"They say a King’s life values above all, but Agnarr knows better, for he will trade his life any day for his daughters."
When King Agnarr of Arendelle returns back from the troll valley with his wife by his side and sleeping daughter cradled in his arms, he doesn’t expect the relief of his younger daughter being safe to be so short lived.
Looking back, he can’t remember the specifics, but he does remember demanding someone to explain the unexpected commotion going on in his castle. Kai tells him something, words coming out of his mouth so fast that the king struggles to keep up but one specific word, “Elsa” and Agnarr suddenly doesn’t care and he’s clumsily running towards the princess’s bedroom, stumbling an embarrassingly high number of times for an ever steadfast king.
Sleep. That’s all he has wanted after the tiresome events of the night. He is both physically and emotionally exhausted, but even then, he will willingly run all the way to the north mountain and back over seeing his oldest daughter, fragile and weak and shaking, crouched down on the floor across Gerda, any day.
Everything else goes into a blur and Agnarr’s attention zeroes only to his daughter.
He is a king. Totally unused to feeling helpless, and he sure as hell wasn’t ready to face deathly situations twice in a span of few hours. One unconscious daughter was enough, why does fate have to add the uninjured one into the mix too ?
He walks towards Elsa in just a few long strides and whatever kingly resolve he has mustered crumbles when she calls for him, choking over her sobs.
He kneels and cradles his daughter’s small frame in his arms. He gently tilts Elsa’s head and watches with horror as blood drips from her ears in tracks of thin veins.
For the first time in his life, the king doesn’t know what to do, and feels a blanket of helplessness descend over him.
Tears are stinging his eyes. He doesn’t let them fall.
“You’re gonna be fine, Elsa” He murmurs, though it was more for his own benefit than her, snuggling the princess’s body closer to him.
“Call for the physician” He orders, his voice losing it’s royal steadiness and rather fills with a father’s desperation.
What is he supposed to do ? Will the trolls help ? No, Elsa is bleeding not stuck but magic, a physician will do. Isn’t he the king ? Shouldn’t he know how to handle situations like this ?
The truth is, as a king he knows exactly what to do, but as a father, his years of royal training to be calm and steady minded has gone down the drain and suddenly he’s at loss.
He completely misses Iduna joining them beside him, but the next moment, when Elsa's eyes slide shut, and her body goes limp, he is instantly hyper-aware of everything as he goes cold, his heart skipping a beat, and he's shaking Elsa, calling for her, but she's not moving a muscle.
The next hours are like a blur, everything seems so distant. He doesn’t remember when Iduna takes Elsa from his arms, doesn’t remember when the royal physician comes and checks Elsa over.
He is still kneeled on the ground in shock.
“….. has ruptured her ear drums”
The king's instantly on his feet, and that's when he notices Iduna running her hand through Elsa's blond locks while her other is covering her mouth, tears brimming her eyes.
“Wha-What ?” Agnarr fells like screaming cause everything about this situation is so wrong.
“There’s ice in her ears, Majesty” the physician shakes his head, “Her powers have struck her in the ears and tore her ear drums.”
“What does that mean for her ?” Though Agnarr knew exactly what it means, he had to painstakingly study biology when he was younger and clearly remembers the uses of eardrums. He just doesn’t want to believe it.
“She won’t be able to hear ever again, Majesties” The physician admits softly.
Agnarr feels lightheaded. He does not react when the physician asks for his permission to leave, nor does he stand beside his wife and comfort her when she starts crying.
This isn’t a kingdom affair or a situation whose answers are written in the yellow pages of thousand years old books in his library. This is beyond his reach and the amount of frustration and despair he feels is almost shattering.
They say a King’s life values above all, but Agnarr knows better, for he will trade his life any day for his daughters.
He squeezes his eyes shut and leans down to gently kiss on Elsa’s forehead, gripping her bandaged hands.
Wait….what ? …….Bandaged ?
Carefully cradling Elsa’s small hand in his, Agnarr unwraps the loose cloth over them and shifts himself a little so as to not block the light from the hearth.
