"Soooooo…"

Elsa had been lost in thought as they walked back to the castle. The image of Cassandra looking back from the ship fresh in her mind, she couldn't help but wonder how long it would be before she would see the handmaiden again. But that was now interrupted by her sister's inquisitive tone.

She turned to face Anna, who smiled innocently enough. But Elsa knew better.

"What?"

"You know very well what. Cassandra, that girl from Corona. You spent an awful lot of time talking to her this past week," Anna said, a teasing look plastered all over her face.

"Well, yes, I suppose I have," Elsa replied. As they walked into the castle courtyard, the queen expected Anna to press further. Sure enough, the questions continued.

"Why did you talk to her? She's not the princess."

"I talked to Rapunzel plenty of times. And frankly, I figured you would enjoy spending more time with her since she is about as energetic as you are," Elsa retorted.

Anna rolled her eyes. "Come on, Elsa. You and I both know you don't really like speaking to people you hardly know. And yet, there you were talking to a girl you just met. Heck, you even told her your life story within one day of meeting her!"

Elsa started to feel a little embarrassed about where this conversation was heading. "Anna, I just wanted to make sure she was comfortable here. You know how some people react to seeing me."

"Yes, but you don't go and tell them about what I did for you that day on the fjord!" Anna's mouth had once again been one step ahead of her brain, and she instantly regretted bringing up that day in front of her sister. She knew Elsa did not want to dwell on the events of the eternal winter; the healing process was taxing for both of them.

Searching for a way to get out of this awkward moment, Anna scrambled for a different topic. "Um…hey, Olaf liked them!" Trying to put on a cheery face, she added, "Yep, he had so much fun playing with-"

"Can I talk to you in my study, please?"

Anna shut her mouth quickly and looked at her sister. The expression was eerily similar to the one she had seen the night of the coronation party. Fortunately, this one seemed less desperate. Also, Elsa was not twisting her hands, though Anna did notice they were clenched tightly at waist level.

"Yeah, of course."

Wordlessly, Elsa entered the castle with Anna tailing behind. The former moved briskly with long strides, and the latter had to jog a bit to keep up. Once they reached the study, Anna shut the door and turned to see Elsa standing in the middle of the room. She was facing away from Anna, her eyes closed as she tried to determine the best way of saying what was on her mind.

"Elsa? What's wrong?" Anna asked cautiously as she moved to stand in front of her sister.

Taking a couple of deep breaths, Elsa finally answered, "I think…I think Cassandra likes me."

A long pause. Then…

"Wait, what?"

Elsa looked up and saw a very confused Anna. Her little sister had one eyebrow raised, much like the way she did whenever she heard something that sounded too absurd to be true.

"Uh Elsa…are you sure that's what is going on here?"

Running a hand through her hair, Elsa began to explain. "Look Anna, she told me why she ran away on the first night they were here. I thought it was because she was afraid of me, that my powers – or rather the stories about my powers – had somehow scared her. It turns out she was afraid of something else. Something inside her."

Elsa watched as Anna tried to make sense of this cryptic response. Figuring she needed a little more context, she added, "When I asked her what caused her to run, she confessed that she was struck by my appearance. She said I was…" Elsa hesitated as she replayed the word in her mind. "Beautiful. She said I was beautiful."

As the words wound their way through Anna's brain, the meaning suddenly became clear. Cassandra had been acting so weird around Elsa because the Coronan found the queen to be beautiful. And apparently, she was embarrassed because of it!

"Well, of course you're beautiful!" Anna exclaimed once her thoughts were all in order. "I mean, you know that, and I always remind you if you start to doubt yourself. Everyone tells you how pretty you are. Even all those visitors who keep trying to propose to you…"

Anna trailed off, suddenly feeling very stupid for not seeing the meaning behind Elsa's revelation. She knew that Elsa hated dealing with the ambassadors and dignitaries who came to Arendelle seeking to match her off with some prince. They all said the same thing: how lovely the queen looked. Now, this woman from another kingdom – and a handmaiden at that – had said just as much. Or maybe, a little more…

"Wait," Anna resumed, "did she…what else did she say to you?"

Elsa glanced around, uncertain about whether she wanted to tell the truth. She had sworn to keep her conversations with Cassandra private, but she had also promised that she would never keep secrets from Anna again. All things being considered, her promise to Anna greatly outweighed the other.

