WARNING FOR DEATH.

Contains Norse influences.

It was supposed to be the happiest day of Elsa's life. And when the dawn greeted her with its rosy light it seemed it would be, because it began as a day of wondrous beauty.

Elsa had been waiting for this day for a long time and when she awoke she knew it was going to be perfect.

People said that she was the luckiest young woman in the whole of Arendelle, even the whole world. Elsa was certainly known throughout the world. She had a gift that some called magical. Elsa had the power to create beautiful music, poetry and songs. She had a voice that many said gave them a glimpse of the heavens, and her music inspired all who heard it; her work could reduce even the most cold-hearted to tears.

As well as this, Elsa was beautiful. She was perfect from the top of her light-blonde head down to her snow-white feet. Many who saw her swore they would forsake all forms of love since Elsa could never be theirs.

But Elsa also had a beautiful soul to match her flawless body. Goodness radiated from her like her beauty and no one who encountered her could fail to be moved.

Yet all this meant nothing to Elsa. There was just one thing that mattered to her, more than her music and her fortunate life, and today it was going to happen at last. Now she would become complete. Today was Elsa's wedding day.

Anna was her bride, her love, her everything. Some said the two maidens were like ice and fire, both from the colours of their hair and their personalities; Elsa was quiet, soft-spoken, graceful, whereas Anna could be boisterous, loud and feisty.

But in as many ways as they differed, Anna and Elsa also matched, most of all in their love for one another. And so it had always been, from childhood sweethearts to today, and would be forever.

Elsa had met Anna on the very day she was born and when the little red-haired baby had tightened her tiny fist round Elsa's finger, she had known Anna was going to be the most important person in her life.

Since that day, Elsa and Anna had been inseparable. They had grown up together, Anna in awe of the beautiful older girl who thought the world of her, who made up songs to make her smile, who was always there to protect her, Elsa in amazement of Anna, loving her laughter and her loyalty, how she put passion into everything she did.

And friendship had grown into love. Tenderly, gradually and beautifully, Anna and Elsa had progressed from holding hands, to their first kiss, to asking for the other's hand in marriage.

Now Elsa couldn't wait to meet Anna at the temple today to make their love official in the eyes of gods and men. She couldn't wait to begin their lives together and give Anna all of her love.

Elsa got up from her bed, with the realisation that this was the last time she would ever do so. Tomorrow she would wake up in Anna's arms in their new bed, in their new house, after a night of indescribable sweetness that Elsa was awaiting with great anticipation...

She put on her new white wedding dress and admired herself in the mirror, knowing she looked perfect, knowing Anna would agree.

Elsa's mother entered the room bearing flowers and bread and honey. She joined her daughter sitting in front of the mirror and ate with her, feeling Elsa's excitement, hearing it in her voice, seeing her blue eyes sparkle.

She looked at her little girl, now a grown woman and going to leave her childhood home to start her own life. For the last time, she brushed her daughter's beautiful blonde hair until it shone brighter than ever, then looked at Elsa's smile in the mirror and placed the wreath of white flowers on her head.

Feeling her heart fluttering as she realised it was time, Elsa took her mother's hand and they went downstairs together.

Her father was waiting by the front door, pride and even tears in his eyes when he saw his beautiful daughter descend the stairs. He softly squeezed her shoulder when she came up to him, not answering her greetings, not trusting his voice. He silently took hold of Elsa's other hand and opened the door for the three of them to walk out to the temple.

Everyone in the street had been waiting to see the bride. People leaned out of their windows, stood in their doorways waving, shouting their good wishes and throwing flowers. And when Elsa turned her beautiful smile towards them, the townsfolk thought it was like a blessing from above.

In the temple, everyone Elsa loved had gathered, all of her and Anna's family and friends, even the King and Queen, who were the guests of honour, come to give their blessing for the royal bard's marriage.

Her parents let go of their daughter's hands to take their seats and the temple's choir began singing an arrangement that Elsa had composed herself.

The sweet music stirred Elsa's soul and echoed the feelings in her heart when she walked towards the one she loved most.

Anna looked radiant in her white dress with her red hair loose, not in its usual braids; it flowed to her waist, utterly lovely.

She felt as if she had not seen Elsa for years, even if it was only for a day that they had been parted, as the tradition required, and when she saw her bride now, Anna thought Elsa looked more beautiful than she had ever seen her, but then Anna thought that every time she saw her beloved. She reached out for Elsa's hand and sighed at the familiar sensation of Elsa's touch.

Anna and Elsa joined hands at the altar and the beautiful ceremony began. The two brides bound themselves together under the eyes of the Divines, and the eyes of many of the people watching overflowed with tears witnessing Elsa and Anna's love for each other.

But all ignored the omens of sorrow, they should have been saving their tears for the things to come. The cloudless sky thundered when the brides kissed to seal their vow, and it was not quite drowned out by the cheering guests.

Yet no one paid it any heed. The ceremony was complete and the King had invited the bridal party to his castle for a spectacular feast. The temple filled with joyful voices as everyone accompanied Anna and Elsa to celebrate their marriage.

