She was in the middle of a blizzard. She could only see a few feet through the snow swirling rapidly around her. Somehow, she knew that she was the cause of all this. It was her fault, she lost control, but she didn't care at the minute. She was looking for something. She was running in circles, trying to peer through the thick, snowy fog. She had to find him. He was in danger, and she had to find him. She saw a shadow in the distance, but it wasn't him. She didn't know how, but she was certain it wasn't him. She turned to run, but a voice called her back. "Elsa!"
She woke up with a jolt, sitting upright in her bed. Her bedsheets were damp from the quickly melting frost surrounding her. She looked around her darkened room, trying to recall her dream again, but to her frustration, it seemed to melt away from her conscious. She only remembered someone calling out her name, but she didn't know who.
She shook her head of it, standing up to begin her day. She pulled on her gloves and opened the door. As usual, her breakfast was sitting there, neat and tidy like always. However, there was an envelope sitting on the tray. She brought it in and set it down on her desk, opening the envelope carefully.
Your Royal Majesty, the letter read, it is with great pride and with deepest pleasure that we accept your gracious invitation to attend your coronation. However, as it is such late notice, our Duke will have to come in our stead. I hope this meeting will beneficial to both of our kingdoms. Signed, King William of Weselton.
Elsa sighed before setting it aside and turning to her breakfast, making a mental note to add another guest to the list. The kingdom of Weselton had been trying to get on Arendelle's good side ever since they revised their trade agreement three years ago. She stood up once she finished her meal, looking over at the mannequin that held her coronation gown. She rubbed her hands together nervously, then took a deep breath.
Today's finally the day.
She got dressed quickly, her fingers slipping when she tried to fasten on her cape. She could feel herself getting annoyed, but she kept her cool and finally fastened it. She looked at herself in the mirror. She was glad that the cape was long enough to prevent her from dancing, should the occasion arise. She recalled that her parents had met at her father's coronation, when he danced with a pretty, young princess from Corona. She smiled for a moment, then a knock at the door interrupted her train of thought.
"Miss Elsa," a voice came from the other side of the door, "Would you like me to escort you to the study to prepare for your speech?"
Elsa looked at herself one last time, brushing a stray hair from her face. She took a deep breath and turned to open the door.
"That would fine, Kai," she said, shutting the door behind.
Kai nodded and walked down the hall, Elsa following close behind. Although it was only just after daybreak, servants were busying themselves with cleaning and arranging the castle.
"Oh, we might have a couple extra guests at the ball tonight," Elsa told Kai, "Make sure to tell the kitchen staff." Kai nodded in acknowledgment.
Elsa looked around the castle again, wondering how long it took for the staff to clean everything.
"Are you nervous, miss?" Kai suddenly asked, startling Elsa out of her thoughts. She shook her head, even though her stomach was now starting to feel a bit tight. Kai looked back and smiled at her."You'll be a great Queen, miss."
She smiled back at him hesitantly. He turned and opened the door to the study. "I'll have servants up here in an hour. Be ready by then."
She nodded and walked in, letting Kai shut the door behind her. She looked around the room slowly, paying attention to every detail. There was another study just like it somewhere, but she couldn't remember where, exactly. She went to sit on the couch, staring at the unlit fireplace. Her hands started to feel cold, so she pulled off her gloves, stretching her fingers. Now that she was alone, her thoughts started to turn to worst case scenarios.
What if she accidently froze the balcony during her speech? What if she messed up and told them about her powers? What if-
She shook her head and pulled her gloves back on. She knew her speech like she knew her own name. There was no way that she would mess up that badly. She stood up and mentally ran through her speech again and again.
After a while, she glanced at the clock and saw that she only had five minutes left before the gates would open, letting in the townspeople into the courtyard of the castle. She took another deep breath and closed her eyes, telling herself to remain calm. She just had to go through today, and then she could go back to the safety of her room and everything would go back to the way it was before.
She opened her eyes and walked over to the window, which provided a good view of the bridge leading to the castle gates. Already, people were starting to gather at the gates, making her throat tight. They were all so excited, yet it was only for one day. She swallowed nervously.
"Don't let them in," she sang softly, repeating the words her father had drilled into her head, "Don't let them see."
She turned away from the window and walked to the large portrait of her father during his coronation.
"Be the good girl you always have to be."
She pulled off her gloves and reached for the ornaments on the table, pretending they were the orb and scepter she had to hold during the ceremony. She had been practicing for weeks, but every time she touched them, her nerves got the better of her and they froze instantly.
"Conceal. Don't feel. Put on a show."
She glanced down at her hands and, sure enough, there was ice covering the objects.
"Make one wrong move and everyone will know."
She put them down quickly and looked at her hands, willing them to become warm again.
"But it's only for today."
She pulled on her gloves, determination filling her body. She was going to do it, and she wasn't going to show her powers.
"It's agony to wait."
Elsa straightened herself and opened the door. "Tell the guards to open up," She hesitated. Was she really ready to rule a whole kingdom? She mentally shook herself and continued. "The gates!"
As she walked towards the balcony, she kept her head held high, just like her mother taught her.
"Don't let them in, don't let them see." She sang softly to herself as she walked down the hallway, "Be the good girl you always have to be."
She reached the doorway and opened them, keeping her eyes upward. She wouldn't look at the crowd until she absolutely had to.
"Conceal."
From the sound of murmurs coming from below, she guessed that the whole kingdom was in the courtyard.
"Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know."
