If The Cold Can't Stop Her

By: SheAlwaysDies

*this story has content related to self harm and abuse*

The summer day was shining down on them. Anna could feel the sun at the back of her neck and the burning of the water droplets that rolled down her face. There wasn't a snowflake in sight or a single storm cloud up in the blue sky. Even the slight breeze blew in hot air. It was summer. It was still summer, even though Elsa had run out of the creek, and held her face in her hands. She was crying, but the sobs were angry. Still no magic raged against the sun.

"Elsa," Anna said with her hands up. Elsa was upset but she still had control. Anna had to take that as a positive. She moved in closer to her sister. "You don't need to worry."

"Stay away from me Anna." Elsa said as she backed further away. Anna should have known better to have tucked her white strand of hair away. She'd prepared to tell Elsa, but Elsa had said no heavy stuff, and even though she had mustered the courage to put it out there, she'd decided to put it off. The Queen was right, they wouldn't get this moment back. It was over a decade in the making, and their future was so unclear, it was likely the only date they would have for a long time, if at all.

Earlier that morning as she took her hair out of braids and hid away the whitening locks, that anxious feeling in Anna's stomach had returned. She'd been living with the feeling of dread for the last week but she never got used to how it felt when it suddenly overwhelmed her. Anna didn't even have to think about it, she knew exactly what the bleached hair meant. It was her memories. The one she'd gotten back the other day at the gate ceremonies.

"Elsa, stop. That's enough. Just calm down and look at me. Just look at me and listen." Anna approached a little more forcefully this time and once she got in front of her sister she held her by the wrists. Elsa's hands clenched, she pressed harder down onto her forehead.

This small streak was a budding memory. It was the first step Anna had taken to reclaim her old self. Looking at herself in the mirror she remembered how much she liked that girl. She was restless, she was forgiving, she was buoyant and idealistic. She'd let her rancor chip away at her, but the memory she'd recovered reminded her of what she wanted most in the world. She wasn't going to back down, not now when she was reclaiming herself. The only problem being that she knew Elsa wasn't going to feel the same way. A reaction like this was inevitable.

"This isn't a bad thing. Look at me, see that it's me. This started coming back the day the gates opened. I had a memory of us. Just like I had now about the creek. Since then I started to feel like I'm surviving again. I feel like me. I'm not scared anymore." Anna felt so rejuvenated when she put together another memory at the creek. She recalled the feeling of the cool peddle in her hands, she remembered that Elsa never once tried to skip a stone. As Anna whipped more and more into the water, Elsa cheered her on but didn't join in. Her memory was true. Now she was tasked with having to explain to her very logical sister, why the white in her hair was a good thing. Elsa would likely hate that Anna only had a feeling that this was nothing to worry about.

"I'm terrified." Elsa stated simply as she lifted her head from her hands. Still she averted Anna's gaze.

"I know, that's why I'm not. I know that it means a different thing to you. But this is part of me. This is a little piece of you I have rooted in me, that I got to carry around all the years we were apart. Lots of people used to say it was ugly or silly. But I always loved it. I feel more like me now." Anna took one of her hands back to shake it through her hair. It really did feel good.

"Everything would have been so different if I hadn't slipped on that ice." Anna knew Elsa was talking about striking her with her magic but she'd never heard the story. This was a memory Anna didn't have.

"You fell on ice?" Anna asked. She would have never guessed Elsa was capable of losing her footing like that. It made more sense why she was so ashamed of a few strands of hair. Anna pulled at Elsa's chin, and she was deflated now. She let her sister meet her eyes.

"The King didn't believe me either." Elsa admitted. "I had never fallen on ice before. I haven't done so since. Even when I feel good, I still feel like I did in that moment."

"What if we had lived a normal life Elsa? These things, they didn't happen because you fell. Or because you were born with magic. They happened so that we could find true love. I know you've endured more than me to get to this point so I won't speak for you. But for me, the world could end tomorrow and I wouldn't care, because I got a chance to love you and I don't know if love like ours happens under normal circumstances." Anna let her thumb rub Elsa's chin and then pass over her lips.

"True love isn't a destiny that comes to fruition just because it's meant to be. You've fought every day to love me and now I'm right in front of you. I'm asking you to keep fighting. If this stupid streak of hair comes back to bite us in the ass, you better bet I'm fighting." Elsa released a sad smile followed by a heavy breath.

"I skipped my stone five times Elsa. Five times!" Anna let go of her of her hold on Elsa and pumped her arm out triumphantly. She was going in for the kill. It had always worked for her, to reason with Elsa. Then once the Queen cracked her first smile, Anna was one silly thing away from pulling her off the ledge. "You're just trying to get out of your punishment. You really are a monster."

