A/N: This turned out to be a more involved thing than I first thought it was going to be so I'm splitting it up into chapters. Expect the next one within the next few weeks. As for the story/setting/synopsis, it's in-universe but doesn't follow canon. eoe) Sort of like what could have happened if Elsa never hurt Anna and they grew up together? Either way, enjoy!
"A prince consort." Elsa blinked once, then twice in hopes that she had it all wrong. "As in-"
"You're getting married." Gerda was careful to enunciate every word as she tucked Elsa's hair into an elaborate bun.
The Queen pressed her mouth shut as she processed the prior conversation. It started with the usual morning greetings, questions of the day's plans, and expected flatteries from the house maid. But Elsa should have known something was up when Gerda started to inquire about the romance in her life. They both knew it was Princess Anna who was more inclined to partake in such topics so why bother discussing trivialities such as romance and love with the elder sister? Unless, of course, it was to announce that she was, in fact, engaged.
A few beats of silence passed between the two women before Elsa found her voice.
"But why? I've been managing the kingdom just fine on my own."
"Oh, your majesty, it's not about that! It's more like…" Gerda paused. "Maintaining good relations with your allies and establishing an even stronger alliance!" She beamed almost too brightly and stuck a pin into the bun.
"I see." Elsa flinched at the force and smoothed out the wrinkles in her gloves. "When-...When will I meet him?"
"This evening for dinner."
"Wait, what!? So soon? Why was I not informed earlier?" The Queen rose from her seat with a sense of urgency.
"He-! He arrived on short notice! Oh, please, your majesty…! I'm not done!" Gerda threw her hands up to stop Elsa from leaving, eyeing a lock of the platinum blonde hair that she had yet to tame.
Elsa took in a breath and reluctantly sat back down, her hands were tightly wound in each other and a frown strained her features.
What kind of fiancé fails to promptly announce his arrival?
"I don't think I'll like this prince consort much at all."
"Oh, Queen Elsa," Gerda clicked her tongue, a inkling of irritation at Elsa's ambivalence dared to manifest. "It's inevitable that this happen. Frankly, I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner but no other neighboring kingdoms had eligible princes around your age, you see." Another pin was stabbed into the queen's hair bun. "And it's only recently that we discovered this arrangement was already processed by your father and the king of the Southern Isles agreed to further strengthen their partnership in trade by having Arendelle's eldest princess wed the Southern Isles' prince closest to her in age."
"So this is nothing more than an obligation to maintain my father's reputation as a respectable man? Who keeps his word even in death?" Elsa uttered bitterly.
Gerda gasped. "My queen!"
"I'm sorry." Elsa released a heavy breath. "How could he have kept this a secret from me? Why am I finding this out just now?"
"Well, your majesty, you know how they say things happen for a reason. All the difficult things one face can only make them stronger in the end." Finished with her task, Gerda pulled her hands away from Elsa's hair and leaned over to offer a smile.
"I suppose." Elsa murmured. "I will try to acknowledge my father's decision and agreement with the Southern Isles." She stood and beckoned for her crown. "But because this arrangement had transpired with the intention to better the relations between Arendelle and the Southern Isles, if I find that it will do no such thing, I will do everything in my power to prevent the engagement from following through."
Elsa reached for her cup of tea as her sister prattled on and poked questions at their guest.
"Twelve brothers?! Wow, if there were that many Elsas-" Anna paused to turn to the queen. "Well, that would be something, heh."
Her lip quirked at the thought, silently agreeing that only one Elsa and one Anna was enough.
"If there were, I'm sure you all would have an even lovelier home."
The tea cup halted at her lips as Elsa looked up to the man who had spoken. He was looking back at her, a polite smile on his face. His eyes were earnest with ignorance and Elsa set the cup down without taking a sip.
"Clearly, Prince Hans, you must know nothing about me in order to make that comment." She returned his polite smile and gripped at her skirts under the table.
A chill settled over them.
"She-!" Anna cleared her throat. "She means that she's just not the kind of person to, uh- I mean, Elsa- Er, Queen Elsa likes her privacy and having more sisters- more siblings, y'know, would just intrude on her life." The princess held her breath and her eyes darted from Hans to Elsa.
"I see." Hans lowered his gaze. "My apologies for being… Presumptuous."
"Oh, no!" Anna reached a hand toward him as a gesture of assurance. "Don't be! It's not like you even really know anything- Uh. Well, considering this is all an arranged thing between you-" She took in a sharp breath, knowing full well she was not helping ease the tension.
"Anna." Elsa spoke with tight lips and looked to her sister.
Princess Anna seemed to shrink in her chair. "Yes, your majesty?"
"Remember the time you snuck out of the castle?" Elsa looked back to her plate and continued to pick at the cold food.
Anna sat back up, reanimated, and clapped her hands together. "Oh, yeah! That's-" She readjusted in her seat to lean against the table. "That's a really funny story!"
