Chapter 14:

The Redweed

Elsa

Stuck in its frozen sconce, the orange flame from the torch danced and flickered high above the unsettling scene beneath it. The surface of the sea was frozen over and what should have been a warm, humid breeze drifting across the surface was instead bitter cold. The icy surface cracked and popped as the ice settled around Elsa and the mermaids.

Elsa shifted down the mermaid’s body, her icy dress moving through the blood that pooled out beneath the mermaid’s limp form. Ariel hung over the gaping wound, her hands pressed into it applying pressure in a futile attempt to stop the bleeding. The wound in the mermaid’s tail went deep, making Ariel’s efforts seem hopeless.

Elsa’s mind raced. They were running out of time. If they didn’t stop the bleeding, Attina would die. The ice around them groaned.

Ice.

Ice!

An idea came to Elsa.

“Ariel, I want to freeze the wound.” Ariel lifted her head, her puffy, red eyes meeting Elsa’s. “It won’t heal her, but it’ll stop the bleeding.”

Ariel nodded frantically, tears streaming down her face. “Do it. Do it, please!”

Ariel lifted her hands from the wound; they were stained in her sister’s blood. Elsa hovered her hands over the gaping wound in the mermaid’s tail and, carefully, ice crept out from beneath Elsa’s palms. The ice branched out over the wound and filled in the hole, turning red. As the blood froze over and ice sealed the wound, Elsa lifted her hands and released a deep sigh. It wasn’t a permanent fix, but it did stop the bleeding. Unfortunately, Elsa wasn’t sure how to actually help Ariel’s sister in the long run. She knew some basic first aid for humans, but who even knew if human first aid would work on merfolk?

Ariel moved up her sister’s body and cradled her head in her arms. Ariel ran her trembling fingers through her sister’s orange hair. Hunched over, shoulders heaving as she wept over her sister’s body, Ariel lowered her head until her forehead rested against her sister’s.

“Attina,” Ariel sobbed quietly. “Attina, please, hang on…”

Attina. Elsa recounted Ariel naming off her sisters from the day she exposed her magic to Ariel. Attina was… the oldest sister? As Elsa observed Attina lying in Ariel’s arms, Attina’s chest rising and falling with rapid, shallow breaths, she never would have guessed that she was the oldest. She didn’t appear to be any older than Ariel. Maybe appearing younger than one’s age was just a perk of being a merfolk?

Elsa sat back on her haunches, noticing the blood on the icy surface starting to freeze. Her eyes wandered across the frozen sea, where the torchlight's reach ended. The ice shimmered a pale silver under the dim glow of the crescent moon, stretching endlessly into the distance. Elsa turned her attention back to the island.

They were so far out from the beach that the fire that Ariel had created earlier in the night was but a faint glow. The boat was still on the beach along with Elsa’s gown which still lay out on the sand. The seaweed blanket that Ariel had made for Elsa was still bunched up in a pile on the beach near where Ariel had napped. The conch shell that Ariel had gifted to Elsa rested near the fire and so did Ariel’s satchel that she had inherited from her mother.

Elsa’s eyes flickered from side-to-side remembering the items left on the beach. Her mouth slowly fell open. Wait a minute… Elsa looked to Ariel cradling her sister in her arms and then back to the island. Though the dim moonlight glittered across the frozen surface of the sea, it was still nearly pitch black between where Elsa, Ariel, and Attina were and the beach. But it was the beach where they needed to be.

Elsa turned to Ariel with such speed that she nearly slipped on the ice. “Ariel!” Elsa’s voice cut through the night. Ariel kissed her sister’s forehead and whispered to her through sobbing breaths. Elsa moved up Attina’s body and gently placed her arm on Ariel’s heaving shoulder. “Ariel,” she reiterated, but a lot softer this time. “Ariel, I know how we can save Attina.”

Ariel lifted her head. Her eyes were bloodshot and her cheeks were stained with frozen tears. Elsa wanted to wrap Ariel up in her arms and hold her and tell her that everything was going to be all right. With any luck, that would prove to be true.

Elsa settled on sliding her hand across Ariel’s frozen cheek, cradling it in her palm. She ran her thumb over the slick surface of Ariel’s face, using her magic to melt the tears. Ariel’s eyes met Elsa’s in that moment.

“How?” Ariel choked out.

