"Joyous Yule, Elsa!" I said. Jumping on my sister's bed, waking her.

"Joyous Yule, Anna." she said, in a long-suffering voice. But I knew she loved it. "And before you ask, yes, I would like to make a snowman with you, very much."

She got out of bed and with a gesture made a little hillock of snow right there in front of the fire. "Where's Olaf?" She asked, as we began crafting our snow fellow.

"I sent him off with Kristoff, and I sent Kristoff off with the trolls. Yule is a time for family. I suggested we all meet, trolls included, for the feast later. But this morning and this afternoon, this is our time." I took her hand and looked into her eyes, "We've missed so much time."

She leaned over and kissed me in the corner of my lips. Right between lips and cheek. This was extravagantly affectionate for Elsa. I'd been coaxing her out of her shell for months since the thaw. But she was still more reserved than I'd like. After she gifted me with the peck on the corner of my mouth she said, "We can never get back the time we've lost, but we have the rest of our lives."

"Hmmm." I said looking at our snowperson taking shape. "I think in honor of our time together today. Instead of a snowman, we should make snow sisters."

Elsa thought that was a great idea. I knew what I was doing from the first moment. But I knew my sweet sister needed to be led. So initially I just said. "No, make them right up next to each other, they're sisters, they love each other." A little while later. "Of course they should be kissing. It's inconceivable that we would make snow sisters and they wouldn't be kissing. They're sisters and they love each other." And then finally. "Naturally, you need to use your powers to sculpt them to look like us. Otherwise you can't properly tell that they're kissing. And certainly they have to be kissing passionately, it was never said 'an act of chaste affection can melt a frozen heart'."

She was willing, she just didn't know how. The faces were not quite right. The picture she had in her head was not as clear as mine.

I did not give her time to question or doubt. I just took her hands in mine, kissed them both and placed them on each side of my face. Using her hands to draw me in and give her the illusion of control. I kissed her gently on the lips. Paused then went in again deeper this time. Kissed her a third time, parting my lips. With the fourth foray I brushed her tongue ever so gently with my own and then stopped and retreated; although I kept my face within six inches of hers. "Do you see it now?" I asked.

"I do." She replied, gently releasing me. And then in a flurry of ice crystals our faces were perfectly frozen, no pun intended, between kiss three and kiss four.

"It's perfect." I said and tried to celebrate with a kiss.

She turned away, "Father wouldn't like it," She said.

"Father was a fool!" I shouted before I could stop myself. "The best thing Father could have done is abdicate the throne to you when you were eight." She looked at me like she was ashamed on my behalf, so I toned it down and said. "He closed the kingdom gates when you were eight, he died ten years later, he taught you nothing of running the country. He taught you nothing except to shut out your sister, who loved you more than life, by the way. Since remembering Olaf, it all came back, I remember everything. So I know it's not even what the troll king told him to do. The troll king told him to help you learn to control your powers. Which we now know is done through love, specifically my love or your love for me. The troll king said your powers would only get stronger. So Father's answer is bottle everything up and alienate yourself from the family. Even if you had wanted to do that, he shouldn't have let you, instead he encourages it. The only reason he was a successful king is this kingdom runs itself. And he wasn't a successful father at all. We are left to clean up his messes. If we even can." I held my arms open to her. "Do you think we can?"

She came into my arms, "I think it best if we don't reminisce too much about Father."

"Agreed, and what would he have a problem with anyway? Freyr and Freya are brother and sister and are married. Odin and Frigg are brother and sister and are married. Mimir and Odin's mother Bestla are brother and sister and are married. There are more gods married to siblings than not it seems to me."

"Well we are not gods and we cannot marry." Elsa said.

"The whole original purpose of royalty was created to be the representatives of the gods on the earth." I said. "And there is no law that says that two sisters cannot marry, nor is there a law that says that two women cannot marry. Look at Hnoss and Gersemi, daughters of Freyr and Freya, maybe not married; but sisters and mated and goddesses of luck and treasure and all things good and beautiful. I say our sisterhood is as fortunate. "

"And how do you know that?" Elsa asked.

"I read." I replied. "I have been left to my own devices with the most well stocked library in the kingdom. I told you I have been so bored as to resort to talking to paintings. Do you honestly think I haven't also used my time to research every single thing that remotely interested me. Not all of us had magical powers to entertain ourselves with. I also have filled numerous leather volumes with 'Anna loves Elsa' and 'Elsa loves Anna' and 'announcing the impending nuptials of Their Royal Highnesses Anna and Elsa of Arrendelle' would you like to see?"

