Frozen 3

Chapter 37

Yelena

A suicide attempt. That's what it was. Elsa, in a panic, had just entered Silja's tent, hoping to find help. The old woman and I had been there for some time. The former queen had told us everything. The vomiting, the blood, the difficulty in breathing... Honeymaren had poisoned herself, there was no doubt about it.

"What did she swallow?" asked Silja calmly, leaning on her cane.

"I don't know, she couldn't tell me... I think she did it on the spur of the moment without really looking at what she was ingesting..."

"That's not going to make our job any easier... Where is she?"

"In her room."

"Hmmm... And how long has she been ill?"

"I don't know, I found her like this when I went in."

Silja dug deep into an old amphora and pulled out a small tube containing a yellowish liquid.

"What is it?" asked Elsa.

"An antidote. Let's just hope it's the right one!"

***

We followed Elsa to Ryder and Honeymaren's cabin. When we entered Honeymaren's room, I grimaced with disgust, so repulsed was I by the smell. Silja went to open the window on the far wall. The young woman was lying on her bed, as pale as her sheets. Large beads of sweat dripped down her forehead. She seemed to be in the worst shape of her life. Old Northuldra sat down beside her and placed her hand gently on her belly. Elsa then brought a basin and placed it at the foot of the bed. No sooner had she set it down than Honeymaren vomited. I quickly looked away, suddenly uneasy.

"Could you give us a moment?" asked Silja.

Elsa and I looked at each other, then left the room. Finding ourselves alone in the corridor, and not knowing what to say to each other, we remained silent. I could sense that the young woman was dreading what was about to happen. I had never doubted my friend's healing powers. I knew she could heal Honeymaren. But something eluded me. Why on earth was Elsa at the Northuldra at such a late hour? Her concern for the young woman's condition was far greater than mine. I watched her pacing back and forth in front of the bedroom door. Her anguish was palpable. I decided to break the silence:

"Do you know what got into her?" I asked.

Elsa stopped dead in her tracks, staring into space. She seemed unsettled by my question.

"No, I don't..." she finally replied.

"You don't even have an idea? Because you don't attempt suicide for nothing."

The young woman flinched at the word "suicide".

"No, I don't. No, I really don't know what could have happened."

Yet I suspected otherwise. It was obvious she knew. She acted as if she herself was responsible.

***

Half an hour passed before Silja reappeared, as impassive as ever. The old woman closed the door to Honeymaren's room behind her, stretched and walked slowly back down the corridor, leaning on her cane. Elsa almost fainted at my friend's silence. She rushed over to her before she exited the cabin, grabbed her by the shoulders and asked in a worried voice:

"Well? How is she? Was it the right antidote?"

"Go and find out for yourself," Silja replied.

"Silja replied: "What? But..."

The old woman withdrew without another word, leaving us alone with our questions. Almost immediately, the former queen threw herself at Honeymaren's bedroom door. She seemed to hesitate for a few moments, then finally opened it. I snuck up behind her and stood in the doorway. Northuldra was still lying in bed, but seemed to have regained some of her color. She smiled as Elsa sat down beside her. The latter looked reassured and sighed with relief, having held her breath as she entered the room. Something was bothering me about this scene. The two young women seemed close. Too close. Honeymaren hadn't noticed me. She placed her hand on Elsa's. I cleared my throat. I cleared my throat, drawing their attention to me.