Chapter 7:

Sisters and Magic

Elsa

Elsa awoke to the faint glow of the graying sky heralding the imminent sunrise. She was lying on the bottom of her boat, curled up in the fetal position with the damp seaweed blanket that Ariel had made for her the night before covering her body. The stars had all faded from the sky, but the Moon was still semi-present, no longer full in the dim-lit sky.

The floor of the boat wasn’t comfy at all and the crick in her neck reminded her of just how much she missed having a bed. The last thing she remembered from the night before was staring up at the stars with Ariel, her eyelids heavy with sleep, and then… Waking up?

Did Ariel tuck me in? Elsa sat up, slowly moving her head back and forth, her mouth opening wide with a yawn. She noticed Ariel's leather satchel on the floor of the boat. It was where her head had been. And she left her mother's pouch with me as a pillow? Elsa’s lips stretched from ear-to-ear. Aw, she tucked me in and made sure I would sleep well. Elsa twisted her body, satisfied when a loud pop eased the crick that had cramped her neck. Well, as well as one can sleep on the floor of a boat, anyways.

Sitting up, Elsa glanced over at the spot where Ariel had been the night before. She was gone, only the conch shell that Ariel had given Elsa occupied her spot. Elsa reached forward and picked it up. In the graying light of the approaching dawn, Elsa realized that her gift truly was beautiful, just like the mermaid that had given it to her. Elsa put her ear to the opening of the conch shell remembering from yesterday what Ariel had told her: 'If you hold it up to your ear, you can sometimes hear the sea whisper its secrets to you.' Again, she could only make out the hum of the sea. Maybe that is the sea whispering to me? Elsa thought. Maybe it's something only merfolk can understand?

Elsa put the conch shell down and gazed out to the east, watching the Sun's glow turn the graying horizon into a watercolor painting of reds, pinks, and oranges. A cool, light breeze blew across the open sea and filled Elsa's lungs with its salty aroma. Elsa leaned over the side of the boat and looked down into the water. Though the Sun was starting to rise, the water beneath the surface was still too dark.

"Hi," said the soft, familiar voice that Elsa had grown to like. Elsa turned to the other side, the water sloshing as she scooted her way to the edge of the boat. From the surface, Ariel's head poked through. Her hair was wet and clung to her cheeks and drifted out behind her, resting on the surface like red moss on a lake. "I felt the boat shift above me." Ariel’s lips formed a smile. "Weird how I didn't feel it yesterday when you paddled away."

"You slept in the water?" asked Elsa.

"I have to. I can nap on land for a few hours, but if I’m planning on going to bed, I have to return to the sea. My tail will dry out if I stay out of the water for too long. Don't worry, though. As long as you're out here on the sea, I will promise to always be nearby. I won't leave you."

Elsa sunk her teeth into her bottom lip at Ariel’s promise. Another soft breeze blew across the sea causing a random strand of hair to fall between Ariel's eyes and land on the bridge of her nose. Elsa reached out to move the strand of hair away, and stopped with her hand hanging over the boat. "May I?"

"You don't have to ask," Ariel whispered.

Elsa felt a warm blush settle in her sunburnt cheeks. She leaned forward, moving the strand away as if doing so was just natural to her. It was the first time she had touched Ariel's hair. It was slimy, like fresh seaweed, and for once Elsa noticed she wasn't disgusted by the feeling. "You have really pretty hair," Elsa cooed. She grabbed her own hair and stared at it. "Unlike mine.”

Ariel lifted an arm from the water, her hand reaching for Elsa’s blonde hair that had fallen over her shoulder and was dangling above the surface of the water. “Can I?”

Elsa gazed into Ariel’s ocean-blue eyes. Reiterating Ariel’s words back to her, she whispered, “You don’t have to ask either.”

Ariel ran her fingers through Elsa’s frizzy locks. "Your hair looks fine.”

"No, it's a mess," Elsa sighed. "Back home it would look elegant and beautiful, like that of a queen." She paused, realizing she had given away her title. Of course, Ariel still didn't know of her true identity, so she kept speaking as if it meant nothing. "It used to be styled in a thick, magnificent braid, but this humidity has done something terrible to it. I can't get it to stay in a braid anymore. It doesn't help that I have nothing to keep it tied together, I guess?"

