Two weeks had passed since Edward had first began training the Arendelle guard. His batch of guards had improved but still had a long way to go. One of his guards, Cameron Klein was one of the ones he'd liked the most. The guard was barely old enough to join, his form was sloppy and he scared easily but he worked hard, harder than anyone else. Edward had paid special attention to him and even gave him some pointers before going out with Kristoff.
Thinking of the Ice harvester he remembered that yesterday was their last day of ice harvesting since winter would really hit soon. He and the mountain man worked to the bone completing order after order until Kristoff managed to raise enough money to buy the ring he sought out for. The ring he had chosen was a golden wedding band with a slot for a small stone in the middle. The ice harvester said that today he would go to the trolls and ask for one of their protection stones so Anna would be safer.
He said he'd be back later today with a completed ring leaving one final obstacle before he could propose.
Elsa
The mountain man had actually began to sweat bullets when he thought about how he was going to ask the woman to let him marry her sister. No matter how much Edward tried, the ice harvester was inconsolable. To stop himself from losing his mind and strangling Kristoff, he offered to go with the mountain man when he asked. When Kristoff tried to refuse, Edward pulled him in close and whispered in an annoyed tone.
If you don't get this done after I offered to go with you and I hear one more word about you worrying about what she'll say, I will throw you in her office, tie you to her chair and keep you two there until you grow a pair and ask.
Needless to say, when Kristoff got back, they were both going to ask Elsa for a quick word. He didn't expect the mountain man back until later tonight so Edward found himself just wandering the castle with no clear destination in his mind. He had been around most of the castle until he took a wrong turn and found himself in front of a door that had a layer of dust on it. He racked his brain trying to think where he was and what would be behind this door but when nothing came to mind, his curiosity got the better of him and he reached for the handle.
He wasn't too surprised to find that it was locked. Seems that the royals of Arendelle had their own skeletons, he could respect that, he had quite a few himself. He turned around and retraced his steps until he was back in the courtyard where he watched the castle staff put their final touches for the Winter Solstice Gathering. It was only in two weeks and Anna had mentioned that guests were scheduled to arrive next week so she wouldn't be able to train with the Captain or attend her diplomat classes. He remembered the redhead being so happy when Elsa said that she wouldn't have time for her tutors but was demoralized when Elsa also added with a mischievous smile that her combat training would have to wait as well. Seeing the way the two sisters interacted was refreshing, it had Edward thinking about his own brother.
Shahbaz
When they were still kids, Shahbaz looked after him whenever he could but being the oldest by five years took a toll on him. For starters he had harsher training with him being the oldest, on top of taking care of his little brother, Shahbaz grew up quickly. By the time he was sixteen, he had gained the eye of Asger the Crusher when he put three soldiers from the King's Spearhead in the infirmary when one of them had decided to bully his little brother.
It was around a decade ago but Edward could still remember the furious strength that belonged to Shahbaz. Ever since their mother died and his little brother was sent to live with him and their father Shahbaz didn't let anyone mess with his little brother. The only one who could get away with it was Talib who generally gave them both harsh punishments whenever he found out that Shahbaz covered for Rahim.
Edward missed his brother, that last fight they had rang in his mind. It was the night they were both about to get shipped out and Shahbaz wanted to see if his little brother could handle himself with no one to protect him. Even though he lost, Edward remembered fondly that his brother held out a hand and said one sentence that he would always remember.
Never forget what you're capable of.
Edward had taken those words to heart, when he first joined the military and ever thought something was too much for him, he'd remember his brother's words and think that if he could survive growing up with his father then he could survive anything else. After being killed by Wrath, he kept others at a distance, knowing full well what he could do if the demon ever got loose.
It was nice to think of his brother, some part of him hoped he'd show for the Gathering but remembered that Shahbaz hated formal settings. His prideful nature made him prone to mouth off to people that thought they were superior to him until he got his hands on them. There was no way Alrick would bring the man if he suspected Shahbaz couldn't control himself.
Edward was shaken out of his thoughts when he turned the corner just in time to see Elsa rush by with a stack of documents. He only saw her for a moment but for the young man every moment with her was an eternity. There were strands of hair coming out of her braid as he saw the bags under her eyes as well as wrinkles on her usually perfect dress. All in all she looked knackered. He remembered hearing Anna saying that her sister would work herself to the bone whenever someone visited so she could devote all her time to playing hostess.
He thought when Ahimoth left early she'd get a break but she once again hit her paperwork like a bull. Even he could tell that she was looking drained and almost dead on her feet but she pushed past that as she ran past him. He felt that she should take a break but he put himself in her shoes. She's barely twenty two, a single monarch, recently opened up to people, had ice powers, and had a kingdom that had virtually nothing valuable. Of course she'd work tirelessly to do the best with what she had. It was upsetting to see her push herself like this but one sobering thought kept popping up in his head.
What could he do about it?
Absolutely nothing that's what. She was a Queen and he was just a guest who happened to be an instructor for her guards, she had no obligation to listen what he had to say. The only one who could probably get her to slow down was Anna but today she was in the same boat, bustling around for once doing her Princess duties that helped lighten the load on her sister.
There was nothing he could do. It was upsetting but true, sitting here sulking about Elsa pushing herself too hard wouldn't help her at all. Just as he was about to force his mind to think of something else something occurred to him, it was a long shot but it would keep him busy until Kristoff returned. First he needed to find Kai, the head servant was a stickler for rules and etiquette but both Elsa and Anna admitted he was the closest thing they had to a father. Surely the man did not like seeing his surrogate daughter work herself so hard at such a young age.
It didn't take too long to find him, the castle staff usually congregated in the kitchen to stay out of sight and gossip one another. It wasn't hard to just ask where Kai would be and he got multiple answers with the throne room being the chief one. Edward jogged through the castle until he made it to the throne room to see that the head servant was overseeing the setting of the throne room.
To follow the theme of a winter gathering, the walls were being lined with ice blue strands of fabric and tapestries to give the room a blue hue when the sun hit it. Elsa could've probably done this herself but it seemed Kai wanted to take something off her plate.
"Excuse me Kai, there's something I'd like to ask you." The plump man turned around with a slightly annoyed expression from being pulled from his task but it was erased when he realized it was the man who saved the Queen. When he was informed of what happened to Elsa, the head servant was instantly worried and tended to her bedside until he was called for his duties. As he left the woman in her room, he was informed that the young man from the night they had dinner had climbed the North Mountain to rescue the Queen and helped Kristoff escape from Hans. Kai hadn't had the chance to thank the young man so seeing him now, he felt that he could show his gratitude as he executed a bow before speaking.
"Yes Master Edward, how may I assist you?"
Edward blinked at the display, he wasn't royalty or anyone important, it honestly felt odd to see someone bow to him. There was no reason to do so and he honestly felt that the plump man shouldn't have to bow to someone like him.
