This story is based on the junior novelization of Frozen Fever, which is owned by Disney. I thank Whirlpool24 of DeviantArt for helping me.
King Elias just finished working at his desk when he heard the clock tower in the distance chime noon. He stood up and stretched as he looked at the calendar and one of the days circled. It was his brother's birthday in two weeks and it fell on the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. He heard the door knock and saw Adeline come in.
"Hi Elias, ready for lunch?" She asked him and came around to put her arms around his shoulders.
"Yes I'm ready," Elias said and then sighed.
"Hey what's the matter?" Adeline asked him curiously.
"Oh I was thinking of my brother's birthday," Elias said as he pointed to the circled day, "And I want to make it perfect for him. He's never really had a birthday before."
"Oh really? Never?" Adeline asked in disbelief, "Didn't you celebrate it when you were kids?"
"We did at one point until the you know," Elias reminded her of the accident they had and how Elias just hid himself away.
"Ohh I see," Adeline nodded to him, "Would you like some help planning it?"
"I would love that," Elias said as they walked down the hallway to the kitchen, "But the thing is I don't know what to get him. He likes all kinds of things."
"I'm sure you'll come up with something," Adeline said as they walked down the hall.
Elais thought about how supportive Aaron has been since he brought his powers out in the open. And that with his help and Adeline's, how much more control Elias had over his powers now. Every day, Aaron seemed to have a new surprise for Elias. Then he stopped short as an idea clicked in his head.
"That's it!" He shouted in excitement and startled Adeline.
"Oh! What's it?" Adeline asked him in confusion as she put her hand on her chest.
"I have an idea of what to do for Aaron's birthday," Elias said as he held her arms, "We are going to throw my little brother his first big surprise party ever!"
"That's a wonderful idea!" Adeline exclaimed excitedly to him, "Oh we have a lot to do. We got to find a place to hold it, decide on decorations."
"What food to have," Elias said with her as he counted on his fingers, "The guest list. The cake."
"We need to make a list," Adeline concluded to him.
"After lunch, I'm getting hungry after talking about food," Elias said as he felt and heard his stomach growl.
After they had lunch together, the two of them looked around for Kai and Gerta for more ideas to do for Aaron's surprise party. They found them in the hallway cleaning some of the pictures. Elias explained his plan to them and asked them for some ideas.
"What about a family portrait?" Kai suggested to them, "We could have one commissioned for the prince. There's plenty of time."
"That's a good idea. Oh wait," Elias said as he remembered it was just the two of them, "I don't know if we can with just the two of us."
"You could do a new one with Adeline, Olaf, Kristen and her reindeer Sven," Greta suggested to him.
"Oh that would be perfect," Adeline said to her.
Elias thought about having the old portrait restored and thought about where it could be. Maybe it was in the attic.
"What would be perfect?" Aaron asked as he seemed to just pop in from nowhere.
"Uh, we're trying to decide something," Elias said to him after getting over being startled.
"Oh, can I help?" Aaron asked them.
"No thanks, Aaron," Elias said to him.
"Oh, ok fine," Aaron sighed.
"Actually Aaron, could you do something for us," Adeline asked him, "Could you look in the attic for some...string?"
"String?" Aaron asked curiously.
"Yes we need it for something," Elias said to him. "I think we have some in the attic."
"Ok, I'll go look for it," Aaron shrugged and walked his way down the hall.
As the two watched Aaron leave, Elias sighed in relief. Adeline felt a bit guilty for lying to him but knew it was necessary for them to pull off the perfect birthday. They left Gerta and Kai to go back to Elias' office to get his notepad. Elias wrote down all the things they need to do for his party. The number one thing on the list was the cake. With that in mind, the two of them made their way to the bakery in town. Adeline sniffed the air and sighed in content at the smell of icing and bread in the air as Elias opened the door for her.
"Hello, your majesty," The baker said and bowed to Elias in respect, "What brings you to my shop? "
"My brother's birthday is in two weeks and I want to order a special cake for him," Elias explained to him. "You see this is a surprise and I want it to be perfect."
"I understand, sire," The baker said with a wink, "Now what kind of cake would you like for him?"
"Chocolate. He loves chocolate," Elias said to him.
"Dark chocolate is my favorite," Adeline said to him, "Just to let you know for the future, Elias."