Ariel cocked her head. "What's humidity?"

"It's..." Elsa sighed. "It's the water vapor in the air."

"If water was in the air, wouldn't you drown?"

"It's the seawater," said Elsa. "The Sun and the seawater are causing the humidity in the air."

"If there's water in the air, why can't I use my gills to breathe it in?"

"It's not that kind of wat—wait, what? You have gills?"

Ariel chuckled. "Of course I have gills. I'd be a terrible mermaid if I didn't have gills. I mean, I guess I could always get a blowhole like dolphins or a whale, but then that would just look ugly."

"Can I see them?"

Ariel shifted her eyes. "My blowhole?"

Elsa's face flushed. "No! I said them! Your gills!" Elsa covered her face in her hands, doing her best to hide her embarrassment.

Ariel laughed. "First my breasts make you blush and now when I say the word 'blowhole' that makes you blush, too?" Ariel continued to giggle. She pulled back her hair and cocked her head to one side revealing her neck. "You see these scratch-like marks across my neck? Those are my gills."

Elsa brought her head up from her hands. Her face was still flushed red, but she wanted to see the gills. They looked exactly as Ariel had said: like scratches—fresh scratches. “It looks like someone cut you several times on either side of your neck.”

Ariel straightened her head and her hair back over her neck. "I know. They looked like scars when I was human."

Human... Elsa wanted to ask about her time being human, but the last time she had brought it up Ariel didn’t seem to want to talk about it. Elsa kept quiet.

"Well," said Ariel, "getting back to our original problem, I think I may have an idea on how to fix your hair. I'll be right back."

Ariel's head disappeared under the surface and once again Elsa was alone. The Sun had lifted above the horizon, its golden glow stretching across the sea and hitting Elsa, warming her cool skin. Elsa searched the water for Ariel, the Sun's glow permitting Elsa to see below the surface, but she couldn't spot her new friend.

Elsa sat back in the boat and stared out at the horizon, watching the Sun rise. The morning sky had gone from completely gray, to streaks of red, pink, and orange, to now blue. White, fluffy clouds traveled overhead slowly as another breezy flowed across the calm water.

Elsa thought about her kingdom. The trip to Corona took nearly a week by ship. Knowing Elsa was leaving the day after Rapunzel's birthday, Anna wouldn't be expecting her sister home for another three days. And, now, stuck in this tiny lifeboat, how long would it take her to get home? How long would her kingdom wait before they sent out search parties? How long would Anna wait?

Pondering that thought, Elsa reflected on her last day in Arendelle.

[. . .]

Elsa stood by her bedchamber window gazing out at the fjord, her ship ready for the departure to the Kingdom of Corona. Her eyes darted back and forth. She wrung her hands together at her navel. Beads of sweat collected on her forehead at her hairline. She gasped and jumped at the sound of the soft click of her doorknob turning. She was relieved when Anna stepped through the door.

"Elsa, are you okay?" Anna’s soft voice carried through the bedchamber. "Everyone's been asking for you."

Elsa nodded, casting her eyes to the floor of her bedchamber. "I'm just a bit nervous, Anna. That's all."

Anna gracefully made her way to Elsa and wrapped her older sister in her arms. Elsa may have been Queen of Arendelle, but she would always be Anna's sister first and foremost. As Anna embraced her sister, Elsa could feel the tiny swell in Anna's belly. She had only been two months along in her pregnancy and already she had been showing.

"Don't worry," whispered Anna, "The trip will be fine."

"I'm not scared of the trip," Elsa muttered, her voice almost at a whimper. "I'm scared of what others will think of me."

"No one is scared of you," said Anna, calmly, tightening her arms around Elsa. "They've all had nearly two years to adjust to their Queen. Plus, a lot of people actually feel safer with you around. Your magic puts anyone wanting to harm Arendelle at a serious disadvantage. If anything, people are frightened that you're leaving."

Elsa chuckled but then shook her head. "No, that's not what I'm nervous about. I know some people here are still wary of my magic, but that they accept me for who I am."