“We need to get back to the beach.” Ariel only stared at Elsa, waiting for her to elaborate. “Your satchel. Ariel, you have the redweed leaves.” Ariel's eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope. “You said they can heal any wound on a mermaid or a merman. We get her back to the beach and—”

“—we save Attina!” Ariel finished in unison with Elsa.

Ariel’s breathing quickened. Her jaw trembled and stared back down at her sister. “You hear that, Attina? You’re going to make it!” Ariel kissed her sister’s forehead. She lifted her head and smiled through her tears. Elsa’s chest warmed at the sight.

“Elsa, thank you… I—oh my gods, I could kiss you!”

Elsa’s cheeks prickled with heat. That was something she definitely wanted to do again. However, that would have to wait! First order of business: get Attina back to the beach.

Ariel still held her sister. Her voice quavered, but she was hopeful. “I don’t know how well I’ll be able to move Attina across the ice. I slide pretty easily, but I don’t want to slide her across it. I want to be gentle with her.”

“I can form a sled beneath her and we can move her across the ice that way?” suggested Elsa.

Ariel nodded her head. “I don’t know what a sled is, but if it’ll glide Attina across the ice, then I like that plan. Do it.” Ariel moved out from under Attina and carefully laid her flat across the surface. Ariel choked out a restrained cry as she clutched her right arm.

“We can use some of the redweed on you, too.” Elsa nodded at the deep wound on Ariel’s arm.

“Only if there’s enough left,” Ariel said, gasping through the pain. She held her right arm against her torso, just under her breasts. “First, we focus on Attina.”

Elsa understood what it was like to prioritize her sister over her own well-being. Elsa had isolated herself for thirteen years and then she had fled Arendelle on the night of her coronation all for the sake of Anna. Neither of those choices had been the right thing to do, but Elsa thought they were at the time and she wanted Anna to live her best life even if that meant Anna living her life without Elsa.

Elsa didn’t bother challenging Ariel because she knew that if she was in Ariel’s position with Anna dying, she would do everything in her power to rescue Anna first before tending to her own wounds.

“Okay. Attina first.” She extended her left hand and twirled it, pointing her index finger at Ariel. A shimmering swirl of magic enveloped Ariel, forming a delicate layer of ice around her right arm. From this icy encasement, a slender, supportive strap of ice extended, looping gracefully around Ariel’s neck and securing her arm in place.

Ariel stared down at the ice around her arm and then back to Elsa, her head cocked.

“It’s a sling. It’ll help reduce the strain put on your arm. Normally, we make them using cloth, but”—Elsa shrugged, motioning around them—“there’s not much cloth out here.”

As Ariel shifted her tail beneath her, the belly side of her tail resting on the frozen surface of the sea, all of her weight was now put on her left arm. It didn’t seem to bother Ariel too much, though. Ariel shifted her right arm a bit. “I like it. It’s comfy.” Ariel ran her chin along the icy strap that looped around her neck. “It reminds me of your skin. Cold.”

Elsa couldn’t restrain her grin, nor could she restrain the heat that blossomed in her cheeks.

Elsa extended her arms, channeling her magic toward Attina. With a graceful, deliberate motion, she began to rotate her hands, the air around them shimmering with snow and ice. As her palms turned upward to face the night sky, a delicate yet sturdy layer of ice formed beneath Attina, lifting her slightly off the frozen surface of the sea. Several inches-wide bars of crystalline ice rose from the edges of this base, curving elegantly to form protective sides. These bars seamlessly connected to an icy handlebar. Beneath the glistening platform on which Attina lay, sleek, smooth runners emerged, designed to glide effortlessly over the ice. The sled, now complete, sparkled in the torchlight, a testament to how far Elsa's control and creativity over her magic had come since fleeing Arendelle two years ago.

Elsa had the sled made, now she needed a way to move it. Elsa ran around to the front of the sled and threw her hands in the air, twisting them in another showy spectacle. Ice and snow formed around her hands and on the frozen surface of the sea, ahead of the sled, two icy reindeer took shape, both resembling Sven. Ice-crafted harnesses connected the reindeer to the sled.

Although Elsa grew up with the power to wield ice and snow, she had no experience maneuvering dog sleds—or, in this case, reindeer sleds. That all changed over the past two years with Anna having met Kristoff. Kristoff had taught Anna how to use a sled with Sven pulling it, and although Elsa hadn’t initially been keen on learning, Anna’s insistence had led Elsa to master it alongside her sister. In this moment, Elsa felt especially grateful not only for Anna, but also for Kristoff and Sven.

