Big sister. People have been saying that to Princess Elsa recently, though she wasn't really sure why.
"Elsa, you'll make a great big sister!"
"Are you excited to be a big sister?"
"Oh Elsa, you're going to be a big sister!"
It kind of irritated the three-year-old that no one bothered to explain to her what a sister actually was, and how she was a big one. Elsa was small, not big. How could she be a big sister if she were so small? She had wondered these thoughts a few months ago at something her Mama had called a "baby shower." This confused the princess too: there were no babies, and no showers. It was just a bunch of other women cooing over the Queen and giving her presents, most of which were clothes that were too tiny for even Elsa to wear. Elsa had snuck an outfit and tried to fit it onto one of her dolls, but the Queen took it back from her before she had the chance.
The only thing Elsa was sure of was that this "big sister" business had something to do with her Mama and her tummy. The Queen's stomach had gotten so large that she couldn't pick Elsa up anymore, much to the disappointment of the young girl. Sometimes the Queen would press Elsa's hand to a spot on her stomach, and it would move! Elsa always liked this, but whenever she would try to give the moving-tummy a snowflake or snowball, the Queen would stop her. This disappointed the girl again.
But now, on a chilly spring morning, Elsa had a chance to think over these thoughts again as nursemaids and midwives rushed about the castle. She had tried to stop one and show her an especially pretty snowflake she had made, but the nurse had just shooed Elsa away and kept going down the hall. The princess didn't understand why everyone was in such a hurry, and why no one would play with her. Everyone used to play with her, before all this "big sister" talk started.
Elsa pouted her lip and sat down at the window seat, pulling her knees up to her chest. Her Mama and Papa hadn't been at breakfast that morning, and Elsa hadn't seen them since last night. She wondered where they were, and when she had asked a maid, she had responded with another "big sister" comment. She clicked her shoes together and looked around, as if repeatedly turning her head from one side to the other would will someone to come talk to her.
It seemed to work, as the King rushed down the hallway, breezing past the foyer where Elsa sat. "Papa!" She yelled after him, happy to see one of her parents. He backed up and glanced at his daughter, then back down the hallway, towards his own room. He smiled before turning and sitting down beside his daughter on the window seat.
"Papa, where's Mama?" Elsa asked as he sat down, crawling into his lap. Her headband had been knocked sideways, and the King straightened it. He smiled at Elsa and brushed her bangs to the side before answering.
"Mama is about to have a baby, Elsa. Do you know what a baby is?" Elsa nodded her head up and down. She had seen babies many times when they walked around the kingdom. Elsa thought they looked like her dolls, except they were real. One specific baby had really chubby cheeks that looked perfectly squishy, but the Queen had pulled her away before Elsa could touch him. Elsa didn't really understand how her mother was going about getting a baby, but Elsa didn't really care. She was just excited she would have a baby in the castle, whose chubby cheeks she could poke all she wanted.
"Well," The King continued, leaning his back against the cool glass window so he could more easily look at Elsa. "When the baby is born-" Elsa didn't know what "born" meant but decided to keep her mouth shut. "-we're going to need to take good care of the baby. You'll take good care of the baby, right Elsa? Just like Mama and Papa will?"
Elsa nodded again. She didn't know how much work babies could be, but from the serious tone in her father's voice, she knew that taking good care of it would be important. The King smiled at Elsa again, wrapping his arms around her in a kind of sideways hug. "And when the baby is born, you'll be a big sister. That means you'll have a little brother or sister to play with, when he or she is big enough."
Elsa scrunched her face up trying to hide her excitement. The King laughed at her expression, and kissed the top of her head. There weren't any other kids in the castle for Elsa to play with, and when her parents were busy it got kind of lonely. She wasn't sure what sister and brother meant, but she knew she was getting one, and that was good enough for her.
The King began telling Elsa all about how babies are fragile and they have to be held carefully, and how Elsa couldn't try to blast the new baby with snow right away. He explained how she would have to be really quiet when she first met her brother or sister, and Elsa agreed to all his terms. She wanted to make sure the baby was safe and happy, as well as squishy cheeked.
