Heavy Crown

Elsa sighed. A spectral veil of moonlight was falling on her back, as she was leaning on her immense desk, eyes closed, exhausted. She was holding a pen in one hand and her tiara in the other. The night had come so fast... but she still had an immense pile of documents to read, sign, and seal. She dared to look at the mountain of paper, and sighed again. There was no way that she could finsih her work before midnight. She only had one hour left.

She rose up again and took a quick look at her tiara. The gleaming of the gems was reminding her of something. A castle, high, lost somewhere in the snowy mountains of Arendelle. Ice shining like cristal. Wind blowing calmly, in a cold and sad way, her hair floating in the streams of winter.

She remembered everything. She cherished every single moment she had passed in this palace and, sometimes, like this never-ending evening, she was surprising herself wishing to leave everything, again, and to become one with the frozen landscapes of her kingdom.

But, obviously, things were not supposed to go that way. She sighed for the third time. She stretched, extending her arms apart form one another, and ice beams accidentally came out of her hands. A shining mantel covered the walls, extinguishing the two candles that were apposed on them.

- Oh, come on..., she said, giving a reprimandous look at her hands. Don't make me put gloves on you again. I know, it's late, I should go to bed, but...

Her gaze fell on the pile of documents. Her face decomposed.

- … but I have to finish this, once and for all... this is my duty, as the new queen of Arendelle.

She put the tiara on her head and rubbed her eyes. Little stars were embedding her vision when she opened them again. It was incredibly hard to stay focused, and she had to make several attempts before she could finally take her pen.

Before she could sign anything (she couldn't have done it properly, anyway), the door opened, revealing a frail silhouette : it was Olaf, the little snowman, wandering around in the castle, dropping snow everywhere with his permanent cloud.

- It's so dark in there ! he said, coming toward the desk in his excentric manner. Looks like the perfect place to take a good nap.

He didn't seem to have seen Elsa. She cracked a smile as she watched him turn on himself, clasp the tiny woodsticks that were his hands together, and litterally dive on the floor, sliding one or two meters before falling asleep in the middle of the room. The Queen, even though she was terribly sleepy, couldn't help but laugh out loud with her pretty voice.

- Olaf, I'm here ! she said, leaving her chair to get near him. Wake up !

The little snowman opened his eyes and jumped on his feet.

- Elsa ! he cried suddenly, before covering his mouth with his sticks. I mean... queen Elsa, he said in a whisper. What are you doing here, in such a lonely place, all by yourself, with no one else than you and you to be with you ? You should be taking a good nap in your bed !

- Thank you for caring so much, my little friend, she said, a smile enlightening her tired face. You should not worry about me. I'm glad to sacrifice a night or two, if it means that I can help the people who need it.

- Oooooh, so this is why you always want to be alone ? To help the people ? You really are someone, queen Elsa !

Even though these words were said with great naturalness and without any will to harm, Elsa's smile fade out a bit. In a way, Olaf was right. She had been alone as a sorceress. And she was still alone as a queen. One month after the episode of the Never-Ending Winter, Anna had left the castle to live with her new love, Kristoff. And the halls had never been so calm, so silent... so empty. Elsa was a fabulous queen, and the people loved her, because she was precisely giving a lot of herself, she was putting so much effort in everything she did that eventually, her body could not stand it much longer. She was feeling it. Her nerves were challenged every single day ; so many papers to read, so many people to meet, so many travels to do... Even though her butler, Zyga, was very nice and caring to her, Anna's absence was impossible to deal with.

The eyes of the queen filled slowly with tears. Olaf, terrified with the idea that he could have made his friend so sad, started panicking and looked in every direction in order to find what could bring his queen's smile back.

- Oh, no no no no, don't cry, please ! he said, giving a few taps on the back of Elsa's hands. You know, I'm sure nobody will be mad at you if you don't finish your work right on time. Actually, I think I can help you !

- You're very kind, said Elsa, wiping the tears in her eyes with her wrists. I'm sorry, I didn't want to scare you, I'm just tired. But I will be OK, just... go and take your nap.

- Ho no no no ! replied Olaf, who just happened to find some confidence. You go take a nap, and I take care of this evilly evil pile of monstruously monstruous papers.

- But...

- Don't make me throw snowballs at you – I'm dead serious, he said, with his irresistible pokerface, pointing his woodstick hand at Elsa's nose. Now, go !

And the little snowman tried to push Elsa out of the bureau, not realizing he was sliding and thus not moving an inch. The queen smiled again in front of such cuteness.

- Thank you Olaf, she said, bending over him to kiss his forehead. You're right, I should go get some sleep. But, please, don't touch anything !

And she walked away, her mind still unclear, but her heart quite apeased.