The Price of Redemption


The next morning, Anna stirred first and found herself lying next to a warm body pressed close to her own and a head of platinum blonde hair nestled in the crook of her neck. She smiled softly, bathing in the warmth of the rising sun and the tenderness of Elsa's slender body. Looking down, she smiled even more earnestly when she saw Elsa's calm and serene face still deep in sleep.

Anna placed a soft kiss on her forehead nd brushed an errant lock of her hair away from her face. Elsa scrunched up her face slightly, then sighed leisurely and snuggled closer to Anna. It was odd how comfortable she was feeling, despite the events of last night and their emotionally draining conversation.

The memory of Elsa's kiss flashed through her mind and Anna found herself savoring it. She looked down once more at Elsa's lips which were slightly pouted in sleep, and she had to resist the strange urge to kiss her again then and there. Peaceful as this moment was, Anna was content to linger in the quiet calm.

Elsa stirred then as her bleary eyes blinked away the sleep. Distantly, she was aware of how close Anna was to her, and she wondered if she was still dreaming.

"Morning," Anna smiled brighter than the breaking day and tapped Elsa's nose with her finger. "Sleep well?"

The brief touch awakened her senses, and Elsa snapped up and gazed all around her. Sand dunes stretched away all around them, and behind them, the helicopter that Kristoff had stolen still lay parked.

"Anna?" Elsa asked, turning to face her once again. "What... wh- are we...?"

Anna chuckled, then pushed herself up so that she was leaning on her elbows. "Welcome back to the land of the living," she booped Elsa on the nose.

Elsa searched Anna's face for any sign of falsity or deception. What she saw there was love, plain as day. The memory of last night's discussion came back to her then, and her heart soared. She rushed forward and pulled Anna into a one armed hug.

It was real. Anna had forgiven her, and her soul had been saved. Her forgiveness was as real as the sun in the sky, and the pain in her shoulder. She embraced it gladly, as it was a tiny price to pay in return for redemption. They stayed a while longer before silently making their way back to Kristoff.

Anna knocked loudly on the sliding door then pulled it open, startling the man lying on the floor out of his sleep. "Rise and shine!" she said cheerfully. "Oi, skipper! We have a flight to catch, come on!"

"What?" Kristoff asked as he shielded his eyes from the piercing daylight.

Elsa poked her head from around the side. "What she's trying to say is that we would very much like to leave this desert now."

Kristoff stared blankly at the two, then pushed himself to his feet as he shook off his sleep. He grumbled something unintelligible and without further delay, they were soon up in the air and flying away.

The journey out of the desert had thankfully been uneventful. With the helicopter that Kristoff had stolen, the trio returned to the private airstrip in Yemen where Sven awaited them. After another long flight, they soon found themselves before a familiar sight as they flew over the British isles, towards Wales.

... ... ...

"Well, on the bright side Hans probably thinks you guys are dead at least," Kristoff said from the cockpit. He leaned back in his seat and grinned at Elsa and Anna in the passenger compartment behind him.

Elsa glanced up briefly from the maps she was studying and raised an eyebrow at Kristoff.

Across the aisle, Anna was lying on her back across two seats with both knees raised, one balanced atop the other, kicking her foot around in the air idly. "I think I'm going to enjoy my resurrection," she said, staring up at the ceiling of the fuselage. "Ugh, Hans. I can't wait to see the look on his face when he sees we're alive. I'm gonna rip those ridiculous sideburns off his face and shove them up his a-"

"Anna," Elsa said without looking up. "Careful. They say when you go on a quest for vengeance, you should always dig two graves."

"Right. One for the sideburns and one for the mustache," Anna replied, indicating Weselton. She looked past over her legs at Elsa and grinned mischievously.

Elsa caught Anna's look as she turned up from the maps again and tried, with little success, to suppress a smirk from spreading across her face.

"Whatcha doin'?" Anna asked as she rose to her feet, crossed the aisle, and sat next to Elsa.

"I've just been cross-referencing what we found in Sarras to these maps," Elsa shuffled some papers around. "As far as I can tell, and if my memory is correct, the closest match to the location that was shown in the tomb is this uninhabited chain of islands off the southwest coast of Wales."

"Darling, I believe the term is archipelago," Anna teased, lazily twisting a lock of Elsa's hair around in her fingers.

