Elsa was not sure when she realised Anna and Kristoff had disappeared, but it became a lot more apparent as more and more offers came for her to dance and she didn't have a sister to fend the wolves off with. After declining the ninth offer of a waltz she stepped out of the overly joyous party for some air.

The wedding had gone smoothly enough, unless you counted the princess slipping on her own train halfway down the aisle. Luckily, the queen had been there to catch her on her arm, but the scene still earned the bride a few titters from the watching congregation. Anna had been fretting for weeks about the walk down the aisle. Elsa had never known the girl to be self-conscious about anything, a thought that earned her a painful stab in the chest when she realised there still wasn't much she did know about her sister. Anna blushed furiously after her slip and stared meaningfully at Elsa.

"I've got you, I won't let go" Elsa had whispered, and Anna had smiled again before turning back to the altar where the ice harvester had moved even further forward in concern for his wife to be. He relaxed slightly when her smile reassured him.

The stars were out now and the streets of Arendelle were littered with revellers, still celebrating the royal wedding in numerous street parties and dances. Elsa stood on the balcony watching her subjects, smiling slightly. The party behind her in the ballroom was a noisy affair too. Right now there was no difference between commoners and dignitaries, man or woman, adult or child. Every single person was euphoric that the princess had got her happy ending.

The new Mr and Mrs Bjorgman, prince consort and princess of Arendelle, had never looked more in love, spending the majority of the evening gazing into each other's eyes and sweeping around the dance floor. Kristoff had been taking dance lessons for the last month for the occasion and they had definitely paid off; for someone so big and bulky, he was an elegant dancer.

Elsa found herself thinking, if she hadn't put a stop to Anna's wedding to Hans all those years ago, would that event have been as beautiful as this? No, she decided, it would not. That was not love; that was teenage lust. What she had witnessed today, a bride and groom smiling through their tears as they said their vows, the playful slap on Kristoff's arm from Anna as he swept her into a passionate embrace at the end of the ceremony, the giggles, the protective arm around the princesses waist as they greeted the awaiting crowds outside the cathedral, the tender whispering in each other's ears, the gentle caresses of each other's faces when they thought nobody was watching, that was love. The queen sighed, it was beautiful and she was incredibly thrilled for her sister, but she was alone again. Elsa felt selfish, how dare she feel like this. This was her sister's day. She couldn't have her all the time. Instinctively she looked across the castle towards Anna's room. The pink curtains were drawn but there was the flicker of candlelight from behind them. There was no way Elsa would be going anywhere near that room tonight. Yet she craved some company, of someone who would understand her and not judge her selfish need for her sister to be at her side.

There was a grunt from somewhere in the courtyard and Elsa looked down. By the stables there was a reindeer slumped against a bale of hay, gazing up at the same window Elsa had just been looking towards. The reindeer let out a small whine and moved his gaze, looking towards the queen. It looked like Elsa wasn't the only one feeling alone tonight.

Elsa moved back through the ballroom, politely declining another dance and hurried down the steps and towards the front doors. The guards let her through with a nod and a "Majesty" and Elsa half ran towards the stables. She wasn't sure if she was an animal person or not as she'd never had a pet to find out. She had asked on a number of occasions as a child for maybe a cat or a rabbit as a way to try and extinguish some of the burning loneliness in her chest but her parents had refused in fear she would freeze it and grief would join her in the agony she already faced. Sven had shown her nothing but warmth in the time she had known him and she was grateful for that.

"Hey buddy" she said softly, the nickname she had heard Anna and Kristoff use for the reindeer on numerous occasions. The reindeer leapt to his feet and trotted over to the queen, greeting her with a rough lick from her chin to her forehead. She laughed loudly and wiped the saliva away with her sleeve before moving towards the hay bale and seating herself on it. The reindeer seated himself loyally at her side, resting his head on her knees, carefully minding he didn't impale her with his antlers. Elsa stroked the reindeer's fur, some of the cool loneliness leaving her, being replaced with the warmth she felt when she was in company.

