7. That Perfect Maid

Early the next morning, Anna had, unusually, woken early. The room looked strange, with green walls that seemed to swim in and out of her vision. For a moment she thought she was still dreaming, but then she caught a glimpse of the sky out of the small, curtainless triangular window, and realised that the aurora had come south again. The Northern Lights appeared often in the skies above Arendelle, and Anna found them both beautiful and disturbing. Even when she was a small child, she used to lie awake at night sometimes, peering through the dingy rag that covered the solitary window of their hovel as the great arcs of green fire lit up the sky, like the curtains of Heaven fluttering in a breeze. Sometimes, it seems to the young Anna that the curtains would part, just for an instant, and she could get a glimpse of the perfect world that lay beyond them. She could see figures in them: trees, flowers, spire-tipped roofs, sparkling snow, delicious food, gorgeous dresses, and two young girls dancing among them. But then the aurora would flicker and twist and the visions would be gone. She would lie awake for hours, just staring at the sky, hoping that the images would return, pretending that she was up there with them, safe and happy.

Anna crept out of bed, carefully avoiding the one floorboard that always squeaked, as Hilde was still fast asleep, and climbed up on the rickety wooden chair beneath the window. This let her rest her elbows on the sill and gaze over the rooftops of the castle, up into the night as the softly shimmering curtains of light danced their slow ballet across the inky sky. Looking at them, moving almost as if they were alive, Anna thought back to her grandmother, who had told her of the old legend that the Northern Lights were the souls of the departed. Her grandmother had said that if you whistled they would come closer, but no matter how often and loudly the young Anna had tried, the lights always remained far out of reach, remote spirits dancing in the distant sky, beyond any earthly care.

"Hey, girl. What are you doing up so early?"

Anna turned at the sound of Hilde's voice. "Looking at the sky, at the lights. They're so pretty, don't you think?"

"Yeah, they're bright tonight," Hilde admitted.

"It's so amazing," Anna said. "It's like the sky's awake or something!"

"I wish to heaven that the sun was. When is the damned winter going to end?" Hilde muttered, rubbing her hands together. "Hurry up and light the damned fire. I'm bloody freezing."

"You shouldn't swear like that," Anna gasped as she climbed down and lit the small fireplace in the cold bedroom.

"Swear?"

"You know, when you said… damned," Anna finished in a whisper. "It's not proper."

"Not proper?" Hilde laughed. "Not proper for who?"

"Well, El—I mean Her Highness would never say… that word," Anna said.

"Do I look like a damned princess?" Hilde said, her hands on her hips. "I wish you would stop talking about her all the damned time."

"I don't!" Anna said. "And you still shouldn't swear. It ain't ladylike."

"You do so talk about her," Hilde said, getting into her work clothes. "And it's not as if I can swear in front of the family. Nor in front of old Gerdy or Chef or anyone. So I shall damn well swear in front of you, girl."

"But why swear at all?" Anna asked, getting dressed herself. "Aren't you happy here?"

Hilde paused briefly. "What, happy? Happy bein' a servant? No." She seemed on the verge of saying something else, then gave a quick laugh. "Mind you, bein' a high lady an' getting waited on by the likes of you would make me happy."

"Well, since neither of us is never gonna be high ladies, we oughta be happy with what we got," Anna said. "An' if you'd ever been on the streets, you'd know."

"You don't know what I know," Hilde shot back. "So you just shut your damned mouth and get going!"

"What?"

"Get!" Hilde hissed. "Get!"

Stunned by Hilde's sudden viciousness, Anna scurried out of the room and down the narrow stairs to the kitchen. She stumbled and almost fell, catching herself at the last minute, and took the rest of the stairs at a slower pace, still wondering what had got into her roommate.


"Good morning, Mamma, Pappa," Elsa said, curtseying to her parents before sitting down to breakfast a week later.

"Good morning, dear," her mother said absent-mindedly, flipping through some correspondence.

