As the Duke likewise dusted himself off and adjusted his tilted pince-nez, his frown deepened with each new excuse the Queen attempted to reassure Anna with. Just who was the Queen kidding? The Duke thought she was done with hiding the truth from Anna. At any rate, the Queen ought to be grateful that it was Anna who luckily barged in and not some scheming servant or dignitary (as the Duke regrettably had come to know) who could blackmail her through this incident.
The Duke looked at Anna first after the Queen was done talking. Of course, Anna was obviously unconvinced by the situation "not being what it looked like." Hah. Just like how the ice shooting out of the Queen's hand was not what it looked like, too? "Well..." the Duke began, a bitter half-smile twisting the wrinkles that lined his face. His businesslike tone was noticeably strained and curt. "...now you know what I feel towards your sister. I trust then you won't divulge any of this for the Queen's sake?"
Upon finishing that last sentence, the Duke peered out of the corner of his eye towards the Queen, giving her a pointed look as if to mean "this wasn't over." Soon switching his attention over to the Queen entirely, he continued to speak, not allowing for her or anything else to interrupt him. Interruptions of any kind had always triggered the Duke's worst moods, especially during moments as messy as now. "Your Majesty," he uttered after inhaling slowly to keep calm, his flared nostrils the only outward sign of his internal struggle.
The Duke gave a quick bow of his head, a repeat of the one in the throne room; but this was only out of courtesy, a polite facade of setting things back as before. The Duke knew well there was no going back. He gazed up at the Queen, the muscles in his jaw taut. Really, the only positive assurance he had with the Queen knowing such sensitive information about his person was that she was too inexperienced to use it to her advantage. Much the same as in the Queen's situation, if it were anyone else, the Duke would've come to regret all this just as painfully. But that any slip-up happened was bad enough. The end result was that the Duke gave into his weakness and one moment was all it took.
"Obviously, I'm not done here with Arendelle," the Duke went on to inform the Queen, relying on what he knew over what was to come. Too much had already today for the Duke to stress over the future as well. "We'll have to schedule another meeting, later in the week. Properly," he later added emphatically before looking down and pinching the bridge of his nose. "I have no preference as to how you arrange it so long as it gets done."
The Duke looked at the Queen again and his bright blue eyes suddenly flashed. He couldn't decide which worse: being the object of the Queen's curiosity or derision, either way...an object. Equally, whether he intended for what he said next to be some vague double-entendre, even the Duke wasn't certain. The only thing he could be certain on was, yet again, his frustration with the Queen. "Unless you wish to know me further beforehand..."
Anna nodded slowly in response to the Duke's question, still looking completely dumbfounded at all of this. She hadn't even blinked since seeing the Duke and Elsa in their carnal embrace. Of course she'd never tell anyone about this. The rumor alone could ruin Elsa's reputation. Elsa, however, saw things differently. Reputation, blackmail and the other dignitaries never entered into her mind. This was all personal and the Duke was telling Anna about everything. She should have been the one to explain things to her, if indeed things needed explaining. The young queen was silent, but seething as the Duke continued to blather on, uninterrupted. She regarded him with an icy glare and had to fight with herself not to cross her arms like a petulant child. She was Queen of Arendelle and she would act like it. By the end of the Duke's rant, Elsa had buried the incident that had just occurred deep enough to drop the glare and regard the Duke with a small, polite smile that was obviously faker than any facial expression she'd ever made. "No, Duke, I don't think I will need to see you again before our next public meeting," Elsa stated matter-of-factly, with only a tinge of unexpressed emotion. "I'll see you at our next meeting. Until then, I hope you enjoy your stay with us. You're dismissed." She turned her back to the Duke, wanting nothing more than for him to be out of her presence so that she could deal with her sister properly.
When the Queen gave her last message towards the Duke (the textbook definition of "dismissive") and turned away, the Duke was absolutely seething. His trembling hands clenched into fists of their own accord. How...how dare she?! After everything that just happened?! Was he not good enough for even the smallest acknowledgment?! Hissing air through his teeth, the Duke ironed out his tense features with the last bit of dignity he possessed. Figures the Queen would want him gone. Though the Duke could only fathom to guess whatever cockamamie story the Queen could come up with for Anna to believe in here.