"Please don't bow to me, and its just Edward or Ed if you prefer. I just wanted to know if you happened to know the Queen's work schedule later today."
The head servant looked confused at the question and wondered why the young man had an interest in it but answered anyway. "Well she has scheduled most of her day to sorting out the trade agreements in the Northern Isle and current policy regulations and suggestions she's taken from this morning. The only thing besides that is a council meeting that will begin shortly and will likely continue to this evening."
"I thought she already did all the immediate paperwork so she could attend to Prince Ahimoth while he was here."
"She did however with his abrupt departure, she felt that she could get a head start on some matters."
"So she doesn't have to work so hard right now?"
At this point Kai was curious why the young man was so interested in the Queen's habits. While he was still grateful to the young man, he knew next to nothing about him, only the very little details he told them during dinner. From what the plump man could gather, the young man used to a soldier but left his kingdom under mysterious circumstances. The castle staff had easily gossiped about him and there already many rumors going around, more so when this stranger became an instructor for their guards.
He doubted the young man would harm the Queen, the amount of effort he put into keeping her safe at the expense of his own safety spoke volumes. However it was quite odd, until recently the young man never roamed the castle halls and would keep his distance in the stables. Now he came by everyday, mostly to instruct the guards but for mundane things like running to the kitchen for a sandwich or helping a servant if he was near.
"Why the sudden interest in her Majesty's itinerary?"
Edward hesitated for a moment before making his thoughts verbal. "I-I just thought that maybe I could convince her to take a break. You've seen the way she looks, at this rate she's going to run herself in the ground. I was hoping that perhaps you could help me get the rest of the day off so she can rest or something. She's the Queen and you're basically her father, surely she'll listen to you if you say she should slow down."
The honest look on the young man's face made Kai smile, there was genuine concern in his eyes for the Queen. It was nice that he was being considerate for her, lord knew that Elsa needed more people looking after since she always tried to shoulder everything on her own.
"While I appreciate your concern and high opinion of me, I already asked she slow down and she responded that a Queen's work is never done. I can't push off another council meeting or convince her to take the rest of the day off, she has to decide for herself." The deflated look on Edward's face was easily visible but Kai wouldn't lie, there was nothing anyone could do, it was up to Elsa to slow herself down.
"I wish I could help but I can't. If there's anything else you need I'll do my best to help." The plump man was about to get back to turn back to his task when the young man spoke up again.
"What's her favorite kind of chocolate?
Elsa was furiously reading over multiple policies and regulations while trying to keep track of all the suggestions she's gotten from her council. Her eyes began to burn as she reread the same sentence three times until she pushed the document away from her and leaned against her chair. She knew that she should slow down but never felt comfortable enough to do so. Her kingdom was small and needed someone to look after it, that someone being her.
She knew she could've pushed off all this paperwork for later but something might've come up and forced her to dedicate all of her time to it. That wasn't including the Winter Solstice Gathering that brought together all of her allies who likely wanted to revisit trade agreements with Arendelle. In sublimation, she would rather work and get ahead as much as possible. She checked the clock to see that her council meeting would start soon, she really didn't want to since they'd probably just argue about the same things all over again.
Then after that she had a small rest bit with Kristoff who said he had something extremely important to discuss with her. When she prompted him to ask her right then and there, he said that their talk wasn't something that could be given in a simple answer and that it would be better if they spoke in private after he returned from visiting the trolls.
Hearing the clock strike a chime that signaled the beginning of a new hour, she gathered some documents in her hand and rushed out her study hoping to get there before the council did. On her way to the council chambers she was about to turn a corner when she caught a glimpse of Edward looking her way. It was only for a fleeting moment but she felt that she should stop and greet him but the stack of documents were a reminder that being a Queen came first. So with suddenly heavy legs she continued toward her council chambers and laid out her documents in a way she could easily access them. It didn't take long for the council to trickle in and take their seats before Elsa began the meeting.
Like she predicted they argued over the same exact things they always did. How Arendelle could possibly take more from other kingdoms and use others to gain more allies. Elsa had let them argue while supplementing her own comments here and there but for the most part she was bored to tears. It wasn't until Duke Eren had brought up an unexpected topic.
"What of this Edward character?"
That snapped Elsa out of her trance as she watched the council quiet down for a moment,, giving the older man room to continue.
"W know very little of this man and he is now training half our guards. After the incident with Prince Hans and the Queen's kidnapping, we need to be more wary of strangers. This man, Edward is quite the stranger to us and should be monitored in case he has an ulterior motive of being here." The blonde woman couldn't help coughing to gain the council's attention so she could defend the young man.
"Duke Eren, while your concern is well founded I can assure you that Edward means no harm. He's had numerous opportunities to exploit us for his gain but did no such thing. On top of that he got injured for my sake, something I cannot take lightly."
"While that may be true and his actions were very heroic, can you truly say that absolves him from all suspicion? I ask that you not look at him as your rescuer but as a unknown man who somehow managed to be capable of locating the bandits our own guards weren't able to do, rescue you from their clutches, and captured a man capable of besting our guards. His achievements seem almost legendary and one cannot help but think it is really possible for one man to be able to accomplish so much on his own."
She knew that the older man was implying her kidnapping was planned by Edward so he could rescue her and gain their favor. While it was true that one man pulling off what he did was hard to believe but Edward wasn't just one man. He had inside him a power that could easily turn the tide any battle, the blonde couldn't reveal that of course. The young man had confided the existence of Wrath to only a few people and knowing what it was like to hide one's ability she felt that it wasn't her place to tell others. She also could say she knew a great deal about Edward, he had spilled so much to her that night, she knew the struggles of his childhood as well as the hell that was the battlefield he braved as a teen. While it was true he had lied to her in the beginning, she had complete faith in him now.
"You seem to forget he was seriously injured when he saved me, its because of these great achievements he's training our military so they can better defend Arendelle."
Duke Eren seemed to accept that answer and Elsa was confident that the meeting was about to come to a close when the older man spoke again but with a different matter.
"Your Majesty has there been any word of you choosing a personal guard?"
Elsa schooled her face into a pensive one instead of a exasperated one. Truthfully she put off the idea of selecting a personal guard, she could see the logic of having one but for some reason couldn't convince herself to go through the process of selecting one. It wasn't because she doubted any of her men, it was just she still didn't feel comfortable around them and didn't want to have anyone dying protecting her. The brave guards who died the night of her kidnapping had been given a proper send off and honored as heroes but when she closed her eyes she sometimes remembered then just before Zavis slaughtered them.
She was relieved when she heard he was captured and when she was informed that he was found dead in his cell with Edward confirming it, she couldn't bring herself to care. It was a dark thought she normally would never had but to her, Zavis was a monster, one she was happy that he could never threaten her family again. There was one thing that bothered her though, Zavis wasn't a real name, his real name was Envy. It was an odd name but when she found out he knew someone named Pride and was working for someone named Greed, it finally clicked in her head.
