While Henry makes himself busy at Arendelle, there is unrest going on in the Lioncrest Kingdom.
"My son is what!?" King Maximus harshly yelled at the man in front of him as he stood from his throne.
Earlier this morning, he received a report that Sir Liam and everyone who boarded the ship that his eldest son took a week ago were back without him, Maximus quickly called the knight captain to report.
Along with his wife and the weird presence of his remaining children, Sir Liam reported their situation with a grim look on his face and quivering lips.
The moment Maximus heard how Henry sacrificed himself to save the ship's crew and Sir Liam. Maximus's anger boiled to the extreme, making him fail to notice the curving smiles on Alexander and Timothy's faces.
On the other hand, his wife could not handle the news and ran out of the throne room weeping while carrying Lily.
Maximus calmed himself down albeit slightly before turning his attention back to the knight captain.
"You understand what this means, Sir Liam?"
Sir Liam bowed until his head hit the ground and said, "I'll take whatever punishment you give me, your grace! I'm ready to face the execution blade for being a failure of a knight!"
Maximus stayed still for a whole, his face was impassive and cold. Seeing this, Alexander tried to step forward and speak, "Father, I say we publicly hang him and—"
Only for him to be interrupted by Maximus's domineering tone, "Did I allow you to speak?"
Biting his teeth, Alexander bowed and apologized before stepping back in line, shoulder to shoulder with Timothy.
The latter scoffed at him, "You should've kept quiet. Can't you see father is angry? Not only are you lacking in height but I guess the same goes for your brain too."
Alexander glared at him and gritted his teeth, threateningly whispering to Timothy, "Shut your mouth before I make you."
"I don't care. Henry is gone and so is our alliance. It's time we part ways and actually compete for the throne."
As much as Alexander hated him, he couldn't help but nod his head in agreement. Timothy is right, their alliance only stretches until Henry is out of the picture. Now that their older brother is dead, they'll go on their own ways to reach for the throne.
"What about that guy we planted on the ship? If father knows about him. We're both—" Before Alexander could finish his words, Timothy interrupted him.
"I've already dealt with him. He got his promised gold coins along with a dagger to the neck."
Alexander kept silent about it. Timothy's face was indifferent, as if the topic of killing a man barely nudged him. And that frightens him a bit even though he's older than Tim.
While the pair of siblings stood to the side to watch the result of their master plan. Maximus coldly stared at Sir Liam before declaring.
"Your punishment is to search and bring back my son alive until the end of your life. It doesn't matter if he's already…dead. Now disperse."
Sir Liam could only bow his head in shame before walking out of the throne room.
While on the way out, from the corner of his eye, he caught Alexander smirking arrogantly at his deflated figure.
At that exact moment, a suspicion was planted inside Sir Liam's mind. He felt like the antagonistic siblings had something to do with the shipwreck.
He just can't prove it yet.
Meanwhile, Maximus quietly left the throne room and made his way up to Master Elias's study room.
———
Oblivious to what was happening in the Lioncrest Kingdom and that the matter of his disappearance had already reached the royal family, Henry majestically ended the show with an eloquent bow.
"As expected of Magician Henry!"
"Please teach me Magic, Magician Henry!"
"How about I teach you instead?"
"Shut up!"
While most of the cheers were for Henry. However, thanks to his constant introduction of the team, the crowd became familiar with the animal's names.
"Chee-Chee, you're awesome!"
"Jip looks so cute! I just want to squeeze him!"
"I want to rub Gub-Gub's belly so much!"
"Can I adopt Dab-Dab?"
"Are Polynesia and Too-Too lovers? Can parrot and owl even copulate?"
And many more praises were thrown at them. Though Polynesia felt like massacring whoever asked the last one. Thankfully, Too-Too stopped her just in time.
"Thank you! Thank you!" Gub-Gub was the most enthusiastic of all, although his words couldn't be understood and the crowd could only hear the happy grunting oinks.
After settling everything, the stage and all, Henry silently made his way to the same previous alleyway and as expected, Anna was there, waiting for him.
"Is there a problem?" Henry asked, he assumed Princess Anna would be visiting him in a few days not today.
The youngest Princess of Arendelle fidgeted for a few moments before revealing, "There's a change in our plans."
Henry frowned at those words, "Could it be…You're backing away now? Why?" This was the most plausible reason Henry's sharp mind could think of in a matter of seconds.
Only for Anna to shake her head and deny his words, clarifying, "N-No! That's not what I meant. Earlier this morning, I overheard Kai and Gerda talking about you. Kai was thinking of inviting you over to oversee Elsa's situation."
'Well, I'll be damned. It's like there's an invisible hand taking shortcuts with the strings. What should've taken weeks before I get noticed was shortened in just a single day.' Henry mentally rubbed his chin. Nevertheless, this works positively for him.
"When do you think they'll call for me?" He asked.
Anna shrugged her shoulders and made an assumption, "Knowing Kai. He'll probably run a background check on you first so maybe tomorrow or the day after?"
Henry nodded his head and just as Anna was about to leave, he stared at her back for a few seconds, there's a small guilt in his heart for hiding something from her.
Anna is truly just concerned with her sister and if he somehow fails to help Elsa control her powers, the blame would be on him and he's someone who hates to be a disappointment.
"Anna…" Henry called out, making her turn around.
"Hmm?"
Staring at those innocent eyes filled with curiosity made Henry sigh in defeat and partially decided to reveal the truth to her, he doesn't want to deceive her completely nor does he want the curse in her heart to resurface randomly. He's not sure if getting her exposed to Elsa's ice powers would reactivate the curse in her heart even though it's not clearly shown in the film.
"What I meant yesterday, might've been misunderstood."
