Chapter 1 - Elsa, Future Queen of Arendelle

~December 21st, 1822 - Early evening~

King Agdar paced back and forth in his private study, running his hands through his hair as he anxiously awaited any news about his beloved wife and Queen, Idun. It had now been exactly 3 hours since she had gone into labor, and he had kindly been asked to leave the room. It killed him, knowing that the woman he loved more than life itself was in so much pain, and couldn't help but cringe whenever she let out one of her agonizing and painful screams. Whenever that happened,it took every fiber of his being not to rush to her side, take her hand in his, kiss her forehead, and reassure her that everything would be okay. Like any father-to-be, he desperately wanted to be there for the birth of their child, especially considering that this was their first. The rules of childbirth at the time clearly stated, however, that men were not allowed in the room during the entire labor and delivery process. Did that bother him? Of course it did. At their wedding exactly 2 years earlier, he had promised her that he would be there for her through everything, in sickness and in health, and now, when he knew she needed him the most, he couldn't come through.

Another hour passed, then another, and still no word. As he continued to wait, he sat down at his desk, trying his very best to calm his nerves, and failing miserably. What was taking so long? Why hadn't he heard any news yet? At that moment, a whole new emotion washed over him...fear. He was deathly afraid for the well being of both his wife, and of their unborn child.

"Ahhhh, O God, this hurts!" screamed Queen Idun, as another contraction ripped through her body. Now as Queen, she knew that she needed to maintain some sense of calmness and decency, but at the moment, she didn't care. She honestly felt as though her body was being ripped open from the inside out..she was in pain. What made matters even worse, though, was that because of the stupid rules at the time, her husband, King Agdar was not allowed in the room. Just then, another contraction made itself known, and she let out yet another blood curdling scream. As that one ended, she begged the midwife to allow Agdar to come into the room to be with her, but was once again denied with the shake of a head.

"I'm sorry, your Highness, but you know the rules as well as I do...no men allowed."

She was just about to reluctantly accept that, but as luck would have it, another excruciating contraction ripped through her body at that very moment, giving her a much needed surge in confidence."GET MY HUSBAND IN HERE...NOW!"

"I'm sorry, your Highness, but you know..."

"Yes," she said, gritting her teeth in pain, panting and breathing her way through the contraction. "I know, but seeing as I'm currently in indescribable pain, I could care less about those stupid rules! Get...him...in...here...NOW!"

Finally realizing she meant business, and that there was no point in arguing with her, the midwife turned to one of her assistants. "Mary, if you could please go and find His Majesty, and inform him that the Queen requests his presence here immediately."

"Yes, m'am." Idun watched as the assistant quickly hurried out of the room, closing the door behind her as she went in search of the King. Just then, a more intense contraction made it's way through her body, once again causing her to let out yet another agonizingly painful scream. They were definitely getting stronger and were coming more frequently. That meant the time was drawing nearer for their baby to be born. As the contraction finally ended, she laid her hand gently on her large belly, and spoke softly to their unborn child. "Don't worry, little one. Papa will be here soon."

Still in the confines of his study, Agdar was now beginning to go crazy waiting and worrying. Yet another hour had passed, bringing the total up to 6. Finally, just when he thought he couldn't wait another second, there was a welcome knock at the door.

"Come in."

The door opened slowly, and one of the midwife' assistants walked in, and bowed. "My King, the midwife sent me to find you, and to let you know that the Queen is adamantly demanding your presence in the royal bed chamber Immediately."

Upon hearing those words, he stood up and hurriedly followed her out of the room, closing the door behind them as they headed down the hall. As they approached the entrance, another agonizing and painful scream from his wife echoed from within. As King, he knew he was supposed to maintain some sense of calmness and composure. How could he, though, when his wife was in such pain and needing him desperately? He cast it all aside and threw the doors open, eyes roaming around the room frantically. Finally, he looked over and saw her in the bed, propped up with pillows, and leaning forward slightly, sheets balled up in both hands as she screamed and breathed her way through yet another contraction. He started running towards her.

"Idun!"

"Idun!" As she heard her name being spoken, she looked up from her place on the bed. Somehow, despite the sweat pouring off her face and and her weary eyes threatening to close from sheer tiredness, she managed to make out a figure running towards her. As the figure got closer, she finally realized who it was...it was her husband.

"Agdar!" she cried. She somehow managed to smile weakly through the pain, and release the balled up bit of sheet in her right hand. "You're here!"

He finally reached her, dropped down on his knees next to their bed, and took her recently free right hand in both of his and softly kissed it. He then looked up at her, those beautiful green eyes of his penetrating her very soul, a look of utter concern and worry just now beginning to play on his handsome features.

"Yes, my love. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere." He stood up briefly, leaning over to push some hair off of her sweat drenched face, and place a kiss on her forehead, before gently sitting down next to her on the right side of the bed and draping his arm around her shoulders. Right then, she felt like she always did when he held her...safe. It was as if they were the only ones there, like the calm before the storm. Unfortunately, it didn't last long. Just a few minutes later, she felt another contraction hit, which was followed by the baby dropping, and finally by an overwhelming desire to push.

"I really need to push." she told the midwife, breathing and panting her way through the contraction. The midwife nodded, before lifting the sheet up the tiniest bit, and smiling back up at her.

"Good news, your majesties, it looks like it's finally time to start to start pushing." They looked at each other and smiled before Agdar leaned, and gave her one last kiss on her forehead. He then sweetly whispered in her ear "this is it. You can do this, my love. I know you can. You are the strongest woman I know", before getting up, standing off to the side of the bed, and offering her a hand to hold (and, of course, squeeze).