These men were named after the Seven Deadly Sins. Currently she knew of only four but there were three more. She didn't know if they would be an enemy or someone forced to become a host for a demon like Edward was. When she thought about that, in the back of her mind she admitted that her guards would be no match for them, should they come to Arendelle. Only she could put up a fight against them and she didn't want to worry about her personal guard being injured if she decided to create a snowstorm that zapped all the heat out of a room and turned it into a frozen graveyard.
Her thoughts were then drawn to Edward, from what Kristoff said, he held his own against Envy. He could very well do the same to the other four but all that hinged on him actually wanting to. He was always looking toward leaving but was forced to stay under some circumstance, she hadn't said anything but was happy he stayed but felt guilty he was being forced to. There have been many times she would sit in her study and debate going down to the training yard and telling him he was free to leave. Once she worked up the nerve to and as she walked outside, she saw him instructing one guard one on one.
For the life of her she didn't know the young guard's name but she watched Edward patiently instruct him in sword forms with a warm smile on his face. They went on for a while with her watching from behind the stone entrance to the courtyard, she watched him joke and laugh with the young guard to keep up his spirits. It warmed her heart to see him smile and not have the tortured look on his face whenever he thought about the past.
Staying in Arendelle had brought a happier smile on his face and she couldn't bare for that to stop so she said nothing. There was however, one thing that she really wanted to know, she had asked him about it once before but he never answered her. While she was grateful for him saving her she still wanted to know why.
The amount of effort he went through for her rivaled her sister's when she went up to her ice palace. There was also the look on his face when he saved her from those men who were about to rape her, the utter look of rage that she had never seen on another human being's face before. Then when they were in the cave she could see his tense muscles as when he asked her if they had raped her, when she told me they didn't she could tell he wanted to walk out the cave and go back to the bandit hideout to finish what he started. His usually calm and composed persona utterly shattered during her kidnapping and she wanted to know why.
A little voice in the back of her mind, made her stomach do flips when it gave her a reason why.
He honestly and truly cares about you.
The Queen had to force herself to clear her mind and put Edward out of her head for a moment. She was not going to indulge that line of thought with her council in the same room as her. For now she needed to be the Queen of Arendelle, not Elsa the woman who still had lingering feelings of loneliness.
"No to be quite honest, I've been to occupied to consider choosing one."
Perhaps it was the wrong answer but it was an honest one. The Duke frowned before clearing his throat.
"While it is true important preparations for the Winter Solstice Gathering has been piling up, choosing a personal guard is also important due to the security risk as well as the image it will portray to our allies. Some of them have noticed you stand alone on the throne, while it shows strength and independence, it also could be taken that you'd rather rule alone and that no one can approach you. Having a personal guard or a King would show stronger front, and that Arendelle would not fall should you fall."
Elsa was inclined to agree to a point, most of her allies had noticed her being on her own and made few comments about it. Some ranged from her being ripe for the picking for their Princes or that she was so arrogant that nothing could touch her thanks to her ice abilities. It wasn't that she meant anything by it but when it came to politics the smallest details sounded louder than a cannon.
"I understand your concern and will take time to handle the situation."
Marquis Schneizel chose that time to speak after being silent for so long. "Why not let the council handle the selection? If you are too busy your Majesty we can just as easily pick up some of the slack."
Elsa looked at the man and could admit it made sense but she still wasn't sure how she should feel about the council picking someone to stay with her at all times. Elsa wanted to say no but the Queen of Arendelle indulged the man.
"How do you suppose to go about picking my champion?"
"A tournament with the position as the prize. The guards have always had small skirmishes here and there but with a tournament we can get them to let out their frustration as well as find the most skilled out of all of them." Again, Elsa didn't like the idea of violence being waged over her but the Queen could see merit in the idea. She had already shown interest in their idea and couldn't help but feel it be disrespectful if she turned around and denied their request.
"That sounds like a fine idea, however we have to take precautions so one will be hurt in this tournament."
The older man nodded and the meeting quickly came to a close. With her council all leaving the room, Elsa was finally about to groan and put her hands over her face as she rubbed her temples. The workload the last few days had really drained her and made her wish she could rest for the day but she gathered her documents and made her way to her study. She still needed to meet with Kristoff and discuss whatever important thing he needed to talk about. She made her way to her study and with a winter wind she opened her door to see Kristoff sitting stiffly in a chair waiting for her, what she didn't expect was Edward leaning against her desk with his arms crossed.
The mountain man had arrived soon after Edward returned from the village. He had spent the last few hours going all throughout Arendelle setting up his surprise when he got back to the castle. While he and the ice harvester waited for Elsa, Edward spent the entire time going over what Kristoff would say to the Snow Queen. At first it was positively painful to get the words in order but after a few attempts the mountain man could at least stutter out the words to the young man.
When the door opened, and the two men turned to look at a very exhausted looking Elsa, they both cringed. Edward wanted to ask if she was ok but knew full well that was an irrelevant question since she'd likely just wave off their concern. Kristoff on the other hand couldn't stop himself from asking.
"Elsa are you ok?"
The platinum blonde walked around her desk dropped the stack of documents and regally sat in her chair with her hands folded in her lap with a patient smile on her face. "I'm fine thank you for asking. So what was it you wanted to discuss?"
Edward had to stop himself from clapping, if he hadn't seen her exhausted form a moment ago, he wouldn't have guess she was tired. Her appearance gave it away but the way she transformed to a regal and perfect Queen was quite impressive. Kristoff must've felt the same but chose to say nothing and get to the reason why he was here.
It was at this moment that he began to sweat, his eyes started to dart around the room to avoid meeting Elsa's. He also started to wring his hands before he spoke.
"W-well I-I'd like to t-t-thank you for a-all you've done f-for me…" The usually confident mountain man stuttering like a timid child made the blonde raise an eyebrow as she watched Edward put his face in his hand. Before the ice harvester could continue, the young man behind him slapped the back of his head making his mind clear and blurt out what he wanted to ask.
"IwantyourpermissiontomarryAnna!"
Edward could make out the words since he knew ahead of time but Elsa didn't seem able to understand and asked he repeat that but at a slower pace. Kristoff rubbed the back of his head where his friend slapped him before he spoke again and to his surprise he didn't stutter this time.
"I want your permission to marry Anna."
That time Elsa heard him and she couldn't stop her eyes widening and her mouth going slack. Most would wait for the person they were asking for a blessing to get over their shock but the mountain man remembered Edward he needed be confident if he wanted to convey how serious he was about marrying Anna.
