CHAPTER 20

Anna and Elsa were stunned by the sudden revelation of their father. Silence occupied the room. No one dared to speak, no one dared move until Idunn broke the silence.

"We need to talk about this calmly," Idunn said pointing at the couch for the girls to sit down.

The two just followed their mother without saying anything. Their minds were still in shock over what they discovered. Was it really true? Were their parents really siblings as well?

Idunn then leaned to her husband and rubbed his back as a sign of comfort, gesturing for him to sit down as well.

Anna, not able to stand the tension any longer spoke up. "Do you guys want to tell us something?"

No one spoke and this made her tense even more. "You—you don't have to tell us if you don't want to so, you know—"

Idunn interrupted her. "We—I mean, did you guys never wonder where your grandparents and uncles or aunties were?"

"Well, you said they died even before you had us and mom is a single child while dad has two brothers but they had a big quarrel or something and they never reconciled so we had no other relatives at all. Well, we thought about your other relatives too but we never asked because there was always this pain in your eyes when we talk about family so we didn't ask," Anna rambled.

"Well you see, the thing is—" Then Idunn began sobbing, all her emotions hidden for years where finally pouring out of her.

Adgar then pulled his wife into a tight embrace, holding her still and rubbing her back to let her know he was there. Elsa and Anna wanted to run to their mother but fell frozen at the moment. They didn't want to see their mother like this but they needed to know what had really happened.

Minutes passed and Idunn finally calmed down but still remained in Adgar's embrace. She looked into his eyes and Adgar just nodded. Adgar then cleared his throat, preparing himself for all the things he had to confess. He had known this time would come but never in this situation.

"The thing we said about your grandparents and uncles were all lies," he said as he bowed his head, ashamed. "We—your mother and I are…" He inhaled deeply. Idunn locked her hands with him giving him the strength to confess everything. "We are siblings, like you and Elsa."

The two gasped at the confirmation. Of course it was obvious, but hearing him say it was really nerve-wrecking. They remained in stunned silence after that, waiting for their father to continue the story.

"I was the eldest son, and your mom was the youngest. I was in my senior year in college when I had feelings for your mother. She was about to graduate from high school and I got really attracted to her as she grew up into a wonderful woman." He paused. "I won't go into detail but obviously the feelings were mutual and that's why we're here in front of you, that's why you two are here."

Anna's curiosity got the better of her so she asked, "So what did they say? Your—our grandparents?"

"Obviously, they didn't accept us. They threw us out of the house and they cut all ties with us. They never wanted to be with immoral people." The pain was evident in his voice, but no tears came out.

Anna remained silent.

Idunn then straightened herself and said, "That's why your father was so anxious earlier, he—he's worried for your future. He didn't want you to feel and experience what we did. It's not just our parents and family who judged us. All the people we knew—our friends, neighbours, everyone looked down on us. We only had each other left."

Adgar continued after his wife, "We were the talk of the whole town for a long time, and no one spoke to us. It was as if they forgot who we were before everything happened. With just that one mistake—for them it's a mistake, I'm not saying our love was a mistake but—"he rambled. Now Anna knew where she got her habit.

Idunn just shook her head. "What your father meant is that with that one thing we did, all our good deeds were overlooked and us falling in love was all they saw. They could never accept that, so we went very far away and we found this place—Arendelle. We decided to start on our own, where no one knows us and our blood relation with each other. Soon, things started to work out. We even found some really good friends like your godfather Marcus, Elsa. He knew we were siblings but he never judged us like the others, he was a really good man."

Elsa smiled at the thought of her godfather.

Anna excitedly squealed, "He's like Kristoff!"

Then Adgar and Idunn stared at her. Adgar asked in a serious tone, "You mean Kristoff knew about you?"

Anna just smiled and nodded

Then all of them fell silent, just looking at each other.

"Dad I know you're worried about us, but please don't break us," Elsa suddenly said.

Anna held Elsa's hand. "I won't let you break us apart. I love Elsa. I tried to hide and stop my feelings but it never stopped. Instead it even grew as times passed. Please Dad, Mom. I'm so in love with Elsa so please, don't break us apart."

Their parents fell silent for a while. They stared at each other, communicating with glances. Idunn just gave a nod on her husband.

They knew that instant that their parents had made their decision. Anna and Elsa felt a lump at their throat, preparing themselves for any rejection they might hear.

Then Adgar spoke, "We see that you really love each other, but are you ready for all the pain, hardships that might come your way? You two are still very young, you might find someone else—"

Before Adgar can finish his statement , Anna interrupted, "Elsa is the one for me! I'll never find someone else! My heart solely belongs to her!" Then she looked at her sister and realized what she had just said. It was like she had just proposed to Elsa and she blushed but then she realized something. What if Elsa did find someone else? What if she was not ready to fight for their love? Did she really deserve Elsa? What if someone else came and—

Anna's thoughts came into a halt when Elsa hugged her. Somehow the pain in her heart showed on her face expressed her and Elsa knew what she was thinking.

As Elsa hugged her sister, she looked at her father and said, "Anna belongs to me as I belong to her. No one else matters, and I know she's all I need and want. I am ready for whatever obstacle we may face. I might stumble but I know Anna will always be there for me as I will for her."

Hearing those words, Anna felt so relieved and she cried again. Elsa really did love her as much as Anna loved her back.

Adgar and Idunn saw themselves in their daughters and they knew, and they understood that their daughters were completely in love with each other. Who were they stop them?

"Okay," was all Adgar said.

The two sisters asked in unison, "What's okay?"

"He meant that you two must continue to love and protect each other," Idunn said, smiling fondly at her daughters.

The two immediately jumped up in happiness and ran to their parents, hugging them tightly. They cried and laughed and thanked them for their understanding.