Hey everyone! Here you go! The longest chapter in the story! WHAAAAAAT?! This chapter is almost 6,000 words and not including the Author's Note. I'm very proud of the outcome and I hope you all are too! This chapter is dedicated to my roommates Dominique and Sarah. They are pretty awesome roommates especially since Dom is not only my roommate, but my teammate. She's a great person overall and her nickname is Mama Dom since she's so caring and motherly to everyone she loves. So this is for you Dom and Sarah, thanks for being great roommates! Also, P.S. guys – You will need to listen to "We Dance" by Steffany Gretzinger and Bethel Music. You'll know when ;)
"Kieran?"
"Yes, Elsa?"
"This is your idea of fun?"
Kieran and Elsa stood in the middle of an open meadow outside of town, staring at the strange object protruding from a big, fat melon. Kieran had a wide, mischievous smile on her face, while Elsa looked confused. The witty traveler gripped her flint and steel with excitement and bounced on her heels like a child on a sugar rush.
"So… remind me what this… thing is called again?" Elsa said as watched Kieran kneel down towards the foreign object. It had a piece of string, Kieran called a fuse, sticking out from a paper pipe with multiple ingredients, including black powder, inside its content.
"It's called a 'firecracker' or a 'firework'," Kieran said with a grin.
"What's the difference?" Elsa said as she knelt down as well.
"A firecracker is something small like this little guy," Kieran explained, "It explodes on the ground while a firework shoots up into the air and explodes into the sky!"
"That sounds dangerous…" Elsa said.
"No no, it's completely harmless… ya know as long as you step back a couple of feet…" Kieran said with a smile.
"Reassuring," Elsa said.
"But you see, in some countries, this is what they use to scare off evil spirits or bad misfortune," Kieran said, "But other times, it's used for fun!"
The queen giggled at her rescuer's eagerness, "So, my guess is that we're going to blow up the melon…"
"Exactly! Isn't that fun?" Kieran exclaimed.
"I can't even imagine," Elsa said.
Kieran looked at Elsa in thought, then she got an idea, "Here… close your eyes."
"Why?" Elsa giggled.
"I'm going to describe to you what a real firework is like," Kieran said, "Then you tell me if this'll be fun or not."
Elsa laughed, "Alright Kieran, you have my attention," she said.
"Yeah, alright! Now close your eyes," Kieran repeated, "No peeking!" she said.
"I won't," Elsa said,
"Listen to the sound of my voice," Kieran said, "Imagine a dark, beautiful starry night… It's quiet… peaceful… then suddenly sparks of fire shoot into the air like an arrow! You hear a sharp whistle, hwisssss! Before you know it, boom! Bursts of colors ranging from reds to blues ignite the dark into a blooming flower of light. Finally, after the explosion, there's a drizzle of tiny stars that gently float down all around you… then it vanishes like that… and you're left with the dark once again."
Elsa was speechless, "Wow…"
"So?" Kieran eagerly said, "What d'ya think?"
"I think…" Elsa slowly opened her eyes and looked at Kieran with a gentle smile, "That was amazing… I wish I could witness what a real firework is like," she said.
"I can promise you that," Kieran smiled back.
"Oh really?" Elsa said.
"Yeah," Kieran said, "When we get back to Arendelle, I'll craft a whole bunch of fireworks for you. Then we'll watch them fly into the night sky and let the magic happen."
"I can't wait," Elsa laughed.
Kieran gave out a little chuckle, "Me too…" she said, "Alright, what're we waiting for? Time to turn this melon into a million of pieces! Mwa ha ha ha!"
'What did I get myself into?' Elsa thought.
Kieran used her flint and steel to ignite some sparks onto the fuse. Once it caught fire, the fuse started to fizzle and burn.
"C'mon! We gotta run!" Kieran said grabbing Elsa's hand and pulling her away from lit firecracker.
"Oh my gosh!" Elsa said as she used her other hand to pick up the fabrics of her dress and cloak to run faster.
They laughed together as Kieran guided them to a safe distance away from the melon and behind a rock in the field.
"C'mon…" Kieran said as she giggled with eagerness.
Elsa glanced at Kieran then looked to the melon as they await the big explosion. The air was silent and the only sounds that were heard were the anticipated laughter of two women. One second – nothing yet – two seconds – wait for it – three seconds – almost – BOOM!
