"𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭, 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐝. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐳𝐳𝐥𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲."
- 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐲
A/N: In this chapter, Elsa and Aiden will discover each other's past selves, and I assure you, learning each other's past lifestyle is not a nightmare to be terrified of. The past is what shaped you to the one you are today, because mistakes aren't scary. They're just lessons to warn you to do your best to avoid them next time.
Anyways, you can also connect this chapter to the poem I made from my poetry book "Just Some Poems" That has a table of contents on the description. You can see the title "The Life I Dreaded." A poem that I composed dedicated to Aiden, about what life used to look like for him. And I'm just going to go straight to the point, his life back then isn't pretty. It's as painful as Elsa's, although Elsa's is more silent and concealed, while his is visible to every corner he goes.
I hope you guys don't find this boring, I know you all like the fluff and romance in this book and also the comedy, but I want both of them to know and learn each other more. Deeper, and more into the soul.
Happy reading~
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Conceal, don't feel.
Where did that mantra came from? The fire king had never hear his wife say it. Anna had told him countless times during in one of their hearty talks that the Elsa he got to know and love was a different person compared to the woman she was many years ago.
The bubbly princess shifted from one happy tone to a melancholy one, energy draining from her eyes as she spoke about the silent pain and the shutting of doors during those Thirteen years where they seemed like the best of friends, then strangers the next day.
Here he was, clearly knowing that this is a dream. He knows full well that in reality his wife is sleeping peacefully tucked in his embrace, her heartbeat thumping next to his own, his nose and warm breath against her platinum blond hair.
But the eight year old little girl right now in his own scenery of dream scape...
He could see the visible horror in her icy blue eyes as she witnessed what she had done to the five year old lying in her arms; a streak of white encasing a strand of her hair.
The ice rink beneath the two siblings intensified its solid touch, the snowman on the other side of the room crumbling to pieces with the other hills of snow.
The scene faded away, replaced with a platinum blond haired eighteen years old crown princess, standing before a mirror.
Her facial expression consisted one of fear, tears running down those not so visibly freckled cheeks he loves to kiss so much, her gloved hand clutching the other after drifting her gaze towards the heavily frosted mirror.
"I'm sorry Anna," she grimaced, squinting her eyes as she softly spoke with horrid pain, "This is the monster I have to hide from you."
Aiden gasps faintly, while the scene again, crushed into a thousand shards and swiftly turned into a new one, the one that might be too triggering to his heaving chest.
"What did I ever do to you?!"
"Enough Anna.."
"No! Why, why do you shut me out?! Wh-Why do you shut the world out? what are you so afraid of?!"
"I SAID ENOUGH!"
Thus, her secret she wrestled with for thirteen years is revealed by her reckless out burst. Anna's wide eyes froze in shock after staring at the icicles that shot up around the tensed, huffing queen, the satin glove still in her grasp.
With a tight tug on her cape, she fled.
"M-monster!"
"No! Stay away from me, just stay aw-"
Aiden's knees buckled and grew weak every passing second of the next scene. The pain-stricken, grieving cries of his beloved echoed to his ears as she knelt before her frozen sister, his blood boiling towards the man who fell unconscious due to the massive force Anna sent him flying towards the ice.
How could anyone call this precious girl a monster?
She is completely the opposite, and the people back then are too blinded to see that the real monster is nothing but FEAR.
Fear was, indeed, the enemy.
But now...
Fear doesn't stand a chance.
His eyes blinked awake, Elsa's arms still tangled around his body. Her chest rose and fell as she breathed, causing Aiden to chuckle. His smile changed into a protective way, his hand shifting Elsa's head closer to his chest.
If somebody, or even single soul dares to call you a monster once again, I will be a far worst one to protect you.
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𝘖𝘩, 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴
𝘖𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘢𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴?
𝘞𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦
𝘛𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴?
Is it over now?
(A/N: The picture below does not belong to me. Credits to the one who owns it. I merely added the text below.)
That had been the fifteen year old, black haired, green eyed prince's often thought or wonder whenever he hid inside his closet, knees hugged tightly and tears running freely, dampening the white shirt he had on right after his training sessions with sir Magoo.
His sobs were muffled by the thick wood he caged himself with; lips quivering and muscles tensed. Scorch marks adorned the back of the closet door, caused by his own fingertips.
𝘐'𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘺𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥
𝘎𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘭𝘺
𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘐'𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥
𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺, 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘺.
Elsa resisted the urge to run up to that closet and comfort the bawling boy. But she knew entirely well that she is nothing but an invisible visitor to a glimpse of Aiden's past.
"What did I tell you about summoning your witchery in front of Aiden?!"
"Abaddon, it was just a harmless flame!"
"Excuse me?! Just a harmless flame, you say? Your son will think of you as a freak. But you really are, aren't you?" Abaddon seethed in a harsh tone.
"You don't dare to speak of me that way!" Came Helena's warning.
"I do, and I don't care!"
𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘶𝘦
𝘔𝘺 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘢 𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘺
𝘉𝘪𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘸;
𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺.
Eighteen year old Aiden balled his fists furiously, his teeth gritted and cheeks flushed a dark shade of pink. His hands are itching to unsheathe the blade, and he wanted nothing but to melt down the towers of gold and jewelry Abaddon had presented to him with swelling pride.
Tears were threatening to water his eyes and become glossy, but he fought his inner demons and suspended them since... He had no choice but to live his life this way. Disguising his anger, he forced down a smile.
Because he wanted to wipe off his father's smug one.
He recognized that look. Those dimples, those betraying eyes. Aiden knew that Abaddon is fooling no one but the clown jester; he's trying to fool him-blind him with the light of the wealth Abaddon is ready to unleash to him.
"You.." Elsa growled. This satin robed, boastful man in front of her is the father that had attempted to silence his son's truthful words and abused his wife, something that is against the law. But Abaddon is a great shadow, the master of fools. He can cover up the evidence of his trails quite skillfully, but Aiden is better than little childish tricks.
𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘦?
𝘐𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳..
𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘶𝘯?
𝘏𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦?
𝘉𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘸𝘯
𝘍𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘺
𝘔𝘺 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘯
𝘉𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘥.
His eyes fluttered open blankly, his expression plain and his body 'neath those sheets. His fireplace's embers were left empty; since his feeling with the none existent flames is mutual. Dead, lifeless, boring, same old, sick. There was always this feeling of the pit in his stomach.
𝘛𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴
𝘛𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘩 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴
𝘔𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘤𝘦
𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘧, 𝘯𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.
It was always this way. Crying himself to sleep. Then waking up, eyes red and puffy, pillows damp and blankets ruffled. The aroma of coffee roams around the air, the drink had always been at best use for the fire prince. Staying up late and sitting on his desk and finishing his father's assigned tasks for him was becoming a drug he had to stop drowning his indulgence to.
𝘔𝘺 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘮𝘦
𝘛𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺, 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘥
𝘔𝘺 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘦
𝘈𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘦.
𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘐 𝘋𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘥
𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯
𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥,
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘶𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥.
- The Life I Dreaded by: Me
And, that's when Elsa knew why Aiden is so grateful about what she had done to him... To his former cold, inanimate heart. She did, most definitely thaw it. She did, most definitely cherished it and kissed his tears away.
Her eyes fluttered open, departing from the dream. She ignored the faint taste of liquor that lingered on her tongue, and kissed his lips softly. His lips curled into a smile, but he remained asleep and tangled in her embrace.
The moon witnessed shared words of affection that night.
I love you.
And I, you.