The procession walked happily through the town to the castle and it seemed that every citizen had come to greet them and get a glimpse of their wedded bliss.

The candles in the castle's Great Hall went out when the newlyweds entered, but this sign, too, was ignored and the King just laughed as he ordered them to be lit again to see the faces of the beautiful brides, to see the joy of everyone.

And the Hall was brightened again for music and merriment, dancing and drinking while the feast was prepared. Elsa and Anna were going to sit at the high table with the King and Queen themselves.

The brides danced, with flowing hair and dresses, elegant movements and tender caresses, the smiles never leaving their faces, Elsa's eyes never leaving Anna's.

But dancing begets thirst and soon Anna reluctantly let go of her wife's hand, reaching after her as she did, letting her touch linger as long as she could, to go and quench her thirst. Elsa watched after her fondly, then turned to accept the congratulations of some of the guests.

Anna wandered through the crowd, smiling politely at everyone until a little blond cup-bearer stepped forward with a goblet on a tray. He grinned sweetly at Anna's beauty and her kind smile as she took the drink and ruffled his hair.

She sipped the liquid as she walked back to join Elsa, seeing her standing tall and fair amongst the crowd. Elsa's dress and her hair and her skin were so white they almost seemed to glow.

Elsa smiled when she saw her, and Anna smiled back, even though her face felt numb. But her hand wasn't numb when Elsa took it and pulled her close.

Elsa's smiling face against the blur of the crowd was the last thing Anna saw before she collapsed into Elsa's arms. The goblet fell to the floor at Elsa's feet, where the last few drops of the red drink pooled like blood.

"Anna!" Elsa cried, catching her as she fell.

There were gasps from the other guests, the music and the dancing stopped, replaced by stunned mutterings as people gathered around.

"I've got you," Elsa said softly to her bride. She gently lowered Anna to the floor and rested her head in her lap, her red hair trailing over her knees. Elsa tenderly brushed a few strands from Anna's forehead and stroked her cheek; her skin felt cold, her eyes were closed and her lips were parted.

Voices in the crowd called for a healer. As one of the most important citizens, the town's healer had naturally been invited to the celebration, and the crowd made way for him, but his skills would be useless here.

Elsa watched him kneel at Anna's side and raise his hand over her lips to check her breathing. She tried not to panic. It was just excitement and exhaustion, Elsa told herself, Anna would get better soon. She held her hand, colder than it had ever been.

"She'll be all right, won't she?" Elsa asked, her voice stronger than she felt.

He did not reply but took hold of Anna's other hand and felt her pulse.

They waited.

Elsa did not know what the time was doing, whether seconds, minutes or hours went by before she looked up to him, wondering why he hadn't said anything.

With tearful eyes the healer looked at Elsa. He had brought bad news to many in his time, but he could not bring himself to announce the death of Elsa's beloved.

"No," Elsa breathed interpreting his silence to mean that the very worst had happened. It couldn't be true, not her Anna...

But her bride lay still and cold in her lap.

The crowd watched Elsa break at that moment. Her face creased in agony.

"No!" she wailed, her voice loud and echoing in the Hall, hollow and distraught, unrecognisable compared to its usual sound.

Elsa held Anna, lifted her lifeless form to her chest, cradling her.

The crowd was solemn and silent, save for the sobs of Anna's parents, though even they were not as loud as Elsa's as she felt her heart torn out of her, a wound that would never heal.

The healer caught sight of the goblet and picked it up as he rose to his feet, guided by his intuition and forces beyond his control. He sniffed at the liquid left inside with his well-trained nose.

"Poison!" he exclaimed.

Murmurs rose all around. Elsa heard but did not care; Anna was gone and the method made no difference to her. She continued to shake with her sobs.

"Secure the Hall!" the King ordered. "No one leaves here until we find out who did this!"

The royal guards assembled to follow his orders immediately, seeing the pain and anger in their monarch, feeling it themselves.

Elsa's father went with them, desperate to distract himself from feeling powerless to help his daughter in her grief.

Elsa's mother gently approached her. She crouched down and placed a hand on her daughter's shaking shoulder, but Elsa shrunk away from her touch. She wanted only Anna.

Her mother sat in silence at her side, soon joined by Anna's parents. The three of them wept silently, mourning the loss of the complete, whole family they had been just hours before.

All the servants were questioned by the guards and the King himself, even Kristoff, the little serving boy, whose resolve failed beneath their stern faces.

"I didn't know it would hurt Anna!" he blurted out, tears spilling from his brown eyes. "Someone told me to give it to her!"

"Who was it?" the King demanded, stepping up to the boy, putting him in his shadow.

"He said he'd hurt my reindeer if I told anyone," Kristoff said, fearing for his only friend.

The king got down onto the boy's level to look into his eyes. "Your reindeer will not be harmed," he assured, trying to sound as kindly as he could. "Who gave you the goblet?"

"Lord Hans," Kristoff replied quietly, trusting his King.

The guards found him lurking in the shadows, behind the crowd. They seized him and searched him, found poison in his pocket.

And Hans confessed that he had done it because he was jealous of their joy, he wanted to see Elsa suffer.

