Chapter 9

Changing Body

A/N: This is the first of three pregnancy chapters.

It had been four months since Elsa announced her pregnancy to the kingdom. In the aftermath of that announcement, Elsa was flooded with a surprisingly positive reception from the citizens. She knew that there were people who weren't pleased with her having the child of her rapist, but the overwhelmingly majority supported her decision. Still, pregnancy was a battle in itself. Elsa knew that women experienced lots of different things while pregnant, but nothing could have prepared her for the wild ride that it was. Firstly, the food cravings were something to behold. Anna and Kristoff were frequently tasked with bringing Elsa the strange combinations of foods that she desired. The latest was ice cream with carrots and pickles. Upon entering her room, Elsa stood up to greet Anna and Kristoff. The bump on her stomach was beginning to show considerably, so it was getting harder for Elsa to walk, but she tried to get in a little exercise each day, even if it was just walking around the castle.

"Did you get everything?" Elsa asked.

Anna handed Elsa the bucket of ice cream, along with a bag of carrots, and a jar of pickles.

"Yeah, we sure did. Are you sure about this, Elsa? This seems like an odd combination for a snack?" Anna said.

"Of course. I'm so hungry," Elsa said, taking a bite of one of the carrots, which she followed with a spoonful of ice cream.

Kristoff gave a look of disgust, but he didn't say anything.

Elsa sat back down, enjoying her meal, while Anna and Kristoff kept her company. On Elsa's desks were a bunch of letters that were sent in from the citizens of Arendelle. There were even letters from neighboring kingdoms. Much to her surprise and revulsion, Elsa had also received a letter from the Duke of Weselton, who expressed his disgust at Elsa conceiving a child out of wedlock, even if the circumstances were not her fault. Also, on the table, were several books on pregnancy. Elsa had read them multiple times over the following months in order to better prep herself for the nine-month journey ahead.

As they sat together, Anna couldn't help but admire how Elsa looked. Motherhood looked good on her. She had gained this motherly glow to her, which really made her like more beautiful than ever.

"You look beautiful, Elsa," Anna said.

Elsa couldn't help but laugh. "Anna, I appreciate your kind words, but I certainly don't feel beautiful. Not at this size."

"But you are, Elsa. You are positively glowing!"

With the pregnancy hormones in full effect, Elsa instantly took offence. "Anna, I am not beautiful. I am fat and disgusting! Look at me!" Elsa said, standing up, and gesturing to her body.

"I look like a bloated whale! On top of that, my feet are swollen, my clothes don't fit me, my back is killing me, and don't even get me started with these," Elsa said, grabbing her breasts, which had grown quite large.

"Well, they are quite big," Kristoff said, trying to make light of the situation.

Anna flashed him a stern look, sending him quiet.

Anna walked up to Elsa to give her a hug.

"I know it's hard, Elsa, but think about how amazing it will be when the baby is here," Anna said.

Elsa didn't want to tell Anna that she was worried about that. She hadn't regretted her decision to have the baby, but doubted if she would be a suitable mother. Even though she had control over her powers, the thought of possibly hurting the child, terrified her to the core. The idea of putting the baby up for adoption crossed her mind, but what kind of life would the child have if she did that? He or she would grow up never knowing his or her real mother. The same mother that was also the Queen of Arendelle. She chose to keep quiet about it for the moment, continuing to listen to her sister.

"You're going to be an amazing mother, Elsa. This baby will be so fortunate to have you."

"Do you really think so?" Elsa asked.

"I know it, Elsa. You're my sister. If anyone deserves to be a mother, it's you. I know this isn't how you planned to have a child or even if you ever really wanted one, but I know that something wonderful will come out of this.

"Anna's right, Elsa," Kristoff joined in. "You'll make a great mother, and we'll be here to help you if you need it."

Elsa smiled at her family, truly thankful that she had them in her life.

"Thank you. You all mean so much to me. Now, I think I'll go take a nap. I'm feeling tired," Elsa said.

Elsa left the room, keeping a hand on her stomach as she walked down the hallway. The thoughts of motherhood continued to take up her mind. Would she really be a good mother? What if she was disgusted by the baby once it was born? After all, he or she was conceived in such a violent way. What if, and she shuddered to think this, what if the child looked like Stefan? The baby was already a constant reminder of what had happened to her, but if he or she looked like the monster who raped her, it might be too much to handle. When she arrived at her room, Elsa slid under the covers, laying flat on her back. She moved her hands up to her breasts, feeling how large they had grown, knowing that they were filling up with milk for the baby. It was all happening so quickly. She knew what was at the end of this road, but she didn't know how the next chapter would unfold.