Disclaimer: You already know, I'm sure.
Elsa and Anna opted to grab a shower after the tournament- which Elsa won, to the consternation of Merida and the surprise of literally no one else- ended, heading to the room set aside for the blonde during her visits to the estate.
"So, how shall we decide who gets to shower first?" Elsa smiled, having recovered from her father's odd display. The blonde seemed bound and determined to remain positive during their stay which helped bolster Anna's tenuous grip on her self-confidence.
The redhead shrugged. "You, I guess."
"But I'm the host." Elsa lightly bumped their shoulders together, taking her hand and squeezing slightly. "If I go first, that would be poor manners."
"Yeah, but you're my girlfriend, so it'd be poor manners for me to go first." Anna countered, trying to match Elsa's lighthearted argument.
"Hmmm, but you're my girlfriend as well, so I think that point is invalid."
"Okay, how about this: you go first because I want a chance to snoop around your room," she replied.
"You won't find much. I didn't really grow up here," Elsa said, catching sight of Gerda as they turned a corner. "Although that does remind me. Gerda! I seem to remember father... being done on my bathroom. Has that been completed?"
"Yes, Miss Elsa, just a few weeks ago." The older woman smiled. "I believe you will like the improvements."
"Excellent. We wanted to grab showers before dinner. It's still being served at the same time as always, right?" The blonde threw Anna a look that plainly said she already knew the answer to that question and suppressed a chuckle.
From the twinkle in her eyes, Anna guessed Gerda was just as aware that the question was a rather silly one to ask. "Yes, of course, dear. Your father wouldn't have it any other way."
"Tell me about it." Elsa slipped her hand out of Anna's grip, her girlfriend moving to wrap her arm around the redhead's shoulders. "By the way, I don't believe you two were properly introduced. Gerda, this is Anna Andersen."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Anna said, holding out her hand and expecting Gerda to take it, faltering a moment after as she tried to remember if that was even a custom in Norway... or The Netherlands... or any country besides America.
Luckily, whether it was a custom or not, Gerda took her hand and gently pat her arm. "It's a joy to meet you, Miss Anna. I'm so happy our little Elsa has found someone to make her so happy."
Anna beamed, looking at Elsa and catching a matching expression adorning her girlfriend's face. That was just the sort of confidence booster she needed!
"Now, dear, would you like to show me to your room?" Gerda motioned down an adjacent hall, bringing Elsa's formerly happy- and a bit proud- expression crashing into one of confusion.
"I know I haven't visited in a while but my room hasn't changed locations, has it?"
Gerda blinked in surprise. "Of course not, dear! I was offering Miss Anna an escort to her room, but if you'd rather-"
"Her room?" The blonde frowned as Anna's shoulders slumped. "I was under the- wait, who told you we wouldn't be sharing a room during our visit?"
"Your mother," Gerda replied, transforming from the kindly woman from before to what Anna imagined was the strict disciplinarian who helped raise Elsa. "Now Miss Elsa-"
"I'm going to talk to her." Elsa started to turn away, her arm leaving Anna's shoulders, but the redhead reacted quickly, snaking an arm around her waist. "Anna-"
"Snowflake, hear me out." Anna waited a moment for her girlfriend's irritation to fade a little before continuing. She glanced at Gerda, opting to switch back to Norwegian to prove a point. "This is your parents' house, Snowflake. It's their rules while we're here. If your mother wants us to stay in different rooms, that's what we'll do. It doesn't change anything between us." She paused, scrunching her nose as she tried to remember if Norwegian even had a word for 'cuddles', deciding to switch back to English anyway. "It just means you owe me cuddles and a story when we get back to America. Okay?"
Elsa pouted, clearly not 'okay' in any sense. She settled for a muttered: "You're getting better. Switching back and forth."
"I wasn't lying when I said I have an amazing teacher." She leaned in, kissing Elsa's cheek and whispering into her ear. "I'll spend every night dreaming of you. It's just for two weeks."
"Are you aware that you pick the most inconvenient times to be the reasonable one?" The blonde sighed, hugging her tightly.
"Well, I can't let you be the reasonable one all the time. That wouldn't be fair," Anna replied, keeping a smile on her face as they parted. "I'll see you after we both freshen up."
Reluctantly, Elsa and Anna started in different directions, Gerda escorting the redhead down a hall and then another, throwing little glances over her shoulder as they walked. As hard as it was to do, Anna managed to keep a small smile on her face. Really, it was selfish of her to use Elsa as a shield throughout their stay; if she was going to impress the Arens, she'd have to do it standing on her own.
She still wasn't keen on the idea of sleeping alone, though.
Gerda stopped about midway down the second hallway and opened a door, ushering Anna into a room easily the size of Elsa's apartment, complete with a four poster bed, two dressers, a vanity, a writing desk, a freaking sofa, two matching chairs, and a coffee table.
"Wow." Anna blinked stepping inside and catching sight of her bags sitting at the foot of the bed. She probably didn't bring enough to fill even one of the dressers.
The smile she'd managed to plaster on slowly fell.
"Miss? Is something not to your liking?" Gerda furrowed her brows in concern.
"No! Well, I mean..." She sighed, flashing the older woman a weak smile. "It's just a big bed for one person, you know?" Anna received a sympathetic nod in reply, clearing her throat before switching back to Norwegian. "Thank you for your help.."
Gerda laughed. "It's my pleasure. Let me know if you need anything. The bathroom is through that door."
The redhead waited until the door was closed before siting on the bed, sighing heavily. Okay, so, this was a set back. Just a small one, though. Nothing big. It wasn't like when she'd spent the night on the couch, a self-imposed exile due to a misunderstanding. This was being courteous and reasonable.
Seriously, she was a grown woman; spending a few nights sleeping in a bed alone was absolutely nothing to sweat over.
"But it still sucks." She muttered to no one in particular, trudging towards the bathroom to grab that shower.
As one would expect, dinner was a... tense affair.
Merida, Olaf, and Marshall did their part to lighten the mood, keeping the stilted conversation plodding along in English as people- servants, apparently, because the Aren's were that kind of rich- brought in each course of the meal. Anna sat as straight as she could in her seat beside Elsa, trying to keep her silverware from scratching her plate as she cut into some sort of traditional fish dish and focusing rather heavily on not looking at the dead, glassy eyes.
Yeah, that was still a thing that bugged her.
Elsa had remained exceptionally quiet throughout the meal thus far, shooting her mother looks that promised the whole sleeping-in-separate-rooms thing was going to come up again. Come to think of it, she didn't actually get the blonde to agree to leaving the issue alone.
Crap.
