AN: Don't forget to leave a comment or review and tip your local tropical storm on the way out.


Elsa woke gradually, groggily. A sliver of early morning light was shining right at her closed eyelids, with the intensity of a noontime sun in a cloudless sky. She groaned and rolled her head atop the pillow and realized quickly that was a bad idea. Her head felt heavy and full, like someone had stuffed it full of cotton. Her stomach rolled uncomfortably; she knew this feeling; it wasn't one she experienced often growing up, but enough times that she could recognize it. She had gotten sick.

She pressed the heel of her hand to her forehead, hoping the pressure would ease the relentless fuzzy feeling and clear her head. This couldn't happen right now; she needed to pull herself together before Anna burst into the room. The incident three months ago was still far too fresh in her sister's mind, and there was no way Anna would take any chances, even if this wasn't the same thing. She would want to delay their trip back to Arendelle, and Elsa couldn't allow that to happen.

Her first time outside of Arendelle and she catches something; there had to be a joke in there somewhere, she just couldn't think clearly enough to figure it out. One thing was for sure—her Royal Physician Malthe was not going to be happy with her as he warned her that her isolation may make her more suspectible to illness. Elsa had no doubts her sister would be sure to make sure the man knew about it. She dropped her hand over her eyes and took a few shallow breaths to settle her stomach while trying to not think about the bumpy carriage ride that was going to take place over the next two days.

A soft knock on the door—Anna's knock—jolted her out of her thoughts. The door creaked open. "Elsa?" Her voice was soft and low in a way that immediately told Elsa one thing, Anna already knew.

Fiddlesticks. "Come in." Elsa dropped her hand from her face and pushed herself upright in bed. She worked to keep her expression neutral, fighting not to squint as the room made a slow tilted. It was clear from the wince that crossed Anna's face that she was unsuccessful. That didn't mean all was lost; Elsa didn't have to convince Anna that she was okay, just okay enough to sit in a carriage for the two-day journey home.

Anna slid into the room and shut the door softly behind her. She crossed the room and sat down on the edge of the bed, tucking her dress under her legs. She looked like she'd been up for a few hours already.

Elsa frowned, glancing at the window, the closed curtains. "What time is it?"

Anna pressed her lips into a thin line, a quick flash of concern crossing her face. "Almost noon."

"Noon?" Her eyes widened as she looked back to the large window, trying to gauge the brightness exploding from the edges of the curtains, needing to confirm her sister's statement.

"I stopped by earlier to see if you wanted to come down for breakfast, but you were still asleep. With what the doctor said last night, I figured it might be better to just let you sleep."

Elsa sighed internally, knowing her argument had died before she even had a chance to launch it. She turned back to her sister.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," she said instead, almost automatically.

Anna raised her eyebrows. Obviously, her sister didn't believe her, and Elsa couldn't blame her. She did just sleep until nearly noon, and the last time that happened, things had gone downhill quickly.

Elsa took a moment to debate her answer, not wanting to lie to her sister and knowing that if she did, considering what she put her sister through last time, there was a chance Arendelle would be crowning a new Queen. On the other hand, she didn't want to give her sister cause to worry when there was really no need, nor did she want to delay their trip back to Arendelle. There was too much to do, and if she'd truly slept until noon, they were already behind schedule. She decided a middle ground would be best. Elsa took a breath and tried again. "A bit stuffy," she said. For the sake of honesty, she added, "maybe a little nausea."

Anna chewed her bottom lip. "I think we should wait a few days before heading back to Arendelle. Maybe a week."

She knew that was coming. Elsa reached out, covering Anna's warm hand with hers. "Anna, I'm fine. Really."

"I feel like I've heard that before," her sister clipped.

Low blow. Perhaps Anna was better at holding a grudge than Elsa had originally thought. Good to know. She made a mental note and changed tactics. "Anna, you know we can't stay here for an entire week. There are things back home that need my attention. Meetings and appointments I already have scheduled."

"All of which can easily be rescheduled as the Queen wishes."

"I do not want to make a habit of delaying such things."

