A/N: Thanks to everyone who's followed/favorited and/or is reading but not reviewing.:)
*gasp* What is this, a new chapter about little Elsa?! after almost 6 months?! Why yes, yes it is.:) Sorry for the l-o-n-g wait!
theblindwriter95-That's a great idea, actually.:) I can't do it right now, but maybe in the future.
Elsa Tomago-I'm doing Christmas part of next chapter, and Elsa is a little older now, so she'll actually be a bit more interested in her presents.:) I wrote the other chapter that way on purpose since Elsa was not interested in her presents and just wanted to play with the paper.:P Agdar is a terrible father and you're right, he shouldn't say things like that to her.:/ Don't forget, Elsa does think Agdar doesn't like her and isn't confident when she's older...because she's been hearing that sort of mess for years. When she's little like in this story, she's fine. She sort of knows that her father thinks her magic is bad, but she doesn't understand why and so doesn't pay any attention.
Olivia O'Neil-Yep, she is!:) Elsa is little enough here that she snaps back easily. I see her happy, not-emotionally-hurt self as maybe a bit shy and quiet, but perfectly fine and willing to cause mischief.:)
IndyGirl89-Little Elsa really needs some better parents, that's what. She IS cute and funny.:)
BellaCullen931-Thank you:)
Mandy-No, I didn't forget. I'm sorry for the wait.:/ I like writing little Elsa-she's cute and mischievous and she isn't all sad and scared, either. She's just a little kid.:) There should be several more chapters after this but it won't be as long as, say, Secret Passages. I like making everything connect because...logic.:P
ImpVarjack61-Little Elsa is just so cute, and just...yeah.:)
Guests asking for updates...I am sorry but I've been very busy and just give me a chance. Even if I take forever, I'll get to them eventually.:P
On to the story!
As little Elsa grew better at walking without tripping or falling, she also became more and more adept at doing and making stronger and bigger things with her magic. All through the winter, she loved going outside to play in the snow. It was like the cold weather energized her somehow and made her feel braver, too.
Once she made a big ramp out in the snow, partly from the natural snow and partly from her own magic, and proceeded to roll down it over and over. This activity was put to a stop when Idun saw what she was doing; she was worried the toddler would hurt herself. Idun had noticed that little Elsa seemed to 'calculate the risk' a bit before doing ridiculous things like that, but she wasn't two years old yet-would not be until July-and Idun was not going to trust Elsa's instincts on such things.
As the months passed and little Elsa grew, her magic clearly grew stronger, along with her speech. She remained quiet most of the time, but she got her slight lisp on her s's and th's much better when she did choose to speak. Right after her second birthday, Elsa's parents took her camping for the first time near (what was to little Elsa) a big pond. Elsa's little toddler legs quickly grew tired with all the walking, and Idun ended up carrying her most of the way since Agdar wouldn't hold her. (Elsa fell asleep in her mother's arms.)
Once Idun was sure Elsa was sleeping, she turned to Agdar with a frown. "Agdar, I don't mind carrying Elsa, but why won't you hold her anymore? She's not even being naughty or anything," Idun pointed out. When Agdar just pursed his lips and said nothing, Idun scowled. "Don't tell me you're scared of a two-year-old! Agdar, I think Elsa deserves some hugs from her daddy. She loves you."
"She may be cute now, but what's going to happen once she's older? Idun, that…those powers of hers are already so much stronger now than they were last year at this time. It's not just snow and frost and a little ice now-she makes a lot of ice in one go sometimes. The other day her whole crib was frozen nearly solid. How many times has she frozen her juice or milk by now because she thinks it's funny? And I don't want you nursing her anymore. That…that thin-girl might hurt you somehow without even trying to." Agdar gave little Elsa an annoyed look.
Idun glanced at Elsa to make sure she was still asleep before replying. "Elsa is not a thing! I heard what you almost called her! And I will nurse my baby daughter as long as I please, thank you very much. I'm sure she'll stop soon anyway, since she's getting a bit big for that anyway. Elsa won't hurt me. I know she won't," Idun said firmly. "Agdar, Elsa never makes mistakes with her…her weird abilities unless she's mad or upset. She's not dangerous. What's dangerous is other people finding out what's wrong with her, that's all." She shifted Elsa in her arms so Agdar could see the little girl's sleeping face. "Look at her. Do you really, honestly think little Elsa looks dangerous?"