Elsa tossed her arms at Anna's waist, her wet cheeks landed on the girl's chest. The blonde squeezed. "Anna," she said under her breath. Anna took hold of the embrace. Elsa was still really tense.

"Let's eat first," she said and guided her sister to the picnic the Queen had laid out. Anna had a million things she had to say and a million more things she wanted to ask Elsa. But they settled into a comfortable silence, that Anna assumed was something Elsa craved. Solitude was something Elsa was used to and Anna was learning it was something her sister actually liked. Anna felt like an exception to that rule, as she finished her first round of lunch and laid her head down on Elsa's lap. The Queen had smiled down at her and started to rub her fingers down Anna's arm.

Elsa seemed lost in thought and Anna was stuck on what she should say. She wanted to ask the Queen to marry her. It was on the tip of her tongue. After all, today was the only day Anna had to convince her sister to give up on her marriage and to take Anna as her wife instead. It would go against all of the Queen's reflexes to accept a proposal from her sister. But Anna wasn't worried. She had felt the love Elsa had for her. She knew it was stronger than even the Ice Queen's powers.

It was the only thing Anna wanted. But she knew asking now would bring them back into the harder parts of that equation. It would make Elsa pull her arms off her. It would drive her into the same panic she had just recovered from. Even if she said yes, their fight would start at that very moment. The proposal could wait until they were in that hell hole of a sanctuary that was Elsa's bedroom. Maybe Anna could recreate this feeling out in the gardens. She found herself feeling giddy knowing that in a few short hours they would finally have a future together.

"Slave?" Anna said. She could feel her sister's eye roll without even looking at her.

"Yes?" Elsa said, her voice deadpanned. She obviously wasn't playing along.

"Can you get me another piece of chocolate?" Elsa reached over and flung the requested confection at her sister. Anna devoured it.

"Slave?" She said again.

"What?"

"Are you a sore loser?" she asked with a giggle, and wiggled herself closer to Elsa.

"I know what you're doing." Elsa said, still refusing to look down at the redhead.

"I know what you're doing, master," Anna corrected.

"You're annoying me so I will kiss you just to get you to shut up," Elsa said. She stretched out her neck and then looked at Anna with a raised eyebrow.

"You forgot the master part again," Anna said with a smile.

"You forget that I'm the Queen here." Elsa pointed out.

"You lost that birthright the second you made a wager with me." Anna gave Elsa her best gotcha face.

"Yes Master?" Elsa relented.

"Come here," Anna said softly. The Queen shuffled down on the blanket. Anna had to hold her head up until Elsa was on her back next to her. She then laid it down on the blonde's shoulder. Elsa's finger's found the wet end of Anna's tunic and started to pull it upwards. Anna adjusted her body so that Elsa could pull it over her hair. The garment made a whomp sound as it fell into a heavy pile next to them. The Princess's brassiere followed.

"I haven't stopped thinking about the way you put your mouth on me yesterday." Anna said as she let her hand start to trail up and down Elsa's dress. "I keep thinking about what I would have done if I was you."

Anna could feel Elsa's body respond to the comment. It almost like her skin was static and as Anna ran her hand on Elsa's gown she could sense Elsa much like you can sense it when you're about to get a shock. Anna didn't know what it was but she had learned to anticipate that aura, under her, in all the places where Anna came in contact with Elsa.

Her running theory was that it was Elsa's power emanating. It was as if the magic reached out to Anna before even Elsa did. It was like a tell giving away Elsa's excitement, telling the redhead that the Queen was getting wet.

"Do you think I can make you feel as good as you did me?" She asked, this time pulling herself up to meet her sister's lips as she spoke.

"Better," Elsa said with a hushed breath. Anna didn't press a kiss down onto her sister. She let her lips hover slightly above the blonde's skin and moved them along the jawline.

"Can you feel that?" Anna asked, she wanted to know if the cold between them was real. She dipped down to the Queen's neck.

"We can," Elsa responded. It was the answer Anna expected to be true. She felt Elsa's magic prick at her lips as she followed her sister's clavicle.

"Make this go away," Anna demanded as she reached the rim of Elsa's gown. The dress started to dissolve, as the thin shard of ice moved upward several skidded past Anna's face. They caressed her like a snowflake falling upwards before flurrying away.

With the Queen's breasts exposed, Anna continued the downward trail. She let her tongue flutter over the nerve endings. Elsa took an inward breath. She arched her back up hoping to get Anna's touch. When she failed, she dropped herself down miserably.

