Months had passed since the corona incident. King Frederick had torn the country apart looking for his daughter but to no avail. Soldiers had scoured every nook and cranny in the kingdom looking for the princess, but she wasn't found. Distraught the King and Queen agreed to never have children again, the pain of losing their daughter too much to bear. Agnarr had comforted his old friend, the strong man reduced to a shaking mass in the moonlight, mumbling curses about witches and magic. Agnarr himself felt a slight panic in his chest, the witch's prophecy for him yet to come true, but for now all he could focus on was getting the princess back. They were unsuccessful and with a heavy heart Agnarr and Iduna returned home back to Arendelle.

XXX

The sun rose slowly over the fjord, its crimson glow warming Agnarr's face as he breathed in the crisp morning air. This ritual had become commonplace, waking before Iduna, leaving her sleeping softly in the bed and watching the sun come up over the gentle waves of the North Sea. When the sky was shrouded in a misty veil and the rain poured like wine he stood and embraced the feeling of the cold droplets splashing on his skin, every patter sending shivers down his spine in the early half-light. This morning was special, the crimson sun edged ever so slightly further north as the days lengthened; he had noticed it from staring at the ruby jewel now breaking its head over the sea. Every morning it would edge further and further along the ford, rising in a slightly different place that would have been missed by the astute observer. The day it would double back on itself would change everything. In the light of the polar day that sun would mark the beginning of a new Era for Agnarr, a new life; a married life. Weeks had progressed into months since his engagement and now they were getting closer to the solstice the time was drawing near for him and Iduna to marry in the great Cathedral stood centre point in the town. Political meetings had now been replaced by conferences with wedding planners and tailors, each arguably even more stressful than any tense meeting during a political crisis. Lost in his thoughts Agnarr jumped when he felt a pair of small arms wrap around his middle, a warm head pressed into his back.

"Watching the sunrise again?" she asked sleepily.

"Mhmm. And you were watching the stars last night so you should be asleep" Agnarr turned around and held her hands to his chest, their softness making him warm and tingle all over.

"How could I have stayed awake when I had such a beautiful view" the playful smirk on her face made Agnarr heat up, a beetroot blush creeping up his face. "Besides I have something to tell you." she turned away and pulled him inside the bedroom, coughing slightly as she cleared her throat. "I need to tell you the truth, about where I'm from and what happened that day"

"I'm listening. Always" the sincerity in his voice made her relax.

"You know I'm Northuldra, but I was the daughter of our leader. When the fighting started you were knocked out and I caught you, I used the wind spirit to take you to the cart and went home with you." Iduna looked at him, a tint of fear in her wide blue eyes.

"You saved me" the shock took him by force, sinking him down into a chair with a soft plump. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, now growing confused.

"because had I told you, I would also have had to admit that I left behind so many others. That I hid away from the fighting under a blanket." she turned away from him.

"Iduna you saved me, how could you have ever thought that would've made me think ill of you?" he scrunched his brow and began pacing the room, trying to make sense of this conversation.

"Because my brother killed your father" Their gazes locked for a second, his green eyes widening in shock as her blue ones widened in fear.

"But you said your siblings had died a long time ago" Agnarr said in disbelief, the shock turning to confusion.
"I lied. My sister died young yes, but I saw my brother kill your father and fall with him" A silent tear streaked down her face, her sapphire eyes darkening under his watchful gaze.

"Why did you tell me?" Agnarr turned away and slumped his head down, arms propping himself up on the balcony.

"Because I love you. And I couldn't lie to you for any longer" Agnarr lifted his head and took a deep inhale through his nose, eyes resting on the crimson sun. He let it out with a huff, his body falling limp before immediately stiffening and raising into a regal pose.

"Come here Iduna" Agnarr said, not turning his eyes to meet hers. She followed and joined him on the balcony as he wrapped a protective arm around her. "What do you see?" he gestured to the fjord with the sun now hanging over it like a perfect garnet stone.

"I see a sunrise" she said nervously, confused as to his sudden change in expression. "And the fjord"

"I see a new day, a new beginning; true the past may influence how we live our lives, but it can't hurt us. We must learn from the past and understand its lessons, but we mustn't let it govern our lives. The past is in the past" He finished his speech by hugging her tighter.

"So you aren't angry that I hid it from you for so long?" Iduna asked, wrapping an arm around his waist.

"I won't lie it did hurt. A lot. But I know it came from a place of love, and doubtless when we are married or even before I will make mistakes; but they will all come from a place of love, and I only ask for the same forgiveness when that happens. I know you didn't tell me this to hurt me or you didn't hide it from me because you feared that I would hate you. You hid it from me because you loved me, and now you're telling me because you love me. I couldn't ask for anything else in this world Iduna. I am hurt, but I am certainly not angry." Agnarr pressed a kiss to her chocolate hair and rested his chin on top of her head.

