"Elsa, are you awake?" Anna asked knocking on her sister's chamber door.
"Yes, I'm awake, but I'm not coming out!" Elsa replied through the closed door.
Anna refusing to have yet another conversation with her sister through a door, tried the knob and opened the door. Elsa was sitting in bed reading, not making an effort to get up as Anna entered.
"Elsa, you can't hide in here all day, we have guests coming" Anna said pausing at the word guests.
"They're not guests Anna and you know it! They're suitors coming from all over in hopes that one of their wonderful sons get my hand in marriage and I'm tired of it, they've been coming for weeks. I have everyone I could ever need or want right here, why would I want anyone else?" Elsa asked flipping a page in her book.
"Elsa, you know you can't rule alone, if you don't marry you can't be Queen anymore-" Anna said consolingly
"If I'm not Queen then who would be?" Elsa demanded angrily, putting her book down.
"Well…" Anna paused and took a deep breath "me."
"What?!" Elsa screamed freezing the wall beside her bed as she put her hand on it to sit up. She gasped.
"Arendelle can only be ruled by a King and Queen, you've ruled two years by yourself and…"Anna repressed giggle. "I'm sorry Elsa, I couldn't help it the look on your face when you heard I would become Queen"
Elsa sighed blowing a stray strand of hair off her face. "I hate you, you know that." She said taunting her younger sister.
"Elsa please, this is the last day of suitors, after today you've turned down every person within 100 miles of Arendelle, please I just want to see you happy with someone like I am with Kristoff, please Elsa?" Anna pled to her sister who gave in.
"Fine, I'll meet these people but don't expect me to like them, you're lucky I let Kristoff stay here so there's no way anyone else is!" Elsa said reluctantly climbing out of bed and getting ready.
"Yay, I'll meet you downstairs!" Anna said rushing off to the room she and Kristoff shared.
Elsa sat at her mirror, looking at her reflection and sighed "Who would want to marry me?" she asked herself frosting her hair into place, one strand refusing as always to co-operate with her.
After getting dressed she looked at herself again, hair so blonde it was nearly white, big blue eyes, there was nothing wrong with how she looked, it was her powers. Everyone in Arendelle knew and the other surrounding kingdoms, it wasn't a secret as it once was, but she didn't like to show off to anyone who walked in the palace gates and every suitor wanted to see her freeze something. "make it snow in August Elsa", "freeze the fountain mid-air" "if I kiss you will I get frostbite?" that last one was the worst,
THAT suitor had been escorted out of Arendelle. The anger at that last one got to Elsa, she wasn't a freak she could control her powers now, for the most part, she could function like a human being! In a fit of rage she froze the glass on her mirror.
Seeing what she had done, she scolded herself and sighed, unfreezing both the mirror and the wall over her bed and reluctantly made her way downstairs to where Anna and the suitor's family was waiting.
"May I present my sister, Queen Elsa of Arendelle" Anna said gesturing to Elsa as she gracefully descended down the steps
"Thank you for coming, I trust your journey was a pleasant one?" Elsa asked resuming her regal queen self, she reserved for guests she hoped would not stay long or ever return. Although she addressed the King of Fleursia, the prince was the one to respond.
"Yes your highness, the journey was long and tiresome but worth it to see the way you sparkle in this moment."
Elsa smiled and kept her composure though in her mind she entertained the idea that, that had been rehearsed and said to every girl he sought out. Elsa curtsied and opened her mouth to indicate that she wasn't interested, a speech she had become quite familiar with, when suddenly a scream echoed and someone knocked into Elsa, sending her tumbling to the ground, much to the astonishment of everyone but Anna who was barely keeping from laughing. Elsa, still on the ground turned her head to see who had fallen into her and saw a petite redhead sprawled across the floor in a glittery black dress.
"Oh my goodness, I am so sorry, I was hurrying along and-oh my!" The redhead drifted off as she realized who she had bumped into. "Queen Elsa, my sincerest and deepest apologies." The girl said as she stood up, offering Elsa a red gloved hand, which Elsa took with a smile.
"Don't worry, I'm completely fine. I do not believe we have met." Elsa said with a regal tilt of her head.
Still flustered from knocking into the Queen of Arendelle, the girl replied "My name is Princess Claire of Fleursia your highness." Curtseying as she spoke, dipping her head to avoid meeting Elsa's eyes.
"Your highness, please forgive our daughter she accompanied us here, because she too is seeking a suitor just outside of Arendelle." Claire's mother apologized, much embarrassed by her daughter.
"It's alright your majesty, Princess Claire has caused me no harm and further apologies are not necessary." Elsa said struggling to keep her regal tone.
"You are too kind, Queen Elsa. Arendelle is fortunate to have such a kind and forgiving Queen." Claire said with sincerity.
