Summary:
It was easy to let go when she believed she would never have to face the world again. It wasn't so easy when she felt the pressures of the kingdom to protect, the sister to care for, and the feelings she felt surfacing despite her attempts to squash them down like fresh snow under heavy boots. This story explores the other side of Elsa. [ElsaxOFC] [KristoffxAnna]
Chapter One: A New Summer
"I seek you. Be not afraid."
That was all. No name, no address, just a simple and mysterious message on a plain sheet of paper. Elsa handed the note to the captain of the guards that stood before her. The message, brief and written in charred black letters, seemed out of place among the detailed papers she's been sifting through when she discovered it that morning. Despite its claim that she should not be afraid, it made her nervous. She gave the captain a serious look.
"Find out all that you can about this. I'd like to know who sent it and why. In the meantime, we will simply stay vigilante. There isn't much else we can do."
"Yes, your majesty. I will see to the matter personally and return the moment we have any leads."
"Thank you." At least she could find some solace in knowing that the matter was being looked into. She had a lot to oversee, and one strange note did not need to take up more space in her mind than it warranted. With this taken care of, she allowed herself to give the guard a slight smile. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I hear my sister calling my name."
o o o
"It's too perfect," Anna said with a small shake of her head in mock disdain. "Look at this. There isn't a single scratch on this wood!"
She and her older sister stood in the middle of an otherwise empty ballroom. Anna had made a grand gesture with her hands to emphasize the spotless, shining floor beneath their feet. Elsa raised a dark eyebrow.
"You brought me in here, away from my important work, to have me inspect the floor?"
"But, Elsa, don't you see? It's hardly been touched. And it's a ballroom! There is only one way to fix this."
"Let me guess. You want to have another ball?"
"There is simply no other option. I mean, someone has to be paid to fix the floor, right? And how are they going to be paid if the floor doesn't need fixing? They aren't! They'll be out of a job and the whole economy will be thrown into-," she searched for the right word and breathlessly grabbed her sister's arm, "into complete and utter turmoil!"
Elsa had to let out a small laugh at her sister's ridiculous plot. She could be so ridiculously dramatic.
"Fine, fine. We'll have another ball."
Anna beamed, and Elsa could feel the warmth just radiating off of her. She knew it would make her sister happy, and that was enough to convince her. Besides, it could not possibly be worse than the last formal dance they held, nearly a year ago. There had been large festivals in the kingdom, open ice rinks in the courtyard, and decent-sized meetings within the palace. But not a grand ball. Anna was willing to let that fact slide, sensitive enough to her sister's worries about repeating what had happened last summer. But she came to the conclusion that a year was plenty of time to get over it. Now, they would plan another party for the high class society of neighboring kingdoms and have an excuse to fill the palace with an overabundance of extremely expensive gourmet chocolate.
It didn't take long for Anna to make up and send the invitations. Elsa found out the next day that her sly little sister had made up a list of names long before asking for approval. Elsa was reviewing the list of potential guests and growing a little unsure. She recognized many of the names, but some seemed unfamiliar.
"Where is the Duchess of Hollingsdale? I don't see her name."
Anna looked up from the envelope she was sealing.
"Her? She's so stuffy and old. Why would you want her there?"
"Because Hollingsdale is an important trade market."
"This isn't a trading ball. We're dancing, not swapping goods."
"Still, it's important that we keep friendly relations. Add her to the list."
"Fine," Anna replied with a sigh. "But I want this to be a fun thing. We can have an official ball later. This is all about meeting new friends!"
"New friends?" Elsa repeated skeptically. She continued to scan the list. It was full of younger people, mostly young men of high titles. Oh no, she thought, groaning inwardly. This seemed like the beginnings of a plan to get her to find a suitor. Anna had been hinting that she ought to think about the idea. She wasn't getting any younger, after all. Elsa had promptly reminded her that she was only three years older, and perfectly content with being single for now. It hadn't helped to deter Anna at all.
Anna pressed their royal seal into the hot wax on an envelope. Elsa wouldn't have glanced up and been broken from her train of thought if her sister hadn't been giggling. She wondered briefly if she could hear what she was thinking.
"What's so funny?" She asked cautiously.
"Nothing."
Anna was a dreadful fibber. The word had seemed to dance out of her mouth, accompanied by a little sing-song manner. She definitely had something to giggle about. But Elsa changed the subject instead.
"You do know we have people to do this for us, right? I brought back some of the veteran staff for a reason. They could be sealing these and sending them."
"I know," Anna answered. "But these are very special invitations." She giggled again. Elsa grabbed for the envelope, but Anna was quick. She kept it away, held it tightly in her hand. Elsa smirked and put a layer of thick frost around the paper, and Anna gasped. Still, she held it tight.
"Some ice isn't going to make me let go. Being around you has gotten me used to the cold."
"That doesn't mean your warm hand will be as stubborn as you are."
"Yes it will," Anna insisted. But she was losing the battle fast, and as soon as her hand let the freezing envelope go, Elsa snatched it.
"You play so dirty," Anna scolded, rubbing her hands together quickly to combat the cold.
Elsa tore the invitation open and read it.
~The Beautiful and Available Queen Elsa, and her sister the totally-not-single-like-her-gorgeous-sister Princess Anna, formally invite you to a grand, royal gala in the Kingdom of Arendelle.~
"Anna!" It was Elsa's turn to gasp. "You can't give these out!"
Anna tried to act innocent.
"Why not?"
"Because you're making me seem desperate. This is just supposed to be a fun night for you. That's why I agreed to it."
"But it will be fun," Anna insisted. "You don't have to make a commitment to anyone. Just rub elbows with a couple of dukes and lords or whatever. And maybe you'll end up thanking me later." Anna winked.
Elsa sighed.
"I just don't want to...rush something like this. There's no reason for it."
"Believe me, I don't think you should rush either. I learned my lesson about rushing into relationships and going too fast."
"Oh I'm sure you did," Elsa teased. "That's why I hear you sneaking off to Kristoff's room in the middle of the night, right? You aren't rushing anything or going to fast?"
Anna could almost feel her cheeks turning pink.
"I...um...You heard that?"
Elsa giggled, her hand daintily pressing against her mouth as Anna stammered to find an excuse. Failing, she shut her mouth and let her older sister continue.
"Look, you can have the ball and invite whoever you'd like. But just address me as 'Queen Elsa'. Nothing else. I'm not trying to sell myself."
Anna gave in with a small sigh.
"Fine. If you want to be an old maid, that's fine by me."
Elsa rolled her eyes playfully, knowing that Anna was just joking.
"Good. If I change my mind about being one, you'll be the first to know."
"Promise?"
"Yes. I promise."
O O O
Author's Note:
Well, here's my first attempt at fanfiction. I plan to introduce a few very interesting OCs and bring up a boatload of things from Elsa's past. Please let me know what I can do to improve it, or, if you have any questions, send those too. Thanks for reading ;)
