Sir Alden pushed Anna out of her bed, bypassing all other options, knowing they would fail. With a thud, Anna shot up, pain and anger written in her face. "Sorry Banana. You have work today."
Work? I don't recall even applying for a job… And why do I need to be up at 6? This is too fucking early. Anna attempted to ask what he meant, but it just came out as a grunt. A kind smile spread on his face and she just flopped back down. When her head collided with floor for the second time that morning she knew that she wasn't going back to sleep. Her teal eyes glared at the man before she stood up, shaking slightly at the knees. Regaining her composure, Anna walked sluggishly to her closet, looking for something suitable for a first day of work.
Sir Alden began to slip out of the room, pausing in the doorway, "Oh, and Anna? You might want to wear your gear today."
This elicited a deep groan from Anna. She can't remember the last time she walked out of the house in anything other than her gear.
As she attempted to slip on her white pants, her left foot rested on the hem of the right pant leg causing her to slip as she pulled it up, and for the third time that morning, a thud echoed out from Anna's room. Fuck you pants. Fuck you work. Fuck you morning. It's not even light out. Why am I awake? She groaned again, choosing to wiggle into her pants on the floor.
She slipped on her jacket with relative ease, only slightly getting her head caught in an arm hole. As soon as she was decent enough to leave the room, she did, at the insistence of the monster in her stomach.
Luckily, Sir Alden had prepared her a plate of food, probably well aware of the monster that would unleash if he hadn't. At least there's food Anna. Eat now. Question later. Good? Good. She nodded in agreement with herself, and joined her teacher at the table.
"Good morning, Sir Alden." It was impossible to hide the sleep from her tone, and the sentence came off a bit harsher than intended. She quickly sent an apologetic look to the older man, hoping he would understand. Of course, he did, so with a dismissive wave of his hand, Anna was smiling again.
"I thought I told you, call me Papa. I've raised you since you were young, dear. You're like a daughter to me." Sir Alden had a lightness in his tone, but the weight of the words and his face made Anna feel guilty. He looked hurt. Hurt that she refused to call him Papa, but it was only out of respect for the older man. After all, he had raised her since she was young. Since she ran away from the orphanage, he picked her up off the streets, and had taken care of her since.
She sighed, "I know. I know. I'm sorry. It's just a little weird to change, when I've been calling you Sir Alden all my life." She could only hope that she could put the same lightness in her tone, as he had his.
"Nevermind all of that. You need to eat so we can leave," she had, in fact, already begun, "Oh Anna. How do you do this?" As the wet washcloth touched her forehead, she assumed it was food related. She had a knack for getting food everywhere, no matter what it was.
He would do so well with a child of his own. I wonder where he'd be if he never had to take me in. He could have a family of his own. He could be happy. Anna sighed before shoving the last bit of food into her mouth. The negative thoughts were eating at her brain again, and she didn't dare try to fend them off. She had learned that the more she fought them, the worse they got.
A solid pat on the back broke her from her reverie. She looked up to see his sad smile, and she knew she'd been caught again. He coaxed her up from the chair and into a warm hug. She inhaled his natural musky pine scent. Years of woodworking had embedded the smell into his skin, and she reveled in the comfort it brought. Anna let go of the older man, and smiled reassuringly at him. He always managed to calm her down.
"We need to get going Banana. Do you have everything?" Sir Alden realized that time was quite limited due to the rough morning, so with an urgency in his tone, he hurried her to finish getting dressed.
Anna pulled on her gloves, and walked out, mask under arm and foil resting at her hip. Sir Alden had been waiting outside for her, and with a quick nod towards her, she slipped her mask over her head. The two began their journey, Anna following his direction.
As they approached the shopping district, Anna watched the change in housing. Each block closer to the center of Arendelle meant an improvement in buildings. Sir Alden's house was on the outskirts of Arendelle, where every house was almost in shambles, and looked like it hadn't received love in years. Jealousy and anger rose in Anna's heart as she noticed the happy families in their nice houses. He deserves this more than any of you. His heart is more golden, and he is more dedicated to the happiness of others than you. Sir Alden grasped her arm tightly, and she looked at him, anger evident on her face.
"Anger isn't a pretty feeling, Anna. Jealousy is even uglier. Don't be jealous of this. Nice houses don't make happy people. I'm happy with what I have. Please." The tone of his switching from chiding to pleading at the end, and it broke Anna's heart. She nodded, resigning herself to masked feelings.
