#shardsverse

[frozenprocedural]

Storms

A very, very happy birthday to the one and only @bepoets! I hope it’s a great one!

This is set in @patricia-von-arundel‘s Shardsverse. Alarik and Jenny belong to her. This is just pure fluffiness.

Storms

Rating: K

The first time Alarik witnessed Elsa's fear was during her visit to Leisalla. 

They were eating together- Knut, Beata, Elsa and himself- when lightning lit the hall so bright it seemed to be mid-day. Less than a second later, thunder roared, shaking the windowpanes and causing them all to jump in their seats. 

Alarik laughed with Beata and Knut, but after a few seconds, he noticed that Elsa had not joined them. Instead, she stared at the windows with wide eyes, and Alarik thought he could see her shaking. As soon as she noticed his gaze, however, Elsa schooled her features, carefully placing her fork by her plate and excusing herself, stating exhaustion. 

Alarik almost rose to follow her, but then remembered Elsa's rebuke from after the trial. He didn't know her. 

He remained where he was, hating the helpless feeling in his gut as he watched her disappear down the hallway. 

……….

The second time was during Alarik's early visits to Arendelle- still a stranger then, but somewhat more familiar with Elsa than he'd been in Leisalla.

He was coming back from the library, so focused on his studies that he almost ran into Elsa in the hallway. He opened his mouth to apologize, but was interrupted by a rumble of thunder. Elsa leapt back, and he saw a coating of frost encase the paper she was holding. 

"Elsa? Are you…"

She stepped back, eyes wide as she shook her head. Frantic, jerky movements that made him think of a trapped prey animal, terrified and ready to run. He took a step back of his own, giving her space, trying to find the right words to say, something that may provide her with a measure of comfort. 

He could find nothing. 

"Elsa? I'm here."

Anna stood beside Alarik, giving him a meaningful jerk of her head. He caught the hint, leaving the pair as Anna continued to talk to Elsa in tones too low for him to hear. 

Hours later, Anna found him in the library. He couldn't sleep, still replaying the event in his head, Elsa's terrified face haunting him. He hated how he couldn't help her, couldn't provide even the smallest amount of comfort.

"How is Elsa doing?" Perhaps it was far too familiar of a question, but he needed to know. 

Anna took a seat on the couch beside him, running a hand over her face. There was exhaustion there, and a look of profound sadness. 

"As well as to be expected, I suppose. The worst of the storm's over at least. Still, I doubt she'll sleep much tonight."

Silence stretched between them, but Alarik once more lacked the ability to come up with something to say. He didn't have to, as Anna broke the silence.

"Neither of us do well with storms. Not since our parents died." She cast a sidelong glance in Alarik's direction, and he nodded in understanding. 

"I think it's something Elsa's never been able to come to peace with. I remember her asking them if they…" Anna's voice broke, and Alarik saw a tear running down her cheek. Taking a chance, he offered a hand and she took it, squeezing hard. 

"She asked them if they had to go. And… they never came back. Elsa… I'm sure she thinks it's her fault, no matter how ridiculous that is. But she… well.."

Anna looked away, and Alarik could hear her quiet sobs. He patted his pockets, wishing he had a handkerchief to offer.

"I'm so sorry…" What more was there to say?

Anna sniffed and wiped her nose on her sleeve, giving a rueful chuckle. "Don't tell Elsa- she hates when I do that."

She sighed, standing up and clasping her free hand over his. "Thank you. For caring." 

He only wished he could do something more. 

………..

The third was a decade later, when he faced his truth and admitted what needed to be admitted. When he and Elsa both finally accepted that the feelings between them were something far more than just a friendship. 

Anna, Kristoff and Neta had taken a trip to the summer lodge, while he and Elsa remained behind to finish various projects. Alarik was in his lab when he heard the first clap of thunder. He was deep in his work, hardly able to be distracted by the weather, but something kept niggling at his mind. 

When another thunderclap shook the windows, he remembered instantly. 

Elsa!

He was out the door in seconds, leaving his notes behind, rushing as fast as his feet could carry him. He heard a few startled cries from the servants as he dashed past them, but he didn't stop- not until he reached the door to her study.

Only then did he pause, making himself take several deep, steadying breaths. He needed to be calm. For her. 

Once his heart rate and breathing slowed, Alarik tapped on the door with his knuckles. 

"Elsa, it's me. May I come in?"

"I'm f-" Her voice cut off at another roll of thunder, and he could hold back no more. Alarik pushed the door open and felt an immediate drop in temperature. What he saw inside made his heart sink.

Elsa was still sitting at her desk, but she was curled in on herself, flinching with each flash of lightning. Her desk was coated in a thick rime, and a small pool of ice sat at her feet. She was shaking- not from the cold, he knew well.

"Elsa." Even his gentle tone was enough to make her start, spikes of ice forming on the desk. She shook her head, scrambling off the chair, putting more distance between them, and he stopped. Another boom of thunder, and she yelped. 

"Elsa," he tried again. "I'm here." Repeating those words Anna had spoken so long ago. "I won't come any closer. Not until you're ready. But I'm right here. You're not alone. I'm right here."

Elsa watched him with wide eyes, but after a moment, she nodded her permission. He stepped in- slowly, gauging her reaction- and held his hands out. He kept up a stream of murmured reassurances, and when lightning flashed again, Elsa let loose a sob and collapsed into his arms. He pulled her close, running a hand through her hair. 

Some tiny part of his mind brought forth the idea that this wouldn't be proper- him holding her in what could be considered an intimate manner before their marriage, but just as quickly as it arrived, he mentally swept it away. Propriety be damned- Elsa needed him. 

So he held her tight, heedless of the cold, hoping that his own warmth would help. He lost track of how long they sat there- certainly long enough for his back and joints to start aching. But he made no effort to ease the pain.

Eventually, as the storm quieted, so did Elsa. She sniffed and shifted, and he released his hold enough that she could sit back, although he remained close enough their legs still touched. Elsa pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes and nose. Alarik couldn't hold back a small smile, remembering how Anna had used her sleeve those many years ago. It dropped when he saw how exhausted Elsa looked.

Elsa glanced around the room and sighed, closing her eyes. The ice around her desk began to recede, dripping onto the floor, but she clearly lacked the strength to dissipate it fully.

"There go the last three hours of work. At least they were documents I was writing." Elsa's voice was more resigned than upset.

"I'm sorry." Alarik got to his feet, wincing at his sore muscles, then offered Elsa a hand and helped her to her feet. She wouldn't meet his eyes.

"No, I'm sorry you had to… deal with that. It's not fair to you."

"Elsa, no." He took her hands in his, squeezing them gently. "There's no 'fair' in this. And it's nothing I have to 'deal' with either. I love you, and I am here for you. No matter what."

She finally looked up at him, and he used his thumb to brush away the tears at the corner of her eyes. After a moment, she nodded, and rested her head against his chest. He could just barely hear her whispered "Thank you."

Alarik pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I'll walk you to your room, if that's alright."

They left the study hand in hand.

……….

When Jenny was three years old, everything changed. 

Alarik was jarred awake by a roar of thunder that rattled thr windows. He blinked a few times, trying to get his bearings, and recognized the drumbeat pattern of heavy rain. 

And something else.

A whimper, so soft he almost missed it. But it drove away the last vestiges of sleep more effectively than the thunder had.

"Elsa."

She was still asleep, but her face was tight with fear, her body jerking with small, sharp movements. He could see small semicircles of frost surrounding the tips of her fingers. He stroked a finger down her shoulder, trying to wake her carefully so as not to cause more panic. 

It didn't matter, because that moment, the loudest crack of thunder caused her to jolt awake, her hands clutching the sheets that had frozen beneath them, and scream. 

"Elsa! It's alright! I'm right here. You're safe." Alarik kept his hand on her arm, hoping the contact would help calm her down. Elsa cast a wild glance around the room before her eyes landed on him. She whimpered, curling away from him, but before he could speak, another scream sounded. But not from Elsa.

"MAAAAMMMAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!! PAAAAAAAPPAAAAAA!!!!!!!!"

Elsa straightened and leapt out of the bed, dashing to the door and throwing it open. Jenny stood there, clutching her stuffed rabbit and bawling. Elsa scooped her up into her arms, holding her close. Jenny buried her head in Elsa's shoulder, and even from where he was, Alarik could see she was shaking. 

"Shhhh, little one, shhhh. It's alright. We're here, and you're safe."

Elsa carried Jenny back to their bed and climbed in, nestling her between the two of them. Alarik reached out and smoothed a stray curl away from Jenny's face, and used his thumb to brush away a tear. 

"Did the storm scare you, Eldig?"

Jenny nodded, then ducked her head with a muffled shriek when lightning flashed yet again. When thunder followed it, Alarik snuck a quick glance at Elsa, expecting to see signs of fear. To his surprise, while he did see lines of worry on her face, it was clearly due to Jenny's distress rather than the storm. She pulled Jenny closer, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head.

"Storms can be scary, little one. Even to me."

At that, Jenny's head shot up. "You're scared too?"

Elsa's eyes flicked to the window, then back to Jenny. "Yes, little one. But I am surrounded by people who love me and are brave. Your Papa, of course. And Aunt Anna and Uncle Kristoff."

"And Neta! Neta's very brave."

Elsa chuckled. "That she is. And there is one other very important person who helps me."

Jenny wrinkled her nose in confusion. Alarik noticed that neither she nor Elsa flinched with the next flash of lightning. 

"Who?"

Elsa kissed Jenny's forehead. "You, Jenny. You help me so much."

Jenny's face lit up, then fell a bit. "But I'm still scared!"

"And that's alright. Just being here helps me."

"Oh." Jenny yawned, laying her head down on Elsa's pillow. "Okay. Love you Mama." Her voice was thick with sleep. Within moments, she was snoring softly, one hand clutching a handful of Elsa's night shirt. 

Alarik tucked a blanket around Jenny, even though he knew it wouldn't stay on her for long. Catching Elsa's questioning look, he nodded and wrapped an arm around the both of them, feeling his own drowsiness grow. 

"Let's let her sleep here tonight. It will be good for all of us."

Elsa turned her head to kiss his fingers. "Thank you," she whispered, so softly he almost missed it. 

"You're welcome, min älskling. Sleep well."

He fell asleep, happy to know that Elsa's fear was abated. 

[bepoets]

Review for Trish’s Dream Fic

Trish ( @couragedontdesertme  ) said she’d write an epilogue of the elsarik dream Fic if I made a Formal Review of the elsarik dream fic. So here we are.

Please note review should be taken VERY LIGHTLY this is more or less me re-reading the Fic and loudly yelling about things with too many exclamation points. Enjoy Trish.

