I know, I know, five days late.. Better than a year, though, right? That's my sister's record for failing to upload the next chapter. Be glad your not her fans haha
More to the point, here is your final chapter. Whooo! What a wild ride!
Also, since this is the finale, is it wrong for me to expect a quick rating of the story once you've finished? It would mean a great deal, even if all you said was 9/10 or 2/10, depending on how much you liked it. Maybe even do one for the writing. 7/10 for story but 4/10 for writing style. *shrug* I love you all either way.
Enjoy, and Thank you for joining me on this crazy ride.
"Elsa!" Anna shouted, feet squeaking in the sand, shoes in hand.
The cursed storm that had plagued Arendelle and neighbouring kingdoms had cleared within twenty-four hours and today, three days later, the ships that had trapped all the visiting guests were leaving, heading home. The birds, who had refused to return because they knew what the people did not, had filled finally the trees, their songs dancing on the warm breeze, and the ocean, once frozen, splashed against the shore happily, filled with blues and greys and each wave tipped with white. Anna could see in the distance the fishing boats, already coming back in with the tide.
Elsa was still some distance away, but she waved to her sister from where she sat on the bench. Anna could make out Kristoff, building a large bonfire on the sand, and Hans making another one further down with Mr Anderson and the students from the school. Next to Elsa was Kaerus, the sweet king who had fallen in love with her sister. Anna could see it, now that they were together. With them also were the guards who had helped her sister flee the castle so many months before.
As she made her way to the group, Anna recalled the awkward moment two days ago when she was reading quietly in the corner of the library. Elsa had entered the room with Kaerus in tow, but she was hidden away from view in the widow seat, the curtain drawn around her to avoid being bothered, so they had no idea she was there.
She heard the chairs by the wall pulled out and they must have sat. It wasn't until they started talking that Anna paid any attention.
Kaerus' voice started, thick with his northern accent. "I'm not exactly sure how to say this, Elsa, so forgive me if I word this poorly," Anna's attention was instantly grasped, and though she stared at the words printed in front of her, they made no impact. "I know we talked about getting.. You know, married, once all this was over, and I know we both thought you were going to.. well, die, and we made some promises to each other, and I just want to let you know that I understand, given the situation, if you would rather stay here than return with me. You have been welcomed among my people, but I understand the love of family, and I know that I wouldn't be able to bare leaving mine, and so I cannot expect the same of you."
There was stunned silence for so long, Anna thought that Kaerus had actually entered alone. A peek around the fabric revealed that Elsa was just too shocked to speak.
"I want to return to Ajorn." Elsa was sitting stiffly in her chair, not looking at Kaerus who stood behind his chair, gripping the back of it. Elsa wouldn't have been able to notice, but Anna saw his pale knuckles. "After the storm, I can't imaging people welcoming me back with open arms."
Kaerus was nodding. "I can find you a position among my staff after you finish the wall, if you wish, or elsewhere, depending on your choices. You will still have your pick of the manor, as was promised in exchange for your work, but if you'd prefer-"
Elsa cut him off by standing, shaking her head. "I want to return to Ajorn with you, if you- if you'll still have me, of course." She shrugged awkwardly. "I think the people like me better, there." She gave him a shy smile but Kaerus was already stepping around the chair and resting his hands on her bare arms.
"There is nothing I would love more than to have you return with me." Before Anna knew what was happening, he was on one knee in front of her, looking up at her sister with more love than Anna was comfortable witnessing. "Elsa, will you do me the honour of returning to my kingdom with me and becoming my partner and my queen?"
Elsa was nodding, and hand covering her mouth, but unable to hide her smile. "King Kaerus, I will return to your kingdom and become your partner and your queen."
Even now, the shock of learning that her sister was getting married still shook her after so many years of living alone in her room.
