Winter's Echo
Chapter Twenty-Two - Escaping the Forest
Elsa found her sister sitting on one of the logs near the large communal fire where the Northuldra were scurrying this way and that preparing what looked to be quite the sizable feast. They were celebrating Elsa's repelling of the invading army, the queen realized bashfully. Elsa chuckled nervously and gave a shy grin when many of the nomads paused and began to cheer upon noticing her approach, eliciting a dusting of dark pink across her cheeks. Despite her years of grooming and training for public appearances, Elsa would never be comfortable being the center of attention; that, combined with the fact that her natural humility made it difficult to accept being celebrated made it one of the things she dreaded most about being a queen. Though, she had to admit, watching several of the small children running around make believing they had her ice powers brought a smile to her lips. It was flattering, anyway.
Always seeming to sense when her sibling was near, Anna lifted her head and looked around until she met her gaze. Just as Elsa dreaded, a mischievous grin lit up the redhead's face, confirming what the blonde had feared - she was more than aware of what the two women had been up to in that tent. Elsa couldn't stop the flame that spread across her cheeks and all the way up to the tips of her ears. Still, she held her head high and sat next to her grinning sister, determined to pretend as if nothing had happened.
"I apologize for being late. I..." Elsa hesitated, searching for the right word. "...lost track of time." Anna simply propped her elbows on her knees and rested her head in her hand to stare expectantly at the winter spirit, the devious smile never leaving her face. Elsa stared straight ahead at the fire for a long moment before caving and peeking at the smug redhead from the corner of her eye, only making her sister's grin wider.
Both siblings turned to look when there was a slight commotion across the clearing. Several of the Northuldra had surrounded none other than Honeymaren herself, inquiring after her injury and commenting on her bravery. The noaide smiled widely and easily at the other nomads, making a joke the sisters couldn't hear that had everyone laughing. Chocolate eyes found twin chips of ice peering at her from across the clearing and Elsa's heart fluttered in her chest, a bashful smile forming on her face.
Anna looked from Honeymaren to her sister and back again a few times before she rested her head in her hands again, staring at her older sister with a dopey, loving smile. Elsa felt the awkward gaze on her and immediately looked away from Honeymaren, feigning innocence and blissfully unaware of the unending amusement the obvious redirection gave both her lover and her sister. "I really, really like her, Elsa," the redhead suddenly spoke after a long pause, her voice full of sincerity. "I'm so incredibly happy for you."
Elsa didn't quite have the courage to look at her sister just yet, instead lowering her eyes to the fire in front of them and taking a deep breath. She had been so distraught the night she had arrived in Arendelle, Elsa couldn't have hoped to hide anything from her sister in that moment; nor could she bring herself to care during the weeks that followed. Now that the love she so desperately yearned for had risen like a phoenix from the ashes, she realized she and Anna had yet to discuss her rather...untraditional sexual proclivities. "You..." she began hesitantly, "you're not bothered that...that we're both..." she trailed off, her nerves getting the better of her. Rather than answer, Anna scooted closer to her sister and wrapped her arms around her in a tight embrace, placing a sweet kiss on her cheek. "All I've ever wanted was for my sister to finally get the love she deserves," she stated firmly as she pulled back, grasping Elsa's hands in hers. "If she makes you happy, then I am happy - and I have no doubt our people will feel the same, especially having seen how capable she is of being both your protector and your equal." Elsa smiled at her sibling in slight awe, shaking her head slowly. "What would I do without you?" she asked quietly, and Anna smiled at the loving memory before all the craziness of the enchanted forest had happened. "You'll always have me," she replied with a gentle squeeze to her hands.
