Oh boy, some of the reviews I had last chapter... obviously, some of you were lovely.
Some not so much. I'll repeat what I said earlier - coercion is not consent. It's not a yes if someone can't say no.
-IEA-
As soon as their mother managed to indicate which of them it was, Anna saw how Elsa fought to restrain herself. Nobody else noticed much of the chill with the ice already out, but Anna's next few breaths were visible before Elsa managed to rein herself in a bit.
"Anna, take mother inside. Tell people she's not feeling well and needs a lie down before the dinner this evening."
"Elsa..."
Iduna's weak, shaky voice just about broke Anna's heart. Though she was reluctant to go, Anna managed to get her mother back in the castle, making the excuse a couple of times before they were clear of anybody who wasn't staff. And they all knew better than to ask after one look at Anna's face, so she was able to get her mother back to her room without issue. The sobs that she'd been trying to hold back burst out, and Anna could do little but hold her and try to comfort her, tears soaking into the fabric of her dress.
"Shh, shh. It's ok, you're safe now."
"Sorry, I'm being so silly."
Was eventually forced out between her sobs, but Anna was quick to refute such a ridiculous claim.
"Don't talk nonsense. If you need to cry, go ahead. I won't judge."
Iduna clung so tight to her it was starting to hurt, but Anna wasn't even considering pointing it out - her mother needed her. So she bore it out, waiting for the sobs to slow before she remembered she had a handkerchief in her pocket. It was for in case she got ice cream on herself earlier, but she hadn't, so she offered it to her mother who took it gratefully and mopped her face a little.
"Better?"
"A bit. I think I do need a lie down though, I feel... drained. But I should go back to-"
"No. Elsa can handle it. She's handled worse than one scumbag sailor. But if you're getting into bed, you should take that dress off. It doesn't look bed-time comfy, and you might wanna wear it for the dinner if you feel up to going."
Anna noticed the way she hesitated at that, and figured her mother probably felt a bit vulnerable.
"I won't look, if that helps."
A shaky nod was her confirmation, so Anna got up from the bed and faced the door, giving Iduna a moment to undress herself in peace and find something else to wear to lie down. Her voice was barely more than a whisper when she said Anna could turn around, which she did, saw one of her mother's heavy nightgowns had replaced her summer dress. Probably too warm, but she imagined it felt... safer to be all covered up.
"Here, I'll hang that up. Get in to bed. Do you need anything?"
"Would... would you stay with me for a few minutes?"
"Of course."
Anna hung the dress up over the wardrobe door, then returned to the side of the bed, pulling the chair from Iduna's vanity over to sit on. Swaddled under heavy covers, she still shook a little. Anna reached out and took her hand after a minute, hoping she didn't spook her mother. Thankfully, she didn't, and felt her grip returned quite fiercely.
"It's ok. I'm here. Get some rest."
"Would you get me a cloth? My make-up feels sticky."
"Oh, sure. You'll have to let go of my hand though."
Iduna hiccuped, but let go of her hand. Anna went to get her a damp cloth from the bathroom, grabbing a hand mirror and a towel too. Her mother was grateful, scrubbing her messy make-up off. Her face was a little blotchy from crying, and Anna lacked Elsa's face-cooling powers, but at least her mother could sleep more comfortably now.
"You should go. You keep Elsa in check better than anybody."
"Are you sure you're alright to be alone?"
"I'm going to rest, and lock my door behind you. I will be... alright."
She couldn't reach right to 'fine', it seemed. Anna reluctantly nodded, pulled herself out of her seat. It felt wrong to leave Iduna alone, but Anna also knew now wasn't the time to push when her mother was feeling so fragile. She waited to hear the door lock behind her before leaving, commenting to Reid as he was nearby that Iduna was resting and not to be disturbed.
"Of course, Your Highness."
He bowed, and promised to ensure her peace for the time being. Anna thanked him, and after detouring to the bathroom to clean some smeared make-up from her dress, Anna headed back outside. She looked around, spotted Elsa still off to one side - outwardly, petting Sven, but when Anna looked for Kristoff, she saw their friend was chatting to... him. Her hands curled into fists at her side, but it wouldn't do to be caught visibly seething with rage, so she cut around the ice rink, smiling at any she passed to maintain the mood until she made it to her sisters side.
