Winter's Echo
Chapter Fifty-One – Smoke
Elsa gave a soft, happy sigh, leaning back against the door after she closed it with an uncharacteristically girlish giggle. It was ridiculous how much in love with her maven of fire the queen was, to go from being in a state of near tears with worry to daringly flirtatious, even seductive in a matter of moments. Such was the indescribable sway the charming Northuldran had on the blonde monarch and it was a power Elsa was more than happy to submit to for the rest of her life.
"Is everything okay?"
Elsa looked up in surprise at the sound of Avery's voice, snapping out of her wistful musings and blushing as she immediately straightened away from the door. Her blush deepened when hazel eyes that seconds ago held nervous worry now glinted with sly amusement at having caught the queen daydreaming. Elsa cleared her throat casually as she drew herself more upright, folding her hands primly in front of her. "Yes, thank you," she answered with a nervous smile. "Everything is just fine."
"So it would seem," came Avery's teasing reply, full lips quirking up into a playful half-smirk as she crossed her arms over her chest before she mercifully let the subject drop, nodding her head toward the barn. "Shall we, Your Majesty?" Elsa nodded quickly, grateful for the distraction before a small grin tugged at her lips. "Actually, I will meet you there if that's alright with you, Avery." The artist nodded in understanding and flashed her a smile of her own. "No worries, Your Majesty. I will have both of the horses saddled by the time you get there."
"Oh, don't worry about saddling my horse. I won't be needing one," Elsa answered cryptically, her eyes glinting with a sparkle of mischief to match her growing grin before she turned and began walking down the sandy path that would lead her to the beach. Avery blinked in confusion, hazel eyes flicking back and forth between the retreating queen and the direction of the barn. "Um…what?" she asked hesitatingly, pointing awkwardly over her shoulder. "Do…you not want to go riding? I don't mind getting them both ready if you need more time, really," she insisted, taking a halting step toward the path Elsa was quickly disappearing down. The blonde turned momentarily, her hands clasped behind her back as she grinned at her old friend, continuing to walk backward a few steps. "You'll see what I mean!" she called before turning around once more and making her way down the hill. Avery stood there blinking for a few moments in confusion before sighing and shaking her head with a small chuckle, resigning herself to waiting until the queen revealed whatever her plan for the day was. "I'm not sure why the kingdom thinks Anna is the more mischievous of the Árnadalr siblings," she mumbled to herself with another bemused chuckle before making her way toward her family barn.
The moment Elsa's feet touched the sandy beach, a wide and bright grin spread across her beautiful, pale features. Without a second thought, the queen began to jog happily toward the water, her heart reaching for the friend she didn't realize how desperately she missed until that moment. The sound of an ethereal whinny answered her call, ushering in a feeling of content that spread outward from her chest as her magic continued to call out to the loyal water spirit, even as the mighty beast appeared in the surf, tossing his head majestically as he galloped along the crest of the waves.
Elsa didn't bother to slow down as she reached the water, running through the surf to throw her arms happily around her friend's broad, powerful neck and laughing delightedly. *It is good to see you, mistress. You are looking well. A mortal bond suits you,* came Nokk's deep, soothing voice in her mind. Elsa grinned into his neck, a slight blush filling her pale cheeks as she could clearly hear what she could only describe as a smile in his words. "It's good to see you too, my friend. It has been far too long," she said before pulling back, affectionately stroking his muzzle. "I was hoping you would be in the mood to go for a ride with an old friend of mine." Nokk tossed his head a bit before pressing it against his mistress affectionately. *Of course, my mistress. I appreciate you not allowing a random beast of burden to take my place as your escort,* he teased before kneeling before her.
Elsa laughed lightly before easily mounting Nokk, patting his neck affectionately as her power surged through him, leaving his now icy body glistening in the bright sun. "I wouldn't dare dream of it, my friend."
Honeymaren took a deep, cleansing breath of fresh air as she trekked her way through the dense forest, carefully picking her way through the old, sea-worn trees. Already she felt the soothing effects of being surrounded by nature once more, like thick smoke clearing at the whim of the salty breeze. She had been walking for nearly an hour, meandering aimlessly through the forest and letting nature guide her steps as her mind wandered to the events of the night before.
It was not often the noaide's mind and heart felt so muddled. The very nature of her position demanded the highest levels of perception and an impressive inner awareness, lest she lose herself to the tumultuous complexities that made up the absolute obstacle course of human emotion. It was a hard-earned skill she had learned through countless hours of self-reflection and often difficult truths so that she may fulfill her duties as the emotional and spiritual guide to her people. Given her spirit-gifted aptitude for the task, she couldn't help but feel a little more than frustrated, even betrayed by her lack of ability to untangle her own psyche.
Then again, she surmised, she couldn't shake the odd sensation that it was not her psyche that was so muddled.
Honeymaren groaned in frustration and rubbed her tired eyes – it was a preposterous notion and she knew it. Though their lovemaking had never been so intense and so all-encompassing as they had been when their magic had come into play, last night wasn't the first time she had felt these strange feelings bubbling to the surface. She could not claim that she hadn't at least fantasized about the things she had done with the gorgeous blonde.
Yet, the more she searched herself, the more unsettled the fire maven became. It was clear to her that something had changed within her. Though she could admit to her occasional dominant and demanding tendencies, never before had the Northuldran been so…possessive. She wanted to claim Elsa and hide her jealously away from the world. To show her beyond a shadow of a doubt that the goddess of winter was exactly where she belonged – writhing in helpless ecstasy beneath the spirit of fire. She wanted to prove to the queen that only she would ever have the power to make Elsa feel this way. Only fire would ever be able to tame the Queen of Ice and Snow.
The fifth spirit would only and forever belong to her.
Honeymaren took a deep pull of the cool, salty air into her lungs as she stepped over a long-dead, felled tree and clearing the tree line. As though she had been holding her breath, a somewhat shaky sigh of relief followed as the smokey haze of her mind began to clear once more. She glanced about in mild surprise to find she had somehow managed to hike all the way to the top of one of the rocky outcroppings that jutted into the sea. Honeymaren walked cautiously to the edge of the precipice and carefully peered over it, her boots nudging a few rocks into the abyss. Twilight flecked eyes followed the pebbles' path as they tumbled down into the dangerously crashing waves below, swallowed by the gaping maw of the tumultuous sea. She took another deep breath, shaking her head slightly to clear the sudden sense of foreboding before looking around the flat, barren edge of the cliff and nodding to herself.
