Chapter Text
The letter came two days ago, carefully shaped into a crane, and swept across the sea by Gale. Elsa expected the usual cheerful letter sent by her sister, but instead, she got a plea for help. The castle staff, although a well intentioned bunch, were already preparing for Anna and Kristoff’s wedding that was months away. Elsa could see by the many cross-outs, ink stains, random doodles, and messy handwriting that her sister was overwhelmed.
In return, Elsa sent a more calming letter reassuring her sister that the staff knew what they were doing and let them help her. Almost instantly after her letter was sent, Gale returned with another frantic letter this time sent not in a carefully crafted crane, but as a crinkled, almost ball-like shape. Anna’s new letter repeated her plea but his time she threw in something that she knew Elsa couldn’t say no to:
Also…we want to invite the Northuldra people to our wedding, but, don’t you think we should slowly introduce them to our people? If they show up en masse on the wedding day, our people might be suspicious or scared and treat them unwell. As the bridge to the enchanted and spirity side of the kingdom, I’m sure you have these concerns as well. So…bring Honeymaren and Ryder with you so we can introduce them! They want to see the world anyway, so why not start them here where it’s safe?
Pure manipulation. Anna will make a great queen, Elsa decided.
Elsa sighed and put her satchel down on the ground. She wore a light blue dress she brought back from home to wear whenever she went back to Arendelle. The first time she came home in her flowing ice dress, the people treated her more like an angel than a human being. Some people even thought she was a goddess and kneeled down to her on the street. It made Elsa anxious and uncomfortable. True, the Northuldran people treated her like something beyond human too at times, but it was more respect than fear and awe.
“Okay,” Ryder’s voice interrupted Elsa’s thoughts. He jogged over to join her side and added his bag next to hers. “The reindeer were disappointed they couldn’t come, but they understand.”
Elsa let out a laugh and nodded courteously. “I will make it up to them when we get back.”
Ryder looked about anxiously while hopping on his heels. “Is my sister ready yet? I can’t wait any longer!”
Yelana walked over towards the pair and peered at Ryder. “Be on your best behavior for Elsa. You two are going to be the first Northuldran people in her land in decades, I expect that you will make a good impression for us.”
Ryder instantly stopped bouncing about and stiffened his entire body, arms pushed straight into his sides. “We will do our best!”
The old woman let out a noise through her nose. “Hrumph. That is what I fear.”
Elsa clasped her hands together and reassured the leader, “I have been teaching Ryder and Honeymaren some of our customs and…societal expectations… I trust that they will not let you down.”
“Hm,” Yelana replied and nothing else.
Elsa began to feel the tension in the air rise and wondered if she should say anything else. Luckily, Honeymaren strode over, one hand holding her spear-tipped staff that rested across her shoulders and back, and the other hand holding a bag.
“Alright,” she announced as she came to a stop behind Yelana. Honeymaren dropped her bag at her side. “I’m ready now.”
Elsa, as always, found herself staring at Honeymaren with admiration. The young Northuldran radiated self confidence and strength, something Elsa could only hope to imitate. Deep in her heart, though, she knew she might be always staring at Honeymaren for other reasons too, something Anna mercilessly teased her about whenever she caught Elsa staring or when Elsa talked non-stop about Honeymaren during their visits. Still, Elsa just learned how to be open to family love, and she wasn’t sure if she had a romantic love for the shorter woman standing before her, armed to the teeth---oh no.
“I am sorry, Honeymaren. You cannot take that staff with you,” Elsa said apologetically.
Honeymaren looked as if Elsa had demanded she give up her first born child. “But…it’s my staff… W-what if we get attacked?”
Elsa smirked, held out her hand, and created a miniature tornado of ice and snow on her palm. “Magic, remember?”
She looked at Honeymaren whose face twisted. Honeymaren was fiercely protective of her tribe, always the first one to volunteer to investigate potential threats and often going out into the woods armed with her staff when she thought something was out there. Even when they first met, Honeymaren was the first one to drop from the trees and point her staff at Elsa and the others. Elsa realized asking Honeymaren to give up her weapon would be like asking Elsa to give up her magic.
Elsa quickly added, “And I can always make you a staff if you need to fight.”
Honeymaren made a noise in her throat as she seemed to mull over the offer.
“Honey…” Yelana said in a warning tone.
Honeymaren held up her hands as best as she could. “Okay, okay, I get it. I’ll put it back.”
Elsa bit her lip and pointed at the dagger hanging off of Honeymaren’s wide belt. “Um…your dagger too.”
Honeymaren grabbed her dagger protectively with her free hand. “Aww, Elsa!”
