Winter's Echo

by Volchise

Elsa and Anna have gone their separate ways, carving new paths for their lives. Elsa was so sure she was ready. In many ways, she was; but one can only prepare for what one expects. Honeymaren...was not one of those things. Follow the Fifth Spirit's journey as she discovers herself anew and learns how to love her most impossible foe...herself. Elsa/Maren (rating change!)

46. Happily Ever After (Part Two)

Winter's Echo

Chapter Forty-Six – Happily Ever After (Part Two)

Less than twenty minutes later, Anna opened the door again, stepping aside to allow her sister to collect her new wife. Honeymaren's eyes went wide as she stared in open-mouthed awe at her bride. While far less showy and ornate, this dress was no less beautiful than the full ballgown she had worn during the ceremony. Rather than lace and decorative filigree, this dress was elegantly sleek and smooth, clinging to the queen like a second skin around her bust and waist before flowing gracefully from the flare of her full hips and cascading all the way to the floor, stopping just above the floor and revealing her icy kitten heels. Satin sleeves fell delicately off of the winter spirit's shoulders, leaving them and her collarbone fetchingly bare once again. A high slit ran up the side of the dress to Elsa's mid-thigh, a detail the noaide found her eyes lingering appreciatively on for longer than what would probably have been considered acceptable if she had the wherewithal or desire to care.

"Darling," came Elsa's soft voice, laced with amusement while Anna flat out snickered at the scene.

"…huh?" Honeymaren replied after a long pause, finally dragging her eyes up to her wife's sparkling, mirthful eyes. "Are you still with me, love?" she asked with a playful smile. Honeymaren grinned and quickly closed the distance, cupping the winter spirit's face in her hands and placing a soft, lingering kiss upon her lips, smiling against their fullness when she felt Elsa instantly melt into her. "Always," she whispered against them as she pulled away, grinning when it took a moment for the queen to open her eyes. "'Good to know I still have some influence,'" she teased, parroting her bride's earlier words. Anna smirked and playfully patted Honeymaren on the back. "Well played, Sparky," she said with a snicker before squinting her eyes at the grandfather clock across the hall, her smile softening as she watched her sister gaze adoringly at her noaide.

"You know," she said thoughtfully, making a show of dramatically rubbing her chin. "That dress was quite delicate, not to mention intricate. Lots of buttons, ribbons, ties, laces…" she trailed off before giving an innocent shrug. "Who's to say it didn't take us another ten minutes to get you out of it?" she said with a wink before putting her hands behind her back and casually strolling down the hall a few steps. She paused, as though a thought struck her before she turned around and marched up to Honeymaren, holding a warning finger up to her face. "I swear to the Gods, Sparky, if you mess up her hair or her makeup, I will end you," she threatened, narrowing teal eyes sharply at the fire maven. Honeymaren smirked, tugging her gloves off and tucking them in her pocket nonchalantly when the redhead pointed menacingly between her eyes and the fire maven. "Watching you," she hissed before smiling at her innocently blinking sister and resuming her casual stroll down the hall.

Elsa rolled her eyes good-naturedly at her sister's antics before smiling mischievously at Honeymaren, tugging her gently by the hand into the dressing room. As soon as the door was closed behind them, Elsa immediately stepped forward and pressed into her new wife, sighing deeply in contentment and wrapping her arms around Honeymaren's waist as she felt one arm encircle her waist and pull her close while the other rested tenderly against her head, guiding it to rest against her shoulder. "It feels so good to finally be in your arms," she admitted quietly, taking another deep breath and exhaling slowly as she felt all the stress and nerves of the day slowly ebbing. Honeymaren smiled warmly, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead and murmuring quietly into her hair. "I couldn't agree more, Snowflake," she said with a soft, content sigh. "Close your eyes, baby. Just take a few minutes to relax," she urged gently as she began to slowly sway with her wife in her arms.

"Gods, I love you," Elsa said with a sigh after a few much-needed moments of quiet calm, her arms sliding up the lapels of Honeymaren's jacket to wrap around her neck, burying her face in her noaide's neck. "I must say, you look impossibly attractive in that suit...Anna had to slow me down walking down the aisle in my haste to be with you," she admitted bashfully. Honeymaren smirked as she felt her new wife's smile against her neck. She turned her head to reply, but the words died on her lips as she wrapped her arms fully around her goddess of winter and her hands encountered nothing but smooth, bare skin. The Northuldran blinked, looking down to see the back of the dress, or lack thereof, was nearly completely open save for a thin crisscrossing of satin straps at her shoulder blades all the way to the tapered point that ended just below the curve of the queen's spine. The fire maven moaned softly in appreciation, unable to stop herself from running her ungloved hands across the exposed skin that rivaled the soft silkiness of the fine fabric around it. "I…love…this…dress…" she groaned out quietly, dragging her nails slowly up the queen's spine.

Elsa gasped in surprise, instinctively pressing herself closer to her wife as she shivered and bit her lip to silence the immediate moan in her throat. "Must we go to this party," Honeymaren growled in frustration as she tried to tame her teasing hands, more for her bride's sake than her own – if it were up to her, she would lock the door and have her way with the goddess right then and there without so much as a second thought. Instead, she willed a small amount of her magic into her palms, holding their soothing heat to the small of her wife's back to help ease the tension in the muscles there. Elsa sighed in contentment at the fire maven's soothing ministrations, smiling mischievously against her neck. "It's called the wedding night, darling," she teased, pulling back enough to meet her new wife's pouting gaze. Elsa leaned forward slightly to place a slow, teasing kiss on her lips before whispering coyly to her. "When night falls, you may take me to whatever bed you wish, whenever you wish, where you may do to me whatever you wish...and we will settle our little wager once and for all."

Honeymaren simply smirked at her new wife and pulled her close once more, sighing softly in contentment at the feel of her goddess in her arms. The spirit of winter had no idea the possessive spark that had been lit inside of the normally stoic noaide and would likely find out in the most delicious ways in a matter of hours, she thought to herself. Though, if she was honest, the fire maven herself was not entirely sure of the reason for her sudden spike in desire to guard her new wife jealously from the world. Should not that feeling be calmed by the fact that she had officially claimed both the blonde queen's heart and hand that very day? She dismissed the matter in her mind for the time being as she breathed deeply of her lover's scent, now mixed with the wonderful sweetness of flowers everywhere. After all…

She had much better things to think about at the moment.

Eventually, their stolen moments of solitude came to an end as they heard a soft, rhythmic knocking on the door. "We're coming, Anna," Elsa called gently as she pulled away to smile lovingly at her wife, blinking in surprise at what she saw. She pulled back further to inspect Honeymaren's hands to find the appendages no longer giving off an overabundance of warmth before furrowing her brow and looking back into her noaide's eyes. "Darling, are you alright?" she asked with slight concern, her eyes searching Honeymaren's carefully. Honeymaren blinked, raising a curious eyebrow. "Of course, Snowflake," she reassured her with a smile. "Why do you ask?" Elsa frowned a little and brushed a stray piece of hair back into place that had fallen over her wife's eyes that now bore full-on streaks of twilight colors rather than brighter flecks. "Your eyes," she commented quietly as her quixotic intelligence worked the puzzle before her. "There's a lot more color from your powers in them than usual. You…" Elsa bit her lip as a sudden distressing thought entered her mind. "You don't feel like you've…forgotten anything…do you?"

Honeymaren immediately pulled Elsa against her once more, holding her close in a protective embrace. "No, sweet spirit, not in the least. I'm sure it's just a result of the emotional day," she assured her earnestly before she grinned, pulling back enough to look into her wife's crystalline pools. "I must admit anything not involving your presence is kind of a blur, though I was assured that was normal. But forget you?" Honeymaren smiled tenderly, a quiet laugh escaping her as she brushed the back of her fingers against Elsa's cheek. "I'd sooner forget my own face than yours," she whispered softly before placing a gentle, sweet kiss upon her lips that spoke volumes to that truth. Elsa sighed softly beneath her wife's loving touch, resting her forehead against hers and biting her lip when the fire maven pulled away. "You're still an incorrigible flirt," she mumbled, finally giving up the fight against the deliriously happy smile growing on her face. Honeymaren smirked and wrapped an arm around Elsa's waist, guiding her to the door and back to reality. "And I maintain that I am not incorrigible, but simply impossibly in love," she said matter-of-factly as she opened the door where Anna was patiently waiting.

Anna gave her sister a once over with a critical eye before nodding at Honeymaren. "Good girl," she teased with a wink before gesturing for them to follow her to the dining hall. "The guests are all seated and waiting. It's a good thing you made those flowers, Elsa, they've kept the gentry happily occupied," she commented before a smirk crossed her features. "That and Olaf causing general chaos about the wedding cake." Elsa's eyes went wide at that, her head snapping to her sister. "Anna…" she said in a warning tone, causing the redhead to hold up her hands placatingly. "Don't worry, don't worry, he decided the children outside were much more fun than the wedding guests. Blatant stares of confusion don't really give him much to go on, conversation-wise," she reasoned with a laugh. Honeymaren snickered, a smirk tugging at her features. "I feel like I haven't seen it stop him yet," she argued. "Do you remember 'The Tale of Two Sisters' when you first came to the forest?"

"Okay, listen, I don't care what you say, Mattias was totally into that story. Just because you were too busy ogling my sister doesn't mean he didn't have a captive audience elsewhere!" Anna teased as they came to a stop in front of the main doors to the dining hall, giving Honeymaren a pointed smug look when she saw the slight blush lighting up the normally stoic Northuldran's features. Elsa grinned at her new wife as well, despite the blush creeping into her own cheeks. "I'm going to go in and tell Kai he can announce you," she said triumphantly before walking down the hall to enter in a separate door that would garner much less attention, leaving the newlyweds alone in the hall.

