How odd it was, to have within her grasp everything Elsa ever wanted.

The last six weeks had passed within the space of a breath. So much had been left in disarray, and there was so much to do. And yet, Elsa's duties were no longer weights burdening her shoulders. She felt lighter; buoyant, even. Everything felt so much easier, with Anna by her side.

Her sister attended her council meetings, and was taking a more active role in the town's day-to-day planning. She was often found by Franz's side, during his inspection of the village. Her adventures abroad had sparked a new confidence in Anna. It shined out of her when she spoke. When she talked; people listened. Her enthusiasm caught and spread like tinder. Elsa basked in that warmth.

Only one uncertainty lingered in Elsa.

She'd still not yet come to a decision regarding her marriage.

Sat on her desk was a letter from Prince Jareth, containing an apology for the part he played in the farce.

I will leave the decision in your hands, your Majesty. We can have the marriage annulled, or if you think the situation amenable, we can continue our union as a formality. I would not reside in Arendelle if you did not desire it. I wonder if this situation would be agreeable to both of us.

Jareth did not speak the words, yet they were said nonetheless.

He wonders, indeed.

It was a terribly sensible suggestion, and yet Elsa could not yet bring herself to pen a reply.

She found herself watching Anna, and her light, instead.

"I wanted to offer you your old job back, Mr Schmidt."

In the parlour room, Schmidt sat as stiff as an old board, awkwardly holding a cup of tea that Kai had thrust upon him.

"Oh, well. I'm honoured, your Majesty, but…"

This was turning out more poorly than Elsa imagined.

"I'm not sure I'm the man for the job. In fact, I'm not sure what kind of man I am at all." He was right; he looked lost. Perpetual perplexity pinched in between his eyebrows, Schmidt looked not all quite there. He had, after all, been under a spell for the last seventeen years.

"Do you remember anything?" Elsa asked.

"I do, your Majesty. Or at least, I think I do. It doesn't seem quite like my own memories. Like I've been living as someone else all these years past. And now, I'm told my wife gone, even though I can hardly remember her face. All I know is that I wasn't here for her when she needed me."

Elsa's heart ached. "Mr Schmidt, you know it wasn't your fault," she said.

"And yet that doesn't change anything," he said.

"No…" Elsa put her cup down with a clatter. "No, I suppose it doesn't."

"As well as that, I turned against my own country, against King Agnar's own daughters." Schmidt's head hung limply. "I had a daughter once, you know. Elsinore. Named after yourself, funnily enough."

He didn't laugh; neither did Elsa.

She stood, and crossed the space between them to sit beside him on the settee, placing her hand on his own.

"Your Majesty—" he stuttered, flushing red.

"Elsinore would never want you to blame yourself for what happened," Elsa said. "And above all else, I know she wishes she could've been with you."

"How do you know all this?"

"I know."

Schmidt stopped, caught by something in Elsa's eye.

"I don't know why, but I believe you."

Tears rolled down his face; he touched his wet cheek, baffled. Elsa handed him a handkerchief.

"Please think about my offer. Arendelle would love to have you home."

"Olaf told me I'd find you here, but I thought he was joking."

Elsa stepped carefully over the window frame and out onto the unsteady tiled roof; a difficult feat to do in a ball gown. Anna had spread a checkered blanket out, with a picnic basket, of all things.

"You do know we have a party to get to in an hour?" Elsa asked, terse. She'd spent all morning organizing, while Anna had been AWOL.

"Exactly. Which is why I invited you to my super secret picnic spot, so we could relax first."

Anna was dressed and ready for the party, it was true. She wore a lovely lilac-coloured gown, her hair plaited above her head. She patted the part of the checkered blanket beside her.

Elsa looked about. "I didn't even know you could get out onto the roof here," she said, stepping carefully over chimney pots. It was secluded too, looking down over the courtyard. "Could anyone see us up here?"

"Only if they were sitting right there," Anna said, pointing over to the stable roof. "I told you, it's my super secret spot. I used to come here all of the time to hide from our tutor."

"A-ha, I see," said Elsa, as she settled down by Anna's side, moving her skirts aside.

"Mulled wine, my Queen?" asked Anna, producing from her wicker picnic basket a bottle.

"Please," said Elsa. Anna poured her a glass in a flourish.

"M'lady."

It was a lovely late winter afternoon, the tiles beneath them were warmed from the sun, and the chill in the air abated by the hot mulled wine in their bellies.

Anna had understood what Elsa needed, without even saying anything.

They laid back against the warm brickwork, Anna propped up on one elbow, gazing at her. An inexplicable shyness took Elsa. Anna's eyes were so bright and bold that she sometimes struggled to meet them. She buried her face in Anna's shoulder.

She'd known her sister all her life, and yet this was all so new that now, Elsa found herself faltering.