Agdar sighed. "No. She looks like she's getting sunburned." That was true. Elsa's pale face was getting pink, as were her arms, despite the fact the Idun had purposely put a wide-brimmed hat on her to keep that from happening. "Idun, I admit Elsa is just a sweet little kid, but she is dangerous-or is capable of being so-whether we like it or not. She's like an icy explosive waiting to be set off. I…I don't want her around, and yet I don't want to get rid of her, either."
"Just what did you want to do with her then?" Idun asked, standing off to the side while Agdar began setting up their tent.
"I don't know. At the very least, we need another baby, in case something happens with Elsa."
Idun glanced down at Elsa, who appeared still asleep clutching her blue stuffed bear, and just smiled. "Well, if we did that, at least Elsa could have a playmate. She'll be lonely if she's the only royal child…she won't have anyone to play with. She could have a little sister or brother."
"Sis-ter?" Elsa's curious voice sounded questioning and sleepy. She didn't know what a sister or a brother were. "Mama, Lu," she added, holding her bear out. Elsa had meant to name her bear 'Blue', but she'd accidentally said 'Lu' at first and then promptly decided she liked that better.
"No, you keep your bear," Idun told the toddler as she set her down. When Elsa said the same thing again, Idun sighed and took the toy. She hadn't particularly wanted Elsa to take that stuffed toy with her-Elsa would be awfully upset if it got ruined or dirty-but the little girl had insisted. Idun put the bear in her bag and went to help Agdar finish with the tent.
Elsa eagerly toddled over to her father and picked up one of the tent pegs. She watched what her father was doing closely and then went to the opposite side of the tent. She needed a tool thing to bang it in like her daddy did, but she didn't see another one. After a moment's frustrated thought, Elsa simply made a hammer-shaped piece of thin, flimsy ice…and then immediately discarded it, somehow sensing it wasn't strong enough. The second time, it came out solid, but it wasn't the right shape. This the little girl also tossed aside. Elsa flumped down on the ground in frustration, but then reached for her original creation. It was the right shape…and her second creation was the right material. She just needed to combine the two.
Now Elsa easily created a third hammer, this one both solid ice and the correct shape. She smiled proudly as she stood up and began trying to pound the tent peg into the ground. When the peg wouldn't go in, she scowled and began pounding at it harder in frustration. Soon there was an angry sheen of ice spreading beneath her feet. It crackled, and she stomped on it, which just made it thicker.
Elsa backed up in confusion, leaving the mess of ice on the ground. Papa would be mad at her. And why did stomping on the ice just make more? Go 'way, ice. As her anger gave way to pure curiosity, the ice obeyed and completely disappeared. The issue with the peg forgotten, she dropped her ice-hammer and went over to the pond. Just as she was about to go right in, she felt someone pick her up, and she reached toward the pond hopefully. "Li-qid ice!" she announced.
Agdar carried the little girl back to the tent, set her down, and just stared at her in surprise. Elsa was a toddler. She was not supposed to know what 'liquid' meant yet, let alone with the substance connection with water to ice and vice versa. Water was 'liquid ice', in a way, even if calling ice 'solid water' was more accurate in his mind. Suddenly Agdar felt something else besides…resentment towards the child. He actually felt a bit proud of her. Elsa is smart. If she can just learn to keep those weird abilities of hers out of sight, or if Idun and I can figure out how to fix her…she'll be a fine ruler when she's older. Agdar didn't give Elsa a hug, but he did give her little shoulder a gentle squeeze.
Elsa beamed. Her daddy was happy with her! She put her arms around Agdar's leg and gave him a hug herself. Elsa loved hugs-they made her feel safe and happy. Papa should like to have a hug too then, shouldn't he?
Idun gave her husband an I told you so look. Elsa loves us-I know she does. I don't want to hurt her, even if she's…not normal. She's still ours. Elsa was clearly delighted; she continued hugging her father's leg until Idun had scooped her up. "Would you like to go over to the pond?" she asked Elsa.
"'Ond," Elsa echoed. Her blue eyes sparkled with mischief as her mother set her down near the water, still holding her by the hand. What would happen if she tried to freeze the pond water? Maybe she could freeze the whole thing! That would be fun.
