There was a strange mixture of scents carried by the breeze that woke Elsa. She stretched languidly and rubbed sleep from her eyes. Freya was already up, she was probably the reason for the smell of cooking fish, there was also the mountain air which had its own unique mixture of grass and fresh dew that gave everything such a relaxing atmosphere. Feeling lazy, Elsa made a slip out of ice fabric to replace her nightwear, uncaring that it was all she would be wearing for now. She left the bedroom to find her partner.
"Good morning." Freya looked around to see Elsa leaving the cabin. She had woken with the sun and decided to let the horses loose and draw fresh water from the stream. When Elsa was taking a break from work she would sleep late, so there was plenty of time to explore a little and make plans for the rest of the day. She had found fishing gear in the cabin and the stream was home to some nice specimens. Cooked over an open flame they would make a tasty breakfast.
"Good morning. I see you've been busy." Elsa sat down on the deck, a few steps from the area Freya had set the fire. Not for the first time in this new life she lived, she wondered just what her parents would think to see her now. It certainly wasn't queenly to sit on a deck in a slip. Then again, it probably wasn't queenly to have sat to watch her female lover cooking breakfast on the first morning of their little getaway.
"Indeed, there were some lovely looking fish to be caught. They'll go well with some toasted bread." Freya turned the fish on the makeshift spit. "The stream leads to the lake."
"I see, is the lake far?" Elsa watched the fish cook over the flames, anticipating the tasty breakfast.
"Not really. It is perfect for my plans for the day." Freya grinned and took up the now cooked fish and toasted bread. She placed a fish upon a toasted slice and handed it over to Elsa and took the other.
"Plans?" Elsa focused to cool the piping hot fish a little with her powers but quirked a brow to punctuate her question.
"Well, it has been such a long time since I could swim in a lake, I wished to avail myself of the opportunity." Freya took a bite of her breakfast and hummed in appreciation. "Good fish."
"Mmm, it seems you still recall how to cook." Elsa teased, not only had Freya expanded her vocabulary but she had also gotten used to meals served at set times. Having once bewailed the fact she had become 'fancy' Elsa had seized upon a nice innocent subject to torment with. "Really, this is amazing."
"Well m'lady, it does us poor folks alright. You aren't used to things not smothered in fancy sauce." Freya teased back and got a cold patch at the small of her back. "Yow! Ice!" Elsa giggled and carried on with her breakfast, trying not to laugh too much at Freya's grumbling about 'unfair ice power advantage.'
When breakfast was over and Freya had doused the fire she smiled sweetly to Elsa. "Would you like to come for a swim?"
Elsa felt a pang of anxiety dash up her spine. Freya's arms were around her swiftly. "Its okay, no pressure."
"What do you mean?" Elsa mumbled; then looked down at her feet to see a patch of ice. "Oh... sorry."
"No, no need to be sorry." Freya pressed her nose into Elsa's hair and kissed her gently. "What's the matter?"
"I can't swim." She whispered. "I never learned... and mama and papa..."
"Oh no... I completely blanked that. You don't have to try if you don't want to." Freya kept Elsa in her arms, holding tighter.
"Maybe if I think I can, once I have seen the lake." Elsa said quietly. She did want to see the lake, after all it was part of the official inspection and Freya often spoke fondly of her time living by one.
"Alright. I'm not forcing you to swim if you don't want to, but paddling is nice." Freya pulled back a little and Elsa settled into the crook of her arm. By some mutual agreement they both stood from the deck edge. "Do you want to bring a picnic or would you rather come back up for food?"
"I think I'd like a picnic." Elsa said, smiling to Freya, she could hear in her partner's tone that she was treading lightly and wanted to reassure her. "I'll get a blanket to sit on, I can take my notes from there."
"Great plan. We still have plenty of supplies seeing as I supplemented them this morning." Freya held hands with Elsa as they entered the cabin to prepare for the day's activities.
The lake wasn't far at all, just a little way down the hill. As the horses grazed, held on their long lines, Freya and Elsa walked down from the cabin following the stream. Freya carried the picnic basket and Elsa had the blanket and her ledger. She had dressed in some of the clothes she had brought, the shift had been good enough for taking breakfast but she wanted something a little more sturdy and decorative for the day. A blue skirt and an embroidered blouse wasn't what she would wear for Queening but it was nice to wear simple clothes for the day. Freya was clad, as ever, in her jerkin and trous but also had a towel flung over her shoulder. Black tresses were slightly tied back for swimming; Elsa thought it amusing that their hairstyles had reversed for the day, forgoing her plait in such casual conditions.