It was poorly-planned, Hans wasn't surprised he had been caught, but he was led off by the guards with a smug smile on his face, feeling satisfied that he had ruined Elsa's life.

They dragged him to the castle dungeons, left him to rot in the oubliette, sentenced to die in a pit like the snake he was for taking one so pure and innocent from the world.

But Elsa gained no satisfaction when her father told her they had got revenge. She was still in shock at being jolted from joy to despair in less than a day. In mere hours, Elsa's fortune had reversed, it was too sudden.

She looked at Anna's face below her, the freckles standing out against her now pallid skin. They had not been married for a full day, they hadn't even had their wedding night...

Her vision blurred with tears, Elsa let her parents hold her, numb and shaking in their arms, while her beloved's body was carried away.

The wedding turned into a wake at the temple that evening. Anna was laid out, still beautiful in her bride's dress. Her hair was combed and braided, fresh flowers were placed at her chest, clasped in her cold hands.

Elsa couldn't bear to sleep in their bridal bed alone or even to enter the new house that had been built especially for them, perfected to be ready on their wedding day. She couldn't leave Anna's side. Elsa sat by her silently in the temple while the sun set and rose again above her, until it was time for the funeral.

The same priest who had joined them, with tears in his eyes, now prepared to part them forever. They prepared to take Anna where Elsa couldn't follow.

But before they could, Elsa gave her wife one last embrace, one last kiss on her pale, cold lips; she did not care if the poison that had killed her still remained.

Elsa removed the ring from Anna's finger that she had placed there only yesterday, though it felt like a lifetime ago, and added it to the one that encircled her own; their fingers were the same size, a perfect match in every way.

Her parents took her home, back to her old room to which Elsa thought she would never return.

Elsa could see the funeral pyre from her window. Her parents wouldn't trust her to get any closer, and part of her was glad they didn't, for she could not endure seeing her love reduced to ashes. Yet part of her wanted to rush out and throw herself on, to follow Anna to the Otherworld...

But Elsa lingered on in darkness and in doubt, not truly living or feeling, though in unimaginable pain in a state somewhere in between.

Reluctantly she removed her bridal gown, the last thing touched by Anna, and wore the black mourning dress her mother made.

Though it was summer, to Elsa her existence was like nightfall in winter, starless and cold. She was numb to everything, she could not even play her music anymore. Elsa blamed herself, constantly replaying the days before her wedding over and over in her mind... She shouldn't have agreed to the King's suggestion, she should have insisted they had a private party at home, just the six of them...

But what Elsa found most unbearable was she still felt like Anna was there, their connection was so strong; Anna was a part of her. Elsa felt like she was going to knock on the door, throw a stone at her window any minute. Anna's voice was at the edge of her hearing and Elsa saw her face when she closed her eyes.

She couldn't understand how the world went on without Anna. The sky was the same, the sun still rose and set, the moon and the stars, too. Children still played outside. Did they not know? The light and the warmth had gone out of the world.

Elsa didn't know what she had done to deserve it, trying to live without her heart was the ultimate form of punishment. She felt nothing, nothing good, at least.

Although, despite everything, and for a reason she could not explain, Elsa felt hope when she prayed at the temple for guidance, and guilt tormented her for feeling it.

Worst of all were Elsa's dreams. Every night she would feel Anna in her arms, hear her laughter and see her smile, so bright, so real... And Elsa would cry when she awoke alone, feeling the loss anew each time.

So she stayed awake for as long as she could, with grief and tears as her only sustenance, until her eyes closed from sheer exhaustion, cradling the lyre Anna had given her as an engagement gift.

And Anna was with her again, with the sunlight on her hair, laughter in her eyes and Elsa's name on her lips. Elsa! she called, over and over. Elsa! Elsa!

"Elsa!"

Her eyes snapped open at the sound, but it was only her mother, urging her to eat.

"She wouldn't want you to starve yourself," her mother said, a tear trickling down her cheek as she pressed some bread into her daughter's pale hand.

Elsa forced herself to bring it to her lips, but she was hungry only for Anna's kiss, her touch, her smile.

"I can't," Elsa said, her voice hollow. The bread fell from her hand as she got to her feet and rushed out of the room, out of the house.

Her parents let her go to be alone, thought the fresh air would help her; they had done all they could for their daughter.

The sky was mourning, too, when Elsa went outside and the rain blended with the tears on her face. She was still clutching her lyre, yet it was no comfort for her. Elsa bowed her head and walked forward, she left the town and went into the solemn forest, desperate to find peace or at least some escape amongst the silent trees.

Nine days and nights she wandered in the woods, drifting beyond human consciousness, feeling the veil grow thin. Elsa felt herself directed, the Fates led her to where she knew she had to be and finally she stood still.

Elsa recognised this place, if not from memory, from local legend. It was the cave where nobody ever went, the cave they said whispered at night, its entrance darker than even the blackest midnight hour. The stories told of where it led. Elsa did not know whether they were true, but she knew this was where she had to go.