She smiled so sweetly and kindly and said, "I would like to see that very much, but not right now."

Which reminded me, "Of course not right now. Now is the time for your Yule present." I took her hand and began to lead her out of her Royal apartments.

"I'm surprised you didn't bring it in with you." she said.

"I couldn't have." I replied.

I led her through the castle. With each servant and guard we passed we were offered assistance and each time I politely declined.

Eventually the Captain of the Guard said, "I really must insist Your Highness takes a guard contingent if Your Highness is taking the Queen out of doors."

"I understand, sir, But I give you my word we will not be leaving the castle."

"Carry on." He stood at attention.

I walked her down into the empty dungeons. "Just where are we going Anna?" Elsa asked. "And why?"

"Somewhere special, and because. Because you are incredibly special. It's Yule. and we are fabulously wealthy. So there's nothing either of us need that we can't just order fetched to us. I know I will love whatever you got me. Just like I know that you will love whatever I get you in the years that come after this. But this time I wanted to give you something special.

At the end of the hall of dungeons there was a mossy damp stairway going down. "Please, Elsa, be careful." I said, holding her hand and leading her down. The walls were damp, we were now deep enough we were actually moving into the stone where the foundations had been carved from the earth. As we took a turn it began to get warmer.

Our descent continued. When we reached the last turn in the stairs I asked Elsa to shut her eyes and I led her. I took her through the doorway, turned her to face the opening and said, "No one ever comes down here but both for privacy and since we are the two most valuable maidens in the hemisphere would you mind blocking the way?" With a wave of her hand there was a seal so thick and dark it might as well have been stone.

I turned my sister around and showed her the cave with it's hot spring pools. I assume they were fed by the same springs that gave us hot water up in the castle. But these were our own beautiful private playland. There was a pool twice the size of a bathtub, one perhaps twice the size of that and a third that filled most of the rest of the cave that was perhaps a third the size of the bay outside the castle.

"I spent a large part of my childhood down here." I said, "Not that our parents noticed." I held up my hand and waved away Elsa's beginnings to protest that we already agreed not to discuss Father. "And I was thinking today you'd learn to swim."

"Oh Anna, I couldn't" Elsa said.

"That's what I said about skating, but with your help I picked it up easily enough." I said.

I walked around in front of her I took her face in my hands and I looked into her eyes. I kissed her. I opened my eyes again and I said, "I love you." I released her face and undid the top pearl button on her night dress.

Then I took her face back between my hands, I looked again into her eyes. "Some might even say I worship you. At least I did at one time. You are my Queen. you are my older sister, you rule me body and soul; more than Father ever did or could." I released her face and undid another small perfect round pearl button.

I took her face in my hands again, and kissed her. I continued to speak. "More than any goddess, it is the altar of your body I pray at, it is your spirit I revere." I released her face again as I undid the third button and lifted the nightgown over her head.

Then as she stood naked before me I looked again into her eyes saying. "Today I will put my hands on you, teaching you what I know because I refuse to have a skill that you do not have. You are my Queen and I am your advisor, your help mate, and your assistant. But I also put my hands on your body claiming what is mine. I have worked too hard and given too much.
You have my heart, my soul and my flesh. But so too must I have yours.'

Elsa smiled, and blushed, and surprised me. Where her night dress was one that buttoned with three pearls at the neck. Mine was one that had buttons all the way from neck to hem, and her slim fingers found their way to the gap between the buttons. Finding my moist and eager lips, she lightly played her fingertips over them before quickly moving away saying, "I'm no child, and have often dreamed of my treasure goddess sister's goddess treasure. Though ignorant and not well read, you'll find me overjoyed if my trusted advisor tells me the gods are on our side."

I was out of my nightgown in a trice and pulling her toward the large swimming pool. "The soaking pools are for later. This large pool is no deeper than your ribs at any point. It is a soft gravel bottom worn smooth before the gods were born I expect. Nothing lives here because there is no sun. You cannot possibly be in any danger. If at any time you are uncomfortable, just place your feet down onto the bottom and stand up. Sound good?"

"Sounds lovely." Elsa said.