Elsa couldn’t help but giggle with Ryder. “Do you want to explain to the castle’s heavily armed guards why you want to bring a dagger to meet the queen?”
Honeymaren grinned. “Eh, I could take them. Remember, we were clashing with your Lieutenant Mattias for a long time.” Elsa raised an eyebrow and put her hands on her hips. “…Buuut, since you’re asking me so nicely, I’ll put my weapons back in the goahti.”
Honeymaren turned and began to walk away.
Elsa smiled, pleased, and raised her chin in a royal manner. “Thank you.”
Yelana didn’t look as pleased as she peered suspiciously after Honeymaren. She boomed, “ALL of your weapons!”
Honeymaren visibly cringed and froze in her tracks.
Elsa blinked. “All?”
Honeymaren slowly turned on her heel and sighed. She bent down and pulled a large hunting knife out of her boot. Elsa jumped slightly and watched in awe as Honeymaren pulled another dagger from underneath her tunic. Honeymaren caught Elsa’s shocked expression and smirked. Elsa shook her head and crossed her arms with what was an attempt at a scolding frown, but it split into a huge smile.
Honeymaren jokingly bowed. “I’ll be right back, Princess.”
Elsa couldn’t help herself as Honeymaren walked away. “Remember: women curtsy, not bow!”
Honeymaren didn’t turn as she waved a handful of daggers and knives over her head in a playfully dismissive manner. Elsa giggled for far too much long before she caught herself. She felt a pair of eyes on her and turned to see Ryder grinning and Yelana staring with her eyebrows raised. Elsa cleared her throat and collected herself, face flushed.
Honeymaren always had that affect on her - turning Elsa into a giggling mess. At first she thought she just admired the girl and found her fun to be around, but…it was more than that. And from the way Ryder and the others would grin at her, she had a feeling they thought the same thing.
“Don’t encourage her,” Yelana interrupted Elsa’s thoughts. “I trust Honeymaren with our lives, but I don’t know if I can trust her with our reputation. We might not get a wedding invitation after I send these two with you.”
Ryder looked dejected and slouched. “We’ll be good, we promise!”
Elsa nodded sagely. “I trust them.”
Yelana didn’t say anything else, so Elsa went quiet. Ryder looked more and more anxious to go every second that passed. Finally, Honeymaren trudged back over to the three, weaponless.
“I feel naked,” she sighed. She lifted her hands and looked down at her slightly twitching fingers. “Ugh…”
Elsa felt herself flush again and shook her head of a creeping mental image of Honeymaren naked. What was wrong with her? Elsa looked back at Honeymaren who shook her hands and grinned at Elsa.
“You better make me a nice staff if any magical creatures or criminals attack us,” she teased.
Elsa laughed lightly. “Only the best for you.”
Ryder grabbed all of their bags from the ground with one hand, and picked up a large saddler with the other. “C’mon, Sis! Elsa is the Ice Spirit, no one is going to mess with us!”
He hurried over to the lake where Nokk stood, kicking its front leg showing with growing impatience. Nokk, at Elsa’s request, had also formed a longer, larger body so all three of them could ride together.
Yelana took Honeymaren’s hand and looked into her eyes. “Be careful, and be wise. You two are representing us, and, you are representing Elsa as well. You are her guests; do not make her look poorly. Also, do not forget to give Queen Anna our gifts and our thanks as well.”
Honeymaren nodded gravely. “Of course.”
Elsa took Yelana’s other hand. “Thank you for letting them go with me.”
Yelana released their hands and waved them off as she turned to walk away. “Take them, please.”
She walked away back towards the center of the goahti.
Honeymaren chuckled nervously at Elsa. “She jokes.”
Elsa grinned and cocked an eyebrow. “Does she?”
Honeymaren thought for a second, and then concluded, “No.”
Elsa laughed and took Honeymaren’s hands. “Don’t worry, you two will do fine.”
Honeymaren smiled shyly and looked down at their hands. Elsa felt her heart pick up as Honeymaren’s fingers brushed soothingly over the back of Elsa’s hands. Honeymaren looked back up into Elsa’s now wide eyes and nodded, cheeks a beautiful shade of red.
“Woaaah!” Ryder’s voice yelped, followed by a gigantic splash.
Elsa and Honeymaren broke apart and whirled around to see Ryder sitting in the lake, soaked. The saddle and their bags were all strapped on Nokk’s translucent body.
“Reindeer really are easier,” Ryder concluded and then squeezed out the water from his hat.
