Everywhere burst with colour. There were markets, music and a myriad of people full of the energy they had been preserving for 13 years: it was Coronation Day.
Arendelle was busily preparing for the event, one which meant so much more than just a crowning ceremony; the palace gates were being opened at last.
Visitors from nearby lands travelled by carriage or boat for the occasion and were greeted warmly by the local villagers. They stepped into arms of jubilation: a small parade marched through the village centre, hosted by cheery musicians that played a constant stream of entertaining music; people danced in large groups to the festive tunes; flags and welcome banners stretched across buildings and posts; and there were rows upon rows of market stools, each with different offerings from eloquent bouquets to homemade crafts.
A man stood amidst it all with his reindeer companion. Together, they lived in a solitude bubble where they could remain peaceful bystanders of the event; they were happiest that way. Crunching lazily on a carrot, he watched families and couples pass from stool to stool, eager to get a glimpse of everything.
"No, Sven; you've already had your half," he said to the reindeer when his wandering snout came for the end of his carrot. At the human's refusal, Sven pouted his furry lips.
"Please! I gotta run all night for you after all," the man said in the low voice he used when speaking for his reindeer.
"Alright, alright!" He answered, grabbing another carrot from the stock he had in his sledge.
As he turned back to offer the snack, he discovered Sven's attention had been distracted by another. She was petite, owned a brunette pixie cut and wore a pale pink gown with a laced corset, sweetheart neckline, and puffed sleeves. The affection she showed him was almost sickening to watch but Sven was hardly complaining. He rubbed his head against hers happily as she tickled behind his antlers and spoke to him in an overly caring voice, exaggerating her words until they became too sweet to swallow.
Nobody spoke to Sven like that.
The man cleared his throat. She looked up at him with bright green eyes and grinned.
"He's gorgeous!" She squealed happily, and she planted a kiss on his snout.
"Yeah, well, we're heading off soon, aren't we Sven?" He said, tugging on the girth around the reindeer's body. Sven looked at him in annoyance.
"Where are you heading?" The woman asked politely.
"I cut ice for a living," said the man airily. "And Sven here pulls my sledge." He pretended to busy himself with adjusting the harness on the uncooperative reindeer.
"You cut ice?" A different voice asked. The words had come from a man, some years older than he, who stood beside the woman with his arm wrapped around her waist. Most of his clothing was black: his trousers, his leather boots and his shirt which had long sleeves and secured at the wrist with golden cufflinks. Over his torso he wore a royal purple waistcoat, collared and fastened at the neck. On his right, his front shoulder was emblazoned with a yellow sun which sat above a line of awarded badges. Over his left shoulder he donned a leather brown sash, beholding a golden brooch of the same symbol embroidered on his waistcoat. Like his eyes, his hair was dark brown, growing just past his jawline and he fashioned a small goatee.
The ice harvester crossed his arms defensively. "Yes."
"That explains the muscles and interesting boots then!" The visitor joked, reaching over to lightly punch one of his thick biceps. He didn't react, nor did his frame even move from the playful thump.
Unperturbed, the older man thrust a confident hand at him. "Prince Eugene Fitzherbert of Corona," he announced proudly. Taken aback, the younger did better to hide his reluctance of accepting the hand shake. "Kristoff."
"And this is my wife-"
"Rapunzel," the woman finished with a smile.
Only then did Kristoff notice the guards further back, also wearing Corona's emblem, observing their encounter intently.
Kristoff flattened his blonde hair and blushed. Whether it was from the audience, the princess' kind sincerity or the realisation of his pathetic status compared to the prince's, he wasn't sure.
"So… ice," Eugene repeated. "How's that business going?"
"Pretty good," answered Kristoff. "I'm actually getting ready to harvest now."
"And miss the celebration?" Eugene asked incredulously.
"I'm not much of a party-goer," he admitted casually. He returned back to fixing Sven to his sledge.
"Man, you have not lived," Eugene declared, stressing each word in quick succession. His informal tone surprised Kristoff. "We host the best parties at Corona. Now, you missed the wedding celebration - that was a blast. Too much champagne, not enough cake, if you get my drift." He gave a conspicuous wink to Kristoff who stared back blankly, not getting the prince's drift at all. "But how's this," Eugene continued. "I'll write you an invitation to our next shindig and I'll show you what I mean."
"Uh, I'm usually kind of busy…"
"Nonsense!" cried Eugene.
"Well, I guess I could-"
"Great!" The prince interrupted. He slapped Kristoff heartily on the back before looking around and realising Rapunzel had disappeared. Rolling his eyes he said, "If you'll excuse me, I have to go look for my wife again."
"Sure." Kristoff shrugged.
"But I'll catch you again later," Eugene said, striding over to where the guards had gathered who had evidently been keeping better watch over Rapunzel's movements.
He turned back around for a brief moment and pointed to an old man selling flower wreaths at his stool. "By the way," he called, intending to grab the seller's attention. "You should know that there's a suspicious looking fella who's been trying to steal your earnings for the past five minutes."
The old man looked at the thief in surprise. He thrust his arms angrily at him and yelled curses that made nearby parents cover their children's ears in alarm. As two guards closed in on the commotion, Eugene flashed a cocky grin at the captured criminal and hurried over to his wife who had been occupying herself at a pottery stand.
Kristoff watched him embrace her from behind and shook his head.
"You up for a party soon then, Sven?" he asked, hopping into his sledge.
The reindeer nodded his head enthusiastically. Kristoff chuckled.
"Do a good job today and I might consider it." Ready, he shook the reins and gave Sven the command.
And so their journey began.