Ch1

First of all imagine my fucking surprise I didn’t even know you had gotten work done on the dream fic???? Here I was thinking the link you sent me was the next chapter of city of ice and then I click on it and it saYS DREAM FIC???? E X C U S E M E oh my goodness

The first section is just so entirely domestic and beautiful and you can tell how lived in and content they are in their life as roommates. ALARIK (listen my phone autocorrects ALARIK to be in all caps and I’m too lazy to fix it so y’all are gonna have to deal with reading ALARIK’s name as if I’m yelling it every time I type it) anyway ALARIK just bringing her the chocolate croissants she loves so dearly and Elsa curling up with a book and him fretting and worrying over her being there alone all day and later... it’s just SO DOMESTIC. it’s such a small short moment but it’s so domestic and a perfect opposite of the PAIN THAT HAPPENS AFTER!!! And we al know I LOVE READING PAIN

The fact that ALARIK was only home late because he was doing tutoring to earn more money to by Elsa A PRESENT????? Shut up no one speak to me that’s true love but also PAINFUL the guilt he must feel oh my god

Elsa...stops struggling... because she doesn’t want ,,,, ALARIK ,,,, to get hurt. Because she cares for his safety more than her own because he has protected her and he is her friend and she loves him I am going to SCREAM

The fact that you use the phrase ~marching her out of the warmth of the room~ when she just used her magic to like cover the walls in frost makes my Heart burst cause idk if it was intentional or not but I just love the thought that this room has become Home to her it’s become safe and beautiful and lovely and WARM because it is full of love and friendship and companionship rather than the cold loneliness of say her ice palace of her locked room as a child. I like to think Elsa could have covered the room entirely in ice and snow and frost and it would still feel warm to her because of the love that’s developed there thank you for coming to my tedtalk

Ugh fuck hans

I have literally no words other than fuck hans for any section with hans in it I DONT even want to RECOGNIZE THAT HE EXISTS !!! Making Elsa feel like she’s nothing I am going to punch him in the eye

~ALARIK weeps over smushed chocolate croissant. End scene~

I know that it’s such a heartbreaking sad ending for that first chapter but also I really can’t stop laughing about him crying over a stepped on croissant since I know that your like planning note for that last scene was literally just some variant of ALARIK cried over a smushed croissant and that’s just such a funny IMAGE TO ME EVEN THOUGH ITS SAD

I just like to imagine ALARIK cradling the chocolate croissant in his arms like a bébé as he sobs

Ch2

I’m fucking S A D

ALARIK having like NO MONEY and just thinking about that the money he has was going to go to a gift for Elsa and the guard LAUGHING AT HIM LIKE THATS IT THATS ALL YOU HAVE?? Like shut UP HES TRYING TO SAVE HIS BELOVED

P e t t y c h a n g e HE IS TRYING MR GUARD I WILL HAVE YOU KNOW HE WORKED EXTRA TO GET THAT MONEY

ALARIK is so fucking DEVOTED I’m going to run through a goddamn wall I cannot cope. Willing to sell the clothes off his back have you ever seen an idiot more iN LOVE

ALARIK just going willingly cause he has no fight left in him and he just wants to see Elsa even if it means he gets imprisoned too oh my GOD

THE SCENE ITS THE SCENE!!!!!!!!!

STRAIGHT FROM TRISH’S SUBCONSCIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT STARTED IT ALL!!!!!!!!!!

ALARIK wanting to hold her hands when her hands are what are chained up and seen as dangerous and what ~make her a witch~ the absolute love and power that holds.

LET ALARIK AND ELSA HOLD HANDS

“I promised to keep you safe” the pain I feel oh mY GOD

“They’ll KILL you” they’re really out here trying to protect each other at all costs oh my god nothing matters more to the other than keeping the other safe and for that I want to cry and love them and also I want to ram their heads into the wall because wHY WONT THEY JUST PROTECT ESCH OTHER TOGETHER

The PARALLEL OH MY FUCKING GOD

the P A R A L L E L of ALARIK stilling and no longer struggling when the guards threaten Elsa’s death in the same way that Elsa stilled and stopped struggling when they threatened ALARIK’s death oh my god that broke me right there

U g h hans fuck that guy

A N N A !!!!!!!!

When I first read this,,, I DONT know why??? But for some reason??? I didn’t think Anna would be in it???? Which like thinking back on that it makes no sense of COURSE Anna would be in the FIC why would I ever think otherwise. But anyway I was so surprised when she showed up I literally gasped and went ANNA??? Out loud because I was so shocked

ALFAFA GERANIUM

ALARIK really is just so bad under pressure who thought this was a good idea

AG FOR SHORT wink wink nudge nudge cough cough

I’ll be thinking about ALARIK shouting alfafa geranium on my death bed let us never forget

“No harm, no foul” is literally the most fucking Anna line I’ve ever heard. She absolutely would say that to someone who was being question for a crime she’d be like “it’s not biggy”

Why is it that when hans says “BUT ANNA!!!” I hear it like he’s wining like a petulant child I read it like “bUT annNNAAAAA” ugh I hate him

“Don’t scream” *ALARIK’s inner monologue* “this ,, is the story of how I died”

ILL HELP YOU HELP HER ESCAPE!!!!! HELL YEA YOU WILL ANNA HELL YEA YOU WILL

Ch3

My dumbass really went “why are none of the children named neta” before remembering that is the child of Anna and Kristoff and these...are the children of Anna ,,, and .... ugh please don’t make me say his name

I would die for these kids though I love them and I want to protect them at all costs 

Johannes at 5 (and a half!!!!) being a fine soldier GOOD FOR HIM

Isak owns my entire heart from the moment he started fake crying for his mother what a star performer a true Actor he’s too good

Arendellian Royal Guards, are they guards? Or are they simply baby sitters? The world may never know

JOAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! One of the babies being named JOAN!!! Hang in there Joan!!!!!!!!! That made me cry oh my god J O A N

Bébé Isak lookout supreme with his big eyeballs and smile and goofy lil salute I love him

The fact that Elsa says she felt stupid for being lured into a false sense of security means she felt secure and safe for literally the first time since she was a child when she was with ALARIK and I cannot properly articulate how much that made me cry I love that so much that has to mean sO MUCH TO HER oh my god

“You have to get out!! Do the magic!!” NO ONE SPEAK TO ME ABOUT ANYTHING EXCEPT THIS LINE FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS I LITERALLY WEPT

the use of DO THE MAGIC oh my god AND ELSAS HEART LIKE BREAKING BECAUSE SHE FEELS LIKE SHE CANT

DO ! THE ! MAGIC !

Brave little boy with his mother’s determination saying “be brave. That’s what mama said to tell you” oh my GOD THESE CHILDREN HAVE MY WHOLE HEART OH MY GOD

A rooster crow for the signal COUKD they be more obvious I love these kids they’re ridiculous they are truly the children of Anna

Elsa!!! Chose!! To be!!! Brave!!!

IF SHE TRIED TO SAY GOODBYE TO ELSA!!! SHE MAY NEVER LET GO!!!

SHE HAD NO WHERE TO GO!!! BUT SHE DOES BEVAUSE THERES ALARIK WAITING FOR HER BECAUSE GUESS WHAT

ALARIK IS HER HOME !!!!! HE IS HER HOME !!!! SHE CAN GO TO HIM!!!!

Queue another one of my shocked and delightfully surprised screams as I shouted KRISTOFF????? Because blonde dude driving a reindeer cart

Let’s get you somewhere safe I’m going to cry THEYRE finally together again and they can keep each other safe together as. They. Should.

They are cuddling and my heart is exploding oh my god ALARIK seems so surprised like you big dumb idiot you’re both in love with each other it’s a mutual thing get with the program

SLEEP ELSA! ITS GOING TO BE OKAY! AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN PROBABLY FOREVER! IT WILL BE!

Ch4

*queue another gasp* there’s only one bed?????

Yea I saw it coming yea I was just as shocked even so yea I got very excited about it wHAT DID YOU EXPECT

They’re cUDDLING and he went to move away and she DOESNT WANT HIM TO they could’ve been sharing a bed THIS WHOLE TIME AND I JUST WANT TO SCREAM BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY

ALARIK laying all the credit on kristoff and the kids when he’s kind of the one that steamrolled the whole plan into happening because he’s the one who showed up ALARIK please give yourself more credit

“You came back” “of course I came back... I couldnt ...” “why?” And then ALARIK refusing to meet her eyes has me absolutely weeping this is the kind of shit I THRIVE ON this is truly a gift to us all everyone say thank you Trish for these three bits of dialogue I will be thinking about them for all my days

ELSA KISSED HIM!!!!!!!!!

Yeah I do lose my shit anytime Elsa is the one to make the first move you go girl you go

THE SPICE VENDOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bringing in all my favorites I am going to cry thank you Trish I love Darius

I SUPPOSE YOU TWO HAVE FINALLY GOTTEN MARRIED

listen I SCREAMED WHEN HE SAID THAT I SQUAWKED!!!! MARRIED!!!!!!

I had been observing you two and just assumed!!!!! You would assume right mr spice vendor sir if they WERENT so stupid for so long it’s okay we understand

WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE ??? And Elsa says MARRY US? And ALARIK is going to PASS THE FUCK OUT

He literally got to finally kiss the woman he’s in love with for the first time last night and now they’re getting married poor boy is going to get WHIPLASH from how fast things are progressing but it’s okay im sure he is happy

Elsa’s little vows of just needing each other and keeping each other safe and keeping company and not needing gold or silver ugh TRUE LOVE

And ALARIK hopelessly devoted to her being like I PROMISE

“just you being there no matter what is enough” peak romance true love the devotion the dedication I’m a wreck

LE SMOOCH! LE MARRIAGE! INCREDIBLE I LOVE THEM

~end review~

Okay where is my epilogue please and thank you

[naturepointstheway]

number 12? 👉👈

Elsa leaned her elbows on the table, watching Alarik hard at work on sorting the rock display for the next gaggle of freshly-minted-out-of-high-school first year geology students. There was a growing pile for sedimentary rocks, greatly outnumbering the metamorphic and igneous rocks combined. Elsa didn’t know much about geology, but she recognised the beautiful obsidian rock from Alarik’s bedroom, and the gneiss from the one corner of his lab where he kept his favourite geological specimens from the field. 

“Admiring my rocks?” Alarik asked with a wink, catching Elsa watching.

“What? I mean...yes, yes, you have beautiful rocks.” 

“Got a favourite one?” 

“Probably that one with the little red things in it.” 

“Ooh, garnet mica schist! She’s a beauty, but not as beautiful as you. Anything else you would like to ask?” 

“So you’re a geologist, then.” 

“And very proud to be one.” 

“So...you lick rocks for a living?” 

Alarik chuckled, throwing her a mysterious grin. “Sometimes. You should try it someday.” 

Elsa wrinkled her nose at the thought. “Not a chance.” 

“I’ll convert you to it soon enough. Now...how about that coffee date we were talking about?” 

[12daysofelsarik]

North- Part 2

Day4

Dec 24- All is Found

Okay, so this may or may not be the only TDOE 2019 fic NOT set in the Frozen 2 AU verse, this one is the part 2 of North, which is of course, the sequel to Homeward (message me or reply here if you want the link to either North or Homeward!)

Alarik, Jenny, and Dag belong to @patricia-von-arundel :D

Rated M for bedroom activities towards the end of the fic after they put the kids to bed :P GET IT ELS, GET IT

and I have NEVER IN MY LIFE been more nervous about putting up a fic, so if you’ll EXCUSE ME I am off to hide under my bed, MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE, ONE AND ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.

*****************

“Mama, when is Papa coming home?” Jenny asked, walking into the room I shared with Alarik. She was rubbing a knuckle at her eyes, green and blurry from sleep, her red hair tousled. She did so look like her father. 

