Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. For the rest of the disclaimer, see chapter 1.

A.N. So so sorry guys, I'd meant to have this up days after the first chapter, but life and my dissertation got in the way. I had a bit of trouble for some reason with this one, so I apologize if it feels a bit disjointed, but I hope you enjoy nonetheless. It's a bit shorter than I expected, but I'll try and get chapter 3 out soon...ish. Thank you so very, very, VERY much for the amazing response I got to this! I love each and every one of you who followed, favorited, reviewed or simply read. You guys mean the world to me.

I just wanted to say I will also be messing with viking/norse history and mythology. If you want to know the actual mythology I highly recommend looking it up - it's a fascinating subject. The only major change that is truly different is the fact that Elsa and Anna's culture will be Matriarchal, for obvious reasons.

Also, a slight warning. I am placing the King in a slightly more villainous role in my story. It's obvious in the movie that the King loves his daughters, and while he made the worst decision possible for them all, he really was doing it out of misplaced love and a bit of fear. This will not be the case here. You've been warned.

Now, onto the story.

Chapter 2: Memories

The blackness faded away, as did the freezing sensation engulfing her body. Anna had no idea what was happening, but she was grateful she was no longer so cold. Glancing around, she realized she was standing on a mountain very similar to the North Mountain, where Elsa's Ice Castle now rested.

"Anna"

The sound of someone speaking her name startled her, and she spun around to face them. What she saw astounded her, awed her. Standing before her was the most breathtaking woman she had never seen; a woman so beautiful it hurt to look at her. Without having to ask, she knew instantly who this woman...this being was. She sunk to one knee, her head bowed low.

"Goddess Freya," She murmured reverently, her mind buzzing with curiosity and no small amount of fear.

"Rise, my child. We have not much time, and much to do." The voice was fierce battles and falcon screeches, and the most beautiful sound of triumph Anna had ever heard. Anna kept her head down as she rose, but the Goddess placed a gentle yet firm hand under her chin and forced the princess to look upon her.

"Anna, you must listen to me very carefully. You will be awoken soon, but there are many things you must see, must know, before you return to Midgard."

Anna could feel shock coursing through her veins, starting with a jolt in her stomach and spreading to tingle through her veins. Return to Midgard? But that must mean…

"Am...Am I in Niflheim, my lady?"

The goddess's smile was a beautiful and terrible thing to behold, but Anna sensed it was somehow laced with mild affection, and was not afraid.

"No, my child. You are between realms. Neither dead, nor living...you are frozen. You will be awoken soon, however, and there are things I must teach you before you go. Heed me."

When Anna gave no response other than to continue with her rapt attention focused on the goddess before her, Freya released her chin and continued.

"I have blessed you from birth, as my dear brother Freyr has duly blessed your sister. He gifted her with the power to control the ice, for what has been foretold will cause great hardship and heartache. The love you hold for your sister, indeed the love she too harbours for you, will be your shield and comfort in times ahead. Do not misunderstand me, Anna of Arendelle, I do not speak of sisterly love. You and Elsa have been blessed by us for a reason; I know the love you hold for Elsa is that of a lover. Be not afraid of what you feel, for you will need to be Elsa's strength, her voice of reason. Fear too easily controls your sister; you are her courage, Anna. It is why I chose you."

Anna could feel the blush heating her cheeks. That was supposed to be a secret. No one was supposed to find out about her...feelings for Elsa; it was against everything she'd been taught, and shame was often forefront in her mind.

"Do not feel shameful, my child. Your love is beautiful; it is both blessed and foretold. Romantic love between siblings is common amongst the gods; my brother and I, for example. We love our spouses, but they have been gone from our lives and our beds for so very long. Your people will see reason; Queens and Kings were chosen to be messengers for the gods. Their word is law, final and unyielding. Elsa is afraid of this power she now wields. You are her rock, her strength. Do not fail me, Anna. Do not fail her."

Anna looked into the eyes of her goddess; more than anything, she wanted her sister. Her sister's love, her sister's affection and attention. She hated that Elsa was so frightened all the time, so distant and confused. She would do anything to support Elsa. What more could she give than she already had, what more could she give than her life?

The goddess smiled at seeing Anna's determination. "I will visit you again in the future, when time and fate allow. For now, I leave you with the parting gift of memories. The first are ones that have been stolen from you, dear Anna, by your father's ignorance and the Troll King's eagerness to interfere, albeit out of concern. The others are memories that are not yours, but Elsa's. I am giving them to you so you may understand why Elsa is so afraid to fail and why she has seemingly abandoned you for so long. When the memories end you will awaken; that is where your true test begins.

"Good luck, Anna of Arendelle. My chosen."

With a blinding flash, the goddess Freya disappeared, and Anna was thrown into some of her earliest memories.

Anna was thrust into her own past, seeing some of her favorite memories in a different light. So many of her memories had been modified, so many of the memories she had with Elsa were...tainted. She finally remembered the awe and excitement she felt knowing of Elsa's powers, how safe she had felt because she knew her sister would always protect her. She remembered now; instead of ice-skating with her sister, it was Elsa who had pushed them both along with her powers, Elsa using her powers to make her fly instead of a sled, Elsa and she building Olaf for the first time in the grand hall with Elsa's powers and then...and then an accident. An innocent accident; Elsa trying to catch her as she fell, but her fear made her powers spin out of control. A mad dash to the troll's home, and her father's hasty decision.

And suddenly, they weren't Anna's memories anymore. She knew she was now seeing from the eyes of her beloved sister, and she rejoiced at the chance to get to know Elsa as she had wanted for so long.

But her happiness lasted a mere moment.

She saw Elsa as she moved her things out of Anna's room, the tears running down her small cheeks after she closed the door and slid to the floor against it. She watched as Elsa tried in vain to control the ice spreading through her room, but the fear instilled in her from Grandpabbie's warning caused her to lose focus. Her heart broke as she witnessed Elsa's face brighten as she heard Anna at the door, begging her to build a snowman, but a hand - her father's hand - grasping her shoulder. A gentle shake of his head and a glance at her hands stopped her from calling out. And she hated the vision of her father placing tiny gloves on Elsa's hands.

"Conceal."

"Don't feel."

The memories progressed as Elsa aged; she saw each and every time it broke her sister to refuse her calls, she saw when Elsa's fear kept her from human touch for the first time, from reassurance. She despaired at the distance she saw grow between Elsa and her father until finally the chasm was too big to be breached.

"Please, father, let me see Anna. I won't hurt…"

"You will not harm my daughter!"

On and on, the memories flooded Anna's mind and her heart ached at the pain her sister was forced to live with.

The fear and guilt of hurting Anna, of her powers, of herself.

The longing in her eyes each time she ignored Anna's pleas.

Her mother's distant love.

Her father's crippling apathy.

The overwhelming loneliness of even meals eaten alone.

Hours upon hours spent in the Library to learn and leave this world behind.

The crushing pain of their parent's death, and the panic of knowing she would soon be Queen.

Until finally...

"Your sister is dead. Because of you."

And somehow, she heard Elsa's very thoughts.

"I deserve to die."

And then she felt it, heard it, and knew she was being sent back to Midguard. Warmth spreading from her heart and pain searing right behind it. Elsa's voice penetrated the overwhelming sensation.

"I love you, Anna."

The warmth turned into fire seeping into her blood. She felt...solid again, and suddenly she was looking down into Elsa's elated and disbelieving eyes.

"Anna!"

As Elsa's arms wrapped around her for the first time in 12 years, she vowed to never let pain or fear touch her sister ever again.