a.n. So this is not quite what I had promised you all, but there's a reason for it: I had hoped to have this finished and posted before I left on vacation this morning, but I was way too busy getting ready for that to finish writing it up. Since I didn't, I brought what I did finish on a flash drive (and wrote up most of the rest of it on the plane rides here) and finished it on my grandparents' computer. And since they are 3 hours ahead of my usual time zone, I am still posting this on time. I will work on the rest of it during whatever downtime I have in the next week (and probably on the plane rides back) and it should be what I have already promised you guys.

Anyway, I hope you read, review, and enjoy!

Chapter 11: Bonds

There was a sense of déjà vu as Kristoff and Erik traveled up to the North Mountain in silence. It had barely been a day since they last sat like this, but the revelations of last night made that trip seem so long ago. Yesterday, the silence had been comforting, if only a bit awkward, but they had accepted it. Today, that silence was tense and it was hard for the two of them to sit together after everything that had been said and revealed. Both of them wanted to say something, anything, to break the tension between them but neither knew where to start. What do you say to the only other man who had ever loved someone you do?

Unable to stand the silence any longer, Erik spoke first. "I presume we're headed up to Elsa's ice palace, correct?" The sudden voice startled Kristoff slightly but he was able to recover quickly enough to respond.

"Yeah. There aren't too many places where she'll run to to hide. Her palace is the only place not in town where she feels safe, and since she feels like she needs to be as far away from other people as she can, she will definitely be there."

"You seem to know her quite well." Kristoff could tell that Erik was fishing for some more information and he would do his best to oblige him.

"Not really," he shrugged. "But I do know Anna that well and she is very in tune with her sister. At least now, anyways. With all of the time I've spent with Anna and gotten to know her, I've also gotten to know Elsa pretty well. As much as I love Anna, and I do with all of my heart, Elsa and I are a bit more alike." He could see Erik looking at him questioningly and decided to elaborate. "Anna is vivacious, lively, fun-loving, spunky and I love that about her. Before I found her, I didn't know that I really needed someone like that in my life. Since I found her, my life has become a little bit brighter and I am so much happier than I ever thought I could be." He knew that he probably had a lovesick expression on his face but he really couldn't help it. Talking, or even thinking, about his fiancée always brought a smile to his face. "Before her, I always felt like the loner life was for me. I had my sleigh and I had Sven and that was all I needed. I liked being alone; I didn't need anyone else in my life. In fact, I would go out of my way to avoid associating with others. I led the life I wanted and I was content." He sighed. "Then Anna came barging into my life and it has never been the same since."

"And Elsa?"

"Elsa is a lot like that. She feels better being alone. She doesn't necessarily like it like I used to, but she feels it's a necessary part of her life with her powers. She feels stressed and unsure when she's around a lot of people. She loves her sister, she's the one thing that never fails to bring a smile to Elsa's face, but Anna's boundless energy is sometimes too much for her to handle. She spent all of those years alone with only herself as company and she is still getting used to being out amongst people again, being able to be herself and not hide her powers away. As much as she loves her sister, she does need that solitude every once in a while. Anna has never really liked being alone and has a hard time understanding that as much as Elsa loves her and needs her in her life, sometimes a little alone time is what she really needs."

Erik nodded. "Well Kristoff, you certainly do understand my daughters more deeply than I ever thought you did." Kristoff glanced to him, surprised at the understanding he heard in Erik's voice. "And I'm glad that they have had someone in their life who does. I've made my mistakes, with both of them, and as much as I may wish I could take them back, I can't. Knowing that you've been there for them, no matter how briefly, makes me happy. I know there was a little tension between us last night at dinner," Erik watched as Kristoff stiffened slightly, "but you have nothing to fear from me. It was just my protective father instincts kicking in. You are a great match for Anna, so much more than either her mother or I could hope for. It may not seem like it, after all she is my little girl and I don't want to let her go, but you have my blessing. Not that you really need it at this point." He smirked slightly as he watched the tension leave the mountain man. Peace had been made and neither one had anything to worry about from the other. They both loved Anna and both wanted what was best for her; that was more important than anything. With a new understanding reached between them, they could finally be a family.

His heart and soul lighter than it had been a few hours ago, Kristoff slapped the reins gently. The sudden burst of speed caused a laugh to escape from him and, much to his surprise, his companion. They grinned at each other and sat back to relax and enjoy the suddenly much cheerier journey.

