Matjojo - Nope, I left a little while back.

I feel like some readers are getting a little ahead of the game here... Iduna has been back one night, and is in no fit state, physically or mentally, to be jumping into bed with anyone. Nor is the relationship between she and her daughters settled, they've all had a big emotional shock. Just let me do my thing, timewise, and you shall be rewarded for your patience. Sometimes with smut, and other times with randomly early updates like this!

-IEA-

Inhaling the steam still rising from her mug, Iduna felt the warmth infuse her hands as she looked Elsa over. Last night she'd been a little more relaxed, tension evident in her frame now it was just the two of them.

"Elsa."

"You asked to see me?"

"I did... where's Anna?"

"Still sleeping."

Of course Elsa would know that. Frowning slightly, Iduna sipped her drink.

"Are you busy this morning? Am I keeping you from duties?"

Elsa hummed, shaking her head as she shifted from one foot to the other.

"No. I take one morning a week off, save for emergencies. Anna is teaching me to ride a horse."

Halfway to lifting the mug to her lips again, Iduna froze as Elsa's words stirred something in her mind.

"Of course. You never finished your lessons."

Elsa nodded slowly, a sad smile playing across her mouth.

"Yeah... but Anna likes being able to teach me. And I'm teaching her to ice skate, since she didn't learn as a girl."

"Ice skate?"

"Favourite pasttime of Arendelle, now it has a queen who can make a skate rink anywhere."

A softer smile graced Elsa's features then, as though envisioning happy memories with a wistful air. The sky outside was bright and clear, nothing to suggest it could be blanketed by snowfall at any moment.

"Did you ever discover why you have powers, Elsa?"

Her shoulders rolled in a deep shrug.

"Pabbie thinks it may be that I was born on the Solstice, or that sometimes magic just knows where to go."

"Pabbie?"

"Grandpabbie, the leader of the trolls."

Obviously, Iduna should have known that. Her daughters, living with a talking snowman and befriending magical trolls, learning to do things they'd been unable to as children because of the seperation...

"I see."

They were still in silence a few minutes more, until Elsa seemed too tense to wait it out.

"So, what did you want to talk about this morning mother?"

"Do I need a reason?"

"Of course not, but you had us sent for so I assumed there was something in particular."

They both knew what Iduna wanted to ask, but apparently Elsa was going to make her say it. Her eyes flickered across to the door, which Elsa checked was closed before waving her fingers at it, soft snowfall swirling to fill the cracks around the edges.

"Why did you do that?"

"Snow helps keep sounds in. Go on mother. Ask me."

Draining the last of her drink before it went cold, Iduna placed her mug aside and felt herself wringing her hands, anxious.

"How... why... what happened to you and Anna?"

Despite urging Iduna to get on and say it, Elsa still seemed offset about how to answer. Her face twitched in thought, lips quirking down in to a slight frown as her daughter sought the right words.

"We were apart for so long... and when everything was ok again, when I could control my powers and the gates were open, Anna and I kind of had to start over with each other. We still loved each other, but... I think perhaps we didn't know each other anymore. And when we started to rebuild what was broken, I think... something else had the room to grow there."

Iduna had regretted locking Elsa away so many times through the years, but Agnarr had been adamant she learn to hide, to conceal. It had fostered so much fear in the young girl, barely even allowing them to touch her. Elsa even learned to braid her own hair by the time she was nine, so afraid to let other people close. The trolls had warned them that fear would be her enemy... and it was true. Love and acceptance had brought Elsa out of locked rooms, and now she didn't even need gloves to help her keep her powers in check.

Perhaps if they'd never taken her away from Anna, Elsa could have learned sooner. And maybe then they wouldn't have become... that.

"Anna sees it differently."

Elsa broke the silence, drawing Iduna out of her thoughts.

"Oh?"

"If you ask her, she'll just say that we love each other, and that the way we are when we're together feels right for us. Which... I can't argue with. I am sorry you had to find out like that, it can't have been how you pictured it after waiting so long to see us again."

Iduna nodded.

"Quite. You... you know you can't continue that relationship Elsa."

Instantly, she felt that chill sweep the room, her breath visible as it left her mouth. Elsa had her arms around herself, and Iduna saw the frightened girl hidden behind her bedroom door she'd left behind.

"You can't just... I know you didn't choose to be away, but mother, you cannot just come back and decide for us what we do. I'm very glad you are home, but... we're not children anymore. You don't make the rules for me."

With another wave of her hand, Elsa vanished every single snowflake in a second before pulling open the door and sweeping out. Iduna expected a little backchat from Anna, who didn't always necessarily think before she spoke, but Elsa? Elsa had been afraid to be left alone when she was still eighteen.

That was then. She's different now.

Rubbing a hand over her face, Iduna wasn't even sure what she would do next. She hadn't dressed that morning yet, since Alice insisted on measuring her for some new clothes, muttering about leaving a little room for her to 'fill out' into them. Iduna did feel a little strange wearing Anna's clothes - Elsa was too tall for any of her long, flowing gowns to fit her mother, even though she'd heard Alice complain that Elsa now 'made all her own clothes', which Iduna took to mean the same magic she used to create nightdresses last night also worked for daywear.