"The lake, my Lady. Though unless you get creative with the ice magic, I doubt we'll get any swords out of it." Freya laughed at her own joke and put the basket down on a nice flat area of grass. The grassy slope came to an abrupt halt and slightly pebbly ground continued on until it became the lakebed. The calm blue waters were attractive, slight shadows of movement picked out the fish and only the slightest of ripples formed where the stream met the body of water.
"It's beautiful." Elsa commented, watching the serene water a moment. It led across to the brushland and forest. The lake and cabin were in the dead centre of the hunting grounds they had travelled to survey. The area was picturesque, she was glad to have chosen it for their getaway.
"The water looks great." Freya smiled and started her stretches. Though her shoulder was damaged she could still swim a little and enjoyed it. Even if open water swimming still worried Elsa. She had unfurled the blanket on the grass and set the lunch basket down. Elsa was now sat with her ledger and a pencil, looking across the clearing and referring to her notes. Feeling mischievous, Freya made a great deal of undressing to swim.
Her exaggerated movements drew Elsa's attention. Freya was wearing some form of bathing costume, that was for sure, her garment did not resemble any of the underclothes she wore. The striped pattern but great emphasis on areas Elsa had come to appreciate greatly. Freya made one last show of stretching, when Elsa was a cute shade of pink she judged it time to swim. One cheeky wink and Freya was putting her foot into the lake.
It took a little careful wading and toe probing to find a spot perfect to start swimming in. The lake didn't have any excessive depth as such, but the shallows did drop off from mid-calf depth to waist deep on Freya. She still held most of Elsa's attention, though her calculating look was probably more to do with lake volume than anything fun. Having looked forward to a swim all morning, Freya set off on a length, or as much of a length she could make in the lake before it got too shallow.
The splashing distracted Elsa from her work. In all honesty her grandfather had apparently used the writ as a chance to take a holiday and have a good hunt. Papa had written in his own accounts of taking a few long coastal walks. To not work looked like the order of things. She shut her ledger with a snap and settled down to watch Freya swim, lounging on the blanket as her athletic partner cut through the water.
It was obvious just how used to lake swimming Freya was, her movements were precise and practised. After a while she swam in a little and stood, water cascading down her in a manner Elsa enjoyed. She smiled and waved, struck once again by how beautiful her partner was.
Freya had liked finally swimming in the lake, it was refreshing and invigorating. She hadn't swum like that in too long. She reached a point that the burn in her shoulder was becoming more pain than exertion so she stopped and stood. Elsa was still on the blanket but her book was put away, she was reclining, supporting herself on her arm. Her hair, free from any braiding, was a cascade of white-gold and gleaming in the sunlight. Elsa smiled and waved. Freya blinked, the person on the picnic blanket was her partner looking gorgeous. Freya shot back a grin, she really was very lucky.
"Would you like some lunch?" Elsa asked when Freya waded back in.
"I think something to eat would be lovely." Freya rubbed down with her towel and sat on the blanket to dry off and enjoy lunch. They ate and chatted, Elsa still enjoying the sight of Freya in such a form fitting garment.
"How was the water?" Elsa knew that Anna and Kristoff often swam and would speak of how 'good' the water had been. It was all academic to her, baths were the only times she entered water.
"It was pleasant, an enjoyable temperature and deep enough to have a proper swim." Freya finished off her sandwich and was now lying back on the blanket and looking across at Elsa. "Would you like to try a swim?"
Elsa didn't look fearful but she shook her head. "No. I'd worry about freezing it solid." Her last experience with water had led to a rather difficult situation on the fjord.
"Okay then. How would you like to spend the afternoon?" Freya remained flat on the blanket, her question was answered by a blonde head pillowing onto her and an arm over her waist. "I think this is a nice idea."
It was late in the day and the sun was setting. A light breeze played across the hillside, setting little wavelettes across the lake and waking Freya from her unexpected nap. Elsa was sleeping still, a slight weight on her shoulder, arm and chest. The day had been wonderful, talking and spotting cloud shapes, nibbling on snacks. They had probably fallen asleep about an hour ago. "Els, I think we should get back to the cabin." She gently shook the shoulder closest to her with her free arm.
