Hi Everyone! I am so sorry for the long wait and I'll explain at the end. No more waiting, the final chapter is now up! Enjoy and Happy Reading! :)
Chapter 36
It was a little past six in the morning when the sun's rays crept through Anna's bedroom curtain and warmed the bed where the two sisters were sleeping. Being the early-bird that Elsa was, she awoke first to find Anna's foot resting in her face. Elsa took a couple of seconds to gather her whereabouts and then she pushed Anna's leg off of her chest, promptly moving the foot away from her face as well. "Anna?" She looked down at her feet to find her sister's head, "How did you-?" She took a look around the bed to make sure that Anna was the one turned around and not herself. As the haze of sleep wore off, Elsa managed to sit up and rubbed her eyes, noticing that Anna had her head by the foot of her bed. "Anna…" Elsa gently nudged her sister.
"Mmm…five more minutes."
"It's time to start getting ready."
"Ready for what?"
"Your wedding?"
"My…wedding…" Anna finally opened her eyes and caught sight of her wedding dress by the changing screen. Suddenly, she bolted upright, "It's my wedding day!" Anna hurriedly jumped out of bed and started for her dress.
"Woah, Anna, calm down!" Elsa ran after her sister and practically tackled her to the ground, "You don't need to put your dress on yet."
"I-I don't?" Anna looked around confused, "What time is it?"
"Quarter past six."
"Oh…" Anna's stomach growled, "Are you hungry? I could sure go for some breakfast."
"I've got just the thing." Elsa stood up and offered her hand, "Come on."
Anna happily grabbed her sister's hand and the two quickly put on their robes before running down the hallway like little kids. After a few more turns they approached Elsa and Hans' bedroom where a small picnic basket was waiting outside the door. Elsa scooped up the basket as they ran by, hushing Anna as she squealed and giggled. Soon the two sisters had left the castle behind them as they continued through the garden, eventually coming to a stop at the pond.
"There…" Elsa breath, trying to calm her racing heart, "Seems like the perfect spot for a picnic, don't you think?"
"This is perfect!" Anna happily clasped her hands together, "Did you plan all this?"
"Well, I cannot take all the credit." Elsa placed the blanket onto the grass, "I had a little help from Gerda." As they sat down on the blanket, Elsa grinned, "Although, this was all of my doing."
As she opened the basket and Anna looked inside, a pleased gasp escaped from Anna, "Ice cream?! You're letting me have ice cream for breakfast?!"
"Not just any ice cream. It is chocolate ice cream with little pieces of strawberries and bananas mixed into it. You needed to have some sort of fruit in it in order to count as an acceptable breakfast. Specially made just for you and your special day."
Anna hardly hesitated to dip a spoon into the container and shoved a large portion of ice cream into her mouth, "Mmm…AH!" A funny expression appeared on her face, "Oh ow! Brain freeze! How can it be so cold?!"
"I coated the container with my ice to prevent it from melting. I hope it isn't too cold."
"No, it's my fault…" She shook her head, "Gah! I shouldn't have taken such a big bite. What was I thinking?"
Elsa laughed as she served the ice cream into bowls, "I guess I could have stopped you, but you inhaled it so quickly, I didn't get the chance to warn you." She handed Anna her bowl, "How are you doing now?"
"I'm good. And speaking of good, this ice cream is amazing!" Anna took another spoonful, "This is by far the best breakfast ever! I wish I was getting married every day!"
"This is only the tip of the iceberg." Elsa smiled as she looked out at the pond, "So how are you feeling?"
"I feel good. A little anxious, a lot excited. It's just so weird to think that today is finally the day. I'm getting married and the rest of my life will never be the same. I wonder how Kristoff is doing."
"Hans told me that he seemed to be pretty calm last night. Of course a lot can happen between last night and this morning."
"Queen Elsa? Princess Anna?" The sisters turned around to find Gerda holding onto a beautifully wrapped box in her hands.
"Good morning, Gerda." The sisters replied at the same time.
"I have something for you Princess Anna."
"What?" Anna wiped some ice cream off her face, "That's for me?"
"Yes, Your Highness." Gerda walked over to Anna and knelt down beside her, "It's from your parents. Your mother and father asked me to give you this on the morning of your wedding, if for some reason they were not able to give it to you themselves."
Anna started to wring her hands, "Do you know what's inside?"
"I do not. Your mother gave it to me already wrapped." Gerda placed the gift on the blanket and slowly stood up, "I'll leave you two be."
"Thank you, Gerda." Elsa sincerely smiled and nodded toward her dear friend.
"Yeah…thanks." Anna absentmindedly replied as she continued to stare at the gift.
"Well…" Elsa stood up and dusted herself off, "I think it's time for me to start my day. There are a couple things I need to check on before the ceremony."
"What?" Anna looked up at her sister, "Don't you wanna know what's inside?"
"It is none of my business. This is mother and father's gift to you." Elsa gently squeezed Anna's shoulders, "I'll come back by seven. Then we'll start getting you ready."
"Why do I get the feeling that you already know what's in here?"
"I'll see you in a little bit, okay?"
Anna pouted, "Okay."
Elsa giggled at her sister's expression as she walked away and headed back towards the castle. A cool morning breeze tussled her hair as she strolled through the gardens. Mornings like this was one of many things Elsa loved about life. She fondly enjoyed the clean feel of a new day starting. All she ever wanted while growing up was a clean slate and when the mornings were this crisp and clear, she felt a renewed sense of hope. Unlike Anna, mornings had always been her favorite part of the day. It was always the calm before the storm.
