A/N: Woo! Been a while, hasn't it? Apologies, life got in the way, etc. etc. And...oh man. This started out as a simple little thing, and sorta...spiraled out of control.
Disclaimer: Disney owns Frozen. I do not.
- Stray -
Drip, drip, drip.
Elsa watched as the puddle beneath Anna's boots grew, the dark stain in the carpet steadily expanding. She didn't mind it really—she'd feel a bit like a hypocrite, bringing it up, what with all the icy mishaps she'd had over the years. But she did flinch a little as her soaked-through younger sister dripped water on the surface of the old wood desk.
"So. Funny story."
"Let me guess. It involves the fjord."
"No, actually! Duck pond."
"Ah."
Anna proceeded to relate the events of the past hour to her, beginning with the odd yowling she and Kristoff heard while walking through the garden, and ending with the daring rescue of a small cat who had found itself tangled among the reeds that grew along the edges of the pond. Which explained Anna's soggy, sodden state, as well as the shivering kitten in her arms.
"So…here we are."
"I can see that." Elsa nodded, eyeing the droplets of water as she carefully pulled her documents to the side. "Anna…don't take this the wrong way but…is there a reason you felt the need to come up to the study? Before…I don't know…changing? Or, at the very least, drying off?"
"Yes!" Anna exclaimed, bouncing on her heels. Her boots made an audible squish noise against the wet carpet. Elsa winced. "I…uh…well I had an idea…"
"…What sort of an idea?" Elsa asked, though she had a pretty good guess as to what it was.
"Well, I was just thinking, maybe—"
"No."
"Oh, you didn't even let me ask."
"I know what you're going to ask, and the answer is no."
Anna wanted to keep the thing, short and simple. Anna had gone through a bit of a 'phase' when they were younger, bringing in every stray animal that had the misfortune of crossing paths with the excitable young princess. Of course, Anna was no longer that small, insistent five year old, begging their father to let them keep the mangy barn cat that had decided to take up residence in the stables. Elsa liked to think that Anna had matured some since then; and she had, mostly. But she'd recognized the pleading look on her face almost immediately.
"We can't keep it," she clarified the point before Anna could concoct some kind of loophole, though her sister was clearly still trying to come up with some sort of argument against Elsa's decision. But her mind was made up.
Or…so she thought.
Elsa wasn't sure what possessed her to give in. Perhaps it was the slight tremble of her sister's lip. Perhaps it was the soft, pleading gaze of her brother-in-law. Or maybe it was the pitiful state of the small bundle of wet fur that Anna held close to her chest, it's tiny pink nose twitching, the only sound from it an occasional, pathetic mewl.
"Please Elsa!" Anna begged, cradling the creature closer. "Look at it! It needs someone to take care of it!"
"I said no," Elsa was using what Anna privately dubbed her 'Queen' voice. She usually reserved that tone for pesky dignitaries and the stuffier members of her Council. Rarely did she use it on Anna—but when she did, Anna knew better than to press her.
However, this was a special case. It wasn't every day you found an adorable kitten, floundering in the duck pond just beyond the castle walls. So, against her better judgment, she continued to plead, eagerly stepping closer to Elsa's desk.
"How about…how about just until it gets better," she decided to try out the 'bargaining' approach. If she could just have a bit more time, she knew Elsa would come around, if only because of the fact that it would afford Anna several more opportunities to wear her down.
Elsa stood next to her chair with her arms crossed. Her lips were pressed into a tight line, and her eyes narrowed as she regarded both Anna and the cat.
She should have said no. No, no, no. Animals in the castle…it simply wasn't something she wanted or needed in her life. She already had a small kingdom to run and a sentient snowman who, more often than not, required some form of supervision, lest they have another noodle incident. (Elsa shuddered at the mere memory of it.)
"I don't think—" Elsa was ready with another refusal, but Anna thrust the kitten forward, until its wide green eyes were level with Elsa's own. Both blinked, surprised. "Wha—"
And that was probably what persuaded Elsa to give in—those large, pleading green eyes, and the sad little 'meow' that followed. She felt her resolve begin to falter, and her stiff frown began to soften. Somewhere in there was a joke to be made about melting a frozen heart, but Elsa was not in the mood.
