Love
"May I talk to you, please. Alone."
Anna didn't answer Elsa's plea right away. She met her fiancé's face and then looked back at her sister. Thirteen years had been too long with no reasons, no explanations, no anything.
But for some reason on that warm summer night, Anna decided to fold one more time.
"Fine."
She should have known that any kind of communication with her sister would be useless. Many years of pleading had taught her that. This time, however, it was her sister who requested to speak. That alone was more than Anna had ever gotten out of the elusive older girl. That was why she had folded to Elsa's request.
As Elsa led Anna out of the crowded ballroom and away from the curious eyes of its occupants, Anna hoped against hope that Elsa wasn't just leading her into a ruse that ended with her having no chance to make her case.
Finally, they made it to a private lounge and Elsa turned to speak. It was the first time they had ever been truly alone together. Standing on a dais in front of a sea of strangers hardly counted.
Elsa was no idiot, she knew what it meant to have a foreign prince snooping around the castle halls if she let Anna marry him. Nor was she naïve enough not to suspect what this Prince Hans, thirteenth in line to his native throne, was up to. She was only happy Anna had actually agreed to speak to her alone. She wasn't sure how to talk sense into the younger girl in that situation out there.
If being alone with Anna meant protecting her from foreign interlopers, then so be it.
"Anna, you can't marry a man you just met," Elsa began.
"You can if it's true love," Anna argued back, instantly stung from her sister's words. Right away she felt foolish to have accepted this talk.
Elsa was about to respond, but bit back her remark. Once again, she was thankful that Anna had agreed to do this in a calmer environment.
"Anna, listen, just trust me-"
"Why should I trust you?" Anna interrupted hotly.
"I'm the Queen and your sister."
"Oh? Now you want to be my sister?" Anna spat, suddenly feeling all those years of rejection bubble into anger and betrayal.
This was exactly what Elsa feared. But at least it wasn't happening out there. Elsa repeated her mantra within her head.
"That isn't what we're talking about," Elsa stayed firm and tried to point out.
"No, I think it is," Anna retorted, beginning to feel the tears brim in her eyes. This was the moment Anna had been waiting for over a decade. "If you want to control who I marry, then I want to know why you've shut me out for all these years."
"Anna, please."
"No, just tell me why. What did I ever do to you?" Anna's voice was shrill and rising. Elsa was glad they were secluded, but her anxiety was flaring.
Conceal, don't feel.
"I can't explain it."
"What? Why? Please, just tell me. I need something," Anna pleaded. Her face was full of hurt.
"Just let it go, Anna."
"I can't ever do that. You're my sister. My best friend. We were so close, what happened?" she continued to cry.
Elsa held her hand to her chest and remained silent. Conceal. Don't Feel.
"Were you sick? Do you have some kind of disease that required your isolation?"
Elsa shook her head. Her heart was beating faster.
"Then why did I have to be treated like this? What did I do to deserve this? I just wanted my sister, but I'm willing to at least get a reason why I lost her. I can't even get that."
Tears were visibly pooling in Anna's eyes. Elsa's own were becoming watery as she listened to her little sister beg. It was hard enough listening behind a closed door. This was torture.
"Don't you remember what we used to dream about, Elsa? When you were Queen, I was supposed to be your right hand. Don't you remember that promise, Elsa? What happened?"
"Reality happened, Anna," Elsa snapped more forceful than she should have.
The room grew silent. Elsa looked down and away to avoid seeing the pain on her sister's face.
Not even the sound of the ongoing party permeated into the silence of their seclusion. Two sisters so close together, yet so far apart. The silence was interrupted by Anna's light sniffling, but Elsa refused to give in. She reached up and wiped away a tear that had betrayed her eyes before Anna could spot it.
"I wish things were like they used to be," Anna said suddenly. Elsa turned her head enough so that Anna was within her peripheral vision. It was too much to look at her fully. "It was so much better back then."
Elsa nodded in agreement, but only because Anna had her eyes to the floor.
"We even got more snow back then." Anna tried to smile.
