White Queen

One Hope

Keeping her expression straight, she approached him.

Hans was standing there, so handsome under the bright sunlight, basking on it's warmth as he fixed the cuff of his jacket while servants and guards come and go in such rush to prepare the castle itself, eyes narrowed when a particular light stream had been too bright for him. He didn't see her come, or hear her steps, for there was too much of a ruckus that happened between the two of them. It was only when she had stood in front him, hands reaching up to fix the collar of his shirt that he looked up, though she had avoided into looking right into the depth of his green eyes, instead fixating her gaze on the her work at hand.

His hand came to rest on her jaw, thumb running over the apple of her cheek, and yet still she refused to see him in the eye. She didn't want to show the pain she hid behind her mask, she knew he could already see it, and she had promised not to intervene in this, as both knew fully well that her words alone could stop him from going.

"Elsa," his voice was gentle as his fingers moved to hold her chin, tilting her head up until she had no choice but to look at him. "I will return before you know it."

But how could he, when she would have counted every second of his departure, for her mind to wonder day and night of what he was doing and if he was alright, of whether he was succeeding in protecting their kingdom. Sighing, she let her arms wrap around his neck, pulling him down as she embraced him as close she possibly could, to keep him near and to not let go, just for a moment.

"You have a wife," she didn't know why she had the need to remind him of such thing as she pulled away, but she did. As a warning for him to care for himself, to not be reckless, and to return safely back into her arms. "And a child on it's way. Remember that."

"A week. Fortnight, at most."

"If you dare come home even a day later than that, you shall sleep on the couch."

His smile warmth her heart as he gave her a kiss on the lips, gentle and quick as they were still in the eye of the public, and yet she could feel the genuine love behind it still. "Yes, ma'am." Both knew she would not have the heart to kick him out in such way, yet still he had played along. Coming down onto his knee, his gloved hands come to rest on the sides of her stomach, lips pressing against the clothed surface, prompting the child within her to shift and nudge. "Take care of your Mama for me, will you? She can get quite lonely sometimes." With her hands straightening his black epaulets on either of his shoulders, she smiled as she watched him interact with their child.

"Your Highness!" The Captain of guard had been the one to call out for the Prince, making both royalties turn as Hans rose back onto his feet. "It is time."

Taking both her hands, he brought them up to his lips, kissing them as his green eyes did not leave hers. "I will be off now, My Queen."

"Protect our kingdom, Admiral."

--

"Do you mind if I sleep with you tonight?"

She had tossed and turned in her own bed, sheet tangling between her limbs, and yet her eyes had remained wide opened. She was exhausted, she wanted to sleep, to slip into a peaceful slumber while her babe had been such a nice one and did not move around so much, yet at the same time she couldn't. It felt... wrong, to lay in bed all by herself, having the wide mattress for her own without a warm figure by her side, with the knowledge that when she rolled over there wouldn't be an arm for her to hold onto.

Thus why she had pushed herself back up, tugging on the silk gown as she made her way to the door. Through the small opening she had peeked out, finding the hallways quiet and empty under the pale moonlight that streamed through the windows, and when she was assured that no one was out there, she had stepped outside and closing the door behind her with a soft click.

It took her sister a moment to answer her door after she had knocked, she was already thankful that the quiet knocking could even wake her, and when she did there was a pang of guilt that she had interrupted her. Anna's hair was disheveled already, coming toward various directions, while her expression had been one heavy with sleep, eyes barely even opened.

"Sure." The strawberry blonde haired Princess had yawned out, arm stretched up into the air before she had opened her door wider and stepped aside, allowing the older to enter. "You can sleep here for as long as you would like."

Anna climbed onto her bed without much more of a word, puffing her own pillow after she had spared two for her sister to take, taking no time in plopping down on her side, watching the Queen taking more time in climbing up and adjusting herself, on how she placed one of the pillows under her abdomen as she laid facing the Princess.

A hand come to rest on the curve of her belly, warm and already Elsa felt more at ease from the mere touch. Anna, just like Hans, had a certain curiosity over the child that she was carrying, finding the time to just lay down by her stomach to listen what was going on within, already excited over the thought of having a new member of their family, and she had also expressed her eagerness in feeling any sort of movement every time she saw her sister passing through.

"It's so quiet." For someone who had looked so sleepy, as it was so late in the hour anyway, it was surprising that the Princess had not passed out the moment her head touched the pillow, and instead had commented with such soft voice. "I had expected it to be more... noisy."

"Patrol the waters," she had ordered during one of the meetings as they discussed on the best way to approach the problem at hand. "Do not engage unless they did. If we can scare them off and away from Arendelle the less casualty we will have." That perhaps had been the reason on why it had been so quiet outside despite the situation that had the people, especially those in the castle, at the edge of their seats.

But perhaps Anna had referred to something more innocent, such as her child, who had settled down for the night and relieved her greatly from the constant moving that would prevent her from sleeping. Either way, as she was unsure on which Anna had truly referred to, she had only hummed in agreement as she took a deep breath, releasing it as her shoulders relaxed.

"Elsa, everything will turn out fine, don't worry." The younger sister had offered a small reassuring smile as she looked at the older, so positive and warm even when she could barely fight off the impending exhaustion she was facing. It was a nice balance with the Queen's constant worry, of how her mind often driven back to the worst possible outcome, and she smiled at her younger sister as a hand brushed away her bangs.

"I do hope so too, Anna."