They slowly reached the center of town, and Anna glared at the Solnberg Hotel. It shadowed over the traditional shops of Arendelle. She's hated it since its erection 7 years prior. The dark shadow it cast seemed to reflect its effect on the city. Everyone shines less now. A person who used to spare a penny for the needy now scowling at the poor on the streets. Kind smiles replaced by dull faces. The city lost its friendliness.
A grip on her arm, tugging her past the building reminded her of who she was with. Sir Alden led Anna further on, into the eastern side of the city, and as they shuffled out of the shopping district, Anna could see the questions forming in passersby, hidden beneath a scowl. Walking around town fully furnished in fencing gear did tend to draw curious stares. No one would think her to be Anders Slovik unless they saw her hair, and wanting to avoid the crowd of curiosity, she made sure to tuck it up into her helmet.
However, as they continued to distance themselves from the shopping district, a curious expression etched into Anna's own face. Hardly any jobs were located in the east side, especially outside of the shopping district. Only the wealthy lived on the east side, which only served to confuse Anna even more. She couldn't help it as the words slipped from her mouth, seething, "Why are we here? People like them don't hire people like us."
His face turned solemn at the implication. She was, for all intents and purposes, correct; but, he wished she would stop degrading herself. The fact of the matter is, with her skill she could be one of them, as she aptly described.
"I'm taking you to your new job. No more questions," his tone held a finality to it that she didn't dare question. It was unlike him to be so short, and she could only guess it had something to do with where they were heading. It would be moot to question him now, so Anna could only follow as the curiosity welled up inside her.
At nine o'clock that morning, Anna and Sir Alden arrived at their destination. It was a sizeable house, light blue with white trim around the windows. The door was also white, with an intricate snowflake window on it. Anna scanned the front yard, seeing a beautiful garden surrounding the house, and bright green grass, smelling freshly cut. The smell mixed with the scent of the flowers, creating a nice warm feeling, contrasting the imposing cold feeling emanating from the house itself. Sir Alden rang the doorbell, and the chime dinged three times before Anna heard the distinct thuds of someone running to the door.
Anna chuckled when the door opened, revealing a robust man with slightly flushed cheeks. He greeted them with a large grin, and a slightly breathy voice, "Hello, welcome Sir Alden Lian. And who is this?"
"Hei Sir. Dette er Sir Anders Slovik," Sir Alden slipped into their native tongue when introducing Anna. It seemed to be his favorite way, as though it added another layer to her mystery. The large man in front of Anna squealed at this information, before slapping his hands over his mouth. After a string of profuse apologies, the man introduced himself as Kai, and invited the two fencers inside.
"I will retrieve Miss Elsa, she should be finishing her first lessons right about now," Anna's eyes widened, surprised that anyone could be learning at this hour. Though, beneath her mask, no one could see her surprised expression, and Kyle…? walked up the stairs. She felt a chill run down her spine as footsteps sounded from the top of the staircase. Then, a piercing gaze made her visibly shudder, and she knew exactly who 'Miss Elsa' was. The sight of platinum blonde hair and icy blue eyes only confirmed her suspensions. So Elsa is her name. Anna watched the woman descend the stairs, hips swaying like a metronome. It took every bit of Anna's self control to avoid following their sway.
The round man started speaking again, but all of Anna's attention was directed towards the blonde. It wasn't until Sir Alden brushed her as he walked past, that she realized they were walking somewhere. She stumbled, but caught herself before falling, and followed the other three. They approached a door at the end of the hallway and, when opened, it revealed a set of stairs, "You two will begin work down there. Sir Alden and I have a few matters to discuss before you depart." Kai gestured towards the staircase, holding open the door for the two youngest people in the group.
As Anna passed through the doorway, a moment of realization struck her, and with a gruff voice, "Wait, what is it I am doing here?"
The man holding the door guffawed, "Why, Sir Anders, you are here to tutor Miss Elsa." He stated it so matter-of-factly that it seemed it should have been obvious to the young fencer, but Anna couldn't do anything other than nod dumbly. Elsa continued down the stairs, and Anna followed.
