A Frozen Secret (Disney Descendants x OC)

Crystal

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Saturday, August 28th, 6:30 a.m.

Crystal's entire family stood in the grand, open room of the ice palace. Corsen and Ben were standing at the fountain, marveling at the water that looked like it was frozen in time. Anna and Kristoff stood with them, Anna's hand gripping her husband's. Elsa and Jack Frost were a ways away from the rest of the group, opting to stay at the door. Elsa's head was cast down, even as Jack Frost rubbed her shoulders lovingly. They were all still dressed for Ben's coronation, with only winter boots and heavy jackets thrown hastily over their formal wear.

"What are you all doing here?"

Their heads snapped up to the landing Crystal was standing on.

"Snowflake!" Jack Frost exclaimed, his voice full of relief. He let go of Elsa's shoulders and walked towards Crystal. Crystal took a small step back, her hands held tightly behind her back.

She didn't want to hurt anyone.

Jack Frost's face fell sadly as Crystal walked back, but he stopped in his tracks, making no more advancements towards the staircase that led to his daughter. The silence that followed was thick and suffocating. Ben was the first to break it, his tone awkward and unsure. "Woah, Crystal. You look . . . different."

Crystal laughed amusedly, shoving her emotions down her throat. She ran her hands over the gold strap at her waist, smiling softly to herself. "Is it a good different, or a bad different?"

"It's a good different!" Ben quickly assured her, causing Crystal to laugh again. He scratched the back of his neck and smiled sheepishly. "And this place! It's . . . "

"Incredible," Corsen finished for him softly, running his gloved hand over the fountain's frozen, white rim. His wood-like brown eyes met Crystal's bright icy-blue ones. She tried to smile at him, to assure him that she was okay and free. She had been able to laugh for Ben, but she just couldn't bring herself to smile at Corsen.

He looked so sad.

Crystal knew it was taking all his strength to hold it together. He was trying to be the strong older cousin she always knew him as. The thought made Crystal want to cry, but she held it together, just as he was.

You don't have to be the strong one anymore: That's my job.

Elsa took small and slow steps towards Crystal. Her eyes were roaming over the castle, drinking in every bit of detail.

Crystal had never seen her mother like this.

Her mother had always seemed so strong, so confident. She had always kept her emotions locked away in her heart. But now, she looked like a scared mouse, ready to run back into her hole at the slightest hint of danger. "This room is so different from when I built it. It's beautiful."

Crystal didn't look at Elsa as she spoke. She couldn't look at Elsa, because when she did, the consequences of her actions came crashing down on her like a wave. It was drowning Crystal, pulling her deeper and deeper into its treacherous waves.

"Thank you," She said softly. Crystal moved to the more open part of the landing, finding purchase and stability on the frozen railing. She studied the intricacy of the patterns on the support as she spoke. "I never knew what I was capable of."

Crystal let out a humorless laugh. She watched from the corner of her vision as Corsen's eyes dropped, his gaze lowering to the ground. He looked even sadder, and all Crystal wanted to do was to open her arms to him. She wanted to be the strong one for once, to be able to hold him and comfort him as he had done for her so many times.