Elsa had gone looking for her within the hour, and Anna had pretended to have been in the gardens the whole time, though that story could only stay as strong as Kaerus' resolve to stay quiet about finding the new queen sneaking out from the enclosed window seat right after Elsa left. In her defence, Anna had assumed they left together. He had laughed it off, and promised, but all sorts of secrets would be shared on their way home and after. No doubt Elsa would know by the time Anna visited for the ceremony.
As she got closer, Kristoff stood and waved at her. He was out of a job for the next week or so, since everyone who bought his ice was about as sick of the cold as the next person, so Anna had offered him some labouring duties around the castle until he was able to start again. One of those was to build a row of bonfires along the beach for the celebration. Ironically, the day also fell upon another of Arendelle's festive days, so the party was going to be twice as big with three times as much fish to feed everyone.
Anna shuddered at the thought of more seafood, but they were expecting more food parcels to be arriving in the next week by sympathetic neighbours, so it wasn't all bad. The crops were already being sowed and they'd have fresh grain soon enough, among other foods. Even the fruit trees were budding, full of bees and honey-eating birds.
There were people coming from all over the kingdom, right up to the Arendelle and Ajorn boarders and beyond. Just yesterday, Anna found Elsa and Arthur talking animatedly to an old man. Upon introductions, Anna was introduced with Doctor Dragonson, one of the few people who let Elsa and her companion rest for a night during their journey. Anna was completely lost as they spoke of the mother, father and their twins, but Kaerus was honoured to discover that there were children named after him. Anna could still remember watching the elderly man at a loss of what to do when the King walked into the room. The doctor attempted a bow and a grovel and a curtsy all at the same time, and it was all anyone could do to not laugh as he almost fell over.
Anna didn't really take much notice of the conversation until Elsa mentioned that Earl Dragonson lived with the Trolls for many years, and at that point, Anna excused herself and grabbed Kristoff, perhaps a little too flirtatiously, who she knew would love to talk to him.
They could have talked the night away, actually. Kristoff knew everything about the current clan, and he loved hearing stories of the past, since the two were now practically family. Kristoff even promised to take the doctor to meet them on their way back north, which he gleefully accepted.
She could see by the second bonfire Arthur and the doctor still talking animatedly. Kristoff approached every now and then, but he was fairly busy and only paused for a few minutes.
In the time Hans and Anna had stopped talking, Kristoff had gotten obviously sweet on her. He was somehow always by her side when he could be, asking questions and offering assistance. She wasn't sure if he was trying to be a good friend in her heartache or actually thinking he stood a chance. She didn't want to turn him down if he had no intentions, but at the same time, she didn't want him to think she was flirting back, though she was, just not with serious intentions. He even made a passing comment about how if he found a reason to stay in town, he wouldn't complain. At first, Anna had just assumed he was talking about a job that didn't involve driving huge loads of ice all over the country, but in hind-sight, it was probably not that. Honestly, it gave her a headache.
Hans was another story all together. After she unleashed her rage upon him, he had been nothing but kind and patience and was always the first to get out of her way. He never shouted or demanded that she listened, and eventually, Elsa had been the one that had convinced her to hear him out. She hadn't spoken a word for his entire explanation, but it was difficult to say she had destroyed all hope of working thing out with him. In any case, he was still getting along with the school teachers and the students and the majority of the population of the town. With the issue of a relationship gone from between them, Anna found time to watch him, and how he acted around other people, and she noticed he was calmer and kinder than when he first go there, and that only made her chest hurt more.
Right now he was laughing with Mr Anderson at the antics of one student doing cartwheels in the sand, and she watched him watch the rest of the children attempt the same.
She tore her eyes away from his and looked back at Kristoff, the man who had made no effort to kill her sister. She never thought that would account to much in looking for a companion, but surprisingly, not killing her sister put him in her good books. Not that Hans was out of it.. Urgh! She had no idea what to think about the whole matter!
She sighed, having reached her sister, and Elsa opened up an arm for her, inviting her to sit with her and Kaerus.
"Feeling ok?" Elsa asked, wrapping her arm gently around Anna's shoulders.