"I don't want to make a habit of my sister collapsing from exhaustion." Anna stared pointedly.

Elsa sighed. As much as she wanted to hold her position, she could hardly focus on her sister's face mere feet away from her own. "One day."

"Three days," Anna countered, folding her arms over her chest.

"One," Elsa repeated.

"Two."

She sighed again, knowing when she was beat. "Including today?"

"As long as you aren't still feeling nauseous tomorrow." Anna pointed a finger. "And no pretending to be okay."

Elsa slumped back against her pillows. It was the only way to get her sister off her back. "Fine."


Anna walked along the cobblestone streets of Valle, leisurely making her way through the market square. The town was bigger than Arendelle, but still retained that familial sense of community she loved. The people here were friendly and welcoming and it took her no time to find the town's postmaster so she could, at her sister's insistence, send a message to Arendelle that their return had been delayed.

After Anna had convinced her sister to stay put for a few days, Elsa told her they would need to send word immediately that they'd been delayed, to ensure the council didn't panic and mobilize the whole of the military when they don't return to Arendelle as scheduled. Anna offered to write and send the letter herself, wanting to keep her sister from doing anything that even hinted at being work-related. Between making sure Elsa didn't sneak in any work—a full-time job in itself—and catching up with the Baron and his family, she'd gotten distracted and forgot to write the letter, much less send it out, which prompted her rather early morning trip into town.

There was an entire staff of people in the Baron's home whom she could have sent the letter with, but she enjoyed the walk to town and figured she could use the opportunity to pick up something for her sister and maybe some gifts to bring back to Kristoff. It wasn't until after she'd left the manor and made her way to town that she remembered her sister's very specific request—well, more an order, really—that she had a guard with her when wondering around Valle. But it was still early morning and Elsa was asleep, and with just one more stop, Anna knew she would be back before her sister woke. What Elsa didn't know couldn't hurt her. Or Anna.

She paused on the street, taking a moment to recall the directions she'd received from a kindly old shoe cobbler who'd been sitting outside his shop. She chewed on her lower lip, almost certain the cobbler had said to take a left at the end of the street, and that the bakery would be the third shop on the right. Relatively confidant in the strength of her memory, Anna continued along the street. She took a sharp left at the corner, only to slow her pace as an oddly dressed man caught her attention. He was dressed warmly for the late fall weather, but his clothing didn't resemble that of the rest of the townsfolk. Instead, it looked like handstitched leather with patches of dark fur peeking out from the lining. Anna idly wondered if he was from one of the northern villages, as he appeared lost. It was obvious he was not a local to Valle.

He looked harmless enough, though, so Anna took pity on the man. "Excuse me," she called out, covering the short distance between them. "You look lost. Sort of. I mean, I don't know if you are, you just seem . . ." She shrugged and smiled, forcing herself to stop talking long enough to allow him to answer.

The man took a step back, then returned the smile. "Lost?" He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "A bit, I think. I was trying to find a general store, but I think I took a wrong turn. Or six."

Anna wrinkled her nose, trying to recall the store's location. "I think it's one street over and then to the . . . left?" She chewed her lower lip, then shook her head. "Come on, I'll help you find it." She took a few steps before turning to make sure he was following her. "I'm Anna, by the way."

"Erik," he said, falling in step next to her. "Thank you for your help."

"My pleasure. I'm guessing this is your first time in Valle? What brings you here?"

Erik dipped his chin. "My brother and I are just passing through. We're on our way south, to Arendelle."

Anna bounced excitedly. "Really? That's where I live. We're heading back down in a few days. Maybe we can travel together."

He raised an eyebrow. "We?"

Anna nodded. "My sister and I. She had some business with the Baron," she explained, with a dismissive wave of her hand. She knew Elsa's business here in Valle was important; she just didn't want to discuss it and risk getting bogged down in the more boring details.

Erik rolled his lips against his teeth and dropped his gaze to the ground. "Baron," he mumbled, as though trying to recall some piece of dusty, unused information. He turned his attention back to Anna. "Your sister must be important to have business with him."