The melon dispersed into chunks that went flying into every direction. The explosion caused both women to flinch and duck their heads under the rock to avoid the debris. Once it was over, they cautiously peeked up to see the smoking leftovers of the melon in the field.
The next thing you know, Kieran shouted to the sky with glee, "AWWWW YEAAAAAAHHH!" Her elation caused Elsa to smile as the queen laughed at her rescuer. Kieran, in return, brought Elsa to stand and spun her around the rock. She gestured her to scream along with her, but Elsa bashfully shook her head. Kieran, however, wasn't taking no for an answer, "C'mon it's fun! Let it out Queenie!" she said while running around the meadow like a maniac, "WHOOOOHOOOOOO!"
Remembering her usual motto, Elsa took a deep breath and let it go, "AAAHHHHHHHHH!"
Kieran stopped to grin at Elsa and shouted with her, "YEAAAAAAAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAAAAAA!"
"WHOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO!" they said together and ran around the open meadow like a pair of crazy lunatics. Elsa couldn't help but laugh as she watched Kieran become so carefree and alive. Just a day ago, she was a completely different person, but because of her, Kieran was reborn… and Elsa absolutely loved it.
...
After collecting themselves and returning back to Oscar and Iris, who were safely away from the explosion, the group walked back into town where the sun was beginning to set. Kieran led Elsa to the marketplace one more time before the vendors close up shop.
"Kieran, what are we looking for?" Elsa asked.
"It's a surprise," Kieran replied.
"Another one?" Elsa said,
Kieran chuckled, "I promise that this time there will be no more exploding melons," she said as she continued her search. "Here it is!" Kieran exclaimed and led Elsa towards a cart that sells artisan goods.
Approaching the cart, Elsa noticed a young woman around the same age as her and Kieran. She had long dirty blonde hair that fell gently over her shoulders and tan skin with obvious freckles dusting her cheeks. She wore a simple dress and corset that showed off all of her assets, including her boisterous chest. Elsa couldn't help but feel a strange feeling when Kieran approached this woman with a wide smile on her face.
"Hey, Jean!" Kieran said grabbing the attention of the woman behind the cart.
Said woman looked up to see Kieran and her hazel-green eyes lit up like a Christmas tree, "Kieran?" the woman said as she walked around to greet Kieran with a warm hug. "I heard rumours saying that you were back, but I didn't know what to believe," she said.
"Yeah, I'm only visiting for a short while," Kieran said, "I'm leaving soon."
"It's a shame that you can't stay longer," she said while Elsa noticed the woman's hand lingered on Kieran's bicep longer than it should have, "The family really misses you."
"I promise to visit another time, but I can't right now," Kieran said and turned to Elsa with a smile on her face, "Jeanette, meet Elisabeth. Elisabeth, meet Jeanette Landvik. I stayed with her family on their farm when I first arrived at Grimstand."
"Yes, and you stubbornly refused to sleep inside the house," Jeanette said, "I would've had you share my room, it was much cozier than the barn loft."
A tick. That's what Elsa felt in her head. Something ticking in her head when she heard Jeanette speak about Kieran.
"You know I didn't want to intrude, Jean," Kieran said.
"Kieran that's nonsense, you know how much our family likes you," Jeanette said.
"Yes, and you all were very kind but I have to respect boundaries," Kieran said.
"Considering how close we've become I didn't think we had any boundaries," Jeanette said with her pink lips turning into a smirk.
'That's it,' Elsa thought. "Kieran," she said sternly, "Didn't we come here to buy something?"
Kieran turned her head to Elsa and noticed the odd expression on the queen's face, "Uhm… yeah, that's right," she said and looked at Jeanette, "Hey Jean, do you still have strawberry syrup on ya?"
"Why yes," Jeanette said glancing at a glaring Elsa, "I'll go grab it." She turned away to her cart and fetched the product.
While Jeanette is busy, Kieran turned back to Elsa and whispered, "Are you okay?" she said.
Elsa held her chin high and pulled a tight smile, "Yes Kieran, I'm fine," she replied.
"Okay okay…" Kieran said.
Jeanette came back and presented the small jar to Kieran and Elsa, "Here you go, one quality jar of homemade strawberry syrup. Carefully crafted with the love and care of the Landvik family farm," she said while handing over the goods to Kieran.
"Thank you so much, Jean," Kieran said, "How much is it?"