"I love her, she has shown me many things and brought warm light to my world whenever she flashed her beautiful smile. We've only known each other for a year but I can confidently say there's nowhere I'd rather be then have her at my side. She's headstrong, reckless, stubborn, and gets way in over her head but she's sweet, loving, cheerful, supporting and the warmest person I know. I know that there are many other men who could offer so much more than I can but I promise you that I will love and protect her to my dying breath. So please, I humbly beg that you give me your blessing."
That made Edward clap a little, Kristoff was shaky at first but he managed to finish strong. That was one of the most heartfelt confessions the young man had heard in a while. Elsa's shock was still on her face before it melded into one of the most beautiful smiles Edward had ever seen. He watched her get out from behind her desk before walking around it and taking Kristoff's hands in hers. A few tears began to slip out of her eyes.
"Yes, of course a dozen times yes. I can see that you care for my sister and after all you've done for her, I know you wouldn't go back on your words. I don't care if other men could offer her all the riches in the world, I'm only interested in someone who loves her for her and nothing else."
Kristoff let out a breath he was unknowingly holding when Elsa gave him a tight hug. It was odd for the woman to engage in such things but he couldn't help but smile as he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back trying to convey the happiness that radiated from him. Edward stood off to the side with a smile on his face as he watched Kristoff show Elsa the ring and explained that the emerald stone was a protection crystal. The mountain man confessed he didn't know how it worked but the platinum blonde didn't care, the thought was more than enough.
When she asked when he planned on proposing, he surprised her saying he planned on doing it tomorrow. He wanted to set up something up for the redhead and he didn't want any help dong it so Elsa accepted that and watched him leave to prepare for his proposal. When the door closed the blonde noticed that Edward hadn't moved from his space close to the fireplace. She faced him with a small smile and her hands folded, this was a chance for her to ask him why he did what he did but he spoke first.
"Gotta love the big lug huh? You should've seen him an hour ago, he couldn't get one word out of his mouth. If I hadn't given his brain a little nudge then we'd be sitting here all night as stuttered that confession to you." Elsa couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped her lips. Truly when she watched him slap Kristoff on the back of his head, she laughed really hard on the inside but forced herself to remain in her Queen mode thinking the mountain man was asking something from her and not Elsa.
"Yes it seems that your quick thinking saved us a great deal of time."
"Time we can now spend more productively." As he finished speaking, Edward walked over to the side of her desk and pulled out a pink decorated little box. She recognized it as her secret stash of milk chocolate treats she had hidden for long days of work, like today.
"Such a wonderful box of delights you have hidden here…" Elsa could use some right now and was about to ask he relinquish her treats so she could eat them and get back to work but he opened the box and to her horror they were all gone. She knew that she had at least half a box of them yesterday and she hadn't touched them today.
"…only for none to be found." Edward knew he was playing a dangerous game, the subtle drop in temperature that enveloped the room gave away that Elsa was not amused. Luckily for him, he was already conditioned for the cold not to mention his body generated so much body heat due to his increase of blood flow when it was necessary. He stared down Elsa's cold stare as she ground out the next few words in barely concealed frustration.
"Where. Are. The. Rest?"
Edward pretended to think about the question for a moment as he waited for the room to get colder and colder. He knew Elsa wouldn't threaten him with her magic but the pent up fatigue and frustration made her let her control slip a bit. Before long, he looked over to her desk and noticed the documents were one big block of ice.
"Ahh the rest, oh you see, I ate them." That simple sentence made Elsa halt the slight cold wind in the room as she looked at him with a dumbstruck expression. He could feel some small pings of anger begin to surface but he had cut her off before she could say anything else.
"Yes I did freeze them and fell terrible for doing so and would like to purchase more to repay you but I haven't the faintest idea where I would get them. If it wouldn't be too much to ask, could you please escort me to where you acquire them from?" Elsa couldn't believe what he had said with a smile on his face. Her she was working her butt off and he comes and eats her entire stash of chocolate that helps her get through the day and then he tells her she needs to go with him and to replace her lost stock when she had work to do?
Elsa narrowed her eyes and walked back to her desk with an annoyed expression. "I do not have the time to escort you, you will have to ask one of the castle staff to help you, I have more work to attend to."
"Oh you mean the paperwork that isn't relevant until after the Winter Solstice Gathering? I think you'll find it difficult to get anything done, especially after you just froze your entire desk and everything on it." Elsa looked confused for a moment before realizing that all the documents she had were all frozen together, the ink she had set to the side was also frozen solid as well as all her desk drawers. She hadn't even noticed the winter winds in her study as she focused on Edward who didn't seem to be bothered by it as he kept that annoying but cute smirk on his face.
Before Elsa could focus on thawing out her space, Edward interrupted her concentration. "Did you know that an Elemental's magic is tied to their mental state as well as their emotional state? If one goes without proper rest for an extended period of time focusing their magic becomes very difficult. Which leads me to my next point, you've been running yourself ragged and need to rest."
Elsa's automatic denial was on the tip on her tongue but died when she found her eyes locked on Edward's stern expression. The playful manner he had a moment ago was gone, and it was at that moment she admitted to herself she was exhausted. She longed for rest but felt the kingdom would burn if she didn't watch every moment of everyday.
"Arendelle needs me to continue working…"
She said it in a feeble voice as she leaned back against her chair the exhaustion showing on her face from days of going full throttle. Edward walked to her side and leaned against the desk with his arm crossed, looking down at her like a patient parent waiting for their children to admit they were wrong. She looked up and could ell he wasn't going to say anything until she herself said the words out loud. She wanted to deny him saying she was fine but his soul deep blue eyes had her whispering.
"I need to rest…"
Edward nodded his head and pulled out her chair ready to lead her back to room to sleep when a knock sounded on the door to the study. Elsa was about to answer but Edward had put a finger to his lips to signal her to be quiet. He had her crouch behind the desk to hide herself as he opened the door to find Earl Edward standing outside.
"Where is the Queen?"
Edward already didn't like the way the Earl talked, it was like he thought himself so superior to the young man and wasn't afraid to show it. Fighting to keep his expression neutral, Edward answered with an even tone.
"I believe she went to her chambers to rest, as you've seen lately she needs to rest."
The Earl scoffed as he shook his head. "Nonsense there are many things that need to be discussed, she doesn't have time to rest." The older man made to move toward her Elsa's chambers when Edward's hand hastily shot out and grabbed his expensive coat arm. The Earl whirled around with an incredulous expression on his face as he couldn't believe this commoner had the audacity to grab him.
"I suggest you let go of me boy."
Edward for once began to regret picking his fake name if it meant sharing it with this asshole. However he let go of the man before executing a bow and apologized.
"I apologize my lord, but I must impress the importance that the Queen rests. If I may ask what is so important that can't be discussed tomorrow" The Earl lightly chuckled at the young man's yield to his authority and decided he could throw this lowly dog a bone
"It has come to the council's attention that the Queen has received multiple courtship offers and she hasn't responded to a single one. This is unacceptable, she needs to be advise on how beneficial a political marriage could be for Arendelle." Edward fought hard to stop himself from scowling in front of the man's face as he tried thinking of an appropriate response.