Her father lowered his newspaper and gave her a quick nod. "You are late for breakfast yet again, Elsa. Are you sleeping in? Do I need to get Astrid to wake you earlier?"

"No, Pappa," Elsa said. "I am sorry. I will try to keep a better eye on the time."

"Our little girl is growing up, Agdar," the queen said. "She will be a young woman soon. She will no longer be up at the crack of dawn, wanting to play."

The king peered over the top of his paper at his only child. "You're already twelve, aren't you? Getting to be a young woman. What is it, Kaisson?" he added as the butler gave a gentle cough.

"It's about Her Highness lady's maid, Astrid, Your Majesty," the butler said in his soft voice. "I am afraid that she has asked to be allowed to return to her family in Norway. Apparently her father is quite ill, and she feels her place is at his side."

"Oh, dear me," the queen said. "Certainly, I quite agree—poor Astrid should be at her father's side, not ours. Kaisson, give her a month's—no, two month's pay when she leaves."

"You are most generous, Your Majesty," Kaisson said. He gave a gentle cough. "There is also the matter of her replacement, Your Majesty. Mrs Gerdason would like to discuss the matter with you at your convenience."

"Of course. I presume she'll be promoting… whoever is next in line," the queen said, looking over at the butler.

"That is the usual method, yes," he said.

"If Astrid goes, then who do I get?" Elsa asked.

"I'm sure Mrs Gerdason will find you someone suitable, do not worry," the queen said.

"She will be most discerning, Highness," Kaisson added. "You shall have the perfect maid."

Elsa glanced over at the butler, and nodded. "If you don't mind, I want to discuss this with Mrs Gerdason myself. After all, if this new maid is to be mine, and as I am nearly in my teens, I think I should have some say in who it is."

"I am sure Mrs Gerdason would welcome your suggestions, Highness," Kaisson said, his right eyebrow raised a respectfully discreet half inch.


After her morning lessons were over, Elsa headed down to the service level. Like the rest of her family, she seldom ventured below stairs, as this was the realm of the servants and she felt rather out of place here. Almost unwelcome, in fact, even though the entire castle was nominally her home. It was just that she sometimes felt an undercurrent of resentment from some of the servants at their private space, where they did not need to bow and scrape, being invaded by one of the high-born. In addition, she knew many of them were actually afraid of her. And with good reason, she thought to herself with a sigh as she tugged her gloves on tighter.

So it was with a fairly nervous knock that Elsa entered the housekeeper's room. At the sight of the princess, Gerdason stood quickly and curtseyed, then stood with her head respectfully lowered.

"Ah, Mrs Gerdason, sorry to barge in on you like this," Elsa said, glancing around the small room, wondering where her carefully-rehearsed opening question had flown to. "I was just… that is to say…. I was wondering about my new maid. Astrid will be leaving to help her mother now, right?"

"Yes, Your Highness. I hope you have been happy with her work?"

"She's been perfectly lovely," Elsa told her, taking the seat offered. "I hope… I hope she has been happy serving me as well..."

"I have never heard her complain, Highness," Gerdason said.

Elsa glanced at the lined face of the old housekeeper, and sighed. "No, she wouldn't actually complain, would she. Not about me, my… condition. No matter how scared she was."

"I'm sure she wasn't scared of you, Highness," Gerdason said quickly. "We all love and respect you."

Elsa raised an eyebrow. "You'd be foolish not to be scared of me," she said quietly. "Sometimes I'm scared of me."

"Those were all accidents, Highness. We all know that. We know you would never want to hurt anyone deliberately."

"No, of course I wouldn't," Elsa said. She looked at her gloved hands, suddenly even more nervous than before. How could she be trying to get Anna in a place where she could end up hurting the other girl? She was being selfish. "But I still end up hurting people anyway."

There was a brief silence, during which Elsa fidgeted with her braid briefly, then she stood up. "I… I should go, I think. Sorry to have disturbed you, Mrs Gerdason."

