Cold Hands [ Elsamaren ]

21 - Fallen Soldiers (Part 2)

A/N: Raunchy content warning in this chapter!

The sky had blossomed into a dark grey, thick clouds reigned the horizon as the afternoon trickled into a covered sunset. Thunder threatened in the distance, as small raindrops hit the well-soiled ground of greenery.

There were hundreds upon hundreds of flowers. The Enchanted Forest graveyard had transformed from a small place of reverence to a large place of memory. A forever piece of history etched into every individual plant. Each daunting flower mixed with the souls who did not survive the treacheries of the Sixth Spirit.

Elsa took in a deep, shaking breath. The new smell of moist soil and dripping rain filled her lungs. Each drop of water that hit her skin felt cold, calming and familiar. Her white flowing dress clung to her legs, the pieces of cloth on her arms that usually swung in the wind sagged drastically. 

A single flower was held in her hand. It was a red rose, young, bright and hopeful. The flower was for Kirra's father. Honeymaren had taken the younger girl there earlier in the day to commemorate her mother. It seemed green eyed girl still did not quite understand the impact of the death of her family. Kirra knew things had changed, and had her moments of melancholy, but still went about her day almost as normal, still asking about her parents.

It pained Elsa. The inner parts of herself screamed that it was her fault. 

'If you were quicker, you know they'd still all be alive.'

No, that wasn't it.

"Maybe you're just a failure all around.'

Ah, yes. A failure. Someone who lacked success. Even after the constant fighting, Elsa still felt that way. Even after persevering, time and time again, getting through the worst hells that the average person would not be able to manage in the slightest, she still felt like a huge, ridiculous failure. She couldn't bring herself to count the total death toll.

Elsa let the tears laboriously flow down her cheeks.

"Rest well, sir. Kirra will be taken care of, I swear." The Fifth Spirit croaked to herself. She knelt and placed the flower into the ground, letting the dirt blanket the flower protectively.

As the rain began to pour down steadily, stretches of lightning shining in the near distance, Elsa decided it was time to go. With hunched shoulders, the blonde woman forced her feet away from the sight, and back down a rough made brown path, back to the camp.

By the time she arrived back, it was dark. She was wet from the rain but paid little to no attention it. As Elsa entered her tent, she realised that a singular bunny plushie sat on her neatly made bed, a scribbled note laid underneath it. 

'I am out with some of the younger tribe members teaching them how to properly hunt. I won't be out too long after dark, I promise. Also, Yelena fixed Kirra's bunny plushie, it has a new ear now. Kirra is in the tent across from yours. Stay safe, Snowflake. Much love.              - Honeymaren'

Elsa squeezed and dried out her hair, sighing and shaking her head knowingly. When under stress, her girlfriend always loved to help the very few kids and teenagers of the Enchanted Forest. A nearby crush of thunder made the Fifth Spirit flinch suddenly, and also hear a nearby squeal. It sounded like a child.

Knowing who it most likely could be, Elsa flipped up the flap of the tent and jogged over to a smaller hut that seemed to have been recently built, its wooden edges new and not nearly as worn down as most of the homes in the forest.

Before Elsa entered the small area, she knocked gently. A faint, 'come in', squeaked from inside, allowing her into the personal space. As the blonde woman entered she realised how small the are was compared to her home. She had to hunch over and practically slightly squat to properly navigate the space, and there was no large bed inside, only a small single sized frame and soft mattress, with wooden drawers next to it and a frame of a family on the wall opposite it. Apart from the evident smell of outside rain, the place smelt of an odd vanilla.