#Kristanna Fanfic
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Love can see beyond
Part II
Frozen canon-divergence post F2 / Moana (2016) crossover fanfiction
Pairing: Kristanna Rated M for angst/hurt/comfort (see tags on AO3)
Thanks to my two absolute amazing beta-readers, @hiptoff and @reconciledviolence729!
After their visit to the Southern Isles, King Kristoff and Queen Anna have returned to Arendelle. A new quest will test their faith and courage as they face an unexpected fate….
Chapter 17/42
Now they all stood to say goodbye and watched their sister ride off on Nokk towards home. Sven and Fiona grunted piteously, while Olaf waved until the ice horse disappeared behind the cliffs.
#frozen#fanfiction#kristanna fanfic#love can see beyond#post-canon divergence#post Frozen 2#fluff#romance#kristoff#anna#elsa#olaf#sven and fiona
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In The Pocket
Chapters: 14/?
Fandom: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Rating: Explicit
Relationships: Anna/Kristoff
Characters: Anna, Kristoff, Elsa, Sven, Olaf, Idunna, Agnarr
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, NFL AU, Falling in love, vaginal sex, oral sex, fluff, light angst
Summary:
NFL tight end Kristoff Bjorgman meets A-list actress Anna Arendelle and sparks fly, but will Anna's celebrity status be too much for Kristoff?
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Bundle Up, Scooch In
Chapters: 6/6
Fandom: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Anna/Kristoff
Characters: Kristoff, Anna, Bulda, Elsa, Honeymaren
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Colonial America, 18th Century, Love at First Sight, (sort of), Angst and Fluff and Smut, Porn With Plot, Family Fluff, Sharing a Bed, Snowed In, Cuddling & Snuggling, Awkward Sexual Situations, Clothed Sex, interruptions, Blow Jobs, Vaginal Fingering, Cunnilingus, Vaginal Sex, Woman on Top, Kristoff Needs a Hug, Minor Elsa/Honeymaren (Disney)
Summary:
Anna, a woman Kristoff just met that day, allows him to sleep in her bed so he doesn’t have to go home in the middle of a blizzard. Will he overcome the pain of his past and open himself up to the possibility of true love? Or will he walk away, lonely and cold in the dark? 18th Century, Colonial New Arendelle AU.
Written for the Frozen x Beauty and the Beast Yuletide Exchange
@kristanna-days
“When will we get to Living Rock Township?” Kristoff’s passenger Anna was only talking to him because he was there and she was bored, which was almost worse than ignoring him.
He wasn’t in the habit of conversing with strangers, especially pretty, high-born women who were cheerful even when there wasn’t a reason to be. He didn’t see the point.
“When we get there.”
He wasn’t trying to be funny, but Anna laughed anyway. Rather than ignore the daggers he shot at her, she laughed even more.
“I’m sorry!” she said as she caught her breath. “It’s just that, well, are you always this talkative?”
He answered her with a smirk. This was why he bought a wagon and not a carriage: he’d have rather delivered parcels and mail than people any day.
But Mrs. Stone, the pastor’s daughter and one of the only nice people in Living Rock Township, had specifically requested he be nice when he collected Anna at the harbor, so he attempted conversation, though it didn’t help much.
“What are you even doing here?”
“I beg your pardon?” Her wrinkled forehead didn’t dampen her bright eyes. “That attitude is completely unnecessary.”
Kristoff whistled and his horse Sven stopped. Then he turned on the bench to face her. “You had to have a good reason to leave your family and probably very comfortable life in Arendelle to risk crossing the ocean. Especially alone-”
Then he remembered there was supposed to be a man with her.
Anna scooted away from him on the bench and folded her arms. “That’s none of your concern.”
Kristoff rolled his eyes when she lifted her nose in the air like she wanted an apology.
Instead, he said, “Fine,” and told Sven to walk on. So much for his attempt at friendship.
Then it crossed his mind that perhaps she had lost her companion on the voyage so he swallowed his pride. “It’s just unusual, that’s all.”
She let out a deep breath instead of crying and Kristoff relaxed. “My fiance was supposed to come with me.”
“I guess things didn’t work out with Prince Charming, there?”
Anna shook her head and added, “Well, see, I met him at a ball.”
Kristoff rolled his eyes. He already knew where this story was headed.
“It was amazing and magical. He was dreamy and divine. And he asked me to marry him that night! Of course, I thought it was true love so I-”
“You agreed to marry a man you just met? That day?”
Anna stopped talking and glared at him.
“I mean, sure. Yeah, that sort of thing happens all the time,” he said sarcastically.
“Anywho, my sister lives at North Mountain and I haven’t seen her in years—she got accused of witchcraft and had to leave in a hurry, long story-”
She said it so casually that it almost didn’t register. “Wait, what!?”
“How far is North Mountain from Living Rock? Do you know how to get there?”
“You might not want to talk about that kind of stuff too loudly here. Personally, I think it’s a bunch of hogwash, but other people seem to take it pretty seriously.”
It almost seemed like she was mocking him when she said, “Anyway, we were going to join her at North Mountain. My parents actually passed away a few years ago-"
"You lost your parents?"
Anna paused and smiled at him. "They were trying to find Elsa, but their ship never made it. That was about three years ago or so."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
She smiled again. "Well, obviously I wanted my sister's blessing since I couldn't get my parents. So I made all the arrangements and wrote to her. But I don’t know if she even got the letter-”
“So she doesn’t even know you’re coming?”
“Well, no…” Anna twisted her mittened hands in front of her and she looked off to the side. “Maybe. But I also wrote to Mrs. Stone gave. She gave me an open invitation when she and her husband left Arendelle. So I thought at least we’d be on the right continent.”
Then her voice dropped. “At least, I’m on the right continent.”
Kristoff pursed his lips. He hated to ask, but he was invested in the story. “So where’s your handsome prince now?”
She folded her arms again and spoke softly. “I guess he didn’t love me enough.”
Unfortunately, that tugged on Kristoff’s heartstrings and he couldn’t tell her what he really thought.
“I don’t believe it was love at first sight, in case that’s what you were thinking.”
Kristoff didn’t mean to snort.
She narrowed her eyes. “It was blind attraction, which can be even more problematic.”
“Not exactly the best way to start a life together.”
Not expecting silence, Kristoff turned his head. She was biting her lip, but he knew it wasn’t supposed to be suggestive. Or endearing.
Then she peered up at him, eyes blue-green like the sea, but constant, unwavering. “I still believe in love at first sight, but I’ve learned my lesson.”
He desperately wanted to look away from her but he couldn’t.
“Next time I’ll take a closer look.”
Kristoff’s heartbeat quickened until she wrinkled her nose and giggled, finally looking away.
“I’ll know him when I see him! And when I find him I’m going to hold on tight and never let go. True love is worth it.”
Kristoff turned his head again. The huge smile plastered on her face locked him in the moment, even though stared far into the distance.
But then he shook his head and remembered the last time a woman looked at him as closely as Anna had. That had been some time ago, and she hadn’t offered him a passing glance since then. There was no reason to believe Anna was any different.
Continue reading at AO3.
#frozen#kristanna#frozen fanfic#kristanna fanfic#new arendelle colonial au#18th century au#bundle up scooch in#kristanna days#frozen yuletide exchange
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For the AO3 wrap game, number 29?
#29 What is your favorite passage/line you've written this year?
Surprisingly, this is an easy question to answer.
It's from Chapter 13: Curls from The Refugees.
Six weeks later, Thursday…
About six weeks later, Anna woke up to Kristoff lying next to her in bed, completely naked, his hair a floppy mess that hadn’t ever seen a comb. His face was bright from the ray of light pouring in through the window. Glittering crystals shimmered along the lower half of his face and arms, and all of his muscles were contoured in a very flattering way. Anna bit her lip.
He kissed her stomach just below her navel while his hands ran along the sides of her body. Then one hand wrapped around her rib cage, supporting her breast from below, while the other traveled to her center. She buried her nose in his neck and inhaled when his fingers set her on fire.
She tried to touch him, too, but he moved his body between her legs. The full impact of the bright light streaming through the window blinded her, and Kristoff covered himself with the quilt Anna had kicked to the end of the bed. He put her feet on his shoulders and drew one of her hands between her legs, and curled her fingers. “Will you show me?”
Anna didn’t have time for embarrassment because she needed it so badly. She twisted a strand of hair as she reveled in her own touches. Then she squeezed her eyelids so tightly that a rainbow danced behind them; there was nowhere for the light to bounce, so she let Ahtohallan's love infuse her body. When she felt so full she arched her back in absolute pleasure and burst into a heavy pant as she fell to the bed. She didn’t have to look in the closet to know she just destroyed another box. She didn’t even need to know what was in it because it didn’t matter anymore; it was gone, and she felt so much lighter.
She lay still on the bed, her tired body and shaky hand warmed by the heat of the rising sun and glowed like the brightest moon. She raised an arm to protect her eyes from the brightness while her other hand covered the laugh she couldn’t keep inside. A laugh like that only happened when a smile wasn’t a strong enough expression of happiness.
Kristoff put her cramped fingers in his mouth, then said, “Thank you, Anna, for showing me the real you.”
She reached out to share some of the light and laughter with him, but he kissed the back of her hand and placed it on her stomach. “I don’t think you have time for that right now,” he teased.
Then he winked and said, “I’ll save you a seat in gym class.”
She opened her eyes to see a rapt smile dance on his lips, but she found she was alone.
Her smile broadened anyway as she put on the nearest bra, and she got dressed so quickly that she didn’t even button her jeans until she got to the hallway.
Rapunzel, who was singing to herself as she tied off her braid, beamed at Anna when she entered the bathroom
She held up the flat iron in one hand and asked, “So what will it be?"
She clamped the flat iron a few times in the long-short, long-short rhythm of a horse’s hooves trotting against a stone walkway in one hand, and asked, "Maximus or Pascal?"
Then she clamped the curling iron with a chameleon-like grip onto a lock of Anna’s hair.
It was an easy choice.
---
Later that day…
“Hey, have you seen Anna today?” Kristoff asked Eugene, who was sitting in front of him in gym class.
Eugene whistled and pointed, “Oh, you mean, that Anna?”
Kristoff looked up to his right where Anna’s whole body was framed by sunlight so bright he could only focus on her shadowed figure. But then she turned her face towards Kristoff and she became the light. Kristoff pushed on Eugene’s back so he’d move forward, then he wiggled back as much as he could so Anna could squeeze between them. It was a tight fit and Anna was so close to him that she was partially sitting on one of his shins.
Kristoff scratched her shoulder, and leaned toward her so he could whisper, “Ahtohallan’s light brightens your everything today.”
Anna looked over her shoulder and smiled flirtatiously. Her cheeks were light pink, but not from embarrassment, and her shiny lips were sprinkled with glitter, which meant they tasted like vanilla.
It wasn’t until she looked forward again that Kristoff exhaled the air trapped in his lungs.
Then he noticed that her hair hung in a ponytail with gentle curls rippling like a babbling brook along her back. It wasn’t wild and random like she had just taken out her braids; this was neat and intentionally done.
He ran his fingers down a small section, following the curls rather than stretching them out, and Ahtohallan’s rays revealed thousands of tiny gems. Kristoff always knew her hair was made of jewels, but her braids hid so many more than he could have possibly imagined.
“Your hair,” he whispered in Arendellian. “It’s so shiny.” Anna took a contented breath and sat a little taller. She turned her head enough that Kristoff could see her small smile, but he wanted more.
