A/N: Soooo Frozen on Broadway isn't reopening after the pandemic and I'm BIG SAD!
Anyway, now that I have your attention... Review please! :-)
Disclaimer: *insert clever way to say "I do not own Frozen" here*
"Absolutely not!" the Arendellian Foreign Minister cried. "These are far beyond the terms of the original treaty!"
Johan sighed, twiddling his thumbs under the table. Today was the first meeting to negotiate terms for the new alliance treaty. Next to him, his father leaned forward on the table, staring the minister down.
"The original terms were little more than strong suggestions," King Magnus exclaimed. "We're looking for actual assurance!"
"Why?" the minister challenged. "Can't trust your own navy to defend your borders?"
Johan looked up at him and scowled, but didn't say anything. The minister simply raised an eyebrow, as if daring him to speak.
"Minister Falk, please!" King Agnarr said. "This bickering is pointless!"
The minister took the cue from his king and leaned back in his chair, keeping his eyes on the prince until King Agnarr continued.
"Minister Lorenson," he said, "what do you make of these terms regarding the mutual assurance of military support?"
"I tend to agree with Minister Falk, sir," the Minister of War said. "Not in regards to Landvik's military being insufficient; they most certainly are. However, we too are wary of the growing aggression in Ljungborg, and the last thing we want is to be dragged into a war."
"I'm certain that's the last thing all of us want, Minister," King Magnus said. "However, it should be noted that we were successful able to drive their armies out of our land."
"The only reason you won," Minister Lorenson explained, "is because there was a rebellion against the crown and the king had to recall his troops from the battlefront to fight a civil war at home."
"Be that as it may," King Magnus argued, "Ljungborg is in no position to attack any other countries even if they wanted to."
"For now," the Minister of War said. "But if the crown is able to subdue the rebellion, who's to say they won't come back to Landvik to finish what they started? If we give you this assurance of support now, we would have no choice but to get involved."
Johan licked his lips, glancing at his father. This is what the king had been afraid of.
"Do you believe the prospect of fighting both Landvik and Arendelle would deter Ljungborg from trying anything?" King Agnarr asked.
"Perhaps," Minister Lorenson said. "But the crown of Ljungborg is notoriously unpredictable. These terms would be a huge gamble for us while we are currently at peace with all of our neighbors."
"But should Arendelle be at risk," King Magnus said, "you would have Landvik's support."
King Agnarr stood and walked toward the window. "So the impression I'm getting from these terms, Magnus," he said, turning around and looking at the Landvikian king, "is that you want this defense pact to ensure that Arendelle could not turn our back on you should you be drawn into another war."
"My goal is not to get into another war, Agnarr," King Magnus replied. "A military alliance would ensure the protection of my people and yours."
A long pause filled the room. Johan looked around and saw all of the ministers thinking. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone staring him down. He looked at the Prime Minister and raised an eyebrow. Johan had despised Minister Erling since the first meeting they had together. He always seemed to be pulling on any strings necessary to get what he wanted, and right now he seemed to be plotting something that involved the prince.
"My lord," the Prime Minister said, addressing King Agnarr but keeping eye contact with Prince Johan. "If I may, a defense pact is only one way to ensure the longevity of an alliance, one that is still not foolproof. However, if you would consider another option-"
"I will not arrange marriages for either of my daughters!" King Agnarr declared. "We have been through this before, Minister Erling. The princesses are no one's bargaining chips! I was able to marry for love. They should be able to do the same!"
An uncomfortable silence flooded the room. Johan shrunk into his chair, a deep pit in his stomach. He had never considered the idea of a political marriage to one of the princesses, and he was thankful that King Agnarr was so strongly against it because he too did not want to be used as a bargaining chip.
King Agnarr looked out the window, a thoughtful hand on his chin. The Prime Minister scowled, staring down his king.
"Both of them?" he challenged.
King Agnarr paused for a moment, but then slowly turned and looked the minister in the eye with barely contained fury. "Both of them."
Minister Erling's expression didn't falter, but he sighed and glanced back at Prince Johan before leaning back in his chair in defeat.
"I agree," King Magnus declared, nudging the prince. "And I'm sure my son does as well."
Johan nodded vigorously. "Of course," he said. "They deserve nothing less."
King Agnarr gave him half a smile before sighing and turning back to the window.
"Gentlemen, I think we all need to sleep on this topic. We'll revisit this in two-day's time. You are dismissed."