Elsa turned her head sharply and muttered a faint "huh?" out of reflex.
Anna wasn't sure what had prompted that minor detail to leave her mouth. It wasn't something she had realized until after most of her childhood had become but a memory. At the time she hadn't noticed, but now that she had memories to compare and contrast...
"Don't you remember, Elsa?" Anna asked as she started wiping away tears to look back up at her sister.
Elsa shook her head quickly.
"It used to snow all the time before you started to, you know, shut me out."
Elsa's pulse quickened.
"I'm surprised you don't remember. Winters used to be so much longer back then. It used to snow all the time, even in summer," Anna exclaimed then tilted her head. "It stopped right around when you mysteriously shut me out though," she added. She had never really thought about that before now.
"Anna, I'm sure you're just exaggerating." Elsa was beginning to panic. She started repeating the mantra in her head again. She swore the room was growing colder and hoped that Anna wasn't noticing.
"No, Elsa, really. We used to play out in the snow all the time. I remember, I do."
"You were young, Anna."
"No, Elsa. I remember. I won't ever forgot those years, they were the happiest years of my life. Are you saying it's all a lie?"
Elsa's eyes widened. "J-just...never mind, it doesn't even matter anyway," she said it like it was the truth.
Anna went silent again. Elsa was glad that conversation was over. She would leave now, but she had to make sure her little sister was over this stupid marriage idea.
Both sisters continued to stand together awkwardly and silently. It was Anna again who finally broke the silence first.
"Elsa, your majesty, I want to make a deal with you." Anna stood up straight, her face betraying no emotion save for the remnants of her earlier sniffling.
"A deal?"
"I can't live like this anymore, Elsa."
Elsa didn't know what to say.
"Let me marry Prince Hans, bless our marriage, and I'll leave you alone forever."
Elsa felt her chest tighten.
"I'll go live with Prince Hans in the Southern Isles after we marry. We both get what we want and you even get the bonus of a political marriage with the Southern Isles. I told you Elsa, I can't keep living like this. Arendelle is my home, b-but...it feels like a prison." Anna choked back a sob.
"Are you sure Prince Hans is okay with that arrangement?" Elsa asked hesitantly. She was still unsure of his true intentions.
"I'm sure he'll be fine with it. He loves me after all." Elsa almost rolled her eyes at Anna's naivety.
But unfortunately, Elsa was out of options. Even if he was just power-hungry, he wouldn't be a threat to Anna if he was at home and if he truly loved Anna, he'd take her back to the Southern Isles anyway. Besides, the farther Anna was from Elsa, the safer she would be. Elsa loved Anna, but she would do anything to protect her and she deserved happiness, something Elsa was unable to provide her here.
"If you agree, I'll leave first thing in the morning," Anna continued deadpanned.
Anna didn't want to leave Elsa, but she truly couldn't keep living like this. Even this talk, the most interaction she had ever had with her sister in years, was going nowhere. There was nothing left for Anna here except broken memories and pain. She still failed to understand why Elsa was doing this to her, but Anna hoped this idea would at least make her happy.
"Fine," Elsa finally answered. "I'll bless your marriage." It was the answer that both girls wanted and the answer both girls didn't want to hear.
"Thank you," Anna whispered.
Elsa sighed and started to leave, but Anna quickly intervened. "Elsa, wait, before you go. C-can we hold hands, one last time?" Anna's voice was cracking, she was barely able to hold herself together. She wanted at least one good memory before she left.
Elsa looked her over as Anna waited for an answer. Without saying anything, Elsa offered her gloved hand.
Anna wasn't having any of that.
"No, Elsa, your hand. No gloves, please."
Elsa withdrew her hand back to her chest and took a step back.
"Elsa, I know you have a thing about dirt, but I just want to hold your hand one last time. It's all I ask."
"Wait, what?"
"What? I just thought you had a thing with dirt. Isn't that why you wear the gloves? I've never seen you without them."
Elsa actually chuckled and smiled. "Is that what you think? Oh, no."