"Hmm, okay." Elsa was easily woken, though she was very comfortable she hadn't been truly sleeping. She had been content to just lie upon her partner and feel the steady heartbeat and breathing of a living being. She stood reluctantly and helped pack away the remains of their picnic. Freya pulled her clothes on over her now dry swimwear and they walked back up the hill to their temporary residence.
After checking the horses Freya entered the cabin. Elsa had been there a little longer, she was stood at the now lit stove following some instructions on a sheet of paper carefully. Her hair was still loose down her back and with her simple clothes Freya was struck by the domesticity of it all. For more than a fleeting moment it felt like the old life she had desired, living with someone she loved in their little house.
An odd guilt settled into her chest, she was happy with her life. Wasn't she? To distract she joined Elsa. "I hadn't expected you to cook." The mild teasing tone rang false to her ears but Elsa possibly didn't notice.
"I do not think this counts as cooking. I am apparently to bring the pot of water to boil and then pour the contents of this jar into it." She pointed to a lidded ceramic jar, "It will be soup." She leaned into Freya, not watching the post as such, just waiting for it to boil.
"Soup sounds good."
"What's the matter?" Elsa could hear a hint of dolefulness in her lover's tone.
"It is stupid." Freya wrapped her arms around Elsa.
"It can't be too stupid or silly if you are thinking it." Elsa put her hands over the hands resting against her. "So please share."
"I... I walked in here to a, a vision of the future I used to dream for myself and now I feel guilty about it." Freya spoke quietly. "It is silly."
"If I could understand your meaning I might have an argument about it." Elsa saw the water begin to boil and took the jar. Unsealed it and emptied it into the pot.
"It was just you, stood here looking so informal. Just, just a person and not a Queen." Freya said carefully. "Here we are in a little house in a pretty place and the love of my life is making supper while checked on the horses. If the lake was closer and I had a forge... This was the life I wanted just a few years ago." Freya sighed. "The life I have now is wonderful, more than I ever dreamed." She laughed a short sharp and bitter chuckle. "So I feel bad for that moment of idyll."
Elsa moved the pot from the hob to the counter, Freya managed not to wince that she did it bare handed (ice powers had a number of practical applications) and turned in the embrace she was held in. "That was a lovely dream." She kissed Freya on the lips. "I don't think it was silly or stupid and you shouldn't feel bad about feeling happy for it being true a moment." She gently left the embrace to serve the soup into two bowls and set them on the table.
They sat and Freya took a loaf from the food bags still haphazardly left along a shelf within reach. "I'm glad that my attempt at something resembling cooking made you so happy. I know plenty about guilt Freya and that does not deserve any." Elsa took a portion of the bread. "Maybe we can make a trip like this more regular. It would be nice to pretend a while that we are... abnormally normal." She smiled.
"I suppose that's true, a man would have to be in the picture for accepted 'normal' wouldn't he?" Freya smiled. As much as she had dreamed of a life like this in the past, there was nothing she would trade away for it. Every piece of her past had led to meeting Elsa and to have each other was worth most everything.
Their trip away passed far too swiftly but they both felt refreshed and much closer. It was not going to be as pleasant back at the castle, with the forced separateness and the duties of work both women had, but it was necessary. "I'll miss this," Elsa said as they mounted their horses for the return journey. She was looking out at the beautiful view of her kingdom.
"Me too. We can come back, but I am sure Anna would get into too much trouble if we stay away much longer." Freya chuckled.
"Oh yes. We do not wish for a return of the Queen of the Chocolate Pantry." Elsa gee-ed Gul onwards and Einar kept pace.
"Do you think Olaf was officially King at all or just a regent?" Freya teased, their weeklong trip to a neighbouring kingdom had resulted in some amusing shenanigans in Arendelle.
"Fortunately no." Elsa smiled, a smile that became a smirk. "Race you!"
"Cheat!" Freya shouted back.
It was a game that would never get old.
Sooo, I have been a bit quiet and I'm sorry for that. I have had too many scattered ideas that haven't become whole or are too far ahead to be published. I'm working my way to a known final point with both Free and Becoming Family and at least one more erotic aside *hem hem hem*. I hope this wasn't too bad a chapter/mini-story.