Chapter Fifteen
Disclaimer: I neither own the rights to Disney, Frozen, the Disney universe nor any of its associated media, derivatives or products. I do not profit from this work.
The man watched the sky with furrowed brow. Despite the fact that this far north and so late in the year the sun only shone a few hours a day, it was a welcome few hours for the man, a time to go out of his tent and feed the reindeer. As he did so, he watched the creeping advance of what appeared to be clouds on the horizon. Lighter clouds had covered the sky overnight, but a darker storm was approaching on the horizon. Even as he looked, the clouds' speed overhead seemed to be accelerating.
"What are you looking at?" a voice asked. The man glanced over to see another looking back at him. Both wore warm reindeer-skin tunics, with woollen clothes in hues of blue and scarlet peeking through at the collar, and their language was not that of the Arendelians to the south.
"The sky," the first answered, going back to feeding his reindeer. "A storm is coming, a big one. I've been watching it for a few hours now."
The second shrugged. "It's winter; there will always be storms."
"Not like this. Can't you see it?" He nodded again to the horizon, over the frozen tundra. "It's moving too fast; I don't like it. I think we should leave."
"Leave? We have only just settled here; we should stay at least until spring."
The man hesitated, and then shook his head. "There's something wrong about that storm, Dávvet; I don't trust it." He couldn't explain it, not logically; he'd seen bad winter storms before, and after a lifetime living at the mercies of the harsh northern weather, he knew in his heart that this was different. There was something unnatural in the way the clouds were moving, the way the unceasing winds blew straight from the north without variation. "I won't risk my family's safety."
"Where will you go?"
"South. To Arendelle."
His neighbor laughed, but it was a laugh without humor. "I'd rather risk the storm."
"There are good people in all places. Perhaps we can seek shelter there."
"Then I wish you luck, if you're decided. But don't be surprised if we're not here when you return."
And that was what the man did. The other herders watched on as he and his family tore down their tent, packed their belongings onto the back of their sled and two of their reindeer, and started south.
"Where are we going, Papa?" the man's young daughter asked him, as his wife held their infant son close.
"Somewhere we will be safe."
"It's here, it's here, I can't believe it!"
The dressing room doors burst open, and Elsa jumped about three feet in the air, having just finished braiding her hair. "Anna!"
"Oh, this is so amazing, I gotta try it on!" Her sister was talking a mile a minute, with Gerda in tow, carrying something that was wrapped in soft cream linen.
"Anna, calm down and tell me what is here and why," Elsa commanded in a slower voice.
"My wedding dress, of course!" Anna exclaimed, breathless. "I can't believe it; I was worried it wouldn't get here in time!"
Elsa smiled, happy to see her sister so excited. Gerda set the dress down on a table and unfolded the linen. Anna's bubbly speech faded off as she stared at the soft, white silk. "Wow," she said softly.
"Go ahead; try it on," Elsa encouraged gently.
Anna picked up the dress by the waist and bit her lip. "Are you sure?" she said hesitantly.
"It's your wedding dress," Elsa said with a chuckle.
"Right. I know that. Yeah." She disappeared behind the changing screen, and then after a few moments called out, "Gerda, I need help with the back."
"Oh, of course, m'Lady." Elsa waited patiently as the matronly maid went behind the screen and helped Anna, before the younger sister said nervously, "O-Okay… I'm ready."
She walked out from behind the screen, and Elsa pressed a hand to her mouth, stunned. Her little sister had never looked so…so grown up. The dress was beautiful, with a full skirt and a laced bodice, a true Victorian collar and intricate stitching in flower motifs all around the edges of the skirt and on the two halves of the bodice. A large sheer veil completed the look. "Oh, Anna…" Elsa said, voice soft.
"Do you think it looks alright?" Anna said, biting her lip in worry.
"Alright? You look…" She couldn't even find the word, instead choosing to fill it by walking forward and hugging her sister. Anna grinned and hugged her back. "Lovely," Elsa said finally, drawing away. "You look absolutely lovely, Anna."
Gerda sniffed. "Your sister is right," she said, wiping her eyes. "Oh, I always wondered when this day would come… both of you, getting married…" She sniffled again and dropped her gaze, embarrassed by her sudden tears. "I'm sorry, m'Ladies."
"No, no; don't be," Anna gushed. "Thank you so much."
"I'll leave you two together," the housekeeper said, eyes still glimmering with tears. She curtsied and left, leaving the door open behind her.
"Kristoff is going to love it," Elsa promised.
Anna's happy expression turned to concern. "You think so? I really want him to…"
"I know so," Elsa assured her. "You look beautiful, Anna."
"You do," a voice said from the doorway, and both looked over to see Hans standing there, smiling a little. "Quite lovely."