They reached the bottom of the stairs, to reveal a cement room, which was empty save for a table against the wall, with a full array of fencing gear neatly laid across. Anna looked at her charge, then the fencing gear, "You need to change into that." The woman didn't even turn to look at Anna, choosing instead to nod and walk over to the table.
Anna turned to face the opposite wall, giving her student the proper privacy, and with a few passing minutes, curiosity took over. It shouldn't take this long to get her gear on. What's going on? She turned to see a completely bare back, and the woman slipping on her white jacket, her previous clothes lying folded on the table. A squeak erupted from Anna's throat as she quickly turned to face the wall again, face warmer than usual underneath her mask. It's okay Anna. It was just her back. No big deal. The pale skin of her body. Her slim waist. Nope. No big deal. Calm down. "Are you okay?" The silky voice of the blonde laced with concern graced Anna's ears.
"Yes. Good. All good. Everything is okay. Nothing to be worried about. Nothing at all." Anna mentally slapped herself. Shut up you idiot. Stop talking. A soft chuckle escaped from Elsa's mouth, and unknowingly brought a smile to Anna's face. "Are you decent," Anna asked, this time with a quiet, more reserved voice.
"Yes." With the quipped answer, Anna turned around, to meet the icy blue eyes. Anna steeled herself against the kind gaze the woman offered. Remember Anna. She's not privy to people like you. Stay away and she can't hurt you.
"You need to put your mask on, and grab your foil. We'll begin as soon as you are prepared, Miss…?" Anna trailed off, unable to remember what the burly man had introduced her as.
"Elsa Solnberg. And you are Anders Slovik, no?" As the family name rolled off her tongue, Anna felt anger rise within her. She staved off a growl, but answered the older woman's question with a nod. Solnberg. Elsa Solnberg. She must be his daughter. All the more reason to stay away.
Elsa donned her mask, and gripped her foil ungracefully within her left hand. A motion that irked the already angered woman. "You're holding it wrong. That's too tight and you look like a barbarian." The suddenly cold tone made the student jump, before fumbling with her weapon. Anna drew her own with a silent draw, marking the work of an expert, her grip firm, and gentle at the same time. Just as one would hold their most treasured possession. Her thumb pointed to follow the length of the blade, and the middle bone of the index flush with the widest sides of the petite cussion. The rest of her fingers relaxed around the grip to offer optimum movement, and the pommel of the sword following the middle of her wrist. "A foil is to be treated like an extension of the arm. Do not grip it. You will limit mobility and when it is only a flick of the wrist to win the duel, you will fail." Anna displayed her own grip for her student to copy. Elsa nodded, before copying the grip to her best ability. "Rotate your foil. The curve should follow the curve of your thumb." Her student followed the direction, and the change was noticeable. Elsa seemed to hold the blade more comfortably, though not nearly as comfortable as Anna.
"Okay. Now for your stance, I want you to stand as I do. I don't suspect you'll be able to hold this pose for long." Anna transitioned into a typical en garde stance, with her taller companion attempting to mimic said pose. Barely holding back a growl, but allowing herself a hidden eye roll, Anna stepped up, knocking the blonde's feet into the correct directions, her left pointing straight, back pointing sideways. Then, grabbing Elsa's right arm, she lifted it so the elbow was parallel with the floor, and the hand relaxed in line with the shoulder. The discomfort evident on her charge's face did nothing to change the fencer's mood. "Loosen up. Hold this stance, but keep your body loose. Slight bend at the knees at all times unless you dream of passing out in the middle of a duel." Though the tone was harsh, Anna simply hoped to convey to importance of the most basic stance in fencing. She also needed to know just how strong her student was. And apparently, not that strong. When Anna noticed the droop in Elsa's shoulders, and the beginning of a slouch expressed in her spine, Anna knew that the fall wasn't far behind.
As predicted, the signature clank of the foil landing on the ground marked the failure of her student. Anna noted the minute and a half that the stance was held with surprise. Better than expected. But she has a long road to go. We should do planks and I'll have to see if we can get some hand weights for tricep work. If not we'll make do. We can run hills too, make her legs stronger. "You and I will do planks. Your core needs to be strong, because it is the base of all movement."
Elsa awoke at 5 o'clock, as per usual. After a quick shower, her hair was braided over her left shoulder, and she was donned in a simple wide neck grey T-shirt, and white capris. At about 6, she made her way downstairs to join Kai, and his wife Gerda, for breakfast. With full intent to keep it light, she grabbed some fruit and a small amount of egg whites. A chuckle from the man to her left stopped her, "What is it, Kai?"
