A/N: I'm truly sorry for the late update. But here it is now. Please enjoy and drop your ideas about it. I would like to thank you for the reviews on the first few chapters. It made me happy. I'm not sure if you like this agonizingly slow pace, but I assure you after these early chapters the story will develop more. Oh and for those who want to know Anna's side. The next one after the fifth chapter would be a treat :D So stay tuned! Again read and review. It's just the small button below.

4

18th day of summer [Elsa]

Everything was tensed after yesterday when Anna and I fought. It was something very delicate to discuss so we decided—not verbally of course—to just leave it and pretend nothing had ever happened. But how could I? I caused her these injuries on her delicate pale hands. Some of them may stay as scars. To stay as reminders of how scared I am and how I treated her badly just because of it. Now, I'm forever torn—how do I love Anna without hurting myself or her?

She reached out tenderly to Anna's hands. They were really soft just as she had remembered them. She felt a slight unevenness to it though and cringed. Her expression fell from her usual straight-indifferent to an extremely guilty one. Anna's hand flinched at contact making Elsa withdraw her hands quickly, afraid to give more interaction to Anna's injured ones.

"I'm sorry" Elsa murmured. Anna stopped in her tracks and turned to Elsa. She gave a sad smile but eventually reached out with her un-injured hand. Elsa watched Anna questioningly, wondering what the hand was for. There was a bit of silence as she continued to watch it, she blinked hoping that her sister had withdrawn it— yet Anna had not.

"It's very steep, Elsa" she looked over the horizon. "You might want to grab on to something"

Elsa nodded and grabbed her sister's hand, gently pulling herself over the rock that had barricaded their path.

It was noon by the time they had reached the north-western side of the mountains where they planned to gather ice, well more of where Kristoff usually gather ice for the kingdom. The sun, high above their heads, made the snow and ice glisten. Anna watched in awe as they made rainbows on the ground and on all the other things they have touched. The breeze was cold but the sun had countered it giving Anna an unusual yet welcomed sensation. She inhaled the cold air deeply and then exhaled. The mix of summer and winter was divine in her lungs. The smell of primrose, pine and snow was overwhelming in a good way. Minty and Sweet.

Anna skipped along the path made by men who wandered the mountain. It's discoloration of brown and green made it unique from the whiteness she had seen ever since they have stepped foot in the vicinity of the snowy mountain. She unknowingly dragged Elsa with her, whose protest of 'slow down and careful' was left unheard.

"Are we really in summer?" Anna asked. Her eyes wondered along the snow-covered trees and the pine that bended just above them.

Kristoff stopped and watched her with a 'what-made-you-think-that' look. He shook his head, obviously finding the question insignificant, but still answered. "Of course it's summer"

"How come there is still ice?" the princess pressed on. "And this wind" she shivered.

Kristoff had sighed but still answered. "It's because of the... ugh" Now that the princess had mentioned it, Kristoff had found himself without answer. Nature has its way of trolling people and this was one of it, he was very sure of it. Now if he really thinks about it: If it was hot down in Arendelle why was it cold up here? He wondered too, his face matching Anna's thinking expression.

All his life he had never even thought of it, he just assumed that mountains are naturally cold and that they create a valley where cold wind group together and make lakes within their circle cold and frozen. But how was it possible? How? Sven's neigh brought Kristoff back from his confused mind. He shook his head dismissing the thought. He looked over Anna only to find her face posed in an intent look. Kristoff sighed, Anna was persistent as ever, and I don't have an answer—he thought. But I guess I have to at least say something, right?

"It's just— it's just that there are places still stuck in winter"

Elsa giggled at his answer. Kristoff's face reddened with embarrassment that made Elsa roll her eyes at his ridiculous reaction, mentally saying and scoffing 'Really, eternal winter? Be real Kristoff'. She placed a hand on Kristoff's shoulder and smiled sweetly. The Ice deliverer gestured defeat but not without a smirk like telling Elsa 'oh, let's see, you give her a smart answer then' with the look. Elsa, again, rolled her eyes.

