Gathering: Masquerade Ball

[concierge]

A large sign placed prominently in the Nexus lobby reads:

The Nexus Hotel
proudly presents the
MARDI GRAS MASQUERADE BALL

Event Location
Nexus Dining Hall
8 PM - 2 AM

Masquerade dress recommended, but not required for all guests

The Dining Hall's central table and chairs had been removed to create a dance floor wide enough to accommodate fanciful masquerade costumes. On one end had been placed a long bar providing free drinks, and on the other a small chamber orchestra providing the music for dancing. The entire room was bedecked in gold bunting and twinkling candlelight, and masks were available for those guests who hadn't brought their own.

Comments

[twicefrozen]

"Elsa, you look beautiful." Anna keeps her voice low in case Elsa wanted her costume to be a secret but there's no hiding that this is her sister - even if it's in a way that Anna has never seen her before.

For her part, she has on a green and gold mask that she thinks looks nice with her hair. She hopes.

[silverandcold]

Elsa laughed, soft and delighted, just because she could. Every day that she saw Anna happy and free was a day that made Elsa breathe a little easier and trust herself more.

"You too," she said, reaching out to tuck a loose curl away from Anna's face. "Green's always been your color." Whenever she'd peeked out into the hallway, Anna had always seemed to wear green. "It sets off your hair." Especially with that little streak gone.

[twicefrozen]

"It's like I'm born for spring or something," Anna says, teasing a little. She reaches out and touches Elsa's dress.

"This is definitely new, though. Where did you find it?"

[silverandcold]

"One of us should be," Elsa says. Feeling playful, she flicks her fingers, sending the tiniest flurry at her sister. It's so much more casual and carefree than she'd ever allowed herself.

"I...found it in Arendelle. I've been back through. I marked the door."

[twicefrozen]

Anna claps her hands excitedly. "Really? What did you mark it with?" Anna has wanted to go back for a while now and the idea that she can, with Elsa by her side is a good one.

"We could totally go back and forth!"

[silverandcold]

"A little snow flurry," Elsa replies, laughing a little. "Did you think I was going to go hunting for a jar of paint?" It feels so good to laugh to tease her sister. She knows it's just what she owes her sister after so many years of being afraid of everyone.

[twicefrozen]

"Well, duh, of course it would be snow," Anna says, sticking her tongue out at her sister. This is so much more relaxed and happy, this relationship they have now, and Anna wants it to go on forever if it can. It feels good to be best friends with her sister again.

"We should go back soon. Just for a quick visit?"

[silverandcold]

"Yes...I've been hiding here long enough. It's time to stop being scared." She needs to be a Queen of Arendelle again, even if she's lucky enough that little time has passed there without her, she's still been hiding too long.

"But there's lots of nice things here too."

Like some of the guests.

[twicefrozen]

"Well, yeah. Like the food. The food here is amazing!" Anna has always been easily swayed by a tray of good sandwiches.

"I wonder if the people here can come to Arendelle, though? We could...have a party of our own?"

[silverandcold]

"You mean the ready supply of chocolate at your beck and call?" Elsa teases. Not that she hasn't indulged herself. Chocolate is so much easier to get here than in Arendelle, where it's still on the slightly expensive side of luxury.

"Maybe. Who would you invite?"

[twicefrozen]

"Umm. Charming?" Anna suggests. "He says he knows where Arendelle is but he hasn't been there. It's like, a boat ride away or something. Oh, and we could always invite Legolas," she teases.

Anna thinks that might be a good thing, getting her sister out there.

[silverandcold]

"Anna!" Elsa replies, turning red under her mask. "You need to stop pushing this, please! And...Charming? Are you telling me you know someone named Charming?"

[twicefrozen]

Anna nods. "Oh, yeah, I met him when I first showed up and I was looking for you. He comes from a place called the Enchanted Forest and he says it's only a few days travel by boat from Arendelle. Do you know it?"

[silverandcold]

"I think it had a different name on the maps but...yes, yes it does sound familiar." She can at least say she'd spent her years of isolation studying. What she had lacked in charm and extroversion, Elsa had been determined to make up in education to be a good queen.

"You will be careful though, won't you?" From what Anna's told her, a charming exterior doesn't always make for a good prince.

[twicefrozen]

"Oh, he's harmless," Anna assures her, waving that off. "For one, I think he's totally engaged to someone else so...not an issue. Really. He's just a nice guy. Maybe he's here and I can introduce you guys? That would be great."

[silverandcold]

"I know, but I still worry," Elsa says. "I don't want you getting hurt again. Not after that...Hans."

It's like she can't think of a good enough insult. Just Hans.

[twicefrozen]

Anna makes a face. "Um, no, he's not like Hans. He has absolutely no interest in me like that and he's...look, Elsa, I know I'm not the best judge of character, or anything, but he's a good guy. He's not like Hans. Not at all."

[silverandcold]

Elsa nods and reaches out to take Anna's hand. She's not going to push her sister away again, or mistrust her, but she can still worry.

"Good. I'm glad." Then, since she's been getting teased without end since Anna got here, Elsa can't help asking, slyly, "But what about your reindeer prince?"

[twicefrozen]

"Oh, it's not like that either," Anna says, frowning a little. "And it's not like that between me and Kristoff. I don't know where you even get these ideas."

Anna knows perfectly well but Kristoff is...something new and a little touchy.

[silverandcold]

"From you, where else?" Elsa replies, smiling just a little.

"He is an odd one. I didn't think you liked them...grumpy."

[twicefrozen]

"Well, you're grumpy," Anna points out. "And I like you. Let's just say I learned it at a young age."

Anna spins around a little, letting her skirt whorl out in a flash of color. "Come on, Elsa, let's go dance! You know you want to."

[silverandcold]

"Am not!" Elsa protests, even though she's laughing. She makes a gentle shoving gesture Anna's way but doesn't actually lay hands on her. Just in case.

Then she takes a deep breath and takes Anna's hands.

[twicefrozen]

Elsa's hands are a little cool but otherwise, feel just like normal. Anna squeezes them, happy for the contact, and leads her out onto the dance floor.

"I've wanted to dance with you for so long, Elsa. So, so long."

[silverandcold]

"I owe you a lot of things," Elsa says. She remembers so many of the activities that Anna had proposed from behind the door. "Snowmen and bike rides. I'm sorry it took so long."