Anna stood at the village square again, watching as the Queen stepped out of the carriage. She looked around the crowd with her icy blue eyes, seemingly taking in every single countenance before her. Eventually, after what felt like a century, their eyes locked, the Queen's widening slightly.
Before Anna knew what happened, the Queen had waved her servants off and climbed down the stage. The crowd slowly parted in front of her with every slow step she took. With every stride the Queen came closer to Anna. Closer. Closer still. She felt her father and brother stepping away from her, a circle of intrigued citizens forming around her and the Queen. She's standing right in front of Anna now, but not slowing down.
Before Anna could do anything consciously, she felt the Queen's cold fingers caressing her cheek, moving to her ear, and further to the back of her head, softly gripping her red hair. She felt the other hand snaking around her waist, pulling her closer to the royal beauty in front of her. There was barely enough time for Anna to catch a glimpse of blue eyes before their lips locked together, the Queen engaging in a sweet and passionate kiss.
Anna didn't know what she had expected, but this was certainly not it. She'd never even thought about women like this. Her feelings were still a jumble, but she felt herself returning the kiss nonetheless. She couldn't help it... It just felt right. The Queen pulled back far too soon for her liking. As she looked at the woman in her arms, a bright light suddenly shone in her face. The Queen smiled ruefully, and Anna was about to ask what was wrong when everything suddenly faded.
Anna grumbled under her breath, keeping her eyes firmly closed in hopes of blocking the sunlight out. When she realized that didn't work, she slowly sat up, wondering for a moment why the sun was even shining in her face.
Oh, right. Camping. The Queen... The Queen!
The dream suddenly flooded her mind again, making her wonder what that was all about. She felt the blood rushing to her cheeks as she thought about it, not entirely sure what to think.
"Well, that was intense," she muttered to herself, rubbing her forehead.
"Pleasant dreams?" a voice suddenly rang from behind her. Anna immediately turned her head, causing her neck to make a cracking sound, which she ignored in favour of the Queen sitting on the grass next to her, an amused but decidedly non-royal smirk on her face.
"What? No! I mean, yes! Very, but- I- What? I mean, what are you doing here?" Anna's face turned into an even deeper shade of crimson, a feat she had thought impossible. "Your Majesty!" she added as an afterthought.
To her surprise, the Queen only presented her with a small smile, her royal air quickly returning to her. "Well, I couldn't very well leave without apologising for chasing you out of your room, could I? Really, you shouldn't have slept out here on my account."
"Nonsense! It was totally worth it for getting you in my bed. Wait, what? That came out wrong. I'm not as creepy as that sounded, really. But why would you believe me? All I've been doing is rambling and embarrassing myself, and-"
"Anna," the Queen interrupted. "I don't think you're a creep. And while I feel guilty about stealing your room like that, I am also very grateful. Me and my men will be leaving in half an hour. If you want to see us off with your father and brother, you should probably go and get ready."
Anna looked around, only now realising that guards and servants were running around the farm like ants, occasionally shooting an odd glance at her and the Queen, sitting in the middle of the field. She couldn't blame them, really.
Unlike her normal mornings, during which Anna needed at least an hour to look somewhat presentable, she managed to run through her morning routine in exactly half an hour, after which she and her family made their way to the square, where the royal carriage still stood waiting. Half the crowd that had been there yesterday had massed together again, wanting to see the Queen off.
She already stood on the makeshift stage, her royal aura lingering around her, but appearing approachable and human nonetheless. "Good citizens of Hellmark. It is time for me to move on, but not before thanking you for the kindness you have shown me and my men. Had it not been for you, our stay here would not have been possible. You gave us food and shelter, and for that you all have my thanks. Once I return to the capital, I will see to addressing the issues that some of you have raised with me yesterday. Hellmark is far from the capital, but I want you to know that if ever there is a need here, you need only send word to my palace. I left carrier pigeons at Oaken Farm to carry your messages."
The crowd, small as it was, cheered and applauded loudly, Anna supplying her own voice to the tumult as well. She'd never met the old king and queen, but she felt certain that they could not have been as good at their job as the current Queen was. Nor half as beautiful, her mind added, causing Anna to jump slightly at the memory of her dream.