"It's nearing autumn already, Anna, the cold weather takes up pretty fast, spare the poor guy of his misery" she said with a slight chuckle. Anna laughed as well.

"Really?" he said deflated and gave Anna a rather strong nudge.

Times like this were fun, Elsa thought. She watched as Kristoff and Anna continued their childish banter, more physically that the previous verbal one. Anna would push Kristoff a little away from the path and he will return the favor with much more strength than before, but it doesn't really end that well for Anna had toppled onto the snow.

"Sometimes, I can't believe you even love me" Anna shouted after the blonde as they ran while Elsa just watched. Yes, she just watched.

Watching them made Elsa feel so out-of-place. It made her think back on why she had suggested she came with Anna in the first place despite the raging preparations happening in her Kingdom. At first her purpose was just to make Anna happy that she got her wish which was to be able to go ice gathering with Kristoff and at the same time she—Elsa—can keep any eye out for her. It was just simple as that. But then she had thought that she maybe wanted to know the two more. She wanted to see how they would interact with each other, if they really fit together like lovers or how they might not—a little hope in her heart that it was the latter.

Seeing this made her heart drop. Anna was in fact happy. She was finally laughing after that tensioned air in the castle earlier at breakfast, the morning after their fight. And it was Kristoff who had made it possible, not her. She only brought pain and sadness to her sister's heart, not love. They were beaming brightly with all this fun in the air and she just stood there like a sour plum. Elsa sadly chuckled; she clenched her arm tightly, concealing her bothered expression.

A cold and wet feeling reached the back of her head. The snow slowly slid down her hair leaving a wet chilly feeling on her now drenched back. She turned around swiftly only to catch a glimpse of Anna before another ball of snow hit her square in the face. Anna's laughter rung in the deserted ice wonderland coupled with Kristoff's deep chuckle and Sven's amused neigh.

She wiped the snow off her face and the snow fell with a thwack.

Anna smirked. "That's for the snowball last time"

Elsa stopped to think for a moment, her mind flashes back to the time when they played in the grand ballroom a week ago. The first time they had played in that room since they made truce. "That was like ages ago!"

"I know, but nothing beats the pleasure of payback" she said, and threw another snow ball to Elsa's direction. Luckily, Sven passed before her shielding her from her impending wet doom. Elsa quickly ducked and grabbed a hand full of white snow. She moved together with Sven, evading Anna's barrage of snow balls. She quietly walked around her sister with an intention of finding a blind spot.

Alas, she found one.

Elsa firmly gripped her ball and aimed at her sister's back head. One, Two and Three! She sprung out of her hiding place and threw the ball with all her might, eventually missing.

Her face fell in utter shock when her ball had missed Anna and landed on the trunk just a measly inch from her original target. How bad can I be at this?

Anna had sprung back in action just as she was about to snap out of her misery. Snow hit her again and again.

Their laughter filled the place; to Elsa it was like a choir of angels having fun. She felt at peace just playing like this. No kingdoms, no angry debates happening before her. It was just her, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven gathering and laughing at each other's amusement. Maybe she had been really too hard on Anna, making the poor girl cry just to have this kind of joy. Something she knew she can't give so eagerly and plenty. She sighed.

"I guess we need to get going" she said, pulling Anna and the others out of their amusement. Kristoff dusted the snow that clung to him. He cleared his throat.

"She's right, the sun's about to set" he looked up the sky which was turning orange by the minute. The wind grew chiller and the girls had shivered when one breeze passed by. He walked to their sled—his brand new sled which he was really proud of— and hooked up Sven. He gestured everyone to climb aboard and they obliged.

Now situated in the sled, Anna rested her head on Elsa's shoulder. Elsa hummed in simple contentment and nuzzled her nose in Anna's hair. She inhaled her sister scent making her heart flutter in joy. Oh how she would give anything to experience this every day. Her face produced a sad smile when she thought of it. Yes, it still pained her. Her gaze averted from Anna to Kristoff.

