Disclaimer: I often pretend that the canon characters in this story belong to me, but pretend is pretend, and this is reality. Canon characters belong to Me. Wait, I mean Disney. Yes, Disney.

Author's Note: I apologize for the delay in posting! I've been writing diligently but struggled with making this chapter "just right". I'm not sure if I got there, but hopefully you'll enjoy the read. Thank you for spending your time here!

~x-X-x~

Chapter #16: Her Person

'Twenty-one different kinds of sandwiches?'

'I'm going a little overboard, aren't I…?' Elsa put down her pen.

Vera shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She was fiddling with the edge of her apron and had suddenly become quite aware of the flour splattered on the cuff of her sleeve and the aroma of butter lifting from her body whenever she moved. It was not often that the Queen herself ventured down into the kitchens to meet with her—to meet specifically with her—and yet here she was.

She's too shiny, Vera thought, her gaze suddenly sensitive to the appearance of her kitchen. It was incredibly clean, of course, but it did not have quite the polish to balance the shininess of the Queen. Although Elsa was being very kind and soft in her demeanour, Vera could not help but recognize just how out-of-place Elsa appeared sitting at a table overflowing with turnips, onions, and potatoes.

'Of course not, your Majesty. It's nothing I can't handle…' Twenty-one! 'Are you thinking any particular kinds there?'

Elsa flipped through her notebook. 'Hmm… Anna will pretty much eat anything, so as long as it takes the form of a sandwich, she'll love it.' She motioned towards a chair with a warm smile. 'Please, Vera. Do sit down.'

'Oh, no, your Majesty,' Vera hurried to say, shaking her head. 'I couldn't.'

'Please,' Elsa insisted, and much to Vera's horror, the Queen stood up and pulled out the chair beside her. 'We have a really long list to get through. This may take a while.'

Vera fumbled into the chair and gave Elsa a nervous smile. 'This is going to be quite the party,' she said, because she did not know what else to say. It was difficult for her to hold a conversation on a topic other than food. Although, if Vera were being fair to herself, really it was difficult to hold a conversation with a very shiny Queen.

Elsa only nodded in response. Large parties did not sit well with her, and although protocol and obligation to the crown forced certain gatherings, events, and celebrations into existence, she tried to avoid hosting one if she could help it. Standing at the front of the Great Hall dressed in complete royal regalia—as guests either discreetly threw glances her way or otherwise unabashedly ogled her—was not her cup of tea. She could never tell if they stared because she was the Queen, or if they stared in the hopes—or fear—of seeing a flutter of snowflakes. Of course, it would never occur to Elsa that when she stood at the front of the Great Hall dressed in full royal regalia with a commandeering pose—her hair immaculate, her face serene, her frozen smile stoic yet soft—that she was the very vision that demanded the gaze of others.

She sometimes wished she could channel Anna's friendly disposition and undeniable charm. Her sister was kind and generous, which endeared her to their people, but she was also very intuitive, intelligent, and had a solid wit about her. Although Elsa had inherited the crown as a birthright, she knew in her heart that Anna exuded the traits that made her far more approachable and effective. It was not from a lack of confidence that this observation was made, but rather Elsa was being quite pragmatic in her observation—it was also one born from the most tender of places for the person she held the highest regard for.

'She's turning twenty-one,' Elsa said, with a sigh. Was her kid sister already coming of age? She could feel the years slipping between her fingers. Too fast. It's going too fast. 'And she loves a good party.'

'The princess also enjoys an open buffet,' Vera added, because she knew that while this one picked at her food, the other one inhaled second-and-third helpings.

Elsa's eyes widened. 'Oh, Vera! You're absolutely right. Anna is a bottom-less pit when it comes to food. Can we do that?'

Vera sat up a little straighter, her shy smile morphing into an excited grin with the prospect of such an elaborate menu. The nerves she had felt being in the presence of the Queen dissipated in the wake of this excitement. 'A buffet? Certainly, your majesty!' She could feel her fingers tingling with anticipation, and just like that the Queen became a little less intimidating.

'Oh, good!' Elsa lifted the fountain pen to her lips, her head tilting in thought. 'So how do we go about doing such a thing? Do we… think of a menu… and figure out the availability of the ingredients…?'

Elsa organized meetings with her council. She kept the company of dignitaries. She held court for her people. But when it came to the inner workings of her castle, she had very little knowledge of how things were done. Her isolation had kept her out of the system within which everyone belonged, and when she was thrust into a position of power, she had quite readily relinquished the responsibilities of her castle to the capable of hands of Kai and Gerda. She knew only that things were done and that her castle ran like a well-oiled machine. How they were done she had no clue.

'How do you normally decide what meals to prepare?' she asked, suddenly curious.

Vera blinked. 'Do you mean the everyday meals?'

Elsa nodded, and Vera felt quite tickled by the Queen's sudden interest in such a mundane thing.

