White Queen

Dearest Marlene

"Are you certain you do not need a doctor to see you, my dear?"

A polite shake of her head as she removed her cup away from her lips, she had offered the older Queen a kind smile. "Yes, I am certain, thank you, Queen Arianna." Her refusal had not been laced with any sort of lies, as this morning she had been awakened in such a better mood than she had been the day before, even the night's ailment with heat had disappeared as if it had not been there in the first place.

It was such a fortune that she did not have to suffer through the afternoon tea anyway, such beautiful day would be a waste if she could not enjoy it. The sun seemed to be shining brighter and warmer here in Corona than it was back in Arendelle, and in return she was thankful that her ladies-in-waiting had packed both her and Anna dresses with fabrics that were light and provide breathing room, especially for the Princess who could not resist in exploring the castle.

Speaking of, the sight of her sister approaching from the gardens, strawberry blonde hair weaved into twin pigtails that went past each of her shoulders, had come to her sight as she and Queen Arianna both took a sip of their drinks, coming –or rather skipping, their way as Rapunzel followed suit, slower than her as she kept mindful of the babe in her arms.

"Oh the flowers blooming here are exquisite!" Anna had squealed rather pleasantly as she came to stand by her sister's side, cheeks flushed from the sun; and Elsa had resisted the urge to raise her eyebrow, for such word was rarely used by the Princess, she often prefer much... casual words. "Oh and baby Marlene is just the cutest, Elsa! You must hold her!"

"M-me?" The idea had startled her more, enough to cause the stutter of word, especially when the brunette Princess did not even hesitate to come and approach her, already gesturing for her to accept the young baby, causing her own arms to form some sort of cradle that hopefully was right. "I don't think I-"

The weight that had come in her arms had stopped her from continuing her words, frozen in her place as the young mother adjusted her daughter's head in the crook of her arm, shoulders tensing as never once she ever held a child before, and when Rapunzel's hands had completely left her, she dared herself to look down.

Marlene's eyes were wide opened, round and green just like her mother's, staring up at the stranger that held her. It was not that she had never seen Corona's cherished darling Princess, she had, but she was asleep when she had peered inside her crib, to be this close was a new experience. Bits of hair on the child's round head gave her the idea that she was not to inherit Rapunzel's once infamous blonde hair but rather the brunette color she was supposed to be born with should she did not possess magic. Carefully, as not to shift the child so much and keep her secure, she removed an arm so that her hand could reach up, for her fingers to gently brush against the soft skin of her chubby cheek, and she could not help but smile a little.

"You're a natural." Queen Arianna's comment had broken the apparent sole focus she had on Marlene, making her realize that there were people around her, watching her. "And I think Marlene likes you already, Elsa."

The casual use of her name was a rare perk only a few could have, Queen Arianna was one of those lucky enough to do so, as she was older and had a close relation with the Arendelle royals. Looking up, once again she could only offer the woman a smile as she still held the babe, though her other hand had settled back to support her backside.

"Have you not considered on having children of your own?" Rapunzel was merely expressing her curiosity, she was well aware of that, yet apparently being directly asked of such question still made her brows furrowed.

"I... don't think I could be bestowed of such gift, Rapunzel."

There was an unavoidable silence that followed then, something she had expected would occur after she had said what she said, but it was an honest answer, one that she truly think was what had become of her fate, even Anna had fallen quiet beside her. Rapunzel was clearly in discomfort, perhaps ridden with guilt that she had asked such question, and she could not have that; she could not become the cause of the dampening of the mood around her.

"But I could be sorely mistaken, no one knows."

--

She should not have given such bitter answer.

After the tea, and the awkwardness that had been caused mainly by her –and saved by Anna's quick change of topic, the four ladies had dispersed to continue with their own personal business, mainly since Marlene had been fuzzy as she was starting to get hungry. She did not know where Anna had gone to, the younger sister was so swift when it came to wandering around by herself. Thus why, though she had thought she could wait for dinner with her sister –as Hans had gone off with Eugene and the King, she had found herself alone in the halls, planning on reading in her bedchamber to pass the time.

"Queen Elsa, may I have a word with you?"

Her shoulders tensed at the sudden voice behind her, as her habit to be wary of her surroundings did not die down even when people knew of her powers now, yet she was quick to compose herself as she turned to face the Queen of Corona, nodding her head. "Of course."

They headed the opposite way which she originally had been going to, side by side as she waited for the topic to rise. "I've known you ever since you were very young, Elsa. As a babe just like Marlene," there was a faint smile that graced the Queen's lips every time her granddaughter was mentioned, and she wondered if her Mother would have reacted the similar way if she was to have grandchildren. "To a toddler perched on your Mother's hip and then a shy little girl hiding behind her Father's legs."

She remembered, though not as clear, of seeing Queen Arianna and King Frederic during her childhood, visiting Arendelle. Both of them had been kind, with warm smile as they lowered themselves to see her better, in awe of the young Princess whose hair did not match her parents.

"I'm terribly sorry that Frederic and I had never visited again after Rapunzel's-" the brunette stopped, yet she did not need her to continue to understand what she was referring to. Anna and Rapunzel was roughly the same age, thus when Arendelle had rejoiced in the birth of their second Princess, Corona had mourned for the loss of their only one. "What I am trying to say is, if I may be rather bold, that I have consider you as somewhat a niece to me, and I wish to help you however I may be."

When was the last time that she ever felt this anyway? This motherly love that did not even come from her own Mother and yet her heart was still warmed by it. She had not been able to talk to her Mother of her troubles and worries, too afraid of what she could do that she had distanced herself even from her own parents. But there were times, happier ones, where she remembered the warm embrace of her Mother, of the gentle kiss on her forehead and the proud pat on top of her head.

And she missed those.

"Thank you, Queen Arianna."

The brunette gave her another kind smile, though she had stopped in her tracks as her hand moved to rest on the younger Queen's upper-arm. "Elsa, I do still think that you should let a doctor check on you." Her mouth moved to decline once again, yet the look she was given had stopped her even before a word could come out. "It may be nothing, but at least that way you give some sort of ease to us who worries."

She... didn't actually think of that. The people that knew of her ailment yesterday must have been worried-sick, to see the suddenness of her departure from dinner and to hear the spread words that the Queen of Arendelle had been sick upon her arrival to the sunny kingdom. "Very well, I will." If it was to ease people's minds then she shall do it.

"And perhaps, you will find something unexpected, who knows?"

I was planning on keeping this chapter until the next chapter is completed, but hell with it, I want to update, especially since you guys sounds so eager already for something lol.