Chapter One

Elsa looked out the window. She plopped her head in her hand, thinking about tomorrow. Thinking about Anna's birthday. Afternoon sunlight streamed in. Elsa had spent a good portion of her morning hashing out trade agreements and contracts with other countries. It had been dull, headache inducing work and she needed to think on things other than money.

Like how tomorrow her little sister turned nineteen. "Nineteen," Elsa muttered.

She couldn't believe it. She had missed so much. Her gaze wandered to her nightstand. Inside the top drawer was her gift to Anna. The gift she bought months ago and immediately disliked.

She had purchased a sapphire pendant necklace that would go lovely with Anna's eyes, but it seemed too small for Anna. Not price-wise, the pendant cost more than her first horse, but Elsa wanted to make up for the years she hadn't spent with her sister.

The pendant just didn't seem special enough. Elsa frowned. But what else could she give?

The door slammed open and Anna rushed inside. "Elsa!" she practically sang, "How was your morning?"

Elsa winced. She forced a smile. "It was fine, Anna. How was yours?"

Anna knelt next to Elsa, her skirts bunching beneath her legs. "Great! I got into a snowball fight with Olaf. I swear he wins every time."

"You do look a little worse for the wear." Elsa eyed her little sister. Anna's once clean red dress had water stains all over the bodice and back. The hems had ripped a little, fraying at the ends.

Sometimes, Elsa envied her little sister's ability to play. Other times – Elsa's gaze lingered on the clumps of dirt and twigs and snow in Anna's hair – she didn't envy it at all. How long would it take her to comb all that out?

"And he would win, since he's made of snow." Elsa got up, ruffled around in her closet for a moment and picked up a spare robe. She threw it at Anna. "Now go change before you make a mess."

Anna caught the robe and wandered into the adjacent bathroom. Her voice came out muffled.

"Snow and your magic! Have you tried to create any other creatures?"

Elsa sat back down, smoothening out her dress. It seemed an odd thing to bring up. They had never really spoken about Olaf before. "What? Anna, don't say such silly things."

"What, you created a snowman and he came to life." Anna's red dress flew out of the bathroom, crumpling beside the bed. "Why not build a puppy? Or a duck?"

"Anna…" Her sister could be so strange. She tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

Anna appeared, wrapped up snug in Elsa's robes, blue with white trim. She left her dress on the floor. "Or a dragon?" She beamed. "Wouldn't it be great to have a dragon around?"

"Dragons aren't real. They're from fairytales." Elsa rolled her eyes. A dragon. Honestly. When had her sister gotten into that kind of mythology? Then again, Anna did spend a lot of time with Kristoff's family of trolls. Who knew what kind of stories they told her. And Elsa had just rekindled her and Anna's relationship last year. There were probably a lot of things she didn't know about her sister just yet.

Anna poked her in the side, drawing her attention. Anna smiled broader. "I bet it could guard the castle."

Elsa sighed. "Anna, they aren't real."

"But they could be. Have you been everywhere in the world?" Leaning forward, Anna made a grand gesture, her arms sweeping the room. She rambled on. "No. So somewhere they could be real. Bulda told me a story about them anyway, how there are trolls on the far islands that swear they've seen dragons. And yours wouldn't even have to be a very big dragon with scary teeth. It could be a little one, a tiny one. Miniature even."

"Anna!" Elsa's anger slipped out. The air grew colder. She already had a tough morning, bickering with her staff and negotiating with dignitaries, she didn't want to deal with her sister's wild fantasies, too.

"Okay, okay." Anna's smile slipped and she lowered her hands. "It was just a suggestion."

"I know." Elsa took a deep breath. The air warmed. "Look, I don't know how I built Olaf, I just did."

"Why not try again?" Anna shrugged.

Her sister was always so intense. Elsa clasped her hands on her lap. "I see no need to create other things. There are plenty of creatures already here in Arendelle."

Anna nodded. She took a deep breath, then blew it out again. "Well, I would love one." She wrinkled her nose and nudged Elsa. "And you know… my birthday is tomorrow. A tiny dragon would make a perfect gift for someone special!"

Elsa laughed softly. Some hint. "Now if only I knew who that special someone was…" Elsa murmured, giving her sister a small smile.

"You know what something else great would be?" Anna flopped back on the bed.

"What?"

"A snowstorm."

Elsa's smile widened as she waved her hand. Snow drifted past her window. Anna grinned.

Snow she could do… but dragons? Who knew where Anna came up with such ideas?

"Come on," Astrid muttered, backing up from the Monstrous Nightmare.

Its green scales flashed in the sunlight. Its bright yellow eyes narrowed. A puff of smoke curled from its mouth, drifting past its formidable row of teeth. The Nightmare crawled closer to her, its wings scratching the ground.

Astrid halted. Her heart pounded in her chest and she tried to ignore the sweat building up on the back of her neck. No matter how many times she worked with dragons, they always scared her at first. Even with her Deadly Nadder, Stormfly, crouched behind her, she still feared the Nightmare.

Usually she'd just hide this fear behind a battle cry, but this was not the time, nor the dragon, to do it. If she wanted to tame this dragon, they couldn't fight it. They'd have to do it peacefully.

