TO HER HEART'S CONTENT: Part III of HER HEART

Chapter 1: A New Day

Elsa stood behind her chair at the breakfast table in The Studio. The north light gave everything a warm glow. She leaned on the chair-back, her fingers tracing and retracing the patterns carved there, trying and failing to stop herself pivoting back and forth. Her nervousness had spread to Nils and Helga, waiting to serve.

"I'm sure Anna will be here any minute, Your Majesty," said Nils.

"I'm sure she's fine," added Helga.

But that wasn't what had Elsa fidgeting. From the moment she awoke that morning, she had been unsettled, worrying about where she stood with Anna and with Ingrid.

Ingrid, thank God, had been her sweet, supportive self that morning, helping Elsa to choose an outfit and dress. Ingrid had pushed – gently, of course – for something soft and form-fitting, but Elsa had chosen a purple dress with a heavy bodice. Until she knew where she stood with Anna, Elsa didn't want her bosom telegraphing her feelings.

Was Anna having second thoughts? Regrets? By the light of day, would she be ashamed of what they had done? Feeling dirty, or angry, or guilty? Would she want to talk it out, or forget it never happened?

The dress had been an awkward choice. Elsa's skin was only relatively cool. Anxious as she was, she was more than able to make herself uncomfortably warm. She brushed a cool breeze against herself, hoping it wasn't too obvious.

Outside the door, Anna reached for the door-handle. Then stopped. She dried her palms on her skirt, the one Elsa had conjured for her birthday a couple of years previous. She turned away, and leaned her back against the wall. Forcing a smile on her face, she turned back to the door.

Finally the door opened, and Anna walked gingerly into the room. Elsa lunged towards her, stopped herself, then hurried into Anna's arms. As they hugged, Anna whispered into her ear, "You still love me, right?"

"What?" Elsa stepped back, holding Anna at arm's length. "How can you ask that? Of course I love you. I love you more than ever." She hugged Anna again, even more firmly, as Anna hugged her back.

"It's just, after last night…" Anna whispered in Elsa's ear.

"What is it?" Elsa murmured back.

There was so much she wanted to say, to ask, thoughts tumbling through her brain. But even if she could put them into words, she couldn't say them in front of Nils and Helga. She was even afraid to ask them to leave, for fear of making them suspicious. But poor Elsa, still in her arms, eyes filled with worry.

Under cover of hugging Elsa again, she whispered, "I don't have a great track record with falling in love with people."

Elsa whispered back, "Records are made to be broken. I love you, and I'd never hurt you. You're my Anna."

"Thanks. I love you too." Anna leaned back to see Elsa's smile, fighting the impulse to kiss her lips. She did, however, give Elsa's buttocks a surreptitious squeeze before stepping away and taking her seat for breakfast.

Flirting? With me? Elsa tried to glare at the brat, but she couldn't help grinning. Anna put on a face of ostentatious innocence, daring Elsa to call her on it.

As Elsa salted and peppered her eggs, Anna sat up straight and announced, "Could I have the pickled herring, please."

Elsa raised an eyebrow, wondering what her game was. "Really? You never liked pickled herring."

"Well, I've been thinking about it. People's tastes change over time. I was sure it was disgusting, or I thought it was, so I never gave it a chance. Maybe there are things that aren't as bad as I thought. That are good. That I'd like – like a lot – if I just tried them. If I opened up and gave 'em a chance. Things you like." She struggled to maintain her mature demeanour as she opened the jar and looked at the limp pieces of fish. She looked up, expecting a smirk or another skeptical eyebrow, but Elsa was turned slightly away, fidgeting with her napkin.

Anna stabbed the smallest piece she could see on her fork and put it on a quarter-slice of rye bread. She nibbled at the corner of the bread, her teeth barely grazing the morsel of fish. Oh, what the hell. She popped it into her mouth and chewed.

With a supreme effort she forced herself to smile, even as she shuddered, eyes squinting. She gave Elsa a weak thumbs-up. "Mmm," she lied. She chewed for as long as she could manage, then swallowed hard.

Elsa didn't know whether to laugh or sympathize. "That bad?"

"Augh!" Anna wiped her tongue on her napkin, trying to erase the taste. "How can people put that in their mouth? On purpose? Eww." She halted, wadded up her napkin. "No offense. Sorry."

Elsa shook her head fondly. "It's all right."

"I guess I'm just not as sophisticated as you."

