Chapter 21:
It can't be hygge without your family and friends
'It sounds divine…'
Honeymaren recently learned that word, and she didn't need to use it in her thoughts. But she couldn't deny that it was the right term to express how she felt. The sound she heard was out of this world, pure, soft and strong at the same time, like a caress with character.
She stepped inside the room, a smile tugging her lips at the sight, which was just as heavenly.
Elsa playing the piano.
Actually, the more Honeymaren listened to the music, the more she realized that its style represented Elsa a lot. The action even reminded Honeymaren of the times she had fun with her magic in the Forest. Also, Elsa didn't know that she was being observed at this very moment, and seeing her play the piano for herself was wonderful.
The Northuldra silently leaned against the wall next to the door, making herself nearly invisible, not unlike when she was hunting. But her girlfriend wasn't prey; if anything, Honeymaren was in utter awe of her movements.
Elsa has seized the opportunity that the castle was nearly empty due to the staff busy outdoors to play a little. Though that was an understatement, for she had been at it for a long time now, and Honeymaren was almost glad to have been separated from her for the past hour so she could experience such a moment.
The brunette had been helping Anna and Kristoff in the courtyard with the preparations for the feast of the evening, to receive the Arendellian soldiers in the most honorable setting. The stable logistics took a while, and when Honeymaren wondered what her girlfriend had been doing inside in the meantime, she had been greeted by an enchanting melody as soon as she reached the first floor.
Honeymaren smiled tenderly as Elsa's fingers were dancing, leaping and waving on the black and white keys. It was mesmerizing to watch, and soothing to listen. It was like one of her lullabies, even if the melody was quite rhythmic with a tempo that couldn't possibly put someone asleep. Yet the brunette knew that if she just laid down, Elsa could make her dream in no time just by the emotional way the melody was conveyed.
The only thing more beautiful to Honeymaren's eyes was Elsa's blissed face as she was playing. The blonde had a soft smile on her lips and her gaze gently laid on the tiles as she had fun. She looked so happy that it seemed that she was brighter than the sunlight bathing the room.
The halo wrapped the grand piano and its player in a warm cocoon, and Honeymaren easily understood why the blonde hadn't seen time pass. Lost in the feeling, she definitely was on another plane of existence.
Her body was slightly rocking back and forth as she played, her head sometimes tilting on the side depending on the emotion of the notes, her bare foot pushing the pedals underneath to sometimes sustain the sound.
Honeymaren wanted to stare at this scene forever, but the melody eventually came to an end and Elsa stopped. She closed her eyes and breathed in and out with a happy smile, her hands resting on the keys.
The brunette pushed herself from the wall and walked to her.
"That was incredibly beautiful."
Elsa gasped with a jump on the piano bench, and turned to her girlfriend with wide eyes and a hand over her chest.
She also had a pale face of surprise, indicating that she was mortified to have been observed.
"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." Apologized Honeymaren, hoping that she didn't make her sad.
Of course, Elsa and her were very intimate, and shared everything, but the brunette respected her extreme introversion.
"Are you crazy?!" Scolded Elsa, her heart still drumming. "I could have frozen the whole piano!"
The Northuldra winced. She had no idea if Elsa was referring to the danger or the price of the certainly expensive instrument, so out of caution, she stepped back.
"I can go back outside if you want. You can keep playing on your own, really. The door was open, and I thought… I can even close it behind me if you want." Blabbered the Northuldra, trying her best to make amends.
Elsa smiled tenderly at her care. "It's fine. Please, stay."
Her smile was encouraging, so Honeymaren walked back to her.
"I don't mind that you stepped in." Said the blonde. "I'm just surprised that you listened."
"How couldn't I? It was wonderful, and we can hear it from the staircase. I'm even wondering if the staff purposely slowed down their tasks to avoid making too much noise and listening to you. I knew that you played the piano, but I didn't… I couldn't possibly think that you were that good at it."
Elsa blushed. "It's nothing, really."
She looked down at the beautifully crafted instrument, her delicate fingers passing along the keys, and she slid her bare feet under the piano bench to cross her calves. Honeymaren interpreted her non-verbal language as withdrawing, but not out of embarrassment. It looked like modesty… And nostalgia. The Northuldra didn't say a word, and when Elsa eventually talked in confession, she knew that she was right.
"Mother used to play it. A long time ago." Murmured the blonde, fidgeting with the edge of a key. "I barely remember it, to be honest, because I was very young, but it was amazing. Then… It dusted in a discarded room. I think that she lost her will to play, after… The accident. One year or so after the Great Thaw, Anna and I found it again and decided to fix it and bring it in this room. We restored its original brown varnish. It really goes well with the color of the walls, don't you think?" She added nervously, feeling like she was dumping a lot of intimate stuff all of a sudden, even if the attentive ear in front of her belonged to her smiling and forever comprehensive girlfriend.
"I… I started to teach myself how to play it, eventually. But, to be honest, I only play when nobody is around. It's…"
She started to feel bashful, and Honeymaren saw her resume her fidgeting.
"It's a bit selfish, I'm aware." She murmured, and if the brunette wasn't now standing right next to her, she wouldn't have heard. "I play for Anna if she asks for it, but… Otherwise, I stop when a maid enters or something."
Honeymaren's hand came to rest on the back of her distracted hand, and the blonde slightly gasped.
"You're really talented, Elsa. It sounded wonderful. Truly. I felt it in my core."
Elsa smiled at the compliment.
"Thank you. I like the piano a lot. For some reason, it reminds me of… Please don't mock me."
"Never."
"It reminds me of my magic. I mean, in a comfortable way. It reminds me of how warm the cold can be, with its fresh keys and yet the way the chords get struck. Strong and delicate at the same time."
Honeymaren smiled at her explanations, agreeing fully.
"And… The resonance of the piano makes me think of the way the snowflakes twirl around when I call for my magic, or play with it." Continued Elsa. "They have a sound, did I ever tell you? Kind of like when I hear the Spirits talk in my mind. And the notes of a piano go from really low to very high. It has the same wide range. Music has some magic, I suppose."
Honeymaren's smile grew, enchanted by her confession. "It definitely does."
