Chapter Twelve

Astrid rode Stormfly straight through the afternoon and into the evening. They stopped a few times on the craggy rocks littering the sea, Stormfly breathing hard, Astrid breathing harder. What would she say to her village? To her friends? What would she say to Hiccup? The closer she got to Berk the tighter her throat and lungs constricted.

Or was it because she was flying farther away from Elsa?

Astrid shoved that thought down. No.

Stormfly shook out a few of the kinks in her wings then hopped and flew up again. The sudden movement jarred Astrid. She slipped to the side but used her legs to right herself once more. She patted Stormfly.

"Good girl," she muttered.

Sleep pulled at her. She hadn't really had a good night's rest since she arrived at Arendelle. The captivity and subsequent interrogations made it hard to unwind, even when she tried to relieve herself in other ways, but the fact she wasn't in Berk also cause sleep to elude her. She hated sleeping in a place that wasn't her own home, in her own bed, with Berk noises and the sea crashing onto the rocks lulling her to sleep.

She could never sleep peacefully otherwise.

A chill skittered over her bare arms. She leaned forward and rested her cheek on Stormfly's neck. Her dragon's steady breathing filled her ear—heavy and deep, like the ocean, like her home—and the warmth of Stormfly's body chased the chill away. Even from this position, the wind whipped into her eyes, causing her to shut them. She wrapped her arms around Stormfly and rubbed her dragon's neck. Stormfly purred, and the noise reverberated in her ear.

"Good girl," she murmured, laughing softly.

A sudden jolt made Astrid open her eyes. Daylight flooded her vision. What? She had fallen asleep? Astrid blinked away the sleep haze. Apparently so. Stormfly banked again and Astrid had to clutch onto the reins so she wouldn't fall off. She slipped down Stormfly's side anyway.

"Stormfly! Enough! I'm awake!"

Stormfly blew a puff of fire into the air and righted herself. She craned her neck around to see Astrid and then tilted her head sideways, pointing at something. Astrid followed her dragon's hint. Berk came into view, the morning sun basking it in fire.

"Oh!" Shock rippled through Astrid's core. They were already at Berk? She patted Stormfly's neck. "Thanks, Stormfly."

Stormfly answered with a slight buck and went into a steep dive as they neared their village. Other dragons rushed up to meet them, but Stormfly ignored them. She headed straight for Toothless, who hung out in the center of the village. She headed straight for Hiccup, who stood next to his dragon, throwing a large stick and laughing as Toothless chased it.

Stormfly jerked herself up at the last second and they landed in a gentle glide, Astrid off her dragon before they even reached the ground. The pain in her chest had returned, but maybe if she just said everything she had to say in one big sweep, the pain would lessen.

Hiccup stared at her as she approached, pushing Toothless away and waving slightly. Astrid paused, watching Toothless rush to Stormfly. The two dragons chased each other across the grounds, spitting fire and cackling in their dragon way.

At least that would never change.

She shook her head and turned to Hiccup. Realization struck her, further tightening her chest. The clothes he wore were the same—brown boots, brown shirt, black fur overcoat—and his stance was the same—boyish yet strong. The lines of his face were even the same.

But everything was different.

Changed.

They would never be together again. For some reason, right at this moment, it struck her. Hard.

She pushed that away, too.

"Astrid," Hiccup said, breaking her trance. "I'm glad to see you're back. I was going to send a search party in a few days. Did you find out much about that miniature dragon?"

"Icicle," Astrid replied, short of breath. "The dragon's name is Icicle. It was created by a woman named Elsa. Queen of Arendelle. She wants to have a trade agreement with us. With Berk. She wants to meet you in a few days. We need to talk."

Hiccup's eyes widened. "Created? Queen? Of what realm?"

Astrid motioned for the eatery behind them. "We need to talk."

"Okay," Hiccup replied.

The first few days after Astrid left went by normally, naturally, as if she had never even appeared at all. The cage was destroyed, the cell cleaned, and the Council went about the other businesses they had to attend to in order to keep Arendelle afloat. The people milled about once more, unafraid to go outside. Kristoff and Anna walked hand in hand throughout the castle, leaning close to kiss when they thought no one watched. Icicle floated along behind them, a dragon shadow.

Everything seemed normal.

Everything but Elsa.

She did her due diligence as Queen. Took meetings with her people. Fixed problems when she could. Made arrangements for the upcoming week—a suitable arrangement for the dragons, more food and wine for the guests, a living quarter made up for them, too—but her head wasn't in it.

Even now, as she sat on her throne and attended a meeting with the Council about vegetables and how they needed more of carrots or something…something important would happen. Elsa couldn't keep her focus.

She couldn't stop thinking of Astrid.

Especially at night.

Now, as Queen she could do anything she would want to in the middle of the night in her own bedchambers. She told herself this. Over and over and over again.