'Well, Gerda gives me the notes I need to prepare the meals.'

'Notes?'

'Yes. Every day she takes a read of the weather, because certain climates warrant certain foods. Soups and stews when it's cold, that sort of thing. And then there's the local ingredients that are delivered each morning, such as the season's best or the limited finds…' What am I doing, babbling on and on?! She could feel a blush forming. 'And, well, she'll read your moods, too.'

It was Elsa's turn to blink. 'Our moods?'

'Certain foods to perk your day, certain foods to calm the nerves, certain foods to energize.' Vera shifted in her chair. 'Foods to cheer, to console, to celebrate, to satisfy, to nourish, to heal, to—'

'Vera, Vera!' Elsa called, chuckling as the cook gave her a flustered a smile. 'The care that you put into our meals… thank you. I'm very grateful. And to think how well you probably know us just based on what we consume.'

Vera blushed. 'There's a lot to be said about what a person eats.'

'Yes, I can see that now.' Elsa pulled on her braid, her eyes lowering to the pile of turnips in front of her. 'There's been a lot of chocolate in my snacks lately…'

'They're your favourite, your Majesty.'

'To satisfy and energize?'

Vera chanced a glance at her Queen, looking at her without discretion for the first time since her arrival into her kitchen. 'To perk your day, your Majesty,' she said, carefully. 'And maybe to console.'

A crease formed on Elsa's brow, but her lips curved into a faint smile. Did everyone know? Could they sense the restlessness within her? It had been a week since Niklas had taken leave to return to Bergenjorde. She knew this, because Kristoff had told him the truth about his father where she could not. She also knew this, because the Minister of Education had logged the request at the last council meeting and had informed her that Mr. Olsen had agreed to return from his retirement to fill the post in Niklas's absence. In his absence; a week of distracting herself by diving into the organization of Anna's upcoming birthday celebration, a week of skirting the halls and corridors in an attempt to avoid the concerned gaze of her staff; a week of eluding both Anna and Kristoff in the hopes of escaping the conversation they were trying to rope her into.

It boggled her mind, really, that his departure could make her feel like she had even less control over the situation. Had it not been her desire that he salvage his relationship with his father? Was this not the very reason he had returned to Bergenjorde? And yet knowing that he had left stirred in her a loneliness she had not felt in a very long time. How could someone who cherished her aloneness suddenly feel so lonely? She closed her eyes and inhaled slowly.

It had been a week. A week of delicious chocolate treats that were not quite doing the trick.

'I think the buffet should definitely include sandwiches on the menu,' Elsa said, clearing her throat as she tapped her notebook with her pen. She gave Vera a reassuring smile, because although she had spent the week avoiding everything that would counter the decision she had made in regards to her relationship with Niklas, she was not blind to the care that surrounded her.

Vera nodded, the rose of her cheeks deepening. 'Yes, that's right,' she said, gently, and pulled her own notepad from her pocket. 'Twenty-one different kinds, yes?'

Elsa nodded, her clear eyes shimmering in the sunlight that beamed in from the window. 'Twenty-one different kinds.'

~x-X-x~

'Anna, I don't like this.'

'Shhhhh…' Anna pressed her ear against the door, her eyes squinting as she concentrated. 'She always takes a bath at this time. She has to be in here…'

Kristoff frowned as he nervously took in his surroundings. They were in Elsa's bedroom, and although he had been in her room multiple times before, this was the first time he had trespassed without her knowledge. The task had been easy enough. Anna had long ago banned Elsa from ever locking her door again, and Elsa had agreed, naively trusting that her privacy would be respected.

Elsa's bedroom door was now the most paraded through frame in the Castle. It gave way to Anna's slumber party urges, to Olaf's impromptu questionnaires, and even to Kristoff's own competitive gaming compulsions. It did not matter in the least if Elsa was about to take a bath, or about to change, or about to collapse into her bed. When that bedroom door opened, they all knew that she would drop whatever she was doing and entertain the whims of her family.

But this time was different. This time Elsa was being cornered, and she had no clue.

'Let's just wait for her out in the hall.'

Anna grabbed his arm before he could take a step towards the door. 'No way. She's been avoiding us for a week! You know how hard it is to find her when she doesn't want to be found.' She pointed at the bathroom door. 'We've got her trapped.'

'Oh, well. You know how much she loves being trapped,' he said, dryly.

Anna rolled her eyes. 'Look, didn't you tell Nik you would help him out here?'

'Yea…' He ran a hand through his blonde locks.

'And haven't you totally failed at doing that?'

'Oh, come on! You know how elusive Elsa's been lately. She barely makes it to our meals and she's been avoiding all of her favourite places. It's hard to talk to someone who's never around long enough to get a word in.'

'Uh huh. Well, now's our chance! I mean, Nik came back today. And she doesn't know. And he doesn't know we've done nothing to help him. And now he's back and, like, nothing's changed.'

