Queen Elsa approached the tiny house next to the harbor. Kai had told her where she would find it. Gerda had given her a plain cloak that would cover her almost completely, and she left quietly through a side door of the castle and walked into town, unnoticed. She knocked at the door which was barely tall enough for someone her height to enter comfortably.
A woman dressed all in black opened it. "Yes?"
"May I come in?" Elsa pulled down the hood of her cloak just enough for her face to be visible.
"Your Majesty! Please! We have to be quiet." She gestured at the baby sleeping in its cradle.
"Your name is Margit, yes?" Elsa asked.
"Yes, Your Majesty, it is!"
"I… I heard about your husband. I'm so sorry," the Queen whispered.
"Thank you, but you didn't need to… Why are you here? It's the middle of the night."
"I apologize. I did need to speak to you, though. Gerda, at the castle, I believe you know her at least a little?"
"Yes," Margit affirmed. "When I was younger, she would hire me for occasional mending work, after my mother died."
"She told me that you came to her this week looking for work, now that your husband…"
The woman sat down in the chair by the cradle and closed her eyes. "Yes. I told her that I need some work, but I have no one to take care of the baby. He's almost weaned. The midwife had suggested waiting til he's at least a year old, but I've seen plenty of children do fine younger. I need the money, your Majesty, but I want to work for it. I don't want to be reduced to begging. Or worse…"
"How old is your child now, Margit?" Elsa asked gently.
Margit looked at the sleeping child with a sad smile. "He'll be seven months next week."
Elsa paused, thinking. "His birthday will be in March, correct?"
"Yes, your Majesty."
"I… I may have a solution for you." The Queen somehow looked both relieved and nervous.
"Your Majesty?"
"If… if you find the terms agreeable, you would be well compensated."
"What terms?"
"Absolute silence and discretion. We… someone…" Elsa thought about her words carefully. "There will be need of a wet nurse."
Anna faced Elsa, who hadn't answered her question. "Elsa," she repeated. "Who is Margit Nilsen? Is that why I got the letter from Corona?"
"I think you know," her sister sighed. "And you're the one who asked me not to tell you."
"You're right, I did…" Anna murmured, sitting down by the window.
"Did Inga say something?" Elsa asked.
"Not exactly, I mean, she did. She was surprised that I didn't already know Mrs. Nilsen. But it was his birthday. Until then, I think I was in denial. After all, you hadn't actually told me the baby was a boy."
"Elsa?" Rapunzel knocked at the door of the study. "Is everything okay in there?"
"Are you sure about this?" Anna asked as Elsa walked to the door. "We hardly know her."
"We haven't come up with any other ideas… none that we agree on, anyway. If you're set against the trolls, it can't be here, we have to go abroad… you know that."
"Yes, and I want to know as little as possible. Just not… that way. No magic."
Elsa opened the door.
Rapunzel looked around the room as she walked in. Princess Anna was sitting by the window, eyes red, but otherwise she appeared calm. "What's the matter?"
"I think I trust you," Elsa began, "it's a delicate situation, with… far reaching political implications."
"Is it that Prince Hans?" Rapunzel guessed. "Is he actually trying to push that marriage claim he made three months ago?"
All the remaining color drained from Anna's face. Elsa spoke up. "Not exactly, and… we're hoping that it doesn't come up. But we need your help. Are there places in Corona that someone could spend a few months and not draw any attention?"
"Inga?" Frederick pushed open the door of the study. "Father said I should come help you?"
"Finally, thank you!" Inga exclaimed. "Mother just up and left on some errand, and I have no idea where she is or when she'll be back. You did well enough answering letters this summer, so I think you can be helpful."
"Thanks, I guess?" Frederick smirked. "I don't know if my French tutor would agree."
"You know I'm not going to tell you something that isn't true, right?"
"I know," he assured her, sitting down across from her. "Oh! Did I tell you? I ran into Admiral Sorensen after the reception, and he said that he could take me on a short run around the islands and see if I really know as much about sailing as I say I do."
"I think he'd be pleasantly surprised," Inga smiled. "Did you get a chance to ask Mother and Father if it's okay?"
"No, I've hardly had any time since we got back, and it sounds like I won't be asking them today," he admitted. "Now, tell me what to do here."
It was officially announced: Queen Elsa of Arendelle and her sister, Princess Anna, would be taking a Grand Tour of nearby friendly nations to establish stronger diplomatic relations, with the help of the Crown Princess Rapunzel of Corona. Everyone knew what this meant: they intended to find a suitable husband for Princess Anna. They would leave before Christmas. There were never official confirmations of this, but the fact that the Queen intended to return to Arendelle by February, leaving her sister in the Kingdom of Corona through the spring, only seemed to confirm this.
