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 the end. I may add more or change things in the future- this was my first story after all! But for now I would just like to thank you all.
Chapter Nine - Epilogue
Anna had gone through many difficult things in life, but there was one singular thing she ranked highest on the list of difficult things to do. She had suffered through a childhood of isolation, the pain of freezing to death, and a heartbreaking realization that people are not always what they seem. Still, keeping in character, Anna moved past these things and looked on the bright side. She had her sister back, she was unfrozen now, and Kristoff would never do anything to hurt her. Still, that most difficult thing would always be with her for the rest of her life. She'd never be able to avoid it.
She had to say goodbye.
This was merely one stop of many on a long journey from the south kingdom of Kohbara to the various ports of countries in the north. This meant the two new friends who had bonded with the Arendelle natives so quickly now had to sail away.
So Anna was understandably pretty bummed the day the visiting siblings were set to depart. She worried about how her sister would react too. Here she had just found what seemed to be her other half, and that half was being pulled away to continue her royal requirements in her own country. She knocked on Elsa's door softly.
"Elsa? It's Anna. Well, you probably knew that. Anyway, I just wanted to make sure that you were okay. I know you might be, like, really upset about Natalia leaving today. So can I come in and comfort you?"
Anna swallowed. Elsa had told her that even though the door might physically be shut, it was always metaphorically open. She wanted to make sure she never closed her out again. So Anna expected it to be unlocked. When she went to turn the handle, however, it didn't budge. She started to grow nervous.
"Elsa? Elsa, are you in there? Please, let me in!" She said, trying not to sound as panicked as she was feeling. "If you're really upset, I promise we can work it out together! Just please open the door!"
A brief moment later, Anna felt herself being drawn into a familiar hug after the door swung open. Elsa squeezed her tightly and then let go to look at her.
"I'm sorry," she apologized. Her eyes and cheeks were slightly red as if she'd been crying and her hair was a bit out of place. "I locked it for, um, privacy. That's all."
"Oh," Anna said, clearly relieved. "That's fine. I just wanted to make sure you weren't in here all alone creating some huge blizzard or something!" Without giving time for Elsa to react, she had made her way into the room. Seeing Natalia sitting on the bed and waving at her made her break into a grin.
"Oh!" Anna giggled, turning to see her sister blushing and tucking a loose lock of hair behind her ear. "Privacy. I understand. So you definitely weren't alone in here."
"N-nothing was going on," Elsa said quickly, trying to bring Anna's thoughts away from where they were so obviously heading. "We're just preparing ourselves to say goodbye."
"Mhm." Anna hummed happily. She headed for the door. "I'll let you finish saying goodbye, however you were doing it. And Elsa…"
Her older sister, clearly flustered, raised an eyebrow in question.
"…you forgot your sleeves."
Elsa gasped, glancing down and realizing they were missing. Embarrassed, she quickly wove them with her magic as Anna skipped out of the room. Natalia laughed out loud.
"Maybe I'll be happy you're gone!" Elsa said when her sister had disappeared. She was trying to cool the redness on her face. "At least then Anna won't be able to tease me like that." She shook her head. "Sisters."
"You were enjoying my teasing before she entered," Natalia pointed out with a sly grin.
"Ah! That is not what I meant!" So much for getting rid of that blush. It came back full force. "And what we were doing was nothing more than- well it really wasn't- it was all perfectly acceptable for us to be doing. Don't make it seem like it was more than it was."
Natalia laughed again, falling backwards onto Elsa's bed.
"I know. It was innocent enough. I'm only trying to get as many kisses in as I can before this afternoon."
Elsa sighed and joined her on the bed, sitting up and wringing her hands.
"I just can't believe that you're leaving."
Natalia quieted her laughter, sensing that Elsa was about to start crying again. She'd managed to kiss away the tears before Anna had come knocking. She sat up again and wrapped an arm around Elsa.
"You don't have to be too sad. I'm not going away forever, remember? The moment I can, I'll be back."
She reached up with her free hand and wiped a stray tear away from Elsa's cheek with her thumb. Despite the gloomy feeling surrounding them, she smiled. Elsa wasn't as quick to return it.
"I'll still have to go at least a month without seeing you," she lamented. "And I was just getting used to this whole thing."
"So was I," Natalia leaned in for another soft kiss. She was sure she would never be tired of those. Elsa reciprocated; feeling comforted just being in her loving embrace.
Suddenly, the door swung open again and the girls leapt apart. Leo stood in the space with his finger poised in the air and ready for scolding.
"Anna said I should check on you. Are you packed?"
Natalia sighed and scrubbed a hand over the bridge of her nose.
"Yes, brother, I am."
He nodded once curtly and adjusted the high collar of his official princely robes.
"Good. Oh, and Queen Elsa, a good morning to you. Now I will go." He bowed and backed up slowly, not taking his eyes off the women in front of him.
"However," he said, finger rising once more as if to emphasize his point, "I am requesting that this door remain open. In fact, as a guest of this kingdom and a future king of my own, our relationship as peaceful allies depends on this door staying open. It should not be closed at any point before our ship departs later today. Sorry for the inconvenience, your majesty." He bowed once more.