'But Anna. She's in the bathroom.'

'So?'

'So, I'm not going in there.'

'Oh, good point.' She crinkled her nose. 'Okay, you wait out here and guard the door in case she makes a run for it.'

'I doubt she's going to make a run for—'

'Just. Stay. Put.'

Kristoff let out a defeated sigh. He grabbed Anna's hand and gave it a squeeze. 'We just want to know how she's doing.'

'Yea, I know.' Anna pushed the bangs from her eyes. 'And tell her that he's back. That he went to his father's, like she wanted, and now he's back. On his own.'

Kristoff pressed his lips together. 'Right. But we're not going to push her.'

'Aren't you the loyal friend,' she retorted, crossing her arms over her chest. 'Not. You sound like a ninny.'

Kristoff rolled his eyes, but before he could respond, Anna had pushed her way through the bathroom door and disappeared into the other room. Kristoff stared after her as the door clicked closed behind her.

'I'm not a ninny,' he mumbled, under his breath, but he jumped when the door flew open and Anna stormed out only seconds after going in.

'She's not in there!' she exclaimed, in a huff. 'But where is she? She definitely takes a bath at this time and you know how Elsa is with routine. It's not likely she's in another bath somewhere else, because that's really un-Elsa-ish… although…' Her eyes widened.

'What?' Kristoff asked, hesitantly. He recognized the look in her eyes.

'The door in the North Wall… she's in the fjord.'

'Uh, what?'

She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the door. 'Trust me.'

~x-X-x~

The water was cold, which meant it was perfect. Elsa loved the sensation of the warm evening breeze mingled with the touch of the cool water lapping at her skin. She let out a soft, tired sigh as she waded further into the fjord. The sky above her was ablaze in unassuming wisps of pinks and purples, the evening clouds flowering like soft, lush peonies. She fluttered her fingers across the water's surface, the reflection of the sky breaking in response to her touch.

She looked over her shoulder to check that Sven was still where she had left him. She could just make out the reindeer patrolling the shore, her dress and cloak hanging over his back. She let out a sigh of relief, and then dunked her head into the water. There was no guard more loyal than Sven.

She lingered just beneath the surface, the dark abyss a source of comfort that surprised her. She stared out into the emptiness as her eyes adjusted to the dark. She could see them—those large, kind hazel eyes—filling the void before her. Her mouth curved into a faint smile, denying her heart a moment of regret. And although she knew it was useless, and although she knew that her regret stemmed from her own actions… she missed him.

True, she had not known him for very long and they had barely spent any time together, but she felt his absence as deeply as she felt the darkness in the water pressing against her. She could not explain the emotions that filled the space he had, until most recently, occupied, and she was not sure she needed such an explanation. There was something freeing in not putting a name to what she felt so organically.

Her chest felt tight as she looked up and spotted a round silhouette passing over her head. Freeing, yes, but not altogether devoid of a nagging anxiousness. She exhaled slowly, causing little bubbles to slip from between her lips, and then pushed up until she broke through the surface.

'More ice, Olaf?' she asked, pushing her hair away from her face. She was waist-deep in the shallow of the water, and the only thing protecting her bare body from the open air was her blanket of long, wet platinum locks.

'Yes, please!' Olaf was sitting, quite leisurely, in a rounded boat Elsa had crafted to protect him from the water's natural impulse to erode. He had insisted on bathing with her, and she had indulged him. He now sat reclined in relaxed bless. One twig-hand was draped over the side of the boat with a single finger dragging along in the water. He was tapping his foot to the music in his head and Elsa could not help but be amused by him.

She pulled the boat in front of her and conjured tiny shards of ice fashioned into small magnolia petals. She sprinkled these petals over Olaf as he lifted his hand to capture them as they fell. The boat teetered with the shift of his weight and Elsa laughed as she steadied him.

'Careful! Do you need my help getting cleaned up?' She lowered herself further into the water and leaned her chin against the rim of the boat.

Olaf nodded. 'Uh huh.' He lifted a snowball-foot. 'It's those hard-to-reach places.'

Elsa chuckled. She was about to remind Olaf that he had the ability to rearrange to reach those difficult places, but again she decided to indulge him. She was keenly aware that his presence was meant to console her, and she was thankful for it. She produced a knife-shaped shard of ice and began to scrape the dirt, pebbles, and debris crusted into the bottom of his foot. She then replaced the shavings with fresh snow.

'Stop squirming,' she chided, while also tickling Olaf's foot.

'Do you want me to help you clean your hard-to-reach places?' Olaf asked, between giggles.

Elsa raised an eyebrow. 'Uh, I'm fine, thanks.' She lifted Olaf's other foot and frowned. 'Hmm… what's this…?' She dug her fingers into his snowball and pulled out a small piece of chalk.

