Rifiuto: Non Miriena

A/N: So, Zani based the whole 'Queen does not take a King' off of Victoria and Albert. She's trying to keep the historical parts of this story as historically accurate as possible. By the time Albert married Victoria, she was already a sitting queen, and Albert had no power of his own, and when she wanted to make him king, her council refused. Instead, she made him Prince-Consort, and he became her private secretary and adviser, the one that Victoria turned to when she needed advice. Victoria was in the highest position in the land, in absence of a king, and held the most power, because she was the hereditary monarch- the next in line for the throne within the same family.

In this, Zani made it so the situation is similar- Elsa's father was king; she, as the Crown Princess, was the hereditary Queen upon her parents' deaths- next in line for the throne within the same family. Elsa was to marry Hans in a year's time- had the betrothal gone through- and she would have already been sitting upon the throne for a year. She, like Victoria (remember the mention of Elsa's visit to Britain and her friendship with Victoria in Chapter 15?), held all the power, and despite holding the power, she most likely had a council, who would refuse to allow her to make Hans king for one simple reason- being from the Southern Isles, means he is a foreigner.

And especially in the time period this is set in (late 1840s), many countries did not want foreign rulers upon their thrones; they saw it as giving power away to a foreign government or entity. The reason Iduna probably became queen- according to Zani's notes anyway- is because Agnarr pushed back against the council- who would be against Iduna because not only was she foreign, being Northuldra, but common in their eyes- and forced them to agree make her queen, and because he was male, he had his way. Elsa, on the other hand, being not only queen, but female, would not have it as easy; she would face major push back from her council, and her only option would be to make Hans her Prince Consort. So when Iduna mentions it in her letter to Elsa, she is referencing past queens- queens born with no male heirs before them, or who probably lost a brother and became queen upon their father's deaths, born within the same family. Remember, Arendelle is centuries old, and there could be more than a few women who ruled after men due to being the the only heir or the only surviving heir.

And for all their strength, women like Victoria, and yes, Elsa, were ahead of their time, and yet, still forced into the boxes put before them. For all Elsa's stubbornness and power, she is still just a woman, and at the end of the day, she would have to pick her battles, and making Hans king would probably not be as important as something that affected her people like taxes or education or commerce.

Written: 2019 - Licia

Dear Elsa,

Just seeing those two words in her sister's still somewhat sloppy scroll set her teeth on edge, and she inadvertently winced. Even fully grown and separated near permanently now, Anna's writing could make her cringe. It had been the one thing their mother had tried her hardest to get Anna to take seriously, but the girl just couldn't focus, and always, when told to, would remark with, "I'm the spare, Mama. No one cares about my handwriting."

It had been a well-placed, hurtful jab at her older sister, who's near perfect cursive was always praised by their tutor, even when the girls were forced to take lessons at different times of the day when Elsa was sent into isolation. And Iduna, seeing the biting tone of her youngest, directed at her oldest for the first time, hadn't stood for it. Elsa knew it was the only time Iduna ever struck either of her daughters, boxing her ears so firmly Anna had scampered out into the courtyard and climbed a tree, refusing to come down-

All because Elsa had been in another part of the castle with their father, learning war strategy, and had gone to the window during a break, seeing the odd bird that was her little sister perched in the tree. Anna had looked up then, the two girls had locked eyes, and Anna had near fallen, surprised to see her mysterious older sister in another part of the castle and not locked away in her room. Agnarr had come up behind Elsa then, gently taking her shoulder and steering her away from the window, not having noticed his youngest daughter sitting in the tree, even when Elsa had turned back, and spoken up. Unbeknownst to Elsa, the girl had clambered down not long after, rushing through the castle to find her sister; when she'd finally arrived at the room with the window overlooking the courtyard, she'd burst in, only to find it empty. Agnarr had ended the lesson early, sending Elsa back to her room when he'd heard Anna was rampaging through the palace in search of her.

Gerda, their ever-faithful housekeeper had taken the young Crown Princess, gently walking her back to her rooms, stopping when Elsa dug her heels in. "But why won't Papa and Mama let me see Anna, Gerda? She's my sister, we're supposed to be best friends!"

