32Disclaimer: Not mine (insert heavy sigh)
Manacles
By
Rogue Amazon Boo
It had been three days since the great thaw.
Three days since Elsa found the key to controlling her powers.
Three days since Hans had tried to kill her and been sent to the castle dungeons to await judgment.
Three days of rejoicing, of spending time with her sister, and opening the gates forevermore.
Three short days that had come to mean so much.
Three days of happiness brought on by the most intense and horrific experience of her entire life.
It had been three days since she killed her sister.
Elsa faltered and clutched a hand to her aching heart. She felt panic welling and ice started to swirl around her. Anna was fine…Anna was alive. She whispered the words to herself over and over until her control was regained.
Three days did not truly erase a lifetime of heartache and loneliness. It could never be that simple. She sighed and crossed to the window of her study to look out upon the castle courtyard. There were people there milling about. She watched a group of children playing tag with a laughing and smiling Olaf. The little snowman loved to play with the Arendelle children. She smiled slightly as he churned his stubby snowman legs and chased a small girl of no more than six. Sunlight glinted of the child's flaxen curls.
The longer she watched though the more her smile faded until it was completely swept away. She turned away and rubbed her hands up and down her arms as if to ward away a chill. The irony of the action was not lost on her. She never got cold and the apprehension she felt had nothing to do with the temperature in the palace.
No, it was something much more chilling than cold that had started the knot of dread in the pit of her stomach. It was a single thought, a question…a question with implications so hideous she barely dared allowed it to fully form.
It started with a statement that Hans had shouted at her as her palace guards dragged him away. He had sneered at her, his hateful green eyes full of malice as he screamed.
"I'm not the only one who thought you were a monster Elsa! Ask yourself this Snow Queen, where did I get the manacles?!"
She had dismissed his ranting and told the guards to take him away, but the poison dart his tongue had spewed must have somehow buried itself beneath her skin. She found herself wondering at odd moments.
Where did he get the manacles?
She had been so distressed to see the state of her kingdom from the dungeon window that she'd given them little thought at the time, but now in hindsight she realized something rather insidious.
Those grim metal cuffs had fit her perfectly…which led her to the conclusion that they had been designed especially for her.
This led her mind down another dark path. There were only four people who had known about her abilities. Kai and Gerda…and her mother and father.
She knew that her long faithful servants would not have been the ones to have such things made. They were household staff and were neither responsible nor privy to the tedious undertaking of commissioning armaments and manacles for the guard and the men at arms.
The very specific design of the manacles pointed to one thing. They were designed for her. They were designed to encase her hands and prevent her from using her powers, and the only people that could have commissioned them made were her mother and father.
The thought nearly brought her to her knees. On its heels another formed. Her agile mind began to ponder the unthinkable notion that perhaps those were not the only ones. Perhaps there were others like it in various sizes…ones that could have fit a small girl of eight winters or a girl of three and ten. Of fifteen…eighteen…it went on and on.
Elsa glanced at the door and she really shouldn't…and yet…
She had to know.
Anna huffed in annoyance. She had been searching the entire castle for her sister, but the queen was nowhere to be found. Elsa had promised that they would go to the town square for the summer market. Anna really wanted to get some chocolate dipped strawberries and she wanted to check with the palace carpenter to see how Kristoff's sled was progressing. She wanted to give the ice harvester his promised reward for leading her to Elsa. She was also honest enough to admit to herself that she wanted to see him again. A blush stained her cheeks at the thought.
So much had changed since Elsa's disastrous coronation. She and Elsa actually spent time together now. Her sister's doors were always open to her and when she knocked…
Anna smiled. When she knocked doors no longer remained barred. It was a glorious feeling, but at the same time Anna's joy was tempered with trepidation. She wanted to trust this newfound freedom…she really did, but a part of her would always be that lonely little girl who missed her sister. Elsa was open and loving now…but what if it all changed again? Anna honestly didn't know what she would do.
Anna loved her big sister…she always had, even when they were parted from each other by circumstance. Elsa had always been this model of perfection that Anna knew she never had a hope of living up to. Elsa was poised and graceful and regal and all the things a queen should be. She was just…well, she was just Anna.
The last few days though had taught her that being just Anna all right. It was okay that she was a little excitable and awkward because Elsa loved her back. The thaw had proven that. Her big sister still loved her.
Losing her family had been hard on Anna. She was only fifteen when her parents were lost at sea and she had never felt more alone and isolated than she had in that moment. She and Elsa had discussed it, and with a lot of tears and a lot of hugs they had managed to start to heal the rift brought about by Elsa's isolation and the guilt over their parents' death.
They were well on their way to having the kind of relationship that she'd always dreamed of having with her sister…they were once more finding the closeness that they had shared as children when five year old Anna was still in awe of eight year old Elsa.
The childlike awe had faded and had been tempered by age and time, but part of Anna would always look up to Elsa. She was just old enough to know now that part of Elsa genuinely admired her and delighted in all of Anna's…Anna-ness.
Which begged the question, where was her big sister? Anna roamed down the familiar hallways of the castle. She knew her family home better than anyone, even better than most of the servants. She had spent most of her formative years exploring every nook and cranny of the palace and she had literally checked everywhere for her sister.
