Anna had never seen her sister spend so much time outside. Granted they spent their childhood cooped up in the castle but even after Elsa's curse broke and normalcy returned to the kingdom, Elsa managed to avoid the outdoors for the most part. She would occasionally eat lunch on her balcony or take a trip on the fjord when Anna could persuade her.
But now that winter had set in, Elsa could hardly be dragged inside. Any time not spent signing papers, meeting dignitaries, and hosting formal dinners was spent outside in the snow. And even when the sun was out clouds would magically roll in a drop a hefty dose of snow over the castle…
"You know, I don't think we thought this cup holder thing through," Kristoff said. He tumbled out of his sleigh, a stain of hot chocolate steamed from his sweater.
"No I'm pretty sure the cup holder works just fine," Anna giggled, "Maybe you should learn to focus on steering instead of your stomach." He huffed over to her and rested an arm over her shoulders.
They looked down the hill at Elsa walking in the snow with Olaf close behind. The little snowman loved his friends but he had a soft spot for Elsa and more often than not followed her like a puppy dog. She didn't seem to mind.
"You think Her Majesty could maybe freeze this stuff off me?"
"Could she? Yes. Will she? Doubtful."
Anna smiled at him before placing a quick kiss to his cheek and running down the powered hill to her sister. The snow kicked up like flour under her boots. Particles clung to her cloak and shined like glitter.
As she approached, Anna caught sight of Elsa's wrist flicking ever so slightly and the ground below her grew slick. Her bum broke the fall and Elsa giggled.
"Watch your step," she winked.
"Gosh Anna you just weren't made for winter time. It's okay, I don't think I was either but we'll both manage together until spring," Olaf smiled brightly. The snow cloud Elsa had granted over his head was absent out in the cold December air.
"No, someone doesn't play far,"Anna groaned. Elsa laughed and offered a hand to pull her up.
"I used to do that to you a lot you know when we were younger, you have no balance but a bouncy butt," Elsa said.
"My butt is not bouncy!," Anna said, "That came out way louder than I meant," she looked at Kristoff who gave her a raised eyebrow.
Anna gave her sister an annoyed looked but Elsa only smiled more before turning to saunter away. Her sister was nothing if not graceful. Anna doubted Elsa had ever come close to slipping on ice, not on the frozen fjord, not on the mountain top, not in her palace of ice. And Anna couldn't take two steps without banging into something, usually the ground.
"We'll see who's graceful."
Anna took a handful of snow and hurled it at the back of the queen's head. Elsa stopped, turned her head on a sharp pivot, her wide eyes glared at Anna. The snow on her head melted and vanished into her silver hair.Damn, even graceful and perfect covered in snow.
That was when Anna realized she made a huge mistake. Elsa's eyebrow curled up in time with her mouth forming the most nefarious smile she'd ever seen. Right, threw a snowball at the Snow Queen. Not the smartest thing I've done. Not the dumbest?
"Dear little sister." Yep definitely the dumbest.
"Elsa…."
"In respect for the fact that you are indeed my sister."
"Elsa…"
"I am going to give you a three second head start."
Anna started slowly backing away, not taking an eye off her sister.
"3…"
"Now Elsa."
"2…"
"I'm you're only heir, you wouldn't want anything to happen."
"1."
With a gentle wave of her hand, Elsa summoned five snowmen on either side of her person. Each one immediately picked up chunks of powder compacted into thick, frosted lumps.
"You made me more siblings!" Olaf cheered.
"Oh come on Elsa," was the last phrase Anna got out before she was barraged with snow.
Elsa let out a laugh as Anna brushed snow from her shoulders and hair and dress.
"I'll come to your rescue Anna!" Olaf shouted gallantly as he dove on one of the other snowmen. Olaf's efforts proved futile as the larger snowman gave him three good shakes before he tumbled off.
While Elsa was busy helping Olaf put himself back together Anna took the opportunity to scoop up two handfuls of snow and launch them at her sister's unsuspecting head. Apparently less unsuspecting than she realized because without looking up Elsa simply raised a hand and inches from contact the snowball burst into flurries of a mini snowfall.
With another hand wave Elsa summoned three perfectly formed snowballs and sent them hurling toward her sister who managed to duck two before the third hit her square in the butt.
"All right let's even this up," Kristoff said as he slid down to Anna. He pulled her to her feet.
"Somehow I don't think even the entire kingdom verses Elsa in a snowball fight would be fair," Anna said. Elsa smiled.
"You started this," Elsa giggled.
"Well now we're finishing it!" Kristoff shouted dramatically and hurled two snowballs at Elsa's head. She merely moved lazily out of their path.
"You're not very good at this."
Elsa's snowmen resumed their barrage of snowballs and Olaf had given up trying to aid either side in favor of getting into his own snow battle with Sven. As the afternoon of warfare continued on Anna couldn't recall feeling so happy since she was five. Elsa was laughing and running around with her. Even freezing cold covered in the frost of Elsa's every spot on shot she wouldn't trade it for a hundred nights warm by a fire with Elsa ignoring her again.
By the end Anna was on her backside for probably the fifth time that day.
"Truce," she said as Elsa offered another hand to help her.
"Very well."
As soon as Anna was up enough to leverage her feet she dove at Elsa and tackled her into the snow bank. They sunk in a few inches as Anna felt the snow creep up her sleeves and in her boots. Elsa just laid her head back and laughed. Anna rolled off her and sat in the snow while Elsa stretched out into the powder. She never felt cold in her life. Elsa tilted her head toward Anna and gave her a look.
"Okay, okay, now we can have truce," Anna said.
"Fair enough," Elsa said and sat up.
Kristoff had taken to lounging in the sled with his lute while Sven did his best to get the carrot from Olaf's face. Anna clung to her sister's arm as they made their way back to the courtyard of the castle laughing together.