Summary: It was easy to let go when she believed she would never have to face the world again. It wasn't so easy when she felt the pressures of the kingdom to protect, the sister to care for, and the feelings she felt surfacing despite her attempts to squash them down like fresh snow under heavy boots. This is a story about the other side that Elsa was forced to hide. [ElsaxOFC] [KristoffxAnna]
Author's Note: Here is another chapter! Thank you to everyone who has been reading! I hope I can please you.
Chapter Eight: The Ball
"It's the day."
Anna gasped as the thought popped into her sleepy brain. She bolted upright and exploded out from under the covers of her bed.
"Today is the day!"
She couldn't contain her excitement as she got dressed and managed to tame her wild mass of hair. With great impatience she gave up, ran down the hall, and knocked loudly on Elsa's door. Her sister opened it calmly and was about to say 'good morning' as usual when Anna grabbed her arm and yanked her inside. Anna kicked the door closed and grinned.
"Alright, so you have to tell me what happened."
Elsa lifted an eyebrow, confused by both the statement and her sister's energy at this hour in the morning.
"What do you mean? Sit down and I can help you with your hair." She walked over to her boudoir and found a ribbon that would suit her dress color.
"You know exactly what I mean! Natalia had something to show you last night. What was it?" She grinned. "A kiss?"
Elsa felt something flutter in her stomach at the thought of last night and the kiss that could have happened. As the disappointment set in she turned back to Anna and started to plait her hair.
"Not quite," she confessed. "She was going to, but I was too nervous."
"Nervous? Elsa, you don't have anything to be nervous about. She already likes you. And your breath is always minty, so that won't be a problem."
"I know that she likes me. She's made that obvious. I hope I've made it clear to her that I like her just as much." She sighed quietly. "But we both know that this will have to end tomorrow. What is the point in making the pain of leaving that much worse?"
Anna honestly felt very sorry for her sister. She had finally found someone that made her feel good and the only thing she could focus on was the fact that it would be gone in less than a day. She spun around defiantly.
"Elsa, you can't think that way. This opportunity may never come again. That isn't the time to forget about it. It's the time to embrace it! To grab it while you can and hold on and promise yourself that you'll do anything to keep it. Natalia isn't like any other girl you'll ever meet."
"I know that. That's why I don't want her to leave." Elsa pressed her hand up against her heart and took in a deep breath. Anna hugged her sister gently.
"You'll see her again."
"I can only hope," she replied. Her hand fell onto Anna's shoulder and pushed her back into her seat. "Now enough about me. It doesn't always have to be about me. What's something new with you? Hold still. I'm going to do a second braid here."
o o o
Elsa had sworn that she would have a free moment, get Natalia alone, and find the courage to fix what had gone wrong the night before. What Anna said had really left an impression on her. Life was too short to spend it worrying about how long things could last. In the end, nothing was going to last forever anyway, so it seemed imperative to enjoy moments to their fullest. So many of her favorite fairy tales had ended with a kiss that marked the beginning of a happily ever after. Why shouldn't hers also end that way?
The problem was, by the time Elsa had finished preparing herself to be seen by the public, the guests had already started arriving. This meant she didn't have a spare moment in between getting ready for the ball and actually having to be there. The next time she saw Natalia, it was when she entered the room with Leo by her side.
"Presenting Prince Leo and Princess Natalia of Kohbara," the herald announced. Heads turned to watch the beautiful gold and crimson dress flow along the wooden floor. Elsa stood, figuratively frozen, in awe. Her eyes were fixed on every movement the beautiful princess made as she walked closer. Anna gave Elsa a little nudge.
"You look a little red, Elsa. Did it just get hotter in here?"
Elsa tried to will away the tiny blush on her cheeks as the pair stopped to greet her.
"Thank you so much for inviting us, Queen Elsa, Princess Anna," the prince of Kohbara said. He bowed slightly. "Being your guest this past week has far exceeded all expectation."
"My sister and I were more than happy to have you here. You've both been wonderful guests."
"And you a wonderful host," Natalia said, her eyes showing that familiar glint that Elsa had all but become addicted to seeing.
"Please," she managed to say without blushing any harder, "enjoy the party."
"I believe now is the time I ask you for a dance," Leo said. Then he added more quietly, "But I know that I'm not the one you wish to dance with."
Elsa was about to open her mouth to say something when the temperature in the room dropped considerably. The change was so sudden that many of the guests gasped. Ghosts rose from their lips as they shivered, feeling the bite of the cold immediately. Anna and Kristoff turned to worriedly look at Elsa, but she had nothing to do with the freezing.
The large wooden doors to the ballroom flew open with a loud crash and allowed a rush of icy wind to flood the place. A huge figure stood in the middle of the snow that rolled along the floor like fog.
