A/N Discalmer I don't own nor wish to infringe on any copyrights to Frozen or Spice and Wolf which belong to their respective holders. Any OC resemblance to any other person living or dead, fictional, or nonfictional is coincidental.

Chapter 10

Naeil and Ragnar waited at the gates of the castle as the column of soldiers moved up the road. A dark horse departed the head of the column, with a man wearing a dark gray half cloak over his left shoulder riding it. The horse pulled up to the two Wolf Kind and the rider saluted, "Your Highness, Guard Sergeant."

The two returned the salute as Ragnar replied, "Lord Horwitz, welcome to Arendelle."

Horwitz nodded and dismounted, "I understand there was some excitement yesterday evening."

Ragnar looked at Naeil who nodded, "There was a training accident, but as you can see, I've made a full recovery."

Horwitz stroked his carefully trimmed beard, "I'm glad to hear it. Some of the men have expressed some discomfort at the idea of the Snow Queen participating in this battle. Of course, they're usually silenced rather quickly by the women," he chuckled.

Ragnar chuckled himself, but then grew serious, "Still, it will not do us any good if any in the army do not have full faith in her capabilities. I have overheard soldiers in her own forces also expressing misgivings, especially since yesterday."

Naeil pinched his nose, and winced as his shoulder reminded him of the price of his own confidence in the Snow Queen. Looking at the new arrival, he smiled, "Well, then I think I should approach her Majesty with our concerns. I'm sure she'll devise an appropriate response that will not only ease their concerns but cement them behind her."

Ragnar laughed out loud, "She has become rather adept at showing who is the Alpha around here..."

"They don't trust me, because of yesterday?" asked the Queen.

Kai sighed, "It's not just the incident with the Prince, but that has brought the issue to the surface. Many of them have been harboring misgivings ever since the freeze."

Naeil stood to the side, his arms crossed and his eyes closed. "You alone can fix this matter, your Majesty. My army will follow you if I order them to do so, but my word will have no weight with your own troops."

Elsa dropped her head in thought, then raised it with a smile, "Assemble the forces, I wish to speak to the brave men, and women, who will be defending Arendelle."

Kai nodded and made his exit, but Naeil remained behind. The Queen looked over at him, and smiled, "Thank you."

Naeil bowed his head, "You're welcome, but I'm not sure exactly what you are thanking me for."

Elsa leaned back into her throne and let a sly expression cross her face, "I'm not really surprised," she giggled.

Naeil's ears twitched and his tail flicked, but then he noticed her twirling the blue crystal vial he'd given her in her fingers. Inclining his head, he merely smiled, "Well, I must trust you implicitly, but then again, I thought I'd made that clear yesterday."

Irritation filled the Queen's face, "Yes, although you didn't have to show it in such a reckless manner." Her features softened as she became thoughtful, "Naeil? What would happen to you if this snow was..." her voice drifted off.

Naeil looked at her, and realized she was considering what would have happened if she had destroyed the vial with her ice blast. "I don't honestly know. I'm not exactly a full Wolf Kind, there's multiple factors involved. I've been told everything from nothing to I vanish along with the snow. The only thing I have been told for certain is that as long as that snow remains, so shall I."

Elsa nodded, closed her eyes and then dropped the vial into her dress. "Well, in any case, I guess it's far safer in my care than it ever has been in yours," she said.

Naeil nodded, "Yes, I do have a tendency to put myself in harms way. However..."

Elsa opened her eyes to see the Wolf Prince had moved to stand in front of her. "I never do so without good reason."

The Queen gritted her teeth. "I suppose the next thing you are going to tell me is that in a real fight I'm going to be faced with the possibility of hitting you, Ragnar, or somebody else by mistake as well, which was your justification for your stupidity yesterday."

Naeil knelt before the Elsa, "I'm not going to justify it, but the point still stands."

She looked down at him, and then leaned in to look him in the face, the pair's ice blue eyes locked on each other. "Then just remember this, if you ever do anything like that again, you won't have to worry about your snow melting...because I will personally freeze it to you."

Naeil smiled, "Of course you will."

Elsa reached out and ran her slender fingers along Naeil's face, and then leaned forward and lightly kissed him. Naeil's face blushed in surprise, and his ears and tail flicked as well, but he took the queen's hand in his own and returned the kiss. After a few moments, when both reluctantly broke the kiss, the pair just smiled at each other, before giggling over what had just happened.

Anna and Kristoff walked down the halls, now bristling with activity with the arrival of the first two regiments of Yoitsu's army. Anna sulked, "I just wish I had something more to do! Archery, swordsmanship...filing paperwork...something!"

Kristoff smiled, "Have you thought of just asking Elsa if there is anything you can do to help?"

Anna pursed her lips, and Kristoff laughed, "I'll take that as a no."

Anna elbowed him in the ribs and threw her head back, putting on her best, "I am an aristocrat" face. "My sister has been very busy with preparing to defend the realm, if you haven't been paying attention."

Kristoff winced and then threw his arm around the princess, "I have noticed. I've also noticed you performing a very important job for the Kingdom."

She gave him a questioning look and he grinned, "You've been in your sister's corner, letting her know that she is loved. Think about everything you've done for her since her coronation ceremony. Especially the last couple of days. Do you think she would have asked Prince Naeil to a dinner? Do you think she would have pulled herself together last night without you? You have perhaps the most important job in the kingdom, keeping your sister grounded."

Anna smiled, "That's not a job, Kristoff...that's what sisters do for each other."

Kristoff shrugged, "Doesn't change the fact that it's true though."

Anna leaned against the man and sighed, "This is why I love you, Kristoff."

Kristoff chuckled, "By the way, you absolutely can not pull off the whole, 'I'm a serious princess' look."

