For my upperclassman, who might've mentioned in passing once that Frozen would've been better with lesbians. (Because why not.)
The first time she left the palace, Anna made it halfway across the bridge before running headlong into someone on a horse. Which, considering the fact that she hadn't had to deal with crowded streets since - well, ever - was actually not as pathetic as it might have sounded.
"Hey, watch where you're going, huh?" A booted foot in a leather stirrup swung into view and Anna blinked, startled - then remembered right, horseback, and looked up.
Bright green eyes under dark brown hair glared back at her. The girl's mouth was twisted in a scowl, her arms folded over her (rather fanciful) blue dress. And she was definitely not pleased, but there was something about that expression of annoyance that was oddly - pretty.
"Oh." Anna swallowed hastily, not liking the tight feeling that was rising in her throat. "Um. Sorry?"
"What's your problem?" The girl swung one leg over the side of her horse and leaped off, landing lightly in front of Anna. She proceeded to lean forward and inspect Anna's face, as though she were some painting hanging on a wall and - well, that was an uncomfortable feeling. Very uncomfortable. And sorta weird.
Anna took a step back. "Hi. Um. This is kind of the first time I've left the palace in - well, basically my life. As I remember it. Which might not say much for when I was a kid, 'cause who remembers stuff from when they were a kid, really? I mean, I guess––"
"You talk a lot."
"...sorry." She clapped a hand over her mouth, blushing. "Is that better?" she asked around her hand, voice muffled.
Unexpectedly, the girl smiled and held out a hand. "Laveda, of the Northern Kingdom. No special titles or anything. Nice to meet you." Even if you're a bit weird, her tone implied. Anna grinned and took the girl's hand.
"Anna, princess of Arendelle."
The girl's eyes widened. "The princess? The one that's––"
"Having a coronation today?" She smiled, let Laveda worry for a second, then: "Nah, that's my sister."
"Good." Laveda took her hand and started back along the bridge, away from the palace. Anna yelped, then immediately regretted it - that was hardly the most dignified sound she could have made.
"Where are we going?" she managed to get out, stumbling after Laveda.
"To see your kingdom." Laveda grinned back at her, managing to look happy and mischievous at the same time. It was a look that suited her, Anna realized. (A look that made her look even prettier, like one of the ladies in those paintings back at the palace.) "I figure you'd want to see it, if you've been stuck inside your whole life?"
Anna nodded, then laughed aloud, surprised at how free that felt. "Show me everything, okay?"
"What's your favorite color?"
Anna sipped on the juice Laveda had bought her, considering this. "Um. I don't know. Blue?"
"That shouldn't be something you have to think about." Laveda stood up, tossing a coin onto the table and wandering out of the cafe. Anna followed, clutching her drink.
"Where are we going?"
Laveda smiled. "Wherever you want to go." She paused, then added, "Your majesty."
"Don't tease," Anna replied, poking her. "Besides, why start being polite now?" She realized how rude that was the moment it was out of her mouth, but it was too late to take it back - besides, her companion merely smirked in reply, poking her back hard enough to make her flinch.
"Glad to see the princess has got some spirit after all, huh?" Laveda laughed. "And here I was, thinking you were simply pure awkwardness with a cute exterior."
"I'm not awk-" Wait. "Cute?"
"Relatively speaking."
"Relatively-" Anna broke off, not sure how to react to that. "I - I mean, you're pretty cute, too," she finished lamely.
Laveda leaned forward, a laughing twinkle in her eyes. "Just cute?"
"Gorgeous?" Anna blurted out, then buried her face in her hands. "God. I'm so awkward."
"Yeah. You are." Laveda started strolling along the street, hands in her pockets (a dress with pockets? Anna was intrigued) and a smile on her face. Anna hurried after her.
Anna had always expected to find true love with some dashing prince on a white horse the instant the gates were opened. Had always dreamed of looking into blue eyes and just knowing that this was the one, the only. There had been days when she had seriously considered smashing a window or climbing over the wall or something, just to get away from the empty, echoing rooms and find someone. Someone she could share her life with.
Laveda rode a horse - it wasn't white, admittedly, but a deep chocolate brown. Her eyes weren't blue, but Anna still caught herself staring at them more than once, trying to figure out what that shade of green reminded her of. There was a stained glass window in one of the palace stairwells with green glass that caught the light something like that, perhaps-
"You're staring," Laveda noted.
Anna started. "Oh. Sorry."