“Pa?” Dag said, trailing behind her, dragging his well worn stuffed rabbit behind him. I scoop Dag up, as his little two year old legs can’t quite reach the top of the bed, and Jenny climbs up onto the bed as well.

I had missed this. I had missed them. Both Jenny and Dag now slept in rooms of their own, and Alarik had been in England for the better part of the month, and I had been sleeping in the room by myself. 

“Papa will be home soon,” I told them. Although that was what I thought for my parents as well. I thought they would be home soon. I thought I would get a chance to see them again. I could be wrong, Alarik might not make it home, a storm might come, he might get lost at sea, he might-

“Mama, are you okay?” Jenny asked, crawling towards her and looking up at her. Even little Dag had a look of quiet seriousness on his face- Alarik liked to call Dag “lilla gubben” - little old man.

“Of course,” I say, forcing a smile on my face. “Would you two like to sleep in mama’s bed tonight?” I ask them.

Jenny’s face breaks out into a wide smile, and all I see is their father, and my heart just sinks. But she says “yes!” and Dag echoes her sentiments.

I let myself laugh. “Alright, cuddle close, scooch in,” I tell them.

Dag lays his head on my lap, while Jenny cuddles by my side. I sing to them the same song Mama used to sing to me and Anna.

Where the north wind meets the sea

There's a river full of memory

Sleep, my darling, safe and sound

For in this river all is found

As Jenny’s fingers intertwine with my own, playing with my wedding ring, I stroke Dag’s nose as I sing to them. I see Dag’s eyes slowly begin to droop, and I know sleep will come for him soon, although Jenny looks up at me still. Even so, she begins to yawn, it being long past both their bedtimes.

In her waters, deep and true

Lie the answers and a path for you

Dive down deep into her sound

But not too far, or you'll be drowned

I barely get the word “drowned” out. It comes out almost a whisper. But it doesn’t seem to bother my children, as Dag as fallen asleep, and even Jenny’s eyes are heavy lidded. 

Yes, she will sing to those who hear

And in her song all magic flows

But can you brave what you most fear

Can you face what the river knows

I tuck the blankets past Dag’s chin, and he is soon snoring softly, his curls flopping over his head, much likes his father. Jenny though, is staring out the window, seemingly transfixed by the Northern Lights outside. I carry her to the window, careful not to jostle, as she’s already half asleep.

I reach the window, and look out into the fjord. Suddenly, Jenny sits up in my arms, and gasps, pointing out at the window. Out on the horizon, sailing towards the harbor, is an Arendellian ship. Not just any Arendellian ship, the same ship Alarik took to England.

“Papa!” Jenny squeals, hands tapping at the windowpane.

 Dag suddenly sits up on the bed. “Pa?” he asks, dazed.

I keep Jenny in one arm, and carry Dag in my other arm, and run out of the room and down the stairs of the castle, not even stopping to put some slippers on. I feel my heart beating a quick staccato as we make our way to the fjord. Just as we reach the docks, I see him. All auburn curls and green eyes and that smile, and before I can do anything else, Jenny leaps out of my arms and runs towards him. 

He walks towards us, and Dag reaches out towards him, squealing “Pa!”. Alarik hoists Dag on his shoulders, as Jenny runs around with the new toy he brought her.

“Darling,” he says to me, smiling. “I-”

Like I always say. Never shut me up with a kiss. Although I do it to him.

He didn’t seem to mind.

*******************

Where the north wind meets the sea

There's a mother full of memory

Come, my darling, homeward bound

When all is lost, then all is found

I finish singing the song as I watch Alarik tuck both the children into bed. 

Once in the hallway, I approach him from behind, lean my head on his shoulder. I bury my face into his hair, and it still smells like the ocean breeze. “I missed you,” I tell him, playing with his curls.

He wraps his arms around me, holding me close, and it feels warm and safe and right, even after so many weeks apart. I feel myself tremble, just a little bit, and he rubs his hands down my arms.

Alarik leans down, his forehead against mine, and closes his eyes. 

“You’re not allowed to leave for that long ever again,” I tell him.

At that, he opens his eyes, grinning as he cups my jaw. “As you wish,” he murmurs against my lips.

I wrap my arms around his neck, pressing against him, whining my need. I’ve missed this. I’ve missed him. 

He pulls back slightly, eyes dark and dilated. “Darling?” he asks.

I can only nod.

At that, he lifts me in his arms and begins to run towards our bedroom, much like that rainy autumn day that eventually led to Jenny. Miraculously, we make it to our bedroom, and he opens the door, kicking his shoes under the bed.

He places me on the bed gently, and I pull him down towards me. He pulls at the sash of my nightrobe, revealing my silk nightdress under it. He’s still wearing his travelling clothes, and I quickly begin unbuttoning his shirt, and he fumbles with the ties on my nightdress, his hands shaking, unusual for him.

“Let me,” I tell him, and as I finish the last of his buttons and deal with my own nightdress.

“Elsa, let me...I-” he begins, but I already have my nightdress off.

“You’ve been away nearly a month, min gås,” I say, silencing his protests with a kiss. “If you think I’m going to wait another moment more,” I tell him, pulling at his trousers, “you’re quite mistaken…”I say as I pull his body down towards my own.

He smiles softly as he positions himself above me. Alarik places a hand on my cheek. “I’ve missed you, my darling.”

I smile up at him. “I missed you too…” I tell him. I pull him down for another kiss, my fingers twisting into his hair. His lips work against mine, before they venture towards my neck, suckling gently. “Alarik!” I gasp. 

His lips find the spot behind my ear, and as he kisses it, I feel the heat pooling in my center already. His hands find my hips, running up and down them, and I feel myself shiver.

He positions himself above me, “ready, darling?” he asks. I nod breathlessly.

Alarik slowly thrusts deep, and I groan at the way he fills me. My legs wrap around his waist, and I pull him closer, urging him deeper inside me. "Ooooh, oh Alarik…"

"Elsa…" he moans as his thrusts deepen.

"Alarik ...please…" I pant, "I need you…"

He pulls out, and then thrusts back in. His lips move from behind my ear down, down towards my breasts, kissing one gently, then the other, and I bite my lip to keep from moaning.

I feel the warmth pooling in my middle, the pleasure building, warm and good. "Yes...yes...ALARIK!" I shout in ecstasy. He thrusts deeper and faster inside me until he releases deep inside me, and I arch into him, before sinking down into the mattress, trembling.

He rolls us over gently to our sides, so that we still face each other. Alarik pulls me closer to him to press his lips to mine, and whispers “jag älskar dig, min älskling”.

“I love you too,” I murmur against his lips. We spend a long time like this, in each other’s embrace, and from the window I can see that the twinkling of the stars. 

And the North star that pointed his way home to me.

[birger-wuvs-elsa]

A Newborn Phoenix

Apparently, the Neta X Birger fic I once promised a long time ago...never bloody happened. Well! That changes today! It’s probably not what I had planned to write back in the day, but I’m still quite proud of this. I accidentally made it parallel a certain other fic, but it’s all right. It’s still very much it’s own thing, and I am quite pleased.

Happy birthday, Neta! @thesciencegoose

@patricia-von-arundel

“You won’t hurt her, you know.”

Elsa watched Birger paced wildly and gnashed his teeth, but didn’t respond. He had all but worn a trench in the stone of the courtyard by now. He’d grown, large and fluffy and mighty, his antlers well on their way to becoming a proper rack. Birger’s growth had all but become a mythical visual marker for everyone else’s, it seemed.

As, after all, her baby sister had just had a baby, herself.

You don’t know that, Elsa.

She frowned and crossed her arms.

“Don’t I?” She shook her head. “Come now, Birger, you know better than to succumb to such a pitfall.”

I could hurt the pup by simply breathing on her, Elsa. I shouldn’t be allowed near her, not yet, maybe not ever.

Elsa sighed and brought a hand to massage her temple. Though Birger had been a great source of support as she struggled to tame her own anxieties, dealing with his were an entirely different beast. His self-loathing was oddly sharp and secular, focused harshly on his being a dragon, living in a land of humans. When it came to the humans he cherished, specifically, Elsa noticed that Birger’s fears worsened.

And now, one of his most cherished humans had a child, one that he clearly saw himself as a danger to.

“Birger, please, you are no more or less a danger to Neta than…” Elsa paused, and took a deep breath before she finished. “Than I am.”

He whirled on her, then, his pacing swiftly ended as he brought his great head down and glared at her.

You could never harm the pup.

Elsa simply glared back. “And neither could you.”

Birger snarled, great white canines and molars shining in the sunlight, his sabers their twin cornerstones.

I am a dragon! A beast, a vessel of feral magic and rage! I am fully capable of harming her, and I would prefer the risk to be avoided all together!

Elsa’s glare strengthened as she stepped close to his nose, and poked it hard.

“Then you will find a way to tell Anna to her face why you refuse to meet her daughter.”

His snarl froze, all growls and hisses gone, as he stared at her then.

…I…cannot.

“You will.”

No.

“She deserves an explanation from you.”

She deserves the world, not me.

“She wants you to meet Neta.”

What she wants is impossible.

“You’re the one being impossible!”

You’re the one who won’t listen!

Elsa grabbed his nose, then, and forcefully pushed it earthward so that his eyes were closer to hers. She shouldn’t have been able to manipulate the dragon so, but Birger was always weak when it came to the woman who shared his heart. Ironically, he melted at her touch, and let her bring his face close. Even if it meant coming so near to her furious glare.

“You know full well that I always listen to you. I’m the only one who truly can, and you’ve always done right by me and listened in return. Now, you will be silent, and you will hear my words and feel my heart. Do I make myself clear?”

Birger gulped, but obediently said nothing and kept his heart open.

Elsa sighed then, and took a moment to gather herself.

“You have had every opportunity to cause me and Anna harm. So many moments, don’t you remember? When your wounds healed, and you pulled me and Anna to your chest? You rolled onto your back, and pinned us against your fur.”

Birger felt more than heard Elsa’s silent command, and slid a paw up to settle beside her. She rested her hand on it, and smiled.

“With these great big paws of yours, tipped with mighty and sharp claws. You held us both close, and did anything happen to us?”

Birger meekly shook his head, eyes still locked on hers.

“Exactly, you did not. Even when you sensed Alan’s intrusion, and rolled back onto your belly, you still kept us safe. Even when those wolves ambushed Anna later, your rage never came near me.”

His ears pinned back at the memory of that painful moment, but she simply stroked his nose and sent warmth and love through their bond.

“Birger, you could never hurt us, and you will never hurt Neta. You will be just fine, and she could be no safer than in your very paws.”

Birger was silent for some time, and Elsa patiently waited. She could still feel him, open and bare, and how he agonized. It was better than before, now, at least. Now, he agonized over convincing himself, over accepting her words and taking in the reality of them. Finally, he heaved a great sigh, and nuzzled his nose to her.

Very well…I concede, my heart.

Elsa smiled, and let a burst of frost sparkle in his fur. She turned away, then, and called out to the nearby castle door.

“Anna! He’s better now, you can bring her out.”

Elsa felt more than heard Birger’s surprise, as he backpedaled away. He clearly hadn’t expected for the subject of their discussion to have been waiting nearby that entire time. The doors were opened by guards waiting on the inside, and Anna emerged and approached them.

