#Blue Skies and Dandelion Fuzz

[helsa-summer-event]

 Header by @Puryartist

Hello, everyone! 

It’s Summer and the Helsa Discord server is proud to announce that we’ll be hosting Helsa Summer Event! We implore you to join us! Be inspired and create! Write fanfiction, make fanart, comics, edits, mood boards, headcanons, poems, essays, cosplay, anything you like!

For two weeks, 3-17 August 2020, we’ll be introducing two public events and two Discord events!

Please join the server if you’re interested — https://discord.gg/yQcvRSC

Joining is easy: Just follow the link, read the rules and introduce yourself.

Public Events

— Helsa Summer Event prompts

7 prompts; a new prompt every 2 days.

— Draw This In Your Style (DTIYS) art challenge

> Original art by @Puryartist

(Join the server for a sneak peek and a chance to get a head start on the DTIYS before it goes public!)

Discord Events

— Group writing

The prompt is Summer Camp.

We’ll be hopping on a shared Google Doc, bonding and sharing our muses as we write together! We’ll be organised and queue in order to not overlap with each other’s writings.

— aggie.io

We’ll be drawing on a shared canvas as a group. Expect masterpieces and/or memes, or both!

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Summer Event Prompts

(inspired by Olaf himself)

Prompt 1 (3-4 August) — "Don't you dare!”

Try something bold and new! Slip and slide! Sky diving! Pull a mischievous prank!

Prompt 2 (5-6 August) — Blue skies and dandelion fuzz

Celebrate a fair/festival, have a picnic, go camping, take a road trip, garden or go hiking.

Prompt 3 (7-8 August) — Relaxing in the intense sun

Build sandcastles, have a pool party, plan a trip to the lake or involve the love birds and their friends in any beach-related activities!

Prompt 4 (9-10 August) — Gorgeously tan

Looks like someone’s got a tan, or, perhaps, a bad sunburn? Oh, well, no one’s gonna notice when you’re doing something grand like sailing or surfing!

Prompt 5 (11-12 August) — We're cool in the summer

Beat the heat! Eat some ice cream, make some cocktails, have a lemonade day!

Prompt 6 (13-14 August) — Lettin' off steam

Summer is a time for fun! Let’s have karaoke night! Let’s play charades, have a water gun fight and unwind!

Prompt 7 (15-16 August) — Free Space

Dah dah, da doo, uh bah bah bah bah bah boo

Rrr Raht da daht dah dah dah dah dah dah dah dah doo

* The examples above are merely ideas. Feel free to use your own interpretations of the prompts.

If you missed any of the deadlines, you can repost on 17 August.

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When posting your work, please:

1. @Helsa-Summer-Event

2. Tag #HelsaSummerEvent and/or #HelsaSummerEvent2020 and #Helsa along with other appropriate tagging (fandom, characters, ship, spoilers, NSFW and content warnings).

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask :) We hope you have fun! We’ll wrap everything up on 17 August.

🔆☀️🔆

[ariddletobesolved]

Days We Spend Under the Sun (Chapter Three)

Written for @helsa-summer-event ❤💫

Fandom: Frozen

Genre: Romance, Family, Fluff, Whump

Rating: T

Summary: Summer is not her favourite season, but a certain Admiral from the neighbouring kingdom is going to change that.

More Helsa fluff! Also, I might have hinted something in the end. I'll leave you to it. I enjoy this writing marathon, hopefully I won't get burned out before the event ends xD External links are in the notes.

Prompt 2: Blue Skies and Dandelion Fuzz

—

Chapter Three

"You have thought about this through, haven't you, Hans?"

When Hans suggested that they should explore some parts of the forest, Elsa didn't expect a picnic along the way. But there they were, sitting on a picnic blanket Honeymaren had lent them, under the shade of an oak tree. Without her knowing, Hans had packed a few pastries—including some krumkake—before they departed from Arendelle the day before. It was only the first day, yet he had given her enough surprises. She wondered what he had actually planned for the whole trip.

Hans chuckled, as he rolled the sleeves of his cotton shirt. "I did tell you that I already have plans. Do you like it?"

Shyly, Elsa looked away. Her blue eyes were gazing at Sitron that seemed to bond with a group of reindeers at the meadow, a little farther from where they were. The green scenery before her, with the addition of bushes of daisy and some growing dandelions surrounding them made the view even more beautiful. It was a perfect picnic spot, of course she did like it.

"Yes, I do." She looked back, flashing him a smile. "Thank you, Hans."

The Admiral shook his head. "Nah, don't mention it. When was the last time you went on a picnic?"

Elsa tilted her head, trying to recall. "I can hardly remember."

Handing her a bottle of lemonade, he added, "The whole time you live here you haven't actually gone on a picnic?" He raised an eyebrow.

The blonde shrugged. "Well, a few times, perhaps. But that was before the war, and it was just an outing with Ryder and Honeymaren." She took a small sip from the bottle. "This is actually really good." Putting down the bottle on the blanket next to her, Elsa then faced the Admiral and caught his dreamy gaze. "What?"