"—Fine." She huffed. Anna let out a whoop of triumph, which Elsa tried to temper with reminders of, 'it's only for a little while,' and 'it's not allowed on the furniture, at all,' but Anna was beyond the point of listening, already excitedly talking with Kristoff, and oh Lord, they were discussing names.
"We're not keeping it!" Elsa hollered after them.
They didn't appear to be listening.
Idly, as Elsa returned to the work at her desk, she thought of the small cat, its ruddy orange fur sticking out at odd angles due to its dip in the pond, its large green eyes, small frame, and the piteous note in its meow.
She realized it reminded her a bit of Anna.
A day passed, and then another. Elsa found herself preoccupied with other matters, and she paid no mind to the small furry visitor who had taken up residence in the castle, in spite of Anna's best efforts to get the two in the same room.
"If you would just—"
"I'm sorry, Anna, but I have more important—"
"Can't it wait?"
"Not unless you want to start a war."
"…Well maybe—"
"Anna!"
"Joking! Joking. See? This is my joking face." Anna put on a broad grin, at which Elsa rolled her eyes, and did her best to hide a wry smile of her own.
Other attempts were made, but Elsa was successful in avoiding the cat.
She tried to tell herself it wasn't avoidance, though. She really was quite busy. But honestly, it wasn't her work that kept her from the cat. It was…something else.
As a third day came and went, and night crept over the kingdom, Elsa had yet to see the cat. Or deal with it directly. She asked Kristoff about its health, and he shrugged his broad shoulders.
"Doing better, I'd say. Still has a cough, though."
Elsa felt something akin to concern worm its way into her mind. Which was ridiculous. It was just a stray. A stray that was not sticking around for much longer, as she had made perfectly clear.
"O-oh," she said. "Ah…well, is Anna doing anything for it? The cough, I mean. I'd…like to send it on its way as soon as possible, after all," she added quickly. Kristoff nodded and told her that Anna was keeping a close eye on it, making sure it was eating well, drinking, keeping warm.
"Good, good."
"It's a 'she' by the way," Kristoff told her.
"I'm sorry?"
"The cat is a 'she.' I think Anna's still picking out a name, though."
"Of course she is."
They chatted for a bit longer, Elsa inquiring about Sven, the ice business, and Anna. Kristoff answered, and in turn asked Elsa about Arendelle, the ice business, and Anna. Eventually the conversation reached its end, and Elsa excused herself for the evening.
Only to be intercepted by a rather flustered-looking Kai.
"Master Kristoff," he huffed, tugging at his shirt collar. Sweat beaded on the man's brow. "I—oh, my apologies, your Majesty," he dipped into a hasty bow. Elsa waved him off.
"It's fine, Kai. What's the matter?"
"I—we just—ahem." Kai caught his breath before continuing. He stood, and straightened his coat. "Apologies. We've received word from a…Grand Pabbie? Apparently there is an incident unfolding in the Valley of the Living Rock that requires Kristoff's immediate attention." By this time, Anna had heard some of the commotion in the hallway, and had joined the three of them, silently approaching her husband and standing at his side.
"What?" Kristoff asked, suddenly concerned. "Did Grand Pabbie say anything else? Is something wrong?"
"He didn't give many details, Sir," Kai admitted. "Only that they needed you there as soon as possible."
"I'll go get the sled ready," Kristoff said, already moving towards the stairs. Anna hurried after.
"I'm coming with you!"
Kristoff was too worried to protest, and Kai was too winded. Only Elsa seemed to raise an eyebrow at her sister's insistence to go.
"I don't think—"
"I don't want him riding out there in the dark alone," Anna said. Elsa nodded.
"I understand, but I don't want either of you riding out there in the dark, alone."
"We'll take Olaf."
"Anna—"
"And some guards, alright? It'll be fine, Elsa." Anna's smile was so encouraging that Elsa found herself nodding in agreement, and it wasn't until the group was very nearly through the front gates that something occurred to the queen.
"W-wait!" She yelled as Anna hurried into the sled. "The cat—!"
"Oh, right! Yeah, yeah, the cat, just—" She shoved a few bedrolls aside as she shimmied into her seat next to Kristoff. "Keep a close eye on her! And make sure she stays warm! And don't feed her too late! And—" she called out more instructions, but they were lost to the night air as Kristoff gave the reins a sharp tug and they were off.
