This is a short self-indulgent sick!fic, because I'm in withdrawal and I love sick!fics and I love these two and just, yeah, it's not Elsanna but if you want to read it that way, you obviously can. There's only a tiny bit of angst though because I can't seem to write anything without it, otherwise it's only pure and utter comfort/fluff.
Basically I've lost a lot of motivation for Shards of Ice at the moment even though the entire 'fic is already planned out with a happy ending and all, and it's entirely my fault –as if the huge gaps between chapters weren't any indication-. It has nothing to do with the following (300+ followers is absolutely amazing, and I love you all :D) I've just… Come to a stop at the moment (and compensated with adamantly catching up on Spooks and Once Upon A Time :p) I guess and I just want to give you guys a short Frozen 'fic while I'm looking for inspiration again, so here you go! ^^.
Don't worry though, I'll be back with Shards as I've only got a few more chapters left before it's complete, but I just... Yeah, I need a break from it for a while. I know it sounds awful from me given the four month break between chapter 12 and 13, and because I'm leaving it at a bad place, but I don't want to force myself to write just for the sake of it, because anything that will come out there will be more or less crap, and I don't want to give you bad writing, so, um, I know it doesn't make up for it, but have this little story as an apology? :)
Spring was quickly climbing up the ladder and claiming the title of Elsa's "favorite season", the blonde mused, as she leaned slightly forward towards one of the many porches of Arendelle's city, admiring the beautiful assortment of flowers the family had decided to put out as a small embellishment to their cozy dwelling, and the whole array of smells, warmth and life she could make out in the single bouquet of red and yellow flowers her had the tips of her mouth curving upwards and a spark running down her arms –spring was amazing.
Along with the deep breath, she felt a tingle running down the length of her spine, Elsa flinching slightly in reflex as an unexpected gust of warmth hit her in full wave, and the feeling of her shoulders sagging slightly, head lolling forward a little and being able to not spend an entire day having to uphold the righteous picture of the perfect princess was a real privilege (and maybe it was because she was feeling a little too hot, but the fact that spring was back was at the forefront of Elsa's mind, of course she would be a little unbalanced by its return). And unlike a year ago, where the slightest shard of Elsa shining through her royal mask was to be taken as a threat and something to not do again, the elder princess come to learn that the people of Arendelle would probably not think any less of her were such an accident ever to occur (courtesy of her sister Anna and her incessant babbling about having to cast her worries aside and that she'd be doing fine and almost everything else she could think of in that line of talk), and so, while it had taken a little time at first, coming downtown like she and Anna had today had been a good exercise for her to realize there was nothing to fear with being herself.
However, the picture of royalty and leadership had been something Elsa herself had always felt the need to offer to the citizens, especially since her parents' tragic passing: the kingdom needed a leader they could love, true, but they also needed but a leader to show them the way and a leader who could always keep her head held high regardless of the circumstances. Although since spring had returned and the people of Arendelle had accepted her (powers and all) and some even expressed their enthusiasm and support at the fact that she was to be their new Queen, while Elsa took their concern and affection to heart and treasured it (after a very isolated childhood, she had learnt to hold on to such a kindness very dearly, even if it was essentially composed of immaterial such as words and kind smiles), the blonde had learnt early on from her Father that while she could wish to be close to the people, the Golden Rule of being a good Queen was to be able to separate herself as an individual from her duty –even if at times, it hurt a little.
Which also entailed that the only times Elsa was offered the tiny chances to let go of the (mostly) impassible façade, she was well inclined to take it, though only after making sure she was well and truly alone, she couldn't bear the thought of Anna being forced with coming to terms that the sister she had always looked up to was anything less than perfect. And Anna had enough to be getting on with anyway, Elsa didn't need to worry her with relying to her the multiple inconveniences a mild chill had on her every-day life. (And it would soon pass anyway, she told herself, nobody needed to worry).
