Winter's Echo

Chapter Twenty-Six - The Glow of the Sunrise

Blood. Everywhere. Pristine, angel-white snow stained dark red with the sins of man. Honeymaren knelt brokenly over one of these large, dark red stains, desperate and mangled sobs tearing themselves from her very soul. She cradled her love's lifeless body to hers, clinging to her for all she was worth, the bloodied arrow she had pulled from the spirit queen's chest laying at her side. Ulrik's dark laugh echoed across the forest as the winds themselves moaned in agony for the loss of their goddess. Honeymaren looked up to see a man she didn't recognize standing triumphantly over the still, broken form of the redheaded queen of Arendelle, his sword left buried deep in Anna's body. He knelt over her, watching with a dark grin that stretched to his strange sideburns as the snow drank her blood like a sponge. "Oh, Anna," he said mockingly, gripping Anna's chin as though to guide her lifeless gaze to his. "If only there was someone who loved you."

Honeymaren's sight blurred impossibly fast, so fast she thought she would be sick. She looked around wildly, her heart leaping with joy to see Elsa alive and well, spinning this way and that as her magic flowed around her in a beautiful dance. Men were disarmed and immobilized left and right in droves as the Snow Queen proved too awesome a force for mere mortal men to reckon with. She looked about wildly for Anna, but couldn't find a sign of the redhead anywhere. Somehow, she knew in her heart that the younger monarch wasn't there at all. She looked down at herself to see splotches of blood all over her hands and clothes. A glance behind her confirmed the source of the blood, a trail of dead or dying soldiers marking the path she had taken through the trees. She felt no guilt for the broken bodies that lay in her wake; she decided long ago that the lives of any who threatened her queen were forfeit without question. A glint of sunlight on metal caught Honeymaren's eye to her right and she spun to locate the source, her eyes growing wide when she saw Ulrik appear from the din of his men. He nocked a crossbow bolt and cocked it, evil black eyes fixed on the beautiful spirit in the open field; an innocent doe, completely unaware she was in the sights of the hunter. She tried to scream Elsa's name, but the queen could not hear her above the chaos of the battle. Honeymaren began to run as fast as her legs would carry her.

It seemed the faster she ran, the further away her love grew. Her legs wouldn't work, as though she were running in water. Ulrik raised the crossbow, looking down the bolt at the spirit queen with a maniacal grin. Honeymaren screamed again and Elsa whipped around to face her in slow motion with wide, surprised eyes as Ulrik loosed his deadly bolt. She turned to the side to follow Honeymaren's terrified gaze, lifting her hands defensively and far too late. A sharp, agonizing pain pierced Honeymaren's left shoulder as she and Elsa fell to the ground, the force of the blow meant for a goddess knocking the Northuldran backward.

Her vision shifted again.

The heat was unbearable. Smoke burned her eyes and made them water, blurring the image of the crowd of people gathered around to watch her die. It filled her lungs with poison, making it impossible to draw breath without coughing painfully. She struggled weakly against the chains binding her to a thick stake, her shoulder screaming in agony. She looked to her left to see a dark red stain growing ever larger on her shirt, the pelted fabric soaking up her life blood like an ink drop on a dry piece of parchment. She remembered the searing pain of the crossbow bolt embedding itself in her shoulder. She searched the crowd of people gathered in the large courtyard, desperate for hope and finding nothing but misery and resignation. Help would not be forthcoming; a different kind of shackle bound these people.

A flash of white-gold caught Honeymaren's eye through the smoky haze. She lifted her head tiredly to a covered balcony - a royal box. She could barely make it out through the thick smoke, but there it was - the pale face of her love. Though it was contorted in fear and stained with tears, it was beautiful all the same, the bright blue of her eyes highlighted prettily by the glow of the flames as they climbed ever higher. A fitting last sight for Honeymaren's tired eyes.