Elsa could sleep a few hours instead of having to defend her choice on the matters of her marital status. She wasn't a little girl, she was the Queen and she was well in her right to tell them to fuck off and let her sleep. It was clear due to his mood that he wouldn't be able to offer an appropriate response so he just bowed his head and watch the Earl walk toward Elsa's chambers. Closing the door behind him, Edward turned to see Elsa get out from under her desk with a sad smile.
"A Queen's work is never done…"
He watched her approach the door and was probably going to talk to the Earl but Edward blocked her way out. "No, that can wait tomorrow. You're off for the rest of the day and that's final." In the back of his head he wonder what made him basically give a Queen an order and fully expected her to knock him down a peg for doing so but to his relief she only laughed.
"That's easier said than done, if I try to sleep in my room people will come to it looking for me. They will also tear the castle apart looking for me if they can't find me. What do you suppose I do if you're so insistent that I rest?"
To her surprise, Edward had a wide smile on is face. "I already have a plan for that."
Edward had Elsa hide in her study as he left for about ten minutes before returning with Gerda in tow. The older woman had already been brought into the young man's plan and helped set it up. The two of them knew that most would freak out if they couldn't find her which is why Gerda had the staff begin spreading rumors throughout the day that Elsa had fallen ill and had taken refuge in her room. People would still inquire as to her condition so Edward planned to have Gerda standby in Elsa's room to kick anyone out who wanted to see her. The noise would of course wake up the sleeping blonde so Edward asked if Elsa could make a life sized sculpture of herself to plant in her bed while she slept somewhere else. The platinum beauty was amused by the request and did her best to make a life sized replica of herself with the diminished amount of control she had over her magic.
Edward managed to sneak the ice replica into her room and had Gerda stand guard now they just needed to find a place for Elsa to sleep. The young man was about to suggest some abandoned part of the castle but the blonde had crossed her arms and refused to remove from her spot in her study. Confusion laced the young man's expression as he was about to ask if she wanted to sleep in here but stopped when the woman grabbed her empty chocolate box and waved it back and forward.
"You still owe me a box of milk chocolate."
Edward turned to her with an unbelieving expression, he used the chocolate stash to get a rise out of her to freeze her paperwork. "I'll get you some later but for now we need to find you somewhere to sleep."
It was Elsa's turn to smirk, as she slowly walked up to him until she was a foot away from him and poked him in the chest with the box. "I want them now. Either you get them or I'll find Earl Edward and tell him that the rumor was exaggerated." The young man's mouth dropped as he realized that she was blackmailing him using his own plan against him. He now slightly regretted messing with her chocolate stash as he sighed.
"Alright wait here and I'll be back with a box." Before he could leave, Elsa stopped him by grabbing his sleeve and looking at him with an amused expression.
"I do believe I remember you saying you don't know where I get these from so I needed to escort you. Well now that I have time, I can spend it productively." Elsa let him go and walked over toward the window of her study causing to look after her.
"I was kidding and the point of this is to get you rest not sneak you out of the castle for some chocolate." Elsa laughed her melodious laughter before getting to the window and pulling on a torch holder next to it. Edward could hear gears turning in the wall as one of the bookshelves slid aside revealing a hidden passageway.
"Oh my dear Edward I'll always have enough energy to go grab chocolate." From the inside of the passageway there was a violet cloak that Elsa donned and it completely hid her form, making the young man think this wasn't the first time the woman had snuck out. She looked back with her mischievous smile that sent a shudder throughout his whole body before gesturing to the passageway.
"Coming?"
The sky began to darken as the two emerged from behind an alleyway of an abandoned building. The passageway went underground under the water until it came out in the shopping district of Arendelle. Elsa led the way as the two went through Arendelle weaving in and out of the crowds. Elsa kept her head down to avoid others from seeing her while Edward kept his head on a swivel spotting guards and walking into their line of sight to shield the blonde from view.
Before long, they arrived at a small bakery, the owner was a young woman who had a penchant for chocolate treats that made the royal sisters her most frequent customers. Edward held the door open for Elsa as he walked in behind her. The owner hadn't noticed the blonde's cloaked form but had definitely noticed Edward and couldn't help but trace her eyes over the muscles on his forearms his rolled up sleeves left exposed.
Edward had scanned the bakery as he walked in and was glad to see it was empty save the young woman who was behind the counter. Elsa obviously had the run of the place as she darted off to one of the shelves that had rows of pink boxes. The young man not wanting the owner to pay too much attention to the blonde approached her and leaned on the counter to speak with her. She was pretty that was the first thing that came to mind, her black hair was tied in a tight bun to keep from getting in her way. Her green eyes stared back at him with fascination while her rosy red lips smiled at him.
"Hello sir is there anything I can do for you?" The way she said it as well as the way her eyes lingered on his form made the young man raise an eyebrow. If he didn't know better, he would think she was flirting with him but shook his head dispelling the thought.
"I'm just here to pick up some chocolate, nothing special."
The woman smiled before gesturing to the shelves in the store. "Well I have a large selection to choose from however…" it was at that moment the woman placed a silk hand on his forearm and dragged it along tracing his muscles.
"…there are other treats that are available."
Now he knew she was flirting with him. While yes as he admitted earlier she was pretty and surely had men tripping themselves to get her attention, he didn't feel any desire to indulge in what she had planned. Still her attention was totally on him and not on Elsa so he supposed he could play along for the time being.
"Other treats huh, I'm pretty much sold on chocolate, milk chocolate to be specific, I'm not sure if these other treats would be as tasty."
She laughed before leaning closer so she could whisper in his ear. "I'm quite sure that I can have you sold on this tasty treat." Before Edward could respond a cold wind blew through the bakery and hit the two o them directly. The woman instantly shivered as she looked behind the young man to see the door to the shop was wide open. She went to close it to keep the cold air out while Edward took a chance to look around for Elsa.
To his dismay, she was gone.
Shit!
He didn't feel any large amount of anger so that ruled out someone forcibly taking her again. As he came to enjoy staying in Arendelle, he learned to ignore small undercurrents of wrath here and there, keeping track of them all drove him insane. It wasn't until he saw the ice encased box of chocolate that he groaned in his head.
The owner shut the door and turned back toward him with a smile. "That was odd, oh well now we can get back to our earlier conversation. The bakery's about to close but you can stay to sample those treats we were discussing. "
Edward didn't have time, he hastily grabbed one of the milk chocolate boxes and put more than enough money on the counter before running past her without saying a word. He stopped outside looking for the violet cloak, when he at first couldn't visually pick out the clothing. He decided to open his senses of every single source of anger around him. It took a moment to sift through them but he finally latched onto one that had the bitter feeling of someone who was hurt and upset.
