"Oh, Elsa, today has been wonderful!" Anna beamed. "Who knew Olaf was such a great dancer? Much better than the Duke of Weaseltown, that's for sure. Remember when he asked you for a dance at your coronation and instead you offered me in your place? I still haven't decided how I'm going to get you back for that, by the way."

Elsa giggled as she recalled the event, but quickly regained her composure out of habit. She maintained a demure smile, though, unlike before when she would have just shut Anna out like everybody else. Embracing her powers and learning to control them with love had changed her life for the better. She was finally free.

"It has been a wonderful day, hasn't it?" Elsa sighed.

Anna grinned. "The best."

Elsa folded her hands and sorrowfully gazed at the castle floor. "If only I hadn't wasted so many of them."

Seeing her sister so guilt-ridden broke Anna's heart. "You did what you thought was best. You were protecting me. Arendelle, too. Besides, none of that matters now," she insisted. "The past is in the past. Let it go."

"Thank you, Anna," said Elsa, smiling again.

"Hey, I'm always here for you," Anna responded.

The sisters hugged.

-x-

Meanwhile...

"She's dangerous!" screamed the Duke of Weselton, flailing about like a chicken with the face of a monkey. "The Snow Queen must be stopped before she decides to plunge us all into an eternal winter again!"

The King of Weselton yawned. "Honestly, Duke, have you nothing better to do than obsess over Arendelle's queen?"

"But, sire, her power is unnatural! I have witnessed it for myself! She almost killed me!"

"Which is precisely why I wouldn't suggest angering her further if I were you," the king said. "Or me."

The duke gulped.

"Queen Elsa has already cut off trade with Weselton because of your actions. You're lucky she showed you such mercy if she is as powerful as you claim."

"Oh, she is, sire. Frighteningly so."

"Then I will hear no more. Leave."

"But-"

"Leave!"

The duke scurried out the king's chamber like a startled rat. His two most loyal men - who had accompanied him to the coronation of Queen Elsa over a month ago - were waiting outside.

"The king won't listen to reason," the Duke huffed. "That sorceress's very existence threatens Weselton. You both know better than anyone what she is capable of." He pointed to the taller, bearded man. "Need I remind you that you were almost pushed to your death from that confounded eyesore of a 'palace' she created?" He then pointed to the thinner man with sideburns. "And that you were almost impaled by one of her icicles?" He stomped his foot in frustration. "Monster, I say!"

The two men looked at each other.

"Uh, yeah, you're on your own," the man with sideburns said. "We wouldn't go anywhere near that crazy witch if you paid us all the gold in the kingdom."

The bearded man nodded. "I second that."

"Fine." The duke turned his back on them. "Consider yourselves relieved of your duties. I will seek assistance elsewhere."

-x-

Anna woke up with matted hair and drool encrusted on her cheek. "Gross," she thought aloud, rubbing off the drool. She wondered if Elsa was ever as dishevelled in the mornings, whether she remained poised and dignified even while sleeping.

There was a light knock at Anna's bedroom door.

"Anna, it's me," Elsa said. "I just finished that meeting with the King of the Southern Isles I was telling you about yesterday. He signed my peace treaty, even apologised on behalf of Prince Hans. It seems the reputation of my powers has given Arendelle a political edge. Isn't that fantastic news?"

Anna's blood boiled at the mention of the treacherous prince's name. "That is fantastic news. I'm glad to hear there won't be any tension between our kingdoms," she said, throwing on a dress and boots. "I hope Hans is facing punishment for what he tried to do."

"Oh, trust me, he is. Apparently his cellmate is a seven-foot-tall former lumberjack known as Mad Magnus."

"Poor guy," Anna sniggered. "The lumberjack, that is." She opened her bedroom door.

Elsa smiled politely and entered. "You look beautiful," she remarked, "as always."

Anna blushed. "Thank you. You look beautifuller. I mean, not fuller. You don't look fuller, but more beautiful." She buried her face in her palm. "I wish I'd stop doing that."

Elsa shook her head in amusement. "It's not important. It's only grammar."

Anna raised an eyebrow. Elsa was in an especially good mood today.

"Well, I have a few hours to spare before my next meeting," the queen said. "What're we going to do today? It's your turn to choose."

"Hmm," said Anna, tapping her chin. "Do you want to build a snowman?"

