The Pain of the Past

The Tattered Heart

Chapter one: The Tattered Heart

I told Elsa it wasn't worth it. I told her she shouldn't go over to the Southern Isles; they all thought she was a witch. But she went there, at least she tried to. She took a ship over the fjord and onto the ocean, where sailors said they saw the ship crash under the waves. When my head servant Kai told me the shattering news, I froze. The rain made a tense pattering noise on the window, frolicking along the sill . . . but I wouldn't move. The fire cackled at my pain and danced in place, but I stayed still. My first movement wasn't even a breath, but a tear. A tear filled with agony and loss, that slid down my cold cheek. After Kai left the room that night, I sat. I sat near the chilly window, staring out at the distant fjord, filling myself with hatred as the waves crashed.

For three days I had sat in my room, only mumbling horrible things to myself. 'I've lost all that I loved,' and 'I'll never smile again!' I couldn't have been more miserable. Until, one night, I stopped letting the pain take me over, and remembered the one person that I had left. It was high time I had made contact with another person, a person who didn't bring me food and say something not-understandable to me as they left. Someone who would comfort and love me . . . Kristoff.

And so, in the morning I travelled to his barn and softly knocked on the door. The hideous aroma of reindeer hit me like a wall as the door opened.

"You really should give Sven a bath," I said, gently giggling. It was like just seeing Kristoff lifted my mood.

"Sven is out playing with the trolls," Kristoff chuckled. I blushed intensely, but my mood quickly changed, remembering why I had come.

I cleared my throat, straightening my cloak. "May I come in?" I asked, stepping closer to Kristoff.

He nodded surely, his eyes solemn, as if he knew the exact words that were about to be blurted out of my mouth. He led me to a petite wooden stool, placed near a crackling fire. Rain slapped the roof of the cozy barn, reminding me of the day that I got the news of Elsa's death.

I took a deep breath, tears now flooding my eyes, and said, "Elsa is dead! She was on her way to a settling of war, and her boat crashed! She drowned and she's dead!" I threw myself immediately onto Kristoff, weeping loud enough for all of Arendelle to hear. "I'm only nineteen and I've got but two years until I'll be crowned queen!" I paused, breathing heavily. "That's why I came here. You're all I have left, Kristoff. I love you and I want you to come live in the castle with me."

"The castle?" Kristoff questioned, and I nodded. "Would I even be allowed to stay there?"

"Well," I started. "I am the ruler, aren't I? C'mon, it'll be nice... and I don't have Elsa. I need some company and I want that company to be someone I love."

He looked at me like he was in deep thought. The thoughtful look changed to a gaze into my blue eyes and he smiled.

"Alright," He said. "Just as long as Sven can stay in the stables."

"Of course," I agreed.

He picked me up, spun me, and sweetly kissed my lips; the way he always did.

We entered the castle, hand-in-hand, our hearts warm, even if the cold rain crashed around us. Kai welcomed us at the door, bowing and taking our cloaks.

"Kai," I said, moving away from Kristoff. "May I speak to you in the corridor?"

"Yes, my Lady," he replied.

"I've invited Kristoff to stay at the castle," I declared. "I hope that's alright with you." He nodded. "Could you please request for Gerda to prepare him a room?"

"Yes, my Lady," he said, bowing.

"Come," I said to Kristoff. "I'll give you a private tour."

He smiled at me in return as I skipped into the left corridor. I swung the doors open. In the room light tickled the seats which were lined in rows. A tall, tall stain glass window stood above a red carpeted stage.

"My parents told me not to go into the left wing as a child, so naturally I had to." I paused and smiled. "Since the day I entered this corridor, I've dreamed of getting married in it. I just always thought Elsa and my parents would be in the picture."

Kristoff lifted my chin ever-so-slightly so our eyes would meet. "You'll always have me," he said gently, and he pecked my lips. "Always."