"I love you more than anything in the world" she whispered into his chest, hugging him tightly as she felt the warmth from underneath his tunic.

"It will be easier when we're married. No magic forests or witches, just us two and our children." he rubbed soothing circles on his back, calming her nerves. She moaned into him out of peace.

"I love that; we can just be our happy little family" she laughed lightly with him, stopping when a quiet knock made both jump slightly.

"Your Majesty, a Lieutenant Amundsen is here to see you" Kai said through the thick wooden door. "he said it was a matter of urgency" the butler reiterated.

"I'll be down in a second kai, thank you" Agnarr pressed a kiss to Iduna's cheek and threw on his new black and red tunic, embossed with rosemaling patterns around the collar and cuffs. "Love you" he shouted to Iduna before leaving the room and running towards the great hall.

XXX

"Amundsen! As I live and breathe you look good in an officer's coat" Agnarr shook the man's hand warmly and clasped his back. "What did you want to see me about?" Agnarr broke the embrace and smoothed his auburn hair down.

"Ah yes, a very important tradition needs to be seen to by the king."

"What tradition is this exactly?" Agnarr looked suspiciously at Amundsen.

"Why the tradition before an officer's wedding of course. It is vital that every officer take part in such an important tradition no matter what their rank is" Amundsen had a glint in his eye that put Agnarr on guard.

"What does this tradition involve exactly?" Agnarr was still cautious of the idea.

"Ah young sir, it is good you ask. It requires a test of physical endurance, mental aptitude and precision."

"That still doesn't answer my question Amundsen" Agnarr straightened his back.

"We have at least one drink in every pub and bar in the city" Amundsen clarified "Starting with this beauty" he produced a bottle of dark brown liquid from underneath his tunic, Unbottling he took a swig and offered it to Agnarr.

"I can't go drinking all day. I'm the king I'll be recognised. And it's 7AM" he took a smell of the bottle and winced "Plus how does physical endurance and mental aptitude come into it?"

"As for your statement I have a solution for that" Amundsen threw his bag down before him. "I have already taken care of a perfect disguise that I can assure you no one will recognise you in. And as for your question, well physical endurance by seeing how much abuse your liver can take and mental aptitude by seeing how mucb your mind can take it" Amundsen smiled and patted him on the back. "Get changed, ill meet you in the courtyard in five, Corporal Jordmann"

XXX

6 hours later

"How- How far now?" Agnarr slurred as he stumbled along the narrow street.

"Not long now, just around the corner" Amundsen took another swig from the dark bottle of samagon and fell onto the wall of a house, scraping down it as he did so. Agnarr heaved him up, nearly falling down whilst doing so, and rounded the corner. In front of them was a small inconspicuous shop with a dirty sign outside its window.

Archibald's potions and procurements

"This looks highly suspect" Agnarr said to Amundsen who was now leaning up against a drainpipe.

"don't worry, it'll be fine. It's just an illegal still" Amundsen's voice was now a complete soup of words. He grabbed Agnarr's wrist and pulled him into the tiny store. The distinct smell of herbs and chemicals filled the room, vials and bottles of clear and dark coloured liquids filled the shelves of the room, each hung in a seemingly precarious place as though they were about to shatter into thousands of pieces.

"Can I help you two" An old man, hair greyed, and face wrinkled appeared at the counter.

"Yes good sir, we would like some of your special brew for us today" Amundsen passed the comment with a coolness, but his body was still heavily leaning on the wooden counter.

"Coming right up" he leant below the counter and pulled a bottle from it, wax coated the cork at the top and within it the liquid was a jet black, almost purple when it caught the sunlight from the outside. He poured two shot glasses and pressed a candle to the glasses. To agnarr's shock the top of the glass caught fire and a clear blue flame rose from it.

"Bottoms up" Amundsen offered the lit glass to him and downed the drink, shaking and coughing when he slammed the glass on the counter. Agnarr took the shot and immediately felt an intense burning sensation travel down his throat and straight into his stomach he coughed and spluttered, eyes watering from the burning in his chest.

"What the hell is that?" he got out between heaving breaths.

"It is vodka mixed with herbs and gunpowder" Amundsen laughed at the younger man now bent double on the floor regretting, well everything.

"Why would you drink that?" Agnarr asked, coughing some more on the floor.

"Because it's a challenge. Round two" Amundsen pushed another glass to Agnarr and smiled as he picked himself up on the floor. The barman lit the drinks again and Amundsen drank back, wincing as the liquid fell down his throat. When Agnarr threw the shot back however, in his drunken stupor he completely missed his face and sent the burning liquid over his shoulder. The Barman's eyes widened, and everything seemed to happen in slow motion. The burning liquid collided on the floor and immediately travelled along the boards to the shelves containing the precariously stacked bottled. Stunned the men watched as the flames licked at the shelf causing the wood to bow slightly.

