Hey everyone! Look for a new chapter for Conceal and Reveal coming very soon!
I do not own any material here, and thanks for the requests! Keep em' up!
~Anastasia
For Sailor Fayth 09: The Whole World is Watching by Within Temptation
Jack's eyes trailed the Queen as she paced with clicking heels, back and forth.
Click. Click. Click. Click.
Back.
Click. Click. Click. Click.
And forth.
"I can't do this."
Immediately, he shook his head. "Yes, you can."
Elsa rubbed her temples and stopped pacing, closing her eyes to ward away the worry. "There are so many people. Everyone will be watching."
The winter spirit sighed, resting his weight on his staff as he stood off to the side. "It's no more than your coronation."
"Yeah, and look how great that turned out."
Jack gave a lopsided smile. Despite the situation, he loved it when her sarcastic and dry tone came into play. It gave her a bit of an edge to her sass. "Aw come on Elsa. All you have to do is stand on the balcony, give a short and sweet speech to start off the Arendelle festival, light some unity candle or whatever it is your tradition-thing is, then it's over. Your people love you. Besides, it's not like the whole world is watching."
Elsa turned away to peer out the window where faces dotted the crowds like an oil painting. There was no sight of the grass beneath their feet as even more citizens filed in though the gates. The numbers seemed to continually increase without halt.
"Might as well be," she muttered under her breath, folding her arms over her waist and ducking her head.
She rested her fist beneath her chin as her brows folded over her eyes. Trying desperately to focus on the love she felt for those she held close to her heart to maintain control of her powers. What if she lost control again? What if something goes terribly wrong? What if, what if, what if.
The 'what-ifs' haunted her.
"Hey," Jack's voice called softly, his hand raising her chin upwards so they stood face to face. She hadn't even heard him approach, and barely even felt his touch; but now that she took in the sight of him so close before her, she had to catch herself from gasping allowed in surprise.
"Even if the world was watching, all they would see is a beautiful woman who deserves to be Queen more than anyone else. You've been through hardships not everyone could rise above, and you should keep your head held high. It suits you better." He spoke this last part with a small smile to show his free spirited spunk.
Upon hearing his genuine words and seeing the sincerity write itself a ballad across his features, she let out a soft sigh. While his words may have been overplayed, and cliché in a sense, it was Jack's naive, sweet and caring way of cheering her up.
And more than she'd quite like to admit, it touched her deeply.
Briskly, she leaned forward and placed a kiss to his cheek, pulling back an inch, before kissing it again. It lingered longer than proper, but before she could scold herself into backing away again, Jack turned his head sideways and captured her lips in his own.
Gasping sharply through her nose, she had little time to react before he too pulled away.
"Now go out their and show them what you're made of," he smiled crookedly, a faint blush coloring his cheeks.
Elsa gave a numb nod and turned back to the balcony, running her prepared words over repetitively in her head and trying to clear the fog from her brain. Giving a final lick of her lips, which tasted strangely of peppermint, she strode regally out into the open to the cheers of the crowd for their Queen.
For Moonlight Shadow: Enchanted by Taylor Swift (P.s: this got longer than intended xP)
Greet. Smile. Nod. Repeat.
Elsa felt irritation gnaw at her bones as she continually greeted the guests and other royals that swarmed the ball, welcoming her to Arendelle and politely but with great distance, sharing dull chatter to converse.
While Anna seemed to bounce between different members with an air of familiarity to crowds, the Queen herself was not so sure footed among the many. She tired of bobbing her head up and down to falsely agree with whatever the arriving guest had just said, smiling at what was supposed to be humorous, and greeting the unfamiliar faces that appeared through the gates with every passing song and dance.
Of course, as a ruler, she was happy that her Kingdom was joyful and content with the celebration, but her herself felt ready to crawl to her own chambers in her peaceful seclusion.
Another pass time was denying dances from Prince's that had traveled near and far, making excuse after excuse to evade the crowded floor of music. Some pushed and prodded, becoming near nosy like in their behavior, while others flushed with embarrassment to her denial. She didn't even have it in her to feel sorry for turning them down, and instead merely chose to continue on with the slow passing eve.
Finally, she found a moment to escape through the back, sneaking out into the winter night and from the Seasons Ball. The music faded as she strode out to the frozen garden decorated with icicles of intricate design. She gazed upon them fondly before lifting her eyes to the moon and finally letting out a sigh of relief.
A moment to myself. I dearly hope this event will close up early.
"Tired, Your Majesty?"
Elsa quickly turned to the sound of the uninvited voice, her large wide eyes landing on a smirking figure that stepped from the shadows of the overhanging snow. The silver pools of the moon revealed his features, a uniform that was white and buttoned up neatly with latches running horizontally up the collar with dark blue buttons.
Elsa studied him warily. His attire shown that he was most likely another prince, but the silver locks and ice blue eyes were very different from the other faces she had seen that tiring night. In fact, it was slightly refreshing.
But still, she was cautious. He was a prince, and may just act like all the others.
She cleared her throat respectfully. "Yes, I do tire, Sir...?"
"Prince Jack of Burgess, Your Highness. Jack Frost." He grinned, and immediately the blonde could see the the mischievousness that sparkled in his eyes and his smile. She would definitely remain cautious around him.
Pursing her lips, she turned back to the winter sky and gave him a sideways glance. "Yes well, Prince Jack, I came out hear to be alone, for it is what I much prefer." She stressed the sentence in hopes he would get the message and leave her, but if he caught on, he made no implication of following her wishes.
