Chapter Text
“Hold on, hold on. Explain to me how you crashed the sled.” Ryder asked, looking at his sister and the former queen of Arendelle. The two looked sheepishly towards the ground.
Honeymaren spoke up first, “Well, Elsa and I were talking and driving and-”
“We didn’t see the tree until it was too late.” Elsa quickly finished. “We managed to turn but the sled suffered damage.”
Ryder nodded hesitantly and waited a beat for replying. “Right. I don’t believe that at all. Honeymaren, you are the second best reindeer herder in the village. Second to yours truly, of course. So I don’t think you’re telling me the whole thing.” He crossed his arms, playfully glaring at his sister.
The brunette sighed and took a deep breath. Just as she was about to begin, a familiar voice came across the snowy field, “Elsa!”. The trio looked in the direction to find the current queen rushing towards them. The fiery red hair flowing behind her in twin braids.
Elsa smiled, took a few steps forward and waited for the warm embrace from her sister. “Anna! You’re early!” Elsa exclaimed still holding tight to Anna. When the two separated, they stood only a few inches away from each other.
“Well, I missed you.” Anna grinned. “Oh! Hello to you too Ryder and Honeymaren.” She greeted the siblings with brief hugs. Anna was happy that the Northuldrans were more open to physical affection than Arendelle. “What are we up to? I’m waiting for Kristoff and Sven to unload the cart over at the village.” She pointed to a few tens of meters away.
Once everyone’s greetings were exchanged, Ryder cleared his throat. “Elsa. Honeymaren. You still haven’t explained what happened.”
“Oooh, Elsa what did you do!” Anna giggled and bumped her sister’s shoulder with her own. She moved away to be at Ryder’s side, eagerly switching her gaze between the two other women. “Let me guess, you got distracted by Gale again.”
“No we didn’t Anna. Plus that was only once.” Elsa felt her cheeks warm slightly at the memory. “No, it was… something else this time.”
“Well….” Honeymaren began.
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The morning sun was rising as two women and their reindeer dashed through the enchanted forest. The air was filled with playful chatter and laughter. Honeymaren felt all was right in the world. She still couldn’t believe that the sky had returned and her people were no longer trapped on this side of the forest.
She looked across the sled to her companion. The platinum blonde’s face showed signs of delight, her head slightly thrown back and her mouth open. Honeymaren swore to herself that Elsa’s laughter was the most beautiful sound she ever heard. Even more beautiful than her singing.
I want to hear it again and again.
The thought flashed through the Northuldran’s mind. She blinked twice, bringing her out of her own mind.
“Honeymaren, are you okay?” Elsa asked, concern reflecting in her sky-blue eyes. The ice queen moved in closer, reaching one hand out to touch the other’s hand. Even though the Northuldrans had accepted Elsa after she found out the truth about the past, Elsa still felt a small part of her guard up. Physical touch didn’t come naturally to her as it did her sister, but she knew it was usually a sign of comfort.
When their hands connected, Elsa felt an unfamiliar warmth racing from where their skin touched to where her heart was. Honeymaren felt the same, except she knew why she was warm all of a sudden. The mysterious queen had caught her attention the day she and her family arrived from the fog. Honeymaren thought about the first night, harmonizing next to the fire, sharing stories about the fifth spirit. She felt extremely lucky that the fifth spirit- that Elsa, would choose to hang out with her. And yes, maybe the brunette was harboring more than just friendship feelings for the ice queen. She refused to truly act upon them, fearing that she would push Elsa too far too quick and lose her as a result. But times like these, where it was just the two of them, the feelings in Honeymaren’s heart ached a little more, pushed a little stronger.
“I’m fine, I just was thinking how beautiful the forest is. And the spirits.” Honeymaren lamely replied. She kept the steady eye contact. Brown meeting Blue. She swore she saw Elsa scoot a little closer. “Um, I mean you’re the fifth spirit and all. So I guess you’d be part of that!”
Elsa chuckled and brushed a loose strand of blonde hair behind her ear. She was enchanted with the other young woman. She moved in closer to her friend, keeping their hands together.
“DEER!” Honeymaren called out.
“Yes, Honey?” Elsa replied without thinking. “Wait what?” She turned her head to the front of the carriage and saw what her friend was pointing out.
The reindeer and sled was on a collision course with the herd of reindeer grazing at what little grass they could find. Honeymaren pulled the reins, trying to get their reindeer to stop. Unfortunately, the reindeer’s hooves hit a lifted tree root and stumbled forward. This caused the sled to begin running faster towards the herd. Elsa shot her hands out, creating a barricade of snow. By the time the sled hit the barricade, it was going too fast and plowed right through it. Right into a tree.
The two women jumped out of the sled. Honeymaren rushed to their steed and began patting him, checking for injuries.
“I’m sorry.” Elsa whispered, rubbing her hands together. “I should have been more careful. I thought the snow bank would be enough.” Her shoulders sagged and she felt the temperature drop around her.