Once she stepped foot into the castle, the calm of the morning instantly disappeared as servants hurried around making the final preparations. On any normal day, Elsa would feel self-conscious about walking around in her robe in front of her staff. But today was not a normal day. Her sister was getting married and Elsa was so deliriously happy that nothing could break her spirit.
"Kristoff?" Hans lightly knocked on the door, "Are you up?"
"Come in."
Hans slowly opened up the door and peeked inside to find Kristoff on all fours searching underneath the bed, "Um. What are you doing?"
"I-uh…" Kristoff looked up at him, "I lost the wedding rings."
"You what?!"
"Shh!" Kristoff stood up, "You can't tell anyone about this, okay?"
"Well I am pretty sure people are going to find out when you and Anna are standing at the altar saying the vows without presenting any wedding rings."
"I know. I know. Just let me think." Kristoff anxiously rubbed the back of his neck with a small smile on his face.
"What are you smiling about?"
"This." Kristoff walked past Hans and reached into the coat pocket of his suit. He exhaled a sigh of relief when he pulled out a small box and opened it up to reveal the two rings, "I forgot I put it here."
"Are you kidding me?!" Hans scowled at him, "You seriously gave me heart attack."
"I know, sorry. I can't help it. I tend to be quite careless and forgetful when I'm nervous."
"So that answers my follow up question on how you are feeling." Hans shook his head.
"You're early, by the way. I thought you said you'd stop by around seven."
Hans rolled his eyes, "Why does that matter, unless you were planning to hide the rings elsewhere to make it more exciting?"
"Come on, Hans, it was an honest mistake."
"This isn't a game, Kristoff. Today is a very special day for Anna. She's been dreaming about this day since she was a little girl."
"I know. I'm the one marrying her, remember?"
"Then act like it." Hans started for the door, "I'll send someone to drop off your breakfast."
"Hans, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to seem like I don't care about today. I'm just really nervous that I'll mess something up. If anything, I probably care too much."
"You can never care too much for the ones you love." Hans smirked, "But I appreciate the apology." With that, he exited the room and closed the door behind him. As Hans walked down the hall, he spotted Gerda talking to one of the other servants. After she had dismissed the servant, Hans walked up to her, "Good morning, Gerda. Do you happen to know where Elsa is?"
"Good morning, Your Majesty. I believe I last saw her heading toward the chapel."
"Thank you." Hans made a beeline to the chapel and opened the door to find his wife sitting in the front pew. He quietly made his way over to her, making sure not to disturb whatever she was doing. As he got closer to her, he realized that she was still in her nightgown and robe and it seemed like she was mindlessly staring off into space.
Seeing as she was in deep thought, Hans decided to leave her alone and was about to turn around to leave when she quietly spoke, "Don't go."
"I didn't want to disrupt you."
"You are not disrupting anything." Elsa scooted over so that he could sit next to her.
"Penny for your thoughts?"
"I was just thinking…" Elsa closed her eyes and sighed, "About us. Our wedding day." She shook her head, "Which is very selfish of me because today is Anna's special day and here I am sitting here thinking about me. I'm pathetic."
"Hmm…" Hans sighed as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, "What about our wedding day?"
"Everything. The anxiety, the excitement, the dress, the music, the ceremony, the vows, the kiss. It all went by so quickly. I wish I could go back in time and slow it all down."
"Well…I guess we can always relive it."
"Huh?"
Hans stood up and offered her his hand, "Come on."
"What are you going to do?" She hesitantly took his hand and stood up as he led her to the back of the chapel.
"Just play along." He took a small bouquet of flowers out of one of the vases and handed it to Elsa before sliding off her wedding ring. He jogged down to the front and sat down at the organ. Before Elsa could realize what he was doing, he started playing the song that she walked down the aisle to on her wedding day. With a smile on her face, Elsa elegantly walked down the aisle, giggling whenever she made eye contact with Hans as he continued playing. When she finally reached the altar, Hans stopped and jogged over to her where he then took her bouquet and gently placed it on the first row pew. He jogged back to Elsa's side at the altar and took both of her hands in his, "Queen Elsa of Arendelle, I vow to fiercely love you in all your forms, now and forever. I promise to never forget that this is a once in a lifetime love. I vow to love you, and no matter what challenges might carry us apart, we will always find a way back to each other." He slipped her wedding ring onto her finger.
Tears flooded Elsa's eyes as he finished reciting his wedding vows, "You remembered."
Hans grinned and handed her his wedding ring, "I believe this is when you're supposed to speak."
Elsa took in a shaky breath in order to regain her composure, "Prince Hans of the Southern Isles, I choose you, to be no other than yourself. Loving what I know of you, and trusting who you will become, I will respect and honor you always and in all ways. With you I pledge to repair one small piece of the world. I take you to be my spouse, to have and to hold, in tears and in laughter, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, from this day forward, in this world and the next." She slid his wedding ring onto his finger.
They smiled at each other like silly young lovers and then Hans recited, "You may now seal the promises you have made with each other with a kiss." Unlike the wedding kiss that Hans initiated, this time they both met each other in the middle with a resilient devoted kiss. Elsa held the back of his head to keep him close as he ran his hands down her back. Tears of joy streaked down Elsa's face as she broke the kiss and buried her head into chest. Hans calmly ran a hand through her hair while the other stayed on her back to keep her close, "Don't cry, my love. Today is a day of celebration, laughter, joy, love."
