The king hissed in exasperation at Ivan's silence to his question.
He could tell that the druid girl hadn't been found yet.
Ivan cringed underneath.
He could tell that his father detested his incompetence.
Was this how he would be king?
So much had been happening already, and it has been mind draining.
Elsa stared at Ivan for a long time, not taking her gaze away from him.
She felt — pity?
She just didn't know what she felt for him but she was sorry.
She excused herself from dinner and strode off.
Elsa found her way into the royal kitchen.
She checked all the pots and a smile tore across her face.
She crouched down and began to dish out food into a ceramic plate that had the royal seal on it.
Only royalties were allowed to use the ceramic plates with a royal seal.
Elsa dished out more soup and meat, and picked up the jug of water.
She turned around with a start and met her conspicuous gaze.
" Are you okay, your highness? Is there something you need?" Lydia asked politely and strode forward.
A half smile tore across Elsa's face as she brandished her set of white teeth while trying to mask the momentary look of discomfort that had crossed her face.
" It's nothing, Lydia."
" But, you have food in your plate. I saw you walking into the kitchen and I thought you needed help with something."
Elsa crowed and tightened her grip on the plate.
" Thank you, Lydia. I'm alright, and I appreciate your kindness and generosity."
She patted Lydia's shoulders gently and stealthily headed out of the kitchen.
She called out Ava's name when she stepped inside the room.
She bent towards the table at the bedside and placed the plate of food on it.
" You can come out now, Ava. Coast is clear."
A dead silence greeted her.
" I brought food for you. We could figure something out while you eat."
Ava crowed from behind and smiled softly.
Her eyes glistened with something that Elsa couldn't place, but she knew it was something with children — every children.
Their eyes often glowed whenever you did something extraordinary for them.
" I'm sorry I startled you."
" It's okay. I brought food. I'm sure you'd be starving by now. I'm sorry I took so long."
Elsa pulled out a chair and placed it close to the bedside table.
Gently, she dished out the soup portion by portion and urged Ava with her inviting stare to come to the table.
Usually, the eyes ate before the mouth, and Elsa could tell that Ava had already done that.
Ava licked her lips in relish and strode forward.
" Hmm," she savoured the sweetness of the food.
The meat was soft and chewy but not sticky.
She sipped water from the cup after an attempted choke.
" You're very kind, your highness."
Elsa smiled and patted her head. Compassion filled her heart.
" Do you have any wish, Ava?"
" A very important one?"
" Yes. Asides getting you to safety, I'll fulfill your wish," Elsa's voice rose.
" Your highness, princesses are always kind."
Elsa responded in a silent hmm, still oblivious of the idea in Ava's little head.
No one had ever said princesses were the kindest.
She had never heard of it before.
" I want to be a princess like you," Ava blurted out and flashed Elsa another enchanting smile.
Elsa chuckled softly at her utterance.
A princess?
You never know what you want in life.
Here she was, wishing to be a commoner, even though it was for a day.
She wanted to know what it would feel like to be something other than the usual.
She wanted to know what it would feel like to be someone other than the usual.
She listened in absenteeism to Ava who rattled on — oblivious of the fact that Elsa wasn't listening.
Her gentle touch on Elsa's arm jolted her from her drowning thoughts.
" If I had the chance to become a princess, I'd be kind like you and help all druids of my kind."
Kind like her?
Elsa knew the usual words — poise and grace, but she had never felt any.
Not in her entire life.
Yes, she was a princess, and she had been taught that kindness was part of her responsibility not an emotion or trait one could possess.
____________
Days passed, and Elsa continued to hide the druid girl that everyone searched for — right under their noses.
Every time, she sneaked into the kitchen to get food, and each time Lydia caught her, she would say that it was nothing.
This particular day, Elsa woke up to the sound of a Raven.
It was weird for a Raven to be on the roof.
Ivan wasn't in the room either.
She called out to Ava but silence greeted her call, and she thought she might still be asleep.
Elsa went about her morning with enthusiasm.
It got to the notice of everyone that her enthusiasm was abnormal, especially for her.
She had been bustling with activities earlier that she remembered to send food to Ava later than usual.
This time, she picked sausages and pickled eggs.
She had managed to get to the room unseen despite the bustling from guards which was also unusual.
She placed the plates on the table and flipped the curtains.
She called out for Ava but silence reigned longer than she had expected.
She called again, then Lydia walked in with her furrowed brows.
Her amber eyes glared at Elsa who continuously turned the pillows on the bed.
" Your highness?"
Elsa shook her head and groaned.
" Are you okay, your highness?" Lydia questioned as curiosity — or rather concern sprang up in her eyes.
" Did you see a young girl child around?"
" I saw a young girl child with his highness and some guards. They were taking her away."
Elsa gasped and scratched the nape of her neck.
" Where were they taking her to?"
" I have no idea, your highness. The only thing I know is that the king gave his highness the order to execute her."
Elsa's imaginations raced wildly while letting out only the worst scenes in her head.
The word ' execution ' reverberated in her head as she sprang up like a fallen heroine and dashed out of the room.