"Came to see what you missed out on?" Anna said, but to Elsa's surprise, her voice wasn't bitter.
"Not intentionally, but fate must have had its hand in things. May I come in? I need a word with the Queen."
"If you like." Elsa raised an eyebrow, but didn't question it. Clearly something had been done to amend the rift between the two of them, and while it baffled her, she wasn't about to ruin the apparent truce. Hans walked in and closed the door as Anna turned to look at herself in the full-length mirror, next to the wardrobe. "I can't believe it fits so well; I was sure they'd have to hem it or something. That's really lucky, isn't it?"
"Either that, or you just haven't grown in the six months since you sent them your measurements," Elsa pointed out wryly.
"Yeah, but still…" She sighed wistfully. "I guess I should change back, huh? Knowing me, I'll probably trip into some sort of mess if I keep it on too long."
"You can use my room," Elsa said, retrieving her normal clothes from behind the screen.
"Thanks." She took the dress in hand and quickly hurried over to Elsa's changing room, closing the door behind her.
Hans and Elsa were left in silence. The Queen sat down on the sofa. "You said you wanted a word with me?"
He retrieved an envelope from inside his jacket and passed it over. "A messenger arrived in the stables some ten minutes ago. Looked dead on his feet; he said to pass this on to you. I think he must have thought I was a groom, since I was looking after Sitron."
Elsa opened it and scanned the contents. "There's a storm approaching from the north. It's still quite a ways away, but it looks like it'll be ugly if it reaches Arendelle. Nothing I can't take care of." She folded the letter again. "Thank you."
"Certainly."
There was another uncomfortable silence. After a moment, the prince added, "That compliment was sincere, by the way; your sister truly did look beautiful."
"Jealous?" Elsa commented, voice only a little barbed.
"Well, I certainly don't pity Mr. Bjorgman, if that's what you mean."
Elsa smiled. "They're going to be very happy together."
"And you?"
"And I, what?"
"Your dress. Don't you have one?"
Elsa shook her head. "There wouldn't be time to have it sent; I'm making my own."
"Making it?" She gestured with her hand, and a little puff of snowflakes appeared. "Ah. Clever."
"Well, I figure it'd be better to make a dress than to buy one I'll never use," she explained.
Hans glanced around the room and then looked at her pointedly. Elsa shook her head. "I checked the room before I came in; there are no spies in here. I assumed you didn't see anyone on your way in?"
"No one."
"Then we're fine."
Hans nodded towards the door. "So your little sister is getting married. Isn't the Queen usually the first to wed?"
"Stop that; you'll make me feel like an old maid," Elsa chuckled, though she didn't look too offended. "You and my council; you should have heard some of their attempts to persuade me to marry one duke or another. At least this false engagement gets them to leave me alone for a while."
"So you don't want to get married someday?" Hans said, surprised.
"Whether I 'want' it or not has very little to do with the matter; what I really need is a few years to get used to being a queen before I add having a husband into the equation. I assume that's about how long I can hold off my council before they set up an arranged marriage."
"You know, most women wouldn't say that with such…" He tried to find a word.
"Nonchalance?"
"Willingness. Weren't you the one who said 'you can't marry a man you just met'?"
"Fair point," she conceded. "But it was different with Anna than it is with me."
"Why?"
"Because she was looking for love, and I'm not." She shrugged. "I've known since I was a girl that I wouldn't have as wide a range of options for my husband and that I'd be expected to have children, so that there would be a direct heir to the throne. I didn't want Anna taking that sort of gift for granted." She looked over at the door to the opposite room, mood subdued. "Sooner or later my council will really start pressuring me to find a suitor. I'll make sure to choose someone with whom I can be friends, and if I'm lucky, I may grow to care for him… but searching for 'true love' is a luxury neither I nor Arendelle can afford." She smiled slightly, and maybe he was imagining it, but the smile seemed rather sad. "The really ironic thing is, this fake engagement is exactly the sort of marriage my council will want: a political arrangement with a younger-born prince that will help benefit international relations."
"…Your sister would probably say something here about 'not giving up on love,'" Hans commented. "Although I can't claim to know much about that."
"Nor I," she agreed. "I'm very happy for Anna, and I'm sure she and Kristoff will make a wonderful pair, but for me...all I'm hoping for is a kind man who'll make a good king. That's what I owe to my people."
"Duty before pleasure," Hans surmised. "The motto of a monarch." Elsa smiled ruefully and nodded.
They both looked over as the door opened again, and Anna walked out, holding her wedding dress in hand. "Alright; I should probably fold this up again," she said wistfully, carrying it over to the white linens and carefully placing the dress inside. "Do you really think Kristoff will like it?"