"I need to tell you something…" Elsa looked up at him and wiped her eyes.
"Is this the thing that was important enough to discuss at one in the morning, but not urgent enough?"
"Yes." Elsa looked down at her hands and then anxiously back up at her husband, "Hans, I-" The clock struck seven and Elsa's eyes widened, "I need to go." Elsa quickly hurried down the steps and picked up the small bouquet resting on the pew, "I'll see you at the ceremony!" She called out as she hurried out of the chapel, placing the bouquet into the vase on the way out.
Expertly weaving through the growing rush of servants and wedding guests, Elsa made it back to the pond in record time. "Anna?" Elsa ran over to her sister who was sitting by the edge of the pond, staring down into the water.
Anna turned around with a sad smile on her face and eyes red and puffy, "You knew about the letters?"
"Yes." Elsa breathed as she sat down next to her sister, "I got them on the morning of my wedding too."
Without warning, Anna threw her arms around her sister and started to cry into her shoulder, "I miss them so much."
Elsa gently squeezed her sister and rested her cheek on Anna's head, "I know, Anna. Me too." Elsa defiantly tried to withhold her tears. She knew what Anna was going through and she needed to be her strength, just like how Anna had been hers throughout her entire life. Once Anna finally calmed down and the tears had stopped, Elsa gave her an encouraging smile, "So…" She wiped away the tear stains on Anna's cheeks, "Are you ready to be a bride?"
"Yes." Anna took in a deep breath and produced a smile, "I was born ready."
Two and a half hours later, the sisters' had finished washing and primping and now Elsa was helping Anna get into her wedding dress. They had enjoyed a wonderfully joyous morning filled with laughter and special talks that can only be shared among sisters. Elsa giggled as she fastened the buttons along the back of Anna's bodice, "Let me know if I tighten it too much. The last thing we want is a fainting bride at the altar."
"I'm fine. If anything, I'd be more worried about the heels. You know how clumsy I can be in flats, imagine the possibilities in heels."
"You do not give yourself enough credit." Elsa clipped a laced veil onto the underside of her up-do, letting it flow down to the floor, "You dance far better than I could ever dream. That takes a whole lot of coordination."
Anna sighed as she turned around to face the full-length mirror, "Wow…" She admired the illusion lace open vee Queen Anna neckline and the form fitting lace bodice that led to the more free flowing skirt with the same lace design. Her sleeves went down to her elbows and she wore little see-through lace gloves. Around her bun-like up-do were small pearl pins that formed an elegant band along with the lace veil coming out of her bun. To top it all off, everything was in the beautiful shade of classic white. "This is really happening, isn't it?"
"You look beautiful, Anna. Simply beautiful." Elsa smiled at her through the mirror, "Kristoff is going to be speechless. He won't know what hit him."
Anna giggled, "Hopefully, he won't be too tongue-tied. We still need him to be able to recite the vows."
For a brief second, Anna's smile faltered and unfortunately for her, Elsa caught it, "What's wrong?"
"It's…nothing." Anna dismissively waved her hand.
"Is this about Mama and Papa?"
"Well, yeah. But it's not just them…" She shook her head, "Never mind. It's stupid."
"Anna, I promised that I would do anything to make this the best day ever for you. What is it?"
"Do you think we could invite James Jagger to the wedding?" Elsa's face went completely stoic, and Anna was getting antsy at her sister's lack of words, "I-I mean, he wouldn't come to the reception, of course. A-and he'd be in a place where no one could see him. But he was still a part of this family at one point in time and he did help raise us." When Elsa still didn't respond, Anna quipped up in a soft voice, "I feel like it would be the right thing to do."
"The right thing to do." Elsa's voice was hard and unforgiving, "Because of that man, Hans, Eugene, Rapunzel and I almost died in an explosion and a nasty fire. Because of that man, you, Rapunzel and I were held captive in that cold dark dungeon without any reason. Because of that man, Thomas almost dissected me alive and managed to get a bullet through my shoulder which, need I remind you, was originally aimed at your head. I am sorry Anna but there is no way on earth that I am letting that man attend one of the greatest celebrations in Arendelle."
"But, Elsa, aren't you forgetting something?"
"Bomb, fire, dungeon, dissection, bullet. Nope, I think that pretty much sums up my honeymoon."
"If it weren't for James, we would not have made it out of the Northern Isles fire when we were kids. Because of that man, we are here, alive, getting ready for my wedding. He risked and lost everything when we rescued us. He lost his fiancé, he lost his hand, he lost his job, and he lost his best friend. He doesn't have much to live for, Elsa. I think it would do him good to see that what he did for us back then was not in vain."
"I don't understand…" Elsa furrowed her brow as she placed her hands on her hips, "How can you be so forgiving?"
"Holding grudges doesn't solve anything. You can't let the world make you hard. You can't let the pain make you hate. You can't let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Being both soft and strong is a combination very few have mastered."
"I don't think I've mastered that yet."
Anna smirked, "You underestimate yourself. I had to learn from someone."
"Me?"
"I always look up to you, Elsa. Always have, always will. That's why I don't understand why you think so little of yourself. You're an amazing person."
Elsa frowned, "I'm sorry. This isn't right."
"What?"
"This is your special day, we should be talking about you."
"It's okay, I'm willing to donate some of my day to you. I believe I took some time out of your wedding day in the morning."
"Alright, but now we're even."
"So?" Anna expectantly raised her eyebrows.
"So?"
"Oh come on, Elsa. You can't be that dense."