'Ohhhhh… that's where it went! I lost it at school today.' He reached forward to take the chalk from her but it slipped through his fingers and disappeared into the depths of the water. 'Oops!'

'You… went to school today?'

'Yup! Mr. Evensen's returned so I went to say hi.'

Something in her chest lurched at Olaf's words. 'He… he came back?'

'Uh huh! He bought the class a whole crate of cloudberries! Did you know that cloudberries only grow for a few weeks every summer? Mr. Evensen said that's why they're considered a delicacy. We all thought that was a very special gift to share with us.'

'Definitely special, Olaf,' Elsa responded, distractedly. She was tugging at a strand of her hair, her eyes drifting along the horizon line. The sun was setting, but she barely noticed. He's come back…

'Elsa?'

'Hmm…?'

'Anna.'

'Wha—'

'ELSA! WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING?! GET OUT OF THERE!'

The sound of Anna's voice cut through the tranquility in the air. Elsa closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She could not ignore the coincidence of such timing: Anna finding her in the very moment she had learned of Niklas's return. Was it worth it to continue avoiding her sister? She could feel her stubborn resolve seep from her body and disappear into the water's depth. She turned slowly and found Anna standing at the water's edge looking absolutely livid.

'Looks like we're found, Olaf.'

'Bath time over?' He sounded disappointed.

'Bath time over,' she sighed. She waved her hand, and a current of tiny snowflakes pushed against Olaf's boat and propelled him forward as she strode towards the land. She paused when the water was just below her bellybutton and tilted her head to one side. Something had caught her eye.

'Shit, Elsa! Give a guy a warning, will you?!'

Her eyes widened for a fraction of a second as Kristoff appeared from behind Anna and scampered quickly to hide under cover of Sven, his cheeks blazing red.

Elsa averted her eyes, not from embarrassment, but from the sudden jolt of laughter that erupted from within her at the sight of seeing him panic. She submerged herself up to her chin and smoothed her long hair over one shoulder, her eyes aglow.

'Oh, Kristoff, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there,' she called, completely nonchalant. Having lived outside of societal norms, Elsa found very few things taboo and therefore often escaped the feeling of embarrassment. However, she understood propriety and was sensitive to the embarrassment of others. She turned to Anna, and found her sister removing her own shoes.

'Uh, what are you doing?'

'I want to join you.'

'Absolutely not. The water's freezing. You'll catch a cold.'

'It's summer!'

'It's the fjord.'

Anna rolled her eyes, but she picked up her shoes and began to slip them back on. 'Maybe I should get sick. Then you'll have to take care of me, which means you'll have to stop avoiding me!'

Elsa frowned. Anna's logic made absolutely no sense, and yet she could not help but feel responsible for Anna's sudden disregard for her health. She watched as her sister bounced on one foot as she tried to slip a shoe onto the other.

'I'm sorry, Anna,' she said, as she stepped up onto the embankment. She pulled Olaf up with her. 'How did you know where to find me?'

'It's your bath time, and you weren't in your bathroom.' She shrugged. 'Besides, you always—' she stopped the word "run" from slipping passed her lips, '—escape to the fjord.'

Elsa looked out at the lake. It had been from this very spot that she had escaped through the door in the North Wall during her coronation, and had realized that she could run across the surface of the water. 'I was just bathing.'

She took a step towards Sven, who in response took a step towards her.

'Sven! What gives! Stay put!' came Kristoff's frantic plea.

'I need my dress,' Elsa responded, matter-of-factly.

Kristoff reached up and patted Sven's back until he made contact with the soft fabric. He grabbed a fistful and swung it in the direction of Elsa's voice. She caught it. It was the cloak. The dress still hung over Sven's back.

'This will have to do.' She draped the cloak around her body.

Anna wanted to reprimand Elsa for thinking that bathing in a fjord was a good idea, but she was suddenly captivated by the sight of her sister standing beneath the moonlight. The water seemed to cling to Elsa's hair, shimmering in her silken locks with the radiance of the evening sky—sometimes glowing pink, sometimes purple, and sometimes with the brilliance of her natural pale hue. Her low core temperature was causing the droplets of water to slow their cascade over her flesh and crystalize, triggering Elsa's already translucent skin to glow beneath the rising moon.

'Do you have any idea how breath-taking you are sometimes?' Anna breathed, her hand moving up to her chest.

'I'm glad you found me,' was Elsa's response.

'Really? Because you seem to be going out of your way to stay hidden lately.' She was trying to sound annoyed, but her pout gave her away. If anything, she was more relieved. 'And it's okay to acknowledge a compliment, ya know.'

'I'm sorry, I—'

'HEL-LO! I'm still here!' came Kristoff's gruff voice.

The sisters turned towards Sven. They could just make out a tuft of blonde hair over the slope in Sven's back.

'Why don't you join us then?' Anna called, her tone riddled with mischief.

