Anna walked into the bedroom with a letter. "Elsa says they'll be returning in three days."

"That will be nice," Kristoff whispered as he stood by the window rocking the baby.

"She asks if the bishop will be available," she commented wrinkling her nose, "that's odd."

"What? Inga was set against the…matchmaking." Kristoff barely avoided raising his voice.

"Huh?" Anna looked confused. "No, no… Elizabeth's family is returning with them, as well as that young man's mother, you know, what's his name? The one who works for Corona's ambassador."

"Oh," Kristoff sighed in relief, bouncing a little more to settle the baby again. "That makes sense. You've had enough meetings now. What do you think of him?"

"I don't know," she mused. "He's very professional, which means he hardly talks, since I'm meeting with the Ambassador. There's something about him, though. I can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe I should have met him when he didn't have so much work to do."

Kristoff smiled. "He does take himself seriously. Perhaps we can convince the Ambassador to give him a week off and lend the cabin as something of a wedding present."

"How will His Excellency manage?" Anna laughed.


Inga leaned out over the front of the ship, trying to take deep breaths. She could still feel the motion in spite of the ginger candy that Elizabeth's mother had given her. It works wonders, she had assured Inga. It had helped her somewhat. She didn't feel absolutely sick, as long as she didn't try to actually do anything other than stare off into the distance. She saw something flutter in the corner of her vision.

"Aunt Elsa?" she asked without moving her head.

"Inga, how are you feeling?" her aunt answered, putting her hand on her shoulder.

"Better," she mumbled. "Did you tell mother how miserable I've been?"

"I'll let you do that yourself," her aunt promised, "and if you're fine here, I'll leave you alone now."

Inga nodded as her aunt left, and felt just well enough to sit on a bench along the wall behind her, and dozed in and out. She thought of the conversation with Henry, and how his father had stayed in Arendelle while his mother traveled with her mother and aunt. But why had she never heard about any of that before? It made no sense. It may not have been the most exciting of trips, but Henry's father had found it worth sharing. Inga could hear the waves crashing, and occasionally hear people walking by, but wasn't always sure if she was awake or asleep.

"...and you can return to Arendelle now," Elsa was saying to someone as Inga began to be aware of her surroundings again.

"That's true, I suppose. Are you sure no one would find it… odd?" Inga heard Mrs. Nilsen ask, but she wasn't sure when she had joined her aunt up on the top deck.

"No, and I'll make sure Kai is aware of it…" Elsa began to assure her as they walked away, their voices fading into the sound of the waves crashing.

Inga sat up slowly and watched the two walk around the back of the ship. She thought about finding Elizabeth and her sisters, but decided to close her eyes first, and quickly dozed off again.


Anna sat back and drummed her fingers on the arm of her chair. She wasn't sure her presence was actually needed at this meeting. She would sign off on continuing the ongoing relationship with the Corona Navy that they were currently discussing. She had given up on getting any update on the new succession bill, especially since now she was "out of danger," as they liked to put it. She was sure that at some point in the next year or two one of the council members would propose a compromise measure of some sort that would satisfy no one completely but which she would end up signing for lack of any alternative.

Arendelle's Fleet Admiral was standing at one end of the table emphasizing his argument. "I believe that we should phase out our payments to Corona, now that Arendelle's navy is-"

"But, Admiral, with all due respect, Arendelle's navy-" Corona's ambassador began.

"Your Excellency," Captain von der Decken interrupted, "I do believe that Arendelle's navy is no longer, as our own admiral had once impoliticly put it, hardly worthy of a coast guard. Please excuse me, Admiral, I mean no offense, but you know what I'm talking about."

"No offense taken, Captain," the Admiral replied. "I understand that Arendelle has relied on the Corona Navy for quite a while now, and we could make faster progress on Arendelle's navy if we didn't have to send so much money to Corona. There hasn't been a direct attack on Arendelle for decades. Why are we still paying out pensions?"

"With all due respect, Admiral," the Ambassador said, glancing between his secretary and the lieutenant who was taking notes for the Captain, "death in battle is not the only reason to pay out a pension."

