(This chapter has been revised on 6/28/2024)

Time Together

Anna walked behind Elsa as they trudged back to the ice palace. No words had been exchanged between the two girls, which left an awkward silence. The only sounds they heard were the crunching snow with each step they had taken.

"Sooo…" Anna started, wanting to break the silence. "What were you and Marshmallow doing out there again?"

"Exercising."

"Oh...What kind of exercise?" Elsa eyed Anna questionably. "We are in the middle of nowhere, and I was only wondering…"

"We were doing some runs."

"Just runs? That's it?"

"And jumping off cliffs and sliding down on them."

"Oh, okay. Wait-what?! Did you say cliff jumping?"

"Yes. I've done it plenty of times before," Elsa answered, to Anna's surprise, very calmly and casually.

Anna was afraid to ask her next question. "When was the first time?"

"I was 9, I think."

"You were 9 years old when you jumped off a cliff?" While Anna was a risk-taker, even she had limits. "Isn't that dangerous?"

"Not if you have abilities like mine. It's all about the timing."

"What on earth possessed you to jump off a cliff? People get hurt from that!"

"Believe me, I've been through a lot worse," Elsa answered that last statement rather firmly.

"Great. Now I'm talking like Papa!" Anna thought.

"I'm not against it. I just find it surprising. Not every day you hear 9-year-olds jumping off cliffs. When I was that age, I couldn't even stay with my parents without wandering off."

"I see," Elsa answered.

"Still, what got you the idea to jump off a cliff for fun?"

"It was a kinda accident." Elsa gave a chuckle that sounded like she did something embarrassing. Anna's eyes went to a concerned look. "I didn't get hurt, but it was rather fun. I wouldn't encourage you to do it unless you want to."

"Don't worry, I wasn't planning on it."

The ice palace soon came into their view. It was still as beautiful as Anna last saw it. Speaking of the icy structure...

"It is beautiful."

"It is," Elsa replied.

"How did you build this? It must've taken a lot of effort."

"My magic helped a lot. It didn't always look like this. I was young when I first built it. I did add some new things over the years as my powers grew."

"You did a good job."

Elsa gave a small smile. "Thank you."

The two girls walked up the icy stairs until they were standing in front of the doors that led inside. They both walked back inside the palace. It was quiet, a reminder that the two girls were alone.

"I guess I'll leave you be now." Anna started to walk back to the pathway to the cave.

Elsa only walked up a few steps on the foyer stairs before she got a sudden idea. "Wait!" Anna stopped in her tracks look at the ice wielder. "Would you like me to... show you around here?"

For a moment, Anna didn't know how to respond. However, seeing that she had nothing better to do, she took the offer. "Well, I would like to see more of this place."

"Follow me."

Anna walked up the foyer stairs. Once she caught up with Elsa, she started to follow her. Through the ice walls, Anna can see the two grand staircases on each side of the palace. They walked up the stairs on the right. At the top, another set of grand doors appeared, though they were smaller than the entrance to the palace.

Elsa opened the doors. "Welcome to my room." She said as they walked in.

The room was reasonably large. Anna believed it was actually the same size as her room back home. Interestingly enough, Elsa's room layout is similar to her own back home. On the left side of the room looked to be a bed, judging by the blankets & furs. Dangling from the top of it appeared to be blue drapes with snowflake patterns. The right side of the room had a desk and several tables made of ice. The tables had several objects. On the wall across from Anna lay a window overlooking the mountains. Several chests were also seen throughout the room.

"Nice..." Anna turned her attention to the tables. On the table were several candle holders, small boxes, a map, and a small clock.

"Where did you get all these-?" Anna didn't finish her question as she quickly noticed Elsa undressing. "Woah!" Anna lifted her arms to shield her eyes, her face turning slightly red.

"What?!" Elsa quickly shouted as she was spooked. "Are you alright? Is something wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Anna replied. "You didn't tell me that you were about to change."

"You screamed because I was changing clothes?" Elsa stared at her with a very baffled expression. "I'm sorry…I'm confused."

