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It felt a bit like what happened when a skittish cat fell asleep in one's lap. Elsa was hardly a cat, even if she could be skittish at the best of times. But it still felt similar to Céleste, Elsa's head on her lap, eyes closed.
Céleste remained perfectly still, so as not to disturb the princess and slowly, carefully, moved her hand until it was resting on Elsa's head. She started to stroke her hair, and when Elsa didn't object, she relaxed a little.
Elsa's breathing slowed, and Céleste realized she'd fallen asleep. She looked so beautiful, so peaceful like that, that even if her leg cramped up and her derriere fell asleep, Céleste resolved to not move.
Brushing some hair out of Elsa's eyes, she gazed down at her and then, quite unable to help herself, she trailed her fingers along Elsa's soft cheek, "My heart swells whenever I look at you, so much so that I can barely stand it. I know that you are hurting and I wish I could do more. This pain is one I carried alone.”
Her fingers stilled, thumb dangerously close to Elsa’s lips, “But you do not have to carry this alone. You have Anna. You have … me.”
Céleste’s voice lowered, for fear of being overheard, for fear if admitting anything out loud, even to herself, “You have all of me. I would give you the breath in my lungs if you needed it.”
She closed her eyes, a shuddery breath escaping her as the full weight of her admission sank in. Now was, of course, not the time. Elsa was still grieving her parents.
But there would never be a time. Elsa was Princess and would be Queen sooner rather than later now. All Céleste was, was her servant girl. And she would ask nothing of Elsa save to be allowed to serve her, and perhaps be her friend.
Opening her eyes, she looked down into the delicate icy-blue of Elsa’s. Elsa peered up at her, then lifted her hand and placed it over Céleste’s, pressing it against her cheek. The leather of her gloves was soft against her skin. Deer hide, Céleste idly thought.
“Save some breath for yourself,” Elsa said. “Don’t deprive yourself just for me.”
“Oui,” she replied. “How could I be there for you, if I am not there for me? But you can rest, I will still be here.”
“Thank you,” Elsa whispered, eyes fluttering closed. “For being here.”
In a voice tinged by unspoken emotion, she murmured, “Of course, Your Highness,”