Frozen Heart (Dark Side of Fairytales Collaboration)

Chapter Thirteen

THIRTEEN LONG YEARS and one locked door deprived the sisters of seeing each other. Anna always thought that Elsa must have hated her. She was never aware of the nightmare that Elsa had to deal with inside her room. Elsa was suffering alone and struggling to fight Queen and her urge to kill.

Everything is out now; no more secrets are needed to be hidden. And Anna finally understood what her sister lacked that forces her to kill and take human warmth--- it is because she's never felt loved.

Apparently, Anna was never oblivious that their parents only fed Elsa through the small hole underneath her door; she is not unaware that they've never visited her since and she's not inattentive that they changed the lock on her door and gave access only to the people outside to open it.

Anna knew everything but despite her pleas, their parents never granted her the favor to see Elsa. They were too controlled by their fear that they have neglected to give Elsa the only thing that might have saved her from that very moment.

Love.

All that Elsa needed from the beginning was--- love.

"Only love can thaw a frozen heart." She recalled Grand Pabbie's words, she sought him after she and Elsa reconciled.

"But I'm scared, Grand Pabbie. What if my love is not enough to thaw her frozen heart?"

"Believe, Anna. Believe that your love would be enough," Grand Pabbie encourages. "It's the only way to save your sister."

She heaved a deep breath to grasp more strength. She chose her sister over the kingdom and she will always choose her. She may never be able to fill the thirteen years she lost but now is her chance to start a new life with Elsa--- and this time, she will never let anything interfere between them again.

After their little scuffle with the Duke of Weselton, Anna had to face their raging people and the deaths of many that transpired when Elsa inadvertently set forth an eternal winter. The people were enraged that because of the queen and the rain of ice spikes she sent, they lost their loved ones and friends. They started a riot outside the castle gates, yelling for justice and punishment for the queen.

"Don't worry, Elsa. I'll take care of this," Anna ensured her sister.

"And what are you going to do? They already know everything. They saw what I did."

Anna assuredly smiled at her. "You have nothing to worry about. I already know what to do."

The people's screams are reaching their ears as they stand behind the door to the castle entrance. They all demand the same thing--- Elsa's head. They want Elsa to be executed. Despite being queen, that title of hers now is not much help at the moment. Their people now refuse to listen until she proves to them that she's not the culprit.

And Elsa can't possibly send out their royal guards and discipline their people for it will only intensify the uproar, and many will surely be injured or killed in the process.

"Are you sure about this?" Elsa softly asks.

The princess smiled at her sister, tucking in a few strands of loose hair behind her ear. "You're going to be alright. I won't let anyone harm you."

Elsa reluctantly agrees to her sister's plan. She had no idea how she'll pull this one off but she trusts her. Anna promised that she would protect us from here on... because she loves us. she mentally smiled. Yes, we should believe in Anna's love.

Stop this now, Elsa.

Elsa mentally replied: She's our sister, Queen. You have nothing to worry about. She will never betray us like we did to her.

The large doors of the castle creaked open as the princess gently pulled them inwardly. She signaled the guards standing by the gate and they nodded. One of them was carrying a small horn and he blew it to alert the people from outside. The loud clamors ceased and shortly after, the guards opened the gates.

Anna courageously steps forward to meet their people.

"Good morning, our good people! I know that a lot of things have happened since my sister's coronation. None of us would have expected that such magic and sorcery would occur in our kingdom. I know that you have witnessed that my sister, your queen, was the one who brought down upon us this wretched winter along with the following unfortunate events. But I came here to tell you all today that my sister is not the frostbite killer!" her last words were greatly emphasized.

The people were whispering and Anna knows that all of them are surprised to hear her words. One brave citizen steps forward to ask her: "Are you just saying these words to protect your sister, Your Highness?"

She stood even more firm with a graver expression. The authority she spells from her stance has resulted in the citizen retreating to the crowd nearly in fear.

"My sister is not the killer!" she announced again.

"Then who is, Your Highness?"

She grinned inwardly. "The Duke of Weselton is the real killer!"

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Voxciera