"Take it, Kieran," Jeanette said while raising her hands to grasp Kieran's, "It's a gift from the family."
"Jean, no I can't," Kieran said.
"I insist," she said and came in close to Kieran, "Take it…"
Kieran gave in and sighed, "Alright… Thank you," she said, "I promise to pay you back somehow."
Jeanette smiled and started to lean closer, "How about…"
"AHEM."
Kieran quickly turned away and looked at an angry Elsa who was glaring at them, 'What's gotten into you?' she thought. Kieran took a deep breath and stepped away from Jeanette, "Hey I'm sorry but we have to go," she said, "Thank you again for the syrup, I owe you."
"It's no problem Kieran," Jeanette said. With a smirk on her face, she glanced at Elsa and said, "It was nice to meet you."
"The pleasure is all mine," Elsa said with a grin. Then she reached out to grasp Kieran's hand and held it tight. With one last smile towards Jeanette, the pair, along with Oscar and Iris, left the marketplace holding hands.
Jeanette bitterly watched them walk away as she bit her cheek and silently cursed words at 'Elisabeth'. Then as she turned back around to her cart, Jeanette let out a gasp of surprise. Her shop was completely frozen in ice and snow.
...
With one more stop at a store, Kieran guided Elsa to the middle of town square. There, in the center, was a large circular fountain with three tiers of waterfalls. Sitting on the ledge, Kieran went into her pack to gather the supplies for Elsa's surprise.
Meanwhile, Elsa took in the sunset and breathed in the fresh air. The incredible beauty of pink, orange and purple hues in the sky was breath-taking, and the sounds of distant waves crashing into the shore were very pleasant to hear. She noticed a few people lingering around and talking amongst each other. Elsa watched the people smile and heard them laugh. It reminded her of her own people in Arendelle and how she missed them dearly. With a gentle smile, Elsa believed she will see them and her sister soon. But she deeply took in this moment and cherished the time she has with Kieran.
"Are you okay Elsa?" Kieran spoke up grabbing Elsa's attention.
"Yes, I'm fine," Elsa said with a questioning look on her face, "Why do you ask?"
"Well," Kieran said rubbing the back of her neck, "Back there with Jeanette you acted a little… odd."
"Oh…" Elsa said.
"Yeah… Was something wrong?" Kieran asked.
"No – well…" Elsa stuttered, "I'm sorry I don't know what came over me…"
"What?" Kieran said.
"I – It's silly…" Elsa said.
Kieran chuckled, "How could it be silly if I don't know what it is?" she said.
Elsa took a deep breath, "Alright… Well – I… I wondering… what are we Kieran?"
Kieran stared at Elsa with wide eyes, "What do you mean?"
"I mean… are we friends… or?" Elsa nervously said clasping her hands tightly, "I just… you and Jeanette seemed really close and… and I thought that if… if we were close too?"
"You and me?" Kieran said.
Elsa nodded her head, "Yes…" she said, "I know it's crazy to think that I've met you after one day but… we've been through so much and I feel so comfortable around you that… I was wondering if I could call you my friend?"
The corners of Kieran's mouth slowly turned up as she gently smiled at Elsa, "Yes Elsa… I would be honored to be your friend" she said.
"Really?" Elsa beamed with happiness.
Kieran nodded her head, "Definitely," she said.
Elsa couldn't help but leap into Kieran's arms and hug her tight, "Thank you, Kieran," she said.
"Your welcome Queenie," Kieran said hugging her back. Their embrace lasted for a while with no one wanting to let go. But eventually, Kieran separated them to get onto Elsa's next surprise. "Alright, here we go," Kieran said as she placed the items in front of them.
Elsa looked down to find two empty bowls and an open strawberry syrup jar sitting on the ledge. She chuckled, "Okay, now what?" she asked.
"Well, I was thinking…" Kieran started, "Can you conjure up some ice into these bowls?"
"Why?" Elsa said.
"Trust me," Kieran said with a grin.
"Alright…" Elsa said. With the help of her cloak, Elsa hid her hands as she magically made two fluffy mounds of ice into the bowls.
"Perfect," Kieran said, then she grabbed the syrup and swished it around in the jar, "Ready for the magic?"
"Yes Kieran," Elsa smiled. Then Kieran started to pour the syrup on top of each ice bowl until they were both covered with the red liquid. Excitedly, Kieran closed the open jar and held out a bowl for Elsa to grab. "What is this?" Elsa asked.
