Elsa did not sleep well at all, too much heat, too much pain. If she had to rate it, she'd say last night was the most uncomfortable night of her life. All things considered that made her happy and grateful to be alive in the first place. She did her best to not make a ruckus out of discomfort waking Anna and Ryu, when she shifted carefully to sit up Anna's snores stuttered, she turned over reaching out for something to snuggle against and found Ryu's tail bringing it close to her chest.
Elsa didn't know if she could stand but she'd find out soon enough, her legs shook even with using Ryu's back for support. Icicles hung at the cave's mouth refracting the early sun rays. A part of her contemplated whether waking the girls was a good idea but decided against it. What they had been through yesterday earned them a lifetime amount of sleep.
She had a limp on the left side which kept a dull ache turning sharp whenever she moved wrong. She was still tired but not completely exhausted like yesterday. So much had happened in less than twenty-four hours and thinking about it all gave her a headache. She'd have to put it on a back burner and focus on the current predicament. They'd have to find a way home and during the ordeal survive the Ruskland wilderness.
Retreating into the cave she slid down Ryu's torso and sat back dozing off for a few more hours.
When she woke again the sun was in the middle of the sky. Oh dear, she hadn't meant to sleep for that long. They lost alot of daylight and from the moment they had landed on the coast every second counted.
She contemplated which one would be easier to wake regarding both. Anna or Ryu and couldn't come up with an answer. At least she could move Anna.
"Anna?" Anna whined at having her shoulder shaken. "Anna?" She'd need a different tactic. Hovering her finger above Anna's face she sprinkled small snowflakes onto it which were wiped away.
"I don'wanna go to work t'day." Anna complained. More chilly specs littered onto her cheeks. "I'm already awake, you can stop." She slurred rubbing her eyes, Elsa didn't stop knowing full well that whenever Anna said she was awake she most certainly wasn't.
Turning her over on her back Elsa created a small wet snowball and let it slip from her fingers to plop right on Anna's nose.
She sputtered, yelling and punching wildly, almost striking Elsa in the head. "Gah! Yousonofbitch I'll get you!" She looked around frantic, pacified when she noticed it was just Elsa smiling lovingly with her head tilted. "Sorry I didn't mean to frighten you, but I mean well we both know how hard it is to wake you." Anna sheepishly chuckled at Elsa's explanation and took in the sun's position.
"Jeez sorry I slept in so late, I felt dead to the world." Elsa shook her head placing a hand on the left side of her chest. "Not quite I checked." Anna rubbed her head, her fingers touched her hair jerked away as if she felt vipers instead of tresses, it didn't feel like a bird's nest, in fact it was still in the twin braids from yesterday. "Elsa how's my hair look?" It was such a nonsensical question but she couldn't believe it.
Elsa's eyes raked over her, leaning forward to comb some dirt out. "It looks fine."
"Wait what! So when I sleep in a comfy bed I look like a hurricane but in a dirty cave laying against a dragon's butt I look okay."
Elsa tittered. "Well in a bed you thrash about a lot, I think you may have found one sleeping position that was comfortable and stayed in it."
Anna hummed and then shrugged, it made sense to her. They both leaned back against Ryu who growled, thumping her tail against the dirt.
"So-" Anna started. "How do you suppose we get home?"
"First things first we have to locate fresh water-" Anna's stomach interrupted with a loud gurgle causing her to blush and Elsa to stare fondly at her. "And some food, then we figure out how to pack and preserve it and head back home."
"Good plan! Better get started then before nightfall." She jumped to her feet and resumed the process of waking up Ryu. "Hey! Come on, you lazy reptile, get up, time to get going." She grunted while pushing Ryu from side to side, not gaining much ground. Elsa could tell by the breathing pattern that Ryu had been awake since Anna woke up screaming. Ryu was a very light sleeper contrast to what Elsa's friends believed, she just was also very good at ignoring anything she didn't deem important.
"Ryuuu! Get up!" Anna fruitlessly shoved her shoulders against Ryu's. "Do you have to go through this every morning?" She panted slumping onto her back.
"Mm no, I don't wake her up in the morning." Elsa said, moving to Ryu's snout. Anna watched with inscrutability as she scratched at it tactfully rousing Ryu. Her purple eyes dilated at the sight of Elsa glowing in front of her, she gave one chirp and blew a cloud of smoke into her face purring once Elsa returned the gesture with cold mist.
"Ah!" Anna yelped from sliding onto the floor when Ryu stood up and sat back to scratch herself like a dog ending in cat stretch. Her claws had disturbed the scratches she obtained in battle which Elsa tended to as best she could with the small ice bandages.
"Oh so unfair." She whined following Elsa and Ryu out of the cave.
Ryu yawned, showcasing her fangs to the sun. It always freaked Anna out a small bit with how wide she could unhinge her jaw, how every inch of her mouth seemed filled with lethal knives. Now awake she ran and leapt climbing expertly up a rocky ridge, standing on her hind legs to scan like an owl the lay of the land.
When she climbed down Anna stood in front of her. "You see anything?" Ryu didn't even look at her with a small cheeky lip turn gracing her snout.
"You see anything?" Anna asked again. Ryu nosed her way between the giggling Elsa's legs sliding her down to her shoulders, setting off to walk along the coast.
"Do I make noise when I talk to you?" Anna jogged and jumped at the dragon's rump hoisting herself up behind her sister.
They had walked until noon and until hunger plagued all three of them. Ryu would have flown them and planned to... Eventually, but she was incredibly sore and even keeping her wings tucked along her body sent sharp pangs to her nerves.
Anna did a once over of her team and they weren't looking too good. Time for a spirit rising, moral building speech.
"We can do this guys! We have the smarts to catch food." Anna pointed to her temple. "We have fire!" Her finger cued Ryu to snort out a puff of smoke from her nostrils.
"And we have..." Anna held out an arm to Elsa propped up against a tree, she looked around at all the ice and snow on the ground, her dampened powers did not seem very useful to their goals right now but she appreciated Anna's efforts nonetheless and twirled her fingers producing a small flurry of sparkles.
"An Elsa!" Anna finished grandly.
"Yay." Her voice cracked in cheer.
"We got this!" Anna was sure of it, so to join in the meeting a few howls broke out a few miles away to be answered by Ryu. They got the message which echoed through the distance and went silent. Still growling she curled up around Elsa who let her head fall against her flank with a thud.
Anna clasped her fingers together. "That's a good sign! Where there's wolves there's food. Let's move out of the snow group."
Ryu sniffed at the ground as Anna scouted for food. The woods and coast were teaming with wildlife so they had room to be picky.
"Found something!" Anna called, it looked like a hairy rock and when she poked it her finger sank in. "You're either food or you're gonna be." She whispered during her inspection. An annoyed bellow followed by the raising of a large mass drew her eyes to large tusks decorated by whiskers which had her backing away grinning. "Ah my apologies I thought- well it doesn't matter what I thought, carry on." She took off towards Ryu tripping over her tail rolling into the dirt.
