G'day again, folks. I'm sorry this chapter is so late. I'm terrible. A truly terrible, awful person. I've already sent myself to the corner for a timeout.

[!] PLEASE READ BELOW [!]

On a side note, since I've had several comments regarding this - yes, I'm well aware that, based on the technology and other factors, Frozen can't technically take place in the early 1800s. Guys, give me some credit here, I'm a graduated anthropologist. I'm aware of these things. With that said, I don't think Frozen - or any Disney film, for that matter - takes place in our universe.

They take place in the Disneyverse, plain and simple. I've read various things saying Frozen takes place in the 1820s, and 1840s, and hell some even say it takes place in the 1780s because Tangled is said to take place during that time, and fans believe Frozen is canonically set three years following the events of Tangled.

I just went with the most popular one, which is 1820s. Regardless, I don't think it has any effect on the story as a whole, as it was just for the sake of showing the girls' ages during various points in their lives. Try not to let it take away from what the story is saying.

Just assume that in the Disney universe, in the fictional kingdom of Arendelle, this is how things are. It is, after all, not real.

So please, no more comments and PMs about years and dates, guys. Thank you.

Now, without further ado, enjoy chapter thirteen.

Mending An Icy Break
- Chapter 13 -

Elsa gazed down at the courtyard beneath her massive bay window; from where she stood she could see the sentry she'd given her letter to, deliver it to the mailer's carriage.

She watched with bated breath as the armor clad hand holding that malevolent letter handed it off to the young mail carrier. The sentry gave a nod and swiftly turned, walking back into the castle's front entryway.

The carrier, on the other hand, turned back to his carriage and, after securing the royal letter inside a locked chest, climbed onto his seat and gave the reins a quick flick. With muted whinnies and snorts, the twin horses kicked at the dirt and snow, tugging on their bindings and drawing the carriage forward and out of the courtyard.

"I suppose there's nothing left to do now but wait," The Queen's voice was sombre, and perhaps even a little grim, as her eyes remained fixed on the carriage as it rolled over the bridge and into the cobblestone streets of Arendelle.

With a heavy sigh, Elsa's eyes followed the carriage until it was out of the sight, tracing its departure line back along the street, over the bridge, returning to the courtyard. It was then she spotted a blur of strawberry blonde whizzing through and disappearing from sight within the castle.

"Anna will be here soon," She breathed, trying to calm her nerves by focusing on her breathing to distract her wayward thoughts. She needed to appear relaxed, stoic, so as to not let up just how nervous and anxious she was.

If all worked out, then there was no reason to inform her sister of what had transpired. If nothing was to come about from the rejection of Lüztunel's proposal, then Anna need never know about what she had done.

But…

If Lüztunel was infuriated by the rejection, by the fact Elsa had gone against what her parents had always intended, then not only would she be dishonouring her parents' wishes, but endangering Arendelle as well.

The Queen gnawed nervously at her lower lip, her hands tangling and wringing out front of her as she began to pace. There was no turning back now; the letter was gone, on its way to their allied kingdom. An ally Arendelle only held because of a promise made by King Agðar to Queen Isabella before Elsa herself was even born.

"Elsa!" Anna called, reaching the Queen's study, and rapping her knuckles against the wooden door.

Knock, knock, knock-knock, knock.

The blonde inhaled sharply and steeled herself, turning elegantly as she stood before the window, ready to face those wide teal eyes.

"Come in," Her voice wavered, but did not betray her stoicism. Slowly, the door opened and Anna's head poked in, her eyes falling on her sister.

The redhead's cheeks flushed, seeing Elsa standing before her, clad in her flowing ice gown with her hair done up in its now usual over the shoulder plait. Internally, Anna chastised herself, for she should know by now that she needed to prepare herself lest she be taken aback by the stunning beauty of her sister.

The years of separation were cruel for a many number of reasons, but one of the most spiteful–at the moment, Anna thought–was the fact she would now never be prepared for just how striking Elsa would be every time her eyes laid themselves on the blonde.

'Elsa,' Anna practically gawked, 'why do you have to be so unbelievably beautiful? I'm sure I look like a complete awkward mess right now…I am just staring…not speaking and–'

The Queen arched a single brow, her lips in a tight emotionless line.

'– I…I need to say something,' The redhead swallowed, 'say something!'

"Anna, are you alright–"

"You look beautiful today!" The statement practically stumbled past the Princess' lips, falling off her tongue as she blurted it out louder than she'd intended. Elsa's shoulders tightened as she stared, eyes wide as her cheeks coloured.

"I…I…" The Queen was unsure how to respond to such a sudden compliment.