"Oh, then why do you wear gloves all the time?"
Elsa's smiled disappeared. She didn't answer. Instead she offered her hand back to Anna, still gloved.
Anna looked at it, then back at Elsa's face. "Your glove is still on."
"And it will stay on. Now will you take my hand or not," Elsa commanded like a queen would.
Anna couldn't tell, but Elsa was practically shaking. She did notice though that it was starting to get chilly. She would have to find a jacket before returning to the party to fight off the summer night chill.
Anna had other priorities first. She looked down at the gloved hand and reached out for it. Elsa bit her lip as Anna's inched closer.
That's when Anna struck. She was fast, years of experience catching critters throughout the gardens paid off. With her other hand, Anna ripped Elsa's glove off. Before Elsa could react, Anna grabbed the bare hand with the hand originally heading for Elsa's and held on tight. Elsa immediately tried pulling back, but Anna kept her grip tight.
They both gasped at the same time, each for a different reason, but both out of surprise.
"Jeez, Elsa, your hand is freezing."
"Anna, let go!" Elsa cried out in fear.
"Elsa, why is your hand so cold? Are you okay?" Anna was ignoring Elsa's pleas as she hung on, struck by how frigid her sister's hand was.
Elsa continued to struggle to free herself from Anna's grasp.
Conceal, don't feel. Conceal, don't feel.
She was starting to mumble it under her breath. Finally though, Elsa managed to free her hand from Anna's grasp. She didn't even bother to retrieve her glove as she turned and stormed out for the room as fast as possible – Elsa didn't plan on returning to the party. She hugged her bare hand to her chest with all her might. Her heart beat was out of control. But before she could make it out of the room, Elsa remembered why she was doing this.
"Goodbye, Anna," she called out as she exited the room. "I love you," she added several steps later. The shock of the glove incident wore off, replaced by despair. It would be the last time she saw Anna. It was for the best, Elsa told herself.
Anna stood as she was as she tried to process what had just happened. It wasn't just her sister's abnormally cold hand that had gotten to her. It was the fact that her hand had gotten colder the longer she held on. It got so cold that Anna had to let go. Elsa hadn't freed herself, Anna let her go.
Anna finally realized Elsa was getting away though, when she heard her sister call out to her. Anna had a lot more questions now. She starting moving, hoping to catch up to her sister, but managed to get just a few steps before slipping on the floor.
Thud!
As Anna pulled herself up, she took notice what had made her fall in the first place.
"Ice. It's ice."
A patch of ice covered the floor where she had tripped. Anna followed the patch of ice as it trailed from where she had been standing with Elsa to out of the room. It followed the same path that her sister had taken.
"Elsa..."
Anna laid on the floor under her favorite painting. The night was late, the party was over. The Queen had dismissed her guests, and closed the gates, without ever going back to the ballroom. Nor had Anna bothered to go back to the ballroom herself. Instead she went straight to the galley to think. Her most recent discovery had overshadowed everything about open gates or marriage.
Anna clutched the glove she had taken from Elsa close to her chest. Anna had to remind herself that she had no solid evidence that her sister had magical powers. All signs were pointing to that conclusion though. The ice on the floor and her cold hands were too unusual to be a coincidence.
It also explained the gloves, the isolation, and generally all of Elsa's behavior over the past thirteen years. The only problem was, it didn't explain why Anna was left out of the loop considering how close they had been. That was another problem. There was still no explanation to the why of the sudden cut off.
Anna tried thinking back, but she couldn't remember a single thing that suggested Elsa had powers. It was possible that Elsa had gained the powers when she was older, which led to their separation, but Anna suspected that wasn't it. There was nagging feeling at the back of her mind which helped disregard that theory.
Then there was the snow. She remembered all the long winters and extra snow that they had before Elsa and Anna were separated. Anna now knew that was no coincidence, but she couldn't remember anything about Elsa having magic. The more she tried to remember those times in detail, the more her head grew foggy.
