Heheheh I left a cliffhanger for you guys (for a long time srry)
A minor one, but still one none the less,
ANYWHO...Thanks as always. Comments and PM's are
kind as always...nice people... :3
RRC and ENJOY
A/N: WHY DID I TAKE SO LONG?
So for those of you who are wondering, not only was I being a little lax (alright very) with acually going online and typing. I wanted to make this chapter significantly longer because there was a lot of feelings and emotion I wanted to capture in this scene that would give you guys a deeper look into our favorite Ice queen.
Part 2: Love Does Thaw
"I have something to get..." Elsa told Anna, who was already straddling her light blue bicycle. "Umm...I will be right back. Okay?" Elsa walked elegantly down the halls until she was out of sight from her sister. Looking over her shoulder to make sure Anna wasn't following her, she began to run very un-queen like to her bedroom. She needed to talk to IA. Elsa quickly busted through her large door and was surprised to see IA pacing.
"Elsa!" greeted the replica. "How'd it go? Did you make sure to stand next her? Did you-"
"We're about to go on a picnic..." Elsa said cringing when IA exaggeratedly acted as if the air had been knocked out of her. "Anna has a spot picked out in the forest..."
"W-what? Already? But that's..." IA looked down and began counting her fingers. "-that's like three or four lessons away," she said slightly worried. "I don't know if you're ready for "Complete Isolation Time"
"Complete...what?"
"Yeah, I'm working on the name-" IA said waving a dismissive hand in the air as her brows furrowed in thought. "It's uh...like 'alone time', ya know? You're gonna be away from everyone- from me...alone...with Anna." She said pointedly. Elsa just stared at her. "The entire time is going to be talking and close proximity, along with other little things that'll help everything flow easier like knowing when to crack a joke or-
"A joke?" The queen arched a brow, but IA ignored her.
"...do you think you're ready for that?" IA said, her eyes wide and serious.
"I believe I will be..." began the blonde. "I feel...more comfortable speaking with Anna now, and Anna is such a great talker, if there happens to be a lull in the conversation, she will fill in the silence..." Elsa paused, almost as if she didn't want to speak anymore.
"What? What's wrong Elsa?"
"Well...I just...I'm not sure exactly. I always feel the need to reach out and touch Anna, but I never can. I always pull back- make an excuse to leave. I can't do that at a picnic in the middle of the forest." she scoffed.
"What's keeping you from reaching out?" IA asked raising a red brow and looked at the Queen. Elsa frowned and followed the ice girl's line of sight. She looked down at her gloved hands. She hadn't even realized she was wearing them.
"My hands?" Elsa stated this as if it was a question.
"I've seen you hug Olaf...?" IA pushed on, trying to get the queen to reach realization.
"Well yes, that's because I made him. He's made of snow, it's almost impossible for me to hurt him." Elsa said simply, before pausing. "Oh..." Bingo.
"SO.."
"It's my hands. They're what create my magic...They're what will hurt Anna..." Elsa whispered maybe more to herself than anything. She let out a small breath as she cast her glance to the ground. She began to shake her head lightly.
"Elsa, it's okay to be scared..." IA said with a soft tone that did nothing to comfort the queen. The ice woman opened her mouth ready to speak but caught herself. This is my chance... "Tell Anna." she said in a voice that made it seem as though that was the only option. Elsa quickly shifted her gaze to the replica.
"Tell her?" She echoed back, her brows scrunched together in confusion. "Tell her what exactly?" she could sense the guarded tone that crept into her voice.
"Tell her the truth. Tell her your...feelings-"
"Feelings?" Elsa echoed again, but before she could linger on the word, IA continued with a shrug.
"Let her in... I know I'm giving you all these lessons that'll slowly break you into being closer to Anna-" The replica paused her minor gesticulations to look at Elsa. "But Elsa..." IA paused again as she walked towards the blonde queen, her eyes sympathetic yet pleading. "One of the biggest things you can do to truly show Anna that you're trying...is to let her in. Don't conceal anymore. Tell her your fears and in return, she'll tell you hers..."
Elsa took this into deep consideration. She could do that- surely. This was Anna. But could she really? Could she unsheathe the 10 years of fear that she had tried so hard to bury deep within her? Could she truly open herself up to vulnerability? To thaw the frozen ice walls that accumulated after years and years of repeating the same mantra over and over? Conceal Don't Feel. Don't Let It Show. Conceal Don't Feel...
"You can Elsa. Anna loves you no matter what..."
Just as the queen went to speak. A sweet voice bounced off the hallways of the palace.
"Elsa? Did you find what you needed? The basket is ready!"
"Y-Yes I did." Elsa looked around frantically, grabbing the closest thing her pale fingers could reach. "I'm coming now," Elsa yelled back as she gave a quick glance to IA who simply smiled and gave a quick wink. Taking a deep breath the queen quickly made her way outside.