Down into the dark, until the cave surrounded her, blacker even than her own grief. Elsa was not sure it was real, but if it was a dream, she hoped she'd never wake and stay here where the pain of her grief could not touch her, since she felt it lessening the further she went.

But Elsa's eyes adjusted, the light of her love for Anna within her guiding her down the steep decline. She felt cold, but it didn't bother Elsa, she was warmed by her love for Anna, armed against everything she would face, so strong was her love, the only thing her soul had left, and she clung to it as her hands grasped her lyre.

Just when she thought the passage would never end and she would indeed be trapped down there forever, the cave opened out into a vast chasm, immeasurable, its space beyond comprehension.

Elsa felt it before she saw it, the sense of dread, of helplessness all around her, yet it did not affect her, numbed as she was by her broken heart. Her eyes adjusted again to the deeper darkness, but not just endless darkness, mist and shifting shadows. Though what also filled this place was silence, unnerving silence broken only by Elsa's footsteps as she kept walking.

Suddenly light and sound reached Elsa, the sound of a river almost deafening after the silence, and a gold light, blinding after the darkness.

As Elsa continued towards it, the light resolved itself into a bridge roofed with gold, shining through the mist and dark. Elsa knew she had to cross it.

There was a maiden guarding the bridge. She watched Elsa, but did not stop her. Sensing destiny and other forces in Elsa's company, she stood aside.

Elsa kept going, under the golden roof. The river rushed below the bridge that echoed with her footfall, she found the sounds gave her strength.

Yet that strength almost faltered when Elsa saw the open gates on the other side of the bridge, once the sound of the river had faded again behind her.

The gates towered above her between black walls, taller than the mountains of her home. Elsa paused, looking up to the top in the distance, blending with the blackness of the chasm beyond. She had never seen such huge structures in her entire life and knew they were not made by human hands.

But she felt herself drawn between them and followed the urge, stronger than her fear.

Within the huge fortress, whose boundaries Elsa could not even see in the distance, everything was grey, everything except her hands and her lyre when she looked down at them. As her eyes adjusted again, Elsa saw the greyness become countless faces, people, shades. They gathered around her, trying to touch Elsa with their faded hands, sensing her life among the dead.

Their faint voices were like whispers and deafened Elsa with their numbers rather than their volume. She heard pleas for help and rescue, saw sad faded faces, their grey eyes haunting and tragic. They may not have been able to touch Elsa's body but the spirits touched her soul and she was tempted to turn and run back to her home, yet she paused as the shades surrounded her.

Elsa knew her lore, knew now that the tales of the cave were true, she knew where she was. And she knew Anna was here somewhere among these spirits of the dead. Elsa could feel her beloved closer than anywhere other than her dreams.

This was a horrible place for Anna to be, trapped amongst such sorrow and darkness. Elsa had to find Anna and bring her home to the light and love where she belonged.

But there were so many shades, she didn't know where to even start looking, Elsa cast her eyes around the grey sea of faces.

Then she saw the Hall, towering above. Éljúðnir. Elsa knew who dwelt there. She had the knowledge to find Elsa's beloved, and the power to give her back.

Elsa began walking through the mist and the shades, chilling her very soul as she did so, but she knew this way would lead her to Anna, and she realised she had been waiting to tread it since her tragic wedding day.

The climb was steep and the way treacherous, but Elsa made it, after she knew not how long, and entered the Hall.

There Elsa saw the Queen of the Underworld on her black throne. She possessed the only colour in this realm, with her pale but blushing cheek, her dark eye and her rich dark hair falling to her ankle. But when she turned to Elsa, the other half of her face was corpse-blue, her eye clouded, her cheekbone protruding, her hair white and matted. The goddess wore a black robe, low enough to show the top of her full breast on one side, sunken flesh and ribs on the other.

Yet Elsa was not afraid, though the sight of her and her Divine presence almost fazed her. She knew this was the goddess who could give her what she needed.

"The floor echoes with your footsteps and you lack the colour of the dead," said the Queen of the Underworld as Elsa reached her throne; her voice rang like a funeral bell. "What brings one alive to the Hall of Hel?"

Elsa bowed and found her words. "O Queen," she began. "I have not ventured here out of curiosity to see your realm. I came here because of my wife."

Elsa found it strange to speak of Anna as her wife, since they had been married for mere hours. She found it strange to speak of her feelings at all, having kept them inside, concealed them as much as she could. But Elsa continued.

"She was taken from me before her time by a cruel and evil man. I tried to endure living without her, I tried with all the strength I have, but my love for her has proven stronger. That force is well known in the world above. Whether it is so here, too, I do not know, but I imagine that even here love still has some power. By these places filled with horrors, by this endless chasm and by the silence of these boundless realms, I beg you, please restore my wife Anna to life. I love her. Anna is everything to me and I..." Elsa's skills called to her, more powerful than speech. "I wrote this song about her."

Elsa took her lyre firmly in her hand and caressed the strings with her fingers, letting the sweet notes ring out through the Hall and the realm beyond. She raised her clear, beautiful voice and sang a song she had composed for Anna when they were young, in the springtime when life was green and good, when they had just realised the depth of their love for each other and Elsa was discovering her musical gifts.