She had to confront Elsa as soon as possible, it was the only way to resolve this. Now that Anna knew this much, she just knew Elsa wouldn't be tough to get through too. She would confront her about the possible magic and Elsa would have to explain it. She just needed to get to Elsa first.
There was no way Elsa was going to let her in willingly and Anna couldn't admit knowing about the ice through the door. She needed to be able to gauge Elsa's reaction. If Elsa had been going through this much effort to hide her magic, then she would probably continue denying it until Anna had solid, undeniable proof. She would have to coerce that out of Elsa in person.
In a way though, Anna was relieved that Elsa possibly had magical powers. Surprising to say the least, but also relieving. Anna had feared for so long that she had done something to earn her sister's scorn. There were still questions, but Anna felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders just by the weak theory she had.
"How do I get into her room?" Anna asked herself. She couldn't simply walk in, Elsa kept her door locked. "I should leave breaking down her door as a last resort."
Just then, her brainstorming was interrupted by someone entering the galley. Anna sat up and looked as Kai entered the room.
"Sorry to disturb you, Princess Anna, but there seems to be a young man insisting on your presence."
Anna was bewildered. A young man? For her.
"He says he is Prince Hans of the Southern Isles, your highness."
"Oh, right." She was supposed to leave with him in the morning and marry him. Anna weighed the options in her head. She didn't even have to think about it to reach her decision though. "Kai, please send my regards and tell him that our arrangement will not be able to happen. I apologize for the sudden change, but something important has come up. It will have to be another time. Can you tell him that?"
"I will, your highness." Kai bowed and turned to leave, but stopped at the door. "Princess Anna, is there something the matter? You never returned to the party and it is quite late."
Anna squeezed the glove in her hands. "Everything is fine, Kai, thank you." Once again Kai bowed and then went to carry out Anna's message.
Then she got an idea. Anna jumped up and sprinted to the doors. "Kai, wait!"
Kai stopped immediately and turned around. There had only ever been three people that carried a key to Elsa's room. Elsa herself and their parents. Ever since they had died, there left only two people. Elsa herself and Kai, who had been entrusted with the only spare left.
"Kai, listen to me. I need to get into Elsa's room," Anna pleaded. This wasn't first time she had begged for this key. This was the first time she had an ace in the hole though.
"I'm sorry, Princess Anna, but-"
Anna cut him off there. It was the same thing he said every time. "No, Kai, listen. I need to get into her room. This isn't like those other times. I have to talk to her. I'll break down her door if I need to."
Kai's attention was caught by something he had seen in Anna's hands when she had flailed her arms at him. It was the queen's glove. Kai had a feeling this wasn't going to be like one of those other times.
Anna realized that Kai had seen the glove and clutched it to her chest. It was, at the moment, her most cherished item.
"I see you have the queen's glove. I'll gladly return it for you, if that's what the problem is."
It was time for Anna to pull her trump card. Anna figured her parents had to have known about Elsa's magic, there was no doubt about that. But Kai was a different story. He may have known, being so close to the royal family, but there was also a chance he didn't.
"I-I know about, Elsa," Anna confessed.
Kai stared at her. He studied her. Anna clutched the glove tighter.
"I'm not sure I'm following, your highness."
"She has magic, doesn't she?"
Kai looked down at the glove clutched in Anna's hands as she held her breath. He gave her a long look then reached around his neck and pulled out a chain. There was a key attached to the end of it.
Kai held the key out for Anna to take. "I hope you know what you're doing." To Anna, the words had been meant for her. In reality, he had meant it for himself as well.
Anna tried to snatch it, but he pulled it back. "Please be careful though. For both of your sakes," he said before bringing it back. Anna gently took it.
"Now, I have to deliver a message to this Prince Hans. If you'll excuse me."
Anna went straight to Elsa's room, as calmly as she could. It felt like the route was taken on reflex. When she reached the familiar door, Anna gulped.
She stood at the door for several minutes with the key and glove clutched in her grasp. Hans, the coronation, the open gates had nothing on this moment. Slowly and carefully, Anna brought the key to its lock.
