A/N: This story is set in the six-month time jump at the end of Dystopian Utopia. It was just something that came to me because of the season. I hope that everyone enjoys. As always, the setting belongs to me, but the characters don't.
All I Want for Solstice is You
Anna woke up in the cottage in Dunbroch, stretching languidly before pulling her arms back under the covers to get away from the pervading cold. A glance at the clock told her that it was still early for her, and she wondered about why she had awoken, until a "Psst! Anna!" sounded from behind her shoulder. She turned over to see Elsa's smiling face kneeling by the bed, and she smiled back reflexively, reaching out to smooth back the sparkling blond hair.
"What's this all about, love?" she asked.
"It's Solstice!" Elsa said excitedly, and Anna was completely charmed by the child-like glee on her lover's face. Elsa was rarely childlike, but there were a few things that made her eyes sparkle and her face light up. Solstice was apparently one of them, and Anna fell even more deeply in love with the fascinating woman kneeling beside her.
"And we have plans?" Anna guessed with a loving smirk.
"Yes, we do," Elsa confirmed, kissing Anna and rising from her kneeling position. "I know you've never had a real Solstice before because you grew up on Campus," she said, as she crossed the room and retrieved something from their closet. "So, I'm here way too late, to be your Solstice date…if I may," she finished, holding out one of the most beautifully embroidered wool dresses that Anna had ever seen. Anna got out of bed and took it, looking at it and Elsa questioningly. Elsa picked up on the unspoken question. "No, I didn't make it," she confessed, with a shy grin. "I told my mom what I was planning and she insisted on making it as a present. With the Philosophy Club's help, it just arrived from Old New Orleans."
"It's beautiful," Anna answered, fingering the delicate stitching in reverence. "But, she didn't have to go through all of this trouble."
"She's a seamstress," Elsa reminded her. "It's what she does. And she was thrilled to make something for you." Elsa encircled Anna's waist and gave her a quick squeeze before letting her go. "Now get ready," Elsa ordered happily, her teeth catching her bottom lip in her excitement. "We have a lot more to do."
"Yes, Master," Anna sassed, heading over to the dresser to grab underwear and other essentials. She could see that Elsa was almost vibrating with anticipation, so she dressed quickly. With the dress in place and gorgeous, she went to the closet to get her boots, but she was stopped by Elsa's hand on her arm. Anna turned, and Elsa was holding out a pair of lined leather boots whose pattern matched that of the dress.
"Debutante's father knew a tanner too," she said with a grin. Anna smiled back and sat on the bed to put them on. When she was done, she rose, and Elsa draped the matching cloak over her shoulders before handing her a red thread. "Just follow the string," she said impishly.
Anna looked at her speculatively, but she did as she was told, opening the bedroom door and following the string to a basket that was sitting on a counter in the kitchen. In it was a thermos, mugs, plates, cutlery, and a loaf of what Anna could only hope was Elsa's carrot-raisin bread. She took a whiff and it was, so she happily picked the basket up, following the string to the inner front door. Olaf waited patiently there with the string carefully wrapped around his tail. Anna unwound it from his white fur, and it was then she noticed the delicate string of colored beads around his neck. Olaf didn't typically wear a collar, so she glanced at Elsa. Elsa nodded, so Anna lifted it from his neck and put it around her wrist. Olaf seemed to be glad to be rid of it and the string, rubbing Anna's legs gratefully before heading for the couch.
Elsa put on her white winter cloak and stood by the door to make it open. "After you, Apprentice," she said lovingly, bowing chivalrously.
Anna kissed her for her troubles. "Just when I thought I couldn't love you anymore," Anna said, making Elsa blush as they parted.
"Only for you, Apprentice," Elsa replied, and Anna grinned as she started to follow the string down the corridor.
