A/N: Hello everyone! This is my first multi-chapter fic in quite some time (and my first Frozen one) so I am very excited about this! This is also much darker than the things I usually write, with A' Frigid Farewell' being the exception (which was actually practice for tackling this fic). So, anyway, I really hope you enjoy this and if you have a moment, a review is always a wonderful motivator and serves as very valuable feedback!
Happily Never After
"I did it, Elsa! I saved Arendelle! I saved Arendelle!" A young, 5 year old Anna shouted in pure glee as she held the stuffed version of herself in her tiny hands, raising its little fingerless arms high in sweet victory.
"You did, Anna! Great job!" cried Elsa with all of the enthusiasm of an 8 year old. She, too, held a tiny stuffed doll resembling herself within her hands. The two sisters played joyously in the midst of their large, luxurious bedroom which was splashed with various shades of vibrant pinks and purples. The day quickly approaching dusk, the girls were taking advantage of what little time they had left to romp and play, for it wouldn't be long before their parents, the King and Queen themselves, would arrive to tuck them in for the night- no matter how much the little princesses may try to protest.
Anna lifted her gaze to slowly meet her sister's; her eyes soft and pleading with a smile spread wide across her round little face. "Hey, Elsa… You know what would be fuuun?"
Elsa's gaze fell down to her knees as a tiny frown made itself evident upon her naturally pale features. She knew immediately what it was her sister desired. "Anna, you know that I'm not allowed to do that in here."
Anna, not at all satisfied with her big sister's response, dropped her doll and laced her fingers tightly together, pulling her bonded hands against her chest in a desperate beg. "Oh, please! Please, Elsa?! Just this one time?"
"Well…" Elsa paused, biting her lip nervously as she shifted her sight to the doorway. Her parents had been exceedingly clear on the matter and the last thing she wished was to cause unnecessary conflict. Nevertheless, it was immensely difficult for Elsa to ignore the pleading behind those large, glistening blue eyes. And that voice, oh, her sweet little voice. How could she possibly resist? "Alright, but we have to be fast," she stated after a moment of hesitation. Out of utter joy Anna leapt up and down like a tiny joey springing through the vast outback as Elsa began to summon the first hint of magic between her palms. The icy, glittering blue dust wisped this way and that, spiraling around a center where the first traces of snow were magically beginning to take form. The once grain-sized ball of snow grew quickly until the snowball had reached an admirable size. Once Elsa ceased the use of her magic, satisfied with the result, gravity commanded the massive snowball onto the plush pink carpet below.
"Snow!" Anna shouted from the top of her voice as she allowed herself to fall face first, arms outstretched, into the fresh powder. The tiny princess couldn't help the rage of giggles that instantly ensued. Elsa's heart caught painfully in her throat. Was Anna trying to get them in trouble? Why on earth did she find it necessary to be so obnoxiously loud?
"Anna, shhhh," Elsa said as she pulled a single finger up to her lips, "This is a secret, remember?"
Anna gazed up at her worried sibling, snow liberally strewn throughout her strawberry-blonde hair; flecks scattered upon her face. A tiny giggle crept up and out from her chest. "Ohhhh, ok. Secret." She nodded her head in understanding and swiftly gathered a handful of the cold white substance. It was odd. The 5 year old had been exposed to Elsa's natural coolness and her magical powder and ice so often, the cold didn't affect her nearly the same as it would any other ordinary individual. She could impressively touch and handle the two for quite some time before she would begin to experience anything of a negative nature. Slowly, Elsa peered once more to the door across their room, ever watchful of their soon-to-be-returning parents. Suddenly, a soft yet firm impact to her cheek stole her from her worried thoughts. As she turned, her eyes met Anna's which were smiling with pride after successfully hitting her target with the nicely packed ball of snow.
"Ohhh, you're gonna get it!" Elsa cried out playfully. Her eyes were hungry for revenge and her mouth was curled in a determined smirk. With her hand before her, she quickly summoned a perfectly formed snowball; primed for its victim. She could see the excitement aglow in Anna's eyes, a sight which only fueled her further. In turn, her younger sibling reached out to form some more precious ammo, but before she even had a chance to dip her fingers in, Elsa had sent the snowy weapon of choice hurling into her sister's left shoulder.
Anna let out a feigned, wounded gasp, "That's not fair! I can't make snow like you can."
"Oh yeah? Well, what are you going to do about it?" Elsa taunted.
Anna's eyebrows furrowed in determination, dipping her hands into the snow and forming a perfect ball. With an expert flick of her wrist, the snowball exploded against the impact of Elsa's chest.
"Oh, it's on," Elsa declared, her voice thick with arrogance.
The girls broke into an all-out war, snowballs soaring this way and that way; the majority pelting their intended targets with frightening accuracy. Frozen dust wisped around them and the room, covering the ground with an ultra-fine powder. They chased each other relentlessly. Elsa resorted to taking post on her bed; making an effective barricade out of the footboard. They continued on in this manner for quite some time. While caught up in their intense battle, however, they failed to hear the sound of the slowly approaching footsteps. The door to their bedroom opened slowly. Elsa froze. Little Anna was still lost in a fit of giggles.
"Elsa!" The stern tone of the King's voice and her name alone was all that was necessary to convey his displeasure to the scene that played out in front of him. Elsa slowly got down from the bed and stood in before the mess she had created.
