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Diplomacy was exhausting, Elsa thought. Which was one reason why she was excited for the ball. At least this one shouldn't end with ice everywhere and an eternal winter. There was always the chance someone might take umbrage at someone else, but that was common enough at just about any royal function.

Though at most royal functions most of the participants didn't have some kind of awe-inspiring power. Elsa pushed that worry out of her mind, as she had far more mundane problems at the moment.

"I don't know what you're so worried about," Anna said, putting her own hair up with pins. "It's a gorgeous dress."

"They both are."

"Yeah, but you've got to wear that one."

Elsa looked at it, chewing her lip in thought. "Are you sure?"

"It's different, yes. But I think you should take the risk." Anna put an arm around her waist, "Plus it'll show off the old decolletage."

"I don't exactly have a lot to show off."

"The dress'll take care of that," Anna assured her.

Elsa looked at her sister. "But the color?"

"It's different."

"You don't like it."

"What?" Anna shook her. "No! It'll look great on you! Just different."

"Okay, okay." Elsa let out a breath, "I'll wear it!"

"Great! Do you want some help with your hair? I can, or I can locate Gerda, she's a master at hair."

"I was thinking of just leaving my hair down. Jaina is always taking it down for me." Elsa chewed on her lip again, afraid of how Anna might react to a change like that and feeling very self-conscious about it.

"Wow. You are absolutely smitten, sis." She winked at Elsa, then started for the door, "Good idea! It'll save her that effort."

"Anna!"

Anna pulled the door open, ducking out just before a snowball could hit her. Elsa waved the splattered snow away, then picked up the dress. She had gotten it specially made, after all. And as nervous as she was, she wanted to see Jaina's face when she saw her.

It was really the strangest feeling. Elsa had snow flurries in her stomach, but she was excited too, understanding the way Anna sometimes fussed over herself for Kristoff. Elsa had always told Anna that Kristoff wouldn't care and he loved her anyway.

But then Kristoff would stare at Anna, stunned, and Anna would give her a smug I-told-you-so look.

Elsa hadn't really understood that kind of impression until now, as anticipation made her wonder how Jaina would react. She was positive Jaina loved and cared about her regardless of what she was wearing but…

Oh God, what if she hated it?"

Elsa glared at her reflection. "Don't do that. Don't spiral."

Of course, it had no response for her, and she nodded firmly, before stripping down to her bare skin and then pulling the dress on over her head. She adjusted the hang and smoothed out the fabric. Like most of her gowns, it exposed her shoulders and throat, and in this one her arms were bare as well. Unlike most, there was an actual neckline that dipped low, Jaina's pendant hanging above her sternum and drawing the eye still lower. Elsa's skin darkened when she noticed and she took several breaths.

Jaina was going to die when she saw her, she realized, giddiness flooding her as her doubts faded away.

But the gown needed something more. Her magic danced around the fabric, adding gold highlights to compliment the color and giving the dress a shimmering, sparkling sheen. Next, she placed one of her tiaras on her head. Elsa had several, plus the too-heavy crown, and knew she couldn't make any appearance without one. This one was gold and held a sapphire with two diamonds to either side of it and it felt fitting.

She checked her make-up, her magic keeping it all in place as usual, and then caught herself before she left. She was missing the most important accessory; with a flourish of her hands, a long, sheer cape flowed like water from her shoulders and trailed behind her as she stepped out of her bedroom.

Thus armed and armored, Elsa walked down the hallway, following the sound of music and conversation that emanated from the ballroom. It was a bit late now but Elsa wondered if holding this so close to Christmas and her inevitable birthday dance was wise but knew any reason to celebrate was good for the people. She glanced at the clock and stood at the doors for another minute before she signaled the guards to open it.

The one on the left struggled to keep her eyes on Elsa's face, but the other simply smiled at the Queen as he held open the door. "I believe that Lady Proudmoore has already arrived, your Majesty."

Giving the first guard the gift of pretending not to notice, she smiled at the second. "Thank you, Peter."

Almost as soon as she stepped inside, conversation ground to a halt.

"Holy shit," Anna exclaimed, her voice echoing through the silent ballroom. She clapped a hand over her mouth as Kristoff tried very, very hard not to start laughing.

Elsa raised her eyebrow. "Carry on?"

