Chapter 11: First Ball

Anna was about to attend her studies when she overheard Kai talking to Elsa about Lady Sharmeen.

"I'll see her in the first reception room," said Elsa.

Kai bowed. "I'll bring her at once."

Anna approached her sister. "She's back?"

"Yes. You're welcome to come if you want."

"Sure!" Anna followed Elsa to the reception room. A few minutes later, the lady noble entered.

"Welcome back, Lady Sharmeen... or should I say Vizier Jal?" said her sister formally.

Lady Sharmeen bowed deeply. "I am very, very sorry for not telling you before. I didn't mean to deceive you."

"Apology accepted." Elsa gestured to the couch. "Have a seat."

Anna seated herself beside her sister and held her hand. Lady Sharmeen waited until they were seated before sitting down across from them.

"I'm more concerned about your magic going out of control. Can't the Elder help you?" asked her sister.

"With his help, I can, but he has to hold my hand. I don't want him to do it for so long. Mine lasts between three to five days." She stared at the ground. "It's also... embarrassing."

"I'll have to trust that you won't cause any damage while in Arendelle. About your secret, why did you use your true name?"

"After talking to your people, I heard that you had an aversion to men. In that case, my chances of getting a favorable response from you would be better if I introduced myself as a woman."

"Even at the risk of revealing your secret?"

"When I heard about you, I felt relieved that there was someone else like me. I wanted to meet you, so I suggested this mission to my cousin." She put her scarred hands on her knees. "That dark day, my hands were broken and bleeding and my body ached with my rampaging magic. I ran into the desert, but my sister found me, and restarted my life with a lie. The fairytale of Lady Sharmeen of Agrabah ended and the legend of the desert demon began."

The lady noble removed her cloak clasp and held it before her. "This is my personal crest, a crescent moon over shifting sands. I wear it to remind me what I had lost, what I have gained and what I can stand to lose." She looked at Elsa directly. "I risk all because I wanted to know if there could be a happy ending for someone like me."

Elsa's hand tightened over hers. "Have you found it?" asked her sister softly.

The lady noble smiled slightly. "I'm still hoping."

Her sister sighed. "Then I wish you the best. When do you want to resume training?"

"I wasn't in a rush to get here, so tomorrow is fine. When do wish to start training, Your Highness?"

Anna sat up in surprise. Her hand touched her chest in emphasis. "Training? Me?"

The Agraban nodded. "The Elder said that you should train at least one hour every day. He is giving me instructions."

"Wait... what am I training for?"

"I'm not sure. He only said that you should."

She grimaced at the thought of waking up at dawn. Getting up in the morning was a chore for her. "So... I have to come with Elsa?"

"No. He said that you should train in the middle of the day."

She exhaled with relief. "Oh. That's no problem. We can start tomorrow."

"Good. Once again, I'm very sorry about how things turned out."

"Apology accepted," said Elsa.

"Thank you. If there is nothing else, I shall take my leave. Good day, Elsa, Your Highness."

"Goodbye," replied her sister.

"Bye." Anna waved. After the door closed, she leaned back on the couch and exhaled a deep breath. "Wow... I totally didn't expect her to say all that."

Elsa squeezed her hand again. "Me neither."

"Do you understand what she means about finding a happy ending?"

"I don't know what kind of ending she wants." Deep blue eyes looked into hers and a cool hand cupped her cheek. "All I know is that I'm happy right now."

Anna hugged her sister. "Me too!" She leaned her head on her sister's shoulder, suddenly grateful for her presence. Somehow, seeing Lady Sharmeen sitting there alone and telling her story made her feel lonely. Her hand slowly travelled down Elsa's back, as if to reassure herself that her sister was really there. "As long as you're here, I'm happy."

Elsa drew her closer. "Me too. You mean a lot to me."

They held each other for a while, relishing the comfort of each other's embrace. Minutes later, Anna gathered her courage. Something that Lady Sharmeen said bothered her.

"Say, Elsa..."

"Hmm?"

"Lady Sharmeen said that you don't like men. Is that true?"

After a pause, Elsa answered. "I couldn't risk touching anyone, Anna, including you."

"But you wouldn't even talk to Hans. He said nobody was getting anywhere with you. What did he mean by that?"

"Back then, I wasn't prepared to deal with marriage proposals, Anna. I rejected all suitors."

"And you brushed off Kristoff too. You didn't even give him his reward in person."

"I had a lot of things on my mind, so I asked Kai to handle it."

"You mean, I handled it." Anna swallowed nervously. "Elsa... I won't judge. Are you..."

Footsteps sounded in the hallway. "Gerda, have you seen Princess Anna?" echoed Master Hugh's voice.

"No, sir."

"Where could she..." His muffled voice faded away.

Elsa drew back. "Looks like you've been missed."

Anna sighed. "I guess I better go find him." She kissed her sister's cheek. "I'll see you at lunch?"

Her sister kissed her forehead. "Of course."

The rest of the day proceeded as usual. The next day, Anna met with Lady Sharmeen in the garden after lunch. The lady noble selected a spot in the sun surrounded by bushes.

Lady Sharmeen sat down cross-legged on the grass. She took out a stone tablet and began scratching on it with a stone stylus. "Please sit, Your Highness."

Anna sat down in front of her. "So... what do I have to do?"

"Meditate." The lady noble reached into her pocket and placed an hourglass on the cropped grass. Sand trickled down to its bottom.

"Is there a specific way? I mean... I haven't really done this sort of thing."

"Close your eyes and use your other senses."

She closed her eyes. "Ok. Eyes closed. What's next?"

"Please don't talk. Just feel."

Her mouth twitched at the effort of trying not to say anything. The sunlight shone red through her eyelids, making her feel warmer than usual and she tugged at the collar of her blouse in a futile effort to cool down. Then she started twiddling her thumbs, first clockwise then counterclockwise. Slowly, she opened her left eye to peek at the hourglass.

"I'll let you know when the time is up, Your Highness," said Lady Sharmeen.

Anna quickly shut her eye. She could hear the soft scratching of stone against stone. She began twiddling her thumbs again.

"Please stop that, Your Highness."

"Ooops, sorry."

"Please don't talk."

Anna opened her mouth and then shut it. She sighed and lifted her face to the sky. Doing so caused her to lean back slightly, so she placed her hands behind her on the grass. The sun felt warm on her face and the grass felt cool in her hands. Her fingers slid over the soft blades and she remembered rolling on the tall grass with the magic carpet. The memory brought a smile to her face and she imagined rolling on the grass. The grass rustled softly as she rolled over it. Long stems would flick over her skin, tickling it. After the carpet flattened a wide swatch, it made a soft, cool bed against the hard ground.