"Tease," the blonde exasperated. Anna added a hand to the game. She started at Elsa's side. The Queen flinched even without contact.

"Please touch me," she asked and Anna chuckled as her fingers lingered above Elsa's nipple. Anna was entranced by the connection. It felt so cold. Anna was as if she could feel it not only on her skin but deeper in her muscles. She felt sorry for her sister but she wasn't ready to stop exploring. She left her one hand in place but let her mouth continue south.

When she reached Elsa's core, Anna could already smell the excitement. She brought her free hand to curls and put two fingers on either side of Elsa. She pushed the skin back, opening up the lips to expose the tender pink skin underneath.

Elsa's hips bucked in shock and a disgruntled moan rang out. Anna lowered herself slowly. The magic within her sister was jumping out towards Anna further now. Anna felt it more intensely, the Queen's whole body was shaking.

"Anna, please," Elsa said through a heaving breath. The blonde wrapped her legs around Anna's back and she jerked herself forward. The need was dripping off of her now and Anna didn't want to wait any longer. Elsa sucked in a breath as Anna's tongue hit her wetness. She left her fingers to stroke at the Queen's nipple.

The Princess touched lightly with a pointed tongue. She followed the natural ridges of her sister's body. Elsa's breathing stuttered as Anna explored her. She hadn't imagined the skin to be this smooth, for the wetness to taste so sweet and to feed her own desire. She circled a bud and it caused Elsa to shudder and let out a call.

"Yes," Elsa said as Anna circled the clit again. She added more pressure and felt Elsa tense in return. She matched the flick of her tongue with the pinch of her fingers and Elsa started to lose control of her voice. Anna could feel the change in the Queen, the magic that had been connecting them was ever present. Anna could feel it enter her mouth and travel the entire length of her, touching her where in the exact spot where her tongue danced on Elsa.

Elsa succumbed to her pleasure with a moaning howl. When her body finally stilled Anna climbed her way back to Elsa's side. She laid her head to rest over on Elsa's chest, her fingers mindlessly traced the side of the blonde's breast. Elsa wasn't even trying to get control of her breath, she let it come out short. Anna could still feel Elsa's power. It was tracing the outline of her body, the edge of where Elsa stopped being and Anna started.

"That feels nice," Anna cooed at the caress.

"I know right?" Elsa answered, her eyes were sealed shut. She was biting her bottom lip. What was touching Anna lightly seemed to be hitting the Queen deeper. Elsa's movement's were sluggish and light. Her fingers started to feather along Anna's skin. They had no direction, their only objection was to feel the bond the magic was creating.

"I want to do this always," Elsa said, as her fingers ran through Anna's thighs. Anna was jolted by the thought. Elsa's lips caught hers as the Queen moved to put a bit of pressure between her legs. Anna could tell Elsa was only after one thing as she repeated her touch from earlier. The Princess was already buzzing from having gotten a taste of Elsa. She felt herself rise up quickly. Her moans were absorbed by Elsa's lips.

Then marry me, the Princess tried to say, but her words came out as slurs as Anna swayed to Elsa's touch. The Queen was taking her much slower than she ever had and something about that elevated Anna even faster. Although neither woman wanted it to end, Anna came hard. She had to push herself away and fall on her back to cut off the intensity. The air that had built up between the sister's dimmed and left both their bodies. It hovered above them for a moment before turning into happy snowflakes. They watched them fall. When Anna felt grounded enough, she deemed it safe to throw her leg over Elsa's and lean her head on the Queen's shoulder.

"What's it feel like?" The redhead asked, she had the strand of hair her sister had marked in her fingers. When she stuck her tongue out to catch one of the snowflakes, Anna actually saw one change its course to meet her tongue.

"My magic? Oh, it's complicated. It's always changing but it definitely likes it when I control it." Elsa answered. Her expression was pensive.

"Does it feel different when we're together?" Anna was recalling what Grand Pabbie had told her when she had gone to look for her memories. He'd said he had locked away a piece of Elsa's power that had struck her. Did it really mean there was a part of Elsa locked away in her mind?

"It feels like it's dying to connect with something inside you." Elsa answered. And Anna's stomach flipped at the idea that it could be true. "Most of the time you are the only thing we agree on."

"Is it separate from you?" Anna asked, having never thought of it like that.

"Sometimes I think yes, but probably not. You know how we can't feel everything our bodies are actually doing right now. It's like my magic is a system inside me that I can actually sense constantly working. Like if you could focus on your heart beat every second or feel your hair growing, or actually tell your body what kind of nutrients to take out of your food. So it seems foreign because I can feel it but it's probably not."

