Queen Elsa lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling of her bedroom in the Arendelle castle. The moonlight gently poured in through the window, casting silver beams across the stone floor, illuminating the peaceful face of her fiancé, Kristoff, sleeping beside her. His arm was draped lazily across her middle, a soft snore escaping his lips.

Everything was quiet, serene—the perfect picture of a peaceful night—except for one thing:

Elsa couldn't sleep.

She hadn't been able to for hours. Her stomach felt tight, as if her abdomen was slowly being squeezed from the inside out. She sighed, quietly trying to stretch out her legs, shifting under the sheets in hopes of easing the discomfort. It didn't help. A faint but persistent tightening gripped her abdomen once again, but this time, it was sharper than before. Her hand instinctively moved to her stomach, pressing gently as though she could will the strange sensations running through her away.

"Okay, this is new..." she whispered to herself, her breath shallow.

At first, she thought it was just part of being pregnant—her body adjusting to the new life growing inside of her.

But this wasn't just discomfort; this felt like something more, something…different. The moments of pressure came and went, not painful exactly, but tight and uncomfortable.

Elsa took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain calm. Braxton Hicks contractions. She had read about it in one of those pregnancy books the royal healer had given her. And while she had never been one to get easily frazzled, this was a new experience. She knew these were false contractions, just her body preparing for the real deal, but still, the sensations were hard to ignore. Another wave of tightness rolled through her belly, and she winced, shifting again. It didn't hurt exactly, but it was enough to make her wonder whether she should wake Kristoff. Her eyes drifted to him again. He looked so peaceful, his broad chest rising and falling with the steady rhythm of sleep. She hated to disturb him, but as the tightening in her stomach came again, stronger this time, she knew she couldn't just lie there pretending everything was fine. She nudged Kristoff's shoulder gently.

"Kristoff…Kristoff, wake up," she whispered, her voice soft but insistent.

Kristoff grunted in response, his face scrunching up as he stirred slightly.

"Mmm…five more minutes, Sven…" he mumbled, still half asleep.

Elsa let out a small chuckle despite her discomfort.

"I'm not Sven," she said, giving Kristoff a slightly firmer nudge.

"Kristoff, it's me. Wake up."

This time, Elsa's words seemed to penetrate the fog of sleep, and Kristoff blinked groggily, turning his head toward her.

"Elsa?" he asked, his voice thick with sleep.

"What's wrong? Is everything okay?"

Elsa hesitated, unsure how to phrase what she was feeling. She didn't want to worry Kristoff unnecessarily, but she also couldn't ignore the persistent tightening that had her wide awake in the middle of the night.

"I think…I'm having Braxton Hicks," she said quietly, placing a hand on her swollen belly again.

"It's not labor or anything, but it's…uncomfortable."

Kristoff blinked, sitting up more fully now, his eyes clearing as he processed Elsa's words.

"Braxton Hicks?" he repeated, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Isn't that, like…fake contractions?"

Elsa nodded.

"Yeah, they're supposed to be harmless. It's just my body getting ready for the real thing," she explained.

"But I didn't expect it to feel like this."

Kristoff's brow furrowed with concern, and he shifted so he could sit up.

"Are you in pain?" he asked, his voice full of worry.

"No, not really," Elsa reassured.

"It's more of a…tightness. It comes and goes, but it's enough to keep me from sleeping."

Kristoff reached out and gently placed his hand over Elsa's on her stomach, pressed down and began massaging it.

"Does this help?" he asked, his hand warm and steady.

Elsa smiled softly, appreciating the gesture.

"A little," she admitted.

"It's just…strange, I guess. I've never felt anything like this before."

Kristoff nodded, his face thoughtful as he tried to think of something that might help.

"Should we call Eira? Or maybe Anna? One of them would know what to do, right?"

Elsa shook her head quickly.

"No, no, I don't want to wake them. They're probably sound asleep by now. Besides, I know this isn't anything to worry about. It's just…uncomfortable."

Kristoff frowned, clearly not satisfied with that answer.

"You sure? We could at least have someone check you out, just to be safe."

"I'm sure, Kristoff," Elsa said firmly, though she appreciated his concern.

"I'll be fine. I just thought…maybe you could sit with me for a bit?"

Kristoff's expression softened at Elsa's words, and he leaned over to press a gentle kiss to her forehead.

"Of course, snowflake," he said.

"I'm not going anywhere."

Elsa smiled, leaning into Kristoff as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. For a few moments, they sat in silence, the rhythmic sound of Kristoff's breathing calming her nerves. But the tightness in her stomach didn't fade. If anything, it seemed to come more frequently now, making her shift uncomfortably in Krisotff's arms.