Someone in the back might have swooned, and Elsa hoped it wasn't super obvious how hard she was blushing. But aside from the initial reaction, everyone returned to what they'd been doing before, besides casting the occasional glance in her direction. It was quite honestly very reassuring.

She started to move through the crowd, greeting people while trying to find Jaina. There were Anduin and Baine, engaged in a friendly chat with Queen Greymane. No Jaina.

She spied Khadgar in a circle with several of the mages, all of them dressed in the most elaborate robes imaginable. Also no Jaina. She lingered with them for a few moments, mostly to be polite, but also because the tall one with elegant horns had an interest in music that Elsa shared.

Eventually excusing herself, she resumed her search for Jaina, wondering if the guard had been wrong. As she moved, Elsa could feel eyes on her, and as she skirted the edge of the dance floor she spotted Sylvanas staring at her. The Warchief inclined her head as she approached. "Red. The color suits you."

"Thank you. Jaina suggested it." Elsa responded, itching to get Jaina's reaction.

"Really?" Sylvanas's eyes dipped low, fixing on the pendant, "You still wear Proudmoore's anchor."

"I'm her anchor." Elsa held her chin high, as if to challenge Sylvanas.

"Sylvie!" Rapunzel glided off the dance floor, Eugene in tow. "It's your turn!"

Sylvanas started. "Wait, what?"

But Rapunzel grabbed her hand and dragged her out onto the floor, the Warchief casting a look at Elsa almost as if asking for help. Almost.

Exasperated, Elsa turned to Eugene. "Do you know where Jaina is?"

Eugene chuckled, jerking his chin towards the northwestern corner. "She's over there. Pretty sure you broke her when you made your entrance. Gives me fond memories of this time Goldie wore this one dress to the Geese Ball."

"Thanks." Elsa hurried in that direction, and finally, finally saw Jaina.

Jaina looked as though she couldn't tear her eyes from Elsa. Elsa tried not to run over, or hurry over, or otherwise draw any attention to herself that wasn't from Jaina. So she approached slowly, almost shyly, until she was standing in front of her. "Hey."

"Hey…" Jaina jerked her eyes up to Elsa's, obviously struggling to find appropriate words.

"What do you think?"

"You look beautiful." Jaina wet her lips, looking Elsa over with fawning adoration. Her expression made Elsa's pulse race and her breath shorten. If they weren't in a room full of people she would have launched herself into Jaina's arms.

"Not half as beautiful as you are," Elsa countered, finally. And it was true. Jaina wore a gown of green and white, with long, flowy sleeves. Her neckline was a sharp vee, and though she lacked anything to draw the eye Elsa couldn't help but stare.

She lifted her gaze, and then took Jaina's hands.

"Elsa," Jaina murmured, a nervous sort of joy on her face. She let out a breath, then looked around at the rest of the ballroom. "Look what you did."

"Mm?" Elsa turned and looked as well. There was more mingling now; Horde with Alliance, Arendelleans and Coronans dancing with Orcs and Draenei and Elves. A werewolf was tearing up the dance floor with a Forsaken.

"I didn't do anything," she said, after observing. "I simply made sure that you all had time to stop trying to kill each other."

"Still. This is nice to see after decades of war, and after losing almost everybody and everything."

Maybe that was part of it. Elsa didn't know what it would do to them in the years to come, the survivor's guilt and the questions of what if they'd done something different. She resolved to help search for healthy ways to cope.

"Do you want to dance?" Jaina asked.

"I don't dance," Elsa responded automatically. Then she blinked, and looked back at Jaina, "But I'm willing to learn if you're willing to lead."

Elsa didn't have to fear discovery. They all knew her powers, and she wasn't going to hide Jaina either, even if she hadn't exactly been super public with her either. Jaina guided her to the dance floor, and she slipped her arms around her as they started to dance. Elsa could tell how badly her lover had wanted to touch her just in the way her hands trembled against her hip and back.

They went through two or three dances, Elsa learning quickly and finding herself enjoying the symmetry and artistry of it, and yet wanting to have Jaina alone more and more with every passing moment. And then Anna cut in, whirling her around at a breakneck pace that left her dizzy. She got Anna to drag Jaina around too and retreated back to the corner to recover, with a smile on her face and the slight case of the giggles.

Anna was the more social and outgoing of the two of them, and a party like this was like catnip for her. Elsa smiled, watching as two of the people she loved the most spun around together.