Anna didn't know what to say, for she was dumbstruck. She then remembered Elsa's living circumstances. Due to her years living without her parents or decent people and only living with snow creatures, Elsa was never taught any norms or proper manners. She probably doesn't even know that any exist.

"Here's the thing..." Anna bit her lip nervously. "Where I come from, it's improper to watch someone undress and dress."

"Improper?"

"It's inappropriate, basically."

"Oh..." Elsa replied softly. She was surprised by this statement. Throughout the years, she had changed clothes many times in the presence of Olaf, Marshmallow, and the snowgies. None of them were bothered. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I-"

"Take it easy. It's not your fault. You had no idea, and since you've been doing it without any people around, that's probably why," Anna reassures her, though she can see Elsa's guilty look. "Don't feel embarrassed. Look at the bright side. Now you know better."

"Do you want to step out of here?"

"That won't be necessary. I just won't watch you." Anna turns her body around, with her backside facing Elsa. "See? You'll be out of my sight until you're done, and we can still talk. Okay with you?"

"If it makes you comfortable," Elsa replied.

"Then go ahead." Anna faced away from Elsa.

Elsa had resumed changing her clothes. "What were you gonna ask me before, Anna?" She asked, remembering Anna about to ask a question.

"I was asking where you got this stuff?"

"I found them. You can be surprised how many travelers drop them without noticing."

"How long have you had them?

"Several years. Some have been here almost as long as I have," Elsa explained. "Okay, I'm done changing."

"She's a fast changer," Anna thought.

Anna turned around to see Elsa back in her ice dress. She was putting the old blue dress and shoes in a chest at the foot of the bed. To Anna's surprise, she saw Elsa's bare feet had complete contact with the ice floor. Yet, between that and her shoulder-exposing dress, Elsa didn't look bothered.

"Aren't you cold?" Anna blurted out.

Elsa looked up at Anna. "Excuse me?"

"I asked if you're cold. I mean, we're up in a palace made of ice in the middle of a mountain that snows year-round, and you're not wearing any shoes, and that dress shows a good amount of your shoulders…" Anna rambled before she stopped herself, returning to the question. "My point is that aren't you cold, just a bit?"

"The cold doesn't really bother me." Was the answer she gave as she closed her chest. "It never has."

"So you're immune to it?"

"Not exactly. I can still feel the cold, but it doesn't bother me the same way it probably would to you. It wouldn't bother me even if I was naked in a blizzard."

"Okay! I think I get the idea…" Anna answered, desperately shoving that uncomfortable image out of her head. "One question. If it doesn't bother you, why did you have these mittens and the bonnet you gave me?"

"Those were among the other things I found over the years. I kept them just in case they would be useful one day. And I was right. What else do you want to know about?"

"That map. Where did you get it? Whoever dropped it must've not been very bright. A map is something you should never lose."

"I didn't find that map." Elsa made her way to a table next to Anna.

"You didn't? Then how did you get it?"

"I made it."

"You made it?!" Elsa nodded.

That statement truly shocked Anna. As she reexamined the map, she could see all the details: the directions, how far apart they were, and the landmarks. The only thing wrong was the names. Other than that, it was an accurate map.

"Unbelievable…" Anna muttered.

"You don't like it?" Elsa questioned.

"What, no. It's remarkable."

"I also chart the sky." Elsa pointed upwards.

Anna did look and was surprised by what she saw. On different parts of the ceiling, several dots seemed to resemble constellations, and along with them were several circles that appeared to resemble the moon's various phases.

"You did all that?" Anna asked eyes still glued to the ceiling.

"Yes," Elsa answered. "They help me keep track of what time of year it is.

"Okay, then…" Anna wanted to test that theory. Not that she doubted Elsa, but she wanted to see for herself. "Tell me what month it is."

"You see that constellation in that spot?"

"The Big Dipper?" Elsa looked confused. "The one with the big square with a line attached to it," Anna elaborated.

"Oh, yes. As I said, that should be in that part of the sky. A full moon happens about once a month. The last one happened a few weeks ago. If I'm right, we should be in the late winter, the middle of February."