'No!' The noaide's soul raged against her dying body. 'She's in trouble! We have to save her!' A thick, red piece of cloth gagged her beautiful queen as she tried to scream for her love. The Northuldran wondered groggily why her love wasn't using her powers. Honeymaren watched helplessly as Elsa was dragged away by chains made of a dark, very wrong looking kind of metal, Ulrik on the other end with a smile of vile intent as he watched the queen struggle uselessly against her bonds. Honeymaren struggled again against her own chains, but her failing body was simply too weak and her movements stilled as the edges of her vision went black; her head felt so very heavy.

Screams suddenly rang out as a bluish light erupted above the courtyard. Honeymaren heard an odd chirping sound near her feet, her head lolling to the side as she tried to place the familiar sound. She caught a quick movement from something small zipping about and squinted through the growing darkness, trying to bring the image to clarity. Some kind of animal? 'That doesn't make sense...' her hazy mind rationalized. As the flames around her twisted from angry red and orange to soft purples and pinks, she realized she must be hallucinating. Honeymaren's eyelids drooped slowly under their own weight. Had they always been this heavy? She whimpered slightly when bright, all-encompassing white light began to fill her vision the lower they fell instead of the soothing and dark nothingness she was hoping for. Finally, the battle was lost and the noaide's eyes shut for the last time. The moment they did, the figure of a woman appeared in the light and a calmness settled on Honeymaren's soul like a warm, heavy fur - soft and comforting. She was beautiful and familiar, though Honeymaren was sure she had never seen her before. "Come, my child," her soft voice echoed as a pale hand reached out to her. "You have done well. Your wife is safe. It is time for you to rest, now."

The last thing she heard was the sound of her love screaming her name, but she was so far away. Honeymaren turned to find her in her mind's eye, but a warm, soft hand guided her face back to the angelic woman with a gentle, loving smile. The noaide exhaled slowly, the sound echoing around her as the light grew impossibly bright.

"ELSA!" Honeymaren gasped as she jerked awake and bolted upright, covered in a thin sheen of sweat. Her panicked body greedily sucked in rapid breaths of cool, smokeless air and her right hand shot to her shoulder, feeling no wound or pain. "Maren?" Elsa's sleepy voice rang out in a slight panic as she, too, jerked upright, immediately placing a steadying hand on her shoulder. "Maren, it's alright, it was just a dream, my love," she said earnestly, reaching with her free hand to guide the panicked Northuldran's gaze to hers, the similarity to the dream making the noaide gasp. "You're alright, everything is fine, I'm right here," she whispered soothingly as she bid Honeymaren to look at her. The Northuldran whispered the goddess's name and Elsa smiled lovingly, running her fingers through Honeymaren's dark tresses. "I'm here, darling, it's alright," she said gently.

Honeymaren took few deep, calming breaths and released them slowly, running her fingers through her sweaty bangs. Elsa continued to gently stroke her hair, whispering soothingly to her while her noaide caught her breath. "Wow, what a nightmare...it felt so real," she commented hoarsely after several moments before giving her love a small, apologetic smile. "I'm sorry I woke you," she said quietly, her smile becoming wider and more genuine as she took in the queen's state of undress. With both women sitting up, the fur that had been covering them pooled around their hips. The sight of the blonde monarch made Honeymaren's mouth water as she shamelessly allowed her gaze to rake hungrily over the nude form of her love. Elsa followed her less-than-polite gaze and squeaked, reaching down to snatch the fur and covering herself modestly, a hot blush fanning across her face like wildfire.

