A/N: This was inspired by one of my all-time favourite Frozen multi-chapter fics, A Dance of Frost and Flame. My favourite chapter yet, to be honest, is Chapter Four. Partly because of the little author's note at the beginning…
… anyway, on with the story. Hope you enjoy it. Leave a review?
"Anna," she says as she lays a hand on the younger girl's shoulder.
The two royals have just finished their breakfast. Elsa thinks about the talk she needs to have with her sister regarding her… future plans. She knows what she is about to say to her sister will break her heart but it needs to be done.
Anna cranes her neck – while still sitting at the dining table – to look at the queen, whose face expression is unreadable, "yes, Elsa?" She says as she twists her body round, leans an elbow on the back of the chair and a knee on the seat itself, "are you OK?"
At the tone of concern in Anna's voice, Elsa breaks out into a warm and gentle smile, "yes, I'm fine," she says softly. Her gaze hardens a little, though the change goes unnoticed by Anna, "but we need to talk. A-about something…" she trails off, casting her eyes down to the ground.
"What?" Anna replies cheerfully. Elsa doesn't reply, though Anna still doesn't catch on to her obvious discomfort. Instead, she says, "whatever it is, you know that I'm always going to stay by you and help you all the way, right?"
Yes, but this time, it's not about me. It's about you, Elsa thinks bitterly but fondly at the same time. She smiles at her younger sister's loyalty. She knows she is about to lose that loyalty, that sisterly love, that the two girls have worked so hard at building up after the complications a few years back, "Yes, Anna. I know,"
Looking around, she sees Kai standing just inside the doorway. Meeting her gaze with his, the steward smiles brightly and strides over, holding his hands behind his back, "what is it that you require, your Highness?" He asks politely. Not even he notices the hurt look in her eyes or the faint, guilt ridden blush in her cheeks.
"Can you please ask everyone in the castle to stay away and keep my study undisturbed for the next couple of hours, please?" She asks him. Keep yourself composed, she reminds herself, again and again.
Kai raises an eyebrow at her request but keeps his lips sealed. With a smile, he nods, "of course, your Majesty. Anything else?" He steps back a little, feeling the room temperature drop a little.
Elsa shakes her head slightly and she watches as Kai turns and walks out of the door, "right," she says to Anna, turning on her heel once more. The redhead is just staring, stunned, at the blonde queen. What an awfully odd request, she says to herself. With a shake of her head, she tunes back to what her sister is saying, "follow me,"
Elsa turns and with a graceful swirl of the skirt of her ice blue dress, she is walking to the huge double doors leading to the hallway. With a sudden yelp, Anna pushes her chair back and runs after the older woman, "hey, Elsa!" She calls, "wait up!" When Elsa doesn't reply, she lifts up the skirt of her dress and makes a bolt for the double doors. Almost knocking one or two maids over.
"Princess Anna!" One of them complains, while holding the plates in her hands out of Anna's reach, "please, calm down," she tuts.
With an alarm glance in the maid's direction, Anna calls, "sorry!"
She finally manages to get herself into the study without any further mishaps. After she opens the door, lets herself into the study and slams it behind her, she takes a deep breath. Elsa is sitting perfectly poised at her desk, with her hands clasped in front of her. Anna can't help but notice the cold chill in the air, and feels her cheeks start to go red. There's only one way it would get this cold in the room in the spring time, "Elsa, what's wrong? Are you OK?" She asks after she sits in the chair on the opposite side of Elsa.
"… yes," Elsa says after a pause. And then, after an even longer pause, she says, "Anna. You know, you are nearing the marital age. In fact, after your birthday in a few months' time, you are going have to find yourself a suitor,"
Anna raises an eyebrow, "right…? Carry on…?" She prompts gently.
"I have a few princes in mind for you. Princes that will aid Arendelle a lot," Elsa says, frowning. This is it, she thought, she will break down and start yelling. Yes, Elsa thought right.
