Show Yourself (An Elsa Fanfiction)

Chapter Three: Anna's Advice

As she rode up to the gates of Arendelle astride the frozen water nokk, Elsa felt uncharacteristically nervous. While she did still regularly visit Anna, she always did so at eveningtime, sleeping over in her old bedroom before heading back to the enchanted forest at first light. She did so in order not to be spotted by any of her former subjects; while she loved Anna, she didn't want the simple, gentle folk of Arendelle prying into the circumstances behind her new form. After all, she wasn't sure they could handle it. Look what happened the last time I showed them the full extent of my powers, Elsa noted drily.

But she had saved them from the tidal wave caused by the destruction of King Runeard's dam, and Anna had written that the people often thought of her as their saviour. Surely that made her deserving of at least some of their candid discretion?

Whatever the case, it was too late to turn back now.

She heard the gatekeeper shout: "Make way for the Queen's sister!" While some former queens may have found insult in being announced so simply, it suited Elsa just fine. While she knew, with some regret, she would always be known as the queen who had abdicated the throne in search of her own happiness, she also knew that, despite the title, she had never truly been Queen of Arendelle. That had always been Anna.

She rode into the courtyard at full gallop, and heard gasps as the people saw her for the first time - the real her, as beautiful as any snowflake dancing on the wind; not Queen Elsa or Princess Elsa but The Fifth Spirit - her one true form.

Atop the nokk, Elsa gaged the expressions of the villagers and courtiers who had borne witness to her entrance. They looked shocked, but not in a horrified way. More like awed. Suddenly, Elsa realised how it must look to them. Their once-queen, renowned for being proper, formal, adhering to custom and tradition and scarcely doing anything that would allow anyone to describe her as 'inhibited', was now here, riding a horse tamed by elemental magic, her hair and gown billowing freely in the breeze and a big carefree grin plastered on her face. She knew what they were seeing; the fact that her new life had lit her up from the inside out.

Elsa dismounted and the nokk vanished, causing the Arendellians to gasp further. Elsa couldn't stop herself from giggling secretly. She had foolishly been so afraid - but what match were the views of townsfolk against the power of the beautiful, natural gifts bestowed upon The Fifth Spirit?

Elsa turned as she heard voices drift out of a nearby doorway. Anna strode out, surrounded by her councilmen and chattering to them as they waved important documents in her face and sought her approval. However, she shook them all off when she saw Elsa and warmly embraced her sister.

"They said you were here." said Anna as they broke apart. "But why now? And... why here, in front of all these people? You hate people seeing your powers!"

"Not so much any more." Elsa shrugged. "Can we talk?"

"Why, are you hurt?" Anna asked, instantly concerned.

"No... but I'm afraid someone else might be."

Immediately, Anna's expression became one of regal focus. "Okay. Come to the library. We can have tea."

***

A little while later, Elsa had told Anna all about the second voice, and the dregs of their tea were going cold in their cups. Anna had tented her fingers and was thinking.

"So you see, I don't know what it could be." Elsa finished.

Anna stood up and began pacing. "Look, don't take this the wrong way, but... up until now, you've been really focused on yourself. And that's a good thing! But you're happy now - we all are - and you're in control of your powers and you're free and... Elsa, what if this is your chance to help someone else? Not me or the spirits or Arendelle but... someone like you? Someone like you were?"

"You think there might be someone like me out there?"

"Maybe. Who knows?"

Elsa sighed. "But I could risk everything by going into the unknown again."

"I know, and this time my duty to Arendelle means I can't come with you. But, whoever this person is... it sounds like they really, really need you."

After a moment of thought, Elsa spoke. "If I go..."

"I'll put the Northuldra and the forest under Arendelle's protection. You have my word on it."

"Thanks, but what I was going to say was that I can't be gone too long. It's not just the forest. We have a wedding to plan."

Anna looked down dreamily at her engagement ring. "Yeah... but that's not for a while yet. You still have time to do whatever you need. Yelena was right; you should go, Elsa. You know we'll be right here waiting for you when you return."

And with that, Elsa crushed Anna to her in a warm hug, her mind well and truly made up.