The Queen disappeared into the golden carriage, and Anna watched with mixed feelings until the it disappeared from sight. The walk back to the farm was quiet, Anna deep in thought, analyzing and over-analyzing her dream. For some reason, her mind would not leave it alone, no matter how absurd it had been. But hey, who cares! It was a good dream!
Once they arrived home, Kristoff and Oaken immediately set to cleaning up the barn, even though the Queen's men had left it in a better state than they had found it in. Anna made her way to her room, intending to clean the mess the Queen might have left, as well as changing into some less formal clothes. The fancy green dress was really not suitable for working on the farm.
As soon as she entered her room, Anna noticed something different. It took her a moment to realise what was off exactly. As she sat down on the bed, which was meticulously made, it hit her. Her scent. It was strongest around the bed, but Anna could smell the vague scent of the Queen all around her room. Pine trees, winter and mint, she mused to herself. She stopped herself from opening the window. Gah, like the air outside could be better than the air in here. She turned to leave again, but stopped when she noticed something foreign on her desk.
There, in the middle of her desk, was a shiny silver hairbrush. It looked remarkably expensive, fitting for a Queen indeed. "She must have forgotten it," Anna muttered to herself. She picked it up delicately, placing it in her nearly empty drawer. I'll keep it safe until I get a chance to return it.
Anna sat at the table, staring at the remains of her dinner, waiting for her father to finish his. It had now been many weeks since the Queen's visit. Anna wasn't really certain how long it had been exactly, she had lost count after four weeks. Anna wasn't really good at keeping track of time. All she knew was that today marked the end of this year's farming season, and she had been busy all day because of it. Good busy, not bad busy, of course. She had visited every shop in the village to let them know Oaken Farm would not be providing anymore vegetables for a while, and collecting the money the shopkeepers still owed them. She had also taken a few minutes to watch a large group of carpenters renovating the old church – the Queen had kept her promise and sent them over shortly after leaving Hellmark. Afterwards, she had tended to the animals, something that needed to be done even in the off-season.
Oaken cleared his throat, the universal sign that she needed to pay attention. "Kristoff, when are you leaving?"
Leaving? Oh, right, yeah! Kristoff always travels to the capital to renew the lease on the farmlands and all the other paperwork.
"I was planning to leave after dinner, if that's alright?" Kristoff grumbled. "Sven and the sleigh are ready."
Oaken nodded. "Have you packed, Anna?"
Well, that seems a very logical question. After all, if Kristoff is going to- what?
"Me? Packed? No why?"
"You're going with Kristoff, ya? We discussed this, hm?"
Anna pondered deeply. Did we really? When?
"Months ago," Oaken answered Anna's unasked question. Although, in hindsight, maybe she had asked it out loud. She couldn't tell for certain.
"Right. I'll get packed straight away. I'll be ready in a jiffy!"
True to her word, Anna jumped off from her chair, raced to her room, grabbed a bag, and started stuffing half the contents of her room in it. How long will the trip even be? Never mind, no time to ask! Just... Just pack everything you can fit!
Despite her hurry, she remembered placing the ornate silver hairbrush in her bag, the thought of delivering it to the castle passing through her mind fleetingly. Within minutes, she was back in the living room, Kristoff and her father looking at her with raised eyebrows.
"Done!"
"Done?"
"Done!"
"Okay... good. Just put your bag in the sleigh, and we'll leave..."
Sitting in the sleigh, Anna could hardly have been more enthusiastic. She'd never left her village before. She was finally going to see the world! Or, well, at least see the kingdom. A part of it. For the first half hour, she chattered on and on, Kristoff answering all her questions with a glint of amusement in his eyes. As soon as it started to get darker, though, Anna felt her energy flow away from her, slumping into the sleigh's seat.
"It's okay, Anna. You can go to sleep. By the time you wake up, we should be close to the capital."
Anna wanted to murmur something in response, but failed utterly when she opened her mouth and was unable to hold back a very unladylike yawn. "Mmkay."
By the time she opened her eyes, the sun was already starting to rise again, and Kristoff was snoring next to her. Yet another way in which he chases all the wildlife away. It's a wonder I slept through that... She noticed how Sven seemed to know the way on his own, needing no guidance from his master to pull the sleigh in the right direction.
