I don't have a witty authors note to put here. But hey, whaddya gonna do?
-IEA-
A purposeful tap at the door had Elsa looking up from her desk, brushing loose hair out of her eyes with a quiet sigh.
"Come in."
Finn stepped through, bowed a little too deeply and came back up, pushing hair out of his face.
"Your Majesty. Your mother, to see you."
"Thank you Finn, you may leave."
He bowed again, pushing his hair back as he left Elsa alone with her mother. Iduna looked a little more... herself than she had that morning, having spent a couple of hours being fussed over, hair and nails and skin all groomed as perfectly as could be. It wasn't long enough anymore for her old, regal braid style, but it looked smoother, had a little shine to it again. The clothes were still a little strange - they were Anna's, after all - but that was only until she had some new ones made for her. And... she was wearing Elsa's gloves. That was even stranger to see.
"Elsa."
"Mother. You know, you didn't have to make a formal request for my time. You could just have come to see me."
Rubbing her face, Elsa laid down her writing tools. The papers would wait a few minutes. She leant back in her chair, surveying Iduna who was wringing her hands, gnawing her lip and clearly... nervous? Distressed? Elsa wasn't an expert at reading faces other than Anna's.
"Elsa... I'm so sorry."
Her heart kicked oddly in her chest.
"Mother? What... I don't understand."
Iduna circled the desk and all but threw herself at Elsa in a hug, which was entirely unexpected and mildly frightening when combined with the fact her mother was crying, thin shoulders shaking with sudden sobs. Elsa hugged her back for lack of any other ideas, trying to comfort with no idea what was upsetting her. Iduna managed to choke out a response, though it was littered with sniffles between words.
"For leaving you alone. For leaving, and not thinking of what might happen if we never came back. For making you so scared, when what you needed all along was love. We made you afraid of who you are..."
Wow, Elsa was not prepared for that. Seeming done speaking for the moment, Iduna continued to sob in her daughters arms, and Elsa was left wondering what had brought such an outburst on. There had been a fair few tears back when she and Anna were first dealing with their separation, so Elsa did what she'd done for Anna and held her mother gently, making soothing sounds and occasionally petting her hair.
Slowly, the flow of tears began to thin, and Elsa was able to free her hand to reach for a handkerchief, which her mother took with a muttered thanks. She pulled back to dab at her face, skin ruddy and blotchy, eyes rimmed red and a few tears still sparkled on her eyelashes.
"I apologise, I thought I could... explain myself clearly but all I could think of was how alone you must have felt."
"Hey, it's... it's fine."
"How can it be fine?"
Elsa shrugged, not entirely sure how to handle the switch in their roles.
"Because... it's done with now. The past is past. I could sit and stew in resentment for it, or I can be happy that the gates are open and I'm accepted for who I am now, that Anna doesn't hate me for being gone all those years, that I control my powers now and they don't control me. Here, let me just..."
She did it almost without thinking, brushing her cold thumbs across Iduna's flushed face. It had always helped Anna calm down when she'd been crying, taking away the uncomfortable heat that came after the tears. Her mother seemed surprised by Elsa's fingers cupping her jaw like that, but her expression cleared slightly as she felt the cooling sensation.
"Better?"
"Yes. Thank you."
"Your Highness?"
Elsa dropped her hands from her mothers face when the door knocked, and Iduna turned away from the door so her tear-stained cheeks weren't visible.
"Come in."
It was Kai, followed by two people precariously balancing a large covered object between them.
"It's done already?"
"Yes, my lady. I inspected it myself. Where would you like it?"
"Here, for a minute. Anna didn't see you did she?"
Kai let out a short chuckle, pushing the door closed behind everyone.
"Of course not."
Elsa watched as it was placed down mindfully, itching to take a look. She reached for the fabric, twitched it up without dislodging it completely. Her mother drew in a sharp breath next to her, having peered around to see what the fuss was about.
"What is this?"
"Anna's birthday gift. Well, one of them. The last Yule painting we had done was when we were girls, I wanted to mark the first celebration of many, after so many were missed these last years."
