I've been gone for another long while again, sorry about that. I was a little busy snooping for a summer job, and given that here in Brittany, unless you have farming/engineering qualifications, you don't get much, I haven't had much free time or motivation. Hopefully now that I actually have something in addition to working at this edition's Festival Interceltique, updates might be a little more regular.
While you're waiting for an update on this, I also have a short side-story on the go involving Elsa and Anna called "Just a Cold", there's a little angst, but it'll mainly be fluff. So if ever you're in need, it's right there for you :)
Over the course of the next two weeks, the hustle and bustle had gradually settled down a little, and to Elsa's delight, Anna had taken her downtown with Prince Hans several times, claiming it was an opportunity for him to get to see the town when the blonde suspected it was rather an opportunity for her to escape whatever political talk was going on behind closed doors.
Not that Elsa would fault her, any chance she had to spend with Anna (even if it now had to be shared with someone else) and make her smile was more than enough for her.
As it turned out, Prince Hans was a lot more charming and nice to be around than she'd initially given him credit for, and his easy smile and talkative nature were sure to lull Elsa in to an air if security, something she didn't usually develop so quickly around strangers, but was glad to see happen all the same. After all, Anna was always telling her how wonderful it was to make friends and be able to lay back and unburden her royal shoulders for a while in their company, and it turned out that Elsa's initial skepticism was quickly put to rest, for as it turned out, while the initial unnerving feeling she'd experienced after her first glimpse at the Southern man had yet to totally ebb away, she had to admit that he was quite a chatty person and didn't hesitate to include her in their conversations.
(And if she caught the longing glances he cast towards Anna over a shared hot chocolate as they made their way down town while she dutifully carried the small bag containing their day's purchases left her feeling slightly longing for something she felt she'd lost not so long ago, she wasn't going to mention it, for it was not her place).
However, while Anna's smile and the fact that the princess had begun talking to her again (and occasionally hug her when her exuberant nature got the better of her–those times were few and Elsa cherished them dearly), the invisible chasm that separated them was still there, and the blonde had never been more aware of it than that time the princess had offered Hans to stop by Kristoff's place on the way back from one of their sightseeing tours around the town, as the two had sat side by side, the prince's arm casually draped over Anna's shoulders, and when the brunette said nothing, when she actually smiled up at him and giggled as she wiped away a stay smudge of dirt from his cheek, Elsa had never felt so alone in the time she'd begin her new life at the castle.
By the Gods, she understood: she was a slave meant to serve while Anna was a princess set to marry (and unfortunately, in aristocracy, there never really was room for the heart to decide: but no matter how many times Anna had told her she cared little for tradition and formalities, she unfortunately seemed to have eventually embraced this one), and Elsa almost berated herself at times for letting become overly attached to someone she knew right from the start had been way out of her league but had let herself fall for all the same…. Because it had been so long since someone had shown some actual care for her.
None the less, whatever love she had for Anna was now deeply harbored in her chest: Elsa knew she would keep it, forever cherish the delicate memories and wonderful times the princess and her had created together for as long as she lived, because those few months they had spent together were undoubtedly the best months of Elsa's entire life, and they were her life recollections she mostly wished to conserve the most so far. And maybe the situation had seemed quite grim when Anna had first broken the news to her that their shared bond was not something they could keep up (because keeping it while denying what Anna's duty was would only end up hurting more in the long run, it was better to cut things off early to limit the damage), but Elsa was still grateful that, even now, she was the servant the brunette called upon the most, the one she still had private dinners with and the one she always sought out for advice concerning her clothes. Maybe it wasn't what they'd had, but the fact that she still seemed to have an important part in Anna's life, that the princess still wanted her as a friend, it meant a lot to her.
And if she was honest, now that "them" was no longer an option, Elsa just wanted Anna to be happy. And if that was to be found with the gentleman at her side, well the blonde didn't think there was anything more she could do but hope he would treat her well, because Anna deserved the absolute best.