They were coming down a hill, and down in the distance, Anna could see the city. It had to be the capital. No other city could possibly be that large. Or have such a magnificent castle. Or all those ships in the harbour.
She woke Kristoff up when they drew nearer to the city, and soon enough they were entering it. Anna's head whipped from left to right, wishing she had an extra pair of eyes to take her new surroundings in. Since she lacked those, however, she satisfied herself with her head turning continuously. She eyed the merchants, trying to sell their wares to every passing body. She stared at the guards, walking around in shining armour, their faces stern. She listened to the seagulls as they drifted above the massive ships bobbing in the water.
Eventually, Sven stopped, and Anna noticed they were parked in front of a small, shoddy inn. Kristoff told her to stay put until he returned, which only took him a few minutes.
"We'll be sleeping in the barn tonight. Hopefully, our business here will be finished tomorrow, so we can go back to the normal world."
"But it's beautiful here!"
"It's madness," Kristoff grumbled, "and I won't stay here any longer than necessary."
After parking the sleigh and making sure Sven was comfortable, Anna accompanied Kristoff to a large building, a sign outside reading 'Town Hall.' Kristoff had explained this was where Arendelle's officials were available, and they would have no trouble getting their documents in order. As soon as they walked up to the desk, Anna trailing behind her big brother, Kristoff tensed up.
"Excuse me, where is Lord Clemington? I need to renew our lease and license for Oaken Farm."
"Clemington retired," a grumpy, old man answered. Anna didn't like the look of him. He sat behind his desk with an air of superiority, wearing rich purple robes and rings on all his fingers. He also wore a decorative necklace and a purple hat covering his long, grey hair. "You'll be dealing with me. So, Oaken Farm?"
Kristoff nodded. "Lord Clemington wasn't that old, though, was he? Why did you get this position?"
The man looked up, clearly peeved. "No need to address me in such a way, boy. I'm Lord Orthal. You'll be dealing with me, or not at all."
"Oh really, Mr. Orthal? Just... just renew the documents, sign them, stamp them, and we'll be on our way again."
Lord Orthal narrowed his eyes, glaring down at them. He then turned his attention to the documents, a creepy smile forming on his lips. "I don't think I will be doing that. You're family has held these lands long enough. Maybe it is time for someone else to take it over. Your request will be denied."
Kristoff's jaw fell slack, Anna merely looking from one to the other. "What does that mean?"
The nobleman grinned at her. "You'll be evicted from your farm. Your home. Someone else will continue working your land. Or maybe the government will decide to build a factory in its stead."
"No! You can't do that!"
"I just did, girl."
Kristoff had to drag her back to their barn, keeping Anna from hitting anyone in the face in her anger. Once they had settled on the bales of hay that would form their home for the night, Anna finally settled down. "So, what now?"
"We let Sven rest a while, go back to Hellmark, and tell dad the news," Kristoff sighed.
"There must be something we can do!" Anna almost whined.
"Only a noble of higher rank can top Orthal's orders," Kristoff mumbled. He didn't notice the change in his little sister's countenance.
"Kristoff!"
"Yeah?"
"How long does Sven need to rest?"
"At least until tonight. He's been walking all night."
Anna grabbed her bag, swinging it over her shoulder. "I'll be right back. Just... exploring."
"Sure, but don't get-" Anna was already gone, Kristoff's words lost to the sleeping reindeer. She had just thought up something. Something crazy, that would never work. But she had to at least try, right? She couldn't very well let some snobbish old man kick them out of her home.
Elsa sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of her nose, trying to block out the sound of the bickering advisers. They had been here for over an hour, discussing trivial affairs that she really didn't care about. The little things weren't meant for the Queen. That's what she had councils and advisers for, right? Right.
"That's enough," she spoke. Her voice hadn't been raised, but it was full of authority nonetheless, and accompanied by the sudden drop in temperature, it was more than enough to silence everyone. "Surely I won't need to replace you all with children from the orphanage, right? Stop bickering and act like the grown men you are. Now, since we don't seem to be getting anywhere with this bickering over taxes, I suggest we move on and cover this issue next week."
"Of course, Your Majesty," the eldest of the men answered humbly. "The next point on the schedule is the evaluation of your public campaign."
