I know I'm unreliable, and I appreciate everyone who's sticking with this fic. I've had a lot of trouble wanting to write these last couple of chapters, cus honestly the temptation to skip the rest of the slowburn, release their first threesome chapter (which is already written) and move on to the sequel fic (the Frozen 2 rewrite) is strong. But, here we are.

-IEA-

The summer party had been her idea, of course, but that didn't mean Anna was not allowed to pout a bit about Elsa being busy. Pouting was better than actually distracting her very important sister, right?

"What are you sulking about?"

"I'm not sulking!"

Anna defended as her mother shifted the skirt of her dress, moving it around her legs so it didn't bunch up beneath her as she sat down on the sofa opposite Anna. It was a very pretty dress, Anna definitely did not notice.

Ever since she and Elsa had admitted they both had some... wayward attraction toward their mother, it had become much easier to deal with now she had someone to talk to, but it also made it more real, and harder to ignore at times.

"Yes you are."

Resolutely wiping the pout off her face, Anna crossed her arms.

"I am not. I'm just thinking about what to do with my day because Elsa's busy planning the party I suggested. I did offer to help but there wasn't much for me to do right now."

"You don't usually mope doing nothing. Why not go out for a walk?"

"Cus Kristoff and Olaf are busy gallivanting and I don't want to go alone."

Anna sighed dramatically, looking out of the window rather than get that weird feeling in her chest at how very pretty her mother looked in the sunlight streaming in. She was just thinking about heading out to see if any of the stores in Arendelle needed help for the day, rather than pout around the castle, when her mother spoke again.

"If you like, I'll go with you. I was just thinking it's a nice day for a stroll."

If Anna was honest, that sounded like a terrible idea, since she was trying to ignore her attractions. But, she reasoned with herself, she couldn't avoid her mother forever, and Anna doubted she could come up with a convincing reason for saying no.

Telling the truth was obviously out of the question.

"Alright, sure. Do you need to change, or shall we get ready to leave now?"

Iduna hummed to herself, looking down at her clothes.

"I think I shall change my shoes, I'm very fond of these and don't want to get them dirty outside. I will meet you in the courtyard?"

"Sure. I'm gonna go let Elsa know, so she doesn't worry if we end up gone a while."

Plus, Elsa was going to be the only person who'd understand why Anna was slightly panicked about the prospect of a gentle stroll about town. Sighing deeply once she was a couple of corridors away, Anna shook her head a little before straightening up and heading toward Elsa's office. She tapped out the now-familiar knock, idly wondering how she hadn't left marks in the doors of Elsa's bedroom with how regularly she'd done so when they were girls, and felt that same little warm relief when Elsa's voice answered.

"Come in."

With a little ink smudged on her hands and a soft smile on her face, Elsa looked up from her desk where a stack of papers awaited her attention. Anna closed the door behind her, feeling her whole body relax a little bit just at the sight of that smile.

"Everything alright Anna?"

"Yeah. Just came to let you know mother and I are off out on a walk around the square. So you don't go looking and worry we've disappeared."

Elsa nodded slowly, looking Anna over.

"I hope you have a nice day. Are you going to be... alright?"

She asked carefully, though they were quite alone. Elsa was rising from her desk, standing tall to meet Anna as she approached. Her arms went around Elsa instinctively, though Elsa kept her hands to herself rather than risk getting ink on Anna's dress.

"I'm only a little nervous... but I couldn't figure out how to say no after she asked why I was sulking, and I said I wasn't sure what to do. I can hardly say 'sorry mother, I'm a bit uncomfortable cus I have a crush on you' now, can I?"

Elsa let out a small laugh.

"No, not really. But I'm sure it will all be fine. Just relax and enjoy your afternoon, and I will see you at dinner."

Her sister leant in and kissed her sweetly, cool lips against Anna's own both soothing her and making her heart beat a little quicker. Letting out a slightly ragged breath when they parted, Anna enjoyed the light flush that had risen to Elsa's cheeks. Staying there was very tempting, but as she'd already agreed, their mother was going to be waiting for her.

"I better go."

"Indeed. Enjoy your afternoon."

Anna headed outside after grabbing her jacket in case the afternoon cooled down on them, and found Iduna standing in the courtyard waiting for her. Their mother was definitely much quicker on her feet than she had been before.

"Ready to go, Anna?"

"Yep!"

As they walked through the open gates, Anna smiled to herself like she did every single time, just enjoying that they were open again. It seemed Iduna was thinking along similar lines.

"It's still strange for me to walk through the gates, you know. I'm quite used to it now, but after so many years seeing them closed..."

"Yeah. I still feel happy to see them open. I like the open gates."

Elsa had held to her word - though the gates were occasionally closed when it was windy out, to stop rubbish from the square blowing into the castle courtyard, and they were closed for cleaning, they were always just opened again right after. Anna still felt so free seeing it. As they crossed the bridge, people greeted them warmly, bouyed by the pleasant weather and politely enquiring about the upcoming party.