She was dressed lightly, no doubt still somewhat in recovery, though it had been a couple of months. Anna bore a great sunny smile as she neared the frosty pair. In her arms, tightly held and protected, was a blanketed bundle. Though not too terribly cold outside, it was far nippier than any baby would like.

Birger stood ramrod straight before them, head drawn high and back by his great neck. His ears, at least, were high and at attention, and his wide azure eyes were locked on the bundle in Anna’s arms. His tail swayed about slowly behind him, almost like a focused cat’s, and Elsa struggled not to giggle at the sight.

Anna smiled gently up at him, and carefully hefted the silent bundle as she nodded to him.

“Are you ready?”

Slowly, carefully, Birger lowered himself and laid down. He hovered his head near, ears still high and eyes still wide. His tail swung around to settle beside them, its long and fluffy length easily doubling back along his form. Anna, almost too excited to wait, bounced happily as she carefully pulled at the edges of the blanket.

Elsa almost stumbled at the sheer force of the pride and adoration that struck her through their bond.

Birger brought his large, fluffy nose close to the bundle as he looked at the wee baby nestled in them. The little one, her so dark now but with promise to brighten, stretched as the close confines of the blanket were loosened. The dragon simply watched, enthralled, as little bright eyes blinked open. To his shock, ears pinned back, those little eyes looked right up to his great big azures.

Birger stared, and Elsa could feel him get antsy, could almost feel the tension in his legs as he prepared to vault away as if they were her own. He held, though, to Elsa’s pride and satisfaction, Birger held his ground and brought his nose ever closer. Little Neta, for all her too-much youth, reached out and clumsily gripped the fur of Birger’s nose.

Anna laughed, even Elsa couldn’t help a giggle, at the sight. It got ever sweeter, though, as Neta seemed to pull on the fur. Though her mother stayed close, and stepped closer to allow her baby to get near the great fluffy beast. Birger’s ears flicked impossibly more forward, and Elsa could feel him relax and settle as he began to thrum.

The deep sound thundered out of his chest, and the sisters could all but feel it in their feet. Neta seemed to just adore it, little high cackles of a baby breaking the gentle silence of the moment. Birger’s thrum strengthened, its note higher, as a close-mouthed but wide grin took to his lips.

The pup is warm, my heart. She is a phoenix like her mother, burning and strong. Her father, for what it’s worth, has only made the little one all the mightier.

Elsa smiled, gentle and proud, and glanced over at her sister. Anna was beaming, herself, as she held up her little girl still to Birger’s great nose. The deep thrums of Birger continued to rumble from his chest as the three of them simply stood there, together, and basked in the joyous sound of a little Neta’s happy laughter.

[warriorof-sun-light]

sound off if you’re alive! - from Thancred {@daggerintheflame-ff14} (o/ Hi!)

» Critical Role Sentence Starters

Eyrilona Koelwyn did not fall. She was sure of foot, and agile a Miqo’te as they came. She had climbed the cliffs of Long Climb, over half the spires of Limsa Lominsa, and Ishgard besides. She just did not fall.

She could, however, be inclined to stepping on loose stone in ancient temples deep in the Rak'tika Greatwood and loosing her footing when the floor collapsed. Two totally different situations, to be sure.

“Aaaaye…” The drawn out groan came a decent few yalms below him, accompanied by a less than convincing thumbs up as Eyri pulled herself up off the ground and brushed stray earth off of herself.

“Oi… careful ‘round that hole. Came outta nowhere, it did.”

@daggerintheflame-ff14​

[twotonedechoes]

shards-verse replied to your post: //That last chat exchange hit me in the feels… and...

“Fine, I’ll help you. But I’m going to -complain- the entire way.” sounds like the start of a great redemption story.

//Yes! Exactly! Just dragging him around, making him help out with basic adventurer jobs. 

[patricia-von-arundel]

The annual Jenny birthday drabble is finally here! (I had work today, I wasn’t home. Sadly.)

“Can you get me the red book, Eldig? The big one, right there.”

“Uh-huh.” Jenny hopped down from where she’d been swinging her legs on the stool, watching him work. “This one?”

“That’s the very one. Thank you, Eldig.”

She just nodded, returning to the stool, now sitting with her elbows on her knees and her chin on her hands. It was both breathtaking and amazing, really, to watch her run across the room, loose hair bouncing, one stocking crooked, able to walk and talk and climb on stools. Five years before, she’d been so… so new, so tiny and helpless. 

She was certainly not helpless now. That had been apparent for a very long time. 

And since Dag was born, she’d spent a lot of time being helpful, in the lab. Alarik knew why - and understood - but he wasn’t about to complain. The company was rather nice. 

“Did Mama wish you a happy birthday at breakfast?”

Jenny’s shoulders slumped visibly, and she looked away. “No. She wasn’t even there. Neither was Aunt Anna. All because of Dag. It was only Neta. She let me have extra cream, though. She said not to tell Mama.”

“Ah.” He shouldn’t have asked. “Well, I’m sure she’ll see you later on.”

“No, she won’t. She never does. She’s always, always, always with Dag.”

“Well, we’ll just have to go find her later.”

“I don’t want to.” She turned away, sitting up to cross her arms, sulky now. 

He definitely shouldn’t have asked. But he was trying to remember now - was Dag sick again? He’d been fine the night before. Unless that was the night before that? But no, Elsa had been asleep before he was, and up before him as well, and there had been no hint of commotion over Dag’s health. Dag had been doing well, honestly - eating better. He was almost ready for solid foods. 

Which made Alarik think of Jenny discovering the taste of blackberries, the sweet tartness, and the shocked expression on her face…

“Would you like blackberries later?” he asked. “With extra-extra cream?”

“What’s this about extra cream?” 

Elsa’s voice - and Jenny jerked around, eyes going wide. “Mama?”

“I’m afraid she can’t have blackberries, though - or perhaps at dinner?”

“But I want them!”

Elsa came into the lab - with none of the usual irritation in her expression at Jenny backtalking, either. She was, instead, smiling - that warm smile that still lit up her whole face. “Later, I said. I was hoping you would do me the honor of spending the day with me.”

“Huh?”

“Anna has agreed to take care of Dag, but only if you’ll let me spend your entire birthday with you. She was rather adamant about it.”

“What’s adabant - what’s what?”

The smile again. “Nevermind. Are you ready to go? You need to dress for outside, please. That means jacket. And boots!” Because Jenny was already racing off, her footsteps shockingly loud against the stone for someone so slight. “Boots, Jenny!”

She shook her head and rolled her eyes, which made Alarik grin. 

“I kept it a secret and everything,” he said. “Neta did, too.”

Elsa reached out, and he wrapped her hand in his. “Thank you.”

“Go find her, darling. Or she’ll be halfway to Denmark before you catch her.”

Elsa looked out the window, as if she might see just that. She was still smiling. When she spoke, her voice was hardly more than a whisper: “Happy birthday, Jenny.”

[stcllify]

@daggerintheflame-ff14​

“I’ll have you know I’m quite an adept songwriter, and to boot, I’m not half bad at singing them!” the hyur returned, a finger in the air to emphasize that last point. The truth of the matter was, he’d had a drink or three and without Urianger or Y’shtola present to coddle him about it, he could get away with a touch of letting loose. That said, it -had- been awhile since the man had regularly counted alcohol as something he could handle in great volumes, and it -showed- in the flush across his face and the slight sway in his balance; …or he was just playing it up. It was rather hard to tell when Thancred was genuine or putting on a show.  

“Do I need to demonstrate?  I-I can demonstrate!”  he said, hazel eyes having caught the gaze of no less than four seemingly interested maids at his slightly slurred chatter, as he turned to gaze upon his friend with mild challenge in his eyes.

Oho, Thancred seems absolutely thrashed! And while she has yet to get to such a point, still nursing her first drink as she is, far be it from Etoile to be the one to deny some harmless drunken shenanigans! The smile playing upon her lips widens into a grin from behind her drink, and the miqo’te rises to meet his challenge with the raise of a single delicate brow. Setting the glass down gently, she runs a finger over the rim and hums a note of uncertainty as she makes a display of appraising the man before her.

“So you saa~ay...” She begins, drawing her words out melodically and adding a bit of fuel to the fire in the process. “But I dunno, Thancred, I can’t say I recall hearin’ anythin’ of a musical note comin’ from you before. If you��re really that confident, then go ahead an’ show me what you’ve got?~” 

[thesciencegoose]

It's my birthday! I get to blogsit! And the askbox is OPEN! :D

-Anna

[frozenprocedural]

TDOE Day 12!!!

For the first time, I did it!!! My first TDOE with a story for each day!

Thanks to @couragedontdesertme​ and @bepoets​ for all your support!

This last one stem’s from @couragedontdesertme​‘s story of Elsa becoming a grandma. Told from a Elsa’s perspective. Eira belongs to her. Dag, Jenny and Alarik, as always, belong to @patricia-von-arundel​. Many thanks for letting me continue to play with these marvelous characters.

Without further ado...

It’s a Wonderful Life

Rating: T

Elsa frowned at the trade document, wondering for the fifth or sixth time why so many people felt the need to write with tiny handwriting. She wouldn't voice that thought aloud, of course- Alarik would insist on her wearing spectacles. She certainly didn't need those. 

A sudden pained gasp broke her out of her musings. Elsa turned to find Eira in the doorway, one hand clutching the frame with white knuckles, the other wrapped around her heavily swollen middle. 

Elsa was out of her seat in a second, rushing over to Eira's side. For the briefest moment she hesitated, and then placed a hand on her daughter-in-law's shoulder, feeling her shake. 

After a few more seconds, Eira let out a relieved sigh, relaxing somewhat, although she was still trembling. "That… ah… that hurt," she said as she straightened up. Elsa could see unshed tears gathering in Eira's eyes. 

"I take it the baby's coming?"

Eira nodded, and then let out a sob. Elsa pulled her in, rubbing gentle circles on her back. "Shhhhhh, it will be alright."

"I'm so scared," Eira whimpered.

"I know, I know," Elsa whispered back. Oh, how she knew. Even though it had been over two decades since the last time she'd given birth herself, she still well remembered the fear. Particularly with Dag's birth.

"Mama, Eira? Is everything-oh."

Jenny stood in the hallway, her eyes wide as she took in Eira's obvious distress. 

Elsa stepped forward, taking Jenny's hand in her own. "Jenny, please go get your brother. I'm going to help Eira to her room."

Jenny dashed off, and Elsa went back to Eira, offering an arm. Eira took it, only to hunch over with moan, her fingers digging into Elsa's arm.

"Breathe…" Elsa murmured. Eira took several shuttering breaths before straightening. 

"You might want to go after her." Eira nodded in the direction Jenny had gone. "She's been telling him I've gone into labor for the past month to get a laugh."

"Ah," Elsa replied. "Let's get you to the room and I will take care of that."

………..

Ten minutes later, Elsa returned to the birthing room, this time with Anna in tow. She was relieved to see that a fire had been built, with a large pot of water warming over the flames, and next to it, a wash bin half-filled with water. Towels, blankets, string, bandaging, a knife and a water glass were placed neatly by the door. Elsa blinked when she saw those, remembering the same items at Jenny's birth those decades before.

A harsh groan drew her attention, and she made her way to where Eira- now wearing her nightgown- was standing, hands clutching her abdomen. Elsa offered a hand, and Eira took it, squeezing hard. Elsa murmured encouragement, rubbing Eira's back until she relaxed. 

