arendelleslostqueen:

        “Idun!”

      It had been well over a year, perhaps a year and a half, since Anesa had seen her dear twin. But, heavens it felt like fifty years at least. Anesa had never been away from her other half for that long, Idun had even lived with her for the first several months of her married life. It was a type of relief that could barely be described to see her sister, but at the same time it came with anxiety with her bulging belly. That was a completely new experience none of her family had been around for, yet. Anesa happily received her sister’s hug and returned it as she ignored her husband heading into the castle.

      ”It’s been much too long, I’ve missed you terribly.”Her hands swung slightly, holding on to her sisters, “As much as I loved being at sea before, I think it might have been better if I wasn’t so round.”

   ”I wouldn’t like to travel right now,” Idun replied, letting go with one hand only to wipe at her eyes. “Oh, I’ve missed you too, Anesa.” And glancing down at her twin’s stomach, a laugh left her. “I thought we would have grown out of doing things together by now—I suppose I thought wrong.”

   But soon enough she held of both her hands again, just glad to see her sister again. Let the men talk—she had more important things to consider than her husband’s getting along with Anesa’s. That man who had separated them what felt like decades ago wasn’t in Idun’s best books, but she would put up with him if it meant seeing Anesa.

   ”How was the journey? Not too awful, I hope,” she began, starting to lead the other back to the castle.

arendelleslostqueen

   "Anesa!“ the younger twin called, step speeding up to embrace her sister faster. Even with her stomach as large as it was, she wasn’t about to let that stop her. Arms were soon around the other woman, tight with a squeeze. "Oh, I’ve missed you. It’s been far too long. How was the trip?”

   She felt full of questions, but managed to control herself a little, taking up Anesa’s hands with her own as they were left to have their moment. 

arendelleslostqueen:

       ”Idun, please.”

        The elder twin’s voice was almost pleading as she listened to her sister speak. With a sharp sigh, Anesa wrapped her arms around herself, almost as if she were hugging herself. God know that was something she needed at the moment. She hated the things she was saying, what she was doing making her best friend in world leave her alone in a place that was still so foreign to her. 

       Her sister’s tone did bother her a bit. Bitter, vindictive, frivouous. She knew her siser was upset by this unexpected turn of events, but still… Anesa’s pleading tone turned to one that was more haughty, ”For one thing, He’s kind to me. He’s good to me Idun, how many women in my situation can say that? I’ve come to love him.  Also they’re expecting things of me, Idun. I’m a married woman.”

      Shaking her head, Anesa took a step forward. she didn’t like fighting with her sister.And honestly, Anesa still felt like she needed her sister more than ever. Anesa didn’t want to be left alone. but it was unreasonable to think that Idun would stay with her forever. Through Idun’s own life, and her husband’s opinion it just wasn’t meant to be. The best she could do was follow her husband’s suggestion, along with the council’s, and send her beloved other half home and hope she could come and visit again once some things are sorted out.

      “I’m sorry. I’m just… Idun, since my father in law passed after the wedding. Things are going faster than usual…” Her tone fell low again, god she didn’t even want to look at her sister. “Before the wedding Mama explained a lot of things to be about a queen’s duty. One is to her husband, and two is to her people, so she must give an heir to the kingdom. They’re expecting a child out of me " Unwittingly, her voice cracked of so slightly.

    “They say you’re distracting me from my husband, and my queenly duties. It’s been six months, they’re wondering why I haven’t conceived yet.”

   "Don’t talk to me as if I’m a child, Anesa, I’m just as old as you,“ Idun replied, wrinkling her nose at her twin’s tone. Just because she was married didn’t mean she was suddenly grown up and worldly. "Every man wants a child, and yet no man seems to understand that these things can take time. Mama didn’t conceive us until she was well past a year into marriage. She told me so. You’ll have the child. But you know what can happen when a woman becomes too stressed–it’s not me interfering with such goings on, it’s them pressuring you.”

