A/N: I haven't written fanfiction in years. But this movie got to me. I absolutely adore these two. Thank your for reading! I always appreciate feedback. Criticism is nice. I could use the help. :)
Elsanna, Non-AU. Setting is a few years after the movie.
The voices around her were a whirlwind of speech. Arguments were raised and compromises were found in a flurry, the chattering was an endless cacophony of sound echoing through the chamber. It really was a bare room, quite unlike the rest of the palace. No pieces of armors or statues to soak up the noise. Just empty walls and a long, rectangular table surrounded by chairs. The only color in the room came from the luxurious rug that donned the floor on the other side of room. 'Well, at least there's that. Couldn't we have painted the walls differently at least? This off-white is giving me a headache.' The woman at the head of the table looked around, trying to find something to stare at other than the people in the room.
'I really ought to find something to decorate this place. There's got to be something I could pull from the portraiture chamber...maybe I could get Anna to do it. It would give her something less reckless to do for a change...'
A fluttering came from her stomach as she thought of her little sister and she had to smother a smile before it took over her face. Though as she fought it down it was followed by a twinge of... fear? Should couldn't help but be worried about what her little sister was doing that day. The task her sister had taken on made her almost queasy. But...it had to be done. She didn't think anything would go wrong, but it was a task she knew Anna had been dreading.
As her thoughts turned to worry, her small smile was replaced almost immediately by a mask. Elsa tried to depict a sense of decorum to those in the room that may have been looking her way, but the worried feeling still gnawed at her belly. She couldn't help but worry.
She felt the floor underneath her feet move slightly and glanced down at the floor. The tile by her toes was slowly becoming rigid with ice.
Elsa grimaced and tried her best to be inconspicuous about waving the cold away. She couldn't help but admonish herself.
'Really? it's been two years since the Great Thaw. You can control yourself better than this.'
But it was Anna. She were never in control when her sister was involved.
"...if we send our goods through that route, the timing for out shipments could be cut in half! What are your thoughts, Your Majesty?"
Elsa managed to shake herself out of her reverie just in time to catch the last half of the merchant's question that was being directed at her. She shook her head slightly to rid herself of the thoughts of her sister. There was nothing on that front to do except wait, anyway. No use dwelling on it.
Looking back at the men waiting for her response, she frowned. Luckily this was an argument she had heard a thousand times before.
"Master Doran, you know full well why we do not ship through the Southern River. I will not allow my subjects to come to harm. There is no way around it."
The merchant however, was unfazed by the answer and stared right back into the steely gaze of his monarch. "Queen Elsa! The banditry and pirating has all but been stomped out by the forces you sent months ago! Word is that three ships have sailed just this week with no issue." His voice turned aggressive, "You must reconsider the ban!"
The dozen others in the room stared at the two. As if sensing an argument was about to take place, their conversations died out their focus switched to their queen. A sigh came unbidden to her lips but there was no changing her resolve. "As of this point, only hearsay. And if the rumors are to be believed, the ships you speak of were more like two-man fishing vessels. We both know that the bandits never target the locals. Until the guard comes back with a full report that the criminals have been apprehended, I will not permit any ships to pass through. That route."
Doran scowled, "But Your Majesty, please-"
The gaze she leveled at him was as cold as the ice she wished to summon. "There have been over three hundred men and women killed on that river in the last six months. This argument has gone on long enough. I will not hear it again. Any vessels who are caught passing through that area will be fined three times the amount of gold they would have made from selling whatever goods they have on board. If, and only if I receive word that the river has been cleared of criminals, then you will have my blessing to use whichever trade route you wish. Until then, stay away."
Before the merchant was able to make a retort, the captain of the Royal Arendellan Navy turned to the angry man, "Well sir, I might know of another route to the Isles that may be even faster than the Southern route. You see..."
He continued to explain, but the captain briefly met the queen's eyes, and she nodded her thanks at his misdirection of the subject.
