As Anna tucked the baby in the cradle next to the bed, there was a soft knock at the door.
"Mama?" Inga asked as she opened the door slightly.
"Shh!" Anna put her finger on her mouth and walked over to the door.
"Oh!" Inga whispered, "she's asleep?"
"Yes. Would you like to walk to the study with me?"
Inga nodded as her mother quietly shut the door to the bedroom. They walked silently at first. Her mother paused as they got closer to the study. This was the longest time she had been alone with her daughter since the new baby.
"You didn't tell me you replied to the invitation."
"Sorry," Inga apologized, looking down at her hands. "But it didn't seem like a good time to bother you."
"No need to apologize, in fact I'm happy you took some initiative." She took Inga's hand. "But in the future, I'd like to have some warning before being personally thanked by an ambassador for allowing my daughter to travel."
"Oh… right…" Inga's eyes widened. "Was Papa with you?"
"No," her mother laughed. "Thankfully, I got to be the one to tell him."
"Just to be clear…" Inga added hesitantly. "It's… it's not like the ambassador seems to be making it. You said so yourself. I just want a chance to go somewhere. And Aunt Elsa said she'd come along, so I'll really be just fine." Inga knew she was rambling now.
"Elsa is coming with you?" Her mother looked perplexed.
"Oh, I suppose that was after the ambassador left to talk to you…" Inga began rambling again. "I kind of lost track of everyone after that, and you know Frederick is coming, and then…"
"Frederick is coming, are you sure?"
"Yes," Inga answered as they started walking again. "He had told me he'd like to travel, remember?"
"Oh, of course. Sorry, go on."
"Where was I? Oh, Edith! Or Kate, maybe, one of them. It might have even been Isabel…" Inga shook her head. "One of them came over and started listening and pretty soon they were telling Elizabeth that if the only delay in her wedding was getting all the family together we should bring her mother and sister's and Lars's mother home from Corona with us when we go. And then Lars said he was going to be busy so perhaps Elizabeth should come with us, especially since she'd been talking about the coronation all spring and she would love to see it. And Elsa said that sounded fine, and I'm just glad that it's just Elizabeth coming along, because she really is quite nice, don't get me wrong. The other girls are quite nice, too, I don't want it getting around that I think otherwise… it's me, not them. But Elizabeth, she's interesting to talk to. And that didn't sound right, either…"
"Elsa is going to Corona with you?" Her mother repeated as they entered the study.
"Yes," Inga replied, "she volunteered right away. We had been discussing chaperones. I figured it would only make sense, since Frederick is so young."
"Of course, you're right," Anna replied absentmindedly. She sat down at the desk, and Inga sat off to the side, picking up a stack of unopened letters and beginning to sort them.
"Oh, here's one from Corona," Inga thought out loud. "Already? No, I only replied yesterday. It must be something else. Here you go, Mama."
"Thank you," Anna replied as she took the letter from her daughter. She read it silently, keeping her face as blank as she could manage, and not the confusion she felt.
"What is it?" Inga probed.
"Oh, just the Crown Princess of Corona," Anna replied. "She must have gotten a letter from the Ambassador, and she says that she hopes the letter finds everyone well… you know, the usual."
"Is that all?" Inga asked, setting aside a few more letters into the stack for herself.
"Yes," her mother replied firmly. "Now, let's go through the rest of these so we're not stuck inside all afternoon." The two worked for a half hour in silence until no more letters were left. Anna quietly took the letter from Corona when Inga was looking out the window and placed it in a pocket.
Inga offered to check in with the kitchen about dinner while her mother checked on the baby. Anna agreed, and told her she'd see her at dinner. The baby was sleeping peacefully, and Gerda assured the Queen that she would let her know the minute the baby woke up, so she walked over and paused before knocking on Elsa's door. She reminded herself she was exhausted, and her emotions were always volatile right after having a baby. Or more so than usual, but volatiler wasn't actually a word. She took a breath and knocked.
"Come in?"
Anna opened the door and walked in, trying not to appear frustrated. "Elsa, Inga tells me you volunteered to chaperone their trip to Corona. Nevermind I had to find out about the trip from the Ambassador… When did you decide on this?"
"Sorry," Elsa replied calmly, "she was talking about needing a chaperone, and, well, I thought it might be nice to visit again." She motioned her sister to sit down by the window with her, where she had just had tea set out.
"Really?" Anna asked skeptically, then sighed as she sat down across from Elsa. "Well, I suppose she doesn't want to go alone, and if Fred is coming along, she shouldn't be expected to be responsible for him. Are you sure this isn't becoming too much of a production, though?"
"It won't be," Elsa assured her. She poured a cup of tea for her sister. "And don't worry, Mattias put a stop to Edith and Kate coming along before there was any pressure on Inga."
Anna looked out the window. "I'm sure you're right. And Inga told me she likes the girl from Corona… Elizabeth? I suppose it would be nice to let her attend a big event in her own kingdom. That sort of thing doesn't happen all that often, and especially if everyone else she knows is so busy. Make sure she can attend, at least, and it's not just a visit to her family."
"Of course," Elsa replied.
They sat in silence drinking tea. Some time later, Gerda came by to let Anna know that the baby was awake and hungry. Elsa followed her back to the bedroom. Anna sat happily in the big chair feeding the baby.
"Anna?" Elsa asked.
"What is it?" Anna replied as if she were speaking to the baby.