The sound of a 'yah' and the whipping reigns echoed in the forest; the sled glided gently with Sven pulling at it.

"You know, he's not half bad..." she murmured to Anna's ear. Unknowingly her fingers began to twirl a piece of Anna's hair in between them. Anna looked up at her, and then her eyes wandered to Kristoff's back. She momentarily studied it: his broad shoulders moving up and down as he maneuvered Sven and his sled up until the moment he reached up to the back of his head to rub his hair. She sighed before nestling back to her sister's embrace. Anna draped her hand over her sister's waist whilst giving her a tight squeeze.

"You think so?" Anna replied. Elsa nodded in response.

"Yes, you seem so happy with him" Elsa kept the tinge of sadness from dripping out on her words. "He's good for you"

"I guess so..." murmured Anna.

Elsa had noticed something unusual in Anna's words. She wondered why it had a depressing tone in it. She wanted to ask but she refrained from doing so. The feeling that rang in the back of her mind was fear; for she was afraid to make a new argument with her sister. Instead of debating about it in her mind, she decided to continue complementing Kristoff to Anna. "He's easily the life of the party, with his goofy sense of humor. I see now why you became in love with him" she paused "he's funny, he loves making you laugh, and he protects you from anything even my snowballs" she chuckled as she recalled the previous snow war.

Now that those words had left her lips, she became conscious of all the wonderful things Anna may have if she were to eventually let Kristoff have her sister's hand in marriage. Everything would be perfect for them but that thought and future excluded her. Elsa felt Anna grip her clothes tighter. Her face went to a slightly taken-aback expression to a wondering one. Anna's reaction was not her expected response. Curious, she followed Anna's arms with her eyes; it trailed down to her sister's slender arms and vanished within her cloak. She pushed aside her cloak, careful not to alert Anna of her actions. Upon eying her sister's hands, she had noticed that her sister's knuckles were white. Worry struck her.

Panicked, she quickly moved her hands to grasp Anna's face. "Anna what's wrong?"

The auburn-haired princess only shook her head and continued to hold on Elsa like her life depended on it. Understanding what Anna had meant, she draped her hands on her little sister's shoulder and gently gave her a reassuring squeeze. Soon Anna's grip softens to a relaxed one.

"Are you cold?"

Anna shrugs. "A little?" her teeth chattered softly as she gave an answer with a slight amused tone to it. Anna's hand traveled slowly from Elsa's waist to her chest where it rested for a few moments as if feeling the beat of her heart. Elsa's breath hitched with the agonizing sensations she was currently feeling. The electrifying touch she would never admit that she experienced from Anna burned from over her clothes. She looked away from her sister's captivating blue eyes before the impending blush came on her face. Soon, the warmth she was feeling rested on her neck. Anna held her there, her fingers slightly playing with her bare neck. She felt a warm breath graze over her pale cold skin. Anna had rested her head in between her shoulder and neck. Her tantalizing rose-colored lips barely centimeters from her skin made her moan.

"You're so warm Elsa" her sister murmured, her lips touching Elsa's skin ever so lightly. Elsa wanted to jump out her skin as the shivers ran down her spine.

The sled suddenly jerked causing them to jump unprepared, shuffling their positions in its wake.

Elsa clutched Anna tightly as she fell on top of her. They heard Kristoff yell at them asking if they were alright and a sorry followed soon enough. Though nobody heard it clearly because the only thing Elsa heard was the ragged breath she had and Anna's.

Tempting and forbidden. It was the thought that ran on Elsa's deranged mind when her eyes focused on Anna's face. Her vision glazed over her sister's entirety, from Anna's kind blue eyes which she studied momentarily to her button nose that perched perfectly in the middle of her face—slightly of the similar build as hers— that had reddened due to the cold weather. To her sister's rosy lips that had dried from the cold air. Even to the thinnest fog that left Anna's lips which touched her face as it rose. She felt the breath on her. It was very warm, too warm.

"Anna..."

