Anna wakes with a start, rubbing bleary eyes and wiping away sleep drool from the corner of her mouth. Sunlight, strong and a few hours shy of noon, streams into her bedroom as she puzzles why this particular day was so special.. It wasn't her birthday–that had just passed, and nor was it Elsa's–
Elsa!
Anna bolts upright with a gasp, eyes shining with recognition of today's significance: it was Elsa's one year anniversary of being crowned as Arendelle's queen. Anna remembers, too, how different Elsa had been just one year ago. One year ago, she had been resistant of any company, silent, and essentially an enigma no-one, not even her own sister, could quite unwrap. Anna still remembered how Elsa's hands trembled as she had held the orb and sceptre.
Anna wonders how different Elsa's coronation might have been had she been the assured, confident woman she is now. No gloves, no shaking hands, no gulps of anxiety. Just a queen, happy and confident, willing to accept the burdens of the crown.
I'm going to surprise Elsa, Anna decides, pulling out the dress she'd worn on Elsa's coronation. This is the one I want!
Once dressed, Anna styles her hair, coiling and braiding it into her favourite style. The trio of green ribbons is meticulously threaded into her bun, swaying with her movements. She isn't big on make-up, but Anna puts on a little blush, not much, for she is already blessed with naturally rosy cheeks. A subtle, natural shade of eyeshadow to her eyes, a little bit of lipstick, and Anna is finally satisfied by her appearance.
When Elsa sees Anna at the door of her study, she does not speak for about half a minute, taken aback at the younger's appearance.
"How do I look?" Anna queries, affecting the smallest of curtsies, framed in the doorway.
Elsa's response is not much more than a hushed tone.
"What's the occasion?"
Not quite the answer she expected, Anna tucks an invisible strand of hair behind an ear.
"How could you forget? It's the anniversary!"
"The anniv–oh." Elsa's eyes widen in understanding. "Is this why you dressed up today?"
"Of course–aren't you going to celebrate at all?"
Elsa glances away, folding her arms over her middle.
"Anna…it wasn't exactly pleasant. For any of us. I'm…sorry, Anna."
Seeing Elsa's closed body language, the way her face closed into something of the mask she'd worn on coronation day at the ball, made Anna's heart ache. Knowing how vulnerable Elsa could be at times, Anna approaches her carefully, a few steps, just a few.
"And that's why I want today to be even better, a day worthy of joy, because you have changed–and for the better. You're loved by everyone in Arendelle–you really are–"
"No, I know that." Elsa interrupts shortly, ice beginning to blossom under her feet. "It's…I still remember what you'd said–"
Anna gasps, hands to chest. "Oh Elsa, if you meant my outburst right before your icy magic showed up–"
"No, before then. When you had said about me not knowing about love. How the only thing I knew was to shut–"
The rest of Elsa's words muffle in Anna's shoulder as the younger sister grabs her in a rib-crushing hug, one arm wrapping around her shoulder, leaning the elder's head on a freckled shoulder.
"No, Elsa, please don't worry about anything I'd said at the ball–I hadn't really meant any of it–I just got mad, and I shouldn't have–not at you, after all that you'd done to keep me safe. You do know, and always have, what true love means." Anna squeezes her once, more gentle this time as Elsa sniffs into Anna's shoulder. "I want us to try to enjoy a happier first year anniversary of your Coronation–even if it's just us. You okay with that?"
Elsa lifts her head off Anna's shoulder, sniffling as she locks misty eyes with Anna's, a shaky smile lifting her lips when the younger dabs a tear from the corner of her eye with a thumb. Taking a deep breath, Elsa wipes her nose on her hand, much to what appears to be Anna's slightly grossed-out reaction.
"Elsa," she chides, "don't you keep a handkerchief on you?"
Her sister has the grace to look a little sheepish. "Sometimes."
Anna shakes her head, removing a small kerchief tucked expertly in her dress's strap, offering it to her sister.
"Here, take mine. It's clean."
Elsa takes the offered hanky with an air of gratitude. Seeing frost having escaped over the floor, she discreetly removes it again with a flick of a hand. She doesn't pull away when Anna threads an arm through hers.
"Now, about today, Elsa. I know you don't want a big celebration, but maybe in the next few days, you can, when you're ready, announce a big, belated first anniversary of your coronation and I can help–I will be right here if you need me." Anna's voice rises and falls to the song of hope. "What do you think?"
"I think that would be a wonderful idea," Elsa agrees, "but today, yes, we'll just celebrate together."
"Excellent! Can't wait to get started. Ice-skating in the ballroom after breakfast."
"Anna, it's closer to lunch-time."
"After lunch, then?"
Elsa grins. "If you wish. Anything else?"
Anna leans close to Elsa's ear, a conspirational whisper on her lips.
"Do you want to build a snowman?"
Elsa's arms wrap around Anna in a gentle embrace. "Always, Anna. Always."
When they part from the hug, Anna's eyes wander up to Elsa's head, and gasps.
"What?" Elsa's hands fly up to her head, "What's wrong?"
"Where's your crown?"
"Over there." Elsa points to the table, where, indeed, her crown rested, sparkling in the morning sunshine.
Anna makes a beeline for it, taking it in two hands, turning around to face Elsa with it resting gentle on her palms. Elsa tilts her head a little, puzzlement lining the skin between her eyebrows.