"Princes? Wait, what? No, no, no. This… this is a mistake. It has to be. It can't be right," Anna rambles, aghast. Aghast that her sister would speak in such a way. Aghast that Elsa can even think in the way that she has. Aghast that her life is ruined. Was Elsa trying to ruin her happiness again?
"It is," Elsa nods, "I'm doing what I think is best for you," she says slowly. At this, Anna stands up; her eyes flashing.
"What is this, Elsa? Are you trying to break my heart a second time?" She yells.
"Anna, please. Calm it down a little. Everything will be OK. I promise," Elsa replies. Anna shakes her head violently.
"No. That is what you said three years ago. That you hiding your powers away from me was the thing that would protect me. And you were wrong," she folds her arms, the frown never leaving her face, "and I swear on the royal bloodline that I will prove to you that you're wrong about this too," she hisses coldly. Anna turns away from Elsa and starts pacing the room.
"Anna. Please. Please understand. Please," Elsa pleads.
"No, Elsa. What about Kristoff? What am I going to say to him, when I finally have to tell him that we're over? Think how upset he's going to be," Anna says, still not looking Elsa in the eye.
"Anna! Don't. Don't make me change my mind. This is the best for you, for Arendelle," Elsa can't stand seeing her sister in this hurt and broken state, but it has to be done. It is a duty.
"No, Elsa. Please understand. I. Love. Kristoff. And nothing is ever going to change that. Goodbye," Even though she said please, there is still a tone in Anna's voice that Elsa recognises as anguish.
Anna turns on her heel and slams the door as she runs out of the study. Running into her room, slamming the door shut and locking it, she flings herself on her bed and cries. She hugs her knees to her chest, rests her forehead on them and cries her heart out. She doesn't care about what her sister says. She doesn't care about the aid of the kingdom. Her heart is broken. Only, she knows that she can't go against Elsa's wishes.
It's been two days. Two whole days of not eating. Two whole days of crying. Two whole days of not speaking to Kristoff and avoiding her sister. And today is the day when she must break the promise that she made to herself, years ago. I will only marry the one I truly love. No one else shall win my heart. While the first bit of the promise is shattered, the second bit remains. She is proud of that.
"Anna?" Comes a call from the other side of the door, "can I come in, love?" Anna's heart drops. No. Not now. Please, "Anna?"
"Yes?" She replies nervously. The door knob rattles and it suddenly dawns on her that the door is locked, "hold it," she calls. She jumps up from the bed, unlocks the door and flings it open. When she sees Kristoff standing there, she steps back and turns to face away from him.
"Anna?" He asks, "Are you OK?" The ice master's voice is concerned, and Anna can't bear it.
She turns back around and throws her arms around Kristoff's neck. Tears start escaping her eyes and rolling down her cheeks. Kristoff pushes her away, gently, after letting her cry herself silent, "what is it, Sugar? Why are you crying?" He asks her frantically.
"ElsasaysthatIhavetomarryaprincebecauseitwilldogoodforthekingdom," Anna says at high speed, causing Kristoff to raise an eyebrow but laugh slightly.
"Whoa, whoa, slow down, Sugar. I couldn't quite catch that," he says slowly, placing his hands on her upper arms. Anna slowly wraps her arms round his neck again and rests her head just above where his heart is.
"Elsa told me that I'm going to have to marry a prince so that I can 'aid the kingdom'," she mumbles.
"What?" Kristoff says disbelievingly, "how… how could she?"
"I don't know," Anna whispers, "but I can't let you go,"
"I can't let you go, either, my princess. And I won't," Kristoff's voice is firm and that breaks Anna's heart most of all.
"Kristoff. I'm so sorry, but I have to respect the queen's wishes, whether they go along with my wishes or against them," she is scared she'll burst out crying again.
"But… but what about us…?" Kristoff asks as he looks his girlfriend in the eye.
"We're… we're… we're… over…" she whispers. Her face scrunches up.
And then the most awful thing happens. A tear slips down Kristoff's cheek as he watches her try to keep herself in control.
They reach for each other again and share their very last embrace, neither of them saying a word.
A/N: This is based on a true story, by the way. A story that quite literally broke my own heart. :'(