"Might I ask what it was you came to ask me about?"

Elsa hesitated at the door. Was she actually just being selfish by wanting Anna as her maid, even at the risk of hurting her accidentally? Or was she just being a coward, running away and slamming the door, trying to keep everyone at a distance—including herself? Was it fair to Anna to keep her as a lowly, downtrodden scullery maid, when she could be so much more? To put her own fear of herself over the entire future life of Anna? She could do it: she could change both their fates. It was just a matter of control, of keeping her emotions in check.

"I was wondering…" Elsa said, turning back. "Who are you going to make my new lady's maid?"

Gerdason smiled. "Mr Kaisson indicated you were taking an interest, Highness. I was thinking Aslaug, the head housemaid, would be a good choice."

"Aslaug? Oh, right, I know her." The princess fiddled with her braid again. "I was wondering... What if there was someone I wanted, but who wasn't an above-stairs maid?"

Gerdason raised an eyebrow. "It is of course your prerogative, Highness, but that would be a considerable promotion. Is there… is there a girl you were thinking of in particular?"

Elsa hesitated for a moment before replying. Even leaving aside her own issues, was this really a sensible idea? She hadn't even discussed it with her mother, after all. Would her mother object, and make her change her mind? "I was thinking…." Elsa took a deep breath and tried again. "I was thinking of Anna."

"The scullery maid!" Gerdason gasped. "You can't have a—!" The housekeeper stopped immediately, and bowed her head. "Please forgive that outburst. What I meant to say, Your Highness, that a scullery maid would not be, er, quite proper for such a responsible position. Anna is too young, too untrained—she can barely speak correct Norwegian. It… it wouldn't be proper, Highness."

"Should not I be the one to judge whom I wish to have serving me?" Elsa said, a tinge of frost on her voice.

"Of course, Your Highness. But… I could not recommend her for the post."

"And why not? Kaisson told me she's a very good worker and everyone likes her."

"She is, Highness. But with all due respect, the duties of a scullery maid, who never comes into contact with, or should even speak with, a member of the family do not require much training, education, or intelligence."

Elsa's eyes narrowed. "She is too intelligent," the princess shot, her grammar lapsing in her annoyance.

"It is most generous of Your Highness to say so," the housekeeper said. "However, to perform as a lady's maid requires a certain level of… ah… training. Comportment. Decorum. Not, if you don't mind me saying, attributes associated with a, er, beggar child from the streets."

"She could learn them," Elsa pointed out.

"She would have to be taught by one of us then, Highness." Gerdason paused. "Perhaps you should discuss this with Her Majesty. It may be that the queen has certain wishes," she added.

"Very well. I shall do that," Elsa said.

"There is also Anna herself to consider, Highness. She may not want this sudden promotion."

"Of course she would want it," Elsa said. "It's easier work, a better job, we can spend more—" She stopped abruptly. "Of course she would want it. Who wouldn't?"

"With respect, Your Highness, it may not be that simple," Gerdason said.

"That's the advantage of being a princess," Elsa said, finally starting to lose patience. "You can make things simple. I shall talk with my mother, the queen. She will then give you your instructions. Understood?"

"We will obey, of course, Highness. As always."

Elsa nodded. "Thank you. I shall talk with my mother, then."


"No, Elsa, that's really not a good idea at all!"

"But mother!" the young princess protested. "Why can't I have whomever I want?"

"Mrs Gerdason is right, darling. The work of a lady's maid is very different to the work of a scullery maid, and it will mean the girl, Anna, will be in close proximity to you for much of the day. It's not fair to ask that of some illiterate street orphan."

"She's not illiterate," Elsa said. "She can read!"

"Elsa, my sweet, even if she can read, she knows nothing of what is required when attending a lady of noble birth. How could she dress you, or do your hair, or..."

"She could be taught. I told Mrs Gerdason that."

