Chapter 1

As auroras of pale gold and peach broke through the horizon, morning light fluttered over the village and castle; slowly creeping along the walls to slither through the windows. While daybreak idly roused the spirits of Arendelle, anxiety pierced right through the heart of the castle.

The servants of the palace scurried through the halls, piles upon piles of cleaning tools and silverware being scampered about. All the while whispers fizzled in the atmosphere in time with shining the halls and baking for not just the meeting between the royal executives of the Isles and Arendelle. There were rumors of a union between the two to nations. Rumors of a future. A future bundled in a minuscule blanket of joy.

"I heard the Eastern Isles' princess is coming," a maid whispered to her companion, dusting off a coat of arms in the hallway.

The other maid rolled her eyes, spitting onto her washcloth as she rubbed it against a particularly difficult smudge on the armor. "I didn't know beggars were allowed to these meetings anymore. And if anything, our king won't even spare a glance at her."

The maid shot a glare at her friend, leaning back to examine the armor. "And who do you think he'll be interested in?"

"Not some scrawny, washboard," she snapped, throwing her washcloth over her shoulder. She glanced at the other maid with a wiggle of her eyebrows. "I heard the Northern Isles is sending their king, and what better candidate than someone up to his speed?"

The maid's eyes widened as a blush burned across her cheeks.

"You don't think…" She started.

"Pfft, I'm joking idiot." She said as they headed down the hall. She leaned over and whispered, "But really, who wouldn't want a piece of him?"

The maid's blush grew darker as she swatted at her friend's arm with her duster, unbeknownst to them however, their said king just behind the corner. Elias rolled his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose irritably as he ventured down the hall once more. His stomach twisted into a knot at the recent bombardments of future heirs and marriage during meetings, now they were slithering into his halls as well. A shudder ran down his spine as he glanced down at the floor. He winced, at the trail of snow following his heels.

I'm king for barely three years, he thought with a grimace, flicking his wrist at the snow as it instantly disappeared. And I'm already being pushed into the breeding pool.

He shook his head and brought his gaze up towards the hall with a soft smile. He came to a halt in front of a white door and gently rapped his knuckles against the wood. As he waited, his fingers twined together behind his back while he sucked in a breath.

Get it together, Elias! He chastised his self as he knocked on the door again.

"Andy?" Elias called softly. "I was wondering if you'd like to join me for breakfast. I have some free time before my next meeting."

The silence that answered him, made his fingers twine themselves tighter.

Was wondering if you'd like to join me for breakfast? Elias frowned at the words he just spoke. Great, could you be any more diplomatic? Elias's brows furrowed as the silence ate away his patience.

"Andy?" Elias called again, knocking on the door with a bit more force. Not even a snore answered his calls. He mumbled under his breath, "You can just say 'no,' you know?"

"Good morning, your majesty."

Elias whirled around to be greeted with a small bow who looked from him to the door with a soft smile. Elias blinked, shaking his head as he nodded towards the woman.

"Good morning, Kai." He ran a hand through his ivory locks with a soft groan. "I'm sorry you had to hear that."

Kai shrugged her shoulders, tucking a basket full of folded sheets under her arm.

"If you're looking for your brother, he's not here." She said. Elias arched an eyebrow at her as she continued, "He got up early this morning. Said he had some 'princely matters' to attend to."

Elias sheepishly eyed the door and back at his head maid.

"Do you know where he is now?" he asked.

"Somewhere about in the market. He'll be back later this afternoon, just in time to prepare for the meeting." She added the last part quickly as he nodded.

His heart sank, trudging downstairs to his study while glancing out of the windows adorning the halls. So much for our little talk, Elias thought bitterly. After addressing the maids to bring his meal to his study, Elias sank into the thick chair with a sigh. He glanced down at the scattered letters upon his desk, cringing at each parchment. He snatched one in his hand, ignoring the frost slowly decorating its edges as he sighed, "I'm sure he'll be—"


"—reasonable? You call this reasonable?" Andy snapped at a man behind a booth.

