"I'm guessing I can make my own dresses to lessen my carriage load," Elsa voiced out thoughtfully, skimming through her extensive wardrobe. She proceeded to take out two suitcases from underneath her bed and filled it with a few gloves (just in case; she could never be too confident), a few books and journals to tide her over, extensive undergarments and others things she deemed important to bring.
Unfortunately, this was a voyage where she had to go on her own. Sure, she would only be away for a week, and it wasn't her first time leaving the kingdom, but it was her first time leaving her daughter for more than a few hours and that was enough to make her worry to no end.
She finished packing in a span of two hours and after clicking the last suitcase's lock in place, she heard her daughter's signature knock on the door. Elise let herself in and walked towards Elsa, raising her arms up, a silent request to be carried. Elsa complied, kissing her head after settling her on her hip.
"Supper time, mama," Elise told her, and Elsa smiled. She often forgot about her stomach whenever she's working and after finding that out, Elise threatened that she would not go down to the dining hall unless she was with Elsa, just to make sure she gets to eat on time.
"Of course, little love," Elsa said, squeezing her daughter tight before shifting her to one arm, and her free one put down the suitcases by the bedside.
"Where are you going?" Elise asked, eyeing the suitcases. Elsa stepped out of her room and told Elise as she was going down the stairs.
"I'm going to the Northern Isles. It's not too far from Arendelle." Elsa told her, slowly easing the information into her three year old daughter.
"Gonna see you tomorrow?" Elise asked quietly, resting her head on her chest. Elsa cringed; she didn't want to make her sadder than she currently was.
"I'm afraid not. I'm leaving before sunrise tomorrow," Elsa revealed, hugging her closer. She made her way towards the dining hall and set Elise down on her seat beside her before sitting down on her own. Anna was seated right across Elsa, and right next to her was Kristoff, who stood up at the queen's entrance.
"Kristoff, I've told you a hundred times, there is no need for formalities. Please, sit down." Elsa smiled at her sister's lover of two years, watching him blush and mutter a small apology before complying with her request.
The hall was quiet for a while, the clinking of spoons and forks on the china and slurping being the only noises filling the atmosphere. It was a comfortable silence, but Anna, being Anna, couldn't deal with that and drank from her goblet before starting a conversation.
"Elsa, have you told Elise that you'll be gone for a week?" Anna asked nonchalantly, taking a bite out of her meal. Elsa frosted her utensils; she knew that she'd be gone for long but hearing it aloud made her feel guiltier about leaving Elise in such short notice.
Elsa was supposed to tell her before she goes to sleep; it looked like she would have to explain it to her a bit earlier than planned.
"Not yet, Anna. Thank you for bringing that up," Elsa said stoically, making Anna shrink back in her seat. Kristoff looked on, not daring to interfere.
Elsa looked to her right; she saw that Elise was looking down at her lap, holding back tears, effectively ripping Elsa's heart from her chest. She hated seeing her like this, and it pained her to know that she was the one who caused this.
"Baby, come here," Elsa crooned, and Elise quickly traveled the small distance between them, climbing up on her lap and straddling her waist, her arms a vice grip around her neck. Elsa felt the tears staining her dress, feeling her little body shaking in her arms.
"Calm down, baby. Just breathe," Elsa whispered to her daughter, kissing the crown of her head repeatedly as she rubbed her back. Her cries gradually died down to hiccups, but the tears came steadily.
"Don't leave, mama, please," Elise whispered brokenly, digging her face into Elsa's chest as she continued to cry. "I'll be good. Don't leave, mama, don't leave."
This was harder than I thought.
"I wish I could stay, Elise, but I can't. The week will be over before you know it." Elsa reassured as she continued rubbing Elise's back. "I'll let you sleep in my quarters tonight, would you like that?"
She felt Elise nod against her chest, and she breathed a small sigh of relief.
"Your Aunt Anna and Uncle Kristoff will be taking care of you when I'm gone." Elsa added, giving the two people in front of her a pointed look. They nodded their heads eagerly, sympathizing with the toddler.
Elise didn't say anything; she nodded again against Elsa's chest, not wanting to waste another moment without her before she leaves for her trip the next day. Elsa sensed that Elise wasn't going to be letting her go anytime soon, so she neared Elise's plate towards her positioned Elise sideways. She wiped her tears away with her napkin and kissed her temple, lingering there for a while.
"We'll just finish up supper, alright, little love?" Elsa told her gently, and Elise nodded sadly, slumping against Elsa's torso. She would open her mouth when Elsa would feed her small portions from her plate, but she seemed disinterested in everything that was happening around her.
"I really am sorry about Elise; I thought she already knew." Anna apologized sincerely, looking between Elsa and Elise. Elsa gave her a tight lipped smile, telling her that she didn't want to talk about it further, but her eyes clearly said that she had been forgiven.