They sat in companionable silence for a moment before Anna's face twisted up in thought. Elsa laughed at the silly expression. "What is it?" she asked. "I lied," Anna said quietly, suddenly serious. "There is something that bothers me about the situation." Elsa felt her stomach drop, her entire body seeming to tighten into a knot. "What...?" she asked hesitantly. Anna smiled and winked. "I'm gonna feel really bad beating the snot out of her if she breaks your heart." Elsa barked out a surprised laugh, covering her mouth with her hand to regain a bit of dignity. Anna laughed as well, happy anytime she was able to make her normally reserved sister laugh, especially after the two weeks of hell she had been through. As the two siblings giggled together, Elsa felt the world fall from her shoulders for a few precious moments.
Eventually, Anna piped up and brought them back to business. "So, what's this plan of yours?" Elsa took a deep breath and turned her torso to face her sister. "I think you should go back to Arendelle as soon as Kristoff gets here," she stated plainly. Anna's eyes immediately narrowed in anger, the previous light-hearted mood gone in an instant. As she opened her mouth to give her sister a piece of her mind, a pale hand raised in a motion to interrupt her. "And you should take the Northuldra with you," she finished. The redhead blinked at her owlishly. "For what reason...?" she asked tentatively.
"My question exactly," piped up a smooth voice from behind the two women. Anna yelped and fell backward off the log to land unceremoniously on her butt with her legs draped over it, staring up haphazardly at none other than Honeymaren. The Northuldran raised an amused eyebrow while Elsa simply blinked in stunned surprised, peering over the edge of the log at her sister. "...are you okay...?" she asked cautiously, her hands hovering uncertainly in front of her, unsure how to help. A chorus of embarrassed affirmations answered her as the redhead flailed to right herself. Honeymaren chuckled and leaned down to grasp Anna's hands, pulling the blushing girl to her feet. Anna smiled gratefully at her, fixing her clothes and brushing her hair from her face.
Honeymaren turned back to look at Elsa, who now had a hand over her mouth in an attempt to hide her growing smile at the scene. The noaide couldn't help but smile back, always having found that little habit of hers curious, but adorable. "Why are you sending us away, Elsa?" she asked. When Elsa stood and faced the other two women, Honeymaren couldn't help but feel a bit out of her league suddenly. Elsa was in what Anna had once described as "queen mode", which entailed a particularly commanding presence, one that demanded the utmost respect. Her posture was perfect, her shoulders squared authoritatively. Elegant hands folded calmly in front of her and her head held high, showing her high-born upbringing. This was a woman who was born to be followed...and follow, Honeymaren would. She would follow this enchanting woman anywhere in the world if the blonde would allow her to.
"Because I am going to be setting a trap for Ulrik and I need everyone as far out of harm's way as possible," Elsa explained. "Including both of you." Elsa held up her hand before either woman could interrupt her. "I'm serious; it's too dangerous for both of you. You two are the only things in the world Ulrik could use against me when it comes down to it. If he got ahold of either of you, there is nothing I wouldn't do to keep you safe and he knows that, especially after he saw my reaction to Maren being in danger." Honeymaren crossed her arms and regarded the queen curiously. "Why do you think he would be stupid enough to even come back here after the way you dealt with him and his ilk, anyway? He couldn't possibly think he could stand against you," she asked.
To Elsa's surprise, Anna piped up in her defense, placing a hand on Honeymaren's shoulder. "Honeymaren, it's got less to do with brains and more to do with pride. We mustn't forget, Ulrik doesn't act like it but he was raised amongst nobility. He has more to prove than he has to lose." Honeymaren raised an eyebrow, still skeptical that a king, even one as pig-headed as Ulrik would knowingly start a fight he had no chance of winning. "When Elsa...did what she did," Anna continued, "she humiliated him - in front of his entire company. This man, a king, was prone and powerless at the simple flick of a young woman's wrist. She threatened him, quite frighteningly I might add," Anna gave Elsa a pointed, begrudgingly impressed look, but the spirit simply hung her head guiltily as Anna continued. "Then, she dispatched the lot of them just as easily. Ulrik can't let such an insult stand, even more so because it came from Elsa, the woman who rebuffed his every advance and lead to his humiliation when he tried to..." Anna trailed off at the unpleasant subject, squirming a bit as though something disgusting was touching her. "Elsa's right - he will be coming back. If nothing else, to prove to her that he can take whatever he pleases."
