Elsa glared at the boxes in front of her. Why had she thought this would be a good idea? She'd already been in the storeroom for an hour with nothing to show for it. She could've asked one of the servants to look for the dress, but no, she had to be independent and look for it herself. The seamstress had promised it would be in here, but she'd already unpacked twenty of the twenty-one useless boxes. Well, not completely useless, if she'd been looking for old silver cutlery, holey table clothes or misshapen candles, she would be more than happy.
Fortunately the last box looked far more promising. She hadn't noticed it until last stretch break. It was tucked on a shelf just above her head. The entire shelf had been covered with dust, even the maids occasional perusal of the storerooms hadn't made it up there. After removing the box Elsa had spent the next minute choking on dust. Eventually she'd had to open the door and summon the wind to get the dust out. The wind had loved the task, and she'd watched with apprehension as dust tornadoes disappeared down the hall. Hopefully anyone who saw them would blame the odd ventilation of a rickety, old palace.
Now her fingers danced over the box. She was terrified of opening it only to discover that her entire morning had been wasted with a futile quest. Gently she undid the knot and peeked under the lid. Her breath left, this had to be the dress; the rich silk couldn't have belonged to any table cloth, no matter how fine. She tore of the lid and swept the dress out of the box.
Her wonder ceased.
The fabric was beautiful, but the moths fluttering out of the box had worked tirelessly on it. No longer was this the glorious gown Elsa saw in her mother's wedding portraits, instead it was merely a ghost of a dress, an outline with very little in between.
Elsa stuffed the dress back in the box. She would have to take it to the seamstress; hopefully she would know what to do with it, she had to. Clutching the box to her chest, Elsa left the closet and made her way down the hall. She did her best not to look to secretive. The queen sneaking around with a ratty box covered in dust was enough to start a whirlwind of rumors and she did not want to add to them. A sneaky queen would set anyone's tongue ablaze with idle blather, so Elsa did her best to glide through the halls; giving everyone she passed the same regal nod.
No one interrupted her, and aside from a few furtive stares, no on questioned her appearance. So with very little ado, she found herself in front of the seamstress's door, knocking once before letting herself in.
"Your majesty!" The seamstress jumped away from the dress she had been kneeling next to. "I didn't hear you come in." She stood in front of the dress and made a hurried bow. Elsa tried to keep her face disinterested. Why was the seamstress so jumpy? She was doing her job. Elsa brushed the though away. She certainly couldn't judge people for keeping secrets.
"It's fine." Elsa tried to make her voice gentle. What was this girl's name? It started with an N. Maria, no Martha? Not that either, but it definitely had an r in it. "You couldn't have known I was coming." Mara! That was it. "Besides you were focused on your work. How could I reprimand you for doing your job?"
Mara blushed, only piquing Elsa's interest further. "I'm sorry nonetheless." Mara noticed that Elsa's gaze was once upon the dress and tried to regain her attention. "What did you say you wanted?"
"I was wondering if this dress is salvageable." Elsa handed her the box, wincing as Mara briefly fumbled with the precious cargo.
Mara walked to a table, shoved aside loose strings and strips of cloth and opened the box. She gasped and pulled out the dress. "Is this..?"
Elsa nodded and walked to the table. "Will you be able to fix it?"
Mara frowned and peered at the cloth. "I'll have to look at it for a bit. I'm not sure I have the right cloth or ornamentation. It's possible the last seamstress may have left the excess around here." She went to the closet and peered inside, emerging quickly with a wince, "I'm sorry your majesty, but the closet is not exactly tidy. It'll take a while to sort through. Would you mind coming back in a few hours? I should have an answer for you before dinner."
"Of course," Elsa nodded and walked to the door, but when her hand was on the handle she turned. "What did you say that dress was for?"
"I didn't" At Elsa's unamused, questioning look, Mara's shoulder fell. "I'm sorry your majesty. I swear this is the first. It's just so tiring to tend to the same uniforms day after day. The wait staff uniforms at least have some color, but the guard's uniforms are just so boring. I mean really forest green and black! I just wanted to create something pretty, that's why I became a seamstress."
Apparently she was not supposed to be making that dress. "So how did you come to make the dress?"
"I just had so many scraps. I'm sorry, I knew it was the crowns fabric, but it felt like it was going to waste and I didn't have anything to do." She wrung her hands nervously.