Anna raised a brow, a bad feeling arising in her chest, "What do you mean?"
"What I'm about to do to her, is not meant to cure her. But I absolutely assure you that her situation will get better than before and the two of you might be able to interact sooner."
Finishing his words, Henry watched Anna's reaction and as expected, she froze on the spot, clearly not expecting Henry to change his promise.
Just as Henry thought Anna would back out and he'd have no way but to wait until the coronation to meet and help Elsa.
"You know the truth, don't you? About Elsa's condition." Through the darkness of her hood, Henry could see her turquoise blue eyes staring directly at his.
"…Yes. But I can't tell you for now. It's for your own safety." Knowing the future plot and only Anna's near-death state would calm Elsa's chaotic mind and help her gain control, as much as possible, Henry wanted her to avoid that fate.
Ever since discovering the existence of characters and places of what he only used to watch as films come to life, Henry made it his life goal to use his future knowledge to help. Either to prevent tragedies that once made him cry at a movie or simply just out of the kindness of his heart.
Like Uncle Ben says, with Great Power comes Great Responsibility.
He considers his talent and future knowledge of the plots as his own power and strength—and he decided to use it to do good.
If the people in his past world were to hear what he intends to do, some may hate him, loathe him, or simply see him as someone dumb for not being the kind of person who uses his strengths to his own advantage.
But hey, before he died, there was this kind of trend that was going around where Kindness is the new Punk Rock. So it's not exactly that bad to be kind.
"You're saying the same thing they've been telling me for years." Anna's words interrupted him in his deep thinking. Looking back at her, he saw her shivering and clenching her fists.
Even with her head bowed down and the hood covering her entire face in darkness, Henry could tell that she was crying.
He was speechless. He wanted to approach the woman, hug her, and comfort her. However, considering how he's the reason why she's crying, he's not exactly in the right position to do that.
Left with no choice, he could only verbally comfort her instead, "Her life is not in critical danger as you think nor does she possess an illness. She was never in the first place. Your parents hid her, everyone hid her, even Elsa hid herself not to protect herself. But to protect you."
Anna was a bit startled by the series of reveals, "Not an illness? To protect me? I-I'm not sure I understand."
Henry sighed and crossed his arms, if there's water nearby, he might've drank first before explaining, "I can't tell you the exact details unless I see it for myself but I can tell you that it's a magical one, one that is very chaotic and out of her control. One wrong move and she'll accidentally hurt everyone around you, as she did years ago…"
Anna immediately perked up at his last few words, "What do you mean by that? Are you saying she hurt someone years ago? I-Is that why she shut herself in her room? Because she might hurt me? How come I didn't know about it?"
Henry shook his head, not wanting to reveal any further, "It's not in my place to tell you the truth. Just know that I'm here to help you prevent possible tragedies."
Seeing the look on Henry's face that says enough about his intention not to reveal anything further to her, Anna could only bite her lip and reply, "Just promise me things will go back to the way they were before. Elsa will no longer be a shut-in, the castle will be more lively, we'll play again under the sun, and—and…" Anna took a moment to take a breather, to calm herself down as she finished her last words.
"Just promise me. Promise me that we'll build a snowman again."
Henry nodded his head, "I'll do my best."
Although it's not the answer that Anna was looking for, it was enough.
So with a tired tone, she muttered, "Thank you…"
———
—{Princess Elsa}—
Another day arrived and I stood by the window once again. Staring outside, at the places I like and used to play with Anna.
As usual, I waited for Anna to come knock on the door again and ask me to build a snowman with her. She may not know it but every time she sings that, I keep getting hurt inside. That's because no matter what she does or I do. It's already impossible to go back to the way we were before.
Knock! Knock!
Just then, a knock on the door startled me and interrupted my thought process.
"Princess Elsa? Are you awake?" Gerda's voice rang from behind. She's here to deliver my food as usual.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, muttering under my breath, "Conceal it. Don't feel it…"
Opening my eyes again, I turned around and faced the door. Everything around me may seem normal at first glance but if one looks close enough, one'll notice the wet patches on the corners of the ceiling.
Some objects around were frozen in ice and there was a small puddle of water in the corner.
Even the door itself was frozen to a certain degree. Even now, I'm having a hard time reversing everything I froze.
"Come in." I fixed myself and watched as Gerda opened the door in an attire that contradicts today's summer. She was wearing heavy clothing as if she were venturing into a snowy forest.
In her hand is a tray containing various plates, utensils, and a glass of warm juice. Of course, as always, everything I eat should be warm to borderline hot, just as Dad instructed. He says it's good to counter the chilling frost inside of me.
Although I know it doesn't make any difference, I've grown used to it so there's no point in changing how things already are.
While I sat on the chair as Gerda placed the food and beverage on the table, she spoke, "Princess Elsa. I have something to tell you that Kai and I have been discussing since last night."
I raised my brows at her words and prompted her to continue.
"…I believe there's a magician in the capital. Performing acts with his animal companions. Acts that I've never seen or heard before in my life."
Just as I was about to question her about whether she shouldn't believe things like that, Gerda continued.
"We have been thinking of inviting him over to…take a look at your situation. We just need to ask for your permission." Gerda's face says it all. Even though she just said they need my permission, she looked like she was begging me to accept.
All this time, ever since dad and mom's death, I've been refusing to let anyone take a look at my situation. I feel my privacy is being violated by it.
However, this is the first time I've heard that it'll be a magician this time instead of the usual foreign doctors and specialists.
With a brief time to contemplate, I gave my answer, "…Tomorrow afternoon. I'll prepare myself."
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[Merry christmas everyone! Thankfully, I got an extra chapter I wrote last week, so even though I wasn't able to write one today since I was preparing for christmas, I can still give y'all a chapter.]