Frozen

A Melody from the Past

Chapter 1: Familiar Strangers

The air rang with the sound of clashing metal and grunts of pain and exertion, the smell of sweat pushed along by a gentle breeze as the midday sun hung hot and heavy over the training yard. As the new recruits worked themselves to the bone, they found themselves distracted by more than just the heat. Though she'd tried to remain inconspicuous, it had only taken one of them noticing the presence of the auburn-haired young beauty watching from the sidelines before they were all worked up and nervous.

It wasn't every day that the crown princess was in attendance for their drills.

One of the recruits stumbled as he blocked a haphazard strike from his partner, his sword slipping from his grip when a voice bellowed out from the sidelines.

"Tyr's Hand, get your head out of your arse, Lief! Again!" The owner of the voice, Captain Haile, barked, storming across the training ground as Lief's partner helped him to his feet and the two resumed their exercise.

"S-sorry, Captain! I was…" Lief cleared his throat and shook his head, "It won't happen again, sir!"

Captain Haile glared at the pair, his scowl hidden behind his thick beard. As the two resumed their sparring, he stood by for a moment, arms folded behind his back, nodding every so often. Satisfied, or at least acknowledging that the boy was trying, he sighed and turned on his heel, marching back to where the young beauty was hidden.

"My apologies for the sorry sight, Your Highness. Rest assured, I'll get this lot straightened out, yet," he called as he came to rest beside her. Despite the harshness in his voice, there was a certain softness in his eyes as he regarded the princess.

"No, no, no! I'm so sorry, Captain Haile, it's not their fault. I should apologize...I shouldn't be here distracting them," Princess Anna of Arendelle apologized, wincing slightly as she watched young Lief take another ungraceful fall. Her heart went out to the poor boy as he quickly scrambled to his feet, throwing a nervous glance her way as he did so.

Captain Haile sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "They'll be fighting for the honor of our kingdom, and the honor of yourself and the Queen before long. Arendelle needs strong men, not awkward boys to defend her," Captain Haile trailed off for a moment, before clearing his throat. "Forgive my impertinence, Your Highness, but to what do we owe this honor?"

Anna's gaze didn't waver as she watched Lief take the offensive against his training partner. She folded her hands in front of her, clutching one with the other to keep her arms still as they threatened to mimic every move the young squire made. As he blocked another attack, this time managing to stand his ground, she unconsciously shifted her feet, as if she'd taken the blow herself. When he moved to strike down his opponent, Anna realized she hadn't been breathing and suddenly gasped, hand rising to her chest to feel her heartbeat as the tail-end of the Captain's words finally caught her attention.

"Your Highness?" He asked, again, his voice softened with concern.

"What? I'm sorry, were you saying something?" Anna asked, turning to the older man. The Captain chuckled and Anna quickly looked down, focusing on her clasped hands and biting her lower lip, cheeks aflame with embarrassment.

"Think nothing of it, Your Highness. Lief's rough around the edges, but he's certainly a handsome enough lad. Though, I do wonder what about him has caught your eye?" Though his tone never changed from its usual roughness, there was a certain playfulness to his words that caused the princess to blush even darker and begin to stumble over her words.

"Captain Haile! It's n-nothing like that! Gods, no...I mean, he looks like a sweet boy, but, that isn't why I'm here," Anna pouted and crossed her arms, though she found it difficult to resist cracking a smile when the Captain laughed out loud.

"Well then, if you aren't here to pick out our future king, to what do I owe the pleasure? Surely its not to marvel at these boys' skills. You'd see better fighting between grannies at the market."

Anna still refused to look him in the eye as her attention drifted back to the fighting. Captain Haile was an old friend of their family. Originally from the neighboring nation of Westmarch, he'd been rescued by Anna's grandfather and grew up alongside her father. Some would question a foreigner being so close to the crown, but Haile had proven himself time and time again to be unwavering in his loyalty: both to the kingdom, and to the family that ruled over it. He was a rough character, but "Uncle Captain", as she'd called him when she was little, was someone she trusted completely.

