I had honestly meant to update in less than a week, so a "my bad" on my part. I've had had the rough outline of the story in my head for a while now, so I thought it would take me one or two sittings to bang out another chapter. I guessed wrong. I struggled with the restrictive first-person point of view, to the point of even switching the first chapter to third to see if it suited the plot better. I decided against it and kept Anna's first point-of-view in the continuation. I'm going to trust my instincts by sticking with first and I will attempt to STOP second guessing myself as well. Hopefully, this will help the words get out a little faster.
Anyway - thank you to all the reviews/follows/favorites. They are - as always - graciously appreciated! Please let me know what you think. :)
"The next subject on the agenda is the taxation of tradable exports. Now, if you'll see on page 74, we can address the new changes due to the monetary industrial increase in the southern provinces and the. . ." I groaned loudly and nearly slammed my head down on the table in front of me. Elsa shot me the third dirty look in an hour.
The Official Chairman talked right over my protest and continued in his dull monotone. Despite his nasally voice and humorless expression, I had come to admire how good he was at his job. There could have been a war going on outside, battle cries and scream alike, and he would have still droned on about something as boring as taxation of tradable exports.
I peeked across the table at Elsa as she focused her attention back on the chairman. Her brow was furrowed in concentration as she scribbled notes briskly. I uneasily looked down at my own blank paper.
I placed my head against my arm and pretended to take notes diligently like Elsa. In actuality, I sketched a picture of Elsa's snow castle from memory. Eventually, my head nodded as I began to doze off.
At the sound of my sister's voice nearly an hour later, my head snapped up. I looked down at the elaborate castle and puddle of drool on top of my paper in confusion.
"Ahem," Elsa coughed. "As I was saying," she continued as the titters across the room turned my face bright red. "I want to thank you all very much for your time and dedication this morning. We'll dismiss and meet again later this week."
Elsa rose and tilted her head slightly with her hands clasped in front of her. Everyone stood and bowed politely to her highness Queen Elsa while I hastily jumped up and managed a curtsey. Elsa graciously smiled as everyone fled out of the room. Without even needing a look from Elsa, I slumped back in my seat.
"Anna." She sighed and shook her head as she walked over.
"I'm sorry, Elsa."
"I know you are, Anna. I think that –"Elsa started. I waited a moment for her to continue, and looked up curiously at her abrupt stop to see her stationary by my shoulder. She stared down at the sketch, and though I was improving every day at recognizing my sister's facial expressions, I couldn't identify the mix of emotions in Elsa's eyes.
With a gulp, I hurriedly pushed some papers on top of the extravagant castle and put my arm over the stack of paper. Elsa shook her head at me and with a look of slight confusion, pulled back her skirts and sat down.
"Anna," Elsa began seriously as I avoided her gaze. "Being a princess isn't all fancy parties and pretty dresses."
"I know that," I objected immediately.
"Well, then you know that council meetings are important. We have a kingdom we are beholden to. There is work to be done."
"All I seem to do is listen to old men talk about money," I mumbled under my breath.
"Anna –"
"Listen, Elsa." I jumped up and walked around the room to place both my palms on the glass window in front of us. "We don't have to stay in the castle anymore." I stopped and smiled down at the bustling city beneath us. "You've shown everyone how great your powers are, so there's nothing to hide. We should be spending every available moment down in Arendelle. We can do things instead of just talking about doing them."
Elsa sighed heavily but joined me at the window. "It's not that simple and you know it."
"It could be," I tried. I turned and grinned at her sheepishly.
Reluctantly, Elsa smiled back. "I wish I could see the world through your eyes, Anna. But I can't." Her smile faded. "Arendelle depends on me to make decisions. I need to know why I'm making them."
I said nothing as she looked out the window. Elsa looked unhappily at my infrequent frown.
"There was something else I wanted to talk to you about," she began suddenly.
"Yes?" I asked gloomily.
"There is a lot of work that still needs to be overseen in Arendelle. Could you do me a favor and take a look today?"
"Really?" I turned and looked at her suspiciously.
"Really."
I grinned and moved to sprint out of the room. Suddenly, a thought occurred to me and I turned back to face Elsa. "Well, why don't you come with me?" I asked, excitedly.
"I can't, Anna. I'm sorry, but I have too much work to do."
"Please, Elsa?"
Her blue eyes were huge as she looked at me in wavering resolve. Her eyes seemed far away as she tossed up her hands to pull them through her hair, only to find it back in a braided knot.
"Sorry, Anna. Another day. I promise. Okay?" She asked uncertainly.
"Okay," I agreed quietly, and curtsied low.
"Anna. Wait." I whipped back around at her distressed tone. My sister stared back at me, her eyebrows pulled together in agitation. "It's – it's not like before. I'm not closing the door on you this time. I don't want you to think that –"
I walked forward immediately and grabbed her hands. "I know it isn't, Elsa! You are Queen of Arendelle and like you said, there is work to do. We were together yesterday – I just wish we could play every day," I smiled earnestly at her. "I understand, Elsa. I love you," I added with a kiss to her cheek. She smiled warmly at me and I turned to walk back out of the room. "I'm going to do you proud today! Be the best princess there ever was."
"Mhhmm. I know you will Anna. Oh! Remember to take some guards with you," Elsa called to my retreating back.
I groaned in response.
Elsa waved through the window of Father's study as I waved back and mounted a horse. I trotted to the open gates with the two soldiers by my side.
"Can I come, too?" a voice asked.
"Olaf?" I asked in surprise.
He hopped out from behind a snow bank. He peered at me with a huge grin on his face.