She wondered if the grass in the garden could be allowed to grow taller. Mr. Oswold would probably not like that since it would seem that he was neglecting his duties. He preferred to keep the grass neat with blades no more than an inch or two. Still, she imagined what it would be like to have long grass in the garden. Her fingers curled up and trapped the grass in her palm. The garden had so much of it. It spanned from wall to wall, around the greenhouse, along the paved paths going around the castle and even outside the castle in a small patch that grew through a crack in the masonry. Perhaps, Mr. Oswold would let some grow taller in a not so conspicuous corner. She began rehearsing a request.

"Time's up," said Lady Sharmeen.

"Huh?" Anna's eyes popped open to receive the bright light of the midday sun. "Aughh!" Momentarily blinded, she quickly closed her eyes and cradled her face in her palms.

Anna opened her eyes and the afterimage of the sun overlaid everything. The lady noble picked up the hourglass. All its sand was in the bottom half.

"Wait, was that an hour already?"

"Yes."

"It didn't feel like it."

The Agraban held up the time keeping instrument. "This isn't called an hourglass for nothing."

"Lady Sharmeen, how come Elsa just calls you Shar?"

"Because I asked her to."

"How come you just call her by her name?"

"Because I asked for permission to do so and she granted it. If you wish to just call me by name, just do so, Your Highness."

Anna smiled. "Ok! In return, just call me Anna. Your Highness sounds so stuffy at times."

"We're royalty. What do you expect?" A shrill whistle pierced the air. The carpet flew down and landed near her. "I'll be back tomorrow after lunch. Have a nice day." As soon as she sat down, the carpet rose into the sky.

"Bye." Anna waved. She tried standing up and lost her balance, going down on her knees. Her foot fell asleep. Thankfully, the grass that she was sitting on was nice and thick, providing a soft cushion against the hard ground. Her fingers swept through long blades, making them sway in the wind. Maybe she could talk Mr. Oswold into leaving this patch of grass alone. After massaging her foot to restore circulation, she went back into the castle to continue her lessons.


For the next training sessions, Shar asked her to sit at various places in the garden. Sometimes, the lady noble would ask her to hold a branch, a flower or a vine. By the end of the week, she still had no clue what she was training for. She also noticed that she somehow lost track of time and was surprised to be told that an hour had passed. Shar was irritatingly taciturn and mostly sat there, scratching on the stone tablet. Despite that, the training was a welcome diversion to her lessons since she could at least be outside instead of being in a stuffy room.

Their new bed arrived and they discovered it after dinner. It had a purple and green canopy with an embroidered crocus. The headboard and bedposts were carved with vines and flowers.

"This is so nice, Elsa!" exclaimed Anna as she bounced on the bed.

To her surprise, Elsa bounced next to her and smiled indulgently. "I'm glad you like it. I've asked it to be especially Anna-tough."

A pout formed on her lips. "Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"

Elsa tapped her finger on her nose. "It means you can bounce on it as much as you want and it will take the punishment."

She gasped with delight. "Really?"

Her sister nodded. "Really."

"I love it! And I love you, Elsa!" She pounced on her sister with a hug, bringing her down on the bed. Her lovely laugh tickled her ears. Her heart filled with joy and she place kisses on her sister's cheeks and forehead.

Her sister giggled. "Calm down... it's just a bed."

"But it's our bed!"

Her sister cupped her face. "If I knew it meant this much to you, I would've ordered a new one sooner."

Her hand slid over her sister's hand. "It does. Since it's our bed, that means I can come here."

Those deep blue eyes softened with affection. Elsa kissed her cheek and hugged her tightly. "I love you, Anna. You're always welcome here."

"Oh, Elsa..." She snuggled her head against the crook of her sister's neck.

They held each other and talked about their day until the clock struck ten. Reluctantly, they separated to prepare for bed. After they were done brushing their hair, they gave the new bed a thorough welcome with lots of bouncing. After much bouncing, they fell on the bed, dizzy with giggling and an overdose of fun. They snuggled into each other's arms and fell asleep.


The summer days passed in a routine of lessons, spending time with Elsa and weekend outings with Kristoff, which usually involved a picnic or outdoor sports, some of which she wouldn't dare tell her sister. As the day prominently marked on her calendar neared, Anna grew giddy with anticipation. On the day before that special day, she set out on her mission.

"Kai, what do you think of chocolate cake?" she asked the seneschal casually.

"It is a delicious dessert, Your Highness."

"It's great for celebrations, isn't it?"

"It can be served for special events. Does Your Highness want one for tonight's dinner?"

"Oh... I was just wondering... if you heard anything about tomorrow's dishes."

"Not yet. I can ask the chefs what they plan to make."

"No need to. I was just curious."

Next, she found Gerda. "Gerda, what do you think of chocolate cake?"

"I love chocolate cake, Your Highness."

"I like it too. Do you think they might serve some this week?"

"Perhaps."

Anna's eyes brightened. "I hope they do. When do you think they might serve it?"

"I wish they would soon, since Your Highness likes chocolate cake."

Whenever she met someone from the palace staff, she casually mentioned chocolate cake. Finally, she met up with Elsa during dinner. Her sister had been very busy during the day and was not able to meet her for lunch.

"Elsa, what do you think of chocolate cake?"

"I like it."

"I like it too."

"If you have a craving for it, I can ask them to bake you one right now."

"No, no... I see they already made lemon pie today. I won't let their efforts go to waste."

"In that case, I'll tell Kai to add it for tomorrow's dinner."

Anna cleared her throat. "So... what are your plans for tomorrow?"

Her sister sighed. "There's going to be a lot of meetings tomorrow. It's going to be busy."

Upon hearing her words, her heart froze with disappointment. The spoon slipped from her fingers and landed in her soup, splashing creamy liquid on the table. Did Elsa forget? "Oh... so you're going to be busy."

Elsa looked at her apologetically. "I'm afraid so. I also have to go to bed early tonight. You can stay up, but please be very quiet so I can get some sleep."

The room seemed to reel around her and she blinked her watery eyes rapidly. All her preparations were useless if Elsa didn't remember. Having lost her appetite, she picked at her food for the rest of the meal.

They prepared for sleep as usual. With a wave of her hand, Elsa doused all the lamps except the one on Anna's side of the bed.

Elsa kissed her forehead. "Good night, Anna."

Anna kissed her cheek. "Good night, Elsa."

Her sister laid down on her pillow and closed her eyes. Anna sighed and picked up the book of foreign fairy tales. After about half an hour of trying to read, she gave up and doused her lamp. Under the covers, she snuggled against Elsa and went to sleep.

Later, Anna woke to her sister's shaking.

"Anna... Anna... wake up. It's very important."

She rubbed her eyes and yawned. "Is it morning already?"

"Not yet."

"Huh?" Anna stared at the clock. In two more minutes, it would be midnight. "What's going on?"

"There's something I want to tell you."