It led to the outside door, and Elsa carefully locked the door after they both stepped through. The crimson string was easy to follow, and the practical side of Elsa scolded her for giving the State a red-hued roadmap right to their hidden cottage. Elsa ignored it, knowing that the State was unlikely to be looking for them in this frozen forest and not caring when Anna's face looked as happy as it did currently.
The string turned abruptly, and Anna laughed as she turned with it to discover a clearing with an ice table and two ice chairs. The thread went straight to the table, and so did Anna, setting the basket from the cottage on top of it. She sat in one of the chairs and opened the basket, bringing out the mugs. Hot chocolate emerged from the thermos, and Anna sipped it happily as Elsa retrieved the loaf and plates, slicing off slices for each of them and putting them on the plates. Elsa handed Anna a plate along with the ramekin of butter that she also packed. Anna spread a thick layer of butter on before handing the crock back. She took a bite and she made a small noise of pleasure. "How does an architect become such a good baker?" she asked, savoring the treat.
"Attention to detail," Elsa responded wryly, buttering her own loaf and taking a bite.
"I don't think that's the only reason, love," Anna countered with a grin, licking the crumbs off her fingers.
"Maybe not, but it helps," Elsa responded with her own grin. They continued to eat in companionable silence until the loaf was gone and the cocoa had been completely consumed. They put the dishes back in the basket, and Elsa gestured with her hands to make the table and chairs disappear. Anna picked up the string again. "Onward!" she declared and bolted out of the clearing, leaving a surprised Elsa to scramble after her.
The string continued its meandering path, leading Elsa and Anna past trees and shrubs until it wrapped itself around a particular hollow tree. Anna carefully reached in and exclaimed in delight as she drew out several tubes of her favorite paint in her favorite colors of blue and green. "Thank you, Elsa!" Anna said, hugging her former Master enthusiastically before becoming thoughtful. "But these are expensive," she realized. "How can we afford these?" she asked.
"The Dunbroch clan needed an ice statue for their holiday celebrations," Elsa answered, hugging Anna back. "They were amenable to barter, so these didn't cost us anything."
"I'll have to thank Mama-Bear when I see her," Anna decided. "Knowing her, you probably had to fight to make the statue."
"That I did," Elsa confirmed, with the slightest frown. Anna laughed and let go of her, placing her paints into the basket and picking up the thread.
The string zigged and zagged through the forest, going deeper and deeper into the thick trees. With the dark woods all around them, it wasn't hard to pick out the glittering "flowers" that were becoming more and more prevalent along the path. Anna knelt down to look at them, and she snapped one off at the stem. It was made of ice, which in and of itself wasn't unexpected, but the blue color of its petals and the green of its stem was something that Anna hadn't seen Elsa do yet. "How did you get them to have color?" she asked, surreptitiously sniffing it to see if her amazing Elsa had managed to imbue them with fragrance as well.
"I can't tell you all of my secrets," Elsa protested with a smirk, until Anna turned the full power of a pout on her. "Colored water," she mumbled, surrendering instantly.
"And yet again the powerful Ice Queen melts," Anna boasted smugly.
"You don't have to be so smug about it," Elsa chastised with a blush.
"Of course I do," Anna disagreed. "It's one of the few things I am very, very good at."
"You are very good at a great many things, my love," Elsa contradicted, and Anna blushed this time.
"You might not be impartial," Anna pointed out, rubbing her reddened cheeks.
"Probably not," Elsa agreed cheerfully, and Anna laughed.
"How much further?" she asked.
"Follow the string," Elsa replied playfully, and Anna stuck out her tongue before picking up the string again.
They continued to travel through the woods, and soon the flowers were joined by more ice sculptures. Angels, candles, holly, stars, animals, and anything that Elsa associated with the holiday were lovingly crafted out of the ice, and Anna had to marvel again at the Ice Queen's skill. The string passed by many of these sculptures, but it wrapped itself around only one, so Anna stopped to look at it more closely. "It's Olaf!" she exclaimed in delight.