"Snowflake?" Anna kept her voice low, leaning towards her girlfriend.
Elsa blinked, turning her attention from glowering at her mother to the redhead beside her. "Yes, Sunshine?"
"I realize neither of us is happy about the sleeping arrangements, but will you promise me you won't make a big deal about it?"
The blonde frowned. "I don't see why you're so insistent on just letting this go. If I talk to her-"
"You may say something you'll regret." Anna reached out, pausing only briefly before taking Elsa's hand in hers. "Your mother probably doesn't like me and you've already threatened to be disowned."
"I don't see why either part of that statement matters," her girlfriend replied, squeezing her hand. "This is our decision to make- to be together- not theirs."
"But it is their home."
"And that gives them the right to deny me mine?"
Anna sighed. Being the responsible adult sucked.
"So! Miss... Anna..." Mr. Aren coughed into his hand, having outright barked out the words initially before settling his tone to a more acceptable level for dinner conversation. "You're attending university, yes?"
The redhead flashed a smile at Elsa as the blonde gave her hand another squeeze, swallowing her apprehension before replying. "Well, I'm currently splitting my time between college and a job as a waitress."
"A waitress? That's... nice." Mrs. Aren offered a weak smile. "Is that a career you're interested in pursuing? Customer service, I mean."
"Um, not exactly." Anna nervously chuckled. "It's just to help put me through college."
"What are your plans for the future then? What are you studying?" Mr. Aren began lightly drumming his fingers on the tabletop, something that must be a habit for him if Mrs. Aren's brief glance was any indication.
"I didn't ask Anna to accompany me so she could be interrogated." Elsa cut in, bristling slightly as both of her parents turned their attention to her.
"It's fine, Snowflake," Anna quickly said, squeezing her hand lightly. She'd anticipated questions along these lines, though it occurred to her that she should've talked to Elsa about it beforehand. Too late to back down now. "I don't exactly have any solid plans for the future at the moment but I will be switching my major once the fall semester starts up. The classes I've taken so far have me covered for the general requirements, so I'll spend the next two years trying for my Associates in International Business."
Elsa instantly shot her a look that clearly conveyed her surprise and excitement. They'd probably talk about it after dinner; hopefully, that would distract the blonde from talking to her mother.
Mr. Aren looked between his daughter and the redhead. "You made this decision recently, I take it?"
"Yes, Sir." Anna stole a glance at Elsa. "She came home one day ranting about her professor's lecture on multidomestic strategy and I did some research so I could at least understand what she was saying. The subject seems pretty fascinating when you're thinking on a global scale, so I thought I could pursue it."
"Came home?" Mrs. Aren sniffed. "I wasn't aware the two of you were living together."
"We aren't living together full time, not yet," Elsa replied, sending a pointed look to her mother. "But, she's always welcomed in my home."
"And the inverse applies, too." Anna, on impulse, lifted the hand still clasped in hers to place a soft kiss on Elsa's skin. The blonde smiled, the tension in her shoulders dropping slightly as she affectionately watched the redhead.
All eyes snapped to Mr. Aren as he abruptly stood, offering the same small smile from earlier. "It's just occurred to me that I have some business to attend to. Please, excuse me. And Miss Anna..." his lips twitched into a slightly wider smile. "It's a pleasure to formally meet you."
As Mr. Aren exited the room, Mrs. Aren pushed away from the table and made to follow him with his partially finished meal in one hand, flashing the group a polite smile. "I'd better check on him. Please, continue enjoying your meal."
The room was dead silent for a few moments after the two departed before Merida spoke up.
"Th' foremaist time ah hud supper 'ere, thay hud Kai tie me ta mah chair wi' scarves." The Scot shrugged. "A' in a', ah think ye won th' rammy, Firecracker."
Marshall, Olaf, and Elsa all laughed while Anna slumped in her chair.
She suddenly wished she'd at least tried to meet the parents during her past relationships; maybe the experience would've prevented this disaster.
Which reminded her.
"Hey, Snowflake?" Anna turned to the blonde, who had returned to her meal like her friends. "Have you told your parents about... um..." She made a vague gesture towards her lap. "That yet?"
"Of course not, Sunshine," her girlfriend instantly replied, brows furrowing slightly. "It's hardly their concern."
Oh. So, they just didn't like her as a person. Great.
Anna lowered her head to the table and sighed heavily, much to the confusion of Marshall, Olaf, and Merida.
This trip was going to be long and painful.
Elsa scooted her chair closer, putting an arm around the redhead's shoulders and placing a soft kiss on her hair. "My father likes you." The redhead instantly shot her girlfriend a look that conveyed how little she believed that. "He doesn't bother putting on airs like my mother does."
"He can't stand to be in the same room as us for more than a few minutes."
Rather than argue, Elsa nodded, sitting back in her chair slightly. "I agree something's off about his reaction... but I truly believe he likes you."
Anna considered continuing their disagreement but relented and returned her attention to her meal. If Elsa thought her father was acting odd for a reason other than disdain for his daughter's girlfriend, she'd have to trust the blonde's judgment until she had evidence otherwise.
"So... International Business? When were you going to tell me?"
The redhead chuckled, lifting her gaze to meet Elsa's excited smile. "I actually meant to tell you a month ago, when I finalized the move with my counselor. I just-"
"You've been stressed, I know." The blonde rubbed her back soothingly. "I'm certainly not upset. Just surprised. Which sector are you thinking about entering?"
"See, that's the part I didn't really think out all the way."
"You could always come work for us!" Anna and Elsa shifted their attention to Olaf, who was nearly bouncing in his seat. "We've been looking to expand into the North American market, so we'd probably have an opening! I'm supposed to be taking over the company next year; I'm pretty sure I can save you an upper management slot, at the very least."
"Thank you, Olaf, I appreciate the offer, but, uh..." Anna bit her lip briefly, a slight blush rising in her cheeks. "I was kinda hoping I could apply for a position at IKEA's corporate headquarters."
"You want to work for me?" Elsa tilted her head to the side, as if confused by the admission.
"Not directly. I don't want to encroach on your workspace or anything but I want to understand what's going on, so I can offer whatever help I can." Anna explained, shrugging. "It was just a thought, though; I totally get if you'd rather me work somewhere else."
"Ye shuid minor in accounting." Merida suggested, nodding sagely when Anna raised a brow. "Trust me, th' name kin chaynge fae land ta land, bit dosh is dosh. If ye hae an understanding o' howfur it wirks, th' world opens up fur ye."
"And it never hurts for us to know another banker." Marshall chimed in, the others nodding along.
"I think I can swing that." Anna rubbed at her neck. "Might really increase my school work, though..."