Why then, was she finding it so difficult to simply open up to him?

"Princess?" Captain Haile finally turned his attention away from his recruits, his stern expression becoming one of genuine concern when the princess still refused to answer, "Anna, girl, talk to me."

Before she could stop herself, Anna felt the words tumble out of her mouth, "I want to learn how to fight."

XXXX

Anna groaned as she found herself once again staring up at the evening sky, the moon peeking through the clouds as if to scold her for letting her guard down again.

"You planning on getting back up, or should we call it a night?" A rough voice laughed nearby.

Anna grumbled and forced herself up, breathing heavily as she looked down at her torn up training clothes. If anyone saw her...if Elsa saw her, she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to explain. With a sigh, she glared at the hand being offered to her, though her displeasure was marred by the smiling tugging at her lips. With an unladylike grunt, she grabbed the Captain's hand and slid to her feet, brushing her pants off as she bent over to collect her wooden training sword.

Two weeks, she thought as she squared her shoulders and took a defensive stance. It had been two weeks since she asked Captain Haile to teach her how to fight. In that time, she'd probably seen more bumps, cuts, scrapes and bruises than she could recall over the last several years. But, as the pair began to spar once more, she felt a surge of newfound purpose and energy as her wooden blade collided with the Captain's.

"Keep your guard up, you get too focused on striking and that leaves you exposed. There you go, ah! Watch your footing, lest I do this!" The Captain called out, once again sweeping Anna off her feet and sending her tumbling back to the ground.

"Oof! Do you have to keep doing that?" Anna muttered as she sat back up, wincing as she struggled to her feet. The surge of confidence from before vanished as her legs shook like jelly and threatened to give out beneath her.

As the princess took a sloppy swing at the Captain, he effortlessly disarmed her and slid in close, the dull edge of his sword inches away from her throat.

"I'll keep doing it until you learn to avoid it," He explained as he stepped back to retrieve Anna's lost weapon, "You're getting better, though. You're an eager student, perhaps to your detriment," He chuckled as he placed a massive hand on Anna's trembling shoulder.

Just the weight of his hand was enough to cause her knees to buckle and force her to grab onto him to stay on her feet.

"I can go again," Anna insisted, reaching for her sword. She frowned when the Captain pulled it back and gestured toward the castle.

"Aye, I'm sure you can, Your Highness. That's why this old man is calling our session for tonight finished. If I don't stop you now, I doubt you'll stop until you can't get back up," He pointed out, waiting for her to start the trek toward the castle before falling into step behind her.

The two walked in a comfortable, familiar silence, at least until the Captain spoke up, asking the question Anna knew he'd ask.

"You still won't tell me why you insist that I spend my evenings brutalizing my favorite princess, will you?" He asked, right on schedule. Every night that the two met for her secret lessons, he asked the same question as they returned to the castle.

"Will you stop training me if I don't answer?" Anna asked, like she had every time before. There was a pause; there was always a pause before he answered.

Finally, Captain Haile responded, "No, if it is your wish to learn to fight, then it is my duty to ensure you learn properly."

"Then that's enough reason," Anna recited, completing the exchange once again.

No more words were said as the pair returned to the castle. Captain Haile said his good night and took his leave, taking the princess's sword with him to keep it hidden from the others. It would cause more harm than good for the rest of the castle to know that the Captain of the Queen's Guard was the one responsible for the princess's bruises. It was already hard enough for her to come up with enough excuses to placate Gerda and Kai.

Anna groaned and paused halfway up the stairs to catch her breath. Her legs were screaming at her, her knees knocking as she swung her body forward to get herself moving again. Stepping into the hallway that led to her room, she felt a rush of relief. Just a little bit more and she'd be able to collapse in her bed and spend the rest of the night dreaming up an explanation for the limp she'd surely have in the morning.