"What is it?"

"I can't tell you right now." Elsa glanced at the clock.

Anna stared at the clock and smirked. "Elsa, that clock may be five minutes slow."

"What?" The look of surprise on her sister's face was adorable.

She drove the punchline. "It may have been midnight three minutes ago."

Her sister's face paled. Suddenly, she hugged her. "Happy Birthday, Anna! I'm so sorry! I should've made sure that clock was accurate!"

Anna hugged her back as she realized her sister's intentions. Warmth filled her heart. Elsa didn't forget after all. "You wanted to wish me Happy Birthday as soon as the day turned?"

Elsa drew back, embarrassed. "Yes... that was my plan."

She glanced at the clock. "You can still do it."

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't say that the clock is slow. I only implied that it may be off."

Elsa's jaw dropped. "You... you tricked me!"

Anna giggled at her sister's expressions. "Sorry, I was curious. Hey... it's almost time." She pointed at the clock.

Together, they watched the hands of the clock tick to midnight. When the hands aligned, the clock chimed and the day of the month changed.

Elsa hugged her again and kissed her cheek. "Happy birthday, my Princess."

"Thank you, Elsa." Anna kissed her cheek as well.

Her sister opened the drawer of a nearby bedside table and took out a long flat box with green giftwrap. "This is for you."

Anna gleefully opened the present. Inside the box was an ice etching of the pond that they skated on. "It's beautiful, Elsa!" said Anna as she held up the frame against the lamp light. The light was captured in the grooves of the etching, giving it a mellow glow.

"That's not all. Touch this." Elsa pointed to a small square on the border of the frame.

Anna recognized the coat of arms on the small square to be that of her uncle, Prince Adam. When she touched it, the etching cleared and reformed into an image of Prince Adam and Princess Belle dancing in the greenhouse.

"Whoa, Elsa! It changed!"

"Yes. I made several pictures. You can pick which picture you want to see by touching these plates."

Anna touched each plate. The Olaf plate showed Olaf sniffing flowers. The sun plate showed the sunset over the castle. The horse plate showed a picture of her horse grazing by the pond.

"I love it, Elsa!"

"I have another gift. Let's go to the garden."

She dressed up quickly and they went to the garden. Elsa held her hands. "I was planning to build a snowman with you when winter came, but I decided not to wait." With a wave of her hand, a patch of snow formed around them. Together, they gathered up snow to make a body and head. Elsa formed a fist-sized snowball and stuck it on the chest area.

Anna gasped when she understood Elsa's intentions. She smiled at her sister as she rolled up a snowball and pushed it next to the one that Elsa made. Then she looked around and gathered purple crocus. She stuck the flowers around the head like a halo.

"There. Is that good enough?" asked Anna.

"She needs a name."

Anna thought for a moment. "How about Lilje?"

Elsa twirled her fingers. Streams of snow flowed around their creation. Dull eyes blinked into life. "Hi! I'm Lilje and I like sweet kisses!"

"Uh... Elsa... I don't think I asked for that..." said Anna.

Elsa stared at her hands. Her eyes speckled with icy blue.

Her sister seemed on the verge of panic, so she reached out and held her hands. "Don't worry, Elsa. I like sweet kisses too."

The panic on her sister's face melted away. "It's natural, isn't it? For a snowgirl to like kisses."

Anna nodded. "Yes, it is."

There was a rustle behind them followed by a familiar gasp. Lilje welcomed the newcomer. "Hi! I'm Lilje and I like sweet kisses!"

Olaf gave the widest smile that she had ever seen. "Hi! I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!" He waddled over and hugged Lilje. In return, Lilje kissed his cheek. They held their twig hands and stared at each other.

"I think we should give them some privacy," said Anna as she turned around and giggled softly.

"For sure." Elsa stood behind her and put her arm around her waist. "I have one more gift to give."

"What is it?"

"We have to travel there first." As she said that, a wide ice board formed under their feet and an ice road rose over the garden wall. The board sped down the road. A little off-balance, Anna leaned back. Elsa shifted her feet into a more stable position. "Don't worry. I got you, Anna."

With her free hand, her sister made a series of pillars that supported the road across the landscape. Once above the treetops, cool wind played with her braids.

Anna spread her arms out like a bird in flight. "Faster Elsa!"

Her sister laughed, filling her ears with such joyful music and the ice board rose higher. She urged her on, "Let it go! Let it go! We'll be one with the wind and sky! Let it go! Let it go! Let's see how high we'll fly!

The incline of the road grew steeper and board's speed increased. Elsa's arm tightened her waist. Her eyes grew wide as the end of the road approached. Her breath caught as the board launched into the sky.

Without the road beneath them, it felt like they were really flying. In that moment, it was just her and Elsa floating between heaven and earth. Her heart soared and she whooped with joy. Elsa joined in with a softer shout at first and then yelled in sync with her.

"WOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO!"

When the board began to descend, a wide road with powdery snow formed beneath them. The board landed with a big puff of snow and zoomed forward. The road led to the North Mountain and began to climb to the summit.

On top of the summit, pillars of ice rose from the ground and a tower began to form. The ice road circled around the tower and supporting beams attached to the road. The tower rose almost as tall as the mountain itself and the ice board rested on top of it. The board widened into a circular platform. Rails rose around the perimeter and a wide reclining seat formed in the center.

Elsa leaned back into the seat, bringing her down with her. She gestured upward. "Look!"

Anna looked up. The dark sky rippled with faint blue light. A few minutes later, streams of green light appeared. Soon, the sky glowed with blue and green streams which wove across the sky like ribbons.

"The sky's awake..." whispered Anna with awe and her hand rose as if to touch them. She had seen the northern lights many times through the castle windows, but this was the first time that she felt so close to them.

"The sky is greeting you Happy Birthday," said Elsa.

For several minutes, Anna watched in wonder. Then she flipped on her side and kissed her sister's cheek. "Thank you, Elsa! This is the best present yet!"

Her sister laughed. "For now, until you open all the presents from the ball."

"Ball? What ball?"

Elsa gasped and covered her mouth slightly with her hand. "Oh, didn't I tell you? Your birthday ball is this evening."

"My what?"

"Your birthday ball. Food, dancing, presents, that sort of thing."

It was Anna's turn to gasp. "You didn't tell me! What am I going to wear?"

"A nice gown, hopefully. It would hardly do to attend it immodestly dressed," replied Elsa with a smirk and a twinkle in her eye.

"You planned this!" exclaimed Anna.

"Actually, Kai and Gerda did most of the planning, although I did make suggestions."

Anna hugged her tightly. "Thank you, Elsa! I love you!"

"I love you too, Anna."

Her heart was filled to bursting. She closed her eyes and relished the comfort of her sister's embrace. She leaned against her shoulder and inhaled deeply. She smelled so nice. The minutes passed by, but Anna continued to hold her against the backdrop of the northern lights. She knew that she was being selfish, but Elsa didn't seem to object.

Suddenly, the platform seemed to sway and Anna held her sister tighter. "Uh... Elsa, is that you?"

"No. Let me check." She closed her eyes and her eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Then she gasped. "It's my snow monster! He's shaking the tower." Immediately, Elsa pulled her up and held her close. A new board formed on the ice road and they stepped on it. About halfway down, they heard a low rumbling voice. A large white mass was pushing against the tower.

"Pretty... mine..." rumbled Elsa's snow monster.

Elsa cried, "Wait! Don't!"

With an awful crack, a supporting buttress broke and the tower began to buckle. Another support broke. Elsa sat down on the board with her on her lap. Her sister's legs were on the outside edge of the road. "Hold on to me and keep your hands in!"

The ice road turned into a slide and Elsa guided them down. The landscape blurred past as they gained speed. Meanwhile, the tower began to break apart. Supporting beams cracked and fell as they passed by. The ground neared faster than Anna cared to see and she screamed in fright.

"I got you, Anna!" yelled Elsa against the wind.

Snow swirled ahead of them, dumping powdered snow on the slide. They began to slow down as they neared the summit. At the end of the slide, their feet punched through powdered snow which dusted the air in a great puff. They tumbled until they finally slowed down with Elsa on the bottom and her on top. For several moments, Anna lay there to catch her breath.

"Are you two all right?" asked a familiar voice.

Anna sat up to see Shar on the magic carpet. "Shar! What are you doing here?"

"I heard that the northern lights would be visible tonight, so I was waiting for it on the roof. Then I see this ice pillar rising into the sky. I came over to check that Elsa didn't overdo it." She pointed down. "By the way, is that her half buried in the snow?"

Anna cried out in alarm and shook her. "Elsa! Are you all right?" Her sister slowly opened her eyes. She cleared the snow off her sister's face. "Elsa?"

Her sister took a deep breath and she whispered in a shaking voice, "I... I'm fine. I think... I got the wind knocked out of me."

Immediately, Anna moved off her. "I'm sorry! I was sitting on you!"

The carpet landed next to them and Shar knelt next to Elsa. "Let's get her back to the castle."

They helped Elsa onto the carpet and flew back to the Queen's bedchamber. The lady noble opened the wall and they helped her onto the bed.

Elsa rubbed her forehead irritably. "I said, I'm fine."

"If you say so, then I shall take my leave. Rest well." The lady noble walked out and restored the wall.

With a long sigh, Elsa slumped on the bed and closed her eyes.

"What's wrong, Elsa?"

"I just felt a little dizzy going down the slide."

"Let's get some rest then. You have court in the morning."

"No court. It's your birthday, remember?"

"Oh... but you said that you had meetings..."

A rare, sly smile graced that pale face. "Of course, there'll be meetings. Your guests will be arriving in the afternoon. We'll have to greet them."

Her jaw dropped. "You... you made me think that you were holding court!"

Her sister chuckled softly. "I didn't want to spoil the surprise."

Anna's face brightened up. "I can't wait!"

Elsa cupped her cheek. "We should get some sleep. It would be embarrassing if the birthday girl couldn't stay up late for her own ball, right?"

They prepared for bed. Anna closed her eyes and tried to sleep, but the excitement of having a ball kept her awake for another hour. She moved her head over her sister's chest and listened to her heartbeat. With that as her lullaby, she finally fell asleep.

In the morning, Anna woke up bubbling with euphoria. After they had breakfast together in bed, Elsa gave her ten invitations for the main ball.

"Give these to your friends or whoever you wish to come. It allows the bearer to be admitted to the main party."

"Ok!" One would go to Kristoff. She scribbled a quick note to Kristoff to give one invitation to Grand Pabbie. She went down to the gate where supplies were delivered to the castle and told the gatekeeper to give the note and invitations to Kristoff. Next, she went to the guard's barracks and asked for Jeza and Wuthe.

Jeza's eyes grew wide with disbelief as she received the invitation. "Are you sure it's all right, Your Highness?"

Anna nodded. "You two have been taking good care of me, so please come. Do you want to bring anyone with you? I have more invitations."

The female guard glanced quickly to her left. "I... uh... am not sure."

Anna's eyes swept across the room. In the direction that Jeza looked, a group of guards were listening to Capt. Vozz. Smiling, she handed her another invitation. "Here's another in case you need it."

"Thank you, Your Highness!" said Jeza with the big smile.

"How about you, Wuthe?"

He ran his fingers through his cropped hair. "There is this young lady that might be interested..." His words trailed off.

"Why don't you ask her?" Anna gave him a second invitation.

"I really appreciate this, Your Highness," said Wuthe gratefully.

"I still have some invitations... hmmm... who else can I invite?" After some thought, her eyes lit up. "I know! Jeza, Wuthe, do you know where Oaken's Trading Post is?"

"Yes, Your Highness. Do you want to go there?" asked Wuthe.

"Yeah."

"I'll get your horse ready," said Jeza.

Wuthe led the way as they rode out of the castle gates. Soon they arrived at Oaken's Trading Post.

"Yoo-hoo! Sale on fishing supplies and worms!" When Oaken's eyes focused on Anna, he stood up and walked over. "Welcome, Princess Anna! How may I help you?"

"Hi Oaken, it's my birthday today, so would you like to go to my ball?" She held out the invitation.

He gasped and wiggled his fingers. "Me? But I'm just a shopkeeper. I'm not a noble of any sort."

"It's all right. I just want people I know to celebrate it with me. I have more invitations if you want to bring someone with you."

"Oh!" He steepled his hands and wiggled his fingers as he stared at the invitation. "It would be great if I could bring Tyno with me."

"Of course!" Anna offered two invitations which Oaken took with a bow.

"Thank you very much, Your Highness!"

They returned to the castle which was bustling with activity. The courtyard was being prepared to host the citizens. Inside, Anna found Elsa talking to Kai who was marking a long list.

"Hi Elsa. What do I do with the leftover invitations?"

Kai held out his hand. "Allow me to deal with that, Your Highness."

Anna handed over the invitations and looked around the busy main hall. "So... is there anything I can help with?"

Immediately, everyone in the hall stopped what they were doing. Elsa and Kai stared at her with a look of apprehension. Her sister exchanged a quick glance with the seneschal who nodded.

"Everything else looks good. If you have any questions, just send a page," said Elsa.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Kai bowed and left.

"Would you like to go over the ball setup, Anna?"

"Sure!"

Tension seemed to drain out of the hall and work resumed. Elsa showed her where the guests would enter and be announced. As they walked around the hall, her sister explained the layout of the food and drinks.

