Author's Note:

Hello hello. I've succumbed to writing an Elsanna fic. (I felt left out... and really need to get this out of my system...)

It has been a while since I've written anything and I'm still rather rusty. Do bear with me =)

"Is this a joke?" Elsa scowled, her fingers digging into the polished mahogany desk as she rose to her feet. A light frost began creeping across the furniture from her leather gloved hands as she towered over the King, barely able to contain her indignation.

On the other side of the desk, the King of Arendelle visibly shrank back into his seat from the icy glare that the slender blonde shot him. Even though they were both dressed smartly in similar black jackets with red trimmed lapels, yet the blonde somehow appeared far more authoritative and imposing than the King himself despite his royal status.

But, he was still the King and she was still his subject; albeit one whom he had entrusted all of the kingdom's military affairs to and held esteemed respect for. Clearing his throat in an effort to regain his composure, he held the seething blonde with an unflinching gaze of his own.

"No. It most certainly is not. As your King, these are my orders." He stated with finality, sitting up stiffly in the high backed chair.

"I am your Grand Marshal. Not a babysitter!" Elsa hissed, unwilling to back down. Her actions, if witnessed by another would most certainly warrant an execution for treason against the throne. Thankfully, they were alone in the King's antechamber as they often were during their frequent military strategic meetings; and behind closed doors, it was clear who had more power over the other.

The King pinched the bridge of his nose tiredly. It was not an ideal situation but what choice did he have? If he expected his people to take up arms for the kingdom and march into battle, the least he could do as their leader was show some support on the field. As King, it would be unwise for him to leave the throne unguarded. Thus he was left with the sole option of nominating a representative of his House to fight alongside his people for the imminent battle.

"Anna will be able to take care of herself." The King stated firmly. Electing his only child and heir to the throne had been a painful decision. But he had no doubt the battle with Weaselton led by the traitorous Duke would be a short and victorious one where no harm would come to his little girl. With the unusually gifted Elsa leading Arendelle's troops; no army, no matter how big they are would stand a chance. It was ridiculous that the Duke of Weaselton would even conceive the notion that he could succeed in this pointless challenge against the throne.

"The battlefield is no place for a princess, Your Majesty." Elsa insisted. "And I can't spare any men as her guards."

"I hardly think that would be necessary with you by her side." The King raised an eyebrow at his Grand Marshal.

"And how do you expect me to lead on the frontlines if I have to keep an eye on the Princess?" Elsa challenged.

"Anna can take care of herself." The King reiterated tersely.

"There's just no arguing with you is there?" Elsa sighed in resignation, huffing out a breath as she slumped back into her seat.

"I'm afraid not." The King smiled gently. "In all honesty, this is really just for show. Think of it as a showcase of our military prowess. I doubt the Duke would actually push for war. He's no fool."

"I hope you are right, Your Majesty. Ambitious men would stop at nothing to achieve what they want. With any means necessary."

xxx

"But, Father…!" Anna whined, tugging on the back of the King's crisp jacket, crumpling the fabric and leaving creases in the material.

The King of Arendelle gingerly massaged his temples. If he thought the conversation with his Grand Marshal barely an hour ago was hard, clearly the one he was having with his daughter was worse. Then again, her reactions were exactly as he had expected.

"Anna… we've been through this several times…" He chastised, his tone softening at the pout that his redheaded daughter had promptly taken on. "You will be Queen someday and Lord Marshal of Arendelle's forces. This is as good an opportunity as any to learn the ropes." He took both of Anna's hands into his larger ones; rubbing his thumbs against the back of her hands affectionately.

"Really, Father. It sounds more like you just want to ship me off to a war." Anna rolled her eyes in mild indignation. "Aren't you the least bit worried that I may get hurt? Or worse yet, killed?!" Her eyes widened in horror at the realisation of her very mortal existence.

"Of course I'm worried!" The King exclaimed in frustration. "I don't like the idea either but what choice do I have? The advisors think it's the best option we've got."

"Sometimes I wonder why you even bother listening to those stuffy old men. You are the king, not them." Anna muttered under her breath, turning away from her father.

"Sometimes I wonder that too." The King responded softly, having heard exactly what the redhead had said. "Regardless, I've taken measures to ensure your safety. You'll be under the Grand Marshal's care. You remember Elsa Frost?" He prompted, receiving an annoyed scowl in response.

"I don't need a babysitter! I'm not a child anymore!" It took every ounce of Anna's willpower not to screech in annoyance at her overprotective father. Normally, she was quite accustomed to having a guard with her at all times, but to be stuck with the Grand Marshal of Arendelle's army, the infamous Elsa Frost herself? That's just pushing it.

Anna had never met the Grand Marshal in person but Elsa's reputation certainly preceded her. She was supposedly the youngest person and only woman to ever rise up to such a position. In fact, the title and role of 'Grand Marshal' had been created just for her. At least that's what Anna could remember from one of her brief lessons on Arendelle's military forces.

"Anyway, I'm sure the Grand Marshal has better things to do." The redheaded princess casually dismissed the matter, pulling her hands from her father's grasp as she clambered onto her four-poster bed, crinkling her turquoise skirt in the process.

"And you'll be assisting her with them." The King instructed sternly.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Anna shot back sarcastically, giving her father a half-hearted glare.