"Oh isn't it a beautiful day, Elsa!" Anna said giving a little twirl of delight. Her eyes were bright and shining with pure joy as she stared up at the sky. Her hands resting on her chest. The older girl simply smiled.
"Yes it is..." Elsa replied as she found herself staring. She cleared her throat. "Okay, Anna! Where to!" She exclaimed climbing on her green bicycle.
They rode up and down green slopes, giggling all the way to the forest entrance. Anna, who had been leading, slowed her bike to a halt and hopped off to face Elsa.
"Ha! I beat you!" She said sticking her tongue out at her big sister playfully. Elsa climbed down from her own bike as well, obviously out of breath.
"Only cause-" she paused to breathe "I let you." she huffed out with a smile.
"Uh-huh, sure~" Anna said skeptically as she waited for her sister to catch her breath. The queen straightened herself, her heart still beating quickly. She looked out and about and realized they were relatively far from the castle. The view was breathtaking. The sunlight bounced off of the magic ice that adorned the castle, making it shimmer blue in a way that didn't seem possible.
"It's beautiful Anna," Elsa said turning away from the view to look at her sister.
"What're you takin' about?" Anna said confused, as she unloaded the bikes.
"The view" the blonde replied gesturing loosely to the castle.
"Oh, no no no" the younger of the two smiled as she grabbed the basket "That's not it..." The spot had been deep in the forest, so they had to abandon their bikes and walk the rest of the way. Anna looked apprehensively at her older sister, before slowly snaking her arm around Elsa's. Elsa's heart skipped a beat as she looked at their linked arms. Elsa was surprised at how warm Anna's skin was against her own. It was soft too. Elsa's brows furrowed in thought.
"Is this...okay, Elsa?" The redheaded girl asked, looking at the queen from under thick lashes. She could feel how tense her sister was. Elsa cleared her throat. As much as she wanted to pull away from the young girl, she also wanted to make her happy. And if she was honest with herself, being this close to Anna made her happy as well.
"I mean, cause you know...well we don't have to- I just- you know. It's okay if you don't..." Anna's flustered ramblings were cut off with Elsa's heart warming smile. The older sister gently tapped her younger sister's nose with a wink, as she readjusted them.
"I don't mind." And with that, Anna guided her through the green mass that was Arendale's forest. The blonde studied Anna's face and could see the unmatched joy that shown.
"You alway did love the forest, didn't you?" Elsa smiled when Anna answered with a quick and enthusiastic nod. This caused the queen to chuckle softly.
"Isn't it wonderful to see how beautiful the rest of your kingdom is?" Anna said over her shoulder. The queen gave a small nod. Indeed it was. She had never seen much beyond the walls of the palace- other than the North Mountain of course. Elsa watched as Anna weaved them effortlessly and gracefully through the thick greenery.
"You know, Anna," The queen began. "I can carry some of that stuff. I may be the queen but it doesn't mean I can't...help-" Elsa's words were cut off once she and Anna ducked under a large hanging tree branch and into a small clearing. Elsa froze as she looked around. "Wow..." she muttered almost incomprehensively. Her vast vocabulary escaping her. Elsa had never been illiterate, but she simply could not find the words to form a correct sentence.
Before her was a beautiful, almost magical looking multi-step waterfall that fed into a large body of crystal blue water. There seemed to be various colored lillies floating atop the blue lake, and small glowing bugs flew delicately through the air. The large bushy trees around them seemed to shade some of the area, leaving bright rays of luminous yellows and oranges cascading and reflecting off the water's surface, casting sparkling reflections on the large stones and trees surrounding the area- thus adding a certain majestic feeling to the beautiful sight.
Elsa hadn't noticed that she had been quiet for so long and turned to see a fidgeting Anna.
"So, uh, do you like it?" Anna asked, her eyes not meeting Elsa's. "Well, I mean- you know...you don't have to say anything if you don't like it...and-"
"Anna..." Elsa said calming down Anna's rambling. The queen smiled softly at her sister but felt her heart break. Something about the way Anna seemed to want her approval for something that was obviously amazing. But IA said not to do this exact thing. "Don't overthink it...don't over-analyze it. You're with Anna now, be with her now."
"Anna," the queen started again with another soft smile. "It's beautiful. It's..." Elsa looked around again. "It's breathtaking!" Her voice carried a tone of mirth that she hadn't heard in a while. She grabbed Anna's hands without thinking about it, and smiled brightly. "I love it! Thank you, so much!"
"You really like it?" Anna's smile was beginning to return. Her eyes finally meeting Elsa's. "I-just...I wasn't sure you would like it."