Anna shrugged.
"Boy problems?" Elsa smirked. She knew full well it was exactly that, but she had promised to not favour anyone in exchange to hearing Hans out, which, technically, was a favour in itself.
Anna sighed again and nodded, leaning her head into her sisters shoulder.
Kaerus pipped up, looking across to her. "Cheer up. Once you're married you don't even have to look at them if you don't want to. Just pop out an heir or two and-"
Elsa slapped him across the stomach playfully, but a pointed look none the less. "That is not something you need to say in front of your engaged," She laughed mildly, and he joined in. She had really relaxed over the past few months.
Anna watched them play together. His voice was a perfect note next to hers, and if he could sing, they would sound beautiful together. She was only a few inches shorter than him, and they shared their humour and they were both royalty, and he was the King of the Ice and she was the Sorceress of the Snow and the two of them just fit. Anna sighed again, but quieter so her sister didn't hear. She didn't know who she fit with.
She stared out at the ocean, clear and blue after so long of being icy and grey. There were children in the waves, too, splashing about and enjoying the warmth of the sun and they danced and swam and jumped over the white crests as they broke on the sand. Even the sky was a rich blue, and only a few fluffy white clouds hovered around, remnants of the terrible time they had all just survived.
As she watched, more people started arriving from the town, dipping their toes in the cool water and talking loudly.
Kayleen and Mayleen appeared on either side of her laughing loudly, and that's when she noticed Elsa and Kaerus had moved on.
"I haven't seen a man look that good since never," Mayleen commented, looking past Anna.
"That dark skin is giving me the chills, he is," Kayleen agreed.
"Dark skin!" Her sister shot a look at Kayleen. "I was talking about the blonde one stacking the wood, you know, Kristoff? He's going to ask me to marry him one day, I just know." She rested her chin on her hand and stared after him, batting her eyelids to his back.
Kayleen shrugged. "You've got to actually ask him, first." Mayleen blushed and leaned back, shying away from the thought.
Anna laughed. "I don't think you have any chance with Kaerus, either." When she looked over at her quizzically, Anna continued, falling easy into the conversation. "He's the king of Ajawn and currently engaged to my sister."
The twins fill the air with 'Oh's and 'wow's and laughter as they continued to look at all the men walking past.
Alissa wondered over and sat down on the sand by them, and Anna was filled with a sense of happiness, surrounded by her friends.
When the fawning sounds died down, Alissa got straight to the point. "We don't hear from you for weeks, and then you throw a huge party?" She looked almost offended except for the grin breaking out on her cheeks. "I bet I can guess who missed us."
"You got me," Anna laughed, leaning back. "I missed you girls so much. It's just not the same being a Queen."
They chatted for a few minutes, and watched as Mayleen's dog bounded into the waves, two young children raced after him. Even Alissa's father took the time out of his day to chat up some much younger women by one of the unlit bonfires. His daughter just rolled her eyes and ignored him.
Anna had forgotten about everything that had ever bothered her until Kayleen shouted loudly right now to Anna's ear. "Jessika!"
The queen winced, and not just because of the loud noise. Since she gave Jessika the blanket, there had been no contact between them. For all she knew, Jessika had thrown it away or sold it.
The now obviously pregnant woman started over to them, though, Jonathan by her side, and smiling as she approached. Her eyes didn't meet Anna's until they were at a comfortable distance, and though Anna shrunk back slightly, there was no malice or dis-contempt in her eyes.
"Hello," Anna said, once she realized she was safe.
"Hi Anna," Jessika gave a tight smile, but her eyes were sad.
Jonathan, seeing the tension, jumped in. "On behalf of both of us, I'd like to thank you for the quilt, Your Majesty." He gave a shallow bow.
"You're very welcome, Jonathan, Jessika. It was the least I could do, considering the circumstances we were in," Anna said the last part to her friend.
There was another awkward pause, then Alissa took their attention. "You two should join us. It will be like old times." She smiled brightly and Jessika smiled back, accepting.