"What's going on?"
She asked quietly, and Elsa turned toward her with a sigh.
"I know mother was sure, but I need to be sure before I... do anything. So I asked Kristoff to talk to him, see if he can find anything out."
"What are you gonna do?"
Elsa rolled her head from side to side, neck cracking audibly.
"Oh, I was just thinking I'd invite him to see my ice palace. I can hardly do anything here, that wouldn't be good for Arendelle now would it?"
Anna sucked in a breath, well aware of what Elsa was getting at.
"You're not going to..."
"What? Anna, after what he did, I don't think anything is too much."
She chewed her lip, torn between agreeing and worrying what could happen to Elsa if she went down that road.
"No, you're right. Just... be careful? I don't want you to use your powers in a way you'll regret."
Elsa sighed, but she turned to Anna with a soft expression.
"I appreciate you looking out for me. Is mother resting?"
"Yeah. She actually sent me out here because, in her words, I 'keep you in check better than anyone else'. So I think she's worried about you too, but she wanted to get some sleep. I made sure she locked herself in."
Nodding, Elsa turned back to watch Kristoff and him, letting out a long sigh.
"What?"
Anna asked.
"I'm just irate that he chose today, because I can't get away until tomorrow after inviting all these guests to Arendelle."
"Oh, right. Well, it's only one more day. Freeze the ocean, his boat can't go anywhere then."
Elsa shook her head, fond but exasperated smile on her face.
"I rather think that would defeat the point of this whole... reassurance attempt, if I were to repeat the issue I caused at my coronation."
"Oh yeah, good point. Oh well, let's stick to it's only one more day. You won't tell on us, right Sven?"
Sven shook his head very vigorously, almost knocking them with his antlers in his eagerness to answer. Anna reached up and petted him too in thanks.
"You better make sure Kristoff never mentions to mother that he knows... anything. She'd be so upset."
"Of course. I would never have told him anything, but I know his sort would never talk of such things to a lady, let alone a monarch."
After a few minutes more, Kristoff seemed to excuse himself under guise of checking on Sven, audibly calling out to the reindeer who got quite animated as he often did whenever Kristoff called his name in that playful tone. As soon as he got close enough, he looked to Elsa and gave her a short, sharp nod. Elsa cursed under her breath, and Anna felt a brisk chill in the air before Elsa managed to get a lid on herself again, stopping just short of bringing down extra snow. Though nobody would have noticed, as there was a gentle snowfall over the ice to keep the area cold.
"I'll give it a few minutes before I go over, otherwise it would be very suspicious. Who knew all those years of conceal, don't feel would come in handy."
Their father's mantra coming in so Elsa could avenge their mother's pain.
"What should I do?"
"Nothing, for now. I need to approach him as the Queen, talk trade or something to ensure he stays in port until tomorrow. Without giving away how he turns my stomach."
Anna reached for Elsa's hand and squeezed it.
"You'll be fine. Just try not to freeze him where everyone can see. They might get a little worried, and we can hardly explain."
"Indeed."
Elsa took a minute to gather herself, before she straightened up into her full regal posture, and after taking another deep breath, she started walking. Anna did her best not to watch too much, loathe as she was to take her eyes off him while Elsa was getting ever closer. Thankfully, Kristoff came over to try and distract her.
"I hope Elsa throws a whole winter's storm at him. He was vile."
"Well, we knew that already."
Kristoff nodded, scowling.
"I know, but... he's drunk, and saying horrible things about random women. I had to pretend I was agreeing with him to get him talking, and now I feel like I need two baths."
At least with a visible guard while talking to somebody important he was hoping to gain profitable trade from, Anna hoped Elsa was going to be spared the worst of his attitude. And she was more than used to dealing with men who looked down on women, having scared the wits out of several before while working. She could still see the tension in Elsa's shoulders, as her dress had a dip in the back that exposed some of her pale skin and revealed muscles pulled tight.
The man looked pleased with the conversation, and Elsa left without freezing him on the spot. She scowled once her back was turned to him, but there was a guard between him and her back, so she was quite safe.
"So?"
Anna asked as she approached, and Elsa nodded, gesturing to the guards to stand 'private conversation' distance away.