"Very well," Elsa sighed. "Since the goal was for the entire country to see my face, I think it was a success."
"It certainly was, Your Majesty. We're hearing positive sounds from across the kingdom. Everyone is impressed and pleased with your actions. There's just the issue of the expenses..."
"Explain?"
"You've ordered repairs on nearly thirty structures, the founding of three new orphanages, commissioned five new ships to be made and sent to the fishing villages... It's costing a large amount of gold, Your Majesty."
"What would you have had me do? Promise them to help out, and then turn them away when they explain their issues?"
"No- Of course not, You-" Elsa's attention was caught by her head servant, Kai, who walked up to her side and moved his mouth close to her ear.
"There's someone calling for you at the front gate."
Front gate? None of the noble visitors would be calling for me there. They would be allowed inside, shown a room, and then I'd meet them during the morning proceedings. Why would someone be at the front gate?
She cleared her throat, looking up at the men in front of her. "We're done for today, gentlemen. I'll hear no more of this expense nonsense. If need be I'll repay the Crown from my personal vault. The citizens needed my help, and I wouldn't be a good Queen if I didn't help. Now, you can leave."
The men immediately got up, gathering their papers, bowed and left the room. Elsa also stood, motioning for Kai to lead the way. Not that she didn't know the way, of course. They walked for several minutes, and Elsa was just about to ask if he knew who was at the gate, when a loud voice rang through the hallway.
"But I need to see her! I have something of hers, and I need to return it. I must see the Queen!"
That voice. I recognise that voice...
Elsa tried her best to remember, but failed utterly, until she actually turned the corner, watching a fiery redhead waving a hairbrush in the face of one of her guards.
"And why would a little farmer girl like you have the Queen's hairbrush? It's probably just a silly worthless trinket."
Elsa wasn't sure what happened, but the guards comments, and his mocking tone, worked like a red cloth on a bull. Her voice was sharp and clear when she spoke up.
"Actually, that is my favourite hairbrush. I forgot it when I stayed at Oaken Farm in Hellmark."
The guard pivoted, shock plastered on his face, before kneeling down on a knee.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty."
Elsa merely nodded. "Ms. Oaken, follow me please," she continued, her voice softer and kinder now. Anna looked utterly flabbergasted, despite the fact that she had actually been asking for her.
Anna followed her meekly, and Elsa led them to a small room on the first floor, a small table in the alcove near the window being the only furniture. "Kai, please bring us tea."
"Right away."
They sat down at the table, and Elsa noticed how Anna had decided not to look at her at all, opting to stare out of the window. Within minutes, a platter with tea and biscuits was placed in between them, and Elsa waved the servants out of the room.
"So..." she started. "I had intended for that hairbrush to be a gift. You know, for chasing you out of your room."
Anna finally turned towards her, flustered red and fidgeting with one of the napkins. "I didn't mind! I liked being chased out- you didn't chase me, literally, of course- But I liked it. My room smelled of you for weeks!" She immediately clamped her hands in front of her mouth, groaning loudly and looking away again.
Elsa decided not to make matters worse for the girl, realising she found herself in an alien environment, speaking to someone she'd probably never imagined even meeting.
"Would you like tea, Ms. Oaken?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," Anna mumbled in reply. "And call me Anna, please."
"As you wish, Anna. Here you go."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"You don't have to repeat 'Your Majesty' after every sentence. I don't need reminding that I'm the Queen," Elsa replied, keeping her voice light.
Anna merely nodded.
"So, tell me... Did you really come all this way from Hellmark to return my hairbrush?"
"No..."
Elsa merely cocked an eyebrow, waiting for Anna's elaboration.
"I'm sorry, this is silly. I shouldn't have come here. I don't know what I was thinking. I probably wasn't. It happens to me sometimes. Oftentimes. Never mind. Thanks for the tea, Your Majesty. I'll just- I'll just go now."
Anna already got up and was halfway across the room before Elsa managed to catch her wrist, causing the redhead to turn around frantically. Elsa immediately let go. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to- If something's wrong, you can tell me. Maybe I can help?"
Anna looked like she could start crying any moment, so Elsa guided her back to her seat, sitting down opposite her again, waiting for the girl to start talking.
