Elsanna!Angst! Lolz. I promise the next chapter will be longer and full of more love-dove-realization goodness. We just have to get through the boring stuff and build up to it. Thanks for bearing with me!
Elsa's presentation was flawless.
She greeted her people and foreign dignitaries with grace and poise, smiling with her arms open wide. After a short speech about the strength of her people and her kingdom, she lifted her arms to the darkened sky. The northern lights glowed above them, unusual for that time of year, and Elsa took it as a nod from the gods. She wished Anna was there (the girl was nowhere to be seen, not to Elsa's surprise) and she remembered her sister's words distinctly.
"The sky is awake!" The Queen addressed the people below her, a mischievous grin passing across her lips. "…and so am I." With that, the Queen's arms reached towards the sky and snow flurries exploded, the air turning icy and crisp. She pointed her hands towards the courtyard below her, and she turned the fountains into ice sculptures, and froze the courtyard's surface to ice, smiling as her people cheered and began to float and skate across its surface.
The common folk remained outside, skating, drinking and laughing in celebration under the newly fallen snow while the royals returned to the castle, eager to get warm from the sudden drop in temperature and dance the night away. Elsa returned to her chambers, relieving herself of her cloak and ready to dive into the ball that awaited below.
"Your majesty!" The Duke of Weselton was the first to greet the Queen when she entered the ballroom, and his voice could hardly be heard over the explosion of applause that erupted from the ballroom. The Queen couldn't help but smile broadly and curtsey to her peers, feeling for once at peace among her neighbors.
"Your majesty!" The Duke began again, reaching for the Queen's hand and kissing it, a brave move the Queen admired. "What a lovely ball! We can't thank you enough for your hospitality, and Weselton thanks you for your trade." The Duke bowed low, his toupe flipping off his head. The Queen did her best to hold a laugh and curtsied again, smiling towards the Duke. "We are honored to be allies with Weselton, and I hope our kingdoms continue to prosper." The Duke of Weselton bowed one last time and backed away into the crowd.
The Queen made her way towards her throne alone, feeling a sudden sense of loneliness, wishing her sister was accompanying her. Her thoughts were quickly preoccupied when a brunette woman with shoulder length hair and bright green eyes approached her, barefoot, and with a very handsome, broad-shouldered man at her side. "Queen Elsa!" The woman proclaimed, curtseying with a smile, and the man beside her bowing awkwardly.
"My name is Rapunzel Fitzherbert, and this is my husband, Eugene Fitzherbert, from the kingdom of Corona."
"Rapunzel!" Elsa exclaimed, a sudden excitement flowing through her. The Queen jumped up from her sitting position, strangely losing all control of regality, and approached the young woman. "I can't thank you enough for the trade between our two kingdoms," Elsa began, but was quickly interrupted by the bright-eyed girl.
"No need your majesty, we are here to support you through thick and thin. We actually have quite a bit in common," Rapunzel spoke, smiling and reaching for the Queen's hand. Rapunzel herself was unfamiliar with formalities, as was her husband. When he motioned towards a waiter with a platter of wine, the brunette laughed and bumped the man with her hip. "You go ahead, I want to speak with Elsa."
Eugene kissed his wife on the cheek and slipped into the crowd, eager to find the fine wine that he still found to be shockingly free.
"So," Rapunzel began, and Elsa instantly led her to Anna's throne next to her. The brunette seated herself and continued to hold the Queen's hand, "…I must say I find your powers absolutely fascinating."
Elsa blushed slightly and squeezed the princess's hand. "Rumor has it that you aren't completely unfamiliar with magic as well,"
Rapunzel laughed and leaned towards the Queen. "I'm sure whatever rumors you have heard are true. Magic hair at one point, ability to heal the sick or wounded, it's interesting to say the least."
Elsa looked at the Princess and couldn't help but be reminded of Anna. She was happy, bubbly, and carefree, much like her younger sister, but something in her eyes showed a great loss, and a wise-ness beyond her years. She couldn't quite grasp the thought, but something pulled her towards Rapunzel, and the feeling frightened her. She found herself falling into her eyes, listening to every word the young Princess said, and hoping she wouldn't let go of her hand.