She placed herself behind her and put her hands on Elsa's shoulders. Her touch succeeded in relaxing her tension. The blonde smiled with closed eyes and she rested her head against her torso. Honeymaren left a hand on her shoulder and passed the other one along the keys.
"It's a beautiful way to interpret that instrument. Does Anna know how to play the cello?"
Elsa blinked in confusion and surprise at the oddly specific question. She detached from Honeymaren to turn and stare at her, in a nearly comical way.
"...No, she doesn't? …Why? I mean, Kristoff taught her some songs to play on the lute, but she really doesn't have that kind of patience."
The Northuldra chuckled. "I see. I thought that she did. String instruments must suit her."
Elsa had never thought about it, but the instant Honeymaren said it out loud, it became obvious in her mind. Her imagination instantly pictured Anna giggling as she had fun moving her bow on strings to play a joyful melody. The blonde lifted her eyes to her girlfriend.
"Why so?" She asked in a slightly begging tone, hungry for explanations. She felt like the Northuldra had theories, and she was curious about her lover's point of view.
The latter grinned and gestured at the instrument. "Well, the piano really goes well with your soul, and I think that the cello goes well with Anna's. I mean, I'm only analyzing it from my experience with Northuldra music, and how it echoes and vibrates with one's personality…"
Now Elsa was all ears, her azure blue eyes wide and sparkling. Honeymaren smiled tenderly at her attention.
"You want all the details, uh?"
The blonde nodded so fast that her long untied hair bounced, and it was impossible to resist.
"Make room for me to sit then." Smirked her partner.
"Oh. I'm afraid that the piano benches are very small. We couldn't sit, even hip against hip."
"We can arrange that."
Honeymaren suddenly and slyfully scooped Elsa in her arms, and the blonde let out a laughing gasp. The Northuldra sat down on the bench and placed her lover on her thigh, then showed the keyboard.
"Here's how I see it. Every key of a piano is displayed in front of the player. The keys are all there, like skills that you can use. You can't do anything more than what you see. And yet there's so many possibilities to go beyond. You can do chords, you can change the strength with the pedals… And so on. Like with your magic."
Elsa was a bit dizzy after being so lovingly lifted by her girlfriend, and naturally cuddled to her, so she was a bit slow to react. When she finally registered Honeymaren's analysis, she nodded in agreement.
"And you talked about range." Continued the Northuldra. "It reminds me of you as well. It starts from the bottom of hell and goes up to the very tip of the end of the wings of the highest angel of heaven. Beware of someone who decides to play all the way." She winked, and Elsa grinned with a blush.
Honeymaren passed her hand along the keys again.
"It's both a cold instrument and yet not at all at the same time. That chord system you mentioned earlier, it's… It's genius. It's hammers. Slapping chords. But they're tiny hammers covered with wool. It's like… Gentle badass harp. Also everything about the mechanics of piano is fascinating from an engineering point of view. I'm ready to bet my bow that you looked at the movements inside when your mother played."
The blonde's blush became more intense, and she looked down with a slight smile. She fidgeted with Honeymaren's belt, and the latter grinned. She held her close, and kissed the hair on top of her head as if to praise her brain.
The Northuldra then bent to whisper in her ear.
"What's the most important, Elsa, is the difference of sound a piano makes when it's closed and when it's opened. Think about that."
The Spirit smiled and looked at her, then at the instrument.
"I get what you mean."
She then tilted her head. "Isn't it paradoxical, though… It's impossible to make off-key notes on a piano. I mean, when it's attuned."
Honeymaren understood that she was making a comparison to her magic, and let her keep going.
"Yet it doesn't mean that you can't make mistakes. And it's even unforgivable; if you slip and press the wrong key, the impact resonates and is heard by everyone."
The Northuldra cuddled tighter, her love overflowing and warming Elsa's heart so fast that she instantly forgot her dark thoughts.
"But a piano is made of black and white keys, mitt lys. And one always plays with both." Teased Honeymaren.
Elsa smiled, and put her head against her collarbone, to show that she understood and that she was thankful for her analysis.
There was a silence, and she looked up at her chestnut eyes again.
"How about Anna, now?"
Honeymaren smiled. "I suppose that I'm preaching to the choir if I tell you that Anna has a warm soul."
"Definitely." Replied Elsa with amusement. "But why the cello in particular?"
She had theories, but once again really wanted to hear what her storyteller of a girlfriend had to say. She mentally thanked Yelena and the other Northuldra elders for traditionally teaching the kids of the tribe about narration.
"Well, I only recently have been introduced to the instruments of the world, but it's obvious that a cello is one of the warmest, if not the warmest, instrument that was ever created."
Elsa grinned as her lover got very expressive.
"Also, I learned that cellos can't vibrate without having a sound post in it which literally serves as a bridge to make the front and back vibrate more harmoniously!" Said Honeymaren excitedly. "How much of a significant coincidence is that?"
"It's just semantics, but I agree with what you're implying." Chuckled the Spirit.
"Maybe, but it is made of strong wood that paradoxically is simply cut and quite little. And in some countries, they call this piece 'the soul'! That's amazing!"
Elsa grinned as she watched her. Honeymaren didn't get carried away in her excitement the same way than Anna did in her rambles, but she loved the fact that they both got very enthusiastic when talking about the other.
"The cello also is different from the guitar - to name another warm instrument - by its lack of indications as to where one should put their fingers." Completed Elsa. "I've known Anna since the day she was born, and can assure you that improvisation is a big part of her personality."
Honeymaren chuckled. Elsa grinned as she continued.
"And that lack of frets allows a surprisingly wide range of notes. If the player is skilled, they can run through octaves and astonish everyone. I see that ability in my talented little sister."
The admiration was clear on her face, and Honeymaren melted at the sight.
"And the endpin can be used as a weapon." Joked the brunette. "I mean, the music of a cello does pierce your soul, but she could literally use it to attack."
Elsa laughed out loud. "She totally would! And the bow is similar to a sword when you put great intent."
She then gasped as she remembered a fact. "Also, it's a bit creepy, but the strings used to be made out of guts. I easily imagine Anna making music out of guts."