The baby was asleep when Kristoff returned to the bedroom, so he quickly went to the bathroom to change. He was relieved to see the baby hadn't woken up when he reemerged, and collapsed on the bed.
He wasn't sure how long he'd been asleep when Anna walked in.
"Kristoff," she whispered, sitting down next to him on the bed.
"Anna?" he replied groggily. "Is anything wrong?"
"I've told Kai to cancel all my meetings tomorrow," she blurted out quickly as she sat down on the bed.
Kristoff sat up and looked at her. "Huh? Why? You're not already pregnant again… No, wait, that's impossible."
"No, no, of course not," she laughed weakly. She looked away and started crying.
"Now you really have me worried." He hugged her tightly.
"I…" Anna took a deep breath to collect herself before continuing. "I went to speak with Elsa… Inga told me something Elsa said about the trip to Corona, and…"
Kristoff looked at her in confusion, waiting for her to continue.
Anna looked up at him, her eyes red and wet. "Should I even tell you? What good would it even do?"
"You can tell me," he insisted. "What did Elsa say that's so awful?"
"No, it's not…" Anna struggled to find her words. "It's not about the trip this year."
Kristoff looked at her in confusion, trying to remember which trip she could be talking about. It had been years since Elsa had been on a trip abroad, and he had been on nearly every trip with Anna since he'd known her, except for one.
"That trip," Kristoff replied flatly.
Kristoff watched as the ship sailed off. He believed Anna when she told him to wait for her, but there were still whispers around the castle and the town that the trip had another purpose. He had only known her for four months, it was fine, he told himself.
"C'mon, Sven," he called out. He would wait for her, but not at the castle if he could help it.
"Whoa there, I was told to keep an eye on you!" he heard a man call from behind.
Kristoff turned around to see the husband of Anna and Elsa's somewhat distant cousin. He hadn't learned their names, but the sisters had become very close to their cousin in the last few months, having lots of conversations they wouldn't tell him about.
"Really?" he asked skeptically. "Why?"
"Well, I don't know," the man admitted. "But those are my instructions. To be perfectly honest, I can't tell you why I'm not on that boat, but I trust there's a good reason."
"Fine. I'll stay," Kristoff huffed. Sven snorted in agreement.
"Eugene," he said, sticking out his hand. Kristoff stared at him skeptically. "I mean, I'm kind of stuck here until your queen gets back…"
"Kristoff," he mumbled, reluctantly shaking hands. "So, what am I supposed to do?"
"Actually…" the other man paused. "Do you think you could show me the mountains?"
"Do I look like a tour guide?"
Kristoff and Anna had been sitting in silence for what felt like an eternity. Finally, Anna remembered the letter she had received from Corona. She walked over and retrieved it from the back of her top dresser drawer, handing it silently to Kristoff when she returned to the bed.
Corona, August 4th, 1864
To Her Majesty, Queen Anna of Arendelle,
I apologize for never personally writing in all the years since your coronation. I had been in regular correspondence with your sister before her abdication. I would say it was nothing personal, but I realize the time you spent in Corona with me was not something you wished to remember. I respected your wishes to remain in the dark on that matter, and kept your sister informed for two years until her abdication. I kept my promise up to a point regarding the matter, but there has been a change. I have heard that your sister is again visiting, and if you can show her this letter, I'm sure she will understand.
Fondest Regards,
Crown Princess Rapunzel of Corona
Kristoff stared at the letter. "The matter… she means?"
"Yes," Anna replied weakly.
"What changed?"
"There was supposed to be a job waiting with the Corona Palace Guards," she began. "That requires taking the Civil Service Examination, purely as a formality. But when someone gets a perfect score, the Diplomatic School is always interested…"
"It's three in the morning, Elsa," Rapunzel mumbled groggily.
"Sorry, I just woke the midwife. It's time. Is your husband here?"
"Yes, Eugene just arrived a few hours ago, why?"
"We should make sure that Mrs-" she looked around, and continued, "that the wetnurse is awake. You know where she's living now, I don't."
"Why don't I go?"
"I need someone ready to take the baby, and I'll stay here with my sister."
"I suppose you'll be returning home as soon as you can?"
"Yes, I've talked with the midwife about it. She'll let me know when it's safe. Can you make sure a ship is waiting? I don't want any attention."
Kristoff sat staring out the window, the letter laying in his lap where he had dropped it minutes before, still trying to process what he had learned.
Anna broke the silence again. "I had convinced myself that I had forgotten about it. Everything was taken care of, and there was nothing to worry about, and no risk involved."
Kristoff was still looking out the window. "I know, when you first told me about it, you said you didn't want to know anything… but… you really had no suspicions?"