"Shave Ice!" Kieran exclaimed.
"Shaved ice?" Elsa questioned.
"Yeah," Kieran said and reached into her pack to grab two spoons, "Or otherwise known as 'Snow cones.' It's a delicacy in some places, just ice and sugary sweetness. Try it!"
Elsa looked at the red ice and hesitated for a second. Taking a deep breath, she scooped up a bite and closed her mouth around the spoon. Sliding the ice onto her tongue, Elsa was met with the chilled taste of strawberries and sugar. Moaning at the texture, she gently chewed on the ice and let it melt in her mouth. "This is amazing," she said.
"Isn't it?" Kieran said taking a bite out of her own dessert.
"Fire crackers, shave ice… you discover all of these on your travels?" Elsa said and Kieran nodded her head in response. "I see…" Elsa said, lost in thought, "What's it like?" she asked.
"What's it like to travel?" Kieran questioned.
"Yes, where is your favorite place to go?" Elsa said.
"Huh…" Kieran said, "I don't know, I've been to so many places it's hard to keep track of it all."
Elsa smiled, "Then describe it to me," she said, "Like what you did with the fire crackers."
Kieran chuckled, "Alright… well… where to start," she clicked her tongue in thought and began to speak, "I've been to places where the buildings touch and there are no room for physical space, where the only visible sight in the sky are clouds of smoke and two stars shining bright, where the hills sing with music and the children hum with a 'do rei me', where the air tastes of fresh tomatoes and basil, and love fills the atmosphere, where every night the sky erupts into fireworks and dragons dance in the streets, where sand and dust is everywhere you seek, where drops of golden suns are placed into lanterns as they rise into the air… and where magic is real in a little kingdom by the fjord… and it's home to an incredible snow queen and her people."
Elsa scoffed and giggled as she heard Kieran's last description. In a playful manner, she lightly pushed Kieran by the shoulder and blushed.
"I guess that was descriptive enough?" Kieran smirked.
"Yes… that was wonderful Kieran… thank you," Elsa said, "I wish I had the opportunity to experience it all."
"There's still time," Kieran said.
"I don't know Kieran…" Elsa said, "My place is in Arendelle, not out there."
"Who's to say that a queen can't take a vacation?" Kieran smiled, but Elsa looked away with a troubling face and went quiet. With determination, Kieran gently took Elsa's hand in hers and looked into her eyes, "Hey look at me," she smiled, "There's a big bright beautiful world out there and you deserve to see it all! Maybe not today, or tomorrow, but someday when there's a chance to have a new experience I urge you to take it!" Kieran said. "Life's too short remember?"
Elsa chuckled, "Yes, you're right."
"So?" Kieran said.
"Alright," Elsa smiled, "When the time comes, I'll take that chance to see the world."
"There you go," Kieran chuckled.
"But you know… I might need an escort to show me around," Elsa smiled, "Know anyone who could be up for the job?"
"Hmm…" Kieran said as she tapped her chin in thought, "Well there is this traveler, who I heard is an amazing comedian, that could be willing to show the Snow Queen of Arendelle, who is also a very fun gal, a good time around the world," she said with a beaming smile.
Elsa laughed as she played along, "Oh really? Now, what is this traveler's answer to a personal request from the queen?"
"This traveler, who, again, is an exceptional jokester, would be honored to be by the queen's side if she'll have her," Kieran said.
Elsa gently smiled and said, "Yes… I would love for you to stay Kieran."
"Then I'll stay by your side, Elsa… I promise," Kieran said.
"Do you mean that?" Elsa said.
Kieran looked down at her hands and spotted her bracelet, then she got an idea, "Here," she said, "Hold out your arm." Elsa did as she was told and lifted her arm up for Kieran. Then as Kieran untied her accessory from her wrist, she said, "As your new friend I share with you our new bond that ties us together." Kieran held up the worn leather shoelace bracelet that she wore always, "Here is my promise to you, that I will always be your friend forever and no matter where we are or where we go, I will return to you," she said with a nervous smile, "Do you accept my friendship bracelet Queen Elsa of Arendelle?"
"Yes of course," Elsa laughed.
"Sweet," Kieran smiled as she tied her bracelet around Elsa's wrist and held her hands tight, "It's official then… we're inseparable…" she said. They gazed at each other passionately when suddenly, Kieran broke contact, "Do you hear that?" she spoke up.
