elsa-the-ice-queen-of-arend-blog

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Elsa listened, but when it was apparent that Anna didn't want to tell her more about her day than that, she had to say she felt a little hurt.  She herself didn't want to share her day because it was boring and Anna didn't need to listen to meetings and what she was reading about.  But Anna's day sounded fun, like a lot of good things happened, like it was enjoyable.  She didn't press the issue, though, when Anna changed the topic to her wakefulness.  "I was just on my way.  Perhaps you should as well."  Should she be telling her sister how to take care of herself?  She'd done it by herself and with the help of the maids for years without her.  But now that she was here, there was a certain sense of duty.  "Good night," was all she could think to say, though.  "I hope you have pleasant dreams."  And so she turned and made her way back up the sweeping stairs.  Maybe Anna would want to talk to her more later.  It was late, after all.  

Newlyweds of Arendelle

Anna brushed away all the pieces of armor behind the stand it was once on. She was going to get a scolding in the morning for this. Somehow she thought that hiding it behind the stand was going to make it much better. She took Elsa’s hand, a little reluctant of standing up. Using Elsa as a leverage, she got up oh so slowly. As soon as she felt the pain in her bum accelerate, she slowed her progress to standing up straight.  Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea riding her bike down the stairs in the dark. The suit of armor couldn’t hold her weight anymore like it did before, so she couldn’t count on getting anymore good landings. Before speaking she dusted herself off and straightened her wrinkled dress. “Just out, exploring.” Elsa didn’t sound interested on what she did during the day so she kept it short. Her sister also seemed worn out. Well, it was late so she wouldn’t be surprised if anybody was tired at this hour. “Why aren’t you in bed? Its late, and you’re probably going to be busy tomorrow so you need your sleep.” Anna leaned in towards her sister, giving her a warm smile. She wasn’t tired yet, so there was no way she was going to bed now. 

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Newlyweds of Arendelle

Elsa glanced longingly at her bed down the hall but turned and descended the stairs, needing to check up on Anna.  Though she was sure the other could handle herself very well regardless.  After all, she’d been able to take care of herself for years without Elsa’s help.  Why would that change now that Elsa was out of her room?  She arrived at the bottom and reached a gloved hand forward to help her sister up.  “Perhaps it’s getting late for this?”  She didn’t want to cut the fun, but if she was falling asleep and her sister was falling off her bike, then perhaps it was time to call it a night.  Straightening again, she gestured to the bike.  “As long as you put it out of the way, you can let a maid put it back in the morning,” she conceded.  She wanted to ask to be excused, to be allowed to go to bed and sleep.  She had to keep working at that book; she had to find a new trading partner.  Elsa smoothed down her skirt when they’d both righted themselves.  “How did you spend the day?” she asked softly, tentatively. 

Elsa's POV

The ceremony had been almost as beautiful as the coronation, and went far more smoothly. Elsa had remembered how beautiful Anna had been, and had commissioned a portrait of it which would be started next week. She was already planning it, trying to think of the best way to use this to showcase her power. She wanted to remember this moment for the rest of her life, to have their images immortalized with all the others. But the festivities were over and after the second most exhausting day she'd ever spent, Elsa was more than ready to retire to her own chambers and forgo the honey moon suite. "I hope you don't mind? I have a meeting tomorrow and I'll have to prepare for it."

Anna'sPOV

Anna was exhausted the festivities and the fun kept her constantly on her toes. It took some time for Elsa's words to process properly, once they did Anna's tired eyelids shot open and her jaw hung open ready to spout words. "Elsa, all you do is work!" The words were slightly slurred they tumbled clumsily off her lips. It was evident that she was tired from the day, she had a slumped tired posture and the seconds between her blinks grew longer with each one.

Elsa's POV

It didn't make sense why Anna was so surprised. She was a new ruler and she didn't know what she was doing. Things would get easier. They had to. Between not having good trade relations and having to deal with the fallout of a failed season of agriculture, Elsa thought that this would easily be the worst year of her reign. She just had to get through it in one piece, and make sure her people survived. None of which she could do if she spent all her time on silly nothings like this. "Anna, I have a lot of work to do to make things right. But I've comissioned a portrait next week. We will see each other then," she announced.

Anna's POV

Anna's eyelids widened even more at the mention of next week. Next week?! Her mind screamed, instead of her actual mouth fortunately. Next week for was far to long for Anna. She knew that Elsa had queenly duties to attend to, especially after the unscheduled almost eternal winter she plunged Arendelle into but she wanted to spend as much time she could with Elsa. Anna wanted to fill up the time they had lost in their childhood when Elsa locked herself away but then again these her were duties. The kingdom and happiness of the people had to come first, right? Instead of pushing on, Anna only nodded reluctantly. "Okay, but Elsa... Let me sleep with you, just tonight?" She asked, biting down on her lip hard.

Elsa's POV

Elsa remembered the last time Anna had come into her bed. First, she remembered not getting a wink of sleep that night. But she also remembered that it was the last time they'd seen each other for ten years. She'd remembered all the fear that Anna wouldn't make it. She remembered wondering for years how things could have been different if she had just gone back to sleep. If she'd just said that she wanted to play in the morning when there would be sun. Then she might have seen the sun again. "Anna, there's something you have to understand. Our marriage is political and nothing more. I enjoy your company as a sister, but it ends there. We will not sleep together."

Anna's POV

Anna only scrunched her eyebrows together while the tips of her of lips dropped into a large frown. Again she nodded reluctantly, she didn't want to push the matter any further. Her sister had her duties and every right to reject the offer, and the good of the people had to come first. Yet, she was scared that Elsa might shut her out once again in a different way this time, by drowning herself in work and having no time for her and no time to make up for those lost years. Anna then began to trudging walk towards her bedroom, with her head down lower than it should be. Maybe some sleep would do her some good.

Elsa's POV

Elsa could see she'd hurt her bride. It was obvious; the girl wore her emotions on her face like a diamond to be seen by all. She'd never been taught to hide herself and it was rather spectacular to see such an array of emotions. "Anna." She wanted to tell her she loved her. She wanted to draw her sister into a kiss or a hug, to tell her that she'd try and sqeaze her in at some point. But all that came out was "make sure not to slouch." Of all things why had she said that? Elsa pursed her lips and held her head up, realizing she had better just retreat to her chambers now. What could have been salvaged of the evening was now lost.

