Hello, lovelies! I'm so sorry that this chapter took a freaking month. There's really no excuse for that...I mean, I've been busy, but still!
Just to clear a few things up about this chapter...according to the Disney Wiki, Frozen takes place in the year 1840 (or around it). For the sake of consistencies with the story, I'm going to go with Elsa's coronation taking place in the summer of 1840. That means in 1832 Anna is 10 and Elsa is 13; in 1836 Anna is 14 and Elsa is 17; and in 1839 Anna is 17 and Elsa is 20. Canonical ages have them at 18 and 21 respectively.
The plot kind of thickens! I'll be updated more frequently than it took to get this chapter.
Also officially on two digit chapters! That's a big accomplishment for yours truly, making this my longest fic to date.
Well, without further ado...enjoy!
Mending An Icy Break
- Chapter 10 -
April 16th, 1832.
"Papa," King Agðar raised his head, setting his freshly dipped quill back into its inkwell.
"Yes?" His voice was deep, low, and drifted across the space between his desk and the slightly ajar door, which half his youngest daughter was hidden behind.
"May I come in?" Anna asked softly, her left hand tightly gripping the door, while her right was pressed flat against the painted exterior. The King gave a small nod, and smiled.
"Yes, of course," He gestured for her to come with his hand, leaning back in his chair and sighing, "what time is it, dear?" The young girl scurried to her father's side, arms outstretched expectantly. With a hearty laugh, the King leaned over and slipped his hands under Anna's arms, hoisting his daughter up into his lap. "You aren't getting a little big for this?" The redhead's cheeks puffed and she blushed.
"No Papa!" She insisted, crossing her legs daintily, her hands resting on her lap. "And it's half past four." Agðar smiled fondly, gently bouncing Anna on his knee.
"Ah, so your silly Papa has been working all day, has he?" Anna nodded expressively.
"Yes! And you said we could go for a carriage ride today," She tangled her hands and wrung them out, eyes down, "You remember that, don't you Papa?" Admittedly, he'd forgotten.
"Oh yes, of course my sweet one," He cooed softly, resting a gloved hand on her tiny shoulder, "but I'm afraid now it's late. Would you like to reschedule to this Sunday?" Anna's head lowered slightly and her hands stopped their anxious wringing.
"Yes, please, Papa," The Princess' voice was practically muted, her disappointment almost palpable. King Agðar frowned and gave his daughter's shoulder a gentle squeeze.
"I am sorry Anna," He spoke, "but you know I am very busy." Anna's head bobbed.
"Being King is very hard," She agreed, "I know you have lots of work to do." Anna felt another squeeze on her shoulder.
"It is," Her father agreed, "it's a lot of responsibility and hard work. It can be very stressful, but also very rewarding." Agðar shifted, lifting Anna up and gently setting her back down on her feet. "I will see you at dinner." Wide aquamarine eyes turned up to meet aging hazel, and Anna's gaze lowered to the several shining medals adorning her father's uniform.
"Yes Papa." Anna curtsied and scurried back towards the door, turning on her heel at the last minute to see her father return to the papers on his desk, his brow furrowing, already lost in thought.
July 29th, 1836.
Queen Iðunn walked gracefully, her hands entwined and arms over her front, with her lilac eyes forward and confident. Princess Anna walked by her mother's side, occasionally stealing glances up at her mother's stoic beauty. The redhead admired her mother, her elegance, poise and grace.
She often wondered if such body language came naturally to royalty, or if her mother had been instilled with it at a young age. It was befitting of a Queen to move in such a manner, she knew.
"Mama," Anna's hand reached out and tugged at her mother's sleeve. The Queen turned her eyes to her daughter and smiled.
"Yes?"
"Will I ever be as graceful as you?" Anna's eyes scanned her mother's. Iðunn simply smiled, lacing her arm with Anna's nearest, and pulled her daughter close.
"I'm sure you will, my darling, but you're still young and you have time to mature into a young woman." Anna smiled and squeezed her mother's arm gently. Iðunn stopped, turning slightly and extended her hand out to brush her daughter's bangs out of her face. "But you are already on your way, growing into a beautiful Princess." The redhead's cheeks warmed as she flushed, the compliment making her heart swell proudly.
"Thank you, Mama," Anna chirruped, pressing into her mother's side with a wide smile. The Queen laughed softly and raked her hand through her daughter's hair, reaching the top of one of Anna's braids, and grazing her fingers down along the fastened hair.
"Of course my Anna," She cooed sweetly in the perfect motherly tone.
"Your Highness," One of the sentries approached them, crossing an arm over his armoured chest, and his head lowering in a respectful bow, "the dignitaries from Lüztunel have arrived and have been escorted to the convocation hall." The Queen stiffed at the redhead's side, and Anna's eyes flicked between the man and her mother.
