I had this idea in my head since I saw Wreck-It Ralph 2, the concept of the princesses interacting was great, specially since their diverse personalities could co-exist in one place, so this is my one shot. Enjoy-!
Not much had changed since Vanellope had last visited the princesses, introducing them to the wonders of casual clothing. They all seemed to like it, every cloth revealed a trait of each girl, a part of their personality, so it sort of came as a surprise when a certain Snow Queen added another accessory to her wardrobe, one her sister had dearly hoped would never came to be again. Elsa had the gloves on.
At first it wasn't so noticeable; it was just a light blue pair of gloves she wore after a particularly crowded day at the web, she didn't seemed exhausted, she was actually quite calmed, talking and laughing alongside Mulan, Merida and Pocahontas. They had grown close while Anna enjoyed spending time with their cousin Rapunzel, Tiana and Moana. So when she casually wore the gloves, Anna didn't bat an eye. Elsa was probably tired of using her powers and needed the rest. It was when she slid them on after every show that Anna grew suspicious, but no one else seemed to mind the change. Of course, no one knew her as well as Anna, despite everything.
After another absorbing day at work, all of the princesses retrieved to their common room to rest. Well, some of them rested, others had different plans. As soon as they were in their comfortable clothing, a sword duel began.
"Yer ready to forsake, mate?" Merida asked while blading her sword.
"Not even close" Mulan answered as they exchanged blows.
Elsa just stood near them watching the brawl. She wasn't fond of fighting but truly admired how skillful they were.
Mulan deflected a stroke and then noticed how Elsa intriguingly looked at both.
"Do you want to spar?" she asked.
Elsa was taken aback "Uh? Um, no, thank you, I really don't have your level of dexterity, if in conflict I would rather use my powers"
"Aye, 'magic hands'" Merida quoted making a funny face "what if someday ye can't use yer fancy powers?"
"I doubt that could be the case" Elsa answered politely.
"You won't know until you try" Mulan walked towards handing her a sword and gently pushing her forward. Elsa stiffened her back tensing her shoulders.
"You have to relax your posture and open your stance wider" Mulan instructed taking her elbow to correct her, then lightly lifting her other arm looking over her shoulder "yeah, that's better" she praised focusing on correcting her stance "Now grip tighter" she placed her hand upon the one of the Snow Queen, feeling the pale skin colder than she expected.
Elsa slipped away at the contact and extended the sword back in a hurry "I really rather not partake in this activity"
Mulan raised a brow a bit aback by the sudden change, but said nothing. Just nodded her head and took back her weapon.
"Suit yer self, Majesty" Merida shrugged it off going back into battle.
Elsa took a step back hunching forward, hiding her hands under her elbows as an old habit, soon she grew anxious and before anyone could notice, she was wearing her gloves again.
Anna huffed from the distance.
"What's wrong?" Rapunzel asked while still braiding Anna's hair.
"It's Elsa" she grumbled under her breath "She's wearing those awful gloves again. I thought we were past that"
"What's so wrong about wearing those?" Moana asked truly aloof at the situation.
Rapunzel settled the brush aside noticing how Anna had folded her arms defensively in front of her.
"She's shutting herself out" the younger sibling said "when she couldn't accept that the powers were a part of her, she wore the gloves"
"She did so because she thought she was protecting you" Rapunzel said softly.
"Yeah, I know that" Anna admitted sheepishly "but she won't hurt me or anyone else anymore, she has it under control, I'm sure of that"
"Well, maybe they give her comfort" Moana offered "she must have grown used to have them on and now that we wear something other than our princesses outfits, she finds the gloves agreeable"
"That could be it" Punzie chimed.
Anna sighed noiselessly "Maybe" she knew they meant well, but they didn't know her sister as she did. There was something else and Anna was sure of it.
A couple of days past by and suddenly it became a routine. It wasn't a spasmodic or spontaneous event anymore. Now every time they walked into their back stage room, Elsa put the gloves on.
Anna was trying to be patient and allow her sister some space, but there was a limit, a fine line between politeness and pure indifference. Anna took a deep breath and approached her with her usual peachy tone and happy attitude.