They laughed for a long moment, bathed in the light of the sun.
"Could you play something for me? Please?" Asked Honeymaren gently, to not push her lover too much.
Their whole conversation had soothed the Spirit, and she accepted with a nod. Elsa turned to face the piano, and Honeymaren's chin rested on her shoulder as she placed her hands back on the keys.
"What do you want me to play?"
"Anything, really. You can play the same piece than the one I heard when I entered. What composer is it from?" Asked the Northuldra.
Only a pair of mischievous eyes twinkled at her as a response.
"What?"
"I didn't play any piece. Do you see a music sheet?" Teased the blonde, pointing at the empty rack. "I improvised."
Honeymaren blinked in surprise and admiration, which instantly made Elsa's heart leap. "You… You made it up?"
The Spirit humbly looked down at the keys. "It's certainly inspired by every melody I ever heard, but yes."
She then smiled at the kiss Honeymaren put on her cheek and giggled. "Alright, another improvised piece then. Let me focus, you flirt."
Honeymaren smirked and retreated.
Elsa took a long breath in to steady herself and give her girlfriend a beautiful performance, now that she knew that Honeymaren was listening. She then got struck by a thought.
"There's something else that fits me about the piano."
Honeymaren tilted her head. "What?"
"It's an instrument that can be played with gloves." Said Elsa with a small smile. "Kind of ironic, isn't it?"
The brunette shared her smile, and the Snow Queen started playing.
Honeymaren and Elsa spent a long time cuddling on the piano bench, the blonde even teaching her girlfriend some melodies. However, the Northuldra may be more patient than Anna, playing an instrument wasn't something she was good at. As they stepped out of the room, Elsa reassured Honeymaren telling her that she had a lovely singing voice to compensate for it. The Northuldra rolled her eyes, making the Spirit giggle, and they bumped each other's shoulder teasingly.
As they walked down the corridor, they met Olaf, who was whistling a tune as he went to pick up a book in the library.
"Olaf?" Frowned Honeymaren, who mentally took note that the magical snowman was able to whistle. "Aren't you with Anna and Kristoff? Did they finish the outdoor preparations already?"
The snowman smiled at them, then tilted his head. "What do you mean? They finished like, an hour ago."
Elsa and Honeymaren exchanged a gaze. "Why aren't they in the castle then?" Asked the blonde, since the couple would have met them or walked next to Olaf if they were done.
"Oh, they were talking about checking something very important in the stables."
A silence passed, and Honeymaren frowned. "But I was with them when we took care of the stables. Everything was ready. What else could they possibly check?"
The snowman shrugged, clueless. "I don't know. But they were very eager, excited I would say, and they seemed to want to inspect the last box at the back of the stables."
The two women exchanged a glance of confusion, then realized at the same time what was going on. Honeymaren slowly grinned in disbelief, easily imagining Anna tugging Kristoff's arm with a giggle while they hurried in the stables after the staff was gone. Elsa easily imagined the scene too, and blushed so hard that the bright red color spread to the tip of her ears.
Thankfully, Olaf didn't add anything and resumed his walk to the library.
The blonde felt like her face burnt with embarrassment, but it was nothing compared to what she felt when she met Honeymaren's eyes and smirk.
"Don't say anything."
"I didn't say anything." Laughed the brunette.
"Well, still don't say anything." Mumbled her girlfriend, not making sense, and she nervously walked away.
Honeymaren trotted next to her with amusement.
When Elsa remained silent for the whole corridor and Honeymaren thought that nothing could abash her girlfriend more, the unexpected happened. They met the Queen and King at the bottom of the stairs.
Elsa tripped as she missed a step when she saw them, and Honeymaren burst into laughter, leaving the couple confused.
"Are you okay?" Frowned Anna at the rare clumsiness of her sister, reaching out to help her.
However, Honeymaren had already assisted the blonde with a hand under her arm.
Elsa escaped Anna's gaze, and Honeymaren had to bite her lip to not laugh at her reaction. Nevertheless, Kristoff's confusion as well as his disheveled hair and his incorrectly buttoned collar made the brunette giggle. She couldn't help herself teasing the couple when the opportunity was offered on a silver platter.
"Are the stables alright for tonight? Or maybe you couldn't wait for tonight…"
Anna and Kristoff looked at her with puzzlement, and Elsa turned to her with a scandalized stare.
"What do you mean?" Asked Kristoff.
Anna noted her sister's embarrassment and worried, then she suddenly realized what kind of embarrassment it was. She widened her eyes, and her freckled cheeks quickly matched Elsa's in color.
"Olaf told us that you wanted to… Check the back." Smirked the Northudra, proud of her innuendo.
Kristoff took a few seconds to decipher what she said, then he blushed too.
"Oh, uh… We, uh… We wanted to take some more time."
Even if they were busted, he couldn't help but act on instinct and blur the lines as much as possible. Anna did exactly the same.
"Y-yeah, we had something to do." She blabbered.
"To do?" Repeated Honeymaren, now leaning on the end of the railing with crossed arms and a large smirk. "What was it?"
Elsa buried her head in her hand, but she was so mortified that she didn't say anything.
"Remembering Sven."
"Feeding the horses."
Kristoff and Anna had talked at the same time, and they quickly glanced at each other with renewed blush.
"We were sad after we thought about Sven, so we went to feed the horses." Quickly lied the Queen.
"Mm-hmm." Simply replied Honeymaren, who clearly remembered that the stable boys had taken care of that after checking the haystacks with her.
She then saw the annoyed expression of her girlfriend, and mercifully changed the topic.
"So!" She exclaimed with a clap of her hands. "Yet another feast tonight, uh?"
Anna bit her lip, then smiled and shrugged. "What can I say? I like to party. Besides, the soldiers deserve to be thanked and praised. You may date a dragon maker…" She said, smirking at Elsa, and the latter switched from her embarrassed blush to an emotional one. "...The army still participated in our victory."
Honeymaren nodded. "I agree."
"To which part?" Smiled Kristoff.
Anna and Honeymaren laughed. Elsa huffed when all gazes turned to her, and she continued her walk down the corridor. The others watched her go, and Honeymaren turned to the couple after a silence.