It was a painting of Anna and Elsa and Olaf, all holding the ropes to ring the Yule Bell. Anna looked so beautiful, so happy, and Elsa wholly intended to send a generous tip to the portrait artist who had memorised the event so well and captured Anna's joy so perfectly.
"It's lovely... something is different about Anna though."
Elsa looked at her mother, then back to Anna in the portrait.
"Is it her hair?"
"What's different about her hair?"
"She always had that white stripe after... you know. It went away after she was thawed from her frozen heart."
Iduna's eyes scanned her daughters hair in the painting, and Elsa imagined she'd do the same to the real thing when she next saw Anna.
"I see. It's a lovely portrait. Even with the... snowman."
"It is" Elsa tugged the cover back over it reluctantly "you know where to put it. Make sure Anna doesn't see you. She's mad about portraits, she'll want to see it."
"Of course Your Majesty. Is there anything else?"
"No, thank you Kai."
With a small bow, Kai and the others left with the portrait, leaving Elsa with her mother again.
"Was there anything else you wanted to talk about? I do need to finish these papers, but I'll be free in the evening."
"Of course. I... I will see you later Elsa."
Iduna shuffled out, and it transpired Finn was still waiting for her outside. He hadn't been officially assigned to the previous monarch, but seemed to feel he had. Perhaps he had no other jobs that day. Elsa closed the door and flopped gracelessly in her seat, sighing.
Bearing grudges for her parents poor choices while she was growing up had seemed utterly pointless when they died. And after Elsa was freed of her fear, she'd chosen to try and let all the negative emotions go, rather than hold on to the bitterness of her isolation in the past.
Iduna's return from the dead had brought a lot of those feelings back to simmer, but Elsa had never expected an apology. Especially one her mother made first, without Elsa bringing up the years alone. She knew they thought they were doing the right thing, but that was small comfort when Elsa had nightmares of locked doors and Anna's frozen heart... With a deep groan, Elsa forced her mind back to work. Even with warning from her father, the amount of paperwork involved in ruling Arendelle was frankly ridiculous and she'd never get used to it.
The chime of a clock pulled her back out of the papers, and after a cursory flick through each missive delivered from the late mail ship, Elsa decided all could wait until tomorrow or she'd lose her mind.
And besides, if she didn't turn up for dinner, Anna would come to her. Sometimes to drag her off, others bearing food to ensure Elsa actually ate something, and occasionally got jam or vegetables on important papers...
"Elsa!"
Regardless of any semblance of proprietry, Anna beamed and bounced at the sight of her sister. But that was something everybody had come to expect, with Anna's infectious enthusiasm for life. The princess had been seen skipping to read to children, dancing around the town square because somebody offered her a flower, and Anna always had a little time for everyone. So really, the joyous affect she took still at the fact her sister was no longer locked away from her was not so out of place.
It was still a struggle to keep it to a socially acceptable hug, though Elsa never tired of feeling Anna's arms around her.
"I was about to come get you."
It was only as her hands trailed Elsa's arms when they parted that Elsa realised her sisters hands felt different.
"What are those?"
"My dragon feet! I wanted to see how tough it would be to eat dinner as a dragon. Mother looked at me like I was craaaazy."
Anna waved her covered hands, but still managed to grip Elsa's wrist and pull her along to get dinner. Sometimes one of the servers would try to... serve her, but Elsa actually enjoyed the little moments her Queen-ly facade could fall a jot, so many rules and restrictions around her every day life that simple things like taking meals in such a fashion had already become a notable part of her unwinding each evening.
"Would you care for some wine, Your Majesty?"
"Yes, thank you Reid."
He bowed his head slightly, but there was a small smile. Elsa had taken a page from Anna's book, and made a point to learn each persons name. It was a far cry from distant memories of her father, who often had his head buried in something and never even saw those who approached at meals, knew only a few of the highest ups first names liek Kai and Gerda. Anna had spent years with nobody to truly tend to her, and so she'd dashed around the castle and sweetly pestered people for their first names, offering them happy waves when they passed her playing by herself.
That mindful respect of even those who kept the castle running behind the scenes, in the shadow of the Royal Family, had not faded. And Elsa adored her sisters easy warmth, and sought to emulate some of her best traits where possible.