"Hey, Elsa!"
The only queen turned over her shoulder with a fond smile already on her lips. No matter the situation, hearing her sister's voice always brightened her days.
"Anna" she extended her arm for her to reach "Is there something you needed?"
"Whaaat? Can't your adorably sister just randomly approach you because she feels like it?" she said in a bit of a hurry.
"Um, I suppose" Elsa replied confused by her sudden nervousness.
"Great" Anna clapped once before looking away "So, I was thinking, let's catch up. How-how has your week been?"
"Fine, thank you. A lot of little girls were chosen as my best friend in the quizzes lately" she nudged her shoulder lightly "not that any can take your place"
Anna smiled at that, her sister truly seemed fine "That's great to hear" she hugged her out of the blue and was welcomed into a warm hug "You know that…if something was off…you could talk to me about it, right?"
"Off?" Elsa repeated warily as both let go of the embrace.
"Yeah, you know, out of the ordinary, uncommon, that sort of thing" she hopped the weight of her body from one leg to another.
"I see" Elsa looked down and suddenly a chill ran through them "Yes, thank you, Anna" she smiled back, but her sister noticed the stiffness and how Elsa was forcing a bit her smile.
"Hey, are you-?" Anna was about to ask what she promised herself she wouldn't, but the moment was interrupted by the arrival of some of the other princesses.
"Come on! The inauguration of the new web page is about to begin" Jasmine urged "we need front row seats"
"You know your seat literally flies, right?" Tiana countered.
"Well, if you rather be on the crowded ground-"
"No, I don't, forget I said a thing"
"Hurry up!" Rapunzel grabbed Anna's arm "Eugene and Kristoff will be there!"
"But-" she looked over her shoulder as she was being dragged away.
"It's alright, go enjoy the grand opening" Elsa chuckled as she saw her disappear behind the door.
"What a riot! And only for a page that already exists!" Merida huffed.
"It's actually just the excuse to see the princes"
"Blah!" Merida snorted "I'm much better going to ride Angus through the forest. Get away for a bit. A little adventure, ye know?"
"I actually agree" Mulan shrunk her shoulders "I'm sure they won't miss our presence"
"Aye! Let's go"
Mulan tilted her head looking at the lonely Snow Queen "You want to come, Elsa?"
"Pardon?"
"For a horse ride" she motioned to the door.
"Or missy, fancy-pants won't join us 'cause horses are untidy?" Merida mocked.
Elsa actually smirked "I'll come along, but I can't promise I will be much fun, I've rarely been around horses"
"We'll take our chances" Merida agreed.
As soon as they were on Merida's territory, the Scottish princess rode away in a hurry with little regard for her safety or how far behind she had left the other two technically-not-princesses.
Any other day Mulan could have caught up to her, after all, her "cow", as Mushu described, was way faster than Angus, but that day she slowed her pace and kept the Queen some company.
The warrior was so used to the activity she didn't even held the leash; Elsa on the other hand always kept a tight grip and a straight back, even now in casual clothing she kept the poise of a monarch.
Mulan cleared her throat.
"I…wanted to apologize for the other day" she began "I shouldn't have pushed you to practice with swords. You must have your reasons to stay away from weapons and I-"
"No, please, it's alright" Elsa interjected raising both her hands in a hurry to stop her "You don't have to ask for forgiveness, you haven't wronged me" she assured honestly before shrugging her shoulders a bit like she had done the previous day.
"Ow" Mulan looked at her puzzled now, she couldn't figure her out "Ok, then" she grimaced trying to think of what to say next "Merida sure knows how to make us bite the dust" she offered a new topic "I'm sure she will notice we are missing in about an hour"
"If she notices at all" Elsa muttered making Mulan chuckle.
"Yes, I think she only allowed us to tag along so when she brags about her feats she can have witnesses to back her words up"
"Not the worst reason to be invited" Elsa tucked a loose buckle of hair behind her ear "Um…why did you invite me?"
"You didn't want to come?" Mulan asked genuinely conflicted that for a second time she had cornered the Queen into doing something she rather not had.