Elsa could only smile, she was getting bored of the constant compliments and apologies. It was the same with every family that waltzed in with their sons. All she wanted was someone to treat her like an actual person, instead of just Queen Elsa. Is that how it would be if she married one of these boys? Queen Elsa, if it would please your majesty could I kiss you? May I take the Queen to dinner? Elsa snapped out of the conversation in her head at the sound of the Prince's voice.
"Would it please the Queen, to join me in the courtyard for a stroll?" The Prince asked, using the same words Elsa hated all the time, although she felt compelled to nod and follow him out.
The two of them sat on the edge of the large fountain in the centre of the courtyard, Elsa deliberately avoiding eye contact with the Prince, who had yet to say his name. As if he heard Elsa's thoughts he said
"I must apologize, I haven't introduced myself properly, my name is Prince Matthew of Fleursia."
"Pleasure to meet you, though I must say something before you say anything else." Elsa said preparing to rid him and his family from Arendelle.
"Anything you wish, your majesty." Matthew said, nodding for Elsa to continue.
Elsa took a deep breath and opened her mouth to speak "Well I'm sorry but-" Elsa stopped and couldn't bring her to tell him, no, to go away. She thought quickly of something else to say "would you mind not calling me, by my title, Elsa is just fine." She finished with a weak smile.
"Thank you Elsa, if I may be frank, it does get quite tiresome calling the lady by her entire title all the time."
"I can imagine it does" Elsa said with a laugh, as Matthew slid closer and she tensed.
"I will also drop the regal speech pattern if you don't mind?" Matthew said and Elsa shook her head slow and stiffly.
"I've met fifteen different Queens and Princesses in the last eight months and none of them intrigued me like you do Elsa, you're different. When Claire knocked into you, you didn't become furious that someone had touched you, you were kind to my family and you didn't wave me off." Matthew said.
"I live with Anna and her fiancé Kristoff, they're about the clumsiest pair I've ever met so believe me, I'm used to it!" Elsa said laughing.
Matthew looked at her with amusement in his eyes. "You and Anna get along? I know how younger sisters can be." Matthew said, thinking about his sister Claire.
"We didn't always but we do now, and I wouldn't have it any other way." Elsa said shrugging her shoulders and smiling fondly. "So Claire is seeking a husband, much like you seek a wife?" Elsa asked
"Yes, she won't let on that its true, but I know she doesn't really want to marry one of these Princes that our parents set up for her." Matthew said slowly and carefully.
Elsa thought about Matthew's words before asking "and do you Matthew want to marry one of the Princesses or Queens your parents set up for you?"
Matthew paused and thought and answered as honestly as he could "at the start, no I didn't want to. I want to marry a girl because I love her and want her to be my wife, not for power or because my parents approve of her, but you, Elsa. You are different. I knew that before I even saw you. The stories about you were enough to-" Elsa interrupted Matthew.
"How touching! You're here because of my powers! You're just like everyone else, trying to be that lucky one that gets the Ice Queen!" Elsa spat venomously at Matthew.
"No that's not why, I meant that-" Matthew tried before Elsa interrupted him again.
"No, you know what? I think we're done here, you and your family are to leave Arendelle by tomorrow morning!" Elsa seethed, walking away, leaving Matthew sitting on the fountain, with his head in his hands.
As Elsa entered the castle, she ran up the stairs to her room, fighting the tears that were threatening to spill over, literally freezing them. Anna was at the top of the stairs and was silent as her sister passed. Elsa stormed into her room, tossing the door open and throwing herself on her bed, sobbing. She didn't know why she was so upset, she was angry but she didn't love Matthew, she didn't feel betrayed. She was so confused and continued to cry.
"Elsa, are you okay?" a voice said from the doorway and without looking up Elsa said "go away Anna" her words slightly muffled by the bed sheets, hating the words as she said them.
"I'm not Anna." The voice from the door said again and Elsa looked up to see Claire in the doorway.
Sniffling Elsa said "what are you doing here?"
"I-I was walking down the hall to thank you for your hospitality and I heard you crying and came to see if you were okay. Are you?" Claire asked, hesitantly taking a step into Elsa's room. Elsa got up from the bed, attempting to look presentable and walked to where Claire stood, neither one saying anything, each taking in the other. Elsa looked Claire up and down, her eyes settling on her red lips and her breath caught in her throat. Unsure of what she was doing she leaned in and pressed her lips to Claire's softly, pulling away with her head down when Claire didn't kiss her back.
"I'm sorry Claire, I don't know what I'm doing and -" Elsa's words were cut off, when Claire quickly and softly kissed her.
"Don't be sorry." Claire said softness in her voice as she smiled at Elsa.
