ICE QUEEN
1. Before Bedtime
"Elsa?"
Elsa looked up to see Anna open the library door. Elsa had retreated to the library after a long day of meetings and discussion. For the past hour she'd been curled up with a book in the chair closest to the fire; half-reading, half watching the spring sunset through the window.
"Yes?" The Queen asked her sister while marking her page. Anna smiled apologetically.
"They want you." She repeated a statement she'd made many times in the past few weeks, "But I can tell them you're busy-"
"I'm not." Elsa closed the book completely with a small smile of her own.
Elsa walked through the palace halls and slowly opened one of the bedroom doors. Her niece and nephew, five-year-old twins, were waiting for her.
Ingrid had crawled onto Klaus' bed, something Klaus did not look particularly happy about. Both children had Anna's nose and wide, aqua eyes. Ingrid's golden blond hair was pulled into a ponytail for the night, her wispy bangs flopping on her forehead. Klaus' tufted red hair was almost always in some state of disarray, tonight was no exception.
"Aunt Elsa!" Ingrid squealed upon seeing the Queen standing in the doorway. Elsa's face broke into an effortless smile.
As a child, Elsa hadn't given much thought to marriage of any sort. That changed when her sister, Anna, got married. After all, who enjoyed watching their younger sister get married first? Not that Elsa didn't love Anna, Kristoff, Ingrid, and Klaus with her whole heart, but still…
"Do it, Aunt Elsa." Klaus said, poking the woman's elbow.
"Well, what do you want tonight?" Elsa asked with a grin.
"I want a snowman!" Klaus exclaimed.
"I want a dress!" Ingrid added, climbing over her brother's knees to get closer.
"Okay, watch this." Elsa held her hands out in front of her, her right hand hovering several inches over her left. Blue mist began to form in the space between her hands, Ingrid and Klaus held their breath in anticipation. Flakes of ice began to crystalize in the mist, Elsa tightened the muscles in her hand and brought the ice together. With a last flourish of her fingers, she presented the children with a four-inch tall ice sculpture of a snowman.
"Oh…" Klaus breathed as he looked at it. They'd seen her do this trick many times before, but it never ceased to amaze them.
Elsa placed the iceman in the glass on Klaus' nightstand. During the night, the ice would melt, and when the children woke up in the very early morning wanting a drink, there would already be a filled glass next to them.
Elsa gave her niece a meaningful look and the girl scrambled off the bed and hurried across the room to her own bed. Elsa tucked Klaus in and kissed his forehead before moving to Ingrid's bed. She created a small ice sculpture of a dress for her and placed it in her glass before tucking the little girl in and standing.
"Aunt Elsa?" Ingrid asked, Elsa paused and the girl continued, "I'm getting a new dress for the party tomorrow."
"But we don't get to stay for the whole thing." Klaus complained from across the room. Elsa laughed once and perched on the edge of Ingrid's bed.
"Why are we even having a party?" Ingrid inquired.
Elsa hesitated. As the Queen, there was a lot of pressure for Elsa to find a husband. However, finding suitable options was proving to be very difficult. She had a hard time inviting people to Arendelle, and had a hard time leaving.
The kingdom's subjects had grown used to such things, but visitors were often alarmed by Arendelle's unorthodox ways. Maybe they were frightened by the ridiculously-optimistic, bucktooth snowman that roamed the palace halls. Maybe her powers (more manageable but still not completely under control) terrified them as well. Or maybe it was just the smelly reindeer that was treated like a member of the family.
The ball was intended to bring as many "suitors" as possible together and exposing them to Elsa and her family all at once in hopes she would find one who she considered worthy to be King.
"We are having the party so that everyone can come see how fun Arendelle is." Elsa answered at last.
"Do all kingdoms do that?" Ingrid asked.
"Of course." Elsa smiled and brushed Ingrid's bangs away from her forehead affectionately.
"Mama says you might find a husband." Klaus said. When Elsa looked surprised, the boy shrugged and added, "I heard her talking to Olaf."
"Maybe I will." Elsa conceded.
"We can help pick him out!" Ingrid crowded happily.
"That would be incredibly helpful." Elsa humoured the girl, charmed by her niece's compassionate enthusiasm.
"But we have to decide before bedtime." Ingrid qualified.
"Obviously." Elsa agreed solemnly.
"Maybe we'll find you someone like Papa." Ingrid mused. Elsa smothered a snort with her hand.
"Perhaps. But haven't you heard about how long it took to palace-train your father?" She teased. Anna's husband, Kristoff, was literally raised in a cave. Raised in a cave by trolls with a reindeer as his only friend. It had taken him a long time to adjust to living in a castle, though Elsa didn't think he'd ever completely adapt to the royal life. Although she'd given him the title of Icemaster and that of a Duke, in her eyes he was still her goofy and untamed brother-in-law.