"He- he... He said we'd be sent away from the farm... Our home... We have nowhere to go if we can't-"
"Easy now, Anna. Who said this?"
"Lord Orthal..."
Elsa frowned. The name did not sound familiar, and she made it a point to know all the Lords and Ladies in the capital. "Do you know why?"
"Kristoff said something about Lord Clemington being gone, and they started arguing, and now we'll lose the farm. And I was thinking, a higher noble can reverse the order. And a Queen trumps a Lord, so I came here, but they wouldn't let me in, so I showed them the brush, but they still didn't believe me and then you showed up and took me here and offered me tea and told me the brush was a gift and now I'm just sitting here trying to keep from crying like a baby because you're the Queen and I'm just me and I shouldn't have come here."
Elsa sighed, before smiling softly and reaching for Anna's hand. "Anna... there's no such thing as 'just me.' I may be the Queen, but that doesn't mean I'm better than anyone else. Now, go clean yourself up, we'll finish our tea, and then we'll go to Town Hall and see what we can do about this situation, okay?"
They enjoyed their tea in a comfortable silence, after which they made their way to Town Hall. People on the streets often turned around after passing them, for even they did not see their Queen walking around this freely very often.
Anna walked up to Lord Orthal, clearing her throat to catch his attention. "You again? Get lost, kid. There's nothing you can do to change your mind. You and that troll of a brother of yours will need to vacate the property before farming season starts again."
"Maybe I can do something to change your mind," a cold voice came from a little farther away.
"I really doubt that, Miss," Orthal replied without looking up.
"Really?"
The grumpy lord reluctantly tore his gaze away from his paper, noticed the Queen, now standing besides Anna, and promptly fell from his chair in an attempt to get up and bow. "Your Majesty. I didn't know you were scheduled to come in today. I'm so terribly sorry. Really, there's no need to bother yourself with nuisances like this girl. I've got everything covered."
"Ms. Oaken and her family are rather dear to me, sir," Elsa glowered. "I'd appreciate it if you showed them some respect. Now, I had a chance to stay at Oaken Farm during my time in Hellmark, and the village is very dependent on it. I want you to ensure that all papers are in order and sent to the castle. I will sign them myself."
"Of course, Your Majesty. I will see to it first thing tomorrow."
"No. You will see to it right now. I expect the papers on my desk before nightfall. If you're not capable of performing such a menial task in such a lofty time frame, we will need to reconsider your position here."
The man bowed deeply, knowing he wouldn't be able to win this battle even if he had the guts to try. He made sure not to voice any discontent as the Queen and the annoying little brat left Town Hall, all his colleagues looking at them in awe.
As soon as they stood outside, Anna jumped up, throwing her arms into the air, and doing a little dance on the spot. Before she knew what happened, Anna had turned around and wrapped her arms closely around Elsa, engaging in a strong hug. Before Elsa had a chance to recover and maybe even reciprocate, Anna let go of her again and took two large steps backwards. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I don't know what came over me. I shouldn't have done that. Not that I regret it, because I don't, but maybe I should? I don't know..."
Elsa raised her hands to mask a small laugh, noticing how Anna's blush grew a tenfold when she finally gathered enough courage to look up at her again. "That's alright, Anna. I think we should go and tell your brother about the... recent changes, no?"
"Yes!" Anna shouted, causing several people on the streets to look around at her. "This way, please," Anna mumbled, completely embarrassed now. Elsa took her arm, not really caring what the people on the streets would think. I may be the Queen, but I deserve to be myself every now and again, right? Right. Totally right.
To her surprise, Anna led them past a small inn, one of questionable reputation, Elsa recalled, and towards the barn behind it. "In here!" the girl squealed excitedly, before running inside. "Kristoff! I did it. We'll get the papers signed!"
Elsa watched the sleeping reindeer, and the boy splayed out over the hay next to him as he scrambled up. "What? Anna, how? Where were you anyway?"
"I had some help!"
Only then did the boy seem to notice her, standing near the entrance of the barn still. For a moment, his face was completely blank, before the realization that he was staring at the Queen sank in, and his face turned to utter shock. "Your Majesty!"
Elsa merely nodded in reply, trying hard not to laugh at the stressful reaction, the boy now standing with his entire body held stiff, a deep bow being the only exception to that.