He leaned a little closer, and said, “It pleases Ahtohallan.”
Anna turned her head back, her ponytail gently flicking against Kristoff's chest, to ask, “Does it?”
Kristoff chuckled nervously and whispered, “And I also—” His voice was a little shaky and high-pitched so he cleared his throat and switched to Northuldran, “And I also really like it.”
He squeezed his eyes shut in case that was too much praise for Anna, hoping it didn't undo all her efforts.
She twisted her torso and put her hand on his knee long enough to lock onto his eyes and say in Northuldran, "Thank you."
Her words, more than anything, melted him into quiet submission, and he’d never felt so put in his place before. Kristoff put both hands over his lower face until the red faded, but they did nothing to slow his heart rate.
Neither did her black bra straps, very visible under her white t-shirt, protruding on either side of her ponytail. He sensed they were also intentional. He briefly contemplated wrapping his arms around her stomach and sweeping her to his lap, moving her hair to one side and kissing her neck and along her collarbone. His tongue swiped his lips at the thought of kissing her all the way past her navel this time to where he definitely shouldn’t be thinking about in gym class—in general, really—because he didn’t know if he had the strength to stop himself again. Not when random hits of lavender teased his nose.
Kristoff let go of her hair and leaned back. Then he took a deep breath, and, thankfully, the coach blew her whistle and they headed towards the track.
Kristoff tried to hide the smirk forming on his lips as Hans jealously leered at Anna, then scowled at Kristoff as he ran ahead of them on the track. The sour look on Hans’ face brought a little humor to the ecstatic feeling of Anna warming Kristoff all the way to his bones with Ahtohallan’s love for her. She was never going to end up with Hans because she and Kristoff were fated by Ahtohallan to be together. But Anna didn’t know that, and she chose Kristoff anyway.
“Are you ok?” Anna asked Kristoff as they began jogging.
“He’s just really glad you’re here,” Eugene chimed in.
Kristoff pursed his lips and made his eyes as big as he could until Eugene’s lips cracked into a small smile and he jogged a few paces ahead.
Anna hooked her index and middle fingers around Kristoff’s pinky and ring fingers and gave him a couple of quick squeezes.
Kristoff looked at her sideways and nodded in acknowledgment and they ran in silence after that, except for Eugene’s random complaints about anything and everything. Kristoff couldn’t help falling behind them every once in a while, just so he could watch Anna’s ponytail sway and sparkle under Ahtohallan’s light. Each time it swept to one side, Ahtohallan revealed facets he couldn’t see on the other. But when he remembered Anna was a prism, and she was reflecting tiny rainbows that made him feel loved, he jogged next to her. He didn't want to steal all of Ahtohallan's love; she needed it more than he did right now.
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WIP Tag Game
Thank you for tagging me @annas-hair-donut! 💕
Here's a very chaotic and ever-growing list of partially written WIPs that are sitting in my drive and begging to be completed. Feel free to ask me about any of them! (And please note that this list does not include WIPs that have been published and are awaiting updates.)
To Have/And To Hold (Frozen, Kristanna) - This was originally a Purple Hearts au two-shot that I had planned for Frozen smut week, but since I was unable to complete it in time for publishing, I've decided that I'm going to turn it into a multi-chapter fic instead. It's a modern au fic where Anna, a waitress, and Kristoff, a marine, marry out of convenience so Anna will have health insurance. It'll probably be a while before I get around to actually writing it and the title will likely be changes, but I'm excited to get to it eventually!
Line of Sight (Frozen, Kristanna) - Another Frozen smut week fic that I didn't get to finish in time. This fic takes place in my Change of Pace universe, and to keep it short, sweet, and to the point, I'll just say that it involves a mirror.
Redamancy (Frozen, Kristanna) - A fic that I had started writing for Frozen smut week in 2023 (shame on me, I know). A modern au where Anna and Kristoff are married with young children and haven't had much time to themselves, if you're picking up what I'm putting down.
Into the Light (Frozen, Kristanna) - A gothic au and continuation to my fic After Dark. Basically Kristoff is a monster hunter, and Anna is determined to find out what he's hiding from her.
Untitled Frozen Smut Week 2024 fic (Frozen, Kristanna) - A modern au where Anna and Kristoff are roommates and she accidentally walks in on him...taking care of business.
Untitled Hockey au (Frozen, Kristanna) - A modern au I started writing for Kristanna School Days last year. Anna attends one of Kristoff's hockey games after befriending him during the semester.
Untitled winter/Christmas fic 1 (Frozen, Kristanna) - A modern au where Kristoff agrees to help Anna with her final project for her photography class, inadvertently stirring up complicated feelings about their friendship.
Untitled winter/Christmas fic 2 (Frozen, Kristanna) - A modern au where Anna seeks Kristoff's help during a winter storm, also inadvertently stirring up complicated feelings about their friendship.
I'm sure I have more fics than just these, but this is what I got for now! Feel free to send me asks about any of them! And thank you again to @annas-hair-donut for tagging me! 💕
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Frozen Smut Week
March 17 - 21, 2024
Save the date and start drafting your Frozen smut! Each fic must contain at least one Frozen character (crossovers are allowed!), and be posted on Tumblr, tagging @kristanna-days. An AO3 collection will also be set up - details to follow.
I've given some suggested prompts for each theme, but feel free to interpret the themes however you want! There's no limit to how they can be used.
Feed my ask box or DM me if you have any questions!
[March 17: Lustrous Metals (Gold, Silver, Titanium, Platinum)
March 18: Crystaline Metals (Silicon, Tin, Lead, Carbon)
March 19: Metal Alloys (Steel, Pewter, Mercury)
March 20: Patina & Rust (Copper, Brass, Bronze)
March 21: Electricity & Magnetism (Iron, Nickel, Cobalt)]
#frozen#frozen fanfic#frozen smut week#kristanna days#frozen smut week 2024#kristanna#helsa#hansanna#rydoff#elsamaren#elsanna#agduna#svolaf#kristelsa#jelsa
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Anna/Kristoff | rated E | 3,276 words
Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Humor, Fluff and Smut, Porn with Feelings, Vaginal Sex, Couch Sex, Dirty Talk, Anna has a filthy mouth, Established Relationship, Marriage Proposal, Charades
Summary:
What if Elsa hadn't heard the voice and gotten weird during charades in Frozen 2?
Kristoff tries to propose to Anna right after the game of charades, but he's not able to get the words to come out right. So he resorts to a bit of impromptu charades to ask the big question. Anna says yes, of course—and then is so excited that she uses charades herself to make a suggestion of what they should do together next. The clues are: two words, first word sounds like “pets,” second word sounds like “duck.”
Written for Frozen Smut Week 2024, @kristanna-days
Read on AO3 or start with the excerpt below:
He and Anna were no strangers to each other’s bodies. They’d been a couple for three years now, and though Kristoff would have waited until they were married to do anything sexual, Anna didn’t have that kind of patience. He’d been terrified, at first, that he was going to get caught fooling around with the princess and get banished or something, but everyone in the castle seemed to turn a blind eye to the hints of their physical relationship. Even Elsa, apart from one extremely mortifying conversation about the importance of preventing pregnancy before one was married, was willfully blind to the whole thing.
So Kristoff didn’t feel bad about squeezing Anna’s butt and grinding back against her as they continued to make out in a castle sitting room. All the servants knew to knock by now.
But then Anna suddenly broke away from him and pushed herself out of his arms. He assumed she wanted to take this to his bedroom, but instead she held up two fingers and gave him a coy smile. “Two?” he said. “Two what?”
She raised her eyebrows at him and jerked her two fingers in the air for emphasis. “Oh, are you doing charades now?” he asked. She nodded. “That’s cute, but I liked kissing you bet—” He cut himself off when she gave him a stern look and stuck her other hand on her hip, still holding up two fingers.
He sighed with an exasperated but fond smile. “Okay, fine. Two words,” he said. She held up one finger. “First word.” Cupped her ear. “Sounds like.” She bent down and made a petting motion, like she was stroking a dog or cat. “Petting?” She held her hands close together. “Pet!” She linked her little fingers together, the sign for plural. “Pets!” Her face lit up and she tapped her nose while pointing at him.
“Okay, sounds like ‘pets.’ Bets? Debts? Let’s?” She nodded happily and tapped her nose again. “First word is ‘let’s.’”
Anna held up two fingers. “Second word,” Kristoff said. She cupped her ear. “Sounds like.” She put her hand up to her mouth and nose, pointing her fingers outward, and opened and closed her fingers against her thumb. “Um, beak,” Kristoff guessed. She started waddling around the room. “No, bird! Duck!” She nodded vigorously and cupped her ear again.
“Sounds like ‘duck.’ Buck? Stuck?” She planted her hand on her hip again and tilted her head at him, an exasperated look on her face. “Okay, okay, two words, so the phrase is ‘let’s…fuck’?”
“Yes!” Anna exclaimed with a triumphant smile.
Kristoff laughed at how ridiculous it was to mime that instead of just saying it, and yet how cute and fun and Anna it was, too. He stepped toward her and grabbed her butt again to pull her back against him. “Yes, let’s stop playing charades, and let’s fuck.”
Read "Two words, sounds like 'pets duck'" on AO3
#frozen smut week#frozen smut week 2024#frozen fanfic#kristanna#sexy times#frozen#frozen 2#kristoff#princess anna#fanfic#disney fanfiction#my writing#my stuff
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Frozen fanfiction: Søsken
Summary: An accident in the North Mountain forces Elsa to spend several weeks in her brother’s apartment under Anna’s care. During that time, Anna realises there is more to Elsa than meets the eye. The truth about Elsa’s past comes to light after an unexpected family reunion, and both girls’ lives begin to fall apart when they realise Elsa wasn’t the only one with a big secret and a turbulent past.
Anna/Kristoff - Elsa - Family - Family drama - hurt/comfort - Modern AU - Elsa & Kristoff are adoptive brother and sister - Ice bros - Found family - Serious injuries - Mental health issues - Health issues - Frohana
Links:
Fanfiction.net - HERE
AO3 - HERE
Tumblr -
Chapters 1 to 10 - Here
Chapters 11 to 20 - Here
Chapters 21 to 30 - Here
Chapters 31 to 40 - Here
Chapter 41 - Here
Chapter 42 - Here
Chapter 43 -Here
Chapter 44- Here
Chapter 45 - Here
Chapter 46 - Here
Chapter 47 - Here
Chapter 48 - Here
Chapter 49 - Here
-
Armistice
“It needs to be someone we can trust.”
“We already know that; I don’t see why you keep insisting on discussing this when the three of us could easily do it.”
Sitting on the far corner of the old café, Anna took a sip of her coffee as she watched Kai and Nielsen argue, debating for the umpteenth time things that had already been discussed.
The only thing keeping Anna inside the café was knowing Gerda would show up at any moment. They’d all be together to decide what was best to do about Elsa’s care, which was the last item on their list.
What was left to decide was important, even more so than what to do about Haugen, in her opinion. But the longer they stayed away from Elsa, the more impatient she became. After having heard Kai, Nielsen and her father argue about the legal aspects of going against Haugen for almost an hour, there was nothing she wanted more than to go back to the hospital and see her sister. She was tired of the what-ifs and hypothetical scenarios. All they did was increase everyone's paranoia instead of offering real solutions.