"For the record, she's not walking away due to modesty." She informed, implying Elsa's understanding of their previous activity. "And Anna, your jacket pin is upside down."
The Queen blushed hard as she fumbled with her collar.
Hours later, the feast was in place, and warmth radiated all around the castle. Peace and good vibes floated in the air, as well as the smell of delicious food and strong beverages.
The great hall was filled with joyful conversations and the crowd was smiling. They waited for Kai to introduce the arrival of the family, who started to assemble behind the door at the end of the room.
Kristoff and Olaf came late and giggled. Anna recognized that behavior and smirked when she understood that her husband had had several drinks already, and likely held long conversations about snow with Olaf next to the barrel. She however wondered if Kristoff had been crazy enough to give him some beer.
"There you are, boys. If I didn't have ears all around the castle, I would have been worried. I suppose that you've been having fun?"
The two laughed with stupid smiles, and Anna grinned in response.
Next to her, her sister and Honeymaren were finishing a conversation.
"Where are you setting the camp this time?" Asked the Spirit.
Honeymaren smiled. "Even when you're not participating, you're curious, huh?"
"That's precisely because I'm not participating in the relocation this time that I'm asking." Pointed Elsa.
Honeymaren smiled. "Next to Akkala's lake."
"Oh, it's a gorgeous place! And perfect for everything we'll need for the season." Said the blonde with excitement.
She then mused, realizing that a page had been turned for all of them. "A new emplacement for a new beginning."
"As always." Winked Honeymaren. "And please, take your time to join us. You helped enough already, and the whole tribe insists that after all that happened in the woods and on the battlefield, you deserve to spend some more time here with your family."
Elsa melted at the sentence, as well as Anna who was listening, and the two of them turned to the Queen.
"I think that I'll leave right after dinner." Announced the Northuldra. "I extended my stay here to the point of stretching, and Kai might soon wonder if I'm planning to snatch all of your food reserves and take advantage of being a long guest to have a feast." She joked.
Anna puffed. "Nonsense. You know - and your whole tribe knows - that you're welcome to stay as long as you want. The staff loves your presence. The only food you're not allowed to snatch is my chocolate treats."
They laughed together.
"You're leaving already?" Pouted Kristoff.
The brunette smirked with amusement. "I may love you all, all good things must come to an end. You sound like Ryder when you visit the camp only for a couple of days. He's so disappointed when you're gone."
The tipsy King blushed at the parallel. He then lifted his hands.
"Alright, alright. But then if you leave tonight, don't drink! Don't drink and ride!" He exclaimed, pointing at her. They all laughed when they noticed that he actually was pointing at the wall over Honeymaren's shoulder instead of her face.
Olaf's laughter was longer than everyone else's. The snowman hadn't drunk a single drop of beer, but was having so much fun that it looked like so.
"I'm not going back on a reindeer, especially at night." Chuckled Honeymaren at Kristoff's concern. "Elsa asked the Earth Spirit to escort me. They're picking me up. I could even have a nap while they walk to the Forest."
"A bit too bumpy to sleep, no?" Chuckled Anna.
"If we sense an earthquake, at least we'll know where it came from." Joked Olaf.
"Stop it, you two." Said Elsa. "I sent a mental message to the most delicate of them. They will all be very gentle with her on their way to the Forest."
Anna smirked. "All? A group of Giants? Really?" She teased her sister, mocking how overprotective she was.
Honeymaren actually found it cute, and cuddled closer to her partner lovingly and defensively.
Elsa raised a finger to the Queen. "Dare to tell me that you wouldn't have done the same if you were in my place."
Anna had a thinking pout, and was about to admit that she was right, but before she said anything, Kristoff went forward.
"That would put me in the role of the escorted one, and I already had my Giant ride during the Collapse, thank you. They were nice, but that was shaking as hell, and I don't want to do that again."
They all laughed once more, and Anna patted his chest. "I would select the best of the best for you. The journey would be as smooth as–"
"Ahem."
Their banter actually had distracted the family from the actual event, and Kai had appeared behind Anna to remind her that he was waiting for her signal.
"Oh my goodness, sorry, Kai. Please tell the staff that they can set the buffet. We're coming."
"Buffet?" Repeated Olaf and Honeymaren in one voice.
Their tones were different nonetheless. The snowman was excited and bouncing in appetite and the brunette was confused at the new word.
Elsa explained what it consisted of while they all made their way to the door, and Kai opened it for them to step inside the room.
The butler announced their venue to the crowd with a clear voice, and everybody stopped talking to applaud. Honeymaren walked closer to her girlfriend, and the blonde smiled before slipping her hand in hers. Did the Northuldra want to be close to her in pride or in apprehension of the feast to come? There were way less people at Elsa's birthday. However, when Honeymaren glanced at the room, she lost her tension. Those were army people, with etiquette indeed, but it was radically different than the politicians present at Yule.
Honeymaren looked around at the additions she didn't see the last time she walked in the room. On the right side of it, and it actually took the entire wall, was set a table that held said buffet. However, even with Elsa's description of what a buffet was, nothing could prepare Honeymaren for such a sight.
An assortment was the definition and yet absolutely inappropriate to describe the ridiculous amount of food displayed on the table. The entirety of it was covered with salads, fishes, dishes, and a large quantity and variety of seafood. They were all so beautifully prepared and presented that Honeymaren's eyes shone as brightly as the gold-finish plates. The Northuldra didn't count, but there might be thirty dishes or so, and each one looked like a mountain.
"And I'm the drama queen?" Scoffed Elsa to her sister when she saw the outrageous quantity of food.
Anna shrugged with humor. "All those fights opened my appetite. Also, I'm an exemplary host, and I had to show Honeymaren more Arendellian dishes before she left."
The Northuldra widened her eyes. "Wait, I didn't see them all at Elsa's birthday party?"
"Those were seasonal specialties." Informed the blonde with a smile.
Honeymaren then turned to Anna with a bashful expression. "But… I have all my whole life to discover them! Now I'm… I'm feeling overwhelmed..."