“Heaven help us !” Iduna’s voice breaks the silence in the room. A single tear tickles down Agnarr’s cheek, his chin trembling. He chews on his lower lip and looks away as his face turns red.
Elsa’s palm is raw with angry red cracks and blisters between the creases of her fingers. The cracks have slightly spread to the back of her hands. Small chunks of blood are frozen in place, the abrasions covered in crimson frost. Some of it has been cleaned, probably by the physician, but mostly the ice is still there, frozen and painful.
Somehow between the uproar, both the parents have missed to check on the other injuries Elsa might have suffered. But, now when things are a little calmer they finally notices her bloodied hands, and a slight scratch on her left cheek, probably gotten from an ice fractal grazing her skin. From, the corner of his eyes, Agnarr watches as Iduna checks Elsa over properly and lets out a relieved sigh when she doesn’t find any other injury.
How has things gotten this wrong ?
Suddenly, Agnarr feels anger bubble inside him like molten lava. Anger over that blasted ancestor of his, who’s crime has led to God cursing his innocent daughter. He hears Iduna sniffle, but he doesn’t move to comfort her, doesn’t look at her.
Red mist fills his vision.
Agnarr isn’t naive enough to believe Iduna’s Northuldra bloodline has nothing to do with this power. They, after all, are the ones who interacted with magic. And then he’s, all of a sudden, livid towards her.
Slender hands cups his face, wipes his cheek, and almost instantaneously Agnarr is looking at Iduna.
He doesn’t want to. No, no.
But Iduna’s surprisingly strong grip forces him to look directly into her eyes.
He wants to be angry at her. Furious. Her damned bloodline has led to this. She has led to this. Iduna was the reason Anna has been harmed today, was the reason behind Elsa’s powers, Elsa’s lack of hearing. His wife….she was the reason….for…..for their happy family. She is the woman he’s fallen in love with, the one who’s left her tribe to save him that tragic day. His wife is the one who has given him such beautiful daughters.
Agnarr feels his resolution collapse and before he can stop himself he pulls her to him, desperate to draw comfort from his wife. “I’m sorry….” He apologises, squeezing her tighter “I’m sorry…..I love you….my god…..I love you so much”
Iduna gets thoroughly confused, but a determination to comfort his husband in his time of need like he has done, so many times before, sets in.
“We’ll get through this”, She whispers. “Anna is fine. Elsa will be fine, we’ll help her. We’ll be alright”
It is the first time she has to assure him of that. It is always Agnarr who comforts them, promises everything will be fine. But, how can he say everything will be fine, when everything is so, so wrong.
Deep emotions stir with no other outlet but through the tears he has forced back for so long. Moans escape his lips through the suppressed sound of hiccups.
Sitting on the huge bed beside Elsa, both rulers break down.
Before long, Iduna slips into a restless slumber and Agnarr lays the mother beside the daughter, and moves back to lean against the head rest.
He runs his fingers through Iduna and Elsa’s hairs and traces their features with his thumb. A swell of pride surges through him and an inappreciable smile pulls in his lips as he figures that while Elsa has her mother’s eyes, the rest of her features are her father’s.
He rests his head against the head rest, staring at the ceiling. Millions of thoughts crosses his mind. What would happen to the kingdom ? He knows everyone will be reluctant to accept Elsa as their future queen now. Then he has to think about her powers. His heart breaks all over again as he realises Elsa will have to figure out her lack of hearing on her own.
He doesn’t let his mind wander anymore. Putting all thoughts aside he focuses only on the three most important persons in his life. He takes reassurance from the steady rice and fall of his wife’s chest, the ever present soft smile on Elsa’s face, and the knowledge that Anna is alive and sleeping.
For the first time in that night he doesn’t feel like screaming anymore.
There will be many more struggles along the way and they’ll be stumbling like blind fools, but as long as his family is together they’ll always find the light at the end of the dark tunnel.
Agnarr sighs, and sinks against the pillows while his fingers continue to twist a strand of Iduna’s hair.
Everything will change from now. And he sure as hell will be ready for it.
He closes his eyes and drifts off.
snowghoul
prguitarman
origamiaround
romaincrisis
areudirty
kianamaiart
