Dark Paths (Helsa)

Twelve

Elsa woke up in a mangled mess of arms and limbs, Hans legs here, her arms there but they still managed to stay close throughout the night. She sat up just a little to look at the man who shared her bed last night, his hair was a mess, but still managed to look nice. In his sleep he was slightly smiling, making her wonder what he could be dreaming about.

"Good morning." Elsa muttered, laying on Hans, she moved her finger around in a circle on his chest, feeling the course chest hair underneath his shirt.

"Good morning, beautiful." He muttered, leaning up to rub his eyes and check the clock, leaving Elsa to lay on the bed beside him. The clock read 9:17. The sunlight flared into the room, semi blinding Hans with the glare off the clock, but with the sunlight he could see Elsa clearly. Her pale skin practically shimmering, her bright blue eyes stared back at him while her bangs covered the majority of her forehead, but the thing he loved most were the freckles that made their way lightly across her cheeks.

"I hope you slept well." Elsa said, bringing him back to the surface, away from his thoughts of her. He wanted so desperately to go back, dive even farther but he also wanted to pay attention to their conversation.

"I did actually. I normally toss and turn all night." He said, giving her a small smile and remembered the news he wanted to tell her last night but never got around to it. "I won't be able to see you much today. Not until tonight, maybe ten o'clock? I really hope you're not upset with me."

"Oh," Elsa nodded, sitting up in bed and ran a hand through her hair, making her bangs fall back on the top of her head. "I'm not upset at all, but why?"

"I haven't been working much since I brought you here and work has piled up on me. I have to get to the docks, sign and send shipments out then I have to actually take one ship out to our neighboring country to deliver trade." He said, twisting his silver ring around on his right hand. "I'm sorry I can't spend more time with you... That's what I have been doing and all these shipments are piling up."

"No, no. It's okay." She smiled, laying a hand on his arm to reassure him. "I can just explore the castle, I'm sure there's a library and I can just indulge myself in there."

"I want to indulge myself into you today." He said, giving her a small smirk and noticed how flushed her cheeks were getting. He was so glad he could find someone to use clever humor with. "But sadly, I have to be at the docks all day then travel."

"But you're an admiral? Aren't admirals supposed to command small groups of ships?" She asked then remembered another thing to add. "Into war, I mean."

"Yes, that's what we're supposed to do but what happens when there isn't war with our countries? We send out different ships with trade." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's quite tedious if you ask me."

"I wouldn't like to do it. I don't like traveling and I don't like being away from my family for very long." She mumbled and remembered her letter to Anna, panicking that she didn't send it she looked over to her desk. Once she didn't see the white envelope she sprung up out of bed, shuffling around through the papers. "Where's my letter to Anna?" Elsa asked Hans, taking a quick peek over at him then went back to searching.

"I had it sent out. You did want it sent out, right?" Hans asked, clambering out of Elsa's bed and went over to the balcony doors.

"Oh," Elsa sighed and stopped scrambling through the desk. "Yes, I did. Thank you."

"I figured I'd help you out. I guess I should have told you." He said, giving her an apologetic look and opened the doors. The warm summer breeze crept into the room, pushing out the stuffy hot air and filled the room with the warmth of summer. Elsa crossed the room, feeling the cold hardwood floors on the soles of her feet and the soft fabric of her dress rubbing across her legs every so often.