Early April, 1854

Jannicke Castle

Arendellian Countryside

"Should we really be going to Jannicke now, Lise?" Anna asked, as she gently tied the ribbon of the bonnet beneath her second niece's chin. "You are in no state to travel such a distance, as far along as you are." A glare from the queen stopped anymore protests from escaping the princess's mouth, as she watched her older sister rest a hand against the mound beneath her dress.

"If you feel so certain that you wish to stay here, Anna, then you may, but I am going to Jannicke." She then turned on her heel- as well as her body would allow- and left the room; Anna sighed, urging her nieces and nephews to follow. Hans looked up as his wife made her way towards him, smiling when he took her hands. "Are you ready, my love?"

"Are you sure you're okay to travel such a distance, darling?"

"Not you too, Johannes." She growled, and he started, but soon understood what she meant when Anna appeared behind her with the children in tow. "I have-"

"Barely a week left." Her husband cut in. She glared at him, rubbing a hand against the bottom of her belly.

"and I would like some time away from Linnea." She gently reached up to brush her hands over his coat lapels. "Jannicke is the perfect place for us to spend time together as a family, especially before the babe arrives. Besides, the journey is not that long; it is merely in the countryside, not halfway across the Southern Sea." The jab at his kingdom was deliberate, and her husband grit his teeth, glancing at his sister-in-law while his wife pulled away, turning to go, before stopping and turning back. "You sound as though you have no faith in me or my ability to bear your children, husband." Then she turned and continued down the hall.

Hans huffed in annoyance, before scooping Liesel up and allowing the others ahead before following. "It is not your body I don't have faith in, Eliza, love. I have plenty of faith in your body. It's the carriage driver I have no faith in."


"Oh, it feels so good to be home." The Southern Isles King watched as his wife went to the windows, pulling back the curtains to allow the light into the study as a maid hurried over. Elsa gently motioned her away.

"Eliza," She turned back to her husband. "You need to rest."

"Don't be ridiculous, Johannes. I got plenty of rest in the carriage."

"That we were so lucky the carriage ride did not induce your labor." He muttered with a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. Even though he had not been with his wife the last five times she'd been in the family way, he knew enough about the mothering condition to recognize that his wife was to have started her confinement two months prior- and had been putting it off and putting it off, insisting that as queen, she could not just stop working. And what made it worse, was that the midwife had allowed it; he trusted the older woman when it came to helping his wife deliver his children, but on this front, he had to disagree.

"Sorry love, what did you say?" He looked up to find Elsa watching him from where she sat going through things at her desk, and after a moment, he waved it away.

"Nothing, darling." He made his way to her, searching for any signs her labor had begun, but she seemed fine. "I'm going to go make sure the children get settled. If you need anything, you'll let me know, yes?" She nodded.

"Of course." She pecked him quickly on the lips before returning to her work, and after a moment, her husband sighed, turning on his heel and heading out of the study for the nursery. She took a deep breath, resting a hand gently against her belly at the light pain. *


Despite their objections, Elsa seemed fine, but that didn't stop him or Anna from worrying. Both kept a close eye on the queen, as did Lord Bismarck who joined the family later in the evening. Over the next few days, everyone watched the queen, who seemed to be ignoring the constant stares and worrying glances cast her way. She ignored the pains that came in semi-regular intervals, but then vanished when she shifted positions, figuring it was just due to the carriage ride and that they would vanish completely in a couple days.

That's not to say she was ignorant of what was going on with her body, but the last thing she wanted to focus on while at Jannicke was labor; they had gotten away during another one of Hans' secret visits to spend time together as a family, before the baby came- and Elsa was determined that nothing would change that. But unfortunately, her body had other plans, and it put those plans into place in the mid-afternoon of the sixth of April.

The warmth of the sun splashed across her back as she sat at the desk in the study, reading through a letter from Victoria. She shifted, unable to get comfortable; it had been a constant issue all day4- especially at breakfast, as she'd sat listening to the children's excited conversation9, not hearing Hans', Anna's or Lord Bismarck's interjections, not until her husband had reached over and taken her hand, startling her out of her reverie. She'd turned to him, reassured him that she was okay, just distracted, and that she wasn't feeling up to eating, but that she would eat later.