"So," Elsa began in a coy, teasing voice. "Is that true? Were you ogling me when you first saw me?" she asked mirthfully, peeking at her wife from the corner of her eye. Honeymaren's blush deepened ever so slightly as she pointedly stared straight ahead at the doors. "I was not ogling," she defended. "I was simply…admiring…" she trailed off in a mutter. Elsa raised an amused eyebrow, turning her head to fully look at the blushing woman. "And what, pray tell, is the difference?" she prodded. Honeymaren lifted her nose in the air haughtily, a habit she had picked up from Elsa. "Ogling implies salacious, lewd thoughts. I was not ogling," she insisted. Elsa smiled affectionately, her noaide's attempts at chivalry creating a spark of warmth that blossomed throughout her chest. "You were far too striking for me to think such lewd thoughts," she continued quietly after a moment, turning soft eyes and a tender smile to the queen, crystalline pools blinking in surprise at the unexpected comment. "Elsa, when I first saw you, the only thoughts I was capable of thinking were that you were the most beautiful thing I'd ever beheld…and that my life would never be the same now that I knew you existed."

"Maren…" Elsa began softly, though she didn't know what she could possibly say to her wife's touching admission. Before she had a chance to pull her thoughts together, the doors were opened by servants inside the dining hall and every eye in the room turned to them as Kai announced their presence. "Presenting Her Majesty, Queen Elsa of Arendelle and Princess-Consort Honeymaren of the Northuldra," his booming voice called out, eliciting a round of applause from the assembled guests. Elsa glanced at her noaide curiously when the fire maven began to chuckle to herself, twilight and chocolate eyes shining at her fondly.

"Oh, how wonderfully right I was," she said warmly before she led her new wife to their place at the head table.

Honeymaren decided early into the meal that she liked Arendellian weddings. The food was fantastic and abundant, especially the cakes and desserts, along with spirits of all sorts, a particularly dangerous one being a repugnant swill called akvavit. It was wonderfully spiced, or so one thought until one actually consumed it. It took all of Honeymaren's considerate strength of will to not spit out what felt like molten fire coursing down her throat and somehow entering her lungs. Though the adorably entertaining face of disgust her wife made after drinking what Honeymaren was convinced was the devil's sweat made her feel somewhat better, Kristoff and Mattias's blatant enjoyment of the stuff made her question whether or not she had missed something. Perhaps it had just taken her off guard, she thought as she debated trying the drink again. When she asked her wife's opinion, Elsa simply gave her a flat look and passed her own tiny glass of it over to her in invitation, looking at her expectantly. Never one to shy from a challenge, especially with both Kristoff and Mattias looking on keenly, she took a breath and tried it again.

She didn't miss a damn thing. It was a disgusting brew from the bowels of hell itself and nothing would convince her otherwise.

What Honeymaren liked most, however, was an odd little custom that made itself known halfway through the second course of the meal. Honeymaren was about to take a bite of her salad when the sound of one of the guests clinking silverware against a glass. The Northuldran looked up curiously at the persistent sound, raising an eyebrow curiously when other guests quickly began to join in. She turned to her wife to ask for an explanation and blinked in surprise to find her wife's face turning bright red as a fetching blush worked its way across her pale features. "Snowflake?" she questioned with slight concern as she saw her widely grinning sister-in-law from Elsa's other side trying to hold in her snickering.

Honeymaren turned to look at Ryder in confusion, only for her brother to shrug helplessly in answer – no surprise there. Mattias leaned forward to catch Honeymaren's eyes, a broad grin on his handsome features. "The guests want you to kiss your bride," he whispered matter-of-factly. Honeymaren blinked at him for a solid five seconds before her brain caught up to the odd statement. "…I'm sorry, what?" she asked flatly, putting down her fork. Mattias laughed and made a shooing motion with her hand. "Do it and see what happens," he encouraged her, gesturing to Elsa. When Honeymaren turned back to her wife, Elsa was idly toying with a piece of lettuce she had speared with her fork, the red color in her face having spread to the tips of her ears as she bashfully avoided meeting anyone's gaze. The noaide smiled as she felt not just shyness from her blushing bride, but nervous excitement. Blue eyes fervently flicking from the growing number of guests clinking their glasses as the sound grew louder and harder to ignore before quickly falling to her plate once more sealed it for the fire maven.

Honeymaren reached out with one hand and gently hooked a finger beneath her wife's chin, guiding a surprised arctic gaze to meet hers before leaning in and claiming her lips in a soft, tender kiss that made the winter spirit's heart flutter and the guests cheer approvingly. Elsa was slow to open her eyes when Honeymaren pulled away, gazing back at her wife with half-lidded eyes that spoke far louder and with more eloquence than words ever could, asking one simple question: Is this really my life? The noaide smiled lovingly at the queen and answered the unspoken question with another impossibly soft kiss: I'll remind you of it every day.

When she pulled away once more, Elsa gave a quiet, breathless laugh, shaking her head a little at the playfully smug grin on her wife's face as she went back to her salad. "Incorrigible," she muttered, pushing her food around with her fork once more but with a growing smile on her face. "But what am I actually?" Honeymaren asked teasingly, one hand reaching out to grasp Elsa's resting in her lap under the table, running her thumb across it lovingly. Elsa's smile only grew wider as she turned to look at her wife affectionately. "Hopelessly in love," she answered, squeezing the hand holding hers lovingly. Honeymaren couldn't help but grin when the queen saw fit to keep her wife's hand right where it was, happily going back to her meal. The dark-haired woman could only laugh and picked up her fork with her opposite hand, more than happy to oblige her bride as she went back to her own meal.

"So, will someone explain the banging on the glasses?" she asked before taking a bite of her salad, looking back and forth between her tablemates expectantly. Kristoff shrugged on Anna's other side, causing the redheaded queen to roll her eyes in loving exasperation before turning to answer Honeymaren's question. "Centuries ago, people believed that the reason one would become inebriated from consuming alcohol was because of evil spirits, hence why alcohol is often referred to as such. They thought that by clinking their glasses, it would frighten the spirits away and make the alcohol safe to drink. It then became a tradition during weddings that guests would clink their glasses to frighten away the spirits long enough for it to be safe for the newlywed couple to share a kiss." Honeymaren blinked in surprise for a moment before her eyes slowly turned to glare at the bottle of akvavit on the table. "I'm not sure they're entirely wrong," she grumbled. Anna giggled before fixing her sister-in-law with a teasing smirk. "I would be remiss to not mention that I've never actually witnessed it at a royal wedding," she said playfully. "Being in the presence of true love must intrigue them, rare as it is to witness." Elsa blushed profusely and took a dainty bite of her salad, pointedly refusing to make eye contact with her sister's teasing teal pools or her smugly grinning wife.

The rest of the feast went off without a hitch with Honeymaren happily obliging every instance of glass clinking, delighted for an excuse to shower her beautiful bride with love and affection. She noticed, however, as the meal drew near a close, the queen had begun to fidget somewhat anxiously. Every time the noaide had checked in with her, her bride had simply smiled and waved off her concerns, citing the general presence of a large group of people as her source of tension. Honeymaren nodded in understanding, being sure to remain in comforting physical contact with her new wife, whether it was holding her hand or simply being pressed closer to her beloved. Though she often hid it quite flawlessly in the public arena she was raised to conquer and lead, the noaide knew well the anxiety that could quickly build within the gentle spirit.

Which is why she was instantly at attention when she heard the queen's voice, quiet and somewhat bashful calling her attention to her. "Maren?" Elsa asked, taking the fire maven's hand in her own, caressing it lovingly in hers before she met her gaze with a soft smile. "When I asked you to marry me in the forest…you agreed on the condition that I make you a promise. As your wife, I want you to know that you can trust me to keep all of my promises to you," she said tenderly before releasing her hand and standing from her chair, smiling down at her surprised wife. "Wife…will you dance with me?" she asked, offering her hand to the fire maven. Honeymaren blinked in surprise before a bright smile tugged at her lips. She laughed softly and shook her head in affectionate disbelief before looking back up at her beautiful bride. "My darling wife, I would love nothing more than to dance with you," she said tenderly as she took the queen's hand, guiding it to the crook of her elbow as she stood from her chair and led her toward the large ballroom floor.

The orchestra immediately readied their instruments as they saw them heading toward the floor, Elsa nodding to them gratefully as she passed. Honeymaren smiled warmly when each and every musician sat just a bit straighter with the eyes of their beloved queen on them. She wondered if her wife knew just how deeply loved and respected she truly was amongst her people, though she guessed the unfortunate answer was likely not. The winter spirit was far too humble to assume such a thing, which did nothing but fuel even more ardent admiration – it was simply Elsa being Elsa. Her gentle-hearted wife was forever humble, endlessly caring, and accommodating to a fault, which sparked a concern Honeymaren hadn't considered before, causing her to pause just before they stepped onto the ballroom floor, drawing Elsa's curious gaze to hers. "Maren?" she asked gently, her arctic gaze meeting hers searchingly.

"We don't have to do this, you know," she said quietly, keeping her tone gentle and sincere as she met Elsa's gaze, the queen's eyes softening. "I don't want the first time I dance with my wife to be an obligation." Elsa smiled adoringly at the fire maven before leaning in and placing an affectionate kiss on her cheek. "I want to," she insisted, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "I want to show the whole world that I've finally found the person who inspires my heart to step from the darkness and into the light." With that, she took her noaide's hand and tugged her gently onto the dance floor, smiling brightly when her wife chuckled and allowed her to do just that. When the music began, Honeymaren bowed low in response to the queen's deep, elegant curtsy before eagerly taking the beautiful spirit into her arms, one hand perched gently at the small of her back while the other held Elsa's delicately aloft.

They began to move seamlessly together, gliding across the ballroom floor as though they had been doing it all their lives. In many ways, perhaps they had. Ahtohallan herself had confirmed that Honeymaren was always meant to be the fifth spirit's protector, not just of her life, but of her heart and soul as well. Despite that, the noaide believed that the love she held for her beloved queen ran far deeper than even Ahtohallan could reach. As far as Honeymaren was concerned, the love she and Elsa shared was written into the stars themselves. She came back from death for her beloved spirit of winter and as she stared into sparkling blue pools, she hoped that her soul would always find its way back to where it truly belonged…which would forever be at Elsa's side.