She took another sip and placed the cup on the table, keeping a firm hold on it with both hands. The warm ceramic cup offered a soothing feeling and helped her keep her mind far away from everything for a few seconds. It reminded her of the evenings spent in Elsa's cottage, playing cards and enjoying hot chocolate. If she closed her eyes and tried hard enough, she could almost pretend the last week was nothing but a sick nightmare.
Though the comforting feeling didn't last more than a minute, breaking the spell and forcing her back to the sad reality. Despite what she had tried to show on the outside, her argument with Marshall had truly affected her. The mountaineer was starting to lose hope and it made her wonder if anything they were doing was even worth doing. What was the point of quarrelling for over an hour about the upcoming weeks when Elsa was still hopelessly unconscious? Were they doing the right thing or were they simply wasting their last chances to say goodbye?
The thought alone was enough to fill her eyes with tears.
She closed them tight and tried to get rid of the awful feeling before Kristoff noticed. She didn’t want to tell him Marshall was losing faith. She didn't want to give him another reason to stay awake, turning in bed at night.
With just a quick glance, she could see the dark circles under his eyes and the now ever-present frown drawn on his face. Their sister's serious condition was taking a toll on him, and Anna worried he wouldn't be strong enough to deal with whatever happened in the upcoming days.
“I told you —both of you— I just want to stay by her side. I don’t want nor need to discuss any of this.”
Gerda's voice pulled Anna back to the present and she was surprised to see her standing in between Kai and Nielsen’s chairs. Too absorbed in her own thoughts, she hadn't heard the woman enter the bar nor greet them.
“Gerda, this is—” Kai tried to explain, but she stopped him.
“I can't deal with the pressure of looking after Elsa and making these choices, Kai. I just can't.” With her arms crossed over her chest she left no place for arguments.
“Mum,” Kristoff called, his voice low and tired. “I asked them to call you, okay?”
A sad smile painted Gerda's face as she locked eyes with her son, who was sitting on the opposite side of the table next to Anna.
“Dear… I didn't see you there.” She then looked around, nodding to Anna and Agdar as she realised they were there as well. “How are you?” She got closer to where Kristoff and Anna were, so as not to raise her voice and disturb the rest of the people in the café. “Have you eaten anything?”
The unconditional love she gave her adoptive children was something that never failed to amaze Anna. Even now, when she had more than a justified reason to focus on other things, the first instinct was to make sure her son was okay before anything else. Anna knew Gerda was merely pretending to be strong at that point, but somehow she was still able to seem stronger in her son's presence.
“Have you?” Kristoff asked.
She averted her eyes. “Something… this morning.”
He quickly glanced at his watch, “It's almost five.”
“Don't worry.” Gerda moved her hand in the air, downplaying his concern.
“We do worry,” Nielsen interrupted. He placed his empty cup of tea back on the table and intertwined his fingers, resting his chin on top of his hands. “That’s something we need to discuss.”
“Jonnas, for the last time,” Gerda said before he began scolding her like a child. “As long as Elsa's in there I'm not leaving. Someone needs to stay by her side at all times.”
“Is there someone with her right now?”
It was the first thing her father had said in the last twenty minutes, and Anna couldn’t help but see him as a stranger. Always outspoken, her father was used to having the last word, not to be a mere witness in a meeting. Now that the conversation revolved around Elsa’s care, Anna found her father’s silence unsettlingly necessary.
Gerda nodded in response, but didn't say anything to him. Instead, she turned her attention back to Nielsen and their conversation. “We can't leave Elsa alone.”
“And we won't,” Nielsen agreed. “That’s the reason I needed you in this meeting.”
Gerda opened her mouth to speak again but he raised his hand stopping her.
“So far I found no reason to suspect Elsa's treatment has been impaired in any way.” He was addressing the whole table, making sure everyone was aware of the situation. “The medical team is doing a remarkable job and I don't have any reason to suspect they have been running unnecessary tests.”
“That's a relief,” Agdar murmured.
“I haven't seen anything out of the ordinary either,” Gerda said, agreeing with Nielsen.
“However, this doesn't mean the nurses won't receive odd requests from Haugen in the upcoming days.” Nielsen warned them. “Elsa's recovery is just beginning and we might need to keep an eye on her and the medical team for several weeks.”
Anna raised her head. “Weeks?”
“Even if Elsa were to wake up tomorrow,” Nielsen explained. “She'd still have a long way to go before she could go home. And I'm not bringing her powers into the mix here. Sepsis is a serious matter, its recovery a long process.”
“Do you think her powers will compromise her recovery in any way?”
“To be honest…” He let his finger skim the page of an old journal Anna had seen him carry during the last few days. He turned the page and scanned the content in the new page as well. “I have no idea what will happen. Past experience suggests they will go out of control at some point. My main concern is the medical team losing focus or starting to doubt our word. If this happens, they’ll turn to Landvik or Haugen for answers.” He took off his glasses, and neatly put them away. “I need competent people looking after Elsa. Gerda is the ideal person, but she can’t keep doing it on her own. That means I need someone who can keep an eye on the nurses and help Elsa control her powers in case they go out of control when she wakes up.”
“We'll take turns,” Kristoff said, not understanding the problem. “The three of us.” He pointed to his father, Anna and himself. “It’ll give mum extra time to rest.”
“I appreciate the offer, Kristoff,” Nielsen said sympathetically. “I have no doubt you’d do the absolute best; but sadly, your presence would be useless.”
“Useless?”
“Even if you stay by her side at all times, you wouldn't know what the medical team is doing.” Gerda explained, hoping her son didn’t take the doctor’s words to heart.
“Not to mention the ICU is a delicate matter. You’d need to know what’s best to do in dire situations. The patient's condition can change in a matter of seconds and it could be counterproductive to have you around.”
“More counterproductive than mum being tired to the bone?”
Kristoff was getting mad, Anna didn’t need him to raise his voice to notice, but she could understand Nielsen’s predicament. Even if she did her very best, she wouldn’t know what to do as soon as the machines around her sister started beeping erratically.
“Kristoff, I understand you want to help, but in this situation I am still the best option. I can look after your sister. Don’t worry.” Gerda tried to reason with her son as well as convince Nielsen she could still do the job.
“No, you can’t.” Nielsen countered. “You can't keep going on like this. You're exhausted. And if you don't start taking breaks and looking after yourself, I'll restrict the time you can stay by her side.”
Turning her head as fast as lightning, Gerda looked daggers at the doctor. “You wouldn't dare.”
Ignoring Gerda’s murderous look, Nielsen raised his cup of tea and took a slow sip before he spoke again. “Don't push me, Gerda.”
“What do you suggest then, Nielsen?” Kai asked, sounding a lot more tired than he had all day. “I agree Gerda needs rest, but where will we find a trustworthy person who can keep an eye on the medical stuff?
Nielsen stayed quiet for a minute, thinking about their options. “Isn't one of your brothers a force medical examiner? Ask the department to request his presence in town.”
“No,” Kai said firmly, not thinking twice about his answer.
“Uncle Nikolai is a great idea,” Kristoff said.
“I can't request my brother’s presence on the other side of the country without a good reason,” Kai answered seriously. “Not to mention I’m not on duty at the moment.”
Knitting his brows, Kristoff took a hard look at his father, trying to understand his reasoning. “Then call him. Tell him to take some time off.”
“I can’t ask him to fly all the way here all of a sudden.”
“Why the hell not?”
“What do I tell him, exactly?”
“Perhaps tell him his niece is dying, I'm sure he'll get the message,” Nielsen said, mindlessly, interrupting the argument between father and son. The normally composed doctor now seemed to be running out of patience. It was only when he noticed the dejected looks and tense silence on the table that he realised his mistake. “I'm sorry. I didn’t mean—” He cleared his throat. “I’m having a hard time following Kai’s reasoning, that’s all.”
Gerda was the first to find her voice and decided to explain the situation better. “Even though Kai's brothers, as well as my sister, know we adopted Elsa, they haven't met her.”
Everyone except the Bjorgman family blinked incredulously at Gerda. Anna knew about Kristoff’s aunt and uncles. He had mentioned sharing meals and travelling to visit them when he was a teen. It made no sense for Kristoff to meet the rest of the family and not Elsa.
“Elsa's been part of your family for over ten years,” Nielsen stated, as confused as Anna.
“They tried to talk us out of adopting her,” Gerda said. She didn't want to look at Kristoff while she explained the reason why his sister had never travelled with him to visit them. Her son held his aunt and uncles in great esteem and she had tried to keep the truth from him for as long as possible. “We told them bits of Elsa's past. Her unusual upbringing and about the police investigation… They insisted it was a bad idea. We never even get to mention her powers; they were all determined to convince us adopting Elsa was a mistake.”
“What?” Kristoff said, his fists tightening under the table.
“They kept insisting she was bad news,” Kai said, helping Gerda. “We thought it was best to keep Elsa away from a judging family.”
Kristoff frowned, fixing his eyes on the wooden table. His silence didn't betray how much the news affected him, his fists, however, told another story. Wishing to offer him some comfort, Anna put her hand in his in an attempt to stop it from shaking.
“Great. Just great,” Nielsen exclaimed, before Kristoff could gather his thoughts. “You have someone in the family who can actually do something for her and—”
Knowing getting into arguments with one another wouldn't lead them anywhere, Anna interrupted the doctor. “Dr Nielsen, could someone outside the family look after her?”
He took a deep breath, calming himself down before he returned to a more professional role. “As long as it's someone I can trust, it’s possible. I'll need to come up with a good reason to allow the person in, the ICU is a tightly controlled area.”
“Elsa's closest friend is a paramedic,” she said, hoping a paramedic was good enough. “Is it possible to let him in?”
Kai and Gerda looked up, knowing exactly who she was referring to. Their facial expressions, showing entirely different reactions from one another.
“Marshall,” Gerda exclaimed. “Marshall Hålkesen. I completely forgot about him.” She turned to Nielsen, a small smile drawn on her face.
“Hålkesen…” Nielsen murmured, pondering. “Yes. That's the kind of person we need.”
Before Anna got the chance to say she knew where to find him. Kai interrupted their short-lived excitement. “No. We'll take turns and look after Elsa ourselves. It's best if this stays in the family.”
Doctor and nurse frowned at Kai, not at all pleased to keep stretching the meeting. Gerda, wishing to go back to her daughter’s side as soon as possible, tried to reason with her husband. “They won't let you. They won't let any of you stay longer than an hour or two. We need someone who has had medical training.”
“He helped us the night Elsa's sepsis showed its first symptoms,” Nielsen said, convinced Marshall was their best choice. “He not only knows what to do, he also knows how to deal with Elsa's powers. When her fever broke and her powers went out of control, the man didn’t even flinch.”
“I don't think we should get him involved.”
“Kai, the kid's a paramedic,” Gerda said, exasperated.
“He used to be a paramedic.” Kai tapped the table with his finger emphasising the past tense. “Nielsen,” he then said, hoping the doctor would be the first to agree with him. “You fired him. You can't honestly think it's a good idea for him to look after Elsa.”
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Nielsen drew in a deep breath. “Kai, I told you the other night, I only fired him because I had to. He made a mistake.”
“He beat up a guy until he was unconscious. That's hardly a mistake.”
Anna couldn’t stop herself from flinching. The conversation had steered in a way she wasn’t expecting, and it made her wonder if she had done the right thing suggesting Marshall’s name.
“He was ordered to do community service and anger management therapy. He served his time and attended therapy.” Nielsen explained. “What else do you want the man to do?”
“If he had done as he was told, the hospital would’ve reincorporated him. I know the drill.”
