Author's Note: Wow. That took a while to finish. Have you read "Exclusive!" yet? You've been patient, so go ahead! Get to reading.

Cover Art for the story is by the incredibly talented Trixdraws from DeviantArt. Thank you again, Trix! Official art for the story is by the wonderful Giulia! Links to both artists and their works can be found on my bio here. Please see Chapter 1 for my Standard Disclaimers!

Feel, Don't Conceal

by Jo K.

Chapter 24: The Rising Tide

Ought to be easy, ought to be simple enough

Two people meet and they fall in love

But this house is haunted and the ride gets rough

You've got to learn to live with what you can't rise above

If you want to ride on down, down into this tunnel of love

-Bruce Springsteen, "Tunnel of Love" (with a slight lyric tweak to fit our characters)

As the assemblage of Princes, Queens and a Princess made their way to the canopy that had been erected on one of the Grand Island's beaches and the makeshift table—really three large planks resting on stacked crates that had been covered with a thick purple cloth—shaded beneath it, Ariel directed Elsa and Anna to one side of the table next to each other, then she took the chair to Anna's right with Eric sitting on Ariel's right. Frederic took the chair across from Eric, followed by Henrik across from Ariel, Thomas across from Anna, and finally Queen Attina sat across from Elsa.

As the Atlantean queen sat a bit awkwardly in the chair, Elsa saw her cast an unpleasant look in her direction. It appeared to be a look of disdain, but it was quickly replaced by a cool neutrality. Elsa glanced beside to see if Anna had noticed, but her wife was whispering something to Ariel.

Thomas stood, clearing his throat before he spoke. "We hereby convene the Southern Isles' Council of Princes," he said clearly, "and we welcome our allied Queens and Princess."

"Absolutely," said Henrik, his voice deeper than his face and demeanor suggested.

"Indeed," echoed Frederick, the only blonde of the Princes assembled.

"No matter how brave our ships and their crews were, we couldn't have won that naval battle without your army, Queen Attina," Eric said, coaxing a small smile from the Atlantean monarch.

"The Atlanteans had an army?" Anna blurted out, surprise thick in her voice.

"Of course!" said Henrik. "They wreaked havoc on Wilhelm's ships, crippling rudders, scuttling hulls, even capsizing a few, all without becoming visible to his crews."

"Wow," Anna said, nodding her head in admiration. "We couldn't see much from how high we were coming in, but we never would have known that there was an underwater army helping the Free forces."

"Does that surprise you, Queen Anna?" said Attina, her voice carrying a hint of derision, but nothing more obvious. "Do you think my people to be incapable of helping an ally?"

Anna's face flushed slightly; Elsa's hand drifted over to gently rest upon Anna's left thigh, silently urging patience and restraint while offering solid, tacit support. Anna met Attina's green gaze directly before saying, "Actually, I've learned not to make assumptions about others before getting to know them."

"We weren't even aware your people were real, Queen Attina, until a few hours ago," Elsa said politely, offering a diplomatic smile.

Attina turned to regard Elsa, but her eyes narrowed slightly as she gave a look that was decidedly not friendly to the blonde. "Exactly how we like it," Attina said sharply. "With a very few exceptions, which my youngest sister and her husband happen to be, interactions between my people and drylanders tend to end very badly."

Elsa could feel the fine hairs on the nape of her neck begin to rise, and it was only with clear effort that she was able to soothe the irritation building inside her.

"Yes, well, we still appreciate you and your people's assistance, Your Majesty," Thomas said, trying to steer the conversation back on target. He turned to Anna and Elsa, smiling broadly. "And my brothers and my country thank the two of you, Your Majesties, more than words could express. If not for the two of you, this island and all those upon would likely be dead, and Wilhelm on his way to conquer the world."

"We're sorry for those killed on both sides of this war," Elsa said, "but Wilhelm had to be stopped."

Anna nodded, resting her left hand atop Elsa's right, which her sister had placed upon the table. "We're glad we got here in time. Wilhelm's assassination attempt on us back in Arendelle came far too close to succeeding."

Elsa glanced across the table at Attina; seeing both Attina's gaze directed at where Anna's hand rested atop Elsa's and the subtle sneer of thinly-veiled disgust on the Atlantean's lips only inflamed her further.

"Elsa?"

Anna's soft whisper in her ear seized Elsa's attention; she turned her head slightly to partially face Anna. "Yes?"

"You're starting to freeze the table," whispered Anna, jerking her teal eyes down toward the table once.

Seeing a rime of frost beginning to form around their hands on the table, Elsa quickly blinked the white crystals out of existence before tightening her control over her powers.

"What exactly are the two of you doing here, Queen Elsa?" asked Attina, her voice cool enough to trigger a few nervous glances and shifting in seats around the table.

Before Elsa could open her mouth to reply, she felt Anna quickly but firmly squeeze her hand; she was grateful for the simple interaction, which prompted her to reign her building temper before she spoke. "We're at this Council for two reasons, Queen Attina," Elsa said firmly, her earlier friendliness now beginning to strain. "First, we were asked to be here by Ariel and the Council of Princes, now the ruling body of the Southern Isles. And second, during my lifetime, there have been exactly two coup attempts in Arendelle; both of them occurred within the last eight months, and both were orchestrated by Princes from the Southern Isles." Elsa held Attina's gaze, refusing to back down beneath the auburn-haired woman's sea-green eyes. "Simply for the protection of our country, I'd say Anna and I have to be here."