Honeymaren went back to the felled tree at the edge of the tree line and made short work of breaking off several thick, dried branches before bringing them back toward the edge of the cliff. Her eyes flashed with the colors of her flames as a sizeable fire flared to life in the dry wood, eager to obey the will of its mistress. Honeymaren took a deep breath and sat cross-legged before the fire with her back to the sea. Though it was daunting to have her back turned toward what felt like the edge of the world, the nomad knew better than to turn her back on the forest as she prepared to let go of her awareness. The noaide hoped that if she allowed herself to become lost to her meditation, her powers might help her to find the answers she so desperately sought.
She took a deep breath and stared into the flames, allowing her eyes to become unfocused as her consciousness began to fade away, making way for whatever tales the fire had to tell. Honeymaren couldn't pinpoint the how or the when to support her theory of the change that had taken place within her, but the noaide knew two things for certain. One was that forces far beyond her control and comprehension were at play, wreaking havoc on her mind and heart to create a dangerous storm in her soul.
The second was that her goddess of ice and snow was at the eye of it all.
Elsa laughed brightly, trying to stifle her giggles behind a slender hand while Avery's flailed about animatedly during her retelling of a childhood adventure with Anna as they rode down the beach side by side, the sun setting beautifully over the water in the distance. "So, there's Anna, flopping around in the mud trying to catch this poor frog because she was so sure that if she could convince you to kiss it that it would turn into a prince," the artist recounted as she laughed along with the queen, her face hurting from smiling so much. "Because how could you possibly continue to think princes and princesses kissing and getting married would be gross with your very own fairy tale prince in real life? And then, finally, you would play make-believe properly for once!" Despite her giggles of amusement, Elsa groaned in mild embarrassment and covered her face with her hands to hide her blush. "I still don't understand how she was three years my junior yet was far more caught up in the prospect of romance than I ever was," the queen commented mirthfully, shaking her head and reaching down to pat her icy steed's broad neck. "You see, Nokk? Even as a small child I was hopelessly lost in matters of the heart. Now you understand why Honeymaren threw me for such a loop," she said with a fond smile as Nokk whickered, seeming to chuckle at the statement.
Hazel eyes watched the blonde monarch closely as the thought of her love brought a sweet glow to the pale woman's countenance. A slight blush dusted fair cheeks, highlighted by the softening of beautifully sculpted features as Elsa's mind began to drift, lovingly and powerlessly surrendering her awareness to the pull of the tide that was her beloved. The artist in her noted the subtle yet unmistakable changes with fascination, from the faraway and unfocused gaze of ocean blue eyes to the soft, content smile that tugged at lips just as lost in those secret memories. While the artist studied and analyzed each of these tiny transformations, committing them to her memory as a composer would notes to a symphony, the friend in her smiled affectionately as she watched Elsa contemplate the happy life she now led for what seemed to be the hundredth time that day. What she had feared was an awkward, unshakeable infatuation she had developed the moment she saw Elsa on her coronation day years ago had thankfully been revealed as a simple longing for the reacquaintance and reclaiming of the closeness and camaraderie she felt now. She had truly and deeply missed the painfully shy girl who had been one of the only souls she had ever known whom she could call 'friend'…and couldn't have been prouder to continue to count the beautiful, confident woman she had become as such.
"In all fairness," she began, breaking the silence with a teasing tone and gently calling the lovestruck queen back to reality. "You never did quite grow out of that 'boys are icky' phase, did you, Your Majesty?" Avery's grin grew, hazel eyes twinkling in amusement at the deep blush that began to flood the blonde's pale features. "Yes, well," the queen muttered in embarrassment, slender fingers fidgeting nervously with a frosty lock of Nokk's mane. Blue eyes narrowed to a glare when the mighty water spirit whickered in what Avery could only describe as amusement before turning said glare on the artist who couldn't suppress her own snickering at the queen's expense. Elsa made a dignified huffing noise, straightening her back and pointedly lifting her chin, choosing to rise above her companion's amusement. "I stand by my choices in life," she said primly, turning her eyes away from both of them.
"As well you should," Avery said with a soft, approving smile once her chuckles had subsided. "Make no mistake, Elsa, your wife is quite the catch. Not to mention the envy of what feels like nearly every woman in the kingdom." Elsa blinked at that, blue eyes meeting hazel in uncertain question. "I'm sorry?" she asked, pale brows knit together in confusion when one of Avery's lifted in disbelief.
"…you're kidding, right?" the artist deadpanned, chuckling and shaking her head when the queen continued to look at her expectantly. "Elsa, even in the outskirt villages your courtship and subsequent marriage to Honeymaren is the subject of either adoration or envy of the vast majority of your citizens. Your beautiful wife has turned the heads of many young men and even more young maidens throughout the kingdom." Avery smirked and shook her head as she clasped her fingers above her head and stretched to ease some of the tension from their long day of riding. "You may be the lucky one to bed her in real life, Your Majesty, but you are far from the only one to do so in those daydreams I keep seeing you slip off into," she teased, sighing contentedly when her back let out a series of satisfying pops before lowering her hands and turning to look back at Elsa. The teasing smirk fell from her face at the queen's pensive look, perfect white teeth nibbling distractedly at her bottom lip. "Elsa?" she called gently, leaning forward a bit.
Troubled blue eyes flicked over to her at the sound of her name, the queen quickly trying to hide her sudden pensiveness with a small, fake smile. "Sorry, just…thinking," she murmured, shaking her head as though to rid herself of the thoughts that plagued her before straightening her posture once more and gazing around them, feigning interest in the admittedly beautiful beach as the last rays of sunset bathed the sand and ocean in orange and red hues. Avery smiled gently, reaching out to lay a comforting hand over Elsa's, pensively folded over Nokk's withers. The sudden, unexpected touch drew the queen's slightly startled gaze to their hands before quickly flicking up to meet warm, reassuring hazel eyes. "Elsa," she stated plainly, a hint of amusement tugging at the corner of her lips. "You have absolutely nothing to worry about and I know you understand that. Don't let your mind go down that road," she warned with a gentle squeeze of her hand. Elsa smiled slightly, surprising Avery by squeezing her hand lightly in return. "I-I know, truly I do…" she said, trailing off with a small sigh as her teeth began to worry her bottom lip once more, her eyes falling from the artist's. "But…?" Avery prompted gently, leaning down slightly to try to catch Elsa's gaze once more.