Elsa and Ryu glanced from where she came from seeing the lumpy animal hop into the water. "I'm not hungry enough to eat a walrus Anna." Ryu cocked her head at the creature, she's eaten walrus though she couldn't say it was pleasant, besides she wasn't on the hunt for meat, they had enough ailments as is and adding stomach irritation to Elsa's list didn't seem like a wise decision.
"Better than nothing, what did you two find?" Anna asked, lifting her head from the ground.
"Right now I'm looking for a field or some place damp." Elsa closed her fist into a hole using her hand as a telescope searching the bushes and among the snow for any signs of life. Her circle landed on Anna's eyeball staring into her palm. "Why?" She whispered.
"To find moss." Elsa whispered back. Anna pulled back. "We're going to eat moss?"
Elsa chuckled at the notion. "No silly." Elsa wanted moss? Ryu knew where moss would be. Without warning she swept her tail underneath Anna's legs scooping her up to take off in a sprint across the wet meadow.
"You manhandle me more than my husband!"
Elsa smiled, despite the circumstances it was fun riding Ryu along the beautiful landscape of the summer tundra, she felt like the adventurers who wrote the books she read information from. Yes she missed home, her friends and the rest of her family yet still it was kind of nice being in a new environment. Unlike in the Ruskland city where cobblestone, and metal reigned here in nature everything was free, untamed and wild. She could tell by the bounce in each bound Ryu made she was enjoying the freedom as well from being trapped on a ship for two weeks and then forced to keep herself hidden in the Palace.
She was indulging.
"Oh! Oh here!" Elsa tapped her tendril, skidding Ryu to a halt. "There, see!" Low to the ground among moss and some other foliage were stems holding fat little orange and red berries. She stepped onto the offered leg Ryu lifted to get off. When Anna tried to use the same method Ryu removed her leg causing her to fall onto the ground. "Humph! Hey!" She squeaked at the mrrp noise the dragon made as she leapt over her deeper into the field to eat the berries.
Elsa examined the fruit lifting it to her mouth to taste it, she had never had them straight from the source.
Anna dusted herself off joining her sister's side. "I didn't know cloudberries grew here."
Elsa closed her eyes savoring the rich sweet flavor. She moaned both answering Anna and at the taste. After watching her sister eat peacefully for a few moments Anna swatted Elsa's arm. "I think Ryu likes them too!" They watched the dragon clear out a patch of berries as if she was trying to see how much her mouth could fit at once. When she finally noticed she had an audience she sat on her haunches and gave a smile looking like a chipmunk.
They ate until all were full, packing some berries away in an ice pouch for later. Ryu stretched her sore body around on the soft moss. Rolling back and forth from her stomach to her back finally settling on her belly. She lay there among the foliage watching it displace with the breeze from her nostrils.
Anna sat up on her knees hurriedly. "Oh wow Elsa look!" Elsa turned her attention from watching Ryu to a large polar bear heading down towards the coast. Elsa frowned and pushed Anna back down onto her butt in the dirt making her roll her eyes. "Oh yea cause I was just going to meander up to him and pet his head. I don't approach dangerous wildlife with my hands outstretched." Anna pointed to herself. "That would be you." She bopped Elsa's nose leaving a smear of juice on her nose. Before Elsa could wipe it off herself Ryu came over and touched it with the small tip of tongue. "Thank you."
Crossing her paws Ryu also watched the polar bear listening in on the sisters laughing and teasing one another gathering up onto her back.
This was nice, after being alone for so long in the wild a part of her felt like she found what was missing, selfishly she wanted to keep them out here or other places to go exploring together. She could protect them if it came down to it, though a small seed inside still doubted that. It was just something about the way Elsa's eyes twinkled whenever they came across a plant or animal she found interesting, thus rapidly explaining to Anna its behavior and anatomy. Her gentle fingers were careful to not displace anything when she did touch. If Anna wasn't interested in the biology and zoology lessons she hid expertly, always asking questions even if they seemed silly.
"Well that explains why I never saw the brown foxes in the winter, they all turn white, what a trick!"
"Not all of them but artic foxes do."
"What's the difference?" And so began the in depth lesson of subspecies.
An hour into their walk Elsa awoke from a nap. "We're not the only ones out here." She was dazed and the color drained from Anna's face, she began whipping her head back and forth.
"Why did you say that?"
"Huh?"
"That, what you just said."
"What did I say?"
"We're not the only ones out here."
"I don't know... "
"Elsa, are you going loopy from blood loss?" Lifting her arm she winced when Anna prodded at the hole in her side, it was still green and still honestly quite disgusting to look at.
"I am not, I'm perfectly, fine doctor." Elsa snatched her arm away.
"Doctor?" Spending time with the girls listening to them rant or bicker was the most entertainment Ryu ever had while traveling.
"Don't sass me, I address you by your proper title." Both she and Anna couldn't tell if Elsa was in fact succumbing to madness or joking. To be on the safe side they stopped once more to ensure everyone was hydrated.
Odd Yowls came from the trees. Probably a cat of some kind."Oooh guys I think maybe we're not the only ones out here." Anna mocked moving her fingers like a spider.
"Don't worry I managed to make a bow, we're practically invincible." Elsa produced an ice bow of a smaller size, it looked as if it would break apart as soon as the first shot was fired.
"How many arrows did you make?"
"Uuuh- one piece." Elsa says assuredly.
Ryu snickered, failing entirely at keeping it hidden.
Sometimes they rode atop Ryu, sometimes they needed to stop for a few minutes and instead of resting Ryu decided to use this time productively disappearing into the foliage.
"Hey Els is this edible?" Anna asked leaning down to poke at a plant unaware that a few feet in front of her stalked a dragon slowly crawling closer and closer. Her slitted iris blocked out all other stimuli locking in on the mock prey.
When she burst from the bushes at the screaming woman Anna ran to her sister putting her arms underneath Elsa's armpits to drag her away from the threat.
Elsa looked up blinking. "That's your escape plan from a predator?" She asked bewildered at the method, Anna blushed embarrassed. "I wasn't thinking, she came out of nowhere I didn't know she was there." She defended placing Elsa down.
"That's kinda the point of an ambush Anna." Elsa finally let loose the laugh she had been holding in while Ryu did a victory prance in a circle.
Anna felt completely undignified. "I hope you guys find it funny when a leopard or bear is eating me." But her sister waved her off. "Pssh no, I'd never let that happen and neither would Ryu. Right Gecko?"
Ryu was currently taking in all the smells and sights of the forest edge.
"Gecko?" She gave Elsa her attention not really paying heed with a bored expression on her face. "You wouldn't let something eat Anna?" Instead of answering she went back to sniffing the ground foraging sometimes sharing and other times eating what she found.
