12/22/16 - I finished editing this fic to be past tense, as well as fixing some issues that made some of the chapters read a little awkwardly, as well as expanded a bit on the epilogue. The epilogue will be posted this evening.

It was probably the tenth ship to dock in a week. Its flag was red with some kind of gold pattern in the center, but it was too far away for Anna to really see clearly just yet. She liked to watch the ships come in. The decks bursting with activity as the sailors swarmed up the rigging like ants up an anthill.

The sailors were in yellows and blues and reds, but she hadn't a clue what the colors meant or if there were any meaning at all to them.

The ship followed a carefully laid out path through the winter ice. With a Queen who can control winter, Arendell never hurt for trade. Anna tried her best to understand it, so that she could help her sister in ruling, but trade had never been her best subject. But if Elsa ever had to travel to another Kingdom, Anna would have to rule in her stead.

She blew hair out of her face with a pfft and rolled her eyes. Elsa might have opened up a whole bunch but that didn't mean she was ready to travel.

"Hey Olaf." Anna kicked off of the wall she was sitting on and nearly smashed her frozen companion. "I think that ship is from Tamrac. It's got the red flag and the royal seal! Elsa was talking about that earlier. It's a royal visit!"

Her sister hadn't sounded too happy about it, but Anna hadn't been paying as close attention as she should have been either.

"Oh goodie! I wonder if they have Sandmen…" He waddled after her as she ran towards the docks.

Elsa waited patiently as the gangplank lowered. While her abilities could have her carve paths in the ice to help ships come through, she couldn't make it as comfortable as she'd like for her guests. There was no eternal summer for Arendell, but at least winter as its normal length now.

While the visit was technically to discuss trade and diplomatic relations, she'd received word that the Sultan of Tamrac had brought his family with him. Her advisors were more excited than she was to learn that his son was eligible for marriage. Elsa knew she was already different enough, but the idea scared her on a level she wasn't yet ready to accept.

The Sultan was the first to disembark. A tall, balding man with a long black beard, he wore regal robes of red and gold. His grey eyes were set into a dark, weathered face but the wrinkles around them were those of a man who smiled often and broadly.

Next came a woman dressed elegantly in greens and blues. A darker shade than the icy colors that Elsa favored, and much more modest. She immediately regretted not choosing something less close fitting but it wasn't like she got cold.

His son was next. Handsome faced with a square jaw and skin the color of oak, he smiled at her. His eyes were cold, and not in the manner that Elsa knew best. He seems cruel, beneath a faux exterior. It could have just been that he reminded her of Hans but it wasn't fair to judge on first impressions, as they'd learned almost tragically.

There were three more members of the Royal Family. A young boy and a girl both dressed in matching white. They were so identical that Elsa couldn't tell them apart. They had wide faces and mischievous brown eyes.

The last was a girl maybe Anna's age, with eyes like amber or gold. Her dress was a deep marigold, with navy highlights in a swirling pattern. Her hair was a russet color, pulled back into elaborate, looping braids underneath a scarf made to match her dress.

Their eyes met, for just a one of those seconds that felt like an eternity. The girl ducked her head, but not before Elsa caught a glimpse of a shy smile on soft lips. It put a warmth in her she'd only ever read about in books.

Willing her cheeks to stop burning, Elsa focused her attention on the Sultan, and bowed in respect. Hours of study and preparation had been spent to ensure she understood all the formalities that were required and she couldn't have that be undone by letting her nerves get the better of her. "Welcome to Arendell, your Imperial Majesty. I'm Queen Elsa."

Dinner that night felt awkward. Elsa managed to keep Sultan Hassan talking about Tamrac and his people despite how stilted the conversation had been at first. It helped that she was genuinely interested in the world beyond her borders. Elsa had spent her life locking herself away in her room with only books for company and those treasured moments when she could hear Anna's voice.

Her eyes slipped to her Anna next to her, engaged in an animated conversation with the twins. Faiza and Fouad. Elsa still hds no idea which was which and the two seemed to delight in mixing themselves up to confuse others. They went so far as to finish each other's sentences and speak in unison. It was a little creepy, but Anna had an uncanny ability to tell them apart. Elsa needed to thank her sister for her kindness with their guests.

Elsa smiles politely at Hassan's eldest, Tarik, as he talked about a festival that his people celebrated in the summer. The Festival of Flowers, he called it, and while Elsa was genuinely interested she kept getting distracted by the girl sitting across from her at the table. Every time Princess Shada moved, a braid bounces enticingly against her head or the light caught her earthy skin. Elsa only realized she was staring when the princess met her eyes and quickly looked away.

Shoulders hunched, Shada kept to herself and barely talked to anyone. When she wasn't holding food or a utensil her hands remained in her lap, and once or twice Elsa saw her worry at them. Not that she looked that closely, she told herself. Most suspicious were the gloves Shada wore and that sparked Elsa's curiosity. She wanted to talk to Shada alone, but she had to get through dinner first and give Shada's brother the slip

The way he leaned into her while he talked, and how he looked at her bothered her, but she didn't want to be rude or start an international incident. So she discreetly moved his hand when he rested it on her thigh, and it was only when Anna kicked her under the table that she realized the temperature had been dropping.

Jumping and nearly spilling her wine, she shot her sister a glare. Across the table, Shada laughed. Elsa felt like she could float away on the sound and more than anything in months that scared her. She picked up her glass and sipped before turning her attention back to Tarik and his father as the older man changed the conversation to something else. Shada's eyes remained on Elsa the rest of the night.

