Disclaimer: All rights to Frozen belong to Disney.
Notes: Takes place 2 months after the great thaw. Elsa doesn't know about Anna's powers. Anna- age 18, Elsa- age 21.
Anna slowly made her way down the halls of the castle. The floor boards creaked below as her feet dragged heavily across them.
She was exhausted.
Her muscles were stiff and aching, and she groaned when she moved to brush the snow from her clothing and hair. She pulled the light cloak around her shoulders closer and shivered. There was a chill that hovered in the air, and it clung to her. It felt like a shroud that she couldn't shake off and the weight of it weakened her. She chanced a look out the window and flinched.
It was dark.
How long had she been gone?
(Earlier)
Elsa sighed heavily and closed her eyes.
Two months had passed since she re-assumed her role as Queen. Only two months- and already she could feel the stress pile up.
She opened her eyes to continue reading, but her mind couldn't focus. Weariness had her over worked, and she tried laboriously to stay attentive. Elsa's back straightened and her brow furrowed. She flipped to the first page and started over. She was a Queen. Queens were thorough, they were meticulous, they were detailed. These things came naturally to Elsa. They really did.
Her eyes snapped back to the document and she smiled when her brain finally took in the words. This continued for a moment, just a moment, before her eyes glazed over and she lost focus again.
Elsa groaned out in quite frustration. She placed the stack of papers down as far away as she could, and eyed the breakfast in front of her tiredly.
"Good morning!"
Elsa's head shot up, and a smile slipped onto her face at the sight of the woman entering the room.
"Good morning, Anna," she replied, more than happy that Anna was there.
These morning appearances were few and far between, and Elsa was grateful for the small miracle.
She needed the company.
Her smile widened when Anna took the seat next to her and scooted it close. "How was your night Anna?" She asked, leaning towards the younger woman.
"Fine, it was fine," Anna said quickly, snatching a sweet roll from the table and falling back into her chair. "What are your plans for today?" she asked excitedly, turning to face Elsa.
Elsa eyed the girl curiously. For someone who never got up before noon, Anna was being extremely energetic. She couldn't tell if she should be proud that Anna was adopting a more reasonable sleeping pattern; or weary of what her intentions might be. Anna never deviated from her norm, and that few times that she did, trouble usually followed.
She kept her eyes trained on the younger woman and looked for signs that might hint at the girl's schemes.
Movement from the girl broke her from her thoughts and her eyes flickered down to Anna's hand. A strange interest had her gaze fixated to the appendage as it rose to lift the sweet roll to the girl's face. The younger woman never woke early enough to have pastries so fresh, and she seemed to be appreciating the warm sweet aroma that still steamed from it.
That appreciation lasted all of one, maybe two seconds, before it was stuffed into an eagerly awaiting mouth. Elsa stared in quiet amusement as Anna smiled through the mouthful, cheeks puffed and bouncing as she chewed.
She looks like a chipmunk, Elsa thought. Exactly like the ones she'd seen in her picture books as a child. She bit her lip, nearly laughing at the sight.
"Well..," Elsa began, holding back the chuckle in her voice. She quickly went over her schedule in her head, trying to distract herself from the adorable sight, "I have a meeting with the counsel later this morning, and then afterwards I have another meet..."
"No, no that'sh not wuht I meant," Anna interrupted through a mouthful of the pastry and swallowed. It looked like it hurt a bit going down, "I meant, what are your plans today with me," she gasped, gently patting her belly, content. She turned to look up at Elsa hopefully, eyes wide and shinning.
Elsa swallowed and blushed at the sight. So cute.
"I mean, we haven't been spending enough time with each other recently." Anna rushed on, suddenly looking nervous, "Well, we do spend time together, but that's just during meals. I want to actually go out and do something with you. Like before. I hardly see you now days, Elsa. We can go to the gardens, walk around a bit, have some tea maybe?"
The girl was heaving by the time she finished, and a blush rose to her cheeks when she saw that Elsa was giggling. Anna sagged back into her seat and pouted at the older woman.
"That...," Elsa's grin softened to a smile, "would be lovely," she finished.
Anna's head snapped up, "Really?!" she asked, leaning over her chair.
Elsa responded with a gentle nod and a small smile.
"Ok, alright, yes!" Anna nearly yelled, words tumbling out. Elsa bit her lip at the delightful blush that flooded the girl's cheeks. Anna looked horrified for a moment before she quickly straightened in her seat. She squared her shoulders back and held her chin high. In a hopeless attempt to regain some form of dignity she adopted a regal aura and forced a strange calmness into her voice.
"I'll get everything ready then," Anna said with a nod, neatly folding her hands in front of her, "Leave it to me and I'll meet you in the gardens after your morning meetings." She sent the Queen a gentle look before slowing rising from her seat.
Elsa returned the look and smiled. She had to admit, Anna took on the guise of Queen surprisingly well. She would be a natural, she thought proudly. Her mind quickly filled with visions of Anna rising to the head of the kingdom, commanding hordes of men and conquering faraway lands. She would stand ever grand and imposing, the striking image of a Queen. A silly smile threatened to pull at her lips as more and more images of Anna the Great filled her mind.