"Excuse me, Your Excellency, Admiral," Anna spoke up, looking at her fleet admiral and the ambassador, "I was not aware we were paying pensions to Corona. Would one of you kindly explain the arrangement?"

"Your Majesty," the Admiral spoke first, "your sister made the arrangement near the beginning of her reign. I believe it was for… delicate reasons, as you might understand."

"I see," Anna replied, instantly thinking of at least a dozen reasons her sister might have done this, none of which she wanted to bring up with so many people around. "In that case, we should honor prior agreements, but I believe there is no reason to agree to any new payments."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," the Admiral nodded.

"Your Excellency," Anna looked to the ambassador. "Do you have any objections to this?"

"No objections, Your Majesty," the Ambassador conceded. His secretary shifted in his seat slightly, glancing at the Captain and lieutenant.

"Very well," she told them. "If no one has any urgent business, I declare this meeting adjourned."

The council nodded, and began to gather their things. Anna walked over to the men from Corona.

"Your Majesty!" the Ambassador exclaimed as he saw her approaching.

"Your Excellency," she acknowledged, "I was actually hoping to speak with your secretary, briefly, although I suppose it affects you, too."

"Your Majesty?" the young man asked, looking up from his scrawled papers.

"I see His Excellency didn't pick you for your penmanship," she smiled. The Lieutenant and captain both laughed loudly, startling Anna a bit. "Oh, yes, you're his brother, aren't you?" she asked, turning around.

"Yes, Your Majesty," the Lieutenant replied. "And if this is related to what I think it's related to, the Captain here is probably also interested."

"Oh?" she questioned. "I mean, of course. You're Elizabeth's father, aren't you? I've been hearing nice things about her. My daughter Inga doesn't… she doesn't exactly make friends easily, so please take that as high praise."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," the Captain smiled. "I understand that your sister will be returning with my wife and other daughters?"

"Yes, that is what she told me. And, of course, your daughter isn't yet twenty-one, so she'll need your approval, but my sister will also make sure all arrangements happen smoothly."

"My wife and I both approve of the match," the Captain agreed, then gesturing at Lars and the Lieutenant, "and I can't imagine that their mother will find any objection, either."

"Ah, of course," she looked over to Lars. "I understand you're not yet twenty-one, either?"

"No, Your Majesty," Lars nodded.

She looked and saw the ambassador beginning to exit the room. "Your Excellency," she called over, "one last thing, would you be willing to give the young man some time off?"

"Your Majesty?" the Ambassador asked in confusion. "Do you wish to deprive me of my private secretary?"

"Well, Your Excellency," Anna addressed him, doing her best to remain serious, "it's usually customary to give a couple some time to themselves when they get married."

"Well, yes, but-"

"You see," she interrupted him, "my husband would like to gift them a week in the cabin we own near here, for something of a honeymoon."

"I see, Your Majesty. If His Highness wishes it, I will not object," the Ambassador conceded.

Lars stood, astonished.

"If Mr. Nilsen doesn't object," Anna added.

"Of course not, Your Majesty," he replied. "Thank you."

"I'm not the one you should be thanking," she smiled.

"Your Majesty," the Ambassador interjected, "with all due respect, this will complicate my job during that time."

"Mr. Meyer," the Captain called to the Ambassador with a laugh, "I'd be willing to part with my lieutenant for a week. He doesn't quite have the education of his brother, but you'll have less eye strain from reading his notes."

"There," Anna spoke up, "I believe everything is settled now. I wish you all a good evening."


Lars sat with his brother at Hudson's Hearth, where they had met for dinner several times over the last few weeks.

"I hope you don't mind working for the Ambassador for a week," Lars laughed.

"Why, is there anything I need to worry about?" Karl asked him.

"Oh, not really," Lars told him, "he's not quite as pompous in person as he is at official functions. Watch what you say, though. He definitely fancies himself as some kind of schemer."

