Hello, everyone! This was just a little idea I had to explore the short relationship between Elsa and her loyal guardian, Marshmallow. You don't really get to see the two together, and this is my take on what could have happened after she had kicked Anna and the others out of the palace, but before her palace was placed under attack. I hope you like it! :) Reviews are always appreciated! ^^

Her Only Friend

Soon after the events that led to Queen Elsa throwing her endlessly persistent sister out of her ice palace, Marshmallow, her recently created snow guardian, made his way back to his master. This servant was created by her for no other purpose than to provide her with protection. He had been gifted the ability of basic language, and, although he didn't have much in the way of brains, he possessed a large heart. This heart felt for no one other than his creator. She was his sole purpose in this life he had just recently been given. As such, he dutifully made his way back to her, having completed his first task as guardian.

Elsa was still up in the palace, trying everything she possibly could to regain control of her powers. The walls of her once beautiful, icy haven now glowed an ominous red. Pointed shards of ice now threatened her as they menacingly crept from the palace walls. Recalling the lessons taught long ago from her parents, she attempted to regain control the only way she knew how. "Don't feel. Don't feel. Don't feel!" she repeated over and over to herself, as she tried to repress the storm raging inside her. Though, the more she tried to repress it, the more menacing her powers became. She was growing more and more concerned. It had never been this bad before. "Elsa… get ahold of yourself. Come on, you can do it," she sternly lectured herself. But it was of no use. Her powers had never been this out of control before, because she had never been this frightened in her entire life. Not only did she just discover that she has doomed her own kingdom to an eternal winter, but she was absolutely terrified that she had injured her beloved sister just moments before.

Marshmallow, after finally arriving back at the palace, quickly noticed the trouble that stirred from above. He swiftly entered the palace and clumsily climbed the palace stairs, until he, at last, reached his cherished creator. At this moment, Elsa was merely a heap upon the icy floor, crouched into herself with her arms hugged tightly around her legs and her head hopelessly buried within them. The icy spikes continued to protrude in her direction, with the glow growing more and more intense. She was completely lost within herself, succumbing to both the physical and emotional pain within her. She was on the verge of giving up the last shred of hope of not only learning to control her powers, but also that of having a normal life. Why this? Why her? What had she ever done to deserve this? She just continued to sit there, hopeless, in the middle of the now sinister palace, not knowing if it anything was even worth it anymore.

Marshmallow frowned as he looked down on the sad sight of his master. While he wasn't very smart, his gentle heart told him things were very wrong. He wasn't quite sure of what it was he had to do, but his loyalty pulled him in her direction in an attempt to comfort her. The large snow-beast gently seated himself on the floor next to Elsa and tried desperately to think of the words he should say to her. "Marshmallow's… sorry you're upset", he said as quietly and comfortingly as possible.

Elsa was completely unaware of her servant's return and was startled by the sudden break in silence. Her head instantly shot up as she nervously shouted, "What? Who's there?!" It was only a moment until she noticed her enormous, snowy bodyguard quietly sitting beside her. She let out a sigh relief. "Oh, Marshmallow… it's you." She looked to her guardian with a pained expression.

Marshmallow, heavy with concern, gently placed his giant icy hand on the Queen's shoulder. "Elsa… upset?"

Elsa felt a slight relief in the pressure that was building within her. The touch of her loyal servant's hand, while not quite comparable to at that of a human's, felt wonderful to her. After so many years in isolation, she couldn't remember the last time she had experienced the sensation of an affectionate touch. At this moment, Elsa grew incredibly grateful that she had created Marshmallow. It was also nice to finally have someone to talk to in her place of isolation, which was now more of an icy hell than the sanctuary it once had been. She turned to her beloved creation and slowly began to speak. "Oh Marshmallow. I'm so scared… I just don't know what to do anymore." At these frightened words, Marshmallow instinctively pulled Elsa closer and gently embraced her, trying as best he could to ease her pain. Elsa didn't reject. "I just wish I could fix this. Fix everything. But… I don't know how. I wish I did." Elsa allowed herself to fall into Marshmallow's embrace, releasing a small amount of tension. "What are they going to do down in Arendelle? They'll all freeze if this doesn't end soon. I'm their Queen. I'm supposed to protect them… But instead, I've managed to put them all in danger." Elsa had never felt more utterly useless.

