Chapter 9 - Into The North Mountains Part 2
Racing down the mountain path with the sounds of hungry beasts behind them, Anna and Elsa held each other's hands, not wanting to let the other go. Their weekend camping trip had gone so horribly wrong. First the blizzard and now these wolves.
Elsa was running as fast as she could, her legs and feet aching with every step she took on the snow-covered ground. She herself was feeling most guilty, having not brought a single weapon with her. What kind of a queen was she?
Mistakes aside, they had to get to safety, as the two women could hear the sounds of thick paws slamming against the dirt behind them.
Panting Anna looked over her shoulder, seeing the wolves racing along the path behind them. Clearly, they were faster than them.
"You know, if we had our horses, we could have easily overtaken them!" Anna remarked, rushing down the slope.
"It's not my fault they got scared off by the wolves!" Elsa groaned as she tried to keep up with Anna. "But on the plus side, they did give us a head start."
Anna rolled her eyes. "For someone who's supposed to be all about kindness and compassion, you were quick to throw their lives away."
"Royal horses, like all of my staff and servants, are prepared to give their lives for me!" Elsa argued. She sighed, rubbing her temples quickly. "Look, let's argue about this later. We need to hide, fast."
"Hide. From a pack of wolves," Anna remarked sarcastically. "Yeah, that's totally going to end well."
The Queen then shot Anna a look that merely said, "Seriously." She looked behind them, seeing the wolves chasing them from behind. Anna was right, there was no hiding back from such vicious beasts. She would have to fight them with bare hands.
Growling, Elsa got in front of Anna, getting into a defensive stance. "Get going and don't stop until you see Arendelle."
Her eyes widening, Anna rushed to Elsa's side. "No, I'm staying here with you!" She stood defiantly with Elsa. "I'm not letting you die."
"I brought you into this mess, I'm getting you out," Elsa reminded her.
"And technically, I got myself into this mess, remember?" The redhead then added. They then heard the sounds of the wolves racing and growling closer and closer. Anna's heart started to beat faster. Part of her was scared, yet there was a part of her that wanted to prove itself to Elsa, wanted to show the queen that she was more than capable of handling herself.
Within seconds, the pack of wolves leapt out from the trees nearby, each of them, large and furry, sharp teeth filling their mouths. The four-legged hounds started to circle them, gnashing and biting their teeth in intimidation.
Standing back to back, Elsa and Anna gulped. They both knew they could very well die right there and then. Elsa looked over her shoulder and sighed.
"Anna... I'm sorry."
Anna merely smiled. "Don't be."
One of the wolves suddenly leapt forward at Elsa, reading to slash her dress open and taste her flesh. Before she could feel the pain, Elsa then saw Anna taking the wolf head-on with her bare hands, the other wolves merely watching their packmate fight the redhead.
Pressing the wolf back, Anna screamed as the beast's claws and teeth tore into her dress, slashing and scarring her skin.
"Anna!" Elsa cried, feeling scared that she would be next.
Crying out in pain, Anna tried her best to fight for Elsa, to fight the massive wolf off from her body. She could feel its muscles and claws pressing her into the snow, it's hot breath dripping against her face. She was going to be that monster's dinner, she knew it.
This wasn't how she wanted it all to end, dying 200 years in the past. But, she knew it was a worthy sacrifice. She was giving her life for the woman she loved after all.
Before the release of death came, however, Anna then saw something shoot through the air and strike the wolf attacking her in the gut, piercing its insides, and knocking it off her.
Her vision fading, Anna then saw what appeared to be a tall strange figure racing towards her and Elsa, holding a weapon of some kind. With the last of her strength fading, Anna took one last glance at Elsa, hoping that she would survive.
I'm sorry, Elsa, She apologised in her mind, before everything went dark and she fell into an unconscious slumber.
xXx
An undetermined amount of time later, Anna awoke in an unfamiliar place. The first thing she felt was the heat surrounding her body. Warmth, pure warmth. It was as if she had been bathed in some tropical magic and her whole body was covered in burning fire.
As her eyes opened, she saw what seemed to be a fire, raging in a small alcove in a wall. As more of the scene became clear to her, Anna saw that she was in some sort of log cabin. How she had got to this place was not known to her.