Besides, if she put things into perspective, things weren't as grim as she seemed to make them out to be: she still had friends in the form of Kristoff (the baker truly had taken a shine to her, and while Elsa never said it, she really did appreciate the extra croissant he would sometimes slip into her basket of purchases when she was sent down to pick something up for breakfast) and the ever-loving Sven, who always pranced upon her whenever the distinct bell-ring of the shop door echoed as she pushed it open. And Oleg had also become somewhat of a confident too –he'd been open and very understanding towards her after his arrival, and for some reason, the two had begun spending an increasing amount of time together, which Elsa appreciated her, as, while the young man never really said it aloud out of respect for her, he seemed to understand what she was going through, and his silent support was more than welcomed in her times of need. It was nice to have a close friend around.
Of course, Anna still lurked in the back of her mind at times, and the chasm separating them was sometimes hard to deal with (at night, alone in her bed, with nobody to curl into when she felt lonely, or at dinners, catching a glimpse of her in her fine dress and smiling brightly while she passed by to fetch her own meal at the kitchen), but the fact that Elsa was no longer alone to deal with her hurts like she had been for most of her life was a blessing, and Oleg truly had become her best mate and confident, something she wished she would be able to repay him somewhat, even though he had reassured her several times already that there was no need for such a debt.
The royal cousin was a lot more formal than Anna, Elsa had been quick to notice that with how he retightened his posture in the presence of the King and Queen and always addressed the servants (bar her, for some reason) of the castle with a distant formality, something Anna had never quite seemed to be able to do, and it saddened her that the upcoming presentation ceremony of his cousin was veiled over by that need to constantly harbor his royal mask.
Elsa had been a little hesitant at the start, especially knowing that, as a servant, it certainly wasn't in her place to make suggestion or even request that the prince do something she might want to do, but the distant look in his eyes and the increasing number of tired lines appearing on his face (and Anna's too, when Elsa stopped to really take a look at her), made it seem like his position of nobility was taking a toll of him, and the fact that Oleg seemed to take no particular interest in talking of trade and politics with Prince Hans when the two happened to e seating in opposite couches in the grand private living room led Elsa to make a decision.
The fact that Oleg seemed to look even wearier as he eventually made it out of the room and closed the door with a sigh only strengthened her resolve further.
"Oleg? Are you all right?" Not wanting to appear too pushy (for, while they were friends, their status was not the same, and Elsa could not be seen addressing him with the familiarity they usually shared in Kristoff's bakery), she still felt compelled to express her concern however, when she caught sight of his hunched shoulders, dark circles under his eyes and how he seemed to be trying to rub an increasing headache out of his forehead.
He seemed to not have heard her the first time, so Elsa repeated her question a little louder, at which his head shot up almost immediately, and the blonde knew while the smile he bore her was rather fake, she couldn't help but feel touched that he would still put her concern over his feelings, and she was well set on showing him his looking-out for her did not go unappreciated.
"Elsa? Oh am I glad to see you, I need to get as far away from this room as possible." He lamented as he dramatically passed his arm over his eyes, feigning exhaustion. Well, it wasn't a total show, Oleg was rather tired of the political jargon and incessant trading opportunities the Duke of Westleton kept offering them (he must really be in need of an economic partner, it would seem), and trying to remain polite while telling him that certain demands of his could unfortunately not be met when he kept cutting in had become somewhat of a routine, and it was rather frustrating that Oleg had the good manners to not interrupt him.
He had to give it to him though, the old man was a gifted spokesman and a very good opportunist, but his unwillingness to compromise on anything that would be remotely disadvantageous for him was becoming increasingly apparent, and despite his (and his Uncle and Aunt –when she attended their talks) attempts to try and offer him an alternative, things weren't really getting sorted out between them. And it was rather frustrating, which was why he would rather not spend a moment more in the castle and would actually rather take a nice breath of fresh air as soon as possible, preferably with Elsa if she wished to accompany him.
"What do you think about heading down to Kristoff's again? I'm sure he could find offer us a nice hot chocolate and a means to get away from all this nonsense talk, don't you think?"
"Of course, after you." Elsa offered him the lead, and had been about to follow him when the room's door opened again, Prince Hans and Anna short on his heels. The young man had his hand in hers and seemed rather insistent they go down the opposite side of the hallway (whatever he was actually saying, Elsa was too far to make out exactly), and for a moment, the blonde was half-hoping she might be able to will her body to take a step towards them, but her brain then reasoned that she couldn't. That she'd gotten a glimpse of Anna for today, and that the princess was happy, and that she couldn't not do anything else for her than offer her assistance if ever it was called upon. She felt her shoulders slump in defeat as the two went down in the opposite direction, Anna's shy wave towards her (and that she only half-heartedly felt herself give back) the only direct interaction she'd had with the princess all day –but hey, it was better than nothing-, but it was hard, to so little of the princess in her life that tiny moments like these made her want to stop time and be with her forever.