"You can handle it. I have complete faith in that." Elsa pressed a kiss to her cheek, smiling. "But if you need any help, just ask, okay?"
"Any of us!" Olaf laughed. "We'd never let our friend face the evil forces of school work alone, right?"
"Of course not, brother." Marhsall rolled his eyes while Merida barked out a laugh.
"Enough o' this mushy crap! Let's finish sae we kin gang speil some games!"
The next few days were... weird. And stressful.
Anna spent most of her time with Elsa, of course, but the two either avoided the blonde's parents or were being avoided themselves, Anna wasn't really sure. Meals were usually taken in the gaming room or out on the town, so Anna could sample the local cuisine. Merida, Olaf, and Marshall were ever present, until they decided to excuse themselves so the couple could have some alone time, which was spent mostly comforting each other.
Or arguing.
Despite her protests to the contrary, her parents' reactions were frustrating the blonde to no end. While they certainly weren't making Anna feel welcomed in the Arens' home, the redhead was more concerned with keeping the relationships between Elsa and her parents from fraying any further than she was about their treatment of her. More than once she had to bodily prevent her girlfriend from tearing through the house looking for her mother and father.
The day before Elsa's birthday party happened to be the worst of their disagreements on the matter.
Actually, it was their worst argument to date, and Anna found herself reluctantly grateful for the whole Vanessa fiasco. It introduced her to what the blonde's anger looked like and she definitely needed that limited exposure. Otherwise, she probably would've buckled days ago.
"Let me talk to them."
"No."
Elsa was fuming, blue eyes sparking with anger that wasn't intended for the redhead but leveled at her regardless. Anna, on the other hand, was trying her best to keep from becoming frustrated with the blonde in turn, standing in front of the only door to the room. Elsa was pacing in front of her, looking for an opening to dart past her and through the exit.
"They have no right to treat you like this!" Elsa's voice was rising with her anger.
"They didn't kick me out, Elsa! This is not a bad reaction by any means!" Anna crossed her arms over her chest, refusing to budge from her post. "They have the right to react however they want! It's their house!"
"No, they don't! Not when your parents were so warm and understanding! They don't get to act like this and get away with it, Anna!" Elsa ran a hand through her hair, gritting her teeth. "Why won't you just let me talk to them?"
"Because you're too emotional-"
"Emotional?" Okay, that was the wrong thing to say. Immediately, Elsa began rattling off something in Norwegian, too fast for Anna to keep up. The redhead took a deep breath and waited out the storm, constantly reminding herself that this wasn't normal for them, that if they could make it through this, they could make it through the next obstacle to stand in their way. It helped that she could vent to Kristoff each night, keeping him aware of the situation while giving her a chance to decompress. "Are you even listening to me?"
"Yes, I am, but you're yelling at me in Norwegian."
"I am not-" The blonde cut off as she obviously realized that that was exactly what she was doing. "I- Sunshine, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"
"I know." Anna hesitated a moment before stepping forward, wrapping her arms around the blonde. "I know, Snowflake."
"Why couldn't they be like your parents?" Elsa whispered, returning the embrace and burying her head in Anna's neck.
"Because diversity is the spice of life?" The redhead ventured, prompting a snort from her girlfriend. She moved her hands in soothing motions up and down Elsa's back, pressing a kiss just behind her ear. "Snowflake, it could be much worse. And we haven't told them about... well, you know. Right now, let's focus on leaving here without getting you disowned." She smiled. "That means you have to play nice for a little while longer, okay? Especially during tomorrow's party."
Elsa remained quiet for a few seconds before drawing back, the fire still flashing in her eyes. "Sunshine, I am not leaving this place without telling them how much they've hurt me- hurt you- by acting this way. I don't care if they disown me-"
"But I do. Don't burn any bridges, Snowflake. Maybe it's just shock. I'm a new face, a foreigner, by all rights I guess a commoner-"
"Call yourself that again and you'll be cuddling a flimsy airline pillow on the trip back."
Anna chuckled. "Okay, fine. What I mean is, it's a lot to take in. I'll grow on them, with time and exposure. I'm like a fungus."
Elsa sighed, apparently not appreciating her attempt at humor. "Sunshine. I love you with all my heart and I understand you're trying to be the bigger person here... but I'm not backing down on this." She gently cupped Anna's face in her hands. "This is my life- you are my life now. If they can't be civil, then I'm not subjecting you to this again, and they can deal with the repercussions."
Anna took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Can you promise me that you'll at least not provoke a confrontation during your party? Tomorrow's your birthday and, regardless of your disagreement with your parents, I want you to enjoy it."
"I'd enjoy it a lot more if my mother and father weren't being such-"
"Ah ah, watch it." Anna warned.
Elsa pouted. "I was going to say 'difficult'."
"No you weren't." She smiled. "You're too much of a grammar nazi to say 'weren't being such difficult'."
The blonde grumbled something under her breath, puffing out air before reluctantly nodding. "Only to please you, Sunshine. But I will confront them about this before we leave."
Anna recognized a losing battle when she saw one and acquiesced. "Just remember that you are the reason I'm here, not them. I don't care about them and their behavior upsets me only because it's upsetting you so much." She leaned into Elsa, allowing her eyes to close. "I love you, Elsa."
"I love you too, Anna." The blonde nuzzled into her embrace. "So much."
They stayed there, soaking in the other's presence, until Merida essentially kicked the door in, Marshall and Olaf charging in behind her. Apparently, it was time for another tournament, the group heading to the usual room and settling into their places. Anna didn't try distracting the blonde in her lap this time, focusing instead on making as many jokes as she could to lighten Elsa's mood.
When it seemed her girlfriend was quite dead set on being disturbingly quiet, Anna decided to reveal her surprise a day early. She still had the blonde's birthday present, so it wasn't too big a deal, though she'd hoped to do the reveal right before the party.
"Have you thought about what you're wearing to the party?"
"A dress," Elsa replied simply, eyes focused on the screen as she blasted Marshall off the side of the screen.
"Yeah, me too." Anna nodded into the blonde's back, waiting for-
"You too?" She turned as best she could to look at the redhead. "You're wearing a dress?"
"I was considering it." Anna looked up, doing her best not to smile at the excitement in her girlfriend's expression. "I brought one, just in case. But I brought my good suit too, if you think I'd look better-"
"I need to see them to be sure. Marshall, take my characters," Elsa said, tossing her controller towards Olaf and getting up. "You two can finish this match. Come on."
"Someone's eager." The redhead teased, taking her girlfriend's hand and following Elsa through the mansion. "Would you slow down, Snowflake?"