"Yes, of course," There was a slight waver in Iðunn's voice, but she quickly steeled herself and bowed her head appreciatively, "I shall come now."
"I shall escort you, Your Majesty," The guard stood, his hands at his sides.
"Thank you," The Queen turned her lilac eyes to her daughter and smiled, "I must go now Anna, duty calls," She laughed softly and unhooked her arm, "you know how it is." Anna forced a smiled and laced her fingers behind her back, rocking on the balls of her feet as she nodded.
"Yes Mama, I know," She replied softly, watching as her mother and the guard continued down the grand hall, disappearing from sight as they rounded a corner. The moment she was alone her smile fell, and Anna turned, walking away in the opposite direction.
November 22nd, 1839.
"Are you not excited about the announcement, Princess?" Gerda asked while collecting Anna's dirtied lunch dishes. Anna sat, her knees draw up into her seat, and her elbow resting atop her knees with her chin on her palm. The pudgy woman straightened herself, setting the plate and cutlery onto her tray. She eyed the quiet redhead, whose eyes were staring out the window, but seemed glazed. "Your Highness?" Anna stirred.
"Hmm?" Slowly, Anna's head turned and her eyes lit up, realizing she'd been spoken to. "Oh! Sorry Gerda, I was…thinking." She smiled. "You were saying?" Gerda laughed.
"I was asking if you're excited about the announcement," She reiterated. Anna's brow furrowed and she nodded.
"I am," She answered, though her response was very unenthused, "I'm sure Elsa will make a great queen." Gerda watched the Princess for a moment.
"And, you know," She turned slightly, picking up Anna's empty glass, "you will be able to see her at her coronation." Anna perked up, eyes flashing. Gerda could see the hopefulness behind those bright eyes, and she was happy to see the listless dull disappear from them, even for a moment.
"Oh!" She gasped. "I-I hadn't even considered that!" Her hands clasped together with an audible clap.
"Yes ma'am," The portly woman chuckled, "I'm sure she is just as excited to see you." Anna's gaze flicked to Gerda, her wide eyes alight with intrigue.
"Does she…ever talk about me?" Anna bit her lower lip. "O-Or ask how I am?" Gerda hesitated for a moment.
"Yes, she does," She answered in earnest, to which she heard Anna gasp, and could see the light blush that crept across the Princess' cheeks through the corner of her eye.
"What…What sorts of things does she ask? Or say?" Anna inquired, at the edge of her seat.
"The usual things," Gerda looked around, checking for any missed sullied dishes, "how you are feeling, whether or not you're keeping up with your studies, and," The woman paused and turned to Anna, "whether or not you ask about her." Anna felt her heart beat loudly against her ribcage with a reverberating thud. She wondered often if she was ever on Elsa's mind, but she had stopped asking when her parents had made it clear she was not to inquire about her sister.
"Well, do let her know when you see her next that I do," Anna flopped back into the chair and kicked her legs, wriggling happily. Gerda couldn't help the smile that formed on her lips at the sight of the Princess so giddy. It was delightful, and a bit infectious.
"I certainly will, You Highness." Gerda curtsied and turned to leave when Anna called after her.
"Gerda, will Elsa be very busy once she's queen? Papa and Mama were always very busy, and never had much time for anything but work." The handmaid stopped and looked back over her shoulder.
"I would imagine so, and even more so than usual as she'll be ruling alone for the time being." Anna bit her lower lip, turning back to the window, her eyes dulling once more.
August 8th, 1840.
"Your Highness?" Anna, who had been up on a ladder reaching for a book on the highest shelf, squeaked in surprise and fell back landing on the floor. She stood, rubbing her lower back and whining softly, before turning her head to see Bjønnal standing behind her.
Usually the strong silent type, sporting a constant mask that hid his emotions, his concern for the Princess betrayed his stoicism as he eyed her concernedly. He was a tall man, always clad in his uniform, which sported at least a dozen medals bestowed for acts of bravery and loyalty to the Arendelle Crown. In his youth he was captain of the guard, countless victories under his belt, but in his old age he'd succumb to painful bouts of arthritis and reluctantly stepped down.
Since then he'd joined the ranks of royal advisor, and had been part of the council that had been ruling Arendelle in the absence of a monarch – during the three years between the deaths of the beloved King Agðar and Queen Iðunn, and sovereign Queen Elsa's coronation weeks prior – and he now found himself with much more time on his hands. When he'd been doing his rounds, he'd noticed the door to the private library open, and entered to investigate.
"Are you alright, Your Highness?" He asked, his hands out, and eyes wide with worry. Anna flashed a toothy grin.
"I'm alright Bjønnal, thank you," She assured, straightening up, wincing a bit at the pain, "just a little sore."
"What are you doing in here?" He asked, turning his eyes to the highest shelf, scanning it.
