel and Rapunzel. They all knew what had to be done, but no one wanted to say it. "There's a room in the west wing that can be locked. Just ask one of the others," Anna said, looking at the ground.

Rapunzel and Ariel handed Elsa to Kristoff. Sven followed as he carried the limp body past Olaf.

"Oh, hi, Elsa. She always falls asleep on those long sleigh rides," the snowman said. He turned around and followed them inside.

Rapunzel, Anna, Ariel, and Pabbie stood in a circle, faces as if returning from a funeral. Anna said "Her heart is frozen, isn't it? Just like you warned us could happen. When we were kids."

"No, this is different," Pabbie said. "A frozen heart knows no love or fear. But the ice encases hers. Like a fortress. It lets nothing in and nothing out. But if something is not done soon, it will freeze."

"Is there a way to break through the fortress? A spell or something?" Ariel asked.

"Or some of your magic?" Anna asked hopefully.

Pabbie said, "You must find a way into her heart. Once that is found, the walls will crumble."

"Find the way into her heart? How do we do that?" Anna asked.

"I'm afraid I don't know, child," Pabbie said. "I don't know."

Alone in the war room, Ariel knelt over the castle map. Everyone but Ariel was with Elsa. Kristoff, Anna, Rapunzel, Olaf, even Flynn, were standing outside her cell, waiting for her to wake up.

Flynn entered.

"Is Elsa okay?" Ariel asked.

"She's still out cold... er... sorry. I just came to check on you. Got bored watching a sleeping queen. What are you doing?"

"I'm marking where I saw guards inside the castle. How many I saw, and so on." She sat back on her knees. "I don't think it's going to do any good. I only saw a tiny portion."

"Ansel's going to strike back," Flynn said. "And soon. Especially after getting embarrassed like that. He seems like the kind of person who would take it out on the citizens. Ordering surprise investigations, shakedowns." He started playing with a spinning globe.

Ariel nodded. "That's what I'm afraid of too. I wish we could act, not just react."

Flynn gave his cocky smile. "That's why it's called 'resistance'. Gotta wait to see how it all pans out before making the next move. Oops."

The globe Flynn had been playing detached from its spindle. The ball crashed and cracked on the ice floor.

"Flynn, we've got few enough resources as it is," Ariel chided. She picked up the ball. Something inside rattled.

"There's something in there," Flynn said.

Ariel shook it like a Christmas present. She dug her fingers into the cracks and pulled apart the thin wooden shell. Inside was a small paper square, folded to the size of a coin.

"How did that get in there? It would have had to be put in before the thing was built," Flynn said.

Ariel unfolded the paper to a full size sheet. It was a letter. The signature at the bottom read "Arcius Cansteth"

"Oh, no," Ariel said.

Your dearest highnesses,

As you have no doubt determined from the discovery of this note, my abilities to manipulate time and space expand much farther than you presupposed. Pertaining to this moment, you have returned from the castle and are planning your next move to free Arendelle.

Do not mistake my observance as voyeurism. I merely state this fact to allude to my power. I am not, nor shall I ever, desecrate your private moments.

Let me assure you that, were you within my care, this whole matter could be dealt with swiftly and painlessly. However, I fear the power of persuasion is beyond the reach of this letter. My purpose is to inform you that I have not given up my pursuit. Perhaps I acted in haste when last we met. Staying isolated so long has waned away my good manners.

Nevertheless, and I do not say this in threat or jest, I cannot take no for an answer. The magic is too awesome to let it diminish unleavened. This correspondence in itself should demonstrate that fact. Nevertheless, I wish to convey its magnitude with further veracity. When you have the opportunity, observe the mountain range to the west. Then compare its vista to your previous knowledge of Arendelle. When you confirm the difference, you will know my solemnity on this matter.

Sincerely,

Arcius Cansteth

As soon as Ariel reached the part about the mountain range, she turned her head to the western window.

After she had stared silently for a while, Flynn asked "What? Do you see something?"

"It's completely gone..." Ariel muttered.

The door to the war room cracked open. Rapunzel and Kristoff entered. "She's still asleep. We came to see if you needed help..."

"Kristoff, you've been up living in the mountains since you were a boy, right? And you'd say you've stared at them all your life, right?" Ariel asked.

Kristoff confirmed he did. Ariel gripped his temples and rotated his neck. "Do you remember a mountain right there? It had a kind of a hooky peak and a big gouge down the center."

"What? No. Mountains? What are you talking about?"

