See Chapter One for disclaimer.
A/N: As mentioned in the summary, alternating PoVs will be used in this story. It's Elsa time, kiddies.
Elsa wasn't born an actress, but many years of molding her expression into pure calm and grace had given her plenty of practice. This was a trait that she used to its fullest, and it was a mask that she constantly wore in all but sleep, so even as she closed the doors to the ballroom, her only exterior change had been deeper intakes of breath to calm her heart rate and an ever-so-slight relaxing in posture.
Internally, Elsa was very, very worried. Though not quite at the point of anxiety, the newly crowned Queen of Arendelle knew that such an outburst at her coronation ball was a poor way to start her rule.
She began to walk back to her room, back straight and head held high, the entire time wondering if there was any way she could repair the damage this would certainly do to her public image, then realized there was no time. No, she would have to hold court tomorrow, from the very break of dawn until the settling of dusk, and as summer was at its zenith, the day would be long.
She would have to hold court.
As the implications of this statement settled over Her Majesty, she passed the grand doors that led to the courtyard outside, then paused and began to backtrack. If I am to do my duty and hold court tomorrow, she thought, I can't allow all of those people outside of these doors to have an entire night to brood and gossip about Anna's rant. Oh, little sister, how I wish you would understand...I'll have time to apologize to you later.
However, unlike Anna, her subjects couldn't wait. She needed to make a public address before word could get around about how terribly the ball had ended. If there was anything her father had taught her, it was that kindness and laughter and soft smiles could dispel any type of ill will or suspicion. They were not only the best medicine, but the greatest disguise.
And now that she would have to interact with people on a daily basis, she would definitely need a change in attitude.
With a nod to the guards standing post nearby, the doors were opened and Queen Elsa was at last exposed to every commoner in attendance. She was greeted with loud cheers and joyous hollers, and any unease she had been feeling in the last few days was replaced with content. Elsa decided that cheering was most certaintly a sign of non-hatred, but it never did any harm to drive a point home. She needed a firm foundation to build her reputation on, and she was going to lay down the first bricks then and there.
Elsa raised her gloved hand, keeping the other shielded under her cape, and silence fell. She graced her subjects with a smile, then adopted a calmer demeanor that still allowed some of her happiness to radiate outwards.
"My most wonderful subjects, I am pleased to announce that much of my coronation went as smoothly as planned, and so please, offer up a round of applause to all of the castle's cooks, maids, guards, party planners, and servants for their hard work for my special day!"
More cheering ensued for a full minute before Elsa raised her hand for silence once more.
"A heartwarming thank you to each and every one of them. And to all of you gathered out here in this courtyard, I'm sorry to say that due to unforeseen disruptions, the celebrations within castle grounds have been cancelled-" disappointed sighs ensued- "but the fireworks displays will still be held!" Cheers rippled throughout her audience. "As an apology, I will host a celebration for all citizens of Arendelle in exactly a month's time. You will be welcomed for use of our ballroom, and music and food will abound! The guards will now escort you out, but I wish you all a fantastic evening!"
Somewhere in the back, as the majority of the populace was shifting to head out the gates, a childish shout sounded: "Long live Queen Elsa!" The chant soon overtook all that could hear it, and after a moment of surprise, Elsa allowed herself a wide smile, offering a wave before re-entering the castle.
The instant Elsa entered her room, she let out a long breath, then looked around her room for any intruders and curtained off her window. One could never know who was watching, and privacy was a top priority with her...condition.
Reassured that no unwanted visitors had invaded her room, Elsa flopped backfirst onto her bed, grinning like a madwoman. For the first time in many years, she'd gone out in public, and she hadn't blown anything. She'd held back her frost as she accepted the throne, sans gloves, made a good impression on the nobles, the foreigners-oh, particularly that Princess Rapunzel, she'd been so lovely to talk to-even the commonfolk. Heck, she'd even kept cool when Anna-
Oh. Right. Anna and Hans. Marriage. Closed gates, the works.
She would probably have to do something about that, but not at that moment. No, other things occupied Elsa's mind. Maybe now that she'd need to open up to her subjects a little more anyway, she could-so to speak-break some of the ice between herself and her sister.
Elsa yearned to bridge the gap that had drifted so widely between herself and Anna. It had been many years since they had really spent time together; sure, they'd seen each other at meals or important meetings, but even then they rarely directly addressed one another, let alone outside of conferences and eating time.
No, Anna had given up talking to Elsa long ago. But who could blame her?
It wasn't Anna's fault that Elsa had powers. It wasn't Anna's fault that Elsa had struck her with ice. It wasn't Anna's fault that Elsa couldn't learn to control her powers enough to be able to play with her again, or to have the gates open, or hold her hand as they both mourned after that horrible storm that just had to happen when their parents were on a trip to another kingdom, or-
It took Elsa a moment to realize that her entire room had developed a thin layer of frost.
Don't dwell on the past, Elsa, she chided herself. Focus on what you can do now to repair your mistakes.
Elsa knew that if she tried, she wouldn't be able to apologize to Anna face-to-face. She didn't have that kind of courage, as much as she desperately wished she wouldn't need that courage in the first place. In a perfect world, Elsa would be able to talk to her sister with ease, exchange thoughts, secrets, make memories that didn't leave a trail of tears. But Elsa knew all too well that her world was far from perfect, so she'd have to make do with something else.
Some sort of communication to her sister. Something that could express her thoughts in the fullest without needing her to say them out loud.
An idea struck.
With a new air of purpose about her, Elsa marched to her desk, picking up a long stick of charcoal, her ink having frozen over, and put it upon a fresh sheet of paper.
It was time to write Anna a note.
A/N: I do my best to keep these at the end of the chapter, since I'd rather let you guys get right into the update before you put up with my annoying, endless blabbering. (Oh, and yes, Rapunzel made a cameo appearance in Frozen, if you were wondering.)
Can I just say that you guys rock?
Less than seven hundred words for a first chapter and I've already got eighteen follows and three favourites?! Gods, you're going to bring me to tears. Not that that's a bad thing. Please keep surprising me and bringing me to tears.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know, I know, they should be longer, but I have this thing I call school. It's a funny concept, but basically they make you learn stuff for seven hours, commute home for another, then do this stuff called homework (or as I've oh-so-originally dubbed it, "torture") until you drop into exhaustion. I'm only in the ninth grade, though, so I'm probably screwed next year.
You guys are beginning to see where the title came from, right?
By the way, whoever can correctly guess what the Chekhov's gun here is wins a cookie .gif that I probably stole from Tumblr.
As always, please R&R, and tell me if I left in any typos and the like. Suggestions for Elsa and Anna's parents' names, anyone?
- Izzy
Review Responses (for you clever guest users)
Shadow Huntress: Thanks. :D And Elsa's not as hard to write as everyone says, I swear. Could be that I can relate to her, though.