"Actually, I think I did. There was something about him. I realize that's why I made excuses about the wedding. But I didn't realize that's what I was doing. The name meant nothing to me, and it's not like we kept pictures around."
Anna and Elsa sat silently in the study. The initial emotions from Anna's confession had subsided.
"Anna, would you be willing to get married?"
"What?"
"It would be an option. There might be some talk, but… It seems rushed, I know, especially with… with what I said before." Elsa stammered. "But he seems good. Kristoff, I mean."
Anna stared at her. "But we haven't… it's… I mean, I think I would like to, eventually, but not like this."
"Think about it," Elsa replied calmly.
Anna sat for a few moments looking at one of the shelves of law books. "Elsa, are you planning to get married?"
"What does that have to do with this… with anything?"
"Because…" Anna took a breath. "If I get married now, any baby born will be legitimate, and unless you get married and… have your own, that means that… that he gets… He already could make a bigamy claim, you know, the law like it is. The timing of the pregnancy might be enough to get their attention down there. I don't want to see him again, any more than you do."
"Oh," Elsa sighed, taking a moment to contemplate. "You've had some time to think this through, I guess."
Kristoff sighed, finally looking away from the window and directly at Anna. "So, who knows this?"
"Elsa, of course," she began. "I think Kai knows, too."
"Anyone else? Does… does he know?"
"No, only Mrs. Nilsen, and she's been good to her word about not sharing her guesses about things. Part of the arrangement back then… I would know as little as possible about her, and she would know as little as possible about me. Elsa told her part of the truth now… not all of it."
They sat silently for a while.
"Well, I can see why your sister was suddenly interested in helping a wedding along this summer," Kristoff laughed feebly.
"What do you mean?" Anna looked at him blankly, then suddenly got his meaning. "Oh… Oh my, I hadn't thought of that. You don't think that was… No, Inga seemed to like Elizabeth well enough. Thank goodness for that."
They paused for a moment, the room silent except for the baby's snoring. Years of unspoken topics seemed to hang in the air.
Kristoff interrupted the quiet. "Now what?"
Anna's knuckles turned white as her foot slipped. The rope caught her a foot above Kristoff's head.
"You okay? Do you want to take a break and try again later?" Kristoff asked from below.
"Let me… let me catch my breath. Sorry."
"Did I tie the rope too tight? I thought I was being careful this time."
"No…" she said, still trying to catch her breath, "I think maybe I laced too tight this morning. You probably didn't need to know that, sorry."
Kristoff had lowered himself to the ground and began to help Anna down.
"Why would you even… I'm sorry, I really know nothing about these things…" Kristoff was flustered.
"I guess… to look good… for you?" Anna stammered as Kristoff lifted her down and untied the rope.
"Do you… do you really think you have to?"
"I… want to… I wanted to wear this dress again, for you, but it doesn't really fit any more."
"I want you to breathe. I think breathing is good for you," he assured her. "And, um, I guess I should be flattered, but…"
"Sorry. It's stupid, I know. You're the one who suggested teaching me how to climb. I don't know what I was thinking… or, well, I know what I was thinking, but I don't know, it's been a year since I got back, and I shouldn't be talking about that, maybe…"
Kristoff held her shoulders and looked straight at her.
"It's not stupid," he said with a sigh, "it's just… oh, nevermind…"
He let go and turned around, picking things up and starting to pack the bags.
"Wait…" Anna said nervously.
"What?" Kristoff stopped and turned around.
"I love you."
"I love you, too," he told her, pulling her into his arms.
"But…" she pushed back a little. "I need to tell you something. Now. Before... anything else."
"You sure write quickly," Frederick told Inga as they sat in the study going through the stacks of correspondence. He glanced absentmindedly at the letter on the top of the stack. "Should I take this one from Corona?"
Inga saw that it was addressed to her.
"Give me that," Inga said a little too roughly as she grabbed the letter from her brother.
"Fine, have it your way. I'll take on Luxembourg next," he sighed. "Do you know when Mother is getting back from whatever it was she needed to do? It's been two days. I've hardly seen Father, either. When is Aunt Elsa leaving? Olaf said he was going with her, too."
"I really don't know," Inga admitted. "Something was off… Everyone seems off right now." She shook her head. "Thanks for coming to help me this week. Your tutors can wait." She looked again at the address on the letter from Corona, and put it in her pocket unopened. She examined the stack of letters and took the next one.
"What was in the letter from Corona?" Frederick asked.
"What? Oh, no, I'll read it later," she demurred. She opened the new letter, quickly scanning it. "I hope Mother doesn't take too much more time. This one will need the council. Our ambassador to America just resigned. He took an offer of free farmland in… some place out west. The letter isn't even from him; his butler wrote it."
"Do you want to tell her, or should I?" Frederick asked.
"You get this one." She handed him the letter.