"A word of advice, Your Majesty," grounded out the Duke, unmistakable hurt finally entering his voice, "Your sister is not stupid and she is not a child. I suggest you stop treating her like one." Issuing that as his own final remark, the Duke whirled around and stormed off to his assigned room in the palace to be alone with his ungentlemanly thoughts.
Elsa was still, having no visible reaction to the Duke or his advice. However, she was listening. His words stung, as she knew them to be true. Anna was going to find out everything about her encounter with the Duke now and nothing Elsa said would stop her from that. Thankfully, in Elsa's mind at least, there was nothing to tell. After the Duke left, Elsa informed Anna of the situation, explaining that the Duke professed his love for her and came onto her before she could do anything about it, conveniently skirting around the fact that she had kissed him back and had not made very much effort to disentangle herself from him before Anna's arrival. Anna, for her part, noticed the important lack of detail in Elsa's story and after some time of trying to pry, looking for more answers, the younger Arendelle royal set out to find more answers on her own. Anna lightly knocked on the door to the Duke's room in the castle. She was sure the Duke would be far more receptive to her questioning than Elsa ever would be. Anna's hands were clasped behind her back and she swayed from side to side, impatiently.
The Duke's face was buried in his hands when he heard the soft knock on his door. Briefly, his fingers curled against his aching forehead. Whoever could it be, now? Already, the Duke was considering whether he should open the door period. The last thing he wanted was yet another stinging lecture from the Queen. Then the Duke considered simple facts. If it were truly the Queen waiting for him, the knocking would've been more insistent, yes? Not this almost hesitant knocking...right? Gulping and murmuring to himself not to panic, the Duke hesitantly got up from where he sat on the bed and made his way to the door. Unfastening the lock and opening it a fracture, he saw a freckled face staring back at him. "Milady?"
Anna smiled awkwardly at the Duke, only now thinking about how improper this visit must be. What would Elsa think? "Um, hi," Anna greeted the Duke quickly before she looked around to see if anyone was watching her. Thankfully there were no servants around. Anna bit her lower lip between her teeth and wrung her hands together behind her back. "I'm sorry to come by like this…unannounced…but I need to talk to you. Can I - would you mind if I came in?" The Duke had mentioned something to Elsa about not keeping Anna in the dark, but Anna was still not sure that he would talk to her about the incident personally. Anna's deep, blue eyes looked into the Duke's imploringly.
Regarding Anna, the Duke marveled at her boldness to arrive here without a single servant to accompany her. So she was serious in wanting to talk with him. It must be about...that. The Duke inwardly cringed; what else? Still, the Duke nodded his consent to Anna's request. "Of course." His answer was hushed as he checked left and right down the halls. "But do come in quick or someone might see you." Pushing the door all the way out, the Duke let Anna inside before quickly shutting (and locking) it again. Next, he faced Anna with caution, a gloved hand clasped in front of his chest. "What exactly do you want to talk about?"
Anna hurried inside and let the Duke close and lock the door behind him. She knew this was improper etiquette, a lady of her station visiting a man like this, but she didn't care. She needed to know what happened between him and Elsa. Anna took a nervous breath before saying a word. "I want to talk about…you know…" Anna rolled her eyes to the side, in a motion that was unclear, even though they both already knew exactly what she was talking about. She let her statement hang in the silent air between them for a few seconds before outright stating what she was here for. "Elsa. I want to talk about you and Elsa." Anna watched the Duke, looking for any reaction, before taking another long breath. "So….do you both really have…feelings for each other? Do you love Elsa?"
It was during Anna's momentary silence that reality sunk in for the Duke as the sun was likewise setting into the horizon outside. Polite manners would certainly look down upon a man locking a woman into the same room as himself (despite it being out of necessity). Even for the Duke, this day had been record-breaking in breaking societal norms. What would his big brother think of the Duke, committing faux-pas after faux-pas like some ignorant commoner? As if the Duke hadn't disappointed his brother enough already?