Elsa sighed, "I'll ask if James would like to attend the ceremony. But that's it. No reception."
"Deal." Anna hugged her sister, "Thank you, Elsa."
A gentle knock sounded followed by Gerda's voice, "Princess Anna? Are you ready?"
"Yes, I think so!" Anna took in a deep breath as she faced her sister, "Oh my goodness. This is it. I'm getting married."
Elsa wiped away the tears forming in her eyes, "My little sister is getting married." She reached forward and squeezed her sister's hands, remembering how they would play dress up and pretend getting married when they were little girls. So much had happened in such a short time. Where did the time go?
"Elsa, don't cry. If you start crying, then I'm going to start crying and then our makeup is going to get ruined."
"I'm sorry." Elsa laughed as she carefully wiped her eyes, "There's one more thing I wanted to do before we head out." She waved her hand and intricate ice crystals lined the lace designs on her dress and lightly coated the pearl pins in her hair, giving her a shimmering diamond-like effect. "There…" Elsa smiled, "The picture of sophisticated grace."
"Aww…now I know you're trying to make me cry." Anna hugged her sister one last time before she headed out of the room and toward the chapel. While Elsa went the other direction and headed toward the dungeon.
At the front of the chapel stood Kristoff, anxious and restless, as he waited for his bride to arrive. He personally thought that he was covering up his nerves rather well, that is until Hans walked up behind him and whispered, "You okay?"
"Huh?" Kristoff quickly glanced back at Hans, "Yeah, I'm fine."
"You don't look fine. You look like you're about to pass out."
"I-I do?"
"Yes. Just relax, everyone will be looking more at Anna than at you." Hans chuckled, "By the way, save that 'I do' for later, you're going to need it."
"Were you nervous when you were waiting for Elsa?"
"Absolutely not." Hans leaned in a little closer, "I was terrified. There were so many things that could have gone wrong, especially with my father present. You should be relieved that he decided not to show up for your wedding."
"Yeah, I guess." Kristoff nervously chuckled.
"Besides, don't forget how supportive everyone was at the formal dinner last night. It would seem that you do not have any real enemies here."
"That's true." Kristoff sighed, "I guess I would feel a lot better if my best man was here."
"Best man?"
"Sven."
"I can assume that Elsa did not approve of letting a reindeer inside the wedding chapel?"
"Absolutely not."
Hans chuckled, "You know, if having a best man would help you feel more relaxed-"
"Hans Westergard, are you offering to be my best man?"
"I'm just doing my part in making sure that you don't pass out before the ceremony even begins."
"Sounds like a job for the best man." Kristoff smirked, "Just don't tell Sven."
"Wouldn't dream of it."
Elsa lightly stepped down the winding staircase that led to Arendelle's dungeons, careful not to mess up her green gown. She headed toward the only occupied cell in the entire dungeon, ignoring the confused looks from the guards. As Elsa stepped up to James' cell, she kindly dismissed the guards, "A moment please." The guards opened the steel door and headed toward the end of the walkway, still keeping a close eye on their queen.
"Mister Jagger." Elsa lifted her chin in an authoritative manner.
James slowly looked up from where he laid and squinted his eyes, "Queen Elsa?" He sat up with a sense of intrigue, "What brings you down here?"
"My sister."
"Is Anna alright?"
"Princess Anna is more than alright. She is getting married today."
"Today?"
"You haven't heard?"
"I'm not exactly at the top of the news food chain."
"Well, it would seem that Anna has requested your presence at her wedding ceremony."
James chuckled, "You're joking right?"
"I wish I was." Elsa let out a hesitant sigh, "So will you be attending my sister's wedding?"
"No."
"No?" Elsa furrowed her brow, "This is your only chance to get out of your cell and you are just going to turn it down?"
"I don't deserve your kindness."
"Her kindness. I had no intention of ever letting you see the light of day."
"And I deserve no less. Please thank Princess Anna for me, but I do not wish to ruin such a special day."
"Alright." Elsa turned to leave but she stopped, "You know, if you do not wish to ruin her special day, then you would attend."
"I just can't…" He ran a chained hand through his disgruntled hair, "Look at me. I'm a mess. People won't want me there."
"It doesn't matter if people want you there. All that matters is that Anna wants you there. She reminded me that you sacrificed everything to save us all those years back at the Northern Isles. And she wanted to give you the chance to see that your sacrifice ultimately did some good." Elsa tilted her head and shrugged, "But if you insist on staying in your little cell, I guess I can convince Anna that your presence wasn't that important. Shouldn't be too hard."
A small smile spread across James' face, "Are you guilt-tripping me into attending, Queen Elsa?"
"A queen does not guilt trip. I am simply giving you all the necessary information in order to ensure that you make an informed decision."
"Wow, you're good. You're probably ruthless in negotiations. I pity the councilmen who dare to cross you."
"I need an answer, Mister Jagger."
"I'll go. But under one condition."
"This should be interesting. But I'm listening."
"Please just call me James, Mister Jagger is far too formal for me. And-"
"You said only one condition."
"Please hear me out. I want to remain hidden. I do not want anyone to see me other than Princess Anna. I'd hate to stir up any trouble."
"You have stirred up enough trouble in London. Now that we are in my kingdom, my territory, you have no power here." Elsa started to walk out of the cell, "I'll send someone to quickly clean you up. The wedding starts in fifteen minutes."
"Queen Elsa?"
"Yes?" She stopped and turned around.
"Thank you."