"Now, I haven't spent all my time studying folktales and marriage law. Especially as I grew older." I said.I stroked the baby fine white hair of her feminine mound. "There are volumes of maidenly arts in the library as well. After each swimming stroke you master, we will take a break when we will rest on the shore and I will demonstrate my sisterly devotion with one of these womanly diversions. If I may speak freely... as I know I may. If not with you than with no one on this earth, my mouth is watering with the desire to get started right this minute. But I promised you lessons."

I was honestly getting quite worked up.

I have been wanting this day as long as I can remember. Certainly since long enough ago each person who knows me would shame me if they knew that such a sweet little poppet honestly wanted to latch her mouth onto her sister's hairless nether lips and lap there like a thirsty pet drinking at a river.

I might never know if my Snow Queen bloomed in turn as young as that, or if I would have faced shock and scorn if I had gone to her. But at least I had her now and I must wait just a little more, must earn my reward, and it would be all the sweeter for the earning.

We were properly deep in the water then and I asked her to lean back against me, putting all of her weight against my forearm as the majority of her began to float.

"This is the easiest stroke in the world my Queen, my love. It is called the back stroke. and it is little more than floating in the bath. Just breathe calmly and smoothly in and out. Opening your legs halfway and closing them. moving your arms halfway from your sides and bringing them back as I support you with one arm under your back."

I tried not to look at the beautiful little tiny perfect white icebergs of her white nipples on her white breasts. I was certainly glad that we were in water as my own moisture condensed inside and probably a little outside me.

Again I was blessed with another taste of my perfect, womanly, playful, no longer hiding, sister when she said, "I'm not going to be another one of your flash in the pan interests."
She said this as she slowly, lazily stroked her legs and arms out and in. "First it was Prince Boniface or Lord Heinz or whatever your fiance's name was."

"Prince Hans of the Southern Isles and I have to again lay that squarely in Fathers lap. If he hadn't kept me so incredibly lonely and desperate for any company whatsoever.
If you remember correctly I not only agreed to marry him on our first meeting I suggested he bring his twelve brothers here to live."

"What about Kristoff you can't blame Father for him." She said.

"No I can't and I shan't. But it is my suggestion we keep Kristoff around.
He's nice, strong, well bred, house broken. He cleans up well. He's friendly. I wouldn't mind him teaching my children woodcraft.
He's a good go-between with the trolls.
And best of all, if we want an heir of the royal blood. I for one, do not have the necessary equipment.
I had moved smoothly around her, so I supported her with one hand on the back of her neck as she smoothly swam the backstroke. "And you my Queen,"
I reached between her legs to find only downy fluff and a lovely slippy patina.
"You lack the same equipment."
I smiled and kissed the corner of her mouth as I took my hand away and she bobbed once and then swam strong as I did a breaststroke easily beside her, as I continued to talk.
"Not that long ago. A hundred generations, two perhaps, they did not know that was where babies came from and they didn't marry. Mothers raised children in their tribes and fathers were unknown. I have no problem with him putting a baby in me, if you wish it or he can put one in you.
We can hand him the title of Lord High Consort. Or even The Steward of The Royal Seed.
You are the Queen. You are the Law. A job like that can be an appointment, there isn't even any reason you need give him a choice.
Although of course you would. And I can tell you right now, I know for a one hundred percent positive fact, he would be interested.
I am just saying as your chief advisor you do not need to.
But yes milady, my Queen, I know you are not to be trifled with.
My loyalty is to the throne you are my sworn liege, believe me."

Things were getting a little heavy suddenly. So Elsa stopped and stood. "I do Anna, of course I do." She said with a smile. "Now about your reward. Would you say I mastered the backstroke?"

"You were doing it with no support."

"Then it's time for us to rest and you to have your reward."

"You'll let me then? You'll really let me kiss and lick your secret place?" I asked, This really was better than I'd hoped.

"I don't know how secret it is, you have one. but if you want to lick or touch, you may."

This time as I walked her toward a low flat bench of smooth rock where dry warm air blew I allowed myself to drink in her beauty. No matter how aroused I became now, I didn't care, because my moment was at hand. Whether she chose to reciprocate or not, I was fairly confident I would reach my completion when I tasted her nectar. I had been waiting so long. If not, than soon after and likely again and again.