The sisters practically raced each other outside. It was as if they were little girls again.

Elsa materialised a flurry over the castle courtyard and froze the fountains.

Anna scooped up a handful of snow and tossed it at her sister. "Got you!"

Grinning, Elsa used her magic to create a single giant snowball and chased Anna around the courtyard.

"Wow," said Kristoff, watching them from the stables while he shared a carrot with Sven. "Now that's a snowball."

"Mercy!" begged Anna, laughing hysterically. "I give up!"

"Oh, no you don't," replied Elsa, ready to launch her boulder-sized snowball at the princess. "Prepare to-"

Kristoff had thrown a snowball at Elsa. "I'm so going to regret that," he thought aloud. "Hope she let's me keep the sled."

Anna sneakily found cover while Elsa was distracted.

"Two against one?" said Elsa, expanding her snowball. "Hardly fair...for the pair of you."

Kristoff gulped. "Uh-oh." He dodged Elsa's projectile and - when taking cover with Anna - noticed something unusual manifest in the middle of the courtyard. "Wait. What?"

Anna - noticing it, too - screamed.

The dark figure rushed towards Elsa, wielding a sharp, glinting object in one of its gloved hands.

Kristoff launched himself at the figure and Anna managed to pull Elsa out the way.

Elsa gasped, shuddered, then recomposed herself.

"Kristoff!" Anna exclaimed.

Elsa attempted to strike the figure with an ice blast, but missed as it moved with an impressive amount of fluidity. She also had to avoid hitting Kristoff.

The figure knocked Kristoff onto his back and raised its sword over him.

Horrified, Anna snapped off a large icicle from the fountain and charged forwards. "No!"

Elsa followed close behind her sister to protect her, still shooting ice blasts at their mysterious enemy, who retreated to the far end of the courtyard when Anna slashed at it with her makeshift dagger.

The princess knelt down beside her unconscious boyfriend to check his condition. "I think he's okay," she told Elsa. "A little bruised, but-"

"Anna, look out!" The queen blocked the path of an arrow with her ice.

"Whoa," gasped Anna, seeing that the arrow was mere inches from her own face. "Thanks."

Elsa was busy forming more ice to shield herself and her friends from the figure's onslaught of arrows. Unfortunately, one of those arrows soon clipped her side and she fell to her knees with a yelp.

"Elsa!"

The figure began to chuckle as it removed its hood and revealed itself to be a young dark-haired woman. "Prepare to die, Your Royal Iciness!"

Clutching her injured side, Elsa grimaced in anticipation.

"Please!" Anna begged. "Why're you doing this?"

"Money," the woman answered. "Plus, I enjoy a challenge."

Elsa scowled at her.

"And what greater challenge is there than to defeat the legendary Snow Queen of Arendelle?"

"We can give you money," Anna promised. "More than you'd know what to do with. Just-Just don't kill my sister."

The woman ran a gloved finger over the blade of her sword and licked her lips. "No. I think I'd prefer to take her head. What a pretty trophy it'll make."

Anna stepped between them, glaring. "Then you'll have to kill me first."

"Ha! Gladly. We'll duel for her life."

"Anna, no." Elsa froze over the surface of her injury to stem the bleeding. "Please don't sacrifice yourself for me. I can't lose you again."

"You won't lose me, Elsa," Anna said. "I'm going to win."

Elsa's eyes widened. "What? How can you expect to win against her? She's a professional assassin. You're-"

"The Princess of Arendelle. I refuse go down without a fight."

"Oh, Anna," Elsa breathed. "Here, then. Take these." She transformed Anna's icicle dagger into a full-blown sword, razor sharp and beautifully designed.

Anna was awestruck.

Elsa then formed a set of armour around her sister's body. If it was anywhere near as solid as her other ice creations, Anna would be well protected.

"Thank you, Elsa."

"Don't thank me. Just win."

Anna nodded and approached her adversary with increased confidence.

The woman sneered. "What, so now because you've got a couple of new toys at your disposal you believe you're capable of beating me?"

Anna half-smiled. "Nope. I knew I was capable of beating you even before. I'm simply more convinced now."

"Arrogant, pampered palace brat!"

The two women engaged in battle, both utilising whatever sword training they had received during their short lifetimes.