"It would be unfair to the staff, Elsa, to make someone train her in addition to their own duties," the queen said. "You know why we have to have such a limited number. You know we can't risk word of your... condition spreading. Or risk anyone being… affected by it."

"I know, Mamma," Elsa said in a quiet voice, staring down at her gloved hands. She could feel how cold they were, even through the fine silk. "So… so if Anna was trained to be a lady's maid, if she knew the work, I could have her?"

"Honestly, darling, I don't really understand why you're so set on her. What's wrong with Aslaug?"

"She's twice my age and twice my height," Elsa said. "Everyone in the castle is older than me, except Anna."

"Well, If you really wanted a playmate your age, then I suppose we could invite Lord Skarsgard's daughter, Kari."

Elsa shook her head. "I don't like her much. She's snobby. She shouted at Astrid for nothing, made her cry."

The queen smiled. "You are a kind girl, Elsa, despite what you might think of yourself. The King and I are very proud of our little princess. Yes, perhaps Kari is not the best choice. There's also the fact that having his daughter be the playmate of the princess would give Lord Skarsgard extra status in the Storting, which your father would not welcome."

"Oh? Why not?" Elsa asked. "Doesn't Pappa like Lord Skarsgard?"

"No, no, it's not that, dear," the queen said. "It's just that Lord Skarsgard has some ideas on how Arendelle should conduct its international trade that your father the king does not agree with, because they would place too much influence and power in the hands of the nobility and not the burghers."

"Burghers?"

"The middle classes, Elsa. It is important that the common people share in the wealth of a kingdom, or else the kingdom will not prosper. Why?"

"Because... because no society can surely be flourishing and happy, of which the far greater part of the members are poor and miserable."

The queen smiled. "I am glad you are paying attention to your economics lessons—always important for a ruler. Mr Smith of Scotland is quite right. Anyway, you run along now, darling, as it's time for your mathematics lesson, and I know how you enjoy those."

"What about my maid?" Elsa asked as she stood up.

"My dear, I really do think you should take Aslaug. Anna is simply not properly trained."

"But if she were? If she did know how to act?"

The queen gave a tiny shrug. "If she eventually becomes sophisticated and educated enough to serve as a lady's maid, I'm sure that, in a few years' time, she will make a good and loyal one. Now hurry along, min elskling. Miss Mandelbrot is expecting you, and a princess should never abuse her position and keep others waiting."

"Of course, Mamma," Elsa said, giving the queen a quick curtsey. "I understand. Thank you."

The young girl walked down the hallway towards the small study, lost in thought. She had an idea fermenting in her head, one that she was eager to start putting into practice as soon as possible.


"Anna!"

Relaxing on her bed, the young redhead whirled at the sound of the housekeeper's voice, almost dropping her book.

"Ma'am?"

"I'm sorry to do this on your afternoon off, but Her Highness has summoned you."

"Summoned Anna? Why?" Hilde asked, her eyes narrowing.

"That is not your concern, young woman," Gerdason said sternly. "Now come along, Anna."

With a quick glance towards a suspicious Hilde, Anna followed the matron of the castle down to the main levels. She had not been in the residential levels of the castle in daylight for ages, not since she had attempted to return the book to the princess, and she had been too nervous then to really take in the understated elegance she was surrounded by. While the main structure of the castle dated back to the fifteenth century, and the oldest halls were even older, it had been extensively redecorated inside at the end of the previous century, giving the castle more of the appearance of an elegant palace than the grim medieval fortification it was originally.

Thus lost in admiring the intricately painted patterns along the wainscoting, Anna realized that the housekeeper had stopped outside a door, and was knocking softly.

"Enter," came Elsa's voice.

Anna followed Gerdason into a long gallery filled with paintings. She had not seen this room before, as there was no fireplace in it, so there was no reason for her to enter it in the mornings. The princess was standing near the far end, gazing up at a painting of a young girl in a swing.

"I have brought Anna, Highness," Gerdason said after she and Anna curtseyed.