Anna's POV

Anna's face lit up slightly once Elsa called her name, but it quickly scrunched back to its somber expression as soon as the rest of the sentence escaped her older sister's lips. Although she was hurt that Elsa didn't try to save the evening from the doom or a simple 'I love you', she straightened her posture anyway. She continued to trudge slowly though, letting her heavy steps echo throughout the castle. As she walked she let her exhaustion take away all the emotions she was feeling. Hopefully, once she hits her bed she'll pass out and wake up later than usual tomorrow.

Elsa's POV

Elsa left her sister alone and went back to her own chambers. No longer the child's room with the snow flakes on the door, but the king's rooms. She'd had them redecorated before she moved in, but they were a lot grander and more suited for her. Maybe she had been too harsh on Anna. Maybe she should have said something else. But she couldn't think of anything to do to salvage them now. So she changed with the help of her maid and then slept under her own covers. In the morning she woke late, but still had time to receive her papers before lunch. In her father's--her--study, she read the boring papers and tried to learn the Northern Tribes' position on trading some of their herds.

Anna's POV

Anna being notorious for sleeping quite late just broke her record today, she had to be woken up rather roughly as well. It was about midday, some hours past lunch was when the staff decided it was time they had the girl out of bed. Once she got dressed into her usual attire which was a plain emerald dress, she headed to the dining to eat breakfast well more like dinner. She still had daylight to burn, all that was on her mind was about how could spend the remaining hours of the day. Maybe goof off Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf or just explore the town once again to memorize every detail of the kingdom. She had to burn time fast so she could spend time with Elsa sooner.

Elsa's POV

Her meetings weren't enjoyable. If Elsa could have been somewhere else, doing other things she would have. At least this diplomat was a little kinder than the others had been. He was patient with her as she struggled to find the right things to say and tried to ebb the conversation her way. It was a struggle, but by the end of the afternoon she had secured a heard of one thousand head of beef for milking and breeding. The trader from over the mountains had barely touched on the problems she faced, but he had helped and she gladly paid with silver and promises of grain the following year. He had been wealthy and would be far better off for having done business with Arendelle. That evening Elsa ate alone--it appeared that Anna was spending her day in town.

Anna's POV

Anna found that Kristoff, and Sven were spending time in the mountains probably chipping away at some ice and admiring the Ice Palace Elsa created. Olaf was in town luckily, so Anna didn't have such a lonely day. They explored the town together, admiring flowers and occasionally talking to the people. Olaf was continuously distracted by the flowers they passed by, so Anna would also continuously have to walk back to Olaf and admire the flowers with him. The little snowman did enjoy summer very much, with its bursting colors and plant life it was indeed beautiful. Soon enough the sun began to dip under the horizon, and Anna had to make way for home. Olaf and her said there goodbyes before they both retreated back where they needed to be for the night. Anna took her sweet time getting to the castle, finding every excuse to go any slower like how nice the castle looked from here or how the ocean held the nice glow of the moonlight. It was late once she got home, she had to sneak past servants so she wouldn't get a scolding for staying out too late.

Elsa's POV

Elsa returned to her study only to see that her head adviser had left a note there for her, informing her of a meeting in the early morning where they'd review the diplomacy she'd displayed that afternoon and help her improve. Really, she'd thought she'd done quite well, but they were the masters of this sort of thing. She took the book they'd left her to read and the letter and began to chip away at the lengthy volume. Not the most interesting thing, but it reviewed the last two hundred years of economics in Arendelle, which was exceedingly important to her future. She'd have to know it, but looked forward to the days when she wouldn't have to keep learning at quite such a break neck pace to compensate for the things she'd done to ruin the nation. It was hours later that she fell asleep partly from exhaustion and partly from boredom on top of the book, less than 1/3 of the way read.

Anna's POV

Anna was too awake, exhaustion has barely touched her. Most of the castle was quiet, servants were either asleep or at home. If she didn't go to bed soon, she was going to cause a disarray in her sleep schedule. It gnawed at her for a bit, but she knew even if she tried to go to sleep now she'd spend time laying in her bed restless so the thoughts quickly floated away. She decided she'd spend her time in the gallery, the place where she spent most of time when Elsa was locked up in her room. She'd talk to the paintings for counselling, although they didn't talk back it was better than nothing and she needed someone to talk to. Her favorite was Joan, she was a valiant woman and Anna would often talk to her painting than any other. So, she slumped down onto the couch just below Joan for awhile before growing bored and going back to run around the castle. Even though it was dangerous, she came to the conclusion that would be fun. She rode her bike in the halls, immediately as she did so she caused quite a ruckus.

Elsa's POV

Elsa heard a crash somewhere. At first she thought she'd broken something in her sleep, perhaps knocked an ink pot off the table and broken it but as she looked under the table, she saw that it wasn't the case. She didn't see any stains or glass and she sleepily rubbed her eyes. The noise had, then, come from outside. She was glad of it; she couldn't go on sleeping in her study. Elsa would need to go to sleep in her own bed, just as soon as she made sure that nobody, probably Anna, was okay. Or maybe a servant had dropped something. No, in all her years of listening, it was usually that very groan she heard now that came next. She stood, leaving the book where it was, and left the little room, taking the candle with her after blowing out all the others. At he stairs she saw that Anna had tried to ride down them and her criticism left her immediately, going to her to make sure she was okay. "Anna?" She was lying at the bottom of the stairs with a suit of armor over her. It would have been cartoonish if it didn't look so painful. "Are you okay?"

Anna's POV

Anna carefully the side of her side where a piece of armor had fallen onto, which stroke causing a sting in her skull. She came to the conclusion that it wasn't such a good idea to touch it anymore if it hurts that much. Anna looked up at Elsa and smiled, with a red tint of embarrassment on her cheeks. A soft embarrassed chuckle escaped between her clenched teeth trying to cover up the multiple aches on bottom and head. "Yeah, yeah! I'm okay, all good! Everything is good, just had an accident. Its fine." She began to babble, but quickly stopped noticing that she was. It wasn't her first accident with the bike and suit of armor, but of course it also hurt. Anna started to take the pieces of armor off of her, piling them up so someone might again arrange by morning or whenever she wakes up tomorrow.

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Reparations in Arendelle

When Anna left, Elsa took a sigh of relief.  She didn’t return to the window or to the dressing table, but to her bed.  She lay down and closed her eyes, trying to  rest, but not fall asleep for a few minutes, listening for the chime of the clock outside which would tell her when it was time to wake and get ready.  Too soon she heard the loud  gongs and had to open her eyes, and pull the call for her maid to come and help her into her clothes for the evening and to fix her hair.  Once she looked the part, she headed downstairs to the smaller of her two receiving dinner rooms.  This one would be a little smaller and a little more intimate. 