"He's happy to wait until tomorrow, as I have important business to tend to this evening. He was somewhat disappointed I couldn't invite him to the festivities, though, after I explained that dinner was nobility only."
It was technically a dinner for guests, but most of those guests were high-ups and their family or entourage from various other kingdoms and the like, so that was a fair enough assessment. Anna frowned, glancing back to the castle and hoping their mother would be feeling better soon.
Elsa didn't love hosting and being the centre of attention at the best of times. With everything that had happened that day looming over them, she was even less enamoured, but it would have been the height of rudeness not to attend to the guests she'd invited over. At least once the initial introductions and greetings were all out of the way, a grand five-course meal and freely flowing drinks meant few people paid her close attention unless she approached them.
Anna was managing to be her usual enchanting self, dressed in a beautiful gown and glittering with the right sort of jewels for such an event, including the bracelet Elsa had gifted her for her birthday. Elsa herself was dressed a little more conservatively than she usually would; Anna often enthused how lovely she looked with dresses that displayed her collarbones or shoulders, but Elsa was quite keen not to draw such attentions from any men hoping to strike up a political marriage. Even without her sexual preferences and... Anna, tonight was not the night she was going to be able to deal with that.
She looked for her mother, who had rested and re-dressed and brightened her features with make-up, but there was still tension in her frame, and she was rarely more than a few feet from at least one of her daughters, or Kristoff, who was warm and kind and someone Iduna had never felt threatened by. Sven hadn't been able to come along, as the ballroom was incompatible with his antlers, but he and Olaf had been given a pile of treats and a couple of the servants quite fond of them had agreed to stay and entertain the two.
Though she was sure it was as exquisitely prepared as it ever was, Elsa barely tasted her food, and only years of training drummed in prevented her simply picking at it out of disinterest. It wouldn't have shown Arendelle Castle in a good light, if even the Queen didn't like the food prepared there. And while she wasn't wholly concerned with appearances over the issues that had arisen earlier that day, it was just for one night - a night she had arranged to begin with.
"I must say, Your Majesty" the new Weselton Duke, less short and irritating than his predecessor "I had my reservations, but you really do know how to throw a party."
Gifting him with a small smile, Elsa inclined her head.
"Thank you. I'm sure we're all keen to put the past behind us and move on."
"Oh, of course. That weasel I replaced was annoying to us all, and Weselton extends a fresh apology for his men making attempts on your life."
Elsa nodded.
"Apology accepted. Again."
"Most gracious. Now, I heard tale you didn't dance at your coronation, but I have also heard talk that you have learned to dance since. Might I impose upon you by asking for a little twirl?"
Though she didn't want to, Elsa nodded.
"So long as it's only dancing on your mind. Tonight is about friendship, not romance."
"But of course. Are you alright with me leading?"
Elsa nodded and held out her hand; though not by as much as the previous Duke, he was still shorter than her, but so was Anna and Anna knew both how to lead and follow, and had taught Elsa both too. Though they mostly just took turns leading with each other, but it was good practice all the same.
"I apologise, my hands will be cold."
He had on gloves, like many of the men there, but Elsa still thought it prudent to warn him.
"It's to be expected with a power like yours. And you know the old adage? Cold hands, warm heart. You've made great strides to display that since you took your crown. Which, I can't help but notice, you aren't wearing."
Elsa grit her teeth at his little fishing trip comment, but forced herself to keep smiling as she followed his step.
"My father never liked to wear his all the time either. Perhaps it's just an Arendellian thing. Also, my personal stylist is unwell, and I need a haircut before my hair can be put back into that regal style. Unfortunate timing, but what can we do?"
He let out a short chuckle, and Elsa felt relieved he seemed to be merely being nosy rather than overtly political about it.
"Your hair is quite magnificent, if you'll pardon my saying. I suppose it's a part of your magic, but it really is a most unique shade."
It was still a little strange to have people comment so freely on her magic. At least, those who weren't Arendellian citizens. The song they were moving to wound down, and Elsa politely parted ways from the Duke. It did seem as though they ended the dance on slightly better terms than it started, which was the entire point of the evening itself.
And once she was through with the evening, Elsa knew she'd be able to focus more on what the next day would bring.
-IEA-
Obviously, Elsa would rather dance with Anna than some Duke, but duty calls!