At the tender touch of Anna's fingers through her blond hair and brushing along her temple, Elsa felt her body warring with itself, uncertain of whether to remain vigilant and defiant before the oddly challenging gaze of the Atlantean Queen or to relax beneath the soothing touch of her mate.

"Calm down, my love," Anna said softly, resting her other hand on Elsa's upper back. She was somewhat proud of herself for not opening her mouth and inflaming the situation further, but she definitely not a fan of Ariel's oldest sister.

"How did you do it?" snapped Attina.

"Excuse me?" replied Elsa, blinking.

"Did you start on her when she was young?" Attina said, venom dripping from her voice. "Is that how you twisted her into thinking that she had to be your plaything, your concubine? Your possession?"

A loud smack from the table beside her made Elsa jump slightly, causing the temperature around the table to drop several degrees. Anna had shot to her feet, hands still stinging from where she had hit the table, leaning slightly forward as she faced Attina. "I'm Elsa's WIFE, her partner, not her plaything!" Anna shouted hotly. Well, so much for maintaining my composure. It was good while it lasted.

"Really?" Attina said with a slight sneer, taking her feet slowly. She leaned forward over the table slightly as well, matching Anna's stance down to resting both her fists on the table. "Then how exactly do you explain the twisted relationship between you and your sister?" Not giving Anna a chance to reply, she turned to glare at Elsa again. "And how can you live with yourself? You're supposed to protect your little sister, not sexually violate her!" The air began to faintly shimmer around Attina's form, only visible with just the right angle and backdrop, but combined with the temperature continuing to drop, it was more than enough to make a few of the princes lean back slightly, mindful of the building clash.

"Elsa and I are in love!" Anna spat back at Attina, blood sizzling in her head and chest. "Are you married, Queen Attina?"

"No, and what—"

"Well, I can see why!"

"How dare you?!" Attina hissed. "I'm trying to protect you, to save you from this mockery of a marri—"

"I don't need 'saving'!" Anna replied sharply. "There is no violation. Elsa and I are together because we want to be together. Both of us. Her and me." She reached out and took Elsa's hand, smiling at the woman she loved with all she was before turning back to face Attina. "You really have no idea what we endured growing up," Anna said, trying to calm down.

Her face turned wistful, even sad as she paused. "Did you help look out for your sisters, Attina?" she asked calmly. "Help protect them when they were younger?"

"Of course. That's part of the responsibility of being an older sibling, and that's exactly why—"

"Well, Elsa and I had that relationship yanked away from us before I was five years old. I didn't see her for over thirteen years." She held Attina's gaze before leaning closer and loudly enunciating, "Thirteen years."

"Elsa had been my companion, my protector, my teacher, my guide. She was all four seasons, day and night, up and down, everything to me. And then one day, she was gone, and no one would so much as tell me why I wasn't allowed to see her ever again.

"It hurt. Sif's hair, it hurt so damned much. I had two dolls my parents had commissioned for us, one like Elsa and one like me. They were always together; I made sure of that. When the door went up between our rooms, the dolls became even more bound together. Until one day I realized that as much as I missed Elsa, she probably missed me just as much."

"I did," Elsa said quietly, her voice almost a whisper.

"So one night I placed the two dolls outside Elsa's door, with a note explaining that as much as the two dolls loved each other, they knew that we were hurting terribly inside, so they had decided to sacrifice their time with each other to comfort us. Doll Elsa would stay with me, but Doll Anna needed to be with Elsa, to remind her that I still loved her and wanted her back."

Anna released Elsa's hand enough to run her fingers through Elsa's long, loose blonde hair. "My relationship with Elsa is unique, and it's certainly not what would normally be expected of sisters. But our relationship stopped being normal when I was four." Anna turned her head just enough to meet Attina's defiant gaze. "And it's not your place to judge us for that."

"I slept with Doll Anna until I was twenty years old," Elsa said quietly, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"And now you get to sleep with the real thing," Anna added with a teasing grin. "Which is better?"

"Well, Doll Anna didn't toss and turn much as you do."

"That's not very nice!" Anna said, playfully pushing Elsa's shoulder.

Elsa smiled. "But I like waking up with you lying on top of me, your body against mine." A few soft coughs and throats clearing around the table made Elsa smile. "Yes, that's probably more than enough details for most parties here, but I made a vow sex months—"

"Did you just say sex months?" interjected Anna gleefully.

"I said six months," Elsa said quickly. "SIX."

"Well, it sure sounded like sex months. Which technically would still be correct, although it does—HEY!" Anna jumped slightly, her thigh stinging lightly from the pinch Elsa had administered, more startling than actually painful.

Elsa looked at Anna firmly. "I'm trying to bring this conversation out of our bedchambers, and you're not helping."

Attina slapped her hands on the table palms down, making most of those gathered around the table jump slightly. "You've done such a good job of distorting your little sister's view of the world that she can't even see how wrong your relationship is!" she shouted. "She even thinks that you're doing this because you love her, and maybe that's even how you perceive it, deep in your sick mind, but this is so wr—"

"STOP BEING A BITCH, ATTINA!"