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Honeymaren felt restless and in pain as she tried to adjust herself for what seemed like the thousandth time in hours. To add to her discomfort, her cheeks stung from the wind whipping on her face. At first the wild ride was fun; Nokk would run up and down giant waves and they would all yell out and laugh. Then, as the hours went on, even Nokk seemed to be bored and began avoiding any rough waters for an easier ride.
Honeymaren held onto the saddle and glanced back to check on Ryder. Her brother was beginning to fall asleep, once in awhile snapping his eyes open wide and shaking his head. She turned her head to Elsa who rode in front, silent. Elsa had to be hurting from sitting directly on Nokk, but whenever Honeymaren suggested she scoot backwards to sit on the saddle, Elsa would politely refuse.
Suddenly, Ryder flopped over onto Honeymaren’s back, surprising the girl and sending her knocking into Elsa. She almost lost her balance and had no choice but to wrap herself around Elsa’s waist to stay upright. She felt Elsa jump and a burst of ice appeared underneath Elsa’s legs.
“Sorry! I’m sorry! Ryder fell asleep and---“ Honeymaren frantically apologized as she straightened herself up but still held Elsa’s waist for support.
Elsa’s voice shook with what Honeymaren presumed was surprise. “It’s okay!” She turned her head to Honeymaren, eyes huge and worried looking. “I’m sorry! I didn’t freeze anything on you, did I?”
Honeymaren checked around herself. “No, I’m good.”
Elsa sighed with relief, “Okay…”
Honeymaren suddenly noticed the bags under Elsa’s eyes. She looked tired, but knowing Elsa, she would never admit it. If she wanted to get Elsa to take a break, she had to think of another way than to point out how exhausted Elsa looked.
“Ryder’s asleep, do you think we can stop somewhere to let him rest?” Honeymaren asked. “Nighttime is coming soon, and I don’t know how long I can stay awake to support him.”
Elsa’s eyes darted to the sleeping Ryder slumped against Honeymaren’s back and raised her hand. A protective ice barrier went up around Ryder so he wouldn’t fall off. Nokk snorted but otherwise didn’t seem bothered by it.
“Okay, I know a spot not too far away,” Elsa answered with a small nod. She seemed relieved at the thought of stopping as well. “We should be there in a few minutes.”
Honeymaren nodded and inched away from the ice that now surrounded her brother and cradled him as he slept. She wondered why Elsa’s ice never felt too cold when she created useful items and toys for the children to play with. Elsa was amazing, that’s why, she thought with a smirk. With her new closeness to Elsa, she could feel Elsa’s soft hair brush against her face when it blew backwards. Elsa’s hair smelled nice, and so did the rest of her, like a chilly morning air.
[Wow, that’s not creepy at all,] her inner voice echoed dryly.
Honeymaren shook her head. The sky was growing dim as the sun disappeared under the horizon. Nokk’s head bobbed up and down as it ran at full speed.
Elsa’s skin was so clear and pale, what was her secret? What did it feel like?
Honeymaren shook her head again and inwardly growled at herself. The combination of her huge crush on Elsa and her weird, increasingly creepy, inner thoughts were going to land her in trouble one day…and one of those days couldn’t be the days they were in Arendelle. Yelana was right – there was too much at stake for any mess-ups. Besides, there was no way Elsa would ever---
“We’re here,” Elsa’s voice interrupted her thoughts.
Honeymaren blinked and leaned to one side to look past Elsa and Nokk’s heads. They were now ascending up some rocks towards a grassy field that sat above the ocean. Nokk trotted towards a small pool of water in the middle of the seemingly endless field of green and hunched down to let them climb off. Honeymaren slid off first and then reached up to offer Elsa a hand down. Elsa smiled and took her hand as she carefully hopped off Nok’s back.
Honeymaren looked up at her snoring brother. “I’ll get the bags and the saddle once you take care of my brother.”
Elsa put out her hands and the ice surrounding Ryder shrunk and slipped underneath him to form a slide. He slowly slid down it onto the ground, still dead asleep on his back.
“Huh, he sleeps like Anna does,” Elsa said with a laugh.
Honeymaren removed the saddle and the bags from Nokk. She looked up at Nokk’s face that watched hers intensely. “Thank you, great Water Spirit.”
Nokk snorted and evaporated into the pool of water. Honeymaren turned to see Elsa smiling appreciatively at her, blue eyes gentle.
“Nokk likes being thanked,” Elsa finally said.
“Who doesn’t?” Honeymaren laughed and carried the bags and saddle away from the water. She dropped them off and then went back to drag her brother next to them. “This is a nice spot you found. Do you always stop here when you go to Arendelle?”
