Chapter 1

Anna sighed beneath her fencing mask, holding the stance she'd been told to freeze in. She was sparring with her instructor, Sir Alden, which, at any other moment, would be an entirely good thing. However, she wasn't here to just spar, and enjoy herself, but instead as a model to teach from. Sir Alden had convinced her to join him for a presentation at a nearby university, he'd said. Yet, he somehow failed to mention that it was the university that she held a deep-seated hatred for, Arendelle Proper. It wasn't the university itself, but the types of people who attended it. Arendelle Proper was the largest university in Arendelle, and the most prestigious in all of Norway. It was the school where rich parents would send their snobby children to be taught by the best of the best.

Sweat dripped down her face, offering brief relief from the heat. She took the moment to glance around the auditorium, and the awestruck faces of the students. There was one in particular that caught her eye, with hair so blonde it was almost white, and strikingly cold eyes. Those cold, blue eyes weren't looking at the spar itself, but rather the masked redhead. It felt like those eyes were piercing through her mask to look at her directly. No. Focus Anna. Besides, she doesn't know who you really are. These people think you're the famous Anders Slovik. Well, I mean, you are… But that's not the point! She doesn't know the pigtail braids are a woman's, not a man's. Wait…

Anna let out an audible grunt as she realized her hair and fallen out, and was peaking out of the bottom of the mask. This grunt caught everyone's attention, and she blushed. Man, this suit is really hot. Wow. I need to get out of here. I need a smoke. Bad.

Sir Alden reared his head back at her, and let out a light chuckle, "Relax Anders, you've held stances longer than that." Oh, he knew how much she was suffering right now. That it had nothing to do with the stance. He was outright teasing her, in front of all these people.

"Not a problem, sir," her tone was gruff, and the mask muffled it enough for it to pass as male. The girls all glanced out her, dreamy looks in their eyes. She could hear the hushed conversations amongst the crowd, picking up in small details.

"...his voice...bet he's so handsome...he's so cool...wish he'd take that thing off…" She rolled her eyes. These people were so shallow. They had no idea they were talking about a woman. The only face that surprised her, was the dead face of the pale, blonde woman. Her icy eyes still locked onto Anna's form, ignoring the people around her.

Sir Alden coughed, breaking Anna from her trance, and allowing them to resume their spar. Scuffing of the pad filled the room, as Anna and Sir Alden danced around each other, trying to trick one another into making a mistake. Anna finally won out, as her instructor misstepped, just slightly, but enough to throw of his balance if she - Disengage, Parry and Riposte - the moves came automatically, before she'd even thought about his misstep, and by the time she'd recollected herself, he was boeing in resignation.

"Seems like I really can't defeat you anymore. That's a shame. Maybe one of these young students will defeat you one day," Sir Alden had said it jokingly, but she'd realized what it meant. He'd be teaching here, at Arendelle Proper.

She had to bit back her scoff, "Perhaps, with your instruction." The response felt so flat, and emotionless, but she had to say something to appease her elder. He granted her a small smile in return.

"Now, you go take a break, Anders, these students and I have something to discuss."

She needn't anymore prompting, and grabbed her water and cigarettes before walking out the building. The entire time, feeling that cold gaze follow her.

She leaned against the cool brick building, inspecting for passerbys before removing her mask, and lighting up a cigarette. She maintained a close enough distance to the thin doors, so that she could listen to the speech the man had prepared for these snobs. Taking a long drag from her cigarette, she caught the gist of what he was saying. Something about mandatory physical education classes starting with their graduating class. He'd be teaching fencing there, as one of their options. That kind of stuff.

He'd quieted down as she took the last drag on her cigarette, "You know, that stuff is really bad for you, right?" She jumped, startled by the voice of her elder, then followed with a shrug, squishing the butt with her foot.

"So when do you start?"

"3 days."

"I'll find a job, to help," she sighed, knowing this wouldn't be his first option for her.

"You should apply for college. You're smart enough. Why won't you?" His voice weighed heavily on her shoulders. She certainly wanted to go to college, but it was too expensive, and with the high school she went to, it's not like she has much to show to colleges for scholarships. Of course, Sir Alden knew all of this, he just wanted to push her to achieve her dreams. She is an outstanding fencer, but she hides that away from the world. All he has ever wanted for her, was her to be happy with herself.

"You know why," and with that, she ended the conversation. She grabbed her mask from the floor, and replaced it on her head, before walking back into the auditorium to grab her bag.