With a sigh, Elsa took a deep breath and held it for a minute before looking back at her friend, her worry no longer hidden behind the mask she so often tried to conceal herself behind. "I still worry sometimes that Honeymaren has…settled for me," she admitted quietly, rushing to continue speaking as she saw the immediate indignant rebuttal forming on her old friend's lips. "Avery, think about it. She was born and spent her entire life behind an impenetrable mist. Before we came to the forest, the only people she had ever known were members of her small tribe. For all intents and purposes, we were together before she even experienced Arendelle for the first time. She never had a chance to meet anyone outside of the mist," she insisted, glancing away again as she contemplated what Avery had told her. "If…if what you say is true…I can't help but fear that one day she will meet someone else better suited for her." Despondent blue eyes lifted to meet unreadable hazel. "I don't know why it never occurred to me that if I saw how amazing and perfect and beautiful Honeymaren is, of course others would as well," she admitted worriedly, shaking her head as silence fell over the pair, their loyal mounts continuing to walk quietly along the darkening surf.
"How did someone as ridiculous as you survive as Queen?"
Elsa looked up in sharp surprise at the blatant insult to find the artist's tan featured turned up in a bemused smirk. "I beg your pardon?" Elsa asked, unable to help the ice that crept into her tone. "You heard me," Avery shot back, unperturbed by the warning laced in the monarch's words. "Or are you ridiculous and deaf?" The queen's posture stiffened, drawing herself up in the saddle as she glared at the artist. "Who do you think you are to speak to me like-" she began, her royal hackles raised indignantly when the Spanish woman brazenly interrupted her with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I mean, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, considering you are clearly blind," she shot back, meeting the queen's icy gaze as it faltered slightly. "Only a completely blind, deaf, and utterly ridiculous person could deny how much that woman truly loves you," she said, her gaze softening as she smiled at her friend. "That would be the only way one could miss the way she looks at you, like you're the only person in the world worth looking at. Or the way she speaks to you, how soft and tender her voice is, like every conversation with you is a devout prayer." Elsa stared at her for a moment, her gaze wavering slightly before she let out a small, breathy laugh, dropping her eyes to their hands when Avery gave their now entwined hands another gentle, reassuring squeeze before pulling back to nonchalantly flip her long, dark curls hair over her shoulder. "I can't account for the sense of touch, however. I mean, the woman is never out of reach. In fact, I'm pretty sure it is physically painful for her to be near you and not touch you," she said with a teasing smirk, pleased when Elsa let out another quiet laugh before her face became serious once more.
"Elsa, I saw all of this in a few quiet, stolen moments on the beach before I even spoke to either of you." The queen glanced up questioningly at that, causing the artist to smile gently at the hopeful look in blue eyes that seemed suddenly as though they belonged to the insecure child she had been friends with all those years ago. "The way she held you as you slept, like she held everything that was precious in this world in her arms. Elsa, in all my years of trying to capture the human experience I had never seen a love as utterly pure and tangible as the love Honeymaren felt for you…until the next day, when I could see you were just as helplessly beguiled as she was," she added with a small, teasing smile before guiding her horse toward the path that would lead them back to the estate. Elsa remained quiet as she contemplated what Avery had told her, following the artist up the hill and coming to a stop beside her in front of the estate before she lifted her head once more to meet her friend's warm, comforting gaze.
"I'm glad we had this time today, Elsa. I've missed you," Avery said with a smile. "You've…really grown up," she added with a small, almost wistful chuckle. Elsa released a breathy laugh of her own, feeling the last bit of tension from their earlier conversation fade away. "So have you, my friend. I'll be sure to see you again before Honeymaren and I go back to the forest," she promised, a grateful smile on her lips. The artist smiled brightly and nodded, grinning playfully as she turned her horse to the path that would lead her back to her family's home in the distance. "You know where to find me, Your Majesty," she said teasingly in parting as she began to walk away before stopping after a few steps, as though contemplating something. "Elsa?" she called, turning her horse back to face the queen who peered back at her curiously, tilting her head in askance. "Will you do an old friend a favor?"
Elsa blinked and nodded without hesitation. "Of course," she said instantly. "What is it?" Avery had more than proven that she was still the loyal friend she had left behind all those years ago, realizing in that moment that her carefully kept circle of trust had suddenly become larger without her noticing. She smiled inwardly as she thought perhaps it had never shrunk to exclude the spunky young Spaniard in the first place. "The next time you feel like that…wondering whether or not you are good enough for Honeymaren?" Avery began, waiting for Elsa's nod of understanding before continuing. "Take a deep breath…and remember who the fuck you are."
Elsa blinked in surprise, taken aback by the sudden aggressiveness from her friend. Though there was a warm, teasing smile on the beautiful, dark-haired woman's lips, the underlying order was clear as day and just that – an order. "You are Elsa Árnadalr, Queen of Arendelle, Goddess of Ice and Snow, and my best friend," the artist insisted with a grin. "There's no place for silly things like doubt in the life of someone as amazing as you." With that, Avery winked a hazel eye at the stunned queen before turning and disappearing in the growing dark, leaving the winter spirit to blink after her in surprise for a moment until a disbelieving laugh escaped her lips. She shook her head, blonde locks spilling over her shoulder.
"Nokk," she began introspectively as she stared off toward the darkness of the ocean, the reflections of the moon and stars sparkling like diamonds across the surface of the water. "I do believe I have learned more about life and love in the past year than I have in the sum of my entire life," she admitted with a small laugh. *Life has a tendency of changing in such an unexpected way that one often does not realize how desperately the change was needed until they find they could not imagine being happy any other way,* Nokk's smooth, comforting voice rang through her mind as he turned back toward the estate to drop his mistress off. *I'm sure your noaide was just as blindsided when you came to the forest,* he added teasingly. Elsa chuckled, looking up to the estate at the mention of her love and frowning slightly to see there was no light coming from any of the rooms.