"You start your fencing training today, remember? You will need more than just that." In all honesty, Elsa had forgotten about her new lessons, and the news elicited a deep sigh from the woman. She grabbed more scrambled egg whites, and silently ate them, brooding over the loss of her free time.
It wasn't long before seven rolled around, and she was directed into the study to begin her morning business lesson. Elsa never voiced her hatred for these lessons, but it must have been evident on her face. Especially when her tutor dropped a new business outline for Solnberg International. The stack of papers must have weighed at least 10 pounds, if not more.
"For the next 2 hours we will be reviewing Solnberg International's business policy. I expect you to be thorough, and understand the gravity of each rule and regulation. Are you with me so far Miss Solnberg?" The raspy voice of the old man bored Elsa to death, but she nodded absentmindedly, knowing that regardless of their task, she wouldn't like it.
For once in her life, Elsa was glad to have a new tutor. She didn't know who it was, but anything other than the voice of another boring old man would be good. Despite having different tutors for every subject, they all seemed to be old men who looked like they should be rolling in their graves.
Just a few minutes past nine, she heard the signature trudge of Kai coming upstairs, and a giddiness she was unused to, filled her.
She quickly, and gracefully, gathered her materials. With a slight nod to the man, the door opened and she followed Kai out of the room. He seemed more effervescent than she'd ever seen him, and the man was always bubbly. "What has you so excited?"
"You'll see." He was obviously holding back a squeal, and that made Elsa even more curious. When they walked over to the stairs, her eyes immediately landed on the geared up fencer. So that's what had him so excited. Anders Slovik. He turned and looked up, and she felt her heart skip. I wonder what his eyes look like.
They met the two men in the entryway, "Now you two will be working in the basement. Everything you should need should be down there. Shall I show you where it is?" Elsa was listening until she could swear she felt an intense gaze from someone. She looked at the only person facing her, and returned his gaze in kind. Feeling Kai's hand on her lower back, gently pushing her towards the hallway, made her break her staredown with the masked man. From the corner of her eye, she saw the man in white stumble, before catching himself, and she barely hid a smile.
Kai held open the door for the two, gesturing with his other hand, guiding the two to where they were going. Elsa nearly laughed like the large man when Anders asked what he was doing. She would have assumed that he would know. He's going to be an interesting tutor. I can tell.
She led him downstairs, and when he directed her to dress in her gear, she didn't hesitate. After all, she was used to obeying orders, no questions asked. Though the gear was uncomplicated, it was just a bit awkward, and she had been trained to fold her clothes after changing. A loud squeak erupted from behind her as she pulled the jacket down, and she turned to see her counterpart tensed and looking at the wall. She walked up, concerned for the young man, "Are you okay?" A question, innocent as it was, seemed to throw the man into a crazed stupor. His rushed slur of denial surprised the woman, and a moment's pause calmed him. The question of decency made her smile. A quick affirmative had him facing her.
"You need to put your mask on, and grab your foil. We'll begin as soon as you are prepared, Miss…?" The trailing off clearly marked a question. A question Elsa didn't want to answer. She didn't want to be treated like a princess from another tutor.
Just get it over with. "Elsa Solnberg. And you are Anders Slovik, no?" A simple nod looked to be her only reaction from the fencer, so she donned her mask, and tried to hold the floppy sword, barely managing to keep it in her hand.
Then, instead of a light direction, or guidance, she was met with an outburst of anger and degradation. What was that? Only father has spoke to me like that. She fumbled with her blade, and before she'd realized it, her teacher's own was in her face. The draw was silent, startling Elsa.