As the music began to draw to a close, Honeymaren pulled Elsa flush against her, guiding the queen's hand to press over her heart and holding it protectively against her chest, simply swaying slowly with her bride in her arms. She leaned in to rest her head gently against Elsa's, bringing her lips next to her ear as though she were whispering a secret only the two of them would ever be privy to. "You know, my love, we have been through some pretty crazy, stressful, incredible times since I've known you…but there is one thing that will forever baffle me the most out of all of it," she admitted quietly, the smile clear in her voice. Elsa smiled, pulling back just enough to look up into her wife's twilight mixed eyes. "And what might that be, darling?" she asked affectionately as the last string of notes in the song began to fade away. Honeymaren smiled tenderly at her wife, pressing her forehead gently to hers and chuckling quietly. "It's so strange…I honestly swear I couldn't possibly love you more than I do in this very moment…" she trailed off for a moment, pulling back to stare into Elsa's eyes before whispering quietly to her. "And yet, I know tomorrow I will continue to love you more than I did the day before."

She leaned in to kiss her wife softly, the wedding guests clapping appreciatively at the graceful and moving performance, unable to help but be touched by the display. The majority of royal marriages were a result of arrangements made for advantageous matches or political and financial gains, which meant true love, more often than not, was one of the few things in life the gentry desired but could never buy. Other couples moved to join them on the dance floor as the music resumed and they pulled apart, smiling contentedly at each other. As Honeymaren turned to lead her wife off of the ballroom floor, she suddenly found a lovely redheaded vision in front of her smiling brightly up at her. "May I cut in, dear sister?" Anna asked Elsa cheekily with a playful wink. Elsa giggled, hiding it politely behind a dainty hand before turning to the noaide. "Darling, do you think you can keep up?" Honeymaren smirked, opening her mouth to answer but shutting it again as Kristoff appeared at her side, one of his large hands falling heavily on the Northuldran's shoulder. "I wish you all the luck in the world, my friend. I shall care for your new wife while you go to battle with my future one," he said in a playfully lamenting tone before grinning and offering his hand to Elsa with a gallant bow. "Your Majesty?"

Elsa giggled again and curtseyed before placing her hand in Kristoff's, winking to the fire maven and blowing her a kiss as the mountain man led her to another, less crowded area of the floor. Honeymaren grinned and offered the redheaded queen a deep bow, Anna answering with a bright smile and deep curtsy of her own before stepping into the Northuldran's surprisingly proper waltz frame. As the music began, Honeymaren easily led Anna in a fun, energetic dance, the two laughing and carrying on a conversation as though they had been friends for years while Kristoff and Elsa watched on from their much more quiet, companionable dance that was more accurately described as mildly swaying to the beat, far more intent on watching the loves of their lives than following steps. "They really are something, our women, aren't they?" Kristoff commented with a chuckle when Honeymaren spun Anna playfully while the redhead laughed.

Elsa laughed and shook her head at their antics, surprising Kristoff by resting her head comfortably against his chest. "Thank you for always being there, Kristoff," she said peacefully, the quiet sincerity in her voice softening the mountain man's features and immediately dispersing the awkward feeling that normally accompanied any compliment to his person. Instead, he wrapped his strong arms around the petite queen and hugged her close, soaking in the rare moment of affection his reserved soon-to-be-sister allowed, made even more special because she herself initiated it. "I'll always be here," he answered gently. Elsa smiled at the very Anna-like answer, the comforting rumble of his deep, mellow voice in his chest soothing a long-hidden ache hidden deep in the queen's heart. She sighed softly as memories of her father holding her close as a small child washed over her – memories she had far too few of due to that fateful night that occurred in the very room she stood in now.

As though sensing her thoughts, the mountain man tightened his arms around her a bit more in an almost protective embrace, eliciting an affectionate smile from the spirit of winter. Rather than pulling away as she normally would so she could push her feelings aside on this, the day she had mentally dedicated to experiencing them, Elsa instead pressed closer to the comfort her brother in all but name was offering. Kristoff was so large and his embrace so all-encompassing that when she queen closed her eyes, she almost felt as though, in a way, her father was there holding her as well. "They'd be really proud of you both, you know," he murmured lowly so that only she could hear. Elsa smiled warmly against his chest - sometimes she wondered if her wife was the only empath being welcomed into their little family. She opened her eyes and looked back toward the two loves of her life, her smile turning to a proud grin when her new wife dipped her sister dramatically as the music drew to a close, the other dancers laughing and applauding their spirited antics. "I know they are," she answered warmly before turning back to her brother with a bright smile. She leaned up on her tiptoes to place a sweet kiss on his cheek, eliciting a blush and a bashful little smirk from the mountain man before Elsa went to reclaim her new wife.

Much to Honeymaren's surprise and deep annoyance, she saw very little of the queen over the next two hours. Every time she had a moment with her bride, she was forced to give her up again for yet another dance with another blue blood or divert her attention to an inane political conversation. While her new wife was preoccupied with her queenly duties, she decided to take the opportunity to introduce her brother to his future girlfriend. "Hey, Kari!" she called gently, waving the young French maid over. The pretty brunette smiled, walking over with a tray of full champagne glasses. "Your Highness," she greeted warmly, curtsying gracefully. "How might I help you?" Honeymaren grinned and took the tray of glasses from Kari's hands, setting it on a nearby table. "Follow me, if you would," she said mischievously, placing her hand gently on her back and guiding her through the crowd to where her brother was talking animatedly to Kristoff and Mattias. "Hey Ryder," she murmured as she appeared behind him, tapping his shoulder. The younger Nattura turned around with a bright smile for his sister, the smile immediately turning into a look of stunned surprise as he laid eyes on the vividly blushing young brunette he had been secretly admiring all week. "Kari, I would like to introduce you to Ryder. Ryder Nattura," she said with a grin. "My brother." Kari blinked in surprise and looked up at Honeymaren, her eyes going wide with realization before her blush became even darker. "Y...your brother...?" She nodded, smirking at her brother. "Every now and again I claim him. Ryder, this is Kari and she would like to dance," she said before taking the glass of champagne from her brother's hand and pushing him toward Kari. "I-I-It would b-be an honor...Kari..." he stumbled breathlessly, offering his hand with a deep bow. Kari gave a breathless laugh and took his hand, allowing him to lead her to the dance floor. Honeymaren smirked at the chuckling Mattias and Kristoff before downing the rest of Ryder's glass with a wink and heading back to find her wife.

She grinned broadly when she saw the dignitary that had been monopolizing her wife's time give a polite bow of farewell. Honeymaren saw the queen sigh softly and glance about the room surreptitiously, clearly trying to discreetly locate none other than her noaide. She snuck up behind her new wife and slipped her arms around her waist, eliciting a tiny squeak of surprise from the blonde that turned into a quiet giggle. "There you are," Elsa admonished playfully, turning in her wife's embrace and laying her forearms on her shoulders, linking her fingers behind her neck. "What sort of trouble have you been causing, my love?" she asked with a beautiful smile. "Just doing a bit of matchmaking," she said with a grin, nodding toward her brother and Kari. Elsa couldn't help but smile adoringly at them - they really did make quite a cute couple. Just as she was about to say so, a voice from behind her interrupted her. "Your Majesty, Your Highness," said a stout, older gentleman with a thin, oddly shaped mustache and a bald head, bowing before the pair. "Vicomte," Elsa greeted with a sigh and unenthused tone only Honeymaren noticed, untangling herself from her noaide to politely face the noble. Honeymaren opened her mouth, an excuse to spirit her bride away on her lips, but stopped short with a barely audible sigh herself. As Elsa had apologetically explained, a royal wedding was just as much a political gathering as a summit and they, or at least Elsa, would simply have to grin and bear it. As her wife, the fire maven would stay at her side, if for no other reason than moral support. Honeymaren did her best to listen as the Vicomte droned on – as Princess Consort, she would soon be expected to be just as knowledgeable of the goings-on of Arendelle as her new wife and sister-in-law but found her annoyance at the interruption of her time with her beloved goddess of winter ran far too deep for her to keep up the façade for long. Just as she was about to open her mouth to attempt a more direct way to tell the current nameless drone she was done with the conversation so she could finally steal her wife away, a melodic voice from behind her reached her ears.

"You are an awfully hard woman to get to tonight, Your Highness."

Both Honeymaren and Elsa turned in surprise to find Belle, the Duchess de Chagny, resplendent in a gold and cream ball gown smiling warmly at them. "Your Majesty," she addressed Elsa politely, curtsying deeply to the royal with a nod to the nobleman they had been speaking with. "Duchess," Elsa greeted in return with a small nod of her head, blinking when an amiable smile crossed Honeymaren's features rather than the barely restrained scowled she had when in the presence of nearly every other aristocrat she met. "Hello, Belle," she greeted warmly, crystal eyes widening in surprise before narrowing slightly in confusion. "I'm sorry, have you two met?" she asked in a carefully neutral voice as she subtly eyed the French noble. "Oui, Your Majesty," Belle confirmed as she stood, smiling charmingly. "Your wife was kind enough to leave her stag celebration and safely escort me through Arendelle to the castle when I arrived late last night. I must say, you have married quite impressively, Your Majesty," she said with a playful wink in Honeymaren's direction, making the Northuldran smirk. "She will surely bring great honor and pride to House Arendelle and serve your kingdom well as an invaluable asset."

"I agree," Elsa said with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes as she moved ever so subtly closer to the fire maven. Honeymaren resisted the urge to raise an amused eyebrow at the interaction, biting her lip to keep her smile from growing too noticeable when Belle turned her attention back to Honeymaren. "Your Highness, might I trouble you for that dance I requested? By Your Majesty's leave, of course," she added respectively to the superior royal. Elsa looked like she was seriously considering telling the attractive brunette to bugger off when the nobleman she had previously been speaking to cleared his throat politely. "I would be more than happy to personally fill the Princess Consort in on the rest of our conversation at another time if need be, Your Majesty," he offered in a civil but pointed manner. Elsa barely restrained a sigh of frustration, much to her wife's amusement, and nodded curtly. "Of course," she said with a polite nod. Honeymaren smiled lovingly and leaned in to place a chaste, sweet kiss on the winter queen's lips before offering her arm to Belle with a slight bow. "Your Grace," she said, smirking when Belle daintily slipped her hand into her arm and tugged her across the dance floor.