"Anna, where do you find the Queen?"
"Well, at the castle, of course."
"What?! You went to the castle, and bothered the Queen for this!?"
"And we had tea," Elsa added with a decidedly non-royal smirk.
"You had- Of course... You had tea. Anna, I let you out of my sight for half an hour, and you... you... Ach! Never mind."
Elsa shook her head in mirth. "Do not worry, Mr. Oaken. I am glad I had a chance to repay your sister for her hospitality some weeks back. There was no need for her to sleep outside so I could sleep in a bed. Speaking of which..." She gestured at her surroundings.
"Don't worry, Your Majesty," Kristoff smiled. "Hay makes an incredibly soft bed.
"Oh, no," Elsa shook her head, slowly but decidedly. "Absolutely not. You're not sleeping here tonight. No way. Gather your stuff, you'll be staying at the castle tonight."
Anna and Kristoff both looked at her as if she had said something completely ridiculous. Maybe she had, she wasn't sure. But she was sure that Anna would not be sleeping in a barn.
"We... we already paid for this," Anna mumbled quietly, hardly loud enough for Elsa to catch it.
"You... You paid for this?" Elsa could hardly believe it. She sighed deeply, rubbing her temples. "Go ahead and make your way to the castle, you'll find a guard outside who will make sure you're allowed in. I'll talk to the innkeeper."
The guard in question smiled congenially. "Please make sure Kai prepares two of the guest rooms for tonight. And sees to all their needs. I'll be dining with them tonight, so make sure Kai cancels any other appointments."
The guard merely nodded, his surprise only visible in his eyes. For a moment, Elsa thought whether this was the right thing to do. But I'll be damned if I let them stay here tonight. Now, to deal with that innkeeper...
Anna was in awe. Completely and utterly so. And judging by his face, Kristoff was not doing much better. The guard had led them back to the palace, spoken with a young man for a moment, and then asked them to wait. Within minutes, they were introduced to the stable master, who assured them he would make sure Sven would get everything a reindeer could possibly wish for. Then they were led inside, and upstairs. The portly servant she had seen before had brought them to two adjoining rooms, one for Kristoff, and one for herself.
And that's where she was now. The room was almost the size of their entire home. The walls were painted in delicate greens, complemented by the soft yellow curtains hanging by the window. The bed - a large, large, bed - seemed fit for the Queen herself, and Anna was wondering whether she would not get lost in it. Before she had time to think that over any further, however, she was torn from her thoughts by gentle knocking on the door.
Anna waited, but no one entered. Only then did she realise they were probably waiting for her to reply. "Come in," she tried to call, but it came from her mouth considerably softer than planned. Way to be cool about this, Anna. Really.
An older woman opened the door and walked into the room, carrying a large bag. "Good afternoon, Ms. Oaken. My name is Gerda, I'm the head of household here. Tonight, however, I have the honour of being your aid. The Queen has requested you for dinner in an hour and a half." Anna nodded in reply, not capable of doing anything else. She still stood in the middle of her room when the woman walked through one of the doors, shortly after which the sound of running water resounded through the room.
After a few minutes, the woman returned, a motherly smile on her face. "I prepared a bath for you, Ms. Oaken. Please take as long as you need. I have placed a towel and a robe on the shelf. I would help you undress, but I think that might only serve to make you uncomfortable, so I will busy myself with making the bed. If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to call out."
Anna was thoroughly impressed by her bathroom. The bathtub itself looked like it could house three bodies without there being any need to touch one another. She quickly took off her dress, the one she had dubbed her potato-sack dress, unfortunately, and lowered herself into the hot water. She reveled in the feeling of the water, feeling the dirt come loose from her body. I can't believe I went to see the Queen while being so dirty? What was I thinking? I even hugged her! She must be totally grossed out.
After nearly half an hour, she got up from the bath, toweled herself down while contemplating on the impossible softness of the towel, and put on the provided robe, also unspeakably soft. When she walked back into her room, she found Gerda sitting on the vanity chair. "Enjoyed your bath, Ms. Oaken?"
"Yes, thank you," Anna replied shyly.
"Majestic. Now, shall we get you ready for dinner?"
