#And Arendelle was filled with snow puns forever more

[texanredrose]

Frost Fire (Frozen/Tangled AU)

Yang felt a smile curling her lips as she looked around, drinking in the sights of a new kingdom without the agonizing burden that her every move would be watched like a hawk. As heir apparent to the throne, the blonde had to worry about everything she did outside the castle walls- and even inside them- but now that she'd finally been reunited with her long lost sister, she didn't have to worry about the line of succession. Sure, it didn't sit well with the court, but they just hadn't acclimated to Ruby's unique style yet. And, honestly, Yang thought the monarchy could do with a little lightening up. She couldn't just do it because she didn't have royal blood, her only claim to the throne being through her father's marriage to the Queen. 

"Welcome to Arendelle, Rubes!" She threw an arm out, indicating the castle beyond the town before them, with snow capped mountains on the horizon. "Sure, it's not Corona, but it's nice, yeah?" 

"It's a lot warmer than I expected!" Her sister smiled, fiddling with the crown settled about her temples. "I thought the reigning Queen is supposed to be some sort of ice mage." 

"I'm sure that's just rumors." Yang laughed, leading the way from the docks to the castle and waving when she could, smiling at how the sun shone off her armor. It felt so good to just be a knight as opposed to future ruler. "Besides, we're here for a wedding! It's gotta be good weather for that." 

Ruby shot her a curious look. "Considering you have a magic arm, I'm not sure why you'd dismiss the idea of a magic queen so quickly." 

"I'm with Yang." Sun announced, slipping up beside his fiancé's side and throwing an arm around her shoulders, though Ruby seemed rather pleased he'd gotten off the ship despite not wearing the suit she'd laid out for him. "A magic fake arm is one thing- the spell is written right there- but the stories go that the Queen of Arendelle can conjure a winter storm with just a look! Sounds fake to me."

As the couple continued to lightly argue about the veracity of the claims, Yang breathed in deep and looked around the town square, marveling at all the decorations. Not only was the kingdom's signature snowflake on display just about everywhere she looked but so too were pretty white flowers- edelweiss, a staple of the kingdom- and the people seemed beside themselves with joy, calling out to friends and travelers alike. Beyond the square, the blonde could see where the gates to the castle stood open. 

"We should go introduce ourselves," she said, looking over her shoulder at Ruby and Sun. "Looks like we might be the first VIPs to arrive. It'd be polite to let our hosts know we're here." 

"See, Yang, you're really good at this royalty thing!" Her sister sighed. "Why can't you be Queen instead?" 

"Because it's your birthright and, honestly, I hated being 'Princess Yang’." She grimaced while leading the way, the couple and their small retinue of guards in tow. "It's all rules and being nice to people you'd rather throw through a window- you've already got more patience than I ever did." 

"That's only because I've been dreaming of finding where I belong for years; I've got a lotta motivation to do this right!" Lightly, she knocked a fist against the back of Yang's chest plate. "If you had a carrot to motivate you, I bet you'd be a better Queen than me."

"Yeah, well, too late to place that bet, sis!" They crossed a stone bridge over a little moat around the castle, passing through the gates to the courtyard. "Besides, nothing could... possibly..."

Her words trailed off as her gaze fell on the other occupants of the courtyard, halfway decorated in preparation for the ceremony. 

"I'm just saying, you should consider it." A woman just a little taller than Ruby with long white hair pulled up into an off center ponytail and a furrow to her brows directed her gaze to a cat eared Faunus, pushing off with her right foot and gliding, effortlessly, across a sheet of ice. "You're standing at the alter, awaiting your bride, and here I come, gliding down the aisle- how is that not romantic, Blake?" 

"The part when you fall down and break an arm," Blake replied, rubbing at her temple. "Look, I do like the ice theme and everything but this is... a little much. What if you hurt yourself?" 

"I've been skating since I was old enough to walk." 

"Weiss-" 

"And there's no possible way I could be injured. Watch." With that, Weiss intentionally tripped herself, only for wind, ice, and snow to combine, somehow catching her and returning her to her feet without even mussing her dress. "See? There's nothing to be worried about." 

Yang noticed all that- saw and heard it- but that wasn't what captured her attention entirely. No, what had her completely enthralled was the taller woman standing off to the side, clad in a light blue dress that shimmered in the sun, flowing white locks cascading over her shoulders and a smile on her lips, even as snowflakes danced around her hands. 