Hans shook his head. "Nothing." But what he did next was something she didn't expect.

"Hans!" She yelped when Hans lied down and put his head on her lap. 

Ignoring her protest, Hans closed his eyes and sighed in contentment, feeling the light blue icy fabric pressed against the back of his head. "This is nice."

Elsa's face turned red. She was stunned at first, but she eventually smiled fondly. She combed her fingers through his auburn hair, earning herself another sigh from the Admiral. His thick hair felt rather soft against her skin, and it had grown longer; she kept brushing back his bangs.

"I love you." Hans murmured. His eyes fluttered open, revealing those emerald orbs. The corner of his mouth tugged upwards as he watched her face. The close proximity allowed him the view of the faint freckles dusting her face. 

She could feel her heart swell inside her ribcage at those words. She used to live in denial when it came to love—romantic, sexual love, but with every second that passed, Elsa grew fonder of the man resting against her. Her forefinger grazed the skin of his forehead, down to the slope of his perfectly angled nose, before tapping the tip gently. 

"And I love you." She tucked some platinum locks behind her ear, before leaning in to capture his lips with hers.

Once she pulled away, Elsa eyed the surrounding. Hans tried to follow her gaze.

"What are you looking at?"

She shook her head slowly. "Nothing. It's just the view. It's always been so beautiful."

"I agree." He replied. "I've never really been away from the Southern Isles to spend summer, well, with the exception of going to your coronation a few years ago, but we both know how it ended."

Briefly, Elsa glanced at her hands, which were resting each on his head and his upper arm. Her brows furrowed, as she was reminded of a particular memory. Yes, she had her powers under control—she also understood the purpose of the gift, but the tainted past would still be there. How quick her people forgave her for what she had done still made her wonder.

"Sorry." Hans, knowing that he had caused such tension to spark, apologised. He noticed where her blue eyes looked at and immediately grabbed her hand. "Hey, Kaere."

At the nickname, her blue eyes met his green ones. There was something in his eyes which stared at her with sincerity. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, before bringing it to his mouth, in which he tenderly kissed her palm, eyes never leaving hers. Such gesture was enough to make her feel fuzzy and warm, with a pleasant touch lingering on her skin.

"I'm sorry for bringing that up." He reached out to caress her cheek.

Elsa flashed him a small smile, holding his hand. "Hans, it's alright." This time, it was her turn to reassure him. "How about you tell me a story?"

He raised an eyebrow. "What kind of story?"

Half shrugging, she replied, "Well, anything that makes you happy, perhaps?"

"Like sailing?" Seeing her nodding, the Admiral continued, "What about it?"

"Why do you love it?"

Hans smiled. He had his eyes on the blue skies above them. A sense of nostalgia clouded his mind. 

"You know, I also love the sea, I always do, and those two can't really be separated. I used to sneak out of the castle and go to the docks, just to admire the sea, aside from hiding from my brothers. Then one day, my mother was kind enough to give me a boat as a gift. Of course no one else knew, except for me and mother. The boat was small, but she was strong. Nordstjernen I called her."

"The North Star?" Elsa let out. 

He nodded. "Nobody taught me how to sail, but the books in the castle library provided enough information. The third time I went sailing, I came to realise that I actually enjoyed it. The feeling of being out there in the open sea gives me a sense of freedom, one I used to think I'd never get. I was trapped in the Southern Isles with uncertainty, and the confinement that I felt, let's say it drove me straight to my doom."

"But you're here now, and you're free."

Sighing, Hans turned to face her. "I am." He smiled. "We should go sailing, maybe next week after we get back to Arendelle?"

Elsa shrugged. "I don't know about that."

"Why?" He tilted his head. "It's going to be fun! I promise you this time we won't be trapped in the middle of a battle."

The blonde couldn't help but smile, reminiscing the victory from the last naval battle side by side they fought.

"See that smile? I can tell that's a yes. You want to, just admit it, Elsa." He teased, earning himself a slap on the chest. "Hey! Who knows maybe I'll let you steer." Then he paused, before grinning. "Oh wait, you don't know how to!"

Elsa rolled her eyes in annoyance. "I was once the Queen of Arendelle, Hans, of course I know how to steer a ship. You're underestimating me."

"Sure." Hans sat up and scooted closer to Elsa, his body was facing the opposite direction. "But I am an Admiral, I shall be the judge of that. And I bet you can't use some naval equipment." He leaned in. Their faces were so close, he could feel her breath.

Her blue eyes narrowed, as she took in what sounded like a challenge. "Well then, Admiral, should I remind you that I once have the entire armada under my command? Operating a simple naval equipment, say a sextant, is among those things I learned growing up."

At this, the former prince raised an eyebrow in amusement. Indeed, he was aware of that fact. Elsa was once a Queen after all, and the Arendellian Navy was one of the strongest in the area, right after The Southern Isles. Her days leading up to her coronation must have been spent learning about her country, as well as trying to control her powers.