"It was a little taller than the others. The top glowed orange when it was sunset. It looked like a torch. I saw it when I first arrived in Arendelle."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kristoff said. "The mountains have always been like that."

"He took out a whole mountain." Ariel muttered to herself. "I don't know how he did it, but he did it."

Ariel explained about the globe and handed Rapunzel the note. She read it, looked up. Read it again, looked up. "Does this mean he's watching us?" Ariel asked.

"He must be. He knew you were going to break the globe. He knew you would be reading the note at this exact time."

"But... he still can't reach us. He still needs us. Why is he doing this? Can't he just leave us alone?"

"He's running out of time," Rapunzel said. "Which means we are too."

"But Arendelle needs us more." Ariel turned toward them. "We need to stop Ansel here and now."

"But how do you expect us to do that?" Flynn asked. "We don't have an army or guns or swords or soldiers or anything."

"What do we have?" Rapunzel asked.

Flynn and the others looked around blankly at each other. "Heart?" Flynn shrugged.

"We've got a girl with magic hair, one who can make ice castles, and the queen of the oceans." Ariel held up her trident. "We can make something happen."

"If we just start attacking, that will hurt a lot of people. On both sides," Kristoff said.

"All we have to do is take Ansel out of power. We don't have to take out all his guards or ships. And no one's going to take his place--Ansel wants to run the whole show. Once we send the leader packing, everyone else will follow or switch sides. It shouldn't take an army to do that."

"Ansel rarely leaves the castle," Kristoff said. "He makes his rah-rah speeches from the gates every morning. That's about the only time anyone sees him."

"We can't wait for him to leave the castle. We'll have to go to him." Ariel slid the map of the castle between them all.

Debates exploded across the table. Subjects meandered from which wall was the weakest to the loss of Arendelle lives to attacks by land or sea to tactics like drawing an ambush or hammer & anvil.

Ariel sat back, letting them all blow off steam. She tuned them out and twirled her trident in her hand. Light gleamed off and on the points.

"Wait a minute," Ariel said. "I've got an idea. What if we make a three-pronged attack?" She scooted forward and rotated the Arendelle map to herself. "First, call together all the people we can. As many as we can. Tell them to gather on this side." She pointed to a promontory outside the west side of the castle.

"I gotcha. We'll create a mob," Flynn said. "Tell them to bring whatever weapons they have. Get Ansel to consume his resources on them."

"No, not a mob," Ariel said. "We're not arming a rebellion or a riot. This is a... a rally. A big hoopla. A party!" Ariel said, getting more excited as her ideas formed. "A big party in the streets. With loud music and food and dancing."

"Are you serious?" Flynn looked at her cockeyed.

Ariel nodded. "As big a party as you can. Biggest Arendelle's ever seen. I bet the city could use it, with everything that's happened. Ansel's soldiers won't know what to do if there's no fighting. And while they're watching..." She dragged her finger to the east side of the castle. "we assault from the other direction. With an obvious attack."

"Like what?" Kristoff asked. "If everyone's on the other side partying, who's left?"

"I believe I can help with that."

Pabbie toddled into the room. He approached the table. "My people are ready with whatever you need," he said.

"Grand Pabbie, are you sure? This is just Arendelle. This isn't your fight," Kristoff said.

"It became our fight when they came after you," he said. "We are family. To besiege one is to besiege us all."

Kristoff smiled from ear to ear, looking like he might cry.

Rapunzel perked up. "The trolls alone won't be enough. Kristoff, what about the snowgies? Do you think they're ready?"

With a laugh, Kristoff shrugged and said. "As ready as they'll ever be. We'll need more cake. But the town baker owes me some favors."

Ariel smiled. "The snowgies can attack from below while... while the trolls catapult into the upper castle." She turned to Pabbie. "You'll be your own weapons."

All the members of the table were smiling as well. It wasn't enough to have a plan. They needed the confidence to believe in it.

"That's only two prongs though," Flynn said. "What's the third?"

"The third is us," Ariel said. "We go through the middle, enter the castle, and take Ansel out however we can. He'll have the least protection while his soldiers are busy on both sides. And we know the castle better than him. We're going to start this war and finish it the same day."

"Yes!" Flynn stood up from the table. "Where's Anna? Let's go tell her."

Kristoff said, "The faster we can get this going, the quicker we can catch Ansel off guard."

Everyone scooted away from the table. Ariel allowed herself a moment of pride, watching her team march out. As she stood to follow them, Pabbie held out his hand.

"Wait, child," he said. "This third prong. Who do you plan to include in it?"

