Enchanted 9: What do you think?

The preparation for the Winter Ball starts early since the Winter Ball is one of the main annual events in Arendelle so everyone in the castle seems to gather in the ballroom to do their respective assignments, of course, that also includes me.

"ah, your majesty, the new silverwares had arrived" Louisa approaches me "the traders are waiting at the gate"

"oh I see, but can you please attend that a for a moment?" I say

Louisa smiles "as, you wish, your majesty" then she walks away after bowing

"your highness, the head chef wishes to have the list of foods to prepare" a servant approaches me

"just get the list from louisa. She's on her way going to the front gate" I answer

The servant bows and walks away

"queen Elsa" Another servant comes "the orchestra is asking what kind of music you wanted them to play"

"tell them, that I trust their perception on music" I smile

"as you wish" the servant walks away

I'm not even blinking when another servant came holding two different colors of table clothes "uh, your highness, what color would you prefer to choose, blue or white?"

I sigh "I think, the blue one will be okay"

I'm about to breath in when "your majesty, what flavor of cake would you like? Mocha or chocolate?"

I set my lips into thin line before speaking "chocolate will suffice"

Could you believe that I was like that for hours? Even though we are going on the same routine every year, it is still frustrating that every single. Tiny. Little. Bit detail relies unto you.

I wouldn't be surprised if someone comes to me and asks "your majesty, should I eat my meal now or later? Or your majesty, should I jump on a thirty foot drop or just hang myself on a rope?"

What to expect? Of course Elsa, you are the queen.

After a while I started to feel the exhaustion of the whole thing. I couldn't just take a break when it feels like everything is going to be in chaos if I just close my eyes in a second.

"your highness.."

"what is it this time?" I snap. I turn to face the another servant

But then, I'm surprise to see that it isn't a servant as I expected to be.

"oh Prince Steven, what a surprise" I say

"oops, sorry, it feels like you are about to explode any minute. What's wrong?"

I smile "nothing, what brought you here?"

His smile becomes wider "nothing much, I just thought that you miss me so I visit"

"what?! Your ridiculous, miss you? Never"

He feigns to be hurt and holds his chest "now, you are wounding my heart"

I smile playfully "I never miss you, not a little bit"

"and just now, you stab my heart. You are merciless" his face contorts into a painful expression

I couldn't help but laugh

He smiles "it's a relief to see your face brightens like that unlike earlier"

"oh" I pause "thanks..."

"so everyone is getting busy because of the winter ball huh?" he looks at his surroundings

"right everyone is busy" then I lower my voice "but I'm the busiest"

He looks at me

"your highness" a servant approaches me "some traders wishes to see you"

I'm about to open my mouth to agree when Steven wraps his arm around my shoulder and looks at the servant "tell to the traders that the queen will take a break for a while so she wouldn't see them" then he looks at everyone else in the room and speaks in higher voice "everyone! You're doing a great work for today so all of you deserve a break!"

Steven stirs me away from the room

When we are outside, it feels like I came back to my senses

I remove his arm on my shoulder harshly. I face him "what on earth?! Who are you to dictate my people of what they should do? Who are you to intervene?!"

"how am I suppose not to intervene when you are like to pass out because of exhaustion?!" his voice is higher than mine

I am startled by his sudden outburst that I become silent

He heaves a sigh "jeez, what a troublesome queen" he murmurs then he holds my hand "let's go, you need a minute to relax"he drags me away

There is something really wrong about this setup. First, I should be the one who is supposed to play the role of being the host here instead Steven is the one who is pouring tea on my cup while I am sitting there like I was the visitor. Second, he is seriously and awkwardly quiet and I'm not used to it. Lastly, there is something on the way he gazes at me that make me feels like I want to sink in from my chair. It's kind of creepy. He sits on the chair across mine.

"look, I'm sorry for what happened earlier" he breaks the thick wall of silence

"which one are you sorry for? For snatching my authority, for yelling at me or for calling me a troublesome queen?" I narrow my eyes leaning back on my chair

He laughs "really.." then he shakes his head "all right, I'm sorry for snatching your authority back then, I'm a little bit sorry for yelling at you and I'm not sorry at all for calling you a troublesome queen"

I gape "you're unbelievable! You're a little bit sorry for yelling at me and you're not sorry at all for calling me troublesome?! What is supposed to mean by that?"

