Frozen 3

Chapter 104

Yelena

Silja was gone and she wouldn't come back. I was alone now, as I may have always been. Alone to face the critics and the ghosts that assailed me everywhere. And it was I who had always put myself in this situation by refusing any outside help. I had approached Silja because we each needed someone to support us in our solitude. We both lost a loved one in one day. It was our only way to heal each other's wounds. She had always been able to advise me and I had listened to her, despite some disagreements sometimes. Now that she was gone, it was up to me to figure it out.

I had been locked in my tent since the beginning of the morning and had prevented the sun's rays from entering it by blocking all the gaps. Lying on my bed in the dark, I tried to clear my head. I had never been able to do that, it was impossible. And yet, I tried relentlessly. Suddenly, screams outside prevented me again. I frowned and forbade myself to open my eyes so as not to ruin all my efforts. However, I could feel my heartbeat slowly accelerating. My breathing was not as calm.

«Calm down, it's nothing», I whispered to myself.

I tried again to relax, releasing all my muscles that had suddenly tightened. But the screams resumed immediately. I took a deep breath and tried to understand what they were saying. It was just a disorganized stream of voice going in all directions. I concentrated more and understood suddenly. It was my name that they were all screaming. I suddenly opened my eyes, grabbed my stick that I had left at the foot of the bed, and got up. I gently pushed away the sides of my tent. There was a whole crowd of Northuldra in the centre of the village. Even from afar I could see their fists rising furiously towards the sky.

"Your time has come Yelena, you can't do anything now."

"Oh yes, I can still do things with it," I replied.

I went out and took a slow step towards them. Murmurs erupted in all directions when I arrived.

"Silence!" I yelled to them.

They obeyed me. There was no one left to claim my name. Their so-called courage had suddenly dissipated. They seemed to have no more claims to make to me. Well what? What exactly do they want? I asked. No one gave me the answer. Suddenly, I saw a young man come towards me. It was Erik. He was dragging a canvas bag behind him. Everybody was looking at him. He didn't care. That's what he was looking for, that's what he always wanted. Attract attention. No one had ever admired him as much as they would have liked. He had always been considered a capricious and rebellious kid. But was it really his fault? He had been deprived of his father as a child, the only one who could have brought him the admiration and recognition he sought. Or rather— I had deprived him of his father. That was my decision at the time. If Aksel wanted to take care of this Arendelle child, who is blond, he had to leave. I didn't force him to take charge, it was his choice. But if I had known how bad this decision would be for his eldest son, I would never have allowed him to leave the village. He resented both of us, even beyond his father's death. And maybe beyond mine...

Erik climbed on a rock. I watched him without a word. It was only there that I noticed Anna and Kristoff. The crowd had just moved away to force them to the side of the young man. There were also Honeymaren and Ryder. I glanced at young Northuldra. Seeing her separated from the rest of the group made me understand that what I had warned her against was happening. They kept her and her brother apart for being different from the others. They were no longer considered as part of ours but as having joined the opposing side.

"What were we already talking about?" Erik suddenly turned in my direction.

I looked at him at length. He seemed so sure of himself. The little smile on his face made me realize how insolent he could be towards me. But I wasn't listening to what he was saying, I was focused on something else, on a voice that kept ringing in my head: