Chapter 13.
I'm in my room, going through the endless preparations necessary for the ball tonight, while Rapunzel talks endlessly about how excited she is. She says she's eager to meet as many new people as she can, dance all night with Eugene and feast until she's stuffed to bursting. I just smile and laugh at some of her sillier comments, but unfortunately I can't bring myself to feel any sort of excitement. Meeting people and dancing seems stressful enough without having to worry about controlling my powers. Even if I can manage to keep social interactions to a minimum, I'll have to be careful about how much and how fast I drink.
But I somehow manage to keep my worries to myself, hurrying up to get my dress on and apply some light makeup as Rapunzel keeps talking. When I'm done she eyes me over carefully, looking at my dress and make-up as she inspects it for even the smallest of imperfections. To my relief, she soon nods in approval and smiles happily.
"You look beautiful." She says. "And you certainly seem like a Coronan noble, so I think we have nothing to worry about."
"What about my hair?" I ask while caressing my braid absentmindedly.
"Well… it looks great like it is now, since your natural hair color goes well with that dress, but…"
"I have to use a wig." I complete what she's saying, sighing. I hate that thing.
"Yeah." She looks at me apologetically before going to retrieve said thing. "I was thinking maybe something like…"
Before she can finish what she's saying, the door opens and a certain redhead walks in. She's wearing a deep grey-ish blue dress with some yellow and red patterns depicting leaves here and there on the bodice, long sleeves, and a long red cape trailing behind her. Her hair is contained in a bun, so her tiara rests proudly at the top of her head. She truly looks like a queen tonight.
A very beautiful queen. I think as my gaze inevitably travels through her whole body; her chest that, highlighted by the patterns on her dress, looks fuller than usual, her tiny waist, accentuated by her corset (not that she needs it anyways), and her hips, which aren't as wide as mine, but are very good looking all things considered. Plus, she's wearing minimal makeup, so her freckles still show. She's just perfect. Astounding.
And… I have been staring at her without saying a word for ten seconds flat. Come on Elsa, say something!
"Huh. I guess I did something right if the queen of Arendelle herself is left speechless after seeing my work of art." Rapunzel says in a teasing tone, and just then I realize Anna had also been looking at me intently, and I can't help blushing furiously at that. The redhead shakes her head and gives us a nervous smile as she walks towards me.
"Well… I mean, that dress is great, but the person wearing it has far more merit than you." She retorts, and the princess rolls her eyes in a playful manner, while I blush even brighter at the compliment, not knowing what to say. "Where did you get that dress anyways? The style is definitely from Corona."
"Well…" Rapunzel starts, obviously reluctant to tell Anna that it was her mother's, so I save her by explaining it myself.
"It was your mother's. A tailor sold it to us; she said the former queen gave it to her just before she…" When Anna's gaze saddens, I realize she's already understood and see no need to finish the phrase and make her even sadder, so I just trail off, deviating my gaze.
"It sure looks like something mom would wear." Anna comments, eying at the dress with a nostalgic and somewhat distant look on her face, like she's remembering her mother. It makes me feel a bit uncomfortable actually, considering she would have seen her mother wearing this dress instead of me if she hadn't died. Maybe buying it wasn't a good idea. Not if it upsets Anna (even if she won't admit it).
"About the hairstyle…" Rapunzel starts, apparently oblivious to Anna's thoughts, as she goes to retrieve my wig and puts it over my head without even stopping to ask for permission. "I was thinking something elegant, like a bun." She says, taking most of the fake hair with her hands and pulling it up, making some sort of improvised bun. "What do you think?" She asks Anna.
Anna's eyes widen and her face pales a little bit as soon as Rapunzel makes the improvised bun and she rushes to reply.
"I-I don't think it's a good idea." She says, obviously shaken by some reason I can't comprehend. "Maybe you should do something less regal? It is a party, after all. We want her to look approachable."
"But she's supposed to be a noble. She should also look elegant." Rapunzel argues, and I have to admit she has a point, but Anna just shakes her head firmly, making it clear (at lest for me) that she won't relent on this matter.
"And while I agree that my mom was the perfect example of elegance and grace, and everything a noblewoman should be, dressing Elsa up like her is a little too much." Anna answers with a scowl firmly fixed on her face.
"I'm not dressing her up like your mother…" Rapunzel says weakly, but it doesn't sound convincing at all.
"Seriously?" Anna raises an eyebrow. "Her dress, her hair color and her hairstyle." She points at each one of those things as she says them. "I think some people would take offense to that."
"Like you?" Rapunzel asks, frowning.
"Yes, like me, so just please let her hair down, or in a braid or whatever, just… don't dress her up like my mother." She sounds upset as she says this. Very upset. Probably because this really reminds her too much about her deceased parents. Can't Rapunzel see that? How did she not anticipate this exact reaction? And why does she keep pushing the subject? I better put a stop to this before they end up fighting.
"I-if you want, I could just wear another dress, and braid my hair as always. I didn't mean to offend you." I say apologetically, and to my relief, as soon as Anna's eyes land on me, they soften considerably.
"The dress is fine. Perfect, actually." Anna assures me with a kind smile. "You look beautiful in it, and it'd be a shame if you didn't wear it." I blush at her compliment and the sweet way she says it, too different from the tone she used with her cousin. "Just… let your hair down. Well… the wig's hair." She adds, and I rush to reassure her.
"Don't worry, I will." I say firmly and she nods before giving one last warning glare at her cousin and turning around to exit the room. She only pauses at the door to say she'll meet us at the ballroom in about an hour and then she's gone. Now, I have to make sure Rapunzel doesn't do something else to upset the queen.
"Nervous?" Kristoff asks me with a mocking smile on his face as we approach the ballroom. Unfortunately, Anna and Rapunzel had to go ahead of me since they're the host and the one the ball is made for respectively, so I'm left alone with my guard, which isn't making things easier for me.
"You have no idea." I answer honestly, and he chuckles. Apparently he's in a good mood today.
"I was nervous too when I attended my first ball, even if all that was expected of me was to stand there and make sure nothing happened to the princess." He replies with a fond smile on his face. "Of course Anna ended up sneaking out early to avoid any more conversation with boring nobles or dance with any more old men. She actually stole a bunch of chocolate and we ended up eating it in the garden until our tummies ached."
"That sounds like something Anna would do alright." I answer laughing, a little more relaxed now that he's told me the story. "But I doubt she could sneak out of the party now that she's the queen."
"She's learned to deal with it since then." He shrugs.
"Unfortunately the same can't be said about me. What if someone talks to me? Or worse; what if someone asks me to dance?" I voice out my doubts and insecurities, only because he's being nice for once, probably because of the partying atmosphere. Hopefully he will be able to give me some advice, aside from what Anna and Rapunzel have already told me.
"You could always refuse, you know?" He says it like it's obvious.
"Right." I roll my eyes. He clearly doesn't know anything about social interaction and public relationships. "I need them to like me, and to believe I really am a noble from Corona, and that I'm suited to be Anna's counselor. I can't afford to be rude with them."
"Why do you care so much?" He asks, a little bit annoyed by my complaining. "It's not like Anna's kicking you out anytime soon, even if everyone finds out who you really are and you can't be her counselor anymore."
"Because…" I pause, not knowing what to say. I mean, yes, it'd be ideal if everyone liked me and I made a good impression. But I know that no matter what happens tonight, many will still spread terrible rumors about me, if only out of envy of my new position and the power it brings. And it would be easier to just play the part of Northerner refugee than to try and work at being Anna's counselor. So why? How did I even get into this mess?
"I do it for Anna." I answer with such conviction it surprises me. "She needs a counselor, and I'm sure no one is more suited to the post than me."
"How humble of you." He raises an eyebrow.
"It's not because I think myself as more talented or wiser than most people." I correct myself, annoyed that that's what he assumed. "It's because I care about Anna, and I believe in her. All I want is to help her being a better queen, not to have any personal gain."
"You sure about that?" He asks with a lot of doubt and distrust in his voice, again being the same Kristoff as always, thinking the worst of me just because I'm a Northerner. I can't even begin to explain how mad that makes me! I mean, we've known each other for almost two whole months, and in all that time I haven't done even one evil thing. Shouldn't that be enough? What do I have to do to make him trust me?
However, before I have a chance to give him a piece of my mind, he stops me when I'm about to inadvertently bump into a guard, and I realize we've arrived at the ballroom. There's music inside, and from here I can see lots of people chatting and laughing with each other, though there's no music yet and the food hasn't been touched. I guess we'll have to wait for Anna to make her grand entrance before the party really starts.
"Well, here we are." Kristoff says, eying over the people in there. "Have fun, I guess. I'll be around if you need anything." And then he goes to stand at one corner, apparently happy to be away from me for a while, and I'm left alone.
As I see all the people attending the ball, nobles and rulers that will undoubtedly want to talk with me, I wonder if that's a good thing.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I have the honor to present to you Queen Anna of Arendelle." Kai says, and instantly the redhead comes to stand in front of the single throne that's placed at a slightly elevated platform at the farthest end of the ballroom from where I entered. Instantly, everyone bows before her, and I quickly do the same, even if I find it a little weird now that I know Anna on a more personal level. "And our honored guests, Princess Rapunzel of Corona and Prince-Consort Eugene." Kai speaks once again, and we all remain in a bowing position until both royals have stopped next to Anna. Then, the queen speaks.
"Please rise." It's the first thing she says, and we all do just that, before she starts her little speech that's had her terrified for the entire week. I'm proud to say I helped her with it, and the result was actually very satisfying. "First of all, welcome. I'm honored so many of you were able to attend this very special occasion." Her voice is firm and steady as she speaks, even if it's obvious her shoulders are tense and she isn't quite sure what to do with her hands. We'll have to work on that.
"As you may know, Princess Rapunzel of Corona and her husband, Prince Eugene, have honored us with their presence for the last month, spending their time improving relations between our kingdoms and assisting me with matters of state, like the selection of my new counselor." Anna was reluctant about that part of the speech, but I insisted she included it, as we don't want false rumors circulating. "However, the time has come for them to return to their kingdom, and I'm sure we'll all miss them, so I've gathered us here tonight to say goodbye. But instead of sadness I hope this will be a time of merriment, with songs and dance, food and win. So I truly hope you'll enjoy this ball, since it'll be the last chance we'll have to spend time with the Princess and her consort for the foreseeable future." She says the last part smiling fondly at the couple, a smile that's promptly returned. Then, she turns to address the crowd once more.
"Please, let the celebrations commence." She concludes, and instantly the music starts and we all clap to celebrate her speech. Finally, when the three of them step out of the platform to join the rest of the guest's, people begin to scatter, going to the tables for something to eat or drink, or to the center of the ballroom to dance, or to the edges to talk with each other.
I, on the other hand, given that I don't know anyone here and have a tendency to get nervous with so many people around, try to sneak towards some secluded corner at the far end of the hall, in hopes of avoiding notice for a while at least. However, I'm not so fortunate.
I'm quickly stopped by several people, nobles from Arendelle and other kingdoms, functionaries of state, diplomats, and the like. They all look at me with too much curiosity as they bombard me with questions, inquiring about my linage, my past, my family, education, relationship with the queen, etc. Some even ask more personal questions, like my age and if I'm single or married. Thankfully, I remember all the lies Anna and Rapunzel had me plan for this situation, and try not to be bothered by the suspicious, spiteful and jealous looks some of them give me.
Also, more than a few of them ask me to dance, but each and every time I decline the offer by either pretending someone is calling me at the other side of the room, saying I'm not feeling well enough to dance, or inventing some other excuse. I also notice a couple of men giving me lustful glances, and immediately feel awkward about it. Romance is the last thing on my mind after all, and I really don't see myself with a man anytime soon.
I wish I could be spending time with Anna, or Rapunzel, or Eugene. But they're even more occupied than me, talking with far too many people to be able to come to my rescue. But it's mandatory that I talk to them at some point, and I'm looking forward to that more than I'd like to admit.
Meanwhile though, I'm finally able to escape from some old Duke that wanted to dance with me (and who quite obviously knew even less about dancing than myself), and head towards the nearest table. Upon it are countless plates piled high with chocolate, krumcake, pastries and other sweets in display. They look and smell wonderful, so I barely spare them a glance before grabbing a few of each and devouring them. They are every bit as good as they look. And they help calm my anxiety a bit.
However, as I'm about to take another chocolate from the pile, someone pokes my side and I let out a loud shriek, almost jumping out of my skin in surprise, only to then turn and face my attacker… who is of course the princess of Corona herself. And she's laughing so loud she doubles over, obviously finding my reaction to her little joke hilarious.
"Rapunzel!" I chastise her, but this only makes her laugh harder.
"I'm sorry, I tried to stop her." Eugene, who I just notice is standing behind his wife, says, but he's quite obviously trying to hold back his own laughter. I only manage to pout at them, which of course amuses them even more.
"Did you just come to make fun of me?" I say accusatorily, crossing my arms over my chest. Though in reality I'm more relieved and glad for their presence than I'll admit.
"I actually came to see if you hadn't frozen anyone yet." Rapunzel says between giggles, and my eyes widen at her rather reckless statement.
"D-don't say things like that while we're in public." I say, nervously glancing at my sides to see if anyone is paying attention to us, but apparently everyone is minding their own business. Plus, the music makes eavesdropping difficult, and there's no one near us, but… still.
"Relax! No one would take it seriously even if they heard." The princess says before taking a sip from her drink. I guess that explains her recklessness.
"It's easy to say that when it's not your life on the line." I answer with a scowl, but both royals just roll their eyes.
"It's a party, Elsa! You shouldn't be worrying so much!" Eugene chastises me. "Here, take this. It will help you loosen up." At this, he hands me one of the many glasses of wine that are sitting on the table. I accept it for mere politeness, but I know I won't be drinking it; it'd surely make my powers unstable.
"You're supposed to drink it, not stare at it, you know?" The princess teases me between giggles.
"But what if I get drunk and end up having a slip up?" I reply anxiously.
"Why the sudden anxiety? All the time we've known each other, you've been in full control of your powers, right?" Eugene questions.
"Yes, when I'm conscious." I glare at him once more, even if I know he's right. The only time I've lost control was when I was having a nightmare, and even then my magic didn't feel nearly as unstable and wild as it does in my memories, even if the amount of magic in my veins is surely greater. But still. It's too risky.
"Come on, Elsa. You look like you're not having fun at all!" Rapunzel complains, and I have to roll my eyes at that.
"Well, what did you expect? I've been forced to talk with more people than I've known in my entire life during the last four hours, all of that while acting like a noble woman from another country, and avoiding dancing like the plague. Of course I'm not having fun." I pretty much growl at her. And yes, I know I'm being unfair; they're just trying to make me relax, but right now all I want is to get some of my frustration out.
"You know who else isn't having fun?" Eugene asks, and I turn to him with slight curiosity. "Anna." He says as he points towards the center of the ballroom, where the queen is trying to dance with the Duke that offered me a dance before… but he's an absolute disaster, prancing around her like a duck and stepping on her toes, which makes her wince before she covers it quickly with a fake smile that isn't very convincing.
"You should go save her." Rapunzel says, playfully bumping her shoulder with mine.
"Maybe…" I say, as I watch the Duke once again stepping on her toes.
"Ask her to dance." She suggests.
"I… wait, what?" I ask, eying her like she just suggested I get naked in the middle of the dance floor. However, she just gives me an exited smile.
"She'd love to dance with you, I'm sure!" She exclaims. "And besides, in case you haven't noticed, balls are to dance, not to anxiously hide away in a corner."
"And in case you haven't noticed, I don't know how to dance." I remind her. Though I must admit that dancing with Anna sounds surprisingly pleasing.
I imagine taking her hand, placing my other hand on her shoulder as she places hers on my waist, pulling me close until I can clearly feel the warmth of her body against my own. And then we start moving to a slow song, forgetting about the world and just gazing into each other's eyes… Wait that sounded too romantic. And I definitely don't see Anna in that way. What's between the two of us is purely platonic. Definitely.
"You surely dance better than the Duke of Weaseltown." Rapunzel encourages me, as we see him acting like a monkey, and I discreetly giggle at that. "Even if just barely." She adds with a teasing tone.
"You taught me how to dance yesterday. For an hour. Before giving up." I sigh, remembering how I kept struggling to move my feet as the princess had instructed me without looking at them. Probably the most difficult thing I've tried to learn in my life. "I don't want to embarrass Anna."
"You won't embarrass her!" She protests, clearly getting frustrated by my negativity. "She's being more embarrassed by the Duke."
"But…"
"Come on, you have to save her from him." She insists, giving me pleading eyes, but I just roll my eyes. That tactic won't work with me. Only Anna is able to pull it off well enough.
"Look at that." Eugene says, amused, and we both turn to look at Anna. "Looks like a handsome prince just came to her rescue instead."
Indeed; a handsome young man dressed in fine clothes is now taking the queen from the hands of the Duke. I recognize him as one of those who were eying at me before with a little too much interest. He's tall, with tan skin, has short dark hair and is wearing a green military uniform with two medals on it. I bet he's a noble with an important position in the military. And I bet he wants Anna the same way he wanted me.
I don't know why, but the thought makes an unpleasant sensation appear on my stomach.
"Too late, Elsa. She won't be leaving his arms for the rest of the evening; she does have a tendency to get infatuated with the first man that shows her the slightest bit of interest." Rapunzel laughs, and her words make the magic in my veins agitate furiously. I can't let that man dance with Anna! Why? Well… I don't know. I don't trust him. He's too… charming. I bet he just wants her because of her position, and I can't allow her to fall in his hands.
Without even thinking about it, I impulsively drink the contents of my glass in one gulp. It burns my throat, and the taste is a little too bitter for me, but I don't care. I need to calm down if I'm going to ask Anna to dance, and if this will make me relax, then so be it. A little bit of alcohol surely won't be making my powers go wild, right? I mean, several seconds have passed and I don't feel any different.
"Whoa, take it easy!" Eugene exclaims, talking the glass from me as he sees me drinking like that. "You've never drank alcohol, you can't just…" But I don't let him finish, because I push him away and start walking confidently towards my queen. Then I realize I still don't have enough confidence to dance and return to the table, quickly grab another glass of wine, empty it and put it down again, before hurrying once more towards her.
The wine didn't make me more confident, but a tiny bit dizzy in a good way. I also feel, somehow like everything else is a little blurry, except my goal; Anna. And, as I come to a stop in front of her and her dance partner, I realize the wine has also made me bolder, since I step between them without a second thought, only briefly acknowledging the boy, saying something like "I'm sorry, but I need to speak with her" before taking Anna away.
"Elsa? What are you doing? Where have you been since the ball started?" Anna asks as I take her as far away as possible from the man. "Is something wrong?" She looks concerned, probably because of what I told the man before I took her.
"No." I assure her with a gentle smile, finally coming to a stop and standing before her. "I just wanted to dance with you."
"Elsa." She shakes her head with an amused expression. "You only had to ask, not to drag me away from that poor boy like your life depended on it."
"Sorry." I say sheepishly, looking at the ground and blushing. "I just really wanted to be with you, since I haven't seen you since before the ball started."
"Well, since you're my counselor I guess it'd be wise to keep you close for the rest of the night, don't you think?" At this, she offers me her hand to take, presumably so we can dance, and I take it with just the slightest bit of reluctance; I don't have my gloves on after all, since Rapunzel insisted they didn't go well with the dress. "And besides…" She adds as she pulls me towards her, holding my waist and silently encouraging me to place my free hand on her shoulder. "I have to make sure you don't drink anymore." She finishes with a teasing smirk, and I roll my eyes before she starts moving, with me following her lead (or tying to anyways).
"I only drank one glass!" I protest, but when she raises an eyebrow, clearly not believing me, I mutter the truth. "… maybe two."
And she laughs. I always love when she laughs like that, with genuine merriment and amusement, without caring if the sound is elegant or refined, even closing her eyes and letting her teeth show. I love it. And I love even more being one of the few people that can make her laugh like that.
"It's quite obvious." She says once she's stopped laughing, looking at me with an expression of utter joy. "You keep losing the beat and stepping on my toes." That line snaps me out of my contemplation of her perfection, and I realize that I may be moving, but I'm not moving right at all. I look down at my feet to find them stumbling every two seconds, trying to follow Anna's lead and failing miserably. I quickly try to correct that, remembering what Rapunzel said about counting inside my head to keep the rhythm and draw a triangle in the ground with my feet when I move (or was it a circle? A rectangle?). However, it's useless, and soon I'm stumbling even more as anxiety overtakes me. That is, until Anna lets go of my waist and, with said hand, lifts my chin so I can look at her eyes.
"Relax." She giggles. "The point of dancing is that you have fun and interact with your partner; there's no need to get all tensed up."
"But… but I'm embarrassing you in front of all your guests, and…" Before I can protest anymore, Anna places a finger over my lips, gently silencing me.
"Shh. Don't worry about it." She coos, returning her hand to my waist, which, together with how tenderly she looks at me, for some reason makes butterflies appear in my stomach. "I just want to be with you. I don't care if you are literally the worst dancer in this kingdom… which you're not; that'd be the Duke of Weaselton." She giggles cutely before grabbing me more firmly and making us spin, my feet desperately trying to keep up with her. "I want to have this moment. Just the two of us."
I feel a pleasant tingle all over my body at her words. But not exactly because of the words themselves, but the way she says them. So soft, so intense, so… honest. Anna's always been an open book, but right now, I feel like I know her more than ever. And that makes our clumsy dance all the more intimate. It's a little scary actually.
"Forget about the world." She continues instructing. "Forget about what Rapunzel told you about dancing. Forget we're not alone. Just… dance with me?" Anna bites her lip expectantly as she finishes her question, and I find her so adorable, I can just smile fondly at her and squeeze her hand in reassurance.
"I will." I promise, almost whispering. The radiant smile I get from Anna is enough to make me forget that I don't know how to dance.
We start moving slowly, practically just rocking back and forth, not following the beat of the song at all. But I don't care, because I can't see anything except Anna's eyes, I can feel nothing but her hands on me, and I can't hear anything but the calming way she hums a quiet song. It's very different from the one being played by the orchestra, but equally beautiful, and twice as calming. It's soft and slow, and I find it easier to move to its rhythm.
It's like I'm in some sort of trance. My feet move without me commanding them to. My eyes follow Anna's every moment with desperate longing. My hands clutch her gently but firmly without me knowing it. My heart races every time I see her precious smile. My stomach curls in some pleasant form of anxiety. And my body even gets the cues Anna gives me, spinning perfectly at her command.
It's very weird, and scary. But I like it. A lot.
My breathing starts becoming slightly erratic as we keep dancing, and my face feels hot. And though I'd like to think it's because of our dancing, I know it's mostly because of Anna's closeness. However, I don't think much about it; I have better things to concentrate on. Like Anna's amazing scent, the way she gracefully moves with me, the happiness that shows clear as day in her face… everything about Anna is just wonderful to me.
And maybe that's why, when she suddenly switches our positions so her arms are wrapping around my neck and her head rests against my shoulder, I stumble, feeling suddenly lightheaded. Thankfully, I manage to also wrap my hands around her waist, and we continue dancing slowly. Anna sighs happily and I feel her breath against my neck; I swear I can even feel the beating of her heart against my chest because of how close we are.
I don't think I've ever been so close to anyone before, and though it's a little strange for me, mostly because of the nervousness I can't help feeling at our contact, I'm not going to complain.
But… her relaxing presence and the heat I feel, together with the soft music, the late hour and possibly also the wine, soon start making me feel a bit sleepy. Well, not quite sleepy, it's more like a dizziness, and a slightly worrying inability to concentrate on anything. I'm starting to think I'm a bit drunk actually.
"Elsa?" Anna asks, separating only to take my face and look at my eyes with a bit of apprehension. "Is everything okay?" She asks.
"Y-yeah?" I say, but it comes as a question because I'm not sure of the reason she's asking this. "Why?"
"You stopped moving." She states, and I realize it's true. "Are you feeling dizzy?"
"A little." I admit. "But I'm okay, don't worry." I give her a reassuring smile, hoping to convince her, but even I noticed how slurred my words came. It wasn't all that obvious, but by the face Anna gives me, I assume she noticed nonetheless.
"You shouldn't have drank so much wine." She sighs, shaking her head.
"I'm fine." I insist stubbornly, even if somewhere in the back of my mind, I know I'm not.
"Come on, let's just get you to bed." At this, she takes my hand and makes a motion to start moving, but I remain rooted on my place.
"Please Anna, I'm perfectly fine and not the slightest bit drunk." I practically whine. "Can't we just keep dancing? I want to keep dancing with you." I pout, trying to be persuading, but apparently all I managed with my little display was to convince Anna I'm in an absolute need to be locked in my room before I do something stupid because of my intoxication.
"I really think you're in no condition to dance any more." She answers, tugging at my hand. "Come on, don't make me drag you."
"So you don't want to dance with me?" I frown angrily and more than a little hurt. We were having so much fun! Everything was perfect! Why doesn't she want to dance anymore? Does she want to go back to the arms of that stupid man that surely wanted to court her? Does she prefer him than me? Maybe I should freeze him, and then see if she still wants him.