"Alright, I'll let you steer." He said. Emerald eyes glinting with mischief. "But only if you say yes."

"So, you want an answer?" Elsa tilted her head, as she stared at him with her big blue eyes. One hand secretly reached to pick a stalk of matured dandelion growing beside her. Seeing him nodded, she smirked. "Then, have this!"

Elsa blew the dandelion fuzz, and chuckled when the seeds flew towards his face. Immediately, Hans closed his eyes and leaned back, trying to avoid the floating seeds. Taking this as an opportunity, Elsa got on her feet and ran away, but not before she gave him a slight push.

"Come and get me!"

Once the Admiral realised what happened, the corner of his lips curved into a smile. He liked this playful side of hers he didn't see quite often. Taking her on a trip is a good idea, it seems. Chuckling to himself, Hans got on to his bare feet and went after her to the meadow.

Hopefully, he thought, soon, she would say yes.

[stupidsexyfandom]

Lost in Sea Blue

@helsa-summer-event

Rated T // Angst

Hans loves the blue of the sky and sea. Too much, perhaps. It haunts him.  

Written for Prompt #2 of Helsa Summer: Blue skies & dandelion fuzz. 

When Hans was a child, he would sneak outside in summer to play in the fields around the castle. The castle faced the sea on one side, but its lands were extensive on all the others. He would run and jump and climb, taking pleasure in the fresh air and solitude. The joy of these activities was such that he could almost forget how he was not missed at home.

The forests seemed to hold countless untold mysteries. He would splash in the creek and pretend that bears and witches and ogres lurked behind every twisted branch. The meadow became a battlefield where he could wage campaigns against invisible opponents, or a pirate ship he captained across a stormy sea. When he grew tired of playing, he would lie back in the grass and make crowns of golden dandelion chains. He would pick the flowers that had gone to seed, blowing their fuzz through the air. As he watched the seeds float away into the pure blue sky, he would wish that he could grow up to be a heroic prince, just like the ones in his favorite fairy stories.

Perhaps his favorite pastime was to climb the old oak in the center of the meadow. The lack of competition from other trees had left it with many low-hanging branches that were perfect for a little boy to climb. He would climb as high as he could, until all that surrounded him were leaves and sky. Gazing up at that azure dome, he would pretend to be flying on a Pegasus, or a dragon, or even under his own power. That summer sky was his first taste of freedom. As time passed, he became increasingly hemmed in by his schoolwork and his brothers, and he no longer went to the meadow. But the memory of it remained his escape mechanism. When their torments became too much for him to bear, he would think of that wide expanse of blue and remember the absolute bliss of being free.

-

As a young man, Hans went to sea. The Southern Isles was a seafaring nation, and many of its princes served time in the navy. Hans found that he enjoyed it more than most. The sea offered him more autonomy than he had had in his whole life previously, even accounting for the chain of command. The work was difficult and often dangerous, but he relished the chance to prove himself and put his body to good use.

Every day was spent out under the sky. When the weather was clear, the sea and sky seemed to stretch on forever. Hans would stand on deck and crane his neck to see the full gradient. The deep blue water gave way to the pale horizon, the sky intensifying in color as it climbed toward its peak. The area directly overhead was so vibrant that it looked nearly periwinkle. No longer was he restricted to the blue dome of the sky. Now he felt as though he were in an orb, suspended weightless and surrounded by blue. The sea, the sky, and the wind were the only things that felt real. Although he had given up his fantasies of dragons long ago, he thought that this was the closest a man could get to flying.

His desire to see the sky did not lead him to shirk his duties. The callouses on his hands proved his contributions to the running of the ship. He climbed rigging as easily as he had the old oak tree, and he was willing to do any task set to him. His favorite chore was manning the helm. It was there that he got his first taste of power.

When the weather was stormy, Hans had learned time and again that the sea was a harsh mistress. Not malicious, but certainly not benign. An unstoppable force of nature with no regard for man. But standing at the wheel made him feel in control. He could harness the power of the sea and direct it to his will. It was intoxicating. Sailing through his blue orb with the wind at his back, he felt like the master of his own fate in a way he never had before.

-

It was the princess’s sea blue eyes that first drew Hans to her. They were wide and open like the sky, brimming with possibility. He could fall in love with eyes like that.

Running into her at the docks had been a stroke of good luck. When he learned she was the princess, he was thrown back to his childhood fantasies. He saw himself on the throne of Arendelle, finally a heroic prince worthy of the office. Freedom and power both lay within his reach.

He came back to reality soon enough. Nothing was ever as easy as it was in storybooks, and love never entered the equation. The princess was merely a pawn in his game. He would do whatever was necessary to take the throne. But those blue eyes reminded him of the only things he had ever loved.

He saw those same eyes in the queen’s face when she stood in the chapel to be crowned. They were the color of the sky, but they held none of the openness of the real thing. She beheld no infinite horizon. There was something hidden there that he could not understand.

