The Snow Queen's Frozen Heart Book 2

The Rescue

Sleep that night evaded me. So much played on my mind. After I'd been taken back to my cell, I'd been denied both food ad water. Hans wouldn't be able to do anything about it or he'd risk losing Aaron's trust. That was an advantage we couldn't afford to lose while I was here. I thought about Aaron's threat. I knew from the look in his eyes that he hadn't been bluffing. He was more than willing to kill the last of our family to get the throne. Greed could make men do strange things.
I had no idea what time it was when my solitude was interrupted. I could hear the footsteps and see the glow of a torch, both getting closer to my cell. At first I thought that maybe my uncle had decided to go ahead and act on his threat. If that was te case, I could die, either from my baby being cut from me or heart break at it's fate. Aaron knew that.
I heard the jangling of keys and my cell door open. I didn't dare look at the person out of fear of who I might find.
"Oh dear God..." I heard them say, "Ingrid...What have they done to you?"
The person rushed to my side and scooped me up in their arms. Unlike most people who's touch was hot compared to mine, This person's was cooler and much more familiar. I looked up tiredly and sighed in relief.
"Elsai..."
I looked toward the cell door to see Hans standing there with a torch. He'd stayed true to his word and led Elsai to me. Elsai swiftly carried me out of the cell, his grip tightening slightly when we passed Hans.
"You need to get out of here." Hans said, " It won't be long until Aaron notices she's gone."
"What do you suggest?"
"The servant's exit. Follow me."
Elsai followed Hans to a less extravagant part of the castle, down some undecorated wooden steps and out the back gate.
"I'll try to stall them for as long as I can." Hans promised.
"No..." I spoke softly, yet with conviction, "Aaron will blame you if you try to cover for us. Come back to Arram with us."
"What?" They asked in unison, Elsai in irritation, Hans in awe.
"You helped us and my Uncle will find out. I don't like putting the few people o my side in danger."
"But Ingrid..."
"Hans. Don't make me use my authority as a queen to order you. Arram is probably the safest place you can be right now." I huffed.
Hans nodded in submission and Elsai just glared at him. We slipped through the shadows of the town undetected. We would be escaping on the ship that had carried the message and brought Elsai here. The sailors and the Captain had been informed of the situation and had promised to keep the quite. For the right price, naturally.
When we got to the ship, the captain bowed to us and began giving orders. The crew worked as quietly as they could. If we were caught, it would be Hell on Earth for us all. The sailors and Captain would likely be locked away, Hans would loose Aaron's trust, and Aaron would use Elsai against me to make me sign and seal the document. We couldn't risk exposure. The Captain had graciously given up his cabin for me. Though it wasn't big, it was much bigger than my cell.
It was like walking on eggshells around Elsai and Hans. Although Hans was helping us now, it didn't mean that he particularly liked my husband and Elsai couldn't trust Hans any less. There was only one thing they agreed on and that was that I wasn't allowed to get out of bed.
I'd decided to be a little selfish about it and allowed them to spoil me. Elsai would bring me my dinner in the evening and shower me with love and attention at night. Hans brought me breakfast when I woke up and would talk to me while Elsai slept the morning away. It was mid afternoon, right after lunch when I returned to a world of pain. Hans had shown Elsai my will and Elsai wasn't happy.
"All I'm saying is that I owed him a favor for his help and I really thought I was going to die."
"So you doubted that I'd come for you?!"
"No! I just wasn't sure if you'd make it in time!"
"He's no better than Aaron! He tried to kill Anna and us and take over Arendale!"
"And I apologized!" Hans tried to defend himself.
"Which means nothing! You won't have any standing in the Arramian monarchy as long as I am King!"
"Then it's a good thing you're not king of Arram yet." I said coldly, "But I am queen, so the choice is mine."
Both Elsai and Han's looked at me in confusion. I closed my eyes and crossed my arms.
"Hey...I had to go through a coronation to be Queen of Arendale. You have to go through one to be King of Arram." I shrugged and opened my eyes.
"But he...!"
"Is only third in line. Fourth after our baby is born. And besides, if you don't remember, people tend to compare me to Aaron too."
"You're different...." Elsai said looking ashamed.
I rolled my eyes,"Maybe to you, but to other people, I..." I suddenly paused.
I felt the sheets of the bed grow damp and a terrible pain in my stomach. Elsai and Hans stood up in corsern and worry.
"Elsai..."I looked up at him in fear," The baby's coming..."