Elsa flushed with embarrassment and turned away, hiding her cheeks that blossomed red. Anna giggled lightly and released the lock of hair in her fingers as she leaned back in her seat. Their conversation hadn't been that long ago and yet on some level Anna, could feel that the rift that had formed between then had already begun to heal. Some things still lingered in the back of her mind, but for the time being, Anna was content to enjoy the bubble of ease that had now settled between them. There were larger things to be concerned with at the moment, and Anna was for the most part, satisfied that she understood Elsa much better now then she had in years. She could tell Elsa was still unsure of herself, especially following their conversation, as if she were uncertain of how to act now that Anna knew one of her deepest truths.

Nonetheless, for Elsa, a great weight had been lifted from her heart and soul and mind. She had revealed her terrible truth to Anna, and though she feared the worst, it did not come to pass. Anna did not turn her away and she did not reject her. Instead, Anna braved Elsa's tempestuous storm and poured every last ounce of her endless affection into three words that wiped everything clean and set her free. Elsa had never once in her life thought such a thing could be possible, and yet, here she was. Unfettered by doubt, untethered by fear, and unbothered by guilt. The elation and triumph that she felt in her heart and soul was incredible, and with it came a realization that she had been trying to run from for a very long time.

She loved Anna. She loved Anna for the warmth and constancy of her friendship, even through the years they spent apart. She loved Anna for her limitless devotion and the hope she had given her. She loved Anna for the boundless happiness and joy she exuded and shared with the world around her. She loved Anna for the brilliant light and hope she radiated. She loved Anna for the resplendent beauty and vigor that encapsulated her being. Elsa loved Anna, like the moon loves the sun. Before, the thought of being in love with Anna had scared Elsa down to every molecule of her being. Now, it only brought her a rejuvenating sense of calm and peace. Elsa's love for Anna was as deep and wide as the ocean where she could swim in it's endless waters forever.

Elsa looked to her side again and saw that Anna's head was turned towards her and her eyes were closed in peaceful rest as she had fallen asleep. As a warm smile spread across Elsa's face, Anna snored loudly and unconsciously adjusted her head until it was lying softly on her right shoulder. Elsa chuckled lightly to herself and settled in comfortably next to Anna. She recalled their kiss without further shame, and thought of it as she drifted off into the dream realm of deep slumber.

Anna's hair was wet and clumps of sand were clinging to it near the ends. She was breathing heavily, sucking down air into her lungs that had been bereft of precious oxygen. Her teal eyes glanced all around as she took in her surroundings before settling on Elsa's. A drop of water had escaped from Anna's hairline and slid down the side of her face, curving slightly as it rolled over the gentle rise of her cheek. From there, Elsa's gaze was drawn to her lips, which were held open as Anna continued to catch her breath. They looked soft and pillowy, and the feeling was even more divine when Elsa brought their lips crashing together. She recalled the taste of Anna's lips, or rather lack of taste but more so a distinctive feeling of warmth and an underlying note of the essence that made Anna, Anna. It was light and delicate, soft and airy like a springtime breeze. She couldn't place why, or exactly how she had known, but Elsa knew that pure sense of life and renewal encapsulated the essence of Anna. Finally, Elsa remembered how Anna's hands had settled on her waist, and how for a brief moment, Anna seemed to melt into the kiss just as much as she had.

For the first time in her life, Elsa dared to hope.

... ... ...

A few hours later, Anna opened her eyes first. Her vision was slightly askew, and she felt something warm gently rise and softly fall by her head. She turned, and only then realized that she was resting her head against Elsa's shoulder who was deep asleep.

I wonder what she's dreaming about, Anna thought idly as she rose and stretched, yawning all the while. She turned back to Elsa, and smiled tenderly as she moved a lock of her blonde hair out of her face and over her ear. Something sweet I bet. Maybe it's about me.

Anna paused. Ordinarily such a thought would have bothered her, but now, it was only comforting. Deciding not to press the issue any further, Anna carefully rose so as not to wake Elsa, then planted a soft kiss on her cheek and tweaked her ear with her fingers. Doing so just felt right somehow, natural even. As if some hidden balance between the sisters had finally been struck, and understandings clicked into place.