Satisfied that their reindeer only had a bruised ego, Honeymaren turned around to look at her friend. The sudden change in temperature was a clear sign to her that Elsa wasn’t okay. “Hey, we’re fine. We both weren’t exactly paying attention.”
“But because of me, the sled’s ruined, the reindeer is hurt!”
Honeymaren went over to the sled’s damaged side. Her hands trailed along the broken edges and boards. “So? We’ve got the best woodworkers around. I’m sure she’ll be able to fix it right as snow!”
“What about the reindeers?”
“They’re just a bit spooked and a small bruise to their pride. Nothing major. I’m just glad you’re okay.” Honeymaren took a step towards the anxious woman. She slowly extended her hands and took one of Elsa’s cold ones. She tilted her head, getting Elsa’s attention. “You are okay, right? You didn’t hit your head or anything?”
Elsa shook her head. “No, no I’m fine. I’m just… I’m sorry I wasn’t paying attention.”
Her companion let out a burst of laughter. “I wasn’t the one paying attention, Elsa!” She gently squeezed cold fingers. “I kinda got distracted by… by you.” Honeymaren gulped when she finished her confession. This was the furthest she had come to admitting her feelings out loud. She risked a glance at Elsa.
Elsa’s heart pulsed a little faster. “I- I don’t...:” she trailed off. Blood crept into her cheeks, warming her face.
Honeymaren quickly pulled her hands away. Elsa felt a twinge of sadness at the loss of warmth and contact. What was this emotion swirling in her chest? Elsa shook her head and motioned towards the cart. “We better get back to the village and see if they can fix this up.”
The brunette cleared her throat and quietly agreed. The two worked together in silence to remove the sled from the tree. Honeymaren grabbed the reins and off they rode. The laughter from the morning replaced by an awkward silence.
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Anna gasped offendedly. She had been so invested in the story, awaiting the happily ever after ending that usually came from Elsa’s adventures in her new home. “Wait. What?!” She raised her arms in confusion. “Wait, wait wait.. What? You crashed the sled and then didn’t talk to each other the rest of the ride home?” She saw the two nod guiltily. “Okay, Elsa, time for a bit of a sister to sister talk.” She walked forward and grabbed Elsa’s hand, dragging her away from Ryder and Honeymaren.
When the sisters felt they were far enough away from the village to speak freely, Anna let loose. “You called her Honey.”
“That is part of her name, yes.” Elsa cooly replied.
“But why not Maren?”
“I- I don’t know, Anna. There’s this… feeling inside and I don’t know what it’s called or why it’s happening or anything!”
“A new feeling?” Anna wondered aloud. She did a once-over her sister, the blush spreading on her cheek, the way she kept glancing over to the direction of- “Aha! I’ve got it. I can’t believe I didn’t notice this sooner!” Anna paced back and forth excitedly.
“Notice what, Anna?” Elsa helplessly watched her sister. The sinking feeling in her stomach increased as Anna’s grin widened.
Anna squealed and wrapped her arms around the taller woman. “You’ve got a crush! My big sister has a crush on someone!”
Elsa backed up, but Anna kept her grip tight. She wasn’t about to let her sister shut herself off from any new experience, despite how scary it seemed. “Oh come on, Elsa. You like Honeymaren! Just like in all of the romantic stories Mama and Papa used to tell us!”
“What? No. She’s just a friend.”
“Yeah, a friend who you want to see every single day and listen to her sing and watch her train with her staff.”
The blush on Elsa’s face reddened. “How did you- I mean, how? Why? Elsa stumbled over the question. Her mind raced with memories of her and Honeymaren sparring against each other. The way the brunette’s muscles were barely visible under her clothes.
Anna released Elsa but stayed close. “From all of the letters you wrote me! Plus, sometimes a sister can tell these things. Now, I think she thought you rejected her, so we’ll have to come up with something big to show her you like her.”
Elsa’s eyes widened. “Oh Anna, I don’t know. I don’t know how to be in a relationship. I’ve never been in one before. What if it’s not what she and I want?”
“Well, you don’t have to be in one right away, sis. You’re the magical fifth spirit, you can decide whatever you want! Plus, Kristoff and I went on a few dates before we decided to be with each other. Ooh, maybe you two need to go on an adventure together, like how Kristoff and I did.”
“Oh no, I’ve seen that look before, Anna. You’re going to tell me some ridiculous plan.”
“Mmm… maybe,” Anna grinned before racing towards the village. “Don’t worry I won’t tell her. But I do need to speak to Ryder!”
Somehow that doesn’t make me feel any better. Elsa thought as she rode an ice path back to the village. Hopefully Honeymaren and I can put this behind us and we can go back to being comfortable with each other. It was nice having someone to chat to. But is what Anna says is true? Do I care for her the way Mama cared for Papa? Or the way Kristoff and Anna do? All those stories about love. They started off with just caring and then wanting to see them. Elsa froze in her tracks. Oh… I think I like Honeymaren.