Honeymaren laughed at her lover's sudden surge of modesty, reaching beneath the fur and slipping her arm around the queen's nude waist. "Good morning, beautiful," she growled playfully and began to kiss Elsa's defenseless neck and shoulders, grinning when the spirit laughed lightly and gave a very un-queenly whine as she pushed her noaide away as best she could without losing her protective covering. "Don't even think about it," she chastised. "I'm so sore," she lamented, though she couldn't bring herself to be too upset about the strangely pleasurable ache all over her body. Honeymaren grinned and laid back down, pulling the nude woman against her own bare form and savoring the sensation of skin-to-skin contact with her love. "I should imagine so," she murmured playfully into a curtain of white-gold. "I'm surprised you haven't lost your voice," she whispered in a husky voice that sent a shiver down the queen's spine. Elsa blushed hotly, curling in on herself in embarrassment.

Honeymaren smiled warmly and took pity on the flustered spirit, pulling back a bit to stare into her eyes. "I wish I could find the words to tell you how beautiful you are to me, Elsa," she whispered softly, reaching out to run her fingers through soft waves of silk. Elsa looked away shyly for a moment, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Well," she began quietly before looking back up at Honeymaren. "When I find the words to tell you the same thing, I'll let you borrow them." The Northuldran chuckled and simply stared at Elsa, letting her fingers wander aimlessly through the wintery spirit's hair and across her beautiful features. The queen sighed softly under the loving touch as gentle, warm fingertips trailed lovingly across her skin, closing her eyes and simply enjoying the warmth and closeness of her cherished noaide. They laid like that for a long while, basking in the peace of the moment.

Honeymaren trailed her fingertips lightly along the beautiful queen's elegant neck and shoulders, tracing an attractively prominent collarbone. When she felt the spirit's heartbeat beneath her fingertips, her mind was suddenly assaulted by the image of an arrow protruding from it and she froze. The entire vision played out in her mind's eye in a blur and her eyes grew wide. Every detail, every moment, every feeling returning with perfect clarity. Honeymaren's chest constricted painfully as she stared, unseeing, at the hand over her lover's heart. This was no nightmare.

It was a vision.

Elsa opened her eyes curiously when Honeymaren's wandering hand stilled over her chest, her brow furrowing when she saw the distress in her lover's eyes. "Maren? What's wrong, love?" Elsa asked worriedly, pale fingers running soothingly through dark tresses. 'I won't let it happen,' Honeymaren thought determinedly and simply shook her head, a small, forced smile on her lips. Elsa frowned and propped herself up on her elbow a bit as her fingers lightly continued to comb through Honeymaren's hair, studying her lover's tense face. "What was your dream about?" she asked casually after a moment, though she couldn't hide the worry creeping into her voice. 'She can never know.' Honeymaren shook her head again, rolling on top of the beautiful queen and feathering soft kisses across her face. "Nothing to be concerned about right now, my love," she murmured before capturing full, kiss-bruised lips with her own.

Elsa instinctively responded to her lover's touch and returned the kiss, but her curiosity wasn't satisfied. She pulled away from the kiss to ask about the dream that had clearly rattled her noaide once more before her breath was stolen when skilled lips found her sensitive neck."Maren..." she tried to chide, but instead managed only a breathy, husky whisper. 'I won't let him take you from me...' When she felt her traitorous body begin to react to the Northuldran's touch, Elsa gathered all the will power she had and tugged lightly at the dark tresses her fingers had instinctively tangled in. "Maren, stop," she ordered gently. Honeymaren immediately pulled away to look at the queen in apologetic askance, her brow furrowed with worry that she had upset or hurt her love. Elsa instantly reached up with the thumb of her free hand to smooth the furrow of Honeymaren's brow - she hated seeing her noaide upset. The blonde stared sincerely into the troubled doe eyes she loved so much, her heart squeezing painfully at the desperation and fear she saw swirling in them. "I thought we agreed last night that we would not hide from each other," she said quietly, her thumb lightly running back and forth across a tan forehead.

