Rifiuto: Non Miriena

A/N: So if this wasn't M before, it is now.

Written: 2019 - Licia

"They left that... thing... in our Anna's place..."

Her mother's words faded as the wind whistled through the hut, waking her gently from her sleep. After several moments of brief disorientation, she pushed herself up onto her elbows, a soft smile tugging at her lips. She knew not the time, nor did it matter. Hans was not by her side as he had taken to being when they slept- there was no point in them each having their own huts when they had been occasionally sharing one since he was brought here to heal, and Elsa didn't mind sharing her hut, mainly because she spent so much of her time at Ahtohallan and was rarely in the camp- so that meant he was up and about, or as about as a man still healing from a near fatally crushed leg could be, helping the others in the camp or entertaining the children.

The wind whistled again, caressing her chin gently. Honeymaren had been by that morning after breakfast, helped her wash and get clean; the two young women had talked amiably, catching up on everything; Honeymaren admitted she worried about Ryder's interest in the reindeer, and Elsa admitted that as long as he didn't start using his own voice in an exaggerated manner for each and every one of them, he would be fine- to which Honeymaren laughed, before confessing that he did, but only for a select few-

She sighed; they had stayed far away from the topic of Iduna and Yelena, their blood connection as sisters and the obvious connection they themselves shared as cousins. It was unsafe territory, and Honeymaren didn't feel right bringing it up until Elsa had talked to Yelena- really, truly, sat down and talked. But she knew that her mother wouldn't push, giving the girl time to make up her mind and come to her, and that the Fifth Spirit was stubborn, and would avoid the topic and the chief for as long as she possibly could. She also knew that until Elsa made up her mind to speak about the matter, she wasn't to bring it up, and respected the girl's unspoken wishes.

So instead, she'd turned to the one thing she knew she could get Elsa to not necessarily talk about, but stammer and blush about to no end- the foreigner, as the elders called him, brought from the destroyed gypsy camp, and nursed back to health by her people, or, as Elsa so easily called him, Hans. Just the mere mention of his name made the young elemental- for that's what she was, Honeymaren had to remind herself, the living embodiment of the Fifth Spirit, the one able to command the other four- blush and stammer and hide her face to no end. It was unabashedly adorable.

"You and Hans?" Elsa's head had snapped to the side, jerking the damp strands from Honeymaren's grasp as she worked on pulling them into a semi-loose French braid.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She'd stuck her nose in the air, and Honeymaren had raised an eyebrow, yanking on the strands- something she often did to get Elsa to come down from her royal pedestal when her royal rearing began to show. "Ow!" The girl turned, glaring at the Northuldra, who firmly turned the girl's head back to the front and continued to braid.

"You know very well what I'm talking about." She continued the rhythmic process of weaving the strands together, and they fell silent, before she decided to speak again. "You two have been getting close."

"We have not. He's been helping take care of me, that's all. Like I did with him."

"Uh huh. And I guess kissing and touching constitutes as 'taking care of you', then?" She could sense, more than see, Elsa's face fall in shock. "Maybe I should tell Vanja what he's doing, and that that's what she needs to do to make sure you heal."

"No! You can't do that! Honeymaren, please! Don't tell Vanja or Yelena!" Elsa cried, pulling away turning to near fully face the girl now. Fear and worry filled her blue eyes, and Honeymaren felt a twinge of guilt for causing such worry.

"Woah, Elsa, calm down. I was kidding, it was a joke." Clearly, the former Arendellian queen didn't understand teasing, but Honeymaren had guessed that when after she'd chosen to stay in the forest. It was most likely due to her upbringing; being the Crown Princess and Heir Apparent to Arendelle's throne didn't leave much room for jokes and teasing. And even years after, it was something as foreign to Elsa as her developing feelings for the disgraced prince. "Relax, Elsa, I won't tell. I promise. I was just poking fun, that's all. I think it's cute, how he takes care of you when no one's looking."