Anna waited for her to mention where the cake was, but her sister didn't mention it. Anxious, she asked, "So... where's the cake going to be?"

"After the main course, servants will bring the cake in to the center of the room. And yes, it's a chocolate cake. You dropped enough hints yesterday." Deep blue eyes watched her slyly.

Anna didn't meet her eyes and just giggled nervously. However, her heart was bouncing around with joy.

In the main ballroom, her sister pointed out where the musicians and drinks would be. They walked to a side door.

"After dinner, everyone will come to the ballroom, but we won't go with them. When Kai announces our names, we'll enter here."

"Together?"

"Hmmm... I suppose we could enter together."

"That's ok if Kai announces you first. You're the queen." Anna waved her hands.

Her sister smiled. "It's not a problem. I just assumed that you may want your own special entrance in your full birthday glory."

Her blue eyes narrowed skeptically. "You make it sound like I'm a spectacle or something."

"Speaking of which, have you decided what to wear?"

She gasped. "No, I haven't!"

Elsa held her hand. "Let's go to your room and pick a gown."

Upon entering her room, Anna stood openmouthed at the door when she saw a long rack of gowns in the middle of her room. She grabbed her sister's arms.

"Elsa..." She shook her sister slightly. "Elsa, Elsa, Elsa, Elsaelsaelsaelsaelsaelsaelsaelsaelsaelsaelsa..."

"A-an-na... s-stop s-shaking me..."

"Elsaelsaelsaelsaelsaelsaelsaelsaelsaelsaelsa..." She felt warm fingers on her lips and she stopped shaking.

The fingers released her lips and Elsa chuckled. "I know you're excited, but please calm down." Taking her hand, she led her to the rack. "Now, what color would you like?"

"I'll wear them all!"

Her sister looked at her dubiously with a raised eyebrow. "Well, that would certainly make a fashion statement."

"I didn't mean that! I meant that I'll try them all." Anna ran her hand across the rack, feeling the silky fabric. She spotted a blue gown and pulled it out. "How about you try this one?"

"Anna, we're here to pick out a gown for YOU." Elsa emphasized the last word. "Besides, I can make my own gowns."

She smiled at her winsomely and pushed the gown on her sister. "Won't you be bored just waiting for me to change? We can try these together!"

Her sister's laugh tickled her ears. "All right. Just pick one already."

One by one, the gowns were modeled by the two sisters. They paraded in front of the mirror in various poses and wigs.

"Wooooo!" Anna whistled shrilly as she sat on the bed.

"Are you really a princess?" Elsa rolled her eyes as walked toward the mirror, swinging her hips.

"Pffft... look who's talking. You don't look like a stuffy old queen."

Her sister tossed her a piercing look with a sly smile. "Not all queens are stuffy or old." She turned around and walked towards her with a regal and commanding presence that demanded everyone's attention. If she were walking in a parade, the crowd was sure to follow her with her eyes. Elsa leaned down in front of her, her face only inches away. "Your turn to do a Princess walk."

Startled out of her trance, Anna jumped up and did her best exaggeration of Elsa's strut. She waved to an imaginary crowd. "Hi everyone! I'm Queen Elsa of Arendelle."

"I do not do that." Her sister crossed her arms with a look of disapproval on her face.

"Yes, you do."

"Do not."

She stopped in front of the mirror and adjusted a wayward shoulder strap. "How do I look?"

"You look beautiful."

Warmth spread across her cheeks. Elsa had said it so many times before, but she reacted as if she had heard it for the very first time. "You keep saying that! Can't I have more commentary?"

"But it's true."

Somehow through all the pageantry, a green dress with red and orange highlights was selected. They hung the gown on the mannequin.

"So, what's next?"

Elsa offered her arm. "Lunch, my Princess."

Her hands slipped around her sister's arm and they walked to the garden. At the door, a servant waited with a picnic basket. Anna took the basket and they leisurely walked to their tree. They spread the blanket near the tree trunk and sat down next to each other with their backs against the trunk. Keeping the basket within reach, they heaped food on their plates.

"Who did you invite?" asked Elsa as she nibbled on her open-faced sandwich.

"Kristoff, Jeza, Wuthe and Oaken."

"Who's Kristoff and Oaken?"

Anna stared at her incredulously. "You forgot again? I'm seeing Kristoff right now." Those deep blue eyes speckled with ice spears and the air around her seemed colder. Quickly, Anna tried to change the topic. "Oaken is the owner of a shop in the woods. He sold me some winter clothes when my gown got frozen. He's very nice. We should visit his sauna one of these days. He says he'll give me a good discount."

The ice spears melted into deep blue. "That sounds nice."

Anna sighed with relief. As much as she loved Elsa and snow, the other guests would be inconvenienced by a sudden change in weather.

When they were done with lunch, they went back to her room and Elsa helped her with her gown. When she was done with the gown, Gerda braided Elsa's hair.

"What are you going to wear?" asked Anna as Gerda secured her sister's hair into a bun.

"It'll only take a minute to make a new gown," answered Elsa.

Once Gerda was done, Elsa transformed to her gown to a more popular style with a pleated belled skirt. A shimmering ice cloth looped around her upper arms and a delicate ice shawl covered her bare shoulders. Her sleeves only reached to an inch after her elbow. There was no gown train.

"We should go down to greet the guests soon," said Elsa.

As they passed through the halls, Anna could see the tall masts of ships beyond the windows. She squeezed her sister's arm. "They're coming!"

"They're here to see you, Anna, so you have to be on your most Princess-like behavior."

"Right." After a pause, she protested, "Hey! Are you saying I don't always act princess-like?"

Her sister snickered. "Got you."

"Elsa, you stinker!"

They passed another window that overlooked the main hall door. Guests had already gathered near it. Finally, they reached the main hall door.

"Are you ready?" asked Elsa with a challenging note in her voice.

For the first time in forever, she was having a birthday ball. Bursting with excitement, she replied, "I was born ready!"

Elsa raised her head and commanded, "Kai, open the doors."

"Yes, Your Majesty." He gestured to two guards who pulled the door handles apart.

A servant checked off each guest while another servant received any presents that they may have. When the guests reached Kai, he announced their names and titles. Anna was grateful for Kai's announcement since she didn't recognize some of the guests by sight. She smiled and greeted each one by their title except for some.

"Rapunzel!" Anna hugged her distant cousin.

"Anna!" Rapunzel hugged her back. "How are you, girl?"

"I'm doing well." She stepped aside and hugged Elsa.

"Hey there, princess," greeted Eugene.

Anna hugged her cousin's husband. "Eugene! It's so nice to see both of you again."

"Let's catch up later, 'kay? You've got a line forming." Rapunzel gestured towards the guests behind her.

"See you," waved Anna.

Later on, Kai announced, "Emir Aladdin and Vizier Jal of Agrabah."

