Queen(s) of the Forest (elsamaren)

Memories

     The pillars of Arendelle were in view, the group had almost arrived. Elsa hopped off the reindeer and began to guide everyone down the twisty trail that led to the coastal kingdom.  She watched as the excitement blossomed in the eyes of the Northuldra. She couldn't wait to show them where she grew up. Her kingdom. despite living in the Ancient Forest, there's a part of Elsa that still calls this place home. Elsa headed the group, Maren right behind her. Maren. Honeymaren. Who she had kissed last night and was not rejected. The same Honeymaren who looked at her now with excitement bouncing in her eyes.  The gates could not be closer, Elsa couldn't wait to take Maren by the hand and pull her through the kingdom streets. At the door waiting was a handful of familiar faces, plenty of the Arendelle guards that had been trapped in the ancient forest. The helped the familiar people board the Reindeer then open the gates. The city was well decorated, streamers and flags were hanging off roofs and lanterns. Colours were plastered on the sidewalks in beautiful star and snowflake patterns.
"Wow!" Elsa turned to see Honeymaren standing next to her, their shoulders touching, the brunettes eyes were wide and she started to jump with glee. Elsa hates the idea of making her wait longer so she took her by the hand and started to run. She showed her the port, Oaken's shop, the plaza, and finally the castle. Elsa has anticipated Anna getting ready, as her wedding started in a couple hours. Elsa knocked on the giant gates that blocked the castle grounds.
"Do you want to build a snowman?" She said to it. Maren gave her a look of misbelief that she received with a mysterious grin from the blonde girl. Suddenly the doors started to open, Elsa have Maren the motion and Maren stepped inside the courtyard. It was completely decorated for the wedding, chairs and ribbons were strewn around, with banners representing Arendelle and union hung from the lantern posts. The fire burned red for the color of passion. A beautiful alter was constructed from chilled stone and ice.
"It's nice," Elsa said, looking at the altar, "but it could be better." Elsa stamped her foot and the altar became even more stunning with the pieces of ice that formed a heart at the back and glistened in the daylight.
"It's beautiful here," Honeymaren said, wonder illuminating her gaze.
"Just wait till you see inside, I'm sure Anna has it decorated for a back up reception in case of a tsunami or something," Elsa laughed. This time the two of them took their time getting to the castle doors, after yesterday they were dying to just be in each other's company. Both girls stopped before opening the door, holding their hands and facing each other.
"What is it?" Honeymaren asked.
"I feel like this wedding is bad timing," Elsa chuckles.
"Yeah, I mean not for your sister but for us it's kind of unconventional."  Elsa worked up her nerve before asking what she had been thinking about all day.
"Are we going together, I mean like a pair?"
Honeymaren's eyes went narrow as if she was in thought.
"I mean, I want to," the shorter girl said," but I don't know if this," she gestured to the pair," is something my people see or even know about."
"I get it," Elsa said, doing her best to hide her disappointment. "This is new and I'm not sure what it is yet, maybe we need to figure ourselves out before we attempt at telling other people."
"That sounds good," Honeymaren replied, putting the grin back on Elsa's face. Just before the two could kiss to end the conversation, the doors to castle burst open with a a very angry Anna at the door.
"Elsa!" She yelled, "I was waiting for you... oh, high Honeymaren." Anna's anger faded out when she noticed the Northuldran at the door.
"Anna, I was just showing Honeymaren around Arendelle."
"Your kingdom is just lovely Anna," Maren said in her calm, monotone voice.
"Oh thank you. Elsa, you need to come help me ASAP, Honeymaren, feel free to browse the castle. It will be busy tonight so you can take your time now if you like." Elsa and Maren looked at each other and laughed.
"Okay, you're highness," Elsa said comedically,"where are we going?" Before Anna could answer someone in the castle called her. The ginger looked behind her angrily before replying," I'm going to handle this first, meet me in the Queen's Quarters in 20." Anna turned and left, shouting at someone on the way. Queen's Quarters. Elsa hadn't even thought about Anna moving bedrooms. It made sense, she was a Queen now. Elsa has chosen to stay in her room, but then again Elsa hadn't been Queen very long. It was weird knowing it was no longer her parents bedroom.
"You okay?" Maren asked, noticing the disturbed look on Elsa's face. Snapping out of her thoughts Elsa replied, "I am. I think I really am." Honeymaren smiled at her enthusiastic response.
"Okay, well we have time for you to show me a few places around the castle, you're home." Elsa nodded and contemplated where to take her.
"Follow me," Elsa said, locking hands  with Maren and guiding her into the castle.

Honeymaren marvelled at the portraits and fine pieces of art inside the the labyrinth of a home. But she couldn't stop looking at Elsa, who walked with courage but held a look of nervousness on her face. Maren decided it to ask, she assumed the reason would be revealed when they reached their destination.
"More stairs," Maren said with a slight chuckle.
"Oh yeah, sorry, ya Arendellans really like our stairs I guess." Maren laughed a bit before picking up the pace so she could be beside Elsa instead of behind her. Elsa's hand went a little cold at the touch of their shoulders, but Honeymaren didn't mind, besides she went warm from the contact.  Finally Elsa stopped in front of a door.
"Here it is," Elsa said, pushing it open. Inside was a bedroom. It was classy for sure, with silk and velvet furnishings, a large window with a balcony and a private bathroom, but it wasn't at all what Maren pictured the spirit's bedroom to look like.
"Elsa it's really nice," she paused," but it's so not you."
"Yeah... " Elsa murmured. "I never left this place when I was growing up. After I... after the accident I locked myself away. I swore I would never hurt anyone else and this room became dark and gloomy. When I became Queen I was hardly in it. I slept on the couch most nights, if I slept at all. Things got better though, after Hans was persecuted. I redercorated a bit but I just couldn't figure out what to put."
"You didn't want to make it glamorous with ice?"
"I spend so much time around ice, I wanted to feel warm for once, but how does one who's always cold feel warm?" Honeymaren stared at the blonde. Elsa looked ahead, her eyes were sorrowful, but relaxed. She wasn't nervous anymore. She looked stunning in the lighting of her room. It wasn't bright by any means, the only lights were a few lanterns at the top that were lit and natural light from the window.
"Elsa..." Maren whispered, putting her hands around the taller girls face.
"This is familiar," Elsa said in a cheerful tone.
"Familiar is good," Maren replies before kissing the girl. The kiss was passionate but not violent. She felt Elsa move her hands to hug Honeymaren's waist. Maren dropped her arms to Elsa's shoulders and wrapped them around her neck, pulling Elsa into a hug. The two stood there for a moment, cherishing the idea of having each other. They kissed again, rubbing their bodies close, Honeymaren could feel a smile forming on her face as she kissed the girl. This is right. She thought, this is really right.
"Your smiling," Elsa said, pulling her lips away but pushing their foreheads together. Honeymaren wrapped her arms around Elsa's waist, much like how Elsa was holding her.
"I was just thinking... I want to go together tonight. As a pair." Elsa lifted her eyes to look at the girl in her arms.
"What about the tribe?"
"It doesn't matter what they think. We have options if we can't stay there. We have a castle here, or in the mountains, or we can build a new one in the forest, just you and I.
"All of those options sound good to me," Elsa said intimately. The two of them stood there for as long as they could, holding each other in the moment, not believing this was happening.

I hate to cut it off, I really do but it's already almost 500 words longer than the other ones and I have to rest I work morning shift tomorrow. Hope you enjoyed and next chapter is going to be a lot of fun, that's a promise.