"We have done all we can."

Steam rose as she lowered herself into the water as heat met with the chill of her skin, the Queen exhaling deeply as her eyes fluttered close, head leaning back against the marble edge of the tub as her fingers curled at the sides, holding on.

"But it is simply impossible for us to find who was responsible behind the man's action."

She could feel the hands of her ladies-in-waiting working in cleaning her up from the day's grime and dirt, scrubbing and massaging their way against her arms, bubbly soap water slick on her skin as low whispers were exchanged as they gossiped and spoken between themselves, exchanging information and what they had gone through for the day, of what the cook had made for the royal family's dinner, yet everything was barely even a muffle in her ears at the moment.

The Council had been dealing with the whole assassination attempt against the crown to their best ability, yet it was just not enough, as none had enough lead to follow the path to their answer. Even she herself had come down to the courtyard once, making her way to the very spot that she had been standing at when the man had made his presence known, eyes searching around until she could find the marks left by the bullet that he had fired, running the tips of her fingers against the black dot on the brick wall, feeling the uneven dent it had created. But what was she was expecting from her investigation anyway?

"Well there is a way, perhaps."

But they didn't want to go down toward where Lord Melbourne was referring to, at least that was how Hans had expressed, firmly and without an edge for argument, during the meeting, dismissing the idea even before more could be said.

The feeling returned, of sour taste coming up her throat as she pulled her hand out of Helen's grasp, pressing the tips of her fingers against her lips as she tried her best to swallow back the sourness, all the while shaking her head ever so carefully when she was met with worried looks from the lady. No, she could handle this, like how she had handled it before the Council, though it did have rendered her mostly wordless as she would rather not hurl her stomach content in front of everyone.

"Is there anything else that I can help you with, Your Majesty?"

She considered declining the kind offer, as she simply would like to be left alone after the ladies were done and had cleaned up after themselves as they made their way out, with only Helen lingering back, but instead she had nodded. "Could you please bring up a cup of tea for me to my bedchamber later? Ginger and mint."

"Of course, Your Majesty."

Once the door had clicked closed and she was utterly alone, the platinum blonde haired Queen had lowered herself into the water further, with both hands keeping ahold onto the sides of the tub at all times, inhaling a deep breath before her head was completely submerged under the water's surface, letting it surrounded and enveloped her, drowning the noises and her worries that had been bothering her lately. It was only when her lungs had started to hurt from the lack of oxygen that she resurfaced, breaking through the surface as her hands moved to brush away her dampened loose hair back and away from her face, just in time to hear the knock on the door.

"Elsa?"

"Come in."

Auburn hair peeked through the slight opening of the door before it was fully pushed forward, revealing the man that would forever has her heart. He approached, with a white towel in hand, while she moved to drape herself against the edge of the tub, cheek resting against her folded arms as she watched him take a seat by her side, letting her eyes fluttered for a moment as he leaned forward to give her a soft kiss. "Not yet wish to get out?"

Shaking her head, she had instead reached forward to the white cotton shirt he was wearing, tugging against the top button. "Come sit with me." There was hesitation in his eyes that had driven her to lean just a little closer, other hand reaching to hold his face as thumb slowly ran over his cheek. "Please? The water's not cold… yet."

Hans stared right into her eyes before he had nodded in agreement, placing the towel onto the nearby wooden table before he began to remove his clothing as her gaze followed to where his hands moved, leaning back as she made sure that there was just enough space for him to sit behind her, feeling the water sloshing and even pouring out of the tub when he had stepped in. It was almost like a magnetic pull between the two of them, for the moment he had sat down, just as bare as she was, she had moved to lean her back against his chest, adjusting herself comfortably as his arms came to wrap around her figure.

His lips ghosted against the skin of her neck, peppering her with light feathery kisses that had her letting out a sigh of relief. "How are you feeling?"

"Exhausted." There was no need for her to lie to him about it, she had too much on her plate at the moment to add up concealing how tired she was to the mix. Her honesty had also granted her with his hands moving onto her shoulders, rubbing against the tense muscles. The contentment that overcome her from his ministration had her relaxing enough to wish to open up more. "I know that you told me not to put too much of my mind over it, but I couldn't help it, Hans. I don't want our family to have to live with the need to look over their shoulders in case someone had come to get them." She didn't want to have her children lived in such way; she didn't want to raise them with fear plaguing their minds.