"What?" Elsa said.
"Music…" Kieran smiled and placed her bowl down on the ledge. She stood up from her spot and gracefully bowed to Elsa, then held out her hand, "Dance with me."
"Kieran no, I don't dance…" Elsa said as she nervously shook her head.
"Elsa please…" Kieran said, but the queen sat still in her spot. Looking at her friend with amusement Kieran gently took her hand and repeated, "Dance with me…"
Elsa looked into Kieran's eyes and gave into its loving care. She slowly stood up and held onto her rescuer's hand tight like she was afraid to let go.
Kieran chuckled as she never saw Elsa this nervous before but she gently placed her other hand on the queen's waist and felt her friend relax. "I got you," she whispered.
Elsa didn't know what to do but nod her head. She placed her other hand on Kieran's shoulder and let the traveler guide her through the steps.
They gently swayed to the distant sounds of music coming from a nearby tavern and the quiet chirping of the crickets outside. Kieran smiled as she saw Elsa's shoulders lower from their tense state. She chuckled when Elsa chuckled, "See?" she said, "We're dancing…"
Elsa looked up at Kieran and smiled, "I'm dancing," she breathed out and laughed, "I'm dancing…" She sighed and placed her forehead on Kieran's shoulder, "Thank you, Kieran…"
Kieran brought them closer, enough for their bodies to touch, "Thank you, Elsa," she said.
Then suddenly, faint sounds of a piano were heard and the pair listened closely to the music. Elsa took a deep breath and started to sing…
(Elsa)
You steady me
Slow and sweet, we sway
Take the lead and I will follow
Finally, ready now
To close my eyes and just believe
That you won't lead me
Where you don't go
When my faith gets tired
And my hope seems lost
You spin me round and round
And remind me of that song
The one you wrote for me
And we dance
And we dance
(Kieran)
I've been told
To pick up my sword
And fight for love
Little did I know
That love had won for me
Here in your arms
You still my heart again
And I breathe you in
Like I've never breathed 'till now
When my faith gets tired
And my hope seems lost
You spin me round and round
And remind me of that song
The one you wrote for me
And we dance
And we dance
Just you and me…
And I will lock eyes
With the one who's ransomed me
The one who gave me joy for mourning
And I will lock eyes
With the one who's chosen me
The one who set my feet to dancing
And I will lock eyes
With the One who's ransomed me
The One who gave me joy for mourning
And I will lock eyes
With the One who's chosen me
The One who set my feet to dancing?
(Together)
We dance
We dance
We dance
We dance
Just You and me
It's nice to know I'm not alone
I've found my home here in your arms
It's nice to know I'm not alone
I've found my home here in your arms
It's nice to know I'm not alone
I've found my home here in your arms
It's nice to know I'm not alone
I've found my home here in your arms
When they stopped singing, the pair stood closer than they have ever been before. Kieran longingly gazed at Elsa's detailed features and noticed the light freckles on her face, the traces of pink blush on her cheeks, the shine on her lips, the pale blonde, almost white hair she has, and how Elsa is a little shorter than Kieran so she has to slightly look down to see into her eyes. Speaking of which, Kieran got the chance to stare at those beautiful blue eyes again. Now looking closer, her eyes were a gorgeous shade of icy blue with hints of green specks. Kieran got lost in those eyes as she thought nothing of the past but only the woman in front of her.
Elsa was having a similar dilemma when she was in a trance in Kieran's gaze. She noticed the rugged features of the woman and took in her tan complexion compared to her pale skin. Elsa stared into Kieran's deep brown eyes with specks of sparkling gold glistening in the moonlight. They were the most beautiful pair of brown eyes Elsa has ever seen. Then suddenly, their faces slowly inched forward and Elsa didn't know if it was Kieran or her closing the distance, but she didn't mind at all. Coming in close, Elsa could feel Kieran's breath on her lips as they closed in for a kiss…
"There ya two are, I've been looking for ya everywhere!" a voice shouted in the darkness. Before they could make contact the two women broke apart and separated from their embrace to face the figure coming close.
"B – Bernard?" Kieran said.
"Yes, it's me," he said, "I thought those young eyes o'yours could recognize a face from a distance."
"Shut up old man," Kieran said, "What do you want?"
"What do I want? You're the ones that requested a ship remember?" he replied.
"Oh… right," Kieran said.