"Certainly sir. Now what kind of design did you want this cake to be," The baker asked him and then brought over a book for them, "Perhaps you would like to browse through this?"
"Yes thank you," Elias said as he sat down with Adeline to look through them and then thought of something, "Hey you know what kind of cake would be really unique for Aaron? An ice cream cake."
"An ice cream cake," Adeline asked him curiously, "Wouldn't that melt?"
"Not with my powers, it won't," Elias said with a wink and then looked through the book with her.
As they were looking through the book, they failed to notice that Aaron was coming into the bakery.
"Hi guys," Aaron greeted them all covered in dust.
"Hi, Aaron," Elias absentmindedly said to him as he waved and then snapped up in surprise, "Aaron! What-what are you doing here?"
"I found the string you wanted, " Aaron said as he held out a huge ball of red string, "And I followed you here. What are you doing?"
"We were tasting cupcakes," Adeline said as she came around to stand next to Elias and then tapped on the design for the cake to the baker behind her back. He quickly took the book from her and put it back.
"Oh sounds good," Aaron said but then frowned, "Why didn't you bring me along?"
"Won't you have a cupcake too, Prince Aaron?" The baker asked him and then subtly winked to Elias, "I know you love chocolate, so which kind is your favorite?"
"I really like milk chocolate," Aaron said and looked at the cupcakes on display, "Why don't you mix some of those up with other kinds for us?"
"My pleasure your highness," The baker bowed to him and then wrote down the design Elias and Adeline decided for Aaron's birthday cake.
The three of them enjoyed the different cupcakes until they were full and then walked back to the castle. Elias was grateful that baker helped get them out of that jam. Keeping a secret from his brother was proving to be harder than he thought.
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Over the next few days Elias and Adeline came up with some ideas for gifts for Aaron. Only problem was keeping it a big secret from him. He seemed to pop everywhere they went. One morning Elias put on a cloak as a disguise in case Aaron came around and went to the marketplace for gifts. Adeline had made him a list of things they could get him and he decided to go to those places. He went to a boat shop, livery stables, a tailor, the clock shop, the glass blowers. He even made a special trip to Wandering Oaken's trading post to see if he had anything the prince would like.
"Whew," Elias exhaled as he made his way back to the market and sat down on a bench.
"Elias are you ok?" Kristen asked him as she came up to him with several blocks of ice in her sled.
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," Elias said as he waved her off, "I'm just a bit tired from finding gifts for Aaron."
"You know I could help you out too. He is my boyfriend," Kristen said as she sat next to him, "What else do you need to do for his birthday?"
"Well let's see. Adeline and I already have the cake taken care of," Elias said as he showed her the list.
Kristen looked it over then made her own copy to get the gifts for Aaron. Elias heard the school bell ring and then saw the children leaving. He got another idea for a present. Aaron loved music and the children doing a recital for him would be a good gift too.
"So can you do it?" Elias asked the principal and the music teacher of the school.
"It would be an honor to sing for Prince Aaron on his birthday, your majesty," The principle said and bowed to him.
"Well we will be looking forward to it," Elias said and shook his hand. "You have the date and it's at noon."
"Yes sir, we'll have the children ready for him," The music teacher said, "They really love the prince. And you too, of course!"
Elias chuckled and then went back to the castle to meet up with Adeline.
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Over the last few days Aaron knew his brother was up to something. But every time he tried to ask him about it, he blew him off for a date with Adeline or some official business with their subjects or he would just lock himself in his office. And he hadn't had a chance to spend any time with Kristin as well because she was busy with her ice business.
"Hi Aaron," Olaf greeted him and saw he was pacing back and forth in the throne room.
"Oh hi Olaf," Aaron greeted him and sighed.
"Is something wrong?" Olaf asked curiously as he followed him.
"Well I was just thinking that I haven't really seen Elias much lately. And you know it's been almost a week since Kristen wanted to hang out with me," Aaron explained to him, "And I'm...kind of hoping they will want to spend time with me tomorrow."
"Oh is tomorrow a special day?" Olaf asked excitedly.
"You could say that," Aaron shrugged and said, "It's the summer solstice. That's the longest day of the year."
"Ooh that is special," Olaf clapped and then tilted his head to ask, "What do you do on that day?"
"Oh solstice things. Like you do something nice for your friends," Aaron explained and then thought about Kristen's sled, "I know what I could do. I could wash her sled for her."