"Oh." Anna answered as she trailed off in thought. She had focused a lot of energy in the memory part of what Grand Pabbie had said to her. If the whitening of her hair now was a crack in the dam the troll had made when she was a child, there was a chance that the magic there was coming out.

The trolls had wanted to prevent that from happening but Anna couldn't see why it would be a bad thing. Couldn't what was embedded in her be what gave Olaf and Marshmallow life? It wasn't an ideal time to pose to Elsa right now. The no heavy stuff rule was still in effect and it didn't seem like Elsa knew much about it herself.

"If we have to head back soon, can we walk some of the way?" Anna asked. The snowfall had halted. Anna didn't want to leave but she knew there was a lot to discuss outside of this felicity.

"Uhm," Elsa answered. They lay still for quite a while until Anna figured if she didn't move they would never leave. Elsa grumbled as Anna lifted her head and sat up crossed legged. The Queen didn't move, she stayed on her back with eyes closed as Anna snacked on some food and packed up. Anna didn't blame Elsa from not wanting to go, the Queen still thought she was marrying Lord Tarik tomorrow. But Anna was confident that wouldn't be the case. So she packed up the saddle bags, taking long hard glances at her naked sister as she went along.

"Ready?" Anna asked, when all that was left was the blanket underneath the blonde.

"I guess," She said as she opened her eyes. Despite the sad look on her face, it seemed she couldn't help but smile at Anna. The Princess reached her hand out to her sister and by the time they were both standing Elsa was wearing an ice gown. It was almost identical to the one she'd donned earlier, save for a more modest neckline and covered arms.

They rode for most of the way. Elsa was holding on tighter than before. At the edge of the town Anna dismounted and helped her sister down. She encircled Elsa for a moment, and cursed having not taken a kiss from the Queen before they neared the populace. Instead of a kiss she rested her forehead on her sister's. It probably looked just as intimate as a kiss. Again Anna had to be the one to pull away. She walked towards their home with the reigns of the mare in one hand and her big sister's hand in the other.

Lord Tarik was waiting at the entrance to the palace. He put out a cigar and straightened his stance as he saw the sister's approach. This was the same spot Anna had waited for Elsa to return from the mountains the previous night. She had done so mostly alone until the councilman had showed up.

The prior evening, the town square had come alive with chatter when reports of an earthquake had broken out. Anna hadn't felt it in the castle and everyone had a varying degree of how sensational it was as rumours started to circulate. Anna had been jittery, she was sweating as she paced between the open gates, wishing Elsa back to the castle.

"Are you waiting up for your ice harvester?" Anna heard someone approach and was disappointed to see it was Tarik.

"Elsa," She pointedly responded as Tarik lit up a cigar and leaned against the opposite side of the gate as her.

"Yeah, the Queen should have been done by now. I was hoping she'd join me for a cigar." Tarik said, and his eyes kind rolled back in his head like he was picturing being with her. Anna cringed. Anna had sensed her then. She stood at the same time Tarik readjusted his stance. He was looking out towards the square. He'd felt Elsa too. The wagon descended fast, and the sight of Sven exerting himself made Anna's knees weak. They hadn't even come to a full stop when Kristoff jumped off.

"She's fine, but she's completely out," the ice harvester called as he rounded the wagon. Tarik pushed past him, and had Elsa in his arms within seconds.

"She feels warm," he said. Anna had never heard him speak without his condescending tone. His eyes were clearly panicked. Anna stepped up and put her hand on her sister's cheek. She felt human.

"She pushed herself too far," Kristoff said. "She collapsed at least twice."

"We'll take it from here," Tarik said as he had made his way deeper into the castle with Anna's sister in his arms.

"Anna, we need to talk," Kristoff implored as Anna went to follow Tarik.

"Thank you Kirstoff," was all she said as she ran to catch up with the Lord.

"We should cool her down," Tarik called over his shoulder. Anna took the instruction and veered towards the kitchen. Elsa had already made the castle it's own stores of ice and Anna was lucky to find some out on an empty counter. She moved at fast as she could, cursing her distance from her sister with every step she took. She raced to the royal suites and when she arrived she saw Elsa's room wide open. Anna mentally kicked herself. She should have made sure Tarik didn't bring her there.

When she'd rounded the corner Elsa was already laying down on their bed. Tarik was sitting on the edge of it running his fingers through her hair. He leaned down and gave her a small kiss. It twisted every up inside of Anna. How dare anyone else love Elsa?