Anna's POV

Anna sighed as she returned to the castle, much longer after her older sister had. She couldn't blame the queen for wanting to retreat back inside the castle. It was heartbreaking to see their people starving because of the winter she'd caused. After giving out as much food as she could from the castle's kitchen, she sighed once she was out of sight of all the other people. A little disheartened by what she'd seen, she made her way up the staircase to Elsa's room, knocking quietly on the door.

Elsa's POV

She couldn't believe the way they looked at her. It had only been a couple of months since her coronation and she had already destroyed the kingdom. Nothing she and her advisory had done had helped. It was all her fault. Not just the winter, but sending away their primary trading partner as well. Weaseltown could have helped them out of this if she hadn't cut ties. She looked at herself in her mirrors and sighed when she heard the knock. In the back of her mind she heard the question, "do you want to build a snow man?" But she put on her best brave face before calling to the door, "come in,"

Anna's POV

Anna peeked her head into the dimly lit room, her heart tweaking at seeing her sister look so upset. While many of the townspeople knew that Elsa simply acted out of fear, many more still cowered away from her. They knew Anna for the sweet person she was, but they didn't know Elsa. They didn't know what to expect of their queen. The redhead stood there, watching her older sister in silence for several moments before taking a deep breath. "It isn't your fault..." she whispered.

Elsa's POV

Elsa knew Anna believed it, but she saw what she wanted to see. It was her nature. She didn't want to see her older sister she'd wanted to play with all her life to end up being a monster, the prophecy, and an inept ruler. She'd overcome the first two, but that didn't mean that the didnt' play significantly into who she was now. "Then who's is it?" she asked. She stood from her stool and walked to the window on the far side of her room and peered down. Natural flurries appeared and she saw people holding too-large clothing in place. "Have you seen the way they look at me?" They looked at her like she was killing them, like she had brought this winter too.

Anna's POV

"They just need to see that you'll lead them out of this," she insisted, walking over and standing beside her. Her eyes trained on Elsa, she smiled weakly as she noticed her sister was once again wearing gloves, "They need to know you aren't afraid. If you aren't afraid, neither are they," she murmured.

Elsa's POV

Elsa had heard that from the advisory and wondered if Anna had been talking to them. "Anna." How could she explain the fact that she could do nothing? No amount of brave face would fill their cupboards at home and their own stores were going to be empty in spring as well. They weren't looking any better than the rest of the country. "Someone said to me today, 'It's all very well for you. Not everyone can subsist on ice.'" She'd never been insulted before. Not the way that woman had meant it. Like she'd just signed their death warrants. "I can't go out in public. And I've been looking for a new trading partner but the only kingdom with year round agriculture is the Southern Isles." And they coudln' tgo there for help

Anna's POV

Anna sighed softly, gingerly placing a hand on the queen's shoulder and hoping, just hoping, that she wouldn't pull away for once. "The people are just scared." she tried to reason with her, "We've never had conditions /this/ harsh before. But not everyone is like that woman. There are so many more that have faith in you." And even more than that who had asked Anna why she couldn't be Queen instead. But the last thing Elsa needed was to know that.  "I have faith in you," she added softly.

Elsa's POV

She rolled her shoulder gently, trying to dislodge Anna's touch subconsciously. They couldn't ask help from the Southern Isles, could they? Not after what Prince Hans tried to do to their kingdom? All they had was their steel industry in the North, but they wouldn't have enough of that to trade for enough grain and herring to feed almost three million peasants and subjects. "They like you, Anna. You saved the kingdom. You're a hero in their minds." It was just fact. She was a hero and Elsa was the prophecy.

Anna's POV

"Don't say that," she begged quietly, slowly retracting her hand, "When you say that...when anyone says that...it makes it sound like I'm the hero and you're the...the..." she swallowed the lump in her throat, getting more worked up by the second, "...the monster," she whispered, taking a deep breath, "And you're no monster. You're my sister."

Elsa's POV

Elsa took off one of her gloves and pressed her finger to the pane of glass, letting a delicate, intricate pattern begin to spread, obscuring the outside from view. She couldn't see them and think about them right now. "When you stopped the winter I thought everything would go back to normal," she admitted. But she had never had the best of luck when it came to luck. "And even if it's not my fault, it's my duty to fix it. I am their queen and I have to make things right." It would be the least she could do even if she wasn't.

Anna's POV

Anna watched the frost cover the window pane in awe, waiting for the entirety of it to be covered before moving her own hand up to Elsa's, slipping her hand into her sister's and giving it a comforting squeeze despite how cold it was. "You can't do everything on your own, Elsa," she told her, "You don't have to anymore. I'm right here for you. I always have been. And that's not going to change." she took a shaky breath, "Just don't push me away again. Please."

Elsa's POV

Elsa dropped her hand from the window and from Anna's hand and turned back to the book shelves that were filled with the books she'd used to pass ten years. Boring now. Ten years of monotiny had ruined books for her, even after the printing press had made the easy to read words fun in her sixteenth year. That, too, had gotten old. But none of them were as boring as the documents she now had to get through. It made her long for the old days. "No, I have an advisory. But they're...tiresome." Useless. They wanted her to go back to Weaseltown. And Anna meant well, but what could she do?

Anna's POV

Anna trained her eyes on Elsa's back, wearing the expression of a kicked puppy as she slowly sat down on the windowsill. In the town below, people were suffering, starving, scared. They were fearful of their queen, they feared for their princess' safety. They were afraid of being thrown into another harsh winter if they made the wrong move. It made Anna feel useless to know that no matter what she said in Elsa's favor, they still lived in fear and loathing. "What do you want to do, then?" she asked after a while, "You should do what you think is best for Arendelle."

Elsa's POV

Anna's words hurt her. Was she sacrificing her kingdom because she had too much pride to ask for help from those who could get them out of this mess? There were other partners, but the nomads in the north weren't one bloc and they weren't an agriculture society by any means. "Everyone's saying to trade with the Southern Isles." They had the means. They were so sure of themselves that the thirteenth son hadn't been sent into the clergy. It was impressive, to say the least. "But I want to pretend they don't even exist," she admitted.

Anna's POV

"You pretended I didn't exist for ten years," she mumbled, "And that didn't end well either," she sighed, looking over at Elsa with eyes that were tired from late nights spent worrying and glassy from the stress they'd all been thrown into, "You can't sweep them under the rug. The king of the Southern Isles apologized for.../his/ actions. I'm sure that they would lend help if we asked, even if they're only acting out of guilt."

