The War Between Queens [COMPLETED]

Titanic Sails

~Elsa~

"Really, the rooms here are nice."

"Jack, you've said that five times now in three different ways."

"Sorry...but they are." Jack lead me through the maze of hallways to my quarters for the night. Once out of sight from the others, he took my hand in his and the lovesick teenager returned. I had decided that I would tell Jack about my ties with Mother Nature, when it was over. Now, I had the war all to myself. All I had to worry about now was winning. For Jack.

My people were now officially excluded from the war between queens, and the Leafmen, so my concerns for them had diminished. For now, the council was running itself, and I expected a letter from them stating their progress soon.

Jack finally stopped at two double doors imprinted with the designs of purple flowers. "This..was Tooth's old room," He replied as his eyes scanned the colorful door frame undoing the hatch and the door drifted open soundlessly.

The inside was something I never expected. My eyes were drawn to the exotic flower lamps on the bedside table, the soft glow illuminating the fragile skeleton of the petals. On the far side of the room was a miniature garden–a pink japanese maple in full bloom was held in an iron sconce. Dainty purple wisterias drooped from clay pots, hung from the ceiling. Then the roses. They were in their own separate basin by the antique window, red petals drizzled with fresh water.

The sheets of the bed were green, as were the stems of the lilies the lurked from the top of the headboard. I didn't know how to react. I also didn't know how I would sleep in here, alone, with my eyes closed.

"It's..full of plants." I said, astonished.

"Yeah, Tooth was a real gardener back in the day. She thought you might like the roses–she just watered them."

"They...look beautiful."

I sighed, and tried to hold back a fearful screech as I sat on the edge of the bed and sank a few inches into the covers. Jack's eyebrows furrowed and he sat down beside me. "Is something wrong?" He asked quietly.

I took a deep breath, the scent of roses and lilies suffocating me. I wanted to tell him the truth, just not so soon. "No, everything's fine. It's just...they remind me of Anna." I wasn't lying, technically, but I wasn't telling him the whole truth either. His expression softened and he laid a hand over mine, giving it a gentle squeeze. "She was a wonderful queen, Elsa. Just like you. Hang in there, I'll see you tomorrow...Blue Rose," He plucked one of the deadly flowers from the windowsill and covered it in a layer of frost, making the petals an azure color. I tried not to throw up as I smiled and took it from his hands as he kissed my cheek, and was gone. I breathed in hoarsely and fingered the frozen petals, surrounded by the beautiful innocence of my hideous enemy.

~*~

The night was off to a horrible start–I didn't want to trash Tooth's room, even if she didn't use it anymore, and gagged at the odor of lilies on the comfy emerald pillows. Jack's rose covered in frost was on the nightstand, because I didn't have the guts to cast it out or tuck it behind my ear. I undid my braid so it might be easier to sleep, but it made no difference. My body lay limp under the silky pine-colored sheets as my breathing shook. My heartrate elevated in my ears, and it took all of my willpower not to escape the torturous space and sleep in the living room instead.

I didn't want to close my eyes. I feared what would happen if I did. I felt like a child, afraid of the boogeyman, the room coming alive and attacking me, crying at the mere mention of being alone.

It was even more depressing to think that I was over two hundred years old. And all of it was now possible.

I tried to stay quiet, to listen and see if Mother Nature's laugh would tickle the walls and bounce against my eardrums. Every slight move of the plants in the room made every part of me flinch. I shouldn't be afraid. I'm not locked up with them–they're locked in here with me! Convincing myself that my ice was stronger than any of Mother Nature's children was a false tale. All that was left to do was wait...and endure it with a dose of fear and impatience.