"What happened?!" I asked loudly, trying to reach them as a crowd was gathered around them, whispering and gossiping to themselves.
"Excuse me. let me through. Please ah, thank you." I excused myself pushing past the crowd only to hear Elias mutter two words that broke whatever was left of my heart.
"Then leave" I heard Elias whisper and a gasp escaped my mouth. I didn't yet interfere, this is between him and anna.
Elias let out a sigh and turned around walking towards the door. Anna wore a hurt expression.
"What did I ever do to you?!" Anna almost yelled and my eyes widened. In all my years knowing Anna and I've known her since we were in diapers, she never yelled at anybody, well not at least in anger. It was always playful and harmless.
"Enough Anna." Elias' voice cracked. He started walking away from us. Was he doing it again?!
"No. Why do you shut me out? Why did you shut her out? Why did you shut the world out?!" Anna said the middle part pointing at me, I was very proud that Anna was finally saying something about it but we were in the middle of a ball and I can't let her do this when representatives of so many countries are present.
I ran to her and grabbed her arm.
"Anna please can we do this later? There are people here." I whisper through clenched teeth. I do not want Arendelle to lose the reputation that I had worked so hard to build.
"No y/n we will do this right now. I want answers, don't you?" Anna said frustrated back to me and I could've sworn tears were lining her eyes.
I could've argued more, I should have argued more damnit but I could only sigh and let her go. When anna makes up her mind about something no one can stop her
"What are you so afraid of?!"
"I said enough!" Elias turned around with his hand outstretched and a wall of ice spikes formed around him. I could only watch in horror as Elias' face contorted into what could only be described as 'terrified'.
He was terrified. And he was staring at me. I outstretch my hand to him and take a step forward but before I could reach him I heard a voice say,
"Sorcery, I knew there was something dubious going on here." Duke of Weasletown please keep your mouth shut.
"Elias" anna whispered from beside me. Elias glanced at me then at anna and then at Hans. He searched for the doorknob, opened the door and ran away.
"Well fuck reputation. Did you know about this?" I whispered the first part and yelled the second at my butler who just nodded. The audacity, we are going to have words buddy.
I saw weasletown's bodyguards clear the ice spikes from the way. Then I bolted behind him. The duke and his minions behind me. And I could hear anna call out mine and Elias' names from behind them.
We reached the outer gates only to see the frozen fountain. Elias was wildly looking around him for help, glancing around fearfully, as should be I suppose the duke and his men are trying to capture him
I called out to him, our eyes met, and I could see the fear clear as the day in his eyes. It was...heartbreaking. I've never seen him look like this before.
"Elias! No! Please..." I yelled, and for a moment I could see it in his eyes, he was contemplating it, yes! Maybe it cou-...I'm afraid I spoke too soon...the bodyguards and the duke caught up with me, and he ran away. I stood frozen as I saw him glancing at me and then at anna- who had ran past me to catch up with him- and then turning back again.
He made ice under his steps and ran away from us, his purple cloak fluttering behind him. Ran away to where no one could go after him.
Where I couldn't go after him.
It was...heartbreaking. Hearing the pain in anna's voice as she called out to him, seeing the pain behind Elias's eyes as he ran away from us. No matter what he did to us, he was still family.
And I had failed him, I knew I did. I honestly should have realised something was going on.
He was going through all of it- alone. And- God I feel so stupid!
I surveyed the crowd, my eyes landing on my butler. I glared at him, he only watched me with his stupidly soft and condescending smile!
I walked over to him, grab his sleeve and led him to somewhere we can talk privately.
"How long?" I got straight to the point, I had neither the will nor the energy to play around.
"His whole life." His answer was simple, containing only three words, yet I understood the implication behind it. I opened and closed my mouth, I'm sure onlookers could've passed me as a land fish.
Then with a sudden surge of rage, my face hardened and the glare took over again.
"Who?!" I almost yelled I would have done it only if I wasn't excruciatingly aware of every single eye on my back.
"That, Master, you would have to figure out yourself, after all, you did make a promise." He smiled sympathetically, This expression didn't usually appear on my butler's smug and self-assured face. The last time it had was probably when the royals and my parents- yeah.
And he walked away leaving me, with a bewildered expression and an emotional and angry Anna to deal with. Alone.
Asshole.
I turned around, and as I expected Anna started hounding me for answers. I knew I have to tell her, but- I don't know!
It would break her heart and the last thing I want after Elias ran off was to break my pseudo-sister's heart.
It pains me so much that we- we left Elias alone! To deal with everything!
I couldn't imagine how hard it would've been for him to deal with his parent's death, with his powers(?) and obviously the burden and responsibility of the crown.
If that's how I felt I couldn't imagine how anna would feel. She does take everything to heart more than I do. But I also knew that it wouldn't be fair to keep everything from her. She deserves to know this.
After all bitter truth is better than sweet lies.
A/n: I'm very sorry for the delay. See I'm in my final year of high school and also preparing for college next year side by side, so this is how it's gonna be from now on. Probably.
Thank you everyone for reading this and waiting so long for the updates. I'll really try to maintain a schedule but well, I don't do very good with timetables.
But yes I will continue writing this book. So stay tuned for the next chapter!