"Wow. You're good." Anna glances around the room again. "You did all this yourself? How you'd do it?"

"I do have a compass I found. And...a lot of time on my hands."

"Tell me more."

They spent several moments looking over the map and discussing the star chart. Elsa told small stories about the places she had been on the map. Anna also shared her opinions and the actual names of some areas.

"My friend is an ice harvester, and he told me that several other harvesters call that place The Ice Hole."

"That sounds a lot better name than the one I gave it."

"Why did you call it Itchy Armpit?"

"It seemed like a good idea at the time. I was 13 when I named it. I didn't think how dumb it sounded."

Both girls chuckled. Anna resumed looking over the map. As she did, something caught her eye. A drawing resembles a fjord on the map's coastline south of The North Mountain. In that fjord, there were little drawings of houses. One in particular looked like a castle. The words 'Fjord City' were written above the buildings.

"What's that supposed to be?" Anna pointed to the drawing to make it clear to Elsa.

"That's some city that isn't too far from here. It's in a fjord." Elsa gave a pause. "You're from there, aren't you?"

"How did you figure that out?"

"It's the only settlement close enough to here that I know of. It seemed like the more obvious place."

"Have you been there before?"

"...No."

"You haven't? Why?"

"I can't."

"What do you mean you-"

"I just-!" Elsa tensed for a moment before calming down again. "...can't. Okay?"

"Alright."

A sense of silence had appeared between the young women. As it lingered, Elsa suddenly remembered Marshmallow's statement earlier that day when they were both talking about Anna.

"Anna." The Princess brought her gaze to Elsa. "What were you doing in that blizzard so far from your home?"

"I was riding my horse when some wolves came out of nowhere and started chasing us. I fell off at some point and rolled down a hill, and my horse ran off."

"You probably stumbled upon the wolves' territory. They normally avoid people but only attack when they feel threatened. It would explain why they chased you. They also probably wanted to hunt your horse for food."

"I just hope the wolves didn't get him." Anna decided to get back on the topic, not wanting to think about her horse. "Anyway, after that, I attempted to walk back home on foot, but I guess I got lost. Then, that blizzard happened. I tried to stay awake, but the cold was too much. The next thing that happened, I collapsed and was ready to accept freezing to death."

"But you didn't," Elsa reminded gently.

"I didn't. All because of you."

"Well, not just me. Marshmallow carried you back."

"Still, the only reason I'm alive is because of you. Thank you."

"You already thanked me for it yesterday."

"Okay, well, thank you again," Anna said with a low chuckle. "Sometimes, one thank you isn't enough."

Elsa didn't say anything until she decided to ask Anna another question.

"What's the fjord city like?"

"Where do I even start?" Anna pondered. "For one thing, it's called Arendelle, not Fjord City.

"Arendelle?" Anna nods her head in conformation.

"Arendelle…Why do I feel like I...heard that name before?"

"Elsa? You alright?" Anna called out.

"What? Oh yes! I'm fine. Just thinking about something. Nothing important."

"Okay, anyways. It's a beautiful town. Everyone there is pretty much friendly. We have a harbor, shops, and a castle that I-...the king & queen live in." Afraid of causing Elsa to freak out and put unnecessary pressure on her, Anna decided it was best not to reveal that she was a princess. For the time being, that is.

"King & queen?" Elsa tilted her head.

"You do know what those are, right?"

"I've heard of them but know little about them."

"What do you know about them?"

"In my previous home, I was allowed to read small stories, including fairy tales. It was the only entertainment I had. In those stories, they were often said to be powerful people."

"That is true," Anna confirmed.

"Why are they powerful?"

"The king and queen are important people. They're in charge of caring for the kingdom they watch over. Making sure everyone that lives in their kingdom is happy and safe."

"Do other places have a king and queen?"

"Lots of places!" Anna answered cheerily. "Some have kings & queens like Arendelle. Some just have a king or queen. They're also other places run by princes, princesses, dukes, or duchesses."

"What are those?"

"They have similar jobs to a king and queen. A prince & princess are usually a king and queen's children, but they can sometimes be a close relative to them. A duke and duchess are like a king & queen, but they rule over a small territory."

