It would always be a hard feeling to describe. Like the rug being pulled from under her. Or Anna's stomach swallowing her heart. Every nerve on her body tingled, and she kept praying that Kristoff hadn't said what he just said.

"Why…were you kissing Elsa?"

It couldn't be clearer. Despite Anna's floundering attempt to dissuade what Kristoff had evidently seen, the man hadn't budged. Anna hated lying, yet, here she was, trying to save face for the mountain man all over again. Déjà vu. That sickening feeling of deceit she hated so much. Once was enough. Now, she was reliving another set of trying days she wished were behind her within the seconds of Kristoff's question and Elsa's calm, cool, and collected response.

'We're sisters. It is not uncommon for us to kiss one another goodnight, Kristoff.'

'Oh…Well, I guess that's true. But…' The young man began to protest slightly, which surprised Anna, because he almost never contested Elsa.

'But what?' Elsa continued, her tone ice and rising to the resistance.

'…Nothing.' Kristoff hesitated, and when Anna snuck a glance of Elsa, she could see her sister's eyes were carrying enough persuasion to close the conversation right then and there. 'Sorry. Sleep well.'

The tent's opening swished close, and both Elsa and Anna sighed in silent relief, the younger of the sisters flopping to the side upon her back and taking some of the blankets with her. Both girls didn't say anything for minutes, the crackling fire put out moments later with a splash of water Kristoff must have extracted from a nearby river. Sven could be heard grunting, and even Olaf started asking questions about the ice harvester's mood.

'It's nothing. We should all get some good rest before tomorrow. It's another trip into unknown territory, after all.'

'Did you know there are about three cycles of sleep during the night? If you miss one, your body has a hard time adjusting the next day. And the night after that. And the night after that. And the night after that…' Olaf continued for a while prior to an impressive yawn.

Anna listened to the sounds of the rest of their group settling down for quite some time, almost afraid to move and still waiting for her cheeks to cool from the embarrassment and terror she was attempting to recover from. Lying. She was lying again. She hated lying. Lying is what separated Elsa from Anna for so long, and it felt downright hypocritical to lie to Kristoff's face when he was one of her closest friends.

'…Elsa?' Anna checked to see if her sister was awake. Her eyes, which had eventually closed at some point, popped open, the queen's expression stoic but contemplative.

'Yes, Anna.' She sounded short, but it wouldn't scare Anna off. She knew her sister well enough to be fully aware she wasn't mad at Anna directly.

'What do we do?' A loaded question, Anna knew, and when Elsa didn't answer for a time, she also knew her sister was resisting the conclusion she had reached in her intelligent mind.

'We've been given an opportunity here, Anna.' Elsa started quietly, and Anna knew she was personally on the verge of tears already, because part of her knew what was coming. It was that obvious to even her. 'Devil forced us into a position that continues to pressure us and our kingdom's stability daily. We've made it this far, yes, but I would argue that it's a worse position than…'

'Just hiding our love to begin with.' Anna's voice trembled.

'Yes. We can barely hold hands in public without stares of discomfort and apprehension. I've had to personally handle a number of "slanderous" letters from some of our most valuable trade partners due to "rumours" circulating beyond our kingdom. It's…incredibly stressful to live such a life, honestly. Ruling a kingdom is plenty of work, but juggling our relationship in the public eye is just…too much sometimes, Anna.'

'I know. These couple of years have been sort of tough in their own way…' Anna whispered back. 'I can tell you've been struggling.'

Elsa turned to her side so she was looking at Anna, reaching over to touch her sister's cheek, which Anna embraced with the need for reinforced affection.

'My love for you has only grown, Anna.' Elsa grinned, and Anna's chest danced with the same excitement it had hundreds of times before. 'I've had the pleasure of watching you grow into a beautiful woman since infancy. Your tender heart, your kind demeanor, your considerate mind. I love everything about you, really. I never tire of looking at you. Of seeing the maturity in your features blossom. Of imagining every night that your body is close to mine in all ways.'

