I know, I know, it's been more than a week since my last update. Usually, I'm not so neglectful with my stories. I was very busy over the weekend and I did say that I wouldn't be uploading the third chapter until this week. Thanks again for all the faves, follows, and reviews! They inspire me to write more! Anyway, hope you enjoy, and keep those reviews coming!
Chapter 3: Engagement
"I knew it, I just knew he was going to propose!" Anna cried excitedly, bouncing up and down on Elsa's bed. The moment she had left Elsa and Fredrik alone, she'd gone to her room and waited impatiently for their return. When Fredrik had dropped Elsa off at her door sometime after ten, she had given Elsa a minute to herself before flying down the hall and bursting through the door, demanding to know every little detail about their romantic night together. Elsa had happily obliged, and when she got to the proposal, Anna had quite literally swooned.
"And then he took out this beautiful ring, and he said 'Elsa, my beautiful Snow Queen, I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?'"
Anna flopped backward onto the pillows and sighed, her hands crossed over her chest. "And what did you say?" she asked, looking up at her sister.
"What do you think I said?" Elsa asked, smiling at her.
"I already know what you said," Anna answered, sitting back up and smirking. "But I want to hear you say it."
"I said yes," Elsa replied.
Anna squealed loudly with happiness.
"Anna, hush, you'll wake the whole castle," Elsa admonished.
"I don't care!" Anna cried, hopping off the bed and racing to the door. "They'll find out eventually."
"Anna, it's almost midnight," said Elsa, also standing up and gently but firmly grabbing Anna's arm before she could take another step. "They don't need to know right this second."
Anna deflated a little. "Well, can't I at least get Kristoff and tell him?" she asked meekly.
Elsa sighed, trying not to sound frustrated. Sometimes, Anna could be so stubborn. "Fine," she said. "But keep it down, please."
"I will," said Anna, before opening the door and disappearing into the dark hallway, leaving Elsa alone to relive the last few hours.
She couldn't believe that someone had fallen in love with her and asked her to marry him. But she really couldn't believe that she had also come to love him enough that she had said yes. During those thirteen years after the accident, when she was still in fear of her powers, she had wondered if anyone would love her for who she was on the inside. But now someone did, and she loved him just as much, maybe even more for seeing who she was on the inside, and looking past all her faults, which included her powers.
Shuffling footsteps announced Anna's return, with Kristoff in tow. He looked almost wide awake, but his hair was tousled from sleep. He smiled when he saw Elsa. "Anna just told me the good news," he said. "Congratulations."
"Thank you," said Elsa, smiling back.
On impulse, Kristoff stepped forward and wrapped Elsa in a friendly hug. She hugged back, surprised but pleased. But he let go rather quickly, realizing what he had done.
"I-I'm sorry," he stuttered, his cheeks turning red in embarrassment. "I didn't mean – that is—"
"It's all right, Kristoff," said Elsa, smiling again and trying not to laugh at his awkwardness. "You're part of the family now, so you're perfectly entitled to hug me whenever you want."
"Okay," said Kristoff, relaxing a little and smiling. He crossed his arms over his chest. "So, when's the big day?"
"I have yet to figure that out," Elsa replied. "With all the work I've had lately and the trade and commerce season starting up….well, let's just say it's not the ideal time to get married. It probably won't be until fall, when things start slowing down a little. Plus, there's all the preparation that goes into it: sending out invitations, creating the menu, putting up decorations. And the castle could do with a nice, thorough cleaning, too," she finished thoughtfully. "I just hope it's not as stressful as my birthday ball, though I have a feeling it will be anyway."
"Elsa, don't worry," said Anna reassuringly, taking her sister's hands in hers. "We'll be right here helping you every step of the way."
"I know," said Elsa, squeezing Anna's hands. "But I can't help being anxious about it all. What if something goes wrong?"
"Nothing will go wrong," said Anna, gently but firmly. "Kristoff and I will make absolutely sure that the best day of your life is perfect. Because you deserve it, probably more than anyone I know. Including me." And she wrapped her sister in a tight hug.
"Will you walk me down the aisle?" Elsa asked when they had broken apart. "And give me away?"
"Of course I will," said Anna, smiling. "You're my big sister. I'd do anything for you."
"Thank you," said Elsa, smiling back. "If only Mama and Papa were here. They'd be so proud of the young woman you've become."
"No, they'd be proud of you," said Anna, looking her sister straight in the eyes. "For finally being brave and strong, for accepting yourself for who you are, and for opening up your heart and letting someone in. You're the best role model I could ever have." And she wrapped Elsa in the tightest hug she had ever given.