"Then what's the problem?"

Elsa turned her head, staring down at the floor, her cheek resting partly on Anna's shoulder. "Corona. I'm afraid that people there will think I'm some sort of... monster. What if Rapunzel—"

"You know better than that," Anna said, sternly, interrupting her sister. "Rapunzel was here two years ago when you froze Arendelle. She wasn't scared of you then and she's not scared of you now, Elsa. You know she won't allow other people to think of you as a monster."

Anna pulled away from their embrace. Elsa was still staring down at the floor. Anna cupped Elsa's chin and brought her sister's gaze to meet her own. "People like you, Elsa. They love you. Kristoff loves you. I love you." Anna leaned in, standing on her tippy toes, and tenderly kissed Elsa's forehead. "You're a wonderful Queen and no one would ever think otherwise.

"Just don't ever hide your true self from anyone. Be the person you're meant to be. Be proud of who you are. Be our Queen. Don't let fear rule your life. Remember the last time you let that happen? You ran away and I had to bring you back, and quite frankly, I'm in no shape"—Anna put her hand on her pregnant belly—"to go after you again."

Anna's reassurance and confidence brought a smile to Elsa's face. "Thank you, Anna," she murmured.

Anna smiled back at her beautiful sister. "You're going to have a wonderful time in Corona. I wish I could come, but you know how the sea treats me now that I'm pregnant."

Elsa giggled. "Yeah, I remember. The captain was not happy with your... mess." Both sisters giggled at the memory.

"Yeah, I was not expecting that. I guess your little nephew won't be a sailor of the seas when he's older."

Elsa gasped. "You never told me you were having a boy!"

Anna grinned. "Actually, I don't really know right now. Grand Pabbie says it's still too early to determine." She leaned in and whispered, "Honestly, I'm kind of hoping for twins: one boy and one girl."

"Twins don't run in our family?”

"But, they could in Kristoff's. He doesn't remember his human family. His earliest memories go back to the ice harvesters before the rock trolls adopted him. He could have a twin out there somewhere?"

"Wishful thinking." Elsa smirked.

Anna grinned and nudged her sister playfully. "Oh! You should take Olaf with you! He's always wanted to see Corona. Plus, you know how much he and Sven and Pascal get along.” Anna trembled with excitement. “Oh! You should take Sven! I'll talk to Kristo—"

"Absolutely not," Elsa said, her voice stern and regal. "You're pregnant and I want Olaf right here with you. He can do more for you than he can do for me." Elsa paused and grinned. "Besides, imagine Kristoff's jealousy if Sven got to visit Corona and see the floating lanterns and he didn't."

Anna and Elsa both giggled again. "Fine. Just be sure and tell Rapunzel I said happy birthday and that I'm really, really sorry that I couldn't make it."

"I will," replied Elsa, smiling at her younger sister. "Besides, like you said, I'll be fine. It's a five-day journey to Corona by ship. I'll be there for a few days, and then I'm leaving the day after Rapunzel's birthday. It'll be a two-week journey at most."

The black cloud that was their parents' very same promise of visiting Corona and returning safely loomed over both sisters. They both fell silent, their eyes falling to their shadows resting on the floor. Elsa gathered Anna's hands in her own and squeezed them gently, now she being the sister of reassurance. "I'll be okay," she whispered. "I promise."

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Anna shook her head slowly, not looking up. Both sisters were quiet for several seconds, paying their respects to their dearly missed parents. Anna finally lifted her head and gazed at Elsa, a smile slowly taking shape across her lips. "Well, I guess with you being away from the kingdom for two weeks you won't be needing this," she said slowly, before perking up and snatching the crown from her sister's platinum blonde hair. "Haha, it's mine!"

It took Elsa a few seconds to process what had just happened. One second they were paying their respects to their parents and the next Anna was being playful and sisterly again. Elsa's eyes widened with shock as her mouth hung agape. She grinned and then shouted, "Anna, get back here with my crown! I'm still your Queen!" Elsa took off after Anna who had already made her way out of Elsa's bedchamber.