Elsa's  POV

Again, Anna managed to say just the wrong thing. The two weren't comparable. Elsa had spent ten years listening to Anna play and laugh and talk to her friends. She knew that she had them; she heard talking in the halls. Joan, Henry, Louis, and others. She had listened to Anna sing to her and could't respond no matter how much she wanted to. "You know the two are not the same," she insisted. With a burst of anger she sent an icicle at the door, letting it shatter against the hard paneling, leaving little beads all over the floor. "If there's no other way in a month, I'll send someone."

Anna's POV

Reacting on instincts she was disheartened to admit she had, Anna flinched away at the sound of shattering ice. "I'm sorry!" she apologized, wanting so badly to run over and comfort Elsa, to tell her she didn't mean it, but the queen's anger deterred her. "I wasn't saying...I just...I didn't mean..." she swallowed heavily, trying to wipe back a few tears before Elsa could see them.

Elsa's POV

Elsa could hear the slight whine enter her sister's voice and knew she was crying. She turned and watched, not knowing what to do about it. What could a person do when another displayed that kind of emotions? She waited for Anna to stop before giving a gentle wave. "Don't be," she answered. "There's no need to be sorry." It was clear she was only apologizing because she was frightened.

Anna's POV

Anna peeked at her through her fingers, her eyes glassy and red. She sniffled, drawing her knees up to her chest and resting her chin on them. "I-I know you can lead Arendelle, Elsa." she told her, still wiping away stray tears, "There's a reason you're queen and I'm not. You're mature and sensible and you make the right decisions. Please believe me when I say you can do this. You're my queen, too."

Elsa's POV

"Anna," she began. She wanted to ask if she was acting small and petty wanting to see suffering for the lands that had caused her all of this suffering. It hadn't been long enough in her opinion. She wanted to see their economies collapse. But that wasn't right. She was the one on the verge of collapse. So in stead she teased. "I suppose you want to secure your stock of chocolates?" She'd heard almost everything Anna had shouted about the day of her coronation including wanting to stuff chocolates in her face.

Anna's POV

"Maybe..." Anna murmured with a sigh, finally standing up and walking over to Elsa. She gently took her hands, holding back a shudder at how cold they were against her own skin. "Don't change the subject. This is about you. What are /you/ going to do?" she asked her, looking hopeful that she had some sort of plan, "The people can't live on a bowl of soup a day."

Elsa's POV

That was it. Elsa had heard enough for the day. She took Anna's hand for a moment before she looked at the door. "I'm tired from my excursion today. I hope you don't mind if I retire for the day?" She couldn't keep talking about the problems the kingdom faced, she'd hear enough about that tomorrow when she met with her advisory and they told her about the poverty in the north where the winter had hit the hardest, and in the West where there were the most crops failed. She gestured to the door.

Anna's POV

"Yes, I do," she sighed, looking at Elsa with a saddened expression, she looked at their hands with a small frown, "I'm sorry. I won't talk about this anymore." she promised, "But don't shut me out." she looked back up at her sister and squeezed her hands tightly, feeling as if she'd pull away if she didn't hold tight enough, "Not again."

Elsa's POV

"I'm not shutting you out," Elsa insisted. She'd had a life of isolation and it had left her tired talking to people, Anna included. How Anna was so much more adept at conversing than she was astounded her. "I just have a bit of a headache and I'd like to rest before my dinner meeting. If you'd like to come to that, you may."

Anna's POV

Anna's expression changed to that of sympathy. She wrapped her arms around Elsa's neck, hugging tight. "If you want me there, I'll come," she told her in a whisper, stretching up on her toes a little, "Or I could go there in your place. You could get some sleep." she offered.

Elsa's POV

Anna was enthusiastic and very, very sweet. That did not make her a good diplomat and she could only imagine what might happen if she did take her place. "Thank you for the offer, Anna, but to be honest, I think I'd better take it. I have a lot of practicing to do and my advisory is trying to help me."

Anna's POV

She gave a small nod. "But I'll be there. To help you." she promised with a small smile, kissing Elsa's cheek softly (trying not to look shocked at it being so cold), "You don't have to do this all on your own."

Elsa's  POV

Elsa gave up. Anna had worn her down and though she admired her father's strong will and ability to take reins over their lives, she wasn't that man. She wasn't the strong ruler he was and she couldn't say no to her sister. "Alright, I look forward to seeing you this evening," she said diplomaticallly, trying to queue her sister to go.

Anna's POV

Finally, Anna took the hint. With an awkward smile, she headed to the door (nearly tripping over her own feet). Looking back at Elsa, she smiled softly. "You should keep the frost on that window. It looks lovely," she said, before leaving her to get ready for the dinner.

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Elsa gave a slow nod to her sister.  “Thank you.  I’m sure it’ll go well.”  She accepted the kiss, but made no move to return it.  It wasn’t too different from when people wanted to kiss the rings she wore over her gloves.  It was a simple farewell, was it not?  She pushed open her white door with the blue flakes and entered her chambers.  There was a little dirt and mulch at the hem of her skirt where she’d walked through the garden, especially at the swing, she assumed.  She changed into a cream colored dress with dark stitching in a design to swirling to be frost, but not without the resemblance.  She supposed she’d grown up with the aesthetic and she’d ended up loving it. 

The maid who’d helped her took away the soiled dress and she went to her father’s—her—study and picked up the papers which had been left there for her, probably several hours earlier, to review in the time before meeting with the diplomats.  A grueling hour of trying to figure out what was important and what she could ignore—it was only her second time tasked with this—she put the documents aside and stood from the second throne which dwarfed her in a way it never did her father and put on her best air of power before going to the meeting.

She had always been told she had a certain power in the way she presented herself.  Even when she shied away from presenting it, her titles did it for her.  Now she had them and a self confidence she’d found in the mountains.  That evening she was sure she dazzled them with her negotiations, even if she pushed a little far on the case of needing grain with a delayed payment, but they’d agreed.

An evening of politics, drinking, and finally a game of cards ended later than she’d anticipated.  It had gone well, but it was exhausting and it had gone on until midnight, when her guest called an end, saying he had to leave with the tide in the morning.  And so it was with heavy eyelids and feet that she retired to her chambers, a maid carrying a candle with her and who helped her change and took her hair down into its braid for bed.  She remembered as she was drifting off that she had promised star gazing, and made a note to remember in the morning to see Anna.  Perhaps after breakfast and her tutoring, hearing the feedback from her advisory on her performance that night. 