'Is everyone fully dressed? I have boundaries, you know,' he grumbled. 'I thought we came here to talk about Niklas.'

'I thought we were going to ease into that conversation!' Anna grumbled in return, throwing Elsa a pensive glance.

'And I thought we were going to have our clothes on for this conversation, so we're all a little confused here, now aren't we?' He sounded exasperated.

'It's safe to come out now,' Elsa chuckled, tightening the cloak around her shoulders. She sat down on one of the rocks that formed the natural staircase up to the door in the North Wall, and crossed one long, bare leg over the over. She beckoned for Anna to sit beside her. 'You're here to tell me that Niklas has returned.' Although his name had pulsed through her heart at every turn, this was the first time this week that she had uttered his name out loud.

'So, you know then,' Kristoff said, coming out from behind Sven. His sat down in the grass beside Olaf, the red in his cheeks still evident. 'Will you see him?'

Elsa looked out at the water. The moon was glowing in full force now, its radiance bouncing off the water's surface. 'Do I need to see him?'

'Shouldn't you see him?' Kristoff countered. He was ready to chisel through the ice. 'He just came back from a visit with his father.'

'You have to see him,' Anna demanded, before Elsa could respond. 'It's obvious you've been missing him this whole time. You've been avoiding anything that reminds you of him and you've totally been avoiding any conversation that might be about him.'

'Anna—'

'You can't keep burying yourself in your work in the hopes that this will go away. It won't go away. Don't you see?' There was such a fierce lilt in her gaze, but Anna spoke with a tenderness reserved only for her sister. 'He's your person, Elsa!'

Elsa blinked, her back straightening in defense. 'My…?'

'Your person. You know, that somebody who fills your thoughts when you let your mind wander; the person you think of when you come up with something funny, or sad, or important to say; the person you seek out when you need comfort; the person you're most comfortable with because around them you feel free to be who are you—'

'But I already have this person,' Elsa interjected, softly.

'Who?!' Anna exclaimed, her eyes growing large.

'You, silly.'

Anna furrowed her brow, her cheeks flushing. She reached forward and grabbed her sister's hand. 'Oh, Elsa. Of course I'm that person. But…' she gave her sister's hand a squeeze, '… but it's okay to let someone else in, too.'

'I mean, I feel like I'm sort of a person, too,' Kristoff mumbled.

'You're definitely a person,' Olaf said, patting Kristoff on the knee. 'And also a little bit reindeer.'

Sven snorted.

Anna rolled her eyes, but otherwise ignored their quibble. Her attention was focused only on her sister. 'You're always talking about finding one's truth and figuring out what's best for yourself yadda yadda, so don't you think Nik deserves the chance to talk about this with you?'

'She's right, Elsa,' Kristoff noted. 'You made him choose his father over you. You made that decision for him.'

'And he let you. Why? Because he's your person!'

Elsa bit down on her bottom lip as her brow creased. In her need to control the situation, had she controlled Niklas's freedom to decide for himself what was best?

'And Elsa, he came back. He went to this father. And then he came back. Why?' Anna leaned forward. 'Why, Elsa?'

'Ooo, Ooo, I know! Because he's her person?' Olaf beamed.

Anna tilted her head and observed the subtle worry displayed on Elsa's brow. 'Are you afraid of what you'll risk to be close to him?'

Elsa did not respond, but she lowered her gaze, her long lashes hiding the glistening texture of her blue eyes.

'Elsa?' It was Kristoff who spoke. 'I get it. It's hard to feel in control when you find yourself facing something you've never faced before. But it's not just you. Niklas is in the same boat. It's not easy…'—he wanted to say "falling in love", but was not sure Elsa was ready for those words just yet—'… realizing that your person is a daughter of Arendelle with wicked magical powers. I mean, I fell for the non-magical one and that didn't make it any easier.'

Anna gawked. 'What's THAT supposed to mean?!'

'Only that he's just an ordinary guy who has to contend with the fact that his person is fancy. I mean, I sort of know what that feels like.' He ignored Anna's gaze and turned to face Elsa directly. She was looking at him, her large, pensive eyes searching his for the words he knew she needed to hear. 'Niklas battled his intimidation and tackled the things that would keep him from you. That includes his father, sure. But it also includes his own reservations and fears. I mean, the guy has to know that he'll never be good enough for you. But he came back anyway. That took guts, and I can't fault him for that.'

Not good enough… for me…?

A look passed between Kristoff and Anna. They could both sense the ticking in Elsa's mind. The ice was cracking. Anna reached forward and pulled a small leaf from Elsa's hair. 'It's okay, Elsa. Just let it go and take the risk.'

'But why are you two so supportive of… this?' What is "this" anyway? There was an edge to her tone. 'If it's such a risk… and clearly pursuing this would be a difficult task for him… why put him through something that…' she paused, her mind working to find just the right word, '… that isn't allowed to happen? I would be selfish and… and irresponsible.'