Elsa dismounted Nokk swiftly as they reached the entrance of their bedroom, unable to help the sudden drop in her stomach or the accompanying racing of her heart as a nervous feeling gripped it tightly in an icy fist. "Maren?" she called tentatively as she opened the door, biting her lip when there was no answer. She walked through the house quickly calling out to her wife, the fist squeezing her heart tighter each time there was no answer before she emerged from the bedroom doors again in a near panic. "Nokk, she's not here," she said breathlessly. "There's no note or anything to say where she's gone, either."
*I'm sure she's fine, mistress,* Nokk reassured her, pressing his face into her chest comfortingly. *She is a formidable and capable person, even before becoming the fire spirit,* he reminded her gently. *Surely, she simply took a stroll through the forest.* Elsa nodded, drawing in a shaky breath. Logically, she knew the water spirit was right. Her wife was a skilled, resourceful warrior and had proven her resilience and tenacity time and again.
But, still…
"Nokk…" she began uncertainly, one arm wrapping around her waist in a familiar defensive position while the other tugged anxiously at the end of a white gold lock. "I'm worried about her. She seemed…off this morning," she confessed as she began to pace slightly. *How so, mistress?* the mighty stallion questioned, ears perked forward in curiosity. "She's…different somehow," she tried, running her fingers through her hair in frustration at her lack of ability to describe what ailed her wife. "One minute she's passionate and possessive and it's…" Elsa blushed as she recalled the previous night. "Gods, it's like being held by fire, with all of the wonderful heat and none of the pain…" she trailed off with a slight shiver before reality came crashing back around her. "But then the next she's nervous and distant, and the way she looks at me…l-like she's confused or doesn't know what to make of me," she finished softly as her eyes welled with tears, her other arm coming to wrap around her waist as well. "Like she's lost."
Nokk was silent for a moment as he contemplated what his mistress had described. *Perhaps she is still adjusting to her new powers? The other spirits and I have felt as though her presence has been growing steadily stronger. Almost as if…* he trailed off as though lost in thought, Elsa glancing up at the suddenly worrying tone in her friend's voice. Before she could question him, he leaned in with his icy snout to nuzzle his mistress's cheek comfortingly. *Fear not, mistress. If your spirit of fire is lost, then we shall find her together,* he said confidently, breathing into her hair playfully. Elsa gave a shaky smile and nodded before looking around, as though searching for a clue. "Where would we even start?" she wondered as she slowly surveyed the area. "Last time we went looking for her, Ryder had at least pointed us in the right-" Elsa's words died on her lips as she spotted a small, soft glow like the flicker of a candle coming from atop the cliff in the distance and it lit a spark of hope within her. "Up there!" she cried, pointing toward the source of light in the distance as a shaky sigh of relief escaped her. "That must be her," she murmured to herself before quickly grasping fistfuls of Nokk's icy mane, nearly leaping upon the powerful stallion's back and racing through the darkness of the forest without a second thought.
Sweat dripped down the side of Honeymaren's face as she stared unblinkingly into the roaring fire. Time flowed beyond her like water in a stream as she sat, unmoving, trying to glean hidden truths from the fire and finding only more frustration. Every time she tried to clear her mind in an effort to separate her odd thoughts as of late, she was instead bombarded with images of memories she was sure did not belong to her. She saw herself laughing with a beautiful woman with bright blue eyes and skin as pale as snow, her laughter dainty and beautiful like the tears of an icicle. In an odd way, she felt an inexplicable pull to this woman, as though they were connected on a level far deeper than Honeymaren was capable of understanding. Her brow furrowed in confusion and anger as memory after random memory of this woman floated just beyond her consciousness, for though she didn't know who she was, she knew in her heart who she was not and her very soul rebelled against the image.
For this woman was not Elsa.
Though she would admit the two women shared many physical similarities and mannerisms, such as their regal bearing, dainty features, and quiet grace, the woman in these false memories lacked the beauty that made Elsa the goddess of her heart. This woman's eyes, though as blue as the ocean itself, lacked the playful sparkle of life that danced in her wife's eyes. Eyes that crinkled ever so slightly as she laughed – a laugh that was easily Honeymaren's favorite sound in the entire world. No, this woman was not half the woman her wife was in Honeymaren's eyes, but she could not shake the feeling of familiarity as her image danced in and out of her consciousness.
"Who are you…?" she whispered into the nothingness, her only answer from the mysterious woman a coy smile with eyes that, even through the haze of the crackling fire, were unmistakably in love.
Shaken by the visions of the woman so similar to her wife, the fire maven turned to a simpler task she had worked diligently to master once she had been imbued with the power of fire. Honeymaren took a deep breath, forcing the odd images from her mind and began, instead, to attempt to look into the future. Perhaps a flash of the life she would soon begin to build with Elsa would help to soothe her troubled spirit. She closed her eyes once more and focused all of her thoughts on her beautiful bride. The young fire maven in training had learned early on how temperamental the flames could be when it came to revealing details about her own future, resulting in her sitting in front of the fire and meditating for hours on end as she tried to determine the exact moment she would need to intervene to save Elsa from Ulrik that stormy night. Over and over she had watched the horrible scene play out, piecing the event together by watching it from different futures – Elsa's, Ulrik's, even Anna's as she worked out the precise moment she would need to act to save the wakened blonde. She smiled to herself as she willed her mind to relax once more, allowing it to wander aimlessly through memories of the goddess of ice and snow until the flames chose to show her something.
Would they lead the Northuldra well?
How often would they find themselves in Arendelle?
Would she ever convince Elsa to adopt?
"Maren…"
Honeymaren frowned at the soft whimper that sounded in her mind, slowly opening her eyes to gaze upon the shape taking form in the fire. It was unmistakably Elsa, her signature braid hanging over her left shoulder and her hands folded in front of her. The fire maven's frown deepened as she peered closer at her wife's face, the pain and distress on her beautiful features clear as the image slowly came into sharper clarity.
"Maren…Maren, it hurts…" Elsa whimpered in the flames, her hands no longer folded in front of her but clutching her stomach before crying out sharply in pain and collapsing to the ground as the image winked out of existence. Honeymaren gasped, instinctually leaning forward as though she could peer at the image from another angle before she realized the futility of it. She cursed and tried to calm her racing heart and mind, forcing herself to steady her breathing as she tried to recall the image. Time ceased to exist as the fire maven stared into the flames, focusing only on the magic within her and willing it to show her more. She witnessed other moments - sighs of passion, crystalline eyes closed and her head thrown back in pleasure. Tears welling in eyes dark with exhaustion as the blonde beauty stared at herself in the mirror. Moments of peace as she slept, the contours of her face softened as the world slipped away.
