Elsa didn't speak as she reached out for the spoon.
She had noticed his unsteady and uneasy exhale, and she knew something bothered him.
Although a part of her didn't want to be the one to console him, another part of her wanted to help him.
She took his shaky, cold hands in hers and rubbed them soothingly, not certain whether or not to continue.
She could see a certain emotion in his brown eyes that wandered inwardly, but she couldn't discern what it was.
Even though she wanted to punish him, she couldn't muster enough courage to push him away.
Ivan's sudden embrace startled her as she let their bodies embed into each other.
He tightened his grip on her like a child begging at his mother's sleeve.
Images conjured up in her head.
Maybe he would snuggle over her again, or....
She listened calmly as his tensed heartbeat returned to tranquility.
Elsa rubbed his back — pathetically?
She didn't know, but she knew she wanted to share in his pain and make him trust her.
She was going to make her marriage work out for the better!
______________________________________
Elsa didn't know what had prompted her to sneak into the spare room behind the boulder, but she was certain that there was something there — something spectacular, something thrilling, or something that could send chills down her spine.
It had been carved in her mind after she found the diamond earring at the corner of the portrait.
The wooden door creaked as she pushed it open and brought forward one of her legs.
She peered about wide-eyed before stepping inside.
The lights had been put on already — so early.
She trudged towards the wooden table in her usual undisturbed manner, and reached out for the little bottle that contained some greenish substance.
Her eyes suddenly spotted the most substantial thing in the room.
It lay across the wall helplessly, and it looked old as though it had been there for ages.
Below it, she saw the duplicate of the seal with a royal marking on it.
She spotted the board that had pins on it, but she couldn't read the wordings on the board.
Those wordings seemed to be strange and different from the usual language everyone spoke and wrote.
Elsa stiffened when she met Allen's gaze.
Her lips pursed as he greeted her.
" Greetings, your highness. What a pleasant surprise!" he chuckled softly and stared back at the room.
Elsa smiled back and rubbed the nape of her neck.
Maybe she wanted to ask about the weird writings, but his next question had brought sudden blankness upon her.
" So, what's her highness doing in the boulder?" Allen questioned and trudged further.
Elsa tried to remind her brain to produce an answer, but her tongue got stuck to the roof of her teeth.
Allen shook his head and fidgeted with the bottle on the table.
" Please, be safe, your highness."
These were his last words before he headed out of the room.
Elsa watched him closely. He limped as he walked away, and there was something about his current gait and the sound from his shoes.
Maybe that was the spectacular thing she had been looking for.
Maybe it wasn't.
Days passed quickly.
Everything continuously went on well; there was less troubles, and Elsa seemed to feel like the world has finally been set to its rights.
Elsa woke up to the sound of chirping birds and the noise of a busy day.
She snuggled out of the bed after realizing that Ivan was gone already.
She trudged towards the table close to the window and something struck her sight.
She could see Ivan, and he had let his sword fall to the ground.
She glared as he embraced the hourglass shaped girl who brandished him an alluring smile.
It felt strange that Ivan had smiled softly at another girl.
This was the first time she had seen this particular expression.
The girl looked pretty anyways and shinny too, and the morning sun reflected on her beige skin.
She looked royal, and she wore a red gown that exposed her sumptuous bosom.
Elsa watched them cuddle each other passionately.
She saw Ivan take her hand and her eyes grew wider.
Maybe she burned inwardly, maybe she didn't, but she truly didn't want another woman to be with him.
If she had begun to love him already, she didn't know.
Elsa turned around with a start after an exasperated hiss and met Lydia's inquiring gaze.
She didn't know how long Lydia had been standing there, but she didn't like the look in her eyes.
Lydia's eyes seemed to tell her that this was the way it had been; it told her that it would remain so until God knows when.
" His highness is good-looking and always will be. Things are just meant to be that way," she pointed out and trudged further to take the bedsheet away.
A deep frown etched on Elsa's face as she walked past Lydia in a gallop.
______________________________________
Whatever she had been thinking, no one knew; no one got to know as she sat alone, waiting for him to come — to maybe apologize for leaving so early without a morning kiss on the forehead.
Her mind played games with her.
She imagined them getting entangled in a heartwarming, stomach churning romance.
Those images wouldn't just leave her head; they wouldn't go away no matter how hard she tried.
She hissed to chase away those awkward thoughts.
The sudden knock on the door interrupted her thoughts as she answered with ease to her call.
The maid opened the door gently while sticking her head into the room.
" The king sent me to call you to dinner," she said while awaiting a response.
Elsa nodded obediently and waved at her.
She coughed to regain composure and strode out of the room with her head high, trailing behind the maid.
At dinner, she watched Ivan play with the new lady.
This lady wore a scarlet red lipstick that looked inviting; it looked inviting to steal a kiss from her juicy lips.
Her gown had a large cut at the bosom area which Elsa defined as indecent although the new lady defined it as feminine.
Why did she even care?
Elsa began to eat her food gently, rolling out the meat on the chili, not minding the distractions around, until Harriet coughed.