#✧*∙ ❛ HE HOLDS HER DOWN AND HAUNTS HER // olaf

[snicketstrange]

Chabo Chapter -2

- 2

The dim light of the room shaded Lemony's eyes, who was still grappling to understand recent events. The silhouette of Beatrice, dressing in the faint moonlight, held an eerie quality. The way the light reflected in her eyes felt distant, almost ethereal.

"B... What just happened?" Lemony's voice was thick with hesitation. "Are you leaving Bertrand? Why come to me? And... are you really returning to that cursed opera?"

Beatrice paused, casting him a cold, distant gaze. "Sometimes, L, it's better not to know everything. Just... let me go. And please, don't try to follow me."

As she departed, Lemony felt the room's air grow heavy. Something was amiss, a sense of dread he couldn't pinpoint. He recalled a similar demeanor the last time he saw her, when the sugar bowl was stolen. The memory played like a black and white film, haunting and remote.

Peering out the window, Beatrice's figure vanishing into the fog toward the opera house seemed more like a ghostly apparition than a living person. The opera's sign, "La Forza del Destino", glimmered oddly in the darkness.

On a whim, Lemony decided to follow her. The biting cold of the night struck his face as he exited the inn. Approaching the opera house, a somber and melancholic tune filled the air, thick with desperation.

Inside, Lemony spotted Beatrice, now in a dark dress, holding something metallic in her hands — something he'd only recognize as a dart launcher when it was too late.

The dark hallways and the shadow's whispers seemed to murmur, "Beware, Lemony. Fate is relentless."

Lemony felt a shiver down his spine as a figure emerged from the corridor's shadows. The messenger's face was pale, illuminated only by the dim glow of a distant lantern, and his opera uniform appeared soaked, as if dipped in water or perhaps something thicker and darker.

Wordlessly, the messenger extended a stained, yellowed letter. Lemony took it cautiously, feeling a cold dampness beneath his fingers. As he opened the envelope, the paper crinkled, and Beatrice's shaky handwriting leaped out at him.

*"If the inevitable occurs, if the shadow of death engulfs both Bertrand and me, I implore you, Lemony: unveil to the world what befell my children. Do not let their tales get lost in the dark webs of oblivion. The future of everything we know might rest in your hands."*

The final ink trails looked dragged, as if Beatrice was pulled away while writing. Lemony's heart raced, a premonition of impending doom in the air.

But then he noticed. A message was inscribed in those final smears. A poem:

"Here lies the soul that stars have deemed to shine,

Destined to lead and make our name divine.

Behold the spirit, radiant and rare,

Born to bring change and cleanse the tainted air."

.

As the tenor's song peaked, depicting a lethal duel, while a female voice sang a tune of anguished waiting for a lover, an alien sound broke through.

It was a scream, an outcry of agony and desperation.

"Daddy, daddy!" A familiar voice tore through the air. It was Count Olaf, with a tone of panic Lemony had never imagined hearing. "For God's sake, someone call a doctor!" the count pleaded. Shortly after, a woman crumbled, as if the world's weight became unbearable. At first, onlookers believed she had fainted from shock, but a grimmer truth emerged: poisoned darts embedded in her flesh.

"THERE'S A SHOOTER IN HERE!"

The alarm rang like a death knell. A sea of people surged up in panic, a wave of horror and chaos. The elderly, frail and bewildered, were mercilessly knocked off their feet, their bones brittle as autumn leaves, crunching under the stampede. Faces, once etched with the wisdom of years, now distorted in unimaginable pain as they were trampled into the ground, forgotten and inconsequential in the larger trage.dy unfolding. Amidst the swirling chaos, the piercing cries of infants rose like shrill sirens—only to be brutally silenced. Soft skulls met hard shoe leather; tiny fingers clenched in futile resistance before going limp. The chaos swallowed them whole, muffling their cries as it extinguished their young lives.

 Jostled and dazed, Lemony was swept out of the theatre, watching as the hall morphed into a mass grave.

And deep down, Lemony understood.

That deathly symphony was orchestrated by Beatrice's hand.

[wandering-bard-from-the-id]

Daughters of Arendelle - Chapter 47

Author’s Note - Hello everyone, I know it’s been forever since I last updated this story. I really have been working on it. Here’s Chapter 47, yes there will be more.

*******

CHAPTER 47

September 16, 1840

 Sweat dampened the fresh bandage encircling Anna’s forehead. Sitting on the edge of the bed, her eyes closed against a wave of nausea. Dull pain throbbed through the wound in her thigh with each heartbeat.

 The soft, warm bed beneath her beckoned with a tempting siren call. No, not till I’ve seen Elsa. Her back stiffened with resolve, sending a jolt of pain through bruised ribs, stealing her breath away.

“Anna, are you okay?” Wooden fingers gently touched her arm.

 “I’m fine, Olaf.” She managed a weak smile.

 “Oh, that’s good.” The snowman chuckled. “because you look really bad.”

 “Olaf!” Alma turned from the dresser to glare at him.

 “What?” A hand flew to his mouth. “Oh, I’m sorry.” He leaned in close with a loud whisper. “I thought you knew.”

 Anna chuckled, it ended in a sharp gasp. Pressing a hand against the muscle twitching along her ribs, she managed a weak smile. “It’s okay, Olaf. I know I look a little rough.”

 “It’s more than a little.” He happily informed her.

 She flinched, there were times when the little snowman’s charming honesty could be brutal. Tough love aside, she’d been relieved to find him at her bedside when she woke. If he’s here that means Elsa’s still alive. Startled by the thought, she pushed it away with a shudder. Of course, Elsa’s alive. But for how long? Whispered the dark voice that had plagued her nightmares.

 Shut up! Muscles tightened along her jaw, straining to hold against a threat of tears.

 Haunting dreams of a bloody and bruised Elsa standing at her bedside had taken a toll. Sometimes she vanished when Anna reached a shaking hand towards her, other times, she collapsed across the bed, succumbing to her wounds. Always there was that haunting fatigue in her eyes, just as there had been the night of the battle. I should have made her stay with me.

 “Let’s get your slippers on, Princess.” Not waiting for a reply, Alma knelt before her.

 Pulled from dark thoughts, Anna didn’t argue. Watching the handmaiden work the slipper onto her bare foot, was another reminder of how weak she’d become. Her usual morning routine had turned into a series of embarrassing moments.

 Alma had to help her with the most basic tasks. Even with help, they had taken far longer than normal to complete. Alma’s insistence on changing her bandages before helping her into a fresh nightgown, had dragged the process out even further.  

 No amount of protest or pleading would sway the handmaiden from her task. Bandages and fresh nightgowns could wait, she just wanted to see her sister, and Kristoff.

 Kristoff, she could almost feel the warmth of his strong arms curling around her. After all of this, I wouldn’t blame him if he ran back to the mountains and never returned. Icy fear tickled her spine.

 “Anna?" Olaf said. “Are you cold?”

 “What?”

 “You shivered.”

 “No, I…I’m just worried about Elsa,”

 “Yeah, me too. I wish she’d wake up.” His shoulders slumped with the confession.

 “Hey, she’s going to be alright.” It was a gentle lie, as much for her own sake as his. Slipping an arm around him, she’d meant to pull him into a hug. Cold bit into her hand and through the thin fabric of the nightgown. Jerking away, she rubbed at the palm, half expecting to see snowflakes forming beneath the skin. She tried to shake off the thought. Elsa’s magic won’t hurt me. Still a faint voice whispered, again. Enough!

 “Where’s Kai?” There was a bit more bite in the question than she had intended. “He should have been here by now.”

 Alma didn’t look up as she finished with the first slipper. “I’m sure he’ll be here shortly, ma’am. He knows how eager you are to see Her Majesty.” She reached for Anna’s uncovered foot.

 “If he’s not here soon I’m going to…” White hot pain shot through her leg, tearing a strangled cry from her throat. She clutched at the bedsheets with one hand, the other came to rest on Alma’s shoulder, twisting the fabric of her jacket.

 “Anna!” Olaf caught her arm, trying to steady her.

 “I’m sorry!” Alma lowered the half-covered foot. “I’m so sorry, dear.”

 “It…it’s alright.” Panting through the pain, Anna closed her eyes against a wave of nausea. Muscles quivered along her ribs. Pressing a hand against them, she flinched at the pain. None of the fairy tales, from her childhood, ever spoke of the hero having to recover from battle wounds. You’d think at least one of them would have mentioned how painful stab wounds are, or how sore you’d be after a battle. Her shoulders dropped with a weary sigh. They lied about handsome princes, why should I trust the rest?

 Gloved fingers touched her cheek.

 “Are you alright, dear?”

 “Stop asking me that!” Even as the handmaiden, shrank back, Anna couldn’t stop herself. “No! I’m not alright! I ache all over, and it hurts to breathe!” Sucking in a breath, tears filled her eyes. The outburst drained and embarrassed her. Unable to meet Alma’s gaze, she stared at the floor. “I…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell.”

 Olaf touched her arm, she drew away.

 “Anna,” The gloved hand cupped her cheek.

 Not trusting her emotions, Anna closed her eyes.

 “It’s alright, dear. I know you’re tired and hurting. It’s been a trying time for all of us. We’re all a bit on edge. Let’s finish getting you dressed, so you’ll be ready when Kai gets here.” Not waiting for a reply, she knelt and began gently working the slipper on Anna’s foot.

 Biting at a trembling lip, Anna watched her work. She didn’t deserve that.

 With the slippers securely in place, Alma rose, brushing her hands against her skirt. “Why don’t we get your robe on? It’s a bit chilly in the hallway this morning.”

 “Okay.” Came the soft reply.

 Alma hurried across the room to retrieve the garment. A moment later she was at Anna’s side holding the robe open for her.

 Gritting her teeth, Anna raised an arm.

 Alma slipped the sleeve over it.

 Anna swiped at the other sleeve, missing on the first try. Mumbling under her breath, she tried to ignore the bead of sweat trickling down her cheek.

 “Let me help.” Olaf guided her arm into the opening.

 She eased her arm through the sleeve, biting her lip against the pain. Once her hand snaked through the end, she let out a heavy sigh. “Thanks, Olaf.”

 Alma pulled the robe up onto her shoulders, adjusting it. “There we go. You’re all set.”

 Overcome with a need to hold someone, Anna grabbed Alma’s jacket, pulling the startled woman into an embrace. “I’m sorry, Alma. I didn’t mean to yell at you.”

 Arms wrapped around her, in a light, but loving embrace. “It’s alright, dear.” Gentle pats tapped against her back. “It’s alright.”

 Both startled at a sharp knock upon the door.

 “See, there’s Kai now. You stay put.” Not waiting for a response, Alma hurried to the door, wiping at her eyes.

 Closing her eyes, Anna’s shoulders slumped with a heavy sigh.

 “It’s okay, Anna, we’ll see, Elsa soon.”

 A sad smile tugged at her lips. “Thanks, Olaf.”

 “Hi Kristoff!” Olaf called.

 “Kristoff?” Anna’s head snapped toward the door. Her breath caught at the sight of the large man, pushing a wheeled chair toward her.

 “Anna.” Relief washed over his face in a broad smile. Pushing the chair out of the way, he stepped toward her, reaching out with his unslung arm.

 “Kristoff!” He came back! She dove off the bed, managing two steps before her leg buckled.

 Solid arm muscles tightened around her waist, pulling her up and forward.

 “Easy, I’ve got you.”

 She found herself pressed hard against his large frame. He smelled of fresh soap. Beneath there was a whiff of musk, closing her eyes she leaned in drawing a deep breath. There was something comforting and safe about the smell. Lured in by the warmth radiating off him, she rested her head against his chest.  

 The cloth of his robe and night clothes were soft beneath her palm. Steady heart thumps assured her he was real.

 “I missed you.” She whispered.

 “I missed you too.”

 Soft lips pressed against the top of her head.

 Sighing she snuggled into him, sliding a hand over his chest. It passed over a lump of bandage beneath his shirt. She leaned back to look up at him. Bruises marked his face. Black and blue was turning yellowish under one eye. “You’re hurt.”

 “It’s not serious.” He flinched as fingertips brushed over a bruised cheek. “Mom said, I’ll be good as new in a few days.” His eyes swept over her taking in every bruise and bandage. “Kai told me, you were hurt, but he didn’t tell me it was this bad.”

 Emotions danced in his eyes. Anna noted there was a hint of a shine to them. Days of fear and uncertainty bubbled to the surface threatening to overwhelm her. Grabbing the lapels of his robe, her fingers curled tight into the fabric, pulling him down. Ignoring the pain, she rose to her toes, trembling with the effort.

 He leaned down to meet her.

 She’d meant to give him a quick kiss on the lips.

 His arm tightened around her.

 I almost lost him. Emotions swept over her in a crashing wave. She wanted, no needed to feel the reassurance his touch offered. Her hand snaked up, cupping the back of his neck, holding him in place. Not that it was needed, he made no effort to pull away.

 His lips pressed hard against her own, refusing to release her.

 Pain wormed it’s way into her consciousness. Unable to hold on, she pulled away with a sharp gasp. Tears slipped down her cheeks. Eyes squeezed closed, she was too frightened by the raw emotions swirling through her to meet his gaze.

 He peppered her lips and cheeks with soft kisses.

 Their foreheads came to rest against each other.

 “Anna, I…” He shuddered. “I thought I’d lost you.”  

 She could hear the unspoken, again. Taking his face in both hands, she forced him to meet her gaze. Unshed tears shone bright in his eyes. “I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.” She pulled him into another kiss.

 His hand slid up between her shoulder blades, holding her as close as possible.

 Ignoring the pain throbbing through her body, she clung to him. Desperate to pull him closer.

 Both were winded when they finally parted.

 “Come on, you should sit down.”

 She wanted to protest as his grip shifted.

 His arm circled her waist, pulling her against his side. It was reassurance enough he wasn’t going anywhere.

 “Okay.” Wiping her cheeks clean with the robe sleeve, she allowed him to guide her to the wicker chair.

 Alma took her arm, helping her up the small step. “Careful now, don’t tear your stitches.”

 “Where did you find this?” Settling onto the seat, Anna relaxed, grateful to be off her feet.

 “Kai gave it to me.” Kristoff tapped the hand tiller. “You’ll have to steer.”

 Wrapping her hands around the polished wooden handle, Anna twisted it back and forth, moving the front wheel in response. “I wonder where he’s been hiding this?”

 “Here, Your Highness.” Alma tossed a blanket over her lap. “That should keep you warm enough.”

 “Thank you, Alma.” She smiled, adjusting the blanket. “Where’s Kai?”

 “I don’t know.” Kristoff shrugged. “He asked me, to bring you the chair, said he didn’t want you trying to walk to Elsa’s room.” His lips curled into a smirk.

 Anna gave a short giggle. “He knows me so well.”

 “I’ll push.” Olaf bounced to the rear of the chair.

 Alma reached the push handlebar a moment before him. “Why don’t I push? You and Master Kristoff can walk alongside the Princess, and keep her company.”

 “Okay.” Olaf shuffled to Kristoff’s side.

 “Are you ready, dear?” Alma asked.

 “Yes, let’s go.” She turned the tiller so Alma could push her toward the door.

 Kristoff and Olaf, followed after them.

 Once in the hallway, they moved to opposite sides of the chair, keeping pace with it.

 “When you’re feeling a little stronger, I’ll get you a crutch.” Kristoff said.

 “I’d like that.” She caught his hand. It was warm and strong.

 He startled at the touch.

 Feeling him jerk back, Anna’s heart sank. She started to pull away.

 Calloused fingers curled gently around her hand. Their eyes met.

 His soft smile, sent her heart soaring. She was tempted to pull him onto the seat beside her. I’d have to sit on his lap for that to work. The thought sent a pleasant tingle to the pit of her stomach. Pulling his hand to her, she placed a kiss against hardened knuckles. I can’t lose him and Elsa. Her breath caught. Stop it!

 “Anna? Are you alright?”

 There was so much warmth in the brown eyes staring down at her, she wanted to wrap herself in it and never leave. It drove back some of the cold fear seizing her heart. “I’m fine.” The crease in his brow hinted he didn’t believe the lie. She was thankful he didn’t press her.

 Everything will be fine once I see Elsa. Clinging to the thought, her grip tightened on Kristoff’s hand.

 0000

 Gerda jerked awake with a weak cry, images of blood and death fresh in her mind. Out of reflex her hand tightened around the sock she’d been darning. Pain stung her fingertip as a sharp needle pierced skin. Biting back a curse, she tossed the sewing onto the nightstand, pressing her thumb against a small bead of blood. How long was I asleep? “Elsa.”

 Her heart raced as she jumped forward placing a hand on a slender arm. Heat radiated through the thin fabric of the nightgown beneath her hand.

 “Queen Elsa?” Giving the arm a gentle squeeze, Gerda watched for any reaction.

 There was none.

 Elsa lay as still as the night Kai placed her there. The blanket covering her rose and fell with each breath. It was the only assurance she was still among the living.

 Closing her eyes, Gerda willed her heart to slow down. It took several deep breaths to ease the thumping in her chest.

 Opening her eyes, she rose from the chair with a grunt. Stiff muscles ached in protest. I’m getting too old for this. She tried to rub away a tight knot in her lower back. It refused to yield.

 The wound on her arm began to itch. Resisting the urge to scratch it, she eased onto the edge of the bed.

 Placing the back of a hand against Elsa’s flushed cheek, her lips drew into a tight line. The fevered heat was neither better nor worse than when she’d checked an hour ago.

 Taking a wash cloth from the night stand, she dipped it into a basin of cool water. Several quick twists wrung the excess water away. She pressed it against Elsa’s forehead, wiping away a thin layer of sweat. “There now, doesn’t that feel better?” Elsa’s natural paleness was darkened by the flush of fever and several large, ugly bruises. Deep blackish blue covered one side of her neck, down to her shoulder, disappearing under the nightgown. Gerda wasn’t sure she wanted to know what blow had caused it.

 Her blood boiled at the bruises outlining finger-marks along Elsa’s throat. The thought of that Southern Isles bastard manhandling her girls, brought her to the brink of rage. Squeezing her eyes shut, she drew a deep breath, releasing it slowly. Thoughts of him suffering a painful death, cooled her anger. Her attention returned to Elsa.

 “My Lady?” There was no answer. She leaned in closer, her voice soft, with only a hint of pleading. “Elsa, dear, it’s time to wake up.”  

 Her eyes narrowed, searching for any signs Elsa was listening. “Come now,” She spoke with a softness she used to comfort the girls when they were upset. Over the years she’d used it far too often. “you’ve lazed about long enough, it’s time to get up.”

 The blanket rose and fell, in a slow, steady rhythm.  

 Pushing back a rush of emotions, Gerda stroked the washcloth over a pale cheek. Was it a bit narrower than before? “Cook’s going to be very upset if you start losing weight, after she worked so hard the last few months to fatten you up.” There was no response to the jest. She hadn’t expected one. Settling into her task, the wash cloth stroked over Elsa’s face and neck. “You keep losing weight, and that ice dress you’re so fond of is going to slip right off.”

 How long can someone go without food? Refusing to dwell on the thought, she forced a chipper tone. “Anna’s coming to see you this morning. She’s so eager to see you, it was all Olaf and I could do to keep her in bed last night.”

 Anna’s scream had shattered the quiet night, rousing Gerda from a light sleep at Elsa’s bedside. Stumbling from the chair, she had managed to reach Anna’s room before a crowd could gather. Olaf and Alma were already at Anna’s side, trying in vain to calm her.

 Gerda had seen the girl through enough nightmares to know it would take more than words to quiet her. Ordering the guards to keep everyone away, she had sent Alma to sit with Elsa, before settling on the bed, drawing a weeping Anna into her arms. It had been a long night of assurances, hugs and lullabies, before Anna finally succumbed to sleep.  

 One can’t sleep, and the other won’t wake up. You’ve a cruel sense of humor, All Father. There was little worth in cursing long dead Gods. Her attention turned to the living.

 “She’s worried about you.” Fingertips traced over Elsa’s cheek. My sweet Elsa. “We’re all worried about you.” Her hand brushed over soft, blond tassels.“Perhaps later, I can brush out your hair and fix your braid. Would you like that?”

 The blanket rose and fell.

 “Of course, you would.” So would I.

 She startled as the chamber door eased open. The weight of her fears lightened as Kai stepped in, closing the door behind him. Her relief was brief. Specks of blood covered his shirt and vest. Setting the rag aside, she hurried to meet him, wiping her hands dry against her skirt. “Husband, you’re hurt.”

 “No.” He caught the hand reaching for his face. “It’s not my blood.”

 “Who’s is it?”

 “Tollak’s.”

 “I see.” Gerda sighed, pulling a handkerchief from her sleeve. “I take it, he didn’t tell you anything about the disk.”

 “He claims not to know anything about it, and even if he did, I doubt he would share it with us.”

 She dabbed the handkerchief on her tongue before wiping at the dried flakes of dark red peppering Kai’s cheek. Careful of the bruise below his eye. Another reminder of that murderous prince’s attempt to take her family. “How did his blood end up on your face?”

 Kai’s eyes cut to Elsa’s still form. “He made some rather, disgusting, remarks about Anna’s possible heritage.”

 “Anna?” Gerda’s back stiffened, an eyebrow arching high. “Why would he question Anna’s heritage?”

 Kai pulled at his jacket with a sharp snap.

 Oh, he’s furious. She bit back a chuckle, not wishing to ruffle him further.

 “He suggested, Anna and I, favored, each other.”

 “Favored? You mean, he thinks you and Iduna…?”

 “Yes!” He jerked the jacket lapels, straining the seams. “that was the gist of his slander.”

 Gerda snorted, covering her mouth with a hand to hide a smirk. “I hope you broke his jaw.”

 “Actually, it was his nose.” Flexing his hand, a hint of a smile played over his lips. “It was rather satisfying.”

 “Good.” She placed a quick kiss on his cheek, rubbing a thumb over the spot.

 The door latch clicked open. They stepped apart at the sound.

 How the scurry maid’s tongues would wag if we were caught in an embrace, in the Queen’s chambers no less. Gerda brushed at imagined wrinkles in her skirt.

 “Gerda?”

 “Yes, Alma?”

 “Queen Elsa, has visitors.” She stepped in holding the door open, allowing Kristoff to push in the chair.

 Olaf followed them. Alma closed the door behind him.

 “Anna!” My little Anna. Relieved to see the girl out of bed, Gerda crossed the room in several quick strides, wrapping her in a gentle hug.  “How are you feeling, dear?”

 “I’m okay.” Anna leaned into the embrace, lingering a moment. “Has she woken yet?”

 Gerda held her a little tighter. “No. Not yet.”

 Anna pulled back, her attention shifted to the bed.

 Unwilling to completely break away, Gerda held to Anna’s shoulder. She felt muscles tense beneath her hand as Anna reached for the chair’s wheels.

 “I want to get closer.” Unable to reach the wheels, Anna settled on the tiller, knuckles whitened as she squeezed it.

 Kristoff eased her to the side of the bed.

 Olaf circled to the far side of the bed. Remaining silent as his gaze shifted between the sisters.

 “Elsa?” Not waiting for a response, Anna began climbing off the chair.

 “Anna! Wait!” Kristoff caught one arm.

 Gerda caught the other. “Careful, you’re going to hurt yourself.”

 Kai pulled the chair out of the way, so they could support her.

 “Let us help you, dear.” Gerda slipped an arm around her back, taking most of her weight. With each step, Anna trembled in her grasp. Weak as a kitten. Gerda’s grip tightened as she lowered her to the edge of the bed. “Careful now. She has stitches along her right side.

 “Okay.” Anna shifted, pulling herself across the bed, till she was hovering over Elsa.

 Unable to do more, Gerda drew back a step, giving her some space.

 Kristoff stepped back with her.

 She stole a glance at the young man. The hard set of his jaw offset the concern in his eyes. His gaze followed Anna’s every move. The boy does have a strong fondness for her. She could do worse. She had done worse, he was rotting in the castle dungeon.

 “Elsa? Hey, sleepy head, time to wake up.” There was a hint of fear beneath the jest. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Anna managed a shaky smile. “Come on, Elsie,” She reached for Elsa’s shoulder giving it a gentle shake. “only one royal gets to sleep till noon, and that’s my job.” She sucked in a sharp breath, unable to keep the smile in place.

 Gerda flinched at the sound.

 Frown lines furrowed Anna’s brow. They deepened as she traced the bruises covering Elsa’s skin. She laid a hand along Elsa’s throat, fitting her fingers into the marks left by Hans’s attempt to strangle her. The hand lifted, trembling, it clutched into a fist. Eyes closed Anna’s head bowed.

 Gerda knew the girl well enough to know, she was plotting the Prince’s painful demise. He was going to regret touching her sister.

 Releasing a sigh, Anna stroked a hand over Elsa’s hair. “Is she sweating?” Looking from her damp palm, she turned to Gerda. “Elsa doesn’t sweat.”

 “I know, dear.” There was no need to hide the truth from her, the time for keeping secrets had long passed. “She’s been running a fever.”

 “A fever?” Anna whispered. “For how long?”

 “It started the night of the battle.”

 “Is it from her wound?” Her hand hovered over Elsa’s side. Fingers curled without touching her.

 “No.” The answer slipped Gerda’s lips before she could deny her own concerns. “Dr. Engen believes her wound is healing properly.”

 The assurance did nothing to ease the creases in Anna’s brow. “Elsa?” Leaning in closer, her voice dropped to a gentle whisper. “Come on, Elsie.” Her lower lip began to tremble. “Wake up. Please.”

 There was no reply. Only the steady rise and fall of the blanket.

 Tears burned Gerda’s eyes as Anna touched her forehead to Elsa’s.

 Hands folded tight against the front of her skirt, she resisted to urge to gather Anna into her arms. When Anna was ready for comfort, she would be there to offer it.

 Drawing a deep breath, Anna sat up. “What does Doctor Engen say about her condition?”

 “The fever hasn’t risen to dangerous levels.” Gerda said. “Overall, he believes she has not suffered any premeditate damage from her wounds.”

 “Why wouldn’t she wake up?” Pushing herself up with trembling arms, Anna managed to sat up.

 “He thinks it has something to do with the disk.” Gerda answered.

 Anna’s hands twisted into the blanket. “Do we know where Hans got it?”

 Gerda caught a flicker of something dark cross her face.

 “No, ma’am,” Kai drew a step closer. “His wounds are rather severe. The last few days, he’s been in and out of consciousness. The Admiral tried to question him this morning without any success. We were able to interrogate Tollak.”

 Gerda noted the way his hands flexed as he spoke Tollak’s name. He’s still angry.  

 “But he offered no useful information.”

 “Tell the Admiral, to do what he must to get answers out of Hans.” Anna’s lips curled into a snarl. “He will tell us what he knows.”

 “Yes, ma’am.” Kai bowed, stealing a glance at Gerda.

 Gerda’s eyes narrowed, she’d seen Anna upset before, but there was something different about her anger, no, not anger. Rage. It vibrated off of her. A chill ran down Gerda’s spine.

 “Kristoff,” Anna spun toward him, tittering a moment before catching her balance. “We should take her to your family. They may have answers.”

 Silence filled the room.

 “What?” Anna’s gaze hardened as she looked to each of them. “What aren’t you telling me?” No one would meet her gaze. “Answer me!” Her hands fisted into the bedding.

 Kristoff eased to her side. “Grand Pabbie’s already seen the disk.” He held her gaze. “He said, there was nothing he could do.”

 Anna faltered but a moment, her shoulders squared, a hardness settled on her features. “Nothing he could do, or nothing he would do?” Her fists twisted deeper into the bedding.

 Kristoff’s back stiffened. “You know he would help, if he could.”

 Grunting she turned back to Elsa. The weight of his hand came to rest on her back. She refused to meet his gaze.

 “Grand Pabbie thinks the disk may have damaged her magic.”