Elsa was pacing back and forth in front of her bedroom door when Kai found her. It was late, even for her, and of this, Kai was well aware.
"Is everything alright, Ma'am?" he asked, even though he knew the answer. Elsa shook her head.
"It's…it's nothing, Kai. But thank you."
"I was told that one of the servants moved Miss Anna's…feline friend to your quarters," he said carefully. "Would you prefer that…it be moved elsewhere?"
"No, no," she said, even though it was a tempting offer. "That's…I mean, that's not why I'm…I'm not afraid of it, if that's what you're implying," she said at last, giving up the 'composed royal' routine and instead opting for the 'flustered twenty-something' she was. There were few people permitted to see this particular side of her, Kai being one of them.
"Of course not, Ma'am."
"Because that would be ridiculous. To be afraid of a something that small."
"Indeed."
"So…we're in agreement, then," Elsa finished lamely, turning to face the door. "Ridiculous."
"Yes," Kai nodded. "Ridiculous, most certainly. But perhaps…understandable as well."
Kai knew Elsa better than anyone else, save for Anna, maybe (she had a thirteen year gap to make up for, but she was a quick study, and was already rivaling the older man) and as such, could wager a guess as to what had the young woman so worked up. Ostensibly the cat, but a particular memory stuck out.
And of course, Kai being the perceptive man he was, had guessed correctly. Because just as he recalled the event to mind, Elsa found her own thoughts wandering to that day from so many years ago, sometime after the accident. Her father had insisted on carrying out her lessons, uninterrupted, asserting that her education should not suffer just because of an unfortunate 'mishap.' So Elsa was expected to continue with math, history, so on and so forth…
And riding.
Which had never been a problem, really. Elsa liked riding, liked wandering down to the stables and helping the hostlers with the large, companionable animals. She showed an aptitude for it, and would often earn praise from her previous instructor.
After the accident, her father had taken over the lessons, dismissing a great many of Elsa's tutors. Elsa enjoyed the extra time she got to spend with him—but riding lessons were something of an exception.
A skilled rider himself, the King of Arendelle was demanding when it came to teaching, his standards high and his patience short.
Elsa, for her part, handled it well, obeying and doing just as he told her.
But one order came a bit too sharp and suddenly, his tone fearful, like she was doing something wrong. It scared her and she jerked too hard on the reins. The animal responded (not his fault, Elsa would always acknowledge) pulling up suddenly and nearly throwing his small rider.
Elsa's power reacted before she did. They lashed out, scaring the horse worse than any sort of tugging or jabbing could.
That time, she was thrown.
Her father and a few nearby servants were able to intervene before any serious damage could be done—the servants thinking that the horse was the more dangerous of the two, her fathering knowing the exact opposite to be true.
"Elsa," he'd said after the physician had checked Elsa's arm and shoulder. (They were sore and would most likely bruise, but thankfully nothing was broken.) "That was a very dangerous thing to do."
"I didn't mean to do it," Elsa insisted, feeling awful about the whole thing.
"What have I told you, about your powers?"
"I…I know I'm supposed to control them…but I just got scared, and I—"
"I know, I know," her father muttered, rubbing his forehead. "We'll…we'll just…take a break from lessons, hmmm? Give the horse some time to rest and recover."
She visited the horse sometime later, skittish and ill at ease in the stables—so different from before. If the handlers noticed a change, they knew better than to comment.
She edged closer to the horse's stall, suddenly very aware of how big the horses were, and how small she was.
A sour taste rose in the back of her throat. She found she was having a tough time swallowing. The ice slithered beneath her skin as the troll leader's words came to mind. Fear will be your enemy.
Did these animals fear her? She wouldn't blame them, if they did. Some seemed to sense that something was off, as they began shifting and shuffling in their stalls. Elsa decided not to linger.
She moved closer still, until she could see the horse in question. He appeared fine, happily munching on whatever the handlers had provided as a snack. He seemed…content.
Elsa smiled a little, relieved.
Then the horse turned his head to the side, and her smile vanished.
A patch of bright white hair flared in the middle of an expanse of tawny. Elsa staggered backwards and ran from the stables, images of Anna coming to mind with such ferocity that Elsa was having a hard time breathing. Her chest felt too tight; she couldn't draw in adequate breath.
She made it to her room, leaving only a few patches of ice in her wake, but once inside, a small blizzard burst forth.
