AN: Okay wow, I am sorry it took me so long to post this but I really got into this chapter and as a bonus it is pretty damn long.
A NOTE OF WARNING: I did mention this is a Dark-ish AU, the dark part comes in at this first scene. The backstory for this will probably be up in the next chapter. ALSO, this story will end soon! While I did get into it, I have other ideas I would like to write out. (If I started any of the other story ideas, this one would never get done and is partially why this went from originally 2-3 chapters to 5-6.)
Striding down the hallway, a spring in her step, Elsa couldn't help the smile on her face. It felt as though a murmur of starlings were taking up every open space in her chest, lightening her very presence. Lifting her up higher and higher until she was getting dizzy from the sensation. She wished it could last, but as she neared her council chambers she pushed away the feelings deep into her heart and schooled her features into cool indifference
Slowing down she fixed her posture, shoulders back, spine as straight as a rod. Head held high as befitting royalty, a cold stare fixed against the wood of the door and frost dripping from her hands.
There was a rat amidst mice and she was the cat to weed it out.
Tucking her hands behind her back, she gripped her fingers feeling the ice coat them, twitching them she felt the ice dissipate though she kept the chill around her.
She was the Ice Queen of Arendelle.
And they would do well to remember it.
With a blast of arctic wind and a flurry of snow Elsa slammed the doors open and strode inside the room. Startled men scurried to stand beside their chairs, bowing deeply as she passed by them without nary a glance. Her butler Kai pulled out the chair at the head of the table for her, nodding her head slightly in his direction.
Standing as still as a statue, Elsa stared intently at each of the men who were still bent over out of respect or fear. There were only four of them. It made the process simpler, but still, it helped to have her own spies watching each one.
"Sit." The clatter of chairs accompanied the quiet command
On her left sat her Military Advisor Nikolay and Foreign Affairs Advisor Otelius. Both had been in their positions for longer than she has lived, they were more then trustworthy to the Arendelle family. Looking into their faces she sees the loyalty and respect instilled in their eyes. Even despite all that she has done in the past three years, they understood what had to be done.
Especially that horrible day on her birthday. But in the end, they would serve the family in any capacity. She was not worried about them.
Glancing to her right sat Eivin, in charge of the Treasury. He was twitchy, always had a nervous tic whether it be the bouncing of a leg or tapping his fingers against table or chair. Elsa knew why he was this way. He was stealing from her.
Minute amounts, not enough to do any harm but she refused to let gold be wasted on the sniveling coward. He would be easy to deal with.
The last one, Edrik, in charge of Internal Affairs, is where the rat came to rest. His job, was to take care of the agricultural issues and trade. While Elsa had cast most of Arendelle into a blizzard, she was able to control it and limit it's reach, but not dissipate it completely. Crops were dwindling and fresh fruit and vegetables had to be brought in. The locals had adapted to do more fishing and hunting, since the rivers were plentiful with salmon and trout, bison and elk roamed the forests to the north. Having a good source of ways to keep these items cold and fresh was an added bonus to shipping and trading.
But Edrik, was meeting with men in the shadows, sending messages to the last people Elsa ever wanted to hear from again. Her spies had found him to be in contact with the Southern Isles. At the very least the middle man between information being sent about Anna.
Restraining herself from clenching her fists, Elsa gracefully sat down in her chair, leaning slightly to the left and resting her elbow against the armrest.
"As some of you may know, I've taken in a girl to help her with her powers. From what I've seen she has enough control that there are no worries about the castle being burned down or of people being hurt. That being said, Nikolay, if you would, set up the training ground with a variety of targets and obstacles."
"It will be my pleasure Your Majesty. Will you be needing the half or full ground?" Peering out the window Elsa needed only a moment to decide.
"Full grounds will be necessary in the beginning, I'm sorry but while I have the grounds in use your men will have to train elsewhere. At least until I can determine the full extent of what she is capable of."