"You should be thanking Anna, although I'm not letting you go anywhere near her."
"Queen Elsa?"
"What now?"
"I'm sorry about everything. I really messed up."
Elsa gave him a heartless smile, "Yes you did." With that, she strode out of the cell.
Fifteen minutes later, the chapel was packed and Anna anxiously waited for her sister behind the chapel doors. She breathed a sigh of relief when she spotted Elsa hurrying down the hallway, "There you are. I was starting to think something went wrong."
"Nope. Everything is fine."
"And James?"
"Inside the chapel. He's hidden, but he's in there."
"Thank you, Elsa. I know you have your reservations about him and so do I. But this is a once in a lifetime event."
"It's alright. We have more important issues to focus on right now." Elsa gently knocked on the chapel door, signaling to the guard inside that they were ready to begin. "Oh and Anna?"
"Yes?" Anna anxiously adjusted the bouquet in her hands.
"I love you."
Anna stopped fidgeting and smiled up at her sister, "I love you too."
Elsa took her position behind Anna and fixed her long flowing veil that stretched 5 feet behind her. A couple seconds later, the organist started playing and the chapel doors were simultaneously opened to reveal a full audience standing for the entrance of the bride.
A genuine smile spread across Anna's lips as she stepped into the chapel to see the beautiful and extravagant decorations. Her smile grew a little wider as she spotted her friends from London. Once she passed them, she set her focus to her cousin in the front row. Rapunzel had her hands excitedly clasped together as a couple tears stung her eyes. Eugene wore a casual grin on his face but he gave Anna a gentle nod with a wink when they made eye contact. Finally, Anna looked past Eugene to see her fiancé proudly standing at the front. Her smile couldn't be contained as she watched him nervously swallow followed by his signature grin. She was surprised to see Hans standing beside him with a reassuring smile on his face, but she didn't care. She was getting married. This is the moment she had been dreaming of since she was a little girl. To the outsider, her "Prince Charming" wasn't perfect but he was perfect for her. And that's all that mattered.
Once she reached the front, she handed her bouquet to Elsa and then she and Kristoff faced the Bishop. The kind elderly man smiled at the couple, "We are gathered together to celebrate the very special love between Princess Anna of Arendelle and Sir Kristoff Bjorgman, by joining them in marriage."
After several minutes of the ceremony passed, the Bishop turned toward Kristoff and signaled that it was his turn to say the vows both he and Anna wrote on their own, similar to Elsa and Hans' wedding. Kristoff took both of her hands in his, realizing how sweaty his hands were and nervously cleared his throat, "Anna-uh, I mean, Princess Anna of Arendelle, I can't promise you that dark clouds will never hover over our lives or that the future will bring us many rainbows. I can't promise you that tomorrow will be perfect or that life will be easy. But I can promise you my everlasting devotion, my loyalty, my respect, and my unconditional love for a lifetime. I can promise that I'll always be here for you, to listen and to hold your hand, and I'll always do my best to make you happy, and make you feel loved. I can promise that I'll see you through any crisis, and pray with you, dream with you, build with you, and always cheer you on and encourage you. I can promise that I'll willingly be your protector, your advisor, your counselor, your friend, your family, and your everything. I promise you."
The Bishop turned to Anna and signaled that it was her turn, "Kristoff Bjorgman…every moment with you is a new adventure, and I can't wait to start our lives together. From the moment our paths crossed, you've surprised me, distracted me, captivated me, and challenged me in a way that no human being ever has. I've fallen in love with you again and again, countless times, without reservation, and I still can't believe that today I get to marry my best friend. I promise to be true to you, to uplift and support you. To frustrate and challenge you. And to share with you the beautiful moments of life. Someday, if the stars align, I might even let you win an argument. No matter what trials we encounter together or how much time has passed, I know that our love will never fade. That we will always find strength in one another, and that we will continue to grow side by side. I believe in the truth of what we are, and I will love you always. With every beat of my heart."
Hans presented the rings, and this time, Anna and Kristoff recited the standard traditional vows as they placed the rings on the other's finger. The Bishop did his final passage before he smiled at the young couple, "You may now seal the promises you have made with each other with a kiss."
The room erupted in applause as Anna leaped forward and crushed her lips against Kristoff's. They both could feel the other smile throughout their kiss as Kristoff wrapped his arms around her and twirled her around once before putting her back down and pulling away. Anna couldn't help but giggle as she grabbed his collar and quickly pecked him once more on the lips before turning to her sister. Elsa reached forward and warmly hugged her sister before handing Anna's bouquet back to the bride. The wedding guests quieted down and stood at attention as the newly wedded couple faced the audience, "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the loving couple Princess Anna of Arendelle and her Prince Consort, Kristoff Bjorgman."
As they walked out of the chapel, Anna caught a strange reflection in the window out of the corner of her eye. She slightly turned her head and noticed a respectably dressed James Jagger being escorted out of the side door by a pair of guards. Her heart soared when he turned around to catch one last glimpse of the bride and sincerely smiled as their eyes met. With a final thankful nod of the head, he disappeared out the side door.
"Anna?"
"Huh?" She snapped her head around to face Kristoff, realizing that they were now standing in the middle of the corridor.
"Everything alright?" He smirked, "Or are you already having second thoughts on the marriage?"
"Oh stop it you." Anna playfully swatted his arm followed by a swift kiss on the lips, "I've never been surer of anything in my entire life."
"That's a relief. So you're okay?"
