With love for theladychelsieofdownton/YellowBrickRoad, for whom this story was crafted to celebrate her birthday (and I'm a day late in posting this update, so please forgive me). I hope I've done this justice. xxx
CSotA
It was a bright, sunny day, but that didn't stop Elsie from pulling every winter accessory she could find from the kids' dressers. She could hear the wind as it blew over the roof, and a quick glance outside showed the sparkling, fluffy snow whipping about the garden. Tucking a hat under her arm and snatching the strap to attach James's mittens to one another through his coat sleeves, she headed back downstairs just in time to hear both her children erupt into giggles.
"Whatever is going on in here?" she asked them, and she laughed as Aubree looked over quickly, a bit of fear in her eyes before she realized she wasn't in trouble. "Are you two having fun?"
"We are, Mummy," Aubree smiled, and she leaned over the edge of her brother's play yard wall to pick up a toy. "I keep tickling Jamie with the fluff on his bunny, and he likes it!"
To demonstrate, Aubree pulled at the bunny's tail until its cottony material was as fluffy as could be and then reached in slowly, putting the tail closer and closer to her baby brother's cheek. When she got as close as possible without touching him, she shouted, "Tickle, tickle!" and brushed the stuffed animal against his cheek and neck, causing one-year-old James to laugh with delight whilst squirming away.
"Well, I daresay you'll both sleep well tonight," Elsie told her girl. "Now, we need to get all bundled up. Papa will be here shortly and it'll be time to go."
"Where are we going, Mummy?"
Aubree had asked this about a dozen times, and each time Elsie had just shaken her head and explained that it was a surprise. She and Charles had cooked this up weeks ago after seeing an advertisement in the local paper, but they knew that telling Aubree - who was only six years old - about it then would have been foolish. Better to have her be surprised, Elsie had said, and her husband had agreed.
"I know," Aubree said, rolling her eyes a bit. "It's a surprise."
"It is," Elsie replied, an eyebrow raised at her daughter's cheek, "and that's quite enough of the rolling eyeballs, thank you very much."
Somewhat chagrined, Aubree dutifully put on her coat and began working at the buttons. It was a new task for her, and she did it with focus and enthusiasm as Elsie pulled James up from the playpen and got him stuffed into his own clothes. He fussed a bit, but she was able to shush him with a few kisses and quiet words, and she knew he'd be asleep in moments as soon as they got on the road.
The holiday bell on the front door jingled, and Elsie called down to Charles, "We're up here!"
"Almost ready then?" came his voice from the bottom of the stairs. "Do you need help?"
"No. I think we're alright."
"May I go down?" Aubree asked, and Elsie glanced to verify the coat was entirely buttoned before nodding in her daughter's direction.
"Careful on the steps, Aubree love."
"Hold onto the railing," Aubree replied, already out of the play room door. "I know, Mummy. I'll be careful."
Elsie watched as the red pom-pom on Aubree's hat bounced with each step her daughter took, and she took a deep breath as her heart swelled with love. Turning to James, Elsie leaned down and kissed the dark hair falling over his forehead.
"So much like your Papa's," she whispered. "Now, let's see what we have in store for you two, shall we?"
She held him close as she headed downstairs, stopping at the bottom for Charles to wrap his arms around them both before placing a long, lingering kiss on his wife's lips.
"How was your day?" he asked, ruffling his son's hair and taking James's hat from Elsie's pocket to put it on.
"The usual, although I'm so excited about tonight that I had trouble focusing on finishing the plans for our Christmas party."
"Well, let's hope James doesn't scream and wail and cry this time, shall we?" Charles said, cringing. They'd brought him to see Santa last week and it had decidedly not gone well.
"That was different," Elsie reminded him, remembering. "A mall full of screaming children, heat on too high, angry shoppers …" She shuddered. "This will be so much better, I think."
"But cold," Charles reminded her, tapping her nose. "So go bundle up, Mummy, and I'll get these hooligans in the car."
oOoOoOo
When they pulled into the parking area, Elsie gasped. She turned to look at Aubree, who was staring at the entire scene, mouth agape.
"Good choice we made," Charles mumbled, and he reached over and patted his wife's knee.
"Indeed."
The parking was next to the park downtown, which had been completely transformed. The recent snowfall highlighted the scene perfectly: the gazebo, set in the middle of the park, was wrapped in twinkling, white holiday lights, and the surrounding bushes glowed in a multitude of colors. Down the pathway that led from the gazebo to the small road were more lights, much larger globes that glowed softly. To the side was a Christmas tree-selling area, then across from that a beverage stand with cocoa, mulled cider, tea, and coffee.
But the thing that drew Aubree's rapt attention was located in a small area beside the gazebo. It was a patio, in which sat a bench.
And, seated upon the bench with a small child on her knee ...
"Princess Elsa," Aubree breathed.
"Is … Is that Elsa? The real Elsa?" Charles asked with a gasp. He turned to face his eldest, his eyes wide, and Aubree nodded quickly and began to get very, very excited.
"It is! Papa, it's her! It's Elsa from Frozen!"
James, who'd recently woken, scrunched up his face, and Charles swiftly reached back and rubbed his son's snowsuit-clad leg to soothe him. "Shh, it's alright. She's just excited."
"Sorry," Aubree muttered, already unbuckled and reaching for the door handle. "Mumma? Can we go see her?"