By the time they met in the ice palace, he thought he understood. Her eyes had been the color of an iceberg underneath the water, lying in wait to bash the hull of an unwary ship. He locked eyes with her again as her ice spikes threatened to impale the duke’s men. Even though she was cornered, he could tell something had changed. Her eyes had seen the open sky, had tasted what it could bring her. She had known freedom, known power, and she was terrified.

He stood in awe of her magic. She reminded him of a great wave on the open ocean, threatening to sweep away all who stood on deck. An unstoppable force of nature with no regard for man. She acted not out of malice, but out of instinct. He didn’t know if he could save her, but he had to try.

“Queen Elsa! Don’t be the monster they fear you are!” And against all odds, she stopped. Something hung between them in the air. Her eyes were the color of the horizon in summer’s everlasting twilight. Hans had not felt this way since he was last at sea, when he had stood at the wheel and sailed toward infinity. Here was an unspeakable power, and he had mastered it with words alone. Visions of the future flooded his mind. The queen and her magic could be his. Together, they could be unstoppable. So when the guard raised his crossbow, he acted in an instant.

When he had carried the queen back to Arendelle, he made certain to put her in a cell with a window. He could not bear the thought of separating her from the azure sky.

-

In his prison cell, Hans was haunted by a dream. It started in Arendelle, on the ice in the midst of a blizzard. He walked through a mist of white, suspended weightless once again. But whereas the sea and sky had seemed infinite, the snow felt like a trap, closing him off from the outside world. No opportunity could exist in this icy void.

The queen was splotch of blue on an otherwise colorless landscape. He heard his own voice echoing across the fjord. You can’t run from this! Your sister is dead because of you! He knew what he had to do. Metal scraped on metal as he drew his sword.

He could see the blue of her eyes as he approached her. This was when he should have known he was dreaming. In reality, her back was to him the whole time. He never saw her face as she awaited the arc of his sword. But he never figured it out until after he awoke. Instead, her gaze burned into him, silently pleading. Whether for death or for salvation, he knew not.

Gone was any satisfaction he may have felt, any forced mania of coming so close to achieving his goal. He moved nearer, sword raised over his head. Her eyes seemed to draw him in, pulling him deeper until he felt he might drown in them. Like Charybdis, the whirlpool which no man could survive. He had thought himself a hero, a Hercules or an Odysseus, a knight from one of his fairy stories. He alone could slay the monster. But in this dream, he realized he had been wrong. He was the monster, Scylla seeking the head of another fearful traveler. He could not stop.

Time seemed to slow as he swung his sword down, down, down. But it met with a statue of blue marble, the frozen form of the Princess Anna. He felt himself flying backwards until he was looking up at the white sky. Here, again, he should have realized he was dreaming. But instead he continued to look up.

He could not tell how much time had passed. As he watched, the sky seemed to brighten. Snow floated upwards, disappearing into the rich blue. The flakes reminded him of dandelion fuzz drifting away. All his wishes turning into dust. He thought he could still see the queen’s eyes staring at him.

Love will thaw. He knew not whence the voice came. He could feel the ice beneath him melting. In the back of his mind, he felt he should be lying on a ship. But there was nothing beneath him but cold water. He knew how to swim, but he could not make his limbs move. He was sinking. Love had been his undoing. His love of power, his love of freedom, his love of the sea and sky. His twisted obsession with the queen. Love had thawed him into a watery grave. And now she would make him pay.

As he slipped down, down, down beneath the waves, he swore he could see the queen above him. Her icy cape covered her head like a veil. Oh Hans, she seemed to say. But her voice held no hint of anger or mockery, only a quiet kind of sadness. The next second, she was gone. He floated weightless beneath the surface of the water. The last thing he saw was the vast expanse of blue.

-

Hans’ life was now confined to this small and drab cell. The days bled into each other as he awaited execution or extradition or something else entirely. Possibly he would just be left there to rot. When he had first come, he had bemoaned the lack of a window. Gradually, he grew thankful that there was no sky to remind him of what he had lost, stoking the fire of his bitterness. Now that the dreams had started, he had never been so grateful to live in a world of grey and brown. If there had been a window, he was certain that the blue sky would drive him mad. It still might if he were to see it on the gallows.

He could not escape the sea so easily. Day after day, he heard the waves breaking against the stone pediment of the castle. He wondered how long it would take them to erode away the granite. The water would rush into his cell, filling it with the smell of the ocean. Perhaps the tides would take his body with them when they ebbed.

“She’s coming for me,” he told the guard who brought him his meal, “She needs to punish me for what I’ve done.”

“The queen? Don’t be stupid, she’s in Arendelle. Anyway, she wouldn’t bother with the likes of you.”

“Not the queen,” he said fervently, “the sea.” But the meal slot had already slammed shut. As he lay listening to the waves, he felt the distinction was immaterial. The queen and the sea were one and the same. She would have him in the end. And so he waited for her to come for him.