A moment passed, as she set her pen down, releasing a slow breath. Her hand came down to stroke against the mound before her, and she grunted softly. She released another slow breath, counting the minutes in her head. "You've been ready since this morning, haven't you, little one? Is that what you've been trying to tell me? Hmm?" She scooted her chair back and with difficulty, stood, only to drop back into the chair at the next contraction as it made its appearance. "Mhm... believe me, I understand little one. I know, it's time for you to be born."

"Eliza?" She looked up as her husband came into the room, and she knew, by the way he stopped, and then hurried to her, that the situation was written all over her face. Once knelt by her side, he offered his hand, which she gratefully took, that long ago day popping back into her head. I will never kneel before you as a king, Eliza. "Love, talk to me."

"Have Anna send for the midwife, Hans."

"You're sure, Eliza?" She nodded, releasing a slow breath, before a grunt escaped her and she squeezed his hand. His mind worked backwards over the events of the day, before, "Breakfast this morning?" A nod. "Oh, Eliza, my love, why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I didn't want to worry you or Anna or Lord Bismarck... or scare the children." She released another slow breath as the contraction passed.

"So you decided waiting until you've gone into full contractions would be a good time to worry me? Yes, that was a much better plan, my darling Arendellian Snow Queen." The scathing look she shot him spoke volumes that the sarcasm dripping from his voice was not appreciated in the moment. He stood, holding out his other hand but she waved it away, pressing it against the arm of the chair to help her stand.

"Hush up with the sarcasm, and for the record, my beloved Southern Isles King," It took a few minutes, but eventually, she was back on her feet. She released a slow breath as he slid his free arm around her waist, and she covered his hand with hers. "we are not amused."

He snorted softly, pressing a soft kiss to her mouth in apology, which she willingly accepted. For the briefest of moments, they were teenagers again, sharing quiet, stolen moments in the dark of the castle before the day began- and then another contraction grabbed her around the waist, shattering the moment and she squeezed the hand at her waist with a grunt. "Come, let's get you settled so that this babe of ours can arrive in the privacy of our bedchamber and not the study*." She nodded, letting him help walk her back from to their chambers.

As they passed through the hall, their two oldest darted past in peals of laughter, forcing their parents to stop short. "Milla, Annes! You do not run through these halls!" The children paused; they had never heard their papa so stern, and after a moment, the young Crown Princess came back towards them, her doll forgotten in her brother's grasp. Blue eyes watched her mother, saw the pain contorting her beautiful features.

"Papa?"

"Mama will be fine, darling." Elsa let out a grunt, and he gathered her close to him. "Her time's just come, that's all."

"Time?" Annes asked, joining his sister; their mother nodded, releasing a breath.

"The baby, my darling prince." She replied stiffly. "Your sibling has chosen to arrive." She squeezed Hans' hand, letting out a grunt of pain. "Hans, the midwife-"

"Anna! Annalei!" A couple minutes passed, before the strawberry-haired princess came hurrying in from the front of the lodge, Lord Bismarck following.

"Hans, what-" She stopped, upon seeing the pain on her sister's face. "It's time?" He nodded. "I'll send for the midwife."

"No, Anna, help Eliza to our bedchamber. Sitron is the fastest horse this side of the Isles, I'll fetch the midwife." Gently, Hans pushed his wife towards her sister, and Anna quickly loped an arm around her sister's waist. But before he could leave, Elsa grabbed his wrist.

"Hans. You miss the birth of this babe like you've missed the last five and I will kill you." She released a breath, and after a moment, he leaned down, kissing her soundly on the mouth before pulling away with a soft smile.

"I won't be long, darling." And without another word, he was off to fetch Sitron from the stables and was soon away to fetch the midwife. Once gone, Anna turned back to her oldest niece and nephew.

"Go be with your brother and sisters. One of us come fetch you all when the baby's arrived." Then, without another word to either child, the princess and Lord Bismarck helped the queen return to her chambers.