"You'll have to catch me first!" Anna sang. "Maybe I'll need to make a stop in the kitchen for a chocolate-covered sandwich?"

Elsa paused in the hallway. "Anna, that's gross!”

"It's not me, it's the baby," Anna shouted, giggling as she turned the corner in the hallway, Elsa's crown still in her hand.

"Oh, Anna," Elsa muttered, grinning as she darted off down the hallway after her sister.

[. . .]

As Elsa continued to look out across the calm sea and remember her last day in Arendelle, she noticed the water rippling. Ariel's red hair broke through the surface. "Hey,” said Ariel, “I found something that you can use to braid your hair." Elsa was still smiling vacantly at her memory as she peered down at Ariel. "You look like you're at peace."

The boat shifted and Ariel climbed in, her porcelain skin and emerald scales glistening in the Sun's morning glow. Water dripped from her hair and from her sleek, slender body as she positioned herself alongside Elsa holding up several slimy strands of green seaweed. "You're going to put those in my hair?"

"Oh, don't worry, it'll hold." Ariel showcased her bra. "You see, mermaids use seaweed for a multitude of things. It's very durable. Plus, with your hair color the green will look spectacular!"

Elsa’s cheeks warmed. "Oh, well… thank you."

Ariel nibbled her bottom lip. "Oh, and I found something else down there!" She held up several red leaves connected to a thick, orange stem. The leaves were long and narrow with tiny hair-like follicles along their edges. Bright green liquid oozed from the stem where it had been chewed from its roots. "Merfolk call them redweed leaves. They heal wounds, ease pain, and prevent infection. Just swallow some sap and lay the leaves across your body—they begin healing almost instantly. Works like a charm for merfolk."

"Does it work on humans?"

Ariel cocked her head. "Hmm, that's a good question. I don't really know. Hopefully we never have to find out."

Elsa nodded her head. Ariel reached across Elsa and grabbed her leather satchel. "Oh, by the way, did you tuck me in last night?"

Ariel opened her satchel and stuffed the redweed leaves in it. "If I said yes, would that freak you out?"

"Freak me out...? No, actually I found it sweet."

"Oh..." Elsa noticed a pink blush settling in Ariel's cheeks. "Well, I did. And, I gave you my satchel as a pillow. I figured sleeping in the boat couldn't be comfortable."

Elsa felt a smile growing across her lips as she imagined Ariel tucking her in and gently placing the satchel under her head. “Well, you are very sweet,” whispered Elsa.

"Anything I can do to help," replied Ariel, softly.

Elsa turned her head to Ariel, their eyes locking. At that moment, Elsa could have spent the rest of her life with Ariel.

I wonder what she's thinking?

"How about that hair?" murmured Ariel.

Elsa shook her head, breaking whatever spell the mermaid seemed to have over her. "Uh, what?"

Ariel giggled. She motioned for Elsa to turn around so she could get a better handle at her hair. "Your hair. First, we'll need to wet it."

"Oh, right!" Elsa turned around, her back to Ariel. Staring out at the open sea, she realized how much duller it was when compared to looking at the beautiful mermaid behind her. She sighed.

Ariel reached her hand into the water and then ran it gently through Elsa's long, tangled locks. "Human hair is just so... rough. It's not like mermaid hair: soft and—"

"Wet?"

Elsa’s chest warmed at Ariel’s giggling. "Well, of course it's wet. We live underwater. You expect it to be dry?" Ariel gently nudged Elsa, causing the her to grin. Ariel continued to comb her fingers through Elsa's disheveled hair. Elsa closed her eyes, her grin widening, as she enjoyed the light tugging at her scalp. "So, what were you thinking about earlier when I returned with the seaweed and the redweed?" asked Ariel, her voice soft and serene, just as it had been earlier.

Elsa moaned lightly to herself at her hair being tugged. The sensations sent tingles down her spine. She took in a deep breath and quietly replied, "My sister, Anna. I miss her a lot and she's nearing three months pregnant right now. I just wonder what she'll do when I'm not home in a few days. It was only supposed to be a five-day journey from Corona to Arendelle and we've been out on the sea for two days now."

"Arendelle?"

