Chapter 9

A dull murmur filled the chapel as Aaron strode along one of the side aisles. The guests were already in place, the choir assembled and the preparations finished. After so long everything was finally ready. The only one missing was the bride, who he'd just been informed would be arriving shortly. Now all he had to do was keep the groom in one piece.

Kristoff was nervously tugging at the purple collar of his otherwise snowy jacket as he stood alone upon the raised dais at the altar, his eyes fixed on the far entrance. He looked almost pale as Aaron stepped alongside him, barely even acknowledging his presence as he waited.

Aaron got his attention quickly, though, when he smacked his hand away from the collar.

"Stop that."

"Ouch! What?" Kristoff growled back, giving him a scowl. "It itches."

"Yes, but it also makes you look like you weren't raised in a barn." Normally he might have chatted with Kristoff to calm him down but they were pressed for time so he got right to the point. "I just received word from Lord Kai. They're on their way."

Naturally this did nothing to help Kristoff as he stiffly nodded. "Oh. Okay, good. I can do this. I can do this. I definitely can't do this." He only began to sink into panic from there. "Why did I agree to do this here in front of all these people?"

Glancing over at him, Aaron watched the mania set in. "You okay, Kristoff?"

Kristoff didn't even look at him, glancing fretfully around the room. "Why didn't I just take her to be married by my family?"

Chuckling, Aaron nodded towards a smaller door to their right and muttered, "It's not too late. Quick, you slip out the side while I create a distraction."

He continued to grin even when Kristoff's scowl returned. "I'm serious, Aaron."

That only made Aaron want to laugh more, however, as he shook his head. "No you're not."

"Yes, I am."

"No, you are not. You know how I know?"

"How?"

Really? Now Aaron wasn't sure if he should have hit him upside the head instead as he turned to face him. "Do you remember what you said when you told me you were going to propose to Anna?"

"Of course I-"

That's as far as Kristoff got before Aaron cut him off. "You told me that you wanted, no, needed to marry Anna because you had never been more sure of anything than your desire to spend the rest of your life with her. That if you could just see her smile every day you would consider it a life well lived. Don't tell me you've started to have doubts."

That managed to break through Kristoff's panic as he frowned to the point that he almost looked offended. "Never."

"Are you sure? Look at you," Aaron replied, gesturing out at the onlookers. "You're worried about a little crowd when you're about to marry the woman of your dreams. No matter what happens after today you get to be with her forever. Isn't that worth all the crowds in the world?"

Kristoff didn't answer right away as his gaze drifted back towards the door. He then looked down at the floor before drawing a deep breath and squaring his shoulders. "It really is."

Allowing himself a nod, Aaron slapped him on the shoulder before retaking his place beside him. "Then buck up." After a thought he added, "Remember what Anna told me last night? That I needed to play my part to prove that I was worthy of being with Elsa? Well, now it's your turn."

Once again Kristoff chose to remain silent, his jaw set and his brow firm. At the very least he looked less likely to run for the door and Aaron would take stoicism over hysteria. As they stood there quietly, though, he eventually muttered, "Thanks, Aaron."

"You would do the same for me," Aaron answered before adding, "And if you're still not sure let me know and I'll give you a real smack this time."

Kristoff's grunt made it clear that he needed to be alone with his thoughts so Aaron contented himself with standing there quietly. Although he would never admit it to Kristoff the magnitude of the day was threatening to get to him as well. He never would have guessed that he would be the best man for anyone, much less royalty, and the sheer scope of it all was overwhelming. But he had one job to do and that was to be a rock for the happy couple, to support them no matter what happened. Fortunately they didn't have to wait long for something to happen.

A quiet ahem drew his attention back to the side entrance and he saw a guard poking his head in through the door. When Aaron noticed him he gave them a nod. This is it, Aaron thought, drawing in a deep breath and glancing at Kristoff. "Ready?"

This time Kristoff didn't respond at all. His entire focus was fixed on the doors to the chapel, his anxiousness completely replaced by anticipation as though he already knew it was time before Aaron said anything. Taking that as a yes, he returned the nod. With that the guard disappeared and the doors swung open, the choir high up in the balcony behind them beginning to sing.

