A/N: Hey all! I am so excited to share this chapter for a number of reasons, one of them being that we get a new POV that is not Emma or Killian. That's right, today I am including Elsa as one of our storytellers too. But don't worry, as much as we'll be learning about Elsa and Anna's past and Elsa and Liam's attraction to each other, there will still be some CS cuteness. Because it is me, there is also a LOT of fluff and feels abounding. It's hard to say much more without spoiling, so, without further ado, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter and thank you so much for the support and good vibes!
Wandering through the woods at the far reach of the Institute, Elsa did her best to stave off the worry that had clung to her heart all night. She hardly slept, tossing and turning, gripped with agitation, and all because today, at long last, the truth would come out.
It wasn't that she enjoyed lying all this time, or that Elsa was desirous to keep her story hidden any longer. This was simply reflex. For years she and her sister had guarded their real origins from nearly everyone they met. Only a select few people in the world knew anything of Elsa and Anna's past, and those secret keepers had not been chosen by her or her sister. They were thrust into this situation as children, but today they would take a leap of faith and share the truth with a new, but genuine friend.
Emma is deserving of our trust, Elsa reasoned to herself, continuing an argument she'd had internally for weeks. She and Anna had both agreed Emma was someone they could confide in and they believed in her goodness and her ability to keep a secret. They had both yearned for the chance to share this truth with someone – anyone - and now they had it. But it had gotten so much more complicated at the same time, and all thanks to the royal visit that happened yesterday.
When she and Anna moved to Montenarro and began working at the Institute, they both knew the slight risk that existed of their being found out. Public curiosity had long ago waned about their family, enough so that they felt capable of using their real first names in applying for the job, but members of the aristocracy were different. They memorized lineages, and studied other families of note, across country lines. The royal family of Montennaro may not come to the Center often, but they did sponsor and fund this charity. As such, there may come a time when they encountered the royals. This was, theoretically, not a huge issue, at least not in Anna's eyes. After all, Anna had never actually met any member of the royal family, and so had no chance of being recognized. She assumed that Elsa was in the same boat, and that would make sense, for the sisters had done nearly everything together their whole lives.
Selfishly, Elsa allowed her sister's assumption of their past run ins with the royals to stand, even though it was not accurate. She omitted the truth, about a moment in time that felt light years away and yet so cherished even now, because she wanted to stay here in Montennaro. It was her and Anna's dream to do good works, to make use of all their many years of study back in France, and to leave the world a little brighter than how they had found it. After everything they had been through, Elsa so dearly wished to give back to children in need alongside her sister. There were no other opportunities like this one, no Centers that provided as much for their pupils, and no other place that felt like a home, not since the passing of their Grandmere. So Elsa had bit her tongue, and enjoyed the years of obscurity they found here with the children, always praying that her secret from her sister would never come to light.
Things obviously changed when Killian arrived, and when it was announced that the youngest son of the royal line would be here, working alongside them, almost every day. The panic Elsa carried with her was profound, but after hesitation in the beginning, Elsa realized there was nothing to fear from the Prince. Prince Killian had no connection to her, and he was instantly consumed by his attraction to Emma. There was no fear of him discovering who she and Anna were, not when he was distracted and totally besotted by her friend.
Only when she and Anna spoke with Killian after the parade did Elsa begin to worry again, not because she thought her friend would lose out on the clearly true love she'd found with Killian, but because it was clear as day that Emma and the prince would one day be married. That was a wonderful thing, but it would make a friendship between Elsa and Anna and Emma so much harder. Guarding this secret would become even more difficult if they regularly saw people who held so many breadcrumbs from the past. Elsa had grown more and more worried about it, but it was ultimately Anna who made the decision.
"There's only one thing to do," Anna said the night of Killian and Emma's reconciliation. "We have to tell Emma the truth. I think the danger for us has long since passed, but even so, it's best to tell her what we've been through. Just in case. That way, when they marry, as we both know they will, we can sidestep the whole awkward RSVP thing. It'll be a shame to miss it, but it can't be risked. Not if we want to keep hiding."
