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[defyingfrigidity]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, QUEENOFICEOLATION. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 013.11.221.20 *** QUEENOFICEOLATION has joined 013.11.221.20 <QUEENOFICEOLATION> I think I've finally gotten the hang of these devices. <QUEENOFICEOLATION> So! <QUEENOFICEOLATION> There's no harm in setting up one of these, yes? <QUEENOFICEOLATION> (Thanks to those of you who helped me do so and I'm sorry if I frustrated anyone)

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[defyingfrigidity]

[The bathroom they step into is more or less the same as the one attached to Angel's room; large, enough to move about comfortably without tripping or bumping into anything, but not overly extravagant. There are some personal effects stacked neatly around the tub and on the sink counter, all the soaps and shampoos (for both hair and fur!) tucked neatly in corners and such, and even a chair set off to the side. Elsa grabs it, moving it over to the counter in front of a tall, wide mirror, and taps on it in clear invitation for Angel to sit.]

Those sorts of parties have very different atmospheres from less formal parties. [She laughs.] I've thrown and attended my fair share of parties like that during my time as queen of Arendelle... they can be fun, but sometimes it feels like everyone there has some sort of ulterior motive.

[girlcorrupted]

[ Angel sits, getting a good look at herself in the mirror. A real Princess Diaries moment here, he "hair" is...bad. Partially grown out on her formally shaved side, obscuring the ports that still remain defunct and bulky in her skull, and long and shaggy on the other side. She's never known what to do with it, or had reason to care until recently and has such just kept it in the same messy ponytail she always has. ]

My father was- or at least believed he was the ruler of all things, and his parties definitely had ulterior motives to them. By both him and the guests. It was always another opportunity for him to show off, and for them to attempt to get into good standing with him.

None of the formalities ever appealed to me, but the chance to dress up or see a life sized chocolate and liquid gold fountain up close always looked exciting.

Were your parties in Arendelle like that? Grandiose?

[defyingfrigidity]

[Unless you really know what you're doing, it's a very tricky thing to deal with nymph "hair". Most brushes sold in shops can't really accommodate the long, stringy leaves or vines, and tangles and snarls can easily lead to strands being fully pulled out. But Elsa's hands are gentle, even without her connection to plants, making sure to undo any tangles one by one so that the vegetation doesn't rip. She... avoids the strange ports on the side of Angel's head, not really sure how to bring that up just yet, and for now just leaves her hair hanging free down her back.]

Arendelle... didn't have parties, for many years. [If Angel looks at Elsa through the mirror, she'll see that the woman is still smiling, but there's a hint of sadness in her eyes now.] When Anna and I were children, most of the formal functions our father threw were mainly for political reasons, yes. We managed to make our own fun among the adults, so we never really put any sort of second thought as to why there were only ever nobles there, and not the rest of our family or any of the townspeople. But after, ah...

[There's a moment of hesitation. Elsa... hasn't really confided much about herself in many people. She's come a long way in healing from her troubled past, but it's still... difficult. To let people know that she's not just some prim and proper queen who never did anything wrong.]

After the discovery of my growing abilities, my father thought it would be better to hold off of any sort of parties until we were sure it would be safe for others.

[It's... not a total lie! Just a lot of watering down of a very complicated, terrible situation.]

[girlcorrupted]

[ Angel catches that smile in the mirror, and is perceptive enough to see the sadness in it too. She can understand, she thinks. It sounds quiet- lonely even, and that's a feeling she's well and familiar with. Still. ]

It's nice that you had each other.

[ She matches Elsa's smile at that, and does her best to keep any trace of her own sadness out of her expression. Lonely is lonely, but the experienced shared, surely that would lessen the burden. But before she can ruminate on it something Elsa says catches her attention. ]

Sorry, your abilities? You mean before this place?

[defyingfrigidity]

[Oh, that's right... there was a time when Elsa would refuse to talk much about her powers at all, even in this land full of monsters and magic and people from such vastly different worlds. She doesn't hide it now, but she just... doesn't bring it up. She hasn't had access to her magic for over three years now, and though she misses them - even more so after her dreams of the spirits and the Enchanted Forest - she doesn't really.... dwell on them.

Once, she'd have done anything to avoid talking about her magic. Now, the words come out so very easily.]

Yes. It's a long story of how it happened, but I was born with the ability to control ice and snow.

[There's a pause, because this next part is something she does hesitate to talk about, even now. Only a very select few people know much about her history, and even fewer know the full story...]

They were somewhat volatile, as they were tied closely with my emotions. You can imagine how... complicated that would be for a growing child. My father realized we had to be careful, so that nobody would get hurt.

[girlcorrupted]

[ Now that hits deep. Angel almost winces at Elsa's words, stifling it at the last moment.

She wishes she had the courage to share her own experiences on the matter, but fears the doors that could possibly open by doing so. Mentioning that she had powers could easily lead to what they were used for, to who they were used against.

So she keeps the focus on Elsa best she can as the other woman brushes through her hair. ]

That's pretty cool- er, no pun intended. Your father...did he train you?

[defyingfrigidity]

[Elsa's hands, so gently working at Angel's leafy hair, still for a moment.

Agnarr is... a sensitive subject. For all of her life, Elsa did her very best to model herself after her father. She wanted to be the good girl he always wanted her to be, she wanted to be the brave and strong leader that he always was. He was her idol, who she thought could do no wrong.

But as she grew, as his expectations of her grew... it was hard. They'd had disagreements over how he kept Anna confined as well as her. And Anna... bringing in the idea that Agnarr wasn't a good father, and throwing the proof that he'd hurt both of them at her...

It's hard. She's still sorting her feelings out.]

He... didn't, no. My father had no supernatural abilities of his own. Magic in Arenelle was seen as something from fairy tales. Mythological stories. Nobody really knew how to handle my abilities, but he... tried.

[But... did he try hard enough...?]

Nothing really worked, though.

[girlcorrupted]

[ Angel carefully watches Elsa's expression, it becoming clear to her that she's hitting a nerve. Again, she can relate, and so she pivots the conversation to something lighter. ]

Um, will Cass be going as your date tonight?

[defyingfrigidity]

[Ah, that seems to do the trick; Elsa's cheeks flush a light shade of pink, and while her hands are still a bit slow as she works Angel's leafy hair into a careful braid, she seems to have pulled herself out of her thoughts a bit.]

She will be, yes. We, ah... haven't been on a date in a while. [She laughs.] But I don't want it to be just a date night! I'd love to spend time with Anna, and with you. Let's try and make it a night for all of us to enjoy.