In the weeks since what people had been referring to as "The Incident" had transpired life had become happier and much more open for the sisters. The official change had been, of course, Elsa's ascension to Queen but in reality for all it was the new openness at the palace.
An openness that was just getting going.
The Queen's chambers had formerly been the King's Study, rows and rows of shelved books lined the walls bar the sections that housed the grand window that overlooked the kingdom and the fireplace that Elsa thought would probably never be lit unless Anna planned to spend any significant time in the room during winter. She was going over the ledgers, tracing her father's writing and orders, following back to the day he reduced the staff.
Because of her.
The thought was abrupt and quickly swept away. She and Anna had managed with the current roster quite well and Kai handled most of the palace employment and her guard captain the military side of things. However there were a few roles, Kai had explained, that she would have to consider. For the most part these staff positions were either no longer necessary and just relics of a bygone age or had a perfectly suitable incumbent.
One petition the day before though had sent her to check the books. The palace kept horses, not many even when her father and mother were alive if the records were correct, but with horses there was a staff required; Grooms, farriers, doctors and someone willing to clean stables. The current compliment of five horses were taken care of by one man, his wife and a daily visit from a boy with a pitchfork and a barrow. Also, Elsa was amused to note, one rather enthusiastic princess who had caused a great deal of angst to the poor man when she wouldn't hear of leaving it to him. He wanted to retire now.
She had been sat in her study at the desk, reading a letter from the Southern Isles that had arrived that morning by fast ship when the man had been ushered in, cap in hand. "Good morning Edgar." She had smiled as warmly as she could manage; Anna had a better hang on those.
"Good morning your majesty." He had been surprised she knew his name but was keeping a good hold on it. "I uh, I trust Mr Kai explained my attendance today."
"Yes, about your wish to retire with your wife." Elsa found the note she had been given. "You have worked here at the palace a very long time."
"Man and boy ma'am. Started out at my father's feet." He held himself proudly and had stopped fidgeting with his hat.
"So you are in for a well-deserved rest!" She smiled again, a little easier now that the man was less uncomfortable. "I don't see anything wrong with that at all, we should treasure the time we have with our family." Trying to make it look queenly, she jotted down her permission and well wishes along with a tidy stipend as thanks.
"I've lined up a replacement as well ma'am. If they're to your liking that is." Edgar offered.
"That sounds excellent Edgar. I was about to ask your advice on hiring someone new, I haven't the first idea on where to start and after, well, things… It is not the easiest task, dealing with new people." She shrugged, an un-royal thing to do, but then so was turning your courtyard into an ice-rink.
"My cousin's daughter, from Jansfjord. She is trained in looking after horses, very gifted girl. I remember her fondly from the few visits we made there." He pulled a much folded letter from his pocket. "She is needing a new start and wrote to ask apprenticeship but I know for a fact her mastery was signed over to her last summer." He took out another paper and held it out to the Queen. Elsa took it to read over. "I wrote and found the proof. She should do well."
The sheet was a simple list of skills mastery from a highly regarded horse breeder; it all seemed to be in order. "This looks just fine, if you would write her to come and take up the position she can start as soon as she arrives and you'll be free to retire."
"Thank you your majesty. She's a good girl. A hard worker. I'll let her know right away!" He left with a proud little clip to his walk, it was amusing so Elsa followed his progress instead of returning to her ledgers. As such, she didn't miss his final comment as he left; "She didn't deserve what they did…"
When Edgar was gone Elsa made a note in her journal. Whoever this new arrival would be, there was something more than simply a change of scenery motivating such a move. Her father's map had Jansfjord marked quite a few miles down the coast from Arrendel. With the thought noted she returned to "Queening" as Anna had taken to calling it.
It was supper time and Elsa and Anna dined together.
In the days after her coronation/reveal/return she had buried herself in work. Anna had called her out on it. "First you locked yourself away behind doors and gloves, then ice and snow! Now you're hiding in drifts of paperwork. Paperwork we have people to do! I finally got my sister back and the gates are open wide, so stop trying to hide!" She had been about to argue back when it dawned on her that Anna was right.
