4 Years Later...

With the sun shining high in the sky, that could only mean one thing.

Summer was in full swing in the town of Arendelle and many a towns person walked the streets of the city enjoying the sun.

One such person was Anna, who last year helped stop an eternal winter and bring back summer to the people and in return, thaw a frozen heart.

This time however, she was travelling with her snowy companion through the street, trying to find a present for her sister.

You see, Elsa's birthday was soon and Anna had no idea what to get her sister.

Deciding that she couldn't think of anything, Anna spoke to her snowman.

"Come on Olaf, we need something for Elsa's birthday and it needs to be the greatest present she could ever receive in the history of ever."

Anna was soon joined by a snowman who was running as fast as his stubby little snow legs could carry him towards Anna.

However, he stopped when he saw a ship with a Scotland flag flying on the back of the hull just coming into the fjord causing the snowman to squeal in delight at the new ship to arrive.

With his new discovery, he got Anna's attention.

"Anna, look, a ship just arrived from Scotland, I wonder if it's someone new."

Anna looked where Olaf was pointing and there it was just as Olaf had described, a mighty ship with Scotland flags flying high in the sky, crewmen running around, getting the anchor ready for mooring at the harbour.

With a new sense of adventure, Anna says to Olaf.

"Let's go see who it is Olaf."

On The Ship

"OI, Jim lad, Ya best come see up he'e, we've landed in Arendelle, heck you might get lucky and see tha queen out here."

The Captain says to a lump in a hammock, who can only mutter sleepily but loudly enough for the captain to hear.

"Aye, I'll be right up."

The captain laughed at the man's sleepy reply before he went back up onto deck while the lump in the bunk slowly awoke and sat slumped with his legs hanging over the hammock.

Rubbing his eyes before jumping up to get changed into his casual attire which consisted of a shirt, trousers and boots. The guy looked in the mirror and smirked.

James' jaw line was now lined with the ginger fuzz that had grown since he'd been away for so long, his hair had been trimmed short with shaved sides and his hair tied into a small ponytail.

With a smile, he spoke.

"Look out your highness, I have returned."

Picking up his 1000 Krone coins from the table and placing them in a satchel on his belt, James climbed the stairs to appear on deck with the captain.

As they looked out towards the port, James whispered.

"Hello Arendelle."

James sighed happily before he caught sight of a red head watching his ship dock along with what looked like a snowman which made half the crew look in shock at the sight before the captain asked James.

"Is that?"

James nodded with a small smile and his arms folded before saying.

"Yep, that is her majesty's sister, Princess Anna, but she was a bonnie 15 year old last time I saw her and her sister."

Docks

As the boat docked carefully into port, James whistled for his horse Lightning who trotted to her owner as he climbed onto the saddle while the crew dropped anchor and laid down the gangplank for the two exit the ship.

"Easy now girl."

With her owners reassurance, Lightning trotted cautiously down the plank before she whinnied in relief when her four hooves touched the wooden dock for safety.

As James climbed down from his steed, a red blur caught him off guard and tackled him to the ground in a hug, all while laughing in James' arms.

"You came back."

James smiled as he stroked Anna's hair before using his strength to left himself (with Anna still around his neck) to his full height of 6'5 as he put the princess down carefully on her feet before speaking with a polite bow.

"Hello Anna, it is nice to see you again after so long."

Anna got a good look at the Scot, taking in the fact he had shorter hair than the last time they had met all those years ago.

His hair was cut shorter and this time he had a ginger beard which was trimmed.

Once Anna had stroked Lightning, she spoke up to James who acknowledged her as he bought an apple from the stall next to him while they were walking.

"You've missed so much in these last 4 years."

James stared wide-eyed at the princess and smiled before saying

"'ave I now, well let's not keep your sister waiting your majesty, I'm sure she'll want to tell me all about it."

Anna laughed as James bowed to her before hopping up onto Lightning with Anna still stood next to them, with a hand, James says.

"Hop on, I'll take you and your little friend back to the castle, it's the least I can do."

With this, Anna nodded happily.

"Thank you."

Anna was helped onto Lightning before the horse stood on her hind legs before racing towards the castle.

