Frozen 3

Chapter 67

Elsa

They were all outside. I could hear them shaking in the distance, but I didn't have the strength to get up. I had been there for hours, lying on my bed, my hands on my stomach, my eyes glued to the ceiling, in the darkness. Anyway, I couldn't access the window. I had lost everything, I felt empty, no more emotion crossed me, I felt nothing. The ice was still moving around me in a hellish crunch. As long as I managed to contain it inside, it would still be bearable. But if I couldn't do it any more, if everything I was trying to keep hidden exploded into the open, what would happen?

I was nothing. Just an unstoppable inner whirlwind. At that moment, I no longer felt human, I was in an intermediate state that led me to the unknown. This one seemed to me both disturbing and attractive. It was everything I had always feared but at the same time, it allowed me to touch with the tip of my finger the full extent of my powers. But could I just go back after jumping into this bottomless abyss of the unknown? I did not have the strength, I was sinking little by little, more and more prisoner, unable to rise to the surface to regain my normal state. Day after day, minute after minute, I was gradually caught by this supernatural power. It was no longer in me, I was in it. I now had no choice but to obey his growing desires for freedom.

I tried to get out of bed again. I felt crushed on the mattress by an invisible force, sore muscles, paralyzed limbs, condemned to lie on my back. A new sharp tug tore my belly. With a sudden movement, I managed to roll to the side of the bed and vomit the rest of what was in my stomach. The unpleasant odor that emanated from it caused me more nausea and the sour taste that retained my mouth seemed never to be able to fade from it again. I straightened painfully, leaning on my elbows, my head heavy. I looked around me, astonished. The ice had disappeared, the room had returned to normal. The pain had also dissipated, leaving me finally free to move. I knelt on the mattress, reached out and tried to create a cloud of flakes in the atmosphere. Nothing happened despite all my efforts. I sighed, desperate, understanding that I no longer had the upper hand. I let myself fall back on my pillow and massaged my temples, exhausted. The cries grew louder outside. I wanted to ignore them. So I closed my eyes to clear my head and forget what was going on around me.

***

My wrists were burning. I felt the cold metal tightened around them.

"We need to get rid of it, we are no longer safe. It is getting worse every day. "

"What do you intend to do?"

There was silence. The voices seemed muffled. I couldn't recognize them. A pain was constantly running in my head against the smooth stone. I straightened myself as best I could and opened my eyes painfully. I couldn't see anything. Everything around me looked like a mist. My body was sore from sleeping on the hard ground. I winced as I got up, shoulder against the wall beside me. I staggered, lacking balance. I wanted to catch up with the single window of the room whose clarity I distinguished only emanating but my hands did not cling to it. They only slid against the glass in a metallic squeak. I tried to move my fingers. They were prisoners in huge wrought iron handcuffs. I suddenly wanted to scream, to struggle until breaking the chains that held me back, but no sound came out of my mouth. Only a whirlwind of anger stirred in me and caught my other emotions. I pulled with all my might to free my hands. The chains then began to collide, making much more noise than I expected. I heard agitation again not far from me. The voices went on:

"She is awake! "

"We must hurry before it starts again! Hurry! Come in behind me."

I turned my head in their direction. I couldn't see anything, it was just a dark, fuzzy space. I shot my handcuffs straight. At the same time, a door opened. At its recognizable squeak among a thousand, I knew immediately where I was. The prison, I thought, the prison of the palace. A group of people came towards me. Their steps slammed on the pavement. They were hesitant. I felt their fear. They were only vague dark shapes for me. Only one element shone, drawing my attention: the sword in their hand. Strangely, it was the only object I could see clearly. I couldn't help but smile and ask:

"So... Where is he?"

No answer.

"I asked you a question. Where is he?

"Who is that?" replied one of the people facing me.

"Who? Hans! Where is Hans?" I cried.

Silence. Someone approached me. His gait was light but insecure. I felt that I was gently grabbed by the shoulders. I'm getting stiffer.

"Elsa, Hans has been away for several years."

The intonation of this voice was familiar to me. Hearing it call me by my first name suddenly made me feel weak. I forgot all the anger I had accumulated.

"Who...Who are you?"

I was not answered. I suddenly grasped the face of this person who had not moved.

"Your Majesty! Her hands! Her hands are no longer handcuffed!"

I ran her smooth skin with my fingertips and ended up meeting a lock of her hair. They were soft but poorly grouped in a bun carelessly made. My hands began to tremble.

"Back up! Hurry! Before she starts again!"

We were brutally separated.

"Who are you?" I repeated, clenching my fists.

I heard a sigh.

"It's me, Anna. But you never remember. I have to tell you every day because every day you forgot. You forgot where you were, why you were there and you forgot me, your sister. You no longer know that you had a family and you no longer know who you are. Your personality, emotions and feelings fade day after day to give way to hatred and anger. So every day I have to put those chains on you and lock you in that dungeon because you've become dangerous. You think you control everything but in reality you control nothing, not even your own powers."

A metallic noise was heard. I understood that she was picking up the handcuffs. When she made close enough to me, I seized her abruptly by the wrists, preventing her from attaching me again. Suddenly, as our hands touched, I covered my sight. I startled at last when I saw her. Her hair had turned white. I looked up. The guards behind her also had white hair, even lighter than mine. I did not understand.

"What is...what is going on? "

"You have made all the elements disappear. There is nothing left but you, murmured Anna. We cannot live surrounded by ice. We have no choice."

A sheaf of ice came out of my hands and wrapped itself around the young woman's wrists. She cried both in pain and surprise. Three guards immediately threw themselves at me, trying to immobilize me.

"Your Majesty ! Go away, she may kill you!" they shouted to Anna.

I struggled as much as possible, paralyzing their fingers in the ice as soon as they touched me. One of them pulled the handcuffs from my sister's hands and passed them to me, tightening them even more. I uttered a cry of pain and pulled with all my might to free myself. The remaining guards came to support the first three by forcing me to kneel on the cold ground. They held me there firmly, preventing me from making any gesture. One of them then came to my right, sword in hand. He looked up at Anna, seeking her approval.

"Ma'am?"

Like any answer, the young woman looked away and went away, closing the door of the dungeon behind her. Her choice was made, she condemned me. I lowered my head, staring at the pavements. A tear escaped from my eyes and crashed between my knees.

"The spirits will not return when you kill me," I whispered.

"That's what we'll see!"

The sword broke through the air. Its whistle was the last sound I heard.

***

I leapt to my bed, waking at once. I gasped as I looked around to regain my senses. The ice had not reappeared in my room but the brouahaha outside was still present. I winced suddenly. The pain had not gone away. The physical would eventually stop – it wouldn't take him long – but the psychological would forever leave an indelible mark on me, I knew.

I got up, still reeling, and headed for the bathroom. Moving was painful, but I had no choice. I took off the nightgown I was wearing when I arrived in front of the mirror. I had not dared to look down since the day before. Yet I had to know for sure. I took my courage with both hands. The pain was not misleading. The inside of my thighs was still covered with dried blood.