Elsa went over to examine the dress. It was certainly well made: the stitches were too small to see and detailed embroidery lined the hem. "What were you planning to so with the dress?"
"I was hoping to sell it." Mara was very pale. "I love this job, but one day I want to open up my own shop, and I need to start somewhere."
Elsa drew back from the dress and looked at the trembling girl. "I don't see anything wrong with your making the dress; after all it was from scraps. If you're serious about the dress shop you can borrow some of the palaces supplies to make your dresses. Just keep a ledger of everything you use. Once your shop takes off you can start paying us back."
"Thank you your majesty." A smile bloomed over the Mara's face. Elsa smiled in return, and headed back towards the door.
"Your majesty, wait!" Mara curtsied "you almost forgot this." Mara was holding out a small leather bound journal. Seeing Elsa's confusion she added, "It was in the box, underneath the dress."
Elsa stepped forward and took the journal. "Thank you," she was gifted by another blinding smile. As she left the room, "Oh and Mara, if anyone bothers you about the dress tell them it's for me. I'm certainly interested in buying it." As Elsa closed the door she saw the girl's happy expression.
As Elsa headed back towards her room and her queenly duties, she stroked the journal's cover. There was something engraved on it, her fingers traced the letters, Idun. She froze. It was her mother's journal.
Elsa opened it and began to read, allowing her feet to carry her towards her room.
The ship has almost reached the shore and everyone is in a mad rush. The sailors run to and from their stations and my servants try to gather my luggage. There's so much of it, I told Thomas I didn't need it, but he was insistent. In his eyes I will always be his younger sister; I think he still can't forget Kai. He tried to come to Arendelle with me, but his wife is so very sick. I'm sending all my good wishes to Corona. Likely my wishes will help more than any mythical flower. Meanwhile I can only pray my marriage is as happy as theirs. Prince Adgar, even his name feels unfamiliar. How can I marry a man I know nothing about? Maybe if I write his name enough times it'll become familiar. Adgar Adgar Adgar Adgar Adgar.
Elsa ran her hand over the page. This was her mother's journal; this was the key to all the secrets her parents kept. She would no longer have to wonder if her parents loved her, she would know.
….
Jack tried to pull his pants up while still maintaining a decent pace. Jogging had seemed like such a waste of time when he could fly, but as guard after guard lapped he wished he'd popped into a gym, just once or twice, to build up some stamina.
When Sanderson jogged past for what seemed like the fifteenth timed, he turned around. The smirking boy easily kept Jack's pace, despite running backwards. "Early this morning, weren't you were bragging about outracing a rabbit?"
"That was…different." Jack panted out each word. "I…wasn't…running."
"Oh, I'm sorry. Should I skip?" Sanderson somehow managed to start skipping backwards.
Despite his annoyance, Jack snorted. He glanced across the yard; most of the guards had already finished their laps. "Aren't you done?"
"I'm supposed to be looking over the new recruit, remember?" He smiled, "can't have the newbie passing out on my watch."
"This… is my… last lap." Jack stumbled next to a stop next to the water barrel. He didn't plan on running anymore laps, so he wasn't lying.
Sanderson raised a haughty brow, "whatever you say."
Jack stumbled to wall and collapsed against a pile of barrels. He'd maintained a coat of cool air throughout the run, but the sun still beat down on him with a harsh, unforgiving light. Some of the other guards had taken of the green uniform shirts, while others rolled up their pants. The only one in full uniform was Stick, who stood at disapproving attention at the other end of the yard.
"Hello!" Jack jumped and peered behind him, just the wall and a pile of barrels. "I'm Olaf. Could you help me?" Great, now a barrel named Olaf was talking to him. "I'm sort of stuck behind the barrels."
Right, the voice was coming from behind the barrels. Jack climbed on to one and peered down. He was met with a miniature wonderland. A tiny cloud blocked most of his view, but he could barely make out a snowman sitting on top a pile of snow. "Where are you?" Was the person buried?
"I'm here silly." The snowman waved a twig. "Can't you see me?" He gasped. "Are you blind?" He reached up and touched his face, "I don't have eyes, but I can still see."
Jack reached down, "I'll get you." He wasn't sure if a talking snowman was better than a talking barrel.
He set the snowman on the ground beside the barrel. It hugged him, "I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs, summer, chocolate and flowers." He gasped again. "Did you see my flower?"