"At long last," a deep voice boomed. He filled the entire doorway, massive and cumbersome. He was covered in a thick layer of dark furs and shadowed by a hood. With one dark and enormous hand, he pulled the covering away and revealed a round but noble face that seemed both commanding and weathered. With steps that sent small earthquakes through the floor, he moved into the middle of the crowd. The people parted, gasping and whispering amongst themselves as they marveled at the stranger. Most of them began to nudge one another to leave quickly and quietly. A few brave or foolish souls stayed to watch as the terrifying man paused.
"At long last," he repeated, "we meet. Queen Elsa, it is an honor." The tables rattled audibly as he dropped to one of his knees and bowed formally.
Natalia could hardly stand still. Even in her dress of flames she felt cold seeping into every inch of her.
"Elsa?" she asked, trying not to show her teeth chattering. "Who is this?"
"I am the King of the North," the man answered. "My palace is at the highest point in the world, a place so cold that few have dared to try and see it. I have the power to control the ice and snow. When I heard of your power to do the same, I knew it would be time to leave my kingdom and seek you."
Elsa was overtaken by confusion and fear, of course. She looked positively tiny compared to this king. Still, she stood strong.
"You've been the one sending the strange and unmarked messages."
"I have," he admitted. "Though, they were hardly strange. I stated my intentions clearly and in a friendly manner."
Elsa had difficulty being friendly at times but even she knew how to be more forthcoming in a message.
"Besides," the king continued, "as I approached I'm sure you felt the strong connection. We have a natural draw to one another, my queen. A magical bond that brings us closer than even mere mortals can comprehend. Our greatness unites us."
The Snow Queen blinked and let this information sink in. What he was saying made some sense. She glanced at Natalia. Before she could say anything, the king spoke again.
"Now I have finally arrived to claim what is rightfully mine." He held out his hand, gesturing towards Elsa.
"My queen."
Elsa's eyes widened considerably.
"Wait, what?" she said. It was one of the least dignified and eloquent things to say, but also the same phrase that most of the room was thinking at the same time.
"The two of us will return to my kingdom. We will rule as husband and wife. Together, we will be strong. We can be stronger than either of us have ever been."
"I'm sorry," Elsa began, "I think you are seriously mistaken."
"How could I be?" The king asked. "You are Queen Elsa, are you not?"
"Well, yes, I am."
"And you control the ice and snow?"
"Yes, I do, but-,"
"Then you are my queen. We will return to the North Kingdom and be wed before the week is through. This is your destiny."
"No," Elsa said, firmly this time. "My place is right here in Arendelle with my people and my family." She could feel Anna behind her, huddled close to Kristoff for warmth but also prepared to support her sister. On her other side stood Natalia and Leo, ready to protect her as well. Her heart swelled at the thought.
The king's face took on a look of impatience.
"I do not want to force you to do this."
"That's excellent," Elsa said with great conviction. "Because I am sure of my decision."
The king slowly rose to his feet and glowered down at her.
"I said that I do not want to force you. I did not say that I won't force you."
Elsa pushed away her fear even as the king towered over her.
"I won't leave. This is where I belong." She sighed. "And I would be a complete hypocrite if I ever married anyone that I just met."
"Especially a man!" Anna shouted.
"Yes, especially-, wait, no. Not that."
"Well," Anna said, "I mean, if you wanted to marry a woman you just met I wouldn't hold that against you."
"Anna!" Elsa hissed. "Not now!"
The king swept his arm to the side and instantly created a staff of pure, clear ice. He slammed it into the wooden floor and sent angry spirals of frost off in all directions.
"Enough!" he commanded. "You will come with me, or I will take you myself."
Elsa let ice spring to life in her palms.
"Kristoff, take Anna and the others somewhere safe."
"What? No-," Anna began to protest. Kristoff hoisted her, in a very un-royal-like fashion, over his shoulder before she could do much. Leo gripped the sleeve of Natalia's dress and tugged her towards the door.
The King took his scepter and tried to knock Elsa down, thinking this would be an easy fight. But when it came to protecting herself and those she loved, Elsa could show strength that even surprised her. She quickly summoned two gigantic snow beasts to distract the king. They attacked from either side with loud growls and spiky claws. She tried the first thing that came to mind: freezing the king in his tracks. However, she had hardly done much fighting in her life, and this was her first time battling someone with her own magic to use against her. He brought both beasts down and left them as nothing more than large puddles on the floor without much trouble.
He laughed, mocking and smug.
"Your powers are impressive, but you are not going to be able to win against me. I have perfected this gift. You are practically nothing!"
Elsa felt tears sting at the corners of her eyes. Not only from the overwhelming emotions she was feeling inside but also from the sudden blast of heat that washed over her. A brilliant blaze of oranges and reds filled the air, blinding her for a brief moment. A loud, painful cry filled the ballroom and the walls shook violently. When she blinked away the glare, Elsa could see that the King of the North had stumbled backwards. He lay in shock, staring at his hands. Both were completely charred, blackened by the flames.