The French aristocrat stepped close to Honeymaren as the music started, allowing the fire maven to draw her into a waltz position. They danced in comfortable silence for a moment before Belle's practiced secretive glances in Elsa's general direction made the noaide smirk – mostly because she could see her wife surreptitiously trying to keep tabs on them through the crowd, as well. "I know what you are doing, Your Grace," Honeymaren said mirthfully. Belle smiled innocently, holding the Northuldran's twilight and chocolate gaze unabashedly. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Your Highness," she said sweetly. "But your good wife does seem just the tiniest bit jealous. Perhaps she will be a bit more inclined to turn down political talk after this dance so that she, too, may enjoy her wife's company. It is, after all, her wedding." Honeymaren laughed openly, shaking her head in disbelief. "While I have no doubts in my skills of adaptation, I must confess I had maintained the hope that the need to use such nefarious tactics was not so common an occurrence. Perhaps I have been naïve," she said with a smirk.

Belle simply shrugged as she gazed pointedly at the aristocracy around them. "Better to be a wolf of Odin than a lamb of God, Your Highness," she said bluntly as she looked up into her dance partner's face. "Might I give you a piece of advice, from one common-born aristocrat to another?" Honeymaren raised a curious eyebrow and nodded her acceptance, a small smile coming to the duchess's face. "I have it on good authority that there is far more to you than meets the eye, Honeymaren," she said quietly, dropping the formality of titles. "And I believe that when it comes to protecting the ones you love, you will do great and terrible things. So, when this path you have chosen inevitably demands you walk through hell…" The duchess trailed off for a moment before a devilish smirk crossed her pretty features. "Walk as if you own the place."

Honeymaren chuckled and shook her head again, bowing politely as the music came to a close and escorting her partner off the dance floor. She glanced up to see, with great disappointment, that Elsa was not only still engaged with the nobleman from earlier, but a second had joined the conversation. "Would you care for a drink, Your Grace?" Honeymaren asked with a sigh as she turned back to Belle, the woman offering her an apologetic smile. "I'd be delighted." Honeymaren smiled a bit and nodded before heading off to the refreshments table. Belle glanced back at the blonde queen, sighing softly as she saw the stress, frustration, and annoyance on her face that only another noblewoman could see. Just as she was debating the wisdom of intervening in the undoubtedly dull conversation the monarch was trapped in, this time for the queen's benefit, a less than welcome voice sounded from behind her.

"You and the Duke de Chagny have created quite the trend, Your Grace. It seems as though a pedigree counts for nothing, these days."

"Prince Dorian," she greeted coolly, turning around to face the undeniably handsome, olive-skinned man dressed in a flashy red and black suit. He had a muscular build with short-cropped black hair and unnaturally white teeth that flashed in what he must have perceived as a charming smile. He reached out and grasped her hand in his, despite her lack of offer, and brought it to his lips, smiling at her from behind her knuckles. "Though, I must say, Queen Elsa has taken it to the next step, bringing yet another woman into a position of power. It really is a shame when such heavy burdens are placed upon such delicate, attractive shoulders," he nearly purred. Belle resisted the urge to roll her eyes so hard they may have disappeared behind her skull as she pointedly pulled her hand away, though the prince didn't seem to mind. "Well, perhaps if men could be trusted to find their way out of a wet paper bag without the help of their wives, we wouldn't be so desperately needed. Really, the world might be a better place if you would simply stop to ask for directions once in a while."

Dorian bristled at the clear, barely veiled insult, squaring his broad shoulders and leaning toward her intimidatingly. "If you, for one moment, think that a woman could in any way match a man's ability to govern a country or rule a people, you simply prove the naivety and airheadedness of females in court, especially concerning the bleeding heart Queens of Arendelle," he growled lowly. "Ulrik was a fool for allowing himself to be bested by them, but others will finish what he started. Their perceived kindness is their blatant weakness. Women will never hold value in a world that rightfully belongs to men. This idea of Arendelle being a kingdom protected by fire and ice is nothing more than yet another silly female fantasy – and this forest-dwelling commoner will be as useless in protecting what is left of the tattered integrity of House Arendelle as a hole in a bucket, especially being weakened by the kindness and softness of the queen she wed."

Rather than react in anger as the pig-headed prince had suspected, the Countess's lips curled into a devious, smug smile. "It's funny you mention Princess Honeymaren, Your Highness," she said with a coy mirth clear in her tone. "I was actually lucky enough to get the chance to become acquainted with her yesterday. She's quite a remarkable woman," she said slowly before meeting his gaze boldly. "You are right about one thing, Prince Dorian, and one thing alone. Both Queen Elsa and Queen Anna are unfailingly kind – a trait vile people like you never fail to undervalue. But, before you so blatantly insult the Queen of Ice and Snow, might I remind you she has married the spirit of fire. I might also caution you to take into account the nature of such a passionate, powerful element and what she might do if you make the dangerous choice to undervalue or threaten her new wife and sister."

Belle stepped forward, leaning up to speak quietly in his ear. "When you think Queen Elsa's softness is her weakness…when you treat her kindness as an advantage? That 'forest-dwelling commoner', as you called her, will awaken every dragon, every wolf, every monster that sleeps inside of her…and remind you what hell looks like when it wears the skin of a kind and gentle human." She chuckled ever so softly, the breeze of it brushing against the wide-eyed prince's ear. "Remember, Your Highness…that every nightmare you have ever feared in the dark of the forest as a child was her personal playground – the elements that shaped the very universe, her playmates…" Belle trailed off, a pretty and smug smirk tugging at her lips as she stepped back. "And now that incredible woman has just been given the heart and hand of the most powerful person alive, along with the political power to ruin you," she said in a louder voice, pointedly looking behind Dorian. The prince's eyes widened impossibly further as he turned to find his very soul being pierced by flashing twilight pools of fire, the Northuldran holding two glasses of champagne.

The olive-skinned prince's complexion instantly paled, his posture nearly withering beneath the rage of Honeymaren's sharp gaze. Without breaking her hateful glare, she slowly offered one of the glasses to the smirking duchess, who took it gratefully and sipped at it as she watched in amusement as the pigheaded prince squirmed uncomfortably. He opened his mouth a few times to try to speak, but immediately closed it when Honeymaren held up her hand in a quick motion, silencing him. "I will not dishonor my wife or the Duchess de Chagny by creating a scene and bodily removing you myself," she began in a voice full of barely controlled wrath. "So, you have one minute to remove yourself from this room and one hour to leave our shores before I have you arrested for treasonous slander and aggression against the Crown of Arendelle. If I find you are here one hour and one minute later, I will consider it a direct threat against my Queens and kill you myself." The prince gulped, immediately bowing and nearly tripping over himself to escape her powerful presence before he was halted by her hand squeezing his bicep in a bruising grip. The prince was unable to hide his initial shocked wince before he was able to school his features into a somewhat more neutral, but clearly unsettled expression. "Your Highness, before you leave us, I feel it only fair to give you a fair warning of how my relationship with Queen Elsa works," she said in a voice of deadly calm, her eyes never bothering to meet his. "The next time you are left alone to your worthless, pitiful thoughts and find yourself holding your breath wishing for Elsa or Anna to fail..." she trailed off slowly, squeezing his bicep tighter and eliciting a pained gasp from Dorian's tightly clenched teeth as she pulled him close to her, bringing her lips near his ear. "I will make sure you fucking suffocate," she growled before shoving him away. Belle daintily wiggled her fingers that held her wine glass after him in a wave as she lifted it to her lips, taking a sip as she watched him scramble away as fast as propriety allowed before looking back at Honeymaren.

"So," she began with an amused smile. "Elsa has already turned her warrior into a "the pen is mightier than the sword" kind of politician, hm?" Honeymaren released a tense breath, unable to help the slight laugh that escaped her. "On the contrary, Your Grace. My wife has simply shown me the truth of both the pen and the sword," she answered fondly, glancing up and smiling warmly as she saw the woman in question making her way over to them through the crowd. "What truth might that be?" Belle asked, smiling tenderly as she watched the tension from the confrontation leave the Northuldran's body the moment she caught sight of her new wife. "The pen has never been mightier than the sword. Pens don't win battles and swords don't write poetry," she began, turning back to the duchess and offering her a sincere smile. "The true might lies in the hand that knows when to choose the pen and when to choose the sword."

Belle grinned just as Elsa appeared, the queen smiling at her wife when Honeymaren held her arm out to the blonde queen. One look at the Duchess de Chagny and, instead of tucking her hand into the crook of her wife's elbow, Elsa instead slipped an arm possessively around the Northuldran's waist, leaning into her and placing a tender kiss near her ear. "Hello, darling," she whispered, smiling with satisfaction when the noaide's face twisted into a dopey grin before turning back to Belle and blinking in mild surprise to see a satisfied smile on the duchess's face as well. "It's good to see you again, Your Majesty." Honeymaren smiled and pressed a gentle kiss to Elsa's temple, handing the queen her glass of champagne. "You've earned this, my love. I'll be right back," she promised, winking at her before setting off for the refreshment table once more to get another glass for herself, leaving her blushing bride with the mischievously smiling Belle.

"She really is quite the handsome prize," Belle said with a hint of teasing in her tone, her native language flowing prettily from her lips. "She never was and never will be anything so simple as a prize to be won," the queen replied in fluent French without missing a beat, turning her head to fix Belle with a barely restrained glare. Belle chuckled, unfazed by the queen's ire hidden just below the surface. "Yet, you seem to be guarding her so jealously now that you have escaped the Vicomte and his ilk. If only someone had a means of providing Your Majesty with extra incentive to finally shake off the yolk of royal responsibility at such events so that you might spend time with your betrothed at your own wedding," she said with mock innocence, peeking at the queen over the lip of her champagne glass as she took a sip. Elsa's eyes widened in realization, looking at Belle with an unreadable expression before she smirked and shook her head, some of the tension leaving her shoulders. "Anna said you were a societal force to be reckoned with," she said in a voice that held none of the previous hostility it had before. Belle grinned and shrugged, though it was clear she was pleased with herself. "I thought so, too, but I fear I may be dethroned, so to speak. Your wife knew what I was up to before she had even agreed to dance with me," she admitted.