"I'll leave you to prepare then. You'll be leaving for the barracks at first light…" The King hesitated as he turned towards the door to leave. Almost as an afterthought, he crossed the room and pulled his surprised daughter into an embrace.

xxx

The following morning, Anna paced the main hall in her riding gear, her knee high leather boots clicking against the marble tiles with each impatient step. Surely her parents would at least take some time to see her off?

The sun had already begun its ascent, climbing to its place in the skies and casting a rich amber hue over the castle. Streams of the warm, orange glow peeked through the heavy burgundy curtains that hung over each high window, leaving evenly spaced streaks of sunlight that reflected off the polished floor.

The reinforced wooden doors that separated the main hall from the throne room clicked opened, causing the redhead to spin around in mid step, her eyes fixated anxiously on the entrance. The tall, broad shouldered frame of her father appeared first, followed shortly by the slender figure of her mother.

A bright smile stretched across Anna's features and she rushed across the hall to wrap her arms tightly around her father's waist. The King, caught off guard by his daughter's enthusiasm, stumbled back a little before chuckling fondly and returning the affection.

"See you in a few weeks, Father." Anna mumbled into the older man's chest before stepping back and enveloping her mother in a tight embrace. "I'll miss you, Mother." She pulled away, only to be pressed back against her mother's slightly taller figure as the King draped an arm around the shoulders of the two precious women in his life.

"Be careful out there, Anna." The Queen pleaded, unshed tears brimming in her eyes as she clutched the redhead's hands in hers.

"I will." Anna promised, stepping back; her arms extended, unwilling to relinquish contact.

The main door beneath the archway slid open slowly; two castle guards, fully armed stood at attention just beyond the threshold. Kai, the head steward stepped forward from where he had been waiting by the doors and handed Anna her riding crop before escorting the hesitant princess down the steps and into the courtyard where her horse, a beige stallion waited patiently. With one last longing glance at her parents waving from within the castle, Anna set her jaw in resolve and hoisted herself onto her stead's saddle.

xxx

With the natural defensive location of Arendelle Castle, situated on the edge of the fjord with the mountains against its back, most of its forces were focused in naval warfare. Twenty one warships floated just off the coast, their sails neatly rolled up and flags with Arendelle's coat of arms flapping gently in the wind atop the masts. A small crew worked on the decks of each ship, some routinely checking the ropes while others loaded the hold with supplies hoisted up from dinghies tied to the port side.

Casually leaning against the window in her quarters on the top most floor of the Keep, Elsa had an unobstructed view of the fjord and her fleet. Located behind the main castle and separated by a long stone bridge with heavily guarded drawbridges on each end, the Keep formed the core of Arendelle's defense. In the courtyard below, clangs of steel against steel reverberated off the stone walls as a pair of knights, decked in full body plate armour practised their swings. Several archers stood off to the sides, white feathered arrows whizzing through the air to pierce erected targets twenty feet away.

Absentmindedly fiddling with her hair that lay in a thick braid over her left shoulder, Elsa stared into the distance, her mind distracted. The Princess would be arriving any time now and she would be expected to meet her at the gates. Yet, she just could not seem to bring herself to move from her quarters.

It had been more than a decade since she last saw the princess. As children they had often spent hours together, playing in the great hall; a memory that felt like another lifetime ago. And one that she will always cherish for it was the last time she had known true happiness.

Elsa had been brought into the castle as an infant by Gerda the head housekeeper. The circumstances that surrounded her birth had been relatively unknown. The comely servant had simply been presented with the serene child by the trolls that resided deep within the forest one morning with a cryptic message to be relayed to the King. The details of that message Elsa would never know, for despite being brought up almost like the monarchs own flesh and blood, there were still some secrets that were kept from her along with the origin of her cryokinetic powers. From the first instance Elsa and Anna had met, they had been inseparable.

At least until the accident.

In a poorly calculated move, Elsa had accidently struck the young princess in the head with her powers during one of their play dates in the ballroom. Although the younger girl whom Elsa had grown to think of as her little sister was relatively unharmed, the fear that she could have killed her was undeniable. That very night, Elsa had requested to join the Arendelle's army; desperate to redeem herself by dedicating the rest of her life to protect the royal family that had care for her as one of their own. Seeing the pain in the young blonde's pleading eyes and her unyielding resolve, the King had reluctantly agreed.

In the following decade, Elsa had thrown herself into her training, quickly rising through the ranks and to her current position with her quick wits and democratic leadership. Well, it did help that she could control ice and snow. Perhaps some of the rumours from neighbouring kingdoms were true; that she only achieved what she had simply because the King had use of her as a military weapon. But to Elsa, she knew firsthand the kindness and affection that the royal family had shown her and she would forever be in their debt.

Which brought her back to her current dilemma; she still had a princess to greet. The guilt that she had so carefully kept down had begun its nauseating crawl through her body. No matter how many years had passed, she could never forgive herself. Sighing in frustration, she scrawled a message onto a scrape of parchment and strode over to the opened doors and handed it to one of the guards standing by the entrance.

A chilly draft ruffled several pieces of parchment on her desk as Elsa returned to her spot by the window. Her face a stoic mask as she idly churned up a miniature snowstorm over her palm.

She wasn't ready to face her past. Not yet.

A/N: So there we go! Chapter 1. Sorry its rather boring... Scene setting is not my forte. Heck writing isn't my forte D:

Would really appreciate it if you kind readers could help me improve by leaving a review! Any feedback goes a long way.

I have a vague idea of how I want this story to play out. Sadly, first drafts never seem to adequately portray how I imagine the scenes to be...