A Declaration of Love

Contribution by Alan (@alannadeau2016)

In the days, and short weeks, after the events of the war between Arendelle and the Russian Empire, Alan had, like many others, recovered from his injuries, and was keeping up with his training. Even with Katina defeated, there was plenty more to be prepared for, especially now that Anna was filling the Exalted with her own choices for members, much to someone’s anger. And now that Alan’s ice magic had been revealed and he didn’t have to hide them anymore, he was more open to using them. He still wanted to work on the skills he had accumulated without using his magic.

There was another thing on his mind, like always, but this was personal to him. That was Elsa. Alan had been waiting all this time to spend some personal time with her, a date to be exact. But he never had the chance to ask her to it. With things settling down, at least for the time being, however, now was as great of a chance as any to propose the question. Following the final battle with Katina, Elsa had wondered how Alan was handling the public’s awareness of his ice magic. She’d had plenty of experience hiding away from the world her powers, but Alan had hidden his until adulthood (due to having never been told, and discovering on his own), while it’d only been a few years since she’d fully accepted her own.

It was an uneventful day, as far as an ex-queen was concerned, as she waved goodbye to Anna as the latter headed to the university for a meeting. Elsa had enjoyed a performance with Anna and was now standing outside Kingdom Hall, wondering if she should visit the plaza. It was at this time where Alan, after having cleaned up from another training session, spotted her there, and smiled. “There she is, in all her beauty,” Alan said to himself. “Its time. Do it.” Finding the courage within himself, Alan walked over to Elsa, who stood with her hands in front of her, one elegantly over the other, her body language modest and welcoming, and said, “Hi there Elsa, how are you doing?”

Elsa would reply, “Hi, Alan. I’m very well, thanks. What about you? I just happen to have finished something with Anna. What’s keeping you busy today?”

Alan said, “Well, I was back to my training earlier, but I cleaned just a little bit ago. I actually wanted to come see you.” Then, he took a deep breath, then said, “With everything that went on with the war, I never had the time to do this, but now I do. Whenever I’m around you, I always feel a certain… connection. And, well, I can say now its more than just our powers.”

He chuckled a little, then continued. “What I mean is, I feel something special with you, and, I just want you to know that – I really like you, Elsa. Like, really, really like you. And, I know I can treat you right, if given the chance.” He looked at the ground, then into Elsa’s eyes. “I guess what I’m trying to say is, Elsa, would you like to go out on a date with me?”

Elsa’s reaction was one of surprise, but delight. “What a confession,” she thought to herself in wonder. No pretensions at eloquence, no subtle flexing or self-aggrandizement. Perhaps this was why she didn’t usually enjoy romance. But being treated right, well… “That sounds good enough to me,” she said, nervously fluttering her eyelashes. “I think it’d be nice to head somewhere with you today.” Having never experienced this sort of event in her life, and knowing who Alan was as a person, Elsa was open to the idea of spending quality time with him. Alan would smile happily, as he internally let out a sigh of relief.

“Thank you, Elsa,” he said, smiling at her. “You don’t know how much I truly appreciate this. With that being said, where would you like to go? We can stay around here, or, we can head up to Northuldra and spend time together there, whichever you prefer.” Being courteous, Alan wanted to give her the option of where to begin.

Elsa would think for a moment, then reply, “I would like to stay here. Arendelle is quite a cozy and comfortable place to get to know each other better, while Northuldra would be the better location for more… private stargazing,” she said, laughing lightly. “So. Where will we go, Alan of Arendelle?”

Hearing her call him that, Alan just smiled. “Well, I’m sure there are a few places where we can go and spend some time together, Arendelle is good for such locations. The castle will probably be busy right about now, unless you’d like to accompany a private room with me, there’s always that option.” In a way, Alan wasn’t truly sure where to take her, he hadn’t thought that far ahead yet. Even for having lived at the castle, basically ever since he came to Arendelle, there were parts of the kingdom he still hadn’t been to yet, that he hoped to visit at some point.

Elsa would reply, “My only preference is that we don’t disturb Anna, so the palace might not be a good idea if she’s holding meetings there. I don’t have any wild ideas myself, but everyone likes to hang out at the docks.” She smiled at him. “As long as you’re happy with our choice, I’m happy.”