The children giggled.
"Bedtime, you two." Elsa reminded them, standing.
"Good night, Aunt Elsa." The twins chorused as Elsa stood and blew out the lamps.
"Good night." She responded before leaving the room.
She walked slowly to her bedroom, lost in thought and worry about tomorrow's festivities. She entered her room and sat down on her bed, eyes fixed on her feet.
"Your majesty?" Someone said from the door. Elsa's head snapped up and she saw Olaf standing just inside her room, she'd left the door wide open. Elsa's eyes slid past the peculiar snowman and fixed on the doorknob, which was encased in a small block of ice, she must have frozen it on her way inside. She glanced at her feet again and noticed the ground beneath them was coated in a thick layer of frost.
She could never hide her anxieties.
"Elsa?" Olaf asked, tottering further into room. He climbed (with much difficulty) onto the bed and sat next to Elsa. His snow feet dangled over the edge of the bed and the tiny gray cloud that hovered above his head emitted small snowflakes that drifted down to the floor and comforter. Over the past six and a half years, Olaf had learned not to tiptoe around the Queen. "What's with the frostbite?"
Without answering, Elsa took a deep breath and used her self-control to melt the ice beneath her.
"I thought you'd be excited." Olaf continued, unappeased, "All those handsome men coming tomorrow to see you."
"I don't have much experience with men." Elsa demurred.
"Oh." Olaf leaned closer, "You're nervous."
"Why wouldn't I be?" Elsa groaned, burying her face in her hands, "I've spent the majority of my life shutting people out." It was known throughout many kingdoms that Elsa of Arendelle was an Ice Queen...in more ways than one.
"When you find your true love, you'll want to let him in." Olaf lifted a stick arm to pat Elsa's arm with his rigid fingers.
"My true love." Elsa repeated skeptically.
"What? Don't you believe in true love?" Olaf asked, aghast.
"As a matter of fact, I don't." Elsa said as she straightened, dropping her hands from her face and folding them in her lap.
"How can you, of all people, say that? Just look at Anna and Kristoff!" Olaf leaned forward anxiously.
"I am looking at Anna."
"But Kristoff-"
"I'm not talking about Kristoff." Elsa sighed. She wrapped her hands around her elbows, hunching her shoulders defensively.
"Wha-what are you talking about?" Olaf stammered. Elsa bit her lip.
"Olaf, you remember Hans, right?"
"Hans? Yeah. What about him?" The snowman wondered, utterly perplexed.
"You weren't here the night she met him. She tried to convince me that it was true love, but really she only desperately throwing her affection at him, and he exploited it." It was true that Anna had not thought about Hans of the Southern Isles in years, but Elsa thought about him nearly everyday.
The Prince's actions impacted Elsa more than her younger sister, even though Anna had at one point believed she was in love with him. But Anna was trusting and loving; it was in her nature to move on with her life. Elsa, on the other hand, had always feared people. She'd hoped Hans was different, hoped that he'd be able to take care of her sister. She'd been terribly mistaken. Hans' betrayal hurt Elsa deeply, and she had yet to forget it.
"In the end, he just wanted the throne." She lamented.
"You know, not all guys are like that." Olaf comforted her softly.
"Sure, I know that. The problem is telling the good ones from the bad ones. And what's more, I've never even made friends before. How am I supposed to fall in love?"
"Elsa, I have something very important to tell you." Olaf leaned closer and spoke in a low voice, "You don't have to be afraid of love. Love is kind and bright and you'll never know you were missing it until it's within reach."
"But-"
"And you'll notice that Anna didn't marry Hans in the end. She married her true love, Kristoff. You shouldn't worry about everything so much; life has a way of working things out."
"I suppose." Elsa smiled at the snowman weakly, "How did you ever get so wise?"
"You're the one who built me, Elsa." Olaf replied seriously, "I think you've known this stuff all along."
"Now that," The Queen decided, "is truly frightening."
The bedpost turned to prickly ice under Elsa's hands as her maid, Ida, tightened the back of the Queen's dress.
"I don't know if I can do this." Elsa gasped, tightening her grip on the bedpost.
"Don't be ridiculous, you look lovely, Majesty." Ida comforted her. Elsa focused on taking deep breaths. She was wearing a new, trumpet-styled gown. It was sleeve-less, high-necked (almost collared). The bottom of the dress was light, snowflake-patterned lace, covered in pale blue and vibrant turquoise roses. The top of the dress was a delicate corset of pale gold, the color of an aged coin. It was adorned with the same turquoise roses as the skirt, only smaller and limited to the neck, shoulders, and base above the skirt. Small bits of turquoise peaked through the pale gold of skintight bodice following the lines of the body. The material above the skirt bunched, allowing the fabric to fall into a wide and flowing skirt.