Then, before the Duke could prepare himself for handling it, Anna innocently brought up the dreaded subject of the Queen, of feelings, of...love. Now they truly were heading in forbidden territory; a unmarried man and woman discussing love in a locked room? The Duke's lips parted with worry and he brought his hand near his beating heart. He had to end this discussion as soon as possible for the sake of both their decencies. Soon though, it was the Duke's turn to pause. Love, he thought again as the word came to the forefront of his mind. Up until today, the Duke had kept quiet on his muddled feelings towards the Queen herself, a stark contrast to the impersonal, legal matters that he had returned home to argue over. The Duke, of course, knew better than to mention this infatuation of his. Not when it would've made the Duke appear even more incompetent in his brother's eyes. But...Anna was not the Duke's brother. And furthermore, the Duke was...lonely. Indeed, far, far lonelier than he had previously assumed. Glancing down before inhaling audibly, the Duke looked back at Anna and allowed for more of those bottled emotions to be let loose.
"I thought I did once," he slowly began, averting his gaze again. It seemed like another lifetime, despite being a few months in actuality, when the Duke first saw the Queen at her coronation, gave away his heart so freely against his better judgment (at least, that part remained consistent). "Now..." the beleaguered man sighed and pressed his clenched hand down upon his chest, "I wish I knew." He next gave Anna a sullen expression that made him appear even more physically drained. "She wasn't who I thought she was."
The Duke soon turned stiffly to the side and paced over to one corner of the room from a sudden bout of agitation. But as per usual, he went on talking as if Anna was still directly in front of him. "So as for your sister, I can't say," he declared, shaking his head and gesturing to indicate the absent Queen, literally pointing out what had happened. "She kissed me first for one reason or none whatsoever." That aforementioned corner was what ultimately forced the Duke to come to a standstill. Unseen by Anna from where she was, the Duke's eyes glistened underneath his now-crumpled brow, the water's edge atop a full glass.
"I hate this," he bit out as his chest constricted oh-so painfully against his will. His shoulders slouching to match his face, the Duke's mouth simultaneously fell open , his breathing becoming harsher with every new word wrenched out of him. "She's such a brat." He rubbed his stiff fingers over his brow in a second, futile attempt to smooth it over, only this time, it didn't work. "Why can't she ever listen?"
The Duke grimaced and screwed his eyes shut as they prickled with heat. Though the man gave every indication of one about to cry or break down, there were no potential tears present. Hands balling at his sides, the Duke spun about towards Anna, his voice just as wrecked as his features must've been, anger and anguish corroding him together from the inside out. "I did try to explain myself back then." The palm of his ramrod-straight hand slammed down audibly just under his collarbone. "Don't I deserve to be heard?"
Anna blinked once and then again. She'd come to the Duke's room to hear his side of the story, but she'd never expected such passion, such hurt behind his words. Every word he said felt like it cut her heart deep. She looked away from the Duke uncomfortably at first, trying to process this all and understand the pain behind the Duke's tormented eyes. She almost couldn't bear to look at him. He was so vulnerable and helpless. He was lashing out because he didn't think there was anything else he could do. Anna's bright, blue eyes eventually flicked up to look at the Duke. "I'm sorry," she muttered softly. She took a small step towards the Duke. "Y- you do deserve to be heard…" Anna reached out slowly, hesitantly, before resting a soft hand on the Duke's shoulder.
She bit her lip, trying to think of something to do, some way to make this right for everyone involved. "I'll talk to Elsa. If she really kissed you then…" Anna let her sentence trail off. It could mean any number of things, but being the believer in true love that she was, let her romantic inclinations take hold. "I'll talk to her," she repeated forcefully. "We'll figure this whole thing out, I promise," she assured the Duke, confidently. One might even say over-confidently. "If you really love her, you shouldn't give up," she urged the Duke as she took his other shoulder in her hand and grasped lightly. "True Love can't be given up on. You have to fight for it!" Anna smiled widely. She was hoping her pep talk was having some positive effect on the Duke, especially as it was now only reminding her of her failed relationships with Hans and Kristoff. Her smile didn't falter, however. She would stay positive. True love was real and her sister would have it.