Elsa stopped on a dime, catching the redhead in her arms as Anna wasn't able to stop in time. "You can't tease me with this and not expect me to react, Sunshine. I've been dying to see you in a dress."
Anna laughed, tapping a kiss to the blonde's nose before leading her through the halls. "Did you bring a suit?"
"Shit!" The blonde frowned. "I didn't even think about it, honestly."
"That's fine. I'm not sure if I could handle that level of sexy right now anyway." The two giggled, Elsa shaking her head as they reached Anna's room. "So, you only get to see them today; I'm not trying them on."
"But how am I going to be able to make a good, informed decision?" Elsa did her best not to whine, sitting on the bed while she went to retrieve the outfits.
"Close your eyes and use your imagination?" Anna pulled them out, setting them side-by-side on the bed. "I have to save some surprises for tomorrow."
In the end, Elsa approved of the dress, though she did spend the better part of an hour trying to convince Anna to give her a sneak peek. After the matter was settled, the two curled up on the bed, intending to just talk. They ended up taking a nap that they were rudely awoken from in order to attend dinner with Mr. and Mrs. Aren so they could all review the itinerary- because, apparently, they needed a damn itinerary for a birthday party, what the hell did they get themselves into- for the following day.
Mr. Aren was a bit more... liberal with his small smile and Anna was beginning to get the idea that he was at least not as against her presence as Mrs. Aren appeared to be. He even asked Elsa to give her the basic rundown on the major corporate partners who would be attending the party, so she wouldn't be caught unawares. That, of course, could just be for the sake of his image, but given how positively Elsa reacted, she had to take the request as a good sign.
The nerves didn't hit again until the guests started arriving. Anna stood by Elsa's side, wearing a green and black dress that brought out her eyes with an enticing sweetheart neckline, along with some sensible flats, unlike her girlfriend. The blonde went with a beautiful, flattering purple dress that hugged every curve and killer heels that made her legs look amazing.
Between the two of them, Anna should've been the one asking for a preview of the blonde's wardrobe. Shit she looked amazing. It was only by pure luck that she caught a glimpse prior to entering the ballroom- a ballroom, they had a fucking ballroom, this place was ridiculous- and begged her girlfriend to leave the jean jacket out of her ensemble, because there would be no saving her at that point.
"You're playing with your necklace again." Elsa whispered inbetween introductions, placing a hand against her lower back.
"Huh? Oh, right." She nervously laughed, allowing the snowflake necklace to rest against her chest. That much was the same, at least; both of them were wearing their rings and necklaces. "Sorry."
Elsa laughed, leaning in to ghost a kiss behind her ear, careful not to muss her make-up or leave a mark. "You're doing wonderful."
"That's because we haven't moved yet." She mumbled, shaking her head and sighing to try and rid herself of the nerves invading her system.
"There's the birthday girl!" Olaf's voice pulled their attention to the boisterous young man running towards them, his brother and Merida following slowly behind. "Happy birthday, Elsa!"
"Thank you, Olaf. And you two, too." She preempted, smirking when Marshall groused and Merida shouted her birthday wish anyway. "You three are going to be my personal protection detail tonight, right?"
"Along with your girl." Marshall nudged Anna's shoulder. "Ready to chase off some wanna-be lover boys?"
Anna raised a brow, looking to Elsa for confirmation.
"Remember what I said about the little girl who was introduced to many, many suitors?" She sighed. "I doubt me being taken will discourage their attempts."
The redhead frowned, slipping her hand into the blonde's and threading their fingers together. "Oh, it'll discourage them. I'll make sure of it."
"Finally micht git th' rammy a've bin waiting fur." Merida grinned, cracking her knuckles loudly.
"I thought violence wasn't the answer?" Olaf frowned, shoulders slumping slightly.
Marshall laughed, patting his head. "Don't worry, brother. I'm sure Wildfire and Firecracker aren't going to start any trouble. They just talk tough."
Anna was ready to retort, opening her mouth to do so, but stopped when she heard Elsa's sharp intake of breath.
"I can't believe it." The redhead looked up, following her girlfriend's gaze until she found exactly what caught Elsa's attention.
Instantly, she felt her blood run cold.
There, wearing a fancy white suit and that damned charming smile was Hans, her ex, entering the room with several other men, all of whom seemed deeply involved in conversation.
"Oh no. What's he doing here?" Anna blinked, searching Elsa's face for any sign of an answer.
"You know the Westerguards?" Marshall raised a brow.
"He's a Westerguard?" The blonde gestured towards the men. "The redhead on the right."
"Yeah, that's Hans, the youngest son." Olaf shrugged. "He's not like his other brothers, really; his father never brought him to the big corporate parties once their firm became the legal advisers to IKEA. He's American, though, just like the rest of his family. He seems a bit... fake to me."
"A complete jerk, if ye ask me." Merida rolled her eyes, looking towards Anna. "Ye ken him?"
"Unfortunately." Anna muttered, taking a deep breath and releasing the blonde's hand. "Maybe I should go-"
"No, Sunshine." Elsa quickly linked their hands again, eyes pleading. "You said it yourself; this is my party. I'd rather have you here than him."
"But if he makes another scene..." The redhead worried her lip, noting out of the corner of her eye that Hans had definitely seen her, his face darkening as he apparently stopped contributing to the conversation.
Elsa didn't appear to hear her objection. "I need to speak to my father. Everyone, please, stay with Anna."
"Whit's gotten intae her?" Merida scrunched up her nose as the blonde set off in search of her parents. "'n' ye, fur that maiter?"
"Hans is my ex-boyfriend. We... didn't part on good terms." Anna quickly explained, mustering a small smile as Hans' group approached them, the man she could only assume to be Hans' father quirking a brow at her.
"We came to offer our birthday wishes to Miss Elsa but it appears she's run off. I hope everything is alright." The older man sounded sincere enough and didn't bat an eyelash at the redhead, for which Anna was grateful. Hans probably never mentioned her to his family.
"Yes, I'm sorry for the, uh, inconvenience, Sir. She just needed to talk to her parents real quick." Anna swallowed nervously, eyes darting to Hans, praying he wouldn't start anything. It was Elsa's birthday, for crying out loud; he had to recognize her as the blonde from the ice rink. There was no reason for him to do anything drastic. "I'll let her know you wished to speak with her as soon as she gets back, Mr. Westerguard."
Mr. Westerguard laughed, nodding his head and offering his hand. "I appreciate that, Miss, but I'm afraid your face isn't familiar to me. Must be these old eyes."
"I'm sorry, Sir, that's poor manners on our parts." Marshall spoke up, gently nudging his brother.