Anna nodded and turned around. "I'll just have to put my dress back on and I'll be good."
"No, no. The Queen will have none of that, Ms. Oaken. She has provided a new dress for you."
"She has?" Anna could hardly believe her ears.
Gerda walked over to the bag she had brought with her, producing a beautiful dress from it. It was a beautiful dark shade of green, and like the dress she had worn when she first saw the Queen, it had a black bodice. That, however, was as far as the comparison could be taken. It was made out of an incredibly soft and rich fabric Anna wasn't able to name, and it seemed to shimmer when light passed over it. The black bodice was covered with golden floral patterns, and left her shoulders bare.
Gerda helped her getting dressed, and Anna hardly recognised herself when she looked in the mirror. She couldn't help the cheeky grin that spread across her face.
"I'm glad you like it," Gerda smiled from behind her. "The Queen picked it out herself."
That little bit of information was enough for Anna's head to start swimming, and for a moment she thought she saw a glimpse of... something, in Gerda's eyes. Don't be silly. You don't even know the woman, she chastised herself.
"Now, Ms. Oaken, shall I do your hair?"
Anna mutely took her place in front of the vanity, overwhelmed by all the attention paid to her. Gerda took her spot behind her, and started pulling a brush through her hair. It took Anna only a few seconds to notice it was the silver hairbrush the Queen had left in her room.
"That's the Queen's hairbrush!" she yelped.
"You're quite mistaken, dear," Gerda smiled. "Her Majesty assured me it was yours the moment she left it behind. You should feel honoured, she always refused using any other brush until her return from the trip."
Anna blushed an even deeper shade of red, but Gerda graciously ignored it. "Now, shall we put your hair up, or leave it down..." she muttered, seemingly without expecting an answer. She experimented a little with Anna's hair before making a decision. "Yes, down would be best. That should do the trick perfectly," she grinned.
"Do the trick? Am I expected to do something?"
"Oh, no! Of course not, dear. Don't you worry about an old woman muttering to herself."
Anna nodded as Gerda started to smear something in her hair. Within minutes, her untameable mane had been transformed into a curtain of beautiful, soft hair, curling slightly and falling over her shoulders. "There you go, dear. Now, your brother should be waiting. My husband and I shall escort the two of you to the dining hall."
"Husband?"
"Yes. My husband is the head servant here. You may have met him."
Anna nodded mutely as she was led out of her room. Simultaneously, Kristoff and Kai exited the other room. Anna smiled at the sight of her brother. His usual rags had been replaced by dark blue pants and a white shirt, covered mostly by a matching jacket. His usually wild hair had been tamed, much like Anna's.
Kristoff turned to her, and his eyes widened at the sight of his little sister. "Wow. I mean. Wow. Anna... You look... You're beautiful!" Anna blushed slightly as the head servant nodded in agreement. "You look quite dashing yourself, Kristoff," she smiled. The walk to the dining hall was short and silent, neither of them knowing what to expect from the entire affair.
The dining hall was a large as everything in this room, and the Queen sat at the far end of the table, looking at a stack of papers in her hand. When Kai announced them, she looked up, and Anna could've sworn she saw a blush creeping across her usually pale face. Her mouth was slightly open, as if she had trouble forming her words, Anna thought. Damn it, mind! Stop that madness. You're totally misinterpreting everything. Every time I'm around the Queen.
Kai and Gerda pulled out two chairs for the two of them, and they sat down silently. Gerda looked at the large clock on the wall. "Dinner will be served in five minutes," she smiled as Kai took the papers away from the Queen.
It was silent for a moment, before Kristoff started talking. "I- We'd just like to thank you for everything, Your Majesty," he muttered, his eyes fixed on his empty plate.
The Queen smiled and handed him a little pouch. "It's the least I could do. This should be enough to recompense you for the inn." Kristoff nodded and put the pouch away. "You both look very... good," the Queen added softly.
Anna immediately piped up, speaking before her brother got a chance. "Thank you! I totally adore this dress. I have a similar one at home."
"I know," the Queen smirked, throwing Anna off her trail.
"But it's nothing like this one. And it's so soft and fits so well, it's amazing!" she quickly continued.