I laid her down gently and folded my robe for her pillow. Other than the robe under her head she was fine on the bare stone. I had lain on it dozens of times myself in my youth. The type of stone along with the wear and the temperature, actually felt like an old worn sheet and the warm dry wind blowing over us; any covering would have quickly become oppressive.

Besides the view was part of my reward. She was perfect, she truly was. Her skin a pale white expanse: unmarked, unmarred by any blemish, perfect as alabaster. I could smell the water on her skin, but more than that I could smell her. The crisp cold perfection of fresh ice.

I don't know why I never placed it in those years we were growing up. I guess because I wasn't allowed her company long enough.

But my eagerness to taste her overpowered my drive to admire her. There was time for that later. I moved in on the one part of her that was not an uninterrupted expanse of white. Her fluffy, downy white mound with her waiting eager pink lips just beginning to open. Just starting to gape with the excitement I hoped to coax from them.

I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe what still felt like my luck, even though I'd worked hard as brass to get it.

I kept moving forward bit by bit, because I knew I would scream and die if I did not get to touch it, taste it, kiss it. Lick it, feel it. But I just couldn't, not yet. It was too perfect and I wanted it too bad. Then the scent hit me. This wasn't like ice. Although it was there if you knew to look for it. This was like life. Like sunshine, flesh, and joy. Wet down and slid between her lips. Packed in there full and meaty in the little folds. I expected to see the sun herself peeking out, with the summer rain right behind. Every bit of life was there somewhere in the Snow Queen's mother box as it was in every woman's. That little bit of the goddess that each woman got to keep. But my sister's was uniquely her's and it pulled at my tongue like a magnet when I got close enough. My face knew where it's home was. And my home was in my sisters lap. A place I hope to rest my head whether in love or in weariness for the rest of my life. When I was close enough for her downy fuzz to tickle my lips I stopped and moved my head back and forth. As it only grew in a mound on the top, which I played with with my lips before moving down to her bare white crease which I spread to expose the darker pink within. I licked deep and said, "My Winter Queen smells and tastes of summer."

Elsa's moans were my only answer. But I needed no more. As I suspected her deliciousness soon had me insensate myself. As I moaned into her, as I licked and lapped, seeking her sweet cream. A moment later I felt my own orgasm wrack through me at the joy of licking and touching the sister I idolized. "Was that you?" she asked, as I gasped against her and clasped her leg between mine.

"It was, Elsa. I couldn't help myself. I have been waiting for this, all of my life it feels like."

"Oh, Anna." She pulled me up on top of her, and covered my face with kisses.

"But I wasn't done." I began, "knowing there was more up in her. Her climax had come but not it's product. "Your sticky sweetness." I complained, half jokingly, being the bratty little sister. "My reward."

"You said for every stroke I mastered." Elsa said. "I mastered the backstroke. You finished, I finished. I can't imagine either of us being finished for long, I agree. But in the one reward for one stroke exchange I would have to say that your reward was given."

I thought for a moment. Arguing, 'A cream pie was made, but not delivered.' sounded unnecessarily crass, even to me, so I decided to move on. "Well. Pooh. I guess you're right." I took her slim, strong, perfect hand and lifted her to her feet. I began to lead her back toward the pool. "Now, because it is what I so desperately want to do to you dear sister. And it is the same movements as the backstroke, but in reverse while lying on your belly. The next stroke we'll do is the breast stroke. Now, as we walk out to where it's deep enough." We did so and I continued, "If I may, my dear sister and my Queen, I am going to kiss you and fondle your breasts for a few moments because if I do not get it out of my system, I fear I will not be able to concentrate on the lesson."

"Even though you have been given your agreed reward," My sister and adored Queen said. "Your adolescent eagerness is more than flattering to me. It is my pleasure, but even more so my noble duty to submit to your attentions as part of caring for you as my younger sister and the most loyal of my subjects."

Then not only did she eagerly kiss me but her questing nimble fingers found my treasure. The button point, whose expert working she was able to coax into such electric delight I was moaning fair to scream into her mouth as she had to support my weight as my legs gave out.

"I am embarrassed by how long I've wanted to do that." She confessed to me, when she was sure I would understand her.

I looked into her eyes, unsure of what to say. Unsure of how to make her believe what I needed her to know. But all I could do was speak my truth. I already stood naked before her. I already opened my soul. She would hear or she would not, I could not control that. "Sister. There is nothing you could ask that I would deny you. There is nothing you could desire that I would not give freely. I almost wish you desired something terrible of me, if only so I could prove my devotion to you. You are my world and I take great joy in it."