"Hmm, let's see. I just got married to the most wonderful man in the entire world." She wrapped her arms around his neck and brought him close, "I'd say I'm more than okay. I'm ecstatic." She stood up on her tip toes and planted another kiss on his eager lips.
Their kiss was interrupted by Elsa clearing her throat, "I'm sorry to interrupt but there will be plenty of time for you two to do that kind of stuff later. Besides, I hate to sound like a control freak but we do have a schedule to keep. You two are needed on the balcony. The citizens of Arendelle are getting restless to see the newly wedded couple."
"Sorry, you're right, I'm sorry." Anna excitedly pulled on Kristoff's arm as she led him down the hallway toward the balcony, "This is so much fun!"
Elsa laughed to herself as she watched them hurry down the hallway. A small pang of nostalgia tugged at her heartstrings but she quickly pushed those feelings aside with a long cleansing breath. Then she squared her shoulders and headed to the ballroom to ensure that everything was ready for the reception.
"How are you holding up? Ready for ceremony number two?"
"I'm a little tired but, honestly, I am so excited to see the trolls I don't even care." Anna giggled as Elsa helped button up her second wedding gown. Unlike the one she had just taken off, this dress was much less formal and was designed to keep Anna warm during the night ceremony. It was a very simple long sleeve silk dress with a conservative scoop neck and a warm cotton layer underneath. There weren't any fancy designs or a long extravagant veil like earlier in the day. The only added feature would be the pastel green colored cape with an attached hood complete with white fur lining that would ensure to keep her warm throughout the night.
"And how did you like the reception? Was it everything you hoped for?"
"Oh, Elsa, it was everything I dreamed of and so much more. Thank you for all the help."
"It was the least I could after everything you've been through." Elsa finished unclipping Anna's hair, letting the long waves cascade over her shoulders and down to her waist. "I know I said this earlier today but you look so beautiful right now. You pull off simplicity flawlessly."
"Thanks, but in all fairness, you would too if you ever let your hair down." Anna laughed, "And I mean that both figuratively and literally."
Elsa laughed, "Come on, Kristoff and Hans are waiting for us." She grabbed her sister's hand and the two hurried out of the room and down the stairs. Standing at the bottom was Kristoff with a grin on his face as he watched his new bride skip down the stairs.
Anna smiled back at him, "Did you miss me?"
"Of course." He grasped her hand once she reached the bottom of the stairs, "You look beautiful, by the way."
"Thank you."
Elsa felt a bit awkward as the couple shared another long kiss, so she shuffled over to one of the windows and looked outside to see Hans walking Sven and the sleigh out of the stables, followed by two horses for him and Elsa. "We should be going. It looks like Hans has everything ready in the courtyard."
"Alright, come on!" Anna excitedly grabbed Kristoff's arm and dragged him to the courtyard where Hans was patiently waiting for them with his hands clasped behind his back and a smile on his face.
"Sven is hooked up to the sleigh and your bags have already been loaded." Hans stepped to the side of the sleigh and stretched out his arm, "There is a warm fur blanket and hot chocolate ready for you and your trip up the mountain."
"This is wonderful, Hans. Thank you." Anna lightly kissed him on the cheek.
"Anything for the happy couple." Hans chuckled.
Kristoff helped Anna get into the sleigh and then he slid in next to her, "This is a huge improvement from our first sleigh ride together, huh?"
"No wolves. No burning supplies. No snarky attitude."
"I still can't believe you burned my supplies and destroyed my newly paid off sled. It still hurts to even think about that."
Anna rolled her eyes, "Okay, maybe the snarky attitude will still be present."
Elsa laughed as she clipped her dark green cape around her shoulders, "Alright, you two. You're not going to have your first fight as a married couple on your wedding day."
"She's right. We'll save it for tomorrow." Anna giggled as she gently elbowed Kristoff's side.
"Oh boy." Kristoff chuckled as he grabbed Sven's reins, "Take us to the Valley, Sven."
Sven happily snorted as he took off at an eager trot. Elsa and Hans swiftly hopped onto their horses and followed after them, but they kept a far enough distance so that they couldn't hear each other's conversation.
Hans casually looked over at Elsa, "How are you?"
"How am I?"
"Yeah, I feel like I haven't spoken to you since this morning. So how have you been?"
"I am well. A little tired but I am quite content at the moment. How are you?"
"Same as you. Tired, but happy." A couple minutes of silence passed before Hans cleared his throat, "You know, you still haven't told me whatever you've been trying to tell me since last night."
"Now isn't a good time." She glanced over at him with an apologetic smile, "Sorry."
"It's not nice to keep someone waiting in suspense for so long."
"Yes, I know. It's just the timing is bad right now. You cannot say that I have not tried to tell you though. Things just keep popping up." She reached over and rested her hand on his, "I'll tell you later tonight though. I promise."
He smiled, "I'll hold you to that." About forty-five minutes later, as they entered the Valley of the Living Rock, a chill ran up Elsa's spine, causing her to involuntarily shiver. "You okay?" Hans looked over at her with concern.
"Yes, it's just…" She hesitantly sighed as she took in the familiar setting, "I never thought I'd come back to this place. I don't exactly have fond memories here."
"Then why did you agree to come?"
"Anna wanted us to be here. I just couldn't say no to her, Hans. It's her wedding day." Elsa lowered her voice as Anna and Kristoff got out of the sleigh and started walking towards them, "This isn't about me and my feelings. It's about Anna and hers."
Anna happily squealed as she skipped over to her sister, "I don't know if it's just the adrenaline, but I'm not even cold!"