"Well, she is the Queen," Anna said nonchalantly, with a smile.

Erik halted his steps. "Your sister is the Queen? Like, the actual Queen of Arendelle?"

Anna chuckled. She wasn't used to meeting people who didn't already know who she and Elsa were and suddenly understood how Elsa must have felt when Alarik mistook her for someone more . . . normal. "She is the actual Queen of Arendelle," she confirmed.

"And you're her sister?"

Anna nodded.

Erik didn't speak for a long moment, his brow screwed up in concentration. "My brother and I are going to Arendelle in the hopes of speaking to the Queen. But, I don't suppose there is a chance you could get her to talk to us, while we are here . . ." He trailed off, allowing Anna to work out his request on her own.

Anna tilted her head, considering. This wasn't the first time someone had asked her something like this. Even though the castle gates were open, people weren't free to walk in and share their business at their own discretion. They held open court twice a week for that, and anyone wishing to discuss a private matter had to make an appointment to see Elsa, which was more difficult than it sounded. Anna wasn't sure what was all involved, but knew that someone could end up waiting weeks for a meeting. None of it was Elsa's choice, however; Anna knew her sister was always open to meeting with anyone who wished to speak to her. She was more comfortable in the intimate, one-on-one settings, but to arrange one meant working your way through layers of approval before finally making it to Elsa. Because of this, people had approached Anna more than once in the hopes to bypass the wait time and secure a meeting with the Queen.

She knew her sister wouldn't have any issue meeting with Erik, but she also wanted Elsa to relax and rest, and not doing anything work related. But Anna also didn't want Erik and his brother to travel all the way down to Arendelle when they were already here and could help. Anna opted for a half-truth.

"She's busy all day today," she told Erik. Which Elsa was busy doing nothing and relaxing. "But perhaps I can help you? Or at least take your message to her."

Erik's eyes lit up. He straightened and surveyed the immediate area. "Is there perhaps somewhere we could talk? It's something of a long story."

Anna nodded and gestured back the way they came. "I was actually just on my way to the bakery. They have some pastries that are to die for."


Elsa worried her bottom lip as she stared down at the letter in front of her. She'd read through it a half-dozen times already, but was having issues concentrating. Nothing serious enough to be worrisome, but certainly irritating. She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, sinking back in the large plush chair. She lifted her gaze from the small print on the parchment and instead allowed it to drift around the drawing room. It was a cozy room, containing two couches and some large chairs, and bookcases lined one wall. Large bay windows offered a scenic view of the gardens and northern mountains in the distance, while allowing the late morning sunlight to warm the room to a comfortable temperature.

When she woke this morning, Elsa had happily discovered that she felt better than she had the day before. Sleep was an excellent healer. Some congestion still lingered, and she accidentally froze her cup of coffee—which took more than a few attempts to thaw—but it was manageable. She made her way downstairs for a late breakfast, joining Lord Oskar and Alarik in a much less formal affair than their previous dinner. His wife, Danel, and the two daughters left early that morning to visit a cousin in a nearby town before the harsh winter season made the mountain roads impassable. After Anna had requested the extend their stay in Valle, the Baron had mentioned altering their travel plans, but Elsa quickly derailed that idea. She felt guilty already, imposing on them longer than they had meant to, and did not want to cause them any further inconvenience.

She'd been surprised to find her sister had headed into town early in the morning, less surprised to learn Anna had not taken a guard or escort of any type. The subject had been a matter of disagreement between the two of them over the past three months. Elsa was hesitant to pull rank, especially when they were home in Arendelle, but with more people sailing into the harbor each day from all over, she didn't want her sister wandering around town without protection.

Valle was a whole different matter. While Elsa trusted the Baron and his family, and her sister's opinion of the town and townspeople, she'd never been to Valle herself, and worried about something happening to Anna while she was out alone. The girl could be far too friendly for her own good, and it was bound to get her into trouble one day.

Elsa set the letter aside into a box containing the last of the missives she had wanted to write replies for. There were only a few left to go through and despite the fogginess plaguing her, she was sure she could finish before Anna returned. Her sister would be annoyed that she was working, even on such minor things, but what Anna didn't know couldn't hurt her. Or Elsa.