I can't believe he would do that with me standing right there…
I thought after what he went through that maybe…
Edward cursed, he probably should've explained himself before doing what he did. He would apologize as soon as he caught up to the blonde that was moving away at a very fast pace but now that he locked onto her, there was no way he was losing her. Surprisingly she didn't run back toward the castle, instead she was heading toward the large clock tower he's seen a couple of times. With a destination in mind, the young man took off with purpose.
Elsa had quickly went through the doors of the clock tower before closing them behind her. She then went on to climbing the large stairs that led to the very top. Unknown to most, the clock tower was her favorite place to be while she was in Arendelle, it was high above everything else and gave her an amazing view of Arendelle. Also people rarely came up here so she could have a place to herself. She could freely use her magic up here and think through her problems or whatever weighed on her mind.
What weighed on her mind this very moment didn't have anything to do with Arendelle or her duties. What really bothered her now was seeing Edward flirt with someone he just met right in front of her.
Rationally, she knew that there was no reason she should be upset. Edward was a very attractive male, most women would swoon to be caught up in his strong embrace. She herself had felt a warmth in them that she never felt before when he held her in that embrace. Elsa couldn't exactly blame the owner of the bakery for noticing and desiring the young man.
What upset her was that he seemed to respond to her advances.
When Edward had wanted her to take the rest of the day off, part of her wanted to spend it sleeping while another part of her wanted to spend it with him. She couldn't deny that she was drawn to him, the way he would be humorous around others to keep the mood light but knew when to be serious showed he was very insightful. She also couldn't help but enjoy discussing philosophies as well as trivial things with him. She could easily share her thoughts and he wouldn't judge her for any of them. Elsa also appreciated how much he trusted her to confide into her everything in his past, it was intimate knowledge that exposed how tortured he was but was willing to share it with her.
She thought that perhaps they've grown quite close together. She didn't know when but there were times she'd have certain feelings when she thought of the young man. Elsa at first thought it had something to do with the damsel effect of when someone would fall for their rescuer but she realized even before then her thoughts still went out to him.
She remembered one time Anna asked her about how she felt about the young man when they had a sleepover. Of course she tried saying that she valued him as a friend but the redhead didn't accept that and dug deeper and deeper until Elsa admitted that she enjoyed spending time with him. She also admitted she found herself thinking about him whenever she was alone with her thoughts. Her sister seemed ecstatic to hear that the blonde had an interest in a man and encouraged her to spend more time with him. Elsa of course denied the suggestion saying she was far to busy to do so and it wasn't like she was actually attracted to him.
But deep down she could admit to herself that she was.
And she thought that maybe he felt the same. His desire to protect her was genuine, enough for him to tap into Wrath for a short time to ensure her safety. There was also the time they spent in the cave, they were so close that night and she felt safe and warm when he wrapped his arm around her and allowed her to cry into him.
These feelings she had made it harder for her to see him want to leave Arendelle and she couldn't stop herself from convincing him to stay. The fact he stayed twice because of her must've meant something, right?
But if he was willing to just mess with some random woman he barely met than the blonde guessed she was wrong. She had quickly froze the box of chocolates an took off not giving him a chance to say anything. Elsa knew that she should've returned to the castle but when the hurt filled adrenaline wore of and she was already nearing the top of the clock tower, she supposed she could wait for a while and set her thought out before going back.
She had reached the door that led to the balcony on the outside of the clock tower and knew it must've been dark outside by now. She would just stay out for a few minutes catch her breath and go back to the castle. As she opened the door, the first thing she noticed was that one of the wooden dolls that stood on top of the balcony was holding a pink box of milk chocolates. Why this was up here baffled the blonde but it was when she heard her name being called like it was a precious treasure by the very man she was thinking about.
Walking out to from behind the clock she saw Edward was leaning against the other doll with his arms crossed. His face wasn't irritated in the slightest that she ran off, instead a guilty expression that pulled on the platinum beauty's heartstrings was on his face. She at first wondered how he could've possibly known where she was but another thought popped into her head, how had he managed to get to the balcony before she could?
The logical part of her mind wanted those answers but the emotional part of her wanted just one question answered.
Why had he come after her?
"Elsa…" The way he said her name like a caress set her off. Her face morphed into that of the ever regal Snow Queen before she spoke in a detached tone.
"I see you didn't need an escort so I thought I should leave you to the very important matters that you needed to attend to." Edward could feel the waves of anger coming off her but to her credit it didn't show on her face or voice. He knew he really stepped into it if she was defaulting to her Queen persona instead of just being Elsa when it was just the two of them on top of a clock tower.
"Elsa, that wasn't what you thought it was. I didn't want her to notice you and alert anyone that you were in the village and not in the castle so I went to talk with her to keep her attention away from you."
"What do you mean by 'what I think' its none of my business who you choose to spend your time with. As for your need to always protect me whether it be from physical threats as well as just gaining attention, I can assure you my guards are adequate and your services are not required. In fact, you've been intending to leave but had always been forced to stay. I would like to thank you for all you've done for Arendelle and offer you the option to leave."
Hearing her saying he could just leave put a frown on the young man's face. He wasn't being forced to stay, he could leave whenever he pleased but for some reason he chose not to. He thought that perhaps he didn't leave Arendelle because it was one of the one places he felt at peace just being there. Another part of him thought he didn't leave because of the woman in front of him. He admitted that the blonde meant something to him, both to Anna and to himself. Most things came second when compared to her and he honestly didn't know why.
Even the bakery owner couldn't hold a candle to the blonde and she was probably the reason he had no desire to entertain her.
Elsa meant something to him and hearing her trying to dismiss him like this honestly upset him more than it should.
"First of all, I'm not being forced to stay here, I chose to stay here. Second, why did you feel the need to leave the bakery without a word? You could've ran into some trouble and I might've not been there to save you."
Edward caught another wave of anger before the blonde marched up to him and let her Queen persona crumble under her angry expression. "I am not a little girl! I can take care of myself just fine, I don't need some big strong man to come to my rescue on a whim!"
The young man matched her anger with his own and for once Elsa could see the fire behind his blue eyes and not his red ones. "On a whim? You think I drag myself after you on a whim?! Whim doesn't even begin to describe why I came after you, why I went after you alone when I thought you might be in trouble, why I climbed this damn clock tower with a box of chocolates in my hand when I realized you left that bakery without saying anything!"
They were both yelling at each other now, thankfully the height they were at made their voices die as the wind blew but to them, they were the deafening to one another.
"Then why, tell me why you did all of this then?!"
"Because I care about you!"
"If you care about me so much then why do you want to leave me?!"
