Anna could sense that spirits in the kingdom had never been higher.
They had scheduled a market day in the castle's ballroom, where all would be welcome to bring their wares and interact with the castle, its staff, and Elsa and Anna.
It felt too good to be true, and part of Anna kept wondering if it was.
She would wake up in the morning worrying that it had all been a dream. That she would walk out into the long hallways of the castle to find them silent, empty; to be met by her sister's closed doors and terse comments.
Or maybe it was all something she had daydreamed after staring into paintings and imagining the life of the past, a bustling kingdom and a royal family involved in its daily activities.
She practically ran to the dining room each morning.
This was more due to the fact that she was always late for breakfast with Elsa than due to the silly fears that built up in the night. Still, she felt herself breathe a sigh of relief each time she saw Elsa seated at the table, sipping coffee and reading whatever she had brought to pass the inevitable time before Anna's arrival.
"Elsa! Good morning! Sorry I'm late! And I know I always say that and then I'm always late again, but I really am sorry!"
Elsa giggled lightly. "Anna, it's fine. I know how you sleep," she teased.
Anna pulled up a chair while Elsa put down some sort of report or contract. "I know, and yet you still agreed to eat breakfast with me."
"I like spending time with you!" Elsa insisted. "So. What are your plans for today?"
Anna shrugged. "I'll probably go horseback riding."
"That sounds nice."
"Do you want to come? Your horse always looks so restless!"
Elsa bit her lip. "That's because...I haven't ridden a horse since we were children."
"Wait, what?"
"I always figured it was too dangerous. Plus, there was no purpose, considering that I was stuck in the castle."
"But now you're not! And you should re-learn how to ride! I can teach you!"
Anna expected to be immediately brushed off, but Elsa seriously considered the offer.
"A queen probably should know how to ride a horse. Especially if I will be traveling more."
"What do you mean?"
"Just around the kingdom. I have a meeting with Kristoff today to discuss visiting the ice harvesters and the mountain villages."
"That's great! I didn't know Kristoff was back!"
"He arrived last night."
"Then we'll say hello to him when we go to the stables to get our horses! Come on, let's eat quickly and head out!"
….
Hans paced the length of his spacious chamber in Arendelle castle, eyeing the letters he had left on top of the desk.
His parents had received the letter from Queen Elsa commending his service to Arendelle. Others from their party had written to share news of the eternal winter and their delay in traveling back to the Southern Isles.
But Hans himself hadn't said a word to his father or brother, both of whom had sent letters asking how he had capitalized on the attention of the queen for the good of himself and his kingdom.
Hans sighed. He had to write back soon or run the risk of causing mistrust in his family. He was sure that, among those traveling with him, at least a few were loyal enough to his father to convey the news from Arendelle.
He had to tell the truth...but the whole truth? And what spin on the truth?
What would be worse? Provoking the wrath of his father by implying that his affections for Princess Anna came about by chance, or provoking an international incident by sharing certain concerns about the longevity or Queen Elsa's rule and risking the interception of the letter?
Elsa didn't seem to be a tyrant, by any means. She consulted the council, even to the point of offering to abdicate the throne!
Anna seemed to be much more trusting, and Elsa a bit more suspicious...but he didn't think she would intercept his mail.
He sighed, found a clean sheet of paper, and mulled over how to begin.
…
Kristoff heard Anna's energetic steps across the floor of the stables before he saw her.
"I wonder who that is, Sven! Maybe the princess, come to drag us around the kingdom again…?"
He turned toward her with a smirk, seeing that he was correct; but his face suddenly flushed crimson as he saw Elsa walking up behind her.
"Queen! Elsa! Hi! I didn't see you there…"
Elsa seemed to be suppressing a giggle.
"Good morning, Kristoff. I'm glad to see that you've returned safely from your journey."
"I...yes. Thank you. Sven and I make the journey quite a bit, so...we're used to it."
Elsa nodded. Anna seemed to be glancing back and forth between the two, unusually quiet.
"I do have news from the mountain that I was planning to share in our meeting later…" Kristoff offered.
"Great! Then save it for the meeting! Right now, my sister's going to learn how to ride a horse!" Anna interjected suddenly.
This surprised Kristoff. "You haven't ridden before?" he asked Elsa.
"I have, but it's been a long time. There were always too many concerns about...what might go wrong."
"I see. Well, if you ever want to learn to ride a reindeer, I'm sure Sven would be happy to help."
Sven nodded. Elsa and Anna laughed.
"She'll have to take you up on that later. For now, it's sister bonding time. Bye Kristoff!"
Elsa gave a little wave as her sister dragged her off, and Kristoff was left staring after them.
…..
"All right! So now that you've got the saddle attached, you just need to hop on, like this!"
Anna demonstrated stepping into the stirrup and swinging her leg over to balance herself on her favorite horse, Havski.
Another one, Fjora, stood patiently in front of Elsa.
Elsa laid a hand on the saddle and raised one of her feet, but looked nervous. Anna climbed down.
"Here! Put one foot in the stirrup, and the other one on my hands, and I'll help you!"
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah! Try it!"
Elsa put one foot into the stirrup and Anna put her hands out, but then Elsa hesitated.
"That's ok. I'll just try to figure it out…"
She stood hesitantly on the stirrup, lifting her other leg off of the ground, but then hesitated and backed away again.
"Like that! Just with a little more...oomph!" Anna encouraged.