It took her a while to dress, having to find something that didn't require her hands to work hard at fastening complicated ties on. She was out of practice, and not quite up to asking for help. Alice didn't really wait to be asked. Almost the second she left her assigned bedroom, there was somebody talking to her.

"Ah, Your Highness. My name is Finn. I'm new."

That shouldn't have surprised her - they had reduced the staff back when they closed Elsa off, but staff aged and retired and new needs may have arisen. He was young, hair perfectly combed but a few locks of dark brown kept falling into his face when he bowed.

"Good morning Finn. Did you need something?"

"Alice informed me I should collect you for breakfast, and then take you to see the Lady's maids when you were done. And, if I may say so... it's a pleasure to meet you. Princess Anna has always spoken very highly of you."

"Not Elsa?"

Iduna asked before she could stop herself, and Finn looked very uncomfortable all of a sudden.

"Ah. Well, Her Majesty did not really... socialise until very recently. I am sure she thinks most highly of you also. Shall we?"

She let him lead her, and while she didn't doubt that Elsa had continued to be reclusive - even more so without her parents around for company - Iduna was left wondering what Elsa truly thought of her. They'd locked her up, kept her from her sister, from almost any human contact for over ten years. They'd gone away without leaving some form of instruction for what was to be done if they didn't return, and that was careless. Somebody should have been there for Elsa.

"Finn?"

"Yes Your Highness?"

He was still a little green, she could tell, his uniform pressed almost too tightly and he did the occasional peering glance from hallway to hallway of someone who had not yet memorised every corner and corridor of the castle.

"I understand she may be busy, but could you ask the Queen if she's available to speak to me later?"

"Of course... but don't you want to ask her yourself?"

She'd tried that already, and it left her with more questions than answers.

"Not just yet. I have some things to make up before I can really ask anything of my daughter, I fear."

Finn cleared his throat, but said nothing on Iduna's perhaps ill-thought admission.

"I shall ensure the request reaches the Queen for you."

"Thank you Finn."

He smiled, bowing as he led her to the room they were to eat it. It wasn't the one they used to use. It was smaller, and housed only three tables, one of which staff members were taking breakfast at, another bearing the various foodstuffs. The third...

The third was quite something all by itself.

"Hi Anna and Elsa's mom!"

The strange talking... thing that called itself Olaf was actually sat at the table, with a plate and mug there as though it were the most normal thing in the world. And that was only slightly stranger than the fact there was an honest-to-gods reindeer sat close by, being fed carrots by the giggling snow-creature. A large blond man sat watching them, his expression one that said he was used to such mornings until his eyes landed on Iduna.

"Whoa! Wait. What? Olaf, did you say Anna and Elsa's mom?"

"Yeah! She turned up last night but got scared when I asked for a hug" 'Olaf' hopped from the chair and walked right over to Iduna, paying no mind to the fact she half-considered pitching him into the nearest fire "hi! That's Kristoff, and the cute little reindeer ever there is Sven!"

"Olaf, go back to your breakfast, the former Queen needs to eat."

"Oh, right. Sorry!"

And now the staff were talking to the sentient snowman as though that were normal too. Had Iduna actually made it home alive, or had she died and ended up in some kind of alternate world where nothing really made sense anymore?

"Anna!"

"Hey guys! And hey mom, glad to see you made it for breakfast."

There was a hint of sleep in her face still, but her freckled cheeks were rosy, hair and clothes perfectly in place as Anna waltzed into the room with a smile for everyone. She also acted as though having a reindeer and a talking snowman at breakfast in a royal castle was nothing strange, taking Iduna's wrist gently in her hand and leading her over to get something to eat.

"I asked Kai to make sure there were lighter options for you... hey, Kristoff, can you get another chair for our table?"

"Sure."

Anna scooped yoghurt and berries into a bowl, drizzled them with a sweet and fragrant honey before presenting it to Iduna.

"This is what I have after when I get sick. Or did you want something else?"

"Oh, no, this is fine. Thank you Anna."

Anna beamed, so very pure in her happiness as she carried the bowl to the table, then tapped the reindeer on the nose.

"This is for mother, no touching. That goes for you too Olaf."

"Actually, we're about done. Why don't we let you two uh, catch up. Come on Sven, Olaf."

"But- hey!"

The snowman protested, so the blond man just picked him up and both they and the reindeer headed for the door.

"Come on, if you're good maybe later Elsa will make it snow for you again."

"Awesome!"

Anna watched them go, giggling to herself with a fond smile on her face. Then she turned back to the table, piled a plate with various sweet things - Iduna had not missed the fact there was more than one chocolate option - and then finally joined her mother at the table, thanking another member of staff Iduna did not recognise who offered them both some tea.

"Do you not eat with Elsa?"