Trying to sit up, Anna felt her chest surge with pain. Looking down, the redhead noticed there was a series of bandages covering up her chest and her upper arms. Clearly, the wolf had injured her quite badly. It also embarrassed Anna a little to feel like she was half naked in a stranger's home.
Pulling a blanket off her body, Anna straightened herself up. She was feeling hungry, not to mention a little worried.
"Hello?" She called out. "Is there anyone here?"
No one seemed to reply. Where in the world was this cabin? Anna tried to think, doing her best to remember the attack by the wolves. The last thing she could remember was that strange figure with the object in their hand? Was it a weapon? Obviously, since they had clearly killed that wolf.
Looking to one side, Anna saw sunlight streaking through the window. A lot of time had passed, as that was clearly midday sun.
Some time had obviously passed, but Anna stopped to think about her surroundings, as one thought, in particular, dominated her brain. Where was Elsa? Her eyes widened and she tried to get up, before groaning and leaning against the side of the bench she had been lying on.
Her wounds were deep, very deep. They had healed quite a bit, but she was still in a lot of pain. But she couldn't feel pain now. She had to find Elsa. If they had been captured by someone, Elsa would likely be in greater danger than her.
Before Anna could move another inch she noticed the door to her cabin open up. She braced herself for whoever was going to walk through that door. She may have been injured, but she would fight them off if it meant getting to Elsa.
A man wearing a furry grey coat then walked into the cabin. He was a very bulky man, with biceps bigger than Anna had ever seen. On his head was a lumpy of shaggy blonde hair and on his back was what appeared to be some sort of pickaxe.
As the stranger looked at Anna with brown eyes, he smiled. "Oh good, you're finally awake. I was worried there for a second."
Anna scowled, glaring at the man. "Where am I? Where's Elsa?"
"Easy, Easy," The man calmed her. "It's okay, Anna. You're in a safe place. My name is Kris-"
"You know who I am?!"
"Yes, your friend Elsa told me," the stranger replied. "You're going to be okay. I found the pair of you in the woods the other night and brought you to my camp. Those wolves did a real number on you. You're lucky you didn't bleed out."
"Camp?"
"Well it's not really a camp... more like a small village but... look, you're safe and that's all that matters."
Anna was a little relieved she was in a safe place, but she needed to know where Elsa was. She was desperate to see the queen. She stormed towards the door and reached for the handle, only for the stranger to grab her by the shoulders.
"Hey, woah, what's going on here?" He remarked. "You really shouldn't be moving like that."
The redhead frowned. "I'm going to see my friend."
"You're going to kill yourself," the man stated. He then looked at how determined Anna was. She was firmly going to see Elsa, and part of him didn't want to stop that.
He then sighed, before looking at Anna. "Fine... she's talking to some people in the centre of the village. But you need some rest. Those cuts aren't going to heal themselves."
Anna smiled. "Thank you... and thanks for saving us, Mr..."
"Kristoff," the man finally introduced himself. "Kristoff Bjorgman."
That last name sent a weird feeling in Anna. Bjorgman was also Kristina's last name. Could he have been...? Probably wasn't best to dwell on it. She merely just smiled and left the hut on her own, wrapping herself in a blanket.
Walking outside, Anna saw the land still covered in a blanket of snow. She shivered a little, wrapping her blanket around her a little tighter. She looked around for a while, seeing that she was in a small mountain village. There were several huts surrounding a central area in the village, some of them being houses while others were small shops and stores.
In the centre of the village, Anna could see Elsa, talking to various people who were clearly residents of the little village. Her eyes widening with joy, Anna rushed over to Elsa, calling her name. "Elsa! Elsa!"
The Queen turned around, pausing her current conversation. She smiled as well, before racing over to Anna and hugging her tightly. She sighed and stroked Anna's hair.
"I missed you," she whispered.
"I missed you too," Anna replied, sighing as she held Elsa in her arms. Truly, their hearts were meant for one another. Pulling back, Anna smiled at her queen. "I met Kristoff, by the way. He told me he brought us here."
Elsa nodded. "He did. This is one of the many villages up in the mountains of Arendelle. That hut is ours for now, since apparently, we're going to be here for a few days."
