Decided to get this one quick since the responses to the first two chapters were so overwhelmingly positive. Thanks all!

Chapter 3 – Outclassed

Anna stared back at her reflection in the mirror and sighed. All she owned she carried with her. So the only 'clothes' she had per say, were her brown breeches and loose white shirt. Hardly an outfit worthy to dine in, with the queen. She had managed a good spit shine to her old worn black boots though, so that was something.

She felt positively grubby. Which wasn't the first time, but it was the first time she'd felt that way when not covered in blood and dirt. After a bath she usually felt invigorated and a little smug that she was usually the cleanest of her normal brand of company. That would not be so tonight. The servants were far better dressed than herself. She let out a loud audible sigh. This would have to do, it was all she had.

No doubt the queen would be dressed in something fetching, the picture of sophisticated grace. Something that accented her tall lean form, hugged her curves…

Anna nearly shrieked when there was a light tapping on the door. Her fist clenched the fabric over her heart. It beat wildly beneath her hand. As though whoever was at the door could hear her less than pure thoughts about the queen.

"May I come in Miss Anna?" She recognized the voice to be the servant that had followed the queen earlier. Ken? Jai? Kai? That sounded right.

"Uh, yes, please." The door opened and he stepped inside with a smile.

"Dinner will be served soon, Miss." A brow quirked upward when he took in Anna's state of dress. "I'm sorry Miss. I didn't realize you were still dressing." Anna's whole face went a bloody red.

"I-I am dressed…" When his face turned surprise she became even redder, slapping her hands to her face. "This is all I've got besides armor." Her fears were confirmed. She must have looked like a peasant farm hand! She felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes. This had to be the third most stressful day in all 19 years of her life.

Kai was quick to overcome his shock when Anna sniffled. He crossed the room in 3 quick strides and rested a hand on her shoulder. She gazed up at him with watery teal eyes and he felt his heart clench.

This girl, who slayed bandits without a thought, was in near tears because she had nothing nice to wear to dinner. He could have laughed, but the look of absolute terror on her face caught.

"There's no need to get upset Miss Anna." He stepped back and beckoned her with his hand. "Please, follow me.

He led Anna down a few halls before coming to a different room. Anna stood behind him awkwardly as he dug through the wardrobe against the wall before pulling out a pair of black trousers and an emerald green tunic.

"Change into these, Miss Anna." He placed them in her outstretched hands with a smile. "I will wait outside to escort you to the dining room." When the door shut behind him, she stared down at the material in her hands. It was soft to the touch. She kicked off her boots and dressed quickly. Taking a moment to look at herself in the mirror. Not too bad. She grinned. The tunic's neck dipped slightly low, but her white blouse covered anything. It otherwise fit perfect, stopping mid-thigh and didn't hang too loosely from her figure. She strapped her belt around her waist before walking into the hall.

Kai glanced up and smiled. "Shall we Miss Anna?" She nodded and followed him through the twisting halls and corridors. He pushed open the dining room door allowing her to walk in ahead of him.

The queen was already in her seat at the head of the table when Anna walked in. She suddenly felt very self-conscious as the queen stared at her for what seemed like an eternity, her face remaining impassive, but there was something in her eyes Anna couldn't quite place. It took all her will power not to clutch her hands to her chest. The queen gestured to the cutlery set on her right with a small smile. Kai pulled her chair out and she sat, thankfully with far more grace than in the chariot.

"Good evening, Anna. I hope the room was to your liking?" She looked at Anna questioningly, folding her hands in her lap. Anna, resting her arms on the table nodded.

"It's extraordinary, your Majesty. Thank you." She caught a glimpse of Kai behind the queen gesturing to his elbows. She whipped her hands off the table, pulling her napkin and all the silverware upon it off the table and clattering to the floor. Anna jumped up, face alight before diving under the table to fetch them. Missing the Queen's and servants surprised faces when Anna dove to the floor. When her bright red head resurfaced, she dropped her silverware back onto the table before sitting awkwardly back in her chair.