It became apparent, very quickly, that Anna was struggling to hold her cutlery with 'dragon feet'. Eventually, she gave up and ate with her covered hands, much to the consternation of their mostly-quiet mother, who was still on light meals for her delicate stomach, scooping broth into her mouth while Anna made "dragon eating" noises with her hands before scooping meat and vegetables up.
"Honestly, Anna, where are your manners?"
Eventually, Iduna seemed unable to tolerate it, but Anna simply smiled.
"Hey, I can conduct myself as a princess should for the real events, but this is family time. Even you used to let your hair down just a bit when it was... well, it wasn't complete family time" Anna's eyes met Elsa's, sad for a beat "but when it was you, me and father. And yes, Olaf, Kristoff and Sven are part of our family. We wouldn't have made it through the big freeze without them."
Kristoff cleared his throat, having been eating surprisingly quietly while in the company of Iduna, and without him, Sven obviously didn't have much to say either. Olaf was giggling watching Anna.
Elsa frowned to herself. While Anna had been granted the time of her parents, perhaps they'd failed to truly fill the gap left by Elsa. And as Anna wasn't being groomed for succession the way Elsa had, she was not as heavily tutored or trained, meaning there were great swathes of time the girl was left alone to entertain herself when duty called mother and father away. It was little wonder she'd been such a trouble maker, so energetiic with not enough outlet.
"Hm."
Their mother resumed eating, and excused herself early, claiming need for rest. Elsa couldn't really argue with it, since it was clear she was still regaining her strength.
Still, it was a little jarring to go from the woman who had cried in her arms only a couple of hours ago, apologising for her lonely childhood, to someone who seemed intolerant of Anna's quirky ways. Anna looked distressed herself, even removing her 'dragon feet' but not finishing her dinner.
Elsa knew it was serious when Anna didn't even want the chocolate dessert waiting.
"You coming?"
Anna asked as she rose from the table, and Elsa nodded.
"Go ahead, I'll be along in a minute."
Once Anna left, Kristoff and Sven and Olaf in tow, Elsa waved her hand over the abandoned dessert waiting.
"She'll want it later, that'll keep it. Sorry to make cleaning up difficult."
"Not at all Your Majesty. I am sure the princess will appreciate your thought."
Elsa nodded with a tight smile, then went off to seek her sister. Unsurprisingly, Anna was curled up in Elsa's room, hugging a pillow and looking sad. Elsa closed the door behind her, removing her formal dress before sliding up on to the bed in her under-layers. Anna didn't hesitate to burrow in to Elsa's open arms, abandoning the pillow for her sisters cool body.
"What is it?"
"I just... I thought having mother back would be amazing, but it feels like she... I don't know. I feel like a little kid when she gives me that look."
Sighing softly, Elsa stroked Anna's hair.
"I know. But she's had a lot of surprises, and we don't know what happened to her while she was away yet. I think mother is as confused about how to deal with everything as we are, and we're all going to have to get used to each other again. And remember, the last time mother saw you, you were still a kid. You were only fifteen, and cheeky as could be."
Anna sighed in return, snuggling in tighter to Elsa.
"I guess. Did you like my dragon feet?"
"I did. You always make me smile Anna. I am happier than I can ever remember when I am with you, and that includes all your daft jokes and silly games. Never feel like you have to change for anybody. Like you said, you can behave when you need to, and that is truly all that matters."
Wriggling around a bit, Anna managed to pull herself up until she could kiss Elsa. Elsa allowed it eagerly, breathing in Anna's sweet, fresh scent as they embraced. Nimble fingers were already moving toward Elsa's hair, undoubtedly intending to begin unbraiding it so Anna could play with it as she pleased, but the lovers were dragged apart by an urgent knock at the door.
"Your Majesty? Are you in there?"
Anna dropped on to her back with a sigh, laying on Elsa's bed not an uncommon or particularly damning sight in itself as Elsa got up, pulling a dressing gown on before she answered the door.
"Yes Gerda?"
"It's your mother. She's been taken ill."
-IEA-
Uh-oh, spaghetti-os.