Honeymaren turned her head to look at Elsa, blue eyes meeting hers with an unspoken apology. "I still have some Arendellian stationary," she said quietly, tearing her gaze away from her love and back to Anna. "I propose we write a fake invitation to celebrate an "official" decision of our mutual rule in a week's time. No one from Calabria came to my coronation, nor to yours, so it's quite unlikely he would plan to attend. I will pen the invitation tonight and seal it with the crest of Arendelle, but have Gale deliver it to Calabria straightaway. It will arrive before Ulrik makes it back and throw off suspicion at the invitation. He will think it was sent before today's events." Elsa turned to look at Honeymaren, her eyes serious and dark. "He knows he cannot stand against me with the other Spirits or the might of Arendelle at my back, but if he thinks I will be far away in Arendelle, he will come to destroy you...to get revenge on me."
Honeymaren's doe brown eyes narrowed at the queen. "That's all well and fine," she began, "but that still leaves you alone to fend off a likely larger, more focused force bent on causing as much damage as possible. That's not going to happen, Elsa," she finished bluntly. The winter spirit closed her eyes for a moment and breathed deeply through her nose. She knew this was going to be a hard sell for both Honeymaren and Anna. "I did it with little effort already. He won't be expecting me and he likely doesn't even know the earth giants exist - the whole encounter was over before they could make an appearance," she said confidently. "But they will be expecting magic," Honeymaren argued back. "So which is it, Elsa? Is this going to be so simple that you will be in no danger or is it so dangerous that we have to leave? Because they will come ready to fight against magic this time."
The queen frowned at Honeymaren's defiant question, unused to being challenged by someone other than the rare occasion a council member felt it necessary. Anna herself almost never questioned the more experienced royal in matters of state and war, though this would be the time she would choose to. Even then, Anna usually wasn't quite as witty or articulate with her arguments when Elsa was involved, often resorting to the more successful imploring gazes and guilt trips to bring Elsa around to her way of thinking. Anna smirked at her obviously irked sister. "I'd like to amend my earlier statement," she said smugly. "I really, really, really like her." Elsa shot her an annoyed look. "It's simple for me, dangerous for you," she said sharply. "It's only dangerous for me and everyone else if either of you are there!" Honeymaren crossed her arms over her chest, cocking her weight to one hip in a stubborn stance. "I disagree," she stated simply.
Elsa wrapped one arm around her waist and brought the other up to pinch the bridge of her nose, attempting to ward off a building headache. She closed eyes in frustration; she wasn't mad at either woman, per say, but she didn't appreciate this new tag-team approach. Gentle hands on her shoulders surprised her, her eyes opening to be confronted by sweet doe eyes and a small, apologetic smile. "Listen, love. No one knows this forest better than I do. I can help you plan out the best ways and places to make your stand that would be the most effective and least likely to shed unnecessary blood; blood I know you don't want on your hands." Elsa chewed her bottom lip, looking at the ground thoughtfully as she mulled over that quite astute perspective. "And if Anna is away in Arendelle, you two will do nothing but worry for each other, which will do absolutely nothing to help you. And who's to say he doesn't attack Arendelle in his ire, thinking he will eliminate the entire royal line in one fell swoop, just as he threatened? Anna is actually safer the closer she is to you, if you think about it." After a long moment, the wintery spirit looked up to meet Honeymaren's gaze, a begrudging acceptance in her eyes. She was not so proud that she could not admit when someone had a valid point against her, but she didn't have to like it. She did roll her eyes when she caught her red headed sister nodding emphatically behind her lover, however.
The Northuldran chuckled lightly, guessing that Anna was doing something to cause the annoyed expression from the blonde. "Hey," she spoke gently, hooking a finger under the queen's chin and bringing her gaze back to her. She smiled when she saw pale features visibly soften. "You are right that the rest of the Northuldra should go to Arendelle. The fewer people around, the better - you shouldn't be worried about reigning in your powers for the safety of others. You also had a point about either Anna or I being used against you. We will not leave you, but we will find the best way to help you while staying clear of danger, and Anna and I can watch each other's backs."