With all the grace she could bring to the table, Anna slowly turned the key. She wanted to enter as quietly as possible. The farther she got in the room, the harder it would be for her sister to kick her out again. Secrecy was the key here.
Every movement created deafening sounds that made Anna cringe. Finally after slow and careful turning, the lock clicked. Anna quickly withdrew the key and grabbed the handle. It was cool to the touch. Just as equally slowly, she started to turn the knob. Her heart beat spiked when it actually turned.
Anna was surprised though, when the door failed to budge. She pushed on the door a little, slowly adding more and more force to the point that Anna had to shoulder the door open.
It turned out a little shoulder force was just what the door needed. The door popped open with a crack. It wasn't that great of a sound, but to Anna it sounded loud enough to wake the entire castle.
Anna sucked in air in a silent gasp, not just from the loud noise and the sudden breaking loose of the door, but from the sudden cold blast of air that assaulted her when the door opened.
Her first look inside the room produced a second gasp. The room was filled with ice. Ice grew up from the floor. Stalactites of ice hung from the ceiling. Frost patterned the walls. Snowflakes hung suspended in the air. The door had apparently been covered by a layer of ice as well. Anna had all the solid proof she needed now.
It was so beautiful. It was amazing. It was so amazing that Anna had been too distracted to notice the lump on the bed. It was the sniffling coming from that lump that caught Anna's attention.
Elsa was crying.
Anna tiptoed towards the bed. She reached the bed and stood over it without Elsa noticing. She was curled up in a ball and facing away from the door. Her hair had been taken out of its bun and was splayed across the sheets at Elsa's backside. The platinum blonde hair shimmered in the moonlight that was coming in through the queen's window. In a way, it matched the rest of the frozen room perfectly. Anna watched her sister's body shudder from her silent cries. It sounded like she was just coming down from an earlier fit of sobbing. Anna looked around the room and wondered what had happened to cause it, both the freezing of the room and Elsa's crying.
Despite its beauty, the room gave off a feeling that reminded Anna of despair. She looked back down at Elsa and wondered if the room and Elsa's crying were connected somehow.
She had to get Elsa's attention somehow. She could speak, but speaking was overrated. Anna had a better idea. As slowly and carefully as ever, Anna climbed onto the bed. There was a loud sniff from Elsa and Anna froze, but Elsa continued to not notice. Anna started to scoot over and this time Elsa's breathing hitched. Her body tensed, but Anna was already there. Anna quickly wrapped her arms around Elsa's body from behind and tugged her close. To Anna's surprise, Elsa was quite warm.
"A-Anna?" Elsa whimpered. Anna was holding on so tight, that it would have been fruitless for Elsa to struggle. She didn't try.
"Elsa," Anna whispered. Tears were already starting to fall down her cheeks.
"Anna?!" Realization caught up with Elsa. "Anna, you have to leave now!" Now Elsa began to squirm, but Anna held on tighter. She suddenly stopped when she heard Anna's sobs.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Anna cried.
Elsa paused and looked around the room.
"Oh no," she whispered.
"If I would have known."
Elsa started to hyperventilate. This was the absolute worst situation to be in for both of them.
"Anna, you need to get away from me, please, I'm dangerous," Elsa whimpered, feeling herself break down.
"No, you're my sister!" Anna screamed. Elsa remained silent, pinned by Anna's arms as she panicked.
"You left a trail of ice, Elsa," Anna explained. "I knew something was up, so I had to make sure. If I would have known all those years...please, look at me."
"I can't, you're pinning me down," Elsa said between heavy breaths.
"If I let you go, will you promise to turn around?"
Elsa nodded. Anna's arms receded and Elsa slowly turned her body around to face her sister. She was met with the visage of tear streaked cheeks, red eyes, and the largest smile she'd ever seen on her sister's face. Anna's arms enveloped Elsa again and pulled them closer together until their bodies were pressed up against one another. Elsa offered no resistance though. Anna was so warm. It was a warmth that Elsa hadn't felt in many years and flooded over her, calming her slightly.
"Elsa."