Anna and Jess didn't speak much, but there was so much conversation going on between everyone that no one really noticed. By the time the sun was setting, any conversation involving both women was relaxed and comfortable.
Once the fires were all lit, Kristoff joined them, sitting on the sand next to Mayleen. Anna couldn't help but notice her fluttering eyelashes whenever they talked. She felt jealous, but at the same time she knew it wasn't fair on her friend because she had been crushing on him much longer than she herself had. Of course, that triggered the depressing chain of thoughts of not having someone after so long of being with someone.
The music started up, and Kayleen asked Jessika to dance with her for the first song. As they bounded away, Anna watched as Mayleen got up the courage to ask Kristoff to dance as well, but Alissa butted in and left May staring after them with her mouth still open. Anna playfully bumped her chin and closed it for her, leaving May to huff and groan about being left behind and about being stabbed in the back and betrayed and all that sort of thing. Anna left her train of thoughts and laughed with her, promising that the night was still young and she would get her dance, even if the Queen had to order it herself. Mayleen hugged her for that, still laughing.
By the firelight, close to the ocean, Kaerus and Elsa danced. He spun her around slowly, and even dared a dip. Elsa's laughter could be heard all along the beach, and while people gave the two space, no one ran in fear. Even as Anna watched, she could see the tide nipping at their heals. The tide was on it's way in, but that wasn't stopping then. As Anna watched, the two stepped onto the waves and danced, stepping around the frozen white caps on their own private dance floor. Kaerus was laughing now, looking around at her creation. He twirled her again, before picking her up by the waist and spinning her. The people around watched, and Anna was glad that no one was breaking out the torches and pitchforks yet.
In the same conversation that Elsa confessed she was getting married, she also said she would be leaving the day after the festival. That left and empty feeling in her chest. She couldn't really miss her sister, they had done so little in the other's lives that there would be nothing to miss, but it still left Anna feeling hollow. Hollow, but happy for her sister. Anna knew, deep down, that finally Elsa had found something for her. She was going to be in an environment that welcomed her, next to a man who would love her and in a kingdom that celebrated her.
Elsa's laughter reached Anna's ears and she was struck by a pang of jealously all over again. She didn't even notice when Kristoff returned laughing with Alissa and asked Mayleen to dance. Jonathan took Alissa's hand and guided her onto the dance floor, and Anna was left alone.
Not totally alone though, because as she watched all their backs retreating towards the warmth of the fires, Hans approached.
"Shouldn't you be planning a trip back home?" Anna snapped, looking away from him.
He sat on the same bench but with plenty of distance between them. "Nah, I kind of like it here." He shrugged. "If you're saying I've outstayed my welcome, I think I might just get a place in town."
Anna glanced at him for only a second, to check if he was serious. "Why wouldn't you just go back to your family?"
He looked at her, and it was all Anna could do to not look back. "I love the people, I love the land, and I love the queen." He turned back around to face the ocean. "More than I love my own, but I'm pretty sure you knew that already."
"You don't know the first thing about living alone," Anna stated, still not looking at him.
"Neither did you, and you did quite well." She could hear him smirking. "If I was only a quarter as amazing as you are, I reckon I can make it."
Anna shook her head, snorting. "You'll probably do better than I did,"
He glanced at her again. "Do you think so?"
Anna realized what she had said, and how that came across, and she blushed, turning her head away so he couldn't see. She didn't reply, because she knew that what ever she said would only make it worse.
He accepted her silence, the way he now did, watching with her everything around them from the firelight to the clouds to the gentle waves to the dancing people.
The silence stretched on, and Anna realized that it wasn't as uncomfortable as she made it out to be. No one approached them, though Anna suspected it was because Elsa was fluttering around and telling her friends not to.
After a few songs, the Winter Waltz started to play. The very same song Anna and Hans danced to all those months ago.
Hans stood up, and offered his hand. "Would my Queen do me the honour of joining me for this dance?"