Everyone turned to see Ariel on her feet, face flushed as she stood, visibly shaking. "Queen of Atlantis or not," Ariel said, "you're one more ugly word away from me slapping the salt out of you!"

"Sit down, Ariel!" Attina said, pointing a finger at the scarlet-haired princess. "I'm your older sister, and I outrank you."

"Stuff titles!" Ariel shouted. "I am your sister, and you're too blinded by your prejudices to see that Elsa and Anna really do love each other!"

"Please, Queen Attina," came a voice from behind Elsa and Anna, and it was so soft, so uncharacteristic that they had to turn around and see the blonde Diamond—Arista—speaking to recognize that it came from her. Tears were in her eyes, a far contrast from the bold, confident woman they had previously dealt with over the last few weeks. "Please just See them."

"Do not speak to me," Attina said harshly. "You are my sister and that will never change, but you're no longer an Atlantean, and I am no longer your queen."

"She still loves you, Attina," Ariel said, deep blue eyes beginning to well with tears. "Even after everything."

"And I still love her, no matter how it may seem," replied Attina, who slowly turned to look at Ariel. "But I have a duty to this crown I wear, and to the people it represents. Arista made her choice, and now she has to live with the consequences."

"Atti—"

"I said, DO NOT speak to me again!" Attina shouted, leaping to her feet and turning to point her right hand at Arista as the air began to swirl around that hand.

A blinding yellow glow filled the tent, making everyone present except for one briefly shield their eyes.

"Queen of Atlantis or not, you will NOT threaten one of my agents," Ariel said coldly, holding the fiercely glowing Trident of Neptune before her, where she had interposed herself between Attina and Arista. "I suggest you calm yourself and sit back down, because you're not the only one here who wields magic."

Ariel and Attina locked gazes with each other for several seconds before Attina lowered her head. "You're correct," Attina said quietly. "I... apologize for threatening one of your citizens."

Ariel's expression remained cool. She lifted her chin and said, "Apologize to her," tilting her head in Arista's direction.

Attina's green eyes narrowed slightly at Ariel, but she then turned to look directly at the blonde, standing and trembling, tears trailing down her cheeks. "I'm... I'm sorry, Arista," Attina said quietly.

Arista wiped her tears away with her right hand. "Apology accepted, Your Majesty," she said flatly, looking away rather than meet Attina's eyes.

There was another uncomfortable silence for several seconds before Anna's voice broke the quiet.

"Queen Attina," she said, getting the Atlantean monarch's attention. Something in her green eyes now seemed shaken, not quite vulnerable but certainly not as arrogant as just minutes before. "You wield your father's magic now, correct?" asked Anna calmly, her voice carefully friendly.

"I do," Attina replied, visibly trying to regain her composure.

Whatever happened between them, it must have been bad. Anna gestured toward Elsa, just inches away from her. "What Elsa and I have isn't some perversion or scheme. It's love, the truest of love." She smiled. "Use your magic and see for yourself."

"Use your magic to see our love, but nothing more," Elsa said calmly but firmly; the air around her and Anna seemed to thicken slightly as a few sparkles of purest white flickered in front of them. "My sister and I have already dealt with two tyrants who tried to kill us this week, and we have no qualms about adding a third."

"I am no tyrant," Attina snapped.

"Your behavior and attitude speak otherwise," Elsa shot back, her eyes nearly glowing with azure intensity.

For a seeming eternity the two queens held each other's gaze as the air beneath the canopy began to grow cold and seemed to thicken with moisture. Frost began to form on the table before Anna reached out and took Elsa's hand. Instantly the air grew crisp and clear, cold but fresh once again as the frost on the table shimmered and dissolved.

"Look," Elsa said confidently, "but do not test our defenses."

Attina's gaze defocused for just a brief moment, green eyes going glassy for less than a second. Then her eyes sharpened once again, and the miasma of mystic energy over the table suddenly vanished, so abruptly that more than one set of ears popped softly.

"Neptune's eyes," Attina said, her voice a near whisper of unsteady syllables. "I— I h-had no..." She blinked and looked back and forth between Elsa and Anna. "How can this— How can this be?"

"It doesn't matter how," Elsa said, squeezing Anna's hand securely.

"It only matters that it is," finished Anna.

"M-my deepest apologies, Queen Elsa, Queen Anna," Attina sputtered. "To see True Love in such... unusual circumstances..."

"Queen Attina," Elsa said with a weary sigh. "I understand that your hostility was most likely due to your suspicion that I was taking advantage of Anna."

"It was," Attina said quietly. "But now I see that I was terribly wrong."

"You were." Elsa turned to look at Anna. "Do you accept her apology, my love?"

Anna looked at Attina again, fire still in her blue-green eyes as she looked the Atlantean ruler over. "I do," she said sharply.

Elsa smiled and quickly kissed Anna on her cheek. "Thank you, my love," she whispered, getting a warm smile in return as Anna glanced over at her wife. Elsa turned back to Attina, only to have Anna place a similar kiss on her own cheek before returning to her seated position. Despite her attempt to maintain a regal composure, a girlish smirk crept across Elsa's fair face at the simple gesture of affection. After a few blinks of her eyes, Elsa managed to look at Attina again, the blush not quite gone from her cheeks just yet. "I accept your apology as well, Queen Attina," she said calmly. "And I appreciate your concern for Anna's well-being, misplaced though it was."