Elsa paused, and Anna said the next word for her dear sister.

'But…?'

'But,' Elsa smiled sadly. 'Our future together has always been a difficult subject for me and my most trusted advisors. That is, the future of Arendelle and our family line, more specifically. If our relationship was no longer in the equation, perhaps it might prove simpler to see a tangible plan for our kingdom.'

'Not another suitor competition thing though, right?'

'N-no.' Elsa blushed, and Anna wondered what specifically caused the reaction. 'But…well, an "adoption" that would then lead to inheritance and ascension.'

Anna grimaced, and when Elsa's fingers began stroking her neck soothingly, Anna knew she hadn't successfully hidden the reaction. So, was having a child between the two of them not an option? Anna knew it was weird, but why couldn't she fully commit to the notion wholeheartedly?

'…Right.'

'Anna.' Elsa calmly went on. 'This is not to say that Lady Rynn and King Arthur's proposal is completely off the table. I promised it was something we would discuss in the near future, and I am committed to that conversation, when the time comes.'

'W-what?' Anna was wide awake now. 'Seriously?'

'If it's that important to you, Anna, of course, I'll think about it seriously. I am not completely against the idea.' Elsa hesitated, yet continued on, which Anna immediately appreciated, because she knew it wasn't a simple matter to discuss. 'But I will admit to more reservations than not. Still, I tend to have a negative view on such things, and I want to use your positivity to perhaps help our decision along. Does…that make sense?'

'Oh, Elsa…' Anna's eyes were full of tears now. But they were, at least, tears of relief and joy. She leaned in and kissed her sister lovingly, her body buzzing with excitement. 'Thank-you.'

'It's only natural, Anna. Your happiness is always in the forefront of my mind.'

'You just seem…so distracted lately. I know I shouldn't doubt it at this point, but I do wonder if you're just…not content.'

'Because I'm not, at times.' Elsa admitted, and Anna was, despite the ping in her heart, relieved to hear it so clearly. 'My powers bring so many questions and…and I do feel rather displaced and stretched thin more often than not. As the years pass, the more uncomfortable I feel on the throne every hour of every day. No matter where I go, I'm "Queen Elsa of Arendelle" and…I struggle with the persona I feel I need to wear no matter where I am or who I am speaking with aside from you.'

'But you can totally relax, you know? And…' Anna stopped herself, seeing her sister's eyes flutter in defeat. 'No. You're right. That's not fair of me to say. You struggle to turn off the whole "queen" thing. We're not the same. You're right. That would be tiring after so many years.'

Elsa moved in closer to Anna, resting her forehead against the girl's.

'Thank-you, Anna.' Elsa exhaled shakily. 'It means so much to me to just say such things.'

'Right.' Anna began caressing her sister's arm now, and she loved that her touch caused her skin to prickle. 'But that doesn't solve the problem. We need to troubleshoot together. If being queen is really that strenuous for you, then we have to think of a way to make it…uh…not so tough. I mean, I can totally sell my business, and…'

'No, Anna.' Elsa cut her off. 'Unacceptable. You are performing your royal duties by being so intimately involved with the public. That bakery is one of my pride and joys of our kingdom. And you clearly thrive in such a setting. No. You will do no such thing.'

'But what about you?'

'I will make do.'

'That doesn't fix anything!' Anna hushed herself, realizing her voice was almost peeking through the silent talk. 'Sorry. I mean, that's just repeating the same thing over and over again. I don't want you to keep shouldering all the burden of being queen by yourself. I can do more! I can shorten my shifts to take over for you for a bit. That way, you can have some space.'

'Then you're performing double the duties. That's not fair.'

'Ugh!' Anna grabbed Elsa's cheeks, comedically squeezing them to pucker her sister's lips. 'Stop it! I want to help!'