Honeymaren chuckled, a small smirk on her lips as she looked down at her love. "So stubborn...can't just let me kiss you senseless, hm? I've been counting on this strategy to save me from many future scoldings. Now I need to rethink my whole plan of attack," she said playfully, though her eyes held none of the mirth of her words. 'I won't let him hurt you, love...' Elsa simply smiled back at her before leaning up and placing a slow, tender kiss on her lips. "All that means, my darling, is that you have greatly underestimated the depth of my love for you," she said with sweet sincerity as twin chips of ice searched stormy brown. "Maren...I don't just want to be with you. I want to be your partner. I want you to trust me and confide in me when something weighs on you. I want you to be able to rely on me to help ease your troubles. Something pulls at a heart that now belongs to me," she said firmly, cupping Honeymaren's cheek in her hand. "Tell me what it is."

Honeymaren sighed and gave a small, defeated smile, toying with a lock of Elsa's silky hair thoughtfully for a moment. "It felt so real. You..." Honeymaren paused, taking a deep breath. "You were killed...by that bastard, Ulrik. I couldn't stop it." Elsa shushed her soothingly, running her fingers through her dark tresses. "It was just a dream, my love. I'm not going to die," she said gently. Honeymaren's mind flashed back to the second part of her dream where Ulrik's crossbow found a different target. "No, you won't," she agreed in a low voice, determination filling her every fiber.

The noaide knew well the difference between a rampant imagination and divine intervention. She knew these tormenting images were not an anxious nightmare, but a vision; a call to action by Ahtohallan herself to protect her avatar. She couldn't make much sense of it, but she had ordained three things for sure. One was that both Elsa and Anna would die if Honeymaren didn't intervene.

One was not an option.

The second was a bit hazier, but still distinguishable. Elsa may not escape due to Honeymaren's sacrifice, but she would not die. What was unclear was if Elsa escaped after. Why wouldn't Elsa use her powers on the balcony to get away? What was stopping her? Honeymaren thought she had seen the evidence of Elsa's magic just before the vision ended, but she couldn't be sure. If it was the queen's powers that she had caused the light she saw, why did she wait until then to use them?

The third was a bit harder to cope with, but just as unmistakable as the first. By intervening in the queen's fate, Honeymaren would seal her own in one of the most horrific ways possible. She swallowed thickly as her throat began to burn with the phantom pain of smoke inhalation. She would be burned alive...and Elsa would not be able to help her. There would be no heroic, last minute rescue. The Northuldran would die in a foreign kingdom, awash in a sea of unfamiliar faces as her life was slowly burned away to ash. The voice of the mysterious woman floated through her mind. 'Your wife is safe.' She must have been referring to Elsa, though they were not wed. 'Well...not officially,' she thought, as memories of last night's passions flitted through her mind. Perhaps they were, as far as Ahtohallan was concerned.

As Honeymaren gazed down into the concerned, crystalline pools of her lover, a soft and peaceful smile tugged at her lips and the fear ebbed away. Death was a small price to pay for Elsa's safety, and Honeymaren would gladly pay it. "I promise," she whispered, vowing to the beautiful spirit and to herself that she would do what needed to be done to ensure the first part of her vision never came to pass. Honeymaren leaned down slowly to press her lips tenderly against the queen's and Elsa sighed contentedly, wrapping her arms around her love's neck. They spent the better part of the next hour like this, trading slow, soft kisses and letting hands lovingly wander across smooth skin. Their lips were full of passion without the lust of the night before, their kisses hungry but for something much deeper than the pleasures of the flesh. These long, stolen moments were to both pull them closer together as well as to say goodbye, for once they left their lover's embrace they would be once again in the real world. The real world where they were uprooting their lives to prepare for war, where the fate of the forest rested once more on the shoulders of the Arendellian siblings, and where Honeymaren would face the truth of her vision.