"No, it's not that, I do enjoy this, I just mean…well, I can see why you and Merida get along. Even Pocahontas or Moana have a very developed sense of adventure but I…don't fit the description"
Mulan actually giggled, getting an embarrassed and hurt expression in return. Elsa hunched protectively and Mulan knew she had to explain herself.
"Sorry, but…do you really not see your own sense of adventure?"
Elsa's confusion was so visible Mulan could almost see Elsa's inner child inside her eyes.
"I mean, you and I, we both ran away" she started.
"At least you ran to save your father" Elsa said gloomily "I only did it for selfish reasons" Elsa hung her head ashamed of herself.
Mulan knitted her brows "we both did it to protect our families in the only way we thought possible, without us there"
"It's not quite the same. You even saved China"
"You saved Arendelle"
"No, I didn't" Elsa stated pressing the reins even tighter "I put it in danger in the first place and Anna is really the one that helped me unfreeze my doing" she fought against the tears looking away truly embarrassed of her emotional display.
By now both horses had stopped galloping and Mulan took the opportunity to get a little closer to the frail figure. She tentatively reached for her chin directing her sight to herself "It took a great deal of courage to leave all the things you loved and ever knew just for your sister to have a chance at a normal life. Although for Anna normality was having you, she never saw anything wrong with you" Elsa's bottom lip quivered, her shoulders tensed "I sometimes wonder if you still do"
Elsa's jaw dropped and soon she felt her cheeks running red and warm. She looked away pressing the leash even tighter until a fine crust of ice started to creep up her sleeve.
"Wait-! I'm sorry, Elsa" as soon as she noticed her reaction, Mulan realized how poorly she had handled the delicate subject of her inner demons and began to apologize again "I shouldn't have said- I didn't mean to-"
"It's fine" Elsa chocked out preventing Mulan to even catch a glimpse at her face "I-I'm going back to our site. You better look for Merida before dawn" she started to ride away leaving the portal so swiftly Mulan couldn't stop her.
The warrior covered her face in frustration "Why would I say something like that?!"
Her horse sighed back and Mulan had nothing to do but play that scene in hear head over and over again.
"Then Aladin and Naveen started to get competitive and soon-" Anna stopped her story noticing how her sister had her sight fixed to the horizon, her mind millions of miles away "Are you even listening?" Anna asked.
Elsa blinked back herself to reality "Yes, of course, so they boys began to challenge one another to woo their princesses"
Anna sighed "You are lucky that as a dignitary you can quote back entire phrases you didn't pay attention to, but I know you" Anna stood in front of her grabbing her shoulders "Something's upsetting you"
"Anna, honestly, if I thought I should tell you something, I-" she stopped mid-phrase gazing intensively behind Anna.
"What?" her younger sister asked taking a peek over her shoulder to see Merida and Mulan arriving.
"We are back!" Merida shouted throwing herself into a couch.
"Please clean your shoes before getting in" Cinderella asked
"Ye are not the one that cleans anymore, so don't worry so much!"
Mulan had her eyes fixed to the floor, it was not until she dared to look up and met those clear blue skies that both girls awkwardly gazed away.
Anna frowned at the unspoken interaction "What's wrong?"
"What do you mean?" Elsa asked trying to deflect.
"Between you and Mulan, you both looked so uncomfortable"
"It's nothing" Elsa said in a hurry.
"Something happened?"
"No" she emphasized.
"Do you want me to talk to her"
"I said it's nothing!" Elsa said harsher than she would have liked, she then pressed her fist scolding herself for lashing out "Look, Anna, you don't have to worry about anything, ok? I…I have something to sort out, this shouldn't distress you" she took a step back folding her arms hiding her hands. Anna then notice how there was a darker shade of blue in her sleeves. Ice had crept and dissolved, something was wrong and Anna knew it.
Merida took the shot managing a perfect bull's eye "That's three in a row!" she looked back "Oi! Aren't you going to practice today?" she asked Mulan.
"Um? Oh, I…really don't feel up to it"
"Well, maybe ye should invite Elsa over"
"What?"