But it all eventually ended with that same look of fear. That same pleading gaze. That same whimper of pain. Honeymaren felt something dark rise within her with every failed attempt to see past that terrifying moment of Elsa's collapse, her flames consuming her in their righteous fury. Who dared to hurt the woman she loved? She would not allow this future to come to pass. The mistress of the flames would bring the very fires of hell down upon the head of any who presumed to harm her goddess of ice and snow. Dark and vengeful thoughts continued to swirl in her mind as she stared at the flames that slowly grew an angry and dark red, wisps of coal-black smoke billowing toward her in the breeze and carrying the pained voice of her beloved.
"Maren…"
"Maren…it hurts…"
"Maren…"
"…Maren?"
Elsa let out a surprised gasp when Nokk jerked to a halt in the dark of the forest just before the clearing her wife was meditating in, his icy nostrils flaring and his ears pinning flat against his head. "Nokk?!" Elsa asked nervously, her hands tangling in his frosty mane as he began to take uncertain steps backward. "Nokk, what's wrong?" The mighty water spirit tossed his head in agitation, dancing anxiously near the edge of the tree line as though his very being refused to go forward. *Can't you feel it, mistress?* came his disconcerted reply, Elsa's worried eyes immediately going back to her entranced love. *Something dark surrounds her. Her spirit is not alone.*
Without a second thought, Elsa hastily dismounted the icy stallion and hit the ground running with a slight stumble. *Mistress, wait!* Nokk called after her, dashing in front of her to physically block her path only for the blonde to duck nimbly around him and sprint into the clearing. The queen dashed around the roaring fire only to rear back with a small gasp as though burned the moment she was near the meditating Northuldran. An aura of foreign uncertainty washed over her like a cold tide when she saw the eyes that she had fallen in love with completely devoid of color and black as a moonless night stare, unseeing, into the roaring fire. Elsa's heart was racing as she took in her wife's rigid, eerily still form while tendrils of her long, dark locks drifted toward the flames in the salty breeze, a breeze the sentient flames somehow defied as they licked threateningly at her.
*Mistress, please, it's not safe! Move away!* Nokk called from behind her, his voice nearly drowned out by the pounding of the queen's heart in her ears. Crystalline eyes darted nervously between the flames and her noaide, alternating between reaching toward her uncertainly and wringing her hands as she tried to understand what she was seeing. "Nokk, what's going on?!" she cried, looking frantically over her shoulder at her companion who had yet to venture past the tree line, still pacing in uncertain agitation.
"Elsa…"
A nearly inaudible whisper of her name drew the winter spirit's gaze back to the Northuldran, her heart breaking when a single, slow tear began to trace a path through the light dusting of ash from what was surely hours sitting before the angrily blazing pyre. No sooner had it rolled over the valley of her proud cheekbone before Elsa had reached out on instinct to wipe it away with her thumb, kneeling before the entranced woman. "I'm right here, baby," she whispered, hesitantly cupping her cheek. "I'm right here." *Mistress, please be careful!* Elsa jumped, turning her head to see Nokk had finally crept cautiously beyond the tree line, his desire to protect his mistress outweighing his instinct to give the afflicted Northuldran a wide berth. "Please, Nokk, what's happening?" she begged quietly, afraid to raise her voice above a whisper for reasons she couldn't name.
*I don't know, mistress,* he responded hesitantly. *Her spirit is…fighting. She is searching the flames for something but there is another force interfering. Something malevolent and angry.* Elsa bit her lip to stifle a whimper as she turned back to her love, noticing the beads of sweat running down her face and neck. Cool, pale hands reached out to cup her noaide's face, wincing at the heat that nearly seared her palms. "Baby, wake up," she begged quietly, running her thumbs lovingly across Honeymaren's cheekbones as increasingly frightened tears began to cascade down her own when she received no answer or any indication the woman she loved had heard her. "Maren," she called to her a bit more firmly, sniffling a bit as she reached up to brush her smokey locks from her face and staring into a black, unseeing gaze that unnerved her in her soul. "Maren, answer me, please!"
The queen bit back a sob when she felt, more than saw, fresh trails of tears falling across her pale fingers. She took a slow, shaky breath to steady herself, a firm determination coming over her before quickly straddling Honeymaren's hips and situating herself on her lap, draping her arms over tense shoulders and leaning her forehead against the warm Northuldran's. Elsa ignored the flames licking dangerously at her exposed back as she placed slow, soft kisses at the corners of those dark eyes, doing her best to will calm and comfort into her love's spirit. "Come back to me, noaide," she murmured against her eyelashes, biting back the frightened sob in her throat. "I'm right here," she whispered over and over as she brushed her lips across every surface of Honeymaren's face she could reach, long fingers burying themselves in dark waves of silk and soothingly running her nails across her skin.
Elsa gasped softly when strong hands engulfed in flame gripped her hips possessively and pulled her close, causing a sudden heat the queen had never felt, yet seemed achingly familiar to surge through her. The queen was instantly lost in the power of the sensation, her eyes closing and her mouth falling open in a silent gasp as she tightened her grip on the fire maven. It lasted for only a moment before the iron grasp on her hips loosened and the blonde sucked in a breath, as though her lungs had been in the fiery grip instead. As the flames behind her died down to a small campfire once more, watery eyes flew open to find twilight flecked does gazing at her in confused bewilderment, traces of the dark emptiness bleeding away to the corners of exhausted eyes before vanishing entirely as though it was never there.
"…Maren?" Elsa whispered tentatively, unable to prevent the hitch in her voice when a slightly calloused hand reached up to cup her cheek in reply. "It's alright, baby, it's over," Elsa sniffled as she tried desperately to fight back the relieved sobs trying to escape her, carding her fingers through Honeymaren's hair to reassure the confused woman as well as herself. "Elsa," the fire maven whispered in a hoarse, reverent voice before wrapping her arms tightly around the queen and burying her face in waves of white gold silk, breathing deeply of her wife's soothing presence. "I'm here, baby," she murmured, peppering kisses across her head and pulling her closer as she felt her love's body begin to shake with silent sobs. "I've got you. I've got you."