Just as the King and Elsa got into game of "I Spy," a nurse ran into the hall and curtsied hurriedly. Elsa and the King both starred at her, Elsa dropping her hands (which had been about to frost up her father's shoulder) into her lap. "Your majesty," She sounded out of breath from rushing down the hall. "It's time."
Those words had no effect on Elsa, but the same could not be said for the King. He leapt from the window seat, leaving Elsa alone again. He turned quickly and planted a kiss on her temple. "The next time I see you you'll be a big sister." He said with a smile. Then he straightened his spine and quickly followed the maid down the hallway.
Elsa blinked in surprise and confusion, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. It's time? What is it time for? Why did Papa leave? The princess wondered, jumping from the seat before leaning forward to look down the hallway. She watched as the King entered his bedroom, firmly closing the door behind him.
Elsa returned to the window seat and laid down, letting her arm dangle off of it. Why was everyone acting so strange today? Was it about the baby? Yes, yes probably that. Elsa tapped the window with the hand that wasn't dangling and let her power send frost up the glass.
It had probably been almost an hour before the King returned to Elsa, who had dozed off on the window seat. He shook her shoulder lightly until she woke, and gave her a bright, tired smile.
"Elsa?" He asked, quietly and calmly. "Would you like to meet your baby sister?"
The princess was fully awake now, and nodded. She took her father's hand and he led her down the hallway to his and the Queen's room. Maids and nurses were coming out of the room slowly, all cooing and smiling at Elsa. She heard one of them say another "big sister" comment as she passed. As they walked, Elsa suddenly felt shy. Of the new baby or the nurses, she wasn't sure. She leaned into her father as they walked, and he glanced down at her.
Finally, her father pushed open the door and together they entered the well lit room. Elsa's face brightened when she saw her mother propped up on the pillows. Her dark hair was in tangles and her face held a look of exhaustion, but it was mixed with a look of joy.
"Mama!" Elsa exclaimed, as quietly as she could manage. She let go of the King's hand and rushed to the bedside. When she got closer she realized that her mother was holding a small blanket in her arms. Elsa's eyes locked onto it as she neared the shy feeling returning. So it was the new baby she was shy of. She touched her mother's arm lightly, her eyes flickering between the Queen and the blanket.
The King walked up behind Elsa and picked her up lightly. Elsa looked up at him as he set her on the bed next to her mother. The King and Queen smiled at each other, then at Elsa.
"Sweetie," The Queen said, rearranging the bundle so that a tiny pink face was visible. "This is Anna. Your sister."
Elsa glanced at both her parents with a look of almost fear in her eyes before she leaned over to look at the baby.
Anna's tiny face was pink and scrunched up, her eyes tightly closed from sleep. Two tini tiny fists were on either side of her slightly chubby face. She really was tiny. She looked like those baby clothes at the shower would be to large on her tiny body. A puff of frizzy red-ish blond hair stuck up in random directions that made Elsa giggle. Anna was adorable.
Elsa touched Anna's hand lightly, and the baby stirred. Elsa pulled her hand back immediately, afraid she had done something wrong, but her parents just smiled at her. "It's alright Elsa." The Queen reassured, lifting one hand off of Anna so she could smooth down Elsa's hair. "Do you want to hold her?"
Elsa's face brightened and she nodded again. She held her arms out awkwardly, and the King laughed. "Let me help you." He said, moving behind Elsa and rearranging her arms more suitable to hold the baby in.
When Elsa was passed the baby, The Queen never fully took her hands off Anna; to be sure Elsa wouldn't drop her. Elsa didn't mind, she appreciated the help. Elsa smiled down at her baby sister, a strange feeling stirring in her stomach. "I haven't said hi to her yet." Elsa noted, looking up at her Mama. The Queen pointed her chin at Anna, laughing lightly at the strange request. "Then introduce yourself, sweetie."
Elsa sucked in a breath before she spoke. "Hi Anna." The older Princess whispered. "I'm your sister, Elsa."