 “Damaged her magic?” Her gaze shifted from Elsa to Olaf, who stood silently by the opposite side of the bed. Muscles tensed along her jaw, a faint shine filled her eyes as she turned to the mountain man. “What does that mean?”  

 Kristoff took her hand, it disappeared within his. “He said, Elsa’s magic needs time to heal.” Rubbing a thumb over the back of her hand, the usually soothing gesture had little effect.

 “But she’s going to be alright, isn’t she?”

 The plea stabbed at Gerda’s heart.

 “I don’t know, Anna.” He didn’t look away from her pleading eyes. “Grand Pabbie said, the disk has powerful magic. We have to hope Elsa’s magic is strong enough to fight the effects of it.”

 “Fight the effects?” Her lower lip began to quiver, she reached for Elsa’s arm with her free hand.

 “Anna, there’s more.” Kristoff gave her hand a gentle squeeze, drawing her attention back to him. “He said, if her magic can’t heal itself.” His eyes began to glisten, there was a hitch in his voice. “She could die.”

 “…no…” Her breath caught. Color slipped from her cheeks.

 Gerda knew the look all too well. She’d seen it the night she told Anna her parents would not be returning.

 “No.” Tears yielded to defiance. “Elsa’s not going to die.” Her fingers tightened around Elsa’s arm.

 “Hey,” Kristoff leaned in, catching her gaze. “We’ll do everything we can to help her. For now, the best thing you can do is sit with her, talk to her, let her know you’re here.”

 “Okay.” Anna nodded, her shoulders slumped lower.

 One so young, shouldn’t have to shoulder such burdens, Gerda longed to ease her fears.  

 “Good.” He stood, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. “I’ll be close by, if you need me.”

 “Wait, what?” She caught his hand in both of hers. “Where are you going?”

 “I was going to let you have some time with Elsa.”

 “Stay.” Her grip tightened. “Please.”

 “Okay.” He pulled up her hands, placing a kiss upon them. “I’ll stay.”

 “Thank you.” Anna struggled to change her position.

 “Easy, don’t hurt yourself.” Kristoff flinched as she pulled on his arm for leverage.

 Gerda caught the flash of pain cross his face. “Let me help you, dear.” Gerda lifted Anna’s legs, gently placing them on the bed.

 “Here, Master Kristoff, sit.” Kai moved a chair to the side of the bed.

 “Thanks.” Kristoff settled into the chair, fatigue drew him deeper into it.

 “Thank you, Gerda.” Anna stretched out, facing Elsa. She stroked a knuckle down a pale cheek.

 “Try to get some rest.” Taking a blanket from the foot of the bed, Gerda covered her with it.

 Humming a reply, Anna reached out to drape an arm over Elsa’s stomach. Before Gerda could warn against it, Anna paused, reaching for an arm instead.

 Years of longing for touch and now she’s the one holding back. Gerda’s chest tightened.

 Anna pressed her forehead against Elsa’s shoulder.

 Tucking the blanket in around her, Gerda stroked a hand over soft, copper hair. Oh, my sweet girls. She turned away, giving Kristoff’s shoulder a reassuring pat as she passed him.

 “Anna?” Olaf peeked over the edge of the bed at her. “Would it hurt, Elsa, if I climbed on the bed?”

 “No, of course not. Come on.” She worked a hand free from the blanket, motioning to him.

 He climbed up, careful not to bounce around. After a moment, he settled opposite Anna, placing a hand on Elsa’s arm.

 Both settled into comfortable positions.

 Gerda returned to her chair.

 “I’ll go change the Princess’s bedding.” Alma headed for the door without waiting for an answer.

 The weight of a gentle hand settled on Gerda’s shoulder, she looked up into Kai’s concerned face. Her brow creased with a slight tilt of her head.

 “Why don’t you go get some rest. Princess Anna and Master Kristoff will keep watch.”

 “No.” Shaking her head, Gerda reached for the sewing. “I’m fine.”

 “You’ve been up half the night. You need to rest.”

 “I need to be here. I’ll rest later.”

 “Gerda…”

 “Enough!” The sharp word coupled with a hard look, caused Kia to draw back the hand, folding both behind his back.

 She hated when he took that stance with her, it was the same one he used when dealing with people who refused to take no for an answer. They never won such battles.

 “Wife…” There was just a hint of annoyance in the word.

 She bit back a snipping remark.

 “Gerda.”

 The couple looked to Anna, who had raised to one elbow. “Go get some sleep. We’ll be fine.”

 Looking between the young woman and Kai, Gerda’s stone facade began to crumble. “Your Highness, Anna, I…” Her voice cracked, she ignored the tear tittering in one eye. “I want to stay. Please.”

 Anna’s gaze softened. “Elsa would never forgive me if I let you make yourself sick. Go, get some rest. I promise, the moment she wakes I’ll send for you.”

 “I…I can’t leave you alone with Master Kristoff, ma’am. What would people say?”

 “We’re not alone, Elsa’s here.” Anna declared matter-of-factly.

 “Your Highness, I don’t think…” The door opened cutting Gerda off.

 Margit balanced a tray with a teapot, cups and snacks piled hight. “Cook set up some tea and snacks for the Princess.”

 “Here, let me help you with that.” Kai took the teetering tray from her. He placed it on the chaise.

 “Thank you. Do you need anything else?” Margit looked to Gerda.

 “No.” Gerda said. “You may leave.”

 “Wait.” Anna tried to sit up. Grunting she eased be to her elbow. “Margit can sit with us.”

 Panic began to gnaw at Gerda. “Your Highness, I don’t…”

 “That’s an excellent idea.” Kai clapped his hands together. “Margit can stay here, and if anyone needs anything they can ask Alma.”

 Gerda had a strong urge to slap the smile from his face.

 Kai held out a hand to her.

 Every fiber of her being screamed to stay. Accepting the offered hand, she rose, ignoring the protest of tired muscles.

 “We’ll be in our quarters if you need us.” Kai place a hand at the small of Gerda’s back.

 “Thank you, Kai. I want both of you to take the rest of the day off. Get some rest. Consider it a royal command.” She leveled her best regal Elsa glare at the couple.

 Hiding a grin, Kai dipped his head. “Yes, ma’am. As you command.” He guided Gerda to the door.

 “Wait.” Gerda tried to pull away. “I just need to…”

 “Gerda! Go!” Anna pointed to the door. “Now. Please.”

 “Fine, but, you’ll call me if anything changes?”

 “I promise, you’ll be the first to know.” Anna placed a hand over her heart with the pledge.

 “Very well.” She allowed Kai to lead her into the hallway. Once the door latched, she glared at him. “You should have fought to stay.”

 “My love,” If he was bothered by her anger it didn’t show. “you have been running almost non-stop for days. You need to rest. They will need you healthy and strong for the days ahead.”

 She started to protest, it died on her lips. He was right. She did need to be ready for the coming days. With a heavy sigh, she leaned into him.

 His arm slipped around her pulling her closer.

 She wrapped an arm around his waist, allowing her head to rest against a welcoming shoulder. “I’ll lay down, but I doubt I’ll sleep.”

 “Well, it’s worth a try.” He began rubbing little circles along the small of her back.

 The muscles in her back began to relax. “It’s a waste…of time…” She covered a yawn with her free hand, missing Kai’s lopsided grin.

“No doubt, but it’ll make Anna happy.”

“Hum.” She caught the faint teasing in his tone, but chose to ignore it.

They huddled close, making their way down the hall.

[konglindorm]

Lindworm: Chapter 1

(This is a little over half of the first chapter I had planned to share the whole thing, but then I realized it was 7,000 words. You can buy and read the rest of Lindworm here!)

“Thank you so much for thinking of me,” Marit said, “but really I would rather not marry a monster.���

Marit would not have thought herself the sort of person to talk back to kings, had she ever had cause to contemplate such matters. But then she never would have thought the king the sort of person to sacrifice a girl to a lindworm, and yet here she was, the third victim.

She was only seventeen, and this wedding was a death sentence.

Six months ago, Prince Harald had set out to find a bride, and had been stopped by a great serpent in the road. Since then, the serpent—the lindworm—had eaten two foreign princesses, both after a sham of a wedding. Both women had thought they were coming to marry Prince Harald.

Here, in the forest outside the capital city, rumors had flown. Rumors that they would shortly be at war with both kingdoms that had lost a princess, and rumors, more interesting to their small family with no members likely to be sent to the battlefield, of the lindworm, of why a man-eating dragon would be welcomed to the palace and fed. Rumors that said the lindworm was Prince Harald’s brother, that the king humored it instead of killing it because the monster was family.

Marit didn’t know how much truth there might be to such rumors. She didn’t know how a queen could bear and birth a serpent, but she did know the world was full of strange, incomprehensible things.

The king stared at her, his men standing stiffly by. It had not, of course, been thoughtfulness that led him to her cottage in the woods. Marit knew this, and knew that the marriage was not optional, and that one could not speak to a king in this manner and expect to keep one’s head. But when one has already been sentenced to death, such things as respect for royalty matter very little.

“It is not an offer,” the king informed her when he found his voice. “It is a command, and you may choose to obey or not, but willing or unwilling, you will find yourself before a priest in my great hall one week from now.”

One week, she thought. One week to live the rest of her life. She could run—could she run?

No, if the king was leaving her a few days to say her goodbyes, it was only because he knew she could not run. There would be guards posted. She would be caught and brought back. She would still end the week dead, and likely her father and sister, too, if the king suspected they had helped her. As they certainly would.

Her family—they were away from the house now, deeper into the woods, scavenging. There was little left to eat, their winter stores almost empty by March, and the ground still too frozen to begin the year’s planting. She had stayed behind to tend to the animals, too likely to slow them down after twisting her ankle yesterday, falling from a tree; it had barely hurt, and would be healed by tomorrow. The king would be long gone before they returned, and it would fall to her to explain her upcoming death.

“There will be a bride price, of course,” said the king.

Marit wasn’t quite sure what a bride price was, thought it may be like a dowry—she’d sewn items, slowly, over the last several years for her dowry, but doubted the lindworm would demand her linens as well as her life.

The king went on to explain the bride price, the amount of money her father would be given for this farce of a marriage—the opposite of a dowry, then, and a staggering amount.

It had been a long, brutal winter following a short, dry summer, and for that price Marit may have volunteered herself. Any number of young women may have; it was enough to save not only their own small farm, but those of a few near neighbors. Enough to buy a second goat, a few more chickens, enough to pay all of their debts in the city and have their broken tools repaired.

For such a sum, she would have volunteered. She would have gladly given her life to so dramatically improve the lives of her father and younger sister.

But the king had not asked. The king had demanded, and Marit knew she would resent him for however many days she had left to do so.

He left her, as she’d expected, with guards posted nearby, and she led the animals back to their shed and let herself back into the cottage, not wanting to look at them, their clean uniforms with shiny brass buttons, their polished boots slowly gathering mud, their faces as they avoided her eyes, because they knew, must know, that this was wrong, and yet they were loyal to their king, and would not let her run.

~

Marit watched through the back window, working idly on her knitting, unable to stay focused on the difficult stitch she’d meant to master this week, until she saw her sister and her father coming out from the woods. She ran to meet them, and hurried them inside before they could ask about the soldiers scattered about. And then she told them.

“Why you?” Greta cried. “Why you?”

She hadn’t asked how he’d chosen her, out of all the unwed maids within walking distance of the palace. She didn’t think she wanted to know why it was her that must die, and not Annette, who had no father to protect her, or Martine, who was more beautiful, or Signe or Gretchen or any of the other girls she knew.

She didn’t want to die. She didn’t want to be the kind of person who wished death on her friends, either.

Besides, the lindworm had already eaten two women, and there was no reason to expect he might stop at a third. They may all be dead before this ended, Gretchen and Signe and Annette and Martine, and the younger girls, Greta and her friends, all the forest, all the city, someday all the kingdom sacrificed to satisfy the appetite of a monster that should have been killed the moment it showed itself to Prince Harald.

She could only hope that the fathers of the dead princesses would declare war, that they would kill her king and his lindworm with him before the whole country was devoured.

King Olaf had always been known as a kind and noble king. He’d lowered taxes and held festivals and been much loved, before these last six months, and Marit didn’t understand. She didn’t understand how a good king could become a bad one overnight because of one monster.

Maybe it was his son. Marit would throw the whole world over for Greta, she knew, but she’d been at Greta’s side since she’d emerged from their mother’s stomach, been the first to hold the new baby, tiny and wrinkled and red, getting blood all over her vest, as their father had said his goodbyes to Mama, only turning his attention to Marit and the new baby when his wife was gone.

For Greta, for her father, for Mama if she’d lived, Marit would do anything. But if a boar walked out of the woods and claimed to be her long lost brother, she wouldn’t take him at his word, wouldn’t escort him into the city to trample the blacksmith just because he asked her.

She didn’t think the king could hide a paternal relationship with a lindworm for several years. They must have met only when he stopped the prince on the road. And Marit didn’t understand.

She gathered Greta in her arms and listened to the younger girl cry, unable to shed any tears for herself, unsure why. She looked over Greta’s head at her father, and saw the same desperate sadness in his eyes that she had seen when she was five years old, and her mother was dying in childbirth. Her father loved her, but he could do nothing to save her, and they all knew it. He could not defy the king; to try would only make him angry, would likely risk Greta’s life too.

He came and wrapped himself around them both, and Marit thought, but was not quite sure, that he wept too. She sat, dry-eyed, between them, for long hours, until it was time for dinner and bed.

They watched out the window as a new group of soldiers marched in, and the first group left. At least they weren’t expected to feed and board their prison guards.

In the morning they found that the soldiers would let Marit go where she pleased, but one or two would always follow, from a respectful distance. No one followed her sister or father, so they went in three different directions, to the neighbors and to the city, Marit to make her farewells, and all of them to give warning. The king is feeding maidens to his lindworm. Marit is the first; she will not likely be the last. Send your daughters quietly to family in other cities, if you can. Marry them quickly to boys in the village, if you can. We do not know why the lindworm wants weddings, but he does, so make your daughters unweddable.

Gretchen, when Marit told her, said it probably had to do with a dragon’s fondness for virgins. She then said that if the king came to her, she would rid herself of virginity with the first man she could find before she would go to the lindworm, with the whole town to watch as proof, if necessary.

Gretchen’s older brother, the only other person there save the guards, too far away to overhear, made a sound of disapproval in the back of his throat, but said nothing.

Marit wondered if it was too late to try Gretchen’s plan for herself, and concluded it probably was—if the lindworm demanded a virgin, then the soldiers would not let her cease to be one. The small chance of success wasn’t worth giving herself to a man she didn’t want and wouldn’t be allowed to keep. And the kind of man who might cooperate with such a plan would likely not make it a happy experience to cherish in her final days. She reminded Gretchen of the soldiers before moving on to the next neighbors.

~

Marit spend her days wandering, mostly. There was work to be done, and she helped, or tried to—her father said not to trouble herself with anything in these last few days, and when she insisted, she often found herself too distracted to finish, or at least to finish well, haunted constantly by imaginings of what the lindworm might be like, how it might feel to be eaten. She remembered breaking a finger in a slamming door as a child, the sharp crack of it, the pain. She imagined the pain and the cracking both amplified as an enormous snake swallowed her whole, as snakes will do, and then, bizarrely, imagined cowering on a banquet table as the lindworm sliced her to pieces with a knife held in its tail, popping each slice into its mouth one at a time, sometimes dipping a slice in a butter-sauce first.

She still had not cried, though she had found herself several times laughing hysterically at humorless jokes she couldn’t explain. Greta didn’t need to know about the butter sauce.

When there were two days left before the wedding, she went out intending to collect eggs from the chickens, and her feet carried her, instead, deeper into the woods.

The guards followed at a distance.

Marit stopped when she saw an old woman ahead. She was short, with white hair spilling from her cap, bright and cheerful in a blue skirt and red vest, and she smiled like an old friend at Marit, and asked why she was so sad.

Marit wasn’t a fool. She knew how it was with mysterious old women in forests, knew they were to be respected. Knew how often they carried magic within themselves. Knew that to cross them was idiocy, and that to be kind and respectful could change the course of one’s life.

So Marit told the woman her troubles, and the woman smiled again. “It will be all right,” she said. “If you obey me, it will be all right. Now, here is what you must do.”

Marit wasn’t foolish enough to think she might live through this, but she wasn’t foolish enough to ignore the gift of a wise woman in the wood, either, even when that gift was the strangest advice she’d ever been given. Wear ten shifts beneath your dress, have milk and lye and whips waiting in your bedchamber.

She was already going to die; what did it matter if the king’s servants thought her a madwoman?

Ten shifts, though, would not be an easy thing to manage. Marit had two shifts, and two night shifts, which were wool instead of linen, with sleeves too wide to be hidden beneath her dress. She would have to rip them off. Greta owned the same, not much smaller as she was tall for her age, but Marit could not deprive her sister of all her undergarments, so only took one day shift and one night shift from her. That brought her to six, and four more yet to find. She couldn’t buy them; the king’s money wouldn’t come to her father until the day after the wedding. She had her dowry linens, unneeded now, and could use the fabric to make more shifts. But she had two days left to live, and wasn’t willing to spend her last precious moments sewing. With Greta’s help she converted one white bedsheet into a shift, but would sacrifice no more time when she had so many goodbyes to say—to friends, to livestock, to trees and streams and every future she had ever imagined for herself.

She begged one more shift from Olga, whose family was wealthier and who had one to spare for an acquaintance going to her death. Eight shifts, eight, two short, and no time to find more. It would have to be enough.

~

The morning she was to be taken away, Marit’s father pulled out her mother’s wedding dress and offered it to her.

Marit shook her head. “It should go to Greta. To a real wedding.”

“You shouldn’t be alone,” her father said. “Take it, so your mother can be with you, as Greta and I cannot.”

So Marit put on her eight shifts, and she put on the dress. She was a bit smaller than her mother had been when she married, and it still fit despite the extra layers. Greta had wanted to make her a crown of flowers to match, but there were still few flowers in bloom, so she wove the crown from evergreen branches instead, coating her hands in sap, and placed it carefully on her sister’s head.

The three of them waited, solemnly, for Marit to be taken away. There was nothing left to say. All of the goodbyes were finished, all of the plans made. The next morning someone would come from the palace with the bride price and whatever was left of Marit to be buried. Her father would sell the animals and the house, give them away if he couldn’t sell them fast enough, and he would hire a wagon to take them far, far from the capital, to start a new life where the lindworm would never touch Greta. They’d gone over the details last night. Greta had cried again.

Marit still hadn’t cried, and thought she might be able to, now, but would not let herself; she didn’t want her tears seen by whoever took her away. She found she was more angry than sad. She felt a sharpness growing within her. Her life was forfeit, and so too was her sense of obligation to respect, to loyalty. The king, the queen, the prince, the priests who’d performed the weddings and the soldiers and couriers who’d stood by—damn them, she thought, damn them all, and damn the idea she owed them the barest amount of anything.

The king came to fetch her himself, and she refrained from spitting in his face only because of the guards that surrounded him, the fear they might kill her where she stood and cost her father the bride price.

The king was different, not angry and demanding as he had been a week ago, but stiff with an awkwardness that might almost be shame. Marit hugged her father and Greta one last time, and followed him back toward the city, his guards forming a circle around them. She didn’t care that he may feel shame; she had enough anger by now for the both of them.

He was quiet, and Marit didn’t want quiet. Not quite understanding the compulsion, she found herself goading him.

“What will happen after this?” she asked, and the king looked at her, then quickly away again. It was a long walk on foot, and she didn’t know why a king wouldn’t take a carriage, but she didn’t mind the extra time in her forest.

“You will be prepared for the wedding by lady’s maids. The wedding will be in the great hall, and after that we will have a banquet.”

“Not tonight,” Marit said, spurred by the thought of Annette being sent hundreds of miles away to an uncle she’d never met, of Gretchen searching for a man to defile her rather than be eaten. “Not to me. What will happen to your kingdom? After me, you’ll kill off every maid in the country, and then I suppose you’ll have to go to war, and find slaves to feed his appetite? Discipline is important for growing boys, Your Majesty. Learn to say no to your son.”

He raised a hand as if to slap her, and she tilted her chin forward, daring him—let him hit her, here surrounded by a small army, let all these soldiers, already uneasy with their roles, go home and report to their friends and families that their king was a man who struck defenseless maidens.

He lowered his hand, leaving Marit oddly disappointed. It would have been another reason to be angry, and her anger was protecting her from her fear.

The king sighed heavily. “We all do foolish things for our children.”

She wondered if he meant the lindworm, or only Prince Harald, who could not be married until it was satisfied. It didn’t matter—the result was the same for her.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” she said, suddenly exhausted. Maybe a king could afford to do foolish things for his children. Her own father had to be sensible—foolishness would only have hurt Greta. She felt the anger draining away, the fear rising up again. She didn’t want to die.

~

They arrived at the palace from a side gate, not taking the wide, paved road beneath the cherry trees, where any number of people might have seen their arrival. The king and his soldiers handed her off to a large group of women, some more elegant than others, and she asked him, before he left, what time the wedding would be.

“At eight o’clock,” he said. “Will that give you enough time to prepare?” One of the more elegant women assured him it would, and he told her, “Give the girl whatever she wants. It’s her wedding day, after all.” He laughed, unamused, more bitter than cruel, and then he was gone.

“Is there anything special we can do for you, miss?” asked one of the plainer women, who was likely a maid.

Marit thought of the old woman in the forest. “This is going to sound a little strange.”

All of the more plainly dressed women left to carry out her last request, leaving Marit with a flock of beautiful women whose most simple everyday clothes were likely ten times more expensive than her mother’s wedding dress. They tried to have her out of it, into borrowed silks instead, but she refused. It was the last gift from her father, the only familiar thing in this place. She kept her evergreen crown as well, but let them take it away long enough to clean away the sap, rubbing it from the branches and brushing it out of her hair.

They re-braided her hair into a more elaborate style, stringing in gemstones to match her dress, and applied powders and creams to her face, which itched and made her sneeze. She watched them carefully, picking out one who seemed both kind and fancy enough to know little of a peasant’s daily life. She drew her away from the crowd and explained, in a whisper, “I haven’t any underthings. I only own the one shift, and I left it for my sister, so she would have one to wear on laundry day. I didn’t think it would matter, when I’m only to die tonight, but I’m—I’m embarrassed to have all these fine people watching me, thinking that if the light hits just so they’ll see I’m not dressed properly.”

The woman believed, somehow, that a peasant girl might have come to a royal wedding with no undergarments, and offered to find a spare shift.

“Could I have two, please?” The woman raised her eyebrows, and Marit ducked her head. “It’s a tradition—I know it shan’t be a real wedding night, but it’s a tradition to make the groom work a little harder the first time.”

The woman believed the tradition she’d never heard of, as well, and came back shortly with two more shifts, beautiful, silken things, bringing Marit to the required ten.

The next problem came when she realized the women had no intention of leaving her alone while she took off her wedding dress and put on the shifts, which was awkward for more reasons than the eight shifts she already wore. She explained that she was not accustomed to being seen undressed by strangers, and finally they left her, for the first moment of privacy she’d had in hours, and the last she expected to have in her life.

She took off the dress and put on the shifts. She paused to look in the mirror—a thing she’d heard of but never before seen—and wondered if that was what she truly looked like, or only the effect of the powders and creams. She pulled the dress back on, took a few deep breaths—she had not cried yet, she would not cry now—and reopened the door so that the women could help re-fasten the dress in the back.

They set the evergreen crown back on her head, and took her to the priest that would read her last rites.

The hall where they held the wedding was gorgeous, with shining wood floors and dark walls covered in rosemåling, blue and gold and red. All the court was seated when she arrived, dressed in their finest clothes, looking horrified. She recognized the king and the queen and the prince, familiar from a dozen parades, sitting in the front row. The rest were strangers.

And then she saw the lindworm.

It was the height of six or seven men, white like a maggot, or the mold on stale bread. It had dark wings on its back, too small to hold its weight in flight, and shiny white fangs quite visible even when its mouth was shut. It had no legs. There was a crown balanced at the top of its head, the size a man would wear, which might have been funny if it hadn’t planned to eat her.

It was staring at her with an expression of mild curiosity, recognizable because its eyes were the eyes of a man, over-large, but still small in its serpent head, the same shade of blue as a dozen young men she’d seen in the city.

[whoslaurapalmer]

so i never do this but i put a lot of thought into really specific details about the structure and scene layout of (the three-part folding mirror) and i really really really want to talk about it so here are some of my notes and some general commentary 

-the crux of the fic, at least the way i had envisioned it, is what vfd does to family, how it becomes biological family vs the family created by vfd

-what vfd did to specific families: -physically separated the calibans -morally separated the denouements and the snickets -somehow brought the anwhistles closer together

-in terms of ramona and olaf, ramona was there to stress the distinction of biological family vs. vfd family but also how they’re so inextricably intertwined with each other, and olaf, this is harder to tell bc he doesn’t have a point of view here, but olaf is scoping out potential candidates for his personal group of firestarters – his own sort of “family” (ramona bc she’s a duchess, ernest because he has a similar line of thought, josephine because her husband is working with the mushrooms, the white-faced women because, well they wind up in his troupe and I have very vague headcanons about how that happens)

-related; the reason frank asks olivia about miranda at the end is because, at that point in the fic, frank feels so terrible about what he said to ernest that he’s trying to reassure himself that his family is still okay because (dewey’s right) at least they’re together, compared to the calibans, who haven’t seen each other in years. it was one of the first ideas I had when I was jotting ideas down in april and it stuck with me the whole way through. I really wanted it in there. I went back and forth before I got to this plot, though, on whether or not frank or ernest would be the one asking it. but I think it fits frank. -(ahahahahahaha the kicker being that miranda really was at the party the whole time and olivia didn’t recognize her) -anyway 

-the parallels in the fic were: -the denouements start the fic together, and end the fic alone (by being honest about how they feel about each other) -the snickets start the fic relatively separated, and end the fic together (by being dishonest about what happened during the party) -the denouements start the fic by playing their game, and the snickets end the fic with theirs -frank is mistaken for ernest, ernest is mistaken for frank -frank pretends to be ernest on accident, ernest pretends to be frank on purpose -dewey has never slammed a door in his life; towards the end of the fic he slams the tray -i….think that’s all of them. I think

-character-wise, jacques and frank both see themselves as the people holding their families together; when in fact for the denouements, it’s dewey, which I think is clear in this, and for the snickets it’s lemony, which is less clear here? but definitely something I agree with -dewey and kit see themselves as the most ‘normal’, and they both have relatively solitary positions of acquiring information -ernest and lemony clearly both vibe on a ‘question vfd’ wavelength -i was also interested in kit and ernest, as siblings who feel stifled by an older/perceived older sibling, and dewey and lemony, who are sometimes unnecessarily protected by their siblings because they are the youngest/perceived youngest -this doesn’t show up in the fic bc olaf’s parents are still alive, but I thought ramona and olaf were also interesting foils re: reacting to their parent’s deaths

-some narration notes: -frank never refers to ernest and dewey as his brothers, except in the scene where he argues with ernest. because frank doesn’t necessarily see the split of biological family vs vfd family but has definitely swayed more to vfd family -ernest and dewey always refer to each other as brothers. -similarly, frank refers to the members of vfd as associates, most everyone else refers to them as friends. -ernest refers to vfd as strictly VFD because he’s distanced himself from it, while everyone else calls it ‘the organization’ -frank doesn’t swear even in his narration when he’s thinking them and not saying them because it’s, still his narration. he still wouldn’t quite completely say the words. (oh, he’s like gansey, like that. the raven cycle is still on my brain. i had so many scene sketches where ernest and frank were way too callous to each other bc they kept coming out like ronan and declan.)  -kit’s line at the beginning is “someone in this very room has betrayed us” which is jacques’s line from the building committee meeting in unauto. the clock saying wrong afterwards is because the someone who really betrayed them (lemony) isn’t in the room. 