"Thank you, Mrs Gerdason," Elsa said. "You may go. Anna, come here. Please."

With a nervous glance at the housekeeper, Anna trotted down the long gallery to the princess. She curtseyed again. "Highness? How… how may I serve?"

"Do you like this painting, Anna?"

Anna looked up at it. It showed a young girl in a voluminous pink dress on a swing, illuminated by a shaft of light through the trees.

"She's pretty," Anna said. "Oh look, she's lost her shoe!" she added, pointing to the pink slipper flying through the air in the painting. "That's funny!"

"I know, isn't it?" the princess said with a light giggle. "All the other paintings here, they're all so solemn and stiff and formal. Portraits of famous people, my ancestors, other serious works. And here's a girl having fun on a swing." Elsa turned to look at the younger girl. "Sometimes, even when we're surrounded by pomp and formality, it's nice to just have fun and laugh."

"Do… do you like to laugh, Highness?" Anna ventured.

"I know it's not what people might expect of the Ice Princess," Elsa said. "And I know I don't do it that much." She gave a small sigh. "But yes, I do like to laugh. There… just isn't anyone I can laugh with."

"That's… uh, that's too bad, Highness," Anna said, feeling like she was supposed to say something. But what? What did one say to a princess? Especially when one was little more than a beggar to begin with? They were standing side by side, but Anna was always acutely conscious of the gulf between them. She was quite certain that the princess was equally aware, by the slightly stiff and awkward way the older girl was standing, gloved hands firmly clasped in front of her. "Can't you, er, laugh with your friends, Highness?"

There was a short pause. "I… I don't really have any friends, Anna," Elsa confessed. She twisted her fingers together, and glanced down at her hands. "It's not easy, when you're a princess, spending your time alone in a castle. Do… do you have any?"

"Not any more, Highness," Anna said quietly. "I used to have one, when I was much younger. About five, I think. I don't remember her too well. But I never had much time to play."

"I don't suppose you have much time to play now, either…."

Anna shook her head. "Not really, Highness. I mean, I have some time, I suppose. An hour each day. And every Sunday afternoon off."

"Sunday? Today?" Elsa glanced quickly at the younger girl, an apologetic smile on her face. "I'm sorry for summoning your on your half-holiday, Anna. I hadn't realised."

Anna shook her head rapidly, sending her plaits flying. "No, no, Highness! I'm yours! Whenever you want!"

"Uh, thank you," Elsa said, her eyes wide. "Um… are you always this, er, enthusiastic?"

"Highness?"

"So… full of life."

"I'm… not sure. I'm just me, that's all."

Elsa smiled. "It makes a nice change from all the dour faces around here, that's for sure." She paused, and gazed at the painting some more. Anna stood quietly beside her, not sure if she had had been dismissed or not. Perhaps she should say something, after all.

"Um... who's hiding in the bushes, Highness?" she ventured.

"The man who looks like he's trying to look up the girl's skirt? Her lover. You know, she's actually a very naughty girl. See how she's got her back turned on the cherubim? She's rejecting the sacred for the profane."

"I'm… I'm not sure I follow you, Highness," Anna said.

"It's a painting of a girl who doesn't want to do what she should do, what everyone thinks she should do. She's got her back to the symbols of God and angels, and is throwing off her clothes and opening her legs for her lover, lying there ready for her."

"Wow, I never knew there was so much in a painting," Anna breathed. "It's like there are layers, and each painting tells a story. They're pretty, and they tell stories. What could be better?"

"That's exactly right, Anna," Elsa said. "Exactly right." The princess looked back at the younger girl. "Would you like to look at some more paintings?"

"Sure!" Anna said, nodding. "Uh, I mean of course, Your Highness."

"'Sure' is fine, Anna," Elsa said, giving her a reassuring smile. "You're not afraid of me, are you? Many here are, you know."

Anna shook her head. "I don't think I'm afraid, no, Highness. I guess the others don't see your warmer side."