"I love you, Maren," came Elsa's sweet voice. Honeymaren pulled her beautiful queen close to her, smiling into soft, white-gold tresses. "I love you too, Elsa. More than I will ever be able to say," she replied. Honeymaren squeezed Elsa tightly for a moment before releasing her with a sigh. "We need to get ready for the day," she murmured. Elsa nodded in understanding, a small smile on her face as she pulled back to look at her love. "I can face anything knowing I'll be facing it with you," she said lovingly. Honeymaren grinned a bit, grasping one of the blonde's hands in hers and placing a sweet kiss upon her knuckles. "Then come, my queen. Let us seize the day," she said playfully.

It took the lovers nearly another hour to clean up and make themselves presentable. The pair found themselves easily...distracted. More than once they had to force themselves to refocus after a sweet word or touch became a loving kiss, which inevitably led to quiet moans and gasps for air. Finally, Elsa waved away their snowy sound barrier so they could exit the lavvo. Elsa was forced to don one of Honeymaren's scarves to hide the numerous marks of evidence of their passionate night. The Northuldran offered her arm to the queen as they stepped into the afternoon sunlight, Elsa smiling lovingly at her before slipping hers into the crook of her elbow. She leaned against her dark-haired lover affectionately as the pair made their way to the common area, oblivious to the many knowing grins and approving smiles of the Northuldra as they passed. The nomads were more than thrilled with the match that had been obvious to their eyes since the wintery spirit had come to live amongst them and were happy to see the young couple enjoying their love.

"Elsa!"

The Snow Queen looked away from her enchanting lover and smiled brightly as she saw her sister approaching. Anna stopped several feet short of the pair, a sudden searching look in her eyes. Elsa squirmed a bit under the redhead's scrutinizing gaze, subconsciously squeezing Honeymaren's arm. The noaide chuckled and grasped Elsa's hand, raising it to her lips to place a sweet kiss on her knuckles before releasing it. "Why don't you catch up with your sister, my love. I'm going to go help with packing up for the journey." Elsa blinked and looked at Honeymaren pleadingly, only for the dark-haired woman to smile at her mischievously. "I'll see you soon, beautiful," she said before pressing her lips to her cheek and winking at her. "Anna," she greeted with a nod, grinning at the redhead before walking away and leaving the siblings together. Neither woman was able to see the easy grin fall from her face as she left not to pack, but to search out the one person who could help her ensure the safety of the Arendellian queens.

Anna cleared her throat, drawing Elsa's attention to her immediately. Anna walked up to her somewhat nervous sibling, slowly looking her up and down with an unreadable expression. Elsa tried to calm her racing heartbeat, paranoia running rampant; did Anna know? How could she? Was she disturbed at the thought of...whatever it was she was thinking about her? Suddenly, dozens of conversations of her scolding Anna and Kristoff about impropriety raced through her mind and she nearly groaned at the hypocrisy of it all. The spirit queen was pulled from her musings with a gasp when a finger hooked into her borrowed scarf, tugging it aside to reveal a smattering of passionate love bites. "So, I was right..." Anna spoke softly as Elsa quickly tugged the scarf back over her neck, her face burning. "A-Anna, I can explain, I-"

Elsa was interrupted when Anna cupped her face in both of her hands, guiding panicked blue eyes to look into loving teal that sparkled with unshed, happy tears. "My sweet sister," she breathed, a bright smile on her face. "You've never been more beautiful in all your life than you are in this moment." Elsa blinked in confusion as Anna wrapped her arms around her, pulling her in for a tight hug. "I-I'm confused," she said slowly as she returned the embrace. Her younger sister laughed as she pulled away, wiping a single tear from the corner of her eye. "I'm just...so happy for you. You're absolutely glowing." Anna cupped Elsa's face again, searching deep blue pools that were finally restored to their original clarity and sharpness and life. "Are you happy, Elsa?" Elsa blinked a few times before Anna's meaning clicked in her mind. She smiled brightly at her beloved sister, placing her hands over hers and giving a small nod. Anna brushed her sister's cheeks with her thumbs, searching her gaze for any hint of a lie. "Truly?" The elder monarch nodded again and gave a small laugh, her own eyes welling slightly as she realized the truth of her answer. "Anna...I've never been happier," Elsa said softly. "I can't explain it, other than to say that I feel...at peace. Does that make sense?"

