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Angel in the Snow, Demon in the Shadows 11: Diplomatic Disaster

Political Climate

The ship pulled into Arendelle's harbor late at night. Good. Everything was going to plan then. It docked silently, the rainstorm covering the noise it would have otherwise made. The crew disembarked and headed for an inn. Four guardsmen disembarked, surrounding a solitary, regal figure…

Justic looked around the dock warily then silently gestured for his guards to stay behind. He went towards a public stable and knocked on the master's door. The man came and started upon seeing him, looking shocked. "Majesty!" he exclaimed.

"I need a horse. Or a carriage. Either will do," Justic said.

"Is something the matter at the palace?" he asked. "Are your brother and his wife alright?"

"They are," Justic replied. For now, he inwardly added. "Just… a matter of great importance has come up and I need to speak to my brother."

"Has the King died?" the man asked.

Justic stared at him, eyes narrowing slightly. "You're a worst-case-scenario sort of man, aren't you? No. All our brothers are alive and well unfortunately... That was sarcasm... Just let me pay you and go back to bed. This isn't a matter that concerns you right now."

"Apologies sir," the man replied, flushing a bit and looking flustered.

Justic nodded, gave him the money, then left to select a horse. He took one out and rode back to his guards. "Stay here. Protect the ship. I'll be back by morning. Tomorrow evening at the absolute latest, if things don't go smoothly."

"Your highness, you shouldn't go forth alone," one of the guards protested.

"Arendelle is about the safest place for me to travel alone," Justic replied before tuning his horse and galloping towards the palace.

Frozen

The knock echoed through the castle. Kai, nightcap on and nightclothes, approached the door with a candle and a yawn, sleepily rubbing his eyes and grumbling about late-night strangers coming in from the rain. He reached the door and opened it ever so slightly in case the person knocking wasn't friendly. He started on seeing who it was and quickly pulled open the door. "Prince Justic!" he exclaimed in surprise. "Quickly, come in out of the rain!"

"Thank you, Kai," Justic said, entering swiftly. Kai shut the door behind him.

"What brings you here? Has something happened?" Kai asked.

"Yes, but nothing regarding death," Justic answered. "It's a matter I must speak with the King and Queen about as soon as humanly possible."

"Elsa had a spell earlier in the night. Hans was with her through it all, but both are exhausted now. I dare not try to wake your brother when he's in a temper as protective and defensive as this one," Kai replied.

"Fortunately, I don't have the same qualms," Justic said.

"Your highness, please. Let me give you a room, then warm yourself in a bath or at least dry yourself off. Fall asleep and rest so you can start to feel a little more human again. In the morning I'll speak to the King and Queen about your audience," Kai pled.

Justic sighed. "Very well, Kai. I'll wait for morning," he said. "Early morning, please. As early as you dare to get Elsa or Hans up. Elsa I have no doubt needs rest, but my brother isn't the one carrying a child inside himself so he can damn well get his lazy keister up to speak with his brother," he added with a smirk. "How thrilled do you wager he'll be to see me?"

"Not at all," Kai answered dryly. "I think he'll probably be quite disgusted, actually."

"Figures," Justic said with a sigh. "Five in the morning, ideally. Six if you find yourself uneasy about the idea of waking him at five."

"Six," Kai said. "He may not be carrying the child, but this pregnancy is exhausting him in other ways. He's quite stressed about the whole matter. Poor boy has a panic attack weekly. Sometimes twice a week."

"The parasite needs to man up," Justic said, walking passed Kai. "You do the sex, you get the baby. He knows how the process works. He brought it on himself." Kai blinked after him then smirked in amusement.

Frozen

The next morning Justic was in the library, where he'd told Kai he wanted to be received, scanning through the book titles. He looked over to the desk where Hans obviously spent time writing. He wondered what the latest story, or group of stories, was going to be. The fire was lit and roaring nearby. He went over to it and sat on one of the armchairs, crossing a leg over the other and staring into the flames. The door to the room opened. He turned his head and spotted Hans entering the room looking more than a little put out at the early awakening. "Brother," Justic greeted.

"Brother," Hans responded bitterly. He approached and sat himself in the armchair across from Justic. "What was so important you sailed into Arendelle in the dead of the night and came to us demanding audience that same evening? Thankfully our butler deterred you or I'd be a lot snippier than I'm going to be now."

