Mending Ties Chapter 2: A Princess's Curiosity, a frozen fanfic

A Princess's Curiosity

Anna ran to catch up with the Duke, despite wearing a ball gown. It was not very becoming behavior for a young lady of Anna's stature, but coming from her this kind of behavior seemed charming to most people. "Um, Duke...Hi, hello." Anna held her hand up and tilted it to the side in a sort-of wave. "It's nice to see you again.." The nervous way Anna wrung her hands together indicated that this wasn't a two-faced greeting like most royals were prone to do. "I was thinking- if you wouldn't mind that is..I was thinking I'd escort you to Elsa's- erm, the Queen's meeting room. If you'd like." Anna bit her lower lip between her teeth while she waited for the Duke's response.

Stopping abruptly at hearing Anna's voice, the Duke blinked in surprise and turned about to face her. "Oh! Milady." He bowed his head to respect Anna's rather informal wave. The Duke had actually found Anna's casual air to be refreshing compared to the expected stuffiness that he was accustomed to back at home. He still couldn't get over how opposite Anna was to her older sister. "You want to escort me to the meeting room?" The Duke raised one eyebrow, tilting his head to the side. "But Milady, that's a duty for servants and you're...well..." He gestured towards her awkwardly. "...a princess. Wouldn't such a task be beneath you?"

Anna nodded eagerly and waved the Duke off, as if to say 'that's silly', but then stopped to consider whether the act would be truly so odd. "Well, yeah." Anna shrugged and smiled warmly. "It would give us a chance to talk." Anna asked the servant to go about his duties before inter-locking arms with the Duke , like he had done to her at Elsa's coronation ball, and pulled him along, though much more gently than the Duke had pulled her. She rested her other hand on the Duke's arm and walked off into the long halls of the castle with him.

"I see." The Duke smiled back at Anna, flattered that she actually wanted to talk to him. Perhaps there was some hope for him then with the Queen after all. "Well, why didn't you say so -" Just before he could finish, Anna had already hooked his arm in hers and pulled him into her confident stride. But the Duke was able to recover his footing despite tripping somewhat and walking with Anna properly. He smiled at her again. "So I take it that everything has been going fine for you, Milady?"

Anna nodded empathically, causing her twin braids to flop around a little on her freckle-covered shoulders. "Yes! Things have been great since Elsa brought back summer. I've never been happier in my life." Anna practically beamed when she spoke and thought of the new relationship she had with her sister. Anna looked over at the Duke with a curious look in her big, blue eyes. "How are things for you in.." Anna had to think about that one for a few seconds. She knew how upset he got over mispronunciations of his home country. "...in Weselton?" A soft smile graced Anna's lips, genuinely seeming to be interested in the Duke's well-being. She didn't think that the Duke was such a bad man, just one who was scared and made a mistake. She could forgive him for that, especially since he apologized.

The Duke listened to Anna and nodded appreciatively at her genuine attempt to say his country's name right unlike with so many others that he knew besides the ones here. "Yes, that's the correct pronunciation, Milady." How quickly he was feeling better from just talking to her. This woman's optimism was quite contagious. Upon being asked how things were going back at home, the Duke looked down solemnly. "Weselton's citizens are still upset with what your sister had done by cutting Weselton off from Arendelle. They're feeling betrayed, especially the king. He's my brother, you know..."

"I see." The Duke smiled back at Anna, flattered that she actually wanted to talk to him. Perhaps there was some hope for him then with the Queen after all. "Well, why didn't you say so -" Just before he could finish, Anna had already hooked his arm in hers and pulled him into her confident stride. But the Duke was able to recover his footing despite tripping somewhat and walk with Anna properly. He smiled at her again. "So I take it that everything has been going fine for you, Milady?"

Anna's face looked surprised. She didn't know that the Duke was the King of Weselton's brother had never actually considered how the citizens of Weselton must be feeling with trade cut off. Anna was glad to be having this conversation. Maybe this would help convince Elsa to lighten up a little. "Oh no, that's horrible...But I'm sure it'll all work out." A smile worked its way back onto Anna's pretty face. "Elsa will come around, I'm sure of it. She's just..not very trusting right now..." Anna looked down at the floor as they walked. She didn't want to be so impolite as to reference the attempted murders, but it was clear from the sour expression that quickly passed through her features that she'd had it in mind. She looked back up at the Duke again, a little more cheerful thinking about

Noticing Anna's surprise, the Duke chose to explain himself a little more thoroughly. "Perhaps I should clarify. It's not so much the trade as it is the symbolism of being shut out by someone you once knew well. You would understand that, right?" he added, gazing at her closely before looking ahead down the hall. He chose to ignore the sour expression that crept across Anna's features for he had more than a hunch what was going through her mind. "Weselton is not a big country like yours is," he started, changing the subject. "My brother rules most of it directly; I govern the one part that's farthest out and closest to Arendelle. Therefore, we don't see each other often."

Anna's hopeful remark caused the Duke to look at her once more but with a smile that was both wistful and bitter. "Unfortunately, Milady, it'll take more than a party to ease the friction between our nations. This meeting I have with your sister is what will decide the course that my brother will take with Arendelle. Much is at stake here."

Anna nodded sadly when the Duke mentioned 'being shut out'. It was a feeling she was only too familiar with...but it was better now. Still, it stuck in her mind. Anna listened to the rest of the Duke's words with rapt attention. She'd never known any of that about Weselton (she must have skipped history class with the castle tutor that day). It interested her now because of what was at stake. She hoped Elsa would make the right choice here. Before she knew it, Anna had escorted the Duke to the meeting room and she looked slightly sad that their time together was coming to an end. "Well...I wish you luck. I still think it will all work out in the end," Anna stated simply with a friendly smile. Curiously Anna forgot to release the Duke from her arm lock.

The Duke stopped abruptly mid-stride, having already gotten comfortable being with Anna and not expecting it to have ended so soon. Even though Anna had spoken what was seemingly her parting message to him, the Duke realized just as curiously that she still had not let go of his arm. Observing this with a kindness he never knew he had, the Duke found himself squeezing Anna's arm reassuringly. "I hope for the same too, Milady." Being extra careful, the Duke slid his arm out of Anna's and returned her smile gratefully. "It was nice talking with you. Be sure to take care of yourself."

Anna wasn't sure she'd see the Duke again after this. She smiled bittersweetly and nodded at the Duke. "Y-you too." Anna bit her lip. She wanted to say more, but didn't have any words. Eventually she settled on, "See you again soon, I hope." She opened the door to Elsa's meeting room and with one final nod she was gone, skipping off to somewhere else. Meanwhile Elsa in the meeting chambers stared wistfully out a window, apparently not even noticing the doors opening. She was lost in thought right now, very distracted.