-the costumes, which i did decide very arbitrarily: monty: clearly a snake. olaf: sigh. wolf ramona and olivia: oh, there was actually a slight distinction that just no one notices because none of them have looked at an insect (and also because describing clothes properly but succinctly is the hardest thing. i've written fic for a long time!!!!! i did my time in block paragraph clothing description hell!!! it haunts me!!!!!!!!!!), but ramona was the butterfly and olivia was actually a dragonfly. their masks are roses because, well 1) I thought that would be cool 2) butterflies and dragonflies land on flowers…. jacques: the boxwood, but a lion otherwise. josephine: ocean widdershins: the octopus with the pirate hat jacquelyn: the gold star suit (because gustav said she should do it for a play on. star. like. actress star.) miranda: uranus’s moon named miranda. it was very vague and I put that in the fic before I decided to have her in the little scene with esme. and then i thought i would put her in that scene too. gustav: phantom of the opera.  haruki: tree frog hector: tree (not because of haruki’s costume but because i literally could not think of a damn thing for hector to be) lemony: uhhhhhh I had vague ideas he was. a cloud or something. like a stormcloud???? couldn’t pan out though. I like him in grey anyway. kit: I really just wanted her in red. with a big cape. and i spent so much time mentally deciding if i wanted her to have glasses or not in the archives that i forgot to mention her mask. everyone has one i swear to god  white faced women: did anyone recognize that was them? :) it’s not mentioned in any way at all but in my head they were all dressed identically as flappers

esme actually doesn’t have one, because I, forgot, to give her one. I’m taking suggestions. 

-references to lyeekha’s fics: -“that which is essential is invisible to the eye” is what frank says to jacques at the end of edge, and also the title of their snicket/denouement series  -it initially wasn’t in there, because I was worried it wasn’t, like, in the right tone, re: what happens in edge vs how I was interpreting jacques and frank? but i liked it a lot. so i put it back in.  -“frank quit smoking, but you didn’t” is a reference to frank smoking at the end of rigged  -guess the guest and the clock alcove are from the end of fragments, with dewey and ernest watching hotel guests. this is my favorite thing in the whole world and something i actually keep forgetting is not canon because it is SUCH the perfect beethoven parallel  -kit’s tattoo, which I was specifically imagining as the giant bombinating beast tattoo from ink on her back, which is definitely not around her neck but that was the only spot of skin she was showing so it was available and my thought was, it was kind of a low-cut in the back dress, and she was wearing the cape to cover up the giant tattoo on her back because beatrice was not there to cover it up with makeup (also bea picked out the dress.) (bea: if I can’t be there you have to make a statement) (kit: I have to what) -lemony being a “powerful, mythical figure” to the sugar bowl gen was actually something I wrote a long time ago, back in 2013, and I put it in the fic because I thought it fit, and then happened to reread double edged VERY late into the rewriting, literally THE DAY after I wrote that line in, and i saw a similar line of thought, and I was like “*cooper voice* sometimes you just get lucky ~ ” -jacques being in a lion costume, from the masquerade outfit sketches

additionally – -yes I am still cackling about ‘angel of my apple’ -angel of my apple -ANGEL OF MY APPLE  -writing olaf is constantly like, he can say the funniest fucking things. and then turn around and say the absolute cruelest shit and the balance can be difficult.  -but, angel of my a p p l e 

-i can’t believe that out of all the people here, frank and jacques are the ones having the most semi-successful romantic relationship. well, ramona and olivia, too, but frank and jacques actually kiss so good for them -i know it was very vague and it’s because writing romance is physically embarrassing, but yes that last line was supposed to be them kissing, i’m so sorry 

-undercover underwater was a last-minute addition because I didn’t want to take the time to try and google something real and good because I didn’t have the time. my guilty pleasure is super shitty hallmark murder mystery movies (I like good murder mysteries as well, thank you.) and my mom’s been reading terrible murder mysteries during lunch (where I was sitting across from her, also eating lunch, but also hiding behind my laptop and writing the fic) so I just came up with undercover underwater on the spot, but my mom came up with the tagline. it was originally ‘sleeps with the fishes’ (especially because i love the godfather movies which also, clearly has a very big stress on family vs The Family) but I thought ‘diving for the truth’ was funnier. -my mom and my brother (who has no interest in shitty murder mysteries, but loves to verbally smack them down with me re: their predictable tropes) and I decided that the plotline was something like, single woman scuba dives and keeps running into stuff (you know, hidden treasure, dead bodies, the like); her love interest drives the boat; her overbearing family member is an aunt; this is definitely like, book four in the series. there’s probably twelve books or something. (she goes on vacation on like book six and still finds a dead body, come on it practically writes itself.) (she probably owns a little fish tank......it’s a small sunny beach town.........etc etc.........) (it’s so easy to do this.)  -oh, fixer upper is the worst hallmark murder mystery series, murder she baked is the best. in my opinion. 

-dewey and lemony were supposed to have an actual conversation at the hors d’oeuvres table but every time I tried to put lemony in earlier he just wouldn’t work. it didn’t feel right. so he got saved for the reveal. -but i’m still delighted by the idea of lemony literally doing the shot of gazpacho.  -dewey uses a spoon because he doesn’t have the composure or the guts to do a shot of cold soup  -lemony was also supposed to have a scene with kit and one with jacques, i’m pretty sure, to lead up to the gazpacho conversation and the commiserating re: siblings. but again, didn’t work out. so then dewey had to fare alone in the scene. -oh!! the line about how lemony hides, in the least likely places, was actually something that was in my initial write of lemony’s scrapped pov of my ellington fic. jacques being responsible for sending olivia to the hinterlands was from a scrapped jacques fic.  -steal from your unused fic. 

-because I had to take scenes with lemony out, I had some, gaps in the night that I had to fill in (especially because this is a party more people are there than the snickets and the denouements), so that was how esme, the herpetology squad, and olaf and josephine came to be. (also olaf needed to show up again somewhere else otherwise he kind of, disappeared awkwardly, I thought?) -also because initially there was going to be a scene of bea and bertrand, elsewhere, but I wanted to keep the fic contained to the hotel, because one of the ideas I wasn’t able to put into the fic all that much was the sense of the hotel being its own world -oh, bea and bertrand don’t know that lemony used them as cover. the assignment they were working on instead of being at the party? planning the opera. the scene would’ve come right after ramona and olaf’s conversation. -the herpetology squad not only serves to highlight that people can’t tell the denouements apart (part of the foreshadowing that ernest would pretend to be frank), but was also me roasting myself because writing like a million different characters I had never written like this before had me very concerned about if their characterization was consistent, specifically for kit. (specifically, her with dewey.) also defining a character down to one base trait can be helpful when writing and creating characters, but for people no it’s not ideal. -haruki’s estimation of the denouement’s traits were not how i was mentally keeping track of them, because i definitely do do the ‘one base trait’ sometimes, but i had a lot more going on when i was thinking of them -but yes dewey is kind. in the way that bertrand is kind, but bertrand’s like, way more smooth about it. 

-lemony does not have his own pov because, for me personally, I can’t fathom writing him in any other way besides first person, and it just would not do to have one scene out of the whole fic not in third person. unless he was secretly narrating each scene, which, he clearly was not. i would’ve had to do it in a whole different style. 

-i love that dewey and kit are like ‘ahaha we’re the normal ones though’ and their normal conversation is them literally going ‘hey these creepy fish are AWESOME THOUGH’ -i looked at so many fish. for hours.  -ALL BECAUSE I came up with the phrase ‘oceanic intrigue’ as a fun phrase and decided I had to commit my soul to it and never look back. -oh, the fairy shrimp are really very cute though. and i think the cookiecutter shark is, fucked up but a neat little guy. 

-i’m eternally going to be laughing about this too  kit: where the fuck is frank frank: /three floors down, making out with jacques

-oh!! 40-49 is unassigned in the dewey decimal system (which I googled. many, many times.), and was previously biographies. there’s another section for biographies now, but because biography was the closest I could come to like, some sort of, identity category, I thought it was more fitting if it was the section that used to be biography but was now as blank as frank felt.

-dewey is the one responsible for the clock sounding like it does. he just thinks ‘wrong’ is a fun word. that, and frank recognizing jacques by sound, were from my earlier scene sketches for this when i thought this fic was going to be much, much shorter. 

[when-we-drive-away-in-secret]

The Ersatz Elevator - Quotes

Not a direct mention of the sugar bowl, but we did get the first reference to it! (you can always trust Esmé to bring up what was stolen from her). This post also contains literally the longest quote ever (genuinely took about three pages) but it’s an important one so I had to include it

“The word ‘bubble’ is in the dictionary, for instance, as it the word ‘peacock,’ the word ‘vacation,’ and the words ‘the’ ‘author’s’ ‘execution’ ‘has’ ‘been’ ‘cancelled,’ which make up a sentence that is always pleasant to hear. [...] Nowhere in this book will you find the words ‘bubble,’ ‘peacock,’ ‘vacation,’ or, unfortunately for me, anything about an execution being cancelled.” - Lemony Snicket; Chapter One

“Dark Avenue was just a few blocks away from where the Baudelaire mansion had been” - Chapter One

“ ‘Remember that time,’ Violet said, ‘when our parents attended the Sixteenth Annual Run-a-Thon, and their feet were so tired when they got home that Dad prepared dinner while sitting on the kitchen floor, instead of standing?’ [...] ‘We only had salad, because they couldn’t stand up to use the stove.’ ” - A conversation between Violet and Klaus Baudelaire; Chapter Two

“Your mother was adventurous, too. You know, she and I were very good friends a ways back. We hiked up Mount Fraught with some friends—gosh, it must have been twenty years ago. Mount Fraught was known for having dangerous animals on it, but your mother wasn’t afraid. But then, swooping out of the sky-” - Jerome Squalor; Chapter Two

“Klaus was delighted to revisit the Akhmatova Bookstore, where his father used to take him as a special treat, to buy an atlas or a volume of the encyclopedia.” - Chapter Three

“It’s terribly exciting. Your mother used to love them [auctions]! I remember one time-” - Jerome Squalor; Chapter Three

“We just moved in a few weeks ago” - Jerome Squalor; Chapter Three

“It was a word that still haunts me in my dreams as I toss and turn each night, images of Beatrice and her legacy filling my weary, grieving brain no matter where in the world I travel and no matter what important evidence I discover. [...] this word, I’m sorry to say, was ‘Olaf.’ ” - Lemony Snicket; Chapter Three

“Just the other day, for example, it was useful for me to have an unpleasant argument with a medical student, because if he hadn’t let me borrow his speedboat I would now be chained inside a very small, waterproof room, instead of sitting in a typewriter factory typing out this woeful tale.” - Lemony Snicket; Chapter Four

“There is nothing particularly wrong with salmon, of course, but like caramel candy, strawberry yogurt, and liquid carpet cleaner, if you eat too much of it you are not going to enjoy your meal.” - Lemony Snicket; Chapter Five

“ ‘Did he take an elevator when he left?’ Klaus said. Esmé’s eyes widened, and she open and shut her her mouth several times without saying anything, as if she were experiencing the element of surprise.” - Chapter Five

“The morning I am writing this chapter, I am wondering if the future will hold something that will enable me to saw through these handcuffs and crawl out of the double-locked window” - Lemony Snicket; Chapter Six

“Esmé has an important meeting with the King of Arizona today” - Jerome Squalor; Chapter Six

“Every problem has a solution. [...] At least, that’s what a close associate of mine says.” - Fernald; Chapter Six

“A terror so profound that I have slept with four night-lights ever since I visited 667 Dark Avenue and saw this deep pit that the Baudelaires climbed down.” - Lemony Snicket; Chapter Seven

“Every second we spend with him [Olaf], all he does is brag about his horrible plans” - Duncan Quagmire; Chapter Eight

“Gunther wants to smuggle us out of the city, and hide us away on some island where the police won’t find us." - Duncan Quagmire; Chapter Eight

“He’s told us so many haunting secrets, Violet. So many awful schemes—all the treachery he has done in the past, and all he’s planning to do in the future.” - Duncan Quagmire; Chapter Eight

“The three siblings were pleased that their guardian had not dismissed their findings, or argued with them about Gunther or the Quagmires or anything else, but instead had quietly and calmly listened to every detail.” - Chapter Ten

“Mt former acting teacher will finally get his hands on not one but two enormous fortunes!” - Esmé Squalor; Chapter Ten

“He’s [Olaf’s] not a terrible villain. [...] He’s a genius! I instructed the doorman not to let you out of the penthouse until Gunther came and retrieved you, but Gunther convinced me that throwing you down there was a better idea, and he was right!” - Esmé Squalor; Chapter Ten

“But I want to steal from you, [...] I want to steal from you the way Beatrice stole from me.” - Esmé Squalor; Chapter Ten

“One of my most prised possessions is a small wooden box with a special lock on it that is more than five hundred years old and works according to a secret code that my grandfather taught me. My grandfather learned it from his grandfather, and his grandfather learned it from his grandfather, and I would teach it to my grandchild if I thought that I would ever have a family of my own instead of living out the remainder of my days all alone in this world. The small wooden box is one of my most prised possessions, because when the lock is opened according to the code, a small silver key may be found inside, and this key fits the lock on one of my other most prised possessions, which is a slightly larger wooden box given to me by a woman whom my grandfather always refused to speak about. Inside this slightly larger wooden box is a roll of parchment, a word which here means ‘some very old paper printed with a map of the city at the time when the Baudelaire orphans lived in it.’ The map has every single detail of the city written down in dark blue ink, with measurements of buildings and sketches of costumes and charts of changes in the weather all added in the margins by the map’s twelve previous owners, all of whom are now dead. I have spent more hours than I can ever count going over every inch of this map as carefully as possible, so that everything that can be learned from it can be copied into my files and then into books such as this one, in the hopes that the general public will finally learn every detail of the treacherous conspiracy I have spent my life trying to escape. The map contains thousands of fascinating things that have been discovered by all sorts of explorers, criminal investigators and circus performers over the years, but the most fascinating thing that the map contains was discovered just at this moment by the three Baudelaire children. Sometimes, in the dead of night when I cannot sleep, I rise from my bed and work the code on the small wooden box to retrieve the key that opens the slightly larger wooden box so I can sit at my desk and look once again, by candlelight, at the two dotted lines indicating the underground hallway that begins at the bottom of the elevator shaft at 667 Dark Avenue and ends at the trapdoor that the Baudelaires managed to open with their ersatz crowbars. I stare and stare at that part of the city where the orphans climbed out of that ghastly corridor, but no matter how much I stare I can scarcely believe my own eyes, any more than the youngsters could believe theirs.” - Lemony Snicket; Chapter Eleven

“If I had been with the Baudelaires, I never would have opened the award-winning door. I would have considered myself lucky to have gotten out of the net suspended in the middle of the elevator shaft, and to have escaped Gunther’s evil plan, and I would have fled to some remote corner of the world and hid from Gunther and his associates for the rest of my life rather than risk another encounter with this treacherous villain” - Lemony Snicket; Chapter Twelve

“On one side of him was a small glass vase with blue flowers painted on it, and on the other was Esmé, who was sitting in a fancy chair and gazing at Gunther as if he were the cat’s pajamas, a phrase which here means ‘a charming and handsome gentleman instead of a cruel and dishonest villain.’ ” - Chapter Twelve

“ ‘Hey, boss!’ he [Fernald] said, and both Esmé and Gunther turned to look” - Chapter Twelve

“ ‘I’ve made enough money today.’ ‘I never thought I’d hear Esmé say that,’ Jerome murmured.” - Chapter Twelve

“by the time two detectives found the big black pickup truck, abandoned outside St Carl’s Cathedral with the motor still running, Olaf had already transferred the Quagmires from the red herring to a shiny black instrument case, which he told the bus driver was a tuba he was bringing to his aunt.” - Chapter Thirteen

“Your mother always said I wasn’t brave enough, and I guess she was right.” - Jerome Squalor; Chapter Thirteen

“Lemony Snicket’s extended family, if they were alive, would describe him as a distinguished scholar, an amateur connoisseur, and an outright gentleman. Unfortunately this description has been challenged of late” - Biographical Paragraph

[hockeynascarfan91258]

A/N: Links to Chapter 1-3 posted at bottom of page!

Chapter 4

It had been a few days since Eden left Sids after they raped her.    She called out sick from work she couldn't face them.    The team was headed out to California and Eden asked if she could fly out and meet the team there.    They said that was fine.     Eden went out a day early and did some sight seeing.       It was nice.     The team arrived later that day.     She had just gotten finished eating when there was a knock at the door.    Eden goes and sees it was Sid.

"Eden please open the door." Sid says.

He had carnations her favorite in his hands and a stuffed Panda bear too.   Eden figured she might as well hear him out.    She opens the door.  

"What Sid?" Eden says.

"I am sorry for what I did to you the other day." Sid says.

"Oh you mean raping me when I said no." Eden replies snarky.

"Yes I am sorry baby.   It will never happen again.     Kris is sorry too these are from us." Sid says.

"Look let's just let by gones be bygones.   I  won't say anything about what happened.   I won't tell your secret." Eden says.

"Please baby.    Think about it.    We really do love you." Sid says.

"Okay I will think about it okay." Eden says.

"Good baby.    We love you and don't want to loose you." Sid says.

"I will think about it okay.   Now I just want to go lie down.   I am not feeling well." Eden says.

"Okay feel better." Sid says kissing her softly on the lips.

"Thanks Sid.   Goodnight I will see you at practice tomorrow." Eden replies.

"Okay baby." Sid says kissing her head.

Eden took the flowers and Panda and shut the door behind him.    She wasn't thinking about anything she was walking out of this and going to be with Chase.  

That was when her phone went off. It was Chase.

"Meet me down in the lobby." Chase texts.

"Wait you're here!" Eden texts back.

"Yup got a race here in Cali and then racing Phoenix and Vegas." Chase says.

"Let me change and I'll be right down." Eden says.

She throws on a pair of jeans and a black be brave shirt.    She then heads down to the lobby.

Chase was standing there waiting for her. She runs to him.

"Chase." Eden exclaims practically jumping on him.

"Hey princess." Chase says kissing her.

Eden kisses back not caring who was watching.

"I'm so happy you are here." Eden says.

"I am happy too I get too see my girl. Now let's go I have a special date planned just the two of us." Chase says.

They link hands and head out to them rental car. They both get in. Chase takes off towards San Diego.

"Where are we going?" Eden asks.

"You will see." Chase says smiling at her.

45 minutes later they arrive at the zoo.

"The San Diego Zoo!" Eden  says excitedly.

'Well I know how much you love animals especially pandas so I figured I needed to bring you." Chase  says.

They park. They then head to the entrance. Chase  pays for them them. They find out there was a bus called the Kangaroo Bus that would drop them off at various parts of the park. They get on the bus and it takes them to the first part of the zoo. The Australian Outback. Inside there they see the Australian Wander which was full of plants that come from down under, along with Camels, Koalas. Laughing Kookabura's, Tasmanian Devils and Wombats.

It was fun. They got to hold a koala, play with a kangaroo and ride a camel together.

Eden was taking all kinds of pictures.

From there they head into the Lost Forest exhibit,. There they see Bog Garden, Bonabo's , Fern Canyon, Flamingos, Ginger Garden, harpy eagels, Hawaiian pants, Hippo's, Mandrills, Monkey's, Okapi's, orangutans, Otter's and pygmy Hippos pygmy marmosets, Tapirs, terrace lagoon, and Tigers.

"I want a hippo for Christmas is one of my favorite Xmas songs so I love hippos." Eden says.

"They are intriguing animals." Chase says.

They continue on. They were holding hands and acting like a real couple and Eden was loving it. They then get on the Kangaroo bus and head to the nest spot for them. They then do the Panda Canyon, where they see Amur Leopard's, Giant Panda's red pandas and Takins.

"Pandas are my absolute favorite animal in the whole wide world." Eden says.

"I know now come with me." Chase says.

They head behind the habitat where they met a zookeeper. Chase paid extra for them to be able to play with one of the panda's. It was one of the Cubs born not that long ago. Also Eden was adopting it and could name it. Eden was having the time of her life. Chase had them take picture and a video. She ended up naming the bear Chase. Finally they leave.

"Thank you for doing that for me. I love it." Eden says.

"I am glad baby." Chase says.

That was when Eden ran to the trash can and threw up. Chase held her hair back. He also got her ginger Ale.

"Do you want to go home?" Chase asks.

"Nope I'm okay now." Eden says.

They then head to the Africa Rocks where they got to see and play with the penguins.

They head around the zoo seeing more different animals. They saved the best for last where Eden  got to see the polar bears another one of her favorites. It was neat to see them out playing. Eden  took more pictures.    Finally they headed to the gift shop and Eden got a few things. Chase got her a few things as well and they left.

"Thank you Clyde for a much needed fun day." Eden says.

"You are welcome Princes." Chase says.

"Our first official date." Eden says.

"And it's not over yet." Chase says.

They hop in the car and head back towards Los Angeles.    Chase heads to Disneyland and parks.

"Disneyland baby?" Eden asks.

"But of course. Have to take my Princess to the happiest place on earth." Chase replies.

"I love you." Eden says.

"I love you more princess." Chase replies kissing her hand.

He then gets out of the car and gets her door. Eden gets out and they head to Disneyland hand in hand. They head inside and   stop first at Sleeping Beauty's castle and have someone take a picture of them in front.   

They got a few different ones including of one of them kissing.   After that they head to start riding rides.   They  get on Alice and Wonderland, Astro Orbiter, Autopia, Big Thunder Mountain, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, Casey Jr. Circus Train, Chip and Dale's tree house, the Disney Gallery, Disney Railroad, The Disneyland Story presenting Great moments with Mr. Lincoln, Donald's Boat, Enchanted Tiki Room, Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, Frontierland Shootin' Exposition, Gadget's Go Coaster, Goofy's playhouse, Indiana Jones adventure, It's a small world, Jungle Cruise, King Arthur's Carrousel, Mad Tea Party, Main Street Cinema, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Mark Twain Riverboat, Matterhorn Bobsleds, Mickey's house and meet Mickey, Minnie's house, Mr. Toads Wild Ride, Peter Pan's Flight, Pincchio's Darin Journey, Pirates Lair on Tom Sawyers Island, Pirates of the Caribbean, Roger Rabbits Car Toon Spin, Snow Whites Scary adventure, Space Mountain, Star Tours The Adventure continues, Star wars Launch Bay, Star Wars Path of the Jedi, Storybook land canal boats, Tarzan's treehouse, Dumbo the flying elephant, Haunted Mansion, Main street vehicles, Splash Mountain, Davey Crockett's Explorer canoes, and Sailing Ship Colombia.  

"I am hungry." Eden says after they finished riding the rides.

"Me too." Chase  replies.

"Let's  eat and then we can continue on." Eden  says.

"Sounds good.:" Chase  says.

They decide to eat at the Carnation Café.    They both get burgers and fries and milkshakes.    After they eat they head and do a few shows.   They do a Star Wars Character Experience and then they do Jedi Training.   That was fun they then meet fairy friends at Pixie Hallow and meet the Disney princess at Royal Hall. Chase took a few pictures of Eden. He got a her few things. He figured for Halloween she could be a princess and he would be a race car driver.

They  continue on and get on Animation Academy, Fliks Flyers, Francis Ladybug Boggie, Golden Zephyr, Goofy's sky school, Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout, Heimlich's chew chew train, it's tough to be a bug, Jumpin Jellyfish, King Triton's carousel, The Little Mermaid: Ariel's undersea adventure, Luigi's Rollickin Roadsters, Maters Junkyard Jamboree, Monsters Inc. Mike and Sully to the rescue, Princess Dot Puddle Park, Radiator Springs racers, Red car trolley, Silly Symphony Swings, Soarin around the world, Sorcerers workshop, Toy Story Midway Mania, Tuck and Rolls Drive em buggies, Turtle Talk with Crush, The Bakery Tour, California Screamin, Games of the Boardwalk, Grizzly River run, Mickey's Fun Wheel, Redwood Creek Challenge trail, Frozen at Disneyland resort, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Monsters after dark.

They then head and see Ana and Elsa's Royal Welcome, Frozen Live at Hyperion, Meet Olaf, and Meet the Residents of Radiator Springs in Cars land.

Finally, they head back to the car and head to Universal Studios.   They go inside and get on rides.   They ride on Harry Potter and the Forbidden journey, The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter, Flight of the Hippogrif, Fast and the Furious Supercharged, King Kong 360, The Walking Dead attraction, Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, Jurassic Park the ride, Transformers The ride, The Simpson Ride, Revenge of the Mummy Ride, Super Silly Fun Land, Sill Swirly Fun Ride, Special Effects show, Water World, Universal's animal actors, and Charter sightings.

They finish everything they wanted to do at the park before heading back to the car.

They then head back to the car and back to the track. Chase  had something special planned for them. He had it set up and ready to go.

"What's this?" Eden says seeing a table set up for two.

"Dinner for two baby." Chase says.

"Awww Clyde." Eden says kissing him.

Chase kisses back. He then helps her sit down.

He goes and heats up their food. He had made chicken parmigiana and noodles along with a salad. When it was done he sits it in the table and then takes his seat. They each take a piece of chicken and some noodles.   They then add a little bit more sauce to each before sprinkling it with parmesan cheese.   They put some salad in their salad bowls and add the dressing.   Chase pours them each a glass of wine.

Eden takes a bite of the food and then says

"Oh my god it tastes as good as it smells."

"Thanks.   The sauce is my mothers homemade recipe." Chase  says.

"Well it's good." Eden  says.

They eat and enjoy each others company.   Once they finished Eden helped Chase  clean up and put the leftovers away and load the dishwasher.

"The flowers are for you." Chase says to her.

"Thank you Clyde.  Carnations are my favorite flower and pink is my favorite color." Eden  says.

"I know baby." Chase says.

"So wha are we going to watch?" Eden  asks.

"Since  I know how much you love scary movies I have the Conjuring universe movies ready to go." Chase replies.

"Lead the way." Eden says.

Chase lead her to the game room.   They both sit on the couch as Chase turns on the Nun.   The movie starts.    Not even five minutes into it Chase jumps at a scary part.

"Damn." Chase says.

"You really hate scary movies don't you?" Eden asks.

"Yes I do.    But I will watch them because I know you like them." Chase says.

"Well I will keep you safe Clyde." Eden says.

"I know." Chase says as another scary part happens.

They movie went on.   Eden felt him get a little tense and knew he was scared so she leaned in a little closer trying to comfort him.   Chase puts his arm around her pulling her closer to him.  She leaned her head on his shoulder.  

It got to the part where the priest was buried A alive.    Chase started to shake.   That was one of his phobias being trapped someplace not being able to get out.   He was claustrophobic.

"Oh Chase." Eden says leaning in placing a soft kiss on his lips.

She would do anything at that moment to make him feel better.   She never experienced a man so vulnerable.

Chase kisses back putting his hands on each side of her cheeks.  Eden parts her lips slightly.   Chase deepens the kiss exploring her mouth with his tongue.

"Mmm." Chase moans deep in his throat.

"Mmm." Eden moans too.

"God Princess ." Chase says once they both come up for air.

"You are a good kisser Clyde." Eden says.

"So are you Princess." Chase replies.

  She looks deep into his eyes and sees a bunch of emotion swirling in them.

Chase leans in kissing her again pulling her all but into his lap.   His hands roam up the back of her shirt setting her skin on fire. 

"God Clyde take me to bed." Eden moans when he let her up for air again.

"God baby are you sure?" Chase asks.

"God yes." Eden says she wanted him so bad.

Chase picks her up carrying her into his bedroom.   He sits her on her feet closing the door.    Once the door was closed Eden pushes him up against it.

"Eden." Chase moans.

"I want you and I am going to take you." Eden says.

"I want you too." Chade says.

She starts to lift his shirt up placing soft kisses along his chest as she does.

"Fuck." Chase moans.

Once she gets the shirt up and and over his she throws it to the floor.

"You have the most amazing body Clyde." Eden says running her nails lightly down his chest to the band of his jeans.