Elsa's blue eyes narrowed, and she refused to turn around again until she got her answer. "If no one's looking, then how do you-"

It was the Northuldra girl's turn to blush, which was all Elsa needed to know before she turned back around let the girl redo the ruined braid. "Let's just say the bowls and cups don't necessarily grow legs." They settled into silence before she once again asked, "Elsa? Do you... love him?"

She heard the other girl's breath hitch, before, "I... I don't know, Honeymaren. I don't... I don't really know what love is." She swallowed. "I don't think so."

"Oh. But you enjoy his company, don't you?"

A shrug. "He's pleasant. Now that he's not trying to kill me and steal my crown." Honeymaren winced; she remembered what Elsa had told her that day, how Hans had basically left her sister to die and then tried to behead her all in an attempt to get her throne. "I wouldn't necessarily know if that's enjoying his company."

It had sickened her, to be honest, but what had made it worse, was when Elsa had confessed that their parents had once set a betrothal for the pair; a betrothal that would have gone through if not for her parents' deaths- for, according to ancient Arendellian law, a betrothal between two countries was to be broken and both betrothed set free upon either the death of the monarch that set up the betrothal, or one of those within the betrothal. It was an ancient law, set in motion in direct response to the drowning death of the Crown Princess in the ancient river that long ago day. Everything in Elsa's life, it seemed, was affected by the tinderbox and the lives that had once centered around it.

Which is why Honeymaren was frightened for Elsa, why she feared what would happen if she actually found the tinderbox.

But she, like the rest of the tribe, had no idea that the tinderbox had already been found- nor that it was currently sitting on the desk in Elsa's library in her palace on the beach of Ahtohallan, waiting to be opened.

"Well, you must enjoy his company enough to let him kiss you. Otherwise, he might be pretty boring." Elsa had blushed at that, ducking her head slightly.

She sighed, letting the conversation from that morning fade into the back of her mind as the wind tugged at the ends of her braid gently and then slipped beneath her tunic. A soft laugh escaped her, and she sat back. "Hello to you, too, Gale." The wind slipped back out of her tunic, swirling around her, before dropping something into her lap. Instantly, Elsa's happiness vanished upon seeing the Arendelle crest sitting within her lap. "Th..." She swallowed, giving a soft smile. "Thank you, Gale." The wind whistled before leaving, tickling Bruni awake from his bowl of snow beside Elsa.

With pounding heart and trembling fingers, she opened the letter, seeing Anna's familiar handwriting. Except it's not Anna's handwriting- not the real Anna's. She's been gone for... She sighed; she really didn't feel like trying to do the math in her head. Besides, when she started thinking of the fact that her little sister- her real little sister- was at the mercy of the trolls...

No. Stop thinking about that, Elisabeth. There's nothing you can do now; it's been too many years. Anna's been gone for far too long, and going in search of her would be like searching for a needle in a haystack; near if not impossible. She's like Mama and Papa, lost to time, never to be found again. You have to face that fact. You are the only one left. She turned back to the letter. She didn't want to open it. After the last letter-

But now it made sense, in a sick, twisted way. The implications, the nastiness, the blatant desire not just to hurt but to soothe...

The thing in Anna's place was obsessed with her, in a way no sister should be, because they weren't sisters. Not true sisters. The thing that had taken Anna's place was a troll's changeling, and it apparently had, like all trolls, a fascination and desire for the beauty of blondes. She knew the reason why; she'd studied enough mythology to understand the desire.

A blonde was thought to be pure, innocent, and inherently beautiful, with a kind heart and generous soul, that a woman with blonde hair could look past the ugliness of a troll and love them regardless. It was often the reason behind blonde-haired children going missing, and why children of black, brown, and even red were spared- being deemed soiled and tainted because of their hair color, something that many believed saved their lives.

"They wanted you. The trolls, they have always wanted you, Elisabeth. From the moment I discovered I was pregnant until you slid into the world, the trolls had had their eye on you, even when we were not sure, as parents aren't. They had deigned us unworthy to be parents, watched, and waited. The night I went into labor, the night of the Winter Solstice, the leader of the trolls arrived at the castle, insisting he could help to deliver my child. But Papa... Papa saw through him, told him that his services were not needed, that the midwife and physician were all who were to be allowed in during the birth, and for him to return to the valley, where he belonged. I did not know until much later that he threatened Papa, threatened us, told us to be careful, and keep an eye on both the child making its way into the world and the one that would come years after, lest something happened and one or both disappeared. I did not know his threat would come true."