She sang of Anna's beauty, her hair, her smile and her freckles, her loving nature, her loyalty. But most of all, more than it conveyed Anna's precious nature, the song conveyed how much Anna meant to Elsa, more than life itself.

The bloodless spirits wept throughout the realm at the sweet sound. For the first time, the Queen of the Underworld shed tears from both her living and dead eyes, such was the power of Elsa's love for Anna.

Elsa finished, the familiar song giving her the courage to ask for what she needed and the knowledge that she would not be refused.

"To you we all belong," Elsa said. "Sooner or later we all end up here. This is our final home and you possess the most lasting power over all of humanity. Please, I beg of you, restore Anna to me in the world above until both her time and mine have come and we can descend here together. But if you deny me this privilege on behalf of my beloved wife, then I promise that I will not return here in this form, living as I am, and you can triumph over the death of us both."

Elsa was shaking, with the effort of her actions and with the sudden fear that she would be refused, despite her hope.

But Elsa had touched the goddess' half-rotten Divine heart. The mortal's daring and determination moved the Queen. She knew the shade Elsa sang and spoke of, knew that Anna was desperate to be reunited with her, too. She could not deny Elsa her request.

"Behold! Your wife," she said, summoning Anna from among the newly-arrived shades to appear at the side of her throne.

Elsa's heart leapt when she saw her. She knew it was not a dream, Anna never looked like that in her dreams; she was faded and grey, dressed as when she died, in her wedding gown. But despite the differences, she was still her Anna. The spirit turned towards her and Elsa had no doubt, she would know those eyes anywhere, even without their unique colour.

"Elsa!" Anna called, her smile almost illuminated the Hall, but her voice came as if from far away and echoed strangely. "I knew you'd find me!"

"Anna!" Elsa rushed to meet her, though they could not touch, her hand passed through Anna like smoke; Elsa shuddered.

"Do not rejoice so soon, Elsa," the goddess said.

Anna didn't seem to hear the Queen's voice and stayed gazing at Elsa, trying to touch her.

"A test will be made to see whether your love is as true as you claim. I will allow Anna to return to life with you. But you, Elsa, you must not look back until you have left my realm, not even for a moment, otherwise my gift will be revoked."

"Thank you, Divine One," Elsa replied, her heart gladdened. She bowed and placed her lyre at the foot of the throne as a gift of her own in return. She had received it as a precious gift herself, but it was not as precious as Anna's life. "Please accept this as a token of my gratitude." She saw the ghost of a smile flicker across the goddess' Divine features.

Elsa bowed again, then turned to begin her journey, resolved not to fail; her expression was set, she knew what she had to do and this was her only chance to get back her life and her love.

Other shades followed them, yet Elsa could not see them crowding behind her. All but Anna halted when they walked through the gates.

Anna had never been able to pass between them before in the brief time she had been desperately trying to escape this realm. She walked behind Elsa beyond the gates until they came in sight of the golden-roofed bridge, the brightest thing Anna's spirit-eyes had seen, yet she thought Elsa's hair ahead of her even more beautiful as she followed.

Elsa could hear Anna's exclamations as they crossed the bridge. She longed to see the wonder on her lover's face, but knew she could not turn to look, so Elsa kept her eyes ahead, knowing it would be worth it in the end.

They began the steep climb through the caves the way Elsa had come, mounting the ascending path in silence, becoming enveloped by the deepening gloom.

Anna tried to approach Elsa, to walk by her side. She could see Elsa's bright hair ahead of her, though there was a force stopping her from getting any closer. Anna wanted to see her wife's beautiful face that she had missed for so long.

"Elsa!"

It was a call she had heard in her dreams, but Elsa could reply now, even if she could not look back. "Keep following me, Anna!" Elsa called and pictured Anna's face, flushed and full of colour as she would see her when they left this place.

And Anna did, until soon they were not far from the verge of the upper earth.

Elsa heard her voice again, from further away. The instinct almost won, Elsa nearly turned her head to check on her beloved, yet she remembered at the last moment. Elsa shut her eyes, fixed her head forwards. "I'm here, Anna!" she called, but did not look back.

After a few silent minutes had passed in the darkness, Elsa opened her eyes ahead of her and kept walking, all the time repeating the words in her mind, don't look back, don't look back! Elsa prayed that Anna was still following her, but she had no way to tell.

At last, she saw the light of the world above, her home. Elsa rushed towards it knowing that there at last she could see her Anna again, she had passed the goddess' test, she was certain.

Elsa felt a jolt when she stepped back into the light, into the grassy field beyond the cave. She had no idea how long she had been gone but it was morning now, and she could see the clouded sky was red from the dawn ahead of her.

She breathed in the fresh air; it smelled the same, and looked the same as it had when she was last here. Struck by the sickening fear that it had all been a dream, Elsa halted. Yet she still did not dare to look back.

Anna followed in Elsa's footsteps and walked back into the living world. She felt a rush, a tingling all around her as the Divines restored her body. Anna held up her hands and watched them turn from smoky grey to freckled pink. She gasped as the restoration was complete, and took the first breath of her new life.