"A few days? Why?" Anna blinked a few times.
"Apparently, during the blizzard yesterday, there was a big avalanche on the mountain road and as such, no one is able to travel back to the city," Elsa informed her. "But don't worry, the people here are apparently clearing it right now."
Anna sighed. "Well... it's a good thing time for me back home doesn't flow right? I mean, I can't imagine how many people are worried about me."
"Don't worry about that, Anna," Elsa told her. "Come on, let's get you back inside. It's a little cold out here and you need all the rest you can get."
"Wait, what? No, I just got here," Anna argued. "I wanna be out and about, on my feet and AGHHH!" Anna then clutched her chest, feeling her wounds sting. "Okay... maybe I do need some time to lie down."
Elsa smiled. "Don't worry, Anna. I will take care of you," she promised, before leading Anna back in the direction of their hut.
xXx
A few hours later, Anna laid on a bed in her and Elsa's shared hut. Kristoff had wrapped her chest and arms with bandages to cover her wounds, but the ones on her chest were already beginning to turn crimson as her blood seeped into them.
Elsa walked into the room, carrying a bowl of what appeared to be soup. "Are you hungry, Anna?" she inquired. "I helped Kristoff make some vegetable soup for you."
"Thanks," the ginger replied in a weak but grateful voice. "I'm starving." When Elsa reached her bedside, Anna started to sit up, wincing sharply and letting out a hiss as pain shot through her upper torso.
The queen quickly set the soup down on the bedside table, gently placing her hand on Anna's shoulder. "Please, don't get up. I don't want you to hurt yourself."
"I'm already hurt," Anna joked, trying to lighten the rather sombre mood. She sighed, letting the pain fade a little.
Dipping a spoon into the bowl, Elsa spooned out a portion of soup before feeding it to Anna like a mother to her child. She felt quite happy doing this, like she was being Anna's big sister in a way.
Gulping down, Anna made a weak groaning noise. She clearly did not like the taste if the soup.
"Jeez, what is that stuff?" Anna remarked, sticking out her tongue in disgust.
The blonde laughed. "Carrots mostly. Kristoff and his friends are ice harvesters, so they train reindeer to assist them, and reindeer love carrots."
"Not me," Anna protested. "I'm not a fan of veggies, unless they're on pizza."
"Well, they're good for you," Elsa chided, "and they'll help you get your strength back."
Anna sighed in defeat. "I hate it when you make sense."
Spooning Anna more of the soup, Elsa made sure her young friend was very well fed. Once Anna had eaten all the soup, she lay on the bed, sighing.
Elsa stood up, stretching her arms and yawning. "Gosh, I'm tired."
"Haven't you slept?"
"Not since before those wolves attacked." She groaned. "If Kai caught me up this late, I would never hear the end of it."
Anna smiled. "You should get some sleep too, Elsa. After all, both of us have been through one hell of a time."
"Yes, I suppose you're right," Elsa agreed.
Just then, however, Anna remembered something from before the wolves attacked. She was going to confess her feelings to Elsa, but then Elsa wanted to confess something as well. Now that their current crisis had passed, there wasn't a better chance other than right now.
Sitting up just a little in bed, Anna called to Elsa, who was just leaving the room.
"Hey Elsa?" she said politely. "Do you remember last night, before those wolves came? You were going to say something to me. Could you... Tell me what it was?"
Elsa blushed. "Well...I'm not sure how to say it. It's difficult to put into words."
"Just say whatever feels right, then," Anna encouraged. "I won't judge you."
"Very well, then." Elsa took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before beginning to speak. "In the time that I've known you, Anna, you have become my closest friend. When I'm with you, I feel...free. Like I don't have to be the symbol of royalty that my kingdom looks to for guidance. Like I can be myself. And as we've grown closer, I've begun to notice things about you. The softness of your hair, the joyous sound of your laughter, the warmth and life in your eyes." She gently placed her hand on Anna's. "It has taken me some time to come to terms with my feelings, but I believe I'm ready now. Anna...I...I've fallen in love with you."
A deep blush then filled Anna's rosy pink cheeks. Elsa loves me too? She placed her hand over her mouth, gasping softly. This wasn't what she had expected at all. She blushed deeply, looking away.