"Well it's ready fer ya, so let's get-a-goin'!" he eagerly walked away.
"W – wait," Kieran said stopping Bernard in his tracks, "It's pretty late, don't cha think? Wouldn't it be safer if we just wait until dawn?"
"No! No! We must leave now!" Bernard said.
"Okay Bernie, no need to be too excited," Kieran said.
"I'm sorry… I mean, it's for her isn't it?" he pointed at Elsa. Kieran turned to look at her friend and Elsa stared back, "It is urgent that we return to Arendelle, is it not?" he said.
Kieran looked at Elsa and shrugged her shoulders in question. Elsa nodded and said, "Yes, we should leave now."
"Excellent," Bernard said, "Now if you'll follow me to the docks…" he started walking away leaving the two women by the fountain.
Kieran shook her head as a thought came to mind but turned around to gather her things. "Ready to go home?" she said looking at Elsa.
"Yes," Elsa responded excitedly.
"Then let's go," Kieran smiled then she looked at her two friends, Oscar and Iris, who came by her side. She grabbed Oscar's reins to lead her friends to the docks where they await their departure to Arendelle, but that pesky thought couldn't leave Kieran's mind as she continued to think, 'I have a bad feeling about this…'
...
As they were walking, Kieran and Elsa fell back a couple feet away from the harbourmaster. Sometime during the walk, they locked hands and kept each other close. Kieran began to think a new thought of what she will plan to do when she arrives back to Arendelle, 'Maybe I'll stay with Rasmus again… if he'll welcome me back…' she thought, 'But man, being friends with a queen. Did you ever think about that Connor?' she looked to the sky and stared at the stars, 'Geez, this almost seems surreal like I could wake up any minute and it will all be a dream…' then Kieran looked at a happy Elsa and smiled, 'No… this isn't a dream… I can tell because in all of my dreams I was never this happy.'
Suddenly, Kieran broke away from her thoughts when she heard Iris growl at something behind her. "What is it, girl?" Kieran said as she turned around. But before she could react, two men in black roughly tackled her into the ground.
"Tie her down!" a bandit shouted.
Realizing what was happening when she could no longer feel Kieran's hand in hers, Elsa quickly spun around to find her friend being tied down with her hands behind her back, Oscar rearing back in defense and Iris growling at the men attacking her owner.
"Grab the horse!" one said.
"Restrain it!" the other yelled.
Then two men on horses ran towards Elsa with a weighted net in between their space as they threw it towards the queen. Elsa quickly raised both hands into the air to freeze the net as it fell to the ground and shattered into pieces.
"AAAH!" Kieran screamed in agony.
Elsa's head whipped around to her friend as the bandits roughly handled Kieran and gagged her mouth to be silent. "KIERAN!" Elsa yelled. She shot ice to the men holding Kieran to knock them away from her.
Kieran fell to her knees, spitting the gag out of her mouth, "ELSA RUN!" Kieran yelled.
Elsa didn't know what to do, but one thing is for sure, she wasn't going to abandon Kieran. Hearing the bandits coming close, Elsa turned around to hold up her hands in defense. As they came close, she used her ice to trap them or freeze their limbs to restrict their movement.
The fight went on for a couple of minutes until Elsa heard a deep booming voice coming from behind her, "Queen Elsa stand down!"
Spinning around she saw Kieran being held by the hair of the bandit leader. He was the only one not wearing a mask as she took in his complexion. His left eye was brown and right was blue, with a long scar running down the right side of his face. His hair was dark and matted, his skin was tan and dirty, and in one hand he held Kieran by the hair, but in the other was a knife… he held it to Kieran's throat.
"Don't hurt her!" Elsa screamed at him.
"If you do not resist then no harm shall come to this young woman," he spoke.
"Don't listen to him, Elsa!" Kieran yelled, "Just go!"
"Shhh," the man said pressing the knife closer to her skin drawing a little blood.
"No don't!" Elsa said raising her arms in surrender, "You have me okay? I won't use my powers."
The bandit leader looked at Elsa with steely eyes as he nodded his head to his men. They came in close to securely fasten Elsa's hands together behind her back. Then they walked her towards their leader where he released the knife from Kieran's throat and threw her down to the ground. Kieran grunted on impact and coughed in her freedom.
"Kieran!" Elsa said trying to run towards her friend, but the men held her back.
