Not so Frozen Bk. 04

"I believe you," said Anna after a long time. She had returned to her see-the-good-in-everyone persona. "But the fact is, it has hurt her and there is only one person I can think of to consult about this." Anna returned to Elsie's side, "How is she doing doctor?"

"Her heartbeat has slowed to normal and her breathing is steady. Other than her being unconscious, I can find nothing wrong with her," the Doctor reported.

Anna began giving orders, "Very well. Inga, have Kai ready a carriage. Owen, John, let them go."

Inga bowed and left. Josef went to Elsie's side, scooping her up into his arms. He pressed her to his chest. She was so cold. He kissed her on the lips figuring, it always worked in the stories. Alas, this time it didn't.

At the sight of Josef kissing Elsie's unconscious form, Kris thought about renewing his attack but instead joined his wife. "Do you think we can trust him?" Kris looked over at Josef.

Anna had seen from Josef's eyes that he was telling the truth. "Yes."

Kris's asked, "Really?"

Anna hugged Kris tightly. "Your reasoning makes sense sweetheart, but look at him. I have seen pain like that only once before, as I was freezing solid and Elsie thought I was gone. He's not faking, Kris. You can't fake that level of pain."

"OK," Kris accepted his wife's reasoning. "What do we do now?"

"Mother's research is nothing but a collection of rumor and legend. They will be of no use to us. Take Sven and ride ahead to Grand Pappy. Explain the situation and make sure it is safe for us to bring Elsie to him. We will follow. If it's not safe ask him what we should do. Do you remember the name of the place the ring is from?" Anna asked.

"Dunbroch." He answered and received a smile and a kiss in return. Then he was off.

Chapter 3

Elsie kept having the same dream over and over again. In it, she witnessed the life and eventual death of a very handsome man wearing a gold circlet crown and a beautiful woman with hair the color of the setting sun. The sequence finished and she heard a voice say, "I'll take a turn sweet cheeks. You go get some rest."

"Thanks, Bolda." That was Anna's voice. "Same orders as before."

"I know the routine by now hun. I'll send for you the moment she wakes up," Bolda answered.

"Anna." Elsie's throat felt like it had a jar of cotton balls in it.

"Elsie. Oh, thank goodness." Anna exclaimed as she cradled her sister in her arms. "Grand Pappy said you would wake up when your strength returned, but he didn't know how long that would take."

"Let me get you something to drink," said Bolda. She left the tent and the two sisters could hear her shrill voice waking anyone within earshot. "She's awake."

"Anna, where are we?" Elsie asked, still very groggy.

"In the valley of the living stone. We didn't know what to do after you collapsed, so we brought you here," Anna answered.

"Josef?" Elsie asked.

"He's here too. He's fine. He has a black eye. Kris and he had a huge argument after you passed out but they have worked it out," Anna advised.

Bolda walked in carrying a troll size cup of water, followed by Kris and Josef. The two men started talking at once. Bolda silenced them both. "Enough. What did I tell you two?"

"No talking," they said in unison.

"Can't you see the poor girl is still weak? So be silent or be gone," Bolda admonished them.

"Yes, ma'am," they said in unison again and moved to the side of the tent.

Though just plain water to Elsie, it tasted like the best thing she had ever drunk. Bolda brought her several more cups of water over the next few minutes and in time Elsie felt well enough to sit up. Her head was clearing and her sight was returning. They were all in a tent, the royal tent if she was not mistaken.

"How long was I out?" asked Elsie.

Anna made to answer but the ancient troll that had just walked in cut her off, "two days."

GrandPappy walked up to Elsie enjoying the fact that with her sitting up and he standing they were able to speak eye to eye. "Well, never a dull moment with you two," he said looking from one sister to the other.

Elsie smiled at the private joke. Grand Pappy picked up her left hand. "I see that you have found that which your mother and I could not, the ring of Dunbroch."

"Wait, mother was looking for that ring? Why?" asked Anna.

"Because it would take away my powers," Elsie answered, "With it, we could have had a normal life. A life without magic."

"Yes and no. The ring of Dunbroch suppresses magic, it doesn't take it away. And it was never intended for a magical being like you," Grand Pappy explained. Always ready to tell a story of the past Grand Pappy went on, "Many years ago, the leader of Clan Dunbroch fell in love with a witch. The witch loved him too but knew they could never be together. She did everything to avoid him, even turning herself into an old crone but he kept finding her. It was like their hearts were linked somehow. Eventually, she gave up and agreed to marry him. The members of the clan were outraged and would have burned the two of them at the stake but the witch promised to cast a spell over her wedding ring that would make it impossible for her to do magic. The clan was appeased and they lived happily ever after."

Anna was smiling like a little girl, she loved happy endings. Elsie was still confused. "But you said it suppresses magic. It didn't stop it. Then you said it made it impossible for her to do magic. Which is it?"

In his usual way, Grand Pappy was cryptic, "both."

"Grand Pappy, maybe it's my head but you're not making any sense," Elsie said.

Grand Pappy smiled, "The ring was able to suppress her powers completely. I imagine you are still able to use your powers a little because you are far more powerful than she ever was. But you had to work some much harder to create Josef's ring while the ring of Dunbroch drained your powers simultaneously, and you fainted from the exertion."

