A/N: Well, so in between writing a German Elsanna fan fiction with several chapters (like for the first time really 8D) I got so many other ideas for stories as well. This is one of them, and I'll admit that I started rather spontaneously after having this English first line and the moon ball thing in my head.
So I'll kind of see what'll happen while I start typing :DD Not the best type of writing, I'm aware, but let's see what it'll bring :)
I had this first chapter basically typed like two months ago already, but wasn't sure if it might seem a bit too illogical as a start. Here it is now anyway. Hopefully clearing things up a bit in following chapters.
As always, I hope I'm not making too many mistakes with the English.
Anyway, I hope you can at least enjoy this a bit :3
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"Elsa...if I got a wish to ask of you...would you care to fulfil it?"
The tentative voice came from behind her and she stopped in her motions of signing paper after paper.
The queen turned around in her armchair, putting down the quill in her hand. She looked at her sister, who stood a few steps away from her by the huge window in the dark.
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It was very late evening, not to say rather night, and Elsa was still sitting in her study, which was lit by candles, having to sign papers that needed to be send out urgently during the next days.
At some time, Anna had come in here, asking her to join her in her room, but stayed with her upon hearing of the necessity of progressing with the task now.
At first, the princess had sat in another armchair, looking around the room, trying not to disturb her sister with a real conversation. She had been restless though, wrestling her hands, since she hadn't been able to see very much where she had sat. And she had been too lazy and not in the mood to take a candle over to that seat to read a book. So she had gotten up after a while of staring outside the window, walking to it and quietly watching all the stars littering the dark sky.
The older woman had risen her head briefly as her sister went past her, but didn't question it, although this behaviour seemed to be a little odd for the usually up-beat redhead.
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Anna had been in thought, all the time actually, but a bit more sure about something now after seeing the bright stellar objects for a little longer, including an almost full, waning moon.
So she had turned around to ask her question, feeling the courage to go through with this now, once started.
Her voice was a tiny bit shaking and therefore lower, her gaze directed to the floor, all so unlike her usual self. So similar to her reaction to Elsa's approach at her coronation back then.
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"Of course I would. Anna, you know I'm owing you every single thing you could ever want from then on. I still need to make up for all those years, and I want to. I am here for you now. Why are you asking like this? Where does this come from?" She furrowed an eyebrow and rose from her seat, what caused the shorter one to make herself a bit smaller.
"You... You really shouldn't think like that. I don't want it that way." She shook her head slightly.
"What is it?"
"You know, it's not that easy, so I don't want you saying anything like that before you could even have a clue about what you'd put yourself in."
"I don't think you would ask for anything bad. So that's part of my conviction. Unless it is something clearly not thought-through, like the thing with Hans was, but I'm hoping you learned your lesson there."
The shorter girl turned bitter for a moment at that mention, still refusing to show her face openly.
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Elsa started to move, slowly going over to her, and the other one tensed.
"But it seems to me that you spent a bit more time on whatever this is. You need to tell me though, so I can 'care to fulfil'." She tried to encourage her sister with a small smile.
The breathing of the other one became a little bit faster, but she still didn't come to the point. It definitely seemed to be something of personal importance to her.
"And who wouldn't be glad to give such a lovely princess something she desires?" A smirk.
That got a reaction out of the younger one, who laughed shortly and then said, "Stop teasing me!", after what she turned serious again.
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"Please don't say these things so easily... What I'd like to ask is a bit...weird..."
"Come on, out with it!" The blonde didn't like how the other one was beating around the bush.
Anna took a deep breath, once more steadying her nerves, before finally lifting her head and asking: "You... You know about the monthly ball of the kingdom of Lunarez, don't you? The one they give in honour to the moon, their symbol. I mean, yeah, you probably know these things better compared to me in general, but...well, I know that usually it's only their own noblemen visiting the city, but since it will be special this month they also sent invitations out to other kingdoms... And I... And I would like to...to ask you if you would accompany me to the ball. As my... Like a...a courtship."
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It was out now.
Elsa stared at her, mouth slightly open, obviously caught off-guard. What was that? "Wait, Anna, what are you saying? A courtship? But-"
"I know, I know. But please listen, I've had these thoughts for some time now. About you and me." She was waving about, trying to get her thoughts across. "I've been watching you closely every single day once I noticed I had these weird feelings."
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"'Weird feelings'? 'Thoughts about'... 'Courtship'? What..." The queen put one hand on her forehead, trying to process the past words, while turning away from her sister and walking a few steps. As if the work hadn't been enough for her brain already.
"Wait! I-I know that's all weird what I just said, that's what I thought, too, at first, but I want to find out if it really means so much, that's why I asked this! There probably won't be too many other royals, while I still think it will be nice." The shorter girl hurried after the other one, carefully reaching for her upper arm. When she touched the icy material of the thin sleeve, Elsa whirled around, taking one more step backwards.
The confusion was clearly written over her face, visible in her eyes, the strain of her lips, every feature. Though it had more a touch of hurt than anger.
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"Why do you want it to be like a courtship? I mean... I mean we're two women, two sisters, a princess and a queen at that! We are supposed to find a suitable man, a prince for the kingdom even in my case at least! Anyway - What...what about Kristoff and you? I thought the two of you were...seeing each other..."