Elsa could almost relax as her sister picked up on the need for pointless chatter to fill the atmosphere. She listened to the tale as she snuck peeks of the prince.
Rust red hair, green eyes, skin dotted with freckles.
An overall appealing man yet being who she was, Elsa had a curiosity for more than his aesthetics- especially since she were to marry him. A myriad of questions came to her as she realized just how wide the gaps of knowledge were in between what she already knew of her prince consort.
Thirteenth son of the Southern Isles, an admiral in their navy as well as a skilled swordsman.
But what of the details?
Elsa parted her lips to ask her insistent questions but Anna beat her to it.
"What was it like growing up in the Southern Isles? I'm sure it's way different than Arendelle!"
Hans chuckled and obliged her with an answer. "Well, the weather is quite humid and the estate is very big. It almost challenges your own home. It makes up for the rest with large fields so my brothers and I can train our horses-"
"Horses!? Ah, I have a horse too but our fields aren't as large as yours, I'm sure. We only have one, mine, since Elsa never learned how to ride."
Their eyes quickly glanced to the queen, who remained quiet and only gave a confirming nod. They continued their banter and Elsa released an unnoticed breath. With Anna in the room, she knew the chance to have her own moment with the prince would not present itself.
As queen, your patience and tolerance will always be tested.
She could almost hear her mother's voice as it was when she only a child and a sudden longing for the past's simpler times struck her. Elsa sat in silence, listening in on the others' conversation as a loathing of fate started to fester within the recesses of her mind.
"Elsa, please! You have to go meet with him." Anna struggled to keep pace with her sister.
"I don't have to." Elsa narrowed her eyes and kept her chin up. "Besides, you told him you'd show him around the castle."
"Well, yeah but how bad would that seem? He's your fiancé and I'm just trying to fix things-!" The princess nearly tripped walking backwards as she faced the queen.
"Fix what? What needs fixing?" Elsa stopped moving for Anna's sake.
"The thing at dinner yesterday! I- I totally made things awkward between you two and I'm sorry." Anna's hands found their way in each other's grip. "I know this whole thing is just weird, it's an arranged marriage and you two hardly know each other let alone love each other. I mean, if you two weren't already engaged, I would be the one showing him around right now!" Anna's distracted smile found its way to her lips. "He's such an interesting person, Elsa, I'm sure you'll-"
"You like him."
"Wait- What-?! No!" Anna's face reddened and her hands gestured in protest. "No, no! I can't! I don't! He's- Well, he is handsome and charming and a prince! But- Oh, Elsa," She reached to grip the queen's shoulders. "He's… Your prince consort or whatever they call it."
"Anna, I don't even like him." Elsa dismissed her and continued walking. "But I can tell you do. Maybe you can marry him instead, he already gets along with you far better than I."
"I can't do that, Elsa. Even if I wanted to, it's against the rules. Things are just happening the way they are. If you give it a chance, maybe it won't be so bad. You know how mom and dad were an arranged thing too. " Anna kept up with her, keeping her eyes to the floor. She was increasingly aware of the hole she had been digging for herself but could not find it in her to stop talking. "I bet they didn't care about each other at first like you two but at the same time, they both knew that they had to do it. For the sake of the kingdom, y'know? And they eventually grew to love each other and-" Her voice cracked."And they were happy."
Elsa gave no reply. She knew of their parents' history. At Anna's request, their mother would tell them stories of her relationship with their father. Elsa recalled how the former queen started the tales by emphasizing just how apathetic she was towards him. But after some time and being forced in each other's company long enough, they found the love they had for each other. Elsa was not sure just how much hype her mother put into the stories for the sake of living up to romantic fairy tales, but she could not deny the sincerity in the eyes of her parents when they looked upon each other back when they were a complete family living in the castle. Anna had always been the bigger fan of such tripe and it was still evident in the way she hoped for things between Prince Hans and her sister to work out.
Elsa had not spoken to nor seen Hans since they separated ways after dinner. If he searched for her or stayed in his appointed guest room, she did not know and decided she did not care. But Anna's optimism wormed its way into her conscience and she stopped walking. Anna paused after her and watched her think. Elsa remembered what she had told Gerda earlier that morning.
As queen, she did not live her life for herself after all.
Anna cleared her throat. "Are you eventually going to tell him that you can ma-"
"Where is he?" Elsa interrupted her.
"Oh, I told him I'd meet him in the courtyard around noon-" Anna glanced back at the clock they just passed. "Er-, now."
The queen took in a breath. "You are my right hand, yes?" She looked to the princess.
"Y-yes! Of course, your majesty. But your pow-"
"Then while I accompany Prince Hans around the castle, will you take over my duties for today? Only coming to seek me when you absolutely must?"
"Absolutely! I will do my best! Does that mean you're going to tell-"
"Can I trust your judgement?"
"Oh. Uh-"
"Then I leave you in charge while I risk giving this thing a chance."
.
.
.
To be continued.