Anonymous Guest: I want you to know my friends and I had a great laugh at your expense, and if you don't thimk my fic rises to your goliath standards of entertainment, you are cordially invited to fuck off.
Also, on the topic of Iduna's 'title'... I'm almost 30 and had the same Queen for my entire life (she's been reigning twice that time), and Queen Mother is a relatively new term here in the UK. I also didn't see the term 'dowager queen' anywhere when looking up the Norwegian Royal Family. And truthfully, in the grand scheme of incestuous lesbianism, it really doesn't matter. I do appreciate you guys trying to be helpful though :)
-IEA-
"A very promising and fruitful meeting, thank you for your time Queen Elsa."
Elsa inclined her head with a small smile.
"Likewise."
One of her visitors left, but the second hung back. He was a well regarded advisor to someone important, but at that moment, he looked a little bit shady if she was honest. He glanced around, ensuring they were relatively alone.
"I hope you do not think me too forward, Your Majesty" oh dear, where was this going? "but could I see just a little of your magic? I've heard such fantasical tales, but I just can't picture it!"
Anders did seem genuinely interested... Elsa indulged him, twirling her finger in mid-air above her palm until a small, solid plate formed itself there from ice. Glittering in the sunlight coming through the window, Elsa held it out.
"I'm afraid it will almost certainly melt."
He actually let a short, stunned laugh, examining the little ice formation.
"Extraordinary! Thank you for humouring an old man Your Majesty. I wish you well, and I'll be sure to pass on these things to the Prince!"
Smiling softly, Elsa nodded and gave a small wave - she'd already done the proper farewell - as Anders left, still clutching the plate. Elsa hoped it at least lasted until he got to his ship again. Or at the very least, out of the castle, rather than leave a trail of melted water from the heat of his hands throughout the Royal homestead.
Taking a look at the time, Elsa knew Anna would still likely be out mingling with the townspeople. It had been a little while since she walked the streets herself, so Elsa changed in to more comfortable boots and headed down to acquire a guard, irritating as she found the requirement. Sometimes she was allowed out without a visible one, but there were always eyes out in the square to ensure their Queen was alright.
At least they trailed behind her so Elsa could, if she tried, almost pretend she was alone. And really, her mind was elsewhere, eyes scanning the streets, searching for the face in the crowd she knew would lighten her heart in a second. As it turned out, Anna found her.
"Elsa!"
Though soft and pliant to the touch when they were undressed, Anna felt surprisingly solid when she slammed herself into Elsa in something that could only loosely be called a 'hug', but it was such an Anna way to act that it made Elsa smile regardless. She turned, sliding her arms around Anna and inhaling her scent.
"Anna."
"What are you doing out here?"
"I thought I'd take a walk around Arendelle. I don't see nearly enough of it."
With a beaming, joyful smile plastered across her face, Anna nodded her understanding, still holding Elsa loosely around the middle, and Elsa felt no need to do anything about that for the moment.
"I'd join you, but I promised I'd help Oaken at his new store."
"Then I will see you for dinner."
Elsa kissed Anna's hair, ambiguous enough to be done in public but Elsa knew it made Anna feel fluttery inside (as she'd been told, several times) and so it was fun to get away with that.
"Where is mother?"
"I believe she's resting."
Truthfully, Elsa had no real idea. Iduna had been avoiding them both since the evenings argument, and had even requested both breakfast and lunch in her room. Still under orders from Elsa to accommodate the recovering woman, nobody had argued.
"Oh."
Anna knew Elsa was sort of lying. She squeezed Elsa around the middle again, then reluctantly stepped back, smile back in place though it didn't quite reach her eyes like before.
"See you at dinner."
Elsa watched her head toward Oaken's newest business venture - his husband ran the trading post on the mountain whenever Oaken was down in Arendelle, though their children were learning to do the same - before turning away and continuing her walk through Arendelle. It was good to interact with the people, to not constantly be some absent monarch hidden away behind closed doors, 'too good' to mingle with the commoners.
On top of that, she'd been trapped for far too long to remain isolated now.
Though as she'd entertained after lunch for a couple of hours, Elsa didn't have all day to wander the streets of Arendelle. She did make a point to greet shopkeepers and indulge excited children where she could, though Elsa knew she'd never have Anna's innate knack for warmth and friendliness, the way she just drew people in with her light and goodness.
Elsa's own personal sunshine.
As she passed Oaken's store, she saw Anna elbow deep in work, though when she spotted Elsa Anna did straighten up, waving with one hand while her other swiped across a sweaty forehead. Elsa swallowed heavily at the sight, but restrained herself to a smile and a polite greeting to Oaken before she continued on her way.
She returned to the castle in time to be early for dinner, which meant catching up on paperwork so there'd be less to do that evening. Which meant less work Anna could distract her from, as her sister had a habit of doing...
Their mother did come down for dinner, though she was quiet the entire time other than to thank the staff. Anna chattered away to fill the silence, helped along by Olaf and Kristoff, and Elsa responded in the right places with the hefty weight sitting between mother and daughters.
"Hey, Anna!"
"Yes Olaf?"
"It's your birthday soon, right? That is what they call it isn't it? Still getting the hang of these human things."
Anna nodded in answer to Olaf, and Elsa smiled to herself at the thought of the gifts she had waiting.
"Yep!"
There were so many years to make up for, after all.
"I bet Elsa has something really cool planned! Elsa throws the best parties! Ooooh, will there be ice skating?"
"If Anna wants there to be."