"Warmer side, yes," Elsa said, giving a short, bitter laugh. "The warmer side of the Ice Princess…."

"I still don't see why they call you that, Highness," Anna admitted. "I don't think it's fair, you know. They talk about you behind your back, and you can't say anything! Sometimes I try and stop them, I tell them you're a good person, but they… they don't listen. They tell me it's best I don't know, but I do know."

Elsa sighed. "Sometimes I envy you, Anna."

Anna blinked. "You? Envy me, Highness? But you're a princess, and I'm just a scullery maid!"

"You're kind, and honest, and humble, and friendly, and loyal," Elsa said. "Everything a true lady should be. Everything I try to be, wish I could be. You deserve so much more than being a scullery maid."

"That's very nice of you to say so, Highness," Anna said. "But I am happy just being here. I get good clothing, warm food, and a soft bed."

"There's so much more to life, though," Elsa said. She looked around the gallery, at all the paintings on the walls. "So much more. Anna, I want to… If you like… I would like to teach you more about my world. Would you like that?"

Anna nodded happily. "Oh, very much so, Your Highness!"

"Good," Elsa said with a smile. "Then, starting next week, we shall turn you into the perfect maid!"

.


DR WORDMANGLER'S FAMOUS LECTURE NOTES

The title is modified from "that perfect girl is gone" from some obscure song I heard recently maybe once or twice.

"Aslaug" is taken from the Vikings series—and indirectly from the Viking sagas I guess. If you don't watch it, I recommend it: Series 2 has just ended. It's not as gory as Game of Thrones either.

The Storting is the supreme legislature of Norway, established in 1814. It means "Great Council," so I have used it as a generic rather than specific name. It's Stor Ting, so not a verb (Do you like Kipling? I don't know—I've never kippled…). "Ting" itself is from "Thing," which is an old term for "assembly" in Old English (and a few other related languages). It survives in modern English in the word "husting" (house thing). I think "thing" is a fun word, and we should have more Things around the world. It would make The West Wing make a lot more sense (Toby quote: "The wrath of the whatever from high atop the thing!"), but I shall have to make do with the Japanese Diet (or the German Diet of Worms) for interesting parliamentary terms.

Burghers are not burgers, but there is a etymological connection—burgers being from hamburgers being from Hamburg, the burg (town) of Ham, then we have burgher, who is an inhabitant of a burg. "Burglar" is a more distant relation, going back to "burg" as in "fortress" (something you try to invade). So no, "hamburgers" do not and never did need to contain ham….

"What improves the circumstances of the greater part can never be regarded as an inconveniency to the whole. No society can surely be flourishing and happy, of which the far greater part of the members are poor and miserable." Is from the (Scottish) Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations, published in 1776.

"Miss Mandelbrot" is taken, of course, from the Polish mathematician Benoît B. Mandelbrot who coined the term "fractal" in 1975. And "Lord Skarsgard" is named for Gustaf Skarsgard from the "Vikings" series (which is pretty good). No further reference is intended. I was tempted to name him the Norwegian version of "Marshmallow" just for fun, but it turns out that the Norwegian for "marshmallow" is (drum roll...) "marshmallow." So perhaps that would not work so well…. Of course that made me wonder what on earth "marshmallow" actually meant: turns out it's pretty much what's on the tin: it was made from a plant called "mallow" that grows in (another drum roll…) marshes. And was first used by the ancient Egyptians, mixed with honey, to sooth sore throats. Incidentally, marshmallows as we know them today date to the 19th century, but only, to begin with, on a small scale in France. It's not impossible that Olaf (assuming he knows what a child in 1845 would know) would know of marshmallows, but it's a slight stretch. Not as bad as the bicycle. That took me out.

God do I ever waffle….

Incidentally, I've deliberately made Elsa's speech a little more "adult" than we might expect from a twelve year-old, as she is both a princess, and, judging by Alice in Wonderland (published in 1865—Alice turns 150 in 2015!), children in the 19th century seemed altogether more erudite than children today anyway.

