Here Comes The Sun
Chapter 36
By: The Duchess of Arendelle
AN: I'm on Thanksgiving break and I was finally able to update this story! I'm SO swamped with classes and a lot of different things. BUT, I'm glad I finally got this out! Sorry for any and all mistakes! Enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving!
Elsa stood just outside the throne room, nervously listening to the hundreds of voices on the other side muttering in excitement. This was it. Today was the day. All the cards she had up her sleeve had been trumped. Edmond was the better player. Tears welled in the ice queen's eyes as she thought about what she was about to do. What she was being forced to do.
Edmond's smug face flashed in front of her mind's eye.
Elsa's hands fidgeted in their intertwined grip. She would not cry.
She would not give that beast the satisfaction of making her weep. Looking back up, she held her head proudly as she heard her presence being announced, followed by trumpets. The large heavy oak doors slowly opened. Elsa stepped through the threshold and smiled politely at the people in attendance.
Climbing the steps to her throne, she looked to her right to see Anna already standing there. The redhead looked gorgeous in her ceremonial gown. The off the shoulder dress she wore was in her signature green. It looked beautiful against pale skin peppered with freckles and gorgeous red hair. Elsa noticed the slight scowl Anna sported, but no one else seemed to. The blonde caught her eye and Anna quickly tried to throw her a reassuring smile. The redhead's eyes were what really betrayed her. Elsa could see Anna's true feelings. Dread. Dread for what was to come.
The young queen brought a hand up and lowered it, gesturing for everyone to sit. They complied, and Elsa took a moment to scan the audience. She saw Adam and Belle sitting towards the front. The brunette prince noticed her looking at them and gave a sad smile. Sitting next to them were Rapunzel and Eugene. The blonde looked upset and seconds away from crying and punching someone. She elbowed her husband in his side and startled him awake when she noticed him nodding off. Elsa couldn't help but let a small smile grace her face at the sight.
Towards the very back sat Kristoff, arms folded and frown planted firmly on his face. He locked eyes with Elsa for a fleeting moment and bowed his head. He couldn't stand what was happening. He hated this. When he looked back up, Elsa gave him a weak smile as if to say, 'I know, me too.'
And then there was Edmond. Right there, front and centered, sitting with the council. He smiled and winked at her. Elsa felt vomit rise from the pit of her stomach just from looking at the man. She swallowed it down and cleared her throat to speak.
"Distinguished guest, I am so very thankful that you all are here to join me on this historic day. The day I am to choose my betrothed. I have met so many… wonderful... princes and royals from our neighboring borders to faraway lands. It was a honor to dance and speak with each and every single one of you, and I very much so enjoyed your company." Elsa paused for a second when she heard a loud scoff come from her right. Anna quickly disguised it as a dainty cough and smiled at the audience.
"But, the fact of the matter is, I can only choose one. And after many many hours of careful thought and deliberation … I… I have made my decision…" Elsa trailed off, swallowing hard and letting her eyes drift to her right were Anna stood, fidgeting, eyes downcast to the floor. The crowd sat in anticipation as they waited to hear the queen's decision.
"I… I... am pleased to announce Sir Edmond Eisherbishk von Barren as my betrothed, and future king of Arendelle to rule by my side.
The entire room was bathed in stunned silence as they watched Edmond slowly stand and ascend the steps. He took his place by Elsa's side and grabbed her hand, bringing it to his lips to place a kiss on the back that made an unpleasant chill roll down Elsa's spine. After a long moment of awkward silence, the audience seemed to find their bearings and began to clap enthusiastically for the pair. All but three.
Anna turned her head away as Edmond brought the queen in a close embrace. He leaned down to whisper sweetly in the blonde's ear.
"I knew you were the smart one."
***********FROZEN***********
"Congratulations Queen Elsa! Sir Edmond shall make a splendid king. Oh my, a royal wedding! It seems as though we haven't had one in ages! Not since the old king and queen. And oh the babies. I can't until Arendelle has a proper succession line again. Imagine the little ones just running around the castle my queen, oh won't it be splendid?" One of the many nobles who waited in a spiraling line to 'Congratulate' them rambled on and on. Elsa strained a smile and nodded her head politely.
"Thank you Lady Helen. It certainly will be… something." Elsa said in the same flat tone she had been using all day as she cringed at the thought. Edmond still remained by her side, bowing his head as well as he kept his cheshire grin in place.