"But what can we do, Elsa?" One of his hands had slipped down her back, disappearing under the water, and she had sucked a breath before he had decided to rest it against her hip. "And don't suggest what Lord Melbourne had said."

"Why not?" moving away from him, she could feel his hands slipping away as she became out of grasp for him, as she faced him with furrowed eyebrows. "It may be our only chance at uncovering the truth."

The Prince ran his fingers through his hair, dampening it in the process as droplets of water now hung onto the auburn strands. "It's like walking right into enemy's trap, Elsa. It's dangerous and full of risks that I am not willing to take."

Silence hung between them, as both merely stared at one another, her lips pursed into a scowl. There was no way for her to argue, she could tell just by looking at her husband, so she wouldn't even attempt to. "I'm getting out." She had just gotten up and out of the water when he had caught her wrist, holding tight as he questioned the reason for her sudden departure from the tub after being the one who had invited him in. "My tea is going to get cold."

Hans had lifted his eyebrow at that, curious, as he joined her in getting out of the now lukewarm water. "You asked for tea?"

"If you want your own, you would have to request it yourself, I've only asked for one." Making a move to reach for the towel, her hand had been proven to be much slower when compared to his as her husband had gotten hold of it before her fingers could even brush against it. "Hans!"

"I brought this one here, didn't I?" The auburn-haired Prince chuckled as he gave himself a throughout drying while she crossed her arms over her chest as she turned away from him. Of course, there was nothing for her to hide from his wandering eyes -and yes, she could tell that they wandered behind the precious towel he was using so smugly; yet she would much prefer to not be dripping wet from head to toe in the middle of their private washroom the moment she had stepped out of the bath.

"You're unbelievable." She grumbled, making her way toward the other end of the room where a shelf was located at the corner as a place where the maids had stored freshly pressed towels, leaving wet trail of dripping water coming from her and her hair in her wake.

"And you are unbelievably beautiful, darling." That earned him a roll of her eyes, even when he couldn't see it himself. She could hear his footsteps against the wet floor approaching her as she dried herself, before she had felt his warm lips against her cheek. "I'll see if your tea has arrived."

"Don't touch it!" but Hans had only given her an amused chuckle as he left to get himself re-dress for the night while she still had to work with her long hair. Though it seemed that he did listened to her, for her steaming cup of tea that sat at her vanity seemed to be untouched as she came to fetch for it once she had dressed herself in her nightgown, the strong scent calming down her nerves as she took a careful sip of the hot beverage.

"You know," Hans sat at his side of the bed, hair half-dry and slicked back out of his face as he watched her, leaning against the headboard comfortably. "I could have sworn it smells like ginger and mint. Did I guess right?" When she had given him a nod over her cup, the expression on his face had changed considerably from playfulness into one of concern in a matter of seconds as he leaned forward. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

He was not convinced though, as the auburn-haired Prince had gotten up from the bed instead of waving it off how she had wanted him to. "Elsa, are you feeling nausea?" What did she expect, truly? For him not to pick up the sign? After all, he was the one who had suggested those two ingredients to reduce her nausea the last time.

"Not so much." Adverting her gaze away, she had placed her cup down, clearing her throat. "I just… like the taste."

Green narrowed, as she knew he must have caught on with her lie, it was too blatant not to notice, his arms had come to cross against his chest. "What are you not telling me?" Her jaws tightened, but she could not even think of the word in her mind. "Elsa."

"It's nothing."

"You do know that there is not one second that I believe that, right?" Now her own arms wrapped around herself, in a defensive way as she hid her hands, curling herself away as Hans had moved forward, closing the gap between them. "There is only one time where you consumed ginger and mint together."

But her lips remained tightly sealed, as eyes had only glanced upward to see his face before she had adverted them back away once again, down to see the ground at their feet as she seemingly found it more interesting than anything in the world. His hands held her by the shoulders, the weight and the warmth felt like blazing heat that demanded to be known. She knew he meant well, he had only wanted to comfort his wife, for them to help one another in any situation -especially this one where it truly affected them both, like they had vowed to; but it was so difficult for her to even muster the word out or to think about it.

"Elsa," his tone had taken to a gentler one, coaxing her as carefully as he could as one of his hands moved up, fingers curling around her chin as he brought her to face him, green eyes warm and comforting when met with timid blue ones. "Are you pregnant?"