With great reluctance, Anna turned away and started towards the cockpit. Behind her, she heard Elsa mumble something in a husky voice that sounded an awful lot like "Anna." Turning around, Anna saw Elsa shift over in her sleep and mumble something else incomprehensible. She ignored the fluttering in her heart and the soft warmth between her thighs which had flared up at the hidden implication of what Elsa was dreaming about.

Anna quashed that line of thinking as she decided to shelf that topic for another time. In the meantime, many other things still remained on her mind. Questions still floated around regarding their findings at Sarras. Why wasn't the grail there? If it had been moved, who moved it and why? What would they find at this mysterious destination in the Celtic sea? She had been working on several theories for a while, but nothing she came up with held much water without further evidence to support them. They were reaching around blindly, searching for answers that were hidden in the dark annals of forgotten history.

Taking one last look at Elsa, Anna went down the aisle towards the cockpit and leaned through the doorway. Kristoff was still in the pilot's seat, dutifully flying the plane through dusky skies. Outside, the blood-orange sun was dipping beneath the horizon as evening advanced.

"Hey, everything okay up here?" Anna asked .

"Smooth sailing up here," Kristoff glanced over his shoulder. "Well, flying technically, I guess. Anyways, we'll be landing in Swansea soon."

"How soon?"

"About an hour, I'd reckon."

"Great," Anna stretched in the door frame and took a seat next to Kristoff in the co-pilot's chair.

"So, what's the plan?" Kristoff asked.

"Well," Anna ran a hand through her hair. "I was thinking we could grab some grub, maybe-"

"I meant, what's the plan with the grail? And Hans with his army of mercenaries?"

"I was getting to that! Don't interrupt me. I was about to say-"

"What are you guys talking about?" Elsa asked from behind, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and leaning against the door frame.

"Oh! Good morning Elsa! Uh, well I guess it's nighttime now isn't it? Good night! No, that sounds like you're going to bed and you just woke up. That's silly. Silly me," Anna rambled. "Anyways, how'd you sleep?" She asked brightly.

Off to the side, Kristoff stifled a chuckle.

"Good," Elsa answered as she yawned. "Surprisingly so."

"Anna was just about to tell us about her master plan," Kristoff chimed in.

"Oh?" Elsa fixed Anna with an expectant look. "Do tell."

"Right," Anna said. "I was thinking breakfast first, uh, well dinner that is while the plane refuels. I'm starving! Then after maybe grab some quick shut-eye in a real bed, no offense to Sven, before heading out in the morning. Now as for our competition, that's gonna be a little more tricky. We thought we thought we had the lead, but it turns out Hans and Weselton have been two steps ahead of us the entire time. With no way for them to track us anymore, Hans probably thinks Elsa and I are dead, which just leaves you Kristoff. But you're one man against his entire army, so he'll likely have written you off already if he thinks you have any sense."

"Which I don't, apparently," Kristoff remarked.

"So, that gives us an edge. They won't expect us to be coming so now it's a matter of who gets there first. We still have a shot at this," Anna finished with an assured smirk.

"Even if all that is true and even if we make it there before they do, we still don't know where to start looking. We don't even know what we expect to find there," Elsa countered.

"What is 'there' anyways?" Kristoff asked.

Elsa walked back into the passenger compartment before returning shortly after with a map. She laid it out on the dashboard in between all of them and pointed out the chain of islands off the coast of Wales.

"Here. This… archipelago," Elsa enunciated the last word and gave Anna an amused look.

Kristoff regarded the location Elsa had pointed out as he rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. "I still can't wrap my head around this whole thing. Why would Arthur's knights bust their asses across the world to return the grail to the holy land, only to just move it someplace else?" he asked.

"Hard to say," Elsa started. "Of the three knights that went on that quest, only Sir Bors lived and return home. Then, it's not certain what became of him after that, but only he could have known about the location of the grail."

"I have a theory about that," Anna perked, raising a finger.

Elsa and Kristoff both looked at her at the same time.

"Alright, we know Galahad and Percival died not long after finding the grail right?" Anna asked.

"Right," Elsa nodded.

"Uh huh," Kristoff gestured for Anna to continue.

"And we know that Bors returned to Camelot, but what if," Anna paused for dramatic effect. "What if he was only doing that to depose King Arthur?"

"What?" Kristoff made a face of confusion.

"Go on," Elsa furrowed her brows in thought.