"Of course," Elsie told her, and she and Charles got both kids out of the car and headed to where Princess Elsa stood - James in his Papa's arms, and Aubree holding tightly to her mother's gloved hand.
As they approached the "Elsa," Elsie marveled at her appearance. She was the spitting image of the cartoon princess, right down to the details on her dress.
"Well, hello there!" the young woman greeted the Carsons. "Merry Christmas to you!"
"And to you," came Charles's polite reply, which was immediately followed by Elsie's, "Oh, you dear girl, you must be freezing!"
"Mummy," Aubree chided, "Princess Elsa doesn't get cold. She loves the cold." She looked over at Elsa quickly. "Can you build an ice castle here? For us to play in?"
"Oh, sweetheart, I'm afraid I can't. I'm only here to visit for a short time, and I'd like to say hello to as many sweet children as I can before I have to go." She patted the bench beside herself. "Would you like to come over here and sit with me?"
"And then Papa can take a hundred pictures," Elsie teased, and Elsa looked up to her and winked, laughing lightly.
"Precisely."
Aubree clambered up onto the bench, and Elsa reached out for James. "Will he sit with me?" she asked, and Charles and Elsie looked at one another.
"We can try," Charles said, shifting to place James in her lap.
"He hated Santa," Aubree added, shaking her head. "He doesn't understand like I do."
At that, all three adults laughed, which caused James to begin giggling as well, eager to join in.
"Well, would you look at that?" Elsie marveled. She watched as her son sat peacefully on Elsa's lap, looking up at her and seemingly enraptured by her long, twisted blond hair and the sparkles by her eyes, which twinkled in the fairy lights.
"Well hello there," Elsa said, smiling down at him. "What's your name?"
"He can't talk," Aubree said. "But his name is James. I call him Jimmy sometimes, but Papa doesn't like that name. I call him Jamie now - sometimes."
"I see," Elsa said. "Well, has James been a very good boy this year? I do hope so. I like to hear that all children are doing well at home."
"He has, but he cries a lot," Aubree replied. "His teeth hurt."
Charles snapped away with his camera as Elsie looked on, fascinated by how not one but both of their children were so comfortable with the complete stranger that was in the Elsa costume. Several minutes passed, and Elsie realized it must be a lull in the crowd; it was dinnertime, and Charles had assumed that would mean it would be less busy.
"Quiet now," Elsa said, as if reading Elsie's mind. "Which means I get to spend all this time with … you," she added, tapping Aubree's nose.
"Your finger is cold!" Augree said.
"So's your nose," Elsa replied with a wink.
They continued chatting for a few more minutes, until James became restless. Charles put away the camera and scooped up his boy.
"I think it's time for us to go," he told Aubree, who pouted. "Why don't you say your goodbyes to Princess Elsa."
Aubree looked to Elsa for verification, and Elsa nodded.
"He's right, dear," she said softly. "But if I could have a hug before you go, that would make my night extra-special."
Aubree's face lit up and she practically dove into Elsa's arms, giving her a big squeeze. "Thank you for coming to visit us all," she said, sounding very grown up. "Will you be back?"
"Perhaps next Christmas," Elsa said. "I have so many little children to visit every year, but this was a lovely place to be, and I'd like to return."
"Will you remember us?" Aubree asked, wide-eyed with wonder, and Elsa nodded.
"Of course, dear. Merry Christmas to you. You'd better go along with your Papa now, hm?"
"Okay," Aubree agreed sadly. She took Charles's outstretched hand and allowed him to lead her to the car, but she stopped suddenly and turned. "Can you say hello to Olaf for me?" she shouted.
Elsa laughed lightly and nodded. "Of course, dear. He'll be so sorry not to have met you."
Aubree nodded back, then headed to the car with her Papa and James. The wind had begun to blow more strongly, and she was getting very cold.
"Bless you for being out in this weather," Elsie told the younger woman. "You really must be freezing, magic or not."
"It's pretty cold," Elsa replied with a laugh, "but it's worth it when I see their faces. You have a lovely family, ma'am."
"Thank you for that," Elsie replied. "And thank you for being here. It's a wonderful idea, this fundraiser. Better than the Santa at the mall, charging ridiculous prices and for no other benefit than the photograph."
Elsa looked over at the sign by the bench, which advertised her name and, in much smaller print at the bottom, the name of the children's hospital that would benefit from a large portion of the proceeds that families were paying to visit with her.
"Well, we all need to do what we can, especially at Christmas," she said kindly. "Thank you so much for bringing them, and I truly do hope to see you all next year. With your daughter's lovely, red hair and those blue eyes, I don't think I'll easily forget her."
"We'll see you then," Elsie said, shaking the woman's hand. "Thank you again."
Charles watched as his wife hurried to the car, which he already had running so that the heat would be going.
"All set, then?" he asked, and she nodded.
"All set." She turned to Aubree. "So? Was it a good surprise?"
Charles was focused on backing out of the parking spot, but he could see in his mind's eye the delight on his daughter's face that would match the happiness in her voice.
"It was the best day ever!" Aubree said. "Even better than the night I slept over at Auntie Anna's house."
"Well, there we have it," Charles said, smiling. "A very good evening, indeed."
Elsie reached for his hand, removed his glove, and kissed his palm.
"Thank you, Papa," she whispered. "What a lovely way to bask in the joy that Christmas can bring."
"Even in the cold," Aubree added, slipping off her mitten to feel her nose.
"Even in the cold," Elsie laughed.
The End.