"You're doing amazing, Eira," Anna said. She'd taken a position by Eira's other side, rubbing her arm. "Do you want to try to walk around the room for a bit?"

They made two circuits of the room before another contraction hit. This time, Eira cried out, and before either of them could speak, there was a pounding at the door. 

"Eira! EIRA!" Dag's voice was panicked, and Elsa worried he might break the door down. Eira's eyes went wide, and she frantically shook her head.

"No, he can't, don't let him, he needs to leave…"

"I've got it." Anna strode to the door, while Elsa led Eira away from sight.

"Your wife said you need to leave." 

"But-"

"Yeah, I know. I hate closed doors too."

Eira wailed again. "TELL HIM HE NEEDS TO GET OUT!" 

Elsa focused on holding Eira, trying to calm her down. Anna closed the door moments later, pausing by the hearth to wet a towel. She used it to dab the sweat off Eira's forehead, and Elsa let the smallest of breezes fly from her fingertips to cool it.

"Thank…you…" Eira gasped. "I- AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" Her wail seemed to go on and on, tapering off into a startled gasp. Eira looked down at her legs, and Elsa understood. 

"Your water broke?"

Eira nodded, fresh tears filling her eyes. Anna went to grab a fresh towel, kneeling in front of her and lifting her dress to clean her legs. As she did, the tears broke free, and Eira skittered back, curling around herself.

"I can't do this, oh God, I'm so scared."

"Eira." Elsa let a firm note enter her voice. She took Eira's face in her hands, brushing the tears away with her thumbs. "You can. And you will. It hurts, and it's scary. But Anna and I are right here. We won't leave you. You are strong, and you are brave."

Elsa released her face to open her arms. Eira sank into them, burying her face in Elsa's shoulder. 

The moment didn't last long, however, as another contraction made Eira's knees buckle, Elsa only just managing to catch her before she fell. Anna was at her side, helping Eira to her feet.

"We need to get you to the bed, Eira. Now." Anna's voice held a note of tension, and Elsa immediately saw why. Blood marred the carpet below Eira's feet. It was no where near as much as had been present at Dag's birth, but Elsa had to look away quickly. 

She and Anna helped Eira to bed, settling her in and trying to help her get comfortable. Anna set a towel on Eira's forehead, and Elsa cooled it as Eira strained once more. 

"You're doing so well, Eira. The baby will be here soon enough." Anna said. 

It took several more hours. Eira screamed and cried. She begged them to make it stop, cursed Dag, clung to them desperately as each contraction came. Anna took charge of checking her progress, encouraging her each time, never flinching when Eira cursed and sobbed. 

"Eira, it's time to push."

Eira threw her head back onto the pillows at Anna's proclamation, her face twisted into a grimace. Elsa took her hand between both of her own. 

"This is it, Eira. It's time to meet your baby."

Eira locked eyes with Elsa, and Elsa could see the determination on the young woman's face. Then Eira curled in on herself, howling, and Elsa knew she was pushing.

"That's it. You're doing so well Eira. So brave." Elsa kept up a soothing mantra, letting her hand be squeezed to the point of losing feeling. She used her other hand to keep the towel on Eira's forehead cool. 

Again and again, Eira bore down as Elsa and Anna encouraged her. At one point, Anna called out that she could see the head, and Elsa felt a shift in Eira. She tucked her chin to her chest and yelled…

A new sound filled the room, a high-pitched cry followed immediately by Anna's joyful proclamation.

"It's a boy!"

Eira sat up, laughing through tears as Anna held up the squirming baby. 

"Let's get the cord cut and get him washed, Eira," Anna said, already reaching for the knife and string. Elsa got up to fill the washbin, and got the baby clean before laying him in Eira's waiting arms. 

"Oh, hello." Eira ran a trembling hand through the baby's golden curls. 

"Shall I get Dag?" Elsa asked. When Eira nodded, still enraptured by her son, Elsa went to the door and opened it.

Alarik was the first she saw, grinning widely- he must have heard the news. She smiled in return and continued looking until she found Dag sprawled out on the floor. She wondered how many times he had fainted.

But his head was coming up, eyes meeting hers. "Mama?"

Her smile widened. 

"Do you want to meet your son?"

…………

Nightfall found her and Alarik in their room, after an evening spent with their son and grandson.

Grandson.

She was a grandmother. 

It made her sit, gazing out the dark window. There had been a time in her life she believed such a title impossible. True, up until realizing she was pregnant with Jenny, Elsa had never believed herself capable of conceiving. But not only had she brought two children into the world, but now she was a grandmother.

"May I ask what you are thinking about?"

Elsa jumped slightly at Alarik's voice, but gave him a smile as he came over to sit by her. In the lamplight, the lines on his face appeared more pronounced, the grey in his curls more evident. And yet, to her, he was all the more handsome for it. 

"I was… I'm… we're grandparents. There was a time in my life- a long time- I would never have believed that possible."

Alarik held out an arm, and she snuggled into his side, resting her head on his shoulder, breathing in his comforting scent. 

"I used to believe that as well. I am very happy we were both proven incorrect." He pulled her a bit closer, kissing the top of her head.

"It’s a wonderful life to live."

[bepoets]

ok I know the answer to this already, but i also want the WHY ;D 💖 +Shardsverse Frozen OCs

I’m quite literally falling over myself to have the opportunity to talk about how I would die for Jenny.

I have made it VERY well known since the first time @patricia-von-arundel wrote a fic with Jenny in it (I cant remember what the first real Jenny Fic was now I’m sad) that Jenny is my absolute favorite. I cant even think of words to explain the why oh my god I’m getting too excited the words won’t formulate!!!

I think, one of the reasons I love Jenny so much is that I find she comes to me easily. When reading about Jenny I can see her doing things and saying things with ease it’s so easy to visualize. And being able to turn those fictional words into a reality in my mind, for a character that we had really hardly met at that point, felt very special to me? And then to add to that I felt like she was so easy to write. Until I wrote fics about Jenny I had only ever written fics with Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff and that was the extent of my fanfic writing and while yes those are SOMEONES characters it’s not the same as an OC? Especially considering It was a friends OC and being allowed to use Jenny in a Fic felt like the greatest gift to me and I was so scared I’d write her poorly. Or that it would be too hard and difficult and I just wouldn’t be able to find her voice. It the thing is, she WASN’T. She was easier to write than Anna or Kristoff and a hell of a lot easier to write than Elsa. I felt like I knew her. Like I was writing about someone I knew and loved dearly. And that isn’t far off because Jenny so much as breathes and I can just see my little sister.

So that’s why I love Jenny so much.

Because I know her. She’s my family.

[naturepointstheway]

Frozen - Domestic Assassin (Crack AU) Masterpost

This is a Masterpost of all the fanfiction I’d written (all on Tumblr) based in @ultranos’ Domestic Assassin crack AU which was hilarious for a fairly good-sized group of us! And from what I”ve seen in my notifications, people are still enjoying and finding fics of mine in this AU even to this day, which is great! 

I’ve basically dug into my previous fanfiction pages and pulled them out year by year, so because it’ll be way too much work to try and arrange everything by title, I just went by year. At least Tumblr keeps the links when I copy and paste. 

Since there are so many, you’ll find them under the cut. Enjoy! 

Pre-2016

Air Mattress Prompt  

An exhausted Anna returns home from a hot night with Kristoff only to accidentally make her sister fly off the air mattress when she flops down on it for a sleep.

“Am I supposed to be alarmed by the moon tonight?” prompt 

Elsa is so exhausted she gets confused between the sun and moon apparently.

“Can we please stop fighting and talk about the koala in your room?” 

Elsa adopted a koala, much to Anna’s exasperation.

“Can you pull this fake cobweb across the door?” Halloween prompt 

Anna wants to play a prank on Elsa...

Cell Block Sniper (M - violence and strong language)

Yes. Yes. It’s a crossover. A crossover between “Cell Block Tango” song from Chicago and this AU.

“Do you realise what this means?” “That you’re a really bad shot?” 

Elsa is NOT having the best of time trying to instruct a new trainee.

Domestic Assassin AU prompt: Hans’ POV (pre-reveal) 

Hans has a visit from Elsa when he dumps Anna. 

“Don’t touch that!” (Healthcare writing prompt, Snow Sisters) 

Elsa was bound to fall out of a tree at some point and end up in hospital. Anna takes care of her. 

Elsa and Weselton prompt 

Elsa refuses to let Weselton in the door.

Eyes That Glisten 

Anna knows how to persuade Elsa to do whatever she wants. 

“God you’re such a grumpy bags in the morning aren’t you?” 

Elsa is not a happy camper after a long night where everything just goes wrong. “Holy shit. Most realistic Dementor costume ever.” Halloween prompt 

Turns out, Elsa just looks like that most of the time.

“I can’t help being a geek about my vital signs!” prompt (Elsarik) 

A crossover between another AU (Shardsverse) 

“I don’t think I should tell you what we’re dressed as.” (Halloween Prompt) 

Somebody think of the children! 

“I dropped my cookie :’(” 

Elsa cries when she drops her cookie. 

“I feel like a T-Rex” 

Anna is too lazy to just grab the goddamn stepladder and get the jam herself.

“I wish I could drive you out of my life with a sword!” (Hans and Anna, prompt) 

Anna is NOT a fan of Hans...

“Maybe you should go as an assassin. Oh wait, you already are one.” (Halloween prompt) 

Anna is a sarcastic little sister to Elsa.

“No one unfollows like Gaston!” 

Anna overhears Gaston boasting about how he unfollowed someone because of a disability. She is not happy.

Ruined Dinner Party

After an hour of waiting for her sister to come to the party, Anna finally spots her with “ketchup” all over her top. 

Part 2 of “Ruined Dinner Party”

Of course it wasn’t ketchup. Duh. Anna is NOT HAPPY.

Sleepyhead (drabble, Snow Sisters) 

Elsa, going to the kitchen for midnight munchies, spots Anna sprawled on a couch, textbooks all around her. 

“So. Many. Triangles. Help me here!” 

Anna, not being a maths-y person, gets frustrated with geometry, and Elsa offers to help. 

“So you’re going as yourself for Halloween.” Halloween prompt 

Elsa is not keen on dressing up as Halloween.

“Tell our parents my Tumblr URL and I swear I will make your death look like an accident” prompt. 

Elsa practically threatens Anna when the latter demands to explain her Tumblr URL (of course she quickly forgives her little sis.) 

“That mask is all kinds of creepy. I like it.” Halloween prompt 

Elsa practically shits herself when Anna scares her while wearing a terrifying mask. 

Things you said at 4am prompt 

Anna gets a call at 4am on her phone from Elsa, who accidentally sniped the wrong guy..

Those Poor Birds 

Elsa mistakes a pair of birds’ mating antics as fighting, much to Anna’s amusement.

“Wait, you’re yelling at a movie?” (Snow Sisters, writing prompt) 

Elsa is very confused to find that Anna’s yelling from the lounge is at a movie. Not at an invader.

“Was it really necessary to shoot my pumpkin carving?” (Halloween prompt) 

Anna is NOT happy when Elsa decides to use her pumpkin carving for shooting practice.