"She accidentally called me a goddess," Elsa said, bracing herself for the reaction. Sure enough…

"WHAT?! ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" Anna looked as if she had just found out the kingdom had run out of chocolate. "How did she accidentally call you a goddess?"

Elsa smiled sheepishly. "I told her how all these men come to Arendelle and see how beautiful I am. I was going to say they look at me like some sort of…well, I don't remember, but she finished with 'goddess'. She was so embarrassed."

If Anna did not know her sister better, she would start teasing her right there on the spot about having someone who had a crush on her. But being Anna after the Great Thaw, she knew better. She knew Elsa enough by now to understand that her sister did not have any interest in finding someone romantically. The queen had even confessed not feeling any sort of attraction to anyone – ever. While Anna needed some time to wrap her head around the idea of a person not wanting to find someone to marry and – ahem – do other things together, she was ready to reassure Elsa that nothing was wrong with her.

Well, technically Elsa did feel attraction. Just not romantic or sexual. She loved Anna with all her heart. That counted as something. But having someone who was not family being blown away by her appearance…now that was unusual. It did not happen often around the kingdom, and even foreign visitors tended to keep to some formal script. Elsa suspected that some of those men may have felt different feelings, which she really did not want to know judging from what she had learned about sexual intercourse through books in the royal library. The whole concept disgusted Elsa. She was certain that the men who looked at her in a particular way had nasty thoughts playing in their minds, and it creeped her out.

Therefore, hearing a woman describe her as beautiful was a bit of a shock. Being called a 'goddess' really took the cake. Looking back, Elsa had handled the surprise remarkably well, compared to, say, finding out her sister wanting to marry a man she just met. And, if she was being completely honest with herself, Cassandra was good-looking too. Elsa did not find any romantic appeal, at least nothing that sounded anywhere close to the mushy stuff she had run across in fairy tales and classic literature. Perhaps there was another kind of attraction here? But how could she describe it? Maybe it was…

"Elsa?"

Snapping out of her thoughts, Elsa made eye contact with Anna. "I'm sorry, did you say something?"

"Yeah, I asked if you had any feelings for her. Like, do you like her?"

Elsa bit her lip and considered this for a moment. "I'm not sure. I…well, she…I just don't…know her."

Anna could tell she was uncomfortable with this, but her curiosity got the better of her. "But do you think she's cute? Or pretty? Or something that doesn't make you want to go throw up?"

The last remark made Elsa snort involuntarily. "What on earth do you mean? Throw up? I don't find her repulsive if that's what you mean."

Anna waved a hand dismissively. "You get what I'm saying. Does she look nice to you?"

Elsa blushed a little and replied, "Well, yes. Yes, I think she is rather pleasing to the eye."

Anna's smile softened a bit at that admission. Well, I guess Elsa does see beauty in other people after all. Then she immediately berated herself for that thought because of course Elsa could see beauty in others. What did she tell her little sister every day? That she was beautiful and amazing and precious and sweet and on and on and on…

"But Anna, I don't know what to feel," Elsa suddenly confessed, the worried look returning to her face. That quickly got Anna's attention, and the latter moved to envelop her nervous big sister in a big yet gentle hug.

Whispering in her ear, Anna gave Elsa some words of encouragement. "You feel whatever you need to feel. I'll be right here for you. I know you don't have experience dealing with this sort of thing, so I'm going to help you the best I can. I love you, Elsa."

Elsa squeezed back, sniffling a little at her precious sister's words. "Oh Anna, I love you too." Pulling back, she locked eyes with Anna and added, "I've been thinking about writing to Cassandra, so we can stay in touch. Learn a little about each other and maybe then I can figure out why she makes me feel this way."

Anna beamed and rested her forehead against Elsa's. "I bet it's having someone look at you like you're the most beautiful person in the world. I should know," she added, winking for good measure.

And just like that, a wave of pure love washed over Elsa, clear and refreshing. She kissed Anna's forehead and gazed deeply into those turquoise eyes she so admired.

Perhaps that was the feeling. Aesthetic. An aesthetic attraction, Elsa mused. If Cassandra admired her just because she looked pretty…wait, no…because she looked beautiful, like she was a goddess. If Cassandra could somehow see Elsa as a good person just as Anna did, just as everybody in Arendelle did, then maybe…

Then maybe I can love her, too, Elsa thought. I can love her as a friend, for who she is. A strong woman who probably has quite a story to tell. And that thought gave her a rush of excitement.


"Cass? You've been awfully quiet lately."