*The presence is gone, mistress,* Nokk's low voice sounded in her mind. *The danger has passed, for now, but I am worried for her.* Elsa glanced between Honeymaren and him briefly, noting that the noaide had not reacted to the words and that the water spirit was speaking to her alone. Though the stallion's tense body language had dissipated, he regarded the silently weeping woman in her arms with clear concern. He glanced to his mistress, the silent question clear in her worried gaze as she stroked her wife's hair. *Mistress,* he began slowly. *Whatever presence your noaide was fighting, before you broke through to her...she was not winning.* Elsa felt her heart stop cold at the serious, dark tone of her companion's voice, instinctively pulling Honeymaren impossibly closer and nuzzling her temple protectively. Nokk pressed his muzzle lightly against his mistress's hair, offering what comfort he could before moving away to the tree line to give the couple some privacy.
"Hey," the queen murmured, hating how her voice shook. She swallowed thickly before pulling away just enough to cup Honeymaren's tear-streaked face to look at her more clearly, lovingly wiping her silent tears away with her thumbs. "Are you alright, Maren?" she asked softly, brushing a few stray locks away from her heart-shaped face. Honeymaren leaned into the gentle caress and sniffled quietly, offering a tired nod in reply as she took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. "Yeah," she finally spoke, her voice raw and hoarse. "Yeah, I'm alright, now." Elsa sighed with relief and nodded before leaning forward and placing soft kisses on her forehead and eyelids, unable to help the small smile that twitched on her lips when she felt Honeymaren lean into the affectionate gesture appreciatively.
"What's going on, Maren? Nokk said he felt some kind of...presence," she asked tentatively, carding her fingers through her dark locks. Honeymaren's eyes opened quickly, glancing up searchingly for Nokk in the distance before intently looking back at Elsa. "What did he say? Did he know what it was?" she asked with urgency, pulling Elsa just a bit closer. The queen blinked at the sudden anxiety that gripped her wife, her jaw working up and down helplessly for a moment as she tried to make her voice work. "H-he just said that it seemed...angry," she said finally, choosing her words carefully. "That it may not be...kind." Honeymaren nodded slowly, running her fingers through her hair with one hand while keeping Elsa close with the other.
"Maren, please, talk to me," Elsa begged, guiding her love's face up toward hers. "Let me help you. Tell me what's going on, please." Honeymaren nodded, reaching up to grasp Elsa's hands that held her cheeks and squeezing them reassuringly, turning her head to place a kiss at the center of each palm. "I've been having these...dreams...these visions," she began slowly, trying to collect her tired, jumbled thoughts. She looked up when she felt Elsa's entire body go rigid with a sharp gasp, crystalline eyes wide with fright and rapidly filling with tears as images of Honeymaren chained to a post in the middle of a blaze flashed before them. "No, no, baby," she cooed soothingly, instantly realizing her mistake. She dropped Elsa's hands to cup her face, shushing her gently as she ran her thumbs reassuringly over her cheekbones. "Not like that, I swear to you, Snowflake." Elsa took a deep, shaky breath and nodded for her to continue, trying to calm her racing heart.
"For the past few days, I've been having this odd feeling of being...outside myself, if that makes any sense," she began again, trying to find a way to articulate the odd sensations. "I could remember things that had happened, but it was if I wasn't the one they had happened to. Like...I was watching someone else live my life." Twilight flecked pools of brown glanced hesitantly into attentive chips of ice, searching worriedly for her reaction and blinking in surprise when she saw not confusion, but realization and understanding in her wife's intelligent eyes. "That explains that look," she murmured, more to herself than to Honeymaren. When Honeymaren raised a brow at her, Elsa blushed slightly and cleared her throat. "What I mean is this morning you were...looking at me strangely," she began, touching her fingertips to the fire maven's cheek. "Like you were confused, almost like you didn't really recognize me..." she trailed off, a sudden, alarming thought making her heart drop into her stomach. "You...you're sure you're not...forgetting?" she asked cautiously, terrified of her wife's possible answer.
Instead of answering, Honeymaren leaned forward and pressed her lips soundly against the queen's, threading her fingers through white gold silk and pulling her closer with a gentle, but firm grip. When Elsa tried to pull back, Honeymaren wrapped her other arm around her waist and pulled her flush against her, swallowing the small whimper that escaped the blonde and smiling into the kiss when she felt her wife finally relax against her, instinctively wrapping her arms around her neck. Finally, they could no longer ignore their desperate need for air and broke apart with a gasp, though Honeymaren immediately captured Elsa's lips again and again in short, passionate kisses, barely allowing the queen to catch her breath. When she finally pulled away, satisfied her love was thoroughly kissed, she proudly noted the dazed expression on the monarch's face and playfully brushed her lips across the blush that had filled pale cheeks. "I already told you, Snowflake," she whispered adoringly against her skin, nuzzling her love adoringly. "I will never, ever forget you. I swear it to Ahtohallan, herself," she said resolutely. Elsa nodded quickly, a breathy laugh escaping her as she bit her lip shyly.
"So," the queen tried again bashfully. "What kinds of things do you mean, when you say it's like it was happening to someone else?" She blinked when Honeymaren suddenly tensed, a deep frown setting into her features. The monarch traced her fingers along her wife's tense jawline, drawing twilight flecked eyes back up to her. "It's alright," she reassured her gently. "Tell me." Honeymaren closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly and collecting her courage before opening them again. "This morning, I woke up to memories of the night we shared. Memories that...that I'm not sure I was entirely present for," she answered finally, her heart clenching when Elsa's eyes widened in surprise before fully realized the implications of what she had just been told and looking away, her arms loosening around her neck. "Elsa, please, I-I don't know what happened," she continued hurriedly. "I don't know if it was my magic or-or-or if I just lost myself in the moment, or maybe our magic combining, or-" Honeymaren cut off her own uncharacteristic rambling, her grip tightening around Elsa in an almost desperate manner. "Baby, I'm sorry, I-"
"Shhhh," Elsa said soothingly, pressing her fingers against the Northuldran's lips to silence her. "It's alright, my love, you have nothing to be sorry for. It's not your fault," she murmured, tightening her arms around her neck once more and pulling her close. "We'll figure this out together, Maren. For better or worse, remember?" she added with a small laugh before the smile faded from her lips and she buried her face in her wife's neck. "I'm sorry you're going through this, but I promise I'll be here with you every step of the way." Honeymaren let out a relieved, breathless chuckle and held the queen tightly. "I love you so much, Elsa," she murmured into waves of white gold silk. The queen smiled into her wife's neck, breathing deeply and allowing herself to relax once more in her strong, protective embrace. "I love you too, Honeymaren," she whispered in her ear, pressing a soft, slow kiss to her neck. "Now, let me take you home so you can get some rest, you look exhausted."