"If I may Your Majesty, how do we know this...circus whore is not just using us to-" Edrik was abruptly cut off from talking as he found mouth frozen shut, ice expanding in his jaw and crawling out the corners of his lips. Eyes wide, he clawed at the ice slowly crawling over his chin and cheeks. He attempts to scream, but it's only a muffled groan in his throat.
Nikolay and Otelius had barely flinched at the action taken against Edrik, the only motion they did was to push their chairs back slightly, having an idea of what was about to happen. Eivin though had fled his chair and ran to the opposite corner of the room as far away from the Queen and Edrik. He was already bawling and whimpering like the baby he was.
Elsa kept her face clear of any emotion, inside her was a howling storm full of rage and protectiveness. At this moment she could care less that he was consorting with an enemy country, but he insulted Anna and she would not stand for that at all.
She placed her right hand on the table, tapping her fingers against the wood a thin layer of ice creeping it's way down the length of it. Snowflakes, intricate in design sprung along the path of the ice. Standing up slowly, she shifted her stance to the right, her gait taking on the likeness of a panther stalking its prey, eyes like shards of ice fixating on the panicking man still clawing at the ice spreading down his neck.
Elsa grasped the back of the chair and pulled it out for underneath Edrik. He landed harshly on his hands and knees, a desperate scream lodged in his throat. The blonde gripped the back of his jacket and with a great heave she tossed him away from the table. Landing on his side he stared up at her with fear and shock written all over his face, a grunt of pain escaping him as a riding boot connected with his stomach to knock him onto this back.
She kept her piercing gaze fixed firmly on Edrik, her face still as expressionless, but there was a rage hidden behind her eyes that seeped out into her very being.
Even Edrik could feel that it was directed firmly at him, a sliver of dread creeped down his spine. Though that might have been the ice making its way down it.
"You have made many a mistake Edrik, things have come to a peak and punishment must be dealt with. The goods you've been taking from the trade shipments, especially the caviar and skins." Stepping back slightly Elsa flicked her wrist, ice encased the upper portion of his chest, locking around his shoulders and impairing anymore movement from his arms.
"Next, all those plentiful messages you managed to send to the Southern Isles. Many of those were intercepted...and truly, did you actually believe they would give you a fancy title and land?" Slicing her hand upward a pillar of ice shot from the underneath Edrik, lifting him above the ground and letting his feet dangle uselessly.
"Then giving them the information about Anna? My Anna?" A snarl rips through her lips, teeth bared, "A girl that was to be used as a weapon against me? A poor girl that never hurt anyone willingly? And you would let the King of the Southern Isles torture and manipulate an innocent in an attempt to dethrone and kill me?" Clenching her fists tightly, she let the ice securing Edrik's shoulders spread all the way down his arms, dropping the temperature in his limbs till muscle, sinew, and blood froze solid.
Tears streamed down the mans face, agonized screams entirely muffled still by the ice expanding in his mouth, widening his jaw completely open.
"It will never happen. I will protect Arendelle with my life." She gripped tightly at a wrist and bicep. Twisting quickly the shoulder shattered into chunks, accompanied by a scream. "I will protect Anna with my life!" She repeated the same to the other arm, dropping the useless limbs to the ground near her feet. "Shame you won't be around when I deal with the other problem." Stepping back, she moved out of the way of Edrik's panicking kicks.
Through the pain, he could feel something poking at various points in his back before he realized that spikes were being driven into his body. Agony ripped through him as two thick spikes of ice pushed through his gut and a third protruded from the center of his chest. It was getting harder for him to breath as blood dripped down his nose sluggishly, the warmth being stripped away from every part of his body.
He thought that the pain couldn't get any worse, but as he glanced over to the Queen the ice in his jaw plugged this throat and he could feel his head slowly freezing. Vision blurring, sluggishly he thought that...perhaps he shouldn't have double crossed the Snow Queen.
With that he knew no more, succumbing to the ice lodging itself into his brain.
Elsa stared at the body, exhaling a shaky breath she turned and walked back to her seat, willing her body to calm. "It's never easy...I'll never get used to that. I must control this better, for myself, my country...and most of all Anna" she thought to herself as she slumped into her chair. Glancing to the corner of the room she noticed Eivin still cowering.