That thought was dashed however when a squeal, childish and loud, rang right into her left eardrum. She winced and let out a noise of complaint. It hurt.
Anna didn't seem to notice though. A grin had split across the younger woman's face and her eyes had shut from the fierceness of it. She then grabbed another sweet roll, stuffed it into her mouth, and jumped away from the table. The girl moved like lightning. All sense of regality fell off her that instant as she sprinted straight for the door.
Elsa let out a laugh, and her shoulders shook from the force of it. She would never grow tired of Anna's cheerful nature.
Of course she was more than willing to push a few meetings later into the day. A relaxing afternoon with Anna would do wonders for her tired nerves. Besides, she thought warmly, time with Anna would always be something she'd cherish and enjoy.
"Oh," Elsa gasped out when she felt a pair of lips, soft and warm, press gently to her cheek. Anna was there besides her, having come back without her notice.
"I just wanted to say thank you," Anna breathed, still hovering close, "for agreeing to come out with me."
"Anna," Elsa sighed, heart thump, thump, thumping away.
She turned her head and lightly raised a hand to gently cup Anna's cheek. She ran a thumb against it wanting to reassure the younger woman.
"If I could," she said softly, "then I would do anything to make you happy," she promised.
And she would. She really, really would. Thirteen years apart, and Elsa would do anything to make it all up to Anna.
Anna's face flamed at the words, before a bright smile broke across it. Anna tilted her head slightly into the older woman's hand and she breathed out a happy sigh, "Thank you."
Anna lingered, enjoying the moment, before she gently pulled away. She made her way to the door again and paused before leaving. She turned slightly towards the Queen; softly calling out to her.
"Oh, and Elsa?," A smile played light and gentle on the girl's lips, "I Love you."
Elsa's heart swelled, "I Love you too, Anna."
Anna was pulled away from the memory when a sudden pain shot through her head. She flinched and brought her finger's up to rub at the ache.
That was hours ago, she thought, panicked.
The fingers pressed to her head continued to knead at the pain, while she tried to figure out if a few hours were really all that had passed.
She just wanted to spend time with Elsa, she thought sadly, before her mind went back to the rest of the morning.
She had just left her room, ready to prepare for the day's events.
Anna paused when she felt a familiar feeling tug at her.
Oh no, she thought, no, no, no.
Her movements stopped suddenly as a light tingling sensation ran through her. It spread like lightning, and covered every inch of her with a numbing buzz. Her senses dulled, and her gaze grew distant; unfocused.
Anna reached out blindly for something to steady her, anything to ground herself, but her fingers grasped into nothingness. She was vaguely aware of a light pulling sensation before a gale of wind and snow swirled around her, and her mind snapped back into focus.
Instantly, she clutched at the light cloak around her shoulders and shivered violently.
Anna realized then, that she was outside, surround by harsh winds and biting cold; stuck in the middle of a snowstorm.
O-okay, she thought, trying to lighten the situation. Snow. Nothing new here. Snow has been part of my life since forever, I can handle this, she reassured herself, trying to stave off the fear that nagged at her.
Her feet moved; instincts took over, and she ran. The wind was vicious as it pierced through her, chilling her body and mind. She ran for shelter, anything to stop the torrent of snow that stabbed at her, hurt her.
Her body grew stiff and her movements' heavy, as she searched, and searched, and searched. The endless whiteness frightened her. It was bringing on a panic that had her head reeling.
This feels familiar; she thought distractedly. A memory of a very similar situation flashed through her mind. The ice, the cold, the desperation; It all felt familiar. Every bit of it.
Except...
Except this time she realized, as fear swirled up and demanded her notice, that she was alone.
Tears gathered in her eyes like pools, before they spilled and froze on her cheeks. This is bad, she thought, finding no others words to describe it, bad, bad, bad. She desperately wanted Elsa. The need to feel her warmth was overwhelming. This wasn't the cold that she was familiar with. No, the cold she knew was gentle. It was familiar. All her life it floated around her softly, ever constant.
But this cold. It knew no mercy. It grasped at her with a grip that tore at her being, and she weakened from the strength of it.
Her teeth clattered as she circled in place, eyes searching through the heavy snowfall. She circled again, hoping to find anything, see anything, but all she saw was a blank whiteness. Her vision filled with it. She felt as if she stood on a canvas that was on the verge of being erased.
The landscape desired a new start at creation, and it would wipe out Anna to attain it.
She brought her hands to her chest, clutching one in the other. She could feel the stiffness in them, and numbness settled in as she flexed them once, twice. A breath blown against them did little to provide warmth, and she realized then that she was freezing.
Again.
But this was different.
It felt... pointless.
This time she had no one to save, and no one to save her. Freezing now felt like a life wasted. There was no purpose in dying, and she couldn't. Not when a vision of Elsa, alone, flashed through her mind and brought an ache straight to her chest. She wouldn't do that to Elsa. She couldn't.
She pressed forward, refusing to quit so easily.
A gust of wind picked up and blew against her hard; she raised an arm to shield herself from the worst of it and squinted against the wind.