Elsa grinned as Honeymaren appeared with another glass of champagne, offering the fresh one to the queen while she took her old one back. "She's pretty incredible," she said when the noaide immediately put her arm around her waist. Honeymaren blinked in surprise to hear the spirit of winter speaking in French before twilight eyes narrowed suspiciously, flicking between the two women. "That's not fair, you know," she grumbled, eliciting a quiet giggle from Elsa. "My sincerest apologies, darling," she teased, pressing closer to her and placing an apologetic kiss to her wife's cheek. Belle chuckled as she eyed the newlyweds, a rather coy smirk tugging at her full lips. "I do hope you allow yourself to enjoy the honeymoon you so clearly need," she said in French, her smirk growing when a bright blush spread across the queen's face. "Just as I hope you do not shy away from the gift I sent to Anna to give to you for the occasion. I assure you, it really is...quite worth experiencing." Honeymaren blinked at her fiercely blushing bride, looking quizzically between her and the openly grinning duchess. "What just happened…?" she asked hesitantly. "Nothing!" Elsa immediately defended, though the word came out more as a squeak than a reassurance, making the brunette nearly spit out her wine with sudden laughter and earning her a sharp glare from her superior. "It's nothing," Elsa insisted firmly after she had cleared her throat before slipping her arm through her wife's and tugging her in the other direction. "Forgive us, Duchess, but there's someone I'd really like for Maren to meet. If you'll excuse us," she nearly growled, though it was clear it was more from embarrassment than any true malice. Honeymaren blinked while Belle simply gave her a little wave, amused brown eyes following the couple as they left.

"What was that all about?" Honeymaren asked with a smirk as Elsa led her through the throng of wedding-goers, though the term 'led' was pretty generous in Elsa's rush to be out of Belle's mirthful line of sight. "I'll tell you later," the winter queen muttered under her breath before her eyes softened and her mood brightened considerably as she spotted the person she was looking for, leading Honeymaren over to a tall, handsome-looking man with a broad, muscular build quietly sipping from a glass and watching the room closely. Despite his somehow gentle demeanor, Honeymaren could immediately tell from his strong stance and alert eyes that this man was of a military background. Her eyes narrowed slightly as a somewhat uneasy feeling settled in her stomach at the sight of him. "Gustav," Elsa called gently, causing warm hazel eyes to turn to her and a smile to tug at handsome features. "Your Majesty," he greeted with a deep bow and a tone that Honeymaren could only describe as reverent before kind eyes alighted on her. "Honeymaren, I'd like you to meet Gustav, the new king of Calabria." Honeymaren resisted the urge to blatantly size him up then and there, offering a small bow by way of greeting. She was surprised when Gustav smiled warmly at her and bowed far more deeply, his hazel eyes clear and bright. "It's an honor to meet you, Your Highness," he said sincerely as he stood upright. "I must admit, I have been greatly looking forward to this day."

Honeymaren's eyes narrowed further, her hand drifting to rest casually on the pommel of her sword. "I've seen you before," she stated, unable and unwilling to mask the clear distrust in her voice, eyeing him openly as she wracked her brain for the answer. Suddenly, his handsome face flashed in her mind in a series of pictures, each one squeezing her chest painfully as it materialized in her mind:

Looking down at her while she was chained to the wall of a carriage.

Snapping shackles attached to a chain around Elsa's wrists.

Helping to haul a screaming and crying Elsa up the steps to a balcony.

Standing idly by and watching as the queen sobbed.

Watching as she burned.

Her eyes flashed with purple and pink fire and her hands began to glow as her magic raged to the surface. "You…" she hissed, and the man winced but made no move to defend himself when she began to advance toward him Hazel eyes full of remorse looked at her imploringly, but she didn't care. "You son of a—" she began, but was interrupted when Elsa quickly placed herself between them and placed her hands on Honeymaren's cheeks, trying to guide her lover's gaze back to hers. "Shhh, shhh, Maren, look at me. It's okay, it's not what it seems, I promise he won't hurt either of us," she murmured soothingly, her thumbs brushing the noaide's cheeks lovingly. "Elsa, do you know who this is?!" she growled, her fists shaking from the effort to control herself. She reached out and placed her hands on Elsa's upper arms, pivoting the winter spirit into a more defensible position next to her instead of between them - she did not like Elsa being closer to him than she was. "Darling, listen to me, he saved me," she insisted quietly in an effort to not gain more attention than they already had. Protective wrath slowly turned to surprised confusion in Honeymaren's eyes as they flicked from Gustav to Elsa several times before settling on her wife's crystalline blue pools with an expectant look.

"When Ulrik tried to…" Elsa trailed off and swallowed thickly, letting the unspoken word hang there before continuing. "Gustav stopped him. He saved me. He helped me out of Hans's magic shackles, he kept me safe when the crowd panicked and I couldn't get to you without being swept away. He was even my personal guard for a while after…" Elsa trailed off again before sighing slightly and shaking her head. "Well, you know what happened after I found out Mattias and Kristoff had known about the whole thing. The point is, he kept me safe at the time I felt most vulnerable. And, under his leadership, Calabria has become a trusted ally once more," she said with a fond smile as she turned to look at him, Honeymaren's distrustful gaze following hers. Gustav stood silently, allowing the Northuldran to inspect him to her satisfaction for several tense moments.

Slowly, the glow from Honeymaren's hands faded along with the flames in her eyes, though they now remained more twilight than anything, streaks of pink and purple dominating what was left of the flecks of chocolate. She felt no threat from the soldier-turned-king before her, but that did not simply erase the trauma she had lived through. "Thank you," she said slowly, bowing as low as her nerves would allow, her entire body tense and ready. "It appears I owe you quite a debt...Gustav," she said, the words sincere despite the obvious lack of trust in her tone. Gustav shook his head vehemently as he bravely held her gaze – he had nothing to hide from the fire maven and he wanted her to see that. "No, Your Highness. If anything, I owe you an apology," he countered. "It is clear you cannot bring yourself to trust me yet, and I completely understand why, but I swear on my life, I did everything I could to prevent Queen Elsa from being harmed. I needed to wait for the right moment or else I wouldn't have been able to save her," he insisted before a pang of clear regret crossed his handsome features. "I'm…I'm sorry I couldn't do the same for you, Your Highness," he added quietly, lowering his gaze.

Honeymaren took a deep, slow breath when Elsa pressed reassuringly into her side to emphasize her presence. The fire maven turned her head to look at her, wrapping one arm protectively around her waist while the queen simply looked at her quietly, giving her the time she needed to process. After a long moment, the tension slowly began to leave the noaide's body – Elsa was safely in her arms, completely unharmed. Not only was that the most important thing, but it was all because of the man who stood quietly in front of her. Gustav blinked in surprise when he saw Honeymaren's hand outstretched before him, hopeful hazel eyes lifting to see much softer and grateful twilight. "Thank you, Gustav," she began as he offered his in return, clasping it and shaking it firmly. "Thank you for keeping her safe when I was no longer able," she said sincerely before releasing it. Elsa's heart clenched painfully at the words and she instantly pressed closer to Honeymaren, frowning up at her in slight disapproval. "It was my greatest honor, Your Highness," he said warmly before he gave a small, relieved laugh. "Well, I think I need another drink," he announced, eliciting a small grin from Honeymaren when he offered his hand once more. "It was a pleasure to finally meet you, Honeymaren. I look forward to the future prosperity of our two kingdoms," he said amiably, shaking her hand once more before turning to bow deeply to Elsa. "My Queen," he said with a fond smile. "May your reign be long and prosperous."

Elsa smiled and nodded in acknowledgment, Gustav offering one last handsome smile before heading toward the refreshment tables and leaving the couple in a rare, quiet moment alone. Honeymaren sighed deeply, her rigid posture loosening slightly. "Well, that was…enlightening," she muttered, both her emotions and mind still reeling from the situation. Elsa smiled at her sympathetically before slowly resting her forearms on Honeymaren's shoulders, linking her fingers behind her wife's neck. "What do you say we get out of here?" she asked in a low, coy voice. Honeymaren blinked, snapping to attention in a way that had the queen giggling softly. "Don't tease me," the fire maven warned, her hands going to her wife's hips and her fingers digging pleasurably into her sensitive skin through the thin, satin material of her dress as she pulled her close.

The queen bit her lip to stifle the groan on them as she was pulled against her noaide, flashing her a loving smile. "I would never do such a horrid thing to my wife," she teased. "But there is something I need to show you before…that," she said with a light blush. "Something that is very important to me." Honeymaren tilted her head curiously but nodded her acquiescence, eliciting an excited smile from the blonde. Elsa looked around the ballroom for a moment before she apparently spotted what she was looking for. The queen's hand glowed blue for a moment as one of her small, signature snowflakes formed in her palm. She brought it to her lips and blew delicately on it, sending the snowflake flurrying through the air. Honeymaren tracked its movement in fascination and grinned when its journey ended on Anna's cheek, making the redhead jump in surprise from the sudden cold sensation. She turned quickly, her copper locks whipping about until her eyes landed on Elsa, who nodded purposefully to her. Anna smiled brightly and nodded back before excusing herself from the conversation she was having and walking over to where Ryder and Kari were chatting animatedly with Kristoff and Mattias about something. Anna tapped his shoulder and leaned in close, whispering something in the Northuldran's ear. Ryder grinned and nodded, taking Kari's hand in his and placing a sweet kiss upon it, making the young brunette maid blush. Without another word, he turned and walked quickly over to Honeymaren and Elsa.

"Come on," he said with a grin when he reached them before he heading for the door, gesturing for them to follow him. Honeymaren raised an eyebrow at her wife, who only smiled back lovingly at her before grasping one of her hands in both of hers and tugging her backward excitedly. "Wait a second, what about all your blue-blooded guests, don't you have to say goodbye?" she asked, glancing back at the still quite full room in confused hesitancy. Elsa grinned and shook her head as she pulled Honeymaren out of the Great Hall. "It isn't uncommon for newlyweds to disappear toward the end of the night. Grooms are often...anxious to exercise their rights to their new wives, after all," she explained with a small smirk as she eyed her new wife up and down, biting her lip slightly. Honeymaren looked fantastic in that suit - beautiful and exotically handsome in a way that pulled sharply at something deep in the queen's core. As the servants inside closed the doors behind them, leaving them alone in the hall, Honeymaren blinked several times as blush crept into her features, looking up to see what would surely be a smug smirk on her little brother's – wait, where had Ryder gone?