Immediately the guests began to rise from the rows of pews, turning to face the entry as the whispers turned into an excited hush. First came a presession led by a pair of flower girls sprinkling marble petals across the violet aisle followed by an assortment of attendants that took their places alongside the wings of the dais. What came next, though, was what Aaron had personally been waiting for so eagerly as he felt his heart cease to beat.

Striding through the door alone with her head held high, Elsa looked more beautiful than he could have ever imagined. Neglecting to wear her usual hues of cerulean and turquoise, she was completely clad in a vibrant yet dark amethyst dress. Spun from exquisite ice, it spilled all the way to the floor beneath her in a delicate cascade of twilight, veiling her legs as the hemline trailed along to the rhythmic sound of her crystalline heels. In spite of the morning chill that had all the other women bundled up she'd opted to leave her arms bare with a daring neckline that he had to force his eyes away from, her flawless skin stark against the eventide fabric. Punctuating the ensemble, her platinum hair had been laced into its iconic braid as usual, only delicate purple flowers had been weaved along it as violet droplets trickled along a silver stream.

When Anna had told him that he and Elsa would have to dress to match, Aaron had been overjoyed to wear the violet sash singing across his otherwise black attire. Anything to draw connections between the two of them in peoples' minds. But now all he could do was stare at her in awe as she gracefully lifted the front of her gown to climb the stairs to the dais, pausing in front of Kristoff with a warm smile.

"Queen Elsa," he offered respectfully.

Rather than returning the formality, though, all Elsa said was, "Please. Just make her happy."

Kristoff's grin faded as he regarded her intently for a moment before suddenly stepping forward and wrapping her in a warm hug. "That's all I ever wanted," Aaron heard him whisper.

Surprise flashed over Elsa's face at the gesture but only for a moment as she returned the embrace before stepping aside to take her place in the presession. As she did so, though, her sapphire eyes finally found Aaron's for the first time since she'd entered the chapel and in that instance the world fell away.

It must have been only for a moment but in that moment everything, the wedding, the chapel, the people around him, faded into mist and even time itself seemed to tick to a halt until it was just him and her as he allowed himself to get lost in their cerulean depths. Under any other circumstances he would never have dared to look at Elsa like that in public but not here, not now. It was all he could do to resist taking her hand in his and drawing her to him but he would have to content himself with admiring her beauty from afar. The faint blush of her cheeks. The gentle smile on her lips. The love in her eyes that filled him with a warmth far beyond anything that his fire ever had…

And then Elsa glanced away and just like that the moment was over. The world fell back into place around him and time resumed its flow. Fortunately all eyes were on the far end of the chapel so no one seemed to notice their exchange or the faint disappointment in Aaron's gaze as it ended. He would have given anything for it to go on forever but was hardly the time or place as he joined everyone else in looking towards the doors. Just because it wasn't their turn now didn't mean it would never be.

Like everyone else, though, Aaron quickly forgot what he was thinking about when the bride entered the chapel. Walking alone, Anna looked stunning shrouded in white as her veil glistened in the morning light. However, even better than her appearance was the tender smile that flowed across her face and the tears that welled in her eyes the moment she saw her fiance waiting for her. For his part Kristoff looked like he was lost in another world when Aaron peeked at him. All emotion had drained from his face, leaving behind nothing but a wondrous awe as he stood there in utter shock.

It took until Anna had reached him for Kristoff to finally stir from his shock as he gave into a warm grin and held out a hand. After pausing to hand the bouquet of flowers she was holding to her sister, Anna delicately rose onto the dais, taking his hand in hers as the pair turned to face one another. When it became clear that neither of them was going to be looking away from the other anytime soon, the elderly clergyman who had been waiting behind the altar quietly began.

Rather than allowing himself to feel jealous or bitter, however, Aaron slipped into a calm satisfaction as he stood there alone with Elsa and the couple, sneaking another glimpse of Elsa as the wedding ceremony got under way.