A soft knock sounded on the door and Anna slipped in. Anna was wearing a knee-length, hoop-skirt dress made of bright teal-colored satin. Her bodice was made of teal lace with flower textures. The bodice led into a collar that was plastered to her neck, with a small pink flower at the base. The collar was connected to the bodice by see-through mesh that led down her arms, her forearms were decorated with teal flowers that matched her dress. The mesh gave the illusion of there being no dress, just the lace upon the skin. Her red hair was brushed into a braid that hung down her back, tied with a black bow that matched her high-heel boots.
"Kristoff and the twins are already in the ballroom." Anna informed her as she danced across the room to her sister. Anna surveyed Elsa and said with a smile, "I like what they did with your hair." Ida had tied Elsa's hair into a knot of the back of her head with a few strands hanging loose from it, these strands were later curled and the knot was tied with a thin turquoise ribbon.
"The dress is a little tight, it's hard to-" Elsa panted. She moved a hand to rest on her ribs but Anna caught it and held it in hers.
"Don't worry, Elsa." She said sincerely, "It'll be ok. Whatever happens tonight is completely up to you. Just keep calm and remember that you're supposed to have fun tonight, nothing else matters."
"Fun." Elsa repeated lifelessly.
"Here," Anna let go of her sister's hand and picked up her crown. Elsa ducked her head while Anna placed the white gold ornament on it. Elsa turned away and slid on a pair of white gloves-just in case.
As a general rule, Elsa didn't wear her gloves anymore. Now that she knew how to control her powers, she didn't need to hide her hands, everyone knew her secret and it was a danger to no one. But, for a night like tonight, Elsa couldn't be too careful.
The sister walked together to the ballroom. Elsa braced herself as the doors opened and the herald announced, "Presenting her royal majesty, Queen Elsa, and Princess Anna." The room erupted with applause and the two waded into the crowd.
"Aunt Elsa!" Elsa heard Ingrid squeal. The girl rushed toward her, her periwinkle taffeta skirt flowing around her. "Aunt Elsa, have you met the Duke of Wellsworth yet?" She tugged on her aunt's skirt and Elsa bent over to let Ingrid whisper in her ear, "He's pretty." Elsa tittered nervously. Ingrid gave her a thumbs up and disappeared into the crowd.
"Don't you want to keep your daughter with you?" Elsa asked her sister.
"Oh, she'll turn up." Anna waved a hand dismissively. Before Elsa could comment, Kristoff and Klaus found them. "You two look so handsome!" Anna sang, lifting Klaus up and perching him on her hip.
"Mama!" Klaus complained, going limp.
"That right, I forgot." She set her son down before whispering to Elsa, "He thinks he's too big to be picked up."
"Good to know." Elsa responded blankly. Klaus went to stand next to his father. The two were dressed in matching burgundy jackets over gray vests and black pants. "You two do look very handsome." Elsa agreed. Klaus looked pleased, knowing that compliments were not something his aunt gave out lightly.
"Excuse me, your majesty." An older man stepped in front of her and bowed, "May I have this dance?"
"Of course." Elsa obliged, letting him take her hand and lead her to the dance floor.
She danced with several people before she finally met the Duke of Wellsworth. And when she did, she was unimpressed. She understood what Ingrid saw in him, he was fair skinned with pale blond hair and misty gray eyes. He seemed kind enough, but he reminded her a bit too much of Kristoff. As he twirled her she caught sight of someone across the dance floor and nearly missed the next step.
The man she saw was tall and impeccably dressed in a cream-colored jacket with matching pants and a crimson vest with a cream ruffle. His hair was smooth as water and the color of a raven's feathers, his facial features were sharp. He raised his eyes and met hers. There was a moment of suspension where she stared straight into his hazel eyes. In the next moment, he looked away and she continued dancing.
Out of breath after an hour of dancing, Elsa found Kristoff standing by one of the walls. Ingrid was sleeping peacefully in her father's arms.
"The excitement was a little much." Kristoff explained. Elsa stroked one of the girl's braids affectionately, finding comfort in the familiar act.
"Queen Elsa!" The Duke of Wellsworth called, making his way toward her. As he drew closer, she saw the man she'd noticed on the dance floor was walking next to him. The Duke stood in front of her and gestured to his companion, who (beyond the moment on the dance floor) looked vaguely familiar.