Elsa was familiar with that feeling, and passed a reassuring hand around her waist. "It's okay. Anna is just teasing you. Also, our soldiers are quite browny, and the amount of food likely is to suit their appetite."
She then moved her hand to rub her back soothingly, and titled to her ear.
"You don't have to try everything. Or you can take a tiny bit of each, so you'll still have room left in your stomach for desserts."
Honeymaren widened her eyes again in a snap, and planted her chestnut irises in azure ones.
"Desserts? Plural? There's more food after that?"
Anna giggled at her strangled voice of surprise, and turned to her once the family reached the buffet. The Queen picked a plate from the piles at the end of the table and put it in Honeymaren's hands. "Here, help yourself. Do me the honors, you're the only Northuldra of the room."
The brunette looked around awkwardly and gulped. She could sense the looks on her.
"Don't worry if you drop the plate out of pressure." Assured Anna in a whisper, seeing her tension. "These are salad plates. We would still have seven thousand nine hundred ninety-nine left."
That left Honeymaren even more confused, but thankfully, Elsa was right by her side as she helped herself, and her presence acted like a cocoon. She soon forgot the presence of the soldiers and ranked strategists behind her.
Listening to Elsa's voice as she presented the multiple dishes and explained them to her put her brain in a dizzy state, and when she came back to her senses, she was seated at the royal table, Anna had done a quick speech, and she was invited to raise her glass.
Everyone in the room did with happy exclamations, following the Queen's gesture.
"For Arendelle! For the Northuldra! Forever!"
"For Arendelle! For the Northuldra! Forever!" Repeated the crowd with force.
Glasses then tinkled, and the room filled with laughter, music and cheer.
The feast went on for hours, happiness floating everywhere and wrapping everyone in the deserved warmth of peace.
At some point, Elsa stood up from the table to go get a refill on one of the main courses. When she grabbed a drink from a tray handed by a maid on her way, she heard someone clear his throat next to her.
She didn't even need Kai to say a word to recognize him, for how many times she had heard him make this sound in her life. She smiled at the butler after she turned, and looked at the man he had brought with him.
"This gentleman would like a word with you, Your Highness."
"Thank you, Kai." Saluted the blonde, and he left after a bow.
The man presented himself as a reporter and his name rang a bell to Elsa's ears. However, she couldn't figure where she had heard it, so she simply politely smiled as he continued to introduce his work. He looked very serious and open-minded at the same time, which intrigued Elsa, who could see a brilliant mind behind his sparkling eyes.
"I would like to interview Her Majesty Your sister as well as yourself. It will be to report both of your points of view, as you took care of different poles. We could do it later in the night, if you don't mind?"
"Not at all." Assured the blonde with a smile.
"In addition to the Arendelle Gazette, I also work for the scientific magazine…"
Elsa widened her eyes as she suddenly remembered, happiness brightening her face. "You do! That is where I read your name. Your articles are great."
He blushed a bit, though with a proud expression. "Thank you very much. Actually, while I get to meet you face to face, uhm… I wanted to address the topic of your magic."
He looked excited, but tried to remain professional.
"Pardon my analytical approach, but your powers have a tremendous range. The amount of energy they represent… It truly is immense."
Elsa smiled. "I try not to think too much about it. But I will admit, I'm quite curious and often try new tricks and new creations, and indeed, I'm never technically prevented from doing what I have in mind."
She held back a grin when she saw his scientific admiration, then chuckled nervously.
"I think it's best not to do the math. My sister often says that I'm a nerd, but I prefer to just stay in awe at the magic rather than evaluate its limitless power."
She brought her beverage to her lips with a smile when a silence followed, and the man did the same. After swallowing, they stayed like that, staring at each other in silence, taking it all in.
He didn't dare to tell her that the energy requested to turn a whole fjord to ice in the middle of July and switch the summer breeze to a winter blizzard in an instant was… Well, according to his calculations, superior to the one created by a thousand Diesel engines running simultaneously.
Or maybe did she know… And she read the international reports just like him and followed the German inventor's mechanical creations already. Perhaps with a little chuckle at the delay of technology over magic.
"Sorry, I admit that I daydreamed for a moment." He apologized, shaking his head.
"It happens." Grinned Elsa.
She didn't dare to comment out loud, but he reminded her of herself. They definitely had something in common.
"I'm sure that our interview will be very interesting. I'll talk about it with Anna."
She looked over to where her sister was - she was busy chatting with sergeants Rogstad and Tvedt, whom she had spotted in the crowd. The reporter interpreted from her sentence and stare that her attention to him was over, so he walked backwards with a quick bow.
"I won't importunate you any longer, Your Highness. I–"
"Oh, please, stay. You don't bother me in any way." Assured Elsa with a bit of hurry and a raised palm, and she calmed herself by holding her glass with both hands. "Quite the opposite, I feel like we have lots of topics to talk about."
Now he was the one noticing her excitement, and he grinned happily.
They exchanged a smile, and malice passed between them. He bent forward with humor.
"I've got to ask, since your interest in technology is clear… Does the Snow Queen even get impressed at the rumors of inventions such as the telephone and the airplane, when she can command the wind itself to send messages, and create dragons out of sheer will?"
Elsa's face lit up, and she grinned widely.
Oh, she liked that guy.
The evening went on, and an hour later, she walked back to the royal table to sit down. The Queen was having an intense discussion with Honeymaren about what they could do the next time they invited Rapunzel and Eugene. It would be in a peaceful context, so they would have all the time in the world, and she had a long list of activities in mind.
Maybe visiting the Northuldra first? So that Eugene could see the Dark Sea? Or should they go through town, have a stroll to meet the craftspeople? Rapunzel would love their art. Honeymaren nodded in agreement, and smiled when she caught her lover's amused expression over Anna's shoulder.
"Now I get why Kristoff calls her feisty." Joked Honeymaren when she arrived.
Elsa smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. "I hope that she didn't deafen you."
The brunette chuckled. "No, Olaf took care of that earlier when he started to sing with the group of soldiers over there."
The sisters had a laugh, though Anna didn't forget her elder's tease, and pulled out her tongue.