Elsa's eyes widened, but then she began giggling, removing Anna's hands and lowering them between the two girls. Their fingers interlocked, and Anna smiled widely.

'Very well. Like the conversation regarding an heir, we will also reserve further talk of my own personal issues for after this current journey is over, shall we? It is getting late, and Kristoff was right; we do not know what challenges we will face come the morrow.'

Anna nodded, giving her sister's hands a squeeze.

'Sounds good.' Then, the initial topic that had sparked everything loomed over the younger of the sisters all over again. 'So…we're not telling people about us, then?'

Elsa struggled to respond, clearly. Her tone became sympathetic, and she answered solemnly.

'I…What do you think, Anna?'

Anna was taken aback. The dynamic between the sisters had always been one that involved Elsa bringing forth her proposals and Anna acting as more of a soundboard than anything. Yes, she offered suggestions and ideas unique to herself, but when it came to massive, game-changing challenges, "Queen Elsa" generally made the calls. For the older sister to look to Anna for her honest opinion meant even she struggled with the "correct" path. Anna wished she could lead them both in this moment of need, but she simply couldn't bring herself to wholeheartedly get behind such a massive lie and betray the trust of everyone she knew in her life.

'That's a toughie…' She hesitated. 'I get what you're saying, and it makes sense, but…could we really live the rest of our lives hiding something like this? It wasn't perfect but, against all odds, we somehow managed to make it work, right? Maybe we can do it again.' Anna knew it was unlikely without the correct catalysts in place. Devil's involvement. Anna's "death". Elsa's incredible feat of protecting Arendelle days prior to final judgement being passed. There was just so much else happening at the time, and Arendelle universally decided that keeping Elsa and Anna as its rulers made the most sense no matter how much the majority sincerely disliked the notion of two sisters being romantically involved.

'Even you hesitate with that level of optimism.' Elsa exhaled methodically. 'That's reassuring, in a sense.'

'Yeah. I get it. Suddenly dropping this kind of truth bomb on everyone again would be super messy without some other stuff to buffer it, you know?'

'Exactly…'

Anna closed her eyes, reliving the terrible night she revealed her feelings for Elsa to Kristoff. It felt like the day before, it was so easily recovered. It was a memory logged in with all the most painful moments in the girl's life, right up there with the moment the younger sister understood that she had lost her elder sister to her room, followed closely with their parents' death.

'F-for now,' Anna stammered. 'I think it's best to…to keep it on the down low.'

'I agree. For now. Another rather large topic to deal with when we return from this journey.'

'That's a beefy afternoon worth of chatting, huh?'

'I believe we'll need to involve chocolate and wine.'

'Lots of chocolate!'

'A picnic, then. I see no other choice.'

'Nope! Three life-changing conversations without some sugar and mental soothing sauce? Sounds impossible.'

'Precisely.' Elsa giggle alongside Anna, and they kissed once more, Elsa's body so close to Anna's now she practically melted with adoration. 'That being said, I do believe I owe you another apology.'

'What? Why?' Anna flinched back.

'I coerced you into a moment you were nervous about engaging in. I take full responsibility.'

'Oh.' It was Anna's turn to blush now. 'N-no. Elsa. Seriously. I try and play the good girl here and there, but honestly, when it comes to you, I'm basically, like, always ready and willing.'

The relief was clear upon Elsa's face, and Anna smiled cheerfully.

'Really?'

'You gotta know this by now.' Anna laughed nervously. 'You drive me crazy. I'm so in love with you it doesn't feel real half the time. Even how many years later? I constantly have to remind myself that somehow, someway, we made this happen. I just don't think that's ever going to change. You're basically stuck with me for life.'

Elsa nuzzled her nose against Anna's.

'Stuck? Oh, Anna. You silly, silly girl. You say the strangest things sometimes. I do think I have said it before, but I truly believe I am blessed with you, not stu – a-ah…!'

Anna's heart skipped as she watched her sister flinch in pain, returning to laying on her back.