"I understand your concerns Blake but, really, you have me officiating the ceremony. Nothing will go wrong." 

"Winter's right. Everything will be-" Weiss stopped short. "Oh, excuse me, I didn't realize we had company... who are you?" 

"Weiss!" Blake sighed, offering an apologetic smile. "Forgive the Princess; she's a bit distracted by the wedding."

"Oh, that's fine! It looks like it's going to be a beautiful ceremony!" Ruby stepped up, offering a hand. "I'm from Corona! Princess Ruby at your..." she paused, lowering her voice and leaning towards Yang. "Wait, am I a Princess or a Queen?" 

"Huh?" She shook her head, snapping out of her stupor. "Oh, uh, you're a Princess still. Dad's King until you feel ready to assume the throne; he's basically your placeholder." 

"Great!" She laughed. "So, yeah, Princess Ruby at your service!" 

She then tried to curtsy, though Sun had to grab her hips with his tail to keep her from falling over. "And I'm Sun. Just, uh, just Sun." 

"Welcome Princess Ruby and Just Sun," Winter said, a twinkle in her eye that seemed to be shared in the ice crown around her temples. Then, her gaze landed on Yang, ice blue eyes somehow warm despite the chill that surrounded her. "You must be one of their knights." 

"Uh... yeah." She nodded, dumbly, while trying to get her brain back on track. "And a Princess. Kinda." 

That seemed to spark a bit of confusion in the Arendelle nobles. Luckily, Sun came to the rescue. "The normally articulate Yang here is Ruby's older half sister from a previous marriage; their dad is royal by marriage, making Ruby the blood heir to the throne." 

"Ah, the intricacies of succession. How troublesome a headache," Winter said. "Welcome to Arendelle. We're glad Corona accepted the invitation; it's been far too long since our kingdoms have spoken." A shadow of concern passed over her expression. "I'll admit, some of that is my fault. I hope to do better in the years to come." 

"You're beautiful," Yang said, not entirely sure if that's what she meant to blurt out but rolling with it. "I mean- this ceremony, it's beautiful, and you're in charge of it, so you can obviously do it, do it better- you're a very good. Great. Wonderful. Yes." 

... the blonde stood there, blushing and trying not to fidget, while everyone else stared. But then, a slick smile spread across Sun's lips, and a cloud of dread descended on her.

"You know, Yang's actually reminded me- does Your Majesty have a date to the wedding?" 

"I've only recently started talking to people outside the castle staff so, no, I'm afraid I haven't secured a date." Winter smirked, eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion. “Why?”

"Hmmm... well, that's gonna be a problem." He crossed his arms over his chest. "In Corona, we have a very old, very sacred tradition for weddings, and it's very important for us to impart good will on the wedding party by dancing with each member and their partner. But, if you don't have a date...” He sighed and shook his head. “That's just bad luck for the wedding, plain and simple." 

Yang opened her mouth to loudly remind him that, no, they didn't have any such custom as that, but Ruby gasped and quickly intervened. 

 "That's right! The couples' dance is super important! Oh, Your Majesty, would you please consider taking a date to the wedding?" 

"I'm not sure who I could find on such short notice," the Queen replied. "Unless you have a suggestion-" 

"My sister!" Ruby slapped her pauldron. "Yang's still considered royalty in Corona and it would be a great gesture to the people, showing that we're committed to rebuilding the bond our kingdoms once shared, right?" 

"That is a solid point." Winter took two steps back. "But, as I'm sure you're aware, we have our own customs to abide, and a trial must be faced before I can grant any such an honor." Then, she held out her hand and met Yang's gaze. "If you wish to be my date for the wedding, brave knight, you must take my hand before I count to five." 

Yang blinked, her first thought being that it sounded too easy and her second being that she didn't really care, she was doing it. However, she'd been so distracted by the Queen's... everything that it just now occurred to her that her feet were rather cold, and a glance down told her why: blocks of ice had formed, almost half a foot thick encasing her shins and rooting her to the spot.

"One." 

She tried to pull herself free but failed and even though she could feel the heat pouring off of her as Weiss and Blake stifled their amusement, it probably wasn't enough to melt ice like this, or do it quick enough.