"Oh! Right. Mr. Westerguard, this is Anna Andersen." The energetic young man placed a hand on her shoulder. "She's an American, too!"
"Andersen?" Mr. Westerguard furrowed his brows as Anna shook his hand. "I'm afraid the name isn't familiar either, my dear. Are you part of the International Relations department?"
"Oh, I'm not an employee." She laughed lightly, trying to make it sound natural. Hans was outright glaring at her from behind one of his brothers. "I'm, uh-"
"Mine." Anna's smile turned genuine as the blonde appeared beside her, wrapping a possessive arm around her waist. "It's good to see you again, Mr. Westerguard."
"Ah, there's the guest of honor!" Mr. Westerguard laughed, his gaze lingering on the two of them a moment before he continued. "Well, I suppose it makes sense now, Ingvar's concerns about your... disinterest." He turned towards his sons, Hans schooling his expression to match his brothers'. "You heard her, boys, she's taken! Don't give the happy couple any trouble!"
"Why would we ever do that?" One of the men- if Anna had to guess, he was probably the eldest of the sons- stepped up, offering the pair a wide smile. "Little Elsa's like the sister we've never had. Well, if you don't count Hans, of course."
"Very funny." Hans rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. "Never gets old."
Anna blinked as Hans' brothers laughed. Idly, she wondered if this particular line of teasing had any bearing on Hans' feelings towards her.
"Behave yourselves, boys." Mr. Westerguard gently chided as he turned away. "Could you point me in your father's direction, Miss Elsa?"
"Actually, I'm looking for him myself." The blonde shook her head. "If you see him, could you let him know I wish to speak with him?"
"Of course. And happy birthday, my dear."
"Thank you, Sir." Elsa graciously smiled, accepting the repeated wishes from the remainder of the sons.
When it came to Hans' turn, he offered the blonde a tight smile. "Happy birthday, Blondie."
Yup. He definitely recognized her.
"Thank you, Hans. Please, enjoy the party."
As Hans moved away, Anna breathed a sigh of relief. That had to be a good sign, right? He was just going to let bygones be bygones and move on with his life?
Could she even be that lucky?
"Sunshine, look at me." The redhead met Elsa's gaze as the woman pulled them together, leaning into the embrace. "He's not going to hurt you, not again."
Anna pulled back enough to flash her girlfriend a small smile. "I don't think he can... but you should talk to your parents." Her smile faltered. "They should find out from us before he gets a chance to tell them. I really wouldn't put it past him to try that."
"Tell them what?" Olaf looked between the two women, confusion written on his features. Given the looks they were getting from Marshall and Merida, the two friends were just as curious but had the restraint to leave the issue alone.
Anna thought about it for a whole second before making her decision. "Snowflake... may I?"
"You don't have to, Sunshine." The blonde furrowed her brows. "Not even all of your friends know."
"I... think that's going to change when we get back to America," she replied, feeling oddly at peace with the idea. Really- aside from Kristoff- most of her friends didn't know because it just never seemed to come up during a conversation, not because she thought they would abandon her once they found out. She'd managed to make friends with a group of oddballs; they'd probably just shrug and move on or tease her about silly stuff. Eugene would probably be the worst, just for the fact he was most likely to challenge her to a size competition. He'd done that to Kristoff once.
"Okay. It's your decision." Elsa smiled, giving her a soft kiss on the lips.
Anna turned to the three still watching them curiously, trying for a moment to find the right way to word her revelation before going with the blunt option. "I was born with a penis."
Merida, Olaf, and Marshall all blinked at her in unison. It was only a little creepy, out of context.
"So... you... don't have a vagina like other girls, huh?" Olaf tilted his head to the side slightly.
"Um, yeah, that's... pretty much it." The redhead shrugged.
He nodded a moment or two before a wide grin broke out on his face. "Hey, I have a question-"
"Oh no, no Olaf, no." Marshall immediately grabbed his brother, putting a hand firmly over his mouth. As the elder Fossen squirmed, her younger fixed him with a hard glare. "Is it the same question you asked me last year while we were touring the BMW factory in Bavaria?" Olaf stopped his squirming enough to nod, a muffled noise of affirmation making its way through Marshall's hand. "Then no, you don't have a question." He turned towards the others, rolling his eyes slightly. "Excuse me while I remind my brother what the phrases 'conversations best suited to a private environment' and 'socially acceptable topics' mean."
As Marshall hauled Olaf to the nearest door leading out of the room, Anna and Elsa turned their attention to Merida, who was watching them with a smug smirk on her lips.
"What?" Elsa raised a brow, as if daring the Scot to say a word out of line.
"Nothin'." Merida shrugged, her smirk growing a little wider. "Ah juist think tis hilarious that mah dirrrty lesbian mukker's getting mair boaby than a'm." She nimbly dodged Elsa's halfhearted swipe, laughing at the blonde. "Bit tis th' truth! Ah'll admit it; a'm a wee bi' jealous."
Elsa sighed, rolling her eyes. "What am I ever going to do with you?"
"Doesn't maiter; ye'r stuck wi' me, Lassie." She laughed, nodding towards a waiter carrying a tray. "Ah'll gang grab us some drinks."
As the Scot started off, Anna leaned in close to her girlfriend, lowering her voice so only the blonde could hear. "Let me guess. 'Boaby' means 'dick', doesn't it?"
"Yes. Yes it does." Elsa flashed her a smile. "You're getting the hang of Scottish pretty quickly." Her gaze flicked up suddenly, Anna following her line of sight again to catch a glimpse of Mr. Aren before someone blocked her view. The blonde tensed like she was going to take a step but stopped, glancing at Anna.
"I'll go with you, if you're worried about leaving me alone."
"No. I mean, I'd want you to be there if they were acting kinder towards you, Sunshine, but with the way they've been acting?" Elsa shook her head. "No, I'm not going to give them an opportunity to hurt you further."
"You just don't want me there to stop you from telling them off." Anna playfully accused, trying her best to add a bit of lighthearted teasing to the moment. Tension seemed to be the theme for their trip thus far and she needed to pull out all the stop to keep things from boiling over. "Then go talk to him, Snowflake." She offered an encouraging smile. "I can hold my own for a few minutes. I'm sure Merida will be back before anything happens."
"I'll be right back, I promise." Elsa gave her another kiss, this one lasting a little longer. "I love you, Sunshine."
"I love you too, Snowflake." Anna watched her go, a nervous energy running through her system. She should've pushed harder to have this conversation before the party but, in her defense, she never imagined Hans would end up here, of all places.
She really should've asked him a bit more about his family while they were dating. About all Anna had ever bothered to find out was that the whole lot of them were lawyers of some sort.
