White Queen

Heavens Above, Earth Below

The moment he walked in, she knew they were not going straight to bed.

Mattress sinking under his weight as he sat himself at the edge of the bed, right by her side, she didn't need to turn her head toward him to see the face that he had made out of the corner of her eyes. He was preparing himself for another attempt of persuasion and she, in turn, prepared for another round of declines as she lowered her book to finally look at him.

"Elsa,"
"No."

Their words came in unison, a gentle tone of a husband calling for his wife's name clashing with the firm one of a Queen's refusal, and at this time she had also noticed the differences between their eyes. His was wide, calm as he gave her his entire patience, while hers had narrowed impatiently, for she had grown tired of trying to make him understand.

Even now, when she had blatantly expressed her refusal, his will to continue on was still burning fiercely.

With a hand placed over her stomach –her eyes had automatically glanced down to watch his gesture before looking back up to him, he had only given her a soft sigh as his thumb moved to rub circles over the nightgown she was wearing. "Please hear me out?"

"Fine." If he had to speak then she would listen, it was the least that she could do for he had always listened to her –it was a little cruel for her to cut him off, but what could he say that would be able to change her mind? To comfort her and her heart enough to be able to let him go? "Speak then."

"Arendelle doesn't stand the same chance as the Southern Isles when it comes to the army, Elsa." A quite blatant blow, if she was to be honest, but she had refrained herself from opening her mouth to argue with him. No, she had to give him a chance to explain fully. "I have watched them and I had read the history book in the library, the secluded position that Arendelle is in had made sure that you face little to no danger at all, and that is great until it isn't. Your army train, yes, but have they truly face a real dire situation? They need a leader."

He had taken great attention to details of the kingdom that he was not even born into, had studied it like it was the most natural thing to do. She was sure that should she had been married to another, her husband would not bother himself to dedicate himself to the level that Hans was in. For Odin's sake, he even studied the terrain and how her army had trained.

She leaned forward and off the headboard she had been resting against, finding the slight difficulty that has started to arise with the growth of her child, eyes never leaving his. "Then train them, and only train them." That would not have pose any sort of danger against him, he would be safe behind the castle's walls. "That, I would allow you."

Green eyes studied her now, keen as he did his best in reading her while the she had kept on the mask she was hiding behind, of the strict and firm face of the Queen, trying to coax her to come out and spill herself before him. "What is it that you are afraid of? Tell me."

Their confrontation replayed in her mind, of the words thrown at her, of the bitter taste of truth that she would not admit to anyone before. She had been building walls around her, had hid herself behind masks and gloves, to conceal and to not feel.

"I'm afraid of being alone."

"I would never let that happen." His hand came to cup her face now, brushing over the apple of her cheek, and had moved to brush over her lips when she had moved to object, gentle calloused finger over her soft lips. "I would never leave you."

Please, do you have to go? I can't do this on my own. "Don't lie." You can, we must. I'm proud of you, Elsa. "Please don't do this to me." I'll try not to let you down, Father. "Not again."

It was his turn to lean forward then, closing the distance between them until their foreheads touched, both of their eyes fluttered close with such closeness. He was well aware of the tragedy that had befallen the late King and Queen of Arendelle, he knew of her fear of the deep water of the ocean, a man like him would understand of her paranoia of the idea of him being away from her.

"You carry my heart and I carry yours," it was barely above whisper when he spoke, warm breath against her skin before words turned into a chaste kiss that had lasted for only the shortest of moment. "I swear, on the Heavens above and the Earth down below, that nothing will keep me away from returning to you."

She caved.

There was the safety of her people at hand, their peace and the prosperity of her kingdom, he would have to go and train her navy every day that it would be difficult for them to spend their time together; her desire of keeping her husband safe clashed against her purpose at being Queen, and for this one she had to trust him. He made his promise and he would never break it. She held that over him.

"You better." Her arms came to wrap around his neck, holding him in place should he ever thought of leaving before she could truly make sure that he was to fulfill his promise. "Or I will never forgive you." Both had opened their eyes now, and at such small distance she could see the details in his green eyes, of the flecks of gold amongst the emerald color, of the pull at the corner of his eyes when he had smiled.

"Wouldn't that be disastrous?"

--

"Anna threatened to punch me in the eye."

Brows furrowing at her husband's choice of discussion, for they were barely even awake in the quiet morning as both laid in bed, unwilling to start their day yet and would rather wait for the servants to come instead, for then they would have no other choice but to get ready; she had turned her head to look at him, who only had a small amused smile offered up to her. "What?"

"When you were unconscious due to-" he stopped with his words, and she didn't have the need for him to continue to understand what he was referring to, neither of them had felt comfortable enough to explicitly discuss it, the subject too bitter to come to taste in their mouths. "She basically warned me of it if I didn't apologize."

"What exactly did she said?" She was intrigued now, to know how her sister could have even came up with such threat against the Prince, the Admiral Westergaard that was highly respected amongst everyone in the castle, and able to make him succumbed under her.

There was a moment of silence as his lips were pressed in a thin line before he had opened his mouth, and yet it was only an amused chuckle that came. "I can't tell. You will scold her."

"Well, if she had used any sort of inappropriate language then-"

Another round of laughter had cut through her words, and she frowned for the reaction he had given her when she was clearly being serious over the matter. Hans had turned to his side then, facing her, and had given a light kiss on her lips to silence her. "Darling, Anna is just being protective of her beloved older sister, let her be. There was no harm done."

Not yet. There was a chance though. "I'm glad, that you and Anna could share such friendship." There was an initial fear within her of jealousy, especially coming from her sister, where she would view her marriage with Hans –of how she would spend her life with him, that would stir the feel of being left out and forgotten. Yet to see her boundless love so apparent still for the older sister, she wanted to scold herself for even doubting Anna like so.

They were family, after all.