Those thoughts petered away as the princess paused outside her sister's room. The door was shut tight, a sight that was all too familiar to the redhead. As if her body was moving on its own, she crossed the distance to the door as if she were floating, her hand curling into a fist. Reaching out to knock on the door, whatever spell had fallen over her passed and she became intensely aware of how filthy she was from training.

"I can come back," She muttered, nodding and turning away from the door. Once she was cleaned up, then she'd come back. That is, if Elsa was even still awake, she thought as she realized just how late it must have been.

The journey back to her room passed in an instant, and after she pushed her door closed she leaned up against it, moaning as she slid to the floor, holding her side. She appreciated that the Captain was taking her training seriously, but she couldn't help but silently curse the man for insisting on exploiting her poor defense so...consistently.

"Another rough night of training, Your Highness?" A soft voice spoke up, snapping Anna out of her thoughts.

With a hiss, the princess graciously accepted the young girl's assistance in climbing to her feet. She made the mistake of standing up straight and found herself doubling over in pain once again.

With a sheepish chuckle, Anna nodded, "You could say that...ugh, the old man doesn't know how to pull a punch," She muttered.

The girl was Anna's personal handmaiden, Vera. Only three years younger than the Princess, she'd been one of Anna's closest confidants, even more so since the loss of the King and Queen three years prior. She was also the only other person that Anna had trusted with the knowledge of her sessions with Captain Haile.

Not that she hadn't tried to hide it, but the first night she returned to her room covered in cuts and bruises, it had been a choice between letting her handmaiden in on the secret, or risk her spilling the details to the Queen.

Vera wore a tiny smile as she helped Anna out of her training clothes, taking care to fold them neatly before stepping into the princess's private bath chamber to prepare her bath.

"You know that isn't true, Your Highness. I suspect you'd be more than sore if the Captain truly lacked restraint," she teased.

Anna giggled and laid back on her bed, legs dangling off the side as she stared up at the ceiling.

"I suspect you might be right," she agreed with another laugh. Her eyes fluttered closed for just a moment, listening to Vera work in the next room. Before too long, Anna startled herself awake as a tiny snore escaped her lips, "Did I miss anything?" she called, opening her eyes and struggling to sit up.

"Nothing, Your Highness. Oh, mmm...my apologies, the Queen did ask about you. I advised her that you were visiting Sir Bjorgman and would be back before morning," the handmaiden explained as she returned to the bedroom and assisted Anna with rising to her feet. Though Vera was fair deal shorter than the Princess, she nevertheless carried most of her princess's weight as she led her into the adjoining room.

"Thank you, Vera," Anna sighed as the smaller girl helped her into the bath. Anna gave a whimper when her skin touched the chilly water, "Ah, cold, cold, cold!" she hissed.

"I would have time to warm your bath if you weren't coming in so late, or if I knew when you'd be returning," Vera pointed out plainly.

"I know, I know…" Anna sighed, lying back and closing her eyes once more. "Thank you, again, Vera. I really mean that." Anna peeked one eye open, just in time to catch the tiny smile on her handmaiden's lips, before the small girl cleared her throat and rose to her feet.

"It's my pleasure to serve, Your Highness. Will you be requiring my assistance, or would you prefer I take this time to clean your training garments?"

Anna considered for a moment if she had enough mobility to reach her shoulders, let alone her ankles. Keeping her answer to herself, she nodded.

"I'll be fine, Vera. I need some time to myself to unwind,"

"As you wish, Your Highness. If you have need of me, I will return shortly," Vera moved to return to the bedroom, but paused for a moment, "Forgive me for making such a request, but I must ask that you stay in the tub until I return," Vera asked, quickly adding, "For your own safety, Your Highness." Without waiting for the princess's reply, and, perhaps, to ensure there was to be no argument, the young girl slipped out of the room and, moments later, Anna heard the sound of her bedroom door opening.

As soon as she heard the door close, Anna's eyes slid shut. Lying back and trying to relax, her mind drifted unbidden back to the question that the Captain had posed to her for a fortnight.

