White Queen

As Gray As the Sky

Yes, I've already starting a sequel for this piece, you welcome ;)

"There are plenty of people who will expect me to fail."

"Then they don't know you like I do."

- Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, the Young Victoria (2009)

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The tapping of the rain against the windows made her head turned.

Gentle, though she was sure would perhaps lead to a bigger downpour soon enough. It had made her entire Council paused in the middle of the discussion over their trade with Weselton, as for the Duke's behavior the last time he had been in Arendelle had been viewed as a great insult against the Queen, and the idea of cutting all ties with them had been a very plausible option. Of course there was a very that objected, losing a trading partner was never a good thing to have, but Hans had convinced them that they could instead offered their resources to open up a new trade with another kingdom, one that could show their respect over her.

Clouds turned gray in the sky, and when the meeting had ended, with a suspended decision to be discussed over again in another time, she had made her way toward the tall windows overlooking the town, the corners of her lips tugging into a small smile when her eyes was met with the sight of children playing in the rain, laughing while the adults tried to stand in dry places to keep their clothes from soaking.

She remembered the time where she and Anna would have played in the rain too, when they were young, letting fresh water to soak through the fabric of their dress and through their braided hair, to let drops of water roll down their faces as their laugh and played chase around the courtyard. Their parents would shake their heads when they returned back inside, water dripping onto the floor as they offered the biggest grin toward them in hopes of avoiding any sort of punishment for ruining their dresses.

Her fingers found themselves fiddling with the golden band around her finger again, it had grown into a habit of hers it seemed, to roll the ring against her skin whenever her mind was occupied with thoughts, though now she could feel the smooth metal right against the tips of her fingers for she had begun to not wear gloves during the day, a practice she had been intently doing to exercise herself into the complete control that she long desired.

Because yes she could retracted the ice that she created, she could avoid not shooting ice whenever her emotion went a little out of control, to not freeze every surface that she touched with her bare hands; but she still yearned to learn, to turn the tables around until ice would come out only when she wanted it to.

Her people had accepted her yes, yet still it did not mean that they did not fear her. For even how much they had cheered, how fascinated they were whenever she let magic to come from her very hands, there were fear still inside their hearts, fear of the unknown, of the strange and peculiar thing their own ruler possessed.

And she had to have complete control if she wished for her children to be safe around her.

With the secrecy of her power now out of the picture, no longer the main focus in her mind, the images of starting a family had truly come clearer with each day that she had woken up next to her husband. Of wide blue or green eyes that stared up at her, of the curls of platinum blonde or auburn hair that framed round faces that would resemble Hans or even herself, of laughter that echoed through the halls of the castle as little feet ran against the waxed floor.

Her children, heirs to the crown that she now worn on top of her head, should feel safe to be around their own mother, to not fear of being hurt by accident whenever she lost enough control to unleash her magic, to deserve a life better than hers.

Her hands had now found themselves resting against her stomach, flat under the dress and the corset that she wore, had not yet being occupied with life that she yearned to bear. Yet still she let herself wonder of her appearance should she was carrying a child, of how large her stomach would grow and the feel of the rounding curve as she ran her hands over it, of how Hans would look at her as his hands joined hers, cradling the life that was created from their love.

"Admiring the rain?"

The sound of his footsteps had been failed to be heard by her, nor the sound of the door creaking opened, and she wondered if she truly had been too deep in her own thoughts that she was not aware of her own surrounding. Taken by surprise, red flushed her cheeks as she removed her hands away from her abdomen before she turned to face the auburn haired man, tucking a strand of her platinum blonde hair as she cleared her throat, hoping that her voice would not give away as much shock as she was feeling. "Yes."

Nose brushing against her ear, she could feel his warm breath on her skin as shiver ran down her spine, his arms pulling her body flush to his while she smiled as his sideburns tickled her jaw. Such rare time for her to show her affection with her husband in such room where anyone could have walked in with ease, she much preferred to keep what little of her private life to herself, away from the prying of her Council, yet just for this moment she would pay no mind should anyone find them. After the brief time of her daydream, she truly missed him.

"What were you thinking about before I come and interrupt?" His lips brushed against her skin along with his murmur, and she let her own eyes fluttered close as she hummed her own question of what he was referring to as her attempt to be nonchalant, as he did not need to be involved in such small matter. Yet he had pulled away from her upon receiving her respond, and she had to open her eyes and see him nodding his head toward the window behind her, and once she had looked over her own shoulder, the sight of the glass edges frosting over had her sighing as she rolled her eyes.

"It's not fun when your own magic betrays you." Lips turning into a scowl as she told him while one of her hand moved to dispelled of the frost. It was not as harmful as it once had been, but still if ice kept appearing like this then she may as well not have the privacy to mind her own business. "It's nothing important, really."

Green eyes peering over, past her body and out through the windows, one of Hans' eyebrows rose to express his curiosity. "Were you watching the town's children?"

A husband who could read her like an open book was truly something that she could not explain with the right words. His ability to be able to tell whenever she was troubled was comforting when she could not express it, did not have the courage to voice it out, but equally irritating for she could not keep secrets away from him. "Anna and I used to play in the rain." To be that carefree again, to not have any responsibilities burdened her shoulders, she wished for that once in a while.

Hans' smile was small as the back of his hand ran over her jaw before he brought her closer for a kiss. His childhood had not been the easiest, as far as she was informed by him, for his relationship with his brothers was unlike what she had with Anna, no matter how distant they had been once, and though the curiosity to hear the full story gnawed on her mind, she remained silent about it. He would tell her, once he was ready to.

For now, ignorance is bliss for her.