Johan was thoughtful as he split off from his father after they left. He was glad King Agnarr stood his ground, but something struck him about the way he hesitated when Minister Erling seemed to imply that he treated the princesses differently. He was obviously alluding to whatever's been going on with Elsa, but the way he asked the question almost seemed to have a tone of surprise. One thing was suddenly very clear to Johan.
Whatever had happened to bring on Elsa's isolation was being kept under wraps. The council didn't know.
He didn't immediately notice as he walked past Anna, who ran after him.
"Hey! What happened?" she asked. She had been waiting for him.
Johan turned around, scowling back toward the meeting hall, his hands in his pockets.
"A bunch of damn fools!" he muttered.
"What'd they do this time?" Anna asked, taking Johan's arm and leading him away.
He looked her in the eye, still annoyed. "Minister Erling tried to bring you and your sister into the negotiations."
Anna rolled her eyes. "Again? How many times do we have to go through this? Father's not changing his mind."
She led Johan to a sitting room, where a grand piano stood by the fireplace.
"Nor should he," the prince agreed, sitting down on the piano bench. He pressed the pedal down and started quietly playing the first prelude of The Well-Tempered Clavier.
"I didn't know you played piano," Anna said.
Johan scoffed. "Now anywhere near as well as I play flute," he replied.
"How many instruments do you play?"
"That highly depends on your definition of 'play'!" he chuckled. "My older sister is the real piano player of the family, but I can usually play a piece passably if I practice at it for a while. This piece is relatively simple but it's one of my favorites."
Anna paused for a moment before she spoke again, licking her lips and twirling one of her braids.
"Could you maybe... teach it to me?" she asked.
Johan furrowed his brow with a smirk. "Have you ever played piano before?"
Anna shook her head. "Nope!"
He chuckled and moved over on the piano bench so she could sit. "Well I guess we'll start with the basics, then!"
The princess smiled broadly, taking a seat next to him and listening to his instruction intently.
.:.^*^.:.
Hearing the distant chime of the clock tower, Johan quietly slipped out of bed and put his shoes on. He extinguished the candle on his bedside table and tip-toed out the door, closing it behind him.
He shivered as he entered Elsa's corridor. Geez, why is it always so cold back here? he thought. He brushed it aside as he approached her door. Straightening his collar, he quietly knocked.
He heard her gasp quietly, and her footsteps approached the door, but she did not open it. She drew in a deep, tense breath.
"Who is it?"
"It's me." What do you mean, 'Who is it?'
"Johan-" she started. "I-I think... I just want to be alone tonight. I'm really tired, I... I need to get some sleep."
Johan felt his heart sink. She was turning him away? Why? He stood silently for a moment, at a loss for words.
"I'm sorry," Elsa said. "I just-"
"No, it's fine," Johan said. "I just... is everything alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied. "Just tired. It's been a... long day."
He paused for a moment. "Okay," he said finally. "Can I come in to say goodnight, at least?"
"No," Elsa said, almost too quickly. "No, I... I'm not decent at the moment." She took a deep breath. "But you'll come back tomorrow, right?"
"Of course," he replied.
"Good," she said. "I really am sorry to turn you away like this-"
"No, it's okay. I... I understand."
"Thank you," she said. "Goodnight, Johan."
"Goodnight, Elsa."
He backed away from the door, knowing she was waiting for him to leave. He put his hands in his pockets as he walked back toward his quarters, thoroughly bewildered.
In truth, he didn't understand. Not really. And what baffled him even more was that he didn't understand why he didn't understand. It doesn't seem that complicated. She's tired. She had a long day. After that council meeting today, he could relate! But something in her voice unnerved him. She sounded like she was fighting to keep her tone even, like she would lose control.
He walked back into his room, uncomfortable questions hanging in the air. He kicked off his shoes and sat down on the edge of his bed.
Guess I should get some sleep too, he thought. He got undressed and laid down under the blankets, the moon his only source of light. But he wasn't tired. He knew he should be, but he had a thousand questions running through his head, most of which he couldn't even articulate. He tossed and turned for a while, unable to keep his eyes closed.
Maybe if I read a little, he thought, sitting up. That'll get my mind off it and help me get to sleep.
He lit his candle and picked up his copy of Elective Affinities. Out of all of Goethe's books, this one was probably his least favorite. This was his second time reading it, and he still found it something of a bore, but there was something intriguing about it. He couldn't figure out if the book was saying that our destiny is predetermined or if we made our own. Someday, he'd figure it out.
