So this little thing came sort of by itself, I'm still working on the plot, but hopefully, something along the lines of a story will come up eventually.

This will probably end up with Anna/Elsa (but I'll probably stick to a kiss or two, I don't write smut, sorry ^^), so if the pairing does bother you, I strongly suggest you steer away from this, and browse the rest of the Frozen archive, where you'll surely find something more appealing to your taste. :)

If you're still on board, however, here we go! :D

Spring had already settled in Arendelle when they arrived. It was a town they always stopped in, every time they were on their way home from their unhealthy business. Each year, they'd bring a variety with them, of which most would end up sold, and those unfortunate enough to not have been cause of interest were, more probably often than not, left to starve, as they continued on. This year was no different, and the crowd that had gathered in the main square, waiting eagerly for them to display what they had to offer and start negotiating prices, was definitely going to be bringing this slave trader some good money.

He watched, from where he stood, as one by one, the items up for auction were brought up, some old, some young, both girls and boys, sometimes the price was high, and sometimes low, sometimes it was source of arguments, and sometimes, the new master acquired his good without having to risk more than he was willing to pay, but none of the slaves presented before him caught his interest.

And he was nervous about it.

His daughter's coming of age ceremony was tomorrow, and he'd not found anything he deemed suitable enough for her in the past week, and it was not fault of trying. This was his last chance, and he knew it, but as each grim faced, filthy and bony prisoner was firstly brought forward, then auctioned and finally led down to it's new master, his despair of ever finding his girl any gift she might be satisfied with grew ever more.

That was, until she was brought forward.

He didn't know what it was in her, for truth be told, there was nothing much to her, but something immediately drew his eyes to the new slave the trader had displayed and opened bets on.

"Now, this one is special." He was saying, snide voice barely concealing how gleeful he felt about his trade, "Got her from an old woman, in the lands of the North." Which sent whispers running through the crowd at his feet, for the North was better left alone, nobody really knowing what was found up there. "Look at her! The shiniest blonde hair! Skin whiter than snow! And…" He rubbed his hands in glee, leaning down to almost whisper to those he would be getting his money from, eyes darkening and smile making him feel sick to his stomach as he looked on, "Powers! Magical powers!"

If he'd been looking to make an impression, it did work, but probably not as good as he'd expected, for his potential clients recoiled in fear, as if burnt, screaming obscenities such as "Get the Witch away from here!" or "Go! Now! And take your monster with you!". The unfortunate trader was biting his lip, probably even cursing himself for his choice of words, and even though he tried to catch himself by praising the shivering girl still standing to his left, it did very little to regain the interest of the mass.

Although while they might not have been interested, and he probably valued the word of a slave-trader as much as he valued the word of a liar, he found himself staring at what the tradesman was offering, and actually almost considering it, after a moment of reflection.

There wasn't much to offer, truth be told, but she seemed to have something that the previous slaves did not. He couldn't point out what exactly it was, but maybe it had to do with her hair, a blonde almost white even, very uncommon in these lands, or maybe it was her skin, whiter even than that of a dead corpse, but no less intriguing, he found himself thinking. She definitely stood out, compared to what he'd been previously offered, and despite her shaking limbs and terrified eyes darting from one person throwing insults of what monster she was to another -which definitely did not prove her as a resilient slave, to his eyes at least- his hand seemed to wander by itself, fingers fumbling through his pockets until they touched the leather pouch he kept securely within there.

"Good people! Good people! Please, consider! An item as valuable as this one, you might not see again in your lifetime! Think about it! Reconsider!" The trader was pleading, eyes darting from an old man to a mother of three, saying anything he could think of to sell his good, blabbering praises of a hard worker, a skilled cooker and even a possible bed warmer –to the poor girl's shock- as he turned to the men.

But still, the uproar continued, curses of monsters and not wanting any witchcraft in Arendell fusing from all corners, going so far as to even drown the man's bragging, until one voice rang out above the rest, strong and powerful, immediately silencing the enraged mob, and reducing everybody to silence.

"I'll take her!" As the words left his lips, all eyes fell on him, and it took a moment for the man to finally realize that he'd actually bought the girl without thinking of it twice. The crowd parted almost instantly, as whispers of "Sire?" and "Your highness?" followed him as he made his way forward, to the elevated platform upon which the auction was still taking place.

"S-Sire?" The trader's voice faltered, as he drew himself to his full height, easily dominating the other man thanks to his tall stature. "Sire!" He cried out again, fumbling around as he looked between he and the good he was about to part with, "This one is not good enough for royalty! I can find you another –Look! What about this one? A fine young woman, curves where she needs to and exotic dark skin, most beautiful! I'll even make you a price, if you wish!"