But still, if anything were to happen, anything dangerous or especially worrying or really anything at all that needed her opinion, guards would rush in and get it. Or, worse still, Anna had made a habit of coming into her bedroom at night over the last year or so, just to talk, just to be sisterly.

She couldn't have any of them—especially Anna—see her in a… compromising position.

And besides, before this, before Astrid, she never really had reason to touch herself. Much anyway. Now, though, Astrid flooded her mind. Those strong arms wrapped around her from behind. Those rough hands on her arm, on her wrist.

Those lips pressed against her hand and against hers.

Though she would never let anyone know, that final gesture Astrid had made—kissing the back of her hand—had both caught Elsa off guard and put sparks in her stomach. Even now, days after, it still put heat on her cheeks.

After only two nights of this, Elsa felt like every movement burned her. She had never been so aroused before. Even just the thought of Astrid made her weak.

Finally the meeting adjourned. Elsa nodded her Councilmembers away, promising herself to ask one of them what it was about discreetly later on.

Finally, she could leave the castle and go somewhere private.

Elsa rushed outside, not bothering to grab a coat or a decent pair of shoes. Her people smiled and bowed as she passed. She touched each one gently, softly, a Queen's touch. Or so her mother once said. After getting a respectable distance from her home and a short distance outside the main city, she ran.

Astrid yawned, stumbling into her home. They had talked over wine, mead, and heaps of food, long into the night and into the next morning. The copious amounts of mead Astrid drank helped her talk to Hiccup for so long, as did her mission to tell him everything in one fell swoop. Well—Astrid rubbed a hand through her hair—almost everything. Astrid had told Hiccup about the Arendelle, about the new prospect of trade, about the people, and about the magic their Queen could do. How Queen Elsa had created the dragon out of thin air, out of nothing. Hiccup, understandable, was amazed. He gave Astrid one night's rest, in her own bed, and promised they'd leave the next day. That would give them enough time to reach Arendelle.

Astrid looked around her small hut, cluttered with clothes and books and knives. A pot still sat in her now-dead fireplace. A cracked mug sat beside it. Thankfully she hadn't left food out. She slowly took off her layers of clothing—tunic, undershirt, pants, underthings, socks—and lowered the curtains over her window, blocking out the afternoon sun. She slipped into bed, relaxing at last.

She didn't need to worry anymore. The tightness in her chest unwound. The talk had gone fine. Hiccup seemed positive, happy to meet a new nation and strike a deal with them. Stormfly rested in the dragon barn with her friends, probably with Toothless by her side. Astrid stretched, her toes wiggling out of her sheets and her hands brushing the headboard.

Finally, she relaxed.

And thought of Elsa.

A smile rested on her lips.

Elsa.

Suddenly a new tightness started, but this tightness was not painful, not caused by fear. No, this pain was one she could deal with. And deal with well.

She settled deeper into the bed, running her hands over her own sides. She closed her eyes. Imagined the ice Queen hovering over her, imagined Elsa. Of how Elsa would look unclothed, how her fingers—cold, so tantalizingly cold—would run over Astrid's body, down her sides. How they would kiss. How Elsa would tease her nipples, pulling and twisting until Astrid could take no more. How cool her breath would feel on Astrid's skin. How she would slip her fingers into Astrid, cautious at first then stretching Astrid to her fullest extent. How her eyes, her beautiful blue eyes, would stare into Astrid's as they made love.

Astrid moaned, rocking onto her own hand, curling her fingers up, stretching herself, the other hand massaging her breasts, one after the other, and twisting her nipples like she always wanted but never asked Hiccup to do.

Astrid imagined Elsa's cool body against hers. Her sleek muscles. Her lips, tongue, and teeth touching anything they could, licking in some places, biting in others.

Astrid bucked, rocking harder.

Yes. Elsa would be a biter. That would be wonderful.

The buildup in her core tightened and she gave one final thrust with her hand, curling her fingers as if they would unknot the strings holding her so tight. The strings gave. Trembles rippled across her body as pleasure crashed over her. She came with one long moan, wetness spilling into her hand.

Breathing hard, she slipped her fingers from herself and relaxed. Breathing evening, she curled up on her side and sighed. Breathing soft, she thought of Elsa, of how she desperately needed to see her once again, and fell asleep.

Elsa ran toward the mountain, the one she let herself go on, the one she could call her second home but not to Anna. She ran, but the mountain was too far away.

She stopped, breathing hard in the middle of the forest. She was far away enough now. Far enough from everyone. From marching soldiers. From prying eyes.

She stared at the ground, at the grass shooting up from it, at the flower opening its petals to her. A crack came from her side, a rustle of wood. Footsteps.

Even here. Even now. She wasn't far enough away to do what she really wanted to.

Ice formed in her hands, pooling in her palms, uncalled but welcomed. Elsa welcomed the sharp angles of her shards. Maybe the cold of it could staunch the heat dwelling up in her core and between her legs.

She threw the ice to the ground, freezing the grass, the flower.

It was good. But it wasn't enough.

She needed more.