"A thousand pardons your Majesty." Anna could barely bring herself to look up at her monarch. She could feel the heat spreading ever still across her cheeks. The pink scar across her nose disappeared completely. Anna wanted nothing more in this moment than to run to her room and fall on her sword. It would have been more merciful than this.

Elsa waited patiently for Kai to escort her guest down. Her thoughts still engrossed with what her father had written about the process of becoming a knight. One had to study under an already established knight for some years, learning the codes and etiquette until they could prove there valor. As far as Elsa was concerned Anna had proven hers without a doubt, jumping into a battle to protect a stranger. She'd poured over the list of Arendelle's royal knights, those Knighted by her father and the few still alive that had been knighted by her grandfather. Unsurprisingly every name on the short list of eleven, were all men.

She drummed her fingers against the smooth mahogany surface of the table. It would be a simple matter to knight Anna. It was an idea that been nagging in the back of her mind since Anna had divulged that she wasn't one. She was pulled from her thoughts when the hall doors opened and Anna walked uncertainly into the room, gazing at the immensity of the hall. Her own eyes however remained locked on the redhead.

Anna was small. Much smaller than Elsa had originally thought when she was in the armor and bulky winter layers anyway. She looked to be about the same size as herself but a few inches shorter, Elsa knew though. Her size belied her strength. She'd never held a sword in her life but she knew they were in no way light things and she knew from experience that the young woman was fast and nimble, having kept pace with her and her pursuer despite layers of heavy cloth and armor. So it was surprising that Anna seemed so…awkward.

After a few minutes admittedly admiring her guest, she realized she was starring and mentally berated herself. She straightened and smiled at her, gesturing to the place set at her right. Anna was quick to amble over and sit, noiselessly. Quick to fill any awkward silence before it could begin she asked Anna if she liked her room. She was quick to nod, placing her arms on the table (Elsa chose to ignore this) and telling her that she did very much.

Elsa was very aware of Kai behind her, she could see him motion in her peripheral, causing Anna to nearly fling her arms off the table. Which in turn yanked her silverware from the wood and spill to the floor, loud ringing echoes filled the hall. Anna shot to her feet as if her pants were on fire before diving under the table. Elsa couldn't help when her jaw fell open for a moment before Anna popped back up, placing her silverware on the table and sitting gingerly back in her chair, apologizing profusely.

Elsa was able to school her look of surprise back to one of calm neutral. The young woman to her right was looking more embarrassed than she had ever seen anyone look. Perhaps she hadn't thought this completely thru. Knights were well educated in all courtly manners, but Anna had said herself she was no knight. Just a simple sword hand, she probably had no experience in formal settings of any kind. And while this was far from a formal dinner, she had to remind herself, she was a queen. Everything that involved her had a certain degree of formality to it. People had to conduct themselves a certain way in her presence, Anna seemed to know this, she just didn't know how. Just by looking she could tell Anna felt incredibly out of place in the large dining hall.

"It's alright, Anna. Kai, would you please?" He nodded quickly took Anna's dirty silverware and returned a moment later with a new set. "No harm, Anna." She smiled more openly, hoping to make Anna feel more at ease in her presence.

"Thank you, your Majesty." She stumbled over the words. Elsa sighed noiselessly thru her nose. She was positive the night couldn't get worse. Unfortunately it could.

By the end of dinner Anna was seriously considering falling on her sword. She'd managed a blunder at every turn. When bowls of rose colored liquid were set in front of them, she picked it up and started to drink from it. Kai cleared his throat and she glanced up to see the queen washing her hands in the bowl, pointedly not looking at Anna. She bit her lip and set the bowl down forcing herself to swallow the liquid already in her mouth and set her hands in her lap, squeezing the fabric over above her thighs in her fists. She was sure by this point her face was going to be stuck a bright red.