"Can I help?" Olaf asked him.
"Sure you can. Why don't we get started tonight?" Aaron suggested, "We'll wash it and get it all polished up so in the morning she will be surprised."
Aaron got some hot water and some soap in a bucket. Olaf looked at it with glee as the bubbles rose. While the water was filling, Kai and Gerda saw Aaron in the kitchen. They were carrying several large silver trays with lovely eclairs and sandwiches. They looked at each other and then slowly backed away.
"Oh hi Gerda," Aaron greeted them, "Do you think you could help-"
"Oh look we came into the wrong room and now we're gonna...turn around," Kai tried to say naturally and then walked away, "Bye, your highness."
"Huh, that was weird," Aaron said in confusion as he saw them quickly disappear down the hallway.
"The water is perfect now, Aaron," Olaf said to him and then looked at water, "You know, I always wanted to try a bath."
"Ha ha, not right now Olaf," Aaron said as he picked up the bucket and got a brush and rag. "We need to get Kristen's sled washed."
The two of them made their way to the stables and saw the sled under a tarp. Aaron set the bucket down and grabbed on end of it. Olaf grabbed the other end and helped him pull it off. And Kristen was asleep in the back of it with Sven snuggled close.
"Kristen?" Aaron asked in surprise.
"Huh?! What?!" Kristin startled awake and looked up, "Aaron?"
"And me," Olaf greeted her, "Hiya."
"What are you doing here?" Aaron asked her as he saw her getting up.
"I was busy...delivering ice, " Kristen said as she didn't want to reveal she was getting his presents, "And I fell asleep in the back. What are you doing here?"
"Oh uh, tomorrow is the summer solstice and I wanted to do something special for you," Aaron said as he held up a bucket, "Olaf and I were gonna wash and polish your sled for you as a surprise."
"Aww, that's very sweet," Kristen said as she smiled at him and took his arm, "Come on and walk with me outside."
The two of them and Sven and Olaf walked along the street and then sat on a bench. They looked up at the stars and Kristen snuggled close to Aaron.
"Aaron, tomorrow is a special day because of the solstice. But it's also special because it's your birthday," Kristin said excitedly.
"Aaron's birthday?! Oh that is exciting," Olaf exclaimed and clapped his hands.
"Well it's not that big a deal. It's just another year right? Even though this year was a pretty BIG deal, but still," Aaron smiled and shrugged.
"On your birthday you're supposed to do something special," Kristen said as she held his hand.
"I was." Aaron explained, "That's why I was trying to wash your sled."
"No! No no no, " Kristen shook her head and looked him in the face, "You're supposed to do something special for you."
"Oh I don't need to do anything special," Aaron said to her.
"Just because you haven't had a real birthday before doesn't mean-, " Kristen started to say to him.
"I have," Aaron interrupted her, "I've eaten my dinner in the formal dining room that day and...and that was pretty much it."
"Aaron, do you even know what a real birthday is?" Kristen asked him in concern as she rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb.
"Well I've heard that usually they involve a party," Aaron said as he tried to remember his past birthdays.
"The troll children told me that you sing songs, have gifts and things like that," Olaf said to him.
"That does sound nice," Aaron nodded.
"Yes that is true. I remember Uncle Clay gave me a water crystal once, " Kristen said and then tapped her thumbs together. "But the gifts and the songs aren't the most important part of the birthday. It's when everyone around you comes together to tell you...uh how much they l- uh. They l-"
"Love cake," Aaron finished for her.
"YES! CAKE! Yes, they share cake," Kristen said with a blush and the exhaled in relief, "Well come on let's go back to the castle. I'm pretty tired."
Meanwhile back at the castle Elias and Adeline spotted Kristen talking to Aaron. It had given them just the amount of time they needed to hide the last of the presents and the other preparations they needed for Aaron's surprise birthday tomorrow.
"Elias, are you going to go to bed?" Adeline asked him as she helped him tie the string, "I mean there's a few more hours before your brother's birthday tomorrow and you don't want to be too sleepy."
"You go ahead and I promise I'll go to bed soon," Elias said and then kissed her cheek.
"Alright, but I mean it. Don't stay up too late," Adeline pointed to him.
"Yes mom," Elias joked and smiled. Everything was all coming together.