She needed Astrid.

Heat rushed to her cheeks.

Elsa drew more ice to her palms, calling more magic to her, calling the cold to her. She had to stop the fire inside her. She had to stop it somehow.

She threw the ice onto the ground, onto the trees, into the sky, making it snow. Crystals touched her cheeks, her nose, her lips. Like Astrid would. The fire inside burned more intense. She heaped mounds of snow against the trees and on the ground, five, ten, fifteen feet high, pushing herself to make more and more snow. More and more ice.

More and more everything.

The trees around her crystalized, glinting. The flower, so hopefully before, now probably suffocated underneath all this cold. Flurries drifted from the sky, darting any way Elsa pointed. She swirled the snow around her, calling the cold to her. The onece-soft flurries turned to ice. Still the heat remained. She pulled more to her—the icicles drew closer around her—cocooning herself in it. The cold permeated her now. Comforted her.

Still she wanted Astrid.

No amount of snow or ice could change that longing.

How was this possible? After only a few days of meeting how was it possible to long for someone so much?

"Elsa?"

Anna's voice startled her. The snow and ice fell away. Anna indeed stood beside a tree, clutching a cloak tight around her body.

"Anna." Elsa started to melt the snow, but Anna shook her head.

"You don't need to. I like it." She moved closer, struggling in the large snowdrifts. "What are you doing though? You have an entire year to prepare for my birthday you know."

Elsa sank down to a seated position. "I'm not…" She couldn't finish. How could she explain this away? Running away from her duties. Freezing a part of the forest. A childish outrage over a woman.

"I know. I was just kidding." Anna knelt next to her. Icicle flew down and landed on her knee. Anna, like this was the most natural thing in the world, petted her dragon. "What's up?"

"Nothing." Elsa couldn't look at Anna. She looked at her hands folded in her lap instead.

"Liar." Anna's knees and hands came into view now as she scooted closer. The ring Kristoff gave her glinted.

Elsa swallowed a lump in her throat. How could she understand being attracted to a woman?

Anna was quiet for a moment, the fingers on her right hand twirling the ring on her left. The ring kept catching the light, kept sparkling, fighting the beauty of the snow falling around it and winning. Elsa's throat tightened, and tears stung the back of her eyes. Would she ever—? She couldn't even finish the thought. Thankfully the tears didn't reach her cheeks. The cold kept them at bay.

"It's okay, you know," Anna said.

"What?" Elsa blinked.

"It's okay if you like her."

Elsa jerked her head up, eyeing her little sister. What had she just said? "Who?"

"Astrid, of course." Anna gave her a soft smile then reached out and pulled one of Elsa's hands into her lap. "I've seen the way you look at her. How you smile when she's around. How you find time to be with her, interrogating her for hours and then not asking about Arendelle."

Guilt tugged at Elsa's heart. So Anna did know about that. Who told her? "I—"

Anna interrupted. "It's only been a few days. And I know you like her and that's okay. That you like another woman. No one will care because it's common with our people. Love is love, regardless of gender. And I'm glad you found someone you're attracted to. I'm happy for you."

Elsa blinked again. She didn't have to worry about it. Anna did understand. A rush of love swelled up for her little sister and this time a tear did come free.

"But…" Anna reached up and wiped the tear away, a motherly gesture. One only Anna could make. "But be careful. Hans…"

"Seemed too good to be true, too. I know," Elsa finished. "That's why she's so dangerous."

"I don't think she's… that kind of dangerous," Anna said, shaking her head. "But I do think if you rush it… it could become dangerous… for you. For your heart."

Elsa couldn't believe how wise her little sister was at this moment. How thoughtful. How kind. "Yes. I know that, too, but thank you for warning me."

Suddenly Anna's seriousness vanished and, in only a way Anna could, made Elsa's seriousness vanish as well. "Now," Anna said. "Tell me all about her. Tell me about Astrid Hofferson."

Icicle cooed.

Elsa tucked away her longing about Astrid, knowing in a few days they would meet once more. Clasping Anna's hands in hers, she told her little sister all about Astrid, thankful that they had this time to be family, to be just sisters once more.

SQ: It's late. I know. Grad school and such. But I got this chapter up, right? And this summer I'm planning on updating this more frequently… and perhaps starting on some newer projects. I will be going on vacation in June, so don't expect an update before then. (Honestly I might have time to update before I leave, but it'll be super short if I do, because finals/editing/cleaning will take precedence.)

Thanks so much for all the new favorites and followers! I'm happily surprised this story has taken so many people captive - 99 Favs and 176 Followers! I hope you all continue liking my story as it progresses! Please do remember to review on your way out, guys, I'd love to see what you think.

On that note, I have two questions for all of you: 1) Is the story going too slow for you? 2) Which would you rather see me write - a Korrasami fic or a Firefly fic (both in the romance realm)?

The answers will affect what I work on over the summer so chime in if you have a preference!

Until next time!
Warm regards,
SQ