Giving a nod, Alan replied, “The docks sound like a good idea,” he said, smiling. “Lets head there. Should be peaceful, that’s for sure.” He then linked arms with Elsa, and smiled. “Shall we?”

Elsa smiled back, enjoying Alan’s initiative. “Sure.”

It was a pleasant walk from Kingdom Hall, which was situated on the slopes, down to the spacious plaza. The docks were just next to the village square, with comfortable benches and walking space next to the waters. Not many of the public were out at this time, but for the ones that were, many smiled at the sight of the two together. Thinking aloud, Alan said, “a proper date would be me taking you out for dinner, which, I hope to do that as well, soon enough. Or, maybe I can cook something for us. If there’s one thing I know, its how to cook. I have my mom to thank for that, she taught me what I know in that regard.” Once they arrived at the docks, they found a bench, and took a seat there. It was a beautiful afternoon with a pleasant sun. Elsa put a gentle hand on Alan’s arm.

“Try your cooking? That would be so nice. Speaking of your mother, you’ve not told me much about your family. I could talk endlessly about Anna,” she laughed, “but you know my sister well.”

Alan would nod, and laugh a little. “Yeah, I agree with you on that,” he said. Letting out a sigh, he said, “To be honest, I really miss my mom. She didn’t just teach me how to cook, and to cook amazingly, I might add, but she was a really nice person. Both her and my dad did what they could to give me the best life they could while living where we lived. Yeah we lived on our own, but I enjoyed it, because I was happy to be with them. I wish I got to travel more, maybe come here with my mom every once in a while, but, it never happened. And being an only child, I found myself sometimes lonely with no one to hang out with, then again, I never really thought much about that because I was busy much of the time.”

He turned to Elsa, looking into her eyes, and said, “If they were here today, I’m sure they would be pleased to meet you. I’m sure they’d be happy for me, being with you, doing the things that I’ve done for this kingdom. They’d be proud.” He looked down at his hands, and rotated his left, creating some snowflakes that fell to the ground. So simple, yet so beautiful to watch.

Elsa gazed at the snowflakes, then at Alan. “I would have liked to meet her. I’d tell her that she raised a fine young man. A man worth devotion too.” She reached out with a hand, one of the snowflakes landing on her finger, which made Alan smile at her. The fact that he wasn’t alone in having these powers, that he shared the same abilities with someone like Elsa (and Danny as well), it felt comforting, in a way. Relieving that he wasn’t alone. “And I’m sure she’d happily agree,” Alan said. “At the same token, I do wish I got to meet your mother, Iduna. I’m sure she was just as nice as my own.”

Elsa would nod, and reply, “That’s what I once thought too – that I was alone because of this magic. Now I realize that it’s despite these powers that I was never alone. I didn’t need to isolate myself. To love others was already my bridge to the world.” She looked up at the sky, then said, “Embrace your magic, but never lose hope in how others can accept you, magic or none.” Alan would smile at Elsa, and hugged her, saying, “Thank you, Elsa. You always know exactly what to say and when to say it, and you mean so much to me,” followed by planting a light kiss on Elsa’s cheek. He then moved his hands to create a small ice statue of him and Elsa together, and handed it to her. “You and me. I just feel like we’re made for each other.”

Elsa took the miniature sculpture and gazed at it lovingly. “I will cherish this and keep it in my room,” she said, drawing close and giving Alan a gentle and sincere kiss on the cheek as well. She pulled away, eyes shining. She knew how much he liked her, and she now felt ready to be open to wherever he wanted to take her. “I trust you, Alan,” she said quietly. “I’ve not always been the warmest person, out of my own concern for them. But I’m willing to be open to you, to what you feel about me. Will you be good to me?”

Alan would lightly touch where the Fifth Spirit had kissed him, and replied, “You don’t know how much it means to me for you to say that. Never in my life have a met someone so amazing, so beautiful, so wonderful as you. I understand that you’ve been closed off, but, I’m happy that you are willing to be open with me.” He took Elsa’s hand into his own, and smiled at her, looking into her eyes. “I swear on my life, I will do all that I can to be the best I can be for you. To treat you with the utmost respect, and love. No matter what happens, in sickness and health, I will be here for you. I will never give up on you. And no matter who tries to come between us, I’ll always fight for you. For us. For Arendelle.”