She tried to catch Anna's eyes, raising her eyebrows and tilting her head. Anna grinned back, and danced Jaina over to her. She took Elsa's hand and placed it in Jaina's, then winked. "Here you go, returned safe and sound."

"Thank you, Anna." Elsa squeezed Jaina's hand, glancing at her meaningfully. "I think I need some air."

"Uh huh," Anna replied. "We'll be fine."

"Do me a favor." Jaina's hair was askew from all the dancing, and she eyed Anna like she was planning some sort of revenge. "Make sure to dance with Tyrande at least once."

Anna darted her eyes, then skipped off. Jaina's shoulders sagged. "I love your sister but she has more energy than you and me combined."

"Yeah," Elsa said. "But it's part of her charm." Quickly looking around, Elsa tugged on Jaina's hand. "Come this way."

A tapestry hung near the wall, with just enough room behind it for a person. Jaina grinned suggestively, nearly pinning Elsa to the wall before Elsa ducked out from under her arm. Smiling back, she put her finger over her lip, then pressed a hidden panel. A door slid open.

Once inside, Elsa returned the door to its normal place and whispered, "Follow me."

"I should have known," Jaina murmured, her hands on Elsa's hips and thumbs stroking at the fabric of her gown in a way that made it increasingly difficult to think straight. Wanting to see just how far she could push Jaina, she slowed. Jaina bumped into her back and before she could so much as take a breath, Jaina had her pressed against the wall, the stone cool against her face and palms.

Elsa shivered, Jaina's hands moving with reckless abandon just about everywhere she could reach. Jaina caressed her sides and hips, stroked her fingers along the curve of her rear and then squeezed her breast with one hand while the other hiked up her skirt. She ground her hips back against Jaina, tilting her head at the feel of Jaina's breath on her neck, ragged and heavy.

"Jaina," Elsa gasped, her skirts pulled high enough for Jaina's hand to be able to reach the bare skin of her thigh and the sensation was enough to make her knees weak..

Jaina's hand stilled. "Do you want me to stop?"

In response, Elsa put her hand over Jaina's and pushed it up her thigh, to where she was already warm and wanting and completely lacking in any kind of undergarment. Jaina groaned in her ear as she realized, wasting no time in moving her fingers caressing gently at first, almost frustratingly so. Elsa whined, moving her hips desperately and hoping for Jaina to get the hint. She needed her and she needed her now or she was quite certain she'd die.

Jaina gently covered Elsa's mouth with her other hand as she sank two fingers into her. Muffled, Elsa groaned, then flicked her tongue at Jaina's hand until Jaina moved it just enough that she could suck a finger into her mouth.

And then the only sound in that passage was their gasps and Elsa's muffled moans, Jaina seeming determined to push Elsa over the edge as quickly as possible. The pressure built quickly, Elsa's head spinning as her body sang under Jaina's minestrations. She came around Jaina's fingers in what felt like almost no time at all. Her legs gave out, but she didn't fall, not with Jaina holding her propped up against the wall.

Elsa laughed, rolling her head back against Jaina's shoulder. "I thought we'd at least make it to my room."

"You cheated," Jaina whispered, kissing the shell of her ear.

"How?"

Carefully, Jaina picked Elsa up and held her in her arms. "By being so irresistible."

"How do you know this wasn't all part of my plan?" Elsa put her arm around Jaina's shoulder, gazing tenderly at her. With every passing hour she found herself loving her more. She thought about the way Jaina had let her keep the pendant, knowing what it meant to her.

"…You had a plan?"

Elsa grinned, cupping Jaina's face and stroking her cheek with her thumb. "Well it was supposed to get us as far as my room."

Jaina kissed her cheek. "I love you. Now how do we get to your room?"

She pointed. "A few meters that way."

The passage let them in just behind Elsa's mirror. Jaina carried her over and sat her on the bed. Elsa leaned back on her hands, crossing her ankles and gazing up at her. She said nothing, waiting for Jaina to get her wordless hint.

Slowly, Jaina shrugged out of her dress and Elsa drank in every inch of flesh as it became exposed. She could tell Jaina was trembling, and started to slip out of her own dress. But Jaina held up her hand. "Wait. Let me."

"Okay."