"A political matter of great importance," Justic said. "Denmark and Scotland are vying over the assimilation of the Southern Isles."

"Caleb of course is not about to be assimilated?" Hans replied.

"What kingdom wants to be assimilated?" Justic replied.

"Why this sudden surge of interest in absorbing the Isles?" Hans asked.

"Don't play dumb, Hans. You can't be that blind to the changing political climate. Unless Elsa's kept you in the dark of course," Justic said. Hans was quiet. "Fledgling and off-shoot kingdoms like Arendelle and the Southern Isles won't survive for much longer at the rate things are changing, but damned if said kingdoms aren't going to fight to the last breath to remain free. Denmark and Scotland both have a claim on the Southern Isles. It's a matter of which one will ultimately possess us in the end. Letters from both the Danish and Scottish kings were sent to Caleb. Basically, they told him to just stay out of their little cock fight and take his kingdom's fate like a man. Caleb, of course, is unwilling to do any such thing. A diplomatic mission was pushed up the agenda. There will be a summit in Eric's Kingdom. It's in its dying throes, all but officially joined to Denmark at this point. His father is holding out, but his father isn't long or this world and Eric, I know, will not be so stubborn as the old king was. He'll make it official not long after he's taken the throne. He's said as much to me."

"As friends are wont to do," Hans said. "You and him used to be pretty close after all."

"We still are, through letters," Justic said. "I've been sent to represent the Southern Isles at this summit, as the ambassador. I want you with me."

"Why?" Hans asked.

"Because it would be entirely improper of me to travel alone with my baby brother's pregnant wife. So, you'll have to suffice. Come along, get a sense of how things are starting to snowball, report back to Elsa… That and your blade at my side will prove invaluable should ill-intent be on Denmark or Scotland's minds," Justic said.

"This is a discussion I'll be more comfortable having in Elsa's presence. I want the both of us in the loop," Hans said. "Give her your pitch when we're holding court, and we'll see where it goes."

"Very well," Justic answered. "But it should be over breakfast. If it's during court, neither of you will get much of anything done. This might take up some time. If I'm wrong, all the better, but if I'm right, you'll have a long lineup of very impatient citizens backed up outside your throne-room doors, and that won't go over well."

"Alright. I'll speak to her and inform her of what's to come," Hans agreed, rising. "You should sleep a couple hours more. You look exhausted."

"I am, but I'll manage," Justic replied. "I may try and nap. We'll see." Hans nodded and left.

Frozen

"You know we can't avoid facing up to this much longer," Hans said to Elsa, seated on the side of their bed and looking at her seriously. She was sitting up against the headboard in her nightdress, blankets up over her lap, and wore a stubborn expression on her face. "Kingdoms like Arendelle aren't going to last much longer. Sooner than later we're going to have to deal with that. There'll be a lot of juggling regarding Norway and Sweden, and our inevitable assimilation into one or the other. Even Anna sees it, Elsa. She's pretty well fully moved in with Kristoff at this point. She's settling into a simpler life with her husband and child, separating herself from the throne because she knows it won't even be here very much longer."

"I know…" Elsa finally admitted with a heavy sigh, looking down. "The time of off-shoot kingdoms like ours is coming to an end… Kristoff is a commoner. He has his ear to the ground more than even you and I, so probably knows better than we do how far along these changes already are. He would have made Anna all too aware of it too. Fine. We'll speak to Justic," she said.

Hans nodded and moved towards her, gently catching her lips before pulling away with a smile. "I'll see you at breakfast," he said to her. She smiled back at him tiredly and he rose, leaving. She sighed, leaning her head back against the headboard and staring woefully up at the roof of her grand palace.

Frozen

"We all know our time is drawing to a close. Monarchies will soon become more a title or show than actual authoritative powers in the world. Within the next century, I'd dare say most all of us will have been reduced to figure-head status. It this changing climate, Arendelle, the Southern Isles, Avalor, all such off-shoot kingdoms, will inevitably be completely swallowed up by the grander monarchies that will remain far longer than we before they too become mere figure-heads. There will be no need for kingdoms like this, or further purpose for their existence. Odds are we will be assimilated sooner than later and turned into Duchies or Dukedoms. You may not submit to Norway—I have little doubt that's the nation you've already decided Arendelle will assimilate into in your heart of hearts—in your time, Elsa, and Caleb may not submit in his or ours, but when your children are on the throne a final choice will have to be made. If not your children, then certainly your grandchildren. That choice will be to be brought to ruin or to join. Eric's kingdom is taking its dying breaths, on the verge of being integrated fully into Daneland. You know, Denmark. It will in only a few more years—one, two, three, maybe even this year if Eric talks his father into it—be transformed into a Dutchy or Dukedom just as we'll eventually be," Justic said tossing out his pitch.