"I feel so valued." Anna seethed comically, Elsa placed a peck on her cheek shoving a piece of fruit Ryu had given to her into Anna's hand. Elsa took in how far her sister and dragon had come. They weren't exactly the closest of friends with Ryu's relentless teasing and tricks, Anna could finally understand what it was like to have a younger sibling. The tension from their quarrel last night still hung around but they'd address it another time or not at all.
"Don't you dare shake! No." Anna held a finger up inching away, every step she made the muddy Ryu copied. Instead of shaking out her mane as Anna thought she would, Ryu lifted her paw and pushed her into the muddy puddle she rolled in.
"Oh you've done it now I'ma get chu!" Ryu ran in circles around Elsa with Anna behind her barely keeping up.
Elsa was just glad they were somewhat getting along resting her chin on a closed fist waiting for them to be done doing whatever it was they were attempting to accomplish so they could continue the journey home.
As the sun dropped so did the temperature and the time to find shelter drew near. Ryu was content to just find a tree and nestle in the branches but for the girls a den would be more appropriate. She didn't trust Anna to not roll over in her sleep and fall, breaking her neck.
While digging up a nest in rich soil underneath a tree Ryu's tendrils flickered backwards overhearing Elsa coo at some animal that decided to scurry up to her.
"Hello little one, want a berry?" Her voice was sickeningly sweet Ryu turned, seeing her hold out her palm to a ground squirrel, the fuzzy creature snatched the food and ran.
"Okay so no shelter that way or that way." Anna shook her head coming back pointing in the directions she explored, Ryu sat patiently by her creation waiting for someone to notice.
"Wait we haven't searched that part of the wood- wait yes we have..." Elsa chuckled at her blunder. "Ignore everything I was just about to repeat. Guys I'm getting older!" Elsa laments making them chuckle.
Anna came running past noticing the den underneath the tree. She pointed at it. "Ooo-Elsa I found a shelter!" She yelled, probably alerting anything listening within a three mile radius of their presence.
"Good job Anna!" Elsa praises balancing on a rock. Huffing Ryu goes to her aid. "Thank you." Once settled inside she removes the ice sheet over the wound hissing at the stinging sensation.
"Does it hurt really bad?" Anna asked remorseful once inside, kneeling. Elsa frowned, shaking her head grazing fingers over the gash. Ryu gave Elsa's side a tentative sniff, resisting the urge to drag her tongue across it.
"I've gotten used to it by now." They sat shoulder to shoulder. "Maybe we should clean it though." There was a stream not too far from where they settled.
"Can you make a pouch? I'm thirsty anyways." Elsa did so, handing it over not expecting Anna to rush into the dusky forest calling over her shoulder. "Be right back."
Elsa didn't have to voice her request when she slung her head in Ryu's direction. The dragon made a small merp sound and stood, cantering out. Her butt shaked as she prepared to jump and climb up the tree settling on a branch which allowed a vantage point. Her keen vision spotting the rampaging Anna in the brush.
Elsa sighed and leaned against the hollow tree bottom. Her thoughts wandered to the Yokai Ryu spoke of. It didn't wish to harm her, and probably didn't wish to harm the descendant of the ones who set it free from strife in the first place. Yet another victim of selfish greed and lust for power. Maybe they could help the Yokai while also helping themselves as well.
The forest contained many sounds, some of which Elsa recognized given that Ruskland and the enchanted forest shared similar ecosystems albeit Ruskland was the envisionment Elsa had for her home.
Elsa's neck snapped up when Ryu barked and came down bounding into the trees, scales bristled. Elsa heard a roar in the distance startling some fowl from their nest.
"Anna!"
Anna stood still hugging the water pouch to her breast.
Ryu placed herself in-between the queen and amur leopard which yowled at the sight of her. What was once an easy meal now became a problem. Anna looked at both predators realizing how similar they both behaved coiled to a stillness that made her very nervous to disturb.
Ryu broke the stand off with a bark and stamp of her paw into the snow. The cat wanted to bolt yet felt like it couldn't take her eyes off of the bigger animal which claimed her kill. Still watching the puffed up leopard Ryu turned her head and nuzzled Anna's neck trying to find something to grip. Her teeth delicately closed around her jacket collar.
Anna yelped, nearly dropping the pouch when she was hoisted into the air and carried back to the tree. When she began slipping, Ryu held her up with a paw chomping down on more of the clothing trotting off.
Elsa tapped at her knee anxiously awaiting their return. "Oh thank goodness'' She would have joked about her sister being carried like a kitten, made fun of the unamused look ghosting her face but the relief that her well being brought overwhelmed those urges.
Her legs caught the ground when she was dumped. She raced to Elsa showing the water pouch and that the mission was a success mostly.
"It's fine Elsa, just a leopard." Elsa kissed her forehead and when pulled back her lips kept on trying to break out in a grin. She nudged Anna's arm.
"What?"
"I told you she wouldn't let you be eaten."
"Oh yea that reminds me." She turned to Ryu, grooming her scales. "Thanks ya big reptile." Ryu mewled, joining them underneath the roots.
Elsa massaged Ryu's shoulders gaining an appreciative mewl, it felt so good she just had to roll over onto her back stretching.
"Sick of us yet?" Ryu answered by butting her forehead with Elsa's calmly. Her hand traveled up to her cheek stroking her thumb around the scales, occasionally wincing and sniveling as Anna cleaned her injury.
Anna and Ryu allowed and encouraged Elsa to drink the rest of the water left before retiring.
A few hours later listening to the lullabies of Anna's snores and Ryu's heart beat Elsa woke up bemoaning when she felt a pang of pressure in her bladder. She lied there a couple minutes willing away the sensation but to no avail. She really had no wish to disturb her sleeping sister and Ryu even with her still awake stargazing peacefully but her body protested against her considerate nature.
"Anna?" She said into the night, Ryu broke away from her thoughts and roughly smacked Anna's face with her tail fluke when she didn't respond.
"No Sven, don't kill them!" She started sitting up, when she registered the pain in her cheek she rubbed the reddening spot vigorously.
"What's up?" Elsa sat up looking apologetic and regretful."I um... I have to go."
Anna stared bleary eyed. "Go where?" Elsa made a pleading look leading Anna to the right conclusive realization. "Oh...Oh!"
When she began getting up Elsa apologized but was shushed. The three exited the tree, Anna led Elsa to the most secluded spot she could find. Before she could help Elsa settle, both sisters looked to their right where Ryu stood indifferently watching the whole ordeal with affectionate eyes.
Clearly not getting the hint Anna spoke up. "Do you mind?" Ryu shook her head.
"Periwinkle, Elsa needs privacy!" When she went away Elsa now directed the same expression to Anna. "What? Me too?" Elsa nodded thanking Anna as she joined Ryu with their backs turned.
She snuck a peak at them. Anna finally regarded the dragon who was staring at her intensely coughing and choking when Ryu blew thick smoke into her face.