Anna laughed a little before pulling her sister into a tight hug again. "Yes, it does," she murmured gently in Elsa's ear. "And it means that you finally don't feel like you are alone. You have no idea how much I've hoped for this day." Elsa's eyes widened a bit before closing against emotional tears as she hugged the redhead tighter against her. "I love you, Anna," she whispered against her sister's fiery tresses. "I love you too, Elsa," Anna replied with a soft, happy sigh as she released her sister, taking her hands in her own and squeezing them gently before taking a calming breath and smiling at her elder. "What now?"

Elsa looked around at the camp that was a flurry of activity. In the distance she saw Kristoff talking to Honeymaren in hushed tones, presumably about the upcoming journey. It appeared as if the camp was mostly packed and ready to travel. The lavvos were going to be left untouched; bait to draw Ulrik out of the trees and into the open. Elsa looked up at the sky. The sun was shining brightly upon the camp, but a wave of grey was upon the horizon and Elsa could feel the promise of snow within its murky depths. "You and Honeymaren should go to Arendelle today to prepare for the arrival of the Northuldra," Elsa said slowly as she thought through her plan. "Before you go, Honeymaren and I are going to scout around the forest for the best places to set up traps for Ulrik and the army he is sure to bring with him." Anna nodded, crossing her arms and pacing in thought. "I agree. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can get back here to help you," she said with a pointed glance at Elsa. The wintery spirit rolled her eyes good naturedly and smiled. "Yes, Anna," she said indulgently.

The redhead grinned and playfully bumped her sister's hip with her own. "Well let's get on with it then," Anna said brightly. "I'll go collect my future husband while you collect your future fiancé." A bright blush seeped into the blonde's cheeks at that, but rather than immediately argue the comment as Anna thought she would, Elsa simply smiled to herself and nodded. Anna blinked a few times before laughing lightly and grabbing Elsa's hand, pulling her toward their loves. "You've got it bad, alright," she said with a grin. Elsa only smiled wider and laughed along with her sister as she was led across the clearing.

Her smile fell from her face as they neared the Northuldran and the ice harvester who appeared to be having a hushed argument about something, neither noticing the siblings' approach. Elsa looked at Anna with a curious frown, her sister returning the look with a shrug. "-you know I'm right, Kristoff. Now can I count on you or not?" Honeymaren whispered tersely, her mouth set in a grim line. The mountain man sighed deeply, hesitating before he nodded, his honey eyes regarding the Northuldran sadly. "What are you counting on my fiancé for?" Anna asked as they approached, looking suspiciously between Honeymaren and Kristoff. "To guide my people safely to the gates of Arendelle," Honeymaren responded smoothly with a small smile; a smile that grew a bit softer and more genuine as doe eyes shifted to her blonde lover.

Anna raised an eyebrow, not entirely convinced by the dark-haired woman's answer but deciding to let it go for the time being as she looped her arm through Kristoff's and snuggled into him. "Don't worry, Honeymaren," she said as she smiled lovingly up at her fiancé. "He led me all the way to the North Mountain through a magical blizzard. He's the most reliable man I've ever met; you can count on him for anything. Isn't that right, honey?" Kristoff blushed a bit at the endearment and smiled down at his ginger-sweet love before looking back at the noaide. Despite the serene smile on her face, Honeymaren's eyes were serious and focused as they locked in on his. "Yeah," he said after a moment, his shoulders squaring a bit as he returned her gaze. "You sure can."