Then it happened.

Bottles of alcohol fell to the floor one by one, feeding the flames with an incredible intensity. Agnarr and Amundsen sprang into action, using their tunics to try and swat out the flames, but all that achieved was setting fire to their uniforms. Another bottle fell and spilt its flammable contents towards a copper container.

"That's a still! Get out of here before it explodes" The barman shouted over the roaring flames. Agnarr, Amundsen and the Barman sprinted out of the shop just in time, the metal container gave way and a mighty explosion echoed across the town, sending a bug fireball and a plume of smoke and dust bellowing out through the city. The force of the explosion sent the three men tumbling to the floor, the heat singing the hair on their heads and causing each to shelter from the fireball engulfing the shop. When the heat died down Agnarr rolled over and watched the plume of smoke rise above them.

"Well that sobered me up" Amundsen stumbled to his feet, rung the back of his neck.

"You bastards" the old man shouted at them. "You utter bastards!" He rose to grab Agnarr's collar but was tackled by Amundsen.

"hey, we all know it was an illegal still and I strongly suggest you come up with some story before you land yourself in the king's dungeon. There is a reason why those things are illegal, and I think we have found that out today" the shouts of men coming to put the fire out made Agnarr and Amundsen flee.

XXX

Meanwhile at the castle.

Iduna was scribbling down some notes on the Aurora, the late nights had been paying off with her research; linking the ethereal lights with the brightness of the sun on certain days. Suddenly the castle rocked slightly as a loud boom nearly echoed from the city centre. Iduna rushed to the window just in time to see the pillar of smoke rising from the city centre. She rushed downstairs to Agnarr's office to tell him about the explosion but when she pushed the doors open the room was empty. Heart jumping in her throat she ran to the kitchens and found kai.

"Where's Agnarr?" she asked.

"I don't know, he went out to the city as a matter of urgency" Kai replied, setting his pen down.

XXX

Agnarr sneaked through the servant's entrance and threw off the green jacket, replacing it with the black and red one he wore this morning. Disposing of the evidence he put the burnt jacket in the bin and smoothed down his hair. He went to the cupboards and took out some coffee beans, rubbing them into his face to disguise the smell of burnt alcohol. Looking into the glass window as a mirror he smiled and smoothed down his hair, satisfied that he had hidden the events of the day. Confidently he opened the door of the kitchen but jumped into the air as he met serious blue eyes on the other side.

"Where have you been?" Iduna asked with a strictness, her arms were folded in front of her chest and her head was held high, peering down into Agnarr's eyes.

"I've been seeing to a military tradition in town. For the solstice." he half lied.

"Is that so? Notice anything unusual about the town?" Iduna asked.

"No not really, the weather was quite nice today" he answered carefully.

"So not even the massive explosion which managed to rock the entire castle caught your attention" she raised an eyebrow and Agnarr felt his face flush.

"Oh yes, that, erm it was quite shocking"

"Didn't have anything to do with you did it?" Iduna squinted her eyes slightly making him feel even smaller under her gaze.

"No not at all" he replied too quickly.

"So, could you care to explain to me why the back of your head is singed?" Agnarr instinctively reached for the back but felt its usual curliness. He had been caught out.

"As I thought. Just make sure whatever you have done is fixed" Iduna walked away triumphantly back to the observatory, smiling to herself.

XXX

The Elderly man sat on the bed with his head in his hands. The lodgings provided by his insurance were meagre at best, a rickety bed in one corner of the room and a shallow basin for washing. Out of the window he could still see the smouldering ruins of his house and business opposite the docks, the very thought of what he had lost made his heart lurch. A letter slid underneath his door, breaking hi out of his melancholy for a second. The royal seal made him panic slightly and he fumbled around to open the parchment.

Dear Mr Haraldson

I am sorry to hear about the loss of your property in a terrible accident. As you know the Royal Family has always offered help to the citizens of Arendelle in their time of need and that help extends to you. Please accept this offer of help in the form of a house free of charge on the royal estate. Attached to this house is a small brewery and still that has been inactive for many years, yet I am reliably informed that you are quite skilled in the area of brewing. Please see the brewing licence attached to this letter on the reverse and I hope you accept this offer of help.

Yours Sincerely

King Agnarr I of Arendelle

XXX

A/N: Slight twist on the movie version with the scene involving those two, but it allows me to develop their relationship further and is still technically canon! Also allows that lovely bit of foreshadowing going on there. Please R&R!