When the main course came, a juicy piece of meat, even if it was only about the size of her palm, had Anna practically slobbering on herself. She managed her silverware but not the size appropriate. She cut it in half and shoved it into her maw. When she glanced over she nearly choked seeing the queen cut her own into very tiny pieces. Her first instinct was to spit it back out, but managed to stop short of doing so. All she could do was chew, and despite her overwhelming wish that the floor would open up swallow her whole, it was still the best steak she'd ever tasted.

Dessert was perhaps the worst after drinking the hand wash. She'd been managing alright when the queen had suddenly turned to question her.

"Where did you learn-.." Anna looked up surprised the queen was still speaking to her. Her spoon hand came down a little harder than intended, hitting the edge of the dish, causing it to flip towards her. Landing against her chest, her hands shot up before it could fall, pressing it further to her chest. She paled when she felt the cold fruity pudding seeping into her tunic. The queen pressed a gloved hand to her mouth as a servant rushed over to take the dish and wipe the pudding from the tunic. Anna sat absolutely mortified, not for the first time that evening, but she hoped to any gods that were listening that it would be the last, and to Anna's relief her wish was granted.

A few minutes after the pudding incident Kai informed the queen that she had papers needing her immediate attention, she nodded and stood bidding Anna a good night.

Anna bowed and thanked the queen before practically bolting from the dining hall.

Back in the confines of her room Anna threw off the tunic and dove onto the bed, curling into a ball. She had made a complete and utter fool of herself! Her eyes burned as she squeezed them, trying to shut out the world.

She couldn't help but think how ashamed Lucian would be if he could see her now. That thought threw her over the edge and for the first time in nearly three years she wept, openly and loudly.

Elsa sighed in her study, papers forgotten for the moment. She was very aware of how incredibly bad dinner had gone. It was her fault. Few nobles adhered to all the manners she had been taught to follow to the letter as a child. She'd thrown a simple peasant girl into the royal family's dining room and had completely mortified her. Elsa dragged a hand down her face. Perhaps she should just have allowed Anna to take her meal in her chambers. Elsa wasn't bothered by Anna's manners in the slightest. She hadn't expected proper posture or anything from the sword-hand, but the girl was obviously very embarrassed.

It had taken every ounce of her own will not to burst into laughter when she'd started to drink the rose water. Anna was embarrassed but Elsa had found most of her…antics, to be endearing at the least. She managed to suppress her grin when she'd nearly inhaled her steak. In some countries it was a compliment to the food. The only thing Elsa inwardly winced at was the…accident halfway through dessert. She was sure her cringe was visible before she could cover her mouth when Anna had caught the dish to her chest.

She'd felt quite badly when the maid began to wipe off her tunic, Anna sat incredibly still, looking stricken. She sighed again. A light rapping on her door made her glance up.

"Enter" she called. Kai stepped inside the study, taking care to shut the door behind him.

"Forgive the interruption, your Majesty but I was hoping to speak with you a moment?" Elsa nodded. Sitting back, hands folded on her desk. "I was hoping you would allow me to…tutor Miss Anna a bit." A delicate pale brow rose in question.

"Tutor her?" He nodded.

"Yes ma'am. A...crash course, if you will, in table manners." Elsa seemed to be considering it. Kai pushed. "She tried very hard, but has obviously never had any education in the matter." Elsa tapped a finger on her desk, thinking back to the perquisites of a knighthood.

"Yes. If she would like you to teach her, than you may." He bowed with a smile.

"Thank you very much, your Majesty." She excused him and turned back to her the papers she had yet to deal with.

Paperwork for two bounties to be paid by the kingdom of Arendelle, bounties on the two bandits Anna had killed were 250 gold pieces a piece. Elsa smiled. Perhaps this would help alleviate some of her missteps from the evening.

Here ya go people. More to come!

~ Malthazar LOS