Elsa was quiet, taking his words in quietly with eyes closed. "So, Caleb's plan is…?" she fished.

"I am to attend a summit in Eric's kingdom, a meeting between Scotland, Denmark, Eric's land, and the Southern Isles. It is there that Eric will determine whether or not his kingdom remains independent or consents to assimilation. The Southern Isles, meanwhile, are going to have to attempt to deescalate the situation between Denmark and Scotland, who are hellbent on going to war over our fate. They've all but told Caleb to take his kingdom's death like a man and let it play out as it will. Caleb, of course, is stubborn and has no such intent. My goal there will be to buy the Southern Isles a little more time to be left alone, and by extent calm the pending mini-war between Scotland and Denmark over who will ultimately possess it. When the time comes that we absolutely must assimilate, Caleb will be the one to decide, not some battle fought over us like we were a bone," Justic said.

"And why do you want Hans?" Elsa asked.

"Because his unique… abilities will be key in ensuring we have the upper hand," Justic replied.

"Fire power?" Elsa deadpanned.

"No. He is a mirror, as much as he wants to pretend he isn't, and the sort of mirror he happens to be will be the sort of mirror most useful to this negotiation," Justic replied. Elsa bristled at the words, frowning and eye narrowing a bit. Hans' fingers drummed on the table, a clear sign of agitation. "Like it or not, you know I'm right, Hans. Your chameleon-ing, your ability to reflect a person's nature… it could make or break this for us. If the Southern Isles falls, Arendelle will follow shortly after. If you want there to be any throne or kingdom at all left over for your son or daughter to rule, you know what must be done."

Elsa looked concerned, then turned questioningly to Hans who was staring silently at Justic. "Hans?" she asked gently, reaching up and covering his drumming fingers with her hand. His eyes flickered over to her. "It's up to you," she said.

Hans stared a moment longer before his eyes flicked back to Justic. "Very well," he finally relented. "I can handle a simple diplomatic mission."

"Correct your thinking immediately. Diplomatic missions are never, ever easy," Justic warned, rising. "I want to leave today, Hans. This morning if possible, though I can hold off until the evening. But the sooner we go, the sooner you can return to your pregnant wife."

"I'll pack," Hans said with a heavy sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Emotional blackmail. Of course. Old habits died hard, he supposed. He and his brothers had more or less repaired, yes, but they were still ultimately scum to one another at any given opportunity. Elsa looked slightly perturbed at this, but she didn't comment on it. She simply rose with her husband, linking her arm through his, and together they walked away to go to their room and get Hans prepared for this journey.

Frozen

She perched on the side of her bed smiling lovingly down at her husband, who was kneeling on the floor with a hand on her belly and pressing his lips to it gently. She combed her fingers through his hair softly as he babied the unborn child, whispering sweet nothings to it or singing quiet songs. "Don't be too long, okay?" she said to him. "Dr. Jekyll estimates about two or three months before it gets impatient and wants to come out to play."

"As quickly as I can, I'll return," he promised, looking up at her as she continued combing her fingers through his hair. She leaned down, pressing her lips to his. Eventually she drew back. "I love you," he said to her, standing and shouldering his pack.

"I love you too… Be safe, please," she answered, holding his hands in hers.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" he asked.

She laughed a bit. "I'm sure," she answered with a grin. "The spells will be difficult to go through alone, but I've managed before and I'll manage again. Settle things with Denmark and Scotland then bring back a full report. I need to know what to expect when Arendelle's turn on the chopping block comes, so I can figure out how to appeal it and buy us more time."

"I'll be thorough," he answered, winking.

"In more ways than one I hope," she replied, playing innocent though the sexual innuendo was blatantly obvious. At least to him. He grinned and bent, kissing her again, then left to join his brother.