"you deserve some yelling because you are too stubborn for your own good-"

"and now, I was being stubborn" I cut in

"because that's just the truth!" he argues back "that's why you are really troublesome. Even if you are in the brink of dying, you wouldn't call for a help and because of that you are making me worried about you. Don't you know that?!"

For the second time around I'm speechless

He pokes me in the forehead

"hey!"

"quit stressing yourself about everything. Even if you are the strongest queen of all time, you deserve some time to pause and breath. It isn't that bad to think for yourself sometimes and stop worrying about the Arendelle all the time. You have a life too, you know. Don't you realize that Arendelle will be in much more trouble if their queen just broke down due to an intense stress. You're just human, not made of stone."

I stare at him

He frowns "what?"

I shake my head "it feels like you've change into a complete different person"

"just being a concern citizen" he sips on his tea

"Seriously, thank you Steven"

He pause, the cup of tea freezes mid-air. He looks at me

It's my time to frown "why are you looking at me like that?"

He puts down his cup on the table "you just said my name"

I stare at him confusedly "isn't that your name?"

"you said it without honorifics. I like it"

"oh.." then I smile "you can call me El-"

"no" he cuts in "I don't want to. If you're just going to say that I can call you Elsa. I don't want it"

"why?"

He smile "just serves as a reminder that you are higher than me"

"I don't understand..."

He continues to smile "then stop trying to understand it. But I like you calling me Steven. It feels like I'm closer to you.."

"but it's unfair-"

"no, it's not unfair. It's just the way it is"

I sigh in frustration "quit speaking in riddles!"

"maybe you won't understand this now, but maybe you will in the future.."

I groan "I don't get you at all.."

He just continue to smile

The door suddenly opens making us both jump

"El-" Anna freezes "oh, you have a visitor"

I groan again "Anna how many times do I have to tell you to knock!"

"uh, should I head back and close the door again then knock?"

I roll my eyes "you're hopeless!"

"I think I'm interrupting something better go-"

"no" I stop her "since you're already here just come in and meet our visitor"

"okay" Anna steps in and closes the door behind

Steven stands up and I follow. Anna walks towards us

"Anna, meet Prince Steven of Ardenia" then I look at Steven "Steven, this is my sister, Princess Anna of Arendelle"

Anna curtsies "it's my pleasure to meet you"

Steven bows "the pleasure is all mine, your highness" he looks at me "you've got a beautiful sister"

I smile "I know"

"Are you perhaps..." Anna speaks up "the guy that the council wants to engage with my sister?"

"Anna" I give her a look but she chooses to ignore me

"oh.." Steven says "sort of.. But it's still up to your sister"

Anna nods. Then she surveys Steven like she is trying to rip his soul out of his body with her gaze. Steven seems awkward by it.

"Anna, stop being like a guard looking on a culprit" I say

"so Prince Steven... " Anna begins. She really decides to ignore me like I didn't exist

When the night comes, Anna and I are both looking down on the windows where the carriage of Steven going out the palace could be seen

"he seems nice and civil but I still vote for jack" Anna speaks suddenly

"what?" I look at her

She sits on the chair where Steven was sitting a while ago "even though I already met prince Steven it wouldn't change my opinion that I like jack for you more than prince steven"

"hah, you talk like I'm having two options as to whom I should marry. As if I'm going to marry jack.."

"won't you?"

I look at Anna incredulously "Jack and I are just friends!"

"and what about you and Prince Steven, aren't you friends?"

I frown "I don't know where this conversation going.."

Anna shakes her head "you're the one who's helpless here"

Then she stares at me "look Elsa, there are people you are comfortable with even if it's the first time you've just met and you just click, even though I might be wrong because of what happened to Hans before, but then, do you think that Hans and Jack are the same? Or maybe Hans and Prince Steven are the same?"

"Anna, Hans, Jack and Steven are three different people!"

Anna shrugs "maybe, but then, how about you Elsa?" she tilts her head to the side "what do you think of Jack? What do you think of Steven? Or are they just the same because both of them are your friends?"

She stands up and yawns "i'm already tired. Need some rest. You should to Elsa, you need most of it"

Then she's gone leaving me wondering about what she just said. Anna is acting strange.

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