"What flower?" Jack was talking to a snowman. Then again, he'd had quite amiable discussions with the abominable snowman. This wasn't that different.
"I was playing with a flower, but then I got stuck. Did you see my flower?" The snowman looked up at him.
"I'll get it, don't worry." Jack grabbed the barrel Olaf was stuck behind. His muscles, already exhausted from the run, protested the additional exercise. He grunted as the barrel moved inch by inch. He could feel several of the guard's eyes on him and a few sniggers drifted across the field. He ignored them, but kept a firm hand on his pants. He would not let his pants fall down in front of the entire yard.
"Here," a tall freckled girl grabbed the barrel and with Jack's minor aid, managed to pull it away.
The snow fell out, covering Jack's feet. He bent forward and sifted through the pile. The girl just watched leaning against the barrel. Sanderson came over to watch, giving a brief nod to the girl, before settling beside him. Jack felt something and gently brushed it off.
"My flower!" The snowman stumbled across the snow and grabbed the frozen flower, nuzzling against his cheek. He turned to Jack, "Thanks!" He rapped his twigs arms around Jack's knees, then looked up disapprovingly, "you don't give very warm hugs."
"Olaf!" Jack turned to see a beautiful girl hurtling across the yard. "Where have you been?" She was only a few steps away, but she stepped on the hem of her dress. She collapsed in a pouf of silk and green frills.
Jack raced forward, "Are you okay?" He tried not to sound too concerned.
"I'm fine." Her cheeks were almost as red as her hair. She stood up quickly and brushed the dust of her dress. "I'm used to it."
She giggled and walked past him to where Olaf was admiring his flower. Despite her fall, every one of her movements seemed to be part of a bouncing, laughing dance. Everything from her smile to her voice seemed to radiate warmth and fun.
He walked back towards Olaf, where Sanderson was in the process of bowing, "I'm sorry for the disturbance, we didn't mean to intrude."
Why was he bowing? Was this the queen? She certainly looked like she knew how to have fun. If this is the queen, Jack's job was already done.
"Oh it's fine." She waved Sanderson's apologies away. "I was the one who intruded. I'm sorry that Olaf and I got into your way."
"You're the queen." Jack was suddenly aware of how much thinner the oversized uniform made him look. Especially when compared with his annoyingly fit companions, even the girl was more muscled than him. "You don't need to apologize." He tried to give a bow, but it was hard to hold his pants and still appear graceful.
She laughed again. How could she need fun? "You must be new."
Jack winced. "What was it, the uniform or the bow?"
"Neither," her smile was gentle. "I'm not the queen. That's my sister Elsa."
Jack tried not to let his disappointment show. "That must make you Anna."
"Don't worry, I'm just the princess. You don't need to have fancy manners with me." She smiled. "It was nice to meet you." She outstretched her hand to Olaf. "Let's head back. If we don't hurry the ducklings will eat all the bread." She and Olaf made their way through the dispersing guards.
"So that's the princess." Hadn't the troll said that Kristoff was the queen's soon to be brother-in-law. Jack turned back to Sanderson and the freckled guard. "Does the queen by any chance have another sister?"
Sanderson was shaking his head. "Of all the girls in the palace you had to get a crush on a girl that is not only royalty, but also engaged."
"I don't have a crush." A blush spread across Jack's cheeks.
"Oh come on," Sanderson laughed, even the other guard had a tiny smile. "Are you okay?" Sanderson mimed a desperate dive to the ground, and then lay there looking pathetic, "oh no need to apologize your majesty, really. I'm but a humble guard."
"Now you're just making things up. I didn't say any of that." Jack turned to the second guard. "You heard me right?"
"I'm not saying anything." The guard held up her hands in surrender.
Sanderson popped back up, "Fine. Live in denial, see if I care." He looked between Jack and the second guard. "Have you two met yet?"
Jack shook his head, "I'm Jack. As you probably guessed, I'm new."
The guard nodded. "I'm Erika" She looked over Jack outfit. "Your clothes don't exactly fit, would you like to see the seamstress?"
"You mean my clothes aren't supposed to fall off?" At Erika's annoyed stare, he nodded. "I would appreciate that."
"Well come on then," Sanderson started towards the wood door. "If we hurry we can still get to dinner before the line gets too long."
"You're coming?" Erika looked shocked.
"He's sort of my responsibility. I have to go where he does." Sanderson nodded down at Jack, who was starting to feel like a tagalong.