Elsa watched after him and sighed, bowing her head and shaking it ruefully before turning to gaze out the window. She had Norway and Sweden to deal with for herself. She hadn't told Hans she'd been receiving letters yet, she knew she could deal with them well enough on her own, but they were starting to really press. She could solve part of the problem immediately. She'd determined already that when the time came, it was Norway she wanted Arendelle to integrate with. She would send the letter to the both of them. Something like 'when the time comes, then certainly the land of Arendelle shall become one with Norway, as it is more closely tied with the culture of Norway than Sweden. To leave Sweden will indeed grieve us, but this is the decision I have come to. Worry not, though. The time to integrate is not now'. Yes, that or something like it should pacify any hard feelings. She hoped. She really wasn't inclined to antagonize either country. Elsa rose, going to the window, and stood there to watch Justic's ship depart on its journey taking her husband with it. She wished them well. Perhaps after court today she'd go see Anna and Kristoff and little Gerda. She'd take Kai and big Gerda too. Perhaps Soredamer as well. First, though, she would sit for tea with her new friend…

Frozen

"Only a few months more and out it'll pop," Soredamer said to Elsa excitedly, grinning at her. Her eyes, though, were sympathetic. She well knew what it was to be heavy with a child and not have her husband there to support her through it because he was fighting some battle or other or dealing with some political catastrophe and might not come back.

"Is Anna alright?" Elsa asked. Anna had been very distant as of late, barely able to even look at her for long before she couldn't take it anymore.

"She's coming around," Soredamer assured gently. "She's excited for us to go to lunch with her today. She's determined to actually sit through it all without getting up to leave for some coping time, so you might not want to wear anything that could emphasize your baby bulge."

"I hate how much this is hurting her," Elsa said.

"It must be hard on you both," Soredamer said, nodding. But at least Elsa was occupying her mind with concerns for her baby sister instead of starting to worry about the worst befalling Hans and Justic. Elsa nodded solemnly. Soredamer glanced away. "Did… did he say why this little diplomatic mission came about?" she asked finally. She hated to bring it up to Elsa again, but denying it wasn't going to make it better either.

"Because our days are ending?" Elsa replied with a frustrated sigh, toying with her braid. "I half wonder if there'll even be a throne for my child to inherit anymore when I'm gone… And if there's still a throne in my child's time, there definitely won't be in my grandchild's. Most of us, fortunately, have a set country to belong to when all's said and done. Arendelle will end up either a part of Sweden or a part of Norway, most likely Norway. Denmark and Scotland though haven't resolved the issue of the Southern Isles as gently as Norway and Sweden have."

"Things have changed so much," Soredamer ruefully said, shaking her head. "I won't say it's for the better either."

"I suppose time will tell," Elsa replied, shrugging. She looked at Soredamer. "Have… have you given thought to my offer to bring you with me and Anna to Scotland? To the Orkney Islands?"

Soredamer was quiet, looking away and rubbing her arms. "No," she answered finally. "I'm needed more here."

"Isn't it obvious by now that your mother hasn't returned with you?" Elsa asked gently.

"It isn't… it isn't just that, Elsa," she replied. She looked back at her. "There will only be pain when I see my husband again… Because I'll be here, and he'll be here, and our son… He won't be… But then I suppose we aren't technically 'here' either… We can't go back to see our child in Avalon. We'll be forced to live another lifetime in this unfamiliar place and era, and he won't be there. Every time I looked at Alexander, I would see Clegis. Every time I spoke, he would hear our son, and it's just… It's something I'm not ready to deal with right now."

"But you have a brother waiting for you there, and a father, who would be immensely happy to see you again," Elsa said. "Couldn't you at least consider it for Mordred's sake?"

Soredamer winced. "I'll… try to psych myself up for it," she finally relented. "But don't expect it to happen quickly."

"As long as it will happen," Elsa replied.

Silence fell between the two as they sipped at tea quietly. "Dr. Jekyll has taken quite the interest in Mordred's welfare," Soredamer finally ventured to say.

"I know. And that's great, it is! But it also concerns me," Elsa said.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because wherever Dr. Jekyll goes, Mr. Hyde follows," Elsa said. "Mr. Hyde is the last person you want to cross Mordred in his fragile mental state."

"And the more attachments Mordred makes, the more likely he is to lose one and that will be even more disastrous for him," Soredamer said quietly. "He could never take loss well. It… triggered him. Badly. He just didn't know how to cope. He couldn't cope. Like he was incapable of being able to understand his feelings and emotions and control them. So instead he would lash out. Violently."