Natalia stood beside Elsa, glaring menacingly at the king.
"She is everything to me," Natalia said, fire still surrounding her clenched fists.
The king looked up, cowering at the sight of the Princess of Kohbara. His breathing was labored from both his pain and his fear.
"You- you have the power of fire!" he cried.
A tall wall of flames burst up around her, making it clear what she could do. She scowled.
"We are stronger together than you will ever dream of being."
Elsa glanced at the princess. Then, with a forceful wave of her hand, she smashed the king's scepter into tiny pieces
"Don't come any closer!" he wailed.
"We will give the commands," Natalia corrected him. "This is the last time you will come so close to Queen Elsa. Leave and never return, or you will face much more than small burns like those."
The king struggled to his feet and stumbled towards the door.
"Do not return," Elsa confirmed. For added emphasis, she slipped her hand into Natalia's.
"I agree to your terms," the King growled. "Forgo your destiny now. But you will not last very long."
Both of the women lifted their free hands and sent a blast of their own element in the direction of the king. Helpless without his ability and crippled with pain, he gave a final look of disapproval and disappeared, leaving a trail of thick ice behind himself.
They waited a long moment. Finally, Elsa let her tension go. She breathed a sigh of relief and turned towards the princess that still held tightly to her hand.
"Natalia- I- I don't know what to say."
"A simple thank you would be just fine."
"Thank you," Elsa said, her eyes watering. "And now…this explains everything! We're connected. We can't help all these feelings between us. It's because of our magic."
Natalia was taken slightly aback. She could feel a nervousness beginning in her stomach.
"Well, no, I don't think that's the only reason."
"Before, I was always able to just push these sorts of feelings away. Then, ever since you came here, I felt somehow attracted to you and couldn't even control myself. It's because of our powers drawing us together."
Now Natalia was clearly upset and unable to hide it.
"Elsa, no!" she shouted. The Queen shut her mouth and listened this time.
"When will you realize that you cannot just push things away? You cannot just keep hoping problems will disappear if you wait long enough. Haven't you learned that already? Everyone feels the heat of the sun, but only you can feel the heat of your heart. So look inside of yourself and see that the feelings between us are much more than just magic energy. We are more than that. Let yourself feel this too, Elsa. Let your heart feel warm and let me be the one to help you feel it!"
With a swift movement, Natalia's hands were grasping Elsa's face and bringing her into a passionate kiss. The way her hands caressed her cheeks was not forceful, but still powerful nonetheless. It was gentle, quick, and free, but still somehow in control. Just like her flames. This time, Elsa did not try to pull away. She let herself melt into the kiss, and found herself kissing back. Her own hands found Natalia's waist easily and they stayed close, embracing and kissing that way for what felt like a very long time.
When Natalia finally broke away, Elsa's eyes stayed closed. She hadn't even realized that she'd closed them. When she opened them again, Natalia was smiling at her. Elsa watched a familiar flame dance across the princess's irises. Only this time, small burning embers fell around Natalia's shoulders and Elsa gasped.
"It's alright," Natalia said sheepishly. "It's embarrassing, but I got a little excited and, well, ah, I guess sparks flew?"
Elsa couldn't help but laugh loudly, and Natalia was happy to join in. After a moment, their laughter had subsided into small giggles and they were gazing at one another again.
"You're right," Elsa managed to say despite the fact her head was swarming with so many different thoughts, the most prominent one being that she wanted to kiss Natalia over and over again. "I do feel a lot warmer. But are you sure it isn't just because you're naturally warm?"
Natalia was about to speak up and reprimand her again when she noticed Elsa's shy smile. She leaned closer.
"I can prove it."
She captured the queen's lips in another passionate kiss. Anna and the boys had contacted the guards (the ones that had not been frozen by the King of the North's initial walk through the palace gates) and made sure that the king was gone for good. Returning now to the ballroom, Anna gasped, stopped in her tracks, and covered her mouth with her hands.
"Oh my goodness! Shh! No one say anything."
"What?" Leo asked, looking in through the cracked door. He turned pale and gaped, glancing between his sister and Anna. From his throat escaped a soft, strained sort of cry, as if he was shocked and unsure of what to do. Kristoff peeked in as well. He watched and lifted an eyebrow at the scene. Anna firmly clapped a hand over his eyes, and then tugged on Leo's collar.
"Alright, nothing to see here! Let's go try and calm the guests before we start another hundred national incidents. Do you think we'll ever be able to just have a normal ball?"
"I don't think we'll have a normal anything if those two last," Leo lamented as the three of them walked away. "And yet… I'm still hoping that they will."
Amidst a slightly ruined ballroom, the beautiful dragon that had saved the hopeful queen was being rewarded with a gift that was worth more than all the gems and precious stones in the world. And the queen finally began to consider that there might be a 'happily ever after' left for her after all.
O O O