Elsa giggled, and replied, “Oh, Alan, perhaps I was being too stiff, but I certainly don’t demand for you to make a grand promise like how Anna does with her circles. I think we’ve been caught off-guard by how serious she can be, although she always had it in her. No, I’d hope that you’ll explore, well, us. Just take me where we’ll go, nice and slow, and see where we end up. I’m on a date with you, after all, and I wish for us to explore what we mean to each other freely, as I do on the Nokk in Northuldra. Maybe we’ll discover more of ourselves too.”

Alan would simply nod, and reply, “Yes, well, I meant everything I said. I’ve said it before, and I’ll continue to say it. I’d give anything, including my life, to protect and defend you. That’s how much you mean to me, Elsa. I hope to spend many of my days walking in the Northuldra woods with you, taking rides with you on Nokk or with Gale running her winds through our hair. When the kingdom is challenged, I’ll don my sword and prepare to ice any opposition that comes our way with you. You are truly the most amazing woman I’ve ever met, and it means the world to me to have you in my life.” Looking out at the waters beyond, Alan let out a happy sigh, and put his arm around Elsa. “This feels perfect.”

Elsa put a hand on Alan’s own, which was around her shoulder. She felt quite comfortable in his embrace. “You seem like such a devoted man. I really like men who have a sense of dedication, whether to a cause or…” She looked up at him. “Someone they care about. I wish to get to know you as your are, better.” She lowered her gaze. “Anna can be overprotective of me sometimes, but I don’t need her protection. I need her affection. And it’s the same with you. Just be yourself, my dear,” she murmured.

Smiling, Alan replied, “Well, dear Elsa, you are my commitment, and I’m happy to be with you. I understand that Anna can be protective, but I’m sure she’ll see that, with me, she can relax on that. She’ll have nothing to worry about.” Keeping that smile, Alan leaned in, and lightly kissed Elsa’s lips, leaning back afterward, looking into her beautiful eyes once more. “We may not be able to freeze this moment, but from here on out, we can seize every single day.”

Elsa’s shimmering, otherworldly eyes fluttered shut at Alan’s move. To her own surprise, it felt even better than she’d thought it would be, their touch welcome and comforting. She stared at him. “With you around, maybe Anna has even less to worry about,” she said approvingly.

“That’s what I’m hopefully thinking,” Alan said. “I’m sure she’d be happy to see you with me, to see you happy in general. She just cares so much about you, to the point where she wants to keep you from getting hurt again. She doesn’t want to lose you, and, I feel the same. I was worried for you after what happened with Nykras, and then again with Sora, even though the latter was an elaborate scheme to deceive Katina.” Alan smiled, then said, “And it looks like you’ve recovered quite nicely. I told Michael some time ago that, when all the fighting was over, I hoped to take a trip to Northuldra and spend some time with you up there. Now, we can do that.”

Elsa put a hand on Alan’s chest. “That would be lovely! And it’ll be just us, no? We can lie on the grass near a grove and watch the stars.”

Alan smiled and replied, “Indeed it would be, you and I.”

Elsa looked back at the plaza. “But perhaps… tomorrow night?” She smiled, playfully patting her slender belly. “How about a dinner date?”

“That sounds good to me,” he said. “Tomorrow night it is. But for tonight, I’d love to take you out for dinner. My question to you is, would you like to go out to eat, or would you like me to cook something for the two of us?” Elsa smiled, heart fluttering.

“What a lovely idea,” she declared. “You know, I’m so excited that you’d be cooking for me – the only one who’s ever done that was Anna.” She wasn’t a fussy eater, and had happily renounced all the fancy cuisine in the castle for a while now.

Alan smiled at Elsa when she said that, kissing her cheek before taking her hand, and standing up. “I’m sure the castle’s cooks wouldn’t mind me using the kitchen for a while,” he said. “At least I hope not. To be honest, I never thought I’d be cooking for someone of your stature in this world, but, hey, life is funny like that. And I’m happy to get to do this for you. For us.”