Soon the talking was coming from all corners of the room again as the tension dissipated. She did her best to follow along with the flow of each person's particular issue, and tried to interject with suggestions where she found them necessary. However, Elsa found herself almost nodding off after an hour of speeches, the warm air making her drowsy. As much as she wanted to doze right off, she held her poise and poured her concentration into trying to keep up with the conversations and arguments. She found herself needing to cool the air around her, slowly using her power to lower her own temperature so she could stay awake.
She really needed to stop staying up so late.
About halfway through the meeting, a steward quietly walked into the conference room and leaned down to her ear. No one in the room took much notice of the man until they saw their monarch's eyes go wide and her posture go rigid. She exchanged a few words with the steward and stood up, her chair scraping loudly against the floor.
All the eyes in the room immediately turned to her.
Without turning to look at anyone she half yelled a rushed, "Excuse me, something has come up."
She all but ran out of the door of the meeting room. Her feet wanted to sprint, but she reigned herself in. A queen couldn't be seen tearing through the palace, it was undignified. But oh, courtesies be damned. Anna...
The words Kai whispered into her ear were tying knots in her belly.
"Your Majestly, the princess has returned from the city, and...I think she's hurt. My queen, she raced right past us! And she was crying, so much... I, we, just...I don't know what to do, and she won't leave her room to talk to us!"
Elsa finally made it to their shared hallway, not nearly as fast as she wanted. She took a moment to look at the door to Anna's room and almost stopped, but walked past it down the hall and opened her own door. After walking in, she turned and closed the door softly, pulling the latch and locking it with a slight click. She spun around, and looked to her bed. Sitting there, cocooned in her comforter and surrounded by pillows was her little sister.
The look on Anna's face broke her heart.
Her head was bowed, so she almost couldn't see the tracks that the tears had left. The girl's angular face was red and splotchy, almost covering her freckles. Her ginger hair, usually so tidy, was coming out of her braids, curly strands of it falling every which way. Looking closer, her chest was moving with tighter breaths than normal, and her body shook with a hiccup once, and then again a few moments later.
Elsa dropped her dignified air. He sister, her Anna was hurting. She had to show a queenly facade to the world, but the only one who knew her – truly knew her – was the girl sitting on the bed. The queen felt a desperate need to make things right. Her soft steps padded along the floor as she made her way to the bed and climbed into the bed next to the younger girl.
Without a word she unwrapped her sister from the bundle she had made of herself with the blankets and replaced them with her arms. Anna practically climbed into her lap, burying her face in Elsa's neck and wrapping her arms around the older woman's slim waist.
As worried as she was, Elsa couldn't help the smug thought that bubbled up into her mind. We fit together almost perfectly like this...
She kissed the top of her sisters head tenderly, then laid her cheek against the girl's hair savoring the feel of her sister, safe in her arms. The sat that way for what felt like an eternity, Anna's breath eventually evening out. Elsa pushed an errant strand of hair behind her sister's ear and cupped her cheek. Her thumb moved back and forth, tracing a pattern and calming the girl even further. Anna pressed her face into that hand, taking comfort in the small contact. She pulled in a breath, preparing her words carefully. She looked up to her older sister and spoke, and her words sent a chill down Elsa's spine.
"He knows."
The whole of the monarch's body stopped moving. Her heart almost stopped, she was afraid to breathe. Anna covered Elsa hand with her own, sitting still and unmoving on her cheek. The queen took a deep breath, scrunched her eyes together, and let the air out of her lungs. When her eyes opened again, fear emanated from the blue depths.
Anna was struck by the sight. Even terrified, her sister was the most graceful, beautiful woman she had ever seen. Her blue eyes told so much...they bared her soul. And only Anna knew how to read those eyes perfectly, to read past the normally icy gazes and see the warmth underneath. They betrayed her completely, giving away the secrets in her heart. Elsa was used to hiding herself away from others, filtering out her emotions and replacing them with ice, like only she could. But her younger sister... Anna could take one look at her and know exactly what she was thinking. It scared her at times, she always found it hard to open herself up to others. But she didn't have to hide form Anna anymore. No more secrets, no more locking herself away.
Elsa whispered, so softly Anna almost missed it. "How?"