"Are you excited, mother?"

"Yes, I am. I'm not as easily tired as I was for the earlier celebrations, so I will be able to enjoy it all the more."

"That's good. I'm so happy you're all better now. You had us worried there for a while."

Her mother smiled at her, and Anna wished it didn't make her flutter a little. It was all she could do not to reach and take her mothers hand, too used to walking with Elsa or Olaf, both of whom she'd link hands with for strolls. Elsa she held hands with just because, but with Olaf sometimes for fun and sometimes to stop him wandering off into trouble. Which was only sometimes effective, as he could just wander off leaving that one stick-hand behind.

"Yoo-hoo! Princess Anna!"

Anna turned at the sound of her name, and grinned at the familiar sight of Oaken, enormous and imposing until his face split into a warm, welcoming smile. He gave a little bow in Anna's direction, then realised who was with her and hastened to give similar treatment to the mother of the Queen.

"How are things Oaken? Business going well?"

"Oh yes! Very well!"

He enthused about some of the things Elsa had asked him to make for the upcoming party, knowing that anything he would say to Elsa, he could tell Anna. Not that Anna was always a reliable messenger, being a touch scatterbrained when she was overexcited. Being out with her mother didn't quite make her excited, but it definitely took up valuable space in her head that new information couldn't really get in to.

And then he had some new things to show them, offering little tasty treats he and his husband had been testing out making for their various family celebrations - Oaken hadn't lived in the Arendelle mountains his entire life, but he and his husband had suffered some ill treatment over their relationship, so they'd upped and moved away with their adopted children. They were more than welcome in Arendelle, where same-sex marriage was perfectly accepted and Oaken's family were a beloved part of the kingdom, and highly useful to any who wanted to traverse the mountains.

"How are they, mother?"

Anna asked, having had to look away lest she be caught staring at Iduna licking dusting sugar from her lips. Her mouth was too much like Elsa's for Anna's already tenuous sanity, it seemed, and it did nothing to help her inappropriate feelings.

"Very nice. Very sweet."

"Mmm. These are really good Oaken."

"Ja, thank you! I will pass on your compliments to my husband!"

He clapped, adorably flamboyant despite his imposing size. They turned down offers to take some more of his sweet treats home, since they weren't done walking and didn't want to carry them, but promised to visit him again soon for more. Anna dropped in to chat with some of the stores she helped out in, and though some were a little flustered by Iduna's appearance as she ventured into the town square less often, they were cordial and polite and Anna watched her mother be quiet but pleasant in return.

Despite her early reservations (and the occasional wandering of her mind...), Anna was happy to find she'd had fun with her mother that afternoon, and regretted avoiding being alone with her at times. They headed back when the square began to quiet as many headed home to start preparing for dinner, and Anna was surprised by her mother leaning against her as they crossed the bridge on their way back to the castle.

"What is it?"

Iduna cleared her throat, blinking twice before she pulled away. Anna wasn't sure if she was relieved or disappointed.

"Oh. Nothing. I just... nothing. I must go and change out of these shoes, I'll meet you at dinner."

Bemused, Anna watched her mother move with a speed she'd not been capable of a couple of months ago to get away from her. It stung a little, if she was honest, after she'd just been thinking how they'd had a nice day together. Sighing, Anna headed for Elsa's study, hoping to catch her alone before dinner. She just about made it, finding Elsa placing paperweights on her stacks of work, arranged in order of importance for when she returned.

"Anna? I was just heading down for dinner."

As Anna often came to check if Elsa was overworking/missing the meal, she supposed it made sense that was what Elsa was expecting. Closing the door behind her, Anna moved closer. Elsa opened her arms silently, folding Anna into an embrace.

"Everything alright?"

Anna shrugged, then elaborated on the strange happenings that had prompted her to seek Elsa out.

"We'd been having such a nice day, and then it all went weird right at the end."

Elsa hummed, rubbing small circles on Anna's back to relax her.

"Perhaps she's so used to seeing us be so affectionate, she was following our lead without thinking it through much. And when you drew attention, she felt self-conscious that she was copying the two of us, who are... closer to each other than we are with her?"

"Maybe. I've seen her look at father's portraits sometimes. Maybe she's just lonely."

"Perhaps. I'm sure mother will figure it out for herself. Until then, maybe we just make an effort to be a little more affectionate with her. In an appropriate way."

Anna couldn't help but giggle, hearing Elsa's slightly chiding tone.

"What do you think I'd do?"

"Nothing on purpose, but I know you forget yourself at times. Still, I was really just jesting. Shall we head down to dinner?"?

As they parted, Elsa slipped her fingers through Anna's and squeezed her hand in reassurance.

"Yeah, good idea."

-IEA-

Yeah, it's short and not a lot happened, you don't gotta tell me. Next chapter will be better but I couldn't get any of the important things in to this one. Hopefully the next chapter won't take three months either...