The auburn-head leaned more closely, as if she was hypnotized. When Elsa noticed it, her heart began to race faster than a moment before. Was Anna going in for a kiss? A mere centimeter apart, will she do it? Will she give in to her desires, her desperate need and want? She slowly, hesitantly, closed her eyes.

Another jerk broke them apart. Sven's neigh reached their ears.

Snapping out of the powerful daze, both shuffled to move away from each other's embrace. Anna turned and fixed her hair while Elsa buried her face in her fist. Elsa's eyes followed the young blonde as he turned around with a smile.

"Here we are!" he announced as he jumped off the sled into the snow-covered ground, his boots barely visible in the pile of snow. Elsa's eyes travelled from the floor of the sled to the view before them. Her eyes widened in pure wonder as it caught the last rays of the sun before it hid behind two mountains.

The place was beautiful, magnificent and mystifying. The lake was entirely covered by what seemed to be two feet deep thick ice. The snow-covered the ground around it crowned the lake as if it was surrounded by clouds. An aurora had taken its place in the sky as the ice reflected the sunset hues. She had never imagined that there was something like this in the mountains just beyond her kingdom. It was truly magnificent.

"This is magnificent" she murmured.

"I know right, when I was I kid, I always watch the adults work here and gather ice. The aurora, as soon as we stepped foot on this lake, would dance above our heads" Kristoff had this wavering smile on his face as he reminisced the times he was young. Elsa studied him, there was no lies in his face, just pure feeling, he was telling his most precious past like it was the most wonderful treasure of all. The Queen of Arendelle smiled, slowly bobbing her head, telling Kristoff she had understood.

"It's like telling you, the aurora I mean, that it's happy to see you"

Kristoff looked at her before smirking. "Of course, it's always lonely in this mountain. It just wanted friends so it puts on a show to make everyone come. But, you know, sometimes it just fades without anyone noticing it, most of the time ignored because it was too far away for travel even if it looked so wonderful with its bright colors"

Kristoff's words echoed in her ear. These simple words made Elsa think—hard. People, even uncommon events such as auroras, put on a show, magnificent ones just to have a bit of attention. Her mind suddenly wondered back to Anna.

Anna was like an aurora. She shines very brightly, always full of wonder and color that made her stop in awe. Anna had always put on a show before her may it be silly antics or off tune singing or dancing. I loved every bit of it. But Anna, as Kristoff had described the aurora, was lonely and Elsa had been so ignorant about it. Every bit of craziness even if it made Anna look like a dope, klutz or just plain un-educated was to make her notice yet she chose to ignore them because she was afraid. Afraid of wanting that wonder too much may destroy it. So she settled for second best. She had thought that it was enough to look from afar, just preserving it in her memories and her thoughts. She thought she was satisfied with it even if it is out of reach, too far from her grasp just as long as she could see it with her eyes. But she had thought wrong. Kristoff had a point—a very solid and heart breaking one. By settling in second best, the aurora which was Anna who had been continuously finding ways to grab her attention slowly faded.

She had wasted Anna's wonders; she had made her own aurora fade.

Elsa chewed on her lip, regret coursed in her mind. What if this aurora that is Anna stopped shining because of her? She can't have that, but what will she do? She shook the thoughts away. Anna will shine brightly for another. She looked at Kristoff. Kristoff eyed her.

"I'm happy she found you" she quietly said.

Kristoff only watched her, a solemn look on his face. Elsa had wondered why but quickly dismissed it as Kristoff expression suddenly changed to a cheerful one as soon as she blinked. "I can't have it any other way" he replied. "Anna's wonderful... she's like my Aurora, you know. She always shines so brightly, sometimes literally"

Elsa as well as Kristoff chuckled at this.

"Yet, she's still so far out of reach" he murmured. The Queen's brows knitted in question, why would Kristoff say that?

She pondered on it for a moment. She wanted to ask but Kristoff got the better of her. He had run down to Olaf and Sven before she even had a chance. Elsa's musing was suddenly disrupted as Anna tumbled down the sled. She watched her sister's feature as it turned from pure amazement—with matching mouth agape—to excitement. The auburn-head princess quickly gathered her dress in her arms and started running to the back of the sled grabbing her skates.