“I called Hålkesen myself when we got his therapist’s report stating he was clear to go back to work. He’s the one who denied the offer. He was moving back to the mountain and didn't want to work as a paramedic anymore.”
Anna could see Nielsen was not at all comfortable divulging Marshall’s private affairs, and it helped her feel better. It was obvious he knew exactly what had happened and still thought Marshall was a good option.
“I don't want him near my daughter.”
“Well, I do.” Gerda said, crossing her arms.
“Gerda, please,” Kai begged. “See reason.”
Gerda stayed quiet, not giving in. The couple’s disagreement was getting on Nielsen’s nerves and so he took the initiative, turning to the rest of the people on the table. “The rest of you, what do you think?”
Anna looked around, hoping to hear Kristoff’s opinion on the matter. He was the only one there who had seen Marshall’s reaction a few hours before and his opinion was the one that truly mattered to Anna. The last thing she wanted was to make a grave mistake. She waited for him to speak, but he still kept his eyes fixed on the wooden table. She turned to her father, and even though he seemed to have an opinion he was keeping to himself.
Knowing the two of them wouldn’t break the silence, Anna finally said, “I suggested his name so…”
“Son?” Kai called Kristoff’s name, hopeful he’d agree with him.
Kristoff raised his head, looking back at his father for a brief moment. He then looked down again, playing with a paper napkin, taking his time before he answered, “Elsa rarely talks about the things she’s gone through. She seldom speaks about her fears. But even though she tries to hide it, I know she’s terrified of ending up alone. Being left behind…” Taking a deep breath, he found his father’s eyes once more. “Look around, Kai. We are all the people she has. If she were to lose us, there's no-one left. Not even your family was willing to give her a chance.”
“What does it have to do with anything?”
Anna had a deep respect and admiration for her father-in-law; at times, however, she considered his overly formal demeanour exasperating. Kristoff, on the other hand, was used to it. He didn’t lose his patience nor yelled at his father to understand what he was trying to say. He simply sighed once again and explained, “We have no right to forbid Marshall from seeing her. Especially now that he can help us.”
“Kristoff—”
“He knows about her powers,” he began to explain, counting with his fingers every reason they had to choose the mountaineer. “He's willing to help. Mum and Nielsen trust him. Anna and I know he won’t leave her alone… What else do you want?”
Kai opened his mouth to counter his son’s reasoning. Anna swore she could see the gears turning in head, wishing to find a logical reason to keep Marshall away from Elsa, but after a few seconds he pursed his lips and stayed silent.
“So, it's settled. Marshall will look after her during the night, giving Gerda enough time to rest.” Nielsen said after Kai went silent.
“There’s just one thing,” Kristoff said, calling the doctor’s attention. “I wouldn't tell him about Haugen’s threat.”
“He needs to keep a close eye on Elsa's health.”
“I know,” Kristoff nodded. “But I also know he’d go after Haugen if he finds out.”
“So you agree with me,” Kai interrupted. “He's unhinged.”
That last comment seemed to set Kristoff off and another argument erupted between the Bjorgman family. Gerda and Kristoff both stated their point of views against Kai while Nielsen scrubbed his face with his hands. At some point, Agdar leaned closer to Anna, asking if Marshall was the hooligan who had stopped by their house a couple of months before. Something about her father’s question, as well as the argument, was Anna’s last straw. Before she could stop herself, she raised her voice, stopping the argument and surprising her father.
“We can’t go on like this,” she said in a lower tone when everyone was paying attention to her. “If I had known I would only drag this meeting longer than necessary instead of offering a solution, I would have never said Marshall’s name. It’s just— I’ve seen how much he cares. He’s been coming here every day. All he’s been asking for is to see her. He wants to help and get the chance to say goodbye in case she doesn’t make it… For some reason I don’t understand we won’t let him in, and we won’t use the limited time we have to stay by Elsa’s side. Instead, we’re here, arguing and fighting.” She stopped to dry a couple of tears and gather herself. “I’ll go back to the hospital. I know where to find Marshall in case you make up your mind.”
Standing up abruptly, Anna didn’t wait for an answer, she simply left the café. Walking fast to the hospital, she wished visiting hours weren’t over. At least get to see Elsa for a few minutes. Tell her she was loved and let her know they were all there for her. Perhaps she could tell her why Marshall hadn’t visited. No matter how afraid she was, no matter what the rest of the people said, she wouldn’t give up on her sister, but she wouldn’t miss the few chances she had to see her and talk to her.
She didn’t get to do those things, however. She was waiting for Andrea to allow her into the wards when Kristoff called her name. He had run after her as soon as Kai was outvoted, leaving the rest of the family to deal with the aftermath and pay the check. He explained they needed to find Marshall. Nielsen would have all the paperwork ready by the time he showed up. The doctor wished to meet Marshall a few minutes before eight, when the nurses changed shifts, and this time Gerda, would change shifts.
--
Getting out of the car, Anna looked up at the tall brick building in front of her and breathed out nervously. She didn’t regret telling Kristoff to stay at the hospital, she wanted one of them to spend some time with Elsa after all, but she couldn’t deny how anxious she was about talking to Marshall so soon after their heated argument. She was certain he wouldn’t mind her visit, given the news she was about to give him. She could only hope he’d give her the chance to speak, though, before he slammed the door on her face.
She stood by the main door and examined the rows of buzzers, wondering if Marshall had ever mentioned which apartment his mother lived in. Nothing came to mind, so she took a guess and pressed one of the buttons at random. As soon as she did, she realised she had no idea what Marshall’s mother was called and she felt stupid for not thinking about her approach more carefully. She had limited time to find Marshall and convince him to help them — though she was certain the latter wouldn’t be an issue —, but still she wondered if there wasn’t a faster way than buzzing apartments at random until she found the woman she was looking for.
Before a better idea came to mind, an old man spoke through the buzzer. Trying her luck, she briefly explained she needed help finding Marshall Hålkesen and that his mother lived in the building. The first two men said they couldn’t help her. On the third try, however, a young woman recognised the surname and informed her there was a woman named Hålkesen living on the seventh floor. With a smile, Anna thanked the woman and soon after buzzed apartment 7A, B and C.
Once again, the third was the charm and the woman in apartment 7C told Anna she was Marshall’s mother. Surprised her flimsy plan had worked, Anna took a moment to come up with something coherent to say. “Hello, hi,” she said, again, buying herself some time to think her words carefully. “I'm sorry to bother you. My name’s Anna. I know you don't know me but I— I’m looking for Marshall. I was wondering, has he gone back to the North mountain? Or is he still in town? I need to contact him. Urgently. It’s about his friend. Elsa.”
“Oh, Lord. Umm…”
Anna could hear the hesitation in the woman’s voice, making it clear she knew exactly who Elsa was.
“I’m buzzing you in.”
Anna was surprised at the woman’s trusting attitude. She was more than aware her voice didn’t sound threatening over the speaker; but still, it seemed strange for the woman to allow her into the building so easily. Anna thanked her when the door opened and she double-checked the apartment number before going in.
She didn’t think much of the lack of a lift in the building at first. The building was old and clearly built before lifts became mandatory in taller buildings. After getting to the fifth floor, however, she began to feel sorry for the woman she had just spoken to. Living on a seventh floor and having to climb a mouldy staircase every single time she got home was something Anna hoped she didn’t need to do at an older age. She could understand why Marshall’s mother would have chosen the city instead of the wilderness to live, though there wasn’t much of a difference between the mountain and climbing that particular set of stairs.
Anna could have sworn the air got thinner as she made it to the woman’s apartment, and she made a mental note to start training alongside Elsa and Marshall once her sister made a recovery. ‘If she makes a recovery,’ her mind was quick to correct and she felt a shiver run down her spine.
Shaking off the awful feeling, she knocked on the door and hoped the woman would be kind enough to offer Marshall’s phone number. Nielsen had made it clear he needed him at the hospital by eight, and it was already five past seven. She wouldn’t have the time to drive all the way to the mountain, find his cottage, and much less travel all the way back in less than an hour. The door opened after a short moment, and Anna was nonplussed at the tall and thin brunette who was standing on the other side. The kind, grey eyes looking back at her were exactly like Marshall’s, making Anna wonder if perhaps he had a much older sister.
Taking a step back, Anna checked the plate on the wall, making sure the apartment was in fact correct and this made the woman smile. “You must be the girl looking for Marshall. I’m Lena, his mother.”
Anna blinked a few times, wondering if she had heard correctly. As far as she knew, the mountaineer was at least four years older than Elsa, the reason why Anna was expecting someone older. Not someone who seemed to be around her mother’s age — if not younger. Anna blushed when she realised she had stayed quiet and, feeling silly for staring in an awkwardly obvious way, she apologised. “Yes, sorry. I was expecting someone old— I mean… I’m Anna.” She extended her hand, hoping the woman wouldn’t take offence and wished the day would come when she learnt to keep her big stupid mouth shut.
A sweet smile drew on Lena’s face as she shook Anna’s hand. “Would you like to come in?”
Anna smiled back, thankful for Lena’s hospitality. She nodded and was about to step into the apartment, when a hand grabbed the door forcefully, moving Lena out of the way and stopping Anna in her tracks.
Marshall stood in front of Anna, looking taller than he had before. “What are you doing here?” Marshall said in an almost intimidating voice.
“Marshall!” Lena berated him, but Marshall ignored her.
“What do you want?” he asked.
“Please. Be decent, Marshall.”
Anna glanced at Lena for a short moment, and then at Marshall who was towering over her. She had already forgotten how unnerving he could be when he wanted to. Taking a deep breath, Anna decided to ignore his hostile attitude, knowing well why he was acting like that. She was certain he’d drop the facade once he knew what she was about to tell him.
Not wanting him to think he could intimidate her, Anna crossed her arms over her chest and spoke in a low voice, using a serious tone to mask her nervousness. “I need to talk. It’s important.”
Marshall misunderstood her seriousness for sadness and his face crumbled. His frown was suddenly replaced by desperate eyes. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat before he spoke. “Is Elsa—?”
Realisation dawned on Anna, and she stopped him before he could say another word. “Oh, God, no! She’s okay. She’s fine. Sorry, I didn’t mean to— I’m sorry.”
Scrubbing his good hand over his face, he took a deep breath before he spoke again. “Don’t ever do that again, Anna, please.”
The corner of Anna’s mouth turned up slightly, as she saw his mask beginning to break. Perhaps he was still mad at her and her family, but deep down Anna could see the kindhearted man Elsa insisted he was. “Do you have a minute? I really need to speak to you.”
He let go of his face, looked her in the eyes and nodded.
Anna waited for him to move before she did or said anything. The two of them stayed where they were for a minute before Marshall raised an eyebrow as if he was expecting her to do something as well. “So?”
“I thought you were going to invite me in.”
Marshall blinked a couple of times and looked over his shoulder for a brief moment, trying to understand what she meant. “Why? We can speak here.”
“Marshall, let the girl inside, for goodness’ sake.” Lena’s voice could be heard from inside, making Anna smile again. The woman hadn't left her son's side, silently making sure he didn’t do or said something out of place. Anna could tell she was used to her son's brusqueness.
Marshall met his mother's eyes for a short moment. Soon after, he sighed and moved out of the way. “Come in.”
Anna rejoiced, glad he was willing to change his mind and talk to her. Sure, his mother was breathing down his neck, but the fact he was allowing her into the flat meant there were no hard feelings, or so she hoped.
