Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Epilogue by calenheniel, literature
Literature
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Epilogue
Author's Note: Read Part I here / Part II here / Part III here / Part IV here / Part V here / Part VI here / Part VII here / Part VIII here / Part IX here / Part X here. »»————- ❈ ————-«« Epilogue “Your Majesty! Many hearty congratulations to you!” The king bites the inside of his cheek to keep from frowning at the interruption; the offending duke is never one for subtlety at public events, and this one is no exception. He smiles as he turns from his conversation with the Portuguese ambassador, who looks less than thrilled at the intrusion. “Welcome, Sir Alan. It’s a pleasure to see you again.” The duke’s chest puffs out at the acknowledgment. “Indeed. I remember attending many glorious Christmas dinners in the Isles under your father’s reign, God rest his and your brothers’ souls. I hope Arendellian hospitality might improve to match it, under yours.” The king’s lips twitch as he gestures to the Great Hall, full of laughing guests, music, and light. “I’m sure you can see that it
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part X. by calenheniel, literature
Literature
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part X.
Author's Note: Read Part I here / Part II here / Part III here / Part IV here / Part V here / Part VI here / Part VII here / Part VIII here / Part IX here. »»————- ❈ ————-«« X. The prince paused. "That was the start of it all. The breaking point." He looked down at his hands. "I had spent so many years learning to control it, and then hiding it, that I almost forgot about it, after a while. Until that dinner." The room was silent but for the queen's deep, shuddering breaths, the fireworks long since having ended outside. "And so you plotted to kill them, one by one. Is that it?" "Not exactly," he replied. "The first time was—well, there was some planning involved, yes. I sensed that I wouldn't be able to control my powers for much longer, unless I did something. So I waited until the evening that I set sail for Hungary, right before New Year's Eve. I started a few small flames in the corners of my father's, Frederik's, Antoni's, and Harald's residences, and by the time I was gone
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part IX. by calenheniel, literature
Literature
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part IX.
Author's Note: Read Part I here / Part II here / Part III here / Part IV here / Part V here / Part VI here / Part VII here / Part VIII here. »»————- ❈ ————-«« IX. The boy was five years old when the king presented him with his first pair of gloves. They were white and soft, made of the finest kid skin, and he stared at them in bemusement. Are these for me? Yes, the man said. You’re to wear them on your hands at all times, from now on. He looked up at the king with a frown. All the time? Why? The older man’s gaze narrowed. You know why. Now put them on. The boy crossed his arms, the gloves tucked against his biceps. No. I don’t want to. The king pulled his arms out until they were straight in front of him, seized the gloves from his grasp, and in two swift movements he forced one, and then the other, onto his small hands. The boy wriggled under the older man’s grasp, flames shooting up and licking against the gloves and at the king’s skin. The man let go of him with a grunt
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part VIII by calenheniel, literature
Literature
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part VIII
Author's Note: Read Part I here / Part II here / Part III here / Part IV here / Part V here / Part VI here / Part VII here. »»————- ❈ ————-«« VIII. The queen did not sleep well the evening after her conversations with the prince and her sister. Once her public – and private – meetings with the prince had become common knowledge, even solitude was unbearable for her, and she instructed her steward to pack her schedule to the brim. At first, she managed to keep clear of both the prince and princess for a day or two, and push the inconvenient thoughts and feelings to the back of her mind. But where purposeful avoidance had been her modus operandi for so many years, she now found it ill-suited to drown out the chorus of whispers, murmurs, and rumors which increasingly pursued her through every nook and cranny of the castle. By the end of the week, she had missed two or three meetings, and instead spent them pacing in her room until snow whipped around her in a blinding flurry. Her
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part VII by calenheniel, literature
Literature
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part VII
Author's Note: Read Part I here / Part II here / Part III here / Part IV here / Part V here / Part VI here. »»————- ❈ ————-«« VII. The queen was swept up in a procession of meetings with various delegations for the rest of the evening into the following morning, with hardly a second to breathe between bows and curtsies to people she hoped she would never see again. As her steward announced each successive appointment to her, she avoided making eye contact with him, keeping her expression cool and indecipherable. By the time she was able to slot in a brief return to her room to regroup, he informed her that she was expected in the courtyard for an afternoon of lawn games with her guests. She met the news with a deep and unbroken sigh, half-tempted to call off the rest of the week's events and remain secluded in her room, undisturbed. But in the warmth of the sunbeams as they washed over her bedsheets, recalling her conversation with the prince from the day before, the queen
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part VI by calenheniel, literature
Literature
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part VI
Author's Note: Read Part I here / Part II here / Part III here / Part IV here / Part V here. »»————- ❈ ————-«« VI. Breakfast was a considerably more pleasant affair the next morning, the queen demonstrating little of the animosity which had come to dominate her interactions with the prince over the previous week. "Last night was rather interesting," he said. "I don't think I've ever heard someone try to recite Shakespearean sonnets and play the violin at the same time. Sort of impressive, in its own way." She laughed mid-chew, placing her fork down as she fought to swallow her bread. "Yes. Can't blame them for trying, anyway." "And what about that flautist?" he added with a grin. "I'm all for contemporary, original compositions, but…" "It sounded like a dying bird," she finished. "A very loud, dying bird." The princess, perplexed by their easy rapport, was quiet as she picked at her food in-between glances at them. The queen eyed her with a smile. "Anna? You've hardly touched