Elsa grinned to herself.
"Oh come on Els it doesn't even look that bad, and think when this is all over you'll have more freckles like me." The beet red Elsa peered at Anna beyond miserable. Ryu kept to the shade as best she could, shielding Elsa from the July sun. Elsa never had sunburn before with her powers constantly keeping her cool, she apologized inwardly for ever complaining about them.
Her vision was obstructed when Anna tossed her jacket over her head. "Thank you." Elsa adjusted the jacket like a cloak so she could still see the busy work she made braiding Ryu's mane. "Welcome to my world Elsa." Anna jested patting her back.
"You don't get sunburnt easily Anna."
"Nope!" Anna kicked her legs jovially against the side of Ryu's stomach. "Guess I'm just lucky heheh." Ryu twisted her neck towards Elsa and licked her pink hand. Elsa flinched away, keeping her arms out of reach. "Thank you but please don't."
Anna poked her head out gazing down the dangerously steep rocky cliff side plunging into the crashing waves below. Prepping Elsa double knotted the sleeves around her neck as Ryu inched as far as she could go, her wings spread out full length retracting in and out to stretch. They ached but not unbearably so. All she had to do was curve to the southern north.
Both women gulped when she hopped from the cliff descending downward to gain some air currents which lifted her to the sky. They had a six hour flight ahead of them. Ryu would take all the assistance she could get.
"Elsa, did you remember to go before we took off?" Elsa flicked her wrist sending a wet slushy back into Anna's face.
"Nokk!" Elsa screamed, having half a mind to throw herself off of Ryu's back when she saw the unusual bubbles of glowing water begin boiling to the surface. The horse whinnied vaulting up as high as he could to reach Elsa. Tears stung the corners of her eyes, hand reaching out. "Nokk!" Anna cheered, keeping a hand on Elsa's shoulder not quite trusting her crazy sister to not go after him. Ryu wailed and lowered as far she could slowly. Elsa transferred mounts carefully, not protesting as the bronco bunked and twirled, circling around. She was in for a world of pain later on but for right now- stroking his mane and whispering saccharine words- she couldn't bring herself to care.
Ryu crashed into the sea as well, submerging her and Anna, surfacing for air. Rather than admonish her she hugged Ryu's neck in celebration of being so close to home then thought for a moment. "If he sensed us coming then that must mean..." As if waiting for a cue, Gale blasted they're way through, almost drying them off. She spun and danced in Elsa's hair.
Ryu surged on quickly beating her wings. Bruni must have been waiting on shore, her boy! She desperately needed to see him. Anna danced along with her gleeful sways and flips to an imaginary rhythm as they raced to Arendelle.
A tiny spec of fire was zooming around in circles on the sand at ungodly speeds, this pumped Ryu's wings racing for the beach. "Ryu! You have to slow down!" Anna braked pulling back, decreasing their velocity by a hair. It was the third worst crash landing she'd ever experienced and taking into account she's only had two she did not want to make a habit of it. Ryu checked her for injury and seeing her unharmed bolted straight for Bruni, the amphibian crooned and ran all over her body she could barely keep up blowing smoke everywhere, the two wrestled and played in the sand flinging it all over.
Anna, his next victim was tickled by his tiny feet zipping and finally landing on her shoulder. "Oh!- I-wa- there you are." His body curved along with her fingers going down his spine. He abandoned them for the caught up Elsa pelting his body straight into her bosom her palm covered him, Nokk rested over her shoulder tugging her close to his neck. "My boys!" Tears flooded her cheeks. "My beautiful boys." Gale flew so fast in her hair they whistled. "And girls." Anna joined the embrace as what they went through rendered her to a sobbing mess.
Ryu watched tail swaying slowly only backing away as Nokk snorted and approached, he counted three times before he bowed his neck in her direction. Ryu mimicked the gesture hesitantly and for once did not see consternation in his eyes which held hers.
She had completed her mission. She had brought them home, but there was more to be done. More to fix and she'd start no later than now.
When they settled and the energy simmered down Anna's shoulders sagged when an obvious absence made itself known, she turned to the ocean gazing out at the horizon. Elsa joined her solemnly pulling her in.
"It'll be two more weeks, two more weeks before they know if we're okay- before we know if they're okay!" Her arm fell limply at her side. "They'll be back safely Anna. We can wait it out I'm sure I-" Elsa pressed her lips to Anna's temple whispering into her hair. "They'll be back safely."
When they turned around Ryu nudged Bruni off from her snout. She had an odd look about her, her body was a rigid crossbow ready to be triggered by the slightest of movement. She seemed impatient.
"Ryu?" As Elsa's fingers reached out the dragon backed up lifting a single paw off the ground and in a blink of an eye one of Elsa's greatest fears came to fruition when she bounded in the air and took off leaving dust and leaves whirling in her wake.
"Ryu!" Elsa bellowed, Anna stood flabbergasted staring after Ryu's figure which grew smaller and smaller.
"She didn't even say goodbye... She just left." Her eyes flitted from the ground to the beach around them. Her stun spell was broken at the sounds of Elsa struggling to mount Nokk fully intending to go after her. "No Elsa! You're still hurt and I won't have you chasing Ryu to all ends of the earth." Elsa's chest rose and fell quickly looking desolately back at her sister now seated Upon Nokk, Anna was very grateful that the spirit seemed to understand this and was in no hurry to gallop off in the direction Elsa wanted.
"Bu-but Ryu she-" Elsa sniffles, her lips trembling, Anna did her best to dry her tears. "We have to get you back home, don't you worry your pretty head over it. I'll bring her back." Nokk set off in the direction of home slowly. "H-how?"
Anna smirked, raising a sharp brow. "My dear sweet Elsa, I have friends in very high places." At least it drew a chuckle out of Elsa, a weak one but Anna would take what she could get.
"You're the queen, you are the friend in a high place."
"Precisely. I'll drag Ryu back by her as-" she cringed when Elsa glared and quickly corrected. "Tail! If I have to."
"I'd rather violence not be used." Elsa was incredulous to whatever method she had in mind, she could feel the anger Anna tried to hide rippling beneath the surface of her light and airy tone.
"Who said anything about violence?" Shrugging Elsa turned around wincing. "It sounds violent."
"Pfft what? No, I'll gently drag her back of course." And utterly throttle her if she tries to hurt Elsa again. "And then we can talk this out but for now let's get you right as rain." Elsa nodded huffing deeply.