The younger girl grimaced. "Honestly...I don't know."
Her older sister began running her fingers through her hair. She closed her eyes, taking as much solace from it as she could before Elsa spoke again. "Tell me what happened."
"Well... it didn't go the way either of us thought it would go." Elsa's eyebrow rose in question. "Kristoff was the one who brought up the idea of breaking off our relationship."
The queen's eyebrows scrunched up in confusion, her worry evident in her face. "I know you went to the city today to break up with him today. But... he was the one who brought it up?"
Anna let out an almost bitter laugh, her voice dry. "He said he couldn't possibly complete for my affections against the mighty Snow Queen of Arendelle."
Elsa's stomach dropped, and she felt like curling into a ball. She pressed her cheek to her little sister's red hair, and Anna had to hold back tears as she felt the musky, shaky voice above her whisper again.
"I didn't think we were...everything was hidden, we never did anything in public...we were so careful. I just, how? How?"
"He didn't really have an answer when I asked." Anna squeezed her sister with one arm as she brought her hand up to the other woman's chest and grabbed the fabric over Elsa's heart. She used it as an anchor to curl herself into a tighter embrace. She had never seen Elsa like this. The blond woman was always regal, the air of confidence around her almost palpable, even when they were teasing each other or fooling around. Anna was scared too.
"He said that he just...knew. He grew up with a family of love experts, remember? He rambled at me when I pressed the issue. That he could tell how close we were when the three of us were together. How we'd share glances and small touches, how he'd have to fight for my attention when you were there." Anna made a face, "That we acted more like lovers than sisters."
The princess looked up at her sister, forcing the other to move her head and captured Elsa's eyes with her own.
"But he also said that he didn't know for sure, just that he had a strong suspicion."
Elsa leaned in, her forehead touching Anna's so she could draw strength from her sister. "And did you confirm those suspicions?"
She didn't move her face away from Elsa's, but looked down, not able to meet her eyes. "Yes."
The queen pulled Anna's face up, and the younger girl was surprised to see tears looming in her eyes, not quite fallen. "Why?"
The princess took a deep breath and met Elsa's gaze. "Because he offered to help."
"Help with what?"
Anna made a sad smile as she spoke softly, lovingly, to her sister. "With helping us hide this."
The stone that had been a weight in Elsa's stomach suddenly felt less heavy. The weight almost – almost lifted off her shoulders, and the room grew a little warmer. "He's going to help us?"
Anna nodded and a small smile started to form. The queen looked down and her and let out a small laugh. "Oh, thank the spirits" She sighed audibly.
Turning to the younger body beside her, she leaned forward and took Anna's lips against her own, feeling the softness, reassuring herself that things would be...should be okay. Her sister responded instantly, trying to deepen the kiss, but Elsa pulled back with a wry grin.
"I can only imagine how he's going to help, and I don't think I'm going to like it."
The red head grimaced again. "He doesn't want anything romantic, but he offered to pretend. Y'know, while we're in public at least. That way, that way..."
"...no one will think anything is going on between us."
Anna nodded. Elsa looked at her younger sister inquisitively. "Why did you run home crying? It doesn't seem like the conversation went too badly."
A few more strands broke free of the princess's braid as she shook her head lightly and peered back into Elsa's eyes. "Well, I did just break up with someone. It's not exactly the greatest conversation to have. I don't love the man, but he's a good person."
Her sister looked like she was going to respond, but was interrupted "That's not really why I was so upset though. I was worried what you would think. I didn't know if you'd be okay with me keeping up a ruse with Kristoff." Anna wrung her hands, not knowing how to convey her devotion to the woman in bed with her. "And honestly, it makes me sick to my stomach. I don't want to pretend. I only want you."
Elsa kissed the top of her sister's head in response, "It's an unfortunate necessity at this point. I hate the thought of you...flirting with someone else, but it can't be helped." She angrily ran a hand through her platinum locks, pulling her stray hairs back into place. "I can't stand that we have to hide. I hate this."
