Chapter 5: Falling in Love is Wonderful

Elsa tried to stay focused on the business of the Arendelle-Prydain treaty initially. But her first meeting with Ilya quickly threw that plan out the window.

The two women found they had a lot in common. Ilya had been born into royalty, privilege - she was the daughter of a Duchess, and had risen to an ambassadorship within the palace of King Taran of Prydain. Conversations careened from one topic to the next, from the funny to the serious.

"In the town where I grew up... people thought I was... odd," Ilya admitted. "Liking books and reading. My ambition to work in government."

Elsa stared. "You? Odd?"

Ilya smiled wryly. "Prydain men have very... particular views about a woman's place in the world." She huffed a little at this, clearly tempted to roll her eyes.

Elsa nodded. "I know just what you mean."

Now it was Ilya's turn to stare. "But you're the Queen. You're lucky! No one would dare..."

Elsa just shook her head, a wry smile of her own tugging at her lips. "Doesn't mean they don't think it. And being the Snow Queen... plenty still think I'm odd, too. Oh, things have gotten better - I have Anna and Kristoff. The children..."

Ilya's gaze was piercing, and she crossed to Elsa and dared to take her hand. "I don't think you're odd."

Elsa peered at her, her face crumpling in relief. "Thank you."

Electricity crackled between them. Elsa's study seemed to heat by several degrees, and the distinct lack of ice in the room... well, Elsa was sure that even if she could conjure snow, it would all melt under the smoldering gaze Ilya was giving her.

And it definitely would burst into flames upon Ilya standing on her tiptoes and pressing her lips softly against Elsa.

Elsa felt her eyes flutter shut and she swayed into the kiss, relaxing and twitching her lips more firmly into Ilya's. Limbs wound about each other, as the two women deepened the kiss. Their lips were now springing and biting, opening to each other so tongues could squirm and play.

The force of both girls tumbling against the nearby bookcase jolted them out of the kiss enough for Elsa to gasp. "This... this is insane."

Ilya beamed. "Yes, it is." And kissed Elsa again. Elsa surrendered, and the kiss soon became very involved. It took even longer for the Queen to get a hold of herself.

"But it's not wrong."

Ilya's smile was now more wistful. "I used to think so," she admitted. "Prydain would never allow something like... like this."

"Your kingdom sucks," Elsa blurted out. She clapped a hand over her flushed and very kissed mouth, but was relieved when Ilya laughed.

"I very much agree, Your Majesty."

"Elsa, please," the Queen begged, taking Ilya's hands in hers. "May I see you again?"

Ilya looked elated. "Of course."

Ilya spent the afternoon wandering the halls of the Arendelle castle. Her head and her heart were spinning like a top, ever since the Queen - Elsa, she corrected herself with a lovesick grin - had kissed her.

Finally. Here was a woman like her. And not only that - she was smart, caring, witty when she wished to be. Ilya had heard the stories about Arendelle and their Snow Queen. The Great Freeze. From what she had been told, Elsa had needed much encouragement to come out of her shell. It had something to do with her childhood, she was certain - Elsa had not dwelled on her upbringing as a princess when the topic had come up in their conversations.

Ilya was so distracted, that she barely noticed a small force barrel into her skirts. The shrieks of delight soon caught up with the physical collision.

"Vlad! Slow down!"

Ilya looked down to see the Princess's children had come tearing down the hall right into her. The boy looked to be pre-school-aged, the girl (the one called Elsabeth) appeared about seven. The baby was probably with her parents.

"Oh, excuse us, milady!" Elsabeth curtsied. When Vlad did nothing beyond staring at Ilya almost stupidly, she elbowed him, prompting him to bow.

Vlad blushed. "You're Auntie's very pretty friend." And his face turned even redder.

Ilya giggled. The little lad probably had a schoolboy crush on her. But his turn of phrase also raised the question: had Elsa spoken of her to her niece and nephew? Ilya's heart raced to wonder if she had.

Elsabeth now piped up. "Hey, do you wanna play tag with us?"

Ilya weighed the request. There would be no business conducted on the treaty today. She and Elsa would not be able to get a hold of themselves even if they tried. So she beamed at the little girl. "I'd be delighted! You're It!" Her hand snapped out and tapped Elsabeth on the forearm before the Lady took off laughing down the hall. Thrilled by the chase and attention, Vlad and Elsabeth pelted after Ilya with happy shouts.

For the rest of the two months, Elsa and Ilya continued to meet privately in Elsa's study, drafting the treaty between Arendelle and Prydain. Enough days were productive. Most of them were not.

When it came time for the final draft of the treaty to be signed, Elsa was left in anguish. She had found love, in a form that she had suspected suited her all along, and now it was to fly away on a ship to a distant land? Ilya was just as tormented.

After a wrenching and passionate kiss one night in her study, a few days before Ilya was to leave, Elsa moaned, "Must you go?"

"I don't want to," Ilya admitted readily.

"Then marry me," Elsa impulsively proposed marriage.

Ilya was stunned. "What?"

"Please. Stay with me and be my Queen. I can't live without you."

Ilya looked very tempted, but still spluttered. "How could we marry? It's against Arendelle law!"

"I don't care. I'm the Queen. I can change the law."

Ilya pressed a hand into Elsa's chest. "Elsa, don't say things like that. You can't be a dictator for me."

"I'm not being a dictator. I'm risking everything for the woman I love," Elsa stated flatly.

Ilya stepped back as if physically struck. Her brown orbs were wide. "You... love me?"

"Yes," Elsa breathed. And they sank into each other's arms. As Elsa and Ilya embraced and kissed, they did not notice two figures observing them through a crack in the door.