It had been less than a moment later when the Duke felt the full crush of his feelings physically affect him. That one frustrated exclamation was what clinched it. The Duke's vision grew blurry, his hearing fuzzy; he was on the verge of passing out from feeling this much at once. No wonder he had held it in for so long, ignored it for so long. Only the gentle touch of Anna's hand upon his shoulder broke through to the Duke. He gasped in a rush of air and peered up at Anna, blinking owlishly as his scattered thoughts rearranged themselves.
As Anna continued to tell him a flurry of reassurances and encouragements, the Duke's hands gradually relaxed in newfound contemplation. Anna made it sound so simple, that the Queen would actually be willing to listen to him without hesitation. It reminded him far too much of how overconfident he himself had been - just to have his precious expectations dashed. But, for once, the Duke didn't contradict what was being told to him or ramble off into another tangent. Instead, he merely stared at Anna through red-rimmed eyes and nodded his head numbly. "Alright, Milady," he agreed, his voice gravelly in its tiredness. "If...if it is possible with your sister...I will forever be in your debt." He averted eye-contact as shame from his recent behavior overtook him, how Anna had been patient with him like a mother with an unruly child (the unflattering comparison certainly not helped by their height difference). "I wish...I had talked to you before..."
Anna smiled softly down at the Duke. It pained her to see him like this, but it also proved to her how the Duke thought of Elsa and that warmed her heart. She made a mental note to convey his emotional anguish when she talked to Elsa about him. If she had feelings for him, like Anna suspected she did, then surely Elsa would be sympathetic to his feelings. Anna thought that Elsa might be even feeling something similar, herself, considering how confused she looked earlier. When the Duke talked of repaying a debt, Anna waved him off like it was no big deal, which it wasn't to her. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure you'd do the same for me." The strawberry-blonde-haired girl's smile widened. "I'm going to go talk to Elsa right away," she exclaimed, excitedly. She just about to run out of the room, but stopped short, half-way there. "Oh! And when you talk to Elsa, tell her all the things you told me…just…with a little less…" Anna squinted and pinched her index finger and thumb together, leaving barely any space between them. "…seething. You'll do great, I'm sure. Elsa will love it!"
When Anna mentioned that she was going to speak to the Queen "right away" and started to fly out the door, the Duke quickly craned his head in her direction. "Wait, Milady!" Hurrying over to Anna, the Duke gazed at her beseechingly. "While I appreciate your actions...I myself can't speak to the Queen 'right away.' If I'm to be civil," the Duke squeezed the back of his neck and bit his lip, "this must not be rushed. And she does have a grudge against me. I wouldn't expect her to agree to see me 'right away' either. Especially after how I acted in the meeting room," he muttered while blushing.
Anna nodded slowly, not really paying attention to what the Duke was saying at all, though she heard and understood it. She was more focused on his body language. He was clearly beyond nervous to speak with Elsa again. "I'm just going to go talk to her," she assured him with a playful smile. "She'll talk to you when she's ready, which I guess might not be right away, but it probably be pretty soon. It'll be fine, don't worry about it." Anna looked at the Duke curiously. Did he not want her to leave? Did he want company? Was he lonely? All of these thoughts flew through Anna's head and they made her feel a little ashamed that she'd ever thought of leaving him alone in this sad state. "…But I guess I could hold off on talking to Elsa. She probably needs some time to think about things anyway." Anna smiled brightly at the Duke.
The Duke smiled somewhat back at Anna, partly out of politeness and partly out of gratitude. Though the man barely had the strength to do much else, didn't even want to smile since he was indeed terribly nervous at the prospect of speaking with the Queen again...Anna did deserve that last bit of effort on his part. "Yes, that's probably for the best. We both need time alone." The Duke glanced at the door; a most peculiar instinct was insisting that he not unfasten its lock and keep Anna here with him for the night. But fortunately the Duke's better sensibilities won out and he shook that instinct off. He was a grown man and all this was beyond inappropriate, no matter how pathetically insecure he may have felt. "I won't keep you any longer, Milady," he soon told Anna, halfheartedly nudging in the door's direction with the same beseeching look as before. "You should head to your room now."