Attina nodded once. "It is a hard habit to release," she said quietly. "Looking out for our younger siblings." She glanced over at Arista, catching the blonde's blue eyes briefly before Arista quickly looked away, blinking abruptly.

"Yes," Elsa said so softly that it might as well have been an escaped breath. "It is. But they grow up just as we did, and they earn the right to choose their own path."

Attina nodded again. "Yes, they do. And they grow to shoulder the consequences that come with those choices."

"But sometimes it isn't a choice at all," Anna said firmly. "Sometimes it's something that we have to do, something—or someone—we need as much as we need air to breath."

"Or water, in some cases," Attina replied with a soft smile.

Anna laughed once. "Or water," she agreed.

Everyone turned to look at Eric as he stood. "Could we possibly turn our attention to the real reason why we're all here today?" he asked pleasantly. "Wilhelm is no more, and our father the King is dead."

"Did he fall in battle?" asked Attina. "Or was he executed after you took the castle?"

"Neither," Ariel spoke clearly. "Wilhelm had him murdered shortly after he set sail a few days ago, to spring his trap upon our attack fleet."

"Wilhelm was a monster," Elsa said quietly.

"Yes," agreed Attina quietly. "He was also responsible for our father's death as well."

Anna and Elsa both quickly looked at each other. That piece of information was new to them, but neither of them drew further attention to it.

"We're all grateful to the two of you for eliminating him," Attina said, looking again to Elsa and Anna. "He's caused an enormous amount of grief and damage to all of our countries."

Anna nodded. "Yes, he has."

"So will the four of you be assuming control of the Southern Isles, then?" asked Attina, turning to look at Thomas, the eldest of the remaining Westergard brothers.

"We will," replied Thomas with a nod. "Although, we had planned to rule as a Council of five Princes, an odd number to prevent a deadlock. With Oskar now dead, gods rest his soul, we are only four."

"We need a fifth," said Frederick, tall and thin, otherwise strikingly similar to Eric but for his dark mustache and graying temples. "If only to prevent any disagreements from paralyzing the Council."

"We agree," Elsa said calmly. "There must be some sort of measure to break a deadlock. And as such, I propose you move forward with your original plan for a fifth seat on the council."

"And you believe Arendelle should have that seat?" Attina asked, her voice regaining a touch of its earlier edge.

"Hardly," Elsa said with a smile. She turned to regard Attina. "I believe Atlantis should."

Thoughtful exhalations of breath and shifting in seats came from all sides as Elsa's words settled upon those listening.

"That's an... interesting idea," Anna said thoughtfully. "Because they helped in the war, crippling and immobilizing Wilhelm's ships?"

"Partially, yes," Elsa replied, turning to look warmly at Anna. "And while I'm certain they lost many brave lives in yesterday's battle, it sounds like Wilhelm had already hurt them sometime in the past."

"To put it mildly," Attina agreed, her lips set firmly in a thin expression. "He hurt our people—my family—like no one ever had, and we've been though some difficult times in our lives."

"Then it seems only fair that you and your people have a say in rebuilding the Southern Isles, both to maintain a careful eye on the Westergard family, who obviously know about you and your people, but also to possibly turn a wartime alliance into something more substantial in peace." Elsa sat back in her chair, hopeful that Attina would see the opportunity before her and make the most of it.

However, the Atlantean Queen instead turned back to her. "Why not Arendelle?" Attina asked. "As you said earlier, your country has faced two separate coup attempts from the Westergards in the last year. Wouldn't you like some say in how the Southern Isles is governed in the future?"

"You don't want the job either!" Anna said, laughing lightly.

Attina flushed slightly, her neck and upper chest, easily seen through her diaphanous top, as visibly red as her face. "Well, breathing air for a long time leaves a bad taste in my throat," she admitted. "And there's far too much to do in Atlantis for me to take time away."

"And that is the greatest obstacle Anna and I would have with maintaining a seat on this Council of Princes," Elsa finished. "We have more than enough demands on our time back in Arendelle. However, we will stay in close contact with this Council and our new allies and friends."

Attina smiled at Elsa and Anna, then she looked back to the four Princes. "Atlantis will accept the fifth seat on this council," she said firmly. As the four Westergard brothers began to offer their thanks and agreement, Attina lifted her left hand and said, "Wait."

As the table grew silent again, Attina lowered her hand. "I will not be able to personally accept this seat on the new Council of the Southern Isles, because my first duty is to Atlantis and my people beneath the waves. As such, I hereby appoint Princess Ariel as Atlantis's permanent representative to this Council, to serve until such time as she chooses to name her successor and step down."

Ariel blinked twice rapidly. "ME?" she said sharply.

Attina nodded. "Yes, you. You understand Atlantis and her people, you know how the drylanders think and work, and you have courage, intelligence and integrity. I trust you to represent Atlantis's interests on this council fairly and keep me apprised of anything important."

"Arendelle is entirely comfortable with this appointment," Anna said primly, drawing a sidewise glance from Elsa. "What?" she said, tilting her head to regard her wife with a similar curious look.

"That sounded quite formal," Elsa said.