"Sometimes I wonder if you were meant for me," Anna said. The statement came out of the ether, so sudden that Elsa stiffened against Anna's shoulder. She curled an arm around Elsa, pulling her into an embrace, and Elsa felt brittle.

"Everything OK?" Anna asked, voice near her ear.

"Mm," Elsa replied.

Could she really give Anna the true love she needed? Could she be that person for her? With all her doubts and anxieties, could she be enough?

No.

Out of everyone, Anna chose me. And my sister knows her own mind.

"Elsa, sure you're OK? Are… are you crying? What's wrong?"

As I know mine.

Elsa brushed away the tears. "Just happy, that's all."

"Oh. Oh! Well, good. That's good! Really good." Anna's relieved smile was brighter than the sun.

Out of sight, Elsa leaned in for a kiss that was both salty and wine-sweet.

Tonight was the Snowdrop Ball, a celebration heralding the end of winter. Spring, if you squinted, was just upon the horizon. It poked through the snowdrifts of Arendelle, much like the tentative snowdrop.

It was also Elsa's first public debut since the debacle.

Spring woke late in Arendelle, slumbering deeply beneath the snowfall. And yet Arendelle's sigil was of the crocus, a symbol of both spring and renewal.

"Presenting her Majesty, Queen Elsa of Arendelle."

Kai's voice was drowned out by the applause of the people. She raised a hand.

Elsa felt echoes of that other night. A few short months had passed since the winter pageant, dread a heavy anchor weighed around her neck. The flutter of nervousness still rattled around in her chest, but she felt like a new person compared to that night. Or, no: herself, but more. Lighter, freer.

"Also presenting her Highness, Princess Anna."

Anna scooched in next to her. "Holding up alright?" she whispered.

"So far, so good," said Elsa. She nudged her head towards the buffet table. "Although I see Marquess Francine is making off with half our pastries."

"The blighter. They're the custard ones, too."

"Ahem," said Kai.

Sorry, Anna mouthed.

"As per tradition," Kai announced, "the first dance of the evening will be opened by Queen Elsa and her sister, Princess Anna."

Elsa's mouth dropped. "That's a tradition, since when?"

Anna was grinning a cheshire cat grin. "Since I drafted the legislation and Franz rubber stamped it."

Elsa put a hand to her head. "Anna…"

"Come on, Elsa. I heard you're really into traditions." She outstretched her hand.

The crowd was already applauding.

"You really drafted legislation just we could dance together?"

"Why not? You wanted to, right? And the people love it."

It's true that the crowd did seem tickled, and yet…

Ada— no, Elsinore had told her, once, that she was no ordinary queen.

So why are you trying so hard to do things the 'ordinary' way? Do you want that much to be normal?

She had thought her people would reject her when they learned of her powers. Yet they had embraced her, for all her differences. More than that: they loved her for it.

"Come on," said Anna, her smile anxious now. "You're not really going to leave me hanging, are you? I did this for my own selfish reasons, too. I really want to dance with you."

Elsa's chest was so tight she couldn't speak. She simply took her sister's hand. Anna led her out into the centre of the ballroom, all eyes on them.

"Shall I lead?" she asked.

"Go on," Anna said.

As the orchestra picked up their instruments and Elsa took Anna's waist, her uncertainty vanished like mist under the morning sun. She knew her own heart.

"I've decided; I'm going to anull the marriage."

"You're sure, Elsa?"

Other couples started to peal out onto the dance floor. Olaf struck up a walz with a very lucky broom.

"I know there are things we can't share, but I want to start living as true to myself as a I can."

Jareth's offer was sensible, yet it was neither amenable nor agreeable.

"Good," said Anna. She pulled Elsa in tight.

"Good?"

"I don't want to share you, Elsa. Especially with someone with hair that nice. It's obscene." Elsa could feel Anna pulling a face against her shoulder. She laughed aloud.

"Anna, you're jealous?"

"As hell," said Anna. "I want you all to myself."

A thrill ran through Elsa. "Don't tell me. Are you going to pass that as legislation as well?"

Anna laughed. She pulled back to let Elsa twirl her about. "Wouldn't that give Franz a shock?"

"You'd kill the poor man."

The song came to a crescendo and a man approached Anna with a stooping bow. Elsa recognized him as one of her suitors. Apparently, now she was taken, he'd moved on to the next best thing.

"Princess Anna, may I request the next dance?"

"Apologies, Duke, but I've already asked my sister for the next one," said Elsa, polite and cool.

"And the one after that," said Anna. "Popularity! It's a curse."

Both of them were smiling, ear to ear. Elsa's chest was full of light.

Perhaps these parties weren't so bad. From now on, Elsa thought she might even start to enjoy them.

THE END

Final A/N: Thank you to everyone reading, especially those who have been with me since the beginning. I can't thank you enough for all your warm and kind comments.