When Ariel pulled back on Elsa’s hair with a bit more force than before, she was surprised at her own reaction. A rush of tingles went down her spine and settled in her core, eliciting a whispered moan to escape her lips. She pushed her thighs together to settle the growing heat between her legs. Her pulse raced.

"Where's Arendelle?"

Elsa had to force herself to focus. No one had ever elicited this kind of a response from Elsa before and she wanted more of it. She also wanted to be courteous and respond to Ariel’s questions. "Arendelle... Oh, that's right. I never told you where I was from. Arendelle is..." Elsa had to think for a moment. She had to recall what Ariel had told her the merfolk had dubbed Arendelle. "Oh! Arendelle is what you refer to as the Summersnow Kingdom. That's where I'm from. That's where I'm heading."

Ariel gasped. "You're from Summersnow?! Were you there when the whole kingdom froze over? What was it like? How did it happen?"

Elsa thought back to two years ago. She noticed her shoulders sink as she remembered running away from home, running away from Anna. "It... I don't know," Elsa lied.

"Be yourself.” Anna’s voice echoed in Elsa’s mind. "Don't ever hide your true self from anyone. Be the person you're meant to be. Be proud of who you are."

"It must have been beautiful to see all of that snow. What's your sister like?"

"She's wonderful," replied Elsa. "She's my rock, my foundation. She keeps me grounded. She's always been there for me even when I wasn't there for her. She's done so much for me and sometimes I wonder if I'll ever be able to repay her. She's my sister and I'd do anything for her, Ariel."

Elsa's head jerked back a bit as Ariel tugged on her hair once again. Elsa’s eyelids fluttered shut and her lips spread from ear-to-ear. "I'm sorry," said Ariel. "Your hair is just really tangled. You were right; this—what's the word?—humidity really does mess with your hair."

Elsa shivered as more tingles went down her spine. "Oh, don't worry about it," Elsa murmured, trying to mask a moan. Keep doing it... “What about you? Do you have siblings?”

"I have six sisters, and while being the youngest meant I was constantly picked on, I don't think I'd trade any of them for the world. Sure, I got into fights with all of them at one point or another, but what sibling hasn't, you know?"

Elsa’s eyes shot open. "Six sisters?"

Ariel giggled. "Yep, there are seven of us altogether. There's Attina, Alana, Adella, Aquata, Arista, Andrina, and me. That’s oldest to youngest."

"Wow, and all of your names start with the letter A." Elsa chuckled. "I imagine that would get confusing every once and a while."

"Nah, not really," said Ariel, shrugging. "I mean, it did when it came to putting our initials on things. Just putting the letter A on say a bra wasn't enough to clarify whose bra it was. We often had nicknames for each other. I was, of course, Red."

"Red," muttered Elsa. "I like that. You do have beautiful red hair. Of course, you'll always be the salmon to my peasant."

Ariel laughed boisterously. "My peasant!" The boat rocked back and forth as Ariel squirmed with laughter causing Elsa to join in with the laughing. When they both settled down, Ariel added, "Thank you. You have beautiful hair as well, if I can ever get it to cooperate, that is."

"You want me to do anything to try and help you?"

"Aside from letting me braid your hair in the water, I'm not sure what else you can do?"

I could always use my magic to fix it in an instant. Elsa’s grin faltered. She sighed to herself. But you don't like magic...

"I'll get it, don't you worry,” said Ariel. “Why don't you tell me more about your sister?"

Elsa sighed again and sat back, keeping her back straight. The Sun's warm, golden glow radiated against her skin as she went on talking about Anna. She kept all knowledge of her magic out of the conversation as well as the fact that she was a queen and her sister a princess. As the morning went on, Elsa listened to her stomach growl for food.

"I think I'm getting hungry. Are you getting hungry?"

"I could eat," replied Ariel. "Is fish okay or would you like something else?"

"I think I'm good with fish. I'm not sure my stomach could handle anything else right now. Some fruits or vegetables would be nice, but we need land for that and I don't see land anywhere nearby."

"You'll be home soon enough and when you get there you can have all the land food you desire."