"Last one," Elsa said, gently slipping the spoon between Elise's lips before putting it down on the plate. Elise sat up and reached for the water goblet, Elsa of course helping her drink.
"Thank you," Elise said quietly, straddling Elsa's waist again and resting her cheek on her shoulder. She played with Elsa's braid, comparing the bleached color of her hair to her skin tone, and ghosting her fingers over the snowflakes that were decorated on the braid.
"Woah," Kristoff whispered to Anna. "I didn't know she could be so-,"
"Motherly?" Anna supplied, her voice just as low, and Kristoff nodded his head, smiling a bit. He had seen Elsa with Elise a handful of times, but it was his first time to see the queen handle her adoptive daughter in a situation like that, and it fascinated him, strangely enough.
"Yeah." Kristoff breathed. Anna smiled, kissing his cheek.
"Me too. But Elsa never ceases to amaze me."
Elise was seated in the middle of the tub, the water reaching up to her stomach and Elsa was currently lathering the shampoo into her hair, even massaging her scalp.
"Mama?" Elise asked with her eyes closed. Elsa hummed in acknowledgement. "Can you get in with me?"
This took Elsa aback, her hands momentarily stopping their movements before starting again. It wasn't that she was ashamed; it just took her by surprise.
"I don't know, Elise," Elsa told her apprehensively, washing the suds from her hands with the water in the tub. Elise cautiously opened her eyes, making sure no suds went into them before fluttering her wet eyelashes at Elsa.
"Please, mama?" Elise pleaded, even pouting at her in hopes to get her way. She gave her a soft smile before nodding, making Elise rejoice and clap her hands. Elsa made sure that the door was locked and added some more warm water to the tub before removing her hair from her braid and allowing her ice dress to melt into nothing and leaving her in her underwear.
Elise moved to the side of the tub to give some more space for Elsa, who embarrassingly removed her undergarments before stepping in the tub. She sat down and Elise stood up on the tub, her body being supported by Elsa's hands on her waist and started pouring water over her mother with her cupped hands, making the both of them giggled loudly.
Once Elsa was thoroughly drenched with water, thanks to Elise, she carried on by cleaning her daughter's body with soap, even tickling her around her waist and neck, making her squeal in delight.
They played around in the water for a while, Elise blowing a few bubbles and Elsa freezing them, allowing Elise to hep old them in her hands before allowing them to pop, making her giggle.
"Mama, I wash your hair!" Elise grinned, and Elsa turned around so she can do the deed. She felt the liquid being poured over her head and little hands working their way through her thick mane, laughing a bit at her daughter's frustration.
"Mama, you have so much hair!" Elise growled cutely, not even halfway done washing her mother's hair. Elsa smiled and turned around so she would be facing Elise and continued where she had left off until all her hair was covered in foam.
"Mama, look, I'm Father Christmas!" Elise giggled, and Elsa laughed along with her. Elise had eyebrows, a beard and a mustache made of foam, and Elsa shook her head at her antics, laughing as she washed it off, along with her hair and her body.
Elsa rinsed herself off right after and stood up from the tub, stepping out and wrapping a towel around herself and another on her head before making Elise do the same. Elsa brushed Elise's teeth first before brushing her own, and after, Elsa picked her daughter's towel clad body up and settled her on her hip.
She unlocked the door of the bathroom and when they got out, she dried Elise more thoroughly before dressing her in her underwear and night gown, and allowing herself to follow suit.
They let their hair dry by the fireplace in her room, Elise cuddling close to her mother.
"Mama?" Elise asked, her voice giving away her slight drowsiness.
"Yes, little love?"
"Can I come with you tomorrow?" Elise asked shyly, hiding her face in Elsa's arm. Elsa gave her a sad smile.
"I'm afraid not, as much as I want that to happen." Elsa said, combing her fingers through Elise's hair. She felt her nod against her arm and heard her yawn. Elsa picked Elise up and brought her over to her large bed, settling her under the covers before getting in herself. Elise cuddled close to her mother, and Elsa held her small body in her arms, inhaling her sweet, baby scent.
"I love you, baby," Elsa whispered, kissing her head and lingering there for a while.
"I love you, mama." Elsa tried her best to sleep that night, despite her tiredness, but even the thought of leaving Elise behind was enough to keep her awake until the time she had to leave.
I apologize for the almost month long absence; this is going to be in two parts (maybe three, let's see) since I'm not really up to writing extremely long chapters.
Basically just Elsa/Elise fluff, if you all like that. Next chapter, I intend to have Anna/Kristoff/Elise bonding in there. Let's see.
Please do tell me what you think. Wishing you all the best!