"If it isn't one thing with you girls it's another. Either one or both are being frozen solid, one is dying, getting shot at, stabbed, recklessness, you must be more cautious, acting as if you're invincible. The world has it out for you I swear it." Anna and Elsa pitied the pillows which were beaten into submissive fluffy clouds. Under any normal circumstance Kelsey and a few other maids would have tended to them but Gerda took charge immediately when she witnessed the state of them stumbling past the castle gates, tired, filthy, exhausted. Castle staff rushed them into the infirmary and stitched back together Elsa's side, disinfecting it, fortunately all of Anna's cuts were superficial.. She hated how distraught Sven became when he noticed Kristoff wasn't there, she managed to sit with him for thirty minutes as they waited for Elsa to be done in the infirmary. The women were cleaned, fussed over, and fed- Anna still was wondering how the ravenous Elsa ate so quickly and neatly at the same time.
Elsa's muscles screamed when she sank into the mattress with Anna collapsed on a pillow drowsily holding a piece of chocolate. No one would be able to pry it from her fingers.
Elsa sighed, placing the hot chocolate down on her night stand. Her exhausted thoughts led her to Olaf, Kristoff, Honeymaren... And Ryu.
Gale hung around the room as a barely noticeable wind, displacing papers every now and then. Bruni nosed her limp hands open to crawl into her palm. She stared down at him, he titled his head at her. "I'm sorry.." she said after failing to create the Snowflakes he enjoyed. He cooed and laid his chin atop her thumb.
Just when she concluded that she had cried all the tears she had to give her body still managed to produce more.
Ryu, her beautiful, gentle, brave, sweet Gecko. She still had so many words to say, so many things for them to do together. Even if it tore her to shreds, digging deeper than any blade could, she just wished Ryu would have told her before leaving if there was something she could have done to make her feel more safe and protected. If there was something she could have accomplished to make her stop hurting, was there anything she could have done differently to make her feel more loved? She would have done it! All Ryu had to do was just say the word, Elsa hoped she would have lied to her and say she'd be back, deciding false hope was better than none.
Elsa wanted- needed Ryu to lie to her and say she loved her. She knew she didn't but it'd be the most beautiful lie to ever pass someone's lips, but not all she did was leave. She didn't even have enough mercy to leave all the sweet memories they shared, she didn't have enough empathy to let Elsa feel her smooth scales one last time. No, instead she flew away and took Elsa's heart with her. She couldn't imagine what the dragon could do or possibly want with it.
Elsa hiccuped, stuttering between sobs and waking Anna. When Anna had seen those glistening big blue eyes she pulled Elsa's head to her chest allowing her to shake and mourn, glaring at the window. Coming home was supposed to be a joyous occasion and Ryu had turned it bitter. From Elsa's reaction her sneaking suspicion between the two became a forefront theory.
As soon as Elsa cried herself to sleep she gazed down at her tear stained cheeks. She barely heard it when Elsa whispered "Lie to me Ryu..." In her sleep.
Weird.
"Oh Elsie, I wish it could have been someone else-" she smoothed her hair back. "Someone who wouldn't leave you. But you had to go ahead and- I'll bring her back to you. I swear it. " Kissing Elsa's head she got up and left quietly. She jogged to her office, she could be left alone for the most part today since Gerda practically sent the council away like a pack of dogs with their tails between her legs.
"Tobias!" The man looked up from her desk, placing down the pen calmly. "Your majesty? Aren't you supposed to be on vacation?" Anna grinned embracing him as he stood. He returned it, rubbing her back.
"We've got a lot of work to do." She announced pulling away. "I suspect nothing less." She did a quick survey of the papers stacked neatly on her desk. It was the cleanest she had seen it since inheriting the throne from Elsa. "Thank you so much for handling things while I was away."
Tobias' hands clasped behind his back. "It's a part of the job."
Anna hummed pointing at him. "Yes but you went above and beyond cause you care." Shrugging, Tobias half smiled. "I've been accused of worst." If Anna wasn't pressed for time she'd ask, sitting down she let her eyes slide shut, as tiring as it was it felt good to be back to her duty.
"Oh thank God." The voice spread a grin on her face seeing Mattias in the doorway. He let out a noise of surprise when Anna ran and hugged him tightly which he eventually returned. "I missed you as well, your majesty." Sentimentality aside they went straight to work. Anna had conquered death more than once making the tasks that lay before her seem as child's play.
"I want extra guards on duty and soldiers at our borders reporting anything out of the ordinary other than the spirits, if a ship or boat that is not our own within a twenty mile radius so much as points anywhere near my country I want to hear about it. And if they see a flying creature that isn't a normal animal then I will need that report as soon as possible. I would also like to organize a meeting with Yelena to discuss extra security from the north mountains, to the enchanted forest all the way to Harmon and beyond." Mattias nodded, saluting to the delegation.
"Tobias I want the best hunters and trackers in town and in Northuldra to meet with me." She noticed his puzzled eyes but knew he'd do it without doubt, she could at least offer an explanation. "A certain cheeky dragon flew off with my sister's heart a few hours ago-" She studied the map, eyes flicking from one area to the next. Where are you? You vagrant reptile?
"And it's time she gave it back."
"But what if we ask the dolphins to get us back faster politely? They seem reasonable." Kristoff rubbed his corneas at another one of Olaf's theories of how they could move the shop faster to Arendelle, he didn't have the strength to tell him that Anna and Elsa may not even be there right now. The little guy's hope was infectious nonetheless but Kristoff wasn't about to bet all of his emotional energy just for his fantasies to betray him to find Arendelle empty. He didn't think he'd heal from that, barely recovering from what had occured in Ruskland. Seeing his wife in peril made him feel so helpless, like in the blizzard on the frozen fjord, he swore he'd never stand by while his family faced danger and yet here he was; on this godforsaken ship with Anna and Elsa somewhere out there. It was in Ryu's hands- paws now. He wasn't a religious man but every night Honeymaren caught him praying to whoever was in charge to reunite his family again, for old times sake. "Why don't you tell your theory to Captain Olaf." He didn't mean to sound so blunt but seeing how anxious the snowman got as the drew closer and closer to home was going to drive him to insanity, in addition to him wanting to curse himself for not preventing the unpreventable.
Honeymaren joined him sitting on the bow with impressive balance letting her leg dangle over the edge. She smacked a flask to his shoulder. Titling it to her in thanks he took a swig wanting rum but was met with water. He slowly turned to her tongue-in-cheek. "What?" She was genuinely confused by his reaction but he waved it off.
"They're safe, you know." Kristoff dropped his head. "Not you too." He groaned. "We don't know if they made it home or not."
"Slow your reindeer, I didn't say all that." She held up her hands, halting his reaction. "I just said they're safe." He wished he shared her confidence, a better trust in the raw tenacity he had seen in both Anna and Elsa but worry and love had different plans.
"And you know this how?"
"Cause, I know Elsa would freeze hell over to keep Anna safe from harm and Anna's desire to protect Elsa burns so hot I'm surprised the oceans of the world haven't evaporated." He could agree with that. "I don't know if they're waiting for us or not, they've got two weeks so. Just look for signs."
