Disclaimer: I own nothing.
"You can't expect us to just sit here and believe you." Hard, battle-worn eyes bored into my own, but I refused to back down.
"I am your daughter, how can you not?" I practically snapped. To the left of him, my would-be mother shot me another vicious look of disapproval.
"You see, Adgar? This is all because she spends so much time with that- that-" The woman tried to contain her anger to no avail. All the while my nails secretly ground into the palms of my hands in hopes that I wouldn't throw a tantrum. Not here. Not now. Not in front of her. "Anyway, we want you to abstain from that little strumpet from this day forward." Steely dark eyes cut through me, a blade through a fish's belly. On the other hand, I felt my eye twitch in more irritation at that particular word. Who gave you the right to call ANYONE that?!
My eyes left the heartless depths in exchange for more familiar aquamarine. "But-"
"Not another word, young lady!" Father bellowed, red in the face with those eyes no longer trying to understand me. "For weeks you and that...devious unknown girl from the sea have been reaping havoc in the kingdom." He went to mutter on about a stolen horse cart, a massive shortage of deserts from the kitchens, rumors of a certain redhead and a blonde casting off after hours and other activities he referred to as foolish shenanigans. "That is no way for someone of your status to behave, understand?" Rough fingers came up to sort through the beard that covered the lower half of his mighty jaw. Under all that auburn facial hair lay a nasty third degree burn that continued on down his meaty neck. Father was one of the most respected Generals before he succeeded the throne.
Although as powerful as Father was, I still found the courage to feel a little angry at him. (His hot blood did run through my veins after all.) So it wasn't too surprising that I found so many words wanting to spill from my mouth then. Things someone with my upbringing would never even imagine belting out, but it was there. Burning just under my skin like flames were licking at my insides.
Yet there was nothing more I could do. When she was there, Father had more of a sturdy hold on me and I hated it so much more. She showed up out of nowhere and she wasn't my mother.
But instead of addressing the matter further and possibly digging myself deeper with the hardy woman, I spun on my heel and ran for the doors. At once, I nearly bashed into someone around the same height as me just as I scrambled all the way through.
"Hey. They wouldn't let me in through the front no matter how nicely I asked, so I snuck in here to check on you."
That voice. The tears I'd successfully held back suddenly came forth and I couldn't help but wrap my arms around the lithe body in front of me. An odd combination of cinnamon spices and the salty ocean filled my nostrils as I clung to slightly bony shoulders. "You're not what they all say you are." I muttered into the prominent collarbone under my nose. Definitely not a strumpet.
A deep chuckle escaped then, shaking through her body in it's wake. "I hate to break it to you, sweetness," pulling back, amused icy blue eyes met pleading teal. "But I am what they say I am." She took another step back and held me at arms length. "Quite lucky to have washed up on your shores after that mess of a tempest, but rest assured, I'm still a criminal." A signature lopsided grin that would forever haunt my days was shown before she turned and tugged me along. I decided to leave that ugly word for now, seeing as I didn't have much time to think anything else. She didn't need to know what that woman called her anyway.
"I don't understand why you have to be though." I ignored the looks the staff gave as we dashed down the grand hallway that led back outside. Even Kai and Gerda's requests and pleas were tossed to the side. They and everyone else could hunt me down for all they cared, I wasn't going to sit idly by and let them take my friend from me.
"And you might never, milady." A cock of her head showed me another smirk as we got out of the main gates. "Therein lies the beauty of this forbidden friendship of Princess and Hobo."
"Do not refer to yourself as that around me please. Or ever." I yanked my hand away from her grasp.
"You're cute." She snickered, but then stopped so she could put a more steady hand to my shoulder. "I am thankful to you my Princess." Her voice filtered into my ears like the sweetest song. "You brought me in all those weeks ago and through you I've learned almost nothing about anything." A harsh slap from me had her erupting with laughter before she again went solemn. "I'm sorry that you think the king and queen's behavior towards me is deplorable and such, but they're not exactly wrong. You can't blame them for looking out for you and as much as you don't like it, there's nothing we can do about it."
It made my heart twinge when she just accepted what people said about her. We weren't barbarians were we? "Please." I tried.
"I'll be casting off tomorrow." My friend then pulled the rug out from under me with ease. All while she calmly continued down the lane in that laid-back way she walked.
"Wait-" My eyes widened in shock and I didn't wait to catch back up to her side. "Casting- you mean to tell me that you're leaving?"
"'Tis true, your highness." She straightened on an exhale. "I found a ship that's heading north and asked them if I could be a stowaway lest the royal family finds me and makes me a slave or something."
