Chapter Text
The coronation was beautiful. Even though Anna didn’t quite see the point. Her sister had been indirectly ruling the kingdom for the past three years anyway, why make a fuss when she reached some arbitrary age? But then again, the coronation opened up the gate…. and it brought her sister out of her room.
Elsa looked even more beautiful than she ever had. Tall, and slim, and graceful. So poised she made the statues look frantic. Anna fought the urge to gush, instead stumbling over herself as she tried to look the same. To look as regal as her beautiful sister.
"You look beautiful," Elsa said softly, smiling to see Anna dressed up properly for a change. She’d watched her sister grow up through the windows, from the shadows. Watching over her like a constant guardian. She’d seen the countless times Anna had made a jump too far, and fallen. Every time the instinct had been to rush in, to save her… but her power and the memory that they didn’t share anymore rose up to condemn her.
"You look beautifuller! Not that you’re, you know, fuller, but-" Elsa laughed, a light musical sound like crystal wind chimes in cold weather.
"Thank you Anna," her eyes brightened, before looking back over the ball. "So… this is what a party looks like," She sighed. This, having her sister at her side where she belonged. Both of them dressed becomingly, poised and balanced. Feeling…. feelings concealed. Buried beneath layers of stiff regality and position.
"I wish it could be like this all the time," Anna piped up, smiling widely up at her sister, hopefully.
"So do I," She said wistfully, before realizing what she’d said. "But it can’t…" Anna could not stay at her side. Elsa could not be among the people. Elsa backed away slightly, her eyes flashing with fear before being replaced by calm once more. A cold veneer as icy as the fjords outside their door. "I’m sorry, Anna. But once the party is over…we close the gates." The moment she could get away, she would bury these feelings where they could never rise again. Cut them out of herself and pretend they’d never existed….
She managed to keep up the facade until Anna brought Hans to meet her.
"Anna, you cannot marry a man you just met!" Her voice was cracking, fighting the fear and jealousy with everything she had. "You know nothing about him!"
"Excuse me, your highness," She rounded on him, eyes blazing.
"You are quite excused," She said coldly. "This party is over! Close the gates!"