"Elsa!" She scream-whispers, startling me out of the unpleasant thoughts inside my head. "Stop! You're making it cold."
At her words, I quickly turn around, seeing people hugging themselves and shuddering; their breathing is visible, they are all murmuring and looking around in fear, probably thinking some Northerner is attacking us. Panicked, I quickly try to get the temperature back to normal, but in my current state, all I manage to do is release even more of my power, covering Anna's hand in a thin layer of frost. I regret not having my gloves right now.
"Elsa!" She insists, equally panicked, but I just manage to shake my head, indicating that I can't solve this right now. She bites her lip in thought, obviously trying to think of a solution, when suddenly the solution appears in front of us; Kristoff.
"Your majesty?" he asks in a formal tone, as we are at a public event and it's only proper. "This cold isn't natural. Perhaps it'd be wiser to end the party early in case a Northerner is planning an attack." He gives her a meaningful look, and she quickly understands what he's suggesting.
"Yes, that would be wise. It's not safe for me, nor for my distinguished guests…" She shoots me a look. "To remain here if there were to be an… icy outburst." She pauses, thinking for a moment. "I think I'll retire to my room now. Please inform everyone that the ball is over, and have guards escort them back to their quarters."
"Don't you want me to escort her to her room?" Kristoff asks, looking at me like I'm a wild animal that could attack him at any moment. This fact only makes more frost appear on Anna's arm.
"No." She shakes her head firmly. "I'll do that. I think that'd be safer for all of us." At her words, my guard frowns in clear disapproval, but says nothing, probably because he doesn't want me to get even more upset, and quickly goes to relay the queen's order to the guests and the other guards.
I, however, don't stay around to find out what happened, or if anyone noticed I was the cause of that sudden drop of temperature, because the queen is soon dragging me through the halls in a hurried and anxious fashion. I don't get what the whole deal about this is; we're alone now after all, aren't we? Even if I were to freeze something no one would see me.
And certainly no one will see me taking off this stupid wig; it's been terribly itchy ever since I put it on. And I'm certainly sick of all these wigs I'm forced to wear.
"Elsa, what are you doing?!" She exclaims in panic as she stops after I've thrown that wig onto the floor, only for her to pick it up. "What if someone sees you?!"
"There's no one here!" I retort in exasperation. "And that thing itches."
"Yes, I know, and I understand it must be very annoying for you, but we can't take risks." She answers, trying to put the wig on my head, but I evade her, not wanting to relent on this; I've been wearing that thing for too many hours today. "Elsa!" She whines. "Don't make this difficult."
"Anna…" I'm about to complain again, when suddenly we hear footsteps approaching us from the hallway. Suddenly, I wouldn't mind having the wig in anymore. But… there's no time to put it in; at least not without it being obvious it's a wig.
Before I can even start thinking of a solution, however, Anna takes my hand and drags me into the first room that we find… which actually isn't a room at all, but a balcony. A very small balcony. But at least its doors are made of stained glass, meaning whoever is passing by the hallway can't see anything but our silhouettes. Hopefully, they'll think we're just two lovers that escaped the party to be alone in private. I mean, by the way we're positioned, we might as well be.
We're facing each other, our bodies pressing a little too intimately, and out faces mere inches away. My breath catches in my throat when I realize this fact, and quickly try to avert my gaze, least this gets even more intimate… except Anna's eyes are like magnets to mine. And her lips too. And I end up staring directly at her, unable to look away.
"Elsa." She suddenly whispers, and I instantly my gaze is drawn to her mouth as she speaks.
"Y-yeah?" I ask, fighting against my sudden (and rather ridiculous) urge to close the small distance between our faces.
"I'm going to put the wig on you again. Don't fight back, okay?" She speaks in a soothing tone of voice, like she's afraid I'm going to protest once more, and maybe even end up freezing something. However, I can't really deny her anything when she's standing so close to me that I can feel her warm breath over my lips.
"Y-yes. That… that's fine." I nod rapidly, but as I do that, our noses touch and we both end up blushing badly.
"Okay then." She answers, obviously trying to avoid my gaze as she raises her hands and carefully places the wig over my head, carefully pulling the few loose strands of my real hair inside it, so they can't be seen. I can't help blushing even more at her soft touch and how all her concentration is in me. I'm feeling even dizzier now than I was before.