She however started to get thirsty after her ramble, but the pitcher of wine was empty. Anna insisted on filling it herself when a maid approached, since walking down the room to the barrels was a good opportunity to shake hands and talk with people. It also was a good opportunity to grab another serving of shrimps. She filled her plate to the brim with a big grin.
When she sat back down and licked her lips in excitement, Honeymaren grinned and bumped her girlfriend with her elbow.
"Someone's very happy." She chuckled, and Elsa followed her gaze.
They looked at Anna gorging herself on the seafood and letting out delighted sounds.
The elder giggled.
"She deserves to have a feast. All the conflicts are over, we're finally at peace, and Hans is gone forever. Anna has been an ace at everything. She's worthy of years of joy."
Honeymaren shared her tender smile.
"I agree."
The foul and desolate sound of vomit reverberated in the wash room on the following day.
Anna let out a disgusted and exhausted sigh, feeling miserable. Then her hands placed on each side of the toilet turned into angry fists.
"I should never have eaten those shrimps." She moaned in the basin. "They must have been rotten."
Gerda, who was sitting behind her on the side and holding her hair back, smiled affectionately.
"The shrimps were perfectly fresh, ma'am."
Anna grumbled, and activated the water to evacuate the disaster. She definitely had emptied her stomach and felt like she had spat her whole body out, so it should mean that she was good. Yet she still felt horrible. She cleaned her mouth with her pocket handkerchief and let out a groan. Her mind was swimming, and the nauseous feeling remained.
The redhead let herself drop on her butt on the side of the toilet, and stared at Gerda after the maid gently placed her hair back behind her ears with a tender brush.
Anna frowned. "Why are you smiling? Do you think this is funny?"
The maid kept her smile, too happy to erase it for the grumpy Queen.
"I'm smiling because I know it's not the shrimps, ma'am."
"Oh yeah?" Huffed Anna, and a burp almost passed her lips, but she placed her hand over her mouth quickly. She then gulped and stared at the maid, who seemed to know more than her. "What is it then?"
Gerda kneeled even more straight than she already was, delighting in the announcement.
"Well, I have seen those symptoms twice before, so I can recognize them easily."
Anna frowned. She wondered for a moment if the maid was talking about a disease, but she had said that with a malicious tone.
"Wait… What? Twice? What do you mean, twice? And in whom?"
Gerda's eyes glistened a bit as she kept smiling. "In your late mother, when she was pregnant with Elsa, and then yourself."
Anna's eyebrows lowered in confusion. Then they shot up in understanding. Then her teal blue eyes went wide.
"I… I'm…"
She couldn't even say the sentence. Not that she was scared of it. All the opposite. She had wished to say it for so long, she couldn't believe it.
"I'm pregnant?"
Her voice was an excited squeak, and Gerda nodded with a grin. "There is no doubt. You have a very similar behavior to hers and–"
"I'm pregnant?" Exclaimed Anna, cutting her because of her delight, her tone now powerful and resounding in the small room that was the toilet. Gerda winced a bit at the noise, but chuckled.
"I'm pregnant!" Jolted now the Queen, standing up in one go. Her brain was so overwhelmed by the news that dizziness seemed far away. Everything clicked in her mind; her recent mood swings, unease, weight gain, ravenous appetite, and of course the puke.
"I'M PREGNANT! I'M PREGNANT!" She screamed in joy, then she squeezed the maid's arms. "Gerda, I'm pregnant!"
"I know." Chuckled the woman. It looked like the Queen had forgotten that she was the one who had just told her.
But she knew that Anna was holding her arms because the maid had been accompanying Anna since she was a child - well, since her birth, literally - and they were close. Both women grinned at each other. The redhead gasped.
"Wait, now I understand how you knew the perfect spot to sooth me when you rubbed my back just then. You did the same with Mother, didn't you?"
The maid nodded, quite emotional.
Anna then briskly grabbed her hands, nearly crushing them with happiness. Gerda giggled again, Anna's enthusiasm being contagious.
"This is such amazing news! This is so awesome! Oh gosh, oh gosh, OH GOSH! I have to tell Kristoff. I HAVE TO TELL ELSA! And Olaf!"
"It goes without saying."
"Oh, Kristoff! He's going to be so happy! They're all going to be so happy!" Gasped the redhead. Her eyes were gleaming, her heart drumming, her breathing speeding up by the second. "He's gonna be the best father! And Elsa's gonna be the best aunt ever!"
Gerda winced a bit since Anna was practically yelling at her face, but she nodded. The Queen then hurried to storm out of the room. She however immediately stopped in her tracks.
She turned to the maid who had been at her side all of her life. "Gerda."
The latter blinked, and quickly stood up to join her hands together. She had planned to follow Anna, expecting the energetic redhead to rush into the corridors, and was surprised to see her stop to look at her. "Yes, ma'am?"
Anna smiled warmly, and calmed her breathing to have a more solemn tone. "Could you please be there, at my delivery?"
Gerda's face covered up with blush. Her heart filled with pride, joy, and some realization of her age as well, recalling when Iduna was at the same stage.
She bowed with a deep smile.
"It would be an honor, Your Majesty."
Anna grinned, then had a pout, like she was contemplating another idea. She renewed her grin, now sly.
"Thank goodness Elsa hasn't gone back to the Forest yet, I wouldn't have been able to wait until a game night for the announcement. I could tell her right now, but still, I feel like I should wait… Just a bit… For the perfect moment."
Gerda frowned. Anna was mischievous, but also impatient. "Still today, however." She supposed.
"Of course." Chuckled Anna.
Gerda had a wide but discreet smile. An image of the redhead as an excited toddler came to her mind.
They made their way through the castle, and Anna walked happily next to her.
The maid had another discreet glance towards the Queen, filled with pride and emotion.
'My, my, how grown up you are today.'
"Are you okay?" Asked Elsa, standing up from the couch where Kristoff and her had been talking.
She actually leaped out of it to stand, and Olaf turned to Anna and Gerda as well when they stepped in.
"Yeah." Simply smiled the redhead, walking to the couch while Gerda stayed by the door after closing it.
Kristoff looked at the maid who had resumed her previous position, then at his wife, worriedly.
"Really? Because you looked very pale."
