The christening of the Princess Linne Karin Doris happened with as little disruption as could be expected when the central participant was under two weeks old. Several of the Northuldra had come down to Arendelle for the occasion, and presented the newest princess with the customary baby reindeer, which Sofia begged to name. Marie suddenly decided that she wanted to participate in picking a name, but Sofia disliked all of her little sister's suggestions and the two began arguing. Inga quietly moved in to distract them by pointing out who different visitors were. Sofia remembered Honeymaren and her brother Ryder, and didn't quite remember Yelena, but then remembered having done something wrong and being scolded on their last visit. Marie had barely been three years old the last time the family had visited the forest, and everyone was new to her, even if they all remembered her.

Thanks to the good weather, the lunch that followed the christening was held in the castle courtyard. The family were all sitting at one long table near the center. Frederick, as usual, ate more than anyone else, though the twins seemed to be catching up in their appetites. Nanny sat between Marie and her little brother Karl and tried to keep him sitting still while trying to coax Marie to eat a few bites. Sofia ate all of her potatoes, then complained about the rest of the food, and absolutely refused to touch any of her salad. Both she and Marie asked when they could have some cake, and Nanny reminded them to wait for everyone else. Inga sat across the table from Frederick. Her father was sitting next to her holding the baby so her mother would have a chance to eat. Her aunt and the visiting Northuldra were at the other end of the table.

Inga ate dutifully, looking around the courtyard in silence. Her father was obviously tired and distracted, and wasn't going to provide very much conversation while he focused on the baby. Frederick was no use to anyone while he was eating. The twins appeared to be finishing their entire servings, too, rather than leaving half their food when they got up to play, so Frederick's usual trick of sneaking a few more bites from their plates wouldn't work.

At the table next to them sat the General and his wife Halima, their ward Meibel, and three of their older wards, Kate, Edith, and Isabel. Isabel, the oldest, would no longer be a ward in a month's time when she turned twenty-one. She was engaged to be married to the captain of the Castle Guards, and the wedding would happen shortly after her birthday. The General approved of the marriage on the condition that they waited til she was fully of age.

Captain Olsen was making a point of walking past their table while making his rounds during the meal, and Isabel was very distracted. Kate and Edith were getting to know Elizabeth, while the General was enjoying talking to her father and the Lieutenant. Halima seemed to be making conversation with Lars, who seemed to be avoiding direct answers, and otherwise seemed to be splitting his attention between his fiancee and his brother.

When Inga had finished her food, she offered to take the baby so that her father could eat. Her mother was eating very slowly, stopping to say something to Elsa every few bites. Inga stood up and took Baby Linne from her father, intending to walk over to her mother and aunt and listen in on their conversation, but she noticed Edith waving her over. Kate and Edith were almost the same age as Inga, and had been living with the General and his wife for over ten years. Her mother always encouraged her to play with children outside the castle, but while they were friendly, and often played together with Inga when they were younger, she had never become close with them.

"Inga!" exclaimed Edith as Inga approached their table. "Can we look at the baby?"

"You can look but not hold ," Inga replied softly, since the baby was sleeping. "The doctor told us we shouldn't let too many people hold the baby just yet."

"Oh, fine," grumbled Kate, scooting in close.

Edith leaned forward across the table and tried to get Elizabeth's attention. "Elizabeth! You told us you hadn't seen the baby yet, and here she is!"

Elizabeth stood up and walked over to Inga, smiling at the baby without getting too close. "She's lovely," she whispered. "And Inga, you didn't tell me your birthday was so soon! Edith and Kate were just telling me that it's in a few days, and it seems you aren't even having a party? I know seventeen isn't that big of a birthday, but it seems like you should have something. I used to have a party every year, though my eighteenth birthday was the biggest party, of course. I gather that twenty-one is when you're considered old enough to marry here? I suppose it's just as well that Lars and I can't get married yet, since he won't be of age until the spring, and it'll be another year after that for me."

"Well, actually…" Inga paused to move Baby Linne to her other side before her arm fell asleep. "Plenty of people around here get married before they're twenty-one. But it's… complicated. I mean, I could tell you all the details and rules, but it would probably be an incredibly boring conversation."

"Oh," Elizabeth sighed. "Well, of course, I'd still want time to get my mother and my sisters here, no matter the age requirements. It's a pity they couldn't come with me this time, and Mrs. Nilsen, of course. Then we'd have all our family here, and, you know…"

Inga noticed that her mother had finished eating. "Oh, sorry. You'll have to excuse me, I think my mother wants the baby back now."

After mild protests by Edith and Kate, and sincere thanks for the chance to meet the baby from Elizabeth, Inga returned her baby sister to her mother, who was having an animated conversation with Elsa. The servants appeared eager to remove the rest of the plates. Most of the townspeople attending the meal had begun clustering near the cake, trying not to look too obvious about waiting for a piece, and the dignitaries and council members were forming small clusters elsewhere around the courtyard, trying not to look too obvious about their discussions.

Meibel had gone to say hi to Fred, and then went to find Sofia while they waited for cake. Elizabeth walked over to Inga.

"I hope I didn't overstep, talking about needing to have a birthday party," she apologized.

"Oh, no, I'm sorry," Inga began almost rambling. "My mother said she wanted Linne back once she was finished eating, I hope I didn't appear rude."

Elizabeth shook her head and smiled a bit. She appeared to be rather conscious of standing so close to the Queen.

"Are you waiting for cake?" Inga asked quietly. "I don't know how hungry you are after that meal, but with everyone crowding around waiting, it can be hard to talk. The secret is, there's usually extra cake in the kitchen, so if you'd like a taste, we can go there."