"I was just wondering," Elsa gently probed. "Have you met with the Ambassador from Corona, officially, that is?"
Anna sighed, and spoke seriously, but still softly. "No. I hadn't really seen him until yesterday morning when he walked over to tell me about Inga's trip. He has a proper meeting with me tomorrow morning. Along with everyone else. Except the council. That isn't until Wednesday."
"Busy week, huh?" Elsa smiled. "And then Inga's birthday is Thursday."
"Wait, what?" Anna looked up at Elsa. "That can't be right…"
Elsa chuckled softly. "You might want to check the dates on the letters you were writing earlier."
Following dinner, Kristoff helped Anna put the younger children to bed, and after they were nearly all asleep, and with Sofia quietly sitting next to Nanny reading, they went on to the library. Anton and Peder were playing their violins, making up tunes for Olaf to dance to. Inga and Frederick had just sat down on the sofa next to Elsa, and looked like they had been dancing quite a bit.
"That won't work for dancing at a proper ball, you know, Frederick," Inga laughed. "We'll have to practice this week, and make sure you haven't forgotten everything."
"How about for your birthday?" Frederick offered. "You can have someone come over to play the proper kind of music."
"Inga," Anna interrupted as she walked over. "Did you want to do anything for your birthday? I'm sorry we've completely forgotten this year."
"It's fine," her daughter insisted. "You've been busy. Just think of the trip as my birthday present, how about that?"
Anna sighed. "If you insist. But I promise we'll do something for you next year."
The music stopped abruptly.
"Wait!" Peder called out. "Our birthday is next month, do we get to have a party?"
"Of course you can, if you like," his mother answered. Peder and Anton immediately crowded her, offering up competing ideas for a birthday party.
Frederick laughed watching them. He paused, turning to Elsa sitting next to him. "Oh! Aunt Elsa, I was going to ask… Lars was saying something about the royal family being relatives of ours? Inga didn't remember anything, either, otherwise I'd just think it was me not paying attention again…" Inga looked slightly annoyed at being called out for not knowing something.
Elsa thought for a second, then shook her head. "Anna knows more about those things than I do. Perhaps ask her?"
On hearing her name, Anna excused herself from the twins, who turned to Olaf to continue their planning. She walked across the room to the sofa. "What is it?"
Inga looked up and spoke first. "Mama, the royal family in Corona, how are we related to them?"
"It was…" she thought for a second, "our grandfather's aunt… or was it his great aunt? Yes, his great aunt. She was the grandmother of the current queen."
Fred snorted a laugh. "Really close, then. What does that make us?"
"Well…" Anna paused, holding out both hands in front of herself and lifting up fingers alternately on each while talking to herself under her breath.
"Third cousins, once removed," Kristoff interrupted as he walked over. Anna looked up and smirked at him. "Or," he added, "fourth cousins, once removed, if you're asking about the children…"
"Okay, then," Inga huffed, then laughed a little.
"Who's your fourth cousin?" Olaf butted in.
"Fourth cousin, once removed," Inga corrected, smiling. "The Prince and Princess over in Corona, apparently. The ones who are turning eighteen this year."
"Oh! I remember when their parents were here! Kristoff, do you remember? You were all 'I'm not a tour guide, I didn't ask to be a tour guide!' when he wanted you to take him climbing, and then it turned out he was actually really good at climbing, and then…"
"Wait, what?" Anna interrupted.
"Uh, yeah…" Kristoff replied. "You were… on that trip with Elsa. You know, right after..."
"Oh, of course," Anna mumbled.
Inga sat up. "Mama! What trip?"
Anna looked at Elsa, who gave a subtle nod, before answering. "It was just visiting a few nearby kingdoms… Reestablishing diplomatic relationships, you know, that sort of thing."
"Why haven't you told us about this?" Frederick demanded.
"It was all a bit of a blur. I was seasick most of the time we were at sea, and Elsa did most of the talking..."
"Your Majesty?" Gerda stood at the door. "The baby is awake."
"Oh, thank you, Gerda, I'll be right there," Anna smiled. She gave Kristoff a kiss and whispered for him to stay, then wished everyone good night.
Frederick pouted after she left. "Fine, she won't tell a good story, Father, what about you? Can you tell us about this climbing Olaf was talking about?"
"There's really not much to tell," Kristoff hemmed. "He can climb, and he talked a lot. He seemed nice enough."
"Shouldn't I know more?" Frederick asked him. "Since he talked so much, any big secrets he revealed?"
Inga let out a laugh before elbowing her brother and giving him a glare.
"I'd rather not say in mixed company," their father demurred.
"Okay, Father, then you can tell me alone later," Frederick replied earnestly.
"In that case, I'm not saying anything." Kristoff glared.
"Ooh! Is this a new game?" Olaf asked.
"Yes, yes it is," Kristoff smiled, sitting down in a nearby chair.
"You're very good at it," Olaf told him.
Kristoff sat back as the twins started telling Olaf that it wasn't actually a game.
Elsa excused herself to check in on her sister, and Inga and Frederick wished her good night but were clearly ready to pester their aunt with more questions.
"Papa," Inga asked tentatively, "Why didn't any of you tell us about this before?"
"There…" he hesitated. "There really wasn't much worth telling."
"Maybe sometime when you two aren't so exhausted," Inga suggested. "I'd like to know, even if it makes a horribly dull story."
"And on that note," her father replied as he stood up, "I'm going to try getting some sleep. Good night."