Edward had his answer on the tip of his tongue and was about to yell it but couldn't bring himself to when he saw the hurt expression on her face. It just now seemed to dawn on him the emotional weight on the words she just said. She took him leaving him Arendelle as him leaving her. He knew that he had become very close to the blonde, too close for what he thought was safe but he couldn't bring himself to regret doing so.
At first leaving was all he focused on but slowly his thoughts shifted to her instead and ideas on how he could control Wrath so he wouldn't have to leave. Being around her was a gift on its own, one he enjoyed because with her he felt free of all the terrible things in his life and could enjoy what it felt like to be human again. However Wrath still plagued his mind, after his defeat to the demon it took a few days before he had access to his abilities again. The demon was silent, it didn't take any opportunities to torment the young man, it almost felt like Wrath was becoming docile versus its explosive anger it exhibited the last time they faced one another.
Edward suspected it had something to do with the blonde whenever she was around, Wrath was compliant. He didn't know why but with him not having to keep an eye on the demon, he could enjoy the little things throughout his day. The blunt yet humorous cracks the Captain would make from it being so early in the morning, Kristoff's jolly attitude when he picked ice, his batch of guards joking and fighting each other to prove who was better, Anna's bubbly optimist outlook on everything…
The simple smile on Elsa's face that was the most beautiful thing he has ever seen.
It was nice, he actually could slowly enjoy his life again. Before all he had was a purpose to destroy the monster that killed his mother but now he could do anything he wanted when he wanted and he found he enjoyed living in Arendelle.
Edward sighed and the anger in his chest deflated as he placed his back on the clock and slid down it until he was sitting down. He didn't have to see her face to know that hers had soften since he backed down first but it still maintained a pained expression after saying what was on her mind.
"I don't want to but you know why I have to…"
Even he had to admit that his voice was pitiful and his reason was starting to become repetitive but it was all he had. Elsa knew why, he was deathly afraid of losing himself to Wrath, just like how she used to be. No matter how much she assured him she knew that the only way for him to overcome his fear was for him to accept it as a part of him. It was ultimately up to him to do so and as much as she wanted to she couldn't help him if he wasn't willing to let her. The blonde chose at this time to take a seat next to him and scoot close enough for their arms to brush as she tried to convey her words' sincerity.
"Edward I've met Wrath twice, both times nothing happened to me, you can even use some of his power when you want to. If you can do that then there's no doubt in my head you can learn control."
"The first time was luck that I was able to aim it at the bandits, the second time it couldn't get through the barrier and would've killed me if Grand Pabbie didn't intervene."
"Grand Pabbie himself said there's a way to control Wrath, you can keep visiting him until you do and wont have to be afraid of hurting anyone else again."
"That's the thing Elsa, I can never stop worrying about Wrath taking me over. Father still has a hold on this body, if he orders it, I get a front seat to watch my body kill innocent people again. That's what I'm afraid of, just knowing he's out there scares me. Especially after what Grand Pabbie told us, an Ice Elemental froze his heart and stopped him the first time. Imagine what he'll do if he finds out that I'm close to you. He made me kill three hundred families just to enrage his enemies, I don't want to even think of what he could have me do to you. Elsa you're a threat to him and somehow by the grace of God he hasn't made a move on you yet, the last thing I want is for him to use me against you."
Elsa should've felt happy to know he cared for her safety to strongly but in her heart she couldn't help but feel it begin to crumble. She didn't mean to but she whispered the words that were in hurting her heart and hoped he wouldn't hear.
"So you only care about my safety because my magic could stand against this Father person?"
Of course he heard her and he couldn't stop himself from reaching out and wrapping an arm around her shoulders to bring her closer. He fixed her with an intense stare as he chose his next words very carefully.
"Elsa, I care about you because you mean something to me. I honestly don't know what, but I do know when I'm around you I can finally feel human. You're more than your magic or your status as Queen, I would've done what I did if you had neither because I can't stand the idea of you being hurt. You've given me the strength to face my oldest friend and consoled me when I relived the pain of what I've done after confiding into you what I did. I could see the horror on Anna's and Kristoff's faces but you accepted what I did right away and didn't judge me for it. You've helped me remember how bright life can be when my life has been covered in anger and pain, that's why I care about you and will continue to do so even if I do lose my body to Wrath."
The blonde felt her heart swell at his words and couldn't help but scoot even closer to him. The warmth he radiated penetrated her cool skin and set her body ablaze. Looking up at him as he looked out to Arendelle, she leaned up and pecked him on the cheek which caused him to look back at her. It was then that timed seemed to stop, she had only meant to thank him for his words but her all her thoughts evaporated as she stared into his eyes. Their faces were close to one another and neither of them said a thing. The intense look he sent her way called to her and she answered the call by closing the last couple of inches between them and planted her lips against his.
It was timid and short but to them it felt like an eternity, Edward couldn't help but wrap his other arm around her pulling her closer and onto his lap and she couldn't help but put her hand on his chest feeling his strong heartbeat and leaned into him more deepening the kiss. His fingers traveled down her slim back drinking the sweet sounds she made from his touch. After a moment they separated, Edward's arm still kept her close and for a moment just for a moment everything felt perfect having her in his arms and she staring him with as much emotion as he did back to her.
Unfortunately it was only for a moment.
The clock behind them loudly chimed signaling it was getting close to midnight. The young man had completely missed his training sessions he planned on attending after he set Elsa to bed. That made him think of why he was training them in the first place, to better protect Elsa and be able to replace him so he could leave and ensure Wrath didn't hurt anyone.
Instead of focusing on that, here he was on a clock tower, with the Queen of Arendelle in his arms and kissing her. The logical part of his mind was overloaded with the many contradictions his actions had created but one had stood out among the rest. If he continued getting closer to Elsa, Father would have the perfect tool to dispose of her and it would be all his fault. The war in his mind must've shown on his face because Elsa's turned into one of concern.
"What's wrong?"
The earnest tone she took made him want to tear out his stone right then and there and kiss her senseless as his body dissolved into dust and keep doing it until he died. He couldn't do this, he wanted to, God knew he wanted to. Hell Wrath probably knew to because he could feel the demon becoming flustered in his body, sick as it made him feel, the demon enjoyed the kiss as well. The next words he spoke brought about a new sort of pain that never in his life had he felt.
"I don't want to hurt you…I can't trust myself not to hurt you…Elsa I can't, we can't…"
He couldn't finish the sentence but he didn't have to, she understood what he meant. Slowly and excruciatingly painful she left his arms and rose to her feet with him rising with her. They kept their distance from one another as neither said anything and made their way down the clock tower. Barely anyone was out so her cloak was hardly needed but she kept it on regardless. Edward walked a step behind her with the box of chocolates in his hand, dying was less painful than what he felt right now.
He kept trying to tell himself it was necessary but it sounded hollow in his head. The two of them had just walked past the Lumberjack's Heart as Elsa stopped and put on a fake smile on her face before turning to face him.