She paused, huffed, and blew her bangs out of her face. Elsa had to be here. She had promised Anna that they would spend the day together and Anna was learning that Elsa took her promises very seriously.
She tried to ignore that insidious little voice in the back of her mind that was trying to tell her that perhaps Elsa changed her mind. Perhaps the open gates and their new found camaraderie was a fluke or a trick, and soon Anna would be thrust back into her lonely existence with only the paintings in the art gallery for company. She blocked the voice out. She trusted Elsa. She had proven that and despite everything that had happened, she did not feel that trust was misplaced.
Besides…there was still one place she had yet to check, but for the life of her she couldn't imagine why the queen would be down there. With a long suffering sigh Anna headed towards the entrance to the palace dungeons.
She made her way down the hallways and across the bailey to the stone staircase that led to the bowels of the castle. The staircase was dimly lit by wall scones and Anna repressed her shiver. She really hated this part of the castle. She made it to the bottom and noticed the guard at the dungeon entrance.
"Private Anders?" He inclined his head and bowed respectfully.
"Your Majesty, how can I be of assistance?"
"I was wondering if my sister came down here."
He blinked in confusion. "I confess that I don't know. I just relieved Private Eklund of his post. He is supposed to pass on such information, but he was in a bit of a hurry today. His wife Marta is with child and she has had difficulties in the past. He has been worried about her of late."
Anna graced him with a comforting smile her eyes twinkling.
"I'm not going to get him in trouble Private, but it is good of you to have your friend's back like that."
The young solider flushed and stuttered.
"T-Thank you, your Majesty."
Anna's grinned. "I'm just going to take a peek real quick if you wouldn't mind letting me in." He flushed again and nodded.
"O-Of course princess." He unlocked the door and she thanked him as she entered. The gloom was oppressive, but she knew for a fact that Arendelle's dungeons were much more humane than most palaces could boast. She started down the hall and it wasn't until she noticed the inordinate amount of light to the right of her that she faltered.
Her steps slowed as she looked into the decimated cell that Hans had locked her sister in when he and a group of Arendelle guardsman had apprehended Elsa inside her ice palace at the top of the north mountain. She stared in awe at the destruction. Her sister's powers really were something to behold. She shook her head and started to walk past when she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. She paused again and decided to investigate. Anna gingerly stepped over the rubble and blinked as sudden infusion of sunlight that was blinding her. Her eyes took a moment to adjust, but when they did she gazed at the lone figure in a dress of blue ice gazing forlornly at something on the ground.
Anna had found her sister.
"Elsa? What are you doing here?" The queen turned and a wan grimace twisted her pretty features.
"Anna?" She paused and shook her head. "I'm so sorry, I was supposed to meet you wasn't I? I fear I became sidetracked. I hope you can forgive me."
Puzzled, the princess stepped forward. "There is nothing to forgive, but what are you doing here? This is hardly the place I expected to finally find you and believe me I looked everywhere."
She grinned to take the sting from her words. Elsa found she couldn't meet her little sister's eyes. Concerned now, Anna stepped forward and placed a hand on Elsa's arm. The queen flinched a little and Anna withdrew her touch, her face reflecting her hurt at her sister's reflexive action. The queen's face fell and twisted into an expression of guilt and sadness.
"A-Anna, I'm sorry." Unable to hold even a brief grudge, the princess of Arendelle shrugged.
"It's okay Elsa. You still haven't told me why you are down here? I mean gloomy dungeon verses sunshine and chocolate…yep that is not even a contest." She teased. A small smile quirked Elsa's lips, but it quickly faded. Elsa's eyes darted to the floor and the tension returned to her slender frame. She wrapped her arms around her middle, hugging herself.
Curious, Anna followed her sister's line of sight and found the objects on the ground that seemed to be causing all sorts of tension in the queen. Her eyes narrowed on the twisted and broken metal on the ground amidst the rubble of the destroyed cell.
"What is that?" She approached and knelt down to study the strangely shaped debris. Elsa said nothing for many moments. She finally whispered.
"Those are the manacles Hans used to bind my hands when he locked me down here." Anna visibly recoiled and stumbled back landing on her butt. She looked up at her sister, her eyes confused.
"Why on earth are you down here looking at them? What's going on Elsa, and don't lie to me. I can tell you're upset about something? Is it Hans? D-Did he d-do something to you while he had you locked…d-did he…"
Anna couldn't complete that frightening thought. Elsa's gazed at her, her expression perplexed until the question penetrated and she realized exactly what Anna was asking her. Her eyes went wide and she rushed to kneel down to the younger girl and reassure her.
"What? Oh God, n-no, oh no no Anna, he didn't…that is…no I swear h-he didn't do that."
Elsa put a tentative hand on Anna's knee and her sister grasped it like a lifeline.
"Okay…okay," Anna breathed. "So what's the deal then?" Elsa sighed heavily and sat down next to Anna on the cold stone ground. She tucked her legs under her in the most ladylike fashion she could muster and squeezed her sister's fingers reassuringly. She really didn't want tell her sister why she was here, but she knew if she didn't Anna's overactive imagination would provide her with progressively worsening scenarios for Elsa's obvious distress.
