Sorry about the delay, but here's the net chapter! Please Fav/Follow/Review or PM me if you'd like! Enjoy and thanks for all the support so far!

-Lullaby for a Stormy Night

Elsa

I paced the pavilion where, what seemed like just seconds ago, I had received an unexpected guest. Sensations from last night still plagued my mind. The effect of Antoine's forwardness and the blush Serephina had caused across my face seemed to battle within me, one looking for dominance over the other. It was so hard to tell which one meant more, spoke the loudest to me. Both were unlike anything I had ever felt before, and I didn't know how to move forward.

So, I focused on the present. The sun told me that it was nearly midday. I began to lose the hope that she would return like she said before. We still hadn't had the opportunity to actually speak to one another, and I had so many questions. I needed to know what she knew. Perhaps she could teach me how to have complete control and even the strength to use it freely. Now I could allow myself to do small tricks and relax without worrying about freezing over Arendell again, but I secretly hoped there was so much more I could do.

"This is pointless. She's not coming today." I growled to myself, heading back for the castle doors that opened into the gardens.

"I'm not, huh? That's a shame."

I spun to face the voice behind me. My fingers immediately pressed into my forehead. "What are you doing up there?"

"You get a nice view up here. I can see everything in the garden. Have you never been up here?" Serephina was straddling a wide bough of one of the tallest trees around the pavilion. She looked much like she did yesterday: rugged and ready for an adventure.

"No, of course not. That wouldn't be appropriate. How long have you been there anyway?" I snapped, forgetting how easily she could get on my nerves.

She shrugged before taking hold of the branch with one hand and kicking one leg around to the other side. I watched her dangle for just a second before landing low on the ground. She stood straight, brushing her dark hands together to shake off dirt. "Only about an hour, just wanted to test your patience."

"What? Why would you do that?" I couldn't fight the blush that seemed to swallow my face.

"You talk to yourself, my lady. If you want me to teach you anything, I need to know who I'm working with better." She replied smoothly as if she had already prepared for this exact conversation. She always had that way with her words. "You never really know a person till you see them when no one is watching."

She stepped closer to me during the last line, staring deep into my eyes with her hazel ones. "Regardless, I'm glad you came back."

"I said I would, now come on."

"What do you mean?"

She peaked over her shoulder, causing sunlight to highlight just the right areas of her face to make her high cheekbones stand out. Her eyes always had a mischievous squint to them and made me want to know what she was thinking. The way her neck arched caused me to bite the inside of my cheek. "Your garden isn't exactly the best spot. Trust me, I'll have you back before it gets too late, my lady."

Serephina

We went out past the walls of her kingdom. It was easy enough for Queen Elsa to borrow a horse from the stables. Meanwhile I kept out of sight. Politely, she offered to find me a steed as well when she first headed for the stables. Instead I bowed my head and raised a hand in front of me. "No thank you, I've got my own way, your majesty."

With that I turned and left. Careful not to be spotted, I only had to walk a short while before I found an alley to slip into. It was just a narrow path between two shops, but it gave me what I needed. One of the buildings was low and made of brick that had aged, providing perfect hand holds. With ease I scaled up the side of the quaint shop. I instinctively my hands and feet did all the work knowing exactly where to find the best leverage to pull me up. The muscles in my arms grew taunt and pronounced with every movement. Really though, it was no struggle. Soon I stood on top of the pitched roof.

"I'd like to see anyone in a dress do something like that." I muttered partially to myself, and partially to all those who mocked me for dressing like a man.

I waited for only a couple of minutes before I noticed Elsa appear on horseback. She trotted casually through the streets, sitting tall with both legs over one side of the buckskin horse, her blue skirt perfectly placed. I simply shook my head and began a light jog. It wouldn't take much to keep up with her. My pace was light as I made use of the crowded buildings of the inner city. It was easy to leap from one roof top to the other. Well, especially since I'd done it before.

All the meanwhile I kept my gaze down on the young queen. Every few yards she would be approached by some resident of her kingdom. They would bow or curtsy and ask how she was. Occasionally children would run up, normally girls, and offer her early spring flowers. Sweetly she would smile and thank them and they would run away giggling, star struck by their idol. The way she seemed to be truly honored by their small gifts is what really got to me. Her smile would only grow stronger when they turned away. There almost seemed to be a longing in those piercing blue eyes to join them.

Don't get yourself in too deep. The warning ran clear through my mind. I couldn't help but feel a pull towards her, even though I knew the truth behind it. Really I just didn't care. Sensible just didn't seem right when I saw the snow queen. Elsa made me want to toss any second thoughts or worries to the wind. "Alright, quit living in the clouds," I laughed to myself, "she's getting ahead of you."

I ran all of the way to the very front gates of the kingdom. She trotted through while I just ran on over. With the assistance of a nearby tree, I was back on the ground again. "How did you get over here?" Elsa asked when she saw me approaching.

"I ran. I actually was by your side the entire time, your majesty."

"You don't have to address me like that. You are going to be my teacher after all." She pulled the small tiara from her braided hair as if to prove her point.

I smiled and crossed my arms, "Then let's begin my pupil."

I walked in front of her, leading her horse with her still riding to a small clearing that I knew was not too far away. Nearly all the snow was melted, leaving only a few patches of dirty slush and the ground wet and saturated. Perfect for what both of us needed to work with. "Right here should work."