She elbowed him in the ribs again, grinning fiendishly.

The soldiers had gathered in the courtyard, awaiting to be addressed by the Queen. Some of the Arendelle soldiers were mingling with the new arrivals, asking about Yoitsu or the journey down the mountain pass. A few Arendelle soldiers even made clumsy attempts to hit on the female members of the Yoitsuan contingent, only to be put promptly in their place, much to laughter of the Yoitsuan men. Overlooking the courtyard, the primary balcony loomed, the white doors closed. Elsa stood behind the doors, gathering her thoughts.

"I hate giving speeches," she muttered under her breath.

Naeil grinned, then embraced Elsa, "You'll do fine, and if it's any consolation, I'm not fond of public speaking myself."

The Queen smiled, her arms reaching around the Wolf Prince's torso as she leaned against his chest. The gentle rhythm of his heart pounded in her ears, and she sighed contentedly.

"Oh ho, what do we have here?" asked the Princess.

Elsa and Naeil let go of each other as Anna and Kristoff entered the room. "No no, don't stop on our account, we just came to hear the Queen's Speech.

Anna came over to hug her sister as Naeil backed away. "You all set to be inspirational?"

Elsa squeezed Anna, "Actually I so nervous I can't stop shaking. I've never done anything quite like this before."

Anna looked at her sister, "You're going to do fine. Just steal liberally from Henry V and throw in some of Queen Elizabeth's speeches in there."

Elsa smiled, "I find it rather ironic that all the people who aren't going to be talking are the ones assuring me I'm going to do fine," she quipped.

Kai walked in and bowed, "Your Majesty. They're gathered. Whenever you're ready."

Elsa nodded, and then looked at Naeil, Anna and Kristoff. She reflected that only a few short months ago, she'd desperately felt so alone, and now she found she couldn't imagine living life without any of these people around her. Her sister, who had wanted to be by her side since the beginning, and the Mountain Man, who had been by her side since the thaw, and now Naeil, who had only arrived a few days ago and yet was constantly in her thoughts if not her presence. She'd never felt so loved as she felt in that moment, with the three of them resolutely standing with her. Taking a moment to pull the vial out so it hung in front of her dress, she looked at Naeil, and held out her hand. "Escort me out?"

Naeil took it and lightly kissed the back, "It will be my pleasure."

The doors on the balcony swung open and Kai walked to the railing. "Attention! Her Royal Majesty, Queen Elsa of Arendelle!"

The soldiery quieted down as the blonde woman walked to the edge, escorted by the Wolf Prince. He bowed as he stepped away from her, and she nodded regally, a small smile on her face. Anna and Kristoff walked out behind the Queen and stood on the other side of the balcony, bowing and curtseying, and Elsa formally recognized their presence, before she looked out over the throng stretched out before her.

"Soldiers of Arendelle and Yoitsu," she began.

As Elsa spoke, Naeil could feel his heart almost ready to burst with pride for this woman. She was speaking from her own heart, and the effect it was having on the soldiery below was almost palpable. Even his own countrymen were hanging on to her every word, as she spoke plainly about the situation they were facing. By the time she'd finished with a flourish of snowflakes erupting over the crowd, he was filled with the desire to run over to her and lift her into the air as the soldier shouted their huzzahs from below.

"Long Live Queen Elsa! Long Live Queen Elsa!"

"Down with Weasletown!"

Elsa looked at him and beamed and he nodded in congratulations. And then, they all heard it from below, amongst the Yoitsuan contingent.

"3 Cheers for our Prince's lovely fiance!"

"Hip hip HUZZAH! Hip hip HUZZAH! Hip hip HUZZAH!

Elsa and Neil both turned beet red as they looked at each other stunned.

"FIANCE!?" asked Anna, incredulously once they'd left the balcony.

Elsa looked to Naeil whose ears and tail were twitching furiously, "Well?" she asked simply.

Naeil threw up his hands. "I swear I didn't say anything along those lines to anybody. Trust me, I..." He paused, looking at her, and then muttered, "Oh no...Oh how could I have been so careless?"

Elsa saw his face drop into absolute shame and embarrassment. She calmly walked over to him, and took his hands into hers. "What is it?"

He sighed and then lifted the crystal vial. "It was this...somebody saw you wearing this."

Elsa's face became confused as Naeil continued, "In Yoitsu, there is a tradition of giving another our token chains, as an engagement promise, much like you would give rings."

Elsa backed away from him, clutching the vial, "Then when you gave me this, you were actually..."

Naeil shook his head furiously, "No, not at all. I knew you were shook up over injuring me and I was hoping that by having my token chain, it would give you the reassurance you needed to not worry about it so much. I honestly wasn't thinking about how it might appear to anyone else. It's not even a tradition really practiced in Yoitsu anymore, the last time I've heard of it being done, well was my parents, and that was over 250 years ago."

Elsa stared at him, trying to process everything he'd just said. "Okay, Naeil. We need to get this straightened out quickly. If you would be so kind as to go talk to your countrymen, we'll take care of letting our people know."

Naeil nodded, "Elsa...I'm so sorry...I really didn't mean to..."

She held up a hand, and then looked to the others, "Kai, Anna, Kristoff, will you start working on this, I'll be with you momentarily."

They nodded, and Anna gave Elsa a questioning look, but Elsa lightly just motioned her to get going. Alone with Naeil, she looked at him guardedly.

"You swear to me, that this is just a misunderstanding."

Naeil nodded, "Yes, on my grandfather's grave."

Elsa took a deep breath and started to leave the room. "Meet me at the stables at seven, be ready to ride into the mountains, and don't be late."

Naeil started to ask her what she meant but she swept from the room to rejoin the others, leaving the Wolf Prince alone with his confusion and guilt.