"Elsa!" Olaf came sliding into the courtyard on his stomach, Sven galloping by his side. "I heard you guys were being-Anna!" he cried, noticing the princess battling the female assassin. He then noticed Kristoff lying unconscious on the ground and Elsa's frozen-over injury. "Oh, no. Elsa, you're hurt."

Elsa winced. "Never mind me, Olaf. Help Anna."

"Right!" Olaf bounced over to Sven, who was nuzzling Kristoff's face. "Come on, Sven! We've got to go help Anna!"

The snowman/reindeer team conceived a plan.

Anna parried the assassin's blows with her ice sword, her armour withstanding the ones she missed. "I won't let you kill Elsa!" she grunted.

The assassin smirked, pouring a vial of animal fat over the blade of her sword. "You can't stop me." She scraped it along the courtyard cobbles like a metallic match and sparked a flame, setting it alight. Her sword now had the ability to melt Anna's armour.

With each blow Anna failed to deflect, the closer she came to receiving lethal damage. She was so exhausted. She wasn't sure how long she could keep this up for.

"Anna!" yelled Olaf, leaping onto the assassin's back. "Hang in there!"

"Get off!" the assassin hissed.

"No way!"

A familiar roar echoed throughout the courtyard.

Anna couldn't believe it. "Marshmallow?"

The enormous snow monster - and former bodyguard to Elsa - pounded his chest. "Go away!" he growled at the assassin.

Olaf grinned. "Time to deal with my brother, lady!"

"Brother?"

Marshmallow grabbed the assassin by the scruff of her neck and chucked her across the courtyard, knocking her out. He then caught Olaf and cradled him in his arms. "Brother," he cooed.

"That tickles!" Olaf squealed.

Anna's sword and armour suddenly thawed. "Elsa?" She looked over in her sister's direction and saw she was passed out and being tended to by Gerda and Kai - the royal family's head servants. "Elsa!"

Kristoff had regained consciousness and was holding a block of ice to his throbbing head. "Anna," he uttered, remorseful for failing to protect the sisters. "I'm so-"

"Don't," said Anna, hugging him. "This isn't your fault, Kristoff."

He hugged her back tightly.

"Will she be alright?" Anna questioned Kai and Gerda about Elsa.

Kai smiled. "Why don't you ask her yourself, Princess Anna?"

Gerda assisted Elsa in sitting up.

"Anna," croaked the queen, relieved to see her sister unhurt. "You saved me. And for the second time, as well."

Smiling, the princess shook her head. "No, Elsa. We saved each other."

-x-

"Banished? You can't banish me! I am the wealthiest duke in all of Weselton!"

"You are a disgrace to your people!" boomed the King of Weselton, bringing his fist down on the arm of his throne. "Attempting to murder a monarch of any state is a crime worthy of capital punishment."

The Duke of Weselton held his throat and gulped. "Sire, I-"

"Do not speak! You are banished, stripped of your titles and privileges. You will live out the rest of your days in the gutter."

"As a p-p-peasant?"

"Or do the dungeons sound more appealing?"

"N-No! Peasantry sounds delightful! Thank you for dealing me this merciful hand, Your Excellency!"

-x-

Elsa was gazing at the sunset from her balcony, a content expression on her face.

"How're you feeling?" asked Anna, wondering what was on her mind.

"A little sore," Elsa replied. "But I'm healing fast. My powers accelerate my recovery speed."

"They do?" Anna had learnt so much about her once-aloof sister in the last month. "That's amazing."

"Speaking of amazing," Elsa said, "I had no idea you could swordfight."

Anna shrugged modestly. "I've had a few fencing lessons. Nothing to brag about."

"You're very talented, Anna. I couldn't be prouder."

"Try having a sister with magical ice powers."

Elsa appeared to have gone shy. "You're proud of my powers?"

"Of course I am," said Anna, as though it should be obvious. "They're beautiful."

Elsa turned towards the sunset again. "I guess I've thought of them as a curse rather than a gift for so long that it's sometimes hard for me to view them that way."

"Well, Kristoff is definitely a fan. You know how he feels about ice."

They both giggled.

"Hey, do you smell something?" Anna said.

Elsa inhaled. "Mm...chocolate."

Anna grinned. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Way ahead of you," said Elsa, opening the doors which led from the balcony into the castle, where Kristoff, Sven, Olaf and Marshmallow awaited.

-x-

THE END