Elsa laughed, "I think it's just the adrenaline. Of course, I personally cannot tell if it's cold or not."
"Trust me. It's the adrenaline." Hans shivered, "I don't get it. It's almost summer. How can it be so cold?"
"Because the Valley of the Living Rock is nestled within the North Mountain. It's cold 365 days a year here." Kristoff tossed Hans the fur blanket, "Here. You need this more than I do. I'm used to the cold." Everyone watched as Kristoff wandered into the open area surrounded by rocks, "Hans. Elsa. Meet my family."
Hans chuckled, "Uh, Kristoff? These are rocks."
Anna sidled up between Hans and Elsa, "Yeah, I know what you're thinking." She giggled, "He did the same thing to me. Just wait for it."
Suddenly the rocks around them started to shake and roll towards Kristoff. Then, one by one, they started to unfold as trolls. "Kristoff and Anna are here!" Bulda exclaimed with a wide grin, "How was the wedding? Did you remember your vows? Did you bathe beforehand?"
Kristoff rolled his eyes, "Yes, I remembered my vows and I bathed beforehand. I even combed my hair, see?" All the trolls ohhed and ahhed in unison as they continued to pick on his wardrobe.
Finally, Anna stepped in, "Hiya, Bulda. How have you been?"
"Anna, dearie! Look at you! All dressed up for our Kristoff. You look beautiful, darling!"
"Thank you. And look…" Anna pointed towards Elsa and Hans, "I brought my sister and brother-in-law."
"They brought guests!" Bulda exclaimed once more, "Well, don't be shy. Come here!"
When Elsa and Hans hesitated to walk closer, they were suddenly surrounded by trolls. Before they knew what was even happening, they were rolling over the trolls toward Anna and Kristoff. Once beside them, Elsa anxiously grabbed Anna's hand, "They are a little more rambunctious than I remember."
"I know, isn't it great?!" Anna giggled.
Bulda excitedly grabbed Anna and Kristoff's hands, "We've got everything set up for the ceremony. It's so wonderful that you two decided to come up here and allowed us celebrate this magical day with you."
"Well, of course. You are family after all." Anna glanced up at her sister, "Actually, you should be thanking Elsa. It was her idea."
Bulda grinned at the young monarch, "Your Majesty-"
"I sense some strangely familiar magic here." Everyone quieted down as several trolls parted and Grand Pabbie made his way toward the guests, "I haven't felt a presence this strong in many, many, years." He stopped and looked up at Elsa, "Your Majesty. I knew something felt familiar about your presence."
Elsa nervously fidgeted, "Hello."
Grand Pabbie held a stoic disposition, "How have you been doing in regards to your powers?"
"Better. Slowly but surely getting better."
After a long pause, a kind elderly smile appeared on his face, "Good. Very good. It would seem to me that you've grown up quite a bit since the last time I saw you. And your powers have grown tenfold." He outstretched a hand and pointed to a distant, but pretty clear view of her ice palace, "A beautiful work of art, to go with a beautiful young woman."
"Thank you." Elsa breathed out a sigh of relief.
"Now…" Grand Pabbie turned toward Anna and Kristoff, "I've been told that there is a wedding ceremony taking place here. Let the celebration commence."
About an hour later, Anna and Kristoff were standing in a troll-made pit, wearing earthly capes and hats, but extremely happy never the less. Meanwhile, Grand Pabbie was finishing up the ceremony, "Before I pronounce you married as husband and wife, I have just one more thing I want you to do. Your wedding day is one that seems to fly. It's a day filled with emotion, friends, rings, and dances. Many people remember how fleeting their own wedding day was. So I want you to take a few seconds to look into each other's' eyes. Think about the happiness that you are feeling in this place, in this moment. Really let that feeling register in your heart and your mind. Now, I want you to think about your life together in twenty years. Where are you? What are you doing? We all know that your visions of the future are not identical, but always complimentary. It has been said that a dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together, that is reality. And that new reality starts now."
A couple hours later, the ceremony had ended and the trolls were celebrating the marriage in their own special way. Soon it was coming up on eleven and Elsa and Hans decided it was time for them to leave, considering the nearly an hour-long journey back to Arendelle. All the goodbyes were said and Elsa was finishing up her goodbye to her sister, "Take care and have fun. I'll see you in a month. Unless of course your honeymoon turns out like mine, then feel free to cut it short."
Anna laughed, "I doubt that mine will be as treacherous as yours. We're going to be staying at a cabin a couple miles from here. Very secluded. Very safe."
"Good." Elsa warmly hugged her, "I love you."
"I love you too." Anna gently squeezed her sister, letting a content smile spread across her face. There was nothing more delightful than Anna being able to hug her big sister like this. She had taken advantage of that when they were little, and she definitely wasn't going to take advantage of it ever again.
Once the hug ended, Elsa started to walk toward her horse where Hans was already patiently waiting for her, "You okay?"
"Yeah…she's in safe hands." Elsa mounted her horse and waved at the couple one last time before beginning the journey back to Arendelle.
About half way through their trek, Hans quietly quipped, "It was odd how Grand Pabbie could sense your presence. I wonder if that means other beings could sense your powers as well."
"Eir seemed to be able to sense it, too." Elsa furrowed her brows, "I am unsure if that's a good thing, though. There could be many more creatures or people with that kind of special awareness. Some of whom may not be as friendly."