As soon as Marshall closed the door, Lena smacked him on the back of his head, reprimanding him. The soft slap and Marshall’s flush raising to his cheeks didn’t fail to make Anna chuckle. Lena turned to her then, promptly apologising for her son's behaviour. Anna dismissed it, taking half the blame and explaining they had had a small quarrel earlier that day.
“It doesn't matter,” Lena said, crossing her arms. “He should know better.”
“Thank you for your hospitality.”
“Marsh’s friends are welcome anytime. Despite what he makes them think.” The woman turned around to look at her son, calling his attention. “Well, won’t you introduce us?”
Marshall sighed, clearly annoyed at the situation. Small talk had never been his strong suit and both women knew it. He scratched his neck and avoiding his mother’s gaze he said, “Anna is Elsa’s sister.”
“Oh…” Lena’s soft smile turned upside down. “I’m so sorry about your sister,” she said to Anna. “I haven’t really met Elsa, but Marsh has spoken so much about her that I—
“You said you needed to talk,” Marshall said suddenly, interrupting his mother.
Anna smiled knowing whatever Lena was about to say would probably embarrass him to no end. It was best to take pity on him and help him out of the awkward conversation. “Yes, I do.”
“I’ll leave you to it,” Lena said, understanding why he was so desperate to change the topic.
Waiting until his mother was out of the room to start talking, Anna took a moment to look around. They were in a small living room, not bigger than Kristoff’s. There was a battered couch on the left side of the room. Bed sheets were wrinkled on top and an old pillow laid on the floor next to it. Anna felt a pang of pain and guilt at the scene, it was clear Marshall hadn't gone back to the mountain as he claimed. Instead, he had been staying on a small couch for over a week, waiting for something to happen… Trying not to think too much about what it was, Anna turned to him and in an attempt to raise the mood she joked, “Your mother seems nice. She must be proud of her charming son.”
The remark would’ve made Marshall smile at another time, but he ignored it. Too tired and annoyed to deal with anything. “What do you want?”
Anna sighed. She had to admit she was nervous about meeting Marshall at first, but now she was more concerned about his answer. She had been certain he would agree when she said his name at the meeting. Though now that she was standing right in front of him, seeing how utterly burnt out he was, she wondered what they’d do if he said no. One thing was to visit Elsa for a couple of minutes, another entirely was to stay by her side during the night, keeping an eye on everything that was going on around her.
“May I sit down?” she asked.
He crossed his arms over his chest and stood tall, a clear indication his patience was wearing thin. “Stop beating around the bush, tell me what you want.”
Knowing there weren’t many ways to ask, Anna decided to simply state what they needed. “We need you to look after Elsa.”
“Look after her?”
She nodded. “Through the night, if possible.”
He stayed silent, his eyes fixed on Anna’s as if he was trying to read something behind them. “Anna, if you're messing with me—”
“I wouldn't do something like that,” she knew he had a reason to be wary after a week of people denying him the chance to see her, but Anna took offence nonetheless. “Look, you may think I don't understand the way you feel, but I do. Even though I didn’t enjoy it, I see why you chose to be an arse to me today.”
“I was hardly being an arse,” he murmured, avoiding her gaze.
Anna wanted to smack him on the head. “We both want what's best for Elsa. So, trust me when I say we need your help.”
“Did something happen?”
“It's a long story. You should discuss it with Kai or Nielsen, not me.”
Marshal scoffed. “You say, ‘discuss it with Kai’ as if the man didn't hate my guts.”
Anna rolled her eyes. “He doesn't hate you.”
“You're right,” he agreed with a fake smile. “He just doesn't trust me and he wants me as far away from Elsa as possible. My mistake.”
“We discussed who could help us, and we all agree you're the best person to look after her.”
He raised an eyebrow, suspicious about her claim.
“Okay, maybe Kai was outvoted,” she finally admitted. “But Nielsen trusts you. So does Gerda.”
Marshall stayed quiet after that, a pensive look on his face, Anna didn’t quite like. She wasn’t sure what they’d do if he refused and so she tried to convince him. “Elsa needs you.”
Taking a step closer, Marshall leaned down so he was face to face with Anna. “If Kai or anyone tries to kick me out, you’ll be the one dealing with them.”
“I promise.”
“I’m not leaving the hospital until I get to see her, clear?”
Anna breathed out in relief and nodded several times before she took a step forward. Taking advantage of their closeness, she wrapped her arms around him.
Marshall froze, unsure of what to do at first. It was only when he realised Anna was not letting go, that he hugged her back. Anna could feel his arms shaking slightly until they tightened around her and he muttered a soft thank you.
Perhaps he was a little unstable, Anna wouldn’t argue about that. But she was certain he was exactly the kind of person they needed. Strong and savage enough to fight anyone who dared lay a hand on Elsa, but sweet and gentle to care for her the way her sister deserved.
He was the first to let go, claiming he needed to take a quick shower before he left. Looking at the clock on the wall, Anna offered to wait for him. They’d arrive together and wouldn’t keep Nielsen waiting that way.
Marshall nodded and before she knew it, Anna found herself alone in the living room, unsure of what to do while she waited. She contemplated sitting for a moment, but the couch was clearly Marshall’s makeshift bed. She looked around once again and noticed a small table on a corner. The picture frames on it, calling her attention. It felt strange to be intruding into Marshall’s life, but she couldn’t stop her curious side. Even when she knew Marshall didn’t live in the city anymore, she felt drawn to the life he had once had. She wondered if he had been living in that very flat when the incident Kai and Nielsen had been discussing happened.
Absent-mindedly, Anna picked a photo frame from the table, her mind drifting back to the conversation. She couldn’t help but wonder what had driven Marshall, who seemed so uncharacteristically happy holding his degree in the photo, to do something like beating a man unconscious while he was on duty. One thing was to say he’d kick Hans’ butt for getting him fired, another entirely different was to lose his job because someone crossed him.
Too absorbed in her own thoughts, Anna didn’t hear Lena approaching. Only realising she had company when the woman spoke at her back.
“Thankyou,” Lena said, startling her.
“Oh, gosh!” Anna said, pushing the photo frame away from her and leaving it on the table, almost sending the rest of the pictures to the floor. If the woman hadn’t thought her behaviour was strange before, she surely did now. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you coming.”
Lena chuckled and offered her a glass of water, which Anna gladly accepted. She gulped half the glass, hoping the cold water would help her face return to a more normal colour. To her relief it did help and it was only when she was giving the glass back that she realised what Lena had said. “Wait, you said… thank you?”
Lena nodded with a smile. “I know I shouldn't have been eavesdropping.” A faint rose tinting her cheeks. “My husband hates it. It's just… I worry about him.”
“About your husband?”
Lena laughed again. “Marshall,” she clarified, holding the glass tightly with both hands. “Marsh's been worried sick about your sister. He’s been here, doing absolutely nothing else than sleeping and worrying. Only leaving the house to go see her…”
“And I guess he was never in a good mood when he returned,” Anna guessed and Lena didn’t need to answer for her to know that was the case. She had seen him leave the hospital in low spirits almost every day.
Lena nodded, pressing her lips in a thin line. “I was afraid he’d have a relapse, he was starting to behave like a caged animal.”
Opening her eyes in surprise, Anna couldn’t stop herself from asking, “Relapse?”
Looking over her shoulder, Lena checked the door leading to rooms and bathroom was still closed before she explained in a lower voice, “His explosive disorder has been in remission. He’s improved so much over the last couple of years. I know living in the mountains once again, as well as spending time with Elsa has got a lot to do with it…”
“I had no idea,” Anna admitted, even though Marshall’s behaviour began to make a lot more sense now.
Anna thought back to all the times he had said or done things impulsively. His outbursts, the blind rage… and most importantly the regret as soon as he realised the way he was behaving. It all made sense if she put it together. She had seen shame and guilt written on his face the day Elsa called him a brute.
“Being able to see her might help him deal with this a lot better,” Lena explained. “So, thank you.”
“He will be one helping us…”
Before both women could say or ask anything else, the door opened and Marshall came out wearing cleaner and slightly more formal clothes.
“Let's go,” he said, unaware of their conversation.
Anna looked at him and nodded, unsure of what else to say.
--
Standing right outside her daughter’s room, Gerda stayed quiet watching Nielsen give Marshall all the necessary instructions for the night. Most of them were obvious orders, repetitive even, but the doctor didn’t want to leave anything to chance. More than once he stated the importance of keeping a close eye on the medical team and their work, and even though Marshall seemed curious about it, he didn’t ask why. He simply nodded at every order, as if he was once again working for the man. From time to time, Gerda noticed he’d glance to the side, hoping to get a glimpse of Elsa through the door, but he stayed firm throughout the conversation.
As soon as things were clear, he entered the room, closing the door and leaving Gerda and Nielsen on their own. Nielsen didn’t hesitate to leave. Gerda, on the other hand, found herself having a hard time following him down the hall. The idea of leaving Elsa for over ten hours was abominable. She felt as if she was betraying Elsa’s trust. Abandoning her.
“Gerda,” Nielsen called her name and she nodded, knowing it was a matter of time until someone came to walk her out of the ICU.
She looked over the small window on the door, hoping to see her daughter once more before she left. What she saw then offered Gerda some comfort, transforming the unbearable pain in her chest into a dull ache she’d be able to tolerate during the night.
Marshall was sitting by Elsa’s side, where Gerda always sat, his hand holding her daughter’s tightly. She could see his eyes fixed on Elsa and his mouth moving, talking more than she had seen him talk in the last twenty minutes.
“Gerda, you need to go home.” Nielsen approached her, not wanting to disturb the patients in the other rooms. Jonnas then looked over the window, following Gerda's gaze. A small smile drew on his face. “She’s in good company.”
“I know,” Gerda said. Tearing her eyes away, she began walking. It was best to leave now that she had found the strength to do so.
They both walked in silence out of the ICU and down the hall. There wasn’t much to say between them after spending so many hours together. But, to Gerda’s surprise, Nielsen did stop her to talk before they walked out into the main waiting room where the rest of the family was waiting.
“The Arendelles are Elsa's biological family,” he said, suddenly, not thinking twice about her feelings on the matter.
She nodded, unsure if there was a justified reason to bring that hurtful detail to light.
“I’d like to ask for their medical records. See what we find.”
“They’re completely ordinary people,” Gerda said with a shrug. She saw no reason in digging up their past when they both knew Weselton was the only one responsible for Elsa’s condition. She then walked to the door, hoping to end their conversation.
Nielsen sighed, knowing there wasn’t much he could say to Gerda about that topic. He stopped her once again, however, concerned about a particular issue. “Did Elsa seek help?”
“What?” she asked, letting go of the glass door and turning back to him.
“Has she seen a therapist?”
Averting her eyes, Gerda avoided his scrutiny. “You know Elsa doesn't feel comfortable around strangers.”
“Did you sit down to talk to her about it?”
“Of course I talked to her,” Gerda scoffed. “Do you really think—?”
“About getting professional help, Gerda. Have you talked to her about it?”
“Oh…” Looking down in shame, she shook her head.
“Why not?”
“Nielsen, can’t we discuss this at another time?”
“This is important. Elsa needs help.” It was clear he was talking to her as a friend, not a colleague or Elsa’s doctor anymore. “Why didn't you sit her down to talk about this?”
She scrubbed her eyes, hoping to get rid of the headache that had been tormenting her for days. “We’ve been trying. It’s just so difficult. She's been through so much, I didn’t want to insist on it.”