"What signs?" Honeymaren half smirked down at him. "The world hasn't frozen solid so Anna is alright and we haven't heard the banshee screams echo over the distance so nothing happened to Elsa." For the first time in a few days Kristoff felt himself ease up a bit and grin a little.
He craned his head up at the night sky. Alright put faith in the love Anna and Elsa had for one another, it was something he'd bet his life on so he guessed that was easy enough.
A large bird-like shadow flew over the ship blocking out the moonlight. The sailors and soldiers panicked. Honeymaren stood up on the ledge watching as well.
As it drew closer Kristoff threw away the water flask. "You've got to be fucking kidding me."
It had been a few days since a messenger hawk was sent out for the insert ship name. Anna and Elsa waited anxiously for news, be it from Ruskland of whether the princess was triumphant in taking over the empire, or from scouts about Ryu's whereabouts, if a giant jade bird was going to attack them, or even from their family.
Anna did her best to keep Elsa in the loop of what was going on as well as her plans without stressing her out in recovery yet. She was gifted a crutch to support her left side. They both put on brave faces for the other despite both of their hearts cracking inside their chests as more time went on. Their castle staff and inner council wondered who would collapse the facade first but they found strength in each other even while feeling equally weak. Elsa gave lessons to the search parties of what to look for and what to be cautious of to ensure no one was hurt, the memories they brought haunted her. It felt like months had passed but reality reminded them it had only been three days.
"I thought I declared that fishing ships- all ships really belonging to Arendelle- are to be marked with the royal crest." Elsa rested a hand on the stressed Anna's knee, she needn't listen to the voices inside her head, it was all going to be okay, but she was overwhelmed even with help. They shared small smiles, turning back to the godsent Tobias who had been issuing all of the policies with wicked precision. "I suspect they had been away on a fishing trip but they will be notified at once your majesty." He bowed when she thanked him. Anna slouched in her chair, leaning her head back.
Her eyes shot open at the sound of the alarm bells tolling in the distance followed by shouting. "Fuck!" For a rare moment Elsa didn't chastise her completely understandable reaction and couldn't agree more. Sighing she stood and grabbed her crutch trailing after the storming Anna. She nicked a sword off of a passing soldier in a fluid motion, well accustomed to snatching swords away from running passerbys, she'd have to get her own some day. She hadn't the time to practice but was prepared to stab whoever else dared to invade again.
Anna stood in the courtyard looking around. "What is it Mattias?"
"Anna." Elsa called keeping her stare trained on the horizon.
"I thought we hastened the communications between the patrols!"
"Anna?"
"What's- what's the point of having them if the threat is going to get to us before the warning?" She exasperated, marching towards him. "Anna look!" Before he could open his mouth Elsa roughly gripped Anna's chin turning it to the sky.
She held up her hands made into a looking glass before someone slid a real one in her grasp. She dropped it to the floor turning to Elsa with the same shocked expression.
"Olaf!" They yelled squealing. Anna took off with Elsa keeping up as best she could, waving her arms wildly. "Olaf! Kristoff! Maren!" She stopped running to jump up and down.
Elsa was jealous she couldn't express her joy through nothing but tears and laughter. Her muscles hummed wanting to leap for joy.
Ryu roared, picking up speed. "Paul! Careful now! Careful!" Kristoff gripped her paws trying to find purchase, he had been held like this before and he only tolerated it to get to his family faster. Ryu looked between her legs smiling. His screams turned to shrieks when she nosedived towards the courtyard. To his horror she released flinging him at Anna, impatient to reunite the couple.
Anna held open her arms to catch him not caring how painful it was when their bodies tumbled to the ground. "Looking on from an outside perspective you'd think she hates us." Kristoff casually commented, grunting when Anna threw herself into his lips butting their heads, he was roughhoused more when Elsa too embraced him, she'd give the couple time to kiss and all the other things they wanted to do to each other later. Sven, agreeing with the sentiment, slobbered all over his best friend, firing spittle all over Anna and Elsa.
"Anna, Elsa I rode a dragon!" Olaf cheered being assisted off of Ryu's back. He and Honeymaren were their next targets for bear hugs. They picked him up and spun him.
Ryu smiled at the sight, she couldn't believe she had even contemplated keeping Anna and Elsa from this. The grin vanished when she noticed the castle staff and some citizens gathering to witness the reunion as well, tucking herself into her human body. Okay now she was just naked in front of a bunch of people, she guessed this was better? She didn't know they seemed uncomfortable.
Mattias, her new found savior slapped a long military coat to her back ending it in a rub. "Thanks for bringing them home, kid." She straightened up and bowed her head at the man.
"Ow!" She suddenly cried out with Anna hanging on her ear dragging her over to the hugging group while also filling said ear with a good reprimanding. "Do you have any idea how much unnecessary worry you caused Elsa and me? I mean I'm super grateful and all but really Periwinkle you couldn't have at least said your plan without barging onward with it?"
"I wanted to get it over and done wi-OW!" Once near enough Anna released her, she couldn't escape yet and screamed at her absorption into the mass embrace. "AH!"
So many scents mixed, she knew all of them but it was the arms that suffocated her. She struggled to be released, squirming until a specific body pressed against her own. A cold hand rubbing her neck, with lingonberry, chocolate, and some new medicinal smell filling her nostrils. When they dispersed with Kristoff complaining he was half dead and hungry Elsa and Ryu lingered behind. Ryu couldn't move paralyzed by Elsa's stare. When she cupped her cheeks she blew some smoke into Ryu's face which she returned.
"You could have told me." She laughed behind tears. It dawned on Ryu the reason explaining the strong emotional response, fore the last thing she had told Elsa was that she would drop her and Anna off, and she had done exactly that but they didn't know she would return. Guilt swelled in her chest. Reaching up she tangled their fingers together tightly. "I'm sorry, you know me when I get an idea I kinda just bolt to it."
Elsa nodded. "Yes, yes I do know you." Ryu couldn't decipher the double meaning but based on the tranquil expression she knew it was a positive. "Besides I couldn't possibly leave-" she had to look away momentarily or she didn't know what she'd do. She glanced up winsomely. "-still haven't shown me your ice castle yet... And other things."
Elsa echoed her words positioning them practically body to body. "And other things." Ryu couldn't comprehend how she possibly stayed away from this woman for three and a half days. Even with memorizing every single detail about her, looking at Elsa always felt like the first, as if because they're first meeting didn't go well Ryu got blessed to relive it over and over again.
Nuzzling Elsa's neck she heard her giggle. "You make me crazy." Elsa stated, her voice was raspy from the whooping and cheering, and perfectly imperfect.
"I'm not too sane myself, no?"
"No, no you're not."
"Come on." Elsa began hopping backwards as if to ensure Ryu would follow even with their fingers still locked. Ryu wanted to keep Elsa for herself all evening to make up for everything she put her through.