"Two." 

Thinking quickly, she reached up, tugging at the straps that secured her magic arm in place. 

"Three." 

Undoing the anchoring latch, she pulled it free from her body, slapping the limp hand into the Queen's with a triumphant smirk. 

"F-..." Winter blinked, grabbing hold of the hand and twisting it left and right, until she could see the spellwork inscribed on the armor. "Well... that settles that." Her gaze shifted to Weiss. "It appears I have a date to your wedding, Sister." 

"Indeed you do." More than a little suspicion infected the woman's tone but Blake seemed rather amused, and Ruby and Sun flashed her big smiles and thumbs up. 

Honestly, the only thing going through Yang's mind was how much she did and didn't want to know what trials she'd face if she wanted a kiss. 

And the former was winning out over the latter. 

Yang reached up, adjusting her chestplate and handing off her empty champagne flute to a passing servant. The reception had started before sunset but now the moon has risen high over the fjord, and she couldn't help but step out onto the balcony to drink in the sight. After so many years releasing lanterns into an unforgiving night sky, she could finally appreciate the beauty of the moon's glow. 

It still hadn't lost its appeal. 

"Are you enjoying the festivities?" 

"Yeah!" She winced at her too loud reply, coughing into one hand as her date for the night came to stand beside her. "I mean, it's a very nice reception. The ceremony was gorgeous." 

"Thank you." Winter paused, in that deliberate way that meant she hadn't yet decided what she wanted to say. The knight probably shouldn't be able to tell that but... in the short few days she'd been in Arendelle, she'd paid its Queen an exorbitant amount of attention, and she'd picked up on a few things. "I'm surprised you didn't change." 

"... huh?" 

"Your armor- it must be stifling. You could've changed into something more comfortable for the reception." She smiled a bit wider. "Not that you don't look dashing in it, of course."

"Oh. Right." Forcing a chuckle, Yang looked away, tracing the outline of masts down at the docks. "It's just... safer." 

Worry creased the woman's brow. "I apologize; I'd hoped I'd stationed enough of my guards-" 

"No!" She quickly put her hands up, waving off the apology. "No, it's not; I don't wear armor to protect me. I wear it to protect everyone else." At the confusion and curiosity splayed on the Queen's face, she quickly continued, all the while working the straps of her left gauntlet. "I- I don't talk about it. It's... scary, and I get that, it scared me, too, but it's really for the best. But... I guess... maybe you-" sliding the gauntlet off her hand, revealing her bare flesh to another person for the first time in years, Yang closed her eyes and turned her head away, afraid of what she might find as a familiar warmth bloomed in her hand "-you might... understand." 

She didn't dare look up, even as tongues of flame licked at her fingers. The armor helped smother the flames before they began but, bereft of that barrier, she could do nothing to keep the fire that coursed through her veins in check. It had never proven useful- hadn't helped her keep Ruby from being kidnapped- so she tried to just... forget about it most days. 

But ever since arriving in Arendelle, she couldn't, the heat of her blush and being surrounded by ice a constant reminder of her own dark secret. 

"It's beautiful." 

"What?" She looked up, surprised by the sincerity in blue eyes. "Fire destroys- that's all it can do. I'm a danger-"

"I used to think that of myself," Winter said, her voice soft as newly fallen snow. "When we were young, I accidentally hurt Weiss. The scar across her left eye? I gave her that." Sadness infected her tone as she sighed. "It wasn't intentional; I was just scared. And for over a decade, I refused to so much as look at her, because all I could think of was the fear and the shame- I gave her a scar, turned her left eye completely white. Every time she looked at me, that was all I could think of, how scared I was that I might do it again." Then she reached out, slowly, lithe fingers drawing closer to the flame. "But this isn't something to fear; I learned that myself not too long ago. I doubt you'd ever hurt anyone intentionally with this gift. Not your sister or her fiancé. Or even me." 

"Don't-" 

"Hush." Despite Yang's worst fears and the flames feeding off that and growing larger, crawling up her wrist, the Queen merely threaded her fingers through the tongues of fire, steam rising up with a soft hiss. "Ice powers, remember? You won't hurt me." 