“What do you mean it’s a sunset…?” prompt 

Elsa wakes up only to find that it’s already after sunset, not sunrise.

“What the hell? You gave out alcoholic chocolate to trick-or-treating kids?!” (Halloween prompt) 

Anna discovers that her German chocolates had been opened by Elsa, who’d handed them out to kids. 

“Where did you leave the spare copy of that book?” (Elsarik DA!verse, prompt) 

Crossing over with another writer’s AU with her OC, Alarik. Elsa can’t find that one specific book she needs, and she’s sure Alarik has it. 

“You once asked me what I’d do if I had only one day left.” prompt 

Anna will most definitely NOT be spending that final day of her life with Hans.

“You did what?!” prompt (Elsa and Kristoff) 

Elsa does not appreciate Kristoff’s concern over her having WAY too many cats for one house.

“You mean a line segment.” prompt 

Elsa is a huge geometry nerd, even waiting in line for takeaways.

“You should go as an assassin. Oh wait. You already are one.” prompt 

Another one where Anna suggests Elsa goes as an assassin for Halloween, only to be all “oh wait, you are one.” 

2016

Accidental shooting

Elsa accidentally shoots someone she did not mean to shoot in a library’s basement. 

Amuse Me

Elsa’s having one of those blah days and Anna’s there with bad puns all ready to go.

“Bittersweet and Strange” (not based on a prompt)

Elsa explains exactly how she likes her coffee to Anna. Turns out Elsa is also a huge fan of marmite. 

“Can’t I at least take this baby koala home?”

Anna, no, you cannot take a koala home from Australia, no matter how cute it is.

Cat Gallery (not based on a prompt)

Kristoff discovers Elsa’s huge photo album of her cats. 

“Did you lose your main point…”

Anna hears something about money and bills and wait what now.

“Do nurses ever fall asleep on the night shift?”

Anna visits Elsa in hospital and inevitably someone has to wonder this. Elsa’s adorbs when she’s pouty and Anna can’t help but annoy her on this count.

Fight Me

One sister challenges another to a fun boxing game. 

“How did you get these bruises?”

A crossover with another writer’s canon OC, Alarik (”Elsarik”) where he asks how she got some bruises while on the job. 

“How many cats are in bed with you?”

Anna marvels that there are nine cats in bed with Elsa. 

“I don’t think you’re supposed to have the whole packet at once.”

Do not eat a whole bag of coffee. Do not.

I Have Found My People (not based on a prompt)

Elsa has discovered that certain Scandinavian countries drink the most coffee in the world and wants to migrate there right now.

“I know you don’t want this but it’s for your own good…”

Kristoff is rightly concerned when he finds that Elsa had thirty cups of coffee in 48 hours. Do not do this at home.

“I, uh, kinda dropped it in the water.”

Elsa calls Anna to tell her there’s an emergency: she dropped her wallet in the sea and all the fish now have her personal information. 

“I want a Venusian day…”

Elsa tries to explain to Anna why she would not want to live on Venus. Anna doesn’t give a fuck. More hours in the day what’s not to love about that?

Of Cat’s Paws and Adopting Stellar Systems (not based on a prompt)

Elsa is enthralled by a photo of the Cat’s Paw Nebula she has found on the laptop. 

Of Monkeying Around and Going Ape (not based on a prompt)

Anna comes home to discover that Elsa has adopted a monkey that had been neglected by its owner. Even Anna is almost (I said, ALMOST) tempted to keep the monkey but her common sense reigns. 

“Oh so you were in my bed this whole time?” (nsfw)

Dontcha hate when you’re in the middle of coitus and your goddamn cat has to interrupt you? (Elsarik, with another Frozen writer’s (@patricia-von-arandel) OC for Elsa)

“Once we start tickling, we can’t stop!” (nsfw)

Another steamy one with an old abandoned OC of mine (Jannike), where they find themselves having a quickie while the boss is away. 

Rubbish Day (not based on a prompt)

Anna is horrified to find a rubbish bag gone and trails of what suspiciously looks like blood leading outside. Turns out some meat thrown in there leaked inside.

“The best way to get rid of your ex…”

Anna didn’t think that Hans Westerguard would ever end up on Elsa’s targets to “take care of”. Until he does.

The One Time Elsa Caught Anna “Studying” (not based on a prompt)

Anna uses the mirror in the bathroom to practice distinguishing teeth for a medical exam. Elsa suggests alternatives. 

“What is this owl doing in our bathroom?”

Of course Elsa would adopt an owl and want to keep it in the bathroom. Of course.

“Who dances in the rain anyway?”

Elsa comes home to discover Anna dancing in the rain. 

“Why is there an otter in our kitchen?”

Anna comes home to find that Elsa has “adopted” an otter from a “client”. As you do.

“Why would you wish to be at a backpackers?”

Elsa and Alarik (Shards AU, Elsarik) decide to stay at a backpackers together for some private time. 

“Yes, yes the cold doesn’t bother you…”

Anna is not impressed with Elsa standing in the snow when she has a major cold.

2017

The Blood of White Men (not based on a prompt)

As Elsa’s favourite song goes, he had it comin’ all along. 

Is the Earth Broken? (not based on a prompt)

Elsa is confused about why the day she thought it was today...actually isn’t. She convinces herself the Earth has somehow broked. 

“It won’t be high tide you said…”

Elsa needs to learn that reading yesterday’s newspaper’s high tide times is not helpful. 

Kittens on Saturn (not based on a prompt)

Elsa hopes there’s actual giant kittens on Saturn after seeing a graphic manipulation on an astronomy news site.

Of Singing Humpback Whales and Rock Trolls

Kristoff visits Elsa in hospital while Anna’s busy with other things. It...does not go as expected. Poor Kristoff. 

“Proboscis Monkeys look ridiculous…”

Anna’s exasperation at Elsa rescuing a Proboscis monkey is still not so great that she can’t help but wonder what would happen if you honked their nose. Anna NO. 

“She’s going to kill you.”

Kristoff knows his days are numbered when he spills carrot juice all over Elsa’s brand new rifle. Uh oh.

“There’s a perfectly good reason for all these kittens.”

Turns out Elsa decided to adopt some kittens left on the side of the road when they’re already over-run with cats.

“This is extreme, even for you.”

Elsa is so addicted to her coffee she’s begun pouring them into wine bottles, as you do.

2018

Elsa brings home a parrot 

Anna discovers that Elsa has “rescued” a very large, very loud parrot from one of her, ahem, “clients”.

Elsa’s Back Up Cat, Mushu 

Anna discovers one of the cats apparently reading a book, and much to her consternation, Elsa explains he’s for back up.

“Oh what a circus!” photo prompt 

Anna takes her still-bewildered-after-five-coffees sister to the circus. This may or may not turn out to be a great idea.

[birger-wuvs-elsa]

Моя пещера, твоя пещера.

I actually wrote this one up early and scheduled it, just in case my forgetful mind lost this day in the midst of sleep, work, and school. ;3 @shardsofarendelle

This uh...got...longer than I planned...Birger had input, it would seem.

Elsa was in the midst of filing paperwork when she felt him. Her dragon, Birger, had ever so gently brushed her mind; over the years, their bond had grown, and the ways they were able to connect varied as they strengthened. Even when Alarik’s arrival came about, and all the...unique situations that entailed, and the pair’s own bond was tested, all came out well. They didn’t need questions or permissions with one another, and to outsiders, it would seem as if the queen and her fluffy companion were as one unit.

So it was with a perplexed frown that Elsa set down her pen, and absently glanced at her window. There were no words to Birger’s contact just now, no clear cut thoughts or anything. It was merely a feeling...a subtle guide to meet him outside. Elsa hesitated, as she knew that Birger understood she was in the middle of work. He normally respected her “foolish duties”, and their importance; so why on Earth would he disturb her now?

The queen stood from the chair, and walked around her desk as she approached the window. It was cool outside, and the nippy temperature beyond the castle’s warmed walls caused a conflicting fog to cloud the glass. But she didn’t have to be able to see through the windowpane to know that her dragon sat just beyond it, in the castle’s vast courtyard, which was just barely able to contain his now grandiose form.

Come...

A word, this time, to come with that same soft caress to her spirit. She could feel more to it now, a warm beckoning...he wanted to take her somewhere. Out of habit, out of instinct, her body moved to go out and meet him. But as she thought of her family, of Alarik, and the thought of letting herself be spirited away without warning...she hesitated. But no sooner then she did so, and the doubt began to prick at her heart, had she felt an even warmer, soothing balm come from her dragon.

Fear not, heart...please, come...

Elsa only remained still for the briefest moment before she continued her original path. Before long, she was garbed as her dragon strangely requested her to, and met with Birger in the courtyard. The large, fluffy beast near reverently crouched down as she approached, one foreleg held out to make her climb up his fur a less harsh angle. Hood up and mask on, Elsa nestled in the teal mane that pooled between his shoulder blades as the huge beast bounded out of the city. Though Birger said nothing, and his heart betrayed nothing, Elsa knew immediately where he was headed.

She could never forget the way to her dragon’s cave.

As the icy pair approached the clearing that, to this day, held fast against the forest, Elsa noticed something odd. The large, gaping hole in the mountainside—carved out by expert miners and Birger’s own paw to accommodate his growth—glowed from deep within by was seemed to be flickering firelight. The blonde frowned and tilted her head; there should be no one here, Birger would’ve told her if there’d be a plan regarding his cave. As she thought so, the strong form beneath her began to shake with clear laughter.

Elsa looked up just as Birger had turned his head down to meet her gaze.

You were not told the plan, for it was not mine to tell, heart.

Elsa frowned, pulled back her hood, and tugged down her mask. “What...Birger, what do you mean by that?”

He didn’t answer, merely smiled, and crouched down to allow her ease to dismount. As she did so, Elsa heard boots in the snow, and looked up at the cave’s entrance. Her eyes widened and she gasped softly, as the last person she expected to emerge from Birger’s cave did so.

“Hello, min elskling.” Alarik said, and smiled from beneath the furred hood that protected his magic-less body from the cold.

“Alarik...” That was all Elsa could manage to say before the stun was too great, and she turned to stare, shocked, at Birger’s smug grin.

You two are in dire need of some quality time, heart. You need somewhere quiet, secluded; and, well...

His grin shifted to a gentle smile.

Mоя пещера, твоя пещера.

It was one thing that Birger dared to allow himself to share Elsa, his heart, with Alarik. But that he would share his very cave, the place where the dragon and the queen first met? Tears pricked at Elsa’s eyes, and almost as if in expectation, Birger had already brought his head down. She threw her arms around his mighty snout, and the beast thrummed softly.

Stay here with him, enjoy your time together unbothered and unburdened. I promise you won’t be gone long, but you two deserve this. Stay here, and cherish one another...I will keep watch, as always.

Elsa nodded into his fur, and didn’t so much as make a sound when she felt gentle hands on her shoulders.

“Honored guardian, if I may have this lovely lady’s precious time?”

As Elsa released his snout, Birger lifted it to brush the tops of both their heads at once with his large chin. The smitten pair laughed at the gesture, and the blonde queen eagerly followed the redhead gentleman into the dragon’s den. The inside was, as always, comfortably prepared should Elsa stay a night with her dragon. But on this night, it was softly lit, densely cushioned, and overall terribly romantic. Shocked for the third time in just a few short hours, Elsa turned to her husband, speechless, as he smiled bashfully.