Unlike their counterparts, Anna and Anya quickly got past that awkward stage. It didn't take long after the sleigh had departed for the two women to find comfort and solace in one another. They walked with each other to the dining hall after neither had the inclination to return to their respective rooms. Breakfast was prepared for the two of them and as they sat down to eat, both of them had the same sense of wonderment that this was the first time they had sat together like this in many years. Though their family was split apart at the moment, it was a welcome feeling. Soon they found themselves in friendly conversation.

"...and Kai's face when Sven ran through the ballroom with Kristoff chasing after him, both of them tracking mud and branches? I have never seen it so red!" Anna laughed as demurely as she could, being a princess and all, and Anya managed to let a small giggle pass through her lips. Anna had been quite animated as she told her story, nearly knocking dishes and food off of the table several times. Anya found it charming, seeing her daughter so vibrant and full of life. it made her happy to know that she had managed to keep that spunkiness and zest for life she had had as a child. Judging by the anxious looks on the faces of several of the attendants as they passed in and out, this seemed to be a common occurrance that likely had more disastrous results.

"I assure you, you have." Anya could just see the young girl's face perk up when she told her that little tidbit. "The things you and Elsa used to get involved in when you were small...I'm actually surprised it never stayed that color." She giggled quietly but stopped when she noticed the lost look on her daughter's face. Momentarily confused, she reached out a hand to reassure her daughter when Anna spoke.

"I don't really remember anything about when I was younger. Elsa said that after the accident, you asked the trolls to help and Grand Pabbie took all of my memories of Elsa's powers away. She said that you all thought it would be better that way."

"Oh Anna." Anya placed a hand on her daughter's cheek. The redhead leaned into it, taking comfort from the simple gesture. "We didn't think we had any other choice. We thought that if you knew the truth about what happened, it would hurt you all over again. Knowing that your sister, the one person whom you always loved, idolized, and adored, had, however unintentionally, harmed you in any way, would have devastated you and we didn't want to damage the relationship you girls had with one another. You were so close and we didn't want to interfere with that; we wanted everything to be the same as it had always been. We had hoped that once Elsa was able to control her powers without fear, we could reveal the truth to you. We didn't know that by doing what we did to you girls, especially Elsa, it would only do more harm than good. And we're both very sorry about that. We had not intended to do anything that would have hurt you girls; we never would. I know Elsa told you what she knows of what happened and I know that you know how she feels about it, about what we did, why she was so isolated from everyone else for all of those years. We didn't know how that quick decision we made all of those years ago would drastically alter your lives today. I would like to apologize to you now for that and I know your father is going to do the same with Elsa, if she'll let him." It was quiet for a moment as Anna absorbed her mother's words. She could tell that she was sincere, that she truly wanted forgiveness and that she did regret the actions of the past. Seeing her like that, Anna couldn't help but be reminded of last year's events and her own journey to seek Elsa's forgiveness. She had mad mistakes and her sister had forgiven her for them. How could she deny the same thing to someone else?

Her mind made up, Anna pulled her mother into a hug, which the older woman accepted wholeheartedly. They statyed within each other's embrace for a moment before releasing each other.

"Thank you, sweeheart, for you forgiveness." Tears started to coalesce in her eyes. " I know I don't deserve it..."

"What? Of course you do! I know you really are truly sorry for what happened, but the past is in the past. You did what you thought you had to do and you've been living with all of this guilt for too many years. You shouldn't have to do that any more. I forgive you and I forgive Papa and I know Elsa will to."

"You think so?"

"Of course. I mean maybe not right away but she will come around...eventually."

"I hope you're right, dear. We just want to put all of this behind us so we can just enjoy being a family again. As you said, 'the past is in the past' and it's time we start focusing on the future. Like your wedding." Anya's face broke out into a wide smile and Anna sported a giddy one of her own. "As the mother of the bride, I insist on helping you with the planning and all of the boring, mundane details."

"You really don't have..." Anna was silenced by Anya's upraised hand and the former queen smiled resolutely at her daughter.

"Nonsense! Of course I do! After the shipwreck, I never thought I would ever live to see the day either of my daughters got married. Now that we're back, I am going to help you plan the most beautiful, most wonderful wedding that Arendelle has seen since...well, since mine." She grinned cheekily at her youngest daughter and was rewarded with a hearty laugh. It didn't take more than a few moments before they began talking and planning, plotting and scheming until they were summarily dismissed by the dining staff and Anna was called to Elsa's office to discuss peace treaties and trade negotiations. Like the smile on her face, Anya never left Anna's side all day, truly happy and ecstatic about the new future she was planning and dreaming of for her new family.