"Ye know, she tags along now and then, if you won't be any competition we could ask her to come"
"I-I don't think she will want to"
Merida tilted her head "And why bloody not? She spends way more time with us than the fancier lil-princesses"
"She gets along with the fancy little princesses, Merida"
"Aye? Then why does she never goes with 'em to the other page"
"The 'Oh My Prince' page?" Mulan asked "I don't know, she doesn't have a prince, like us"
"I mean, yeah, maybe, but, she could visit her sister's boyfriend, they are friends, same with Punzie's lad. They get along, so why she rather spend time with us?"
Mulan thought about it "Well…maybe she doesn't want to feel excluded, since she doesn't have a partner"
"Then what about ye?"
"Me?!" Mulan asked aback
"Aye, yer mate, the general"
"Oh!" Mulan cleared her throat before messing her short hair up "I…don't' know. I haven't seen him in a while. Don't get me wrong, he's interesting and strong but…"
Merida noticed that look on her friends face "Alright, ye don't have to say it" she tried to cheer her up "I know it's better to hang out with me"
"Yes, you and your infinite charm" Mulan mocked.
"Aye!" she wrapped an arm around her shoulders "Come on, let's go before ye start bursting into a song"
Mulan rolled her eyes, a smile in her face nonetheless "You know it was just once, right?"
"Whatever glass slipper fits ye, Cinderella. Now let's hurry before ye see yer reflection in that puddle"
"You are awful" Mulan wrapped her arm around her shoulders as well "Thank you"
Mulan had given the situation a bit of time and space, hoping things would cool down with the Snow Queen, terrible pun unintended, but the more days passed by, the more she noticed Elsa had pushed her away, keeping her distance and limiting their interactions.
Mulan hadn't noticed how used she had grown to her company until Elsa was no longer there. Sure, they didn't do a lot together but they could talk about so many things no one else would give the time of day. The princesses were so invested in their happily ever after with their princes that they rarely spoke of anything else, and although she liked to talk with Moana or Merida, there were certain topics that just didn't come across as naturally. Not the way they did with Elsa. Suddenly Mulan was missing those simpler days. She couldn't figure out how those precious moments were now in the past. Had it really all been falling apart over a simple sentence? She certainly didn't felt like it was the whole fairy tale story. So when Elsa walked inside their common room that afternoon, Mulan was determined to set it straight.
She silently approached reaching out for her elbow to spin her around "Elsa?"
As soon as she recognized the voice and familiar touch, Elsa turned stiff turning around with her sight already fixed to the ground "Greetings, Mulan" she said in a low voice.
Mulan felt discouraged by the walls the queen was building, she didn't even dared to see her face "Could we talk?"
"I'm…afraid I really don't have anything to say?" she offered politely trying to smile, still casting her sight to the floor.
Mulan sighed a bit brokenly; she could tell Elsa was making an effort to be cordial while trying to wave her off "Then listen, please" she pleaded "I'm sorry if or when I insulted you or made you feel so terrible"
Elsa shrunk, like if she could take the least space possible she would cease to exist.
"I know your story, you've told me what you been through" Mulan reached for her hands squeezing them lightly "I've never dared to offend you and if I did, it wasn't intentional"
It was uncertain if Elsa was still breathing, she was so still that Mulan couldn't tell what was going on with her down casted eyes. She only had a clue when she felt her own palms getting considerably cold. Soon she noticed there was a small flurry settling over their heads.
"Am I making you upset?" Mulan asked gazing upwards "You are using your powers"
That's when Elsa's head spiked up a bit in horror and showing a somewhat frightened face in an utter shade of red. Elsa jerked her hands away sheltering them against her body "Please, just leave me alone" Elsa begged backing away to her room and shutting the door close.
Mulan reached for the doorknob determined to chase after, but noticed how a thin crust of ice was creeping down the frame. She respected the Queen far too much to just dismiss her wishes. She was a warrior, she had a code, she had integrity and if her presence truly distressed Elsa that much, then staying away was probably the right thing to do.
So she just rested her forehead against the cold door with her eyes closed for one more second before stepping back and turning away.