"Of course I like it. You found it," Elsa said, relieved that she felt her sister relax. However, she had just realized she held Anna's hands in her own. Her first reaction was to recoil. She could feel her heart beating oddly. Anna's hands were so warm and so soft, she didn't want to let go.
"Elsa, are you okay?"
Elsa swallowed and her eyes darted from their hands to Anna's baby blue eyes. She remembered IA's words.
"I'm...not hurting you?" There was the usual uncertainty in her voice. Anna looked at her sister confused.
"Hurting me? Why would you be hurting me?" The care in Anna's voice calmed Elsa.
"My hands-" Elsa said gesturing downward. Anna arched a brow and shifted her gaze
"Elsa, you're shaking." She said as she observed the queen's slender hands. After a few seconds, Anna seemed to understand Elsa's stress. She sighed with a gentle smile, bringing her sister hands to her chest. "Elsa, you're not hurting me."
Elsa cringed at the sight of her sister gingerly cradling her hands.
"Are-are you sure? My hands-" She pulled away slowly. She observed her own pale hands before and turning away from Anna. "...that's all they seem to do..." Elsa wrapped her arms around herself, despite the warm summer air. Anna quickly made her way to the queen and without much warning, grabbed her hands and spun her around. "Please, Anna. I don't want to hurt you."
The younger girl brought the queen's hands to her face, and gently placed them on her flushed cheeks. The queen felt her breath shorten and she stared shocked at her younger sister. Fearful blue, met their warm counterparts and Anna simply smiled.
"Anna-" Elsa voice was breathy and shaky. Her brows furrowed at the smooth skin beneath her palms, and she unconsciously began to stroke Anna's cheek. Anna could feel her cheeks beginning to warm, but didn't move away. "I-I'm not hurting you?" Elsa asked although she knew that answer, but she wanted to be sure. "You're not getting cold?" Elsa withdrew one of her hands and stroked Anna's hair in an unintentionally intimate way that made Anna outright blush.
"No," Anna smiled simply. "I'm fine. See?" Anna could feel her eyes watering at the fear in the queen's eyes.
Elsa could feel her eyes beginning to sting as a trembling smile made its way onto her face.
"Oh, Anna!" She exclaimed bringing the surprised, but willing girl into a crushing hug. They're arms wrapped around each other with extreme ferocity, no space left between them. A few tears fell from Elsa's eyes as she reveled in this feeling. A feeling of utmost content.
The warmth of Anna's body pressed into hers. The feeling of Anna's beating heart in sync with her own. The feeling of simply being close to someone again. She felt like a burden had finally been lifted off her shoulder. She could feel the pain and fear of the last 10 years melt away from the warmness of their hug.
"See, Elsa." Anna's voice was muffled by Elsa's shoulder. "You don't have to be afraid anymore. I love you."
"Anna," Elsa sniffed. "I love you too." Elsa pulled away and gently wiped Anna's tears. They stared into each other's eyes before Elsa spoke up again. "You sure you're okay? No white hair this time?" She joked, making her sister laugh in her arms. Suddenly, Anna's stomach gurgled and the two girls erupted into a fit of laughter.
"Sounds like Marshmallow found us," the princess laughed as she finally let Elsa go. "Do you want to eat now, Elsa?"
"Yes, I'm starving." The queen watched as Anna made her way to the basket and pulled out a blanket to sit on. "Wait, Anna," the queen reached towards her. "I have a better idea." With the twirl of her finger, the ground around them was covered with fluffy lumps of snow. Anna's face lit up.
"Perfect!"
The two were ecstatic to see that the maid had packed a plethora of chocolate. They ate their food and talked about the days to come. What they would do tomorrow. What they would eat for breakfast. Meetings that had to attend and everything in between.
"An' den I yelled f'r him to duck so that I croud throw the flaming branket on da wroolf!" Anna exclaimed, her mouth stuffed with chocolate cake. Elsa laughed and instinctively brought her hand up to wipe the corner of Anna's mouth. The young girl blushed lightly before swallowing and mumbling a small "Thank you"
The day had been filled with fun, but both the girls were exhausted and if they didn't head back now, the Castleman and guards would grow worrisome.
In Anna's Room
The queen continued to gently brush Anna's red locks as they both hummed together in unison.
"Today was amazing, Anna. Thank you." She said tenderly. Anna opened her previously closed eyes and looked at Elsa's reflection and simply smiled in return.
"You promise to teach me how to Ice skate next time right?" Anna asked as she closed her eyes again. Her eyelids beginning to feel heavy.
"I thought next time you wanted to take one of the boats and sail?" She laughed with a smile- happy their future were filled with plans. "I'm finished." She stated, gently setting down the brush. She laughed lightly when she realized her sister had fell asleep. "Anna," she whispered "Come on, Anna. Let's go lay you down okay?"