Why did she want to learn to fight?

The first answer that leapt to the forefront of her thoughts was that she enjoyed it. In spite of the soreness spreading through her limbs and the dull ache she'd grown accustomed to, it really was the truth. Watching the recruits train had become a guilty pleasure of hers in recent years. Not to ogle at their muscles, but to, instead, quiet the restlessness she'd felt ever since losing her parents.

Her parents. Now, maybe that was an even more honest answer. She'd been so young, and they'd been taken away so needlessly. Perhaps there was a part of her that was desperate to find some kind of control, some kind of strength to overcome the anguish that still gnawed at her heart whenever she passed by one of their portraits.

As a chill ran down her spine, Anna's eyes opened halfway, peering up at the dancing shadows cast by the candles lighting her bath chamber. Before she could stop herself, her lips parted and a single word escaped.

"Elsa…" she whispered, wrapping her arms around her middle as another chill ran down her spine. She didn't mean to chase off the cold, no, instead she wished to embrace it, as if, somehow, it might bring her closer to the queen she called her sister.

She recalled over the years the number of times she'd seen some hidden suffering in Elsa's eyes before a closing door separated them once again. She recalled how helpless she'd felt at the coronation when Elsa's powers had been revealed. She recalled the perilous trip up the North Mountain, how her impatience and weakness had nearly cost her and Kristoff their lives.

Anna pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. Her body screamed out and sent a blinding surge of pain through her middle, but she didn't shy away from that feeling. It couldn't begin to compare with the pain she'd felt when she saw Hans' blade raised, ready to strike her sister down.

She'd managed to save Elsa's life, and Elsa had, in turn, saved hers. Not even a month had yet passed since that day, and life had become...different, to be certain.

They passed by one another in the halls as Elsa went from meeting to meeting, her duties as queen keeping her occupied. They ate together when they could, and, sometimes, they managed to find a moment to themselves to try to rebuild the relationship that time had stolen from them. But...as hours turned to days, and days to weeks, Anna felt that, though they spoke more than ever before, she found herself struggling to recapture that same feeling she faintly recalled from their childhood.

She was Elsa, her sister, but now she was also Queen Elsa of Arendelle. She was the sister Anna recalled being her best friend and yet...at the same time, she was a completely different person.

Did she still sing to herself when she thought no one else was around? Did she still love to get lost in a book for days at a time? As much as she cherished having her sister back, the princess found it hard to ignore the uncertainty she still felt whenever the two were alone together. Elsa was a part of her life again...but, they were still so far apart.

That thought alone was enough to suffer through Captain Haile's training. The indignity of defeat, the aching and soreness, it was just enough to dull the unbearable pain she felt when she realized that, even after everything they'd been through, they may never again have what was taken from them.

Did that make her a bad sister? Did it make her something worse? Her heart ached whenever she thought of Elsa, an ache so profound she'd rather be pummeled into submission than bare it for even a moment.

I love you.

As Anna soundlessly mouthed those words, words she'd spoken so freely and perhaps carelessly when Elsa woke her from death's embrace, she opened her eyes and flashed a tiny smile for the shadows dancing on the ceiling. Even through all the uncertainty, through the ache she felt when she tried to fit the here and now into her memories of the then and gone: she knew that she loved Elsa with all her heart.

That was the one thing of which her certainty never wavered.

Closing her eyes once more, Anna decided to wait until Vera came back to finish washing. Drifting in and out of sleep, the redhead hummed to herself. She wasn't sure where she'd heard it before, or why it came unbidden into her thoughts, but it was a song that felt so natural she couldn't help but continue to sing as she waited for her handmaiden's return.

XXXX

It was just after midnight when Anna slipped out of her room, dressed in her nightgown and already nursing a noticeable limp as she made her way back down the hall to her sister's room. She had considered simply going to sleep, but after tossing and turning for what seemed like forever, Anna accepted that, in spite of her fatigue, she just couldn't bring herself to fall asleep alone. And yet, when she reached the door to the Queen's bedroom, her knuckles froze inches away from the polished wooden surface.

