AUTHORS NOTE

Thanks to everyone who has followed this story so far! And a special thanks to Elsa Laufeyson (love the username xD) and Uudam for taking the time to review ^^ it means a lot guys. So I just want to mention that updates for this story might end up being a bit random since I don't really have any chapter plans and I don't really write fan fiction religiously, but the longest time I won't leave any new chapters for any longer than a month without explanation. So… I hope you enjoy =} 3

Elsa stood alone in the castle's drawing room, desperately trying to calm her nerves. Part of her wanted to run far away and ignore the deal that she had made, but then she remembered where running away from her got her last time. It had been three months since the day that Odin travelled by the bifrost to help her. Every time she thinks back to that night she can't help but feel shivers coming up her spine. After the Allfather evaluated her situation he decided to completely get rid of the ice in Anna's heart, unfortunately he would only do it if Elsa gave him something in return.

….

"Please, Allfather I'll give you anything that ask for." She was beginning to become much more hopeful now that Elsa knew that Odin was willing to make her a deal.

"Well, from what Asgard has seen over the centuries Arendelle seems to be a very lonely kingdom, your majesty. You have very few alliances that would come to your benefit if you were ever to find yourself at war. Especially since your treaty with the Southern Isles has ended" The Allfather took another step towards her as he began to bargain with the Queen.

"What are you trying to say?" Elsa asked, confused as he pointed out her kingdom's lack of defence. Even though Corona where available to them at any time they needed, they had a small army that was not the best.

"Well, I'm more suggesting that if Arendelle were under the protection of Asgard then you would never have an issue in battle." When Elsa thought about it you couldn't get much better than protection from gods, "We would only ask for one favour that in the code of alliances with Asgard is unavoidable." Now that Elsa knew that Arendelle could be protected, possibly forever, as well as the chance for Anna to live a long happy life she was even more willing to do literally anything that he wanted her to do.

"Whatever you need from my kingdom I'll willingly give it to you" Odin gave Elsa a knowing smile and began to circle around her.

"What the contract needs is in fact something from you"

"Something from me?" What on Earth could he possibly want from just her? Riches? Power?

"We will need you to intertwine your destiny with an Asgardian for this to work, since your royalty it would only make sense for them to be one of my sons. The binding ceremony would in fact be very similar to a Midgardian marriage" The Queen's eyes narrowed as she assessed what Odin was asking her.

"So you're basically asking me to wed your son in exchange for my sister's life?" She said this more to herself, she decided that thinking aloud was acceptable for such a big decision.

"That choice is yours. Either the death of Princess Anna of Arendelle" Elsa winced at the very thought of anything happening to Anna "or marrying my son to further protect not only your sister but also your kingdom." All of Elsa's life her freedom was restricted to the castle walls and the responsibilities of ruling a kingdom, one of the few things she knew she would be able to control was the right to choose who she would marry, if she ever chose to marry. Throughout her life Elsa had detested the idea of marriage and constantly fearing the fact that her parents may arrange one for her, but they died before they considered her old enough to marry. Even though Elsa knew that she would have to be binded to someone until death do them part she was willing to do so if it meant Anna could live.

As Odin made his offer he fashioned a golden band from the tiniest piece of gold from his staff. Some sort of Asgardian script was printed into the ring but was so small that is was barely readable. One thing that was unusual about the ring was that the claws and stone setting of the ring were intact but there was no stone. Looking away from the ring and back to Odin, Elsa could see that he was waiting for her to do something. She immediately knew what he was expecting, Elsa gently grazed the tip of her finger over the empty stone setting and a diamond like stone made from ice formed inside the setting.

"I agree" The now engaged Queen stated as she slid the ring over her pale finger.

….

Elsa stared at her reflection in the mirror, the thought of her not being happy on her wedding day had never really occurred to her until this moment. Her white-blonde hair was tied back in an elegant knot, with a veil that she had created from ice. Over her pure white dress she wore the traditional royal robes of the Arendelle monarchy. Elsa only wore it because she wanted to make a statement that this marriage was strictly political and she wanted to keep it as such.