He read for maybe fifteen minutes until he realized he wasn't comprehending any of the words on the page. He couldn't get his brain to form a coherent thought, let alone make sense of the text in front of him.
Sighing, he put down the book and blew out the candle. He didn't dare look at the clock, lest he give himself another excuse to stay up. But even after several more minutes of trying, he couldn't get to sleep. The myriad of thoughts swirling around his head were starting to give him a headache, and his face felt flush.
I need some air, he decided.
He threw his clothes back on, finally sparing a glance at the clock. It had been almost an hour since he left Elsa. And yet how was it only an hour?
Stepping outside his door, he felt the immediate relief of breathing circulating air. He just wished the lanterns in the hallway weren't as bright as they were.
He started walking, in search of a window where he could see some natural light. The closest windows he knew of were the windows to the courtyard, around the corner from Elsa's room. Part of him was wary about going near there, but she had to be asleep by now. Right?
He finally found the window, the moonlight gracing his eyes. He took a deep breath, the cool air soothing to his skin. He felt his headache slowly going away, and his face returned to a comfortable temperature. He looked up at the stars through the window. It was a beautiful, cloudless night.
For the first time in the hour since he walked away from Elsa's door, his mind filled with silence. He closed his eyes, feeling at peace.
Suddenly, he thought he heard something.
Was that a door? He faintly heard the sound of a door closing in the direction of Elsa's room. He listened for footsteps, and for a moment he thought he heard some, but they didn't go anywhere.
It had to be Elsa. What was she doing?
Quietly, he crept around the corner. He spotted the closed door, and on the floor, there was a shadow of a figure standing in the light.
He saw her standing at the window, leaning on the side of the window nook. Her head was turned toward the window. Her right arm was wrapped around her body, while her left hand held the side of her face that he couldn't see. She took long deep breaths, her eyes closed.
"Elsa?" Johan whispered.
Elsa jumped at the sound of his voice, gasping.
"Johan!" she cried. She turned her body away from him, keeping her face toward the window and trying to look at him with her peripheral vision.
The prince walked toward her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you-"
"What are you doing here?" Her question almost sounded accusatory.
"I-I couldn't sleep. I was taking a walk to get some air," he answered, approaching her slowly. "Looks like you were doing the same thing."
She let out a dry chuckle, turning her head away as he got closer. "You could say that."
What is she hiding? he thought, as he stepped into the window nook to look at her. She kept trying to turn her face away, but he could see she was holding something in her left hand. When she could turn away no more, he caught a glimpse of a handkerchief pressed beneath her nose, the top of it stained deep red.
"Elsa!"
The princess let out a sigh of defeat and glanced toward him before looking out the window.
"What happened?"
"It's just a nosebleed, Johan."
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine!"
Johan paused, reaching out for her until she flinched away. He pulled his hand back. Elsa closed her eyes and tilted her head toward the floor.
"Elsa?" he said softly. "Elsa, look at me."
She sighed and turned toward him, finally allowing him a full look at her face. Her handkerchief was heavy with blood, almost to the point where it was dripping. The red was beginning to rub off on the tips of her glove.
Johan pulled his own handkerchief out of his pocket and offered it to her. She gave him a small half-smile and took it from him.
"Thank you," she said, removing the bloodstained cloth from her face and applying the new one. For a brief moment, Johan could see the blood that had stuck to the top of her lip.
"Elsa, how did this happen?" he whispered.
"Sometimes nosebleeds just happen, Johan," she replied. She glanced out the window, but didn't turn away.
He looked at her closely. There was something distant in her eyes, like there was a distinct lack of emotion. Now he could see that she was definitely tired, but that wasn't the only thing he saw.
"You've been crying," he concluded.
Elsa stayed silent for a moment, her gaze distant. "Sometimes people just need to cry."
"Did something happen?"
"No, I just..." She trailed off.
"Elsa, please. What's wrong? Let me help you-"
"Johan!" she met his eyes, and he backed away. They both stood in silence for a moment, a palpable tension in the air.
Elsa's lips curled into the smallest of smiles. "It's cute how you care."
Johan smiled as he let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. He put his hands in his pockets and leaned against the window.
"How long have you been bleeding?"
Elsa shrugged. "Maybe ten, fifteen minutes?"
"Pinch the bridge of your nose and tilt your head back. It'll make the bleeding stop faster."
She eyed him curiously for a moment, but she did as he instructed, pinching her nose and looking up toward the ceiling, her long braid dangling behind her.