The housekeeper had taken the twelve-year-old's face in her hands- the only one of the staff, besides her husband Kai, who was allowed to lay a hand on any of the royal family- and gently stroked the tears away. She'd watched the damage this separation was causing not just the girls, but the entire family, and wished she had the authority to right such a wrong. But she didn't, and Gerda knew that it was on the king's orders that they keep the girls separated, for Elsa's own good and Anna's protection. But Gerda had also seen the damage it was doing to their parents, the strain they were being placed under, while they tried desperately to hold both girls equally- in time though, it was quickly becoming clear that Elsa, as the Crown Princess, was the much favoured one. The unique circumstances of her birth, her powers, and her place as Arendelle's Crown Princess, all made it abundantly clear that the platinum-haired princess with the alabaster skin was given the utmost attention to prepare her for the day she would be queen, despite the uncontrollable growth of her powers.

"Oh, Princess, you must understand, you and Princess Anna are being kept apart for your own good."

"Who's good, Gerda? Anna's?"

"No, child, yours."

She remembered how the answer had stunned her beyond reason. "But... but how is it my good?"

The look Gerda had given her then had been one of sadness and pity, for she knew how close the sisters had been before Anna's accident and the visit to the trolls. "Because one day, many, many, many years from now, when your parents have passed onto the next world, you will become Queen, and all of Arendelle will look to you to guide them. You are to be Arendelle's shining light."

"And Anna?"

"Anna..." Gerda had sighed; it was best to let the child know what would become of her little sister now, to prepare her for what lay ahead. "Anna will one day marry, just as you will-"

"And we'll live here together, then."

"I'm sorry, Princess, but it is Anna's fate to one day marry into another kingdom, or a lesser noble of Arendelle's court. It is more than likely that she will marry a prince of another court, in another kingdom some day. But you will always be sisters." The sound of footsteps forced Gerda to open the door, and Elsa turned back, just as Anna rounded the corner, stopping before the door. The Crown Princess glanced at Gerda, who nodded, before pulled the door closed, separating the sisters once more.

Elsa winced as the memory faded; the hurt that she'd caught on Anna's face that day had stayed with her, never truly fading as it should have. And she knew it had been a mistake on her part, to do as Gerda had said, as her parents had ordered, and stay within her room. But she didn't have control of her powers then, and since her parents were the ones controlling her education, she'd had no choice but to shut her sister out.

And it led to a strained relationship... a nearly destroyed one between you and your only sibling. But somehow, someway, Anna forgave you, for everything... but now...

She bit her lip, turning her attention back to the letter. She had to read it, she just couldn't put it in the drawer of her desk and ignore it. Her gaze flicked to the fire, but she shook her head. No, come on, Elsa, it's just a letter. That's all.

Her blue eyes darted back to the black ink on the parchment.

It's been weeks since you answered my last letter. I know that it's busy in the forest, but you can't possibly be so busy that you can't write to your own sister. You've missed charades the last few Fridays, and everyone misses you. Olaf is beside himself with worry because you haven't been home, and even Sven misses you. I do, too.

Elsa, when you last came to Arendelle, why did you go to see Kristoff? Why did you not come to see me? I understand that some day he is going to be my husband, but you will always be my sister. Our bond is more important than the bond Kristoff and I will have, it will always be.

Elsa rolled her eyes at the statement; she knew that spouses were always more important than siblings, no matter how strong the sibling bond. The fact that Anna had hastily underlined the second 'always' just showed how little she knew about love and marriage; how completely inept she was at... everything. She was still the naive little girl running through the halls of Arendelle's castle, only this time, she was playing dress up in their mother's clothes and crown.

You and I are all that's left of Mama and Papa, and they wanted us to stay together. I understand that you're the Fifth Spirit, the Guardian of the Enchanted Forest, but you're also, first and foremost, my sister, and sisters are supposed to be able to tell each other anything and everything. You promised, that we would do this together- be the bridge together. But now, two years after, you suddenly decide to break that promise?

She swallowed, thickly, hearing the anger in Anna's voice, as her words from that long ago day at the wreckage of their parents' ship rang loud and clear in her head. "Who will stop you from going too far? I don't want to stop you from being whatever you need to be, I just don't want you dying, trying to be everything for everyone else, too. Don't do this alone. Let me help you, please. I can't lose you, Elsa."