You're so selfish. She rolled her eyes at the thought, noticing the crutch, she grabbed it and tossed it over her shoulder nearly hitting someone. Elsa wouldn't be needing that anymore with her around. The spirit yelped when she was scooped up bridal fashion in Ryu's arms wrapping her own around her neck. If Ryu was tired she didn't show it, reenergized at the prospect of being Elsa's personal pair of legs which only meant she got to touch her, she carried Elsa as if she never wanted to let go.
And she didn't.
The royal family was not to be disturbed at all during the night or the next day, exceptions being the ones Anna specified to Tobias, Kai, and Mattias. Dinner conversation was carried by, Anna, and Olaf, as Honeymaren, Kristoff and Ryu wolfed down their food piping up only to add an "Uhuh" or "mhm, Elsa was too busy adoringly making heart eyes at the gorging dragon in Anna's opinion to join the discussion. Yelena and Ryder would visit tomorrow, they had gotten word quickly to Northuldra of Honeymaren's arrival and were just as anxious to get to Arendelle. All was right in everyone's world, even with the looming threats knocking at their doorstep they'd take any opportunity to be happy at this juncture in their lives.
Retiring to the family game room to think of a low effort activity they could do together they settled on a chess tournament. Sven whined when Kristoff kissed Anna again, gaining both their attention. "Everyone wants you." Anna joked, scratching Sven's chin. "As much as I love Sven only you get me." he pecked her nose.
"I don't want him." Honeymaren proclaimed from searching the drawers for the chess boards. This made Elsa and Ryu cackle like imps.
Knocking at the door sent a chill down all their spines except Olaf, he bounced over and opened it to reveal Mattias. Holding a decorative brown bottle wrapped in a gold bow.
"A welcome home present, your majesties." He humbly presented the gift with a tray of glass type cups. "I apologize for the interruption."
Anna took it reading the engraved label. "What would we do without you?"
"Have a mediocre General." His confidence was well placed, how could anyone disagree.
The chess tournament was no different, other than the addition of whiskey, anyone who lost a piece had to drink their dues except Anna- who drank whether she lost or gained a piece. When Elsa gave Ryu a moral boasting hair ruffle sitting to face off with Olaf. Anna shook her head, closing her eyes. "Traitor." Elsa shrugged off the playful accusation.
"You can do it Anna!" Olaf patted her forearm. She grinned showing her teeth. "Thank you Ola-"
"You can do it Ryu." Her smile fell when he offered the same praise to both sides, to him there were no corners of the battle arena, instead seeing it as one big circle everyone sat in.
"You got this Anna." Elsa eyed her own chess board smirking.
Anna met her smirk with a playfully coy eyebrow lift. "It would have been you and me playing if you weren't "distracted" when you versed Ryu." Elsa blushed coughing into her hand gesturing to the board. "I find Olaf a challenging enough partner, thank you very much."
Anna licked her lips in concentration, She wasn't certain of Ryu's patterns and gimmick yet, her moves were so random. Whenever Anna looked to Kristoff for advice a piece was missing from Ryu's side.
Anna pretended to look away but did a double take catching Ryu pushing her other knight in her mouth freezing at being caught, she sucked it down her gullet audibly.
"Periwinkle-" Anna began calmly. "Why are you eating your pieces?"
"Yea she does that." Elsa quipped, thinking it couldn't possibly be a healthy habit.
"So you don't take the ones I like." Anna squinted, snickering like a teapot. She couldn't be serious. She gained enough courage to ask despite the dreaded answer she may have received. "Ryu do you- do you know how to play?"
Crossing her arms and closing her eyes Ryu puffed out her chest. "Nope."
"Don't feel bad Anna, at least you get to keep your pieces." Honeymaren exhaled slowly when Sven snacked on her rook.
"Olaf you won!" He most certainly did not. Elsa shuddered, taking a shot with little gusto.
An hour into the game had Honeymaren calling for a break, between Ryu and Sven they were running out of pieces.
Anna rolled her neck looking at Kristoff with a dumb founded face. He had one arm draped around her shoulders with both their bare feet rubbing Sven's back. Elsa dozed off with Olaf in her lap and Ryu counteracting her lean. They had been watching Honeymaren put on a play with the remaining chess pieces, every role played by a different voice she strained her throat to make, truly a riveting tale. "There's at least seven plot holes."
She peered over the table top glaring at Ryu. "Yea and one of them is your mouth which you need to shut."
"Hey, know what I say?" Anna slurred.
"No, what?" Kristoff was hoping her next suggestion would be to retire to their bed.
"We play erm that uh game from the Ruskland. With the balls and sticks and we beat each other with em." He made a scrunched up face. "I don't think that happened." Anna gave him a quick peck on the lips.
"Let's do it. Elsa!" Elsa snorted like a piglet sitting up. "Huh? I wanna play." She rubbed her eyes.
"We're going to play indoor croquet."
Elsa tapped her chin. "Sounds like it'll break something."
Another game they set up in the halls which Ryu had no idea how to play, she was an expert at hitting Honeymaren and Anna's makeshift balls Kelsey procured for them along with some putting sticks made from leftover wood in the kitchens.
"Ryu you've hit all of us out of the goal except Elsa! You two are in cahoots!" Elsa blinked looking anywhere and everywhere but the aggrieved party's faces. The rules were so confusing and became what anyone said they were at the moment.
"Okay, okay fine!" She swung sending her ball down the steps tapping Elsa's across the finish line giving her a single hit for the stair obstacle course. "There." Anna facepalmed herself.
"We shoulda just went to bed." Utterly drained Kristoff set his stick aside and headed towards his bedroom chambers with Sven in tow. "This means war. " Anna declared going after her boys, she poked her head around the corner "Ya need help getting ready for bed?"
"No I have Honeymaren and Ryu to take care of me, I'm in very good hands. Goodnight onion..." Elsa shook her head laughing. "I mean Anna."
"Never change Elsa."
Honeymaren had fallen three holes ago with Olaf on a random sofa back in the lounge, draped with a blanket Kelsey gifted to her.
"No, I mean it." Ryu laughed a little too loud, Elsa shushed her for the thousandth time as they stumbled down the dark hall with no destination in their itinerary, but it seemed they were heading towards the gardens. "I still can't believe that it was you who stole his cake."
"I can't believe you know about it."
"Of course I do, he wrote every kingdom within a hundred mile radius the famous tale of the loss of Duke Henry's missing birthday cake."
Ryu chortled in a very unladylike fashion. "He's a cunt anyways." Elsa paused with a frown. "He died a year later of a heart attack."
Ryu jabbed her finger in the air. "Aha! So I was doing him a favor anyways, too many sweets the dumb fuck." Elsa felt horrible for laughing but she couldn't help it, somehow Ryu always brought out an inappropriate humorous side of her she tried to keep buried deep down.
The drink fogged her mind, sometimes a plethora of words would spill out and she herself had just caught up to them mid sentence.
"And after that I vowed to never ever try to keep a squirrel, a badger and a sparrow in such a small space ever again." Why did I tell her that?