The leader looked at Elsa and laughed, "You really care for this woman, don't you Queen Elsa?" he said.
"She's my friend," Elsa said in desperation.
"Yes, but…" the leader said as he knelt down to grab Kieran by her jaw with one hand and turned her head to look up at Elsa, "She's special to you… isn't she?"
Elsa went silent as she stared at Kieran, and Kieran desperately stared back. Looking at those brown eyes she came to admire, Elsa tried to comprehend words but at that moment she couldn't speak. On the verge of tears, Elsa took a deep breath and confessed,
"Yes."
One word. One word is all that Kieran had to hear. Despite the situation, she felt her heart beat wildly as she gazed at her queen, "Elsa…" Kieran breathed out before the bandit leader slammed her head into the ground. "GAH!" she screamed out in pain.
"Kieran!" Elsa yelled.
Groaning with pain, Kieran heard the bandit leader laugh and sneer, "What a joke! The Queen of Arendelle and a lowly peasant; a woman to boot," he said, "What would your kingdom think if they knew?" He watched Elsa's expression change as she looked down in shame. Then he knelt down next to Kieran and turned her body over so she could face the sky, "You know you've been a real pain for me and my boys ever since you ruined our plans the other night," he told her, "Now look where you got yourself. I hope it was worth playing hero for a day."
Kieran looked at him with rage and then spat in his eye. She chuckled, "Now that was worth it," she grinned.
Wiping the spit off of his face, the leader calmly, but quickly punched Kieran hard in the face.
"NO!" Elsa screamed as she was being held back.
Kieran groaned at the hit as she felt a bruise forming on her cheek, "Is that all you got?" she gasped out.
As the leader was going to punch her again, everyone heard a loud growl and hard crunch to the leader's arms.
"AAAH!" he screamed in pain. Iris the fox was all over him, scratching his face and biting his body. But her attack didn't last long when the leader got a hold of the little fox and threw her down to the ground next to Kieran. She yelped and whimpered in pain as she struggled to get up.
"IRIS!" Kieran screamed out.
The leader grunted and gripped his wounds as he cursed at Iris. Taking out his knife again he stalked towards the little vixen, "You're going to pay for that" he said.
Before he could do anything, Kieran quickly jumped to her knees and covered her friend with her body. She glared at the leader and said, "Not my friend, you bastard." Then out of the corner of her eye, Kieran saw a quivering harbourmaster watching the whole scene play out, "Bernard get out of here! Get help!" Kieran yelled.
"Oh wait… didn't you know?" the leader said with a sickly grin on his face, "Bernard here is helping us." Both Elsa and Kieran looked at the harbourmaster with disbelief as he tilted his head down in guilt, "That's right. When we came to him he was so persistent, to tell the truth," the leader said, "But a little threat can change a man's trust especially when he would believe such a silly bluff."
"Bernard listen to me, I did it out of Elsa's protection now stop standing there and get help!" Kieran said.
"He won't move if he wants his boats to keep floating," the leader said.
"I'm sorry Kieran…" Bernard whimpered.
"No!" Kieran yelled as she tried to stand up but was stopped by the leader's blade.
"You are really stubborn you know that?" the leader said to Kieran, "You know what? You're a thorn in my side and I'm afraid you'll continue to be one if I don't rid of you now."
"Wait no!" Elsa spoke up, "I'm the one you want! Just take me away, don't hurt her!"
"Sorry Queen Elsa, but I can't sleep at night knowing that she's still being a prick," the leader said as he grabbed a struggling Kieran by the arm and roughly pulled her up.
Dragging her to one of the boats, he punched her again until she rendered unconscious, "Els…a…" Kieran whispered until she fainted.
"STOP!" Elsa screamed out and started to cry.
Then the leader threw her onto the deck where he signaled his men gather oil from the shack and douse the boat, and Kieran, with the liquid. After they emptied their cans, he struck a torch and dropped it in the boat. Immediately, the deck engulfed in flames with Kieran on it unconscious and unresponsive. The bandits untied the rope holding the boat from the dock and pushed it away from shore.
Everyone watched the burning boat float away from the docks.
Oscar stared with wide eyes watching his owner burn…
Iris whimpered and croaked as she saw her best friend die…
Elsa… couldn't believe it. She couldn't hear Kieran anymore… she couldn't see her smile… she just watched the flames burn from the boat and see their promises go up in a blaze.