Elsa was simultaneously relieved at Anna's idea, and guilty at the fact that she still wasn't being totally honest. In truth, it was eating her up inside, and she just didn't know how much more of this she could take.
Not much longer now. You'll tell them both everything today. As soon as Emma gets here.
At that moment, Elsa came to the part of a wooded clearing where green grass met the bank of a bubbling stream. The clear spring water flowed across rocks and moss, gurgling along in a measured, soothing melody. It was nothing like the mighty river they'd grown up on, which was loud and thunderous and strong, but still, a lullaby from her childhood filtered through Elsa's mind, and a memory of their mother singing to her and Anna transported her back to the life they used to have…
"Sing it again, Mama, please?" Anna pleaded, snuggling into bed and holding Elsa close as she did. The two of them had their own beds, and their own rooms, but every night Anna made her way here, insisting that she and Elsa needed to be together. Elsa never tried to fight it. She loved Anna, and she always slept better with her sister beside her.
"Anna, darling, it's late. Far too late for my two little princesses to still be awake. How will you ever rise with the sun if you never go to sleep?"
Their mother's green eyes shone with mischief, but also so much love. She was pretending to deny them, but she could never say no to Anna. It was only a matter of time before she repeated the lullaby again, and Elsa couldn't wait. She loved her mother's voice. It was like warm honey in her father's favorite tea. A splash of simple sweetness that made all the difference in the world.
"I promise to go right to bed. Look, I'll even close my eyes," Anna said eagerly, shutting her eyes so tight her face scrunched with the effort. Elsa shook with silent laughter and watched her mother do the same. Then their mother sighed and yielded to the request.
"Oh, all right. Now let's see here. How does it start again…?"
Anna's eyes popped open as she fed her the line. "Where the north wind meets the sea!" she exclaimed, and their mother shook her head even as she smiled.
"Ah, ah, ah. Eyes closed remember?"
Anna nodded and closed her eyes again before whispering. "You help her, Elsa. You and Mama sing. I love it when you sing."
"Ok, Anna," she agreed, taking her sisters hand and squeezing it gently. Then she and her mother looked at each other and started the song together.
"Where the north wind meets the sea
There's a river full of memory
Sleep, my darling, safe and sound
For in this river all is found
In her waters, deep and true
Lay the answers and a path for you
Dive down deep into her sound
But not too far or you'll be drowned
Yes, she will sing to those who'll hear
And in her song, all magic flows
But can you brave what you most fear?
Can you face what the river knows?
Where the north wind meets the sea
There's a mother full of memory
Come, my darling, homeward bound
When all is lost, then all is found"
In the short time they sang the song, Elsa felt Anna's hold on her soften, but she wasn't quite asleep yet. Elsa held a finger up to her mother, a signal that they should sing it through once more, and by the time that was done, Anna's breathing had evened out and she was already dreaming. She was nearly impossible to wake once sleeping, so Elsa felt free to speak to her mother in a quiet tone.
"Anna still thinks if we search hard enough by the riverside, we'll find the magic in the song."
"But you don't?" Her mother asked and Elsa shook her head.
"No. I think magic like that is just in stories."
"Perhaps, but I like to think our magic – real magic – is just a little bit different."
"What do you mean?"
"Well you're right, the lullaby goes hand in hand with our old folk stories, the legends of Arendelle shared for hundreds of years. In those stories people had abilities that no ordinary human should have."
"Like superheroes," Elsa offered, and her mother smiled.
"Exactly. But just because we can't wield water or ice or flames doesn't mean we can't make a difference. And you know how you make the biggest difference?" Elsa shook her head. "With love and with kindness. The way you love your sister, the way you love your father and I, the way you love everyone here in the manor, that is your greatest gift, my dear. And someday you will change the lives of so many people all by showing them great love and compassion."
"You really think that's magical?" Elsa asked, letting the idea wash over her. She always tried her best to do right and to be good to other people. That was what her parents had taught her. She liked the idea that by being good she was using a superpower, and the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Everyone did seem so much happier when she was kind and patient, and at the end of the day, that was the greatest gift – to be happy.
