My first fanfiction, I am not a native english speaker so I am always looking for a beta. I hope you have as much fun with this as I have with so many fanfiction out there. This will be around 20 chapters. The arc is already finished (as is the last chapter), but progress will be slow. Sorry about this.

Prologue

"Mama", I hear an overexcited squeak behind the voluminous oak doors to the throne room. I sigh loudly, but can't help the forming of a small smile that is appearing my lips. How long have I been working today? Is it already so late?

"Mama! Mama! Mama!" The voice gets louder and louder until there is a short pause when it appears to origin right behind the doors. My smile widens, I can imagine my girl standing there, trying to stand tall, reassuring herself that there is no dirt on her dress, taking a deep breath to try to act more adult-like. If only she know how totally adorable and childish she always looks this way. A seven-year-old with my genes, who tries to put all her etiquette hours to work and act like a princess, is miles away from her nature. And I would never want to trade that.

The doors opens and just as predicted she walks a little bit too fast up to the throne I am currently sitting on, regarding some idiotic papers about hunting numbers on boars. I can so use a distraction. A distraction that is manifesting itself just now. I try to hide my again widened smile before my daughter thinks it is about her.

At last, standing in front of me, I notice that she is upset. Probably with me. I go through my head what I could have possibly forgotten.

Not her birthday, that would be stupid to forget. I did not promise her a picnic or such things, in winter, our days usually consist of work or study and in the evening I read a story ... ahhh ... that makes sense, I try to catch from the large windows on my left whether the sun has already set. As expected, no light comes in from outside. How long have I been working on the hunting papers? I am becoming my father more and more.

"You promised to be on time this time" she whines and I smile. I regard her features. Long blonde hear made up in two braids that hang loosely, green eyes that shine with mirth and energy, that only children can radiate, a cute pointed nose and a mouth, currently set up in a pout. How much my hearts always roars whenever I see her.

"I know, honey. What about you get ready for bed and when you get there I'm already waiting by your bed?"

She seems to contemplate if this answer suffice for a short time. Her nose wrinkles and at that thoughtfull look I cant help the little laugh that escapes my lips. She glares at me: "Ok, mum, you are lucky father is not home yet, or I would have him read me a story today instead".

That is an empty threat and we both know that. Kristof is many things, a good children´s reader he is not. Before I can answer or admonish her that she is not allowed to run in the halls she is already out of the room. I set the papers down, stand up and briskly walk in the direction of her room. The following task is the best part of the day for me as well.

"I want a new story today!" she intones it as an order and pouts again. How can anyone be so cute? Again I remember Gerda telling me that we are spoiling her a little bit too much and that she has us wrapped around her little finger. Ah whatever. She is happy and every time it is necessary, she is this wonderful polite princess she has to be.

"I fear we do not have new one, my princess," I say in my best imitation of Kai at a banquet. She giggles at that but a moment later she seems to be nervous. She looks at her blanked and is fidgeting with hem of it. She seems to contemplate her next words carefully and I patently wait for it.

"Mum", she starts, "next week is Elsa-day…"

Oh, I really forgot that holiday. Or better tried to not think about it. It still hurts. She looks at me again after her words came out and I just know that she tries to decipher my mimic. I never have seen her so careful. As if trying not to hurt me…

I put on a, hopefully convincing, smile.

"What is on your mind honey?"

"Well, I asked in history today about it but Mr. Binns just told me what I already know. That it is about unity and freedom. But I also know that we did not always celebrate it in the past. He told me that there are other persons more qualified to tell me and a lot of people always shout your name as well, always going on like Cheers to Elsa and Queen Anna and I always thought it was about us but I…", she stops briefly again,"…I also noticed that you never call me by my name in the last days and it would be stupid to have an holiday in my name, I already have a birthday and I did nothing special…"

Miraculously she somehow said that whole sentence with just one breath. She closed her eyes in the middle of them, as if she were afraid of how I would react. She was right, I never told her about Elsa, about the past. About how much an impact this girl had on my life. On all of our lifes to be honest. And she did has her name. I remember convincing Kristof that it has to be this name. He, the sweet guy he is, was against in at first. He feared that I would always be remembered of her and he was right. Even 7 years after her birth, it is still a bittersweet feeling I have when I call my daughter's name. I never even noticed I did not call her by name in the last days.

She still has her eyes closed, fearing dejection. How I wished Kristof were here now. However, I do not expect him back in the castle before late this evening.

I sigh again.
"It seems we have found our story for today then." The change is immediately. Her eyes open, her whole body gets tense with excitement and her eyes are shining again. I feel like, again, I got played by my little girl, but again, I could not care less. She deserves to know. She deserves to know of the bravest, most honest, greatest girl I ever knew. She deserves to know where her name came from and she deserves to know of the change this girl brought to our kingdom.

And maybe, just maybe, it will help me as well. To get it all out again. To remember the time when I was the same carefree as Elsa is now.

"It all started when I was the age you are now. It was winter and one night, the first where the night sky came to life, I decided I have to build a snowman. I snuck out of the castle to the gardens but when I was there, I saw that there was not yet enough snow to build one. That was the moment I remembered Kristof, the son of the blacksmith, telling me about a clearing in the forest with the best snowman building snow ever. So I started walking to the forest"