With Queen Elsa

"Send some provisions to the villages, hopefully they have enough after the impromptu winter that's just been."

Elsa sighed uneasily, it took 4 years for people to get used to her ice-powers, even when the blizzard happened that wiped out a village in Sweden, she still wasn't used to people accepting her.

She was soon taken out of her thoughts when a servant came running into the main hall, completely flustered before shouting.

"YOUR MAJESTY."

Elsa turned to face the dishevelled servant who had to catch his breathe before he bowed in politeness before Elsa addressed him.

"What's the matter Lukas?"

At the address by the queen, Lukas spoke.

"He...He..has...returned."

Elsa looked at the servant before saying.

"Who has returned?"

Elsa didn't get an answer from her servant, instead, she noticed a black horse appear in the courtyard with a cloaked rider and her sister on the horse along with Olaf, this caused Elsa's heart to skip a beat in her chest at the sight before her.

When she regained her composure, she spoke.

"It can't be... summon the guards immediately."

"As you wish your highness."

With that, the servant left the room to gather the queen's elite guard.

Left to her thoughts, Elsa made her way out to the courtyard with one thing on her mind, there was no way in the seven hells this was who she thought it was at first.

With James and Anna

"This old place hasn't changed much James, It's just a lot brighter and friendlier since Elsa became queen...hold on, why are the guards here?"

Right on cue, the guards circled Lightning, James recognised the armour as Queen's guard, but he didn't like this one bit.

As one of them took Anna down from the horse causing her to wonder what exactly was going on, James was ready to draw his sword at the sudden intrusion on his reunion, his look of fury soon turned to pleasant surprise up seeing Elsa coming to see who the guards had apprehended in her own courtyard.

As she approached the cloaked rider, his intimidating presence nearly caused her to freeze in place, no, she was the Queen and she would get her answers from this mysterious horseman.

Walking towards the rider, she spoke.

"Cloaked rider reveal yourself to me or risk being arrested for trespassing."

"Ah Elsa, after neigh on 4 years..."

The cloaked horseman says with a smile as he lowered his hood. Soon as the ginger hair appeared Elsa gasped in shock and realisation, this exact reaction was what caused James to chuckle as he says with a smirk.

"How could you forget me?"

"James?"

Once Elsa says this, James climbed off of Lightning while Elsa called off her guards. All she could do was stumble before fully running into James' waiting arms as she hugged him tightly like old friends reunited.

Despite the silence, James whispered in Elsa's ear.

"I missed you so much Else."

As soon as they disengaged the hug, the unexpected happened. Elsa slapped him, HARD.

Once James got his bearings and mockingly put his jaw back in place, he asked.

"Wow... do I dare ask what that was for my dear?"

Despite the blush on her face betraying her anger, Elsa still shouted.

"YOU WORRIED ME, I THOUGHT YOU ABANDONED ME FOR 4 YEARS!"

James smiled at Elsa's anger, despite the fact he felt a blizzard rush past him while he looked at the fragile snow queen while she was cuddled into his chest.

Later

"So where am I staying?"

That was the first question on James' mind as the two entered the queen's private quarters.

Once Elsa looked towards the bed, she soon turned back around to the side to face the man beside her and say.

"Since I didn't know you were arriving till you just suddenly appeared on my doorstep, you'll be sharing with me until we can see to you a room of your liking."

This caused James to muffle a laugh, catching the queen's attention before he calmed himself down long enough to say.

"My, my, you miss me that much that you want to bed me, Elsa I'm appalled, we're not even married young lady."

James said in a posh voice, causing the desired reaction from his friend as she blushed profusely causing him to laugh earning a playful punch to the shoulder before she says.

"Behave like that you'll sleep on the couch."

James smiled at the queen before their moment was interrupted by the head maid opening the door just to say.

"Your majesty, I've come to tell you you have a visitor in the main hall."

Once Gerda finished, she soon took notice of the handsome stranger stood in the queen's room, huge grin on his face while Elsa was now a bright shade of pink on her cheeks.

Despite this, Gerda says.

"Pardon my rudeness your highness, I didn't know you had a guest with you, so what's your name young sir?"