I could see in her eyes that she did understand and she smiled and she said, "Sister, teach me to swim."

I put one hand on her hip and one on her belly. "The first thing you need to do is get used to getting your face wet. You can't be afraid of the water. Now let's both go under the water and count to ten and then come up." We both did so with no problem. As I knew there wouldn't be, easy as could be.

"Now float on the water, Elsa." I said, "Chin up, body submerged. And your legs: half open, then out, and together.
Your arms: half open, then out, and together.
Your head should be coming out of the water, just a bit and then back down; but never deeper than with your chin just above the waterline.
Think of a frog swimming. Come on my love, swim like a frog for me. Just like on your back, but on your belly now. I've got you. Just relax and swim like a wee froggie. Just be Anna's wee froggie just for me."
I supported her as she swam. "And your legs now. And your arms. Don't forget to breathe. You're doing perfect my love. Perfect."

When I moved my hand, her mouth went under, but her nose never did and she made the adjustment that brought her mouth up in a single movement. I swam beside her doing the breaststroke as well for a moment, then said, "Elsa, now what I would like to do is swim up underneath you doing the backstroke. So we can swim in tandem and kiss. Brushing against each other so sweetly, doesn't that sound lovely."

"Oh Anna, it does. But do you think we can? I've only been swimming today. You know, I'm not very good." I started to speak. "Don't flatter me, dear one, you needn't."

"You swim fine, my sister. And I swim very well. I would like to do this, as would you as you said, and I am certain it will work.
I dived under and did a half roll and stopped, allowing the natural buoyancy of my naked body to lift me up into her. As our bodies pressed together I slowly and naturally joined my swimming speed to hers. There was no denying that my buoyancy was now supporting her to a degree, as we began to kiss. However there was also no denying I was not swimming with my arms at all anymore. Only my legs were pumping. My arms were wrapped around her and my hands were exploring her bottom in a way that was decidedly impertinent. "Is that really where you want to put your fingers?" Elsa eventually asked.

"If it's alright." I don't know why I wanted to. I think just because it was there, within reach and it was warm and moist and intimate. I wanted to know all her most intimate of places.

"Of course it's alright. I just wasn't expecting it. It's nice."

"Good. Shhh, kiss me more."

We swam around kissing more for a few minutes. I found my sister's tongue to be the perfect level of moisture as well as the perfect levels of both intrusive and inviting then she said. "Noble instructor, would you say I've mastered this stroke?"

I smiled and said, "I would indeed, Royal student."

"Would you say I have also demonstrated an exemplary knowledge of the stroke which allowed me to perform it while kissing you and enjoying your playful but possessively thorough exploration of my bottomhole; that shows a Queenly mastery of the stroke such would make my Noble instructor proud?"

I kissed the bridge of her nose quickly then lingeringly on her lips, "I most certainly would, Your Majesty."

She kissed me back. "Then you, my love, have won yourself a reward."

I walked her to our stone love table and asked if I might request at least in the beginning if she were willing to be on her hands and knees.

"Of course," She said, already assuming the position I'd requested of her, but continuing to speak to me as she did so. "Is there more business you have with my bottom?" She asked

"To be honest, since I'll always be completely honest with you. Since I have you here in that position I will spread you open and look as deeply inside you as I can just out of curiosity, but the reason I am putting you in that position in the first place is I want to lick you as deeply and thoroughly a I can and I can get much better access this way, if that is alright."

"Yes, yes it is more than alright. knowing I am pleasing you, pleases me beyond measure and the touch of your agile tongue and nimble fingers pleases me still more."

I knew I pleased her, but she pleased me still more simply by allowing it and I had to show her that. she was my sister, My Queen. My goddess, my world. And now my lover. I was the single luckiest girl in the world. More than that on all the worlds of Yggdrassil the world tree. The gods themselves had no luck that was better than my life. I knew that and if I could I would try to find some way to show Elsa that I knew it. That I didn't take my luck for granted. That if I were blessed to lick at the opening of her mother box for the rest of my life I would consider it a life well lived. And lick I would and stroke and suck and caress. I was half mad with the joy of being allowed to do it the first time and I feared I did not make a good showing for myself. But this time. This time I would show her that her sister could pleasure her better than any man or any woman as well. I would show her that our lives were destined in the stars to twine and our legs and our souls and I would plait every part of us that could plait by the gods.