"Thanks Princess oh god." Chase moans as she pops open the button and pulls the zipper down running her finger up his happy trail.

She works the jeans down his hips kissing his stomach with light fluttery kisses as she does.  Chase just moans.

She then works his boxer briefs down as well freeing his rock hard cock.   Eden licks her lips.  She places soft kisses on his stomach again before running her tongue down his happy trail.   She places soft kisses on each thigh before slowly taking his cock into her mouth.

"Fuck Eden." Chase moans running his fingers through her hair.

She sucks him in nice and slow running her tongue along the underside of his shaft.   She looks up locking eyes with him.   She keeps sucking him in and out of her mouth slowly.

"Fuck Eden that's it suck my dick baby." Chase moans gently pulling her hair as he starts to thrust.

Eden kept going slowly torturing him bringing him to the verge of cumming.

"God baby I am going to cum." Chase moans he didn't know what she wanted.

Eden gently starts to play with his balls never taking her eyes off him.

"Princess oh god." Chase moans as he cums hard down her throat.

Eden swallows every drop before slowly licking him clean.   She then slowly works her way back up his body pulling him in for a kiss.   She explores every inch of his mouth with her tongue letting him taste himself on her lips and tongue.   Chase slowly backs her towards the bed.  He breaks the kiss long enough to pull her shirt over her head tossing it.

"Jesus Eden that bra." Chase moans seeing it.

He pulls one strap down kissing her shoulder as he does.  Then kisses the other as he pulls that strap down.   He sucks and licks the tops of each breast peaking out from the cup.   He pulls the cups down taking one in his mouth running a circle around her nipple with his tongue before sucking on it gently nibbling on it bringing it to a peak.

"Clyde." Eden moans running her fingers in his hair.  

Chase moves to the other breast doing the same thing.   He slowly unclasps the bra pulling it off tossing it aside as well.    He then kisses softly down her stomach to the band of her jeans. 

He uses his teeth to pop open the button lightly nibbling on her belly as he slowly inches them down her hips and legs. Eden steps out of them kicking off her shoes.

"God baby those panties.  God so wet." Chase moans running his mouth over her pussy smelling her juices.

He then slowly works them down over her hips and down her legs.     Eden kicks them off.   He then slowly kisses his way up her legs placing a kiss on each thigh.   He blows cool breath across her mound as she slowly spreads her legs.   He runs his tongue up and down her slit before pushing inside starting to fuck her with his tongue. 

Not long after he started Eden gently pulls his hair pulling him away from her.

"Fuck me Clyde." Eden  says all but begging him.

"God okay baby."  Chase says kissing his way up her body.   He picks her up kissing her letting her taste her on his lips and tongue and gently lays her down on the bed.

"God please Clyde I need you inside me now." Eden moans.

"God baby." Chase moans as he gently pushes inside her.

"God yes." Eden moans as he starts to thrust gently at first.

He wanted to go slow letting her adjust to his size.   She was so tight and wet.

"Jesus Eden you feel so good.  Like a glove." Chase moans.

"God fuck me Clyde hard and fast." Eden moans digging her nails into his back.

Chase moves a little harder and faster.   Eden wraps her legs around his waist letting him go deeper inside her.

"Eden oh god." Chase moans going even harder.

"Clyde god that's it." Eden moans as he stretched her even further.

She throws her head back arching into him.  It felt so good.

"God baby I am not going to last." Chase moans

"Cum baby let me feel it." Eden monas.

"Eden sweet Eden." Chase moans looking deep into her eyes as he cums hard deep inside her.

"Clyde oh god." Eden moans shuttering as her orgasm rushes through her.

She cums with him feeling him coat her insides.   She just moans as her body shutters from the pleasure.

Chase kisses her gently on the lips and then the jaw and neck as they ride it out.   

"God Clyde again  I need you again." Eden moans.

She just wanted to feel that good again and not think about anything.

"Okay Eden but this time it will be nice and slow." Chase says.

"Please." Eden begs.

Chase starts to move again inside her taking it nice and slow.

"Eden god." Chase moans loving being inside her.

"Clyde god." Eden moans as he slowly builds her up.

"So close." Eden moans.

"Cum baby." Chase moans.

"Clyde." Eden moans as she cums.

"That's it baby milk my release." Chase moans as he cums again inside her.

They make love a few more times before Eden's eyelashes started to flutter.   Chase gets up.

"Where are you going?" Eden asks sleepily.

"Shhh baby I will be back." Chase says kissing her softly on the lips.

He goes into the bathroom grabbing a wash cloth wetting it with warm water.   He then comes over and gently wipes her down cleaning her.

He goes and tosses the rag in the hamper and then climbs into bed beside her.   She curls up to him laying her head on his chest.   Chase pulls the blanket up over them kissing her head as they both fall asleep.

**************************

The next morning Eden and Chase woke up when the alarm went off.

"Good morning baby:" Chase says.

"Good morning, oh god." Eden says getting up and running to the bathroom.

She made it just in time to empty her stomach in the toilet. Chase was right behind her. She got her everything up. Chase then picks her up gently and carries her back to bed.

"Sorry baby." Eden says.

"For what?" Chase asks.

"Getting sick." Eden replies.

"It's okay." Chase replies.

"I need to go back. I have to change before I head to practice." Eden replies.

"Yeah I know. I am glad I was able to see you." Chase says.

"Me too I will try and make the race on Sunday." Eden adds.

Chase smiles. He gives her a few shirts from his collection. They then head to the car and head back to Eden's hotel.

"I will see you later princess. I love you." Chase says.

"I will see you later Clyde. I love you too." Eden replies.

They share a few more kisses not wanting to part ways. But finally Eden heads inside and up to her room. She showered and got dressed and then heads down to the bus. Once everyone was on they head to the arena. Eden goes and gets the exam room set up in case they would need it for anything. That was when she felt arms snake around her waist.

"Hey baby, I missed you last night." Sid says.

"Hi Sid. Sorry I was so tired. Still getting used to the time change." Eden replies lying.

She didn't know what he would do if he knew she was with Chase. She was scared of him. It sucked cus she had a contract and had to work with the Penguins until the end of the 2021 season. Even though she wanted to quit.

"I know it can take effect on you but you will get used to it." Sid says.

"I know. Don't you have practice?" Eden asks.

" I do but I wanted to know if you were doing anything after?" Sid asks.

"No I don't. Sunday I am going to the NASCAR race before the game that night. But nothing today." Eden replies.

"Okay maybe I can come to your room, we can order room service and watch movies." Sid says.

"Okay." Eden says.

"Good see you then." Sid replies.

"Is Kris coming too?" Eden asks.

"Nope just me this time." Sid says.

"Okay." Eden replies.

Sid kisses her and leaves to attend practice. Eden grabs a little something from the snack bar and goes and watches practice. Halfway through Kris took a high stick to the face and there was blood.

"I got it." Eden says.

Kris comes down the runway and into the exam room. Eden follows him in. Kris was sitting on the table.

"Damn that hurt like a son of a bitch." Kris says.

"Sorry Kris." Eden says dabbing the blood away with a towel.

"It's okay. Is it bad?" Kris asks.

"Yes going to need stitches but shouldn't keep you out of the game tomorrow." Eden says.

"Good." Kris says.

Eden stitches him up. Kris puts his hand over hers.

"Thank you. Sorry for the other day Eden. Are you okay?" Kris asks.

"Yeah I'm okay. And your welcome it's my job." Eden says.

"I know. Im still thankful for you." Kris says.

"I know. I don't know what's going to happen between us but I promise I won't tell anyone about you and Sid. I just don't think I can do this. It took me to moving away and being away from him to realize how much I love Chase." Eden says.

"I know I can tell. Look if you want out that is fine. I know you won't tell anyone about me and Sid but I don't know if Sid will let you go." Kris says.

"I know." Eden says.

"Did you ever love us?" Kris asks.

"I loved you Kris you never hurt me.   Sid in the other hand." Eden says looking down.

"I'm sorry he hurt you Eden." Kris says lifting her head up.

He leans in and kisses her.    Eden kisses back.

"God." Eden moans as she pulls away.

"Go lock the door." Kris says.

Eden goes and locks the door.     She comes back over and climbs into his lap.

"God." Eden moans as he shreds her panties.

"I like skirts." Kris says.

"God." Eden moans as Kris pushes up into her.

"Ride me pretty girl. You know you want to." Kris says.

"God Kris." Eden moans as she starts to move up and down.

"That's it pretty girl." Kris says grabbing her hips.

They needed to be faster. Kris took control of their movements. Eden bit her arm throwing her head back to keep from screaming out. Kris nips and sucks her neck as they move.

"Eden fuck." Kris calls out as he cums hard deep inside of her.

"Kris. "Eden moans out as she cums with him.

They ride it out and Kris picks her up off of him. He stands up and fixes himself.

Kris then kisses her head before walking out the door. Eden collected herself. She then cleans up the exam room and prepared it from the game tomorrow. She then heads out and gets on the bus.

Once all the boys were on board they all head back to the hotel. Eden goes up to her room. She changes into her new Chase Elliott shirt and a pair of lounge pants. She wasn't feeling the greatest. She was laying down when there was a knock at her door. She gets up and opens it. Sid was there with room service and flowers.

"Come in." Eden says letting him in.

"Thanks." Sid says kissing her cheek.

Eden shuts the door.

"What did you bring?" Eden asks.

"Chicken noodle soup and ginger ale. Because I know you said you weren't feeling good." Sid says.

"I am not." Eden replies.

"I am sorry. Well let's eat and then we can relax and watch something on Netflix or something." Sid says.

Eden nods her head yes. So far it was going okay and she wasn't afraid. This was the Sid she started dating. They ate the soup and Eden nibbled the saltines. She sipped the ginger ale. Finally they laid in bed and Eden turned on Netflix. She turned on Sweet Home Alabama one of her favorite movies. She started to think about Chase. This movie was the story of their lives. Sid started to kiss her. Eden kisses back closing her eyes. As they were making out Sid runs his hands down her body. He runs them down her pants and under wear rubbing her pussy before sticking a finger in.

"Hmm nice and wet for me pretty girl." Sid says.

"Yes." Eden moans. She was pretending it was Chase.

"Want me to fuck you pretty girl?" Sid asks.

"Please." Eden begs.

Sid slides her pants and panties off followed by his jeans and boxer briefs. He then hovers over her running his tip along her entrance.

"Soaking for daddy." Sid moans.

"God don't tease." Eden begs.

Sid pushes into her and starts to move thrusting hard and fast.

"Fuck baby." Sid moans as she moves with him.

She wrapped her legs around his waist letting him go deeper.

"God." Eden moans digging her nails into his back.

She still had her eyes closed pretending it was Chase fucking her.

"That's it pretty girl milk my cock baby get ready to take my cum." Sid moans.

"GOd." Eden moans she was almost there.

"Fuck Eden god." Sid moans as he cums hard pumping her pussy full of his cum.

"Clyde oh god Clyde." Eden calls out as she cums too.

"What the fuck did you just call me?" Sid shouts slapping her.

Eden's eyes flashed open and she realized that by her fantasizing about Chase she called out his name.

"Umm." Eden says.

"Did you call me Clyde? Were you thinking about another man while I was fucking you." Sid screams at her.

Eden was so scared she didn't know what to say.

"Answer me you ungrateful ass whore." Sid screams.

"Yes I am so disgusted by you and how you treat me that in order for me to even attempt to have sex I have to think about Chase so I can get off." Eden screams out pushing him off of her.

She gets up off the bed. She was going to hide in the bathroom or something. She had her cell phone.

"You fucking whore. Don't you ever push me again or I will rip your hair out and choke you with it." Sid yells grabbing her hair pulling her back to him.

"Ow you are hurting me." Eden says.

"You think I fucking care. I hope it hurts. Remeber I am the only guy besides Kris who can cum in your sweet pussy. We are the only ones who can fuck you." Sid says.

"Fuck off Sid. I want out of this. I can't stand you. I fucking hate you. Get out." Eden screams turning around wailing out on him.

"You want to hit me bitch. I am going to show you." Sid says.

He picks her up throwing her back into the mirror glass shattering. He bashes her head against it not caring that it busted her head open. He then throws her down onto the floor throwing the mirror down on top of her covering her in glass.

"I will kill you before I ever let you leave." Sid says.

"Please I need help." Eden cries out.

"Fuck that bleed for all I care. If I can't have you no one will." Sid says as he kicks her hard.

Eden whimpers. Sid then leaves the room door slamming behind him. Eden still had her cell phone. It took everything in her to dial his number.

"Hey Princess." Chase says answering on the first ring.

"Chase help. I am hurt." Eden says.

"Eden? Where are you?" Chase asks panicked.

"Hotel Chase. Hurry." Eden says before she blacked out.

"Hang tight princess. I am coming to get you." Chase says.

You ever love somebody so much

You can barely breathe, when you're with them, you meet

And neither one of you, even know what hit 'em

Got that warm fuzzy feeling, yeah them chills, used to get 'em

Now you're getting fucking sick, of looking at 'em

You swore you've never hit 'em, never do nothing to hurt 'em

Now you're in each other's face,

Spewing venom in your words, when you spit 'em

You push, pull each other's hair, scratch, claw, bit 'em

Throw 'em down, pin 'em, so lost in the moments, when you're in 'em

It's the rage that took over it controls you both

So they say it's best, to go your separate ways

Guess that they don't know ya 'cause today, that was yesterday

Yesterday is over, it's a different day

Sound like broken records, playin' over, but you promised her

Next time you'll show restraint

You don't get another chance

Life is no Nintendo game, but you lied again

Now you get to watch her leave

Out the window, guess that's why they call it window pane

Just gonna stand there and watch me burn

But that's alright, because I like the way it hurts

Just gonna stand there and hear me cry

But that's alright, because I love the way you lie

I love the way you lie

I love the way you lie

[brighter-side-of-the-coin]

Merlin Fic Rec - Canon Era Longshots

Some longer Merlin fics I couldn’t put down the first time I read them ♥ (All canon era, >20k words)

Sweeter Dreams by Tierfal (35k)

Following a rather different ending to 2.10 ("Sweet Dreams"), Merlin and Arthur head to Olaf's kingdom of Valden to put things right. In the process, Merlin racks up an impressive series of treasonous crimes: insolence, incompetence, tripping while running for his life, and accusing the crown prince of snoring are only the beginning.

Crave the Brush of Spring by elissastillstands (112k)

There is no safety in Morgana's arms. Morgana makes her angry, and afraid beyond that, because Gwen thinks of Morgana with her unrelenting, cruel righteousness and feels something stirring in the space beneath her ribs, an echo of the fury she has buried since she came of age. She thinks of Morgana, and her tongue breaks, and her skin feels too tight and too small to contain her.

It is Ygraine who asks Nimueh to help her conceive a child born of magic, and though she knows what will come to pass, Nimueh is powerless before Ygraine's desires.

Decades later, that same child rules over a Camelot haunted by its past. The kingdom is besieged from without by a powerful Morgana seeking justice, and from within by its own broken laws. Gwen and Merlin stand at Arthur's side in his bitter war against his sister, but as their secrets come to light, Gwen must grapple with her gravitation towards the woman she once served. In the face of the slow dissolution of her world, Gwen finds herself confronting what she has long tried to bury in the name of loyalty: the power of grief, the force of anger, the weight of women's love and women's hunger.

the time is drawing near now (yours to claim it all) by ariadne_odair (58k)

Camelot holding a tournament is never good news for Merlin. Visitors to Camelot inevitably mean trouble and when one of those visitors sets their eye on Arthur, Merlin isn’t sure if Arthur is at risk of being seduced or something more ominous.

Uncovering a murder plot isn’t nearly as scary as confronting his feelings for Arthur, but at least Merlin hasn’t been kidnapped. Yet. Or revealed his magic to Arthur. Yet.

His destiny may have other ideas.

If Thou Wolt Haue it Red by Skitz_phenom (33k)

Affected by a rather nefarious - if delicious - bit of magic, Merlin is forced to navigate the complications of keeping a step ahead of Arthur (lest he ask the right questions), getting to the bottom of who's responsible (and why they'd want to trouble Gwen) and perhaps trying to understand why some of the truths he's working so diligently to avoid might not be the ones he expects...

The World I Built for You by Fulgance (32k)

If I told you to execute Mordred, would you do it? Merlin wondered, losing himself in the blue of Arthur's eyes. Can I save you like this, even if it damns me?

Bucket up, all for Luck by ImperialMint (29k)

Merlin didn't really expect it to take five Knights, two old men, a woman and a horseshoe for his plan to work, but then again the extent of his plan had been more along the lines of an adamant 'I'm not in love with Prince Prat (except, really, I am)' than an actual plan.

The Serving of Servants by CaffeinatedFlumadiddle (81k)

When a new position is made in the royal household to oversee the servants, Arthur didn’t think much of it. It was only days later when he noticed the mysterious injuries appearing on frightened servants that the prince decided to go undercover and to find out what is going on.

Meanwhile, Merlin thinks the newest servant is a mess.

Or

Arthur learns what it is like to be a servant and learns some interesting thing about his own servant.

Alone, Until I Get Home by emmbrancsxx0 (57k)

During a trip to Forest Sauvage, Merlin learns of a plot to overthrow Arthur and bring war to the five kingdoms; and Arthur learns that Merlin has magic.

To Save a King by WordsAreTrulyBeautiful (60k)

Altering the future is a dangerous game, but when a new prophecy comes to light, Merlin must travel to a long deserted land to save Arthur's life. His magic and his heart be damned.

Little Thief by scribblemoose (30k)

When Leon's still suffering from the dragon's attack several months later, Merlin is anxious to help. Meanwhile Arthur goes hunting, Merlin dabbles in things that he shouldn't, and they find themselves on a quest with an unusual companion....

Before the Sun Breaks Another Day by accordingtomel, adelagia (109k)

Three months after her disappearance, Morgana returns to Camelot with a hidden agenda, but she's not the only one keeping secrets, and a series of unintended revelations forces her, Merlin and Arthur on an intertwined journey of revenge, redemption and love.

In My Veins (Cannot Get You Out) by rebeccaann08 (halesmoon) (24k)

When Merlin uses the Cup of Life to make Arthur invincible, something goes wrong. Arthur is immortal, but now Merlin is dying.

[grapenamjams]

French Knot

Genre: Fluff 

Character: Muriel from The Arcana 

A/N: I just need to tell you all that I am in love with this mountain man he has my whole heart!  

I also wanted to tell you a little bit of my apprentice MC who will be in this story. 

Her name is Eliza (she/her). She is 5′2 has brown wavy hair, brown eyes (with specks of green) she also has adorable freckles across her nose, lastly she has a artic fox, named Nell as a familiar who is enchanted to keep cold during the summer and whenever Nell walks she leaves behind snow prints on the ground (think of what Olaf from frozen has lol) 

oh! she is good at embroidery hence this stories premise, where she is teaching this big boy how to embroider. sooooo  yeah that is my apprentice I hope you like her!  

It was another calming day in the forest, the sound of birds filled the air and a rustle or two amongst the brush could be heard. The warm sun combined with a gentle breeze made it the perfect atmosphere for being outside.

Underneath the shade of the trees lay Inanna with her head resting on her large wolf paws as she tried to ignore the white arctic fox that was running around her wanting a chance to play, leaving white paw prints in the green grass. A few feet away from the canine familiars a little ways from the front of the hut, sat Muriel and Eliza both holding their own embroidery hoops. Ever since Eliza told Muriel that she loved to do embroidery when he was teaching her how to carve small animal figurines from wood he wanted to learn.

 “I want to learn to do something....you like too.” He said as he picked up his animal figuring suddenly finding something to fix when indeed there was nothing else he could do to it. Eliza spotted the red on the tips of his ears and and happily agreed that she would teach him. Muriel loved arts and crafts, if it was carving into wood, creating protective charms, Ever since he was little, when Asra and him would make masks to sell for the masquerade He liked the feeling of knowing that he could create things with his own hands and that they were not only used to destroy. and so, if he could create something of his own in a craft that Eliza enjoyed and made her happy he would do it, no matter how many pricks to the finger he would get by moving the needle through the Cotton fabric. 

 Eliza had showed him the basics. how to create a design, how to outline and how to fill in spaces using satin stitch, with that knowledge he could complete any design he wanted. He had been practicing for days now, if these were the basics then why were they so hard? He grunted when he poked his finger again, a tiny pinch not enough to draw blood. Muriel glanced at Eliza sitting next to him, her face had a peaceful look on it with a small smile pulling on her lips as her hands wove the needle and thread effortlessly, leaving in its wake a Beautiful forest design with different shades of greens and browns. Muriel looks back at his design and huffs in disappointment. His outline was a bit messy the stitches different sizes, but he was determined to finish it so he continued his work in filling the yellow petals.

 Eliza was lost in concentration, her hands moving on their own. repeating the same movements over and over calmed her usually racing mind down. She loved the sound of the needle piercing the fabric and the soft hum of the thread making its way through when she pulled. As she finished her thread and tied it she heard Muriel grunt in annoyance. She couldn’t help but smile, looking over at him she saw his eyebrows furrowed and lips pressed together. It made her heart swell to see him so determined at doing something that she found enjoyable. Eliza loved seeing him thread, his large calloused hands gently pushing and pulling the small needle through at his own pace. although in the beginning he would pull to hard and snap the thread or create a hole in the fabric and he would turn red and apologize for doing so but Eliza laughed softly and reassured him it was okay.

 Peeking over his arm she could see why he was annoyed, he had managed to create a tangle while filling a petal. he was trying his best to undo it but was Causing it to be tangled further. She didn’t want him ruin his work that he had done already.

“How’s It going?” She asks

 “Not.good.” He mumbles back

 She chuckles “I see, you want help?” Muriel nodes shyly and gives her the hoop, she takes it and examines his work. “Muriel you did sunflowers! They look great!” She beams at him, he averts his eyes “I know you like them.” Her heart swells again at the thought of him doing her favorite flowers for her.

 She looks at his piece again and can see that he got better at outlining his filling is a bit loose in some areas causing the tangle. “Looks like you got a tangle, these are common in filling” she picks at the tangle “remember to try to keep your thread a bit tight when filling or else your threads get intertwined when you push the needle back up again.” Muriel hums in understanding beside her, peering over her to see what she was doing. After a few moments she was able to salvage his work and undo the tangle.

 Eliza smiles, happy that she managed to save his carful handiwork. “There you go! You were lucky, some tangles can’t be saved and you would have to start again” she hands him back the hoop, which Muriel takes from her. She pulls her knees up to her chest wrapping her arms around her legs as she looks at Muriel finish up the petal on his last flower and tie it off. He gets the brown thread from the box which holds all of Eliza’s embroidery supplies. He separates the thread causing him to move his arms making the muscles there move and Eliza feels her face get slightly warm from watching. He is good at putting the thread through the needle first try once done he goes to start on the center of the flower but Eliza speaks up.

 “There’s a stitch that is mainly done for sunflowers to make it seem a bit more realistic, I can teach it to you?” She looks up at Muriel and automatically smiles at him. he looks at her, notices her smile and his face has the smallest tint of red on his cheeks, he nodes “okay.” Enjoying the feeling of how teaching him something new makes her happy. Eliza scoots closer to him to see his hands. “Alright! So this is called a French knot.” “What’s French?” He asks curiously from above her. Eliza pauses she never really had given thought to the name before. “Um, I’m not sure? Maybe it’s from the place it was created? Or maybe... it sorta sounds like a bread” She thinks, Muriel gives a chuckle “you always think about bread.” She hums at the idea of getting some warm bread from the bakery, “because bread is good! I can’t help myself, it’s soft goodness is a blessing I say” Muriel shakes his head and chuckles at her, ‘so Appreciative of the small things.’

Eliza Focus her attention away from the idea of fresh bread and starts to explain. “So the knot is pretty simple but might take a few tries so don’t worry. First, start your stitch” Muriel pulls the thread through at the center. “Then you wrap some of the thread around the needle twice” the big man follows as instructed “good, now pierce through near the same point you came through, and make sure to keep holding the rest of the thread in your left so it can make the knot tight...aaaaand go through” Muriel moves the needle through but dosnt manage to create the knot instead the thread disappears all the way through. She sees him pout “I didn’t do it.” He says, she pats his shoulder “it’s okay, it took me a bit to get them too but you have the movements down, it’s all about this left hand here that’s holding the rest of the thread, depending how tight you pull determines the firmness of the knot”

“Hmm I wasn’t pulling that hard...that’s why it disappeared” Eliza nodes “right!”

“How...tight does it have to be?”

“Hmm it’s best if I show you, so you can feel it” Eliza leans over him placing her hands on his, she could feel Muriel suck in a breath at her closeness  and it makes her blush. This was an awkward angle she was leaning sideways and couldn’t really help him thread. “hold on I can show you better like this” Eliza Scoots towards Muriel and gently moves his arms away so they are opened as if for a hug, she then sits down in front of him her back resting lightly against his broad chest. She places her small hands on his large gentle ones and begins to do the same motions she taught him guiding his hands.

 Once she was seated in front of him Muriel’s head stopped working. all he could focus on was her body pressing against his large one, he covered her with his body protecting her from all sides. They had sat like this many times in front of the fire at night but it never fails to make him flustered, he doesn't know if he will ever get truly used to touch from all of the years he was starved from it. But despite that He finds himself leaning forward seeking out her comfort, he can feel his heart beating hard against his chest as Eliza moves his hands while explaining to him the technique, but his concentration was elsewhere.

He looked at her pink lips as they moved, he tried to count the small freckles that laid across the bridge of her nose and looked at the way her eyes turned a honey brown with hints of green hidden inside them underneath the sun. The light from the ever descending sun touched her face making her seem to glow. Or maybe that was just the way he always looks at her, a glowing light in his dark world.

He loved her. In all his life he didn’t think he would fall in love with Someone the way he had with her. In moments like these is where he thanked every being that was in charge of fate and chance for bringing her into is life and was especially thankful to her for not giving up on him, for understanding him and staying by his side even when he pushed her away. of course thoughts of her forgetting him and leaving still haunted the back of his mind. They brought a great pain to his heart at the thought of Eliza forgetting about him and all they had shared together. For so long he wanted to be forgotten by the world, saw it as a gift come true, when it was made possible. but with her, he never wants to be erased from her memory, her remembering him is enough even if they do part ways he wants to live in her memories. her being with him right now is more than he could ever ask for and he would hold on to her for as long as he could.

 Muriel realizes that he had rested his chin on her shoulder when Eliza gives a tug on his left hand finishing off the center of the flower with the knots she taught him. She ends the thread and holds up the hoop for both of them to look at as she fully leans back into him. Muriel raises his head to look and feels a bit guilty that he hadn’t been listening to her.

 “And there you go, it looks so nice Muriel! You did good” Eliza exclaims, she turns her head to look at his face and finds that he is looking down at her with a soft smile on his lips. Her eyes widen a bit as she realizes how close they are to each other. Muriel must have realized too because his face goes red. his eyes flicker to her lips and back up to her eyes quickly then back to her lips “you...um...are a good teacher...I guess”

 recovering Eliza smiles as his flustered state “Oh am I?” she says.  He nodes. “Well...I think it’s because you are a good learner” her hand reaches out to cup his cheek and with that she gives him a kiss, she pulls back slowly wanting to see what Muriel would do with the action. To her satisfaction, Muriel leans forward capturing her lips again with his. He drops the hoop and wraps his arms around her small waist pulling her into his large frame. He lets out a small hum against her as he kisses her again.

 Eliza pulls back with a smile on her lips to catch her breath and let her heart calm down, making the mountain man let out a grunt of disappointment, but just as quickly as he did  a blush forms on his cheeks, Muriel hides his face on the crook of her neck in embarrassment.

 “You must like these lessons, huh?” Eliza teases him.