"Oh yes. It's an old magic, one that is so much more powerful than people give it credit for. But once you know of it, it's your job to keep it strong. You must never give up hope, and you must always follow your heart and do the next right thing."
"The next right thing," Elsa agreed, not thinking too much of it as sleep was beginning to creep near. The hour was late, and she was tired too, but she wanted to stay awake and enjoy this time with her mother. She and Anna often had to share their time with their parents, and it always made Elsa feel special to be with her one on one. As if she could read Elsa's mind, her mother pressed a kiss to her forehead and made a promise.
"We'll talk more tomorrow, my darling. Now, get some sleep."
Elsa had no idea that that night with her mother would be the last, and that everything she took for granted as the pillars of her world would be stolen in an instant. They'd gone from peace and contentment to total upheaval in the blink of an eye, and she and Anna were whisked away immediately, saved by little more than luck and the will of fate herself. The pain of that day would be etched in her soul forever, and so would the grief of losing the only home she'd ever known. But now, after decades of wishing things were different, Elsa could look back and be grateful, not for the troubles that had come, but for the sacred moments they did have with their parents before they were gone. It was hard to look back, but it was also a blessing. To have been so deeply loved that death could not sever the tie, that was something that had kept Elsa strong, and what she would cling to today especially.
Unwillingly, Elsa's mind wandered at just the thought of love, to a man who bewildered her and drew her in all at once. He was always meant to be a beautiful memory, a boy she knew one summer's day who showed her kindness and kissed her senseless. She could never confess how much she'd thought of him that summer. It was a girlhood infatuation that rivaled any other. Truth be told, he never was fully forgotten. He was always there in the back of her mind, until they'd moved here and she'd seen a random tabloid in the corner store. On the cover was a picture of a beautiful man – the King of Montenarro – and staring back at her were the same blue eyes from her girlhood dreams, if a little colder than she remembered.
That night she'd poured over the gossip rag and scoured the internet, waiting only until Anna went to bed before falling into a sinkhole of information. She read all about what he'd done since they had met, and how he'd stepped up to rule in a country that needed more than a little bit of hope. He was fair and wise and just, and passionate about making this country prosperous for all. Most recently he'd been working on his initiative to give all people in the country more say in government, and she thought that was admirable and knew how hard a task it must be. For years she'd watched and read the headlines, tracking his progress, while trying to avoid the speculation on things like his future and his love life. There was always talk about who the King would one day marry, and though Elsa knew she would be nothing but a forgotten blip in his past, it still hurt her to think of the boy who'd touched her heart belonging to another.
"Touched my heart," she said aloud, scoffing with the foolishness of the thought. "As if I haven't been secretly giving it to him for years. God, what a mess this all is."
At confessing her feelings, which had mostly developed from afar, Elsa's hands began to shake. Even if she'd thought of him often, it never in a million years occurred to her that they would ever reunite. But yesterday they had, and it was even more intense than she remembered. All day she felt his eyes on her, watching her every move. At all stages of the visit she could feel his presence, and it spun her whole world upside down. Never mind seeing him with the children, and watching him come out of his shell to offer them genuine affection. That had truly done her in, and almost made her forget herself. A few times they'd managed to speak, but Elsa always found an opportunity to run or to distract. She longed for that closeness, but was scared to death of letting someone – especially him – behind her many walls.
By the time she made her way back to her and Anna's home, it was nearly time for Emma's arrival and Elsa was nowhere closer to composure. She tried to breathe deeply, using some mindfulness to clear her thoughts, but her pulse was racing and her hands still shook. No matter – it was too late to run now. She had to face this head on. There was simply no other way.
A minute later she opened up the door, and within seconds, Anna was on her, enveloping her in a huge bear hug and prompting an emotional reaction in Elsa. Her sister was scared too, but Elsa could tell that underneath it all Anna was excited. She didn't even need to see her face to know that there was relief in sharing their story. Anna had never liked living a lie, and the burden of it weighed on her always. Knowing that, Elsa hugged her back and whispered words of encouragement.