What if Elsa was already asleep? What if she wanted to be alone? Maybe she'd been struggling with her own insomnia and had only just managed to drift off? She was the queen, didn't she need her rest to wake early?

"Is someone there?" A gentle voice called out from within the room.

Anna jumped, startled as she realized just how heavily she'd been breathing, and when she realized that her hand had been trembling and knocking against the door. Taking a deep breath and trying to settle her nerves, she gave the door a proper, respectful knock.

"E-Elsa? Are...are you still up? C-can I-!" Anna cleared her throat as the words began to form a lump that was cutting off her air, "Can I come in?" she finally asked, her voice breaking halfway through her request. Anna could feel her chest tightening once again and became increasingly aware of her breathing as the silence following her request seemed to grow longer and longer.

"I am. Please, come in, Anna," the queen replied after what seemed like forever. In reality, not even a second had passed.

It took Anna a moment to register her sister's response, but once the words became clear, she fumbled with the knob and quickly hurried inside. Realizing that she must have seemed in a hurry or frantic, Anna stopped in the doorway as casually a she could, trying to hide her eagerness. The panic she'd felt before melted away when her eyes locked with Elsa's, one perfect eyebrow arched and concern clear in her expression. The queen was lying in bed, on top of the covers with her back resting against the headboard. She closed the book in her lap and set it aside as she turned her full attention to her sister.

"Anna, are you alright?"

Elsa's voice, thick with worry, snapped the princess from her daze.

"Am I what? Oh...oh! Right, oh, gods, sorry! I know it's late, but I was just having trouble sleeping and, well, we haven't seen each other all day and I just…" Anna trailed off with a sigh, suddenly unsure about what to do with her hands. She reached up to brush her hair away from her face, flinching when her shoulder ached in protest. Her gaze fell on the book that Elsa had been holding and she couldn't help grinning with excitement.

"Were you reading? Is that...do you like reading? I mean, I know you used to like reading, but, I guess I haven't seen you read in a while, and I mean, that's probably stupid, of course you read, you are the queen. I guess I just…that's...still something...you do?" she finally asked, the tightness in her chest unwinding when Elsa laughed softly and nodded, resting her hand on the book's cover.

"It is, and I do. For the longest time it felt like...it was the only way I'd ever get to…" Elsa paused, her expression becoming unreadable.

"Get to leave the castle?" Anna finished for her, wincing as she leaned against the door frame. Her legs were trembling, her knees ready to give out, but she willed away those feelings of weakness. She'd stand forever if it meant this conversation could keep going.

Elsa smiled again and nodded, "That's right...on days like today, I think it may not be any further from the truth than it was back then."

Anna frowned, "Busy day?" When Elsa nodded, she bit her lip for a moment before continuing, "Wanna talk about it?"

The pain Anna had been suppressing seemed to vanish entirely when Elsa turned to her with a grateful smile.

"I'd like that...won't you join me?" The queen asked, patting the spot beside her on the bed when a minute passed and it seemed like Anna wasn't going to accept her invitation.

Anna nodded and stepped inside, closing the door behind her. She silently cursed herself when, after no more than two steps, her right knee gave out and she stumbled, hand instinctively flying to her injured side as the sudden movement agitated her bruise. She quickly shook her head and held her hand out, motioning for Elsa to stay where she was.

"No, no, it's okay! I'm fine, just...a bit sore, that's all," She explained, a relieved sigh escaping her when she slid into Elsa's soft bed, resting her back against the headboard, mirroring Elsa's pose. After taking a moment to catch her breath, she turned to her sister and flashed her a smile that was only lightly marred by a grimace of pain, "So, rough day of ruling?"

It was clear that Elsa didn't entirely buy Anna's flimsy excuse. But, thankfully, she didn't push the issue. Laying her head back against the headboard, the queen gave a rather heavy sigh.