"Stay right there," Anna directs as she, gracefully as possible, strolls to Elsa, stopping right before her with a little smile, raising the crown above the queen's head. "I hereby crown you the most beautiful and brave queen of Arendelle."
She carefully sets the crown in Elsa's hair, making sure not to pull on the plait. When she lowers her hands, Elsa raises hers, brushing the crown with her fingertips, speechless, but happy.
Anna affects a curtsy. "Queen Elsa of Arendelle." Then, losing all pretense of grace, she embraces her sister, pinning her arms against her sides. "I'm so proud of how you've grown since a year ago."
Elsa presses a tender kiss on her sister's cheek. "And thank you for never losing faith in me even when I had none."
A curious lump lodges somewhere in Anna's throat. "I will be right here. Always."
Their little celebration begins at lunch, the servants scurrying to and fro, fussing over the table's set up. Though a little disappointed at Gerda's firm "no" to her suggestion on having chocolate everything (including toast of all things), Anna is still thrilled to spend a day with Elsa to acknowledge her coronation's anniversary. Nevertheless, lunch is particularly elegant with rich pastries, bread rolls, and other delicacies steaming on the table.
Lunch is followed by a hearty, sweet dessert including krumkakes and ice-cream, as well as cupcakes. Not particularly fond of ice-cream, unlike Anna, Elsa chooses some krumkake and a cupcake or two. Naturally, Anna eats her fill of all the choices of desserts, and finishes well before Elsa, who takes her time to savour the sweets.
"Ice-skating and snowmen after you finish?"
Elsa nods a little. "In the ballroom?"
"Are you sure?"
"I've told you before–I'm sure with using the ballroom."
Elsa had not even swallowed her last bite of dessert before Anna is there, tugging on her arm, a picture of excitement.
"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!"
Anna and Elsa both push open the doors that led into the magnificent ballroom where memories still haunted. But now neither sister was afraid of the past and its many ghosts haunting the castle's lifetime. They had talked about the past, several times, helping each other come to terms with the challenges fate had thrown at them over the last thirteen or fourteen years. They were no longer unwanting in facing their threaded pasts.
Just as she had done once upon a time, Anna pulls Elsa by the arm into the middle of the ballroom, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she pleads in breathless anticipation.
"Do the magic, do the magic!"
With her characteristic lop-sided grin, Elsa stomps on the ground, once, and ice coats the floor in a sheen of water frozen in time. She raises her arms in a graceful arc and snow falls in thick, swirling white specks, collecting gently on the floor and the empty chairs lining the walls. Another flick of Elsa's hands, and ice-skates appear on Anna's feet, replacing her prior shoes. Anna looks down, admiring the flawless craftsmanship.
"They're so beautiful!" she gushes. "They look just like the ones I had last time!"
With a tentative slide forward of one foot, Anna tests her balance on the ice, pleased when she does not fall or waver. Elsa's hands appear before her, ready to catch should the younger fall. Anna releases her breath, locking eyes with Elsa.
"I think I got it now–it's really fun–ice-skating!"
A glint of mischief in Elsa's blue irises.
"Let's have a race–you ready?"
Anna blinks at her. "Wait, what?"
Elsa grabs Anna's wrists and pulls her into position next to her, at the ready.
"First to the door!"
And Elsa shoots off, leaving Anna behind, throwing a mischievous grin over her shoulder.
"Hey, not fair, Elsa!" Anna protests, straining her legs to skate over the ice. "Wait up!"
Elsa laughs freely, arms out as she slows down, tilting her head back, not seeing Anna catching up until the younger throws her arms around the queen's waist, leaning her chin on her shoulder.
"Gotcha!" Anna crows, holding even tighter as Elsa squirms in an effort, half-hearted as it is, to get out of Anna's strong hold.
"Let me go!"
"Nope!"
Elsa shoots ice from her hands to make them come to a stop right before the closed doors, nearly falling under Anna's weight and strength.
"We both win–together!" Anna triumphs, letting go of Elsa, doing a little victory jig with her hands, not trusting herself to dance on the ice. "Hey look at all this snow! You know what we ought to do, don't you?"
Elsa reaches out and playfully ruffles Anna's hair.
"Hey!" Anna protests, pretending to pout. "I took hours to get that just right this morning!"
The older sister smirks, teasing. "I'm sure you did." Taking Anna's hand, she skates them both to a large mound of snow, taller than they are. "Now let's build our snowman."
Anna holds up two fingers. "Or two."
"Or three."
"Three?" Anna pretends to be horrified, slapping both cheeks with her hands, eyes bulging. "No! Three?! No, make that one hundred."
"We'll be here all night."
"Elsa, who needs guards when we're about to build a snowman army."
Laughter bounces off the elegant room as both sisters share in each other's amusement.
"A snowman army…" Elsa muses, then points a finger at Anna, mock serious. "Let's do it."
"And no cheating, Elsa," Anna plants her hands on her hips. "That's the rule."
"I didn't know there was a rule."
"Yes, there is–no using your powers to make a whole snowman just like that." Anna snaps her fingers to emphasise her point. "Get what I mean?"
"By hand?"
"By hand."
Elsa rubs her hands together, gleeful. "Let's do it."
A/N: Originally written for Anna Week on Tumblr (late Nov 2015).