Second Best

Chapter Eight

She felt the headache overcome her suddenly, like a tsunami it was completely unexpected in its destruction, leaving nothing in its wake. For a few minutes she was unaware of the world around her while she was incapacitated, finally coming to in the slowly-becoming-more-familiar-bed with the unfamiliar ceiling. At least for now...

She lay curled up on one side, her arms curled around her head for what little protection they could offer from the pain emanating from within. A now-cold, damp cloth had been placed on her forehead, for what good it had done her. Excuse her sarcasm, she'd never before had a headache of that severity and though nothing should condone the use of such rude language, surely in the privacy of her own head she was owed such liberties? Especially with the life she'd led so far, she found it difficult to maintain any level optimism really, unlike Anna, who could barely hold back her smiles. So much life, so much love... If only...

But it was useless dwelling on such things, she mused, only just noticing the silence settled like a shroud over the room. Clearly Eric was too busy to bother hovering over her like a mother hen anymore. She'd been in bed so long, why would any man bother with her? They knew what she was. Cold, that's what.

What had Hans said about her? "Nobody's getting anywhere with her," and maybe he was right, maybe nobody was ever going to get anywhere with her, maybe there was no use. There was probably something clinically wrong with her that prevented her from experiencing those things.

She shrugged and struggled to her feet, pushing back the heavy covers with hands that were actually feeling the cold for once. She didn't bother trying, somehow knowing that her powers would still be inaccessible. Who knew where they'd gone, but she barely missed them. At least now she wasn't a danger to everyone she cared about.

Her feet made incremental progress toward the door and the heat she sensed emanating from that direction. Mentally she applauded herself on her achievement. Then she kept right on going, knowing that she didn't have all day to check that Eric wasn't really planning a hostile take over of her kingdom.

Yes, she knew she should trust him by now and to his credit he had at least stayed by her side while she was out cold, but if he was anything like Hans he probably just wanted to keep her alive until the wedding day and then arrange a little accident for her. Boom! No more Elsa, no more ice mage. No more danger to the kingdom where she was concerned. Maybe he was right. Maybe she should just get it over and done with now, save him the trouble of being discreet about the whole thing.

But first she would confront him, because there was no sense in trusting the kingdom to a foreigner if that wasn't what he was planning, and he really did want what was best for her. She doubted it, but logically she knew she should check before acting irrationally like her sister Anna would if she was in this situation. However much she may try she was not her sister, and she had accepted that fact a long time ago. Sometimes though, she did wonder...

When she reached the door she poked her head out just enough to see two guards standing on either side of the open door, holding two very sharp and pointy spears upright against their burly chests. They both looked straight ahead with blank expression on their faces. Were they ensorcelled, or just plain stupid? She wondered sometimes...

She shook her head to clear it of inappropriate thoughts. Were these guards here to protect her, or something more sinister? Maybe she was wrong and Eric had already started his dastardly plan and she was too late to stop him. Why had she let him know that she was now powerless? Powerless and defenceless.

*FLASHBACK*

"What power do you have to stop me?!" she asked Anna, her features crumpled, her arms clutched to her chest as if to protect herself. Or perhaps to hold something in. Something dangerous.

*END FLASHBACK*

She shivered against the cold yet again, but mostly at the fear that was making her heart beat faster, and her mind lose anything rational it may once have had.

With a click of her icy heels on the freezing stone floor, she stepped through the door and into the warmth, impulsively deciding that her only choice was to confront the two guards.

"The Queen!" they snapped into attention.

She frowned, puzzled. Were they really just here to protect her? She doubted it, but it was definitely clever of Eric to get her to trust him and then Bam! Hit her with the full force of his attack.

"Ummm," she stumbled over words, something she'd tried never to do in front of her servants. She didn't want them to see her as weak, but for once words had truly failed her.

One of the guards took pity on her and turned his head towards her to quietly tell her that Eric had instructed them to take her anywhere she wished to go in the palace and to stay with her until she was ready to leave and come back. He had also given strict instructions that she was not to leave the palace.

Well there went that plan. Maybe he did just want the best for her after all? Why oh why did she have to doubt everything anyone did? Damn Hans and everything else that had gone wrong in her life for taking her trust and stomping all over it!

"Well then, will you escort me to the library please?" she asked politely. Why was she even asking, she was their Queen!

"Yes, milady!" they replied sharply, taking places on either side of her and setting off at a strict pace down the corridor and to the library.

She needed to see Obita.