"It was...trying," Elsa began to explain. Her lips pursed, her nose scrunching in a way that Anna couldn't help but describe as adorable, as she considered how to continue, "It will still be some time before Arendelle recovers from the loss of crops and livestock caused by...recent events."

Recent events, Anna thought, was certainly one way to refer to what others throughout the kingdom were calling the "Eternal Winter." The redhead opened her mouth to console her sister, but the queen continued.

"And that's just Arendelle. The surrounding villages were devastated, and our nearest neighbors are reporting losses similar to those we've suffered," Elsa's hands trembled as she folded them in her lap. There was a noticeable drop in the temperature of the room as hers and Anna's breath became visible, "Repairing the damage I've caused is going to take months, even years. And that's only accounting for the material loss. The loss of confidence, of our people and our neighbors and allies...that may take a lifetime…"

"Maybe it will...but, you can't blame yourself for what happened, Elsa. It wasn't your fault," Anna insisted, her fingers flinching as she resisted the urge to reach out to her sister. After a moment of silent struggle, she quit resisting, reaching out and rubbing Elsa's shoulder gently. Her heart raced ever so slightly when Elsa rested her cheek against Anna's hand, "You'll win back their trust, and more. I know you will. You're going, no," She shook her head, "No, you ARE an amazing queen. They only need time to see that."

Elsa sighed and reached up to her shoulder taking Anna's hand in her own and squeezing it tight, "I wish I had your optimism…" she murmured.

Anna visibly flinched as she felt that familiar ache in her heart, recognizing the far-too-familiar suffering in her sister's eyes.

"Did anything else happen?" She asked, her voice so soft she almost couldn't hear herself speak. The two sat in silence for a moment, before the queen gave an almost comically big sigh that brought a smile to Anna's face.

"I spent so much of today receiving correspondence from our neighbors and allies," She finally turned to face Anna, a look of utter exasperation overtaking her previously distraught mood, "The Duke of Weselton is demanding that I reconsider my decision to cease trade with his nation," Elsa rolled her eyes, an uncharacteristically candid moment that earned a giggle from her sister, "As if leading an uprising against the crown and an attempt on my life was merely a misunderstanding."

"Ah yes," Anna managed between giggles, "It's so complicated, he wanted you dead and you didn't die. Just a little misunderstanding," Elsa's laughter was enough to make Anna's heart race, but when she gave her hand another squeeze, the princess felt that same surge of confidence that had filled her when she was sparring with the Captain.

Still laughing, Elsa nodded, "Of course, how could I be so mistaken?" The two laughed again, until a comfortable silence fell over the room. "I haven't decided yet how to respond to his demands," Elsa admitted.

"Is he demanding or begging?" Anna asked. She was delighted when Elsa responded without missing a beat.

"I'm certain the some men don't know the difference," she muttered.

Eager to keep the conversation from fading, and feeling inspired seeing this less stately, less proper side of Elsa, Anna cleared her throat and spoke in her most dignified voice.

"After careful consideration of your proposal, I have decided that you should shove it up your-" Anna giggled when Elsa gave her a tiny shove and gasped "Anna!" Despite the tone of her voice, it was clear from the look in her eyes, and the way she began to giggle uncontrollably that the queen must have approved of the princess's response.

"What? I think it's appropriate! The man tried to have you killed, there's no law saying you have to forgive him!" Anna insisted.

Elsa shook her head, fighting to get her smile under control. She paused for a moment before she began to laugh again. Taking a deep breath and letting it out, returning the room to its original temperature, she cleared her throat.

Anna sat enraptured as Elsa effortlessly transformed into the Queen of Arendelle.

"Most Honored Duke of Weselton, I hope this missive finds you well. I have received your proposal, and have given it my most thoughtful consideration. Our nations have long been friends and allies in trade and diplomacy, a relationship that I hope should not be sullied by such trivialities as insurrection and assassination. To ensure the continuation of such a prosperous relationship, I shall reconsider my decision on the eve that the sun sets in the east or when the last star vanishes from the night sky, whichever shall first come to pass," Elsa finished, maintaining her composure for a moment before she began to giggle uncontrollably once again.