"She knows, doesn't she?"
And speak of the devil...
Anna turned, keeping her expression as close to polite as she could manage while facing her ex-boyfriend. "Yes, she does."
"And she's still with you?" He chuckled, shaking his head. "Will wonders never cease. I came here looking to catch her interest, you know." Hans shrugged, lips stretched in that cocky, smug smile of his. "My brothers had told me all about the beautiful Aren heiress, how she's basically the perfect woman, if a bit... cold towards her possible suitors. I guess they weren't big enough freaks to get her attention."
"Stop it, Hans." Anna allowed her brows to furrow, a frown settling on her lips. "Don't do this; it's her birthday."
He raised a brow, obviously surprised by the lack of reaction from her. She wasn't about to give him the satisfaction. "Right, of course. I wouldn't want to cause a scene or anything. Although I wonder: do her parents know about your little secret?"
Damn it all to Hell; she should've seen that question coming. Rather than answering instantly, Anna glanced over her shoulder, looking for Elsa, and her hesitation was all the answer he needed.
"I see. Well, in that case..."
Hans immediately threw his head back and laughed, loud. To the point everyone around them took a step back, confusion and concern written on their faces, his strange outburst garnering far more attention than Anna wanted.
"Hans, stop, please." She whispered urgently but it was too late. One of Hans' brothers was coming towards them, staring at his brother.
"Hans, what's wrong?"
"You'll never believe what Miss Anna just told me, brother!" Hans calmed himself, speaking so loud Anna swore she could hear an echo bouncing through the hall. "Apparently, she has a penis! Can you believe that?"
Hans' continued laughter could barely be heard over the collective gasp emitted from the people surrounding them. Even his brother seemed more than a bit surprised by the announcement, faltering slightly in his trek towards the youngest Westerguard.
Anna clenched her jaw, balling both hands into fists. Not once but twice in a matter of months, Hans had gone out of his way to embarrass her in front of people, specifically people she actually wanted to impress. She had half a mind to knock him out or throw him through a window- or both, really, she wasn't picky at this point- but feeling the eyes of everyone in the room boring into her kept her from acting out that impulse. She didn't want to make the situation any worse by living up to the 'violent American' stereotype.
And really, she was more irate over the fact that he couldn't contain his hatred for her for one damned night. It was Elsa's fucking birthday party, and he felt the need to ruin it, just so he could... what? Exact some sort of perverse retribution for his own fucking stupidity?
She could feel her heart pounding as heat rose in her face. Anna wasn't sure if it was more from embarrassment or anger at this point.
The gruff clearing of a throat brought the attention of everyone to the center of the room. There, standing between her parents, was Elsa, openly glaring at Hans with all her fury. To the blonde's right stood Mr. Aren, looking extremely formal in his crisp tuxedo. To Elsa's left was Mrs. Aren, wearing a beautifully flowing dress. Standing together as they were, the three looked like a royal family, about to grace their subjects with their presence.
Or their judgment, in this case.
Well, that did nothing to settle the emotions twisting her stomach into knots. Especially when Elsa stepped forward- intent on what, she couldn't guess- and Mr. Aren stopped her with a hand on her shoulder, striding forward himself. He stopped a few feet from Hans and Anna, his gaze directed at the redhead.
"What Mr. Westerguard has said... is it true?" His voice was steady, no hint of inflection, giving Anna no idea how he felt about the revelation.
She risked a glance over to Elsa, who spared her an encouraging smile inbetween glaring at Hans. Mustering her courage, Anna spoke with confidence. "Yes, Sir."
"Are you fertile?" Mr. Aren seemed completely nonplussed by his own question, despite the few quiet gasps of shock that echoed around the room.
Even Elsa seemed surprised by the question. "Father-"
Mr. Aren held up a hand, silencing anything further as he stared Anna down. She could feel the blush rising high in her cheeks and see Hans' smug expression out of the corner of her eye.
"Y-yes, Sir, I am." The redhead shrugged helplessly.
Mr. Aren nodded, stepping closer to her and setting his hands on her shoulders. "Then you're perfect." He sharply turned his head to the side. "Elsa! You'll marry this one immediately!" He pulled Anna into a one-armed hug while lifting his other arm, a wide smile on his lips. "Idunn, call a wedding planner! Kai, bring out the champagne glasses! Tonight, we celebrate!"
"Um... what?" Anna blinked in surprise, looking at Elsa.
The blonde, for her part, seemed just as taken aback by the announcement but recovered quickly, caution coloring her tone. "Father... what are you doing?"
"What's best for my little girl," he replied, pulling away to beam at Anna, studying her face for a time. Mr. Aren nodded, apparently satisfied by what he saw. "Yes, she's perfect. The wedding will be next week. We mustn't delay."
"Father, what are you doing?" Elsa grabbed his arm and tried pulling him away from Anna. "Shouldn't we decide when we get married?"
Mr. Aren raised a brow, as if the idea hadn't occurred to him. "I see no reason to delay the inevitable."
"Wait. Let me get this straight." Hans suddenly piped up, his anger nearly palpable as he fumed. "You're going to let your precious daughter and heir to the family legacy marry a deformed, disgusting she-male?"
Anna's eyes widened further in shock- that was a particular low blow coming from someone she used to actually like- but Elsa and her father rounded on the man instantly, clearly upset with his outburst.
"You will never refer to her like that again." Elsa warned, Olaf, Marshall, and Merida appearing just behind her and adding their obvious displeasure with Hans to the scene. Merida even went as far as punching one of her hands with the other, a promise written clearly on her face.
"I'll not stand to have my future daughter-in-law insulted." Mr. Aren turned his head until his gaze fell on Mr. Westergard. "Do I need to have him removed, Alan?"
"No, Ingvar. I'm sure my son can mind his manners and apologize for his unruly behavior." Mr. Westergard stepped up beside Hans, leveling a severe gaze at his incredulous son.
"You want me to what? After what she put me through?" Hans sneered at Anna, rolling his eyes and turning towards the door. "Forget it; I'll show myself out." He took a few steps, then tossed over his shoulder. "I wasn't interested in your whore of a daughter anyway."
And with that, something in Anna snapped. Before she could register it, the redhead was a step behind her ex-boyfriend. He turned towards her, sensing her presence behind him and ready to spout off something else when her fist connected with his jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground.
"You can insult me all you want Hans, that's fine." Anna stood over him, glaring down as he absently rubbed at his chin. "You can hate me until we're dead and for all eternity after, I'm okay with that. But you do not pin that on Elsa. She's the most wonderful person on the planet and you don't get to hate her just because she associates with me." Anna felt tears pricking at her eyes but forced them back. "You're just as guilty as I am, but if you need someone to blame your broken ego on, blame it on me. Don't drag Elsa into our failed relationship."