Elsa smiled at the thought of being home again, but she couldn't deny how much she had grown to like Ariel in just two short days. Maybe she could live in the fjord and we could get together every night and just hang out by the piers? Elsa’s heart fluttered at the thought of secretly meeting up with Ariel every night in the harbor. Suddenly, the boat shifted and the water rippled as Ariel splashed into the sea.

"I'll be right back," said Ariel, her head the only part of her still above water.

"I trust you," replied Elsa, smiling down at her friend. Ariel and Elsa gazed into each other's eyes for a long moment. Elsa felt the urge to reach out and cup Ariel's cheek in her hand, but she resisted. "You have beautiful eyes," murmured Elsa.

Ariel's cheeks flushed red. "Oh, stop it..."

Elsa bit down on her lower lip as she continued to stare longingly into Ariel's ocean-blue eyes. Elsa’s heart skipped a beat. A sudden rush of tingles went down her spine and dispersed throughout her body as a blush settled in her cheeks just as she went to lean toward the water to cup Ariel's cheek in her hand, but then Ariel was gone. Her head disappeared beneath the water and Elsa was alone once again on the boat. She sat back and took in a deep breath trying to make sense of her feelings. What was this new sensation that she was feeling for Ariel? What was it about her that made her all tingly inside? Elsa picked up Ariel's satchel and held it in her arms against her chest as she waited for her friend to return with food.

# # #

Hours after having their fill of mackerel and enjoying stories shared at their sisters' expenses, Ariel had returned to braiding Elsa's hair. The Sun was in its mid-afternoon descent making its way into the evening. The temperature had risen quite high throughout the day and Ariel had returned to the sea several times so she wouldn't dry out. She finally had Elsa's hair completely tangle-free, though that didn't stop Elsa's hair from being frizzy and curling up at the ends. Ariel returned to the sea once more to wet her skin and scales. She kept her head above water so she could continue talking to Elsa.

"Your sister sounds lovely," said Ariel. "I bet you two had a wonderful relationship growing up to be as close as you are."

Elsa's smile faltered and her shoulder sank slightly. "Yeah… Um, we weren't always as close as we are. There was something that happened when we were younger that"—Elsa sighed not wanting to recount the memory—"caused our parents to keep us apart for many years."

Ariel stared up at Elsa with wide eyes that suggested sorrow and curiosity. She didn't have to ask as Elsa already knew what she was wondering, yet Ariel asked anyways. "What happened?"

"I... I hurt Anna. On accident." Elsa took in a deep, ragged breath, her jaw trembling. As she closed her eyes, she could see it all again: Anna playing in the snow in the ballroom of the castle, having the time of her life. She had been jumping from one pillar of snow to another expecting Elsa to keep up with her. However, Elsa hadn't been fast enough. As she went to build another pillar of snow, she slipped on some ice and cast a bolt of icy magic directly at her sister, hitting her in the head. The blow had rendered Anna unconscious and had led to the thirteen-year absence of not being with her sister. Elsa's eyes stung with regret as two, hot tears carved their way down her cheeks. "It was my fault," muttered Elsa, her bottom lip quivering as she turned away from Ariel.

"I didn't... I didn't mean to make you cry.” The boat shifted as Ariel leaned in toward Elsa. "Elsa?"

Elsa sniffled and wiped her eyes. Not wanting to think back to that day as a child, Elsa changed the subject. She wanted to know why Ariel had such a problem with magic. "So, if you don't mind me asking," said Elsa, her voice quavering, "why do you hate magic so much?" She turned back toward Ariel, who had slipped back into the water, and wiped her eyes again, giving Ariel her full attention.

Ariel dipped her head underwater and resurfaced, her red hair clinging to her face. Ariel had removed her hair band earlier along with the starfish that she had been wearing for decoration behind her left ear and placed them both in her satchel for safe keeping. Ariel parted her hair and looked up at Elsa sitting in the boat. "Magic was how I became human," revealed Ariel. "I had always wanted to live life on land, but I can't do that as a mermaid. That's the one thing I've always wanted, even when I was younger and my mother would take me and my six sisters to the surface. Land was always so foreign and majestic to us. It wasn't fair that humans could have the land and the sea, but we, merfolk, could only have the sea. I was always told it was just a dream to live on land, but then one day something changed.