"Missing your pal, too?" Elsa asked the reindeer who grunted in response which Elsa took as a "Definitely!" The queen looked around her, taking in her surroundings. It wasn't very often she was allowed out in the courtyard without an entourage of guards and advisors. Her advisors were pretty merry right now after plenty of wine and the guards were too busy eyeing the castle with so many guests to watch to worry about their queen going for a late night stroll. The courtyard was pretty dark usually but tonight it had been filled with lanterns to ensure guests would find their way to their sleeping quarters or the gates back to their ships rather than stumble around blind drunk and end up sleeping in the stables. The green carpet was still laid out across the steps and in a path from the gates that the royals had used on return from the cathedral. Anna had requested green rather than the usual red or purple used for royalty. It wasn't conventional, but there wasn't much conventional about this couple; a princess and an ice harvester, two completely different worlds uniting as one.
Elsa passed the time stroking Sven and trying to work out exactly when the happy couple had slipped off. She recalled them dancing at least six dances at the centre of the room, she remembered them near the strawberries and dipping chocolate, another of Anna's requests and Elsa chuckled remembering Anna hastily trying to wipe the strawberry dribble from her chin before anyone noticed. Then Anna had moved them to the cake and Elsa had intervened, scalding Anna for picking the icing off the top. She turned her back and that's when she seemed to have lost them. It wasn't like Anna to not inform Elsa of where she was going at all times. Of course, Elsa glanced up at the candlelit window; it was clear where they had ended up.
"You'll see, Sven, it'll be back to normal tomorrow" She wasn't sure if she was attempting to soothe the reindeer or herself. Sven shifted slightly making Elsa jump, and she covered the reindeers head in a small layer of snow.
"Sven! I am so sorry!" Elsa cried as the reindeer made a small yelp at the sudden cold. He stood and looked at the queen, his tongue lolling out of his mouth in an almost lop sided grin before shaking the snow all over Elsa. She was covered in it and the reindeer jumped and bellowed happily, as though he was laughing. The queen closed her mouth that was hanging open, and shot more snow at the reindeer that, in turn, shook it back over her. She covered the floor around them in snow and hastily made a snowball. Still crouched, she flung it at Sven's neck and he responded by kicking the snow around them until she was almost completely covered. She screeched loudly and brushed herself off before creating another snowball.

"Elsa? What are you doing?" A female voice called. Elsa glanced up, her arm raised, about to throw the snowball at the reindeer. Anna was hanging out of her bedroom window, her hair draped loosely around her shoulders and wearing a blanket. The less asked about her attire on her wedding night, the better, Elsa decided.
"Uh, I was just, Um, Sven started it!"
"Sure he did" Anna snorted "It must have something to do with those ice powers of his"
"Where's Kristoff?" Elsa asked.

"Here" a male voice said, pulling the drape aside and hanging out of the other window next to Anna. Thankfully he seemed to be wearing some clothes, a shirt at least. At the ice harvester's appearance the reindeer brayed and bucked, bounding nearer to the window, making Kristoff have to hang further out to see the reindeer below.

"I know, Bud, I'm sorry! I forgot to put your feed out! I'm on my way down now!"

"No" Elsa called making Anna and Kristoff look back at her in confusion "I mean, I'll do it. It's your wedding night, don't worry about Sven, I've got it all under control"

"Are you sure?" Kristoff asked, uncertainly.

"Trust me, I can handle it" Elsa smiled up at the ice harvester and Sven snorted in agreement.

Kristoff smiled back at the queen "The feed is in the store cupboard next to his pen, you'll have to refill the water too and toss a few carrots in with him. If you get stuck, I'm sure he'll point you in the right direction"

"Okay, now get back inside; you'll catch your death like that!" Elsa smirked at Anna, who looked down and blushed so violently it was visible all the way down to her older sister in the courtyard.
"Sorry Elsa, good night" she called "I love you"
"I love you too" Elsa smiled back as the windows shut and the drapes were drawn again.