There was a knock, and Elsa held up a hand as she went to answer it. To her surprise she found none other than Kristoff waiting there. "I heard my name. Will I like what?" he asked, peering over her head.
"Anna's wedding dress arrived," Elsa explained, standing aside.
"Really? Can I see it?"
"Not on your life," the Queen said sternly as Kristoff walked into the room. "A groom never sees his bride's dress before the wedding. It's tradition."
"Ah, tradition shmadition," Kristoff said. Then, his eyes landed on Hans, and narrowed. "What's he doing here?"
"I could ask you the same question," Hans said, turning to face him.
"I'm here to talk to the queen," Kristoff said bluntly.
"Well isn't that ironic; I, too, am here to talk to the queen."
"Yeah? Well I'm not a nut job."
"Well this 'nut job' arrived prior to you, hence-"
"Alright, you two, enough," Elsa said sharply. "You'll both get your turn. Kristoff?"
"Yeah, uh," he said, pinking, "I was just wondering if I could get your help with-"
"Kristoff!"
He looked over sharply and flushed darker, shutting his mouth. Anna closed the door behind her, biting her lip. "I-I wasn't expecting to see you here."
"I, uh, needed to talk to Elsa. But it's nothing," he told the queen, "I can probably handle it on my own."
"Are you sure?" said Elsa, surprised.
"Yeah, it's nothing, don't worry about it."
"If there's anything you need, Kristoff, I-" She stopped suddenly, looking towards the window.
"What is it?" Anna asked, worried.
Elsa's brow was creased in a confused frown. "There's a storm coming in from the north."
"You mean the one in the letter," Hans surmised, adding to the pair: "We just got word of it from a scout."
"Yes, it's strange; usually I wouldn't have felt its approach until it was far closer…" She walked to the window, where the sky was still blue, but her expression was dark. "It's not here yet, but it's definitely a blizzard. A big one, too. It's nearer than I thought."
"But you just got the message; how fast can it be moving?" Hans demanded.
"Fast." Her eyes scanned the glass, seeing what they couldn't see. "Considering its speed, it should be here right around the time of the wedding, maybe sooner."
"Can you send it away?" Kristoff asked.
"Of course. Just give me a moment." She closed her eyes and raised her hands, palms facing the window and just a few inches from the glass. Manipulating snowy weather was a talent that had come with greater control over her powers, and she'd occasionally banished bad snowstorms in the past, so Kristoff and Anna knew it wouldn't be a problem. As they turned to their own (rather awkward) discussion, Hans watched, intrigued.
It was because of this that he alone noticed as Elsa's hands began to shake, and her frown deepened. Her mouth tightened as the shaking grew worse, and her face turned even paler than normal. "Your Majesty?" Hans said, a little concerned. Elsa didn't hear him. He was about to ask again, when suddenly the Queen let out a low gasp, and then her whole body went limp.
"Queen Elsa!" He managed to catch her just before she toppled over completely. Kristoff and Anna looked over, startled, and both of their faces changed to expressions of worry. Hans lifted the unconscious Elsa and carried her over to the couch as Anna began to panic, Kristoff frowning with concern beside her.
Their fears were short-lived, however; Elsa opened her eyes a few moments later. "W-what happened?" she said, looking around.
"You passed out!" Anna exclaimed fretfully.
"Passed out?" She sat up shakily. "That's right… the storm." She looked back to the window, baffled. "I tried to send it away, but it…it was like it was fighting me."
"How could a storm fight you?" Hans questioned.
"I don't know. It was the strangest thing." She made as if to stand, but her sister quickly pushed her back down.
"Oh no you don't. You stay right here until you feel better again. And don't worry about the storm; I'm sure it'll blow over. Besides, all the visitors are here already; it's not that big of a deal."
"Anna, really, I'm fine." She tried to get up again, but her legs failed her, and she nearly tumbled forward, stumbling just to keep her balance. "…I think."
Anna bit her lip, hard. "That's it. You're going straight to bed."
"What? But I'm-"
"Obviously you're not feeling well! And I don't want you sick for the wedding. Come on; I'll help you to your room
Elsa rolled her eyes. "Anna, I'm not a child; I'm certain I can walk on my own." But even as she tried to, her legs wobbled, and Anna had to support her. "…Perhaps you're right."
"Of course I am. Let's go."
Anna helped Elsa walk weakly out of the room, leaving Kristoff and Hans alone. The former glared at the later, who cleared his throat. "What did you wish to talk to the Queen about?"
"None of your business," Kristoff said shortly, and stormed out of the room. Hans waited until he was sure the man was gone, and then followed out.
A/N: Last chapter for today. I hope you enjoyed it!