The Reason

Chapter 16

Merry Christmas and happy holidays everybody!  And a happy new year!

Chapter 16:  Monster

Elsa took in the empty streets of Arendelle with downcast eyes and a heavy heart.  What was once full of color and life was now dark, barren and dreary.  The hooves of their horses down the cobblestone path were the only sounds coming from the choking silence.  Homes dark, shops boarded, and people gone. 

As long as they're safe.  There was just one more part of her plan that she needed to accomplish and all of this could be put behind them. 

Passing under the archway to the castle courtyard, she felt a couple droplets of water drip onto her head. 

"What in the world?"  One of her men looked upwards with confusion.

Following his line of sight, large barrels had been placed atop the archway, each one dripping with water and precariously perched on the edge of the arch.  Wood, rope and metal were rigged to the barrels forming them into a trap to douse whomever, or whatever, was underneath them with water.  Anna, Olaf and Magnus poked their heads out over the arch to greet them.

"Hey Elsa!"  Anna beamed. "Like our booby trap?"

Olaf giggled.  "You said 'booby'."

Elsa rose a brow with a small chuckle.  "'Booby trap'?"

Magnus patted the barrels with his left hand.  "These bad boys are rigged to pour gallons of holy water." 

One of the guards looked up.  "But the men of the church are in the caves, how did you bless that much water?"

Magnus shrugged. "Technically I'm ordained by the church.  I blessed the water myself."

This time Elsa laughed.  "Is there anything you can't do?"

Once again Magnus shrugged.  "Anything involving my right hand."

"Gross." Olaf chirped. 

Elsa wasn't sure if she should laugh, or cringe so she settled for an awkward side smile and a clear of her throat.  "Um.  Where's Drake?  I would like to speak to him." 

Magnus spoke casually as he went down the ladder with Olaf on his back.  "He's in the dungeons.  I locked him in there because of what happened earlier."

One of her men barked.  "Because he slaughtered those men in the woods?"

Magnus stepped off the ladder, his eyes narrowed at the guard that spoke.  "Drake is having an identity crisis right now.  His more," he paused looking for the right words, "animalistic nature took over for a brief moment."  He approached him.  Regardless of how he appeared, bandaged, wounded, and arm missing, he stood tall and menacing against them.  "He saved your queen from death, isn't that your job?"

They shared uncomfortable looks.  "Be that as it may, I fail to see the reason for such savagery." 

"Enough," Elsa scolded, "Magnus, take me to Drake."

Anna stepped down.  "Really? Why?"

Drake being in the dungeons was the best catalyst she could hope for.  "I want to hear his side of the story.  They told me they had surrendered, but Drake still," she averted her eyes away from Magnus when his stare began to drill into her, making her choose her words more carefully, "I would just like to speak with him."

Anna appeared uncomfortable by the whole exchange, but after a lighthearted comment by the comedic Olaf, the tension was slightly lowered.  Magnus gestured towards the castle.