Anna sniffed, lifting her head slightly in a gesture which drew out more than one quiet chuckle from those seated around the table. "I'm working on my regal demeanor," she said simply.

"Your demeanor is already appropriately regal," Elsa said softly, lifting Anna's left hand to press a lingering kiss to the redhead's knuckles. "There's nothing you need to change, my love. You're already wonderful."

—O—

The rest of the meeting went fairly smoothly, as the Princes and Princess had already laid out the basic functioning of the new Council of Princes (as they elected to keep the name) over the last two years. A modest lunch was served beneath the tent, with Elsa producing ice which she then turned into water for everyone, a relatively simple task for her but one which left the others present, except for Anna and Ariel, amazed.

It was more than a bit funny, Elsa thought, at how they had watched her conduct magic on a grand scale the day before, yet such a small application of her powers drew nearly as much admiration. But then for anyone raised on an island, surrounded by the ocean, obtaining fresh water was one of the most important tasks imaginable, so Elsa could see why they were so interested by that use of her magic. To them, the ability to create water for drinking wasn't that far away from creating and sustaining life itself.

Elsa thought on that as the lunch drew on, Queen Attina talking to the Westergard princes, while Ariel was animatedly speaking to her other three sisters present about something. That was what she and Anna were counting on, after all—her magic having the power to create life, a life born of the two of them. Maybe it wasn't so difficult to imagine. And throw in what she had learned about using all of her emotions to harness and direct her magic—

"Snowflake for your thoughts."

Elsa looked up to see Anna leaning forward directly in front of her, green-blue eyes, pert nose and speckled cheeks just inches away from Elsa's face. Elsa smiled and felt her face flush slightly in reaction to Anna's close proximity. "I was just thinking about my powers."

"Hmm," Anna said, smiling what seemed like her ever-present smile when around Elsa. "Well, that's funny, because I think about them—and you—all the time."

Elsa sighed happily when Anna climbed into her lap, combining the ice chairs she had made for Anna and herself into a single larger seat, more heavily padded so they could recline briefly. She ran her fingers through Anna's soft hair, humming contentedly as Anna laid her head on Elsa's shoulder and slid her hand behind Elsa's head to hold her lover tightly. "We should return to Arendelle soon," Elsa finally said, her voice soft and tinged with a mix of both regret and longing.

"I know," replied Anna, her own inflection almost identical to Elsa's. "As much I don't want to think about them being gone, we have to deal with it."

Elsa nodded numbly. She was no more looking forward to dealing with the deaths of their best friends. "And we need to relieve Rapunzel. Hopefully there hasn't been any further chaos over these last two days."

"Freya knows Arendelle has had enough for a while," Anna sighed as her fingers drifted down to Elsa's torso, lightly trailing down the silken ice fabric that made up her dress. "Are we going to recognize the castle guards who died in the assassination attempt as well?"

Elsa nodded. "Absolutely. They gave their lives trying to protect us the same way Ygrit and Idunn did."

Anna lowered her head again, resting her cheek against Elsa's chest. "Then why does it hurt so much more when I think about the two of them than it does when I think about the guards?" She paused before quietly adding, "Does that make me a bad person?"

Elsa shook her head, closing her eyes against the sting of tears welling below the surface. "No, my love, it certainly doesn't. It hurts so much more when you think of them because they were our close friends, essentially our family. We grew up with them from the time we were young, and we'll miss them every day. It doesn't mean that you think less of the guards, just that you knew them less well than you did Idunn and Ygrit."

"We have to do something special for them."

"We will. That I promise you." Elsa considered her thoughts briefly. "I have a few ideas I'd like to discuss with you, but I think that might be best accomplished on the trip back to Arendelle, in case our emotions get the best of us."

"Probably a good idea," Anna said before yawning slowly. "Goodness! Why am I tired already?"

"Because we've had two very busy days. And we should get started on the trip home sooner rather than later if we want to get there before it's too late. I'd like be back in our castle and in our bed tonight."

"Agreed," Anna said with a warm smile, shifting her head to kiss Elsa's cheek. "We've dealt with Wilhelm, people we can trust are in charge of the Southern Isles, Ariel is safe, we've made a new ally in Queen Attina, and Arendelle is at peace again."

Elsa smiled down at Anna. "Quite a bit accomplished for two days, isn't it?"

"It is," Anna said with a toothy grin. "I keep telling you, we're amazing when we work together."

"Yes, we are," Elsa agreed as she took Anna's hand. The two of began to walk down the beach, letting the waves rush across their bare feet as they strolled down the wet sand.

"Warm ocean water is kind of cool," Anna said.

"How can it be warm and cool both?"

Anna looked up and over at Elsa. "It's a figure of speech. And you know that."

Elsa grinned. "I do. But I like teasing you."

Anna gripped Elsa's hand more tightly and pulled her wife closer to her until their shoulders and arms were against each other, then she reached over with her other arm and took Elsa's hand with her left hand as well. "Can we call this a vacation if we only get to relax one day?"

"After the last few days we can," Elsa said smoothly. "But it's back to work tomorrow. We'll fly back tonight, get a good night's rest in our bed, then be ready for tomorrow."

"Or at least as ready as we can be," Anna sighed, and Elsa had nothing further to add to that.