The news of Queen Elsa's engagement to Prince Fredrik spread through the village like wildfire over the next few days. Over the past couple of years, it had been thought that the queen was unlikely ever to marry, but now that she was, there was a general stir of excitement and anticipation.
Invitations had been sent out to all the neighboring kingdoms, except for Weselton, of course. Elsa had also decided to extend an invitation to King Anders and Queen Cathrine. Though Anna was a little against Elsa inviting anyone from the Southern Isles, Elsa felt it was the polite thing to do. After all, Elsa and Fredrik were marrying into each other's families, so they would be uniting their kingdoms as well. It was also to thank them for their assistance a year ago. The invitation was of course for the wedding ceremony and reception after, but also for a ball, where Elsa and Fredrik would officially announce their engagement, which would take place in about a week's time.
In the week between the proposal and the engagement ball, Elsa couldn't stop looking at the ring Fredrik had given her. It was so perfect; the ice blue diamond was the exact same shade as her eyes, and she guessed that Fredrik must have taken great care in selecting it. Of course, Anna noticed and commented on it.
"It's not going to go away, Elsa," she said, smiling at her. "As long as he loves you and you love him, it'll always be there."
"I know," said Elsa. "But it just feels so strange having it on my finger. In a good way, though. And I never thought I'd experience this. It's almost like a dream. It doesn't seem real."
"But it is real," said Anna. "And don't worry; I felt the same way with Kristoff. After what happened with Hans, I never knew anyone could love me as much as he does. And I bet you feel the same way about Fredrik, and vice versa."
Elsa didn't say anything. Now that she thought about it, she realized that Anna was right; she did love him, so much, more than anything or anyone else in the world, besides Anna, of course. And she was sure Fredrik felt the same way. It was very obvious, especially now that they were engaged. When they were with other people, they would just glance at each other with loving expressions on their faces, but when they were alone, they would share kisses and whisper sweet nothings into each other's ears. Most of these kisses happened just before they retired for the night. As they weren't married yet, it would be improper for them to share a bedroom, so Fredrik would walk her back to hers and give her a long, lingering kiss before retiring to his own room for the night.
But with the wedding on the horizon and the engagement ball drawing nearer, they didn't have much time alone to themselves, which was why Elsa looked forward to their good night kisses. They were her favorite part of the day, and they relieved her stress and made her forget about everything, if only for a moment. Sometimes, she found herself wishing that the days would speed up to the day when she and Fredrik would finally become husband and wife.
But that was still a few months away, and there was so much to do. Thankfully, the most stressful part, the invitations, had been taken care of. Now the other stressful part was the cleaning of the castle before the engagement ball. The last thorough cleaning the castle had gotten had been three years ago, before her twenty-second birthday ball. But after a general inspection, it was decided that the castle didn't need as thorough a cleaning as it did back then. It had been kept in good state since then. So she decided that it was best to start concentrating on the menu. She wasn't panning a full-blown feast or dinner, but instead some hors d'oeuvres and drinks, like wine, champagne, and punch.
The day before the ball saw Elsa, Fredrik, Anna, and Kristoff greeting and welcoming the foreign dignitaries that would be staying in the castle from now up until the wedding. As it happened, Elsa had been working longer hours and getting more work done, so the wedding had been moved up to the end of the summer, giving the royal family just two more months to prepare everything. The dignitaries thanked them for the invitations and for allowing them to stay in the castle, and congratulated Elsa and Fredrik on their engagement. Elsa directed them inside and had Kai show them to their rooms.
The next day, Elsa was a bundle of nerves. In just under an hour, she would be making the most important announcement of her life, and she didn't want to mess it up. She kept wringing her hands and twisting her fingers. Not wanting to accidentally hurt someone if she let loose some of her powers, she had shut herself away in the library, where she had spent many a day during her self-imposed isolation. As anxious as she was, only a very thin layer of frost covered the doors and part of the wall. She kept pacing the same path, back and forth, back and forth, in front of the fireplace, above which hung a portrait of her father on his coronation day, looking austere and almost foreboding.
"Am I ready for this, Papa?" she asked the portrait. "Am I ready to devote my whole life to this man? To pledge my eternal love to him? Because I love him, I really do love him. That should be enough, shouldn't it? I mean, it was enough for you and Mama, wasn't it?"
There was no answer, but Elsa hadn't expected one. She had once asked Anna what it had been to talk to Joan: what she had said, what she imagined Joan said back to her. She tried to think of what her father might say in this situation, but she couldn't think of anything. How had Anna done it? It had seemed so easy when she had mentioned her conversations with Joan.