Tears stung at her eyes as Winter kept going, until she was lightly holding the knight's hand, fire and steam rising in equal measure, though the former began to calm as the fear seeped away slowly. "I... don't... it doesn't hurt?" 

"No. Fire can destroy, but it's also a light to show us the way. It cooks our food and keeps us warm." A chuckle left the woman's lips. "Honestly? I don't think I've ever felt this warm. It's rather nice."

Hesitantly, Yang closed her fingers around Winter's hand, unable to dispel the flames but amazed at the sensation of skin against hers. “It is, huh?”

“When was the last time you tried to hold someone’s hand?”

“I... really don’t remember.”

"I thought so. I was the same way. And, if it'll make you feel better," the Queen said, lowering her voice slightly. "I believe there's a custom somewhere that says a knight pledging loyalty to an allied kingdom strengthens political bonds, and I wouldn't mind having another knight around the castle." 

Bolstered just a bit by the hand in hers, she said the first thing that came to mind. "Is Arendelle officially requesting the presence of a hot knight?" 

"Only if she'll keep my bed warm." Yang's brows rose but the woman seemed intent on teasing rather than flirting. For now, anyway. "You do tend to put out a lot of heat when you blush." 

"Well, too bad I don't do that very often." Winter raised a challenging brow before quickly leaning in, cupping the knight's jaw and planting a ghost of a kiss high on her cheek and, absently, Yang had to be grateful she was dealing with the woman now affectionately nicknamed "The Ice Queen", because the amount of figurative and literal heat that that simple action produced became rapidly apparent by the amount of steam now billowing off the balcony. 

"I'm not sure if that will happen every time I kiss you... but I'm very tempted to find out." The Queen chuckled, waving a hand to fix the slight damage done to her wardrobe and turning to head back inside. "I do hope you'll stay, Yang. I'd like a little more time to warm up to you."

Yang stood in the courtyard, eyes closed as snowflakes caught in her hair and melted on her skin. While she'd gained more control in recent months, she still ran hotter than most people, and the natural snowfall in Arendelle couldn't quite stand up to it. But for the split second before they melted, she loved the feeling of them hitting her skin- her face, her bare arms, her shins. She probably looked crazy to someone who hadn't been in the castle for the past few months, standing there in nothing more than short cut trousers and a tunic, but she'd honestly never felt more alive. 

"You look ridiculous," Weiss said, waddling out into the courtyard. "You could catch a cold, you know." 

"I really can't," she replied, smirking. "Shouldn't you be resting? On top of eating for two, you should be sleeping for two." 

 "I wish it worked like that." The Princess laughed, resting a hand on her belly. "She knows it's snowing; she won't let me sleep." 

"Think she might have powers too?" Without even thinking about it, her own hand drifted to her belly, and Yang had to adjust the line of her trousers to cover the motion. "Would be kinda cute. Lil kid running around, conjuring snowstorms." 

Weiss looked at her then, in that way she did more and more in recent weeks, and shrugged. "I think my sister is more likely to pass on the powers. If she were to have kids, of course."

"Do you... do you think she'd want to?" Yang scratched at the back of her head. "I mean, hypothetically. Is that... something she'd want?" 

She watched as the Princess smiled, sitting down on a snow covered bench and hissing as the cold soaked through her nightgown. 

"She likes the cold, I think," she said, motioning towards her unborn child. "She’s not moving around as much now. It soothes her. And, to answer your question?" A sigh. "When we were kids, Winter firmly believed in soulmates. With our parents... she used to say that it's what happened when people married for station and not for love, that if we keep looking, we'll find our soulmates- the ones who balance us, complete us, harmonize with us." Apparently having her fill of the cold, Weiss got up. "I think, once she finds the person who balances her, Winter will go to the ends of the planet for that person's happiness. If they want kids, she will, too... but I also know my sister is old fashioned. Someone will have to make quite the grand gesture for her to consider them." A smile. "Goodnight, Yang." 

As the Princess left, the knight's shoulders slumped. A grand gesture? What qualified as a grand gesture to a woman whose sister literally climbed a mountain in a blizzard just to apologize? 

"I'm an idiot," she said, falling back and landing in the snow with a muffled thud. Steam billowed out around her and a frown tugged at her lips. Fire and ice didn't mix, didn't harmonize; they destroyed each other. "A complete idiot." 