—O—

"Thank you again, so, so much for coming down here and helping," Ariel said, clasping both Anna's and Elsa's hands at the same time, Anna's in her right and Elsa's in her left. "You two turned the tide of battle, and both the Southern Isles and Atlantis owe you more than we can repay."

"Not the most diplomatic choice of words, sweetheart," Eric said, but the loving smile on his as he looked at his wife efficiently kept any sting out of his statement.

"Oh, sink diplomatic," Ariel said breezily. "It's true, and everyone knows it. Even Attina."

"We were thrilled to be able to help all of you while removing a huge threat to Arendelle at the same time," Elsa replied pleasantly.

"He was a threat to everyone," Eric said. "Our brothers who supported him have mostly fled, as most of them had already lost their lands and property to the Free fleet. Wilhelm didn't seem to be too concerned with protecting others' holdings as much as he did his own here at Islandhall."

"What will you do with them?" asked Anna, her eyes a deep green with just a hint of blue in the afternoon sun.

"Exile if they go quietly, execution if they try to resist." Eric sighed. "It's not the ideal situation, but they went along with some pretty horrible things Wilhelm did. We can't just let them go without some punishment."

"You understand your land and your people better than we ever could," Elsa said calmly. "We wish you all the best in rebuilding. Arendelle will continue sending supplies to you and your people; you can start returning the trade when economically feasible."

"Thank you again, Your Majesties," Eric said. When all three women around him opened their mouths to speak, he quickly added, "I mean, Anna and Elsa!" Getting soft laughter from all of them, he continued. "I'm trying, okay? Still in diplomacy mode."

"Please come visit us in Arendelle as soon as you can!" said Anna excitedly. She turned to Ariel and added, "We'll actually let you come in the front doors this time!"

"Really?" Ariel said, playing along. "No more sneaking in the back?"

"Uh huh!" Anna said loudly, eyes and grin both animatedly wide.

"You two are more alike than you seem," Elsa said flatly, catching Eric's eye and getting a knowing nod in return.

"Must be the red hair," Ariel teased back.

"Or maybe having older sisters," replied Anna.

"Maybe, although we deal with them in very different ways."

"True, true. Not complaining on my end, though."

Ariel grinned as her right eyebrow lifted slightly. "That good, huh?"

"Oh yeah," Anna said with a smile and wink. "I don't recommend it for you, though," she then said. "You've already found your True Love, so you'd better stick with him."

Ariel smiled and turned to wrap her left arm around Eric's waist. "I think I will," she said dreamily.

"I hope we see you soon, Prince Eric, Princess Ariel," Elsa said, smiling as she shook Eric's hand, then gave Ariel a hug. Anna followed suit, shaking Eric's hand while Elsa hugged Ariel, then giving the princess a hug of her own.

"Safe journeys and calm tides, Queen Anna, Queen Elsa," Eric said, offering a matching smile in return.

"And we'll come visit as soon as we can, once things have stabilized more in the Isles," added Ariel.

"Best of luck with running your country, both of you," said Elsa. "I think things will definitely change for the better in the Southern Isles from this point forward."

—O—

As Anna packed the last of their few things into the trunk mounted on Icescale's harness, Elsa used her powers to dissolve the small ice hut she and Anna had slept in the night before. She then turned, continuing the swirling of her arms while redirecting the stream of ice and frost toward Icescale, recreating the small cabin she had previously formed on the ice dragon's back for their journey to the Southern Isles.

"Your Majesties?" came a softly spoken voice from behind them, causing both Anna and Elsa to turn while Elsa's magic finished forming the icy cabin once again. Arista, Diamond, was slowly approaching them, her body language clearly indicating her hesitation and uncertainly.

"What is it, Arista?" asked Elsa.

The blonde woman looked out at the ocean, then back to the two queens. "I wanted to thank you both for... treating me fairly and kindly."

Elsa paused to consider her response carefully, only to have Anna fill the moment of silence.

"Why wouldn't we treat you that way, silly?" Anna asked lightly.

Rather than reply verbally, Arista smiled sadly at Anna and grasped the redheaded Queen's left shoulder firmly with her arm for a few seconds before releasing it and walking between the two sisters toward the approaching waves.

The roaring of the tides provided an audible backdrop as Anna and Elsa watched Arista walk into the breaking waves, salt water splashing against her bare feet and legs as she walked a few steps into the surf, stopping where the waves reached not quite to her knees. Anna turned to look at Elsa, confusion written on her face; Elsa returned the look with an expression of patience and compassion, smiling when she saw recognition light in Anna's face.

Elsa reached forward and grasped Anna's hand, then the two of them turned and slowly followed Arista out, stopping where the approaching waves just barely broke over their own bare feet. They watched Arista as she continued to stare out to sea, arms crossed across her chest as she held herself tightly, not moving for several minutes. They were both starting to consider leaving her to herself when they heard her voice, just audible over the rumbling and rushing of the waves.

"It's a terrible feeling, to know you can never go home again," came the blonde mermaid's voice, resignation saturating her voice.

Elsa squeezed Anna's hand gently, trying to silently warn Anna about what she was about to say, to communicate that she already knew that she had been wrong those months ago. "I knew what that felt like, once upon a time," Elsa said as she guided Anna out closer to Arista, their feet splashing against the stubborn tide. "But then someone I loved very much showed me just how wrong I had been."