My stars but her sweet nether lips looked pretty after I'd sucked on them and made them puffy. Thinking of caring for my dear sister I thought of caretaking I might do right now and said, "Elsa, roll on over my love, I've had my fun in this position. I'm sure your knees are tired."

My Queen stood with a smile. "You should naught have done that, Your Highness. I was considering drawing to a close soon anyway. But you have led me to completion three glorious times. And the agreement was you get but one reward per stroke you teach me. Now that there is no possible way anyone could say you are not yet done, I am afraid, we must call this reward over. I think you would agree two strokes are enough for today. But I think we might still steal some small time for ourselves before we must get ready for the Yule feast. I was hoping my sweet beloved sister might deign to sit on my lap in the smaller of the soaking pools. So I might cover her ruddy cheeks with kisses and tell her how she has my eternal love."

"But Elsa, I'm too big to sit on your lap." I said.

"Anna, my prize. what I told you ten years ago; when you were too big to sit on my lap as a child, does not apply when you are the perfect size to sit on my lap as a sweetheart. We are different people then we were then."

I didn't need to tell her that was the right thing to say. I didn't even need to think it in words. She was already leading me. And my little bits of disgust for our fool of a king were melting out my eyes and as I sat down on my Lady's lap he was allowed to be my father who I loved and he'd made a few mistakes but he had been taken too soon and too senselessly. I had my sister's arms around me and her taste on my lips and on my tongue and that was what mattered. And what anyone might think about it was as irrelevant as anything could possibly be because she was kissing me now. And she was suddenly my world.

I had dreamed of this. Literally, exactly this, sitting naked on her lap in a soaking pool kissing her. I had dreamed of dancing with her while wearing a fine gown. I had dreamed of sailing with her on a trading mission on the Southern Sea. But wherever we were I have wanted her ice pale lips on mine. I have wanted to kiss these lips since I knew what kissing was. When Father kissed Mother, I wished to kiss Elsa. When the milk maid kissed the stable boy, I wished to kiss Elsa. When I saw the priestess of Freya drunkenly groping the mead master's daughter it was Elsa I thought about. Now here she was, I was in her arms, and I had every reason to believe my dreams might come true. Several had already come true today.

Then the time for thought was past and it was the time for being in the moment. It felt so good to touch and taste and lick. Her mouth was so warm and her slit rubbing against mine was fuzzy heaven. I might have liked if there was some way they could have rubbed more directly against each other but nature does not allow for that and that is fine, it was lovely.

And her strong slim fingers found my bottom, I assume because mine had found hers earlier and they made short work of me, I assure you. It made me feel quite possessed and owned and submissive I must say. Open and exposed. Like she could do what she liked with me. Which of course she could, so I liked it very much.

Other than that, which as I said, I took to be turnabout. More than anything, it absolutely was more sensual than about anything further down, and consisted almost exclusively of kissing and stroking. Which I enjoyed very much.

I wanted to be a passionate lover to my sister, and if it were her interest that I plow her like a mare, even if that be every moment we were alone together I would do it and glory in the opportunity. She would find me eager to do so, truly. However, there are years of loneliness inside me I am making up as well, so any cuddles she offers; she will find me eagerly gathering them up.

I parted my lips exploring her mouth with my tongue, then pulling back and just kissing her dryly. Kissing her face, her cheeks, her eyelids, the bridge of her nose.

Speaking to her softly. Speaking to her of my love, not just my passion but my love of her companionship. My love of building snowmen with her. My desire to take a walk with her in the forest. My appreciation for her art. How I thought she was quite funny and I didn't think people noticed how funny she was. I spoke to her about how I wanted to braid her hair. I spoke to her about how sometimes I wanted to be her bath girl, How I knew it was someone's job and I would never take away someone's job but it was also fun for me and we needed to give the girl time off sometimes. I cuddled up next to her in silence and listened to her heart. And then a moment later I began to make the lub dup noise that her heart made and then I laughed and hugged her tight.

"Come Anna," She said, "It's time we go upstairs and get ready for the feast. After all we've sweat we'll want baths. I for one will need at least an hour rest, with you by my side of course. Then there are our gowns and dressing. I'm sure we have time. But little extra. Wouldn't you agree."