She saw it then; a break in the distance.
Only a short run away.
Anna almost cried at the sight as she quickly dashed toward the opening. There was a clearing just beyond the storm and she quickly broke into it, nearly falling to her knees. The tears came instantly as she reveled in the gentler winds and peaceful air. The relief she felt was immense, and her heart cried out in joy for the miracle that spared her life.
A smile pulled weakly at her lips as hope of returning to Elsa filled her chest. She'd make it through this for sure.
Anna straightened at the thought, and drew her cloak closer to her body. The warmth it failed to produce was upsetting, and her grasp of the material tightened in distress. Slowly, she became aware of the dull ache that pounded at her head, and the violent tremble in her limbs. Her spirits dropped as she was reminded of just how serious her situation still was.
She was still outside in the wilderness; disoriented and utterly exposed. Even with this respite from the storm, she was still vulnerable. The light cloak and dress she wore was fitting for the warm sunny day she had come from, but it was no longer enough now. She wouldn't be able to remain warm and conscious for much longer. Especially now that a sudden weariness was settling into her bones and weighing her body down.
Heavy, lidded eyes slowly scanned the clearing around her. "Where am I?" She asked aloud, speaking to the night air.
She looked further into the distance. Searching. Her eyes narrowed when she saw a shimmering light.
"The North Mountain!" she yelled out, instantly recognizing the Ice Palace.
Happiness washed over her in waves at the familiar sight, and the feeling doubled when she noticed a figure against the horizon. She knew that figure. Even shrouded in darkness and obscured by distance she knew who that figure was. It was the person she needed most. It was Elsa.
Elsa, her heart cried out.
She quickly stepped forward to make her way towards the woman, wanting nothing more but to grab her close, and fall into her safety; but she stopped short.
She felt it then, something rising and gathering around her.
The air thickened and filled with the familiar tingles of magic. Anna crouched slightly and braced herself, knowing well what usually followed.
She waited.
Her body tensed and her eyes fell shut in anticipation.
Nothing.
Anna peeked an eye open, confused. It didn't wrap around her. It didn't pull at her. It didn't take her away.
Instead, it brushed past her; past her and straight toward Elsa.
Elsa swooped down low to catch the approaching energy and rose up in a twirl, pulling it close. She held it to her chest, dancing with it for a moment before she gathered it tight into her hands, and held it high into the air. It sparkled brightly, beautifully, before it burst out across the sky and showered down in shimmering lights.
Magic swirled and pulsed heavily through the air. Anna realized then that the palace was only partially finished.
Elsa was still in the midst of creation.
Anna's eyes widened as she took in the sight. Slowly she understood which moment she had stepped into.
This was the moment where Elsa found herself free; the moment where she finally embraced the beauty of her power.
Anna forgot about the chill in her bones, and felt her eyes water.
It was beautiful.
Anna came back from the memory, and reeled from the strength of it. She glanced out a nearby window and saw that the moon was high in the sky. It sat among the stars, glowing bright and full.
She worried over the Queen's reaction as she approached the door to her room and fell heavily against it. Maybe she can convince her that she had forgotten. Everyone knew of Anna's forgetfulness. They knew she had a tendency for daydreaming. She was always found distracted, and when she was distracted she often lost track of time.
But... did Elsa know that?
They had grown close in the past two months, yes, but so much has changed since they were children.
Anna stepped into her room and gently closed the door behind her. She leaned into it, needing the support. Her head lolled softly to the side as she released a tired sigh. The ordeal from earlier had left her feeling weaker then she originally thought.
She quietly stood there in the darkness a moment, feeling a hot, hot heat gather and rush to her head.
Strange, she thought, considering the cold that still shivered through her body.
The door creaked behind her when she finally slumped away from it, making her way across the room. She unlatched the clasp on her cloak and threw it. The fabric fluttered through the air in slow gentle waves, before lightly settling. Anna noticed it then, a figure just beyond her bed.
"W-what," she gasped, startled.
It took a moment, but her eyes finally adjusted to the darkness and her heart calmed at the sight.
A vision of blue and gold.
It was Elsa.
The Queen sat motionless in a chair. Her body was collapsed against the wall and her head lay pressed against the window, almost as if she were still looking through it.
She was asleep.
Without another thought, Anna moved to snatch her cloak off the bed, and quickly made her way to the older woman.
Above them, the moonlight broke through the clouds and shone down on them. It casted the pair in a soft glow, and Anna's breath caught at the beauty below her.
She's glowing, Anna thought, lightly dazed. The moon reflected off Elsa's skin, her hair, her clothes, her… everything.
She was literally glowing in the moonlight.
Anna swallowed at the tightness in her throat, confused by it, before she carefully placed her cloak over the woman, and gently tucked it into place.
Her movements were slow and careful, but the Queen still stirred.
Anna almost kicked herself.
Stupid, she thought, remembering only then that the woman never felt the bitterness of cold.
She froze. Her hands were still on Elsa's shoulders, when the woman's eyes fluttered and opened slowly. Elsa's hand rose and gently laid over the one on her shoulder, grasping at it lightly.
"Anna?"