Elsa nodded and sat down next to their bags, looking up into the darkening sky. “Yes.”
Honeymaren rubbed her aching back and looked around the area. It was endless fields of grass behind them and the ocean infront of them down past the cliffs. She instinctively began to look for twigs and sticks to make a fire, but found none. The survival part of her brain began to worry and she searched her brain for another way for them to keep warm.
She looked down at the bags and supplies they brought and inwardly thanked her brother for refusing to go without his favorite fur blanket. Honeymaren leaned down and took the blanket from Ryder’s bag. She walked over to her sleeping brother and covered him with it. Ryder made a noise in his sleep and kicked a leg. Satisfied, Honeymaren turned and froze when she saw Elsa staring at her. Elsa’s bottom lip was drawn between her teeth, something the Ice Spirit did often that made Honeymaren ache.
“You’re a good sister,” Elsa finally said, her eyes darting to the ground shyly.
Honeymaren laughed as she knelt down next to Elsa to dig through the supplies. “Nah… I’m just making sure he doesn’t freeze to death. I mean, if he does, we would both need to go on the run, but I think Anna would hunt us down and probably kill me.”
Elsa jumped, eyes wide. “Oh! It doesn’t get too cold at night here, at least, from what I can tell… I don’t get cold…or at least, it doesn’t bother me… Sorry, I keep forgetting that I’m…well…I’m you know…and everyone else needs warmth and…”
Honeymaren smirked as the girl rambled: another cute thing Elsa did. She would often let Elsa awkwardly continue for her own amusement, unless Elsa was talking to someone else, of course, then Honeymaren would help the poor girl say what she wanted to say.
“It’s okay! I trust you, Elsa,” Honeymaren laughed.
Elsa sighed with relief and settled back down to look back up at the sky. Honeymaren smiled at Elsa and found her eyes roaming down the frail-looking woman’s body before she caught herself. She shook her head and looked down at a large blanket rolled up and strapped to a large bag: one of the tribe’s wedding gifts to Queen Anna. Honeymaren considered unraveling it, but decided against it, not wanting to get it dirty. Besides, she just said she trusted Elsa, how would it look if she brought out a huge blanket and wrapped it around herself now?
“I can’t wait for you to see,” Elsa suddenly said.
Honeymaren blinked and turned to her. “See what?”
Elsa turned her head to Honeymaren, eyes bright even as the world grew dark around them. “You’ll see.”
Elsa patted the empty space besides her and looked up at Honeymaren with an excited smile. Honeymaren brushed the dirt off her hands off and sat down next to Elsa. They sat in comfortable silence, shoulders touching. It was a position they often found themselves in when they were together. It just felt right and comfortable, like they had known each other forever when in reality it had just been a little more than two months.
“Look, see?” Elsa breathed out and pointed into the dark sky.
She looked up and saw the stars beginning to show. In this spot, the sky looked even larger than it did in the forest, and the stars looked brighter. Off in the distance, a rainbow of colors almost appeared to be blinking in the sky.
“Wow,” Honeymaren breathed. “I didn’t know the sky could look so different in different places…”
She turned to look at Elsa and found herself deep in the gaze of two, sad blue eyes. Elsa quickly looked away and down at the ground. Honeymaren felt her heart break and panic begin to set in her heart: did she say something wrong? Was she too close to Elsa? Before she could ask, Elsa let out a shaking breath.
After a moment of heavy silence between the two, Elsa lifted her head back up to look at the sky. “…For many years, I was locked in my room because of my powers. I hurt Anna once, and I never wanted to do it again. But…before that happened, the night sky was my favorite thing. Anna and I would try to count the stars and look for shooting ones to make a wish on. But, when I became isolated, the night sky made me feel more alone with all the stars up there, and no one to look at them with me.” She let out a shaky sigh. “So…yes, the sky can look different, depending on where you are and…how you feel.”
Honeymaren’s heart ripped into pieces. She had no idea what to say, and just wanted to grab Elsa in a hug. But, considering how Elsa reacted to the accidental hug before, she decided against it.
Elsa shut her eyes tightly and shook her head. “I-I apologize… I didn’t mean to ruin the moment.”
Honeymaren’s eyes searched Elsa’s sad face that still avoided hers.
“How does the sky look to you when you’re with us?” Honeymaren asked in almost a whisper.
Elsa sniffed and looked back up into the sky with a laugh that almost sounded like a cough. Honeymaren heard her heart beat loudly in her ears as Elsa’s teeth tugged her bottom lip.