My Sister, My Bride, My Queen

  Anna smiled, nodded, of course she understood. Or maybe that wasn’t entirely right, she didn’t understand entirely, growing up with a life free of duties or scoldings save for the minor issues of trying to get out of the castle walls. It was their parent’s way of atoning for it, spoiling her, letting her do as she pleased, as if that could actually make up for everything. So she didn’t understand entirely, but she accepted.

They walked in silence, and Anna was okay with that too. She didn’t have to yammer on every minute, even though talking had been one of the only ways to fill the walls and give herself something to do. It was a hard thing to break away from, but she had Elsa by her side, on her arm, and things were okay. It was short lived, or shorter lived than she’d like, as they approached the castle. Their beautiful home that she’d never gotten to admire from far away. For a moment Anna contemplating parting ways there, take her leave to go run about somewhere else, but instead she held fast and continued on with her sister, back to her room where they had begun this whole thing.

"Guess I’ll let you go," she said as they stopped in front of the door, smiling brightly despite herself. "Try not to fall asleep or anything listening to the old croons droning on about boring stuff!" With a touch of laughter she released her arm, not without giving Elsa’s a soft squeeze of reassurance, then leaned in to kiss her cheek for farewell. "I’ll see you later." Anna took a step back, watching a moment, before turning off entirely and taking her leave.

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[elsa-the-ice-queen-of-arend-blog]

[elsa-the-ice-queen-of-arend-blog]

My Sister, My Bride, My Queen

Anna was right.  The outside could wait.  The crisp sounds of the clock, the fresh air, the koi which were a lot sillier in real life than they were in books, and the swing could all wait for another day.  When she found she had time among her duties.  It had only been three weeks since the coronation and she was already struggling with a failed harvest and a lack of any significant trade partners, not to mention impending turmoil in the Southern Isles.  She had no heart to add international strife to her list of struggles.  Gods willing she never would.

"Thank you for understanding.  That all sounds quite lovely," she agreed.  She accepted her queen's arm with a nod and a quiet, "of course," as she put out her arm for the smaller woman.  She strode back along the silly, twisty path that made no sense but was all the same endearing.  It was a change from the sweeping rooms of her apartments and the wide, austere halls of her castle.  She walked with Anna back to the castle, feeling the rather heavy weight of the other's arm on her own.  She'd read this position in books of etiquette  but had never realized how warm and heavy another's body would be.  Those books never explained the reality, only what one should try to obtain.

As the gravel of the path crunched beneath their feet and she could see the castle come into view more fully from behind the thick trees that covered the landscaping near the tall wall that kept them safe.  Now that she could leave when she wanted to, the walls that had been her prison had become safety.  Exposure to the outside had provided what her parents' warnings had never been able to do.  She wasn't scared, but she had a reason to retreat home. While she had a little work left to do, she hoped this evening would go smoothly and she could go to bed and sleep off the exhaustion that was beginning to  wear at her. 

Anna's POV

Excited. Elated. Happier than she'd even been in the past she didn't even how many years. Those were just a few ways to describe Anna in the past couple of weeks. After the events with her sister, the near total loss of her kingdom and her life, things had settled and her new life had started. One where things were open, bright, and filled with people. Most importantly, however, it was a new life with Elsa actually in her life again. Kind of a big deal for the girl, who had spent so much of her time vying for Elsa's attention only to be spurned. She understood, now, of course. Well, for the most part. Anna might not ever fully understand, but one thing she did fully understand was that she never wanted to feel so lonely again. So separated from the person she held most dear to her. It was heartbreaking to think they'd ever grown so far apart over such a trivial thing. Trivial in Anna's perspective, at least. And so, when they were wed, she counted it as easily the best day of her life. A little strange, but her infatuation with Kristoff had weened, and royal families intermarried all the time, the concept of nothing new. Their ceremony had been incredible, and Anna had tripped over her vows twice before finally getting them in order, tears and cheers as they kissed and danced. But, kissing and dancing were not things they were doing any more, much to Anna's dismay and turning everything she thought marriage was going to be upside down. She had thought it'd mean Elsa would instantly be everything she wanted from her, right there by her side constantly. That they'd hold hands and cuddle and drown each other in affection. Anna hadn't gotten so much as a hug within the past week. Nervously the girl shuffled to her sister's room - they didn't even share one yet - and knocked. "Elsa? I'm sorry if this is a bad time, but- but could I come in? Please?" Her hand hovered at the door, not daring to touch and try, not wanting to be faced with another locked door keeping her from her sister. 

Elsa's POV

Large public gatherings were tiring these days for Elsa. Who was she kidding? Playing in the courtyard with people who showed up had her wanting to lie down and take a nap. So many people, so many faces. After she'd come back, she found that people had the expectation that they should be allowed to kiss her hands when they greeted her and it had felt unnerving. So the gloves had come back, this time not to protect the world from her, but her from the world. This afternoon, just a week after her wedding, she sat in her bedroom with a headache, covered again in a dress of more substantial material, not just the thin layer of ice she'd worn on her tirade. Outside, the sun shone, men and women enjoyed each other company. Lovely people. The people she was responsible for. She tapped her fingers against the table in front of her mirror and idly let a little crystal structure grow along the grain, amplifying it. When she hard her sister, her bride, her queen, come in, she turned, and nodded, staying seated on her stool, still prim and royal even with Anna. "No, no. Come in." When she stayed by the large flake-covered door, she waved Anna, in with a gentle gesture. "I'm not doing anything, I just couldn't be in public any more today. What's on your mind" She loved hearing what was on Anna's mind. She was fun and exciting and saw the little joys in life in a way nobody else could. 

Anna's POV

The voice drew a breath of relief and Anna slipped herself inside, but she lingered a little. Coming into Elsa's room was always something that took her breath away, for one reason or another. Mostly because she could hardly believe that she was even in there. She smiled at Elsa, fidgeted with her dress a little, the material thin and spring green as summer was still upon them and she felt she looked good in green. "Oh, yeah, that's understandable! I mean, gosh, we've spent how long on our own? Dealing with so many people is so tiring." Not that it ever seemed to bother Anna. For all her awkward ways about her she was a social butterfly, always thrilled for the public events. Finally she stepped forward, stopping just beside Elsa, hands clasped together and fingers tip-tapping against her skin and she averted her eyes momentarily. "Okay, well, I don't want to be 'that person', but I just want to make sure you're alright? It's just," she dropped her hands and slouched her shoulders, "I thought we'd be doing a lot more. Now that we're married and all. Like, sleep together and stuff." She paused, her face went a little red, and she cleared her throat. "Not- not like that! Er, well, maybe, ah no! Just. Married people things. Kiss each other goodnight, holds hands, stuff people do in all the paintings and stories." Suddenly she felt very, very small, and very, very stupid blathering on the way she was. Maybe she should have thought about this more. 

