Ice Cold (A Jelsa Fanfic)

Chapter Twelve

A light breeze swept through the ice castle, carrying the sounds of birds and rustling leaves from the forest beyond with it. In the distance faint voices could be heard from the city of Arendelle. Elsa woke with a yawn and a stretch. She opened her eyes and grasped for Jack. Her hands found only the chill morning air in place of where he should have been. She bolted up, looking around frantically.

"Jack?" she whispered. No answer. "Jack?" she asked again, this time yelling out his name. There was only silence. Panic flooded her heart. Where was he?

She looked down at the bed she was on, suddenly confused. There had never been a bed in her castle. Jack must have made it for her. She rose off the bed and quickly went to the balcony. She looked over Arendelle, her eyes searching for Jack, but to no avail. He promised her he'd stay the night. So where was he? A nervous anger rose inside her. He had left her. She was supposed to go back to Arendelle with him. He lied.

**

"Where's the queen?" a voice shouted from behind the locked door.

"The queen isn't here!" Anna called back. "She's... on vacation!" Kristoff laughed at Anna's failed attempted to lie. She looked back and glared at him.

He quickly apologized, shrugging and saying, "But you're so cute when you lie." Anna rolled her eyes.

"What do we do? If we don't think of something they'll break down the door!" Anna paced back and forth. Jack hovered in the air near by, deep in thought. He knew the question was directed towards him, however Anna couldn't speak directly to him, for Kristoff was in the room. What could he do?

"Tell them you'll share the food you harvest this fall to make up for the loss of food the snow costed," he suggested. Anna nodded. It was worth a try.

Another bang sounded on the door. "Elsa isn't here. In her absence, I am left in charge. I am willing to give you a share of our crops to make up for the crops lost."

"Crops or no crops, your sister is a witch and needs to answer for her crimes!" the deep voice yelled back. Anna sighed, looking at Jack, and then at Kristoff. What were they going to do?

**

Elsa walked back and forth across the ice floor of her castle. She knew if she went after Jack he would be angry. There was a reason he left her, right? She hoped there was. But if she didn't go after him, she'd be mad at herself. What if something happened to him or Anna? She couldn't risk that. She and Jack could have their quarrels later, but for now, she knew she had to go back. She loved them both too much not to. She ran out the ice castle doors and began her descend down the north mountain. She made it all the way down to the fjord and froze the water under her as she ran across. She stopped half way across, and scanned her surroundings again. Still no sign of him. Would he be in the castle or in the village? She looked around, wondering where she should start to look for him.

The almost inaudible sound of something flying through the air was detected. She looked around for the source. Suddenly, a sharp pain appeared in her abdomen. She grunted and put her hands to the source of the pain. Something sticky was forming and she felt something wooden.

Elsa raised her hands to her hands and inspected them. Red. They were covered in red. Blood. She looked down at her chest. A wooden stick with feathered fletching stuck out in the middle of where the red was beginning to stain her dress. An arrow. She'd been shot. Her head began to spin and she felt like she was moving in slow motion. She grasped the arrow with her hands and pulled it out, not sure what else she could do. The pain shot up inside of her. Her head hit the ice beneath her, but she couldn't feel herself falling.

"Jack! Anna!" she tried to call, but her voice was weak.

**

"Sir!" Anna heard another voice call out from behind the door.

"Yes?"

"We've found Elsa!" Anna exchanged worried glances with Jack and Kristoff. Her heart began to speed up. Jack flew down to her and together they moved closer to the door, making sure they could hear the conversation.

"She was shot with a crossbow out on the fjord. She should be dead within a little bit." Jack felt like he'd been pierced through the heart. He gripped the wooden staff in his hands until his knuckles were white. He could barely breath.

"Elsa no," he thought desperately. He fled the room, flying as fast as he could towards the fjord.

Anna fell to the ground. "No. No, no, no, no, no." she whispered to herself. Kristoff rushed to her side, and lifted her to her feet.

"Anna, we have to go to her. There may still be hope to save her."

Beyond the door they heard a chuckle."My work here is done," the deep voice of the other village's commander said. There was the sound of retreating footsteps, then it faded as the men left, leaving Anna and Kristoff alone.

"Come on, Anna. We have to get to the fjord before it's too late," Kristoff urged. A tear slid down Anna's face, but she couldn't seem to move. Her body was in shock, frozen still. Kristoff briskly picked her up in his arms, and together they fled towards the fjord.