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part V by calenheniel, literature
Literature
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part V
Author's Note: Read Part I here / Part II here / Part III here / Part IV here. »»————- ❈ ————-«« V. The queen managed to avoid seeing the prince alone for several days after their conversation in the library, though as the coronation festivities continued, she could not escape his company at the breakfast table, nor during the larger evening parties held in the castle. He was respectful of her wishes to be left alone to the point that she wondered if he had really been “interested” in her at all. He did not engage her in discussions, nor did he meet her eyes with that wry, knowing gleam which had so unnerved her during the first two days of his stay. Nonetheless, she was still careful in sidestepping him at every turn: at private mealtimes with him and her sister, her comments were brief and given sparingly, if at all; at social occasions, she made sure that she was always accompanied by a guard or another guest; and when retreating to her bedroom or other private space to do work
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part IV by calenheniel, literature
Literature
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part IV
Author's Note: Read Part I here / Part II here / Part III here. »»————- ❈ ————-«« IV. The queen awoke the next morning to a vicious headache, and she groaned at the sunlight streaming through her window across her bed, illuminating her drawn features. Every scene from the night before came into clear focus as she slowly pried her eyes open, and she swore at herself for having a drink – or perhaps two, or three – towards the end of the previous evening. The attempt to forget certain conversations proved futile as they replayed themselves in her mind, drowning out the sounds of twittering birds greeting the morning outside. I wouldn't joke about something like this. She rolled over, stuffing her face in her pillows, trying to block out the sound of his voice. I wanted to be honest with you, Elsa. She raised herself up on her hands in a huff, marching over to her closet and throwing the doors open with a burst of wintry wind. She regretted it as soon as she saw her clothes covered
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part III by calenheniel, literature
Literature
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part III
Author's Note: Read Part I here and Part II here. »»————- ❈ ————-«« Despite her determination to be annoyed with the letter's obsequious and flowery language, its informal address of her and her sister, and the presumptiveness of its sender in postmarking it so close to the date of her coronation – thus leaving her no time to respond – the young woman found herself reading that last note over and over again to herself until the line became smudged and almost illegible. After two days in her keeping, she asked for its contents to be relayed to her council, as well as to her sister. The former echoed her annoyance at the late notice and suspicion of the sender's true intentions, given the events in the Isles, while the latter bubbled with excitement at the prospect of seeing the mysterious prince again. While the younger princess's memories of her childhood encounters with him were faded, they still provoked a feeling of warmth upon recall. She was glad to give her sister something
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part II by calenheniel, literature
Literature
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part II
Author's Note: Read Part I here. »»————- ❈ ————-«« II. Years passed before the girl thought seriously again about the story of the boy who could make fire. In the weeks and months following the prince’s departure, certain things about him lingered on in her memory – his unpredictable temperament, his ever-present frown, and his warm, gloved hands – but most of all, his strange story continued to puzzle her young mind. She and her sister pantomimed it again and again during their playtimes, pretending that the young prince was still in the room, reciting the tale aloud to them. She had told her sister the ending he had related to her before setting sail, and though she still found it suspect, it made for easier and more pleasant theater than the original one. Inevitably, his absence could not be ignored, and they spoke of him less and less. They moved on to new games and stories that could be acted out using the older sister’s talents, which had only grown stronger and more
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Epilogue by calenheniel, literature
Literature
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Epilogue
Author's Note: Read Part I here / Part II here / Part III here / Part IV here / Part V here / Part VI here / Part VII here / Part VIII here / Part IX here / Part X here. »»————- ❈ ————-«« Epilogue “Your Majesty! Many hearty congratulations to you!” The king bites the inside of his cheek to keep from frowning at the interruption; the offending duke is never one for subtlety at public events, and this one is no exception. He smiles as he turns from his conversation with the Portuguese ambassador, who looks less than thrilled at the intrusion. “Welcome, Sir Alan. It’s a pleasure to see you again.” The duke’s chest puffs out at the acknowledgment. “Indeed. I remember attending many glorious Christmas dinners in the Isles under your father’s reign, God rest his and your brothers’ souls. I hope Arendellian hospitality might improve to match it, under yours.” The king’s lips twitch as he gestures to the Great Hall, full of laughing guests, music, and light. “I’m sure you can see that it
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part X. by calenheniel, literature
Literature
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part X.