"I... I'm in love with you too, Elsa," She then confessed. "That's what I wanted to tell you last night. I love everything about you. Your kindness, your gorgeousness, all of it... I love you so much, Elsa."
At that moment, Elsa started to cry. For that one moment, she wasn't Elsa, Queen of Arendelle. She was just Elsa, a beautiful girl hopelessly in love. She hugged Anna gently, crying softly.
"H-hey," Anna chuckled a little. "There's no need to cry, Elsa."
"I...I can't remember the last time I felt so happy..." the queen murmured.
Anna stroked Elsa's soft hair, sighing dreamily. She then saw Elsa dry her tears before smiling at her. The two of them could feel their hearts beating in perfect synchronisation. Gravity held them in orbit of one another, like binary stars at the centre of a universe.
Stroking Anna's cheek, Elsa smiled. "I... I didn't know you would feel the same way about me."
"It is a little strange," Anna then admitted. "I mean, I'm a girl just out of college and you're a... well, Queen."
That didn't bother them though. Without the factors that connected them to their respective lives, Anna and Elsa were the same. Two beautiful young women who had found each other and last and now, didn't want to spend another moment apart.
Clinging to Anna a little tighter, Elsa sobbed again, this time of tears of joy. Now that her love had been confessed, Elsa wanted Anna to be as safe as possible.
"Promise me," Elsa then said. "Promise me you won't throw yourself out for me again... I was so scared when Kristoff scared off those wolves and we carried your body to the village... I thought you were... that you were..."
Just then, Anna put her finger to the Queen's lips, shushing her quietly. At that moment, they merely gazed at one another, before Anna spoke again, reassuring Elsa.
"Don't worry," she told her in a caring voice. "I won't do anything that crazy again."
"You promise?"
Anna put her finger around Elsa's pinkie, grinning. "Pinkie promise."
Taking in breath, Elsa nodded. Anna was a girl who kept her promises after all. She smiled and leaned close, touching foreheads with Anna. Their lips were only so far apart, but neither of them was comfortable with that sort of intimacy just yet.
Cuddles would be fine though, as Anna slowly pulled her dearest Elsa close to her.
"Hey... can I say something crazy?" Anna then piped up.
"What?"
A grin appeared on Anna's face. "Will you be my girlfriend Elsa?"
Suddenly, the queen gave Anna a very confused look. "G-Girlfriend? I'm not familiar with that term."
Anna burst into giggles. Elsa was still an awkward dork about a lot of modern terms. Oh, she was going to have to teach her so much now. "Well... you know my friends Korra and Asami? Can we be like them?"
Elsa blushed softly and nodded. "Yes... I would like that very much... as long as you become my mistress."
"I didn't know you were into that kind of stuff," Anna then remarked with a wink, teasing Elsa.
Rolling her eyes, Elsa stroked Anna's cheek. "Then it's settled then." She gave Anna a kiss on her hand, stroking the knuckles of her fingers. "But... we should both be getting some rest." Elsa then stood up, but before she could walk away, Anna took her hand.
"Hey, where are you going?"
"To bed," Elsa stated.
Anna then shook her head. "Ohhhh no, your majesty. If we're a couple, we're sleeping together." Anna then pulled Elsa onto the bed, wrapping her arms around her.
"Anna!" Elsa exclaimed, blushing furiously, but then as Anna's bandaged arms wrapped around her waist she sighed. In that moment, she felt total and utter bliss. "O-okay... this isn't so bad."
The redhead smiled. "See... nothing to worry about."
Elsa gave in, sighing a little and curled up in Anna's arms. She was right. There was nothing for her to worry about. She purred like a kitten and nuzzled Anna, feeling her warmth.
Blushing a little, Anna gave Elsa a little peck on the cheek, before looking at her sleepy new girlfriend with adoration.
"Goodnight, Elsa," Anna whispered. "I... I love you."
The Queen smiled warmly, before cuddling Anna very close to her. Before she drifted off, she replied to Anna, in a voice full of true love.
"Goodnight Anna. I love you too."
xXx
Author's note: How adorable and cute indeed :3 Yes, they're together now and they are indeed a couple "heart". I kept my good word to you all and shall release not only this chapter today, but the next one as well!
See you next chapter!