Anna, on the other hand, now as red as a tomato dealt with the situation by hurriedly pulling out of the doorway and slamming the door shut. The Princess' back pressed to the door and she breathed, trying not to think about how she'd just slammed the door in her sister's face, and was now hiding on the opposite side of the familiar wooden barrier.

Still a bit stunned, it took the Queen a moment before a small smiled graced her lips and she shook her head lightly. "Anna," She cooed, walking over to the door and opening it, causing the redhead to stumble backwards into her awaiting arms.

"Oof–E-Elsa, sorry!" The freckled girl stammered, her head tilted back to stare apologetically up at her older sister.

"What did I tell you about saying sorry?" Elsa quirked a brow, eyes on her sister, though there was obvious playfulness in her tone. Anna always seemed to cheer her up.

"I–uhm, not to?"

"That's right," Elsa smiled, helping Anna to stand upright on her feet again. "Now, what's on your mind? You have something to ask me?"

Anna blinked. "What makes you think I'm going to ask you something?"

"Well," Elsa stepped around Anna, closing the door, and then walking back to her desk, "you normally charge headfirst into things when you have something on your mind," The Queen gracefully took a seat, crossing one leg over the other, "and when you come running to me it's usually to ask something." The redhead grinned, following after her sister, standing on the opposite side of the massive desk.

"I guess you know me too well," The redhead teased, wiggling her fingers at her smiling sibling, "but I really was just coming in to see how you were doing. You rushed off so fast this morning and I wanted to make sure nothing was bugging you."

Elsa hummed, resting her elbows on the desk, and her hand against her cheek. "Nothing is bugging me," She lied. Not now, anyway. "I just wanted to get the last of my paperwork finished. It had piled up," The Queen shifted back and gestured to the emptiness of the top of her desk, "but now, as you can see, all the paperwork is gone. I actually just sent out the last letter before you came in."

A smile so wide it seemed to threaten to stay fixed on her face permanently spread across Anna's lips. "So, does that mean–?" Elsa couldn't help but laugh at her sister's unbridled excitement.

"Yes, Anna," The blonde smiled, "it means I'm free for the rest of the afternoon." Clasping her hands together, the redhead squealed in delight, practically leaping over the desk to catch Elsa's hands in her own. She gave them a gentle squeeze and couldn't help the massive grin that nearly reached from ear to ear.

"Let's go for the carriage ride–no, wait, let's have a picnic! Oh, no, let's go swimming–or skating! Or we could–" Elsa freed a hand and pressed her fingers to Anna's lips, effectively silencing the rambling girl.

"How about first we calm down," Elsa crooned, and Anna visibly slumped, her whole body loosening from its tenseness, "maybe we could go for a walk? I think I would like to go outside, but let's avoid drawing unnecessary attention. I just don't have the energy for that today."

Anna absently stroked the one hand that remained between her two with her thumbs, still smiling. "Alright, where would you like to walk then?" Elsa hummed consideringly.

"We could go to the garden," She suggested, enjoying the pleasant stroking her hand was receiving.

"Do you want to have a late lunch first?" Anna asked, leaning her weight against the desk, her torso pressing into the wood.

"I suppose I could eat something," Elsa smiled, relaxing visibly, "I haven't had a thing to eat yet today." Anna gasped.

"You need to eat, Elsa," She scolded, and the blonde shrank back a bit under the stern gaze, though Anna relented as soon as she noticed, "I guess I'll just need to remind you when you forget."

"That could work, if you don't mind my being irritable when I'm busy and you try to force me to eat," A small grin tugged at the Queen's lips, "even my own councilmen won't approach me when they see I'm in a foul mood."

"Well, I'm not afraid," Anna puffed her chest proudly and leaned fully over the desk, pressing a chaste kiss to Elsa's lips, "you're not scary, not even when you're grumpy." The redhead parted, leaving a short distance between them.

"No?" Elsa asked, her voice breathy and soft, as she closed the gap between them with another kiss. "Mmm–are you sure?" Anna giggled and pressed another peck to Elsa's lips as soon as they parted again.

"I am sure, Your Majesty," She cooed, stealing another kiss for good measure.

"I should think I'm a force to be reckoned with." Elsa moved in for another kiss, this one lasting ever so slightly longer than the previous ones.

"You certainly are," Anna assured between two more quick pecks, "I'm just not afraid. You're not dangerous, not to me anyway," Several more sweet chaste kisses were stolen by each young woman, leaving them giggling after they parted. "No one needs to be afraid of you, Elsa, you're so sweet."

A soft laughter filled the room as both girls giggled happily together between loving kisses, with Anna practically lying across the table now, while Elsa leaned forward to meet her sister's affections. "I don't know if I'm sweet," The blonde spoke, though the sheer loving tenderness of the look in her eyes only solidified the idea in the Princess' mind.