Aladdin strode forward. "Good afternoon, Your Majesties. Happy Birthday, Princess Anna."

"Thank you! It's nice to see you again."

"Happy Birthday, Your Highness," said Shar in a deeper voice. She was dressed in a similar fashion as Aladdin and somehow had a goatee.

Anna pressed her lips together and tried not to laugh. "Ahem... thank you."

After the Agrabans walked away, she whispered to Elsa, "That beard looks funny, don't you think?"

Her sister giggled softly. "Don't mention it. I'm trying not to think about it."

When the time for receiving guests was over, Elsa said, "I have to talk to some fellow monarchs. Politics, you know." She winked.

"Have fun!"

"Your Majesty, a moment please..." Kai whispered in Elsa's ear.

Her sister's smiling face changed to a serious expression. She spoke coldly. "Announce her."

Kai gestured to the guards who were standing in front of a young woman. When they stepped aside, Anna's jaw dropped when she saw her face.

The seneschal's voice boomed in the hall. "Lady Alis of Arendelle."

The young woman approached them. Despite her short, black hair, her resemblance to Elsa was uncanny. She curtsied before Elsa. "Good afternoon, my Queen. I thank you for allowing me to attend." She turned to Anna. "Happy Birthday, dear cousin."

"Thank you."

"Why are you here, Alis?" asked Elsa.

"I came to wish my cousin a Happy Birthday. The past few years didn't give me a chance to do so since the gates were closed."

"No, why are you in Arendelle?"

"If I may point out, Your Majesty, that the order of exile specifically states my mother, Princess Elga. It doesn't extend to me. I didn't wish to discuss this during my dear cousin's birthday, but since Your Majesty asked, then I must answer. I have come of age, my Queen, and so I wish to claim the Barony of Engbeck which my mother forfeited on her exile."

"I see. Please excuse us, Anna."

"Um... ok." She looked at Alis apprehensively. "See you later, Lady Alis."

Anna watched them leave by a side door. She looked around and circulated among the guests. It was nice to meet so many people. When she reached the corner of the room, she found Jeza, Wuthe and Oaken with their companions. "What are you all doing here in this corner?"

"Happy Birthday, Your Highness," greeted Wuthe. "We're back here since it's a bit overwhelming. We're just commoners and everyone else is nobility or royalty. By the way, this is Miss Bowe." He nodded toward a blonde haired young lady holding his arm. "Bowe, this is Princess Anna."

Bowe curtsied. "It's an honor to meet you, Your Highness. Happy Birthday."

"Thank you."

Oaken bowed. "Happy Birthday, Your Highness." He put his arm around a well-built man with blond hair. "Allow me to introduce my companion, Tyno."

Tyno bowed low and greeted with a deep voice. "Good afternoon, Princess Anna. Happy Birthday."

Anna's eyes widened in recognition. She saw Tyno in the sauna when she was buying winter clothes. "Thank you." Her eyes noticed Jeza standing behind Oaken. She stepped over to her.

Jeza curtsied. "Happy Birthday, Your Highness."

Anna looked around. "Was your companion able to make it?"

"Unfortunately, he couldn't get away from his work," replied Jeza sadly.

"Don't worry, if you need someone to dance with, Tyno is a good dancer. He's much better than me. I'd just bump everyone off the dance floor." Oaken patted Tyno on the shoulder.

Everyone chuckled at the thought of Oaken bumping dancers. Since he was very tall and broad, one could easily imagine him accomplishing such a feat.

"Enjoy the party, everyone!" Anna left and looked for Rapunzel. She found her talking to Princess Sophie and Princess Ambrelle. The two other sisters were younger than her. Sophie wore a more modest gown while Ambrelle favored one with lots of ribbons. Her hair was more intricately braided and there was a rosy fragrance about her. Rapunzel stopped talking to them as soon as she approached.

"Hi Anna. We were just talking about boys. By the way, did you read 101 Knights?"

"Yeah. I managed to get the book while I was in town."

A confused look formed on Rapunzel's face. "I sent the book to Elsa . You didn't have to buy one."

The image of the book stuck in a clump of ice on the ceiling flashed in her mind. "Well... she put it out of my reach, so I figure, she didn't want me to read it."

Her cousin giggled. "It's just a book. I didn't think she'd be so protective of you."

A long sigh escaped from her lips. "You have no idea how much."

"Maybe she didn't want you to read some of the stories," said Princess Sophie, blushing behind her fan.

"Are you talking about the 69th knight?" asked Princess Ambrelle.

Princess Sophie nodded. "That one was a little... different."

"The lady should've figured out that the knight was a woman. Then she wouldn't have loved her." Princess Ambrelle argued.

"But that would've ended the story right away. I thought the plot twist where the lady had to marry the man that the knight saved was brilliant and tragic," said Princess Rapunzel.

"She had to marry to stop the war, and the knight had to do her duty." Princess Ambrelle declaimed, "Honor binds my heart, thus shall I do my part." She clasped her hands over her chest. "Oh, so noble! Such knightly devotion to serve her lady all those years, hiding her feelings for her and resisting temptation!"

"I feel sad for them though. I wish they didn't have to wait so long to be together." Princess Rapunzel leaned forward and lowered her voice. "By the way, I heard this juicy gossip that Queen Elsa has a man."

Anna snorted. "It's a lie made up by the local news."

Her cousin's lips formed a mischievous smile. "And I also heard this juicier gossip that you have a man."

She paled. "Well... I am seeing someone."

"What's he like?" asked Princess Sophie.

"Is he a prince?" asked Princess Ambrelle.

A drop of sweat rolled down her temple. Anna tried to paint Kristoff in the most glowing description as possible. "So you see, he's very brave and heroic."

"Wow... I can't believe he fought off a bunch of wolves while standing on a sled," said Princess Sophie with wonder in her eyes.

"He must be very strong to carry you in his arms while running away from a giant snow monster," said Princess Ambrelle.
"Anna! Sorry, I'm late!" came a familiar voice behind her. Kristoff stood next to her and smiled nervously. "Uh... hi."

Inwardly, Anna grimaced at the bad timing. She cleared her throat nervously. "Everyone, this is Kristoff. Kristoff, I'd like you to meet Princess Rapunzel, Princess Sophie and Princess Ambrelle."

He bowed awkwardly to each one. "Nice to meet all of you. I'm Kristoff."

Already, she could see the dubious looks on their faces. "I... um... would like Kristoff to meet a few other people, so I'll catch up with you later." She grabbed his hand and led him to where Jeza and Wuthe were. Unfortunately, she forgot about Oaken.

On their approach, Oaken's smiling grin melted into a frown. His hands balled up into fists. Wuthe noticed and stepped in front of Oaken.

Kristoff stood behind Anna as soon as he saw Oaken. "Uh... hi guys."