“I uh...I might’ve had this planned out for a while. Thank goodness Anna’s a very proficient interpreter for your dragon, or I might’ve never–”

He was able to say no more when Elsa hugged him fiercely about the shoulders, and before he could speak again, captured the would be words in a kiss. The utterly twitterpated pair’s world quickly shrunk to the confines of the cave. Neither of them paid any heed to the crackling of ice being sparked to life at the cavern’s entrance. Not a one of them noticed the shift in the air as a wall of ice, thick enough to be opaque but with slits in the top where it met the rock, settled into place and safely ensconced them within. They certainly did not hear the thuds of heavy steps that steadily grew quiet as a certain someone made his way to the opposite end of the clearing about the cave’s now sealed entrance.

Even the sun’s rising the next morning went unnoticed...

[the-sky-is-awake]

Frozen: A Dark Retelling - Chapter 35 (Response)

Chapters 1-27 are in this tag.

Chapters 28+ (and responses) are in this tag.

@patricia-von-arundel

Down to the final chapter (pasted in below). 

Anna had gone down to see him. He was being kept locked in one of the smaller downstairs bedrooms. She knew his ship was leaving in the afternoon – but there was, as yet, no closure she was comfortable with, where he was concerned.

 It’s a little surprising, after dozens of chapters of Hans-as-unredeemable-sociopath with hardly a hint of real romance, to see him treated better at the end than he is in the movie--where the first time we see him after the fjord scene is being thrown in the brig. (The movie doesn’t tell us where he was kept between those two scenes, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he was locked in the dungeon.) It works very well, though, as a setup for the conclusion of this scene, the softness of his circumstances highlighting the richly deserved moment when Anna finally lets her fist fly.

 As had been suspected – evidence to it absconded or not – Queen Elsa of Arendelle was a possessor of magic. And if even half of what was reported here was true, it was very powerful magic indeed, possibly some of the most powerful magic the world had ever seen.

And of course – ice magic.

The prophecy.

 The Epilogue is suitably sinister to introduce (I assume) a villain—someone I haven’t recognized from elsewhere in the Shardsverse, maybe? Clever of you to pick up a plot element the filmmakers let fall (i.e., the prophecy) and base the next part of the story on it, it lends an air of authenticity.

Elsa took a deep breath, and held it as she raised her foot – brought it down – and released the magic. She let it spread, coating the stones in ice. Then she pulled back.

And it stopped.

It stopped.

 After watching Elsa fear and fight her powers for dozens of chapters, the moment when she finally has easy control of her powers feels suitably monumental for her. The lead-in, with its mentions of her fear (which stand out because it seems she has nothing left to be afraid of), works too. 

 The cartwright had done as she had asked, and put her – Elsa's – purchase on beautiful display, against the vivid blue-green waters of the fjord. He would get his promised bonus, and then some.

Anna paid her debts.

 What a great little moment, where even the maker of Kristoff’s new sled gets to be part of the happy ending. (Little moments like this work all the more because of the darker aspects of the story that came before.) The final line works as a segue from the sled back to Anna and Kristoff. 

Elsa got to her feet, ignoring her prounding heart. “No, nothing wrong. I just... promised you something for your birthday.”

“My... birthday?”

“Not this one.” She made her way down the steps to the square. Her legs felt shaky and weak. “I promised... to teach you to skate.”

“...Elsa?”

Elsa locked eyes with her sister – drawing strength and trust from within them. “Are you ready?”

 A nice parallel with the movie, where the final scene returns from Hans and Kristoff to the narrative energy of Anna and Elsa. By keeping the core of the dialogue, your version manages to explain how the idea for the ice rink came about in a more realistic way, while maintaining a few important signposts for the reader. I also like how it begins not as a public exhibition of Elsa’s powers, but a private moment between Anna and Elsa that grows organically as more people join in. (Oh, and it’s a nice touch that the ice skates are real and not magic in this version; it makes sense that ADR has more respect for than Disney for things like the laws of physics, leaving magic as something wild and mysterious rather than a thing to be tossed around for fun.)

 Kristoff was still gaping. “I can't accept this,” he said – voice hardly audible.

“You have to!” Anna was enjoying this – immensely. She leaned closer, finger wagging, and did her best Elsa impression. “Queen's orders. She needs an ice master. She can have you hanged, you know.” He didn't laugh. He was still just staring.

 Anna joking about having Kristoff hanged for not being happy enough with his sled somehow strikes me as being hilariously in character for this story—dark, but not too dark.

 “I mean, I'd... I'd like to. We me? I mean... we may... may we?”

She turned her wide eyes to his flushed face, his stammer, his goodness. She had to stand on tiptoes, but her lips brushed the softness of his cheek. “We may.”

His lips against hers were warm and gentle, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, and she knew, for sure, that stories could end with happily ever after.

 I appreciate that this story doesn’t focus on shippiness of any kind, but that’s exactly what makes the touch of romance in this scene work so well.

 Her own skates were next to Anna's – it had been many, many years since she had flown across ice, but the urge was there now, strong and certain, and when blades met frozen ground, she pushed and moved with joyous abandon, letting her head fall back and her eyes close. She had never realized how much she missed this part of her birthright – the pleasures of winter, not just the pain.

 The description here is great. What a perfect conclusion for Elsa’s story—not just unafraid of her powers, but happy with them.

 She sneered at him. “If I marry, it will be for love – and I don't think you've ever loved anyone but yourself, have you?”

He shrugged, nonchalant. “I thought you were the one with a frozen heart.”

She allowed the fists, finally. The right met squarely with his cheek – and for the first time, he looked surprised.

She left then. She didn't look back.

 Just as Anna thinks, the story really needs this moment of closure with Hans. The rest of the scene is great, but this conclusion is perfect—curt, just like Anna—and incredibly satisfying (even if Hans doesn’t end up in the fjord).

 The last two weeks, for Elsa, had been difficult – so many times, the urge to retreat to her room, to dig through drawers for a pair of gloves, had been so strong it left her trembling, cold kept at bay by the thinnest remaining thread of will. But feeling the sun, smelling the water off the fjord, seeing Anna light up when Elsa joined her for lunch – she would fight the fear, to win those things, as long and as hard as necessary.

 This is Elsa’s version of a happy ending (although I know something about what happens to her afterward in this universe, having already given “Shards of Life” the once-over). It also gets top spot for being the closest thing to the moral of Frozen, in any incarnation—fear needs to be fought (“Fear is what can’t be trusted”). It brings the whole story in for a smooth landing.

 So on that note, let me say thanks one more time for being so willing to share this story with the world, and encourage you (if you find time) to put it back up in a form that lets people read it without having do dig through two different archives to find it!

(I debated over whether to add the AN to the end of this, then thought, why not?)

*****

Chapter 35

C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!

Anna had gone down to see him. He was being kept locked in one of the smaller downstairs bedrooms. She knew his ship was leaving in the afternoon – but there was, as yet, no closure she was comfortable with, where he was concerned.

C'mon!

He was staring out the window when she was admitted, his white jacket and dark trousers crisp and neat, not a hair out of place on his head. He did not turn at the sound of the latch.

She took a deep breath, preparing herself.

“Hans.”

Still, he did not turn, but she saw the tightening of his shoulders. “Princess Anna. Quite a pleasant surprise.”

“Is it?”

A pause – then he chuckled. “So we're not being polite?”

“No. We're being honest.”

He turned, then, finally – one side of his mouth pulled up, but she would not have called it a smile. “Perhaps you are. I don't remember being asked.”

He was playing with her again – even now, Elsa's prisoner, to be sent back to his family in disgrace, he was playing with her. She clutched, as surreptitiously as she could, at the fabric of her skirt, to keep her hands from balling into fists.

He seemed amused by her attempt to stay calm, which made it even more difficult – as she was sure he knew.

But after an uncomfortable silence, he shook his head. “You won, Anna. So why are you here? To gloat?” He looked her up and down. “To consummate our marriage?”

She sneered at him. “If I marry, it will be for love – and I don't think you've ever loved anyone but yourself, have you?”

He shrugged, nonchalant. “I thought you were the one with a frozen heart.”

She allowed the fists, finally. The right met squarely with his cheek – and for the first time, he looked surprised.

She left then. She didn't look back.

*****

“Hurry!”

Two weeks – two weeks of warm, sunny days; of short, cool nights; of looking out her window to open gates and the realization, anew and fresh every morning, that she was free to go through them, now and forever. Two weeks of Elsa's open door. Two weeks waiting for Kristoff to return

them, now and forever. Two weeks of Elsa's open door. Two weeks waiting for Kristoff to return from harvesting, reliant on others to travel there and back. He was no money, he said – and absolutely refused to take, or even borrow, from the crown.

That morning, he had returned. Anna had been checking the market square each day – twice, if she could manage it.

His face had lit up to see her. She wasn't sure what would develop between them, but for the moment, that was fine – he was happy to see her, and she was happy to see him, and that was enough. Like the open gates, warmth flooded through her just to think of him.

When she pulled out the blindfold, he gave her an incredulous look, rolled his eyes when she put her hands on her hips, and gave several loud sighs as he knelt so she could put it on. Her hand was swallowed completely by his warm, callused fingers, and she led him from the square, down toward the docks, where she had made the purchase, first thing, 13 days ago. Cautious at the start, excitement soon got the best of her – and then she was all but running, hauling him along.

The cartwright had done as she had asked, and put her – Elsa's – purchase on beautiful display, against the vivid blue-green waters of the fjord. He would get his promised bonus, and then some.

Anna paid her debts.

“Uh... Anna?” Kristoff said, and she realized he was still blind.

“Oh, sorry, sorry...” She pulled off the cloth – and stood aside, arms crossed and proud, to watch.

For what felt like a very long time, he just stared. Then – as Anna felt the grin spreading across her face – his eyes widened, his mouth fell open, and his shoulders slumped so far she was momentarily concerned he would fall right over.

“I owe you a sled.” She saw no need to hide how proud she was. Because it was a beautiful sled, the best around; she'd asked several merchants with sleds of their own. While clearly bemused by the request – particularly who it came from – all agreed that this was the best Arendelle had to offer – and Arendelle did make some very good sleds.

It was twice the size of the old one, the wheels rimmed with iron instead of bald wood. The second seat was removable, creating more space for storage, though all that was stored there now was the new bedroll she had carefully tied down. The main body was painted crimson, with elaborate rosmaling on the benches.

Kristoff was still gaping. “I can't accept this,” he said – voice hardly audible.

“You have to!” Anna was enjoying this – immensely. She leaned closer, finger wagging, and did her best Elsa impression. “Queen's orders. She needs an ice master. She can have you hanged, you know.” He didn't laugh. He was still just staring.

She bit her lip. She looked at him, at the sled, and back again. It had been a long time since she'd gotten a gift for anyone. “Do you... do you like it?”

He had her in a breathtaking instant – his hands almost encircling her waist, and she was up, weightless, and the world was a blur and she felt the rush and swoop in her chest and heard his voice, exuberant and overjoyed. “Like it? I love it!” And she was back on earth, her heart galloping and her mouth stretched to an exuberant grin and his voice again: “I could kiss you!”

