A Rainy Night of Realization (Elsanna)

Chapter 9

It wouldn’t happen again, Anna decided. Not like before.

The princess ran to the dining area for breakfast, her hair slightly wild from the rush to get there as fast as she could. She wanted to see if she could catch Elsa for breakfast before she could hide. No one was there but a servant setting the table for one. Anna’s eyes widened when she saw this.

“Is my sister not coming down for breakfast today?” she asked the servant.

“No, ma’am. The Queen requested that her meals be brought to her room or study until she orders otherwise,” was the reply.

“I’ll be back later,” called out the princess as she rushed to Elsa’s room.

“Elsa, open the door!” yells Anna as she knocks furiously on her sister’s door.

“Go away, Anna!” The muffled sound of the Queen was heard.

“Elsa, please, we can work this out. Don’t do this to me again. Please, tell me what’s wrong,” begged Anna.

Inside the room, Elsa was clutching her hands tightly against her chest. Her breaths came fast and quick as she thought of what to say. She can’t tell Anna the truth. That was out of the question. Maybe if she told her that the Duke was blackmailing her with something? No, she’d ask. She couldn’t bear to do this again to her sister, but maybe, just maybe, if everyone saw how coldly she treated Anna, then Weselton claims might be seen as wrong and perhaps the people would find the cause of Anna’s healing as something else and unexplainable. Because surely anyone with love strong enough to break a curse couldn’t possibly hurt their sister the exact same way they had for many years prior. That was exactly what she planned to do. Again. For Anna. Just until she could find away to solve this.

Finally, Elsa found the courage to croak out a reply.

“I can’t. Please, Anna, believe me, I can’t.”

If this were a few weeks ago, before the coronation, Anna would have trudged back to her room, her feet dragging along the floor. But this was now. Anna had scaled up a freezing mountain, faced dangerous wolves, scary snowmen, an ice blast to her heart. Maybe she still looked the same on the outside, but maybe that blast to the heart toughened it up a bit because she refused to back down. She turned around abruptly, her dress twirling along behind her as she stormed out of the castle (stopping by the dining room to get a few bites because missions required energy).

She found Sven easily enough. He wandered around the produce stand, flashing his “Official Ice Harvester Steed” badge in hopes of coaxing a few carrots from the merchant’s hands. Just as Sven began to inch toward a carrot while the people were distracted, he felt a tap on his shoulder. With a grumble he turned to face the person who interrupted him, but quickly lit up when he discovered it was Anna.

“Hey, Sven. Can you take me to Kristoff?” asked Anna, holding out a carrot for Sven. He took the carrot excitedly, slipped between Anna’s legs and stood back up. Before the startled princess could gather herself, Sven bolted through the streets with Anna barely clinging on his fur. They weaved through the crowds of people with Sven’s practiced precision until they stopped abruptly at a shop, just as Kristoff was exiting.

“Anna?” asked a bewildered Kristoff.

“I need your help, Kristoff. C’mon.” And they went back towards the castle without another word, Anna ignoring her wild hair and the curious stares that followed them. Not that those eyes followed her for very long. Stranger things have happened in Arendelle than a princess riding a reindeer.

Kristoff and Anna soon found themselves in front of Elsa’s door.

“What do you want me to-“ Anna’s hand shot out and covered the blonde man’s mouth. Her eyes looked around suspiciously.