"One day I found this man, his name was Eric, and something inside of me just sparked. I wanted to be with him; I wanted to be part of his world. Anyways, Father absolutely forbade it, so then I was told that my Aunt Ursula could give me legs and allow me to spend the rest of my life with Eric on land. My Aunt Ursula was a sea witch and little did I know at the time that she had tricked me into giving up my voice so I could have legs. I was supposed to get Eric to kiss me in three days and then I would have had my voice back and we could have gotten married and started our life together, but she used my own voice against me.

"Ursula used her magic to make herself human and she used my voice to lure Eric to her. She almost succeeded, but I have friends that helped me defeat Ursula's evil plan. Eric and I, together, stopped my aunt and from that day on I've just always hated magic. It scares me. Father can use magic with the help of his trident, and while I trust him not to ever hurt me it still scares me. He’s the one who changed me into a human so I could be with Eric after we stopped my aunt. I feel like I can't trust it or anyone who uses magic, aside from Father, of course. Even myself..."

"You… know magic?"

"Incantations," responded Ariel, nodding her head. "My sisters and I learned several incantations growing up. I always thought they were a wonder. Then, Ursula used an incantation on me to make me human and take my voice and ever since then I’ve never used them again. Magic wasn't for the good to use. It was evil, vile."

For the first time in two years, Elsa heard Father's voice speak to her. "Conceal it, don't feel it." She tightened her fists and turned away from Ariel. She wanted so badly to be honest with Ariel, but she didn't want to frighten the young mermaid. The distant voices of people calling her a 'monster' echoed in her head. Her eyes welled with tears again as she struggled to inhale a breath.

The boat shifted and Ariel returned to Elsa's side. She ran her hand along Elsa's back. "What's wrong?" Ariel’s gentle voice showed genuine concern.

Elsa stammered, "I-I have s-something to say to you..." Elsa fell quiet. She heard Anna's voice remind her, "Don't ever hide your true self from anyone. Be the person you're meant to be. Be proud of who you are."

"What is it?"

Elsa felt a tear run down her cheek. She was huddled over herself as she twirled her index finger and pointed it to the sky. "Maybe it's better if I show you?" She sniffled.

Ariel gasped. "Elsa, look! It's snowing again!" Elsa remained quiet. Ariel shook Elsa's shoulder trying to get her attention. "Look!" Elsa slowly turned around, her eyes red, puffy, and wet. "It's snowing!"

Elsa slowly opened her hand. Several thin streams of light blue ice made their way from Elsa's fingertips and thumb and met in the center of her hand forming a small ball of ice. Flakes of snow circled the icy ball in the palm of her hand, like a snow globe that had just been shaken. "I know." Elsa’s voice quavered as more tears made their way down her cheeks. "I did it. I made the snow."

Ariel was watching the snow fall from the sky. She looked at Elsa and noticed her tears. Elsa lowered her eyes to her hand and Ariel followed. The boat thrashed on the surface as Ariel shrieked.

Elsa sobbed. “Ariel, pleas—"

“You! Y-You're—"

"I'm a—"

"Witch," Ariel shouted. "You're a witch! You tricked me!"

"No," Elsa cried, her chest heaving as she reached for Ariel. "I didn't trick you. I swear! I was just scared—"

"You're a witch, a monster!" The boat thrashed about on the surface, water splashing from all sides as Ariel vacated the boat and disappeared beneath the surface.

"I'm not a monster," Elsa cried, her voice low and shaken. She sucked in a deep breath and cried to herself as she dropped the ball of ice from her hand, the snow melting and falling like rain around her. "Please, don't leave me," Elsa pleaded. "I'm sorry…"

But it was too late. Ariel had disappeared beneath the surface. Elsa was alone once again in the boat and this time she feared that her loneliness was permanent. Sucking in another breath, her bottom lips quivered. She let out another loud cry as she wept.

"I'm sorry, Ariel! Please, come back!" Elsa hunched forward, cradling her hands against her belly. Tears stained her burnt cheeks. She muttered, “Please, come back…”