"Anna."
One day, Elsa was supposed to reveal her secret to Anna once she had gained control over her powers. She never had. It was pointless to continue the secret now though.
"I was born with this curse, Anna. The power over ice and snow. You asked for a reason why I shut you out. It was because of this curse."
"But why?"
"To protect you. My powers are dangerous, I'm dangerous."
Anna looked over Elsa's shoulder at the snowflakes that hung in the air. "But it's beautiful, just like you."
"I can't control it, Anna. I can't thaw the ice or keep my powers under control. I had to stay away from you until I learned to control them."
"And have you?"
Elsa shut her mouth.
"Did you ever expect to?"
Elsa couldn't look Anna in the eye.
"Then why were we ever together in the first place?" Anna asked.
Elsa looked Anna in the eyes again and tugged her arms from around Elsa's body. She took the initiative and held onto Anna's hand with her covered own. Elsa had replaced her gloves first thing after her earlier meeting with Anna.
"It wasn't always like this."
Something clicked in Anna's mind. "The long winters and freak storms I remember from before weren't natural, were they?"
Elsa shook her head.
"Why I can't remember it?" Anna started to cry out of frustration. She hated not being able to remember.
Elsa reached up and gently pulled at the white strand of hair on Anna's head. She tugged at it until it came free of Anna's braid. "We used to be so close," Elsa whispered. She ran the strand between her fingers in the space between their faces. Anna watched in bewilderment.
"What happened?"
"I hurt you," Elsa admitted quietly.
"No."
"I-It was an accident. We were playing and I...I struck you in the head with my powers. I'm so sorry, Anna."
With her free hand, Anna reached up and took hold of the strand. "Is that why...so I wasn't born with it nor kissed by a troll. But why don't-"
"Well, actually, about that," Elsa cut her off. "We took you to the trolls to save your life. They were able to save you, but in order to do so, they had to remove all magic from your head."
Anna looked into Elsa's teary eyes. She didn't get it.
"Even memories of magic. I'm so sorry, Anna."
"No, please, don't blame yourself." In the span of seconds, she had found out the not only trolls were real, but they had erased her memories. But Anna was more concerned with Elsa at the moment. She could ask about that in more detail later.
"But I can't control it. And you're in danger right now. You need to leave." Elsa pulled her hands back and shuffled away from Anna. Anna let her. Elsa immediately missed the warmth.
"You did all of this to protect me?"
"Yes, but please, Anna, you have to go."
Anna was crying again, this time out of relief. She rested her head on the mattress. "I was so afraid you didn't love me."
"What? No, Anna, I love you more than anything in the world. That's why you have to go."
"No!" Anna screamed. She sat herself up and crawled over to Elsa until she was on top of her older sister. Elsa sunk into the mattress. "If you love me, you'll let me in."
"I don't want to hurt you again," Elsa squeaked weakly.
"You won't." She seemed so sure, so certain, and so naive.
"You don't know that," Elsa snapped. "I haven't learned to control this curse in thirteen years."
"Then let me help you," Anna suggested, her expression soft.
"What power do you have to help me?"
"It's better than nothing, Elsa. Have you even thought about your own well-being?"
Elsa didn't answer.
"Let me help you. Let me be there for you. I know we can figure this out together."
Elsa smiled up at her sister despite it all. "I love your optimism, Anna, but I'm afraid there is nothing that can be done."
"You've never had me there by your side. What did you do before this accident?"
"It wasn't as powerful back then."
"And you were only a child too. I know you can do this, Elsa. I believe in you."
"After everything I've put you through?"
"I know you meant well. So, can we go back to the way things were? Can we at least try?" Anna's face was full of longing.
Elsa bit her lip.
"You have nothing else to lose."
"Except you," Elsa breathed.
"I'd rather be dead than spend a single more day away from you. Please, Elsa."
Elsa had to make a decision. It was a decision that would change their lives forever. It was either continue on as they were or accept Anna's terms and reunite with her sister. There was no guarantee that the latter would help. The difference between the two though, was that one of the paths at least had a chance of success. Elsa knew which one she instantly preferred.