When Elsa glanced at Ariel, she stifled a giggle at the sheer amazement that colored Ariel’s face. Ariel’s mouth hung agape at what Elsa was able to do with her magic.

Elsa went to Ariel. “Here, I’ll help you onto the sled.” With only one arm to keep herself upright, Ariel practically hobbled while slithering her tail behind her. Elsa helped Ariel onto the sled and Ariel positioned herself beside her sister. “We’ll be back on the beach in no time!”

Ariel stayed sitting up with her left hand resting on Attina’s navel. “Don’t worry, Attina,” Ariel said softly, “Elsa is going to save you.”

Elsa melted the icy sconce that held her torch and grabbed the thick piece of wood. She positioned herself on the back of the sled, her feet on the runners. She held the torch to the side of the sled and ice formed around it, connecting it to the sled. Elsa grabbed hold of the icy reins and clutched them tight in her hands. “We’re both going to save her,” Elsa corrected.

Ariel couldn’t quite look back at Elsa, so she turned her head left as far as she could. “Thank you, Elsa,” she murmured, sniffling. Ariel slid her hand across her sister’s belly reassuringly.

Anything for you, Elsa found herself responding in her thoughts.

Elsa snapped the reins. “Let’s go!” The reindeer sprang into action, and the sled sped across the ice, racing against time to save Attina.

# # #

When the sled reached the beach, it slowed to a stop in the sand. Elsa guided it to the spot under the tree where she and Ariel had napped earlier. She grabbed the torch, the ice keeping it attached to the sled melting away, and hurried to the dying fire. Tossing the torch into the fire pit, she fed the flames with the remaining kindling on the beach and then snatched up the satchel.

Ariel stayed on the sled next to her sister, whispering reassuring words to her.

“How are we going to do this?” asked Ariel to Elsa.

Elsa ran back to the sled. “What do you mean?”

“We can’t keep Attina in the sled all night.” Ariel looked out across the sea. The icy surface had melted away behind them on their way back to the beach. The tide washed up the shore. “She’ll dry out.”

“I can melt the sled and we can position Attina in the sand similar to how you were napping earlier?” suggested Elsa. “The tide kept you from drying out, so it should do the same for her.”

Ariel agreed to that plan.

Elsa carefully controlled her magic, causing the ice to melt gradually. The reindeer dissolved first, followed by the sled, which slowly vanished from beneath Ariel and Attina. As the ice transformed into water, it seeped into the sand, darkening it in the flickering firelight. The tide washed up the beach, surrounding Ariel and Attina in seafoam and flower petals.

Elsa opened the satchel and pulled the redweed plant from it. “You said we have to have Attina swallow some of the sap?”

“Yes,” Ariel answered. She positioned herself further up Attina’s body and turned at her hips, placing her tail out in front of her like they were legs. She attempted to lift Attina’s head, but it proved difficult with only one arm. Elsa crouched beside Attina and lifted her forward. Ariel maneuvered under her sister and Elsa gently rested Attina’s head against Ariel’s tail like a pillow, pulling her orange hair out from under her head and draping it across Ariel’s tail. “Give me the redweed,” she demanded.

Elsa handed it to Ariel. Ariel examined the end of the stem. It had dried up. Ariel stuck the dried-up end in her mouth and bit down on it and then yanked the plant from her mouth. She spit the dried piece into the sand and squeezed at the stem. Green sap oozed from the fresh opening of the plant.

“Here.” Ariel handed the plant to Elsa. “Remove the leaves and set them aside. It’ll be easier to squeeze out the sap with the leaves plucked from the stem. I’ll open her mouth and you feed it to her.”

Elsa took the redweed and stripped it of its leaves. Ariel used her left hand to press on either cheek and Attina’s lips parted. Her breathing was still rapid and shallow, but she was breathing. Elsa fed the end of the plant into Attina’s mouth and squeezed down the stem. Green sap oozed onto Attina’s tongue and slid down her throat. Attina jerked suddenly. Elsa gasped, her heart leaping into her throat, and she fell back on her rear in the sand.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“The sap is really bitter,” said Ariel. “She doesn’t like it.” Ariel caressed her sister’s cheek. “But at least we know she can taste it.” She managed half a smile, and though it was a weak one, it was a smile nonetheless. “Gather more sap at the end of the stem. We need to feed more of it to her.”