“I know I’ve suggested you should give her time on these matters but—” Nielsen knew he was in part to blame for it, and he wouldn’t deny it. “Meeting her parents, finding out she’s got a sister… It must have been a terrible blow.”
Finally daring to look at him, Gerda allowed her friend to see how worried she was. “She’s miserable. She’s been trying—” Taking in a deep trembling breath, she admitted, “I’m so afraid of what’s to come…”
“She’ll need all the help she can find,” Nielsen agreed. “Perfectly healthy people struggle with the side effects of sepsis. Their physical and mental health deteriorates significantly. Muscle weakness, pain, insomnia… depression.”
Gerda nodded. She knew exactly what Jonnas was trying to tell her. Perhaps forcing her to get some sleep was his way of telling her she’d need her strength in the upcoming weeks.
--
There it was again.
The beep.
The extremely annoying beep that wouldn't let her sleep.
She was so tired. Exhausted. And that incessant beep wouldn't stop. It never stopped. She was convinced things would get better when it did, but for some reason, it kept beeping. Didn’t it bother anyone else?
In the rare moments of calmness, however, when her mind finally drifted off and she stopped hearing it, the silence made the excruciating darkness all consuming. Frightening.
She had woken up suddenly, paralysed by the fear of a nightmare she couldn’t remember. Or so she believed. It was dark, after all. Too dark. She might as well still be asleep for all she knew, the darkness being part of just another dream.
She wished she could drift into unconsciousness.
For some reason she couldn’t explain, she kept hearing voices alongside the beep. She wasn’t sure they were part of her dreams anymore, but they helped. They chased the nightmares away.
More often than not, there was a warm, soothing feeling accompanying them. It would come and go, just like the voices, but it would never stay long enough for Elsa to enjoy its comfort.
She wished the voice would stay this time.
--
A/N -
I've had this chapter “almost ready” for a week and a half now. You have no idea how exasperating it is to know you’re almost ready, and have no time to sit down and actually work on it. Every day I had some free time, I thought to myself, “I'm finishing the chapter today” only for things to happen. In my defence, I'm building my home and that takes a lot of time from my hands when I’m off work. Well, I'm not literally building it. Just doing things myself here and there to save money before competent people come and build the rest. This past week I've been installing electrical conduits in the walls before the builders come to plaster the apartment. Good thing my old man was an electrician. He tells me what to do, I learn, get things done and I save money in the process.
Anyway, enough about my excuses. Let's talk business!
You may have noticed this chapter is a bit long, that's because the characters had things to say to one another and they wouldn't let me stop them. You wouldn't believe the amount of things I cut out this time. Everyone wanted to argue and I couldn't keep them on the right track for more than two paragraphs. Lena showed up as well. It was a mess. The original title wasn’t even Armistice, I think I changed it after I realised I needed a truce between everybody involved to be able to advance with the story.
I think that in the end I was able to stop the nonsense and I'm quite satisfied with the final product, even if it’s a bit longer than planned. I've been trying to keep word count to a minimum, so as not to make this story unbearably longer, but as you can see I keep failing miserably.
I hope you enjoy the chapter nonetheless. I hope it’s not too long. I’ll try to move things forward in the following chapters. And before you ask, no I haven’t forgotten about the unfair way Agdar treated Elsa the last time they met. That’s all planned out and I hope it will come to light soon. Not next-chapter soon, but soon enough.
I’m rambling.
Anyway, enjoy!
-
Tag time:
@swimmingnewsie @melody-fox @kristoffxannafanatic @kristannafictionals @neptrabbit @skneez @ellacarter13 @wondering-in-life @who-i-am-8 @fanfictionrecommendations-com @815-allisnotlost @khartxo @joannevixxon @betweenthedreams @burbobah @rileysfs @earlvessalius @blood-jewel @snowycrocus @the-sky-is-awake @disneyfan103 @anamaria8garcia @welovefrozenfanfiction @bigfrozenfan @bigfrozenfan-archive @frozenartscapes @deisymendoza @zackhaikal123 @cornstarch @roostercrowedatmidnight @showurselfelsa @when-dawn-arrives @tare-disney @wabitham @just-your-local-history-nerd @dontrunintofirexoxo @daphmckinnon @poketin @luna-and-mars @shimmeringsunsets @aries1708 @wabitham @agentphilindaisy @spkfrozenkindikids123 @jimmi-arts @snowmanmelting @loonysama @hiptoff @loonysama @tare-disney @frozenwolftemplar @true–north @holycolordreamertree @bigfrozensix
#Søsken#Sosken#Elsa#Anna#Kristoff#Gerda#Kai#Iduna#Agnarr#Chapter 50#50 wow#This story was supposed to be 20 chapters long#I don't know how to count#kristanna#frohana#Found family#frozen fanfiction#frozen fanfic
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The Witch of Arendelle - Chapter 6
The Witch of Arendelle (26794 words) by animal_master
Chapters: 6/21
Fandom: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Relationships: Elsa/Honeymaren (Disney), Anna/Kristoff (Disney), Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Characters: Elsa (Disney), Honeymaren (Disney), Runeard (Disney), Anna (Disney), Kristoff (Disney), Ryder Nattura, Agnarr (Disney), Iduna (Disney), Kai (Disney: Frozen), Oaken (Disney), Olaf (Disney), Yelana (Disney), Hans (Disney), Mattias (Disney)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Inspired by Notre-Dame de Paris | The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Angst, Drama, Friends to Lovers, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Discrimination Against Northuldra, Eventual Smut, Period-Typical Homophobia, Northuldra (Disney), Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Romance, Runeard is an Awful Person, Internalized Homophobia, Minor Character Death
Summary:
"Remember, Elsa, this is your sanctuary!"
Within the walls of Arendelle Cathedral, a haunting rumor circulates about its enigmatic bell ringer. The whispers speak of a woman whose magic reflects the darkness of her soul, a woman spared years ago by the benevolent King Runeard, the righteous leader of the Church.
As the Polar Night Festival comes to Arendelle, the fate of its people is forever changed by the fateful meeting of two young women. Elsa Snedronningen, the Witch of Arendelle, could never have imagined the profound impact her encounter with Honeymaren Nattura would have on her world.
Honeymaren, a fearless Northuldra who defies the king and fights for the rights of her oppressed people, leads Elsa to question everything she was raised to believe.
Sin whispers its seductive promises, and with each passing moment, Elsa discovers a disturbing truth: she was beginning to like it.
#kristanna#anna#kristoff#elsamaren#elsa#honeymaren#king runeard#ryder#frozen#frozen 2#frozen fanart#frozen fanfic#the hunchback of notre dame#lgbt#lgbtqia+#fanfic#fanart#art#ao3#disney
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I haven’t written anything in a while and I need some inspiration! please leave some writing prompts or requests in my ask box for any of the pairings in the tags ♡( ◡‿◡ )
#gwiles#kristanna#beronica#scarlet queen#anidala#finnrey#peter x mj#malira#rilaya#snowbaird#ghostflower#i’m still trying to think of more#my writing#writing#lb#fanfic#fic
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News
ao3
ffn
chapter index
Inga lay on her bed, staring out the open window at the moonlight, contemplating her curtains which were blowing in the breeze. The curtains were different in each room, even though many of the rooms here looked similar otherwise. She dozed in and out, not quite dreaming.
“Are you sure?” he asked, pulling away from the kiss.
“I’ll tell you when I change my mind,” she replied.
She woke up from the wind gusting in through the window, and tried to convince herself that she was remembering a dream, nothing more. That was all. She knew it wasn’t true, but she still tried to convince herself of that.
There was another gust of wind, and a letter landed in her lap. She opened it quickly.
October 18th, 1865
Dear Inga,
Good news! The ship I'm on is making excellent time, and I should be in Arendelle in less than two days. I'm quite looking forward to seeing everything you've been planning, but most of all, seeing you. I hope you're feeling better now, but please don't feel like you need to pretend you're feeling well just for my sake.
Love,
Henry
Inga smiled at the letter, but started crying as she looked outside. She still wasn't feeling any better, and at this point she wasn’t sure if Henry would be disappointed coming to visit, no matter what he said to the contrary.
Perhaps the doctor could give her something to settle her stomach. The doctor would stop by in the morning, so she needed to sleep as much as she could before then.
***
Anna sat with Kristoff at breakfast, looking out at the town preparations for the Harvest Festival.
"Is Inga still not feeling well?" Kristoff asked with concern.
"She was working herself too hard the past few weeks, so I've been making her rest for the last few days. Hopefully she'll be feeling better before Henry gets here, since he's the whole reason she's been putting quite this much effort into the preparations."
"Well, I just hope it's nothing serious," he sighed. The last thing they needed was the worry of their children getting seriously ill. Luck and isolation had been on their side avoiding a lot of outbreaks, but he never quite felt secure about that.
"Nobody else in the family has gotten sick, and nobody in town seems to have anything, so I think she just needs to take better care of herself. I wish she'd eat more, though. Gerda says that Oline tells her that Inga has refused everything except for toast and butter."
"I'm sure she'll be hungry enough in a few days," Kristoff smirked.
"Oh, when Henry gets here," Anna glared at him.
"Well, I should go find Frederick and Anton and Peder now. They're going to take the wagon out and bring down some pumpkins from the farm a few miles out of town."
“Send them with something nice from the kitchen to bring to the pumpkin farm. There should be some good pastries ready." Anna stood up and kissed him before starting to get herself ready for the day.
***
“I’ll tell you when I change my mind,” Inga told Henry, kissing him again.
Henry pulled away from the kiss once more, looked at the door, and back to her. “It’s getting late, maybe-”
“Nobody will be looking for me,” Inga interrupted him quickly, not thinking about her words, “not until lunchtime, probably, and Gerda selected this dress because she knows I can get out of it on my own.”
“Can you?” he said, his voice cracking suddenly.
Inga realized what she had just said, setting the painting down on the nightstand safely. “Oh, I mean… Not that I… Well, I can, of course.”
He stood in front of her, completely still, his eyes wide. “I- you-”
She kissed him. “I don’t want to leave, not right now. I know I’m not supposed to, but… but nobody knows we’re here, and nobody suspects anything. And-”
Inga stared at the ceiling, half awake. She slowly forced herself to sit up, and watched as the sun rose. There were a few ships arriving, but the light hadn't yet hit the fjord at this hour so she couldn’t see any details. She had hoped she would be feeling well enough this morning to cancel the doctor's visit, but she had no such luck today.
She cleaned herself up and made herself decent enough for the doctor, but she supposed there was no point in dressing up all that much. She hadn’t really eaten the day before aside from some toast, so her stomach wasn’t bothering her very much, but she was still so tired, and something just seemed… off.
She looked out the window into the courtyard, and could see her brothers taking the wagon across the bridge. It was already time to get the pumpkins. She wanted to be with them helping, but now she wasn’t even sure if she would be able to show Henry around. She looked at herself. She didn’t look like the girl Henry painted, but she wasn’t always sure if she really looked like that girl.
The doctor knocked at exactly the time she had asked him to arrive. Inga opened the door. He was a kind old man, and had been the royal family’s physician for quite some time now, well before she was born, when her mother was a little girl.
“Good morning, Your Highness,” the doctor greeted her.
“Doctor,” Inga acknowledged him.
“I got your note yesterday. Are you not feeling well?”