It took days to thaw the furniture.
She refused riding lessons, after that, and though her father protested initially, he dropped the subject rather abruptly. Elsa was never given a reason, but looking back on it now, with the knowledge of what had happened to Anna when she'd caught the brunt of Elsa's powers, she suspected that the horse had met with an untimely, icy end, thanks to her. She never did see it again on the castle grounds, after that.
In terms of an argument against spending time with animals, it was a good one. Elsa was certainly convinced; if she could bring such harm to a horse, she didn't want to think about what might happen to a small, fragile kitten.
"It was an accident, Ma'am," Kai said quietly from behind her. Elsa sighed.
"I know," she conceded. That didn't make her feel any better.
"If I may," Kai went on, "The kitten runs very little risk of 'spooking' you, I'd say. It's not about to rear up on its hind legs and throw you, hmmm?" Ah, yes. The ever rational Kai, there with an infuriatingly good point. "As such, I don't anticipate your powers being an issue. Simply feed it, make sure it is comfortable, and then go to sleep. Easy."
"I just don't—"
"How will Miss Anna react," the older man interrupted, (not at all proper, but of course Elsa was going to let it slide) "when she returns home and learns that you've not taken care of her small companion?"
Elsa couldn't come up with an excuse fast enough, and before she knew it, Kai had all but shoved her into her room, uttered a quick 'good evening,' and shut the door firmly behind him.
Leaving her alone.
With the cat.
…Alone.
The little thing was nestled in a small apple crate that Anna had lined with bits of fabric and—wait, was that one of her jackets? She made a mental note to ice Anna's tea when she next got the chance, the frustration mounting as the small critter turned round and round in the box, and began pulling at the expensive garment with its claws.
"No, no, don't—" the cat didn't pay her much mind. She just settled into the folds of the fabric, eyelids heavy with sleep.
Elsa found she was mirroring the cat's somnolent expression, exhaustion finally catching up with her. She regarded the creature warily and, only once she was sure it wasn't going to leave its crate, did she ready for bed, all the while keeping a sharp eye on her, to make sure she stayed put.
Thankfully, the box was far from the bed, so the young queen was able to cross the room and hurry beneath the covers without incident. The lamps hard already been turned down low, and the fire was banked in the hearth. Soon enough, Elsa was asleep.
She wasn't sure what time it was when she found herself unceremonious yanked from slumber to the sound of yowling, but it had to be late. Early? The sky was still dark, the castle silent.
"Wha—?"
The cat was sitting up in her box, meowing at the top of her small kitten lungs. Fear caused Elsa's heart to hammer in her chest—not of the cat, but for it. It propelled her forward, so quickly that her feet became tangled in her sheets, and she essentially fell out of bed, and stumbled across the room.
"What? What is it? What's wrong?" she didn't realize how preposterous it was, to be asking the cat what was the matter, until she'd said it.
The little thing continued to wail.
"I don't…what are you…?" she looked around in the darkness somewhat frantically. "Are you hungry? Is that it?"
A small plate sat a ways off, empty save for a few crumbs. A saucer sat next to it, just as barren.
The thought of trekking all the way down to the kitchens at this hour was unappealing—but more unappealing was the thought of either calling someone up to get it for her and needlessly troubling them, or worse, dealing with the yowling all night.
As if to punctuate this fact, the cat let loose a particularly throaty protest.
"MROW!"
"Fine, fine, we'll get you something to eat, then," Elsa muttered, padding to the door. She opened it briskly, and nearly jumped out of her skin as something brushed past her exposed calf. Ice snaked out from under her feet. "Ahh!"
The kitten sat beside her, gazing up, unfazed by the display of Elsa's powers. One paw extended up towards her knee, battling at the fabric of her nightgown.
"Why you…" Elsa breathed, one hand on her chest. It helped to muffle her rapid heartbeat. She made another mental note. Tell Kai he was wrong.
The kitten continued to paw at her leg.
"I don't understand," Elsa hissed in exasperation. The cat began to meow again. Loudly. "Shush! Shhhhh!" Elsa corralled it back into her room using her foot, all the while not terribly keen to touch her (what with the recent icing, and all.)
The kitten found it a marvelous game, and began swatting at her foot. "Stop that. Stop." Elsa was losing her patience. Did she have any to begin with?