She leaned back and allowed her eyes to close for a moment, enjoying the warm sun on her face, hoping it would help clear her head. She wasn't sure how long she sat like that but drifted off, only startling awake sometime later by the sound of the door opening.

Anna peeked her head into the room. "Elsa?"

"In here." She sat up straight and rubbed her eyes.

Anna crossed the room and perched on the end of the couch near her. Her gaze fell on the box of letters and she wrinkled her nose. "You're not supposed to be working."

Elsa raised an eyebrow. "You are not supposed to be going into town without an escort."

Anna opened her mouth but snapped it shut immediately, conceding the point. At least for now. "How are feeling?"

Elsa thought about her answer, then hitched a shoulder. "A lot better than I was yesterday and ready to return home."

Anna nodded, then shifted on the couch, leaning forward while tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear. "Can I ask you a question?"

Elsa narrowed her gaze, knowing that if her sister was hesitant to ask something—her sister who wasn't scared of anything, least of all speaking her mind—then she was probably not going to like what Anna was about to ask. She also knew she couldn't stop the girl even if she wanted to, so she nodded.

Anna fidgeted again, looking more unsure than Elsa had ever seen her, which only served to ramp up her anxiety.

"Anna," she snapped, harsher than she intended, but she could no longer stand her sister's fidgeting.

"Uh, right." Anna cleared her throat. "Okay, you know of the northern tribe called the Sirma?"

Elsa recoiled. Out of all the things she could have predicted Anna to bring up, the Sirma was not one of them. Anna didn't even have any reason herself to know of the tribe by name; they weren't in any records in Arendelle as far as she knew. Elsa had only recently learned the name of the tribe that had caused Arendelle problems for years, when she received the letter from them.

It occurred to Elsa how far north they were here in Valle and easily deduced the only way her sister could have heard of that tribe. Without hearing any more of what Anna wanted to talk to her about, the implications had already posed far more complications than she was prepared for. "Someone approached in town?" Even Elsa had to admit that the question came out more like an accusation, but she had to know. "Anna," she persisted, and there was no questioning the command in her tone. "Who did you talk to?"

"A guy named Erik." Anna sat up straighter, her own tone taking a defensive edge. "He's the younger brother of the tribe's leader, Tyr, and he was perfectly pleasant."

Erik. He'd been the one who sent her the letter a few weeks ago. Elsa pushed out of her chair and paced to the other end of the room, pressing her fingertips against her forehead. Her sister had been alone and approached by the brother of the tribe's leader. "This is why you need to have an escort. What were you thinking?" She whirled on the younger girl, her head swimming lazily. "Anna, you could have been hurt, or worse."

"Erik wouldn't have hurt me."

Elsa huffed. "Because your past judgement of men has been so reliable."

"Hey!" Anna jumped to her feet, looking stung. "First of all, I was right about Kristoff."

"Fifty-fifty is not encouraging odds." Elsa knew she was being unfair, but anger was an easier emotion to give in to, rather than the fear that such a meeting could have easily gone very wrong, and by the time anyone knew, it would have been too late.

Anna shook her head and waved a hand in front of her. "That's not the point-"

"No," Elsa interrupted. "It's exactly the point. Anna, do you even know anything about these people?"

"I know they need our help."

"Did Erik tell you that their tribe raids our northern villages? And has continuously since our grandfather's reign?" Elsa shook her head. "We have an entire battalion stationed on the north border because of them."

Anna shifted her weight, folded her arms stubbornly over her chest. "He mentioned some rocky relations with us, but he also said he'd like to fix them."

"Sure, now that their people need something."

Anna frowned. "When did you become so . . . cynical?"

"It's called being realistic." Elsa sighed. She loved the part of her sister that had kept this childlike innocence when it came to people, but she also worried that it was going to get her sister hurt. Elsa couldn't always be there to protect her. "Anna, look, I sympathize with their plight, and I wish I could help. But I assure you, the response I already gave them was not made lightly. But it was final."