"Gerda..."

The way Elsa said and indicated towards James was in the manner of "Don't you remember who this is?"

After that it took a couple of seconds for the penny to drop before she asked.

"Wait a second, aren't you that stable boy from Glasgow who taught the girls horse riding?"

James chuckled at the memory before deciding to correct the maid.

"Actually, I am now the stable master for Merida, The Bear Queen of Dunbroch. Since my master Sven past last year, I've been doing some travelling on my cousin's behalf."

Once realisation hit Gerda like a tonne of rocks, she began gushing in happiness.

"By the gods, James McLaughlin, my you have grown into a handsome young man."

Flattered, James replied to the maid with a smile.

"Thank you, I got that a lot on my travels."

After the brief conversation, Gerda spoke up again.

"I'll leave you two alone, but don't forget you've got a visitor from the East empire of Segovia your highness, he's just downstairs."

"I understand, thank you Gerda."

Gerda nodded before closing the door on the two. The silence was deafening until Elsa decided to sit down with James and ask.

"So...Queen Merida huh?"

James nods

"Yep, my cuz is doing really well for the highlands, the amount of guys vying for her hand is unbelievable."

Elsa was impressed, so with new thought, she says.

"So...tell me about your 4 years."

James obliged with another smile, as he sat down with his warm drink, he got comfy before beginning his tale.

"OK, but first, would you believe me if I told you I've been to the other Scandinavian villages and all over the countries in the new world."

"Really?!"

Elsa says in disbelief as James tells her his tales of riding dragons, losing his adoptive father Sven to a wild black bear while he was saving his cousin from the same bear when he returned to the highlands before eventually deciding he needed to return to Arendelle after his master's tragic death.

"And that's my story."

Elsa was still in shock at what James had told her.

He had had more adventures than her sister and here he was, somehow still alive after surviving a vicious beast. but she couldn't help admire how rugged he had gotten, especially in the face department.

While Elsa was busy undressing James with her eyes, James cleared his throat to catch the Queen out as he spoke.

"Elsa, You know there is still one thing I have yet to conquer in my travels."

"What's that?"

Elsa asked curiously, completely unaware of James leaning in close and boldly kissing Elsa outright, albeit a bit brief, causing the queens eyes to widen from the brave act before he pulled away and stood up leaving a blushing Elsa sat stiff like a board.

"Despite everything, I have yet to claim your love and we both know 4 years is too long Elsa...Now, you have your other guest downstairs in the main hall, while me, I am going to look around your fair village for awhile."

After saying this, James left the room just as Elsa sighed heavily and stood up to straighten her dress.

As she exited her bedroom to attend to the business of the emperor visiting. James' kiss still lingered on her lips as she gently brushed a finger over her lips before smiling as she said in her head.

'You really know how to leave a lady hanging James.'

Outside

Once he'd done with his look around Arendelle, James is seen in the castle courtyard, sat leaned against the fountain, writing into a notebook his friend Hiccup had gave him for his journey.

Despite the pages in front of him and quill in hand, nothing came into his mind at what to right for this leg of his travels.

As he thought back to when he had rushed Elsa into a kiss, he gently smacked his head repeatedly against the fountain he was sat in front of, constantly muttering to himself the words 'Stupid'.

While he was doing this, he was oblivious to the little snowman stood at the side of him, the same snowman who got said man's attention by saying.

"What are you doing?"

James jumped out of his skin when he saw Olaf just appear and talk out of nowhere from the side of him before the thing made of snow spoke again.

"Hi I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs."

"Hi I'm James and I'd like it if you wouldn't make jump."

James replied but the snowman was completely oblivious to what James had said to the snowman in the first place before Olaf asked again.

"So why are you here?"

James smiled meekly at the snowman before he says.

"To show the queen as much love as possible without it backfiring and me getting banished for my boldness."

Thankfully for James before Olaf could speak, another voice called for him first, not thankfully, it was the woman who he had taken her first kiss from.

As Elsa kept calling for him, James collected his thoughts before standing to face the queen and the possible punishment he could be facing for his bold actions.