There was a knock. More like five knocks arranged in a very specific order that Elsa knew all too well.
"Come in, Anna" she called from the inside of her room. She had promised herself that no matter what, even if her door was shut, Anna would always be welcomed in.
"Hey" the youngest Arendelle monarch greeted while reaching Elsa at her desk "I…haven't seen a lot of you lately, you know, other than in public displays"
"I'm sorry, Anna, I've been…busy. But you can always come in"
"And you could come out" Anna countered softly.
Elsa tilted her head smiling weakly "I…just need a little time to myself"
Anna kneeled to her level "Elsa, it's ok" she rubbed her upper arm "if something is troubling you, I'm here for you. If you really only need a bit of space I'll give it to you, but you have to say it to my face"
"Say what?"
"That you are alright, that you aren't going through what you did for 13 years, can you tell me that? Look me in the eye and say it and I'll let you be"
Elsa smiled sweetly coping her cheek "Anna of Arendelle, I, Queen Elsa, assure you, I'm not going through what my isolation was like"
Anna smiled fondly visibly relaxing going to her arms to embrace her "Ok, your majesty, I'll take your word for it" she opened her eyes to see the gloves laying on her desk and suddenly the feeling of calmness started to dissipate.
It was late, no one was signed in at that odd hour, and finally they could all have a little time to themselves, to rest and relax. As soon as all the princesses were behind closed doors, they changed into their casual look and soon the Snow Queen had the gloves on once more.
Anna was going to allow this one to slip away, the gloves didn't necessarily meant her sister was shutting her out or falling back into old habits, but without her knowledge, that was going to be the day she wouldn't take it any longer…
"Come along girls! It's time for Tiana's and Cinderella's bake off!" invited Rapunzel.
Sometimes they liked to get together and do one activity each princess enjoyed. Some evenings they had a book club for Belle, others a painting class with Punzie and others a little bake off like that day.
They gathered around, the more enthusiastic girls were at front looking cheerfully at them while some others stayed a few feet behind. Elsa joined the activity from the distance, she had a worrisome expression, she was so deep into thought she didn't notice the Chinese warrior was circling on the back just when she spoon around, crashing into her shoulder. She was startled and immediately froze into her place, quite literally a crust of ice creeping up her feet.
"A-apologies"
"Sorry" Mulan said shortly looking away.
Anna gazed from afar noticing once more the weird interaction, so she started to walk towards them to make sure everything was ok.
"Ex-excuse me" Elsa said trying to move away noticing her sneakers were glued to the floor. She bit into her lower lip forcing herself to control herself and break past her own barrier. Mulan looked at her in a worried manner.
"Do-do you need help?"
"N-no! Please, don't touch me" she urged as her ice melted away.
Mulan took a step back "Sorry" she said again.
Elsa seemed afflicted by how down Mulan looked at that time, but the Ice Queen just shut her eyes and walked past her keeping her gaze down.
Anna was merely a few steps behind when she saw Elsa retrieve into her room. She quickly gazed at Mulan "What's going on?"
"I-I don't know" she answered honestly and Anna had to believe her, so she hurried to chase after her sister before she could reach her door.
Elsa was clenching her hands into fists as she walked away, she seemed oddly distressed. Anna was about to lay a hand over her shoulder when she suddenly overheard the worlds she was chanting.
"Don't feel. Conceal. Don't feel"
And that broke Anna apart.
"Stop it!" she shouted loud enough for every princess in the room to look at her.
Elsa turned around alarmed of hearing her sister's voice so upset "Anna, what's wro-?"
"You are doing it again!" she cried marching up to her, making the queen take several steps back at her approach, truly confused at the sudden outburst.
"What am I doing?" she asked.
"You are shutting yourself out!"
And then Elsa stopped dead on her tracks like a deer faced by the headlights "What are you tal-?"
"You promised you wouldn't do that to yourself anymore" there were tears in the corner of her eyes, but the anger was still building up on her.
"Girls, what's going on?" Rapunzel approached Anna trying to grab her shoulder, but she recoiled.