She swallowed thickly, Iduna's words ringing loudly in her head as she slowly broke the wax seal and began to unfold the letter. Knowing now that her mother had been threatened the night she was born scared her even more, and she couldn't help wondering if perhaps the trolls had had something to do with her mother's difficult labor.

"The midwife said that it was normal, complications during labor, but that night... something didn't feel right. Something told me you were dying, and that if I didn't give birth then, I would lose you. It's why I demanded Papa be there... and when I felt my body begin to give up, I let it, until Papa called me back. Something in his words, in his voice told me that if I didn't come back, if I didn't fight, not only would you be lost, but the trolls would win, one way or another. They have ways of resurrecting people from the dead, and I have no doubt they would have done it to you, had we both perished that night. I can't explain it, but I knew I had to come back; I couldn't let you fall into their hands. It's why I demanded to hold you the moment you were born. It's why I never let you out of my sight, from that moment on. Even after the accident; if you were locked in your room, away from everyone else, away from... from that thing posing as Anna, you'd be safe. Everything we've done, everything I've done, has been to keep you safe, Elisabeth. To keep you from falling into the hands of the trolls, and if that meant your sister became an unwilling sacrifice, then so be it. You are our heir; Arendelle's livelihood, her safety, her fate, her very life, rests in your hands. Yours. It was never meant for Anna- either our Anna or the... the changeling pretending to be her."

Her gaze moved down to the untidy scrawl, that she now knew was false. Her breath caught, at those two familiar words.

Dear Elsa,

Tears began to gather at the corners of her eyes, and she lowered the parchment, taking a deep breath.

"Yes, you are the Fifth Spirit, but you are also the rightful Queen of Arendelle, Elisabeth. You are the descendant of the mad queen, the reincarnation, if you will, of the lost Crown Princess drowned in the river, and that is why the trolls want you, that is why they want the diadem. It's not just a pretty crown, not just a looking glass; in the hands of the trolls, it is a weapon to take over Arendelle and destroy her from the inside out. They wanted you, so they could do just that. You must not let that happen. You must find the tinderbox, the diadem, and take back your kingdom. Arendelle is not just your birthright, Elisabeth, it's your destiny. And you need to take it back, because as long as that... that imposter sits upon our throne, you will never be free."

"I don't understand, Mama, how can I be free if I'm tied to the throne of Arendelle? I'm freer as the Fifth Spirit than I ever was as queen-"

"Because Arendelle is where the bridge sits, between the magical world and the natural. You are the bridge."

"A bridge has two sides, and you had two daughters-"

"I know, Elisabeth, but not with this. A normal bridge yes, but this is not normal. You are the one who will bridge the gap between my people and Papa's. You are the one who will bridge the magical and natural. You are the only one strong enough to break the curse of the tinderbox and take back Arendelle- because you were my gift from the spirits. You have to go back, find the diadem, and break the curse. Arendelle, the Northuldra... and you depend on it. If you don't, I fear what will happen, for if the trolls get their hands on that diadem, Arendelle will cease to exist, and by wiping out Arendelle, so too will they wipe out the Northuldra."

"Why?"

"Because the trolls believe that only they are allowed to follow magic, and they abhor the Northuldra for-"

"Following magic. Like Grandfather did."

She released a slow breath, casting her conversation with her mother aside and turning to the letter in her hands. It started off simple enough; how things were going in Arendelle, how were things in the forest, when would she be returning to visit. And then-

I dreamt of you last night, sister. I dreamt you were beside me in bed, your platinum hair about you like a fan, your body bare, except for the silk sheets around us, that sun necklace resting delicately around her slender neck. In my dream, you had returned from the forest to stay, permanently by my side, ruling with me. We lived as spouses, lovers do, and I took you to bed, taking the innocence you handed me like the finest of jewels- your first kiss, first touch.

