The Invitation

Winter had reached the Enchanted Forest. The Northundra were prepared well ahead of the frost (especially thanks to Elsa's advance weather forecast), but the cold still came as a shock after life in a castle. Elsa wasn't terribly surprised her sister didn't intend to visit until spring. Her powers made the seasons irrelevant to her; ice could not impede her travel, nor could the most terrible of blizzards confine her to shelter. It made more sense for her to make the occasional trip to Arrendelle than the reverse…for now.

Elsa longed for the day her sister came to see the progress Elsa had made in the Enchanted Forest. The giants had begun work on restoring their territory to its original state. The dam had rerouted the river and therefore changed the natural course of erosion around it. There was no making the place exactly as it had been before, but some minor repairs here and there would bring back some of what was lost.

Strange, how even the structure of the land affected the spirits and their powers—her powers. Yes, she was feeling stronger herself too, even when she had thought her transformation complete. Ahtohallan had changed Elsa, opening a deeper connection to the elements as if a dam had been destroyed inside her as well. Reaching for the earth, Elsa could almost feel…

A tiny mound grew right where she had been pointing, and Elsa gasped. Then Bruni burst up out of the mound and chirruped a greeting. She smiled. No power over the other elements yet, but perhaps one day she might find herself yet again awakened. It was good to think there was always room to perfect and grow her craft. Elsa felt freer than she had ever been before and yet she was still a solitary creature by nature. Her gaze ever focused inward, or beyond other people.

So it was no surprise that she barely noticed Honeymaren until the woman was standing right in front of her.

"Practicing?" Honeymaren asked.

"As always," Elsa said. "And you? I hear there are going to be reindeer games?"

"Oh, every year. My brother and I usually place pretty good. That's why we've earned our spot as the top herders. Usually it's someone older," Honeymaren said. "Are you going to compete?"

"No. I think I'm more of a watcher," Elsa said.

"I find that hard to believe. You crossed the Dark Sea, you ride a Nokk, you're our connection to the elements…I wouldn't consider you the kind to stand on the sidelines," Honeymaren said.

"Well, maybe just when reindeer are concerned." Elsa smiled. "I very much look forward to watching you though."

"Watching me, huh?" Honeymaren had a mischievous gleam to her eyes that made Elsa nervous.

"I…yes. You and your brother, I mean. But I think you'll be the favorite to win?" Elsa said.

"Your favorite I would hope," Honeymaren said. When Elsa lost the ability to speak, Honeymaren gave her a playful pat on the arm. "It'll be nice to have a fan cheering for me. See you after?"

"See you after." Elsa raised her hand in a gesture of farewell as Honeymaren walked away. She felt turbulence in her chest, as if her heart was threatening to fall or flee whatever feelings were broiling up at the thought of what surely sounded like a date.

Was it a date? No, that wouldn't make sense. Courtship was more straight forward than that and there was no indication whatsoever that Honeymaren might be interested in her. They got along great and had become fast friends—something which had been sorely missing from Elsa's life. How could she clarify the situation without risking a storm of humiliation that friendship might not yet endure?

Anna always had a better grasp on socializing. She was the perfect one to ask! Elsa retrieved a piece of paper from her tent and scribbled a quick note to her sister, summarizing the situation and her request for interpretation. Before she even called for Gale, Elsa could already hear her sister's answer: what do you want it to mean? She didn't know.

In Ahtohallan, everything she had ever been or hoped to be had been laid bare before her. She had seen at once all of who and what she was. She had no doubts that if she were to have a romantic partner it would indeed be a woman. Honeymaren was sweet and beautiful. The numbers added up, it should be worth testing the variables.

If, of course, she was correct in her interpretation. What if she were wrong?

"This is why I need Anna," Elsa whispered to herself. She considered adding a postscript to indicate her hopes, especially since Anna would be inclined to ask of them, but she didn't want to skew her sister's perspective. Biting her lip, she decided to add instead:

P.S. I know you're going to ask, but I won't give an opinion on the matter until I have a better idea what is going on.

There. Simple, calm, rational. Elsa handed the letter to Gale and watched it float away. As soon as the letter was out of sight, ice shot outward under her feet in lightning bolt formations. Spikes ribbed the edges, forming fierce waves along each branch of the bolt and leaving Elsa standing in a small jungle of ice. She took a deep breath, steadied herself, and commanded the ice to melt. What a ridiculous thing to panic about!