They did not get a chance to see each other without the company of others until later that evening, and even then, they were watched. A grand ball was held that night to welcome the queen, the ballroom decked out in beautiful colors of purple, green and gold, to go along with the sea-blue and green and silver of the Southern Isles. The young Arendellian princess was the light of the ball in her light peach-colored gown, flitting from person to person, chatting away with excitement, but it was the queen that drew everyone's attention.
She had chosen a beautifully simple dress of her own creation- with dropped shoulders and a scooped neck, slightly puffed sleeves with crystalized ice similar to lace, and a belled skirt with the same ice along the skirt hem. A soft sea blue in color, it was adorned with a simple purple sash around the waist; her slippers were the same sea blue color, and she wore her hair pulled back into a beautiful twisted braid, adorned with a beautiful sapphire tiara. She stood at the edge of the crowd, watching others dance, keeping an eye on her sister as the younger woman twirled and spun around the dance floor.
"Someone's enjoying themselves." She turned her head slightly to the side, catching his eye as he settled beside her before turning back to watch her sister.
"Annalei loves to dance."
"And you, Your Majesty?"
She paused. "I don't dance."
He nodded, before stepping in front of her hand holding out a hand. "Don't or can't?"
She met his gaze, recognizing the soft grin that tugged at his features.
Silence had fallen the moment she took his hand, and it persisted as she allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor. Once settled into the proper position, he nodded for the band to begin, and she allowed him to lead her in a waltz. They twirled and spun, seeming to float about the ballroom as the rest of the court stood back and watched in silence, sharing glances and soft whispers as the King of the Southern Isles waltzed the young Queen of Arendelle about the ballroom floor.
"It would be most beneficial for us if the King were to marry the Queen; think of the commerce Arendelle brings-"
"Oh, if they were to have children some day- they would be lovely, for she is quite beautiful, and he most handsome. Do you think there will be a courtship?"
"I did not realize how tiny she is! She must be barely above five feet!"
"Regardless of her height, she is quite the beauty."
"You've caused quite a stir among the court, Eliza, love." He whispered as they continued to waltz about the floor. She grinned softly, reaching behind her and resting the back of her hand against his. "I don't think they know quite what to do with you."
"Is that good or bad, Hans?"
He cocked his head slightly, auburn curls falling into his eyes. "If my court is as enamored with you as I am, then hopefully my people will be as well. And if my people love you as much as your people do-"
"Then it is very good for us." The glint in his eye told her she'd hit the nail on the head. "But darling," He spun her out, allowing her to circle him before coming back into his arms. She waited as they fell back into the familiar steps, before continuing. "does that mean they will expect a courtship between us? And with the laws within our countries, that is... well, frankly treasonous and worthy of death or exile."
She smiled softly, but he knew that it was in stark jest, and he pulled her closer. If the people were to find out about- their secret courtship... he knew the council would never accept it, no matter what the court believed. And the people... those laws were put into place when our countries were enemies, ruled by rival clans, back when there was no order and very little law to found, when they were more concerned with rival clans stealing the daughters of the chieftain or coercing them into running away... "I'm sorry, what did you say, Eliza?"
"Lost in thought, my prince?"3
He smiled softly, meeting her gaze. "Just thinking about old laws and ancient clans, Prinsesse."
She nodded, not needing him to explain further. They fell into silence for several minutes, before finally she spoke again. "Do we keep it? Our courtship?"
"Our engagement?" He amended, and she blushed. In the chaos of the first few months of her reign, she had forgotten that she had proposed to him and that he had accepted. "You know that our councils will never approve- nor will our people." He spun her out before pulling her back in.
"But do our people really need to know? And you said it yourself, if your people love me as much as mine do-"
"I know, Eliza, love, but they could just as quickly turn against us both as love us." She sighed, meeting his gaze. "Play the game, my love, but keep our engagement. Besides, no one needs to know but us." He continued, stopping her from speaking. "Everyone at my court most likely believes a courtship will follow, even if yours does not, so let them. I will not lose you in this because our countries were once at war thanks to the rival clans that founded them. I love you too much to lose you due to some old, forgotten law."
"That a promise, Johannes?" She challenged softly, lifting her head. The music ended, and he stepped back, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips.
"Thank you for obliging me in a dance, Your Majesty. It was an honor." He bowed slightly, lifting his head briefly to meet her gaze. She curtsied quickly, meeting his gaze as he straightened.