Hearing that word coming from her husband's lips, and how gentle and patient he was with her, had only managed for tears to form in her eyes as she choked on a sob, lips trembling as she stared up at him, giving him a slow and calculated nod.

"Are you unhappy?"

On different circumstances she would most definitely find the question to be atrocious, for how could she not be happy to bear another child with the man that she loved, but she understood why Hans had asked, seeing her reaction was enough for him to presume. "I… don't know." Her shoulders slumped underneath his touch, though even when he had no longer held her head up, their eye contact remained unbroken. "I wanted to be happy, I was happy, but with the situation that we are in right now? I don't know."

It was his eyes now that were casted downwards, though he did not meet the ground and instead had stared at her abdomen, hands slipping down until he held her by the waist, and this time she had not flinch away for he had known now. "How far along?"

"Ten weeks, perhaps." It was hard for the doctor to give her the exact answer after he had confirmed her suspicions of the similar symptoms that she was having, and the fact that it had been her second pregnancy meant that her body was not the same as it was during the first, things changed. "I wanted to tell after the Engagement Ball, but we all know how that had turned out." Her chuckle was bitter as she sniffled, hand rubbing against her eyes to dismiss of the tears that had come earlier.

"You don't want anyone else to know, don't you?"

"Heavens, no." It was hard enough for her to tell Hans, how on earth would she be able to tell the others as well? And they had to be careful with this one. "If words had gotten out that I'm pregnant, whoever behind this could use this as a potential to come for us by harming our baby."

Wrapping his arms back around her, Hans had pulled her into his embrace, warm and safe as she buried her face against his chest. "I promise you; it will never come to it."

She was a coward. She couldn't do it.

Moonlight had casted shadows to dance on the walls as she walked through the halls, tugging against the silk robe as her slippers padded quietly over the flooring. Considering how late it was, she was supposed to be in bed, sleeping with her husband by her side, and definitely not making her way toward the castle's library with nothing but a single candle that she carried. She didn't even have a clear plan on what she was about to do, she just knew she had to, whether Hans would like it or not -the latter being the most possible one.

Towering bookshelves welcomed her once she had entered through the double doors, welcoming her as she made her way further in, darkness engulfing her as the curtains had been pulled shut over the tall windows, though she had appreciated the peace and quiet that the whole large room had offered her, it assured her that she was truly alone.

There was a feel of guilt that flourish in her heart as she lowered herself to sit behind the mahogany desk, hesitation in the way her fingers paused right before she had taken hold of the drawer's handle, but with an inhale of her breath she had willed her muscles to move and pull it opened, taking a piece of parchment before she had pushed it back close.

Cursive handwriting adorned the surface as her hand moved with each word that she written as feather quill dipped into the ink bottle every now and then, creating flowing official sentences worthy of a royal.

'-and despite the unfortunate circumstances that the relations between our nations are in, I do wish that this letter finds you well.

Regards,
Queen Elsa of Arendelle.'

There was an envelope at ready for her, as she folded the parchment neatly together, and she had slipped it in when she was done, though never once did she move to take hold of the wax seal, hesitating as hands pausing as she held the letter in her grasp. Would she truly sent it forward to the receiver that she had meant to write to? Even the thought of it had made her heartrate picked up as even more doubt had only added up to the weight on her shoulders.

"It's dangerous and full of risks that I am not willing to take."

One of her hands traveled down to her abdomen, fingers drumming lightly against the clothed stomach where the smallest of bump had started to grow once again. Hans had reminded her, even before he knew of her situation, how risky it may be, and now that he knew he was even more against the idea than before.

But could she truly sat still, doing absolutely nothing, letting people plot against her very existence that would affect not only herself but her family, just because she was who she was? A Queen and now expecting mother?

Sighing, she had bent down to reach for the bottom drawer, pulling it opened before she had buried her newly written letter underneath old ones. It was late at night, making as important as this one would not benefit her to the finest, and she probably needed some good night sleep and to think it over and over again instead of rushing into things. So, until then, it shall reside beneath those that no one would bother to look into.

"I know things are not the best right now," she murmured as she made her way back to the doors, hands cradling her belly with care. "But Mama and Papa will work things out, for you."

Y'all ask for it. Also some already guessed anyway.