Elsa's POV

The friendly smile faded from Elsa's face. Now that she was thinking about it, she supposed she should have seen it coming. Anna was a dreamer, the kind of girl who could fall in love over the course of a single evening. It made sense that she'd gotten these ideas out of books as she grew up. "Anna," she said softly. Not letting her blue gaze fall from her sister's green eyes. She took her sister's hand in one velvety and one bare hand. "Do you want to do that?" Elsa supposed she could. She squeezed the warm hand softly with her own bare one, stroking it gently. Hands that weren't rough with work, and didn't irritate someone who had never taken soft gloves off in her life. Pure, smooth ice, and the delicate things of royals. Sometimes not even all of those things she liked to touch. "Because I worry that you're thinking of what the characters like, not what you like." How could she break this to Anna that her proposal had been a match of convenience? She cared for her too much to let her to and was just selfish enough not to let her. Things had changed since the night of her coronation. If Anna had left then, she would still be hiding. "I can do those things, but be sure it's what you want. We're very different people. Just look at our sleep habits," she teased.

Anna's POV

Her mind was not on the words, not entirely, wrapped up in the contrast of skin and fabric. Anna tilted her eyes down to watch their hands, her own with's it's skin a shade more pink than Elsa's, who was pale as snow and just as stunning - and then that blue of the glove. The blue that didn't really match any of her outfits, and though soft was not preferable in comparison to skin on skin. She blinked herself into reality and listened to what was being said, a habit she was trying to get into. "It is what I want!" Anna defended quickly, huffing, even if Elsa had every right to question and worry. But this - this was different. This was not Hans, this was not her latching onto someone out of her want for attention and contact, even if there were traits of that there. It was more than that, it went deeper. She fidgeted a little, then placed her free hand over Elsa's. "The only thing I want is for things to not go back to the way they used to," Anna insisted, her voice edging on whiny, a plea. "I don't care if we're different, or- or if I sleep all day, and you wake up with perfect hair and I drool. We're /married/ now, and- and beyond that there's no reason for us to not spend more time together anyways. I just want to be close to you, again." She frowned.

Elsa's POV

Of course she wasn't going to be rational about this. It wouldn't be Anna. The girl who waited for ten years outside a locked door, the girl who stood in front of a blade for the queen who had killed her. It was moments like these when Elsa wished she could see what it was that Anna was so excited about, or defensive about. "I told you, you can come in whenever you'd like." She passed the soft fleece over Anna's hand and sighed lightly. She knew this wasn't the issue. The issue was more along the lines of her not making herself available and wasn't seeking her out as her wife. They would need a much longer discussion than the one she thought they would have. "I admit that when I asked you to marry me, I didn't think you would want to engage in certain things the traditional way." There were many kinds of marriages. She would never admit to it but this one had been rash and selfish, not wanting to lose the one person who meant anything to her. The one person she could trust. Anna was so sweet to worry when nobody else did for long years while she'd been away. The only person who would come and talk to her, even if she never spoke back. Elsa took her bare hand and pressed a finger to Anna's dress at her chest and a crystal started to form, growing in intricacy and size until it etched into a sort of diamond necklace "Anna, do you want a more biblical marriage?" She was sure she could figure that out, how complicated could it be? Newlyweds did it all the time. 

Anna's POV

Anna's frown did not lessen any, and if her hands were not occupied she would have crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. Not that pouting would help her case. Instead she just sighed through her nose and let her posture slouch even more while her thoughts swelled and rolled about in her mind. Trying to gather them and put them in order was proving difficult, all she wanted was for Elsa to understand where she was coming from, but Anna had the sneaking suspicion that she wasn't coming across as well as she had hoped. Not with where Elsa was going with all of this, a route Anna had not intended. She chewed on her tongue, staring at her feet as if they were the most fascinating things in the room, then at the growing fragment of ice. Anna tried not to pull a face, it was beautiful, it was from her sister and she treasured the chilled gem. "Can we go for a walk?" She veered off the subject quickly, squeezing Elsa's hands. "Please? It's so nice outside, and I want to spend some time with you." That was all she wanted. Time and attention from her sister. Contact and love and warmth that was supposed to go with both their marriage and their first relationship as family.

Elsa's POV

Elsa noticed the clear signs that she wasn't doing or saying anything that amused her sister at all. She removed her hands from the necklace and took off her other glove. "Alright, but let's not go far. I have a meeting over supper tonight and I have to get ready for it." Not the fun kind, or she would have invited Anna to come along. More the sort of thing she would attend with her chief adviser so she could practice diplomacy with a diplomat from the Southern Isles. Anna might make it fun, but she might also find it boring, and there was quite a lot to discuss, not all of which she'd been briefed yet. But a walk in the early afternoon sounded just fine. She approached the door and opened it for her sister, letting her walk through first. Anna seemed to take to outside and to people better than she herself did. Maybe it was because she had no big secrets, maybe it was her personality, or maybe she had had the full house and servants to speak to. Elsa closed the door behind them. "Lead the way, Snow Bug." She walked close, closer than she would walk with anyone else. "Show me your favorite part of the courtyards." She hadn't seen them well; when she hadn't been learning, she'd been ruling, and when not ruling, she'd been socializing with the subjects. "I haven't had the chance to see them yet."

Anna's POV

That got her perking up, Anna was not one to linger in negativity for too long. The idea of a meeting had her nose curling, not terribly fond of them ever since she'd begged her way into one and spent it staring at the ceiling trying not to die of complete boredom. She lacked the patience for diplomacy, unlike Elsa, who from her own opinion was as good of a queen as they could have ever asked for. Better, even. Anna stepped through the door then waited for Elsa to join her before continuing down the hall, her mood lifted considerably. She giggled at the nickname, then looped their arms together, knowing well enough if she wanted those kind of gestures it would have to be her that stole them. "I dunno, if I show you all of them we might be out till sunset!" Anna wished that could be the case, that she could take Elsa's time and spend it exploring and showing her all the wonderful things she was still missing out on. The meeting was a mood killer, but Anna tried not to let it get to her, instead choosing to look at it as a goal to beat. And even if she didn't get to show off everywhere she enjoyed then it was a convenient excuse to get Elsa's time once more. They stepped through the doors, Anna still unable to get over that they were open, and they were allowed out. She took in a deep breath, the smell of summer all around them, beautiful and wonderful. And then she was running, tugging her elder sister along without a care for skirts that got in the way or uncomfortable shoes. "Isn't it wonderful out here?" Anna asked as they approached a fountain, releasing Elsa so she could clamor onto the edge and try to keep her balance. "I don't think I'll ever get tired of fresh air."