'Selfish and irresponsible?! Oh, c'mon! You want to know why we're supportive? First, that's a stupid question. Second…' Anna pulled a piece of folded paper from her pocket. 'Look, he drew this.' She unfolded the paper and held it up for Elsa to see.

Elsa's eyes widened. Staring back at her in soft charcoal lines was her own likeness. The drawing was not complete, but there was such an intensity in the depiction of the eyes that she felt momentarily stunned.

'He sees you, Elsa. He sees you the way we see you. And that's something, isn't it?' She held the drawing out for her sister. 'And you have the power to make it allowed. So, just listen to the little voice in that snowflake heart of yours and make it allowed.'

'It would be selfish and irresponsible of you not to,' Kristoff added.

Elsa hung her head. Kristoff was right. Anna was right. She took the drawing from her sister and traced the lines with her finger. Something within her was stirring so fiercely she was sure her sister could hear the thumping in her chest. 'Snowflake heart?'

'Yea, you know,' Anna said, blushing, 'kind of cold, but melts easily.'

'And beautiful,' Olaf added, smiling up at her.

'And a little fragile.' Kristoff nodded as he rubbed his chin. 'Once upon a time you invited an orphan ice master to live at the castle—'

'Wait, this story sounds familiar…' Olaf piped up.

'—because instead of him becoming the reason for dividing your family, you wanted him to become a part of that family.'

'Oh, it's you,' Olaf interjected, quite pleased with himself.

'Although I get the guy, and offered to help him out in this situation, I'm really just here to return the favour.' Kristoff looked down at the mound of grass between his feet. 'You gave me the push I needed to secure a life with my person, and now—'

'And now we're returning the push.' Anna stood up, pulling Elsa up with her.

'CLOAK!' Kristoff groaned, covering his eyes as the garment slipped from one of Elsa's shoulders.

Elsa chuckled as she rearranged the cloak around her body. She then folded the portrait and was about to slip it into a hidden pocket when Anna reached forward and grabbed it from her.

'Hey, that's mine.'

Elsa raised an eyebrow. 'Ah, sorry.' She then smiled. 'That was quite the disquisition.'

Anna blinked. 'Disqui-what?'

'She means you both talked her ear off,' Olaf supplied, his grin wide. He could sense a calmness taking over the recent tension he had felt in Elsa's demeanour. He could suddenly breathe a little easier, and knew that this meant that Elsa was breathing a little easier, too.

'Well, excuse you,' Anna responded, narrowing her eyes at her sister. 'It's not our fault it takes a-gazillion words to get through to you.'

Elsa chuckled apologetically at the look of frustration on Anna's face. 'I'm sorry, you're right. I appreciate your efforts.' A slight blush spread across her nose. 'I'm very fortunate to have you—all three of you—as my people.'

'I'm a snowman,' Olaf clarified.

'As my beings, then,' Elsa amended. 'And so is he.'

'So, you're going to talk to him?' Kristoff probed, as he stood up and dusted the grass from his pants.

Elsa looked down at her clasped hands. She wanted to see him. She had wanted to see him the moment Olaf had informed her of his return. Although she needed to hear this support from her family, she also knew deep within that the decision had already been made. Knowing that he had returned, and that his presence currently existed just outside of the orchard—so close—made her feel an overwhelming flood of relief.

'Yes,' she said. And then she smiled as she turned with a flourish and made her way up the stone steps towards the door in the North Wall. Olaf grabbed a hold of Sven's reins and the two of them scampered up after her.

Anna watched her sister ascend: her cloak swaying in the breeze, her barefooted steps light, her hair shimmering in the moonlight. 'She gave in so easily,' she observed, loud enough for only Kristoff to hear.

'I think she knows it's time.'

Anna nodded. 'This is good, right?'

'Are you suddenly having doubts?! I thought you wanted them to get together.'

'I do… because you know, she tries to make him happy, the way she tries to make us happy. That makes him important to her, and if he's important to her, he's important to me. I just want Elsa to be happy.'

'She is happy. He will add to that happiness.'

Anna nodded. 'He better. I'm so done being the wise one here.'

Kristoff scoffed. 'Bold of you to assume you're wise.' He grabbed her hand and pulled her up the steps before she could respond.

~x-X-x~

The sun was white against the clear sky. It was a new day with a freshness in the air that welcomed the opportunity for new possibilities. And yet, as Niklas meandered down the beaten path towards his cottage—flipping his lucky blue button into the air and catching it with every step—he was completely unaware of how the summer beckoned for his attention.

He had been gone only a week, but being greeted by a boisterous band of excited school children was a reminder that no matter where he went, coming back to Arendelle was coming back to where he belonged. He had missed their faces. He had missed this familiar path with its picket fence. He had missed that excited wave of Ingrid's through her kitchen window.