"You repeated that stupid phrase!" Anna incriminated "Conceal, don't feel"
Then Elsa became pale, really, really paler than her usual skin tone "Anna, it's not what you think" she replied with voice so faint some of her words got lost in the room.
"You are wearing the gloves, Elsa!" she pointed at her covered hands and Elsa felt like hiding them. She crossed her arms burying her chin on her chest, a stunning shade of red taking over her features now.
"That is true, Elsa" Punzie mumbled "You have been wearing them a lot lately"
"It's not as you think" she repeated, suddenly a flurry building in the room.
"Um, girls, there's starting to be a blizzard" Moana mentioned to no avail.
"Then what is it?!" Anna demanded "If you are not doing every single little thing you did back in your isolation, why are you wearing them?"
"I-I can't tell you" she chocked out.
"You promised, Elsa! You said to my face you weren't back into isolation!"
"Please Anna, don't do-"
"What are you hiding from me?!"
Elsa felt a punch to her gut as she looked up at her sister's baby blue skies and taking a quick glance at the room, all eyes were on her and there was no escaping it, even the ones she so desperately had tried to avoid for so long now. There was no running away from it, except that she tried escaping them "I'm sorry" she rushed out of the room.
"Elsa!" Anna forgot all about her anger at the sudden image of her sister so frail and scared "What did I do?"
"Anna, stop" Rapunzel grabber her arm "Maybe you should let her be"
"Wait, what? I can't let her go like that, her powers are linked with emotions, I need to make sure she's alright, this is my fault"
"Don't take it the wrong way, but I don't think your sister is ready to see you right now"
"Then what-?"
"I'll go look for her" Mulan offered "If I find her I'll let you know" she promised and before waiting for an answer, she left.
Mulan didn't have to guess were Elsa would go, she knew where to find her. The Queen herself had once shared that her refuge, her heaven, was back into her ice castle, where she could think in calmness and solitude, a place that was hers. Mulan had promised herself not to go against Elsa's wishes, she had a code to follow as a warrior, but right now she was listening to her heart and she knew she had to be there for Elsa.
She entered the frozen realm, finding Elsa sited by the balcony, her legs swinging at the verge while she gazed at the sunset. She was shivering and not out of coldness, that never had bothered her, no. Her sobbing was so faint Mulan almost missed it, but it was clear she was crying.
Silently she approached sitting next to her to observe the horizon "You did a magnificent job with the architecture of this place"
Elsa jumped up in surprise immediately drying her eyes while a deep shade of red accentuated on her cheeks "Please, please, Mulan, I'm begging you, leave" her voice cracked as she said those words.
"I don't think being alone is doing you any good"
"Then...Where's Anna?"
"Probably with Rapunzel" she answered hugging one leg closer to her body "I know I'm the last person you want to see and although I'm not entirely sure why or what wrong have I done for that to happen …I'm going to stay here, next to you, until you feel fine again"
Elsa hugged herself even tighter "You are only making it worse, please go"
Mulan looked hurt "What did I do for you to hate me this much?"
Elsa frowned hiding her face "I don't hate you"
"It feels like it" Mulan hung her head allowing her short hair to hide away her face "All those things your sister said…were they true?"
Elsa blushed harder than before "It is not like that"
"So you keep saying" Mulan mumbled "Then what is going on? Your magic is wonderful, why are you keeping it locked away? Why the gloves? Why the shut door?"
"Because…because I can't control it"
Mulan was taken aback "What do you mean?" Elsa shrugged even more "You haven't had a single outburst in all this time, I mean other than the one today. You aren't putting us in risk, besides if anything was going to happen, I'm sure your sister could help you"
Elsa barely uncovered her face, just enough for her voice to be clear "It's not that kind of control" she felt her ears get warm "It's…it's you"
Mulan was at loss now "I don't understand, what did I do?" she asked concerned.