"Allright, your Majesty, now as soon as you feel another contraction coming on, I want you to give me a good, strong push."As soon as she said that, another contraction swept over her, followed by another urge to push. As the urge became stronger, she tightly squeezed the sheets with her left hand, and her husband's hand with her right, and pushed down with all her might, falling back against the pillows as the contraction ended.

"Let's do that again now" she heard the midwife say. All she could do was nod in reply. About a minute later, another contraction and another urge to push. Once again, she squeezed and pushed with every fiber of her being, screaming the whole time. Then, like before, the contraction ended and she collapsed against the pillows.

She looked at Agdar, and he looked at her. "I love you, Idun, more than anything. You're almost there. I know You can do this." They both shared a smile, before the midwife finally spoke up again. "He's right, you're almost there. Now just one more good push, and the head should be out." Another minute passed, followed by another contraction, and another urge to push. She again gave it all she had, squeezing and pushing, and screaming louder than she'd ever screamed in her life as the head started to crown, before it finally popped out.

"Allright, your Majesty, the head is out. Now just two more pushes, and you'll have your baby. Can you do that for me?" She was so tired by this point, that all she could do in response was simply nod her head. All of a sudden, another contraction, followed by yet another urge to push. She once again gave it her all, squeezing and pushing until at last the contraction ended.

"Good, now rest up a little, then give me one more good,strong push, and this will all be over."

It wasn't long after that that she felt yet another contraction, and the all too familiar urge to push. She began to push with all her remaining strength, which by that point wasn't much. She didn't give up, though, because she knew that she would be holding her baby very, very soon.

"Come on, my love," She could hear Agdar say from his spot next to the bed. "You're so close. I know you can do this. Just a little more."

At that moment, that was all she needed to hear, just the calm, reassuring words of the man she loved. She pushed for what felt like a few minutes, but in truth was only a few seconds more, before at last feeling a release, and then hearing what they had both been waiting the last 9 months and 7 hours to hear...the first, strong, healthy, beautiful cries of their new baby. She fell back against the pillows, completely exhausted. At last, she thought, it's finally over.

"Congratulations, my Queen. You have a very healthy little..."

"Wait," she stopped her before she could finish. She then looked up at her husband, and smiled. "I want Agdar to tell me what we have."

"Very well." She looked up at the King. "Your Majesty, would you do the honors?" He nodded, before kissing his wife's hand, and walking down to the end of the bed. He looked down at this little baby in front of him, their baby, the result of the great love he and his wife shared, and a huge smile spread across his face. He looked up at her, still smiling. As he did, she could clearly see tears beginning to flow down his cheeks.

"It's a girl." he said, getting all choked up. "We have a beautiful, healthy little girl." He went back up to the head of the bed, and wrapping his arm around her shoulders, leaned in, kissed her forehead, and softly whispered something in her ear, something that only she could hear.

"You are amazing. I love you so much. She's absolutely perfect." By now, Idun had begun to cry, as well. They both leaned in for a kiss, and then anxiously waited for their new daughter to be brought back to them.

About 5 minutes later...

It had seemed like forever, but at last they could see the midwife heading towards them with a small pink bundle in her arms. She was just a few feet away from the bed, though, when Agdar got up off the bed, and walked over to her.

"May I?" he asked, reaching his arms out to take the baby. "Of course, your Majesty." She placed the crying infant into the waiting arms of her proud father. She then bowed down to the King, before nodding to her assistants that they should give the royal couple some bonding time with their new princess. They walked out, quietly closing the door behind them, leaving only the new little family. Agdar slowly began walking back to the bed, and to his wife. As he reached the bed, he looked down at the little baby in his arms.

"Hey, princess." he said. He smiled down at her and lightly caressed her cheek, tears coming to his eyes as her tiny little hand grabbed his finger. At the sound of his voice, she immediately quieted down, and just stared at him intently. "I'm your Papa, and I love you more than you'll ever know." She continued holding onto his finger, which she had a hold of as if her life depended on it. Agdar then looked up and smiled at his wife.

Idun couldn't help but smile back at the sight of father and daughter together. "Looks like we've got a daddy's girl on our hands. She's got you wrapped around her little finger already, and she's barely 10 minutes old." He returned her smile, before looking back down at their daughter. "I know, and I wouldn't have it any other way." He placed a small kiss on her forehead, before placing her into his wife's waiting arms. He sat next to her on the bed, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. They remained like that for a few minutes, neither one saying a word, just admiring their new little bundle of joy. Finally, Agdar spoke up.

"You know, " he said, lightly caressing his daughter's cheek with his finger "we still haven't decided on a name for our new little princess. Any ideas?" Idun thought about it for a few minutes, before finally responding to her husband. "Well, considering all that I've gone through to actually have her, I believe it'd only be fair if her father got to name her."

"Well, that's very sweet of you, my love. Nothing would make me happier. "He thought about it for a minute or so, before looking back up at her with a smile. "What do you think about Elsa?"

"Elsa." Idun whispered to herself. "Princess Elsa. I love it. It's the perfect name for our perfect little princess."

They both leaned in for a kiss, but just as they were parting, the baby started to fuss, and began reaching both of her tiny arms out in the direction of her father. "It looks like someone wants their daddy again." Idun smiled. She gave her daughter a light kiss on the forehead, before setting the baby back in Agdar's arms.

"Welcome to Arendelle, my little Elsa. One day, this will all be yours." He took her tiny little hand in his and smiled down at her, once again kissing her on the forehead.

At that very moment, looking all around the room, first at her wonderful, loving, and adoring husband, and then at their absolutely beautiful and precious new daughter cradled in his arms, Idun didn't just feel like she was living the fairytale life...she was. She really was.