"Wow. I never knew there were people like that." Elsa commented in awe.

Anna took a moment to look at Elsa and see that response. She had this look in her eyes and a small smile. It was a look a child would give once they learned something new for the first time. Elsa was about 18 years old, practically a woman, yet she had a child's look and curiosity.

"What's your king and queen like?" Elsa inquired, snapping Anna back to reality.

"Oh well, how do I put it." For all his faults, Anna can admit that her father was a good king. The same could be said for her mother, who was also a good queen. "They're very kind. The queen is a gentle & generous woman. The king always looks out for others, though a little too much sometimes." Anna muttered the last part of the sentence since she could bring in some truth about her father. "They basically have all the good traits a king and queen should have."

"What happens if they don't have good traits?"

"Then you get the worst kind of rulers. We call them tyrants. Thankfully, nothing like that has ever happened in Arendelle's history."

"Can you tell me more about your home?"

"What do you want to know?"

"How did it get there?"

"Oh...do you want the full story?" Elsa nodded eagerly. "Okay, let me see what I can remember…It all started over a thousand years ago when a group of explorers known as Vikings made landfall here."

For several hours, Anna had explained, to her ability, the history of Arendelle and Norway. She explained how Vikings came to this land long ago to settle in various places and how those settlements eventually became Arendelle. She then shared Arendelle's history of how it evolved and became the place she knew. For every detail Anna gave, Elsa listened to every word of it.

"...and that's pretty much how Arendelle came to be," Anna concluded.

"I never knew one place could have so much history behind it."

"I only told you what I remembered. Mine was probably not the best version."

"It was still a nice story."

Before Anna could speak, footsteps were heard, followed by the sound of the door opening. Olaf waddled in.

"Hi, Elsa! Hi, Anna!" He greeted. "What are you two doing?"

"Hi, Olaf," Elsa greeted back. "Anna was just telling me about Arendelle."

"Oooh...Arendelle. I bet it's a nice, beautiful place where you get fun!" Olaf paused for a moment. "What's Arendelle?"

"It's where I came from. My home." Anna replied.

"Oh, that's nice! I would love to hear about it, but we can't cause it's almost time."

"It is?" Olaf nodded his head. Elsa looked over at the clock on her desk. Several hours had indeed passed. "I can't believe I didn't realize it!"

"What are you-" Anna started but was cut off by Olaf.

"Is Anna coming too?" The snowman asked

"We'll be up there in a moment. I promise."

"Okie dokie!" Olaf then ran out of the room and down the stairs.

"Could you tell what he's talking about?"

"It's something I do with Olaf about every evening. I didn't realize that much time had passed."

"What is it?"

"You'll see soon. Come with me."

The two women left Elsa's bedroom and went down the stairs. Soon, Anna found themselves walking on the stairs on the left side of the palace. Once at the top, there weren't any doors. What Anna saw was an entrance to another room.

The room was much smaller than the foyer but bigger than Elsa's bedroom. Surrounding the room were several archway designs on the walls. As Anna walked halfway into the room, she saw the same colossal snowflake design that she could see on the foyer ceiling. In the reflection of the floor, Anna notices something on the top.

When she looked up, she saw what appeared to be a chandelier. Like everything else in the palace, it was also made of ice. It was enormous, perhaps even more monumental than most of the chandeliers in the castle in Arendelle.

"Wow..." Anna was still looking at the chandelier. "How did you make that?"

"One day, I had nothing to do, so I decided to play around with my powers and ended up making it," Elsa explained. "Kept it since."

"You made it because you were bored?"

"If you want to put it that way."

Anna gave a light chuckle. "So what's this thing we're doing in here?"

"It's not in here. It's out there." Elsa opened a large set of doors. Light entered the room, and then a balcony revealed itself, with Olaf already there waving. Behind the snowman was one of the most beautiful sights Anna had seen in her life.

The sun was setting behind the mountain range. All around, there was a warm glow, and a pretty pink sky surrounding the sun.