And he had missed her.

Perhaps this is why, as he shifted his satchel from one shoulder to the other and shoved his button back into his pocket, he became aware of a familiar scent drifting around him: a subtle wisp of fresh snow through the branches of a pine tree. For a moment he thought he was imagining it. After all, this past week she existed for him only in his thoughts. But when he reached his gate, he found, hovering inches from his long nose, a suspended snowflake.

His lips parted to accommodate the quickening of his breath. No… not impossible…. He lifted his finger and, ever so gently, touched the heart of the snowflake. It seemed to shudder just for a moment, and then swooped in a flourish and fluttered away towards his front door.

Niklas pushed his way through his gate, tripped up his front steps, and rushed into his cottage. The snowflake drifted towards his open back door and he followed, his eyes squinting in fear of losing sight of it. The snowflake stopped and hovered before the entrance to his studio and he knew, as he tried to slow his panting breath, that she was just beyond this door. The satchel slipped from his shoulders and fell to the ground with a thud.

He stood frozen.

His mind tried to still the rapid beating of his heart, but he found that he could be patient no longer. Before he was fully aware of what he was doing, he opened the door and stepped inside.

He saw her immediately.

She was sitting on his chair with her arm propped up on his desk, her chin resting in the palm of her hand. Her eyes were closed, and as he took a step towards her, he realized that she was sleeping.

His breath caught in his throat as he slowed his movement. How long had she been waiting? The floorboard creaked as he bent down at her knee and peered at the face that protected his dreams. The sun flooding in from the ice that formed his window bathed her in a warm light. There was a hint of a crease between her eyebrows and her lips were pressed in a pout, but otherwise she appeared quite content in the peacefulness of the moment.

He watched her sleep. Only for a second. Until her lips parted in a sleep-filled sigh. Niklas's heart strained against his chest.

'If only I could be the air that fills you,' he whispered. 'To remain that unnoticed, and yet still be necessary… to stay within you for all my days…'

She stirred.

He moved back with a jolt, lost his balance, and teetered backwards—arms flailing—before falling flat on his behind.

Whether it was the resounding thud, or the vibration of the floorboard, or simply because her body was rested, Elsa opened her eyes and immediately jumped to her feet.

'Oh! Niklas! Are you alright?' She reached forward and grabbed his hand.

The shock of her touch was so great that Niklas could barely respond as she pulled him up off the floor.

'Yes! I'm sorry… I'm quite fine. Just startled. Oh, but not by you, of course. No, never by you. Actually, a little bit by you, in this situation. By which I mean, uh, you being here? Just… well—'

She cleared her throat.

'Hello, Niklas.' She was smiling.

'Hello, Elsa.' He was living for her smile.

He was very aware that his hand was still in hers, that her hands were cold, that a heat grazed against his cheeks… and that she was here, in his studio… with him. Alone. He could not fathom why she was there if not to see him, but he could not find it in himself to ask. He did not want to risk losing this moment.

'The door was open,' she said, slowly. The moment was broken.

But he instantly forgave her.

'I've been keeping my door unlocked hoping… you would walk back in…'

Elsa tilted her head ever so slightly. 'Doors… I can't seem to shake them from my destiny.' And then she laughed, and it was as if all that was beautiful had become a sound.

'I love you,' said his eyes. His mouth deterred. 'I went to see my father.'

Elsa nodded. 'I know.'

'But I've come back.'

Elsa nodded. 'I know.'

'To you.' Had he just said that out loud? His mind was in a panic, but his heart swelled in complete gratification.

Elsa nodded, and then took a step forward, their hands still together. 'I know. I'm sorry.'

He could hear the concern in her voice and was suddenly filled with a thousand regrets. 'For what? There's nothing you need to be sorry for. My father is the one—' He paled. 'Elsa, I'm the one who's sorry, even though I know these words aren't enough to make up for how my father treated your family…. He had so little to say, but I'd like to think there was some remorse under his stubborn refusal to speak about it. He's my father, and I can't find it in my heart to forsake him. But Elsa, I hope you believe me when I say that I would never harm you in any way. I may be my father's son, but I'm my own person. And this person…' … courage, don't fail me now… '… wants to be by your side.'

She was staring at him, her large eyes fixed on his. There was such an intensity in her gaze that Niklas had half the urge to look away, and yet how could he justify looking away when gazing into her eyes was a privilege he hoped to earn.

'By my side, even though I pushed you away in the hopes that you would make the right decision?' She looked down, and Niklas felt a cold, tingling sensation in the palm that rested against hers. 'I thought it was the right thing to do. A part of me still thinks it's the right thing to do.'

'And the other part?'

'The other part brought me here.'

'To me?'

'To you.'

He tugged at her hand and she took another step forward. 'How long can I keep you here?'