Alas, such was the way the world worked for servants like her, Anna was out of her league, and she could only hope that her devoted services would be enough to please her mistress and let the royal know that, if she still wanted, Elsa was still there if she ever needed her.
Oleg, who had stopped in his tracks after realizing his friend was not by his side, had turned around ready to ask what the problem was when he saw how Elsa had stilled, the look of longing in her eyes as his cousin and Prince Hans headed off to see to whatever their plans for the rest of the day were.
True, he had talked to Anna about Elsa, and Anna had tried to spend a little more time with her servant, but with the presentation ceremony quickly approaching and the King's need to be absolutely sure that Anna both knew what was expected of her on the day and the way he had begun to give Anna a bit more insight as to what would be expected of her once she took up the Crown, there truly hadn't been much of an opportunity for him to let the brunette in on Elsa's state –something he now regretted as Anna had disappeared once again.
Such was the difficulty of having to uphold what he'd been taught as a member of nobility, or so he thought, for when he truly looked at how lonely Elsa must feel, despite her attempts to move on from whatever it was she had shared with Anna and embrace her position as a household servant, he couldn't help but feel compelled to lend her a hand. Elsa had been nice company to him since he'd arrived, he could surely repay her the favor somewhat if he really tried.
The thing was, Anna didn't really need the immediate presence of her servant, and he needed to find an excuse to have Elsa talk to her again.
And, judging by how well he knew his cousin, Oleg thought it was safe to assume that if there was one thing Anna was always ready to talk about, it was certainly about the wonder that was chocolate.
"Hey Elsa? What do you say we make Anna a chocolate cake? Think she'd like that?" He offered, and after a moment of reflection, for good measure he added "I'll even let you have the scrapings if you give me a hand."
Oleg was positively glad to see his idea seemed to have ignited some spark inside his friends, because if Elsa's sudden smile at the thought of being able to do something for Anna was anything to go by, she was definitely on board with the idea. Maybe the added bonus of the left-overs were the final push (because Elsa was never one to refuse chocolate, as he'd quickly learnt), but if they were the means to offer her some degree of happiness again, then why not?
"You'll help me?"
Elsa didn't really know how to do cakes. Sure, she and Anna had sometimes overseen how Kristoff rolled out his pastry or how he delicately topped his muffins with icing sugar, but they'd never really been the ones to get covered in flour and adding eggs or cinnamon to the pastry to make sure it was perfect, so this was a little new to her, but in the end, the fact that this was something Anna would like, and the fact that she hadn't really gotten to spend as much time as she would have liked around the princess own over, and the two made it to Kristoff's, the atmosphere suddenly seeming a lot brighter, and Elsa's grin plastered in her face not moving an inch.
It was relatively quiet when the door closed behind them, and no sooner had they set a foot inside that the burly blonde man was already in front of them, ready to take not of what they wished and hurry back to his counter.
"We're not really here to eat, my friend." Oleg started, rather awkwardly as if he weren't too sure all of a sudden if what he was asking for was actually allowed. "Rather, Elsa and I had the sudden urge to bake a batch of cakes for Anna, but we wanted to keep it out of sight you see, so we'd rather avoid using the palace kitchens –can't keep anything a secret from my cousin if we bake there!" He laughed, knowing Anna's all too developed sense of smell alerting her to anything remotely sweet being cooked in a five-mile radius. No, this was a surprise they wanted to being back for her, and with Kristoff's nod of approval, the man even offering them to lend a hand given that his rush hour had died down and it wasn't likely that he'd have any more customers for another while at least, the two of them followed him into his prized kitchens.
"Wow…" Oleg breathed as they entered, Sven close on their heels. "This really is one pristine kitchen!"