Elsa squeezed further up the stem of the plant. Sap oozed from the tip. Ariel parted Attina’s lips again and Elsa fed Attina more of the sap. Attina jerked, but Elsa didn’t flinch this time. She was prepared for the reaction. She smiled up at Ariel, but Ariel was focused on her sister, her eyes glossy with tears.

“You’re going t—to be all right, Attina,” Ariel whispered, her voice catching in her throat. She stroked her sister’s cheek tenderly. As she kept her focus on her sister, Ariel chuckled through a sob. “You’re going to be so upset when you learn that a human saved your life.” She sniffled. “But she’s a good one, Attina.” Ariel raised her head, her eyes meeting Elsa’s, her voice barely above a whisper. “She’s a really good one.”

A gentle warmth spread through Elsa’s chest and she marveled at how Ariel made her feel despite their current situation. “More sap?”

Ariel nodded.

Elsa squeezed at the stem until just a bit more sap oozed out. She fed it to Attina, but instead of jerking at the taste, Attina groaned under her breath.

It was Elsa’s turn to be amazed. “It’s working! Ariel, it’s working!”

“Pick up the leaves and apply them to Attina’s wound.” Ariel removed her hand from Attina’s cheeks and brushed the hair from her sister’s face with her fingers.

Elsa did as she was told and positioned herself over the frozen hole in Attina’s tail. She covered the wound with her hand and the ice melted away. Water and blood seeped into the sand. Elsa placed a few leaves over the wound. They slid off her and Elsa picked them up, replacing them. She cast ice over the wound, freezing the leaves to Attina’s tail. Elsa turned her attention to Ariel, her eyes asking if that was okay.

“Usually, we use seaweed to keep the leaves bound to the wounded areas, but I think that should work?”

Elsa sat back in the sand. “How do the leaves help with the healing?”

Ariel caressed her sister’s cheek again. She moved out from under Attina and rested her sister’s head in the sand carefully. “It’s said that they absorb any infection that may come from the inflicted area.” Ariel hobbled her way beside Elsa. “I’ve seen it work on shark bites; I’m hoping it’ll work here.”

Elsa gently placed her hand on Ariel’s back where scales met skin. Her palm rested along Ariel’s spine with the pads of her fingers caressing the soft skin on Ariel’s back. “I’m sure it will,” she reassured Ariel. Elsa’s eyes ran over Attina’s body, the mermaid’s chest rising and falling with rapid, shallow breaths. “What do we do now?”

“We let the redweed do its work.”

They were both quiet. With the surface of the sea thawed, a cool breeze blew over them from the sea. Crickets chirped and the fire crackled. The ice that formed Ariel’s sling popped and cracked as Ariel shifted her arm.

Elsa reached for the redweed stem. She squeezed from the top of the stem all the way down the plant until some sap oozed out. Ariel turned her attention to Elsa and Elsa offered it to her. “You said if there was any left…”

“Thank you for taking care of us,” Ariel said softly. She bowed her head forward until her forehead rested against Elsa’s. Elsa used her other hand to tuck a strand of hair behind Ariel’s ear. The tips of their noses brushed together and Elsa yearned to taste those lips again, the same lips that were now mere inches from hers.

“You took care of me first,” Elsa murmured, gazing into Ariel’s eyes. “I’m just repaying the favor.”

“Just?” Ariel’s eyes crinkled at the corner and without having to avert her eyes from Ariel’s, Elsa knew she was smiling.

Elsa huffed through her nose in amusement. She brought the stem of the redweed plant to Ariel’s mouth. She slid it past her lips, her index finger sliding past Ariel’s upper lip. Ariel closed her lips around the stem and Elsa’s finger. She sucked out the sap, screwing up her face at the bitter taste, which elicited a giggle from Elsa and then a gasp when Ariel’s warm, wet tongue ran over her finger.

When Ariel swallowed, her lips parted, and Elsa gently withdrew her finger along with the stem of the redweed. Her heart fluttered and her neck and face flushed with warmth. She inspected the stem, hoping for a trace of sap, but it was completely clean. Elsa longed for another excuse to feel Ariel's lips on her finger. However, as she glanced at Attina's injured body lying on the sand, a wave of shame washed over her. How could she be so insensitive as to desire intimacy with Ariel while her sister lay there hurt?