"Baby steps, Anna. Not that you're a baby. Just…one step at a time." She turned to Nils and Helga. "Could we have broccoli with dinner tonight? Steamed lightly. And only if it's very fresh." In response to Anna's uncertain expression, she said, with a touch of huskiness in her voice, "It's all right. We don't have to go any faster than you're comfortable." She turned back to the servants, and quietly added, "And some cheese sauce. Just in case."

Anna nodded her appreciation, then looked at Elsa crookedly. "And citronfromage for dessert. If that's all right with you."

Elsa nodded, and they continued their meal.

"So, anything you're thinking of doing, Anna? Anywhere you'd like to go?"

Anna locked eyes and smiled sweetly. "Well, actually I've been thinking about the North Mountain. I just feel like exploring those peaks, admiring their pale beauty. Flawless. Something about reaching the tips just gives me tingles, you know?" Anna's smile verged on becoming a leer.

Elsa fiddled with refilling her teacup, noisily stirring honey into it. "Are you s-sure you want to do that?"

"Of course, it's something we'd have to do…together." Anna's calm gaze and sensuous smile made Elsa even warmer than her heavy dress.

"I, um… I'd like that. Let's make plans for that later."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Anna forced herself not to wriggle with happiness as she focused on her breakfast. I'm doing this. Why am I doing this? I must be crazy. She knew she had to keep her secret – Elsa's secret – well, secret. She knew she had to avoid raising suspicion. But this new thing she had with Elsa, it was so wonderful and strange and scary and weird and exciting and confusing and dirty – but a good kind of dirty – and new, that she wanted to tell everyone. She wanted to celebrate it, and talk about it, and try to understand it. And while she'd always been flattered, even a little overwhelmed, with how much Elsa wanted her, this morning the temptation to make her flustered was too much to resist. I'll be good. At least 'til I get her alone. She grinned up at Elsa, the only one who shared their secret. Elsa smiled timidly back and blushed a little, pleased and scared. "Like you said, Elsa, that's for later. Today let's just have an ordinary day in the castle. Just you and me."

"Just –" Elsa cleared her throat, sipped her tea. "Just you and me."

Anna linked arms with Elsa as they left The Studio. "Elsa, I really have to – whoa!" She jerked herself and Elsa to a halt, almost colliding with Ingrid, who curtseyed to them and wished them good morning. They headed down the hallway, Anna on Elsa's left arm, Ingrid following on Elsa's right, carrying a stack of paper and a pencil.

"What was it you were saying?" asked Elsa

"Well, I wanted to…I was going to say…I was hoping the two of us, just the two of us…" Anna leaned in to whisper. "Um, does she have to be here?"

"She knows, Anna."

Ingrid sped up enough to speak to Anna across Elsa's front. "Congratulations, Your Highness. I hope everything went well."

"I, um, yes. Yes. It was…satisfactory?"

"It's none of my concern, of course, but I do wish you well."

Anna goggled at Elsa, who nodded at Ingrid and gave Anna the sort of fond but embarrassed Oh, her! expression she usually gave to other people about Anna.

Anna shrugged, and said, "So, now?"

"Ingrid?" said Elsa.

"Yes, ma'am. The councillors are waiting in your outer study. There were copies of the agenda in your rooms, both your rooms, and I have spares if you need them. Lunch follows, then a brief 'welcome home' reception with the local merchants and the visiting Silesian delegation. I've made sure the rest of the afternoon is free until dinner. For both of you."

"Thank you, Ingrid."

"My pleasure, ma'am."

So at least Elsa and I can talk this afternoon. "Um, yeah. Thanks, Ingrid."

"My pleasure, Your Highness."

"Elsa, is she going to be following you around all the time?"

"Well, a lot of the time. I just made her my amanuensis…"

Anna sighed. "That's Greek for 'assistant.' I know."

"Well, you were always better at Romance languages, Anna," said Elsa with a hint of a raised eyebrow. Ignoring Anna's playful glare, she continued. "I couldn't very well take her off the job after one day. People would talk."

They went quiet as the phrase people would talk echoed in all of their minds until they reached the door of Elsa's outer study.

Elsa turned to Anna as she was about to reach for the door handle. "One last thing. Why did you specify citronfromage for dessert?"

"Well..." She glanced at Ingrid for a moment, then whispered in Elsa's ear. "Last night you did say 'tart and creamy' was one of your favourite flavours." She opened the door and shoved Elsa into the room.