Elsa's small crown was still in her hand, as if she was having a moral debate with herself whether she should wear it or not. She knew that she would have to wear the crown, after all it was custom that she wore it to all important events and ceremonies. But part of her wanted the first meeting between her and her soon to be husband to be much more casual than the wedding ceremony was planned to be. In a way she pitied him, Elsa was the one who agreed to the marriage and as far as she knew her fiancé had no choice in the matter. She knew that she would never love him as a wife was supposed to love her husband, but at least she could try to understand him.

The sound of her younger sister opening the door dragged Elsa away from her thoughts.

"Elsa?" Anna made her way over to Elsa, ever since Elsa agreed to her engagement the younger sister had recovered almost immediately. But when Elsa told her of the arranged marriage she immediately started arguing with her. Ever since what happened with Hans she has had trouble trusting anyone that she wasn't already close to. And the idea that Elsa didn't get a choice in marrying a complete stranger made her hate herself for being so naïve all those years ago.

"Anna," Elsa replied to her sister, to be truthful she didn't particularly want to talk to her since their last conversation wasn't exactly friendly. There was a long pause between the two sisters, neither of them really know what to say to each other.

"You look beautiful." Anna attempted to restart the conversation.

"Thank you" Elsa replied, still not looking at Anna in the eye. Anna couldn't believe how different this was to her own wedding no more than two years ago, the room was filled with light and happiness and she eagerly waited for her and Kristoff to recite their vows at the altar. But now it was as if all traces of light were taken from the drawing room and was replaced by a sad lonely feeling, as if no one would be happy ever again.

"You know, it's not too late you can still run" Elsa sighed in frustration, they've had this conversation one too many times over the past few months.

"Anna you know I'm not going to leave him"

"Leave who? Elsa you don't know anything about this guy, you don't know what you're getting yourself in for." This was the point that Elsa started to talk to her sister directly, she looked Anna in the eye and hoped that this time she would knock some sense into her.

"I'm only doing this to help the kingdom" When Elsa first told Anna of her engagement she couldn't bear to tell her it was to save her life, she was too scared that Anna would make her break the engagement and she would die as a result.

"But remember what you told me about marrying someone you've just met? You're doing exactly the same thing."

"But this is different"

"You're right its worse, your meeting your husband at the altar! You can't expect me to be okay with this, you're going to regret it for the rest of your life!" This is where the older sister began to lose her patients, all she wanted to be left alone until she had to leave for the chapel.

"Anna this is something I have to do and nothing you say is going to change that so please just leave me alone" That last phrase stuck with Anna for several moments, ever since she thawed the kingdom the sisters were inseparable and now that Elsa felt like she could freely be around people without hurting anyone she rarely wanted to be alone.

Anna reached for her sister's hand and took the crown from her, she turned Elsa around to face her and placed the crown on her head. She started to head back towards the door before she stopped and turned back to her sister.

"Just promise me you'll be alright." Elsa simply nodded, too scared she'll start tearing up if she said anything.

She almost felt like being sick when Anna closed the door and she pulled her icy veil over her face. Her reflection was hard for her to look at. She was certain that if she ever did marry then it would be to someone who she had known for years and felt a bond with them that would last for the rest of time. Just because she knew that her fate would be tied to the Asgardian prince's once the ceremony was over, he was still a stranger to her. She didn't even know his name.

'This is for Anna,' Elsa silently repeated to herself. 'You're doing this for Anna'.

She turned pale when Gerda opened the door. "Your majesty, it's time" her servant announced.

"Thank you, Gerda." Elsa took one last look at her reflection and exited the room and headed for the chapel, while Gerda held the train of her robes. Elsa stood tall and had her head held high as she walked, trying desperately not to show any fear or anxiety. But inside she was terrified.