"What are you guys gawking about? Let's have fun!" she called out.

"Wait, wait, what are you talking about?" Elsa asked, wondering what was happening that Anna had grabbed her skates and was merrily putting them on. She looked at Kristoff who only shrugged for he was a curious as she. Anna looked up to Elsa and beamed.

"Ice skating, duh, what else are we going to do with two feet thick ice?"

Elsa rolled her eyes and chuckled at her sister's crazy antics. "Hold on" she said. "We're not doing that"

Anna paused from tying her skates. "Why not?"

"Anna, we need to rest. And it's getting pretty dark, we won't see where the ice is thin, you might fall in. We can't have that. We can't have accidents happening"

"But Elsa, aren't you excited to try skating on an actual frozen lake?" Her sister had pulled on the big-eyes effect, making her watch agonizingly at Anna's cute yet sad pleading face. She abruptly turned around from her sister, avoiding her demise. She had to be firm in this decision, even if she was really excited as well but a firm 'No' was appropriate. She heard Anna scoff. She turned around once more to answer.

"I am—" she stammered.

"Anna, Elsa's right. We can't afford to be reckless, not tonight" Kristoff cut in. Elsa sighed in relief, thankful to Kristoff for she was spared from starting another petty argument. She watched Anna's expression fell, making her own heart heavy like she had seen a puppy abandoned in the cold streets of Arendelle. In her heart, she wanted to please Anna but she knew as someone older she had to take care of everyone in the group, Olaf and Sven included.

"We're just postponing it for tomorrow morning" she said, she kneeled before Anna, taking her sister's hand in her own. "I promise we'll skate first thing tomorrow" the Queen gave a reassuring squeeze on her sister's gloved hands.

Anna replied. "Alright" Deflated by the outcome of their debate, Anna moved to remove her skates.

The night grew colder as the three or rather five settled around the fire. Their tents swayed as the wind blew from the mountain peaks into the hollow area of the lake. Anna shivered quickly rushing to rub her palms up and down her arm. Her eyes wondered over to Elsa, who seemed completely fine with the weather. She had no cloth over her, just her usual thin long-sleeved robes. Doesn't she get cold? She paused mid-way into asking out loudly. It's a stupid question anyway, she can make ice out of nothing, she had concluded.

"I know you want to ask something Anna"

Anna snapped out of her thoughts, her blue eyes gazed at her sister's icy ones. She bit her lip or she was actually chewing them, and exhaled briefly afterwards. "Alright, you caught me" she said. She watched her older sister's kind and curious face be enveloped in the red hues of the fire. She paused momentarily.

"I was just wondering, about your temperature. You don't seem to be in need of warm clothing in climates like this"

"What about my temperature?" Elsa asked, brows raised.

"No, it's just a stupid question really, there's no need to actually answer it" she nervously laughs it off. By this time, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven were eyeing her.

Elsa tapped her lips with one slender finger "Well, do I feel cold when I touch you?"

The thought ran around Anna's head for a while. The moments when they have touched, even some of the most indecent ways rushed to her mind. Had she felt anything cold at all from Elsa? A blush crept on her face as one event vividly passed by her. The moment in the sled, Elsa had felt so warm there. Anna scrambled to reply. "N-no..."

"I'm really not sure how it works either... this magic. It's like a part of me that I can't clearly explain, I just have to accept it without doubt"

"Well one thing is for sure, your emotions control it" Kristoff pointed out. He threw the bone that he was chewing on his plate then lazily leaned back on Sven—cloth draped over him. A yawn soon followed his hard features and his eyes fell slowly.

"I don't know about you two, but I'm pretty tired. I'm going to sleep here and well... guard" another yawn came through his lips and soon he was asleep. Elsa and Anna both rolled their eyes a small chuckle escaping their lips. They turned to Olaf who was watching the flames with a dreamy look.