Anna took a deep breath. "All right. I invited both of you as my guests. Kristoff, don't you have something to say to Oaken?"

He immediately protested. "What? I've got nothing..."

She tried to imitate Elsa's penetrating cold stare.

Kristoff's shoulders slumped and he sighed. He took a step towards Oaken. "Sorry about calling you a crook."

Oaken's frown gave way to his shopkeeper's smile. He offered his hand to shake. "Friends, ya?"

The Ice master shook his hand. "Friends."

Anna exhaled with relief. They chatted for a while and the group eventually split up with men talking about sports and women talking about anything but sports. From time to time, Oaken would put his arm around Tyno's shoulders. Tyno would look at Oaken and matched his big grin.

"Aren't they sweet together?" said Miss Bowe in a low voice.

"It's a bit unusual, but I have to agree," replied Jeza softly.

Anna leaned towards Miss Bowe and whispered, "Um... you mean, those two are..."

"They're lifelong companions. Have you met their children?"

She remembered Oaken saying 'Hi, family' and seeing the sauna full of children. "Yeah, I think so... but... they're both... men."

Miss Bowe spoke slowly as if she was explaining something important to a child. "There are many kinds of love, Your Highness. Oaken minds the shop while Tyno takes care of the children as if they were his own. Is that any different from any other family?"

"I guess I didn't think of it that way."

They chatted until Kai announced that dinner would be served. Pages went around and escorted guests to a table. Anna bid them farewell and went to the main table where Elsa was standing. To her surprise, Lady Alis was seated at their table, next to Elsa.

A page led Rapunzel and Eugene to their table. To Anna's delight, her cousin would sit next to her. Once everyone was seated, Elsa spoke.

"My fellow monarchs, lords and ladies, thank you for coming to my sister's, Princess Anna's, Birthday Ball. Now let us feast and celebrate!"

The hall echoed with cheers. Elsa and Anna took their seats. Servants marched in and distributed the first course and drinks. In a corner, musicians began to play soft music.

"I love your dress, by the way. It looks good on you," said Rapunzel.

"Thank you. It took me a while to decide what to wear. So, what have you been up to lately?"

Rapunzel rolled her eyes and groaned. "Studying. Lots and lots of it. Can you imagine me running a kingdom?"

"I'm sure you'll rule with an iron pan... um... fist."

Her cousin stared at her disdainfully. "Are you poking pan at me?"

"Oh no... I'm not that clever or skillet," replied Anna with a twinkle in her eye.

They locked in for a staring match. Rapunzel blinked first and laughed. "You win!"

Anna giggled as she blinked her eyes several times.

"But seriously, there's so much to learn. Law this, etiquette that... how am I supposed to remember?"

"I know, I know... I'm in the same boat. Just keep at it." From the corner of her eye, she glanced at Elsa and tried to pick out her conversation with their black haired cousin.

"How then do you reconcile those statements based on the treatise of Pilocetes?" asked Elsa.

"Inconsistent. He argues about liberty with free will but disregards personal responsibility. Morality can't supersede a law once enforced, but morality can be used to argue whether a law should be made or abolished," replied Alis.

Since the conversation on the other side of the table was on a level beyond her current comprehension, she mostly chatted with Rapunzel. While talking about their favorite desserts, her eyes wandered through the room. She spotted Kristoff sitting with Jeza and Wuthe. She raised her hand and waved.

"Do you really like that guy?" asked Rapunzel.

"Um... I think so."

"Are you sure? Because I'm getting this feeling that you're forcing yourself."

"Why do you say that?"

"Oh, come on! Your story was a bit over the top, Anna!"

Anna stared at her plate. "I just added a little bit..."

"Fighting wolves on a sled... jumping over a ravine..."

"Ok, so I might have exaggerated a little, but I think I like him," said Anna stubbornly.

Her cousin looked at her skeptically. "You think? It sounds like you're not even sure if you do."

She sighed. "All right, I admit it. I'm still trying to figure things out. I like him, but I'm not sure if it's a right kind of like, like the way you like Eugene."

Rapunzel touched her shoulder lightly. "Don't force yourself, Anna. You'll just be lying to yourself and to him. If you want to talk about it, just send a falcon, ok? I'll write back as soon as I can."

"Thanks, Rapunzel." She squeezed her cousin's hand.

After the last course, the servants cleared the table of dishes. Anna fidgeted with excitement. The main hall door opened and a three layer cake was pushed in on a cart. The Arendelle Royal Choir filed in and stood next to the musicians. Elsa held her hand gently and stood up. Anna allowed herself to be led to the cake whose candles were being lit by Kai.

The choir began to sing a Happy Birthday song. Elsa began to sing and some of the guests joined in. It was one of the rare occasions when Elsa sang. The other voices melted away and only Elsa's song serenaded her ears. After the song was done, Elsa looked at her expectantly.

"Do your duty, my Princess."

Anna took a deep breath and with a great puff, blew out all the candles. The guests cheered and clapped. She turned to return to the main table, but Elsa tugged at her hand. "There's one more."

She followed her sister to the courtyard. Her jaw dropped. In the middle of the courtyard was a tall chocolate cake. "Whoa..."

"It's 16 layers, since the one inside is 3 layers." Elsa explained.

"19 layers..." Realization dawned in her mind. "For 19 years..."

Elsa nodded. Her hand swept upwards and an ice stairway formed to the top of the cake. They walked up with Gerda who lit the candles. The choir sang and was joined by all the people in the courtyard. By the end of their song, the joy in her heart overflowed and threatened to spill happy tears from her eyes. She blinked them back and blew out the candles. The crowd cheered and clapped. Servants with stacks of plates surrounded the cake and began to cut it up.

After they finished their portion of cake, the guests were escorted to the grand ballroom. Anna slipped her hands around Elsa's arm and waited at the side door.

"Queen Elsa and Princess Anna of Arendelle," announced Kai.

In a stately pace, they walked to the raised dais. As soon as they arrived there, the musicians began to play. Couples began to dance. A lanky young man with long brown hair approached the dais.

"Your Majesty, Prince Zartan of Greystock," announced Kai.

Prince Zartan bowed before them. "Good evening, Your Majesty, Your Highness. Once again, Happy Birthday, Your Highness."

"Thank you."

"Your Highness, would you grant me the honor of this dance?" He offered his hand.

Anna quickly glanced at Elsa who nodded. She smiled and put her hand on his. They walked to a space among the dancing couples and he began to lead. His steps were smooth, but he seemed to want to dip her and spin whenever it suited him. Elsa would wait for a change in melody or key before doing a dip or spin. Her next partner, Prince Hathir, knew the steps, but moved slowly and out of time with the music. She remembered how Elsa would lead to the rhythm of the music, adjusting their pace as needed.