"We had heard about your disappearance when we were young," Elsa began, trying to stay clear of her roaming thoughts and referring to Anna and herself who was missing at the moment, "and when we heard of your return, we almost didn't believe it! My mother and father were great friends and allies with your parents before you were taken."
"Yes," Rapunzel began, "It was a hard time for them, but it's nothing compared to what you have been through. I'm sorry for your loss, and I hope the relationship between our two kingdoms don't falter again. I have every intention of rebuilding the link our two kingdoms had, and continue not only to be two powerful allies, but friends." This made the Queen's heart swell, and was shocked by how freely the Princess of Corona spoke to her. She wasn't used to such honesty, but Rapunzel understood magic and Elsa couldn't find any trace of fear in the girls eyes. For once Elsa was being spoken to as a true equal, and she liked it.
The Queen of Arendell and the future Queen of Corona continued to chat throughout the night, much to Anna's distaste. She watched the pair from the entrance of the ballroom, a scowl apparent on her face as she watched the princess of Corona recline casually on her throne, holding her sister's hand and smiling affectionately.
Anna wasn't quite sure why she was feeling such jealousy towards the Princess. Rapunzel seemed nice enough, and had a bright, innocent expression that made her hate her more for some reason. She was sitting in her throne, talking to her Queen, holding her sisters hand, acting like all was fine and dandy as her and her sister laughed giddily over some personal joke that she wouldn't understand. After fuming for a few minutes more, Anna finally pushed herself into the ballroom, and once the band and crowd caught sight of her, the music stopped and applause erupted again. Anna waved awkwardly into the crowd, catching the eye of Elsa and Rapunzel. Both women stood and applauded, then walked towards the girl to greet her.
"Princess Anna!" Rapunzel greeted and curtsied in her presence. "It's an honor to finally meet you! I am Rapunzel, Princess of-"
"I know who you are." Anna snapped, sounding harsher than she intended.
Elsa glared at her sister and stepped forward. "Anna, that is not how we greet our guests," The Queen was ready to continue, but Rapunzel spoke first, "I believe I have overstayed my welcome, my apologies."
Rapunzel made eye-contact with the Queen before curtseying and disappearing into the throng of dancing bodies, in search of her husband.
Elsa waited a moment before facing her sister, pure anger apparent on her face.
"How dare you speak to an ally of Arendell that way," Elsa spoke, standing taller and turning into the Queen of Arendell Anna knew well.
"She was sitting in my throne," Anna argued, avoiding Elsa's gaze and staring into the crowd.
"That's a petty excuse," Elsa glowered at her sister, attempting to keep her features straight. "She wouldn't have been sitting in your throne if you had shown up on time."
This cut Anna short. She was late because of her dress. Her dress. She didn't understand why, but she couldn't decide which dress to wear, and had some uncontrollable urge to impress her sister. Blue was her favorite color, and while the majority of her wardrobe was green, she was able to track down a blue, sleeveless gown that had once belonged to her mother in her younger years. This apparently had no effect on the Queen, whatever effect she was hoping for.
Anna attempted to snap back, but couldn't find the words. She rarely saw her sister this cross and wasn't sure how to approach it.
Both girls turned away and stared into the crowd, watching the royals dance amongst each other. Elsa caught Rapunzel dancing with the eldest Prince of the Southern Isles, and the girl was smiling and laughing as Eugene watched on. She couldn't keep her eyes off her. Elsa watched her figure move and sway with the music, watched how she would toss her head back to laugh, her short hair swaying with every movement, and how her eyes sparkled when the light caught them just right.
Anna was glaring at Rapunzel as well, but had quite a different expression. She detested how the girl always seemed to be smiling, and how everyone she met seemed to light up in her presence. Even Elsa seemed to be under her spell, and one glance at the queen had Anna staring at Rapunzel's dance partner, and both seemed to be sharing the same expression.
Anna stepped forward and grazed her eyes across the room, noticing that all the men seemed to be enchanted by the Princess of Corona, watching the woman sway across the dance floor, wide eyes and sheepish smiles following in her wake. One of Anna's eyebrows rose as she snuck another glance at her sister, and she too was wearing a doe-eyed expression and seemed to be melting at the sight of the Princess.
Without a word, Anna lifted her skirts and rushed out of the ballroom.