She didn't have long to ponder, however, because the next thing she knew, she was pushed firmly against the wall with Elsa's lips pressed fiercely against hers. She groaned when she felt the queen's tongue glide teasingly across her bottom lip, begging permission to deepen the kiss. In that moment, it was as if a switch had suddenly been fully flipped inside of Honeymaren, rational thought wrested from the fire maven - the noaide was no longer at the helm. She immediately grabbed Elsa by the shoulders and spun her around, pressing her firmly against the wall in her stead before claiming her lips hungrily. Like a dying woman who had just discovered an oasis in the desert, she drank deeply of her queen, swallowing her quiet keening as skilled hands roamed their way up and down the winter spirit's body, squeezing and caressing greedily on their path. One hand found the deliciously high slit of the blonde's dress, slipping beneath the fabric and laying the flat of her hot palm against the cool, bare flesh of the queen's thigh. Without so much as a hint of a thought, Honeymaren roughly pulled Elsa's leg up to hook over her hip to open her most intimate area to her, pressing the winter spirit into the wall possessively.

"M-maren, wait," she gasped as she broke the heated kiss, cupping Honeymaren's face in her hands. "Baby, look at me," she ordered gently, gasping at the cool air. The panting noaide growled softly in frustration at being told to pause but did what she was told and looked obediently into her wife's passion-glazed crystalline pools. Elsa looked intensely into her eyes before she smiled breathlessly, a coy mirth sparkling in her eyes. "Interesting…" she commented quietly, still panting slightly from their passionate moment. "What is?" she asked, her inability to hide the slight irritation in her voice only making Elsa's smile grow. "I think I figured out why your eyes have been changing color," she answered simply.

Before she had a chance to answer, Ryder appeared eagerly from around the corner. "Alright, we're all—by the spirits, Maren, have some restraint!" he scolded with a loud laugh as the women hastily broke apart, blushing furiously. "Why you little—" Honeymaren growled as she moved to advance on her brother only for Elsa to giggle and slip her fingers into the forest green sash at her waist to tug her back firmly. "Down girl," she teased, pulling Honeymaren backward against her. She stood on her tiptoes to rest her chin on her shoulder, placing her lips teasingly near her ear. "Save your energy…I have better uses for it," she whispered before placing a soft kiss to the sensitive spot just behind her ear, making the Northuldran shiver slightly and grin as Elsa walked around in front of her, full hips swaying as she did. The spirit of winter looked over her pale shoulder at the fire maven coyly with a playful smile before crooking her finger in a come-hither motion – an order her new wife readily obeyed. She may have hooked her foot under Ryder's ankles and tripped her still snickering brother as she did, but she obeyed.

Elsa rolled her eyes, an exasperated and adoring smile on her face as she heard the siblings scuffling with each other behind her. When they reached the doors to the courtyard, Elsa simply turned and cleared her throat, arching an elegant eyebrow at the pair. Both Nattura's blinked at the sound and froze on the spot, Honeymaren with one arm around Ryder's neck in a headlock while the knuckles of the other dug into his hair, Ryder with an awkward but firm grip on his sister's opposite knee as he tried to throw her off balance. They immediately separated, blushing slightly and looking for all the world like two scolded children. When Elsa smiled and turned back around, walking out into the courtyard, Honeymaren turned to address her brother, then blinked and narrowed her eyes at something in the rafters above him. "What in the…?" she questioned, staring intensely at it. He blinked and looked up to see what she was looking at.

Honeymaren immediately smacked the back of her hand against his solar plexus before trailing happily after her wife, leaving her brother doubled over as he tried to refill his lungs with air. Honeymaren's smug grin of victory turned to an inquiring smile when she saw Elsa standing in front of Sven and scratching behind his ear affectionately. The reindeer stood proudly adorned in his finest decorative harness and hooked to Kristoff's sled, polished to perfection and decorated with winter breaths and crocuses tied to white ribbons. The fire maven went to stand next to her wife, grinning when Sven stretched his head toward her, begging to be pet. "Hey, buddy," she said with a grin, scratching under his chin and wrapping an arm around Elsa's waist. "Are we going somewhere?" she asked, turning to look at the blonde quizzically. Elsa nodded and grasped Honeymaren's hand with a smile, leading her around Sven and to the back of the sled that was filled with pillows and furs just as Ryder came jogging out to meet them, pointing an accusing finger at his sister that promised later retribution before climbing into the front of the sled. "I told you I wanted to show you something that was very special to me. I didn't tell you where it was," Elsa teased, rolling her eyes at the sibling's antics. Honeymaren smirked and swiftly leaned down, sweeping an arm under her wife's legs and lifting her into her arms, eliciting a giggling yelp of surprise from the queen before setting her gently inside the back of the sled and climbing in after her.

"Are you ready back there?" Ryder called over his shoulder from the front seat as he collected Sven's reigns, though he didn't turn to look at them. "Just try not to kill us, little brother," Honeymaren said with a chuckle as the sled began to move smoothly down the path. "Don't worry, darling," Elsa assured her in a silky voice, reaching up to the pins and ribbons that held her hair in place, her fingers making quick work of them. "He's under strict orders to keep his eyes straight ahead at all times while I…distract you," she said coyly. Honeymaren would have replied but found her mouth had gone dry as her new wife finally freed her beautiful locks, watching as the silky tresses cascaded down her shoulders and back like a waterfall of molten white-gold. The fire maven swallowed heavily as Elsa put her hands on Honeymaren's shoulders, pressing her back into one of the thick pillows against the side of the sled before situating herself in her wife's lap. Carefully, the blonde untied her father's sword from Honeymaren's side, placing it tenderly to the side before doing the same with the dagger. The queen then leaned in and placed a teasing kiss to the noaide's throat while nimble fingers very slowly began to undo the first few buttons of Honeymaren's dress jacket.

"W-What're you doing…?" she somehow managed to ask despite her pounding heart being lodged in her throat while her wife undid the buttons of her jacket down to her collarbone and pulled the garment open, revealing her loose white undershirt and a modest expanse of her sun-kissed skin. "Distracting you," Elsa said lowly, smiling slyly as she ran the flat of her palms slowly up Honeymaren's chest to rest on her shoulders before leaning into her love, cool fingers toying with the soft baby hairs at the nape of her neck. "As your wife, it is my duty to undress you on our wedding night so that you may exercise your marital rights," she murmured before bringing her lips next to Honeymaren's ear. "I see no harm in getting a head start," she whispered before placing a slow, tender kiss on her lips, smiling against them when Honeymaren's arms instantly encircled her waist and pulled her close. Honeymaren sighed contentedly in this long-overdue moment of closeness with her bride and allowed her senses to be slowly overtaken by all things Elsa – the scent of a crisp winter breeze that surrounded her, the featherlight brushes of her long hair against her hands on the queen's waist, the soft sighs of pleasure from her new wife as she pressed ever closer to her.

Elsa slid one cool hand into the opening of Honeymaren's jacket to rest over a heavily beating heart, pulling away slowly in confusion when she felt something other than skin. Nimble fingers guided the smooth, carved stone pendant of a necklace Elsa had never seen before into her palm, running her thumb slowly across the elemental engravings. "What's this?" she asked curiously, smiling at her love. "It's beautiful." Honeymaren smiled fondly at her and reached one hand up to gently toy with the queen's long, unbound locks that hung to the small of her back as she watched her inspect the totem. "It belonged to my mother. It has been passed down from parent to child for many generations. Ryder gave it to me to keep her close on my wedding day," she explained, laughing softly to herself as she remembered her conversation with her brother. "Mother always thought I was too wild to ever be tamed by something as permanent as marriage, but now that she is so close to my heart, I'm sure she can feel how deeply in love I am." Elsa's smile softened at the sweet story, a quick glance up at Ryder showing that he, too, had a small grin on his face at the memory.

Elsa continued to slowly run her thumb over the totem for a long moment before meeting her wife's twilight gaze shyly. "Do you think they would approve of me?" she asked quietly, crystalline pools full of hesitant hope. Honeymaren smiled and leaned in to kiss the queen softly, Elsa releasing the totem in favor of tenderly cupping her noaide's cheek. "I know they approve of you," she whispered against her lips, her forehead resting against the winter spirit's. "Honestly, I can't think of a single person I care about that doesn't approve of you. Every one of the Northuldra adores you, you know," she said with a smile. Elsa grinned and leaned close to her wife, feathering soft kisses across her face and eyelids. "It's funny you mention the Northuldra," she said mirthfully before kissing Honeymaren deeply, effectively wiping all rational thought from her noaide's mind. Only when the sounds of a large fire crackling along with people talking and laughing began to filter into her ears did Honeymaren even begin to process a world existing outside her goddess of winter - it was only when that idle chatter turned to pointed cheers and whoops of celebration that were all-too-familiar to her heart that Honeymaren pulled away in surprise, gasping as she looked about her with wide eyes.

The Northuldra laughed as Honeymaren looked about her in shock, Elsa smiling brightly as she slid off her lap and to the side of the sled to let her wife take it all in. A giant fire burned in the center of a clearing, the smell of roasted meats deliciously permeating the air. When the sled came to a stop, Honeymaren stood on wobbly legs to get a better view, her eyes becoming glassy as she saw the entire tribe was there, twilight pools alighting on a particular pair of light green. "Grandmother," she breathed, fumbling to find the words. "B-but I thought…b-but you said that…how…?" Yelena smirked and nodded her head to the queen as she stood, her hands folded shyly in front of her. "A wedding gift from your new bride," Yelena commented with a smile, turning to gesture to the plateau that was their temporary camp. "The queen came to the forest to get us and helped us move everything here and set up our lavvos so we could stay a couple of nights. Because of her thoughtfulness, we were able to honor our own traditions so we might be part of this special day for both of you," she said with a proud smile as Honeymaren whipped her head around to fix Elsa with a wide-eyed look of stunned disbelief.

"Elsa," she said in quiet awe. "You…you did all of this...for me?" Elsa blushed and fidgeted with her fingers. "I told you I wanted to show you something that was incredibly important to me," she answered quietly, shyly meeting her gaze. "Celebrating our love with our people is important. You never said it, but I know it deeply upset you that they would miss this day, and…" Elsa laughed breathily, shaking her head as she tried to find the words, her gaze dropping to her hands. "Maren…we come from such different worlds, and you deserve everything I can give you in both of them. I just…wanted to find a way to bring them together for once."