However, while this being but a mild inconvenience was what Elsa was trying to convince herself, the cold seemed well intent on staying, and the abnormal shivers that spasms through her arms and the sensation of her arm sagging down the length of her side barely a second after wiping her face should have alerted her that something was not quite right, but being the stubborn Queen that she was, Elsa simply chose to see it as being nothing more than a little overtiredness. After all, overseeing Crown business could constitute somewhat of a taxing matter sometimes, and this was just her body taking a little rest whenever it could find it. Harmless really, nothing to worry about.
What she should be worrying about, was making sure Anna was happy. She had spent far too many years apart from the younger brunette and while nothing would ever compensate for the time they had missed out on growing up together, Elsa couldn't find the words to express how grateful she was to her sister at the moment, who took it upon herself to use every opportunity they had to built up on their sisterly bond and share nice quiet moments together, just the two of them.
Which was why she was now finding herself walking downtown, three bags filled to the brink in one hand all the while awkwardly trying to balance a fourth in her other as she was doing her best to catch up to her sister, Anna seemingly having not a problem in the world balancing the eight sacks of whatever it was she had decided to purchase that day –occasionaly wobbling maybe, but Elsa had yet to see the items fall out, and the embarrassment Anna was publicly displaying was quite an uplifting sight Elsa had to admit, especially after having spent several weeks trudging through paperwork and accords with the neighboring kingdoms regarding affairs such as trade and commerce. Seeing her sister happy was worth the small discomfort all the same, Anna's smile radiating kindness and inclusion, utter joy at glee at the mere fact that the two of them were taking a single day off to spend together, as sisters. It had taken Elsa a little while to get used to Anna's rather extrovert personality and sometimes overly-exuberant affection for her, but over time, they had rather turned into little quirks that made Anna special, and now, the blonde wouldn't for the world wish her sister to change. She was perfect as she was, and she could never have wished for a more wonderful sibling. Nobody else had those same dimples when they smiled, nobody else had that tell-tale golden shine to their hair when the sun caught itself in the strands, nobody else had those same vibrant (and oh so lively) blue eyes, and nobody else ever devoted so much love, attention and care towards her than Anna, and where she may not be able to offer her sister the same display of affection as it was not in her nature, Elsa had come to the habit of bringing her out whenever her duties would allow her to. To her, it certainly didn't equivocate the same care and affection she received from the younger princess, but the brunette was always thanking her when they came home, and the huge grin that would be plastered on her face during those few hours they were out together were enough to Elsa, she didn't need anything else in return.
And that vibrant smile was exactly what Anna's face was adorning right now, as she was bent over and eagerly eying one of the extravagant gowns in their local tailor's window, pointing her out all the details, materials and colors.
And the vibrant smile, still there, was exactly why she was loathe to let Anna in on how dizzy and cold and nauseous and tired all at once she was feeling. This was Anna's day, and Elsa wasn't about to ruin it on her, not for such a triviality that would pass in a short while. Just conceal, it'll be fine Elsa.
"Sorry, what were you saying, Anna? I must have been in the clouds again, really sorry." Elsa offered up as an excuse when her sister's inquisitive face turned towards her, obviously waiting for her to answer whatever she must have asked, pulling the light purple shawl on her shoulders a little tighter -maybe it would stop the small gusts of breeze in her back, and maybe it would help the tremors running down her spine to subside somewhat. One could always hope.
Anna, who had remained crouched down at a level with the bottom of the dress she'd spotted looked back up towards her sister, and risen a slightly skeptic eyebrow at the time it actually took her to both hear and answer the question, quickly let it drop when the glint of the delicate shining ribbon falling down the dresses' side from where it elegantly wrapped itself around the middle caught her attention once again. After all, it was a pretty ensemble, with an elaborate motif running down it's side and what must be particularly expensive fabric making up the item of question itself.
"I was saying, what do you think of this one? Do you think Mother would deem it appropriate for the Prince Pietr's ball?"