"While that was the most pressing matter to deal with," ice spiked around the sniveling man, razor sharp ends nearly touching his face and body, "You Eivin, will get this one warning. Return the gold and never steal from me again. Else I will string you up by your toes from the highest point of my castle and let the birds feast on your eyes. Understand?"
"Yes Your Highness! I'll give it all back, even my own! I'll never do it again, on my life I swear!" The ice retreated and Eivin rushed to the door bowing towards Elsa while still whimpering out apologies, he bolted out the door as soon as he could reach it.
Soon as he was out of sight Elsa let loose a sigh, relaxing slightly. "Kai, if you would please have someone take care of this unfortunate mess I've made." He nodded and left the room. "Nikolay, Otelius, if in the next week or so you could come up with a few names to for a new Internal Affairs Advisor. People who are loyal and care for this country." Both men nodded to her, understanding what she was asking for. "I would also like to apologize for this display, I let my anger get the better of me."she lowered her gaze to the table, tracing the snowflake patterns with her eyes.
"If you will pardon me Your Majesty, but you must apologize for nothing. Edrik was a traitor to the crown and the people, the ones we swore to protect. His punishment was swift and just, much like when that spineless Prince decided to attack Arendelle." Otelius quietly spoke up as he leaned forward onto the table. "I would also like to bring up the idea of extra security, Nikolay?" The Military Advisor nodded agreeing with him.
Elsa let a smile spread across her lips, grateful for the loyalty in these men. "We can reconvene at a later time to hammer out details. Lunch sounds like a fantastic idea.
Anna couldn't believe the size of the library! She practically skipped around the enormous room, taking in the sight of walls upon walls of books, two floors worth of them. She jumped onto one of the many ladders along the wall, landing on it with enough force to have it slide along the brass railings. Laughing, she leapt off the ladder before it hit another in it's path and landed onto a very plush and soft couch.
Grinning she laid sideways on the couch, letting her head hang over the arm of it. The red head closed her eyes and inhaled the smell of leather bound books and paper. Growing up in a traveling circus she couldn't keep many items with her, only essentials for the shows and surviving on the roads. But she loved reading fairy tales and light hearted adventure and romance stories, things she could really only dream about. Anna wonders what type of books Elsa likes to read, perhaps she could read them to her one of these days.
Shaking her head, she sits back up watching as Gerda comes back into the library with a few logs for the fireplace. Anna never really noticed if the rooms were too cold, seeing as how she naturally had a higher temperature, but she always tried to fit in with others by wearing the appropriate winter clothing or sitting by the fire pits to "warm up" with the others after a grueling day of setting up camp or the tents in the colder climates.
She generally liked playing with the fires, making the flames reach higher or have sparks shoot out of the logs.
Getting up off from the chair she took a few of the logs from Gerda who protested slightly, but Anna just smiled and placed them into the fireplace. She watched as the older maid tried to get the fire started, but was having some troubles getting the tinder to catch the flame. Shifting on her knees, she fidgeted with her hands, the itch to let her magic out was just under her skin tingling the nerves.
"Um, Gerda? I could get that if you'd like?" Gripping her hands tighter she saw Gerda hold out the matches and extra tinder. She shook her head slightly. "Oh um, I don't need those?" The old maids eyes softened, a look of understanding on her face and she put the items back next to the side of the fireplace.
It was rare that, before her performance for Elsa, she rarely used her powers in front of people. So as she held out her hand towards the logs, fingers spread and with barely a thought a lazy stream of fire poured from the center of her palm. The flame coiled around the wood, settling onto it and setting the logs aflame quickly. An immense feeling of relief filled Anna, as she watched the flames spark and jump, eating away at the logs.
"That was amazing Miss Anna!" Gerda clapped her hands together, a large smile on her face. "They are similar to Her Majesty's perhaps?"