Elsa looked up when she heard Maren swiftly close the distance between them, the fire maven immediately taking the spirit of winter into her arms and kissing her fiercely. The Northuldra cheered in approval – cheers that only increased the moment Elsa got over her initial shock at the sudden passion and melted into the familiar embrace, returning it with a fervor of her own. They pulled apart with surprised gasps when two of the Northuldra men climbed into the sled and lifted them both up, lowering them into the waiting hands of their people gathered around the sled. Honeymaren and Elsa laughed as the Northuldra carried them over their heads to the large bonfire, happily beginning to chant an ancient melody of celebration as they did. When they finally set them down, the melody soon shifted to the welcoming song they had sung when Elsa and Anna had first discovered their mother was Northuldra. The song was a rite of passage, welcoming Elsa and Honeymaren into their tribe, no longer as individuals but as a single unit, and as her people formed an unbroken chain around them, Honeymaren couldn't help the tears that began to trek down her face. She bit her lip nearly hard enough to draw blood in an attempt to stifle them when a cool hand on her cheek surprised her, twilight eyes meeting loving pools of blue.

"Hey," Elsa spoke gently, tenderly brushing away Honeymaren's rare tears, speaking quietly in respect of the honor taking place. "If I am encouraged to feel today, then so you should be as well, my love." Honeymaren chuckled wetly at the irony of the situation, sniffling quietly when she felt Ryder's hand on her shoulder and saw Yelena reach out to place hers on Elsa's, signifying their position at the heart and center of the tribe. "Honeymaren Nattura, noaide of the Northuldra, do you accept this woman as your bride? Do you promise to honor her as your equal partner and provide for her and the family you will make together? Do you swear to protect her from any that would harm her and guide her in the ways of our people so that she may walk with us in the sun without fear of the night? Do you swear to give yourself to her, and her alone, for the rest of your life?" Honeymaren swallowed the emotional lump in her throat at the heavy words, the solemn responsibility somehow making her feel more empowered than nervous. "I swear it to the spirits," she answered, placing her hands on Elsa's hips and pulling her close. Elsa smiled lovingly and pressed her forehead gently against Honeymaren's for a moment, smiling at her with crystalline blue eyes that sparkled brighter than the stars above them as Yelena spoke to Elsa.

"Elsa Árnadalr, Queen of Arendelle, do you accept this woman as your bride? Do you promise to honor and obey her as both your wife and as the noaide? Do you promise to temper her leadership with love, acceptance, and understanding and protect her when her position prevents her from protecting herself? Do you swear to care for her and your family, to loan her your strength, compassion, and love when she has none left for herself? Do you swear to give yourself to her, and her alone, for the rest of your life?" Elsa smiled brightly and nodded fervently when her voice failed in an attempt to speak. "Gods, yes," she finally choked out with a small, emotional laugh, making Honeymaren chuckle as well at the blonde's happiness. "I swear it to the spirits." Yelena smiled and began to chant melodically, the entire tribe moving in closer and joining the chant as they all reached forward, as many members as possible laying a hand on either Elsa or Honeymaren. After a moment, Yelena spoke again, projecting her voice for all the tribe to hear.

"We are the Northuldra, the People of the Sun. We believe true darkness is not the absence of light, but the conviction that the light will never return. Our people will look to you to remind us all to turn away from the darkness in our hearts and forever reach for the light within us. I bid you seal this union and take your place among us so that our people may walk in the light of your love." Barely a heartbeat passed before Honeymaren claimed Elsa's lips eagerly with her own, wrapping her arms fully around her and pulling her as close as possible, joyful tears streaming from her face. The Northuldra cheered around them as Elsa wrapped her arms around her noaide's neck, blissfully melting against the love of her life.

Unlike the ceremonies of higher society that required idle chatter and socializing, the Northuldran celebrations focused heavily on the integration of the couple as one powerful unit within the tribe. As such, Elsa and Honeymaren were never out of reach of one another, encouraged and expected to stay as close to their other half as possible. To Elsa's surprise, even dancing with someone other than one's spouse was discouraged, though the queen learned that was for a different reason entirely. "In most nomadic tribes, the family unit is a sacred thing. Our entire way of life falls apart if there is social discord - a lack of trust and cooperation puts lives at risk, so anything that could imply even the possibility of attachment or infidelity is dealt with quickly and decisively," Honeymaren explained quietly. "Being that I'm the noaide, especially, none will dare approach you without me present, nor will they for some time out of deference to my position. Usually not until there is more…security in the relationship," she said, trailing off with slight discomfort.

Elsa raised an eyebrow at her wife's change in tone. She understood the concept she was being told – the implication of ownership was not an uncommon thing in marriage, no matter the country or the people. "Security?" she parroted curiously. "What kind of security?" Honeymaren blushed, rubbing the back of her neck in a nervous manner. "Well, sometimes it's just a matter of giving the couple an appropriate amount of time to get accustomed to each other; others it's as simple as the acquisition of livestock. But, usually, it's…" Honeymaren trailed off with a nervous shrug, biting her lip hesitantly.

"Children?" Elsa asked quietly.

Honeymaren winced slightly and sighed – she had really wanted to avoid bringing up another touchy subject with her new wife on their wedding day, especially after the near fiasco with Gustav - she hadn't even told her of the pig-headed prince yet. When Honeymaren turned to look at her bride, however, she didn't find the shy, guilty, nervously fretting queen she had expected. Instead she saw her goddess of winter, a soft, confident smile on her lips and a gentle, if not seductive arctic gaze. "Y-yeah," she murmured in a daze. Elsa's smile widened and she nodded, gazing into nothingness thoughtfully. "Okay," she answered simply before turning her eyes back to wide twilight, crinkling them in amusement at the noaide's confused face. "O…okay?" Honeymaren repeated. Elsa smiled gently before leaning in to press a soft kiss to her cheek. "I'm still not ready and…well, the idea still frightens me terribly, so I can't promise I ever will be," she admitted quietly, looking down at her hands for a moment before shyly meeting her wife's gaze once more. "But I am willing to try to be open about it...for you," she promised.

Just as Honeymaren opened her mouth to respond, she closed it again with a frown, tilting her head to the side. Elsa blinked, her brow furrowing in concern at the fire maven's sudden seriousness. "Darling? What—" Elsa immediately stopped talking as Honeymaren held her hand up to silence her, listening hard. She stood up sharply with her hand held up, drawing the attention of much of the tribe who immediately fell silent. With the lack of communal noise, Elsa could suddenly hear what her wife did and frowned in confusion and concern.

Horses.

Several horses.

Honeymaren quickly turned to Elsa, her body tense and poised for action. "Elsa, are you expecting anyone? Anna? Kristoff? Mattias?" Elsa shook her head vehemently, quickly standing as well. "No, no one else even knows we are here except them," she answered quietly, that truth settling like a cold stone in her stomach for it did not bode well for their chances that whoever approached was friendly. Honeymaren nodded and took Elsa's hand gently in her own, giving it a reassuring squeeze. She opened her mouth to suggest that she would attempt to discover the identity of whoever was approaching and that Elsa should stay with their people, but immediately bit down on the words as she looked into the adoring crystalline eyes of her new wife. They were partners, now – she promised Elsa they would work together as a team and she would not try to handle things without the queen again. She promised her that night in the rain before they went to Ahtohallan and she promised her by taking her as her bride. "Let's go look down the hill," she said instead, Elsa's grateful smile immediately letting her know she made the right decision.

They jogged to the edge of the plateau the Northuldra were situated on, squinting through the darkness to try to catch a glimpse of whoever was coming. Another sound accompanied that of hoofbeats that sounded familiar to Elsa, though the queen couldn't quite place it. She frowned in concentration, closing her eyes as she listened intently before it suddenly occurred to her. "A carriage," she said quietly, turning to her wife. "The horses are drawing a carriage. I can hear the chains and the wheels," she said decisively before tilting her head curiously. "Well, that means it's likely to be someone from the castle, so it must be Anna or Kristoff since we have Sven with us, but…why would either of them be coming here?" Honeymaren shrugged, giving Elsa a teasing smirk. "I'unno. She's your sister," she said playfully. The queen giggled and poked her new wife in the ribs, making her jerk uncomfortably to the side. "Hey, she's half yours now, too, Pyro, don't think you're getting out of that part of the bargain," she snarked with a grin.

As Honeymaren opened her mouth to give a reply that likely would have been deemed unwise to make to one's new wife, she caught a flash of the carriage Elsa had heard on the path – and the golden crocus of Arendelle emblazoned on the side, confirming it was, indeed, a royal carriage. The noaide breathed a sigh of relief and motioned to the rest of the Northuldra that all was well as they waited for the carriage to arrive. When it finally did, both Elsa and Honeymaren waited patiently for the driver to jump down and open the carriage, blinking in surprise when he instead jumped down and walked straight toward them, bowing deeply before them. "Your Majesty, I have been sent here by Her Majesty, Queen Anna, to collect you and Princess Honeymaren," he said simply, handing Elsa a carefully folded piece of parchment with the royal seal pressed into the wax that held it closed.

Elsa's brow furrowed in curiosity as she took the letter, glancing at her wife who simply shrugged. The queen opened the letter carefully and began to read it aloud.

Elsa,

You didn't think I would forget to get my own sister a proper wedding gift, did you?

Get in the carriage – it's time for you and Honeymaren to go on your 'Honey-moon'!

Get it? Honeymaren? Moon? Shut up, it's funny, quit making that face.

Elsa blinked, then blushed brightly, realizing she was, indeed, making a face. She cleared her throat as Honeymaren laughed and continued reading.

Don't worry about anything. Arendelle is in good hands and I will be sure the Northuldra get back to the forest safely. Yelena already knows what's going on. That's right, this is a double-cross! You're not the only one who can use Gale for secret correspondence!

Everything is packed and arranged. The only thing I want you to worry about is enjoying time alone with your new wife. I love you so much, Elsa. Tell Sparky I love her too but say it in a way that she knows she's damn lucky I love her – I can't have her getting too comfortable, you know, I'll still beat her to a pulp if she does something stupid.

Honeymaren snorted derisively, eliciting an adoring smile from the blonde before she went back to reading.

Anyway, there will be a letter waiting for you at the chateau with more information.

I love you with all of my heart, my beautiful, wonderful, amazing sister, and I'll see you when you come home.