"Nothing! Everything!" Elsa yelled frustrated with herself throwing her hands to the sky "Whenever I'm near you I can't control my powers and ice starts creeping up my sleeve and a flurry runs through" she started "when you touch my arm or reach for my hands my fingers run cold" she brushed her hair back while breathing fast "I put the gloves on so no one would notice, so you wouldn't notice" she briefly looked for her eyes but deflected them immediately "It worked for a while, but then it wasn't enough, for which I tried to put physical distance between us but it only got more out of hand. And it's so confusing all the time, because when I see you the storm builds up inside and at the same time when I think of you it melts away" she covered her face in her hands trying to make sense of it all.
Mulan was at a loss yet for a second time, she felt her own heart stop beating and her blood falling to her feet.
"When Anna heard me say that old self-torturing mantra, I was only chanting it to myself to think of something else, to distract me from the fact that my heart was pounding so hard in my chest that I could feel my powers overcoming the fabric of the gloves" she admitted utterly embarrassed before turning her head in the opposite direction feeling completely humiliated "I don't know what's wrong or why it's happening…I spent years without allowing myself to feel a thing and now…all these emotions…nothing makes sense"
Mulan forgot how to breathe, how to blink, how to be. She just gazed upon her astonished. Of all the things Elsa could have said to explain her behavior, she would never have guesses this would be the outcome.
"S-so that's it, I'm not back into my isolation, on the contrary, I fear I've…felt too much and dealing with it has been beyond challenging. So please, make my burden easier and just…let me be. Just alone and free"
"No" came the reply for Elsa's surprise.
"W-what?"
"No, I'm not leaving you by yourself"
"Why do you have to make this harder?" Elsa protested "I just told you-! Having you here is-!" she tried to explain feeling more and more frustrated.
Mulan scooted closer limiting the distance between them. Elsa barely looked over her shoulder noticing how she was leaning in "Please, don't" she implored.
"It's alright, Elsa"
"No, it's not" Elsa replied back feeling like she could cry all over again.
"Here, you will have to trust me" she grabbed her wrist pulling her close to her.
"What are you-?" Elsa asked in a hurry.
Mulan calmly slid away the glove.
"No! Wait!" she urged distressed trying to reach for it but Mulan put it aside. Elsa grew anxious and pulled away, but Mulan held her wrist firmly yet softly.
"It's ok. You have nothing to fear" she cooed leaving the glove aside.
"I-I'm not sure we should-"
"We are already in your castle, you can't freeze anything" she assured. Then, slowly, always looking her in the eye, she took her own hand to hers and intertwined their fingers together. Elsa seemed so faint that she could have passed out.
The monarch turned her face away closing her eyes "Please, let go" she tried to slide her hand out of her grasp, but stopped when she felt Mulan embracing her strongly.
Elsa stood still, her shaky breathing being the only sound in the mountain, suddenly Mulan felt her sobbing "Please, I don't want to hurt you" Elsa said brokenly.
"You won't"
"You don't know that" she countered, a blizzard taking over the peaceful scenery "you don't know what I'm capable of, how I've hurt so many people, the ones I cared about the most"
"I know you are scared and confused" Mulan said into her hair "but you can stop this storm right now"
"How?" Elsa sobbed quietly.
"You said when I'm next to you, you use your powers, think of me for a moment" she asked "whatever that makes you feel"
Elsa closed her eyes and allowed that idea to run through her heart, the sudden blizzard fading away, while Elsa started to breathe in more evenly.
"Answer me this" Mulan mumbled "what thaws your winter?"
Elsa tried to catch her breath "Love-love thaws" she answered softly.
"That's it" Mulan stroke her back soothingly.
Elsa felt overwhelmed for an instant before actually letting go of it all and raising her arms to wrap them around Mulan, burring her face into her shoulder.
Mulan rocked her gently mumbling gentle things into her hair.
Elsa closed her eyes, resting for a moment on the welcoming feeling of acceptance.
"Thank you, Mulan" she whispered in a soft tired voice.
The fearless warrior just smiled and allowed her head to tilt over the one of the other girl.
"You are welcome, Elsa"
Neither of them knew that behind the ice door, a pair of blue eyes had witnessed everything in the quiet distance. Anna silently took in the image as now she understood why her sister had been so off lately and knew there was nothing else to be said. She took a couple of steps back and allowed them to share that moment alone. Elsa would be just fine.