"Else, what is it?"

Elsa followed the voice to find James stood next to a bench near the fountain, watching her walking towards him with a solemn look on her face, he knew what was coming as he stood and listened to the tiny queen before him as she says.

"James, I need to speak to you."

"Of course, Elsa."

"Its about earlier, when you..."

James gulped at Elsa's sentence, was he about to get banished or worse, sent to some remote island prison in France.

Elsa however surprised James by sitting with him and placing her hand on his, causing the Scot to look up and quickly start talking.

"It was a little straightforward I know Elsa and I'm so..."

James' would be rambling was soon cut off by a pair of lips silencing him.

Once the initial shock, James deepened the kiss before Elsa cut it short just long enough for her to speak to him.

"I also came outside to say that dinner is ready, that is, if you care to join me?"

James smirked lovingly before saying.

"I shall my dear."

Elsa took James' hand unaware that they were being watched by an informant of Segovia while they were walking through the courtyard towards the main doors.

Inside The Main Hall

"Your majesty."

The first voice to greet Elsa was that of the emperor of Segovia, flanking him was his top men who protected him wherever he went.

Despite this attempt to intimidate, Elsa spoke calmly.

"Ah, Emperor Calimore of Segovia, of what do I owe this unexpected pleasure."

Calimore smiled at Elsa's sincerest welcome, but to James, he noticed something dangerous in the man's eyes as he walked behind Elsa as he listened to his girlfriend and Emperor's conversation.

Despite the fact he was being evil eyed by the burliest one of Calimore's Elite Guard, he took no notice and followed the two important figures into the conference room.

Conference Room

As he helped Elsa into her seat and once Calimore was in his seat on the opposite side of the table, The talks began about the many kingdoms that threatened the Segovia empire and he heard of her powerful magic and how she could help defend his empire and herself should they join the empire.

"Your highness, your enemies will become my enemies, and then they will fear you."

Calimore's offer was tempting, complete protection in exchange for a small share of Arendelle's resources to keep both sides of the agreement valid, that was until James decided to step in and provide some light on the Queen's new business associate.

"Ah, yes, well I've heard all about your 'alliances' Emperor, tell me, while the Queen is here in front of you, tell her, TELL HER HOW YOU LEFT MY COUSIN, QUEEN MERIDA, TO DIE IN ABERDEEN WOODS AT THE HANDS OF MOR'DU."

At this, Elsa had to stand up to soothe James' temper by scolding him.

"JAMES, please be civil and remain in your seat...I'm so sorry for my advisor Emperor."

Calimore held his hand up with a smile, one James could see straight through with ease.

"Well, Mr. McLaughlin, MAYBE, if your cousin hadn't have let Mor'du kill my father, THEN WE WOULDN'T HAVE LEFT THE BEAR QUEEN TO DIE IN THOSE WOODS."

"THAT'S A FUCKING LIE AND YOU KNOW IT, YOU HAD YOUR FATHER KILLED THEN YOU PINNED IT ON MERIDA, ELSA, FOR GOD'S SAKE, DON'T TRUST THIS SNAKE."

Despite hearing her lover's pleas, Elsa had decided she had had enough of the fighting. When she shot an ice barrier between the Scotsman and the Emperor, the two reeled back in shock at the sight before them.

"It is true after all."

Elsa realised what had just happened with her temper getting the best of her.

As she re-composed herself before turning to James and Calimore, she spoke her final word.

"With what my consort from Glasgow has told me, I politely decline and hence forth, Arendelle will not join the Segovian empire or do any more business with you or your consorts, now this meeting is over, thank you for attending."

Calimore bowed politely and left through the doors before walking out of the castle and into the courtyard.

As he entered the courtyard, he turned to his two guards and said.

"Let the commissar know we are going to war with Arendelle, Queen Elsa refuses to do business, we'll show her it's a big mistake to turn me down."

"As you wish sire."

The first guard replies as they walk out of the courtyard towards their boat in the docks.

Later, In The Dining Hall

"Anna, Kristoff?"

"Coming Elsa."