 “I think I might need more of them....if you want that is” Muriel mumbles against her shoulder. Eliza laughs “of course” she reaches her hand to his head and brushes her fingers through his dark hair “we can have all the lessons you want” Muriel tightens his hold on her from the feeling of her hand in his hair. He gives a small peck to her neck “good.”

 For a few moments they stayed like this hearing the sounds of the forest as the animals within were getting ready to say goodbye to the day. each other’s presences was so soothing that Eliza was tempted to fall asleep. But a loud grumble Broke through the serene atmosphere. Eliza’s face turns bright red as she jolts up and clutches her stomach who was the one to blame for the grumbling. “S-sorry!” She squeaks, Muriel laughs at the noise coming from such a small figure and how its now her whose hiding her face against his chest. “I guess that means it’s time for dinner?” He says with a smile and he rubs her stomach, Eliza giggles at the sensation. There was a small pause until Muriel speaks up again “how about we go to that bakery you like?”

 Eliza sits up surprise on her face. “Really? Are you okay with going? We don’t have too, there’s food inside. I’m good with eating the food that’s here” Muriel smiles at her rambling, knowing that she would settle for eating here so he wouldn’t have to go out makes his heart flutter. she always wants to make him comfortable as can be, always looking out for him he’s so appreciative of it that’s why he wants her to be always happy and content. and so if that means going out to the city to go to her favorite bakery then he will do it. for her.

 He shakes his head “if you want. We can go. There’s maybe not a lot of people out” he looks at the evening sky, the wind changing into a chillier breeze. He looks back down when he feels cold paws on his thigh, he reaches and pets the Arctic fox who closes its eyes at the affection. He turns back to Eliza “I think Nell wants to go too.” He says, earning a laugh from her which catches her familiars attention and goes to her sitting on her lap. Eliza scratches Nell’s head, making small snowflakes fall onto her skirt. “Well I think that settles dinner then?” Eliza talks to her fox and looks up at Muriel “I would love to go with you” he feels the all to well known warmth on his face and dares himself to lean over to her and kiss Eliza on the forehead “then let’s get going.”

[professorspork]

Um okay so I just read all your frozen fics and I basically died of happiness so imma submit one Library, depression, lovely

(thanks for being patient, @hybreadloaf!)

She really thought Annawould be the mess, is the thing.

Elsa’s taken her time withher farewells. Lingered in each and every room of the castle she’s called homefor 24 years, drinking them in, making more permanent etchings in her mind’seye. The bedroom that had been her haven and then a prison of her own making;the chapel where she’d accepted the mantle of leadership with shaking hands. (Anna’smantle, now, as soon as all the arrangements are made.) The library she’d holedup in, in the late hours of the night—trying to empty herself of herloneliness, her helplessness, the listless, resigned inadequacy of herdepression by pouring as many words as she could into her head, like the knowingcould drown out everything else. She cracks open the spine of an oldfavorite and inhales, relishing the scent of leather and ink, the recollectionsit evokes. She’s not that person, anymore.

And not all of the roomsfeel quite so haunted. There’s the parlor where she learned to let herself bemade fun of, just a little, as they all discovered how truly terrible she is atparty games. The dining room table, covered in nicks and scratches, stains andburns, the remnants of countless meals with her loved ones. The courtyard whereshe’d first felt queenly; the stables and their promise of contained adventure.The ballroom, the portrait gallery, the lighthouse. All lovely. All loved.

Which is all to say thatshe’s been deliberate with her leave-taking; allowed herself room to mourn thelife she’s had as she readies herself for the one that is to begin. She’s beenthorough and responsible—just as she’s always been.

And yet she still findsherself devastated, when the day comes. It’s Anna who’s smiling at herwith a sort of warm serenity while Elsa takes deep, slow gulps of air to keepfrom weeping into her shoulder as they hug goodbye at the edge of the woods.

“You’re my favoriteperson,” Elsa confesses to Anna’s neck, less because it sounds like the sort ofimportant goodbye they should share before she leaves and more because it’sliterally the only sentence running through her head.

Anna squeezes her, fingerssplayed across her shoulder blades. Steady. Sure. “You’re not half badyourself,” she says back, and though the words are light her voice is don’t panic and do the magic and I love you allat once. Elsa breathes her in, trying to commit everything about this embraceto memory, because it’s going to have to last her a while.

She pulls back. “Anna, I—”

“You have to go.” It’s astatement, not a question, and it suddenly occurs to Elsa that somehow, rightunder her nose, her sister’s grown up. Queen Anna of Arendelle. (And howmuch more growing up will Anna do while she’s gone? The idea of missing that isdevastating. But the idea of staying, knowing just how much she doesn’t know…intolerable. There’s an itch between her shoulder blades and under her feet. Arestlessness in her limbs. She needs to know how far they can carry her. Needsto learn to trust herself, her body, her abilities, outside of a world that wasbuilt for her.)

(She wants to do thebuilding.)

She doesn’t know how tosay these things. “I know, I just—”

“Anna, stop hogging her,you’re being rude,” Kristoff says from behind them, breaking the tension, andElsa’s shoulders sag in relief. He adds, on Sven’s behalf, “Yeah, I want aturn!”

“Well, we can’t have Svenfeeling neglected,” Elsa jokes, and if her chuckle is a bit watery as she letsgo of her sister, no one feels the need to bring it up. She runs her fingersthrough the soft fur of the reindeer’s face, then up to scratch behind hisears; her forehead rests on his snout. “Take care of them for me, won’t you,buddy?”

Sven stands up a littlestraighter and snorts his affirmation. It seems pretty self-explanatory, butshe still turns to Kristoff for a translation.

“You’ve got it,” he vows. And then he’s lifting her high in the air tohug her—the way he does—and her heart lifts, too, at the sensation, as she’sspun in a circle. He puts her down and squeezes her tight, this mountain of aman who’s become her family.

“I’ll miss you,” he sayssimply, and something in her chest snags, because she’d kind of assumed he’dsay we’ll. Him-and-Anna. But no, Kristoff will miss her all on his own,it seems. Just as she’ll miss him.

“I’ll be back so often youwon’t even have time to,” she says. Trying to maintain his positivity, despitethe nagging at the back of her head.

“…you promise?” asks avery tiny voice from somewhere below them. And just like that, Elsa’s carefully-constructed composureshatters, the tears she’d managed to hold back with Anna spilling free.

“Oh, Olaf,” shesobs, falling to her knees and pulling the snowman into her arms. Her first andgreatest miracle. She’s all-out bawling, now, chest heaving with hiccups as hislittle twig hands come around to pat her soothingly on the back. “Of course Ido. I promise,” she eventually manages to sniffle, trying to get a hold ofherself. “I’m so sorry, I’m crying all over you, you’ll melt—”

“No, I won’t,” hereassures her. “Permafrost, remember?”

She remembers. Solidground beneath her feet. Some things never change.

And she’s stronger thanshe thinks she is, now.

“You’re right.” She lets Olaf go and getsto her feet, scrubbing at her face and putting on a smile. “Okay. Okay. I’mready.”

“Oh, one more for theroad,” Anna says, and there it is—the catch in her voice Elsa’s been waitingfor—and suddenly her arms are full as Anna sort of gently body-slams into herfor one last hug.

“Well, if you insist,”Elsa agrees, holding on tight.

“D-don’t just send meletters all the time, okay?” Anna warbles. “Talk to people. Makefriends.”

“I will.”

“And it’s okay if you can’talways make it home when you thought you would,” she continues. “It’s okay togo. It’s okay to like it.”

“I know.”

“Good.”

They hug a moment longer,then two. Elsa lets Anna be the one who lets go.

“Have fun,” Annasays, when she pulls away. “Enjoy it.”

“You, too,” Elsa murmurs. “Oh!Which reminds me.” She reaches for the trunk at her feet, the collection ofbelongings she’d thought were worth carrying forward into this next phase ofher life. What she’s looking for is right at the top. “Here. I think you mayneed this more than I do.”

“Mother’s shawl?” Annabreathes, as Elsa wraps it around her shoulders.

“So you can keep me withyou, even when I’m far away. You can keep all of us.”

Anna’s hands reach upautomatically to clutch at the fabric, pulling it tighter around her. Herengagement ring winks in the dappled light. “Elsa,” she whimpers, andElsa hears what she can’t bring herself to say. Go already. Go so you cancome back.

“Alright, I’m going,” shesays, and she means it.

She takes a step.

[verannaca]

(One Last) Chance.

whoa, another fic?? someone better stop me

anyway, when i was writing Some Things Change, i’d had this overwhelming urge to delve further into everyone’s feelings and reactions, as disney has a tendency to half-ass human emotion?? there are consequences for actions; this is known. i wanted to explore consequences and how they’re dealt with - delving into Anna and Elsa like this isn’t something I’ve done before, but it was fun. hopefully it’s well done :’)

i’m definitely an anna fan (not just because we have the same weird name); she’s a character that helped me on a personal level when i was in a time of need. i’ve never really related to nor liked Elsa but i do try really hard to understand her perspective, and i like her more now that i’ve explored her character.

this fic is very pro Anna and Elsa! it does not favour one or the other. that said, if you are an Elsanna shipper, leave. This is strictly platonic and sisterly and i don’t want y’all fucking it up lol

Warnings - this fic contains: characters with ptsd, emotional trauma, mentions of neglect including child neglect, mentions of panic attacks, detailed anxiety attacks, mentions of severe loss/death, and details of grief. I know these warnings sometimes sound ridiculously intense compared to what the story really is, but i’d rather be overdramatic than underdramatic. (fic is about double the length of the last one, and it takes place after the events of Frozen2, so this is your spoiler warning??)

Also, I can’t believe the feedback on my last story?? i’m so pleased :’) anyway, i’ll shut up now. enjoy.

Anna had been Queen for a few weeks, but those weeks hadn't been peaceful. She had so much to say, and never the time to say it. Until, one night, it all comes out, and suddenly, Elsa is faced with a horrible reality: her sister isn't okay.

XXX

All she could hear was the sound of ice cracking and shifting. The sounds echoed throughout the ancient glacier; it was deafening. Only barely could the sound of footsteps be heard as she made her way across the ice. She knew it was too late. She was shivering; terrified— she'd never felt the cold before. Her hands were so cold, she could barely move her fingers. Her hair had turned white and her skin was beginning to frost over. Is this the end? 

She had to do this. It's what's right. It has to be. This voice had been calling her for months; it was time to find out the truth. She could've told her sister. She should have told her sister. But she was afraid of frightening her. Afraid of bringing more trouble into her life. 

That didn't work. Anna had to know these things. She had to. She couldn't function otherwise. Her anxiety wouldn't allow it. Elsa knew this, and yet, she kept another secret. 

It would've been fine—Anna was understanding. It all would have worked out, but then Elsa did the unthinkable.

She pushed Anna away. 

Again. 

That was the last time they'd seen each other. They'd fought; Anna was desperate to protect her sister, and in the heat of the moment, Elsa was unable to communicate clearly. She couldn't explain that Anna couldn't come with. That it required magic; that it was dangerous. No. If Anna knew that it was dangerous, she definitely wouldn't have let Elsa go. 

But Elsa needed answers. And now, she was alone. Unable to communicate with the living. She was freezing; dying; alone. Her guilt became overwhelming when she realised that she wasn't going to return to her sister. She had found what she was searching for, yes, but was this sacrifice worth it? 

She couldn't move. It was dark, and so cold. Her legs were frozen; the ice was spreading up her body. Her hand froze in place; with her free one, she called out her sister's name and sent her an important piece of the past. 

And then, she was gone. Frozen solid. Breathless. Dead. 

The look of horror on her face was something that could never be unseen. This wasn't supposed to happen. She promised. 

The glacier was still loud; the sounds of the ice became haunting. It was overwhelming. The voice of the siren that called to her began to fade back in, but that peaceful call turned into a scream. A loud, high-pitched scream. 

A male voice faded in; “Anna! It's okay! You're dreaming!” 

Anna’s eyes shot open and she bolted upright, gasping for air. There was a faint squeak in her voice with each breath she took. She was quickly wrapped in a tight embrace—this wasn't the first time she’d woken up like this. Kristoff had barely been sleeping these days; he'd hold her until she was asleep, then he'd watch her for hours. 

Three years they'd been together, and he'd never seen her so distraught. They talked about this recurring nightmare of hers—there were two of them, set in two different caves. 

She didn't know how she knew that Elsa suffered a similar fate that she herself did three years ago, but she knew. She knew in the moment; she felt it. She knew her sister died alone; that she'd experienced something so intense; something she could have never imagined. And Anna was devastated. It gutted her. All she wanted to do—all she'd ever tried to do was protect her sister. And she failed. 

Elsa was alive. She was okay— she'd found herself. She had decided a few weeks ago to stay in Northuldra; she felt more at home there. Anna was happy for her sister, and more than understanding. She wished her all the best, and spoke to her often. 

But what Anna always failed to mention or show was how angry she was. 

Her fiancé knew. He had to hear all of it, all the time. He wanted to listen, though. He wanted to help her cope. It was important to him. He'd always put her first; to her, he felt like the first person to truly see her. To truly see and hear Anna. 

She'd always been kept in the dark. She was always the last to know about anything and everything. It stung, badly, especially when she discovered her parents met their demise because they were searching for answers about Elsa's abilities—yet another thing that they failed to tell their youngest daughter. 

Anna wasn't selfish. The exact opposite. She put everyone else before her. Always. When they found the shipwreck; when Elsa pulled up those memories, Anna was devastated for her sister. She knew how agonising it must have felt. 

But Anna needed care, too. Those were her parents, too. And their last thoughts; their last exchange was about Elsa. 

It hurt. It hurt more than she would've liked. And even after such a tragic discovery, Anna couldn't resonate with her sister. No, Elsa had to push her away, and Anna found herself alone again. 

And god, was she angry. She had never been so angry. 

How could she be left alone? After everything? Why would Elsa do such a thing?

It was in that cave that Anna hit her low. The lowest she had ever felt. She'd never felt so helpless; so pained. She was reprocessing the loss of her parents; she was trying to not be angry at them, but it was difficult. They left her with nothing. Then, she had to process the loss of Elsa. Her sister; her universe; her other half. The only person that mattered. And that thought hurt her in a different way. What about Kristoff? He mattered; he was her best friend, and she left him behind. And Olaf—the only good thing from her childhood; her last beacon of hope and light was gone. Because of Elsa's decisions. 

Anger. A high level of anger that she couldn't seem to get past. 

To add to it? She had no home to return to. She knew she had to break the dam; she knew her kingdom would most likely be wiped out. 

She cried alone in that cave all night. She clung on tight to the satchel that contained her mother's scarf and what remained of her frozen friend, and she cried. She grieved. She may have slept at some point, but her dreams seemed to fade into reality. Nothing felt real. Nothing felt right. 

And it was in that cave that Anna realised: she was worth fighting for. Yes; Anna was valid. Anna was worthy. Anna would be okay in time. She was more than a spare. She had to see that for herself. She had to stand for herself; trying to put motivation behind destroying her home was impossible. She couldn't get up for that. 

No. She had to get up for Anna. Because Anna deserved better. 

And so, she did. It was too much to handle at times; she fell over her own feet as she struggled to step. But she managed. She found her way out of the cave and tried to do the next right thing. 

She never told Kristoff that she had contemplated her life. He didn't need to know. She was reckless; challenging death. She needed to see how close she could get. It was when she almost didn't stick the landing as she leaped off the falling dam that she realised she didn't want to die. 

Mattias had saved her. And then, she was safe in her lover's arms. 

Just as she was right now. In her bed, in her bedroom, in the home that wasn't destroyed, being held by the person she loved the most, and although her heart was beating too fast and her palms were sweaty, she did feel safe. 

It was just a nightmare. 

They stayed in silence for a while; they'd already discussed these events to the point where Kristoff was beginning to have the same nightmares. But his were about Anna being alone in that cave. He loved Elsa, truly, but he knew Anna was the one who had really suffered. 

So, he held her. He held her until she fell asleep, then he laid her down and held her until the sun came up. 

It was Friday. Kristoff had guided Anna through the morning and early afternoon; he was worried about her well-being. They'd agreed to be completely open with each other, and Anna was able to talk about her deepest darkest feelings, fears, and secrets, and not feel like prey. Elsa was coming that evening for their typical weekly catch-up and game night. The first few times, Anna had been excited to see her sister. They both had so much to share. But Anna was tired now, and Elsa was a reminder of her pain. 

She didn't let it affect their evening. She wouldn't ever dream of making Elsa feel anything negative. She understood. 

But sometimes, she wished Elsa paid more attention to her feelings. She wished her sister could be as loving as attentive as Anna was for her. Sadly, that just wasn't the case. 

It had been storming all day, typical for this time of year. Anna and Kristoff had met Elsa just outside the gates, as they usually did. She greeted them both with pleasant hugs and greetings, excited to see them. Time flew by for her in the forest; the weeks felt like they lasted only a day. 

It was during their reunion that Elsa made a quick comment; “let's get you both inside before you freeze to death!” 

It was a half-hearted joke; a casual comment; completely harmless. Kristoff only noticed enough to chuckle; he and Anna were definitely cold, while Elsa wasn't even wearing proper shoes. The cold truly didn't bother her. 

Anna wasn't so amused. In fact, the comment triggered something in her brain that made her scowl at her sister. Elsa was oblivious as she made her way to the castle, linking arms with the new queen as she walked. Anna forced a smile and went alongside her—now is not the time for a fight. It was just a comment; it was harmless. 

It was careless. 

As they'd began to warm up and make their way down the great hall, a light conversation had begun, though Anna barely said a word. 

Freeze to death. 

She pictured Elsa alone in that cave, turning to ice as life left her body. She pictured herself fighting through a nasty storm before she too froze solid. It sent a shiver down her spine. She could still feel that cold, even after three years. She remembered the sensation in her chest as she began to froze; she felt the ice burst in her heart before the world went black.

There was nothing funny or casual about freezing to death. 

“Are you going to talk to me, or are we already playing charades?” 

Another joke. It was light; pleasant. Anna looked at her sister, who had a warm gaze in her eyes, and a light smile across her face. But that smile faded when she felt the chill in Anna's stare. They slowly stopped walking and stood still, staring at each other. 

“Is everything all right?” Elsa was concerned—she’d realised then just how exhausted her little sister looked. She was beautiful and made-up; her rich auburn hair was neatly tied in a bun, and although she wore no makeup (she never did), her eyes did seem bright and alert. But they were also very tired. Elsa tried to keep the mood light; “it's exhausting being queen, isn't it?” 

Anna forced a smile; “it's not as bad as I thought it would be, but yes. The days are long, and the night's longer.” 

They slowly picked up pace again. Kristoff stayed on Elsa's left side; Anna on her right. He’d remained silent to give them a chance to communicate, though he knew how to read his fiancée, and could tell how tense she was. 

“You do get used to it,” Elsa replied, placing her hand on Anna's. Their arms were still linked. 

Anna side-eyed her sister. She had so much to say, but mentally talked herself out of it each time. It would be so much easier if I didn't love you so damn much. She knew Elsa meant well, and she knew Elsa had suffered much on her own. That didn't change how Anna felt overall, but it kept her from saying something she'd regret. “I think we should keep things simple tonight,” she chimed in. “Maybe cut the evening a bit shorter than usual.” 

Elsa didn't seem fond of the idea, but she also didn't want to intrude. “We can definitely play it by ear, if you like. I have nowhere to be; this is our night.” She pulled Anna a bit closer, tightening her grip around the younger woman's arm. 

Anna pulled her arm back, though, to Elsa's surprise. The redhead instead crossed her arms over her stomach and kept her gaze away from her sister's direction. 

Elsa wasn't a people person, but she knew body language—especially this particular stance. She grew worried. “Are you sure everything's all right?” she prompted, walking close beside the queen. 

Anna nodded distantly, then looked at Kristoff. She took a breath and said, “I have some things to do that I forgot about earlier. Would you please escort my sister to her chambers for the evening?” 

Elsa was quite taken aback. She knew how mature and capable her sister was, but Anna never spoke like a queen when it was just the three of them. Why would she? The blonde looked up at her soon-to-be brother-in-law with a questioning gaze—they exchanged a look for a brief second before he nodded at Anna; “of course.” 

As the redhead began to head off, Elsa gave chase. She took Anna's arm and turned her around so they were facing each other; it wasn't aggressive, but was full of worry. “What's up with you? I'm worried.” 

Anna almost laughed, but she contained herself. “I’m fine,” she said simply. “But I have duties to tend to.” 

She tried to walk away, but Elsa held her tight, desperate for an explanation. “Hey, wait. We promised to communicate, right? Talk to me. Please.” 

Anna raised a brow. Don't be mean, she thought to herself. Even to your sister. But her control was lacking. “You...want me to let you in now? Isn't it a bit late for that?” 

Elsa—and Kristoff—could hear the sting in her voice. “Anna—” 

“You expect me to drop what I'm doing just for you?” She hissed. It was accidental; her tone. She wasn't a mean person; she wasn't rude. But her anger was rising. 

Elsa looked hurt, though her surprise outweighed her pain. “I'm sorry for whatever I did—” 

Laughter. Anna took her arms back; “what you did? Jesus, Elsa, where do I even start.”  

“Anna, maybe we should take a break,” Kristoff suggested, stepping in. 

The sisters both replied with a mutual, “no, no,” but Anna's was a lot harsher than Elsa's. 

“Should we start with the same old bullshit?” 

“Anna—” 

“Or is that history now? Yeah, I suppose we can bury thirteen-years of pain with three-years of companionship. That balances out beautifully. Oh, and how about recent events? That voice that you failed to tell me about? Or maybe that fact that we saw our parents last moments and it was all about you?” 

Elsa had crossed her arms by this point; shoulders raised. Her eyes teared up more as Anna’s voice got louder. Kristoff stayed silent. She needed this. 

“I suppose we also shouldn't then mention that I buried them alone! That they were my parents, too! That I'm not just your spare! But that'd be too much, right?” 

Anna took a step closer to Elsa; her heels against Elsa's flats made them the same height, and they were able to make direct eye contact. 

“You manipulated my love. You wouldn't stop for five fucking minutes to explain what was going on. I needed you just as much as you needed me. And how did you care for me? You pushed me away. Again.” 

“I had to.” Her voice was soft; broken. She was pained—she hadn't seen Anna like this before. Ever. It killed her. Did she really make her suffer alone? How could sweet, happy, bubbly Anna be depressed? Anxious? Lonely? 

“I know you think you did,” her voice was stern, but shaky. A tear managed to escape her eye and run down her freckled cheek. “But you have no idea what you put me through.” She didn't mean to yell; “I thought I had lost EVERYTHING.” 

Elsa winced at the volume, but kept her stance. 

“I had nothing. And you LEFT me ALONE, Elsa! The last time we'd spoken, we fought. That goodbye-hug lost all meaning after you'd forced us into that boat! I was so ANGRY! And not once—not ONCE did you ask if I was okay.” 

“Gods, Anna, I—” 

“NO.” The redhead held up a stern finger, silencing the older woman. “It's my turn. You shut up.” 

“Anna.” Kristoff's voice was gentle and understanding. It grounded her. Pulled her back to reality just enough to make her aware of her words. 

The queen took a deep breath; her finger curling in as she made a fist. She let out a shaky breath, not breaking eye contact with those glossy, ice-blue eyes. “My parents died. I was alone. You were all I had, and I didn't even know what you looked like. I tried so hard to be strong, but that was a darkness I never thought I'd get out of. And then...” she trailed slightly, anger turning to pain. “When I was alone. In that cave. After watching and hearing our parent’s final moments; Olaf, the only friend I had left—because I never thought I’d see Kristoff again after I left him to follow you... He flurried away. I watched him die. I held him as he died, Elsa. And he was all I had left—of my childhood, of my home, of you. And you were gone. Just like mama and papa; you left and were to never return. I thought Arendelle was gone. The dam had to be broken; I couldn't have ever imagined that you would've saved it.” 

Elsa let out a soft, shaky breath. “You had nothing.” 

Anna nodded ever so slightly, pursing her lips to hold back her tears. Her voice was barely a whisper; “nothing.” 

The blonde lost her gaze as she became aware of her tears. She quickly wiped them away, holding her hands over her mouth as she stared at her sister. 

Anna couldn't decide if she felt better. She'd said almost everything that she needed to say. She looked deep into Elsa's eyes, not wanting a response just yet. She wanted her to think. “No matter what, Elsa,” she said softly, “I love you.” 

After a brief moment, the queen turned and walked away. Elsa and Kristoff watched her go, and although the older sister tried to follow, Kristoff held her back. “Give her space,” he said gently. “Let her breathe.” 

Elsa looked up at her friend; “did I say something wrong? Tonight? To trigger this?” 

He shrugged lightly. “Maybe. Maybe it was that comment about us freezing. She's been delicate lately.”

Of course. It had to have been that comment. Elsa placed her hand flat against her stomach as she felt it churn. “I have to talk to her. I have to make it right.” 

“With all due respect,” Kristoff began, holding her attention to keep her from following Anna; “whether it's fair to anyone or not, there is thirteen—maybe even sixteen years’ worth of damage that has to be fixed. Anna loves you more than anything; she'd be willing if you are, but above all else, you have to remember that her feelings are valid.” 

Elsa nodded, though she was rather lost in thought. All those years, she thought she was suffering alone. She thought Anna was being cared for; loved. But she wasn't? She was alone? 

They worked. Their parents worked. They were royals, sure, but they were also dealing with Elsa's magic. Who raised Anna? Who taught her to be queen? Did she truly only have the portraits on the walls to talk to? Was she really neglected for all those years?

It hurt. It hurt more than anything. Elsa brushed away the original plan of a game night—that could wait. Fixing their family was far more important. She knew she had to give it time; she knew she had to think. Things wouldn't be resolved tonight, but she could start the process. She could prove to Anna that she cared. And they'd work at it again next week. And the week after. And Elsa could visit more often. This could work. This could be okay. 

Right? 

XXXXX 

Game night didn't happen. They didn't even have dinner together. Anna had locked herself in her room; something that made Elsa's blood run cold. She'd knocked only twice over the course of four hours, desperate to be acknowledged, but the queen had no interest. She had more to say, but kept her words simple; “go away, Elsa.” 

It wasn't meant as revenge. Anna wasn't trying to be petty. She just needed time. How much time; she had no idea. But at this rate, no conversation was going to take place before the end of the day. It was already long past sunset; the outside world was dark, cold, and quiet. A perfect place for Elsa to think. 

She'd seen Anna open the door for Kristoff; the two disappeared into their chambers a couple of hours ago. Elsa wasn't one to eavesdrop, despite how desperate she was to talk. She couldn't bear to pace around the halls of this massive castle; so, she went outside. She’d made her way down to the water, sitting on the large rocks, watching the gentle waves. Snow was falling rather heavily; the temperature well into the negatives. Her dress was of her own creation, though a new design; her shoulders and arms were entirely bare, alongside a lot of her chest and most of her back. Her hair was still white from the events that took place in Ahtohallan, but it was a small change from the platinum-ash blonde it was before. Despite her thin attire, she wasn't cold in the least. She was shivering, but that was caused by the emotion she was struggling to hold. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, but her cries were silent. 

She loved Anna. More than anyone, or anything. She thought it was obvious. She'd always gone out of her way to make sure Anna's happiness was number one. What she'd failed to realise was that Anna had emotions other than joy. The redhead had always been a little ball of sunshine; Elsa wholeheartedly believed that nothing could dim that light. To find out Anna had been in pain for sixteen years of her twenty-one years of life... 

Agony. It was agonising. Like losing someone you love. Elsa pressed her hands hard into her stomach in an unconscious attempt to stop the pain she was feeling. She still hadn't learned how to handle emotion—she was shut off from humanity for so long, she forgot what it felt like to be human. To just...exist. Anna kept her grounded; kept her real. 

But that whole time that Anna was caring for her, she herself was in pain. She pushed her own feelings aside to care for Elsa, and the blonde had never noticed. She knew Anna was selfless, even before the at-the-time princess sacrificed her life for the sake of her sister and her kingdom. But this was on another level. This was nearly two decades of suffering that she endured for Elsa. 

