All Frozen in the Arendelle Front

If I Leave

Anna started to cough a little after having said those simple two words, she had sounded just as damaged and hoarse as she had been last night and Elsa, surprised, realized immediately that something strange was happening to the voice of her sister.

"Anna, what happened to your voice?" Elsa asked, her eyes already worried and sad- "You sound really bad!"

Kristoff and Alice hurried to sit on the snow at each side of Anna once again, waving at Elsa and beaming at her. Anna knew that her friends were fascinated by the magical Ice Mirror, and she appreciated that they would distract her sister while she tried to stop coughing.

"Hello, your Majesty!" Kristoff said, proudly holding a snowball in his right hand- "You know, it's getting cold here..."

"Yeah, thanks for the snowstorm!" Alice added- "We loved it..."

"I am making a great effort, it has not been easy because I am so far from you all" Elsa replied, and after that she looked at her sister once again- "Anna, what is it?"

"I am fine, it's just that I screamed really bad during the latest encounter" Anna explained, trying to sound as casual as she could- "Elsa, I have fantastic news to give you! We have crushed a very strong offensive four days ago, their casualties are huge and..."

"I know, we just received a group of messengers this morning" Elsa continued- "All of Arendelle is celebrating! They told me everything, how you commanded everyone to battle... Anna, we all are so proud of you, and now..."

"What is it?"

Elsa became silent for some time, Anna just waited for an answer and it seemed that the Queen was not very sure of how to explain whatever it was that she wanted to say... Anna then coughed a little more, and she moaned in pain from the many injuries that her fragile body had received.

"Elsa?"

"Anna, we know how injured you really are" Elsa explained, sighing with sadness- "You cannot even walk with your injured leg, and weeks shall pass before you can use your arm again! I believe that you have performed your royal duties with admirable courage, so I have given orders to bring you back home by daybreak tomorrow."

"What?!" Anna cried out, all of a sudden shocked at the Queen's cold decision- "Elsa, you cannot do that, our army needs me at the Front!"

"I have taken this decision together with all the Generals, not to mention that everyone wants to see you back home... Anna, the war is technically won! They are not ready for a winter theater, maybe we are not going to even need the Crackers after all..."

"I... well, I don't know what to say..."

Kristoff sighed with nostalgia at those words, and even though there was sadness in those teary brown eyes just for a moment, the ice harvester quickly accepted that Elsa's orders were the best option to protect Anna and finally get her out of the Front.

"Kristoff and Alice Snowflake shall escort you in the travel, together with a special squadron of twenty riders to protect you just in case... Oh Anna, I cannot wait to see you again! I'll have your bedroom ready, and plenty of orange juice, strawberry pie and a warm bath everyday, you deserve everything."

"It's... fine, I am looking forward to it..."

"I have to close the window now, it cannot stay open for too long" Elsa continued, now dabbing a few cheerful tears from her eyes- "Alice, Kristoff... please be careful, and protect my sister during the long travel back home... Anna, I love you!"

"I love you too, Elsa..."

The Ice Mirror returned to normality after those five words, Anna sighed with nostalgia and after that the three of them remained quiet, just listening to the voices coming from a military kitchen nearby and the soft whispers of the wind...

"What is it, Anna?" Kristoff soon asked, looking right into her eyes- "I thought that you wanted to go back home..."

"Kristoff, I really want to go back, but only after the war is over! This is not the moment to return home, not yet! My army needs me, what is going to happen if I just leave?"

"My father shall take command of everything" Alice replied, beaming with great pride- "We have the upper hand now, anyway... Everything shall be fine, your Highness, and very soon you shall be safe and sound back at Arendelle Castle!"

Alice displayed a proud smile that was also sad at the same time, Kristoff hugged Anna and the Princess did not speak anymore after those words, since she knew that the Queen's decision was final and she was not in conditions to negotiate any part of it, anyway.

Elsa was right, her injuries were too severe and she just had to return home...

The idea of seeing Northern Arendelle once again made Anna smile, and even though a strong part of her wished to stay at the Front, soon she accepted everything and began to get ready to say farewell to the armies that she had commanded in battle.

Anna enjoyed a breakfast of cheese and potatoes a few minutes later, the freezing wind returned with great intensity and she looked up at the sky just thinking of her parents...