"It's going to be all right, Anna. Remember what Mama used to say."
"All you can do is the next right thing," Anna replied shakily before nodding. "This is the right thing."
Elsa had just enough time to agree before a knock sounded at the front door. "Are you ready?" Elsa asked and Anna nodded.
"I'm ready."
"Okay, then let's do this."
….
Sitting in the kitchen of Elsa and Anna's small but charming house, Emma could practically taste the anxiety in the air. Whatever was going on with her friends was electric, and the room crackled with unsaid words Emma was increasingly eager to hear. Despite that, she could tell her friends needed a bit of an ice breaker, and she used one of her surest tactics to provide one.
"I'm sorry I'm a little later than we planned. Henry was on another level this morning. I love him more than anything, but he's just so…"
"Helpful?" Anna offered.
"Curious?" Elsa countered.
"I was going more for something like 'verbose.' I swear he's always got a dozen stories he can tell and today was no different. Actually, it was worse, because Killian was there last night, and you know how he gets with Killian."
"He loves him," Elsa said automatically, prompting Emma to smile warmly.
"He told Killian last night. It was so easy for him. He didn't think twice, he just said exactly how he feels."
"Oh, Emma," Anna said, happily taking her hand after putting a tray of pastries on the counter. "That's wonderful. What did Killian say?"
"That he loves him too."
"I knew I liked that man for a reason," Anna replied glibly. "Though, to be fair, it's impossible not to love Henry. He's the cutest, even if he hates me saying it."
"Killian said something else too," Emma said, waiting for Elsa to sit down with their tea. She watched her friends slightly shaky hands pour each of them a cup before spilling the beans. "He told me he sees a future, for us, the three of us. He said… well he said he loves me, and that no matter what he wants to be with me. Forever."
The sounds of secondhand joy that came from both her friends made Emma even happier, though it also prompted a blush she'd been trying pretty hard to fend off.
"And what did you say?!"
"That I love him too."
"Forever?"
"Definitely."
"Oh my God, this is exactly what I needed today," Anna said happily. "You don't even know." Belatedly it seemed to dawn on her – that was actually why Emma was here in the first place.
"I really don't want to push, but it sounded yesterday like the two of you had something you really want to tell me. I promise whatever is said here, it's between us. I'm still kind of new to the whole having good friends thing, but I can keep a secret."
There was only a moment of silence between them before Elsa replied. She centered herself with a deep breath in to start and then let it out and looked directly at Emma. "You have to understand that all of her hesitation has nothing to do with you. We trust you. We do. It's just been years of training ourselves to hide this part of our past, and keep the story in check so no one ever questions it."
"Years?" Anna barked out hollowly. "More like our whole lives. Honestly, I barely remember a time without the secrets. It's like they've always been here."
"You're right," Elsa acknowledged, squeezing Anna's hand gently. "This has been our burden to carry for as long as we can remember, and though time has passed, and we believe the physical threat is long behind us, old habits die hard."
"Actually, in our case they don't really seem to die at all," Anna quipped. "You're the first person we've ever told, and we can't even seem to do that right. God, this is so hard. Why is this so hard?"
"Probably because there's no easy way to say this," Elsa admitted. Emma reached out for her hand in a show of comfort and Elsa looked up at her immediately. Emma wanted to assure her she was here to help, never to judge, and if they needed more time to make peace with their decision to share, that was fine too.
"Just tell me what you can. Start wherever you need to."
Over the next hour, Emma patiently listened as they unfurled a truth that had been wrapped up tight for twenty years. They told her about their parents, two young Europeans who had met on foreign holiday. They were neither of them in their country of birth, and both eager to avoid the shackles of their real worlds, at least for a little while. Together they'd succeeded in doing this, and they had spent a week falling hopelessly in love with each other. From the way Elsa and Anna described it, Iduna and Agnar (yes, those were apparently their real names) had woven their strings together so tightly, the braid could not be broken.