"Oh, um, yes, thank you," Elizabeth smiled.

The two walked to the kitchen, where Inga found one of the extra cakes. It had already been cut into, and she sliced off a piece for Elizabeth and another for herself.

"Goodness, thank you," gushed Elizabeth upon receiving the plate.

"You're welcome," Inga replied. "We can go outside to eat. I don't think anyone will notice if we've already got our own cake."

They sat on a bench in a quiet corner of the courtyard and slowly enjoyed the cake. The official cake was being served, first to the children, and Kristoff had brought a slice over to Anna, who was sitting on a bench under a tree holding the baby, with Elsa sitting next to her, and Yelena and Honeymaren were sitting on the ground next to them. Ryder had gone off to visit the reindeer in the stables.

"It's nice that your mother is so involved," Elizabeth quietly mused as she looked at the Queen holding the baby. "It seems like so many queens have their babies and give them straight away to a wetnurse, and then a nanny…"

"Oh, well," Inga hemmed, "we do have a nanny, and the twins had a wetnurse. Of course, she was ill for a long time after they were born."

"I didn't mean…" Elizabeth apologized. "That is, of course, sometimes it's necessary to have a wetnurse, and I certainly don't know how someone would be able to carry out royal duties without a nanny."

"No, I understand what you mean," Inga assured her. "I know that Mama always feels a little guilty about it, which is too bad."

Elizabeth looked over at Lars across the courtyard, talking to his brother and the Captain. "Mrs. Nilsen, Lars's mother, you know... she reminded me once not to judge. She used to be a wetnurse, a while ago."

"I had no idea," she remarked. "Lars never mentioned his mother having any profession."

"Well, it's not the sort of thing people talk about in mixed company, now, is it?" Elizabeth laughed. "It was a few days after Lars left Corona. I was having tea with Mrs. Nilsen, and we were talking about babies, and I made some thoughtless comment-I guess like today-and she chided me, telling me how she had been a wetnurse, and you can't know why they've been hired."

"True," Inga sighed, looking at her mother and father.

Inga and Elizabeth had both finished their cake, so they walked back toward the crowd, and Inga took the plates and quietly set them on the corner of the nearest table. Lars was speaking with the Ambassador and the General. Elizabeth walked over and quietly took Lars's hand, and he smiled at her as he listened to the conversation between the older men.

Kai was standing nearby. "Your Highness," he greeted Inga, "did you want cake?"

"Oh," she gasped, not realizing he had been paying attention, "I'm fine, thank you."

Inga turned toward the conversation, and moved in to stand next to the General, who was listening to the Ambassador relating anecdotes of his stint in the Southern Isles. Arendelle hadn't had an ambassador positioned in the Southern Isles in twenty-one years. Officially they had diplomatic relations, but the position had remained unfilled when the ambassador at the time had taken an early retirement. The ambassador from the Southern Isles had quietly left Arendelle around the same time, and it was felt best to keep things quietly at the new status quo.

The Ambassador laughed heartily after one of his anecdotes. "Of course, the King is getting on in years now, but that time, let me tell you…"

"Excuse me, Your Excellency?" Lars interrupted, noticing the General and Inga looking uncomfortable with the story.

"What is it, Mr. Nilsen?" The Ambassador huffed, then looked over. "Oh, excuse me, Your Highness! I didn't see you standing there. Tell me, has a decision been made about the invitation to our upcoming coronation?"

"Oh, um, yes, Your Excellency," she replied, trying to remain polite to the man. "They will be receiving our official reply shortly."

"I hope it is a positive reply, Your Highness?" he hummed.

"I plan to go, Your Excellency," she informed him. "My brother, Frederick, will be coming as well. I believe we will need to arrange for a chaperone, since my parents, of course, won't be going anywhere for the next few months."

"Ah, yes, Your Highness," he smiled, "proper decorum, but I believe you will have nothing to fear in Corona. It is a very safe, respectable kingdom."

"Of course, Your Excellency," she assured him. "But my brother is only fourteen, and if I'm busy, we will need someone to make sure he doesn't get into any trouble."

The General laughed. "I'd volunteer to go, Inga, but I don't think Halima would let me leave for that long, and I'm fairly certain you don't want to turn it into such a large event if we took everyone."

"Oh, no!" Inga gasped, laughing a little. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound like I was trying to rope you into coming. I wouldn't mind, of course! But I understand."

"It's too bad my father's ship is scheduled to be in Arendelle for another two months," Elizabeth commented. "Otherwise I'm sure he would be happy to chaperone. It would be very respectable for you, and he knows how to keep boys that age in line."

"Um, thank you," Inga smiled hesitantly. "I'd be a little worried about naval discipline on Frederick, though. He's used to doing what he likes, but he means well. I wouldn't want…"

"I'm sorry, Inga," Elizabeth laughed. 'I didn't mean it like that! I promise you, Father is kind, isn't he, Lars?"

"I've never heard anything bad about your father from my brother, even in private." Lars promised. "But, like you were saying, Elizabeth, I think it's a moot point. They're scheduled to be here for two months, and the coronation is next month."

"Oh, hello, Elsa!" the General interjected as he saw her approaching.

"Hello," she replied, standing on the other side of her niece. "What were you discussing?"

"The trip to Corona," Inga explained. "I sent a reply to the invitation, but I realize that I will probably need a chaperone, especially if Frederick is coming with me."

"And Elizabeth's father is stuck here in Arendelle for at least two months, so he won't be an option," Lars added, forgetting the Ambassador standing next to him, glaring at his lack of protocol.

Elsa stood thinking. "Inga, I could come with you."

"Wait, what?"