“I haven’t been feeling very well, no,” Inga told him as she sat on the edge of her bed. “My mother thinks I was just working too hard the past few weeks, but it’s not just that I’m tired. If I eat anything besides toast, I get sick.”
The doctor raised an eyebrow. “How long have you been feeling this way?”
“On and off for a few weeks,” she told him, “pretty much since I took on the extra work for the planning last month.”
“I see,” he nodded. “And how was your summer? You don’t get many scrapes or bruises any more, so I almost never see you these days.”
“It was a nice summer,” she smiled, “I suppose it was good that I didn’t have to do any of the planning for my birthday party, it might have worn me down entirely too much.”
“I suppose that’s a possibility,” the doctor muttered, beginning to look in her eyes and ears. “May I see your throat?”
Inga obliged.
“This all looks fine, though of course you haven’t complained of any kind of cough,” he said when he was done looking into her mouth. “May I ask if you’re wearing a corset? I need to feel your stomach.”
“No, I’m not,” Inga replied. “I haven’t really eaten since yesterday, so it’s not feeling too bad today.”
“I see,” he hummed, poking and prodding a bit.
“I hope I’ll be feeling well enough this week,” she continued, not really sure if he was expecting small talk.
“Of course, you’ve been helping organize that,” he replied. “And, I hope it’s not forward of me to ask, but I believe you have plans of getting married?”
“The engagement should be official soon,” Inga said, trying to ignore the continued poking and prodding. “Henry's going to be arriving soon with a letter from his grandfather.”
“This is the young prince from Corona, I assume?” the doctor said, finished with his prodding.
Inga nodded.
“If I might ask a delicate question, have your menses been regular?”
Inga realized she hadn’t put much thought into that lately. “I suppose not, but again, I have been rather busy.”
“Indeed?” The doctor stepped back a moment and turned to his bag, looking for something as he continued speaking. “You mentioned your engagement. Has your mother, or… someone… discussed marital relations with you?”
“Sort of, and I've read some books about it. Why?” she asked.
The doctor turned around. “If you will permit me, I would like to examine more thoroughly now. If you could remove any underthings and lie back.”
“Oh, I suppose, if you need,” Inga hemmed, but complied with the doctor’s request. He said nothing as he examined her.
“Thank you, you can sit up again,” he told her.
He was looking at his bag but didn’t seem to have any particular thing he was looking for while she got her undergarments back on.
“So, what do you think it is?” she asked absentmindedly. He turned around and was frowning, looking very seriously at her.
“Inga, have you… spent much time alone with the young man you are promised to?”
***
The sound of a polka came through the windows from the courtyard down below.
“There,” Inga said as she pulled off her shift, “now you have a proper model. What should I do first?”
Henry sat on the bed with his notebook and stared, wide-eyed. “I’ve never done this before.”
“I know, you told me,” Inga giggled. “You didn’t get to work from live models in Paris.”
“I mean… I’ve never really…” Henry took a deep breath. “I’ve never even kissed anyone else.”
Inga realized what he meant. “Oh, um, well I haven’t, either. I mean, I suppose I’m not supposed to, not really, of course… Are you going to draw me or not?”
“I don’t know if I could draw anything right now,” he confessed. She noticed the tip of his pencil shaking a little.
Inga walked over. “Should I get dressed, then?”
“No. I mean- no- yes… no…” He covered his face.
Inga pulled at his hands, pulling him back. “Here,” she said, undoing his collar, “this looks tight.”
“What?” he asked.
Inga kissed him before he could ask more. His hands began to trace down her back as she began to unbutton his shirt.
***
Inga paused before answering the doctor’s question.
“We’ve been alone, yes,” she admitted. “Why are you asking me this?”
“I’m asking you this because everything you’ve told me as well as what I’ve seen would seem to indicate pregnancy. If this is not a possibility, I need to know. If it is, in fact, a possibility, you need to know.”
Inga stood stunned, catching her balance on the edge of the bed.
“I’ve known your family for a long time, and I do not share secrets,” he said, hinting at a deeper meaning, “but I believe this is one that you will need to tell someone.”
The doctor closed up his bag and looked at her with his eyes full of pity. “I can send someone up here right now,” he said, “or not, that is up to you, Your Highness.”
“I think I’d like to be alone,” she told him.
“Very well. I will be in the castle kitchen for the next hour, if you need to find me,” he told her gently. “Your Highness.”
Inga sank to the floor as he left, not noticing the sound of the door closing.
This should have been obvious. It's what can happen, she knew this. How did she think she would be any different? She grabbed a pillow from the bed to muffle her sobs. What would her parents think? She wasn’t supposed to be careless like this. That wasn’t who she was.
What would Henry think?
She did her best to rise from the floor.
***
The royal physician sighed as he went into the kitchen of the castle. It was a familiar place for him, having been one of the few outside people allowed inside the castle for many years, he knew the family and many of their secrets. Something would work out for the princess; somehow something would work out.
“Excuse me, sir, I mean, doctor…”
It was the maid who had brought him the note from the princess.
“Yes?” he replied.
“Are you here to see Her Highness?” she asked.
“I’ve already seen her, in fact. You are her maid, are you not?”
“I am. How is she doing? I was hoping to bring her breakfast, though she hasn’t had much of an appetite lately.”
“Perhaps you should go see her,” he suggested.
***
Henry breathed in the crisp fall air as the ship sailed into the fjord from the open sea. They were early, and he was bound and determined to surprise Inga. He was almost giddy with nervous excitement, pacing back and forth along the deck.
James would take care of seeing that most of his things were ready, but he had his sketchbook with him. He made a few quick sketches of the fjord, trying to spot the places he had been on previous visits. He flipped back through the pages, finding some of the sketches of Inga he had made during the summer, and before that, the many sketches he had based on the photograph from the year before. Usually, he would sketch only her, but sometimes he would sketch her more as she appeared in the photo, surrounded by the large family, holding the baby.
After what felt to him like an eternity, the ship docked at the harbor, and he almost ran down the gangway to the quay. He tried to act calm as he hurried to the castle, pausing to look around the market square, which was nearly empty except for a few people preparing for the Harvest Festival. It was early, perhaps he could surprise Inga.
The halls of the castle were nearly empty, though Henry saw one older man, not obviously a servant, entering a door to go to the kitchen, but Henry was fairly certain nobody saw him. He got to Inga's door and immediately knocked, too excited to think through any sort of elaborate plan beyond rushing in to surprise her. Maybe it was early enough that he could wake her, though he wouldn’t hope for more on this day, at least, with so many people coming and going.
The door wasn't latched, and swung open with his knocking. Inga was sitting on her bed, staring out the window.
She turned around and smiled.
“Henry? Are you really here?”
He ran over and sat next to her, kissing her briefly.
“The ship got in early,” he told her. “I didn’t want to get your hopes up if we didn’t get here today.”
“I’m hardly even dressed,” she told him.
Henry realized she was in a dressing gown.
“I don’t care, I mean… you know…” he gave a bit of a smile.
She started crying, burying her face in a pillow.
“Inga… what’s wrong?”
She was still sobbing, so he laid down next to her. She kept sobbing as he put his arms around her, and she buried her face in his coat. James would probably have a word over the coat getting dirty, but never mind that. Henry wondered if something had happened to someone in her family. Perhaps it had been too quiet this morning. Inga continued crying as she grasped him, heaving and trembling in his arms.
“Inga, please, you’re starting to scare me,” he pleaded. “Are you sick? Is someone in your family ill?”
She looked up again. “Henry… about last summer…”
“I’ve got the letter from my grandfather. They can’t change their word on that. You haven’t changed your mind, have you?”
“No, I haven’t changed my mind. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t now…”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m pregnant,” she whispered. As quiet as the words were, he felt like he’d been punched in the gut. He held her tighter, not sure what he could actually say.
“Wh-” he stopped himself. He had been about to ask how it happened, which he knew very well was a stupid question.
Through his mind his family’s words echoed, reminding him that he was only nineteen, and just how young that was. It was exactly what he eventually wanted, eventually, but not like this.
“I’m sorry…” she muttered.
He realized he hadn’t told her anything coherent.
“Look, I said I’ve got the letter from my grandfather, so we can get married now,” was all he could think to say. It was true. He wasn’t sure how it would work, or whether people would gossip, or what a mess their lives would be now, but that much was true.
She gripped him more tightly. “You’re not mad?”
Henry was confused. “Why would I be mad?”
“It’s… it’s not how this is supposed to happen,” she insisted. Henry wiped a tear from her cheek as she spoke. “I’m so scared.”
“Well, no,” he admitted. “I’m scared, too. Everyone in Corona was telling me how young I am.”
“We don’t even have a wedding date scheduled. What if the council wants to delay more? And my parents… My mother will know…”
“Why would they object or delay? I have the official letter,” Henry insisted, “but if I have to take you on the boat back to Corona with me to get married there, that’s what we’ll do.”
He held her close to his chest, stroking her back, trying not to let on just how terrified he felt at the moment. Of course they needed to get married right away.
Inga sniffled. “I don’t want to elope if I don’t have to. That’s too much of a mess for everyone… but… but I’m glad you still want to marry me, Henry. Thank you.”
Henry stopped what he was doing and kissed Inga’s forehead. “Why wouldn’t I want to marry you? Besides, it’s not like I wasn’t involved.”
“No, of course,” she said, almost laughing. “That’s… I hope that’s obvious.”
“It’s not the best time, that’s true, but… it’s just… earlier than we intended. That’s all.”
Inga gave a smile.
***
Kristoff had gotten Frederick and the twins on their way with little difficulty, and now had joined Anna for breakfast.
“Do you see that?” he asked Anna as they finished their breakfast, “I thought you said the Corona ship wasn’t expected for another day or two.”
Anna looked out the window, watching the ship being unloaded. “We should let Inga know. I think that will cheer her up.”
Kristoff nodded in agreement.
They walked down the hallway to Inga’s bedroom.
“So I suppose you’re going to start planning their wedding now?” Kristoff asked.
“Unless they’ve changed their minds, but I doubt Henry would have come all this way.”
“I assume she would have told you if something happened with that,” Kristoff replied.
As they neared Inga’s door, they could hear her talking, sounding like she was crying.
“I still don’t know what to say,” they could hear from the room. Anna and Kristoff stopped and looked at each other. Anna grabbed Kristoff’s hand, knowing that his instinct was to barge straight into the room unannounced.
“Maybe Oline is in there?” Anna whispered.
Anna knocked at the door as she opened it. "Inga!" she called out with forced cheerfulness.
"Mother? What…" Inga trailed off. She was sitting on her bed in her dressing gown, looking like she had been crying, with Henry right next to her, holding her.
Kristoff shut the door securely behind them.
"Um," he mumbled, "we came to tell you that the ship from Corona arrived early, but I guess you already know that…"
"I… we… yes," Inga stammered. "I forgot the door was still open."
“We can leave if you would like a little time,” Anna said. “Though for propriety Henry should probably come with us.”
“What?” Henry asked.
“You know how this could look,” Kristoff said, frowning.
“But we would like to know why you were upset, Inga,” Anna added.
“It’s fine now,” Inga said. “At least, I think it will be. Henry has the letter from his grandfather, so we can get married now, right?”
“Yes, as soon as the council has the letter, we can start planning,” Anna said. “I would still rather not rush things. I think Henry would want his family to attend.”
“How soon could they get here?” Inga asked him.
“The steamer takes a week,” Henry said. “I could write to my mother this afternoon.”
“Wait,” Kristoff said. “What’s all this? I know you’re excited, but are you really talking about getting married next week?”