They stopped just a few feet away from Arista; from this close, they could see her shoulders and torso tremble intermittently as she tried to control her crying.

"But we also know what it's like to be estranged from your sister," Anna said, her voice firm but still gentle somehow. "And it's a horrible feeling."

Arista nodded, the motion clearly visible despite her back turned toward Elsa and Anna. "It is," she said, her voice unsteady. "But I still have my other sisters, including Alana and Adella, who help Attina rule Atlantis."

"More 'A' names?" Anna blurted out.

Elsa giggled briefly. "Like you have room to talk... Anna."

Her wife's head turned to look at her with eyes green as emeralds in the afternoon sunlight, a quirky expression on her adorable face. "I didn't name myself," she retorted. "Although maybe I should start thinking of names that go well with mine, for when we start having our own babies."

"Which will probably take some more time to figure out," Elsa countered, only to get a sly smile in return.

"And who's to say I haven't already figured it out?" Anna said knowingly.

Elsa held Anna's smirk, her own face calmly neutral, for several seconds. "Me."

Anna's smirk disappeared, replaced by a weak pout. "Oooh, you're no fun sometimes!" she said, stepping back to kick a small spray of water onto Elsa's legs.

"Don't be starting something you can't finish, Anna," Elsa warned her partner, but the grin unconsciously stretching along her mouth revealed the joy behind her playful threat.

Arista opened her mouth to offer her thanks to her two friends, but a loud splash behind her, followed by warm water striking the backs of her legs and her rear, made the words evaporate in her throat. She turned to see a soaking wet Anna atop an equally sopping Elsa, the two of them lying in the surf as they wrestled and shrieked with delight, their thin dresses clinging to their bodies in a way that would have been mildly scandalous in a few countries.

"I'll banish you from the kingdom, Summer Queen!" Elsa yelped, flinging a spray of snow from her fingertips into Anna's face. However, the snow vaporized as soon as it contacted Anna's skin, becoming a glittering spray of moisture in the sunlight.

Anna squealed with laughter. "Your powers don't work on me, Winter Queen!" she said as she tugged Elsa's wrist away from her face, being careful to not accidentally hurt the woman she loved with all her heart and soul.

"Oh, I know at least one power of mine that works on you," Elsa shot back as she dug the fingers of her left hand into Anna's ribs, causing her wife to thrash and shriek even louder. Elsa used the distraction to push off from the sandy seabed beneath them, lifting both of them up and onto their knees as they continue to tussle, now each of them grasping the other's hands as they wrestled for a dominant position.

"I've got another..." Elsa said, laughing, "...power that you're helpless against, too!" Elsa yelped as Anna nearly tugged her off-balance toward her.

"What's that?" replied Anna as she pushed against Elsa, trying to trick her into leaning forward so Anna could suddenly reverse her efforts and yank Elsa forward, back down into the waves washing over their lower legs. As soon as she felt Elsa start pushing back against her, Anna pulled Elsa toward her. However, instead of being surprised, Elsa instead quickly leaned forward but stayed on her knees, taking advantage of Anna's being caught off guard to swing her arms around Anna's sides, pinning Anna's arms behind her own body, and press her lips, now salty due to the ocean's caress, against Anna's own.

Anna's body instantly relaxed into Elsa's kiss; the grip of her hands slackened, turning the battle between their fingers into a loving grasp as she felt Elsa's arms hug her awkwardly in their current position. "Mmmm," Anna sighed into the kiss, her mouth smiling against Elsa's as the tips of their tongues teasingly brushed together. They kissed for several seconds, the waves breaking against their thighs and hips but unable to dislodge the lovers' embrace.

"Yeah," Anna sighed against Elsa's warm lips, salt still tingling her tongue. "I've got no defense against that."

"Goes both ways," Elsa purred, tangling her fingers in the back of Anna's hair, loose and falling over her shoulders and hanging down her back in wet crimson strands. "I can't resist it either." Movement out of the corner of Elsa's right eye reminded her that Arista was still there with them; Elsa smiled at Anna as she looked into her sister's green-blue eyes. "Later," she whispered softly, getting a complicit smile in reply.

The two of them stood, supporting each other as they rose out of the tide. Anna slid her body against Elsa's, their wet dresses clinging to their bodies as Elsa's magic kept the silky ice intact and pliable. The thin fabric left nothing to either's imagination as their bodies met, delivering sensations that threatened both young queens' self-composure as they slid against each other in their embrace.

Anna's arms wrapped around Elsa's waist as they turned to regard Arista once more. The normally composed blonde seemed rather flustered, though; her face was a shade of pink that neither Anna nor Elsa had seen on her before.

"Are you alright, Arista?" Elsa asked calmly.

"Oh, um, y-yeah," the blonde mermaid stammered, fanning herself with her left hand as she glanced away from the couple. "Your, um, dresses are wet, and, uh, just... really tight." She swallowed, still not looking at the two Arendellans. "A-and clingy—if you know what I mean."

"Oh!" Elsa started, suddenly getting it. "Our apologies!" Anna laughed as she felt Elsa's magic ripple over the two of them, freezing the seawater in their dresses and on their skin in mere moments before making it effervesce in a spray of fine snowflakes.