It seemed so natural when he held it, but as he directed her, she only got more uncomfortable. Each direction was clipped, and laced with anger, but there were no more insults. What set him off? The rotation of the foil made her grip much more comfortable, and for once, she felt like she might be able to get a hold of fencing. Then, her tutor mentioned her stance and she nearly groaned. Why must I join a physical education class. And why must it be fencing. Besides, it seems he hates me. Maybe he'll hate me enough to leave. Elsa attempted to copy the stance her instructor was in, but it was quite awkward, especially the arms. She felt her feet being adjusted, and she felt a spike of anger. Did he just touch me without warning? I mean he didn't even ask. As always the anger was well hidden, and she allowed herself to be moved like a mannequin. The scowl only barely controlled, slipped for a split second when he commented his lack of faith in her physical abilities. Oh I'll show him. He may think I can't hold it for long, but he's so wrong. An aching erupted in her upper arm. Fight through it. You aren't going to lose to him. You're better than him. Determination spread throughout her body, masking the pain. However, determination only went so far. First her arms, then her legs, and she was on the floor. She barely noticed the surprised expression, but she couldn't tell if it was good or bad surprised. I'll take anything you throw at me. Then he mentioned planks, and Elsa actually let out a groan, but complied. He muttered something about complaining and Elsa's pride pushed forward, and she made a perfect plank.
By the end of their tutor session, Elsa was sweating, and she could bet he was too. He never made her exercise alone, always joining her. At some point he even started offering encouragement of some sort. Either way, Elsa was pleased with herself, and she hoped he was too. 2 hours of this everyday might not be so bad. It's a good achey feeling.
The two trudged upstairs.
Well impressed with her student, Anna followed the woman up the basement stairs. They met Sir Alden and the larger man in the entryway. Sir Alden gave her an approving look, and satisfaction filled her heart. I promise I'll do anything to make you proud.
"Sir Anders Slovik, would you follow me to your room?" the larger man was gesturing towards the stairs.
"What?!" both women yelled, though Anna more growled than anything. That brought a bit of surprise to the man's countenance, and then he glanced at his partner in crime.
"Sir Anders. You are to stay here for the duration of Miss Elsa's training. Do you understand me?" Once again, that finality brought a pang to Anna's heart.
"May I speak with you? Outside." Both fencers nodded to their hosts. Sir Alden gently closed the door, when Anna would have slammed it. Anna led them a considerable distance from the house before speaking again, seething with rage, "What are you doing? You can't just throw me in here! If you wanted me gone, then you could have just said so! I do not want to live with the daughter of that monster! Besides. What if they find out my true identity? I'd be ruined! Were you even thinking about me at all? I am so livid. I don't expect you to understand everything about the way that I live my life, but it is how I feel I need to live. Just let me live on the streets instead. I can find someth-"
She was cut off with a hand to her mouth and a stern look from the man who'd raised her, "Kai already knows. I had to tell him. I already made a deal. You will be attending Arendelle Proper as Anna Lian. No one will know who you are. And if you choose, I negotiated a transportation that will be separate from Miss Elsa's, and you will not have to interact with her outside of tutoring sessions. Arendelle Proper is the best of the best, and you deserve to go there. If you could realistically live at home with me, and attend Arendelle Proper, then I would have you there. But, it's an over two hour walk, and I can't pay for any other type of transportation yet. Banana. I love you like the daughter I never had, and I am so happy to have you in my life, but this is what's best for you. Regardless if you feel so or not, it is. And you will stay here, be provided with an entirely new wardrobe, a room, and you will never go hungry. It's a home away from home. Kai even said you could invite Kristoff over in your spare time. So please, just accept this generosity, and take it with a grain of salt. I only want the best life for you Anna." She was crying. All reasonable points, but that didn't mean she didn't like the idea. She nodded, pulling the frail looking man in for a hug.
"I love you Papa." A smile erupted on his face and he pushed her back.
"I love you too Sweetie. Thank you for understanding. You will see me everyday at school." She nodded, tears still falling, though he couldn't tell. They walked back into the house, and she nodded at Kai.
A/N: I hope each and every one of you enjoyed this chapter. It was a bit harder to write, but I can already feel that next chapter will be easier. Everytime I'm at work I have ideas but as soon as I decide to sit down and do it my body is like noooo. Plus, I had visiting family for the past week, so it was hard to sit down and crank out a chapter with a seven year old asking you why you're doing everything. All comments were appreciated with the first chapter, and honestly one of the biggest reasons I wrote this chapter.
For those of you with growing questions, don't be afraid to ask, because I like the way they make me think, but you'll have to stick around to find out the answers! ;)
A big thanks to the fans of this story, and until next time!
UPDATE: Thank you to the two first reviewers! I uploaded the doc on my phone so it got rid of the enter breaks, so I apologize for that weird formatting. I hope this is easier!