Natalia rolled her eyes as Elsa gently waved Leo on, saying in her most royal tone,
"Thank you. Your precautionary measures are greatly appreciated, Prince Leo. But I can assure you, I am in fine hands."
"Those hands are exactly what I'm trying to protect you from!"
Natalia stuck out her tongue and threw a flurry of harmless sparks his way. He got the message and left. The princess gave the Snow Queen a shrug.
"Brothers."
o o o
The goodbyes had to be said then, in the same room where the first hellos were uttered. Elsa was trying everything to keep from crying. Just knowing that she could not scoop Natalia into her arms and kiss her where they stood was upsetting. She dabbed at the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand and composed herself as best she could.
"We'll really miss you," Anna said, close to tears herself. And although it wasn't supposed to be done, she hugged the siblings one last time. Elsa exchanged formal curtsies and bows with them instead.
"We are friends now. All of us," Leo said after a moment. "And wherever we go, we share this bond. I pray that our fond memories never fade, and that we will meet again."
"I'll pray for that too!" Anna grinned, despite the fact that she wasn't really the religious type. She usually forgot to pray, even though she meant to. Still, it seemed like the best thing to say. Suddenly, she felt Elsa's hand wrap around her own.
"We both do." Her sister confirmed. "Please have a safe journey home."
Natalia and Elsa stole one final glance into one another's eyes. The Queen waited for them to completely disappear before breaking down. Anna, of course, was there to catch her.
o o o
Natalia climbed the gangplank slowly, feeling sort of ill before she had even made it onto the rocking ship. Leo turned to look back at her.
"A thought just occurred to me." He halted in place, halfway up the ramp to the boat that would be taking them back to their home.
"Yes?" Natalia asked, quite unenthusiastically. If she was going to have to get on this ship, she wanted to do it quickly. They could be a good distance away before she decided to jump overboard and swim back. Then she'd think twice about it.
"We should pray before we get on the ship."
"Leo, you're being ridiculous now. On or off, it doesn't matter."
"I think it does. Just appease me one last time. Please?"
Natalia found herself giving in, just to make the whole process go by quicker. She turned and backtracked down the plank before standing on the dock. She glanced back when she suddenly heard the sound of wood crashing into the water. The princess was shocked to see her brother standing up on the ship's deck and the gangplank discarded. He'd tossed it off, giving her no way to get aboard.
"What are you doing?" She asked, looking at him like he had gone mad.
"I'm doing what's right. I'll play my card again! As I rank above you, I order you to remain here. Where you are meant to be."
Natalia gaped.
"Leo, you cannot be serious. You're the one who was the most against this. Weren't you?"
He simply shrugged and motioned for the captain to set off.
"I'm certainly no expert on love. Go and be happy!" He waved her along. "I'll find some way to explain this to father."
"Leo, I don't know what to say. I love you! You are the most amazing brother in the entire world!"
Natalia broke into the largest grin her brother had seen in years. That was all the encouragement he needed. He watched her run towards Arendelle castle and knew he'd made the right decision.
o o o
Four Weeks Later
Anna glared at Natalia from across the table.
"This is not going to end well for you."
"Is it not?" Natalia balled both of her hands into fists. "I think you're underestimating me."
"Oh trust me," Anna retorted, "I didn't do that. I may have overestimated your power."
"Now you've gone too far!"
"Checkmate!" Anna squealed. "Ha!" She knocked Natalia's piece off the chessboard they had been huddled at for the past half an hour. Natalia tossed her hands in the air.
"Fine! You won this game fair and square. Though, I think I've won something better." She grinned as Elsa sauntered out onto the balcony where the pair was playing. It overlooked the gardens and wall leading towards the ocean. Nearby, Kristoff was lounging and lazily strumming his lute. Elsa kissed the top of her princess's head.
"And I've won an incredibly cheesy partner," Elsa shot back, shaking her head.
"Mine's pretty cheesy too," Anna said, grinning at Kristoff.
"I'm not cheesy," he argued.
"You kind of smell like cheese sometimes."
"I do not!"
Elsa giggled as the couple bickered. She thought 'old married couple' described them quite well, but she definitely did not want to think about marriage yet. Seemingly sensing her thoughts, Natalia looked up at her.
"It's been a whole month. Are you sick of me yet?"
"I don't know," Elsa said thoughtfully. "Stay another month and ask me again."
"That doesn't sound like any trouble at all."
She leaned up and kissed the queen's lips. Elsa smiled against the kiss and joked,
"Knowing you, you'll find a way to make trouble."
Natalia considered this with a nod of the head.
"Maybe I'm good at finding things. I found you."
Elsa bit her lip and looked at her girlfriend with her big, blue eyes.
"How about you come find me again? In my room with a romantic lunch for two in ten minutes."
"That sounds perfect. However, I'll let you know that I'm already looking at my dessert."
"We'll see about that." Elsa left her with a final kiss on her nose, and all Natalia could do was laugh. Even there, out in the open sun where everyone was, there was no reason to be scared. What they felt in their hearts was true and it would take something unimaginable to bring them apart. Closed doors, snow kings, and oceans could do nothing. They were not afraid.
O O O