"Soooo…" Kristoff said as the other two took in the cleanliness of his workspace (not that he really noticed it anymore, he was used to his workshop being as such, it was a necessity of the trade after all). "Any idea as to what in particular you want to do for her? I do know she likes chocolate fondue, but I don't know that it would be the easiest thing to ring back to her, with the pot and all."
"I was thinking of something more along the lines of a chocolate ice cream cake? I know she'd enjoy that." Oleg offered, nodding towards the refrigerator in the corner, where the cake-master kept his cooler ingredients. "What do you think Elsa?"
"I'd say as long as there's chocolate in it, she should be fine. But the one with the small ball topping was one she'd told me she really does like."
No other instruction needing to be said, the cook set about rummaging through his presses and drawers as he set what they would need on the table one by one, careful as t keep everything I order as it would help them in the long run.
"All right, now that everything's here, I'll just make some space in the back freezer so we can-"
"No need to worry, Kristoff!" Elsa offered, "I think I might have just what we need right here." She added, gesturing to her hand. It was a little odd still, being able to use her magic without anyone being afraid, but with Anna and Oleg's help, she really had come along way and while it wasn't yet fully mastered, she could control it much better, as the small patch of the table she'd aimed for attested.
"Oh! I'd forgotten about that, that's really great, Elsa! No need for a refrigerator at all now!"
It was nice, making a light-hearted comment about something she'd feared for so long, and it was even better when Kristoff asked her to use it again while the three of them actually set down to make the cake itself, the two men making one layer while Elsa concentrated on keeping the base cool or Kristoff adding the top chocolate finishes while she froze them in place, and for the first time in a very very very long time, the blonde realized that having this as a part of her maybe wasn't such a bad thing after all. And if anything, it allowed her to make frozen cakes, which, by the scrapings the three of them shared once they'd finished, was well worth it.
"Do you think there's anything else we could add?" Oleg asked, glancing down at the very appetizing-looking brown and white cake, but still feeling like it was missing a little personal touch, which was something that Anna always appreciated on her cakes. "You know, just to make it a little more personal."
"Well, I do have icing sugar you can write with somewhere in here, if you think it might fit on it-" The baker mumbled as he bent down and rummaged through the bottom cupboard for the fine pipe he sometimes used on special occasions. "-aha! Here it is! Do you want to try?"
Elsa looked up at the offer, half-tempted to leave Kristoff do it himself, as the result was sure to be a lot more elegant coming from someone who was used to handling such a device, but after all the effort she and Oleg (and the baker) had put into the cake, she really wanted to give the last finishing touches herself, and so she took the thin plastic decorator from him, listening to Kristoff's oral "how to use it" and attempted (for as she soon found out, those things weren't half as easy to use as they seemed at a first glance) to give it a personal touch coming from her alone.
True, it wasn't the most elegant to look at, when she finally took her step back to asses her hard work, but with Kristoff's encouragement that maybe with a few more tries she would get the hang of it (and implying that he was more than happy to have them again if ever they wanted to make any more cakes for Anna), Elsa felt it wasn't so bad. And she had to admit, the cake truly did look appetizing, Oleg going so far as to say that if it weren't for his cousin, he probably would have eaten the whole thing by now.
"Maybe I should carry it back then." Elsa suggested, sending a sly look towards the princesses' cousin, not trusting him to keep the cake whole by the time they'd reach the castle, "Besides, someone will have to keep it cool, won't they?"
"True." Kristoff conceded, and with a false sorry mate look towards the noble man, he gently placed the cake on a plate and settled it into Elsa's arms. "Don't need anything else, do you?"
"I think we'll be fine with this." Oleg said as he held the door open so Elsa could slip past with the treat in her hands. "But we'll be sure to drop around again if ever we do need something. Thanks' again, I'll definitely be bringing that recipe home with me when I leave!"
"You okay there?" He asked again when he noticed that Elsa was having a hard time keeping the cake straight, despite the passers-by going out of their way to make their line a little more straight.
"Y-Yeah, sure, so long as we get back in one piece, cake included, I should be okay." She offered. "Thank you Oleg, I really liked that."