This probably wasn't the best place to confront the dragon. In a valley surrounded by very burnable trees. And so close to Berk, only a few minutes ride away. But she had found no other chance.

The Nightmare snaked its great head closer. Closer. So close Astrid felt its breath hot on her face and the scent of burnt coals it carried. She sifted through her knowledge of Monstrous Nightmares, how their most dangerous aspect is their fire jackets, the ability to engulf themselves in flame.

"I can do this. I've got this," she whispered mostly to herself but partly to Stormfly, too, who had started rumbling.

There were two ways to stop the attack. Grab the dragon by its horns and pin it to the ground. Her way. Or, touch the dragon. Hiccup's way. Pain spiked through her chest at the thought. Idiot. Now was not the time for being sentimental. Not when facing a dragon. Out of respect, though, she'd try his way first.

She shifted some of her weight to her back leg, readying to leap. Unless things went up in flames. Stormfly inched closer, into Astrid's line of sight. Too close to the other dragon.

"No," Astrid murmured.

Stormfly cocked her massive head, her nose-spike pointing conveniently towards the Nightmare.

Astrid shook her head. Stormfly blinked, then backed up.

Astrid turned back to the Nightmare. Its eyes burned. Astrid reached out her hand. The Nightmare shied away. Astrid moved faster, gently placing her hand on the dragon's snout. She spread her fingers wide, the Nightmare's scales rough under her fingers. The dragon's eyes closed. Its lips twitched up.

The dragon liked her touch. Despite her fear, Astrid always loved this part. This first meeting of a new dragon. This connection forged, if only tentatively between woman and beast.

She reached around to the basket tied to her waist and plucked a fish out of it. The dragon perked up. Still keeping her hand on the creature, she offered the fish. The Nightmare gobbled it up, then nudged her hand for a another.

"Good dragon," Astrid whispered.

Astrid leaned closer to the Nightmare, rubbing up its snout and wrapping her fingers around one of its horns. She eyed the dragon's leg, hitched up by its stomach. This particular Nightmare had been too feisty too close to Berk. It had broken one of its legs, in battle or somehow else. Astrid didn't know.

She ran her hand up the Nightmare's curved horn. This dragon had barreled into the village and set a stable on fire. And it could use help. No one could get close enough to touch it, but someone had to.

After all, they weren't in the business of sheep or pigs. Dragons could be wild, dangerous creatures if left untamed. Especially a wounded one.

Anna had left a few minutes ago to find some lunch. Elsa had promised to join her later on but right now, she wanted some quiet time. Elsa liked being alone. As Queen she hardly had any time to herself. Someone knocked on the door. Short lived as it may be.

"Enter," Elsa said.

Kristoff slipped inside and sat down. Elsa arched an eyebrow. First Anna and now Kristoff? Though the two visits couldn't be more different. Where Anna had been loud and excited, Kristoff seemed serious, too serious. It worried her.

Kristoff scratched the side of his head and ruffled his hair. He hadn't looked at her for a full minute. Not particularly strange, since his gaze usually lingered on Anna, but Anna wasn't in the room. They generally had a good rapport, though, her and Kristoff.

Finally he cleared his throat and lifted his gaze. "Elsa, I would like to ask for your permission, as Queen… and as Anna's sister, for Anna's hand in marriage. I have a ring. Here." He shoved a hand in his coat pocket and brought out a box, opening it. Inside rested a simple silver band. The ring glinted. "I would like to do it on her birthday tomorrow."

Elsa frowned. The ring would fit Anna perfectly. But of all the things he could have said, she expected that last. Kristoff had been good to Anna this past year since the eternal winter of hers. He treated her right and could provide if Anna needed it. And Anna really seemed to love him. But they were so young. Anna, at least, still had some… immaturity about her. Elsa waited the appropriate amount of time before answering.

Kristoff gulped, his adam's apple wobbling. She could only imagine the thoughts swirling around this man's head.

Finally she nodded. "The ring is beautiful. You have my permission."

Kristoff whooped.

Elsa raised her hand between them. "On one condition."

Kristoff's grin melted, but he leaned forward. "Anything."

The seriousness of his statement caused Elsa to pause. He truly did love her. "That reindeer of yours will not be allowed to lick me at anytime during the ceremony."

Had she just said ceremony? That seemed to be jumping ahead. He hadn't even proposed yet.

But Kristoff took it in stride. "Sven? Of course not. He'll be the one delivering the rings."

She smiled.

Kristoff stuffed the box back into his pocket and rose to his feet. "Speaking of, I should probably see how he's doing outside. He gets lonely if I don't visit when it snows."

"Of course." Elsa nodded. "Have a good night, Kristoff."

He lumbered out, shutting the door behind him.

Elsa got to her feet and wandered over to the window. She pressed her forehead against the glass and sighed. Arendelle could use a higher blanket of white every now and then. It certainly made her more comfortable. In fact, she could use a bit more, too. Kristoff's gift seemed so grand, so lovely. So perfect. Elsa wanted to do the same. She owed her sister that much.

Maybe she should try to make a dragon for Anna. After all, what could a little snow creature possibly do?

SQ: So, quick question, how's my portrayal of Astrid in her scene? She's on the louder side in the movies, but I figured she wouldn't talk much when facing a dragon. Let me know in the comments.