"You'll only make her hotter," Anna called out. She had never felt this room so muggy before. It was suffocating. "You can leave now, you shouldn't be in here."

Tarik stood, giving Anna his spot next to her big sister. Which she pushed past to claim. Her eyes gravitated to her sister, while Tarik's chin lifted and he took in the grand walls. Anna started running some of the ice on Elsa's face. She was about to tell Tarik leave when he took an uneven breath.

"What did Agnarr do to you?" he'd said suddenly. Anna's head snapped at him. He was looking at the damage that scattered around the room.

"How was it that he was able to stop you from coming in here and protecting your sister? I mean you were just a little ways down, weren't you. How is it that you never once, not once, tried to find out what was happening to her?" Anna felt her mouth dry up. She had no response to offer. This would have felt like an attack if the councilman wasn't so astute.

"Poor thing needs someone to save her. I'll start by getting her out of this godsdamned room." With that, he took off. He didn't need her answer. He only wanted to stake a claim over Elsa. Anna spent the night trying to cool the Queen down. She sat at a distance afraid that her own warmth would disturb the blonde. The Queen was right next to her, but the warmth made Anna feel alone.

Lord Tarik had left a bad taste in Anna's mouth. The more she thought about it the more she remembered that always being the case when she had to interact with him for longer than an exchange of pleasantries. Even now as his attention honed in on Elsa, Anna couldn't help but cringe. His smile broke out and his voice came out just as jovial. It was strange to see him with his air of arrogance.

"You said I wasn't going to see you all of yesterday, not for two whole days!" It startled Anna to see Elsa fall onto an embrace with him. Anna didn't see the shift from their shared contentment to a facade. It seemed to be the same.

"I heard you did see me yesterday. Thank you by the way." Elsa said, with her arms wrapped around the councilman's neck.

"Yeah, well, why don't we sneak off to my office?" Tarik said in a loud whisper as if he wanted Anna to hear.

"I think you can wait one more night," Elsa said flirtatiously.

"Barely, I'm hanging on by a thread." Anna heard Tarik slur. In a minute Anna was going to be behind a closed door and she was going to make the councilman's worst nightmare come true. He could fall into the deep dark abyss of wanting Elsa but never getting her. Anna was well versed in the depth of that punishment. She'd only ever wish it on her worst enemy.

"Goodnight Lord Tarik, I'll see you tomorrow." Elsa said. She dismissed the Lord with a pat on the shoulder and then pushed herself off of him, successfully breaking his hold around her waist.

"I hate when you say that,' Tarik called out as Elsa rejoined her sister. Anna laced her fingers around the Queen's and gave her a pull forward. "Fine. Goodnight my Queen."

"What a prick," Anna said as they neared their bedrooms. She had hoped Elsa would agree, but she said nothing. "He really rubs me the wrong way. Uh. Do you actually like that guy? It looked like you did."

"Anna," Elsa said but the Princess hadn't expected to feel so riled up. She was in no such position to be grumbling about the way Tarik looked at Elsa. She was enchanting, of course he'd love her. And Elsa hadn't once even said anything ill about Kristoff. Anna would have maybe preferred that she had. That she had torn up the garden when she'd learned what had happened between the two of them. But instead Elsa had encouraged a connection between the two. The Queen had even sought one out with someone else. Anna was ready to put an end to all that doubt. She never wanted to feel that dark again.

"You can't marry that jerk," Anna said as they entered Elsa's bedroom. It wasn't the best intro line but she'd felt it building since having seen the councilman. The shame he had struck into Anna the night prior was feeding her. "Elsa, I'm sorry but tomorrow can't happen."

Elsa shut the door behind them. She stayed still with her back turned to Anna.

"It's crazy. It's too crazy." Anna said to her sister's back. "I can't stand the idea of you making vows to that man. Or of him touching you. I know that I'm being really crazy saying this. But you are mine. Your skin is mine. Your freckles are mine. Your scars are mine. Your hand is mine to hold. Please don't take his. Take me. I want to be your wife. Elsa, say your vows to me. Take me as your Queen."

Anna's words hung in the air. Elsa remained unmoved. The Queen let out a shaky breath and Anna could feel the cold building.

"I want you to marry me." Anna said again, this time her voice lost confidence.

—

Thanks for the new follows! I'm always happy to hear that you all are along for the ride and enjoying it!

Mortisvenom: You should watch it. You're not wrong, of course, I agree with you about the ending. But there's some good stuff in there too, including where all my contempt for Agnarr comes from heh.