A soft knock on the door startled her out of her reverie. "Elsa?" said a male's voice. "Are you in there?" It was Fredrik. Apparently, Anna had told him where she was. She walked over to the door and opened it and there was Fredrik, just as handsome, but with a look of worry on his face. His next comment confirmed his expression.
"Are you okay?" he asked. "You've been gone for so long I was beginning to get worried."
"I'm okay," said Elsa, trying to smile at him, but not really succeeding. "How did you know I was up here?"
"Anna told me," Fredrik answered. "She figured that of all the rooms in the castle, you'd most likely pick this one to be alone in."
Elsa shook her head. Anna knew her too well.
"Is everything okay?" Fredrik asked again, taking her hands in his and stroking the backs with his thumbs.
"I don't know," said Elsa, looking down at their intertwined fingers. "I guess I'm just worried."
"About what?" Fredrik asked quietly.
"About everything," Elsa answered, just as quietly. "The ball, the wedding, our life together."
"Why are you worried?" Fredrik asked, putting his arms around her and drawing her close.
"I don't know," Elsa answered, her voice a bit muffled against his shoulder.
"Well, shall we dance while you think about it?" he asked, his voice holding a hint of playfulness.
"I don't dance," said Elsa, looking up at him.
"I'll teach you."
"There's no music."
"We don't need any." And he started swaying slowly from side to side, singing softly. Elsa didn't recognize the song, but it didn't matter. His soothing voice was just enough to ease her worries and make her relax. On one of their circuits, she glanced at the door and saw there was no longer any frost. She smiled and nuzzled deeper into Fredrik's shoulder.
There was another knock on the door and it opened to reveal Kai. He cleared his throat and Elsa and Fredrik broke their embrace, but still held each other's hands.
"It's nearly time, Your Majesty," he said, bowing. "You'd best get ready."
"Thank you, Kai," said Elsa, inclining her head. Kai bowed again and left them alone once more.
She turned back to Fredrik. "I have to go," she whispered.
"Okay," he whispered back. "I'll walk you out."
They walked slowly out into the hallway, still holding hands. "I'll see you in a bit," Fredrik said, and he placed a brief but tender kiss on her lips. As they started walking away from each other, they extended their arms and kept them there until their fingers were no longer touching. Then they turned and went their separate ways.
Elsa was in her room, helping Anna get ready for the ball. Anna should have been the one helping her, but Elsa said that if she helped Anna this one last time, then she'd promise to let Anna help her on her wedding day. Anna agreed. She had changed into a formal, long-sleeved, floor-length lavender gown, and had kept her hair in its usual braid. Anna looked just as pretty in a floor-length gown of a pinkish-purple color. She had left her hair down again; it fell in soft waves past her shoulders. Elsa was currently helping her with her makeup, lightly powdering her face with rouge and tinting her lips a dark pink, a tedious task made even more so by Anna's almost constant fidgeting.
"Anna, will you sit still for just five more minutes, please?" Elsa asked, starting to get impatient. She took a damp cloth and wiped the lipstick smudge off her sister's cheek. She had been almost finished when Anna had abruptly jerked her head.
"I can't help myself!" said Anna, almost bouncing up and down on her vanity stool. "I'm just – too excited!"
"I know you are, Anna. I am, too, but that's no reason to go bouncing off the walls," Elsa said. She finished Anna's lips and stood back to admire her work. "There, you're finished. Finally."
Anna jumped up and ran over to the full-length mirror that stood in one corner of the room to admire herself from every angle. "Oh, Elsa, the makeup is absolutely beautiful," she said in awe. "How do you get it so perfect?" She turned back to her sister, who was still standing by Anna's vanity table.
"Practice," she said simply. "Now come on, we're late. Everyone's waiting."
"Hey, you're the queen," said Anna, smiling and following her sister out the door. "They can't start the party without you."
Elsa smiled back. "Anna—" But she was interrupted by a little voice crying, "Mama! Mama!" The both turned to see little Kirsten running towards them, barefoot and dressed in a pink nightgown.
"Hello, my darling," said Anna, smiling and picking her up. "Where's Gerda?"
"Right here," a voice puffed. "She just can't walk as fast as a one-year-old." Gerda had come around the corner, panting and trying to catch her breath.
"Gerda, it's almost eight," said Anna, looking curiously at the older woman. "She should be in bed."
"I'm sorry, Your Highness, but the little one wanted one last good night kiss from her mama and auntie," said Gerda, smiling at Kirsten.
