The Strange Medium Guy with a Bad Haircut
(AKA Pearson "Doc" Mui)
Presents
Frozen: 6 Times When Elsa has Felt Beautiful
Every night that she isn't stuck at her desk, Elsa wipes away the makeup of the day and tends to her hair. She has a set routine of how many brushstrokes and how to redo the braid. It is a mindless, relaxing activity that dulls the many questions that arise in her mind.
Occasionally she pauses and looks at her reflection. She notes her features with a critical eye. She is thankful that she has all her teeth and they're in excellent condition. She is grateful that she has grown past the awkward teenage years. To an outsider, she is flawless and graceful, the epitome of a queen.
She would argue differently. She acknowledges that, yes, she is attractive. She might even allow herself the luxury of being seen as pretty. But beautiful? She has never thought of herself as being beautiful. In fact, she might have even scoffed at the idea in private.
To Elsa, her outward appearance in no way reflects her inner self. It can be, at times, an annoyance and inconvenience. She has heard many murmurings in her wake, felt every admiring (and sometimes lustful) glance. If only they knew-truly knew-of the nervous woman pretending to be queen. Would they be so kind if she wore something less flattering or striking?
There are times when she envies Anna's honest beauty. Anna doesn't have to wear nearly as much makeup as she does. She was being entirely honest at the coronation when she told Anna that she looked beautiful.
When Anna told her that she looked "beautifuller," it touched something in Elsa's heart. For a moment, Anna's honest compliment made her feel truly beautiful. That sincerity was in stark contrast to the diplomats and sycophants that she had to deal with. Their compliments were meaningless, hollow attempts to curry favor with her.
The second time that she'd felt beautiful was on the North Mountain. Having shed the mantle of the queen, she beheld her reflection in the ice. With her hair free of the proper bun and her newly-conjured ice dress, she felt as if she could be truly herself. And, for the second time that night, she felt beautiful.
The third time was after the Great Thaw, just before Christmas. Anna had surprised her with a magnificent new dress for the holiday, complete with a hair ornament. Of course, knowing that it came from Anna made the dress more meaningful.
For a while, she kept busy. Keeping busy was second nature to her. What was also becoming second nature was her tendency to overwork herself, sometimes falling asleep at her desk. After 3 or so incidents, Anna had voiced her concern. In order to spend more time with her, Elsa had made some changes to the staff so that she wouldn't be exhausted all the time.
He was the son of an old friend of the family. He was intelligent and adaptable and spoke more languages than her. He was humble and kind and took to Olaf as if he were a little brother. And he told Elsa that she was beautiful in a tone that was little more than a passing remark. He may as well have been talking about the weather, a simple fact.
She, of course, was politely dismissive. It was the trappings of royalty, the power she wielded that made her beautiful. She was...nothing special if one took those things away.
The fourth time was when she danced with him the second time. The first time they'd danced, it was an awkward, clumsy affair, which left him with lightly frostbitten hands from her nerves. But it had served the purpose of showing that she wasn't some unapproachable goddess queen.
Oh, what a difference a few months of secret lessons made. What a difference it was, knowing that your dance partner would listen to you. Oddly enough, the fact that he had not a drop of royal blood, not a hint of noble pedigree-that eased the pressure. Bereft of agendas, they could enjoy themselves. She totally ignored the scandalous, indignant looks from the would-be suitors and danced with her friend. She glided on the floor with him and she felt defiant, free...and beautiful.
The fifth time was when she looked at herself in the wedding dress. It was an elaborate production of silk and lace and it had rendered Anna speechless when she saw Elsa. Her little ones cooed over how beautiful their Aunt Elsa was. It was a day that she never expected to come, but it was here and it was real and she was trying so hard not to cry and ruin everything.
The sixth time, she had no business feeling beautiful given the circumstances. 18 hours of labor had taken their toll on her. She was exhausted, sore, her hair a mess and her makeup long since a casualty of her sweat. The room had been subjected to everything short of icicles but the occupants had held firm.
It didn't matter. None of it mattered when it came to the tiny, precious little bundle that was pressed into her arms. Her baby girl's eyes were blue and she had a tuft of golden blonde hair. It was decidedly a surprise to her brown-haired, brown-eyed husband.
She was surrounded by her family, by their love and their warmth. Anna was weeping as Kristoff dutifully dried her tears. Their children circled around, in awe at the new arrival. Her husband gently kissed her on the cheek and hugged her close.
She is Elsa of Arendelle, daughter of Agnarr and Iduna, sister of Anna, Queen of Arendelle. And holding this tiny bundle, she has never, ever felt more beautiful.
THE END
AUTHOR'S NOTES
I thought that I'd try getting into Elsa's head. Given that she has such low self-esteem, this entire theme might not be unreasonable.
The husband may appear on future stories. His name is Daniel and that's all I'm going to say about him.
Anyway, please feel free to drop a line or leave a review. And now, back to Nanowrimo.
-Pearson "Doc" Mui