Elsa's POV

Elsa followed, letting herself good naturedly be pulled along at a run. She held her skirts up with one hand and kept them out of the way of her heels. Wherever they were going she took that it would be quite something. Of course there must be magical mysteries out here she'd forgotten or never found in her childhood. The fresh air was indeed quite something. She breathed it in like it was a rare commodity. Some days she'd been scared to even open her window and couldn't get near it. It was like stepping into a painting to see it all now close up and in focus. "It's beautiful out here," she agreed. She remembered her awe at the wilderness the first time she'd been outside. She'd run around like a child in the snow, building what she wanted and getting to just play for the first time in her life with no cares, nobody to look out for, nothing to worry about. But this was beautiful in another way. Magical in another way. It was something she was still just learning, watching the fish in the pond swim around. Have there always been koi there? She couldn't remember. "I don't know about sunset, but there'll be time." She bent over, looking closer at their scales and their rough backs. As she got closer, she realized how funny looking they were.

Anna's POV

Anna took in a breath, deep and content. She could spend all her days out here, basking in the warmth of the summer sun and sky. There was still so much lost time to make up for, so many things to do and places to see, and she wanted Elsa to be there with her. After all, Anna was not the only one locked up in their home those long, aching years. Her sister was there too, shut off even further. Thinking about it diminished her mood, now was not a time to be caught up in those thoughts. Things were different now. Elsa was there, and she was there for Elsa. She bent down beside her, watching the fish as they swam about, their brilliant colors and patterns shimmering under the water's surface. "Here," Anna said, reaching out to take one of Elsa's hands and pressed her fingertips into the surface of the water. "They'll nibble on your fingers if you wait long enough. It feels kinda funny, but I think their faces are so cute when they do, all big and gaped mouth." She mirrored the expression, making mock fish lips and then opening and closing her mouth before deviling into a fit of giggles at her own antics.

Elsa's POV

Elsa let Anna take her hand and placed it gingerly into the water, being very careful for the sake of the fish. It was getting easier to deal with water, but it was still such a fragile substance, not liking to stay water. But she put her hand in, smiling gently, watching them. "Oh, they like to bite? How reassuring," she joked. Slowly, steadily, she was even developing a sense of humor, she found. Not one to laugh too loudly herself, she could absolutely find humor. Anna dancing with Lord of Weaseltown was funny, even if she'd been the only one who thought so. But these fish were quite beautiful, and magestic in their own rite. One moved as if it was smelling her fingers and then the mouth opened up so that it was the size of the rest of its head. Her own mouth mirrored the motion in surprise. It wasn't something her books ever taught her. She moved her hand back gently, but could feel Anna's hand still on her wrist as it nibbled her finger and made a slurping sound as it got some air in its mouth. "Goodness, aren't you a wild thing?" she asked in mock sternness. She took her finger from its mouth and slid it along its back, feeling the slimy skin and the thick fin, fit muscle. "He's beautiful," she commented. "So, I take it you come here a lot?" She'd known exactly how the fish would react. Maybe she even fed them table scraps as if they were dogs. It seemed something Anna would do. She took her hand out of the water and held it up, freezing the water away to dry it, flexing her hand to let the crystals drop away like so many diamonds in rain.

Anna's POV

"Not bite," Anna insisted, tsking a little, "nibble!" Hardly even that, it wasn't as though they had teeth to do any damage with. She watched, interested, as Elsa had her first dealings with one of the kois, highly amused by the expression that was made. Satisfied, she released her wrist, her one hand dipping into the water to wiggle fingers tauntingly at several other kois. "They're all beautiful. I named them all too! But, uh, I kinda keep forgetting who I named what, and what some of the sames even are. Some of them look so much alike, like those two." Anna pointed at two golden ones, "I was calling them Cornflakes and Ginger, but then Ginger came when I called Moo, so I don't even know what to think anymore." A noise left her, and then she realized how childish and idiotic she must have sounded. Name fish and acting as though they were actually capable of coming when called. Fish were beautiful, but they weren't capable of many intelligent actions. Flushing a little, she smoothed down her skirt. "I do, it's really nice out here, and watching the fish swim is mesmerizing. Not very good for conversation, though." Shaking her head, Anna rose to her feet. "C'mon, there's so much else you need to see." With that she took her departure, leading Elsa on a winding path with seemingly no real rhyme or reason to it. 

Elsa's POV

Elsa felt a bit of a pinch when she heard the silly names. The rational side of her asked why anyone would do something as silly as name a fish. But at the same time she felt that of course Anna had named them, it made sense for Anna to have done it the same way it made sense for her to run a hundred miles in the dead of winter wearing nothing more than her summer dress. She was wild but so precious. Like a pearl necklace that kept breaking and running free. "Those are good names for them. Maybe Ginger wants to be Moo." She put her thin fingers through Anna's hair, tucking a bit of the wild red that had escaped back into place. It was a different sort of perfection. Even as she continued to watch, agreeing that they were rather mesmerizing, she felt a tug at her hand from her side, off to see the next treasure their garden held. The garden which was hers more than anywhere else in the land, but of which she'd seen almost nothing. Funny how she could be so close yet so far away this whole time. Along the winding path, she realized at some point that they were looping about a bit too much to be going anywhere in particular and smiled slyly and knowingly at Anna. "Who's idea was this path?" As bored as she was, her sister might have asked for such things to be placed here by the gardeners. They must have gardeners. Elsa had never seen them, but considering how beautiful it was out here, they must exist.

Anna's POV

On and on they went, across the continuous dirt and stone path, and when Elsa spoke up Anna pursed her lips. "Are you accusing me of something?" she huffed with what was mock offense, as if such a notion that she could be behind the nonsensical design was absolute absurd. As though she hadn't spent hours as a kid sketching out designs for a dream garden then used her powers as Princess - no, Queen now - to make those dreams a reality. She had every right to do that, this was her garden as much as it was Elsa's. Anna spent more time there, too, talking to the flowers and animals. It was a lot better than talking to paintings on the wall, but still not quite as good as talking with real people. She pressed on until they reached a tree, an old swing hanging from one of the branches, and Anna practically fell onto it. "Remember this? From waaaay back when, before we stopped playing together? I had to get a new one put in, the old one broke the second I sat on it." She laughed at the memory, Kristoff had been with her then, listened as she prattled off about the bits of childhood with Elsa she could remember.

