Chapter 2
Elsa
Elsa was worried. Maybe she was reading too much into it, but Stian seemed on edge. She pretended not to notice him waking up last night. She heard him panicking in his dream, and felt him sit up. Elsa didn't want him to be scared, but she didn't know how to help.
The sun beamed through the window. It would have been amazing if it weren't shining directly into Elsa's eyes. She groaned, and rolled over. Stian wasn't there. She sat up, and scanned the room. Nothing. Maybe he had decided to get ready early? The dignitaries were visiting today, maybe it was his nerves getting to him. Elsa swung her legs out of bed, stood up, and stretched. She looked out her window, and sure enough, villagers were going about their business. People haggling, shopkeepers advertising, and children playing. Elsa loved playing with the children from the village whenever she could. She loved children.
Elsa fixed her hair, and dressed in her normal attire. She eyed the tiara laying on her bedside table. It didn't seem to fit her personality. So regal and serious looking. She sighed, and put it on. Elsa exited her room, only to be greeted by Gerta, her maid.
"Lovely morning, isn't it Your Majesty?" she asked.
"It is. Have you seen Stian?" the Queen asked.
"Not since last night. You could try to ask Kai, he might know." she said in her Norwegian accent. Elsa thanked her, and made her way down to the kitchen. All sorts of smells filled the air as Elsa personally tested all the chocolate that was available.
"Elsa, dear! You haven't seen my Stian around, have you?" Stian's Mother asked. Elsa shrugged.
"I was about to ask you the same thing. I don't know where… Wait… Yes I do." she smiled. Elsa thanked Stian's mother, and was out the door, running to the East Wing. There, she climbed up a turret, into a small room. There was a wooden board on the ground, with two ropes tied to it. Elsa ignored that, and used the wall to climb up. She emerged on the roof of the castle. There, sitting underneath a tiny gazebo was Stian, picking strings on a lute. Elsa approached him, and sat down.
"Good morning." she said.
"Good morning." Stian said back, not looking up from is lute. Elsa blew the hair out of her face, and put her hand on his shoulder. Stian jerked back, looking like he'd been terrified of something. Elsa placed her hand in her lap.
"Sorry…" he said, putting his lute to the side. He stared down at the villagers.
"What's the matter?" she asked.
"What? Nothing! Nothing's the matter." he said, glancing quickly at her.
"Stian, I know you're upset. Listen…" Elsa sighed, "I know you've been having nightmares." she said. Stian looked at her, confused as to how she could have known. Elsa smiled weakly.
"Sorry. It's just… Nerves, I guess."
"You look terrified when you're dreaming. What's the matter?" Elsa asked, placing her hand on his. Stian paused before speaking again. He looked her in the eyes. Elsa saw the brave, somewhat awkward man she loved, but in his eyes, she could see he was truly scared.
"I keep having these dreams. Some nights it's not bad. Just… I touch something and it freezes. That scares me. Last night I dreamt about the day we got our powers." he said. Elsa cringed. She didn't like to remember that day. The Guards found a shack in the woods, after the two explained the situation to their parents. But they didn't find any old man. Elsa knew now that the beings she saw in the forest were Snow Elves, but they didn't have to worry about them anymore.
"Stian, listen. It's in the past."
"But it felt real. I felt my heart freeze. I saw the look on your face and…" Stian's voice broke. Elsa touched his cheek and put on the best supportive smile she could.
"We don't have to worry about that." she said. Stian nodded, before taking a breath, and looking out over the fjord. Ships with all different flags were slowly sailing into Arendelle. This would be both of their first times organizing the trade routes of Arendelle. If they did it right, Arendell would thrive for another year. If not, then the Kingdom was on its own.
"We should head down. Kai said there's something important for us to hear." Stian said, standing up. Elsa stood up too, and looked out over the mountains. She felt dizzy for a bit, but it subsided.
"Let's go." she said.