She was suddenly very, very grateful Hans had taken her first kiss.

And then, finally, you allowed me entrance into that most precious of areas. Her eyes widened in horror. I tasted the sweetness of your arousal as you came over my tongue, felt the strength of your walls contracting around my fingers as I brought you to the brink, listened to your sweet release as you called for me-

"Are you hungry?"

Hurriedly, Elsa folded up the letter and stuffed it beneath the blankets she lay back against, trying hard to not look mortified as Hans entered. He held out the bowl, brow furrowed at the look on her face. "Thank you."

"Are you okay?" He took a seat beside her, studying her as she quickly started eating, in attempt to flush the horror of what she'd read from her mind. She stopped, spoon just leaving her mouth. Her tongue darted out to lick her lips, and she nodded.

"Mhmm. Why do you ask?"

"You just... seem flustered is all."

She shook her head. "I'm fine. I promise." Her blue gaze darted to his bowl and then back to his face. "Aren't you going to eat?"

He sighed. "I will, I just wanted to make sure you were first."

"I'm eating." She took another spoonful, never happier for the heat of the broth against the back of her throat. She could feel it forcing the bile back into her stomach as her mind tried to stray back to that horrid letter tucked beneath the blankets. "See?"

A soft chuckle reached her ears. "I see. Clearly you've gotten your appetite back."

A soft shrug. "Or maybe I just like Honeymaren's cooking."

Another chuckle, followed by a shake of his head. "As long as you're eating, that's all I care about." And he quickly tucked into his own bowl. They ate in silence for several minutes, Elsa slightly distracted. Spoon between her lips, Elsa let her head drift to the side, gaze sliding down to make sure the letter was still there, even though she hadn't moved since burying it. "Elsa? Els?" She turned back, eyebrow raising. "What are you looking at?"

"Nothing." She replied, removing the spoon and slipping it back into the bowl. "Just... thinking."

"Dare I ask about what?"

Suddenly shy, she lowered her gaze to the bowl in her grasp before, "Just... realized that you never promised me anything if I ate."

He chuckled softly, meeting her gaze. "I didn't think I had to." She pursed her lips.

"But I've come to expect it. It's not fair to me that you just decide to stop-" Without a second thought, he leaned over, capturing her lips in a soft kiss. "I get that if I finish supper?" He nodded. "Can I get that before supper too?" He chuckled softly.

"So now you want that before supper instead?"

She shook her head. "Both." He raised an eyebrow. "Please?" Another soft chuckle, but this time, it was cut off by her mouth on his. He pulled away, meeting her gaze.

"Aren't we supposed to wait until after supper?"

She reached down, grabbing both bowls and setting them closer to the entrance of the hut. "We both ate. Which means," She slid her arms around his neck; it was something she'd never done before, and it surprised them both, though neither moved to part. "You get to keep your promise."

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh I do, do I?"

She pulled back. "You don't want to?"

His mouth met hers in a gentle kiss. "Does that tell you I don't want to?" A smile tugged at her lips as she captured his mouth with hers, and soon, the kiss became the only thing they focused on. He reached up, sliding a hand along her hip and around her waist, before slowly pulling away. "Better?"

She closed her eyes, resting her forehead to his. The vileness of the letter came floating back to the forefront of her mind, and she looked up. "Can we do it again?" A soft chuckle met her ears, and he cocked his head to the side.

"Normally that contents you, Els. Everything all right?"

A shrug, turn of her head. "Everything's fine, I just..." Her gaze moved down to the blankets, and he followed her gaze, brow furrowing. She had to think quickly. With a blush coloring her cheeks, she looked back at him, admitting sheepishly, "I just... discovered I like it. Kissing you. I've never been kissed before and you... you took the time to actually... care about it being my first kiss. You didn't take it just because you wanted it, because you thought it belonged to you. You took it because I let you. Because I wanted you to. I want to keep kissing you, if you'll let me."

He rested his forehead to hers, their noses brushing gently against each other, honored and touched that she was so open about it with him. "As long as you want to. I won't force you."

Her smile grew, and she closed the space between them. "I want to, very much."