At night, he dreamt of drowning in the blue. Upon waking, he took cold comfort in the gray of the stone. He was certain that the next time he saw blue, in the sky, or the sea, or the queen’s eyes, it would be his dying day.

***

Author’s Note: Guys, I messed up. I wrote this entire one-shot themed around blue, and it’s so thematically different from “Blue” by Marina and the Diamonds that I can’t cop a line for a title. My bad. This story certainly owes something to Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. Many years ago, I had considered writing a Helsa AU of that story. Perhaps someday I shall. Thank you to you all for reading and for the love you’ve shown my previous piece! <3

[ao3feed-helsa]

Mona Lisa come out of your shell

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/3aRGMGW

by nap_princess

"Anywhere you want to visit?" "One place," She admits without a second thought. It’s been burrowing in her mind for a long while. "But it's far away." "How far?"

— HansElsa, road trip AU

(Helsa Summer Event: Prompt 2 — Blue skies and dandelion fuzz)

Words: 9249, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Frozen (Disney Movies)

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/M

Characters: Elsa (Disney), Hans (Disney), Kristoff (Disney), Ryder Nattura, Honeymaren (Disney)

Relationships: Elsa/Hans (Disney), Elsa & Hans (Disney)

Additional Tags: Modern AU, road trip au, and (gasp) there was only one bed!, Some angst, I think mostly fluff?, Fluff, Humour, Happy Ending, Helsa Summer Event 2020 (Disney), Helsa Summer Event

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/3aRGMGW

[courtedclover-a]

One resting on the other

Unspoken Fluff Starters || Not Accepting

It’s green, so very green, and warm. A little too warm for an Atlesian. 

Clover spins the fluffy dandelion between two fingers and he can’t find himself to smile. The white fuzz drift off into the air from the movement and Clover brings the dried flower to his lips to blow out the rest of the fuzz, but he hasn’t a wish to make. The island of patch is a dream come true. What more could anyone wish for? 

A call of his name stills his hand, dropping the stem, and his smile resurfaces when Qrow comes to sit beside him in the grassy field. The sunsets are different here too. The skies bleed with colors of reds and oranges, not with greys or blues like in Atlas, and the warm rays of the sun make Qrow’s scarlet eyes shine in a way Clover has never seen before. It takes his breath away.

“No, I’m not homesick.” Clover reassures, chuckling softly.  

“I don’t know. Do you think I did okay? I hope I didn’t…” Clover trails off, unsure which word to use. Fail? Fail at being accepted? It was only a dinner, but it sure felt like a trial. 

Clover looks out to the sunset and for once he isn’t sure of his odds. Of all the things his semblance had won him, his luck gifting him, his talents accomplishing, family was never an option. He’s never dreamed it or even wished it. Qrow’s family, messy and broken as he claims, just seems so perfect and beautiful and Clover couldn’t possibly be apart of it. 

The love that’s planted in Clover’s heart, that love that blooms with every kiss and every embrace, just isn’t enough and perhaps it’s Clover who is the one with the real incompletes and imperfections. 

“Sorry, Qrow. I have to go back to Atlas. I have to find another dangerously handsome huntsmen with beautiful red eyes and very sexy legs.” Clover teases as he rests all of his weight on Qrow’s shoulder, laughing out loud. 

“Who am I gonna kiss now? Ah, I’m gonna miss this prickly fuzz~” Clover cups Qrow’s face and he kisses him sweetly on his cheek.

[superforeever]

Spring is the sound of birds chirping, the taste of cherry juice, the feel of grass on bare feet, the sight of pink roses and blue skies, and the feel of dandelion fuzz. Spring, in other words, is a welcome, wondrous sensory overload.” ― Toni Sorenson

[agateshot]

An Encounter With A Witch

"Can you see it?"

The oncoming night was cool to the touch, the lavender sky was ringed in the soft color of dandelions, the sun still large enough in the skies that the stars hid their faces.

Hawthorn and his brother shared a look between them, ducking under the overhanging roots of the trees as they descended deeper into the cool earth.

"What is it that we are supposed to be seeing?" Meadowsweet asks, glancing up to where she points.

"The night sky." Agatha of the woods tells the brothers, spreading out her hands in a descriptive pattern. "Pitch black with all the jewels of the night sky on full display, the moon, silver in its glory, gazing down at us like a mother who is estranged from her son. It is where I live, all hours of the day, and to access my magic, it is what you need to see as well."

"Nonsense." Hawthorne snorts, turning away, "No directions can be worth this, just to imagine a sight we see in our Lord's service when we return home. I think I'll go sit by that fire we passed on the way in here and wait for this old lady to stop talking nonsense."

"Brother," Meadowsweet says, putting a hand on his arm, "Our Lord may rule the night, but he is not the only one who has power there. I think our dear Agatha has given us a riddle, and a simple one at that. She's even done us the service of reaching out to us if even we should fail, we should see her night."

Hawthorn grumbles, turning the idea over in his head. He was sour today, tail twitching side to side as he crosses his arms.