Elsa smiled happily at the response, Once she entered the dining room, she and James sat at the table, writing away in his journal when Elsa cleared her throat to get his attention. She had to do again before Anna and Kristoff walked in, once the two sisters were talking, Kristoff walked over to James and said.

"You must be James McLaughlin. Correct?"

At the unfamiliar voice, James brought his eyes up from his journal and noticed the burly man in front of him who had extended his hand for James to shake.

Taking the initiative, Kristoff spoke first for the introduction.

"I'm Kristoff, Princess Anna's husband."

At this, James smiled warmly before shaking Kristoff's hand and introducing himself.

"As you've just mention laddie, I'm James, James McLaughlin, and Its a pleasure to meet you, please keep Anna safe, that girl can be trouble unsupervised."

Kristoff nodded with a laugh before James clapped him on the shoulder before they both took a seat.

Once seated and waiting for their meals, Elsa spoke up.

"So, Master Horse rider, tell me something, how much do you charge to breed and train royal horses?"

James took notice and says with his elbows on the table and chin resting on his knuckles.

"My fee darling...it's 300 krone for breeding the horses, 600 krone for training them for the army or daily use such as for travel purposes."

At the price mentioned, Anna spat the contents of her mouth out all over the table before smiling nervously at everyone just looking at her gone out, James however couldn't help but smile as Anna sheepishly said.

"Sorry, please continue."

James couldn't help but chuckle to himself before he calmed down enough to continue.

"Righto, in winter I charge less since I train the stallions and mares in the winter seasons to help them survive and make them more immune to the cold in case of bad weather such as snow, sleet or bad showers of rain."

Elsa's interest piqued at the mention of a horse being cold resistant as James continued with what he was saying while now standing from his seat.

"And with the queens help, and of course her...talent, I can get the horse shoes made that act like they are trotting AND running on normal ground, despite them being covered with the queen's magical ice."

Elsa cleared her throat causing James to sit back down before she asked.

"What are the pros and cons to this deal James?"

"The cons to this Elsa are, we need to make the horse-shoes cold resistant before they are dipped back into the heat and it would take 5 weeks for it to set the ice properly."

"And the pros?"

"The pros being your horses won't slip on ice in the winter, it'll be like they are running and trotting on solid ground and they can be removed in summer without melting and re-usable."

Elsa nodded with a smile before saying.

"You have a deal, I will ask the blacksmith to…"

At this, James politely cut Elsa off.

"No need Elsa, I'm more than qualified to deal with this task."

James says with a wink causing the queen to blush beet red.

As James bit down into his food, he occasionally stole glances at the platinum blonde he fell in love with when they were teenagers at the age of 18.

Elsa did notice but James looked backed down at his food before he was caught staring by her while the four sat and ate.

Later That Night.

As James prepared for a rough night in the stables that night, Elsa appeared behind the bedroom door, startling the male into saying.

"Elsa."

"Jim."

James took the initiative first and took the queen into his arms for hug before he received a kiss from Elsa.

Once the kiss broke, Elsa had to ask James.

"Why did you outburst against Emperor Calimore?"

James broke the embrace and covered his eyes with his hands in an agitated sigh as he laid sprawled out on the couch, man he hated telling this story, but because Elsa had asked, he would make the exception.

"Else, look, I saw the deceit in that man's eyes from a mile away. it's that same deceit that he used when he left my cousin to die in Aberdeen woods 3 years ago…."

Elsa moved towards the tall Scot and sat down on the arm of the sofa while James continued to say to her.

"...Elsa, he is a ruthless bastard, even the strongest willed countries wouldn't last against him if he got his way. He killed his own family just so there would be no challenges to the empire. By making smoke and mirror alliances, he almost killed my friends in Berk and nearly took over Scotland when Merida couldn't even fight to defend her home country."

When James stood up and towered over Elsa, this one sight held a sense of danger to those who dared anger him. But to Elsa, his Elsa, he made her feel safe, even though she can hold her own, she could always count on her Scotsman to back her up when the going got tough.

Despite this, James still needed to ask his queen

"Elsa, do you trust me?"

Elsa paused before giving her answer with a reassuring nod and a kiss on the cheek before saying.

"I trust you James."