Instead, he shoved his hands in his pockets and walked casually to her side. "Aw, come on now Queen. No one should be alone, especially a pretty one like yourself." He winked with another smile, and Elsa inwardly rolled her eyes.
"Did you rehearse that line, Prince Jack? Or are do woman just naturally fall for your so-called charm?" she quipped dryly, uncaring to the rude and blunt manner to which she had spoken. She was tired, her feet hurt, and really, a moment of peace was all she wanted. Was it too much for a twenty year old ruler to ask?
However, instead of reacting offended, the white haired prince played through it unfazed. "Ouch, your highness. You know, for how cold they say you are, you sure have a lot of fire."
Elsa couldn't help but smirk at this comment, but she refrained from speaking back and opted for silence. Perhaps that would scare this bold Prince away.
But the silence was not to last.
"I notice you still wear your gloves at large gatherings." Jack pointed out suddenly, taking a twist for topic. "Is there still fear?"
The Queen frowned at such a personal question, but replied anyway, more due to defense then to add to the conversation. "No, I am indeed in control of my powers now. But not many guests would appreciate shaking hands with someone who obtains skin like ice."
"Hm." The prince hummed in thought. "That's a shame, for I find cold things to be remarkably beautiful."
Elsa turned to him and found that his eyes lay upon her. Really, they were a dazzling blue. He stared at her with such...what was it? For it seemed as though he was searching for something, perhaps looking for the woman beneath the Queen.
It was rare that anyone who attended the Arendelle parties looked at her as anything but. And to have this stranger so outwardly show interest...she really didn't know how to handle such a situation. What was there to say?
Jack spoke first, letting out what seemed to be a disappointed sigh. "I believe I should take my leave, Your Highness. The party is sure to end soon and I wish to make myself scarce before the crowds disperse."
Elsa blinked. "Oh...yes of course. Good night then, Prince..."
"Just Jack, please."
"Jack, then." She smiled and held out her hand in the proper way of farewell. However, instead of giving a gentle shake, or placing a kiss to her knuckles as etiquette is shown, he gripped her wrist lightly, and the Queen gave a gasp of surprise when he smoothly pulled her glove off to free her bare hand to the open air.
"Good night," he leaned down, placing a lingering soft kiss to the back of her hand. He didn't pull away, she noticed. The tingling chill of her skin seemed to have little affect to him.
He rose with a smile, "My Queen."
In a fluid turn of his heel, he gave a final wink before striding away into the night.
Elsa stood still for a moment, replaying the events in her head before she heard a maid's voice calling her back to dismiss the guests of the ball.
Glancing once to where the Prince had walked off, she too left the garden of ice.
…
An hour later, the Queen could be found sitting affront her vanity, in dark blue tank top and shorts beneath a sheer nightgown. Her white blonde hair was free of its braid, cascading passed her waist in shimmering waves. A soft song hummed from her lips as her room was illuminated by a duo of candles that flickered behind her in reflection.
Whispering came from the door of her room, a familiar voice that brought warmth into the Queen's life. "Elsa! It's me, Anna! Can I come in?"
A smile tugged at her lips. It was not uncommon for her dear sister to visit her at night, especially after an eventful night with several parties or dances to be had.
"Come in, Anna."
Without any hesitation, the spunky redhead slipped into the door with a blinding smile. "Hey Elsa!"
The Princess wasted no time as she trotted over to the large King sized bed and pounced on it childishly, giggling all the while. "Wasn't tonight so fun? I mean, at first it seemed a little dull, but then things got moving and...oh! And I even got Kristoff to dance! Of course, it took a little persuading to get hom even come to the balls as he barely leaves Sven's side...you know?"
Elsa smiled fondly at her sister. Such a chatter box, she thinks, my dear Anna.
Anna sits up and snaps her fingers. "Oh yeah! I almost forgot! Kai says there was this parchment found marked for you. Hear ya' go!" The younger royal trotted over to the dresser and tossed a folded note on top before piling herself back onto the comforter of her sisters bed.
Elsa frowned lightly as she gingerly plucked the paper from her desk and began opening it. "They do not know who left it?"
Her sister shook her head. "Nope. If they did, he didn't tell me. Oh! I was also going to ask how was your night? I noticed you disappeared for a bit, but just figured you went to the bathroom or something."
The Queen's lips quirked as her sibling once again jumped topics. "I am glad you had fun Anna. As for my night, it was..."
Her words trailed off as she unfolded the last of the creases and found a scribble of sentences that left her bewildered.
Scrawled across the page read:
I believe I still attain something that belongs to you. Can't have a pair with only one glove, right? Looks like we better meet up again.
I'll be by the castle sometime in the morning.
~Jack
Elsa continued to stare. Her glove?
Looking over, she noticed that she indeed did only have her one glove. He had never returned the one he took off...did he? Apparently not, as she didn't remember him doing so. She hadn't even noticed it's absence until then. And now?
...why that sly little Prince.
Now they would meet again tomorrow, at least this was his promise written upon the page. For some reason, while she should have been agitated and angry, she let out a short laugh and shook her head.
"Elsa? You never answered me."
"What was the question?"
Anna looked at her sister curiously. "I asked how was your night?"
"It was..." Elsa tapped her arm in thought.
Blue eyes flickered down to the note in her hand, then back to her sister whom she offered a bright smile. "Enchanting."
Next up, Electric Angel's song choice by Wicked (Still debating which one to use) and Anna Sopia's request of Give Your Heart A Break :)