A sob escaped her throat so suddenly, it startled her. She shrieked and jumped in response, slowly crawling off the rocks and onto the snow-covered ground as she let herself sob freely. She’d hoped that the snow would muffle her cries; the last thing she needed was someone coming to check on her. No one ever checked on Anna. 

The pain of those long years came rushing back. Oh, how badly she wanted to throw open that door and hug her sister. How badly she wanted to sing back to her; to tell her jokes and teach her and love her and tease her. She wanted to grow up with her, and that was stolen from them. She wasn't allowed to be the big sister she'd always dreamed of being. She wasn’t allowed to hold her best friend. They weren't allowed to discover the world together. They never got to roam the kingdom in their teen years and gossip about romantic interests. They never got to explore too far and get in trouble for it. They never got to laugh, or fight, or sing—they didn't see each other. They were strangers. 

And then, suddenly, they were together again. And just as quickly as that, they were apart. That pattern seemed to continue. 

Elsa thought heavily about their relationship; she tried to find the flaws on her side; things that she could control. She’d noticed a pattern of her own; it seemed that every time Anna tried to communicate with her, Elsa ran in one way or another. To Elsa, this was a simple defence mechanism—it was hard for her to communicate. Often times, she needed to take what was said and think on it before she could reply fairly. But to Anna, it was the same story: she was being shut out. 

Elsa realised that she had to work hard to be different for Anna. Not to disregard her own feelings or history, but to meet her sister in the middle. You gave up so much for me; surely, I can sacrifice a few boundaries for you. I can learn for you, Anna. 

She stared blankly across the fjord, though her view was obstructed by her tears and the falling snow. She brought a shaky hand up to her eyes to wipe them as dry as she could; she was a bit surprised that the tears weren't frozen. She'd never truly understood how her power worked; even after her discoveries and the comfort she found within herself, it was still difficult to understand something so otherworldly. 

Anna never struggled to understand. Not once. Their problems were never based around Elsa's powers; when they fought, Anna didn't care about the temperature in the room. She didn't care if the windows frosted over. She wasn't afraid of her sister; Elsa's magic was just a part of who she is. It was that unconditional love and treatment that truly helped Elsa come to terms with herself. Hearing a similar message from her mother only added to that. 

But now, she had complicated feelings towards her parents. If they neglected Anna, how could Elsa forgive them for that? 

They were only human. They did their best with what they had. They tried. 

And they're gone. That’s a history that can't be fixed. And most importantly, that isn't Elsa's responsibility. No; she has her own damage to fix. She can only control herself. And now, she had to make the first move. 

XXXXX 

She’d cleaned up a bit. She had to gather her thoughts. It was hard; finding the courage was so hard. She got a rush of anxiety every time she thought about knocking on that door again—being rejected by the person who had constantly tried to reach her hurt on a whole other level. What have I done? 

She sighed and shook her head. “No. You can fix this,” she said quietly to herself. Verbal reassurance had always been more helpful for her. It pulled her out of her head, and eased her anxiety just a smidge. “Just talk to her. She needs you. You can do this, Elsa.” 

A knock came at her bedroom door. Elsa turned, surprised; she called a delicate, “come in.” 

A moment passed, then the door swung open and Anna stepped in. Elsa felt her heart leap into her throat, and simultaneously, her stomach dropped. Yet again, she failed to make the first move. “Anna. I was just coming to see you.” 

The redhead seemed surprised, but it was gentle. “You were?” 

Elsa nodded and gently hugged herself; “I mean, I was trying to find the courage to come and see you.” It was difficult to admit for some reason. 

Anna smiled ever so slightly as she shut the door behind her. “Well,” she took a few steps closer and gently crossed her arms for comfort. “Beat you to it,” she half joked. She had changed into her nightgown; her auburn hair fell loosely in an elegant flow half-way down her back. 

“Again,” Elsa said softly, defeated. “I'm s—” 

“I'm tired of apologies,” Anna interrupted, voice still quiet. She’d failed to make eye contact as she spoke. “Words have lost meaning over the years. Certain words, at least.” 

Elsa nodded distantly. She didn't know if she should speak, or listen. 

Anna took a breath then looked at her sister, also defeated. “I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I've never lost myself like that before,” her voice faded out a bit on that last part. “I didn't mean to raise my voice; it was immature, and I'll make sure it doesn't happen again—” 

“No.” 

The queen tilted her head, slightly taken aback. Elsa's voice was stern. It surprised her. “No?” 

The blonde moved closer, expression showing her desperation. “No, it will happen again, and that's okay. You have every right to be upset and you should never apologise for being human.” 

Anna smiled lightly again. Those words were extra important coming from Elsa. “I just don't want to hurt you.” 

“Your honesty will never hurt me, Anna,” she replied. “That isn't for you to worry about, anyways. You've got to speak up for yourself. Always. Even against me. I want us to be able to talk—gods, I want us to be able to fight and make up as sisters do.” She paused, then continued when Anna said nothing. “Things don't have to be perfect all the time. And things aren't going to fall apart if we have a falling out. We have to learn.” 

Anna’s gaze fell as defeat rushed over her again, and Elsa noticed. It sent her into a panic, but she tried to contain it. Did she say something wrong? Is she missing something? What does Anna need? Is it ruined? Is it over? Anna's going to tell her to leave and they're never going to speak again? No, she wouldn't do that. Would she? If she decides she deserves better; if she decides that— 

Elsa was ripped out of her thoughts when she was wrapped in a tight embrace. Her arms instinctively wrapped around her sister and they held each other close, relaxing. 

“I have spent my entire life petrified that I'm going to lose those that I love, and that's all that seems to happen.” 

Her voice was so delicate and pain-filled that it made Elsa's tears quickly return. She tightened her grip around Anna's petite frame, and buried her face in the crease of her warm, freckled neck. 

Anna stared blankly towards the wall. It still felt weird to be in this room; to be on this side of the door. The weirdest part was that there was someone in that room all along; she hadn't spent those years just talking to a door. There was another lonely little girl on the other side, who lived to hear the voice of her baby sister. 

Anna tightened her grip, too. Tears welled in her eyes, but she swallowed them as best she could. “You were my light, too. The only thing I lived for. The thought of someday meeting you was all that got me through those lonely nights.” 

Elsa’s fingers curled in as she grabbed at Anna's hair and clothes; she tried to contain her emotions, but couldn't, and cried on her sister's shoulder. 

Anna felt her move in her arms; she knew she was crying. It made tears escape her eyes, too. “I know you're broken. I know you've been through hell, too. I just wish we could walk through the flames together.” 

Elsa nodded; “we will.” Her voice was broken and weak; she sounded nasally due to her crying. She held Anna even tighter, if that were even possible. “We will always do this together, Anna, I swear. I'll never leave you behind again.” 

Anna wanted to smile at the thought, but couldn't. How could she believe such promises? The first day they'd spent together, Elsa said the same thing. Together. Then again as they travelled to the forest. Then again as they—

“Prove it.” 

A beat passed, then they mutually pulled out of the embrace. Elsa kept a hold on Anna's upper arms, but the redhead took her own hands back and crossed her arms again. They looked at each other with tears eyes; cheeks red and puffy. Elsa looked genuinely upset, whilst Anna almost looked betrayed; broken and distrusting. 

“Prove it,” the queen repeated. “Don't just say it.” 

Elsa nodded distantly; “I will. But—” 

“No buts.” She shook her head, clearly unimpressed. She wanted to be understanding. She wanted to be soft. But she couldn't let herself. Not this time. “I know you're learning, Elsa, we both are. We've had the same amount of contact with people; the same amount of practice. But I'm not a stranger. I'm not someone you met on the street; I'm your sister. And I know we grew up apart and we have much to learn about each other, but we spent the first five years of my life together, and I want us to be close again. And I know it's not realistic—we were young, but we could still—” 

“Anna.” 

The queen stopped. She’d started rambling. She did that sometimes. It was very Anna. She smiled sheepishly; “sorry; I get carried away.” 

Elsa smiled warmly; “I want us to be close, too.” She thought for a beat, then when they made eye contact again, she continued; “I am sorry; truly. I had no idea. There are so many things that I wish I had done differently; for both of us. I wish I could take all your pain and turn it into something beautiful for you. I wish you hadn't spent so long alone— I'm so sorry for the consequences. For your anxiety and your depression and your fear of abandonment—for everything that affects your daily life, I am so sorry.” 

“You get it,” Anna replied quietly, offering a weak, lop-sided shrug. “You get it because you feel the same in some way. We could understand each other. We could help each other. But I'm so afraid to talk to you sometimes; I'm so afraid that you're gonna shut me out again that I almost don't want to get close to you. I can't handle any more pain. I just can't.” 

Her heart broke again. Anna was right about one thing: they do understand each other. That was one thing that really bothered Elsa, was knowing that the pain she'd always felt; the pain she'd always tried to protect Anna from had been there all along. They really were in the same boat. Elsa gently ran her hands up and down Anna's upper arms, then took a tight hold of her. She looked deep into her aqua eyes; “Anna.” 

The redhead sniffled. She knew what words were coming; she'd heard it all before. It was different this time. Elsa was trying. Elsa heard her, and saw her, and accepted her. That’s a step. But was Anna really willing to give her another chance? 

“I promise from now on we will do this together.” 

Each word was fully pronounced; her tone was stern; she was serious. 

“We will work through this together.” 

One more chance to make things right. It was only fair; Anna herself had been lacking at communicating, too. It was a mutual ordeal. This chance would be for them both. 

“Are you willing to try? To work at it? To truly let each other in?” 

It would be a lifelong healing process. Or so she figured. There was too much history, and surely the future would only be busier. Anna was queen now; she did have duties to tend to. And, she was engaged. She was soon going to be a queen and a wife. She saw children in her future; her near future. It was easy to picture; life with Kristoff was more than ideal; they had incredible communication skills following their engagement. They’d sat down and talked out everything. They were always on the same page, even if they sometimes had disagreements. 

A queen. A wife. A mother. A sister? 

Could she handle all of those responsibilities? Was she ready? She was only twenty-one. Her future without Elsa looked easy, as much as that pained her. It felt easy; the idea of moving on. Building her own family and her own legacy. She was Arendelle's hero; this was her forever home. Did Elsa have a place in Anna's future? Elsa made it clear that Anna had a place in hers. Was that mutual?

The queen looked at her sister, and Elsa looked back at her, awaiting an answer. 

Are you willing to try? 

Anna smiled warmly. “Of course.” 

[snowycrocus]

Frozen Fanfiction “Such a Cost” Ch.7

Elsa Sacrifices her Magic to Save Anna

Start with these first:  part one   part two   part three   part four   part five part six

Finished this a lot earlier than anticipated! Sooo excited to hear what you think...now the plot thickens (though maybe it was already pretty thick) and I do believe that you may see where this is leading now...let me know!

----------------------

Did it hurt, she wondered?

Her slender fingers burn with the biting cold but she forces them back into the ground to mold themselves around yet another snowball.

It hurt when her powers were ripped from her. She told Anna she doesn't remember, but she only said that because it sounds better than "it felt like my soul was being torn out through my skin."

She cups her hands to pack the small flakes together into a recognizable shape. But the snow isn't the right consistency, and it flakes off the sides, so she digs her hands in again.

Did Olaf feel it when she gave up her magic? Did he feel his snowy soul torn out of his snowy body? Or was it more of a numb disintegration?

No gloves. She doesn't need them, she tells herself, even after the stinging and burning goes away to be replaced by a frozen numbness. She tries to flex and bend them and it's hard. It hurts.

And Marshmallow had been so big, she remembers fondly. Did he fall from that height into pieces, she wonders, falling to the snow-covered ground with earth-shattering thumps?

She painfully forces her fingers to curl and scoops yet another crumbly snowball. The pain is gone now, replaced by deathlike numbness. The cold can't hurt her now. Just like before.

Before....

She places the most recent snowball on top of the other two bigger ones. They're lopsided, uneven. Pieces that didn't stick properly slide down. She looks around for some sticks for arms but can't find any.

She settles on some black pebbles she finds.

At least he's got eyes, she thinks, walking away and cradling her stiff, dripping, numb hands.

------------------

Apparently it was a bad idea to pour hot water over her freezing hands.

But they had been so cold, so stiff, and hot is good against cold, right?

But maybe it was too much, the near-boiling water droplets still steaming off her now-thawed hands, because her skin has turned red and raw and the numbing coldness has been replaced by a terrible burning sensation.

She feels like she'll never get the hang of having to regulate her own body temperature.

Once she has the use of her fingers once more, she proceeds with the task of containing her long, chestnut locks into a bun.

She misses her braid. She tried it, once, after the change. But it wasn't her anymore. That braid was for Elsa, the Snow Queen.

Besides, she can't freeze her bangs back anymore, and it's a daily struggle to secure them so they don't hang in her eyes.

She should just cut them, she knows, but she cannot bear the thought and embarrassment of asking someone to cut one of her old key features.

So a work-like bun it must be. She painstakingly twists her hair until it's just the right shape and size at the nape of her neck, taking care to secure it properly with a handful of scalp-piercing pins so her bangs don't get in the way.

There. Done. She sighs at her reflection in the mirror. She looks like she did in the Before, when her powers hadn't yet been revealed. Hopeless.

And tired. There are dark bags under her eyes that won't be hidden by makeup no matter how much she tries. It reminds her of mother, after... everything happened with her as a child. The deep, haunted look and sad exhaustion she carried with her. It was from the consequences of her powers that her mother wore that look.

Her mother died searching for answers for her.

Maybe, Elsa thinks, reaching for one more pin for a flyaway piece of hair, it's not the searching that will kill her, but the answer she chose.

------------------

Alliances remain stable.

She blinks at the report from one of her spies once more and releases a breath she hadn't known she was holding. With her powers gone and Arendelle now reliant on their tiny and yet-untested military, she and her advisors had been most concerned about the possibility of attack.

In the Before, when she had had her powers, she had never truly considered her ability to protect her country. Now, with them gone, she realizes just what a wild card she had held in her very hands.

But that card had been played; forfeited to the bottom of the pile to never be drawn again.

But so far, things were looking consistent. She trusted her spies and the news they sent. She wished she could use her spies everywhere; send them places and let them visit and talk to people in her place so that she never had to leave the safe space of her bedroom and office once more.

She couldn't believe she would think that - she never wanted to be confined to such small quarters after having lived such a restricted life as a child and young woman.

But now, the desire to stay hidden wasn't due to the need to hide her magic - it was the need to escape the constant scrutiny and reminders of what she had lost.

Her council didn't seem to hold her in high regard anymore. They had begun to talk over her in meetings, wouldn't heed her opinions. It seemed that as a woman, she had only been respected before due to the danger and threat of her magic.

All her staff and guards would still stare. She couldn't escape their gazes, the mixed looks of sympathy and curiosity.

Outside the castle was the worst. Some would stare, others would point, and perhaps worst of all was that most didn't even recognize her. She never wanted the fame, didn't like being looked at or bowed to obsequiously all the time. But it made her physical changes all the more obvious when people ignored her in the streets or even bumped into her, oblivious to the guards around her or her high-class attire.

If she didn't feel like herself, and didn't look like herself...who was she? She didn't know anymore.

She threw herself into her work to distract herself at all costs. Work made her feel like nothing had ever changed, and she could simply immerse herself in numbers and treaties and contracts.

But what she hadn't realized was that containing her powerful, unruly magic had taken up a great deal of her mental strain. Keeping her powers controlled had occupied her. Now that that need was gone, that part of her mind roamed freely, flitting instead between what she had lost and guilt over feeling like she had lost something when she had in fact gained back her sister.

She shook her head to attempt to clear her swarming thoughts of despair and dipped her pen into the inkwell. She tried to keep her hands from shaking as she wrote her thanks to her spy with instructions to continue his espionage.

----------

"They're gone?"

"Completely."

"Are you sure?"

"I am." He nods curtly, his thin lips broadening into a sly smile.

"So she's normal? Not a threat?"

He raises one eyebrow. "Normal? No, never has been, you know what I've said on that matter. In terms of a threat? No, there is none." He meets the other's gaze and taps the table with a single finger to emphasize each word. "Powerless. Defenseless. Vulnerable."

The other man rises, drawing a pin from a small box on his desk and sticks it triumphantly into a spot on the military map.

Arendelle.

-----------------------

Alright, so someone tell me you see where this is going now. 😂 Thank you all sooooo much for reading. I love you all and love to hear what you think. Also, I miiiiight be able to have the next chapter up in a week or two.

Tagging readers of previous chapters:

@everrealmdweller @wintermoonqueen @justlookatthosesausages @above-d-clouds @humster-inside @lelitachay @maregnbue @superstarfishy97 @ellacarter13 @wintermoonqueen @ilongtogointotheunknown @welovefrozenfanfiction @egoeas @frozenlover2005 @the-sky-is-awake @arendelve @habibi18 @etienna @aqueenthatisfrozen @frozen-heart101 @melody-fox @frozenartscapes @butimaloneandfree @wandering-bard-from-the-id

[justlookatthosesausages]

Hey I have a frozen prompt... Friday the 13th. You decide what happens, maybe the girls are stuck by bad luck all day but at the end of the day find out that it was Olaf because he read a book in the library about it. That’s just an idea though. You can decide. Please don’t feel any pressure about any of this.

“No, no no no nononono!!” Exclaimed Elsa, trying to freeze the inkwell in its mid-air fall, but it was useless.

It splashed all over her paperwork, ironically only the left pile of papers, which was the one of the finished mail.

The Queen clenched her eyes shut as the ink silently stained the capital contracts definitely. Biting her lip, she clenched her hand and tried to remain calm, or else the whole study would get covered with ice in an instant. Elsa opened her eyes and frowned at the fell inkwell, closing it and discarding it in a drawer, trying not to stain her fingers.

What was wrong with her today? The day went well and Elsa had never been this unlucky. However, nothing was disturbing her, her thoughts were focused, and her mood great; then why was she so clumsy? She could almost be a competitor to Anna’s natural awkwardness. Yet, Elsa always took double or triple care when using her ink and pen during paperwork. How could this happen?

The blonde mumbled and stood up, opening a closet where she kept all of her stationery. She carefully picked up a new inkwell, and was about to put it on the end of her desk, but missed the edge and it fell off her hand, twirling to the floor. Just like a toast always fall with the jam side down, the inkwell cheerfully did a front flip and hit the carpet, its cork popping open and all of the ink spilling deep inside the fabric.

“Oh now you’ve got to be kidding me.” 

Elsa inhaled a long time, shaking and just about to scream a list of swear words. Snowflakes appeared in the air near her head, and she exhaled as she waved her hand to melt them.

It seemed like it had all began once the evening started. A series of clumsy or unlucky events, and Elsa was done with it. She needed to be efficient, she wanted to be efficient, and go to sleep early for once, but life had decided otherwise. 

“Is it because I work late?” Grumbled the blonde, picking up the mess. “Is that how the gods punish me??” She sighed, only half-joking.

Right at this moment, she heard a knock at the door, and recognized the rhythm of it. 

“Come in, Anna”, invited the Queen without even turning her head.

Anna stepped in, close the door behind her, took a few steps in the study, and… Tripped on the carpet and feel head first to the floor. 

There was a big noise when whatever she had been holding shattered on the carpet, staining it even more - which, thought Elsa on the moment between fear of Anna’s state and exasperation, didn’t matter anymore - putting what looked like milk, glass, ceramic and chocolate everywhere. 

Elsa gave her sister a hand as she stood up. “Are you okay?”

“I’m so, so sorry- Yeah, I’m fine, it’s just… Have you changed the position of your carpet?”

The blonde sighed, closing her eyes and pinching the top of her nose. “It’s alright, it’s not your fault. And no, this carpet hasn’t moved since… Well, actually since forever. I think it was its last day of service today.” She added, shoulders down with aggravation. 

Anna frowned. “How come I never stumbled over it, then? In all the evenings I bring you food while you work…”

Elsa picked up the snacks she had prepared for her and put them back on the tray that had fell down. “It appears that this evening is not like the others.”

The Princess turned to her as she picked up the mugs and food as well. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know… I spilled ink everywhere. Twice. It’s starting to get on my nerves. Blame the date, or the full moon, whatever. I’m in bad luck.”

Anna chuckled as they stood up. “What, don’t tell me that you’re superstitious?”

The elder shrugged. “You know I tend to see bad signs everywhere.” 

Her sister didn’t reply anything. Instead, it was like she just had a revelation; like it genuinely explained everything that had happened to her as well. 

“Now that you mention it, I did feel unlucky too…” 

Elsa lifted hopeful and relieved eyes to her. “You did??”

“Yeah, I broke like, 3 vases today.”

“That’s usual for you”, noted Elsa, unimpressed. 

“No, wait, I mean, 3 vases since the night has fallen.”

The night had barely just started a hour ago, and it was still the beginning of the evening. The two sisters exchanged a meaningful glance. 

“Are you saying…”

“You mean…”

Both looked through the window and stared at the moon, with squinting eyes and an angry yet worried look, and there was a silence. 

“That’s creepy…” Whispered Anna. “Do you think this night is haunted? Friday 13th AND a full moon?” 

There was another silence, when suddenly the bells of the clock in Elsa’s study struck the hour, and the two sisters jumped of fear with a gasp. 

Elsa slapped Anna’s arm with a frown, blushing. “Stop saying scary stuff!! You’re driving me crazy.”

Anna chuckled as an apology, and they tried to return to what they were doing.

“The carpet needs to be changed”, said Elsa out loud, taking a mental note for herself. 

“How is work? How are the contracts going?” Inquired Anna.

“Really great, until I ruined it all and now I have to start everything again.”

“You didn’t ruin everything”, smiled Anna to be supportive.

“It’s still two hours of work vanishing away”, sighed the elder. 

“Come on, I’ll help you wri-aAHH!” 

Anna had just jumped on one of the chairs facing Elsa’s desk, and the legs had briskly broke, the wood cracking on the four of them simultaneously. It was so surprising and impossible that Elsa gasped of panic. 

“SEE? That’s another sign. Now I can’t unsee it. This evening has got to be haunted.”

Anna puffed as she stood up and rubbed her back. “Don’t be silly. I always jump to sit on this chair, and this time was like, the one time too many.” 

She picked up the broken parts. “Maybe we should take care of this now. You’re so nervous, I think you need a break. Ha, break? See? Puns. Anyway, if we go to the kitchens now, I can make you another snack.”

“That’s a really good idea, thank you.” Nodded Elsa. 

They left the room and went down the stairs, Elsa holding the tray of food and Anna the broken chair. 

“Oh, I just understood the pun. Break, as in, the broken chair.” Snorted the elder.

Anna had an amused smile. “It took you a while... Yep, you really need a break.”  

They had reached the end of the stairs, when suddenly they heard a loud and grim laughter in front of them, and it echoed down the corridor. Elsa instantly placed a hand and soon half her body in front of Anna, almost dropping the tray in the process. The redhead was touched by the gesture, but stood still in fear. In fact, Elsa was not more reassured either. 

“What the hell was that?!”

[unfortunate-stranger-losers]

All Those Things They Couldn’t Say - A Runaway Baudelaires AU

{ao3} {tumblr} {masterlist}

Chapter Fifteen - Violet at the Lake

Klaus was a bit skeptical. “It’s not gonna be pleasant to watch a man be eaten alive.” 

“It won’t be pleasant to be captured either.” Violet shrugged. She opened the snackbag, saying, “Obviously I won’t eat these, but a few drops in the water should attract their attention. I’m going to crawl under the house, where the lakeside is, and summon a couple. It should be easy to snag a few, and then once we have them, they’ll attack Olaf when I dump them in the water, as he’ll have just eaten.” 

“Can’t I come with you? It could be dangerous.” 

“It will be, which is why you need to stay here. Someone has to keep Olaf and Josephine in place until I return, and more people in the water will attract leech attention we don’t want.” 

“I just- don’t know if I want you out there alone.” 

Violet smiled and put a hand on his cheek. “Hey. I know. I’m not super into leaving you here, either. But if we don’t kill Olaf, he kills us. You know?” 

“Yeah…” Klaus nodded, and then moved to the bed, picking up Sunny. “What should we do?” 

“Keep Josephine here. And keep your bag with you, in case the plan goes wrong. I’ll be right back with our leeches.” Violet slung her bag over her shoulder, and said, “See you in a sec.” 

And with that, she was off. 

Klaus sat at the kitchen table, and he continued, “So, Lindley Murray developed his study in the nineteenth century of the role of language in European countries, concluding that Latin was distinguished from the Ancient Greek approach.” 

Josephine nodded, stirring the soup, as Sunny sat beside her and watched, cocking her head in interest. “Yes, good memorization, Klaus. And what were the two grammar books published in 1711-” 

“A Grammar of the English Tongue by John Brightland and Essay towards a Practical Grammar Usage by James Greenwood.” 

“Yes! You’ve been keeping up your studies.” 

Klaus sighed. Well, nothing else to do here. “Yeah.” he paused, and then said, “Josephine, when was the last time you talked to our parents?” 

Josephine shook her head. “Oh, it was long ago.” 

“Yeah, what happened?” 

“I’d rather not discuss the past.” 

Klaus shared an incredulous glance with Sunny, who crawled off the counter and onto the floor. “You know, sometimes talking about scary things can make them seem not so scary anymore.” 

“That’s not entirely true.” 

“Well, it works.” Klaus fiddled with his hands, bouncing his leg. “When I was five, I talked to my Dad about wild wolves, and I realized they’re only scary if you’re on their territory. There are plenty of people who work with wolves and find them to be quite friendly if you’re not a threat.” 

“Yes, but the second you’re seen as a threat, you’re in the middle of a pack of wolves.” Josephine sighed. She stirred the soup some more, and then said, “Where’s Violet?” 

“I-in her room.” Klaus said. “You know, resting. She… feels bad about being so rude.” 

“Yes, rudeness is quite…” 

“Rude?”   

“And where’s Sunny?” 

“Oh, she…” Klaus paused, looking down at the ground. 

Shit. 

“Hold on a moment.” Klaus got to his feet, and quickly left the room. He glanced up and down the hallway, his heart beating quite a bit faster. “Sunny?” 

He didn’t hear a response, and immediately everything that could go wrong jumped to the forefront of his head, along with the dark, haunting image of Sunny in a cage, pounding on the bars, screaming, while Klaus was held back, and he couldn’t move, he couldn’t get to her…

“Sunny!” he called, and ran to the nearest room, throwing open the door and peering in. No baby. “Sunny!” 

A panic rose in his chest, and he ran to the next room, and then the next, still shouting for his sister. He bust down every door, holding pulling the straps on his bag as tight as possible so it couldn’t fall and slow him down, every empty room increasing his fear. Is this how Josephine feels all the time? Fuckin hell… 

“Sunny!” 

He finally raced into a room, and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his little sister sitting by the edge of a bed, gnawing on the wood. She looked up in surprise, and Klaus sighed, leaning against the doorway. “Don’t scare me like that, Sunny!” 

She mumbled an apology, and he moved forwards, kneeling beside her. “Why are you here, anyway? There’s plenty of things to teethe on in the kitchen, where we’re supposed to be.” 

“Sirrah,” Sunny shook her head, “I’m not teething at the moment; my teeth have come in fine.” 

“Well, then, why’d you run off?” 

She sighed, and then looked up at Klaus and said, “Letom.” “Do you remember when we were in that motel for a few weeks, and Mother and Father told us that if we had to hide, not to go under the bed?” 

“Because robbers will look for valuables there first,” Klaus nodded, “And when people don’t want to have something in plain sight, they put it-” 

“Seeka yit.” Sunny nodded, and she grabbed Josephine’s navy bedspread and lifted it, crawling under. 

“Sunny, she already has a safe, why would anything be under the-” Klaus began. 

“Found!” Sunny called. 

“What? Lemme see!” 