"Okay~" replied the half-asleep Anna as she tried to open her eyes but failed miserably.
Elsa had gotten the young princess into the bed with extreme effort. She sat down next to Anna and watched her sleep. She looks so cute...Anna really is beautiful...wait. What...?
Elsa blinked herself out of her thoughts. Where in the world had that come from? Well...I mean...it's not bad to call my sister beautiful but...There was just something that felt a little off when she thought about it. Shaking her head, she reached down and gave Anna a small peck on the cheek- smiling when Anna lips curled into a grin.
"I love you, Anna...I just never want to hurt you again." She whispered the last part before standing up and making her way to her room.
The wind howled outside the swinging castle doors.
"Anna!" the queen yelled, running through corridors and hallways in search for her sister. She ran to a maid. "Where's Anna!" the maid recoiled away from Elsa.
"Monster!" she screamed before running away. Elsa frown deepened and she found someone else.
"Please. Tell me where Anna is. I can't find her-"
"Evil sorceress!" the person scorned. Elsa looked around and found herself surrounded by the townspeople carrying torches and weapons. Their leader- Prince Hans.
"What are you doing here," Elsa demanded as she took steps away from the mob.
"You just couldn't control your powers, could you?" The prince said grabbing a sword from the ground.
"What are you talking about?" She asked as she eyed the sword in his hand. With every step he took forward, she took two backwards. "Stay away from me..." she warned, putting her hands up ready to defend herself.
"How many people will you kill before you are satisfied?" Hans said, a sickening truth in his voice. Elsa felt her heart skip a beat.
"What are you talking about...?"
Prince Hans and his mob split in the middle. Elsa waited anxiously, her heart beat quickening. She fell to the ground with a gasp upon seeing red hair.
"Anna..." she croaked out. "Anna, No!" she cried. "Please, no!" She yelled into the blizzard she had created as tears ran down her face. She tried to get to her sister, but the townspeople were holding her back. "Let me go! I need to get to my sister!"
"Calm down..." she heard a morphed voice say. "Elsa, calm down. It's okay."
The scene around Elsa began to melt away, and the voice became clearer.
"Elsa, please. I'm right here. You're okay."
The queen opened her eyes and found herself staring into worried blue. The moonlight created a glow around Anna making her look like an angel. The thought made new tears streak down Elsa's cheeks. She realized that she was in her bed. In Anna's tender arms. The princess rocked them back 'n forth as she stroked Elsa's head and the queen's blood was still pounding in her ears.
"Anna..." she managed to get out. She reached a hand up to touch her cheek- to make sure she was real. Anna grabbed Elsa's hand in her own and pressed it to her warm cheek.
"You're okay Elsa. I'm right here. It's okay." The red head tried to calm the queen down, but the dream came rushing back full force.
"Anna! You need to leave!" Elsa exclaimed trying to push Anna away but the girl was stronger than she looked, and Elsa was completely drained.
"Elsa," Anna said softly. "It's okay. It was a dream." She said, trying once more to calm down the restless queen in her arms.
"No, no no no no!" Elsa exclaimed her cheeks still covered in tears as she tried, uselessly, to pry Anna's caring arms away from her. "I- I hurt you," she choked out.
"Look at me, Elsa. I'm fine, don't you see?" Anna tried, but Elsa was having none of it. Anna shivered and realized the room's walls were already iced over. She needed to calm Elsa down fast.
Elsa flailing stopped when she felt warm lips on her own. The fear and panic was gone and filled with an odd warmth. She opened her eyes wide, as she looked at her sister. She couldn't comprehend what was happening. Was Anna kissing her? The ice began to evaporate away- feeling lightheaded as the simple kiss continued. This was wrong. At least that's what her brain was telling her but it felt too good, too perfect to be anything but right. She closed her eyes and took in the fullness of Anna's lips. How soft they were. How they almost tasted sweet. If this was a dream she wanted to remember it when she woke up. Finally, they broke apart, both girls out of breath.
"Are you okay now, Elsa?" Anna asked, trying desperately to keep her eyes locked on Elsa's. She could feel her face burning, but waited for an answer. Elsa swallowed hard and nodded.
"Yes." she said breathlessly.
"Good," Anna said with an odd tone and a small nod. She pulled Elsa to lay on her chest. "Now, go back to sleep, okay? I'm right here, and I'm never going to leave you..."
Elsa felt a lump in her throat as she nodded. She casted all of the confusing thoughts running rampant in her mind. She could think about all of this on the morning- right now she was with Anna. Wrapping her arms tightly around her beloved princess, she let the comforting sound of Anna's beating heart lull her to sleep.
AAAAND That's the end of this chapter.
Don't worry there's more! ^_^
Hopefully, you enjoyed it.
Feedback and comments are welcomed as always.
Stay tuned
~demiflower14