There was one more redweed leaf left in the sand and Elsa grabbed it. She melted the sling holding Ariel’s arm and then took her right hand. Ariel winced. The cut went from the top of her arm clear around the inside of her arm to the underside. It was deepest on the bottom of her arm. Luckily, the leaf was large to wrap around Ariel’s arm.

“Want me to freeze it?”

Ariel only nodded.

Elsa wrapped her hands around the leaf and summoned a bit of magic. A thin layer of ice wrapped around Ariel’s arm and kept the leaf in place. “How’s that feel?”

Ariel ran her left hand along the smooth surface of the ice. “It feels like you.” The orange glow from the fire danced in Ariel’s eyes, turning her ocean-blue pupils a warm shade of reddish-brown.

What I wouldn’t give to be able to spend the rest of my life looking into your gorgeous eyes.

Attina shifted beside them. Elsa ripped her gaze from Ariel’s to look down at the mermaid. Her eyes never opened, but her breathing was returning to normal. She mumbled a name.

Andy?

Andrew?

Ariel moved beside her sister and ran her fingers through her orange hair. “It’s okay,” Ariel murmured. “Andrina is back home. She’s safe.”

“Andrina,” Attina cried under her breath. “Andrina, I love—” and then her voice faded away as she drifted off to sleep.

“Andrina?” Elsa inquired. “As in one of your sisters?”

Ariel picked up her satchel and placed it under Attina’s head, the same way she had done for Elsa in the boat. She went back to stroking her fingers through Attina’s hair, making sure to keep it out of her face.

“Yes, Andrina, as in our sister.”

“Wait… Attina and Andr—They’re…?”

Ariel positioned herself so that she could keep stroking her fingers through Attina’s hair while also giving her attention to Elsa. “Please, don’t judge them, Elsa.”

“I—” Elsa thought about it for a moment. What would it be like to be in a relationship with Anna? She loved her sister dearly, but the way she felt about Anna was completely different than the way she felt about—Elsa’s eyes met Ariel’s.

With Anna, Elsa enjoyed the moments when she got to tease her sister about the way Kristoff made her feel, and with Ariel, she loved the tender moments when she was able to lose herself in those beautiful, ocean-blue eyes, just as she was doing now. With Anna, Elsa sought to help her sister with every day problems whether that be her duties as a princess or just doing something nice for Kristoff or Olaf, and with Ariel, Elsa wanted to hold her close, cuddle up beside her and run her fingers through her hair and listen to her heartbeat. With Anna, she loved wrapping her sister up in a tight, warm hug, and with Ariel she loved their one shared kiss and found her lips tingling at the memory of it—her lips, and her whole body, yearning for another taste of Ariel.

The thought of having romantic feelings for her sister had never crossed her mind, but considering Anna was the one person who knew Elsa the most, especially them having reconnected over the last two years, who was Elsa to judge? She had no romantic feelings for Anna, but she could understand how one would have romantic feelings for someone who knew them on such a deep, personal level.

“I would never judge her,” stated Elsa.

Ariel dropped her head, her eyes lingering over Attina. “She loves Andrina so much and Andrina loves her, too.” Ariel huffed a chuckle, her fingers combing through Attina’s hair, loosening the knots from it. “You should see the way Andrina’s eyes light up whenever she talks about her girlfriend.” Ariel giggled this time. She changed the inflection of her voice to be slightly higher-pitched in what Elsa could only assume was her copying Andrina’s voice. “‘Oh, Ariel, my girlfriend is so wonderful. She took me out to a fancy dinner, we went exploring shipwrecks—shh! Don’t tell Father!—and then we found a secluded spot just outside of Atlantica and we cuddled up there, beneath the seaweed and just talked and held each other. It was so wonderful.’” Ariel turned her attention back to Elsa. “Of course, any time any of us would ask her to introduce her girlfriend to us, she always came up with excuses: ‘she had to go home’, ‘she’s not feeling well’, ‘her father wouldn’t accept our relationship.’ Now that I know that Andrina’s girlfriend is Attina, that last excuse is even more heartbreaking.”

Elsa got to her feet and picked up the seaweed blanket. She draped it over Attina and tucked her in. Mermaids, much like Elsa, didn’t seem to get cold, but that didn’t mean that Elsa couldn’t try to make her comfy. When Elsa sat back down, she cuddled up next to Ariel.