Oh, and "min elskling" is Norwegian for "my darling." Every so often, it's important to remember this is not an Anglophone country. Well, okay, it's not actually important, but I do think it should be remembered that all this English everyone is speaking is in translation, as it were. Not that I know a word of Norwegian beyond what I can look up online for this story—well, that, and that "la den gå" is Norwegian for "let it go"... (If you haven't heard Let It Go in Norwegian, go do so now.)

My comments about the interior decoration of the castle are simply my head canon about how it can look like a medieval stave church on the outside (seriously, if you don't know it already, compare Arendelle Castle to Borgund Stave Church—they're almost identical, though the church is much smaller) and a much more modern palace inside. While I haven't yet done a thorough analysis, I am pretty sure that the spaces inside do not match, in most cases, the shapes we are shown on the outside. I have so many questions about the architecture of that impossible castle….

The painting Elsa and Anna are admiring is The Swing by Jean-Honoré Fragonard, painted in 1767, a version of which is the one featured in the Gallery of Arendelle Castle in Frozen (and also provided inspiration for Tangled's art style).


PS: One recent reviewer asked about the possibility of "Elsanna," taking the time and effort to include lots of detailed comments. I replied privately (I reply to all non-anonymous reviews: if you've taken the time to engage with my work to that extent, I want to thank you and hopefully engage in a more extended discussion) but want to repeat some of my positions here in case anyone else is wondering the same thing.

The two main reasons why this will not become Elsanna are as follows:

1. They're too young. There won't be any major time skips, at least during the main story (nothing more than until the king and queen die, definitely, which I may actually bring forward). So that largely removes the issue anyway. This will also, never fear, mean that they will not be with other people. Kristoff will remain nothing more than a friend to the eight-year-old Anna. In short, romance of any sort will not feature. One reason for keeping them younger is to avoid any issues of romance, in fact. This is about other forms of love.

2. I believe giving them a romantic relationship goes against everything the original film was trying to say about the nature of true love: that there are other forms of true love than the clichéd "true love's kiss" romance. I feel this is a very important point. I have been disappointed in the onrush of lesbian Elsanna fics, because of the way it looks at the most important lesson of the movie - that family love, sibling love, is also true love - and promptly says "nah, true love only means romance and kissing. (So Elsa and Anna have to have a romantic relationship even if they're sisters.)" I do feel it is important in fanfic to respect the heart or soul of the canon (which is my main objection to Shrinking Susan in the Monsters vs. Aliens TV show - if you've read my profile you'll have seen my rant about that). And as far as I can tell, the heart of "Frozen" is that these two main characters demonstrate that true love is not always romance (and that romance is not always true love, I guess). That there are other forms of true love just as powerful, just as real. So I am saddened by the apparent insistence by a very large segment of the fandom that Elsa and Anna *must* have romantic love, even if that means incest.

That said, there are some very good stories here about Elsanna - I just don't want to write one. I want to write a story that celebrates platonic love, the power of friendship. As CS Lewis wrote: "To the Ancients, Friendship seemed the happiest and most fully human of all loves; the crown of life and the school of virtue. The modern world, in comparison, ignores it." And modern fanfic certainly does….

Sorry for the length of the author's notes this time. I just felt that the Elsanna issue was important enough to respond to publicly as well.


[Posted 11 May 2014]

[Edited 11 May - Thanks, LiariaZwei, for catching my "Elsa" error. And if anyone finds anna-thing elsa that needs fixing, I'll correct it asap.]

[Edited 16 May - Thanks to my trusty editor (?) Loridhhp for noting that Elsa is not a "process."]

[Edited 23 July - Changed the king's name to Agdar, reflecting the canon. Also made a few minor adjustments to words to help it flow better.]

[Edited 30 March 2015: Fixed a minor typo]

[Edited 5 May 2015: Changed the mentions of Elsa's age to fit in with the day given by Jennifer Lee]