The man rolled his eyes as he watched the small man shake a ring in his hand. Hoards of villagers strolled through the market, sparing a glance at the booth uneasily as the man fumed.

"Sir," the owner of the booth said, "If you want the ring, you'll pay what I ask."

Andy narrowed his eyes as he pulled his hat further down over his head, growling, "I would pay if you weren't being a con-artist right now."

The thin frown lines around the owner's mouth deepened, leaning over Andy.

"500 krones is completely reasonable for such a gem."

Andy's brows furrowed deeper, his fiery, blue orbs challenging the man. He pressed closer onto the booth's stand, hissing, "Not when it was 200 yesterday."

"If you won't pay, then go find another ring!" The owner snarled at the boy, snatching the ring from his hand.

Andy flinched, glancing longingly at the silver ring with jade and sapphire gems embedded into the metal. He bit his lip, tugging at his hat heatedly, and stormed away from the booth. He sauntered through the crowd to the side of the street, where a man glanced up at him uneasily. Andy leaned back against their cart with a scowl stretching over his lips.

"Your highness," the man murmured softly. "Don't you think we should be heading back to the castle now?" Andy's glared at the jewelry booth he was just at as he crossed his arms. "You must prepare for the meeting after all."

Andy glanced down at the man beside him, his doughy cheeks dusted a light red from the cool chill autumn had settled upon the kingdom. He shrugged his shoulders, brushing thick strands of his hair under his hat.

"Don't worry Georg." He said. "This is all part of the game."

"Game?" Georg arched his brows.

"Yeah. You see that stubborn owner over there," Andy nodded his head to the jewelry booth where the owner was now fawning over a new customer. Andy clucked his tongue, "He's going to try and sell that ring, but once he sees no one wants to buy it I'll creep my back over there and buy it for a good 350 krones."

Georg glanced over at the booth, watching a woman cloaked in a dark brown shawl examine the ring carefully under the light. "Your highness, I think he's going to sell it."

Andy waved him off. "He's not going to sell it."

"She's bringing out the krones."

"She's not bringing out—"

"He's taking the krones."

"He's not taking—"

"He sold it."

"What?"

Andy bolted from the side of the road, darting through the crowd of villagers until he slammed his hands onto the booth's stall. Nostrils flaring, Andy pointed to the woman who was walking away.

"What was that?" he gawked.

The owner eyed him up and down with a shrug. "She wanted it. She bought it. It's that simple."

Andy's fingers dragged his hat over his head. He swallowed down the stream of curses lining up on his tongue, slowly backing away from the booth. He squinted through the crowd, watching helplessly as the woman and his ring disappeared.

"What person pays 500 krones for a piece of metal?" He groaned.

"She paid 350."

Andy snapped his eyes up at the owner, his fingers twitching for the man's wrinkled collar. "I offered the same deal!"

The owner smirked down at him as the boy seethed. Scratching the bare spot of his scalp he shrugged, "She was cuter."

Andy's eye twitched, all inhibitions of keeping out of sight in public thrown into the wind as he leaped over the booth's stand. As he crashed against the owner, passer bys turned towards the booth with wide eyes while a group of soldiers huddled over. One of the soldiers kneeled down, carefully laying a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Sir, please, let—" the soldier was jerked off to the side as Andy sent of flurry of punches and kicks upon the owner. The soldier glanced over to his companions, giving them a nod as they leaped onto the boy to drag him away.

The soldiers wrapped their arms around Andy's flailing arms, peeling him away from the owner's body. The owner hacked, rubbing his neck as the boy's legs kicked in frenzy. Andy growled, cursing at the owner waving goodbye to him with a smirk, as he was dragged away from the market place. Georg ran a hand over his face, sighing exasperatedly while jogging through the path of villagers huddling around the soldiers.

"Lord, help us tonight." He prayed under his breath, making a straight beeline to the soldiers.