Author's Note: Read Part I here / Part II here / Part III here / Part IV here / Part V here / Part VI here / Part VII here / Part VIII here / Part IX here. »»————- ❈ ————-«« X. The prince paused. "That was the start of it all. The breaking point." He looked down at his hands. "I had spent so many years learning to control it, and then hiding it, that I almost forgot about it, after a while. Until that dinner." The room was silent but for the queen's deep, shuddering breaths, the fireworks long since having ended outside. "And so you plotted to kill them, one by one. Is that it?" "Not exactly," he replied. "The first time was—well, there was some planning involved, yes. I sensed that I wouldn't be able to control my powers for much longer, unless I did something. So I waited until the evening that I set sail for Hungary, right before New Year's Eve. I started a few small flames in the corners of my father's, Frederik's, Antoni's, and Harald's residences, and by the time I was gone
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part IX. by calenheniel, literature
Literature
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part IX.
Author's Note: Read Part I here / Part II here / Part III here / Part IV here / Part V here / Part VI here / Part VII here / Part VIII here. »»————- ❈ ————-«« IX. The boy was five years old when the king presented him with his first pair of gloves. They were white and soft, made of the finest kid skin, and he stared at them in bemusement. Are these for me? Yes, the man said. You’re to wear them on your hands at all times, from now on. He looked up at the king with a frown. All the time? Why? The older man’s gaze narrowed. You know why. Now put them on. The boy crossed his arms, the gloves tucked against his biceps. No. I don’t want to. The king pulled his arms out until they were straight in front of him, seized the gloves from his grasp, and in two swift movements he forced one, and then the other, onto his small hands. The boy wriggled under the older man’s grasp, flames shooting up and licking against the gloves and at the king’s skin. The man let go of him with a grunt
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part VIII by calenheniel, literature
Literature
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part VIII
Author's Note: Read Part I here / Part II here / Part III here / Part IV here / Part V here / Part VI here / Part VII here. »»————- ❈ ————-«« VIII. The queen did not sleep well the evening after her conversations with the prince and her sister. Once her public – and private – meetings with the prince had become common knowledge, even solitude was unbearable for her, and she instructed her steward to pack her schedule to the brim. At first, she managed to keep clear of both the prince and princess for a day or two, and push the inconvenient thoughts and feelings to the back of her mind. But where purposeful avoidance had been her modus operandi for so many years, she now found it ill-suited to drown out the chorus of whispers, murmurs, and rumors which increasingly pursued her through every nook and cranny of the castle. By the end of the week, she had missed two or three meetings, and instead spent them pacing in her room until snow whipped around her in a blinding flurry. Her
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part VII by calenheniel, literature
Literature
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part VII
Author's Note: Read Part I here / Part II here / Part III here / Part IV here / Part V here / Part VI here. »»————- ❈ ————-«« VII. The queen was swept up in a procession of meetings with various delegations for the rest of the evening into the following morning, with hardly a second to breathe between bows and curtsies to people she hoped she would never see again. As her steward announced each successive appointment to her, she avoided making eye contact with him, keeping her expression cool and indecipherable. By the time she was able to slot in a brief return to her room to regroup, he informed her that she was expected in the courtyard for an afternoon of lawn games with her guests. She met the news with a deep and unbroken sigh, half-tempted to call off the rest of the week's events and remain secluded in her room, undisturbed. But in the warmth of the sunbeams as they washed over her bedsheets, recalling her conversation with the prince from the day before, the queen
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part VI by calenheniel, literature
Literature
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part VI
