Katja was warm, there was a soft blanket wrapped around her and the air was clean and easy to breathe. Someone was holding her hand but the memories before she fell asleep began to replay in her mind.
The fire, her mother and baby sister... The angel. She opened her eyes fearfully 'Am I in the beyond?' She thought peeking around at the huge green and purple decorated room from the enormous bed she lay in. Her eyes fixed on the crocus designs painted into everything and trailed along.
She gasped when she saw the Queen. Queen Elsa, the actual Queen was sat in a chair, her head lolling against her guard's shoulder as she slept. Her squeak was louder than she intended.
Elsa woke up when she heard a strange noise and noticed the little girl burrowing under the blankets. "You're awake." She said quietly, not wishing to alarm the girl.
"I am ma'am, sorry, please where is mother?" Katja mumbled from under the blanket.
"Katja?" Elsa said quietly, she woke Freya with a squeeze to the knee and the gently removed the child from her blanket. "What do you remember of last night?" Elsa took the child's hand in her own and Katja looked at the hand in amazement and felt the coolness of the woman's skin.
"There was fire and Mor woke me, she had Anja with her but not Far." Katja didn't want to remember, it was making her think of sad things that couldn't possibly be true. Her voice wobbled a little and suddenly the Queen was sat beside her on the bed.
"Do you remember anything else?" Elsa kept her voice near a whisper.
"So much fire... Mor was leading me and holding the baby but there was a crash and I couldn't find them anymore... It was so hot and hard to breathe and... There was an angel." Katja looked down, tears began to patter onto the blankets over her legs. The guard lady with the Queen sat at her other side. "Please, where is my family?"
"I'm so sorry Katja..." Elsa began, the little green eyes focused on her, swimming with tears. "I came as quickly as I could but they were already gone." Elsa felt herself tear up, "I am so sorry."
Katja had cried. She had cried from the moment the news of her family was gently broken to her until she fell asleep again. Elsa and Freya's awkward attempts to comfort her had given way to Gerda's expert assistance and comfort for the child.
"I have comforted two grieving girls, I can help this little one." The woman had said, assuring the Queen it was alright. It was a long task.
"Mor and Far... Anja. I want them, please..." It broke Elsa's heart to hear the girl plead for her family. It was her daily request to Gerda, the Queen, anyone who would listen really.
"Katja, they're gone." It was all Elsa could say, sitting with the child when time permitted. Freya would often sit with the girl and brush her hair or hold her hand when Elsa was busy with business in her study.
Despite the attention and her young age she was very much aware that the Queen and her Guard had their station and she had hers. The little girl would only eat in the kitchen with Gerda, they allowed her to do so for her comfort but Anna had begun scheming to get the girl out of her self imposed shell.
Matteus and Lisbet were also extra curious about the new resident but their mother had made them promise not to bother the girl just yet. Katja barely noticed the owlish looks from behind slightly ajar doors as she went for meals and back to her room in the pauses between tears.
After a week she was all cried out, but today it was the day of the funeral. She wore a black dress and bonnet and was met at the bedroom door by Queen Elsa, not Mrs Gerda. "We will take you Katja, there are people we all have to speak with." The Queen had said in her careful tone. Lady Freya was with them too.
The trio left the palace a sombre group, Katja kept her hands clasped to each other and walked between the adult pair, behaving in every way as proper as she could remember from her grandmother's funeral scant months before. Freya and Elsa could only exchange heartbroken looks as the little girl acted so grown up despite her young age.
A procession met them in the street outside the castle gate. Neighbours and friends of the Aagesson family followed them to the cemetery. Katja cried when she was swept into a hug by her neighbour and surprised the gathering when she took the Queen's offered hand afterwards.
The service was short, such a tragedy was self spoken, the two coffins, for no one could bear to make one so small, were buried and Katja wept into an embrace from the Queen.
It was much later in the day when questions as to her new home were brought up. "We would take her in if we could." Each family friend or neighbour had said, but many excuses and reasons were brought forward. Elsa was frustrated but secretly pleased, by the final excuse a town alderman spoke up. "What are we to do with the child? I do not know of any extended family and no one here can take her in."
"The palace can." Elsa spoke; Katja was asleep on Freya's lap beside her, worn out by the emotional day. "We have space and funds, I do not wish for her to leave her hometown for someplace with space for an orphan goodness knows how far away."
"Your Majesty?" the alderman was surprised but knew better than to argue with his Queen.
"There is plenty of room for one more and she will be able to heal from this hurt with my nephew and niece as friends and the support of my family." As she spoke she began to gently stroke the child's ash-blonde hair and despite all her waking sadness Katja smiled.
"If she will not be a burden." The alderman began.
"She has not been this past week." Freya said, "In fact it has been a job to get her to even ask for necessities."
"The records will be updated then." The alderman bowed to his Queen.
They returned to the palace later, Katja still sleeping in Freya's strong grip. She placed the girl in the room given to her that first night, though it was the last time it would be called a guest room. It was Katja's room in their minds now and already they were planning on what needed to be done.
Freya and Elsa lay upon their bed talking late into the night. "We'll have to get toys." Freya suggested to Elsa's practical list.
"Yes, but first we really have to make her feel this is home, that she is not a guest or staff." Elsa said, her head laid on Freya's left shoulder. "I suppose toys would work for that. Anna will have plenty of ideas there." She yawned wide.
"Time to sleep now I'd say." Freya whispered, watching Elsa try and blink away sleep. "We'll get her settled soon enough, it took me a while after all and she is much younger."
"Yes, it did. Alright... We can't get it all planned tonight can we?" Elsa gave in and pressed against the warm shape beside her, lazily dousing the last lights using her magic.
Both women were so very pleased that the girl had been placed with them, despite the tragic circumstance.
A shorter one I know. As a note the J sounds as a Y in the name Katja.
Feels will start to get happier, little kids bounce back quickly after all.