"Anna!" Elsa laughed, shaking her head in dismay at her sister's antics. She couldn't understand why she needed to do this now of all times, when there was still so much time to spare, but after a moment of reflection, she just smiled, after all, this was totally Anna, of course she would do this. And then she'd probably come back for another dress two weeks before the actual ball too –just in case."Do we really have to do this now?" She asked, but already took a step towards the shop door, flinching slightly as an unwanted tremor ran up her spine and she rubbed her arms in the hopes of keeping whatever warmth her body still had inside of her. Why was she so cold? Shouldn't she be used to it by now?
Putting the bags down as she brought her hand up to her head in the hopes of it helping the sudden wave of dizziness go away, Elsa lingered for a moment longer in the doorway before following her sister, Anna already bouncing up and down on her heals as she could see several different colored dressed draped over her arm –how she picked and chose so quickly, Elsa had no clue, but then again, this was Anna she was with, and if anything, Anna had shown her that she could be the most unpredictable of girls she'd ever had the chance to meet in her life. And it was one of the reasons she loved her so much, nobody else could claim to have such an eccentric yet loving sister, and the fact that Elsa had that all to herself made Anna even more special in her eyes.
She really did wish she were able to actually pick and chose with her, as it would undoubtedly please her sister and it might teach her a little more on royal dress code, but the little seat in the corner of the shop just looked so tempting and so cozy with its little cushion and soft blue velvet that Elsa couldn't help but be drawn to it, casting a weary glance around the shop as if she were afraid of being caught in some un-royal action before sitting (slumping) down into the chair. And by the gods was it comfortable, and above all, warm and it was doing wonders to her sore back.
The blonde let her eyes droop, her head falling forward a little, just for a moment, as she allowed herself a short minute to rest. She wasn't exactly sleep-deprives, but she was just so cold, and this chair was just so snug around her she could swear she wished to sleep right there and then, in the middle of what could-be a crowded shop.
The blackness was wonderful, no more assaulting colors, no more noise making her brain ache, no more gusts of wind seeping up her back (even if it did nothing much to make the tremors stop), just peace, and if Elsa concentrated just enough, she could almost imagine that the cold wasn't there, she could almost picture herself in a nice cozy bed with a big fluffy blanket brought right up to her chin and a big pillow in which she could sink her weary head. It was so nice, to finally be able to drift off, have a short respite and escape the awful cold, if it could just last a little-
"Elsa?"
The sound of her sister's inquisitive voice made her head snap up, and for the second time in less than an hour, Elsa was faced yet again with that quizzical eyebrow display form the younger, though this time, the question remained unasked even if she knew Anna wished her to answer. No, she was okay, this was her sister's special day, and she wasn't going to get in the way of that.
"Can I see?" She asked instead, eager to deflect Anna's attention from her back to the item in question she was planning on purchasing, and as soon as the attention was brought back to the brunette's gown, Anna grinned, pushing the curtain back and standing back, tall, to give Elsa a full view of it.
"So, what do you think?" She asked, excitement lacing her voice as she twirled, eyeing the bottom as it expanded nicely when she gave it a twirl, the motifs along the border no longer really visible but a nice line of golden hues replacing it instead.
Rubbing away at the sudden wetness in her eyes (no, she wasn't cold, and no, she was absolutely fine), Elsa got a first look, and had to admit that Anna did have an eye for the pretty clothes and the details –more than she could say for herself at any rate, her sister had definitely found something that suited her quite well, and in the end, while Elsa knew her opinion meant a lot to Anna, in the end of the day, as long as the younger felt good in what she was wearing, the blonde guessed that was the most important.
Giving her a thumbs up and trying to manage a broad smile, Elsa expressed her approval, noting that it would definitely help her catch at least one or two handsome princes if she ever found herself lack of a dance partner on the day itself, to which Anna laughed good heartedly, arguing that she rather hoped to catch someone's interest with her bright personality and skill at jokes rather than an elaborate dress, even though she wasn't against the gown itself giving a hand if it could.