The 'problem' stemmed from their father, for though he loved their mother endlessly, he had obligations – royal obligations. It turned out that Agnar was a Prince, of a nearby European principality that Emma had actually heard of. Arendelle was a small place, but it had undergone a revolution when she was a child, and even in the States there was endless conversation about it for a while. At first Emma was shocked, how was it possible that their Dad was a prince? But it took only a few moments for the surprise to dissipate. It explained why Elsa and Anna had always been so jumpy and yet very knowledgeable at multiple instances. It also explained why they were so hell-bent on keeping a secret, since the things Emma had heard about this country had hardly been positive.
According to Elsa and Anna, at the same time that Prince Agnar miraculously found love with their mother, his father, Runeard, had grown ill and passed away, leaving him as the heir apparent of the kingdom of Arendelle. Their father was eager for that role, and had been preparing for it all his life, until he was confronted with a truth that destroyed every plan he'd ever had. He could not remain the ruler of his country and pursue a life with the woman that he loved. He was bound as King to marry someone from a royal bloodline, and so he'd made a choice, to relinquish his crown and to hand it over to his younger brother. Their Uncle was a good man, and so they believed he would be a good King, but after a peaceful transition of power, and ten years of quiet where Elsa and Anna's parents married, had children, and made a quiet country life for them all, something happened. Their Uncle had begun trusting the wrong people, and a coup had taken place. The palace was overrun, the royal family was imprisoned, and the country was thrust into darkness.
In the thick of that fighting, Elsa and Anna's parents had also been targeted. They knew it was coming, as no coup could allow for anyone of the royal bloodline to live, but they didn't have the time to all get out safely. Instead, their parents stayed behind as Elsa and Anna were taken with their father's one-time nanny. She had lived with them all their lives, caring for them as if she were their own relation, and she brought them to France, through untraceable means, to the only other living relative they had left. Technically the older woman who became their lifeline was their father's Aunt, but to them, she was forever Grandmere.
"It was a few weeks with Grandmere before we had confirmation that mother and father were gone," Elsa said, sadness, even all these years, later taking hold of her quivering voice. Emma ached for her friend, and she couldn't comprehend that kind of loss. She had never had parents at all, and that had been so painful in so many ways, but in some respects this was an even worse fate. "They were strong, and they protected us until the very end, but some battles simply can't be won. Some heartbreaks cannot be avoided."
"I'm so sorry, for both of you," Emma said softly. "I cannot imagine the pain at knowing your parents and their goodness and then losing it like that."
"It was difficult," Anna agreed, "Especially being in a new country and having to hide who we were and basically stay at Grandmere's estate all the time. But even when they passed, our parents were never truly gone. They've always been with us. Their love lives on in us, right Elsa?"
"Right," Elsa agreed, offering a smile to her sister. "We stayed in France with Grandmere for years, and even though we were hurting, it was still a happy time. Grandmere adored us and spoiled us like any grandmother should. She gave us all the love and attention a person could stand, but she also took her role as our protector very seriously. As Anna said, we never really left the manor. It was a great estate, but for all intents and purposes we were under house arrest for years. We had private tutors for our schooling and no nanny except for Grandmere. The household staff were either sworn to secrecy or told an unassuming story about how we were two distant cousins who had fallen on hard times. The core of the story was true, of course. We had been orphaned through a series of tragic circumstances, but everything else was an illusion, including our names."
Emma's look of surprise had Anna clarifying quickly. "Our full names are Elisandra and Annadella, but our parents always called us Elsa and Anna. Those other names were family heirlooms, but these names were our truth. That's what Mama used to say. Still those nicknames were a luxury we couldn't afford when at our Grandmere's. So we chose new ones. Selene for Elsa, and Soleil for me."
"Totally different," Emma said casually.
"They were," Elsa agreed, "But they kept an important part of our story intact. My father called me his 'little Luna' since the night I was born, under a full blue moon. An ice-solstice, as it's referred to in Arendellian tradition. It's supposedly a sign of great fortune for babies born to be born on those rare nights. Meanwhile Anna was born at high noon on the sunniest, most beautiful day of the year. The kind of day that was a gift, as Papa would say. From that day forward, Anna became his 'sunshine."