Anna looked curiously at the fire, thinking about what she has and has not been able to do. "In a way I guess? I can't really create solid objects like she can, at least from what I've seen. Like those little snow creatures she made at breakfast!" She bounced in place, remembering that mornings happy moments. Holding up her hand she let flicker of fire sprout above her skin. "I can manipulate it into a direction, the size of the flame, how hot it can be and into some shapes." Carefully she let the flame spiral upwards, taking up the shape of a long serpentine dragon, miniature wings splaying out and trailing tiny flames.
"But the moment I lose concentration it dissipates." Letting go the thought of the fire, it poofs into a small cloud of smoke. "It's kinda handy since I'm so clumsy and tend to lose my focus really easily." Laughing she leans back on her hands, a content smile on her face.
"Who knows what else I can do? I can't wait till Elsa starts helps me learn more things, she has such amazing control!" She doesn't notice the intent look or the small smile on Gerda's face.
Anna looks to the walls and the great collection of books. "Could you maybe help me find a book? Or at least point me in the direction of the fairy tales? There are so many here!"
"Those kinds of stories are going be in the corner by that last window seat on the second floor there. It's got the most cushions in it, so you can't miss it." Standing up Gerda walked back to the door and with a hand on the door knob she turned back to Anna. "I'll go down to the kitchens and bring you some sandwiches and tea." With that she leaves the red head to lose herself in the library.
When Gerda returned, she found that Anna had placed all the large cushions and pillows onto a pile on the floor underneath the window, instead of using the seat there. Smiling she left the sandwiches and hot tea on the table closest to her, watching her step around the many piles of books that were strewn about the girl.
Anna herself was laying on her stomach, a pillow resting underneath her chest while her bare feet were kicking back and forth behind her. Propped up against a stack of novels, was a leather bound book, nearly halfway finished. The old maid saw how intent she was reading the book, so she left the girl to herself and retreated back to the library doors.
As Gerda left the library, she turned down the hallway and nearly walked right into Elsa.
"Oh Your Majesty, I almost didn't see you there. You need to stop lurking about about." With a curtsy Gerda teased the Queen, a small smile on her face as Elsa had the decency to look sheepish.
"You know I can't help it sometimes Gerda, it's still a habit from all those years ago. I wasn't supposed to be out of my room all that often." Elsa shrugged her shoulders slightly before peering around the shorter woman. "Is Anna in the library? Does she like it? I knew I should have had it cleaned up before she went in there and warmed up, oh Gerda I should have been more prepared!" She rambled on, her nerves already frayed from earlier, but she had wanted to make a good impression on Anna.
A slight touch to her elbow drew her focus back to the present and she smiled thankfully at Gerda.
"My dear, Anna loves the library. She didn't even notice when I left the snacks and tea on the table, so you might want to go in and distract from this fairy tale book she's engrossed in. I'm sure she would love to see you." With a gentle smile and squeeze on Elsa's elbow, Gerda continued down the hallway towards the servants quarters.
The castle staff thrived on gossip.
Elsa stood before the doors, her hand hovering just above the knob. Taking a deep breath she grasped it and pulled the door open, casting light into the otherwise dim room. The windows were supposed to be open, why were they covered? Walking through the door she closed it carefully and as the room darkened and her eyes adjusted to the darkness they widened as she realized the room was bathed in an orange glow. Looking towards the high ceiling, she watched as tiny balls of flames float lazily around the room in a circle. Some had expanded in size and were giving off more light, making it easier for Elsa to see around the library to find Anna.
The red head was on the second floor perched on top of the ornate railing, her legs swinging carelessly over the edge. Her gaze was focused on her creations, so Elsa didn't know if her presence was even known to the girl.
Walking the stairs up to the next floor, Elsa kept her eyes fixated on the lithe red head relaxing to easily on such a height. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw the unconstrained happiness on Ann's face, an easy smile across her lips. The light skipped across her hair making the red seem as if it was alive with it's own fire. Elsa wondered how it would look pulled out from that twisted up-do. How would it feel through her fingers or splayed out against her own skin.