"That makes sense. Kind of like trying to fill a bucket with water using a cup with a big hole in the bottom. You'll get the bucket full but it will take a lot more work." Elsie said to no one in particular.

"Exactly." Confirmed Grand Pappy.

Anna fidgeted and then raised her hand like they were in lessons, "but mother's papers say the ring took away the witch's powers?"

Grand Pappy was ready for that question, "the legends said it took away her powers because she was only able to use them on a very limited basis while she wore the ring. Eventually, she stopped using them all together because not using them was easier. So, in a way the legends were true."

"So, as long as I don't use my powers, I'll be fine?" Elsie asked.

"Exactly," answered Grand Pappy.

Like Anna, Josef raised his hand. Grand Pappy turned to him, "yes, Josef?"

"How do we destroy it?" asked Josef.

"You can't. At least not with magic. The first step in creating anything meant to contain magic is to always make that object impervious to magic. It wouldn't work very well otherwise," Grand Pappy explained.

Kris asked concerned, "Do we need to get Elsie away from you? Is it absorbing your magic?"

"As I told you before Kris, there is no need to worry about us," Grand Pappy explained. "I'm sure the ring is being stretched far beyond its limit just trying to keep Elsie's magic under control. There is no way it is powerful enough to keep her magic in check and affect us as well. It's quite safe for us to be around it."

"Can she remove the ring?" asked Josef.

Grand Pappy looked at him and answered, "Only if the person who gave it to her asks for it back."

"Then I want it back!" Josef declared.

The ring once snug against Elsie's finger loosened just slightly. Elsie closed her finger into a fist. "No."

Anna looked at her sister. Elsie looked at Josef and Kris looked from person to person not sure where to focus. "Do you still love me, Josef?" Elsie asked.

"More than ever."

"Do you still want me to be your wife?" Elsie asked.

"More than anything," Josef answered.

"Then the ring stays where it is." Elsie said, "and I can't thank you enough for the greatest wedding present you could have ever given me."

Josef couldn't stand it any longer. He scooped Elsie into his arms and they started kissing like two teenage sweethearts. Anna let this go on for a few minutes but then interrupted them with a loud, "Ah hum."

"What about the promises you have made," asked Anna, "To the kingdom and the Northlanders?"

Josef turned so the two sisters could talk face to face. "My magic isn't gone it's just suppressed and only while I have the ring on."

To demonstrate this to Anna, Elsie removed the ring and gave it to Anna. She then motioned Josef to put some distance between them and Anna. At about 20 paces her powers returned in a flood. Elsie cracked her knuckles, took a deep breath, and demonstrated the restoration of her powers by creating an ice dome over one of the hot springs. Then she added French doors, changing rooms, tables and chairs, couches, and a small bar.

Anna stared at the new structure that showed no signs of melting despite the heat that was even now building up inside. She was already beginning to wonder how quickly a rider could get to the castle and return with her swimming clothes and how good the hot water would feel on her aching back. Elsie and Josef returned to her side. Elsie motioned for Anna to return her ring and Anna begrudgingly gave it back.

Anna watch with not a little trepidation as Elsie slipped the ring back on. Elsie felt her powers fade away but she didn't feel any of the tiredness she had before. Anna watched to make sure her sister was OK. Then Anna looked over to see if the new bath house remained as well. It had.

Elsie gave Anna an I-told-you-so smirk. "I can still help keep the spirits of the north in line, but now I can be here with you too. This ring will be my tether," Elsie looked into Josef's eyes, "not my cage."

"But think of all you are giving up Elsie." Protested Anna.

"Oh, I have." Josef put Elsie down and she turned to face Anna, taking her sister's hands in hers. Tears, not icicles, but tears began to run down Elsie's cheeks. "I never told you this Anna, because I didn't want to scare you, but when you froze completely and I thought I had lost you forever, I was filled with rage, unlike anything I had ever known before. I was crying on the outside but on the inside, I was planning to freeze every man, woman, and child in the entire Southern Isles (Anna winced). I became the monster everyone feared."

"Oh, Elsie," Anna hugged her sister reflexively.

"With this ring, I won't have to worry anymore about hurting anyone accidentally," Elsa explained. "I used to dread being near others, I was so afraid I would freeze something or someone."

"Hence the ice palace for one?" Anna asked.

Elsie nodded in the affirmative. "Now I feel just as at peace surrounded by all of you as I do when I am out riding across a frozen lake. With the pressure of constantly having to control my powers lifted, I can control my emotions far better and think a lot clearer."

"Well. You haven't frozen any harbors or woke any ancient spirits lately so I guess I see what you're saying," Anna had to admit.

Elsie cringed at the thought of some of her past emotional outbursts. "I will be able to play with my new niece or nephew and not have to worry about what will happen if I get surprised, mad, or miss my mark." Elsie moved a stray hair behind Anna's ear. "My aim is better but still not perfect."

The memory of that dreadful night when she had accidentally hit Anna in the head with a frost beam. "I can love Josef and all my family and I won't have to worry about ever turning into that monster again. I know this ring seems like a shackle to you but it really isn't."

"If that's the way you want it," Anna said, "I guess we can always give it a try."

"It is Anna. It really is," Elsie answered. Then for the first time since they were eight, Elsie didn't have to worry about anything other than how much she loved her sister, her bother-in-law, and her husband-to-be.

And they lived Happily Ever After.