Decision made, and, five minutes later, purchase in yet another bag, the two sisters were out in the bustling streets once again, doing their best to steer clear from the oncoming afflux of people and, in Elsa's case, desperately hoping that now that she was outdoors once again, that the sun would give her a helping hand and warm her up, for the chills had gotten quite a bit more intense since the shop.
"Do you think we would have time to stop for a cake at Kai's?"
Elsa didn't answer at first, as putting one foot in front of the other quickly became her sole focus once they exited the shop (why was it so hard to walk all of a sudden? She was fine yesterday… If she could remember well. That said, her brain was getting a little fuzzy, so it was anyone's guess, really), and she was half-way swaying a little too much to the left when Anna's question rightened her up again, knowing that if anything, this was her sister's day, and being a little overtired wasn't what was going to stop it or bring a premature end to their outing.
"Say again?" Elsa half-slurred, hoping Anna wouldn't detect anything wrong, this was her day after all, and her sister needed to be happy and carefree, and Elsa just needed to hold out until tonight, just a few hours, nothing impossible there.
Anna raised a slightly skeptic eyebrow, noticing that this was the second time Elsa seemed to be somewhere else entirely when she had tried talking to her, and while she would be the first one to admit that sometimes, everybody needed their privacy, this wasn't really what the issue was. It was that Elsa was acting kind of strangely. And were those black bags under her eyes really from tiredness? Well, nothing like a good dose of sugar to get things going again, the bakery was certainly a stop they would be doing on the way home.
"I was saying, do you think you'd like to stop of at Kai's to pick up a cake to bring home?"
"Oh-Um, yeah, sure." Elsa said. "If you'd like to."
"No." Anna insisted, biting her lip as she began to worry a little for her sister. Elsa was definitely acting a little strange, and all of a sudden, the detour to the castle seemed like a bad idea. But if Elsa wanted cake, she could at least give her that after her sister had patiently waited for her all morning while Anna had been trying on dress after dress. "Only if you want to, you get to choose this time."
"Um, I guess I'd like a cake then?" Elsa ventured. Who knew, maybe a little sugar would help her feel better? Wasn't it Gerda who was always gloating about how the sugar she took with her morning tea was what gave her all that energy to get the castle work done? Maybe it would help her last a bit longer, at least let her be company to Anna for however long she wished to stay in town.
With Elsa's consent, Anna really did want to pick up the chocolate cake she'd been picturing in her mind, for it did look most appetizing with its oozing smell and melting heart, but then she looked back to Elsa, only now noticing how she seemed to be panting and how the large bags under her eyes seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.
"Hey," She asked softly, her arm coming up to wrap itself around her sister's neck lovingly. "You don't look to good, are you sure you're alright?"
Elsa only nodded, but Anna could tell the blonde was trying to hide her condition. She knew the blonde was doing it so she might make the most of the day, but for Anna, to make the most of the day, she needed Elsa to be okay too, which she was not, and Anna wasn't going to let her get worse on the account of making her happy. However, she knew better than to outwardly tell her so, and after a quick debate on how exactly she ought to word it, Anna went for offering to put their date off, as the cakes and hot chocolate were certainly not going anywhere, and she would much rather Elsa be okay so they could enjoy them together rather than on her own.
"Tell you what, why don't we save that for another time? I think we ought to get back, and besides, surely we have some kind of chocolate biscuits laying about in the kitchens, I could surely ask nicely if one of the cooks could spare one or two for us. You're definitely not in a state to be going anywhere like that."And if managing the few bags she had in both hands was a challenge, slipping them all into one so she could offer her arm for Elsa to lean on, as her sister seemed near to toppling over, she was ready to put up with the slight inconvenience up to the castle if it meant it helped Elsa. She owed her that at least for spending the afternoon with her.