Frozen Beyond [gxg]

Cursed Truth

Elsa groaned and went to touch the tender spot on her head. The cuffs rattled at the movement and she tried to come back to the present as fast as she could. But her head swam through a sea of fog and it took a minute before her vision stopped blurring.

A fire pit burned brightly, men sat around it clanking tankards of liquid together as they all laughed into the night.

A grumbling coo came from her waist and she looked down to see Bruni peeping his head out from beneath the flowing sash of her white dress which was now dirty and stained. Elsa shook her head fervently, trying to keep the little salamander from attempting anything.

"Oh look, she's awake." Crow scoffed, glancing back from his place by the fire. He just scowled and turned back to the fire, drinking whatever liquid was in his tankard.

"Are you okay?" Keahi's voice drifted beside her. She didn't look up at her and turned her head away. Emotion swirled heavy and painfully throughout her.

A warm cloth touched the back of her head and she jerked her head away. The movement caused pain to explode there and she nearly let out a whimper but held back. "Don't touch me." Elsa finally whispered, shoulders slumping forward in defeat.

"Your bleeding," Keahi whispered, kneeling in front of her. "Let me help you."

"Now you want to help?" She breathed out venomously, "How could you?" She hated that her voice cracked with emotion. She finally worked up enough strength to look up at Keahi.

Keahi gave a pained look and glanced away, putting the warm cloth to the back of Elsa's head.

This time, she didn't jerk away. She was too tired. The compress felt good against the soreness.

"He wasn't always like this," Keahi mumbled, glancing behind her to be sure Crow wasn't paying attention to the interaction. "We grew up on a poor fishing island. My mother died giving birth to me and my father wasn't the kindest. He blamed me for my mother's death, which I suppose is true." She shrugged, her voice low and thick. "Crow always protected me. Kept our hope alive by saying we would leave the island. When our father died, he and a few of his friends made boats to sail on. But I got sick."

She put the cloth down into a bowl of warm water to wash away the blood and dirt from Elsa's wound before reapplying it. "So sick, in fact, I was dying. My brother grew desperate, and a witch took advantage of his desperation. The cost was great."

Elsa glanced over at Keahi, their faces close. She didn't know whether or not to believe her. What if this was another trick? She wouldn't fall for it. But the pained look that ghosted Keahi's eyes made her chest ache. "What was the cost?" She echoed.

"His empathy." Keahi grit her teeth, combing her hands gently through Elsa's hair to be sure she had gotten out most of the leaves and mud. "She made him a blade and amulet. By killing the fifth spirit of that land with the blade, he could absorb its power and grant both him and me the ability to become stronger. He didn't question it and did. I overcame my sickness almost instantaneously. Now, we're here. Every so often the amulet glows to let him know that its power is receding and he would have to kill another fifth spirit to keep the curse from consuming us. When we heard of a royal with ice powers, we came to investigate. We thought, perhaps, you had a similar curse to us. But," Keahi leveled her gaze with Elsa's, taking her hand into her own. "One look at you and I knew that wasn't the case. But Crow thought you'd lead us to the fifth spirit."

Keahi shifted back on the balls of her feet, smiling sadly.

Elsa watched her and felt her chest hurting all over. She wanted to believe her. What reason would she have to tell her this story? The outcome was the same. She didn't sense any lies in the way Keahi spoke. "Why are you telling me this?" She edged, dryly.

Keahi cleared her throat, once more looking over her shoulder to be sure Crow wasn't watching or within earshot. "I get to be myself with you. I don't have to front. I don't have to be anyone else. Elsa --" She cleared her throat, her cheeks flushing so much it nearly reached her eyes, "I know this isn't a place for a confession but I love you, and I'm not lying about that. I know, he's my brother and I bear the weight of his choices and it's my responsibility too. We've become pirates, mercenaries, taking and scavenging what we want. I wasn't strong enough to stop it. But you are. I saw you fighting; you are amazing. I'm not going to sit here and disrespect that by saying I'm here to save and protect you, but," She leaned in to give Elsa a kiss on the cheek, "you're not better off alone and I'll help get you out of this."

Emotion caught Elsa's throat. She didn't know if it was from Keahi's heartfelt confession, the reality of the situation she was in, or just exhaustion, but she leaned her head on Keahi's shoulder and allowed herself to sink in there for just a moment.

Someone behind them yelled and Keahi jumped up, clearing her throat and turning to her brother who waved her over.

Elsa watched the two interact, what was she supposed to do with the information that Keahi offered? It only made her heart split into two. There was truly no way either of them could come out alive.

It was her, or Keahi.

And she just couldn't allow Crow to continue what he was doing. She couldn't go out without a fight. Tears fell softly down her cheek and she cleared her throat of the thickness that settled there.

Crow shoved Keahi on the shoulder. Keahi's face was set to a stoic, placid look of amusement. It looked so fake, couldn't everyone else see that? The smile Keahi offered her brother didn't reach her eyes.

"Don't tell me you're going soft?" Crow teased, walking around her like a vulture to a carcass. Some of the other men came over to join in on their mocking. "You get a little kiss from the fifth spirit, and now you want to go frolic in the woods in a dress?" Crow jabbed.

A cocky smile spread onto Keahi's lips, shrugging while putting her hand on her hips and leaning over with a grin. "At least I can get a kiss. No one wants to touch you with a ten foot oar." She shot back.

The crowd erupted into snickers and chuckles, a thin man with a receding hairline strung his arm around Keahi's shoulders. A grimy smile slithering on his lips, tipping a bony finger towards Elsa. "How about we all have a little...fun..." His eyes snaked over her.

A sickening repulsion ran over her and fear settled in her stomach.

Before she knew it, the man was on the ground. Keahi towering over him with a hard edge to her eyes, "No one's touching the fifth spirit." The steel vice to her voice had the man shrinking back.

He rubbed his jaw. "What's gotten into you, Keahi? I was joking, yeesh." But he wasn't when his eyes trailed back to Elsa.

She shifted and tucked her legs tightly beneath her, uncomfortable under his slimy gaze.

Keahi leaned over and snapped her fingers in his face to train his attention back on her. "Just get up, Snigg, and go get more firewood." She demanded. He grumbled something and crawled to a stand, dusting himself off before disappearing into the forest.

Keahi glanced over at Elsa, gripping her hands into fists at her side.

They shared a look.

This love story was tragic, and that broke their hearts.