And then the cat sneezed.
A violent, noisy thing. Her entire body seized and spat, the fur bristling and making her appear five times larger than she actually was.
And then she sneezed again.
And again.
Elsa knelt beside it, worry etched on her features. She tentatively reached out a hand, not sure what to do. It looked so miserable, twitching and trembling so.
"Don't—don't do that," she pleaded softly. "Anna will kill me if anything happens to you, you know." Again, she was aware that she was talking to a cat, but she found she didn't care all that much. That, and the cat seemed to like the sound of it—at least, it stopped meowing when she spoke to it. "Are you cold?"
She hurried over to the fireplace in the corner and quickly stoked the embers to flames. It took a few moments; the room was large and the ceilings high. That, and her room was perpetually chilly. (Go figure.) Eventually, though, a cheerful sort of warmth spread through the space. This seemed to calm the cat further.
It hobbled closer to the hearth, only sneezing once on its way over. Elsa was still seated on her knees, so the cat took advantage of the position, quickly hopping up into the young woman's lap. "Ah—no! No, you can't…you'll get orange fur all over—oh, Lord." Elsa grumbled. It was futile, trying to reason with the feline. She repeated the circling she had done in the crate, curling into a tight ball, tucking her paws beneath her chin and coiling her tail around her body.
Well, Elsa thought with a huff. At least it stopped meowing.
But now Elsa found herself stuck, sitting before the fire. She didn't really want to jostle the small thing—the kitten just looked so peaceful now…and dare she say…cute.
No. Stop that. This cat is leaving as soon as it's well, remember? She shifted her weight a little, freezing instantly as the cat opened one eye. Don't you dare get attached to this thing. Remember your powers…
But the ice seemed to be behaving thus far—save for that small hiccup.
Long minutes passed. Elsa found her head dipping forward, her shoulders drooping. Alright, this is crazy. Put the thing to bed in the crate, and go back to sleep.
Ignoring a pang of guilt, she shuffled the cat off of her lap, and once again herded it towards the crate. The kitten protested the entire way, half-asleep.
Once the cat was in her own bed, Elsa returned to hers. She was just pulling the covers up when the damned yowling started again.
"What?!" She all but shrieked at the animal, confused as to what was wrong with it. It wasn't food, the room was warmer, what did it want?
She turned over and violently slammed a pillow over her head, hoping to block the noise out. It muffled it somewhat, but it was impossible to ignore the keening, warbling racket.
It went on for several more moments, and then, somewhat suddenly, stopped.
Elsa blinked.
…Huh.
She lifted the pillow a fraction. The room remained silent. She let out a sigh of relief.
Good, good. I can finally get to sleep—
At that point, a small, pink nose poked underneath the pillow. Elsa jerked back.
"Mrow?" The kitten cocked her head to one side, the picture of innocence.
"Argh!" Elsa yelped in surprise, fumbling in the sheets. The cat wasn't bothered by her flustered display, and continued to give her that same wide-eyed, innocent stare. "Oh, don't you even start," Elsa warned. She sat back and glared at the creature. "Your bed is over there." She pointed at the crate.
The cat continued to gaze at her.
"Well, go on then. Shoo." She flapped a hand in the cat's direction.
The little troublemaker snuggled closer.
"No, no, no," Elsa said as it curled against her side. "Not again."
The cat sighed happily, falling asleep with impressive speed. Elsa was left glaring at it, silently debating if it was worth it to put it back in the crate.
But exhaustion made her limbs heavy, and quashed any motivation she might have had to do so. Reluctantly, she settled down beside it, refusing to admit that the tiny, curled ball of warmth at her side was actually quite nice.
It's leaving soon. She reminded herself again, sleep returning once more. Don't get attached.
Anna and Kristoff did not return until the next evening, worrying the castle staff to no end. It wasn't until they arrived at the gates, flushed from the cold mountain air and beaming, that the servants relaxed.
"It was nothing serious, then?" Kai asked as the two entered the main hall. Kristoff shook his head.
"No, no. The opposite, actually," he told the older man. He prepared to explain what had transpired, but as per usual, Anna beat him to it, relating a tale of troll babies and the festivities held to mark their birth.
"Ah, well, that sounds…nice," Kai remarked with a raised eyebrow. Privately, he thought that the whole thing sounded a bit strange really, but he wasn't about to tell the Princess or her husband that.