Finally, Elsa turned with one of the biggest, gentlest smiles Honeymaren had ever seen. “It’s beautiful and it makes me so happy to see you all get excited by it. I took they sky for granted all those years...”
Honeymaren smiled back and wrapped an arm around Elsa’s waist. In response, Elsa scooted up against Honeymaren’s side and let her head rest on Honeymaren’s shoulder. Honeymaren smiled and looked up at the sky with her.
“Thank you for allowing us to see it,” Honeymaren said as she soothingly rubbed Elsa’s tiny back.
Elsa hummed sleepily and closed her eyes. Honeymaren continued to rub Elsa’s back in small, comforting circles before she heard Elsa’s breathing grew heavy and slow in sleep.
Honeymaren glanced down at Elsa’s sleeping face. She was the Ice Spirit, the one that united all the spirits of the Forest, but she was still human. Elsa seemed to forget that all the time, always pushing herself, and stubbornly denying her human needs like sleep or food. Before Anna left the Forest, she had pulled Honeymaren aside and begged her:
I know my sister can protect herself from other magical or non-magical things and people…but...her worst enemy is herself. Please make sure she’s happy.
After growing up raised to protect the reindeer and her people from outside forces, Honeymaren wasn’t sure if she knew how to protect someone from themselves. But she promised Anna anyway, and hoped she could figure it out. Right now, though, she felt the need to stay awake and protect her sleeping companions from whatever was in the outside world. She subconsciously reached for her staff, but then remembered it wasn’t on her. She sighed lightly and looked back into the sky.
The image of Anna and Elsa as children counting the stars popped into her head. She smiled and began to count them herself.
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A young Elsa looked away and stuck out her tongue. “Bleh! Anna, gross! You’re too young to think about boys!”
A younger Anna laughed as she dropped her knight doll and her princess doll on the bed. “It’s funny to get you grossed out!”
Elsa sighed and watched Anna flop over and laugh hysterically. “I don’t ever want to get married.”
Anna instantly stopped laughing and sat up, mouth open. “Not even to a knight?!”
Elsa regarded to discarded knight doll with disdain. “No.”
She yelped as Anna shoved the knight doll in her face, making kissing noises. Elsa finally fell over onto her side and laughed while Anna continued to shove the knight into her face.
“Anna, stop!” Elsa laughed.
Then, a familiar voice seeped into the memory.
“Ryder, stop rubbing that in her face! Let her sleep.”
Elsa woke with a start and a full-body jump, realizing she had fallen asleep. The next thing she realized was that she was lying on a lap, arms curled around a strong thigh. This time she jumped and sat up with a blush. Honeymaren turned her head and smiled at Elsa. Ryder was also there, leaning over Elsa with a leaf in his hand.
“See? You woke her up,” Honeymaren sighed and snatched the leaf away.
Elsa attempted to collect herself and hide her blush behind her long, loose white hair. “No…I uh…I had a dream that woke me up.”
“Good timing then, Ryder woke up a few minutes ago and has been whining that he wants to get going,” Honeymaren said with a grin.
Ryder sat next to Honeymaren and sulked at his sister’s teasing. “I was not whining – more like…anxiously requesting.”
Elsa barely heard the siblings; her heart was pounding in her head and ears. She had fallen asleep on Honeymaren’s shoulder, that much she knew, but how did she get so curled up and comfy on her lap? And did Honeymaren mind? Why wasn’t she saying anything? Elsa looked back at Honeymaren’s face as the siblings began exchanging playful punches on each others’ shoulders.
Did Honeymaren stay up all night to watch over them…like a knight would?
Her heart fluttered in her chest at the image of Honeymaren sitting stoically in the grass, watching over Elsa and Ryder.
“Did you sleep?” Elsa asked Honeymaren.
Honeymaren hesitated and shifted her eyes. “Yeah, a little.”
Elsa raised her eyebrow. “I’ve seen you lie to Yelana before so I know when you’re lying.”
Honeymaren laughed and waved a hand. “I’m fine, don’t worry! I’m use to staying up to watch the reindeer. I’ll get some sleep in that royal palace of yours.”
Elsa laughed with a shake of her head. “Well…okay. We’ll get going as soon as I wake Nokk.” She stood up and looked at Honeymaren for a moment before turning away shyly. “Thank you…for looking out for me…I mean---us.”
Ryder nudged Honeymaren with his shoulder. “Yeah, thanks Mom.”
Honeymaren shoved him away with a laugh. Elsa giggled at the two as they began to play fight before walking away to get Nokk. When she was far enough from the siblings, she shivered, but not from the cold, and hugged herself.
She was definitely in love, and definitely in trouble.