As the fabric of their dresses once more became dry, Anna and Elsa both smoothed their garments. "Is that why you left Atlantis?" Anna asked gently. "Because you, uh, like women?"

Arista turned back to regard the two queens, her face relaxing as she saw them once again wearing dry clothing. She nodded. "That was part of it, yes," she said. "But it was more complicated than that."

"Seems fairly straight-forward to me," said Elsa, getting a playful poke in the arm from Anna. "No pun intended."

Arista bent over, scooping up a handful of seawater in her cupped right hand. She held it up before her, watching it trickle out between her fingers. "The curse Wilhelm released upon Atlantis's army claimed the lives of many Atlanteans, not just my father. As most of the army was male, a vast number of adult mermen were slain in one fell swoop. My father prevented the army from transmitting the eldritch plague to others by using his powers—and his trident—to make a vast, bloody sacrifice."

Elsa closed her eyes. "He killed them all," she said, her voice nearly a whisper. "Didn't he?"

Arista nodded. "Yes. He used his trident to slay not only the drylander fleet Wilhelm had infected with the magical sickness, but all of his own army as well. He destroyed everything in that section of sea... including himself." She wiggled her fingers, watching the sunlight catch in the drops of water that dripped from her hand. "It was the only way he could be sure that the rest of the ocean—and the rest of the world—was safe.

"As eldest, Attina inherited the crown and rule of Atlantis. Seeing that so many of our mermen were now dead, she declared that we would carry on and rebuild, encouraging our people to work together as never before." Arista smiled sadly. "It worked, too. Attina really was... is a good ruler. But she also told all of us sisters that as princesses of Atlantis, we had a duty to marry... and have children."

"Ah," Elsa said.

"I had already fallen in love with a mermaid who came from a different colony," Arista said, looking away again. "Attina told me that I was to break off the relationship and find a merman to marry, to raise a family with."

"Which didn't go over well with you, obviously," said Anna. "Arista, I'm so sorry."

"I tried to use Ariel as an example of how an unusual relationship can bear unexpected blessings, but my plea fell on the ears of the Atlantean Queen... not my sister."

Anna stepped forward and gently rested her hand on Arista's bare shoulder, squeezing lightly in support.

"My... girlfriend, as you call it, obeyed her Queen's order to end her relationship with me," Arista. "I chose to argue for her, for us."

"And so Attina had to banish you, to retain her own authority," Elsa said, nodding her head somberly.

"I was so angry, at the time!" Arista cried. "I didn't realize that I was putting her in such a difficult position, that I was putting myself in such a difficult position." She took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure. "But truly, even had I realized what I was doing, I likely would have done it anyway."

"You were fighting for someone you loved," Anna said softly. "Of course you would have done it, even if you'd known how it would end."

Arista turned to look at Anna. "To do anything less would have been to cheapen our feelings for each other, to say that our love wasn't worth fighting for!" she said earnestly. "Yes, I had to stand up to Attina. Just as she had to punish me."

Elsa stepped forward and gave Arista a chaste hug. "You are always welcome in Arendelle, Arista," she said.

"Absolutely. But it looks like you've already made a new home here in the Isles with Ariel and Eric."

"And with Aquata and Andrina," added Arista. "All of them have supported me without hesitation." She smiled as Elsa stepped back, Anna sliding back into her position at Elsa's side. "I'm still close to the sea, I still have family with me, I've made new friends and have work I take pride in doing."

"Then one day you'll find a wonderful woman who'll make you even happier," said Anna, the cheer in her voice infectious. "And whether she walks on dry land or swims in the sea won't matter."

Arista smiled. "I hope so," she said. "Thank you, both of you, Your Majesties."

Elsa and Anna each reached forward and took one of Arista's hands. "We'll see you soon, Arista," Elsa said. "Please tell your sisters we said goodbye, and we hope to see them soon."

"I will," replied Arista, looking up reflexively as Icescale stood, unfurling and flexing his massive white wings from where he stood on the shore, before finally folding them against his back and settling into a seated position once more.

Arista grinned. "Oh, that reminds me!" she said, causing Elsa and Anna to turn back around to face her, where they had already started walking toward Icescale. "If Attina ever tries to talk to you about that huge sea serpent you made—"

"Jormundgandr," Elsa said.

"He's such a big sweetie!" Anna added.

"—Don't let her talk you into getting rid of it!" Arista smiled, a hint of mischief on her lips. "It scares the salt out of her."

Elsa smiled back. "Good to know," she said. "May the wind be at your back, Arista."

"And you better come see us soon!" Anna shouted as she started tugging Elsa back toward their ride home.

Arista smiled, her heart full of joy despite all she had lost in life so far. "I will," she called back confidently, waving goodbye to her friends.

Author's Afterword: Once again, I'm very sorry for this being so late. There's a reason why I don't like on two stories at once; both of them suffer in terms of attention. Throw in me working most weekends, and my writing slowed to a crawl. On the positive side, I think we're down to the last 1 or 2 actual story chapters, with 2 or 3 epilogue chapters after that. So we're looking at maybe 3 to 5 more chapters before this one is in the books. Thank you again for being patient with me, and I hope you've enjoyed the story so far. Next, it's back to Arendelle and remembering our fallen friends. See you soon!