Frozen III: Night Of Black Sun

Chapter 11

Anna's hands jerked back from the sound and the pain so clear on Elsa's face. She wanted to help but all she seemed to be doing was making it worse. Her fingers opened and closed helplessly as Elsa's body slipped partially down the small rise she'd made, pulling up her tunic and exposing her hips in the process. Her heart shattered to the sight of Elsa's normally snow white skin turned deep purple. The black thread that Agnire had used to re-close the stitching on her side twisting around her heart like a noose.

Tears sprung to her eyes as she moved to pull the chain that had fallen against the wound away, "I'm so sorry..."

Agnire had had to remove the wrap that had been put in place to protect the wound, the once clean cloth filled with dried blood and melted ice. He hadn't yet been able to safely secure something to replace it but he did have something that could possibly improve the situation.

"Here...this should help..." He offered out a small metal container filled with a light green paste, "Gently okay?"

Anna nodded her head and brought the balm to her nose for a moment to try and figure out what it was. However, her botany skills were still somewhat lacking and she merely tilted the can to show Elsa though the latter gave no indication she knew or was capable of even seeing it through her barely opened eyes. A soft clearing of her throat turned her head down towards the small slip of skin that was now showing through.

Her fingers trembled greatly when she took some of the balm onto them and even more so with fear as she pushed the tunic further out of her way, the flesh beneath twitching from the contact. She had hoped Elsa had grown more comfortable with the touch of others over time but it seemed that her hope was not to be answered.

"It's going to feel cold..." Anna could tell one thing by the smell, that it was made with a menthol of some sort. If only she'd have paid attention in her science lessons she might have been more useful now.

Elsa merely closed her eyes and braced herself against the bed, her head turning back into the pillow to muffle any sounds that might make it past her throat. Thankfully, her sister's touch was warm, warmer than she thought it would be and the relief the balm brought was enough to ease the pressure that had been settled upon her chest. Though as her hand moved from the wound on her waist and began to slip further up towards her chest, she found a whole knew sensation causing chaos inside her.

"D-don't..."

Anna paused in her path, her focus solely on following the bruising that trailed up her stomach and towards her ribs, "But..."

Agnire knew that Elsa's prudence was going to hinder his attempts to bring relief and thus turned away towards the bookshelf to find his laudanum, he had been saving it for Anna but as it seemed his previous healing had left her feeling well enough he knew he needed to give it to Elsa instead.

"Small sip okay?" Agnire gave Anna a reassuring glance before holding the small glass vial in front of Elsa's nose, letting her take a small smell before he very carefully poured no more than a spoonful's amount between her parted lips.

Elsa's face twisted as the burning liquid slipped over her tongue. She remembered the taste from when she'd caught a fever and the castle physician and made her rest for three days under its hold. Thankfully, Agnire didn't offer anymore and she couldn't help but lick her dry lips to try and rid herself of the taste.

"Chaser." Agnire had quickly moved back to the bookshelf where he poured a cup of still warm tea. Instead of offering it himself he handed the cup to Anna who looked more than a dejected, "Carefully..."

Anna gave him a morose smile as she took the cup. A small shift brought herself closer to Elsa and she cradled her head before very gingerly placing it against her bottom lip. When Anna's eyes met with Elsa's, she could only offer her what little hope she had left and tilted the cup. Though a little spilled over, her heart thumped with relief when Elsa let out a heavy breath of relief. She took the cup to her own lips taking a small sip for herself, finally washing the taste of ash and fire off her tongue.