"You can't leave." I stated blankly, not fully registering what my friend was saying and clearly missing the intended joke she'd laced in there somewhere. Sometimes she joked too much for my liking and this was one of those times.
"Actually, I can." She huffed, stopping so she could look at me. "I'm choosing to because I don't want you-"
"Shut up." I had no choice but to glare. "You can't just expect me to be fine with this. I...I-I took you in!" Hands flailing helplessly.
"You did and I already thanked you. Don't make it sound like I'm some sort of pet." She deadpanned, making me want to hit her again for the seemingly unperturbed way she said it. Had she other emotions than happy, aloof and nonchalant? Anger, surely. Somewhere. "I don't belong here, Princess." There it was, but in no way was it a good kind of sentiment because her eyes grew distant, as if she was hiding something. What? I didn't have a prayer in knowing, so all I could do was watch her push a hand through her uniquely colored hair while my heart broke a little more. She was a mystery to me and I was aware that that was one of the things that drew me to her.
Still.
"So you think you belong with other thieves? Other criminals?" Suddenly, everything about her was too smug. Too whimsical, too...too much. My own emotions seemed to spin out of control for a second and if I didn't get a hold on them soon, I would more than likely chase her off before the night was through. Unacceptable.
"So what if I do?" Icy blue eyes snapped back just as quick, sharp as broken glass. "This life chose me, okay?" She gestured to herself. "I couldn't have it my way if I tried because this is all I've ever known and I don't expect you to understand."
I tore my gaze away to glare into the distance. "You're conceited."
"And you're still cute."
She managed to force an incredulous bark of laughter from me with that. Bringing my eyes back into those arctic depths, I strangely felt a little calmer. If not, a little more embarrassed because she'd been saying things like that since we met and I had yet to get used to it. Our eyes locked and we stared at each other for a moment longer until she suddenly leaned in to touch her lips to mine.
Soft. Was the first thing that came to mind at the lightest brush of skin against skin. It was gentle, tentative, a bit on the scared side, but I wasn't focused on that. Semi-shaky hands came up to rest on my hips, and then slowly shifted further as she lightly wrapped her arms around my waist. Following her lead and closing my eyes, my senses quickly filled with this mysterious girl I'd found on the shores one fateful day. I let my hand slide back to feel the incredibly soft hair and while my other found itself circling around her shoulders. Everything around us went quiet save for the sounds of our hearts beating in time with one another.
This girl. The one with beautiful white golden hair that seemed to have been kissed by the moon herself. The irritatingly pretty one that got me in more trouble than I'd ever been in in the last sixteen years of my life in just a week. The one I was entranced with.
Whose name I didn't even know.
"This changes nothing, milady." Her lips and warmth left mine so she could say that.
Knees wobbly and head spinning with my heart ready to burst out of my chest, I carefully let her go too. "You're still leaving, then?" I tried not to show off how shy she'd gotten me in almost no time at all by pushing an unruly strand of hair behind my heated ear. That had been my first kiss! My fingers itched to trace over my tingling lips, but I refused for fear she'd laugh at me.
"I'm still leaving." She nodded, recovering faster than I ever could. So infuriating.
"Will you-" A soft sigh left my lungs. "Will I ever see you again?" It didn't matter if people had seen us. I was already in enough trouble with the royal couple, so something like this shouldn't be that much of a surprise.
With a lopsided smile my pretty friend pretended to saunter off, away from me. I watched avidly as she waltzed around one of the fruit stands, stealthily picking a single peach up and leaving money all without the man noticing. She was skilled. I'd give her that any day, considering that I'd seen her do a lot more. Our eyes met just after and she didn't hesitate to gasp in mock surprise at me. Even waving in the process like a fool.
"You know that isn't what I meant." A small chuckle left me unbidden when she came back into earshot.
"I know." She handed me the peach, but not before biting a chunk of it off first. Really? "It's not so bad, sweet cheeks. I'll stop by from time to time." In that instant, she gingerly slung her arm around my shoulders, making my face feel a lot more warmer than before and lead me on our way again.
"Is that a promise?" I asked.
"You bet." A cheeky grin.
After a longer stroll through town, we came to a stop at the docks where several ships were in their last phases of preparation. They would leave as soon as the sun peeked over the horizon. She hadn't thought to let me go the whole time and I found myself okay with that. If this really was my last time seeing her, I didn't want to ruin it.
"So, I don't think I've ever questioned this, but what's your name, Princess?"
