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-HW

Elsa POV

I should never be allowed to be left alone with my thoughts.

As I sit on the bed beside the quivering form of my sister, I can't help but reflect back on the day I struck her in the heart with my powers. She had been shivering then too, only this time it's due to the fact that her brain has turned traitor and has manipulated her body so that it will rebel against her, tricking her system into thinking it is cold, when in reality she is much warmer than she should be.

I close my eyes, biting my lip as unpleasant memories surface from deep within my subconscious. I remember the seemingly endless days of sitting in my room, fear consuming my very being and weighing me down with grief and despair that at times were unbearable. On particularly bad days, it is not an exaggeration to say that I was a storm of raging emotions. Only unlike the typical hormonal teenager, my feelings were transcended into frozen matter that would crystallize within the confines of my room and taunt my willpower with the physical proof of my constant failure.

Anna coughs quietly beside me in her sleep and draws me away from my thoughts. I turn and stroke my fingers through her bangs, my features softened with affection and concern. I had failed in my role as an older sister to her in the past, despite my good intentions of protecting her. If only I had known about the power of love before, perhaps Anna and I would not have had such a fractured childhood. But then again, I don't think either of us would be where we are today without the events of the past having shaped us the way they have. The course of history has made me strong, it's made me who I am. Anna and I faced challenges that no other pair of sisters ever had to experience and that has embodied our sisterly bond.

A quiet knock on the door penetrates through my nostalgia. I clear my throat and speak in a low voice, admitting entrance to the unknown benefactor. Light spills into the room from the hallway, illuminating Anna's face in soft gold. She stirs slightly and nestles deeper into the pillows, closer to my arm.

A young man steps into the room, standing tall against the doorframe. His auburn hair is closely cropped against his head and has been smoothed over in glossy waves. His face is well shaved, giving his face a very innocent expression, almost childlike. Despite how his broad shoulders support a muscular build, there is a youthful glow in his features that give him a friendly air. He is certainly handsome, though it takes me a few seconds to notice the bag in his left hand and the stethoscope coiled loosely around his neck.

"Your majesty," he says in a gentle voice, lowering himself into a respectful bow. "Johan Falstad. I will be your physician for today." He takes a step forward, shutting the door behind him, and makes his way over to the bed. "I hear the princess is feeling a little under the weather. How is she?"

"Not that well actually," I say, resting my hand on Anna's shoulder. "I greatly appreciate you taking the time out of your schedule to come and see her today."

"It's no trouble at all," Johan says breezily, setting his bag down on a chair. "I came as soon as I heard that Princess Anna was feeling ill. I've been looking forward to meeting the both of you, only this wasn't in the way I had hoped."

He offers me a simple smile, but that isn't what arrests me so. His eyes are warm like liquid amber and comforting as I gaze into them. I can't help but smile back.

Beside me, Anna stirs, her startling blue eyes bright with fever. "Elsa?" she rasps, her brow furrowed with confusion.

"Princess Anna," Johan murmurs gently. "My name is Johan Falstad. I will be taking care of you until you feel better, alright? Now, can you tell me exactly how you're feeling?"

Anna rests her unfocused gaze on Johan. "I think I'm dying," she says with a small laugh, but it only ends in a harsh cough.

"From what I've heard," Johan says, facilitating my sister as she sits up. "You're one of the bravest citizens in Arendelle. They say you're not afraid of anything," He smiles at her. "Not even death."

My blood runs cold at the thought of my sister, standing erect as a statue of ice, her body extended to deflect the blow that was meant to kill me. I bite my lip and swallow away the memory. No, Anna isn't afraid of death. She was willing to sacrifice everything to save the sister who shut her out for thirteen years. She loves me unconditionally and I struggle every day, wondering how I can ever find the proper way to express my love in return.

"Ooh, a charmer," Anna whistles, glancing at me in a light-hearted manner. "Where'd you dig up this guy, Elsa?"

"Only the best for my little sister," I tease.

"It's part of my job to make you feel at ease around me," says Johan in his silky smooth voice. "I find that it simplifies things when my patients learn to trust me more," He rummages through his bag and pulls out a thermometer. "Is it working?"

"That depends," Anna says in a calculated voice, eying the thermometer warily. "Where exactly is that thing going?"

Johan laughs. "It goes under your tongue, don't worry."