Those blue eyes spotted her the moment she entered the room, and she felt a shiver down her spine. She searched out for the blonde in the crowd, but as quickly as she felt the blonde's stare, it was gone. With a sigh she grabbed her bag, slinging it over her shoulder, foil at her hip. She turned to leave, accidentally shoulder checking the pale woman who'd kept her attention during the match. With a rushed apology, the fencer jogged out of the building, hoping the cool Norwegian air would calm her down. What was that?! Why is she so focused on me? What is going on?! God, I can't handle this fucking school. At least this is the last time I'll have to see it for a long time. Slowing to a brisk walk, Anna took a second to gaze around the courtyard of Arendelle Proper. The sun was beginning to set and the deep shades of pink and orange mixed, casting a beautiful glow on the leaves of the trees. The shadows cast were warm, and the small courtyard looked alive, despite the autumn colors setting in. A small smile spread on Anna's face, hidden by the fencing mask.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" A melodic tone floated into Anna's ears, and she opted for a nod, too dumbstruck to form coherent words. She turned to see who the voice belonged to, but the person was gone just as soon as they were there. With a sigh, Anna resumed her walk. Sir Alden was waiting at the gate, and as she approached she heard his phone ring. He pulled out the ancient flip phone, pressing it to his ears.

"Hello, you've reached Sir Alden Lian, how may I help you?" There was a pause. Without realizing it, Anna had stopped in her tracks. The man did not often receive phone calls, so of course she was curious. However, with a simple raise of his hand and a few steps, he made it clear that this was a private conversation. Despite Anna always being one to eavesdrop, her respect was too high for this man, and she nodded, walking back towards the large tree in the center of the courtyard. He would retrieve her when she was done.

The auditorium was scorching hot, at least as far as Elsa Solnberg was concerned. Freshman orientation held little interest for her, the constant shuffling from activity to activity, learning what was required, and what there was for 'fun'. She rolled her eyes at the thought. She'd never had time to do anything that was not school related. It was school, homework, then constant tutoring. Her only solace came in the late hours, when she could bury her nose in a good book, with a cold plate from dinner.

However, this news was not something she was excited about. According to the pamphlet they'd received upon arrival, the auditorium would hold a fencing demonstration, a sport that was reviving itself in Norway. The pamphlet also divulged that, as a requirement for the incoming freshman class, a physical education class would be required. Now, that was the real news that made Elsa want to groan. She hardly had any time left in her schedule as it was, but knowing her father, she'd have another tutor for whatever class she ended up deciding on, assuming she got to make that decision in the first place.

As she found her way to the back wall, opting not to sit around the mat like many other freshmen had decided, the door to the auditorium opened one last time. Her attention was immediately drawn to the masked man, walking behind the elderly Sir Alden. She was aware that the master fencer would be the teacher of this class, but she had not expected another demonstrator today. It was also quite strange that the masked man was already wearing his mask, whereas Sir Alden walked in with the mask tucked under his arm. As she listened to the whispering surrounding her, it seemed that this man could very probably be the image of fencing today, Anders Slovik. Elsa didn't really follow fencing, but she had often heard her staff discussing the mystery man. The only thing anyone knew about the way he looked, was that he had long red hair with a mallen streak of almost white hair.

For some unknown reason, Elsa could not tear her eyes off the man. As she watched him throw his bag down unceremoniously, she noted his angry demeanor. Wow, he really doesn't want to be here. She chuckled at that thought. Well, neither do you, so can you really blame him? With an almost imperceptible shrug, she noticed his head shoot in her direction. A gasp caught in her throat. She could almost feel his stare through the mask. Holding back a shudder, she kept her eyes on him.

The two fencers met on the mat, and with an "en garde" from the older man, they were ready to spar. She could almost feel the interest draining from her body, until she noticed how well the young man was faring against his own teacher. It seemed absolutely effortless. "Freeze!" The old man's command stopped Anders in his tracks, and Elsa couldn't help but revel in how quickly he responded. Though, the pose he seemed to be stuck in looked quite uncomfortable. Sir Alden began giving some directions and elaborating on the double-counter. She tuned out the old man, focusing all of her attention on the frozen fencer. A small smile began creeping its way onto her face as she could feel the frustration emanating from the figure.

"Do any of you play chess?" The question brought her attention back to the older man, and unintentionally she nodded. "Well, if you do enjoy it, you'll find that fencing is much like chess. The idea of tricking your opponent into making a mistake that would have them in your trap, force them into a position they can't run from. Essentially, you want to force them into a checkmate, without revealing your true intentions." To be honest, that caught Elsa's interest. It was, in fact, her favorite part of playing chess. Maybe this wouldn't be such a bad sport to take up. To be honest, the young fencer also fueled her interest.

Soon enough, the spar was resumed, only to be stopped 10 minutes later. This time it wasn't frustration coming from the younger man, but pure anger. Sir Alden chuckled, revealing that anders had put him into a position he could not back out of. He had forced Sir Alden into his trap, and would have won this sparring match had Sir Alden not stopped it. Elsa could feel the anger, but also a curiosity mixed in as the young fencer seemed to be watching her. Suddenly a grunt erupted from the young man, and everyone's attention shifted immediately. Sir Alden had smiled, and teased the young man; however, what caught Elsa's attention, and everyone else's for that matter, was the soft, but gruff voice from the man. No one had really heard him speak before, so after hearing his voice, the mystery increased. It felt like drinking a cold glass of water, surprising at first then relaxing. Elsa found herself holding back a smile, and soon the spar resumed, with Anders winning within 5 minutes.

