"Anna, when I asked you to help me sort out my dresses, I was hoping for something a little more organized. I could have gotten anyone to throw them haphazardly on my bed." Elsa sent a reprimanding look to her sister who was busy tossing dresses and gowns onto the bed with no particular rhyme or reason. The sisters had decided to take on the task of cleaning out their wardrobes, and getting rid of any clothing that was no longer usable. Since Elsa's was more organized, it was the obvious one to start with.
"Well I can't help it that you've got so many. I mean, how did you even wear some of these? Like this one! It's got so many petticoats you probably couldn't walk! And this one! You never had a waist that tiny!" Anna flopped down on the pile of dresses and groaned. "This is gonna take all day at this rate."
Elsa found another dress and tossed it lightly on her sister. "We need three piles: One for dresses that are no longer usable, one for dresses that need to be mended, and one for dresses that are in good working condition. I will pass you the garment, and you will file it. Easy, right?"
"I guess, if you're into that organizing stuff." Anna pouted and pushed the already laid out dresses to the side. "What do we do with these ones?"
"Just leave them for now. We'll get back to them after." Elsa stuck her head into the closet and pulled off a few dresses. "Do you have room for the three piles?"
"Sure, sure. Just keep them coming." Anna positioned herself like a quarterback ready for the snap. "I'm ready when you are."
"Okay, this one is fine, and this one needs to be mend- What are you doing?"
"I'm making this more fun! C'mon, let's see the throw on that arm!"
Elsa sighed and sat down on the bed, patting the spot next to her. "Anna, please take this somewhat seriously? I know it's not the most exciting thing in the world, but it has to be done. I dread what your wardrobe must look like."
Anna matched her sister's sigh and plopped down next to her. "Alright, I'll behave." she said, crossing her arms in a "that's that" fashion, "But I get to sort mine out my way."
"That's fine by me, as long as we get it done."
The two of them worked in tandem for the next hour or so, sorting dresses, arguing over the state of some, the colors of others, and the practicality of the rest. Most of the dresses ended up in the right piles, some of them ended up on Anna when she wasn't looking, and a few even ended up back in the closet as a joke, much to Elsa's confusion. But when Elsa stopped bringing out clothes, and didn't mention that they were finished, Anna knew something wasn't right.
"Elsa?" She called, venturing into the doorway of the closet, "What's going on?"
Elsa's voice came quietly from where she was sitting. "It's nothing, Anna. I just came across something that I had forgotten I had."
"It's not that dress you got from dad that one year is it? Because that was a pretty crazy one."
"No, Anna, it isn't." The queen's voice quavered.
"Then what is it? It can't possibly be that bad, can it?" Anna walked slowly into the wardrobe until she saw her sister, hunched over, hugging something that looked oddly familiar.
"I-is that...?"
Elsa nodded. "It was mother's favorite. She gave it to me before she left so I wouldn't feel so lonely. I put it in here and forgot all about it." She let out a wavering sigh. "I guess I should have paid more attention to things instead of just burying them."
Anna slid down the wall and sat close to Elsa. "It was different back then. You didn't know any better, I didn't know, mom and dad didn't know." She wrapped her arms around her sister's waist, and laid her head on her shoulder. "I miss mom and dad too, but that's the past, right Elsa?"
The queen sighed heavily, and rested her own head lightly on Anna's. "I still wish I had done things differently."
"But then we wouldn't be where we are today, right? I mean, we might still have lost mom and dad for all we know, and look how much we've done in these past few weeks! Mom and dad would be proud that we took care of each other, and that you turned out to be a really great queen and an even better sister." Anna hugged Elsa tighter. "We could always do something with the dress, y'know, to commemorate mom and dad?"
Elsa returned Anna's hug with one arm, and held the dress out with the other. "I suppose we could. I think that might be the best idea, actually." She draped the gown across her lap, and sat with Anna in a moment of silence, contemplating all that had happened.
"I may not have mother and father to guide me anymore, but I have you."