Elsa smiled, and happily replied, “I can’t wait.” She was familiar with the fame and popularity that her name and presence carried, even in an egalitarian kingdom like Arendelle. She was glad Alan would look past all that, what all the princes and dukes and esquires were concerned about. Instead, he seemed serious about seeing her for who she was, and nothing more. She took his hand. “I want to try Alan’s cooking,” she said merrily. Alan smiled at her, happy that she was willing to give his cooking a try. And indeed, it didn’t matter to Alan what Elsa was, is, or will be. What mattered to him was that Elsa was Elsa, and that he loved her.

“Well, in that case, off we go!” Alan said, leading Elsa to the castle, soon arriving and heading to the kitchen. A quick discussion with the castle cooks ensued, and they gave him the all-clear to use the kitchen to his desires. Elsa stood beside him, leaning forward curiously and fluttering her eyelashes.

“Can I tag along?” she asked. “Or, perhaps even help, if you need it at all? Or are you planning to take on your first dinner with me on your own?”

Alan smiled at her, happy to see that she was so willing to watch. “You can watch if you’d like, my dearest Elsa,” Alan replied, walking over to her. “But as far as the cooking goes, I want to impress you all on my own,” he said, planting a light kiss on her lips before getting to work. “Alright Alan, don’t screw this up,” he thought. “You got this.” Elsa watched him prepare the meal – washing, chopping, slicing, and sprinkling. She noticed that he was using plenty of vegetables. She wondered what it was.

“It’s sweet that you’d want to just do this on your own,” she said, touching her lips where Alan had kissed her.

Alan smiled, as he worked. He was enjoying it, and he was glad that Elsa was enjoying watching him do it. “Yeah. My mom would feel the same way,” he said. “Putting all the skills I learned from her to good use. She’d be proud. I know she would.” Thinking of her brought a tear to his eye, and he wiped his face, continuing his work. There was also plenty of meat being involved with the meal. It was something he was familiar with and used to eating, various types of meats thanks to his dad hunting at times. “Looking good, looking good,” he said, smiling, proud of his work thus far. “I think you’re really going to enjoy this,” Alan said.

Elsa nodded eagerly. “I can’t wait.” She sidled over to the wooden table and bench seat beside the long pantry, sitting down and observing Alan. “It seems that family is important to you too,” she said. “Having stepped down as queen, I feel I have more time for family than ever.” “Family has always been important to me, its all I’ve ever had,” Alan said. “When I lost my family, I was devastated. You guys have basically become my family now. You yourself found me and took me in, when I was exhausted, and couldn’t move. You helped me out so much. You let me stay here and I’ve done all I can to repay the favor, helping you and Anna out. Helping this kingdom out.” Alan finished up with the meal, and it smelled and looked amazing. “Perfect.”

Elsa smiled at Alan’s gratitude. “You’ve more than done right by us. You’re family too, and that’s why I’m so relaxed – no, happy – about being drawn to you.” Her shimmering eyes widened as Alan presented the finished product. “Wow!” she cried. “What do you call this?” Alan smiled, hearing her say that. “You don’t know how much that means to me, Elsa. And now, I hope you enjoy what I made for you. For us.” Alan made a meal that was a staple of many dinners Alan had with his family. Meat and vegetables, seasoned to perfection. The smells traveled throughout, and the cooks were just as impressed as Elsa was with Alan’s work. “This is something I had often, the meat would often vary but the meal was always the same. And it always tasted amazing.”

Elsa savoured the first few bites, trying to resist gobbling it up in a frenzied rush like Anna would do. She wasn’t queen anymore, but she somewhat enjoyed her reputation as an elegant dinner partner. But it was just so good. She put a hand to her chewing mouth. “Scrumptious!”

Alan smiled from ear to ear, happy as could be. “That’s amazing! I’m glad you’re enjoying it,” he said, chuckling a little bit as Elsa wasn’t just enjoying it, but it almost felt like she’d end up asking for seconds, if Alan was willing to make it again. Maybe another time. “You really like it, don’t you?” Alan said.