The King looked at him with contempt, not having missed how the girl kept her gaze locked with the ground, shoulders trembling slightly as her master tried bargaining. He noticed how she kept her hands together, fingers curling into fists and then unfurling themselves as tried not to display her anxiousness and biting her lip as she dared not meet anyone's' eyes. He felt for her then, even if she was to be a servant in his grand household, which only served to make him want to buy her even more.

"I will buy her." He glared to the now quivering man beneath him, eyeing him menacingly as he was still pointing to other items he was willing to offer him for a good price, before handing him over a pouch of golden coins, sealing the deal.

"Very well, then, Sire." He sang, counting the golden coins he'd just been thrown, before he went for a small bag he kept on the floor, taking papers out of it and bringing them over, "If you would just sign here-" And he pointed to the bottom of the sheet, passing the girl's guardianship over to himself and his family "- I need a name, Sire."

"Doesn't she have one?" The King raised a brow, taken aback. What person did not have a name?

"Well, unless you wish to call her Number Thirty-Two for the rest of her days, or… other names you might come up with, no." And the sick smile that kept spreading across his face made him sick to his stomach, urging him to finish up his business here as fast as possible. But what ought he to call her? What if she didn't like it?

"Don't you have a name?" Ha asked her, to everyone's surprise, the slave's most of all, as she almost took a step back, staring at him with wide blue eyes.

"No! Of course she-" The slaver tried to interrupt, but one glare from the King reduced him to silence, fearing for his own safety, and he valued his own life above that of his goods, always had and always would.

The slave herself was at a loss, what ought she to say? She was in the presence of the King himself, he'd asked her a question, yet here she stood, mouth hanging open slightly as she took it all in, realizing that he was actually offering her the chance to chose her own name, if she wished, actually letting her chose something for herself. Long ago, she might have known what that felt like, naming something or someone, but after years of service for one Matser and then another, she'd learnt that choosing a name for herself was a privilege she was no longer worthy of, yet here the King of Arendell himself was, giving her the chance to keep a small part of her identity with her while she served him.

"The King asked you a question!" The trader spat, raising a hand that would have struck her, were the King not to have taken hold of his limb, glaring at him and daring him to attempt it a second time.

The slave shuddered, looking between the two before remembering her place, and casting her eyes downwards, knowing looking someone levelly in the eyes meant that she was their equal, which she'd learnt a long time ago that she was not.

"My name was E-Elsa, Mylord." It came out as a whisper, as she barely dared to say it again, but it had been a direct command from her new owner, she could not refuse, and as soon as the words left her lips, Elsa looked down, waiting for the hand to strike her face, knowing it would happen. It always happened when she dared to talk.

"Well," The voice wasn't threatening, wasn't even hard, and as Elsa dared to look up, she found the King smiling, actually smiling down at her, something she'd not experienced in years, and the strange warmth that bloomed in her chest at the reaction was the best thing she could swear had happened to her in her life yet, "Elsa it is then." And he nodded to the slaver, a silent order to write the name down on the papers, which he hastened to do, fearing he might get further threatened.

"Thank you very much, Sire, pleasure doing business with you." He bowed once he finished, his smile revealing several rotten teeth, the king wincing inside and trying hard not to grimace, before the man handed him over the papers, which he tucked under his arm.

"Have fun." He whispered into the girl's ear, before pushing her forward, sending her stumbling slightly, and she would have fallen had in not been for the King's quick reaction.

"I apologize, Sire!" Was her immediate reaction, not able to look the man in the eyes, knowing what was bound to come next, but the blow never landed, and after a few seconds where she dared not move, Elsa tentatively looked up, only to find herself frozen, not understanding why the King was looking at her like that, a warm smile on his face and a strong hand on her shoulder, steadying her less she fall. Masters didn't do that, so why was he?

"Let's go, shall we?" He offered her, smile never leaving his face, as he gestured to the road in front of them, and Elsa complied, both anticipating and fearing what was about to happen to her now. What if she was a disappointment? What if the King and his family didn't like her? What would happen to her then? Biting her lip anxiously, steps faltering at times, she resigned herself, knowing there was nothing she could do but accept her new role as a servant, and try her best to live up to what they asked of her without letting her powers get in the way.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, she found herself thinking after a while, after all, the King had offered her the chance to chose her own name, which was more than she'd been offered in the past years she'd spent as a slave.