"Nothing to be sorry for. 'S not your fault you've been isolated since you were a kid." Laveda smiled sweetly, tapping her finger on her chin. "Must've done terrible things to your social skills-"
"Stop that," Anna laughed, somehow unable to summon annoyance at the girl. Laveda did that, somehow, and they had only known each other for - what, an hour?
This wasn't what her storybooks had told her was true love. There was no one sweeping in, sword in hand, ready to rescue her from all danger. There was just this girl with eyes like sunlight on grass and laughter in her voice.
Anna was pretty sure this was good enough.
"Climb up on roofs often, do you?" Laveda leaned against the chimney, watching Anna pull herself up, feet slipping on the slate tiles. "I'd imagine that palace rooftops are a lot more interesting than this."
"No, I've never-" Anna froze, pointing down at the town spread out below them, the winding streets framed by her slippered feet. "Look!"
"What?" Laveda leaned closer, arm brushing Anna's, and a surge of something warm swept through her.
"You can see so far," Anna replied, eyes wide. The sky arched above them, blue stretching into infinity, and the sounds of the town were muffled and distance. Laveda's hand stole into hers, fingers twining through hers.
"Yes. You can."
She glanced back to see Laveda looking at her with an odd expression on her face. "I'm glad I met you," Anna said, grinning and squeezing Laveda's hand. "We should go up to the palace, and you can meet my sister after she gets coronated - I'm sure she'll love to meet you-"
"Introducing me to your family, hm?" Laveda laughed. "A bit sudden, isn't it?"
Anna blushed. "I didn't mean - I just think you're the kind of person Elsa wouldn't mind. I mean. Not that I've seen her much since I was a kid. But-" She shook her head, breaking off. Somehow, up here, over the rooftops of the town she had yearned to wander since she was young, her sister's self-imposed seclusion didn't seem to matter as much.
Laveda was giving her a curious look. Anna shook her head.
"I don't feel like talking about it."
"That's fine." Laveda hesitated, then reached up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind Anna's ear. "We don't have to talk about anything you don't want to."
"That's good," Anna said quickly. "I mean, let's talk about something I do want to talk about. Like - like food. I don't know. What kind of food do you like, I like sandwiches?"
I'm so dumb. She must think I'm such a fool-
Laveda was staring at her with an odd sort of intensity, now. Anna frowned.
"Something the matter?"
"What would you do if I kissed you right now?" Laveda asked abruptly.
"I - kissed me?"
The corner of Laveda's mouth quirked upwards in a half-smile, half-smirk. "I think you'd blush even more, wouldn't you?" The smile widened. "Shall we see?"
"Um-" Kissing. What am I supposed to do when - Anna closed her eyes, fidgeting. She could feel Laveda, the warmth radiating from her skin, and hear the rustle of her dress as she leaned forward-
"Why are your eyes closed?" Laveda whispered, breath tickling Anna's lips, and oh god she was right there, her lips were a fraction of an inch away and Anna could feel her breathing-
"Isn't that -" She opened her eyes, just a little, to find Laveda staring back at her from about an inch away. She swallowed past the sudden tightness in her throat and tried again: "Isn't that what you're supposed to do?"
"Supposed to do?" Laveda laughed, and Anna could have sworn that she could feel that, running all up and down her body. "There's no supposed to, silly." She closed the gap between them, gently pressing her lips to Anna's, and Anna decided that she would much rather keep her eyes open for this. Especially if Laveda was going to give her a look like that, because that was just-
She pulled back, heat spreading across her face, and Laveda chuckled.
"Told you. And it's so cute on you, too."
She batted at Laveda's arm, blushing even more. "That's hardly fair, you know," she protested. "Surprising me like that."
"I gave you fair warning," Laveda began, and Anna grabbed her hand and kissed her again, cutting off her words. This time Laveda was the one to stiffen with surprise, and when they pulled apart there was a distinct flush of red high on her cheekbones.
"Huh." Laveda blinked once, then smiled brightly. "Not bad for a princess who's never kissed someone before, I suppose."
Far down below, the bells started ringing. Anna's eyes widened, remembering - Elsa. The coronation.
"Sounds like you're supposed to be somewhere else," Laveda noted.
"Coronation. Right. That." She swung her legs over the side of the roof, ready to slide down but suddenly reluctant to leave. "I - see you after, I guess?"
Laveda nodded. "I'll see you later, Anna."