"I guess I can leave you two." Erika started to turn around.
"Not to mention Mara." Sanderson whistled and Erika wheeled around.
"On the other hand, maybe I will come." Erika didn't seem thrilled with this development.
Jack hurried to follow the two as they ducked through the door. "What about dinner? I'd rather eat than get my clothes fixed."
"Don't worry little pal. We'll make sure to get some meat on your bones."
"Dinner doesn't start for another half-hour." Erika elaborated on Sanderson's unhelpful answer. "We're given the evening to use as we please. There's a two hour span when the servant's hall is open for dinner. Most people use the time to go into town or get extra training in." Sanderson snorted and Erika gave him a pointed glare, "it is possible to lose your evening time due to disorderly conduct, in which case you're assigned chores."
"May I say," Sanderson leaped up the stairs. "Watching you is definitely one of my better chores."
Jack grimaced, "I'm honored that you hold me above washing dishes."
"Actually washing dishes is quite fun" Sanderson's looked back, a whistful expression on his face, "so many pretty maids. But don't worry; you're ranked significantly above privy scrubbing."
"My, I had no idea how fondly you looked upon me." Jack followed Sanderson into a room. "I hate to disappoint, but I must rebuff your affections. My heart belongs to the job and the job alone."
Sanderson looked over his shoulder, as he entered the room. "I pity the job."
A waif-like blond girl stood up from beside a creamy, torn dress. Her hair was piled on top of her head, almost as messy as the nest of fabric, buttons and ribbons that surrounded her. She stood up, brushing off loose pieces of lace and string. "I'm Mara, you must be new."
"I'm Jack. I hear you can help fix my clothes." He smiled, "Sanderson tells me my clothes are supposed to stay on."
"Then Sanderson has misled quite a few ladies," she gave Sanderson a disdainful look.
"What can I say?" He tried to level a smirk at Mara, but she ignored him. "I simply have a golden tongue."
"Come here Jack." Jack stepped forward and she began to pinch the loose fabric, sticking pins where it hung off his body. "I should be done with this tomorrow; in the meantime you can borrow a spare uniform. The spare uniform won't fit perfectly, but it'll be better than this."
"Thank you, I'm sorry for the bother." Jack smiled at her. "What's the dress for?"
"The queen gave it to me," she glanced at it fondly. "It's such a beautiful dress. I can't let it go to waste."
"What's it for?" Despite the torn fabric, the fine quality was still clear.
"I can't tell you that." She smiled, "you'll have to wait and see."
"I'm sorry to interrupt," a soft voice came from the doorway. A girl stood at the door. She could have been beautiful, but there was something missing. Her expression was gentle and her posture was perfect, but there was no animation in her manner.
Mara, Sanderson and Erika all scurried to attention giving quick, but elegant bows. "Your majesty, I'm sorry, I didn't hear you come in." Mara twisted a ribbon between her fingers.
"I told you before, there's no need to apologize. You're only doing your job." She looked around the room and when her eyes lingered on Jack he recognized her features. She looked like the princess, but her eyes contained none of the fun. Even if she was kind, gentle and perfect in almost any way, without the fun she would still be broken and incomplete. She did need Jack's help. Her eyes found Mara again, "I can come back later if you'd like."
"Oh no need, no need," Mara kneeled to ground and dug through her nest. After a few seconds, she emerged triumphant, a paper clutched in her fist. "I found most of the old materials, but I don't have enough cloth to fix the body of the outfit."
"Oh," the queen's shoulders slumped, ever so slightly.
Mara saw the disappointment in her face and jumped forward, "it's not a big issue. I recognized the cloth, it came from the Southern Isles. I tracked down a sales form, and found the full name of the cloth. If you managed to acquire some, I could finish the dress."
"Thank you," the queen reached for the paper and tucked it into the fold of her looked hesitant for a moment, then asked "do you remember Prince Kevin?"
Mara looked surprised, "I'm sorry I don't know who that is."
"It's fine, it was a while ago." With that the queen left the room.
Mara looked at Erika, who shrugged. "Don't look at me; I've never kept up with royal families."
"He was Queen Idun's older brother, maybe if he were around maybe he would be king. At least our kingdom would be warm," Sanderson smirked. "How was your first meeting with the Snow Queen?"
Jack stared at Sanderson; he seemed to be joking. "She's certainly cold."
Sanderson laughed.