Hans got to his feet, meeting her gaze the whole while. Only a few inches separated them and Anna was primed and ready to fight, in the event he threw the next punch. She wasn't about to give in to the impulse to destroy the man standing in front of her though; she got her point across and was perfectly willing to leave it at that.
Finally, he scoffed and turned, continuing on his away out of the room. "You aren't worthy of my time."
Anna's hands balled into fists again, a dull throb radiating from her right that she ignored in favor of focusing all her energy on maintaining her composure. That is, until a familiar pair of arms encircled her, pulling her back against Elsa's body.
"You're worthy of every second of my time, Sunshine, and every ounce of my energy." Elsa's breath tickled the redhead's ear with the whispered words. "Never forget that."
Turning in the blonde's embrace, the rest of the world melted away as she enveloped Elsa in a crushing hug. Anna's chest heaved with quiet sobs as her girlfriend gently rubbed her back, murmuring soft, comforting words.
The weird thing was, she wasn't crying because she was sad or upset; no, she was happy. Happy because, after all the shit they'd been through in the past few months alone, here they were, still together, still in love, still fighting tooth and nail against anyone who might try to bring them down.
She remembered, dimly, asking her mother what love was when she was still a small child, before she fully comprehended how she was different from her peers. Her mother had said love was something built between two people, like a castle, something that could be strong or weak, grand or tiny, depending on the people involved. That it was easy and impossible at times, something she'd understand when she was older, but oh so rewarding if the feelings were true and enough effort was put into it. Anna realized in that moment exactly the type of relationship she'd built with Elsa: a solid castle that only grew in size and magnificence with time, that could withstand the harshest winds and the most turbulent storms.
People like Hans couldn't hurt her anymore; the moment Elsa's arms enveloped her, she was safe inside the castle they'd built together.
"Your arms are my castle, your heart is my sky..." she sang quietly, muffled by Elsa's shoulder.
The blonde heard her regardless and softly continued the line, brushing her tears lightly against Anna's cheeks. "They wipe away tears that I cry."
They sang the next part together. "The good and the bad times, we've been through them all. You make me rise when I fall."
Anna pressed a soft kiss to the blonde's lips. "I love you, my precious Snowflake."
"And I love you, my eternal Sunshine."
Another arm around her brought the redhead's attention jarringly back to their surroundings, noting the smattering of applause through out the room. She followed the arm around her shoulders up to see Mr. Aren smiling at her, tears pricking at his eyes.
"It was always my dream that my daughter would find someone to love her as much as I do. To protect her and support her." He turned slightly, pressing a kiss to Elsa's forehead as tears once again formed in his eyes. "It warms my heart to see the two of you together."
"You're really okay with this?" Anna squeaked, clearing her throat before trying again in a stronger voice. "I mean, Sir, are you really giving us your blessing?"
Mr. Aren nodded, a wide smile on his lips as he released them and stepped back. "Of course! With the wedding next week-"
"Father," Elsa said, a warning clear in her tone.
"Oh, fine." Mr. Aren frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm not exactly fond of having children out of wedlock but I suppose I can make an exception. Now-" His countenance returned to the unbridled joy from earlier. "When can I expect my first grandchild? By spring, yes?"
Elsa and Anna exchanged shocked looks, eyes wide and jaws hanging slightly open. Then, Elsa's face morphed into one of pure annoyance, releasing Anna to reach out and tug on her father's ear, pulling him away and rapidly rattling off something in Norwegian. She was going so quickly, the redhead was completely bemused as she watched the scene unfold, unable to catch even a single word.
The rest of the guests appeared to be politely ignoring the father/daughter squabble, which consisted of Elsa rattling off something with a pinched expression of annoyance while her father replied in genuine confusion and excitement.
"Would you like the short version?" Anna nearly jumped out of her skin as Elsa's mother sidled up next to her, a small smile on her lips. The woman motioned towards her husband and daughter. "This is not the first time they've had this... conversation."
"I... wouldn't want to intrude..." Anna bit her lip, glancing at her girlfriend. "But I am curious."
"It's a long standing point of contention between them." Mrs. Aren took a sip from a champagne glass, which Anna just noticed many guests were holding and drinking from idly. "For Ingvar, continuing the family line has always been important. He wanted to have many children himself but... fate did not comply with that wish." She gave a helpless shrug. "So some things go, I suppose. However, he's always stressed to Elsa how much he hoped for a large family. For reasons that are now quite evident, bearing children has never been a priority for Elsa."
As Mrs. Aren chuckled and shook her head, Anna blinked, an irrational rage building under the surface. That's what this was about? "So... he just wants grandkids? Doesn't he-"
"No, you misunderstand." Mrs. Aren cut her off quickly, turning towards Anna. "He first and foremost wants Elsa to be happy, but he wasn't chosen to succeed his uncle based on his love for our daughter. Ingvar always wanted Elsa to accomplish what he couldn't: to raise a large family of Arens to carry on the family tradition. When Ingvar decides he wants something, he doesn't let it go, and his tenacity has served him well in the business world. Elsa inherited that, I think." She returned her gaze to the two, smile falling slightly. "Ingvar took it hard when she first told us about you. Not through any fault of your own, mind, but because he wasn't sure what that would mean for the bloodline. As much as he's pushed for a bigger family, he couldn't hold onto that if our sweet daughter had chosen another woman for her lover. Neither could he disapprove of someone who made her so obviously happy. I was not as... supportive as I could've been during her initial revelation, true, but that was my failing. I was caught between the desires of my husband and those of my daughter. I made a decision and perhaps I chose the wrong side but it's of no consequence now." Mrs. Aren nodded towards them. "Ingvar has spent the past several months willing himself to relinquish that argument, to stop pushing Elsa for a large family. He wanted her to find a... partner who could give her all the happiness in the world and she's found that in you; how could he begrudge her that? I've tried to be supportive but it's been... difficult." A wide smile spread slowly across her face. "But now, can you blame him for being excited now that it's possible for his dream to come true? To have more grandchildren than either of us could hold running through these halls and his only daughter happy? To have both?"
Anna and Mrs. Aren turned to regard the man as he wildly gesticulated in Anna's direction, saying something that brought a heavy flush to Elsa's skin.
"He literally said: just look at her; your babies will be beautiful."
The redhead stared for a moment, then let out a snort that slowly evolved into a full-bellied laugh. She stumbled her way over to Elsa, nearly tackling the blonde as she wrapped her up in a hug and buried her head in the other woman's shoulder.