"So let me guess, Selene means moon and Soliel means sun."
"Yes. It was hard to get used to, but Grandmere helped us every step of the way. She was devoted to us completely, and in truth, I think she loved us as much as any mother could. She had no children of her own, but she had us, and thank God we had her."
"But you never went out, you never left your home?"
"Not for a long time. Eventually we were allowed small indulgences. We went to Grandmere's house in Paris every Christmas season for the shopping and the sights. We visited her sister, Aunt Josephina, on the Spanish coast in August, when the weather was hottest and the beach was pure bliss," Anna acquiesced. "But we never went to school or sports or that kind of thing. All we really had was each other, until I made a dear friend in our next-door neighbor, Aurora. She didn't know the truth about our past, but Grandmere fully trusted her parents. They were diplomats, and always had ample security. A few summers I was allowed to go for a week or two to their summer home. Elsa was always invited, but she preferred the quiet for a change, deciding to get lost in her reading instead of adventuring with me."
Emma noticed that Elsa flinched slightly at the words, but it escaped Anna's notice. Emma looked at her curiously, wondering if Elsa would comment on the claim, but when no words came from Elsa, she decided to ask some more directed questions. Emma wondered about what had happened to Arendelle and how they came to be in Montenarro. Arendelle, luckily, was much recovered from the tumult of the past. The heinous coup had been righted by the people, and a new democratic government instilled. Unfortunately, their Uncle had not made it through that dark time unscathed. He grew very ill while in confinement and died some years later. The country was now transitioning to a fully democratic state, but there was, at least reportedly, great respect amongst the public for the royals that were. Their parents and Uncle were highly regarded, with a memorial service each year held in honor of their bravery and dedication to the country. Whispers about whatever happened to Elsa and Anna, or if they had even existed remained, but it had been a long time since any real attention was paid to their fates.
Despite those changing tides, Elsa and Anna's grandmother had always been hesitant in exposing the truth. She believed it wise not to open the door to a grand reveal. Why tempt fate when they could instead pursue, simpler, less complicated lives? Elsa and Anna had waivered at first, but ultimately decided that the best way to honor their parents was to do as they'd instructed – share their love and their abilities to make the lives of people who needed it better. Their personal experiences sparked their interest in working with orphaned children, and they both went to school to study in Paris, staying at their Grandmere's home all the while. It was only after the unexpected death of their dear Grandmere that they'd decided on a change. The jobs here in Montenarro had been discovered, and the rest was history. Anna and Elsa had chosen their simple, balanced life, and they'd been keeping the secret all the while.
"So, I guess keeping the truth from the rest of the world now is less about any danger to your life, and more about your privacy. I can only imagine how it would go – the press discovering two long lost princesses who lived through that kind of turmoil. It would be…" Emma trailed off and Anna filled in.
"A nightmare."
Now there was no denying the reaction from Elsa, and in truth, it looked like her friend had been struck by something. She was suddenly pale, and clearly agitated, and Emma suspected it was all to do with a certain King who'd paid her extra mind upon his visit to the Center yesterday.
"Elsa, are you all right?" Anna asked, pulling Elsa in from her own wandering thoughts. Still she looked almost haunted, and was unable to convince either Anna or Emma that she was well.
"I'm fine," she said, but the whispered words were hardly reaffirming.
"You are definitely not fine. Elsa, you're white as a sheet."
"I'm always pale, you know that," Elsa tried to joke but it was a pitiful attempt at humor.
"Elsa, seriously. What's wrong?" Anna asked, looking, for the first time all day, actually afraid. That distress in her sister's eyes prompted Elsa to hug Anna fiercely, and admit an unexpected truth for both Anna and Emma.
"I have to tell you something. Something I never told you."
"Okay," Anna agreed quickly, with nothing like anger in her expression. "You know you can tell me anything. Anything at all."
This time the revelations shared were questioned mostly by Anna, though Emma had questions as well. Who wouldn't, given the surprise twist in an already surprising tale?