Loving you always,

Anna

P.S Stop being suspicious. Don't give poor Henry any trouble and get in the damn carriage.

Both Honeymaren and Elsa blinked in surprise before turning around to find that the Northuldra had already gathered behind them, Yelena and Ryder at the head of the crowd. "Go on," she said, clasping her hands behind her back and nodding toward the carriage. "Go and enjoy each other." Honeymaren grinned and bowed her head in respect to her grandmother before wrapping her arms around her and giving her a hug just as Ryder enveloped Elsa in a tight embrace. "Keep my sister in line, alright? She had a big enough head before marrying the fifth spirit," he said with a grin as Honeymaren approached, an evil glint in her eye. Elsa wisely ducked out of the way with a giggle before she was caught up in another Nattura scuffle, turning around to find Yelena before her. She smiled and nodded her head as well, leaning down when the older women made a beckoning motion. A warm, wrinkled hand found its way to the queen's pale cheek, cupping it affectionately as she smiled at the blonde. "You are good for her, Your Majesty," she said quietly. Elsa smiled gratefully, standing as Honeymaren appeared next to her. Her smile softened, saddening slightly when she saw Ryder placing their mother's totem around his neck once more - Honeymaren had given it back to him. Elsa pressed closer to her new wife comfortingly, nuzzling against her gently when the noaide gave her a grateful smile and wrapped an arm around her waist.

Yelena sights locked onto her granddaughter, green eyes becoming stern. "Now, listen here, child. You take good care of your new wife – life does not bless you with a good woman twice." Yelena turned her gaze approvingly to Elsa with a smirk. "She may be the goddess of ice, but make no mistake, granddaughter, there is a rare and powerful fire in this woman's soul. Love her well and she will warm your entire home. Abuse that love and she will burn it to the ground." Honeymaren grinned, turning to look at her blushing bride. "Oh, I'm well aware of the fire within her, Grandmother," she said with a smug grin, laughing when Elsa's wide, scandalized eyes turned to her, unable to believe she had just said that. "Come on, Snowflake," she said before Elsa could retaliate. "Let's go!" With that, she grabbed Elsa's hand and tugged her gently to the carriage where the footman, Henry, was waiting with the door open. Honeymaren helped Elsa in before climbing in herself to sit opposite the blonde, the pair waving at the Northuldra through the windows of the carriage as they pulled away, quickly gaining speed.

As soon as they were out of sight, Honeymaren immediately leaned forward and kissed the surprised queen lovingly, planting her hands against the cushioned seat on either side of her wife to keep steady. "Thank you," she murmured against her lips when they finally broke apart for air. "I can't believe you did that for me, Elsa. You have no idea how much that meant to me," she whispered thickly, pressing her forehead against the winter spirit's. Elsa smiled warmly, her heart racing from her wife's closeness. "I do know, Maren. Of course, I know - that's why I did everything I could to make it happen," she said softly, reaching up with both hands to cup her noaide's face, guiding her head back so she could stare into twilight pools. "And of course, of course, I would do it for you, darling. I would do anything to make you happy. Your happiness means everything to me." Honeymaren smiled lovingly at her and kissed her once more before switching seats to sit next to Elsa. The blonde immediately laid her head on her wife's shoulder while Honeymaren's hand rested on the queen's thigh, her icy ring glinting in the moonlight as the carriage raced through the night.

"So," Honeymaren began, idly running the flat of her palm up and down the winter spirit's thigh, loving the feel of the softness of the satin fabric of her dress beneath her lightly calloused fingers. "Where do you think Anna is sending us?" Elsa shrugged, fighting an inner battle with herself as she attempted to not let her wife's fingers distract her. "I-I'm not sure," she mused aloud, swallowing thickly before continuing her train of thought. "It can't be far if we are going by carriage. Plus, there are no trunks attached to it, which means our belongings have already been sent ahead. It must have been sent out just before we left for the chapel when Anna could be sure we would not see our rooms again, else we would have noticed missing belongings." The blonde swallowed heavily again and closed her eyes when Honeymaren's fingers found the slit of her dress, the noaide's hot palm now resting flat against the cool, creamy skin of the queen's bare thigh. Elsa's breath began to come slightly faster as her wife's hand continued its steady caress, unaware of twilight eyes watching her hungrily as she tried to distract herself by letting her audible train of logic careen onward. "I-it…it m-must be outside of town," Elsa continued shakily. "She would have h-had to receive confirmation that all was well before she sent for us, so it would have at least been an hour from the…castle…round…trip…" she finished in a breathless moan when the fire maven's fingernails raked slowly, purposefully up the inside of her thigh, her hips bucking forward slightly at the teasing caress.

"Maren—" she whispered, but was instantly silenced by full, hungry lips crashing against hers and swallowing the desperate, whimpering moan that followed as she wrapped her arms around her noaide. Honeymaren's free hand tangled itself into the winter spirit's silky tresses as she leaned over the blonde, her other caressing ever higher along her thigh, fingers just barely out of reach from where the queen so desperately needed them. Elsa pulled back just enough to speak, her lips moving against Honeymaren's as she did. "Please," she begged in an eager whisper, rocking her hips forward to try to elicit contact. "Please touch me, Maren…" Honeymaren groaned, her hand untangling itself from Elsa's hair to grip the cushioned back of the carriage with nearly all of her strength as she fought against the animalistic urge to ravage the queen right then and there. The only thought keeping her from claiming Elsa in every way possible, the only thing keeping the possessive, primal beast that had reared its head the moment she saw her bride in its cage, was just that:

Elsa was her bride.

Elsa was her wife.

And she deserved better than mindless rutting in the back of a carriage.

"Not here," she managed to rasp out, resting her forehead against Elsa's and closing her eyes as she tried to bring herself back under control. "Maren—" Elsa began plaintively but was immediately cut off. "No," Honeymaren refused sharply, the hand that had been possessively caressing the queen's creamy thigh now coming up to tenderly cup her cheek. "You deserve better than this, Elsa," she explained gently. "Not because you are a queen or the fifth spirit," she quickly added, silencing the immediate argument she knew was on her wife's tongue. "But because you are mine," she said in a soft, low voice. Elsa's eyes softened as Honeymaren's gazed into them, all traces of their normal milk chocolate color replaced by twilight fire that took the queen's breath away. "Elsa, you are my bride. My wife. And my bride deserves to spend her first night as my wife in complete ecstasy, being utterly cared for and endlessly worshipped in a comfortable bed far away from everything and everyone in the world but me – not shamelessly fucked in a carriage."

Elsa's face felt like it was on fire – never before in her life had she blushed so deeply or been spoken to in such a way. She was both incredibly touched and impossibly more aroused than she had been moments before – how was that possible? The urge to scold her wife about her language died in her throat, as did any illusion of prude innocence the queen had been clinging to. Before she met Honeymaren, Elsa would have agreed vehemently with the noaide's proclamation – a wedding night for a loving couple should be dedicated to gentle touches and soft caresses peppered with declarations and promises of love. While she didn't disagree with her wife's decision, she had to admit the truth to herself of her previous physical ignorance:

She was absolutely no longer against 'shameless fucking'.

Elsa took a few deep breaths herself to try to calm her own raging hormones. She knew in her heart that Honeymaren was right and that she would be vastly disappointed to lose the romance she had so desperately wanted on her wedding night. The queen swallowed thickly, one hand coming up to rest on the one on her cheek – these intense urges she had been having since they decided to remain abstinent before the wedding were not only new and surprising, but unexpectedly powerful. While her romantic heart wanted the sweet, gentle touches promised in fairytales...the desires of her mind and body were anything but gentle. She found herself wanting to dare her lover, tempting the fire maven's control over the barely restrained, primal possessiveness she knew was lurking just beneath the surface. In fact, she found herself more and more intrigued by the concept and shivered as she imagined pushing her new wife beyond the edge of chivalry and into the abyss of mindless pleasure below.

Elsa bit her lip as she watched her wife's eyes change, flashes of pink and purple in the twilight depths that she recognized for what they indicated in her fiery partner. Protectiveness. Possessiveness. Desire. The queen recognized the familiar signs of an internal struggle within her love the moment she had seen the fire maven's eyes as she approached her at the altar, though the beautiful noaide appeared too occupied with Elsa herself to even be aware of it. She noticed the color of her eyes deepening with every stolen moment, every brush of their hands, every meaningful glance they shared, the milk chocolate ebbing faster and faster as the night wore on. When Elsa had a chance to think about it, a chance she took while held hostage by the Vicomte's inane drivel, it became more and more clear to her what was happening within the fire maven.

If she thought about it rationally, it made a lot of sense. Her own powers were heavily influenced by her emotions and manifested themselves as frost or the temperature of her skin and the air around her dropping dramatically. After all, that's what ice was – intricate and beautiful, but uncomfortable, distant, and cold - a barrier. Fire, on the other hand…fire was passion. Pure, raw, beautiful, destructive, all-encompassing passion and heat.

It suited her wife.

Honeymaren had not endured any kind of surge of truly powerful, all-encompassing emotion since she had her powers. Revontuli had been in control the majority of the time she had them with no memories from which to draw strong feelings from, and Honeymaren's memories had only been partially restored up until the moment they made love within the walls of Elsa's ice palace. That made tonight, their wedding, a day entirely devoted to the most influential of emotions of all, the first time Honeymaren had experienced extraordinarily powerful emotions while in full possession of herself and her powers at the same time. Elsa had eagerly tested the notion in the empty hall while waiting for Ryder and instantly found her theory irrefutable as the sudden surge of possessive desire from her new wife correlated with a beautiful flare of color flashing across increasingly twilight depths. The fire maven had nearly taken the queen right there against the wall in the middle of the hallway, so lost was she to her almost primal desire to claim her bride. If she were honest with herself, Elsa was mildly surprised her wife had responded as quickly as she did to her halting command when she herself had barely mustered the conviction to give it.

Now, all that remained to be seen was what would happen when the possessive fire within her new wife was finally given a chance to burn…

And how much control over that fire Honeymaren had.

AN:

*sings*

Happy birthday to me,

Gonna write a sex scene,

Belle gave them something naughtyyyyy...

And it might get kinky.

Hahahahahaha it's bedtime. Enjoy, friends!

-Volchise