"I'm glad you like it," the Queen smiled. "I expect you to take it with you. The same goes for you, of course, Mr. Oaken."
"Oh no no no! We couldn't! This dress costs more than my entire wardrobe together!" Anna immediately replied.
"I'm afraid I'm going to have to insist," the Queen overruled, using her regal tone to ensure Anna wouldn't make a fuss again.
"Well, thank you, then."
Just then the servants entered, carrying a dozen silver plates and spreading them out over the table. Anna's mouth started to water as the smells from the delicious food drifted into her nose, and she decided to take a little bit of everything. Once her plate was filled, she stared down at the vast array of silverware. Etiquette. Right. Which spoon and which fork do I use?
Apparently, the Queen felt her distress. "Just use whichever feels right for you. I won't scold you for using the wrong utensils," she smiled, immediately reassuring Anna and her brother. Dinner was mostly silent, but it wasn't an awkward silence. Everyone was just busy eating. After some time, the servants took the plates away again, and announced the dessert would be out momentarily.
Just then the doors to the dining hall opened, and a young man walked in. Anna looked at him, immediately finding him rather handsome, like some kind of prince. He had majestic red hair, a pearly white smile, and was dressed in a formal uniform. His sideburns were a little excessive to her taste, but still...
"Elsa! I've been looking everywhere for you!" he beamed.
The Queen looked up, half annoyed and half amused. "And why exactly is the dining hall the last place you look for me, despite the fact that it is dinner time?"
"Well, can't blame me for that. You hardly ever eat here unless you have guests. Oh, hello. You have guests."
"Yes. Kristoff and Anna Oaken. I told you about their farm in Hellmark?"
"Right, right. So this is the girl that-"
"Anna, Kristoff, this is Hans. He is a Prince of the Southern Isles, and he has been a ward of my parents since he was six. We grew up together, and after my parents' accident, he decided he'd rather stay here than return to a land he could hardly remember."
Hans smiled at both of them. A prince. Well, that explains a lot, Anna thought. Still, he can't hold a candle to Elsa. Wait... Are you... Am I... Oh dear... And since when do I call her Elsa? Careful there, Missy. Don't want to be thrown in the dungeons for disrespecting the Queen.
Hans looked at Anna's dress. "Elsa, isn't this the dress you had made when you returned from your campaign?"
The Queen coughed softly. "As a matter of fact, it is."
"And it's a perfect fit, isn't it?"
Anna merely nodded.
Hans' grin widened. "Well, isn't that... convenient."
The servants entered, carrying several different cakes, and Prince Hans quickly excused himself. Anna hardly noticed, her eyes transfixed on the largest and yummiest-looking chocolate cake she'd ever seen. She was too busy eating her dessert to realise how quiet it was across the room. Kristoff didn't seem to notice it either, but once she'd finished eating, she realised the Queen hadn't said a word since Prince Hans had left.
"Your Majesty," Anna started hesitantly, seeing the Queen fidget with a napkin. "Is something wrong?"
"No, not at all." The reply was short, almost evasive. No, that's just your mind making things up again.
"Did we do something wrong? We're not really knowledgeable about etiquette and stuff. Maybe we made a poor impression on the Prince? Well, of course we made a poor impression. We're just lowly commoners. Why would you even be dining with us? Ha, the thought on itself- Never mind, I didn't mean to imply you did something wrong, but I just... Yeah, I think I'm going to stop talking now. Sorry."
The Queen's spirit seemed a little lifted. "Don't worry, Ms. Oaken. Everything is quite fine. I was just lost in thought for a moment. Now, if you're both done, Kai and Gerda will escort you back to your rooms. I'll see to it the paperwork for your lease is taken care off. Good night."
And just like that she got up and left. Gerda helped Anna get ready for bed, and she immediately felt fatigue washing over her. Her muddled mind tried to salvage some of the events of the night. Prince Hans was charming, but Queen Elsa's the real deal. Never knew I could feel... this... for a girl. And the dress... she commissioned it herself, and then just gave it to me... What did Hans say again?... Oh yeah... perfect fit... Odd...
She didn't get much of a chance to continue that line of thought, however. The last thing she noticed before falling asleep was the falling of snowflakes outside her window, which, for some reason, made her think of the Queen. Of Elsa.