She had made it a royal decree that she would start and end the day with her sister, bar certain circumstances. So, there they sat at the end of the grand table, opposite sides so they could talk and dine. "So, how was your day?" Elsa asked her sister as she lifted a morsel of food to eat.
"Not much happened really. Olaf met a pig for the first time, it tried to eat him." Anna giggled at the memory. "Kristof is busy fetching ice, it is August after all and the fish market has been getting all the ice-sellers ice really quickly so there are a lot of people wanting."
"I'll see if we can work something out. I can give someone what they need without driving anyone out of business." Elsa offered, her powers could be of use when they wouldn't be economically destructive.
"Sounds good, you guys can all talk it out." Anna smiled again. "Oh, and Edgar said he was retiring? I went to see the horses again and Frieda told me he was asking you about his plans."
"Frieda?"
"Edgar's wife." Anna replied before taking a bite of her meal.
"Yes, that was the only different part of my day in amongst the law and country running." Elsa sighed. "He came to see me, I said yes and he will be retiring once his replacement gets in."
"Ooo, a replacement; that means new people!" Anna raised a glass in toast to the prospect of a new face.
"Just the one, she is a relative of his." Elsa could understand Anna's excitement at meeting new people from a logical perspective but she still couldn't grasp it on a personal level. New people just meant strangers, strangers who would judge her, fear her…
"Elsa! Are you alright?" Anna looked concerned and for a moment Elsa felt terrified she had done something awful again but the warmth and love in her sister's face and tone dispelled it. It was sisterly concern, not horror and fear.
"I, I'm alright." Elsa gave her a small smile and tried to take a sip of wine. Wine she had frozen solid. She gasped and held the glass away, frost traced around the stem and bowl in sharp patterns against the glass. She bowed her head, platinum bangs slipping from their confident style to instead cover her eyes.
"You're worried aren't you?" Anna slowly extended her arm and placed a tentative hand over Elsa's. It was cold, like always, but she didn't shy away this time. Encouraged, the younger sister gave the hand a brief squeeze. Not for the first time she was internally gleeful at just being able to have physical contact with her sister again.
Elsa's downcast eyes lifted to regard the hand over her own. "I'm the Queen, Anna. I should not be scared of a new palace employee!"
"Hey," Anna squeezed her hand again. "Look up." The Queen closed her eyes and breathed in. "Elsa, look up." The firmness in her tone made her sister look but soon drop her gaze again. "I think I understand, why you're so… concerned about new people. A new person to explain your powers to. Someone who will hear what happened, what you did." She felt the hand in hers try and tug away and gripped a little harder. "And then, then they will compare what you were to what you are. The gossip with what they see." A hand on Elsa's chin lifted her to face her sister. "They'll see someone amazing."
"Anna…" Elsa couldn't help a small smile escaping.
"Hah! I win, made you smile." Anna looked triumphant. "Elsa, we're going to meet new people. People you don't need to hide away from, who you shouldn't hide away from. It might be worrying but I'll be here, to help you and support you and all that other stuff."
"Do you promise?" Elsa bit back a sigh at how childish she sounded. Anna grinned and lifted her sister's hand, latching her little finger around Elsa's.
"Pinkie swear." Anna's eyes sparkled.
"Promise you won't tell mama and papa that we're doing this." Elsa whispered as they snuck from their room to the great hall.
"I promise Elsa! Now let's go play!"
"Really really promise Anna. We could get in trouble." A little hand grabbed hers and a chubby little finger wrapped around its sister.
"Pinkie swear!" Anna said.
"Elsa… You zoned out again." Anna sounded worried. Elsa smiled a little more.
"I'm fine. I'll be fine too. With a sister like you I can face anything." Elsa said, the warmth in her words brightened her sister. "Though," She looked to their meals and tapped a portion with her knife, there was a metallic clink. "Maybe I can't face this meal…"
The pair dissolved into giggles. 'This new life may be different and even difficult, but with someone as open and loving as Anna around… I think I can make it.'