"I'm… I'm sorry Papa," Elsa apologized with nervousness heavily laced in her voice. She redirected her gaze to the snowy floor beneath her feet as she placed her hands shamefully behind her back.
"Elsa, I am certain we have had this discussion many times before. Did I not make myself clear?" The Queen winced slightly at his harshness, but managed to maintain her composure. She understood it was all out of his concern for Elsa and that he had his reasons. Anna's eyes were growing wide with fear. Her father's words cut like a knife. This was all her fault. She pushed Elsa to do this.
"You did. I just…" her words were quickly cut off by those of Anna's, who quickly rushed to her aid.
"No, no, no. It was me. I made the mess. Please don't yell at Elsa." Elsa's chest swelled with warmth as her sister attempted to defend her. Why was Anna so willing to take the blame?
King Agdar raised a curious eyebrow to his youngest daughter. "You made this mess?"
Anna nodded her head. "Uh huh, uh huh! I have magic, too! Just like Elsa."
"You do, do you?" responded the Queen, also amused. She smiled at her daughter's desperate attempt to save her sister from punishment.
She may have only been 5, but she was rather bright for her young age. It was obvious that they were simply playing along. "Okay, fine. I don't have powers. But it was all my idea. Elsa didn't want to do it."
The Queen turned her attention to her eldest. "Is this true, Elsa?"
Elsa's gaze met hers, her head still slightly tilted downward and her eyes beginning to gloss over with tears. "Yes. But please, don't get mad at Anna. I didn't have to give in. I just wanted to make her happy."
The combined words from the two daughters were enough to thaw the sternest, coldest of hearts. The King and Queen looked to one another, each nodding their head in mutual agreement, effectively giving up the battle. The King let go a heavy sigh, carrying with it some of his built up tension, then spoke, this time in a much softer, kinder tone, "We'll let you go for your actions this time, girls. But I expect that there won't be a repeat of this event in the future?"
"No, Papa." Elsa responded, still feeling incredibly small. It wasn't until the King knelt down and offered his arms out that Elsa felt the sweet surge of relief course through her body. Without a moment of hesitation, she rushed into the warm embrace of her father. She hugged him tight, clutching pinches of silky fabric into her firm grasp. The tears that she had so bravely been holding back gently began to fall from her eyes, though she was mindful not to whimper. He held her close. "Oh, Elsa. You know we love you. We just have rules for a reason and we expect them to be followed."
"I know, Papa. I understand. I love you, too." Elsa sighed heavily into his chest, thankful that no one was upset any longer. The King gently pulled Elsa away and looked her kindly in the eyes. "Why don't you go say goodnight to your mama, alright?"
"Okay," Elsa replied as she gently nodded her head and wiped the tear stains away with her sleeve. Her father continued on to tend to Anna, wishing her a goodnight and tucking her into bed. After observing her father and her younger sister for a brief moment, Elsa made her way over to her mom; gravitating toward her kind, warm, protective energy. She knew her father loved her, she did, but never did she feel as safe and content as she did when she was enveloped in the loving arms of her mother; her scent alone sufficing in comforting the young princess and putting her mind and body at ease. She knelt down as she relished in her mother's soothing embrace. "I love you, Mama."
"I love you too, sweetheart," she spoke to her tenderly, rubbing her back gently to comfort her. "Don't you worry about tonight, alright?"
"But… Papa sounded so mad," Elsa said quietly, careful that her voice didn't carry to her father's ears.
"I know. It'll be alright, Elsa. Come, let's go to bed." The Queen stood and took Elsa's hand in her own, helping her up and walking her over to tuck her in for the night. "I promise you, everything is fine, my angel," she said as she assisted in pulling the covers over her daughter. "Now, sleep well." She leaned down and placed a gentle kiss upon Elsa's forehead. Elsa smiled at the contact.
As the King and Queen were making their leave after extinguishing the last of the lanterns, a tiny voice traveled from the left side of the dim bedroom.
"Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Elsa," her mother lovingly responded as she quietly latched the bedroom door behind her.
Elsa lay there silently in the moon-lit room, her eyes slowly adjusting to the dimness of her surroundings. She wasn't the least bit tired- not after the events that had just taken place moments before. It was strange. Never had her father displayed such displeasure towards her in the past. Never. So why now? Why over something so incredibly innocent? Sure, the carpet was going to be sopping wet come morning, but that's nothing the castle staff couldn't handle. Her mind then shifted somewhere it hadn't before. Could it be her powers? Did he dislike them? Come to think of it, so many of his rules had to do with exactly that. 'No using your magic around guests." "No using your magic in public." "No using your magic in your bedroom." No magic. No magic. No magic. Was her father, the King of Arendelle, ashamed of his daughter? Ashamed of the magic that coursed through her veins, that was as much a part of her as the hair atop her head?
Elsa felt her body begin to tense as her mind continued to race with more distressing thoughts. She noticed an unusual, cool tingling in the very tips of her tiny fingers, but she simply ignored it. Her mind was being barraged by far too much at once to care. After so many upsetting and confusing thoughts had entered and exited her tired, exhausted mind, Elsa succumbed at last to the temporary peace that can only be brought by sleep.