But Anna had lost her; she'd ignored the warning in her mother's lullaby, and gone much farther than she should have, risking and giving her life to break the curse and save her kingdom and her sister. She had broken her promise to Anna once, for the girl's own protection, and Anna- through her tears- had forgiven her, especially once she'd realized who the Fifth Spirit was. And for two years, she'd kept her promise; they had worked together as the bridge, and then, suddenly, everything had started to go sour.

Elsa's duties as the Fifth Spirit, the Guardian of Ahtohallan had begun to take over her life, and Anna... darling little Anna, her baby sister, had begun to pull away. Somehow, for some reason, Anna had started to ignore Elsa, much like Elsa had done to her when they were children. And whenever Elsa had tried to initiate contact, Anna acted as though she didn't exist. For a while, it felt as though Elsa was banned from Arendelle, but clearly, she wasn't, if her last visit wasn't evidence enough.

I don't understand why you've suddenly become so cold and callous, Elsa, and I don't know that I will ever understand. It's almost like you reverted back to before Mama and Papa died. I know you're the Fifth Spirit, but that wasn't supposed to change you, and it has. You've completely changed. You're colder now, so much colder; it's almost as though you've turned... evil.

Blue eyes widened in shock at the words. Her... evil? What the hell was Anna getting at?

You've become cold hearted and sadistic, Elsa, ignoring your family and focusing only on your own selfish needs. You were supposed to care for Arendelle, and you neglected her, and her people, and left me to pick up the pieces while you gallivanted off to play in the Enchanted Forest. How dare you neglect your duties- to Arendelle and to me! You're my sister, Elsa! Mine! You don't belong to anyone else!

And what was so important that you had to speak to Kristoff that day? What was so important that you couldn't come to me? I'm your sister, Elsa! You should be able to come to me, not anyone else! And is it really true, Elsa, that Hans is back from the Southern Isles? Did you really find him in a gypsy camp? Was he really hurt, or was it just a ploy to get you to bring him to Arendelle so he can try and steal my cro- your crown. Yes, your crown, for it will always be your crown. I am nothing but the spare, remember? You are the one that is loved by Arendelle and her people, you always have been. Even when you were a pathetic, quiet little shut in, isolated from the world, the people loved you, like they never loved me. Like they love you still, in a way they will never love me, no matter how much I try to make them.

Kristoff? How did Anna know she'd been to see Kristoff? She'd sworn the ice harvester to keep her visit, their conversation, just between them, to not breathe a word of it to Anna, and Kristoff, loyal first to his country before the redhead, had agreed. So how had her sister discovered it?

Oh, Elsa, please tell me it isn't true. Please, tell me that you're not falling in love with that traitor from the Southern Isles. You're supposedly a smart, wise woman- the great Philosopher-Queen of Arendelle- and you're falling in love with an attempted murderer? I pray to the gods it isn't so. But then again, you've never been very smart when it comes to emotion, you run from it so. And unfortunately, you'll never have what Kristoff and I have, for who could possibly love the Ice Queen? If only there was someone out there who loved you, Elsa-

Tears filled her gaze, and she crumpled the letter, unable to read anymore of Anna's bipolar writings, for that's what they were- whining and worried about her one minute, and angry and hurtful the next. How could Anna possibly become that cruel? She had everything she ever wanted- she was engaged, the light of Arendelle, adored and revered by the people, the Queen, the most important chess piece in the game of politics and monarchies. She had taken everything from her older sister- some of it unwillingly- and yet, it seemed that she still wasn't happy. And yes, Elsa admitted that she had ignored her sister, more for that she didn't know what exactly to say in the letters she tried to write than anything else. And then add in that she felt that Anna didn't want to hear from her.

It was beginning to feel more and more like Anna didn't want her sister around, like she wanted her to stay out of and away from Arendelle, and her life all together. Like Elsa wouldn't even be allowed to set foot within her former kingdom without repercussions. As the tears slipped down her cheeks, she turned, tossing the letter in to the fire.

If that was the way Anna wanted to play, then so be it. Unless she had to, and she highly doubted she would ever have to, would she return to the kingdom of her birth. When did your baby sister turn so cruel? She reached up, swiping at the tears trailing down her cheeks as she watched the flames lick at the letter, turning it slowly to ash, her mind made up.

Never again, would she set foot in Arendelle.