Complications (Hans and Elsa)

0.5 Let Her Go

   Grief had hit her as hard as it could as the heat of her tears burned at the back of her eyes. Her hand trembled as she kept her eyes still in the woman’s icy blue eyes that were swimming with longing. The world had suddenly came to a halt as she tried to process things, as she tried as hard as she could to believe that was in front of her was real. She flexed her fingers in hers, trying to see if it was proof enough. A cold breeze enveloped the both of them as the emotions she had suppressed for the past three years radiated from the depths of the wound in her heart. Frosts started to linger from her fingers even though she tried to stop it. Elsa squeezed her eyes shut as she fought for control and backed away from the woman, tugging her hands away from her as well.

   As hard as she could, she pressed her hands on her chest, worry written all over her face. She trembled in denial and grief as she stared at the woman with wide eyes, trying to see if she was real enough, trying to see if there was any trace of foolishness in her. She swallowed as she came nearer, as the woman risked another step. Frosts trailed on her dress and she had to fumble for her gloves to try to stop it.

       “Please – Please don’t come near. I’ll only hurt you.” She said as she stepped backward, trying to find her control. Think of love, Elsa. Love will thaw, love will thaw. She straightened herself as she painstakingly controlled all of her emotions, pushing them at the farthest corner of her heart and putting them in a cold box.

        “I am not afraid.” The woman said as she stepped forward, holding out her hand for Elsa to take. She should have done this long before the damage spread like wildfire.

        “Who are you?” Elsa asked as she hung the gloves back at the side of her dress, eyeing the woman as cold as she could. She stepped forward with her hands calmly resting on her front, folded together.

      She felt the cold pang hit her. She felt the ice. Right in front of her stood a queen who has control of everything, not the daughter she had been longing for, the daughter she had tried to protect from the fears she had.

         She swallowed as she risked another part of her. “It’s me, darling, your mama.” Her tone was calm as she searched for emotion in Elsa’s eyes. But she only found the glaciers Elsa had skillfully put up in no matter of seconds. The wound dug deeper.

          “I don’t believe you. What kind of trick is this?” Elsa said as she balled her hands into fists, eyeing the woman with distaste. There was the strong resemblance, but she refused to believe that any of this was real, that her mama, whom she had longed to see, was right in front of her. She didn’t want to be fooled.

           “Ithunn, let’s go. Let’s try another time.” With a weak voice, he called his wife, knowing that Elsa didn’t want anything from them, even an explanation was out of the question. He placed his trembling hand on her shoulder for comfort. He could not bear seeing her like this.

            Elsa swallowed as the knots grew in her throat. Ithunn, her mother’s beloved name. Could she be? “I demand you show me your face.” She said, her heart in her mouth as she stepped another foot forward, this time in front of the man.

   Although it had pressed on old wounds, she still had the ache to know if both of them were really here, if this was not another rehearsed trick. Her hope was frail, but it was hard to kill at times like this. Her hands shook as she itched for the feel of silk and cloth around her hands. Her fingertips felt cold as emotion rushed all the way back to her senses. She swore silently under her breath as she thought of Anna, as she thought of the silly things her sister would do. She swallowed, and then turned to look at Hans for reassurance.