I stifle a snort of laughter and lightly graze the small of Anna's back with my fingernails. Anna falls silent as Johan slips the thermometer past her lips and waits patiently for it to register.

"So exactly how long have you been feeling ill, your majesty?"

I answer for her. "She seemed a little lethargic last night at dinner. She lacked her usual. . ." I trail off, trying to think of the best word to describe my sister's level of energy. "Liveliness."

Anna shoots me a warning look. I manage to refrain from mentioning that this illness is a result of her own foolishness.

Johan nods, but says nothing. Eventually, he leans forward and slips the thermometer out from underneath Anna's tongue and studies it carefully. "Well, your highness, you've got quite a bit of a fever. You're at 102.4 degrees now, which isn't dangerous, but it is high enough to make you feel rather uncomfortable."

Anna sniffles and wipes her nose feebly. "Do you have anything that will make my stomach feel not so sore?"

Johan smiles. "Of course," he says, leaning back over his bag. "It seems to me that you've just got a touch of the flu. Nothing life-threatening." He smirks at her playfully and passes her a small dosage cup, which he fills to the brim with a dark, hunter green liquid. "This should bring your temperature down and soothe your stomach. I recommend you drink lots of fluids and stay in bed for at least the duration of today and until you start feeling better."

"Thank you, Mr. Falstad," I say regally. "I really appreciate you checking on my sister."

"As I said before, it's no trouble at all," Johan assures me, flashing his teeth in a broad grin at the both of us. "Well, your highness, I do hope you feel better soon." He turns to me. "Call me if her temperature goes up or if she is rendered unable to retain fluids. I'll be back to check on you tomorrow. Good day to you, ladies."

His hand raised in a friendly parting wave, Johan Falstad slips out the door, vanishing as quickly as he appeared. I turn to Anna and gently brush her bangs back with my fingertips.

"Feeling any better?"

"Not particularly," she admits hoarsely, her eyelids fluttering with the movement of my fingers. Her lower lip puckers out in a sour expression. "I feel like I'm going to be sick again." she says, though her voice doesn't betray very much of a sense of urgency.

I study her face carefully. "Do you feel like you need to right this second or are you just saying that?"

Anna pales and suddenly she's on her feet, whipping the covers back. "No, right now." she says, taking off out the door and down the hall.

I follow at a slower pace, shutting the bathroom door behind us as Anna heaves over the edge of the toilet. I crouch beside her, drawing her strawberry blonde locks of hair away from her face with one hand and wrapping my other arm around her waist to keep her from lurching forward. I whisper comforting things as my sister coughs and when she finishes, she sits trembling violently, her face glistening with sweat.

"Oh, poor Anna," I murmur, pulling Anna into my embrace. She wraps her arms around her abdomen, sniffling miserably as we sit on the floor of the bathroom, holding one another tightly.

"Do you want me to get you anything, babe?" I ask, tipping her chin up towards my face. "A glass of water, maybe?"

Anna shakes her head. "No, thanks. I just want to go back to bed."

"Okay," I say, slowly rising and assisting her to her feet. She sways dangerously and I clasp her wrists as she overcomes her light-headedness. "Come on, it's a short walk. We can make it."

We slowly trudge down the hallway, Anna hardly steady at all on her feet. I see Kai and Gerda standing alert before the doors to Anna's bedroom.

"Your majesty, is there anything we can do?" Kai offers. Their faces expressions are soft with genuine fretfulness.

I smile reassuringly at them. "Thank you for you concern, but Anna just needs rest right now. I think it has been made clear that I intend to spend my time with her until she is well, so if you could be so kind as to cancel all of my appointments, including my meeting with the council, I would really appreciate it."

"Of course, your majesty," says Gerda. "We'll inform the Prime Minister at once."

Anna pauses and fixes me an anxious look. "Elsa, you don't have to give up your duties as queen just to help me out. I'm sure I'll still be dying when you get back."

I smile at her. "Nonsense, Anna. My duties as your big sister trump any old title of being queen."

Anna coughs harshly and crawls into bed like a young child; it's obvious that she's feeling absolutely miserable. My heart twists with pain at the thought of her feeling this ill. I slip under the covers beside her, pulling her close. "You just rest now, love." I whisper, pressing my lips to her forehead.

Anna sniffles quietly and buries her face in my shoulder, quivering, her brow furrowed slightly. I slowly run my fingers through the tendrils of her hair until her taut expression relaxes and I watch as she drifts off into a restless state of slumber.