"I'll talk to Jekyll next time he's here and tell him not to try and be the boy's friend," Elsa said. "It seems friendship isn't the best answer for everyone."

"I… wouldn't say that necessarily," Soredamer replied, grimacing. Elsa smiled ruefully. "Thank you. For letting me stay here. I can be a lady's maid, you know. I can work for my keep."

"You were the Empress of the Byzantine Empire, before that you were a princess of Lothian and Orkney. Have you done manual labor ever in your life?" Elsa half-teased, smirking.

"I have actually! Worcestershire was good about not letting you be useless. Everyone had to work to survive in my time," she said. "Just some harder than others. It was all hard, make no mistake, just in different ways. My father would have a mental breakdown every half-year or so. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Poor Arthur would have a panic attack weekly at the start, then as he got more accustomed to it, it became monthly. At least when he was young. With experience came jadedness and he dropped it down to one every couple of months!"

Elsa blinked. "Wow… Just wow," she said, smirking in amusement. "The great King Arthur prone to panic attacks. Who'd have thought?"

"Near the… near the end it became an almost daily occurrence," Soredamer ruefully said, looking sadly down at her tea and stirring it a bit.

"I don't blame him," Elsa softly and sympathetically said. She could only imagine how bad things had become in the dying throes of his reign. "Did Mordred inherit those? It seems to me he might have."

"He did," Soredamer admitted. "He could cope with generic ones better than Arthur could, but when things got really bad, he would just go to pieces where Arthur would stay more… rationale and coherent, we'll say."

"I feel a panic attack coming on every time I don't hear from my husband in a week while he's gone," Elsa said, shaking her head.

"He'll pull this off, Elsa. He will," Soredamer assured.

Elsa smiled sadly at her. "We should head out to see Anna now. Kai and Gerda will be coming too," she said.

"Let's go," Soredamer agreed, setting aside her empty cup and preparing to leave.

Frozen

Elsa bounced the eight-month-old baby girl on her lap, grinning down at her sweetly as she cradled Gerda's head. Gerda babbled up at her and every so often would stop and look surprised when she felt Elsa's tummy jump a bit. It wasn't comfortable for Elsa, she'd freely admit, but at the same time it filled her with excitement and joy. The little one was quite active and restless, kicking a lot and moving around regularly like it was growing tired of such a little space to explore. Anna was learning to cook from Gerda in the kitchen. Kristoff was out harvesting ice on the snow-covered peaks so wouldn't be back until either late tonight or even tomorrow. Kai, Elsa, and Soredamer were in the den. In not long Anna came out looking quite proud of herself. "I made soup!" she declared proudly, holding out the pot. "Well, Gerda helped."

"You know you could just eat in the palace," Elsa said.

"The castle isn't my home anymore, Elsa. This is," Anna said, gesturing around the small house. She frowned a bit, looking slightly forlorn. "It's… not much. But it's home! And it's cozy. I'm getting used to the small space. I mean, it wasn't like the palace was going to be home for much longer. We were probably getting in the way there anyway."

"Arendelle won't assimilate in our time," Elsa sternly replied. "Probably not even in the time of our children."

"I know… But I mean, I like this. I like being busy, decorating things the way I want, not having to follow so many rules, having a stable routine… As long as some excitement is sprinkled in here and there, I'm good! And with Kristoff around there's a lot of excitement. Sometimes I head out with him, up the mountains or into the forest. We bring Gerda too. She loves it. Kristoff gets kind of wound up and paranoid, not a safe profession and stuff like that, but we're careful. Especially when she's around. So… Hans is away, huh?"

"Diplomatic mission for the Southern Isles," she answered.

"He's not of the Southern Isles anymore," Anna said.

"As long as Arendelle and the Isles are allied, yes, he is," Elsa answered. "Both of our nations are in this together. That's how alliances work."

"I guess," Anna said, taking the baby from her sister to breastfeed it. Kai stood and walked away to stand beside Gerda, who lingered in the doorway of the kitchen smiling fondly at the two sisters. Anna looked over at Soredamer. "So, are you liking my room?" she asked.

"It feels strange sleeping there. It's yours, not mine. The room of a princess. I'm little more than a handmaiden here," she answered.

"You're an Empress! You technically outrank Elsa," Anna said.