The voice of Rapunzel snapped Cassandra out of her thoughts. They had just returned to Corona and the princess had opted for a walk around town just to stretch her legs. Cassandra naturally had to accompany her to ensure her safety, but secretly she hoped to clear her mind after everything that had happened in Arendelle.

Except one thing kept buzzing around her head. Something she could not dismiss so easily. Elsa.

"I'm fine, Raps." She tried to smile reassuringly, but even Cassandra could not convince someone as inquisitive as Rapunzel that everything was okay.

"No, Cass, something's wrong. You've been more quiet than usual. You didn't talk much during our voyage back. You didn't even argue with Eugene once since we left Arendelle!"

Unfortunately, Rapunzel had sort of forgotten about the last time Cassandra kept a secret from her, and that had ended with a chaotic hot-air balloon ride and a Saporian separatist named Andrew almost succeeding in stealing Herz der Sonne's book. Cassandra, on the other hand, had not.

Turning to give Rapunzel a rather intimidating glare, Cassandra shot back, "We've been over this already, Rapunzel. If I want to keep something to myself, you've got to respect that and leave me alone!"

Rapunzel looked a bit hurt but did not say anything, knowing from experience that trying to soothe an angry Cassandra was like reaching out to pet an angry lion. They resumed their walk, although the silence was even more awkward now.

"I can't believe how much Princess Anna was like me. I mean, jeez, I may be peppy most of the time but she's something else!" Rapunzel tried her trademark sunny smile hoping it would soften the look on Cassandra's face.

Not really.

Ditching that tactic, Rapunzel moved on to another topic. "And boy, Queen Elsa was amazing." She didn't notice, but Cassandra had suddenly become much more alert the moment she heard the word 'Elsa'. "I don't get how she can be so graceful and composed like that. It just comes so naturally to her. And her dress is made of ice! How cool is that? Hah, get it?"

Cassandra was looking straight ahead, as if she had seen a ghost.

"Cass?"

A few seconds passed before…

"Sorry Raps, I have to go." Cassandra started walking away, but without warning a hand latched on to her arm and stopped her dead in her tracks.

"So that's it? Elsa?"

A look of shame and guilt appeared on Cassandra's face. It was quite the sight. Hardly anyone in the kingdom of Corona had ever seen Cassandra like this. Rapunzel felt her heart twinge a little at the sad expression etched into her friend's features.

"Cass, please talk to me," Rapunzel pleaded.

Cassandra really did not want to talk about this. She did not want to tell Rapunzel about why she ran away that first night in Arendelle, or what she said the next day on the balcony. She did not want to discuss the little things that had been shared between her and Elsa. Most importantly, Cassandra did not want to divulge what Elsa had offered before her departure: a job as a guard. But as soon as she saw those big green eyes and the pleading look in them, the handmaiden cracked. Just a bit.

"Look, Rapunzel," she began, thinking carefully about what to say. "I just don't know how to share my feelings about this. You know that's not easy for me."

Letting go of her arm, Rapunzel replied, "I know, but I want to help you. Clearly, whatever this is has you feeling abnormal. You're always so confident, but lately you've been a little more uneasy."

Damn, she's good, Cassandra thought to herself. And suddenly, she opened up.

"When you said you were going to Arendelle, I was nervous because I had heard something about a mysterious princess and some sort of magic. A wintry curse. There were reports from merchants and dignitaries about Arendelle years ago, mostly about how the royal family kept the gates closed and no one ever saw the crown princess. And then I found the stories about some freak snowstorm that occurred the day Elsa became queen. Did it ever once occur to you that we might have been in danger going to a foreign land ruled by a queen with such power?"

Rapunzel mutely shook her head. She obviously had not done the research Cassandra had prior to their trip.

"I mean, you're the princess! It's my job to look out for you, so I had to know what we were going into. That's why I didn't like the fact that we were greeted by a walking talking snowman within minutes of our arrival. That's why I was shocked to find the queen had a sister."

At this point, Rapunzel cut in. "So, you've been uneasy because you were afraid of the queen?"

Cassandra suddenly felt very nervous. She knew what was next. Tell her the truth.

"I was at first. Until I saw her."

Rapunzel looked very confused. It was not like Cassandra had spoken in a foreign language, but the princess could not make sense of why this was so hard for her friend. What was the big deal?

"You ran because you were afraid of her?"

"No, Raps. I ran because…because…" Cassandra took a deep breath and continued, "Because I was afraid of what I felt."