Meadowsweet was always the brother who could produce stronger lightning, and it is his ability for faith in others, especially in the hands of fate that guided him throughout his life that gives him his strength. When the old woman had come to them, requesting from the brothers a token of a sparkling blue jewel that they had received for saving a village, without thought for his profit, he gave it to her, much to Hawthorn's immense displeasure.

Agatha had promised to pay them back with visions of their future, if only they could follow her to the Oracle she uses.

"I think Agatha is blind, Hawthorn." Meadowsweet admits, "But in the way of the eyes and not to power. Therefore, when all the light is gone, do we not also feel the guidance of the stars and Moon? We are servants of the Nameless Moon, and all of our actions are governed and watched over by him. Close your eyes and reach out, or simply wait until the moon peeks into the sky of its own accord."

Hawthorn rolls his eyes, shaking his brother off.

"Thou paid for her services, thou may use them." Hawthorn huffs, turning to leave, "Unless she reveals some hidden corner of the world, I will hear none of it. If thou wishes to spend time in the woods with an old hag, then go."

His brother could be difficult sometimes. Meadowsweet watches him leave, and then closes his eyes, reaching out much like a fern to brush against the sky. He can feel the lavender shell fall away, and be it by night or transcendence, when he opens his eyes, Agatha is gently glowing in front of him, the sky pitch black and studded with stars. The moon hangs high above them and while he can feel it's related to his god, he agrees that it is much more motherly than the figure he follows as his Lord.

"Come then, o Dragon of the Nameless Moon," Agatha says, tossing her brittle brush hair over her shoulders, "I have much to show ye, and the night wishes to guide you."

It was to the center of the great tree that they were headed, the one that the very roots they walked through were supporting. It towers above them, an ancient giant, leaves stretched to the heavens, and crowned by the Moon itself. It was alive, which was a marvel in itself as it was clear that it was hollow, shining silver light from the opening hidden within its roots.

Yonic in nature, soon they were nestled inside the tree's womb, a statute of something not quite meant to be seen in front of them. She was carved from wood and stone, her tentacles twining into hands and dropping over the front of her head like a face, a jeweled moon within her grasp. As he looks at her, Agatha lifts up the blue gem he had given her, the faceted surface glinting as it lifts off of her palm, starting to spin as it rises. It hangs there for a moment, between her palm and the moon.

With a crystalline whistle, it speeds towards the jeweled moon, and as it crashes into the object, a flash so brightly white blinds Meadowsweet's eyes. When he blinks the fuzz from his eyes, he finds himself floating above a pool of water, the woman holding the moon is right behind him, just out of sight. The moon is large on the surface, and it shimmers, showing him and Hawthorn looking at something.

"It is inevitable that you find him." A voice whispers to him, and he knows it's not Agatha, though it uses her body. "You and he are a storm that rages across the Lordran, bringing the winds of change, championing the cause of Vengeance wherever you may step."

Hawthorn starts to fade away, the surface of the water turning red, the image cracking as blood winds its way across the image.

"It is inevitable that those who focus solely in Vengeance will die. Even those who have forever tend to rot in it, so consumed that they cannot live without it."

Meadowsweet finds himself horrified by the sight, his eyes going wide. He knows his brother, even if he came out now and begged his brother to reconsider, to turn back and do something else, he would not. He would leave Meadowsweet to go die without his shield and his sword in his hand. He's always known.

"I know what you want." The soft voice tells him, "It is what I have wanted for every day of a thousand lifetimes, both mine and others. It is a simple desire to some, but to us who cannot partake; it is a ravenous hunger more consuming than the void."

For a moment he is her, holding a tiny child in her arms, feeling the grip of snakes on his skin, staring down into a beautiful face, glittering in the light, their eyes the color of a sunset.

"My child," She explains, as he comes back to himself, "After many, many attempts. You know them well, I should think. And this will be yours."

His stomach drops as he's transported to the inside of a house he's never seen before, the orange walls washed out by the light of the moon. He looks down and sees a child, his eyes the color of Hawthorn's looking back up at him. He places his hand down on the belly of the child, and the youth starts to giggle, the sound ringing in his ears as he snaps back to himself.

"He can't be mine." Meadowsweet says, shaking himself, "Hawthorn and I promised we would never have children, that we would never inflict the kind of pain we had suffered onto anyone else-- We're always going to be away, doing things that they can't be with us for. It's cruel. It's too cruel."

"I know." She says, and she does. "That is why I had wished to talk to you, Meadowsweet, servant of the Nameless Moon. Our children face a future of loneliness.

Here, the image of the moon fades away, showing the child of the moon in some woods, looking around as the back of another is seen disappearing just out of view. Wide eyed and innocent, they turn around to show off a lovely colored snake, the image fading as their shoulders fall, realizing they're alone. It gives way to the agate eyed child, opening the door onto a darkened house, looking around before curling up on a chair, using a blanket like the lap of someone who cared about him.