"Sunshine..." Elsa murmured, obviously anxious about how Anna was taking the whole scene.
While it had certainly been an eventful night, the redhead couldn't even complain about the turn of events, pulling away just enough to meet Mr. Aren's gaze.
"Sir, your daughter is the most amazing person I've ever met, an absolutely remarkable woman in every way. We've made it this far by working together. Please, allow us to continue making these decisions for ourselves." Anna turned her head, smiling wider as she caught Elsa looking at her with absolute adoration, those brilliant blue eyes shining just as they did the first time they met. "We'll try not to keep you waiting for too long but I trust Elsa with all I have. I'm not going anywhere. Every step forward, we take together, so let us walk the path before us at our own pace, please."
Mr. Aren smiled and nodded. "Under one condition." Anna and Elsa faced him, still holding onto the other. "Please, do not call me 'herre'. I would prefer if you used 'far'."
"Far," Anna said, giggling slightly at Elsa's obvious excitement at hearing her father's condition. "Father."
"Which means you will be addressing me as 'mother' now." Mrs. Aren added, standing beside her husband. "Already our family grows."
"We should arrange to visit America soon." Ingvar nodded towards Anna. "We would both be very honored to meet your parents, Anna."
"I'm sure they'll be happy to meet both of you as well, to be honest," the redhead replied, shooting Elsa a triumphant smile when Idunn laughed at the inside joke.
Without another word, Elsa swept her up into another kiss, relief washing away all the anxieties that had built up during their stay so far.
Anna could hardly pay attention to anything else for the rest of the night, completely dazzled by her girlfriend's smile.
Once the festivities started dying down, Anna offered to walk Elsa back to her room, the two having been nearly inseparable the remainder of the night. Each of them had to suffer through at least four of Mr. Westergard's apologies- and two or three from each of Hans' brothers, all twelve of them- before the men realized that the couple truly bore his family no ill will whatsoever- though neither was ready nor willing to forgive Hans at all. At one point, Anna even acknowledged that, if it hadn't been for Hans, they might not have made it this far; the incident at the ice rink was certainly an important milestone and turning point in their relationship, and the ignorant jackass did deserve that tiny bit of credit for pushing them in the right direction.
Not that Anna wasn't going to tell Elsa eventually, of course, but even the redhead could admit that things had worked out for the best, something she wouldn't change for the world.
Then again, they couldn't even complain about the Westerguards' apologies, not really; after the scene with Hans, none of the forewarned 'would-be lover boys' even dared approached the blonde. No one thought to give Anna any trouble either, though neither woman could claim full credit for that; Merida might have chased off a few close-minded individuals who were speaking ill of the star couple.
Heck, up until the presents were presented or opened, most people had completely forgotten the party was for Elsa's birthday and not, in fact, an engagement party- though they both got plenty of congratulations regarding that supposed development.
Much as Anna had hoped, Elsa loved her gift. During that brief time in their relationship when the redhead was doing her best to ignore the other woman, Anna had taken a job working at a store that sold custom music boxes. After getting in touch with her former employer, she'd ordered one for Elsa that played What's This? from The Nightmare Before Christmas, explaining that she hoped, whenever the blonde felt weary from the weight of her responsibility, she'd hear the song and rediscover her passion.
So, weary from the party and the emotional turmoil of their trip, but satisfied at how everything had turned out, Anna strolled down the hallway with one arm around her girlfriend's waist, helping support some of the blonde's weight. She'd warned Elsa about wearing those heels and was now listening to the complaints with her best 'I told you so' face.
"Next time, I'm wearing a suit." Elsa concluded, stifling a yawn as they turned the last corner.
"Make sure you give me plenty of warning; I'll be sure to stuff cotton balls into my mouth to deter the drool." Anna joked. "Come to think of it, I might have an aneurysm. You may need to give me a private showing beforehand, so I can gauge my ability to resist you."
The blonde chuckled. "You're implying you will ever be able to resist me, Sunshine."
"Good point." She laughed, feeling the sting of annoyance as they arrived in front of Elsa's door. It reminded her of the beginning of their relationship, parting ways with the blonde just to return to her apartment and look forward to the next time they could see each other and she mentally made a note to readdress their living arrangements once they got back to the States. "I guess this means good night."
Elsa sighed, clearly not happy about it but nodding all the same, drawing Anna into a tender kiss. "Good night, Kjæreste."
"Good night, Snowflake. I'll see you in the morning."
Anna waited until Elsa opened her door, turning to head down the hall to her own room while she still had the willpower. She stopped, however, when she heard Elsa's voice, obviously surprised but not sounding too alarmed. Turning around, the redhead caught the door opening wider so Gerda could exit.
"I was just moving Miss Anna's things." The older woman explained, smiling as her gaze fell on Anna. "There you are! You're more than welcome to check and make sure I didn't miss anything, Miss Anna, but I suggest you wait until morning. You look very tired."
Anna blinked. "Miss anything?"
"Yes." Gerda brushed past her, that familiar twinkle in her eyes as she hurried away. "Good night to both of you!"
The redhead watched her go, cocking her head to the side. "Wait, what?"
"Sunshine, come here." Anna turned, seeing Elsa standing in her doorway wearing a tired smile and holding one of Anna's bags. "Apparently, my mother had a change of heart."
A change of heart...?
"So... we can sleep together again?" Suddenly, the weariness slid away from her frame as Elsa nodded, prompting the redhead to surge forward and literally sweep her girlfriend off her feet bridal style, cradling the other woman to her chest. "That means I get cuddles! Wait, I do get cuddles, right?"
"And a story, if you get ready for bed quick enough," Elsa replied, looping her arms around Anna's neck and pressing a kiss to her cheek. "I'm exhausted but I think I have just enough energy for-"
She didn't even need to finish that statement, Anna already carrying her through the threshold and kicking the door closed behind them. After far too long without the blonde's soft voice, steady heartbeat, and comforting touch to lull her to sleep, Anna was too excited for words.
Author's Note: When I sat down to write this, I tried imagining Elsa's father's reaction, and I decided that- as a rich, powerful, and loving man- he would essentially be a more serious version of Varrick from The Legend of Korra. It was very hard not to work "Idunn! Do the thing!" into this somewhere. So hard. It also bugged me that Hans didn't really get his comeuppance in Scheherazade for being a tool. I'm way too fond of karma to let that one slide. One chapter left, and it's relatively short. I'm also not going to address things pointed out in the reviews right now because most will be answered in the final chapter. Thanks so much to all of you for your faves, follows, and reviews. You're a bunch of amazing people.