Jelsa Oneshots

A New Discovery

Summary: Elsa has newly transitioned from being queen to managing the Enchanted Forest, being a new mother, and marriage. One day Gerda finds a mysterious object in the attic of the castle and shows Elsa when she needs it most.

She sat looking at the ticking clock hung bleakly in her study. The hands moved slowly the longer she stared her tired eyes at it. Letting out a deep breath she moved her focus back to the fifty-page document that laid in front of her. The trades of Corona were supposed to be completed yesterday on her accord but managed to sit untouched for weeks. Anna had taken on the extra work recently; however, Elsa felt the need to do this one herself. Transitioning to the Enchanted Forest meant coming back to spend her free time in Arendelle. She picked up her pen once again to glaze over the new imports of the week. Bread, cheese, tools, and ice. She chuckled at the word "ice" as if it was something the kingdom needed to import.

Looking out the window she spotted Anna in the courtyard with Kristoff with Elise, Erik, and Sebastian. They laughed together as a gust of wind tickled their shoulder. Gale had come by to visit for the evening as well. Distracted from the view she forced herself to guide her attention back to the dull paperwork that remained in front of her.

"Come on Elsa you can do this," she whispered encouragingly to herself.

While picking up her pen once again her mind instantly began to wander. Groaning, she twirled her chain around and stood up to tip toe by the nursery. She peeked her head in, looking around the room to see her son sound asleep in his crib. Smiling she cracked the door close and made her way back to her desk.

Maybe Anna could look at this document. Now returning her attention for the third time back to her trade work she neatly stacked each paper one by one then shoved it under another pile which needed tending to. It all began to feel overwhelming with the delicate balance of raising a baby, ruling a kingdom, and looking after the Enchanted Forest. Sighing she walked over to the window to peer out at her nieces and nephews now playing happily in the center square of Arendelle. One of the things she loved most about this view was the ability to see her family grow happy. Most days she caught herself staring out the window more than she would've liked to admit. A soft knock suddenly startled her at the door.

"Come in," she replied and rushed over to the entrance way.

Gerda her dear servant smiled as she opened the door wide. In her hand she carried a small box decorated with patterns of flowers and ice. Suspicious, Elsa looked at her with narrowed eyes.

"Good to see you your majesty!" chimed Gerda, now plopping the box onto Elsa's bed.

Elsa folded her arms tightly around her body and observed the box carefully. She wasn't sure what to think of such small and odd object.

"Good to see you too," she said still staring at the box. "What do you have there?" she chuckled.

Gerda's kind eyes smiled as she placed the box on her desk. It seemed familiar, like something from her childhood. She shook the feeling trying to focus on what could be inside.

"Do you recognize it?" asked Gerda, now studying the look on her face.

Unable to place where the box drew the memory from, she shook her head. "I-I don't actually...But it feels like something from my past. My magic senses an aura with it."

The servant made a quiet "mm" sound. Quickly she dug in her apron, searching for an object near the bottom. She pulled out a small delicate key, the perfect size for the box. It was rusty, as if it had sat for decades in the rain. Walking over to Elsa she placed the key in her fingers and drew them to wrap around it.

Elsa's stomach churned, whatever this was had stirred up old memories of her mother. She thought back to the times Iduna would show her all Arendelle's treasures in the attic during long winter days. It had become her favorite activity to do especially when she needed a connection. They found many old diamonds, clothes, battle gear, and family heirlooms. Although the box doesn't ring a direct memory, she recalls discovering a box one time which held a gift. She held the key up to the light in the window, studying the decayed color. Carefully she lowered it to enter the keyhole of the box. With a twist to the left a click sounded, latching the lid open. Her heart was pounding fast, she felt dizzy as if she was going to faint.
Inside sat a tiny necklace with two rhinestones. It looked brand new and untouched. Gently she lifted the necklace, the light now bouncing radiantly off the gems in the middle.

"It's beautiful," Elsa whispered, entranced by its beauty.

Gerda laid her hand on the princess' shoulder. She felt the tears begin in the corner of her eyes. Anything that reminded her of mother could make her feel emotional. Wiping a tear from her cheek she looked at the necklace once again.

"It's a necklace my grandmother gave my mother right before she found out she was having Anna," she sniffled. "My mother wore it for years up until I was a teenager when she decided to store it in the castle's attic for safe keeping. She meant to pass it down to Anna and I, when we turned 21, but it never made it to us..."

"I remember her wearing that in every family portrait. She never took it off, even to bathe," Gerda said. The memories now flooded her mind. When she was a child, she noticed the necklace every day sitting daintily on her neck. It was often she wondered how it never tarnished, but believed there was a bit of magic imbedded.

"It's just funny how this found its way to me now of all times," Elsa said suspiciously twirling the gems.

The old woman closed her eyes. "Sometimes things find our way when we need it most."

Elsa caressed the chain of the necklace now holding it up to her neck. "I think you're right. I've been feeling...Overwhelmed lately with all of the tasks I've taken on with Arendelle and the Enchanted Forest. I can never seem to catch up."

She thought back to when Anna's announcement as queen dispersed into the kingdom. She was worried about how to navigate handling living in two separate places without losing the connections within the kingdom. Many days were filled with exhaustion, including balancing her marriage with Jack and their tiny infant. Motherhood in the mix had been by far the most challenging task of them all. All of the late nights awaking at 3am and staying up until the wee hours of the morning had worn her down the most. She couldn't imagine how her mother had balanced it all for nearly 18 years. Seeing the reminder of her mother day gave her strength to keep pushing despite how crazy her life felt nowadays.

"I just wanted to thank you for sharing this with me Gerda. You've been here since before I was born and I wouldn't know what to do without you." she turned to give the women a long hug.

"You remind me so much of her Elsa, like looking into a mirror," Gerda pulled back to smile at her.

Laughing she nodded her head. Even though her mother was nothing more than a memory, she finally had something to pull her even closer.