She took a fortifying breath. "H-Hans said something to me when they took him away…something I have unfortunately not been able to reconcile in my own mind." Earnestly she entreated. "Anna…look at the manacles. Do you not find them strange?"
Anna turned her gaze from Elsa to the twisted metal. She eyed them thoughtfully and then shook her head in frustration.
"They look like manacles. What am I missing?" Elsa turned away.
"Their design Anna…they…" She drew in a deep breath. "T-They encased my hands. When I woke up here…I noticed that t-they completely encased my hands. Manacles are not usually designed to do that, so Hans taunted me with the question. Where did he get them Anna?"
Anna's blue eyes went wide in disbelief. Her sister was young and impetuous, but she was far from stupid. Elsa knew that she had come to the same conclusion she had when she vehemently started shaking her head in denial. The younger girl grasped the queen's hand tighter.
"E-Elsa, y-you can't think? No…they wouldn't have…they j-just wouldn't."
The queen smiled sadly. "Wouldn't they?" She sighed. "I don't believe they thought they had a choice. I-I tried for s-so long Anna, I really tried, b-but I couldn't control my powers. They were just growing and growing and I was becoming more and more of a danger. Just look at what I did? I can hardly blame them for…"
Anna abruptly pulled away from her and stood up. She was agitated.
"No I don't believe it. They were our parents! They loved you…us! They would never have done that. How can you believe that of them Elsa?"
The queen flinched as if her sister had punched her and Anna immediately felt contrite. "Oh Elsa, I didn't…I'm sorry."
The older woman shrugged. "It's fine. How can I expect you to understand…you were kept in the dark for so long..."
Anna felt a spike of anger at that statement, but she took a deep, calming breath and said. "Then explain it to me. Why do you think mama and papa had these made?"
Elsa sighed, but she squared her shoulders and prepared herself to be completely honest with her baby sister. They had lost so much time and she would be damned before she allowed the past to come between them again.
"In the beginning, b-before the accident I-I never really gave much thought to how dangerous my powers could be. We would play together and you loved the magic so much…you were always begging me to do the magic. I use to love the wonder in your eyes…but then I accidentally struck you. I had never been s-so scared and I had never seen mama and papa so scared. You were so still…and cold. We took you to the trolls and it was Grand Pabbie who told me that my powers held great beauty as well as great danger. He told me I must learn control. Papa assured him that I could, but as the years passed it seemed that the harder I tried to control my emotions…to conceal and not feel, the less control I had."
She shrugged helplessly. "It seemed the more and more likely that I would never be able to find control and the longer it took the more I despaired." She paused and looked up, her face beseeching.
"Anna, I was terrified of the possibility that I could hurt someone else the way I…the way I hurt you," she finished softly.
"Oh Elsa," she whispered and then suddenly Elsa found herself in her sister's embrace. She clung to Anna tightly and the two girls stayed there taking comfort. Elsa was the first to pull back and place a cool kiss on her sister's forehead. Anna gave her a watery smile in return. She then turned her head to look at the cold broken metal where they lay against the stones. She shuddered.
"I still can't believe mama and papa would…"
Elsa sighed. "I know; I don't want to believe it either." They both descended into silence, it lasted for more than a few moments, both girls lost in their thoughts. Finally though, Anna gave a decisive nod, as if she had come to decision and said.
"Then don't." Elsa's brow furrowed in confusion.
"Don't what?"
"Don't believe it. What mama and papa may or may not have done can never be proven. They are gone. We're here. We can't keep living in the past, Elsa. It's time to really let it go once and for all."
A spark of hope lit the queen's cerulean blue orbs.
"What do you suggest?" Anna looked from Elsa, to the manacles, and back to Elsa. She shrugged.
"You have powers; use them to destroy those-those things." Elsa gasped, but then she turned thoughtful. She quickly helped Anna to her feet and pushed the younger girl far behind her. She knew enough about metal to know that at extremely low temperatures it could shatter. She took a deep breath and raised her hands. This time the cold of her power was isolated. Ice started to crystalize and grow of the surface of the manacles and soon the metal took on a very slight bluish tint. Elsa concentrated and dropped the temperature around them even lower. Soon the metal twisted and Elsa applied more and more cold. The manacles suddenly exploded and Elsa had just enough time to raise an ice barrier so the shards did not strike them.
There was a clatter as the guards entered the room their weapons drawn and their eyes wide.
"Your Majesties, are you hurt? We heard an explosion."
Anna came forward and took her sister's hand in hers, giving it a squeeze. Elsa's eyes were glued to the scorch mark on the stones. When she felt her sister's touch she wrenched her eyes away and looked at the guards.
"Everything is fine gentlemen. We are unharmed. Now if you will excuse us, my sister and I have a festival to attend." With that Elsa swept from the room and Anna followed barely suppressing her giggles. She sobered as she turned back for one more look.
The hideous manacles were gone. It was time to move on. It was time to let it go, after all, who knew better than they that the past was in the past?
Fin