Honeymaren chuckled and nodded, feeling as though the weight of the world had fallen from her shoulders, such was the queen's power over the fire maven's heart. Simply knowing that Elsa knew every part of her and loved her even more for it, knowing that she would never have to be alone again made her feel like there was nothing in the world that could destroy the life she had fought so hard for – not even this presence that had invaded their lives. She pulled Elsa closer, trying to convey how important the queen was to the noaide, how utterly cherished she was in that one embrace. "I love you," she whispered again, sighing contentedly when she felt the love of her life smile against her skin. "More than I could ever say." After a long moment, she pulled back and pressed her lips against the blonde's forehead lovingly, a calm smile on her own. "Let's go home."
The journey back to the estate was quiet as all three spirits silently mulled over the events of the day, lost in their own thoughts. Honeymaren elected to ride behind Elsa instead of in front as she normally did for the sole purpose of holding the spirit of winter in her arms – something Elsa was not about to complain against as she comfortably leaned back against her wife, closing her eyes and snuggling closer. Both fire and ice were feeling overly protective of the other and while they knew there was much left to be discussed, they were content to bask in the other's embrace, to allow themselves to comfort their love and be comforted in turn. They bid Nokk a fond farewell, Honeymaren bowing low and thanking him for bringing Elsa to her. Nokk lowered his head respectfully in return before dashing back across the sand toward the sea. The pair watched him go, waiting until he dove into the moonlit surf before walking hand in hand up the few stairs into their bedroom, the salty breeze billowing the curtains gently as though inviting them in.
Honeymaren turned to close the doors only to be interrupted by her wife's quiet voice.
"Leave it open..."
The fire maven turned at the queen's soft, almost husky timbre, twilight flecked pools widening upon seeing the seductive glint in quickly darkening twin chips of ice. "Elsa?" she asked, only for the monarch to lift a finger to her own lips to silence her before grasping her hand and slowly tugging her backward toward the bed, never breaking eye contact. Once near the bed, the blonde began to wordlessly unbutton the fire maven's shirt, only breaking her heated gaze to occasionally glance down at the work her nimble fingers were performing. "Els-" Honeymaren tried again only to be silenced once more, this time forcefully by the soft, yet insistent kiss of winter as its goddess pushed the shirt off the fire maven's now bare shoulders and allowed it to flutter noiselessly to the ground, buckskin breeches quickly following.
Elsa pulled away slowly, allowing hungry eyes to rake appreciatively down the noaide's toned form before turning her and guiding her to sit back on the bed. The queen waved a hand over herself slowly, dissolving her own icy gown in mere moments before leaning over to kiss her once more, guiding her wife backward until the dark-haired woman's back rested comfortably against the pile of pillows along the headboard. "Elsa...what are you doing?" Honeymaren breathed raggedly as the blonde angel straddled her hips, draping her forearms over her shoulders and linking her fingers behind the noaide's neck. "Shhh," she shushed gently before pressing her lips against hers once more, letting out a quiet, blissful sigh. The kiss was deep and passionate, full of the lust that had been clear in the queen's eyes, but it was also slow, unhurried, and made the fire maven feel more loved than she could have ever imagined.
Elsa pulled away slowly and gasped for breath, touching her forehead lovingly against her wife's as she looked deep into the twilight flecked does she loved so deeply. "Touch me, Maren," she whispered huskily, gasping in surprised delight half a second later when the fire maven instantly obliged, brushing her thumbs across her already hardening peaks. The queen's hips jerked forward involuntarily when Honeymaren repeated the motion, a small smirk tugging at the noaide's lips as she arched a brow at her wife, delighting in the moan that ripped itself from the blonde's lips. "So sensitive," she commented simply, her smirk growing when Elsa blushed deeply as a coy grin of her own twitched at the corners of her lips.
The queen barely had time to nod in agreement before a loud moan was torn from her throat when full lips latched onto one of the stiff peaks, a warm and devilishly skilled tongue bathing it teasingly. "Gods," Elsa gasped out in surprise, burying her fingers in her wife's hair and pulling her closer, keeping her exactly where she was even as her hips bucked wantonly against her lap. Honeymaren hummed her approval, pleasantly surprised by her wife's sudden extreme sensitivity and intending to test its limits. She wrapped one arm around the blonde's trim waist, pulling her naked body flush against hers while the other reached up to gently pinch the queen's other nipple, rolling it lightly between her fingers just as she bit its twin lightly. Elsa cried out sharply, head thrown back in pleasure as her lithe body arched beautifully against her wife's.
"Maren," the queen whimpered breathlessly, her mouth struggling to form the words she so desperately needed to say. "Maren, I'm—oh, Gods, I'm going to—" was all she was able to get out before her sudden orgasm ripped through her, her mouth open in a silent, gasping scream to the sky. Honeymaren groaned as she felt her wife's body shudder against her, immediately releasing her nipple to claim her lips hungrily. Elsa whimpered needily into the kiss, wrapping her arms around her neck and pulling her closer, deepening it greedily for a long moment before pulling away with a panting gasp, staring searchingly into twilight flecked eyes.
"Are you here with me, baby?" she breathed softly after a few moments, tenderly running the back of her fingers up and down Honeymaren's cheek. The fire maven gave her a small smile, grasping the queen's hand in her own and feathering soft kisses across her pale, delicate wrist, causing the blonde to close her eyes blissfully as she relaxed under the gentle touch. "I'm here," she whispered throatily against her skin, pressing a final, deeper kiss to her pulse point before turning to meet half-lidded crystalline pools, a sultry smile on kiss-bruised lips. Elsa turned her hand to gently hold Honeymaren's, giving it a loving squeeze and placing a featherlight kiss on her fingertips before ever so slowly guiding it down to where she needed it most. The queen never broke eye contact with her beautiful mistress of fire, even as she gasped in pleasure when the dark-haired beauty's warm, slightly calloused hand hit its mark. Elsa leaned forward to lightly brush her lips against the stunned Northuldran's, teasing their pouty fullness with the quiet whimpers and moans escaping her own as she rocked her hips languidly against her hand.