"I'm sorry, that was terrible," Elsa apologized, still fighting to control her laughter.

"What? That was incredible!" Anna exclaimed, "Mine was juvenile, yours was so...majestic. See? I told you, you're an amazing queen, Elsa!"

Elsa laughed again, "I should hope I have more to offer my kingdom than pretty insults."

And just like that, like a candle had been snuffed out, Anna felt the mood darken as Elsa turned away, her smile slowly fading. Refusing to let the evening end on a sour note, and finding it harder to keep upright as sleep threatened to overwhelm her, Anna slid a bit closer, resting her head on Elsa's shoulder. Wrapping her arms around Elsa's, she laced her fingers through her sister's before motioning toward the book that had been set to the side.

"What were you reading?" she asked, stifling a yawn.

Elsa glanced over to the book, picking it up with her free hand.

"The Tales and Travels of Jarro Lightfeather. It's about a talented young man who lost his parents when he was very young...he goes on adventures around the world, hunting for mysterious artifacts and hidden treasures, hoping that if he makes enough of a name for himself they might return one day," she explained, opening the book to the place where she had left off, setting a bookmarker she'd had since she was a girl on the stand beside her bed.

There was a moment of hesitation, both sisters knowing what they wanted next, but neither sure if they should be the one to ask. Finally, Elsa broke the silence.

"Do you...want me to read it to you?" She asked in a small voice, a stark contrast to the authority she'd spoken with earlier, "Like...I used to?" she finished, turning to Anna.

The redhead bit her lip, afraid of what she might say if she opened her mouth. Without a word, she simply nodded and snuggled closer to her sister. As Elsa began to read, Anna felt her eyes growing heavier with each passing moment. She wanted nothing more than to stay awake all night, listening to the voices Elsa had given each of the characters, listening to her voice rise as she read an exciting passage, or to the way her words hitched as the characters fell into peril.

As much as she would have loved to stay up all night, her eyes eventually grew too heavy, and she felt herself drifting off to sleep. While it wasn't what she wanted most...she considered it a close second choice.

XXXX

Outside, a storm raged on, heavy raindrops slamming against their tiny wooden shack, threatening to topple it over as every angry peel of thunder shook its walls. Inside, the pair were curled up together, a tangle of hair and limbs as they rode out the storm beneath several thick wool blankets. There was a fire crackling in the fireplace, but its warm glow only cast so far, its dwindling cinders desperately trying to stay lit as a thin layer of ice coated the walls.

"You still awake?" She asked, peeking one eye open. Her companion was facing away from her, her body trembling as she frantically drew in panicked breaths, every one of them visible in a spray of snowflakes. The redhead frowned, her fingers lightly trailing across her partner's hip as one arm wrapped around her waist, the other carefully sliding underneath her neck and around her shoulders to pull her even closer. She breathed in deep as she buried her nose in her beloved's snow-white hair, a sigh escaping her lips.

"I hate storms…" The white-haired woman mumbled, both hands tightly clutching the one the redhead had wrapped around her shoulders.

"I know, I know...you're okay, I'm here, okay?" The redhead assured her, pressing her lips against her companion's neck. The two snuggled closer together, the redhead smiling when she heard a soft moan escape her partner's lips.

They stayed like that for what seemed like forever, until another deafening crack of thunder rattled the shack, causing her partner to smother a shriek behind her hands and the redhead to tighten her protective embrace. When the rumble faded, the soft sound of sobbing joined the chorus of the raging storm.

"Will...will you sing to me?" the white-haired woman asked, her voice just a ghost of a whisper.

The redhead nodded, her lips parting ever so slightly as she began to sing. Though she was tired and her song was little more than a whisper itself, its haunting melody seemed to drown out the roaring thunder, until it was all either of them could hear.