Tears come to Meadowsweet's eyes, and he swallows harshly, trying to keep himself under control.

The child of the moon is older now, sitting on a dusty dais, in red brick that's almost familiar to Meadowsweet, dusting off their frock, the shape of a helmet next to them as they turn their head to look at the light coming in from a window. Similarly, he sees the agate eyed one sitting alone at a table with three chairs, the details of his face fuzzy. He's been sitting there a while, books to the side of him, forgotten, as he stares down at his hands, what looks to be a frown on his face.

"What do thee want?" Meadowsweet asks, trying to turn away from the sight, "Why show me this?"

"I want you to entrust him to me." She says simply.

Meadowsweet can see it play out, like two threads twining together to form a rope. In the water, he sees them, his child much older now, talking and laughing with the child of the moon, and the way that both of their laughter starts to attract more people to them, so that neither of them are truly alone. Meadowsweet wants it so badly, he wants that so badly for his son.

He finds himself sobbing now, and through his sobs he agrees. The Moon hugs him gently, and ever so softly….

Returns him to his brother's side, the memory of their interaction slowly fading from his mind.

"Why so upset?" Hawthorn asks, teasingly, "Did thee not get thy money's worth?"

"Don't be cruel," Meadowsweet says, a little defensively "Ye know little of what thee speak."

[ariddletobesolved]

Days We Spend Under the Sun (Chapter Two)

Written for @helsa-summer-event

Fandom: Frozen

Genre: Romance, Family, Fluff, Whump

Rating: T

Summary: Summer is not her favourite season, but a certain Admiral from the neighbouring kingdom is going to change that.

Perhaps we should call this a collection of Helsa fluff drabbles. External links (including some links to the prologue and chapter one) are in the notes. Enjoy!

Prompt 2: Blue Skies and Dandelion Fuzz

—

Chapter Two

One of the best things about the forest is the serenity it offers, this pretty much she knew.

Standing near the river bank, Elsa had been staring at her own reflection for a while. It was still early in the morning when she sneaked out of Hans's warm embrace and out of her own hut in the village. Not that she didn't want to stay and cuddle—despite the fact that the weather was rather hot, but she would like some space for her to think, and the river bank being one of her favourite places in the Enchanted Forest could offer that.

Her mind began to wander to the event that happened the day before. Hans was indeed full of surprises when it came to wooing her, she was aware of that fact. But the trick he pulled, when he broke into a gallop instead of stopping to let her summon the Nokk, was one she didn't see coming. Nonetheless, she still found the journey quite enjoyable. Even during a few stops did she not try to summon the Nokk. The way he held her close to his chest was something she found comfort in. Eventually, they arrived in the forest when the sun went down, and Yelena was the first one to greet them, accompanied by Honeymaren. After having dinner, they stopped by the stable-like area in the village to give Sitron an extra bag of carrots. Tired from the long journey, they finally turned in and Elsa, of course, had to share her hut with Hans. 

Sighing in contentment, Elsa began to stretch her muscles. It had been quite some time since the last time she was back in the forest, she almost forgot how different the place was from Arendelle. It was really quiet in the morning. There was no sound of people trading or arguing, no sound of hooves clicking against the pavement, nothing but the serenity of nature. She smiled, still looking at her own reflection, before a familiar set of eyes stared back at her. The Nokk.

The water spirit rose from the river, standing tall before her in the form of a majestic horse. Elsa looked up with one hand reaching out to gently caress the spirit. Affectionately nuzzling its face close to hers, it was as if the Nokk tried to tell her that it missed her. Elsa let out a chuckle, for she was amused by the spirit.

"I've missed you too, Nokk." She said. "Sorry about yesterday, but Hans had another plan. At least we're here now."

The horse walked around above the river, and Elsa tilted her head in confusion.

"Are you complaining, now?" She raised her eyebrow. But before she could react, she saw a flash of fire. It danced from stone to stone, before stopping beside her feet. Bending down, Elsa smiled. "Hello, little guy!"

The fire died down, and a blue salamander crawled upon her open palm. Elsa conjured a small rain of snowflakes to the creature's amusement, as it poked its tongue out to catch some fallen snowflakes.

"You like it, huh?"

Blinking and tilting its head, Bruni, the fire spirit, stared at her with something like glee. It was obvious that the fire spirit was glad to have her back. The blonde grinned, finding the gesture adorable. Looking up, she saw the Nokk staring at her intensely.

"What?"

The water horse motioned at the path towards the village.

"You want to see Hans?" She inquired. At the mention of the former prince, Bruni smiled wider. "Why, so you can try to drown him again?"

If Nokk could laugh, it would certainly roll onto its belly, Elsa was sure of that. The unspoken tension between the two brought back a memory of their first meeting. It happened shortly after Hans was released from a three hour long questioning, in which the decision sparked a brief tension between her and her sister. Anna, being the wise queen she was, decided that she found nothing harmful with his presence back in Arendelle. Hans was there to deliver an invitation under the Crown Prince of the Southern Isles' order. Elsa, refusing to accept it, mounted on the Nokk and rode across the ocean towards where his ship was in the harbour. They had a quarrel which resulted in him slipped on Elsa's ice and fell into the water. The Nokk, that was offended by Hans' accidental name calling 'water horse' did try to drown him, leaving Elsa standing on her ice.