Anna breathed in the sweet scent of the summer air, felt the warm morning breeze on her skin and stirring her hair. She had missed these sensations so much, but not as much as she had missed the figure standing a little way ahead. Anna saw Elsa and felt her reborn heart jump in her chest when she knew she could touch her at last, knew that they were together again.

She stumbled in her eagerness, getting used to her body again, but soon Anna had walked up to her. Her beloved's head was bowed and her blonde hair fell in front of her face, staring at her clasped hands in front of her.

"Elsa?" Anna asked, stepping closer.

She raised her head to see the one she thought she'd never see again on this earth, with her red hair, her blue-green eyes and her smile...

"Anna?" Elsa whispered, and reached out to touch her, to confirm she was real, not a dream, not a spirit.

And her freckled cheek was warm, soft against Elsa's palm.

"Elsa," Anna said again, and raised her own hand to wipe a tear from Elsa's cheek. She could see such pain and love in those deep blue eyes and knew that she was the luckiest woman alive to have Elsa as her wife, Elsa who loved her so much that she had restored her life to her again. Anna pulled her into an embrace, her own words failing her as she tried to express her love.

Anna's scent was the same. Elsa nestled her face against her wife's neck and breathed in the sweet scent of her skin and her hair that she had missed so much.

The sun came out from behind the clouds to shine on their reunion, making Anna's red hair gleam in the morning light as Elsa gazed at it flowing down her back.

The recent days of Elsa's life had been like a nightmare. But Elsa was so, so glad it was over now Anna was here with her again. And she had no doubt it was real. Elsa could feel Anna's soft body pressing against her own, warm in her arms, she could feel Anna's tears wetting her shoulder.

"I love you," Anna said, her voice thick with crying.

"I love you, too!" Elsa replied and squeezed her tightly.

Elsa pulled back to kiss her, to taste her lips and show her love. She could taste the salt from her tears, but most of all Elsa recognised the sweet taste that was Anna's own, one that she had feared she would never know again.

Reunited, they broke their kiss, having tasted their fill of each other for now. And for the first time since their wedding day, Elsa smiled, bestowing its glory on her beloved wife. They were ready to return home.

Anna and Elsa walked through the forest together and talked of the painful experiences they had each endured. Neither Elsa nor Anna let go of the other's hand.

Anna told her how it felt to die, how she had pleaded to return and lingered in the Underworld, still feeling that she would see Elsa again, despite it all.

Elsa described how she had felt worse than dead in her grief, watching life go on without the one she loved, how she could not rest until she had been led to a way to bring Anna back, led by her love and by Providence.

The journey was quicker now they walked side by side and knew where they were going. The sun had almost completed its journey across the sky and it cast its orange light behind the two wives as they walked through the streets of the town.

All stopped and stared in wonder at the two of them, one whose death they had witnessed, and the other whom they had last seen as a living wraith of grief, but Elsa and Anna only had eyes for each other and they ignored the gasps and exclamations from the townsfolk as they walked into the temple of the Divines.

The temple seemed empty and Elsa's painful memories of the last time she was here were washed away by the beauty the building now possessed. Light shone through the stained glass windows at the top of the ceiling, filling the whole temple with celestial light.

The priest stood up from his prayers when Anna and Elsa entered, but almost fell to the floor when he saw Anna, the girl he had seen cremated not a fortnight before now living and looking with such love at her wife beside her.

He approached them, his eyes wide with wonder, and cried when he touched Anna's arm, feeling the Divine power that had brought her back to life.

"It's a miracle!" he pronounced, and went out to proclaim it to the town, announcing celebrations and offerings for all the Divines.

Elsa and Anna were alone together again, with only the Divines watching, so they began the duty they had come here to fulfil, since they owed so much to the higher powers both above and below. They poured libations, lit incense and said prayers of thanks at each shrine for every god and goddess, beginning with the goddess of death.

Last but certainly not least in their hearts, when they had finished their prayers at the shrine to the goddess of love and beauty, Elsa took the second ring off her finger and returned it to its rightful owner, her beloved Anna, her wife once more. They kissed to seal their vow anew, kissed feeling the love flow between them and around them, from each other and from the Divines who had brought them together again.

But they were interrupted when their parents, both Elsa's and Anna's, were brought in by the priest.

Anna's mother and father stopped when they saw her, unable to believe that their little girl was alive again. Yet they just had to accept it and forget all the questions they had, which they did, gladly taking Anna into their arms, and Elsa, too.

Elsa's parents had worried for her life, fearing they had lost their daughter as well as their daughter-in-law, but to see them both now, together and restored to life, made their hearts soar as they joined the embrace, elated to be the family they had been for that brief time after the wedding, determined to let nothing separate them again.

They brought Elsa and Anna home to the house that had been built for them. It had stood empty and shuttered since their first wedding day, and was now thrown open on their second, to let the light and the fresh air in to bless their reunion.

Their mothers gave them new white dresses to wear and fresh flowers for the wedding party they should have had. The six of them spent the evening together, hearing each other's tales but forgetting their sadness in the love and safety that surrounded them.