"Um..." Ariel hadn't firmly thought about who would breach the fortress, besides their small collective. "I don't know. Me and Rapunzel for sure... Anna, Kristoff, Flynn... maybe Olaf."

"Elsa must accompany you as well," Pabbie said.

"Elsa? But she's... something happened to her. She's not herself."

"She must come. If she doesn't, terrible things shall happen to Arendelle and those around her."

"You can see the future?"

Pabbie shrugged. "Others say I have the gift of prophecy. I say a lifetime of experience has sharpened my insight and logic." Ariel didn't doubt him--a lifetime for a rock troll had to span centuries. "But Elsa's heart grows colder by the moment. In this endeavor, you must all be together."

"Why? What happens if we don't?"

A cloudy image formed over Pabbie's head. "If you succeed, Elsa will retake rule over Arendelle. But as she is, she would be a cold undiscerning queen. Inhumane, without a care for people. You must make her see the light."

The silhouette in the clouds raised her hands. Lightning flashed. Hands reached up for her. She struck them all down with a wave of her arm.

Ariel stared, horrified. "How are we supposed to do that?"

"I don't know," Pabbie said. "But it will not happen locked in a cage."

Down the narrow corridor, the others had just finished explaining the plan to Olaf and Anna when Ariel approached.

"Everyone's so excited about your plan. This might really work," Anna said.

Ariel looked through the door's small window. Elsa slept on the block of ice against the wall of the crystal-blue room.

"So everyone's agreed on the plan?" Ariel asked.

"As long as I've got my trusty frying pan, I'm in," Rapunzel said.

"Am I on the team?" Anna asked.

"Yes. So is Kristoff--we'll rush the door with Sven--and Flynn and Rapunzel and myself. And Elsa."

"Elsa?" Everyone spoke at once. "Are you sure?" "She's psychotic. We can't take her." "Look at her, she's not in her right mind." "We need to cure her first."

"She's coming," Ariel said. "Besides she's the most powerful of us, this is her kingdom."

"She's not even awake yet" Kristoff looked into the room. "She's not-"

Elsa's pale white eyes stared into his.

"Jeez!" Kristoff staggered back, crashing into the wall.

She was standing upright, gazing at them.

"How long was she standing there?" Kristoff whispered.

"I want you to know..." Elsa began. Her voice was as flat and hushed as a winter wind. "that I could break out of here at any time."

The others looked terrified.

"This is my palace. This is my element. I could send it crumbling around your ears."

"Well... why haven't you?" Anna asked.

"I want to know why you haven't killed me yet."

Anna looked confused. "You're my sister. I'd never kill you."

"You should. It's what I would do."

Kristoff held an arm over Anna's shoulder protectively. "Elsa, stop this. We know this isn't you."

"But it is. It always was. Within me, lurking beneath the surface. Only now it has come out. And my magic is more powerful than it ever was, ever could be, now that my spirit is realized." She turned to Ariel. "When we first met, I tried to kill you. Do you doubt me?"

Ariel said nothing.

Elsa smirked again. "Perhaps that was a mistake I should rectify."

"Elsa," Rapunzel interrupted. "We know this isn't you. Whatever happened, we can help."

Elsa scowled. "Usurper. You think I don't know? You covet my throne like the others."

"That's not true," Rapunzel said.

Elsa smirked. "Isn't it? You have the audacity to imprison me here, in the fortress I built for myself. Don't you understand? Nothing will stand in my way. Not my friends. Not my sister. Do you think I wouldn't kill you all to get what I want?" She looked at Anna. "I stayed away from you for sixteen years. To the rest of you, my ties are tenuous. At best."

"What if we said we're going to get your castle back?" Ariel said. "That's what you want, right?"

Elsa ground her jaw. "You have my attention."

"You want to take down Ansel? Take back Arendelle? That's what we're doing. Whatever it takes. Throw down Ansel from power or prove he's not the true ruler. It'll be easier if we all work together. You have a better chance with us than alone."

"I am always alone," Elsa said. "It is not a choice."

"Well, you can choose now. If you promise to help, we'll make sure we get your castle back."

Elsa blinked. "As long as you're still useful, I will ally with you."

Ariel let out a breath.

"But make no mistake," Elsa said. "We are not entering this battle in banded company. Only as an alliance."

"Whatever you say." Ariel gestured for the key. Kristoff handed it off, then stepped back as the door opened.

Elsa's pale ice dress sparkled in the light. She gazed at them all with her mysterious eyes. "So when does it begin?"