'Hmm…?' Elsa frowned, her confusion obvious as her eyes darted around the room. But then Niklas lifted his hand and placed it on his heart, and she suddenly understood. 'Until you need me to.'

Niklas gave a short, curt nod. 'For forever then.'

They both averted their eyes—both a little scared, neither one prepared—but both feeling that whatever was happening between them in this moment was very right.

'Anna said that you're my person…' Elsa whispered. She was looking down at their clasped hands.

'Whole heartedly,' Niklas replied, and then chuckled softly. 'I've always liked your sister.'

Her lashes fluttered against the swell of her cheeks and he could have sworn he saw a tiny snowflake drift down and melt on her bottom lip.

'And, um…' He ran his free hand through his mess of hair. 'Can I assume, I mean, your generous gift—' he pointed his chin at the box on his desk, the one that contained the works of Professor Ector, '—was so thoughtful I thought maybe… without being too presumptuous… that perhaps… perhaps you're my per—' He paused, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. 'Elsa.'

Her lashes lifted and there they were, those startling blue eyes.

'More than words, showing me how you feel makes this more real. And it's funny, because words are my life, but one thing I've learned from you, Elsa…' he squeezed her hand, '… is that even when you don't use them to tell me how you feel… I already know.'

'Niklas, I do have the words…' They existed, lingering at the edge of her lips. 'I just—'

'You keep them,' he interjected. He took a step forward, closing the gap between them. He lifted his hand and cupped her cheek, his thumb trailing a warm caress against her cold flesh. 'Until they need to be heard. But for now, you just being here with me is enough…'

His heart was racing as his thumb moved to her chin and brushed along the bottom of her lip. He felt her shudder, and although he knew that he should contain himself, it was already too late. It had been too late the moment a frosty-haired girl had skipped down a staircase of ice and into his life.

He lowered his head, his lips a breath away from hers. 'May I seal them in?'

'No.'

He froze, a wave of disdain flooding through his body. Had he overstepped? His eyebrows furrowed, his gaze apologetic, as he made an attempt to pull back.

But then Elsa lifted her hand and smoothed a strand of his hair from his brow. It was such a gentle touch, and there was such a tender look in her eyes that Niklas could not help but feel overwhelmed in her presence.

'Let me,' she breathed, her cheeks flushed. 'Close your eyes.'

He obliged, because he suddenly realized that she needed to be the one to let go of her reservations. She needed to be the one to take the first step.

He felt her hands on his shoulders as she lifted herself up on her toes. His heart skipped a beat. And then another. And then another.

And then.

Soft lips grazed the corner of his mouth.

Thumpthumpthumpthumpthump.

Soft lips grazed the stubble on his chin.

Thumpthump. Thumpthumpthumpthumpthump.

And then the inhale of a breath before he felt those soft lips on his own.

Her kiss was gentle, untried, and held the weight of all those unsaid words. He found himself tilting his head, his fingers lacing into the hair at her neck, as he offered his entire being to her. The kiss lasted for only a wisp of a moment, but when she pulled away, he knew. Nothing would ever be the same again.

'Well.' She brought her fingers up to her lips, breathless 'So that's what it feels like.'

He nodded as he opened his eyes. He ran his tongue along his bottom lip, savouring the taste of her, and noticed for the first time the snow on his shoulder.

She gave him a small, apologetic smile. 'At least I didn't freeze the room,' she said, as she reached forward and dusted the snow from his shirt. The flakes melted in the air before they could make it to the ground. 'I'm getting better.'

'I don't know… I kind of like it when you burst into snow…' he braved, running a hand through his hair. He was very aware of the blush on her cheeks, and how it trailed down her neck and disappeared beneath the collar of her dress.

'I don't burst into snow,' she remarked, crinkling her eyes at him. 'I… flutter.'

'Ahh…' He placed his hand above his heart. 'So you really are in here, then.'

Her blush deepened. 'I-I better be heading back.'

His heart plummeted. No… don't go… 'May I escort you?'

She smiled as she tucked a few stray hairs back into her braid. 'That would be lovely.'

He followed her out through his cottage and onto the road. His mind was filling with her presence: the rustle of her dress in the grass, the click of her heel against the stone, the sway of her hips past the gate, the glint of her hair in the sunlight.

He felt found and lost at the same time. He wondered what would happen now. She had accepted him, but what did this mean? How would they move forward? When could he see her again?

He was walking just a few paces behind her, the hand in his pocket gripping hard at his lucky button. If only he could follow her always.

Suddenly, as if she had heard the whims of his heart, she slowed her pace and fell into step beside him. She reached out her hand and slipped it into his.

'Let's walk together, shall we?'

He nodded, forgetting his concerns in the wake of the sudden fullness of his heart. Forever…

~x-X-x~

Next Chapter: Preparations for Anna's big birthday bash are fully underway, and Niklas finds himself enthralled in palace life as he tries to navigate the first steps of his relationship with the Queen.