"So, yeah. Not a big deal. Trolls. Babies. Party. And now we're back." Kristoff summarized as he shrugged out of his cold weather gear. Anna had already removed her cloak and was asking after the cat.
"Did she miss me while I was gone?"
"Us. Did she miss us." Kristoff corrected.
"Right. Yeah. Sure. Well?"
"I don't think so," Kai said.
Anna frowned. Kai could be…blunt, certainly, but she'd never known him to be that blunt. She wondered if maybe he was joking (he had a funny sense of humor that Elsa seemed to understand better than Anna did) but the line of his mouth and the curve of his eyebrows suggested he was being serious.
"O-oh," she tilted her head to the side. "Well…alright…? Is she…feeling better at least?"
"I'm afraid I don't know, miss, I haven't seen the cat since—"
"You haven't seen her?" Anna asked, panic making her voice jump several octaves higher. "You haven't been keeping an eye on her? Kai!"
"Miss Anna, if you'll just let me—"
"Great, great, leave for one night and Kai loses track of the cat—!" Anna was already down the hall, rushing off to the kitchens to begin questioning anyone and everyone as to the whereabouts of the kitten. Kristoff hung back.
"So. The cat's with Elsa, isn't she?" he asked after a moment.
Kai smirked.
"But of course."
Anna cornered and questioned ever servant she encountered between the main hall and the kitchens, so by the time she arrived, she had the inquiry down pat.
"Kitten. Small. Orange. Seen it?"
She braced for a 'no,' as that was the answer she'd received the last ten times she asked the question.
Instead one of the cooks jerked his head to the side. Anna followed the gesture, mood brightening as she expected to find her cat, being cared for by the kind kitchen staff and oh, that Kai, gonna give him a piece of my mind—
Her eyes found the familiar ball of orange fluff, and her mouth dropped open in a wide gape.
Because seated next to the cat, happily stroking her tabby coat, was her sister. Her, 'no-the-cat-can't-stay,' 'doesn't-prefer-animals,' 'Queen-of-Arendelle-so-why-is-she-sitting-on-the-floor' sister. (Okay, Anna silently reason, still recovering from shock. She sits on the floor in the library when we're in there, up late reading by the fire and stuff…but this is like, the kitchen and everyone is working like it's no big deal and hello! Queen! Sitting on the floor with a cat!)
She slowly approached them, opening and closing her mouth as she struggled to find words. Elsa saw her just then, and smiled.
"Welcome back, Anna."
"…Hi…?"
"Was everything alright with the trolls?"
"Yeah, fine...just babies. I mean!" She shook her head at Elsa's slightly-concerned look. "Not like…I mean…the trolls! There were new baby trolls. I think Kristoff is the godfather? Or…troll…father…how does that even work? No, don't answer that," she flapped a hand at Elsa, who looked as though she was ready to provide an explanation. "I…you…what…I thought…?" she gestured at the two of them as she sank to her knees. Elsa's smile turned into a smirk.
"What's the matter, Anna? Cat got your—"
"Ugh, you did not, you big dork," Anna groaned at the pun. Elsa chuckled, raising a slender hand to her mouth.
"Sorry. Couldn't resist."
"Yeah, well," Anna watched as the kitten nuzzled against Elsa's bare hand, purring contentedly. A saucer sat nearby, though the cat looked less interested in food, and more interested in belly rubs. "So. I see you two have hit it off. Mind telling me how that happened?"
"You say it as though you're surprised," Elsa hedged. She withdrew her hand, silently encouraging Anna to take over. Her young sister happily obliged.
"Gosh, you're right…no clue why I'd be surprised, I mean, you were so warm and fuzzy when I first brought her to meet you." Elsa rolled her eyes.
"Alright, yes, yes…I'll admit, I was not…as receptive…as I could have been." Anna leveled a blank stare at her. "Fine. I wasn't that receptive at all. But I did let her stay!" Anna noted the use of 'her' as opposed to 'it.' "And…and I kept an eye on her, as you told me to…and…well…" Elsa looked at her hands, currently clasped in her lap. "She is rather cute, and now that she's better, she's not as…fussy…"
"Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
"That depends. What do you think I'm saying?"
"El-saaaaa," Anna playfully nudged her sister in the ribs. Elsa laughed.