Elsa blushed as her thoughts took a less then innocent turn and she shook her head to be rid of the thoughts when she leans against the railing next to Anna. Smiling to herself she simply watched Anna, loosing herself to the happiness she could feel radiating off the girl.
The pair simply sat there, enjoying the different views.
After a few minutes Elsa saw Anna turn her head towards her, a melancholy look in her teal eyes, but her smile was still just as wide and full of happiness.
"We traveled all over, visiting so many countries and cities, everyone had such amazing festivals and it was always an honor to be able to spread and share that excitement with all those people." Turning her gaze fully back onto the floating wisps, she held out her hands and one of the closest made a slow easy path them. "We visited Corona many times, but the first time I remember it, I was maybe 4 years old? I didn't understand the meaning behind the festival at the time but I remember falling in love with the lanterns. Every time after, when we brought the circus back to the festival I would always get one and instead of a candle, I would make a tiny ball of flames to keep the lantern going higher and higher then the others."
Elsa looked to the ball in between Anna's hands and realized that it was in the shape of those lanterns, though not quite as big. Tilting her head to peer at it more closely, she realized that it wasn't giving off any heat!
"You can fix the temperature?" She asked quietly, bringing up her hand slowly to it, wondering how close she could get.
"Well I didn't want to burn down this wonderful library! I found books that I've never heard of so I didn't want to take the chance." Anna laughed and swung her legs back to the other side of the railing, planting her feet firmly back on the floor. "Don't know how long I can keep it like this, but I decided to give it a try."
Teal eyes focused fully on Elsa since she came in. Orange highlighted her pale hair and fair skin, giving her an unearthly glow, Anna wondered if there was anything that could ever make this beautiful woman look anything but perfect. But it was the look in Elsa's eyes that made Anna's breath hitch in her throat and lose her focus on her surroundings. Her usual arctic ice blue eyes were darkened into a deeper blue either from the lack of light or the hunger that Anna could see lurking in the edges, but the happiness and tenderness in her gaze coupled with the gentlest of smiles on pale lips.
One by one the lanterns slowly flickered out of existence, starting with the one between Anna's lightly trembling hands.
Elsa barely flicked her gaze down to see what had happened before she walked up in front of the shorter girl and placed her hands on either side of Anna on the railing, fingers clenching against the thick wood. She kept enough space between them to be comfortable. "Don't push it, idiot. Do not pressure Anna even if all you want to do is ravish her against the damn railing. You are a Queen and you will act with all the respect that this woman in front of you deserves." The blonde carefully rested her left hand on Anna's hip, gauging her reaction before reaching up with her other hand to cup the side of a slender neck and rub her thumb along a warm cheek.
Anna could only take shallow breaths, fearing that anything louder would shatter any confidence she had at the moment or make Elsa realize she shouldn't be doing with such a lowly circus performer. As if realizing her thoughts she felt Elsa press her cool forehead against Anna's. "What is going through that adorable mind of yours firefly?" Icy breath ghosted along the red heads skin causing her to shudder and grasp at the lapels of Elsa's jacket with trembling fingers.
"Why me? I'm just Anna, silly old Anna, nothing special." Taking a gasping breath she shuts her eyes tightly. The hand along her neck, slides under her chin tilting her face upwards slightly and she opens her eyes again to see Elsa still with that elegant smile aimed at her and those eyes that in the ever growing darkness of the room seem to glow of their own volition.
"Oh dear heart, you are beyond special and if I have to I will prove to you every day that you are. Now," Elsa moved ever closer to Anna, enough to feel the heat the girl was radiating but not enough to touch, "Unless you have any objections, I would like to kiss you now..." Leaning down just enough, Elsa paused above Anna's lips for a few seconds only, feeling hot breaths slide over her own skin. But apparently a few seconds was too long for the shorter girl and she tugged on the lapels of Elsa's jacket to pull the blonde's body against her own.
And enough momentum for Anna to press her lips against the cool ones of Elsa's.
Two hearts soared as for the first time in their existence, they both felt like they were finally home.