Chess Piece

Journey Long Awaited

It was to be a small party journeying to the Country of Ánslo.

She had attended the many meetings with her Council regarding the preparation of what was to be her honeymoon with Hans, for she had to make sure that during her leave Arendelle was to be handled no differently than what she had arranged it to be, and had agreed that she would limit those who come with her during her trip, not even her ladies-in-waiting were to come to maintain the number to a minimum, just enough to assist and secured the two royalties.

Corona had been suggested to be a great destination; the sunny kingdom would certainly be a change from Arendelle's cold atmosphere, it was also the kingdom under King Frederic's reign and he would be pleased to welcome the daughter of his old friend, yet she had refused with the reason that the Queen should not travel that far away if it was not for an urgent matter.

In truth, she rather would avoid a trip that would require her to sail. There was always a certain fear that sat within her with the idea of her boarding a ship, to journey on water for days, and the death of her parents had only worsened her view of it. Should she was to force herself; she had feared that her powers would only get out of control with her inability to remain calm, and that would result in things she didn't even dare to imagine.

To reach Ánslo she would only be required to sit through a carriage ride for half a day with Hans, and it was far more preferable for her, the fact that it would not be their first ride together was also helped her from dwelling on the subject far more than necessary.

Yet she was still faced with the matter of Anna.

Her younger sister was informed of her upcoming journey with her husband through Gerda, and from what was reported back to her the Princess had only nodded and dismissed the Governess that had helped the late Queen to raise the two sisters from their childhood. She must have been upset with the idea of how unfair the Queen had been, to keep avoiding her and yet wish to spend more private time with her husband, no matter how it was out of the royal duty they had to fulfill.

"Kai," the middle-aged steward had been in service for the royal family since her father's reign and had remained after the reduction of the staff, and since the late King's passing he had continued to serve her and had become one of those servants close to the Queen. "During my leave, please look after Anna for me. She is allowed to go out to the town if she wishes to." There was no reason to keep the Princess inside when she was not even in the castle, and would serve to be a great opportunity for the younger sister for some refreshment after feeling so cooped up lately.

The man had nodded then as his hand remained resting on the doorknob, as he was previously about to exit her study before his name was called. "Of course, Your Majesty, the Princess would be greatly looked after." He was one of those who have personally witnessed the extreme changes that had happened to the sisters' relationship with each other, to see how drifted apart they now were. "Is there anything else you need of me, Your Majesty?"

"No, that would be all, thank you, Kai."

--

No one was getting anywhere with her.

There was a bitter smile as she sat by the triangular window, drawing her legs close to her chest as the words; the words whispered among those unknowing that she was able to hear them still, echoed in her mind again, the same words that had been spoken for the doubts amongst the people when they had come even before their wedding.

"She is young, but time is running still, and soon without children-"

Her eyes darted toward the sleeping figure on the bed, an arm over his face as he lay on his back, the covers had only reaching his abdomen. She had went to bed with him, for she did not wish for him to come looking for her again; she knew of course of his action, or at least suspected it, for she did not have the slightest memory of having made her way back to the bedchamber, let alone to fall asleep in her daily dress. Yet she had never truly fallen asleep, as much as she knew she had to rest for tomorrow their journey to Ánslo would begin, and had slipped out of the bed once she knew he was sound asleep.

"There is Princess Anna, no? She is, by royal blood, her heir, should anything happen to the Queen."

"That girl is incapable of ruling over a kingdom, unfit to replace her sister."

No, as long as she was capable of ruling then she would not pass the burden onto her younger sister's shoulders, because she deserved better than being her spare. Anna deserved happiness and to choose her own path of life, perhaps finding someone that she would marry out of love and not duty, to not have her mind so burdened with a kingdom like Arendelle.

Yet if she wished for all of that for her sister, then she had to face the reality of her own life, of the life that she wished had never been this hard if only she was as ordinary as anyone else, to born as a normal child without powers that could bring nothing but harm.

After all, she was the one everyone had expected to wear the crown, and be the good girl that she always has to be.

--

The last of their baggage had been loaded, a signal of which they were ready to go.

Among her ladies-in-waiting that were to remain back in the castle until her return and the guards ready to escort her and Hans to their destination, there was Anna, talking to Gerda who was to come with the Queen from her own personal request when told that she would need someone to assist her still.

"The chocolate is not to be eaten as replacement of your daily meal, Your Highness." The Governess had tutted as the strawberry blonde haired Princess had only rolled her eyes in a gentle manner as she wrapped her arms around the older lady, lips moving in an unreadable whisper before she had let go.

When the Queen had made her way toward her, she had lowered herself in a curtsey before the older sister could even catch her gaze. "I do hope you will enjoy your time." Anna had murmured, head remaining bowed as to avoid her blue eyes from meeting turquoise ones.

"Thank you, Anna."

She yearned for the hug that Gerda had received, envied it in the way that she was not supposed to even feel for it should have come so naturally between the two of them. Yet she settled in resting a hand on her sister's freckled cheek instead, the satin glove brushing against her warm skin, and it had prompted Anna to finally look up to see her and the small sad smile she had on her face before she had turned away, hand slipping off her sister's face as she took a silent deep breath and made her way toward the closed carriage instead, accepting the offered hand of the footman as he helped her up, joining Hans who had already in.

From the small window installed onto the door, she could see the flustered expression of her sister as she had her hand up and touching the spot in which the platinum blonde haired Queen had touched her, bewildered from the sudden gesture.

There was a small jolt as the horses began to pull the carriage, making their way out of the courtyard of the castle and soon enough to leave Arendelle.

She caught his eyes watching her, and had turned with a questioning raise of her eyebrow, for inside the enclosed carriage there was no need for them to display the same affection that he had done during their last outing, and he had only reached up to tuck a strand of her platinum blonde hair that she had not notice had fallen behind her ear before he had turned to look out of the window.

In Ánslo, she would not have any paperwork to escape to from his watching green eyes.

Country of Ánslo belonged to JabberworksBane in Deviantart for their Elsanna fanfiction 'Winter Flower'. I found the map they created and decided to borrow the name for the honeymoon destination instead of Corona for I found it to be quite common in Helsa stories for them to go to Corona.