A/N: Wow. The amount of feedback this story has received totally surpassed my expectations. Thank you so much for reading, following or adding this story to your favorites.

Here's the 2nd chapter of the story. It's not as lengthy as the first one, and it took me quite a while to post it, but I hope you'll enjoy it anyway. Oh, and I may have borrowed a certain phrase from Brave. See if you can spot it. :)

Blame It on the Fondue

Part II

It was mid-afternoon when Anna scrambled along the winding cobblestone path of the Palace Garden with a slight limp in her step. Looking down from her study, whose windows opened to the Garden area, Elsa was also quick to notice her younger sister's overall disordered state: her dress was fairly tattered, her hair unkempt, and dirt clung to various parts of her body. Without wasting another second, Elsa took off to see to Anna herself, leaving behind the stack of documents awaiting her consideration on her writing desk.

In her haste to meet the redhead, Elsa bumped into three servants (a record previously held by Anna alone), nearly knocked over a priceless vase from the East, and succeeded in tripping over the last two steps down the staircase without difficulty. Members of the palace staff who were granted the rare opportunity of witnessing their normally composed Queen run into antiques and trip over stairs were swift to come to her aid in her blunder, but she simply brushed off their surprise and worries with mumbled words of apology and gratitude. After all, Anna was hurt. What was a shattered vase, a sprained ankle, or even her wounded pride compared to any pain inflicted upon her sister?

"Anna!" Elsa cried the moment she saw the very person she had been avoiding for days. The redhead was under one of the garden's many trees, repeatedly reassuring the maid who was currently fussing over her that she was alright, when she heard Elsa call her name. Instantly, the redhead perked up. Spotting her older sister from behind the maid, Anna smiled and began waving at the blonde, a bit too enthusiastically for someone who appeared to be hurt.

"At least she seems okay enough to wave like there's no tomorrow," Elsa muttered to herself, a measure of relief washing over her as she increased her pace. The throbbing in her injured ankle intensified when she did so, but she simply ignored the pain. Anna noticed it, though. And quickly pointed it out, to Elsa's mild irritation.

"Elsa! You're limping. What happened to you?" Anna gasped, worry written all over her face. Gently, she pushed the maid aside and with a few steps, she closed the gap separating her from Elsa. Her self-restraint dissolving then and there, the blonde pulled Anna into a fierce hug, not caring whether or not the gesture would later stoke the desire she had been trying so hard to smother.

"I should be the one asking you that, silly," Elsa replied breathlessly, relishing in the warm sensation the hug provided. Anna's body was stiff at first, surprised as she was with the unexpected contact, but she gradually relaxed into the embrace. She happily reciprocated, her arms wrapping around the blonde in earnest.

Almost too soon, Elsa broke the contact and immediately missed having the weight of Anna's body pressed against her own. But until she got her desire under control – or better yet, extinguished it completely – all the hugging and prolonged exposure to Anna in close proximity would have to wait. Otherwise, Elsa would end up giving much more than just innocent hugs to her sister. Of that, she was certain.

With hands still on Anna's shoulders, Elsa held her sister an arm's length away as she carefully assessed the damage inflicted upon the girl. Up close, Elsa noticed additional twigs and leaves strewn throughout Anna's hair, as well as several scratches on her skin. When she spotted a particularly nasty-looking scratch on Anna's cheek, she reached out to caress it gently with her hand, and Anna leaned into her touch right away. Eyes fluttering shut, the redhead quietly sighed in contentment as Elsa's hand lingered on her cheek.

"Who did this to you?" Elsa asked, voice low and subtly laced with threat. Anna eyes snapped open then as she took a step back from her sister.

"I'm fine, Elsa. No one did this to me," was Anna's quick response, hands waving swiftly in front of her. As if to prove her point, she attempted a pirouette with her uninjured foot before giving the Queen an exaggerated curtsy. "See?"

Elsa simply quirked an eyebrow.

"Come on, Elsa," Anna said, groaning slightly, "even you have to admit that was kinda graceful."

Granted, the pirouette was graceful, but Elsa wasn't going to concede just yet.

"Anna, a properly executed pirouette hardly proves that you're okay, let alone does it explain how you ended up looking like," she gestured at Anna's general appearance, "- this."

An embarrassed smile spread across Anna's face, her hands fiddling with the small pouch Elsa noticed that she as carrying just then. "You see, I was on my way somewhere when – "

"Somewhere?" Elsa repeated, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Yes," Anna said, with a note of certainty. Her hands continued to fiddle with the pouch. "I was on my way somewhere when I took a wrong turn and –"

"A wrong turn?" Elsa interrupted again, the disbelief in her voice becoming more apparent. "Did taking a wrong turn also involve getting into a scuffle with bandits?"

"Elsa, please, let me finish," Anna pleaded, her eyes imploring for Elsa's forbearance. For a moment their gazes met, and it was Elsa who turned away. Sighing in defeat, she gave Anna a small nod, which in turn earned her a grateful smile from the redhead. Those eyes…those adorable eyes of her younger sister were just impossible to resist.

"Anyway," Anna continued, "I went somewhere, which was pretty remote and secluded -"

Elsa narrowed her eyes again.