Sunny pushed a large book from beneath the blanket, and Klaus picked it up. An atlas of Lake Lachrymose. Sunny pushed another book out, and Klaus sighed as he lifted it. “A biography of Ivan Lachrymose, Lake Explorer.” he said. “It- hold on, I think there’s some papers stuffed in here-” he shook the book, and some typewritten sheets fell. But after looking over them a moment, he said, “Nevermind, this just seems to be a building committee transcript. Boring as the rest of the book.” 

“Found!” Sunny repeated, and then she crawled out and held out some kind of metal tube in her small hand. “Thing!” 

“Lemme see.” Klaus dropped the book, taking the tube, and flipped it over in his hands, seeing the VFD eye emblazoned on the cover. “Oh! It’s a spyglass.” 

“Pygla?” Sunny asked. 

“It’s like a telescope, but these dials can give you extra shit.” Klaus explained. He bit his lip, and said, “Mother and Father didn’t show me all of them- they’ve got one, probably still with them- but if you turn the dials this way- see, it heats up!”

The lid flipped open, and a red, warm light glowed out. Sunny ooed and held out a hand, feeling the heat. “Oose.” she said. 

“You’re right, that could be useful.” Klaus nodded, before shuffling the spyglass back to normal and closing it up. “Think we should steal it?” 

“Whyno?” 

“You’re right. Not like she’ll miss it. Was there anything else under there?” 

Sunny nodded, and crawled back under the bed. She returned, pushing a large, leather-bound book ahead of her. Klaus flipped it open, looking down at the loopy handwriting. “It’s Josephine’s.” 

“Wympi?” 

“Yeah, it does seem like a diary.” 

“Ree?” 

Klaus sighed, and glanced at the door. “Well, Josephine’s busy in the kitchen. Might as well see what secrets are in here, huh?” 

“Yee!” 

What they did not think of, as they were flipping open the diary, was that they were supposed to be in the kitchen distracting Josephine, and that if Josephine wandered into the library, looking for the children, her window would give her a great view of the beach. 

They also did not notice the storm brewing outside. 

Violet crept down to the water, trying to stifle her fear. She didn’t know much about these leeches, only what Josephine had told her, but she was able to decipher that they were quite dangerous and fast-acting. She hadn’t eaten in over an hour, though, so she would likely be safe, so long as she didn’t hold onto the snackbag too long. She knelt by the water, and tore open the bag, scattering some mix into the waves. Then she pulled out Klaus’s jar, filling it about halfway with water, then sprinkling a few bits of mix into it. Then she watched the waves, and she waited. 

It started raining a bit, but she didn’t mind. She quite liked the rain, actually. Even as it started pouring, and the wind picked up, she kept waiting in unbothered silence. She wondered, after a few quiet minutes, if the rain scared the leeches off, or if she was too close to the shore for the leeches to smell the food. Maybe she should’ve gone out a bit farther; she had a bit of mix left, she could do that. She waded into the waves, scattering food around before backing a bit farther, to keep a safe distance from the leech bait. The last thing she wanted was to be attacked by angry leeches while trying to get rid of Count Olaf. 

She paused, then, wondering where Count Olaf was now. Perhaps he was on his way over already, or at the house and being distracted by Klaus and Sunny. Or maybe, she shivered, he was with their parents, taunting them, harming them. “Don’t worry,” she whispered to no one, hugging herself a little as the droplets continued to pour onto her, “You’ll be free soon.” 

Violet shut her eyes, letting her imagination run off with her. She just wanted her parents back. For the last few days, she’d had little doubt they’d escape- they were Beatrice and Bertrand fucking Baudelaire, they could escape anything. But, well… it had been a while. Their parents hadn’t left them alone this long, and they had to know where the safehouses were. Surely they’d be here by now. 

Stop having doubts. They’ll be fine. She trusted them, she knew them, she knew that once Olaf was dead they’d come get them, and they’d be okay again- it didn’t matter if they had to go back on the run and back into hiding and never live a normal life again, because normal was just whenever they were together. She wanted to play cards with her parents and hug them and tell them she knew they’d get out and now they could protect her again and she wouldn’t have to be in charge of Klaus and Sunny and have to wade into an ocean, listening for dangerous leeches. 

Listening… for… 

Lost in her thoughts, she only just now started back to reality. There was something behind her, splashing as it came closer… but it didn’t sound like leeches, it was too big, too lumbering, almost like footsteps-  

She opened her eyes just as, quick as a whip, an arm wrapped around her chest and yanked her back. Violet let out a piercing shriek, but after only a second a filthy hand clamped over her mouth, muffling her voice. 

“I was starting to wonder if you brats ever separated.” Olaf hissed into her ear. 

Violet tried very hard to push back the frightened tears that sprang to the edge of her eyes, and she kicked back, trying to wrestle her way out of his reach. Instead, he tightened his grip on her, pulling her way too close. She started flailing, trying just to break his hold, to bite his hand, to get away. Think, Violet, how do you get out of this situation? 

“Now what are you doing all the way out here?” Olaf asked, seemingly not caring how hard she was struggling against him. “Trying to take a swim in the rain? Or are you escaping out this way? I thought you might try to run before I got Josephine out of the house, so it’s a good thing I arrived early, isn’t it?” 

Violet kept trying to scream through his mouth. She managed to stamp hard on his foot, but instead of releasing her, he snarled and moved quickly, pushing her down. Violet felt a hard, sharp jolt as her back hit the water and then the rocks beneath, and only barely managed to shut her eyes before her head went under the waves. 

She felt a rush around her, water pouring around her face and ears. It was incredibly hot, probably just due to the shock of it, but that didn’t stop her from feeling as if she was being boiled for a moment. Salt lapped across her face, up her nose, and the hand over her mouth released only for an instant, water rushing into that, too, as she instinctively tried to scream. It tasted bitter, sour, sick. 

When she was seven, they stayed in a town very near to the ocean. There was a rental beach house that Beatrice found out would be empty for a week, and they roomed there, with a great view of the sea from the bedroom window. On the first night, Violet, who did not yet realize the difference between saltwater and freshwater, thought they had hit the jackpot on a water source, and one night thought it would be a great idea to fill their empty water bottles while everyone was asleep. She snuck out, slinging water inside and giggling as the waves lapped at her feet. She filled up the bottles, putting them up on the counter before going back to bed. The next morning, she grabbed a bottle and took a swig, and realized her mistake right then, before spitting up in the sink. Klaus had come in just after and did the exact same thing. Violet, feeling like she’d done something wrong, started crying, which caused Beatrice and Bertrand to rush in, scared they were hurt. 

Bertrand picked up Klaus, who wasn’t crying but was looking very confused, and Beatrice knelt by Violet, trying to calm her down. As soon as Violet explained the situation, she burst into laughter and explained the concept of saltwater to her daughter, and that was that. Violet hadn’t thought about that day in years. 

She didn’t know why it came back to her then- well, she supposed swallowing saltwater was the main culprit. But she’d gone to the beach and accidentally inhaled the sharp liquid before, and it hadn’t happened then. 

Maybe it was because she was terrified, and she just wanted her mother to laugh at her daughter’s foolish error, telling her it was no big deal, and she wasn’t in trouble, and everything was going to be fine. 

Violet surfaced the water, and Olaf grabbed her shirt collar, yanking her up close to him. She struggled to breathe, blinking water out of her eyes, still wriggling to try and get away from him. 

“Still got some fight in you.” he hmmed, and then he pushed her under again. 

And then that sensation was all over her again, but worse. Hotter, scratchier. Water went up her nose and it hurt like hell, even though her eyes were shut she could feel the current press against them, her hair flew into her face and neck, feeling like it was strangling her. The rough hand against her collar flattened, pushing her down under the water, into the blackness and rushing, churning, hot waves. He pressed more against her, his other arm holding hers back so she couldn’t even use those to try to propel herself to the surface or fight him off. 

Then, in a minute, she had surfaced again. But this time she felt the grip on her tighten more, her body forced into a standing position as she coughed up water. 

She heard a distant call- “What is going on?” 

Violet blinked water from her eyes, the salt stinging and causing tears to start to flow. Her vision was blurry for a moment, as she heard Olaf call, in his false Captain Sham voice, “Ah! Good lady! Your sister ‘ere was takin a swim! Went a bit too deep, I reckon!” 

Her vision finally returned, and Violet saw Josephine standing at the edge of the beach. She glanced quickly down at the water, scuttling backwards to avoid the lapping waves, too fearful to go further. She had to shout in order to speak to the others. “Ah, Captain Sham! Thank you. Now please come back to shore…” 

“No!” Violet gasped, trying to stagger away, but Olaf still had a hold on her arms. “Josephine, please, help me!” 

“Violet, Captain Sham is getting you out of the water! Now, you know better than to go swimming in a hurricane- or even at all!” 

“He’s Count Olaf! He’s trying to hurt me, please, Josephine-” 

“Violet, I’ve had enough of this nonsense!” Josephine shouted, and Violet burst into tears as she saw Olaf’s smirk. 

“Please! Please fucking help us-” 

“Language, Violet! Now come ashore!” 

“Perhaps I could show her how to swim better.” Olaf said, and Violet was unsure if he said it loud enough for Josephine to hear. 

“Captain Sham!” Josephine hesitated, and then stepped a bit closer. “Please bring her asho…” 

Josephine’s voice trailed off, and Violet saw that her head had lowered, her gaze fixed on their legs. Violet looked down, and realized with a start, and a triumphant grin, that Olaf had discarded his peg leg for the swim. 

“Now, Josephine!” Olaf called, and he dropped his false voice. “Why don’t you be a dear and wait for me in the taxi?” 

Josephine’s eyes widened, and she stumbled back. “I- I suppose that might be best…” 

“Josephine!” Violet screamed. “Josephine, Klaus and Sunny- get them out! Klaus and Sunny-” 

“Shut up about your annoying siblings.” Olaf pulled his arm around her chest again and squeezed, causing her to gasp as her breath was cut off a moment. “We’ll take care of them soon enough.” 

Violet looked to see Josephine start to back farther away from the water, and an anger entered her. “Leave them alone! Leave them alone!” 

He leaned down closer to her, and she could smell his foul breath as he said, with a dark shine in his eye, “Make me.” 

Violet froze. 

He pulled her arms down, and released her chest so he could pull her hair along with it so that she would meet his eyes. She remained frozen a moment, panic paralyzing her just as it had before, rain pouring down in sheets and pelting her with cold water, the wind blowing against her as if it wanted her to fall right into Olaf’s trap. 

And then the thought of Klaus and Sunny entered her mind, and the thought of her parents, wherever they were. What would Mother do? 

Violet looked up at him, glared, and spat in his face. 

And within a moment, she was forced underwater again. 

It is very hard to describe the sound you hear when water goes into your ears, but the best Violet could think of at the moment was pressing. Pushing, prodding… if those things could be heard, that was what was happening to her, and it was deafening. 

She struggled for air, and a thought hit her. No. No, I can’t leave Klaus and Sunny like this. No- 

No… 

All of a sudden, the grip on her released. She heard a distant splash, something or someone falling into the water, but she didn’t pay attention, instead immediately throwing out her arms, pushing down as fast as she could, practically catapulting herself back up to the surface. As soon as her head popped out, she gasped, breathing as deeply as possible. She staggered to her feet, wiping water from her eyes, and then she let out a scream, hoping someone would hear her. 

Then she turned around and realized that someone was there. 

Josephine pushed Violet back as Olaf resurfaced, grabbing the older woman’s arm. She was sopping wet, and her hairnet had fallen, white hair spilling around her face. Waves lapped at her dress as she tugged against Olaf, and she shouted, “Violet! Run!” 

“Wh- Josephine?” 

“Go!” 

Violet stumbled back as Olaf got up, trying to drag Josephine down, and then she heard it. 

The low sound was almost like a quiet whispering, as if people were murmuring secrets in the water. But it was not people approaching. Whether they finally smelled Violet’s food, or if one of the adults had recently eaten, Violet didn’t know, but what she knew was the leeches were coming. 

Violet caught a glimpse of them as they swam forwards; small, black shapes, scarcely longer than a finger. There were hundreds, swarming, and coming very, very close. 

She turned to Josephine, but the woman had frozen in terror, and Olaf was able to thrust her into the water. Violet screamed as he did, and she raced backwards. She grabbed the glass jar she’d dropped, floating in the water, and, without thinking, threw it at Olaf. While it didn’t seem to hurt him much, it did manage to make him lose a bit of balance, which isn’t good when you’re in the ocean. Violet ran for Josephine, grabbing the older woman’s hand and dragging her along as she started racing back to shore. Josephine started screaming something about being terrified, but Violet wasn’t listening, just intent on getting them to safety before… 

Josephine’s hand slipped from hers, but Violet didn’t think much of it, just focusing on getting back to the beach. She skidded across the sand, and only then looked back and realized her mistake. 

Olaf had grabbed Josephine’s arm, and the two were fighting in the ocean. The leeches were drawing closer, and as Violet watched, Olaf threw Josephine farther into the water. 

She didn’t even think, she just started back into the water, racing for a moment, the only thought in her head that Josephine saved me, I have to save her, even if I have to strangle Olaf myself- 

Then she heard a creak above her. 

She stopped, only a few feet back into the ocean, and she looked up. She hadn’t noticed how horrible the storm had gotten, how fierce the winds were, sharp rain smashing against the rocks around her. 

And against the house. 

Josephine’s house was rocking, the stilts beneath starting to creak and moan. They wouldn’t last long. 

Klaus and Sunny. 

Violet looked back, to see Olaf kicking Josephine, splashing at her, drawing her farther from shore and closer to the leeches. She had no doubt that without help, their guardian would die. 

But she was the eldest Baudelaire sibling, and they were still in that house. 

So she blinked back more tears, and turned and ran. 

As she ran up the hill, she heard the screams begin, just as she started to scream, too. She screamed, not from pain, but from panic, as she caught sight of Josephine Anwhistle’s house falling into the ocean.

[vfdbaudelairefile13]

Chapter Forty-Four:

The One Where Olaf Takes Over the Hospital

The children did not like the prospect of sleeping in the half-finished wing of the hospital but Violet was right. What choice did they have? If they weren’t able to find vacant beds in a more secluded part of the hospital that was what they were going to have to deal with. The three children stood in silence waiting for Hal to come back. The entire time, Violet debated taking Klaus and Sunny and just leaving the hospital altogether. She assumed Olaf would never be the wiser. She could hotwire a car and drive the kids far away to that little town that her father had taken her several times during his many years of hiding. She knew of a coffee shop that they could hide at even if the owner was there, the woman with the green eyes who was just as secretive as her father might be there, but she was sure that if she explained her situation the woman would be kind enough to allow the siblings to hide out there. She wasn’t sure if the woman would actively help her and her siblings clear their names but she had hidden her father a few times. Violet could just casually mention her father’s passing and maybe the woman would still help. But a nagging part of Violet, a part that hadn’t shut up even when her father was alive, wondered what in the world the secrets behind VFD would tell her.

Now all three siblings were very desperate to learn around the real VFD and the secrets and mysteries revolving them, their parents, their enemies, and their overall misery. But if anyone was more desperate for answers it would be Violet. She had sought them out when her father was alive, even going out of her way to disguise herself to follow him, breaking into his personal belongings and even confronting him with a mountain of evidence in hopes of getting him to admit and explain everything. That last part definitely did not go as Violet had planned, although it did go how she expected. Her father continued to lie to her and even claimed that she didn’t need to know. This, of course, ended in Violet saying three words that she had never said to him in her whole fourteen years of living and it was three words that still haunt her to this day. Casually replaying in her head reminding her of the day she broke her father’s heart and the night she lost him for good. Unable to take back the words that she screamed to him. I hate you! She remembers shouting as loud as she could. Violet sought desperately to answers because these answers might explain to her more about the lives of her mother and father and maybe even shed some light on what had happened for her upbringing to be untraditional and not what either of her birth parents had wanted. So the nagging voice in her head convinced her to stay as she hoped that Brandon Spats was correct when he had told the kids that Heimlich Hospital’s Library of Records could, in fact, answer all of their nagging questions.

Her thoughts were put on hold as Hal walked in right at the time that a loud thudding noise was ringing above the children’s heads. The three children glanced up at the two chutes that Hal had indicated were for incoming files.

Hal sighed happily. “There’s nothing like the sound of a file coming down those chutes,” he said as the file hit the empty basket with a loud thud.

“It looks like a film,” Violet noted confused.

“Yes, a lot of our recent files are films. We have projectors along the south wall for anyone who wants to view them, but no one does because no one is allowed.” Hal explained as he picked up the file and squinted at it for a very long time. Finally, he turned to the three children. “Could you three excuse me? They have very specific instructions about where to file anything marked Volatile Film Document.” He held up the film that was titled ‘The Snicket File’ in front of the children’s faces.

It was a brief moment, but it was enough for Violet to read the title and predictably the film’s title sent Violet’s heart to the ground as she stared at her own last name appearing in front of her face. Even if she only was given a moment to glance at the film, her eyesight was far better than Hal’s and even Klaus’ and she noticed that right under the file’s title, there was a white sticker with black lettering that indeed declared it a ‘Volatile Film Document’. Hal turned to walk away as the children stepped closer to one another so they can talk privately unsure if Hal’s hearing was as bad as his sight.

“Volatile Film Document,” Klaus repeated looking at Violet.

“VFD,” Sunny chanted, intrigued. She may have good eyesight like her sister but her disadvantage was that she had been standing on her own two feet when Hal had shown the document’s title to the children, so she, like her brother, was blissfully unaware of what the file was named after.

“...you guys...it was…” Violet said, currently staring into space as if the film was still directly in her face and she was simply reading her name over and over again.

“What?” Klaus asked as Sunny turned towards Violet concerned.

“Did you guys see it’s title/” Violet asked unsure of what to think.

“No,” Sunny replied.

“It was entitled ‘The Snicket File’,” she whispered putting a strong emphasis on her last name.

“ What?” Klaus asked incredulously. “Are you sure?”

Violet simply nodded her head.

“That...that file can help us...we have to see it,” Klaus freaked as Sunny nodded her head in agreement. Klaus looked desperately around the hospital’s Library of Records. Snicket file? That file is either about Jacques Snicket. Or maybe it was about Violet? Or even her father...Lemony, I think his name was. It could have all of the answers that we have been desperately seeking. He thought to himself. His eyes scanned the large room looking for Hal.

“How?” Violet asked but almost immediately Klaus followed it up with, “Hal?!”

“Yes, Nick?” Hal called back immediately.

“We…” He began. He took a breath. He had to convince Hal to break his stupid rules so that the siblings could see that damn file. “We need to see a specific file,” he called out frantically.

“A file? Why do  you need to see a specific file?” Hal asked confused.

“We need to watch it,” Violet called out as they tried to get closer to Hal’s current location. Sunny walked in front of the two older siblings hoping that her height was more of an advantage than a disadvantage in this case. With Hal’s poor eyesight, Sunny was sure he wouldn’t see her coming at all.

“Watch?” Hal repeated. “Our job is to file files, not read or watch them. We just went over this, Lilac.”

“Yes, we understand that but…,” Violet began.

“It’s very important, Hal,” Sunny interjected, still trying to locate the man. The two older siblings took a second to smile down at Sunny, who was actually starting to speak in a manner where everyone around her could understand her. Sure, there was still times where she crafted only one or two-word sentences or used her baby talk to articulate her ideas but for the most part, Violet and Klaus could tell that even through their hardships, Sunny must have been taking the time to learn how to speak so she can back up her siblings in arguments with either their enemies or ineffectual adults to where Klaus and Violet didn’t have to translate for her much anymore. And although this did spark some pride into both of her siblings, it also sparked a bit of sadness in both. For Violet, she felt like she had missed a pivotal moment in Sunny’s growth seeing that she had just met her baby sister recently, but for Klaus, it felt as though, Sunny was once again showing off how she no longer needed him and with each passing day as he watched Violet and Sunny operate through the siblings’ misfortune Klaus felt more and more unneeded and useless.

“It’s...it’s a matter of life or death,” Klaus explained desperately.

“Life or death, you say?” Hal repeated as he appeared in front of the children. None of them could tell which direction he had come from. “Well that does sound important…” he began as he pondered it. After a moment, he sighed. “I’m sorry, children. But rules are rules.”

“But…” Violet began.

“Enough,” Hal said sternly. “Now, I’m very appreciative that you three children wanted to volunteer here, but if you continue to argue with me I will have to ask Babs to find me three new volunteers.”

“No,” Klaus cried desperately. “We’ll...we’ll drop the subject,”

“Thank you,” Hal said as he held out his hand for Sunny’s. “Solitude. Follow me please,”

Sunny glanced towards her siblings with a small frown as she followed Hal down the Z aisle. Half-heartedly Violet and Klaus got to work filing the information that was falling from the chutes, some were paper files and some were films like the file that they were desperate to see. While Sunny followed Hal throughout the library using her teeth to open the file cabinets that he had lost keys to. But the children’s minds were not on filing, or on the file cabinet locks, their minds were strictly on the Snicket file.

Just about everything in this world is easier said than done, with the exception of ‘systematically assisting Sisyphus’s stealthy, cyst-susceptible sister,’ which is easier done than said. But it is frustrating to be reminded of this fact. As Violet filed a piece of paper containing information on cuttlefish under M, for mollusks, she said to herself, “I’ll just walk down the S aisle and look under Snicket,” but Hal was already in the S aisle, filing away paintings of sewing machines, and she could not do what she said. As Klaus filed a survey of thimbles, under P, for protection of the thumb, he said to himself, “I’ll just walk down the F aisle and look under F, for ‘fires’, but by the time Hal had moved to the F aisle and was opening a file cabinet to rearrange biographies of famous Finnish fishermen. And Sunny twisted her teeth this way and that, trying to open one of the locked file cabinets in the B aisle, thinking that perhaps the file was inside, filed under ‘Baudelaires’ but when the lock finally broke just after lunch, the youngest sibling opened the cabinet to find it was absolutely empty.

The three children sat together unhappily in the antechamber as they ate a few pieces of fruit. True to his word, Hal had used his lunchtime to get the kids fruits that they preferred even bringing a bundle of raspberries, which Klaus and Sunny were surprised to find out were Violet’s favorite, too.

Klaus leaned in close to his sisters as he peeled an orange for Sunny. “How can we get ahold of the file, when Hal is always around?” he asked.

“Maybe we can just try asking him again?” violet suggested. “Maybe...we should explain ourselves.”

“Do you want to go to jail?” Klaus whispered.

“No, of course not,”

“Then we aren’t ‘explaining ourselves’,” Klaus said sternly. “Besides, that never worked. No one listens to us.”

“Maybe we can leave some details out when we explain ourselves?” Violet suggested.

Sunny looked towards Violet and shook her head. “Too risky,” she said. “Can’t lose you,”

Violet smiled down at Sunny. “You ain't losing me anytime soon, Sunshine,” she said caressing the toddler’s cheek gently. Sunny leaned into Violet’s touch, smiling. Violet reminded her so much of their mother.

“Solitude,” Klaus whispered, reminding Violet.

“Shit, sorry,” Violet said sighing. “We need to see that file. I’m open to suggestions,”

Klaus and Sunny looked at one another and then glanced at Violet. Both shrugging their shoulders.

“Then what’s wrong with my idea?”

“Your dad was on the run, correct?” Klaus asked.

“Yeah? Why?” Violet asked.

“Would he ever suggest explaining himself?”

“No,” she admitted sheepishly.

“Well, maybe we should follow the expert,” Klaus suggested.

Violet sighed. “I guess you’re right,” Violet agreed. “But I still think it wouldn’t harm to ask Hal again. This is a library, right? If this was a regular library, we would as the librarian for help. In a library of Records, we should ask Hal,”

“But you heard him…,” Klaus began before Hal appeared in the antechamber.

“You can ask me anything you want, Lilac,” Hal said smiling. “But first I have to ask you something,” He walked over to the children and pointed at one of the fruits. “Is that a plum or a persimmon?” he asked squinting at the fruit. “My eyesight isn’t what it used to be, I’m afraid.”

“It’s a plum,” Violet said, handing it to him.

“Oh, good. I wasn’t in the mood for a persimmon,” Hal squinted at the bowl and chuckled a little. “I see you kids really liked the fruit I bought you,” he said. “The bowl is nearly empty,”

The kids blushed. “S-sorry,” Klaus muttered. “We...didn’t have breakfast,”

“Or dinner,” Sunny muttered sadly. She glanced at her two siblings and realized that she was the one who had devoured most of the fruit in the bowl. But her siblings didn’t blame her, she was recently in Olaf’s captivity and the two older siblings doubted that he properly fed Sunny and the Quagmires.

“Oh, don’t be sorry. I rather you three eat as much as you please than allow the fruit to go to waste,” Hal explained.

Violet sighed and pulled out her father’s wallet. “We can pay to refill the bowl,” she offered. “How much?”

Hal shook his head. “No, no. You three are helping me for free. Consider the fruit as your payment,” he said patting Violet’s shoulder. “Now what was your question, Lilac?”

“We had a question about that specific file,” Klaus said carefully, not wanting Hal to become suspicious. “I know it’s not customary for us to read the files, but if we were very curious, would it be okay to make an exception.”

Hal bit into the plum and frowned. “Why would you want to read that file?” he asked curiously. “Children should read happy books with bright pictures, not official information from the Library of Records,”

“But we’re interested in official information,” Violet said. “And we’re so busy filing things away that we don’t get a chance to read anything in the files. That’s why we were hoping to take one home with us and read it.”

Hal shook his head. “Paperwork is the most important thing we do in this hospital,” he said sternly. “That’s why the files are only allowed out of the room if there’s a very important reason,”

“This is important,” Sunny explained.

“As we said earlier, it’s a matter of life and death,” Klaus reiterated.

Hal opened his mouth to reply to the kids. But he was interrupted by the intercom.

“Attention! Heimlich Hospital! This is Babs, Head of Human Resources, hospital administration, and the party planning. Due to budget cuts, the cafeteria will be closing in nine minutes, the gift shop will be closing in three minutes. And the library of Records is closing right this very second,” Babs announced and all three children’s hearts fell to the ground at the same time as the lights around them and Hal turned off. Klaus looked around desperately as Violet wiped a tear from her eyes. Sunny stomped her tiny feet on the ground in response.

“Looks like you can’t see that file, after all,” Hal remarked as he leads the children out of the library.

The children watched in dismay as Hal locked the door to the library. He bid the children goodnight and left the children stranded outside the door of the Library of Records.

“I just don’t understand it,” Klaus muttered, which was something he rarely ever said.

Violet sighed, nodding her head in agreement. “It’s a puzzle I’m not sure we can solve,”

“We need that file,” Sunny whined, stomping her feet again.

“We can worry about that later,” Violet explained picking her sister up. “Right now, we need to find a vacant room with a bed or two,”

“Hospital beds are small,” Klaus explained. “We’ll need two,”

Violet shook her head. “We’ll take what we can find. Most hospital rooms have chairs for visiting family, I’ll sleep on that.”

“I’d fit better,” Sunny volunteered.

“No, Sunshine. You just spent the last two weeks sleeping in cramped spaces. You and Klaus can have the hospital bed.”

“Or you and Sunny can,” Klaus interjected. “I slept in the firetruck. You didn’t. Someone should stay up and keep watch. Olaf is here, he made the mistake of making that obvious. We need to keep the upper hand.”

Violet sighed. “Look, let’s just find somewhere to sleep and we’ll go from there,” Violet said irritated. Sunny positioned herself to where she was hiding Violet’s face while she held the balloon tied to her wrist in front of Klaus’ face. The children wandered around the hospital, Violet was busy looking out for Olaf and his troupe while Klaus was looking to make sure no one recognized him or Violet from the paper. While Sunny did her best to not look at anyone directly since she was unaware if Mrs. Poe would have included a picture of her seeing that she was considered a kidnapped child. As they wandered, they whispered to each other different ways to convince Hal to allow them to see the file. Finally, after a half an hour of wandering around, it had seemed that violet had finally found a vacant room in a somewhat secluded part of the hospital.