Elsa's POV

Elsa pressed her lips firmly together and giggled very gently at the image. The idea of a mostly grown woman swinging only made sense if it was Anna. Somehow she was the exception of every rule Elsa knew and had put in place for herself. But she did it with grace and poise and it was nice. A breath of fresh air. "No, I'm not accusing you of anything. I think it's charming, Snow Bug." She stood behind her sister and hiked her skirts up so that they didn't get mulch on them. Changing would only add to the things she had to do before her meeting, though it might be unavoidable. "I can imagine. It was made for children, after all," she teased, very gently. Her hands touched Anna's back, and then the ropes. She vaguely remembered this, but it just as easily could have been something she was imagining. Some of her memories from when she was young were stories she was starting to invent where she watched a younger version of herself from the stature and mind of her present self. But that didn't make them less precious, or less beautiful to think about. "Of course I remember. I remember this, too." She gently gave Anna a push, starting her moving forward a foot so she came back two and then another gentle shove. Of course she was less fragile now, and when she came back the second time she gave her a rougher shove. "You're a lot bigger than you used to be." This time she didn't hide the little giggle.

Anna's POV

Anna rolled her eyes, but she didn't mind the teasing. Not if it was coming from Elsa. "I think the actual reason is because the wood was rotted and so were the ropes," she stated matter-of-factly, smugly, but teasing all the same. A breath left her at the fleeting contact, and as she closed her eyes she imagined wonderful things. Herself and Elsa, small and close, swinging and laughing without anything to hinder them. Where their time was ever lasting and their presence was as real as the snow that she always remembered Elsa with. If Anna had ever thought those days would end she might have cherished them more, as she cherished these times, so worried they might be stolen from her again. When she was given a push she laughed past all her worried and insecurities, pumping her legs to gain height. "Well duh! I think it'd be unsettling if I was still the same size," she retorted, her braids and skirts sweeping and falling as she moved through the air. "Unless you're telling me I'm fat in which case I take offense and blame food for tasting too good." Elsa's giggling was beautifully endearing and Anna's smile was wider than it'd been in days. She allowed herself to be pushed a few more times, not wanting it to ever end, before leaping off the swing in what was intended to be a display of grace and poise as she landed. Anna, however, was about as far from that as royalty could get. She hit the ground and buckled, limbs thrashing before knees and palms hit the ground roughly. "Ow, ow," Anna whined, clenching her hands in the fabric of her dress. Then she laughed, "I remember that landing being a lot softer."

Elsa's POV

The swing came back to her almost as high and wild without it's passenger. Elsa caught it, feeling the smack against her palms and almost let go before catching it and putting it back onto its place where it hung, wobbling like a necklace on a jewelry stand or a needle at the end of an embroidery thread. She walked around it to her clumsy bundle of Anna that had fallen to the ground, a little bit falllen all over the place, but she didn't look too much worse for wear. "I like you this size. You could even eat more and it would be okay." She wondered at how they'd both not ended up very plump staying in the castle with no outside influence. It was only in the last couple of weeks that she realized that she herself was full-figured. She'd just been Elsa before seeing others. Perhaps it was a desire to be hard and thin like the mesmerizing ice that had always been a part of her. Maybe it had been her memories of her mother. As Anna got to her feet, Elsa felt the need to clean her off, to brush her down and see where light skin was peeling from pink palms. A lovely shade that said life and warmth in every sense of the word. Anna was the spring, like the times they'd shared as children. She wanted to reach out and take her hand again, hug her at the thought, but kept her hands to herself, folding them in front of her in her old habit.

Anna's POV

"I could eat as much as I wanted to, as Princess it gives me the right," Anna said as she got to her feet, frowning a little due to the dirt that wore against her dress now. That had been her thought process during childhood, when half the time eating was all there was to do, but she was a wild child. Her energy limitless and explosive cooped up in the walls of their home. It was no surprise all her running about kept much of the weight off, and now was no different. Now she had more placed to run to, more activities to do. She ate as she pleased and burned it off as she pleased and it was hardly one of her troubles. Anna looked to her hands, raw and dirtied, and she wiped them off on her dress. Didn't matter much, that was already dirty too. Then she looked to Elsa, lovely Elsa with her snow kissed skin who stood out against the greenery and warmth as if she were on an entirely different level. Apart from everything. Anna wished it was winter, maybe then she would feel like she was on the same plain of her sister. She shook away the thoughts and stretched, wondering about the time and what else they could do to pass it. "I wish you didn't have a dumb meeting to go to," the girl lamented with a pout, as if she might be able to sway Elsa's resolve and convince her their time was better spent together.

Elsa's POV

In the distance, a clock tower chimed. She'd always heard it, and used it to tell the time. Though often she'd forget the day entirely. It was only when people spoke of corronation that she'd been reminded of the date more than the time of year. It would have been easy to ask but she never had. She'd never minded, though, and now it was stranger to be able to tell time so specifically, to have to, to be held to such a strict schedule. She would have to get ready for dinner soon. "I think I have time for one more thing." She put her fingers under Anna's chin, trying to convince her sad face out of her pout. "It'll be over at nine. We can spend a little time together after that, alright?" She didn't know what they could do with only an hour or two before bed, but she might think of something. Or Anna would. With five hours and her creativity, she'd figure out somthing. After all, she'd spent ten years keeping herself amused. It had always sounded like a lot of fun, whatever she was doing out there. Whomever Joan was. She sounded special; Anna talked to her quite a bit, even if she was make believe.

Anna's POV

The chiming hit hear ears, a reminder of all the times she had counted it before, and now instilling a dread as it's sound filled the air. A reminder that things had to be done and time was whittling away. Elsa would have to go do her queenly duties and once again she'd be faced with the situation of self entertainment. Anna knew she was making it a bigger deal than it really was, but she felt this time was precious, she had coaxed her sister - her wife - to join her outside and fun as it was it had been all too fleeting. "It's okay," she conceded, reaching her hands up to grab at Elsa's, her pout lifting into a smile that was still, honestly, mostly a pout. "You should go and get ready now, so you're fully prepared and not late." If Anna kept her longer she may not be so willing to let her go. There was that night to look forward to, Anna told herself. With no meetings. They could watch the stars, name constellations, maybe even stay up until sunrise, or fall asleep while trying. "We'll see each other after it's done, and you can gossip about all the boring old stiffs!" Anna was doing her best to look on the bright side, and it was working. She'd spent ten years doing that, old habits died hard. "C'mon, the least I can do is walk my fair queen back to her chambers."