With a final cry, Elsa screamed her name one last time…
"KIERAN!"
Then all went black.
Author's Note
Ha ha ha… I bet none of ya saw that coming huh? It was all so fluffy and cute, but no… no no no… there had to be a twist. I'm sorry, but not really :) I'll just await for all of your comments on this chapter so here's my responses for chapter 18's comments.
Nautilus21: "is it normal if I blushed too when they were staring lovingly into each other's eyes?"
Why yes! I do it too and I'm writing the story! XD
"I read it as 'Elsabeth' for like three times and only the fourth time got it right"
Hahaha, it also took me a while too because I was writing it wrong. But then I too got it right!
"I didn't feel this was rushed, the story is simply moving, and ohhh what do I hear, Kieran flirting with somebody, are we gonna see some jealous Elsa? I like where this is going"
Aw thank you :) And yes, we saw a jelly Elsa this chapter. It was the best I could do, I hope you liked it!
Coffiestar: Man, you guys really wanted to see some jealous Elsa haha XD well I hope I delivered well. If not in this story, defiantly in future stories with Kieran and Elsa.
MayeLauren: Hello Maye! Welcome to the family! :D Thank you so much for reading my story, I followed every single one of your comments and I'll try my best to respond to them all!
Chapter 6: That's alright, I'm glad you really love my story and I'm also glad you love Kieran! :D It's refreshing to hear great comments about her because she's my baby and I wish her well (despite what I just did in chapter 20…) Thank you so much for stumbling upon my story!
Chapter 7: Hahaha, yes Iris is quite the mischievous one like her owner.
Chapter 8: Aw shucks! I'm sorry, but I really love to hear that my readers can't put down my story once they start reading it! I'm sorry this story isn't complete yet, we still have some little ways to go. Also, I knew two guys named Chad! :D They were awesome friends, and I hope they're doing well as too as your Chad!
Chapter 9: Haha, I think that's what everyone thinks of Lukas. But we'll see ;)
Chapter 10: Thank you! :D
Chapter 11: Haha wow, again we will see about Lukas. Haven't heard of him for a while.
Chapter 12: Thank you so much! Yes Elsa, figure it out!
Chapter 13: I actually was thinking about Kiersa but another reader and I agreed on Kielsa! Thank you for the suggestion, I will never forget about it! :)
Chapter 15: Yes, that was a sad chapter for everyone…
Chapter 16: Hahaha what secrets? :)
Chapter 17: Yes, Anna please be careful.
Chapter 18: Yes! Up to date and still going! Thank you again so much for liking my story and for your kind words! At first, I wasn't confident but now I am! I am proud to say that I am proud of my story! Thank you and I hope you enjoyed these chapters!
Anon: Hello Anon, it's been a while but I'm back!
Haha, yeah sorry about that. I've came to realize that the title might be a little misleading but worry not, it's a good thing!
Thank you so much and yes, Kieran is back to herself ladies and gentlemen! No longer is she brooding and secretive but learning to love and spread her happiness while being her witty self. I mean, with Elsa she's being a child again, with others she'll learn.
Aw thank you again! Yes, Kieran and Elsa's conversations are just too pure. I'm glad to write their dialogue and again I hope nothing was too OOC. I've been away for a while so I had to resituate myself to be in Elsa's and Kieran's shoes again. Well can't wait to hear what you have to say Anon!
Yeah, I agree, I believe Elsa's change and development as a character completed in the original film. Now she just has a few issues that aren't that big to address. Like her small depression here and there, or stress.
Hahaha yes, that was pretty clever of Kieran. And I'm glad they got a proper cloak to hide Elsa instead of wearing a ratty old fabric.
I'm sure if Anna saw that then she would make a joke out of it, like "Wow Elsa, I've seen your fashion choice before but this really takes the cake."
Yeah, Elsa is hopelessly distracted by our one and only :)
When it comes to flirting I think it goes both ways. For Elsa it's just became so natural that I believe half of the time she doesn't even realize it XD same goes for Kieran but she knows how she feels about the queen.
Yes, I'm still comparing Kieran and Elsa to Ruby and Sapphire too. Sapphire was pretty bold but when they're relationship grew, Ruby stood out more too and they created a nice balance to fit each other :)
Anyways, thank you all again so very much! And I seriously hope you all have a good day! Please stay safe and stay healthy everyone!
Until next time,
CurlyCookie AWAY!