Since he moved like molasses, Anna took the time to look around and spotted Wuthe with Bowe and Jeza with Tyno dancing by the wall. Kristoff and Oaken were leaning against the wall with wine glasses in their hands.

Her third partner was Prince Jim, Princess Ambrelle's twin brother. He wore a green tail coat and breeches. Obviously nervous, he looked at his feet from time to time.

"You're doing great," praised Anna.

"Thank you, Princess Anna," he said respectfully.

Aladdin asked her to dance next. "I'll visit tomorrow to give your gift."

"Thank you, but why not give it now?"

He winked. "It requires special instruction."

"What is it?"

He grinned roguishly. "Sorry. Please wait until tomorrow."

She danced with two other nobles before Prince Jim appeared again. To her surprise, Prince Jim danced much more smoothly than before. As he twirled her, her nose caught a rosy scent. Suspicion formed in her mind.

"You're Ambrelle aren't you?"

The 'prince' blushed. "H-how did you know?"

"You dance really well, and your perfume gave you away. Anyway, why are you dressed like him?"

Princess Ambrelle sighed. "I just wanted to show him how it's done. We're twins. If I can do it, so can he."

"That's real nice of you to encourage him. When he's ready, tell him to ask me again."

The young princess smiled. "Thank you, Princess Anna!"

A few partners later, Prince Jim asked to dance. This time, he seemed more confident and she complimented him on his efforts. At the end of the dance, he bowed beaming with joy. When no one approached the dais, Anna went to where Kristoff was.

"Hi, Kristoff. Are you having fun?"

His face was flushed and he downed the remaining wine in his glass. "Doin' good. How 'bout you?"

Anna smiled. "I was wondering... do you want to dance?"

"No, can't dance."

"I can teach you how."

His voice rose slightly. "I told you I can't. You've been dancing with Mr. green fancy pants. You like him, don't you?"

Just then, Bowe stopped dancing and slapped him on the cheek. "Snap out of it, please. Princess Anna went out of her way to ask you."

Oaken took his wine glass as Kristoff staggered against the wall. He blinked several times. "I... I'm sorry."

"It's ok. Do you..." For a moment, she hesitated. Somehow, she didn't want to be rejected again. With a deep breath, she continued, "...want to dance?"

He rubbed the back of his head and stared at the floor. "I don't know how, but I'll try."

Anna did her best to teach him, but the combination of his inexperience and wine hampered her efforts. They settled to just maintaining the dance posture and moving from side to side.

The ball lasted for about two hours. Elsa thanked the guests for coming and wished everyone good night. Anna walked with Rapunzel and Eugene to the outer gate.

"Thanks for coming, Rapunzel," said Anna as she hugged her.

Her cousin returned her hug. "This was a great party, Anna. Invite me to the next one, ok?"

"For sure!"

Anna hugged Eugene. "Thanks for coming, Eugene."

"It was lots of fun. Thanks for inviting us."

She waved as their carriage sped away. Then she went to find Kristoff. He was slumped over a table. Oaken and Tyno stood next to him.

Anna hurried over. "Is he all right?"

Oaken shrugged. "I think he drank too much wine."

"We'll put him up for the night," said Tyno.

"Thank you." She leaned down and kissed his cheek. "Good night, Kristoff. Thanks for coming." She faced Oaken and Tyno. "Good night, Oaken, Tyno. Take care on the road."

Oaken and Tyno bowed. "Thank you for inviting us, Your Highness. We had a good time," said Oaken. He picked up Kristoff and slung him over his shoulder. Tyno reached out and held his free hand. Anna watched them with a sense of awe and respect as they walked out of the gates.

She went to look for Elsa and found her in the main hall. Patiently, she waited in the shadows until the last guest left.

"Elsa!" cried Anna as she latched on to her.

"Anna!" Her sister smiled at her fondly.

"Did you dance?"

"No. I already told a lot of people that I don't dance during my coronation."

"You should dance at least once!"

"Anna, all the guests have left."

"That's not a problem because you're saving your first and last dance for me." She smiled winsomely.

Those deep blue eyes softened with affection. "You're right."

On their way back to the grand ballroom, they took Olaf and Lilje with them. Once they confirmed that the room was empty, streams of snow raced towards the doors and secured the locks. Elsa gestured towards a corner and made the musical instruments.

"What do you want me to play?" asked Olaf.

"Beautiful Night," answered Anna.

Olaf gave Lilje small bells to ring and told her when to ring it. He picked up the percussion sticks and began to play the slow and charming melody. The grand ballroom echoed the twinkling notes around them. Elsa waved her hand in front of her gown and transformed it to a white double tailed coat and pants.

"May I have this dance, my Princess?"

"Hold on just one second..." Anna reached around Elsa's neck and undid the bun. Her sister's braid sprang free. She mussed up her bangs so that some locks hung carelessly over her forehead. Once satisfied, she put her hand on Elsa's. "Now I'm all yours."

Elsa led her to the middle of the ballroom and led her into the dance. As she looked into those deep blue eyes, her heart soared with joy. With the exception of Aladdin, most princes were dancing to show off their skill rather than dance with her.

Her sister drew her close and moved slowly, as if she was savoring each moment, each movement. At the next phrase, she began a twirl but stepped in to stop it midway. Elsa's hand slipped around her waist. Anna leaned against her slightly, resting her head at the crook of her neck and placing her hand on her sister's. As Elsa swayed from side to side, it felt like she was lying in a hammock with Elsa as her pillow. She closed her eyes to enjoy the feeling more.

The music changed key and she felt soft lips on her cheek, causing her skin to tingle with delight and her heart to twirl with joy. Elsa lifted her arm and resumed the twirl to return them to the normal dance position. They glided across the ballroom floor. At a certain part of the melody, Elsa would dip her so slowly, like she was being guided down to bed. To her surprise, her sister didn't bring her up right away and those beautiful deep blue eyes watched her with affection. She didn't mind and tightened her hold around her neck, bringing their faces closer. In time with the music, Elsa slowly lifted her up.

After going around the room several times, she noticed that they didn't dance around the room in a circle. Instead, they made a sharp turn near the door and another sharp turn towards the center of the room where Elsa would dip her. Anna's eyes widened in delight when she realized that their steps traced the outline of a heart on the floor. Elsa just smiled smugly at her reaction. On impulse, she kissed her sister on the cheek. Those pale cheeks turned pink, garnishing her sister's face with light freckles.

Their steps traced more hearts together, in harmony. Swaying with the gentle music, theirs became the dance that made the night beautiful.


Behind the Scenes

Anna: Elsa! Elsa! Read me this story! (offers book)
Elsa: (takes book) All Hail the Queen. (flips to first page)
Anna: Hey! Don't read ahead!
Elsa: Is this about us?
Anna: Yes! Yes! Isn't it great?