Honeymaren's eyes softened and she gave the ice harvester a small, grateful nod. "Thank you, Kristoff," she said quietly. "It means a lot to me. I know it isn't an easy task." Kristoff nodded and extended his free arm to Honeymaren, who grasped his forearm and squeezed gratefully. She glanced at Elsa who had been watching the exchange quietly, intelligent blue eyes searching for the hidden meaning she knew was there. Her noaide rarely lied, so the signs were obvious to the blonde; not only that, but this made it twice in one morning the woman tried to hide something. "So," Honeymaren began, turning to face the spirit queen. "What's the plan, sweetheart?"

Elsa looked at her suspiciously for a moment before giving her a look that clearly indicated that they would address what just happened at a later time before taking a deep, centering breath and speaking. "Anna and Kristoff are going to help the Northuldra finish packing up the camp while you and I go scout the forest for places to set traps for Ulrik and his forces. Hopefully, Kristoff will leave with the Northuldra before the snow comes. When we return, you and Anna are going to take Nokk to Arendelle to prepare for their arrival. Once they are settled, you and Anna will come back here and wait with me for Ulrik." Honeymaren nodded and smiled. "Sounds like a good plan. I'm ready when you are, Your Majesty."

Elsa rolled her eyes and held her arms out to Anna, who immediately took the invitation and embraced her sister. Elsa gave her a squeeze before pulling back with a smile. "We will be back soon," she promised. As Anna turned toward Honeymaren to give her a hug as well, Elsa closed the distance between her and Kristoff. She stood on her tip-toes to place a kiss on the mountain man's cheek and smiled at him. "I'll see you when this is all over, brother," she said sweetly, playfully brushing back his bangs. Kristoff opened his mouth as though to say something before closing it with a strained noise, looking down at the blonde queen sadly. After a split second hesitation, he reached down and engulfed the petite woman in his arms, pulling her tightly against his large, muscled frame. Elsa blinked in surprise at the sudden show of affection from the reserved ice harvester, returning the hug as best she could. "I never said it, but I hope you know I consider you my family, Elsa. You are my sister, too...and I love you," he whispered in her ear so only the queen could hear.

"Kristoff..." Elsa whispered hoarsely, touched by his emotional confession. In the blink of an eye, Kristoff gave her a final squeeze before he released her and turned, walking away without another word or so much as a glance over his shoulder. Elsa blinked and stared wordlessly after the burly blonde before Honeymaren's voice reached her ears. "We should get going while we have the daylight, love." Elsa nodded slowly, tearing her eyes away from Kristoff's retreating form and turning to meet her lover and her sister. "I'll go get a reindeer ready," Honeymaren said before giving Anna a chaste kiss on her cheek. "See ya soon, sugar rush." Anna grinned after her and waved. Elsa and Anna watched her walk away for a moment before looking at each other with knowing looks.

"Something's up," Elsa said.

"Yup," Anna agreed.

"Any ideas?"

"Nope."

"Should we leave it alone?" Anna asked after a moment, looking thoughtfully at her fiancé, who was talking agitatedly to Sven across the clearing. Elsa stared after her own lover's stiff movements as she readied a reindeer for a moment before shaking her head a bit. "I don't know," Elsa admitted, biting her lip. "Whatever is going on, it certainly isn't pleasant...but neither of them has ever given us a reason not to trust their judgement before." After a moment of hesitation, Elsa exhaled slowly. "I don't like it, but I trust they will tell us if and when we need to know." Anna sighed, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "You know I don't have that kind of patience," she muttered dryly. Elsa laughed and shook her head before the sound of approaching hoof beats in the grass alerted her to her noaide's presence. "Time to go, Elsa," Honeymaren said from astride the reindeer she had retrieved for them, scooting back on the beast's back and holding her hand out for Elsa. Elsa smiled up at her lover and took her offered hand, allowing Honeymaren to pull her up to sit in front of her. Elsa smiled down at Anna who waved as Honeymaren wrapped her arm around the blonde's waist and clicked her tongue to urge the reindeer forward.