Elsa sighed and smiled back at Claire, blushing when their eyes met directly for the first time since they had met. Neither attempted to look away as they had done before and the two simply gazed at one another. Elsa took in Claire's round, dark eyes and Claire found herself getting lost in the deep blue of Elsa's. Before she could stop herself she reached for Claire's hand, shocked slightly when she pulled away
"Please don't touch me, I would never forgive myself if I hurt you." Claire said backing away tears in her eyes.
"You won't hurt me, it's okay Claire, I want to do this." Elsa said gazing at Claire.
Claire sighed. If only Elsa knew, she didn't mean hurt her like that, emotionally she meant physically. Like Elsa, Claire had a power relating to an element of nature.
"No you don't understand, I'll hurt you literally." Claire said fighting her tears once more, until the look in Elsa's eyes stopped her tears and she smiled, kicking the door closed with her foot. Elsa stood, eyes wide at what Claire had just done.
"What did you do that f-" Elsa's sentence was stopped as Claire planted her lips on Elsa's, kissing her and leading her backwards towards her bed at the same time, not taking a breath until Elsa was on the bed on her back blushing profusely.
Claire becoming aware at what she had done also began to blush.
"Elsa, I-I don't know what to say, why I did that, I mean how and now you're…" Claire covered her face with her hands as she stood up.
Elsa smiled at how flustered Claire had become, reminding her of how she had been when the first met, when the spark was lit. Elsa sat up slightly and wrapped her hand around Claire's wrist, bringing her down with her and pressed her lips gently to Claire's assuring her, she had done nothing wrong.
Claire smiled playfully down at Elsa before grabbing the queen's wrists and pinning them above her with her hands encircling her wrists tightly, planting kisses along Elsa's collarbone.
Suddenly Elsa felt a searing pain in both her wrists and began to cry out and full of fear Claire let her go and the two of them stood up, Elsa rubbing her now very red wrists. Claire stared at the marks around Elsa's wrists and felt sick to her stomach. She had hurt her.
"You have a strong grip Claire." Elsa said faking a laugh, but failing miserably.
"It's not from my strength Elsa." Claire said darkly, a tear trailing down her cheek.
"What are you talking about Claire, how did this-" Elsa's sentence was cut off when she heard someone calling "Elsa?"
Gasping Elsa said "Anna." Turning to Claire she said "you have to go" and seeing the pain in Claire's eyes added "I'm sorry" and Claire took off down the hallway, minutes before Anna entered the hall.
"Elsa, are you okay? I saw you come running in, upset and I was worried." Anna said from the doorway
"I'm fine Anna." Elsa said but Anna knew her sister better than that.
"You're sending him away aren't you? Matthew, you're sending him home." Anna said
"Yes, he wasn't right for me or Arendelle." Elsa said hoping Anna would leave, but knowing she wouldn't.
"You're not going to find him again Elsa." Anna said softly
"Find who?" Elsa asked, trying to ignore what Anna was getting at.
"Jack." Anna said quietly and Elsa felt as if she had been shot through the heart with an arrow.
"I don't know what you're talking about Anna." Elsa said coldly.
"Yes you do, he's gone Elsa, Jack is gone and I'm sorry but you have got to forget him, there are good people still in the world Elsa-" Anna said slowly entering the room as Elsa cut her off!
"Jack was good Anna! I know he didn't leave me forever! He's coming back Anna!" Elsa yelled at Anna.
"Elsa he's not, he hasn't come back since he left two years ago and you know that." Anna said quietly walking towards Elsa reaching a hand out.
Without turning around Elsa said "Don't touch me Anna, I know that Jack won't ever be one of the people that wait downstairs for me, and I'm not looking for a replacement for him either, all these Princes that come seeking me out want only one thing! The bragging rights that they won the hand of the Ice Queen! They don't care about me Anna and regardless of what you or anyone else says Jack DID care about me! For once in my life, someone cared about me Anna!"
Backing away with her head down Anna said "I care about you Elsa, I always have."
Turning to face Anna Elsa sighed, fighting back her tears "You know what I meant Anna."
"Someone could care about you again Elsa, you just have to give them a chance, I know Matthew cares about you and you're never going to find anyone if you don't let people in, stop shutting people out. I know you're worried that what Jack did you, someone else will but they won't, they-" Anna's speech was cut off by Elsa
"How do you know Anna?" Elsa said quietly with her head down.
Anna paused, her heart wrenching at how much this was hurting her older sister, angry at Jack for leaving her sister like this. "I-I don't Elsa, I just know that somewhere there is someone that cares for you as much as I do and I want you to find them." Anna said quietly, silence falling between the two sisters, as both looked down to the floor. Elsa was the one to break it, as she sighed and lifted her head, looking at her red-headed sister.
"I am glad that you want so much for me Anna, but I have more important things to worry about then finding love and much like many other things, love does not seem to suit me very well." Elsa said, using a tone that Anna recognized as not being her own and she silently left the room, allowing Elsa to be alone with her shattering heart.