'E-Elsa…! Is it hurting?'

'Hah…' Elsa controlled her breaths, as she sometimes did during her training with Daryun. It was secretly kind of strangely attractive to Anna. 'Y-yes. A pinch. The Wind Spirit helped mitigate the pain, for a time, but I believe whatever healing assistance he was giving me has since faded. I…am in some discomfort.'

'Can I do anything for you?' Anna offered.

'No. No, it's alright. This is my body's subtle way of telling me to sleep, I'm sure.'

'It is getting late now. Talk about epic late-night chats, huh?'

'They tend to be the best kinds of talks.'

'Something about the ambiance of nighttime, I guess.'

'I tend to agree.' Elsa closed her eyes for a moment longer than usual, speaking to the top of the small tent. 'Goodnight, Anna.'

'Goodnight, Elsa. Thanks for…for everything.'

'Always, my sister.'

'Sleep tight.'

'With you nearby, what other choice do I have?'

Anna hummed in glee and leaned in to kiss her sister softly, letting her lips leave an impression on the queen's before returning to her side and hugging Elsa's arm.

'I love you.' Anna said quite simply.

'I love you, too.' Came the drowsy reply.

Anna was afraid of this. She managed a couple of hours of sleep, thankfully, but now she was left to her own devices in the confines of a tent in an Enchanted Forest all around her, the sounds of an unfamiliar setting both exciting and frightening at once. If that wasn't enough, the extensive and life-altering potential of the conversations she had had with Elsa before bidding one another goodnight was just too much stimulus for the younger sister. Her mind was awake – wide awake. Therefore, Anna's eyes stared into the darkness with only the rather impressive sound of Kristoff's snoring somewhere nearby keeping her somewhat company.

Naturally, Anna didn't want to disturb Elsa, if she could help it, for her sister had dueled a freaking Wind Spirit. She had to take all the time needed to fully recover from that kind of confrontation. But Anna was restless. Her mind was swirling with thoughts and possibilities. A child for her and Elsa. Elsa's future as queen and her sanity involving the position. Kristoff potentially finding out about the sisters' love (again), and having to hide that relationship anew when Anna had thought one of the most challenging social disputes conceivable had been successfully navigated years prior.

It was too much. And after at least another hour of laying awake and trying over and over again to fall back asleep, Anna managed to slip into her black and gold dress as stealthily as possible and sneak out of the tent with her mother's shawl in hand to keep her warm. Thank goodness for all the practise she had of being sly when she was younger and just had to go on night adventures with Elsa throughout the palace.

Immediately, Anna felt a bit better, and although it was a little hard to see initially, the moonlight peeking through the tops of the trees assisted enough once Anna's eyes adjusted. The young princess breathed in the cool night's air, and looked about, both mesmerized and a little nervous around this uncanny forest that housed powerful spiritual entities and a mystery surrounding Arendelle's past that still needed to be solved. Speaking of which…

Anna navigated to the ice sculpture of her father and the girl. It glimmered majestically in the moonlight, and Anna touched the features of both characters, focussing on the girl.

This couldn't be Mother, right? I mean, Kristoff said she's a Northuldra girl. Then again, Mother didn't exactly give a lot of specifics about her past…

As Anna traced the face of the girl with her fingers more, her body signaled a notion of familiarity, and she closed her eyes, painting a picture in her mind as she felt the cheeks, the eyes, the ears, and the mouth. Anna's chest leapt, and she gave more attention to the lips, her skin prickling with recognition and longing full of confusion. They were almost exactly like Elsa's. Maybe…this really was her and Elsa's mother. But if that was the case…

'Hey.' Kristoff made Anna jump, and she released the sculpture, fixing her hair subconsciously as she nervously attempted to find a natural way to stand.

'Oh! Hey. Hi. Um…howdy. Sorry. Did I…uh…wake you?'