"You like warm hugs, chocolate, and are too shy to dance even though you're spectacular at it," Anna beamed, practically alight, "you, my sister, are most definitely sweet." Elsa hummed softly and continued to admire Anna; she could shine vibrantly in the darkest places. Elsa always admired her sister's resolve and commitment.

She knew, without a doubt in her mind, that she could always count on her sister. And certainly could not live without her.

"I assume that there's really no point in trying to argue that with you," Elsa grinned.

"Nope!" Anna immediately chirruped, likewise smiling.

A gentle tug at her hand raised the Queen from her seat, and as Anna stepped around the table, Elsa found herself pulled into a tight hug. It wasn't suffocating, or uncomfortable, but rather simple perfection.

Their bodies fit perfectly together, and to Elsa, that just affirmed that they were meant to embrace in such a way. With a contented sigh, the blonde buried her nose in strawberry blonde hair, nuzzling it sweetly while taking in her sister's comforting scent.

Elsa felt Anna shift against her and she pulled away somewhat, looking down to see a very red Anna, whose eyes were glued to their feet. "Anna? You look a little flushed, are you alright?" The redhead bobbed her hand quickly and stepped away, quickly snatching up Elsa's hand in her own, and entwining their fingers.

"Yes, I'm great!" She practically shouted. Elsa was unconvinced.

"Are you sure?" Anna laughed and tucked a few strands behind her ear, looking off at a far corner of the room.

"Yes," She replied meekly. Elsa tugged at their joined hands and lowered her head somewhat, hoping to catch Anna's gaze.

"Why are you suddenly acting so shy?" Anna bit the inside of her cheek and murmured something in reply. "I'm sorry?" Elsa blinked, unable to hear her sister's near silent muttering. Anna repeated herself, slightly louder than before, but her voice was still barely above a whisper. "A little louder, Anna, please."

"I said my face was…pressed into…into…" The ginger's voice trailed off and it left the Queen to fill in the blanks. She took a moment to decipher, while Anna shifted sheepishly.

"Into my?" Elsa coaxed, her arctic blue eyes quizzical.

"Your chest…" Anna clarified in a voice unbeffitingly small for the Princess.

"Oh," Elsa's own cheeks tinted a soft shade of pink, "I see." The Queen stood upright and turned to look at her sister. Anna's eyes were still downcast, her teeth gnawing into the flesh of her lower lip, and her cheeks an incredibly bright shade of rose.

Taking pity on her embarrassed sibling, Elsa cleared her throat. "Well, you know, I…don't mind. It is you, after all," Anna's fingers twitched against Elsa's, before giving them a light squeeze, "and I like hugging, and cuddling you, so our bodies will end up pressing into one another."

Anna giggled a bit despite herself. "That does make sense…," She agreed, moving her hand to tuck hair behind her ear, but finding none she simply continued with the habitual gesture. Elsa smiled and pressed a kiss to her sister's freckled cheek.

"You remember when you said I don't need to worry around you?"

"I meant that about your powers, Elsa," Anna quipped, which Elsa dismissed with a wave of her hand.

"Regardless," The Queen spoke, "I want you to think the same about being around me; you don't have to be shy, or embarrassed, because I'm not going to think badly of you for anything you do."

"I know that," The redhead quickly stated, wanting to pacify any concerns her older sibling might have that she was uncomfortable with their current situation, "I'm just…clumsy, and awkward, and…inexperienced."

"We're both inexperienced, Anna," Elsa giggled, her free hand rising to her mouth, "but they're just kisses and hugs…I'm not going to be mad because you touch me." Anna felt Elsa's lips press to her cheek once more, and this time she leaned into the touch, humming contently.

She would always soak up Elsa's affection, and bask in it, she was sure of that.

"Alright, but…Gerda always did say you need to be careful when it comes to touching. Certain…places are not to be handled." Anna teal eyes fixed on Elsa's blue. With a small nod Elsa agreed.

"Of course, though I never really needed to be told not to touch anyone," A sullen expression spread over the Queen's face at her own words, her eyes darkening and her lips sealing tightly into a resigned line. Anna frowned and turned her body, cupping Elsa's cheek with her free hand and stroking the swell of her sister's cheek with her thumb.

"I'm here now Elsa, so I promise, I'll try not to become too flustered when I touch you," She offered a winning smile, flashing her pearly whites, "but it is hard, you're so beautiful!" Elsa's eyes brightened from a dark sapphire to a vibrant azure and she raised her head somewhat, while simultaneously leaning into her sister's palm.

"And you say I'm sweet," Elsa laughed softly, rubbing her cheek against Anna's palm contently, "alright, I'll accept an attempt at it."

"Good," Anna smiled, "now, let's get something to eat!"