She opened her eyes and looked down at the crowd. She scanned the crowd quickly, guessing who everyone was. She recognized some diplomats from other countries, her cousin Rapunzel and her husband, Eugene, and… She stared for a moment, unwilling to believe her own eyes.
There was Jack, looking around himself nervously. He looked the same from three years ago. Her hands started to freeze as she remembered their fight. She looked away as he looked up at her. She made tight fists with her hands, forcing them to behave.
She looked at the crowd, purposely avoiding Jack's gaze. "People of Arendelle," Elsa said, forcing a smile on her face. She just had to concentrate on her speech, and everything would be fine.
Her speech went off without a hitch, and as the crowd applauded her, she risked a peek at Jack. He was smiling at her, clapping and cheering with the rest of the crowd. The church bells rang out, and Elsa hurriedly made her way down the halls to the church.
It's alright, Elsa. It's almost over. Just a few more hours until this is all over.
She waited in a little room by the chapel, nervously wringing her hands together. Anna was supposed to be here now. Elsa wondered if Anna had gotten lost, when the doors opened and she came running in like a mad woman.
She stopped to catch her breath, somehow talking at the same time, "Sorry I'm late, there was a horse and a boat, and then I tripped, but then this prince saved me, and-" Anna looked up and saw that Elsa was staring at her.
Anna straightened up and fixed her dress, trying to maintain some sense of decency. Elsa was about to respond when Kai opened the doors.
"It's time, your Majesty."
Elsa nodded and cast one tiny look onto Anna's face. Her cheeks were still red from running, but she seemed to be happy.
Anna looked at her with a nervous smile, and then walked out of the room. Elsa took another deep breath, then followed her sister into the chapel, where dozens of guests turned to watch her walk down the aisle.
She swept her eyes over the crowd, but Jack was nowhere to be seen. She couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed, but she focused herself on the task at hand: getting through this without freezing anything.
As the chorus above her sang, she let herself just listen to the music, letting it wash away her worries just for a moment. Finally, the bishop put the tiara on her head. It was supposed to be a crown, but it was so small she couldn't help but think of it as a tiara. She straightened up and looked down at the scepter and orb with trepidation. She reached out slowly, hoping that the bishop wouldn't notice.
"Psst."
She looked up guiltily.
"Your Majesty, the gloves."
She glanced down again, wondering how likely it was that she could pick them up and turn without taking her gloves off. But, she had a duty. She slowly peeled them off, placing them on the pillow. Her hands shook slightly as she took a deep breath and picked them up, turning to face the crowd. The bishop started to talk behind her, but she wasn't listening. She glanced over the crowd again, subconsciously looking for him.
Her hands started to feel colder, and when she glanced down, there was frost building from her fingertips. She looked up again, panic building up in her chest.
"Queen Elsa of Arendelle," the bishop finally said, and she nearly threw down the scepter and orb back onto the pillow and tore her gloves back on.
"Queen Elsa of Arendelle!" the rest of the crowd repeated.
Elsa let go of the breath she'd been holding, turning to smile at the applauding audience. She looked near the door at the end of the aisle, and was surprised to see Jack standing there, blending in with the crowd. He smiled at her and waved, but she forced herself to turn her attention away. She had to remain calm, at least until she got back to her room.
As the choir started singing again, she walked down the aisle, her eyes straining with the pressing urge to just look at him, but she resisted, staring straight ahead until she was back at her bedroom. She entered it quickly, swallowing gulps of air. She leaned against the door, trying to think of one reason why he was here, today of all days.
After a minute of thinking, she realized that her face was starting to hurt. She got up and looked in the mirror to see one of the biggest smiles she's ever had plastered onto her face.
Jack is here, her thoughts exclaimed as she stared at herself, Jack came back.
She stepped away from the mirror, her eyes still locked to it, and tripped over her cape. She fell to the ground, suddenly recalling a distant memory.
"Come on, Jack. This isn't so hard."
"You've have, like, a million tutors to help you learn!"
"Are you saying I'm a bad teacher?"
"No! it's just that this is really hard!"
"Here, I'll help you. And, one two three, one two three, one two-OW!"
"Sorry! I didn't mean to step on you!"
"It's fine. Let's try again."
"Hey, this isn't so bad."
"I told you so."
"Do you think I'll be as good a dancer as you one day?"
"If you keep practicing, then you'll be the best dancer in the whole kingdom!"
Elsa stayed on the ground for a moment, trying to figure out why she was recalling these memories, when a knock on the door interrupted her.
"Your Majesty, would you like to be escort to the ball?"
Elsa looked at the clock. It was almost five thirty.
"Just give me one moment, please." She called out, standing up and brushing herself off.
She looked in the mirror again, making sure her hair and makeup were just right. A small strand of hair had escaped from her bun, but it was easily pushed back into place.
"You are not going to lose focus," she told herself, "You are going to go to the ball, say a few nice things, and then leave. Jack will not get in my head anymore."
Her reflection seemed to doubt her, but she turned away and walked towards the door, taking a deep breath.
"It's only for today…" she whispered to herself as she made her down to the ballroom.
Hello! Now we're getting to the good stuff. Updates will be slow (like they weren't already) because my computer is messing up, and I'm trying my best to fix it. But, I have good news!
I'm gonna let out a sneak peak of a Darkiplier story I've been working on for a long time, and it would be really helpful if you guys could read it and let me know if it's something I should continue on this site. I posted a small bit of it on tumblr, and people liked it over there, but still, it'll help me a lot if you guys would leave your opinion on it.
Anyway, I need to get going, but be on the lookout for that preview! Thanks for reading, and I'll see you in the next update. Buh-Bye!