"– but totally safe and not that far-off," Anna added quickly, "to get this."

Anna finally opened the pouch she had been fiddling with, drawing from it a small vial containing a purple liquid of sorts. She held it up for Elsa to see.

"Grape extract?" Elsa asked, puzzled.

"Of course not!" Anna said, giggling a little. "Why would I ever put myself through so much for some boring old grape extract?"

Elsa shrugged. She moved in closer to examine the liquid. "What is it, then?"

"It's the secret ingredient for the chocolate fondue I'll be preparing," Anna replied cheerfully. Smiling tentatively, she added, "You know, the one for tonight's party?"

Party? Elsa didn't like the sound of that. Already she could hear the faint ringing of bells in her head, alarming her of the danger that often came along with the word.

"I wasn't informed about – "

"Owww!" Anna suddenly hissed, bending down to clutch one of her knees. Worried, Elsa quickly wrapped her arm around Anna's torso for support and gingerly lifted the redhead to her feet, before carefully guiding her to a nearby bench.

"Carina," Elsa called out to one of the maids who had been standing by, awaiting orders from the Queen. The maid named Carina promptly came to Elsa's side and dipped her head in respect.

"Please prepare the baths for my sister," Elsa instructed, sparing only a glance at Carina. "I shall send her there in a short while."

Carina nodded respectfully. "Yes, your Majesty."

With one arm still around Anna, Elsa tenderly stroked the knee that seemed hurt with her free hand. "Does it hurt a lot?"

Smiling softly, Anna laid her hand atop the one stroking her knee. "Only a little. Actually, my reaction was due to more shock than pain. Oh, and it tickles when you stroke me like that."

That last part made Elsa blush, and she immediately withdrew her hand. The motion caused Anna to look at her straight in the face, and flickering in her younger sister's eyes she saw confusion and…

Longing?

"Listen, Elsa," Anna began, their eyes never breaking contact, "I was really looking forward to having a fondue party with you tonight. I promise to make the best chocolate fondue to ever touch that refined palate of yours. I have my secret ingredient to ensure my success – which, in full accordance with my current state of disarray, is quite difficult to obtain – and I assure you that it will totally be worth your time."

Anna spoke with so much hope and eagerness in her voice that it almost became impossible to refuse her request. After another glance at Anna's injuries, Elsa knew then that it was indeed impossible to refuse her request.

Reluctantly, she smiled at Anna. "So…a party then?"

"Yesss!" the redhead squealed in delight, pulling Elsa into another hug. The blonde's previous smile was replaced with a genuine one as she hugged her sister back. Then, without warning, Anna kissed her soundly on the cheek and her mind went blank.

For a few good seconds, Elsa just stared vacantly at Anna – much like the way she'd stared at mini Anna #3 in her private study. Thankfully, though, her mouth wasn't hanging open just as much. By the time her brain regained full functioning, Anna was poking her in the face with glee.

"Ha! I never knew that you could make such a funny face, Elsa."

Feigning annoyance, Elsa playfully swatted the intrusive finger away. "I'm beginning to remember a certain ban that was enacted in our fair kitchens not too long ago…"

Anna slapped her forehead, realizing exactly what Elsa was referring to. "Darn! I forgot about that. Why aren't I allowed into the kitchens again?"

Elsa gave her a pointed look.

"It was just one incident - !"

"That resulted in the loss of a fine waffle iron and an especially attractive mahogany cheese board."

Crossing her arms against her chest, Anna glared unconvincingly at her sister. "Okay, now you're just making fun of me."

"Oh, all right." Elsa gave in, despite wanting to see Anna's adorable pout a bit longer. Just about everything about Anna she found adorable, it seemed. "I'll go against my better judgment and mislead Cook into granting you entry into her kitchens again. Just for tonight, though."

"Just for tonight," Anna nodded, excitement already beginning to color her features. With surprising agility, she got to her feet and held her hand out for Elsa to take.

"You can take care of yourself?" Elsa asked as Anna helped her up.

"Yup! The thought of tonight's party gave me a sudden boost of energy," Anna explained happily.

"Who are we expecting as guests, by the way?" Elsa said, the thought crossing her mind just then.

"No one else. It's just you and me tonight. And Olaf, if I could find him."

Hearing that made Elsa sigh in relief, the pressure of throwing last-minute preparations for a fondue party dissipating into the air.

"Considering that it's just the two of us," Anna began casually, "– and Olaf, if I could find him – I guess it's really more of a date than a party."

Another casual remark from Anna that made Elsa's heart pound foolishly against her chest. But with a better grip on her emotions this time, she managed to conceal what she passionately felt inside.

"So…see you later?" Elsa said instead, choosing to evade Anna's last comment.

"See you later," Anna said brightly before turning to leave for the baths, the pouch with the vial of strange purple liquid dangling from her wrist.

"Chocolate fondue…" Elsa mumbled to herself, a goofy smile slowly spreading across her face as she lightly touched the spot on her cheek where Anna had kissed: right beside her mouth.

TBC

A/N: Thanks for reading! Reviews are highly appreciated.