Jaina finished undressing, then approached the bed. She leaned down, kissing Elsa, hands roaming up her stomach and chest and back down again. Elsa groaned, digging her fingers into the covers as Jaina touched her.

Finally, just when Elsa was sure she was going to lose her mind, Jaina started to undress her. She was careful not to damage the dress, getting it off of Elsa without breaking their kiss for more than a few seconds at a time.

With nothing but skin between them, Elsa pulled Jaina onto the bed, rolling them over and straddling her in very nearly the same smooth movement. Jaina laughed, lifting her hands to play with Elsa's hair. Like she was amazed by Elsa. Which was okay, because Elsa was amazed by Jaina, and wanted very much for Jaina to understand that.

"What is it, baby?" Jaina drew the backs of her knuckles down Elsa's cheek and Elsa realized she'd gotten lost in staring at her.

"I'm just … admiring you." Elsa pressed her palm over Jaina's heart. "All of you." She trailed her fingers over the left breast, and then across her stomach and back up to her right.

"Are you sure that's all of me? Because you're easily distracted by my breasts."

"Hush." Elsa put her finger over Jaina's lips. "I admit I've sometimes had a hard time understanding romance. But then I met you and it was like something clicked."

"Like we're two puzzle pieces from different puzzles that somehow fit together."

"Something like that." Elsa smiled, shushing Jaina again. "But now I've met my person. My equal. Intellectually, physically, you compliment me without drowning me out, which is something I've always kind of feared. It happened in books, even the fairy tales with happy endings. I never wanted that kind of faux happy ending, and I was content with what I had. My sister, Kristoff. Iduna and our people. I think I still would be, if you can understand that because that doesn't mean I would want a life without you now."

Jaina nodded, but kept silent before Elsa needed to hush her again.

"I want that." Elsa said, chewing on her lip and fidgeting her hands on Jaina's stomach. She got up off of Jaina and the bed, and walked quickly over to her dresser. Jaina propped herself up to watch her.

"I want a life with you, if you want the same thing."

"Elsa?" Jaina asked, in that sort of way someone did when they thought they knew what was happening but were absolutely terrified of being wrong.

Elsa returned to the bed and crawled back in, sitting on both knees next to Jaina. She opened her hand, a silver ring in her palm. The diamond was simple, but the filigree resembled waves all around it. Her other hand clutched the anchor pendant, and she was quick to add, "It doesn't have to be right away, you only arrived last winter, but I feel so certain- Jaina?"

Jaina was staring at her, tears flowing freely down her face. Elsa moved closer, shifting her legs so that she was sitting on Jaina's right side, facing her. Was this good? Bad? Elsa tried to fight down a surge of uncertain panic. She'd been so sure, for once in her life when it came to herself she'd been so sure-Jaina's lips met hers, brief, but firm and through a tight, thick voice, she said, "Yes, I'll marry you."

Hugging Jaina, Elsa laughed in relief and found herself starting to cry too. "You started crying and I got a little worried there for a second…"

"Do you know what I wanted when I was a fifteen year old girl?" Jaina asked, smiling as Elsa wiped at her eyes. "Well I wanted to be Archmage of Dalaran, but I also wanted a gigantic wedding to a handsome prince in the biggest wedding dress imaginable."

"A Queen is kind of an upgrade," Elsa pointed out, her smile so big it was making her face hurt. She really did need to dig through Arendellian law to figure out what sort of titles Jaina would gain to go with her previous ones, but if she was honest, it was probably the least important thing to either of them.

"Better than I ever dreamed possible." Jaina wriggled her fingers with a girlish smile. "Do the ring thing, please please please do the ring thing."

Elsa slid the ring onto Jaina's finger, studying Jaina's face as she did so. She wasn't sure she'd ever actually seen Jaina this happy before, and she'd had many occasions to see (and make) Jaina happy. She put her hand on Jaina's leg. "I found that ring in the vaults, after searching for hours for just the right one. I was afraid I'd have to have one commissioned, but it would have probably looked a lot like this."

Jaina gazed at the ring, then at Elsa. She was silent for a long moment and Elsa said nothing, allowing her fiancée (a word that suddenly struck home in an unexpected, but happy way), time to compose her thoughts.

"You could give me something made of ice and it would be perfect," Jaina said. "Or nothing at all. All I want is a life with you too. Everything else I can make for myself, but I'd like to have you there at my side while I do."

"Let's just make it together."