   No matter what Anesa said, that man could claim to love her all he liked, Idun wouldn’t believe it until he actually supported her. Until he sided with his wife, not his royal council. She didn’t like the idea of leaving her sister behind with no one on her side, no one to stick up for her. Not that Idun was particularly good at confrontation, but at least the elder could lean on her.

   Their Mama and Papa would no doubt have several ideas lined up for her when she got home. Men to order her about as Anesa’s husband did her. Men who would no doubt put up with her so long as she provided children. It wasn’t an experience she wanted, but what choice did she have? There was nothing else for a Princess–wife and mother or spinster.

   "When am I to be sent home?“ she asked quietly, taking a seat, hands curling up in her lap. She knew that if the King wished to send her back, and Anesa was siding with him, there was little point in arguing it. It was just a case of when. When she would have to say goodbye to her twin. "Will you help me pack?”

arendelleslostqueen:

              “Idun… Im sorry.”

       Wringing her hands, the young queen paced about in the room, 
       now a study, that had been given to her up until her wedding. 
       Before, of course, she moved into the royal bed chambers with 
       her now husband. Her mind raced much faster than she could
       coherently follow. How she felt about everything and how quickly
       things were moving, her husbands words to her the night before… 
       And how her beloved twin would react to her twin sister’s new 
       husband’s decision.

     She didn’t want to do it, she didn’t want to say those words… But she knew it had to be done. 

           ”This is the end of the road, no more adventures. I have to be an adult now.”

     Forcing a smile, Anesa’s eyes filled to the brim with tears.

           ”On the next ship you have to head home. He… He doesn’t want you here. 
            He doesn’t want me to see you, or at least right now.  The council is telling
            him you’re interfering, that you’re distracting me. And he’s believing it.”

It felt as if she’d received a punch to the gut. They–they were sending her home?

She had been too cocky. It was normal for a sibling to live in with a couple, Idun had been enjoying her time with her twin, thinking things were going fine. All had appeared fine. Until she had seen Anesa’s worried face, had followed behind her.

“‘Interfering’?” she echoed, eyes widening. “Interfering with what? If your husband is so easily swayed by a council I’ve never even met and who have never met me, then he is a disappointingly weak man, and you deserve better.”

Her words were no doubt not helping matters any, coming off as spiteful and childish. But she couldn’t help it. To Idun, her twin was her world, the rock that had always been there. And now she was going to be sent home to an empty room, empty halls. Their mother and father were not much by the way of company, and no doubt she’d be married off as well soon enough. And then she may never see her sister again.

“I don’t want to leave you here alone, Anesa,” she murmured. “Neither of us are children–merely siblings. What’s the harm?”

arendelleslostqueen:

“Surely. Surely it will be. It sounds far… But surely you can come see me.” Anesa’s hands fell to her sides for a moment, she gripped tightly onto the skirt of her gown. It was something, something to keep her from breaking down. As terrified as she was she didn’t want to cry.

She’d heard stories, lots of the things actually about relationships and arranged marriages. Older who loved young virgin brides and treated them like trophies upon a shelf. No love, no connection. They were property to stand there and to look pretty on his arm, then after the affairs of the night they were at the mercy of their beloved husband, Until she gave birth that was, then the cycle continued until her death.

The thought quick panicked tears to the princesses eyes that she fought hard to keep back, She loved Idun so much and a life like that is not what she wanted. If her husband didn’t want her around her family at all, thats how it would be. 

At the sudden pressure of her sister’s arms around her neck, hot tears spilled forward. Tightly wrapping her arms around her sister, it was all she could do to stifle a sob. “I’ll miss you too, but Idun I dont want to go, I’m so scared,  I dont want to go.” Crying didn’t’ get anyone anywhere, but she just couldn’t stop. “He’s going to use me, I know it. Just like the stories! “

Holding her sister tightly, Idun didn’t say a word. When Anesa cried, she did too, as they always had. One hand gripped her other wrist, holding herself to her twin, hoping to offer comfort of some kind. It was the best she could do. 