Elsa nodded. “It tastes better than any fancy treat downtown.” She smiled, swallowing, before adding: “It tastes especially good because it was made with your hands.”

Elsa and Alan continued to enjoy their shared dinner, and before long they’d finished, well-fed and satisfied. “You seriously don’t know how much that means to me, Elsa,” Alan said. He was happy that she liked it, and happy that she was enjoying it, with him. When they were done, Alan took care of the dishes, and then came back over to her. “So, what would you like to do now?” Alan asked. “We can walk through town or go relax somewhere, if you’d like.”

Elsa would smile, and say, “An after-dinner stroll sounds good,” before putting a hand over her mouth. “I must admit, it’s been a long time since I… well, ate so much! I enjoyed it greatly.”

A breeze came by and ran through their hair individually, causing Elsa’s hair to get in her own face, and kind of in Alan’s too. “Well hi there, Gale,” Alan said, chuckling a little. The Wind Spirit had made its presence known. “It seems Gale has blessed our date tonight,” whispered Elsa. She brushed aside her light gold tresses, then reached up and brushed aside Alan’s own locks, her fingernail and knuckles lightly and tenderly trailing along his forehead. Her touch was incredibly soft. That made Alan smile, watching as Elsa did that to him.

“Indeed she has,” Alan said. “And it feels good, to be honest.” He thought for a moment, then said, “Maybe Gale knows where to take us on this fine evening. A ride like that would be quite special.”

Elsa smiled and replied, “I agree,” turning to the wind that was churning up leaves to indicate its presence. “What do you think?” Gale sent her leaves in the direction of the North Mountain.

“A wonderful idea,” cried Elsa. “Whether it’s dropping by Marshmallow’s ice castle, or just taking in the scenic sights high above the peak, Gale knows where would be a lovely place to go.” She turned to Alan. “What do you think?” she said eagerly.

Alan smiled, watching Gale blow leaves around them. “I’d love to go up there,” he said, smiling. “Sounds like a perfect little journey to take, and I get to do it with you. Lets do it!” With a mighty whoosh, Gale swept Elsa and Alan up, forcing them to cling tightly to each other as she whisked them off across the skies of Arendelle, all the way past the forest and toward the North Mountain. Elsa blushed and put her head close to Alan’s chest, while he looked straight ahead, face red as an apple. She glanced up at him briefly, while he looked down, eyes meeting and locking. Alan tried to look away again partly for Elsa’s sake, but she stopped him by squeezing his shoulders… silently urging him to enjoy what he had with her. Alan didn’t mind this at all. Getting carried in the air by Gale was more than surprising, but it meant that he and Elsa could be close together, and, with his arms wrapped around her, he was going to enjoy it for all it was worth. “This is amazing,” he said. “It’s like we’re flying, almost,” he said. “And I get to do it with you. This is the best feeling in the world.”

He smiled, gently and lightly kissing Elsa’s lips, admiring her beauty. What a kiss, thought Elsa: honestly, she’d not kissed many people, let alone men, so technically she wasn’t too informed to judge. But her instincts, which never failed her, told her that this was the real deal: devotion and care that couldn’t be found among esquires or princes. She held him tight until Gale gently slowed and landed them feet first on the ground of the North Mountain, just a few steps before the ice bridge that led to Elsa’s former home and now Marshmallow’s. Alan was in awe of the sight of the ice castle. “You made this?” he said, looking at her. “It’s… amazing,” he said. “Just… beautiful. Like you.” Elsa flushed in pleasure.

“Thank you,” she said, reaching up and giving him a light but affectionate kiss. “Back when I summoned this palace, everyone was too anxious to get me home, whether Anna or Hans. So I suppose no one really paid attention to the actual architecture.” She took his hand. “I’d love to wander beyond this nostalgic place, but shall we first pay it a visit, for old times’ sake?”

Alan smiled, enjoying Elsa kissing him back. “Of course, I’d love to see the castle in all its beauty for myself, it would be glorious.” Taking her hand, he smiled more. “Even in times of stress, you make great things.” Elsa giggled. “You bet I was stressed back then. I think I also thought of a pretty nice song to release my inner turmoil, but I don’t know if the kids sing that anymore.”