Her thoughts then quickly jumped from her subjects to her beloved sister. She knew she had struck Anna right before she had cast them out of the palace. She couldn't get the horrifying image out of her mind. Her poor sister, painfully collapsed on the floor as she was gripping at her chest. She had never felt such fear in her entire life as she did seeing her sister at that moment. But what she couldn't bring herself to understand was how she seemed to be just fine immediately after the incident. But was she really? Elsa knew very well that she had hit her. But maybe this time was different, somehow. If she had struck her sister's heart, surely she wouldn't have been up and talking, nor would she have been able to keep fighting her. But it didn't matter. The fear still consumed her. "Why, why wouldn't Anna just listen?! I knew I was losing all control… I was begging her to leave. Why does always insist on being so stubborn?" Elsa started to grow slightly angered at her sister's actions. Why was she always so irresponsible? Why couldn't she ever listen? But as quickly as she started to grow upset with her sister, is as quickly as it dissipated. "I just hope she's ok, Marshmallow. I really don't know what I'd do if something were to happen to her."

Marshmallow peered down at the fragile queen lying in his arms. "Elsa… loves Anna?"

Elsa sighed at those words. "Of course I love Anna. But, I just don't understand why she still loves me… I've done nothing my entire life but let her down." Elsa flinched recalling the memories over the years. All of the times she was forced to ignore her sister's pleas for attention. The cries for love. And even now, after being exposed, she's still being forced to push her sister away. To decline the help that Anna's so graciously offering her. "What does she even see in me? Why does she keep fighting for me?" She just couldn't make any sense of it. She didn't even want to fight for her anymore.

Marshmallow was taking in every single word of Elsa's emotional outpour. Emotion. This he understood. He then said to her, in the best way he could manage, "Anna loves Elsa. Anna… doesn't want to lose Elsa. Maybe… Anna hopes for better future."

These words stopped Elsa's thoughts dead in their tracks. Could there really be a chance for a brighter future? One where she actually learns to control her powers? One where the two can finally be sisters once more? This prospect seemed impossible to Elsa, but just the idea of it brought her a tiny glimmer of hope. "Do you… really think there's still a chance?" She looked to her guardian with a tiny spark returning to her once defeated gaze.

Marshmallow smiled. "I believe in you."

These four simple words relieved Elsa immensely. The ominous red glow of the palace finally began to subside and the icy spines finally halted in their threatening advance. At last, Elsa was feeling more at peace. "I don't know how I'm going to do it, Marshmallow, but I can't just give up now. Those in Arendelle are depending on me. Anna is depending on me. I just wish I knew what to do." Elsa had no idea what she was going to do, or how she was going to fix the damage she had caused. All she knew was that she couldn't give up, because the moment she gives up, is the day her kingdom is surely doomed. She looked up at her creation, full of respect and appreciation, and went on to hug her wonderful snow-beast. "Thank you, Marshmallow. You know, you're the only friend I have here right now."

Marshmallow smiled and held Elsa gently. He didn't understand much about this world that he had been thrown into, but he did understand the love he had for his creator. It brought him tremendous relief to finally see her at peace. Elsa, now utterly exhausted from the events from the day and her mind a little more at ease, rested on her protector until she had finally drifted off to sleep. Marshmallow loyally stayed by Elsa's side for quite some time before gently scooping her up and placing her into one of the palace beds she had created. As he was about to exit the room, he looked back once more to see a content, dreaming Elsa, who, if only for this moment, was free of her pain and worries. He smiled, knowing that he had done well at his duty.

Marshmallow continued on to descend the ice palace, soon making his way to the frigid outdoors. After all, it was his purpose to protect the Queen; a job not so easily done from the inside. He made his way to the foot of the staircase that led up to the palace, burying himself under the snow, as he, too, laid down to rest.