"Well, Bors and Lancelot were cousins, remember? And what did Lancelot do? He betrayed his king after he and Queen Guinevere fell in love with each other. News of their affair broke out and it split the round table in two," Anna gestured animatedly as she spoke. "Those who sided with Lancelot went away with him to France to start a new court, while those who remained loyal to Arthur stayed back in Camelot. A war was fought between them, and Arthur was fatally wounded at Camlann when he faced the rebel army."

"Bors supported Lancelot because they were family, and only he knew where the grail was. So, if anyone could have moved it, then it would have been him," Elsa speculated as she caught on to Anna's line of thinking.

"Exactly!" Anna snapped her fingers. "What if he returned to Sarras and took the grail with him to keep anyone else from finding it? What if they wanted to keep it out of Arthur's reach? Or even use it against him somehow?"

"With Arthur dead, and the grail in his possession, it would have given Bors the power to succeed him as king. Which he did, but it still doesn't explain why that clue in Sarras is pointing us to the middle of the Celtic sea. Well, unless," Elsa's eyes narrowed in thought before widening as an idea came to her. "You don't think…?"

Anna nodded giddily and grinned. "Avalon," she said, bouncing in her seat.

"Sorry, Ava-what now?" Kristoff cut in.

"The Isle of Avalon. It's where Arthur was brought to after he was wounded at the battle of Camlann. He died there, and supposedly, he will rise again when Britain needs him most. So the story goes," Elsa explained. "There's a lot of different conjecture as to where it is, or if it even exists, but the only thing that's certain about it is that it has never been found.

"And I assume that a king such as Arthur would have had all sorts of treasures?" Kristoff asked, a glint appearing in his eye.

"Still don't know how or why the grail ended up there, but yes, I would say that's a safe assumption. Hopefully, we'll be able to find more answers when we get there," Anna stated excitedly. She looked up at Elsa and smiled softly.

Elsa returned her own small smile before turning around and pacing back over to her seat. A strange sense of foreboding had come over her and unfortunately, she knew the exact reason why. It was fear, pulling and tugging at the corners of her mind as it whispered dark thoughts and filled her head with doubt. She was afraid she wouldn't be able to protect Anna. She was afraid she would fail her again. She was afraid that she'll be hurt, and it'll be her fault.

"Elsa? You okay?" Anna asked quietly.

Elsa looked to her side and was surprised to see that Anna was seated next to her. Her eyes were filled with concern as she gently laid a hand on Elsa's shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly.

"Yeah. Fine," Elsa replied.

"You don't have to do this you know," Anna murmured.

"What? What do you mean?"

"Back in the desert. I remember what you said, about… wanting to go home. I just want you to know you can still do that when we land. I won't hold it against you. Kristoff and I will be fine, I promise."

"Why… why are you saying this to me?" Elsa asked in a shaky voice.

Anna sighed deeply and fussed with the ends of one of her pigtails. "I just don't want you to feel like you're responsible for me. I'm grown up and I can take care of myself, " she explained.

"Anna… I," Elsa started, then paused.

She closed her eyes and searched inward for the answer. There was fear, there had always been fear. It had been a part of Elsa for so long, she could barely remember a time where her life wasn't dominated by it. Fear had pushed her away from Anna and driven a wedge between them. Everything she had done, the isolation, the need for control, had been motivated by that fear. Elsa was so polluted by self-doubt, shame, and guilt that she could never see past it to what the true foundations of her heart were. Until now.

Anna had forgiven her, and in doing so freed Elsa from the shackles that had bound her for her whole life. She dug deeper, and looked past the fear and found a bottomless reservoir of affection. The fear and doubt that drove them apart was motivated by love and longing so deep and so powerful that Elsa couldn't bear the thought of hurting Anna. So she let it take over and govern her every thought and action. Fear had controlled her life, but now, Elsa knew what lay beyond it.

Anna was the answer. Love was the solution. No longer did Elsa have to be afraid, and no more would she protect Anna out of fear. Love would bring them together again. Love would be Elsa's shield with which she guarded Anna.

There would be no more running. No more hiding. No more fear.

"I'm not going anywhere, Anna," Elsa said.

Anna leaned forward and hugged Elsa tightly. "Thank you," she mumbled into her shoulder.

Elsa wrapped her own arms around Anna, feeling a renewed sense of purpose.

Far in the distance, thunder clouds roiled and gathered on the horizon.