"Shhh. No, we're not, well, we said that we'd want to see where things might go, but that was only to get some distance on my behalf... I stopped it when I noticed that I also have feelings for you... Only stronger. And I want to know what that means now. Whether it really is what I think it is..." Anna took Elsa's hand between her two. "I would love it if you were willing to give me this chance. Or is this yet-unknown prince what you really desire?"
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The queen looked down at her enclosed hand, ravelling in the soft warmth it was receiving. She wanted to say something, but no words came out. So she swallowed first, then saying: "You know that is not about what I'd want. It's what the kingdom needs. And I don't want to cause any more trouble!" She looked to the side, sighing deeply, wearily, trying to keep her frustration in.
"Is it what you need?" Anna was verbally poking her on purpose now. Just before she could answer, the princess continued: "Elsa, what I'd say that you need is love. May that be of a prince or a commoner or a woman or whoever. You have suffered so much already in all those past years, I think you deserve to look for something you might actually need now. So, please, let me try this. At least to open your mind." Her serious gaze was directed straight into her sister's eyes, pulling her closer at her hand.
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"I... I don't understand where this is suddenly coming from, Anna... What you say is crazy!" She was blushing lightly, somewhat tempted by these words. "You can't just go there courting your own queenly sister."
"The only arguments I hear you saying are those of society. You didn't mention once that you wouldn't want it..." She cocked her head, closing her eyes only slightly, and pulled her eyebrows up, smiling a bit in the wrong way. The candlelight coming from the side didn't really help the situation for the blonde.
Of course Anna had heard the surrender at the end of her last sentence. Was there already more of a possibility than she could have imagined...?
"And I thought that you'd know by now that 'crazy' is totally my thing..." She bowed her head, eyes completely closed now, grinning cheekily, while touching her chest with her own hands which still clasped Elsa's one. She could just as well test if some girly-ness was working here.
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The taller woman was pushing her hand carefully free after a moment of inner struggle to put it flat against the fabric of the blouse. "I wasn't aware it went that far...", she mumbled.
"So?"
"Well..."
"I told you not to say 'yes' ahead of knowing what I was talking about..."
"And here I was talking about you thinking things through..." Elsa smiled weakly.
"I did think about this. I already said so." With a serious face, trying to reach the woman in front of her by using a different strategy, the younger girl laid her left hand on her older sibling's right one for a moment. Then she closed her fingers around it and took it away.
Holding Elsa's hand in the air between them, she curtsied slightly, and when looking back into her eyes, she said in a strong and formal voice: "My sister, Queen Elsa of Arendelle, would you do me the honour to accompany me to the upcoming ball of Lunarez and allow me to court you?"
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The blush and gulp to that swamped expression alone were worth the move, Anna thought.
It seemed it was also worth it having been working on her regal appearance. The blonde definitely forgot the concept of speaking for a few seconds.
But since this was Elsa and not herself, she was quickly recomposing.
"Wow, that was a nice show. Your practice pays off. Well, should I let myself get influenced by it?" She smirked at the redhead while examining her through slitted eyes.
"Oh, come on, I won't be too importunate! We could look at it with a bit of fun, like some sort of experiment, if that's helping." The younger girl was offering, beaming at her expectantly.
"'A bit of fun', hm? So you don't even have serious purposes, my dear? Is that a befitting suitor for a queen?"
"Believe me, I have, I just want to make sure you're fine with this if- WAIT, why exactly are you not weirder about this all...?" Yes, this question took some time to come, but at least she noticed it.
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Elsa's mouth twitched. "Does that really matter now? I'm currently not on the lookout for a man, so if you really want this, okay. I'm okay with this, but...but don't make anything too obvious when other people are around. We'll attend the ball if you so much want to." She smiled, kind of defeated, at Anna, who let go of her hand to pump her fists to an excited "YES!", which made her grin lovingly.
"Oh, ahem, I mean, thank you." The princess calmed down on the outside, only hugging her sister, who took a moment to return it.
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"Do you think this is right?" the queen asked in a low voice, her nose in the strawberry blond hair.
Anna pressed closer into her, feeling the naked skin in the back cleavage at the fingertips of her right hand. "I don't know yet, but I will see."
It was weird for Elsa that it seemed to be so easy to her sibling what she had in mind. She herself was intrigued by the idea, but she couldn't let that on like that. "I would prefer to go to sleep now, it has been a long day...", she said while she tried to peel herself away from Anna.
"Oh, yeah, right, I do totally understand!" The younger one jumped away, being a bit embarrassed.
"You should do the same. Otherwise you'll be far too late for breakfast tomorrow again."
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She went to her desk, giving the other one a sly smile, before extinguishing the light except for one candle in a holder, which she took. She motioned for Anna to leave the room, but said person had been busy watching her graceful movements, so she didn't notice.
Elsa cleared her throat, what brought her back. "I would prefer it if you wouldn't do that."
"Do what?"
"Looking like you just stopped thinking."
"I never stop thinking around you! Or ever." The princess pouted.
"Anyway, to bed now."
They both went through the halls with whirling thoughts, wishing each other goodnight when they had to separate for their respective rooms. Not daring to do anything more, not knowing how to now.