Elsa wrapped her left arm around Ariel’s back and her right arm tenderly across her front, taking care not to press on the cut above Ariel’s belly button. Elsa intertwined her fingers and let her thumb lightly caress the soft skin of Ariel’s hip. A shiver ran through Ariel at her touch, and Elsa sank her teeth into her bottom lip in a mix of nervousness and excitement. Leaning her head against Ariel’s shoulder, Elsa felt a soothing sense of closeness as Ariel wrapped her arm around her, mindful of how her right arm encircled Elsa.

Elsa yawned. “When did you find out about them?”

“The night of the Floating Stars.” Ariel’s voice was soft, low. “I was sitting on a rock above the surface watching our deceased make the journey to the Great Sea Above”—Ariel lifted her head to the night sky, smiling to her ancestors—“when I heard the surface break. I searched, fearing a human might have caused it, but when I saw Attina and Andrina floating at the surface, I relaxed.” Ariel met Elsa’s gaze again. “I expected the rest of my sisters to show up, but they didn’t. Attina and Andrina were giggling to each other and then they got quiet. I could hear that they were talking, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying. They turned to watch the Floating Stars and so I did too. I glanced back at them and they were kissing.”

Elsa’s eyes lingered on Ariel’s lips. It wouldn’t take much for her to close the distance and press her lips to Ariel’s again. She hesitated a moment too long and her mouth opened wide for another yawn.

“You were okay with Attina being Andrina’s secret girlfriend?”

Ariel chuckled. “I was… shocked at first. But when I thought about how happy Andrina gets whenever she would talk about her girlfriend, I just”—Ariel shrugged—“accepted it. When Attina found me earlier when I was going to get us fish for dinner, which I’m so sorry for not getting—”

“Don’t worry about it,” Elsa interjected. “I’m just happy that you’re okay. And Attina, too.”

Ariel kissed Elsa’s forehead. A warm rush of heat surged through Elsa’s body. “Attina and I got into a fight. She wanted to take me home, but I told her I couldn’t go yet, because I made a promise to you that I would get you home first.”

Elsa squeezed her arms tighter around Ariel, careful to avoid the cut on her belly. “I’m guessing she didn’t take that well?”

“She didn’t. My father wants us to have nothing to do with humans ever since Eric…”

Ariel became quiet. Elsa wasn’t sure if she should ask about Eric, but she wanted to know more about Ariel. She wanted to know the good and the bad. “Ariel?”

Ariel lifted her eyebrows as if to ask, ‘Yes?’

“What did he do to you?”

Ariel shifted her eyes back and forth with her mouth hanging open as if she was searching for the words. “He just… changed.”

Elsa didn’t want to ask the next question because she already knew the answer. She just didn’t want to hear it coming from Ariel’s mouth. She asked anyway. “You loved him?”

Ariel’s jaw trembled. “Yes,” she squeaked.

“If he hadn’t… changed… would you two still be together today?”

Ariel’s throat bobbed. The tide washed up the beach with seafoam and flower petals lingering around Ariel’s and Attina’s tails and Elsa’s feet. Ariel muttered, “Eric was the first person I ever loved. I wanted him to be the only person I would ever love, but it didn’t work out.” Elsa noticed the subtlest of movement in Ariel’s right arm, as if she was trying to pull Elsa closer into her. “Now, I’m finding that maybe I can love someone else…”

Elsa’s breath hitched at those last words.

Was it crazy that Elsa was feeling the same way about Ariel? She had never loved anyone romantically before. Not only that, she’d only known Ariel for three days! Granted, that was significantly longer than when Anna had asked Elsa if she could marry Hans after only having known him for twelve hours at most and Elsa wasn’t asking Ariel to marry her—I bet our wedding would be beautiful! We could have it out at sea. I could build an icy platform on the surface with a wedding arbor and Ariel and I could—

No, Elsa, stop! We’re not getting married! I only met her a few days ago…

Elsa let out another yawn. She met Ariel’s eyes and found herself yearning to be able to wake up to those eyes every morning for the rest of her life.

Hans was a terrible fit for Anna, but Kristoff proved to be a good one after only a few days. Maybe Ariel can be the Kristoff to my Anna?