The question completely caught me off guard, making me snap my head to her in utter confusion. I'm the princess of Arendelle and you have no idea what my name is? Even after all the time we spent together? Incredible!
"What's yours?" I narrowed my eyes at her, hiding the smirk that wanted to present itself on my lips right then. She really didn't know?
"I asked first." The blonde didn't even blink an eye.
"So, you're fine kissing and holding girls you don't even know the name of?"
"You're fine with taking care of unknown girls you find on the shores, letting them get you in tons of trouble and letting them kiss and hold you without them telling you their name?"
A frustrated growl tore from my mouth. "Sweet Frejya, you're impossible!" I broke away from her before I could possibly injure her or something along those lines for her exasperating behavior.
"We both are, milady." She emitted another amused snicker and leaned against the wall. "It makes me wonder what kind of relationship is going to stem from this."
Gritting my teeth didn't help me whatsoever. "How can there be any sort of relationship when you won't even be around?!" I didn't want to yell at her, but I couldn't help myself.
Birds flew overhead and the shouts from the men at the docks filled the dead air that had instantly gathered between us for a few sparse moments. In that time, my eyes fell to the waters below as they lapped at the boards, boats and shoreline. Did I have a right to ask that question? Perhaps her kiss was messing with my head. Surely, I couldn't have fallen for her in just a few weeks time, right?
No.
Impossible. I didn't even know what love was, so how could I begin to even think that? "You're much too young to know what love is." Father's strong, defiant voice rang through my head, making me falter in my thoughts. Of course...
"I'll make you another deal then, my kind Princess." Blue eyes found mine in budding excitement. "I'll come to your rescue." Her hands caught my shoulders. "Just say the word and I'll be here to whisk you away from this place and to a life of adventure."
Oh, how that appealed to me! She'd told me her dreams. In the dead of night, high up on the castle's roofs, she'd tell me tales of owning her own ship. Sailing around the world with no responsibilities to anyone or anything, food every night, spoils and everything she didn't have. It was all so magical and I easily got lost in the brightness of her eyes, the way her very being vibrated with palpable energy, just in the way she was...free. I wanted to be like her. I wanted a certain kind of freedom too and I would lie awake long after she bid me goodnight, dreaming of joining her.
But. Who was I kidding?
"What if I said I just wanted you to stay?" I tried one last time to sway her, but I could tell by the determination I saw brimming in her enchanting gaze that her mind was ultimately made up. There was no way I could make her choose something she clearly didn't want.
Instead of possibly letting her see all that crossed my transparent face, I took a bold step forward, caught her chin and clumsily pushed my lips to hers again. I didn't know when I would see her again or if I ever would after today, but I did know that I wanted something to remember her by. Maybe -just maybe- in turn she would remember me too. I could only hope.
"My name is Anna." I whispered, clinging to the peach she'd given me after pulling away from her warmth.
"Well, it's certainly nice to meet you, Anna." A genuine smile slipped across her face then, lighting the whole thing up brighter than I'd ever seen and I was suddenly glad I'd mustered the courage to do all that I'd done with her. No matter how dangerous or fickle the shenanigans were. That one smile was worth all the arguments, extra studies and other tedious punishments Father and that woman prescribed to me during her stay. She was worth it because I never knew I could have fun and laugh like I did.
And no matter how flustered she'd gotten me and how embarrassed I'd be if we got caught, there was no way I felt foolish for barely telling her my name right then. It strangely felt appropriate, considering that first moment our eyes met. There really was no need for names. Not when she'd show up to spare me from a three hour session in history, not when we snuck into the stables and took the winning Thoroughbred out for a ride and definitely not when we stole away to the waterfalls behind the castle late at night.
"My name is Elsa." She finally said after what felt like hours of me thinking over what we went through.
Elsa. The name burned itself into memory right there on the docks. Elsa. The girl who opened my eyes and showed me there was more to life than what I was currently living. Did it seem foolish to have thought that at age sixteen? ...No.
Not at all.
A/N: In no way does this mean I'm back.
I merely had an idea that wouldn't leave me be. (Not to mention the drawing I did.) So I just wanted to show that off and figured a little story would bring it together...let me know how this first one turned out because I've never written Anna as a Princess. Heh.
That said, I don't know when the next chapter will be up because I'm still rubbish at planning. ^^ But if some of the ideas I have work out then it could be here a bit quicker. Fingers crossed!
Thank you for taking the time to read~
*Culaccino and Alpha & Omega are still on hiatus by the way. Sorry.*