VALHALLA, elsa

Ch. 2 | Morning Rise

chapter two. MORNING RISE

                

The illuminant rays of the sun shone through the peaking hole of the cloth. The blinding yet warm light was more than enough for you to stir awake, groaning at the searing pain that shoots every inch of your body.

The rusted chains that sprawled around the small cage clangs loudly, which rang annoyingly in your sensitive ears. Your breath hitched as you felt the pain dulling down, the burning sensation on your ankles and wrists, however, did not.

You felt so sore yet on edge at the same time, you couldn't take a break for just a measly second. Only when your body finally gives up or when the skies clear up and show the bright day you longed to see.

Yet with your own nerves, you know it could never happen.

Whenever the hairs on your body go up, or even a spike in your heart that went up, or that single feeling of dread and terror that shot your entire body— if any of that happen, the skies would darken with nothing but melancholic greys. The only light visible to one's naked eye were the ones that took form of a lightning bolt. It light up the sky and offers loud cracks of thunder, vigorously banging one's ears.

Most of the time, your control of the weather is based on your emotions.

And you were always crying and in pain, thus leading to a more dangerous and negative vibe in the once beautiful and radiant skies.

You huffed, forcing yourself to at least sit up, cornering yourself with your legs hugged close to your chest. You rested your chin on top of your knees, eyeing the single hole of the cloth that covered your cage rather warily, before your eyes fluttered shut with exhaustion. You haven't gotten as much sleep as a child would, so it was expected for you to feel so sleepy and exhausted.

You may not know how much you have slept, but you're still grateful to the gods and goddesses in Valhalla that you at least got some bit of rest.

Every bone in your body is stiff and every muscle ached from the tenseness. The only way your body and mind could ever relax is when you pass out from exhaustion or when you slept, which isn't a lot. You can never fully relax since you had to be alert. With the group you're with during these dire times, being on guard is necessary.

Letting your guard down for just one mere second can cost you your life.

And you learned that the hard way.

The cage was small so it was hard to maneuver around, but you still managed to do it and found yourself in a much more comfortable position. Your chest rise and fell, savouring the small and peaceful moment you have before all would go into chaos once more.

And just hearing the whipping and clanking from the outside made you flinch.

Letting the tears drip down your flushed cheeks, you silently cried throughout the loud yells of the performs beyond the clothed cage.

Meanwhile, in one of the luxurious moving carriages sat a family of four. And for the first time in a long one (at least to them) two sisters could finally leave their own rooms and the walls of the castle that held them prisoners.

The princesses of Arendelle stared out, the oldest of the two silently amazed at the quick preparations of the performers beloe. Whilst the youngest sister was interested and joful at the sight of the animals.

To make up for the awkward silence between the two sisters, the parents had entertained them by pointing at various sections of the groundwork. The performs looked so happy and excited to pull off a fantastic show for the King and Queen of Arendelle.

If only they knew how much wrong it is.

The servants that came along the Royal family's journey all gushed at the marvelous sight, wishing that those that were left in the castle would come and watch the incoming perfomance. Not a single thing looked so dull— always filled with colorful wonders and excitement.

The group of performers: Grounders, were known mostly in France. But hopefully, they could be known worldwide with their new edition to the performance.

"Mama," The young twelve year old called out to her mother, who looked away responded to her daughter with a small, questioning hum. "what is in there?" The daughter pointed to the one thing that felt out of place (for her) the poor cloth over what seemed to be a circular cage.

Iduna squints her eyes in thought, softly and gently placing her hand on her daughter's shoulder. With an uncertain tone, she replied. "I don't know. . . What do you think?" The woman stretched out the word, making the young blonde pursed her lips in deep thought.

"Maybe. . . another animal?" The young blonde guessed, looking up to her mother with a hesitant smile. She was definitely unsure of it, and Iduna could tell, only nodding as her daughter turned back to looking at that one particular cage.

One thing is certain, Elsa felt drawn to it.

Even after they've settled down on their own private place, (somewhere inside the enormous tent) she still had her eyes trained on that one specific cage. It was then placed in the middle, almost as if it was some sort of grand finale for their show.

Only when the lights turned off and the onky remaining ones left are pointed to the host. Anna squealed excitedly while Elsa gripped her cerulean dress with joyful excitement. She wanted to see something entertaining after just blankly staring out the window and at the walls of her own room. The books that once kept her company were just sitting on the shelves, collecting dust while being a collection itself.

Something as magical as this was a moment she will cherish.

And their smiles and laughs never faded as the show went on. Brightened awes filled the entire stadium as the perfomers did various tricks, stunts and parkour around the castle-like tent. The animals that Anna spotted and gushed earlier had their own screentime and ticks, much like the performers.

And then it came to an end, or so one of them seems.

"And now, a special performance for our special guests." The host went up and gestured to the Arendellian family. Anna's eyes lit up with excitement when she heard "special performance" whereas Elsa grew intrigued as the lighting pointed to the one cage that she had her eyes on.

The red tent above them suddenly went down, frightening the family but the host reassured them that it was part of the act. So they calmed themselves after that.

They waited until it was fully down, not noticing that one of the workers ran and desperately tries to stop it.

"Feast your eyes upon our one, and only— Weather Girl!"

Elsa watched as one of the workers tore the cloth away, finally revealing the very thing that she was weirdly drawn to.

And to everyone's surprise and horror, it revealed a young girl, no older than Elsa— all chained up and bruised, stains of your dried blood smearing across your face, body, and clothes. And eyes staring at them and the host with so much hate and loathing that made Iduna and Agnarr flinch at the fierce intensity of it.

Finally reaching the front of it, the horrified worker vociferated at the confused host.
          
             

"Stop!"