"Sometimes, but she's not big on breakfast. If she's not busy, she'll sit with me and eat some fruit, but mostly she says too much first thing makes her feel sick so Mildred makes her a drink with some fruit or chocolatey stuff mushed into milk and then I make sure she eats a good lunch or dinner."

Nodding mostly to herself, Iduna warmed her hands by holding her tea for a minute before turning attention to food. It was delicious, and didn't feel too heavy in her stomach, the fruit crisp and sweet with each mouthful. Watching Anna eat was... interesting. She'd been taught manners all her life, but seemed to veer between using them and forgetting in her haste to wolf down her hearty portion.

"What do you fill your days with now?"

At least she swallowed before speaking. Taking a sip of tea to wet her mouth, Anna trailed her spoon through the gooey syrup she'd scooped on to bread.

"It depends. Some days I help Elsa with royal stuff, sometimes I'm just out with Kristoff and Sven and Olaf. I help out at a few of the stores around town, I go visit the local school for reading hour at least once a week. Tilda is helping me learn to sew and knit, cus I still suck at it, and I'm also learning to cook just because its fun."

"Goodness, you do keep yourself busy."

Anna nodded, still smiling.

"Yeah. I don't like doing nothing, and when the gates were closed I was never allowed out on my own, but now they're open and I like being able to really live in Arendelle."

Her daughter had taken on quite a few hobbies and endeavours thar were somewhat beneath her status, but Iduna was already realising a lot had changed around Arendelle, and perhaps it was time the Royal family stopped being closed off for everything but special events. Everybody certainly seemed happy.

"Are your hands cold?"

"A little, why?"

"Wait right there!"

Bemused, Iduna watched Anna get up from the table and dash off, though how she moved so quickly with a belly full of rich breakfast treats, Iduna had no idea. She returned a few minutes later, some dust on the skirt of her dress and green fabric in her hands.

"What are those?"

"Elsa's old gloves. She has like a hundred pairs, and never wears them anymore, but she wore them all the time before, so they were made to not be restrictive."

Anna went right back to finishing her food, smiling when she saw Iduna slip the satin gloves on. They were a little big, but not enough they were unwearable.

"Thank you."

Despite the great difference in portion size, Anna was still done before Iduna finished scooping small spoonfuls of yoghurt into her mouth. She was full, but not uncomfortably so, which would likely be the norm for a while as she readjusted to food.

"I gotta run if I'm gonna catch Elsa before she has to work later, but I shall see you for lunch mother."

Anna offered her another bright smile before she headed off to find her sister, and even if that wasn't too awkward too soon for her, Iduna had more tea poured for her without actually asking for it, as it seemed her comment about cold hands had been heard. Sharing mealtimes with staff would take some getting used to.

"Are all meals taken like this Finn?"

"If we have visitors, then the larger rooms are used, but Her Majesty does not feel it necessary to use several rooms for the same meals every single day. The reindeer is also not permitted in several of the larger rooms, as his antlers are not quite compatible with the more fragile decorations."

So there was some semblance of sensibile thought left in the castle. Not much, but some.

As soon as she'd finished her tea, Finn was waiting and ready to take her to the slightly overbearing Lady's maids. As they looped through hallways and he patiently waited for her to slowly climb the stairs, feeling a little ridiculous for tiring so easily, a sound caught Iduna's ear that she'd not heard in about fifteen years.

"Your Highness, where are you going?"

"Shh. I just... give me a minute? I promise I am not going far."

Nodding, Finn stood waiting while Iduna slipped through the door, doing her best to be quiet. From her vantage point on the balcony, the ballroom below was almost entirely empty save for two dancers, twirling each other round with smiles on their faces.

And Elsa was singing. Elsa hadn't sung since she was about seven, and even then it hadn't been the same as when she was younger, singing along with Anna joyfully.

"But when we're together, then my favorite gift is you."

Iduna knew she was intruding on a private moment, but she couldn't bring herself to look away as they held each other close, Anna joining in to sing along with her sister.

"I would travel miles and miles and I would follow any star.

I'd go almost any place if it's any place you are."

If she didn't know, if they weren't her daughters she'd birthed from her own body, Iduna would never have guessed that the two women before her were sisters.

"Cause when we're together I'll forever feel at home.

And when we're together we'll be safe and warm."

She'd have simply thought them lovers.

"Doesn't matter where we are

if you're there with me..."

She couldn't listen to any more, feeling a strange lump in her throat as she shoved the door closed behind her a little too hard. They'd probably heard that...

"Everything alright Your Highness?"

Swallowing and hoping her voice didn't give her away, Iduna nodded.

"Fine, Finn. Shall we?"

-IEA-

Iduna is straight up having a confusing time.

If I understand the timing right... Frozen 1 is summer, then Olaf's Frozen Adventure is the winter that year. Frozen Fever would have to be the next year as it's spring. So at this point timewise, OFA has already happened, and I just love the way Elsanna sing to each other in that, so I decided they sing it to each other sometimes just because.