She led Alan by the hand across the ornate ice bridge and up toward the castle entrance. “Like Anna, we’ve got to knock now,” she reminded Alan, putting a finger to her lips. “This is Marshmallow’s house now, and we don’t know if he’s in a grumpy mood.” She knocked, a deep ring shuddering through the ice door. “Hello? Marshmallow? Snowgies? Can we say hello?”

Alan nodded at her, and smiled. “It’s so nice to be up here, to get to visit this place. It looks so amazing, and, the fact that you made it, makes it that much more awesome. You’re quite the icy architect, Elsa, I must admit.” He smiled and waited for a response from the inhabitants. “A song, huh? Maybe you can sing it for me sometime.”

Elsa shivered. “I can barely muster myself to sing it in the bath. You’ll really need to get me in the mood for something like that.”

He laughed a little at that, then nodded and watched as she knocked. She turned back to the door and put her ear closer to the ice door. Then came a loud rumble, and Elsa smiled. “He says yes,” she said, and opened the door.

Marshmallow was waiting in the magnificent foyer, and he gave a wave. “Hello,” greeted Elsa, “I’m with Alan tonight.”

“Well, maybe sometime I’ll make that happen,” Alan said, smiling as she opened the door. Alan walked in with her, and waved back at the giant. “Nice to meet you,” he said. Marshmallow rumbled in greeting as the snowgies, miniature snow-creatures sneezed into life by Elsa, gathered around. Marshmallow pointed at Elsa, then at Alan, then at Elsa again. Elsa laughed shyly. “Yes, we’re on that kind of outing. We just wanted to take a walk around here.”

Alan smiled. “This is amazing,” he said. “To see all of your amazing creations, Elsa, this is….this is awesome.” Marshmallow leaned down, looking at Alan. He wasn’t familiar with the young man, but the fact that Elsa had taken his hand seemed to placate him. He settled back down and continued playing with the snowgies, allowing Elsa and Alan to tour the castle. It was as amazing as ever. Alan smiled, walking with Elsa around the castle, admiring every part of it. “This place is just… it’s so beautiful.” He looked at her, and smiled. “Like you.”

“You could say that I don’t bring many up here. But since we had a wonderful time together today, I felt you should know this place like Anna and Kristoff.” Elsa leaned in, inviting Alan to give her a kiss. “As thanks to me for bringing you here,” she cooed, closing her eyes. Alan smiled at her, and replied, “Well, I appreciate you doing this for me. Means a lot to get to see this place.” He leaned in, taking that invite, and kissing Elsa.

Elsa opened her eyes, looking deep into Alan’s, which made his knees weak. But Elsa had to admit her own heart was fluttering too. There were so many possibilities with Alan, and she’d explore them as long as he stayed with her. From today’s experience, he seemed to plan to. Indeed, and Alan wrapped his arms around Elsa, continuing the kiss as he looked into Elsa’s eyes as well. He smiled, and said, “This has been the best day of my life, and I think its only going to get better, with you, my dearest Elsa.” After sharing some more precious time with Alan on the balustrade of Marshmallow’s ice castle, Elsa summoned Gale, who took them from the balcony of the ice castle back in Arendelle.

When their feet kissed the docks, Elsa embraced Alan. “Thank you,” she whispered. She gave him a let’s-do-this-again kiss, before heading back to the castle. Alan smiled back. “You are so, so very welcome,” he said, kissing Elsa back before watching Elsa head back to the castle. “Amazing.” he said. “Simply amazing.”

And with that, Alan began to think about what he’d do for the next time. Anna would be waiting for Elsa to come home, and she smiled when she heard the former queen knock on the door to her office. “Come in, sis,” Anna said, and Elsa entered, happy as ever, with a slight blush in her cheeks.

“You seem really happy, Elsa,” Anna said, glancing at Alan and winking.

“I am,” Elsa said. “I just had a wonderful time with Alan, and…” She smiled, unable to hold back her blushing. “I hope to do it again real soon.”

Anna smiled, and said, “I’m sure you will.”