"Majesty, I'd like to introduce you to a friend of mine." The Duke said. The other man extended his hand and Elsa took it, catching her breath as his warm hand embraced hers. "This is Prince Sebastian of the Southern Isles."
"The southern-" Elsa cut off, her entire body going stiff. Now she realized why his eyes were so familiar- they were the same as Prince Hans'. Sebastian inhaled sharply and pulled his hand away, his palm was red and raw from cold. Elsa noticed that her gloved was coated in frost. "Oh, I- I'm sorry." Elsa stammered, backing away.
"That's-" Sebastian started.
"I need some air." Elsa interrupted, slipping through the crowd. She threw the doors to the balcony open and took a deep breath. She was startled to realize that someone was already on the balcony.
A man Elsa didn't know was leaning against the railing, looking out over the kingdom. Uncomfortable, Elsa cleared her throat. The man whipped around and bowed immediately.
"Pardon me, your majesty. I'll just be-" He murmured.
"Don't leave on my account." Elsa instructed, regaining her composure. She walked to the stone rail next to him and leaned against it. After a moment of hesitation, the man followed suit.
They stayed like that in silence before several minutes before Elsa said, "I don't believe we've met."
"My apologies." He said politely, but he didn't bow again, "My name is Edvin, Prince Edvin of Horndale."
"Ah, I've heard of you." Elsa turned to look at him for the first time.
"Nothing bad, I hope." He laughed. The smile stayed in place on his lips, revealing laugh lines around the corners of his mouth. His face was tanned and lightly weathered. His honey-colored eyes were framed by long lashes, his shiny chestnut hair was slicked back. The moonlight reflected off the gold accents on his black jacket, casting golden shadows across his arms and chest.
"Quite the contrary." Elsa relaxed, resting her forearms on the rail, "Prince Edvin; the second son of King Thore, the hero of Horndale."
"You didn't hear anyone call me a hero." Edvin argued good-naturedly.
"Of course I did." Elsa retorted with a smirk, "You are the one who hunted down those bandits after they attacked Horndale, aren't you?"
"Hmph." Edvin grumbled with a nod.
"Ha! I knew it!"
"There's no need to be a sore winner." The prince pointed out.
"Of course. Sorry." Elsa cleared her throat and folded her arms, looking away. "But, uh, really," She admitted, her eyes fixed on the horizon, "I know all about living up to a reputation. Then again, at least your reputations is, you know, good."
"I don't think you hear what people are really saying about you." Edvin disagreed softly. Elsa turned to him but he wasn't looking at her; his eyes were fixed on the starry sky. She waited for him to elaborate, but he didn't.
"Well?" She asked finally, "Aren't you going to tell me what they're really saying about me?"
"Hm…" Edvin considered this for a moment, "Nah."
"Excuse me?" Elsa responded in confusion.
"Probably, you should find that out for yourself, don't you think?" He teased.
"No. You see, Prince Edvin, here in Arendelle, I'm the Queen. And what I say…"
"Goes? Believe me, I'm aware." He was smiling again. Elsa scowled.
"Did you not find the ball to your liking?" Elsa asked stiffly.
"On the contrary, I found it quite enjoyable."
"Then, why are you out here?" She wondered.
"I prefer the outdoors. In Horndale we hold our summer ball outside in the gardens. My mother oversees the garden operations personally, she loves flowers. She has the whole staff setting up for a whole week before the ball. They put lights in the bushes, build canopies, prepare banquets, and make sure each rose is perfect."
"It sounds beautiful." Elsa admitted.
"It is."
"Although," She smirked and cut her eyes to Edvin, he titled his head toward her to show he was listening, "not nearly as beautiful as our mountains."
"Is that so?" Edvin smiled.
"You, um," Elsa tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear-a nervous habit- and continued, "you should take a horse up the trails, sometime. The view from the north mountain is...breathtaking."
"I believe that." He eyed the mountains with an adventurous spark, "I may have to take a ride up there someday." He turned his head and looked at her straight-on for the first time. The moonlight accented his high cheekbones and angular jaw. "Would you like to join me?"
"Me?" Elsa blurted out, a hand flying to her chest, "Go up the mountain with you?"
"Well you don't need to sound so panicked." The prince laughed, "I'll need a guide, after all."
"O-of course." Elsa looked away, "That's-" She swallowed, "Well, I should probably be getting back to my party." She turned away and said over her shoulder, "Next time I'll move the ball down to the courtyard."
With that, she walked back into the ballroom, leaving Edvin alone on the balcony.
This story is dedicated to my friend Linsey, who will always proofread for me and help me get past my writer's block :)
I'll be posting links to pictures of the dresses on my profile.
Don't forget to review!
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