Elsa glanced around at the tree line, clearly nervous about what she would do. Or maybe about what she couldn't do. She began to slide herself off, "Here, let me help you." I rushed around and took her waist. It wasn't hard to see that getting on and off a horse didn't come naturally to her. One view of her foot placement told me that she would have tumbled straight into the mud. My fingers wrapped around the soft part of her torso, just below the ribs. She pushed off gently and let me lift and set her onto the ground. My hands lingered for just a second longer before sliding off lazily, and she didn't seem to mind.

"Th-thank you," she said in a breathy voice that made my heart speed up.

"Of course, Elsa." I said, masking my own jitters. "Let's start at the beginning, shall we?"

"That might be best," she smiled at me with a small laugh behind her words. I beckoned her to follow me as I took a few steps over to a patch of bare mud. Squatting down, I plucked a decent sized stick from its resting spot on the ground.

I took a deep breath. It had been a while since I had to do anything like this, "Most of this might not make sense right away, but eventually it will all come together." In the dirt I drew four circles, two vertically and two horizontally so they crossed. Between each two that came together, a smaller section was overlapped between the two. I smeared back the region in the center that was a mix of all the regions.

I looked back at her and she had a confused frown on her face. "Elementals, as we call ourselves, have been around for centuries. We don't know why we can do what we do, but what we do know is that for whatever reason, we were gifted with a strong connection to the natural world, in one form or the other."

"So my being able to control snow and ice…"

"Is just you being bonded to that part of the world by something beyond your control. We all have various levels of affinities and types of affinities, but what my people have realized is we all fall into a certain category, so to speak."

Elsa looked at me with a mild hint of doubt, but waited for me to continue. I drew the first symbol within the top circle. The whole time I felt her hovering over, watching every mark I etched into the wet Earth. "Wind," she whispered when I finished the last curl.

"Yes, air is always taken as the first element as it gives life and power to all others. Many believe it to be the strongest element. Most of our leaders bear this gift."

"Leaders of?"

"Annwfn, my home." I answered not looking up from my work.

I went to the next independent section to the right. Three waves and a single droplet made this pattern. "Water is always next to be recognized. It is ever lasting and symbolizes wisdom and purity." I heard her gasp as she began to build connections. The third circle I filled with a geometric pattern of a single spiraling square with tiered lines around.

"I can't tell what that is," she answered, almost disappointed.

"Most can't. The design is a little out there. Earth, the element of strength and trust." I smirked at her, letting her know that she shouldn't be embarrassed. The last I felt a certain shiver a familiarity towards.

Elsa moved in closer, looking at every mark I made. I felt her chest push onto my shoulder softly. "I know this one, it's yours."

She was right. I capped the last piece of flame to a sharp tip. The overlapping flames with sparks dancing above were my symbol. "Fire, the element of loyalty and… passion." My eyes met hers with the last word. Passion, the sound seemed to hang in the air of the short distance between us. Those giant blue eyes blinked slowly, and I had such an urge to move that strand of blonde haire that hung in front of them.

"What… what are the spaces in between for?" she broke the silence.

"Right, the four elements are not the only four sources of power." I continued, mildly disappointed.

Elsa

Serephina then turned back to her work, dropping low to one knee. I followed her lead and knelt beside her, but I couldn't get it off my mind. Did her voice break just now? The way she looked at me… Her eyes latched onto mine made a warmth grow through me. Her look made me feel something new. Serephina had this light in her eyes that when she looked your way, you felt like the only person on the world. Maybe everybody received this attention from her. Loyalty and passion, the words were constant in my mind.

Serephina was back to drawing. Long, ropes of hair blocked out the expression on her face. I watched her fill in three of the remaining slots. She began with gap between air and fire, drawing three bent lines through it. Moving clockwise, she drew two lines and a small arrowhead shape. Between earth and water she drew the only real identifiable shape, a leaf. I furrowed my eyebrows at each image. "I don't get it."

She gestured to the first section with the bent lines, "Lightning and electricity, power and energy that flows through the air around us in extreme times, but also gives of heat and can burn."

"It blends fire and air."

She nodded her head, "It is neither like nor unlike either of them."

My hand reached out towards the next shape. Fire and earth, I pondered silently. The lines were sharp, an arrowhead, I soon knew the answer. "Metal."

"Exactly, metal is just altered earth and is bent by heat. Excellent craftsmen and inventors metal elementals are."

I walked my hand over to the section with the leaf. In the process, our hands rested together for just a moment. I blushed at my unexplainable behavior. Just like getting off the horse… Stop it! My mind waged a war with itself. When I realized Serephina was staring at me with concern, I hurried to find the next answer. "Is it life?"

"Close," she grinned, "plants, water and earth work closely to create and sustain life that is supportive yet delicate."

"Why did you leave the last one blank? What is it supposed to be?"

Her response was rolling the stick next to my hand on the soft ground. "Why don't you tell me."

I didn't want to look foolish in front of the strong and intelligent elemental. She knew so much that I was dying to know inside. I wanted to know her. So I took up the tool and gave it my best attempt. The pattern came naturally to me somehow. Her face was pleased as she looked over my work. "Perfect," she said looking from the collection of snowflakes I had drawn right back into my eyes, "Snow and ice, shared by the wind and water. The most beautiful and fierce storm."