"'Welcome, I'm ready to do it any time again, 'cause it was rather fun. I haven't really had fun in a long while either." He sighed, and not for the first time did Elsa notice how similar he was to Anna when expressing how deeply the burden of aristocracy sometimes bothered them. She hadn't really gotten to comfort Oleg much since his arrival since had been doing that for her and he'd always been bearing this outgoing smile and jovial personality, but now, looking at him again, she could see him for what he was, a young adult burdened with expectations who was just trying to find a little lightheartedness in his life.
She felt for him then, a pang in her chest she wished she could show him to let him know that his efforts towards her did not go unappreciated and, that if ever he needed her, she would be there for him, but as she was about to open her mouth, the flash of sadness was gone, and, like Anna, he once again bore the mask of the kind foreign prince unbothered by the outside world while battling his inner turmoil by himself. Maybe if she could just catch Anna for a second she might be able to let her know her cousin might need a little time with her, after all, Anna was always kind and ready to help, this wouldn't be too much to ask of her.
It was with a much more sullen feeling that they made it back to the castle, Oleg still upholding the agreeable demeanor he always bore while Elsa knew he was hiding his own exhaustion. He could probably do with a piece of cake too, Elsa thought after a moment.
"Hey, if you find Anna and the prince, I'll look after the table in the dining room, how about that?" Might as well offer him some distraction from his own thoughts, even if it was only for a few minutes. However, whether he saw her intention or not Oleg agreed, and it was with a much lighter heart that Elsa set the cake down in the center of the table and went about setting down the plates and cutlery that would be needed to eat. Truth be told, all this had made her a little hungry, she wasn't opposed to having a piece herself after all.
Concentrating like Anna had told her, she tried to extend her powers to the table, a little disappointed when the ice came out of her hand in a more shaken shape than what she'd managed earlier, but with the cake's support on top of it, the deformity was hidden, and Elsa had just managed to equally share the snack when the door bolted open, Anna's hurried steps recognizable from a mile away.
"Really? Chocolate cake?!" Elsa barely had time to straighten herself up for the princess when she felt herself being crushed in a most welcomed embrace. "Oh Elsa! It looks soo good! Thank you thank you so much!" Maybe it was said into her hair rather than to her face, but Elsa beamed at the fact that Ana's gratitude was like it used to be and that the weeks they'd spent apart had not seemed to have touched much of her high spirits.
The grin she had just for her as she looked at her for a moment was also something Elsa was sure to cherish for the next few weeks if she was honest.
"Oh! Where are my manners-not that I lost them or anything. Hans, why don't you share a piece with us –thank's okay Elsa isn't it? Of course, sure it is, I'll just… Just leave you this chair here, so that you can, you know, sit yourself down and all that."
The shake of her head was probably imperceptible, but Elsa was glad to know Anna seemed to be more than okay, especially with how many compliments she gave her after each mouthful of the ice cream itself –especially the chocolate part, she liked reminding everyone that she loved chocolate 9it wasn't that they didn't know, but Anna's enthusiasm was infectious, and the wonderful atmosphere around the table was definitely something Elsa had missed over the past few weeks.
Hans, as she was quick to observe, was rather quiet and reserved. He did express his thanks, as was polite, and he did share his like for the cake, which Elsa found both generous and was glad to hear, but he was just as quick keep to himself and let Anna do the talking, and in a way, she liked it, he was much like herself and she understood the want to stay in the shadows when someone was bright as Anna took the spotlight, for who could fault her really?
Nevertheless, he did engage in whatever conversation Oleg eventually dragged him into, remained polite and courteous, and Elsa eventually saw why Anna liked him so much for she had to admit that he was a good match for her: the rational to her daydreaming, the quiet to her outspokenness, the formal to her extravagance, and if Anna genuinely got the same feeling of inclusion and calmness as she got around him, then she could understand why the two spent so much time together –didn't mean she liked it, but Elsa was perceptive. And maybe, with a little time and effort, the two of them might become friends too, for if Anna had taught her anything, it was not to be afraid, and while Oleg was indeed wonderful company to be around, Elsa couldn't help but feel a small tingle in her stomach at the thought that she and the Southerner might be able to become friends too, especially given that he would be her first foreign one, which would be a huge achievement.
Surely friends couldn't be so hard to make, and if ever Hans showed any signs of being rather difficult to talk into being one, Elsa was satisfied to know she could always buy him with chocolate ice cream, as his empty plate testified his immediate like of her work.