Anders practically ran out of the room, leaving Elsa to only catch a glimpse of the pack of cigarettes. Surprise almost etched its way onto her face, before she hid it behind a cold mask. I did not expect him to be a smoker. Wow. I wonder what surprises lay under that mask… No. It doesn't matter. Stop there. Elsa shook her head, and waited for Sir Alden to finish his speech. At the end, he made his way out of the building, presumably finding Anders.

When she noticed the bag in the room, she hesitated. Perhaps he would remember, and she could take the time to talk to him. She shook it off, peering at her pamphlet to see what lie next. Surprisingly enough, this was the last stop for freshman orientation. She let out a sigh of relief and began walking towards the exit into the school building. She stopped at the sound of the door, finding her eyes caught on the young fencer. She scrambled to get out, but the current mess of students made it difficult. Suddenly, she felt a hard body hit her, and she looked up in surprise. A musical but rushed apology came from the masked offender, and she just stood there dumbfounded.

After that incident, her heart was pounding in her ears, and she needed to get out of there. She quickly went into the main building to grab her stuff. Phone in hand and bag on her back, she walked out into the front courtyard. She didn't bother to hide her smile as she caught the strange man staring at the garden. The hues of the sky amplifying the warm colors of autumn. Before she knew it, her feet had taken her to the man and her mouth moved without any prompting, "It's beautiful, isn't it?" When the man nodded, she slipped back, sneaking off as the confused fencer searched for her.

She leaned against the brick fence surrounding the school, and waited for Kai to pick her up; smiling with the knowledge that he would be undoubtedly excited to hear that she had seen the famous Anders Slovik spar in person.

A click brought Elsa's attention to Sir Alden, who seemed to be putting a - flip phone? - in his pocket, and walking back towards the school. Then, a car pulled up, and she smiled as she watched the round man run around the vehicle to open her door, "You know you don't have to do that Kai."

"Yes, but your father would have my head on a block if he knew I was acting so casually with you." She sighed, knowing he was right. No matter how much more of a father Kai was to her, her real father would not appreciate the ignorance of social customs. Always a rule follower he was, and he seemed to pass it on to his only child.

As Elsa slipped into the car, a loud ringing filled the small space. She pulled her phone out, and with a quick glance of the caller ID, she answered the call, "Hello, father."

"Sweetheart. I'm calling to inform you that you will be starting fencing lessons. I have been informed that physical education will be a requirement, and you will be enrolled in Sir Alden Lian's fencing class. I know that you have a few days before you begin school, but I would like you to have a headstart on the class."

She pinched the bridge of her nose with her free hand and nodded, before realizing she would have to vocalize her response, "Yes, sir. What is my tutors name?"

"I cannot tell you, but Sir Alden is picking him out, and assured me that he would not disappoint."

"I understand, sir."

"I have to go now, Elsa. Please don't disappoint me."

"I won't, father." And with a click the phone call was ended. No I love yous, goodbyes, or talk to you laters. It just ended. Elsa let out another heavy sigh, Well at least he's making me do the one sport I wanted to do. For once.

Kai looked in the rearview mirror, catching the glimpse of sorrow in the girl's eyes, before she steeled them again. Hoping to break her out of her reverie, he started up a conversation, "So… How was your day, Elsa?"

Elsa smiled, catching the jolly man's intentions, before divulging the entire fencing story to him, only pausing for girlish squeals emitted from the man.

"Oh I can't wait to tell Gerda!" The couple truly loved fencing, and she had basically experienced their dream. She was happy she got to share the moment with them, though. Anything to bring a smile to their faces.

As soon as they returned to their medium sized home, Elsa grabbed her cold plate of food, and dashed to her favorite spot on the balcony outside her bedroom. With the sun setting on the horizon, Elsa could swear she heard a bittersweet voice floating through the wind, accompanied by a sad guitar.

Anna sat with her best friend, Kristoff Bjorgmann, atop the roof of the small house that she and Sir Alden lived in. He didn't ask any questions when he saw her on the roof, where she often went when she was upset, and simply joined her, guitar slung across his back. When he joined her, she smiled gratefully at him, and as the music from his guitar filled her ears, she let out a song that reflected her mood. With each word her voice grew stronger, until she was belting the bittersweet tune.

A/N: I decided to try my hand at an Elsanna fic because I can't ever stop reading them anyways, and this story idea just came to me. I do hope you enjoy, and comments are always very exciting, and help me get chapters out faster! If you have any suggestions please let me know! And with lots of love to all of you Frozen fans out there! Thank you for reading! -Keanan :)