"Thank you very much Lady Helen, we appreciate the sentiment and are very much so excited for whatever the future may hold for us." he emphasised the 'we' and 'us' as he pulled Elsa a bit closer to his side. The blonde frowned but quickly returned to her 'smiling' expression.
Lady Helen bobbed away to chat excitedly with a group of noblewomen who giggled and gossiped as they threw animated glances over at Elsa. The blonde resisted the urge to roll her eyes as more well wisher approached them.
Out of the corner of her eye, Elsa caught a glimpse of Anna staring at her and Edmond from across the room. She looked miserable and Elsa felt her heart shatter into pieces.
Anna was surrounded by a group of women, all chattering cheerfully as they asked her how thrilled she was for the upcoming wedding. Anna ignored them and continued to stare at Elsa until tears welled in her eyes. Without a word to the women, Anna turned her head and left the throne room in a haste. Elsa saw this and instantly thought of how she could follow.
"Edmond." Elsa called to the man in an even tone as he chatted with a German Baron.
"Yes my love, what is it?" he asked sweetly as he felt all eyes on them, watching their every move. Again Elsa resisted the urge to roll her eyes and strike the man in his smug face. Instead, she delicately brought a hand to her forehead and slightly frowned.
"I'm feeling a bit faint from all the excitement of today. I think I may need to take a moment to myself. Will you be so kind as to entertain… our… guest for a while?"
Edmond stared at her suspiciously and she stared straight back. They both knew she was lying, but he wouldn't dare call her out on it in front of everyone. After the staring contest began to creep into awkward territory, Edmond finally smiled sympathetically and patted the blonde's hand gently.
"Of course my dear. You go and rest a bit, I'll handle things on the front." he said loudly in a joking tone. The people around them laughed and aww'd. Elsa smiled tightly at the man and removed her hand from his grip. Every time he touched her she felt like scrubbing herself and ordering her clothes to be burnt.
After saying her farewells to the crowd, she turned to leave, only to feel Edmond's hand grip her upper arm a bit too tight. He smiled friendly at her but his eyes told another story. Bending down, he again whispered in her ear, breath feeling hot enough to scorch.
"Tell that sister of yours I said hello." he said smugly. Elsa swallowed hard but responded with nothing more than a smile. Edmond released her arm and the blonde queen quickly scurried away, putting as much distance between her and that psycho as possible.
Leaving through the large doors, she closed her eyes tightly and sighed in relief as the loud chattering from inside the packed throne room became soft murmurings. Taking a second to collect herself, she slowly opened her eyes, scanning the hallway for any sign of red hair.
The blonde frowned in disappointment when she didn't immediately spot her sister. She caught the attention of a servant who was headed back in the crowded party. The woman quickly curtsied to the queen as she stopped in front of her. Elsa gave her a small smile.
"Excuse me... Agatha, isn't it?"
The frizzy brown haired woman blushed and nodded her head.
"Yes your majesty." she quickly replied. Elsa continued.
"Have you by any chance seen my sister?" she asked.
"Princess Anna? Why, yes your majesty. I saw her heading towards the servant kitchens. I told her someone of her importance and standing shouldn't be going into the lowly servants quarters, that if there was anything I could get for her I'd be more than happy to. But she only shook her head and continued." the woman explained, wiping her hands nervously on the front of her apron. Elsa nodded.
"And… would there happen to be any attendants in the servants kitchen right now?"
"Oh no your majesty. Just about every staff hand is working the party in some way. The servants quarters are likely to be empty until late into the midnight hour. Which is what I told Princess Anna." she finished with a sigh as she stared down at the polished floors. She looked tired and Elsa made a mental note to give everyone a day to themselves this week. Heaven knows they could all, herself included, use one.
Elsa gently placed a hand on the woman's shoulder. Agatha looked back up at the queen and Elsa's smile grew just a bit.
"Thank you Agatha. You've been such a tremendous help."
Agatha smiled and curtsied again. "Anything for you my queen."
Elsa bowed her head in goodbye and set off down the long hallway. Anna was in the servant kitchens, the place they would often to sneak off to when they were little girls. Back before she… before the accident.
Anna was obviously upset and she needed to find her. She needed to speak to the redhead, to make her understand that this is what had to be done.
She just needed to see her.
AN: Next update won't take so long. Classes are ending soon and I'll basically have almost an entire month free. I plan on catching up on my stories and maybe even starting some new ones. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Next one will have much more Elsa and Anna together than this one. Again, Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it!
Questions, comments, concerns? PM or review and I'll try to get back to you ASAP.