"Yes! Yes. I'm staying she can stay." Anna beamed and literally threw herself at Elsa, wrapping her arms around her in a tight hug. The cat meowed in surprise. "But she's still not allowed on the furniture," Elsa added, in spite of the fact that she had broken, and probably would continue to break her own rule.
"Sure, got it. No furniture." Anna said, sitting back. She scooped the cat up and brought it close enough to press her nose against the soft fur of her forehead. "Hear that, little one? You get to stay!" a thought occurred to her as she said it, and she looked at Elsa with a gasp. "So she's going to need a name! Well, Kristoff and I were already thinking of one, you know, like, in case…but now she's gonna need one for sure, and—"
"Any ideas?"
"Well, a few…Kristoff wants something…troll-y…Pebble, I think, was his first choice." Both sisters shared a look of distaste; Anna stuck out her tongue, and Elsa scrunched her nose. "No thank you, am I right? And I was trying to think of something a bit less…awful."
"So…?"
"Well, I kinda-sorta liked…" her voice trailed off. Elsa raised an eyebrow as she waited for Anna to continue.
"Yes?"
"…Joan?" Anna suggested softly. Elsa blinked. It was not what she was expecting. Her first inclination was to offer something a bit less formal, but as she considered it, and weighed it against the small kitten who so reminded her of Anna, she found there was simply no other name that would fit.
"...I like it," she declared, and Anna's expression relaxed. "Joan it is." A wooden spoon sat on a nearby stool and, in a brief bout of silliness, Elsa reached over, took the spoon, and gently tapped the cat's shoulder blade, officially dubbing her Joan of Arenedelle.
"Jeanne D'Arendelle," Anna giggled. "I can't wait to tell Kristoff."
"I'm sure he'll think we've both gone mad," Elsa said as they both stood and dusted off their skirts. Anna picked up Joan.
"Well, he expects this sort of thing from me—but yeah, he'll definitely think you've lost it."
"Oh, thank you, dear sister," Elsa laughed, voice laced with sarcasm. They exited the kitchens, bidding the staff adieu. As they walked down the hall, and Elsa's laughter quieted, Anna asked a question.
"…Why were you so against it?" Anna recalled the easy way Elsa pet the cat, not an ounce of fear in her expression, her body free of tension.
"Hmm?"
"The cat. Joan. Staying."
"Oh…I…" Elsa paused. After a moment, she shook her head. "I think maybe…I'll tell you later. After dinner, in the library. I promise," Elsa quickly added, so that her sister wouldn't misunderstand, thinking Elsa was simply brushing her off. Elsa didn't want to ruin the cheerful atmosphere—there would be plenty of time for sad stories later, when there would be blankets and hot chocolate to ease the pain.
So Anna let the subject drop. They joined Kristoff and Kai in the main hall, and Anna relayed the happy news. Elsa watched, bemused, and as Kai excused himself, he gave her the slightest of nods, and just a hint of a smile.
She returned it, a silent thank you, before being drawn into the conversation. "So, what's this about troll babies…?"
Joan spent her days trailing Anna, or Kristoff, or Elsa, depending on who gave her the best belly rub. She'd lounge in the library, explore the garden, and chase mice in the pantry.
But at night, there was only one place to find the feline. Anna expressed mild jealousy at first, can't believe she prefers your room to ours, at which point Elsa gently reminded her sister that the cat was a bed hog, and between her and Kristoff, there simply wasn't a lot of space left over.
"Fair point."
Elsa had thought her sister would get over it, eventually anyway. And, several months later, she'd assumed that she had.
But one afternoon, as Elsa sat in her study, pen in one hand, the other idly stroking Joan's fur, she found she was mistaken.
Anna burst through the door, Kristoff hot on her heels, both disheveled and leaving twigs and leaves in their wake.
"Elsa!" Anna began, and the Queen's eyes trailed to the shaggy bundle of fur that wriggled in her arms. "We found a dog in town and—"
Elsa groaned.
Yep, more fluffy nonsense, because these dorks deserve to live happily ever after and so on and so forth. XD Just a side note, if anyone is following my other story, worry not! It hasn't been abandoned. I've just been too busy to work on the latest chapter.
Alright, anyways, reviews are appreciated, but not required, hope you enjoyed the chapter either way! Thanks for reading! :)