Anna went rigid – except her heart. Her heart plummeted to somewhere in her lower abdomen. She couldn't seem to blink. Or remember how to breathe.

She could, however, hear Kristoff's frantic gulp for air. “I mean, I'd... I'd like to. We me? I mean... we may... may we?”

She turned her wide eyes to his flushed face, his stammer, his goodness. She had to stand on tiptoes, but her lips brushed the softness of his cheek. “We may.”

His lips against hers were warm and gentle, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, and she knew, for sure, that stories could end with happily ever after.

*****

Anna was not the only one with a promise to keep – Elsa had watched out the window as Anna ran to hers, and thought of her own. It frightened her. But she would try.

For Anna, she would try.

The last two weeks, for Elsa, had been difficult – so many times, the urge to retreat to her room, to dig through drawers for a pair of gloves, had been so strong it left her trembling, cold kept at bay by the thinnest remaining thread of will. But feeling the sun, smelling the water off the fjord, seeing Anna light up when Elsa joined her for lunch – she would fight the fear, to win those things, as long and as hard as necessary.

Still, she knew the winter inside her would now always be known, and would color every personal and professional interaction for the rest of her life. She had always known the possibility existed, but she might have hoped it was found out in a less extreme circumstance. She posed a unique threat: unlike any other born with magic, or at least those described in her father's books and papers, she was the hereditary leader of a kingdom. The only other who came even close was a duke somewhere or other, and he didn't seem to have ever frozen over an entire country.

She had many long, painful meetings with her advisors over those two weeks, as well as both the Odelsting and the Lagting. And as guests from the coronation finally began to make it home, the foreign questions and demands for explanations would start to arrive. She could not ignore any of them – advisors, members of parliament, or foreign dignitaries.

The sessions had not been pleasant ones – Bishop Dresdner, in particular, had been difficult, demanding Anna be produced to somehow prove she didn't have magic as well, no matter how many times Elsa tried to explain what she knew of the science behind it. She had left each of these meetings with an aching head and slumped shoulders – but she had also left without change in the room's temperature.

There was strength to be found in that. Not much, perhaps, but she would allow herself to take it. In the next few months, she knew, she would need all the strength she could muster.

She knew, as well, that someone had been through the things in her room – her father's collection as well as her own – and suspected she also knew who, but she simply moved the boxes back where they belonged. They contained no true answers, just guesswork and speculation; she had read them all. It was possible some things in life just had no answer. And a prophecy – people would believe what they wanted to believe.

Still, she kept it all.

And she watched Anna leave from the window – but the window was open, and so were the gates below.

Elsa took a last, deep breath of summer air, and went downstairs to get to work – already, Per had softly informed her at breakfast, a dispute had arisen between the head cook and a local master

merchant of grain over the cost of flour for the coronation festivities. If her friend Kristoff was back today – Elsa smiled and shook her head; Anna surely couldn't think Elsa believed it was no more than that – Anna would likely be some time yet, anyway.

Elsa thought she could come to like Kristoff – as it was clear Anna already did. He was... Well, she wasn't sure yet what he was, but he had helped Anna, and in the end, that was the most important thing.

Elsa spent her morning seeing visitors – including, yes, both head cook and master merchant, whom she directed to take their grievance before the Odelsting – reviewing ledgers, and reading correspondence. She made note to speak to Chancellor Eidar; she did not mean to let Arendelle become further indebted to nearby powers. She would do some reading on economic theory, as time permitted.

Then she went outside. She sat on the steps, just beyond the doors. She waited. Some of the guards looked at her curiously, but they said nothing.

It was nice, being outside. A little warmer than was comfortable, but it was pleasant to feel the breeze, the cooler stone beneath her hands. Maybe she would take some of her work out to the courtyards, just occasionally? She thought that would probably be permissible.

Anna returned, Kristoff in dutiful tow, as the clocktower across the water chimed eleven. She was talking of debating between red and green for the sled - “A pale green would have been nice, but this was very drab, a really dark green, and the red was so vivid, but if you'd like another color, I could have it painted” - but stopped when she caught sight of Elsa.

Elsa truly believed she would need to live a hundred times over to get tired of the way Anna's face lit up when she smiled. Or the joy in her voice when she said, “Elsa!”

“Hello, Anna. And...” Elsa hoped her own smile looked half as genuine. “...Kristoff.”

Kristoff gave her a head-bob, and a look akin to panic, but Anna's arm was linked to his – there was nowhere to run.

“Is something wrong?” Anna asked.

Elsa got to her feet, ignoring her prounding heart. “No, nothing wrong. I just... promised you something for your birthday.”

“My... birthday?”

“Not this one.” She made her way down the steps to the square. Her legs felt shaky and weak. “I promised... to teach you to skate.”

“...Elsa?”

Elsa locked eyes with her sister – drawing strength and trust from within them. “Are you ready?”

Anna's own eyes were shining – as if she remembered. “Ready!”

Elsa took a deep breath, and held it as she raised her foot – brought it down – and released the magic. She let it spread, coating the stones in ice. Then she pulled back.

And it stopped.

It stopped.

Elsa just stood there, in a mesmerized daze, until Anna all but crashed into her, trying to walk on the slick surface, throwing her arms around Elsa's neck and laughing with pure joy. “This is amazing!”

And Elsa laughed, too. “You might want to try it on skates.”

“I don't-”

“Of course you do. They're there, just next to Kristoff.” He had taken Elsa's seat on the steps, and was smiling and shaking his head as Anna made her clumsy way to him to take the package – Elsa had wrapped it herself.

Her own skates were next to Anna's – it had been many, many years since she had flown across ice, but the urge was there now, strong and certain, and when blades met frozen ground, she pushed and moved with joyous abandon, letting her head fall back and her eyes close. She had never realized how much she missed this part of her birthright – the pleasures of winter, not just the pain.

She heard Anna whoop encouragement, and she grinned. Turning back toward the castle, she saw Anna making tentative attempts to skate, arms held out, bird-like, for balance, and bent almost horizontal over the ice.

“Come on!” Elsa felt intoxicated, exhilarated, beautifully free.

“You know I don't skate!” Anna yelled back. “You're supposed to teach me!”

“Oh, yes?” A moment to make it back to Anna – and Elsa had her hands, pulling her along, faster and faster. “Come on, you can do it!” Anna was laughing, clinging – trusting completely that Elsa would never let her fall.

It was Anna who noticed the children, peeking around the gates – a boy and two smaller girls. She immediately made her ungainly way over to them. “Do you like skating?”

They nodded, eager, all three of them.

“Do you have skates?”

“I got skates for my birfday,” the smallest said. She grinned. “I'm five!”

“Can you go home and get them? Tell your mother and father Princess Anna said it's alright?”

“Sure,” the boy said, “C'mon, Sig.”

“Bye! Fank you!” the littlest called, waving before chasing off after the other two.

“Anna, are you sure...?” For the first time since watching the ice spread, Elsa felt doubt bubbling up within her – she could hurt someone. All those children – they were so tiny and fragile.

As Anna had been.

But Anna was here before her, all grown up, face flushed with exertion, eyes bright. “Of course I'm sure. They'll love it, Elsa.”

Elsa hesitated – she could still see the silhouettes of the children, running down the causeway. Was it really possible they weren't afraid of her?

“I think I'm getting it!” Anna said, then: “Whoa, wait, no!” and she went to her knees, giggling. Elsa went to help her – and the children were forgotten.

At least, until about half an hour later, when they returned – now three of a group of more than twenty.

A little later, more children, and several adults.

And more came. And more still. Until Elsa was sure half of Arendelle was there, laughing and shouting and smiling to see Elsa in the midst of them – creator of such fun.

Then a tiny girl – copper hair and blue eyes and freckles – came up, pulling on Elsa's skirt. “Your Majesty Queen Elsa?” she said.

Elsa was startled and nonplussed, but managed a smile. “Yes?”

“Can you make it snow, too?”

“Um...”

“Oh, I know!” The girl still had her dress, and now Anna had her arm, pointing. “Over there, by the stables!”

“Anna-”

“C'mon,” Anna said – she smiled like the little girl. "Please?"

Elsa swallowed hard – then nodded.

Anna held her hand – so warm, so close – not long after, as they stood at a distance from their people: skating, throwing snowballs, several even sitting on the castle steps, chatting with Kristoff.

Elsa felt the heat of tears behind her eyes. “They're... they're really happy? Because of me?”

“Arendelle's never had half the queen you'll be, Elsa.” The hand around hers squeezed gently. “And... Elsa?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you want to build a snowman?”

Elsa felt her smile grow to match Anna's. “Yes – let's build a snowman.”

***** 

Epilogue

“A letter, Your Grace.”

He nodded, pushing stubborn curls from his eyes before reaching for the letter opener. He read in silence, then read again, though the boy – recently recruited from his first year of studying anatomy in Stockholm – still stood in the doorway, waiting impatiently, tapping his fingers on the frame and his foot against the floor.

It would have been a moment's effort to stop, but why bother? The letter was enough to improve anyone's mood. As had been suspected – evidence to it absconded or not – Queen Elsa of Arendelle was a possessor of magic. And if even half of what was reported here was true, it was very powerful magic indeed, possibly some of the most powerful magic the world had ever seen.

And of course – ice magic.

The prophecy.

So instead of admonishing the boy's rude behavior, he smiled at him. “Please see that the Society members know – there will be a meeting tomorrow. It seems Pandora's box has again been opened.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

The man went to the window, overlooking the manor grounds, vibrant in summer. Everyone would be in a joyful mood tomorrow – every single member of the Société des Tessons.

The Shards Society.

*****

Written: November 29, 2013 - August 1, 2015 

Published: January 1, 2014 - September 1, 2015

I remain amazed, even now, at how many people have read, enjoyed, shared, recommended, reviewed, and spoken to me about this story. It's simply taking the source material, and reworking it to my own ends - and yet, somehow, it is not just I who have been drawn under the spell that Frozen wove around me. It was a story that it felt to me needed to be told, in order for my later stories to work as I planned for them to do. The fact that so many of you enjoyed the journey with me...

Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you.

And, of course, thanks to Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck, to Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, to Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel and Jonathan Groff and Santino Fontana, to Georgina Haig and Elizabeth Lail and Scott Michael Foster and Tyler Jacob Moore, to everyone at Disney who made this all so real in my head and my heart.

You all possess magic stronger even than Elsa's - you must, to do what you do. It is a magic I have attempted to tap into - how well I have managed to do that is, of course, up to you, my readers. I hope I have at least entertained, if I have done nothing else.

But it isn't over yet. This is but one piece of the broader saga of Elsa's reign.

The story continues in Shards of Life.

Until then... best wishes, and fond regards, and thanks for coming with me to Arendelle. You've been wonderful travel companions, and I do hope you'll join me again - and very soon.

[lokihelas]

that just sounds like the most warm, comfy, cozy feeling ever and I’m lowkey jealous

also this has literally NOTHING to do with the current conversation but I was reading over some OLD (like, 2014-15) asks I have in my inbox from you, and this made me realize I never read much more than maybe a ficlet or two from the shardsverse. Is there a masterlist or links somewhere? Frozen 2 and Frozen on Broadway has reawakened my Elsa-adoring heart. Also sometimes I remember chocolates-serving, undercover Alarik at Frozen on Ice and it makes my heart So Happy.