She stood by patiently as Elsa went through a variety of techniques to attempt to climb onto her horse; finally, she made it into the saddle.
Anna stood up and cheered. "Yes! You did it!"
Havski, used to Anna's outbursts, didn't react; Fjora turned around toward the source of the noise, and Elsa leaned down, wrapping her arms around the horse's neck for balance.
"You're fine! Just keep a hand on the reins, and you can direct her. We'll start out really slow!"
Anna guided the horse around the back of the stables, first on foot, and then on the back of her own horse.
Elsa looked more comfortable by the end, but hadn't necessarily increased her confidence. She dismounted slowly, hands shaking just slightly, and took a deep breath before thanking Anna for the lesson and going about her day.
Anna smiled. It could have gone a lot worse-and it was kind of nice to have a way that she could help her sister.
….
"I'm here to see Queen Elsa."
It was always so odd approaching the castle steward as if he thought he belonged there, and receiving that curt nod as if he weren't wrong.
Kai went into the study.
"Queen Elsa, Kristoff Bjorgman is here."
"Good. Send him in. Thank you."
Kristoff walked in and bowed.
That was also weird.
"Your Majesty. I have spoken with the other ice harvesters, and they are open to a visit from the queen. I mean...from you. Yes."
He had almost made it through a sentence that time.
Elsa nodded. "That's good. Isn't it?"
Kristoff realized that she could read the hesitance on his face.
"They do, unfortunately, have one condition...and it's a bit, well...I would understand if you don't want to accept."
"What is it?"
"I can try to go back and negotiate if you don't agree."
"Kristoff, just tell me so I'll know if I disagree or not."
He saw her composure drop for just a minute, but then her expression hardened again. He nodded.
"Because of the...complicated...history with Arendelle's royalty, they...would rather have you come without a royal guard."
Elsa considered this, then nodded.
"All right. That will not be an issue."
"Really? Because I can definitely go talk to them again. I know it's odd for a queen to just go somewhere alone. I mean, I would bring you there. If you wanted! Maybe that's worse?"
"It will be fine. The goal is to build trust. Having one of their own accompany me there should be helpful."
"It should be, if I were more…"
Normal? Well-liked? Willing to talk about his family instead of protecting the secrets of magical trolls? What was he trying to say here?
Elsa seemed to understand somehow, as she nodded.
"It will still be better than an alternative. And after all, I have no worries about my safety. It's protecting those around me that has always been most important."
She looked reflexively at her hands.
"Well, a little bit of snow and ice won't be an issue in the mountains. They're used to it, of course."
Elsa smiled. "Right. We should get to planning-when and where we will go, what we should do…"
"Right!"
Kristoff pulled out some notes from his talks with the other ice harvesters, and they began to settle the details.
…..
That night at dinner, Elsa hesitantly discussed the plans with Anna.
"A week from now? That's nice! Can I come?"
Elsa had worried about this question-she pushed food around on her plate and thought over it.
"I actually need you here to take care of everything while I'm gone."
"But it's only a few days! The council could handle it!"
"Still, I would appreciate having you here."
"Why wouldn't you appreciate having me there?"
Elsa sighed.
"They insisted that I come without any palace guards or officials. I would be too worried for your safety."
"My safety? I would be fine! I made my way up the North Mountain on my own to find you!"
"And you were lucky that you found others to help you and not...take advantage of your trusting nature."
"It's not bad to trust people!"
"I agree. That's why I want you here with the people you can trust, and who trust you and look to you for advice."
Anna still looked nonplussed.
"Wait, so who's going then?"
"What do you mean?"
"Who's going with you?"
"Just me…"
"And Kristoff?"
"Well, yes."
"Oooh, I see," Anna finally responded.
Elsa raised an eyebrow at her, but she didn't elaborate.
"What do you mean 'you see'? Kristoff knows the mountains and the ice harvesters. I'll need someone to navigate."
"I know. But you also need an excuse to spend time together."
"Anna! It's not like that! This is an important trip for establishing a better relationship with the mountain communities!"
"And for expressing your undying love for-?"
"Someone I've known for a week? That's hardly undying love!"
"Fine, but it's something, and it's infuriating that you two won't just admit it."
"There's nothing to admit. We have a professional arrangement for the benefit of Arendelle, and that is the only important part."
Anna looked searchingly at her sister.
"So you really just don't think I can handle myself on a trip like that then?"
"Anna, that's not true at all! It's just...we only just opened the gates, and I don't want the kingdom to feel abandoned again. You have been so good at putting the people at ease, and I want you here to represent both of us. Does that make sense?"
Anna sighed. "I guess it does. But...I have to admit that I worry about you, too. I know you can keep yourself safe, but...I just got you back."
Elsa looked sadly at her sister.
"I know. I feel the same way. I promise you that I will be careful and return as soon as I can. I trust you to keep everything in order while I'm gone."
Anna finally smiled. "I won't let you down."
"I know. You didn't let me fall off that horse, either. I think I'd like to continue lessons if you have the time."
She finally continued eating.
"Of course! And if you have time on your trip, you should confess your feelings to Kristoff! Or just kiss him or something!"
Elsa coughed, sputtering on her bite of food and sipping water as Anna tried not to laugh.
"Anna!"
"Oh, come on! You know I'm right!"
"Not this time, no."
Anna laughed, Elsa rolled her eyes, and the two finished dinner.