"The honor is mine, Your Majesty." He nodded slightly, understanding her meaning. As the pair separated, Anna hurried to over to her, sliding her arm around her sister's and tugging her through the crowd to the nearest corner.
"What was that, Lise?" Once safely tucked within a quiet corner, the pair turned to watch the rest of the court step onto the dancefloor; Elsa caught his gaze from where he sat upon the throne, and then turned back to her sister. Anna followed her gaze, glancing between the pair. "Lise, talk to me. What's going on?"
The young queen tugged her sister close, turning her back to the dancers, her voice stern as she spoke. "Du kan ikke bare danse med hvem du vil, Anna. Dette er ikke Arendelle, vi besøker gjester på de sørlige øyene. Det er ikke riktig etikette." Anna's hazel gaze filled with confusion, before she glanced behind her, noticing others in the court watching them. Realization dawned, and she stepped back, curtsying quickly.
"Beklager, Deres Majestet, jeg glemte meg selv. vær så snill å tilgi meg." Elsa studied her for several minutes, before nodding once.
"Please, forgive my younger sister. Your customs in regards to balls are vastly different to ours." Several people in the court nodded, before returning to the party. Once everyone was otherwise occupied, Elsa tugged on her sister's arm, until they were out in the hall. Once away from the ballroom, and having found a quiet corner to sit and talk, the sisters settled on a simple window seat. "What did he say, Lise? Will you keep the engagement?"
"Shh, Annalei, hush." Elsa quickly glanced over her sister's shoulder, but they were seated in the shadows, away from prying eyes, and once certain, she turned back to the sixteen-year-old. "Yes, we're keeping our engagement. But we are keeping it secret. Neither of us knows how the people would react; forget the councils- if the people do not approve, both our reigns could end in bloodshed. We are to give the appearance of diplomacy, while still maintaining the guise of looking outside our borders for mates." She sighed, taking her sister's hands. "He has made it very clear that he will not lose me to old, ancient, forgotten laws." A moment passed, as she chewed her lip. "Our countries once went to war because they were founded by barbarians, but we are a new generation. We are more sophisticated than the clans that our dynasties grew out of; we will allow his court to believe a courtship will follow, even if mine does not, and but even so, at the forefront will be the guise of allies, nothing more."
"So you are to be married? You will marry, won't you?"
Slowly, Elsa nodded, unwittingly choking on a sob. "Yes."
Anna reached up, quickly dabbing at the tears at the corners of her sister's eyes. "Oh, Lise, don't cry. It's your destiny to marry Hans. To marry him and rule both kingdoms by his side, and make lots of babies- beautiful little babies with his hair and your eyes."
She swallowed thickly; the last few hours had overwhelmed her, and she hated that she was not falling apart in the safety of her temporary chambers. "What if he stops loving me?"
"Oh, Elsa." Anna pulled her close. "He will never stop loving you. He could never stop loving you. It is not in his nature. Hans is destined for you just as you are destined for him."
"When did you get so wise, Annalei?" The younger girl lifted her sister's chin, meeting her gaze. Despite the dizzying few hours, the young queen seemed to be handling it as best she could. She had been handed so much in the last few months since her coronation, and done surprisingly well for herself, all things considered. It was no wonder she was breaking now, being away from Arendelle and some of the strain her reign was putting on her. And Anna was pretty sure seeing Hans in his court was only making her sister much more aware of what they had to lose if their secret were ever found out.
Though she knew that their people loved Elsa, and would support whatever decision she made in regards to marriage, she also knew that the Arendelle court did not look kindly on foreigners taking the crown- and Hans was, for all intents and purposes, a foreigner- which made no sense, since the majority of kings and queens who had sat upon the throne before Elsa were of some form of foreign blood; their own mother being a princess of Swedish descent, chosen to marry a foreign King, which would make her Queen of her husband's country. But then again, Anna did not pretend to know anything about politics, especially royal politics. She simply knew the history of the monarchies, for they were what fascinated her the most- ancient queens of the British Isles and other countries such as Spain, whom her sister could draw from when shaping her own reign. She smiled softly at her.
"When I finally understood that I have a great queen for a sister."
Elsa lowered her head, sniffling. "I am not a great queen, Annalei."
Anna lifted her chin again. "But you will be, just like Maud and Elizabeth I and Isabel and all who came before you. You will be a great queen, just like them, if not greater. I know you will, Lise. I can 3it."