"I feel like I look stupid," she said.
Johan smirked. "Maybe a little."
Elsa gave him a sarcastic glance and smacked his arm with the back of her free hand.
After a minute or two, they sat down on the floor. Johan rested his arms on his knees and folded his hands as he watched her.
"What were you doing out here, anyway?" he asked.
"Trying to get some air," she replied. "I was starting to feel lightheaded in there."
"It's because you're loosing blood," he said.
Elsa paused. "Yeah," she said. "I guess you're right." She lifted her head up and patted underneath her nose with the handkerchief.
"I think it's stopped, more or less," she said, but she kept the cloth on her face just in case.
Johan nodded. He took a moment to think through his next words.
"Elsa?" he said. "What can I do? Whatever's going on, I want to help you feel better."
She smiled sympathetically. "I wish there was something you could do," she said. "But there's not."
Johan didn't know how to continue. He wasn't going to goad anything out of her, so he sat with her in silence for a few more minutes.
Finally, Elsa sighed. "We shouldn't stay out here," she said, standing.
Johan stood next to her. "Do you want me to walk you in?"
Elsa paused for a moment. "No," she said. "No, I'd like to stay out here by myself for a few more minutes before I go in if that's okay."
He nodded. "Of course."
She pulled the handkerchief he had given her away from her face and looked at it. It wasn't as red as the other one, but it still held a fair amount of her blood.
"You can keep that," Johan said, smirking.
Elsa smiled, and laughed for the first time tonight.
"There's that smile!" Johan said.
"You always know how to get it out of me," she replied brightly.
Johan chuckled. "'There is nothing in which people more betray their character than in what they laugh at.'"
Elsa furrowed her brow at the quote. "Who said that?"
"Goethe."
She rolled her eyes. "You would read Goethe."
"What's wrong with Goethe?"
"Nothing, I'm just saying it seems like you. Aren't you really into music? Haven't a lot of his texts been set to music?"
Johan smiled. "That they have," he said. "Ever read any of his works?"
"I started reading Faust several years ago, but I never finished it," she said. "I think it was just too far ahead of my reading level at that point."
"You should try to read it again now," he said.
"Maybe," she said with a shrug. "I just started reading a book called The Hunchback of Notre Dame. It's fascinating, but very sad."
"Tell you what," Johan said. "I'll bring a few books tomorrow and we can share our favorite stories with each other. Maybe that'll help get your mind off whatever's bothering you."
Elsa smiled. "Well, I don't think it'll completely get my mind off it," she said, "but I'd like that."
Johan's smile dropped a little. He gazed at her with the softest, most caring eyes she had ever seen. He lifted his hand toward her, but paused. She looked at his hand with her eyes, but she didn't flinch away this time. Taking this as a good sign, he reached up and brushed a wisp of blonde hair behind her ear. He let his hand drop next to her arm and took hold of her free hand.
"You don't always have to be so brave, you know," he said.
"Oh but I do," she replied sadly.
Johan paused for a moment. She was more open to him in this moment than she had been up until this point. Which wasn't saying much, but it was a start.
He leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. He stood back up to see her eyes closed and her mouth just slightly ajar. She blinked her eyes open, and he smiled at her. Slowly, a bewildered smile appeared on her face.
"Goodnight, Elsa," the prince said.
Elsa swallowed, a deep pit in her stomach. "Goodnight."
Johan stepped back and let go of her hand, before turning over his shoulder and disappearing around the corner.
Elsa held her fingers up to the spot on her cheek where he had kissed her. Gazing back out the window, she sighed, wishing he could have stayed.
In truth, her panic attack had more or less been over by the time he showed up at her door. But her room was still coated in ice, and she knew she couldn't let him in. Then turning him away felt like a self-inflicted dagger in her heart, and she just wound up crying again, so long and hard that her nose eventually started bleeding. That part didn't surprise her. It had happened before. By the time she stepped into the hallway, she was emotionally exhausted. So much so, that she knew that no more ice was going to escape from her. She felt numb. She had no emotions left for tonight.
She sighed as she looked up at the stars. She hadn't wanted to worry him. She knew he was actively trying to figure her out. At this rate, it felt like it was only a matter of time before this whole thing spiraled of control. But she couldn't help it. She wanted him to stay. But she couldn't let her walls fail, or it would all be over.
Slowly, she felt her eyes start to get heavy. Stepping back from the window, she walked across the hall and disappeared behind her bedroom door once again.
Read on, write on, dream on. -bandgeek63