"Of course you can, Olaf." I stopped immediately. "Hop on," I told the animated snowman as the guards looked uncertainly at each other. Even with Elsa as a queen for nearly two years, a lot of the magic was still hard for many to get used to.
I helped him up and he snuggled closely, without his snow cloud following him today. The weather was still cold enough he didn't need it.
"Where are we going, Anna?"
"To Gromstaud," I informed him as we galloped down the streets of town, speaking of a small waterside village within Arendelle.
"I love Gromstaud!" He told me excitedly as I smiled slightly, knowing that most likely Olaf had never been anywhere close. "But why are we going there?"
"Elsa wants me to check in on the progress there," I shrugged. "I don't know exactly why," I added hastily in anticipation of Olaf's next question.
"Princess! Wait please!" One of the guards said as we approached a particularly icy road. He jumped off his horse and proceeded to remove the ice with a mallet, making sure nothing was icy enough that a princess might fall off her horse.
I waited impatiently and huffed at the lack of adventure. Olaf echoed my own thoughts when he said, "I miss, Kristoff."
I sighed sadly and fingered one of my reddish braids absentmindedly. "Me, too. He'll be back soon, Olaf. And then we can have real adventures again," I said pointedly as the guards double-checked the road.
Soon we were off again, and after almost two hours of variously icy roads we approached Gromstaud. Immediately, I saw what Elsa had meant by "work left to be done". Many parts of Arendelle had suffered miserably by the icy storm Elsa had brought on two years ago. I had thought that everywhere had long been repaired. But as I surveyed Gromstaud, I was forced to conclude that there was a lot of work left until Arendelle was completely repaired.
Large dark stones were scattered everywhere as debris from the many houses that had once lined the streets. Mounds of snow covered the ruined possessions of its inhabitants; I passed wooden rocker chairs, bed frames, and even a torn apart doll house. Eventually, we reached the town square, and I was relieved to see that at least most of the surrounding houses here were in fine condition.
I hopped off my horse without looking and promptly fell into a flurry a snow. The guards nearly sprinted to my side but Olaf helped me up before they could even reach me. I thanked him and dusted off my skirts.
"Oh! Hello!" I said in surprise as I looked up to see a group of several people staring at me. They stared back motionlessly as I gulped uncomfortably.
"What's wrong with them?" Olaf whispered loudly at my side. "Haven't they seen a princess before?"
I ignored Olaf and stepped forward, fighting a little to keep the friendly smile on my face. "Um, it's nice to meet all of you!" I looked eagerly, but nobody made any move to speak. "I'm here to um, help you in any way you might need. . ." I gulped a little at the many faces that gaped back at me.
A little girl escaped her mother and ran forward to stand in front of me. She looked questioningly up with her thumb in her mouth. "Are you the princess?"
I smiled and bent down so I was at her level. "Yes. My name is Anna." I curtsied and the little girl smiled and curtsied back. The people behind her started whispering.
She leaned closer and indicated with her mitten that I should lean in as well. I leaned it so her mouth was at my ear. "Can I pet your snowman?" she asked softly.
I giggled slightly at her seriousness and whispered back, "I think you're going to have to ask him yourself." I straightened and turned to Olaf. "Olaf, could you come here?"
Olaf bounced over and I turned back to the little girl. "This is my friend, Olaf. Olaf, this is –"I looked at the girl questioningly.
"Ida."
"Ida. What a pretty name," I told her honestly and she giggled. "Now, Olaf. I think Ida has a question for you."
Olaf scurried forward and finally the ice was broken. The other children walked forward and greeted Olaf while adults warily went up to me.
I smiled graciously as people came before me and bowed respectfully. I answered questions the best I could – most of the people wouldn't leave town until the weather had cleared completely, and therefore wished to hear updates on Arendelle's political and economic status. I wished vainly for Elsa beside me when questions turned technical. Therefore, I was exceptionally glad when little Ida went up to me and tugged at my sleeve.
"Are you the one who makes the snow?" She asked brazenly, her thumb still in her mouth.
Her mother came forward to gasp and scold her immediately. "Ida! Be respectful. You curtsey before the princess. Your highness," she turned her pleading face toward me. "I'm so very sorry. She is still young and –"
I waved her apology away immediately. "It's fine, really. I don't mind." I leaned down so I was at eyelevel with Ida. "That's my sister, Elsa. I'm regular – just like you."
"I wanted an ice castle," Ida informed me seriously. "Like the one in the story Mommy tells me."
I laughed and heard Olaf chuckle behind me. "I'll talk to her about it. But Elsa's kind of busy." I turned to face the rest of Gromstaud. "I would like to see your town, if you don't mind. Perhaps you could show me how the restorations are going?" I asked uncertainly.
People clamored to show me the rest of Gromstaud. I walked, one hand in Ida's and one in Olaf's, as we surveyed the small part of Arendelle. I was happy to see sights that Elsa's tireless efforts were paying off; I was shown the early efforts of building a new library, improvements to the school, and the framework for many new houses. I asked about the rubble I had encountered before Gromstaud. The people informed me how devastating the freezing temperature from Elsa's storm had been for towns that sat on the water, like Gromstaud.
I kept beaming until my cheeks were stiff. I'm sure I didn't look as stately as Elsa, but before we had finished the tour of the town, I had most people grinning back at me. It seemed like all anyone wanted was someone to listen to their concerns and troubles. I nodded and offered condolences from everything to the loss of a pet to a toothache. Despite the lack of practice, I found I wasn't a bad listener.
Before long, my stomach grumbled and I cringed at how "un-princess like" it was. Ida and the other children sniggered uncontrollably while their mothers scolded them, and I couldn't the grin off my face. Someone asked me if I like lunch at their home. Truly touched, I did my best to graciously accept.