"I would, My Queen. I certainly would. I shan't say I'm sorry I kept you though." I answered climbing off of her lap and out of the pool. Extending my hand behind me to help Elsa rise.

"Never would I ask you, my little love. Never. This is the finest Yuletide I have ever had. And the finest Yule present. This morning is finer than the finest dream. It's better than I have the imagination to wish for and that my sweet is a promise. Now stand here in this warm wind a moment more and dry off. Then we must put our nightgowns and robes back on as we have nothing else. I don't even want to guess what the servants will be thinking with us walking the entire length of the castle in our nightclothes but they won't dare question it. It's the Queen's will and that's all they need know."

It wasn't long before we were once again dry and clothed. As we stood before the ice sheet that blocked the entranceway Elsa froze it again with a wave making it brittle enough to crumble to dust on the ground.

Again we walked through the empty dungeons, the busy kitchens, the back passageways full of bustling servants, we passed the royal bath chamber where I suggested we tarry. But Elsa said that her bedchamber was our first stop. "My present for you is tiny. A trinket really. I have half a mind to toss it away and get you something bigger like a sleigh, after all the time and effort you spent on me. But I do want to give it to you. Now when it's just us. Not later at the feast with everyone."

"Oh Elsa," I said. "Don't tease me. What did you get me? Is it a bracelet, a necklace? Earrings? Are you going to let me get my ears pierced?"

"You may not get your ears pierced. Perhaps I will get you clip on earrings." Elsa said.

"But obviously that's not what my Yule present is." I said.

"No."

I paused then speechless because we had reached the landing of her apartments and I could see the hillock of snow in the corner and I could see the ice sculpture of the kissing sisters, that seemed like it was so long ago and I was frozen to the floor instantly. Although only for a moment.

Elsa kept walking because she was walking looking at me and trusting her body to know it's way through the castle, as of course it did. She took a few steps. Then stopped and turned to see what I was staring at. Then she turned back to me with such love and joy in her eyes. And she was tearing up a bit, as suddenly, was I. For the briefest of moments I was going to ask her if she thought the servants had seen it, but I realized many things at once. Most of them facets of the idea that if my dreams were going to become reality, as it was beginning to seem they very possibly would, the servants were going to see a great many things. I also was reminded of something Elsa had said not that very long ago on the subject of nightclothes in the afternoon. "It's the Queen's will and that's all they need to know."

"Come Anna, the sculpture is lovely and I really am proud of it, thank you for modeling and inspiration, but we have things to do." She took the few steps back to take my hand and then walked me back to her bedroom. "Oh Pooh!" She said when she saw her bed perfectly made.

"What's wrong Elsa?" I asked.

"I sleep with your Yule present under my pillow. Especially last night because I knew you were going to bounce in here and wake me. But then you did and I was going to give it to you right after the snowman. But the snowman wasn't a snowman was he? Then my mind wasn't in my head anymore and I was so curious about my present and I expected to be right back." She was ransacking the royal bed."

"Calm down, we'll find it." I said. "Didn't you say it was in a small box? Maybe you are binding it up with other things trying to look for it?

"You're right pet. I think I put it in my pillowcase proper so it'd be in my dreams." She separated the small white goosedown puff from the ornate gold braid cushions the bed was decorated with and found a small square box in the center. She sat on the bed and motioned me onto her knee. "Joyous Yule, sister."

"Thank you, Elsa." I sat on her lap with one arm around her waist so I could hug her to me while I opened my present. It was a small golden box. Obviously jewelry, as I suspected. What I saw when I opened it left me speechless and crying.

It was the signet ring worn by the last Prince Consort, the last time there had been a ruling Queen of Arendelle. It had been reworked and sized to be worn by a woman. "It would have taken weeks for this to be done." I said. "And you let me try to educate you about how there were Gods who had married siblings and there were no laws about marrying your sister and no laws about two women marrying." I smiled as I cried happy tears. "I feel like a foolish little goosegirl."

"You oughtn't." Elsa said eyes damp, but chin out, proud. "You were logical, you quoted precedent. You did it like an educated stateswoman and the Queen's Chief advisor. I was going to do it like Father. Just do whatever I liked, and if they didn't like it we'd lock the country's gates for thirteen years."