"Well, okay," said Anna, smiling down at her daughter. "Give Mama a kiss." Kirsten puckered up her lips and planted a big, wet kiss on her cheek. "Now give Auntie Elsa a kiss." Kirsten did the same thing to Elsa and Anna handed her back to Gerda. "Thank you, Gerda," she said. "We'll be back to check on her later."
"Yes, Your Highness," said Gerda, before carrying Kirsten back to the nursery.
"Okay, now we're really late," said Anna, and she grabbed Elsa's hand and started pulling her down the hall.
"Since when did you care about being late?" Elsa asked, laughing as she followed Anna downstairs and to the door that led into the ballroom. Fredrik and Kristoff were waiting just outside. They walked over to their respective partners. Fredrik took Elsa's hand.
"I missed you," he said, smiling.
"Fredrik, we've only been separated for half an hour," said Elsa, laughing. "That's hardly enough time to miss me."
"I'll miss every moment without you until the day we're married," said Fredrik in mock seriousness, and he planted a light kiss on her forehead.
"You girls ready?" Kristoff asked, smiling.
"As we'll ever be," said Anna, smiling back and taking his arm. Elsa and Fredrik did the same and they all faced the door, with Kristoff and Anna in front. Elsa gave a nod to the guard standing outside, who nodded back and opened the door. They heard Kai's voice on the other side announcing them.
"Presenting Her Royal Highness Princess Anna of Arendelle, and her husband, Sir Kristoff Bjorgman of Arendelle."
Anna and Kristoff walked in to a multitude of applause, smiling and nodding at everyone as they took their places on the platform next to the throne. There was a pause, then Kai announced Elsa and Fredrik.
Presenting Her Royal Majesty Queen Elsa of Arendelle, and her new fiancé Prince Fredrik of the Southern Isles."
The applause that greeted Elsa and Fredrik was much louder than the applause for Anna and Kristoff, perhaps because they were excited and thrilled that their queen was finally getting married. Elsa and Fredrik walked sedately to the platform, acknowledging everyone present. Elsa then held up her hands and the room quieted down.
"Thank you all for coming," she said in her queenly voice. "I am very happy to share this special event with you. But for tonight, all I ask is that you please enjoy yourselves."
Everyone applauded again and the band started up. Kristoff turned to Anna, bowed, and offered his hand. "Shall we?" he asked, smiling. Anna smiled back, took his hand, and followed him onto the dance floor.
Fredrik turned to Elsa and bowed. "May I have this dance?" he asked in a very formal tone.
Elsa covered her heart with her hands and smiled. "Why sir, I'm flattered," she said. "But I'm sorry, I don't dance."
"Well, I'm sorry to hear that," said Fredrik, standing up and smiling back at her. "But you're in luck. I happen to know someone who is a very good dancer."
"Really?" Elsa asked, pretending to be surprised. "Who might this someone be?"
"Well, why don't I show you?" Fredrik asked, and he took her hand and led her out onto the dance floor. He took her right hand in his left and put her left hand on his shoulder while he put his right hand on her waist. He then started guiding her around the floor. She stumbled a few times, but soon got the hang of it and felt comfortable enough to rest her head against his chest. She caught a glimpse of Anna dancing with Kristoff across the room. Anna smiled at her and she smiled back.
Fredrik noticed the exchange between the sisters. "What are you smiling about?" he asked, also smiling.
"I don't know, I'm just happy, I guess," Elsa answered, her head still resting on his shoulder.
"Does this happiness have anything to do with us?" he asked.
"No," said Elsa, looking up at him and smiling. "It has everything to do with us."
Fredrik chuckled and leaned down to kiss her. Elsa kissed him back, leaning in closer and putting her arms around his neck. Yes, she thought. This is exactly where I belong.
Whew! That was a long one! Okay, so here's my plan for this story. Chapter one, as you know, was the continuation of Elsa and Fredrik's courtship and chapter two was the proposal. I originally intended this chapter to be their period of engagement and wedding prep, but it turned out to be quite a bit longer than I had planned. I figured that since Elsa's engagement would be a bigger deal than Anna and Kristoff's, she would have a special ball in honor of that. So, the next chapter will start two months before their wedding and will end with them finally getting married.
If all goes well, this story will have seven chapters. Chapter 5 will take place a month or two after the wedding, with Elsa finding out she's expecting her first child; chapter 6 will take place about halfway through her pregnancy, when she starts talking about her plans, hopes, and fears about her first child; and chapter 7 will be about the birth of her first child. I may decide to write it more from the guys' points of view, but I'm not sure yet. I'll figure it out.
Again, hope you enjoyed! Another chapter coming soon!
EDIT 10/9/15: To my readers: I changed just a few things in this chapter, mostly minor grammatical errors.