"I'm not anymore." Assured Anna, who had checked her face and mouth in the hallway mirror before coming, and her excitement had brought back colors on her freckled cheeks.
Her elder put her hands on her hips.
"There clearly is something you're not telling us." She frowned, suspicion replacing worry. "What is-"
"There's nothing." Smiled Anna reassuringly.
"You had to suddenly rush to the toilet and you nearly pushed me off the couch doing so, there must be something wrong." Frowned Kristoff.
She dismissed the intervention of her husband with a wave of the hand. "It passed."
Elsa crossed her arms defiantly. "I swear I'll craft a memory to find out!"
"Were you poisoned?" Asked Kristoff before the Queen could even answer. "Bitten by something dangerous? Did you touch something you shouldn't have?"
"The last one happens more than I dare to say." Joked the redhead.
She smiled at her worried husband and sister. Truly, she was blessed to have them in her life.
"Then, if it's nothing serious, why don't you tell us?" Frowned Olaf at her feet.
Elsa pointed at the snowman and looked at Anna. "For once, Olaf is the wisest of us. Anna, what is going on?"
The Queen stared at them all successively, then sighed heavily, like she gave up. Gerda, who had been following their exchange, turned still. Was she cracking? Was she going to reveal it now?
"Fine." Said Anna, her eyes closed and face down. "I sneaked out of bed early this morning to eat some of the chocolate treats we just received, and I ate way too many, so I had to puke. Happy?"
A silence followed. Olaf winced in disgust.
Kristoff sighed. "Of course you did."
Her story made sense. Today was the first Tuesday of the month, and they received chocolate deliveries on that date. The merchant always arrived at dawn and the staff unpacked some right away to put them on the meeting table. The Queen was absolutely aware of that, since it was her idea.
Elsa and Olaf were aware too, and nodded.
Gerda discreetly smiled at her lie. Heavens knew how many shenanigans she had to put up with when the Queen was a child, and she could recognize her current mannerism. Anna wasn't the best at lying, and what betrayed her when she did was the way she avoided eye contact. By closing her eyes, and pretending it was out of shame, the monarch had cleverly escaped the three others' detection.
Except maybe for Elsa, who was still frowning. However, as soon as she was about to say something, Anna suddenly clapped her hands and exclaimed.
"We should have a game night tonight!"
That unsettled the Spirit so much that she blinked and forgot her previous surprise. "What? Why? I'm staying until Friday."
"Yes, but…"
Anna realized how little arguments she had to pretend there was a good reason to play that evening. "We… Um… We need to be an even number to play charades."
She thought that Elsa would retort, but she actually had an agreeing pout. "That's right. Honeymaren had been there at the last games, so it's been a while since we last played charades. Not that I miss it." She joked, and Olaf chuckled.
The snowman bounced out of the room with shared excitement. "We can start writing down the words then! I'll get some papers and pens."
Anna couldn't ask for anything better.
Kristoff rubbed his hands. "This will be fun!"
Elsa smiled at him. "I gotta say, it will be good to have fun again. After everything that happened, it will cheer us up."
Anna looked at her with an internal grin. 'And I'm about to cheer you up all even more.'
All she had to do was to wait for the round when she has to make everyone guess what's on her paper, and not take into account what's written on it to mime the actual truth. It was a perfect idea.
The following evening, said perfect idea was revealed to be in fact catastrophic.
Anna felt like she had been standing forever waiting for them to guess. She started to regret her decision, and discreetly eyed the hourglass that had ended its time long ago. Kristoff, Elsa and Olaf were so focused on her mimes that they had completely forgotten to check on it.
"I'm confused, why would you mime a fruitcake?" Frowned Elsa.
Anna let out a desperate groan. The Spirit had gotten better at charades, Kristoff and her were complicit, and Olaf usually had plenty of imagination in his answers. Why did they not use their brain cells together?
"It's not a fruitcake." Insisted the Queen. "It's a b… B… Word starting with B…"
"BAKER!" Yelled Olaf.
Kristoff pinched the top of his nose. "You already suggested that three times, Olaf."
"Oh, right, sorry."
Anna stared at her sister in despair, making wider moves. Elsa winced, noticing her call for help. "Is it boulanger? The French word for baker?"
"NOOOOOO!" Whined Anna, about to pull out her own hair.
"Why are you putting something in an oven then?!" Exclaimed her sister.
The redhead sighed. "It's an expression. An idiom. Something… In the oven. There is a b…"
Olaf jolted, looking around. "There's a bee?"
Kristoff muttered as he thought. "There is a… Bun in the oven?"
He tilted his head, and suddenly gasped. And it was loud. Very loud.
So loud that Elsa twirled and eyed him with concern. She was so busy calming Olaf down that she didn't hear his mutter. "What?"
She then looked at Anna, who had gasped in victory, and pointed at him, and now was biting her lip in… Joy? Relief?
"Why are you so emotional about a bee?" Frowned Elsa.
The Queen huffed at how clueless her sister was, and played on that confusion to tease her. "It actually is about the birds and the bees."
Elsa frowned.
Then something in her just clicked. Like a jigsaw puzzle that suddenly completed itself with the last piece.
And her hands flew to her face to slam on her mouth in sheer emotion. After a second, her hands dropped along her jaw.
"Oh my gods, ANNA?!"
Olaf blinked. Now he was lost. "Anna is installing beehives in the courtyard?"
He tried to decipher, still playing the game. That was an awfully long thing to write on a charades paper. Who made this one?
But he was shoved to the side by Elsa who had suddenly jumped from the couch to launch herself into Anna's arms, the redhead giggling loudly at the strong embrace. The tackling hug usually was her signature move, and it meant that Elsa was very emotional.
Anna closed her eyes and hugged her sister back, especially when she heard her start to cry over her shoulder.
"Y-you're pregnant!" Gasped the blonde's voice against her dress, squeezing her tight as she tried not to faint from the news.
Anna tried not to faint as well but from the strong hold, and she could feel Elsa's heart drumming against her chest.
The redhead rubbed her back to calm her down, and the siblings' lungs retrieved air when the embrace loosened up. They however still hugged warmly, their eyes closed in the feeling.
