Queen Idunn of Arendelle looked up from her embroidery. She was in the castle library, the one place she could count on for peace and quiet, far from both the rigors of politics and the noise of two little girls. Except that as she peered over the tall back of the davenport she heard distinctive giggling, followed by equally distinctive shushing. Apparently said two little girls had escaped Nanny again and were avoiding nap time. Idunn sighed. When they missed their nap, Nanny got so cranky.

"I think we made it," Elsa whispered. She looked down the hall before quietly closing the door.

"Of course we made it," Anna exclaimed breathlessly, hopping from foot to foot, which set Elsa off in another round of shushing. "We are the Bayberry pirates of Arendelle!

"Anna, please. Be quiet. Nanny has ears," Elsa said under her breath. "And it's the Barbary pirates, and they're from Barbary, so I don't think they can also be from Arendelle."

"I like Bayberry better, and we're from Arendelle, so we're the Bayberry pirates of Arendelle!" Anna insisted, her hand on her hips. Then she leaned back and let loose a loud pirate cry. "Arrrrrrrrrrrrr, me hearties!"

"Oh that's quite piratey," Idunn smirked.

"Mama!" Elsa whirled around and gasped.

Idunn watched the guilt rise up on the seven year old's face like the blush that immediately followed it.

"Mama, Mama, we're pirates!" Anna said eagerly, either oblivious or immune to any sense of wrong doing.

"I see," the queen got up and walked around the couch. "And I see you have your swords." Both Elsa and her sister had the wooden swords they had gotten at Christmas tucked in makeshift belts made of yarn. "And ..." she stopped in her tracks. "What in heavens are you wearing?"

"Pants, Mama," Anna crowed. "Pirates don't wear dresses. Except we didn't have any pants, and I wanted to borrow some from the stable boy, but Elsa said he needed all of his and just because it was on the laundry line didn't mean we could take it, so we used these," breathlessly she pointed at the pantaloons she was wearing. "But we're wearing three pair, so they're not underwear, no matter what Nanny says, 'cause they're not under anything. They're outside of everything."

"Indeed they are," Idunn agreed. Then turning to her oldest she smiled, "That was good thinking about the stable boy's pants, Elsa. You were right. He doesn't have enough to lend them out."

"Thank you, Mama," Elsa's face lit up with the praise. "I thought maybe we could borrow some from Kai, but they're too big. And it didn't seem right to ask the guards for their pants."

"More good thinking."

"So we ended up wearing …" Elsa gave a weak grin and pointed at her own layered pantaloons.

"But they're NOT underwear," Anna cut in. "Because we're not wearing them under. Underwear goes under. These aren't underwear!"

"And who is in here yelling at the top of her lungs about … garments?" Nanny flung open the door, a bit out of breath herself. She had been looking everywhere for her charges. "Young ladies …. Princesses … don't discuss ..."

"Underwear!" Both Anna and Elsa yelled together, then they burst out into giggles.

Nanny wasn't amused. "That's enough of that nonsense. What are you doing out of your room? You're supposed to be in napping. And what are you wear …." Nanny stopped and dipped into a curtsey. "Your Majesty. I didn't see you there. I'm sorry about the Princesses. I thought I had them down for their naps. I even heard snoring." She narrowed her eyes at Anna, but it was Elsa who suddenly studied her feet. "But I guess I was mistaken."

"No, no, that's perfectly fine, Nanny. Really don't worry," Idunn smiled at her daughters. They really didn't get enough time together, and it was winter, so it was very hard to do anything fun with them, like fishing. Even as much as the queen liked ice-fishing some weather was just not meant for it. "I think – why don't you take an early tea. The girls and I have just started visiting, and there's no reason why I can't look after them for a bit. I can put them down later when we're done."

Anna looked stricken and started exclaiming, "No, no, no – no naps. Pirates don't nap!"

Idunn pulled her youngest in close to her and silenced her with a hug. "So, you can take the afternoon, and then come back for their supper."

Anna was like her, Idunn thought, well at least when she was younger. She had been fearless, rambunctious, the risk-taking tree-climber in a family with three brothers. Now of course she was a proper queen, but she hadn't started out life demure and reserved, in fact she didn't much like it now, but it was a mask she pulled on when she needed to.

Elsa more resembled Adgar, at least all the stories she had heard involved a very serious boy who had grown into the serious young man she had met when he came to propose to her father. But he had grown up alone, an only child who spent all of his time with grown people. And from the beginning he had known he would be a King, while Idunn had only known that eventually she would marry and leave her home. It made perfect sense that he was serious, conservative, and a bit of a homebody, while she was adventurous and outgoing. They were a good match, a match that made both Arendelle and each other stronger.

Just like Elsa had Anna, and that was what Idunn trusted would mitigate her natural hyper-responsibility, which was only made stronger by her powers. Who knew what life had in-store for a sovereign queen with ice-powers. Already it had made them cautious of making a match for the young Crown Princess. But Anna would keep Elsa grounded and happy. Anna could be the lifeline between her oh so intelligent and powerful sister and the people she was to serve – a lifeline that went served in both directions. Idunn was happy that the two girls were so close. They were truly each other's best friends. Soul-mates, it seemed.

"Mama," Anna tugged at her dress, pulling Idunn from her musings. "We MUST bury some treasure now. Do you have any treasure?"

Elsa nodded in agreement. Idunn also found it intriguing that her oldest was prepared to be the helpful sidekick when Anna wanted to be in charge. Intriguing but not a bad thing in a the woman who would rule a country. Humility served a queen as well as it did a king.

"Hmmmmm," the queen furrowed her brow in exaggerated thought. "I know just the thing."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"Fish, timber, ice …..."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" King Adgar leapt straight up from his chair banging his knee on his desk and falling to the floor. "Ow! GIRLS! I said don't disturb me …." He whipped his head up. "Oh, hello dear."

"Arrrgh!" Idunn responded, waving the wooden spoon she had appropriated as her sword, as her daughters behind her tried to look fierce while giggling. "Hand over your treasure, you Arendelle Navy dog! Or we'll be scuttling your scuppers!"

"Scuttling my, what?" Adgar blinked. Keeping up with his wife was usually a challenge, but one he enjoyed. "And is that MY uniform?"

"Arrrgh!" Anna's voice was shrill enough to make the king wince. "That's Mama, the Pirate Queen. And she wants your booo … boooo …."

"Booty," Elsa whispered helpfully.

"Booty!"

Idunn nodded in lascivious agreement. "But first we'll be taking your treasure, my beauty."

"But Papa's not beautiful!" Elsa protested.

"Hey, hey there!" Adgar protested both his daughters assertion and the fact that his wife was plundering the drawer in his desk where he kept his chocolate stash.

"I have Arendelle's treasure!" Idunn cried as she pulled out the gold foil wrapped box. "Run!"

The three pirates ran out the door. The royal navy, in the person of the King, in hot pursuit.

"Now, Elsa now!" Idunn cried once they were clear and the door shut behind them.

"Ow!" Came another cry, simultaneous with a body hitting the now frozen shut door. "Elsa! What did I say about freezing the doors?"

"Sorry Papa," came the mirthful response. "I have to attend the Pirate Queen right now. We have important snacks to eat."

"And chocolate, too!"

"Anna, those are the snacks."

"Oh, yeah."

"IDUNN!"

"ARRRH! Come on girls, I am sure the mighty Arendelle navy will figure a way out of this one."

"Idunn?"

"I'll be back later for your booty, me beauty," came the whispered response.