"I was…looking for some books to read," Anna answered sheepishly, "but I couldn't…reach them all."
"Allow me then, Your Majesty," Bjønnal smiled as he stepped over and carefully scaled the ladder, looking over the dusty tomes, "which of these are you looking for, Princess?" Anna bit her lower lip and walked up to the base of the ladder.
"I'd like the red book there, on the far left," She gestured, pointing to the weathered book with the broken spine. Bjønnal reached for it, grabbing it easily, having longer arms than the tiny Princess. He stepped down off the ladder and dusted the book's cover off.
"This is rather heavy reading material," He commented, "why are you interested in looking over these manuscripts?"
"Because I've been reviewing Arendelle's trade agreements over the last hundred years," Anna explained flatly, feeling oddly embarrassed, as if she was five again and her hand was caught in the cookie jar. Bjønnal raised one of his bushy grey brows skeptically.
"And why are you doing that?"
"Because I…" Anna looked down, then off to the side, avoiding Bjønnal's eyes, "because I've been studying. Studying to…help…Elsa; I thought that if I became more knowledgeable about these things I could lighten her work load." Bjønnal smiled at that and handed the book to Anna.
"If you would like, Your Majesty, I could offer lessons." Anna stared down at the old book before turning wide teal eyes up to meet stony grey.
"Lessons? R-really!?" She practically chirped, a bright smile spreading over her lips. The aging man gave a nod.
"Of course, I think what you're doing is admirable, incredibly so," He praised. Anna's cheeks flushed.
"Th-Thank you! So, when can we get started?"
Anna stirred awake with a small sound. She stretched her limbs and turned her head, blinking blearily at the massive bay windows on the far side of the room. It was still dark out, though the sky was lightening somewhat, but the sun hadn't risen.
The Princess' brow furrowed. She never woke early, and certainly not before the sun! With a soft sigh she turned over and outstretched her arm, draping it over what she'd expected to be empty space. But, instead, she found her arm flattening out over the curve of a midriff.
Anna stared bewilderedly for a moment, following the midsection her arm was strewn over with her eyes, up over the slope of breasts and past the porcelain white of exposed collarbone and neck, to the sleeping face of the Queen of Arendelle herself.
Anna blinked.
Then blinked again.
"Oh," She murmured, smiling to herself, "you actually stayed the whole night." The redhead scooted herself closer, pressing her body into her sister's side, and squeezed her arm around her sister's lithe form. Elsa murmured in her sleep and breathed softly, her lips parting slightly. The Princess stared, mesmerized by her sister's slightest movements.
"You're so pretty," She thought aloud, smiling and resting her cheek against Elsa's shoulder, watching her sister's soft breaths blowing at a few strands of stray bangs. "Even when you're asleep…" Gingerly, Anna reached out and brushed the strands from her sister's face, tucking them around her ear.
Elsa shifted again and turned onto her side, now facing Anna. The redhead blinked and then smiled, taking the opportunity to admire her sister's beauty up close. Another soft unintelligible murmur left the Queen, and her brow knit for a moment, the crease soon softening out as she relaxed again.
"You look so calm when you sleep," Anna whispered, her hands playing with the lace around the neckline of Elsa's nightgown, "I wish you could look more relaxed like this when you're awake too."
"Mnngh…" Elsa shifted again and blinked her eyes open slowly, shimmering blue meeting vibrant teal. The Queen jolted slightly, startled, to which Anna immediately reacted by placing her palm over Elsa's cheek.
"Easy Elsa, it's just me," She soothed, and the blonde visibly relaxed. A small smile spread over the Queen's rosy lips and she laughed softly, albeit a bit embarrassed.
"Sorry, you just surprised me," Her voice was still heavy with grogginess, and her statement was followed by a yawn, "I'm not used to waking up with eyes staring at me." Anna's cheeks warmed.
"No, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been staring." Elsa shook her head against the pillow.
"I don't mind when it's you," She slurred softly, yawning again, before snuggling closer to Anna and pressing her face against her sister's throat. "It's okay when it's you…" The redhead felt her entire face flush, the blush creeping all the way down her neck. She suddenly felt very warm, and thankfully it was Elsa pressed against her, because she was mercifully cool. "What time is it?"
"Huh? Oh–uh…early. The sun isn't even up yet." Anna answered, pulling Elsa closer, her arms wrapped tightly around her sister.
"Mmm, good, I'm not ready to greet the new day just yet," Elsa laughed again, her cold breath ghosting over Anna's heated skin, "'M going to go back to sleep now." The Queen added softly, her voice growing softer as she started to succumb slowly to unconsciousness. "See you in the morning Anna." She pressed a kiss to Anna's throat and nuzzled into her sister, falling back to sleep.
Anna, on the other hand, was now wide awake and red enough to rival her hair.