Elsa melted the snow around her and called Sven over. He bounded to her side and nuzzled her shoulder with his nose. She responded by stroking his face again. She could see why Kristoff was so fond of his reindeer; he was such a loving creature and had definitely cheered her up immensely. Elsa led him to the stable and found the feed exactly where Kristoff said. She tipped out the old water and filled a bucket with fresh water from the pump, pouring it into the water trough. The carrots were hanging in a sack outside Sven's stall along with one of Anna's cloaks. Elsa smiled at it and took the carrots, feeding one to the reindeer and tossing the rest in the pen. The queen looked around her at the stable. It was oddly relaxing. She thought about all the times Anna had bounded back into the castle, hay in her hair and smelling of horses. Elsa had always told her off and made her go and bathe but suddenly she saw the allure of the stables. They were warm and comfortable and the animals were all peacefully sleeping or eating. She wasn't queen here, she was merely another two legged visitor. Elsa sat on another bale of hay and rested her head against the wooden beam smiling and taking Anna's cloak, wrapping it around herself. Suddenly she felt she knew her sister a little better and realised that maybe they weren't that different after all. Sven had sat in his pen and was beginning to drift off. For a few moments Elsa wondered what it would be like to not be queen and not have powers. Maybe she could work with animals, be a farm girl or a milk maid? She'd certainly have loved to give it a try. It's not that Elsa wasn't grateful for being queen; she was always thankful for never knowing hunger or discomfort and liked to think she could aid those who did. She had the power to help others and with her sister and brother-in-law at her side she knew her reign could be a positive one.

She jumped suddenly at the appearance of the stable boy in the doorway.

"Your majesty!" he cried, sweeping into a bow "I apologise, I didn't realise you were in here!"

"No, no, don't apologise!" She told him, standing and hanging Anna's cloak back up "I was just seeing to the reindeer, I will be going now"
"Wow, he normally only plays nice for Master Bjorgman. You've done well your majesty" Elsa appraised the boy for a moment who flushed and bowed once again.
"No need for that" Elsa told him and he stood straight again, looking at her. He was a young boy, no older than about sixteen by the looks of his newly sprouted chin hair and spotty complexion. He had messy brown hair and a slight tan and towered over the queen, nearing Kristoff's height. What bothered Elsa the most about him was she had no clue of his name.
Clearly feeling uncomfortable, the boy made more small talk.
"It's not often we see you down here ma'am, shouldn't you be in the party?"
"I… yes… it was… too loud" Elsa stammered. She wasn't used to small talking one on one. Anna was normally humming around, or Kai, or some dignitary here or there. Anna; think like Anna, she told herself.
"Didn't you wish to celebrate out there tonight?" the queen asked him, pleasantly.
"Someone's got to look after the animals, ma'am" he told her.

"You could do that in there too" she nodded towards the palace and smiled.
The stable boy raised his eyebrows in surprise and started laughing. Elsa's grinned broadened. Social interaction felt good.

"Never would have thought Queen Elsa was a joker" he said, regaining control and chuckling once more.

"My sister had to get it from somewhere" she said, grinning and shrugging her shoulders. The boy leant against the doorway in a much more relaxed position and folded his arms, appraising the queen. Elsa took the opportunity to ask the question playing on her mind.
"Im so sorry, I appear to have forgotten you name" she said.

"It's Arvid, Ma'am" he told her, still smiling warmly.

"Arvid" she repeated, commiting the name to memory "Well I should let you get back to your work, I'm sure you've had a long day"

"Yes Ma'am" he smiled at her again and picked up the silver bucket near the door frame.

"Goodnight Arvid" she said, as she passed him and reached the door.

"Good night, your majesty" he replied, and the queen hurried back into the castle. Maybe it was time to retire for the night.

Elsa made her way to her bedroom and opened the door. She kicked off her shoes beside the door and felt her feet meet paper. She lit the lamps and picked the paper up.

Elsa,

Thank you so much, for everything.

We love you,

Anna and Kristoff

Elsa smiled down at the note and clutched it to her, sighing. Everything was going to be okay from now on. She would never be alone.