"I thought—" the queen began, pausing as a sharp gasp tore itself from her throat when the fire maven came to her senses once more, eagerly cupping the winter spirit and pressing the heel of her palm firmly against her clit. "I-I thought," she began again after taking a breath, "you could use a reminder..." Honeymaren's brow furrowed in confusion, twilight flecked eyes flicking between lust darkened pools sparkling with mischief and full lips begging to be kissed as perfectly white teeth nibbled at them teasingly. "A reminder of what?" she whispered huskily, subconsciously leaning toward the queen's lips. A pale hand beneath her chin halted her, guiding it up to lock eyes with her wife lovingly before leaning in and pressing her forehead to hers.
"Of to whom the Queen of Arendelle truly belongs to."
Honeymaren blinked in surprise, the blonde's eyes crinkling slightly as her loving smile widened, the hand beneath her chin falling to cover the noaide's rapidly beating heart. "I belong only to this heart," she whispered meaningfully, staring deeply into her eyes. "This soul, this spirit. This...amazing, beautiful, impossible woman before me. I'm yours, Honeymaren Nattura. Only and forever yours." Honeymaren groaned softly, unable to stop herself from surging forward to claim Elsa's lips fiercely and swallowing the winter queen's sharp cry of pleasure as she easily thrust two fingers deep inside of her. She moaned against Elsa's lips when she felt the blonde's muscles clench around her fingers greedily, ready and more than willing for anything and everything she had to give as they tried to pull her ever deeper.
"Yes," Elsa broke their heated kiss with a loud cry when the noaide curled her fingers, pressing firmly against that magical spot deep inside of her. She grasped her wife's face in her hands, desperately rolling her hips to meet the impassioned thrusts of the fire maven's fingers. The queen forced herself to keep her eyes trained on passion-darkened, milk chocolate pools, losing herself in the sparks of twilight and hunger dancing within them. "Yours," she whimpered between gasps of pleasure as she quickly climbed toward the heights of heaven. "I'm yours...only yours...your wife..."
"And I, yours, my goddess," she whispered back before reclaiming her lips once more. Her lips moved slowly, softly, the love they conveyed tender and patient in stark contrast to the carnal thrusting of her fingers and the queen's hips as they moved in a desperate rhythm. There was no teasing, no effort to draw the passion out. This moment was pure in its simplicity, borne only of the need to connect, comfort, and reassure one another of the place they had chosen to stand and to fall –
At each other's side.
The queen whimpered her wife's name in a breathless gasp as her body locked in ecstasy, burying her face into waves of dark silk as she bucked her hips fervently, riding wave after wave of pleasure as her orgasm wracked her body. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the Queen of Arendelle collapsed against her mistress of fire, clinging to her tightly as her body trembled uncontrollably in her wife's strong, protective embrace. She whimpered quietly when Honeymaren's fingers moved slowly within her once more, quickly reaching her hand down between them and grasping her wrist in a weak, feeble grip, shaking her head.
"No...please..."
Honeymaren's brow furrowed in concern, removing her fingers from the queen's oversensitive depths slowly. Despite her gentleness and care, Elsa shuddered and gasped against her wife's neck as she continued to tremble. "Elsa, what's wrong?" Honeymaren asked worriedly, wrapping her arms more securely around the spirit of winter and eliciting a content sigh from the spent woman, the blonde snuggling deeper into her warmth. "I'm alright, my love," she murmured lovingly, closing her eyes and breathing deeply of her wife's calming presence. "Just...incredibly sensitive," she said with a tired laugh. Honeymaren couldn't help the broad grin that tugged at her lips as she settled back against the pillows, cradling her wife against her. "Yeah, I noticed that earlier," she said with a smug chuckle that turned into a quiet laugh as she watched the deep blush spread through already passion-pinked cheeks. "I can't say I'm upset with the development," she teased.
She reached a bit awkwardly down the length of the bed, eliciting a mild grumble of discontent from the exhausted blonde as she shifted that was answered with another mirthful chuckle. After a moment, she finally managed to grasp the edge of the blankets, pulling them up to cover them both and making a point to tuck them snugly around the queen before playfully tickling the corner of her lips with her thumb. Elsa giggled tiredly, burying her face deeper in her wife's neck and placing a slow, tender kiss against her pulse before settling once more. Honeymaren thought she had fallen asleep after a few moments before the queen's tired, quiet voice whispered to her in the darkness.
"Are you going to be alright, Maren?"
A deep warmth blossomed in the fire maven's chest, burning brighter than any fire she could conjure at her wife's gentle concern. There was no pity, no disappointment or presumed weakness in the queen's voice – only pure love and a desire to protect guided her words. Honeymaren smiled against the winter spirit's hair, leaning down to press a soft kiss to her forehead and pulling her more snugly against her. "With you safe in my arms, there's nothing in this or any other world that can touch me, Snowflake," she whispered reassuringly as she began carding her fingers through the queen's silken locks. "Now sleep, my love. We will talk more in the morning," she promised, pressing another kiss to her head and murmuring against her hair lovingly. "For now, sleep deeply knowing my arms will hold you close the whole night through."
As the queen of winter finally drifted off, ushered into Morpheus's sweet embrace by her wife's ever sweeter one, Honeymaren found herself finally able to close her eyes as well.
Right now, the chaos, uncertainty, and mysticism of the past few days was far away from her.
Right now, there was only warmth, safety, and the purest love she had ever dreamed of cocooning her in its protecting depths and she smiled as she followed her goddess of winter into her dreams, knowing the reassuring words she had spoken to her wife to be the greatest truth she had known.
Right now, with Elsa at her side, there was nothing in the world that she couldn't face.
AN: HELLO FAM, FRIENDS, AND 2021!
Apologies for the absence, these last few months have kicked my butt in some horrible and wonderful ways. But, as I said before, it may take me a while to update going forward but I promise I WILL NOT ABANDON THIS STORY.
Fun fact, one of the things that has taken up so much of my attention and time has become a parallel to an upcoming plot point in our dear spirits' lives. *wink wink hint hint nudge nudge*
Happy 2021, friends - may the next year always treat you better than the last!
-Volchise