A/N: This a short one-shot that may or may not be incorporated later into my main story (The Calm After the Storm). I wrote it while I was in bed sick a couple weeks ago, with nothing more appealing to do besides read and write.
Moonlight
It was a warm summer's afternoon, and Anna had just seen Kristoff off on one of his ice-harvesting trips. The mountain man's new duties as Royal Ice Master and Deliverer kept him busy for much of the summer months, so the princess spent as much time with him while he was in Arendelle as she could. Now she stood at the town gates, in her favorite green summer dress, wishing she had gone with him.
So, on a day like today, with Kristoff gone up into the mountains for a week, Anna had no choice but to hope that her sister had some free time to spend with her. Olaf wasn't always around (often joining Kristoff and Sven on their trips), and even mingling with the people of Arendelle Town got boring after a while. Anna was as outgoing as any princess could be, often conversing with townsfolk or playing games with the children. But sometimes, she just needed Elsa.
Today, Anna was extra-hopeful, because she knew that the Queen had no more meetings scheduled for the day. As part of her training as heir presumptive to the throne, Anna had helped her sister go through and sort the latest massive pile of paperwork in the study, so maybe—just maybe—Elsa could take a break from affairs of state for a little while. The princess dashed back to the castle at her usual energetic pace, and went in search of her sister.
Strangely, the throne room, study, and Elsa's bedroom were all empty. Maybe she's in the library, Anna thought. She doubted very much that she would be in the dungeon again (as there were no prisoners to visit), so the library seemed to be the best bet. As she drew close to the library, Anna could begin to hear sounds coming from inside. It sounded like someone was playing the piano.
Opening the door slowly (so as not to disturb the person playing), Anna stepped quietly into the room, closing the door behind her, and looked for the source of the music being played. It was coming from the grand piano situated off to one side of the large library, and seated at the keyboard was Elsa herself, still in her green-and-black dress with her hair up, as if she had just come out of a meeting. She was playing an almost melancholy tune, and seemed not to notice Anna's presence at all.
"I didn't know you could play, Elsa," Anna said softly, walking toward her. Elsa jumped, startled out of her concentration, and the pedals under her feet frosted over. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Anna said quickly, placing a comforting hand on her sister's shoulder. "I didn't mean to disturb you. I'll go, I'll just... go sit over here..." She walked over to the sofa near the fireplace, and plopped down onto it, then turned so she could see Elsa.
"I actually... haven't played for quite a long time, Anna," Elsa said finally, willing the ice on the pedals away with a wave of her hand. "Not since I was ten or twelve years old. So I'm a little out of practice."
"That was after we were separated," Anna observed, fingering a strawberry-blonde braid as she thought. "Was there any particular reason why you stopped playing? Was it because of your powers?"
"Partly," the blonde admitted, "but originally that was the whole point of learning to play. Papa believed that it would help me focus, and learn how to calm myself when I was agitated." She sighed. "I probably stopped playing around the fourth or fifth time I froze the pedals over. The keys never froze, thankfully, because of my gloves. Fortunately, I can undo little accidents like that, now." She took a deep breath, and resumed playing.
"What is that you're playing?" Anna inquired. The piece in question consisted mainly of a triplet rhythm in the right hand, and occasional chords in the left, with the right adding additional chords further on. It had a dark, almost mournful tone to it, though it was played fairly quiet overall.
"It's the first part of a sonata by the German composer Ludwig van Beethoven," Elsa replied, pausing her playing, "published in 1802. I have heard a few people call it by the name 'Moonlight'."
"Seems fitting," Anna said, shifting on the sofa to make herself more comfortable. "I'd like to stay and listen, if it doesn't bother you."
"Not at all," her sister said. "I always enjoy your company, Anna."
The Princess smiled and closed her eyes as Elsa started playing again, listening to the music. The piece was slightly louder at times, the chords more insistent, but eventually it ended as softly as it began.
"That was wonderful, Elsa," Anna said, getting up off the sofa and walking over to stand next to her sister. "You play beautifully."
"Thank you," the Queen replied, "but I'm sure that I need more practice, especially for the rest of the piece."
"Well..." Anna trailed off, brushing back an errant lock of red-gold hair before trying again. "Kristoff is off on another trip, and I know you don't have any more meetings today, so I thought we could spend some sister time together."
"What did you have in mind?" Elsa asked, but Anna saw her smile slip, looking a little disappointed.
"Elsa, if you don't want to..." Anna said, wishing she hadn't brought it up.
"No, it's okay," her sister said, rising from the bench. "What would you like to do?"
"How about this," Anna said, gesturing for Elsa to sit again. "I'll go fetch us some chocolate from the kitchens, and then you can play another piece for me."
"Are you sure?" Elsa asked. "I don't want to... bore you, or anything."
"Of course I won't be bored," the strawberry-blonde retorted. "Elsa, you rarely get any time off from your duties. If this is what you want to do, I'll always be willing to listen."
"Thank you, Anna," Elsa said, her smile returning. "Why don't you go get that chocolate..."
A few minutes later, Anna returned from the kitchens with a tray of chocolates, slightly out of breath from running. Elsa was sitting on the sofa when she entered.
"How do you run through the halls without spilling any of that?" Elsa asked her.
"Umm... practice?" Anna said, setting the tray down on the table near the sofa. Elsa raised an eyebrow. "It's not like it's the first time I've done this."
"I don't doubt it," the Queen replied, selecting a piece of chocolate and popping it in her mouth, before settling back on the soft cushions.
"Hey," Anna objected, grabbing her own piece and flopping down next to her. "You don't think I know what happened all those times I left chocolate outside your door?"
"I don't know..." the blonde said innocently. "Maybe Papa came by and ate it?" Anna gave her a flat look. "Mama?" Anna didn't blink. "Okay, fine, I ate it. But surely you're not accusing me of raiding the kitchens?"
"Of course not," Anna said, biting into her piece. It tasted wonderful, as always. The kitchen staff always did their best to please their Princess—and their Queen. "Doesn't mean I haven't seen some suspicious-looking trays headed to your study."
Elsa picked up another chocolate. "I do have to eat while I work sometimes, Anna." Anna simply smiled at her, and had to fight the urge to laugh. Finally Elsa caved. "It's good brain food, okay?"
"All right, all right," Anna laughed. Gesturing over to the piano, she said, "You mentioned there was more of that sonata thing?"
"Yes, Anna," her sister replied. "There are three parts, or movements. But that isn't the only piece I could play." She stood and walked over to the piano, another chocolate in her hand.
"Mmm," Anna murmured around a piece of chocolate. "You can surprise me, then." She sat up straight, hoping she looked attentive enough.
"All right, Anna," the Queen said, then smirked. "But if you fall asleep, I get to drop a snowball on you. Deal?"
"Deal," Anna agreed, and listened as her sister began to play again.
A/N: This piano scene has been rattling around in my head for a while, but it wasn't until I started writing it that the chocolate part came along.
–Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 14 (Op. 27, No. 2), published in 1802, is one of the composer's most famous piano compositions; the first movement, Adagio sostenuto (which Elsa plays here), is particularly well-known. It was first given the name "Moonlight" in 1832 by a German music critic, and it wasn't much more than a decade before it was being called this in German and English publications. It wasn't until the late 19th century that the name became commonly used, so where Elsa heard the name is a mystery. (Perhaps in correspondance with someone?)