Her younger sister grabbed Elsa's hand and held it in her own. It was odd. In any other situation, it would be Elsa comforting her, not the other way around. She was still amazed that her sister was willing to show this side of her emotions. Even years later, after being let back in...she was shut out of the woman's life for so long that she would never take moments like these for granted.
"They would ruin us. You know that." Anna frowned. "Riots in the streets. The people love you, but a scandal like this? You would go from being a powerful sorceress wielding the powers of snow for the good of the country... to an ice witch, hell-bent on corrupting her sister and bringing ruin to the royal house of Arendelle."
A tear slipped from Elsa's eye, her frustration getting to her. The unfairness of it all! She laughed ruefully. "Why am I always the bad guy?"
Anna smirked at her older sister, but tenderly wiped away the tear that escaped. "You're the one with the scary magic, love."
The Snow Queen laughed again, this time a little more heartfelt. The weight was finally lifting from her shoulders. She didn't think it would ever be completely gone, not without Anna's help, but she felt like she could breathe again. "If Kristoff fakes a relationship with you...that could work. And it would alleviate the pressure the council would put on both of us to supply the kingdom with an heir." a thoughtful, worried look crossed her face. "Don't know how we're going to manage that one later."
Anna smiled at hear sister and pecked her on the lips before mumbling, "One step at a time, okay? We'll cross that bridge when we get there."
Elsa smiled and reached down to pull her sister into another kiss. When Anna tried to deepen it again she didn't try to stop it from happening. The queen pushed in further, pulling herself to the side and falling down onto the bed. The younger girl fell with her, sprawling mostly on top of her older sister. The redhead moved as close as she could, never releasing her lips from her sibling's.
Elsa moaned into the girl's mouth, interrupting the kiss. But Anna forced her lips to her sister's, harder than before, almost pressing her into the mattress. She let up for just a moment to take the blonde's bottom lip between her teeth, scraping it slowly as she moved back to look down at the gorgeous woman underneath her.
Her older sister practically growled at her and without warning flipped the two of them over. The queen straddled her and moved her hips slowly across hers, grinding them together. Anna let out a gasp and tried to raise her hips in response, but was stopped when Elsa pushed her waist down and attacked her neck with kisses. It was obvious who was in control, Anna was barely allowed to move as Elsa held her down. She wanted, no, needed more contact. Her arousal rose further as the kisses along her neck turned to small bites and she writhed under her sister, moaning softly. Her hand moved up, sliding along Elsa's slim waist while the other pressed against the small of the other queen's back, trying to pull her as close as possible. She slowly trailed her hand farther up and she cupped her sisters breast, thumbing over the obviously erect nipple through the fabric.
The gown underneath her fingers felt cold, and she realized that the temperature was slowly dropping. She purred, and the sound almost turned into a small laugh. She knew her sister had to be enjoying herself if she was loosing up her hold on her magic. Her thumb drew small circles before she pinched the nipple between her fingers, eliciting a gasp from Elsa. She smiled devilishly as she realized the points of her body that her sister was touching were covered in small patches of frost at the fingertips.
The older girl smirked and sat up, looking down at the shapely body of her sister. She ran her eyes up and down the younger one's body, and Anna could only imagine what she was thinking.
Looking up at the frost queen, the princess saw her close her eyes, then steel herself and straighten up a little more. The gorgeous blue eyes opened again and looked down at her, and a smile fell across her face.
Anna groaned, pouting. "Why the hell did you stop?"
Elsa released a small chuckle. "I still have meetings to attend, love. I'm not even halfway through my day, you know. People are probably wondering where I am."
The younger girl rolled her eyes. "Let them wonder, then."
"Ah, but I'm sure Kai has made some excuse for me by now. They know where I am, and who I'm with. I don't think they have any idea what we're doing-" Elsa ground down with her hips, causing her sister's breath to hitch, "but I don't want them getting any ideas."
Anna sighed. "Okay, okay...but you owe me."
Elsa leaned down again, her lips right above the sweet, soft pair of Anna's own.
"Don't worry, dear sister," Her voice dropped half an octave, taking on a husky tone that made Anna squirm.
"I'll make it worth the wait."