"I appreciate you trying to look out for me today and I'm sorry you missed your instruction with the Captain. I can make my way back to the castle on my own, you should get some rest." She held out a hand for the box of chocolates but Edward kept it close to his chest.
"I'm not leaving you until I know you're safe in bed."
Elsa appreciated the gesture but didn't know what to say, she wanted to be closer to the young man but at the same time she wanted to run far away from him. She knew she meant a lot to him but his fear if hurting her made him push her away to protect her. She used to think it was more painful to be the one pushing away someone they cared about to protect them but she was wrong, it was much more painful to be the one pushed away.
"I'll be fine."
He didn't budge as he still looked at her with the same intense expression that made butterflies flutter in her stomach. She dropped her hand before putting on a sad smile and conceded that he wasn't leaving her.
"Then what do you suggest, you don't know the way back out using the secret passageway from my study?"
"I'll just walk out the front door."
"The guards will find that suspicious if you left the castle at such a late hour."
Edward shrugged not caring in he slightest what they could possibly think, he wasn't leaving the blonde's side.
"Edward please, there's no point in you walking past your bed to walk me back and returning to it when you know you have to wake up earlier than me tomorrow."
Edward still wouldn't budge as he threw his arms up and just spouted the first thing that came to mind. "The only way I'm going in my room right now is if you come with me and sleep in my bed."
The blonde's eyes widened and a rosy red blush covered her pale cheeks. The young man didn't realize what he said until he thought about it for a moment and when it clicked, he became flustered and tried to backtrack.
"W-what I mean was, it really late and you need your sleep so you can take my bed and I can sleep on the floor or something and we can sneak you in tomorrow morning." He didn't know what he was thinking suggesting that, the thought of offering his bed never crossed his mind, it just came out. He wished he could take it back especially after what happened at the clock tower but he was shocked to hear the woman's answer.
"I wouldn't want to put you out…"
It wasn't what she said that shocked him, it was what he said in response to it when he heard it that shocked him.
"It's no problem at all, I would rather you be in my sight anyway."
Where the hell did that come from?!
It was too late to take back what he said as she shyly nodded her head and he lead her inside the inn. No one paid them much attention and in no time they were back in his room. He held out a hand to relieve her of her cloak which she accepted and watched him put it on a coat hanger near the door. She looked around the room remembering being in it before to see nothing had really changed. It was still sparse and ready to be moved out of in a moment's notice. The thought sadden her a bit but she pushed the thought out of her head.
"You take the bed." Edward was already sitting in a new chair he had likely bought after breaking the old one. The blonde looked at the simple wooden chair and wondered if he really planned on sleeping in that chair all night. She hesitated but thawed her ice heels and slid under the covers and settled in while the young man sat next to her and closed his eyes.
Some time passed as she laid there in his bed, she could smell the scent of metal and leather, probably from him handling weapons all day and messing with the leather training uniforms that prevented injuries when they sparred with blunted weapons. She enjoyed smelling it and being enveloped in something that belonged to him but oddly for once she felt cold.
She never felt cold before, but today she finally experienced what is what like to feel it. The thing was she didn't feel it from the outside, she felt it from the inside. Elsa squirmed and shifted under the comforter trying to get warm but for she couldn't. She then decided to just deal with it and attempted to fall asleep but try as she might it evaded her. She wondered if Edward was also having difficulties sleeping in such an uncomfortable position so she turned over to see if he had fallen asleep but to her surprise he was wide awake with his eyes watching her.
Edward knew he wouldn't be able to sleep, too many thoughts ran rampant in his mind and he couldn't make sense of them no matter how hard he tried. Finally deciding to give up on sleep, he couldn't help but look over to the blonde's still form, he listened to her breathing and could tell she hadn't fallen asleep either but said nothing as he watched her squirm in the covers. He wondered why she would need to since she shouldn't be cold due to her being an Elemental but he still chose to say nothing. It wasn't until she turned back over and met his eyes did he finally speak.
"Having trouble sleeping?"
She looked sheepish as she nodded.
"is there anything I can get you, I'm sure the bartender downstairs has some tea that could help?"
"No I'm fine, please just stay."
He couldn't help but tense up at her word choice. He knew she meant in the room but part of him felt that she meant stay with her. It hurt every time he was reminded that he needed to leave before he got too attached. This distress on his face made her sit up in the bed and put a soft hand on his shoulder.
"What's wrong."
"Nothing," The flat tone made her drop her arm and he instantly felt the loss of warmth her single touch gave him. She was only trying to help and didn't deserve such a tone. Before she could turn her back on him he placed a hand on hers making her look back at him.
"I'm sorry, its nothing important, just…my mind is jumbled right now and is preventing me from falling asleep."
"What's on your mind?"
You.
"Nothing important, I'll be fine you can go to sleep."
He let go of her hand and expected her to slide under the covers but instead she grabbed his sleeve making him look back at her nervous expression. She seemed to be debating on what to say but finally she opened her mouth and spoke.
"…could you sleep with me?"
The request caught him off guard and he knew that he wanted to but he had to remind himself that he needed to distance himself from her. "Elsa you know I can't…"
"I know, but just for tonight…"
It was a bittersweet request, one that he really thought about. He wanted to, more than anything he wanted to, if he could gain complete control of Wrath forever or lay in her arms he'd choose the latter. He was afraid to because he didn't know if he'd be able to pry himself from her when the morning came but the hopeful look on her face had him slipping under the covers with her. He laid on his back with an arm around her and her head against his chest and he stared at the ceiling.
He could feel her silk like skin under his fingers and he longed to explore but he kept them where they were. Part of him supposed he should be hot with him wearing his clothes under a thick blanket but the cold that radiated from the blonde kept him comfortable. The opposite could be said about Elsa, she was warm in his embrace and felt at peace being in it. She could feel his impressive chest under her and could easily imagine how it looked when she saw his forearms being covered in muscle.
She didn't want this to end but knew it would, he was far too cautious to allow himself to succumb to the feelings she now knew he possessed for her. At the same time she was a Queen, she accepted long ago that she would likely marry for Arendelle's gain and she was sure there would be suitors at the Winter Solstice Gathering. Falling in love with an unknown man who carried a demon ready to kill anything in his way was something she shouldn't do as Queen.
But for tonight, she was just Elsa, and Elsa could freely admit that her favorite place to be as of now was in Edward's arms.
Sup guys, new chapter so soon right, well my schedule got whacked and I spent all day in my cot doing nothing so I decided to write another chapter. I really hope ya'll enjoyed this one and I would like ya'll to offer opinions on the pace this romance has taken, I personally feel it's a little rushed but that's why I played up the fact that Ed isn't sure what love is. Please drop a review or pm me, I'm going to attempt to drop another chapter before the weekend but if I can't, I'm definitely have one up on Sunday.