“I suppose we could wait two or three weeks if we really have to,” Inga said. “I don’t really want to elope.”
"It would only be as a last resort," Henry blurted out.
"You don’t have to elope, we never said no,” Kristoff sighed, rubbing his forehead. “We’re just saying that you really shouldn't be in such a rush to get married.”
Henry leaned over to Inga. "We need to tell them," he whispered.
Kristoff suddenly felt his stomach twisting, but tried to convince himself he was jumping to conclusions. This was Inga, she wasn’t the sort to do something foolish.
“I had the doctor in here this morning,” Inga began, her voice shaking noticeably. "He told me-"
Kristoff looked over at Anna. She was shaking her head. Inga was looking away.
“Please, Inga, finish what you were saying,” Anna pleaded.
Kristoff was fairly certain he and Anna were both thinking the same thing now, but desperately hoping it was something else. But what could possibly be good news if she was having so much trouble telling them?
Inga looked at Henry again, then straight at them. "I'm pregnant. I don't want to elope if I don't have to, but I will."
Kristoff remembered the rumors the morning after Inga’s party, and the confused explanations for who was seen going into Henry’s room. And the forgotten gift.
"I… I suppose I don't need to ask you when this happened…." Anna said flatly.
They had trusted Inga, and given her so much freedom.
"You're mad at me," Inga stated, "I understand."
"Not mad. Disappointed. Very disappointed," Anna sighed.
Everyone stood silently for what felt like hours.
“Obviously, we’ll need to get married as soon as possible,” Inga repeated
“I don’t think that’s obvious,” Kristoff interjected.
“Why wouldn’t we get married right away?” Inga demanded.
“This isn’t the sort of thing you want to rush into,” Kristoff replied. “I just don’t want you making a mistake.”
“What else would you suggest? Sending me away? Like-”
“No,” Kristoff cut her off. He wasn’t sure what Henry knew, but this wasn’t the time to let it slip. “I don’t think you should be sent away.”
Anna was staring silently, and she had clearly understood their daughter’s meaning.
“Then what?” Inga prodded, starting to cry again.
“And what about me?” Henry asked. “I’m standing right here!”
“Yes,” Kristoff sighed. “But can she trust you?”
“Trust me?”
“After you seduced her?”
“What do you mean?” Henry asked.
Kristoff rubbed his forehead. “I’m talking about how you got into this… situation…”
“He didn’t seduce me,” Inga interrupted.
“Inga,” Henry whispered, “you don’t have to-”
“No, Henry, I do,” she insisted. She looked at them, wiping the tears from her face. “I’m not defending my judgment this summer, but I wasn’t seduced.”
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
Everyone stopped and looked at each other. Finally, Inga walked over and opened the door.
Her maid stood there, surprised at the number of people in the room.
“Um, Your Majesty…” Oline curtseyed. “Your… Highnesses…”
“Yes, Oline?” Anna prompted.
“I was in the kitchen and the doctor suggested I come check on the princess, but I can come back later,” she said.
“Thank you, Oline, I think that would be good,” Inga said, oddly calm.
The maid curtseyed once again and left.
After the door closed, Anna sighed. “I’ll speak to the council today.”
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Love can see beyond
Part II Frozen canon-divergence post F2 / Moana (2016) crossover fanfiction
Pairing: Kristanna Rated M for angst/hurt/comfort (see tags on AO3)
Thanks to my two absolute amazing beta-reader @reconciledviolence729!
The journey to the far shores to Montonui has come to an end, and will take the royalty of Arendelle back beyond the Southwest Passage, back up into the Northern realms...
Chapter 41/44
Olaf pranced excitedly as he took in the clear panorama of Arendelle and its castle, majestically adorning the foot of the mountains and the opening to the fjord.
this wonderful fanart was created by @lintushadow-art on commission
#frozen#moana#crossover#kristoff#anna#elsa#honeymaren#olaf#sven#fiona#Arendelle#fanfiction#kristanna fanfic#fluff#post canon divergence au
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Chapter: 5/???
Fandom: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Rating: Explicit
Relationships: Anna/Kristoff
Characters: Anna, Kristoff, Elsa, Ryder, Gaston, Belle,
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Hockey AU, College AU, Ice Skating, Masturbation, Grinding
Summary:
Ice dancer Anna Andersen meets hockey goalie Kristoff Bjorgman at Arendelle University and there's an instant attraction.
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Good Cop, Bad Cop
Chapters: 1/4
Fandom: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Anna/Kristoff
Characters: Anna, Kristoff, Elsa)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Established Relationship, Porn With Plot, Angst with a Happy Ending, Angst and Romance, Smut, Eventual Smut, Femdom, Woman on Top, Vaginal Sex, Oral Sex, Light BDSM, Light Bondage, Handcuffs, Rekindling romance, reconnecting, teenage Elsa, Detective Kristoff Bjorgman
Summary: Housewife Anna isn’t able to discipline her teenage daughter, Elsa, while her cop husband Kristoff’s temper gets the best of him. Maybe all they need is a little role reversal. And some handcuffs.
*My entry for Frozen Smut Week 2024 - Day 1, Lustrous Metals* @kristanna-days
#frozen#frozen fanfic#kristanna#kristanna fanfic#frozen smut week#kristanna days#frozen smut week 2024
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20 questions for writers
Thank you for the tag @thebiwifeonao3!
How many works do you have on AO3? 88
What's your total AO3 word count? 1,090,772
What fandoms do you write for? Mostly Frozen (Kristanna, especially), sometimes crossing over with other Disney movies. I've also written 7 fics for Wednesday (TV), and one or two for Good Witch (TV), The Americans, Beetlejuice, and What We Do in the Shadows. Oh, and a fic about the song, "Brandy."
What are your top five fics by kudos?
Woe is Your Master (Wednesday/Tyler, E)
Cat Scratch Fever (Wednesday/Tyler, T)
Woe is Me (Wednesday/Tyler, E)
Sweet Poison (Wednesday/Tyler, T)
Black Lace on Red (Wednesday/Tyler, E)
5. Do you respond to comments? Yes, I try to! But to be honest, if I get a super long comment or something that needs a long response, I usually put it off because I want to answer with as much effort as the commenter put into it. So sorry to the people whose comments I haven't responded to. Please know that I read them and loved them and will respond as soon as I collect myself from the puddle on the floor.
6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? I've yet to write anything with an unhappy ending. But the closest I got was The Ice King (Hans/Elsa, E). I can't say because it's a spoiler. Let's just say that everyone got what they wanted, but it didn't work out quite the way it was supposed to.
7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? Everything else? I guess if I have to pick one it's She Holds a Candle (Kristoff/Anna and Stephanie (transfemme Sven)/Ryder). I ended up giving Stephanie and Ryder their own chapter because I loved them so much and just wasn't ready to let them go. So Kristoff and Anna ended up together and then Stephanie and Ryder got married at the end. (Y'all know I love Ryder so much that I named my cat after him.)
8. Do you get hate on fics? I have. Mostly on ffn, so I stopped posting there. And I've gotten a little on AO3, too. Mostly it's been from people who don't know what archive warnings and tags are for, or who have contempt for the characters, ships, fandoms, etc. and haven't even read it.
9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? Yes! Mostly m/f, usually femdom, and sometimes with mild BDSM (mostly bondage)
10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written? I did more when I started out, but I don't do it so much anymore. I guess the craziest was Hans/Elsa in an animated Addams Family fusion AU (The Magenta Cravat, T). At one point I was going to write a WednesdayxFrozen AU where Anna was Wednesday's roommate instead of Enid and Elsa was a teacher at Nevermore. There's also the Frozen/Midsommar AU (Elsa/Pelle) which will never happen either. C'est la vie.
11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? I don't think so.
12. Have you ever had a fic translated? Yes, a couple of my Wednesday fics were translated into Russian!
13. Have you ever co-written a fic? Yes, but it never saw the light of day. It was with a few other Frozen and Beauty and the Beast writers in the Frozen Hearts Will Melt Discord server (DM me if you want an invite).
14. What's your all-time favourite ship? Kristoff/Anna from Frozen.
15. What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? All of them? Seriously, though. I've determined that none of my WIPs on AO3 are going to be finished except for Head Over Feet. I'd love to finish The Refugees, All Tied Up, Sophisticated Grace, and Pour Some Sugar on Me, but I don't know if I have it in me. I dunno. Maybe someday.
16. What are your writing strengths? I've been told character dynamics and descriptions of body movements.
17. What are your writing weaknesses? Repetitive sentence structure, head hopping. And I have no idea where commas are supposed to go. Every time I think I'm right, my grammar check tells me I'm wrong.
18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for fic? I generally prefer to write dialogue in English and indicate that it's in another language. I don't want to make the reader do extra work just to find out what happens next. I also want the reader to be in the character's shoes the entire time without even realizing it, and having to read in a language they're not as familiar with can take them out of it. But, at the end of the day, it's a technique and a choice the writer has to make about what's best for the characters and their story.
I wish I knew another language well enough that I could write a whole fic in that language, but alas. I hold writers who write in foreign languages in the highest esteem.
19. First fandom you wrote for? Frozen (Kristoff/Anna)
20. Favourite fic you've written? Pretty Please (Kristoff/Anna, E). I wrote this for @99goosebumps for the 2023 BDSM Exchange. It was so much fun to write, and all the stars aligned with it. Aside from writing some new kinks I loved, I'm really happy with the quality of the fic and I really loved Kristoff and Anna's dynamic in this one. I don't think I've ever gotten it quite as right as I did in that fic. It's definitely not for everyone, but I hope the people who have read it found something they liked there.
Tagging @thefamilybruno @glassslippers-n-cowboyboots @bad-at-names-and-faces @thecassadilla @99goosebumps @paigebstorey @butchbetty! And anyone else who wants to participate.
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WHAT ONCE WAS MINE/MOJ DAWNY SKARB - FROZEN/TANGLED CROSSOVER FANFIC (overall informations and possible release date)
So, for over a month, I am working on my fanfic, being a crossover story between Frozen and Tangled, connecting them into one universe, being also kind of retelling for Frozen 2, with unused scenes, characters and concepts from the second film ^^
The overall plot I'm working on, tells the story after Tangled Ever After and original Frozen film, where Elsa searches her purpose in life, Anna and Kristoff are getting engaged, and Rapunzel is trying to rule Corona with Eugene, but then, the King of the Southern Isles interrupts one of the most important celebrations in Arendelle, saying that he wants to attack and rule the other kingdoms, and because of that, Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Rapunzel and Eugene are going for an adventure, to find a solution to save their kingdoms, meeting Northuldra tribe, other 1800's Disney Characters (like Ariel or Cinderella), solving secrets, as well as fighting or trusting their old enemies, counting Prince Hans, with who Elsa makes a bond after time (Helsa will be in this project ^^)
I am really excited to share "What Once Was Mine" (in Polish "Mój Dawny Skarb") with you, because I think it's a good story, which I put so much heart and effort to :)
DISCLAIMER : this fanfick will be not in English, since I have no time or power to write all the story all again, so if you know Polish, you can easily read this fanfic, but if not, you can use Google Translator to fully read and understand the story ^^
#frozen fanfic#tangled fanfic#frangled#disney fanfic#frozen 2 retelling#frozen#tangled#rapunzel#eugene#kristoff bjorgman#anna of arendelle#elsa of arendelle#hans westergaard#eugenzel#kristanna#helsa
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