Her sister's expression darkened. "Just like that?"

"No, Anna, not just like that." Elsa threw her arms wide. "Do you really think so little of me that you believe I would turn my back on people in need without good reason?"

Anna pressed her lips together, looking like she regretted what she had said, but it was too late to take it back. "At least give me the chance to change your mind?"

Elsa's shoulders slumped. She made her decision already and would not change it, but gestured for her sister to go ahead with whatever argument she had. Elsa had already had this debate with herself. Her instinct had been to help the Sirma when Erik first reached out to her, but a meeting with the Admiral and her advisors had forced her to face a few unpleasant facts. While Arendelle possessed a significant military force, strong enough to defend the country and take the offensive if necessary, the kingdom was short on many supplies because of the sudden summer blizzard. Supplies that they used to mend destroyed ships and property, gave away to keep people warm.

If push came to shove, the Admiral had assured her the military could manage, but their dwindling supplies, while a serious concern, was not the greatest one raised in the meeting. The most sobering thought had come from Gregor Alfson, who noted that the land to the north of their border was widely considered uncontested, owned by no ruling country other than the natives who lived there. If Elsa marched Arendelle's military into the area with no real provocation, surrounding countries may very well interpret the action as her intention to take the land by force to expand Arendelle's territory. Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't be such an issue. But Arendelle—and its Queen—were far from normal. The neighboring countries were already on edge about Elsa's magic, the effortless power that had allowed her to accidentally lock down Arendelle. Other kingdoms feared her doing to the same to them, and the only thing staying the hands of other countries and keeping them from launching preemptive attacks was the fact that Arendelle had always been a peaceful nation. They had never used their military for more than defending their kingdom, or those in alliances.

A march into uncontested territory—unprovoked, no less—could seriously damage those already shaky perceptions. Responding the call for help with a "no" had been one of the more difficult things Elsa had to do, but she knew it was the right thing for her kingdom. She had to put her people first.

Anna smiled faintly and nodded. "Okay, so, there's this tribe called the, uh, Vindarr. They live on an island to the north of the Sirma villages. They've been locked in this disagreement with each other for centuries, over some stuff going way back. Every few decades they go to war and it always ends in a stalemate.

"Well, about six months ago, their chief—Erik's father—was murdered. Shortly after that, the Vindarr attacked one of their villages. At first, it seemed like they were targeting the Sirma shamans and those training to be. I'm not sure why. But more recently they started capturing shamans and destroying entire villages, leaving nothing behind." Anna took a deep breath, and she dropped back to the couch. "Erik said their warrior band is very capable, and they've never had a problem meeting the Vindarr on the field and defending their people but . . . the attacks they've made, he said they were strategic strikes that crippled their defenses before they ever had a chance to fight back or defend themselves. He thinks they must have had some sort of inside help. And now, if they don't stop the Vindarr, his people will be completely wiped out. They can no longer defend themselves or their people, not without some help."

As she listened to Anna tell the story, Elsa felt the strain on her heart grow. She felt for this man and his people, but she had to think of her own kingdom above all others. She sank to the couch next to her sister. "I understand their predicament as I did before," she said calmly. "And I'm sorry they are in it. But my answer is still no." She knew she sounded cold and unaffected by Erik's plight, though it couldn't be further from the truth.

Anna stared. "You can't be serious."

Elsa lifted a shoulder, her chest warming with a fresh wave of frustration. "What would you have me do, Anna?"

Her sister threw out her hands. "I don't know, send soldiers to help them? If we don't, you might as well be signing a death warrant for innocent people."

"So, instead, you would have me sign the same warrants for our soldiers?" Elsa shook her head, a wave a dizziness washed over her, but she pushed it away. She needed her sister to understand. "I will not send our people to fight in a war we have nothing to do with. We don't even know that the Vindarr are the true aggressors here."

"Their people will die without help," Anna snapped. "They aren't asking for much."

"I'm sorry," Elsa replied, working to keep a lid on her frustration. "But the risk that would come with moving even a small portion of the military into another territory without proper reasoning comes at a substantial risk to our people. I truly am sorry, but I must do what is best for them."