“This seems secluded,” she said looking around.

“We may be in the quarantine area of the hospital,” Klaus said.

“Is that good or bad?” Sunny asked.

“Well, it depends on how we look at it. Right now, it’s entirely empty...but if they get a case that needs to be quarantined...we may be trapping ourselves,” Klaus replied.

“Do you guys want to sleep in beds or not?” Violet asked. She walked closer to the door and reached for the handle, but as she touched the door’s handle. The intercom started up once more.

“This is Babs,” the children could hear Babs’ voice coming from the intercom but something seemed wrong to the children. The woman’s voice that came from the intercom sounded scared which caused the children to be scared. Violet let go of the door’s handle and held on to her siblings’ tightly. “Head of human resources, hospital administration, and the party planning committee. I’d just like to announce my super unexpected, super early retirement. My replacement will begin immediately.” her frightened voice called out.

“ Thank you, Babs,” a new voice called out from the intercom. The three siblings looked at one another in shock and horror. The voice was familiar to the children. It was faint and scratchy, some would even call it wheezy.  It was a voice that the three siblings heard wherever they went, no matter where they lived or who tried to protect them, and even though the children had heard this voice so many times before, they had never gotten used to its sneering tone, as if the person talking were telling a joke with a horrible and violent punchline. “You certainly appreciate all my hard work over the years,” he said smirking. “Attention! Greetings...Heimlich Hospital! This is Dr. Mattathias Medical-School with an important news bulletin.”

Sunny whimpered at the sound of Olaf’s sneering tone and Klaus shuddered, grabbing onto Violet’s shoulder tightly. Violet glared at the door in front of her as if she was staring at the cruel smile that Olaf always had on his face when he was tormenting her and her siblings. “Some murderers have been spotted in the hospital,” he sneered. “So we will be conducting a thorough check of each and every bed until they’ve been caught.”

Klaus glanced up at his eyes widened when he noticed a security camera. “Vi…?” he whimpered.

“What?”

He didn’t respond, he merely pointed at the camera. Violet looked from the camera to where the room number was posted. She slammed her fist against the door when she realized that the camera could clearly see the room number.

“After all, no one wants to be murdered to death in their sleep,” Olaf continued, his voice still sneering at the children. They didn’t know it, although they suspected it, he could see them in one of the many security monitors that were inside Babs’ office. “ Goodnight and sweet dreams,” he said laughing into the intercom until the children could hear Esme whispering to him that the intercom was still on.

The three children stood frozen in fear, unsure of what to do and unsure of how to react.  Violet pulled her two siblings around a corner as she started to frantically think.

“Violet, he’s taking over the hospital,” Klaus whined.

“I can see that, Klaus,” Violet replied angrily.

“Leave?” Sunny suggested.

“We need that file,” Violet insisted.

“Are you sure that file was named the Snicket file?” Klaus asked as Violet grabbed on to his wrist and began dragging him along.

“Yes,” Violet replied.

“What are we going to do?” Klaus asked.

“We’re going to hide,”

“Where?”

Violet didn’t answer because she wasn’t sure. She knew the kids had to hide from Olaf and anyone who had read the paper. “We need to find somewhere in the hospital that they won’t look,” she whispered.

“Half,” Sunny suggested.

Klaus frowned but nodded his head. “If there are no walls, there can’t be any security cameras,” Violet explained. “Good idea, Sunny.”

“Now all we gotta do is get there without getting caught,” Klaus whimpered.

“Which is easier said than done,” Violet grumbled under her breath.

[whoslaurapalmer]

okay so like. i feel like i should come to terms with my ‘4 seasons of the daily punctilio as the office’ because while i came up with GREAT episode descriptions, and also spent like two months of my life dissecting sitcom structure (which was, admittedly, a lot of fun), it would take the Longest to write and the Longest to post, which is terrible, not ideal at all, so 

the highlights, which might make it into my current vague incarnation of ‘modern AU where vfd is a book club in some way’ -- 

-eleanora poe is the managing editor of the punctilio, and she won possession of the paper in a card game from the previous owner (who was vfd-adjacent)  -moxie is city desk editor, lemony is copyeditor, and then jacques does fashion and ramona does finances -they work the night shift, 4pm-12am  -geraldine is hired in the third episode as the theater critic to great distress of the entire staff 

it’s honestly easier to just, post how i wrote out the episode descriptions to show the vague plot i had mapped out, especially because i’m very proud of them regardless -- 

i hadn’t figured out a and b plots for all of them, so i left the ones i had written down -- 

s1, e1 – the punctilio – eleanora wants to take the punctilio in a new direction.

-a plot – the staff gets used to working with a documentary crew as eleanora tries to push the punctilio in a more honest direction.

s1, e2 – the article – the staff works overtime in an attempt to get their articles done.

-a plot – demeaned by the staff’s antics, eleanora has them work overtime to finish articles.

s1, e3 – the new kid – geraldine julienne is hired as the new theater critic.

-a plot – geraldine wants to prove herself, so she decides to do all her work herself.

s1, e4 – the book club – geraldine finds out the other staff members have a book club and tries to get in.

-a plot – geraldine wants to fit in, so she tries to join the book club.

s1, e5 – the ribbon – lemony and moxie try to find a replacement typewriter ribbon.

-a plot – lemony wants to fix his friendship with moxie, so he asks her to help him get new ribbons.

s1, e6 – the finances – ramona uncovers a filing error.

s1, e7 – the straight man – the staff tries to make jacques laugh.

-a plot – concerned at jacques’s steady impassiveness, the staff tries to make him laugh.

-b plot – lemony and the rewrite crew deal with geraldine’s articles?

s1, e8 – the actress – lemony’s girlfriend visits the punctilio offices and creates a stir.

s2, e1 – the theater night – the staff spends an evening at the theater.

-a plot – because the staff doesn’t understand his relationship with beatrice, lemony invites them to the theater.

-b plot – to prove her position, geraldine tries to get esme’s attention at the theater.

s2, e2 – the banker – the staff encounters eleanora’s brother, who comes to audit the office.

-a plot – the staff, hostile to anyone disrupting the paper, does not take well to arthur poe.

-b plot – ramona fields calls from her mother about replanning the garden.

s2, e3 – the sunglasses – eleanora deals with a theft.

s2, e4 – the pigeon – geraldine inadvertently scares the pigeons.

-a plot – attempting to assert her position and knowledge, geraldine accidentally scares lemony’s pigeons off the fire escape.

s2, e5 – the 3rd annual esme squalor fan club dinner party and salad bar – geraldine tries to bring the staff together.

-a plot – geraldine wants to show she’s sophisticated, and involves the staff in the planning of the dinner.

-b plot – lemony wants revenge on geraldine for the pigeons, and sabotages the dinner.

s2, e6 – the inheritance – ramona returns to winnipeg after her mother has an accident.

-a plot – lemony gets updates from winnipeg as ramona helps her mother.

s2, e7 – the kansas city shuffle – eleanora considers some staffing changes.

-a plot – lemony and eleanora engage in mind games as eleanora shuffles the staff around in ramona’s absence and lemony tries to keep his job.

s2, e8 – the intern – the punctilio picks up a new intern.

-a plot – because he misses ramona, and other personal reasons, lemony shuns the new intern. (bertrand. the intern is bertrand.)

s2, e9 – the replacement – eleanora cements her staffing changes.

s2, e10 – the reunion – ramona returns to the punctilio.

-a plot – not wanting to desert her post and colleagues, ramona returns to the punctilio and has to deal with the changes eleanora made.

s2, e11 – the rival – moxie, geraldine, and eleanora meet someone from jacques, lemony, and ramona’s childhood.

-a plot – desperate not to be upstaged or embarrassed by the appearance of olaf, lemony, jacques, and ramona decide to upstage him?

-b plot – eleanora and moxie, feeling left out, try to figure out what olaf’s deal is.

s2, e12 – the salmon – the staff get together to review a new restaurant.

a plot – in pairs, the staff goes to review cafe salmonella.

b plot – eleanora, allergic to salmon and disappointed she can’t go, fields phone calls.

s2, e13 – the framing, part one – on the tail of a big story that might finally get her on the wall of Best Articles, geraldine accidentally frames lemony for a series of crimes.

-b plot – geraldine wants to be on the wall so badly that she digs too hard into an article. (I had an idea it was about like, since she’s fashion editor, eye tattoos???? hmm hmm hmm!)

s3, e1 – the framing, part two – the staff scramble to clear lemony’s name. (fuck the cold open is like, lemony saying once again, “do I have any regrets? several. …. I left the tea kettle in our apartment on.”) (god the sheer beautiful absurdity of lemony on the run…..followed by a camera crew I’m dying)

-a plot – moxie takes the lead on trying to clear lemony of false accusations.

s3, e2 – the assignment – lemony encounters the punctilio’s previous intern.

-a plot – when lemony runs into bertrand again, he wants to make amends.

-b plot – jacques and geraldine get put on assignment together.

s3, e3 – the costume party – beatrice holds a costume party.

-a plot – lemony is nervous about the party and bertrand, and hides the whole time.

s3, e4 – the trivia night – the staff attend trivia night at a local cafe.

-a plot – jacques is nervous about talking to jerome, and asks lemony to accompany him to trivia night – the whole staff follows.

-b plot – geraldine wants to impress people, and studies up for the trivia night.

s3, e5 – the blues (I guess that’s why they call it) – jacques takes a day off.

-a plot – to cope with being denied by jerome, jacques takes a day off.

-b plot – lemony struggles with his feelings and takes it out on the staff. moxie retaliates.

s3, e6 – the moonlighting – geraldine has a hard time keeping lemony’s second job a secret. 

-a plot – torn between wanting to keep a secret and wanting to tell people bc reporter, geraldine goes to great lengths to try and keep lemony’s playwright job a secret.

s3, e7 – the summer camp gang – moxie and lemony hang out with their summer camp friends. (the sbts crew)

s3, e8 – the book club, part 2 – things escalate in the book club.

-a plot – at the monthly ‘book club’ meeting, things get out of hand when the punctilio is brought up.

s3, e9 – the telegram – eleanora gets a telegram from an old friend.

-a plot – eleanora receives a telegram from the previous owner of the punctilio and her old boss.

-b plot – jacques and ramona wait for a different telegram.

s3, e10 – the game – a flashback to eight years previously, when eleanora got the punctilio.

-a plot – eleanora, much like her employees in the present, wants to prove herself, and engages in a battle of wits to get a newspaper of her own.

s3, e11 – the librarian – moxie gets involved in a dispute between the snickets and a librarian. (dewey.)

s3, e12 – the hustle – after being picked up at the city jail, lemony tells ramona what happened at the pool hall.

-a plot – having called ramona because she’d be the least embarrassing, lemony talks about how pride was his downfall at the pool hall.

-b plot – moxie and jacques get involved in a game of Hell Chess.

s3, e13 – the siblings snicket – jacques and lemony’s sister returns to town.

-a plot – worried about lemony and jacques, their sister, kit, visits the punctilio to check on them.

-b plot – moxie and geraldine become determined to find out about the person who runs the presses.

s4, e1 – the feint – the staff investigates the local mystery of the feint family.

s4, e2 – the cat – ellington and the staff butt heads.

s4, e3 – the anniversary – geraldine’s three year hiring anniversary is derailed.

s4, e4 – the train – the staff finds themselves trapped on a train.

s4, e5 – the candlestick maker – the investigation takes a turn.

s4, e6 – and all of them out to sea – the investigation into the feints comes to an unexpected end.

s4, e7 – the lunch – lemony tries to meet someone for lunch.

s4, e8 – the soda – geraldine gets an offer.

-a plot – geraldine is torn between her love and devotion to the punctilio and her still-there desire to prove herself, especially to esme, when esme offers her a job.

s4, e9 – the reckoning – moxie makes a decision.

-a plot – moxie is startled to find herself upset about geraldine’s offer.

s4, e10 – the fire – eleanora’s telegram from last season comes back to haunt the punctilio.

s4, e11 – the end – lemony, jacques, and ramona reach an understanding.

s4, e12 – the caveat – eleanora fights for her employees.

s4, e13 – the volunteers – geraldine and lemony talk.

-a plot – scared that the punctilio and her friends are breaking up, geraldine seeks out lemony for advice. 

s4, e14 – the punctilio, part 2 – once again, the punctilio takes a new direction. 

-b plot – the cameraman is finally revealed.

[snowdragon4]

Hungry Moon Chapter 2:

Chapter 2: ...who is pure of heart….

The atmosphere in the castle had become dreary and somber ever since news of Kristoff’s discovery, But that didn’t stop one occupant of the castle from skipping down its halls whistling a jolly tune. Of course Olaf, the talking snowman, had no idea what had happened, but still his beacon of positivity was always welcomed, even if he couldn’t find those that needed it.

“Elsa! Anna! Sven! Kristoff! Kai? Hm. Where is everybody?” Continuing to Wonder, and not finding anyone in their usual places, Olaf headed for, what was in his opinion, the most boring room in the castle. The meeting room. He sighed heavily, remembering just how boring meetings were, so he had opted to simply skip them all together.

“And if I’m lucky, they’ll be done for the day!” The idea of “no more meetings” put a small spring in his step as he skipped his way to the meeting hall.

Coming to the double doors he first tried to open them manually but found them locked. Thinking it was odd at first he then reached for his carrot nose and jammed it into the lock. As he jiggled his nose the doors suddenly opened, revealing a troubled princess Anna.

“Olaf,” she stepped out Into the hallway, shutting the door behind her, and grabbing his nose in the process, “you know your not supposed to come in when the rooms are locked.”

“I know,” He shuffled his snowy feet like a child that had been caught doing something wrong. “I haven’t seen you guys all day and for all I know you could both be having a party without me.”

Anna placed his nose back into his head with a chuckle. “Olaf, we’re fine. But right now we have some serious kingdom matters to deal with.”

“I can be serious!” He did his best to put on his best “serious” face before erupting into giggles. She shook her head with a smile before holding him in a tight hug. “Awe I love warm hugs!”

She laughed. “Just be sure to give out a lot of warm hugs.” Beneath her breath she added. “We’re gonna need them.”

—:0:—

“Your highness?”

Elsa had her chin resting on top of her hands as her royal guard explained to her what they had discovered. However Elsa hadn’t heard a word he had said. Too much in shock she had only managed to hear that a young man, from her kingdom, was brutally killed. Coming out of her daze she looked at her dark skinned, large necked Captain of her Guard.

“I apologize Bjorn. I’m out of sorts right now. Would you mind repeating yourself?”

He may have been a very large man, but he was a gentle giant, and incredibly sympathetic towards his queen.

He offered a small nod and cleared his throat. “We’ve examined the, um, kill sight and came to the conclusion that this was indeed a wolf attack.”

“I respectfully disagree.” Elsa turned her attention to the other man in her meeting room. A short portly man with an unusually pale skin complexion, almost a light purple, and was well known as the kingdom physician. Although he was a human physician, he also worked with some of the animals too, but in this case his expertise was needed as to what kind of animal made this attack.

Adjusting his glasses he took out a small notebook. “Looking over the kill sight, while disturbing, was NOT typical of your mainstream wolf attack.”

Bjorn narrowed his thick brows. “Your saying a human did that?”

“No I am not.” Flicking through the pages he clarified. “Wolves Hunt in packs and when they find food they eat the carcass to its bare bones. This poor soul was killed by a singular animal and most of the ‘thicker’ portions of flesh, such as the legs and buttocks, were left untouched. Instead, whatever creature this was, opted to take only small portions of meat around the chest cavity, completely removing the heart.”

That caught Elsa’s full attention. “The heart?”

“Yes,” said Bjorn, “the heart was gone, but everything else was still there. For the most part.”

Elsa leaned onto her knuckles again. “Dr. Rolf What do you think this mean?”

Dr. Rolf adjusted his glasses again. “I can’t say for sure your highness. I’m sorry.”

Elsa stood from her wooden chair, pacing about her meeting room as she chewed on the tips she of her nails. Ignoring the small flurry of snowfall around her she thought back to her lessons with her father. Two things she had learned from him, fear her powers and how to be a queen. Never once was she taught about what to do in situations like this, but one lesson stood out.

She straightened her back, exhaled to extinguish the snowfall and faced Bjorn and Dr. Rolf. “I need you two to keep this a secret. The last thing we need is a panic. Bjorn, double the guard around the woods and fields. Our number one priority is keeping our people safe.”

Bjorn looked at Dr. Rolf as if wondering if he had heard the same order. “As much as I agree with you, my queen, I’m afraid I don’t have the manpower to patrol that large an area.”

Elsa looked down at the table in thought, but her response was quick. “Yes you do.”

—:0:—

Elsa watched with trepidation as the sun began to set over the fjord, still she had her worries about the coming night. She took in a deep breath repeating to herself the fact that the safety of her people was more important than her own fears and anxiety. She had earned their trust, even after she had coated her kingdom in ice, and she was determined to keep it.

She went to her mirror, this time forming an outfit that would function in the wilderness better than a dress. Outfitting herself in ice blue boots and matching coat over a sparkling icicle unitard she finished the ensemble with a dark cloak with the hood up.

“Okay,” She gulped, “I can do this.” Now she just had to sneak out of the castle without anyone noticing. Luckily her servants had been excused for the evening so really her only issue was her sister.

Peeking through the doors of her chambers she hoped that Anna was busy taking care of Kristoff. He had been out of sorts since finding the poor man that had died earlier and was in desperate need of companionship. Elsa just counted in her sister to be that companionship. Last thing she needed was Anna trying to stop her.

She snuck through the hallways, as stealthily as she could, making sure to take extra care to sneak quietly by Anna’s room. Once she had passed she quickened her pace, her hands gripping the edge of the cloak tightly around her to keep it from flapping in the wind. Down the halls she went to one of the smaller doors at the side of the castle, one of the better ones to sneak out of.

Coming to the door she looked around, still finding herself alone. “Huh. I didn’t expect that to be so easy.”

She opened the door, surprised, and yet not really, when Anna’s mud covered face was thrown into hers.

“Well took you long enough.” She grabbed her by her hand and led her sister out of the castle and towards the woods. It took a moment for Elsa’s brain to catch up, but once it had she had found herself at the woods edge with Kristoff, Sven and Olaf waiting for her.

“Come on you didn’t think we’d let you do this alone huh?” Anna joined at Kristoff’s side with folded arms with her hip stuck out.

Elsa shook her head with a smile. “I’d tell you all to go back to the castle because this is just to dangerous, but I doubt any of you would listen.”

“NOT a chance!” Olaf shouted chipperly.

“Shhhh!” Anna clapped her hand over his mouth. “Remember? Stealth mode.” Mumbling beneath her hand, he gave a salute. “Oh! That reminds me.” She grabbed a small bowl and dipped her fingers into its contents.

“Anna, what are you—“ her eyes and mouth instantly shot when Anna began smearing mud all over her face.

“Remember Elsa,” Anna said as she finished, “stealth mode.”

Wiping away some of the access mud, Elsa noticed that Olaf, Sven And Kristoff were all caked in the same, dark sticky goop. “Just roll with it.” Kristoff shrugged. “Besides it’s not that bad of an idea.”

“Alright,” Anna revealed a brightly lit lantern and headed off into the woods, “let’s do this—“

“Whoa whoa whoa, eager mcbeaver.” Kristoff grabbed her from around her waist and pulled her back. “What happened to ‘stealth mode’?” He took the lantern and turned the light down a little. “Besides we're not going into the woods.”

Setting her down he went to a bag he had set aside, removed another lantern and some ice picks and handed them out. “We’ll divide into two teams—“

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! ‘Split up’?!” Elsa looked at him as if he had gone insane. “You do know there’s a killer… something out there?” When Kristoff had frozen in place with a haunted expression, Elsa realized her mistake. “Kristoff I—“

“Yes, Elsa, I’m aware something is out there. I also know that Sven And I know these woods backwards and forwards, and to draw as little attention to ourselves as possible, we’ll need to keep the lanterns low.” He stood beside Anna. “Anna And I will head in this direction,” he gestured behind himself, “Elsa, you, Sven And Olaf will head east.” He pointed opposite behind them. “We’ll do a few passes of the forest and then meet back here in a few hours. Agreed?”

Everyone nodded just as Elsa reached into her cloak removed one more item. “Take these horns. Bjorn and his men are patrolling nearby and when he hears them they’ll come to your location.”

“Alright then,” Anna put her hand out and motioned for everyone else to put their hand on top of hers, “and remember—“

“Stealth mode,” Olaf finished seriously.

—:0:—

Anna kept herself low to the ground holding the pick axe like some kind of sword as she krept along the woods edge. Kristoff wasn’t sure, but he was almost positive that he could hear her humming some sort of intense tune under her breath.

“What are you doing?” He chuckled.

She straightened up as if she had just been caught singing in the shower, but was still bouncing around eagerly. “Oh come on. You can’t tell me this isn’t a least a little exciting?”

“Uh, wandering around in the dark while some man-eater stalks the woods isn’t exactly my idea of excitement.”

She bounced towards him, wrapping her arms around one of his. “Oh come on. I’m sure whatever it is, we can handle it, just like that pack of wolves a couple years ago. I mean, how bad could it be?”

His steps slowed, that same haunted look coming over his features. “Bad Anna. Very bad.”

Noticing his change she stepped in front of him, the palm of her hand resting against his cheek. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make light of this whole thing. It’s just… how I work ya know? ‘Doom and gloom, but Anna is a cheerful ball of sunshine’ kind of thing?”

“Anna,” he said taking her hand in his, “don’t feel like you need to be happy all of the time for mine, or your sisters, sake.”

“Oh don’t get me wrong I’m not happy ALL the time. But when Elsa, or you, need me I’ll always be there.”

A warm smile spread across his lips as he kissed the palm of her hand. “And that’s why I love you so much.” He continued on, Anna however seemed to be stuck in place. “Anna? You okay?”

She slowly turned around, her mouth slightly open with one side quarked upwards. “Did you just say… you love me?”

His heart stopped. It was made apparent early on that they both cared about each other, but neither one of them had said the words “I love you” to each other. To be honest it was more like an unspoken game to see who would say it first.

And he just lost.

“Uh… I… um… no. No I did not.”

She coyly approached him, her smile widening as she swayed her hips. “Yes you did,” She said in a sing song voice. “You said you loOoOoOoOve me.”

“N-No I didn’t! I-I-I said … uh…”

She shut him up by kissing his lips. “I love you too. But know we’ll always know who said it first.” She playfully patted his cheek and began skipping away while singing, “you love me first, you love me first.”

About the fourth time she sang the words, Anna was about to belt them out as loudly as she was able until Kristoff came up behind her to slap his hand over her mouth.

“Your just upset you said it first.” She mumbled beneath his hand.

“SHH!” He turned his attention to the forest. “Listen.”

Going completely silent, she did as she was told and strained her ears towards the woods. It took a moment or two, but from the darkness they could hear branches snapping, wood being strained, and possibly growling. They listened for a few minutes before Kristoff removed his hand from her mouth and went for the horn.

“Hold on. Don’t sound the alarm just yet. What if it’s just a deer, or a fox or something?”

He looked at her like she had gone crazy. “Yeah, a deer is capable of making those sounds.”

She rolled her eyes. “I just don’t want to call in the Calvary unless we’re sure that there’s a reason to call them.” She began to make her way into the woods with Kristoff calling after her, quietly yelling that she shouldn’t be doing that.

Cursing beneath his breath he followed her. “See this is why I didn’t bother telling you not to come out here tonight. I’d have a better chance of winning a thousand gold pieces from Oaken's shop then telling you NOT to do something.”

“Just as long as you never forget it.” She smirked. “Now come on. The noises are this way.”

“Would it make much of a difference if I told you this was a bad idea!” He called again, but Was close enough to keep his voice low and she’d still hear him.

“All we gotta do is figure out what this is. If it’s nothing, great, if it is, then that’s why we have the horn.”

He shook his head. “Well for the record I think this is a bad—“ He stopped when he suddenly bumped into Anna. “Anna? Why’d you stop?” He moved himself so that he was now looking at her face. A face frozen in absolute terror.

He followed her line of sight, using what dim light the lantern had to offer to illuminate what she was staring at and was only then could he understand her fear.

Joey Thomas’s lifeless eyes stared unblinking, His chest ripped open and his blood stained the forest floor and surrounding trees. Standing over his carcass, was a large mound of black hair, blood dripping from yellow teeth with a pair of silver eyes glaring angrily at those that interrupted its meal. It’s black fur blended perfectly into the darkness of the forest making it difficult to figure out what they were staring at, until the eyes began to rise.

Anna and Kristoff could only tremble as the eyes rose to at least eight feet in height and slowly came towards them.

“H-H-Horn?” Kristoff quivered.

It took a moment for Anna to respond and when she did, it was only a nod.

—:0:—

“And that is why, in my humble opinion, frogs are pure evil.”

Elsa couldn’t help the small eye roll. “That sounds riveting Olaf. Have you heard anything coming from the woods?”

The snowman was lying casually on Sven’s back looking up at the sky and twirling the horn in his stick fingers. “Nope. Should I be? Hey how can I hear if I don’t have ears?”

She rubbed her left temple with her finger, seriously considering the idea of removing his “personal flurry”. Sven gave a sympathetic grunt and a gentle tap with his antler.

“Thanks. Glad someone understands.”

“Understands what?”

She patted him on his head. “Don’t worry about it Olaf, just keep your eyes out for—“

Each of their heads jerked in the opposite direction when the sound of a horn pierced the night’s silence.

“Should I be listening for that?”

Elsa had already begun sprinting in the direction of the horn, hoping it wasn’t Anna’s.

Please don’t be Anna’s horn. Please be okay. Please be okay. Her inner thoughts were so loud she couldn’t hear Olaf begging for her to slow down and wait for them. Her focus was so singular she didn’t register that she was creating a sheet of ice trailing behind her. Her goal was clear in her mind.

Get to Anna. She has to be okay.

Just as they arrived to the spot where the horn was sounded, Bjorn and two of his men were seen also responding.

“What is it?” Asked Bjorn from atop his horse.

“I don’t know, we just got here!”

The horn blared again from inside the forest, followed by incoherent, high-pitched babbling.

“Steady men.” Elsa heard Bjorn command, but she was ready to pounce if she had to. Dangerous looking icicles formed at her fingertips, all she was waiting for was the right moment, and like a jungle cat, she’d strike whomever dared harm her sister.

Finally, Kristoff and Anna could be seen running at full speed, weaving through trees, rocks, and branches. Kristoff was flailing his arms trying to get Elsa’s attention while Anna was throwing hands pointing behind her.

“RUN!” They heard Anna yell. “GET AWAY!”

Taking her eyes off her sister for a second, Elsa looked passed them but could see only blackness. Still something was giving chase, she just couldn’t see it.

“ITS BEHIND US!” Kristoff shouted. “IN THE TREES!”

Bjorn and his men raised crossbows, one of them making the comment, “What? What’s behind them? I can’t see anything.”

“Somethings there,” Bjorn aimed his crossbow into the trees, keeping his trained ears on the forest canopy.

It happened all at once.

Kristoff and Anna emerged from the woods, practically flying from the trees as Bjorn shot an arrow into the canopy, once he was positive something had landed in its branches. Just as he was sure he hit something, a wall of ice had formed around the forest, trapping whatever it was inside.

Elsa lowered her hands and ran straight to her hyperventilating sister.

“Anna! Anna say something!”

Her sister just continued pointing hysterically into the forest. “B-B-Big! T-T-Teeth!”

Elsa waved her hands at the ice wall. “Captain Bjorn!”

He had already mounted his horse with his two men following behind him. “Way ahead of you, your highness!” And with that they vanished into the darkness of the woods.

Olaf waddled until he was standing over Anna and Kristoff, once he saw that they were okay he looked over at the woods.

“Where are they going?”

She glanced over her shoulder. “To stop whatever is in there from hurting anyone else.”