Anna chewed thoughtfully on her chicken, before her eyes glittered in a mischievous way that made Elsa's pulse pick up.
"Sure, but only if you give me extra lessons so I don't make a fool of myself."
Fighting to keep her face neutral, Elsa nodded slowly.
"I am sure I can set aside some time for you."
Anna beamed.
"Then yes, Olaf, there will be ice skating."
"Awesome! Ice skating is my favourite! Apart from playing in the snow, that is. Come on Sven, we gotta go practice!"
The bemused reindeer reluctantly followed Olaf, and after wrapping some extra food in a few napkins, Kristoff excused himself to go and rescue his friend.
"How is he gonna practice without you to make ice?"
Anna pouted cutely as she looked on in confusion.
"It's Olaf, will we ever truly understand him?"
"Good point."
As it fell quiet again, Elsa realised they'd been left alone with Iduna again. She met neither of their eyes, only continued to eat in silence. She was still wearing Elsa's old gloves, but aside from not always clearing her plate, Iduna's eating was effectively back to normal. Elsa reassured herself with that, trying to quiet the anxiety of unresolved tension.
Anna hummed happily as she moved on to chocolate pudding (how she wasn't sick of it yet, Elsa didn't know, but so long as it made Anna happy, it was on the menu), licking the spoon with an innocent smile while her eyes said she knew what that did to Elsa. Anna was forever incorrigible.
"I have some work to finish this evening. Goodnight mother."
"I'll come by for hot chocolate before bed, yeah?"
Anna asked, and Elsa nodded.
"Of course."
If Anna waited that long, Elsa would eat her crown.
Well, she'd have to go and find it first, after casting it aside up in the North Mountain. A new one had been commissioned recently, but was not yet finished, and if she was honest Elsa didn't look forward to wearing it again. She definitely didn't want to put her hair back up in that horribly confining style again. It just reminded her of her hands shaking as she peeled off her gloves, hoping the orb and scepter wouldn't freeze at her touch...
"Elsa? Aren't you leaving?"
Blinking and shaking her head to clear it, Elsa nodded and rose.
"Yes, sorry, I... spaced out a little. Good evening."
Elsa headed to her study to finish her paperwork, making notes on people she needed to consult with the next day about budgets, trade, final plans for Anna's birthday and such. She'd barely finished that when there was a distinctive little knock at her door, followed by the most welcome face of all peering around the door.
"Come on in Anna."
Anna closed the door behind her, and crossed over to perch on Elsa's lap as she pushed herself out from the desk to facilitate the expected action. Elsa reached up to Anna's face, swiping her thumb across the side of her mouth.
"What?"
"You had a little chocolate on your face."
"Oh."
Before Elsa could blink, Anna had her lips around her thumb, tongue flicking over the little bit of chocolate with a sound that was honestly indecent. She wondered if the spark, the blistering heat of it all that near consumed her with Anna would ever fade, though she knew even if it did that it would leave behind a lingering warmth of love, and that was never going to fade.
"You" Anna tapped her finger on the very tip of Elsa's nose "no going overboard for my birthday, ok? It's enough for me to be spending it with you at last. Wait. I didn't mean to add the last bit. Pretend I just said it's enough to be spending it with you."
Elsa nodded.
"I won't go overboard."
She meant it. But Elsa also knew there was no such thing as doing too much, so really, she couldn't go overboard, even if she wanted to. Anna didn't need to know that though.
"Good. So... have much more work to do?"
"Why? Did you have something better for me to be doing?"
"Yes. I want you to come braid my hair."
Taking that as Anna's way of saying "you've done enough work today" signal - even though Elsa had spent the morning on horseback with her sister - and accepting she'd get no more done with a persistent sibling sat in her lap anyway, Elsa nodded.
"You know I wouldn't say no."
"Good. So, finish up quickly so we can go."
Elsa had enforced a concession with Anna that she be allowed to at least finish what she'd started, as Elsa abhorred leaving things half-finished when it made it much more complicated to come back to the next day. So she made sure the list was done, organised her papers in order that she'd need them tomorrow and picked up the missives she needed ready to send the next morning. Handing those off to be put through the usual processes, Elsa turned to her sister.
"I'm all yours."
Woken by her bladder, Iduna sighed and reluctantly left the warm cocoon of covers for the bathroom. As she returned, she heard strange creaks and muffled cursing outside. It was highly unlikely there would be anybody who shouldn't be in the castle, but that didn't prevent Iduna's heart from pounding in panic as she reached for the door handle, unable to help but look.
"Elsa?"
Rather bizarrely, she found her eldest daughter, Queen of Arendelle, crawling under a table in the corridor. In the middle of the night. She jumped, banging her head on the underside of said table and swearing colourfully, snowflakes dusting the floor under her hands.
"Mother! What are you doing awake?"
"I could ask you the same thing."
Their relationship was still... strained, unfortunately. Elsa and Anna both refused to see sense, and they both insisted Iduna refused to accept reality.
"I'm doing something for Anna... hang on" she finished fumbling under the table, and reappeared upright, brushing a few specks of dust the cleaners missed from the skirt of her nightdress "speaking of... there is a dress being brought to you in the morning. Whether you wear it, whether you turn up... is up to you."
And, as though that was all there was to say, Elsa hurried off before Iduna had chance to answer, hearing the clang of a suit of armour around the corner before she closed her bedroom door behind her.
-IEA-
Sorry this took a while to update, I got swept up doing a bunch of commissions and fell behind on... everything, really.