"It's good to see her smile," Elsa's mother said to her husband as they sat around the dining table after their meal. "I thought we'd never see her happy again."

He just put his arm around her and they watched their daughter and daughter-in-law in their happiness together, oblivious to all but each other.

Elsa took a chocolate from her own plate and tenderly offered it to Anna. Her wife gladly opened her mouth to receive it and Elsa softly stroked her lips as they closed over her favourite food.

Anna sighed and looked into Elsa's eyes. "I missed chocolate," she said, after she had swallowed every last trace of the delicious treat. "But I missed hearing you sing even more."

So, inspired by the love in her heart and in her wife's eyes, Elsa sang for Anna. She sang an old song about the goddess of love, when she had come down to earth and taught mortals the rites of marriage, giving them a little taste of the heavens with love on earth.

All thought they would never hear Elsa sing again. Her voice rang sweet and clear through the house and carried into the streets outside, conveying Elsa's joy to all who heard it.

But her joy had not even truly begun yet; she and Anna still had the rest of their long-awaited wedding night to spend together, they still had yet to taste the piece of the heavens that they had earned.

Their parents went home to their beds and at last, Elsa and Anna went up to theirs, clutching candles to light their way, watching the shifting light flicker and illuminate the other's hair and skin in the warm glow of the flames.

"I never thought this moment would come," Elsa said, when they had set down their candles and stood together in front of the bed.

"Neither did I," Anna replied. "But it has!" She slowly began to undo the buttons of her dress, freeing her freckled breasts and watching as Elsa mirrored her actions, baring her own snow-white bosom.

They had both seen each other naked before, bathing or changing clothes together, but had remained chaste, honouring the sacred bonds of marriage that they knew they would both be joined in once they were of age.

Yet to Elsa it seemed a lifetime since she had seen Anna unclothed, and she was more lovely than she had imagined or remembered. "You look beautiful," Elsa told her.

"You look beautifuller," Anna said in return, their private little joke since they were children. Her own grin grew wider when she saw Elsa's smile, bright enough to light up the whole night. Anna took her wife's hand in hers and together they lay on their bed, ready to truly join together in love.

They could both feel it, a strong and beautiful force connecting them; even death itself could not stop their love.

After losing Anna, waiting in agony and separation for so long, Elsa would have been content to simply look at her and caress her wife's glorious unclothed form with her eyes.

But Anna wanted to feel and to live, to touch and taste her beloved like she thought she never could. She leaned in and pressed her lips to Elsa's in a kiss so sweet it brought tears to her wife's deep blue eyes.

Elsa had to pull away to catch her breath, and she laced her fingers with her wife's as Anna kissed the tears from her cheeks. "I love you," Elsa said, finding the words inadequate, not enough to express how much Anna meant to her, how she made her heart and soul sing with passion inside.

"I love you, too, Elsa," said Anna, looking into her eyes. Anna knew she was so lucky to have Elsa, this beautiful woman who loved her with everything she had, who would do anything for her...

They lay facing each other on the bed, Anna traced her hand over the soft curves of Elsa's figure, staring at the perfection of the one who saved her, whose act of True Love, descending into the Underworld after her, brought her back to life. Anna knew she would have done the same for Elsa, would have moved heaven and earth to be together again.

Elsa took her hand and kissed the freckles on the back of it, kissed the ring she had placed there, then trailed kisses softly up Anna's arm, wanting to express her love for Anna in each tender press of her lips.

The feel of Elsa's kisses sent waves of sensation through Anna, her reborn skin heightened to her wife's touch, her soul heightened to Elsa's love.

In awe of her beauty, Elsa moved her mouth over Anna's freckled shoulders, determined to kiss every one of the beautiful little marks, while she tenderly rubbed the soft skin of Anna's back, slowly tracing circles with her fingers.

The tips of their breasts pressed together and Anna felt surrounded by Elsa's touch and her love. The light, gentle feeling of Elsa's kisses and breath on her neck made Anna's own breathing quicken, and she brought her hands up to run them through Elsa's hair, sighing at the sensation of the soft, blonde strands between her fingers.

Elsa reached the freckles on her face, cupping Anna's jaw delicately as she showered each of her cheeks with kisses. Finally, she kissed Anna's lips again and again until both she and Anna were grinning from the sheer delight of being together, united in love, forgetting the sadness they had been through.

Elsa sat back and looked down to see Anna, flushed and smiling, gazing up at her with the fire of desire in her blue-green eyes. At that moment, they both knew they were ready to fully give each other all their love.

Anna pulled her down until their mouths met again and she opened her lips to Elsa's, moaning softly when her wife's tongue touched hers. The taste of Elsa's mouth was so sweet and the feel of their entwining tongues so sensual that Anna was disappointed when Elsa pulled away. But she felt her passion stir even more when Elsa brought her hands and her mouth to Anna's breasts.

Elsa kissed and caressed Anna's soft freckled flesh, burying her face between her breasts. She took a stiffened nipple into her mouth and sucked on it, her tongue gently lapping as if her wife was drinking her own life from Anna's very existence.