"I thought you might like to see him in ice," Elsa explained, pleased at the response.
"You are amazing," Anna said, looking at the ice cat.
"Not nearly as amazing as you," Elsa replied, and Anna smiled, putting the statue down. She picked up the string, but she noticed that it stopped just beyond the next tree. This time it was wrapped around a large picnic basket and extended no farther. When Anna opened the basket, enough food and drink to feed the entire Philosophy Club revealed itself. "Why do we need this much food?" she asked.
"You have a healthy appetite," Elsa teased, picking up the basket. "And we are going to be out here a while longer," she said, tugging on Anna's hand to lead her through another ring of trees. Anna stopped in her tracks when the clearing came into view. A frozen pond lay before them, and glittering ice crystals hung from every tree, giving the space an ethereal glow that took Anna's breath away. Elsa smiled, took the smaller basket from Anna, and placed both baskets in a nearby cave before grasping Anna's elbow. "Come on, Apprentice," she said with a gentle smile at Anna's awe. "It's for skating on, not for looking at."
Anna let herself be led to the ice, but she snapped out of it when a gesture of Elsa's hand created literal ice skates on the bottom of her boots. "Oh, Elsa, they're beautiful, but I don't really know how to skate," Anna said with trepidation.
"I had figured as much," Elsa replied easily. "But I know you can do it. Try for me?" she asked hopefully.
All of Anna's fear melted with that hopeful expression. "Anything for you, love," she said with a smile and Elsa beamed. Anna was shaky at first, but Elsa refused to let her fall, and after a while she got the hang of it better. They skated in each other's arms until Anna lost track of the time, and it was only the growl of her stomach that alerted her to how late it had gotten. Elsa laughed and tugged Anna towards the bank. "Apparently it's lunch time," Elsa decided, making Anna's skates disappear.
Together they clambered up the bank, taking shelter in the cave where Elsa had put the basket. "It's warm in here," Anna noted.
"Caves often keep temperate temperatures regardless of the season," Elsa responded, setting out their lunch. "I made sure that this was one of them."
"Of course you would have," Anna said, with a wry grin. Elsa blushed at the implicit tease but handed Anna her food.
They ate most of what Elsa had brought them, and after a bit of rest, they went back to skate some more. It was only the winter sun beginning its early descent that prompted them to leave the pond, and they did so reluctantly, making their way back to the cottage the same way they had come, walking at a relaxed pace to extend their day. Elsa regretfully dissipated her creations as they went, leaving no trace of anything in the forest for the State to find. Eventually, though, they arrived at the cottage and went inside.
A beautiful dinner was waiting for them in the oven, and Anna set the table as Elsa made sure that the food was perfect. They ate and chatted, both of them teasing each other and excitingly remembering the day. After dinner, they cleaned up the dishes from both the excursion and dinner before retiring to their bedroom to get out of their clothes and into something more comfortable.
Elsa had barely gotten her turtleneck off before she was enveloped by Anna's warm softness, and she sighed in happiness as kisses trailed along her collarbone. "Thank you so much for today, love," Anna said softly. "You were right; I've never had a real Solstice and I am so glad that I got to spend my first one with you."
"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself," Elsa said sincerely, her happiness at Anna's happiness showing in her eyes.
"I did, very much," Anna confirmed. "But, you need to be careful," she jokingly warned. "We have a lifetime of Solstices ahead, and you created a perfect one for me. You will have a lot to live up to."
"I happily accept your challenge," Elsa declared with a proud, affectionate grin.
Anna smiled back before she unexpectedly tackled Elsa to their bed. "Now I think I need to thank you properly," she said as her hands made short work of the rest of Elsa's clothes.
"No thanks are necessary, Apprentice," Elsa replied, before Anna's hands grasped something intimate and Elsa gasped softly. "But of course, thanks are always appreciated," she said breathlessly, and Anna chuckled before giving Elsa the perfect end to the perfect day.