"That's what I was thinking. However, I mean, it's not like your powers are a secret to begin with. It's public knowledge, now. Thomas even told us that he read about your powers in the papers, although he probably knew even sooner because of James."
"True. If anything, the knowledge of my powers have instilled more fear and compliance into any potential enemies."
"So we're not going to worry about it?"
"No. At least, not until it becomes a problem."
"If it becomes a problem. We have to look at this optimistically."
"You know what? You're right. I don't want to discuss this any further."
"So what do you want to discuss?"
"How about we just live in the moment and enjoy how wonderful today has been?"
"I like that idea."
It was around midnight when they finally entered the castle courtyard and handed their horses off to the stable hands. As Hans headed toward the castle doors, Elsa grabbed his arm, "I want to take a walk."
"Now?"
"Trust me. You'll want to take this walk with me."
"Alright." Hans followed her as she walked to the back entrance of the castle that led to their special spot on the hill overlooking Arendelle.
Once they were under their favorite tree, the same spot that Hans proposed to her after being reinstated as a prince, Elsa anxiously breathed, "Okay. It's time for me to come clean and finally tell you what I've been trying to for about a day now." She cautiously looked around, "Hans, I…"
Hans intently looked at her as she paused, "I?"
"I'm just waiting for something or someone to interrupt."
Hans nervously chuckled, "Come on. You're actually giving the world a chance to interrupt you? How bad can this be?"
"It's not bad at all…" She smiled up at him, "I'm pregnant."
Hans' expression froze, "You're…pregnant?"
"Yes." She giggled at his shocked expression, "I'm pregnant."
"And it's mine?"
"It's ours." Elsa ran her hands up his chest and rested them on his shoulders, "We're going to have a baby, Hans."
"We're going to have a baby…" Finally the shock subsided as an ecstatic smile took its place, "We're going to have a baby!" He scooped her up and twirled her around, "We're going to have a baby!"
Elsa couldn't help but laugh, "Now you see why I wanted to tell you when we were far away from everyone."
Hans put her back down on her feet, "I-I…" He wildly shook his head, "Oh my goodness, I have so many questions. How? When?"
"Well, I think you know how." Elsa giggled, "But I've known about this for about two months now."
"Two months?! I would have never guessed. You've been acting so normal."
"Have I?"
Hans thought about how she kept avoiding and turning down alcoholic drinks and how she changed her normal brunch tea to water in order to avoid any sort of caffeine. Then he remembered how she kept disappearing for hours at a time and then returning in an extremely cheerful mood. But then he remembered one last thing, "What a minute. I've been asking you, quite frequently I might add, if you were pregnant. And you always said no."
"I lied." Elsa told him in a matter a fact manner, "I didn't want to take away any of the attention from Anna and Kristoff's wedding. And I also didn't know for sure until yesterday afternoon."
"Yesterday afternoon…I can assume that's where you went after you had Anna bring my mother to your study."
"Yes. Doctor Omsorg and I had our suspicions about the pregnancy but he didn't confirm until yesterday. I was so excited I wanted to tell you last night, but we were so busy with everything that it fell off the priority list."
Hans reached forward and took both of her hands in his, "You know what? It doesn't matter. All that matters is that we are going to have a baby and we are going to be parents and we can finally start a new chapter of our lives together. Hopefully, this one will be a lot less exciting than the previous ones."
"I couldn't agree more." Elsa raised an eyebrow, "Now, I believe that it is customary for the husband to kiss his wife after the baby announcement has been made."
"I couldn't agree more."
Elsa smiled as Hans leaned down and deeply kissed her, feeling a strong passion build up between them as he pressed her back against the tree, trailing his hands down her body in a way that made her excited. This day had been one to remember for both sisters, and if this was the beginning of their new chapter in life, then today was one heck of an introduction.
I just want to take a moment to thank all of you for staying with me and my stories. You guys make writing these stories worth it. The reason why this chapter took so long to be written was 1. It was a really long chapter 2. My schooling has literally taken over my life 3. I received a message from a concerned writer (The Princess of Stars) about these harsh reviews she had been receiving about the similarities between her story "Beauty and the Beast" and my story "Warn Hugs". I read her story and I found that there were some similar aspects, but the overall plot lines were completely different. I promised her that I would clear things up and mention this issue in my next update. I read some of the reviews on her story and there were some pretty nasty comments, so I'm going to ask you guys as a fellow writer, please be respectful in your comments. I completely understand if you wish to comment with some constructive criticism, that is absolutely fine. But to just write a spiteful review for no reason is pretty messed up. I even received a couple vial comments recently due to my long time-span between chapter updates. It really doesn't give me any desire to write more.
Alright. I'm getting off my soapbox now. Hahaha. Back to Warm Hugs...I am in the process of writing the third installment in the Warm Hugs Trilogy right now. The title will most likely be, "Warm Hugs 3: The Fight for the Future". I don't know when it will be up, nor will I give an estimate because if I don't meet that deadline I usually start receiving those nasty messages. The best way to get alerted to when I update my new story is to follow me. I just want to thank you all again for all the love and support you have given me. It means a lot to me that you guys enjoy my work.
Now I have a surprise for you all. I do have the summary already written up for the next story and I feel like I at least owe it to you guys to release it. So without further ado, here is the summary for "Warm Hugs 3: The Fight for the Future":
Following the events of Warm Hugs 2, the sisters are finally settling into the new growing family dynamic. But it turns out that a few loose ends from a previous adventure has returned stronger than ever. Secrets are revealed, alliances will be shattered, and tragedy will change the royal family's future forever.