Elsa didn't look convinced, sending a pointed look of mild annoyance over Honeymaren's shoulder to a certain redhead. The noaide went to stand next to the skeptical blonde and both women looked at the younger queen expectantly. Anna looked between the two women shiftily before throwing her hands up in slight exasperation, then crossing them defiantly across her chest. "I stand by my decisions in life," she huffed, though it was clear to everyone present that she understood her normal hastiness in situations concerning her beloved sister would need to be curbed.
Elsa's face softened as she gazed at her baby sister. Without a second thought, she closed the small gap between them to envelop her in a warm hug. "I'm sorry," she mumbled quietly into Anna's neck. Anna blinked in surprise, but instinctively returned the hug. When Elsa pulled back, the redhead simply stared at her in concerned askance. Elsa reached down to grasp her sister's hands, squeezing them lovingly. She understood firsthand how hard it was to hold yourself back when the center of your whole world was in danger. "I have the same bad habit and I'm just as accountable for acting on it as you are. It's one of the reasons we need a plan in the first place and it's completely unfair to hold you to a standard I myself am just as guilty of not meeting." Anna smiled warmly and squeezed her sister's hands back in gratitude.
Honeymaren smiled at the exchange before reluctantly drawing the royals back to the discussion at hand. "Well, that means I will be keeping an eye on both of you, then," she stated matter of factly. When Elsa looked at her questioningly, she gave both her and Anna a serious look. "I will help you carry out this plan of yours, but if you meant what you said about us being your only real weakness, then either of us being in danger inevitably puts you in danger," she clarified. Honeymaren walked over to place a hand on a shoulder of each monarch, glancing back and forth between them seriously. "That is something neither of us will allow to happen. Will we, Anna?" she asked, smiling encouragingly at the redhead. Anna smiled back at her, nodding and placing one of her hands over hers. "Right," she answered confidently. She gave Honeymaren's hand a grateful squeeze, giving her a look that clearly said she was thankful for far more than her piece of wisdom.
Honeymaren nodded in understanding, squeezing back lightly before turning her attention fully back to her love. "You make whatever arrangements need be made. The siiddat should be at the Lichen Meadows. I'll make my way to their camp tonight to let Ryder know what is going on so we can prep the reindeer to travel." She gave a small, apologetic smile to the blonde. "I'm afraid it is a long journey to their grazing grounds. We will have to postpone our plans until tomorrow night." Elsa took a short, nervous breath and nodded, her mind and heart already racing as she played out different possibilities in her mind, both of the upcoming confrontation with Ulrik and her promised night with her love. Without a word, Honeymaren reached out to cup the Snow Queen's cheek before leaning in and capturing full lips in a long, sweet kiss. The blonde's eyes fluttered closed as she instinctually leaned into the other woman, all plans and strategies gone in an instant. The Northuldran pulled back just enough to speak quietly into her ear, "I love you, Snowflake. I'll see you before I leave." A happy, unintelligible hum was the only response she got, Elsa seeming to have some difficulty opening her eyes.
She chuckled at the blonde and couldn't resist placing one more kiss on her cool forehead before she walked over to Anna, planting a quick, much more chaste kiss of affection on the redhead's cheek, making the younger woman giggle. "See ya tomorrow, Sugar Rush." She grinned and walked away to pack a bag, leaving the two women to their tasks. Anna waved at her retreating figure before turning to look at her sister, her grin widening at the dopey look on her face. She sighed happily, looping her arm through the blonde's affectionately. "Really, really, reeeaaallly like her," she repeated playfully. Elsa simply smiled wider at the quickly disappearing woman. "Me too," she sighed happily. "Me too."
AN:
The time is coming, dear readers. Am I changing the rating?
What say you?
Drop a review and let me know what you think!
- Volchise