"So, what are we on the lookout for, my goddess?" Honeymaren asked after several minutes of a leisurely trot through the woods. Elsa blushed at the endearment, but smiled and leaned back against her lover. "Flatterer. We are looking for anywhere we may be able to form a trap. A place for an earth giant to hide, a safe and defensible spot for Anna or you to stay clear of the action where both of you can shoot an arrow or two," she murmured thoughtfully, looking around the forest with a crucial eye. Honeymaren blinked. "Wait, what?" Elsa smiled and a small chuckle escaped her. "Oh yes, you've created a monster, baby. She practices her archery all the time with General Mattias. Her skills are actually quite impressive."

The Northuldran grinned and nuzzled her nose into Elsa's neck. "Baby, now, is it?" Honeymaren teased as she pulled the scarf Elsa wore away from her neck to place light, slow kisses against the soft skin there. The spirit queen bit her lip and sighed softly at her noaide's touch, closing her eyes and tilting her neck to give her lover better access. "Do you disapprove, Northuldran?" Elsa gasped out as Honeymaren's soft lips found her sensitive pulse point. Honeymaren grinned and slipped her fingers under the hem of Elsa's shirt, pressing the warmth of her hand against the cool skin of the queen's waist. "On the contrary, spirit, it's ridiculously sexy," she breathed in Elsa's ear. The blonde laughed breathlessly and grasped Honeymaren's wandering hand in her own, lacing cool and delicate fingers through her lover's. "I aim to please, darling. For now, however, we have work to do and you are a being a bad influence," she chided playfully. "A distractingly gorgeous influence, but a bad one nonetheless."

Honeymaren laughed lightly and nuzzled against Elsa's neck once more, groaning softly. "I'm afraid you're the distracting one, Your Majesty. If you weren't so impossibly sexy, I wouldn't be having such a hard time focusing." Elsa giggled and leaned back into her lover, resting her head on her shoulder and looking up at her innocently through long, dark lashes. "I apologize, noaide," she whispered huskily as she reached back to wind a hand into the silky waterfall of Honeymaren's hair. The Northuldran had been leaving it down more often and it greatly pleased the spirit queen. "Find me what I'm looking for and I'm sure I can find a way to make it up to you," she said with a grin as she pulled Honeymaren into a deep, slow kiss. The dark haired woman groaned into the kiss and dropped the reigns to pull her lover against her possessively, her hands instantly roaming across her lithe body.

Elsa broke the kiss to cry out softly when Honeymaren's hands travelled up her taut stomach to firmly grasp her breasts and squeezed, kneading them gently. She instinctively pushed her chest against the touch, her own hands coming to rest on Honeymaren's thighs and squeezing reflexively. Elsa laughed breathlessly and grasped Honeymaren's hand just as it began to reach for her most intimate area. "Ah, ah, ah, my love - we had a deal. Business first, play later," she husked out, despite her own resistance beginning to waver. Honeymaren laughed through her grin of frustration, dropping her forehead to the blonde's shoulder. "So cruel," she whined. Elsa only laughed as she tried to slow her breathing, lovingly lacing her fingers with her lover's and pulling her arms around her. "Once we develop our plan, I give you full permission to ravish me senseless in the middle of the wilderness. Until then, let's remember what we are here to do." Honeymaren grinned wolfishly and squeezed Elsa close, kissing her cheek. "You may regret you said that, darling," she warned playfully before she grasped the reigns again and clicked her tongue, urging the beast forward quickly, much to Elsa's amusement. She didn't have a moment to lose.

AN:

Dun dun DUUUNNN...

I wanted to take a moment to say thank you SO much for the amazing, thought out reviews from the last chapter. I was genuinely nervous how all of you would feel about it and I can't say how wonderful it feels to have the confidence boost each and every one of your reviews give me. Thank you thank you thank you.

The life you readers and breathing into me is being transferred into this story. What was originally going to be a short fic now has a life of it's own thanks to all of you and I hope you continue to enjoy the ride as much as I am.

Until next time!

-Volchise