It turned out that in one of those times where Anna was traveling with her friend, Elsa had gone with their Grandmere back to Paris. One afternoon they received an invitation from their grandmother's oldest friend for a garden party. With Elsa now 16, it was their grandmother's belief that she was ready for such an event. Elsa promised to keep to her story and mind her manners, but when she arrived, she was so nervous about doing or saying the wrong thing that she wandered off, away from the party all together. Deep within the hedgerow she'd met a young man who was also hiding. The bond of shared discomfort and an instant attraction made for a magical day where young love had a chance to bloom. At the time Elsa knew him only as Liam, and while she had planned to ask her Grandmere for more information on him, the old woman was in a state of panic when they finally reunited. It turned out more people were there than she ever realized, including some who could have discovered the secret. Elsa saw how much relief her Grandmere felt when she fibbed and said she'd been alone out in the gardens, she hadn't the heart to tell her the truth. The lie was typical, especially for a teenager, but it was clear it still ate away at Elsa.
"I felt awful keeping it from her. I kept trying to get up the courage to confess, but then you came home early after Aurora broke her ankle on her horse, and the summer ended, and nothing ever came of it," Elsa said, looking to Anna. "Eventually I came to believe that even if he seemed remarkable to me, he was just a boy. Our secret was still safe, and I had had my day in the sun."
"So you didn't realize who he was?" Emma asked and Elsa shook her head.
"It never came up," Elsa asserted. "He only referred to himself as Liam. He told me he was seventeen and that his mother knew our hostess and that was it. I didn't ask questions. Well, not about those kinds of things. We talked for hours, about everything and nothing. I didn't have the time for basic details."
The feeling was familiar to Emma. When she first met Killian, she felt the same way. They were so busy connecting with each other, so busy feeling the spark between them, that the words almost seemed to matter less. Knowing that Elsa had experienced that explained every part of her reaction yesterday, from the barely veiled interest to the severe trepidation every time she was within touching distance of the King.
"But when did you know the truth of who he was, Elsa? Please, please tell me it wasn't just yesterday," Anna begged, surprising both Elsa and Emma with her acceptance of the story and genuine want for Elsa to not have been blind-sided.
"It wasn't," Elsa admitted. "I found out when we first came to interview here. I saw a picture in the paper and I knew. I should have told you then, Anna, I know I should have, but we both felt it, our calling to this place. I swear it was like Mama and Papa brought us here. There were all those signs, and that feeling we just hadn't had since we were kids. I thought that if I shared the truth we'd have to leave, and I couldn't do that, to you or to me."
"I'm so glad you didn't," Emma admitted. "Perhaps that makes me selfish, but I know for a fact how much staying has meant not just for me but for the kids. This place is like one big family, and it's thanks to you two. It wouldn't be the same without you."
"I comforted myself with that thought for years. We were making a difference, we were using the magic Mama taught me about. But that doesn't mean what I did was right. I shouldn't have kept it from Anna, and now we may have no choice but to run."
"No choice but to run?" Anna parroted, astounded at the idea. "Elsa, what are you talking about? We are not running. You are definitely not running!"
"We're not?"
"Absolutely not. And you know why? Because this is love, Elsa. If yesterday is anything to go off of, and if your day together years ago was even half as romantic as you described, it's full blown, love at first sight, once in a lifetime stuff. And you want to talk about signs? How about the fact that we could have landed anywhere in the world for work – we had no limits and no plan – and we ended up here, in the same place where Liam is King. The chances were so slim, I know that was Mama and Papa's doing."
Tears had spilled onto Elsa's cheeks at Anna's declaration, but it didn't stop Anna from continuing on, even though her own eyes were misting over with the emotion of it all. "Our parents would never ever want you to run from love, Elsa, and neither do I. You deserve it, and here it is, back again after years of being parted. You've never really connected with anyone else, and I thought it was just a matter of waiting for the right man to come along, but now I know you were waiting for him again."
"But it's hopeless, Anna. He is the King."
"So? You're a princess."
"A princess in hiding. A princess who's story belongs squarely in the past. I can't ask him to keep the secret, but I also can't keep it from him. I'm caught up in this web I can't get out of, and Liam is too honorable. He would never deceive his people like that. I wouldn't ever ask him to."