"I feel the same way," Elsa exclaimed. She sprung up and embraced Anna. Anna shrieked when they fell back onto the bed, this time it was Anna who was pinned. "Oh, Anna, I've been so lonely without you!" she cried out softly while they embraced.
"Elsa, please take off your gloves," Anna requested.
"W-what?"
"You don't need them anymore."
Elsa hesitated at first, but she removed both her gloves and cast them off to the side. She was tense at first, but as she wrapped her arms back around Anna and nothing happened, Elsa began to calm down.
"See, nothing bad is happening."
"You can't fix this overnight, Anna."
"I don't plan on it. We have our whole lives to figure it out."
Elsa suddenly remembered their earlier conversation. "Wait, what about your engagement with Hans?"
Anna snorted. "I had a change in heart. Turns out I really don't know anything about true love. You're my true love. I love you, Elsa." Anna was surprised when Elsa squeezed her a little tighter, but they both sighed in content.
Elsa's hug was full of warmth, but Anna realized that the room, which had been beyond freezing, was suddenly a lot warmer overall. Anna opened her eyes.
"Hey, Elsa, what happens when you freeze your room like this?"
"What do you mean?"
"How does it go away?"
"Oh, I have to wait until it melts on its own. This room is full of water damage, it's such a shame."
"Does it melt fast?"
"No, it melts like normal ice. Why are you asking?" Elsa was growing curious now.
"Elsa, all the ice is gone."
Elsa flipped herself over in a flash and looked around the room in amazement. Not a single snowflake remained. She looked down at her hands in disbelief.
"I don't believe it."
"Wow, progress already. I'm good at this! It's really a good thing though. I was planning on sleeping with you tonight, but I was not looking forward to all that cold," Anna said exasperated.
Elsa looked from her hands to Anna. Ideas and theories were already swarming within her mind. "What? Why are you looking at me like that, Elsa?"
Elsa smiled. "I just thought of something, but let's call it a night for now."
"And when we wake up, things will be different?"
"It will be the start of the rest of our lives." Elsa couldn't help but smile.
"We have a lot of time to catch up on."
Elsa leaned in and kissed Anna on the forehead. "Then there's no time to waste."
"Good, because I really think we need to talk about these trolls and changing my memories."
Elsa laughed.
The two sisters held onto each other as they drifted off to sleep, eager to begin their lives anew in the morning.
"Psst, Elsa?"
"Yes, my sweet, Anna?"
"This isn't a dream, right?"
"I hope not, Anna."
"I think your powers are a gift, not a curse." Anna yawned. "I just wanted to tell you that before you went to sleep."
Elsa started to cry. She knew somewhere up there her parents were looking down at her with pride. She was going to be a good queen and an even better sister. For Anna. It was always for Anna.
Elsa squeezed her sister a little tighter. She was met with the sound of snoring. Anna had already fallen asleep. Elsa pulled out one of her hands and held it up. She released a small flurry of snowflakes into the air. They disappeared almost as soon as they had appeared. They hadn't melted though. It was Elsa's will.
Love.
A/N: Thanks to my beta readers, Mig and Rd. I'm especially thankful this time around, they really added to this oneshot and made it a lot better than it was before I handed it over.
I've been wondering and speculating for over a year, ever since Frozen came out, what would have happened if Anna actually listened to Elsa and spoke to her in private during the coronation. I like to believe that fate will always bring them together regardless if the events post-coronation happened or not. It was bothering me even more so recently and I decided to do a one shot based on this idea.
To be honest, I'm not really sure what Elsa intended to talk about with Anna in private in the movie. For all I know, Elsa could have been ready to reveal her powers to Anna. I definitely think something close to what I wrote would have happened. The calmer environment would have prevented Elsa's outburst like in the movie, at least at first, but Anna would have ended up finding out somehow anyway. So take this as my headcanon what would have happened.
Thanks for reading and feel free to leave any questions, comments, or reviews. Hope you enjoyed it.