"Is there anything I can do?" Kristoff asked quietly, his voice full of concern as he watched Elsa.

Elsa bit her lip, trying to think. She'd read about Braxton Hicks contractions before, but now that she was experiencing them, she wasn't sure what would help.

"Maybe…maybe we could go for a walk?" she suggested hesitantly.

"I've heard that moving around can sometimes ease the contractions."

Kristoff was on his feet before Elsa even finished speaking.

"Let's go," he said, offering her his hand.

Elsa smiled gratefully, allowing Kristoff to help her out of bed. She wrapped a light cloak around her shoulders to ward off the chill of the night air, and together, they left their bedroom, walking quietly through the dimly lit halls of the castle.

The cool stone beneath Elsa's feet and the gentle support of Kristoff's arm around her waist were comforting, and for a while, the walk seemed to help. The tightness in her belly lessened, and she found herself able to breathe a little more easily.

"You doing okay, snowflake?" Kristoff asked, glancing down at Elsa as they strolled through the corridors.

Elsa nodded.

"Yeah, I think the movement is helping," she said, though she wasn't entirely sure if it was the walk or simply the presence of Kristoff by her side.

They continued walking for a while, occasionally passing a guard who bowed respectfully as they passed.

Kristoff made small talk, telling Elsa about his latest adventures in the mountains with Sven, and she found herself smiling at his stories, the distraction helping her forget about the discomfort.

But after a few more minutes, the tightness returned, stronger than before.

Elsa stopped in her tracks, one hand gripping Kristoff's arm as the sensation washed over her again.

Kristoff immediately turned to Elsa, his face full of concern.

"Elsa? Are you okay?"

Elsa took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure.

"It's fine," she said, though her voice was a little strained.

"I just…I just need a moment."

Kristoff's hand tightened around Elsa's, and he led her over to a nearby bench, helping her sit down.

"Do you want me to get someone?" he asked, kneeling in front of her, his eyes searching her face for any sign of distress.

Elsa shook her head, though she could feel the tightness in her stomach lingering, not quite painful, but certainly uncomfortable.

"No, it's okay," she said softly.

"I just need to breathe through it."

Kristoff nodded, staying close by Elsa's side, as she closed her eyes and focused on her breathing.

Elsa had always prided herself on her control—control over her powers, her emotions, everything. But this was different. This was something she couldn't control, and it made her feel vulnerable in a way she wasn't used to. After a few moments, the tightness finally eased, and she let out a soft breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

"Okay," she said, her voice steadier now.

"I think it's passing."

Kristoff smiled, though the worry hadn't fully left his eyes.

"You sure you're okay?" he asked, reaching up to brush a strand of platinum-blonde hair away from Elsa's face.

Elsa nodded, offering a small smile in return.

"I'm sure," she said.

"Thank you for staying with me."

Kristoff chuckled softly.

"Snowflake, you don't have to thank me for that," he said.

"I'll always be here for you. No matter what."

Elsa's heart swelled with affection for Kristoff, and she leaned forward to press a gentle kiss to his lips.

"I know," she whispered.

"And I'm grateful. I love you, Kristoff."

Kristoff smiled tenderly, a loving glint in his eyes.

"I love you too, Els."

They sat there for a few more minutes, the cool night air brushing against their skin as they held each other close.

Eventually, the contractions seemed to fade, and Elsa felt the tension in her body slowly unwind.

"I think I'm ready to go back to bed now," she said quietly, her voice tinged with exhaustion.

Kristoff smiled, standing up and offering Elsa his hand once again.

"Let's get you back to bed, then," he said.

"You need your rest."

Together, they made their way back to their bedroom, the tension of the night finally beginning to fade.

As Elsa climbed back into bed, she smiled as Kristoff settled in beside her, pulling her close once more.

"I'm sorry I woke you," she murmured, her eyelids already growing heavy.

Kristoff pressed a kiss to the top of Elsa's head.

"Don't be," he said softly.

"I'll always be here when you need me, snowflake."

And with those comforting words, Elsa finally allowed herself to relax, the warmth of Kristoff's embrace lulling her into a peaceful sleep, the night's discomfort fading into distant memory.

As Kristoff held Elsa, he thought about everything they had been through. From the first time they met, to the first time they confessed their feelings for one another, to the first time they kissed. And for some reason, he found himself choked up. Ice really was his life, and he loved all things ice—including Elsa.

Some things never change…please God, let this be one of them.

And with that final thought, he allowed himself to relax and after a few moments, he too, drifted off into a peaceful sleep.