Elsa found her lips spreading wide across her face at that thought.

“What are you thinking?” Ariel whispered.

“I’m thinking about how much you seem to not be bothered by ice or the cold.”

Ariel chuckled. “I would hope it doesn’t bother me. I live deep in the sea where it’s always cold.”

“I guess that’s true.”

Ariel gasped suddenly. “Speaking of ice, can we talk about what you did early?”

Elsa’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“You froze the surface. She shielded us in ice from Scyllari. Your ice was the only thing that seemed to be able to penetrate her thick, shrimp body. You made a sled with”—Ariel shifted her eyes in thought—“some sort of animals pulling it? You sealed and covered our wounds with ice. You made an ice dress for yourself. Elsa, your magic is incredible!”

Elsa’s chest, neck, and face flushed at Ariel praise. “If you liked all of that, you should see the castle I made up in the North Mountain.”

Ariel’s jaw dropped. “You can make castles, too?”

Elsa now laughed at Ariel’s expression. “And snowmen!”

Ariel’s eyebrows knitted together. “You can make humans made of snow?”

Elsa laughed even harder, loosening her grip around Ariel. “Not exactly. A snowman is where you make one big ball of snow, then a smaller ball of snow and set it on top of the bigger ball of snow, and you make an even smaller ball of snow and set that one on top of the other ball of snow. Big ball of snow on the bottom, medium-sized ball of snow in the middle, and small ball of snow on top. You give him arms using twigs and a nose using a carrot. If you visit me in Arendelle in the winter, maybe we can make a snowman together?”

“Can we make a snowman here on the beach?”

Elsa chewed on the inside of her lip. “We would need a lot of snow and while I could make that happen, I’m kind of enjoying the pleasant weather on this island.”

Ariel giggled. “Yeah, I guess I am, too.”

“I can, however, do this for you.” Elsa twisted her left hand above their heads and pointed her finger. A light flurry of snow fell around Elsa and Ariel. Ariel’s lips spread from ear-to-ear across her face. “How’s that?” Elsa murmured.

“I love it.” Ariel gazed at Elsa. “Oh! If I visit in the winter, can we make a snowmaid? Like a snowman but as a mermaid?”

“I’ve never made a snowmaid before, but I’d love to give it a try.”

“That sounds like so much fun.”

Elsa tightened her grip around Ariel again, nuzzling her cheek into Ariel’s shoulder. “Maybe if you visit, I can take you to see my castle?”

“I think I’d like that,” she said, softly.

“I can make a fountain and thaw some ice so you won’t have to worry about drying out.”

“You’re always so thoughtful, Elsa.”

“I have to watch out for my little mermaid.” Elsa lifted her right hand and tapped the tip of Ariel’s nose with her index finger. Ariel grabbed Elsa’s wrist, keeping her hand close to her mouth, and kissed the same finger that booped her nose. Elsa’s tongue darted out wetting her bottom lip, her eyes settling on Ariel’s lips.

Elsa let out another yawn. Her eyes shifted from Ariel’s to the night sky. The moon had moved significantly since Ariel left the beach earlier in search of fish. It must have been past midnight at this point. They were supposed to be leaving the island at dawn to get Elsa back home, but Elsa couldn’t bring herself to mention that to Ariel. Getting home to Anna was important, but spending one or two more nights on the island to ensure Ariel and Attina were healed and ready to swim again would be worth the wait.

“Stay here on your piece of land and stay away from my sister!”

Attina’s words echoed in Elsa’s mind. If Elsa hadn’t intervened, would Attina be alive right now? How far away from their home were they? Would Ariel have been able to save Attina with her injured arm? Elsa hadn’t been able to stay on the beach doing nothing while that monster—what did Ariel call her? Scyllari?—had Ariel, and she wasn’t going to let go of Ariel now, either.

“You want to get some sleep?” murmured Ariel. “I’ll stay awake and watch over us.”

Elsa nuzzled her cheek into Ariel’s shoulder. “No,” she yawned, her eyes fluttering shut. “If you’re staying awake—” her voice trailed off for a long moment before finishing, “then I’m staying awake, too.”

Elsa was comfortable leaning into Ariel with her arms around her and Ariel holding her close. Though her body was telling her to sleep, Elsa didn’t want to listen. However, one reprieve she could offer her body was to close her eyes. It would only be for a few moments, though.

Maybe a little while longer…