"Hey, guys! you're both just in time for the sunset!" Olaf cheerfully expressed.

"You know I wouldn't miss watching a sunset with you, Olaf." Elsa turned her attention toward Anna. "What do you think?"

"This is such a sick view!" Anna exclaimed.

"How is a view sick?" Elsa asked, not getting the expression. "I don't think it cannot fall ill."

"No, no. It's an expression. People usually say that when they see something cool, awesome, and amazing."

"I don't get sick!" Olaf blurted out in his usual happy tone.

A small silence was followed by Olaf's sentence.

"Anyways…" Anna trailed off. "Is this something you two do a lot?"

"Yes. We often like to watch it," Elsa stated.

"I love the sun, especially sunsets," Olaf wraps his arms around himself. "They remind me of warm hugs."

"It's a great view," Anna commented.

"If you think this is great, wait until after sunset," Olaf mentioned.

"What does he mean?"

Elsa gave a sly smile. "You'll see soon."

The three of them waited. They all watched the sun lower behind the mountains, and Anna was curious about what would happen after sunset. Then, once the sky got completely dark, something happened.

Lights in various colors appeared in the night sky. Anna realized these lights were the Aurora Borealis. The Northern Lights. Anna had seen these lights many times throughout her life, but she always saw them from the comfort of the castle. This time was totally different. The lights were so much more prominent and beautiful from this viewpoint.

"Woah…I take back my earlier statement. This is a pretty sick view." Anna continued staring at the dancing lights. "I've watched these lights many times but never seen them this close. It's so bright and…"

"...Awake." What both Anna & Elsa said at the same time.

The two girls went silent and looked at each other in bafflement.

"Did you say awake?" Anna asked.

"Yes," Elsa answered. "Why do you ask?"

"It's just that my parents used to say that a lot when I was little whenever we see those lights." Anna didn't say a word for several moments before chuckling a bit. "You know, when I was a kid, I often used it as an excuse for staying up late. When my parents catch me, I would say, 'The sky's awake, so I'm awake, so I have to play!' " Anna exclaimed dramatically, using a squeaky voice.

Elsa chuckled at the demonstration. "What would they do?"

"Sometimes it worked. Other times, they just put me back in bed. I stopped doing it after a few years. What about you, Elsa? Where do you get the whole sky is awake thing?"

Elsa didn't answer. For a second, she had looked hesitant to answer the question. "It just looks awake, doesn't it?"

"Oh," Anna replied, though surprisingly disappointed with Elsa's answer. "I guess it does…"

The sound of grumbling then came out of Anna's stomach.

"Well, I guess I should start on dinner," Elsa suggested.

Anna agreed with that statement. And so both girls and snowman retreated back into the ice palace.

Okay, I just want to make a few disclaimers first.

*I have absolute NO knowledge on Norway's history, landscape, and all that good stuff (I'm an American:P). I research the best I could for the sake of the story (I did look up constellations that can be seen in Norway. The Big Dipper (or Ursa Major) was one of them). If I get anything wrong, I apologize in advance. But I should be right about the vikings part, hopefully...

*I still don't know if I'm writing Olaf right.

*And just a reminder, this isn't a ElsAnna story.

Okay now thats done, we finally have and Elsa/Anna chapter. Here Anna learns some more things about Elsa and her day to day life. Hoped you guys liked it.

In the time between this and the last chapter, I saw Coco, including Olaf's Frozen Adventure (Before it was taken out of theaters). It was a cute short and l loved the new songs (Ring of the Season (and its reprise) & When We're Together being my favorites.). I may put a chapter in this story inspired by that short. I'm not saying I am, but I'm suggesting its a possibility. I may or may not, we'll see.

And in case anyone wondering about year this chapter this takes in. According to the Disney wiki, Frozen takes place in July of 1839, with Frozen Fever taking place in June of 1840. I'm just going by the info from the wiki. Since Elsa's 18 and Anna is going to be 15 in several months at this point (which was almost around the time their parents died in the film), the year in this chapter is 1836. Again, going by the Disney wiki.

Thanks for the favs, follows, and reviews. Happy Reading.