"All he can learn from me is the workings of the Corona navy," his brother scoffed. "And if he hasn't learned anything about Arendelle from you, he's certainly not going to learn anything from me."

A young man brought them each a glass of beer. They quietly toasted before taking a drink.

"Do you remember any of Mother's stories?" Lars asked. The question had been nagging at him since he'd first started talking to people around Arendelle.

"Nothing more than you remember. I told you in the letter after you wrote about it last month, and my answer isn't going to change. And I don't remember Father, either, since I'm sure that's what you'll ask next. After all, I wasn't even a year old," Karl sighed. "You know, of course, the most likely thing is that Mother and Father were rather ordinary and unknown."

"And our father chose a good time to die, I suppose," Lars smirked.

Karl raised an eyebrow. "That's kind of dark even for you, Lars." He took another swig of beer. "True, though."

"You think I'm dark?" Lars prodded.

"Not with Mother, I know, and I'm pretty sure you don't talk like that with Elizabeth," his brother assured him. "Nothing wrong with a dark joke now and then, but that's why I'm in the navy and you're the diplomat: You know when a joke is in poor taste."

They sat silently drinking their beers.

"So, Karl." Lars broke their silence. "When are you getting married?"

"Who would I marry?" Karl smirked.

"Is there anyone?"

"Perhaps," Karl winked. "I'm in a good position now. That's one thing, really. It doesn't matter if Mother and Father weren't important. You and I have done well for ourselves. Life isn't always like the novels Elizabeth has you reading. Some things aren't actually that interesting."

"You're dodging my question, aren't you?" Lars laughed.

"No, not really. Like I was saying, some things aren't that interesting. I suppose I'll be more like our father, and wait a little longer to find someone to settle down with. We can't all be hopeless romantics, you know."


The ship arrived in Arendelle that Monday morning, right on schedule. Inga was once again eager to get back on dry land, and wasn't sure she ever wanted to return to sea. Frederick still loved everything about sailing, and was itching to get back to it as soon as he could find an excuse.

The entire Royal Family was waiting when they got off the ship. There was some noisy confusion as no one could decide who to run up and hug first. Questions and declarations were shouted over one another, and no one could quite remember what had been asked and answered. The trunks were carried off the ship to the castle, and the family slowly made their way back.

Elizabeth's family reunited more quietly. Her father walked over from his ship, and made sure to send Lieutenant Nilsen to fetch his brother away from the ambassador so that Mrs. Nilsen could see both of her sons at once.

Mrs. Nilsen was overwhelmed to see them when they arrived at the harbor. It had been entirely too long since she had seen Karl, and she wasn't used to going so long without seeing Lars. She remarked on how much had changed since her days there. Elizabeth's mother and sisters had followed their father on a tour of the town, but Elizabeth stayed back.

"Mrs. Nilsen," Elizabeth prompted, "where did you live before you left Arendelle? Lars and Karl have no idea."

"Oh," she hesitated. "It wasn't much. So much has changed, I don't know if I'd even recognize it."

"But surely you remember where it was!" Elizabeth insisted, "And it couldn't have been far. They said you lived in town. Maybe you can show us? Lars, wouldn't you like to see?"

Lars looked at Elizabeth, then at Mrs. Nilsen. "Yes, I've been using some of my free time walking around trying to guess. I've gotten Karl into it, too."

"If everyone else wants to, I'll come along," his brother declared.

"Very well, my dears," she sighed, "it was this way."

Lars and Karl looked at each other and turned and followed their mother as she walked along the harbor to a row of low doors. They were brightly painted, and there were planters with bright summer flowers separating the homes from the street.

"It's this one," Mrs. Nilsen gestured at the third door in. "It hadn't been painted in several years when we lived there, and the entire street was less… decorated."

"It looks quite cozy," Elizabeth offered, trying to think of something positive to say.

"It was," Mrs. Nilsen smiled, then looked distracted. "Of course, once Jan died, even keeping up a place this small was going to be a stretch."

"Were you not always sure of having the pension?" Elizabeth asked.