"Olaf, not too close okay. I'm not sure how that flurry will help you stay cold from the flames" Elsa told the snowman. Olaf smiled at her and nodded. His nose bobbed up and down as his eyes followed the flames. Elsa and Anna smiled at their friend. Silence passed between them, no one made a word but both looked like they wanted to say something.

"Can't we—"

"Well—"

Both uttered. They looked at one another, a smile portrayed on their dumbfounded faces before trying to speak again.

"Y-you go first" the younger sister said.

Elsa smirked "Are you sure?"

"No, actually, don't start." Elsa had raised one perfectly lined brow as Anna continued to speak. "I want us to stay a little longer here, and watch the aurora" she shyly said, her eyes casted down on her fingers which were nervously touching.

Elsa's eyes grew soft at Anna's words. She made a move to put down her plate of soup near Kristoff's own pile and then scooted closer to Anna. She enveloped her sister with one arm. She briefly stopped her actions as if asking for permission to completely snuggle, when no response came, she took it as a sign that it was alright. Her head rested above Anna's auburn hair, the softness of it made her cheek and her nose tingle as it grazed her, a small smile escaped her lips.

"This is nice" Anna spoke a small yawn escaped her lips. Elsa gently pulled on Anna closer, covering her with the cloth that barely draped Anna's body and arms. She felt Anna's weight shift and lean on her further while cold hands trailed her waist. The slight change in Anna's breathing alerted Elsa. Her hand went over Anna's head brushed the hair that fell on her eyes. Anna's eyes were closing lazily.

"I know I agreed on staying longer, but if you're this tired we should—"

Anna pressed a finger on Elsa's lips, cutting the next words that would have left Elsa's mouth. "Shh. Don't ruin it" Anna murmured. Elsa closed her mouth and did not make a move to counter her sister's words. She gazed out the Aurora, her hands playing at the auburn hair near her grasp. The wind blew a silent tune that made Anna yawn softly. Elsa stopped herself from giving off a rather loud chuckle. Anna gave Elsa a nudge to make point of her disapproval but did not put any more resistance to the unwanted amusement.

Their eyes locked. Anna's eyes were droopy, gazing at hers. Her heart sped as she watched it reflect her image. Anna slowly closed her eyes and sleep had completely taken over her.

Elsa had felt Anna's breath on her lips; it was very warm despite the raging cold climate they were in. The warmth of the soft feather lips pressed on her own made her blood boil with excitement. She really loved the feeling of Anna's lips on her own. It was just as she remembered when she was still in a sleepy daze on the day they 'first' played on the grand ballroom a few days ago. It tasted like sweet chocolate with a touch of orange citrus. The contradicting taste was heaven to her. She had kept thinking about that kiss—or if she would even call it a kiss— that they had shared that morning. If it was something romantic or was it some simple greeting gesture, continuously debating on what it really was. But, as she is, the natural worrier, she did not assume. She had thought of it as the simplest yet sweetest morning greeting Anna had given her. Besides, they were sisters through and through and kissing each other was inappropriate. She quickly pulled away as the thought of indecency shot through her mind. That's right. We're sisters. We can't love each other much more than that.

Elsa ran her hand nervously on Anna's bangs "Anna?" she called out. A tired moan escaped her sister lips. "Anna?" she called out again. No response came. She looked Anna's features: they were relaxed from the forehead to her lips. Anna was asleep and to her the kiss did not occur. Elsa released a relieved breath. She bit on her lip, thinking of ways. She had to stop these things from happening or she might never want for it to stop. She needed to stop it but how? If using distance was hurting Anna then what was the other option?

She looked over at Anna's sleeping face. She once again ran a hand down on the auburn hair and lightly played at its tips. Her lips thinned as the answer dawned on her. A sad smile on her lips. One thing was for sure in her mind, and that is to make Anna happy, and she will do anything for that to happen. Even if it meant not sharing this ridiculously mind-numbing sweet moments.

Anna cannot know. She can never know—this moment they shared. And what she had planned.

[To be Continued]