Ryu straightened her knees out, falling against the grass nearly hitting her head on the tree they sat under. "So you were so lonely you stole whatever poor defenseless animals you crossed paths with and defiled them." Elsa balked, turning on her good side lying next to Ryu flicking her forehead. "I did not defile them."
"Kidnapped." Elsa stared down at her, eyes tracing her freckles as if they were constellations to be mapped out, the trees rustled above them sending a fallen leaf down to Ryu's face, she puckered her lips and blew it off. The moon gave them some privacy hiding behind wispy clouds that rolled by in the dark sky only peeking out occasionally.
"Abducted." Elsa scrutinized her pointedly so intensely she hadn't realized her hand was on Ryu's chest drumming her fingers impatiently. She was proud of Ryu's growing vocabulary but not so pleased that it was being used against her.
"Why do you keep using such deplorable words ?" Ryu considered her. A heartbeat of a moment passed.
"Assaulted." Exasperation had Elsa burying her red face into Ryu's neck. "I never hurt them, I just wanted a friend." Her muffled voice was concealing the fact that she was secretly enjoying the banter.
"So you have a history of seducing random creatures you found in the woods and nature." She lifted her head sniggering. "I never seduced any creatures I found as a child." The verbiage wasn't lost to Ryu
"And as an adult?" She quirked a coquettish brow. Elsa provocatively played with her soft dry lips with a middle finger.
"I don't know, you tell me." Ryu opened her mouth at first to speak but the finger tracing her mouth was too distracting. Elsa should have pulled away but she was helplessly shackled to the erotic sensation of Ryu's tongue chasing and catching her fingertip every now and then. She nuzzled her lips against Elsa's whispering finger touches.
They both knew the dangerous game they were taking part of, the rules ever changing and not in their favor.
Elsa couldn't risk Ryu leaving again but she also couldn't live another day without telling her all the unsaid words which set a metaphorical distance between them. Elsa had more than enough of that distance for the last three days- hell since they met she wanted to bulldoze through her own wall to climb Ryu's.
She never felt this way before and she didn't think she'd ever feel this way again. She was a starving animal and Ryu was her only source of carnal satisfaction.
For the first time in weeks Elsa allowed her only existence to be aware of her neglected physicality, she and Ryu were both just two souls interacting with one another. The stillness of the dark cloaked their surroundings, so they sought the only source of light around, it was the same light that made them what they were.
Elsa's loose hair draped over them like a curtain making Ryu feel safe and secure.
"Will you fly away from me again?" Elsa murmurs, her bright blue eyes unflinching. Come on Ryu tell me that beautiful lie, never tell me the truth if it means you say you won't go.
Ryu's throat bobbed, tipping her forehead to Elsa's clavicle, her eyes ceased searching for Elsa's gaze. She takes both her hands, and laces her fingers between Elsa's. "I'm never going to leave you again. Ever."
"Don't ever leave me again Ryu." Elsa repeats anguished to hear it again.
"Never. I can't." Ryu sounds just as defeatist.
"Sweet creature." Elsa muttered as she closed the distance between their mouths; she hung there stuck breathing in Ryu's air. A breath that had just been inside her chest. She thought that would be enough, it wasn't, she became even more unsatisfied now knowing how delicious it was. Her body invited Ryu to take whatever she wanted, as much as she wanted.
She was petrified not of Ryu rebuffing her affections- for if she did Elsa could stop torturing herself with what if scenarios and move on- she was terrified of taking too much, anything she found inside and outside of Ryu, she was desperate for, and longed for Ryu to take as well so she wouldn't be left empty if Elsa lost the control that was slowly slipping away.
She had no idea if her insatiable cravings were wrong, so what if they were? She was already deemed a witch by the church standards, being wrong was her birthright. And Ryu, the Dragen Lyse, was the closest she'd ever get to sweet purity.
Ryu's purr pulled her in like a siren song, her hand reached behind the nape of Elsa's neck and began caressing, she made a sharp gasp Ryu greedily inhaled.
Elsa swore on her life that if Ryu made one more move her resolve would shatter to dust with no hope of being glued back together ever again. So of course the dragon just had to lean upward and break Elsa with a flick of her tongue licking her mouth.
Elsa's pupils dilated with lust pinning her down before surging forward committing herself to this sin. With a pressure of their lips connecting, she became a senseless addict with no hope of recovery. It was when the kiss started Elsa realized she hadn't a clue of what she was doing. All she could do was react, her thoughts were too scrambled to try and recall the techniques she witnessed from Anna and Kristoff, her brows winced. She didn't want to think about them right now anyways.
At first Ryu's deathly still body had her pulling away not even an inch due to a firm hand gripping Elsa's nape tugging her back down to her lips. She groaned at the idea that Ryu didn't want her to go, didn't want her to escape. The audacity of this girl, as if that was a justifiable worry. Elsa would dedicate her life to ensuring every moment Ryu experienced was nothing except spectacular.
Ryu deserved to be treated like the precious rarity she was, she deserved slow respectful touches, Elsa thought, not the lechery she emanated upon her. It was too late, she couldn't stop. they had kissed all the oxygen out of their lungs.
Panting she bridged the gap between their foreheads, rubbing her nose and parted lips over anywhere she could reach. Elsa's traitorous hands had wandered caressing up the sides, finding the hem of her shirt, breaking and entering the clothing with fingers that squeezed and groped her sides and back when it arched off the grass. When they first met Ryu's fiery temperature had made her feel sweltering now it was the only heat Elsa felt like she could bask in.
The sun could piss off.
Gulping down air of the night that wasn't Ryu's Elsa concurred it couldn't compare. Her words broke into a moan when Ryu bit the juncture between her neck and shoulder growling.
Their hearts drummed to the same tempo. Ryu whimpered when Elsa rolled off of her to lay flat staring up at the sky. Come back please. Ryu knew she could be pathetic at times but she didn't know how Pathetic she could get until she met Elsa. She wasn't certain what had just happened but if it didn't happen again she didn't see a point in living. She looked over at Elsa whose face was indiscernible then down at their hands resting in the soft grass.
She wondered if Elsa hated the hesitation to be so close as much as she did. She'd ask but it felt like a crime to use her lips for anything other than pressing them to Elsa, so she used her fingers which reached for her hand. They curled around Elsa's, it was moist with icy dust coating them. Her heart tried to claw itself from her chest when Elsa pulled away, she didn't see her rub her palm on her blue silk dress. Ryu only knew that she couldn't stop smiling when the hand returned, entangling their digits again.
A question plagued both their minds, nearly ruining what they just shared.
What are we going to do now?
Standing on the balcony Kristoff and Sven looked up from what they just witnessed occur down below and side glanced at each other.
"I told you so." Sven 'said'.
"I'm going to bed." Kristoff declared walking back inside, turning off the lights.