It was the first day of spring.
Not the first day by the calendar, but nevertheless. The first day when the bright sunshine meant warmth, not cold; something in the air, some quality of the light, that meant that the season had turned and winter was gone.
Anna had high hopes for this year.
Being summoned to the queen's study was not unusual. Once her education was complete it had taken Anna a while to settle into her role in the palace, and her responsibilities could still change from day to day, so it was with a light heart that she knocked on the door.
Elsa was sitting behind her desk in the centre of the room, holding a letter, looking worried. Anna expected her to put it down when she entered but she didn't, just glanced up then looked back at the letter, frowning at the words. There were other, older letters arranged neatly on the side of the desk, and a journal that Anna recognised as one of their father's.
Before Anna could greet her, Elsa said "Anna, what do you know about Prince Oskar of Haugesunde?"
"Um. Younger son of King Tomas and Queen Marta. Has an older brother and – two sisters? I think I met him once. When I was about twelve. Before the war, they had the war, right?"
"Yes." She was still staring at the letter as if it had personally offended her. After a moment she looked up and continued speaking. "Father told me we should always be grateful to Haugesunde. We don't have a real standing army here, or much of a navy, and without Haugesunde's military action we would have been in serious trouble. May be again in the future, if we don't remain on good terms with them."
"I thought we were on good terms."
"Yes." Elsa frowned. "And it's the only reason Trondheim didn't attack us here, much as they wish they had control of our ports."
Anna shifted from one foot to the other. She liked discussing these things with her sister, it made her feel important and like she was one of the grown-ups, but all the same it was sunny and blue-skied outside and if there wasn't anything Elsa needed her to actually do then she'd rather not hang around in this drab room.
"Elsa, what did you want to talk to me about?"
She sighed. "Father never mentioned Prince Oskar to you?"
"I think I met him. I'm not sure. Does he have brown hair? Not since then."
"Anna –" Pause. "I received a letter from King Tomas today." Pause. "He seems to be under the impression that – well. That you and Prince Oskar are betrothed. Engaged."
For a moment Anna was stunned, genuinely speechless.
"Father never mentioned this to you?" Elsa asked.
"No! No. Of course not. No."
Elsa nodded, fiddling with the piece of paper in her hands. "King Tomas wants to send Prince Oskar here this summer. To finalise the details. Plan the wedding."
"What! Elsa, no –"
"I know! I know. Believe me, this is as much a shock to me as it is to you -"
"I doubt it!"
"I didn't know either, Anna!" The temperature in the room dropped suddenly and Anna bit her tongue to stop herself shouting back at her, telling her she wouldn't do it, she couldn't make her, it wasn't FAIR. She waited, mouth clamped shut, while Elsa closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. She laid the letter on the table and carefully smoothed it with her hands.
Anna tried to count to ten but before she could get there she heard herself say, in a small voice, "Isn't there anything you can do?"
Elsa exhaled, slowly. "I'll try. I'll do my best. But, Anna – I can't promise anything. I'm sorry."
Anna shook her head. "How did we not know about this? Papa would have told me. Are you sure?"
"King Tomas was one of his best friends. This is his seal. And, look," she showed me the journal. "See this, from nearly seven years ago - King Tomas and Queen Marta visited us here, that must be the visit you remember - and among the things they discussed, he wrote 'Anna'."
"Just that?"
"And further on -" she ran her finger down the page. "Here. 'It is a sorry thing to dispose of one's children but I could not wish for a better home for her - O. has the makings of a fine young man and I feel their court will suit her better than ours - we will all miss her terribly and it will be very quiet without her but T. is right that this is a good solution for everybody." And without her sister to fret over E. may finally have the peace of mind she needs to overcome her own difficulties, Elsa elected not to read aloud.
Anna nodded, suddenly tired. "Is that all, can I go?"
"If you like."
She turned and walked to the door. It didn't feel like spring any more. Her hand was on the door handle when her sister spoke again.
"Anna? I really am. So sorry."
She didn't turn. "I know." And she left the room, closing the door behind her.
If they'd known about this all along, it would have solved a lot of problems. Or would it just have caused them? One thing Anna was certain of was that if she'd received this news a year ago, she would have been thrilled; what a difference a few months could make.
Elsa will fix it, she repeated to herself. Elsa will fix it.
She was supposed to be seeing him today. What on earth was she going to say?