"So we let the secret go," Anna said adamantly. "It's simple Elsa. We just tell the truth."
"You don't mean that," Elsa replied earnestly.
"I do."
"You just said it would be a nightmare."
"That was before I realized our alternative, and believe me, Elsa, there is no question of which is worse. If giving up obscurity and facing the press is what it takes to get you your love, it will be the easiest decision I ever make."
"That's assuming he even wants me," Elsa said prompting Emma to chime in.
"Oh, he wants you. Believe me, and if you don't believe me, then believe Killian. He talked about it most of the night, and he knows his brother better than anyone."
"Maybe he wants me, but he doesn't know everything, and I have no idea how he'll take it."
"Well there's only one way to find out," Anna said, standing up and pulling Elsa with her. "You have to tell him."
"Now?" Elsa squawked, looking at Emma for help and Emma intervened.
"Let me call, Killian. He's at the palace today. He can help us figure out a time." No sooner had she said the words than her fingers were making the call. It rang only twice before the sexiest voice she knew picked up.
"Miss me already, Swan?"
"Something like that. Listen, I'm here with Elsa and Anna and I think it would be good if Elsa and Liam talked."
Emma heard murmuring and then something that sounded like the phone banging on a table. She flinched from the sound, but then heard Killian once more. "Sorry, love. Suffice it to say my brother is enthused by the prospect."
"When?" Emma asked, and she heard a resounding 'Now!' from the background. It was Liam's voice and it prompted a smile for Emma. Elsa and Anna looked at her curiously as Killian responded.
"The sooner the better it seems."
"Okay, so in an hour then?"
"Aye." Again there was fussing on the other line, and it sounded like someone was pacing, until Killian spoke once more. "Might I suggest my place, so they may have some privacy."
"Perfect," Emma agreed. "She'll be there."
"Brilliant," Killian quipped, "And Emma?"
"Yes?"
"I love you."
"I love you too," she murmured, hanging up and putting her phone away in her pocket.
"And?" Anna asked.
"He wants to meet at Killian's in an hour."
"So soon?!" Elsa asked and Emma laughed.
"By the sounds of thing, an hour may as well be an eternity in Liam's eyes."
"He's not the only one," Anna agreed drawing Emma and Elsa's gazes immediately. "What? Oh, come on, Emma, like you aren't totally excited to see what happens. The suspense is practically killing me."
"It may actually kill me," Elsa said, putting her hand to her heart.
"It's going to be all right," Emma insisted, prompting Elsa to look up at her with hopeful but still skeptical eyes. "Don't ask me how I know, but I do. I can just tell."
"See!" Anna said excitedly. "And you know Emma's gut is legendary. She can sense these things."
"She didn't sense Killian was a prince," Elsa replied, not in a mean way, but as a frantic response from someone currently dealing with a lot.
"Touché," Emma said with a laugh. "But I did know he was it for me. So, let me put it this way: I don't know exactly how it will happen, but I do know you and Liam are going to work things out. Is that better?"
"Only if you really mean it," Elsa whispered.
"I do," Emma said softly.
"Ok," Elsa agreed after a moment's pause, straightening her spine in a show of determination. "Ok, I'll do it."
And with that the three of them set out to help Elsa get ready, knowing today would be a turning point, and that soon a much-needed conversation would lay it all out there once and for all.
Post-Note: Not going to lie, this chapter took SO long to craft, partially because of my muse being fussy, but mostly because, in the end, I needed two chapters to do this whole bit justice. I know I am leaving you on a bit of a cliff hanger, but I promise that next chapter we get the entirety of the Elsa/Liam story, and some added CS scenes to boot. Anyway, I really do hope that you enjoyed this chapter, and that it brightened your day, even if there were parts that were a bit sad. I love seeing what you all think, and knowing so many of you have enjoyed reading so far. I am still pretty busy with other things at the moment, but I promise to do my best to get an update written soon. Hope to see you next time, until then, hoping you are safe, healthy, and well! xE