“Fairly uneventful. Traveling here over the fjord is much quicker and easier than going the long way through the forest.”
As the girls settled down in kitchen it felt like old times…way back when they were very young and often snuck into kitchen for late night chocolate before going to ballroom to play in the snow.
“What about you, Anna? How are you?”
Elsa knew her sister well enough to know she would often deflect or not be completely upfront if something was on her mind. Though chocolate always did seem to help coax it out of her.
“I’m great!” Anna said with as much enthusiasm as she could muster. She felt silly now to complain of boring meetings or embarrassment after imagining her sisters long journey here. “Council meetings, Olaf theories, the usual. Do not ask him about the cucumber one by the way,” said Anna with a small laugh.
Elsa had given so much up, including this position, the least Anna felt like she could do is put her best foot forward...and probably sleep more at night. Besides this was Elsa, the woman who single handedly hid powers from an entire kingdom, surely she could have handled a boring meeting or two during her reign.
WHO: Princess Anna
WHERE: Arendelle Castle
WHAT: This one shot is a paired series with @askarendellesqueen, these paras follow the sisters POV the day of their parents funeral. Read Elsa’s POV, here.
WORD COUNT: 739
AUTHORS NOTE: I wrote this months ago before the release of Frozen 2 and never really edited it or came back to the piece but it was in my drafts so here ya go. content.
“Is it being greedy to need somebody to see me and say my name?“
This day had barely begun but Anna could feel her stomach churning with uneasiness. It had been easy enough for the princess to answer letters, accept gifts and thank people for their condolences this past few days, but today she couldn’t hide behind a letter or a servant or a smile. Today, during the funeral she’d finally have to face exactly how unprepared and alone she was.
Leaving her room, Anna stared down the hallway that held her sisters room hoping for movement but heard nothing. Anna hung her head, and continued on. The princess had been holding out hope all morning that Elsa would finally leave her room today. That her sister would be the leader everyone in the kingdom was so desperately searching for, but as each minute drew closer to noon, her hope waned.
Elsa’s name had been on the tip of everyone's tongues for days now, all looking for a queen but only finding Anna. The further Anna went down the staircase her breathing quickened, she knew once she hit the bottom stair, she’d be entering the war zone. Between the responsibilities, and all of these people, Anna felt as if she were trying on a pair of her mother's heels like she when she was a child.
She wondered how obvious it was that she was trying so desperately to fill a role that wasn't made or ready for her. Taking a deep breath, Anna pushed forward into the main ballroom. These people wanted Elsa, not a girl, but she’d do her best. She had to-not only for Arendelle’s sake but for her parents.
It didn’t take long before Anna could hear the whispers of guests reaffirming her fear. She knew they’d wonder why she was Arendelle's sole representation was her-the other sister, the spare. All of these people wanted a leader in this moment, someone who carried themselves with grace and elegance-they wanted Elsa She knew this in every letter she answered, and every gift she received. She still was unsure if she could handle this in person but she put on the most brave face she could.
Luckily, unlucky Anna realized as the ceremony continued, the guests shame and pity began to outweigh their want for discussions on leadership. Every guest that shook Annas hand barely made eye contact, all shying away from the princesses eager gaze. As she grasped hand after hand, Anna barely began registering the faces they belonged to. The hands came as swiftly as did those of the clock as hours flew by. The world carried on, and all these people would as well but Anna had gone numb. Within just a matter of hours she had become even more invisible today then she had ever before. She didn’t know what was worse, the pressure to be fill Elsa’s role, or the loneliness.
Finally realizing she could no longer bear to be alone, Anna made her way to her sisters room. Once outside the door, Anna felt foolish. She had tried so many times to connect with her sister before, why would this time be different? Was it being greedy to need somebody to see her, to understand her pain, or even to just even say her name?
Raising her hand to knock on Elsa’s door, Anna lowered it. She knew Elsa was suffering too, of course she was, she had to be right?
Maybe they could suffer through this situation together, event just for a moment she thought. Regaining her confidence, Anna rapped her fist against the door three times. The sound echoed like an avalanche in the empty halls of their home. As no answer came, Anna slid her hand down the door, sighing.
“...Elsa, please I know you're in there. People are asking where you've been. They say, "have courage" and I'm trying to, ” Anna said her voice breaking as she reminisced on the faces and those who had tried their best to console her but ended up looking away with shame as nothing they could say really bring her parents back or stop the pain.
“...I'm right out here for you,Just let me in, We only have each other, It's just you and me. What are we gonna do?” she wondered aloud knowing now that an answer would never come. Anna pulled her arms around herself, trying to think of the last time either sister felt any semblance of joy.
“....Do you want to build a snowman?” she whispered.
Elsa held the younger girl tightly in a hug. She always so looked forward to their time together. Somehow moving away brought them closer as each moment together was even more cherished.
She smiled at her younger sister though couldn’t help but notice the dark circles under her eyes and the stress she seemed to be carrying.
“Would you like to get some hot chocolate and you can tell me all about it ? ”
Anna looked up from the hug, with a goofy smile. “Chocolate, you say?”
Surely a queen could indulge herself every now and then...or most nights when she could escape all of Olafs questions and theories. The snowman had quickly become the most curious mind in all of Arendelle when he learned how to read. Thankfully, Kristoff and Svens story times usually seemed to do the trick on giving the newly crowned queen a night off.
The castle certainly had a different feel without her sister present, but quieter it was not. Breaking from the hug, Anna locked arms with the blonde and let her feet lead the way to the castles kitchen.
Elsa knew it was odd her sister wasn’t there to meet her. She quickly thanked Nokk and headed towards castle. She let herself in (the guards still greeted her with “Your Majesty,” Elsa had eventually stopped trying to tell them it’s just Elsa. “Have you seen my sister?” Both shook their head no. Elsa continued on and practically ran into her sister. “Anna!”
“Elsa!” Anna exclaimed excitedly, practically falling into her sisters waiting arms.
The eldest Arendelle royal was a welcome sight in Anna’s eyes. After all of the meetings and paperwork, what she wanted the most was familarity, one of her favorite certain certainties.
Becoming queen had felt like the natural transition for Anna, but there were often times like today where she wondered how her mother or sister would have held court or if they could have done so without knocking a pitcher of water over in their sleep.
Looking around for any retreating staff, Anna looked at her sister with a sheepish smile.
germansingergirl
areudirty
ellievsbear
theartofmadeline
janainaart
baratheonpilled
vaporwave
romaincrisis