"How is the fact their people are being killed not proper reasoning?"

Elsa exhaled roughly and stood. "It's not that simple, Anna. There's more to consider then just one tribe."

"Like what?" Anna rose, crossing her arms once more.

Elsa drew in a heavy breath then released it, trying to figure out how to summarize everything that had gone into her decision, how to turn the hours of rationalizing and debating into a thirty-second, bite-sized chunk. Her head spun, and she reached out to grip the back of a chair as a wave of dizziness swept over her. "Other countries are already on edge about Arendelle," she forced out, the lingering tiredness further souring her mood. "About me, and my powers. If we—if I move the military into uncontested territory there is a very high chance other countries will take notice and react."

Her sister continued to press, not noticing the stress the conversation was causing. "Instead, you would sacrifice an entire people in order to save face with other kingdoms so they can feel safe and secure. Well, what a benevolent queen you've become."

Cold swirled around Elsa's fingertips as her temper flared. "Don't you dare mock me," she snapped at Anna. "You have no idea what it takes to rule a kingdom."

Anna threw her hands up into the air. "This has nothing to do with ruling! Sometimes you just have to do the right thing. This is the right thing."

"I will not put our people at risk to help our enemy."

"So, what, you'll let them die because you're too scared to do the hard thing? What a surprise, I guess nothing has changed after all."

Elsa swallowed back the vicious retort that threatened to climb out her mouth. She pulled away from the chair, standing tall. "I'm trying to protect our people."

"At what cost?"

"Any cost!" She stepped toward her sister.

"Is that the same excuse you told yourself when you ran away to the North Mountain? When you hid from the world?" Anna matched her step, moving forward herself. "From me?"

Elsa's mouth dropped open, and she backed away, a wave of heaviness washing over her as she remembered her sister asking almost the same question three months ago, right before everything went spectacularly horrible. "Enough, Anna," she said sharply, echoing her own words from that night.

"No," Anna persisted. "I don't think it is. You keep saying that you're trying to be more open, but you keep making the same mistakes in new ways. Where you even going to tell me about the Sirma? Or were you just going to hide that too, like you do everything else."

"I said enough, Anna!" Elsa could not keep the heat of anger from her voice but held back the ice pressing at her fingertips. "I am not required to tell you anything, and I do not have to explain myself. You've never had the weight of a crown on your head, and you couldn't possibly understand the pressure and responsibility."

"Stop treating me like a child!" Anna shouted, cheeks nearly glowing they were so red.

"Then stop acting like one!"

Anna bit down on her lip, finally exercising some self-restraint of her own. "Fine," she said, seething. "If you won't help them, then I will."

Elsa narrowed her gaze, not liking the direction this was heading. "Anna," she warned.

"I might not be the Queen, but I'm not powerless either, and I can—"

"No," Elsa interrupted, harsh and resounded. Her fingers curled into a tight fist at her side. She understood her sister's desire to help those who needed it and was always lenient with letting Anna get away with things most would never allow, but she was still Queen and would not have her authority usurped by anyone. Including her own sister. "You can not." Her voice was low, but sharp, like the deadly edge of a blade. "You are currently my heir. Any power you have is given and taken away at my sole discretion." Elsa allowed her words to sink in before continuing. "I have made my decision, and the answer is no. This discussion is over." It was the first time she had used such a tone with Anna; the first time she had given such an unquestionable command, one that brooked no dissent.

She saw it written plainly across her sister's face when Anna realized the same thing. Her sister's posture stiffened, and she looked at Elsa with a shocked, deeply pained look. Tears welled in her eyes as she spun on her foot and stormed out of the room.

As she watched her sister go, Elsa felt all the energy drop leech out of her, suddenly feeling exhausted. She sunk into the nearest chair and pressed her fingers against her closed eyelids. Nausea twisted her gut, but she couldn't tell if it was because of the cold she was nursing or the expression on her sister's face. One thing was for sure—tomorrow was going to be a very tense, quiet trip back to Arendelle.