"Oh, of course, once the pension was secured…" she trailed off. After a moment, she perked up. "Karl, perhaps we should let these two catch up a bit more?" She took Karl's arm, and directed him to walk with her along the harbor, leaving Lars and Elizabeth alone.

"She still gets sad about that, doesn't she?" Elizabeth mused.

"It was difficult," Lars speculated as they walked the opposite direction. "That was really more than she's said in, well, probably twenty years."

"I thought she talked about the past with you," Elizabeth spoke, thinking out loud more than anything.

"She'd tell stories and sometimes sing songs, but not much about day to day life."

They walked quietly, arm in arm, back toward the castle. Elizabeth noticed a bright red leaf on one of the trees.

"I don't think I've seen the leaves change this early in Corona," she remarked as they crossed to the castle.

"If you look up in the mountains, you can see a lot more," he commented.

"We'll have to try to get up there before it's too cold, if you have time," she smiled.

"Actually," he blushed, "I'm going to get an entire week off after the wedding, and we get to stay in the royal family's cabin."

"We… just… you and me?"

"Who else do you want on our honeymoon?" he laughed, kissing her forehead.


Inga sat on the bench in the garden, with Sofia and Marie crowding her. Sofia asked most of the questions, but Marie was listening intently, fascinated by everything. Sofia was determined to have her older sister show them every new item of clothing, but for now, Inga was more than happy to enjoy the garden, especially when the weather wouldn't allow it for much longer.

Frederick was with Peder and Anton at their favorite climbing tree actively miming the sailing techniques he had learned on the trip. Inga watched with interest, not having been able to enjoy the actual thing.

"The Bishop wants to meet with them tomorrow," Inga heard her mother say. "Isabel is marrying the Captain of the Guard in a few days, so the Bishop's schedule is a bit busy."

"And don't forget Peder and Anton's birthday party on Saturday. They were telling me all about it," Inga piped in.

"Oh, I suppose so," her mother replied. "But that's not the Bishop's concern."

"And I suppose they're not going to schedule the wedding quite that soon," Inga allowed.

The next morning, the Bishop had his meeting with Lars and Elizabeth, along with Mrs. Nilsen and Captain and Mrs. von der Decken. If their parents had any concerns, they didn't express them. Since both were underage, not yet being twenty-one, they would need their parents' consent, but the Bishop was satisfied and the wedding was scheduled for the following week on Tuesday.

Outside, Inga was responsible for introducing Elizabeth's sisters to the General and Halima's wards. They began talking with each other almost instantly, except for Meibel, who was busy listening to Frederick's stories of their trip, which seemed to focus almost exclusively on sailing. The older girls made sure that they would all be at each wedding the coming week, and Elizabeth's sisters agreed to come to the twins' birthday party, since Isabel, Kate, and Edith wanted some company, and it would be something to do in between the weddings.

"So, Inga," Diana spoke up, touching Inga's arm, nearly startling her. "When can we expect your wedding?"

"Huh?" Inga blinked in surprise. "I have no idea what-"

"What's this?" Edith interrupted excitedly.

"No, no…" Inga protested.

"Well, Edith," Diana explained, "from what I heard-"

"What did Elizabeth tell you?" Inga cut in.

"Oh, we couldn't get anything out of our sister," Ruth laughed, "but practically everyone else was talking about Prince Henry sneaking off during the ball with the princess from Arendelle."

Inga felt herself turning red. She racked her brain trying to remember if there had been anything besides going out on the balcony that anyone might comment on. Would they even say anything to her face? She knew that trying to deny anything or explain what actually happened would only make things worse.

"If there's any news, I'm sure you'll hear it before I do," she snapped.

She turned away in a huff, looking absentmindedly toward the castle gate. It was a relief to know Elizabeth hadn't gone spreading rumors. She didn't think her friend would be the sort to spread stories.

As she stared in the distance, Inga caught herself wondering when she would get a reply to her letter, and silently scolded herself. It wasn't like that, she reminded herself. She wrote the letter to him because there were things they could learn from each other. She didn't need to worry herself. People concocted stories out of thin air all the time.