It was nearing the end of June and the last dregs of rain had finished earlier in the week. The air was crisp, the plants plentiful, and the clouds absent except for the ones the Princess's head was currently taking residence in.
"Anna," Elsa leaned in to whisper in Anna's ear. "That's the third dignitary you've ignored."
It was the night of the summer solstice and the celebration was just as energetic as it was 10 hours earlier. The royal sisters were poised in the front of the ballroom; sitting was decidedly too formal and dancing too informal.
Not 10 minutes ago, Anna had been bouncing on the balls of her feet in time with the music, Elsa swaying alongside her, when the music changed and Anna had stopped. Stopped bouncing. Stopped greeting. Stopped focusing.
Elsa nudged her with her shoulder. "Are you alright?"
Don't lie, Annathought. "It's, uh... Been a long day." Wanna try that one again? "Of festivities." Great job. "It's the longest day of the year, you know." Anna nudged Elsa back.
Elsa smiled and nudged her back once more before bringing her hand to Anna's shoulder to pull her close. "If exhaustion is what's disturbing you, we can end the night soon. Although I have a feeling it's not." She released the shoulder and brushed imaginary lint off of it. "I recall a certain someone with the ability to stay up for three days and two nights just to plan this exact celebration."
Anna's recollection of said event had her sister beside her while creating the itinerary, repetitive whispers of "chocolate fountain" in her ear until Anna was forced to ban her from the room on the grounds of celebration interference.
A bark of a chuckle came from Anna. "Alright, you caught me." Anna let out a small breath through her still-smiling lips. "I was thinking about our childhood."
Elsa turned her torso fully toward Anna now, eyebrows knit and mouth in a thin line. That had caught her off guard. Anna worried her bottom lip and clasped her hands in front of herself. "The band over there," She nodded her head in their direction, "They're playing a song my music tutor gave me sheet music for. It made me realize... I don't know if you play an instrument. I don't know if we had the same old lady tutor- heck, I don't know if you even had a music class." Anna rubbed the back of one hand with the other hands' thumb. "That's what was bothering me." She lifted her gaze to a spot on the wall. A spot near the band. A spot on the floor. Any spot but Elsa's.
Elsa exhaled. Reached out to Anna's shoulder with her right hand and Anna's hands with her left one. She smiled when her actions prompted the other girl to finally look at her.
"We have a lot of time to make up for. We also have the rest of our lives to do it. I'd like to think we can. I'd like to think we are." The hand perched on Anna's shoulder joined the rest in front of her.
Two pairs of eyes locked onto each other and the girls enjoyed a moment between themselves, smiles growing and eyes crinkling. A lull in the background music floated around them, a reminder of their conversation.
"Violin. I learned plenty of other strings instruments, but that was my favorite." Elsa offered, releasing Anna's hands.
Anna smirked. "Overachiever. How many is 'plenty'?"
Elsa raised a hand to laugh behind it. "Plenty. What kind of instruments did you play?"
"Dodge my question and I'll dodge yours." Anna replied, planting her hands on her hips for good measure. Unfortunately, her desire to answer outweighed her desire to get even, so she settled upon an honest "I can read brass music."
"Ah, I remember not being able to play brass instruments. My embouchure wasn't up to par." She bumped Anna with her shoulder. "Maybe that's why you're so great at it, with that mouth of yours that never stops moving."
"Well, dear sister, the world needs people who can play the violin like you do." Anna imitated plucking a banjo.
An un-Queenly chortle filled Anna's ears, followed by a brief pause as Elsa leaned in to whisper into Anna's ear.
"Bet you a whole week of my dessert you won't take that players' trumpet."
Surprise lined Anna's face for the briefest of moments before amusement replaced it. "How about I up the ante? A whole month of dessert for what I'm about to do."
The girls grinned in unison; a silent agreement.
"And afterwards, we can hit up one of the 37 chocolate fountains you've suggested."
The night ended with a chocolate-filled tuba, several band members sprawled on an impromptu ice rink, all the strings from an unfortunate violin strummed to their breaking points, two busted pillars "instead of eight, okay", one servant's coat caught on the chandelier after he'd been launched into the air, and a promised entire month of Elsa's desserts.
"Happy Solstice, Anna." Elsa said around the stolen bonbons in her mouth.
"Mrmph." Anna replied.