"Took you long enough." Smiled Anna with an exhausted sigh.
Elsa had a tearful chuckle, then a gasp.
"How long have you known?"
Anna opened her eyes to meet Kristoff's gaze over her sister's shoulder, which she could feel was fixed on her with astonishment. She was right, he was staring at her with a dropped jaw, his brown eyes filling with happy tears.
"I just found out today." Smiled the Queen, emotional at her own realization.
'Gosh, I'm pregnant. I really am. I'm about to become a mother.'
Deep in her soul, a flame lit, and she felt intense love and excitement.
Elsa startled her when she suddenly stepped out of the embrace to hold her cheeks, squeezing them slightly because of her thrilling enthusiasm. Her palms were trembling, and Anna put her hands above hers.
Azure blue eyes scanned her face with immense pride then lost themselves in the teal blue of the redhead's, Elsa remembering the very first moment she had seen them open when Anna was still a baby. When she had first seen her. The first time of her life she had met her baby sister. And now she was going to be a mother.
"Oh, Anna…" She murmured with a sniff. She then smiled with a chuckle. "Of course you had to play with it, uh?"
"Of course." Grinned the redhead.
Her joy made Elsa emotional again, and she tackled her in another hug, unable to add anything as pride roamed through her again.
The Spirit then once more startled the Queen, because she quickly detached from the hug again to, this time, hold Anna's hands in hers. Apparently, deep emotion made her agitated.
"I have been waiting for this moment my whole life." Exhaled Elsa. "Is it weird? I mean, you too, of course, and you're way more into romance novels than I am, and you've always been the more maternal of us two, but… This is exactly the kind of happiness I have always been wishing for you, Anna. You deserve a family. You deserve all the love in the world. You're going to be so amazing. Because you will be your usual amazing self. And…"
She interrupted herself to gulp a sob that had suddenly climbed up her throat, before continuing.
"There is not a single doubt in the universe that you'll shower this child, your child, with devoted love and attention, and they will have nothing to fear with your open mind and kindness. You wear your heart on your sleeve, and they'll be very lucky."
Anna didn't reply anything yet, stunned by her rare rambling, and Elsa realized that she had been talking a lot. She chuckled nervously. "Why do I even bother saying all those obvious things? You'll be the best mother there is, that's all."
She bent forward to kiss her forehead. The elder's pride was so strong that Anna's body trembled in reception, and she started to cry too. Her eyes had been glistening for a moment now, but that was the trigger. She squeezed Elsa's hands, then let go of them to wipe her tears away.
"Thank you, Elsa. Thank you so much." Muttered the Queen.
The blonde quickly cleaned her own face and rubbed her eyes. She wasn't embarrassed by her state in the slightest, more than willing to show her younger sister how glad she was, but she wanted to see her clearly, and the blur in her vision was annoying.
She then snapped her eyes wide. "Gods, I'm going to be an aunt?"
Anna nodded enthusiastically.
"I'm going to be an aunt." Sighed Elsa in disbelief.
She sniffed as finally, no tear was left on her, and she completely let go of Anna, stepping aside to give way to Kristoff.
The King, on the other hand, was a sobbing wreck. His cheeks were covered with happy streaks, and his nose was running with emotion. Anna grinned at him, not out of mockery, but actual delight. His outburst of pride and happiness was beautiful.
She was about to step forward and hold his face and tell him something, when he suddenly fell to his knees at her feet.
Both women jolted at the brisk move, and even Olaf widened his eyes at the slam of the tall and strong man's kneecaps on the floor.
Kristoff hugged Anna's belly powerfully, his cries muffled in her dress. Whatever he said was nearly incomprehensible, but Elsa heard 'Oh my goodness that's the best thing ever I'm so happy I'm so so happy thank you I'm so blessed I love you I'm gonna be a dad!' in the mumbling ramble.
Anna melted in a tearful smile and passed her fingers in his hair, observing him now kissing her belly again and again. Kristoff then placed his palm on the belly with a hopeful smile.
Only Anna's roaring laughter vibrated through the skin instead of what he was looking for.
"You can't feel it for the moment, honey. It's still a tiny thing."
He lifted his eyes to her, and his emotion was so deep and sincere that her lips trembled in a touched smile. Tears fell over her face again, and she cupped his smiling cheeks.
"But you will, one day. You'll be there to feel their first kick. And I can't wait for the first melody you will sing to them."
If Kristoff wasn't so paranoid in touching his delicate wife, he would have stood up in one jolt and grabbed her by her waist then twirled her around energetically in sheer joy. So he remained kneeled, looking up at her like the divinity she was to him, admiring her beautiful, soon maternal, features. The redhead gave him his silence loving smile back, loving the rare occasion of him being shorter than her.
Their mutual adoration was beaming through the room, and Elsa and Olaf exchanged a smile before side hugging each other.
There was an emotional silence, then the snowman frowned.
"Wait, does that make me their uncle or their cousin?"
They all laughed.
The Snow Queen shook her head and walked back to her sister. They both slid their fingers together, as a tender mannerism.
Elsa was beaming in joy.
"So. Do you have ideas of names?"
Anna grinned. She looked at her family, her gaze lingering on each of their faces.
She then took a long breath in.
"Well, I've been thinking about…"
⁂
THE END
⁂
Author's Note:
Phew. What a ride. It's the longest, heaviest, strongest fanfic I ever wrote. A few conclusions came to me after it: despite being exhausting, I can't wait to break my own word count record again because I know I will get plenty of ideas for nerdy contents to come; writing fights is something I absolutely suck at and I will try to never do it again lmao; I definitely should continue on this balance of fluff and angst and market it as Flangst aka the best thing ever.
I hope you liked it, if so please leave a comment below, I appreciate it so much and it means a lot, thanks dearies. Also, if you wish to find more about my writing I invite you to order the free physical printed copy of Untangling the Frozen Knots, the prequel to this fanfic, which is available in book format and is super comfy to read.
Cheers to everyone, see you soon, when Jennifer Lee will hopefully drop Frozen 3 and I'll FINALLY know what all those dorks actually do in their daily life lol.