She waited for some response. A gasp, a sigh, a pat on the shoulder. Anything. Much to her surprise, nothing happened. Cassandra opened her eyes and saw Rapunzel just standing there.

"Yeah, I'm gonna need you to elaborate a bit," Rapunzel clarified.

Cassandra sighed. "Come on, Raps, what did you think when you saw her walking down that staircase?"

Rapunzel concentrated for a moment and replied, "She looked very composed, very regal, and graceful. Looked really good, too. Why?"

For once in her life, Cassandra smiled sheepishly and said ever so quietly, "I thought she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen." She could feel the blush creeping up her neck and coloring her cheeks.

This time, Rapunzel's reaction was a little more, well, Rapunzel-esque. Her eyes widened and she let out a squeal, bouncing on her heels. But before she could smother her friend in a hug, Cassandra had grabbed her shoulders.

"Raps, please don't tell anyone. I really don't want this to get out." The look in Cassandra's eyes was desperate, just like when she begged Rapunzel to not tell Eugene about the night they snuck out of Corona and found the black rocks.

Rapunzel took hold of Cassandra's hands and gave her the most reassuring smile she could offer. "Don't worry, Cass. Your secret is safe with me."

Cassandra gave a relieved smile. Despite her disagreements with Rapunzel, she knew in her heart that the princess was a loyal friend. Their many adventures had affirmed that. Especially the one involving the lost lagoon of ancient Coronan lore.

"Can I ask you just one thing?"

Immediately, Cassandra tensed up. "Um, sure?"

"What's it like?"

Cassandra stared blankly at her. "Huh?"

Rapunzel tried again. "I know what it's like to see someone handsome and admire him. I've got Eugene. What's it like to see a girl like Elsa?"

Did she know? Honestly, she was not sure. Cassandra had never cared for romance; the very thought made her feel sick or want to punch someone in the face. Then again, a lot of things made her eager to punch somebody. But she never found romantic stories to be the least bit interesting. She never found anybody to be all that attractive, at least not the way poets seemed to describe it.

But then…Elsa. What was the feeling she had for the Queen of Arendelle? Surely it could not be romance, right? Cassandra wanted to know more about this majestic woman, but she refused to believe it was anything like the sappy stuff Rapunzel gobbled up like candy. She had to admit, there were times she found Rapunzel to be rather beautiful in her own right, but not like she wanted to court her. She admired the princess's spirit and zest for life – in manageable doses, though. She enjoyed showing Rapunzel what freedom was like in every adventure and every secret getaway under a moonlit sky. Yeah, she did like Rapunzel as a friend. Perhaps Elsa was not all that different?

No, she IS different, Cassandra thought. This is a girl unlike any other. Ice magic, young ruler, unnatural beauty. Oh shit, I do like her. But it was just friends for now, right?

"I don't know, Raps. It's like…you look at something so beautiful that you just…you can't begin to describe it. Um…you know how you go on about painting? It's like seeing a painted picture and being blown away by it. I think."

Cassandra did not know if that analogy would really work. But judging by the way Rapunzel's face lit up, it did.

"Oh, I get it! You like her because she's so beautiful! As in she's nice to look at."

Somehow, Cassandra relaxed at hearing these words. That's what it is. Pleasing to look at. Yeah, that sounds right. She made a note to herself to look up what word best described that feeling or particular kind of attraction. As they continued walking, Rapunzel moved on to other highlights of their trip, having satisfied her curiosity about Cassandra's dealings with Elsa. As for the lady-in-waiting, she was glad she did not have to share more because she had already divulged quite a bit. And that was an accomplishment for someone as closed-off as Cassandra.


Later that evening, Cassandra found the word she was looking for: aesthetic. The appreciation of beauty. Yep, definitely an aesthetic attraction here.

As she tried to get to sleep, the image of Elsa kept appearing in her mind. At first, it annoyed her. But then, she realized that maybe it was a sign. After all, she had only scratched the surface of what this mysterious queen was like in the last week. There had to be more.

I bet she would like to know more about me, too, she mused.

Suddenly, she remembered Elsa's suggestion: "Feel free to write to me." Cassandra knew exactly what to do. The lateness of the hour be damned; she was determined to learn more about this Elsa. And, surprisingly, Cassandra was ready to tell her own story. Throwing aside the covers, she made her way over to her desk, lit a lamp, grabbed a quill and parchment, and started writing.