Idun frowned when she noticed just what Elsa seemed to be planning. The little girl was clearly focused on one thing and one thing only; she had her free hand reaching for the water, and the blue glowing sparks that came with her magic were beginning to float around her little hand. "No! Bad Elsa!" Idun exclaimed quickly. "Do not ice the pond!"
Elsa's happy expression disappeared as Idun carried her away from the water. "No! No, no!" she cried. "Mine. Elsa…ice! Li-qid ice. No…no, no!" The little girl wasn't sure how to express herself completely, but that was not fair. She was not going to hurt the pond. She would reverse her magic when she was done. So there.
"Be quiet, Elsa," Idun said firmly. Elsa, please shush up. I don't want Agdar fussing at you and being mean to you again… "Here, take your Lu bear," Idun said quickly, hoping that would distract Elsa and make her be quiet again.
"Lu," Elsa said agreeably, although she still knew deep in her heart that her magic was not bad. Papa just didn't understand that and he made Mama not like it either.
That evening, Agdar told his wife about the little ice hammer things he'd found outside the tent that afternoon. "Idun, she made an actual tool out of ice," he repeated in a both worried and awed tone. "It looked like she'd done an experiment to figure out how to do it, too. The usable hammer looked identical to the real one I had been using. She managed to copy it, right down to the big dent on the head. If she can do that when she's only two years old, what is going to happen when she's older?"
That fall, little Elsa attended her first official royal ball-party type event. Gerda made her a frilly blue velvet dress with ruffles all over, and tied black satin ribbons in the princess's platinum hair. At two years old, Elsa wasn't sure what she thought of a party thing, since she didn't know what it would be like. She was just excited to wear her pretty blue dress. She wiggled impatiently while Gerda tied her sash in back. "Fancy," Elsa said happily, her little toddler fingers patting the soft velvet.
"Yes, princess, fancy," Gerda replied with a smile. "Can you put on your shoes?"
Elsa plopped down on the floor, put on one shoe, and then stuck out her other foot. "Help," she informed Gerda. Then, on a sudden impulse, she put tiny icy snowflakes on the toes of her black ballet flats. "Fancy," she repeated proudly.
Gerda sighed and just scooped the little girl up. If she let Elsa leave icy decorations on her shoes, both she and Elsa would be in a lot of trouble. "How about we save magic for later?" Gerda suggested gently. "Magic is a secret at the moment."
Elsa made a face, but she nodded and put her finger over her lips. "Shh." She pulled the little snowflakes off her shoes and they disappeared.
"Thank you, Princess Elsa." Gerda hugged her close before setting her down. "You are a very good girl. All ready now, so let's go find your parents."
"No," Elsa said to some grown-up she had never seen before in her life a while later. The little girl had almost immediately decided she did not like this party thing. Everyone kept patting her on the head and saying she was so well-behaved and it was noisy and she wanted to go upstairs or outside now. She had finally had enough now, and she slapped the unknown grownup's hand away from her. That was her space. She'd heard her daddy say she was technically second in authority only to him, so that meant she could tell someone not to touch her, right?
The lady drew back in surprise as the crown princess ran off the dais as fast as her little legs could carry her, and then abruptly turned around and came right back, now mostly hiding behind King Agdar's throne. The little girl hadn't seemed to be the bratty type, really. She had seemed uncomfortable and so ordered a 'no, stop that' the best way she knew how. "I'm sorry to bother you, Queen Idun, but I believe I may have made Princess Elsa upset," the lady said quickly.
Idun turned to see Elsa nearly hiding behind the throne, just her blue eyes and a bit of platinum hair peeking out. She was relieved Elsa didn't seem to have done anything with her magic whatsoever, and she quickly picked her daughter up.
Elsa hid her face in her mother's shoulder.
"She's a bit shy," Idun apologized to the lady with a polite smile.
"Maybe it's just too many people for her. I think Princess Elsa is just darling," the lady said honestly.
"T'ank 'ou," little Elsa said. Idun had set her down, and she peeked out at the party once more before hiding her face in her mother's skirt. She rather wanted to go to sleep now, but she would be good. So there.
A/N: So this is pretty much the first time the 'public' has seen Elsa since her christening. And she's two now, so she's better at using her magic.:)
And she still doesn't care for big party type events.:P
Next chapter coming soon! (as in before Christmas, at least:P) :)