"There." She says, releasing me just when I think I'm about to faint from how much blood is rushing to my head. "It's not perfect but at least no one will notice it's not your real hair."
"Do you think they're gone?" I ask, looking at the glass door to try and see if the person is still there, but I can't hear or see anything.
"Doesn't matter now that you have your wig." She shrugs. "Now come on, let's get you to your room."
We exit the little balcony, and I instantly find myself missing having her so close, but I can't really protest without sounding creepy, so we're both soon hurrying towards my room. In the way, I notice lots of guards and servants running in the hallways, aiding some of the guests heading back to their rooms, or finding a guest room to stay in. I guess some of them didn't want to risk going home thinking a Northerner might be planning an attack.
We don't even stop to acknowledge the questioning looks so many people shoot us, and we're soon inside my bedroom.
"Come on, get changed." Anna instructs me as she goes to my wardrobe and produces my usual nightgown from it and throws it at me. I'm barely able to catch it in my current state. "I'll go to the bathroom." She excuses herself before taking something else from my closet and disappearing into my private bathroom. The tiredness is catching up to me, however, and I decide not to question her actions and just get into my nightgown and out of this horrible wig, and then go to sleep.
Just when I'm nesting comfortably into my sheets, however, I see the queen come out… dressed in a spare nightgown I have, and with her hair loose, carrying her dress, her shoes and crown in her hands.
"Uhm… shouldn't you go to your own bedroom before changing?" I ask, completely and utterly confused.
"I'm sleeping here." She says firmly before putting her things on a chair next to my bed.
"You know your room is like ten minutes away from mine, right?" I say, raising an eyebrow. It's not like I don't want her to sleep here; on the contrary, being with Anna in any way possible is always a pleasure, but… I just don't understand what her intentions are.
"Exactly." She closes her arms over her chest in an authoritarian manner. "Ten minutes too late if you lose control of your powers in the middle of the night."
"Look." I sigh, a little bit upset that she thinks I have so little control. "If you're talking about what happened earlier, it was only because of the alcohol, but I'm fine now, so…"
"Yes, you also said you were fine before you froze my hand." She answers with a scowl. "You may not feel it, but the castle is still colder than usual. Even I can feel that."
I pause at her words, trying to feel my magic and, surprisingly enough, I realize a little part of it is still escaping from my hands. I try to get it in check, but my mind is still a little foggy, so it's useless. With a sigh, I have to admit Anna is right; she's the only one able to calm me down if I were to have a real outburst in my slightly drunken condition.
"Fine." I say, moving to one side of the bed, so Anna can get in. Thankfully it's big enough for the two of us.
"Thank you." She says playfully once she's settled herself under the covers and is lying at her side, facing me. I just roll my eyes before taking the candle on my night table and blowing it out. Then, I go to lay in the same position as Anna, figuring it'll be easier to sleep that way.
That's when her hands take carefully my face, keeping me in place as her lips gently brush against my temple.
"Sweet dreams." She mumbles against my skin, making butterflies appear on my stomach.
In that moment, I feel that strange but pleasant tingle on my body all over again, and can't help letting out a shuddering breath, on which Anna thankfully doesn't comment. Another good thing also happens though; my magic stops flowing out of my body, and a sudden warmth fills me. It's like I'm literally melting inside, but it feels good. Really good.
I will never understand how Anna can cause such strong reactions on me with only the smallest of touches.
"S-sweet dreams. To y-you too." I'm barely able to stutter, and Anna giggles at that.
"Don't freeze anything while I'm sleeping." She teases.
"With you here, I don't think that'll be possible." I answer honestly, and we fall silent after that.
I can see, thanks to the light entering from my window, that she smiled at my words, and that she continues to stare at me as we just lay on my bed. For some reason, this doesn't feel creepy or weird at all; just loving and comforting, and I soon end up falling sleep with my eyes locked on hers.
A/N: Well, there you have it: a whole chapter devoted to pure Elsanna fluffiness. And the romance hasn't even properly started! XD
Well, thanks for reading and please tell me what you think. If you liked it or not, your favorite parts, or just anything you want to tell me. I always appreciate your reviews, favorites and follows :D
Also, I made a drawing of the scene at the ball. If you want to check it out, you can find it on DeviantArt, Reddit or Tumblr (you can find me as TaniaHylian).
Thank you, again, and see you next time :)
Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.