Her hot tongue sent shivers down Anna's body, right to her core, she felt tingling between her legs as her breaths came in gasps.

Elsa turned her attention downwards, slowly towards the place she had waited to taste since she had first realised how much she loved Anna. But she paused, letting them both linger in anticipation while she licked Anna's navel, caressing it with her tongue; the place from which she had drawn her life the first time.

Yet now Elsa had given Anna life a second time and maintained it with her love and her touch. Anna felt her love as Elsa traced her fingertips over her thighs, her love for Anna evident in every caress. Elsa lifted her head and Anna knew that she was going to take her to the place of ultimate pleasure. Anna spread her legs.

There was desire in Elsa's eyes as she looked up to her wife, and matching desire in Anna's own. Elsa squeezed her hand briefly before moving down between Anna's legs.

She placed a kiss on Anna's red hair, Elsa could feel her warmth on her lips and smell her scent as she breathed in. Elsa gently spread her secret place apart to look with wonder inside her wife, finding her to be as beautiful as she had always imagined. Elsa touched the warmth within her, wetting her finger in Anna's folds, and glided it up to press her little bud of pleasure, loving the soft moist noises her movements made, along with Anna's moans above her.

Elsa replaced her finger with her tongue and tasted Anna's delicious essence for the first time. She licked the full length of her sex, feeling Anna thrust up against her tongue, until she had to come up for air.

But Elsa did not pause for long, she slid two of her slender fingers into Anna's core, surrounding them with Anna's warmth and wetness while she licked her essence off her lips. Every movement Elsa's skilful fingers made provoked ecstatic cries, and she considered Anna's moans to be the best music she had ever made with them.

Elsa leaned over to kiss Anna, to feel her impassioned breaths and look in her eyes as she neared her climax, still stroking her inner walls. Anna looked up at her with tears in the corners of her eyes, which closed in pleasure as she clenched around Elsa's fingers.

Anna felt so alive, experiencing sensations she didn't know were possible, stronger because of her recent rebirth, strongest because it was Elsa, her True Love, who was bringing her to this pleasure.

Elsa was looking down at her when she opened her eyes, looking at her with such love and glowing with the satisfaction of giving her the best feeling of either of her lives, which Anna could still feel in her centre as Elsa gently eased her fingers out.

Anna reached up to stroke Elsa's beautiful face, then guided her down until their lips met. And at their touch, Anna was filled with love for her wife. She wanted to make Elsa feel the same pleasure, to give her the pleasure she deserved after everything she had done.

She rolled Elsa over onto her back until she was gazing down at her. Anna kissed her lips and her soft, white throat, continuing down until she reached her breasts.

Elsa's nipples were stiff and pink against the rest of her snow-white skin. Anna brought her lips to each one, then pressed her cheek to the yielding flesh of her breasts. She loved the feeling of Elsa's soft skin and the sighing breaths her touch provoked from her beloved. Anna moved her hands down over Elsa's smooth stomach, but paused when she felt her ribs, more prominent than they used to be.

"Elsa, you're too thin," Anna said with concern.

"I couldn't enjoy anything without you, Anna," Elsa said, finding that she could talk about her suffering now she knew it was over, the memories about to be washed away by the pleasure she knew Anna was going to give to her. She stroked Anna's precious freckled cheek.

"I'm here now, and I'm never going to leave you again, Elsa," Anna said, and pressed her hand, then kissed her smiling lips.

Anna continued stroking down her body, over her slender waist to her hips. She noticed Elsa's hipbones were more prominent, too, but Anna distracted herself from her worry by focusing on what was below them.

She brushed her fingers over the golden curls between Elsa's legs, then looked into her eyes as she put a finger slowly into her wife's core.

Elsa moaned softly and her eyes closed in pleasure, she knew this had been worth waiting for, worth everything she had been through...

Anna slid in a second finger to join the first. Elsa felt so warm and wet inside, and she curled her fingers to stroke the sensitive, soaked flesh.

Elsa opened her eyes, blushing and breathing hard. "Anna!" she exclaimed through her gasps, and leaned up to kiss her lips, so thankful to Anna for simply existing again, for loving her and bringing her such pleasure.

But when Anna started quickening her movements within her, Elsa had to break their kiss to throw her head back and moan, gripping Anna's shoulders.

Anna kissed her white neck instead and began to thrust her fingers in and out of Elsa's centre, slowly and gently.

Her pleasure intensified with the change, Elsa felt herself getting closer to her release, even closer when Anna pressed her thumb against her nub of nerve endings, firing shockwaves through her body that kept building and building in a sensation even better than her music as Elsa's pleasure reached its crescendo.

Anna felt Elsa shudder, heard her beautiful voice rise in a wordless serenade. She slid her fingers out and held Elsa's hand until her breathing returned to normal and she opened her eyes to gaze up at her.

Elsa caressed Anna's face and pulled her down into a kiss that conveyed all her love and her gladness that they were fully joined together and would never be separated again.

It was the happiest day of Elsa's life and the happiest of both of Anna's, the first of many more with her beloved wife.