Dessert was served, and music played and plans made for the next day's diplomacy. By the time was over, Elsa was exhausted. Excusing herself from Tarik, she quickly made her way through the castle. On the West side, facing towards the mountains, she'd had a special, enchanted chamber built. A part of her still feared the day she might lose control again. If anything were to happen to Anna, or even Kristoff Elsa knew she'd lose it. Having a place to practice and push herself safely was important. She often treated it like a game, and only a few people were allowed to bother her.

Her chamber was also a great way to deal with stress and frustration, something that came in spades with ruling a kingdom, even one like Arendelle. She tugged her hair out of the braid she kept it in as she walked into the chamber, letting it fall loosely down her back. Elsa briefly wondered what Shada's hair would look like loose.

Hugging herself and tilting her head back, Elsa counted to ten and then spread her arms out. The temperature dropped and she started to dance. At first she just made formless ice and snow, demonstrations of raw power and emotion. But Elsa was also finesse. The ice could be sculpted . Elsa spun and twirled to the music of winter, no goal in mind only expression pure and raw.

She drew rivers of ice like an artist. Twisting and rippling like ribbons tangling in the wind, she guided and carved it, gracefully flowing with her ice, eyes alight in the joy of the moment. When at last she stopped and viewed her handiwork, Elsa was unsure of its meaning. A flower of some sort, it's petals frosted like glass. She must have paid more attention to that festival of Tarik's than she'd thought.

"It's pretty!" Anna's voice startled her and she pressed a hand to her chest.

"Anna! Uhm yes, thank you." She turned as her sister stepped gingerly into the chamber. Rolling her eyes, she wrapped her arms around Anna once she was close enough. Sometimes they still hesitated in showing their affection, but Elsa was working on that. "Today was so stressful. Tomorrow doesn't look any better."

"Are you okay? It got a little chilly for a bit there." Anna's eyes searched Elsa's, hoping she'd open up to her. She didn't want to lose her again, or be pushed away.

The older woman sighed. She'd made a promise to herself to never shut Anna out again. "It's Prince Tarik. I know I'm going to be pressured to consider a political marriage to him and he already seems to think he can-"

"I'll punch him in the nose," Anna interrupted. If Elsa didn't already have her arms around her sister she would have taken off to do just that.

"No! No. I'll handle it. Somehow. Without insulting a potential ally." Elsa hugged her sister tighter, a sign of her anxiety over the situation.

"But you should marry for love, Elsa!" The princess cupped her sister's cheeks in her hands. Being able to touch her and see her could still be something special, even after all these months. "It's the most wonderful thing."

Elsa smiled, "Unlike some people I don't accept the proposal of a man I just met."

Anna's face dropped and she looked off to the side with a guilty expression. She knew she'd been naive. But she'd learned her lesson! "I'm never living that down am I."

"Never."

"But Kristoff is okay?"

"Kristoff hasn't asked you to marry him yet and he's also helped this kingdom out a great deal," Elsa pointed out, grateful for him. But she was reluctant to share Anna with him. Possibly ever.

"Okay. No marrying Tarik." Anna squeezed her sister tighter and Elsa wondered what she ever did to deserve her forgiveness.

Despite that, there might be a few things that she didn't have the courage to share with Anna. "Trust me, Anna. There is nothing that could make me interested in him."

"Good. And no getting married without me."

Elsa's smile was enough to warm Anna's heart. "I wouldn't dream of it."

Parting from her sister, Elsa dragged herself towards her bedroom. She took a long, out of her way path, letting her feet guide her and not knowing why until she nearly ran into Shada. The girl's hair was down too, and she wore a simple nightrobe that surely couldn't be enough against Arendelle's winter. Blue eyes lock onto gold and the women stand there in the hallway. Shada squeezed her hands together while Elsa dug her fingers into her own hips as uncertainty and something not unlike desire gripped her. She scolded herself.

"I'm sorry, your majesty. I was not watching where I was going." Shada's voice was quiet and unassuming, lower pitched than Anna's. Each word was spoken clearly and cautiously.

Elsa shook her head. "It's all right, I wasn't watching where I was going either. And call me Elsa. Please." When Elsa took a step towards Shada, the girl backed away to keep her distance. Shada's eyes never left Elsa's and Elsa wondered if she found it as hard to look away.

Elsa is positive that the hallway is too warm. She wanted to run her fingers through russet hair and across soft skin. Was this what Anna and Kristoff felt for each other? If so, she hated and she loved it. Hated it, because having a Snow Queen was bad enough for her people, no matter how much they seem to have accepted her. One who had no interest in men or the making of heirs was probably worse.

She held up her hands. Sweat was beading at the back of her neck and she created a thin layer of ice against her skin in an effort to cool herself down. Conceal, don't feel had been her mantra for so long that she's at a loss as to how to approach Shada. "Are you all right, Shada?"

Shada nodded her head, backing away again. "I should go. It's late. I'm… if my family caught me out alone…"

Brow furrowing, Elsa risked closing some more distance, but not close enough to touch Shada. She wanted to. Her hands itched for it, but she realized that maybe she understood that the other woman was afraid. Elsa could guess as to why, but she stepped too close.

"No stay away! Please!" Shada reacted, lifting her hands on instinct. Fire erupted, scorching the floor and filling the air between them like a great wave. Were it not for Elsa's layer of ice the heat might have blistered her skin. She threw up a wall of ice and flame met frost. Elsa was nearly blown off her feet by the blast of steam and vapor as their powers canceled each other out, her dress blowing and fluttering around her.

As the air cleared, she caught a glimpse of Shada's panicked face as she fled, calling out 'I am so sorry' over and over again.

Elsa sagged against the wall, looking down at the burnt sleeves of her dress and the reddening skin on her palms. The floor in front of her had an angry black mark as well. "...If her family caught her…?"

Elsa walked down the hall, then dragged a rug farther down until it covered up the scorched stone. She can keep a secret. She'd done that her whole life.