“And what if he doesn’t?” she murmured at last, eyes still closed, arms still tight. “What if he’s the–the most gallant prince you’ve ever met? What if he sweeps you off your feet, and treats you like the sun shines because of you? What if he loves you and you love him, and it’s all fine? It could still be fine." 

She pulled back then, to run her thumbs over her sister’s cheeks. A watery smile was on her own face, trying to be reassuring, but probably looking more pathetic than anything else. But still she still tried her best. Anesa needed her too. 

"He could be like those princes in our story books when we were small. Young, handsome, kind. You won’t know until you meet him. So–so don’t worry until then.”

arendelleslostqueen:

        _{She was going to miss Idun so much.}

         _{Almost to tears when her sister wrapped her arms around her and pulled her into a much need embrace. Anesa help her sister tight. She couldn’t believe this was happening. All of the possibilities of how wrong this situation could go and the realization that if this prince that she might marry so pleased, Anesa might never see her sister again. So she held her a little tighter before Idun pulled away.}

       _{Anesa’s hands trembled as Idun held them and she forced a smal smile as her sister commented that if she were to be sent away for slouching, she’d be the next to go. “You never know, Mama always said I was more of a handful.”} 

       _{”Perhaps.” Anesa tried her best to keep her smile as her sister tried to think more positively. It was a nice thought to think that this prince might be kind, but she’d heard so many stories about arranged marriages gone wrong… “Maybe he’s kind… Maybe the palace there has a beautiful garden and large library. It could be a dream come true… But I don’t want to write. I want to be able to see you.”}

     "I know,“ Idun replied sadly, voice small, the smile sliding from her face again. "I do too. But… but we knew we couldn’t stay home forever. We’ll write and–and I’ll visit, and maybe you could visit me. Surely that should be all right? What’s the harm in that?”

     It wasn’t lost on her that their fate was being left in the hands of some foreign prince. If he didn’t want his wife seeing her sister then Idun would not be seen. But surely no man could be that cruel? And if he was, then what were Mama and Papa thinking, giving her sister over to him? Even the sake of their country didn’t seem worth giving up her twin for. Which Mama would probably blow her top about if she knew Idun thought that way, but she couldn’t help it. 

      “Anyway, if this prince really doesn’t want you to see any of us, then that’s not very good for international relations, is it? Just use that against him.” She was clutching at straws and she knew it. If he truly made up his mind in such a way, that was that. 

     Unable to help herself, she threw her arms back around Anesa’s neck, hiding her face. It took a few seconds of biting down on her lip to keep from crying. Crying never helped anyone. “I’m gonna miss you,” she mumbled. 

arendelleslostqueen:

       _{”I know! I know! Mama’s gonna be so mad! But What else was I supposed to do?”}

       _{Taking a quick step forward, Anesa wrapped her arms around her abdomen. Her hands trembled and her entire being was near shaking… She could feel her heart pounding. She was terrified.}

       _{Anesa knew ease dropping was wrong. And she hadn’t done it since she was a mischievous child. She was always in more trouble than Idun. She knew she’d be punished if caught, but she was just desperate.}

       _{”Idun, what was I supposed to do? I’m scared! What if this isn’t purely for a treaty? What if this is a punishment too, for something? Like missing my studies or slouching or sneaking into the garden?”}

      “She doesn’t have to know. I won’t be telling her. We…we’ll just have to act surprised.”

      Standing from the bed, she walked briskly over to her twin and wrapped her arms around her. Idun couldn’t bear to see her stood there looking like that any longer. After a moment, she released her, and took Anesa’s hands in her own. 

       "I can’t say I blame you,“ she said quietly. "It’s…I’m pretty scared myself. For you. But a treaty is all it will be. Mama and Papa aren't that bad, after all. I doubt they’d ship one of us off simply for slouching. If that’s the case, then I’ll be gone next.”

     Summoning all the positivity she had, she forced a smile onto her face, swinging their hands for a moment. 

     "Besides, perhaps he’s nice? And this place, wherever it may be, could be lovely. You could be happy there. And we - we could write.“