Author's Note: Read Part I here / Part II here / Part III here / Part IV here / Part V here. »»————- ❈ ————-«« VI. Breakfast was a considerably more pleasant affair the next morning, the queen demonstrating little of the animosity which had come to dominate her interactions with the prince over the previous week. "Last night was rather interesting," he said. "I don't think I've ever heard someone try to recite Shakespearean sonnets and play the violin at the same time. Sort of impressive, in its own way." She laughed mid-chew, placing her fork down as she fought to swallow her bread. "Yes. Can't blame them for trying, anyway." "And what about that flautist?" he added with a grin. "I'm all for contemporary, original compositions, but…" "It sounded like a dying bird," she finished. "A very loud, dying bird." The princess, perplexed by their easy rapport, was quiet as she picked at her food in-between glances at them. The queen eyed her with a smile. "Anna? You've hardly touched
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part V by calenheniel, literature
Literature
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part V
Author's Note: Read Part I here / Part II here / Part III here / Part IV here. »»————- ❈ ————-«« V. The queen managed to avoid seeing the prince alone for several days after their conversation in the library, though as the coronation festivities continued, she could not escape his company at the breakfast table, nor during the larger evening parties held in the castle. He was respectful of her wishes to be left alone to the point that she wondered if he had really been “interested” in her at all. He did not engage her in discussions, nor did he meet her eyes with that wry, knowing gleam which had so unnerved her during the first two days of his stay. Nonetheless, she was still careful in sidestepping him at every turn: at private mealtimes with him and her sister, her comments were brief and given sparingly, if at all; at social occasions, she made sure that she was always accompanied by a guard or another guest; and when retreating to her bedroom or other private space to do work
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part IV by calenheniel, literature
Literature
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part IV
Author's Note: Read Part I here / Part II here / Part III here. »»————- ❈ ————-«« IV. The queen awoke the next morning to a vicious headache, and she groaned at the sunlight streaming through her window across her bed, illuminating her drawn features. Every scene from the night before came into clear focus as she slowly pried her eyes open, and she swore at herself for having a drink – or perhaps two, or three – towards the end of the previous evening. The attempt to forget certain conversations proved futile as they replayed themselves in her mind, drowning out the sounds of twittering birds greeting the morning outside. I wouldn't joke about something like this. She rolled over, stuffing her face in her pillows, trying to block out the sound of his voice. I wanted to be honest with you, Elsa. She raised herself up on her hands in a huff, marching over to her closet and throwing the doors open with a burst of wintry wind. She regretted it as soon as she saw her clothes covered
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part III by calenheniel, literature
Literature
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part III
Author's Note: Read Part I here and Part II here. »»————- ❈ ————-«« Despite her determination to be annoyed with the letter's obsequious and flowery language, its informal address of her and her sister, and the presumptiveness of its sender in postmarking it so close to the date of her coronation – thus leaving her no time to respond – the young woman found herself reading that last note over and over again to herself until the line became smudged and almost illegible. After two days in her keeping, she asked for its contents to be relayed to her council, as well as to her sister. The former echoed her annoyance at the late notice and suspicion of the sender's true intentions, given the events in the Isles, while the latter bubbled with excitement at the prospect of seeing the mysterious prince again. While the younger princess's memories of her childhood encounters with him were faded, they still provoked a feeling of warmth upon recall. She was glad to give her sister something
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part II by calenheniel, literature
Literature
Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part II
Author's Note: Read Part I here. »»————- ❈ ————-«« II. Years passed before the girl thought seriously again about the story of the boy who could make fire. In the weeks and months following the prince’s departure, certain things about him lingered on in her memory – his unpredictable temperament, his ever-present frown, and his warm, gloved hands – but most of all, his strange story continued to puzzle her young mind. She and her sister pantomimed it again and again during their playtimes, pretending that the young prince was still in the room, reciting the tale aloud to them. She had told her sister the ending he had related to her before setting sail, and though she still found it suspect, it made for easier and more pleasant theater than the original one. Inevitably, his absence could not be ignored, and they spoke of him less and less. They moved on to new games and stories that could be acted out using the older sister’s talents, which had only grown stronger and more