Three years later
Elsa awoke early the morning of her coronation to the soft snores of another and the weight of an arm thrown haphazardly over her shoulder. She pushed herself up on her elbows and yawned widely, the arm rolled of her shoulder and she turned to see a dark-haired woman twisted within the sheets of the bedding. Elsa smiled slightly as the sight reminded her of how Anna used to sleep when they were younger and then she sighed, the phantom that had visited her all those years ago had, true to her word, remained. Elsa threw off the blanket and got out of bed, the grey light of pre-dawn bathing the room in a chilly glow. Elsa heard the other Elsa groan.
"Are we really getting up now?"
"You always ask that, anyway today is my coronation and there are still many things left to prepare."
"You work too much" the other Elsa responded, yawning and disentangling herself from the bed sheets.
"You don't work at all" Elsa retorted, the other Elsa just shrugged. Elsa moved to smooth out the sheets noting that they were much neater now. It was obvious that only one person had slept in that bed last night. Elsa had grown used to having her perceptions change slightly to accommodate the phantom, as a figment of her mind, the other Elsa could leave no real impact on the world. For the most part anyway. Elsa could feel the draw of her ice power and looked up to see flowers of frost winding up her window apparently under the direction of the other Elsa.
"Stop it!" Elsa hissed and rushed over to the window, "What do you think you are doing?!" The other Elsa regarded her lazily, still creating fine white tendrils of frost.
"Exercising our gift? When we become queen there will be no reason to hide it anymore, we'll be able to do whatever we-"
"This is not a gift!" Elsa slammed her hand against the window frame. Thick jagged waves of frost tore through the delicate flower design. Startled, Elsa withdrew her hand from the now ruined frost lattice. No matter how beautiful her powers, they turned to destruction far too easily. They were too dangerous to wield like a toy. Elsa folded her hands to her chest and walked quickly to her dresser, pulling out a pair of turquoise suede gloves. "And there is no "we." I will become queen and these powers will stay hidden, forever."
"Your Highness?" Elsa jumped. She looked up to see that the other Elsa had disappeared. She sighed and pushed her unruly bangs off her fore head.
"Good morning Kai," Elsa answered as she pulled on her morning robe, "I'll be out in a moment."
"Please take your time your Highness." Looking anxiously at the frost covering her window, Elsa opened the door to her room as little as possible, then squeezed out and quickly closed the door behind her. If Kai noticed the strange behavior of the young regent, he didn't show it. "Good morning your Highness." Kai bowed slightly and gave Elsa a reassuring smile. "I've come to let you know that the preparations for your coronation are underway. The cooking staff is preparing for the banquet and the maids are setting up the ballroom as we speak.
"Good, thank you Kai," Elsa nodded in appreciation. "Are there any new missives from the guests that will be arriving?" Kai frowned slightly but recovered almost immediately.
"Yes your highness, the Duke of Weselton has already sent ahead his request to go over the current trade agreements. Your cousin, her Highness Princess Rapuzel, has seen fit send another congratulatory gift. And there has been a late declaration. Apparently the King of the Southern Isles will be accepting your invitation and has sent his youngest son as representative."
"Thank you Kai, please draft a thank you letter to the kingdom of Corona, I'll personally thank Rapunzel myself, later. Also please add, what is this youngest son's name?"
"Prince Hans Westergard of the Southern Isles, your Highness."
"Yes, please make sure he is added to the guest list. And please have our current trade agreement with Weselton and the Duke's request brought to my study, I'll review it this morning."
"Princess Elsa, if I may, the trade agreement could surely wait until after your coronation. Today is a day of celebration for both you and the people."
"I appreciate your concern Kai, however, I may as well get this taken care of as soon a possible, the Duke, as I understand it, is an impatient man." Kai nodded.
"I agree your Highness. Will you be taking your breakfast in the study this morning as well?"
"Yes."
"I'll see to it your Highness,"
"Thank you Kai, please do." When Kai had bowed and left, Elsa returned to room to get dressed. She was greeted by her personal specter.
"Typical, you wouldn't know how to have fun even if it was one of your royal duties." The dark haired Elsa regarded her twin lazily as she leaned against the still frost covered window. Elsa tried to ignore her, which was never a good idea. The other Elsa didn't take well to being ignored. "You always were Papa's little girl," the other Elsa sneered, "Conceal it, Don't feel it, right?" Elsa was putting on the dress she had chosen for her coronation and was still pointedly ignoring the specter. She was tired of having to deal with the constant ridicule. "Well do you feel it now Elsa?!" The temperature of the room dropped several degrees and Elsa finally looked up. "See? So long as I control our power as well you can't pretend I don't exist. You can't chant your good luck charm, and act like there is nothing wrong. I am you Elsa, the honest you, the you you were always meant to be until Anna made us hide away our powers."
"This was not Anna's fault! She is the victim here, my power is dangerous, I can't control it enough to prevent causing more injury."
"You can, you just won't try, and while we are shackled to duty and your promise to our dear old Papa. The spare is free to be the carefree klutz she's always been. Does she even care about you anymore, you've ignored her so thoroughly you may as well be the specter, not me." That last one stung, it hurt that she had to remove herself from Anna's life but it was only to protect her.
"Why are you doing this, why now, why on the day when I most need to remain calm."
"Because Elsa, The day that you finally let this all go, will be the happiest day of our life." Fed up, the other Elsa turned and vanished through the frost covered window.
The biting chill of the room slowly receded. Elsa fixed a long purple cape around her shoulders and sighed, I need to stay calm, If only for just one day.