"He is not the same man, you know." She sighed, making her way towards the majestic horse. Bruni crawled up and rested on her shoulder. "He has grown to be a better person, don't you worry about it."

Elsa smiled at that thought. It wasn't easy to get where she was, but time had given them a chance. Then, faintly, she heard some footsteps walking closer. She turned, only to see Ryder walking with a smaller reindeer.

"Morning, Elsa."

She smiled. "Ryder! I didn't see you last night. How are you holding up?"

The young man returned the smile, half shrugging sheepishly. "Well, I'm fine, I guess? I've been taking care of the reindeers." He nudged the reindeer standing beside him, who nudged back. "This one is John."

"Oh," Elsa tried to bite back a laugh, "that's quite a name for a reindeer."

"I know." Ryder brushed it off as if it was nothing, certainly not aware of Elsa's amused face. "Oh, and one more thing, Hans is looking for you."

"Sure." Elsa turned to the Nokk, who was tilting its head. "I'll be there shortly."

"Great! I'll head off to the meado now." He said. "Also, the breakfast is ready, so you better go back soon."

Nodding, she looked back. "Sure. I'll see you later, Ryder."

"See you later, Elsa." With that, he took off with the reindeer.

Once again, she was left alone with the spirits. "You're coming, Nokk?" Instead of answering, the Nokk turned around and dived into the water. "So, it's just us." Elsa turned to the excited salamander, that was now crawling onto the top of her head. "Fine, it seems like you really are excited to see Hans."

She made her way towards a familiar path that led her back to the village. Taking a deep breath, she let the clean morning breeze fill her system. She looked up to the blue sky and sighed. Nothing topped a nice breezy summer morning. It was rather warm in the forest, since summer had arrived up north, but she liked it. Unlike Anna, Elsa wasn't a huge fan of summer. She couldn't really stand the heat, and would take every opportunity to take shelter under the shade. The reason why she agreed to Hans' suggestion to ditch the carriage—other than to spend more private time together on the journey—was because of her ability to conjure some clouds above them should the weather be too sunny.

The sound of children playing around and people starting the day got louder as Elsa walked closer to the village. From afar, she spotted a familiar auburn haired Admiral sitting on the ground with two bowls of steaming food beside him. He looked far too engrossed in a conversation with a brunette sitting before him, he didn't see her coming.

Elsa saw this as an opportunity to surprise him, but before she could do such a thing, Bruni already beat her to it. The salamander hopped from her head and landed safely on the ground, before it crawled towards the Admiral. Upon the tiny element of surprise, Hans almost jumped on his seat. Bruni settled on his shoulder, causing him to turn and saw Elsa standing nearby.

"Elsa." He looked a little taken aback, before flashing her a smile. "Have you been there for a while?"

"No." Taking a seat next to him, Elsa pecked his lips shortly. "I have just arrived." She then turned to the brunette. "Morning, Maren."

"Good morning, Elsa." Honeymaren smiled. "Did you see Ryder?"

"Yes, I did." Elsa nodded, taking a bowl Hans offered her. "Thank you, Hans." Turning back to her distant cousin, she continued, "So, what were you two talking about? You both seemed engrossed."

Honeymared glanced at Hans, before replying, "Nothing that would interest you, really. Hans was asking about the crops, yeah."

Hans smiled. He didn't say anything, instead, he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. But something told Elsa that it wasn't exactly their main topic of discussion.

"Okay."

"Where were you?" Hans asked. "I woke up this morning and you were nowhere to be seen."

"I was at the river bank, talking to Nokk, before Bruni came." She smiled at the beaming salamander. "They missed you."

Hans playfully rolled his eyes. "Yeah, as if the water horse misses me. I wouldn't be surprised if the little guy here did, or maybe Gale, since it greeted me earlier before deciding to play with those kids." He gestured at the wind spirit swirling around two giggling children.

Elsa grinned in response. "What did I tell you? Nokk doesn't like it."

"What will the Nokk do anyway, try to drown me?" He raised a brow, before shrugging. "Anyway, you should finish your breakfast. Are you going to visit Ahtohallan later today?"

She shook her head no. "I'll go to Ahtohallan tomorrow."

"Great! Because I have a plan for the two of us later." Hans beamed, briefly glancing at Honeymaren, who shrugged slightly.

Elsa narrowed her eyes. "What is it?"

"That, Kaere, is for me to know," Hans poked the tip of her nose, "and for you to find out."

"Fine."

Elsa beamed. Excitement surged through her, as her mind began to think of a few possibilities. She might look as if she wasn't expecting much, but deep inside, anticipation was building up. She looked forward to whatever adventure he had in store for her.