"I was an empress," she corrected. "And things aren't always 'technical'. My husband technically outranked Arthur. Arthur still had more power than he did, in the end. The British Empire was beginning to take over everything, slowly but surely. In our time, it was already more powerful than the Byzantine Empire. In our time it was in the process of driving out a lot of the Roman Empire from its borders. There was a good deal of strife between Arthur and the Roman Emperor and a war or two even. Arthur probably could have made a bid for the title of Emperor, and he would have had a right to it too, but Emperor Arthur doesn't flow as well as King Arthur," Soredamer said, grinning a bit.

"Well, your room must have still been even better than mine," Anna said. Soredamer smirked but didn't confirm or deny that.

"Dr. Jekyll is heading to the Orkney Islands soon," Elsa said. "For your brother's sake," she added to Soredamer. "As I've said, if… if you do decide you want to go with him after all…" She trailed off.

Soredamer was quiet, staring at her hands in her lap. "Not yet," she finally replied. "Things are… hard to figure out right now. On top of my other reasons for not going, this game with Mordred needs to be played very, very carefully. Jekyll's already risking a lot visiting there regularly. It could cost your husband everything in the future. My going there too at the same time as Jekyll? Seeing me might just make my brother more determined to reach Arendelle again, and if he reaches Arendelle he sees Hans, and if he sees Hans then whatever progress has been made with him is out the window. Besides…"

"You want to be extra sure no one else arrived here too," Anna finished for her. "We know. But I think it's become pretty obvious no one has."

"You'd think," Soredamer replied. "You're probably right too, but better safe than sorry."

"If one of them did arrive here as well, which one would you rather it be?" Anna asked.

"That's a hard question to answer. They were both pieces of work in their own ways. When it came to which was deadliest, there was no contest. Morgana was among the most powerful enemies the Round Table ever faced, if not the topper. Morgause, though, was more dangerous in her psychological games. Games which gave rise to my corrupted and black-hearted brother. Mordred was deadlier than both Morgan and Morgause combined, albeit in a more insidious manner than Morgan was. Power-wise and headache-wise, Morgan took the cake. Her name was spoken in dread. Casualty-wise, Morgause was far and away the worst by extension of Mordred," Soredamer said.

"So what's complicated?" Anna asked.

"The question should be whether I'd rather have Mordred or Morgan as an enemy, and I'd rather have Morgan. Except after Morgause died, Morgan took up the mantle of corrupting and twisting Mordred. She succeeded in it for a good long while after her sister died, before she lost control of him too. If either my mother or aunt have made it back somehow, I hope it's my aunt Morgan and that she doesn't return hell-bent on working her manipulations on my brother. I hope she instead comes back as she was when she 'passed', reconciled to Arthur with no further ill-will towards him, and with a healthy fear of what her protégé can do. Mordred being her protégé. She was more powerful than him, but as she was mellowing out, he was getting worse, and he had both Morgan's power, to a lesser degree, and Morgause's manipulative nature combined. We… won't get into details. That said, if Morgan were to return with ill-will again on top of her power, I would rather have Morgause," Soredamer said. "She was a lot stronger in her manipulations, but this round my father wouldn't make the same mistakes as he did back then."

"I probably shouldn't dare to ask for a full story," Elsa said.

"There's a whole section in your library devoted solely to Arthurian literature filled to the bursting with thick books on thick books with a few not-so-thick ones sprinkled in, so yeah… Explaining it word of mouth would take some time," Soredamer replied, giggling a little.

"Regardless, if there's anything you would like to send to your husband, all you need to do is ask," Elsa said.

"It's fine. Really it is," Soredamer assured. "Should I think of something, then I'll remember your words, majesty. Thank you for your kindness towards me."

"You're keeping my sister company now that I'm gone," Anna said with a laugh. "Good thing too. She needs a friend that isn't me."

"I have Elena, I have Rapunzel, I've crossed Ariel a couple of times and quite liked her company, then there's Louise… I have friends!" Elsa defended.

"Acquaintances," Anna corrected.

"It's still more than you have," Elsa bit back.

"Um, ow?" Anna said, starting and looking offended. "I have Louise and Ariel and Rapunzel too!"

"Hormones. Let it go," Soredamer said to Anna. Anna sighed and relented, though she was obviously still put out and disgruntled at the remark. Soon enough the group settled in for lunch and into lighter conversation.