So... what? She should just give up? Go home, forget the last few months? Yang sat up, a new resolve solidifying in her mind. If Winter wasn't interested, that was one thing, but she refused to give up before she'd even tried. Lifting up her hands, she called forth the fire, watching as tongues licked at her forearms and the falling snowflakes. She couldn't create things the way Winter could. 

... or, could she? 

Lilac eyes rose to the castle's tallest tower.

"This is either brilliant or crazy," she said, pushing herself to her feet and not bothering heading inside first, a lifetime of walking around in full armor imbuing her with a lot of strength. Rather than risk getting caught by the guards patrolling the hallways, she hefted herself up, scaling the castle's structure with the tower as her goal. The wind whipped at her, cold seeping into the tips of her fingers that she shook off with a flare of her fire, Yang climbed up the side of the tower while planning out what she wanted to do. If she used tonight to practice, the weather might hold until tomorrow, and then she stood a chance- 

"Yang, what are you doing?" 

"Yah!" She clung to the side of the tower, turning her head to see a rather unimpressed Queen watching her. "Oh, uh, funny seeing you here, Winter. Couldn't sleep?" 

"Watching my favorite guest scale the side of my castle in a snow storm does put a little kink in my nightly routine." A brow raised. "Now, what are you doing?" 

"Wait, how did you get up here?" Blue eyes flicked down, to the icy platform supporting the woman. "Oh. Well, that makes sense-" 

"Yang." The Queen sighed. "What are you doing?" 

"I want to show you something." She lifted herself up higher. Welp, looked like she wouldn't have a chance to practice. "Follow me up." 

"Why don't you just let me take you up?" 

"Uh, I like the exercise?" 

"Yang." 

"Trust me?" 

The Queen sighed. "Fine."

A few minutes later, they stood on the tower's balcony, and the knight took a steadying breath before picking out a spot on the slanted roof of the castle. "Now... watch." 

Brow pinching in concentration, she pulled forth her flames and set them forth, melting away the snow in a specific pattern, writing out a message in far better penmanship than she could ever effect with her hand. The words "I love you" etched out in flowing script, though with the shifting of the fire it was impossible to read it. The moment she extinguished the flames, however, the remaining snow began to slide, brought down by gravity an the absence of the snow she'd melted away. 

Yang's shoulders fell as she groaned, her plan backfiring. "Damnit." 

"Has anyone ever told you your eyes turn red when you're fire's burning?" 

"Huh?" She glanced at Winter, a blush heating her cheeks as it occurred to her that, even if she had seen it, the Queen would probably act like she hadn't to save the knight any embarrassment. "I mean, yeah. It's been mentioned before." 

"Give me your hand." Winter held out hers, lacing their fingers together when presented the opportunity while calling forth her snow and ice to swirl around their hands. "Now, your flame." 

"But-" 

"Humor me." With a sigh, she did as asked, watching as red and orange tongues licked without burning, a soft heat shared between them in that moment. Her brows furrowed, however, as the ice began to form almost... around her fire, and then... somehow moving with it, creating a blue tinted flame. 

No, not blue... 

... purple. 

"I think we go together rather well... don't you?" Winter smiled. "I love you too, Yang." 

Her heart soared, a dopey smile on her lips, yet she couldn't just accept that, no, she needed more. "But, do you think I'm your soulmate?"

"Weiss mentioned that, did she?" The Queen chuckled. "As a matter of fact... I do." She squeezed Yang's hand. "Fire and ice... we're quite the pair. I'll admit, I hoped as much from the moment we met." 

"You and me both." She cleared her throat. "Ya know... I'm pretty sure it's a custom for royal siblings to marry into allied kingdoms. Strengthen political bonds and such. Is that... something that might interest you?" 

"Yang, are you asking me to marry you?" 

"No." She laughed, squeezing the hand in hers. "I mean, not yet. I'm looking forward to courting you, honestly, but, ya know. If that's on the table..." 

"It is." 

"Good. That's- that's good." She swallowed, heart racing as possibilities exploded in her mind. "That's very ice to hear." 

And with Winter's laughter- and the way she turned to hide her face in Yang's shoulder- the blonde felt that feeling from before. Being with Winter was like standing in a gentle snowfall. Being with Winter... 

She felt alive.