'Nah.' Kristoff waved the question off. 'No matter what Sven says about my snoring, I'm actually a pretty light sleeper when I'm camping. Sort of have to be and all.'

'True. True. Very true.' Anna was panicking. Was Kristoff going to press her for more information about what he may or may not have seen? Without Elsa, was Anna strong enough to guide the confrontation appropriately? This was not ideal. Not one bit.

'You okay?' The man asked kindly, stepping in slightly closer but still seeming to keep a reasonable amount of distance.

'Huh? What? You mean it's weird that I'm just strolling around in the middle of the night? Really? It's not like we're in unknown territory or anything.' Anna forced a laugh, and Kristoff chuckled for a second before approaching the ice sculpture near Anna and seemingly admiring the craftsmanship.

'A lot happened, so, I'm not super shocked you can't sleep. This trip is something else.'

'Right?'

'A Wind Spirit. These ice sculptures. It's hard to get your head around.'

'Exactly.'

'But…it's nothing compared to what I saw earlier.'

Anna swallowed. Of course. Everything else could sort of be explained. But two royal sisters kissing the way Elsa and Anna had been…well, that wasn't so cut and dry. Anna laughed again, because she still used the physical motion as a defensive tool when her emotions were erratic in her brain.

'I-it's like Elsa said, Kristoff. You know we're close, and…'

'I also know I'm not the smartest guy in the world when it comes to stuff like that, Anna, but even I could tell that wasn't just a peck goodnight.' Kristoff's tone flattened, and he wasn't looking at Anna, which told her just how irritated he was. 'I really don't like that you both lied to me. I know you and I are on a break, but I really thought we were still friends, at least.'

'We are! We totally are!' Anna found herself almost pleading.

'Then don't lie to me again.' Kristoff huffed back. 'Tell me the truth.'

Anna's mouth opened, but nothing came out. She kept trying, but her voice wouldn't work. Déjà vu. Déjà vu. She couldn't do this again. Once was so incredibly difficult. Twice was just too much. Kristoff was not the kind of guy to get this aggressive with anybody. It proved just how much he cared about Anna. Cared about the relationship they once had and was hoping could have again in the future, surely. Valued the trust he had finally let himself have with another human being.

'Anna?' Kristoff pressed, and Anna felt like she was drowning. She was being pulled under the water and couldn't do anything to stop it. Elsa and Anna wanted to keep their relationship a secret for now. That made sense. But Kristoff was such a dear friend, and Anna was being asked directly about her feelings. Lying to Kristoff's face again could cause irreparable damage; possibly even hinder the journey and Elsa's chance to learn about her powers. She had waited her whole life for this chance. Could Kristoff really not be trusted? He had proven himself before. Why not now? They were all so close. Kristoff, Sven, Anna, Elsa, and Olaf. They were family. Kristoff had eventually supported Anna and Elsa's relationship in the past. The princess of Arendelle had faith he could do it again. Elsa wanted her to continue making more definitive decisions on her own? Well, here was her chance.

'Kristoff…about Elsa and I…'

BANG!

Both Kristoff and Anna jumped, the girl instinctively pulling one of the frozen swords out from an ice sculpture soldier and breaking its hand as she did so.

'What are you going to do with that?' Kristoff spread his arms slightly, looking about with caution as well.

'Oh, I don't know; defend myself maybe?'

More banging, and then thumping, as if two separate factions were closing in on the campsite. Anna couldn't focus on one source of sound, the mixture of ricocheting beats causing her sense of hearing to fall within a state of confusion.

'Sven!' No sooner did Kristoff say the reindeer's name did the animal pop up only slightly groggily before running to his friend's side, as if he recognized the urgency in the man's voice.

The banging only increased in tempo, more thumping answering the call with similar intensity. Wind flew about suddenly, and Anna thought she heard a small giggle. Her dress and mother's shawl blew about her, and in another instant, their little group was suddenly not so little anymore…